Lt. Kivik: Standing Wave
Lt. JG Kivik
((OOC – Note to Ward, there are a couple of new tags above the last tag from your sim, as of Rahman’s latest sim))
((USS Kitty Hawk - Deck 5, Science Lab))
With Finsen safely on her way to sickbay, Kivik breathed a sigh of relief. Of course – they would see more cases like hers, perhaps worse, if they weren’t able to develop a viable treatment solution. While they updated the Captain and First Officer, Kivik took a moment to glance at the new medical officer.
This was an exceptional situation for all of them – and this was Ward’s first day. Thinking back to nir own first posting as a Science Officer, Kivik couldn’t imagine handling a stressful situation like this one so well. Ne made a mental note to check in on Ward when they had a moment.
Ward: =/\= I'll be certain to advise as soon as something is ready. =/\=
Kivik nodded, approvingly, to Ward before adding nir own recommendations.
Kivik: =/\= Until then, recommend keeping our distance from the gravity well for the time being… ::Sighing:: …We may want to work on redirecting power to bolster the shields and repolarizing the hull. If the Independence-B have found their way inside one of these anomalies we might need to get within tractor range to ‘fish them out’. =/\=
Rahman: =/\= We can't risk the ship until we know what we're dealing with. =/\=
There was a brief pause as the bridge crew discussed options. Kivik took the opportunity to check in with nir crewmate. If Ward was finding this too overwhelming,
Kivik: Ensign? I know I joked about this being an ‘exciting’ first day. I think that’s putting things mildly. How are you feeling?
Ward: Response
Kivik: ::Nodding:: Okay, then. Let me know if that–
Rahman: =/\= Lieutenant Kivik, Doctor Ward, we'll launch a probe into the anomaly. Perhaps we can kill two birds with one probe... get more data about the anomaly that could lead to inoculations or a way to neutralize the ship against its effects... and see if we can detect the Independence in there and give them a subspace comm relay for them to establish communications with us. =/\=
oO Back to business, then! Oo
Kivik: =/\= Excellent. The information we’re working with now is all derived from external data. The probe should also help us better understand what exactly is going on within the gravity well. That may be sufficient for us to develop a plan. =/\=
Rahman: =/\= Once the probe begins transmitting data, you should be able to tie into its feed directly from the science lab. =/\=
Kivik: =/\= Understood. We’ll keep an eye out for those results. =/\=
Ward: Response
Rahman: =/\= Keep me apprised. Bridge out. =/\=
Kivik glanced back at the astrophysics console – the computer was nearly done generating the model. Rather than stand around waiting, ne walked around the central multipurpose console that Ward was working at, taking the screen opposite them. While Ward puzzled over how to develop a treatment, Kivik decided to work out the delivery system.
Pulling up a schematic of the ship, Kivik stared at it wide-eyed. The Galaxy Class was far larger and more complex in its design than the Veritas-class ne had served on previously – and Kivik was no engineer… However, following the near-catastrophic incident during Amity’s Science Exposition ((OOC: Sort-of-summarised here)), Kivik had been logging some hours in Engineering along with nir old friend, (and one of the most diligent engineers ne had ever met), Scotty Reade ((OOC: Part 1 & Part 2)).
Nir own knowledge had always been more theoretical than practical – but the science officer had hoped that some hands-on learning would expand nir understanding… and, to nir pleasant surprise, Kivik found nemself recognizing features that, previously, would have been utterly baffling.
Ne began to lay out a basic plan for treatment distribution. oO This might actually work… Oo
Ward: YES!
Kivik: ::Looking up from nir work with a surprised look:: Good news, Ensign?
Kivik smiled reassuringly as Ward blushed. A little positivity was welcome as far as ne was concerned.
Ward: Sorry about that, it's just...I realized my problem. I don't need a new solution, I just need to adapt an old one. Vaccination is an incredibly tried and true concept. In the 21st century, doctors on Earth found a way to vaccinate humans against radiation by using specific radiation determinant toxins. The toxins themselves are antigen....
Kivik crossed nir left arm across nir chest and placed nir right hand over nir chin as ne listened.
Ward: I'm rambling. The point is that the vaccine was designed to be tailored to specific types of radiation. Tachyons themselves emit gravitational radiation, not unlike Cherenkov radiation. With the information from your modeling I might be able to create a vaccine that would help counteract our unfriendly tachyons.
Kivik: ::Chuckling:: Rambling comes with the blue uniform, Ensign – but context is valuable. If you told me your plan was to poison the crew to protect them, I might be skeptical… However, this sounds promising.
Ward: It won't be perfect, we have different species onboard and even with some modern tweaking a vaccine won't reach full efficacy immediately. But it should give us a very good starting point. I'll start sequencing the base, and just let me know when your modeling is complete! In particular, if you can isolate the data on the gravitational radiation - and any other radiation if you see it - that you think these tachyon bubbles are likely emitting. I'm afraid culling that out of the data would be functionally impossible for me…
At that moment, the astrophysics terminal chirped, indicating that nir model was ready. Kivik stepped lively across the floor to begin looking it over.
Kivik: Let’s take a look then… ::Accessing the model:: …Interesting. The gravity well appears to have formed around a subspace ‘pocket’ of sorts – perhaps a byproduct of the benamite field. This would explain why the well is so reactive to warp fields as well. Manipulating subspace in the area of this pocket would be like pouring water next to a puddle – you’d just end up with a larger puddle.
Ward: Response
Kivik: Of course, this particular puddle could have been growing for several million years – then we came along with our warp engines and flooded it. That sort of rapid expansion could also explain the intense gravitational radiation we’re seeing. ::Turning to look at Ward:: Here’s the part that could be relevant to your work, Doctor.
Ward: Response
Kivik: My turn to ramble. ::Pulling up a graphical representation of the gravity well for Ward to see:: The best way I can describe this phenomenon, considering I’ve never heard of such a thing before, would be ‘standing gravitational wave’ – multidirectional waveforms merging together into singular waveforms of intense amplitude. On terrestrial worlds, we see these phenomena in bodies of water – though they are rare.
Ward: Response
Kivik: To return to my ‘puddle’ metaphor… I think we’re seeing a similar phenomenon here with gravitational waves in a subspace medium. Our warp fields caused concentric ‘ripples’ that reflected inwards.. ::tapping at the console to simulate the effect:: ..building into a massive gravitational singularity – the gravity well.
Ward: Response
Kivik: Well, as fascinating as it is, it also tells me that the tachyon bursts will come in predictable wave patterns. As the ‘ripples’ come together, they’ll produce massive bursts along these.. ::tapping the console to send data to Ward’s console:: ..frequencies. When that happens, the gravitational forces are significant enough to damage the fabric of spacetime and release tachyon radiation within those same bands. ::Breathing a huge sigh:: I think that means we have what we need to synthesize your treatment, Doctor.
Ward: Response
At that moment, the astrophysics console chirped once again. Kivik spun to look at the incoming data from the probe. As ne watched, nir fascination changed to shock – and nir shock to horror as the probe was ripped apart by the gravity well’s tidal forces, sending hundreds of probes hurtling at high-velocity into the subspace pocket. Almost immediately the signals multiplied into an overwhelming surge of virtually-unparseable data.
Kivik: Oh no…
Ward: Response
TBC
