Reporting to the Captain

Posted on Sat May 27, 2017 @ 9:49pm by Lieutenant Commander Kelani Tetanal & Commodore Michael Aravan

Mission: Avatar
Location: Bridge and Ready Room
Timeline: MD 10 || 1130 Hours

Kelani breathed a sigh of relief as she safely entered the Bridge. Seeing the Captain at his post, she moved to him, saying, "Captain, could we speak?"

"Certainly, Lieutenant," Michael said as he stood up and headed towards the Ready Room.

Kelani followed the Captain her frayed nerves slowly calming at the sight, sound--and sense--of the people on the Bridge.

"What can I do for you, Lieutenant Tetanal?" he asked after she followied him and the door closed behind her.

"Chief Barnes and I may have found a method to perhaps delay the entity's takeover of the ship. I am told the entity could not crack it...." She drew an unsteady breath as she waited for the Captain's response.

"Entity?" Michael asked as he raised an eyebrow. "Has it been established that we're dealing with a lifeform?"

"No, sir," Kelani replied. "That is my term only--Chief Barnes calls it an avatar. It is still very much an unknown..."

"I wouldn't apply the term to it, in that case," the Captain said. "What idea did you and Mister Barnes come up with?"

"Yes, sir,". Kelani replied, continuing, "I had gone to Chief Barnes with an idea which he deemed impractical. As we were brainstorming, he remembered a protocol used by the Enterprise against the Borg in the late 2300's. He assured that whatever this is would not be able to crack it. Since he could not leave the computer core, I came to report to you."

"What's the suggestion?" Michael asked her.

"Perhaps we should seal the probe and the black box as a precaution?" Kelani ventured.

"That is one thing, but whatever it is is already in our system," the Captain pointed out. "What was the protocol that Mister Barnes suggested?"

"It was a fractal encryption code developed by Commander Data to prevent the Borg from using the ship's computer to assist in the assimilation of the Enterprise." Kelani replied.

She stood quietly, waiting for the Captain's response.

Michael thought for a moment then he nodded. "It sounds logical, but how will it help considering that whatever it is is already spread throughout the ship?"

"Our hope is to prevent it from spreading further and perhaps inducing it to relinquish control and retreat." Kelani paused, then continued. "In the end, it is a delaying action...to buy time...."

"What is your opinion sir?"

"Have it done and isolate the probe," Michael said. "Have you had any luck finding if there was code in the information that you retrieved from the probe?"

"Yes, sir," Kelani replied. "I shall tell Chief Barnes." She paused for a moment, then said, "We have found no code as of yet, but there must be something there---how else could this--thing--have manifested in our computers? We will redouble our efforts...."

"Get on it," the Captain said as he felt a major headache brewing. "In the meantime, try not to rely on the computer if you don't have to. Get the best people on it and get it done as soon as you can. Is there anything else, Lieutenant?"

"At once, sir," Kelani replied. She steeled herself for another trip through the Triumphant's now-dangerous corridors. "I shall inform Chief Barnes then return to the lab and my researches."

"Take Security with you," Michael said. "Good luck."

"Yes, sir," Kelani replied, moving to the door. "Good fortune to us all."

So saying, she left the Ready Room and called a Security officer to her. With another deep breath, she exited the Bridge.