Yeager SC Mission 02: "Not Another Sinking Mission"
Stardate 20601.05
With the Yeager mission complete I’m not able to reflect back on what had occurred. Although, because of circumstances beyond the capabilities of the ship, the ship was towed back into space dock for a third time, our mission wasn’t in vain. We discovered many new worlds and new life and civilizations, and during the processes we were even given some advanced sensor technology which will no doubt assist Star Fleet in the future.
The crew of the USS Yeager never once wavered in their duties. Each and every crewmember performed above and beyond what was expected of them, of which I commend their behavior.
I’m proud of this ship and crew and honored to server as the Captain of the USS Yeager.
End log.
Captain's Logs
Capt Joseph Valiant
Stardate 20504.09
Stardate 20504.09
After 4 weeks of shore leave, in which the ship was undergoing a slight refit I’m proud to say the USS Yeager is back out in space on active duty. Our mission is to proceed to unexplored space in search of several sources of resources Star Fleet’s in need of. Our destination is over 190 light-years from earth, which is approximately 68 days away.
While our refits were minor, I must say its always nice to had a few welcomed additions to the ship. Among the changes were an upgraded Captains chair, which I must sadly report during its shakedown didn’t quite endure, the addition of two mirco-torpedo launchers loading system not included, and some slight remodeling in engineering which was likely done by the engineers doing the refit because the small hole that ended up in engineering during our previous mission.
We’re only several days into our mission, and the trip to our destination isn’t going to be a short joy ride; however I’m glad we have some time before we arrive, it’ll give me a chance to get to know the crew, a lot of which are new to the Yeager.
End Log.
Stardate 20504.18
Stardate 20504.18
It’s been 68 days exactly now, and we’ve approached the nebula; and not a day to soon might I add. While it was great to get to know the crew, after 2 months of being at high warp with relatively nothing to do I can full heartedly say I’m thankful for a change in scenery.
For once I’m in unexplored space, venturing into a nebula no one has gone before; I’m eager to see what awaits.
End Log.
Stardate 20505.01
Stardate 20505.01
Arriving here in the Menthar system, the Yeager, Copernicus, and Titan were all greeted by a huge nebula, just as was expect. Following the Copernicus’ lead the Yeager followed behind entering the dense dust of the nebula. After a short time in the nebula, we broke out into a large clear, which held to our surprise, a massive solar system.
This solar system is unlike anything I’ve ever seen before, and even without doing any extensive scans, I’m positive this isn’t a natural happening. With a solar system containing over 100 worlds, with quite a few being class M, it seems pretty self evident.
The Yeager has received orders by the task force commander, Captain Godard, to investigate the inner planets. I can only wonder what’s in store for us when we get there.
End Log.
Stardate 20505.24
Stardate 20505.24
Reaching the inner planets we’ve detected a class M planet and decided to begin our investigation there.
Upon reaching orbit, the Yeager received a hail from the surface; which surprised me. I was expecting this to be an uninhabited system. This also made me extremely nervous, because my whole career up to this point was based on wars, and fighting, not science and definitely not first contact.
Opening the channel, I was greeted by a friendly lady. While she was quite friendly, her knowledge about the Yeager, and its crew, managed to unnerve me.
After a short conversation with her I was invited to speak with her on the surface, I of course agreed feeling it would be the best way for them to get to know us, and learn that we’re friendly explorers not a group of hostiles looking to poach on their planets resources.
After agreeing on a time to meet, and asking permission if I could bring down several of my officer and if it was alright if we conducted scans, I closed the channel.
Not wanting to make them feel we’re hostile in anyway, against the recommendation of my First Officer, I’m only taking one security officer. My main goal is to learn as much about these people as possible that’s why I’ve decided to take one science, one medical and one engineering officer with me in addition to the security officer who’s there for safety reasons incase these people aren’t as friendly as they appear.
Because the radiation this close to the star would interfere with our transporters myself and the away team are going to be taking down a shuttle. I must say I’m rather excited to be in the pilot’s seat again, even if it’ll be just for a short trip.
Stardate 20507.13
Stardate 20507.13 Captain Joseph E. Valiant Recording
Shortly after my last log entry, I was visited in sickbay by Akate and Rensi from the planet Wanger. With their near proximity, and my body in already a weakened state, I started to become extremely ill again. That’s when myself and those in the room came to the shocking conclusion, the Wagner’s were the cause of the problem. Quickly tossing Lt. Stuart a medical tricorder before I passed out, he was able to run scans, which with the Wagner’s and Doctors help in understanding the readings seemed to prove the theory.
Quickly, Akate and Rensi left to an isolation lab, hoping not to worsen my condition. Soon after they left my condition quickly improved.
A few moments later I was contacted by them from the Isolation lab, saying they think they knew what the problem was, but wasn’t for sure, and they needed out help.
It seemed they had no knowledge of their effects on other races, but had a few artifacts dating back to the earliest part of their history, of which had some inscriptions to it but they were unsure how to translate it. In their attempts in translating it, they managed to translate the words 'mind vampires’ which to the Wagner culture made no sense until now. Knowing our ships translation devices were far superior to theirs they requested our help in translating the artifact in hopes it would explain what was happening.
After taking proper safety precautions the device was transported aboard the Yeager for studies.
Studies of the artifact revealed that the ancestors of those on the planet Wagner were in fact exiles from their home planet. They were sent to planet Wagner because of a rare mutation they had, which made it so they would feed off the energy of others who didn’t have the same mutation.
A bit overwhelmed by what they were being told, Akate and Rensi requested permission to return to the surface so they could examine our findings and think everything over.
Meanwhile the Yeager remained in orbit, waiting to here from them.
After two days of waiting we were contacted by Chief Council Akate. She expressed her deepest apologies for what had happened, and in a token of respect and means to apologize for what had happened.
A bit surprised at the offer I accepted, and return gave her the promise that if we ever find a cure to this mutation we would be back to continue our relations with them.
After saying our goodbyes and launching a warning probe in orbit of Wagner warning any who would approach of the effects the Wagner’s have on others, we left orbit to explore the rest of this vast and mysterious solar system.
Currently we’re enroute to the next planet of interest, planet Sharok; which seems to be inhabited by Terran Dinosaurs.
Stardate 20509.10
Written for and in the absence of the Commanding Officer Joseph E. Valiant. Stardate 20509.10 Captains Log Stardate 20509.10 Captain Joseph E. Valiant Recording:
Chaos is a going theme for the USS Yeager and it’s crew, as recent events has proven.
Currently we’re marooned on a hostile planet filled with creatures that would gladly have us for a meal, an asteroid on a collision course, and have no way of knowing if the other ships in our expedition know of our fate. Only to make matters worse, a hurricane has moved into the area.
We’ve taken shelter in a cave, however, while its sheltering us from the raging storm, it’s caused some difficulties of its own; we’re not the only beings wanting shelter. A herd of Terran dinosaurs, which how they got here is beside me, has come charging in looking for shelter. The crew has gallantly held them off to this point, but our numbers are running thin, and we have a new guest to worry about, one that dwarfs the others in comparison. While its only one beast, it’s potential to cause more hardship is greater.
While most of the crew is fending off unwanted guests, another group, comprised of a number of security officers and one of our Science officers Lt. Tregelen, went investigating deeper within the caves to check for other hostile creatures. When contact was lost, my First Officer Lt. Harrison-Black and Chief Tactical Officer LCdr Barrett went searching for the missing group. No one has heard anything from either group since.
While I’m presently deeply concerned with the safety of the crew, I’m even more concerned with what’s ahead; there’s an asteroid on a collision course for this planet and will strike in roughly 6 days only about 500 kilometers from our current location. If we can’t get off this planet soon, we’ll join these Dinosaurs in extinction.
End Log.
Stardate 20509.21
Stardate 20509.21 Captain’s Log Stardate 20509.21 Captain Joseph E. Valiant Recording
The danger posed to our camp has been evaded. Quick thinking of the crew sent the large creature running back to the forest from where it came. I can only hope it won’t return.
There still is no contact from the teams within the cave; I can only hope they’re alright. I’ll give them a little while more before sending a search part for them.
I just hope that the team within the cave has found some answers, and a way to get us off this soon to be doomed planet and that’s what is holding them up from contacting us.
Times ticking, the question is however, can we get off this planet before the buzzer.
End Log.
Stardate 20510.15
Stardate 20510.15 Captain’s Log Stardate 20510.15 Captain Joseph E. Valiant Recording
Finally something more positive to report, the crew of the USS Yeager has been safely evacuated off that doomed planet by the noble crew of the USS Titan. While I’m still unsure how they were able to enter orbit without suffering our same fate, or how they were able to detect us, I’m quite thankful they did. Because of the crew of the Titan I now sit here in comfort once again, no longer afraid of being some vicious creatures next meal.
Currently I’m on my way to the Titan’s Bridge to meet up with Captain Daher to discuss just exactly how we’re going to recover the sunken Yeager. While slicing the Yeager up into small manageable pieces with the ships phasers from orbit is an option, I’m against the idea and hope Captain Daher is too. There’s still a lot left of value in the Yeager, most of the space frame is intact, the computer core still might be of some value, the warp core, our sensors, and other such items; there’s a lot that can be scavenged for parts for other ships in the fleet, and with the current state of the Federation after the Borg invasion, parting out the Yeager is a perfectly sound option. The only problem with not slicing the ship up is that the Titan alone would likely not be able to pull the ship up with its tractor beams.
Right now the fate of the Yeager, what’s left of it, is in Captain Dahers hands, I can only hope he sees things from my point of view and attempts a full recovery of the ship instead of slicing it up.
End Log.
Stardate 20510.20
Stardate 20510.20 Captain’s Log Stardate 20510.20 Captain Joseph E. Valiant recording
It would seem Captain Daher shares my opinions on salvaging the Yeager and wishes to attempt recovery as soon as possible. Now the question is can it be done? I sure hope so as the alternative, as Captain Daher put it, is to destroy the remains.
On another note, it seems, without me even expressing my feelings, Captain Daher’s feelings on the asteroid destroying the life on the planet falls in line with mine. It’s not our place, and by that I mean an advanced civilization, to determine what happens to creatures nature forced into extinctions so long ago. I do feel however that we should get as much research on these Dinosaurs as possible before the asteroid destroys them, however I’m now only a guest on another ship, and have no say on what resources are expended were. I’m left leave it to Captain Daher’s judgment.
End Log.
Stardate 20511.17
Stardate 20511.17 Captain’s Log Stardate 20511.17 Captain Joseph E. Valiant recording
Currently I’m on the USS Copernicus, and have just got done explaining how the Yeager ended up like it has. The meeting with Captain Godard explaining the Yeager’s fate didn’t go that smooth though. While she didn’t just openly state it, she accused me of incompetence in command. Her doing that lead to a slight argument, however once things started to clam down I think she got all the information she needed.
Meanwhile on the Yeager, several officers are attempting to repair the Yeager so we can fly it home on its own power. While I don’t think it’ll be possible, I surely wouldn’t like to give Captain Godard the satisfaction of towing my ship home, so I commend their efforts.
End Log.
Stardate 20511.20
Stardate 20511.20 Captain’s Log Stardate 20511.20 Captain Joseph E. Valiant recording
This is my last log entry for this mission.
We’re currently in route back to federation space, Yeager in tow again; I find myself frustrated by this reoccurring event. I’ve been constantly wondering if another Captain were in command of this ship, would this still have happened? Have I been the cause of failure, or was this all unavoidable? Have the missions the Yeager been sent to do been far more difficult then the ships abilities? I wish I knew the answer to those questions. I do know however it surely isn’t the ships crew that can’t handle these missions, as it’s my feeling they are the best crew in the fleet, and have performed wonderfully even with the limited resources a scout ship has to offer.
Although the USS Yeager has never come home under its own power, I feel if it wasn’t for this ships skilled and dedicated crew the ship wouldn’t be needing towed home, but rather transported home in a number of cargo boxes.
This ships crew has battled out numbering odds time and time again, yet though these odds are unbeatable, this ships crew has managed to soften the blow of each defeat, which makes me as their Captain proud to have them under my command, I can only imagine how they would perform on a more capable ship if there this good on a scout.
As far as the future of the Yeager, I am uncertain. From what it appears the Yeager is good for nothing more then scrap, but I do know the Engineers at the shipyards are quite good at what they good, so I won’t count a refit out of the equation, even if it does seem unlikely though. I guess only time can tell.
End Log.
Cdr Virginia Harrison-Black
Stardate 20506.09
Stardate 20506.09 First Officer's Log. Stardate 20506.09
First Officer Virginia Harrison-Black Recording:
It had been decided that the Away Team take a shuttle to go down to the planet Wagner's surface leaving me in charge of the Bridge in his absence.
Many of the Bridge crew, including myself are suspicious of these new beings, they seem to know so much about us.
Ships sensors showed that there appeared to have been no scan of the ships records but a small trace of a tachyon signature could be found... why we have yet to determine.
With the Away Team safe on the shuttle I took to the Captain's enormous chair...[Note to myself.. I must once more readjust that chair if I am to spend any length of time sitting in it..]... to await their departure.
Suddenly from nowhere the shuttle flew past the Bridge and had a slight colision with the Yeager setting off the Red Alert... we were to find out later that there was little damage done to the Yeager itself... a small scraping on the hull of the ship and a light possibly damaged by the shuttle or by some other means.
The Bridge crew, including myself were a little alarmed at what had happened, Amalek was furious and I'm sure he would have shot it down had he not known it was piloted by our Captain. However, things soon returned to normal on the Bridge.
Commander Trem was a great help with his Engineering and Scientific knowledge. This being the first real time I had really been left alone in charge of the ship I relied on the opinions and assistance of my fellow crew members.
We followed the path of the shuttle until it had safely arrived at it's designated landing spot.
I can only hope that our suspicions about these people are entirely wrong and they prove to be good allies and not enemies.
We await the Captain's contact with the Yeager with abated breath and wish the away team well in their first contact mission.
End Log:
Stardate 20506.15
Written for and in the absence of the Commanding Officer Joseph E. Valiant. Stardate 20506.15 First Officer's Log. Stardate 20506.15 First Officer Virginia Harrison-Black Recording:
It has been a few days now since we have heard from the Away Team... A large storm swept the planet and crossed the area where the away team landed.
Whilst scanning the area for signs of the away team Amalek found that their Comms signal was in close proximity and not mobile.. this suggested that their badges had been removed..
A worrying time.. What should we do... the only way forward is to launch a rescue mission some how... but how.. they will detect our shuttle launch and we can't beam the team out if they aren't wearing their badges..
Time to discuss options with the Department Heads on the Bridge.
Time is of the essence and a solution must be found..
End Log:
Stardate 20507.26
Written for and in the absence of the Commanding Officer Joseph E. Valiant. Stardate 20507.26 Captain Joseph E. Valiant Recording:
Thankfully due to the quick thinking of the ships First Officer, and its Department heads, a successful rescue attempt was made. It wasn’t that we were in any danger from the locals; however the away team was in danger nonetheless. Everyone was suffering from a drop in bio-neural energy, which if left untreated could have put everyone in the same condition I fell victim too, unconsciousness.
Thankfully we’re back on the Yeager and our condition is improving, the bio-neural drop has stopped and everyone’s condition is going back to normal.
While the cause of this bio-neural drop has yet to be determined, I can only help this problem was only a fluke, and that the problem can be corrected or circumvented so we can continue relations with these very kind and friendly people.
Stardate 20508.05
Stardate 20508.05 First Officer's Log. Stardate 20508.05 First Officer Virginia Harrison-Black Recording
Our arrival at Sharok, we took low orbit around the planet and began making scans to study the types of biological life that existed on the surface.
We became aware that the creatures that inhabited the planet were in fact pre-historic types of dinosaurs. Fascinating creatures, quite a bit larger than those that roamed the Earth at the beginning of time.
It was during the time we were scanning for these creatures that the ship got into difficulties.
A severe Electro-magnetic anomaly began to form around the ship. The ship was buffeted by severe disturbances in the atmosphere. The Inertial Dampeners strained and tried to maintain gravity against the violent motions but they were only partially successful. We began to realize that the anomaly had begun to pull the ship from it's orbit, sending us hurtling towards the planet below.
Things began to happen so quickly as the planet's surface grew ever larger and closer to us.. Sparks began to fly from some of our panels and the Captain stood and called for Blue Alert..
He then took over the helm controls, being himself an expert pilot, and tried to rectify the angle the ship was falling at and slow it's descent so that we all had some chance of survival in the imminent crash.. He was able to after power had been rerouted from other non-vital systems.
Klaxons began to sound as the computerized voice called out warnings of hull breaches and counted out how many seconds to impact.
We looked for a suitable landing spot of dry land to put the Yeager down on but none could be found so we had to head for the sea and hope for the best.
A call went out over the ship wide system to 'brace for impact'.
Before we hit the surface of the water, my life flashed before my eyes... and all I can remember thinking about was if I survived I would spend more time with Amalek.
It seems we have landed on some shelf of land or sandbank under the sea..
I then think I was momentarily knocked out as I don't actually remember the crash.. What I do remember is being dazed, having a headache and a large forming bump on my forehead..
I looked around me to see if I could see any casualties. Being an ex-doctor I knew that I would be needed to treat the casualties but the wound on my head made me feel sick and dizzy.
Fortunately Amalek, although injured, came to help me and together we encouraged each other to concentrate on the tasks that needed to be carried out.
Captain Valiant was knocked out. but moaning, and Amalek, Commander Barrett went over to help him.. Once he regained his feet he decided to spread the word the old fashioned way because the Comms system was down. He disappeared through a door onto the other part of Deck on and the Jeffries tubes to deck two.
Commander Trem had been the most sensible.. he had strapped himself to his seat and was uninjured.. Lieutenant Tregelen was also unconscious, but I managed to bring him around and once conscious and checked for injuries he was able to help me with further casualties.
Unfortunately one of our Bridge Officers died of her injuries.
Amalek suggested to Commander Trem that the shuttles may be in working order and could perhaps be used to ferry us to dry land.. So I sent him away with some others to go and see if It would be possible to use the shuttles.. he was a little reluctant to leave me but he eventually went.
After spending sometime looking for the Captain I decided I had better head for the shuttle bay and see if he had made it there and hopefully we could all make it to safety.
End Log.
Stardate 20508.11
Written for and in the absence of the Commanding Officer Joseph E. Valiant. Stardate 20508.11 First Officer's Log. Stardate 20508.11 First Officer Virginia Harrison-Black Recording:
On my way to the shuttle bay I picked up one or two confused crew members who traveled down with me.. None had seen the Captain... I wondered where he could be?
I had an image of him lying injured somewhere on some deck that was at this very moment filling up with water, and all because he wouldn't wait for me to look at his injuries.
Anyhow we reached the shuttles and found them almost ready to leave, so directing some crew onto one of them and asking if anyone had seen the Captain, but received a negative result on the Destiny.
I saw Amalek so I know that he is safe, and Commander Trem..
I then got onto the other shuttle, Miranda, knowing that there would need to be someone to lead the crew through this crisis in the absence of the Captain, only to find that the Captain was already there.. unconscious but alive, Lieutenant Tregalen was there too, thank goodness I will need a hand with helping the wounded, but nothing could be done for the Captain until we got to dry land.. then I could treat his injuries and try and get him and other crew members on the road to recovery..
Sitting back in my chair in the shuttle Miranda piloted by one of our younger Lieutenant Junior Grades Stuart I ordered a distress signal to be sent to both the Copernicus and the Titan so that they could find us and rescue us.
Hopefully we won't have too long a wait.. I'm not looking forward to spending time on this planet... from the scans we got before the Electro Magnetic anomaly pulled us down, we will be in grave danger from the animals that roam this planet.
The shuttle is landing now, so I have to end this log.. but I hope things turn out ok for all of us.. I don't fancy ending my career or my life by being a dinosaurs next meal.
End log.
