~\\_
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`\\\\\ -----------------------------------------
|\\\\\ Starfleet Command, Eighth Fleet (OOC)
\\\\\|__.-~~\
_--~ ~~/ Defenders Task Group 85.3, "Whitestone"
/~ _-~~~' Embarked on U.S.S. Coronado, NCC-97901
('-//////-// Rear Admiral Tebrun Lora Kor, Commanding
////// }}-) -----------------------------------------
/////~ Simulation Report
_///~ Stardate 240207.29
`
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/ Simulation Teaser |
/ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ
Rear Admiral Todd Marshall growled in frustration. Vice Admiral
Brian Aldur did his best to ignore it as he entered the south
banquet hall in Castle Silver Rose within the Camelynian Worldship
Crystal Palace. The south banquet hall of this particular castle
had been fit up by the Camelynians to reflect the tastes and
preferences of the Defender's senior human and humanoid members.
The Apori, of course, didn't need food as such (unless the
equivalent of a thousand sun lamps could be called food). The cords
didn't need dining halls and wouldn't notice them if they had them.
The Boratis preferred to eat in privacy. As a result, though the
Camelynian farms and fields had required extensive modifications to
handle the diverse lifeforms and cultures of the Defenders, the
banquet halls hadn't required much modification at all.
The room was full of boisterous conversation in a dozen languages,
human and alien and Camelynian, the Defenders enjoying each other's
company in that oldest of humanoid rituals, evening meal. Two dozen
tables gave the place a chaotic but homey feel. The Vice Admiral
took it in for a moment with a small smile on his face, then headed
for a long buffet table in the back of the room.
Once there, Aldur made a beeline for what appeared to be a very
appealing-looking platter of roast beef -- given the Camelynian way
of doing things, it probably wasn't replicated -- then filled in
around the meat with the traditional sides. Glancing over the
assorted available beverages, he settled on a glass of dark red
wine. The Camelynians were great believers in wine -- with real
alcohol! -- with dinner and thought to not partake was uncivilized.
Those around the buffet generally had a nod or a smile for the Vice
Admiral, but mealtime was rarely the time for questions and those
nearby let Aldur make his selections undisturbed.
All the while, Marshall's voice was audible, arguing with Lt.
Commander Jim Owens from Aldur's staff. Aldur turned away from the
buffet table, and as he did, Marshall caught Aldur's eye and waved
him over. Carrying his tray, Aldur did so, taking a seat near Owens
and opposite Marshall. The Rear Admiral smiled mischeviously and
reached across the table with a fork, speared a bit of beef off
Aldur's plate, and popped it into his mouth.
"Good stuff," he said grinning when it was gone.
Aldur snorted. "What are you two arguing about over here?" he
asked, settling a napkin in his lap and starting in on the food.
"Pfhor communications," Marshall said, rolling his eyes. Marshall
hated anything technical that he couldn't immediately understand, at
least in principle. From his expression and tone of voice, Aldur
sensed that the subject was not to Marshall's liking. Marshall
nodded, reading Aldur's expression; he was one of very few that
could. "You're gonna love it," he said. "Tell him, Owens."
Owens took a long draw from a glass of something -- a sort of white
wine, from the look -- before doing so. When he did, he was
uncharacteristically hesitant. "Well, Admiral, it's probably
easiest to compare what we've learned of Pfhor communications to
subspace comms," he said. Aldur nodded, spearing a bit of beef.
The idea made sense. Owens nodded back, then began.
"With subspace communications, we fire off a subspace carrier wave,
which opens a sort of 'conduit' through subspace. To the carrier
wave, we add the information we want transmitted," Owens said.
"The wave carries the data through subspace until a compatible
receiver -- the recipient or another -- captures the carrier wave,
and separates it from the data. The data goes into whatever system
is used, and the carrier wave dissipates."
Aldur nodded, chewing. This was basic subspace communications. "Go
on," he said after he'd swallowed.
Owens did so. "If we want a more powerful transmission, we put more
power into the carrier wave. The wave travels farther, and is
useful at a longer range. However, the actual speed of the
transmission is constant, 600,000C, more or less," he said.
"I take it the Pfhor don't do this?" Aldur asked.
Owens shook his head. "Completely different philosophy. Now, you
should be aware that we're still piecing a lot of this together.
Our understanding of the subject is imperfect at best ("That's for
sure," Marshall interjected in a sour voice), but we think we've got
a pretty good handle on the principles."
"Tell me," Aldur said, then glanced at Marshall, indicating the
roast beef with his fork. "You're right -- this is very good. You
should get some." This time, it was Marshall's turn to snort. A
moment later though, he stood up and headed for the table,
apparently following the advice.
Owens waited for Marshall to depart before continuing. "As far as
we can tell, Admiral, the Pfhor transmit their data through some
kind of telepathic matrix -- telepathy through technology. Damndest
thing I've ever seen, but it works... sort of."
Aldur was nodding. "It stands to reason, somewhat. We know these
S'pht form the brains of many of their ships. If they form the core
of all, or even most of them, the most efficient means of
communications would be through that lifeform." Then Aldur paused.
"What do you mean, sort of?"
Owens shrugged. "Well, we won't know for sure until we put our
hands on an actual, living S'pht, but I'm not sure that's how things
work, Admiral. We know Pfhor communications works -- we've seen it
working -- but I can't tell you how. Only that the Pfhor toss the
data into this matrix, and somehow the matrix just... knows who the
intended recipient is. What's more, speed appears to be a variable.
If a transmission is routine, it travels at a rather slow speed,
even compared to Starfleet subspace communications. However, if the
transmission is urgent..."
"It gets there faster?" Aldur asked. Owens nodded.
"It's not instant, but it's a hell of a lot quicker than subspace,"
Owens said. "There's something more. We use power to transmit, and
more power to transmit farther. In addition, when we add power to a
transmission, we send the additional power and the data along the
same... well, along the same vector at least. One is wrapped around
the other," he said. Aldur nodded, understanding, and waved a fork
as he chewed, indicating Owens should continue.
"The Pfhor send their power... well, we're not sure exactly where.
We just know that it isn't associated with the data. It doesn't go
the same place at all," Owens said.
Aldur swallowed, then frowned. "What do you mean? The data goes in
one direction, the power in another?"
Owens nodded. "Yes, that's right, Admiral. And if they add power
to their transmission matrix, they don't get a stronger
transmission, they get a faster one. With us, speed is constant.
With them, transmission strength is."
Aldur leaned forward, suddenly realizing. "That's how you're
jamming their transmissions, isn't it?" he asked. "Since
transmission strength is always the same, if you transmit garbage,
it has the exact same strength as the meaningful transmissions," he
said.
Owens nodded, finishing the thought. "And it's impossible to
separate the garbage from the real transmission. You've got it
exactly, Admiral," he said. "We're actually using our own false
matter shields to generate the jamming -- set a false matter
shield... well, 'vibrating' at the right frequency, and Pfhor
communications becomes impossible in a very wide radius around
the... 'vibrating' ship."
Aldur smiled. "So every false matter shielded ship in the Defenders
is a potential jamming platform," he said.
"Yep," Owens said, then looked up as Marshall returned and sat down,
his plate piled high with the roast beef and a bit of some other
meat that was both pinker and darker. Aldur resisted the temptation
to steal some and try it.
"So," Aldur said, "this all seems straightforward enough -- why is
Todd here so upset about it?" he asked. Marshall's head swung up,
smirking.
Owens suddenly looked uncomfortable, and Marshall gave the younger
man a significant glance. "Well, sir," Owens said, "where the
Admiral and I... disagree is where exactly Pfhor transmission power
goes. You see, every Pfhor transmission starts with a linked energy
and data burst that goes in one direction. Then the actual data
transmission goes in a second direction. The power, however, goes
in the direction of that first data-energy packet," he said.
Aldur raised his eyebrows. "I'm not sure I understand," he said.
"Oh, I think you understand, all right," Marshall drawled. "Your
brain just can't handle it." He then took a large forkful of the
dark pink meat, put it in his mouth, then made a face.
Aldur looked from Marshall to Owens. "I'm obviously not as quick as
the two of you... what are you saying?"
Owens looked even more uncomfortable, and Marshall glared at the
Commander. "Don't you dare use that word," Marshall said at the
man.
Owens shook his head. "Admiral, our lead working theory is that
there is some sort of lifeform carrying Pfhor transmissions and that
the energy is a br--" Marshall glared even more ominously at Owens,
and the Commander hurriedly chose another word. "Appeal, then. Not
a bribe, an appeal. A favor. An exchange, even. They're feeding
energy to some lifeform in exchange for communications services."
\_______________________________________________________________________
\ End Simulation Teaser |
ŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻŻ
Defenders Task Group 85.3, "Whitestone" Staff:
Commanding, TG 85.3: RADM Tebrun Lora Kor (Jester)
S-1, Group Adjutant: LCdr. Sieven Drexler (Brad)
S-2, Group Intelligence: LCdr. Kariasa Ma'Aru (Kari)
S-3, Group Logistics: Cmdr. Savant (Savant)
U.S.S. Coronado Crew Roster:
Commanding Officer: Capt. William Daren (Daren)
Executive Officer: Cmdr. Darek Smith (Aggie)
Marine Commandant: Col. Jeremy Ironside (Fraser)
Chief of Operations: Cmdr. Olme Tlaloco (rev)
Chief Tactical Officer: Lt. Kyle Marcy (Marcy)
Chief Flight Operations: Lt. JG Ananda Wilk (Baralu)
Chief Science Officer: Lt. Kathleen Hammond (Kath)
Company Commander: MCpt. Jacob Prescot (Shadow-FjP)
Flight Leader: 1Lt. Andrew Stylus (JadeFalcon)
Flight Leader: 2Lt. Mikhail Petkovic (Archyyt)
Chief Engineer: Cmdr. Zunite Oswald (Sonya)
Assistant Engineer: LCdr. Jack C. Farley (CCC)
Assistant Engineer: Lt. Aramis Skylooker (LewisSharp)
Chief Medical Officer: Lt. (JG) Jason Vogel (Thompson)
Systems Specialist: Lt. Caring-Thoughts (Alffred)
Civilian: Alados ha-Soron (McC)
On Extended Leave of Absence:
None!
Positions Available:
Assistant Tactical: (---)
Flight Leader: (---)
------
Jester
Rear Admiral Tebrun Lora Kor
Commanding, Defenders Task Group 85.3, "Whitestone"
embarked on U.S.S. Coronado, NCC-97901
http://www.jestertrek.com/coro2400/