2. Sitol Strangers

* **Duration (Real time):** 28 October 2002 - 23 March 2003
* **Duration (Game time):** 2391.01.12 - 2391.01.19
* **Location:** the Sitol system and one third of the USS Epimetheus

## Stardate 2391.01.12 - 2391.01.19

Around 1015 on stardate 2391.01.12 a crewman detected a weird energy reading near the sixth planet of the Sitol system. Rachell Delari tried to analyze this reading, but it had already disappeared. As both the alien species in the Sitol system are pre-warp, Naragona and Delari were dazzled by this clearly artificial phenomenon.

Naragona went to report this to the CO and FO, who in turn decided that an away team would be send out to investigate. Commander Sarin would lead the away team and he chose Lieutenants Ryaanax and Naragona and Ensign Roberts to join him on that mission.

While the members of away team were preparing themselves for their mission, a new officer arrived at Pandora Station: ACEO Ensign Menk Shulti.

At 1400 Commander Sarin, Lieutenants Ryaanax and Naragona and Ensign Roberts went on their way to investigate the weird energy reading. The trip towards the Sitol system was uneventful and went smoothly, though some tension evolved between the two Science officers. Just before their arrival though, Roberts came up with the idea that the energy reading could have been a cloaked vessel. But as this was just a hypothesis and not proven, Sarin chose to continue the mission. Unfortunately, Roberts appeared to be correct and as soon as the Flyer approached Sitol VI, the away team got placed into a strange white room, on the alien's base on a moon of Sitol VI, by some sort of transporting device that went straight through their shielding.

After a little time in the white room, a strange alien appeared before them, though it was only a projection. The alien was Sub-General Selar and from what the away team could hear and see, they had no real hostile intentions... so far. After talking for a while, the alien agreed to release the away team from the containment room and give them a tour of their ship. Even though the alien's mission was still remaining a mystery, small parts were being disclosed from time to time.

The aliens, members of an ancient race, were monitoring certain races in the universe. They are strongly telepathic and control the whole ship by thought. They however kept skeptic about the away team and are, of course, not telling them everything. By a single thought, the away team could be placed back into the containment room on the moon base. The situation is under control for the moment, but could get out of hand at any time... when the aliens have had enough of the away team... or when the away team finds out more then it should...

Meanwhile on the station, the disappearance of the away team and their Delta Flyer was detected, and Captain Janssens instructed Commander Holmes to prepare the USS Epimetheus for a rescue mission. This could be done quite fast because the Engineering department had already started preparations for the normal warp test flight of the ship.

That test flight proved to be necessary when the Epimetheus should go to warp: the warp-engine failed. The engineering department was unable to find the cause or a fix for the problem (it later turned out to be an error in the ship's computer programming), so the Epimetheus saucer section was prepared for separation. Commander Holmes would lead the rescue mission, while Captain Janssens and ACEO Ensign Johnson returned the remaining sections of the Epimetheus back to Pandora Station.

While the Epimetheus was flying towards the Sitol system, the crew analyzed the sensor data collected by the Delta Flyer, and the long-range sensors of the station, and they came to the conclusion that there might be a cloaked ship waiting for them in the Sitol system.

At 2391.01.16, around 0200, contact with the Epimetheus was lost on the station, apparently caused by a power failure. Some time later, this was confirmed by Ensign Shulti when contact was briefly restored, but Shulti's signal is interrupted again.

The aliens also detected the power failure aboard the Epimetheus, and Selar and Tokar decided to translocate the Epimetheus saucer into orbit around the sixth planet to assist with repairs. Sub-General Selar translocated to the Epimetheus with Commander Sarin, Lieutenant Ryaanax and Ensign Roberts to inform them about the aliens plan, and also to tell them what happened to the away team.

After the Epimetheus was moved to Sitol VI, the away team and Selar report to sickbay where CMO Ambria wanted to see them.

While trying to fix a problem with the Epimetheus's aft torpedo launcher, Ensigns Shulti, Delari and Bell also found the cause of the power failure: the ship's systems were infested with micro-organisms, originating from the Din'ghes Nebula.

Half an hour later most systems had been repaired and at 0300 Commander Sarin was able to contact the station again, and inform Captain Janssens about what had happened.

Lieutenant Naragona, who had stayed behind on the alien vessel, found out that the aliens had not only detected the power failure on the Epimetheus; a cloaked Klingon Bird of Prey was heading towards the Sitol system. Naragona informed Ensign Roberts about hir discovery, and Roberts requested to be translocated back to the alien vessel. Some time later Roberts made another discovery aboard the alien ship, but when she wanted to report this to commander Sarin, her signal was interrupted.

The fact that the aliens had detected the Klingon vessel had also been discovered by Dr. Ambria when he picked up part of a telepathic communication between Tokar and Selar about the Klingon vessel. Ambria reported this to Commander Sarin, and the bridge was ordered to find out if there was another cloaked vessel out there. Nothing was found, until the vessel decloaked and opened fire at the Epimetheus.

To disable the Klingon Bird of Prey, the USS Epimetheus needed help from Selar's vessel, but not all problems were over yet. While Commander Sarin was talking to Selar, the alien General noticed that Lt. Naragona and Ensign Roberts, both still on the alien's vessel, had disappeared.

Where the two officers were, became apparent not long after. The Delta Flyer the away team had used to travel to the Sitol system (and which was still being analysed by the aliens) was launched into space and the Flyer hailed the Epimetheus.

Lt. Naragona and Ens. Roberts had been kidnapped by another alien, General Konmar, and they were being held hostage together with two Ferengi from the Bird of Prey. Konmar threatened to kill his hostages if Selar didn't turn over his vessel to Konmar again.

Several hours later, on the station, 'Lord' Baldrick escaped from the brig. One guard was killed, a second guard died some time later in sickbay from his injuries. Security teams were sent to deck 61 immediately to recapture the escaped prisoner.