Who's Watching The Watchers?

Posted on Sat Oct 23rd, 2021 @ 5:39pm by Captain Abigail Laurens & Lieutenant Commander Evelyn Rozia & Lieutenant Naomi McLaren & Lieutenant Alanah Matashi & Commander Ichiko Gail & Lieutenant Commander William Gunnison & Lieutenant Roxa Onaix & Lieutenant Veznia MD PSyD

Mission: Double Bind

From their holding point behind one of the moons, the Astraea monitored the shuttle as it approached the space station. Abigail held her breath intermittently, uneven aware she was doing so. There was a level of anxiety on the bridge that seemed contagious. The race was on for the crew to find a way to help these people before it was too late.

While they were waiting for the away team to return, hopefully armed with information, all they could do was continue to do what they could. Science was still trying to get a read on the surface while the rest of them were basically status quo.

"Waiting's always the hardest part, isn't it?" Will said rhetorically. "If only there was a way to speed up time, but I figure we're pushing it enough as it was with the Prime Directive, without having to bring in the Temporal Prime Directive on top of it."

"At this point we probably should avoid adding any other Directives to our list for our inevitable court marital." Alanah added from her station. She was going over data in the SCIF but with crew kind of being stretched she had drawn bridge duty.

"From a moral standpoint, I'm sure that at least one person in the JAG office who will sympathize with our decision." Veznia said, hoping deep down that she was right.

Roxa was at the station with her counter part, her eyes fixed on the view screen as the shuttle drew closer to the station. "More intel would be great," she added looking over at Alanah.

"Preaching to the Choir. Would love to have some magic Intel to fall in my lap that solved this whole problem but at last we are in for the most part uncharted space for us. We have very little intel on anything that is going on...." she trailed off as she looked at some sensor readings she was getting.

It was just then that the sensors registered a blip. There but only for a moment. A quick spike of energy on the extreme K-Band end of the spectrum. It wasn't anything that the Federation used. It wasn't anything that the Federation had on file. Blink and you'd miss it, but it was there.

"So since I switched over to Intel and started getting caught up in things I noticed some quick weird sensor readings ever since we left the Dalacar." Alanah started to say as she looked up. "And now I just seen it happen in real time. It appears to be very quick very faint but the fact that it is repeating I think there is something or someone out there." She quickly analyzed out loud.

"Send me the sensor feed as well," Will said. "I'll take a look at it."

Alanah made a couple motions on the console to send the data to both ops, security, and made it available to anyone else in the bridge. "I have added current blip as well as all other occurrence since we left." She looked at the data some more. "I think we have a tail not sure if they are watching us or the planet, but either way we have an audience for whatever actions we take."

Will worked the sensors for several moments. "We definitely have a tail," he said after a few moments. "And Captain, unless I'm reading this information wrong, it looks like a Ts'usugi vessel."

Abigail paused for a moment. She was about to open a communication channel to the mystery vessel when the call from the away team came through.

"Ichiko to Laurens. In the interest of time and research, we'll be bringing two experts in the local language and culture."

Opening a channel to the away team, Abigail replied. "I'll see to the arrangements," she said calmly.

"We're going to need to lock down the ship," she said quietly, leaning back in her seat. "Commander Meyers, Lieutenant Matashi, suggestions? These people are not warp capable, we need to make sure we limit what they're exposed to."

Evelyn had been quiet back at her station, but at this question, she finally spoke up, "Ma'am, as long as we keep them away from Engineering and the transporter rooms, there isn't much that they can glean. No doubt they've got less advanced computers, but they're a logical upgrade that they can understand and possibly have theorized in any case. Holographics are probably known to them, again, just a more advanced version than they have most likely."

"Beyond just engineering, we'll need to consider more basic technology as well," Abigail replied, turning toward Evelyn. "We have no idea where these people are at technologically. Sciences will need to be restricted, especially initially. I'm also thinking we should make sure we lock out computer access and even replicator access. Make sure areas like sickbay are covered. I'm sure Lieutenant Matashi and Commander Myers will have more suggestions, but until we know more about these people and where they are at, I'd prefer we err completely on the side of caution."

Alanah listened to the exchange thinking of a solution. "I have heard stories of other ships converting a cargo bay to be self-contained living area. This would restrict there access to pretty much anything and if they are needed for there linguist skills they can use one of the consoles to do a remote video chat or if they are needed outside the designated Bay there are escorted by security."

Abigail shook her head slightly. "I don't want to cage them, we're trying to help them." She sighed. "Let's restrict Engineering, Sciences to departmental biometric access only. Restrict replicators, communications, computer access and turbolifts to beta level security codes. Commander Myers, make the requisite changes. Lieutenant Matashi, please start sending written communications to the rest of the departments to advise them of the situation. Commander Gunnison, what's the status of our shadow?"

"They're keeping their distance," Will said. "So far they don't seem to be doing anything other than observing from a distance. Whether they're observing us, the planet, or both, it's hard to tell at the moment, though if I had to guess, I'd lean towards them monitoring us based on their movements since we detected them. It would actually seem like the logical theory, since we have deviated from our originally intended course."

Naomi was sitting at the science station when she noticed the slight blip too and had been watching it carefully. "I don't think they want us to know they are there just yet either," The Lieutenant pointed out. "But I'm not fully convinced that they're trying to completely hide away from our sensors either."

Abigail nodded slightly. "Keep tabs on them. I want to know if their status changes. Commander Myers, send a team to the shuttle bay to meet the away team when they return, escort Commander Gail and the Caetovians to the Observation Lounge. Lieutenant Matashi, make sure everything is locked down." She stood up, sighing softly. "Commander Gunnison, I'll be in my ready room until the away team returns. You have the bridge."