Search for a Cause

Posted on Sat Nov 22nd, 2014 @ 8:39pm by Lieutenant Nuala Takabe & Captain L'Verrem & Lieutenant Ariel Gilmore

1,369 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Mission 87 - Disaster
Location: USS Ark Royal, Science Lab

L'Verrem stood before a holographic image of Huntster II. The model of the planet seemingly floated in mid-air, al,out two meters across. It looked more a barren ball of rock than a Class-M planet teeming with life. L'Verrem had instructed the computer to remove the clouds, vegetation, and oceans so the world's geographical features and fault lines could be clearly seen. He laid a paw on its holographic surface and turned it, the computer interpreting his motions to move the model. His thoughts were interrupted and an ear immediately turned from the model to the door when he heard the familiar swishing sound.

"Hello Captain." Takabe greeted L'Verrem. "I see you have already started." Takabe looking at the holo display. "Did you find anything Captain?" She asked.

L'Verrem turned and bowed his head politely.
"Peace be between us, Lieutenant Nuala Takabe. I have only just begun the analysis. Please join me," L'Verrem said with a slight purr in his voice.
The Caitian turned back to the hologram of the world and pointed briefly at it.
"Computer, overlay the seismic activity positions and magnitudes over the last thirty days," L'Verrem commanded.
The computer chirped in response as the planet suddenly sprouted red whiskers of varying height reaching away from the surface. Each whisker was a point of seismic activity, and it's height represented its magnitude. As time went on more and more appeared, mainly along the fault lines, where Hunster II's tectonic plates met. L'Verrem cocked his head to one side and trilled slightly.
"I observe no anomalies," he said.

Takabe pointed to the display "Out of nowhere the planet becomes unstable. Has there been any history of seismic instability Captain?" Takabe asked L'Vrerrem.

"Nothing so far above the norm and not of this magnitude. However, the colony was only recently established. We have not yet had time to build up a significant seismic database," L'Verrem replied.

"Then the algorithm should have stayed constant. Maybe an outside force caused this?" Takabe asked. "Sir, didn't witnesses report seeing a comet?"

As Takabe finished the sentence, Lieutenant Gilmore walked into the Ark Royal's science lab. When she saw everyone in the lab, she gave a gentle smile and said, "Hello Captain L'Verrem, Lieutenant Takabe. Sorry it took me a little bit to get here. I was completing some analysis on the planet core and other factors. Hopefully, I haven't missed much thus far."

"We were just getting started, Lieuteant Ariel Gilmore. We are eager to hear what you have learned," L'Verrem said.
Then to Takabe, he said "You are correct, there was a sighting of a comet or meteor impacting the planet. At there any data on it from the colony sensors?"

Gilmore walked over to one of the open stations and pulled up some of the data she had been able to analyze. Sensor data from Deep Space 14 was pulled up, showing the seismic data, as well as other major factors pertaining to the planet's current status.

Gilmore pulled up one of the more important bits of information that needed to be discussed: the seismic data. She began, "We really need to figure out how to make the seismic activity stop or calm down before the planet rips itself apart. While I'm only running on a limited amount of data, this is some of the information that I found and could use some other heads to make sense of what I was seeing."

"Apply it to the model and let us see what you have," L'Verrem replied.

Gilmore applied all of her data to the models that Ll'Verrem and Takabe were working on. The changes showed how the planet was slowly changing to its very core over the past several hours since the message was received from Deep Space 14.

"We know the colony is new and has limited data. Do you think Deep Space 14 has any more data that goes back farther?" Takabe asked. "It's difficult to find a pattern in the planet's history if it's so short. Maybe we can look at tidal movements? I know it might sound silly but a large outside gravity may have had an effect on the planet's oceanography. Maybe not a very large impact but still noticeable." Takabe conjectured.

The Caitian science officer cocked his head to one side slightly and asked "tidal records may yield some clues. The system's gas giants are too far away to cause this level of gravitational disturbance. What do you theorize?"

Takabe was a little nervous now and bit her lower lip. "Maybe some outside body, such as a comet or asteroid, caused the seismic activity."

Gilmore looked at the other science officers and thought for a moment. "Could this asteroid have caused something similar to what happened to Earth many centuries and centuries ago, when the Dinosaurs went extinct?"

"All star systems have numerous asteroid clusters, mostly swept into belts orbiting the parent star or large planets during its formation. An object large enough to cause an Extinction Level Event surely would have been detected in time to send a ship to alter its course, but it is possible something more modest in size slipped past. Consult the colony's sensor net logs. If this is the case, there will be a sudden rise in dust in the atmosphere. If there is a significant amount of dust, we should prepare to combat it as well as the earthquakes. As for your theory, Lieutenant Nuala Takabe, model the Hunster II system to be sure we have accounted for all large gravitational bodies at the time of the quake event and compare it to the tidal readings," L'Verre, said.

Takabe went to a station and ran the information through a computer model. She worked for several minutes and ran the same model a few times.

"Something's not right." Takabe said in frustration. "There is a large tidal shift concurrent with the seismic activity. The next question is: what is has enough mass to cause this? We don't have anything recorded that is anywhere large enough to cause this damage." Takabe stated in frustration. "What are we missing?"

"Well, isn't the system near Krazzle and Romulan Space? Could it have been the Pact doing something to stir up some trouble with the UFP, doing it with the cloaking technology from the Romulans?" Gilmore said, her words becoming more and more ominous.

"If they did they are a couple of generations ahead of us technology wise. I don't think they are that far ahead of us." Takabe replied. "It would have to have a big pull. A comet or asteroid of that size we would have spotted. I'm thinking it would have to be the size of a planet or a star."

L'Verrem nodded and trilled. "I concur. Planetary bombardments are not unknown, but, at least so far, there have been no indications of invasion forces crossing the Federation boarder. The theory of a large gravitational body altering an asteroid or comet's orbit seems the most likely cause. However no such body was mentioned in the Huntster II survey report or in the current stellar catalog. I would like you both to continue to develop this theory and search for additional evidence of this dark body. If it exists, then we will have to develop a plan to protect the planet."

Takabe stared at the display. "Maybe a dark star?" Takabe asked herself, unsure. "It may be a long shot but I think it's worth a look. Once we get closer it should be easier to find. I'll work a possible route so when we arrive in the Huntster System we'll have a smaller search area." She said to her fellow scientists, a little more confident now.

"I think I saw something in the records from the years that the Starship Voyager were in the Delta Quadrant that might correlate to this phenomenon. I'll look in the records en route and see if there's any relationship between the incidents and see what they did to stop it." Gilmore said, nodding in agreement.

L'Verrem bowed his slightly and said "Well done. Go in peace."

"Thank you Captain." Takabe replied.

"Thank you Captain, Lieutenant." Gilmore said, nodding to both of the other scientist.

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