USS Excalibur Sim Log - 03.29.20

[Cdr Miranda Hawthorne 0]

MISSION BRIEF: When we last left off, Engineering had acquired the services of a a hologram Tandaris, who apparently had managed to stick a "Clippy" program, but for "unconventionally engineering" in the Excalibur computer core. He suggested they "take the device to the spa." Whilst science came up with a novel theory to explain our grumpy T-Tauri star.

 

Cptn Swain: BEGIN SIM

Cptn Swain: BEGIN SIM

Cptn Swain: BEGIN SIM

 

Rhan K'hal: :: with Reynolds having pushed the button, waits to see if Tandaris' Massage Parlor helps ::

William Chocox: ::watches with K'hal::

Cptn Swain: << Give me a number engineering folks 1-10 >>

Hunter Matheson: :::Tactical::::

Rhan K'hal: (( 9 ))

William Chocox: (( 8 ))

Irene Mincine: Irene> "Writing, writing, writing..." :: Irene's writing up a report about their theories about the star's formation. ::

Cdr Miranda Hawthorne: ( 4 )

Cptn Swain: ACTION> The device seems to calm down, considerably. "Clippy" nods approvingly, but apparently there's a short in the holographic imagers and for the moment, the holotandy vanishes.

Hakran K'hal: :: in astrometrics with Irene, working on the math section of the report ::

Rhan K'hal: :: watches HoloTandy disappear :: He must've forgot to program himself for success.

Maryse Dubois: ::Walking through sickbay.::

Rhan K'hal: :: looks at the data ::

William Chocox: Apparently. So it's calmed down, but we still need to know what it actually does.

Hunter Matheson: :::sweeping the area, focus on anything that shouldn't be there, which is a whole lot 'cause he's never been here before::

Cdr Miranda Hawthorne: Ens Reynolds> ::sighs with relief.:: Maybe it'll let us scan it now to find out.

William Chocox: You could try.

Irene Mincine: :: Irene is happily writing away. :: Irene> "This is what I like doing, not getting shot at..."

Hakran K'hal: :: chuckles :: It's far superior to writing personnel reviews, too.

Irene Mincine: Irene> "Ensign Mincine, rating 100%. Discovered a new, funkier T Tauri star variation. There."

Hakran K'hal: Since we've changed ships though, the clock got reset on that so there's still another 113 days before the next round is due.

Hakran K'hal: I'll jot that down as a possible lead statement though.

Cdr Miranda Hawthorne: Ens Reynolds> Okay, but don't blame me if it starts getting irritated again. ::He engaged their scans and set the computer to start prodding the device in a gentler fashion, like a deep tissue massage.::

Rhan K'hal: :: crosses arms, observes ::

Irene Mincine: :: Irene grins. :: "All right."

William Chocox: ::watches and waits for data::

Indaura Ryssan: :: Looks up at Dr. Dubois ::

Maryse Dubois: ::Smiles.:: Hello

Cptn Swain: ::Still in his quarters, drinking tea and reading the Betazoid novel::

Hakran K'hal: There, I think that'll about do it for the math. :: does one of those jaw-splitting felinoid yawns that make you glad your head isn't anywhere near that gaping mouth ::

Cdr Miranda Hawthorne: (( Betazoid *romance* novel ))

Hunter Matheson: :::Crenshaw sends him the list of bogus serial numbers:::

Irene Mincine: "You look like you need a raktajino, or a nice long nap..." :: The contagious yawn spreads to Irene, who isn't quite able to unhinge her jaw like that... ::

William Chocox: Well, it still hasn't blown up yet.

Cptn Swain: (( Romance was a period, not a genre ))

Hakran K'hal: Too sedentary in too dark of a room is all. I'll just need a good walk after we're done.

Rhan K'hal: Give it time.

Cdr Miranda Hawthorne: Ens Reynolds> To blow up?! ::Throws Rhan a look.::

Tandaris Admiran: ::his hologram reappears facing a bulkhead again:: Well that was—oh, come on! ::turns around:: That was inconvenient. Everyone still alive?

William Chocox: Yes sir.

Rhan K'hal: If you expect the worst, you can't be disappointed.

Rhan K'hal: Welcome back Spotty. So far, so good.

Hunter Matheson: :::mutter::: Crap.... +com+ LtCdr Rex, Matheson. Sending you the list of bogus serial numbers, sir. Not many, but worked over.

Cdr Miranda Hawthorne: Ens Reynolds> ::Jumps at the hologram's reappearance.:: Oh, good. That thing is back.

William Chocox: Without Commander Admiran you wouldn't have the Engineering Chief you have today.

Tandaris Admiran: ::approaches the device, careful not to get too close:: Good, good. So now we can begin the real work.

Irene Mincine: :: Irene grins. :: "Yeah, sounds good to me, too. I like the dark astrometrics room, but I prefer a bright genetics lab."

Cptn Swain: Rex> +Matheson+ I see. Well, glad we caught them. Good work.

Hakran K'hal: :: sends his portion over to Irene :: Wrap it up. I'd say put a bow on it too, but then you'd have to hand-deliver it.

Indaura Ryssan: Hello Doctor. I hear they have found or discovered... something, a new hologram

Rhan K'hal: And what, pray tell, is the "real work?"

Cdr Miranda Hawthorne: Ens Reynolds> Isn't this... already real work? ::Blinking.::

Cdr Miranda Hawthorne: Ens Reynolds> Feels pretty real... and dangerous... to me.

Hunter Matheson: :::continues to scan the area for something other than stars, asteroids, space dust, and other junk:::

Rhan K'hal: And no, you can't turn it into a cloaking device.

William Chocox: Unless the possible outcome is immediate death it typically isn't real enough for Commander Admiran.

Tandaris Admiran: Figuring out how to interact and control with the device, of course.

William Chocox: That's also a good point.

Tandaris Admiran: Unless you like remaining ignorant and at the mercy of possibly hostile alien tech.

Irene Mincine: "Gotcha." :: Irene collects the report parts together and prepares it for sending off. :: "We should be good now to send this off to... wait, you're the science officer..."

Rhan K'hal: Oh, I never would've thought of that without your assistance. Woe is my tiny little mind.

Hunter Matheson: ::blink::: Huh..... ::zooms in, talking to himself::: Looks like someone left their garbage.

Hakran K'hal: :: gets up, heads over to Irene's console and sends the report to Swain with a CC to Stanton ::

Hakran K'hal: There.

Maryse Dubois: Oh? What kind of hologram?

Indaura Ryssan: Not an EMH or even an ECH... for engineering.

Hakran K'hal: Done. You're officially off duty until your shift starts tomorrow.

Irene Mincine: Irene> "There we go." :: She stretches out her back after all that work. "Break tiiiiime!"

William Chocox: ((Who told?!))

Tandaris Admiran: So, ideas?

Hunter Matheson: ::and yeah...it's garbage:::

Rhan K'hal: How about a little acupuncture to go with your massage? Send a single data packet in various frequencies to see just how this thing likes to talk.

William Chocox: This is the farthest we've gotten so I haven't the foggiest.

William Chocox: Though that's a good idea.

Tandaris Admiran: Agreed.

Cptn Swain: Rex> ::in his office, looking over the information on the serial numbers. It was a bit concerning. He forwarded along the information to both command and operations. Procurement issues were decidedly "not his problem."::

Irene Mincine: :: Irene looks quite happy to be off duty. She's been on duty for 16 hours straight. :: "Yes... all right. I'll keep an ear out for calls about the report."

Hakran K'hal: :: nods :: Now let's escape from this dreary dungeon. And not tell Dasnh I said that.

Rhan K'hal: :: snags the console and programs in a series of data pings ::

Irene Mincine: Irene> "I won't tell Valdar if you don't." :: She heads for the big double doors at the end of the room. ::

Maryse Dubois: Hmm...That's interesting. I wonder who it resembles.

Hakran K'hal: :: follows ::

Rhan K'hal: There, I've programmed to do it relatively slowly. Wouldn't want it to think we're probing it. Just, whispering sweet nothings.

Cdr Miranda Hawthorne: Ens Reynolds> ::More than happy to let someone else poke the thing for a bit.::

Rhan K'hal: Activating... now. :: pulls the lever ::

Indaura Ryssan: I have no idea.

Hakran K'hal: Good work Irene, enjoy your rest.

Irene Mincine: "Thank you." :: Irene heads off to her quarters from astrometrics. ::

Tandaris Admiran: ACTION> The device definitely reacts to the data packets. Power levels spike, but not in the threatening way like before. Readings are more complex and ordered.

Rhan K'hal: Ens Obee> :: gets Rex's forward, but is already working on it thanks to his prior eavesdropping ::

William Chocox: That's new.

Rhan K'hal: Looks like it's multilingual, in a sense. It's reacting to a number of different frequencies. That's not generally how you design something unless you don't know whether you can get through with a "preferred" channel.

Rhan K'hal: Unless its designed to be a set of very efficient ears. Something I'd know a thing or two about.

William Chocox: I mean, it wouldn't surprise me.

Hakran K'hal: :: takes a power walk through the corridors ::

Rhan K'hal: Let's see. :: cross-references the "active" received channels with known device frequencies in the database ::

Tandaris Admiran: Well, what do we know about the Sheliak?

Cdr Miranda Hawthorne: Cdr Jalen Stanton> ::Suddenly inundated with reports, he sighed and stood, heading for the replicator.::

Rhan K'hal: They're not too fond of anyone not Sheliak, for a start.

Tandaris Admiran: True, hence the defensive protocols.

Tandaris Admiran: Anything perhaps more pertinent to communication, command & control?

William Chocox: That they're confusing as hell?

Rhan K'hal: They also have a remarkable consideration for the tiniest of details.

Indaura Ryssan: I don't think I can counsel a hologram, can I?

Maryse Dubois: You could always try

Tandaris Admiran: Detail-oriented, good.

Hakran K'hal: :: emerges onto the bridge feeling a bit peppier after his walk ::

Indaura Ryssan: +Captain+ The grapevine is that there's a new hologram on the ship?

Rhan K'hal: And if memory serves, even if they didn't want to talk to us they still learned a few of our languages anyway.

Irene Mincine: :: Val is in her usual spot at helm up on the bridge. ::

Tandaris Admiran: So they're good with languages. Maybe their device has a rich language interface as a result? The frequency modulations could give us a clue about how to map the command pathways.

Rhan K'hal: Hmm. I guess I'll just have to have a sit-down conversation with the little guy then.

Rhan K'hal: :: creates a new routine, this time with language packets instead of random data ::

Rhan K'hal: Okay, let's try this one on for size. :: begins his "conversation" ::

Rhan K'hal: :: looks over to Chocox and Reynolds :: Aren't you glad I insinuated myself into this?

William Chocox: Yes.

Cdr Miranda Hawthorne: Ens Reynolds> ::Leans back a bit, rubbing the back of his neck.:: From massages to conversation? This thing is... very odd. ::Throws Rhan a glance.:: Better you than me, sir.

William Chocox: They're metaphors Reynolds.

Rhan K'hal: :: glance at Spotty :: The next time I see you, well the real you, I'll have to congratulate you on a hologram well programmed. Hopefully you're retired so I can also punch you in the face for invading my computer, but one thing at a time.

William Chocox: Punching? Really? Must we resort to violence?

Rhan K'hal: Have you forgotten Commander Hawthorne already? Sad.

Tandaris Admiran: ACTION> The device reacts favourably to the "conversation," although it doesn't seem to make much headway. The computer maps a rigid structure of command pathways, but there is no way to understand which commands trigger which features of the device - a map without a key.

Tandaris Admiran: ::K'hal:: Thank you, I guess?

William Chocox: But would she resort to punching Commander Admiran?

Rhan K'hal: :: grunts at the data :: Well, progress. It's definitely not up for a tea party and gossip.

William Chocox: Unfortunate.

Rhan K'hal: :: glances at Will :: The real question isn't whether she WOULD, but if she'd WANT to.

Cdr Miranda Hawthorne: (( Three minute warning ))

Tandaris Admiran: We've at least learned the device is complex. It's not just a bomb with a detonator.

Irene Mincine: :: Irene, meanwhile, has crashed hard on her bunk. ::

Tandaris Admiran: It looks like it has a large vocabulary, if you will. It can be calibrated and programmed to a great level of specificity.

Rhan K'hal: :: sighs :: So we really know nothing more other than it's going to be hard to find out anything more.

 

Cptn Swain: PAUSE SIM

Cptn Swain: PAUSE SIM

Cptn Swain: PAUSE SIM