Stardate: 2365.03.29 (Sunday - 42269.8 )
WaveRider Shuttle - Rho Puppis I Uppermost Atmosphere - 1147 Alpha Shift

"Sir," Stark said, looking at Wilhelm incredulously. "I still protest any action that involves dropping our shields." Were they really contemplating this?

"I can adjust the frequencies, Sir," Jenna said. "Perhaps, since we're going with the feeding and tasting analogy, perhaps the probe wasn't followed because the outer edge of the atmosphere is where the... mouth ends? Maybe the organisms only survive in the atmosphere?" The touch and go of the atmosphere touching the shield increased, but only minimally.

"I think that they're trying to determine if we taste good. Shield drop of point one five percent. Not as dramatic as the probe, but it is happening." Jenna couldn't stop thinking of food analogies, and her mouth quirked slightly.

"Your concern is noted, Mr. Stark," Cole replies evenly. "Lieutenant Wilhelm, begin your modifications. Mr. Falcone, keep the WaveRider on course but be ready to promptly respond to Mr. Wilhelm's instructions. Mr. Stark, keep a very close eye on the threat level. While we are moving forward with this experiment, I acknowledge the potential danger that it places this crew in. I'm relying on you and your experience to make sure Lieutenant Wilhelm's plan can be fully executed.

"Let's make this happen, people."

"Aye, sir. Mr.... ah, uhm, Mr. Falcone. I vould like tse frequency changes from 120 Hz to 190 Hz at un infrequent interval ranging from 5 to 15 seconds. Begin vith a high frequency. I vould also like you to increase output power to 109.5% capacity, ja? Ve will begin vith the first spike on my mark." Kurt ordered, pushing his thick glasses back up to the bridge of his nose. "Mr. Stark, stand by. Does everybody understand?"

"Aye, sir."

"Yes, sir."

"Excellent. Tsen lets begin cooking, ja?" Watching the view screen carefully, Kurt watch the slight ebb of... of whatever it was licking the Waverunner. As he watched it wane slightly and then wax back on, Kurt nodded. What an astute observation that Mr. Falcone had made. 

At what Kurt felt to be the peak of the "lick", he quickly ordered, "Now, Mr. Falcone."

"Adjusting frequencies now, Lieutenant Wilhelm." Jenna made the proper adjustments. The power drain dropped to point zero five percent. " Guess whatever's out there didn't care for us...changing the taste. Power drain has lessened. Not enough to make it stop, but enough to make it... think?" The WaveRider shuddered slightly, and Jenna made the proper corrections. "Minor stabilization, sir. I think it decided to try a stronger lick." She shook her head, thinking about what she had just said.

"If Mister Siric's readings are correct, and I have no reason to think that they are not, then we will breach the inner atmosphere in less than five minutes." She paused. "That is, if I understood correctly?" She returned her gaze to the control panels, taking comfort in something that she actually knew.

 

Stardate: 2365.03.29 (Sunday - 42269.8 )
WaveRider Shuttle - Rho Puppis I Uppermost Atmosphere - 1145 Alpha Shift

"We're entering the area past Mister Siric's initial findings. Commander." Jenna glanced at the viewscreen. The clinging bits of atmosphere came and went, almost like... "Sir? If i didnt know better, I'd say that these things are... tasting us. Like a child with a lollipop."

Tasting us? Kurt's head tilted to the side. Now that was a fascinating thought. Up until this moment, Erik had been assuming that whatever it was that was draining the probes shields was some sort of hitherto unknown micro-organism. Something without any real thought or sense of sentience. 

Standing on his toes, Kurt tried to peer past his shipmates to get a look at the viewscreen. A slight shift of those in front of him granted him a brief view. The white strips of atmosphere did seem to ebb and flow, rather sporadically as though it was tasting. Or even testing the waters, as it were. 

Falling back onto his heels, Kurt blinked his magnified blue eyes and let a soft puff of breath escape him. Now this truly was fascinating. Possibly they were dealing with some sort of semi-sentient micro-organism located high in the atmosphere of Rho Puppis I that not only managed to interface with the deflector shield's energy field but seemed to feed on it. Or at least drain it. And, perhaps, it even favored certain... "flavors" of shields. 

"But vut vould make a flavourful shield?" Kurt pondered, half under his breath. Perhaps the frequency of the energy fields? Maybe the current, or the shape of the projection vectors. Would more powerful shields cause more distinct and vibrant flavors? What if one lowered power and brought the frequency just to within spec? Or even adjusted the waveform amplitude? Almost to a direct current form... But no, the shield wouldn't be able to sustain itself at that point. A synchronous phase and proper amplitude between the two shield emitters was essential to the distortion of the energy fields that made the shield, and if those were brought to low, then a catastrophic failure would be fairly probable. But what if, instead, he adjusted the shields in the opposite direction? Tried to make an unbearably "spicey" shield. 

But what would spicey be? Kurt stopped pacing without even realizing he had started. He began tapping his lips with the tip of his finger. If he wanted to taste the shield, what would spicy be like? Well, his gut told him that sporadic frequency changes and higher amplitudes sounded sharp and spicy. With, perhaps, 108% capacity charge? No, 109.5%. Yes, the generator could probably handle that for some period of time. 

"Vell, I've never been a good chef, but I tsink tsat I could vhip somtsing up..." Kurt decided. He turned to put his idea into action but paused when he found his XO staring at him in with his brow furrowed. 

"Ah, yes. Sir, I tsink tsat before we attempt dropping our shields tsat ve might try making it a little less appetizing. Are you a fan of spice? I'm not personnally, it tends to disagree vith my stomach. I am hoping tsat vhatever it is out tsere vill hafe tse same issues. It's just a few simple modifications, easily correctable, und if it proves ineffective tsen ve can procede forvard vith tse temporary lowering of tse shields." Having very clearly explained his plan, Kurt adjusted his thick lenses and awaited the XO's decision, his head slightly to the left.

"Sir," Stark said, looking at Wilhelm incredulously. "I still protest any action that involves dropping our shields." Were they really contemplating this?

"I can adjust the frequencies, Sir." Jenna said. "Perhaps, since we're going with the feeding and tasting analogy, perhaps the probe wasn't followed because the outer edge of the atmosphere is where the... mouth ends? Maybe the organisms only survive in the atmosphere?" The touch and go of the atmosphere touching the shield increased, but only minimally.

"I think that they're trying to determine if we taste good. Shield drop of point one five percent.Not as dramatic as the probe, but it is happening." Jenna couldn't stop thinking of food analogies, and her mouth quirked slightly.

Stardate: 2365.03.29 (Sunday - 42269.8 )
WaveRider Shuttle - Rho Puppis I Uppermost Atmosphere - 1139 Alpha Shift

“Yes, sir,” Cole once more drops his hands to the back of Jenna’s chair. “You heard the Captain. Take her in.”

"Aye, Sir." Jenna replies."Closing distance to the cloud." She maneuvers the WaveRider, heading into the atmosphere. "Two hundred kilometers, one hundred kilometers." She calls out. "Entering atmosphere now."

The WaveRider shudders slightly, then the ride smooths once more. The visibility is limited to perhaps a hundred meters, and the cloud swirls around them every so often brushing the shields. Each time the clouds brush up against the ship, they linger a bit longer. At the distance Mister Siric had first stated, the clinging becomes more and more frequent.

"Mister Siric, please give me a reading on the shields. They're stronger than the probe's were, but I imagine we'll hit the drain. Crewman Uhnari, you said that the atmosphere appeared to be feeding on the shields, right?"

"That was the original assessment, Mister Falcone,” the Haliian replies, eyes on her console. “While the probe was in there, but it didn't follow the probe out."

"What if we don't give it anything to feed on. Say turn off the shields for ten seconds?" Jenna anticipates the blowing up from Stark after that suggestion. "Any other thoughts?"

“You want us to drop our defenses and hope that these creatures play nice!?” Lt. Stark practically falls out of his chair. “What are they teaching you flyers at the Academy these days?”

“Play nice,” Cole interrupts. “The thought does place the ship’s security at great risk but there’s merit to testing the theory. Only, I’d have preferred we thought of that with the unmanned probe.”

“With all due respect, Commander,” Thomas responds, “There’s nothing good about dropping our defenses to the unknown.”

Max raises his eyebrows and presses his lips together as he looks on his chief of security. I get it. This is your wheelhouse and you’re just doing your job. But for the love of all that is good! Take a breath. Think about the words coming out of your mouth. “I’m not saying we’re going to drop our shields, Lieutenant. At least, not all the way.”

Turning back to the scene outside their viewport, the commander says, “We have a very short amount of time to make this decision. So, I want assessments forthwith. What are the likely results if we reduce power to the shields based on the behavior we’ve witnessed thus far? Furthermore, what might these creatures do to the shuttle if they bypass the shields? Will they be able to get into the WaveRider’s systems? Cause havoc from within?”

“I’d like to go on record as stating that this is a really bad idea,” Stark grumbles.

“Noted. Now… give me some answers, people.” Max begins drumming his fingers along the back of the chair, waiting for his officers to share their expert opinions.

"They taught me how to fly THIS, Mister Stark." Jenna replies. "I never said it was a good idea, It was just a thought based on the metaphors we've bantied about. The internal systems are sealed and only accessible from the inside, Commander. The only way in would be through the airlock, or through the engines. I wouldnt *anticipate* any access in short term, but this IS an unknown."

"If I may, Commander. I zink zat ze option has merit. Maybe ve drop the shields by a certain percentage, or do a rapid change of frequenzies zat will, what do you say? Ah, Zour ze milk."

"That *could* work, Commander." Uhnari said. "We never tried that with the probe, so..."

"We're entering te area past Mister Siric's initial findings. Commander." Jenna glanced at the viewscreen. The clinging bits of atmosphere came and went, almost like... "Sir? If i didnt know better, I'd say that these things are... tasting us. Like a child with a lollipop."

Stardate: 2365.03.29 (Sunday - 42269.8 )
WaveRider Shuttle - Rho Puppis I Uppermost Atmosphere - 1140 Alpha Shift

Stardate: 2365.03.29 (Sunday - 42269.8 )
WaveRider Shuttle - Rho Puppis I Uppermost Atmosphere - 1123 Alpha Shift

“As much as I’m in a hurry to get planetside…” Max leans forward and puts his weight on the back of Jenna’s chair. “Pull that probe and Mr. Falcone, pick it up, please. Let’s see what mysteries we can unveil.”

"Moving into two hundred and fifty kilometers, Sir. Arms ready to collect the probe. Issuing commands to probe to return to space. Mister Siric, estimated time to return?" Falcone asks.

“Five minutes and twenty seconds,” the Vulcan responds.

Jenna makes an adjustment in course, "I can attempt a manual retrieval of the probe if necessary."

“That will not be necessary,” Siric admonishes. “If my readings are correct, the probe was not followed by anything within the atmosphere.”

“I’m seeing some difference in the initial density in the wake of the probe,” Crewman Uhnari chimes in. “There’s a pattern…”

“Don’t keep me in suspense, Mister Uhnari,” Max presses.

“I’m not sure, Commander,” Sari winces as she hesitates. “But it appears that the probe was initially followed.”

“Initially? Then what?”

“Then it stopped,” the science specialist frowns, “right at the outermost edge of the atmosphere, sir.”

“Is something restricting its expansion?” Stark’s brows come together. “Why wouldn’t the… whatever it is, follow its source of food?”

“There are no unnatural barriers,” Siric informs the others. “However, the levels of nitrogen take a severe dip at the point where the atmosphere… ends. Where the atmosphere remains dense, the nitrogen levels are seventy-nine-point-zero-eight percent. At the exact point of decay, the nitrogen level drops to twenty-three-point-seven-nine percent. Perhaps this is the barrier that is keeping the unknown elements from chasing the probe.”

“Well, that indicates a possibility of intelligence, don’t you think, Mister Draci?” Max turns to the doctor. “Let’s see what that probe’s brought us? How long until we have it, Mister Siric?”

“Two-minutes and fifteen seconds.”

“I have the containment field ready to go,” Lt. Stark reports.

Jenna moved the WaveRider to the probe, and grabbed it with the manipulators. "Ready to grab the probe after you initiate the containment field, Mr. Stark."

Cole watches his crew work their magic and procure the probe within its security field as an outsider. He has nothing to do during the work but watch. Efficiency is the name of the game and within short order, the commander has data streaming into the shuttle’s computers.

“All right, let’s have it. What does our little friend here have to say?” Max says after a short few minutes allowing the others to interpret the information.

“Nothing within these reports show intelligence.” Sari tilts her head to the side. “Only——”

“You’re seeing what I’m seeing, aren’t you, Crewman Unhari,” Draci looks up from his instruments with a smile. “There’s life.”

“Yes, sir,” Sari returns the smile. “Microbial, but life nonetheless.”

“Well,” Max leans back against the bulkhead and folds his arms, “what more can you tell me about this microbial lifeform?”

“Commander,” Sari opens and closes her mouth a couple of times, her confused eyes flitting from side to side, searching, “we would need more time to study the organisms. We just have preliminary data. There’s still so much to learn.”

“Like why our scans don’t penetrate their space,” Stark remarks sardonically.

“Fair enough,” Cole tilts his head towards the security officer. “Maybe you can tell us why that it with what you’ve got.”

“Give us some time, Commander,” Draci continues to smile. “The crewman and I will combine our efforts.”

“You’ve got fifteen minutes,” Max replies. New life forms are kinda the reason we’re here… why am I not as excited as these egg heads? “We’ve been ordered to get planetside. I want to make sure it happens sooner rather than later.

“Mister Falcone, please relay to the Carver an update of our situation.”

"Aye, sir." Jenna replied. /= Falcone to Carver. /=

/= Carver here. Go ahead. /=

/= Preliminary scans after retrieval of the probe, potentially revealing microbial life. Something in the atmosphere seemed to feed on the probe's shields, and followed it to the edge of the atmosphere. Transmitting data to you shortly." /=

Jenna waited for the Carver to analyze the data.

/= Rouhani to WaveRider. /=  Jenna started at the Captain's voice, then composed herself.

/= Falcone here, Captain. /=

/= Mister Falcone, what do you think will happen if you take the WaveRider into that atmosphere? /=

/= It's what she's built for, Captain. If the calculations are correct, then I believe I can take the WaveRider into the atmosphere, and perhaps through it. I have complete faith in Mister Siric's calculations, Sir. If the shield drops to below forty percent, I can turn the WaveRider back and return to space.The sensors of the WaveRider are better than the probes, and I believe we can get better readings by entering the atmosphere. /=

/= I see. Commander, do you agree with Mr. Falcone's assessment of the WaveRider and its capabilities? /=

Stardate: 2365.03.29 (Sunday - 42269.8 )
WaveRider Shuttle - Rho Puppis I Uppermost Atmosphere - 1136 Alpha Shift

Stardate: 2365.03.29 (Sunday - 42269.8 )
WaveRider Shuttle - Rho Puppis I Uppermost Atmosphere - 1123 Alpha Shift

“Are they extending along the beam? Coming toward us?” Max follows-up.

“Negative, Commander.”

“Well, that’s certainly interesting.” Folding his arms across his chest, Max settles on his heels and studies the scene outside of the viewport. “Falcone, how long would it take us to pick up the probe and breach that atmosphere? Maybe a more precise question would be, could we pick up the probe, get down to the surface and if things still aren’t looking up, break atmosphere again and return to the Carver before our shields are depleted?”

"It's the picking up the probe part that is the mitigating factor, Sir," Jenna replies. "I only have manipulator arms to grab the probe back. However, barring that, If we don't scan before we're through, I should be able to get us through and back with approximately thirty percent of shields left, if the readings are correct. I'm not a mathematician, but judging from what I've heard, it's the scanning that is making the drain more prominent." She pauses for thought. “I'm going to approximate ten minutes to breach, and then I can use her full capacity to move and scan. Hopefully to get better readings. I'm ready to try at your command, Sir."

“Any other suggestions?” Max peers about the shuttle with slightly raised eyebrows emphasizing his hope.

“Ze probe has a vectored deuterium microfusion propulsion zeestem, zat vill propel it through ze atmosphere to ze planet’s surface. With ze shields down to forty-five percent, ze probe vill likely sustain damage on entry but zer ist a goot chance zat ze probe’s data core vill remain unharmed allowing for retreival on ze planet’s surface.” Kurt frowns. “Zat ist if ze surface is somezing ve can land on.”

“I strongly advise against charging ahead without knowing what’s there, sir,” Stark enforces his position as security chief as he turns in his chair and drapes his right arm over the back so he can better observe Commander Cole’s reaction.

“I feel that I need to add,” Siric pipes up, “that we can bring the probe out of the atmosphere and return it to space where we can retrieve the data without risking either ourselves or the probe.”

“As much as I’m in a hurry to get planetside…” Max leans forward and puts his weight on the back of Jenna’s chair. “Pull that probe and Mr. Falcone, pick it up, please. Let’s see what mysteries we can unveil.”

"Moving in to two hundred and fifty kilometers, Sir. "Arms ready to collect the probe. Issuing commands to probe to return to space. Mister Siric, estimated time to returrn?" Jenna made the adjustment in course. "I can attempt a manual retrieval of the probe if necessary."

Stardate: 2365.03.29 (Sunday - 42269.8 )
WaveRider Shuttle - Rho Puppis I Uppermost Atmosphere - 1122 Alpha Shift

"Five hundred kilometers, Commander," Jenna responds. "Ready to maneuver in closer at your command." She turns to Siric. "Mr. Siric, did the shields start to deteriorate as soon as the probe hit that—" she has a slight grin on her face, "—one hundred two kilometers and five centimeters, or as soon as it entered the cloud?"

“The available data indicates that the drain began at exactly—”

“I think she is having a little fun with you, Mr. Siric,” Cole interrupts the Vulcan’s reply. “Maintain position, Mr. Falcone. Let’s get those scans running.”

“I am initializing a narrow beam scan now, Commander,” Siric states, his fingers running along the console in front of him.

“Ze probe ist at fifty-percent,” Wilhelm reports.

“That’s quite the jump for such a short time,” Max glances at the CEO. “Any idea why it has accelerated?”

“Negative, Commander,” Kurt looks up at the senior officer and pushes his glasses back up on the bridge of his nose. “Zer ist just not enough data being returned.”

“There is a change in the density of the atmospheric particles,” Siric’s brow furrows.

“Explain,” Cole orders.

“The density of the atmosphere surrounding the point of contact by the beam has tripled if these readings are correct.”

“Are they extending along the beam? Coming toward us?” Max follows-up.

“Negative, Commander.”

“Well, that’s certainly interesting.” Folding his arms across his chest, Max settles on his heels and studies the scene outside of the viewport. “Falcone, how long would it take us to pick up the probe and breach that atmosphere? Maybe a more precise question would be, could we pick up the probe, get down to the surface and if things still aren’t looking up, break atmosphere again and return to the Carver before our shields are depleted?”

"It's the picking up the probe part that is the mitigating factor, Sir." Jenna replied. "I only have manipulator arms to grab the probe back. However, barring that, If we don't scan before we're through, I should be able to get us through and back with aproximately thirty percent of shields left, if the readings are correct. I'm not a mathematician, but judging from what I've heard, it's the scanning that is making the drain more prominent." She paused for thought. I'm going to approximate ten minutes to breach, and then I can use her full capacity to move and scan. Hopefully to get better readings. I'm ready to try at your command, Sir."

Stardate: 2365.03.29 (Sunday - 42269.8 ) 
WaveRider Shuttle - Rho Puppis I Uppermost Atmosphere - 1123 Alpha Shift