Cloudy With A Chance Of Madness (Atlantis)
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- Duration - 239102 - 239105.07
- Mission Name - Cloudy With A Chance of Madness
- Mission Tag - Will a simple escort mission to Krayav involving the Grenushi ambassador, and a peace gift, end as a milk run?
Mission Brief |
Following decommissioning, the crew of the USS Discovery and Starbase 118 Ops are reshuffled and reassigned to the USS Atlantis, recommissioned after nine years in the inactive fleetyard, under the command of first-time CO, Commander Raj Blueheart. The crew gets together on Deep Space 26, an abandoned Chon outpost taken over by Starfleet to establish a Federation presence in the Par'tha Expanse, the region of space Atlantis is tasked to oversee. The Expanse, being largely uncharted by the Federation, makes it an ideal sector for the Atlantis to explore and conduct scientific research - its primary objectives.
As the crew members begin to get to know each other, they receive their very first mission: to provide transport to Ambassador Haerin, representative of the Grenushi Imperial government on Uzoka 5, to the Krayav Republic on Uzoka 4. The Ambassador is to deliver a gift to the Krayav following a successful peace dialogue between the two governments. With the Ambassador on board, the Atlantis begins its journey to the far side of the Expanse, having to pass the fringes of the enigmatic and unpredictable Jenatris Cloud along its way. Will it be an uneventful maiden mission for the new crew? What will they encounter along their journey across the Expanse? And what of the Ambassador and his curious gift? All will be revealed as the Atlantis' first mission unfolds!
The mysterious gift brought on board the Atlantis by the Grenushi ambassador is revealed to be miniature versions of the Jenatris Cloud! The revelation came about when one of the many clouds encased within the gift-box "escaped" and crashed the grand banquet held in honor of the ambassador. The cloud not only overshadowed the banquet highlighting the various cuisines and culture of the member Federation worlds, but caused everyone with psionic abilities to have varying levels of reactions, from fainting spells, appearing inebriated to even becoming comatose. While Medical worked round the clock to help those affected with psionic blockers, Science labored feverishly to analyze and understand the gaseous entities. Science also revealed that the clouds fed off the ship's energy, hence causing power fluctuations throughout the ship.
The crew manage to quarantine the clouds and restore power to the main systems before continuing towards Uzoka 4. Unfortunately, more troubles await the Atlantis. Science learns that the cloud entities are in fact sentient, telepathic, non-corporeal beings that reside in the Jenatris Cloud. They also discover the Clouds' language and attempt to interpret it using the universal translator. But there is no time to recover from this shock as another one, in the form of three approaching combat-ready vessels, is about to land right on their doorstep!
The approaching combat-ready vessels turn out to be part of the Endangered Jenatris Species (EJS), a radical environmentalist group determined to save the Cloud creatures whom they allege are being abused by the Grenushi and Krayav for nefarious business. The attack by the EJS is thwarted by the timely arrival of Krayav escort vessels. Though the EJS may have vanished for now and taken with them one of the sentient cloud creatures, the crew has a feeling they will bump into them again in the future. One of the attacking activists is currently in the Brig for interrogation.
Thus, the Atlantis' first mission in eight years now draws to a close with the successful delivery of the Grenushi Ambassador to the Krayav government on Uzoka 4 for peace talks between the two civilizations. Though controversy was stirred when the crew discovered the nature of the gift about to be presented to the Krayav, they allow the Cloud Dancers, as the creatures are natively called, to be handed over anyway to fulfill their purpose as telepathic enhancers to aid in global communication – but with the explicit condition that the crew be allowed to observe the treatment and utilization of the Dancers to ensure they are being treated fairly. In addition, the language of the Dancers has been successfully translated by the Science team.
Commander Blueheart announces shore leave for the crew – weary after a harrowing 2-day journey to the heart of the Uzoka system – and for repairs to commence on the ship.
Mission Summary |
- 239102.05 - The crew of the USS Atlantis gathered aboard Deep Space 26 for the launch of their new ship. There was a thrum of nervous energy as new shipmates and old met on the Intrepid class vessel. Spirits were high, and raised higher by the delightful surprise given by the Mission specialist Commander Marcus Dickens: chocolates at their bridge stations!
- 239102.10 - Captain called the briefing where he presented their shakedown cruise mission of escorting the Grenushi diplomat Telnoth Kylon Haerin back home to Uzoka system. Telnoth Haerin, Telnoth being a title literally meaning "the tallest," has with him a gift of good-will for the Krayav people which should end long lasting war between two planets.
- Crew arrived to the region of space most of them knows little to nothing about. The very dangerous region of the Jenatris Cloud; highly dense region of hundreds of space anomalies, small and micronebulaes, various types of radiation and subspace friction which made it prone to ion storms garnered with the fact that space lanes buoys are obsolete and hardly usable and even Vulcan Starcharts of the region dates from the time USS Atlantis was decommissioned years ago.
- Over that, politics of the region is puzzling and dangerously illogical with 3 powers which are deeply interconnected, some with more some with less power in each others government. At the same time crew is trying to figure out the gift, while Haerin is obviously trying to make sure nobody comes close and learn anything about it.
- 239102.28 - While on route, the gift has already privately revealed some powerful displays to the diplomat, but is he already aware of what's inside and hiding it from the crew? Or is he a pawn in a game that the crew has only barely begun to perceive? Emerson Ravenscroft entered the quarters under the guise of a scientist asking a questions about the region, but made unauthorized scan of the gift and the quarters what almost caused diplomatic incident.
- 239103.12 - Diplomatic incident was averted by the skillful discussion with Ambassador lead by Lieutenant Commander Danzia and Commander Raj Blueheart during the ceremonial reception prepared for the Ambassador. Soon, nice evening turned into a mess when starting with Ambassador himself, all psionics aboard the ship felt mental attack.
- 239103.19 - After investigation, science team located not just one cloud which moved to Holodeck 1, but two. Second one was found leaving the Ambassador's quarters, what pointed everyone that they may be a gift or a part of the gift. Captain Raj Blueheart soon confronted Ambassador Haerin, who was moved to sickbay with almost all other psionics aboard the ship.
- 239103.24 - Sickbay reported soon several cases, where people without known psi abilities had unusual problems. Two clouds were contained and moved to Science labs for further research. In the meantime USS Atlantis reached Uzoka system and contacted both Grenushi and Krayav of the delay in arrival. Both governments expressed their dislike of the report. At the same time Scientists were faced with a possibility that clouds are actually species and even possibly intelligent species.
- 239103.29 - In Science Labs, Xenolinguist Emerson Ravenscroft followed the research of Chief of Astrometrics Raine Vedra and found that there were similarities and there were differences in the resonant frequency between the two cloud specimens. The frequencies were in the ultra-high, hypersonic range, clearly beyond humanoid hearing. But when he shifted the analytic algorithm to the hypersonic range, he inadvertently stretched that range to reveal multiple sub-ranges of hypersound. And within at least four of those hypersonic sub-ranges, the two frequencies of the individual cloud specimens fit in perfectly. Suddenly, the possibility of the existence of an entirely hypersonic language was beyond any reasonable doubt. Is it a language?
- 239104.05 - While medical finally started releasing psionics and clearing the sickbay, team in science lab lead by Xenolinguist Emerson Ravenscroft and LtCmdr Danzia started preparations for making a contact with cloud creatures. At the same time Bridge crew detected 3 ships of unknown origin on the intercept course. Since neither ship nor crew is in a shape for fight, Captain chose to change course and try to avoid the three ships, but it proved impossible when they changed course to match Atlantis' change.
- 239104.15 - After a short fiery exchange in which Basti Palle, Captain of Gröna Bönor (Green Bean) didn't want to listen to anything told to him and demanded that cloud creatures are handed to him and his E.J.S (Endangered Jenatris Species) activists. Short exchange of fire started. At the start of the battle Atlantis suddenly turned from Red Alert to Green, dropping shields and deactivating weapons. Series of failures lead engineering team into catching the culprit, another member of the E.J.S. At the same time two groups of E.J.S. Operatives beamed aboard Atlantis in attempt to take the "Rainbow Dancers", as they call the creatures.
- 239105.06 - The boarding parties managed to render unconscious part of the crew but thanks to the efforts of different officers, between them Ensign Scott, Lt. Jg. Kelly, Lt. Cmdr. Mitchell and others, they managed to get them out of the ship, and only loose one of the named 'Dancers'. The crew managed to capture one of the EJS operatives and thanks to the arrival of Krayav ships, the EJS left and the Atlantis could make it to Uzoka 4 where, after an ethical discussion, delivered the Grenushi Ambassador and the gift, meaning the cloud creatures.
Grenushi and Krayav |
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Species Name(not yet determined)Home System
Home World
HistoryPlace from which they arrived to Uzoka and way of arrival is mostly unknown. Both are the same species, though Krayav being shorter than Grenushi for what is obviously a reason higher gravity of Uzoka 4. Bodies in the system are named from the Sun (being named Uzoka 1) to the last being only moon of Uzoka 5 (Grenushi homeworld). Uzoka 4 (Krayav homeworld) has 2 moons named Uzoka 2 (bigger one visible on the daily sky of the planet rotation cycle) and Uzoka 3 (smaller one seen during the night). This unusual naming is considered by the crew of USS Atlantis, one of the proofs that both arrived at similar time or very likely together to the system.
Government
DescriptionIt is obvious they are same species because of the ditch passing through the middle bone of their nose, which is much bigger and thicker than any other species Starfleet ever met making their face looking thin. PhysiologyReligionMythologyContrasting ideologies/sizes/gravity idea. It really adds to the idea that they are two sides of the same coin, but that they ideals are what's keeping them apart - and at war with each other. The democratic versus nobility idea highlights that greatly. If we wanted to take it a step further, we could throw religion versus science into the equation. Perhaps one believes they were Created, while the other believes they Evolved. A futuristic spin on that could be, that one was created (genetically engineered? evolved?) from a divine master race, while the other believes they are indeed that master race. SocietyGrenushi are more "noble born" attitudes.. with the Krayav being more "democratic/Individualistic". While both have the level of "nationality" that the Federation would have difficulties with.. the Krayav would be more toward Federation standard.. though probably having a higher percentage of "radicals".. CultureCustomsTechnologyWarp is at a low end of things, since they've been concentrating primarily on their wars. But weapons and shields are slightly above the effectiveness of Federation.
EconomyBoth are on the edge of failing. The wars have drained too much, and the war needs require too much. MilitaryFederation Intelligence FilesNotable ??
PlacesUzoka 4
Sources((OOC: All this requires rewriting, since I took most of it from mails and didn't edit in most.)) ((OOC2: All names for Krayav are Swedish, including the name of the capitol City.)) |