Lieutenant JG Tholin ch’Clex – Traces

[johanssonted]

((Power Chamber 2, Deck 742-Beta, Voth Generation Ship Igirni))

The Andorian took two steps back, following the faint reading on his tricorder.

 

ch’Clex: The same trace is present beyond the reactor housing.

 

The Chief Engineer confirmed his findings, and piped in.

 

Kettick: Good job, Lieutenant. I have the same trace in minute amounts in the reactor core. Mister Stapledon, in your own expertise, would this kind of compound be likely to emit radiation pulses? Say, at a couple kilohertz?

 

Tholin kept his expression controlled, but his antennae angled forward.

 

Stapledon: Radiation pulses? No, sir. I am detecting traces of nichrome in the substance, though. This is an electrical resistor and would explain the increase in thermal radiation. It's very good at resisting current and emitting heat. Also, its presence beyond the reactor housing suggests it might be acting as a resistor to slow down signals to the servos from the sensors.

 

Tholin looked down at his tricorder again.

 

Adea: If that’s the case, could that cause the issues you’re seeing here?

 

Xarrin: Response?

 

Kettick: Not quite my expertise, I am afraid. But we could ask Eagle to run a quick simulation of the reaction profile with the extra compound mixed in, see where it leads us?

 

Kimberly nodded, and Captain Adea followed suit, crossing his arms as he looked over at Tholin.

 

Adea: If you could ask the Eagle to do that please, Lieutenant.

 

Xarrin: Response?

 

Tholin nodded once.

 

ch’Clex: Aye, Captain.

 

He tapped his combadge.

 

ch’Clex: =/\= ch’Clex to Eagle. We are forwarding a spectral profile of an unknown contaminant located in and around the reactor housing. Request immediate simulation of its interaction with the reactor’s sensor and servo-control systems. Include thermal resistance, signal delay, and cascade-failure modeling. =/\=

 

He glanced to Stapledon and Kettick.

 

ch’Clex: =/\= Send the results directly to my tricorder and mirror them to Lieutenant Stapledon and Commander Kettick. =/\=

 

Tholin transferred the data packet, then watched the acknowledgement appear on his tricorder.

 

ch’Clex: Eagle has the profile. Simulation is running now.

 

Kettick nodded.

 

Kettick: Either the trail comes out of the reactor through this access hatch and moves towards the rest of the facility... :: He reversed the movement :: Or the contaminant has been brought in, by mistake or by malice. Mister Xarrin, if we show you the probable structure of our mystery substance, can you tell us if this has any use elsewhere on-ship, or quickly get in touch with someone that does?

 

Stapledon: I think it would be a good idea to scan one of the sensors.

 

Adea: Unless Xarrin has any reason to object, go for it.

 

Xarrin: Response?

 

Tholin looked to Xarrin, then back to the nearest sensor assembly.

 

ch’Clex: I can maintain the perimeter scan while Lieutenant Stapledon checks the sensor directly. If the substance is present on one sensor but absent on another, that should help narrow the affected path.

 

Kettick: Response?

 

Kimberly nodded, moving herself closer to one of the sensors. Tholin remained where he was, watching his tricorder as the Eagle’s simulation continued processing.

 

Then a new alert appeared, the first results were coming in.

 

Tholin read them once, then again, making sure he understood the summary before speaking.

 

Stapledon: I am detecting traces of the substance in the nearest sensor here. It is not present in the sensor toward the east, that way.

 

Adea: I take it that’s bad?

 

Xarrin: Response?

 

Tholin lifted his eyes from the tricorder.

 

ch’Clex: Eagle’s simulation concurs with Lieutenant Stapledon’s assessment.

 

He turned the tricorder slightly so the others could see the incoming model.

 

ch’Clex: According to the simulation, if the affected sensors report late, the control system begins correcting a problem that no longer exists. Then the next correction arrives late as well. Over time, the errors build on each other.

 

Kettick: Response?

 

Stapledon: What it means is that the sensors are not all sending their data as fast as they normally would. Some are slower. This results in cascade failures.

 

Adea: Can we clean the sensors? Eradicate the substance? ::turning to Xarrin:: Can you assign a team to it?

 

Tholin looked toward the affected path again.

 

The traces outside the reactor still bothered him. Not simply because they existed, but because the pattern looked broken. Interrupted. As if someone had attempted to remove it without fully succeeding.

 

ch’Clex: Cleaning the sensors may stop the cascade, but I recommend we preserve samples before decontamination. If this substance was introduced from outside the reactor, we will need to compare it against any traces elsewhere.

 

Stapledon / Xarrin / Kettick: Response?

 

Adea: And whilst that’s taken care of, we can investigate exactly where it’s coming from. Tell me, Xarrin, I feel from your tone you aren’t certain this isn’t 100% accidental?

 

Stapledon / Xarrin / Kettick: Response?

 

Tholin did not immediately speak. This was Xarrin’s ship, Xarrin’s people, and Xarrin’s answer to give.

 

But his eyes dropped once more to the faint, uneven trail on his tricorder.

 

ch’Clex: Captain, the trace pattern outside the housing is inconsistent. My guess is that someone tried to remove the trail.

 

Kettick / Stapledon / Xarrin / Adea: Response?

 

He looked up, his expression controlled.

 

ch’Clex: But I think I can trace it to its general area.

 

Kettick / Stapledon / Xarrin / Adea: Response?

 

TAG / TBC

 

--

Lieutenant Junior Grade Tholin ch'Clex
Tactical Officer
USS Eagle-A
D240112TC4