Josh Herrick/After Action Reports

USS Octavia E Butler: Refugee Reprieve (Shore Leave) — 240105.08 - 240106.20   

Herrick's Emergency in the Jefferies Tube

Lt. JG Josh Herrick experiences an emergency in the Jefferies Tube and is transported to Sickbay, where Dr. Toz treats his injuries.

Lt. JG Josh Herrick is in the Jefferies Tube on Deck 15 of the USS Octavia E Butler when a malfunction prompts the Computer Assisted Emergency Transport System (CATES) to activate, transporting him to Sickbay on Deck 5. Herrick arrives with burns all over his body but is confused about not feeling any pain. Dr. Toz quickly attends to him, providing kelotane for his burns and advising him to rest for 12 hours. During their conversation, Herrick shares his suspicions about the unusual nature of the conduit explosion, hinting at potential sabotage or deeper issues within Starfleet. Dr. Toz listens attentively and provides her medical expertise while trying to ensure Herrick's recovery and safety. Sim References:  https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/356O6RweAPA/m/ZWLZyvhkAwAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/asVK8O1Ws4w/m/IVHHajo2BAAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/of8wkTg2FKI/m/EYyHGdO1CQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/1Nw35JRp5-s/m/k2LEp4HsBAAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/Fpjq6a3hKto/m/ERhe7Hz9CQAJ

A Brush with Telepathy and a Taste of Orzata

Josh Herrick and Karen Stendhal engage in a conversation about telepathy, the crew’s morale, and drinks in the Writer's Room.

Lieutenant JG Josh Herrick and Lieutenant JG Karen Stendhal find themselves in the Writer’s Room on Deck 8 of the USS Octavia E. Butler. They engage in a candid conversation, with Herrick sharing his reflections on recent missions and Stendhal mentioning her telepathic abilities. Herrick, cautious about telepathy, tries to maintain control over his thoughts, while Stendhal reassures him of her intentions. They discuss the various zones within the Writer’s Room, including spots frequented by introverts and senior officers. As their conversation continues, Herrick remarks on the commodore's successful transition and acknowledges Stendhal's role in maintaining crew morale. A waiter arrives, and both order drinks, with Stendhal choosing Orzata, a nostalgic non-alcoholic beverage from her childhood. Herrick decides to try it as well. The drinks prompt a discussion about past experiences and the nature of life in Starfleet, with Herrick reflecting on the phrase "Ad Astra Per Aspera." The exchange delves into personal reflections, and Herrick finds himself occasionally struggling with the awkwardness of having his thoughts read. He tries to keep his mind clear of negative thoughts, with Stendhal humorously acknowledging the challenge. As Herrick attempts to steer the conversation back to safer topics, a flash of Caden Voss in the turbolift crosses his mind, highlighting his ongoing efforts to manage his inner world amidst the complexities of telepathic interactions. As she prods further on who Caden was, Josh mentions that the man had saved his life. With the uncomfortable tension around not being able to control the thoughts being read, he politely excuses himself to return to duty. This doesn't seem to be an uncommon occurrence for the counselor as she reflects on the vacant seat across from her and her empty glass. Sim References:  https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/cGnb3IpSMsY/m/b7oBYe0tBAAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/PV35Ovqdqj4/m/FxshRDSiAAAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/5GxQlfIqZxo/m/i5zVyh5KAQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/BROLmR3CgiA/m/lLpCH-3mAQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/yGIp1vLc1Vs/m/vodGX_aeDgAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/UG06Y0v-tVM/m/9fRtpfgMCwAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/0o7URN8tpac/m/AyjFmjkSDAAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/6B6YHysThgk/m/1D3AwNicAAAJ

JOPA: 404 Gathering

Lhandon Nilsen hosts a gathering in his quarters, with an unexpected EV walk.

In Lhandon Nilsen's quarters, humorously named "404 room," he prepares a beef stifado following his grandmother's recipe. Maxwell arrives first, serving as the chief taste tester. The two discuss the need for a new bingo list suitable for their current ship, the USS Octavia E. Butler, with tighter security measures. They recall past pranks and set plans for the evening. Yinn arrives next, bringing a variety of drinks, including brandy, blood wine, kanar, and ferlic acid. Nilsen appreciates Yinn's efforts and her honest communication style. Eli Kovacs joins, contributing a bottle of Raktale, and the group discusses the challenges and changes since their recent mission, including the impact on their living arrangements. Josh Herrick enters with non-alcoholic root beer, easing into the gathering despite mixed feelings towards some attendees. The conversation shifts to relaxation and the importance of balancing work and leisure. The group teases each other and shares light-hearted banter about pranks and personal experiences. As the evening progresses, Zarah Johnson arrives with brownies and raspberry cordial, lightening the mood. They joke about the various drinks and their effects, and Maxwell humorously contemplates the chaos that might ensue. The officers continue to bond, supporting each other through recent challenges and enjoying a much-needed reprieve from their duties. As the evening continues, the team discusses the tradition of engraving names into the ship's hull and, with them posted to a new ship, that they'd need to redo this aboard the Octavia E Butler. They arrange to head down onto Deck 5 under the guise of completing routine inspections after their last mission. Toxin decides to join the group, despite the rift that has formed between him and Lhandon, and heads out to the EV lockers. There, Herrick, Johnson, Yinn, Kovacs, and Maxwell prepare for the spacewalk. Nilsen coordinates from the Operations Center, ensuring all equipment is ready. The group suits up and steps out onto the hull of the USS Octavia E Butler, marveling at the view of New Bajor and DS14. The team members take turns etching their names and messages onto the ship’s hull, a JOPA tradition. During this, Zarah Johnson accidentally disengages her magnetic boots, causing her to float away from the ship. Panic ensues, but Nilsen guides her to use the recall button on her suit, allowing her to return safely. Maxwell and Arlill assist in securing her. The JOPA crew reconvenes at Lhandon Nilsen’s quarters following a daring exercise of carving their names into the hull. The crew reflects on their harrowing experience, sharing a mix of relief and camaraderie. Zarah Johnson reassures everyone that she is fine, and the group exchanges light-hearted banter. Lieutenant Josh Herrick and LT JG Lhandon Nilsen present a special surprise for Arlill: an unofficially official Operations tricorder, crafted as a thoughtful farewell gift. Arlill, rendered speechless by the gesture, gratefully accepts the tricorder, admiring its custom features. The group continues to bond, making jokes and toasting to Arlill’s future success. Nilsen takes a group photo to commemorate the event, capturing a moment of unity and friendship among the crew. The meeting concludes with toasts and hopes for Arlill’s bright future. Sim References:  https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/XKlY51COVSk/m/jlCh4kRoFQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/m7bw9vma2vY/m/6-tfCjMHFgAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/6N5nZ8CUOG8/m/5e6gpsVFAgAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/j-YKp9RmA2o/m/sfuZhrXaAgAJ

Engineering Mysteries on Deck 15

An unusual discrepancy is investigated in the USS Octavia E. Butler's systems, uncovering potential connections to previous incidents.

Lieutenant JG Josh Herrick, the Acting Chief Engineer of the USS Octavia E. Butler, is puzzled by a recent incident that landed him in Sickbay after investigating an anomaly in the waste systems on Deck 15. With lingering questions about the computer's behavior and missing medical records, he begins to suspect a deeper issue. Herrick and Paradi decide to investigate the junction where the anomaly was first detected. As they crawl through the Jefferies tubes, Paradi contacts Ensign Lhandon Nilsen in Operations to monitor their movements and systems. Nilsen, from his post in the Operations Centre, acknowledges the request and starts tracking their progress. Upon reaching the junction, Herrick detects a minor but suspicious variance in the system, which Paradi also confirms. Despite its negligible size, the discrepancy concerns Herrick due to his recent experiences. Nilsen, connected to Herrick's tricorder, tries to find relevant logs but discovers that crucial incident records, including Herrick's transport to Sickbay, are missing or incomplete. This raises suspicions of the computer attempting to "gaslight" them by erasing evidence. As they discuss the anomaly, the team speculates about potential issues with the memory core or transporter logs. Herrick recalls intelligence protocols that obscure transport records, adding another layer of complexity to their investigation. Despite the frustrating obfuscation, they consider the possibility that the transporter system might be involved in the anomalies. Nilsen and Paradi discuss suspending transporter use due to safety concerns, a decision supported by Herrick. They prepare to conduct a test involving biomatter cylinders transported through the problematic junction to gather more data. Despite their precautions, the transport results in chaos as the cylinders arrive in disarray in Tobat's office, further complicating their investigation. The team decides to take the transporters offline until such time that they can be fixed properly. Sim References:  https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/gnFd0OZwzLA/m/hids6-WgCgAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/Jq1D25MBOxE/m/hO_KJ7xZAwAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/1uuOOwFIv9E/m/0OmYPhweCwAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/zci2hW_hzQk/m/pfwtK4O1CwAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/dXcP-I51yWM/m/CsV6X4UTDAAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/lQFBZrF626A/m/cMAD1E4fDAAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/lE5rfCeyJVM/m/NzA19mQsAQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/nLkpI1Eya3g/m/R-osbyxVAQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/Z7PUmVmmdWw/m/8ErSXjgjFQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/VUd0vnR9mG4/m/KbN5U96hFQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/IqKdd4UmBqk/m/QxlMn1CzFQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/qKll__yjXZs/m/02Gav4cQFgAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/S0itrkkYCEI/m/MNqeBNgaAwAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/EIMKhrccBIQ/m/_YNY8cG3CQAJ

Awards Ceremony

Commander Lia Rouiancet leads a promotion ceremony, announcing key changes in the crew's positions. For a list of awards and promotions, see [OEB Crew Awards] and reference stardates beginning with 240106.

The promotion ceremony on the USS Octavia E. Butler, led by Commander Lia Rouiancet, was a significant event to establish her leadership. She began by reading a passage from Octavia E. Butler's "Parable of the Sower," emphasizing diversity and unity. Commander Etan Iljor was acknowledged for his service and announced as the new commanding officer of the 'Oumuamua'. Lieutenant Commander Avander Promontory was promoted to executive officer, and Lieutenant Commander Aine Sherlock was appointed as second officer while retaining her role as chief of security. Commander Margaret Walker was introduced as the new director of intelligence, replacing Avander. Lieutenant Josh Herrick was promoted to permanent chief of engineering, recognizing his contributions to the ship's infrastructure and propulsion systems. Finally, Lieutenant Lhandon Nilsen was officially made the assistant chief of operations, highlighting his ongoing excellence and personal friendship with Commander Rouiancet. The speech concluded with Lia encouraging the crew to enjoy the refreshments and congratulating their shipmates as she prepared to present individual ribbons. At the engineering table, newly arrived Ensign Morro Caras was introduced to the engineering team, prompting a discussion about their academy experiences. Shevon and Herrick reassured Caras they would try to go easy on him, though Caras insisted he could handle any challenges. Commander Rouiancet further encouraged Caras, stating that the only thing that ever let her down was the turbolift. The team laughed and continued their conversations, building camaraderie. Before departing the table, the captain awarded Herrick the Captains' Commendation. After her departure, Lieutenant Nilsen, recently promoted to Assistant Chief of Operations, surprised Eli with a quite affection greeting. Eli, feeling awkward at the attention, was reassured by Nilsen and led away to the dessert table. The ceremony ended with all participants of the previous mission being awarded the Maiden Voyage Ribbon, the First Contact Ribbon, the Diplomacy Ribbon, and the Joint Meritorious Unit Award. Afterward, at the head table, Rouiancet lets Avander know that as the incoming CO, part of her wanted to do the awards solo for her first round but that he'd be involved to a greater degree in subsequent ceremonies. Sim References:  https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/LhCcD9PAjlg/m/2vvo65zEAAAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/8yLEFPlqJFw/m/-IOERtfjAAAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/gcSRRxxR6PE/m/RKetjY4IAQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/KECoPJ3dNmo/m/7pRITjsxAQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/OeSss1IGPgo/m/DTPC4CErAQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/thYKsMB9VHc/m/hBDJhyZFAQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/ZrAo-2S_NqE/m/OV1xN_1OAQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/Wu8cnr4mNTA/m/1lYKxwNXAQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/g08k3l5vI6o/m/tD6vuacxFQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/4zauQ47zvLk/m/SO_WZBZVFQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/cvtua0PfTYc/m/kDjnbM5lFQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/Vn4FkcxLOIA/m/B1bhIRgYFgAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/d_15EQPHN_4/m/6x8KCbxwFgAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/CR43bYCAQQU/m/I43f12QzAgAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/YjvJYCn4PH0/m/pX8Su8mCAgAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/whaTUMoLLhg/m/uPnkdDhYFQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/pebIY2tNCiY/m/r2md3-p7FQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/RduZE77KnAE/m/74kKrPomFQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/w8zcTKIxWwY/m/bTysVk4_FQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/U8s0qOVmhss/m/Zfgq5qaHFQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/o9G1cZVRrUQ/m/QNYGybP6FQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/LhDhxits7XQ/m/EY8dvFz8FQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/nRKgFG8A_f0/m/D-qZwhH_FQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/Yk64B1nNpWg/m/sfwsfwMpFgAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/cjTtj3Kwydo/m/QIWcjFxrFgAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/eTqLzMijK-E/m/WpaWJqBrFgAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/d9lbvoWRnRs/m/e_QKjshcFQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/hrfU_PWquF0/m/0vp3ptNcFQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/sPVDp_1_pSw/m/suobp1VzFQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/M-TFVMSZcwI/m/Bdqle6awFQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/G9sIedfVsWY/m/6Z_r7-hjFQAJ

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USS Octavia E Butler: Cheyd'lang — 240012.26 - 240102.07   

The Octavia E. Butler (OEB) arrives at Cheyd'lang, a quiet area on the far spinward side of the Dominion's former sphere of influence. While the planet is currently not warp capable, their heavy industry made them desirable to the Dominion who gave them warp capabilities until their withdrawal after the end of the war. With a request from the Cheydalanga for assistance, the OEB has been instructed to answer the call.

Wishing to understand more of the UDP's influence in these affairs, and especially what they might have done to the Cheydalanga to make them reach out to Starfleet for assistance, Rouiancet has put out a call to the UDP to send envoys to meet aboard the Octavia E. Butler to explain and, perhaps, lead to a joint meeting with the Cheydalanga, and is joined by Colonel Greaves, Lieutenant Herrick, and Ensign Yinn.

After recording her Captain’s log, Rouiancet paces the floor of the Bridge and wonders why the United Dominion of Planets (UDP) has contacted the Cheydalanga, though Greaves says if he were then, he’d try tie in every single former Dominion member he could. He voices a wish to know more about the Cheydalanga, and Rouiancet wonders if scans can verify a heavy industry present on the planet and whether the UDP could be interested in annexing that industry for themselves while Greaves wonders if they should look to the past for answers. He also asks if their just a ripe target and the UDP is taking advantage of the political and social instability of a possible civil disconnect to swoop in on.

Herrick asks if Starfleet has considered incorporating the UDP into it as he checks out the orbital defence systems and finds they have been stripped of their power systems. He then wonders if they should monitor planetside communications, while Yinn suggests they launch a probe and bring it alongside some of the defunct orbital defences to hide it. As the UDP vessel hails them, Herrick connects the call and Luriaa, a Vorta commander, greets them - and recognises Greaves from security footage. She agrees to come to the OEB and meet them face to face.

Before they leave, Herrick plays a broadcast he discovered that was sent over the entire planet involving a conversation about the Intercessor regarding the ‘true way’ and the King’s Path. Greaves notes it could have been a covert signal to other path members and asks if there were weapons or military grade movements and Rouiancet wonders if this means the group plans a large-scale mobilisation. The commanding officer asks Herrick and Yinn to monitor the situation on the planet. They meet Captain Luriaa and her first, Freya, in a room and she immediately discusses the matter at hand - their reason for their presence. They tell her they’ve been invited by the Cheydalanga and asks about their own reasons. Herrick also inquires as to what significance the Chey’d had during the time of Dominion rule. Luriaa and Fraya mention they are willing to offer friendship to those who wishes, and Luriaa further reminds them that they are native members of the quadrant and understand the needs of residents in the area.

After going back and forth, Rouiancet agrees to disagree and Luriaa expresses willingness to broach the Cheydalanga together with them. Greaves reluctantly backs down a little, but Yinn passes along a written message that they are unable to communicate with the away team. Not wanting to let the UDP know about this, he suggests a joint venture to meet with the King’s Path when Arlill connects through the comms and asks to move the ship into a different orbit to find the away team, alerting the UDP representatives to their predicament. Rouiancet gives permission, then asks if Luriaa would be willing to help find the missing team. She agrees, and they determine to meet in a half hour to head down to the planet.

As they separate, Rouiancet asks her officers for their thoughts on the meeting. Greaves is reluctant and continues to voice suspicions. Yinn, however, wonders if they should take a more moderate route and reminds them that those in the UDP were once under the thumb of the Dominion and perhaps are too hasty to compare the two. Herrick suggests its’ time to find facts, and Rouiancet states she’ll ask for a slight delay as she wishes to connect with Etan and Promontory. Rouiancet, Herrick, Winters and Yinn await for the arrival of Captain Luria and her First, Fraya. After briefly speaking with the bridge, she tells the transporter chief to initiate. The UDP representatives appear, and Luriaa immediately suggests that Fraya assist in finding the lost away team while she and Rouiancet meet with the Intercessor. Rouiancet wants to focus on meeting the King’s path and getting her people out from the mines, and Luriaa decides to go along with it. Before they leave, the receive a message from the King’s Path thanking them for the gifts and asking where they should send the Starfleet share of minerals? Rouiancet isn’t sure what they mean and orders the chief to transport them to the planet.

After beaming down, Luriaa states the ‘gifts’ likely mean their missing crew members. Rouiancet is unhappy with this revelation and admonishes Luriaa for not telling her before they beam down, to which Luriaa indicates she was not giving the opportunity. As they are conversing, Herrick’s tricorder reveals movement and seconds later, two tank-like vehicles appear and a voice, that of Cheydalanga resident, Achi’Trinot, demands to know why they were there without permission. Rouiancet and Luriaa both call out to say they arrived at the invitation of the king’s path. A door in a tank opens and a Cheydalanga appears wearing face paint. Herrick states that they were the ones who brought the new workers and the Cheydalanga says they will send compensation and if terms are unacceptable, they can be improved. Herrick states the Starfleet workers give more output and they could send more. Rouiancet is perturbed by the reference of her people as property and is unable to determine Luriaa’s decision to speak in such a manner. Herrick catches on and finally so does Rouiancet, and they press forward in the hopes that they’ll have access to the mines. Before they can speak further, however, they are knocked over by an explosion and when they rise, a new Cheydalanga, slimmer and fuzzier with a shorter beak that’s a little more mouthlike, naturally wrinkled faces, and fuzz on their bodies that thickens on their head appears. Luriaa shares with the officers that this is the Mongar, then asks who they are speaking with while Yinn keeps her hand on the trigger of her phaser.

When Achi’Trinot realises it’s the Mongar, he tells the visitors not to trust them. Rouiancet realises they are an opposing faction and wonders if they could be made allies, or if not, the confusion might allow them a chance to escape. Winters has similar thoughts but voices them. Dolmeni’Dolce, the leader of the Mongar, takes Achi’Trinot prisoner. Since the Mongar have the upper hand, and they have no treaty yet with either faction, Luriaa suggests he surrenders, but Achi’Trinot is defiant and dares Dolmeni’Dolce to try and kill him. Herrick pulls out his tricorder and explains it’s just a scanning device, but there’s too much interference. He asks if they have a way of cutting through it. In the chaos of the situation, Rouiancet finally suggests that they split up and the Mongar allow them to speak separately. She takes Fraya and Yinn to speak privately with Achi’Trinot while Luriaa is accompanied by Herrick and Winters to speak directly with Dolmeni’Dolce. They inhabit two tents. Luriaa is accompanied by Herrick and Winters to speak directly with Dolmeni’Dolce (Mongar leader). The UDP continues to insist that they are not the Dominion. Dolmeni’Dolce suggests that the crew who were taken to the mines are already dead.

With the revelation of the actions of the King's Path and other groups on Cheyd'lang, Rouiancet orders the return to the ship, Now, the team is at the beginning of what may be a refugee crisis, as slaves are liberated and seek other places to go, especially those who are not Cheydalanga and don't count the world as their home. Lt Commander Promontory takes Lts Stendhal and Herrick to deal with a burgeoning refugee crisis. Stendhal suggests a triage system and making sure they keep everyone calm. With an evacuation capacity of 3,000, Promontory doesn’t want to overload the ship, and Stendhal suggests they distribute refugees between other ships in the area. Herrick notes that while their spacecraft are space worthy, they are not able to achieve interstellar travel and it would take months or years to find a new home. Promontory wonders if they could help with that. Stendhal also suggests they learn more about the nuances of their culture to aid in communication and they carefully coordinate relief efforts to make sure everyone had access to basic needs. Herrick wonders if there might be concerns of aggression and if utilising an already established hierarchy might help in making quicker decisions. Promontory notes the refugees were trying to escape such a situation, but realises it might be helpful, so suggests they organise the refugees and have one representative for every fifty. He also wonders if Port Coray or Port Loray might not be valid destinations. Stendahl thanks one of the next steps should be to identify colonies or planets that might have a compatible culture that would welcome the refugees. But they mention of using the ports as a transit station of sorts, she also reminds them that they have dealt in slaves which could have a negative impact on the refugees. She also suggests they try to establish support networks with the local governments on the ports to help the refugees after Starfleet withdraws. Concerned about the complicated logistics, Herrick suggests they get operations involved when an argument begins to break out. One of the refugees steps forward and stops them before it escalates, and Herrick notes they may have one of their first representatives. The group goes down to the floor to talk to her and find out her name is Donda. She tells them they could use more showers, as people wish to get clean.

Promontory tells Herrick to requisition all holodeck facilities to speed up the initial intake and processing and Dona notes that fear of what’s going to happen next has everyone uneasy. She also tells them she’s a Teplan, and after the withdrawal of the Dominion, her people went to the stars to explore, but she found herself become a slave on Cheydalanga. Promontory asks if she’d be willing to function as a representative to organise efforts to help the refugees. The group congregates in the Mission Specific Module with her and a Chey’d named Berto’Valliroca along with another former slave named Kzzich to discuss the situation and help organise efforts. Kzzich complains there isn’t enough room and Herrick suggests they offer places like the lounge and arboretum to increase the quality of life while they are there.

When asked about plans, Herrick indicates those who are not from Cheyd’lang will be returned to their home planets, or they’ll need to integrate into a new society. Berto’Valliroca stresses that his people need a place where they can continue mining, as it is part of their culture, tradition, and honour and it is the method they are able to use to attain the afterlife and demands action. Stendhal reassures them and encourages them to be united in the plan to create a future where every individual can thrive. The group takes a break and the officers come together. Herrick is concerned that they can’t take time to pick up groups everywhere, and the situation isn’t as simple as simply dropping people off at ports. Promontory asks Stendhal to reach out to the Intercessor about the people who wish to return to the mines and asks Herrick to touch base with the higher ranked officers. He finds out there’s discussion about who refugees will go with, Starfleet or UDP.

Herrick wonders if some would care to settle down in the Alpha or Beta quadrants. A yellow alert interrupts their conversations and Promontory says they should get their guests secured. Berto’Valliroca complains they are left in the dark as to the reason for the yellow alert, demands to know the cause, accuses them of treating the refugees like prisoners, then demands he and the others are returned to the mines as it is the only semblance of home they have. Through it all, Stendhal remains calm, but Promontory states Berto is welcome to return, and he hopes the Cheydalanga doesn’t get shot out of the sky.

They head the shuttle bay and Promontory tells the refugees they are safe, and the alert is because they are in negotiations with some Cheydalanga factions. He asks Herrick to handle logistics and stresses the importance of Stendhal’s counselling skills in that situation. Kzzich says he and his people will make their own way out and go onboard some of the Cheydalanga ships that have arrived. As time progresses, the Octavia E. Butler has helped the evacuated refugees to safe harbors. Among those are Seytoxal, a resort world where much of the crew has spent time; the Esh-o system, where temporal incursions were thankfully at a minimum; and Port Coray, the independent trading station. The final group of refugees will disembark with the Butler's crew at New Bajor during shore leave.

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USS Oumuamua: Pitstop at DS9 (Shore Leave) — 240012.26 - 240102.07   

Brush with Eli

Josh Herrick confronts Eli Kovacs to resolve their differences, resulting in a tense and awkward encounter that leaves both men confused about their feelings.

Josh Herrick is overwhelmed with the extensive repairs needed to restore the ship. The engineering team, along with Operations, is working tirelessly to rebuild significant portions of the vessel, particularly near the Commodore's quarters. As Herrick reviews duty assignments, he sees Kovacs' name and realizes he can no longer avoid addressing their issues. Determined to resolve their differences, Herrick decides to visit Kovacs' quarters. Herrick arrives on Deck 7 and hesitates outside Kovacs' door, unsure of what to say. He presses the chime and hopes Kovacs is not there. When Eli opens the door, both men are visibly uncomfortable. Herrick offers to leave if it’s a bad time, but Eli, though surprised, invites him in. The atmosphere is tense as Herrick stands near the door and Eli remains defensive. Herrick struggles to articulate his thoughts and eventually brings up his behavior in Sickbay. Kovacs confronts Herrick, expressing his anger and frustration over the way he was treated. Herrick tries to explain that it wasn't personal, but Kovacs demands the opportunity to speak freely, pointing out the impact of Herrick’s actions. As the argument intensifies, Kovacs steps closer, challenging Herrick’s attempts to downplay the situation. The tension reaches a breaking point when Herrick tries to back away and trips, causing both men to fall to the floor. In the ensuing moment, they experience a brief but intense connection, leaving Eli confused about his feelings. Herrick quickly recovers, declaring the visit a mistake before hurriedly leaving Kovacs’ quarters. Sim References:  https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/hBuaEAbb4aw/m/oHnSNS4rAgAJ

Prank on Etan

Josh Herrick sets up a holosuite prank for Commander Etan Iljor, resulting in a humorous farm simulation that ends with a light-hearted vow of retribution from the Commander.

Josh had just completed several days of intense work repairing the Oumuamua and finally had a short break. He decided to use this time to set up a prank for Commander Iljor as part of his participation in JOPA (Junior Officer Prank Association). Herrick meticulously prepared a holosuite program designed to activate on the first officer’s day off, intending to transport him into a bizarre farm simulation filled with cows and a modified version of the song "Old McDonald Had a Farm." Josh observed from a higher vantage point, ready to intervene if necessary. Iljor found himself surrounded by cows and subjected to the farm song, initially bewildered and then increasingly irritated. Etan’s attempts to exit the simulation resulted in him being prompted to sing along with the song, which he did reluctantly. The holosuite then added a new layer to the prank by dressing Iljor in overalls and a cowboy hat, instructing him to perform again with more feeling. The commander, realizing this was a JOPA prank, complied with the demands but vowed retribution. After the performance, which included an elaborate costume change and a more spirited rendition of the song, Josh revealed himself. Although initially appearing stern, the first officer hinted at future payback in a light-hearted manner. Herrick then decided to have the computer replicate and deliver a large trophy to Etan’s quarters, signifying the completion of the prank. Sim References:  https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/mUNJ4ABToCQ/m/qcuuBiJUBwAJ

Processing the Past

Josh Herrick's counseling session with Nesre Salo uncovers connections between his claustrophobia and survivor’s guilt, while also discussing his complicated feelings for Eli Kovacs.

Josh visits Nesre Salo's office for their weekly counseling session. He reflects on the recent mission to Alpha Brenkelvi II, where he encountered a spirit impersonating Caden Voss, bringing up traumatic memories. They discuss his ongoing struggle with claustrophobia and the revelation that his condition might be linked to survivor’s guilt from a turbolift accident two decades ago. Salo suggests that his feelings of guilt and responsibility are common symptoms of PTSD. Josh begins to understand that his claustrophobia might stem from a fear of being in situations where others could get hurt saving him. This realization is a breakthrough, though Salo emphasizes that addressing PTSD will require time and effort. The conversation shifts to Herrick's complicated feelings for Eli Kovacs, a subordinate in his department. Herrick reveals an awkward encounter with Kovacs that left him unsure about his feelings. Salo advises him on how to approach the potential relationship, emphasizing the importance of boundaries and discussing the matter with his superiors. He’s hesitant but considers the advice, expressing concerns about the appropriateness and impact on their professional relationship. Throughout the session, Josh acknowledges the benefits of these discussions, despite their difficulty. He appreciates Salo's guidance and the safe space she provides for him to process his emotions and experiences. As the session ends, Salo encourages him to continue his grounding techniques and consider exposure therapy if needed. Herrick expresses genuine gratitude for the sessions, acknowledging their importance in his ongoing personal growth and healing. Sim References:  https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/BroqXuQ6_Zk/m/q5cuUUZoAQAJ

JOPA at the Arcade

Junior officers enjoy a retro arcade-themed social event, where they reconcile past tensions and share personal stories, deepening their camaraderie.

The event kicks off in Holosuite 1 on the USS Oumuamua as Ensign Lhandon Nilsen activates a holoprogram, transforming the space into a vibrant retro arcade filled with neon lights and classic games like Pac-Man, Space Invaders, and Dance Dance Revolution (DDR). This nostalgic setup is designed to provide a fun and relaxing environment for the junior officers. As the officers arrive, they react to the holosuite's transformation with varying degrees of amusement and confusion. Nilsen reveals that the coins, which had previously been distributed prior to the event, reveal the logo of the Junior Officer Protection Association (JOPA) when held under UV light. The team then gets into the festivities, playing various games, with Josh even having a dance-off with another officer, finding it to be a good way to destress. As the social event unfolds, Josh and Lhandon have a tense but ultimately reconciliatory conversation about their previous fallout. Nilsen shares a traumatic experience from his past involving a shuttle accident during his time in Echo Squad, revealing the emotional scars it left behind. He recounts the malfunction during a training exercise that led him to disobey orders and attempt a daring rescue, ultimately losing consciousness as his shuttle was destroyed. As a final reconciliation gesture, Josh hands him a juice box, harkening back to their first attempt at friendship and an olive branch, which Lhandon graciously accepted. As the meeting progresses, the group enjoys various arcade games, with Nilsen and Arlill competing in a racing game, "Daytona USA." Nilsen mentions a special delivery arriving for a senior officer, hinting at a playful surprise. The officers socialize, with Zarah and Yinn bonding over cultural differences and similarities. Yinn learns about human psychology and behaviors, expressing her fascination and occasional frustration with human customs. Sim References:  https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/8ZnYa02GuvI/m/c0Cxnwf4AQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/vdCkcTA3Crg/m/bnG3dQI9AAAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/or139p82MKM/m/SPUlGmEMBgAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/3yaxgw49Obk/m/wPVw0v1bBgAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/UYwh5L_CIL8/m/YBwVFIQhBwAJ

Visions on Bajor

During the Gratitude Festival on Bajor, Josh Herrick, Aine Sherlock, and Avander Promontory experience spiritual visions and reflect on their personal doubts and regrets.

During the Gratitude Festival on Bajor, Lieutenant JG Josh Herrick, Lieutenant Aine Sherlock, and Lieutenant Avander Promontory engage in the traditional scroll-burning ceremony to let go of their personal doubts and regrets. Herrick arrives feeling a mix of anticipation and awkwardness, joining Sherlock and Promontory in writing their scrolls. They humorously discuss their personal issues, with Herrick joking about having enough problems to fill multiple scrolls but adhering to the tradition of using a single scroll. As they bump into different individuals, it’s clear that there are many people looking to profit from the festive. As they continue exploring, Sherlock leads the group to a less commercial temple, sharing a story about a previous, somewhat chaotic visit to Bajor. Herrick and Promontory follow, appreciating the more authentic cultural experience. Sherlock reflects on past experiences, including a humorous encounter with local constables. The group arrives at a secluded temple with high walls and a tranquil atmosphere. Sherlock shares a previous experience with a ghost at a temple, sparking Herrick's curiosity and skepticism. As they prepare to explore, they encounter a Vedek, who offers to guide them on a spiritual journey. Herrick goes first, experiencing a brief internalized journey. As the Vedek gently held Herrick's ear, he felt a sudden rush of sensations and images. In the vision, Herrick found himself back at Starbase 118, reliving his final cadet training mission. He stood in Holodeck 17, surrounded by his former cadet peers and Commander Serala. The scene felt eerily real as Serala handed out assignments, and Herrick questioned his presence there. His fellow cadets, Rivera, De’Vere, Maddix, König, and Wroth, discussed his capabilities, debating whether he was fit to lead and if he would elevate or doom them. The vision abruptly shifted to Main Engineering, where Herrick saw himself briefing a team of officers. The scene then changed again to a chaotic scenario with alarms blaring and the warp core venting, culminating in a warp core breach. Herrick instinctively closed his eyes, and when he reopened them, he was back in the temple on Bajor. Promontory follows, displaying his characteristic enthusiasm but is told by the Vedek that his journey must continue elsewhere. Sherlock's turn is filled with anticipation and humor. Despite her skepticism, she participates, only to be told by the Vedek that her vision will come "soon," which frustrates her. Sim References:  https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/liXQPdJTXCY/m/i73zowG6AQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/PF0FscEI_N4/m/xickrJ3sAQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/h4Du4mYjMKc/m/ORGsB-8qAAAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/BTO5NKQWZlw/m/J0HaS5HrBQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/DRlv35VMOKI/m/8ZNmR8RaBgAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/fPk0-nr-jPY/m/7xdpoVPiBgAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/N2qFCMu8umo/m/Ux8u81wYBwAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/Bga0chyjEVk/m/jptT8b0jBwAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/WUEHiN6Gfis/m/3kv79DF_BwAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/sE3F9UI2R7s/m/gSR556KHAQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/MEVahkHBWEU/m/r87t9nUoAAAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/0SIr_NOXp8c/m/7eSONuJAAAAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/qjHwDMOJbJU/m/ZALqwCLgAAAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/ZG7nfdQpK3c/m/ZZkBQAMtAQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/C_h6_qtr5I8/m/hwzx_yllAQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/_gf32gmLDA0/m/WMLYMr3KAQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/HCH_swrnpes/m/RShwwqb1AQAJ

Trouble on Bajor

Sherlock, Promontory, and Herrick respond to a distress call from Lieutenant Commander Katsim Peri, leading to a series of dangerous encounters and a successful rescue.

As they exited the temple, Sherlock received a distress call from Lieutenant Commander Katsim Peri. Promontory responded to the call, but the signal was lost, indicating interference. Realizing the urgency, Promontory requested a site-to-site transport to the last known position of Katsim. Upon arrival at the designated coordinates, the team, led by Sherlock, began searching for Katsim. They discovered a dampening field affecting their instruments and communications. Herrick attempted to use his tricorder and combadge without success and suggested maintaining line-of-sight to stay connected. As they proceeded, the team heard suspicious sloshing sounds. Following the noises, Sherlock, Herrick, and Promontory engaged in a firefight, with Herrick managing to stun an assailant. After catching a glint of what could be the Gamma Glider, the trio then cautiously proceeded. As they investigated the wreck of the Glider, they were met with another hostile demanding their surrender. After dispatching the second enemy, Herrick was able to push the comms past their limits, providing a brief window of communication to the 'Oumuamua for a shuttlecraft. Once aboard the Shuttlecraft Nichols, Herrick successfully overclocked the comms system, allowing them to reestablish contact with Commander Katsim. She reported that she and Commander Etan had been pursued, with Etan heading east towards a monastery and herself heading west. The team was able to successfully rescue her by transport, with Etan finding his own way to the ship. Sim References:  https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/7qChz_4OTw4/m/6TbKOPkbAAAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/Ic4I8s5xeLY/m/uRI3qhogAAAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/oYyRWr-qfEY/m/VaY-nrdDAAAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/Ew16hgLX2Xc/m/VuhJ3jFxAAAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/pHJIsiWkhrg/m/3hYZxKeXAAAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/8Am6N0a3Y3Y/m/K4XiKOEPAAAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/lDx4nysZvY8/m/zBvOZKIlAAAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/hiFoyxmw8sI/m/MrJdw5JXAAAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/ukGrL5KtBk8/m/EigWAUKGAQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/a0Ew-NQylCE/m/EBMmOK7dAQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/9WxyPExld3U/m/_QR6OJDkAQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/Y8pqwYIewm0/m/ClSurkX2AQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/GYxToGZf3QA/m/fVJZdhFPAgAJ

Explosions on board

Josh Herrick and Shevon Sherlock respond to a power failure in the mission pod, encountering a series of explosions and making a daring escape with the help of their team.

Acclimating to his new role as Chief Engineer, Josh finds that along with the responsibilities of the role, it comes with piles of PADDs. Taking a break, he meets Warrant Officer Shevon Sherlock, an Engineering Technician between assignments. They exchange some small talk, with Shevon sharing that she grew up on a freighter, enjoys fixing things and is Aine Sherlock’s half sister. Josh shares his route to being a Starfleet engineer started when he was young, his father bringing him along on the ‘safer missions’ as well as being in a prep troop about 15 years ago, whose motto is ‘Future Explorers, Present Friends’. As they explore less work-related topics, Shevon shares she knows the traditional Orion dance. During their discussion, they get a notification that there’s a total power failure in the mission pod. Getting their repair kits and lights, they head off to investigate the issue. As the turbolift arrives at Deck-A, even the lift doors struggle to open suggesting a power feed issue. After assessing that the deck is sufficiently safe to enter, they start exploring and are greeted with explosions happening in the distance and slowly making their way to the duo. While they initially attempt to escape via the turbolift to Main Engineering while in communication with the Operations Centre, Herrick learns that the explosions are happening through several decks. The explosions could be enough to destroy the ship, so he and Shevon make the hard decision to go reverse the turbolift back up and attempt to detach the mission pod from the rest of the ship before it’s too late. Nilsen, in the OC, lets them know that they’ll have only 15 seconds to make it out after detaching the pod, and despite the operations team’s best efforts at rectifying the issue remotely, they’re unable to stop the explosions, just slow them. Given the risk with the short time window, Arlill and Nilsen take a shuttle to use as a backup in the event that Shevon and Josh aren’t able to escape in time. As Shevon and Herrick trigger the separation, they realize that they couldn’t make it out in time and rely on their peers to save them. Once rescued upon the shuttle, Arlill and Lhandon focused on making sure the pod was clear of the rest of the ship and DS9. It proved challenging to have the shuttle heave the significantly larger mission pod, but with Arlill’s brilliant idea of venting the remaining atmosphere in the turbolift shafts, it gave enough moment to get it out of the way. It was clear from the extensive damage to the ship, that it would be some time before it would be back in service. Sim References:  https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/Epu_NvlL4qA/m/6LpScP5RAAAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/vdAUDfakqDA/m/rcl6-luRAAAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/lw8z-qw3L_U/m/PqfuYQAFAQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/gKdUy8FLFt0/m/Dy4MPgITAAAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/c0Wm6B0dNhw/m/dcKma0ooAAAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/96w3EnMingM/m/LKJfAU3iAAAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/7PzntSkh2-c/m/Nk5uhernAAAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/PwQH0Jn0f4w/m/bpeJnh69AQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/PzsRCoBF5aY/m/3Psgqg4lAAAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/76oouecKuu4/m/OsPYoGk3BgAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/dY2AdLmcW_k/m/662AvxLABgAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/iTp3JW2RFr4/m/sYPmG14oBwAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/8V-fDJ_dDDs/m/55qdKMY2BwAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/IjEQhjXDPtU/m/a0UwV_p6BwAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/_6Me5WRtZ7E/m/bjnHFVaABwAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/9nSpLJ5thGE/m/yMY6yoGIAQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/c-kfpotKW7o/m/k0OHuxSRAQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/aScHi2HkVMg/m/bOu9sRc1AAAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/UmGHCU3_x0s/m/XivGHLA6AAAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/Hh2asMAFW0E/m/S5D_cDWNAAAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/lMR4UnhssqE/m/ohIy89jIAAAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/yzb30uCysjk/m/CkXzsOsfAQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/KaByxr9hHKg/m/ETYThGNdAQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/J5ylVPZcZBg/m/WKUIMYlmAQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/JT5YptnkTdI/m/agQrnDO6AQAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/cj_FTw-eM1A/m/30OxWoTFAQAJ

Farewell Captain

Commodore V'Airu and Commander Lia Rouiancet meet Josh Herrick in the arboretum to offer him a new position and commend him with awards for his exemplary service.

Commodore V'Airu and Commander Lia Rouiancet meet Josh in the arboretum, a nod to where V’Airu and Josh first met when he came aboard. The arboretum was in the process of being cleared out, with plants being relocated to various destinations, possibly including the Octavia E. Butler, which Rouiancet would command. When Rouiancet asked about the plants, Herrick explained that the botanists aboard participate in a flora-oriented exchange program, cultivating unique hybrids and sending fully grown samples around. Given the upcoming refit of the Oumuamua, it made sense to relocate the entire arboretum. Rouiancet then offered Herrick the position of acting chief engineer aboard the Octavia E. Butler, which he accepted with honor. He expressed his commitment to giving his best in his new role. V'Airu then presented Herrick with two ribbons: the Starfleet Investigation Ribbon, shared with other members of Commander Etan's away team for their exemplary investigation on Alpha Brenkelvi, and the Innovation Ribbon, recognizing his exceptional engineering work and innovation under challenging circumstances. Herrick expressed his gratitude for the commendations and thanked the crew for their support. He acknowledged the familiar voice of Rouiancet from the comm and mentioned their shared experiences during the mission pod catastrophe. He inquired about the current status of the Octavia E. Butler, which was docking soon and set to ship out in a few days after inspections to ensure readiness for its maiden voyage under Rouiancet's command. He also asked if V'Airu would remain with the 'Oumuamua during its refit, to which she replied that she would check in but planned to spend time on leave. As they concluded their meeting and offered their goodbyes as they continued on their way to award other officers. Sim References:  https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/f7Fmem9z3sA/m/8PgF5lYYAAAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/ZK8E4ILAHas/m/VZIYG3dGAAAJ https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-oumuamua/c/DZVRvTdgjYA/m/WaNMSzoXAQAJ

New Beginnings

Josh Herrick, now aboard the USS Octavia E. Butler, reflects on his new role and past experiences as he prepares for his duties as Chief Engineer.

Lieutenant Josh Herrick, recently transferred to the USS Octavia E. Butler, enters his new office in Main Engineering and places a duffel on his desk. Reflecting on his mixed emotions about the transfer—from excitement and trepidation to a sense of loss for his previous posting on the USS Oumuamua—he hears a chime from the computer, notifying him of a pending delivery. Responding affirmatively, a pile of PADDs and a model of his former ship materialize on his desk. A message from his father congratulates him on his new post and encourages him to keep in touch. As Herrick reviews the titles of the PADDs, which include topics on the Borg and Octavia Butler, he takes a seat behind his desk, looking out at the warp cores and the main engineering area. Contemplating his rapid rise under his previous superior, Kammus, and the challenge of filling those shoes, he feels a surge of confidence, affirming to himself that he is ready for the role. With a smile, he closes his eyes, savoring the moment and embracing his new beginning. Sim References:  https://groups.google.com/g/sb118-butler/c/DPVfn6Gn52E/m/gLCY6xKfAQAJ

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USS Oumuamua: The Sandbox of Men — 240010.16 - 240012.26   

Josh heads out on the shuttle Nichols for an away mission to Alpha Brenkelvi II accompanied by Toxin Arlill, Arturo Maxwell, and Etan Iljor (1); their purpose to investigate a low-level energy field. Equipped with visual recording devices (VRDs), the team begin to explore the area, noting readings that seemed somewhat typical to the Bajoran orbs. 1. The Mass Optical Orthogonal Monitoring and Oscillating Object (MOOMOO) starts to pick up signs that could be construed as lifeforms, as well as the general direction of the readings towards the ancient ruins that were estimated to be over 65,000 years old. Before the MOOMOO could complete its scans, it overloaded, and an explosion was narrowly avoided thanks to Arlill's skill (2).

After heading into the ruins, the away team saw intricate carvings and geometric patterns etched into the surface of the stone. Scans revealed sprawling tunnels kilometers below the planet's surface. As they pressed further on, they encountered skeletal remains from 50-60 years prior, with no indication on what had led to their demise. Without any immediate danger, they continued deeper into the complex. Josh stepped on a floor plate, a booby trap that when triggered closed the path back (3). Each room they encountered had triggers, either for traps or to reveal doors. After entering one room, the team found an orb that, when the commander waved his arm toward it, a temporal phenomenon occurred with multiple images of the same arm reached out and then syncing up. As chronitons surged in the device, the orb expanded and touched Josh - and he, and the rest of the away team, saw images hooded figures with ridged noses (4), perhaps due to an overload. Given what they'd seen, the team started suspecting a Bajoran influence on the planet, but it was unclear how that would be possible so many eons ago (5).

As they continued, Arlill incidentally triggered a trap, narrowly escaping with his life. This action also revealed another corridor for them to progress through, which led to an opulent room 150 meters in length, containing large intricate carvings of the sun and moon; and various statues and more skeletons - suspected grave robbers (6). Scans of the statues revealed they were over 100,000 years old. After another switch triggered by Arlill, an opening led to a more ornate room. As the away team checked in with the {USS|Oumuamua}, there was difficulty permeating the stone. The ship shared reports of visions, that the ship's captain, Ossa V'Airu was injured, and they were taking a defensive position. With Sherlock in command of the ship, Etan continued to press on to find answers. As they worked to improve comms the chamber took them downward and deeper into the complex (7).

Through some ingenuity between Arlill and Herrick, after the descent had completed, they were able to check in with the other away team (Katsim Peri, Avander Promontory, Alexander Brodie) on the planet, 60 kilometers away from them. Their update was brief, that they were continuing to investigate signs reminiscent of ancient Bajoran. As the comms closed, Josh noticed, to his shock, the form of Commander Voss, the man who gave his life to protect Josh as a child (8). The form had pointed to an area on the wall, and a symbol glowed and intensified when anyone got closer to the symbol. The room descended further, and as it reached the next level, Etan saw the form of his grandmother, guiding them to go deeper in the tunnel. As they followed her into the next chamber, which was 5-10x times larger than the opulent one they’d discovered. Countless light panels coated the ceiling and walls, which when combined, created the familiar glow that was in the other caverns. (9).

As they scanned the newly revealed area, it was determined that the location was 250 million years old. Herrick and Arlill bridged off to interface with a terminal. (10). Their first attempt to interface with the device was unsuccessful, resulting in a melted tricorder. A second attempt was more successful, revealing over a goopbyte of data. Most of it was in the ancient and unreadable language, so Josh suggested loading the Universal Translator program from the tricorder to take advantage of the processing power (11). The reaction to this development was Arlill getting possessed by some unknown being; only indicating that the away team's questions were not right. After the being left Toxin's body, after mentioning that the body was imperfect, Arlill's conciousness took over. He mentioned a memory of home, with a strange man also indicating the questions asked were not right. The commander indicated that all signs seemed to be trying to get the team to reach the control room in this cavern, that they were being led somewhere. The team would need to rope climb to reach their destination (12).

After some precarious tightrope walking, the team made it to the other side. The cavern on the other side had large and rosy, pink spires that twisted and curved, they seemed both ancient yet futuristic, an almost timeless quality. At the centre was a massive sphere, but the more Josh tried to look at it, the harder it became — it made his brain hurt. Sensors had detected a void there- because it is and is not inside our universe all at once. As Max accidentally touched one of the walls, he was flung away. Luckily, he was mostly uninjured, and through a new entrance, they found a room of ancient computers and the ghost that Josh had seen earlier, Commander Voss. Screens displayed different images people in the various chambers they'd gone through. (13).

It was discovered that each of the away team saw an image of a close relative, exactly where Josh had seen Commander Voss. Arlill worked to download the data, and from what he could tell, it looked like a historical encounter (14). As Josh hooked in the VRD to the alien computers to see what additional data the VRD picked up, it seemed to somehow be able to pull more than the VRD had been originally programmed to detect. As the download continued, the ghosts directed them to go through another passage and to yet another large, gigantic chamber. There was a crowd before him his folks, his grandparents, his sister, and many other family and friends. As the team scanned these people, they discovered chroniton-based beings. The beings couldn't speak, instead using Federation Sign Language, with Arlill verbally interpreting for them. (15).

Josh pushed the beings for more information, wanting to understand what their purpose was. The beings indicated that they were lonely; that in the past, many civilizations would visit them to see ancestors that had passed on. Almost like a living memorial. Then, the mood shifted in the room. The beings didn't understand the actions of the Oumuamua, an image of the ship telepathically broadcast to the away team - the beings wanted answers on why the ship's deflectors were activated, the (16). It appeared that the ship was gathering chronitons, and that it had been attacked. The beings shared that they were part of the moon, indicating that the damage had come from the moon itself, inhabited by The Scourge that only sought out destruction. The beings that the away team had met on Alpha Brenkelvi II were bound to the planet. If they left, they would cease to exist. Despite Josh's attempts to convince the commander to go back to the ship, they were not in transporter range and kilometers beneath the crust. Answers would need to come first. When Etan asked who created this place, he wasn't able to get a clear answer until a disembodied but melodic voice chimed in(17).

As the being came into existence, an ethereal being and almost reptilian bi-ped creature. The being introduced themselves as Na'Shaala (a Manraloth) and that it had been millions of years since they had corporealized (18). Arlill had begun work on reestablishing communications with the {USS|Oumuamua}, and as he worked, fire fight was exchanged between the moon and the ship above. After Arlill's repairs, the Commander got in contact with the ship and was able to get a status update and telling Sherlock that she'd need to retreat if the battle turned against them (19). The old autmated defense platform of the Scourage proved not enough for the Oumuamua and were dispatched easily and now the away team needed help returning home. They turned to Na'Shaala, asking if they could do anything.

Na'Shaala mentioned that they could, but at the expense of not being able to return to their own realm, and in a moment later despite the initial protests, the team was transported above the surface (20. While they couldn’t raise the other away team, they were able to get a hold of the ship that apprised them of their success and that they'd be ready to welcome them home (21). It was unclear exactly what the future would hold for Na'Shaala, or for the other 'spirits' that resided on Alpha Brenkelvi II, only time would tell.

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USS Oumuamua: Esh-O System (Shore Leave) — 240009.07 - 240010.18   

Shortly after the mission that saved the Esh-o people (1), Herrick, Cabrillo, Rox, and Nilsen, took a short recreational trip to the planet Paradiso (2|3|4) in the modified Talaxian Freighter Foxy Lady that Kel won in a Dabo game on DS9. After avoiding a catastrophic but damaging event in a subspace corridor (5), as they were landing, they discovered man-made structures that had not be present on Rox and Kel's previous visit (6).

Post-landing, the team broke into 2 groups; Rox and Herrick went in search of supplies while TK and Nilsen stayed back to effect repairs - with the comms array down, they would be out of contact until they returned. As Rox and Herrick started to get to know each other better while they walked towards the settlement, they encountered strange tricorder readings and an abandoned dwelling. During their investigation they heard strange screeches but were unable to attribute them to a source (7). The pair decided to head back to the shuttle, and as they made their way back, contact had been reestablished. On their journey back, they, Josh got a view of the lizard-man hybrid monster, which hastened their pace. They were able to make it back to the shuttle, narrowly escaping the clutches of the monster, and returning back to the {USS|Oumuamua} (8).

Following the trip to Paradiso, Herrick attended his second JOPA meeting, where he realized he had yet to pull a prank on one of the senior officers. There was only 1 notable member that had missed the boat in JOPA history, and he didn't want to be the second. During this meeting, each of the JOPA members received custom bowling shirts, with Herrick's reading Ensign and (in almost microscopic font) Chief Explosion Officer. They wished Promontory in his final meeting, having recently been promoted to Lieutenant and parties with rounds of bowling — where Josh discovered this sport was not his forte (9|10|11|12|13).

A few days later, Herrick suffered a panic attack while performing maintenance on the sensor pod. Kovacs had unintentionally run into him, and after assessing the man's appearance, informed him he would either need to visit sickbay or get reported. (14). Upon his visit to the Sickbay, where Josh had not attributed the issue to his claustrophobia, additional tests were run — where it was discovered by Kel that he was radioactive (15). Additional scans revealed that he, along with Kel and potentially Corelli had picked up a photo-activated radionuclide (16). Kel, along with Miash and T'Larn, worked to identify exactly how to remediate it, coming up with a combination of the transporter and several subsequent regeneration sessions. Corelli had joined midway through the procedure, and all three officers had effectively gone through the process. However, when it came time to enter the small chamber, Herrick figuratively shoved Kovacs into the booth. While Kovacs underwent his procedure, he caught up with the chief to try (rather unsuccessfully) to learn more about the Nautilus and its mission until the time it was his turn to undergo cellular regeneration (17|18|19).

Given the medical team's observation on his claustrophobia, Herrick was ordered to report to mandated counselling. At his first session, he met Brzezinski and Salo for the first time (20). Rivka was quick to offer exposure therapy, which caused a negative reaction from both Salo and Herrick and let to her being escorted out of the counseling session. Upon Salo's return, she had a more patient approach to therapy, where Josh revealed the source of his claustrophobia. At the age of 7, a combination of poor maintenance and a ship-wide power loss, led to a turbolift failure that had killed the father of his friend. The man had protected Josh and his sister, Em, during it's crash but it led to his demise. It had taken over an hour for rescue teams to arrive; and during that time, the man's eyes were open and glazed over (21|22). This was the first time that Josh had opened up about this experience to anyone, and Salo recommended weekly counselling sessions following this first productive one (23).

With this shore leave came the notable departures of Kel, Corelli, Perez, Rox and Vomek. Josh had been put in charge of pulling together a farewell video for their departure which highlighted different favourite moments as a farewell message from the {USS|Oumuamua} crew. During the party, he ran into the first officer, Etan (24) where the two briefly caught up before joining a larger group containing Sherlock, Maxwell and Nilsen (25). After some brief small talk, the team chatting about forming a small sports club with the interim name of OASIS (26|27) as a way to blow off steam and get to know each other with each group member exited at the prospects. While Josh didn't have a chance to bid the departing crew farewell, he hoped his going away video had done them justice (28).

As the party progressed, Josh realized that he knew Lhandon somehow. It hadn't been clear exactly how he knew the man, and he was left with more unanswered questions after trying to do preliminary digging. The opening of the new operations centre had provided him an opportunity to ask deeper questions, but Nilsen had not been willing to share much detail — however, a friendship had started to form between the men. He was left wondering if this was the same ensign who had been highly publicized in the FNS (29|30).

A week after the farewell party was the awards ceremony, where Herrick receive a promotion to Lieutenant Junior Grade, as well as the Legion of Merit and Captain's Commendation for his service during the Esh-o mission. The recognition and quick promotion had caught him off guard, but he gratefully accepted and had told the Commodore that he wouldn't let her down. It would be an interesting shift, where a more junior engineer would be leading a whole department, but he was willing to take on the challenge (31)

Before their next mission began, Josh had invited Lhandon Nilsen to have lunch with him; attempting to get to know the man better and ultimately determining how he knew the officer (32). However, things escalated quickly as Herrick mentioned a news article that flashed up on the PADD with Nilsen accusing him of acting on behalf of a gossip reporter (33). After he stormed off, his roommate and new Chief of Ops Toxin Arlill, came to investigate what exactly had happened. The Bolian/Tellerite hybrid explained that Nilsen has a complicated past and not to push so hard, which led Josh to pursue his own investigation rather than trying to extract it out him (34). As he continued on, he wondered, was he hurting the man in the spirit of trying to satisfy his curiosity (35).

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USS Oumuamua: The Nautilus — 240006.19 - 240009.07    

For Josh's first mission, he was posted to the bridge by Commodore Ossa V'Airu to observe an unusual nebula phenomena that had entered the Esh-o system (1). An unintended side effect of being in the nebula was that the crew's emotions had started to become erratic (2). The crew started to investigate both the cause of the phenomenon, and identify potential sources, with Herrick identifying that x-rays and omicron particles were hitting the hull, Herrick sent out a probe to get more details and re-establish contact with the away team, while also suggesting a warp core resonance burst to try to counter the effects of the nebula (3|4|5|6). As the team tried Herrick's idea of the burst, it had no result 7). Finally, V'Len Kel was able to use a cure his team was working on to help remediate the effects on Josh and the others (8).

With the immediate crisis on board solved, and a quick shower later, Josh was sent with an away team along with Kammus Corelli, Anton Richards, and V'Len Kel to assist with a dire emergency - the nebula was having ill effects on a remote Esh-o mining colony (9]. With TINFOIL hats in addition to the injections from the Doctor, the team was now in a more emotionally stable position. As the shuttle flew towards the colony, warning lights went off several times on the shuttle, seeming faulty at first. As they got closer, they also detected that the nebula had been dissolving the colony and started exploring options like tractor beams to separate the healthy and 'infected' portions of the asteroid the colony sat upon (10|11). Just before landing, the shuttle's fuel lines had reported being compromised and the away team was forced to make an emergency landing (12).

While the shuttle had crashed into an arboretum in the colony, the team had made it through relatively unscathed and Josh had his first encounter with the Esh-o kind (13). The away team and Esh-o leaders explored options, evacuation being unviable, they elected to try splitting the asteroid using mines (14). As power fluctuations rippled through the colony, the team took on the task of investigating them as well (15). When they entered the mines and proceeded to the main core reactor, they encountered a fierce and winged beast. Josh and the away team worked to subdue the beast, trying to calm the Esh-o's plea to kill it, and narrowly escaped with their lives (16|17). After gathering some more volunteers to strategically place mines at points that would break the asteroid apart, the rode the compact mine carts, where the tight quarters caused Josh's claustrophobia to flare up, to reach and place the mines in strategic positions to split the asteroid, but before they could finish, they were held up by shapeshifters and barely escaped (18|19|20|21).

Making it back to the surface, they struggled with options to get the shuttle off the ground, relying on several crew members that had absconded with worker bees to rescue them. While the explosion had worked, it hadn't created enough distance between the two pieces of rock, and they needed to think of options fast (22). When it seemed like all hope was lost, the experimental ship with the designation Nautilus appeared and both the shuttle and worker bees were transported aboard. As the team emerged from their vessels into the large bay, they witnessed a holographic twin of an experiment running aboard another Nautilus from a parallel universe. The 'real' Nautilus that the team was one was tasked with preventing the other ship from causing a cataclysmic explosion that would wipe out life, and the holo-version had encountered difficulties with their holo-safeties, potentially putting the crew at risk. However, the other ship appeared to be unsuccessful in its attempts, and with the crisis passes, the 'real' Nautilus returned the away team back to the USS Oumuamua (23|24).

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USS Oumuamua: Fallout over Earth (Shore Leave) — 240005.07 - 240006.18    

After successfully passing the final Academy exams, Josh is posted aboard the USS Oumuamua as an Engineering Officer, reporting for duty to Commodore Ossa V'Airu (1|2|3). the Chief Engineer, Kammus Corelli. On his first day, he and the Chief Engineer Kammus Corelli explore a strange reading that the ensign found in 11-Baker-4 (4). As the pair commenced scanning, a power surge erupted plasma from the conduit placing Herrick in Sickbay (5). Under the care of Doctor V'Len Kel and Nurse Rox, he made a successful physical recovery (6|7|8|9|10|11), but it dredged up memories of the past (12).

To aid in bonding with fellow lower deckers, Josh was invited to the JOPA where he met many of the junior officers he'd be working with in the future and was encouraged to pull a prank on one of the senior officers but wasn't quite sure what might be an appropriate one that wouldn't land him in too much hot water (13|14|15|16). After his recovery, there was an attempt by an officer from Humanoid Resources, Lieutenant Commander Klaaf, to put him on report for a Form B-74-Tango following the incident in the jefferies tube, but he was quickly dispatched by Commander Etan Iljor (17|18). He also had a brief run in with the Charles Tyber, a security officer onboard who seemed unable to wake up from a deep slumber, and luckily kept his life (19|20). The crew finished shore leave with an awards ceremony, where there many officers were decorated for the achievements on the mission previous to Josh coming aboard.

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