Over Root Beer

[Savros 0]

Lieutenant (j.g.) Kas returned the tablet to the table. The Vulcan's analysis made some sense. If only he hadn't slept through atmospheric sciences. Well, to be truthful, he hadn't exactly slept. More like admired Jenny's tremendously gorgeous body. Those curves! Wow! She was hot! He pulled himself out of his day dream and pressed the nearby comm button.

"Lieutenant Kas to Ensign Savros."

"Savros here," came the reply.

Abe palmed the tablet in his hand. "I was just looked at your analysis. Would you like to discuss over a root beer?"

"A root beer? Yes, I have been meaning to try some. Would you mind if I invite Commander Cyiv?"

The Denobulan commander put his arm around Savros' shoulder. "I had the same idea myself."

A few minutes later the three of them sat in Main Engineering with mugs of root beer. Abe took a big swig of his drink and began, "I've been reading up on weather control technology. Although we brought some weather control stations with us, it is not as advanced as the ones on Risa."

"True. I checked into it prior to leaving Earth and decided it was adequate. The energy requirements of the Risan system were quite demanding."

Abe signed. "Hmm. Let's back up a second and reiterate." He remembered something one of his engineering professors used to tell him. "The problem is one of trapped air particulates in the upper atmosphere. An inversion layer, as you called it. If I remember right, an inversion layer is caused by a temperature change, where it's colder on the lower layer than on the higher layer. Is that right?"

Savros took a sip of root beer and fought an inward gag reaction. Putting down the beverage, he answered, "Quite."

"Then, can't we just focus some heat on the lower layers to cause it to break up, say with mirrors?"

"I doubt we could make enough of a mirror effect to reverse the damage. The particles themselves appear to be reflecting some of the solar rays and contributing to the problem."

"So, with weather control stations, do you believe we can reverse the inversion?"

Savros stared away for a moment, concentrating. "I estimate a 70% chance that the weather control stations we have will repair the damage within 10 years."

At this the quiet Lieutenant Commander decided to chime in. "We can't wait 10 years. The Klingons will make this into a political nightmare and might actually go to war."