Working theory

Posted on Tue May 14th, 2024 @ 3:29pm by Lieutenant Commander Bonnie "Bon-Bon" Durnell & Commander Savar cha'Salik hei-Surak Talek-sen-deen & Ensign Kitiuas Thenis & Commander Jennifer Baldric

Mission: Lost in Space
Location: Science lab

The quartet were arguably some of the smartest scientific minds on the ship, apart from Commander Baldric of course who felt she was letting the brains side of the deal down. She was flying by the seat of her pants to understand what exactly the rest of them were tossing around the room.

Savar looked at the others and spoke first. "As I see it our task is multi purposed, Locate and eddie and use it to get home, in addition to doing some exploration while we are here, which entails repairing shields and sensors." He looked at Baldric, "Is there anything else Commander?"

"So there was talk about a slipstream bridge...or was it the slipstream river....can someone please explain the primary concepts in short simple sentence" Baldric finally asked as her brain threatened to explode.

Bonnie had been sitting off to the side, her nose deeply buried in one of the PADDs Kit had mentioned. Her focus taken, she was still coherent to the subject of the conversation. "Two different things." She said simply before looking up and seeing Baldric's perplexed face.

She then huffed, moved over to the console and projected an image of their working theory. It overlaid the two galaxies and in between a representation of a bridge, albeit a digital one. Bonnie pointed, "Our galaxy," She pointed at the other end. "Where we are, obviously can't see our house from here." Then she pointed at the bridge that connected them. "A slip-bridge warps space-time to allow a ship to pass through from one to another through some means of alternate spacial reality such as Fluidic space."

She then punched in several changes to the console, and the bridge changed, "The other theory is more of an Eddie." She pointed at the newly shown connection on the display. "A highly charged amplification of subspace particles that carries the ship like a river would a leaf. It latches on, flows fast, and..." She eyed Savar and then back to Baldric. "Typically flows only in one direction." She then stood back, "But these are mostly theoretical, at least they were until now."

Kit then chimed in, “The best working theory is the Slipstream Bridge. There is an issue though with it, It is extremely close to Fluidic Space, which in theory would alert Species 8472. Also it is believed that the usage of a Slipstream Bridge may alert the “Borg, and alien species like the Q. Now with the Eddie theory is that eddies are extremely unpredictable, and could fling a starship only the Thousand Gods would know, not to mention causing severe damage to said ship. Oh least I forget there is the radiation issue with the eddies theory.” Kit then sat back and looked about the room. “So basically we are in a damned if you do and damned if you don’t situation.”

"So we're either stuck here if we go with the Eddie theory, or we wake up the Borg and Species 8472 of we go the Bridge option" Jennifer's brain hurt just thinking about it. "Now I know why Kaylen drinks so much coffee"

Bonnie followed the conversation from one to another and back again before connecting the dots, "Oh, I thought we were still discussing how we got here which was what I was basing my information off of, not how do we get home?" She then lay down her PADDs upon the table and pointed to each one in turn. "I was going off of the data at hand and the experience of Commander, um, Ramthorne's when she described how if felt like a river even after we left the stream."

"There are dozens of potential ways to get back, from the Einstein Rosen-bridge theorum all of the way to the Dixon Portal Stratagem. All of them theoretical." She then looked at Baldric, "I would say, if there is a way to get back, our best bet would be to follow the stream we were stuck in." She shrugged, "There's that chance it would turn back and lead to another Eddie, um, Commander."

She then sat back against the window ledge awkwardly, "Kit's right though, the radiation is a potential problem, but then so is sitting still and doing nothing." All cards were on the table now, "How is Captain Kaylen anyhow?" She implored.

Savar listened as Kit and Bonnie explained the many possible ways to get the Sunfire and its crew home. He waited until she had finished before he spoke, "In light of the circumstances. I believe our best option is to use the slipstream bridge and risk alerting the Borg or species 8472. It does not carry the unpredictability of an eddie nor the radiation problem." He added.

Bonnie, having lost her mother to the Borg, did not relish the idea of stirring the hive. Her face visibly looked pale, but she kept er mouth closed and did not reply to the suggestion as it wasn't her place to decide. She imagined that if she were a familiar green skinned Orion she would have released a scent by now, and she subsequently crossed her arms at the thought.

Jennifer threw this information into her already overloaded brain and tried to process it logically. "Can we do the slipstream bridge thing? I mean is it still theoretical or has it actually been done before?" She asked before recalling Bonnie's question from previously. "Sickbay reported that she had minor injuries but was being kept for observation. Reading between the lines it's more to stop her getting elbow deep in this and wearing herself out."

Kit replied to the question of whether it was possible “Again, in theory, yes. The USS Voyager demonstrated that it could enter Fluidic space; here comes the catch, we do not want to enter Fluidic space but the space between Fluidic space and our space. Then we engage the slipstream and off we go. Problem is any species able to traverse at Transwarp, between the spaces, or are pure energy will notice a slipstream signature being used.” The smell of a combination of cinnamon, roses, and vanilla was beginning to slow waft off her.

Savar spoke again. "Both options have their distinctive strengths and weaknesses. We must decide what is best for the crew and ship and we should decide quickly so we can make preparations for which option we choose."

"So the theoretical slipstream bridge through almost fluidic space and possibly ticking off the Borg and other badness seems to be our most probable option" Baldric rubbed the bridge of her nose. "Bonnie, answer me a simple question. Will. It. Work?"

Having been put on the spot, Bonnie was instantly terrified and so she gave the only response she could. "Um, yes.?" Followed by the more familiar "Theoretically." When she sensed an inaudible groan from Commander Baldric, Bonnie added, "It will take some time to prepare the ship for entering the Slip-Bridge and jumping to Transwarp."

Savar asked the question on everyone's mind. "How much time Bonnie? I fear time is of the essence and we dare not tarry."

Bonnie came forward off the window ledge, she briefly looked at Kit for strength and then back to Savar. "We'll have to configure the main deflector to generate resonant graviton beams in order to create a quantum singularity. The singularity will act as an Interdimensional Rift. That alone will take a couple of hours. Then once we enter, and plot a course, well, hard to say really. From my understanding, space time works differently in the slip bridge and we are really far from home. It could take hours, or, or months to get home at trans-warp."

She sighed, "And the longer we are there, the more chance there is we will alert the species that live there to our presence. I'll have to also confirm with Commander Thriss about how well the hull will react to the difference in the spacial threshold. This is new for us, so, I would hate to implode or anything." She added it so casually but it was truthful.

Savar nodded, "I see. Thank you Bonnie for the explanation. However, a suggestion. Look at the USS Voyager logs and see what they did to prepare to enter a slip bridge. it may prove of assistance to you and Kit."

"Do it, and use any personnel you need to assist on the project. I don't plan on this ship becoming a Borg Buffett." Commander Baldric was firm in her decision.. "Commander Savar, why don't you head up a research team and study this region of space before we head home."

Kit looked to Bonnie "You want to do the math, or do we have a mathematical egghead we can turn it over to? I am good at math but not the best at the quantum mathematics needed, carry the wrong number and ka-pow we are the proverbial Orion wing-slug splattering against a view port. "

"Gross." Bonnie replied as she thought about the size of an Orion wing-slug and how the plump squirmy body had made her sick to her stomach as a child. "I'd be happy to do the maths as long as you don't mention wing-slugs again." Her face began turning a shade of olive even as the words exited her mouth and she covered her mouth as a reflex.

Savar turned his head to meet Baldric's eyes " An interesting proposal. No doubt it would be time hopefully well spent. It would definitely increase our knowledge of this area of space."

Kit chuckled and replied to Bonnie, "So I guess you would not like me to make Orion wing-slug sautéed in Orion whiskey for you. It is extraordinarily delicious." Kit's tone showed she was jesting toward Bonnie.

Baldric's gaze bounced between Kit and Bonnie as they tossed theoretical quantum physics around as though it were any day of the week. Jennifer herself majored in tactical operations, a far cry from the theoretical realm these two were discussing but she understood the very basic concept.

"So we can do it, so let's do it" she said finally, looking at the three of them. "I want progress reports as soon as you have them"

Bonnie responded with an affirmative nod, a hand still covering her mouth, her skin a paler shade of green. She didn't dare vomit in the conference room and Kit was being mean by exacerbating the situation. Of course it was a jest, but that didn't make the thoughts churn her stomach any less. With her other hand she picked up her PADDs and darted for the door.

As Bonnie dashed out the door her face a lovely shade of green. Savar turned his head to look at Kit. " Ensign. Your joke proved more than successful especially if it was your intention to make Bonnie sick."

Jennifer looked from one to the other before darting out after Bonnie to make sure she was ok, or at least hold her hair out of the way...

TBC