Episode 2.01: Brushfire!

[Renny]

Cole considered this.

"You're right, of course, sir. Perhaps though, we could fit a shuttle for the purpose. That way, ship's sensors could keep an eye on the big picture while the shuttle looks specifically for signs of Klingon life signs and technology."

[Patrick Goodman]

OOC: Did we ever get the data from the warning buoys about contacts which didn't supply the proper credentials?

[Davy, aka GM]

OOC: I'll say yes, that data did come in; however, no one has done any analysis of it.

[Patrick Goodman]

Treyva looked from Cole to Styles and back again. "It's not a bad idea, actually," he said. "It was a week and a half between the attack on the Rostov and the Drake arriving on station." He turned to Tobin. "Mr. Les, have we looked at the unauthorized contact data from the system warning buoys?"

[Nolmir]

Tobin quickly consulted his pad. "We collected the data, sir, but it hasn't been analyzed yet. I'll get on that right away."

[Davy, aka GM]

OOC: Nolmir, please attempt an Insight + Conn task vs. Difficulty 1, assisted by the ship's Computers + Conn (7/3).

[Nolmir]

OOC: Insight (9)+ Conn (2) vs. Difficulty 1

Rolled 2d20 : 6, 4, total 10

Ship's assist, Computers (7) + Conn (3)

Rolled 1d20 : 2, total 2

[Patrick Goodman]

I count 4, since the ship is always considered to have a focus. Then there's the Obtain Information points for his role and talent. Very not bad!

[Davy, aka GM]

OOC: 2 Successes for Tobin and 2 from the ship assist. That's 4 Successes vs. Difficulty 1. Success, plus 3 Momentum generated!

The buoys register only authorized contacts for the two months the Rostov has been on station, which corresponds to the frigate's arrival on station - it's likely they downloaded and cleared previous logs for their initial report from Neural. (This is routine.) Only on the day of the Rostov's attack were two signatures briefly detected. The ship's in question appear to go to cloak almost immediately after the first automated challenge is transmitted by the buoys. Both ships are L-9 frigates, designated Sabers by the Federation. The timing of their arrival is consistent with the attack on the Rostov.

OOC: Nolmir, how do you want to spend/bank the generated Momentum? Do you have any questions for your bonus Obtain Information points?

Current
Momentum 2 (3 pending, Tobin)
Threat 11

Well-Oiled Machine Advantage (when a PC or supporting character assists a PC on a shipboard task)
More Aggressive Strategy Advantage (Tyreen)

[Nolmir]

OOC: For forgetting to do this, Tobin really nailed it under pressure!

Hmm ... for the bonus Obtain Info points: Are there any records in the buoy logs of ships leaving the system? And can Tobin verify from the sensor records in the Rostov's log buoy that these were the same L-9s that attacked the ship?

And then bank the 3 Momentum.

[Patrick Goodman]

I am extremely interested in the answer to that first question.

[Davy, aka GM]

OOC:

First Answer: The only ship to leave the system, according to the buoys, was the ship USS Balaclava, which the Rostov relieved on station over Neural; however, the buoys logged five anomalous readings on the edge of the system in the last two months; the last two anomalies appear the day of the attack, simultaneous and close in proximity to each other, about six hours after the Rostov was destroyed, and seem to linger at the outer edge of the buoys' sensor range for nearly a day before disappearing all together.

Second Answer: Tobin and the computers are about 88 percent certain that the L-9s that entered the system before the attack are the same that attacked the Rostov.

[Nolmir]

OOC: Your answers beget more questions!   If I spend a point of Momentum for another Obtain Information, can Tobin tell if the anomalies are consistent with readings of cloaked vessels?

"The logs record only the two Klingon Sabers entering the system since the Rostov came on duty, sir. I can say with reasonable certainty they were the same vessels that attacked her," Tobin informs the captain.

"However, there are five anomalous readings indicated at the edge of the system in the last two months. The last two appeared the day of the attack, simultaneously and in close proximity to one another; they lingered for about a day at the bounds of sensor range before disappearing."

[Davy, aka GM]

OOC: Spending 1 Momentum on Obtain Information to answer the question, "Can Tobin tell if the anomalies are consistent with cloaked vessels?"

Looking at the data on the anomalies, Tobin determines two things:

One, the sensors of the perimeter buoys are not entirely sophisticated enough to provide him the kind of information detail that the Drake's sensors can.

Two, even with the somewhat inadequate data provided, Tobin finds a few points of similarity that the anomalies share with records of cloaked Klingon ships; however, those shared points are hardly conclusive and the computer estimates a 37 percent chance that the anomalies are actually captures of cloaked Klingon ships.

OOC:
Current
Momentum 4
Threat 11

Well-Oiled Machine Advantage (when a PC or supporting character assists a PC on a shipboard task)
More Aggressive Strategy Advantage (Tyreen)

[Davy, aka GM]

OOC: Just to be clear, the computer's 37 percent certainty is due primarily to the lack of sophistication of the buoys' sensors and their purpose to detect ships and perform their protectorate warning protocols. There just isn't a lot of information they can provide on the anomalies.

So, the fact that there's a non-zero chance of the anomalies being cloaked Klingon ships is significant in itself.