ORIGINS: USS Hood October 2009

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ORIGINS: USS Hood Story Posts
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[ORIGINS] USS HOOD: Fly By

by Andy Catterick

SD: 2260.275

MD. 5.1330

Scene: Bridge, USS HOOD

"Captain I have a suggestion."

Jack set his coffee down on the armrest and scrutinized the helm officer. Ming had only been aboard for a few days but seemed to be fitting into the HOOD team seamlessly.

"What do you have on your mind lieutenant?"

"Well sir, given the lack of results ship's sensors are providing I suggest sending a shuttle down into the lower atmosphere. We could get low enough that we could do sensor sweeps of the area in the hopes of gleaning more information."

Jack rubbed his chin and considered the request. Ming was right, they were having trouble with ship board sensors. Something down there was definitely interfering. But was it necessary? Not entirely, he decided. They already had a large survey team down at the site and so far at least their tricorder's seemed to have no problem with sensor scans. On the other hand the tricorder's range was somewhat limited and they still had no idea what they were facing. And there was the small matter of the dead bodies the team had just reported. That discovery had had a disquieting effect on the crew especially given the doctor's inability to determine what had happened to them. Still it wasn't really necessary. He looked back at the expectant Lee. Of course it wouldn't hurt either.

"I take it you're volunteering to pilot the shuttle?"

"Yes sir. I'll take a long a science officer with me."

Jack nodded. "Do it."

<<<NRPG>>>

Just a quick post (see how easy it is? HINT HINT)

so everyone has a job. XO, CMO and ENG are on the planet. CSO and SCI haven't really been placed anywhere so I leave it to you two to decide. And of course everyone can field a NPC either on the team or on the ship.

Also, last week I removed our NAV and HELM officers form the mailing list as they obviously decided against joining...and didn't feel it necessary to reply to any of my emails. Scott in his ORIGINS CO hat has written them one last time in the hopes there was some confusion and they will be able to jump in. I'm hopeful, but sadly think they are not with us. So given our small numbers it is increasingly important that we all keep up the posting levels...and if you can find someone to join us you get a medal! ;-)

Ok I'm doing final preparation for my vacation so I am likely now offline...try not to miss me!  ;-)

Respectfully,

Andy

CAPT Jack Steele

CO, USS HOOD NCC 1703

ASR ORIGINS

[ORIGINS] USS HOOD: "What Was That?"

by Scott Lusby

SD: 2260.277

MD: 5.1426

Setting: Planet surface, Velorum IV

<<snip- from Andy's last psot, entitled "The First Discovery">>

"Commander!" He said coming to a halt and turning back to look down the dry river bed. "I'm picking up three humanoid bodies 50 meters ahead. They're given off readings I don't really understand but it looks like their dead sir."

Two minutes later a crouching Dr. Corbett looked up at Sean. "It seems I have to concur with Mr. Lowl's diagnosis. These poor bastards have been dead for several days."

"What killed them doctor?" Merrick asked.

Stile rose from his crouch and snapped his tricorder closed. "I have no idea."

<<snip- new material>>

Gar Th'elenth strode up next to the crouching doctor. "What do you mean, you have 'no idea'?"

Corbett looked up at the blue-skinned engineer. "I mean that, according to the readings I just got, this man should still be buckin' broncs. There is nothing wrong with this person. Nothing at all."

Th'elenth's antennae pitched forward slightly. "That's impossible."

Stile stood up. "I know that," he said. "I need to do a full autopsy on this man before I know anything more definitive- I hope," he added. Then, the doctor turned and had a corpsman begin preparing the body for removal.

Gar turned around, and, wiping his brow, regarded the pyramid in the distance. As he stared, trying to make sense of its massive form levitating off the ground, a slight breeze brushed past his moistened neck, causing the white hairs on the back of his pale blue skin to stand.

At least he **thought** it was a breeze.

"What was that?" he hissed, a little more panic in his voice than he'd like to admit.

His eyes darted to and fro, but all he noticed was the wind pushing the sandy bottom of the dry riverbed in the general direction of the pyramid.

Senses now on full alert, Gar walked forward, toe to heel, phaser drawn in one hand and tricorder extended in frotn of him with the other.

He noticed the new body at the same moment the tricorder chirped.

"Hey Doc!" Gar shouted. "I have another one here!"

The body was sprawled out, face-down in the river bed, arnms thrown foreward, as if he was cut down while in a dead run...

As if he were fleeing something.

Instinctively, Gar's eyes rose fromt he body, back in the direction from which the man run.

Once again, his eyes settled on the pyramid.

As Doctor Corbett arrived, Gar said over his shoulder, "I hope we have plenty of security with us."

"Why?"

Gar's gaze never left the pyramid. "I have a feeling we'll need them."

Privately, he hoped they'd make a difference.

<<TIMELINE>>

MD 5.1426- Th'elenth finds another body and gets spooked by the pyramid.

<<NRPG>>

All- Come on, let's get this thing going...

Steve- dropped a hook or two in there for you. Let me know if you want to do anything special with this.

Respectfully Submitted,

-- Scott Lusby

/\ LCDR Gar Th'elenth

Chief Engineer

USS HOOD NCC-1703

ASR: ORIGINS

[ORIGINS] USS HOOD: At The Mouth That Eats People

by Brian V. Mansur

SD: 2260.276

MD. 5.1440

Scene: Floating Pyramid Object, Planet Velorum IV

Merrick considered the pyramid's forbodding access tunnel and supressed a shiver. The scene was very, very quiet. Dead quiet in fact, what with the bodies they had found in the nearby riverbed. A barely perceptable breeze emanated from from the opening. The way it caressed his face reminded him of cave breathing, such as he had felt in the Carlsbad Caverns on Earth. It was like a ghost letting him know it was there.

Presently he began looking around for a Redshirt to have the first look. Whatever else that pyramid might be, it likely had a deep interior network and he didn't like to think of what might be waiting in there.

"DeSimms, you want to do the honors?"

"Mind if I throw in a grenade first?"

Merrick forced a chuckle. "Ghosts probably won't be harmed by grenades. But why not carry one just in case."

DeSimms nodded and boldly stepped to the mouth of the tunnel. He positioned some shades over his eyes, threw on some gloves, and didn't move another inch for almost a minute.

Merrick, feeling a bit impatient, finally asked, "Something wrong?"

"Naaht sure." DeSimms drolled, twitching a finger spasmodically.

"You look as if you don't want to go in there," Merrick poked. "If I didn't know better, I'd think you were afraid of the dark."

DeSimms frowned. "About that Sean."

"Yeah?"

"I think we may have to go in on foot. The bot isn't booting."

Merrick threw up his hands, "Oh you got to be kidding me."

"Nope. GImpy Joe is not coming online." DeSimms removed his VR goggles and gloves and stepped up to the rover in the tunnel entrance.

"Gar!" Merrick called. "Don't suppose you could help us find out why the hell the recon bot isn't working."

In a matter of seconds Gar was there, running a tricorder diagnostic. Aside Merrick said, "Wouldn't you know this is the last one in inventory after the Klingons had at us. Remind me to ask for an expedite on the resupply order."

Gar looked asconce at the FO. "I thought you already had Sean."

"Don't start with me. I'm not looking forward to going in there blind."

Politely, Gar dropped the subject and concentrated on the bot. Finally he made his diagnosis. "The circuitry seems fine. The power is on. But the internal computer isn't operating. I'd say the software is corrupted."

"Like the bodies around here?"

Gar gave Sean a "Let's not go there" look and said, "I'll have to reload the drive through the tricorder."

He looked suspiciously at DeSimms. "What did you do to this thing?"

"Tried to turn it on."

"Uh huh. And before that?"

DeSimms remained silent. He knew perfectly well as a Security Chief not to say anything incriminating. Gar snarled.

"Damn it John, why do you keep breaking my stuff? Was it working on the ship before beam down? When did you last check it?"

DeSimms put up a pleading hand, "It was working fine after the last drill. That's all I know."

"Bottom line, Gar," Sean interjected, "How long will it take to fix?"

Gar slapped his tricorder shut. "Done. Try it now."

DeSimms did. And to everyone's great unease, absolutely nothing happened.

"Gar?" Merrick said with a note of alarm. Already the engineer had his tricorder back out.

"I don't fragging believe this." the blue skin said, antennae wiggling in agitation. "The program is corrupted again and I am certain that it was fine just 20 seconds ago."

"Virus? Short-circuit?"

"If the tricorder can believed, then no to both."

Merrick sighed heavily. Well he thought to himself. At least I have two Redshirts to draw Karma's fire.

Steeling himself, he said, "Well, we're not going to find answers standing around here. Let's peek inside."

NRPG: Spooky spooky spooky spooky. Is Dr. Corbett coming along? Dan, you want point? Let's go see the undead or whatever is in there.

Respectfully Submitted,

Brian V. Mansur

LCDR Sean Merrick

FO, USS HOOD NCC-1703

[ORIGINS] USS HOOD: "Who Knew Death Was So Fatal"

by Steve Apple

SD: 2260.279

MD: 5.1426

Setting: Star Fleet Tent, Planet Surface, Velorum IV

Corbett pulled the tent flap back and walked in. The makeshift morgue held a portable exam table with the nude body of a dead man on it. To the right side of the tent was specialized medical equipment and to the left side was another corpse sealed in a body bag awaiting his turn on the table. Pushing his cowboy hat to the back of his head Corbett bent over the body and did a full visual inspection of the corpse.

“Don’t you think we should get in biohazard suits for this doc?” Crewman Bates asked his voice rife with anxiety.

“What’s the matter Frank you scared you might catch something?” Corbett jibed. “If he is infectious we’ve already been exposed. We’ll suit up just before we cut into him.”

“Is that supposed to be reassuring Stile?” Bates asked.

“No it’s just the truth.” Corbett said as he finished his physical examination of the body. “Hand me that blue light will you.”

“Sure,” Bates said handing the light to Corbett. “If you want I can have them beam down a portable surgical lamp.”

Corbett looked up at the man and smiled. “You have no idea what I’m doing, do you?” He asked.

“Uh well you asked for a light, so I thought it wasn’t bright enough in here for you.” Bates said.

“No I asked for a blue light.” Corbett said shaking his head. “When you shine a blue light on a body any presence of blood will show up black. Since I have checked this man for external wounds and found nothing I want to make sure I haven’t missed something before I cut into him and destroy any evidence.”

“That’s a bit of overkill isn’t it?” Bates asked.

“Maybe,” Corbett said as he passed the light over the front of the man’s body. “But since I don’t have an explanation for why this man died I’m going to check every possibility.”

“I can’t believe the tricorder didn’t show anything.” Bates said.

Corbett turned the body over and followed the same visual, physical, and blue light examination on the prone figure. “Hmm.” Corbett said as he pulled back the hair to the base of the man’s scalp.

“You found something?” Bates asked excitement in his voice.

“Look here at the base of the neck and tell me what you see.” Corbett answered.

“Nothing, looks like hair and skin.” Bates replied.

“Yeah I agree, but the area feels a bit raised. Let’s see if the blue light shows us anything we haven’t seen.” Corbett said shining the blue light on the back of the corpses head.

“Looks like little black bumps. That couldn’t have killed him, could it?” Bates asked.

“It’s called petechia.” Corbett said. “And no it didn’t kill him. It’s usually caused by some kind of traumatic hemorrhaging. I’ve seen a similar pattern on strangulation cases when I was in residency on Orion. Why this man has it I’m not sure. He has no other signs that I can see that he was choked to death. Let’s get tissue and blood samples and then get suited up, I want to take a look inside and see what killed this man.”

Setting: Outside The Access Tunnel, Floating Pyramid Object, Planet Velorum IV

Corbett exited the tent and walked over to where he saw Sean talking with DeSimms and Gar. He thought the Andorian Engineer looked agitated, but with his temperament one could never tell.

“John, did you break one of Gar’s toys again?” Corbett asked as straight faced as possible.

DeSimms shot Corbett a dark look and Gar just grumbled as he fiddled with the tricorder.

“We were about to go into the access tunnel when the recon bot went down.” Merrick said turning toward Corbett trying to suppress a smile. “Do you have a report doctor, or are you just here to be an instigator.”

“A little of both, but I think you better hear what I found before we blindly go into that tunnel.” Corbett said.

“So you know what killed those men?” Gar asked looking up from the tricorder.

“Yes and no.” Corbett said pulling his hat down a bit.

“You either know what killed them, or you don’t.” Gar said angrily.

Corbett turned a steely gaze on the Andorian and said. “Well sar I know how they died, but I sure as hell don’t know why.”

Merrick held up a hand to silence Gar’s raising anger. “You want to be a little bit more specific Stile.”

“I wish I could be Sean. When I did a full autopsy on that first body we discovered I found that he died of natural causes otherwise known as old age.” Corbett said.

“How is that possible, he didn’t look any older than 24 or 25.” Merrick shouted.

“According to the colony records his name was DeLuca and he was a 23 year old crew chief on this dig.” Corbett said shaking his head.

“Stile you’re not making any sense, how can a 23 year old die of old age?” Merrick asked.

“I wish I knew Sean, but the facts remain. I’m telling you his cellular and tissue structure were consistent with that of an 87 year old man. While he may have looked young on the outside his organs and vasculature painted a different picture altogether. I confirmed it with the computer twice.”

“What about the other man the one we found face down, did he die of old age too?” Gar asked skeptically.

“No, his death was different. It was as if his cells were depleted of all energy sources.” Corbett said then paused for a moment before he continued in a venue the Engineer would understand. “The human body is basically run on electrical power. It’s a complex series of gated channels that utilize the influx and efflux of sodium, potassium and calcium to generate the charge. His body, hell every one of his cells had an absence of them. Literally this man was burned out.”

“Is there anything that connects them?” DeSimms asked.

“There is sar, but I’m not sure what it means yet.” Corbett said. “Both bodies had an area of petechia at the base of the neck. These are flat round red spots under the skin surface caused by bleeding into the area. They are usually caused by intradermal hemorrhage due to some kind of trauma. I’ve seen these kind of marks before during strangulation cases. My examination of both bodies showed that these men had hairline fractures of both the hyoid bone and upper thyroid horns consistent with self strangulation.”

“If that wasn’t the cause of death was it a contributor?” Merrick asked trying to piece this together.

“No sar, the fractures were days old as was the sub-dermal bruising to the laryngeal tissue.” Corbett said then paused for a moment. “I can’t say for sure but by the position of the injuries it was as if these men were strangling themselves in an effort to force something out of their throats.”

NRPG: I’m sorry it took so long to post guys, but I got the H1N1 flu that turned into pneumonia. I’ve been bed bound for the last 1 ½ week and today was the first day that I felt well enough to actually write something. It’s not my best, but it should move the plot along. Andy, Brian and Scott great job moving things forward.

Respectfully Submitted,

Steve Apple

Stile Corbett, MD

CMO, USS HOOD NCC-1703

[ORIGINS] USS HOOD: "Anyone Got An Energizer?"

by Scott Lusby

SD: 2260.284 MD: 5.1438 Setting: Tunnel outside pyramid, Velorum IV

<<snip- from Steve's post, entitled "Who Knew Death Was so Fatal">>

"Is there anything that connects them?" DeSimms asked.

"There is sar, but I'm not sure what it means yet." Corbett said. "Both bodies had an area of petechia at the base of the neck. These are flat round red spots under the skin surface caused by bleeding into the area. They are usually caused by intradermal hemorrhage due to some kind of trauma. I've seen these kind of marks before during strangulation cases. My examination of both bodies showed that these men had hairline fractures of both the hyoid bone and upper thyroid horns consistent with self strangulation."

"If that wasn't the cause of death was it a contributor?" Merrick asked trying to piece this together.

"No sar, the fractures were days old as was the sub-dermal bruising to the laryngeal tissue." Corbett said then paused for a moment. "I can't say for sure but by the position of the injuries it was as if these men were strangling themselves in an effort to force something out of their throats."

<<snip- new material>>

Gar scratched the white tuft of hair on top of his ice-blue skin. "You said the second body's been drained of energy?"

Doctor Corbett nodded. "That's right, Gar- nothin' left."

Gar took a step closer, and his antennae twitched. "As if he had been used as a giant battery and then discarded once he was drained?"

Corbett thought about that. "I suppose that would be one way to describe it," he said.

Now, Merrick chimed in. "Could that also explain the unnatural aging of the first victim?"

Corbett pursed his lips. "Well, in order to do that, he would have to have been 'drained and re-charged,' as it were, several times. That could prematurely age a body- in theory, anyway."

DeSimms shook his head. "That's a hell of a theory," he deadpanned.

"Theory's all we got right now," Merrick countered. He turned back to Stile. "What about the petechia?"

Before Stile could answer, Gar interrupted. "Could simply be one of the places where they were 'connected' to whatever it was they were powering," he offered. "Of course, there would need to be a corresponding connection, drawing an opposite charge in order for the circuit to work."

Merrick glanced back at the doctor. "You find anything like that?"

The Texan shook his head. "No, can't say that I have," he said. "'Course, I may have seen it and not noticed it without the context." He turned and began making his way back towards the tent where the bodies were. "Let me look at 'em again, and I'll let you know."

Gar turned his attention back to his tricorder...and immediately noticed something funny. "Hey- I'm getting another reading- this one's coming from inside that pyramid."

Merrick moved a few steps and stood next to Gar, glancing at the tricorder. "What kind of readings?"

"Definitely EM, Commander," he said. "Something was masking it; I can't tell if the masking agent is natural or otherwise, but it was there. It's still there- but we're obviously close enough to the source to pick it up."

They both looked down the darkened tunnel that led into the pyramid.

"DeSimms," Merrick called, glancing back at the Andorian engineer. "How about sending a couple of scouts down there for us?"

<<TIMELINE>>

5.1438- Gar Th'elenth comes up with a possible theory about the bodies, then picks up an EM signal from inside the pyramid.

<<NRPG>>

All- Just something to move this thing along some.

Daniel- PING!!!! We've got you all set up here!

Respectfully Submitted,

-- Scott Lusby

/\ LCDR Gar Th'elenth

Chief Engineer

USS HOOD NCC-1703

ASR: ORIGINS

[ORIGINS] USS HOOD: DeSimm's Rules of the Away Mission

by Dan Belin

SD: 2260.284

MD: 5.1438

Setting: Tunnel outside pyramid, Velorum IV

DeSimms dressed into his BDU behind some rocks. As he put on his Land Warrior kit, he thought 'this is going to make one hell of a thriller movie if it ever gets declassified'. Two of the redshirts that had already changed were helping themselves to the shipment of weapons and equipment that beamed down. Gar and Merrick were conferring with the Lieutenant from Sciences, who DeSimms hadn't yet been formally introduced to.

He popped out from the rock and took a Pulse Rifle from the pile of equipment. Along with that he took several Plasmonic grenades, a set of explosive charges, and what security people and Special Ops called 'a can on a string'. DeSimms walked back to the group, looking like John Rambo except bald. He looked at the younger ensigns and jay-gee's and asked, "How many of you have been on an away mission before?"

Out of the group of approximately ten, two raised their hands. Ensign Roth and Crewman Jody, both in security. At least his security detachment knew what it's like. As for the rest of them, DeSimms went into full intimidation mode. He was going to tell them how it is, and not in the way they sugarcoat at the Academy, "OK boys and girls, listen up! We are going into whats known as a danger zone," DeSimms put emphasis on the last two words, "here are my rules for danger zones. ONE, I am taking point and Roth is taking rear. At no point should you be in front of me or behind Roth. Second, leave the blasting to the professionals. Friendly fire is NEVER friendly.Third, we stay in groups. We DO NOT go exploring off into the dark or playing with aliens, as that leads to accidents. Finally, if you feel at any time threatened or have any suspicions, recommendations, whatever, tell a senior crew member immediately. I don't care if you saw something in the shadows, or have a gut feeling. TELL US."

Commander Merrick looked at DeSimms, and then at the newbies. He concluded, "I think DeSimms summed it up very gracefully," he gave an almost imperceptible wink to DeSimms, "remember, stay frosty."

DeSimms lowered his Land Warrior eyepiece. He switched the visual overlay to a combination of Night vision, thermal, and EM detection. He marveled for a moment at the scope of the Land Warrior project. He could lower his goggles and use them for anything from night-vision to binoculars, he could send text messages by wiggling fingers minuscule distances, he could whisper so only he could hear it and have it broadcast to any Land Warrior unit. The Warrior also had a HUD for monitoring vital health statistics, a direct tie-in to his and any other tricorder within 500 feet. Long gone were the archaic days of asking "Whats your tricorder reading, Doctor?" now you just looked. He could look through the optics of his or any other team-members gun, and tie-in to any sensor or camera within five-hundred feet. Those guys at SF Engineering deserved a Latinum Star for their efforts.

He gestured to his security guys to move forward into the tunnel. He told everyone else, "Wait here until we figure out how to turn on the lights."

When he saw everybody but the Redshirts moving along he charged into the tunnel. He asked Petty Officer Forward if he could find a local junction, and the Petty Officer replied, "Thirty meters down the corridor to the right, sir."

He started walking along the corridor, and suddenly hit something with his boot. He looked down and saw a hard, crystallized human caught in mid stride. The other security personnel looked and saw the same thing. There were several arched eyebrows and drawn phasers. DeSimms knelt down and flicked the statue, and it shattered almost as glass would. He then hailed Corbett with Land Warrior, "Uh Doc....we got um.....another dead body...."

<<Sar, you're gonna need to give me some more details>> was the response

"He's crystallized, almost as if he was bathed in liquid nitrogen or something."

<<What!?>> Corbett cried with an air of surprise. In all his time as a combat doctor, he'd never heard of this.

With that wonderful note, he continued until he reached the Engineering Junction and looked around. According to his readouts there was no burnout, no nothing. Just a switch flicked off. He flicked it on, and expected the lights to turn on. Nothing happened, and DeSimms dented the console by slamming it with his fist. He talked into the communicator, "Gar, get down here, and bring two phasers. Doc, if you want to come too, move along. Take the first corridor on your right and walk till you see the junction with the glow sticks illuminating it. We need some help."

NRPG: I apologize for the long interval from my last post. DeSimms hasn't encountered anything...yet. So I guess its an open invitation for Gar and Corbett to move down the tunnel of death :).

With all due respect,

Dan Belin

LT. John DeSimms

SEC Officer

U.S.S HOOD

NCC-1703

[ORIGINS] USS HOOD: Oh You Just Know Someone is Going to Die Here Soon

by Brian V. Mansur

SD: 2260.285

MD: 5.1450

Scene: Pyramid Object, Valorum IV

DeSimms wrinkled his nose at the musty odor wafting up from the shattered crystal body. It acted like it had been frozen but his HUD heat view said it was room temp cool. Warily he looked all around him, above and below. The room was quiet and bland. Nothing remarkable aside from the carved stone.

It didn't take long for the gang to arrive. Corbett took one look at the shattered corpse and whistled. Nearby, Merrick started to mouth "What the Hell" over and over again. Gar's antennae stood up on end and his teeth were visibly clenched.

"Corbett?" Merrick demanded.

"Your guess is as good as my gosh, Sean. This isn't anything I've heard of." He handled a chunk of someone's dead face. A single frozen eye, full of desperate fear, gazed up at them.

"The poor bastard knew something bad was happening," Corbett commented.

"This doesn't make a damn bit of sense." Merrick complained. "Where is the thing that did this? Why haven't we seen it yet?" He looked at DeSimms who merely shrugged and snapped his fingers. Like well trained dogs, the security formed up and they started down the cooridor again leaving the trio to puzzle out the latest dead body.

Wherever it was, DeSimms mused, it was almost certainly ahead.

NRPG: A quick one to keep me on the board. I'll write more as time allows. I think we're about to make "the encounter."

Respectfully Submitted,

Brian V. Mansur

LCDR Sean Merrick

FO, USS HOOD NCC-1703

[ORIGINS] USS HOOD: wild guesses.

by David Martens

SD: 2260.285

MD: 5.1515

Scene: USS HOOD, Ready Room

Hemux was in the science lab. She was constantly updating the data the away - team was sending in as a new report popped up on her console. It as a transcription of the security team on the surface.

<Snip from Bryan>

"Corbett?" Merrick demanded.

"Your guess is as good as my gosh, Sean. This isn't anything I've heard of." He handled a chunk of someone's dead face. A single frozen eye, full of desperate fear, gazed up at them.

"The poor bastard knew something bad was happening," Corbett commented.

<End of Snip>

Hemux added the `frozen eyeball' to the other pieces of the puzzle. Some idea was starting to build in her head. The small fractures on the base of the skull, the frozen eyeball, the idea that energy was drained of the body…

It sounded impossible but it had to be.

She walked out to the Comm and asked for a connection to the away – team. "Hemux to Corbett"

[Corbett here, what you have for us, Hemux?]

"It's just a wild guessk, but my idea is your dealing with a creature that feeds on brain energy and bodyheat. That would explain why it would go for the mouth to attack. Near to the brain, some major arteries there to drain the body heat. That would also explain the frozen body parts, draining a body quickly of energy and heat can make it freeze all up. And if you drained brain energy and bodyheat it also will make the body age more rapidly. Drain the victim till it is unconscious or even in coma, leave it alone for a few hours so it can build up his bodyheat and restore some of his energy. In that way you would have a easy source of food."

[Any suggestions on our approach?]

Hemux thought about that for a few moments "Suggestions only. Since we have no real cues about what our opponent can or can't do it's a l a wild guess. I would say put on thermo-suits to keep your bodyheat undetected, also put up a metal helmet or metal foil or so around yor head. This might block energy-signals from your brains to be picked up. But again, I have no idea if it will be suficient."

She checked her data again and added "Oh and look for something small and flexible. If that hostile being is able to enter it's victims through the mouth then it can't be very big or fat. Imagine a worm or snail like being I guess. But again that's only a guess, it might be as well a fluid huge mass that is able to slide through the most narrow holes or a energy being or just anything you can imagine. Hemux out."

ARr'Rhiana leant back in her chair as she pushed a PADD over her desk with a fingertip. Something was missing, but she could not say what, she just hoped Corbett and the rest would be safe.

<<<NRPG>>>

Hi All,

I know I am slow in posting, but real life keeps be more intense and busy then I ever thought. Anyway, maybe this is something to work with.

Respectfully,

David Martens

Lt ARr'Rhiana Hemux

CSciO , USS HOOD NCC 1703

ASR ORIGINS

[ORIGINS] USS HOOD: New Fears

by Andy Catterick

SD: 2260.289

MD: 5.1545

Scene: Inner Chamber, Pyramid

For security crewman Gene Lowl the party was definitely over. It had all started so well. He had excelled in Basic Training and been assigned to one of the elite units in Starfleet, a CONSTITUTION class starship that was so new the paint on the hull was barely dry. It wasn’t his dream assignment, USS EXETER but given how badly they had just kicked the Klingon’s asses he was certain people would be begging to get aboard HOOD. Sure Jack Steele was no Ron Tracey but by now everyone knew that HOOD was a ship not to be messed with. Now barely a month into his first deployment he had been tapped for his first landing party. And it was a real landing party not some fluff assignment where he was detailed to baby-sit a bunch of self important geologists and botanists as they oohed and ahhed over some rocks on a dead world. No this mission was classified and it concerned the security of the Federation. It was a mission where he could make a name for himself. It had all gone so well. Once they beamed down he’d been assigned point which quickly led to him finding the first major discovery of the mission. Which is where it began to go down hill.

Granted these were the first dead bodies he had ever seen. But he was in security and death was part of the job. He didn’t welcome it but he could deal with it. Or so he thought. He’d expected that these people had been killed by some sort of weapon. Something they’d obviously not been trained to deal with. But he had been trained and he was good at his job so if someone was lurking out there waiting to attack they were going to be very surprised. But it wasn’t a weapon that had ended their lives. In fact the doctor not only couldn’t determine what killed them he couldn’t explain why they weren;t alive. Then the equipment started to fail. That got the officers bitchin at each other. As far as Gene was concerned, given the circumstances, that was the first step on the road to panic. Panic was one thing they didn’t need.

Now they found themselves standing inside the pyramid in room so dark their portable lights could barely cut through it. The tension among the party was rising and he had to admit to himself. Training or not he was scared.

Gene had two main fears at this point. The first and most pressing one was that he was going to die. Things had gone from good to bad. Now more then ever before he was acutely aware of the colour of his shirt. It had long been a joke in Starfleet but his instructors in Basic had been very clear. Red shirts, especially security red shirts die more then mustard and blue combined. A lot more. Especially nameless red shirted security crew members the joke continued. He darted a quick look at both the executive officer and then the doctor. He was pretty sure the X/O had no idea who he was and he was completely certain that that cowboy wannabe doctor wouldn’t be able to pick him out of a line up as a fellow HOOD crew member. Lieutenant DeSimms probably knew he was but he was the security chief he was supposed to know. But that was about it. *Oh God,* he thought to himself. *I’m the nameless red shirt and I’m going to die.*

Which brought him to his second fear. Failure. He’d come this far, made it to a starship and was ready to make his mark on Starfleet and the galaxy. He didn’t want it all to end on his first mission. So it didn’t matter that there were dead people who shouldn’t be dead, failed equipment that shouldn’t fail and that the officers were spooked. He wasn’t going to die, nameless red shirt myth be damned. He faced it all and knew he could take it.

Then it got worse.

He swore they hadn’t been there a second ago. But they were certainly here now and he felt the adrenaline rush through his body. He was only barely aware that he had drawn his phaser by instinct. “Uh sirs!” He said insistently to Commander Merrick and the doctor who were a few meters away and deep in conversation.

Sean immediately recognized the three humans as senior members of the archeological team they were sent here to find. At first glance he was certain it was them but then he wasn’t so sure. “Doctor?” To his left Stile ran his medical tricorder over them and frowned. He ran it a second time and then a third. “Doctor?” Sean asked again.

“Same as the others.”

“Meaning?” Merrick asked.

“Meaning according to this they are dead. But there is no medical reason that my tricorder can identify.”

“Gene lets slowly lower the phaser.” DeSimms asked. And it was all Crewman Lowl could do not to jump out of his skin at hearing the security chief. He had been clear across the chamber and Gene had no idea how he had made it here so quickly and quietly. He turned his attention back to the doctor. “They don’t look dead.”

“Do they look alive?” Stile replied.

Sean took a step forward. “I’m Commander Sean Merrick, USS HOOD…” He stopped in mid-sentence as the mouth of the middle figure slowly opened.

“Go back.” It whispered in a raspy voice that Gene Lowl knew he would never forget.

<<<NRPG>>>

I’m officially back and I really enjoyed the posts that you all created. It’s nice to see such a productive week for us, maybe I should go on vacation more often. I’m really enjoying the story we’re creating.

Reading your posts I kept thinking of the TOS episode Cats paw so when I sat down to write I kept seeing this scene. Course I’m not looking to continue along those lines but it just kind of wrote itself.

I look forward to see what happens next.

I’m assuming Gene wasn’t present for Stile’s conversation with Hemux…

Please don’t kill Gene…

Respectfully,

Andy Catterick

CAPT Jack Steele

CO, USS HOOD NCC 1703

ASR ORIGINS

[ORIGINS] USS HOOD: You Really Should Listen to the Voices

by Brian V. Mansur

SD: 2260.290

MD: 5.1500

Scene: Pyramid Object, Valorum IV

"Go Back," the middle figure rasped.

Immediately Merrick felt like soiling his pants. Very deliberately, he turned to Corbett and DeSimms who were next to him.

"Doctor. John." he said in a controlled, almost conversational tone, "The nice undead man told us to go back." He paused a beat. "Can you see any reason at all why we should stay?"

Corbett mutely gaped and shook his head slightly as though in a daze. DeSimms on the other hand seemed spookily unphased. In fact, by Merrick's estimation, the Security Chief was acting as though the animated corpses in front them were merely shady characters at a bar. Accordingly, DeSimms spared Merrick a look of disdain that pretty much said, "You're the senior officer here. Deal with it."

Merrick sighed, kicked at the dust curtly, bit his lower lip for a second and turned back to address the trio.

"Gentlemen. We've been, ah, worried about you. Would mind telling us why we should go back."

The group did not immediately answer, but Merrick took note of a slight trembling in the figure on the left.

"Is there a problem with your friend?"

The middle figure's head tilted ever so slightly and his face seemed to dissolve from a somewhat saddened blank into a contortion of rage and pain.

"YOU DAMNED FOOLS!" an unworldly voice suddenly boomed from within him.

NRPG: Oh. Crap.

Respectfully Submitted,

Brian V. Mansur

LCDR Sean Merrick

FO, USS HOOD NCC-1703

ASR ORIGINS

[ORIGINS] USS HOOD: "Feels Like a Bad B-Movie"

by Scott Lusby

SD: 2260.291

MD: 5.1550

Setting: Pyramid Object, Velorum IV

<<snip- from Brian's post, entitled "You Really Should Listen to the Voices">>

"Is there a problem with your friend?"

The middle figure's head tilted ever so slightly and his face seemed to dissolve from a somewhat saddened blank into a contortion of rage and pain.

"YOU DAMNED FOOLS!" an unworldly voice suddenly boomed from within him.

<<end snip>>

Lieutenant Commander Gar Th'elenth- not that any of him was really visible inside of his thermal suit- was starting to wonder why they didn't just shoot the crazy zombie-things before it got any worse.

However, Gar sensed that it might be a bit late for that.

Suddenly, an unearthly howl filled the room- not the howl of a creature, but rather of wind...which might have been somewhat believable had they actually been outside at this moment.

A lot of things were defying believability, in Gar's opinion, at the moment.

Merrick, DeSimms, Corbett and Gar all began to look around them, above them, behind them, searching for any sign of what must be, given the level of cacophonic noise filling the pyramid, the fire demon from the inner circles of hell that was surely approaching to smite them with his flaming trident.

Instead, the man/zombie/undead thing that told them to leave and then called them fools when they didn't swayed for a moment and then fell, eyes rolled back into his head.

Merrick glanced over at Corbett, but the doctor wasn't having any of it. "What do you want me to tell yeh- that thing was already dead according to the tricorder," he said, pointing a finger at the blanched corpse not laying, face up, on the ground. "It couldn't well die again."

"Are you sure the tricorder was working right?" Gar asked, now more than a little cranky. "We've already seen them corrupt for no apparent reason--"

"Oh for the love of Pete..." Corbett grumbled, taking two steps over to the body. "Look at him- he's stone--"

At that very moment, something completely unexpected happened- "unexpected" because, to this date, they hadn't actually seen any evidence of this happening to any of the previous victims.

The body exploded in a gory hail of flesh, sinew, entrails and blood- all of which, of course, covered the Starfleet officers' formerly-spotless and brand-spanking-new thermal suits.

DeSimms glanced over at Merrick and shrugged. "Well, if he wasn't dead before--"

"I understand!" Merrick said, cutting the Security Chief off.

Stile, wiping viscera and bone from his suit, stood up, and took two steps back until he was back with his crew mates. The four said nothing further, instead regarding the two remaining less-than-fully-alive beings in front of them with something akin to a combination of sympathy and horror.

Then, the being that was in the middle looked back up at the rest of them, and said, in a most exhausted tone of voice, "Please don't do that again."

Merrick looked over at Gar.

"What if we don't know what we did?" the Andorran asked, antennae twitching.

<<TIMELINE>>

MD 5.1550: The landing party gets a surprise they don't see coming.

<<NRPG>>

All- Sorry- I couldn't help myself. I couldn't really think of anything to contribute to the actual storyline...but given the way things were headed, I couldn't resist.

Enjoy cleaning yourselves off...

Gorily Submitted,

- Scott Lusby

/\ LCDR Gar Th'elenth

Chief Engineer

USS HOOD NCC-1703

ASR: ORIGINS

[ORIGINS] USS HOOD: So Much for the Cavalry

by Andy Catterick

SD: 2260.293

MD: 5.1600

Scene: Bridge, USS HOOD

“Try a general call.” Steele ordered.

“I did sir.” The comm officer replied. “Three times after I failed to get a response from Commanders Merrick or Gar or Lieutenant DeSimms. I’ve also tried all frequencies.”

“Equipment malfunction?”

“No sir. Everything checks out fine.” She answered. “I’ll check again.” She added before the captain could order it.

Jack stepped down onto the command deck and dropped into his chair. He didn’t like this. Sean wasn’t due to check in for another 10 minutes but they’d gone into the pyramid almost twenty minutes ago and he had expected to hear from them by now. He didn’t want to crowd his first officer but he had a bad feeling about this mission. Against his better judgment he had tried to communicate with Sean but found he couldn’t get through. Soon after they had discovered they couldn’t raise anyone from the landing party.

Jack jabbed at his comm button. “Transporter Room.”

[Chief Wilson here.]

“Can you get a lock on the landing party chief?”

[Lock’s been sporadic sir. Right now I do not have lock.]

“Inform me the second you do. Steele out.”

“Sensors can’t penetrate the local conditions at this moment sir.” Hemux added from the science station.

“Where’s the shuttle craft?”

“Approxiamtely 940 kilomters due east. Altitude is 300o meters.”

Jack stabbed the comm button again. “Steele to JUTLAND.” He was glad he’d agreed with the HELM officer to allow a shuttle to taking sensor readings on the planet while they Landing Party had conducted their investigation.

[Go ahead captain.]

“Lieutenant I want you to head over to the landing party’s location. We’ve lost communications and sensor lock. Make sure they haven’t gotten themselves lost for me.” He had tried to lighten the growing tension on the bridge with the last comment but he could feel it fall flat.

[On our way sir.]

Scene: Shuttle JUTLAND NCC 1703/1

He had never experienced anything like it. As soon as he had closed the channel with HOOD Lieutenant Mitchell moved to enter the course change but as the shuttle begin to swing around he found he couldn’t direct a course that would lead them to the pyramid. It wasn’t that the shuttle wouldn’t accept the command it was that he couldn’t bring himself to input. Quietly he experimented with the controls. Each time he began to turn the craft he found himself either pulling out of the turn early or late. He knew he was doing it but just couldn’t control his fingers not to.

Beside him his copilot finally stirred not being able to ignore it any longer. “Taking the scenic course Pete?”

Like any pilot Mitchell was loathe to admit he had a problem. “Nick you try it.”

Thirty seconds later Mitchell and Bradshaw stared at each other not knowing what to say. Finally Mitchell reached out to press his own comm button. “JUTLAND to HOOD.”

[Steele here.]

“Captain I think we have a problem.”

<<<NRPG>>>

Just a quick one to have the ship POV…and keep Steele busy.

I went with JUTLAND for this post only …once we agree on shuttle naming convention (see my previous NRPG post) we’ll go with that.

Respectfully,

Andy

CAPT Jack Steele

CO, USS HOOD NCC 1703

ASR ORIGINS

[ORIGINS] USS HOOD: A Deal With the Devils?

by Scott Lusby

SD: 2260.300

MD: 5.1610

Setting: Pyramid Object, Velorum IV

<<snip- from Steve and Brian's JP, entitled "No Good Can Ever Come From Talking To A Zombie">>

"Stile." Merrick yelled as the redshirt hit the ground. Strangely, Merrick noticed that no one was moving to help the poor man, including the doctor.

"Fallback now!" he desperately ordered.

<<end snip>>

Lieutenant Commander Gar Th'elenth tried to follow the First Officer's orders, but was having a hard time getting his body to listen. There was a strange tingling in his antennae he had never experienced before...

However, Gar also knew that the Aenar, the "other" intelligent species from Andoria, were telepathic. And that they could interbreed with Andorians.

That could explain...

"Commander," Gar said through clenched teeth, closing his eyes tightly, "I believe they are exerting some sort of telepathic control over us."

Merrick watched the security officer twitch one last time. "Thank you, Captain Obvious," he spat, obviously struggling to move. "Any suggestions as to possible actions?"

"I can think of one," he said just as the tingling in his antennae stopped. He drew his phaser, and aimed it at the undead in front of him.

Merrick slapped his weapon down. "No- not like that," he said.

Gar glanced at Merrick. "You heard them, Commander- the archaeologists are dead; these things are using their bodies to help them get out of here."

"I'm not willing to declare war on another species overt his," the XO said, his tone rising some.

"Even when they've declared was on US?" DeSimms countered.

Merrick cut his hand through the air. "Enough- we're not going to do it this way unless we have no other choice," he said; his tone left no room for argument.

Th'elenth grit his teeth, swallowed hard, and exhaled heavily. "What do you suggest, Commander?"

Merrick turned back to the two remaining undead/archaeologists. "You may not require our permission to commandeer our bodies, but WE require it," he said simply. Then, scrambling, his mind touched on a possibility. "Is there any way we could help you find a way off this planet WITHOUT using our bodies as vessels?"

Gar saw the opening he **thought** the XO was making, and he took it. "I am an engineer; perhaps I can help you fix whatever is wrong?"

The two undead were silent for a moment; then, suddenly, Gar's antennae began to tingle again.

"Come with us," they said.

Whether they wanted to or not, the Starfleet officers went with them into the pyramid.

As they moved further in towards the heart of the pyramid, Doctor Corbett leaned closer to Gar. "I just had a disturbing thought, Gar," he said.

"And what would that be?" the Andorian said through gritted teeth; he found the tingling sensation most uncomfortable.

"None of y'all bothered to ask them exactly WHY they were here in the first place."

Gar was having trouble focusing. "And why would that matter?"

Corbett grunted against the compulsion pushing him forward. "Well...did it occur to any of y'all that they might not be able to escape because they were never supposed to? As in exiled? Perhaps for crimes?"

Gar began to retort, and then stopped. It made sense- especially since these beings seemed to have a certain lack of morality about them.

"That's not good," the Engineer said, eyes shut so tightly that tears began to run from the corners of his eyes.

<<TIMELINE>>

MD 5.1610: Merrick and Gar seem to convince the undead to let them help escape the planet...but Corbett wonders if that's a good idea.

<<NRPG>>

All- just a short post to keep things moving. I think we need to get the Captain more coffee or something- he seems bored on the ship above us. :)

Daniel- what does DeSimms make of all this?

Dave- is it telepathy that they're using or something artificial mimicking it? Can we block it out somehow? Sounds like a good science problem there...

Let's keep rolling, folks...

Respectfully Submitted,

- Scott Lusby

/\ LCDR Gar Th'elenth

Chief Engineer

USS HOOD NCC-1703

ASR: ORIGINS

USS HOOD: Undead Electricians

David Martens

SD: 2260.350

MD: 5.1612

Scene: USS HOOD, Science lab

Hemux sat concentrated and listened up to the conversatioin of the away-team. In a weird way they still where able to listen to the conversation that was gonig on between them and the `undead' beings down on the surface.

It was clear they where all in trouble, but how. Clearly there had been no use of weapons of any kind. The ships sensors had ot detected any beamweapons, there had been no sound a gunfires, no one made a notice of knifes or other primitive arms. The only thing they had mentioned was that in an unknown way they had lost control over their body and walked with the beings.

Hemux replayed the conversation again and again trying to figure out was was going on. It seemed they had been hypnotised, but that was impossible since they where able to think in a logical way and they understood that what was going on was wrong. They just seemed not able to resist their motion.

Toxins and gasses where also eliminated, since they all where in protective suits and had their own airsuply. So what was it then?

It must have something to do with the brain, that was the clue. Take control of a part of the brain that controls movement, and you can have an individual that still thinks and speaks and breath, but can't do anything against your will. But how to accomplis that ?

Hemux pulled up a file she remembered from her biologigy classes and skimmed through it. Suddenly she narrowed her eyes and took a deep breath that made her head get swollen. She reached out for the comm and hold the button for the Bridge.

"Captain, can you please have our sensors scan for electrical flows down on the surface?"

[Doing so now, Hemux. May I ask why?]

"I have an idea that might help us get the situation under control. It seems our away team suffers from a lack of controlling their own movement. Movement is controlled by the brain. The way information is transfered in our brain to our muscles is through our neurons. This is done by small electrical pulses. Ergo if someone would be bale to give the right pulses to the right part of the brain, you can control anything in an individual."

[Interesting suggestion doctor. We have the scans for you any minute now.]

Hemux checked her link with the sensors and indeed, there was an unusual pulsing electrical signal coming from down the surface, in the area where the away team was.

"I have it, captain. It seems I was right, there is an unusual electrical activity down on the surface. "

[That is good news, Hemux. Now find me a way to get my away - team free from that undead things influence!]

ARr'Rhiana sighed "I am sorry, captain, but on that matter I have no suggestion yet. I am thinking of a solution, as soon as I have an idea I be back to you."

<<<NRPG>>>

Hi All,

Well, I hope this is a possibility. Ofcourse, that electrical activity can be anything, from the suggested alien influence to just a electro-magnetic storm or some unusual solar activity causing who knows what down on the surface;

Respectfully,

David Martens

Lt ARr'Rhiana Hemux

CSciO , USS HOOD NCC 1703

ASR ORIGINS

[ORIGINS] USS HOOD: A Link from the Past

by Andy Catterick

MD: 2260.303

Scene: Bridge, USS HOOD

<<<old>>>

"I have it, captain. It seems I was right, there is an unusual electrical activity down on the surface. "

[That is good news, Hemux. Now find me a way to get my away - team free from that undead things influence!]

ARr'Rhiana sighed "I am sorry, captain, but on that matter I have no suggestion yet. I am thinking of a solution, as soon as I have an idea I be back to you."

<<<New>>>

“Captain, flight deck reports the shuttle has returned and deck is secured.” The comm officer reported.

“Lieutenant order the two pilots to report to Lieutenant Hemux in the Sciecne Lab. I want him to examine them and see if he can determine what was controlling them.”

“Aye sir.”

Jack leaned back in his chair and sipped his coffee while considering his science officer’s report. This system had long been known for its unique electro-magnetic emissions. The most unique feature being of course the inability to determine what caused them. He was sure it had some connection to the planet. The key was to determine what that connection was and how to exploit it. If they didn’t soon then his crew would undoubtably face the same end as the archeological team.

"What was that name?* He suddenly thought to himself remembering the conversation he had had with his security chief. The original distress called had in part been a frantic search for someone. It had seemed like gibberish but when DeSimms had followed up the lead he had recognized someone from his past. The black OPS past. The security chief had tried to find out more information but like almost everything else on this mission he hit a wall. Jack sprung up from his chair and moved to the open science station where he called up the replay of the distress call. He remembered the name as soon as he heard the panicked voice. Gil Hutchinson. Drumming his fingers along the console he considered his next step. DeSimms had very little information on the mysterious Hutchinson and had been unable to determine his wherabouts. But why would an archeological team be desperate to find someone who had been on a covert operations team? What was the link?

“Computer.”

[Working]

“Access Security Chief DeSimms research on Hutchinson, Gilford and print hard copy of all information to this station.”

[Acknowledged] The computer whirred away and seconds later Jack was back in his chair thumbing through a several dozen pages of interesting but as far as he could tell useless information.

It was on his second cup of coffee when he found the answer. DeSimms had mentioned Hutchinson had been a doctor who did not practice but he had certainly published a number of papers including several on the possibilities of using electro-magnetic emissions as a means of control.

Jack spun his chair around to face his comm officer. “Get me Admiral Carstairs. Immediately.”

<<<NRPG>>>

Great post David…gave jack something to do!

And great work all…October has been both a productive and creative month!

Scott: The admiral better have some info this time!

And, I am in no way shape or form a science guy…so yes it was a bit lame ;-)

Respectfully,

Andy

CAPT Jack Steele

CO, USS HOOD NCC 1703

ASR ORIGINS

[ORIGINS] USS HOOD: Polar Differences (Back Post)

by Lena Rose

SD: 2260.304

MD 5.1300

Location: Saxmans' Quarters

LTjg. Kiska Saxman stood before the mirror brushing her sleek long black hair. She was already dressed in the normal uniform for a nurse even though she'd rather be in a pair of jeans and t-shirt.

"Your family?" asked Mendoza lifting the picture off the nightstand.

Kiska's ice blue eyes glanced over at the Texan Senorita Ensign Claudia Mendoza from engineering. "Yes," Replied Saxman as she grabbed a handful of long black hair and whipped it into a ponytail.

"Great looking family." Grinned Claudia as she continued to examine the people in the photo. "Wow….all brothers…No sisters?"

"Nope, just my brothers." Kiska said.

"Ay! Muy Guapos!," exclaimed the Senorita. "When do I get to meet them?"

Kiska shot back, "The next time we orbit Alaska."

"Alaska?" Claudia shudders as if she were freezing. "Ay! You'll never catch me in Alaska! Too damn cold for my Spaniard blood!"

"Wimp!" teased Kiska.

"What the heck you do in Alaska for fun?" Claudia's hand shot into the air to stop any reply, "No wait….by the size of your family I can see what you do to keep warm!"

A tube of lip palm went sailing across the room and hit it's target causing it's victim to yelp.

"Ay! Dios Mio!" shouted Claudia rubbing her forehead. "You trying to take my eye out!"

"For you information Senorita Mendoza, we happen to do a lot of things for fun!"

"Such as?"

"Skiing, Fishing…."

"Fishing?" Claudia wrinkled her pretty nose. "In the cold?"

"For pity sake Claudia, it's not winter there ALL year long," laughed Kiska. "And yes, in the cold as well… haven't you ever heard of `Ice Fishing'?"

Claudia shrugged, "What can I say, my familia is Tejano, we prefer the warmth of the sun. So what else besides ice fishing?"

"Snow machine racing…."

"What the..?"

"It's fun, my brothers have been racing for years. Its kind of like snowmobiling." Explained Kiska her eyes taking on a dreamy state. "But imagine a bigger machine with much more power and speed between your legs! The ice cold wind blowing, the sun shining a glorious light over the snow covered earth and driving with such speeds that when you hit a bump it nearly thrusts you off your machine as you ascend high into the air and then come crashing back down to the earth rattling your insides. "

"Oh yeah…sounds heavenly." retorted Claudia sarcastically. "No thanks chica, give me a horse any day! Now that's pure heaven!"

Kiska laughed, "Well, I have to agree but to a point. Horseback riding is great too. Love to go bareback riding…it's the best."

"Oh Giiirrrl!" Claudia leaped to her feet and became even more animated. "We finally have something in common! We are going to have to go ridin as soon as we have shore leave!"

"Sounds like a plan." Agreed Kiska as she headed to the door. "Got to get back to duty. Adios….Chica!"

<NRPG – sorry took so long to get a post out. Everyone's been sick with flu and I am still trying to recoop. Another post will be following.

Respectfully Submitted,

Lena Rose

LTjg. Kiska Saxman

Nurse, USS HOOD NCC-1703

ASR: ORIGINS

[ORIGINS] USS HOOD: Past the Final Dungeon, First Door on the Left

by Brian V. Mansur

SD: 2260.304

MD: 5.1610

Scene: Pyramid Object, Valorum IV

The shuffling gait of their undead hosts gave Merrick and the landing party plenty of time to absorb their surroundings. For a space ship, Merrick thought that there sure was a lot of stoneage tech about. In fact, he had yet to see a single recognizable piece of machinary in the place.

He looked back Corbett, DeSimms, Gar, and the others, all of whom were doubtlessly questioning his good sense. He had *voluntarily* taken them deeper into a haunted dungeon complete with possessed rotting corpses and mind controlling aliens. He figured they were all asking what was he really trying to accomplish with this stunt.

The answer, in a word was reconaissance. Besides which, diplomacy was definitely a possiblity here or else he and his team wouldn't have been around to propose it. Judging by the horror visited upon the colonists, the aliens would have already possessed or killed the landing party if they could. So, his decision to go forward to the heart of their ship doubled as a show of strength.

One other possibility goaded him. It seemed as though the archeologists' warnings for them to leave did not come from the aliens. Why would they ask their prey to leave? The whole enounter suggested to him that the aliens' control over their hosts was not absolute. The victims might not be quite dead and perhaps could even be saved. But if they were still alive, why would the aliens not use their hosts as hostages?

He was missing something vital here. Were there only 3 aliens maybe? Were there factions among their ranks with different agendas? Or were the aliens reading his mind, knew that they had the HOOD crew one way or another and that Merrick was merely marching them to a quick undeath?

It was on that disturbing note that they entered the room where the whole meaning of dungeon took on a new meaning.

NPRG: Happy Halloween!

Respectfully Submitted,

Brian V. Mansur

LCDR Sean Merrick

FO, USS HOOD NCC-1703

ASR ORIGINS

[ORIGINS] USS HOOD: "Mother's Orders"

by Lena Rose

SD: 2260.304 MD 5.1620

Location: Sickbay

There had been a small briefing when sickbay's rotating shift had arrived and signed in. Lt. Commander Rachel Grey, the Chief Nurse, speech was quick and to the point. There wasn't a moment to waste as one learned when working in the medical field. They were on alert and no one was excluded from duty. The original crew were receiving their normal down time to catch up on sleep but must be on call at all times.

The away team was always in danger whenever they went to the surface. If there were unknown chemicals or substances that were foreign to the tricorder it wouldn't read it and there was no way for them to protect themselves from it. Because of these concerns that there could even be some kind of environmental contamination they always had to be prepared to decontaminate the away team in a decontamination chamber that Lt. Jg. Kiska Saxman was ordered to set up.

Lt. Dawson expertise was ordered to the morgue while the rest of the staff were each given specific jobs as well. As soon as the briefing was over Kiska and the rest of the medical crew went to work. They had all had plenty of simulations to know what needed to be done. Lt Commander Grey had drilled her nurses until they could perform in their sleep or drop from exhaustion.

Lt. Kiska Saxman had been working in sickbay for a little over three hours. She had gone ino the medical supply room and was pushing the cart out when she noticed that Lt. Commander Rachel Grey, the Chief Nurse and Lt. Dawson, the main duty nurse, were pow-wowing in the doctor office.

Kiska halted and watched their body language. Something was definitely going on and she felt it had to be about the away team. She wondered what it was about. Things seemed pretty tense and the look on Mother's face….uh…Lt Commander Grey's face was not a happy one. Kiska rolled her eyes, damn….she was going to have to be careful not to call the head nurse `mother'. It was all Dr. Corbett's fault. It was his pet name for her and now everyone was stumbling over it and accidentally thinking it and calling her mother.

Kiska softly sighed she hoped the away team was all right. She shook herself realizing she was wasting time just standing there. They would all be told in due time. She decided she better get busy and finish performing her duties. She was just about to head back to the decontamination chambers when suddenly Lt. Dawson called her to the doctor's office.

Kiska left the medcart to the side and headed into the office where both Lt. Dawson and Lt. Commander Grey where waiting for her. It appeared she was about to find out what was going on down on the surface with the away team after all.

(tag Steve

<<TIMELINE>>

MD 5. 5.1620 Kiska and the medical staff prep for any emergency need. Kiska notices the senior staff are concerned about the away team.

<<NRPG>>

Ok….I have my character on board and working. As you noticed she is from Alaska. Was originally going to do the Texan Senorita but since the HOOD always ready has a Texan decided to go with the Alaskan half Eskimo/Russian character. J

Steve – maybe we can do a JP?

Respectfully Submitted,

Lena Rose

LTjg. Kiska Saxman

Nurse, USS HOOD NCC-1703

ASR: ORIGINS