Ensign Imril - Holodetectives (redo)
Chris Taylor
(OOC: thanks to help from Tobi, I have a rejiggered post with no backsim necessary)
((Holodeck 2, Deck 2, USS Artemis))
Bancroft: If I may offer a theory on vulnerability, Commander: based on what we’ve seen so far, this whole system looks like a patchwork – different cultures, different eras, all duct-taped together into something functional. It reminds me, just a little, of the Pakleds and their Clumpships. ::holds up both hands, placating:: Not suggesting they’re involved, just… drawing a parallel. ::a beat:: It could explain the erratic behavior – tiny incompatibilities in the way subsystems talk to each other could be their own vulnerability.
Jovenan looked at the broken components Ensign Imril had brought with them.
Tho’Bi: ::quieter and nodding:: The drone in the forest ::swallows:: behaved strangely (beat) as though ::shakes head:: executing (beat) multiple command protocols.
Imril synthesises the two other ensigns’ statements.
Imril: And a computer, when given multiple incompatible command protocols will try to defer to its most deeply-coded directives. But with potentially wildly different outputs based on how well it can incorporate the conflicting commands into that directive. Results the builder couldn’t have anticipated.
The Doctor also had a good point about these discrepancies being a potential pathway to vulnerabilities. Vulnerabilities the team could find a way to exploit.
Jovenan: Okay. Imril, would you mind introducing the drone technology to Tho’Bi in further detail? I want both of you be full up on speed before we can start making further hypothesis.
Tho’Bi: ::nods:: Aye, Aye.
Imril: Aye, Commander.
Jovenan: Meanwhile, Doctor…
Jovenan walked Bancroft a few steps away from the two engineers, giving them some space to focus on the finer details of the drone design.
Jovenan: We should also study the Grunden technology. You and Tho’Bi might have more data, but my team also encountered some damaged Grunden vehicles in the old battlefield. That would provide an interesting comparison. We also found some, um, biological matter inside. Would it be possible to ask you to evaluate that part of the data before cleaning up and looking further into the technology?
The thought of biological remnants of dead soldiers didn’t upset Imril. But it was far enough outside of their field of expertise that they didn’t bother prying on that side of the project.
The easiest way to get across the technological cornerstones to Tho’Bi, it seemed to Imril, was to compare them to those of a culture that everyone had to study at least a little of in the Academy. They spoke directly to the Andorian, but just loud enough to be followed by the others if they wished.
Imril: I’d say the easiest point of reference for their technology is roughly pre-World War III Earth. Their weapons, drone, and flight technology in particular. They branch away from that model in two major ways. First, a preference for clean energy sources. Second, they got to crystal-based computing sooner. Both of those divergent factors allow for much more efficient holography than the stated Earth period. In terms of smaller divergences, the Kobyar are also partway into terraforming, in the way they micromanage the air. They also like to micromanage information; to the point that I’d call it a significant factor of their culture.
Andorian antennae twitched every so often, as he listened intently as the Bactrican Engineer broke down everything their team had learned about Kobyar Tech.
A lashed-together all-terrain vehicle fizzed into view in the autoshop area. Summoned by Jovenan. Temporarily drawing Imril’s eyes away.
Imril reclaimed their tricoder and aimed it at two of the workshop viewscreens. One filled with a recording of the plaza, the other with the scene from inside the capitol building concourse. Both filled with orderly processions of holotext, drones, and Kobyar.
Imril: Computer, produce intact replicas of the three drones I dismantled. Place them over on that bench. Then put dismantled versions over on that one.
The computer did as instructed, producing six drones in various states of completeness.
Tho’Bi: Response (Tho'Bi will actually say "Woah!" Here)
Imril: ::Pointing to the dismantled tactical drone:: The Ferengi-styled device was only in the tactical drone. I suspect it’s a form of technological creep; tech developed for the war is perfected on the battlefield and then filtered into civilian use. Their computers appear to be following the same principle.
Tho’Bi: ::nodding:: That lines up with what we found (beat) and fills in some of the blanks ::looks at Imril and Smiles:: Cool.
Imril: Ferengi engineers would have flooded the secondary market with isolinear gems back when they started to adopt Federation-style chips. So they’d be easy for someone to pick up and copy. But the old Starfleet dynamic libraries… Our would-be clumpship maker would have fewer options. Copy them out of a ship from a junkyard, or hack one of the museum pieces. Then again, maybe there’s an old wreck out somewhere in space that never got reported for recovery. Not too long ago, I spent time climbing around a crashed Jem’Hadar ship left over from the Dominion War. So it’s possible, if tricky.
((OOC: TIMING - Bancroft instructs Holodeck to create Isolation Suit, etc.))
Tho’Bi: Something I want to take a look at (beat) ::to the computer:: Computer pull up the data feed from Lieutenant Vailani's PADD (beat) Isolate the ten minutes before the Drone feed ends.
A three dimensional rendering of the PADD's data feed shuddered into existence in front of the two Engineers. Electric green symbols cascaded down in complex repeating patterns.
Tho’Bi: This is when Lieutenant Vailani attempted to gain access to the drone ::points at symbols::
One of the strings of cascading symbols pulses bright neon green and disappears.
Tho'Bi: ::points where the string used to be:: And it was working.
Tho'Bi: But then the sequence changed.
Crimson salvos of symbols, grouped tightly together, began to burst across the horizontal plane of the three dimensional data feed; interjecting themselves into the strings of cascading electric green symbols. Imril tried to follow the sequences, pick out the groupings of similar motifs.
Imril: Something foreign to the established system. Being denied, rejected. But not removed. A second party that isn’t going anywhere. And isn’t gaining any ground either. The Green ‘faction’ is too good at defending its turf. Retreating from one sector just far enough to come at the Red from another angle at force.
Tho'Bi: Yeah ::nods:: looks like conflicting command protocol.
((OOC: TIMING - Bancroft begins investigating))
Tho'Bi: If the PADD recorded any of the Drone's subroutines (beat) we might be able to isolate conflicting Command Protocol Identifiers ::to Computer:: Computer (beat) pull up any subroutines in the data feed.
The electric green and crimson symbols dulled out to a misty grey. A third set of symbols appeared in the background. Shimmering in a pale blue, the Computer brought them to the foreground.
Imril: A third directive, working in the background. Taking what it needs from Red and Green to do its thing. Or using the noise of their conflict to hide itself. See the way the Blue pokes into their plane now and then? There! Just as Red and Green were clashing in the middle!
A pale tendril of text line darted into the misty grey, seizing corner space vacated by the active combatants. And just as quickly retreated back to its own field. A distinct tactical difference from Red’s frantic aggression and Green’s stolid defensiveness.
Tho'Bi: Agreed (beat) ::notices something and points at code:: What is that?
In the bottom right hand corner a small sequence of symbols ticked away.
((OOC: TIMING - Bancroft identifies hot spot))
Tho'Bi: Computer identify code function.
Computer: Unable to comply (beat) insufficient data.
Imril: ::sighing:: Isn’t it always? Well, when something’s ticking away, that usually means countdown. Before it broke down, the firewall device was transmitting a series of prime numbers. If it was expecting a reply, potentially from a person or device tasked to repair it, this could be a time limit.
Bancroft: ::poking his head out of the cabin:: Commander Jovenan? How confident are you that the holographic recreation of this Grunt is absolutely accurate?
Jovenan: Huh? Um, there are always some imperfections in the scans and how the computer interprets them, but the data should be as accurate as the circumstances permit. Why?
Imril: What did you find?
Imril: .oO(Other than a reason to get dressed up in PPE gear?)Oo.
Tho’Bi: Response?
Jovenan gave an apologetic look to the engineers and stepped closer to the wreckage.
Bancroft: It’s just… there’s a hot spot here, on this floorboard. Small, no larger than a few centimeters in diameter. The rest of the vehicle is cold and dead, but this… isn’t. It seems out of place to me.
Jovenan: Can you have a closer look? Is there a hot component or something else you could identify as the source
Imril directed their attention towards the grunt now, keen to know what Bancroft had discovered.
Tho’Bi: Response?
Bancroft: ::ducking back inside the Grunt:: I’ll dig into it, Commander.
Jovenan: Tho’Bi, did you happen to take any scans of vehicles like this while you were with the Grunden? There’s a hot spot in the floor. It might not be anything, but I want to check it.
It took a moment for the young Andorian to reorientate his attention to the Lieutenant Commander's question.
Tho’Bi: (beat) Yes. Scans ::looks to one side:: (beat) ::looks at Jovenan:: Yes (best) ::to the computer:: Computer (beat) Extrapolate Grunden Grunt design based on Engineering Tricorder scans (beat) Tho'Bi (beat) Ensign.
A Holo-Generated Grunt phased into existence. Its rugged metal frame sat upon four adaptive wheels. Heavy module Electric Reactive Armor Plating covered much of its body, with the squat turret of a Focus Beam Weapon mounted on top.
Jovenan: Is it possible this grunt is of different design? Maybe there’s something added or removed to the ones you saw.
Tho'Bi: ::to the computer:: Computer (beat) allowing for the relative condition of the two Grunts (beat) identify any anomalies in construction, design, or constitute part.
Computer: Unable to comply. Insufficient basis for reliable comparison due to extensive damage of one Grunt.
Imril: ::Looking from Jovenan’s grunt to Tho’Bi’s:: The two of them barely even look like they are the same class of vehicle.
Medical Ensign ducked back inside the Grunt. A stream of noise and crumbling followed.
Bancroft: Computer, what is the source of the heat bleeding through the deck plating immediately in front of me?
Computer: Unknown.
The wrecked Grunt sighed.
Bancroft: Computer, remove the section of deck plating directly in front of me.
Computer: Unable to comply.
The instant the computer failed to carry out Bancroft’s command, Imril’s head snapped towards the main door of the workshop. Which correspond to the actual holodeck door. They had programmed this simulation, and all of their holoprograms, with a series of ‘escape clause’ sub-routines in event of holodeck malfunction. Was now the time to start activating them?
(OOC: Removed numerous aside comments of Bancroft’s that Imril probably can’t hear from the text below.)
Computer: Please restate your query.
Tho'Bi glanced at his fellow Engineering Ensign and grinned.
Imril saw the smile and recognized their moment of paranoia for what it was. They took a deep breath, and promised themself time to process it in their journal later. Here and now, they would observe and make actionable conclusions before they acted.
While Imril was in their own headspace, Bancroft had asked the computer for something. The nature of his request became apparent when the hiss of a plasma torch was heard. That the holodeck was insisting on such a measure was more than a little disconcerting. Imril had not programmed this simulation to behave under holonovel rules of narrative interaction. There had to be a reason why the computer was putting him through the effort of cutting through to his goal.
They thought back to what Jovenan had said about imperfections in the scans and how the computer interpreted them. The holodeck couldn’t render what it didn’t fully comprehend. And since this wasn’t a holonovel, it couldn’t just make something up to fill the gap in its knowledge.
Tho'Bi: ::quietly to Imril:: He's using a holographic plasma torch on holographic metal, right? (Beat) it's not just me that can hear that?
Imril: The torch I can hear. Half of whatever he’s saying to it… Not so much.
Tho'bi: ::nodding with relief:: okay (beat) Just wanted to make sure (beat) ::stares at the middle distance:: I climbed five kilometers up a tree today (beat) ::looks at Imril:: and then fell out (beat) Feeling a bit red pill ::nods::
Imril could only stare back in confusion; whatever cultural reference or idiom the Andoran was referring to had gone right past them. Confusion was a better feeling than fear of being caught in an unhappy holodeck, though.
A whine of metal from within the grunt preceded a prolonged groan and a heavy clank.
Tho'Bi looked at Imril and shrugged.
Imril shrugged back.
Bancroft: ::shouting slightly to be heard from inside the Grunt’s cabin:: Today’s episode of “One of These Things Is Not Like the Others” stars something under the deck plating that doesn’t look Grunden. Scanning now.
Tho'Bi: ::quietly to Imril:: He's scanning.
Imril: ::More to themself:: The computer may have made calculations based on the derived resonances of the metals he just cut through to better reconstruct the shape of... whatever it is.
Jovenan: Response
Bancroft’s tricorder spoke for him. A wild spew of noise that the engineer could only vaguely interpret. Fast-cycling power system scans?
The Andorian’s antennae flexed to the chirp and beeps of the Ensign's Medical Tricorder echoing inside the Grunt husk.
Bancroft: ::muttering:: If this thing starts blinking ominously, I’m beaming straight to the bar.
Tho'Bi: ::nodding to Imril:: It's not a bad plan.
Imril nodded back. One of their H.E.D.A (Holodeck Emergency Door Access) sub-routines would, in fact, initiate an emergency beam-out for everyone in the holodeck.
Bancroft: ::squinting at the screen:: Right. So that’s either an incredibly sophisticated surveillance node… or the galaxy’s most over-built space heater.
Tho'Bi: ::quietly to Imril:: I vote Space Heater
Imril: Nothing about this mission has been so friendly. Besides some of the people involved.
Bancroft: ::to the room:: Commander? I’ve found something. Some kind of long-range transponder – possibly a surveillance node. It’s not broadcasting on any Grunden or Kobyar frequencies. And it’s definitely overpowered – this thing could phone home well into the mid-reaches of this star system.
Imril raised their own tricoder to examine the signal being broadcast. Making sure to log the transmission frequency for later reference.
Imril: The signal is only playing out as part of the simulation, looping what Commander Jovenan’s tricoder recorded. It isn’t actively interfering with our gear or the holodeck computer in any way beyond that. I’m not reading anything in the way of a virus or other malicious code.
Jovenan: response
Bancroft nodded, mostly to himself, and continued to scan, simultaneously uploading the scan data to a workstation near Imril and Tho’Bi. A display near the two Engineers spluttered into life, as data from the Medical Tricorder began to upload.
Bancroft: It’s interesting… I could certainly see the Grunden utilizing a tracking device for logistical purposes. But why wouldn’t it be similar to all of their other tech? And why would it need to be powerful enough to beam signals off-world?
The Andorian Engineer had already taken up station in front of the new data feed. Growing up best friends with a Ferengi, had instilled a unique set of life lessons in the young Ensign.
Imril: If someone was just trying to get past Kobyar jammers, that does seem like a bit much.
Tho'Bi: ::to Computer:: Computer (beat) display command code and subroutines from new data feed.
Jovenan: Response
Bancroft holstered his tricorder, leaving analysis of the tracking device to the scientist and engineers.
Bancroft: Agreed. I’m going to get to work analyzing the biological material here. ::opening kit:: Let’s see if our dearly departed friends left behind anything besides viscera and unresolved plot threads.
A three dimensional patchwork of cascading electric green, crimson, and pale blue symbols flickered into existence.
Jovenan: Response
Bancroft: Response
Imril: Computer, create a duplicate of the unknown transmitter. Put it beside the real Kobyar firewall device.
The computer did as instructed. As transmitters went, it wasn’t all that familiar. It could be a custom job. It could be a standardized alien format that they weren’t knowledgeable of.
Tho’Bi clearly had the transmission under sharp scrutiny. So where, then, was it transmitting to? Imril considered Ensign Bancroft’s words. That this thing could broadcast to the mid-reaches of the system.
Imril: Computer, give us a model of the Galaris system. Three-dimensional. Combine the ships' archival data with the scans Artemis made recently. Remove any known artificial satellites or structures on or in orbit of Galaris IV, show all the others.
A sizable (but truncated for scale) diagram of the system came into view in the air between everyone. Spherical planets bound to circular orbital paths. In an interesting tad of literal interpretation, the shuttle Atlas was highlighted in the space above Galaris IV. Apparently out on its own mission, neither in orbit of nor situated on the planet.
Tho’Bi/Jovenan/Bancroft: Response
There was surprisingly little in the way of artificial anythings beyond Galaris IV, for a system which had had warp technology for seven years. Proof of the planet's scientific resources being swallowed by endless war.
There were numerous leftovers from rocket launches to the planet’s single moon. Some abandoned landing modules, no permanent habitable structures. Scraps of crashed probes or satellites dotted the three of the other terrestrial bodies -- Galaris II, III and V -- and on one of the icy moons of the gas giant Galaris VII. More on some scattered asteroids from the belt which existed past Galaris V. Some defunct rovers as well among the same bodies.
A space telescope enjoyed its own orbit out past Galaris IV’s moon. Several small, clustered structures populated some of the larger -- not quite dwarf planet sized -- members of the asteroid belt. Big enough to accommodate a few researchers each, but officially bereft of life. Presumably automated, if they were functional at all.
Tho’Bi/Jovenan/Bancroft: Response
Imril: ::Pointing to the telescope and asteroid structures:: I wonder if those were used to observe the warp test?
Tho’Bi/Jovenan/Bancroft: Response
((OOC: Presumably anything that was sent to Galaris I melted))
((OOC: I left the transponder unidentified to give someone else something to add, as I filled out some solar system stuff))
TAG/TBC
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Ensign Imril
Engineering Officer
USS Artemis-A
A240110I12