Task Force: Gamma

Garrett Walters · Guest

Walters frantically fiddled around with his console.
"Compensating for atmospheric conditions."
He linked up with the probes and began to pull the streaming data through to his console. Then, he opened a channel to the Hartington, both to give them updates on the probe's information and to use the Hartington's sensor information to make up for differences in scanning techniques. He had the computer run the data through a translation program to filter out the fluctuating interferance. He then opened a link to the communications array, then attempted to get a lock on the away team's comm badges.

"I've got a lock, sir."

Walters relayed the important information to LT Uvek's console and then reset the default settings to temporarily to go through his program first instead of trying to use the garbage coming straight from the sensors.

He set up a running log to track the changes and compare the data for future study. He decided he could get things running more smoothly in the future if he could just write a program to do this automatically.

uvek · Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2009 10:01 pm Post subject:

Uvek noted the signal lock and reviewed the data.

"Hartington, we have six; count them six, lifeforms closing on the away team." He reported. "The lifeform closest to the runabout appears to be Petty Officer Koester. He is no doubt operating as security for the team."

He turned his attention to the lifeforms. "The approaching group appears to be other than Cardassian. No identification at this time. Bear in mind, we are now beginning to experience turbulence from the planet's atmosphere."

He turned to McTavish. "You may want to increase power to the inertia dampeners."

Captain David Brennon · Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2009 10:14 pm Post subject:

ACTION

The Runabout begins to shake violently as the turbulence from the planet's atmosphere begins to put stresses on the flightpath of the vessel. Sensor data from the probes begins to degrade as it too is caught in the turbulence.
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Liam McTavish · Task Force Crewman Joined: 03 Sep 2009 Posts: 286

"Aye Aye LT Uvek. We are now directly above the Columbia, Ill try and adjust altitude to maximize signal strength. Inertial dampeners at 50%, increasing to 75%." The worst of the shaking evened out. "Ill do my best to keep us steady Sir."

uvek · Posted: Wed Sep 16, 2009 11:46 pm Post subject:

"Cadet -Kuplo," called Uvek over the sound of the ship's violent reactions, "Try to improve our connection with the Hartington!" The shaking lessened slightly, but by no means completely. "Then try to make contact with the away team."

He turned to Cadet Walters. "Mr. Walters try to determine the identity of the lifeforms approaching our people."

A particularly violent shudder ran through the runabout, moving the crew in their seats. "Mr. McTavish, prepare to tie our warp power into the stabilizers if we can't get this under control," he ordered. He reached down and activated his seat restraint. That was interesting, he thought to himself. Just like the time I was in the Paulson Nebula...but that's another story.

He hit the power distributors and stopped a potential EP conduit burnout. This is getting serious.

Liam McTavish · Task Force Crewman Joined: 03 Sep 2009 Posts: 286

McTavish made a few adjustments before saying," Dampers at 100%, Shifting warp power." A violent jolt shakes the runabout before smoothing out a bit. A bzzz, snap, pop, come from behind the console in front of McTavish. A faint smell of ozone fills the command deck.
"Sir? Who's idea was this again?" McTavish smiles as he vents the console, clearing the air. "Looks like landing is going to be messy, and if we need the tractor beam we will have to do some rerouting but the rest of the diagnostic looks ok. For now."

uvek · Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 12:57 am Post subject:

While the other teammates busied themselves with their tasks, Uvek turned to McTavish. "If we can help it we will NOT be landing. Do what you can to maintain this position. If you need help, I believe I saw a kitchen water receptacle in the back." He smiled at his little bon mot, but wasn't exactly sure he got the human vernacular right. He rarely got the opportunity to use humor, but stress seemed to bring strange emotional coping tools out of him.

"Hartington, this is Willamette." He called out. "We are experiencing severe atmospheric disturbances. We are attempting to hold this position and contact the away team." He hoped they wouldn't be joining them, too.

Liam McTavish · Task Force Crewman Joined: 03 Sep 2009 Posts: 286

"Aye Sir, I think ill keep the kitchen sink on stand by though." No, Mr. Uvek was definitely not Vulcan.
Keeping an eye on the ever shifting readings on his panel, McTavish addressed the two Cadets behind him. "So Gentlemen, Engineering huh? What are your goals in Star Fleet?"

Garrett Walters · Guest

Things were finally getting exciting. Walters had the hairs standing on the back of his neck as he rerouted processing load from some of the sensor relays. By narrowing the scanners' emiters to only one section at a time, and throwing the uneeded information into the buffer until called, Walters was able to get a more detailed view of the area, albiet at tenth of a second intervals. That would have to be good enough, considering the total area he was scanning wasnt very big, there shouldn't be too much of a visible frame-rate drop of the feeds. He sent the final information to LT Uvek.

"I was actually looking forward to a long career and retiring to teach at the academy, sir." he replied to the ensign

uvek · Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 2:14 am Post subject:

"Thank you, Mr. Walters," retorted Uvek, looking at the data stream. Another rolling shock hit the ship, and lights dimmed for a moment. His stomach dropped as the gravity shifted momentarily. The Romulan set his jaw.

"It may be necessary to abandon this line of support," He called out in general. "If we cannot improve our communications we may have to reassess this operation on our own." Alarms went off, and were quenched by auto-stabilizers. "How are we coming engineer Mehvra?"

The question was punctuated by another spin to the right.

Garrett Walters · Guest

"Mehvra, if I slow one of our probes down, sending it into a slightly higher descent path, it could act as a comms bouy between us and the Hartington. Most of my issues scanning the surface are from the limitations of the Willamet's computers' ability to process the garbage data we're getting, so one probe less wouldn't matter."

Garrett Walters · Guest

The console blips at Walters as he is in mid-thought. He looks over the information carefully. "Interesting." He thought to himself.

"Lt Uvek, there is a third group coming in to flank the away team's opposition, sir." At least thats what it looked like, he was fairly sure.

uvek · Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 10:02 am Post subject:

"Confirmed," replied Uvek, looking at his screen. "Hartington, be advised a second group of alien lifeforms has entered the immediate vicinity of our away team. Please advise."

He looked over to his pilot, who seemed to have his hands full. "Mr. McTavish, try to gain altitude, in concert with the probe Cadet Walters is altering. Communication with the Hartington is our primary concern right now."

He looked back expectantly at Cadet Mehvra who was also working his station in between jolts from the atmosphere.

Liam McTavish · Task Force Crewman Joined: 03 Sep 2009 Posts: 286

"Aye Aye, Sir. Hang on to something everyone, this may be interesting."
McTavish felt the gravity in the runabout increase as he pulled the Willamette into a somewhat higher orbit. "That isnt good."
"Im about sick of this planet." McTavish pulled out a PADD and began feeding the meteorologic data into the Willamette's computer. "Sir, with your permission id like to try something. Im adding sensor data i collected from the Hartington to the computer, if we add the data coming in from the navigational sensors, the computer maybe able to analyze and extrapolate where the next front is coming from. It may give me another couple seconds to react to this shifting maelstrom. Im thinking we arrived to this planet in what can only best be called its 'storm season' The upper atmosphere may be similar to that of Jupiter and is full of storms. With the computers aid I may be able to put us back on the offense instead of just reacting to the chaos out there."
With a smile McTavish continued,"Or i could be completely wrong and there may be no ryhme or reason to this place. The inertial dampers are reading 150% and I fear feeding to much more power from the warp coils. We shouldnt be feeling the change in altitude as badly was we are. We may be on the verge of burning the dampers out completely. and that would be bad."

uvek · Posted: Thu Sep 17, 2009 5:26 pm Post subject:

Uvek turned....there was no more time for this. The runabout was shaking itself apart, despite his pilot's efforts.

"Cadet Kuplo REPORT!" He looked at the Cadet, and for a fleet second felt sympathy for the obviously frightened new crewman. But only for a moment. Too much was at stake for fear.

"Cadet Walters, change in plans...send a signal to the probe you are altering...tell the Hartington of our situation. Advise them that we are abandoning this line of approach, that our engines and main systems are being damaged and we will attempt to land on the planet to support the away team in 15 standards minutes!" "Send the probe OUT of the atmosphere and have it transmit that message as soon as it is clear."

"Mr. McTavish, lay in a course that will bring us to the Columbia, and stand by...do everything in your power to hold this position until our time limit has been reached."