Host James says:
=/\=/\=/\= Resume U.S.S. Scimitar Mission =/\=/\=/\=

CEO_McLir says:
::In main engineering with CTO discussing shielding program and weaponry::

CTO_Bucha says:
::in engineering with McLir taking notes on padd::

Amb_McD says:
::everyone having cleared out, now sitting alone in the Blade Lounge::

CSOBandra says:
::Preparing probe for Beta Eppler::

CEO_McLir says:
CTO: Keorn and I have this new shield program ...absorbs the phaser impact, redirects the energy and sends it out the deflector dish.

Ops_Ander says:
::at Ops, preparing subspace message for colonies::

CO_Ian says:
::sitting in captain's chair::

CTO_Bucha says:
::raises an eyebrow::

CTO_Bucha says:
CEO: as a weapon?

CEO_McLir says:
CTO: if we can aim it, perhaps it will penetrate the Opeongo's shields.

XO_Wnters says:
:: Sitting in the XO's chair.

Amb_McD says:
::stands up, after sitting there for hours...exits to a TL:: Bridge.

CTO_Bucha says:
CEO: have you tested it in a simulation yet?

CNS_Jamin says:
::on her way up to bridge::

CTO_Bucha says:
CEO: we may be able to learn to aim it.

CEO_McLir says:
CTO: Well, the computer is still playing with the permutations.

Ops_Ander says:
XO: How do you like the new chair? I had to make sure the bridge plans would have space for it before we had it installed...

Amb_McD says:
::TL gets stopped in mid-flight, waiting for the CNS's TL to finish::

XO_Wnters says:
Ops: I like the leather :: smiles ::

Ops_Ander says:
XO: Plus, we had to add one for Lehari, too.

Ops_Ander says:
XO: I just wish we had as much space as a Galaxy-class starship so we could fit all of the goodies in...

CTO_Bucha says:
*CSO*: Ant readings from that probe yet?

CSOBandra says:
::monitoring probe frequency, glances around bridge::

Ops_Ander says:
CO: Captain, we're within optimum subspace transmitting range. Do you want me to send our all-points bulletin?

CEO_McLir says:
CTO: The first real test will probably be when we find the Opeongo.

CSOBandra says:
CTO: not yet, should be soon though

CO_Ian says:
Ops: yes, go ahead.

CNS_Jamin says:
::exits TL & step onto bridge::

XO_Wnters says:
:: Pictures Enterprise Bridge :: Ops: Yes, I always like a Galaxy Class bridge.

Ops_Ander says:
::opens hailing frequency:: *COM* To any and all Federation or allied ships, colonies and outposts in this sector, this is a Priority One Starfleet communication. This is the Federation starship USS Scimitar, advising all ships, colonies and outposts to be on the lookout for a rogue starship that is attacking colonies in this sector.

Amb_McD says:
::TL starts moving again right as McD nears the edge of agitation::

Ops_Ander says:
*COM* The ship is the former Federation starship USS Opeongo, Intrepid-class, registry number NCC-75244. The ship claims to have Federation Ambassador Robert McDowell onboard and claims to represent the interests of a new Federation colonization program.

CEO_McLir says:
CTO: I'm going to send the program to Ops, named Opeongo 1.  He can have it available and I'll update it as the simulations require.
CTO_Bucha says:
CEO: What damage could absorbing the Opeongo's blast inflict?

Amb_McD says:
::enters the Bridge finally::

CSOBandra says:
All: Probe has entered orbit of Beta Eppler 1, receiving data...

XO_Wnters says:
CSO: The colony?

CEO_McLir says:
CTO: If it works the way we envisioned, the energy should be like a sling shot and be shuffled through the grid to the deflector.

CSOBandra says:
XO: One moment

CSOBandra says:
All: Beta Eppler one is reading as a gas Giant

Amb_McD says:
::takes his usual spot in the very back of the bridge::

CEO_McLir says:
CTO: Right now Keorn is over in the torpedo room working on the warheads.

CSOBandra says:
All: No sign of the colony

CO_Ian says:
::shakes her head, sadly::

Amb_McD says:
::looks up at the Science station::

CSOBandra says:
::turns to face the bridge, sadness in his face:: All: Nothing...

XO_Wnters says:
:: to much death ::

Amb_McD says:
::takes in a deep breath and lets it out in a slow, controlled manner::

Ops_Ander says:
::checks to make sure transmission is clear:: *COM* The ship claims to have Federation Ambassador McDowell onboard and that it is part of a new colonization program.

CSOBandra says:
All: I am detecting a debris field where Bete Eppler 1 should be

CTO_Bucha says:
CEO: Keorn also had mentioned confusing the Opeongo by launching shuttles masked as us.  Can you make a shuttle appear like us on sensors?

Ops_Ander says:
*COM* These claims are false and should not be believed. If the Opeongo attempts to make contact, try to stall them and contact us at once. Colonies that have refused have been summarily attacked.

CEO_McLir says:
CTO: sure, but it won't confuse it for long.

Ops_Ander says:
*COM* We are transmitting Starfleet's ship recognition protocols so that the Opeongo may be identified accurately.

CTO_Bucha says:
CEO: interesting.....   lets make that a back up plan.....

CEO_McLir says:
::Turns to console and observes the simulation readings::

Ops_Ander says:
*COM* Verification of our identity follows: This is the USS Scimitar, Akira-class, registry NCC-80826, Captain Aurel D. Ian commanding, Captain Robert McDowell serving as Federation Ambassadorial representative.

Ops_Ander says:
*COM* Please respond with any reports or sightings relevant to this message. Scimitar out.

Ops_Ander says:
CO: Message sent and put on auto-repeat, Captain.

CEO_McLir says:
CTO: It's available when you or Ed want to try it.

CEO_McLir says:
CTO: As far as a weak spot on that Intrepid class, I'd suggest aiming where the nacelle pylons connect to the ship.

CO_Ian says:
Ops: good job. let's hope we get a reply soon maybe...well maybe not too soon we still need to see what we can learn

CSOBandra says:
CO: Should i continue monitoring the system Captain?

XO_Wnters says:
CTO: Would the Opeongo's Command Codes still be in place?

Ops_Ander says:
XO: I'd doubt it. The intelligence it demonstrated in our last encounter indicates that anything Starfleet may not be in control.

XO_Wnters says:
:: realizes the CTO isn't around :: Ops: Might the Opeongo's command codes still be in place?
XO_Wnters says:
Ops: It may be worth a try. Do you have them on file?

CO_Ian says:
CSO: yes so we can get some ideas of how the Opeongo can get such power. give us some ideas on how to beat it or defend ourselves better

Amb_McD says:
::looks around suddenly, and then stands up:: XO/OPS: ::points to the door:: Conference Room, please.

Ops_Ander says:
::startled by McDowell's call:: McD: Aye, sir. ::gets up and heads for the CR::

CSOBandra says:
CO: Aye sir ::Makes adjustment to readout and begins to hunt for the Opeongo::

XO_Wnters says:
:: looks at McDowell and raises eye brows ::

XO_Wnters says:
Amb: Yes Sir

Ops_Ander says:
::nods to Ensign Sturek for relief at Ops::

XO_Wnters says:
:: walks to the Conference room door ::

Ops_Ander says:
::walks in, following XO::

Amb_McD says:
::enters, waits for the others::

XO_Wnters says:
:: enters the room ::

CTO_Bucha says:
CEO:  I'm heading back to the bridge.  I'll inform the 1st officer of your suggestions.

CTO_Bucha says:
*XO*:  I believe we have some ideas for encountering the Opeongo sir.

XO_Wnters says:
*CTO* Later please, I am in a meeting with the Ambassador. I will be back on the bridge shortly.

Amb_McD says:
::takes a seat:: XO/OPS: One thing I am wondering...Why should we be thinking of this thing as a ship? Why are we making tactics based on a starship? Would it not be better to almost think on a biological scale, say almost Borg?

CO_Ian says:
::leans elbow on arm of chair, places chin in hand and thinks::

Ops_Ander says:
McD: Well, sir...Lieutenant...if I may, I have a couple of suggestions on that subject.

CEO_McLir says:
::nods to CTO as he leaves::

XO_Wnters says:
Amb: Yes, that is a possibility, however, it did have a computer at one time. Even the borg can be destroyed by implanting commands.

CTO_Bucha says:
::exits ME to TL::  TL: bridge

Amb_McD says:
::gives Ed a look of "I'm listening"::

Ops_Ander says:
McD, XO: If we are to think of the Opeongo as a living being, we should apply an old human tactical philosophy: Cut the head off and kill it.

XO_Wnters says:
:: remembers what happened in the last battle with the Opeongo ::

Amb_McD says:
::puts arm on the table:: OPS: Where's the head, in this case? The warp core, or whatever is left of it, I'm assuming?

CSOBandra says:
::notices the Opeongo's weapons signature and plugs the numbers in for analysis hoping to find out what it's got::

CTO_Bucha says:
::enters bridge and notices people missing....   ?....  takes station at tac::

Ops_Ander says:
McD: In this case, it's the central computer core. That's where I'm thinking its cognitive abilities are. And I think I have a weapon to combat it...something we've encountered before.

Amb_McD says:
::mutters:: I'm game.

Ops_Ander says:
McD, XO: When we refit the Scimitar, they had to pull both of our computer cores and send them to Starfleet Intel. Well, they recovered all of the files...including this. ::drops iso-chip on desk::

CTO_Bucha says:
*CEO*: If we weaken the shields....   could you beam someone aboard the Opeongo?

XO_Wnters says:
Amb: Remember this <G>

Ops_Ander says:
McD, XO: It's the virus that paralyzed us in the Mindos system.
CO_Ian says:
Self: need to ask Starfleet for a new helmsman

CEO_McLir says:
*OPS* We've developed a potential weapon based on a shield program, Cole can brief you.

Amb_McD says:
::looks at OPS and XO with another one of those odd stares...like they REALLY hit a tight cord in him::

Ops_Ander says:
*CEO* Roger. I'll talk to him later, Niall. Andersen out.

XO_Wnters says:
Ops: Be careful with that.

CEO_McLir says:
*CTO* If we use a tight beam, and we are up close, yes.

Ops_Ander says:
McD, XO: Starfleet Intel sent it to Niall and I for use in perfecting our "firewall" program. It's fail-safed right now.

CTO_Bucha says:
*CEO*: thanx

XO_Wnters says:
:: looks at McDowell :: Ops: We assumed our ship was safe before.

SAmb_McD says:
::still looking at them with this cold "how dare they send this" look::

CNS_Jamin says:
::Watches, from a corner of the bridge, the conversation.::

Ops_Ander says:
XO: We specifically designed our "firewall" to defend against this type of invasive programming.

Ops_Ander says:
McD: Anyway, it's a three-series cascade virus...but it only got to the first stage on the Scimitar before blowing the main computer core. Normally, it will take over a ship and prepare it for capture...in this case, by the KOA.

Amb_McD says:
OPS/XO: I... ::stuttering:: I guess we could use it. Personally, I would like to take out the ship's power systems. Someone is not dead if you knock out their brain. The heart is still beating.

CEO_McLir says:
::Prepares shield grid to be independent of ships energy grid.::

Ops_Ander says:
McD: ....which leads me to my other suggestion. If we can penetrate their shields, we could beam a quantity of plasma coolant into each of the bioneural gelpacks.
XO_Wnters says:
Ops: If this thing is alive as the Ambassador suggests would we want to kill it?

Ops_Ander says:
McD: The coolant would liquefy and neutralize any organic compounds inside the packs...which of course make the entire bioneural system work.

Amb_McD says:
Ops_Ander: You're still completely forgetting the redundant isolinear network.

Ops_Ander says:
McD: Which isn't as extensive as the bioneural system. The isolinear components make up less than 1/3 of the ship's systems.

Amb_McD says:
XO_Wnters: Unfortunately, Starfleet only wants to kill it, destroy...whatever you want to call it...at the very most. They'd rather much have it just disabled and towed back, considering it's still a viable starship.

Ops_Ander says:
McD, XO: If we kill the biological component, I doubt the technological could survive...much like the Borg. At least with the technological part, we could bring it back.

Amb_McD says:
Ops_Ander: But it's still enough to keep the ship's essential systems online, which would be enough for it to continue in this case.

Ops_Ander says:
McD: But could it retain the same power output, sir? All we need is an opening.

XO_Wnters says:
Ops: If we can beam in the plasma just beam in a photon torpedo and take out the core.

XO_Wnters says:
Ops: That would be just as easy.

Amb_McD says:
::gives another one of those controlled sighs::

CSOBandra says:
All: The Opeongos warp trail is fading CO: What would you like to do Sir?

Ops_Ander says:
XO: Provided the core isn't shielded. We have no idea what's inside.

CO_Ian says:
CSO: I suppose we should start following it  we can analyze the data along the way

Ops_Ander says:
McD: My motivation was to neutralize their power, bit by bit, to the point where we could recover the ship.

XO_Wnters says:
Ops: The point I am trying to make is beaming in plasma into all the gel packs would be nearly impossible

CTO_Bucha says:
::hears CSO and extends sensors for the Opeongo::

Ops_Ander says:
XO: Well, at least we could hit the choice spots...power distribution, shield grid, weapons...

CSOBandra says:
CO: Aye sir

Amb_McD says:
::curls his lip:: OPS: And how many confrontations would it take to get it down to that level? We're planning for a single, quick knock-out. We may only have one opportunity.

Ops_Ander says:
McD: Sir, given our last confrontation, a show of force on our part, in any measure, was reciprocated with an even stronger show on their part.

Amb_McD says:
OPS/XO: As it stands right now, probably the best plan would be to try the computer virus first, though it pains me to think of it. If it doesn't work, a full single-point barrage on the shielding system, after which we try to breach the hull and take out one of the primary plasma conduits around the core.

Ops_Ander says:
McD, XO: If we do try a phaser barrage, recommend we hit the secondary command processor pack on the starboard ventral quarter. It could knock out their backup systems and reserve power.

Amb_McD says:
Ops_Ander: Are we to try numerous little barrages and not get hurt, or possibly one major assault and get damaged in the process, knowing that we got it done that first time? Who's to say anything about any heightened repair systems.

XO_Wnters says:
Amb: It could be similar to the human immune system as well, and ditch the virus.

Amb_McD says:
XO_Wnters: At which point it would become required of us to start popping blood vessels and stab the heart.

XO_Wnters says:
Amb: Agreed.

Ops_Ander says:
McD: If we try the virus, sir, recommend we hail the Opeongo and conceal the virus on a tertiary level of our comm signal.

Amb_McD says:
Ops_Ander: Have they answered our hails in previous confrontations?

XO_Wnters says:
:: thinks :: Amb: I believe so.
CO_Ian says:
FCO: follow the Opeongo's warp trail.

Ops_Ander says:
McD: During our last confrontation, they did, sir.

CO_Ian says:
<FCO> CO: Yes ma’am

Ops_Ander says:
McD: They seemed...very willing to bluster.

Amb_McD says:
::recoils with this surprised "oh they did? oops" look::

CEO_McLir says:
*CMO* Do we have anything aboard that could infect the gel packs on the Opeongo?

Host James says:
Action:  The Scimitar leaps into warp on the trail of the Opeongo.

Ops_Ander says:
McD: By that, I mean they seemed concerned with making their point in a very pompous manner.

Amb_McD says:
Ops_Ander: Well then...Whatever transmission system works best. ::stands up:: Thank you both. ::walks out still with this half-frown on his face::

DrMcCella says:
*CEO*Give me a moment on that.

CSOBandra says:
::checks data, seeing if the computer has figured out anything new yet from the latest data::

DrMcCella says:
::Heads for the med lab::

Ops_Ander says:
XO: I don't need to remind you that this shouldn't be discussed with anyone outside the ambassador, myself or Lieutenant McLir.

Ops_Ander says:
::picks up the chip, puts it in his pocket::

DrMcCella says:
::Picks up sample container Beta-166::

XO_Wnters says:
:: glares at Ops officer ::

Ops_Ander says:
XO: I'm sorry if that sounds impudent, sir.

Amb_McD says:
::enters the TL again quickly, not even stopping to nod to the rest of them:: Deck 4. ::nearly breaks down when he thinks of that virus::

XO_Wnters says:
Ops: That’s fine, I think we should return to the bridge.

DrMcCella says:
*CEO*I have a virus here that can be distributed in bacteria in the airducts....that might affect them.

Ops_Ander says:
XO: Right. ::exits lounge, heads to turbolift, waits for next car::

Ops_Ander says:
::enters:: TL: Engineering.

CEO_McLir says:
*CMO* Send me the specs please.

XO_Wnters says:
:: walks out to the bridge ::

Ops_Ander says:
::TL deposits him near ME, walks in::

Ops_Ander says:
CEO: Niall? Do you have a moment?

CEO_McLir says:
::Looks up as Lt Anderson enters:: OPS: sure, what's up?

XO_Wnters says:
:: nods to Captain and sits down ::

DrMcCella says:
*CEO* Specs? Can't give you any technical things......I can tell you what it'll do...

Ops_Ander says:
CEO: Let's go into your office. I've got something to tell you...

CO_Ian says:
XO: we're back to following the Opeongo's trail

XO_Wnters says:
CO: I wonder, is there some way we can lure them back here.

Amb_McD says:
::enters a Tactical simulation lab::

CEO_McLir says:
::Walks with Ed to office:: *CMO* go ahead.

DrMcCella says:
::Taps PADD:: *CEO* I've sent the data now...

CO_Ian says:
XO: I was thinking about that too.  maybe send a message. maybe tell the "shadow" we've got the real thing on the ship. or something like that.

CTO_Bucha says:
CO/XO: no sign of any vessels yet ....   Engineering has come up with a program allowing us to slingshot the Opeongo's phaser blasts back at it using the deflector dish....   if we should need such an extreme measure

CEO_McLir says:
::accesses data on screen in office:: ED: What's your idea?

XO_Wnters says:
CO: Its hard to tell how they will react. Especially with such a different life form

Ops_Ander says:
::hits button to mute response to CMO:: CEO: We're going to use the virus against the Opeongo.

CO_Ian says:
CTO: sounds good.

Ops_Ander says:
CEO: The KOA virus.

XO_Wnters says:
CTO: I was going to suggest something with the deflector. Good work :: smiles ::

CEO_McLir says:
::Spins around and stares at OPS:: Ed: What!!

XO_Wnters says:
XO: Brief the Ambassador

CEO_McLir says:
Ed: I know we planned for something like this, but....

CEO_McLir says:
::shakes head::

Ops_Ander says:
CEO: I know, it's not the best suggestion, but McDowell wanted an idea, and I gave him one.

XO_Wnters says:
<CTO>

CEO_McLir says:
Anderson: and it is an option, but the KOA virus?

CTO_Bucha says:
XO: Aye sir.

XO_Wnters says:
*CEO* I would like to have a chat with you when you have the time

Ops_Ander says:
::shrugs shoulders:: CEO: We know it works.

CEO_McLir says:
::hears XO and looks up::

Host James says:
=/\=/\=/\= Pause U.S.S. Scimitar Mission =/\=/\=/\=