Cmdr. Katsim Peri - "Echos and DIstortions"
Amanda Nordstrom
(( Bridge, Deck 1, USS Octavia E. Butler ))
The Butler had let the Agrathi system to traverse to one three light years away. While that was not the extended range of the long range sensors, they had all focused on the transporter beams and how to deal with those and where they were coming from. Only after realising how far away they were did the crew focus on the system to which they were headed. Now that they had, Peri could see why they couldn’t get the clear scans she desired.
It was her turn to use the view screen, and with a few more taps of her fingers, the visual flicked away from the map and to a sensor readout of the very star to which they were going. With the computer’s analysis, it was able to reconstruct a visual representation, though Peri knew it was even a guess by the Computer’s standards because of the type of star.
Katsim: It’s a very large magnetar. Between its magnetic fluctuations and gamma rays, we will not be able to easily locate another ship.
She paused a second, then added.
Katsim: Unless we use the polaron beams.
That was really the only option. Because of the nature of the star, a ship could certainly hide itself well. The problem was, it would also interfere with transporters. That meant, they would have to get a certain distance away to limit the interference, and it also meant they had to have some sort of transponder on the planet to boost the signal. Either that, or Dominion level teleporters were able to cut through the interference, unlike their own. Peri suspected, even if the ship moved away from the star to send the transporter beams, they would likely draw closer to the star to help hide themselves, which would make their job harder.
Forsyth: Well, either that or trying to think of a new plan….
Rouiancet: Let's try that, first. If it's no go, then we'll work on something else.
Forsyth: Aye, cap’n.
With their technology, most scans would struggle if not be outright blinded by the output from the star. That severely limited their options, though Rouiancet’s polaron idea still remained viable. Among their abilities, it was probably the only thing that would help them locate anything. Had they been in an atmosphere, she would have suggested echo location, but that wasn’t viable in space.
Katsim: The interference will prevent our scanners from working.
Rouiancet: Yes, you're right. I would like some other options, just in case. We also have to assume that radiation from the magnetar doesn't adversely affect the smugglers' systems.
Peri’s eyes slid back over to the captain, and she nodded once.
Katsim: The radiation is nothing that our own ship can’t defend from.
And if their ship can defend from it, and the other ship had that transporter capability, then it made sense the other ship’s shields protected its crew from whatever radiation that star pulsed out.
Forsyth: Responses
Rouiancet: It occurs to me that this system is their stronghold. Even if we do our best to remain hidden, we likely won't be able to count on the element of surprise. With that in mind, I want to neutralize their advantages as quickly as possible.
Katsim: Hm.
Peri’s lips thinned and her teeth worried her lower lip as she considered the request. What could they do to give them an advantage? With her eyes back on her console, she considered their options, most of which she’d already mentioned, but it didn’t hurt to run them through her thoughts again just in case she thought of something.
Forsyth: Responses
Rouiancet: I would prefer not to harm anyone if we can avoid it. But the faster, the better.
Forsyth: Responses
Sighing softly to herself, Peri wished she had a better idea of engineering, though her scientific knowledge certainly assisted in that. Even if she didn’t know the details of how to construct the machines and make them work, she understood the science behind it all.
Yet, with the interference they faced, they were at a severe disadvantage no matter what they third. The standard array of approaches just weren’t viable in that particular situation, which was why the captain had asked for options. Once again, echo location came to mind, and once again, Peri reminded herself that they were not in an atmosphere, and sound waves could not travel through space.
But other waves could.
Katsim: Echolocation.
Forsyth/Rouiancet: Response
As she was inclined to do, Peri didn’t answer right away. Instead, her fingers talked to the computer, dancing and darting over the surface of her workspace. Whatever thoughts ran through her mind, the emotions that accompanied it must have caught the attention of the little dragonet, for Echo perked up, her head darting toward the end of her neck, as if she had some sort of revelation.
Katsim: We can use the electromagnetic pulse like sound waves, but in the magnetar’s environment.
Forsyth/Rouiancet: Response
While sound waves were an effective method of ‘seeing’, they didn’t work so well without some sort of atmosphere or similar medium. Water, for instance, was how certain types of fish and mammals on various planets not only communicated, but navigated. Without that, however, they couldn’t utilise that form of sight.
Except, they could do it in a different way. Forsyth had brought up the electromagnetic pulse and was already preparing it, but rather than use it as a weapon, they could utilise it to give them the very advantage that they needed. In its raw form, the EMP would only get absorbed by the magnetar, but there were ways around that too.
Katsim: When we get closer, we’ll be able to detect the magnetar’s field lines. If we tune the frequency and send out a patterned series of pulses, we’d be able to see a distortion wherever the ship is.
And since they knew where the planets and moons were, their shape, and how big they were, they could easily outline the ship with those distortions. It would use up the power they had gathered for that pulse, which meant they wouldn’t have it as a weapon, but finding that ship would indeed give them an advantage.
Forsyth/Rouiancet: Response
-- Commander Katsim Peri Chief Science Officer USS Octavia E. Butler M239008AD0