Ensign Tho’Bi - [END OF ACT ONE] Time Would Tell

[Tobi]

((Main Engineering - Boraxian Ship, ‘New Hope’))

With Tricorder in hand, the Andorian Engineer waited for the Combadge exchange to end before addressing the Lieutenant Commander. 

Tho'Bi: ::to Silveira:: Sir, the DOT has completed the repair work of the transceiver and has returned to Artemis. ::nods in direction of the subchamber below warp core:: We need only now purge the Warp Core Waste Storage Tanks ::beat:: and the Theta-Band Radiation problem should be resolved.

Dariell: And we are glad for your help, and giving the praise to your Engineer, Tho’Bi.

The Chief smiled.

Silveira: Good, let’s proceed, we are to return as soon as we are finished with the repairs. ::He turned to Cole and pointed to the wreckage parts that Tho’Bi had beamed aboard:: Ensing Cole, scan what you can of these.

Cole: On it.

The Security Ensign moved slowly around the hexagonal transparent column that still contained the four Accelerator Generators. 

Tho'Bi: ::holding up Tricorder:: The damaged Accelerator Generators show signs of harmonic detuning and phase inversion. ::beat:: This caused the Theta-Band Radiation to leak back into the supply line. 

Silveira: And have you found out how that happened?

Cole: ::confirming scan:: We have enough that if needed we can recreate an accurate recreation on the Holodeck. Also I have updated and compiled the scans for Lieutenant Morgan and his team.

Tho'Bi: A combination of quench footprints and dielectric carbonization indicates a build up of Theta-band Radiation four times that of normal. ::beat:: in simple terms, the system was overloaded ::beat:: either through technical error, accident, or sabotage. 

Silveira: Okay… What’s the next step?

Tho'Bi: ::to Silveira:: I recommend we purge the Warp Core Waste Storage Tanks immediately. 

Dariell: Yes, as your engineer said, sooner we purge them, sooner things become better.

The Chief nodded and turned to Tho’Bi.

Silveira: Let’s get to it then.

Cole: ::holding up her tricorder:: Quicker we do, the quicker we can review this data.

The Boraxian Engineer smiled and raised one of his four arms towards the exit of the cloistered Engineering Department. 

Dariell: Thank you for your continuous help, Lieutenant Commander. We can move and finish the repair in the subchamber.

The Chief shrugged and then turned to Tho’Bi.

Silveira: Let’s do this quickly, I want us back on the Artemis as fast as we can.

Tho’Bi: Aye, Aye, Sir.  

Cole: I second that. ::rubbing her eyes::

The Chief tipped his head, signaling the Away Team to move.  

((Warp Core Sub Chamber - Main Engineering, Boraxian Vessel ‘New Hope’))

The steady gravelly pulse of the Boraxian Warp Core vibrated through the deck, walls, and ceiling of the cramped hexagonal chamber. The intoxicating beauty of the ever shifting colors of Deuterium impurities, cascaded across the various control consoles and panels. At the centre of the room, the Warp Core Waste Storage Tanks were set deep into an hexagonal hole. A thick, rigged tube of shimmering light fell straight down from the base of the Warp Core above, and onto a heavy connecting valve atop of the Storage Tanks.

A set of four Control columns ringed the Storage Tank hole. Each console featured a set of 61 tiny transparent hexagons, placed at an angle that sloped away from the hexagonal hole.  

Access to the Sub Chamber was by way of a ladder, embedded into the panelling. Opposite the ladder a three dimensional projection of the Warp Core Waste Storage Tanks shimmered and shuddered in golden brown textures like sun. Etched into two panels flanking it, were line schematics for the Warp Core Waste Storage Tanks. On one side, the systems for purging the Storage Tanks. On the other side the systems for feeding Theta-Band Radiation to the Theta-Band Subspace Transceivers.

There was only enough room for the Andorian Engineer and one of Dariell's team in the cramped Sub Chamber. The dark blue eyes of the Andorian Engineer watched as the four arms of the Boraxian Engineer worked the four console columns. In order to reach all four columns, the Engineer had to shimmy one and then another; all the while he sang harmonies to the control consoles, the procedure playing out like an odd dance.

Quietly, the Andorian Engineer studied the procedures for feeding Theta-Band Radiation from the Warp Core Waste Storage Tanks to the Theta-Band Subspace Transceivers. The flow of Theta-Band radiation was controlled by a sequence of four filters. Each filter appeared to serve as a different degree of limiting the flow of Theta-Band particles. By removing different combinations of filters, the Boraxian could control the rate of Theta-Band radiation feeding the Subspace Transceivers with an impressive degree of accuracy.

Shu-tunk! A low rumble spread out across the cramped hexagonal chamber. The Warp Core Waste Storage Tanks had been purged. His Engineering Tricorder confirmed it with a happy chirp. Radiation levels were beginning to fall.

The Andorian paused for just a moment before climbing back up the stairs. His back and knees bent, with the low ceiling, paler than usual blue fingers danced across his PADD.  

((Transport Capsule - Boraxian Ship ‘New Hope’))

Rumble and scrape. Rumble and scrape. Without saying a word the Andorian Engineer handed his PADD to Lieutenant Commander Silveira. 

//PADD SCREEN//

> Theta-Band Overload :

> Not malfunction - system optimal 

> Not accident - four sets of safeguards

>

> Theta-Band Overload was intentional

> Either sabotage or attempt to boost Subspace Signal

>

> Engineering Report to follow.

//END OF PADD SCREEN//

Rumble and scrape. Rumble and scrape. Had Dariell been deceiving them along? Did he trigger the Theta-Band Overload? Any of the Boraxian bare bones Engineering team would have had enough time and opportunity to do it. 

Rumble and scrape. Rumble and scrape. The Andorian Engineer liked his Boraxian counterpart. He sensed no malice on the part of the Boraxian. Perhaps he simply did not know who to trust? Perhaps he had been ordered to say as little as possible?

Rumble and scrape. Rumble and scrape. Time would tell. Time would tell.

TAGS/END OF ACT ONE

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Ensign Tho’Bi

Engineering

USS Artemis-A

A240203T11