Awakening (Darwin-A)
| Season 3, Episode 2 |
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| USS Darwin-A | ||
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 INACTIVE STATUS | ||
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The mission kicked off with the crew of Darwin gathered in the conference room to celebrate a round of promotions and awards. The mirth was short-lived, however, as Fleet Captain Renos announced that Borg activity had been detected in the Pouiyeog Region. Immediately, the crew began making preparations in their respective departments, considering such possibilities as an all-out Borg assault, being boarded, and liberating drones from the Collective.
Upon arriving in sector PR-E3, the crew found the Borg signal to originate from a nearby planet, but only on the planet; no Borg activity was detected in the surrounding space. Scans of the planet showed a crash site on the surface, a group of disconnected Borg drones, and a cloud of nanites that had escaped the planet, and were moving about nearby space in a sort of swarm. The nanites hold position behind Darwin, apparently using the ship as a shield against weapons fire from the planet.
Chief Science Officer John Valdivia discovered that lights emanating from the cloud corresponded to a mathematical pattern, which could indicate an unprecedented demonstration of intelligence from the Borg nanites. Darwin took the nanites into her containment sphere for protection and further study, with the last resort of exterminating them with gamma radiation should they pose a threat.
Renos sent a team consisting of Counselor Didrik Stennes, Assistant Chief Medical Officer Isabel Pond, and Engineer Han Yamaki to one of Darwin's science labs to determine whether the nanites truly have developed sentience, and if so, how to communicate with them.
Meanwhile, First Officer Maxwell Traenor led a team consisting of Assistant Chief Security Officer Kurt Logan, Helm Officer Randal Shayne, and Systems Specialist Brell down to the planet, with the objective of disarming the Borg weapons, especially the ones capable of firing into space.
Chief Engineer Varaan led a separate team to the planet, consisting of Assistant Chief Tactical Officer Brayden Jorey, Chief Medical Officer Graeme Cook and Science Officer Merrick R'Ven, to destroy the vinculum and central plexus at the Borg crash site, ensuring it cannot reestablish contact with the Hive Mind.
Renos, seeking to ascertain the stability of the disconnected Borg drones and their risk to the region, led a team consisting of Valdivia, Security Officer Ra'Dar Dregen and Security and Tactical Recruit Iy to assist nem.
| Notable Sims | |
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| "A troubling signal" | Borg activity is confirmed in the Pouiyeog Region |
| "The secrets of PR-E3" | Darwin arrives in sector E3 |
| "Here comes the swarm" | Borg nanites escape the planet |
| "Nanite cloud" | The nanites appear to exhibit intelligence |
| "Surface expeditions" | Teams are formed to investigate |
The team led by Didrik Stennes initially struggled to make contact with the nanites, which had been using flashes of light to enumerate the digits of pi. Ensign Yamaki configured the containment sphere to flash back, while Doctor Pond is ready to flood the sphere with gamma radiation at a moment's notice, should the nanites react hostilely to their attempt at communication. After some initial setbacks, the team managed to establish that a definite intelligence is behind the nanites' actions, and brainstormed ways to take their communication to the next step.
The team led by Lt. Commander Traenor traveled to the planet on the shuttlecraft Santiago, well equipped with weapons thanks to Lt. j.g. Logan, who visited the armory prior to their departure. Once on the planet's surface, the team soon encountered a Borg drone in a sorry state, missing a biomechanical arm and several pieces of its exo-plating. The drone was pulling components from the crash site back to the weapons platform, and exhibited signs of being part of a makeshift collective. The team approached the platform, finding yet another odd sight: two drones, each showing signs of implant rejection, repeatedly attempting to assimilate the other. Lt. Brell determined that they, and all the other drones they had seen, were devoid of nanoprobes. Traenor's team eventually reached the weapons platform and found an encampment of drones at the base, where Logan and Lt. Shayne planned a diversion to allow Traenor and Brell access to the weapons controls. While Shayne and Logan were planning the diversion, another pre-pubescent drone beginning to gain its individuality back started to shadow the group. While both were weary of it, Shayne decided to try and take it under his wing.
Once the diversion was achieved, Brell and Shayne began to work on disabling the weapon's platform. When a security measure was tripped, and the entire base was locked down, the drone Shayne decided to help managed to help the crew out by releasing the lock outs. The team was able to escape, but Traenor ordered that the drone be left behind, due to the tactical dubiousness of the situation. Because of the insidious Borg presence on the surface, Fleet Captain Renos ordered the surface of the planet be cleansed of all Borg life signs and technology through a barrage of torpedoes. The Darwin then returned to Outpost Unity.
| Notable Sims | |
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| "Let's get talking!" | |
| "Tense moments" | |
| "Foreshadowing" | |
| "Nanoprobe-less | |
| "Now comes a plan... hopefully" | |
| "Night moves | |
This episode is still airing. Stay tuned for periodic updates!
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| REV SD 239305.07 |
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