Amset returns to the turbolift to await Lt. Quaen. The Captain was correct; the android has no need to breathe. It has no biological components to oxygenate. It is no more susceptible to an infectious biological agent than an organic lifeform would be to malicious code. This advantage over its fellow Starfleet officers makes Amset, in its own estimation, the ideal candidate for the away mission. That Capt. Konieczko also reached this conclusion without assistance suggests that the commanding officer is capable assessing a situation rationally and allocating resources efficiently. Amset approves.
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"No problem working with an AI, sir," says Aurelia, smoothly; she then moves into her station, dropping into her chair and catching up on the situation while the other officers talk.
"Sir, if it changes any of your plans -- now that we're closer, I can tell that the message is coming from a quarantine beacon -- an old one, limited to the system."
"Sir, if it changes any of your plans -- now that we're closer, I can tell that the message is coming from a quarantine beacon -- an old one, limited to the system."
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"Yessir."
Chassy wastes no time in departing the bridge, falling in step with the AI just as the turbolift door opens. The door closes, and following an order for the deck with the appropriate transporter room, she says, without looking: "You will be given a weapon for self-defense, but, ah, do not engage in an open firefight or, ah, go into close quarters unless I say otherwise."
Chassy wastes no time in departing the bridge, falling in step with the AI just as the turbolift door opens. The door closes, and following an order for the deck with the appropriate transporter room, she says, without looking: "You will be given a weapon for self-defense, but, ah, do not engage in an open firefight or, ah, go into close quarters unless I say otherwise."
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The android stares ahead with its blank gold eyes as it replies, "I understand, Lt. Quaen. Be advised, however, that my behavioral constraints do not permit me to engage in destructive action against any lifeform unless explicitly ordered to do so by an authorized party, such as a superior officer. Standing orders with conditional triggers are permissible."
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"Consider this an, ah, explicit order to preserve your own existence in this particular situation, even if it is, ah, at the cost of a hostile lifeform." The turbolift slows, the doors open, and she steps out to a waiting away team of four redshirts, fully decked. Two environmental suits and assault rifles have been prepared, too, and she directs the android to one of the gear sets, "Ideally, we will be indistinguishable from each-other."
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Amset does not understand the rationale behind this directive; its biometric sensors make confusion of one lifeform for another rare, and Amset itself is unlikely to be confused with any lifeforms found aboard the Kihai. Nevertheless, it complies and quickly dons the indicated EV suit.
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She gestures and the team steps aboard the transporter pads, at which point: "Away team to bridge, we're, ah, prepared for deployment."
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Konie simply nods to Thysa to dismiss her down to the medlab and turns to Aurelia. "It doesn't warrant a change as of yet. If you get anything on the virus or anything else you think we should know feel free to speak up."
Konie then finds himself seated in his chair again and boops a button on the arm. "Away team from Bridge. You are approved for deployment."
Konie then finds himself seated in his chair again and boops a button on the arm. "Away team from Bridge. You are approved for deployment."
The transporter operator fiddles with the controls, zeroing in on the scavenger shuttle. The transporter hums, and the room dissolves for Lt. Quaen and her team.
The transporter operator checks his console. "Transporter to bridge. Assault team successfully transported to the scavenger ship, sir."
Lt. Quaen and Amset experience materialization, coupled with the sensation of falling; the lock on the scavenger ship's small bridge was less than perfect, and the assault team falls nearly a foot to the floor. Amset and the others land rather heavily on their feet in the center of the room. The single scavenger present - a male Cardassian in weathered armor - bolts away from the assault team's landing position, toward the closed portal that connects the scow and the Kihai.
Lt. Quaen lands more adroitly than her fellows, free to react.
The transporter operator checks his console. "Transporter to bridge. Assault team successfully transported to the scavenger ship, sir."
***
Lt. Quaen and Amset experience materialization, coupled with the sensation of falling; the lock on the scavenger ship's small bridge was less than perfect, and the assault team falls nearly a foot to the floor. Amset and the others land rather heavily on their feet in the center of the room. The single scavenger present - a male Cardassian in weathered armor - bolts away from the assault team's landing position, toward the closed portal that connects the scow and the Kihai.
Lt. Quaen lands more adroitly than her fellows, free to react.
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Chassy had gone in with breath exhaled, muscles tensed-- who knew what actually lay on the other side of the transport, and being over-prepared had paid off before. It pays off again, the woman landing in a running crouch from the fall...the posture gives her a boost in the sprinter's launch towards the escaping Cardassian, no time to draw her weapon, it's full on tackle time.
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-Back on the Vanguard-
Konie watches the ship on the view screen, he speaks without breaking his gaze. "I want the shuttlebay on Deck 3 converted into a quarantined area. Closed circulation air, any personnel that don't need to be there out. If any do, they are to be prepared to put on an EV suit before we bring them back in."
He boops a button, "Away team from Vanguard, initial sitrep?"
Konie watches the ship on the view screen, he speaks without breaking his gaze. "I want the shuttlebay on Deck 3 converted into a quarantined area. Closed circulation air, any personnel that don't need to be there out. If any do, they are to be prepared to put on an EV suit before we bring them back in."
He boops a button, "Away team from Vanguard, initial sitrep?"
The combined weight of Lt. Quaen and her EV suit strike the Cardassian's back full force, bringing both of them to the ground in a clumsy tangle. The pinned Cardassian kicks and struggles, panicked, but one of the assault team has recovered sufficiently from the initial tumble and moves to help subdue him.
One Cardassian Scavenger Captive has been added to your inventory!
The scow is not large, and a cursory examination to secure the area reveals the following.
The place is not well-maintained; the consoles are cracked and patched, the bare furnishings in the living areas and galley faded and grim with dirt. The EV suits don't permit odors to filter through, but it looks like it wouldn't smell nice. The two areas designated for sleeping have six bunks each. All rooms on this level of the scow are empty of other people.
One Cardassian Scavenger Captive has been added to your inventory!
The scow is not large, and a cursory examination to secure the area reveals the following.
The place is not well-maintained; the consoles are cracked and patched, the bare furnishings in the living areas and galley faded and grim with dirt. The EV suits don't permit odors to filter through, but it looks like it wouldn't smell nice. The two areas designated for sleeping have six bunks each. All rooms on this level of the scow are empty of other people.
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Amset touches his communicator. "The away team has arrived safely on the bridge. One lifeform, Cardassian, encountered. Lt. Quaen has forcibly subdued him."
Chassy's happy enough to let the AI do the sitrep; the woman herself ever avoidant of unnecessary talk. Besides, she's too busy currently trying to lock down the systems on the Scow, or at least give the Vanguard an 'in' to hijack it.
Two redshirts are guarding the hatch into the Kihai while the other is securing- and guarding- the Cardassian.
Two redshirts are guarding the hatch into the Kihai while the other is securing- and guarding- the Cardassian.
After handling systems built by professionals to prevent intrusion, Lt. Quaen finds it decidedly tame to tackle the computers aboard the scow. There is little system security to speak of. The most challenging part is attempting to operate the console from within her EV suit.
The Cardassian has given up active struggling for passive distrustful glaring as the armed Starfleet personnel move around his little ship. He is a little bloodied from the tussle with Lt. Quaen, but the redshirt carrying the medical scanner confirms he's not badly wounded.
The Cardassian has given up active struggling for passive distrustful glaring as the armed Starfleet personnel move around his little ship. He is a little bloodied from the tussle with Lt. Quaen, but the redshirt carrying the medical scanner confirms he's not badly wounded.
Amset continues over the open comm channel, "The scavenger vessel is now secure, Capt. Konieczko."
-Back on the Vanguard-
The Captain smiles still staring forward out the view. "Good. Well done away team. I'll make an educated guess and say our Cardassian friend is not wearing a containment suit? Until we know more about this virus consider him infected. You're cleared to make entry into the Kihai when you're prepared. Report once you're seated there, or a situation evolves."
Konie turns to his tactical (communications) officer, "Raise shields."
The Captain smiles still staring forward out the view. "Good. Well done away team. I'll make an educated guess and say our Cardassian friend is not wearing a containment suit? Until we know more about this virus consider him infected. You're cleared to make entry into the Kihai when you're prepared. Report once you're seated there, or a situation evolves."
Konie turns to his tactical (communications) officer, "Raise shields."
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"Shields up," reports the officer.
"Nothing so far, sir, but I'm working on the problem." She's brought up the feeds of the away team's helmet cameras on her console and continues to work.
The video feeds are interspersed static from the planet's interference, but the images are clear enough. They show the interior of the scow, a dingy place whose sole decoration is a grumpy, captive Cardassian. Three feeds are stable, the guards placed at the hatch and over the captive. One is in motion, examining the poorly kept rooms inside the scow. One is absolutely immobile: Amset, awaiting further instruction. The last belongs to Lt. Quaen, still working with the laboring computer system.