Chirakis

The following information is taken from Something On Which To Base The Speculation by Dr. D.J. McKinney.

So what did they know? Quite a bit but not enough. These creatures, now called the Athra, were highly developed and extremely intelligent. They possessed 64 genes on a regular double helix DNA. However, they bore a striking resemblance to Terran crustaceans. One big difference between the Athra and a crustacan.....these guys had reinforced shells. They were augmented with some kind of metal. What type remained a mystery.

 

The Athra had organs but they were quite different from what you would find in a typical humanoid. Their livers and kidneys were merged as were the heart and lungs...all very efficient. They did have a separate stomach and intestines.

 

They had spinal cords and brains with nerves and those nerves contained neurons....just like humanoids. The neurons were typical. They consisted of soma, dendrites and axons.... again similar to humanoids. But their neural response times were considerably longer than that found in most humans. The axons arose from an axon hillock and they had a myelin sheath. So why did the Athra have such slow neural response times? DJ suspected it was because the axons were so much longer than those found in the typical humanoid. If this data proved accurate, Aegis might be able to use the Athra's slower neural response time against them when these mysterious creatures eventually reappeared.

 

The Athra had proven to be true blue bloods with extremely high erythrocyte counts. In many humanoid species, the erythrocytes were red due to the presence of iron to bind oxygen. The iron binds one oxygen atom per erythrocyte. In Vulcans, copper was the metal of choice The Athra's blood contained osmium which bound three oxygen atoms per erythrocyte and gave the blood its bluish color. Even more intriguing was the proportion of blood volume occupied by the erythrocytes. In humans, it was approximately 38% to 48%. The ratio in the Athra was 76%. In short, this new and challenging enemy functioned quite comfortably in low or no oxygen environments. The Athra were perfectly suited for long distance space travel. They didn't have to breathe very much....if at all.

 

On the flip side, their leukocyte count was extremely low. The leukocytes are part of the immune system, responsible for clotting and closing wounds. The Athra bleed easily and profusely when injured. This weakness might also be used against them.

 

There was another interesting question raised by the discovery of the osmium in the Athra's bloodstream. Osmium is a very heavy metal. The fact it is present in their blood led DJ to believe they originated on a planet with very low gravity. They came from Breen space, an area the Federation knew very little about. It seemed likely there was at least one planet in that sector with both low gravity and an abundance of osmium.

 

One of the newest and most promising discoveries was the presence of high levels of psilosynine. The Athra were likely telepathic and used that trait as their primary means of communications. Lillian seemed to think she might be able to reach out and touch them telepathically. DJ thought it sounded like a reasonable theory but it was extremely risky. If the Athra possessed a hive minded community, Lillian might suffer irreparable damage. Perhaps if they could capture a single living Athra. Even if it was wounded, if they isolated it in a quarantined environment, then Lillian might be able to communicate with that lone individual without threat of a mass attack from the entire hive. Again, it was all speculation at this point but at least they had something on which to base the speculation.

Chat Log for Sky Harbour Aegis - 19 March 2010

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Looks like you have the makings of a very interesting sim, Joe. After reading the FAQs I get the idea that it's a Serenity meets Trek scenario, elaborating on groups that the Trek series encountered but never fully explored. This would give players a chance to explore a mercenary group that would normally (in Trek series and movies) be in the background. Perhaps a better way to say it would be that the characterizations are flipped, with Federation military taking a back seat to this mercenary crew. Am I correct?

Mission Accomplished

A Joint Log taken from the conversation between SubCommander Jorahl and Commander Chirakis during last week's sim.

Commander Chirakis was still contemplating the advantages and disadvantages of the midshipman's ocular implants when a gruff command opened the cell door and SubCommander Jorahl appeared. He was worn and agitated, a shadow of the calm, decisive Romulan who had visited her a few days ago.

"So, the Athra is the name of the aliens, is it?" Cut to the chase.

"Is it?" The quip gave her a chance to refocus, and in the space of Jorahl's brief pause, she added, "Are they the Athra? Or are these beings a shadow of them?"

"I believe that was the name the starship captain called them, after taking with you."

Accusatory? Any story, when passed on, began a life of its own. Suppositions became facts, facts became misconstrued, words twisted. But at least she and Jorahl had the same focus, so correct the assumption and move on to collaboration - if possible.

"It was a conclusion I came to after a cursory investigation." She adopted a more conciliatory tone.

Jorahl did not. "What is their nature? What do we need to know that we don't already?"

Kirel shifted her weight to meet his gaze. "You believe I am withholding information," she responded calmly. "I am not. I give information when I am sure it is accurate. I am not sure the Athra of legend and the creatures that attacked us are one and the same. They are similar, but so far the Athra themselves are only a legend. But, I will tell you what I shared with Captain Halloway, if it would be any help."

"We need whatever information we can get."

"Very well," she began, assuming a more relaxed, conversational tone in an attempt to settle the growing rift between them. "The legend I heard from a pre-warp people in a system near Breen space, along the vector the creatures took after the last attack, is this. The Athra are ancient space-dwelling creatures of unimaginable power that 'strikes fear into the hearts of the people.' They have what we would call a base ship, but what the legend calls a 'mother' ship, from which its 'children' emerge to 'ravage planets' and leave them desolate. I noticed that their 'children' very much resemble the ship that crashed over there." She allowed a small grin as she waved her hand in the direction of Leilani's cell. "The bodies of the 'children' are 'one with their craft.' In our terms they are fully integrated with the hulls of their ships, the hulls being partially metallic and partially organic. They use the 'communication of the gods' - that is, they communicate telepathically - something you could exploit, given the telepathic species on the station."

"What is their motivation?" The SubCommander's eyes remained intensely focused, his arms folded.

"Their motivation, according to legend, is survival. And to that end they conquer and strip worlds of whatever they need to survive. Beyond that, not much is known.

"Apparently, though they live in space, they are sustained as any planet-dwelling creature would be. This leads me to believe they may have evolved from planet-dwellers to space dwellers. Or... our species may still be planet-dwellers. And... we have yet to see inside the 'mother' ship. There is no guarantee that what controls the base ship is similar to what attacked us. They could be two entirely different species."

"I would assume this mother ship would not be the one we destroyed. Our luck is not as such, hmm."

"I would believe that they would have more than one base ship. However," she waved dismissively, "moving back to the 'children,' the people who retold this legend showed me a mummified carcass. Inside I found data crystal that, according to the science department, contained star charts of this system from thousands of years ago. And on that chart was the location of the colony on TKR117. Other information was undecipherable. The language did not exist in the database."

Jorahl assumed a more relaxed pose, his eyes still holding a steady gaze. "Anything indicate that they can be discouraged from attacking us? Taught that it is not worth their losses?"

"From what we have seen of them so far.... on Ageis," she said after a long, thoughtful pause, "I would hope that we could discourage the attacks. But there was nothing on the data crystal. Nothing that we could decipher." Shifting her position, she stepped closer. "We must find a way - you must find a way - either to defend ourselves or to discourage attacks."

His understanding was evident in his tone. "If they are roaming opportunist then they can be persuaded to go look for easier meals. If they have some other agenda with this area, then we must learn it."

Kirel nodded. "Another consideration? Why did they not attack the colony? Surely there is something they could use for survival there? Instead, they bypassed it to attack the station."

"You said that system was on their charts. They had been there before, even if a thousand years ago. Was this asteroid field on those charts?"

"It was. But in slightly different configuration, figuring several thousand years' drift."

"Then perhaps we were simply something new."

"Or something threatening."

"Indeed. I hope to become something more than just threatening to them."

With that, Jorahl left the cell. But from her cell Kirel heard his order to Armstrong. "Make sure all security officers are fully prepared for boarding actions. Conduct drills as needed."

Mission accomplished.

Mission Summary | Sky Harbour Aegis | 12 March 2010

Drankum withdrew to his quarters for a rest.

Feretti, LeMorte, Dabi, and Chirakis were and are still in the brig. Porter was and is still confined to quarters.

Jorahl was released from sickbay and immediately questioned Chirakis, but not before she had a go with Spader about ocular implants.

Drs. Lepage, McKinney, and Pavilion, and NPC Robin discussed the alien's physiology.

In the absence of Dr. Feretti, resident NPC Lt Nye stayed up all night scanning the alien databases and now resembles a hobo.

Duroz inspected the alien ship, grabbed a snack, then reported to medical for his physical.

Armstrong beefed up security. Spader relieved Rutian. Bean was busted.

TBS was 6 hours.

For those of us who are steeped in geekdom, today is 3.14 - Pi Day.

Enjoy.

Mission Summary | Sky Harbour Aegis | 5 March 2010

At Drankum's Bar, Captain Halloway told Ambassador Drankum of USS Yorktown's imminent departure, citing his desire to investigate the mysterious species that has twice attacked Aegis. The Captain made an interesting observation concerning officers the ambassador could count on.

Drs. Pavilion and Belar held down sick bay while Dr. Lepage gave Ambassador Drankum a report on the physical condition of the science team. The doctor was ordered to examine the alien ship once more to see if there are any weaknesses we can exploit. Engineering will assist.

After a cursory introduction to Mid. Spader and Harada, SubCommander Jorahl spoke privately to Dr. Feretti and SrLtn Le Morte in a security interrogation room. A compromise is in the works that may allow them to return to duty. Lt(jg) Armstrong returned to Aegis security and also made his presence known to the Midshipmen.

Ltn. Fletcher filled Mid. Duroz in on the latest requirements for engineering reports and suggestions.

At sim end, SubCommander Jorahl had collapsed in sick bay.

Time between games is 12 hours.

Sky Harbour Aegis | Mission Summary | 26 February 2010

Speculation on the mutiny ran rampant through the station, a constant undercurrent not easily assuaged by any manner of probing or questioning. Even the bare facts didn't provide an answer, as Captain Halloway of the Yorktown discovered in his attempts to understand why and how all this happened. Conflicting accounts from Ambassador Drankum and Commander Chirakis haven't helped the situation.

Three new crew were added to the mix - Midshipmen Spader and Harada in security and Midshipman Duroz in engineering. That the Chief of Security was in custody under charges of mutiny seemed to be only slightly confusing to Spader and Harada, who decided to tread lightly. The only abnormality for Midshipman Duroz was a Holo-Scott in engineering.

On the upside, Centurion Dabi provided entertainment for SrLtn LeMorte, Commander Feretti, and Commander Chirakis. He disabled the force field from inside his cell, then waited inside his cell for Sec Tech Bean to find him. When Centurion Dabi handed the temporary security chief position to Midshipman Spader, Sec Tech Bean forgot that Dabi has been removed from his position, underscoring the need for Midshipman Spader to take over. As a precaution, Centurion Dabi was moved to another cell. Sec Tech Bean got to clean the old one.

Fortunately for all close by, medical supplied SrLtn LeMorte with the sustenance required for his stay in the brig. Commander Feretti, on the other hand, made do with Swanson dinners, a step up from the usual MRE fare available.

While Midshipman Duroz plunged into engineering with gusto, SubCommander Jorahl took the real LtCmdr Coleridge for a tete-a-tete in his office.

Dr. Pavilion and Dr. Belar received the new recruits for physicals.

Time between games was set at a day and a half - 36 hours.

A simulation timeline date adjustment has been made.

Aegis has been at its present location for 4.2 months, or 124.5 days.

It has been 33.5 days since the first alien attack on April 1, 2385.

It has been just over 8 days since the second alien attack on April 25, 2385.

The present Aegis date is May 4, 2385.

You can change auto corrections. If you're using Microsoft Word 2007 the process would be: Click on the Microsoft symbol in the upper left hand corner -> Click on "Word Options" in the lower right corner of the window that pops up-> Click the "Proofing" tab on the left hand column -> Click "Auto-correct options" -> in the window that pops up, in the bottom there will be a list of symbols and words, the column on the left is what it corrects, the column on the right is what it corrects it with. -> scroll down though that list until you find Klingonic/linguini and click on that -> click "delete"

And she would want to do that because...?

Game Master (GM) - Chirakis

Game Master (GM) - STSF Kent

Command:

Commanding Officer (CO) - Chirakis

Executive Officer (XO) - Hilee

Security:

Chief Security Officer (CSEC) - Chudleycannonfodder

Asst Security Officer (ASEC) - STSF Kent

Asst Security Officer (ASEC) - Cyrus

Science:

Chief Science Officer (CSCI) - Jack Mapio

Asst Science Officer (ASCI) - STSF Scooter

Asst Science Officer (ASCI) - Steele

The USS Pendragon (Akira Class - 2385) is returning home after several months patrolling the neutral zone.

chatlog2010_2_28_.txt

The Star Trek Simulation Forum would like to extend congratulations to Chudleycannonfodder, who graduated today from the Sunday academy.

For a person who is not a hockey fan, I can certainly say that was one of the most exciting matches I've ever seen.

Congratulations to Canada. Well played!

Chat Log for Sky Harbour Aegis, 26 February 2010

100226.txt

Guess What I'll be watching Sunday afternoon ???

 

Go Canada Go !

I envision conducting the academy while watching the game. Could be interesting.

Welcome, Whickfield! Always good to have new players come in - fresh perspectives and all that.

Due to budget cuts and the Admiral's angry stare we frown on scratching the paint, not to mention blowing up ships. Of course there is the odd time when we *do* blow something up. We just don't talk about it much.

Good to have you around. See you in the academy.

Mission Summary for 19 February 2010

The science team was moved, one at a time, to the VIP sick bay for physicals, then returned to the brig.

Engineering continued their work slow-down. I see target practice in SubCommander Jorahl's not-too-distant future.

After speaking with Ambassador Drankum, Captain Halloway was on his way to visit Cdr Chirakis in the brig.

In the brig:

• Cdr Chirakis remained in solitary confinement.
  
  
• Dr. Pavilion scanned Cdr Chirakis, looking for more information on the previously-detected inaccessible subcutaneous implant (say that fast three times). The implant does not register on her tricorder. At all.
  
  
• The security feeds from the brig have mysteriously corrected themselves.
  
  

Cdr Brown wandered the station, questioning personnel and gathering information for Cdr Chirakis's legal defense.

On a personal note, Dr. Lepage and Dr. McKinney made amends.

Time between games was 1 hour.

At sim begin the time and date will be 29 April 2385, 1300 hours.

Quote to Ponder:

MrDrankum -> But do not dare lecture me Captain Halloway on loyalty or trust. Both can be bought and sold, regardless of uniform. And some of the supposed righteous of Starfleet don't give a credit about it because I don't fit their mold as a leader.

Chat Log for Sky Harbour Aegis, 19 February 2010

100219.txt

Focus

The word pawn came to mind, as it had several times during the last decade, especially since her assignment as Executive Officer of Sky Harbour Aegis. Though it was entirely possible that coincidence brought Captain Halloway and Commander Brown with their respective ships to Aegis, Kirel could not help wondering if there were higher powers at work, if perhaps, unbeknownst to any of them, someone had orchestrated this whole charade to accomplish their own ends.

It was the height of paranoia and Kirel forced the thoughts aside to focus on what they did know and the concrete facts that surrounded the present situation on Aegis.

Fact: Captain Halloway was investigating Breen space. Fact: Commander Brown was investigating the disappearance of Captain Savage. Fact: whether orchestrated or coincidence, they were here at the height of the station's current internal crisis.

Fact: if the current internal crisis were interrupted by a full-force attack from the Athra, neither Yorktown nor Odyssey nor an entire fleet of starships could put a dent in the firepower that would come against them. Aegis had succeeded in repelling them twice, but each time they had adjusted to Aegis's defenses with frightening accuracy. But was that fact? Or supposition?

The Athra's bodies integrated with their craft, they maneuvered and communicated via telepathic link with each other and the base ship. If the Athra believed, as Commander Brown suggested, that Aegis was the base for Savage's raiding parties, they would surely attack again, probably sooner than later, and with more force than ever before. If Kirel were in their position she would do the same.

Supposition.

As Commander Brown continued to outline his plan for Kirel's defense, her head spun again towards paranoia.

Focus.

Brown rose to leave. As security moved Kirel from the interrogation room back to her cell she noticed Dr. Feretti and SrLtn Le Morte exiting theirs, and the word sickbay in the security guards' clipped conversation. A glance down the corridor revealed Centurion Dabi still in his cell. So long as the guards' lips remained loose, she and Dabi would be kept up to date with the latest gossip. But she needed more than that.

Focus.

Mission Summary for 12 February 2010

The Yorktown is still in station orbit. The Odyssey is still docked.

Feretti, Le Morte, Dabi, and Chirakis are in the brig, all in solitary confinement.

Dr. McDowell is a guest of Captain Halloway.

Previously on Sky Harbour Aegis:

All aboard voiced concern for the safety of the station and their desire for a quick resolution to the present situation.

Cdr Brown, initial counsel for Cdr Chirakis, was allowed on the station to visit her, but only under full security escort.

While Dr. McKinney approached Ambassador Drankum to have Dr. Feretti and SrLtn Le Morte released to sick bay, Dr. McDowell visited them in the brig. Meanwhile, SubCommander Jorahl visited Dr. Lepage for a tete-a-tete on the station's situation. They agreed to not stab each other in the back for the time being and SubCommander Jorahl gave Dr. Lepage permission to bring the science officers to sick bay.

Lt Cmdr Coleridge and Lt Fletcher did their best to absent themselves from the situation but realized they are in the same boat as everyone else and considered the best way to deal with it. Their compromise to a full-out strike was to do their jobs, draw them out as long as possible, give long repair estimates full of confusing jargon, and take plenty of coffee breaks - aka work slow-down.

Time between games was 1 hour.

Quotable quotes:

Concerning Wolfe pulling her phaser when Hannah visits Leilani and Le Morte:

Hannah McDowell -> ::rolls eyes at Wolfe:: Now see here, it that really necessary?

Hannah McDowell -> What do ya think I'll do, talk them ta death now?

 

In Engineering:

Scott Coleridge -> ::Caelan:: This means war. Not against the Starfleet faction, not against the . . . other people. Against all of them. We are not going to let them continue to bypass our security and the safety of this station for their little dispute.

Caelan Fletcher -> ::perks a brow:: Us versus the whole universe?

Caelan Fletcher -> ...We'll need a bigger gun.

Game Master (GM) - Chirakis

Game Master (GM) - STSF Kent

Command:

Commanding Officer (CO) - Chirakis

Executive Officer (XO) - STSF Kent

Bridge Crew:

Helm/ Ops Manager (HOPS) - Jack Mapio

Tactical Officer (TAC) - STSF Kansas

Engineering:

Chief Engineer Officer (CENG) - TMir

Asst Engineer Officer (AENG) - Dash Andrews

=/\=MISSION BACKGROUND INFORMATION=/\=

The Akira Class is one of Starfleet's most heavily armed starships. It is a carrier/gunship featuring a weapons pod located aft and armed with a heavy phaser array and 15 photon and quantum torpedo launchers.

Two bays with doors fore and aft receive up to 100 craft. Extra shield generators on either side of the bay doors protect them from enemy fire.

Surrounding most of the saucer section is the phaser array strip flanked by torpedo launchers. At the rear of the saucer are the impulse engines. Underneath is the deflector dish, 2 flanking phaser arrays and a forward facing torpedo launcher.

Akira-class ships are one of Starfleet's most active battleships, receiving heavy use during the Cardassian, Borg and Dominion conflicts.

=/\=MISSION BRIEF=/\=

The Akira Class USS Pendragon (2385) is taking cadets for a spin, allowing them to test the maneuverability and armaments of a heavy ship of war.

For this exercise the ship has a standard payload, but weapons are not fully armed, a safety precaution because of the cadet crew.

The Pendragon is approaching an asteroid field in neutral territory, well away from shipping lanes and outlying colonies. All allies have been informed of the operation and will stay clear.

100214.txt

I am smiling.

Sky Harbour Aegis Chat Log for 12 February 2010

100212.txt

Welcome, Jack. Jump in and get your feet wet and it's almost guaranteed you'll never leave. Ask questions, check out the advanced sims and watch a few to see how it's done, play in the academies and enjoy yourself.

See you around!

On the Third Day

The first 48 hours in solitary confinement had been quite uneventful - at least from Chirakis Kirel's perspective. Solitary's dimly lit dank gray walls, deck, and flooring weren't exactly a welcome environment, but its stark metal construction served its purpose as a conduit for sound. The sharp clink of dishes and shuffle of feet in the adjacent Midway, music and muffled chatter from decks above and below, the hum of equipment and scraping of objects on the decking gave her information enough to determine the inhabitants' general disposition and a broad idea of the station's general physical condition. But she hadn't an inkling of what happened beyond unless an occasional careless comment from a guard or visitor reached her ears. But there had been few visitors of late, which in itself spoke volumes.

That Ambassador Drankum had ordered a strike team to TKR-117, that Captain Halloway had intervened with the USS Yorktown and a near-deadly standoff ensued, and that both the team and the Yorktown were en route to Aegis fell outside her realm of perception. The first forty-eight hours were, indeed, quiet. The last fourteen, however, had been more eventful.

The first bits of information had come from Dr. Belar, who had come to dutifully check on the health of prisoners Chirakis and Dabi. Though the commander had an innate mistrust of telepathic species, they did have their uses, and Dr. Belar's mention of Yorktown meant Halloway was en route. Then came the red alert caused by Cdr Brown and the USS Odyssey, but that was less of a surprise. Kirel's subcutaneous implant had activated, and that rarely happened.

Several hours later, Dr. Feretti and SrLtn Le Morte came in under escort. By her count, one third of the station's Starfleet officers were now under arrest. Add Halloway and Brown to the mix along with their formidable ships, and if the last few hours had been eventful, Kirel wondered at what might happen in the next few.

Sky Harbour Aegis Mission Summary for 5 February 2010

USS Yorktown is in station orbit. USS Odyssey is docked and under guard.

Captain Halloway was given a red carpet welcome with full honor guard. Ambassador Drankum informed him of the mutiny charge against some of Aegis' crew and then invited him to dinner.

The brig became more crowded, with Feretti and Le Morte joining Chirakis and Dabi.

Dr. Lepage's request that the science team be brought to the medical suite for post-mission physicals was denied.

Time between games is 1 hour.