LtJg Lera Michaels - In The Beginning Were the Logs

[steve...@yahoo.com]

(( Shuttlebay, Deck 2, USS Khitomer, En Route to Alpha Trionus II ))

Michaels: ::tapping her communicator:: =/\= Michaels to Sparks =/\=

Sparks: =/\= Response =/\=

Michaels: =/\= I need a weapons carrier in the shuttle bay. I am going to remove at least three, perhaps more micro-torpedos from the Ouchita and I want them safely transported to Engineering for analysis. =/\=

Sparks: =/\= Response =/\=

Michaels: =/\= Michaels out. =/\=

The three torpedos were installed in firing position and an additional three were in storage cradles ready for rapid installation. It was the standard complement and the storage cradles were standard as well. She laid on her stomach carefully examing the setup. There were no extra wires present. There was nothing more exotic than the torpedos themselves. Lera held her breath as she touched one of the stored torpedos with her left hand. As she waited for nothing to continue happening, she glanced back at Ezra. Finally, she took a solid hold on it, unclamped the hold-downs and lifted the torpedo from the cradle.

oO It is interesting just how damage could be done by a ten kilogram torpedo. Oo

The second and the third torpedo were free when there was a knock on Ouachita's hull. Sparks perhaps.

Semara: How are we doin' with those logs? How can I help?

Zerva: I have managed to decrypt the logs on the files Lera downloaded on her PADD. It wasn’t easy. Especially using just a PADD. I’ve… found a few interesting things. If you’d like I can make a copy on your PADD. Twice the eyes, twice the chances of finding what we’re looking for.

Semara / Sparks: Response

Zerva: ::to Semara:: I’ll send a copy over to yours. I used a search algorithm to narrow down what we’re looking for. I concentrated on three things. Any mention of the Lattice Alliance, the POW camp and any mentions of the Khitomer and its crew.

Michaels: That was quick. I have three of the torpedos here and there are three more in firing position. You will want to be careful with them. I have not seen a design like these before.

Sparks: Response

Michaels: Yes. These are not very heavy but they are a different design than I have seen before.

Lera and Sparks each loaded one of the torpedos onto the carrier. Lera shrugged.

Sparks: Response

Michaels: Not too bad. Let's get the last three.

The two women got down on the floor next to the Torpedo access panel. As Lera supported a torpedo, Sparks disconnected it from the mounting. Lera held her breath. This part of the operation was normally a simple matter of lowering the torpedo a few centimeters, moving it toward the hatch and then lifting it out and away. But this was ordinary time and the tension Lera was feeling was so palpable that she was certain the Amelia could feel it. Slowly, cautiously, Lera moved the torpedo. She was almost amused that it came out without any difficulty.

Michaels: That is a relief. :: Lera laid the weapon on the deck.:: Now for the last two. Lieutenant. We will have these out of the shuttle in just a few minutes.

Sparks: Response

Semara: Response

Zerva: As you can see here, there’s mentions of our Tholian janitor but no name is given. ::mutters:: Assuming they even have any names ::speaks up:: We don’t even have a picture to work off of. We just know the logs here indicate they’re at the POW camp.

Zerva's conversation with Semara caught Lera's attention. There was something about Tholian names that seemed to be longing to rise to the surface of her consciousness. A name. A single name.

Michaels: If I remember correctly there was an encounter with a Tholian ship. The old Enterprise. They mentioned a computerized voice from the Tholian ship and a name of the commander. I do not remember the individual's name. :: back to Sparks :: Last torpedo. Ready?

Semara / Sparks: Response

Zerva: ::nods:: Right, which would explain why they want all the Tholians gone, just in case.

Michaels: And that takes care of the last of the torpedos.

Semara / Sparks: Response

Zerva: This other log here says there’s an incident at the prison. There isn’t much information given. But if I had to hazard a guess, I’d say that might be start of this. I still don’t get why they want all the prison personnel gone. ::beat:: Unless. ::checks another log::

Michaels: This is a great deal of information about the prison in the shuttle logs. Do you suppose the Ouachita was at the POW camp?

Semara / Sparks: Response

Zerva: What if this whole thing was started by the prison personnel? There are plenty of mentions of prison guards and corrupt wardens over the centuries from different star systems and planets, both in the Federation and outside its borders. I wonder what the conditions are like at the prison?

Michaels: My suspicion is that the conditions there would not compare favorably with Risa. :: quiet snort.:: I could almost believe that cruelty and corruption would be part of the job requirements for prison personnel. No doubt it requires an interesting set of personality traits to want to work at a prison. :: to Sparks :: Get these down to the Engineering Machine Shop and secure them. Be certain that Commander Dewitt knows about them.

Semara / Sparks: Response

Zerva: I hope so too. There’s also several names that repeat in the logs, including the Warden of the POW camp. I don’t know if or what they have to do with this. We’ll have to read the logs further. ::checks another log:: Hold up ::beat:: There’s one here with the Captain's name on it. It was logged by the Admiral. I don’t know what it’s about. Hmm. What do you think? Should we take a peek? Or send to him directly? Or ignore it and move on?

Lera tapped her teeth with one knuckle. Her brief examination of the log indicated that there were no log entries before Ouachita had been recovered by someone. Still, Ezra was finding significant material about the camp that, assuming their guests were telling the truth, would be destroyed in a few days. What did that mean? Had someone attempted to piece together a record of what had happened?

Michaels: There may be years of logs to go through and not a lot of time. :: she paused. :: The logical answer would be to move on. ::beat:: And yet... Is this material in the logs that were encrypted?

Semara / Zerva : Response

Tags/TBC

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LtJg Lera Michaels

Engineering Officer
USS Khitomer
K240106LM2