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USS Feynman JUN 1996: Difference between revisions
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guess it will be a holo-conference so that we don't risk spread of the virus. I've got a | guess it will be a holo-conference so that we don't risk spread of the virus. I've got a | ||
few ideas on how to defeat this Plague. Hopefully, I'm not the only one. ;) | few ideas on how to defeat this Plague. Hopefully, I'm not the only one. ;) | ||
<h3 style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS','Arial'; color: royalblue; font-weight: bold;">USS FEYNMAN: Some Half-Truths</h3> | |||
<h4 style="font-family: 'Trebuchet MS','Arial'; color: royalblue; font-weight: bold;">by | |||
Andrew Catterick 6-15-1996</h4> | |||
SD: 80615.0930<br> | |||
MD: 4.1600<br> | |||
Scene: Bridge<br> | |||
Post #30<br> | |||
"I'm afraid we didn't learn anything we didn't already know | |||
sir." The CSO looked completely haggard. It had been a long 24 hours | |||
and Zane suspected she had had little sleep during that time with | |||
everything that had happened. "It seems the leaders are the ones who | |||
escaped the ship, all we have down there are the followers. Fanatics | |||
mostly, they really don't know any more than what they have been told. | |||
And they are all quite willing to die, I think they look forward to it." | |||
"But why the Ring? And why the Luddites?" | |||
"I've been thinking about that myself. The only reason seems to | |||
be that they have relatively easy access to 70 billion people. Imagine | |||
if the plague took hold how it spread. First within the Ring and | |||
throughout the quadrant. Epsilon is fairly populated and the Kzin are | |||
pretty much next door. As for praying on a bunch of farming Luddites I..." | |||
Zane snapped his fingers. "That's it! The Luddites keep to | |||
themselves but do trade with other communities around the Ring. They | |||
give them food in return for finished good. By passing along the virus | |||
to them you virtually guarantee the plague will take hold." | |||
"Being a terrorist is bad enough but to do such a thing." | |||
Sr'qwon said with disgust. | |||
"And they all have the plague." It was a statement rather than a question. | |||
"Yes sir. A few of them don't look like they have much longer. | |||
The science and medical staff are examining them right now." | |||
"It would be safe to assume that there are bugs floating all over | |||
this ship." He smiled grimly. "It would be quite ironic if we managed | |||
to discover a cure for this thing by examining those that would spread | |||
it. Very well Lieutenant, thank you. We're having a holo-conference at | |||
20:00. Why don't you get some rest until then." | |||
"Yes sir." Sr'qwon turned to go but hesitated. "Captain I heard | |||
a rumour floating around. Is it true that Kavan was killed. Is it true?" | |||
"Yes." | |||
The CSO just nodded sadly and left. | |||
____________________________<br> | |||
Timeframe: 30 minutes later<br> | |||
"Are you sure there are no life signs anywhere on the lead ship?" | |||
[Affirmative. We've sweeped it entirely.] | |||
"Good. And the remaining cargo carriers?" | |||
[Our sensors say they are just drones pulled along by the lead | |||
ship. I don't think they were made to carry people.] | |||
"Have you and your team cleared the area of the command ship?" | |||
[Yes sir. We're already.] | |||
"Lock torpedoes on the command ship." | |||
"Torpedoes locked sir." The officer at tactical replied. | |||
"Fire!" | |||
"Torpedoes away!" The familiar twang of the torpedo launcher | |||
reverberated through the ship as the five torpedoes leaped from the | |||
ship. They continued in a straight line for several second before | |||
sliding into a star formation and impacted the ship simultaneously. A | |||
brief flash of light and the ship was gone along with the disease it | |||
carried." | |||
"Open a channel to the Panarik community." Being isolationist it | |||
took several minutes for the Panarik to respond to the FEYNMAN's repeated | |||
hails. Zane smiled as he considered the mayhem he must have triggered. | |||
Residents of the Ring didn't usually receive calls out of the blue." | |||
"Channel open sir. You will be speaking to a Principal Kobar." | |||
The viewscreen flickered and the face of an elderly woman | |||
appeared on the screen. "Yes?" She asked clearly nervous. | |||
"Greetings Principal Kobar. I am Commander Zane of the Starship | |||
FEYNMAN representing the United Federation of Planets. I realize this | |||
communication is somewhat unorthodox but I'm afraid I have some terrible | |||
news for you." | |||
"What type of terrible news?" She asked warily. | |||
"We were exploring another section of the Ring when our sensors | |||
picked up an explosion near your section of the Ring. Upon investigation | |||
we determined that one of your cargo carriers was destroyed. Debris from | |||
the explosion ripped into the lead ship and penetrated its nuclear engine | |||
core. The resulting radiation melted most of the ship and killed | |||
everyone aboard." | |||
Kobar was stunned by the story. "That...that was our entire | |||
years production we were to trade it for food. Where are our 6 other | |||
container ships?" She asked suspiciously not trusting this outsider and | |||
is fake smile. | |||
"They are safely drifting in space. One of our small crafts will | |||
gather them and return them to your spaceport." | |||
"But what about our trade. Without the Luddite grain we will starve?" | |||
"If you would allow me to I can request my government deliver you | |||
food supplies and anything else you need. Perhaps we could arrange the | |||
long-term loan of a tug to aid in your convoys." He let the offer dangle. | |||
Kobar hesitated, torn between the fear of outsiders and the | |||
spectre of starvation. "We don't want any outsiders!" She protested | |||
weakly knowing they would need the food. "When would these supplies arrive?" | |||
"12 days at the most." | |||
"Any then you would go away and leave us." | |||
"That is our way. We only want to help." | |||
"And the price?" She asked not wanting to know. | |||
"There is no price." He smiled. "As I said we are here to help." | |||
"Very well. I accept these supplies and offer our thanks." What | |||
have I done she thought. | |||
"Excellent. Expect your cargo containers within the day and a | |||
relief ship within 12 days. FEYNMAN out." As he sat back in his chair | |||
he let out a sigh a feeling of guilt running through him for having lied | |||
to Kobar. Still, it had to be done. Word of the plague could not get out. | |||
<<<NRPG>>> | |||
Destroying a ship and lying to the government. I feel like I'm on the | |||
wrong side of an X-File.<G> | |||
Respectfully,<br> | |||
Andy<br> | |||
-CMDR Zane, Commanding, USS FEYNMAN<br> | |||
-LT.CMDR Nigel Brock, Instructor, Holodeck 18<br> | |||
-LT.CMDR Tarsa Rogers, Executive Officer, USS GAUSS<br> | |||
-CMDR Horatio Sinclair, Fleet Intelligence Officer, BLUE FLEET<br> | |||