The Datapad that Changed the World -- SD 10307.03

[LoAmi 0]

Lt. Arphazad Lo'Ami maintained his place at the science station.  After the sounding of security alert, the prospect of peace seemed ever further away.  Any progress that had been made with the Liliputian Deputy Ambassador was undone at the sound of the klaxon.  An attempt to show the Deputy that neither side could have the advantage in the upcoming war had failed.  The Lipu system was headed for total annihilation.  After hardening his position, the Deputy Ambassador stormed off the bridge ahead of his security escort.  Lo'Ami called to security to stop him before he joined in the ruckus.  By that time, he had already exited the turbolift on deck 2.

 

It was at that moment that Lo'Ami realized that a datapad was missing from the science console.  He quickly pulled up a log of recent data transfers.  All the sensor data that had been taken the past few corkscrew orbits had been transmitted to the datapad.  This data included the number of ships, weapons capabilities, specifications, etc. of the Brobdingnagian war fleet, as well as the same for the Liliputians.  Lo'Ami reasoned that the Deputy Ambassador, who thought his delegation was likely either in their quarters or soon to arrive in them, was planning on supplying his side with the information he had gleaned from Arcadia's sensors, and use that to the Liliputian's military advantage.  If he came in contact with his own delegation, that would signal the start of the war.

 

Lo'Ami raced to the turbolift.  Inside, he called for security on deck 2. Shortly afterwards, he arrived to a scene that would change the fate of the sector forever.  The datapad was on the floor, displaying some recently acquired sensor data.  The Deputy Ambassador from Liliput had encountered his counterpart from Brobdingnag returning from engineering.  They had nearly run into each other in the corridor.  Each one stared at length at the other, with short glances at the datapad below.  Each understood the significance of the data it showed.  Each wanted to pummel the other to death with his own bare hands, but was prevented from doing so by four Marines, two on each side, phasers drawn and ready to fire at the first who made an aggressive move.

 

The future of the Lipu system and the surrounding space now rested entirely in the hands of the enemy scientists.