[M] When the Abyss Looks Back [OOC - Hannelorian & cwlee]

[Hannelorian]

A few weeks, long enough to get to know her a bit. But I'd assume with her transfer from her last ship, she worked it out to bring some of her friendlies along.

[cwlee]

A few weeks, long enough to get to know her a bit. But I'd assume with her transfer from her last ship, she worked it out to bring some of her friendlies along.

Okay, yeah. That's valid.

[cwlee]

Just changed Alexander's bio to the fit the consistency of what was discussed in the IC.

I originally had written that he was assigned to The Sovereign since his graduation from the academy and that would mean he's been assigned there for 12 years. But I think I remember in one of the posts we mentioned that The Sovereign is one of the newer generation ships, so I changed it so that Alexander was posted to a different ship before something bad happened and now he was assigned to the new ship... Let's say within the last ... maybe two or three years.

[Hannelorian]

Ahah and I just asked him about in my last post. That adjustment makes sense, sorry I should have paid more attention to the detail! That was my bad.

[cwlee]

Naw, you're totally okay. I think changing it gives a little more to his backstory any way

[cwlee]

Just brainstorming for what the distress call could be.

This is what I've come up with so far, lemme know what you think.

1. I was thinking an encounter with an unknown alien force where a diplomatic envoy that made contact with them but the aliens turned hostile, destroying everything, and there's nothing left but debris. But there are recordings of the encounters so the Federation would be able to learn something from it and likely launch a counter attack mission.

2. A colony world's experimental energy project malfunctioned, creating a superstorm that is threatening to envelop the entire planet, if it hasn't already (since it has been 2 months), and destroy everything. The people need assistance in stabilizing the projector and also probably evacuate the folks living on the planet/moon.

3. Similarly, a research facility studying a mysterious alien organism accidentally unleashed a deadly contagion, virus? So the distress call is trying to warn them of the imminent spread of the virus, but because the distress call is too far, a lot of the message becomes cryptic. So when our characters arrive, we learn of the situation and quickly figure out how to contain the situation. I think I like this one cuz it would give Dr. Johanna a lot of spotlight I feel like.

4. Lil bit of time dilation? The distress call is coming from a Federation explorer vessel that breached into another hostile dimension. Technology is failing them and they need help escaping or something. Time would work differently in this dimension, so as much as it's been 2 months of trying to respond in the actual dimension, maybe it's actually been a whole generation inside the other dimension. I dunno, something really drastic where it's like wow, time can be freaky.

Lemme know what you think.

[Hannelorian]

Definitely leaning toward 3, that seems up Johanna's alley. For sure. I appreciate you coming up with this. Also just an FYI, I probably won't get a reply up until tomorrow night/saturday morning. I've got a huge work event and then a family thing. I'll do my best!

[cwlee]

For sure for sure. It's actually fun coming up with these ideas. I love sci-fi and I love letting my imagination run wild

Okay yeah, let's go for 3 then. I really like that one too.

And no worries! Have a great time with your event and family! Life comes first. I appreciate you letting me know though.

[cwlee]

So for the virus. Here are my thoughts on it so far.

It's manmade (obviously).

Within 72 hours and on is where I think I was getting creative lol. Let me know what you think about it.

Spoiler: The symptoms I've thought of so far are 

Within 24 hours, they get a bioluminescent fever, where they'll just feel really hot like a normal fever, but they literally just glow in some weird, sickly color.

Within 48 hours, they start to lose sense of time, hours feeling like minutes and minutes feeling like hours; a physical and mental disorientation. Paranoia might creep in.

Within 72 hours and on, anyone infected in the proximity will establish a telepathic link that causes them to experience each other's thoughts and emotions involuntarily, causing mass hysteria. Reality distortion also happens during this phase where perception becomes completely warped and all sense of logic is thrown out the window. They might hallucinate.

Anyone still walking after 100 hours will have established a hivemind-type of connection.

I'm thinking that the Federation was trying to create a population controlling virus that backfired, turning everybody into this zombie like hivemind things.

And per my last post, the commander is going to hand Alexander a data log received from the lead scientist there. That will explain the virus, and I was thinking Doctor Johanna might have a lead on it.

[Hannelorian]

That is actually pretty genius! Very Last of Us meets Star Trek/Stargate. I approve!