Lt. Robin Hopper: Control Is An Illusion (Part 3)
Robin Hopper
((OOC – Okay, here we go… Getting caught up at last!))
((Type 10 Shuttle “Gatineau”, Control Node’s Star System – Mirrorverse))
It was an interesting deployment strategy, Robin mused silently, as the Gatineau neared its destination and prepared to drop out of warp. A wide net of sensor buoys, interlinked via subspace communications channels, creating a zone of control that surrounded the entire Idrusti– no, Kirilow – system. There was no way to penetrate the network undetected – save by disabling a control node, hidden away surreptitiously in a neighboring system, which regulated incoming sensor data and triangulated the location of incoming enemy vessels.
Putting so much faith into each individual node struck Hopper as hubristic. If they could manage to fool one node into believing they were, in fact, a ship belonging to the Unified House of Betazed and disable its systems, it would open a gaping hole in the network, leaving the Kirilow System seemingly defenseless to an invading force until it was right on top of them… The optimist in Robin wanted to believe that it really was this simple, that the Betazoid Empire was truly that arrogant. The Starfleet Officer in her doubted it.
Esma: We are approaching the first node, Commander. All systems remain in normal parameters. Our masked signature should remain effective as long as we maintain a distance of 50 km from each node.
Carter: Copy that, Ensign.
Looking at the magnified view of the control node on the viewscreen, Robin recoiled slightly. It was hideous – with sensor spines protruding from it in all directions – but undoubtedly efficient at its work. The design struck her as particularly un-Betazoid in its inelegance… perhaps it had been constructed by Terran labourers.
Whatever the case, she turned to her station and attempted to confirm whether or not their presence had immediately tripped any sort of alarm – but intercepted only routine data packets zipping back-and-forth between the node and the rest of the sensor grid arrays.
Hopper: ::Nodding:: I’m not detecting any signs that we’ve sprung a trap. ::Tapping away:: I’m going to perform a detailed sensor sweep of the area, just in case they haven’t left it as undefended as it seems.
She began running a detailed scan of the sector on an expanding circular grid, searching for signs of any other ships in the system. Unusual EM activity, ion trails, warp signatures… anything that would indicate some sort of Imperial presence waiting to ambush them. The first few grid sectors returned no signs… oO Thank god… Oo
Wong: If there's one thing I can say about the array is that it at least LOOKS the part.
Reade: I can concur with Esma on our stealth radius. All engineering systems are a go for taking the nodes offline.
Polgonz’ voice emanated from the aft of the shuttle’s cabin.
M-Tri'lea: Strike fast and true, Starfleet – or you likely won’t have another chance to prove yourselves.
Esma: This node appears to be communicating continuously to a central control hub somewhere within the area. A wider scan should be able to locate it.
Hopper: Redundancy makes sense. Take out the control node and it would probably alert the central hub to the issue. ::Looking over her sensor data:: If the hub is in this system, our sensors aren’t finding it… It could be shielded against detection.
M-Tri'lea: Of course it is. The Empire is brazen, but they are not idiots.
Robin wanted very much to return the Betazoid noble’s snark in kind… but doing so would only escalate the tension that already existed between them. Instead, she replied pragmatically.
Hopper: ::Making some adjustments to the parameters of the scan:: I’m going to identify all subspace communications beams between this node and the surrounding sensor grid arrays… They might be able to mask their hub, but they can’t mask their comms signal… Scotty, as the noise clears up, you may be able to find a line that leads to ‘nowhere’. I’d bet that’s our hub.
Wong: We find the hub, we can take down the whole array and not just the node. The only thing left is the benamite.
Reade: Scanning now.
Carter: Perfect. This thing is talking to its mother. Put Mom to sleep, the kids go to sleep..
Reade: Ok, the scan is going to take awhile, sir. This is a large field, and our scanning power is limited compared to the Indy.
Hopper: I think I can speed things up a bit… We might not need to do as much work as it seems.
Robin watched as, one by one, subspace transmissions were traced to their corresponding nodes. As each one was confirmed to have a receiver, she adjusted the scanning algorithm to ignore its unique identifier – essentially “removing the noise” from the results.
Hopper: With each array we ‘erase’ from the ‘picture’, the easier your scans will get, Scotty. With a pinch of luck, it shouldn’t take nearly as long as checking each line individually.
M-Wil: Response?
Wong: This is a large field and it's going to take time to look for it if we don't know where to scan. Time we pretty much don't have… Unless…
Ikaia looked at the two Betazoids expectantly.
Wong: Do you two have a rough idea where the hub might be?
M-Tri'lea: You said it yourselves – if you die, we die. ::Rolling her eyes:: If we did, don’t you think we would have mentioned it?
M-Wil: Response
Carter: Perhaps we don't need them to tell us anything. Robin, Esma know that thing is broadcasting. We set course for the vicinity of where this thing is sending its signal.
Wong: Any best guess is better than none. Otherwise, we're going to be at this for a while.
She turned from her screen, rotating in her chair to face the others, a look of uncertainty on her face.
Hopper: You want to set our heading based on a hunch? ::Tilting her head back and forth slightly:: Granted – an increasingly-accurate hunch – but still… I know time is of the essence…
A thought occurred to her. It was a bit of a stretch – but her late hours spent in the company of the UC Berkeley Strategema Club might have provided her with a potential path to solving this problem.
Hopper: Alright, fine, scrap this process-of-elimination stuff. Ensign Esma – let’s try a little backward induction. The control node needs to know how to reach the hub... If the hub is stealth shielded, then to communicate, wouldn’t it’s data packets need to include some sort of triangulation data?
Esma: Response
Hopper: Then it should be the odd one out! ::Nodding:: We just need the computer to assess the first few lines of data for each stream.
Carter: Esma, Hopper...get a true bearing on where that signal is being broadcast to. Wong, assist Reade with getting us there without either attracting attention or blowing us up.
Esma/Wong: response
A solution appeared on her screen, indicating the precise location of the hub – assuming they had applied their theory correctly.
Hopper: And there it is! ::Smiling, a look to Esma:: Nice work, Ensign.
Reade: On it, commander. ::looking to Ikaia:: Let's do this.
The dark cloud of doubt that had been lingering over Robin seemed to evaporate. Their task no longer seemed quite so impossible. They had a heading now – and a way forward. The shuttle pressed on, still spoofing its signature to the control node as they slid past, well beyond the 50 km necessary to maintain the illusion of their Betazoid-y-ness.
M-Tri'lea: I’m almost afraid to admit this – but if you achieve this, you might be about to strike the biggest blow to the Empire since our resistance first arose.
If Robin wasn’t mistaken, there was almost a hint of excitement in Polgonz’ voice – a far cry from the morose and insult-laden commentary she’d been making only minutes earlier. The shift in tone only bolstered Hopper’s own resolve.
M-Wil: Response?
Carter: Us Terrans are meant to be unpredictable…
They were now closing in on the control hub – or, at least, where the control hub ought to be given the coordinates being utilized by the node. The fact that nothing appeared to be there seemed to confirm their suspicions that exactly the opposite was true. It was there, alright, just hiding.
Reade: How do we want to take it offline without alerting us? Ensign, you have any idea?
Esma: Response
Hopper: ::Nodding:: That’s as good a plan as any. We won’t really know if it works or not until we try it. ::To Carter:: And if it doesn’t work… I guess we blow it up and run like hell?
Wong/M-Wil/Carter: Response
M-Tri’lea: Now you’re all thinking like rebels.
They were now within range to begin enacting their ‘rebellious’ disruption. Robin glanced at her sensor sweep once more, ensuring it had still located no other vessels in the vicinity – so far, no trace, with the majority of the system probed.
Reade: Ikaia, how are we looking?
Wong: Response
Reade: Yup, compensating now. I will let you know once I have it under control.
Wong: Response
Hopper: Commander, on your mark.
Robin subconsciously held her breath in anticipation.
Carter: Response
Esma: Response
M-Wil/Wong: Response?
A beeping alert began sounding from her terminal – and Hopper’s eyes darted to find the source. The control hub was there alright, and it did not like what was happening to it, though it seemed confused about exactly what it was they were trying to do. An automated countdown had begun, though for what, Robin couldn’t yet be sure. Self-destruction? Sending an alert directly the Mother Eternal and her fleet?
Hopper: What’s the status of the hub?
Carter/Reade/Esma/Wong/M-Wil: Response
Hopper: I’m detecting an energy build-up – like a small antimatter reactor charging up. Do we raise shields? ::Over her shoulder, to M-Tri’lea:: Do you know what it’s doing?
M-Tri’lea: ::Shrugging:: No… Let me take a look.
Polgonz moved over to the console, standing beside Robin, who froze for a moment – unsure what she should do. She glanced to John, but saw that he was preoccupied with Reade, Esma, and Wong preparing for all possibilities. It was her judgment call.
A moment later, she nodded to Polgonz, and turned aside, letting the Betazoid rebel access her terminal. Polgonz stood, looking at it carefully for a moment, before she started chuckling to herself.
M-Tri’lea: It’s a bluff. If you run now, or raise your shields, they’ll know you aren’t familiar with their protocol. They’re testing your loyalty.
Hopper: Loyalty what?
M-Tri’lea: The Mother Eternal’s will.
Carter/Reade/Esma/Wong/M-Wil: Response
The alert tone sounded louder.
Hopper: That thing is going to go critical – at this range, we’ll be vaporized in an antimatter explosion.
M-Tri’lea: Don’t flinch. Only the unfaithful flinch. ::To Carter:: If you die, we die. You’re going to have to trust me.
Carter/Reade/Esma/Wong/M-Wil: Response
TBC
