Star Trek: Theurgy

PLOT DISCUSSION FOR EPISODE 05's KNIFE'S EDGE

This thread features the hour when the Helmet waits for the third and final Rendezvous, and a showdown with Task Force Archeron begins right in the Rendevouz zone. All Supplemental Threads that are started will have to be set before this time of 0810 hrs. on Day 06, but not afterwards. Just like in the interregnum, Supplemental one-on-one threads are started at your leisure! Supplemental threads should be named Chapter 05: Supplemental [Day XX|YYYY hrs.] Insert Title, and can extend as far back as right after the battle with the Versant and all the way up to 0810 hrs on Day 06, where the third Rendevouz will be set.

In the coming battle, regular shields operable by 50 %, with some emitters still needing to keep out some radiation. Sensor range limited to 10 000 meters.

These are the main tasks to solve, your Mission Objectives on this Vector:

MISSION OBJECTIVES FOR VECTOR 01:

Primary Objectives:
- Survive (or don't, your call) The other Vectors might not arrive.
- Retroactively write the way F'Rell worked with the bridge crew to escape the Savi fighters
- Retroactively write the implementation of tactics from Zyrao Natauna, and/or have them utilised against Savi fighters
- Retroactively write the scenes involving ch'Xinya's particle sensor
- Retroactively write the scenes involving the detection, study and almost finished installation of the Reman cloak.
- Retroactively write the scenes involving the augmentation of the Helmet's warp core.
- Retroactively write the study of Savi remains left aboard after the battle, learning to know the enemy
- Retroactively write scenes where Drauc T'Laus offers to aid to Security after his recovery

Secondary Obectives:
- Retroactively write any one-on-one scenes leading up to Day 06, 0810 hrs. Currently known scenes:
  # Confrontation and settlement between Captain Trent and Zyrao Natauna
  # Dyan Cardamone setting the record straight. Drauc vouches for her when Dyan reports to the Captain and then the Helmet's Chief of Security, Ryuan Sel.
  # Lorad meeting Dewitt, followed by Captain Trent and Ryuan Sel.
- Implementing new ideas or tech for fighting the Savi

New objectives may be added depending on development.

Known staff on the helmet and what ships are in Task Force Archeron both can be seen in the new thread as well as the Main OOC board. :)

Main Bridge & Deck 01: [Show/Hide]Here are some random ideas that have come up for this thread and its retroactive threads!

• Drauc T'Laus, Sera vers Aldnoah and Dewitt are all available for any ideas you guys might have!
• Perhaps there is time for a meeting between Derik Veradin, Suq and Morgan Song, in any combination?
• Ryuan Sel would need to brief Captain Trent and everyone else about Doctor Nicander, especially Vivian Martin and Dyan Cardamone might have a reaction to deal with. :)
• Trent learning about Heather being abducted early on from Sera or Zy?
• Vivian Martin should, despite her orders, tell Captain Trent about the Omega Device early on. Since he has never held the rank of Captain, Trent would know next to nothing about it, however. The Omega Device was also mentioned in passing by the Savi in the last battle.

THIS THREAD IS NOW OPEN FOR ADDED IDEAS AND QUESTIONS FOR EVERYONE!

Well, Lorad's Intro thread has been started. He is just waiting for some kind of rescue, here's hoping. :D

Depending upon the outcome of his first meeting, will depend on who he can interact with. Is he a guest, or a prisoner?

But for sure I think there would need to be some sort of debriefing/interview with someone.
Scene in sickbay of his sister going into stasis.
Some sort of introduction to the ship and crew.
What happens to his ship? You mentioned implementation of a Reman cloak. Does Lorad know or are you doing this on the down low?

That's a start from my perspective.

Just thinking out loud here...

We do have an Asurian ship embedded in Vector 1, complete with its own cloaking device, its gravity guns, maybe even an IFF transponder type device and, just maybe, all sorts of juicy information about the Versant and the Savi. Sounds like a good salvage opportunity to me...

Or bring that saucer into service for later use?

Excellent starter, Stegro! :) Like I said, I will be handling that threaf with Dewitt, so you can expect a reply from me with her when that thread comes up in my posting cue. Is he a guest, or a prisoner? Well, I’d say its not just up to Dewitt and the rest, but his conduct as well, right? Since his sister is in need of medical assistance, I wil likely be writing the EMH Mk I in that thread too.

A hearing with Lorad would be prudent, aside from the initial one in the transporter room. Dewitt can be there, unless you want to jump in here with Trent, @CanadianVet ? This would lead up to some sort of introduction to the ship and crew, but perhaps not led by Trent or Dewitt themsleves, since they have plenty of their plates and might not have time to do the tour, lol. I think we shan’t get ahead of ourselves, but finish the first stages first, right?

As for the cloak, I think if the crew is still to follow Starfleet protocol, Lorad would would be in the loop about it, but the idea with the cloak might not come up immediately, so let’s put that situation on hold for the time being since there are too many what-ifs preceeding that already, right?

As for the Asurian saucer, one reason why the Ventrak cloaking device is a no-go could simply be that Savi/Asurian tech is too incompatible with Federation technology. Besides Kkrek alloy also plays a part in the cloaking functionality, and this the Helmet isn’t coated with. Moreover, if they are to get people inside the Versant, why not use an Asurian saucer that not only can cut holes in hulls, but also have kinetic shielding and can ram into ships and deploy boarding parties?

And we even have a pilot in the form of Dyan Cardamone, right @FollowTomorrow ? :)

Best,

Auctor Lucan

Just thinking out loud here...

We do have an Asurian ship embedded in Vector 1, complete with its own cloaking device, its gravity guns, maybe even an IFF transponder type device and, just maybe, all sorts of juicy information about the Versant and the Savi. Sounds like a good salvage opportunity to me...

Or bring that saucer into service for later use?

In regards to the cloak, you copuld try working on it/with it to start with but who speaks Reman? You might need Lorad to simply translate, might lead to interesting side conversations.

The hearing/interview could be conducted by Leon Marquez ( @Triton  ) no matter where Lorad ends up. Given his history. Would also allow for Lorad to catch up on current events.

Well, Lorad's Intro thread has been started. He is just waiting for some kind of rescue, here's hoping. :D

Depending upon the outcome of his first meeting, will depend on who he can interact with. Is he a guest, or a prisoner?

But for sure I think there would need to be some sort of debriefing/interview with someone.
Scene in sickbay of his sister going into stasis.
Some sort of introduction to the ship and crew.
What happens to his ship? You mentioned implementation of a Reman cloak. Does Lorad know or are you doing this on the down low?

Leon would've met-- well at least seen some Remans when the Romulans joined the war, enough to know that Remans aren't comfortable in the light, and that the Romulans had little regard for their well-being. He'd be there to be a good host and assure him Starfleet means him no harm. It'd be interesting if Drauc's there to lend his two cents of how to 'communicate' with that caste, Leon would 'take under advisement' -- . Just offering Marquez be present at the Debrief instead of Dewitt or Trent, if needed-- they could be on the other side of the observation glass so to speak or present as well (either way works). Either way it'd hopefully expedite his usefulness as a useful asset, hopefully a willingness to assist incorporate the cloak.

- Retroactively write the implementation of tactics from Zyrao Natauna, and/or have them utilised against Savi fighters
^ Blue Zephyr and I talked about this. Wondering when's a good time, relatively early to begin this thread to get posting.

EDIT: Leon doesn't speak Reman but is not one to be belligerent to strangers unless of course they begin acquaintances with hostilities, of course. His first contact for joining Theurgy was ironically, a Romulan, for instance (Drauc) back on Starbase 84. This could work out well. -- however, should Lorad's first act be to engage in a tussle/fight, I'd be willing to co-write that so long as afterwards they shake hands and introduce eachother.

Haha! I have returned! *dastardly gleam*

Dyan could pilot the saucer! She doesn't have the know how. but that's never stopped her from doing anything before. And, if the idea of using the saucer came up, you bet your sweet patootie she'll be the first one to volunteer. Call it Asurian pride, racism, or maybe just adrenaline junky-ism, but she would absolutely love to slaughter Savi.

I'm not fully sure what to do with Derik right now, except something... 'extra curricular' with Suq or Morgan. :D

He's got some minor repair skills, he could help repair damage on the bridge and other locations, help decipher how the saucer piloting controls work. I'd love to have him catch up with F'Rell and others from Resolve, keep that relationship going/develop it further.

If anyone has anything they want to pull Derik into, I'm game. I'll try to brainstorm other options also.

Anyway, maybe I'll throw this out there for whoever's on Vector 01's Bridge to use as an idea. It'll probably involve the assistance of many people to work.

Basically whoever's familiar with Trent and the trick he used to disable the entire task force once, but the Task Force would be more than ready for that this time. Unless, the science and engineers of the Helmet can modify the original viral matrix and make a new one that would breach their computer firewalls.

The upgraded viral bomb can be put in a message buoy, and deployed like a mine, configured to trigger when the ships get close enough, and it sends a message code that hacks the systems of the investigating ships. That'd shut the lot down until they can purge the virus. It's also a non-lethal trick, which may work in the Theurgy's favour.

Great thinking, and while the idea is cool in its own merit, the Soup Sandwich Deus Ex Machina solution was a one-time-off thing, sadly, it being a huge OP thing that I don't think we should use again, especially since the Task Force will not fall for that one again.

Moreover, Sankolov already told everyone to not accept messages or hails from the Theurgy, blaming the AI for the effects of the last message. This is why Trent's words to Slayton has fallen on deaf ears as well. The starships won't risk being infected again, and a message buoy would have to entail them answering the hail.

In other news, Absinthe had some ideas about the cloak and the effects of the failure to activate it. @Absinthe , care to elaborate? :)

In other news, Absinthe had some ideas about the cloak and the effects of the failure to activate it. @Absinthe , care to elaborate? :)

Well, my thought was that about the same time the cloak went active F'Rell reset the warp systems. I figured since reman ships would likely use an artificial singularity instead of a warp core, that the cloak was networked to work with the warp systems. By resetting it the cloak would not have worked, except maybe for a few seconds before failing.

And then we get to the problem. F'Rell likely would not have counted on the cloak using the warp systems in her latest algarythem, meaning that every warp jump would create a slight problem, causing cumulative damage to the core. This would mean that every jump would get us closer and closer to a warp core breach.

But since we can't make a new algorithm in a hurry and because we can't eject the core or shut it down to repair it, we will need to try and keep it stable as it snowballs in terms of damage. Sort of like putting duct tape on a crack as the crack continues to spread. I think the engineering team can handle it, but it would also have the added problem of the EPS network, which is channeled through the nacelles would be getting hotter and hotter, consoles will blow and some places will get stupid hot because the warp field is not stable and the heat is being kept in the ship.

My plan for my next post, which I hope to get up today, will be for a large boom in engineering and the beginning of the cascade failure, stopped by the engineering team, F'Rell included.

After that, the goal becomes keeping the core from breaching and networking the cloak into a fluctuating warp field (we might be able to do this by connecting it directly to the warp field and creating a warp/cloak field and let the cloaking device help stabilize the warp field.

Okay, so my post is up here (https://uss-theurgy.com/forum/index.php/topic,2333.msg17265.html#msg17265) and I changed a few things. The problem was caused by an unregulated power surge going through the cloak and into the warp system, caused by the system being reset at the worst possible second. The coolant system, as seen in Star Trek First Contact, ruptured but was contained by emergency forcefields, so it should function, even though it will continue to leak into the now contained area until the system is shut down and repaired. The warp core itself will need clamps to hold it steady, as seen in Voyager, don't know how they work or why they work, but they worked in Voyager so we can fake it. The final thing will be F'Rell manually working to keep the warp field stable, though if we can fix the cloak we can use it to help keep the warp field stable.

In the meantime, the EPS network will be having problems too, so there might be issues with the deflector, the shields, the phasers, and a number of other systems all over the ship. Not to mention because the coolant system is not functioning right, the ship is about to get hot, like really hot. Like from a nice 20 degrees C (68 degrees for us using the only good system of measurement) to a balmy 40 degrees C (104 degrees for us with the good system). So yeah, a bit toasty. And it could get even hotter if anything happens to environmental controls (wouldn't that be fun?)

So, what I'm hearing is that Veradin really [I[is[/I] tearing the ship apart? LOL He's just doing his best to keep us alive haha. I'm sure the task force is wildly unamused by the variety of trickery going on in the nebula. So now I'm wondering what the next point of action would be while engineering is blowing up and F'Rell is keeping the warp field under wraps. Would it be to hopefully reconvene with the other vectors and somehow escape the fleet and make it to some relative point of safety? Or to get the Sabine back onboard long enough for Veradin to get orders to get them the hell out of there and ultimately giving up the original rendezvous? Or is it our jobs as the writers to make sure all the good things happen, LOL. I'm new to this so bear with me.

At the moment, its kinda wait and see, several writers could turn things either way depending on what they post.

At the moment, its kinda wait and see, several writers could turn things either way depending on what they post.

Like me, who plans more horrors to come~

Here comes Absinthe's horrors:

(https://elmenyloveszet.hu/wp-content/uploads/2015/02/elmenyloveszet-kellemes-husveti-unnepet.jpg)

Their names are - Glothorin of the Yellow Death and Th'Rax'Ius the Destroyer

The final post in Chapter 05: Vertex is up!

Here is the final post:

https://uss-theurgy.com/forum/index.php/topic,2333.msg17766.html#msg17766

And here is the story development poll for the next chapter that will follow. Everyone, go vote! :)

https://uss-theurgy.com/forum/index.php/topic,2428.msg17767.html#msg17767

Best,

Auctor Lucan

Just saying, in my very first post in Vertex, Trent had a message sent to the other Vectors via the heavily encrypted MVAM link, to set an emergency RV point. So between timing issues and communications lag, they still have an option for linking up somewhere other than the "official" meeting site.

Something to keep in mind here.

I know! :)

Leaving the Rendevouz Zone, with little chance that any surviving Vectors would learn where they went - more likely being attacked by Sankolov - hope might be lost for the abductees. Yet the mission could continue, as Ives had ordered, carried out by the last part of the USS Theurgy.

The chance of finding that message, if not actively sent, is quite low, if the Vectors even show at all. The likelihood is still larger that TFA jumps them.

Best,

Auctor Lucan

I'm not going to lie here, the bleakness has been getting to me for some time. One of Star Trek's main themes has been long odds coming through in the end, and so far this episode it's been a whole lot of getting our asses kicked, chewed up, spat out and handed back on a silver platter.

Speaking just for myself, we need a positive outcome somewhere in the near future. And while reuniting the vectors would be a huge win for the time being and offer a reprieve from the great big pile of desperate straits everybody's been in, there is still plenty of room for making things look nasty later on, but at least something that looks like it might be a glitter of hope is needed here.

Just my opinion here.

Sorry to hear that, but I think you are jumping to conclusions even though the poll has just begun. Moreover, do you already know what might and might not happen after either result? ;)

Hang in there, that's my tip, but if you don't want to participate, I can have Dewitt relieve Trent from command because she thinks he is emotionally compromised?

Best Regards,

Auctor Lucan

Trent being relieved would pretty much shelve him for, well, ever. And I'm not ready to ditch him to be the pitiful wreck who's not good to man or beast.

And, frankly, everyone is emotionally compromised, and unless he starts making blatantly illogical calls, I don't think there would be grounds for that yet.

I agree that after the great amount of fighting retreats and losses we've been having, we could use a nice big honking win. But I'm going to watch what comes next. As the boss says, we haven't yet seen what's in store, and I'll maintain some optimism.

F'Rell's insane plan, copied from a discord discussion

The greater the surface area of the dilithium crystals the greater the power output, but the more unstable it becomes
By keeping them from overheating it prevents cracks
If they overheat they crack
If they crack they increase in surface area
Also if they crack they risk totally fracturing and blowing the core
But if the core is precisely controlled, then they can be cracked and increase the power output temporarily, but then the recrystilization sequence must be performed before the core can be brought back online again
So, walk right up to the line of warp core breach and use the power output to both cloak and warp, then shut the thing down before it can fully destabilize.
I figure it's the sort of thing that's kept in the bag until the last possible minute and then just as we drop out of warp we are all but adrift.
A sort of terrifying moment of only emergency power as engineering rushes to repair the damage
We would be limited in distance though, we'd have warp 9 for at least 4 minutes
And we'd be cloaked
It's a worst case scenario button

And, frankly, everyone is emotionally compromised, and unless he starts making blatantly illogical calls, I don't think there would be grounds for that yet.

I agree. I'm on the fence given the new development, or pending such but won't post there until something does get put into play or the CO, whoever it is, gives Leon direct orders. After that, whatever happens (to Dewitt/Trent) happens.  Today's the 7-days mark for KE, and I haven't posted there hence; not that I don't want to or can't- most there is to do is wait. That said, I fully believe the action's gonna be worth the wait. Either way its not worth the 200 words to do nothing.

Auctor: in future MVAM use: Is there a chance that bridge crew [or their writers via ooc] would choose their vector, or, for instance, is Marquez full-time Vector-1 staff at all times, despite his experience on two carriers in the last decade, making him suited/comfortable on the Sword Vector as opposed to the Helmet? I haven't been playing this character much lately, and I assure you, it's not by choice.

Hi!

In regard to not posting and adding to the development, characters don't have to get direct orders, but in the capacity as officers on the bridge, they could have ideas, incentives and actions of their own. They don't have to rely on Trent giving them orders to contribute to the development. That being said, if you have no ideas atm for the development where your character can contribute in some way, or aid by writing NPCs in your character's department, that's fine, then you can just say so like you did now, and if there is a need for specific development in Tactical right then, it can be discussed. No worries about that. :)

In regard to which Vector Leon Marquez would serve on, the Vector being a carrier or not, I don't see how that matters in his capacity as CTO? As CTO, he has nothing directly at all to do with Tactial CONN. Mission/Flight Ops, in the form of Cameron Henshaw, is the officer on the bridge that relays orders from the CO or XO on the bridge to the fighter squadron. The CTO has plenty to focus on as it is with using the shipboard weaponry systems. Tactical and Tactical CONN is - despite the easy mistake given the name - completely separate departments, even having different division colours. The point is that regardless what Vector he'd serve on, it doesn't matter. His tasks would be the same.

So when you write that you haven't been writing Leon Marquez lately, and say it's not by choice, I am not sure I understand. Even if you don't have ideas of your own in how to add to the bridge scene in Knife's Edge, and are just writing reactively to input there, nothing is stopping you from writing Marquez. Here are the opportunities where you can write him aside from Knife's Edge (if you have no ideas of your own to add in his CTO role):
- You can write him during his earlier career, before the Resolve was lost (Director's Cut)
- You can write him together with anyone on the Resolve at any point during the years on the Resolve, lost in space (Director's Cut)
- You can write him together with anyone on the Theurgy on Day 03, before 1500 hrs., when the Asurians and Savi appeared and Ep 05 started (Interregnum 04-05)
- You can write him with anyone on the Helmet between 1600 hrs. on Day 03 and 0800 hrs. on Day 06 (Supplemental, Chapter 05, Part 01, Ep 05)

The point is that you have a lot of opportunities to write Leon Marquez even if you don't have ideas for Knife's Edge. But, if you feel at a loss on how to write him on the bridge, you can just PM me and I could brainstorm with you, or you brainstorm here in the discussion thread, or use Discord as a sounding board for ideas.

I remembered you had a great idea on how to use the Helmet as a "facehugger" on another starship in Task Force Archeron, and even if the symbiotic docking procedure isn't meant for that kind of hostile takeover, and there is no Thea to hack the computer and keep the "victim" ship from firing phasers into the Helmet from within the shield envelope (ouch!)... it is still a really cool idea and it's something to keep in the back pocket for when it's a clear possibility. My point is that your ideas are good and valid, only in that case not doable (yet), so you should brainstorm your ideas more often! Sorry that I had to shoot down that specific idea because of the risks, since it remains really cool. :)

Anyway, no worries on not posting in Knife's Edge this time around!

Best,

Auctor Lucan

My resepects and accord,

Auctor, you've posted before in chapters that since not everyone has met the deadline for whatever reasons or others, This time, it was me; I had to make note that I hadn't posted there. It wasn't because I don't like playing Leon--the contrary. (Update. I got pinged. I can finish this reply and now get posting.)

I feel restricted to Jimmy because he's been involved in more chapter replies--I've been playing him more than anyone else, and Alessia's (confident as I am to playing her) is only a temporary character, so best not to overextend her, lest I overwhelm EAC with proverbial paperwork/too many supplemental when she rejoins lol.  My main inquiry is  if it's possible to avoid a repeat of a choice in which vectors my characters are assigned to in the long run; but I had; If given the choice earlier this year, I would have requested Leon serve on V-2 all this time.
*In defense, My co-audience in Theurgy personally adores the helm as his favorite aspect of Theurgy. Best not disappoint  given the current event.

And The point I raise is that I feel Leon could do some good on V-2; carriers are just his forte for his rank and experience in the Dominion War and following it. Not to mention the fact that if Marquez has to hop into A Danube and ride it into battle to save a downed fighter. Provided any are left lol.

---

- You can write him during his earlier career, before the Resolve was lost (Director's Cut)

I thought about this. Had my share of ideas. I just hesitate to accidentally use historical or past events without running the risk of contaminating any timelines here. Missions during the Dominion War for instance. Past missions, assignments, Kobeyashi Maru test and resolution; I just felt I needed permission for this on account of the chapters taking priority and otherwise irl typing time. But I may do this now that I know I have clearance.


- You can write him together with anyone on the Resolve at any point during the years on the Resolve, lost in space (Director's Cut)
-- Touchy subject. Marquez's best friend was KIA and I'd rather not reflect on the circumstances. I considered it. Even wanted to one on one with Kendrick if that was possible.


- You can write him together with anyone on the Theurgy on Day 03, before 1500 hrs., when the Asurians and Savi appeared and Ep 05 started (Interregnum 04-05)
*Probably not.


- You can write him with anyone on the Helmet between 1600 hrs. on Day 03 and 0800 hrs. on Day 06 (Supplemental, Chapter 05, Part 01, Ep 05)
* I mentioned this to The Ostrich. Vivian and Leon are friends. Worried sick about the other vectors. This is likely in the works, I'll touch-bases.



Thanks for the enlightenment and I've got a surprise as well, something I drummed up out of the sheer desire to add more dimensions to go with the aforementioned solutions.
Time to post.
 (laugh)