Ensign Tho’Bi - DOT It Like a Comet!

[Tobi]

((OOC: Sim starts with the very end of Bruno's last Sim. He can work forward from here for convenience. ))

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

Warp Core impurities projected pretty colors across the cloistered Engineering Department. The Chief glanced at the Boraxian Engineer first, and then back to Ensign Cole and the Andorian Engineer.

Silveira: Their Leader just requested Asylum.

Ensign Cole appeared unsurprised by this news as she nodded in response. The young Andorian did not, as yet, know what to make of it all.

 

Cole: And our orders Sir?

Dariell: Will of Elders was spoken.

Silveira: Response 

Beep! Ensign Cole's Tricorder had finished its Theta-Band Radiation scan. The results appeared to be concerning for the Security Ensign.  

Cole: It appears the Theta Radiation that our scan’s picked up ::beat:: are the result of sabotage. ::turning her tricorder towards Tho’Bi to confirm:: Comparing these, which I am presuming are their version of Theta-band Subspace Transceivers, one of them appears to be the source of the radiation.

Dark blue eyes tracked across the Tricorder display. Subspace Transceivers or any kind would be mounted on the outside of or embedded within the hull. The young Andorian opted to keep his thoughts to himself, rather than interrupt or second guess his fellow Ensign and Roommate. 

Dariell: Those results are faulty, Security Ensign. Not a single person aboard this ship would ever think of willingly sabotaging our journey to the stars. There would be another reason, a simple late failure in something that was undetected for one and damaged during the attack, perhaps?

Silveira: Response

Cole: At first I thought it might be possible collateral damage from the attack, but that is unlikely since we’re not near the hull of the ship. ::directly to Silveira:: Sir, this doesn’t feel like system failure. If this were the Artemis, I’d be calling it sabotage. We should at least plan for that possibility.

Ensign Cole's observation tallied with his own. They were not near the hull of the ship, so what was going on?

oO Felsharn lesh shrel lex’tharnel Oo 

Silveira: Response 

Dariell: How could your so-called saboteur even pull something like that off? Theta-Band Transceivers are closed systems—shielded and inaccessible from the inside of the ship.

The Andorian remembered Dariell's original insistence that it was Warp Core Waste causing the Theta-Band Radiation. Blue fingers moved over the 244 transparent hexagons, with each input high frequency tones reverberated around the cloistered space.  

Sseesh! …Sswaaayy! ….Ssswoosh!  

The large Master System Display vibrated with complementing harmonies as shimmering metallic lines crept across its hewn schematics, reaching out from Main Engineering to various points on the hull.

Sseeaarr! …Sswaayyaarr! …Ssswaaarrr!

Tho'Bi: ::to Silveira:: The Boraxians are using Theta-Band Transceivers to communicate via Subspace.  

The Andorian Engineer gestured in the direction of the ornately carved Master System Display. A series of transceivers were represented in shimmering, shuddering three dimensional projections of golden brown. Unlike Starfleet Transceivers which were embedded into the ship's hull, the Boraxian Transceivers were great hexagonal pylons mounted to the underside of their ancient vessel.  

Tho'Bi: ::to Silveira:: Theta-Band Transceivers require considerable levels of Theta-Band radiation ::points to sub chamber below the Warp Core:: The Boraxians are using residual Theta-Band radiation from their Warp Core Waste to feed their Theta-Band Subway Transceivers. 

The Andorian pointed back at the Master System Display and a shimmering line of green and rusty orange undertones, running between Transceiver and Engineering. 

Tho'Bi: ::to Silveira:: Damage to one of the Theta-Band Transceivers is causing radiation to leak back into the supply line. ::points at the sub chamber below the warp core:: And build up in the Warp Core Waste Storage Tanks. ::holds up Tricorder:: that is why we can register such low levels at this distance from the hull.

oO Shlara lesh shrel lex’tharek Oo

Silveira: Response 

The Boraxian Engineer gestured toward the tall Andorian 

Dariell: You see, Ensign, simple explanation, no sabotage.

Tho'Bi: ::points at sub chamber:: The Warp Core Waste Storage Tanks must be purged ::points at Pylons:: and the Theta-Band Transceiver repaired.

Silveira: Response 

Cole: Sir Might I suggest Tho’Bi oversees the repairs from here while we have an engineering team dispatched to do the work.

The Boraxian Engineer injected.

Dariell: Engineer Tho’Bi is welcomed to assist me and our engineers with the repairs. Storage tanks can be purged even now, from their monitoring subchamber from the deck below.

Tho'Bi: ::Nods at Dariell:: Agreed. The Warp Core Waste Storage Tanks can be purged from the sub chamber. ::looks at Silveira:: But the Transceiver will require EVA suits to make the repair.

The young Andorian Engineer did not speculate as to the possibilities of sabotage or Tactical ramifications of the damaged Transceiver. His job was to fix things.  

It was very much, however, Ensign Cole's job… and she duly attended to her responsibilities in her trademark no nonsense manner.

Cole: I don’t believe the sabotage was malicious. If they wanted to kill a ship, they would have gone after the engines, life support, or weapons. Going after the subspace relays, you’d do that when you don’t want them dead, but silent, lost, or confused. With Theta Radiation’s half life, I can’t help but wonder if the saboteur is attempting to leave a breadcrumb trail.

The Boraxian Engineer's response was every bit as direct.

Dariell: This is nothing short of ridiculous, Security Ensign. Your engineer pinpointed the cause of the issue, a failure caused by the ship’s age and the damage our ship suffered. Despite this, you continue to assert your conclusion of unasserted accusations.

The young Andorian shifted a little uneasy on his feet. He had made no comment one way or the other as to the reasons behind the failure. It simply fell outside his area of expertise. 

Silveira: Response

Cole: ::to Dariell:: Please understand I am not accusing you or any of your people of maliciously doing this. The course of action the individual in question chose to take clearly indicates they didn’t wish to directly harm anyone.

The bite of burned plasma stung the young Andorian's nose and hacked away at the back of his throat. He stifled a cough with a dry awkward swallow. He tilted his head one way and then the other.

Dariell: Me understand that you’re genuinely concerned about security questions. I took no offense at your conclusions. Your experiences tend to make you see the worst in anyone and anything, as one would expect from someone of your training. But my people are creatures of stars. And our problems, these problems, are a question of engineering and minds unclouded.

Feeling uncomfortable, the Andorian Engineer turned the 244 tiny transparent hexagons of the Engineering Control Console and began familiarising himself with the procedures for purging the Warp Core Waste Storage Tanks. Projections of golden brown shimmered and shuddered in front of him. A three-dimensional schematic of the Expulsion System slowly rotated in the air above the console. 

Silveira: Response

Beep! Ensign Cole glanced down at her Tricorder. 

Cole: Sir, I have those other results for you as well.

The Tricorder was handed over to the Lieutenant Commander without further explanation. 

Silveira: Response

Without a word, the Boraxian Engineer took several small steps toward one of the few Boraxians on duty in Main Engineering; soon a scant number of others joined, speaking in a quick exchange of low whispers, before Dariell rejoined the Away Team.

Dariell: Lieutenant Commander, Engineer Tho’Bi, will you still assist with purging the tanks? My monitors confirmed they can handle it on their own, but I assume you’d like to oversee and assist, yes?

Silveira: Response

 

Tho'Bi: ::to Silveira:: Aye, Aye, Sir.

Dariell: ::to Away Team:: We're good to go to the subchamber. My people are instructed, and the tanks will be disconnected in the sequence in which we will purge them.

Tho'Bi: ::to Silveira:: Purging the tanks is only half the job, Sir. If the Theta-Band Transceiver is not repaired, the Theta-Band Radiation will continue to leak back into the supply line.

Silveira: Response 

The young Ensign nodded and tapped his combadge. 

Tho'Bi: =/\= Lieutenant Minthar, Lieutenant Commander Silveira needs you to dispatch a DOT to repair a Theta-Band Subspace Transceiver at these coordinates ::taps PADD:: Route DOT command interface to my PADD ::beat:: Serial Number 101 303 314 23 ::beat:: So Engineer Dariell can oversee the repairs ::bows slightly toward Dariell::

Cole/Dariell/Silveira: Response

((Exterior - Underside Hull, New Hope))

The ancient hull zipped below it. Unlike the gleaming silver grey of the Artemis, the heavy metal alloy was space worn, peppered with dust strikes and pot marked with tiny asteroid impacts. The small cylindrical robot slalomed around first one, and then another, of the great hulking, hexagonal transceivers towering upwards from out of the hull and downwards towards the darkness of Space. 

As it neared the assigned coordinates, it applied retro ion thrust and slowed. As instructed, it then established a connection with the designated PADD.

//DOT PROTOCOL COMMAND FEED//

> CONN_EST_TARGET: PADD 10130331423

> CONN_CONFIRM: SENT

> WAITING…WAITING…

> CONN_CONFIRM: RECEIVED

> RT_COMFEED: INITIATE

> WAITING…WAITING…WAITING…WAITING…

> RT_COMFEED: COMFIRMED

//DOT PROTOCOL COMMAND FEED ENDS//

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

Piiiiiiing! The protracted ping confirmed The DOT had established a command interface with the PADD. Starfleet Operational Base Code flashed across the screen for a moment. It was replaced by a visual feed from the DOT. The hexagonal transceivers loomed above them, framed by the orange text and graphic of system status and the DOT's Protocol Command Feed.

The Andorian Engineer held the PADD so his Boraxian counterpart could see it.

Dariell: Response

Silveira/Cole: Response 

Tho'Bi: ::to the DOT via his PADD:: Initiate granular component scan of Transceiver 

The Andorian turned to speak to the Boraxian Engineer but was interrupted by the DOT. 

Tho'Bi: ::to Dariell:: The DOT will ana-

DOT: ::via PADD:: On it like a comet! 

The Andorian shifted without purpose and attempted to continue his conversation with the Boraxian. 

Tho'Bi: …analyse the Transceiv-

The DOT interrupted again.

DOT: ::via PADD:: Scan complete. Fault found.  

A three-dimensional schematic of the transceiver superimposed in orange over the regular visual. A quartet of chunky hexagonal capsules lifted out of the schematic in red.

DOT: ::via PADD:: Four Theta-Band Accelerator Generators have failed. Replacement parts required to effect repairs.

Silveira/Dariel/Cole: Response 

Tho'Bi:: ::to the DOT via his PADD:: Disconnect faulty components ::beat:: and secure them for transport to New Hope.

The Andorian turned to speak to the Boraxian Engineer. 

Tho'Bi: ::to Dariell:: Where is best?

Dariell: Response 

Moments later blue light shimmered and deposited four chunky hexagonal capsules within the floor to ceiling hexagonal column of transparent radioactive shielding. A quartet of elegant robotic arms hung over the four capsules, glistening ever-shifting metallic colours traced up and down long umbilical cables that stretched from the ceiling to the robotic limbs. 

A control console of four sets of 61 tiny transparent hexagons stood ready for for investigation by Engineer, both Boraxian and Andorian, and Security/Tactical Officers alike.  

Silveira/Dariell/Cole: Response 

TAGs/TBC

((OOC: DOT is waiting in position for replacement parts))

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Ensign Tho’Bi

Engineering

USS Artemis-A

A240203T11