Lt. JG. Alidar Raedai - it was a weapons plattform

[Alidar Raedai]

((Stellar Cartography, Science Lab Complex, Decks 10-11, USS Ronin, Outside the J-0922A System))

Raedai: One question, I don't know all the data from previous encounters against Lattice Alliance ships, have you tried using a temporal shield or a subspace field with a phase discriminator to diminish the effects of Sencha radiation?

Both had been used to avoid problems with temporal displacement and with considerable success. It was likely that the subspace field and radiation could cause a quantum rift, but it was better to take advantage of his Lower Deck status and have his idea rejected, rather than have a possible solution never tested.

Lorana: We were able to adapt the shielding of the Rhine :: trying not to break temporal law :: using temporal shielding with help from Lieutenant Tucker, although this is only effective if there is a quantum fissure. Which is an unpredictable side effect of the Sencha Wave that only occurs when it is combined with chronitons - otherwise the temporal shielding is unnecessary. This combination can create a volatile, unstable vortex.

Alieth: However :: interrupted the commander:: the idea has merit, bearing in mind that we can detect the arrival of the Sencha Radiation waves, and that the weapon itself requires a few seconds to load, we should be able to identify the layer of near subspace that it will affect and use that knowledge to deploy an opposing subspace field in order to neutralise it.

The petite Vulcan tilted her head and bit her lower lip slightly.

Alieth: We would average about 7.63247 seconds to implement it, depending on the distance between de Ronin and the attacker, and the margin of error would be nill, tho.

Raedai: That is what the phase discriminator would be for. And the main deflector may be the fastest to create the subspace field.

The Romulan thought for a moment. He had another idea in his head, but it wasn't something that could be easily found in Starfleet technology.

Lorana: That could work, if we adapt the temporal shielding with a rotating phase variance, linked up to the deflector. The only thing is we’d need to manually input the frequency of the phase discriminator before each impact?

Alieth: That would require a dedicated officer working on it, no doubt.

Raedai: In the situation we are in, the probes can also give us more time. we could use a positronic phase discriminator that would make the task much easier.

The Romulan was relatively angry with himself, he should have done all that work earlier. Although the ship had to be ready before any modifications could be made. But the problem with his idea was that they didn't have a positronic phase discriminator, it was a very rare type of part in the Federation at the time.

Lorana: This is all highly theoretical :: there was a chime from the console nearby which drew her attention :: Looks like we’re getting new telemetry from the probes… Oh no, they’ve deployed fighters.

On the holotank, the remaining LA frigate vessels moved into a hexagonal formation, seemingly to protect the listening outpost. Luxa recognised it instantly. A Tholian web, except made via ships. Each of the 6 frigates emitted a beam of light that eventually meant they created the distinctive web. The stern of each of the ship appeared to illuminate.

Lorana: Oh, of course they are … They’re using the web to charge the generators, which means they have a faster recharge rate … not to mention 6 times the energy blast.

The net started to widen and glow an orange hue on the Holotank display, as the craft slowly drifted apart, standing between the listening station and the location from where the Khitomer and the Ronin were approaching. Not only that, but soon after, tiny dots, no bigger than runabouts, began to seep through the gaps in the net, emerging from the cloaked area to steer towards the Ronin's tail.

Alieth: It seems that they are not just loading the generators. :: She shook her head and looked at her minions :: A challenge for the bridge crew, keep focused on the probes and what we can work out to shield the Ronin from new Sencha Waves.

The Romulan was trying to play with all the small probes so that they would go unnoticed by more and more ships. At any moment they would start to become a tempting target. Their only advantage was that the probes were unmanned and could move at speeds that no inertial dampener could compensate for and no living thing that could be affected by relativity.

The ship rocked as the fighters engaged the Ronin. Once again, all the officers present in Stellar Cartography were forced to hold on to the nearest console, pylon or wall, as the lights flickered dimly and the computer screen that had been damaged in the previous attack shut down for good.

Lorana: :: noticed a section of space and points to it on the holotank :: You see that?

Alieth: Computer, expand sector 48, from K to M

Raedai: More fun.

He said, raising his head for a moment.

The computer let out a cheerful beep acknowledging the order, before zooming into a section beyond the area where the probes were located. There appeared to be nothing, just empty space. Just .... too empty. In the vicinity was a small cloud of stardust and small asteroids, rocks less than half a meter in diameter, probably Trojans at the Lagrange point of a planet out of the frame. The caveat was that the cloud was cut off unnaturally, one that could only indicate another cloaked section beyond the boundary of the first one.

Lorana: Why would they cloak this grid?

Alieth: Maybe because the first one is a decoy.

Raedai: Fortunately, we do the surprise attack. :: Alidar allowed himself a joke. :: That bubble does correspond in size to a ship.

Alieth: We need to send probes to survey that area, can you divide the ones you have in the primary search field, Lieutenant Raedai? Do we have others on standby?

Raedai: Yes, but it is easier if we lose one of the probes to lose coverage with one or both bubbles, at least until we enter the main one.

They were certainly managing to give them a lot of fronts to focus on and there were only two ships. They needed more muscle.

Lorana: Response

Alieth: Do it sirs

Raedai: I'm working on it, Commander.

He reported as he tried to move everything around in a way that would give them the information they needed.

Lorana: Response

Alidar managed to move the probes and keep the system running.. One of the probes got close enough to the second cloaked area to outline its boundaries. Whatever was there concealed an area half as large as the first, and as the probe approached, its sensor feedback began to appear profoundly distorted.

Alieth: I detect an irregular SR fluctuation coming from the second field. The pattern covers areas of the spectrum we have not encountered before. Miss Lorana, compare it to what we found in Olindra super structures and in Grus Beta 3 vessels. Lieutenant Raedai, attempt to enter the field with one of the probes, but exercise extreme caution, I suspect it will be disabled on the threshold.

They probably only had a few seconds of scanning time in the field, so they had to do everything possible to make the most of the short time they had to obtain as much information as possible.

Lorana/Raedai: Response

The tension in the lab could be cut with a knife, as suddenly the door to the upper deck opened, almost eliciting a small flinch from the petite Vulcan. Fortunately, she was able to suppress it in time, and just turned swiftly toward the door, her face stern and her eyebrows deeply furrowed.

Under the lintel was a young blonde woman, her temples spotted with particular markings that indicated her Trill ancestry.

Syrex: ::Holding hypo spray with purpose:: Sorry to interrupt, but it’s time for your inoculations.

The Romulan nodded for a moment, but barely took his head away from the console, he was in a tense moment trying to get information from the probe in the other cloaking field. He meant no disrespect but it was not a good time for him.

Lorana: Response

Alieth: Proceed ensign, but be quick.

Syrex: Lt Commander Alieth, as you are more susceptible, you should go first.

Alieth: Proceed

RaedaI: I have data from the second field... I was wrong, it's not a ship.

Alidar put the image in a cut-out on the huge holographic field. You didn't have to be an expert, it was a weapons platform.

Lorana/Syrex: Response

Raedai: I detect no life signs. Maybe that's why Sencha radiation is different... they don't have to protect their crew.

He frowned, expecting a ship. Theoretically there should have been quite a few ships in that attack, and there were quite a few ships, but there weren't that many. Something was going on there.

Alieth/Lorana/Syrex: response

Raedai: It's going to fire, the emitter is huge, it can affect both ships.

Now he hoped the doctor would give her time to inject him. The improvised subspace bubble invention didn't have to work in that case.

Alieth/Lorana/Syrex: response


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Liutenant Junior Grade Alidar Raedai
Ops Officer
USS Ronin (NCC-34523)
Cpt. Karrod Niac Commanding
E239702S10