Day 1, Vila's Hidden Lab

Posted on Tue Feb 20th, 2024 @ 5:03am by Lieutenant JG T'lenn & Ensign S'Niri

1,488 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Artifact or Artifiction
Location: The Alien Vessel, behind two locked doors
Timeline: MD 1: 1900 Hours

After using a phaser to bore a hole through a sealed door, Commander Lorut stumbled upon what a appeared to be a lab with a glowing blue light. After studying it briefly, the officers began to discuss.

"A lab...with...are those...lights?" Lorut said to the Vulcan. "How...auxiliary power? Should I call engineering?" She wasn't really asking, just musing. Her normally quick mind and sharp tongue were flummoxed.

"Theoretically, each individual system on this vessel could run on an independent power source," T'lenn responded. She walked to the panel with a tricorder. "The power crystals could function to power one terminal, or could be linked to larger generators that power main systems. Perhaps this was something that was important enough to have a priority power system, independent from the others."

"Indeed," Vila replied. "I'm going to open it," she said. She pulled the tricorder from her pocket, and ensured her phaser was on, just in case. She used her tricorder to attempt to open the door. "Move back, going to phaser it again," she said, pulling out the firearm. A bit later, another person-sized hole was in the door. She stuck her head in. "Oh, fuck," she said, aloud. "Um...ladies. Someone call the Astrea, the other one...get in here," she said.

T'lenn stepped through the door and observed what appeared to be a command chair of sorts. However, this one appeared to have signs of the automated technology - the bronze colored metal, and alien script. If one were to sit in the chair the bronze reactive metal would be near a person's temples. at the base of their skull, on each hand, and at their feet.

The Commander's careless disregard for the vessel and blindly walking through locked doors by firing holes through them was concerning to the Vulcan officer. She felt the need to verbalize a warning given what had happened earlier today and in the previous week. "Commander, I strongly urge you to keep your distance from this device."

Vila sighed "It's a lab, Lieutenant," Vila said. "I doubt there's anything or anyone in there lying in wait, on the off chance that Starfleet just happens to show up," she said. "I am going to look closer," she said. "This looks like something I saw on an old Holoprogram from Earth. My ex-husband had a stash of terrible science fiction television shows from the 20th century," she commented, moving forward, the tricorder ready.

"Commander, this chair is more than it seems," T'lenn stated, stepping forward to cut off the Commanders approach. From her position T'lenn extended a straight arm and pointed to the bronze metalic circles situated near where one's temples would be. "If this is the same reactive metal alloy that that we have encountered in previous artifacts the right trigger would likely cause something here to activate," T'lenn stated plainly.

"More concerning is the similar pattern on the back of the chair near where the base of one's skull might rest. These points of contact indicated that this is a device intended to interface with a humanoid nervous system." T'lenn pointed to the armrests. "It also appears that the device most likely has automated restraints at the wrists and ankles," she added pointing to the same reactive metal at the armrests and legs of the chair.

They were interrupted by the comms coming on. =^= Ensign Harper to the away team. We have progress with the ship's computer. It's learning Federation Standard as I'm talking to you right now." =^=

As they were chatting, the Comms, as well as a few lights, came to life around them. "Ah, there we go. I appreciate your concern, Lieutenant. However, I am going to override you. I will not get physically close enough to touch the chair, I just want to scan it." She moved just a little closer, and turned on her Tricorder to see what she could find out. "T'lenn, why don't you scan the top?" She suggested. "Please ensure that your skin doesn't come in contact with this...contraption."

"Nor yours as well, Commander," T'lenn responded as she scanned the top of the chair, focusing first on the metallic circles. "Everyone's work should proceed more efficiently now, if Ensign Harper was successful in uploading Federation Standard in the vessel's database. It may be that the ship's computer could tell us what this device is used for."

Vila nodded. "I will be careful, I promise," she said, at least grateful that someone cared.

T'lenn stopped scanning for a moment. "The metal is of the same alloy, and is still reactive. It would be logical to assume that this device could be triggered by an individual sitting in the chair. It is also logical to assume that to do so would put the individual at great risk of injury or worse."

Vila nodded. "Indeed. Interestingly, it matches the metal alloys that Sara Winters, from the civilian research lab, was able to discern. Let's get this back to the Science people. I will want to do more studies, but asking Dr. Jackson might be a smart move," Vila said. She really didn't want a repeat to the bracelet incident. "Thank you, Lieutenant. Let's stick a pin in this, and then go find the others," she said. She sent the information on her Tricorder to Ghiram, and then turned around. She really DID want to touch it, but figured she'd pacify the Vulcan until she could get away on her own. Remy was a cakewalk if something went south.

=^= Commander Johansen to Commander Lorut, I'm taking a look at the hour and I don't want to burn out anyone on the first day. If you can, have your teams wrap up what they are doing in the next half hour and report back to Astrea for the night. I am going to send over security and operations officers from Delta shift to make sure nothing goes wrong overnight and everyone can start fresh in the morning. =^=

Remy had already given the same order to Winters and Mundy after P'Rar had fainted on the engineering deck. Though she was sure there were plenty of officers who would have pushed through the night, there was nothing so pressing that everyone shouldn't make their way back for a good night of rest before tackling the project again. There was a lot of potential for something to go wrong over there. It wasn't a place for tired crew.

T'lenn was already putting her tricorder away at Commander Lorut's orders before Remy's communication had come through. It was almost as if they had been in communication with one another, but that conclusion was illogical - neither officer possessed telepathic capabilities and T'lenn had been with Commander Lorut the entire time.

Vila made a face at the Comms but sighed. She knew Remy was correct. She didn't want to burn out before she'd even really begun. =/\=Alright=/\=. She turned to see T'Lenn was already putting her things away. "Well, SOMEONE is excited to get home," she said. She gathered the few things she'd brought with her, and then opened a new channel.

=/\=All hands, report to the Transport Pad in ten minutes. Or you're spending the night on this ship by yourself. =/\= She clicked off, and turned to the Vulcan. "Are you ready? Thank you for your help today," she said. "I know I can be a little...stubborn but I DO appreciate it," she said. She stepped back through the door-they should probably have that fixed-and out into the corridor. Thankfully, the Turbolifts were working now, so it only took a few moments until the duo were on the way to the Transport pad.

"Commander, earlier you stated 'let's stick a pin in it.' Was I incorrect in believing that to be an aphorism meaning we were concluding our work in this lab for the evening?" T'lenn asked, confused by Lorut's comment about T'lenn being eager to get home. She was simply following orders.

Lorut nodded. "Something like that," she said. "I meant, more or less, to come back tomorrow to the same place and same activity, whenever 'tomorrow' might be for us," she said. As a former department head, and now XO, she was fully prepared-and used to-pulling days-long shifts if necessary. "Anyway, I simply observed that you were quick. Nothing else," she said. They stepped out of the Lift and prepared to beam back to the Astrea with the others.

"Understood, Commander," T'lenn responded.

Lorut nodded. "You did well today, thank you. Please, get some rest, we'll need everyone at their best tomorrow." She finished as they dematerialized off the alien ship and onto their own, and parted ways, Vila to her office, and T'Lenn, to wherever it was that Vulcans spent their free time.




[OFF]

Lieutenant J.G. T'lenn
Science Officer
USS Astrea

Ensign S'Niri
Security Officer
USS Astrea

CDR Lorut Vila
Executive Officer
USS Astrea.

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