Ensign Juliet Banks – Got the Time, Ticking in my Head
Juliet Banks
((Deflector Control, USS Khitomer))
Commander Dewitt nodded at her and Juliet turned back to look at the Sencha Dispersion Array sitting innocuously before them. Unlike so many of the scenarios Juliet had trained for, this seemed to come down to a binary outcome. If they got this right, the SDA would protect the ship and crew alike from harm – extra harm, Juliet amended to herself, given that they still didn’t know what awaited them in the nebula. If they got this wrong, the SDA would cripple them further, in a scenario where they couldn’t afford any disadvantages.
No pressure.
Banks: Alright, hopefully I know what I need to for now. Thankyou for the explanation, sir. I’m ready to proceed with the calibration, if that’s our next step?
The commander squared off in front of the console.
Dewitt: Let’s run the low-level diagnostic sweep first, then initiate calibration pulses one at a time. I’ll control the emitter, you will monitor the system responses. We’ll start at point-zero and work our way up. As soon as system responses reach critical levels, we know where to calibrate our cut-off.
Commander Dewitt typed as he spoke, triggering the diagnostic routines as a preliminary step. Juliet thought her way through the process as he worked, trying to make sure she was clear on the sequence of events and their implications.
Banks: We’ll need to compare the calibration process logs to whatever data we have from last time the array was activated, too, right? Just to confirm that the activation sequence is consistent and that we don’t need to allow for any significant variation when we set the shutdown triggers.
She glanced up at the commander briefly, but returned her attention to the console straight away, watching the diagnostic readings as they came in.
Dewitt: That’s exactly the mindset we need. While you're monitoring the core systems, add these three sensor channels to your list. First, keep an eye on the secondary phase readings from the EPS grid. If there's any instability, it’ll show up there before it spreads. Second, monitor the ODN throughput on the deflector shield control node. It is the only connection the SDA might have to the main computer. And lastly, thermal flux variance on the hull just aft of the deflector housing. If the array misfires or backfeeds, we’ll see it in the plating temp before anything else trips an alert.
Juliet blinked in surprise; she would have expected measurable thermal variance in something as sizeable as the hull to be a relatively slow symptom. For that to be one of the one of the first indicators suggested that the installation of the SDA must be… unconventional. No wonder they’d had a lot to contend with on the last mission.
Regardless, that was a lot of data to monitor, and she’d need screens to do it on. She moved over to the adjacent station, activating it and bringing up a display of the core systems she’d need to monitor, and then dialling in readouts for the deflector control ODN infrastructure and hull status monitors. Finally, she called up the EPS grid monitors on her PADD – a well-used interface already – and positioned it on the corner of the console where she could see everything at once. Now she just needed about three extra eyes, and she’d be set.
She scanned across her console setup, making sure she could see everything easily, and then nodded to the Commander.
Banks: Alright. Ready when you are, sir.
The commander’s deep breath mirrored her own, and he called up a series of overlays, setting up the test conditions: power input, field harmonics, phase alignment, then a series of calculations Juliet didn’t recognise. And then – the final step – locking down to manual control.
That done, he paused for a moment–
Dewitt: ::quietly:: Alright… let’s see if you’re still temperamental.
–and initiated the array. A barely perceptible hum added itself to the low harmonics of the ship’s activity, a minute shift in the thrum of engine noise that was the ambient soundtrack of all of their lives.
Dewitt: First pulse away. So far, so good. Keep your eyes on those channels, Ensign. Any drift at all, we shut it down and have our thresholds.
Banks: Yes sir. No variation from nominal operating thresholds yet; we’re holding steady.
A combadge chirp interrupted their focus and Juliet nearly jumped. It shouldn’t have been a surprise; of course someone was going to need the Commander before they were done. Even on a normal day she doubted the Chief Engineer got an uninterrupted half an hour to work on anything without a comms call.
Michaels: =/\= Michaels to Lieutenant Commander Dewitt. =/\=
He tapped his badge with one hand, eyes still flicking between waveform readings.
Dewitt: =/\= Dewitt here. I’m in the middle of calibrating a system that could fry the deflector array if I blink wrong. What is it? =/\=
Michaels: =/\= I have something you need to see as soon as possible. It is important that you see it. If you can not come to me, then I will bring it to you. =/\=
Lera sounded serious, and just as tense as Commander Dewitt had sounded.
Dewitt: =/\= I don’t have time for vague right now, Lieutenant. Either tell me what’s going on, or get here, fast, and explain it while I keep this ship from turning itself inside out. =/\=
Michaels: =/\= Michaels Out. =/\=
The commander muttered something under his breath, and looked over at Juliet.
Dewitt: Whatever this is, it better not end with someone yelling ‘core breach.’
Juliet heartily agreed.
Banks: I’m sure Lieutenant Michaels would have said if it was that urgent… sir?
oO Lera did sound tense. Oo
Dewitt: Response
Juliet looked at the display; barely into the test, and it had to be done. They couldn’t afford to stop now.
Banks: How do you want to proceed, sir? If it’s safe to pause the calibration while active and hold at a stable power level, should we continue for now and pause when Lieutenant Michaels arrives?
Dewitt: Response
Juliet cast a quick glance over his console, her console and the PADD.
Banks: While you’re consulting with the Lieutenant, I could use that time to compare the calibration event logs so far with the logs from our last mission to make sure there’s no variance so far.
It wouldn’t be full confirmation of consistency since they were still mid-test, but it would save time on having to do it later. It kept coming down to time; that was the scarcest resource here, and she was determined to spend hers wisely where she could.
Dewitt: Response
Tag / TBC
((OOC: I didn’t compile Lera’s arrival into this yet as it’s after a timeskip.))
Ensign Juliet Banks
Ops/Comms Officer
USS Khitomer – NCC62400
K240206JB1