Lt. JG Kivik: A Short List of Acceptable Outcomes
Lt. JG Kivik
((Amity Outpost – Science Expo Hall))
As Reade took his leave of the Expo Hall, Kivik took stock of the situation. With Commander Iovianus on scene and the danger of the overloading relay at least partially contained by the emergency force field, the science officer began considering the next steps to righting the experiment run-amok.
Kivik: Right, while you go to Main Engineering, I’ll keep an eye on our relay here… and I suppose I will speak with the Ilidarians to see if they have any way to safely vent the overload through their quantum kiln.
Carter: Not a bad idea. See if they can help.
Felix: I will stay with the rest.
Kivik: Excellent, thank you, Mr. Reade. ::To Carter:: Any other directions, Commander?
Iko: We're all gonna really need a break after this…
Kivik sighed. Ne had hoped to be celebrating during nir shoreleave. Now there was a very real prospect that ne would be packing nir bags. Kivik couldn’t imagine that being tacitly responsible for destroying Amity Outpost would allow nem to remain in Starfleet. So - ne had to fix this problem before that happened.
Carter: And a bottle of whiskey. Iko... you and Iovianus seal off this area to all but essential personnel. Kivik you already know what to do. Kamoyo, since you are a civilian I can't technically give you an order, but I will ask you to be cautious and answer any questions. I'm heading to Operations. Any questions?
Iovianus: Aye, sir.
Kivik: On it, Commander. ::To Felix and Aleksandrov:: If you’d like to come with me, I intend to start with the Ilidarians and go from there.
Aleksandrov/Felix: Response
Kivik nodded and turned away from the relay - hoping that the force field would hold, at least for the next few hours, if necessary - and headed across the throughway to the Ilidarian booth.
While Scotty attempted to find a way to safely shut off the hall’s primary power grid, Kivik would need to work in the Expo Hall to safely diffuse the recursive energy build-up that was accumulating in the experimental relay. If they couldn’t achieve both, their only remaining option might be trying to beam the relay into space – however, with all the electromagnetic interference it was producing, this posed a risky prospect in-and-of-itself.
The Ilidarians, for their part, were chittering and fretting over the state of their device. They called it a Quantum Kiln. Essentially, it was a piece of machinery that utilized simultaneous quantum states energized into a state of flux to simultaneously melt and cool even very dense or rigid metals – allowing for exceptionally formed products. The downside to the experimental technology was its intense power-draw, for which the Klingon’s relay had been re-routed.
Kivik: What’s the status of the kiln, Doctor Sechkar?
The reptilian scientist hissed with displeasure as they ran a scaled hand across their control console.
Sechkar: It isss most unusual, Lieutenant. We were ssstruggling to maintain the necesssary power to achieve proper resultsss. When the Klingonsss offered to help, we asssumed they knew what they were doing… That it would be sssafe.
Felix/Aleksandrov: Response?
Kivik: It wouldn’t be the first time that scientists overshot their limitations in an attempt to try something new and bold… Still, I do wish they had exercised a bit more restraint and discussed the modifications with me beforehand. Can it be shut off?
Sechkar: Ahhh, thisss is the problem. Typically, the kiln functionsss by depleting its power sssource. On our world, we power these devicesss using a transdimensional fusion energy technique which we pioneered. Only sssuch a power source would be far too large for thisss space. It’sss designed to recurse excess power back into the sssystem to keep the reaction going otherwise.
Kivik: Then we need to consider alternatives to shutting it off. Redirecting the power flow perhaps? Or perhaps adjusting the parameters of the quantum interaction in order to ‘burn’ more power?
Felix/Aleksandrov: Response?
Sechkar: That might work… but it could create a dangerousss feedback loop.
Kivik: Our Engineers are working on preventing that as we speak. So, let’s talk quantum parameters then. Mr. Reade, surely you’re familiar with quantum state theory. Right now the kiln is affecting the atoms in the metal within by simultaneously increasing and decreasing their vibrational frequencies. Could we increase the number of quantum fluctuations being produced by the machine – give it more work to do?
Felix: Response
Kivik nodded, feeling hopeful. Perhaps, then, this could work.
Kivik: But of course, we’d need the right material. Something capable of withstanding such quantum fluctuations without its molecular structure breaking down and generating a fission reaction right here in the expo hall. ::To Aleksandrov:: Any recommendations from our resident expert geologist?
Aleksandrov: Response
Kivik: Right, I’ll run this plan by Commander Carter. In the meantime, why don’t you two work with Sechkar to start preparing those adjustments and replicating the necessary material components?
Sechkar: Yesss, let us not waste any time!
Felix/Aleksandrov: Response?
With that, Kivik turned back to the Klingon relay and nervously ambled towards it. Ne arrived in time to catch Bec checking in with a SitRep from Engineering.
Iko: =/\= How's it going Scotty? =/\=
Reade: =/\= Going well, I might have found a way to kill the power, but I need more time to get the solution online. I have made a temporary power change, and all extra power to the Expo area will be offline. So emergent backup systems should come online, this will keep life support running. =/\=
Carter: =/\= Stay on it. Put everything you got on line until we can either get this thing out of here or the Iilidarians make the attempt. =/\=
Reade: =/\= Understood Commander! =/\=
Kivik: ::To Carter & Iovianus:: Commanders, ::to Bec:: Ensign. We have some more hopeful news. We may have a way to increase the power draw into the kiln and thus reduce the amount of energy routing back into our own system. This should help stabilize the relay – hopefully making it safe to shut down without risking additional overloads.
Kivik looked over to Aleksandrov, hoping for a confirmation.
Aleksandrov: response
Iovianus: ::To Iko:: Lets go, we can seal the east doors first since they are closest to the fire and chaos here and then herd the others back out of the other side.
Carter: Then seal the west doors and every access point to this section. If things go badly...
Kivik: A prudent move. I… hate to say it Commander, but if our plan doesn’t work we may produce a small nuclear explosion. ::Gulping:: But that outcome is not especially likely.
Iovianus/Alexandrov/Felix: Response
With Iko and Iovianus herding the crowd out and issuing orders to completely seal off this section, Carter looked at Alexandrov and spoke...
Carter: You don't have to stay here, you know. This could get quite hazardous...
Alexandrov: response
((OOC – Backsimming can go here as needed))
Reade: =/\= Scotty to Ensign Iko, Commander Carter, and Commander Iovianus, I have found a way to vent the power =/\=
oO That is excellent news Oo thought Kivik. If Scotty had worked out that particular issue, that meant that half the problem was solved. Shutting down power would mean that if their plan with the Kiln succeeded, the relay would in fact run out of energy and the kiln’s power source would deplete – rendering both installations offline.
Iko: =/\= Awesome! =/\=
Iovianus: Response
Carter: =/\= Scotty, you just earned your pay for the week. What's your plan?=/\=
Reade: =/\= I am going to kill all power to that area and vent the extra out of the Shuttlebay. =/\=
Iko:=/\= Like a repair protocol? =/\=
Carter: =/\= That's what I'm thinking. Iovianus, make sure the shuttle bay is empty and open to space to pull this off.
Iovianus: Response
Reade: =/\= Yes, that is correct. Do I have permission to proceed? =/\=
Carter: =/\= As soon as Cassian gives the all clear.=/\=
Iko: =/\= Good luck Scotty! =/\=
Reade: =/\= Understood! =/\=
With that, Kivik took nir leave of the group again and returned to the Ilidarian booth to check in with Aleksandrov and Mr. Reade.
Kivik: Progress?
Felix/Aleksandrov: Response
Sechkar: Your comradesss are very competent, Lieutenant.
Kivik attempted to smile, but ne simply noticed the sound of blood pulsing in nir ears and felt momentarily light-headed. Ne reached out to stabilize nemself.
Kivik: Yes… Yes, indeed they are. I believe Engineering has a viable strategy on their end. It’s worth a shot, but we’ll need to time things right on our end as well. As Engineering shunts the excess power out of the local grid and into plasma, we need to initialize the reprogrammed kiln parameters. We do those things together, and it should burn itself out safely.
Sechkarr: And if we don’t?
Felix/Aleksandrov: Response?
In that moment, the Klingon relay flashed again – though not yet with as full of a blast as before. The hall was illuminated, and several more conduits sparked and sputtered. Kivik gritted nir teeth as an automated alarm began repeating.
Computer: Alarm! Alarm! Power levels reaching critical maximums. Please evacuate this area.
Kivik: Yes, perhaps we shouldn’t discuss other possible outcomes in detail.
oO What’s the point? If it doesn’t work, we’ll probably just be vaporized… Oo
Kivik was relieved then, to hear Iovianus’ voice over the comms.
Iovianus: Response
The bay was empty. It was time...
Carter: =/\= Excellent. Seal it off and I'll notify Scotty.=/\=
Iovianus: Response.
Carter: =/\= Allright. Stand by. Carter out.=/\=
Kivik caught a look from Commander Carter and, checking in visually with nir team, ne nodded. They were ready to make the attempt.
oO Or at least, as ready as we’re going to be. Oo
Carter::tapping commbadge:: =/\= Carter to Reade. Do it.=/\=
Reade: Response.
Kivik: ::To Aleksandrov, Felix, & Sechkar:: Doctors… time to shine.
As Sechkar initiated the adjusted parameters, the kiln let off a deep groaning sound that filled the Expo Hall, almost as if it had come to life as some sort of massive angry creature. Scotty must have initiated the powerflow change at the same moment, as the lights flickered in the Hall. They would have all been plunged into a black darkness – were it not for the blinding light of the overloading relay and the concerning glow of the kiln.
Kivik: Dr. Sechkarr… is it working?
Sechkarr: I… Yesss, I think it’s working. ::To Felix:: Your calculations were correct, Doctor. The quantum fluctuations are reaching an elevated equilibrium. ::To Aleksandrov:: And the material is withstanding the forces well.
Felix/Aleksandrov: Response
Kivik: Commander, Bec… you might want to stand back from the relay, just in case.
Carter/Iko: Response
Kivik: =/\= Commander Iovianus. Kivik here. How are things going in the bay? =/\=
Iovianus: Response
Kivik: =/\= And Scotty – everything working as we hoped down there? =/\=
Reade: Response
TBC
