JP: LTCmdr Promontory & LTjg Nilsen: Grand Ol' Time Part 2 (of 3)
Avander Promontory
((Commander Althea Nilsen, Stardate 237003.21, Computer Core Room, USS St Albans))
There had been no time for panic; news had come from the USS Enterprise-D that Starfleet's mission to explore strange new worlds had in fact been damaging the very fabric of subspace. All ships had been limited to a maximum speed of warp 5. Commander Althea Nilsen's team had already been put to work by the Starfleet Corps of Engineers.
She had been assigned to the USS St Albans, an Excelsior-class starship, which is to serve as the test bed for her work, but she’s been here for long enough that she considered it 'her' ship, as many engineers did. Sure it had a Captain, a technicality really, but Althea knew that this baby was really hers. Her team was one of a fair number of teams across Starfleet tasked with finding a solution as quickly as possible.
A.Nilsen: This cursed computer!!!
That is…if the ship would cooperate.
Promontory: Problems, sir?
A.Nilsen: Could you take a look at this computer, Mr…?
She spoke with an accent, a bunch of unaccented vowels and a touch of Siberian and Eastern European influences. This came from her home planet of Gault, which had been settled by people from the aforementioned regions in the latter half of the 21st century, sometime after first contact. She had light bouncy curly hair that was in tight ringlets that framed her face somewhat like a mane.
Promontory: Promontory. On lend from Computational Sciences for the duration of the test.
A.Nilsen: Well, it’s a pleasure to meet you Mr Promontory. Could you have a look at this computer for me, it is refusing to give me the results of my latest simulation?. I assume you are aware of our mission and why we have the St Albans?
Promontory: That’s why I’m here, ma’am. I’ll see what I can do.
Avander stepped up to the screen and began tapping buttons. The older interface wasn’t as intuitive as the holographic controls he was used to, but it was still simple enough.
A.Nilsen: I need not tell you that the future of the Federation, no…the future of warp travel could very well rest on the results of these experiments.
oO More than she knows! Oo Avander kept his thoughts to himself.
Promontory: Then let’s get at it. (beat) It looks like this is the subroutine giving you trouble?
Avander pointed to a section of code. At a nod from the commander, he sectioned it off for further testing.
A.NIlsen: I can’t say I’ve seen you around before.
Promontory: Just came aboard with the technicians transferring on for the test.
A.Nilsen: Ah yes, I’ve yet to meet you all but welcome aboard the St Albans.
Then she got right to work.
A.Nilsen: Our overall goal is to see what modifications we can do to these old nacelles so that they reduce polluting subspace. We are trying software modifications first, looking at the angle of the coolant flaps, the intake valve, and even the speed at which the warp field is created. Only after we have exhausted all of that, do we then look at hardware changes.
Promontory: Yes, I read the briefing materials. (focusing on the code in front of him) It looks like this program is mis-identifying the parameters because it's passing through variables before calling the other subroutine, when it should do so after.
A.Nilsen: Well that’s clearly wrong, erm…how easy is that for you to fix?
Promontory: Shouldn’t be too hard. (tapity-tap) There!
A.Nilsen: Oh…that’s a neat way of going about it.
She peered over to the console and nodded at the work done.
Promontory: I’m sure you would have gotten there in time.
A.Nilsen: Y’all just say that to make me feel better Mr Promontory.
The ersatz computer scientist gave a small smile.
Promontory: When do we switch from simulations to the dry run?
A.Nilsen: I believe the engineers have some diagnostics they wish to do. ::Picking up her PADD;: They’ll be a few hours at least. If those diagnostics all go to plan, which knowing Lt Stockwell, they will be done with his usual level of customer service, a smile and a little bow on top
She spoke with a touch of sarcasm, the kind of sarcasm that comes from knowing someone for a long time.
A.Nilsen: We will commence our first dry run at 10:00hrs tomorrow.
Promontory: Looking forward to it.
A.Nilsen: Until then Mr Promontory, please make yourself at home on St Albans, if you need anything, myself or one of my staff will be around to help. I assume I shall see you tomorrow.
Promontory: I’ll be there!
She left him with a wide smile, one that could perhaps make someone forget that the fate of the Federation may very well ride on this test. As she walked away towards the exit, an ensign approached her with a PADD, she stopped and as she looked down she nodded to the young ensign and patted him on the back. A ‘well done’ could be heard.
((The Next Day, Stardate 237003.22. 07:10 hrs - Computer Alcove, Main Engineering, USS St Albans))
Coffee in hand, Althea found her way to the computer alcove, she’d not been awake for a huge amount of time, but enjoyed the quietness that this time brings.
A.Nilsen: You’re up early! The alpha shift doesn’t start until 8am. Half of the ship is asleep right now. Now you be sure that you’re not wearing yourself out.
Promontory: Just on hand to ensure a smooth test, Commander.
A.Nilsen: Regardless I appreciate the assistance. Just make sure you’re not burning the candle at both ends.
She spoke softer than yesterday, as if she was trying not to talk too loud of fear of waking the ship up. A few taps on the consoles later and the days tasks came up.
A.Nilsen: I do believe we need to make sure that we are not feeding too much warp plasma into the nacelles. Could you keep an eye on the EPS conduits as well; we don't want any power surges destabilizing the warp core matrix.
Promontory: I can do that. (beat) Let me just recalibrate our Plasma Intake Injectors.
A.Nilsen: Wonderful. While you do that, I’ll check the intermix ratio.
Promontory: Right.
Then as she typed, the panel buzzed at her, as if to say no dice. She wasn’t able to enter her command.
Computer: Commands not recognised. Please confirm your identity.
A.Nilsen: ::sighs:: Computer recognize Nilsen, Althea, Alpha One Priority
Computer: Identity confirmed.
A.Nilsen: Thank you. :: speaking just to the ship:: must you make this so hard?
She patted the top of the console, much like she was petting the ship. Like the St Albans was a little puppy dog that she couldn't be mad at.
Promontory: A ghost in the machine haunting you?
A.Nilsen: Somethin’ like that I guess. It’s been bugging me all week. If you could take a look, that would be appreciated.
Promontory: Sure thing boss.
Avander looked at the protocols around computer access security. He had already entered a delimiter that should serve to govern the computational matrix and keep any variance within bounds but that shouldn't have affected any of the other systems. One thing they drummed into all time agents was to be weary of unintended consequences.
There! Avander thought he found the source of the Commander’s troubles–a particularly aggressive generative AI heuristic. Huh. That particular strain of code seemed a little advanced for this time and place. Perhaps there was a way to mitigate whatever was going on without stepping on some old butterfly of a computer quirk.
Promontory: Downregulating the thread-detection subroutine parameters. (beat) Fingers crossed.
A.Nilsen: Ah -what you did should work…I dunno what you did, but don’t worry yourself, you tried to fix it. It’s me, honestly::smiles:: Computers and me do not get along.
Promontory: Nothing doing. And as for computers, as long as they keep serving us and not the other way around I think we’ll be in good shape.
A.Nilsen: ::smiles:: yeah, that won’t be good. I appreciate your help.
She was able to walk away when she thought otherwise, she turned back around.
A.Nilsen: Mr Promontory, don’t let it be said that I’m not grateful for your assistance. I like to get to know those under my command over food. I’m organising a gathering in the officer's mess, buffet food, I intended to feed the entire ship and still have leftovers. It will be tonight, 20:00 hours, so consider yourself invited.
Promontory: Perhaps I will.
((That afternoon, Stardate 237003.22, Temporary Crew Quarters, USS St Albans))
Avander hadn’t intended on attending the soiree–when on a temp ops mission, you were, as a default ‘undercover’ and that typically precluded social niceties and making friends. However, there was still something niggling at him from the computer system earlier. An algorithm that was decades ahead of its time. Such an occurrence hadn’t been in the mission briefing, but if a mission ever went according to plan, that would be a change of pace.
Avander took a snippet of code and ran it through his temporal-PADD, risking a brief chroniton emission to double-check with the folks back at HQ. The nice thing about such an inquiry is that the results came back instantaneously, at least from Avander’s perspective. It could have taken years running the inquiry on the backend, depending on the complexity, but that was nothing Avander had to worry about now.
Looking through the data that had come back in response to his query, Avander’s interest was piqued. As he continued to read, his interest grew to concern. He decided to attend the party.
((That evening, Stardate 237003.22, Officers Mess, USS St Albans))
Commander Nilsen was pleased with the results, there was a mix of earth classics like roast turkey and mashed potatoes alongside exotic delicacies from Vulcan, Betazed and other worlds
She was just serving up a beef stifado, the senses of spices, garlic, meat and brandy wafted throughout the officers' mess, there was a small gaggle of officers and crew helping themselves to the various pots that Nilsen had laid out when she spotted Promontory across the room. She called him over, eager to introduce him to someone.
A.Nilsen: Mr Promontory, I want you to meet Lt Sarahmena Hochhalter. She is also one of our new transfers
Lt JG Sarahmena Hochhalter was a Betazoid who stood at 5’6, she wore the gold uniform of ops and had the look of somebody who hasn’t smiled since the turn of the 24th century. She nodded her greetings, it was calculated, more like a Vulcan than a Betazoid.
Promontory: (nodding) Lieutenant.
He cleared his mind and focused on the present.
Hochhalter: I understand you have been working on the computer systems, is that correct?
Her nose was pointed up like this entire situation was beneath her. But she didn’t speak with malice.
Promontory: Sure, doing what I can.
oO 'Twas brillig, and the slithy toves, Did gyre and gimble in the wabe; All mimsy were the borogoves, And the mome raths outgrabe.… Oo
A.Nilsen: Oh yes, it’s been handy having a few extra pairs of hands over there. You both have been absolute angels.
She had just finished servicing up a dish and she ensured that Promontory and Hochhalter both had a serving. The plates were, with the force of a mother ensuring her children eat, placed into their hands. There was an unspoken understanding at that moment. Eat.
Other officers and crewmen were milling around the mess hall.
Hochhalter: Thank you, commander.
Promontory: Cheers!
Hochhalter: So what exactly is your role here?
oO He took his vorpal sword in hand: Long time the manxome foe he sought—So rested he by the Tumtum tree, And stood awhile in thought. Oo
Promontory: ::smiling:: I’m just assigned to ensure the test goes off without a hitch! And you?
Hochhalter: As am I, my role is to also ensure that all goes well on the hardware front. I’m here to make sure that all the equipment works.
Promontory: Fascinating. Tell me more.
oO One, two! One, two! And through and through, The vorpal blade went snicker-snack! He left it dead, and with its head, He went galumphing back. Oo
She looked at him, trying not to give anything away, it would be uncouth to yell “stop thinking” at this moment.
Hochhalter: As I said, ensuring that equipment all works. If you’ll excuse me. Commander, ::nodding to Nilsen.
She departed the meeting as soon as she could, clearly uncomfortable at that moment.
A.Nilsen: Don’t mind her, she’s never been a barrel of laughs.
Promontory: Been with you long then?
A.Nilsen: A few months, she’s been helpful. I would have thought she’d get on with Stockwell but the two give each other a wide birth.
Promontory: Ah. Well. Perhaps I should get to know her better.
A.Nilsen: You really should, and go meet Stocky as well, I’ve known since we were cadet. He does smile often, there was that one time in 2357 ::smiles::
She let herself have a little joke at his expense. The kind that’s only given to those one cares about and considers family.
((Day of the Final Warp Test, Stardate 237003.25 - Computer Alcove, Main Engineering, USS St Albans))
Commander Nilsen’s voice chimed through the speakers in the computer alcove. The first stage of the test was over, just a simple warp jump to gather a baseline reading, this next stage was the implication of the new variable warp field geometry program that, in theory, could be sent to other ships in the fleet as a modification to their current nacelles until they could be brought in for refits.
A.Nilsen: =/\= Computer room, are ya ready down there? Engineering, that goes for you too. Keep this comm line open, I need you two in absolute sync =/\=
On the call was Lt Stockwell, the chief engineer of the St Albans. Someone who spoke as a matter of fact. No small talk for Stockwell.
Stockwell: =/\= We’re a go captain. =/\=
Promontory: =/\= Standing by for live test. =/\=
Avander glanced around for the Lt Jr he had grown suspicious of in the past few days. He didn’t have any definite evidence that she was a temporal saboteur, but a number of inconsistencies in the last few days had added up and he was pretty sure. She made her way to a console and started work.
A.Nilsen: =/\= Perfect. Let me say thank you to you all for all your work over this past week. I wish I could take you two with me after this. Helm, once we’re clear of the spacedock set the preplanned course. =/\=
An affirmative was heard over the comms lines
Stockwell: =/\= Warp engines ready at your leisure captain =/\=
Promontory: =/\= Initiating bandwidth governors. =/\=
A few moments passed, the engines of the St Albans warmed up and they started to purr, the quiet dull background rumble that many a space-faring officer can’t sleep without started and the ship made her way to her destination.
A.Nilsen: =/\= Jump to warp on my mark, in three, two, one, mark =/\=
Avander looked around again. There had been another abnormal computer anomaly the day before but with his intervention, it had been resolved. But he couldn’t shake the feeling that they weren’t out of the woods yet.
Stockwell: =/\= Warp engines engaged and operating within accepted limits. =/\=
From then on, Althea remained in oversight mode, staying quiet and letting those under her do their jobs.
A moment later, the engineering officer looked over to Promontory
Stockwell: =/\= We’re approaching the threshold for the program activation =/\=
Promontory: =/\= Buffering variable computational matrix. =/\=
The program was handling, it was about to be mission complete–but then, the variance exceeded the limit–something was counter-acting his program! He felt the ship buckle violently.
A.Nilsen: =/\= Shut it down. Bring us out of warp =/\=
Promontory: =/\= Something is throwing the variance way out of whack. =/\=
She wasn’t panicked as she gave that order, her voice came though calm and the bridge was heard kicking into action. As did the engineering officer.
Stockwell: =/\= Warp engines powering down sir. =/\=
Promontory: =/\= This isn’t over. =/\=
The exit out of warp and into impulse was a bumpy one, the ships rocked and there was a sharp thud heard, like a bumpy landing of a shuttle, or a 21st-century airplane, the engineering officer grabbed his console and the engines gurgled as they calmed down.
Stockwell: =/\= Damn it =/\=
The engineering officer slammed his console and Althea spoke through the comm link.
A.Nilsen: =/\= Mr Stockwell, there’s always tomorrow. I can tell you're angry, and yes, we’re all disappointed but, we’re not disappointed at you. Take that energy you have now, pour it into the next test instead. =/\=
Promontory: =/\= We need to do a top to bottom thorough review. =/\=
Stockwell: =/\= But if we just…=/\=
Commander Nilsen interrupted what was about to turn into a self-destructive rant, she spoke sternly, but for the purpose of calming the engineering officer down.
A.Nilsen: =/\= Ah, no, we don’t talk like that. Mr Stockwell here’s what you’ll do, you’ll secure the engines, and then when we dock, you’ll get something to eat. That’s an order Lt, do you understand? =/\=
((The Next Day, Jefferies Tube Section 18, Deck 7, USS St Albans))
A.Nilsen: Tell me Mr Stockwell, why have you got all three of us on our hands and knees in this Jefferies tube?
The humour of the situation had not escaped Althea, she spoke with humour.
A.Nilsen: I thought I’d already served my time on the lower decks.
Stockwell: Quite
Stockwell didn’t have a retort, for a human, he seemed colder than a stereotypical Vulcan.
Promontory: The stones on the top of a pyramid aren’t more important than those at the base.
That being said, Avander did prefer the wider corridors of command.
Stockwell: When the test failed yesterday, I followed the cascade through all the systems but I could not understand why we had such a failure. I then went to inspect the parts and I found this.
Stockwell lifted up a panel to a power conduit. A long irregular tube with a series of wires and chips exposed. This tube had a burnt hole in the side and Stockwell gestured to the strange device that was tucked into the conduit.
Stockwell: I don’t recognise it so I have not touched the device since I found it, but I thought it best to tell you in person, to avoid tipping the culprit off.
Promontory: Let me take a look at that up close.
Avander wriggled passed the engineer, pressing uncomfortably close in the narrow confines of the tube.
A.Nilsen: Yes, good thinking. So this seems to be the source of our computer issues
Stockwell simply nodded.
Promontory: Huh. I can see why this would cause a problem. I think this (tapping side controls to initiate a power-down sequence) should nullify it.
A.Nilsen: I will alert security myself, in the meantime. We’ll seal off just this section of the St Albans
Promontory: Why don’t you let me take care of that Commander. (beat) You’ll be better served getting the test back up and running. And I’ll make sure this device doesn’t cause anymore trouble as well. (beat) I am, after all, a specialist in this sort of thing.
A.Nilsen: Well now we know the cause, I think we can check all the systems, and have another attempt. I’ll clear it with the old man and keep you all updated.
She turned to leave the Jefferies es tube and spoke as she departed.
A.Nilsen: Oh and Mr Stockwell, I’m billing your account for the dry cleaning, you’ve ruined my trousers, it’s so dusty in here. :smiles:
((Later that day, an indiscrete and deserted corridor, Deck 7, USS St Albans))
Promontory: Looking for this?
He held up the technology they had found in the Jefferies tube. He had recognized it immediately, 25th tech and confirmation that his suspicions of another time agent were accurate.
Hochhalter: How did you get that?
Promontory: It’s too late, you’ve already failed.
He paused as the deck plates rumble slightly.
Promontory: Feel that? That’s the successful computer-assisted variable warp bubble test. Who put you up to this? The Krenim? The Vorgons?
Hochhalter: ::smirk:: Oh dear, there’s so much you don’t understand, that test failing mattered not, I’ve achieved what I’ve come here to do. The Krenim, The Vorgons, you know nothing. What is it that the bumbling fool calls you, Promo is it? I’ll let you off this time, and you can keep the toy, consider it my “promotional” officer.
Before Avander could react, the Betazoid hit something on her wrist and disappeared in a flux-plosion. Avander felt a wave of nausea as he sniffed the air.
Promontory: Hmf. Chronitons. Figures.
--Lt Cmdr Avander Promontory
Director of Intelligence, Gamma Quadrant Flotilla
USS Octavia E Butler
O239910AP4
&&
Cmdr Althea Nilsen
USS St Albans
as simmed by
Lieutenant JG Lhandon Joseph Nilsen
HCO & Acting Asst. Chief
USS Octavia E Butler
O240007LN1
He/Him/His (Both player and character)