The Great Experiment
Posted on Sun Sep 26th, 2021 @ 7:18pm by Lieutenant Commander Thriss Kla'ren & Lieutenant Commander Bonnie "Bon-Bon" Durnell & Commander Dean House
Edited on on Mon Sep 27th, 2021 @ 4:11am
Mission:
Gamma Quadrant
Location: TBD
Timeline: TBD
Thriss was in Main Engineering working on the transwarp drive. It was nearing completion. There was just a little more work to be done for the prototype to be operation. But that did not include the testing phase of the project and the final actual product. The drive being one of the biggest projects he had worked on in his career was an understatement, especially if the drive found its way to the rest of the fleet.
Wormhole travel complete without a hitch, Bonnie was making her rounds. She had already checked the main computer core and was heading down to engineering to spot-check the engineering core as they were both her lifeblood. She rounded the corner, PADD in hand, and spotted Thriss peering over a consol. He seemed preoccupied by what was on his screen and as she passed she caught a glimpse as to why. It was enough to stop her still. "Hiya Commander, are those specs for a drive upgrade?" She opened without tact.
He looked up at Bonnie. "You mean that drive over there?" he smirked as he motioned to the prototype main drive that was in the vicinity. Of course, there were more parts to the drive, but this was the unit that would remain in Main Engineering.
"You mean you've built the physical component to the drive already?" She asked with shock and excitement in her voice. Then she moved over and began looking at it with a critical eye. "Is that a dual synchronous tetryon output stabilizer? And is then an Auvon plasma inversion chamber?" With each thing, she grew more and more excited. "It looks like it might be missing the subspace field modulator, but that would be an easy install."
"Actually, the modulator is what I am configuring right now. In fact, it's one of the last things I need to add aside from aesthetics to the main drive, but those will come after the drive is tested" the Chief replied.
She eyed the Andorian with amusement at the thought of what he would consider as aesthetics. "So how do you plan on testing the drive itself? Simulation? Shuttlecraft? Any idea if you'd like help?" Her voice rose an octave as she asked the last question, giving away her excitement.
Thriss chuckled quietly at her excitement. He was like that once. "Well, ideally, I'd like to start with a few simulation tests, that way we can see if there are any drastic problems, or any other bugs we need to worry about. Then, I'd like to work our way up to the shuttlecraft. Then the Sunfire herself, and vice versa" he said. "Any help that can be provided would be appreciated. I want to ensure that everything runs as well as possible."
She stood and pushed her hair back behind her ear. "I could mock up some simulations and set the computer to work. I would just need the specs and then maybe you could get that fighter pilot, um, Risa... to test it in her fight shuttle?." She smiled, realizing she had been talking faster. "And I promise, I will try to contain my energy." She said with a huge smile on her face.
"It's quite alright" Thriss chuckled. "The simulations would be appreciated. As for Risa, I'll see what I can do" he said as he began to download the specs onto a PADD for Bonnie to use and reference.
Giddy as a schoolgirl, she walked away from the device and up to Thriss in order to receive the data PADD she knew he was about to offer her. At that moment Dean came walking around the corner and spied the device as well.
"And what have we going on here?" Dean moved over to grab a tool he needed, stopping though instead of leaving. Turning to give a look at them and it.
Giddy, Bonnie looked at Thriss before blurting out, "It's a new toy Lieutenant Thriss built to make the Sunfire travel faster. Like, transwarp faster, and I get to help." She practically giggled again.
"Really now." Moving a little closer, Dean looked, but not to close and didn't touch. "Do we need to get you a bib? You know," motioning to the corner of his mouth. "For the drool," giving her a playful wink.
She started to wipe her mouth when realization dawned. He was picking on her. Her eyes went large and her jaw dropped just before she lightly punched him in the arm. "Hey, can't a girl get a little excited about a piece of tech? It's no different than the way you were gaping over Betty when she finally worked right."
Dean feigned that that actually hurt, rubbing his arm. Of course, he was picking on her, playfully. They kind of did that with each other. "I don't know I ever said there was anything wrong with it, 'darlin' " Pulling an over-exaggerated drawn accent on darling.
"Pshhh alright, darlin'." She mocked back with an eye roll, her Southern drawl sounding as authentic as his. "I take it by your piqued interest, pretty boy, that you want to help work on the setup and trials with me?" She asked playfully, not really expecting him to say yes. He was a weapons guy, not a Warp Field specialist.
"See, I knew you loved me." Dean blew her a kiss. "Why wouldn't I? It's got technical stuff and I can turn a class nine probe which has warp capability into a transwarp-capable torpedo."
She frowned, looked away to where Thriss sat quietly watching the exchange and then back to Dean. Ignoring the comment about love, she was immediately focused on his over desire to blow things up at warp speed. "You... you're not serious right? I mean the... the sheer destructive possibility of a transwarp capable torpedo... you could destroy a target half a quadrant away. They would never know what hit them." Her stammering concern was getting the better of her as her face went pale.
"You always do that even with teasing, but it's okay if you do it to me." Narrowing his eyes for a moment. Then brushed it off. "That's what the class nine probes were made for. It's a simple procedure of adding a warhead. Few more boards, but yeah. Not sure why no one else has thought of it."
What came next was like a damn breaking, releasing a torrent of words, hands on her hips, she was clearly agitated. "Because it's not ethical, that's why! To aimlessly build a device capable of murder at a distance like this is... Is unfathomable." She turned to Thriss pleading, "back me up on this. Tell him it's not right.".
But before Thriss could answer she was already throwing words back at Dean again, "imagine if the Borg assimilated the tech behind that idea. They could destroy Earth from the delta quadrant." In her angry rant a tear began falling from her eye and was rolling down her cheek.
"Everyone wants the bigger stick, Bonnie. You know that, and throughout history it's always been that way. I didn't say I've made one, just that I know how." Dean stepped up to her and reached up with to wipe the tear away with a thumb. "We just made Betty because it helps to keep people safe. Innocent people. You two are working on this drive for the same purpose. The faster we can get there, the more we can protect people sooner. If for some reason, we ever need that contingency plan, it's there also."
Leaving his hand against her cheek for just a moment before dropping it. "Otto Hahn, Lise Meitner and Fritz Strassman discovered nuclear fission, they didn't come up with it for weapons. It was perverted that way. Humanity, yes, still used that for years and years. It's main purpose was for power to give energy. There is still, like I said, the bigger stick. Anything can be perverted into a weapon for destruction or defense." Giving a look to Thriss. He did after all have an opinion he could give.
The Andorian Chief shook his head. "That may be true Dean. And yes, we need to defend ourselves against races that pose a threat to us. However, where is the line crossed? Isn't there a point where we become worse than our enemies?" he asked rhetorically. He sighed. "Truth be told, this day in age, we have so many threats. So many ways we can die. So many ways we lose. But we can change that. Sure, we need to defend ourselves, but there are other ways. Like this drive" he said motioning to the drive.
She was grateful Thriss had taken her side. There was a singular worry that since he was Andorian he may agree with Dean. Taking a step back, Bonnie turned away looking solely at the drive. "Promise me you won't try and create a bigger stick. Not like this. Please." She begged of Dean. There was always death and destruction, too much. The idea of her mom dying at the hands of the Borg swept through her mind before an image of a group of men swinging sticks. Why were men always fixated on their sticks? She wondered.
Dean raised an eyebrow a little, surprised at Bonnie yet again, actually begging. Something had to have happened maybe. She'd perhaps tell him at some point or maybe not. "I promise I'll keep the how in my head for you, Bonnie. Unless at some point we've got absolutely no other choice."
Temporarily elated, she responded, "Thanks, that's all I really needed to hear." She turned to Thriss, "I'll get started right away on programming the simulations. I'll let you know when they're ready." PADD in hand she nodded to each of them in turn, having felt like she embarrassed herself with her emotional display, she prepared for a tactical retreat. "Gentlemen." She said simply before walking off to begin her simulation programming.
Kla'ren turned to Dean. "In the meantime, I have a update to finish on the drive. Till next time..." He said right before turning and walking into his office.
"What happened to something I could help with? You know a group collective collaberation. Team Sunfire?" Dean just stood there looking back and forth as the both of them walked off different ways.
After Bonnie rounded the corner, she realized Dean could still be of help and that this should be a joint effort, team Sunfire and what not. She immediately turned around and peeked around the corner, "well, are you coming?" She asked of Dean.
"On second thought, my report can wait" The Chief said turning the both of them.
Dean tilted his head the way Bonnie was going, either trying to be silly, or just doing it to look. "Well yeah!" Turning on heal to bounce a little to where she was.
