TDRP2227: "Give Us a Sign" (220723)

The USS Taylorholic Durant, referred to as the USS Durant, is named for the late Admiral Taylorholic Durant in honor of her contributions to UFS and for exemplifying what an excellent officer should be. We are honored to bear her name. The Durant is a Luna Class Science Vessel, assigned to explore and chart the unexplored areas of the Delta Quadrant. We are also on diplomatic assignments, as we are usually the first contact for many planets with warp technology. Our Science vessel converts into an impressive combat vessel when warranted.

We use Post Order/Para Roleplay (ParaRP), which means before our Roleplay begins the game master will list each roleplayer's name in the order they will make their posts. This guarantees each person adds to the creation of our fascinating stories. Para RP means our posts are paragraphs that can be short or long, emoting our thoughts and feelings along with dialog. We feel Para RP adds more depth to our stories. If you would like to try Para RP request a ridealong with us! We will be happy to teach you.

Roleplay Times: Saturdays 9:00am SLT
Commanding Officer: Evelyn Rieko
Executive Officer: Greenlantern Excelsior

Moderators: Evelyn Rieko, Greenlantern Excelsior, Evelyn Rieko, Greenlantern Excelsior, Evelyn Rieko, Greenlantern Excelsior

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Evelyn Rieko
Command - Commodore
Command - Commodore
Posts: 1023
Joined: 160328.2122
Duty Post: Commanding Officer
Ship/Station Posted: USS Taylorholic Durant
Grid: 001 Second Life Grid
Has thanked: 319 times
Been thanked: 275 times
Contact:

220722.0348

====OOC======
Sat July 23,2022
OOC Preparation
MISSION TDRP2227
==============


STARDATE: 220723
CREW START TIME: 9:00am SLT

LOCATION TO MEET: USS Durant Bridge
RP STARTS: Hemmer Shuttlecraft (Group one)
RP STARTS: Class M Planet (Group two)


WHAT TO WEAR:
UFS Duty Uniform
Durant Chat Relay
Tricorder
Medical Tricorder (Medical Officers)

MISSION LEAD/GM: Fleet Captain Evelyn Rieko

POST ORDER: Will be decided, and posted, by the Mission Leader just prior to mission start (and sometimes adjusted in the RP if necessary).

ARRIVING LATE? Ensure to enter the scene in a logical manner.
NEED TO LEAVE EARLY? Justify your exit.

SITREP:
Captain's Log
Stardate 24220716

The Durant is on a charting and exploration assignment in Sector 009D, a partially explored area of space. Many of the crew members have become ill, and the medical staff is doing a great job of diagnosing and treating the different illnesses of the officers.

We are still searching for the missing shuttle. I wonder what happened to it and where it is. The shuttle was taken out for a test flight after major repairs, and we haven't heard from it since. They are five hours overdue. I hope it was not badly damaged or destroyed by the level 7 ion storm. I hope the shuttle crew were able to find a way to stay safe. They are out there coping with the situation as best as they can. It's good that the shuttle is being flown by our best pilot. If anyone can get that shuttle safely away from the ion storm it is Lt. Selina Otsuka.

The storm is still growing and has an unusually high amount of radiation in it. I was beginning to think the Durant would have to leave the area and come back later when this storm had passed or dissipated, but then the XO, Captain Hal Jordan manning the tactical position on the bridge saw a blip on his console screen. However, the interference from the ion storm made it impossible to get a reading with long-range sensors. Hal suggested we move closer. We will attempt to move around the edge of the storm to scan and find out what that blip is. If it is the shuttle, transporting them back to the Durant would be impossible with the interference from the storm, maybe a tractor beam would work or some other solution will be found, but we will get out crewmates back. Many times, we have been in situations that seemed to have no way out, but we found a way out. I hope this time will be no different.
-Fleet Captain Evelyn Rieko

https://lcars.ufstarfleet.org/index.php ... Sector_Map

=OOC================================
SIM Concept: Evelyn Rieko
Historian: Hal Jordan (GreenLantern Excelsior)
====================================
User avatar
Evelyn Rieko
Command - Commodore
Command - Commodore
Posts: 1023
Joined: 160328.2122
Duty Post: Commanding Officer
Ship/Station Posted: USS Taylorholic Durant
Grid: 001 Second Life Grid
Has thanked: 319 times
Been thanked: 275 times
Contact:

220724.1109

CAST OF CHARACTERS
=================


Selina Otsuka (Lieutenant), Helm/Operations ((Selina Otsuka))
Carol Ellsworth (Ensign) Science Officer ((Evey45))
Linda Johnson (Ensign) Medical Officer ((Acros30))
Ahnee (Priki Tribe Counselor) ((Evelyn Rieko))
Una (Priki Tribe Healer) ((Zania Turner))
Vrook (Priki Tribe Leader/Protector) ((Ginrai Yamabushi))
Ruark (Priki Tribe High Priest) ((Evelyn Rieko))


Image
Left to right, second row: Vrook, Ruark
Left to right, front row: Johnson, Ellsworth, Ahnee, Otsuka, Una
User avatar
Evelyn Rieko
Command - Commodore
Command - Commodore
Posts: 1023
Joined: 160328.2122
Duty Post: Commanding Officer
Ship/Station Posted: USS Taylorholic Durant
Grid: 001 Second Life Grid
Has thanked: 319 times
Been thanked: 275 times
Contact:

220724.1141

RP NARRATIVE
===========


On board the Hemmer Shuttlecraft:

LT. Selina Otsuka looks worried, her fingers running over the helm console urgently. The ion storm has caught the Hemmer shuttlecraft by surprise while they were scanning it at its edge. The sudden shift in solar winds has placed her and her crewmates in the storm's path. She looks at the monitors in front of her...taking a deep breath, she reads out to her crew "Looks like our warp drive is offline from the radiation and the electromagnetic disturbances have also fried our long-range sensors." "Curses!" she thinks. Selina looks towards the navigational panels, and curses again "Seems like our short-range sensors are...spotty....but still functional" she taps on the panel to make sure. She turns to the Ensigns with her, " Carol, I think we are flying blind, almost." she feels the storm tossing the Hemmer to port. "Can you see what you can do on navigation, find us somewhere to hide from this storm. If we don't, we'll be fried to a crisp by the radiation, as our shields are decaying. Linda," she nods towards the unconscious Torak. "See if you can revive the Vulcan please..and hold his head steady!" Selina grimaces as the storm gives her shuttle another jolt, overhead cabinets bounce open, the shuttle starts to shake and rattle, then another jolt sends Selina bumping her head on the side of the ship. "ouch!"

Ensign Carol Ellsworth holds her breath for a moment. The storm is increasing. All systems were cleared but after a few minutes the ion storm knocked the shuttlecraft and the monitor started beeping. They have more than one problem. The communications have started to fail and that's worrying. She listens to the Lieutenant and nods her head, "Yes Lieutenant Otsuka I'm working on it. I think we have a spot to land. It's not very far from here. If the shields hold then we will be able to land. The data is not complete yet and we don't know if the planet is capable of sustaining human life but is a safe spot from the storm." She runs her hand nervously through her hair while looking at Ensign Torak. He's still unconscious. Doctor Johnson has a very worried look on her face. Carol curses in silence "None of our instruments are working as they should now. We need to land before the shuttlecraft is no longer functional. She looks at Selina ``I have some data now. The atmosphere and the geographical conditions indicate that we've found a class M planet " 

Ensign Linda Johnson: " The temperature is rising here due to the radiation. I hope we can land quickly.

On the Class M Planet. The Priki tribal leaders meet:

Ahnee looks to the other tribal leaders gathered on the beach to discuss the offerings to their main god Sagundi and says to them " We have gathered much fruit.. we have many animals we will sacrifice to our god Segundi.. we must please him so that he can help us. We have many deaths in our tribe. We worship Sagundi with our whole heart..yet he let this sickness take away many" She looks down sadly."We must please Sagundi." She looks to the high priest Ruark "We must give Sagundi a huge animal as sacrifice so that he will spare us and let our tribe grow and know happiness again, as it did many sunrises ago. Ask Sagundi to send us a sign..that he will help us." She looks to their Leader Vrook, "Great one, is this not a good idea?" 

Una listened to Ahnee and agreed, "Yes . . . a sacrifice will appease Sagundi. It will stop the angry mountain and restore life to our people."

Vrook stands up and stares into the sky, he looks down at the beginning of the ritual with nodding approval, "MMmm... Yes..." he replies, "May Sagundi bless us as our sacrifice is given to him!" he looks down in sorrow, "May his mercy be upon us. My own wife was taken from me, as punishment for my own lack of faith. May Sagundi have mercy on us all."

Ruark nods as he listens to Ahnee and Una ``Yes, we will give Sagundi a great sacrifice!" He looks to Vrook, their leader and the strongest warrior and best hunter, "Yes great one, these offerings are good..but I think we should give Sagundi, one of our people. This is something we have not done before. so it will be special. A special sacrifice.. and it may appease Sagundi." He looked down sadly, and then looked again at Vrook, "Yes Vrook, my children were taken from me in this sickness in our tribe. We must appease Sagundi." He looks up in the sky. He shields his eyes from the sun for a moment, then continues " We must appease Sagundi before it is too late.

On board the Hemmer Shuttlecraft:


Otsuka nods to Carol at her side "give me a heading, or at least point me the direction Ensign! I'm a pilot, not a mind reader!" she forces a chuckle, trying to calm her crewmates. Selina notices another red light blinking on the instrument panel in front of her, "our shields are down to 80%. Carol, check the distress beacon, and ensure that it's functioning. If we are going to land on that rock you found, we need the Durant to see us, wherever they are...when the storm passes. Yes, it's getting kinda warm in here. Dr. Johnson, please keep an eye on the environmental systems, being fried in this tin can is not my idea of fun. Let me know how Torak's doing when you..." The Hemmer rolls to starboard all of a sudden as port impulse engines start to choke from the storm's radiation. "Oh..f.. Secure yourselves in your seats, Ensigns. This won't be a cruise, I can promise you that." 

Ellsworth laughs quietly while she listens to Lieutenant Selina "Course Lieutenant. She points to the north and then says "Here are the coordina..." She stops talking when she sees the light blinking.  Selina's voice has a very serious tone because she is worried. Carol nods and checks the distress beacons. "They are starting to malfunction Lieutenant." She taps repeatedly on the screen and looks worriedly at Selina, " We lost the readings when we approached the planet. The scanners are not operating. We need to get out of here fast as our medical condition is getting worse."  She looks at the last data again: the planet has enough oxygen and nitrogen and the data shows the levels of carbon dioxide are not that high. "Lieutenant, we don't have to worry about poisonous gases, although I'm not sure of the weather conditions, all of our instruments stopped working. You are right. We are blind here and we depend on ourselves. Radiation is increasing.  What are your orders?" The doctor injected the drug Hyronalin into her arm after she set course to the small planet. Her arm was itching and she was fighting the urge to scratch it. She can barely read the screen now "All instruments activated." She has been having awful headaches and she has blurry vision.

Johnson feels worried because the shuttle is not functioning well. She is worried about the shuttle landing and about the radiation flooding the shuttle. She used the drug Hyronalin in her hypospray on Carol and on Torak. She has decided to wait until they land to inject Selina with the drug. She wished there was someone that could help them. She hoped for a safe landing.

On the Planet:

Ahnee looks to the high Priest Ruark with wide eyes, "You say give Sagundi one of our people? Sacrifice one of our people! Our tribe is already too small.. we could be taken over by another larger and stronger tribe! We need every person we have, and also it would be much difficult to choose one of our people to give to Sagundi. I love our people, every one of them. How can we choose? I say no tribe sacrifice. I defy you Ruark!"

Una listened to the arguments as she crouched down to pick up some sand within her hands, allowing it to fall.  "Life is like the water . . . calm, but it can sometimes be angry and claim a life to be appeased.  We should seek another way to appease Sagundi . . . one the great god will accept."

Vrook angrily nods, as he walks around, "You are right, Ahnee and Una..." he scratches his chin. "Our people have sacrificed enough. However, if I was the last of our people, I too would lay down my life to please Sagundi." He thinks deeply, "What say you, High Priest? Does sacrifice mean a life from our tribe?"

Ruark looks around at everyone, then back at Ahnee. Inhaling deeply and sticking out his chest, he exhales and says "You defy me? YOU? I have helped you many times Ahnee. I have protected you from beasts and men..and now you defy me?" He looks to Una, "Una, you agree with Ahnee?  Seek another way? " He spread his left hand out and held his spear in his right hand. " I am trying to get help from Sagundi, and giving a tribe member will appease Sagundi. I know it is a big sacrifice. A big sacrifice will please Sagundi.  We will be giving a lot, so we will receive a lot. The fruits, plants and the little animals, the sucohi, and blarma are not satisfying Sagundi, every day more of our people die!! He looks to their leader Vrook as Vrook speaks and he responds, "Yes, great one! I say a sacrifice means a life from our tribe. Is not one life worth giving to save many lives? I say we must give one of our tribesmen to Sagundi!

cont'd
User avatar
Evelyn Rieko
Command - Commodore
Command - Commodore
Posts: 1023
Joined: 160328.2122
Duty Post: Commanding Officer
Ship/Station Posted: USS Taylorholic Durant
Grid: 001 Second Life Grid
Has thanked: 319 times
Been thanked: 275 times
Contact:

220724.1200

On board the Hemmer Shuttlecraft:

Otsuka looks in the direction of Carol's finger and pulls the shuttle towards it, "switching to visual flight rules." The Hemmer begins to rattle less as we drop from the edge of the storm, Selina spots a bluish green planet on the port side and coaxes the shuttle towards it and soon feels the Hemmer start rattling again. "Entering atmosphere Ensigns. You better be right about this planet and we better have land to set this shuttle down on Carol. If not, I'll ask Captain Rieko to cut your dessert rations!" she grins to the young Scientist. "And no orders for now Carol. But if you believe in a higher being, now is the time to say "hi, remember me?" she laughs. She then turns to Ensign Johnson. "Linda, strap Torak in. We don't want him bouncing around in the shuttle. Prepare yourselves for a rough landing" She holds her breath as the Hemmer is enveloped in thick clouds. 

Ellsworth blinks a few times to clear her vision. We are gonna crash if we accelerate more but if we don't we are going to end up dead in this mission. She took the risk. Their priority was to find shelter and they are lucky they found the planet. The shuttle could be destroyed.  Magnetism is affecting everything and navigation is dangerous now. The sound of Selina's voice and words settles her anxiety and she smiles, 'dessert rations', she could eat twice a ration now. She laughs at the mention of praying and relaxes, putting together her hands and looking jokingly at the Lieutenant. "I've been doing that for the last hour."  She presses some buttons to verify data. The shuttlecraft started descending.
She worriedly diverts her eyes for a moment to look at Torak and Linda. "Maybe we could induce a protective comma Doctor, that  would increase his possibilities to survive until Durant can contact us and send help." She shakes her head, if the ion storm reaches level 8, they won't be able to land. She can hear the metal scratching as the ship starts shaking. "Is everyone alright?" 

Johnson hopes Selina can land the shuttle safely. Selina sounds confident and even made jokes. Linda tries to relax.

On the Planet:
Ahnee moves to stand next to Una and looks at Vrook and Ruark nodding her head yes and saying "Yes, I do see that maybe one life is worth giving to save many, but whose life Ruark? Yours?" Would you be the sacrifice?"  She shakes her head and says, "Ruark... I think you are wrong. I think Sagundi would think us fools for sacrificing someone that is of value to our tribe, and everyone is of value, we have become a small tribe." She then adds, " I say no! Do not do this Ruark.." She looks to Vrook, "It is in your hands, great one. You must decide." She suddenly kneels and says "OOoh great Sagundi, I ask that you please have mercy on your children the Priki.. and give us a sign that you do not need a human sacrifice from our tribe. Please, great Sagundi..give us a sign that you do not want a Priki as a sacrifice. We are your children and we love you and we need your help. Send help to us!"  

Una looked to Ruark, "I am healer, so it is my duty to heal, not see that lives are taken. We have not tried other ways to quell Sagundi's anger.  It may not mean sacrificing one of our own when we are so few as it is and vulnerable to attack.  Great leader, I implore you to seek out other ways to please Sagundi and curry his favor."

Vrook grunts angrily, "Then you know what?! You wish a blood offering?" he pulls out a flint dagger and holds it upward, "Who wants to go first?" He points the blade at Ruark, "You?", taps it against his chest, "Or you? Una. Perhaps all of us should give a blood offering? Maybe it's all of us that have committed sin against Sagundi that have caused us to lose many of our people." a tear falls down his face, "I have been grieving the loss of my wife and child, and I felt it was my lack of faith. He created all of this," he waves his hands around, "... yet wants blood for sacrifice?" He raises his hand, "Then let's start with each of us! Why have it for one life, when each of us, the highest of the Priki, purest of pureblood leaders..."  Vrook shakes his head with disagreement, "There will be another way.... and if not... then The Lower World with Sagundi. He turns to the water and screams, "HERE ME SAGUNDI. THE BLOOD OF THE PRIKI WILL NO LONGER FLOW LIKE THE RIVER. YOU WILL ACCEPT NO MORE LIVES FROM OUR PEOPLE! If you accept, then show me a sign!!" He looks to the air and then closes his eyes. 

Ruark looks on as Vrook speaks to each of them of being the sacrifices. He stood very still as Vrook taps the knife against his chest. When Vrook moved the knife away Ruark spoke, "Great one, you are filled with sadness and grief.. it should only be one life given to Sagundi..only one..and one life is a huge sacrifice for our small tribe as Ahnee and Una both have said. I agree that it is a big sacrifice, but I feel it is good. It is what Sagundi wants."  He relaxes as Vrook lowers the knife and changes his mind about them as sacrifices. Ruark continues, "Yes, great one I am high priest, and I will choose the sacrifice...I choose ... " He looks around at them..."I choose Ahnee!. Ahnee you are good and kind and wise. Sagundi will accept you as a great prize, a great sacrifice from his people that need you yet we give you up to him." Ruark looks back at Una, and then to Vrook," Great one, you and Ahnee have asked for a sign... if Sagundi did not want this sacrifice, he would have sent us a sign. There is no sign..there is no other choice but to..." He paused.. he saw something in the sky... fiery... bright in the darkened dusk sky..bright...strange! "Look!" He pointed upward at it. "Look! What is that? A sign from Sagundi???" Then as the noise from the thing in the sky grew louder and it was coming down faster, Ruark shouted to all, "RUN!" 

=^=
User avatar
Evelyn Rieko
Command - Commodore
Command - Commodore
Posts: 1023
Joined: 160328.2122
Duty Post: Commanding Officer
Ship/Station Posted: USS Taylorholic Durant
Grid: 001 Second Life Grid
Has thanked: 319 times
Been thanked: 275 times
Contact:

220725.0016

MISSION IMAGES
=============


Image
Left to Right Ensign Carol Ellsworth (Evey45), Ensign Linda Johnson (Acros30) and LT Selina Otsuka in the troubled Hemmer shuttlecraft (Photo by Selina Otsuka)

Photos by Evelyn RiekoImageAhnee (Priki Tribe Counselor) ((Evelyn Rieko))

ImageUna (Priki Tribe Healer) ((Zania Turner))

ImageVrook (Priki Tribe Leader/Protector) ((Ginrai Yamabushi))

ImageRuark (Priki Tribe High Priest) ((Evelyn Rieko))

ImagePriki Tribe Leaders - Meeting on the beach
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