Lt. Commander Toxin Arlill - This Might Come Back to Bite Me
Toxin Arlill
(( Holodeck 4, Deck 7, USS Octavia E. Butler ))
The core of the Sphere was about to go critical, the core that would have overridden the self destruct was no longer installed, and to make matters worse, they weren’t able to easily get their people back with the transporter risks too high, due to interference.
Nilsen: Arlill, if you lock onto those frequency sets the Continuance just sent, you can route them through the pattern buffer. Woolheater, help him out with that.
oO Now that’s a solid idea, why didn’t I think of that?! Oo It seemed, as of late, Toxin was distracted, at what, he couldn’t quite put his finger on, but he’d already had a few meetings with Lia where he was less than ideally prepared to review their recurring agenda. Something needed his attention and was covertly taking it.
Woolheater: Response
Continuance: Assessment: I do not possess a direct override vector. Working together, we may create one. Projection: Stop self-destruct probability under current conditions: 0%. Evacuation probability under current conditions: 34%. Projection: If the STATION core is reinstalled and simultaneous problem response is conducted, probability of stopping self-destruct rises from 0% to 12%. If core is reinstalled, this program transfers to Sphere substrate to attempt delay, and Starfleet evacuates, evacuation probability increases to 68%. Cost: 98% probability of termination of this program.
oO 12%… not really liking those odds either. Oo
Nilsen: No, there’s got to be another way.
Woolheater: Response
Arlill: Could we take the OEB in further? Maybe improve our transport signal? Would we still have time to escape?
But Kevara Continuance had other thoughts as it continued assessing the new parameters of their situation.
Continuance: Clarification: Long term loss-prevention projections are marginally more favorable by preserving USS Octavia E. Butler and crew than by self-preservation of this program. Assertion: Overriding directive –- prevent loss. Self-preservation is not a primary directive.
That was unexpected, Kevara Continuance seemed to prioritize it’s existence as a key cog in the larger directive, but now was it talking sacrifice? Toxin couldn’t help but begin to build an emotional bridge with Kevara Continuance, even after 32+ hours and the fight it had been putting up against them.
Nilsen: Continuance, what are you saying? We can find a way. I know we can.
Arlill: There’s no need for the nuclear option yet, not yet?
Woolheater: Response
Continuance: Directive pending: Select response pathway. I will comply with and support the selected pathway. If you choose reinstall and transfer, I will initiate handoff procedures immediately. Clarification: Delay is a choice. Refusal to decide is still a decision.
Stella: =/\=Kevara Continuance, I am Stella, also known as the USS Octavia E. Butler. Request assistance in shutting down the self destruct sequence. A request to return the core has already been submitted. =/\=
Henri's non-physical existence was still known only to a few, but he kept Toxin updated on his comings and goings. He'd shared stories about the "adventures" he and Stella had been on, and Toxin knew their secrets were becoming less and less… secret.
Lhandon's eyes met Toxin's, and he recognized that look—he'd seen it enough times before to know that Lhandon had a crazy idea—and if it was like any of those he’d had before, it would have a 60% likelihood of working.
Nilsen: Okay, Continuance, before you go, dump your logs here, maybe we can return them to you afterwards.
oO If this doesn’t work, then we can use those logs to understand and preserve Kevara Continuance’s history, his… Oo Toxin, realized that sometimes inner thoughts need to be outer ones.
Arlill: If we have your logs, we can also preserve your history, your travels and the history of Kevara ::beat:: if this doesn’t work.
Toxin wasn't really a pessimist—often seen as an optimist—but sometimes realism needed to take center stage.
Continuance/Woolheater: Response
Nilsen: Good luck. =/\= Bridge, this is Nilsen. Set a course out of the nebula, maximum possible speed. We'll hit the warp command from here. =/\= Woolheater, keep working on the buffers. I'll hold us until the last moment.
Toxin knew what Lhandon was doing and, as a backup, punched in his own command authorizations to avoid any verification processes that might surprise them—Starfleet loved their last-minute two-factor verifications. He checked the console before him that had been setup to monitor ship functions, including engineering and propulsion read outs.
Arlill: The warp core is at standby status, I’ve initiated the intermix and primed the nacelles, should shorten any lag time, as long as we do this quickly.
It was a gamble. Priming the nacelles was ideal if they were about to go to warp, but if they ultimately didn't—best case scenario, the nacelles would require a few minutes to reset and cool down. Worst case scenario, they would fry a number of warp coils, limiting their speed and increasing their risk of destruction should the sphere explode. As a precaution, Toxin only primed two nacelles, hoping the other two would come up to full power as they escaped.
There was a delicate balance here. He had to ensure they left in time to escape successfully and preserve the entire crew without leaving anyone behind—but if the timing was off, the sacrifice would align with Kevara Continuance's assessment of the few and the many. No, this was a task for a senior officer. While it was Lhandon's idea they were implementing, it was Toxin who had to take the responsibility.
Arlill: Lhandon, monitor the buffers and signal strength, I’ll take responsibility for our jump, that’s something that needs to rest on the XO’s shoulders ::placing his hand on his brother’s shoulder::
Toxin stepped up to the console that Lhandon had prepared. It wasn’t his intent to take away any glory from his brother, just that, if this failed, the blame needed to rest on him, even if the records of what happened here today ceased to exist.
Continuance/Woolheater: Response
The captain broke over the comms…
Rouiancet: =/\= This is Captain Rouiancet routing through the Fledgling's comm systems, hailing the Kevara Continuance on the USS Octavia E. Butler. We have failed to retrieve the Dyson Sphere's computer core, and cannot do so without triggering the Sphere's autodestruct sequence. Please advise. =/\=
Arlill: =/\= Commander Arlill, Kevara Continuance is preparing to transfer over, we’re prepared to go to warp upon the safe return of all crew members. =/\=
Rouiancet: =/\= Response =/\=
Toxin expected the captain to say something like that—she was the captain, but Toxin had no plans of leaving anyone behind today, and he had faith in this team being successful.
Nilsen/Woolheater/Continuance: Response
Arlill: Just get the back! Whether Continuance is successful or not, we’re out of time.
The clock was ticking down, as was the minimum amount of time they needed to escape the blast, if this didn’t work. Toxin needed this to work.
(( ooc: Assuming Continuance has transferred at this point. ))
Continuance/Rouiancet: =/\= Response =/\=
(( ooc: Also I checked prior, and the assumed order was authorized ooc. ))
Arlill: =/\= I’m sorry sir, we’re not leaving yet, there’s still time. =/\=
He knew, if this worked, there’d be consequences, but what other option did he have—sure, maybe his emotions were playing some part in all this, but he wasn’t going to follow an order that left anyone behind.
Nilsen/Woolheater: Response
Continuance/Rouiancet: =/\= Response =/\=
This plan was going to work, it had to work. Toxin’s hand hovered over the warp command on the console. If Lhandon was still a good Ops officer, it would require a double tap to initiate, a safety that didn’t add to much time to the process, but ensured an accidental tap didn’t leave them hurtling through space.
Tags/TBC
Lieutenant Commander Toxin Arlill
Executive Officer
USS Octavia E, Butler NCC-82850
Writer ID.: O239910TA4