PNPC LtJG Isabelle Deveaux: A Theory Forms
Karise Indobri
(( Main Engineering, Deck 16, USS Juneau ))
Belle had suddenly found herself drawn into the investigation into the artifact, and ways to try and track it down and recover it. She was seeing this as an opportunity to distinguish herself and maybe be given tasks beyond the standard routine issues, and had resolved not to blow it. She’d never really been an assertive person, and that had caused her career to stagnate while people like Lieutenant Falt were rocketing to the top. Not that she begrudged him, he deserved it, but part of her wished she could show that same kind of drive. This was her chance.
Falt: Okay. That’s a start I suppose. I think we should start by focusing in on the power signature the artefact was generating. Any suggestions as to how we find out more about that?
Kettick: We have a database of distinctive energy signatures, each unique to the technology of several known spacefaring species. The crew of the Hopper may not have had the time to run a comparison, but doing so might give us some insight on the origin of the artefact, or perhaps on the identity of the thieves.
Deveaux: Yes, that would work. Also, if it was radiating a strong power signature, perhaps it left a trail that we could follow?
It was only a suggestion, and she really didn’t expect it to be feasible. But her thought had been that if it was significantly strong enough, then maybe it left something akin to an ion trail that they could track. At the very least, there might be residual energy readings where the Hopper had been storing it.
oO Or possibly in the lab where they found it? Oo
Kettick: Provided its emissions are not masked in any way, it is probable. I will ask for the sensor logs from the last battle, and we will see if such a trail was detected leaving the site after the theft.
Falt: Two good places to start. If we’re scanning for a trail we’ll need some idea of what we’re looking for, otherwise we risk not pick it up against the background radiation.
Deveaux: Well, what about the Hopper’s lab? Or even the original one where they found it? Could there be something there that we could use to get a baseline on the power signature that would enable us to locate it if we get close enough?
Kettick: In the logs of the science team that discovered it, if they had tricorders and a basic knowledge of the procedure in such cases – and I believe Commander Vamiz to be a consummate professional.
Falt: I am sure that he is.
oO O, mon dieu. How foolish you look, Belle. Of course we should check the database for the power signature. Why go to all that trouble for something the Hopper probably already has? Foolish girl. Oo
She blushed hard at her blunder, wondering what the two thought of her. Whatever it was, she couldn’t fault them. She was also pretty sure she had just ruined her future chances of being included in missions. At least, for a good long time. When she had first met Lieutenant Falt, he had been an Ensign and she was a Lieutenant JG. Now, she was still a Lieutenant JG, but he had made it to full Lieutenant. No wonder, with blunders like that.
Kettick: That being said, the idea has merits. We could ask their Engineering team to initiate a shipwide level 5 diagnosis, and see whether some systems have been affected without their notice. Their shields and warp fields, especially.
Falt: Yes. Lets get them to check their results against the last system diagnostic they ran before the artefact came on board. It could be that the emissions coming from it played a part in what happened.
Deveaux: Oui, Lieutenant. Do we have an idea of what kind of emissions to have them check for? Something to get them started?
Kettick: An unknown harmonic disrupting their shields, even minutely, could well explain how the robbers were able to bypass them and beam in directly.
Falt: Exactly. Any other thoughts?
Deveaux: Nothing comes to mind, sir.
oO Other than that I have embarrassed myself enough already. Oo
Kettick: We will know more as soon as they have set their databanks straight and completed the transfer. Hm... something that destabilizes shields... and perhaps could act as a beacon? Attract the raiders that ultimately stole our object of interest?
Falt: Okay, let’s found out if we’re right about any of this. Mister Kettick, please begin the database comparison. Lieutenant, you start looking for any data to give us a baseline on the power signature. I’ll update the bridge and see if the Hopper can spare the manpower to run the level 5 diagnostic.
Kettickx: Response
Deveaux: Oui, sir.
As Lieutenant Falt turned to contact the bridge, Belle quietly set about her task. She opened the data link between the two ships and accessed the records they Hopper had on the object. She was specifically looking for any kind of power signature, but also kept on the alert for any other anomalies that could help to unravel the mystery.
And that was how she found her discovery. She’d managed to detect what appeared to be a subspace harmonic signature. Such a signature could mean several things, but what caught her attention was that the object also seemed to radiate a sub-quantum signature as well.
oO That’s odd. What would do that? Oo
She tried to think it over, but all she could come up with was teleportation. Sub-quantum teleportation had been experimented with over the years, but had never really panned out. In theory, it was possible but she had never heard of anyone unlocking the secret to its success. Subspace was the principle behind their current transporter technology.
oO Could someone have unlocked a way to combine both? And what would the results of something like that be? I need to let the Lieutenant know about this right away. Oo
She crossed the space to where the blonde man was working.
Deveaux: Excuse me, Lieutenant. I think I have something.
Falt: What have you found?
Deveaux: We might want to get Mister Kettick involved in this discussion, but I think this device might have been involved in some kind of advanced teleportation technology.
Falt: Response
She led him over to the console where she had been working, calling out to her colleague along the way.
Deveaux: Mister Kettick, could you join us please? I need confirmation on my theory here.
Kettick: Response
Once they were all gathered around the console, she called up the readings she had found.
Deveaux: I found traces of subspace particles in their readings of the object. But along with that, there was a sub-quantum signature as well. :: She paused and looked back and forth between the two officers :: The only thing I can think of is teleportation.
Falt / Kettick: Responses
Deveaux: Well, as you know, our current transporter technology involves sending the transporter signal through subspace to its destination. And there have been experiments in sub-quantum teleportation since the mid-twenty fourth century. But to our knowledge, no one has been successful. But what if whoever created this device had been?
Falt / Kendrick: Responses
~~~~
PNPC LtJG Isabelle Deveaux
Engineering Officer
USS Juneau NX-99801
as simmed by:
Lt. Commander Karise Indobri, MD
Chief Medical Officer
USS Juneau NX-99801
A239412S10