Duty Log, SD9804.27

[Webmaster 20]

Subject: Duty Log, SD9804.27

Date: Mon, Apr 27, 1998 5:01 AM

From: LtjJonCohn

Message-id:

 

 

Jon Cohn is in Engineering Machine Shop 2.  He is surrounded by his tools and spare parts similar to those used in the recent transporter modifications.

 

***

Assistant Engineer's Log, USS Republic, Stardate 9804.27

 

After running the standard diagnostics on the Republic's propulsion systems, the senior engineers were assigned to inspect modifications Commander Marak made to the chamber in Transporter Room 3 and associate controller software.  The installation was flawless, as expected, but the purpose of the changes was intriguing, namely, to transport people through the shields.

 

Obsessed as I am with learning how every new gadget works, I spent four hours after my duty shift in a machine shop running simulations and constructing scale models of the equipment in question.  I discovered that by increasing the power of the annular confinement beam by an order of magnitude, it is possible to narrow the matter stream to only a few molecules in diameter, thin enough to squeeze through the gaps in the Republic's shields.

 

The problem with this method is that even considering the decreased dematerialization and rematerialization times due to the increased energizing power, the narrowness of the ACB increases transport time by an order of magnitude, too slow to be tactically useful.  If only we weren't limited to the use of one emitter array pad....

***

 

Cohn stopped the log as he began to consider an idea.  "Computer," the eager engineer said, "Display and label all of the USS Republic's transporter Emitter Array Pads."  The computer complied, lighting up a handy wall monitor for the purpose.  The EAPs were labeled c1 through nn127.  Jon studied the layout and came to an interesting conclusion.

 

"I get it," Jon declared, "The EAPs are numbered 1-127 and the letter indicates the deck where they could be found."  He is such a clever lad.

 

Anyway, EAPs j41-j48 were all located at the floor plating of Deck 10, where the primary dorsal and ventral shields meet.

 

"Computer," said Jon, "Run a simulation where the matter stream from TR3 is distributed evenly among EAPs j41 to j48.  Assume a human subject and a planetary destination, say 5,000km from the ship.  Post the results to results to wall display number two."

 

"Working," said the computer.  To make the simulation look authentic, I light beeped in the section of the wall-diagram of the Republic where TR3 is located.  It then showed a simulated matter stream passing through the transporter conduits through the designated EAPs and onto the next display over where the annular confinement beams rejoined to form the transported person.  Along with the graphics, a series of numbers appeared on the second screen

indicating the status of the transport.  To put it literally, the results were...mixed.

 

"Check it out," said Jon to nobody in particular, "I'm Picasso!"

 

After studying the results, Cohn said, "Oh, well.  I'll let Marak work out the bugs," and appended the simulation to his duty log.  He then resumed his recording.

 

***

I believe by using all the available EAPs located at the junctures between shields, we should be able to reduce the transport time for a standard party of six to nearly nominal parameters.  Data concerning currently considered configurations and results are attached to this log.

***

 

Once his log was finished, Jon Cohn, like all good engineers, cleaned up and turned out the lights when he left the machine shop.

*****

Lieutenant Junior Grade Jonathan A. Cohn, Assistant Engineer USS Republic