[sb118-butler] Lieutenant. J.G. Alex Forsyth - Question time
Robert Forsyth
(( Data Core?, Surface, Marohu III ))
Forsyth: Button pressed.
Alex turned and watched as the statue slowly moved its arms, combining the two halves of the keys. It then held them out, and a bright green glow surrounded the keys. Alex was not sure what exactly had happened, but her team would probably fill her in on it.
Enak: Impressive.
Arlill: Why aren’t we seeing him yet?
Riley: It looks to me like the reactor’s power levels are stabilizing, Sir.
Well, that seemed good. Better than they were before.
Alex sighed, relaxing a little. It always felt nice when a plan worked out, then a wee voice in the back of her mind reminded her of something.
oO Don’t jinx it now… Oo
JoNz: Confirming. ::checks items in question:: Reactor stable, tricorder nodes providing additional power and wireless capability.
Enak: Well, I’m glad to hear that.
Forsyth: Green across the board, sir.
Riley: Does this mean your data core will be able to run indefinitely off of this unit?
Kaelith: My data core remains intact, it’s knowledge stabilized by this power source, but it’s physical presence still unpredictable as it remains in the possession of you friends.
Arlill: They have plans to return to our vessel, to attempt to stabilize it, will that endanger you further?
Forsyth: That would be impressive, considering our technology is many centuries behind theirs.
Alex would love to study how exactly Kaelith configured their reactor to support him, and imagine how useful something like that could be to the Federation.
Kaelith: Unlikely, my essence and energy can travel vast distances, unhindered by medium or material, but rather the physical confines and limitations of the universe.
She got up from her spot next to the reactor and joined Commander Arlill, Riley and Kaelith.
JoNz: And our tricorders should also help stabilize your, uh, matrix? Mister Kaelith.
Arlill: Thank you ensign. Can we leave the reactor here, will it remain stabler?
Enak: Hopefully.
Forsyth: Might need some modifying here and there, but it could work.
The tactical officer scratched her chin in thought as to how they could do such modifications; she may need to consult Lahl about it, as she was the more experienced engineer than Alex.
Arlill: Good, let’s prep to head back.
JoNz: ::team:: We should be fine to leave this equipment situation as is down here.
Enak: That’s good to hear.
Riley: We probably should leave some duct tape also, just in case they have to fix the components after we leave.
Forsyth: Like a full pack of duct tape or just one roll, sir?
Alex was pretty sure duct tape was a rare and vital commodity to engineers, or that's what the rumours she heard were about. She would probably need to ask Lahl or Valk if that was true, but doubted that would be the case.
JoNz: I'd like to do one more once over of the, uh, contraption before we leave.
That was understandable, as they were not sure when they would return. Alex wonders if they should leave some notes for the dig team on how to look after the reactor and on any other equipment they leave behind.
Riley: I’ll give you a hand, Ensign.
Enak: Everything look good?
Arlill: Good, let’s prep to head back.
Forsyth: Yes, sir.
Alex moved to gather all but one of the tool kits, leaving one for the dig team to use.
Enak: So, where to next?
Forsyth: Oh, I’m not sure?
JoNz: I feel like we’ve been down here for ages. Uh, no offense Mister Kaelith! oO Real smooth there girl, really smooth there. Insult the holo-being, yep. Oo
Enak: I figured unless all of you were leaving that we’d be doing something else down here.
Arlill: How’s everything look?
Forsyth: Good, so far.
Riley: Everything seems to be stable for the moment, sir.
JoNz: Confirmed, all is stable with the reactor and the wireless and nodes.
Forsyth: Then, are we finished here?
Alex was enjoying her time exploring and unlocking secrets, but she was still concerned about the ship. Commander Nilsen had told them that he could not reach the ship, and while there could be planetary interference. Alex could not shake the feeling she had that something bad was happening, but it was up to the first officer to decide what nxt.
Riley: If we aren’t urgently needed back on the ship, I have a few more questions of our friend here. (indicating Kaelith)
Enak: Makes sense.
Arlill: Go ahead Riley.
Kaelith: Present your inquiries for knowledge, I only ask that an exchange of knowledge be welcome.
Forsyth: Right, I’m not very knowledgeable on certain things.
Unless Kaelith wanted to know human history of trains, or the ins and outs of an Mk6 type 3 phaser rifle.
JoNz: ::low purred trill::
Riley: Let’s start with this one: were there any particular artifacts you know of that a band of mercenaries might be interested in which the Befores may’ve left behind?
Kaelith: I’ve considered this and I’m unaware of any that would have either been left by The Befores or be of specific interest to these other alien mercenaries.
Which could mean that all the artefacts that the mercenaries have stolen were not actually weapons of doom, or Kaelith was not giving full access that he thought he had.
Arlill: Surely you could take a educated guess?
Enak: Response
Forsyth: Would the beafores restrict anything from you, trying to prevent anyone from finding them?
Riley: How did the Befores accomplish the fusion of technology and stone into such a complicated structure?
Kaelith: As knowledge can be good and bad, used as a weapon or embraced as growth, it’s without barriers that knowledge becomes a danger to many or few. I’m equipped with controls to protect the innocent and access to this information is limited to the Befores and allies.
Arlill: We’ve surely proven we can be allies, right?
Enak: Response
Forsyth: I doubt it would take a move that a reactor to allow access to certain knowledge, sir.
Although Alex was going to give Kaelith the benefit of the doubt, and prove her wrong. She just assumes that if in his position, still be wary even after they help with her power issue.
Kaelith: I continue to assess the genuineness of your presence here and will reevaluate as new information becomes available.
Riley / Jonz / Enak: Response
Arlill: Ok, ok, ::to Kaelith:: what about your existence, how did it begin?
Forsyth: Are we sure we want to ask the AI something like that?
Alex had at least seen films about AI or robots that start questioning their existence; most of them do not end well.
Riley / Enak: Response
Kaelith: While the answer may be limited beyond my technology—obviously for safety purposes—I can answer your inquiry. My existence began when the Befores activated my technology, but my consciousness began when they first introduced me to knowledge.
Forsyth: Wait, you were here before the befores?
That statement alone opens up a whole new can of worms and puts a possible dent in her theory about Marohu III being the original home of the I-KIYO, which would be a bummer.
JoNz: Knowledge is power.
Kaelith: That in itself was another matter all together. Their existence here, after I was awoken, seved for millenia before the threatening.
Arlill: What threatening?
Kaelith: I'm unsure—I was secured out of fear the knowledge would be lost to evil beings and brought back online when these archeologists' presence was detected.
The tactical officer wondered if the evil ones might refer to the Dominion, which was around for two thousand years, give or take. He could also mean a completely different threat that is hopefully no longer around, hopefully.
Riley / Enak: Response
JoNz: That seems a very long time to be dormant.
Forsyth: So you don’t know what happened here?
Riley / Enak / Arlill / Kaelith: Response
Forsyth: I see, must be terrible to find out everyone here is gone.
The Caitian officer heard a slight hiccup from one of the tricorder nodes and moved off to monitor the reactor contraption for a few moments.
It was always sad when a civilization dies out, especially an advanced one like the Befores. There were many long-dead civilisations whose history has been lost to time, including the Iconians and the Preservers.
Riley / Enak / Arlill / Kaelith: Response
JoNz: Mister Kaelith, do you recall anything in your existence known as the, uh, I think it was the Dark Bringer? It was mentioned by one of the angry beings earlier before you were brought back online by us.
Forsyth: I think it’s Dusk Bringer, but good question.
Alex hoped that it was called anyway; she may need to reread the reports.
Arlill / Kaelith / Riley / Jonz / Enak: Response
Forsyth: Were they the evil beings mentioned by the befores?
Arlill / Kaelith / Riley / Jonz / Enak: Response
Forsyth: What other races do you know, might help narrow it down?
And could help update some of their information, although Alex still believes that the Dominion might be responsible, as they did control a large portion of the Gamma Quadrant back in the day.
Arlill / Kaelith / Riley / Jonz / Enak: Response
TAG/TBC
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Lieutenant. J.G. Alex Forsyth
Tactical
USS Octavia E. Butler
D239910AF1