AAR: The Yuhop Express: Impulsive Personalities

TValerius · November 18, 2022, 7:16am

Stardate: 98878.7

Filed By:
SCDR T'Valerius

Clearance:

LOCATION Deep Space 13, V774 Tau, Aldebaran.

MISSION USS Dallas (NCC-2019-C) shutdown following malware attack during routine repair & resupply mission that could have put at risk Deep Space 13.

OUTCOME Control of USS Dallas was regained without loss of life.

KEY PERSONNEL

ENS Riker, M. (USS Dallas)
LT Wind-People, A. (Deep Space 13)
LT Vehl, N. (USS Dallas)
CMDR Kermit, E. (USS Valkyrie)
SCDR T’Valerius (Deep Space 13)

NARRATIVE
USS Dallas arrived 98878.3 for routine repairs and loadout for forthcoming missions. Standard docking procedures and medical evacuations were followed. During transport of wounded, transporter function slowed and then halted.

USS Dallas subsequently raised shields and lost communications, prompting precautionary evacuation of the ship from the station. During this process, LT Wind-People managed to make it on board through an open airlock just as the gangway was retracting.

The station was brought to conditions Yellow and Zulu. Docking bay decks were evacuated and traffic control shut exit and entry in anticipation of moving USS Dallas as a priority.

Using internal tractor beams, USS Dallas was exfiltrated from the internal docking bay area of Deep Space 13. Once outside, USS Valkyrie towed USS Dallas to safe distance.

Simultaneously, Lt. Wind-People discovered a potential malware installed on USS Dallas. There was anomalous output in the airlock console and the airlock was non-functional. She warned Deep Space 13 immediately, allowing the station to begin a containment procedure of the main computer core and warned all vessels to not accept communications from USS Dallas and to steer clear of the vessel to isolate and contain the malware and potential damage of nearby ships.

Lt. Wind-People then was instructed to move to the bridge and use her EVA communication as a means to patch communications back with the acting Captain of USS Dallas, Lt. Vehl. USS Dallas eventually found the source of the malware and purged their systems of the cascade virus.

We have identified the person on the image screen as CPO Ashodi, T. Currently serving at Talos Junction. However, the picture does not fully match medical or dossier files (additional scarring on the right side of the face), and as such, it is the leading theory that the image is of the Chief’s Mirror counterpart.

Station security performed a personnel sweep of the station and determined that neither Chief Ashodi nor his Mirror counterpart is on the station at this time.

RECOMMENDATION
Follow-up: Have Talos Junction send CPO Ashodi to medical for full screening, as a verification that the imposter is not on board the station, and send an alert that any CPO Ashodi encountered not on Talos Junction without proper orders is likely a Terran Empire agent at this time.

Related policy change recommendation: Create a formal, immediate action drill based on amended docking policy, to read: “Should a ship raise shields while docked, the ship shall be considered a risk to the station, and shall be towed immediately from the station and to a safe distance.”

RECOGNITION

Recommend Citation: Starfleet Service Ribbon: LT Wind-People, A.

To read: “For swift execution of sound judgment and initiative regarding the actions aboard USS Dallas, stardate 98878.7. The Lieutenant proved instrumental in preventing Deep Space 13 from succumbing to a malware attack with her awareness to the situation, immediately alerting Seep Space 13 Operations and then acting upon what others might have found simply an odd technical glitch. From the earliest occurrence of anomalous activity with the transporter speed reduction to relaying the information she found on screen aboard USS Dallas, Lieutenant Wind-People’s actions ensured that the station remained fully operational during war-time.”

Recommend Citation: Starfleet Service Ribbon: LT Vehl, N.

To read: “For swift execution of sound judgment and initiative regarding the actions aboard USS Dallas, stardate 98878.7. The Lieutenant proved instrumental in securing the station from harm as she lost control of her vessel. Raising shields while in berth, a violation of standard procedures and policy, provided an immediate alert to the station to have the USS Dallas evacuated, and had the malware caused a containment loss of the warp core, could have destroyed the station and the ship. The Lieutenant’s knowledge of operational practices provided instant communication of potential danger that USS Dallas posed to the 20,000 souls aboard Deep Space 13.”

CMDR Kermit, USS Valkyrie was also immediately on station and alert, and pulled the Dallas to safe distance from the station, a feat that would have been difficult with any other vessel.

///ATTACHMENT/// Duty Log-Beta Shift-98877.3.ext
///ATTACHMENT/// USS Dallas Screen Image.jpg ( https://cdn.discordapp.com/attachments/1042573667789443093/1042856474923241472/image.png )
///ATTACHMENT/// Citation recommendation- Wind-People-A 98878.7.ext
///ATTACHMENT/// Citation recommendation- Vehl-N 98878.7.ext

OOCTHANK YOU Brex for such a cool RP experience around what would have been a simple, routine thing! I had a blast!

jackascii · November 18, 2022, 12:55pm

Stardate:
98878.9

Filed By:
Lieutenant Wind-People, Ansha Bast

Clearance:

ADDENDUM
My logs as written for official records:

Security Officer’s Log, Lieutenant Ansha Bast Wind-People, Stardate 98878.4. I was assigned to Deep Space 13’s transporter room ingress and receiving area as the heavily damaged USS Dallas, NCC-2019-C, was brought in to the station drydock berth 1-8-Baker. Command of Station Control was under Subcommander T’Valerius (RRN) (Romulan).

Load out: EVA suit, custom for unspecified bipedal xenomorph, /w ss comlink, w/ HUD, w/ shields; Phaser side arm, std issue, stun mode capable; tricorder, science; fully automatic assault phaser rifle, integrated sniper LD sighting system, w/ helmet HUD interface; chest emblem commlink; knife, utility, magnetic handle; rations for fungal-based lifeform; batteries; consumables.

There were mass casualties and civilian refugees disembarking for the station. We had been aware since 98848.9 and the events at Omega Station, that the Terran Empire had been using surgically implanted explosive devices in the bodies of civilians, which when the transporters started malfunctioning, came immediately to mind. Multiple system failures though suggested another problem.

DS Control had lost contact with the Dallas bridge, as had we. I assume the suspicion that malicious software was installed on the Dallas promulgated decision to cast off the ship before damage could possibly spread (I assumed warp core containment shutdown but learned a software “virus” can propagate. How analogous.)

I did not realize, however, that the decision to cast off was made, and I have entered and secure the station’s airlock. I was in route down the transit portal to the Dallas’ airlock when the bolts on the portal blew, forcing me to EVA and jump into the Dallas.

The Dallas airlock was computer controlled and therefore affected by the “virus”. Attempts to override merely resulted in the display of a male (possibly Thaan) Andorian wagging a finger (see attached). I used a knife to pry open a hydraulics access panel and was able to manual pump the door closed thereby sealing the ship. SOP had dictated my EVA helmet be closed crossing any gantry, portal, or other transit from station to ship.

As a proceeded with instructions from SCDR T’Valerius to proceed to the bridge and make contact with the senior bridge officer on duty, a turbolift opened and I met a team of six Dallas crew members (analized but not listed for brevity) in EVA suits. We compared situational observations. They were sent to close the hatch, which I already closed, so I after scanning their vitals and smelling/seeing/hearing their hormonal output, the prior being catalogued in my suit HUD, as an attempt to differentiate potential doppelgangers from an alternate reality, I will proceed to the bridge. Perhaps Lieutenant Naderi Vehl will have more answers than questions.

–Wind-People OUT-----

Security Officer’s Log, Lieutenant Ansha Bast Wind-People, Stardate 98878.5. I was assigned to Deep Space 13’s transporter room ingress and receiving area as the heavily damaged USS Dallas, NCC-2019-C, was brought in to the station drydock berth 1-8-Baker. Command of Station Control was under Subcommander T’Valerius (RRN) (Romulan).
Detached as DS13 boarding party onboard the USS Dallas.

Load out: See previous entry.

I have made contact with the acting bridge officer of the deck and ship’s Captain, Lieutenant Naderi Vehl (Trill, Height: 165cm, Weight approx 56 kg, sig: HSGG:33858; EM: 3.89 [note KR skew adjusted], PoLi3: no detection). As instructed I handed her my helmet, after using a found headset and the auxiliary attachment ports, so that LT Vehl could make contact with Subcommander T’Valerius. With contact to Deep Space 13 Control established, I stood by as my suit was acting as comm relay to boost the signal.

The on-duty engineering officer, Ensign Riker (as I heard the name), was able to reload systems software which enabled the ship to be brought up safely. I was able to hear that there was some device that was plugged in to the ship’s computers (as I understood it, admittedly I know enough engineering from tactical officer training at the academy). The suspect device was removed apparently and isolated.

With vital systems online and verification of safe usage, the Dallas was eventually able to dock.

By the time this log is being written, the situation has been regarded as handled and all areas secure. We will continue to monitor the transporter indications as well as continue scanning all persons using the airlock for hazardous materials as well as vitals verification (NOTE: Theoretically this might work but I will consult with someone more knowledgeable in the area of alternate realities.)

–Wind-People OUT-----

Vix · November 19, 2022, 6:36pm

Stardate:
98878.7

Filed By:
LT Vehl, Naderi

Clearance:

ADDENDUM
This addendum serves as narrative from the point of view of the U.S.S. Dallas, her acting Captain at the time of the incident, and the key officers who were pivotal in containing the situation. All times used in this log are of the ship’s internal chronometer up to the point of computer system failure, at which point they are estimates.

At 1016 hours, Captain Holmes transferred command of the U.S.S. Dallas to this officer. The reason for command being transferred to the CMO rather than any of the other senior staff is because the most critical task at that time was the transferring of wounded off the ship and onto the station to receive further care. Initially, medical transporters were used, and up until 1038, transfers were proceeding as normal. All urgent and urgent-surgical patients were transferred off the ship, and routine transfers had begun when the transporters suddenly failed.

Initially, the bridge crew had no reason to think that it was anything other than a localized system failure. Diagnosis began on the transporters, and the order was given to continue transporting patients manually. In rapid succession, however, multiple ancillary systems began to fail. Communications, replication, atmospheric controls, primary and alternate sensors, display controls, and other key systems tied to the computer core failed within minutes.

This officer recognized the pattern and suspected a hostile program within the computer was the culprit. Engineering, through the quick actions of LCDR Alnar Keshia, was able to confirm the hypothesis and began working to slow the progress of the virus in any way possible. The helmsman also managed to raise shields before access to her controls were lost, and additional signals through rudimentary morse code messages were sent towards the station as well, informing them of the situation and recommending they move the Dallas away from the station in case the virus attempted to spread there, or barring that, in case the Dallas was brought to a catastrophic failure by the virus in an attempt to cause physical damage to the station. Runners were also dispatched to manually detach the docking umbilical and to get to the computer core around 1045.

However, these runners were immediately halted by the system failure of turbolifts. Without communications, the bridge crew could do nothing else but continue damage control from the only working control surface still usable. Every science and engineering officer on the bridge was hard at work slowing the progress of the virus, which was determined to rip down firewalls just as fast as they were being put up.

However, the raising of shields did inform the station that something was amiss, and soon all docking structures were severed, the station was brought to Yellow Alert, and the Dallas was pushed free of the drydock via tractor beam. The whole process only took an estimated 15 minutes, with the Dallas being a safe distance from the station around 1100 hours.

Because of the lack of command and control capabilities on the bridge, it was only through the individual initiative of other officers that saved the Dallas and the station. Lt. Wind-People’s efforts to manually seal the airlock after the gangway was retracted saved the ship from depressurization. Additionally, ENS Michael Riker’s reboot of the computer core using an earlier OS, followed by his inspection which revealed hostile hardware plugged into the core, led to the Dallas’s systems being reclaimed in earnest by 1130 hours.

Primary and ancillary systems were soon brought back online, and communications were reestablished with the station by 1200 hours. Security officers began sweeping the station, but no infiltrators were discovered. This officer can hypothesize only two ways in which the hostile hardware was attached to the computer core: either a highly precise transporter was used to attach it to the computer core during the Dallas’s last mission or insert and subsequently extract a team who did so manually, or an infiltrator was aboard the ship and managed to slip away at an unspecified time prior to the Dallas’s arrival back to the station.

RECOMMENDATION
Add the inner computer core to security sweeps, both via sensors and through physical patrols. Engineering should also add physical checks to their routine preventative maintenance on the computer core in addition to software sweeps, allowing for the detection of any further devices prior to their breaching of key firewalls.

The hardware that is now isolated in engineering should be analyzed to determine its origin, as well as to develop a defense against the virus that was contained within it.

I also recommend that LCDR Alnar Keshia or Captain Holmes herself recognize Ensign Riker, putting him in for a Starfleet Service Ribbon for his quick thinking and initiative that led to the hostile malware’s physical origin being detected and subsequently contained. Without his actions, the Dallas may very well have been lost.