PNCP - Lieutenant jg TK Cabrillo - Lights Out
Joel Cannistraro
TK looked from his display back to Morgan and then let his eyes linger on hers for just a moment before letting them fall to the spider bot. The more they dug into it, the more complicated it got. Staring at the bot TK figured the base code would have been simple, something the Consortium had already used or was using which Starfleet Intelligence would have a good chance of having a piece of already. So if the cipher was this heavily protected then TK thought of only two reasons.
Cabrillo: ::Looking up to Morgan:: So it's either the base code which as you know can tell us a lot about the designers and programmers. ::beat:: Or, it's a Trojan horse and we are about to let it in the gates of the City.
TK preferred the first thought. They could earn a great deal from the base code. But, if it was a Trojan horse, another trap laid by the programmers then he and Morgan could be in over their heads. An alert sounded to his side, causing TK to jump slightly. He glanced away from Morgan to the wall and the ticking clock. It was set for thirty minutes, and it was already counting down.
Morgan: Crap on toast...
TK looked from the wall display as the timer was nearing the end of the thirty minutes back over to Morgan. They could continue to push on or they could take a break and try to understand more of what they had already.
Cabrillo: Do we push on and see what else is in here or do we take a step back? Shut this down, dig through all the data we have and then come back to this cipher with a better understanding of what we might be dealing with?
Morgan: ::stifling a yawn:: One part of me says push on until it’s complete, or thank our lucky stars that we didn’t blow anything up and analyze the metric crap ton of data we’ve gotten off this thing. It’s just (beat) this damn cipher.
TK understood her desire to push on and honestly, he wanted to know what the cipher was protecting as well, but something in his gut said they needed more time and based on the clock, that was not something they had.
Cabrillo: I get it and I would say press on too but something about this cipher feels off.
Morgan: You’re right, this cipher is, I think, hiding something essential, like the basecode or its actual command structure and the orders it’s received in the past.
Cabrillo: ::slightly smiling:: I know me and my skill level. I don't know these mechanical spiders the way you and your crew do and you know your skills better than anyone else. If you think pressing on is the right choice I'll back you up but we do have a ton of data here that will take us time to get through on its own.
Morgan: Well, the first time we tried to figure out how these things tick, Chief Engineer Tucker had to enact a failsafe in Lab four, which torches the lab. I call it the scorched earth protocol.
TK listened to Morgan and then looked down to the spiderbot and thought about everything they had run into at this point. The carefully layered complexity of this thing was not just an engineering and programming marvel but it was in TK's mind engineering art and there was something about this art that was starting to make him feel a bit nervous.
Cabrillo: ::dipping his head towards the monitor:: My vote is we put this thing on ice. Break down everything we have and see if it yields and helpful data before we need to find a deserted planet where we can really crack this puppy open.
TK cracked a smile at his improved statement, something he was not really good at nor did he really ever do. He watched as she thought on it for a moment, tapping a PADD to her chin, a red curl springing loose to get in her eyes. With a roll of her green eyes, she blew the curl away, only for it to swing back. TK watched the movement of her hair as if it happened in slow motion and let a small, faint smile across his lips at the whimsical dance she had with the strand of her hair.
Morgan: We take the info we got, collate it, and present it to Command. I figure Chief Kessler, the Captain, and XO. Most logical, though, we should loop Chief Tucker in as well.
Cabrillo: I agree, Tucker should be in that group as well.
Morgan: ::mostly to herself, but loud enough to be heard:: I could sooo use a drink after this is all said and done. Have plans, Lieutenant? We could both use a drink after ::hooking a thumb at the bot:: dealing with that thing. Though I think we can claim a partial victory, it’s that damn cipher.
TK looked from Morgan to his monitor display and then back up to her. He rarely, if ever would intentionally get close to anyone. He literally could count the number of people he called 'friends' on one hand.
oO Are we adding another person to the list? If not, say no. Keep your barriers up and stay in your comfort zone. Oo
TK's thoughts were as fleeting as the puff of air Morgan had blown at her untamed strand of hair.
Cabrillo: You know, I could use a drink. Not something I normally do but today, yes, I could use a drink after this.
Morgan: Yes, a nice stiff drink or two, because damn it we did good, and didn’t blow anything up in the process, just for that, we should get commendations. ::she laughed::
TK grinned and looked back to his display and started locking down the encrypted files. As he did, he noted the power levels they had been giving the unit were decreasing which Morgan must have been controlling on her end.
Cabrillo: Looks like you are shutting off the lights to this thing right? Do we have a stasis area to securely lock this beast away from prying eyes?
Morgan: ::she nodded:: Yeah, just being careful and the less power the better as it is we’re wrapping up, and I’d rather not feed it more than necessary. I don’t want to push our luck…
TK nodded. That sounded perfect to him and he was sure Tucker and Kessler would both appreciate the extra precautions around such a dangerous piece of tech. Although knowing Kessler, he would probably insist the bot be locked away in some isolated transport buffer, shoved in a storage closet behind a forcefield with an emergency airlock on the other side. TK smiled at the thought and kept isolating and locking down all the data they had managed to get.
Cabrillo: OK, all the data is in the encrypted files. I have these two PADDs (tapping the PADDs in front of him) ready to go for the Captain and First Officer. ::beat:: As soon as you are ready we can move this beast to its hiding spot and then get out of her.
Morgan: All systems are down. There's no power to the spiderbot; we just need to put it in the containment module. Once in there, we can call it a night.
Morgan was right on pace with him and had shut the systems down to the spiderbot, locked off its ability to achieve a power supply and secured the threat. It was time now for TK to sit down and try to have a drink with Morgan. His social life was very limited and why he chose now of all times to try and step out of his comfort zone, he had no idea. The last time he had done this was with Rox and that had landed him in some very oddly unique scenarios.
Morgan put the bot on a hover dolly and carted it over to the containment vessel. TK stepped over to the containment pod and together they lifted the ‘bot into the containment vessel and shut the lid. Morgan entered a few commands as the security protocols came online. Once everything was lit green, she hit the button, and it slid back into the wall, all nestled away from prying eyes.
Cabrillo: ::lightly chuckling:: As snug as a bug in a rug.
TK was not the best as jokes but he still thought the saying fun and it kind of fit. He glanced back up to Morgan and grinned.
Morgan: You still up for that drink, sailor?
She smiled through a chuckle.
Cabrillo: Absolutely. As we are or casual dress?
oO Where the hell did that come from? Oo The mental question darted through his head like a spear. Why he asked that, he really was not sure but the question had made its way out and he now had to think about his response.
Morgan: Alight sounds good to me. Meet you there at ten, I need to get out of this uniform.
Cabrillo: Sounds good, casual wear feels better after this type of day.
As they made their way through the door, TK paused as he noted Morgan turning back and let her eyes scan the room. He could only assume she was doing a last once over or mental check of what they had left behind. Then she let out a command over her shoulders.
Morgan: Computer, lights.
TK gave a smile and a nod then turned to head for the turbolift and his quarters before meeting Morgan for a drink.
[[END of Scene for TK Cabrillo]]
((OOC - this was a lot of fun, thank you!!!))