In a fix.

Posted on 06 Jul 2023 @ 7:13am by Lieutenant JG Ted Silver & Lieutenant JG Thex sh'Zoarhi

1,388 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: S3 Episode 5: Diplomatic Incident/Hydaransz Again (Incidentals)
Location: Engineering
Timeline: Current

[ON]

-Engineering-

Ted was fed up. He had been asked to download all the information about the Terran colony. He had just spent a few hours trying to do the task. Only to find the tricorder was refusing to behave.

He managed to stop himself by hurling it against a wall. Picking up the offending item he took it to Engineering to see if they could help.

Thex was hanging upside down as she did her weekly scan of the warp core looking for forming cracks and heading them off with a regenerator. Hearing the door to engineering open she used her legs to turn herself so she was facing the door. " Hello there how can I help?" She asked

Ted was startled by seeing Thex upside down.

“ Oh….Hello I need some help please. Sorry Ted Silver Deputy Chief Science Officer. I don’t think we have met before.” Ted said

"One moment," Thex said as she decoupled her safety harness and dropped to the floor landing one her feet and flicking the hair out of her face. " So I'm Thex how can I help you?" She asked.

" I have been trying to download all the information we gathered from the Teran out post. But the computer can't get this stupid little box to play ball and its annoying me. This is quite urgent we do need this information downloaded into the main computer like yesterday." Ted reported.

" Well let's get it on one of the work benches and take a look." Thex said leading the way. " Was there anything special about the terran ouposts computer?" she enquired.

“ Well it was from a mirror universe so I had to make a few alterations in the download speed. Had to use a faster rate so our computer could make allowances.” Ted explained

" So they may not be using the same computers as us... You didn't use a main computer did you?" She enquired having to be sure.

“ From the Outpost yes but when we got back here no. Just in case they added a little nasty to fry our ships main computer.” Ted replied

" Had to check. The last thing i'd want to do is have to go through the ship's mainframe to make sure it's not got a Terran version of the clap. " Thex joked as she plugged it into the independent terminal they had just for this occasion.

“ Sorry what’s the clap? Is it a form of computer virus?” Ted asked

" Techy slang for a very bad computer virus at least according to my teacher back at the academy. " She replied before she turned her eyes to the screen which had started showing a line of tech. " Now this is interesting." She said out loud.

“ I was worried our evil twins may of set up a virus to knock out our main computer. So after a bit of a battle with the science computer. I set up a firewall to keep anything nasty away from our vital systems.” Ted explained.

" Good plan, but I think I understand why it took so long to download. There code seems similar to are's but it looks like this has been smashed together from several different computer systems." Thex explained.

Teds interest was suddenly peaked.

“ Really? Can you identify them at all?” He asked

" I recognise a few. It's primarily earth based like Starfleet, but I'm seeing trace code of cardassian and klingon in here. " Thex added. " Only it's not been carefully combined. Looks more like they smashed it together to get it to work."

“ Interesting. But which Cardassian and Klingon? Our side of the mirror or theirs? “ Ted wondered.

" A good question. I'd need more time to do a proper investigation. Depends how different things are in their universe. " Thex said. " I wonder if I exist over there. I doubt andorians are doing well over there."

“ I’m not. My doppelgänger over there died in the childhood accident that almost ended my life over here. I think though quite a few non human races faired quite well. I know Andorian history here has been quite violent maybe in the mirror universe your people are more serine and peaceful. They could be like the Vulcans we have here? Then again as you fear they may not be doing that well. The humans in the mirror universe are quite a nasty bunch.” Ted said

" I'm guessing an andorian doomsday cult that's extremely xenophobic and armed to the teeth would be doing rather well in the mirror universe." Thex added. Shaking her head she turned back to the screen. " Any information your looking for in particular? "

“ We need to know how they powered the anomaly so they could use it as a door. Plus it would be a good idea to find out how many came through before we shut it down. It’s a shame we can’t see the faces of anyone coming through that door as it shut. I would loved to have seen them as their bodies were squashed to the size of a pea. It would have been revenge for what they did to Haze.” Ted said

" Give me a second and I'll take a look." Thex said typing away. " A first-year engineering cadet could write better code. "

“ Thanks. Can I order a drink from the replicator. Only all this seeking revenge is making me thirsty. Would you like anything?” Ted asked.” Maybe that’s what they want us to think. Write a poor code so we go blundering in and set off a virus.”

" Orion starburst." Thex yelled as she kept her eyes on the screen. £ I don't think you could make a virus that runs on this shoddy...." She said before going quite at a certain document. " I think I've got something here."

Ted was not sure whether Thex had just yelled a swear word or a drink request.

“ Sorry was that a drink request or did you just yell something rude?” He asked

" Orion Starburst is a drink, but I think I've got something here. " Thex replied as she began typing away.

“ So it is a virus then?” Ted asked.

" Nope but there a file in here labelled replicant. Going to have to do some work to crack it open." Thex said keeping her eyes don't he screen.

Ted had a look.

“ That’s a big file. I bet it’s got one hell of a security program.Best to be go slowly it could have a nasty surprise. If anyone tries to enter the wrong password. Replicant. That sounds like some thing that we need to look at. If they are replacing people on this side with people from their side. We need to find out who before we show anyone.” Ted said

" Indeed. No idea what damage they could do if they replaced someone high enough. " Thex said as she looked at the code. " Did you get DNA samples from the base? It may have a DNA lock."

“ Yes. They should be in the Tricorders memory banks. I did not get time to see whose they were. But our computers should be able to run a check via the Transporter buffers.” Ted said

" Good to know. If it has one we should be able to work out who's DNA is needed to crack it" Thex said as she looked at the screen. " This is going to take a while to even see what's in this. "

“ How long? Shall I come back later?” Ted asked

Thex eyes were still fixed on the screen. " Can't give you an exact ETA. If I rush It we could lose it forever. Give me an hour or two and i let you know how it's going."

“ Thanks. I need to get back to the lab. Only I made a second recording on another tricorder which thankfully seems to be working. If you could let us know about this one that will be ok. Anyway thanks.” Ted replied

" Will do. If you find anything let me know." Thex said as she returned to the screen.

[OFF]

 

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