Session Start: Sun Sep 14 01:30:00 2003
[01:30] * Waitstate is in Astrometrics, going over probe data.
[01:31] * LeRoy sits with other White Stars in the obs deck, drinking and kicking back.
[01:31] * Solder is familiarizing himself with Medbay.
[01:31] * Comet is with Waitstate in Astrometrics.
[01:33] <Waitstate> So... what is it?
[01:34] * Waitstate examines the data on the screens, puzzled.
[01:34] * Outreach is recharging. Weeks and weeks of constant work has worn on him greatly.
[01:35] <Comet> Sir, it seems to be a sort of localized distortion. It definitly has a gravitational component, but it's not from a source I've previously charted, nor is it anywhere in the vicinity of our previous readings. It's possible the anomoly reflected and amplified readings from a local star.
[01:36] <Solder> So... you junkers actually do this with tools? Like, seperate tools? That aren't a part of you? That's so... archaic, innit?
[01:36] <Waitstate> Interesting...
[01:36] <Lifeblood> No one can have all the equipment he needs built in.
[01:37] <Solder> pbbbbtttth.
[01:37] <Lifeblood> I myself lost most of my built-in medical equipment to Nucleon. Though this facility was outfitted long before I was associated with it.
[01:37] <Solder> Give'em a few years and squishies will grow toothbrushes on their fingertips.
[01:37] * Earshot sits amid the wreakage of his room, snoozing.
[01:37] <Waitstate> Any idea if it can be used to return home?
[01:37] <Solder> Oh?
[01:38] <Comet> Well, it almost seems as if we've been chasing a false source... we may have to renavigate and start again.
[01:38] * Waitstate nods.
[01:38] <Comet> A few more cycles of data may clarify our situation.
[01:39] <Waitstate> I'd definitely like to investigate this further. It IS in the exact relative coordinates that the station occupied, after all.
[01:39] <Waitstate> That's gotta be significant.
[01:39] <Lifeblood> Furthermore, should the medical personnel become incapacitated, it may fall to secondary personnel to carry out repair work.
[01:39] <Comet> That's true...
[01:39] <Lifeblood> And the entire crew cannot be expected to each contain a surgical theatre.
[01:39] <Comet> Can White Star assist? Perhaps they've heard something in their news sources about this area?
[01:40] <Waitstate> It's a good idea.
[01:40] <Comet> I hope we don't end up running into something deadly...
[01:40] <Waitstate> [comm] Waitstate to current White Star watch commander.
[01:41] * Solder snorts with indignation.
[01:41] <Pratt> [comm]This is Al Pratt, commander. What kin'I do for ya?"
[01:42] <Waitstate> [comm] Mr. Pratt, I need your most knowledgeable crewmember on the subject of astronomical phenomina to come down to Astrometrics, please.
[01:43] <Pratt> [comm] That'd be Terry, sir. Terry Sloane. I'll send him right away.
[01:44] <Waitstate> [comm] Thank you Mr. Pratt. It's appreciated.
[01:44] <LeRoy> Pratt> [comm] anytime, sir.
[01:44] * Solder picks up various tools and fools around with them carelessly.
[01:46] *Terry Sloane soon walks into Astrometics, looking sleepy, wearing a red and white jumpsuit.
[01:47] <Sloane> May I be of assistance, sir?
[01:47] <Waitstate> Mr. Sloan, hello. I'm sorry, did we wake you?
[01:48] * Sloane chuckles. "Slightly, but don't worry. I'll sleep later. What do you need?"
[01:48] * Comet watches the human curiously.
[01:49] <Comet> Oh. Here.
[01:49] * Comet points to the monitor.
[01:49] <Comet> ...hrm.
[01:49] <Comet> I guess you're not exactly our height...
[01:49] <Waitstate> I'm not sure if you were aware of our current course, but we're receiving data on the anomaly we're headed for, and I was hoping you would know something about it.
[01:49] * Comet offers his hand.
[01:50] * Comet picks up Mr. Sloane and stands him on the console where he can see the screen.
[01:50] * Sloane rubs his chin, looking at the monitor, drawing deeply from his cigarette. "Ah yes, the warp phenomina. We spotted it from our observatories weeks ago, hours before your crashed, actually...."
[01:50] <Waitstate> Unfortunatly, our probe isn't in proper visual range yet.
[01:50] <Comet> Specifically, has there been anything in the news sources regarding these coordinates?
[01:51] <Waitstate> as far as we've been able to determine, the anomaly occupies the exact relative coordinates we were at when we were last in our own universe.
[01:53] <Sloane> Sadly, we know as little as you do....but after observation, we found that it emits strage....energy readings, for lack of a better term. pulsing eregy and gravity emission in a sort of rhytmic fashion, like a pulsar, almost...
[01:53] <Comet> Hm.
[01:53] * Sloane rubs his chin, slitting his eyes and looking thoughtfully at the monitor.
[01:56] <Sloane> is there any way to get a better visual?
[01:57] <Waitstate> Not yet. The probe will be in range soon though.
[01:58] * Waitstate taps a few keys.
[01:58] <Waitstate> As you can see, it's currently backlit by the system's star.
[01:59] <Comet> Approximately... seventeen minutes? I assume you use Terran methods of time measurement.
[02:00] <Sloane> *mumbles to himself* could it be some sort of....gateway? perhaps a hole that is fluctuating so bad because it cant decide which side of the universal fence it is on...?
[02:00] <Sloane> hmm? oh yes, Terran is fine.
[02:00] * Sloane goes back to rubbing his chin and thinking.
[02:00] <Waitstate> We've been hoping, but it feels too much like wishful thinking.
[02:02] <Sloane> true, but this is where you entered who says the cosmic door must always close?
[02:03] <Sloane> whatever did this was a powerful force. something as sizable as this cannot merely zip itself up, could it?
[02:04] <Waitstate> I wouldnt think so. There were some pretty incredible energies involved. I believe you're famililar with our DEM.
[02:04] <Comet> Visual coming up.
[02:05] <Comet> This is... interesting.
[02:05] <Comet> Many images simultaneously.
[02:05] <Comet> Stars, planets, stations, crafts... anything you can imagine, all flickering on and off, alternating in random patterns...
[02:05] <Comet> See?
[02:05] * Comet motions everyone to his viewer.
[02:06] * Sloane looks intently. "Well, surely this is a rip...but the question is is it safe to go through?"
[02:06] <Waitstate> It looks like... bad TV reception.
[02:06] <Comet> Beg pardon?
[02:06] <Waitstate> Ever met a Junkion?
[02:07] <Comet> Not in person, no.
[02:07] <Comet> I've heard stories.
[02:07] <Waitstate> video signal sent on a carrier wave.
[02:08] * Comet shrugs.
[02:08] <Waitstate> It's pretty short range as far as communications go, and is very susceptable to interference.
[02:08] <Comet> Aha.
[02:10] * Sloane continues to stare at the screen.
[02:11] <Comet> I wonder what would happen if we were to fly into it.
[02:11] <Waitstate> I'd guess we'd be torn apart.
[02:12] <Waitstate> I wonder if we could stablize it though...
[02:12] <Comet> That would be bad.
[02:13] <Waitstate> stabilization?
[02:13] <Comet> Erm, no, sorry.
[02:14] <Comet> I meant "being torn apart."
[02:14] <Comet> Would be very bad.
[02:14] <Comet> Ah-heh.
[02:14] <Waitstate> Yes, very much so.
[02:14] <Waitstate> Anything in these readings that suggests how we might stabilize it?
[02:15] <Comet> Well, if it pulses rhythmically, what would happen if we were to match or contrast the signal somehow?
[02:17] <Waitstate> it's an idea...
[02:18] <Waitstate> We need an astrophysicist in here, heh.
[02:19] <Comet> Agreed.
[02:19] <Comet> There is none?
[02:20] <Waitstate> Mr. Sloane?
[02:28] <Comet> I've taken the liberty of asking the computer, Sir, if that's okay...
[02:28] <Waitstate> go ahead
[02:38] [narration] Suddenly, an access panel on the far side of the room explodes!
[02:38] <Comet> ...!
[02:38] * Comet panics and shuts down the calculations.
[02:38] <Comet> The... thought processes seem to have overloaded some circuitry.
[02:39] * Waitstate stumbles backwards in shock.
[02:39] * Admiral Lilwall enters Astrometrics.
[02:39] <Waitstate> There must be much more data than we're seeing.
[02:39] <Admiral Lilwall> Hey, if I'd know we were having fireworks I'd have brought some friends.
[02:39] <Waitstate> These new computers must be insufficient for our needs.
[02:40] <Waitstate> I'm retrofitting it as soon as we get home.
[02:41] <Admiral Lilwall> What did we just try to do?
[02:41] <Waitstate> Alright, I'm getting Bit to tie in to the main system. He should be able to compensate.
[02:42] <Waitstate> We're getting data from the probe. More than we realized, apparently.
[02:43] * Comet manages to nod in acknowledgement of the Admiral's entrance while attempting to put out the fire.
[02:43] <Comet> Care to take a look at it, Sir?
[02:45] <Comet> Well, Commander, I can't say that any computer wouldn't be insufficient for this need...
[02:45] <Admiral Lilwall> Not sure I'd be much help with that sort of thing. Anything we can use turn up though?
[02:45] <Comet> I've just never been in this sort of position before...
[02:48] * Comet shows the Admiral the visual transmission from the probe.
[02:51] <Admiral Lilwall> You'd think at some point we'd get cut a break.
[02:54] * Comet shrugs.
Session Close: Sun Sep 14 02:55:00 2003
Back To Mission Logs Listing