Ensign Jino Esot - It's a Good Thing Cardassians Can't Sweat
Quentin Beck
((Habitat Dome “The Hab”, Moon Sigma, Ross 580 System))
Esot: Correct me if I am wrong, Captain Kel, but did the Tholians not attempt to deploy a Sencha-wave based superweapon against Starbase 33?
Solana: Not attempt, they actually fired the damned thing at us. Melted dozens on both sides and damned near split the station in half. I watched two Bolians, a Sheliak and a Tholian all meet an end I wouldn't wish on anyone, in the space of a breath.
Jino was not one to allow shock to display on her face, even at the worst of times, but her eyes bugged out even more than usual at the Orion's response, and the bluish/purple makeup at the center of her forehead grew a bit more pronounced as her skin paled.
That was an enormous amount of power, and at least until recently, she had believed there was no species in the quadrant with the technical capability to pull that kind of thing off. The closest she could think of in the Cardassian historical tapes was the fabled 'planet killer' device that Starfleet had encountered some two hundred years before and determined to be from outside of the Milky Way.
Kel: That's correct Ensign. Apparently they think it's the "greatest thing since sliced bread" to borrow a Terran phrase.
She failed to understand the human obsession with leavened flour and yeast. It was so… boring.
Ah, maybe that was it.
tr'Kharis: Response
She shot a look at tr'Kharis and her lips thinned.
Esot: Perhaps we have discovered the origin of that superweapon? Or at least something related.
Solana: We can figure that out, but right now we have to keep this place from ripping the quadrant apart with chroniton black holes.
The Captain walked over, rubbing his chin as he looked over the display.
Kel: So tell us. How is power to this reactor regulated? I might be mistaken but this looks to make use of singularity technology.
Aduko: Power to the Sencha reactor? Well, we do have a sustained reaction generating its own power...though not all of its capacity is going to power generation. :: After quick, sardonic laugh.:: Of course, that reaction is now runaway. ::After a beat, he continued.:: We do have two standard-pattern mid-size powerplants here, for auxiliary systems and redundancy.
Jino smiled thinly at his sardonic laugh, but bit her tongue. Tempting as it was to point out it could hardly be a sustained reaction if it was now runaway, it would do little to help resolve the problem. Still, it was useful information, and her eyes squinted a little as she studied the display.
tr'Kharis: Response
The console near her trilled and she turned to it, tapping a control. She noted Solana moving and securing the stunned Tholian, which was a relief all its own.
Esot: Engineering has responded. They have established a link with the power grid and are beginning the transfer now. We are already seeing some improvement with the leak.
Solana: Good. ::she tapped her comm badge:: =/\= Security Alert. All teams be advised, we’ve encountered a Tholian scout and have been informed that multiple worker-class and three Warrior-class are on site. The former most likely in the hab dome. Ronin, we have one to beam directly to the brig. Advise all phasers set to setting six at minimum to stun. =/\=
Solana and Kel met eyes as the Orion spoke, and for a brief moment Esot allowed herself to study them both. While Solana seemed confident, she was oddly… hesitant, despite obviously being put in charge as Kel's Security lead on this away mission. Kel, for his part, looked grateful, if a bit… jittery. It was the way his antennae twitched.
She squinted slightly, then tipped her chin a single, short nod of understanding.
They were in love. It was the only thing that made sense.
The Captain finally managed to tear his eyes away so he could turn and call to the Ronin.
Kel: =/\= Kel to Engineering. =/\=
Dohna: =/\= Dohna hear sir. =/\=
Kel: =/\= Lieutenant I want you to prioritize getting the warp drive back online and functional, we may need to beat a hasty retreat. =/\=
Dohna: =/\= Understood Sir.=/\=
tr'Kharis: Response
Aduko: What do you intend to do about the Tholians, who are no doubt rallying to attack after that one got its message out? ::To emphasize, he jerked his head towards the immobilized tangle of crystal.::
He had a point.
Esot: In light of this new information, perhaps we should consider changing our objectives?
Solana: I don’t know if we can. As dangerous as the threat of Tholians being here is, if we don’t try and contain this then who knows what else will start popping out of those rifts. And I don’t know about you but I’d rather not watch any more of our shipmates get blasted to pieces again today if I can help it. Even if they weren’t from our universe.
She opened her mouth to respond… then closed it again and tipped her head in another quick nod of assent. Tempting as it might be to let the foolish thing go up in smoke, there was no way of knowing just exactly how it would affect the temporal mechanics of… not just their universe or that on the other side of the rift, but any number of other universes that exist. For all she knew, it could lead to multiversal collapse.
That made her pale again.
Kel: =/\= Kel to Rox. =/\=
Rox: =/\= Eh? What's up Captain Doc? =/\=
Kel: ::flatly:: =/\= Hilarious. The Ronin may have guests soon. We're going to need a space for wounded. You know the drill. =/\=
Rox: =/\= I do, his names Stanly. ::pause:: I'm on it Cap. =/\=
Aduko: ::Narrowing his eyes, he tried to tune out the comm call, responding to Solana.:: Nor would I enjoy watching more of our staff here die.
Solana met Aduko's gaze evenly and nodded.
A love triangle, perhaps?
Esot: If it makes you feel any better, if this reactor goes boom, we won't see much of anything at all.
tr'Kharis: Response
The Captain moved closer to them again once his additional call ended, and Solana adjusted the setting on her sidearms. Jino looked down glumly at the phaser she had forgotten she was holding, carefully raised it to adjust the setting… then slipped it back into the holster at her side. She was no gunslinger.
Solana: Whatever we’re going to do I recommend that we do it in pairs. Even if they're not wearing their suits, with all this radiation it’ll be questionable how reliably we can track them with sensors.
Esot: Frankly, we're lucky we can track anything at the moment. But I've got an algorithm working on compensating for that.
She did, in her head, at least, and she focused on the console again so she could translate the ideas to her fingers to have it actually start processing.
Kel: What are your thoughts on evacuating the crew of this outpost to the Ronin, Chief?
tr'Kharis: Response
Solana: Well, if we can evacuate everyone then that’ll make things easier. But I recommend we also have the Ronin’s security on alert. Even one worker could cause some damage if it got on board. During the Siege they used workers for demolition and sabotage.
Kel: ::nodding to Solana:: See to it the security team Chief, I've notified sickbay to expect guests.
Esot: I would appreciate that as well, to be quite frank. Developing a way to properly handle the reactor leak depends greatly on the number of people involved being minimal, at best. We can play around a little with the definition of safely.
tr'Kharis: Response
Aduko: ::To Kel.:: Captain. I am growing anxious here, and it is not the radiation. What is your plan?
Kel: So I have a team currently near what's left of your reactor. What systems should they prioritize repair to?
The Orion sighed, obviously frustrated, which made sense. He was overworked, overtired, overextended, and very likely overly emotional because of it. But he seemed to be able to rein himself in.
Aduko: ::Running his hands through his hair, he paced back and forth.:: The Lid has already blown its top, and we can't reseal it until we can slow down the reactor. I'm...not sure if that will be possible...but we should focus on the dampening system, the coolant. It had been overheating even before this latest incident, and it certainly isn't doing much to quench the reaction in its current state.
Her nose wrinkled at that, and she drew up the plans for the dampening system. It was… well, a mess would be putting it politely. It took a few long moments for her to realise, though, she needed to think more like a Romulan than a Cardassian, or an Andorian, or a Terran, or an Orion. And that made some things click.
Solana: So what would? Surely there’s something that could help that you might not have had access to before now?
Esot: Perhaps it is as simple as the reactor has simply been running nonstop, and it has not been properly dumping energy the way it was designed to.
tr'Kharis: Response
Kel took a few paces before turning to walk the other way.
Kel: To say the Tholians's are an inconvenience is an understatement, but if this disaster continues I suspect it will have consequences for all our home worlds. Our priority has to be getting this situation under control or better still, shut down.
Solana: I doubt the Tholians are going to sit back and let us do that, sir. But at least we already have the Lid on board the Ronin.
tr'Kharis: Response
Esot: I concur. ::to Aduko:: If you look at the design schematics here, the reactor is meant to dump waste into a repository, which will then clean up said waste so it can be cycled back into the system later on. That hasn't been happening for some time now. If you look here…
Her fingers danced over the console and a smaller screen pulled up over the schematic, showing the logs for the repository.
Esot: This is not showing there's a failure, but every single log entry has been the same for… at least six months. You can see the variation in entries prior to that based on energy usage from the reactor. Feeding the waste back into the process is causing it to work overtime.
Aduko: ::With a look of surprise and appreciation.:: Perhaps, if we could shut off the aberrant power flow from the Sencha reactor. My theory is that its dissonant emissions are what was causing the cooling system to be unreliable. ::After a beat.:: I suppose...we could power the coolant system with our auxiliary powerplants? They'll function like oversized generators.
Esot: ::thoughtfully:: A viable theory, if untestable in the current environment. It is possible dissonant emissions could have caused whatever error is preventing the waste from being cleaned up, but hardly an explanation for the log discrepancy. ::bringing up the plans for the auxiliary powerplants, squinting:: I believe both would be required, but I find that a workable solution.
Kel: So, these generators. ::pointing:: If we bring them back online what's likely to happen?
Esot: The system is already overheating, but assuming we can transfer the power flow from the reactor to from the powerplants, we should be able to see a marked improvement rather dramatically. They process waste differently and won't cycle it back into the system at all. That said… they are also considerably underpowered compared to the reactor, and for good reason. So it will take time.
tr'Kharis: Response
Kel: So it’s a break, but not an "off" button.
Aduko: Something like that. We will, of course, lose life support... ::He replied with a somewhat manic smile.::
Esot: ::mirroring his smile and tapping her helmet:: You will lose life support. Those of us in EV suits will be just fine. But as long as this room is pressurized, and you don't start breathing too hard, you should only suffocate after a few hours.
Solana: Could we isolate the life support systems with a portable power source? At least in areas where we know we have people?
tr'Kharis: Response
Kel: ::looking at tr'Kharis:: We can get some additional EV suits down here if needed, do your people have access to anything similar.
Solana: I’d be surprised if they didn’t. Unless the Tholians were particularly cruel.
Jino grimaced.
Esot: Cardassian mothers and wetnurses warn their Cardassian children to behave, lest the Tholians come to remove each vertebrae from all three of their spines one at a time. With pictures, if that answers your question.
Akudo/tr'Kharis: Response
While they all had been talking, Jino had been busy making her adjustments; there was a very particular order she had to follow to get this to work correctly without disabling one (or both) of the auxiliary powerplants, and while she was certain she could complete the process with two, she was much less confident of handling it with one. She laid out the plan in three steps, and each step had a pattern of three action items to be completed, in order, or else she'd have to start all over again.
First, she had to roll up the power supply for each of the powerplants, which wouldn't take long but definitely took a bit longer launching from cold. She had to a) route a certain amount of power to each plant, split evenly, b) ensure the waste management system engaged and passed the initial systems check, and c) that the power distribution nodes were pointed at the coolant system.
Secondly, she had to flush the coolant system currently being utilized by the reactor. She had to a) calculate the proper moment in the power cycle when a coolant flush would actually be viable, b) ensure flushing the system wouldn't then immediately dump it right back into the power supply, and c) redistribute the current waste to the newly powered waste management systems in the auxiliary powerplants.
Finally, she needed to transfer the flow of fresh coolant away from the Sencha reactor to the powerplants so it could be properly processed and then route the coolant back to the reactor so it could actually do its job and cool things down. She had to a) establish a connection from coolant storage to the powerplants without stemming the flow to the reactor, lest it might immediately jump a few hundred degrees, b) establish a connection from the powerplants to the reactor's coolant processing so it could actually do the cooling, and c) shut off the flow from storage to the reactor so it didn't immediately start to overflow with liquid coolant and, potentially, destroy the reactor and the entire dome with it.
This was all written in shorthand in one corner of the screen, and her lips moved as she muttered the steps to herself over and over again.
Kel: Out of curiosity, what is the fuel source to generate this reaction? I don't suppose we can cut off the supply.
Solana: Hopefully nothing volatile.
Akudo/tr'Kharis: Response
She was thankful the EV suit did not allow them to see her shaking. She managed to complete both steps one and two fairly rapidly, and so far it had all gone swimmingly, but the final step required much trickier timing.
Tucker: ::tapping his combadge:: =/\= Tucker to Kel, just a word of warning: there are five worker-drone Tholians headed your way. And they’re carrying something, we’re just not sure what.
Kel: =/\= Understood Commander. Any advice? =/\=
Tucker: =/\= Keep your head on a swivel, Skipper. Tucker out. =/\=
Solana: So we’re about to have company. If the drones are carrying something I’m inclined to say we can’t let them get here and do whatever it is they intend to with whatever they’re carrying. I’d bet a BC cruller that whatever it is involves demo of some kind. Think you can handle the rest of the evac? ::she looked at Aduko and Esot::
Esot: I am a bit focused on preventing the reactor from melting down at the moment, Chief, but I assure you, as soon as I am able, I will start kicking people's asses out of here.
Akudo/tr'Kharis/Kel: Response
She successfully managed to get both flows of coolant up and running, but was having some trouble establishing the connection to the reactor from the powerplants.
Solana: Someone has to take care of them and as far as I know, I’m the one with the most combat experience against Tholians. I told you I’d come prepared. If they get passed me those should help give you an advantage.
Esot: So don't let them get past you. ::smiling grimly:: Give 'em hell, Chief. ::to Aduko:: I would ask you to remain, if you please - you are my good luck charm. So far.
Akudo/tr'Kharis/Kel: Response
((OOC: I am leaving in the tags from Solana just to make it easier for the next person in line, but Esot does not hear any additional commentary from here unless someone else stays))
Solana: I suggest you seal this door behind me. I’ll signal when it’s clear.
Akudo/tr'Kharis/Kel: Response
((OOC: Now back to just Esot's scene with whoever is left))
Esot: Can you think of a reason I wouldn't be able to make a connection between the powerplants and the reactor's coolant processing? The computer accepts the command, in fact doesn't even spit out an error, but it does not actually make the connection.
Akudo/tr'Kharis/Kel: Response
Esot: It's a serious problem. I am nearly through completing the entire process, this is the second to last thing I need to accomplish before we can kick off the new cooling. Damned Romulan technology.
Akudo/tr'Kharis/Kel: Response
Esot: ::sighing:: If I have to stop here, I have to clear out all of the work I've already done and start over from square one. I don't particularly want to do that.
Akudo/tr'Kharis/Kel: Response
Esot: Have you ever heard of Praxis?
She mimed an explosion with her hand.
Akudo/tr'Kharis/Kel: Response
[Tags/TBC!]
Ensign Jino Esot (PNPC)
Assistant Operations Manager
USS Ronin NCC-34523
A238810SA0
As written by Quentin Beck