"Phase Cloak"

[Garnoopy 0]

Lieutenant Commander Garnoopy

Chief Engineering Officer

USS Manticore, NCC-5852

Personal Log Stardate 50501.09

“Phase Cloak”

 

 

=/\= STARFLEET DATABASE =/\=

CLASSIFIED

 

Item: Phase Cloak, PC

Status: Field Testing

Purpose: To alter a ships atomical structure allowing it to be undetectable and pass through normal matter in space.

Current Location: USS Manticore, NCC-5852

Current Developer: Engineering Department, Headed by Lieutenant Commander Garnoopy

 

History:

In violation of the Treaty of Algeron, set in 2311 between the United Federation of Planets and the Romulan Star Empire, a group of Federation engineers began developing a cloak in a top-secret research facility. However, it was not enough for it to simply cloak a ship for they might risk the Romulan Empire discovering the Federation’s misdeeds. The cloak had to be completely impenetrable.

 

Engineers at the research facility believed it possible to alter the atomic structure of a starship such that it could pass through normal matter, giving it the ability to not only be undetectable by any form of sensor but to be able to pass through torpedoes, ships, and even hide in the center of a planet where conventional weapons could not reach.

 

After developing a prototype the Federation Counsel approved its testing onboard the USS Pegasus, a Galaxy class starship. After a mutiny and a cloaking failure the Pegasus was lost with most of its crew. The Counsel decided to abandon the project due to the high risk of discovery by the Romulan Empire.

 

Black Ops took a different route, salvaging the project and putting it to use. The project was then set onboard a black ops ship to be studied, repaired, and put into use. The USS Manticore was selected for the assignment of repairing the PC and developing it for shipboard use.

 

Technical Details:

The PC draws power directly from the plasma transfer conduits leading from the warp core. The plasma is then routed directly into the primary EPS systems in the PC. The plasma does not undergo any temperature change when entering the conduits. This has required that the EPS relays be reinforced to handle the additional stress.

 

Once the PC has the plasma its systems activate and a special computer operating system handles the cloaking device. Traditional operating systems were unable to handle the unique nature of the PC.

 

After being activated the PC creates a field layer by running the energy through a special chip. The layers expand rapidly to encompass the ship. Once encompassed the PC alters the atomic structure every so slightly and the ship is effectively phase cloaked.

 

The limitations of the device are numerous. Speed and power are both limited during the cloaking stage due to the plasma requirements of the cloak. Weapons are useless in firing against any enemy. The full limitations created by the PC are unknown at this time.

 

However the benefits do exceed the shortcomings. Once cloaked a ship can fly right through other vessels, torpedoes, weapons fires, sensors, planets, and any other object of matter in space.

 

Field Testing Notes made by Chief Engineer, USS Pegasus,

The PC has been successfully integrated with our systems and we have completed all diagnostics to ensure that the systems work. To prevent possible sabotage from crewmembers who are against us violating the Treaty of Algeron the PC has been carefully secured in a section of engineering with around the clock protection.

 

Concern over the possible overheating of plasma into the PC systems has been expressed which might cause the system to fail, however, our simulations and diagnostics show all systems can handle the additional temperature stress. Testing will proceed on schedule.

 

Note: No further entries were made by the chief engineer due to the PC failure and destruction of the USS Pegasus.

 

Field Testing Notes made by Lieutenant Commander Garnoopy, USS Manticore:

After receiving the device it was set in a secure lab to be repaired. Several months of modifications followed by several months of testing have ensued at the hands of the Manticore’s top engineers.

 

With further study I noted it was required to upgrade several of the systems to handle the immense power flow from the plasma. These modifications were made.

 

A vacant lab test was successful however a failed test ensued next which resulted in the temporary insanity of an engineer onboard the Manticore. It was discovered the atomic shift of matter wasn’t in sync and modifications were made to prevent this. A follow up test with modifications did not reveal the same atomic problems.

 

Several months of final adjustments, modifications, and diagnostics have shown the PC is ready for testing on a live vessel with a live crew. The PC has been installed on a shuttle and is awaiting the final field tests.

 

Project Status:

49604.05 – Project Proposed to Starfleet

49605.15 – Project Approval

49708.24 – Testing of PC Failed

49801.05 – Testing of PC Succeeded

49803.26 – Starfleet Approval for Field Testing, USS Pegasus selected

49902.21 – PC Failure Onboard USS Pegasus

49903.01 – Project Abandoned by Starfleet

49907.05 – Black Ops General Counsel Salvages PC Components

49909.22 – PC Shelved

50201.06 – Black Ops General Counsel renews interest in PC

50307.10 – USS Manticore receives PC for development

50404.19 – Testing of PC Succeeded

50404.25 – Testing of PC Failed

50405.15 – Modifications to PC made

50405.29 – Testing of PC Succeeded

50412.04 – Modifications to PC completed

50501.03 – PC Installed on shuttle for test