Captain's Log: Moonfall

Posted on Tue Dec 13th, 2022 @ 1:46am by Captain Björn Kodak

Mission: Predators and Prey
Location: Shaddam IVa
Timeline: Mission Day 1 at 0930

[The Bridge]
[USS Sojourner]
[MD 1: 0930 Hours]

It was time. He had to make an entry in the log. It wasn't his favorite thing to do -- in fact, Captain Björn Kodak hated log entries -- but sometimes, you just had to do these things. And so, sitting in his chair and staring at the brown-and-beige swathed moon on the viewscreen, the Chameloid cleared his throat and tapped a series of commands into a PADD. A chime sounded to signal that the device was listening and ready to record every word. The Bridge crew, meanwhile, went about their business with the customary beeps and boops coming from their consoles.

"Captain's log," Kodak began, rambling off the current stardate. "We have arrived in the Shaddam system and entered orbit around the fourth planet's primary moon. Our long range scans were correct: the moon and everything on it seems to be covered or infused with an alloy we've never seen before. Short range scans have confirmed that the element is present in incredible abundance, though we have come across a bit of a hurdle in trying to study the alloy."

Leaning back in his chair, the Captain crossed his left leg over his right. "Transporter and communication technology are both severely non-functional on the moon. It's impossible to get a lock on anything on the surface and nothing beyond very short range communications will work down there. Whether it's the alloy itself or something else about the moon, we don't yet know. But we do have a plan for studying the alloy in question and finding out why the moon blocks some of our technology."

"Commander t'Nai," Kodak continued, "has just left the Sojourner with a full survey and support team aboard the Waverider. We needed too many people and too much equipment to stuff into two shuttles, so the Waverider seemed a great choice to both fit everyone," he smirked, "and serve as a home base while the team conducts a survey of the moon. We plan to use one of the shuttles to periodically fly down, get status updates from the team, and then fly back up as needed."

"Doing a survey this way isn't the most fun," Kodak drawled the last word out, "but we should still be able to get things done. The good news is that, while the moon is on the cold side and oxygen will be a bit thin, environmental suits aren't necessary. The Waverider was packed with plenty of thermal gear to keep everyone warm and there's even supplemental oxygen supplies for anyone who feels the need."

"We're hoping with so many people and so much equipment," the Captain began to come in for a landing, "we can have the survey done in a day. But as always with these things, you never know what wrinkles could pop up. We'll keep you appraised," he promised the Admirals at Pathfinder Station, who would get the log several days from now. "Kodak out," he said, tapping the PADD to end and transmit the recording.

"Well," the Captain said, hunkering down in his chair, "all we can do now is wait. Anyone heard any good jokes lately?" he rasped the question to his Bridge officers, smiling.

*** A post by... ***

Captain Björn Kodak
Commanding Officer
USS Sojourner