MdJG Jovenan – Don’t preach your morals to me!
Jovenan
((Computer Lab, CIC Desdemona))
Jovenan: We are not in war with the Federation. These people are not Shints. Are we nothing but thieves if we do this?
It was undeniable that they would massively benefit from acquiring the Starfleet weaponry for their war against the Shint – Jovenan had tried that herself. But the methods the two senior officers in the room were suggesting surpassed her idea of what was morally right. And her… opinion about this universe and its inhabitants had changed over the course of the previous evening.
Adea: Let me get this straight in my mind. You’re absolutely fine with the Shint murdering, nay, wiping out entire civilisations with their reality-twisting weaponry but baulk at the idea of a bit of light thievery? Let’s put it this way - if your family was starving, would it be morally right to steal a loaf of bread to feed them? And what if your family didn’t like bread, what if they preferred, I don’t know, Federation starships?
No. The law was absolute, she couldn’t allow any violations for any reason. If they had been in their own universe – where the entire galaxy outside of God’s Claims had been declared a punishment zone – and if it wasn’t likely she would be overpowered, she would have ruled Adea a criminal and executed him on the spot.
But they were in an alternate universe, and being surrounded by these unlawful, ungodly creatures, Jovenan couldn’t possibly act against their leader without getting herself killed. In matter of fact, she didn’t even need to attack the senior physician for them to turn violent against her. This plan was much larger than the group here. If she gave them any reason to believe she might foil or ruin their attempt to overtake the Artemis, they’d likely capture, hurt or even kill her.
Chevalier/Kuva: Response
She’d better not give them any reason to turn against her. Inhaling deep, she decided the best course of action was to submit and go along while seeking ways to stop them and warn the Starfleeters. Warn Sil.
Jovenan: ::lowers head:: Understood. ::pause, raises head:: What do we know about their computer encryption?
The leading alien got an annoyingly smug smile on his face, causing Jovenan to turn in disgust to the pink alien.
Yellir: From what I see, it’s keyed to Starfleet systems using an asymmetric encryption key. But half of what we need is missing. My guess is, it’s keyed to Starfleet systems. Which is clever, only revealing the rest of the encrypted data when exposed to their main computer or whatever.
Adea: So we need to use a Starfleet computer, hike one over from my - other me - quarter’s?
Jovenan remained silent, but every time the senior physician opened his mouth, he became more and more appalling to her. She could deduce he had amended his appearance solely for the purpose of infiltrating the Artemis… if he hadn’t already done it. She wondered if he had hurt or killed the Adea of this universe already.
Chevalier/Kuva: Response
Yellir: Something like that. But I was wondering if we could spoof it, you know, try and trick it into thinking there’s a Starfleet computer kicking around.
Adea: How do we do that?
Having listened to the conversation for a while in silence, Jovenan felt she should contribute somehow to avoid appearing any more suspicious.
Jovenan: By simulating the Starfleet ship main computer, I suppose. Can we fabricate or copy the architecture and the relevant software to your computer?
Chevalier/Kuva: Response
Yellir: Worth a shot, no harm in trying. I just hope our limping computer can handle it.
Given the state of the ship, Jovenan was surprised the computer worked at all. In comparison, the Artemis’ main computer didn’t buckle when creating massive holographic scenes in one of its many holodecks, filled with details, lifelike people and music and dance and… Sigh.
Adea: Can you pull computer power from somewhere else to compensate?
Without turning to the Betazoid, Jovenan replied addressing the other people in the room.
Jovenan: There isn’t much to draw from. Communications, weapons, shields, life support…
Yellir/Chevalier/Kuva: Response
Adea: I’m not sure how it’ll work - but the Colonel says this is the top priority so if you have shut it down, shut it down.
Jovenan rolled her eyes. During the week she had learnt how bonkers all Commonwealth plans were. The attack to the World Ender vessel was suicidal in sense that the Shint could have captured and killed them at almost any moment. This plan was just mad.
Yellir/Chevalier/Kuva: Response
Jovenan: I’ll see what I can do to the power levels.
Adea: Response
Jovenan was happy to leave the actual cracking to the others. She didn’t want to take part in this project, but more importantly, she was a cosmologist and a reality weapon expert, not a computer scientist nor an engineer. To be fair, nobody else here seemed to be entirely competent in this field either, making her an expert by default.
Accessing the console nearby, Jovenan isolated the systems crime lord Adea had ordered to be shut down and prepared to reroute the power to the computer in steady intervals to avoid sudden spikes that could damage it. She just hoped shutting down systems elsewhere wouldn’t damage anything nor cause anyone on the ship to get trapped.
Yellir/Chevalier/Kuva/Adea: Response
Jovenan: Ready when you are.
While the other were working on the computer, Jovenan realised that they weren’t paying attention to her. The Artemis was sure to monitor them constantly, and she happened to have access to the energy levels to certain systems. She peeked anxiously at the others while wondering if she could use this information to her benefit.
Yellir/Chevalier/Kuva/Adea: Response
TAG/TBC
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Mediator JG Jovenan
Science officer (secondment)
CIC Desdemona
E239911J11