"How Do You Go About Stopping The Unseen?"
(Previous Post: "Staring At Shadows")
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Stardate: 60324.1545
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck 12, Astrophysics Lab
Science is by definition a method of learning about the physical universe by applying the principles of the scientific method, which includes making empirical observations, proposing hypotheses to explain those observations, and testing those hypotheses in valid and reliable ways. Being a scientist, the Shillian woman had used such methods to try and figure out what the creatures that had appeared on the ANUBIS had been and how they could be stopped from repeating this feat.
The only undeniable evidence in the hands of the Chief Science Officer had been the detection of the sub-space anomalies and the information provided to her by the Intelligence Liaison Officer, everything else the Shillian had been asked to work with had been nothing more than speculation and untested theories. Yet, despite the lack of concrete material to work from, the Shillian scientist with the help of the Oltharian engineer had made some interesting progress in their efforts to protect the ship from these creatures born out of darkness.
"It should be easy to recalibrate the generators so that a sub-space harmonic resonance is added to the shields," the Oltharian said while studying the schematics of one of the shield generators of the ANUBIS. "Doing this will require extra energy to be diverted from other systems, but if we are careful this should be accomplished without having any lasting impact on any of the offensive and defensive systems of the ship." It was easy to see that Elan knew his way around things dealing with engineering, which it was why the Shillian had left that aspect of their work to him.
The other half of their work revolved around discovering as much as possible about those creatures, the universe they came from and how to stop them from travelling from one dimension to the other. So far the Chief Science Officer and her helper, who had been sent to her by Lieutenant Commander Enaii, had come up with several ways of stopping these nightmarish creatures from coming onboard the ANUBIS once again, the only issue had been that these methods had remained untested.
"Would it be possible to add multiple harmonic resonance to the shields?" The Shilian scientist asked, looking down at her formulas and noticing a very major gap in their solution. "We have yet to isolate the exact frequency of the sub-space anomalies, so I am afraid that applying a general based interference field may not be sufficient to stop these creatures from getting onboard. I mean according to our simulations, the odds are that this solution will be sufficient, but the universe has a habit of not following probabilities and I would feel safer if we could streamline the additional harmonics to be in perfect reverse resonance to that of the dimension from which those things came from. Maybe I am being a little paranoid, but I would hate for us to have gone through all this only to see all of our work be for nothing, but of course the real problem is that even if we did narrow the frequency resonance to be more specific, there would be no way for us to test the effectiveness of the modifications until we are right there in the middle of the action." It was easy to see that the Chief Science Officer had been very nervous about the effectiveness of the task that they had been working on. Success in the completion of their mission would mean that both crews would return home with the least possible amount of casualties, and the scientist saw the work she and the Oltharian had been doing as having a very large role to play in this outcome.
The Oltharian smiled as he listened to the Shillian ramble on, neither appearing frustrated or tired of the seemingly endless arguments the scientist could come up with. Maybe in time the Chief Science Officer would come to realise just how much she had verbally let loose on the large alien and offer an apology, but for the time being the scientist had been just too busy thinking and talking about the task at hand.
"If you feel that applying a broad-based additional harmonic will not be sufficient," Lieutenant Junior Grade Fairborn said with a calmness that did not match his size, "maybe we could have the harmonics be of a variable nature?"
The eyes of the Shillian woman lit up like two stars about to go supernova. "Of course, why did I not think of this before. We do not need to have the shield harmonics be limited to a single resonance frequency, we could have them rotate across the entire spectrum, although this would in the long run reduce the overall effectiveness of the shields in regards to stopping those creatures from penetrating our defences, it would greatly increase the odds that we would be able to delay them long enough to make sure that adequate internal defences are set-up. According to the report made by 1st Lieutenant Pravat, they were able to push several of the creatures back through the apertures using their weapons. I mean they were unable to hurt them, but in the end that is not what we want, we simply want to make sure that they do not get a foothold onboard the ANUBIS. Right?"
The Oltharian said nothing, instead just nodding his head in agreement to some if not all of what the scientist had said at a record setting speed.
"I will bring these modifications to Lieutenant Dawson and see how long it will take to implement them," the Robotics Engineer said, taking the PADD containing a copy of all of the theories, analysis and work done on this matter with him to present to the Chief Engineering Officer of the ANUBIS who would be in charge of making the hypothesis reality.
"In the meantime I will go and speak with Captain Rikar," the Shilian woman said looking pleased with the result of their work and the scientific promise that their work would help make their mission and easier and safer one for everyone.
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Stardate: 60324.1610
Setting: USS ANUBIS, Deck 1, Ready Room
It had been over fifteen minutes since the Chief Science Officer had walked into the office and just as long since she had started talking about all of the theories that she and the Oltharian had been working on. The expression of astonishment on the face of the Commanding Officer had been in part caused by the amount of work the two officers had done, but the look had been for the most part because the captain could not believe that the Shillian had been able to go on for as long as she had without apparently taking a single second to take a breath.
"Maya," the Commanding Officer said, stopping the scientist in mid sentence that had been going on for several seconds now. "All I need to know is if these modifications will work?"
"According to all of the information available to us," the Shillian said, quickly picking up speed in what sounded to be yet another extremely long-winded explanation.
"Maya! Yes or no?" The captain interrupted with, not all that willing to sit through another fifteen minutes of scientific explanations that seemed to spin on itself at warp speed.
"Maybe," the Shililan answered with a shrug of her shoulders. "There is no way for us to test the modifications. We either try to isolate the resonance frequency and completely stop those creatures from coming back onboard or we try to slow them down enough to physically push them back to the dimension they came from. The advantage of the second option is that there are little chances that the mechanics will not work, while on the first part there is the chance that we are trying to isolate and counter the wrong frequency which would lead to a complete failure of our defences against those creatures."
"Rikar to Dawson," the Commanding Officer said, tapping the communicator on her chest and ending the explanation of the Shillian by the same gesture.
=/\= Dawson here, go ahead. =/\= The Chief Engineering Officer replied almost immediately, the tone of his voice sounding as if he had been anticipating the call he had just received.
"Have you analysed the plan submitted by Lieutenant Maya?" The captain asked, glad to see that this had finally put an end to the ramblings of the scientist, even if only for a few moments lost in the ocean of eternity.
=/\= Yes, =/\= the engineer replied sounding less than happy. =/\= Adding a single resonance frequency to the shields would have taken only a fraction of the power the suggested rotation of these harmonics is going to take. We are going to have to take every non-essential systems offline if we are to make this work. =/\=
"How long will it take you and your staff to make this happen?" The captain asked, hinting that she had already made her decision as to the implementation of the plan provided by the Chief Science Officer.
=/\= Two hours, =/\= the Chief Engineer replied before sighing loud enough for it to be picked up by the internal communication system of the ANUBIS. =/\= But it will be done in one, if we get extra help. =/\=
"Understood," the Commanding Officer said with a smile, "I'll send as many available bodies down to you as possible. Rikar out."
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Jessica Solarik { maya_992003@yahoo.com }
Lieutenant Commander Maya
Chief Science Officer
USS ANUBIS
"To see the world in a grain of sand, 2005 post #299
and a heaven in a wild flower.
Hold infinity in the palm of your hand,
and eternity in an hour."
- William Blake (British, 1757-1827)
