Intel Quest 3: The Search for Answers

Posted on Mon Oct 9, 2017 @ 3:29pm by Lieutenant JG Jacob Hartley & Commodore Michael Aravan & Lieutenant Commander Alex Rho

Mission: Strange Matter
Location: Intel
Timeline: MD 29 || 1000 Hours

Having left the bridge quickly, Jacob ran through the corridors, not wanting to waste any time. He reached the Intel area quickly enough, and entered his authorisation code, to allow him entry. Part of him remembered his first time in Intel, but thankfully that problem had since been resolved.

As he entered the data center, he looked around. "F.R.E.D, you around?" Jacob asked, hoping that the A.I was still intact. Given the problems the ship had been having lately, nothing would surprise him.

A hologram of moving horizontal and diagonal black and yellow lines showed up, then a man with yellow cornrowed hair wearing a pair of sunglasses, a black jacket and white shirt showed up. "F-F-Forensic Recovery of Evidence Device is now online!" it said. "But you can call me F.R.E.D. What is the nature of the Intel emergency?"

"F.R.E.D, I uploaded the contents of a Romulan database recently. Has it decoded yet?" He asked, as he went to a console. "I also need a channel opened to the Saucer section, I need to speak to Alex." He said.

"W-w-working on it still, Daddy-O," F.R.E.D. said. "The subspace link is open, but you c-c-could have done it yourself. Next time, I'll contact Starfleet HQ and asked them to connect you."

Jacob rolled his eyes. "Have we got anything translated? Right now, we're facing a gravitational ellipse which could swallow us and the saucer section, unless we find some answer in the Romulan Database to help us live past today." Jacob said, as he sat down. "Alex, it's Jacob, you reading me?" He asked.

===Saucer Section===

Alex tapped his combadge, "Yes, go ahead Jacob." His Assistant had been put on the other section prior to separation. And with everything else that was going on at the moment, Alex hoped that he had a good reason.

===Stardrive Section===

"Alex, I'm in the Intel Center, trying to track down some information from the Romulan Database. I'm hoping F.R.E.D can help me track down something in the database to help. Were you able to decode anything at all?" He asked.

===Saucer Section===

"The only thing I have so far is a reference to a temporal rift," said Alex. "I'd recommend starting there. See what F.R.E.D. can come up with. Oh, and F.R.E.D., if you're listening, keep him away from the Nausicaan's mints, please."

=^=Not even one?=^= F.R.E.D. asked.

"Definitely not." Jacob replied, hearing the comments. "But go ahead and indulge in a holographic version."

F.R.E.D. sneered. "I s-s-suppose next you'll want tea and crumpets," it said. "You do r-r-realize that I require instructions, right? It's not like you can just lay something on my scanner and I go 'Oh, this is what you want!', bub. Give me p-p-p-arameters and do a bit of work."

Jacob looked at the hologram. "Never really liked crumpets, but thanks anyway. Instead, I'll settle for an answer on if you have anything translated. If you want something more specific, look for anything within the last week that relates to spatial anomalies, Gravitational ellipses, or anything relating to what killed them. Direct enough?" Jacob asked, before facing the screen. "And put everything on the screens so we can have a look at what we do have."

F.R.E.D. paused, then put the ellipse on the screen. "We're outside of F-F-Federation space. The total count is one. It's sitting outside approaching the s-s-saucer section. I am not a hacker, cracker, cyberjacker, order taker, baker or candlestick maker. You have fingers, yes?"

"F.R.E.D, when I said that, I meant for anything in the Romulan database." Jacob said, burying a sigh. He really wasn't finding himself a fan of the holograms, and something told him they felt the same way about him. "Okay, how much of the Romulan database was decrypted F.R.E.D?" Jacob asked, deciding to handle this one step at a time.

"I'm well aware of that, Lieutenant Hartley," the hologram said. "However, you are asking me to do something that I am not programmed to do. I sort evidence once I have it. I don't decrypt files. That is the job of Intelligence...or is the F-F-Federation lacking in personnel who can do that?"

This time, Jacob didn't bury the sigh. "Oddly enough, I thought you might have some intelligence. Clearly not." He said, calling up the database files. "Alex, looking at this we've got about half of the database decrypted." He said, as he read through the data quickly.

He frowned as he read parts of the data. "Okay, so from what I have so far, it looks like the Romulan ship found some sort of rift. I'm trying to access their scan logs, see if they can shed some more light on it, but they sent a probe in, and when it came out, it wasn't alone." Jacob said. As another data section was decoded, Jacob's eye's widened a little.

"This is gonna be a headache. They made a reference to the probe being from the future. I do not need to hear from DTI, thank you." Jacob commented.

"We'll deal with that if and when it come, Jacob," said Alex. "In the meantime, you and footloose and fancy free there see what you get out of the database."

"I do have intelligence," F.R.E.D. said. "However, there is nothing in my programming that says I have to do all the work for you. If that was the c-c-case, you wouldn't be here."

Jacob frowned as he saw the screen. "Alex, I've got more of the database decoded. You're not gonna believe this." He said. "I've got the files we need, thankfully. And from what I have...yeah, this is definitely gonna give us a headache." He said.

He called up the information. "Okay, so it looks like the Romulan's were sent to investigate what they believed to be a temporal rift, and sent in a probe. That brought out another device, and they studied it, thinking it was useless. But apparently it came from the future, looks like 75 years. They scanned it, and opened it, which released the virus." Jacob summarized the information he had on his screen.

=^=A temporal rift... that's one thing in and of itself. But the fact that this is virus from the future is another,=^= replied Alex. =^=Were they able to get any information from the probe, like a cure or antidote for the virus? Assuming it's in the same batch of information.=^=

One of the Guardian AI's, the short one appeared beside of F.R.E.D. and looked around. When it saw Hartley, it smiled. "It looks like my favorite person is here!"

Jacob bowed his head and groaned. "I do not get paid enough for this." He muttered. "I'm glad I'm back in your good books, but we're gonna have to play later, kinda against the clock here." He said to her, as he called up the data. He frowned. "You're not gonna like this Alex. Doesn't look like they found a cure, and if it's from the future, we're gonna have a few issues." He said. He spun in his chair and faced F.R.E.D...and the Guardian AI. "F.R.E.D, can you please sort through the database we have decoded, and see if there is any mention of an antidote or something we can use to find out if there was a cure. You'd be able to read through the information quicker than anyone." He said.

"S-s-searching," F.R.E.D. said. "No antidote found."

The Guardian simply looked at Hartley before flickering out.

=^=What kind of issues are you talking about, Lieutenant?=^= A number of things had flooded his mind, but he couldn't tell what was in Jacob's at this distance.

"So far, no idea of an antidote. If it's a virus from the future, there's a chance it's something we won't even be able to begin to understand, which could mean no idea of an antidote. On the other hand, if we create an antidote, we could be changing the timeline." Jacob replied. He sighed. "Right now, we've got more questions than answers, and the more I look for answers, the more I find more questions."

=^=As far as the timeline, we'll cross that bridge when we come to it. Or when they come to us, if they come. At any rate, we have thousands of people who are depending on us to find something. Not to mention, if it's from the future...perhaps some intel?=^=

"It's possible. The database is still being decrypted, but if the Romulan's did get any future intel, I doubt it did them any good." Jacob said. He frowned as another data packet was cleared. "I'm wondering if they knew there was a virus in there though." Jacob said. "For all we know, they thought they had an antidote, which didn't work, but they didn't know that until it was too late, seeing only a potential weapon."

=^=Of this, I have no doubt. Seeing a potential weapon, I mean. What have you gotten since we've been talking?=^=

"Other than a headache?" Jacob asked, as another light pinged. "Looks like I was right. They thought they had a cure, but it didn't work. Damned thing went right through their security protocols, and infected everyone in moments. They couldn't tell what it was for, because they decided they'd get the best results from working with it outside of the probe." He explained. "Damned fools, messing around with things they don't know anything about."

F.R.E.D. appeared again. "The rest of the data seems to be mainly sensor data and mapping of this area," the forensic hologram said. "All in all, nothing we couldn't gather for ourselves. Would you like a c-c-copy?"

"Yes please, F.R.E.D." Jacob said. "Alex, I'll get this data to the Commodore." He added.

"D-d-done," F.R.E.D. said.

=^=Very well then. Sounds like we've gotten all we can out of it. Wrap it up. Rho out.=^=

Jacob downloaded the information onto a PADD. "Hartley to Aravan, I've got the information you wanted." Jacob said. "Shall I bring it up to you?"

=^=Take it to Commander Weisz, Lieutenant,=^= the Commodore's voice came over the com. =^=I have other matters to attend to.=^=

"Understood. Hartley out." Jacob said, before closing the channel. He took a deep breath, and closed his eyes. He knew this wasn't going to be fun - the last time he had seen the Commander...well, he had shot her through the eyes, or a target of her at least.

'This isn't going to be fun' He thought, his mind thinking back to that shot, hitting her between the eyes, again and again...