Lieutenant JG Leran Perax - I found the problem, or at least a problem
David Shaw
Perax: Second pulse. I wonder if the crew on the Aleek Om will watch the lights flash when we decide to remove the firewall around main engineering.
Shimisi: I hope they do, that will mean that we've managed to get power safely.
Aurdax: Getting power – even emergency power, will get us a lot more information.
Leran watched the tiny amounts of energy flowing through the system while Shimisi walked around the room. He was getting ready to start a third pulse when Shimisi updated them on the creation of the sandbox.
Shimisi: Everything seems to be shut off from the engine room out, I believe we have our sandbox to start playing with the systems in a safe way, at least for the rest of the ship.
Perax: I’m slowly increasing pulse strength
He smiled as the room lights came on, then blinked out again, and all the work stations began blinking, then the majority went dark once more.
Aurdax: Hah! Got it!
Shimisi: What did you get from that log padd?
Aurdax: It’s a data log of the engine readouts, all the way up to 2267.0914.1407. Then it abruptly ends.
Shimisi: Does that help us to stabilize power through the systems?
Aurdax: I don’t think this PADD will be much help in that.
Perax: I just thought of something, could we use Trellium? Assuming we could find some nearby or synthesize it, we could insulate the power systems from some anomalies.
It just occurred to him that one of the Enterprises had dealt with anomalies in the Delphic Expanse. It was possible that the anomalies were close enough in nature that Trellium might be a useful insulation, even if it was extremely dangerous as a substance.
Aurdax: Is that something you can do all the way out here?
Shimisi: Any information about what could have happened to the crew? Or their remains?
Aurdax: Nothing yet. But what I can tell is that there was a massive power surge four minutes before the data stream ends. ::She looked around:: What other options do we have?
Shimisi: If we can get a stable power flux, we'll try the outgoing conduits one at a time. We'll focus on auxiliary systems first, this way if something goes wrong, it won't have serious consequences. Once we can make them work properly, we'll scale up to higher systems.
Perax: I’m working on it. I’m on the sixth pulse. It’s slow going. It’s going faster now that the sandbox is in place, but it will still be a few minutes.
Shimisi: =/\= Shimisi to Jalana =/\=
Rajel: =/\= Jalana here. Give me some good news please. =/\=
Shimsi: =/\= We've shut off all energy conduits from engineering outside. We'll start checking auxiliary systems first one by one to ascertain their stability and safety. Dr. Aurdax warned us that being an experimental system, we might find residual effects like weird energy packets or exotic energy that could explain why systems acted up strangely. =/\=
Perax still felt that the solution was something simpler, but he wasn’t sure what could flip switches when no one was near them.
Rajel: =/\= That makes sense. ::She paused:: Thre are too many questions floating around, and we'll need power to get answers. So let's hope those packets and exotic energy won't go too haywire. =/\=
Yirah/McCray: Response
Shimisi: =/\= We're doing our best, but if the doctor is right, exotic energy is unpredictable,... but we'll try to predict it. I'll inform you of our progress. =/\=
Rajel: =/\= Very good. Be careful. We haven't seen any crew so far... so whatever happened here might be reason as to why. =/\=
Yirah/McCray: Response
Leran listened to the exchange, the information about tribbles was interesting, and he set that aside in his mind along with the fact that the commodore’s team had found no bodies so far. Leran had no immediate use for the information, but maybe it would solve a problem or answer a question later.
Perax: As soon as we get full ship wide power back, I recommend that the first system we try to get back online is internal sensors. I’d like to see how many escape pods have launched. If they are here, the crew should be here. If some or all are missing, then we can presume that the crew abandoned ship even if the logs don’t mention it.
Shimisi: Good idea. :: To the comm channel :: =/\= When we get stable power here, we'll go with illumination first, If that works, we'll move forward, Is that okay with you? =/\=
Rajel: =/\= Lights would be good. What I'd really need is enough power to access the logs. But I know we have to go in steps to not overload the system. ::She paused:: By any chance... have you encountered any Tribbles? =/\=
Perax: =/\= I don’t know about the tribbles. ::he shrugged and gave a thoughtful look:: My little grey cells, ::he smiled at the chance to use the expression of his fictional literary hero in a way that made sense:: have a hunch that the tribbles don’t fit in to this, a red Salmon, if you will. =/\=
Rajel: =/\= They really don't. Yet we found a jefferies tube full of them. All dead. =/\=
Yirah/McCray: Response
Aurdax: Why would anyone bring those little pests on a starship? I thought they were outlawed in this time period.
Rajel: =/\= That's the question. One more on the pile. =/\=
Shimisi: I was only aware that they eat quadrotriticale but I agree they shouldn't be able to eat circuitry or anything of importance to the ship's systems.
Aurdax: If I remember correctly they don’t even have teeth.
Perax: Tribbles are a nuisance, but they don’t eat circuitry or get into completely closed systems. They do very little except eat too much and take up space.
Rajel: =/\= At least we know they didn't cause it by eating part of the ship. Alright I'll let you get back to your work. Be careful. Rajel out. =/\=
Yirah/McCray: Response (if still listening)
Leran turned from his station to face his superior officer, and winced as he twinged his ankle. That was becoming irritating.
Perax: I’ve mapped about twenty-one percent of the power connections. So far, they are all in perfect condition.
Shimisi: When I shut off the external lines I didn't saw anything abnormal, so I tend to think that there's no real problem with the systems themselves. Maybe the problem with the hyperwarp ended when it went off and we're experiencing residual effects.
Aurdax: I think your theory is sound, Lieutenant. From the log data on this PADD it looks like they opened up a hyperspace rift – a subspace tear – and were preparing to make the jump when something went wrong and everything shut down.
Leran nearly smirked and stifled a laugh as a sneeze before he sobered again. If the doctor was right, the accident would be embarrassing as well as tragic.
Perax: thirty-four percent. Everything is still good.
Shimisi: We're going at a good pace, everything is controlled for the moment so let's keep it that way. Doctor, once we get this consoles working, would you try to get the info about the ship's crew and the last system data and transmit it to the other away team crew. I want them to know what happened as soon as possible. It could help them in their investigation.
Aurdax: I can. I’ve read through enough that I can parse out the data and get it sent. If you can’t get that console working I can try to connect back to the Aleek-Om and transmit that way.
Perax: That console is on a power connection I have checked. I’ll bring it back online now.
Shimisi: response
Aurdax: If the systems are still in good – pristine even – condition it makes me wonder what went wrong.
Perax: I have a sneaking suspicion that I can give a guess at the cause. Perhaps not the root cause, but at least why the ship is how it is.
Shimisi: response
Watching her look back at her PADD, he waited to hear more before elaborating on his theory.
Aurdax: Well, there’s no obvious signs of damage. Even visually, everything is clean, there’s no indication of leaks or overloads or structural failure. But something had to go wrong. Four minutes prior to the end of the log there was something that triggered a power surge, and afterwards the systems couldn’t compensate and the readings start to degrade until in the last thirty seconds or so all power drops and then the log goes blank.
Perax: ::he couldn’t help the momentary smirk:: They stalled. They revved the engine to get enough power to open the rift into subspace, then when it was too much they scaled back or blew something, and didn’t have enough power to keep the engines running. Of course by that point they were probably crossing over into subspace and the loss of power had unpredictable results.
Shimisi: response
Aurdax: So if you ask me, once you get internal sensors online, look for the damage – find the damage and find answers.
Perax: I’m looking at the power connections. Fifty-five percent complete. So far, I’m not seeing any issues.
Shimisi: response
Leran leaned over a protruding optical display.
Perax: We have an energy leak! I’ve found damage in the connection between the hyperwarp drive and the forward deflector dish. It looks like there is a major burnout. ::he connected his tricorder to the console:: I’m resending the pulse and initiating a diagnostic to see what components need replacing.
Shimisi/Aurdax: response
Perax: I’m continuing the pulses to detect problems. We can’t assume that only one energy system is damaged.
Shimisi/Aurdax: response
He leaned over and felt his left ankle. oO It’s stiff and swollen. I wish the doctor was a medical doctor. At least for a pain med.Oo Standing back up straight, he checked his tricorder.
Perax: The connector to the defector needs a new insulation wrap, the power stabilizer, current converter, and the deflector itself needs a new collimator. The pulse check is now sixty-eight percent complete and detecting minor damage in a connector that leads to non-critical systems in cargobay one.
Shimisi/Aurdax: response
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