Anomaly conundrum

Posted on 06 Jul 2016 @ 1:15am by Lieutenant JG Lauren L'Vor & Lieutenant Commander Alanna Wells

1,808 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: M13-C: Shattered Time
Location: Astrometrics

Her meeting with Da`nal and Killpatrick complete and her computer core transferred to the Achilles she re-materialized her physical form in the ship's Astrometrics lab. Before her a massive holo-image of the rift was displayed before the pair of woman at the console. Hoping for a less formal exchange she addressed to pair as gal pals. "Hello Ladies. What have you two got so far?"

Knowing it to be the proper reaction for a humanoid female, Lauren nearly jumped out her skin at the sudden sound.

Alanna gave the other scientist a quick glance, and then looked back at the AI. "Hello. We've been monitoring the rift. The science station on the bridge is feeding us data so we can incorporate it with what we already have. It's closing at a slowly accelerating rate. What can you tell us about it?"

"My apologies if I startled anyone."

Lauren smiled, "No big deal...it happens."

Stepping up to the main holo-console with the pair her glowing form casting a blue hue to the display. "It's a dimensional rift that crosses both the barriers between quantum realities and time. Da`nal is concerned that those who attacked my ship will attempt to use the rift to find my ship and its technology."

"It's a logical assumption," Alanna said. "I mean, they came after you, right? They're not likely to give up so easily. So, what can we do to prevent them from succeeding? And how can we stabilize the barrier and get both of us home?"

"From what I accessed in your ships database, the Terran Empire is a ruthless, but predictable enemy. They are self serving, ambitious, vengeful, and above all not to be trusted. If they appear, as your commanding officer said, 'If they attack the Achilles we will bathe the star in their blood.' ...I must say Klingons in my reality are much different, but the only way to stop them and their plans will probably mean there destruction."

"Even though you're probably right, I would still like to see if there is a -- less violent -- way of getting what we want," Alanna said. "If we can shut down their ship and leave them adrift long enough for both of us to get away and prevent them from following us, all the better. If we can send them back to their reality without a way to get back to ours, that would be perfect. Let them explain to their superiors why they failed." She smiled impishly. "I'm a scientist. I prefer to attain my goals without killing everyone who opposes me. So, we need to learn how this rift works, steal the device from the Terrans, and make sure they can't create it again. The best way to do that is to make it fail in a spectacular fashion so they won't try again with this model. Any ideas?"

Karina crossed her arms and cocked her head slightly. "You realize the majority of those options require us to capture that ship intact a tall order considering the nature of the Empire and the nature of your commanding officer. The rift was formed from a subspace reaction between my ships weaponry and their dimensional transport drive. We can theorize but any analysis concerning the closure or manipulation of the rift would be incomplete without knowing how the drive works."

Alanna nodded. "I believe that understanding that drive -- and how your weapons impacted it -- is crucial to getting back home."

"Getting me home shouldn't be too hard. As long as the port doesn't destabilize a trip into it should take a ship right back to my reality. Closing the rift should our first priority to prevent damage to either realm. Do your people have any experience dealing with closing subspace rifts?"

"A little," Alanna admitted. "Rifts are rare, so most of us never run into more than one or two. But we have information in the computer that should help narrow the learning gap."

A smirk spread over her face. "Well I promised your commanding officer not to go diving around your computers anymore so let’s see what you have. Hopefully it will help."

Lauren had been listening to the conversation and had been thinking along similar lines, so she had been working on pulling that very information. "Ma'am I have that information coming up now."

Alanna walked over to see what L'Vor found.

::Summary of Computer Search::

Relevant subspace phenomena:

Hanoli Rift - Subspace rupture was reported in the mid-23rd century. Closure attempted using pulse wave torpedoes. Result: expansion of the rift and eventual destruction of the Hanoli star system

Hekaras corridor - The fabric of space had become weakened by exposure to warp field energy. Rift created by warp core detonation

Spacial Rift:
- Discovered by USS Enterprise D in final stages of natural closure. Cause of rift: unknown. Cause of closure: unknown
- Report by USS Voyager following encounters with a 29th century Federation craft. Craft generated spacial rifts in order to travel in time.

Subspace tear was created by the Son'a after detonation of an isolytic burst in violation of the Khitomer Accords; sealed by the ejection and detonation of the USS Enterprise E's warp core.

Subspace distortion:
- CLASSIFIED - Clearance Level 10 Only

-----------------------------------------------------

Alanna read it over twice, vaguely familiar with the information. The clearance level made her raise an eyebrow, however. "So, a sufficiently intense explosion can open or close a rift. I still think we need whatever is on the Terran ship. But this gives us some information if we have to close it in a hurry."

Karina nodded. If nothing turns up in that other ships computers the only way to get that information will be to take this ship's counterpart intact...if it even shows up in your reality."

Interrupting the pair Lauren interjected some other ideas. "Ma'am there might be some other examples to consider as well. There are several examples of temporal portals being opened by multiple sources both natural and artificial. The Borg and the Federation have both modified subspace to open temporal vortexes; and several star ships have encountered temporal fissures."

"Agreed," Alanna said. "But this particular vortex, according to Karina, was opened by the Terran ship. So, while it would be prudent to look at others means of opening rifts, the best one would be to use this one, which means finding out exactly what the other ship used and how it was used."

Taking the mild chastisement satisfactorily, as it would help with her cover, Lauren nodded. "Yes ma'am. We know that the Terran's used a dimensional transporter to basically raid the Federation for technology that allowed them to over throw the Klingons and re-establish their Empire."

Karina grinned. "It's reasonable to assume they modified that technology to allow as ship to pass from one reality to another."

Alanna nodded. "It is indeed. Now all we need to do is get on board that ship and find out what it is." If they could get on that ship and if they could find and utilize the technology. But it wouldn't be the first time the Federation had borrowed technology and make it work. She had faith the engineers could make this one work, if they had the chance.

There was an awkward silence as that sank in. If the Terran Achilles came looking for their ship and Karina's ship it was going to be on hell of a fight and it could be that in the course of that fight they could destroy the very thing they needed. "Wouldn't, at least some of, the information we need be in the Terran ships computers?"

"It's possible," Alanna said. "I don't know if we'd still need the device or not. That would depend on the data in the computer."

Grinning, Karina replied. "I think I can help with that. "I promised to stay out of your computer systems, but that didn't include our enemy’s computers. If you can establish a data link I can use that link to enter their systems. I can get past any security measures or encryption a lot fast than your people...no offense."

Alanna grinned back. "No offense taken. I think that's a perfect solution. I'll see what I can do to get that link."

Smirking slightly as her hands moved over the holo-display. "I'm connecting to the Terran vessel's computers so we can retrieve their...sensor data."

"I like the way you think," Alanna said. She accessed another console and pulled up one of her programs. A moment later she activated it. "This might help," she said.

Stepping up to the consoles. "Thank you both." Karina's hand merged with the holo-display and energy could be seen flowing from her matrix in the console. She closed her eyes as her program streamed along the data connection and into the Terran computer cores. She encountered several security measures and layers of encryption; all of which she managed to overcome with ease. Her program spread quickly to find any data on the working of the dimensional transport drive...nothing. She found their orders, log entries on what had been encountered in previous realities, and how they managed to jump through time as well and how they planned on returning to their time. Such an ability would make them even more dangerous. Diving deeper into the command areas of the computer she found codes that should make anything engagement much easier.

Alanna watched quietly, fascinated by how the AI worked. As the data became available, she quickly backed it up to keep it from corrupting or disappearing. Although it was not likely, she still wanted to be sure there was a copy separate from the main computer, just in case.

The Terran computers contained a lot of data and while she had agreed to delete the information she gleaned from the Achilles computers, she was under no obligation where the Terran computers were concerned. She knew that what was found was being backed up but she also diverted certain information to her computer core. After finding some answers and failing to find others she returned her to the matrix currently aboard the Achilles and removed her hand from the holo-display. "We need to speak to Da`nal."

"All right. What did you find?" Alanna asked.

"Bad news I’m afraid. There was nothing specific on the designs of the drive as we were hoping for. Apparently the dimensional transport and its integration into their drive system are not entrusted to every ship in their group, but I have transferred all sensor data on their passage through the rift.

"Well, that's something," Alanna replied. "For now." There had to be something, somewhere. She just hoped they could find it.

 

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