I think that's a call for you guys.  

Meri was leaning transporter, but i would think that would be a huge power drain.  I was thinking tractor or worked, depending on if you wanted to do a scene with a shuttle pilot or not.

Loving the ongoing posts.  Getting to meet new people - including NPCs.  Getting some fantastic backstory and development. 

Love it!

That I'll believe.

Google is ALWAYS listening.  I can have a conversation and Google AND Facebook will show ads about the products.

Look, Google.  I appreciate that you auto kill spam, I really do.  But we've talked about this - SEVERAL times. 

Stop killing my RDI thread update notifications, okay?  I missed FOUR Q&A posts and TWO game posts.

Not cool, Google.  Not cool.

The 15th is, in fact, a Saturday.  Brom is correct.  Eol was repeating my incorrect information - I had checked the calendar but failed to notice that the one I was looking at started on a Monday, not Sunday.  AKA, Olan cannot read.

We're all pulling this stuff out of our asses. 

Good post, CameToPlay.

Ody, I don't have a map.  As I recall, we've discussed this before - Starbase 118 in our game's reality doesn't align with other sources you find online, ours is a fictionalized starbase.  I believe we've put our general location within federation space, towards the Romulan neutral zone but not partcularly close to it.

Okay, Captain responses are up.  Most everyone should have something to do right now, I hope.

Stardate 2365.05.15
USS Peregrine, Bridge - 1418

Captain Drake pinched the bridge of his nose at Lieutenant Ferrero's pronouncement.  How could it be that a planet that had barely begun floating satellites and visiting their own moon had managed to launch a probe THIS far from their world, let alone one capable of detecting the Federation equipment? 

"Understood, Lieutenant Ferrero," Drake answered.  "It seems that we have underestimated the technical capabilities of the Calicans.  We will need to work carefully to avoid detection, and we will need to figure out a way to either shield the beacon from the probe... or, more likely, we'll need to consider moving it to a safer location."

"Engaging at one quarter impulse," Tochi reported, "ETA to the nav-beacon: eighteen-point-two-three minutes." The view on the main screen panned as Peregrine slid smoothly onto the CFCO's plotted course.

Silas wondered if moving the beacon would require an update to the beacon's software.  While he was far from an expert on navigation beacons, it would stand to reason that such a device would intentionally maintain a steady position relative to a given star.  If the position was changed, it would seem that programming might need to be updated, lest the beacon try to reposition itself back to the orginal coordinates. 

"Bridge to Engineering," the Captain hailed.

=/=Engineering, Sa'eridon here, =/= came the reply.

"Lieutenant, it seems that we may need to consider repositioning the beacon once repairs are completed.  If that does prove to be the case, we may need to look at updating the programming on it - be advised that this task may also await you."

=/=Understood, sir.=/=

Drake nodded.  "Thank you, Drake out."

A slight frown crossed the Captain's face.  "Lieutenant Ferrero, give me an in depth scan of the Calican probe, please.  I'd like a better idea of the type of sensor range it enjoys, as well as the overall capabilities."

OOC: assuming a positive response...

He then turned to the Ops console.  "Lieutenant Taissud," he spoke, "we are operating under the assumption that the beacon has malfunctioned due to simple mechanical failure.  While it seems pointless for a hostile power to simply meddle with a deep space beacon, I want to be sure that our eyes are open.  Scan the area carefully, just to ensure that there are no unpleasant surprises."

OOC: again, assuming orders will be followed...

Finally, Drake keyed the intercom again.  "Drake to Ch'ronnoss."

OOC: assuming the CSO responds...

"Lieutenant," the Captain spoke, "we have discovered an unexpected probe from the Calicans.  I'd like your insight into their technology, and any other input you'd care to share."

OOC: softballs all around!

Given that real life Pluto is nearly 6 billion km from the sun (about 39.5 AU), I think that we are similar distance - maybe a little farther out - seeing as how we are beyond their furthest planet.  

I'm thinking similar in size to a satellite.  Best bet being to bring aboard a cargo bay/shuttle bay and work on it there.  I'm not married to any approach, though.  

Post is up, let's get to that adventure!

A few notes: the Calican species are somewhere in the range of late twentieth century Earth technology.  The do not yet have a single world government.  Their space technology is mostly limited to satellites and moon exploration.  Unless something untoward has happened, the navigation beacon should be beyond their furthest planet, and effectively invisible to the "primitive" sentients on Calican II.

In theory, this should indeed be an quick in and out mission...

Stardate 2365.05.15
USS Peregrine, Bridge - 1417

Captain Drake was studying a report on his PADD as the Peregrine fell out of warp.  He could feel the subtle variation in the ship's vibration, and so recognized that they had returned to sublight even before he took in the fact that the viewscreen had shifted.

"Captain, we have reached the Calican system," Commander Zai announced. 

Silas sat the PADD down.  "Thank you, Tochi," he responded.  "Lieutenant Ferrero, locate the navigational beacon, please, then relay the coordinates to the helm.  Once you have those, Tochi, take us there at one quarter impulse."

OOC: assuming affirmative replies...

Drake then keyed the communicator.  "Bridge to Engineering."

=/=Engineering, Lieutenant Sa'eridon here.=/= came the reply.

If the Captain had an issue with the fact that the CEO didn't reply, he did not display it.  "Lieutenant, we have reached the Calican system," he stated.  "We will transmit the ETA to you as soon as we have it; have your team ready for the repair operation."

=/=Aye, Captain.  We are ready when you are,=/= replied the aCEO. 

"Very good.  Drake out." he stated.

Glancing at the viewscreen, the Captain gave further instructions.  "Lieutenant Ferrero, once you have the beacon located, please perform a complete system scan.  It is my understanding that Calican II is the inhabited world here, and our beacon should be well beyond their detection range, but I would like to avoid any probes or similar devices that they may have deployed."

OOC: again, assuming an affirmative response...

"Very well," Silas mused.  "We will do this one by the book.  A hopefully rapid repair operation, then out of the system with absolutely no interference with the culture here - in full accordance with the Prime Directive."

Surely the Peregrine was due a simple task?

Beautiful stuff.  I always love anything to do with Megan... man, is Kennedy full of layers or what? 

Beautiful stuff.

Sorry I didn't get my post up quite yet, but I will have the story bumped tomorrow.  Fo sho.

Yeah, two of them have been here for some time.  I think only one is new.  

A word on duty schedules:

Page one of this Q&A thread contains the duty schedule, which shows who is in charge of every department during any given shift.  The number one reason this exists is to help provide a quick reference for our players; that way, you will know when your character has command, when your character is expected to be on the bridge, or you'll be able to quickly see who would be at a given station at any given time.  This helps us have in-universe consistency across everyone's posts.

Understand though, that the schedule is NEVER meant to limit the game or prevent you from playing. 

For instance, I'm about to make a post as Captain Drake for 2/15.  According to the schedule, Drake has command on Saturday Alpha - and Ltjg. Reid is the only other PC on duty.  Literally every other department head is off shift at that time (most get Saturday off). 

Well, we are due to arrive in the Calican system during Saturday Alpha.  So does that mean that you can't post?

To the contrary, it's generally understood that on "important" dates that we are aware of ahead of time, all senior personnel are to be on duty.  After all, you work for Starfleet - not the local mechanic shop or bakery or whatever.  Generally, we will always want to have the most qualified people avialable in known situations of demand.  So you can expect to be on duty, figuring that you'll trade shifts or whatever as best you can.  Remember that lives can and do depend on your character doing their job, so sometimes, you just may have to work some overtime.

That said, there is some leeway here.  Merideth has posted that this is Callie's off day, and she's already talked this over with the aCEO.  Truth be told, Lt. Sa'eridon is certainly plenty qualified to oversee repair of a navigational beacon, so Commander Kennedy is perfectly fine maintaining her schedule.  On the other hand, we would probably expect to have more senior staff at the helm, at Ops, etc than a handful of NPC enlisteds... at least when we enter a system for the first time.  Just in case. 

So, bottom line - if it makes sense for your department head character to be on the bridge in am expected, planned situation... you should assume that they are there, no matter what t he schedule says.  The schedule is more for dealing with the day to  day scenarios.

Make sense?

Man, this is great!

I was super busy today, but I'm going to try to go ahead and bump the game forward.  CameTo Play - I'll work that collab with you, sorry I haven't done my part yet!

lol @ Ragnar's post.

Couple things to keep in mind:

Please check out the post formatting stuff here: www.rdinn.net/view_topic.php?topicid=4537&page=1

No funky colors; use your italics foor internal thoughts,  wrap computer/communicator stuff =/=with these tags=/=, etc.

Also - backpost to your heart's content.  Please do not jump ahead in time without consulting with me first.  I can be a sneaky jerk with plans for suprises in store, so you should never assume that tomorrow will arrive in schedule. 

The log book is a way to help keep track of everything that has happened. It's very helpful if a log entry is made for every scene.  Not every post, but each unique scene.  

You don't HAVE to use the logbook, but it is appreciated.  

Thanks, Ody.

Alverstar - try a  hard refresh.

Ody, that was a superb post.  You took creative license to fill in gaps in the story in a manner that perfectly jived with everyting laid out to date.  You shared real emotion and gave us a glimpse into John's psyche.  You added a beautful plot point (the letters) that no one else had thought of.

Excellent work, easily the best Trek post you've ever done, absolutely worthy of any of the great players we've had.

My bad, Ody.  That is corrected.  

Goodness at the superb posting!

Awww, thanks. 

But let's be real.  45 isn't exactly a big reason to jump up and down and celebrate.

The writing so far has just been SUPERB.  Callie and the Angel?  *shiver*

I'm so itching to get into the actual mission, but I hate to interrupt on the setups!

At warp six, we are a little over a day out from our destination.  It's not far at all.

Poor Kook.  You can blame Eol for his untimely death.  Something about a shuttle explosion.  We all liked that guy.