03 Apr. - 15 June 2005
While the Dark Matter is en route to Deep Space Outpost 316 for its
first shore leave in months, Lt Vahl has to deal with a special request
from their EMH, who has decided that it is time for him to have a
proper name by which he can be referred to.
Admiral Davison (npc), the DM's mission co-ordinator, contacts Persson
to give him the basics of his next mission : The area the DM will have
to explore, is in the Bristar 164 planetary system, one that has two
yellow class G binary stars at its centre. The M class planet that has
come to the attention of the Federation, has been named Paradian IV.
Information that came into the hands of the Vulcans and eventually the
Federation's, indicates the possibility of a former warp capable
civilization, one that is said to no longer inhabit this planet. One of
his parameters will be to find out why they left what appears to be an
ideal situation?
Before she can enjoy her shore leave, Vahl has to monitor the transfer
of Cmdr Yajeh (npc) to the Outpost. She then makes a few calls to have
a ceremony prepared, since a few crewmembers, including herself and
their CO have been promoted.
After five days spent on the Outpost, where the crew has taken
advantage of the various events organized to celebrate 'First Contact
Day', the Dark Matter makes her last preparations before her departure
for Bristar 164.
Upon reaching Paradian IV, the Dark Matter discovers a paradise planet
with deep blue seas, a luxurious vegetation and a large city, seemingly
abandoned about one century ago. After the meticulous study of the data
provided by their probes, one thing becomes clear to Captain Lars
Persson : the Paradians left suddenly, and without taking anything with
them...
While several away teams are being formed in anticipation of their
transportation to the surface of Paradian IV, Vahl is delayed in the
Lounge with an incident that wrongly accuses Trok (npc) of assault.
Once on the planet, the teams spread out to explore the city they have
found. MacDuff's team is the first to discover how to operate the
entrance system of the abandoned buildings. Meanwhile, June Craig, who
is accompanying a team of linguists, is pestered by a small simian who
will simply not leave her alone.
Further away, Gol'Khar leads his own team into two different buildings,
and experiences a brief clash with another Klingon scientist. In the
meantime, Vahl, who was patrolling the streets with a security team,
ventures in the nearby forest to investigate on a strange object that
another group has found, partially buried in the ground.
Satisfied with the way the investigation is proceeding, Captain Persson
arranges to send the necessary equipment the ATs will need to spend
their first night on the surface.
It isn't long before the various away teams make interesting
discoveries about Paradian IV. From the humanoid robots stored in a
building to a video system covering the whole of the city, everything
points to a high-tech civilization. But it is Lt jg MacDuff who finds
the most absorbing piece of equipment : a type of computer which calls
itself the 'Keeper of Light'.
On the first night on the surface, while several crew members are
re-assigned to different away teams, Lt Sulvik, the Dark Matter's new
Counsellor, makes his preparations for his own A.T.
Early the next morning, Captain Persson receives confirmation that his
new CEO is en route to join the DM. It is followed however, by dramatic
news : MacDuff's team has suddenly vanished.
As ordered, Craig, who seems to have a hatred for Counsellors, joins Lt
Sulvik's team. They visit what looks like a hospital and discover a
recording which suggests that the Paradian transporter beam is also
capable of transporting dangerous beings onto the very city they are
exploring.
Day 6 also sees the arrival of Lt Julian Orthis, brought by a courier
ship. No sooner has the new CEO arrived, that Captain Persson sends him
to Paradian IV to deal with the unpredictable transporter beam which is
spiriting away his crew members one by one.
The missing teams, which so far include MacDuff, Gol'Khar, Craig, Vahl and Sulvik, all awaken in a barren volcanic landscape.
While Lt (jg) MacDuff meets with people stranded in this volcanic land
for two years, Lt Sulvik discovers (from his Paradian sphere) that they
have been transported to a planet used as a prison facility. The
recording he managed to trigger also reveals that the Paradian security
people weren't as good to its people as it was first thought.
Craig makes a dangerous encounter with Ensign Munro (npc) who is
suffering badly from stress and the intense heat, and owes her timely
rescue to Lt Berg (npc).
Vahl's team, on its side, joins up with Gol'Khar's scientists, plus a
security and medical team that have all braved the unforgiving sun to
taking advantage of a watering place in the south-east.
After a convoluted conversation with the "Keeper" Lt Orthis manages to
shut down the Paradian transporter, although he is not exactly sure how
it happened. On his return, once on board the Dark Matter, he can't
avoid meeting the former CEO, who doesn't take his demotion to ACEO too
kindly.
The menace on Paradian IV now over, Captain Persson has sent two
shuttles to explore the nearby sector, with the hope that they can
locate his missing crew members.
On the unknown planet, Lt Sulvik leaves his own team to go after Ensign
Munro and help him. Unhappy with the way June Craig is treating him, Lt
Berg (npc) decides to use her aversion for the Counsellor to play a
little prank.
Further South, on their way to the southern transporter located by Lt
Sulvik's sphere, Lt Cmdr Vahl and Lt Gol'Khar's teams are stopped by a
violent dust storm. They take refuge in a cave formed out of an ancient
volcanic tube, which is inhabited by an old hermit.
Persson's shuttles found nothing on the first planet they explored, so
they turn their attention to the second planet present in this sector :
a K class body named Hyrindi.
Meanwhile, on the unknown planet, MacDuff's team is advised to wait
until the dust storm is over before they start their long journey to
the south.
At the water location, unable to carry on with the situation created by
Lt Max Berg (npc), June Craig confronts Lt Sulvik and discovers that
Berg had him believe that she had feelings for the Counsellor.
Just when the dust storm is menacing their encampment, Sulvik and Berg
are threatened by two natives in rags. Not taking any chance, Berg
stuns them with his phaser. Moments later, when they wake up in the
main shelter, linguist Lee Tramori (npc) manages to communicate with
them, mostly using sign language. It transpires that they are
descendants from the Paradians, and have their own encampment further
to the east. Lt Sulvik decides to accompany them back to their place in
order to learn more about what happened to these people.
Further south, Vahl and Gol'Khar's teams finally made it to the site of
the transporter. As they expected, it's a very crude model. So much so
that in its present state it barely seems capable of transporting more
than inert matter.
During the scanning of planet Hyrindi, the Dark Matter is suddenly
boarded by intruders intent on accessing their main computer. However
thanks to the swift reaction of the Bridge and Engineering personnel,
the attack is quickly repelled. Yet Persson discovers that the
mysterious space-farers have none-the-less managed to upload some of
their data.
While Vahl's team gets Singh and Gozin's (npcs) assistance to repair
the Paradian transporter, Lt Sulvik and Ensign Tramori reaches the
Natives' encampment. There they obtain the confirmation that this tribe
is indeed the descendants of the Paradian deportees.
Around 22.30 Singh's tricorder receives an unexpected signal which
takes the form of Ensign Gradd's voice (npc). During the preliminary
scanning of this Q planet, the young Helm officer has picked on the
burst of energy emitted by the Paradian transporter.
With the help of shuttlecrafts Eclipse and Solar Winds, Rhyman's men
and the various away teams are transported back to the Dark Matter.
The next day, while Lt Sulvik performs evaluations for all their
guests, Lt Orthis and Lt Gol'Khar work together to disable the Paradian
IV's transporter once and for all.
- Mission End -
Summary written by :
Lt Cmdr Claryx Vahl
XO
USS Dark Matter
Posts Selection :
-
Theories by Lt Cmdr Vahl
- A Cold and Sterile Place by Lt Sulvik
- Damage Control by Lt Orthis
