Relaying Information

Posted on Mon Feb 17th, 2025 @ 11:50pm by Lieutenant Alexis Ryan & Lieutenant Commander Savin & Lieutenant Didrea Zade & Lieutenant JG Astrja Kyan

Mission: Pandora's Box
Location: Science Meeting Room, USS Athena
Timeline: MD3 - Evening
1691 words - 3.4 OF Standard Post Measure

It was a blessing, at least, to be back on familiar territory. The meeting room aboard Athena was a little more snug, which made it harder to put distance between potential conflicts, but Ryan hadn't been particularly predisposed towards separating the visiting Kozlov from the young Andorian seated on Alex's other side. Setting herself up as a buffer might prove to be ill-advised but Kyan had arguably more to add to this meeting than the two senior officers combined, at least at this point. Catching Bailey's eye before the messenger quietly exited to continue preparations, Alex resisted the urge to smirk as her colleague mouthed 'good luck' and turned her attention instead to the others sat around the table.

"Well, since Lieutenant Bailey has let us know to expect delayed arrivals from the others, shall we start? Most of us have met already, but for Lieutenant Datari's sake, let me introduce Lieutenant Kozlov from the Edison, Lieutenant Hadzin from the Valiant and Lieutenant Kyan is our Assistant Chief of Operations aboard Athena."

Astrja nodded politely.

"Aidan Datari," the young Trill introduced himself, "recently assigned as chief and excited to be here."

There had been nothing about the Science Chief's calm delivery that necessarily betrayed a carefully cultivated injection of passive aggressive correction but the shift in posture from the uptight woman to her left was satisfying in any case. Alexis smiled, a gesture that didn't quite reach her eyes, and continued. "We've all had time to analyse the first scans of the wreckage. Lieutenant Hadzin, would you like to step us through your findings?"

"Frustratingly, not much," Adri replied with a mildly exasperated look. Pulling up the information she had on the wall display for the others to see, a mess of rather abstract shapes with a transparent background of the lunar surface. She looked at the data for a couple seconds before turning a little in her chair to address her peers. "The only way we've been able to see past the hull is through fractures or cracks in the hull due to the crash, as seen in this very detailed scan." The sarcasm in her tone was light and only for the moment before she got to the thing that she thought was cool. "There's a common nanowave variance in the hull itself that has me convinced that whoever built it understood quantum mechanics far better than anyone. The fact that it's so stable is incredible, usually these variances contribute to hull fatigue, but there's no sign of such deterioration in the hull."

"I have read that it is theorized that whoever built the planet killers managed to arrange the neutronium into fullerene-type structure to make it self-supporting even when encountering extreme gravitic stress," said Astrja. "If so, that would account for its extreme durability."

"And how do we disrupt this durability," Aidan mused, "there must be a way to disable these...vessels?" He looked around the table. "Or at least disrupt them sufficiently so they won't be destroying any more planets?"

"I think the core solution will require accessing their sensor array," said Astrja. "If we can work out how it locates its . . . prey? We could work out a way to spoof those sensors and lead it away from planetary systems. Once deprived of energy, it will have to shut down."

"Well, crashing it into a moon seemed to have disabled it quite sufficiently..." Adri quietly joked. Knowing the situation was hardly a joking matter, she didn't wait for a crowd reaction. "It would be fascinating to see what its algorithm is like for selecting objects to consume. Is it based off of potential energy, is it simply whatever crosses its path? We might even be able to see where it came from, based off of what it's already consumed."

As the conversation progressed, Ryan had intentionally focused her attention straight forward, despite the occasional movement in her periphery that didn't need close examination to make its irritation obvious. Kozlov's silence was no doubt weaponised protest but Alexis took advantage of the reprieve to bridge the gap between current speculation and indications from leadership.

"Without some sort of relay system in place, even Athena's sensor array isn't going to perform miracles. Taskforce Command were privy to this projection prior to our arrival, which means we have provisional clearance to send a team down after the initial security sweeps. I predict," the Lieutenant continued, "there will be an expectation that our first priority is to improve our remote scans." Ryan raised her eyebrows in wry amusement. "Or at least provide a thorough explanation as to why it's not possible."

"If its reactor is dormant we should be able to chain probes and relays down its interior to scan," says Astrja. "I am hesitant to ask other personnel to go inside as there must be a massive amount of radioactivity on the interior but I am willing to venture in to direct the probes and analyze the situation."

Once again, Ryan ignored the derisive snort from her left. To Kozlov's credit, she was allowing Athena's Chief to control the meeting, which suggested that even if her communication protocols had lapsed, the older woman hadn't entirely lost track of how contingency meetings were supposed to run.

"Lieutenant?"

The question was directed at Hadzin, not so much because Ryan distrusted Kyan's suggestion but because due diligence required confirmation before she sent a junior officer into a hazardous environment.

During the discussion, Adri had pulled a stylus from her pocket and was writing on a PADD, trying to work out how to deal with the fullerene structure and nanowave variance. She preferred writing over typing, a habit she picked up over the last couple years because it felt more efficient. "Oh, definitely count me in for an away mission," she thought aloud, before her brain recognised that that wasn't the focus of the prompt, and she looked up from the PADD. "Right, relays. I think a relay system is possible." The end of her stylus disappeared under the fabric of her headwrap in an effort to scratch an itch. "Though there might be some interference. With the neutronium's fullerene structure and this... incredibly stable variance, weird stuff happens to signals in proximity. You have to account for like, six different phase factors as they are changing, otherwise your signal becomes utter garbage. It's like... data corruption, but due to quarks and whatnot literally warping the signal while they are bouncing around the universe." She glanced down at the PADD on the table, the screen full of enough equations to make a cadet's head explode. "Thank god the equation to calculate the quantum state of phase factors was discovered 60 years ago. Once we figure out the phase change interval, it can be applied to both probes and tricorders, though you might see a performance drop in the latter."

Astrja listened and typed some queries into her datapad. "We could also use a lower-tech solution and run cables between the probes, insulated lumerine would be best I think," she said. "That would minimize the signal exposure to damaging noise. As some things cannot be shielded against the systems for mapping the phase charge will definitely be needed. Especially for the sensors, if we are not getting accurate high-quality scams, transmission fidelity is the least of our problems."

"There is another alternative besides physical cables," Aidan suggested carefully. "It is extremely outdated technology, but it might just work." The Trill glanced around at those in the room. "What about radio signals? It's ancient Earth technology, twentieth century if not even older I believe?"

"There is no reason not to use all of them," said Astrja. "We can use a regression algorithm to compare and sort out the signal from the noise. Multiple data channels are always a good idea."

"Thoughts, Lieutenant?"

Alexis tried not to let her satisfaction show as Kozlov directed her gaze sideways in veiled displeasure before pushing herself upright in her seat to address the invitation to speak.

"Longer-term analysis is dependent on the efficacy of accurate data." It was, it appeared, about as close to direct agreement as the woman was capable of. "I would recommend a small team at first, the four of us should be plenty." Kozlov's eyes flitted around the table, her features shifting in almost imperceptible disdain as her attention passed over Kyan, though of far more impact was the overt exclusion of Ryan in the headcount. It made sense and likely would have been what Alex suggested herself, but that in itself wasn't a wholly comforting admission.

"We can certainly put forward the recommendation," Ryan replied, moving swiftly on. "What else do we need before we can give Command an ETA?"

"Ops can have everything ready to go in," Astrja checked her datapad, "seventy-five minutes, give or take a second."

It took effort for Adri to not roll her eyes at Kozlov's commentary. She could only be glad that the woman wasn't her boss. "It won't take long to identify the phase change interval. Maybe ten minutes. The remaining hour Lieutenant Kyan as offered is more than enough time to program that interval into any equipment."

"I'll compile a list of equipment needed to effect radio signals," the Trill answered, making a few notes on his PADD. "I'll have it sent before the deadline."

"Thank you, that will be helpful," said Astrja. "I will see if we can expedite the manufacturing of the probes and cables."

"I'll inform Command, though our clearance is going to be conditional on the security teams giving the all-clear." Ryan pursed her lips and then seemed to shrug off the potential delay as being a pointless protest. "Meanwhile, we've allocated workspace. It may be a little cosy but Athena believes in lining her scientists up like sardines."

Rising, the Science Chief offered a wry smile and addressed Kyan. "Lieutenant, it's probably best you pull up a workstation here for the interim too. If there's nothing else, meeting dismissed."