Pre-Planning

Posted on Wed Feb 14th, 2018 @ 10:23pm by Captain Michelle Bartlett & Lieutenant Valeria Mordin

Mission: https://wellington.pegasusfleet.site/index.php/sim/missions/id/4
Location: Main Science Lab
Timeline: July 6, 2399 @ 1130 AM

The Crewman at the lab was going over the readings carefully that had been received from Starfleet Command. Nothing about it looked normal, period. She'd seen distortions before, but nothing like what was in front of her. This was almost an oddity unto itself.

"Lieutenant, I'm not seeing just what this is." the Bajoran replied. "It appears to match the features of at least 300 known anomalous structures but there's something just.... off about it."

Valeria took a look at the readings as well, "Well, the interesting thing is that some of those known anomalies are diametric opposites." she pointed out a few results that, under normal conditions, couldn't exist together. "So, either we have an extremely isolated incident of a new field of physics, or it isn't something that occurs naturally."

"Which, oddly enough, leaves us back at square one. Potentially." she added. "So either we've discovered something new, or we've discovered someone else's science project."

"Seems like a strange science project." she said. "The bulk of the readings comes from this spot close to the sun. This spot appears to have some kind of a gravitational lure... The others are just solid masses of distortion. They appear to be surrounding the gravitational field itself."

"Well, as strange to us as our science might look to a child." she pointed out the nature of perspective. Then took a closer look at the readings. "Echoes, perhaps? A gravity trap would have an incredible mass behind it, enough to warp the light of the local star around the edges. I don't see that happening here. There's obviously gravity, but I think we can rule out... at the moment... the worst possible scenario of a gravity trap." that seemed to temporarily relieve the rabbitess.

"It isn't a No-Field." she mentioned, then turned to her Bajoran assistant. "A No-Field was a concept of the Dalacari, a field that absorbed everything. Light, heat, matter, radiation, everything. No reflection, just a smooth black surface." she paused, "We kindly asked them to stop, when they turned one on and it took six years for it to eventually turn off. Horribly injured a few of the scientists." she just shook her head.

"We can detect this, so it's NOT something like that." that greatly relieved the rabbitess.

At that point, Michelle walked through the doors of the science lab. Even if she hadn't been in one for some time, she still felt at home in this area of the ship more so than almost any other area. "Any luck figuring this out?" she asked.

"We've narrowed down what it isn't." Valeria offered, "Which is far more helpful than it initially sounds. It isn't a gravity trap, or a cluster of gravity traps, or a No-Field." she listed off a few more stellar phenomenon that it wasn't. "There's the presence of gravity, which indicates mass, but the mass is insufficient to be a gravity trap. It's almost planetary in measure, but the readings don't make sense for a planet."

"So... we've figured out what it isn't." she offered, this time with a soft smile.

Michelle pondered what was said for a moment and reviewed the data. "No, you're quite right. They got the black hole aspect completely wrong." she added. "And I have a hard time thinking that an entire planet just got swallowed up." she said. "And the rest of these readings..." she added. "It doesn't explain how this large planet-sized anomaly nearly sucked them in. Though that might also be why the civilian ship said it was a black hole. Are any of these anomalies safe to launch some kind of a probe through for further study once we arrive?"

"At the moment, with these readings, it's hard to say with certainty. I'd recommend launching a probe anyway to get more accurate readings once we arrive. Based on *those* readings, I can make a suggestion as to whether it is safe to attempt to breach the anomalies or not. Also, with more accurate readings I'd be able to suggest if they present a threat to us." Valeria replied.

"How long will it take to get the specifications Ops will need to set up the probes?" Michelle asked.

Valeria looked to the Bajoran, then back to Michelle, "We can configure a system that would compare any readings with what we already have, and only return results that don't match anything. That, plus a full standard spectrum of scanner readings should get us plenty of information. Give us... four hours."

"Will be just before we need it. I can go with that." Michelle replied. "There may not be much of a chance to test, but that's okay. I'm just happy to be focusing on other things again." she added. "Do you have a moment?"

"Then we'll test it as we write it and simulate the results." Valeria replied, before giving Michelle a smirk, "I have many." before turning to her Bajoran assistant, "Prep one of the consoles for a level-five programming session. Feel free to begin without me, I'll be there shortly." and he gave a nod before he left the two in relative isolation. "

"Yes, ma'am." the Bajoran said, getting to work right away as the other two went off to the office.

"You were saying?"

"I wanted to be the first to let you know so you didn't hear it second hand..." Michelle said. "Lo'Mah is to be imprisoned back in the Alpha Quadrant for the next 30 years for his crimes." she added. "The judge appears likely to accept a plea bargain where he cooperates with us in exchange for information on the Organization."

Normally, Valeria was hard to read emotionally. Ts'usugi had this weird thing where they either emoted with their whole body, or just their ears, or sometimes with just their eyes. That being the case, to say that Michelle had no trouble telling that Valeria was pleased to hear this was saying something.

"Good." she remarked, and was silent for a moment before she continued, "It's different than how Ts'usugi justice would have handled it, but the first steps towards a true alliance is the acceptance that OUR justice isn't the only justice."

Michelle nodded. "It's different than how I wanted it handled or how I would have ruled. I get where his lawyer was going with her argument. But 30 years for everything he did or helped orchestrate? Doesn't sound like nearly enough." she added. "On the other hand... Am I being completely impartial? Of course not."

Valeria shook her head gently, "In war, every resource you deny your enemy is a resource you can claim." she cited, "And information is among the most valued of resources." she pointed out, as though reciting from a high school lesson. "If his information is credible, then it's a grand asset. If he's lying, well... time will tell."

"It's a sentence that would satisfy the Ts'usugi, and as it shows the guilty being punished in some degree, it would satisfy the Dalacari." she pointed out. "Denial of freedom is chief among the punishments of the Dalacari."

"The upside is if he doesn't comply, he automatically gets a life sentence." Michelle replied. "I just hope the crew will understand. All of this is still enormously difficult for them to comprehend I think." she paused a moment before turning to look out the window in the CSO's office. "But... I'm pleased it will satisfy all parties. Though I trust this is not how your people would have handled it?"

Valeria smirked, "Ts'usugi justice is swift. The judge hears both sides, with the prosecution presenting the charges, and then the defense having to discredit the charges that the judge is convinced are valid. Whatever is left, the case is made on those alone." she started. "There are very few trials by jury. Out of every one hundred cases, eighty five of them are probably only a judge."

"Most of those are probably travelling judges as well. We frown upon the death penalty, mostly because our judicial system feels that death is a release from obligation."

"If found guilty of treason in a Ts'usugi court, Lo'Mah would be serving a life sentence in various industrial fields. Giving back to the empire he tried to ruin. Nothing sensitive, mind you. Ore mining, probably on a harvest moon, for the remainder of his life. On the day he dies, his funeral would be a checkbox on a manifest, and his pyre would be the nearest local star."

"Criminals of that magnitude never see their home again, even in death."

"I sort of like your people's idea better." Michelle replied. "But as you said... Information tends to be valuable. Especially in the scenario we're in. IF he can provide some sort of window into the Organization's behavior, and potentially uncover any more Cardassian deception then it may be worth it. It just seems that for a 30 year sentence, the others died in vain."

"If his information can bring others to justice, then they didn't." Valeria pointed out. "And if it helps you sleep, if he fails to uphold his end of the plea, then his victims will then have their justice." she pointed out. "So either way, they'll find their rest."

"I hope you're right." Michelle said. "They deserve nothing less." she added. "The fact that Lo'Mah is away from us... And from anyone that could harm him is at least a small relief. Though now I will have to ask Rostra about the Dalacari's idea of 'justice.'" she added. "I'll see you in a bit on the bridge. I wish I could snap my fingers and get us to this... Whatever it is... faster. Also, check out the map of the system. It looks sort of... deformed. It's like it's orbit around their skipped over a spot. As though there was supposed to have been another planet there. I suppose your people haven't heard of any planets that met their end via some sort of extraordinary disaster?"

"Nothing in recent history. Nothing in what history of the region we were taught really." Valeria mentioned, "Perhaps just an odd footnote about anomalous events, though I'm certain I'd recall attending the class that taught about rogue planets. This..." she motioned to the map, "... is just a rogue event in space. Confer with the Buoy if you want, but I can't recall anything of significance."

"I'll get on that." Michelle replied. "Keep me posted. I'm having tea with Commodore Myers this afternoon. I'll be available."

END

Captain Michelle Bartlett
Commanding Officer
USS Wellington

Lieutenant Valeria Mordin
Chief Science Officer
USS Wellington

Unnamed Science Officer (NPC by Michelle Bartlett)
USS Wellington