[sb118-khitomer] MSNPC Technological Lead Vidya - Modification of a Probe.
BC Cooper
((Engineering Lab 2, USS Khitomer))
Time had passed. Vidya worked with Michaels and the two had identified the masses in question they would need for the tore-pee-dough. Michaels had made their damage control list and the two entered the room as they followed the male Valeris through the doors of the engineering lab. It was smaller than the labs on the Jorogumo, but Vidya was confident, if not concerned that the male had made the right choice in choosing this location.
Dewitt: Computer, erect a level eight containment field around Engineering Lab Two. Seal the lab perimeter, authorization Dewitt, theta-nine.
A blue shimmer flickered across the lab followed by the computer making a noise that Vidya assumed was a confirmation of its completed task. A force field? Was that a necessity? If what they were about to do, turned away into something else that could compromise the crew, then yes.
Vidya eyed the true First Officer. Theta nine? His authorization code. Would that work for Vidya? Unlikely. It was probably coded to his vocal. One the computer would likely catch. What reason would she have to need such a code here? A quick escape, should the two males fail in their task. No that wasn’t correct, should they fail. Whether she liked this or not, they were in this together.
Dewitt: ::quietly:: Alright. Let’s get to work.
Valeris: Where do you want me, sir?
Dewitt: Torpedo is yours, Commander. I’d like Lieutenant Michaels with you on the magazine. We are going to want every cubic centimeter of volume we can find for masses. ::beat:: I’ll work on the probe. We need it to broadcast the energy signature of the lullaby. Same waveform you and Mr Morda built for the bridge. ::to Vidya:: Ma’am, stay close to whichever of us looks like they need another pair of eyes.
Stay close? Was she just regulated to standing back and letting the others work? Her skills were among the best of the Jorogumo crew. Now she was being told to stand and watch? If the true First Officer was Velithari, he would not live long in this life, especially given the commands he was giving to a female who held an equal station in command and skill to him. But this was not the Jorogumo and he was not Velithari.
Vidya: ::bowing, with a bit of a sharp tone in her voice as she looked at the XO:: I will stand here and watch. ::beat:: It has been decided.
She gave a silent sigh and stood back watching. If this indeed went wrong, blaming the males would not be something she wouldn’t have to worry about. She would join them behind their mutual destruction inside this forcefield. Rana would not take too kindly of that and neither would any Velithari. First Contact with these Federations would end just as it had with the other vessels that had found themselves caught in the nebula.
She resolved to herself that she would ensure they completed their task without fail to Rana, the Priestess and the Velithari as a whole.
Michaels: Response
The XO pointed Valeris toward the casing on the center pad. The Commander gave a small nod and began to examine the torpedo schematic.
Disassembly of the technological that was the probe began. They worked in silence as Vidya watched and learned how this probe work and the various differences between their probe and one on the Jorogumo.
Valeris: Are we planning on keeping the warhead installed, or just swapping it with masses?
Vidya was curious as well. She listened to see what the true First Officer had to say. This was their weapon, their probe, their technological.
Dewitt: Is say we pull it, Commander. ::beat:: We are not delivering an explosion, we want to deliver a payload. If we leave the warhead in, we might destroy the filaments instead of spreading them. ::beat:: Pulling the warhead also buys us volume. With the warhead out we can probably fit more than five masses. As long as there are no counter arguments?
The male looked at Michaels and Vidya. They were fumbling a tool in their hands, the very one used on the probe as they spoke.
Vidya: I see no fault in your words. This is ::to Michaels:: how do your Vulcans say? Logical?
Michaels: Response
Dewitt: ::nodding:: Do it.
Vidya continued to watch and observe. She was learning much and was making mental notes on how these technologicals work. Their directive clearly did not apply here or she would have not been assigned to watch and in turn learn from them. She made note of the Tricorder used and how it functioned. It wasn’t her first time seeing a tricorder and they had similar scanning devices on the Jorogumo, but its use here was different then how it was used scientifically before in her presence. Several more adjustments were made. Vidya would give her advice as she could when asked, but it mostly fell to the others to complete the task.
Valeris: We should probably reinforce the case of the torpedo to avoid the filaments breaking their way out.
Vidya: A wise precaution.
Michaels: Response
Dewitt: Agreed. ::beat:: We have replacement plates in lab two storage. I’ll bring them over. Plate the inner surface with a second layer. That should buy us some time.
The true First Officer crossed the lab. They pulled a storage panel open and Vidya saw the materials the male wanted on a tray. They took those and the male carried them across to a bench and laid them next to the casing.
Vidya said nothing, continuing to make mental notes as the others worked.
Michaels / Valeris: Response
More silence and observation followed. The XO installed what they referred to as the modulation array to the probe's energy source. This would work. It was all coming together in one direction as a unit. Vidya was surprised at how well the two males worked with the two females, Michaels and herself. Strangely she was not as put out as before. She still had her reservations, but those were slowly, very slowly changing.
Some buttons had been pressed on a console next to them. Now they would wait to see if that light turned green.
Dewitt: ::without looking up:: Status, both of you. Where are we?
Vidya: From my vantage point as your assigned watcher, I see we are nearly complete. According to your half of an hour, we have exactly ten minutes and forty seven seconds left in order to meet your deadline.
Michaels / Valeris: Response
Dewitt: Good. ::beat:: Once the load geometry is clean and the plates are seated, I want a second pair of eyes on the modulation profile of the probe before we commit it.
A set of eyes that wasn’t hers, on top of her eyes? Perhaps it was good, but did the true First Officer trust her eyes as he had given instruction?
The XO did a test waveform. It was conducted upon the small diagnostic display that was mounted on the probe’s casing. It began to run.
Vidya: Tell me true First Officer, the intent of this tore-pee-dough it to use it to anchor the Alliance vessel to the nebula is that not correct?
Michaels / Valeris / Dewitt: Response
Vidya: Then what is to stop the Alliance vessel from continuing to do harm to the nebula once it’s caught? Will that not anger them more? What plan do you have to stop their weapon? Is it these threads? Is that where the tore-pee-dough will go?
Michaels / Valeris/ Dewitt: Response
Vidya: I see, then let us cross threads the bridge crew picks a target that will be satisfactory to the intentions of the weapon.
Michaels / Valeris/ Dewitt: Response
Vidya: Shall we begin on the weapon while we wait for the green light? You will note that the filaments we have located and collected ::gestures to Michaels:: have been placed within smaller forcefields like the one here in this lab. I recommend we use caution when removing said fields. I can modulate a sound frequency that will be pleasant enough to keep them from becoming too aggressive. ::to the XO:: Shall I begin?
Asking for permission from a male was a first for Vidya. She said nothing of it as it wasn’t something to be celebrated. She waited in silence for the reply.
Michaels / Valeris/ Dewitt: Response
Tag / TBC...
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MSNPC Technological Lead, Vidya
As simmed by
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Lieutenant (JG) Ezra Zerva
Security Officer
USS Khitomer (NCC-62400)
A240101EZ2