Restoring Power
Posted on Sat Feb 23rd, 2013 @ 2:09pm by Lieutenant JG Elizabeth Jackson & Commander Alexandra Vance & Lieutenant Jourdan Abbott & Lieutenant Eamon Lynx & Lieutenant Khalpek
1,100 words; about a 6 minute read
Mission:
A Pirate's Life
Location: Calypso
ON
Vance stepped through the doors of engineering having changed into a fresh uniform.
"Ensign, where is the Chief Engineer?" she barked at a young officer.
"Over there ma'am." he said pointing to Lieutenant Abbott.
Vance walked over Jourdan who was studying a PADD. "Miss Abbott, why have we lost power?" she asked.
"To be honest with you, I have absolutely no idea whatsoever" Jourdan replied. "But, I'm working on it"
Khalpek tapped her commbadge. "Science to Engineering, we've main power down here. Backups will keep us online minimally, but there's some stuff down here you don't want going walkabout."
[Bridge]
Lizzie ran an internal diagnostic to see if the computer had any answers. The diagnostic said the computer was fine and it listed deck 8 and then deck 20. "Computer, why is there nothing between decks nine and nineteen?"
"There is nothing between decks nine and nineteen."
"Yes, I know. But why? Why is deck eight listed as deck eight and deck twenty as deck twenty?"
There was a long pause before the computer responded. "Unknown."
Lizzie sent a message to Commander Vance. "Um, ma'am? This doesn't make sense."
"Elaborate." Vance asked.
"The computer says there's nothing between deck nine and nineteen and yet it says there's a deck eight and a deck twenty."
"Probable causes Lieutenant?"
"I don't know, ma'am. But I'm beginning a diagnostic that might come up with something."
[Science Lab]
"There has to be something between 9 and 19 because I'm still here." Khalpek answered with mounting confusion.
[Engineering]
Jourdan looked up from the console.
"Oh the decks are still there alright, its just that the computer doesn't recognise that they are ther.... oh no" She ran over to the large systems display at the back of engineering, decks 9 through 19 were lit up in red and flashing.
"The computer doesn't recognise that those decks are there. That causes a problem for all vital systems, this means the computer won't run structural integrity fields in those areas. You best stop this ship, or else the strain on the hull could rip those decks clean out into space. Not to mention all turbolifts won't run through those area's but worst of all, there won't be life support. We need everyone off those decks as soon as possible"
After Jourdan had finished explaining she turned to face the others in Engineering. "Right then, all engineering teams get to work on finding out the cause for this loss of power. Teams alpha through Gamma, I need you up on those decks, go get evacuation systems online. I'm sure security will be needing some help!".
Jourdan turned to Vance. "Anything else Commander?"
Vance tapped her commbadge. "Vance to Lieutenant Lynx, evacuate all personnel on decks nine through nineteen immediately."
"Get this ship operational Lieutenant." she said glaring at Abbott.
Deck 19
Eamon donned an environmental suit and entered via a Jefferies tube hatch which he left open so the air from deck 20 could come in. He had left an open trail so he could get people out quickly.
He activated his wrist torch and began scanning for crewmembers. Eamon had to work quickly and while he was the first one he knew more security would be on their way into the deck from other hatchways from both decks 20 and 8.
With gravity out he was floating which made it easier and faster to cover a greater distance in shorter time. Eamon had a backpack of Air Packs that he handed out as he found people and two he had found were Security who helped the others.
[Main Science Labs]
The lights over head started to flicker. "Warning. Containment field at 94 percent." Khalpek looked worried. She tapped her commbadge again. "Things are getting dicey down here folks."
[Bridge]
It took an hour for the computer to come up with an answer, which wasn't an answer at all. The diagnostic said there was nothing wrong. But Lizzie knew there was because there was no power in the arboretum or on the entire deck and now the computer said that deck and those around it didn't exist. So, there was obviously something wrong with the computer itself.
She didn't know that much about computers and the people she knew who did were currently on the holodeck.
"Jackson to Commodore York." The Commodore knew a lot about computers. Maybe she could help?
Silence.
"Jackson to Shirol."
Again, nothing.
"Computer, where is Commodore York?" Lizzie asked.
"Commodore York is not on the ship."
"Of course she is. She's on holodeck 2."
"There is no holodeck 2 on the ship," the computer replied.
The holodeck was between decks 8 and 18. So, Lizzie tried one more time. "Jackson to Lancaster."
"Lancaster here."
"Thank goodness! The computer's acting up. It says decks 9 through 19 don't exist and I have no idea what to do. The Commodore is on the holodeck so the computer says she isn't around, either. Commander Vance is in engineering and I'm beginning to worry. Can you help?"
"On my way. Lancaster out."
Ronnie walked onto the bridge several minutes later and looked over the information. Or, more precisely the lack of information. All systems showed that everything was fine. Ronnie pulled out a data crystal and inserted it into the science console. "This is a trick I learned from Sam. Let's see if it works."
She used one of Sam's programs to access the waste reclamation system. But like everything else, it stopped after deck 8. Then she tried the life support system and then the air filtration system. Life support stopped abruptly, but the air filtration system went from deck eight to deck 20 without seeming to connect to anything in between.
Finally she tried the holoemitters. She found holodeck 2 and turned excitedly to Lizzie. "I think I found something." Then something attacked her program and it died. "No! You stupid program! Run!"
Ronnie tried several things, but couldn't get the program to run again. It was as if it had been taken over and shut down at the root program. It was almost as if it had been assimilated.
Ronnie again to Lizzie. "You don't think..."
"I have no idea, but it's worth looking into. It makes as much sense as anything else we've considered."
"I need to tell Commander Vance." Ronnie wasn't thrilled about the idea, but the woman was the closest thing they had to a Borg expert on the ship. "Wish me luck!"
OFF
Commander Alexandra Vance
Executive Officer
Lieutenant Jourdan Abbott
Chief Engineer
Lieutenant JG Elizabeth Jackson
Botanist
Lieutenant Khalpek
Chief Science Officer
Lieutenant Eamon Lynx
Chief Security/Tactical Officer
Lieutenant JG Ronnie Lancaster
Assistant Chief Science Officer
RSS Feed