Episode 20: Playing Politics, Pt 1

179. Prell chastises Lora on her way out. Lora tries to explain but it’s not really enough. IN THEIR MINDS!

180. We blow 6 relays, 3 on both sides. Skeek is pissed. McHenry is told by the new helmsperson that they’re going to be going past Kiera and should maybe avoid them on our way to 123.

181. Skeek diagnoses that there’s a feedback loop on the engines. Someone has touched his engines. He orders the crew out of the engineering bay and has the EMH watch the front door to keep the space isolated. He asks Prell to begin interrogating the engineering crew to figure out who touched it.

182. We could stay out of the way of the Kierans but it’ll add time. Days. There might be a way to goose it by going close but not too close and going fast but it’d break up if it keeps at max warp for too long. Even at short bursts we can’t make up the time. The course is altered and nominal speed maintained, nice briefing room scene. Aldrin is kinda doing ok. Prell and Zodd make their way to help Skeek.

183.On the turbolift down, Prell and Zodd get acquainted. Lots of emotions about the brother and command and life. It’s hella awkward. Prell tells Zodd to just fuck off. Zodd bums himself out and just kinda gives up. Prell says he’s a badboy and says Zodd should sack up and “Find your resolve”. Zodd goes, “meh, I guess so.” Turbolift doors, mercifully, open.

184. Zodd and Prell are told by Skeek to interview that engineering staff. First Prell makes sure none of the Bellerophon or not-Kierans aren’t involved. They find out it’s not them. Then they interview all the engineers, it’s not them. Running a search, there’s a Dolrean probe embedded in our nacelle. Prell and Skeek check it out.

185.  Skeek and Prell have a walk on the outside of the ship, and see the Dolrean tech. Turns out is some sort of probe that was malfunctioning and fucking with the ship’s power. Skeek remarks to Prell that it reminds him of an octopus. Prell remarks that it doesn’t have the correct number of tentacles. The probe was instead fixed with a plan to spoof the signal later.

186.  The two decide to attempt to send fake data to the Dolreans with the probe. Prell does a little float through space, and Skeek makes a little clip with the footage. Prell pukes his guts out, and Skeek adds it to the clip. Skeek sends bizarre Christmas card to the rest of the ship. “Merry Christmas, you filthy animals.”-Skeek