Lt. Robin Hopper: Follow-Up
Robin Hopper
((OOC – There have been some tags lost/dropped amongst the last few sims in this scene; Did my best to patch everything together))
((“Bridge, USS Independence-B” - Holodeck 1, Level 5, Copernicus Center))
The plan was simple… Depending on your perspective. While the underlying quantum field mechanics and subspace interphase linkages were hardly simple concepts to grasp, nor were the forces involved in a triplicate detonation of warp cores along the event horizon of a spatial rift… Robin felt confident. The detonation should, in theory, disrupt the fabric of subspace sufficiently to destabilize the rift – like adding a drop of soap to a dish of water to break the surface tension. After that, the rift should collapse in on itself, drawing the fabric of regular space back in to fill the void, like… Well, like Barberra had said – like they were going to “plug the main hole.”
oO Not a very scientific way of putting it… But if she grasped the concept that quickly, she’s clearly highly intelligent. Oo
Barberra: Officers. This is going to be like a symphony orchestra, and I am your conductor. We’re either going to produce beautiful Brahms, or awful ABBA.
Robin turned to look at Barberra sharply over her shoulder, but said nothing. It wasn’t the time – and Barberra was hardly the first to malign Sweden’s greatest gift to mankind. That conversation could wait for later. She turned back to her station.
oO Highly intelligent… but ignorant. Oo
Wong: If we come out like ABBA, I’d still consider that a win given the circumstances…..
Robin scowled, only herself seeing the look of disappointment in her reflection on the science console’s glossy screen.
Richards: Ready on the…what would the warp core be…percussion? Kinda looks like a flute…Ready to eject the core.
Reade: At least we are going out with a bang!
Iko: ::To Barberra:: A bar in please?
Barberra: Hopper… now!
With a sigh, Robin confirmed the launch of the USS-Independence’s core with the Northumberland and ISS-Independence’s science officers. The sequence had begun to unfold.
Hopper: ::Under her breath:: Mamma mia, here we go again…
Richards: ::Tapping at his console:: Warp core away!
Barberra: Reade! Reroute all power!
Reade: Rerouting power to shields.
Wong: Ukinix owes us all a tall cold one for this!
The lights on the bridge dimmed as power re-routed. The Borg began forcing their way in, and the sound of commotion behind Robin nearly drew her focus away… however, timing would be everything. It was rather like a symphony.
Wong: Aw stars! I’m really sorry about what I’m going to have to do!
Barberra: Hold them off, Wong! Iko, fire everything!
Iko: You got this Wong.
Barberra: Report!
Iko: We have currently got 63 Borg on board… and that number is rising…
Wong: I don’t think I have it in me to smack 63 Borg! We have to come up with something else that’s a lot more clever than brute force and I’m all for suggestions! I really hate this, guys!
oO And… Mark. Oo
In perfect synchronicity, all three warp cores detonated. A massive shockwave began tearing through the remaining crust of Nereid, spreading further afield than Robin had expected. oO That’s not right… Oo She watched in shock as the Northumberland and mirror Independence struggled to escape the blast – before her thoughts were cut short by the shockwave striking their own vessel.
Richards: We’ve been rocked by the shockwave from the detonations. Electrical systems are going down one by one.
Hopper: ::Confused:: I don’t understand. ::To Barberra:: It went perfectly. That should have worked.
Reade: Shields down to 50%, 49%, shields are dropping
Barberra: ::Slight shrug:: Oh, well. ::Pressing button on armrest console:: =/\= Bridge to all hands. Abandon ship. I repeat, abandon ship. =/\=
Robin wanted to argue – to explain why this outcome shouldn’t be possible… but it didn’t matter now. This outcome had happened, and an order had been given. So, instead, she bottled up her frustration, and stood from her seat.
Barberra: ::Twirling finger:: Escape pods, let’s go.
Robin followed the others towards the escape pods as the Borg filed onto the Bridge, no longer being held back. Rather than pursue the fleeing officers, they marched towards the primary computer systems and began attempting to assimilate the vessel.
As she climbed into a pod, the simulation began to dematerialize and the disheartened and frustrated group was left standing in a loose semi-circle, facing each other. There was a brief silence as everyone processed what had just happened. Robin crossed her arms and tried to maintain a neutral expression.
Barberra: Well, that went well.
Iovianus: It..was a mission.
S’Raga: Or something like that!
Hopper: ::To Barberra, honestly but diplomatically:: You handled it well, given the chaos.
Barberra: Thank you. I wouldn’t have lasted more than 5 seconds if it wasn’t for all of you.
Iko: That was a lot…
Robin nodded. At first she had found the rapidly-changing parameters intriguing, feeling as though they were leading up to some sort of coherent ‘mystery’ – a puzzle to solve. Only, just when it had seemed they had solved it, everything had gone wrong. It was as if the physical laws of the universe had been turned against them, dooming them to fail…
Richards: I need a drink…I’ll see you guys later.
Barberra: Response
Iovianus: ::stepping up to Barberra:: Congratulations on surviving the test. I think you did well, and you did your crew proud.
Barberra: Response
Wong: I think I had enough of well…. Whatever that scenario was. But we did the best we could with it and I think we should be proud of that fact.
Hopper: Hmm…
Reade: That was an interesting mission for sure.
S'Raga: Well, your methods are... unorthodox... to say the least. But I sincerely hope Commander Ukinix grants you your full commission. Which is, I'm assuming, what the test was for. ::To the others that remained:: I'm heading over for some lunch at Wet Goods, if anyone would like to join me.
Robin shook her head, quietly. She wasn’t hungry – which ought to have been setting off red alert warnings.
Hopper: I think I’m going to stick around here in Ops for a little longer… I have some troubleshooting to do.
The others filed out, clearly displaying a mix of emotions. Barberra seemed oddly tight-lipped about the whole thing, given how ‘off the cuff’ she had been at the beginning of the ‘mission’. Robin couldn’t hep but soften a little bit towards the Crewman.
Hopper: ::To Barberra:: It’s not really my place to say, but I get the feeling that test wasn’t designed to make us feel like successes. But you handled that barrage really well… Just my personal opinion.
Barberra: Response
Hopper: I take it you’re going up to the Situation Room to discuss your results with Commander Ukinix now?
Barberra: Response
Hopper: ::Nodding:: I have a few things to discuss with him as well… But you go ahead. I’ll catch up with him later.
((Some Time Later, Outside Ops))
As Ukinix exited Amity’s Operations hub, Robin stood. She had been sitting, waiting for him to emerge, re-running the scenario in her head. She was familiar with the concept of a no-win scenario – the classic example of which, the Kobiyashi Maru exam, had become so well-known that it was almost never seriously used anymore in Academy training. But this had felt different.
Hopper: Commander. Do you have a minute?
She held aloft a cup.
Hopper: I ran to the Brew Continuum. I wasn’t sure what you drank, but since your cousin, Keehani seems to enjoy Sencha… Well, I got you a cup.
Ukinix: Response
Hopper: ::Passing him the cup:: I wonder if I could pick your brain, just for a minute, about that holodeck training exercise. There’s, um, a few questions that have been… rattling around in my head.
Ukinix: Response
They began walking together, side-by-side. Robin wasn’t quite sure how to address her questions to Ukinix, except to just lay them out directly and hope for clear answers.
Hopper: First – and I understand you may not be able to share this particular answer with me - but… Was that task meant to be impossible? I know that we all tried our hardest to support Crewman Barberra, but I have to admit… It felt a bit like we had the kitchen sink thrown at us in there.
Ukinix: Response
Hopper: ::Nodding:: I understand… Another thing. The solution with the warp cores. It should have worked. It would have worked, in the real world… Right? Or am I missing something?
Ukinix: Response
She sipped at her own tea, which had begun to grow cold. But it was still soothing. Her third and final question led her to pause in her step, the Commander circling around to face her. She smiled, grateful to have some resolution to the other questions that had been weighing on her – but one thing still stood out as worth asking.
Hopper: ::Smirking:: Finally… and definitely most importantly… ::One hand on her hip:: You made S’Raga the captain of the Mirror Independence and I didn’t even get a cameo? I mean… That was a wasted opportunity.
Ukinix: Response
She resumed walking, her tone lightening as they walked away from Ops.
Hopper: I could be a very menacing villain. Just picture it… instead of hair, I could have a cybernetic brain or something… Maybe an eye patch! My leg could have a built-in phaser…
END
