Historical Inquiry

Posted on Wed May 27th, 2020 @ 11:41pm by Lieutenant JG Matthew Plumeri & Lieutenant Commander Nicholas Coleman

1,163 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Episode 106 – Stalemate
Location: Chief Science Officer's Office
Timeline: MD05: 0800

[ON:]

Tapping his comm badge, =A= I'll be right there Commander =A=. "Cover for me while I go see the boss?" he asked a colleague. And after a few minutes, Matthew arrived at Coleman's location. "Commander? You wanted to see me sir?"

"Yes, Lieutenant. I wanted to ask you a few questions. How versed are you in Federation History from the 23rd century?" I asked, putting a PADD down that I had been working on for quite some time.

Matt leaned against a bulkhead and said, "Well, what aspect? 2201 to 2300 were just filled with the beginnings of so much. I mean, it was a period of expansion for the Federation, with Humans and other founding species, such as Vulcans, at the forefront of exploration. The Federation's exploration agency Starfleet would make first contact with numerous intelligent species and civilizations, including the Talosians, the First Federation, the Gorn Hegemony. the Metrons, the Horta, and even my home world. The long-running conflict with Klingons, and a rekindling of tensions with the Romulan Star Empire. I guess....I need to know more about what you want to know sir?"

"How much do you know of the Federation's interactions with the Tholians during the 23rd century?" Coleman asked, wanting to ask probing questions before he unleashed the findings on a nearby planet.

Matt frowned, "Not much I'm afraid. Just that they are very xenophobic to an extreme, they are territorial and they like to be very, very precise. We haven't heard much from them over that last century, I believe? They're pretty pissy and agressive too. What's up boss?"

"Well, we just had a combined science expedition fleet return from a nearby planet and they found a meta-genome that caused the computer to....freak out. It gave me something that required a flag officer level override from a Vice-Admiral or higher. The only thing it would tell me is that it had to do with the Tholians or something and that's why I asked," Coleman said, turning his personal terminal on and turning the terminal to show Matthew what he saw.

Matt turned the display terminal closer and bent down to look at it. On the display he saw a multiple stranded chain that looked a lot like a strand of DNA. As he watched the strand started to uncouple and detatch itself. As if it were unwinding. What was..unsettling...was that as the strand did that it became another intact chain. It literally grew itself the corresponding sequences. But that wasn't all. Matthew said, "Oh crap....how many levels does the go?"

The display now focused on a single unwound strand. As the magnification increased it was much more dense than simple, everyday, DNA. It was like an organic program. With self replication and deeply embedded lines of code. Matt looked at Coleman, "What the hell?"

"It was found on a mission to the Triangle, somewhere found in I think the Kaleb System by a group of scientists from the Federation. The computer began going haywire when I asked it to cross-reference it to any other similar types of DNA or genetic code. Like I said before, it required a flag officer override and before I woke Admirals T'Lar and Bremer, I wanted to see if you've ever seen anything like this before in the History books," Coleman said, offering something to Plumeri from the replicator.

"Altair water, thanks" he answered to the offer at the replicator. He looked again at the display. Starfleet is treating this like the omega particle almost huh? I mean with the same high level kind of protocol right? Interesting. If we were closer, we could take a ship and see what else is down there. But why the Tholians?"

"That's assuming that the Admirals will even let us take a ship out to the Triangle. With the level the computer is treating it, that's assuming they don't take a special team in to take care of it without us. We are just the lucky finders," Coleman said, bringing over some Altair Water that he ordered the replicator made.

Reaching for the glass, "Thanks boss" he took a drink. Then he looked at Coleman, "You mean...they don't know? If the computer freaked out then there has to be an alert somewhere?" Matt considered the unthinkable. "Boss? If this is what you think it is...this is like...a DNA version of the 'Genesis Device'. It's not just rewriting existing code. It's making a whole new genome sequence. Into what....is what we need to find out. I'd be hella surprised if this was the Tholians. They just don't deal with other species. We're all just trash to them."

Taking a seat across from Matthew, Coleman pondered the meanings of this gnome sequence. It could be something a simple as the computer made an error and had a glitch in the system. Or, it could mean that the universe was about to become unravelled.

Thumbing the PADD in front of him, Coleman thought about the next move. Looking up to Matthew, he said, "I want you to find everything you can find out about current affairs in the Tholian Empire. Go down to the Diplomatic Corps on the station and find out what you can, and see if there's been any rumblings in the last day or two. But, make sure you don't rouse any suspicion. Not yet, at least. Report to me tomorrow with what you've found out. Understood?"

Coleman handed the PADD over to Matthew.

He looked at the PaDD he was being offered. A beat passed and then he took it. It felt heavy before he even picked it up, "You got it sir. You can count on me. Boss? I have a bad feeling about this though."

"Don't worry. I've got your back, but we need to figure out what's going on. That's why I called upon you. You're the resident Historian for my team. How about this? We go down to the station library and figure this thing out together?" Coleman offered, noticing how Matthew was almost squirming in his seat.

Matt nodded, "Of course, I'd like that. What I mean is that, I don't think it was any accidental discovery. The Tholian Assembly has made it very clear that they want nothing to do with other species. And yet, the are expanding in this sector at a very aggressive rate. Then, what two months ago, they suddenly stop expanding and are now abandoning their strategic positions? No, it doesn't add up. They found something. Something that makes this worth their while." He held up the PaDD. "You ready to do this now Commander?"

"Yeah, head down to Astrometrics and I'll meet you down there in fifteen minutes," Coleman said, looking over to Matthew once more and allowing him to be excused.


[OFF:]

LTCDR. Nicholas Coleman
Chief Science Officer
Starbase 400
(Signed off by Plumeri)

&

LTJG Matthew Plumeri
Science Officer/Historian
USS Endeavor
NCC-72802

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