Gathering the Puzzle Pieces (part 2)

Posted on Sun May 29th, 2016 @ 11:25am by Commodore Samantha York & Lieutenant Arnon Barak MD, PsyD & Lieutenant Illise Hale & Lieutenant JG Victoria Drani M.D. & 1st Lieutenant Leroy Mangalia

1,210 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Point of View
Location: Conference Room

[CONTINUED]

[OLD]

"As some of you are already aware, we had a near miss with a cosmic string earlier, which caused the warp core to destabilize and shut down. The intense gravitational forces also caused some damage along the hull, and disrupted power to several sections." Illise said as she too poured herself some coffee. She paused in her report to take a sip. It wasn't raktajino, but it was good.

[NEW]

Illise continued, "With the computer going insane, we've had a hard time analyzing the sensor data, but we've discovered evidence of a dimensional rift inside the cosmic string." Illise brought up a diagram on the screen showing the cosmic string as is cut through the sector. "Normally, we would assume that the gravity well produced by the string could contain the rift, however the laws of physics on the other side don't seem to be compatible with out own." On the screen, a pulsing red dot appeared indicating the approximate location of the rift, with series of spheres radiating outward from it. An icon showing the the Calypso sat within. "There is a sort of 'bleed-over' effect happening along the event horizon of the rift, which is being projected outward over approximately 1,000,000 kilometers in all directions. It is altering our own universe just enough to make the warp core virtually useless, that is unless we can re-calibrate it to function on a whole new set of principles which we don't yet understand." Illise fell silent, letting everyone absorb this new information.

Sam's interest in the report intensified. "A rift?"

"I volunteer to fly into the rift," Leroy said half jokingly. "Be nice to see what's on the other side of one of these things."

"Are we able to close the rift?" Drani asked from her seat. "That should get everything back to normal, correct?"

"If we can keep the bleed over from causing permanent instability. Best if we can return whatever has come through the rift back, then close it." She turned back to Illise. "What data do you have on the rift itself and what may lay beyond it?"

Illise shook her head at Leroy. "I really wouldn't recommend it." Turning to Sam, she answered, "We have very little data on what may be on the other side, I'm afraid. The gravity well is distorting out sensors closer to the rift. What we do have seems to indicate a reality very different from our own, most likely not able to support life as we know it. This is just a theory, but if some other form of life came through the rift into our universe we might not be able to recognize it, nor it us."

"So," Sam said, considering Illise's words. "We might have picked up some life-form from the rift? Do we have evidence of that?"

Drani thought about it. One thing all intelligent life had was synaptic pathways. "If not, I think I know how we could. We could try to calibrate the sensors to detect synaptic pulses."

Sam looked at the Doctor and raised an eyebrow. "Not if it's parasitic," she said. "Then it would rely on the host..."

Sam turned to Illise and Victoria. "The engines failed about the same time as the computer began to malfunction. A cosmic string would definitely account for the damage to the engines. If Dr. Hale is correct, we may have picked up a hitchhiker at the same time. It would not be the first time an entity has infect a ship's computer."

"Not entirely," Drani replied. "Parasitic organisms can have neural pathways and synaptic pulses. The trill symbionts for example, are parasitic but are also sentient. If we did pick up a parasitic organism, we have to determine first if it's been trying to communicate or simply feeding off of a power source that it may simply recognize as food. The question would be is how?"

"Worker bees," Leroy said before taking a look at the replicator. "They're slower than any shuttle and are built with scanners to detect any sort of abnormality in the hull or close to it. If it's out there our Engineering department has that on lock-down. Now if it's burrowed into the ship them they'll be able to tell us about where it goes."

Illise nodded, following Leroy's thought. "That's not a bad idea, but I think that we may also need to consider the possibility that this entity - if that truly is what is has happened - could be non-corporeal." She called the damage assessment back up to the screen. "Besides the damage from the string, I haven't seen any reports that would suggest a physical entity within the ship, that is unless it is quiet small."

A thought occurred to her and Illise turned to Drani. "Doctor, you said that you had to confine your EMH to the sickbay? As I understand the system, she has an independent core but it is tied directly into the Main Computer to allow her access to the ship. I'm sure that would allow her a unique perspective. How has she been affected by the malfunctions?"

Drani thought for a moment before responding as she recalled the issues Galen reported thus far. "So far she has reported receiving false reports of medical emergencies at various locations throughout the ship. She has also been receiving various false commands which is the reason she has blocked herself from access to the Main Computer."

"With your permission, I'd like to speak with her to see if she can provide more details about her recent interaction with the computer?" Illise asked.

"Of course," Drani replied.

Sam listened while the others talked about the possible entity. The more they talked, the more the pieces seemed to fit together. It did indeed seem plausible that they had some sort of non-corporeal entity infecting the ship's computer.

"I'll come by sick bay as soon as we are finished here." Illise told Drani. Then looking at Sam she asked, "Can we expect any help from Starfleet?"

"Starfleet Engineers are on their way to help repair the warp core," Sam said. "I can get help from Intel and science if we need it." She paused for a moment. "I also have a program that may help detect interference in the main computer. That, along with the EMH and what you've found could go a long way towards resolving our particular dilemma. If this is a non-corporeal entity, I want to help it get back where it belongs or somewhere safe."

"Judging from what we've seen so far," Arnon said. "If there is an entity in the ship's systems, its situation may be affecting its mental state. I advise that we proceed with all caution and take necessary precautions."

"Agreed," Sam said. "Caution is very much the order of the day."

"If there is nothing further, you're dismissed," Sam said. She turned to Victoria and Illise. "Let me know what you learn from the EMH. I'll see if I can find any trace of intelligent interference in the main computer."

____
OFF

Lieutenant Illise Hale
Chief Science Officer

Commodore Samantha York
Commanding Officer

Master Sergeant Leroy Mangalia
Flight Leader

Lieutenant Victoria Drani
Chief Medical Officer

Lieutenant Arnon Barak
Chief Counselor

 

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