Imperial Fringe Online Game Chat Session Log March 23rd 2003
20:26:43 - Kit: I better get the all defrosted soon 
20:29:08 - Kit: How long till the shuttle arrives at the xboat? Is there enough time to start waking people up?
20:31:36 - Methuslah: The shuttle will dock in about fifteen minutes. With the exception of Stewart, you can start waking them up - it will take about twenty minutes in all, but most of the process is automatic. For each one, you will need to make a Medic roll - 4 or above.
20:32:51 - Kit: Kraiger 2D6: 4
20:33:24 - Kit: Deno 2D6: 10
20:33:49 - Kit: I'll leave the xboat pilot asleep for now.
20:34:10 - Methuslah: Phew! Kraiger only just scrapped through.
20:34:18 - Methuslah: He's going to wake up with ice on his nose.
20:34:36 - Kit: 
20:35:36 - Kit: That's what happens if you have to do too many things at the same time. Anything new over the comm channels? Anything from the station or the maneuvering fleet?
20:36:21 - Methuslah: Nothing new, I fear.
20:36:54 - Kit: Oh dammnit.
20:37:22 - Kit: (btw, how long do I have to study/practice to increase a skill?)
20:37:31 - Methuslah: The shuttle pilot has indicated that he will be making final approach shortly. He sounds rather nervous.
20:38:16 - Kit: I try to calm him a bit. What kind of shuttle is he flying? (Range Speed etc?)
20:39:51 - Kit: Hey Ensign Lange. Is your shuttle big enough to store a low berth chamber or two?
20:40:48 - Methuslah: Its an auxiliary tender, customized navy type. With no payload, it can aceelerate at 6g - when pushing the Xboat down, it'll be nearer 2.
20:42:14 - Kit: Considering that we don't know what we are expecting here, I'd rather get the two occupied low berths aboard the shuttle and leave the xboat drifting for now. That way we'll be faster if we have to start running.
20:42:41 - Kraiger: Sorry, got distracted there...
20:42:59 - Methuslah: "I could shove them in the cargo hold. It'll be a tight squeeze. It's not sweat to get the boat, ma'am."
20:43:02 - Methuslah: (No sweat)
20:43:05 - Kit: Hey ice nose, finally awake?
20:43:14 - Methuslah: Hello, Kraiger.
20:43:17 - Kraiger: Hmmm, last time I trust Kit as a doctor....
20:44:06 - Kit: We can take the boat along, but be prepared to jetty it if we have to run fast. Have you heared anything of the main station yet?
20:44:21 - Kraiger: I guess I'll be sitting this out for a bit
20:44:42 - Methuslah: "Not a thing, ma'am. What's happened down there?"
20:45:36 - Kit: For your informartion Kraiger, we're at Romar, the local force is out for a maneuver and could so far not be reached. They didn't know of the war yet, and a short time after we arrived in system, all contact to the main base was lost.
20:46:11 - Kit: Ensign Lange, I have no idea what happened down there. Do you have any Indication of ships appearing in system on your scanners?
20:46:41 - Methuslah: Kraiger, you are beginning to regain consciousness. The tug is about to lock on.
20:46:56 - Methuslah: "Nothing, ma'am. They're supposed o be out in the belt."
20:47:36 - Kit: OK, I prepare to transfer the two occupied low berths onto the shuttle, just in case.
20:47:48 - Kraiger: (OK, I thought I'd be out for a bit) - "Lost contact? Ah crap..." (As soon as I can, I'll start moving around, and prepare my PGMP13 and Combat Armour...)
20:47:50 - Kit: Ensign. Have you tried to hail them?
20:48:21 - Methuslah: "No ma'am. Maintaining communications silence, as instructed."
20:48:25 - Kit: Say Kraiger, once you are up and about, you can help me move these two berths over to the shuttle.
20:48:52 - Kit: Listen Kid, I told you to hail them, this is an emeregncy. Dont ya ever listen to what i say?
20:49:09 - Methuslah: "Locking on...now!"
20:49:27 - Methuslah: You hear a loud clang, and a series of whines against the hull. The the airlock begins to cycle.
20:50:08 - Kit: Ok, waiting and ready (Rifle near, just in case)
20:50:41 - Methuslah: THe lock openes, to reveal a worried looking young man wearing a wrinkled Navy uniform.
20:50:50 - Methuslah: "Er...ma'am?"
20:51:19 - Kit: Permission to come aboard granted Ensign.
20:51:56 - Methuslah: "Thank you, ma'am."
20:51:58 - Methuslah: He steps in.
20:52:18 - Kit: Now, please get on the comm and hail the fleet. Comm silence be dammned. We are at war and they have to know! Especially since something seems to have happened at the base!
20:52:51 - Kit: Or tell me how I can hail them best.
20:53:04 - Methuslah: "Yes, ma'am!"
20:53:05 - Kraiger: (Lemme know when I'm mobile...)
20:53:23 - Methuslah: The Ensign steps over to the comm, and starts to speak. After five minutes, there is still no reply.
20:53:35 - Methuslah: Kraiger - you can get up now. Your nose feels freezing.
20:53:55 - Kit: How far into the belt are they?
20:54:30 - Kit: Hello Kraiger, sorry for the rough waking, but we seem to have another emergency on our hands.
20:54:35 - Methuslah: "I don't know, but off course there are full plans down at the base."
20:55:41 - Kit: Searching for the blindly among the belt seems pretty hopeless to me. We better get back to the base to see what's wrong there. 'sides we need the medical facilities there for Steward.
20:56:37 - Kit: Ensign, lend me a hand to get these two low berths over to the shuttle. Kraiger, how are you feeling?
20:56:53 - Methuslah: "Right."
20:56:55 - Kit: (giving Kraiger a quick medical check)
20:57:07 - Methuslah: The Ensign moves over to the gravity control.
20:57:13 - Methuslah: "Stand by, ma'am."
20:57:50 - Kit: Aw crap, almost forgot Henry (retrieves the cat-like apparatis and stores it in her sack)
20:57:56 - Kit: OK.
20:58:36 - Methuslah: He pushes a button, and the gravity stops.
20:58:49 - Methuslah: You slowly begin to drift up towards the ceiling.
20:59:03 - Kit: OK, adjusting and preparing to move the low berths.
21:01:27 - Methuslah: The low berths unbolt from the deck quite easily, and pushing them into the tiny cargo bay is a piece of cake. They only just fit into the tight space, but they do fit. You are amazed by the cramped crew compartment - only two couches and a control panel.
21:01:59 - Kit: Not much room in here is there?
21:02:54 - Methuslah: "It's only a tug, ma'am. If we need to we can fit a couch in the cargo bay. Besides, there's no gravity 'cept when we acceleerate. Plenty of room."
21:03:31 - Kit: There's more room on the xboat than on the shuttle. Kraiger, you ready for a tight squeeze yet, or do you want to stay on the xboat?
21:04:04 - Kit: Oh well, in that case let's get squeezed in and head for the station.
21:04:47 - Kit: Kraiger and Deno better strap in on the xboat.
21:05:38 - Kit: (I think Kraigers Tongues is still frozen, lemme check that, he's not usually that quiet)
21:06:00 - Kraiger: (Teeth chattering) "'m Ok"
21:06:27 - Kraiger: (Is there room to squeeze PGMP and Combat armour in with me?)
21:07:03 - Kit: Sorry, 'd have preferred to wake you up more gently, but we seem to always be short on time to do things properly. Want some hot coffee?
21:07:28 - Methuslah: Not into the shuttle.
21:07:44 - Kit: (Preparing a nice hot canteen of coffe on the xboat and handing it to Kraiger) Here, that should warm you up.
21:08:41 - Kit: Maybe you should stay in the Xboat. We'll be tugging you. If we have to jettison off, you can still quickly squeeze on in the shuttle.
21:09:50 - Kraiger: "OK, I'll stay here" (drinking the coffee and waking myself up - then preparing combat gear)
21:10:49 - Kit: OK Ensign, let's head back for the station and check out the problem. Maybe someone just fell over a cable somewhere and disabled the comm system. 'ave seen it all happen.
21:11:56 - Kit: Cheer up Kid, we are here now. Whatever the problem may be, we'll fix it.
21:13:10 - Methuslah: "Yes ma'am. I'll have to get in first - pilot sets on the right."
21:14:25 - Methuslah: The Ensign pushes himself deftly into his couch.
21:15:01 - Kit: I follow, taking position in the other couch.
21:15:50 - Methuslah: He hits a faded red button and the hatch slwowly beginst to slide shut.
21:15:58 - Kit: Ok Ensign, take us to the station. Anything I can help with, just holler.
21:16:23 - Kit: (comm test to Kraiger) Kraiger, everything ok back there?
21:17:06 - Kraiger: "Doing fine"
21:17:48 - Kit: Good, Is Deno awake yet? If not, chek on him occasionally will ya?
21:18:18 - Kit: Ensign, how long will we take to the station with the boat in tow?
21:18:46 - Methuslah: "About twenty minutes, with luck."
21:19:15 - Kit: What's Luck gotta do with ETA? That should be pure physics?
21:20:25 - Methuslah: "Not with the dust storms. I might have to circle the base a few times."
21:21:08 - Kit: Dust storms. Interesting. Might they be a caouse for comm problems or for scanners not noticing ships?
21:22:13 - Methuslah: "Possibly the scanners, but the comms should work OK."
21:23:11 - Kit: Hmm. Ok, I guess we'll have to get closer to see for ourselves. (can I keep an eye on the scanners from my position?)
21:23:16 - Methuslah: "To be honest, I've only been here four weeks. This is only my sixth flight."
21:24:24 - Kit: You're doing fine. Just relax and do your job. (dammned, why do we always get the rookie pilots)
21:24:49 - Kit: (I do keep a closer eye on what he's doing from now on though)
21:25:10 - Kit: So where have you been before you came here?
21:25:28 - Methuslah: "OK. Approach guidence systems start, automatic compensators enabled, docking latches secure, thrust in ten seconds."
21:26:24 - Methuslah: "Glisten subsector training academy."
21:27:12 - Kit: So this is your first Navy Term?
21:27:37 - Kit: Are you from Glisten?
21:27:38 - Methuslah: "No, my second."
21:28:02 - Kit: Where did you spend your first term?
21:28:46 - Methuslah: "I was born on Rhylanor. My parents worked in Starport Authority there."
21:29:16 - Methuslah: "I lectured in ADvanced Flight Techniques at Glisten Subsector Training Academy. Clear for ignition."
21:29:42 - Methuslah: He hits a button, and the engines ignite, as he deftly flicks the tug into the atmosphere.
21:30:53 - Kit: (where is Rhylanor, sounds familiar, but I dont have my maps on hand right now)
21:31:11 - Methuslah: He pulls the ship into a long, slow glide path, heading down for the base.
21:31:42 - Kit: I'm from Regina, ever been there?
21:32:30 - Kit: Sounds like an interesting subject.
21:32:38 - Methuslah: (Capital of Rhylanor Subsector, about fourteen parsecs away.
21:33:01 - Methuslah: Kraiger, something seems to be wrong on the Xboat. A series of warning indicators are lighting up.
21:33:22 - Kit: (a subsector, that explains why it sounds o familiar 
)
21:33:28 - Methuslah: "Fraid I didn't get to do much travelling. Took a lot just to get an assignment."
21:34:15 - Kit: Really. How that?
21:34:51 - Kraiger: (I'll try to figure out wahts going on (Computer - 0/ship's boat-0)
21:35:37 - Methuslah: Mak a roll 7 or over.
21:36:08 - Kraiger: 2D6: 8
21:36:11 - Methuslah: "I managed to win an award for skimming - Gas Giants, you know. They signed me up for instructor's duty. Not what I signed up for."
21:37:05 - Kit: So now you are finally at active duty and right in time for a war.
21:37:52 - Methuslah: The jump drive seems to be shorting out as you enter the atmosphere. The damage seems to be spreading throuhg the whole engine section.
21:39:49 - Methuslah: "Now that's what I signed up for."
21:40:50 - Kit: War? Really, there are better ways to see adventure, but I guess you'll see enough of war yet.
21:42:12 - Kraiger: "Kit? There's something seriously wrong back here - the Jump Drive is burning out!"
21:42:27 - Kraiger: (I'll do whatever I can to shut down the power)
21:42:50 - Kit: How can the jum drive be burning out It isn't even active! (can I get over there to check the problem out)
21:43:11 - Kit: Say Ensign, what might be in the atmosphere to damage an inactivated jump drive?
21:43:28 - Methuslah: It doesn't seem to be an electronic problem. It's almost as if components are wearing out.
21:43:46 - Methuslah: I'm afriad you can't transfer during atmospheric re-entry.
21:44:29 - Kit: Ensign, are there potentially hazardous elements in this atmosphere that might damage a jump drive?)
21:44:28 - Methuslah: "Well, as I said, the dust is everywhere. It has a high iron and titanium content. It'd have to get inside the ship to do any harm, though,
21:45:20 - Kit: The engine on the xboat should be sealed against such things (am I correct?)
21:46:06 - Methuslah: It should be.
21:47:08 - Kit: Dammned. I'm afraid there is little we can do right now. If the dust is already in the system (however it may have gotten in there) we'll have to get into a clean dock to check it out.
21:48:22 - Methuslah: "Coming in now. I'll try and go right in."
21:48:52 - Kraiger: (I'll make especially sure that the problem isn't effecting the low-berths)
21:49:11 - Kit: Kraiger, I currently don't know what's wrong. Sounds as if there is a leak somewhere and dust got into the engine. That shouldn't happen, sounds like shoddy workmanship to me, but we cannot fix that until we get down to a clean dock. Try shutting off all power, it just might minimize the damage.
21:49:36 - Methuslah: All forward systems appear to be in good order.
21:50:57 - Kit: Dammned, whenever I trus someone else to check a ship before I start off, something always goes wrong. No respect for the engine those people nowdays, always careless.
21:52:21 - Methuslah: "Those X-boats aren't up too much anyway. OK for Jamps, but no maneuver. This is real flying."
21:53:08 - Kit: They are made just for jumps, but they should be properly sealed anyways.
21:53:37 - Kit: They are highly specialized craft after all.
21:54:21 - Methuslah: "True, but they hardly ever bother doing a proper job on those tin cans."
21:55:40 - Kit: Dontja ever call any ship a tin can, Kid, Or it may just decide to dump you. No excuse for doing shoddy work anyway. If I ever get my hands on the responsible engineer, I'll show him some proper work!
21:55:53 - Kraiger just entered this channel
21:57:01 - Methuslah: "Stand by, we're on final approach. Try and hail them, will ya?"
21:57:57 - Kit: OK (onto comm) Shuttle (enter id her) incoming. request permission to dock, do you read me?
21:58:33 - Kit: Shuttle xyz calling Romar naval base, please read.
21:59:40 - Methuslah: A crackle comes out of the radio.
22:00:24 - Kit: Shuttle xyz please repeat, we cannot read you.
22:01:24 - Methuslah: Nothing but static
22:01:54 - Kit: Seems like there is no one at the other end of the line.
22:02:24 - Kit: (I check the scanners. Anything on there? (massive Zhodani Troop carriers for example?)
22:03:10 - Kraiger: (Kraiger is now in full Combat armour, laser rifle close at hand, charged PGMP in its case nearby)
22:03:19 - Methuslah: Nothing on the scanners.
22:03:26 - Kraiger: "Kit, whats going on? Have you raised the base yet?"
22:03:50 - Kit: No answer from the base, nothing on the scanners either.
22:05:03 - Kraiger: "I've got a _bad_ feeling about this.." 
22:05:14 - Kit: (are there any viewports on the shuttle? Where scanners fail, maybe good old biology can help?)
22:05:53 - Methuslah: The viewscreens are sealed.
22:05:54 - Kit: Ensign, can you circle the base close enough to get some visuals before we get in?
22:06:18 - Kit: (can they be opened?)
22:07:10 - Kit: How big is the base, and can we land as close to medical as possible?
22:08:20 - Methuslah: "I don't want to open the screen unless it's absolutley necessary. The sand erodes the screen, make them useless."
22:09:12 - Kit: Yea, but I'd like to get at least a short peek. Maybe we can open one of them a slit or so.
22:09:38 - Methuslah: "OK, if you insist."
22:09:47 - Kit: At least I wanna know beforehand if I'm gonna land on top of a legion of Zhodani.
22:09:58 - Methuslah: The screen slowly opens, and you see nothing but thick dust.
22:10:10 - Kit: Open one as soon as we gat close enough to taka a look.
22:10:46 - Kit: Are you getting a homing signal from the station?
22:11:10 - Methuslah: "The beacon still seems to be operational."
22:11:14 - Kit: Now that's what I call a dustball. Is visibility here ever any better?
22:11:33 - Methuslah: I'm circling now - the dsut is really thick, though. A very heavy duststorm."
22:12:28 - Methuslah: "This is a really bad day."
22:12:29 - Kit: I guess we won't be seein anything in this soup. Take us dwon slowly (I'l continue peering out into the dust, maybe I can make out something)
22:13:50 - Methuslah: You catch the odd glimpse of the dome of the base, but can see little. The the wind calms for a moment, and you see a gaping hole in the middle of the dome, nearly fifty meters across.
22:14:19 - Kit: Holy shit, the dome is breached!
22:15:06 - Kit: (does it look like an inward or outward breach?)
22:17:47 - Methuslah: Outward. There are large shards ripping out, as if there was a huge explosion.
22:18:21 - Kit: Looks like there has been an explosion. What was below the dome at the center?
22:20:22 - Methuslah just entered this channel
22:20:42 - Methuslah: "The dome was the hole base. Just the fusion reactor..."
22:21:22 - Kit: Checking the scanners for radiation.
22:22:31 - Methuslah: The radiation levels are somewhat higer than normal.
22:22:36 - Methuslah: The engine seems to be beginning to sputter.
22:23:30 - Kit: We have to get down and check what happened. there may be people there in need of aid. Take us down at a short distance.
22:24:07 - Methuslah: "Hold on. I'm having a little trouble with the engine."
22:24:08 - Kit: Something is seriously wrong here.
22:24:23 - Kit: Set us down, quickly.
22:24:57 - Methuslah: A series of warning lights begin to light up across the board.
22:25:00 - Kit: Kraiger, prepare for a little roughness back there. We are experiencing engine problems.
22:26:20 - Methuslah: "Holy crud! Malfunction in main motor. Switching to auxiliary. I'm brining us down - it's going to be a bumply landing."
22:26:40 - Kit: And in case you have not done so yet Kraiger, suit up.
22:27:21 - Kit: Someone has let out the gremlins again it seems.
22:27:22 - Methuslah: Here we go!
22:27:26 - Methuslah: 2D6: 4
22:27:39 - Methuslah: "I've lost it!"
22:27:55 - Kit: (securing my own suit, checking tools and preparing for a bumpy landing)
22:28:07 - Kraiger: (Bracing!)
22:28:13 - Methuslah: The ship piles down, shashing into the deck with a thud. The Xboat flies out of the restriants and is thrown across the landscape.
22:28:33 - Kit: Dammned
22:29:04 - Methuslah: The next think you know, you are both coming too. The tug has been badly damaged - many of the metal parts seem to be eroding away. The base looks somewaht different, like it too is eroding. The Ensing is over his console, knocked out, with blood running from his forehead.
22:29:57 - Kit: Oh dammned. Nobody said anything about anacidic atmosphere. (Checking the ensign.)
22:30:40 - Kit: I try the scanners and check the atmosphere. Something really bad must have happened here.
22:31:29 - Kit: Kraiger, you OK over there?
22:31:38 - Methuslah: Scanners out. The ensign's wound is worse than it looks - he should be fine with a little treatment.
22:32:14 - Kit: I'll give him a quick emergency treatment, then seal his suit.
22:32:38 - Kit: Can I get an analysis of the atmosphere with my medical or technical scanners?
22:32:38 - Methuslah: The atmosphere reads as fine, breathable with no toxic elements. Humidity is about zero, however.
22:33:17 - Kraiger: (As soon as I'm able, I check the low berths) "Roger Kit, OK.... what the hell happened?"
22:33:24 - Kit: Then why the hell is everything eroding? How long were we out?
22:33:51 - Methuslah: The low berths appear to have survived the crash intact, but are now exposed to the atmosphere.
22:34:01 - Methuslah: Your watches read that you wer out about three hours.
22:34:32 - Kit: The engine malfunctioned. Something in the atmosphere here seems to erode metal. The base too is going down, as is the shuttle. Anything of that at the xboat?
22:35:18 - Kit: Whatever it is, it seems to be somewhat slow acting (I hope). Get over here Kraiger, we have to check out the station.
22:35:44 - Kit: (I chekc the low berths for any indication of beginning erosion)
22:36:29 - Methuslah: IT seems to be beginning. They are still functional now, but you don't know for how long.
22:37:27 - Kit: Oh dammned. Kariger, we have to check the base quickly. We maust find a safe place where this erosion can be stopped. Dammned if I only knew what has happened here.
22:37:50 - Kit: (can I tell anything about what is causing this erosion?)
22:38:05 - Kraiger: "On my way" (make my way out of the ship, las rifle in hand)
22:38:10 - Kit: (Is it really just the dust abrasion?)
22:38:23 - Methuslah: You would guess the atmosphere.
22:39:30 - Kit: We have to find a safe place. Kraiger, lets check out the base. We need to find a place that we can seal securely against the atmosphere. (is it affacting only metal or other material as well?)
22:39:37 - Methuslah: This is like nothing you've ever seen before - it could be a trace eleemtn that the systems cannot detect. It doesn't appear to be harming anything but metal.
22:40:53 - Kit: There must be some spray-on sealant soemwehere on the shuttle, for fixing leaks or quenching flames. I use that to cover any exposed metal parts on the low berths and out own equipment.
22:42:09 - Methuslah: (Very good! I hadn't thought of that! )
22:42:22 - Methuslah: It'll take about fifteen minutes to complete the process.
22:42:38 - Kit: I'll take thet time.
22:43:13 - Kit: That should buy us a little time until we can figure out what's wrong here and find a safe place.
22:44:34 - Methuslah: You have now finished protecting essential equipment. The Ensign is beginning to regain consciousness.
22:44:54 - Kit: Ensign, Can you hear me?
22:45:51 - Methuslah: "uhhh."
22:46:24 - Kit: Ensign, if you can hear me, we need your help.
22:47:18 - Kit: What do you know about the atmosphere on this planet an its effect on metal. How do your people protect their stuff from eroding, or is this a new phenomena?
22:49:08 - Methuslah: "I've never seen anything like this before."
22:50:00 - Kit: In that case, we'll have to get into the base to find out what is going on here. Can you walk? We may need your knowledge of the beses layout.
22:50:47 - Kit: (is there a major wind direction or does the wind shift around much?)
22:51:29 - Methuslah: The wind is generally heading from the north, but it is still to thick to see very far.
22:51:35 - Kit: (my point being, if there is a mahor wind direction, and the erosion is worse on the wind away side of the base, we know that whatever is causing this comes from the station)
22:53:08 - Methuslah: It seems to be, from what you can see. The dust is beginning to drop off now.
22:53:59 - Kit: OK, what direction of the base has the shuttle come down and would it be possible to move the low berths away form the windward side of the base so that they are safer?
22:54:37 - Methuslah: The base is just north, about 600 yards. You almost made it.
22:55:16 - Kit: Dammned, right in the line of fire. Can we move the berths or are they too heavy?
22:56:48 - Methuslah: Too heavy without contragrav.
22:57:25 - Kit: We don't happen to have a grav lifter on teh shuttle or xbost?
22:58:30 - Methuslah: Afraid not. There should be several such on the base.
22:59:02 - Kit: Kraiger, ready to go. We need to check out the base. Whatever is eroding the metal here is coming from there.
23:00:07 - Kit: Ensign, you stay here, check the berths for signs of erosion, if you notice any, use this (hand him a sealant can) to cover any exposed parts. And can you give us a quick description of the statiopns layout over comm?
23:00:12 - Kraiger: (Sorry, had some connection probs...)
23:00:35 - Methuslah: "Right, ma'am. Let's hope you find something in there that will help."
23:01:13 - Kit: How many people were on the base when you left ensign? (over comm, since I start heading for the base)
23:01:47 - Kraiger: (Having protected my equipment as well) - lets head for the base (Las rifle ready, I head off)
23:01:48 - Methuslah: "About four hundred.
23:02:42 - Kit: Dammned, I hope they are safe, but I fear the worst. Lets go. Ensign, keep the comm open, reports at 5 minute intervals, we have to stay in contact.
23:03:23 - Kit: And start with giving us a rough description of the stations layout.
23:03:23 - Methuslah: After a short walk, you reach one of the entrances. The seals have held.
23:03:58 - Kit: Scanning for radiation or other contaminants, then opening door, if possible.
23:05:30 - Methuslah: Radiation level is about five times normal level. Your suits can withstand it indefinately. Without them, you could last maybe three days.
23:05:37 - Methuslah: The door seals have jammed shut.
23:06:06 - Kit: Can I override the jam somehow?
23:06:44 - Kit: Theres darn high radiation in there. Whoever is in there and still alive should get out real quickly.
23:07:16 - Methuslah: The dust has stuck the seals shut, and the electronic components are largely gone.
23:07:20 - Kit: (comm to Ensign) Ensign, keep hailing the fleet as long as the comm on the shuttle is still working.
23:07:41 - Kit: Can we force it open?
23:08:09 - Methuslah: "I've been trying, but no reply. The antenna array is going, anyway."
23:08:16 - Methuslah: Certainly.
23:08:25 - Kit: Otherwise we'll have to circle the station, maybe on the other side well find a door thats easier to open.
23:09:01 - Kit: The outside of the dome, is it made of metal?
23:09:21 - Methuslah: A titanium alloy.
23:09:33 - Kit: Eroding?
23:10:07 - Methuslah: Slowly but surely. Much more slowly, now.
23:10:51 - Kit: It seems that the worst is over. Lets force open the doors Kraiger, we have to get inside.
23:11:38 - Kit: (all the while my mind is racing through chemical fromulas about what on earth could be causing such a selective metal erosion)
23:12:06 - Methuslah: It's nothing you have ever encountered before.
23:12:42 - Kit: I have never seen anything like this before. If this is a new weapon of the Zhodani, we are in trouble.
23:13:36 - Methuslah: Kraiger - do you want to blast the door?
23:13:47 - Kit: Kraiger? Still with us?
23:14:38 - Methuslah: HE said he was having some connection problems earlier.
23:15:01 - Methuslah: At any rate, I was about to end for the night anyway - it's getting late over here - and I know its later for you.
23:15:42 - Kit: Good idea. I may be late next week though. Cannot yet tell how much.
23:16:36 - Kit: If Steward is with us again next week, we better find the medical center quickly, and hope its still working.
23:16:49 - Methuslah: OK. See you Saturday!
23:16:50 - Kraiger: Back again - OK, goof place to break... Don't like this corrosion stuff much though!
23:17:00 - Methuslah: I think that can be arranged.