A Fine Meal - Part 2: Upgrades
Posted on 06 May 2014 @ 8:06pm by Civilian Capim Jothy
Edited on on 09 May 2014 @ 1:39am
2,039 words; about a 10 minute read
Mission:
M12: For Duty or Honor
Location: USS Achilles - Poisoned Arrow Lounge
Timeline: BACK POST - Prior to Mission Briefing
They had been listening while they ate, but Capim didn't want to impose any further. A silent moment passed, Where Capim relaxed at the table puffing his cigar. The smoky curls raised to the invisible ceiling, the slight chill to the air bracing. He pulled the Padd from an invisible pocket and after a command was entered a campfire appeared nearby. It generated warmth but did not cause smoke or damage, it was purely cosmetic but the level of authenticity made it a nice touch to the setting sun.
"The meal is quite excellent," Lieutenant Jsioasi assured the man, seemingly pleased with the result. "Later, I would like to interface with the devices myself, if you have no objection or concern. But I do wonder... these devices seem more suitable to luxury cruise ships or tourist attractions than a Starfleet vessel. Why did you choose to market to us?"
Capim smiled at the question, " Why not? During the Dominion war my company had dozens of these and we went from ship to ship providing these services, each time we set up somewhere the crew called it home in just a few days. Creature comforts and enjoying the profits of our technologies are some of the golden perks of living in the Federation. And is not Starfleet in the Federation, do we not have dignitaries and special occasions, a need for finer pursuits outside our duties?"
Lantiq's Jamabalaya was truly excellent. the Emissary's culinary skills had led to the introduction of many Human style dishes to Bajor. He even knew a couple of senior Bajorans who had actually eaten food prepared by Sisko himself. Jothy's replicators seemed to provide the next best thing.
"I'm impressed Capim" Lantiq said, after finishing the last of his spicy seafood stew "I cant recall the last time I had a meal that good off-Bajor."
Capim beamed at him, " I can empathize, the Perikian resorts will stand alone in my memories of fine dining until my dying days. Your culture produces amazing recipes."
Capim responded while tapping the padd in his palm, the dirty dishes dissolving into the air. "I can synthesize with greater detail, through the various adjustments, the holo-stacks can cause instability in larger programs like your EMH, but it can add a pittsburgh sear to a steak that you'd swear was real. The only replicator would be on the forward lounge, power supply wont be an issue I believe. The Matter converter needs to be kept behind a type II containment field or better for its higher purposes generate a fair amount of ambient radiation, the subspace footprint needs to be regulated as well for the warp field symmetry's sake and they need to be on the same segment so they don't ever separate. Well worth the trouble I assure you, Prometheus class vessels usually aren't outfitted with advanced re-sequencers due to how much energy they consume, but this puppy is a travel model and very efficient. I can add the triple stacks to any relevant holo-emitters for the immersive effect they add, shouldn't be an issue hardware wise but it will take a little extra computational power if you wanted to do something ship wide at the full resolution. Oh and the EMH may not be able to de-res in triple stack areas, it causes crashes in the program so they would be trapped in whatever form they were materialized in."
"What are you doing to circumvent the issues?" Jsioasi asked, "What disadvantages are there to the units and their use?" He did not sound skeptical about the questions, his tone suggested he was evaluating.
"Other than the greater power drain on the Replicators power supply and messing with the EMH's systems" Hayley added, interested in the answer herself.
Capim was ready, both were familiar queries from the past vessels he had served on. "Each ship ended doing what was best for their configurations. A Prometheus class vessel is unknown to me in an intimate sense so I needed to show you for your approval and ability to adapt the system to your specs. The mounts are all universal and aside from what I mentioned there is nothing else powerful enough interfere with ships systems. I was on a Galaxy Class during the war, the Kratos..." He stopped. a moment passed and continued a mote softer in tone. " and the MAMA reactor in the Saucer section was sufficient for all my purposes. The tech could be confined to the forward lounge and run at minimal specs, but I wanted to show you what gave so many people a needed respite from the war. Crew were able to have beauty and escape even on the far reaches of the war front."
While he spoke his fingers lightly graced the Padd, drinks were refilled, dessert served, and the star scape yawning before them swirled into view a million bright points of vibrant real light. "This is the real view outside, as though the hull were invisible. It doesn't need to serve a useful purpose, but it does need to be an important one for the price it asks. Imagine any deck, any section of the ship as fully articulate with holograms as the holodeck itself... And I am certain there is more to them... but these are the only set remaining I am afraid; I lack the knowledge of their finer detail... their architect was lost with his franchise aboard the Rob Roy over Cardassia Prime."
Lantiq listened quietly to the exchange before speaking "Your equipment and services clearly are of the highest quality and no doubt the Achilles crew would indeed benefit from your presence aboard. However, I cannot sanction a reduction in the capabilities of the EMH. The Achilles is not a research or exploration vessel, we are essentially a warship. And the Admiral sees to it that we end up in harms way more often than not. I cannot trade emergency medical response in a time of need for even the most exceptional holographic images during recreation."
"Forgive me for saying so Mr. Jothy, but from what I've heard your devices are just improved models of standard starship hardware. Can't we just add the software from your machines into the ships computers? We already have pattern replicators we use for manufacturing spare parts and we have holo-emitters set up on all decks." Lawson added.
Capim was forced to admit, they had valid reservations. Especially in regards to the EMH being too complicated for full functionality within triple stacked emitters. Carefully considering their points Capim recounted a few details from the tech diagrams.
"The EMH would need to interface properly all over the ship, I can see your point on that. I can say that once upon a time they did interface but as of late they are rather more complicated... Would a compromise, of only stacking the emitters in the main lounge suffice Mr. Ryal? The EMH could simply walk out of the lounge to de-res, which is the main problem they have in such resolution, other than that they would function in the lounge as flesh and blood as it were. I also feel the EMH is enhanced with heightened bio-organic signatures during their presence to this trio of tech I have. An EMH in triple stack format would feel warm to the touch, and have a pulse, hardly worthy qualifiers I realize... as far as the software, I am afraid it is rather like Grandfathers Cast Iron skillet. The flavor just isn't the same unless you make it with grandads cookware, and everything that has happened to it along the way. We have tried exporting it to Fleet standard replicators, and had a fair share of engineers try to recreate the Hodge-podge assembly but it just doesn't cut it. It would be one replicator in the main lounge, coupled to the holo-emitters, and fed by a re-sequencer in a shielded cargo bay. I ran a similar if not streamlined operation on the Dauntless, if it worked on a Miranda class I believe we can get it to work aboard here."
Lieutenant Jsioasi analyzed all the information given thus far. "On a Prometheus-class vessel," he said, looking at Lawson, "any lessened efficiency could be detrimental. If the technology is restricted to a single area that is not used for anything else, it might not cause a threat. We should determine what effect the technology would have on the Achilles's ship-wide systems if the technology is restricted. Turning, he gave the first officer a questioning look, "I may be able to solve some of those problems and learn more about the configuration if I access the program, sir."
Lantiq nodded "Do so Mister Jsioasi and providing there are no concerns I think we can allow Mister Jothy to set up his equipment in the Poisoned Arrow However, I want cutoffs installed to ensure the lounge can be isolated from the rest of the ship's systems in the event of any technical problems"
"I'm sure I can work with engineering to ensure the devices are sufficiently isolated," the cyborg replied before standing and going to Capim. "I need access to the device, preferably an uplink node."
Capim showed the schematic indicating the uplink, and found it on the machine. Lifting a hatch on the replicator a faint odor of ozone and sweetener crept out, it was unpleasant but not toxic. "Main quad core for all the processing is here, mostly isolinear, but I got a bio neural gel pack from the Dauntless running in the other side that makes it purr. Its the brains of the whole operation now, more literally than I like to think about. But the matter stream feed from the synthesizer is where the purity of the replication is determined, one of my engineers told me that a few times. proximity and stability are crucial to their relationship. The Replicator links to the holo-emitters and within the bounds of the triple stacked emitters, they then can synthesize biological particles in any configuration needed or ordered by the program. That's where EMH runs into problems, they don't have physical memory coding like that, they are stable enough upon materialization but the program crashes at de-res. Dauntless didn't have the EMH and holodeck capability to test but Chief Spoons wondered if a simple holo-character with dense physical codes layered onto an EMH would repair the problem."
The cyborg officer placed his hand under the hatch and stood perfectly still, accessing the replicators programming. After about a minute he pulled his hand back. "Fascinating," he said, "Complex. I will have to analyze the information, but there does not seem to be any incompatible programming that cannot be rectified."
"Mister Jothy, welcome aboard" Lantiq concluded Thank you for a marvelous meal. I'm sure you're presence will do much to enhance the crew's recreation time. Now if you excuse me, I will return to my duties"
Capim was delighted his tech would be installed, when he had heard the Prometheus had holo-emitters for every square inch, even certain external vantages, his imagination had gone wild. The lounge was his home base and where he made his impressions. "Gentlemen, if there is ever a flavor or desire in your hearts please let me try and obtain it for you, I live to serve. To thank you for your time in coming this evening please take your gift bags by the door, just more drink and snacks for you to enjoy at your leisure. Find your name, you all have different tastes I assume!"
He saw them out, satisfied to have accomplished his goals. He changed the vista for the lounge patrons one more time, this time it was the ocean of Andor's icy depths. Capim walked around to the bar to see a cranky Arran serving customers, with a flash he dissolved, reincorporating into Capim. He put on the smile that launched his career, greeting the surprised patrons who had walked up to order.
"Welcome, off-duty travelers! What does your heart desire!"
I look forward to seeing you in the lounge...
LtCmdr Lantiq Ryal
XO
Lieutenant Hayley Lawson
CEO
Lieutenant Jsioasi
COO
Capim Jothy
Manager-Poisoned Arrow
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