Conversation with #ussatlantis at Wed Sep 12 20:56:46 2012 on VAdmBlackthorne@ethereal.va.us.darkmyst.org (irc)
(20:56:46) The topic for #USSAtlantis is: The senior staff has just left a briefing about Lieutenant Wright's progress. With a possible weapon against the phantasms and new data on the unique chemical, the Atlantis crew is about ready to take a more aggressive approach on our ghost planet mystery.
(20:56:46) mode (+o VAdmBlackthorne) by ChanServ
(20:58:18) LtJGAlexisWright [Mibbit@w-11-876-382-46.hsd1.wa.comcast.net] entered the room.
(20:58:24) VAdmBlackthorne: Hiya
(20:58:43) CdrTKirr [TKirr@90-43-96-75.res.bhn.net] entered the room.
(20:58:46) LtJGAlexisWright: Hihi, I'm here but literally just walked in the door, afk for a couple minutes while I change clothes feed the cats and throw something in the microwave
(20:58:55) CdrTKirr: No problem.
(21:00:04) mode (+o CdrTKirr) by VAdmBlackthorne
(21:00:34) DoctorTav [Bryan@90-43-96-75.res.bhn.net] entered the room.
(21:00:40) DoctorTav: Good evening
(21:00:50) VAdmBlackthorne: Hiya Doc
(21:01:31) LtKuari [TKirr@90-43-96-75.res.bhn.net] entered the room.
(21:01:39) ColDougMcKnight [Mibbit@hksf-31-96-40-70.bstnma.east.verizon.net] entered the room.
(21:01:52) VAdmBlackthorne: Hiya Colonel
(21:01:57) ColDougMcKnight: Hey.
(21:02:37) ColDougMcKnight: Just so you know, I probably won't be able to stick around long. I'm sick, exhausted, and pouring myself a dose of Nyquil as we speak.
(21:02:57) DoctorTav: Ah, that sucks man.
(21:03:08) DoctorTav: Sorry to hear it. Wish I could really help.
(21:03:42) CdrTKirr: Aw, I'm sorry =(
(21:04:37) ColDougMcKnight: Heh, based on what I've seen, I think I'm okay with you not helping.
(21:05:36) ColDougMcKnight: I'll be fine. I just need a good night's sleep. I've had to stay late the past three shifts to make up for having to duck out for a few hours yesterday.
(21:06:02) CdrTKirr: I actually was in no shape to run a sim earlier...couldn't stay awake all day. Tav gave me some B-12 and it worked like magic.
(21:06:41) LtJGAlexisWright: Thumbs up Dr. Tav!
(21:07:16) ColDougMcKnight: B-12, huh? I'm generally pretty skeptical of that stuff, but maybe I should give it a shot some time.
(21:07:25) DoctorTav: She was wondering how in the world she would do this. I kid you not, I was making her some food, when all of a sudden she practically sprang off the couch and was feeling great.
(21:07:34) CdrTKirr: Well I've had it before but it didn't do much. I guess in those cases I wasn't deficient like I was today.
(21:08:01) DoctorTav: You'd be amazed at how much of the stuff in my hypospray is homeopathic. Not the Oregon type of homeopathic, if you catch my drift.
(21:08:06) CdrTKirr: I was resting with my eyes closed and it was like this mental fog burned away and I was fine.
(21:08:44) LtJGAlexisWright left the room (quit: Quit: http://www.mibbit.com ajax IRC Client).
(21:08:55) LtJGAlexisWright [Mibbit@w-11-876-382-46.hsd1.wa.comcast.net] entered the room.
(21:08:57) ColDougMcKnight: Nice.
(21:09:01) ColDougMcKnight: WB
(21:09:57) CdrTKirr: WB
(21:10:56) LtJGAlexisWright: lrn 2 clik tab insted of x
(21:12:15) CaptainVeshin [TKirr@90-43-96-75.res.bhn.net] entered the room.
(21:15:11) VAdmBlackthorne: :: produces the Ancient Whistle of Earsplitting +12 :: TWEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEEET!!!!!!!!!!!!1
(21:15:33) CdrHarper [Mibbit@vmwi-298-5-24-109.rcmdva.fios.verizon.net] entered the room.
(21:15:50) DoctorTav: :: AA ::
(21:16:04) LtJGAlexisWright: ::A(nomnomslurp)A::
(21:16:41) CdrHarper: ::AA::
(21:16:52) LtKuari: :: gargoyle ::
(21:17:33) CdrTKirr has changed the topic to: After chasing a rogue vessel appearing to be responsible for radically altering at least three planet surfaces to the point of genocide, Atlantis follows Captain Veshin's ship back to the third and latest planet, which is currently undergoing its metamorphosis.
(21:18:28) CdrTKirr: Questions?
(21:18:37) LtJGAlexisWright: I almost feel like "genocide" isn't strong enough to describe what's happening. :(
(21:18:51) DoctorTav: It is pretty horrible.
(21:19:08) CdrTKirr: The wording is diplomatic.
(21:19:22) CdrTKirr: If there's nothing else, let's jump right in so Mike can go rest.
(21:19:30) CdrTKirr: BEGIN SIM
(21:19:30) LtJGAlexisWright: I know, I'm just sayin'
(21:19:30) CdrTKirr: BEGIN SIM
(21:19:31) CdrTKirr: BEGIN SIM
(21:19:54) VAdmBlackthorne: :: stares at the ship on the viewer ::
(21:20:13) CaptainVeshin: :: pulls into very high orbit over the changing world, watching it burn below with scientific intensity ::
(21:20:14) LtJGAlexisWright: Communication channels are closed, Admiral.
(21:21:12) VAdmBlackthorne: I'm not certain they were ever really open.
(21:21:40) LtJGAlexisWright: :: nods ::
(21:22:14) CdrTKirr: :: watches sensors with surprise, fascination, and pity for those that once were, not that there's any trace of them left by now ::
(21:23:01) VAdmBlackthorne: :: wonders what kind of possible explanation can be forthcoming ::
(21:24:14) LtJGAlexisWright: It seemed to be very important to them that we not interfere in this process. The comment about "New Horath" makes me wonder if perhaps they aren't fleeing an ecological disaster on their own world and attempting to terraform a new one to suit their purposes? I'm just speculating, at this point, but...
(21:24:47) CdrTKirr: It is a reasonable assessment.
(21:25:15) VAdmBlackthorne: By killing everyone on the worlds they intend to "terraform"?
(21:25:23) LtJGAlexisWright: The level of fervor makes me think it's either a matter of survival for them, or there's some religious component at play.
(21:26:22) CdrTKirr: Veshin referred to them as 'cattle'. Perhaps they consider them lower lifeforms.
(21:26:22) VAdmBlackthorne: :: frowns ::
(21:26:37) LtJGAlexisWright: Well, sir, they seem to consider the lifeforms that previously existed on these worlds as inferior species. That's the only way I can explain the diffidence with which they could exterminate all life on a planet in order to build a home for themselves.
(21:28:58) CdrTKirr: ACTION> Sensors and visuals indicate, before and after the chase, that the planet is now entering the final stages of metamorphosis, the planet having "cooled" considerably (because we all totally know what the end of terraforming looks like, really).
(21:29:16) LtJGAlexisWright: To be honest, it could be argued that we have no evidence that these planets had any sentient lifeforms.
(21:29:29) VAdmBlackthorne: Irrelevant.
(21:29:48) CdrTKirr: The first planet we visited clearly showed signs of at least the tribal stage.
(21:30:11) LtJGAlexisWright: I agree, sir, but not all species share the same reverence for life that we do.
(21:30:27) ColDougMcKnight: Are we really planning to care WHY they did this? It's mass murder. We stop that. Simple enough.
(21:31:10) VAdmBlackthorne: I agree, Colonel.
(21:31:46) LtJGAlexisWright: When humans cut down forests and killed insect life and displaced native animals to build homes and buildings and cities and metropolises, was that mass murder?
(21:31:46) CdrTKirr: :: turns her attention to the other ship :: I do wonder how long they plan to make us wait before contacting us.
(21:32:36) ColDougMcKnight: I've got their engines, weapons, and main power grid locked in. Say the word, and that ship is dead in space. We bring those people aboard, slap them in a holding cell, and then we can ask all these questions immediately.
(21:33:46) VAdmBlackthorne: We didn't destroy life on a planetary scale. :: nods to the Colonel :: Stand by.
(21:33:51) LtJGAlexisWright: I'm not defending what's happening here, I'm just putting an alternate viewpoint out there.
(21:35:14) LtJGAlexisWright: :: softly, to herself :: Maybe not, but we also weren't spacefaring at the time.
(21:35:31) ColDougMcKnight: And I will accept the possibility that not caring about that alternate viewpoint makes me a small-minded warmonger. But I don't.
(21:36:14) LtJGAlexisWright: :: blinks at the words that were just shoved in her mouth ::
(21:37:02) VAdmBlackthorne: Even the non-sentient life on these planets could have evolved into something sentient in a few million years.
(21:39:13) LtJGAlexisWright: With all due respect, Admiral, when did we start casting judgement on what might have been?
(21:39:54) VAdmBlackthorne: Because we don't bloody well go exterminating life on entire planets!
(21:39:58) VAdmBlackthorne: Hail them again.
(21:40:04) VAdmBlackthorne: I'm sick of waiting.
(21:40:15) ColDougMcKnight: Also, note the plural. Maybe, MAYBE I could understand doing this once, if every effort had been made without success to find an alternate, uninhabited planet. Which, judging by their attitude, I doubt. But survival doesn't explain this...campaign.
(21:40:55) LtJGAlexisWright: :: bites her lip against a comment on logical fallacies :: Hailing.
(21:41:56) LtJGAlexisWright: Continuing to hail on all channels.
(21:42:10) CaptainVeshin: :: growls at being hailed, but with weapons locks on his important systems, punches the response and fills Atlantis' viewer with his annoyed face ::
(21:42:44) LtJGAlexisWright: Channels open.
(21:42:52) VAdmBlackthorne: Captain, I need answers and I need them *now*.
(21:43:38) VAdmBlackthorne: And they'd better be *damned* impressive answers to keep your ass out of my brig.
(21:43:55) CaptainVeshin: The damn sequence failed AGAIN. How's that for an answer? :: storms to the side of view, perhaps kicking something ::
(21:44:28) VAdmBlackthorne: So you're saying that you've failed on at least three planets? What we've seen are your failures?
(21:45:50) CaptainVeshin: :: stops, looking suddenly hopeful, then leans towards them, squinting :: You wouldn't have atmospheric tempering aligners on your deflector, would you?
(21:46:06) ColDougMcKnight: :: Nods to himself, frown still firmly locked in place. It doesn't make any of this acceptable, but this DOES explain his last point. ::
(21:46:36) VAdmBlackthorne: Captain, what are you trying to do, and more importantly, why?
(21:48:04) CaptainVeshin: :: shakes his head and sighs :: No, of course you wouldn't. You wouldn't have reason to. :: crosses his arms, glaring :: You're most likely not from a practically extinct species attempting to terraform a new home planet. No, you're just how here playing police to species not your concern.
(21:49:39) CaptainVeshin: :: to himself, staring off :: It's got to be something in the B-set algorythm...
(21:50:08) VAdmBlackthorne: Practically extinct? So that's why you're doing this, but why do it on planets with life?
(21:50:39) LtJGAlexisWright: (( *singing* America! F*ck Yeah! Goin' to save the muthaf*ckin day yeah! America! F*ck Yeah! ))
(21:51:09) VAdmBlackthorne: (you can say fuck)
(21:51:42) LtJGAlexisWright: ( :P )
(21:53:11) CaptainVeshin: :: squints his eyes again, as if questioning Blackthorne's intelligence :: What other planets would we do it to? You can't reprogram a planet to suit your needs if it has no program to start with! A dead planet has nothing to work from!
(21:53:39) CdrTKirr: :: perks an eyebrow ::
(21:53:41) VAdmBlackthorne: :: knows that's patently false, given Genesis :: Perhaps not with your technology.
(21:54:05) VAdmBlackthorne: Why not just find another suitable world?
(21:54:08) CaptainVeshin: :: backs off a little, as if considering something new :: Perhaps not.
(21:54:29) CaptainVeshin: :: deadpanned :: There isn't one. Horath was unique to our biology.
(21:56:05) VAdmBlackthorne: That you know of.
(21:57:11) ColDougMcKnight: (Yeah, sorry, but I think I'm gonna have to duck out. I'm just staring blankly at the screen, mostly.)
(21:57:24) CdrTKirr: (( No worries, get some rest! ))
(21:57:36) ColDougMcKnight: (Will do. See you all next week!)
(21:57:40) ColDougMcKnight left the room (quit: Quit: http://www.mibbit.com ajax IRC Client).
(21:57:41) VAdmBlackthorne: (Later!)
(21:59:58) CaptainVeshin: :: jerks his chin towards Atlantis :: Easy for you to say with your engines. We can't cover nearly the space you can. What do they got, Warp Six?
(22:01:41) VAdmBlackthorne: :: deadpans :: Far more. Take us to Horath. Perhaps we can help. It doesn't excuse what you've done, but maybe we can prevent any further damage.
(22:01:46) LtJGAlexisWright: :: smirks briefly before schooling her face back to neutrality ::
(22:04:05) CaptainVeshin: :: somehow seems to appear even more sober :: Horath's probably halfway to falling into our collapsing star by now. Why Hora decided to take her, we'll never know, although of course there are theories. :: drops his arms :: At any rate, we don't particularly feel like traveling back four years to check.
(22:04:48) VAdmBlackthorne: Four years? Even if you were successful, how would you get your people here?
(22:06:31) CaptainVeshin: :: sneers :: I told you, we're practically extinct! We don't have a planet left, our ships are all that's left. We've got nothing else to live for but to find a new world that can sustain us.
(22:07:09) VAdmBlackthorne: What are your biological requirements?
(22:08:53) CaptainVeshin: :: throws up his arms :: You have a doctor on board? I can send you our full medical profile if you want. Knock yourself out.
(22:09:19) VAdmBlackthorne: Send it. :: turns to Wright :: Get with Doctor Tav and see if we know of a planet they can live on.
(22:10:33) LtJGAlexisWright: Aye, sir. :: hands off her station and immediately makes for Sickbay ::
(22:11:04) CaptainVeshin: :: not seeming to hear :: I can send you the specs of our terraformers too, if you want. Heck, I'll throw in the life support systems. I don't seem to be in a position to say no, am I?
(22:12:10) VAdmBlackthorne: Not at this point, no. You can accept our help finding a new home, but we will not allow you to destroy any more planets.
(22:12:26) CdrHarper: :: takes over Ops controls when Wright leaves ::
(22:13:05) LtJGAlexisWright: :: breezes into Sickbay, heading for Tav's office :: Doc?
(22:13:44) CdrHarper: :: transfers Ops controls to Helm ::
(22:14:21) CaptainVeshin: :: nods :: I suspected as much, but for what reason I can't fathom. If you can find us a home, though, I really can't complain, although I very much doubt you'll be of any help.
(22:14:44) DoctorTav: :: stands up to greet Wright:: Hello, Lieutenant. What can I do for you?
(22:14:56) CaptainVeshin: (( or rather, I very much doubt you'll be able to find one ))
(22:15:46) CaptainVeshin: :: sends the bio information to Atlantis ::
(22:15:52) VAdmBlackthorne: Hold your position until you hear from us again. This is not a suggestion, just to make myself clear should the translation not be adequate.
(22:16:25) CaptainVeshin: :: sighs the way of an old, tired man and simply cuts transmission ::
(22:17:20) CdrHarper: They are holding position as ordered.
(22:17:55) LtJGAlexisWright: Let me explain... no, there is too much. Let me sum up. These guys are attempting to terraform planets because their homeworld is falling into their sun and they just sent over their medical data and we're supposed to work together to figure out what their biological needs are and find a planet that already meets them. :: looks at Tav expectantly ::
(22:19:45) CdrTKirr: :: looks to Blackthorne ::
(22:21:41) VAdmBlackthorne: :: looks to T'Kirr, his thoughts turbulent ::
(22:21:43) DoctorTav: :: stares, blinks a couple times and leans back on his heels :: Alright. :: At that moment his computer chirps with a message from the bridge. How odd, Tav thinks to himself and points to the workstation on his desk :: I am guessing this is the medical data. :: Tav sits down and turns the viewscreen behind his desk to the view on his monitor so he can look at his screen and still face Wright, while still allowing her to see what he sees ::
(22:22:34) CdrTKirr: They are not under Federation jurisdiction. However, if we can assist them...
(22:23:10) VAdmBlackthorne: Federation jurisdiction or not, we can't allow them to continue what they're doing.
(22:23:45) CdrTKirr: Agreed.
(22:24:21) VAdmBlackthorne: With the entirety of the Federation available, there must be a planet that could support them.
(22:24:28) LtJGAlexisWright: :: takes a seat at the desk and looks at the display with interest ::
(22:29:53) CdrHarper: :: looks at the interior tactical scans of that ship out of curiosity ::
(22:30:29) DoctorTav: :: furrows his brow :: Hmm... These... Horathians... Are tellurian-based life forms... or at least, they are almost indistuingishably similar. I can't quite place the element. They breathe a liquid argon atmosphere. I have never seen anything like this, where did it come from?
(22:32:25) CdrTKirr: :: quietly :: In light of this new information, I find myself even more curious as to what attacked us on the first planet.
(22:32:38) LtJGAlexisWright: From.... Horath, I gather I'm not sure what you mean.
(22:34:23) VAdmBlackthorne: It must be a remnant of their terraforming process. Perhaps we need to examine that either.
(22:34:43) VAdmBlackthorne: *further
(22:35:30) DoctorTav: :: slowly shakes his head with a slight amazement at what he is seeing :: I mean, how am I even looking at this? Theoretically, this kind of life form can't exist. Any of the non-metel elements except fluorine and boron would be toxic to a creature with this genome, not to mention most of the poor metals and noble gases. According to Starfleet medical, this kind of creature should not be able to exist.
(22:37:08) DoctorTav: :: continues scrolling down the report, stops and looks Wright in the eye :: And yet they're humanoid?
(22:37:14) LtJGAlexisWright: ...Well, I guess that would explain why they needed to so dramatically terraform to make it habitable.
(22:37:48) LtJGAlexisWright: :: shares a glance with Tav :: +T'Kirr+ Wright to T'Kirr.
(22:38:37) CdrTKirr: +Wright+ Go ahead, Lieutenant.
(22:40:45) LtJGAlexisWright: +T'Kirr+ Commander, the Doctor and I would like to request some additional data from the... Horathians. Would it be possible to ask them to send over detailed geologic and biologic data on their homeworld, in fact any data at all would be helpful, and any data they have available on their star? I think we have a mystery on our hands.
(22:41:48) VAdmBlackthorne: :: looks over, wondering ::
(22:43:12) CdrTKirr: (( lol right, forgot you were talking to me ))
(22:44:09) CdrTKirr: +Wright+ We will ask. Stand by.
(22:45:19) LtJGAlexisWright: +T'Kirr+ Acknowledged. Also request visual feed from communication be sent down here to Sickbay as well.
(22:45:44) VAdmBlackthorne: Kate, hail them and pipe the feed to sickbay.
(22:45:54) CdrHarper: Aye sir. :: hails and routes ::
(22:46:17) CaptainVeshin: :: pops up, looking busy and annoyed ::
(22:46:28) DoctorTav: :: accepts the incoming feed, and begins to study the foreign captain ::
(22:47:29) VAdmBlackthorne: Captain, we require data on your homeworld as well. Geological, biological, everything you have.
(22:48:47) CaptainVeshin: :: shrugs :: All right. Like I said, knock yourself out. I don't see I have much of a choice. Anything else?
(22:49:04) VAdmBlackthorne: Data on your world's star as well.
(22:49:41) CaptainVeshin: :: smiles grimly :: You got it. :: cuts the comm, and the information arrives two minutes later ::
(22:50:30) CdrHarper: Receiving information and sending it down to sickbay.
(22:50:36) LtJGAlexisWright: Extremely humanoid, especially for a lifeform that is biologically impossible, wouldn't you say?
(22:51:58) DoctorTav: :: stares at the screen that has gone back to statistics :: Yes. Extremely. Extremely. Humm...
(22:54:22) LtJGAlexisWright: :: pulls out her PADD :: So let's start a list of biological requirements for this improbable world. It looks like temperature ranges suiting most known humanoids would be acceptable, which is good because we need Argon as a gas.
(22:55:00) LtJGAlexisWright: (( MAGIC EDIT I didn't say that ))
(22:56:43) CdrTKirr: (( Five minutes ))
(22:56:49) LtJGAlexisWright: :: pulls out her PADD :: So let's start a list of biological requirements for this improbable world. It looks like temperature ranges would need to be quite low for most known humanoids, in order to get Argon in a liquid state.
(22:57:32) CdrTKirr: (( Space is a cold, cold place... ))
(22:57:43) LtJGAlexisWright: You did say breathable liquid argon, right?
(22:58:19) DoctorTav: :: glances up quickly and back to the monitor :: I am not sure how, but yes.
(23:00:06) DoctorTav: :: taps a control on his workstation :: Lieutenant, look at this. Information on their planet and sun. :: Tav is completely confused by what he is seeing, as the facts and figures scroll by :: There is no way that this planet could exist. It certainly could not have started out as it is. What do you make of this?
(23:01:20) LtJGAlexisWright: Wait. Am I reading this right? :: does the conversion, shakes her head, does it again :: I keep coming up with 4.8597 x standard Terran gravity. That... that's a dense planet.
(23:03:18) LtJGAlexisWright: And... it's not very big, either. That's literally bone-crushing gravity.
(23:04:40) VAdmBlackthorne: (No it isn't :V)
(23:04:54) VAdmBlackthorne: (I've personally experience 5Gs!)
(23:05:29) CdrTKirr: (( Will pause after Tav ))
(23:05:33) DoctorTav: :: nods :: And you generally don't find planets that dense that can support life of any type. Let's take these figures and... :: Tav inputs the data, and creates a model that shows the planet starting out several thousand years ago, way too far away from any star to allow for life, moving toward the star at an ever-increasing rate. In short, there is no way this planet started out on this trajectory ::
(23:05:40) LtJGAlexisWright: ( move my decimal or something )
(23:06:04) CdrTKirr: PAUSE SIM
(23:06:05) CdrTKirr: PAUSE SIM
(23:06:06) CdrTKirr: PAUSE SIM
(23:06:15) DoctorTav: :: pauses, bewildered ::
(23:06:38) VAdmBlackthorne: :: paused ::
(23:06:47) CdrTKirr: Thanks for stepping up and being creative. =)
(23:07:39) DoctorTav: And writing Wright and me into a hole? :) I have no idea how we will dig ourselves out of this one.
(23:07:56) CdrTKirr: I didn't write you there, you wrote yourself there!
(23:08:17) DoctorTav: I realize this. And I took Wright with me. I am the kidnapper who went down the well with the person I was putting there.
(23:08:17) VAdmBlackthorne: :: innocent whistle ::
(23:08:19) LtJGAlexisWright: With some big ass shovels that will also move my decimal point to the right a notch, that's how
(23:08:26) VAdmBlackthorne: It puts the lotion on its skin...
(23:08:41) LtJGAlexisWright: What if I *WANT* the hose again?
(23:08:43) DoctorTav: 48 Gs. What are these humanoids made of?
(23:08:57) VAdmBlackthorne: Wolverine. :: sagenod ::
(23:10:20) LtJGAlexisWright: We'd pop like a zit on Horath, y'all.
(23:10:37) CdrTKirr: So, we know who dun it. Still more mysteries abound, though.
(23:10:48) LtJGAlexisWright: We know who dun SOME of it.
(23:10:56) LtJGAlexisWright: Iono who our scary phatasms is.
(23:10:56) CdrTKirr: Dun dun DUN.
(23:12:03) CdrTKirr: Thanks for playing, see you next week.
(23:12:15) DoctorTav: Good night, everyone.
(23:12:42) CdrTKirr: Make sure Mike knows we didn't have to blow Veshin outta the sky.
(23:12:46) LtKuari left the room.
(23:12:47) CaptainVeshin left the room.
(23:12:52) DoctorTav left the room.
(23:13:20) VAdmBlackthorne: Night all!
(23:14:13) CdrTKirr left the room.
(23:14:19) LtJGAlexisWright: nini
(23:14:22) LtJGAlexisWright left the room (quit: Quit: http://www.mibbit.com ajax IRC Client).