ORIGINS: USS Hood February 2011

ORIGINS: USS Hood Story Posts
Last Updated: 2262.059

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[ORIGINS] USS HOOD: Diplomacy

David Kiel

"Yes well, fortunately for me Bray is a civil being from the southern part of the Gorn home world. Unlike you she understands manners and we have been friends for many years. Now out of my way woman there is diplomacy a foot and while the Gorn may consider your slug tasty, I doubt they wish to converse with it." With that he set off down the hill.

Cedria walked along with him, matching his pace and pulling her hair back in a tail lest she appear too wildly mamillian and confuse the lizard.

Stile looked annoyed. "Didn't I tell you to leave?"

"There was a lot of condescension involved, like I don't know what a voltaic cell is? And you as the diplomat? Please."

"Ill have you know, Yankee…."

"Oh and stow the Yankee crap, Im Trill. We have a south too, ours just has better schools."

Stile paused for a moment and stared at her. "Just try to be tactful for a change."

"Believe it or not I can be tactful, there is one thing that might trip us up though?"

"What?"

Cedria nodded to the approaching Gorn. "You didn't sleep with her did you?"

Respectfully submitted;

David Kiel

Lt Cedria Zade,

NAV, USS HOOD NCC-1703

ASR: ORIGINS

[ORIGINS] USS HOOD: Bug Hunt

by Brian V. Mansur

SD 2262.035

MD 2.1152

Scene: SS MALLOW, Metron Sphere's Outer Surface

Nguyen felt his lunch pushing its way back up his esophagus. "In the name of ... ", he whispered horror-struck.

It looked to Nguyen like a body had exploded all over the compartment. Every surface was a smattering of blood and chunky yellow red and brown bits. The forward port was almost completely obscured by the innards of ... something. A little voice told Nguyen not to breath through his nose if he didn't want to immediately vomit.

"What," he gulped, "is it?"

One of the crewmen picked up a limb in his gloved hand. "It *was* humanoid," he pronounced showing the others the familiar shape of a foot on the stub's end.

Nguyen heard the man beside him wretch. He struggled to focus. "What did this?"

Sommers pulled a tricorder, tapped it a few times and frowned. "Perfect," he spat. "This thing isn't working."

"Frak," Ngyen cursed. "Sommers, take Niles and check out the aft hull."

Sommers looked at him as though he'd sprouted an extra head. Crewman Niles audibly swallowed. "You're fraking kidding me right, sir?" Sommers objected. "The tricorder doesn't work. What are the odds that the phasers work when we run across whatever did this?"

"Then take the fraking blow torch," told him testily.

Sommers didn't look the slightest bit comforted, but he hefted up the cutter like a rifle and slowly moved to the ship's rear hold. Privately the redshirt ensign thought that next time he found a derelict ship he would keep his big mouth shut.

Nguyen stepped up to the pilot's seat. It had shielded part of the control panel from the flying body parts so he didn't have to get his hands dirty tapping the multitouch. In moments, he had called up the ship's logs.

NRPG: Just as Andy predicted back in September, it ended badly for poor Free Trader Hober Antilles.

Respectfully Submitted,

Brian V. Mansur

LCDR Sean Merrick

FO, USS HOOD, NCC-1703

ASR ORIGINS

Sent from my iPod

[ORIGINS] USS HOOD: Voices from the Past

by Andy Catterick

SD: 2262.039

Scene: Merchant Vessel

It took a few seconds of coaxing but eventually the small monitor came to life and Nguyen found and older man staring back at him. He was the picture of the stereotypical merchie. A big head with multiple chins barely hidden beneath a scraggly red beard that matched his unkempt hair. He looked like he had seen the inside of his shower in a week, and that he didn’t care. There was a large black bruise across a good portion of his forehead and his left eye lid didn’t see to open as much as his right. Nguyen reached down and activated the playback.

“Log Entry.” There was a long silent pause as Captain Antilles stared angrily into the screen. He ran his tongue across his upper lip and seemed to take hold of himself. “This station is some sort of cosmic flytrap. When I got close enough it hit me with a tractor beam and pulled me in. Problem is that while the tractor worked with no problem the doors to this monstrosity didn’t and I got yanked down and smashed against the hull. There were at least three other vessels impaled into the hull. At least that was all I could make out as I spiralled down. We came in and rammed in right on top of another. Took out the engines and dam near every other system as well. I managed to get life support and minimal power back on line but the engines are shot. As is the frakkin comm unit. Totally shattered. I gave up trying to repair it two days ago. It looks like I’m here for awhile. Well at least until the air runs out. End log.

“Log entry. I managed to open up the hull and cut into the alien ship below. Its lifeless but I was able to get partial power restored. It’s coming up slowly so I’m going to sleep for the night and I’ll start the exploration in the morning. Hopefully by then the life support will have warmed it up. End log.

“Log entry. I spent the better part of the day searching the craft. Whoever was on it they must have abandoned ship because no one was home. No bodies. No nothing. Found something that appears to be food but I’m not hungry enough yet to try it. I haven’t been able to access the craft’s computers. Not for lack of trying I just can’t decipher the gibberish that’s all over the terminals.” He paused and then grinned. “At least it’s given me something to do. End log.”

“Log entry. Well I’ve given up on finding anything useful on this alien ship. It could be staring me in the face but I wouldn’t know it. I’ve decided to fall back on what works. I’ve located a part of the ship that *I think* is inside the station that snared me. I’m going to cut through the hull and see if I can get in there. It might be a waste of time but I don’t have anything else on my planner.” There was a large clank behind him and Antilles jerked back instinctively to see what had made it. “What the fra....” The monitor went black.

<<<NRPG>>>

So you can write your character or an NPC on the station working with the Gorn, as part of the landing party examining Antilles’ ship or someone aboard HOOD. Lots to write about guys.

Respectfully,

Andy

CAPT Jack Steele

CO, USS HOOD NCC 1703

STARFLEET: ORIGINS

[ORIGINS] USS HOOD: Evening Stroll

by Andy Catterick

SD: 2262.042

Scene: Derelict Station

With an uneasy truce in place and Stile and Bray working on finding a cure while Zade provided assistance the rest of the two complements had seemed content to stare malevolently at each other. Before things had gotten any worse Jack had decided they could all use the distraction of exploring the alien station. His suggestion to the Gorn XO that they work together at this had fallen on deaf ears until a low guttural his from Bray had suddenly changed the big lizard’s mind. From there it was agreed that they would search in small groups of four, two Starfleet officers and two Gorn to a group. In that way they could keep an eye on each other, it would lessen the chance that one side would make a discovery and not share the information with the other and, in Jack’s case at least, there was the hope that it would spur some sort of cooperation and understanding between the two groups however small.

Twenty minutes later Jack and Gene Lowl walked slowly through the alien landscape with a Gorn security officer and the XO who Jack had finally learned was named Gilo. He was beginning to doubt that his hope for some sort of lessen of tension at least with the obstinate executive officer would be possible. The Gorn had refused to answer any question that Jack had asked him about his home world, how long he had served in the Gorn navy or anything else. He figured the Gorn thought he was trying to pry classified information out of him but all he really was hoping for was a conversation. So now the small group of four walked along in silence.

“Do humans always ask so many questions?” Gilo suddenly said.

Jack stopped in his tracks he was so surprised and was nearly run over by the Gorn who had been walking behind him. “Well humans are a curious species.” He said as he fell back into step with Gilo. “It’s why we’re out here, we like to explore. To see whats beyond the next hill or the next star. But I was interested in you and wanted to use the time to establish a rapport with you.”

“Why?”

“Well in the short term we clearly need to work together if we hope to escape this world.”

“And beyond the short term?”

“You and I are both aware that our two governments are at a stalemate in discussions about this area of space.”

“This is our space!”

Jack raised a hand. “Perhaps and perhaps not. You and I are soldiers and we follow the orders of our superiors. Right now my orders are that we are to minimize tensions with the Gorn in this area of space until such time as a decision is made.”

“Our orders are similar.” Gilo conceded surprising Jack with his admission.

“Well neither of us are going to change that now. I have very little idea as to how your government works and what exactly your strategic thinking is about this however I have a pretty good idea as to how mine goes.”

“And that is?”

Jack considered how best to answer this question without giving too much away. “Well from what I can see there are only minor areas of contention, accepting this sector, between our two states. Once this matter is settled, and assuming it is done so in a amicable fashion there is no reason to believe our governments can’t have formal and friendly exchanges. On the other hand both our frontiers rub up against another government.”

“The Romulans.” Gilo hissed.

Jack nodded. “The Romulans. Its no secret that we’re not on the best of terms with them. So it only makes sense that we would look to friendly relations with other states on our border, especially ones who may have the same tensions with their neighbours as us.”

This time it was Gilo’s turn to stop. He stared at Jack for several seconds. “I understand now why my captain likes you humans.”

<<<NRPG>>>

Just some 6th Fleet future development. And more stuff for you to write about as your characters interact with your Gorn counterparts.

Respectfully,

Andy

CAPT Jack Steele

CO, USS HOOD NCC 1703

STARFLEET: ORIGINS

[ORIGINS] USS HOOD: Rocky Watch Me Pull A Rabbit Out of My Hat

by Steve Apple

SD: 2262.043

Scene: Metron Sphere

Corbett stood and arched his back trying to work out the soreness he felt from the hours of sitting he had endured running test after test on the virus. It was a construct just as he feared. Its genetic engineering was however a site to behold. It was clear that it would kill both species very soon, he approximated that it would begin to be lethal within 36 hours.

“Clooose to cure,” Bray rasped.

“I think so darlin. The cypress bushes you brought back yielded the Thuja extract I needed.”

“Ssso cure,” she stated again.

“Not quite, you can see that the Thuja is attacking the virus, but it’s not potent enough and is getting overwhelmed.”

Bray gently pushed past Stile and looked down at the specimen he had been gesturing to. A small amount of her saliva hit the glass dish.

“Well there goes hours of research,” Corbett sighed in frustration.

“Not ssscientist,” Bray rasped in apology.

“It’s not your fault darling I got carried away and the fatigue didn’t help.”

Sitting back down he took a look at the sample to see if there was anything he could salvage. “Son of a bi…” He yelled.

“What is it,” Kiska said quickly moving over to him.

“Look at the virus it’s dying,”

“You found the cure?” She shouted.

Corbett pushed his hat to the back of his head. “More precisely Bray did,” He said looking up at the Gorn and smiling. “Look at the area where her saliva is, the virus is dying.”

Kiska looked up at him. “You’re saying Gorn saliva is the cure.”

Corbett rubbed the bridge of his nose for a moment deep in thought. “Back in the 21st century they isolated Exendin a protein found in the salivary venom of Gila monsters. The protein helped create some effective cures for diabetes. I think the mixture of her saliva and the Thuja extract worked.”

“Do you ever make sense,” Zade asked popping her head into the cave to monitor Corbett’s progress.

“Only to the educated,” He shot back. “However, if it will keep you from bothering me further I’ll explain it to you.”

“This I got to hear.” Zade said standing next to Kiska.

“I’ll try and make this simple for you.” He started. “Before the tricorder went dead I was able to discern that our affliction was an Adenovirus type that affected both Reptile and Human. Since I am not bogged down by three hundred years of multiple people’s memories I remembered something from my homeopathic class in med school. They used to use Thuja, an extract from the cypress tree, as a treatment for Adenovirus.”

“And you just happened to have some handy.”

“Yes I did,” He said smugly. “This area is abundant with it. So to make a long story short the Thuja mixed with Gorn salivary protein affected a cure.”

“So when do you start treating everyone?” Zade asked.

“I need to run some more test to be sure of the mixtures concentration, but shortly.”

Zade narrowed her eyes a bit. “Shortly maybe too late as some of our people as well as the Gorn have already begun to show signs of it.”

“I am aware of that, now be gone and let me work in peace.”

After several hours of study he stood and looked over at Bray who was motionless in what he assumed was some form of self meditation. He frowned as he rubbed his eyes, this was news that he did not want to give to her, news that could have far reaching consequences. “I need some air darlin,” he said adjusting his hat and heading for the exit.

Bray nodded at him and went back to her meditation.

Corbett found Zade a few meters from the entrance to the cave. “I need to talk,” he said.

Zade looked up at him, but hesitated for a moment. Judging by his face now wasn’t the time for banter. “The cure fell through.”

“No,” he whispered shaking his head. “I can start administering it to our people within the hour.”

“That’s good isn’t it?”

“The treatment that I have is only effective in humanoids. At best it may extend the Gorn’s survivability by four hours or so.”

“You’re kidding.”

“I wish I wasn’t. I don’t think I can find a way to make the cure work for the Gorn in time. As I said the combination of their saliva and natural foliage will work for us, but not them. I tried to use human saliva and even blood, but…”

“But…” She said trying to coax him.

“But nothing, saliva failed and so did almost all the blood mixtures. The best I could do was mix up a retardant using one of the crews blood.”

“Wait a minute you used one of the crew’s blood to make a retardant for them, but you can’t come up with a cure. Somehow that doesn’t sound right.”

Corbett sighed. It didn’t make much sense to him either. Something in the ABO blood group was the key. “Something in the human blood type AB affects their variant of the disease, but I don’t have the right blood. No one on this landing party is AB negative, which is what’s needed. Lowl is AB positive and his blood acted with the Thuja, but only as a retardant. Without AB negative blood to test and work with the Gorn will die from this virus.”

“Great no political implications from that.” This time Zade found herself sighing.

<NRPG> Maybe Antillies is AB negative.

Respectfully Submitted

Steve Apple

Stile Corbett, MD

CMO, USS HOOD NCC-1703

ASR: ORIGINS

6th Fleet

[ORIGINS] USS HOOD: Challenges And Opportunities

by Lena Rose

2262.045

Kiska wondered if she were still not infect by the virus. Before the tricorder had died, it had read that she was still virus free, even though everyone else was infected. She didn't worry about it at the time as she assumed in a matter of time she would be infected like everyone else and so she helped the doc during his studying and testing of the virus by getting things he needed as any good nurse would.

The rest of the time she was busy checking the crews vitals as best she could from time to time, keeping a record as best she could with what she had on hand, what the planet provided. She had heard stories as a child that her Yup'ik family many generations ago, before technology, had survived on the land and nothing more. She made reports to the doc every so often to keep him updated.

While the doc was working on the new cure, she returned to help with the Gorn so that she could compare records. At first Kiska had been like a fish out of water. But she never back down from a challenge and she also wanted the opportunity to learn more about the Gorn.

The Gorn were not very trusting at first with her presence and her being allowed to probe them physically. There had even been a couple that refused to allow her to touch them.

To Be Continued

Respectfully Submitted,

Lena Rose

LTjg. Kiska Saxman

Nurse

USS HOOD NCC-1703

[ORIGINS] USS HOOD: We're Going In

by Andy Catterick

SD: 2262.44

Scene: Merchant Vessel

“Sir we found something.”

“Is it something nasty looking with long sharp teeth?” Nguyen answered numbly as he stared down at the remains of what he assumed had once been Hober Antilles.

“Teeth sir?” The security trooper asked.

Nguyen gave himself a mental shake and looked up. “Report.”

“We’ve found no one aboard the ship sir.” The red shirt replied trying to see what it was that had gotten his superior so spooked. “But we did find a large hole cut into the outer hull, it looks like it leads into another vessel sir.”

“You didn’t enter it did you Sims?” Nguyen asked hoping the mild panic he felt was evident in his voice.

If it was the trooper chose not to let on. “No sir. We’ve secured the area and did a sweep with our tricorder. No lifesigns but we think there is another hole cut into *that* ship. That one leads into the station. We could rescue the landing party!”

Nguyen nodded. “Did the tricorder reveal information on where that ship came from.”

“No sir.” The trooper shook his head wondering why the boss wasn’t happy with the prospect of rescuing the captain. They’d be heros. “I’m afraid I couldn’t identify the type of craft lieutenant.” Not really my specialty his tone of voice added. “And no sign of this ship’s master either.”

“He’s right here.” Nguyen answered grimly as he stepped aside to allow him a better view. He flipped open his communicator. “Nguyen to HOOD.” Pause. “Nguyen to HOOD.” He looked back to Sims. “Try yours.”

“Dead sir.”

“Great.” Nguyen muttered. With loss of communication and a shredded body the safe bet was to head back to HOOD. On the other hand the landing party could be in danger from what ever had ripped up the merchant skipper and he could offer them a way out. But what if he led his team, and himself into the clutches of whatever did this. “Sims. Pick one of your team brief him on this and have him head back to HOOD to report to Commander Gar. The rest of us are going in the station.”

Respectfully,

Andy

CAPT Jack Steele

CO, USS HOOD NCC 1709

STARFLEET: ORIGINS