Lt. Commander Dekas - Laughter as a stress response

[Ace Christensen]

(( Dyson Sphere, Computer Core Chamber[?] ))

Dekas was relieved to know that JoNz would be okay. And he was very glad there were multiple experienced hands at making sure she would stay okay enough to be here until they could do a more thorough check on the ship, presumably. And now they had something to talk to the Continuance with.

Dekas: I think it may be as simple as having the bargaining chip as a starting point. I suppose it depends on how the people talking to the KC are doing. But I’m not sure that we can ask them directly, depending on how they’re doing in this situation.

JoNz: No rest for the wicked.

Rouiancet: I'd like to get back to Fledgling, but (beat) the Continuance may know when we return. Perhaps it's better to remain on the Sphere for now, or even to meet up with the other teams. (looking around) Thoughts? Speak freely. 

They didn’t get much time to respond before a different voice was heard.

Stella: =/\=Captain, the Station is set to self-destruct in three minutes and twenty eight seconds.  Unless the core is replaced, there is no way to deactivate the sequence. =/\= 

Some part of him wanted to laugh. Just a little. It wasn’t that he thought it was funny. Of course, it wasn’t funny that there was a big risk of exploding. But between the fact of being very new to the ship, the AI hostage situation, and this… he was a little tired. Talk about jet lag.

oO Well, at least we can say we tried turning it off and then back on again. Oo

Dekas: (clicking his beak in something close to amusement) Oh, well, pluck me, then. It looks like I should have waited a few extra minutes to do this.

He did, however, suppose the goal was to replace it.

Ragh: So are we putting the core back?

JoNz: Are we exploding again?!

Rouiancet: (grim) Not if we can help it.

Dekas: Honestly, I can always use the Engineering practice to keep my skills up to date. It’ll be close, I think, but it shouldn’t take me long to replace the core where it was.

Ragh: No pressure.

He almost laughed. Almost. He wanted to. But he had a task at hand. There was time to appreciate the levity later.

Rouiancet: Let us know if you need any assistance.

They were already assisting him more than they knew just by being there, but Dekas still nodded as he went just as carefully back into replacing it. Maybe more carefully. If he messed it up when they were about to explode, he’d be at least partially at fault for them exploding. And it was fairly delicate, being as old as it was, and as somewhat unfamiliar as it was on this particular megastructure. 

But he’d taken it apart, which meant it could be put back together. 

Dekas: Core replaced!

The problem was they didn’t have all that much time for whatever it was that needed to happen to stop the self-destruct.

Ragh: What now? And better question, who is Stella?

/// Computer core replaced ///

/// Error: Communication failed ///

/// STATION recognizes: STELLA ///

JoNz: Is Stella a member of the crew?

Dekas, being very new to the Butler, and the Gamma Quadrant in general, hadn’t had any time to truly look through the entire crew complement much. At the very least he hadn’t had much time to get fully familiar with all of it before getting there at about the time something took over. He was personally surprised that the other two were unfamiliar with a Stella. Not because he knew Stella, simply because he thought by default that it was another crewmate they were talking to that he simply hadn’t learned about yet.

Rouiancet: Stella is a machine intelligence. Our machine intelligence, actually, derived from the semi-sentient computer systems on the Butler. She's manifested with holographic avatars before, and she accompanied Colonel Greaves' team to the Sphere. Stella? Can you hear me now?

Dekas’ head crest of feathers went up for a moment, similar in expression to the way that beings with eyebrows raised their eyebrows about interesting new information. And he was intrigued, even if he didn’t have time to engage with the curiosity about it yet.

oO Oh, so I’m on the ship that’s fancy fancy. Marvelous! Oo

Ragh: Another AI..? 

JoNz: (ear flipped back) It's getting so we can't spit without hitting an AI around here. 

Rouiancet: (small smile) Just so. But as I said, Stella is ours. 

The Captain seemed quite fond of Stella. He himself wasn’t as hesitant as the others. Intelligent A.I. like Stella and the Continuance always had a risk of something. And he wasn’t going to pretend that risk didn’t exist. But he decided to trust the Captain’s judgement, and at least for now, mentally considered Stella as a valued part of the Butler to those who knew of her. And he would accept that until otherwise stated.

Ragh: I will have to trust you on that, Captain.

Dekas: Good to know, and I guess if you’re listening, Stella, well met. Despite the circumstances.

JoNz: What's our next move?

A fair question. They had limited time to figure that out if the self-destruct wasn’t deactivated.

Rouiancet: I suppose -- is it possible that we could deactivate the autodestruct system and then remove the core again? 

He tilted his head in thought. Maybe they could. If STATION would let them.

Stella: Affirmative. If the core is replaced, I can attempt to deactivate the autodestruct system.

Dekas: Then that’s hopefully the autodestruct sorted if we’re lucky. I don’t know about the computer core being removed a second time yet. It had pretty specific reasons to allow it. We would have to have a good reason to do it a second time. 

Because he didn’t think STATION was the same as Stella or the Continuance. There was a level of intelligence that existed with it. Something that was probably necessary when building a structure like this. But it also likely had specific roles it was meant to perform, and it did so fairly unemotionally. It seemed to have some level of brainwave detection by his estimation. The ability to translate languages for specific people, likely an ability to read a small level of intent, and collect the necessary data from that read. Which, to him, probably helped them not explode the first time. But the system probably wasn’t trying to self-destruct out of malice. It was doing so because it was programmed that way.

Rouiancet: Let's do that. Ragh, see if you can assist Dekas by liaising with STATION. JoNz, keep an eye out, since I expect STATION may be less accommodating now that we've already taken its core once.

At the very least, it wouldn’t take the same explanation again. He wasn’t sure that it would be “angry” at them for what they did. They hadn’t forced it to do anything for them directly from their side of it, and it probably knew that. But that didn’t mean it would be easy.

Stella: I can assist in that endeavour.

Ragh: Understood. 

Dekas watched as Ragh approached the console again. They could only hope they’d sort this out fast enough. He supposed they wouldn’t have to worry about it anymore if they didn’t. But he didn’t say that part out loud. No one needed the counselor being so morbid about it.

Ragh: (To Dekas) Third time's a charm?

Dekas: (with a slight smile) Indeed.

JoNz: Responses

Rouiancet: I'm going to contact the Continuance. This was all done by its order, so maybe it knows something we don't.

Dekas almost wanted to put a hand on her shoulder to reassure, but stopped himself before he even fully lifted his hand to do so. He might have been able to do that with Captain Niac in moments like these, but he didn’t know Captain Rouiancet beyond knowing that she was a good Captain. As much as she seemed very kind so far, not all Captains were as okay with it. Many liked a specific level of professionalism that didn’t always include the friendly reassurances like that. He would have to learn as he went.

Preferably, when they weren’t at risk of exploding.

JoNz: Responses

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. =/\=

She sounded professional, but there was a specific edge of frustration if one thought to listen. Even beyond just the stress of the clock that metaphorically ticked in any given moment right now. It was subtle, and it was entirely understandable. He wasn’t sure he could say he’d have the same amount of decorum about it if their places were reversed. Even if the KC had potentially deemed the Butler capable of working with it, it still hadn’t really earned the trust from some.

Continuance: =/\= Directive: Captain Rouiancet, maintain core installation. Do not attempt removal. Core presence restores limited command channel required for delay attempt. Execute immediate evacuation toward hull-adjacent compartments. I am initiating transfer to Sphere infrastructure to attempt redistribution of stellar energy flow and cascade dampening. Probability of full abort remains low. Delay remains possible. =/\=

 

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. =/\=

Ragh looked over at Dekas, clearly confused. Dekas was confused as well. But slightly relieved that it at least slightly appeared that there’d been a significant amount of headway diplomatically in this situation. Helpful if anything could be done about it.

Ragh: What's the order, Captain? 

Rouiancet: Response

Dekas: (with a quick nod) You’ve got it, Captain.

JoNz/Continuance (?): Responses

It was hard to say they’d figure out their way out fast enough. But they had to try.

Ragh: STATION, or Stella, what is the best route off the sphere?

Words once again appeared on the screen:

/// Hello Doctor ///

/// Follow the leader ///

There was a skittering noise behind them as one of the automatons tried to get their attention.

Once again he was hit with the stress of the situation, the added tiredness of just having gotten here more or less, and just the mild absurdity of this. And so he laughed. Unfortunately laughter was a frequent stress response from him, he probably seemed ridiculous.

Dekas: I stupidly love these little robot mice things. 

And he did move in the direction of following it. At this point, either it was a ruse and they’d explode, or it was genuinely here to help and they might still explode. He’d take his chances. It seems reasonably alright with them despite everything.

Rouiancet/JoNz/RaghContinuance (?): Responses

Dekas: I suppose they know where to go.

He was still far too stress-amused by following the small mice and considering it “the leader”. 

Rouiancet/JoNz/RaghContinuance (?): Responses

Dekas: Do you think the KC will be successful?

If nothing else, it would certainly be helpful if it could manage to not let this thing explode. And if it was successful, Dekas almost wondered about coming back to explore it later… on much better terms, preferably. Though he didn’t say that part out loud just yet.

Rouiancet/JoNz/RaghContinuance (?): Responses

Tags / TBC…

—

Lt. Commander Dekas

Counselor

USS Octavia E. Butler

J239802D12

Pronouns: They/she/he (player), He/him (character)