Episode II “Snips and snails and puppy dogs’ tails”
Captain’s Log; StarDate 2075.16
We’ve been temporarily assigned to anti-pirate duty. Currently we’re patrolling a region of space approximately 500 parsecs from Starbase 18. We’re also very near the Tholian Neutral Zone.
So far we’ve encountered very little pirate activity. Ensign Wimple, our tactical officer, is developing an itchy trigger finger. He hasn’t yet had a real taste of combat. The Light Raider we encountered yesterday managed to escape.
While I know we can handle any threat the Orions could deliver, I hope they take the hint from our presence. Besides, McCooly has been as nervous as a long-tailed cat in a room full of rocking chairs ever since we got this assignment. He does try hard to hide it though and he hasn’t let it affect his duties. I know he’ll calm down as soon as we can be re-assigned.
- CAPT. Johansen
Captain’s Log, supplemental; StarDate 2118.24
We’ve been ordered to report to Starbase 18 immediately. We’re to turn over all evidence we gathered from Chimera Station to Commodore Clark. After that we will be re-assigned to duty in another sector.
I’m puzzled by this reaction to our enquiry.
- CAPT. Johansen
Episode I “FENRIR”
Captain’s Log; StarDate 1844.73
The Republic has been sent to Lyckaon IV, a small colony planet near the Federation/Romulan Neutral Zone. We’re to investigate the disappearance of a group of colonists who broke off from the main colony station.
Doctor Theopolis, the colony director, contacted his representatives on Earth to petition for our assistance. I’m told that he doesn’t often ask for help, especially from Star Fleet.
The splinter group left the main colony station nearly thirty days ago and we don’t know why their director took so long to ask for our help.
We’ve been in orbit for two hours, but we haven’t heard from the colony yet. Frankly I’m a little concerned due to our proximity to the Neutral Zone. Hopefully the colonists didn’t find something that someone wished to remain hidden.
- CAPT. Johansen
After Action Report
Stardate: fuck if I know
Concerning the disapearence of 30 colonists in Lycanthrope IV(or some other damned doggy named planet): We beamed directly to the office of Theopolis whatsitsface, the civil administrator of the Research colony on Doggy Moon IX... or whatever. He then informed us that he couldn't tell us what he did. This made all of us, but particularly me, suspicious. His evasivenes and compulsive flee picking set us all on guard. Then suddenly the lights went out. It was at this point I recieved my painful knee bruise from bravely leeping under a table.
Further investigation led us to the local powerplant where two technicians had been seriously mauled by some feral creature. One of them had been mauled seriously to the point of no longer being alive. I immediately expected foul play. We beamed the survivor up to the ship with the warning that the patient should be quarentiened and observed. Instead he was left in the floor in the middle of the Sickbay until he was mysteriously replaced with a feral creature that preceeded to dismember the medical staff. This seamed like a remarkable coincedence. We then repaired the plant and beamed down a security crew to guard the plant until the creature/thing returned to kill them horribly. By some oversight this never occured.
At this point Theopolis pointed out that caves were nice and that he had some. Recognizing this as a key plot development, I jumped at the chance to expose myself to danger in the caves despite the painful throbing that was now working its way through my leg. Armed only with a phaser 2 ,a crack bridge crew, and half a dozon security guards, I went into the caves alone. We found nothing but dogs. The good news is that two of our security personnel were badly mauled by dog/thingys and we were provided with the missing genetic clue that allowed us to finally grasp that what we were up against were lyncanthropes. Whoo hoo. I love it when we get lucky!!!
Confronting Theopolis, I told him that dead or alive he was coming with me. Then two other people of varying degrees of doggyness entered the room, shots were fired and lines of very important dialogue were spoken, mostly by me. When I thought they'd had enough I got knock on the ground and scrambled for cover. This is were I recieved my painful carpet burn for which I am still recieving treatment.
On the whole, It was damned fine mission, well lead and well followed. I have put the entire away team up for sitations, myself included. Whoo hoo! Party at my place at 0800.
Commander Ace ManCooly(or McCooly... I never can remember)
Stardate: fill in the blank Jeff
Star Fleet had sent us oot to th' edge of th' Romulan Neutral Zone, tae orbit
a wee planet ca'ed Lyckaon IV, where a bunch o' th' colonists had split off
frae the main colony an' disappeared intae th' fog. The chief o' th' colony, one
Dr. Theopolous, was mair than a wee bit hesistant aboot th' reason for it a', but
wi' a wee bit o' coaxin' frae oor Commander Ace he finally admitted that there
had been a bit o' a tussle o'er the richt way to run th' colony. He hadnae ca'ed
for help earlier, o'er a month, which was unco weird, but anyway he had us
doon tae the planet noo. Richt awa', while we were spierin' at him aboot th'
troubles, the colony's power went oot. Rushin' tae the power room, we found
twa colonists clawed altegither, one deid and t'other nearly so, and the power
plant controls a' torn apart as 'twere by a wild beastie. 'Twas nae but a minute
tae get th' controls back tegither an' th' power back oop ('twas a wee simple
system tha' they have there, but 'tis only a sma' startin' colony, after a').
After th' medicus checked o'er th' wounded colonist, Commander Ace had
him beamed back aboard th' ship. Somebody (dinna remember who) found
dog hairs aroond the room, and Theopolous tells us th' missin' colonists had
wandered off towards the mountain caves awa' north. We headed there, an'
found multiple entrances tae th' caves, wi' signs that th' colonists were usin'
one. We headed in, leavin' twa Security at th' mooth o' th' cave, an' takin'
three o' th' probe "fitbas" wi' us. We hadnae gone far in when we heard a
scream (th' Vulcan thought 'twere ahint us, an' so it turned oot); we doubled
back, found one o' th' fitbas torn up, and twa wolves frae th' sound o' them!
We got oot o' th' cave clean, found the Security men deid, and returned to
th' colony. We found oor Dr. Theopolous in a bit o' a stir, an' speired at him
what was really goin' on thereaboots. He wouldnae answer, but his assistant
Ms. Pierce walked in wi' a phaser leveled. Vash got the drop on her, but
missed (hoot! he'll be walkin' sma' in the mess room for a week, I'm thinkin'!),
an' then th' missin' Giles o' th' breakawa' group showed up--lookin' half a
wolf!--an' said he had come tae settle it oot with Theopolous! It was lookin' a
wee bit grim, so I hit th' flair (didnae want to queer Vash's aim!), an' managed
tae sneak off a shot at Giles which did for him, and Vash got Theopolous, and
Pierce surrendered.
The medicus found oot that it was some wee virus that was causing th' wolf
curse, an' Giles allowed as how he had been bitten on Earth at Theopolous'
orders, an' they were tryin' to create a pack o' them devils here in th' new
colony. I guess th' Cap'n is tae take th' three o' them back tae Star Fleet
noo, but there'll be no colony on Lyckaon IV until th' rest are gethered in.
Lt. R.L.S. "Rabbie" MacHinery
Chief Engineer
TO: Starfleet Command
FROM: CAPT. Johansen
STARDATE: 1947.23
RE: After Action Summary - Mission to Lyckaon IV
Upon special request from Dr. Charles Theopolis, the Republic was sent to Lyckaon IV to discover the fate of thirty colonists that had taken it upon themselves to break off from the main colony.
Shortly after beaming down the landing party discovered two colonists who had been badly mauled by some wild creature, possibly canine. One of the two was still alive and was beamed aboard in the hopes that our superior medical facilities could help save his life. Immediately the wounded colonist began showing incredible recuperative powers and we decided to take Commander McCooly’s advice and put the patient under quarantine.
Since the two men were the only remaining reactor technicians from the colony, we sent down some of Rabbie’s own reactor technicians. This allowed the colony to continue operating even if at a reduced capability.
In the meantime Dr. Theopolis revealed his belief that the splinter group, lead by the head reactor specialist Mark Giles, might be holed up in some caves to the north of the main colony station. Based upon evidence of the ferocity of the unseen predator and the advice of Security Chief Su’ushian, the landing party was issued Phaser IIs and received a squad of security reinforcements. Thus armed they performed a lengthy survey of the caves.
The cave system turned out to be vents for a dormant volcano. The mineral composition of the volcanic rock was such that even our shipboard sensors were limited in their capacity to locate any missing colonists. During this exploratory episode, the landing party encountered two wolf-like creatures and suffered two casualties on the security detachment.
It was approximately at this time that the colonist we had brought on board transformed into what can only be described as a large wolf. Unfortunately it was during a check-up by one of the medical staff. She was killed instantly. The junior ship’s surgeon managed to secure sickbay, but the creature seemed to possess incredible strength. It began to rip through secure doors and even some light bulkheads. After it got out of sickbay it killed two more nurses, the junior ship’s surgeon and two of ship’s security. In addition to the dead it managed to seriously injure several crewmen. Fortunately, Su’ushian’s men killed it before it harmed anyone else.
On the planet surface, Commander McCooly was facing serious danger. The landing party had gone back to question Dr. Theoplois further, but when they arrived at his office he was in a distressed state. Shortly thereafter Mark Giles showed up and according to the reports of the landing party challenged Theopolis’ command. Theopolis’ assistant Janice Pierce then stepped into the room wielding a phaser. Acting upon his training and following Star Fleet Protocols, Su’ushian attempted to stun Ms. Pierce, but failed. Theoplois then shoved two of my officers away and attempted to attack Giles. Su’ushian and MacHinery managed to stun both Theopolis and Giles. Ms. Pierce then surrendered.
In questioning the guilty parties afterward, we discovered the following. Quite a few of the colonists are infected with genuine Lycanthropy, previously thought to be pure myth. It seems that Theopolis managed to get infected while on Earth (before being given the Lyckaon assignment). In an attempt to form his own “wolf-pack,” he then infected, or caused to be infected, key members of the crew that would soon be heading to Lyckaon IV.
Giles indicated that he believed that Theopolis had sent a female lycanthrope to infect him while he was on Earth. Afterwards he was convinced that he had no chance of survival on Earth so he should sign up for the Lyckaon mission.
Ms. Pierce confessed that she had been infected after her arrival on Lyckaon. She also helped point out the remainder of infected persons that had not split with Giles. It was the help of Pierce and Giles which allowed the ship’s Marines to round up all the infected persons on the planet’s surface. Everyone was put into suspended animation and taken to Starbase 18.
Neither Theopolis nor Giles has indicated who infected them on Earth. It is my recommendation that an investigation be launched into the Lycanthropes that remain on Earth.
Dr. Munger and Lieutenant Laminack are currently collaborating on the development of a serum that will treat the symptoms of Lycanthropy. Unfortunately, they warn that there may be no way to actually cure it. Fortunately no crewmembers were infected.
I’d like to note now that Commander Ace McCooly displayed conspicuous bravery and excellent leadership. In fact everyone in the landing party performed extremely well given the hazardous circumstances.
Captain Mark Johansen
Commanding Officer, U.S.S. Republic NCC-1371
