Wrong number
Posted on Sun Jan 6, 2019 @ 10:23pm by Ensign Calaban Bel-Asher & Civilian T'gan
Edited on on Sun Apr 21, 2019 @ 12:14am
875 words; about a 4 minute read
Mission:
Doors of Perception
Location: Science Complex, Deck 61
Timeline: MD04 1000
[ON]
"Hey, T'gan!" Calaban Bel Asher put his head through her office door. "I've got the Vulcan High Command for you. They're on the secure line in my office, can I put them through?"
T'gan looked up from her computer. "Yes, of course." She saved her work and straightened even more than her usual erect posture.
"Great, give me a sec." Calaban dissappeared.
A few minutes later, the IDIC logo appeared on the screen of T'gan's terminal, replaced after a moment with the narrow aquiline face of Brigadier K'vek, at the Vulcan High Command. He raised his hand in the traditional greeting. "Live Long and Prosper."
T'gan raised her hand in response. "Peace and long life, Brigadier K'vek. Is this about my request for information?"
"It is. Though I was surprised to receive it. Such things are obsolete, and all records that used it have long been part of the public record,"
"The computer on the station was unable to identify the encryption," T'gan replied. "Why would it be association with a Romulan ship?"
K'vek raised an eyebrow. "That is highly unusual. We believed that the Romulan's never cracked the encryption, as it was only used between our own ships, not to contact any assets within their empire. Please, tell me more and I may be able to help."
"That is why we would like the encryption code," T'gan said. "Because we do not have much information. We are attempting to analyze a signal from a computer. We know nothing beyond that." It was the truth. T'gan was not in a position to say more.
"I must admit to curiosity." K'vek replied.. "Standby. I am transmitting the decryption algorithms now."
T'gan inclined her head and waited. When the encryption came through, she ran a quick verification and then used it to decrypt the signal.
A moment later, decryption completed, playback of an audio message began. The speaker was male, a baritone speaking clear, confident Vulcan.
There was a short pause, and then a second message began
"Battleship T'pau?" T'gan asked the other Vulcan. "And terrorists?"
K'vek looked just as shocked and confused. "The T'Pau is the flagship of our Science vessels. Not a battleship. This must be some sort of joke."
"You have the records on the T'pau," T'gan said. "You can verify the information. Did the T'pau disappear? Was it destroyed?"
K'vek's attention shifted to another screen. "The T'Pau is currently docked at Starbase 76, it is scheduled to depart on a survey of the Terlik Cloud nebula in just over a week." He frowned. "What else can you tell me about the origin of this transmission?"
"Very little. From what I have ascertained, a Romulan computer core was retrieved by the station. It remained dormant for a while, but now something has activated it and this signal was detected," T'gan said. "It is possible the signal is from another time. The past, by the encryption code utilized."
"From the past?" K'vek said in surprise. "How? Surely any signal from our war with the Andorians would have degraded by now."
"How has yet to be determined. Was there a T'Pau that would have used this encryption?" she asked.
K'vek shook his head. The first was only commissioned twenty five years ago, and the current version is only a few years younger. I believe your initial theory on alternate time must be correct."
"Fascinating. Regrettably, there are no tests to ascertain which dimension the signal came from." She raised an eyebrow. "Unless you have something new?"
The older vulcan considered this. "Not specifically, no. But i will send you a paper from the Vulcan Academy applied mathematics department. Its a theoretical discussion of using relativity, quantum signatures and probability to map alternate dimensions. With your knowledge of the local conditions, it may help you pinpoint an origin source."
"That would be appreciated, sir," T'gan said. "I will let you know if what I learn." She was eager to see this paper, and find out how she could utilize the new information in creating a more accurate way to understand temporal signatures.
"Consider it done. And please, keep me informed of any interesting discoveries you make, this is a disturbing, but intriguing glimpse into... what might have been." K'vek raised his hand again, and the screen went blank.
At which point Calaban reappeared, looking bright eyed and flushed and excited. "You need to come quickly! There's life signs in the Portal Caves! And their not any of ours!"
T'gan did not smile, but there was a definite sparkle of interest in her eyes. She grabbed her tricorder and PADD and turned to Calaban. "Lead the way."
[OFF]
A JP by
&
T'gan
Temporal Physicist
NPC by Wells
&
Brigadier K'vek
Vulcan High Command
NPC by Soran
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