The Lost Souls (Darwin-A)

			Season 2, Episode 1

USS Darwin-A
INACTIVE STATUS
Andaris Task Force USS Blackwell USS El Corazón Deep Space 26 Starring... Primary Cast (Roster) Darwin Guidebook Supporting Cast (PNPCs) Operating Theatre Par'tha Expanse Map Freeworlds Region Expanse Sector Neighbouring Regions Jenatris Cloud Sector Solerian Sector Valcarian Imperial Republic Major Players: The Consortium The USS Darwin-A: Ship Design Shuttlebay QSD Sphere Separation Deck by Deck Ship Lineage The Darwin Library: Past Episodes Previous Cast Crew Awards Darwin Newsmakers Other Useful Stuff: Multispecies Initiative Additional Graphics Darwin-A Forums Darwin-A Google group Mission Submittal Form Horizon class NCC-99312 Edit this nav

Prometheus Station, before it went silent The scene opens with an introduction to Commander Renos as ne is enroute to Deep Space 6 to relaunch the USS Darwin-A. The Darwin, a Horizon-class science vessel, is being recommissioned alongside other ships in the fleet to deal with the Prometheus Incident. Renos, most recently the Chief Medical Officer on the Apollo, has a checkered past with nir own people. As a J'naii, a genderless, androgynous species, any individual who shows gender identity is considered a ‘deviant’. Escaping nir homeworld nemself to avoid psychotectic reprogramming, ne has devoted nemself to help other J’naii like nemself escape and seek asylum in the Federation and beyond. Ne wonders worriedly what this new transfer, with the added responsibility and remote location, will do for nir efforts in this covert field. Notable Sims "Taking the Reins" A new commander takes charge. "A Mixed Reception" A rocky start to the command structure.

Deep Space 6 Once aboard Deep Space 6, Renos meets the previous commanding officer of the Darwin, Captain Greir Reinard, who is on hand to complete the transfer of command. After a tour of the ship, they are joined by the Darwin’s new first officer, Lieutenant Commander Brayden Jorey. It soon becomes apparent that there is a deep history between Jorey and the previous captain. That intimacy, plus Jorey’s Betazed telepathic abilities and Intel history, puts Renos ill at ease and strains relations between the two new commanding officers of the Darwin right off the bat. With the rapid launch schedule of the Darwin, officers are pulled from across the fleet to man the science vessel, and they arrive to board her in quick succession. We are introduced to the new compliment of senior officers as they report aboard to Cmdr Jorey before having one-on-one meetings with the captain. They consist of (in order of reporting): Lieutenant Commander Kael Thomas, Chief Engineering Officer and former Darwin first officer under Captain Reinard’s watch Lieutenant JG Shedet, a mission specialist on loan from the USS Victory Lieutenant JG Cadfael Peters, an engineering officer Lieutenant JG Artem Dragumov, a security officer; and his civilian spouse Avaris Torrin, who has a personal history with Cmdr Renos and nir covert activities Ensign Pods Lexicon, a science officer Petty Officer 1st Class Michael Jellico, assigned to the Security and Tactical department Ensign John Valdivia, a science officer Lieutenant JG Ian Patrick Connory, a helm/comm/ops officer Lieutenant JG Maxwell Traenor, Chief Science Officer Ensign Ilyazi Malon, a medical officer Lieutenant JG Ashley Deneve Yael, the ship’s counselor

Interspersed before and around the meetings with the captain, the rest of the senior staff get the opportunity to meet and explore the ship. Malon and Yael share a drink on Deep Space 6 before embarking on the Darwin. Kael and Peters suss each other out in the ship’s engine room. Traenor gets introduced to both Lexicon and Valdivia at the science consoles on the bridge. Peters visits Sickbay and seeks assistance from Malon for a potentially debilitating injury he had received just prior to reporting to the Darwin. And, Thomas meets a returning colleague and his young son. The scene then changes to the Conference Room on Deck 1 of the Darwin, where Cmdr Renos is staging nir first mission briefing as commanding officer. The senior staff file in and take their seats quickly, allowing for only a short bit of personal conversation before the meeting starts. File:Dunbar.jpg USS Dunbar Renos explains that they have been tasked to respond to the distress call from an Antares class freighter called the USS Dunbar, which has been conducting surveys near the Zeta Gelis cluster. It is explained that the ship had been transmitting back perplexing readings about an emergent anomaly, and that Starfleet Sciences & Technologies are concerned that the anomaly may be related to the Prometheus Incident. With the Dunbar disabled, missing its chief engineer, and being drawn towards the anomaly, the Darwin has been tasked to render assistance. Lt Traenor provides a little background on the Prometheus Incident, and how the anomaly affecting the Dunbar may be related. Cmdr Jorey raises concerns about outside influence, with special emphasis on the regions’ primary antagonists, the Zalkonians. One weapon in particular, the Anoxia Field, is particularly dangerous due to its effects on the systems of affected ships. Ens Valdivia, with his expertise, offers to try and devise countermeasures. Lt Shedet, familiar with the region, expresses concern that there is more than the Zalkonians on the minds of the region’s inhabitants. Lt Peters is among the first to volunteer for the Away mission to the Dunbar, as well as Lt Dragumov. The mission briefing winds down as Renos tasks: Shedet, Lt Yael, and Ens Lexicon to work with another mission specialist, Nicu Icavoc, to determine the risks presented by the Zalkonians at the present time; Jorey to consider the makeup of the Away team to board the Dunbar; Malon to prepare for treatment of the Dunbar’s crew; and the engineers to brush up on their knowledge of Antares-class freighters. Notable Sims "The Briefing" Their first mission is detailed. "Don't Want to Miss My Appointment" An injury gets tended to.

After the senior officers disperse, the bridge of the Darwin prepares for her historic maiden relaunch. Cmdr Renos gives instructions to Lt Connory to clear Deep Space 6, and he brings them about on course to the Zeta Gelis cluster and jumps them to Warp 7. Renos then commands Traenor and Valdivia to commence scans of the anomaly affecting the Dunbar once they are within range, before handing control of the bridge to the Chief Science Officer and leaving the bridge to attend to personal matters. Meanwhile, Cmdr Jorey has summoned PO Jellico to his office on Deck 7. He engages the enlisted man in pointed questions, then admits to testing Jellico in preparation to shouldering him with responsibilities above his rank. Dismissing him, Jorey decides to use the short down time while enroute to satiate his hunger. In Main Engineering on Deck 9, Thomas and Peters oversee the engines during the launch, and discuss their knowledge of Antares class ships such as the Dunbar. On Deck 3, Shedet, Lexicon, Yael, and Icavoc are utilizing the Stellar Cartography lab to study the asteroid field where the Dunbar originally ran into problems. On Deck 6, Avaris Torrin has been drowning his sorrows in the crew lounge almost since he had boarded the Darwin. The knowledge that he and his husband had been selected for the Darwin based predominantly on his own personal ties to Renos, as opposed to his spouse’s professional abilities, had been off-putting. Torrin spent his time conversing with the Romulan bartender Rhean Velal, and discovering an old acquaintance in the form of the bar’s owner, Alam Naseera. Once the mission briefing concludes, Lt Dragumov finds his inebriated husband still at the bar, and they are soon interrupted by none other than the captain. Renos has searched out Torrin to relay sensitive information through him, as a conduit for his efforts to help fellow J’naii deviants. In Torrin’s current state, Renos harbors doubts about the timing of this meeting, but his hasty departure is stymied by the arrival of Jorey looking for his pre-mission meal. Both Renos and Torrin share reservations about the first officer, but for different reasons. Fortunately for them, Dragumov captures Jorey’s attention and steers him away, allowing Torrin to advise Renos that he has important information to impart. Notable Sims "Getting Under Way and Taking Care of Those Errands" The historic relaunch of the Darwin. "Never Seek Out New Problems" Uncomfortable encounters in the ship's lounge.

The scene cuts away to the Dunbar and her captain, Connor Dreyfus, where we see the effects of the disturbance on the small vessel. A flashback shows us when they first encounter ill effects from the anomaly, and the sense of confusion and chaos that ensues. Something strange is afoot, and it seems to revolve around the missing chief engineer... The urgent conversation between Capt Renos and Avaris Torrin is moved to the captain's ready room on Deck 1. There, it is revealed that the civilian had an unsavory tie to the disabled freighter in the past. Worried that his past has finally caught up to him, Torrin places his fate in Reno's hands, who promptly reassures him that there is no current need for concern. Placing the issue to rest, the commander then reports back to the bridge. Lt Traenor gladly hands control of the bridge back to Cmdr Renos as they approach the location where the Dunbar lies prone in space. PO Jellico reports to the bridge, trying to keep his composure after receiving devastating personal news. In response to the possible threat of the Zalkonian's Anoxia Field, there is speculation among the bridge crew about how best to contact the crew of the derelict freighter off their bow. In an example of great minds thinking alike, both Ens Valdivia and Jellico independently propose the use of a Darwin shuttlecraft to act as a communications relay, thereby isolating the Darwin herself from the effects of the computer weapon. The scene cuts momentarily back to the Dunbar, where the crew and the captain, obviously exhausted and barely holding on, are elated to receive word from the Darwin. They relay their status to Renos, and prepare to receive the Away team. Mortal risk to starship systems and Betazed sensibilities? At this point, the Away team led by Cmdr Jorey prepare to board the distressed Dunbar via shuttlecraft, with the risk of the Zalkonians being nearby precluding the use of transporters. Jorey enlists Dragumov, Peters, Jellico, Lexicon, Malon, and Yael to accompany him. Peters joins both Jorey and Dragumov in the crew lounge, where he had stopped for a quick snack, where the three then make their way to Main Engineering for a situational report before proceeding to the shuttlebay. Yael, Lexicon, and Malon each leave from previously assigned duties to join them in the shuttlebay. Piloted by Jorey, the shuttle alights in the Dunbar's cargo hold, and the Darwin crew proceed to offer assistance. As Cmdr Thomas reports to the bridge, Traenor and Valdivia continue to study the effects of the anomaly within the Zeta Gelis cluster, trying to predict how long the Away team will safely have to assist the freighter. Several theories and actions are discussed, but the final diagnosis is that only a few hours remain until the Dunbar is irretrievably caught in thrall of the rift, unless power can be reestablished and the ship is drawn away from its gravity well. Notable Sims "Not Just a Survey Mission" The dire state of affairs on the Dunbar. "On the Run" A shady past is revealed. "The A (Away) Team" The Darwin Away team assembles.

SWC Purity In a flashback sequence, we're introduced to a foreign bridge, manned by Zalkonians. It is the SWC Purity, and they are monitoring the imminent formation of a rift on the edge of Zalkonian territory, one similar to many that have formed in their space over the last several months. Their readings are disturbed by the arrival of a Federation ship, the USS Dunbar, and find that it is only a short distance away from the epicenter of the imminent rift. The cruiser's commanding officer, Akaym, holds a deep disdain for the Federation and chooses not to offer warning or assistance to the freighter, and they watch as it is heavily damaged and sent careening away by the explosive formation of the anomaly. The Santiago Scene cut, aboard the Dunbar, the Darwin's shuttle Santiago has landed, and as her officers speak to Captain Dreyfus in the cargo bay of his crippled freighter, Malon and Yael set up a triage area. Peters prepares to lend technical assistance. Lexicon begins noting disturbing gravity spikes and subspace eddies in their immediate vicinity, and the assembled officers barely clear the cargo bay before a massive discharge blows out a section of the cargo bay's hull, taking their shuttle with it. Meanwhile, back on the bridge of the Darwin, both Renos and Thomas harbor misgivings about the comparison of the rift before them to those found in the Piktar system, only reinforced by a report delivered to the commanding officer by Shedet. The whole contingent of the bridge are startled by a blinding discharge visible on the viewscreen, and by the subsequent effects tempered by their hearty shields. When they turn their attention to the Dunbar, they see the grievous damage that has occurred, and are met with an inability to communicate with their endangered Away team. Inspired by and assisted by the Chief Engineer, Valdivia and Traenor work to re-establish comms through subspace damaged by the same effect from the rift that battered the Dunbar. Attempting contact after their efforts to overcome the comm difficulties, another flash disrupts the space around the two ships. As if confirming previous comments by Lexicon, Shedet notes the possible presence of an object or being in the rift during the latest flash. Valdivia confirms that something unknown is indeed in, or causing, the rift. Previous discussions regarding efforts to close the rift artificially are tempered by this news. Breach in the Dunbar's cargo bay On the Dunbar, her captain and the Darwin crew are collecting their composure. Jorey commands and disperses his crew. Peters, Jellico, and Lexicon make their way to the Dunbar's engine room to assist as needed, and Malon and Yael seek out the medical bay. Jorey then turns to converse with Capt Dreyfus. The conversation is disrupted when Jorey has a chilling experience... he sees a Dunbar officer, who fades from both sight and emotional empathy. Dreyfus senses or sees nothing of this supposed officer, but recognizes the description as one of his missing scientists. Wishing to confirm that he is still fit for duty, Jorey heads to the medical bay for a checkup while Capt Dreyfus heads to Engineering. Around the same time, back in his quarters on the Darwin, Torrin has a similar experience to Jorey's. Notable Sims "Innocent Observer" The Zalkonians make an entrance. "Cargo Bay, What Cargo Bay?" The rift deals a near-lethal blow. "Scientific Engineer" The senior staff remaining on the Darwin collaborate to overcome a crisis. "No Going Back" The Away team realize that they are stranded.

Arriving in the Dunbar's engine room, the Darwin crewmembers are disrupted by a small console fire. Jellico urges Peters to carry on and check in with the acting chief engineer of the freighter while he douses the fire. A few minutes later, when Capt Dreyfus enters Engineering and the fire has been extinguished, nobody can find Peters. He has disappeared without a trace, much like the missing officers of the Dunbar. In Peter's point of view, however, he has stepped from the chaotic reality of the engine room into a hollow, pristine version where he is trapped and alone. The remaining officers on site start to consider the possibility of the missing Starfleet officers being trapped in subspace, and Jellico offers a suggestion of using subspace communications to try and test the theory. Like a mirage, Peters sees the 'other' Dunbar engine room and his colleagues, and overhears their conversation. Yet, he cannot interact with them or the environment. At this time, Lexicon catches the merest glimpse of the missing Darwin engineer. In the Dunbar's sickbay, Jorey has arrived seeking treatment for his apparent sightings of apparitions. Yael and Malon check him over, finding no medical or mental reasoning for any hallucinations. Still, just then Jorey experiences another premonition, this time of armed troops advancing on the sickbay. Again, the images and feeling fall on him alone, but to be safe Jorey recalls Dragumov to his location and starts conducting detailed scans. Zeta Gelis rift Working in tandem now, the engineering and science officers on the bridge of the Darwin posit a theory that a modified tractor beam might work at freeing the Dunbar, if carefully timed to the peculiarities of the rift. Renos requests the bridge officers to look for a solution to beam everyone off of the crippled freighter. Notable Sims "Oh Frack..." A Darwin officer faces a strange fate. "Brainstorming" With many questions and few answers, the bridge crew weigh their options. "What the Heck...?" A strange fate continues for a Darwin officer.

This episode is still airing, stand by for periodic updates!

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	Primary Cast Support Cast Deck by Deck Edit/View Key	CO Renos FO Varaan CSO John Valdivia SO Merrick R'Ven CMO Graeme Cook MO Isabel Pond MO Jora Kalis CC Didrik Stennes CHCO Rendal Rennyn HCO Randal Shayne CSec Nicu Icavoc SO Kurt Logan CTO Emery Rhyn CEO Brell E Kael Thomas

			REV SD 239203.16