Technical talks

Posted on Sun Apr 30th, 2017 @ 11:30am by Captain Elijah Michaels & Lieutenant Valeria Mordin

Mission: The Trial of Cor Cordale
Location: Sciences Office, Deck 7
Timeline: 12:00 hours two hours after the briefing

Elijah strolled down the carpeted corridor of Deck 7. The Human male carried a PADD under his left arm and a small container in the other hand. He smiled at a couple of the Junior Officers who had just transferred aboard the Victory and had lost their way.

He approached the Science Labs which were adjacent to the Office of the Science Heads. Stellar Cartography, Biology, General Sciences all had shared Offices on the Ship. Elijah stepped inside and looked around. "Lieutenant Mordin?"

The resident rabbitess was observing a specimen underneath a viewer. When her name was called her lengthy ears twitched and she relaxed her posture. Quickly jotting down her observations onto a PaDD, she turned the experiment over to one of the science departments crewhands before walking over to the Captain. "Sir, apologies for the delay."

"What can I do for you?" she inquired, right to the matter at hand.

"If you're not too busy do you have time for a little note comparison and lunch?" He asked displaying the PADD and his lunch.

Valeria smirked, "And here I thought it was a sample for study." she said amused, then gave a nod, "Everything's at the point where my presence won't shift the outcome. I certainly have time for some notes and something to eat." she said as she held up a PaDD of her own. "Lead on, Captain."

He smiled and headed over to the Desk. "With the upcoming trip to Niron 5 I wanted to get your thoughts on their advanced technology and I understand your race is pretty advanced as well."

She gave a soft smile, which then widened ever so slightly. The hint of pride showing forth, "We do things differently than the Federation, certainly. We're the most advanced race in our region of space." Nothing wrong with showing a little pride in the accomplishments of your people.

She made a slight detour to a wall replicator to get a small sandwich for herself, and a cup of black tea. "Though there are still areas your Federation excels at. Replicators, for instance. Our Insipp units come close, but your units produce far more flavorful foodstuffs."

Elijah nodded as he took a seat. "Federation ingenuity at its very finest I must say." He chuckled as he opened the box to reveal the contents of his lunch. A home made Chicken and Salsa Wrap and a small bowl of rice.

"I feel it had nothing to do with the human love of food." she teased with a smirk. "Their shielding is impressive. Our capital craft have very impressive shielding and defensive capabilities, and our two super capital class craft have shielding tech beyond even that. What the Jenarii have is impressive, but nothing similar. Different directions."

"I'm confident a flaw exists, and will be found." Valeria stated. "As for their weaponry, I personally feel Ts'usugi weapon tech is superior to theirs. Not as a matter of pride, but sheer output. We also use torpedo chassis charges with high-spectrum antimatter warheads."

"Similar to your torpedo compliment. That plus our fighter compliment and IFF tech would make for a short engagement. No offense."

"None taken." Elijah said as he made notes. "The thing that staggers me is the Nironese ability to construct and launch wave after wave of Ships in no time at all."

"They can conduct a year long refit in over 4 months, and as Commander Cuprum pointed out can build a fully working Sovereign Class in under 5 years." The Captain said before taking a bite of his lunch.

Valeria blinked, "Truly? Sounds almost unbelievable. I've heard similar promises from Dalacari shipyards, but they're entirely automated. Ts'usugi shipyards promise impressive returns, and work to ensure those promises are kept, but what the Nironese are promising... Almost sounds impossible."

"I'm eager to them action. As I'm certain we all are." she mused.

Elijah nodded. "Indeed, I'm curious to see if they live up to these expectations." He commented to Valeria. "After all if something is too good to be true then it most likely is."

Something amused the rabbitess, though she hid her smile behind a napkin. "Apologies. I was reminded of one of my favorite childhood stories. I'll translate as best as i can."

"A great General had to hold back an army of ten thousand soldiers. He only had one hundred." she paused, "So he ordered the gates open, the fires lit, and everyone hide. He alone sat on the open gates, strumming his favorite instrument. When the enemy arrived, ten thousand strong, they saw him sitting. Inviting. Alone."

"They immediately turned and withdrew. The trap was somewhere, they knew it. They just knew." she have a soft smile, and didn't hide this one. "It was too good to be true."

Elijah smiled in return. "Starfleet could learn a lot from the fairytales of the Ts'usugi."

"Fairytales dip their toe in the river of truth." she cautioned, "Historians have proven the existence of the General, and the location of the town. As to his tactics.... we'll never know." she gave that cryptic smirk, "Though the lesson is there."

She took a nibble from her sandwich, "Definitely better than an Insipp meal. No offense to Professor Insipp, mind you."

Elijah nodded and gave a small chuckle. "Replication technology has been something of a revelation since the early days of protein synthesisers."

"Professor Yukuru Insipp and his team were tasked to find a way to extend the starship travel radius. Otherwise our treks out into the stars would be limited by how much food we could bring with us. His discovery of reorganizing matter through transmat devices allowed him and his team to create a device that could take matter stored in a pattern buffer and ... I'm actually explaining replication technology to you, aren't I? My apologies." she said, "Though, perhaps what you don't know, is that it's considered taboo to use a transmat device on a Ts'usugi." she offered. "I had to undergo a selective screening when I left for Federation space, and when I return home I'll undergo the same screening."

"We take ourselves seriously when it comes to the topic of, well, ourselves. We've heard of too many instances where your transporters and replicators essentially created life." she paused, "So, we're wary of a duplicated Ts'usugi coming home."

"Understandable I must say, in the early days of the Transporter there were many who were scared and sceptical. Old Starfleet Crews relied on Shuttle pods." Elijah commented before taking another bite. "Kirk discovered the Mirror Universe because of the tranporter."

"Yet another reason don't use transmat devices on Ts'usugi." she giggled, "Accidental dimensional shifts. Though, don't worry about me. Like I said I've been cleared for transporters."

"We use a lot of shuttles back home." she clarified.

"Your Mechanical Engineers must be a hot commodity on your world." Elijah chuckled.

She joined his chuckle with a soft giggle, "You're not entirely off. Blink Techs are in demand everywhere in the Empire, almost as much as the line operators that build the fighters and the shuttles that use the drive. Anywhere that a shuttle could break, we want to have a technician who can fix it."

"I guess the best way to say it is, we want everyone in the Empire to be contributing to the Empire, but we want them to be doing what they want to do... while contributing to the Empire." she mentioned, "If that makes clear sense."

"It does." Elijah nodded. "I'd have to argue that Humans have tried that for centuries but with marginal success."

She smirked, pausing to take a nibble of her sandwich, "It's a matter of perspective. Humanity has worked for so long to achieve perfection. Achieve utopia. A paradise where no one needs to worry, but by contrast no one needs to strive. By contrast, the Empire instills a sense of pride by telling each and every Ts'usugi that the lifeblood of the Empire is them. In that sense, everyone *wants* to assist, *wants* to contribute... because if the Empire falls it could be because one Ts'usugi took the easy route."

"I'll put in that transfer to the Philosophy Department." The Captain smirked.

Valeria gave Elijah a smirk, "On Ts'usugi ships, the commander of a craft has the rank of Shipmaster. They're expected to perform any duty necessary to ensure the safe operation of the ship they command. Be it tactical, navigational, or even diplomatic." a pause, "The operation of the Federation and the Empire aren't so different. We just have our own way of handling it." another pause, another nibble, "I enjoy these chats. It gives everyone a chance to compare and contrast without dredging up political hassle and questions of allegiance. What with Mister Kilbane accusing everyone and their lineage of treason."

"For the record, I disapprove of the actions that were taken *but* I understand why such actions needed to be taken. I find it only fair to warn you that were I filing a report, I would include such." she paused to let that sink in. "As I am not to file such a report, though, my feelings exist here in this moment for your consideration. My opinion of *you*, however, has not changed. Shipmaster and Captain alike, actions must be taken that are viewed poorly but most be taken."

Elijah nodded. "And you know I respect your opinion and value our friendship." Elijah took another bite of his food. "Besides I have the first Ts'usugi and Thux in Starfleet and I can't forfeit those records just yet."

At that, she gave a soft smile, "We Ts'usugi pride ourselves on honesty when necessary, and protocol when called for." she took another nibble, "Now, for the matter at hand." she looked at the PaDD again, "I can say with confidence that the shipyards of Niron Five seem more advanced that then shipyards of the Ts'usugi. Though, I still prefer the shipyards of home." she smirked.

Elijah nodded. "Well I think we are done here wouldn't you say?" The Captain asked getting up from his seat.

"If I've answered your initial question, then yes." she said with a smirk. "Though, I won't object to idle chatter. I believe humanity calls it 'Chit Chat'. I know the Dalacari call it 'scatter chatter', though they mostly use it in reference to listening in on a conversation."

"If you have somewhere to be, I certainly wouldn't want to hold you up. I can't imagine how active your schedule is." there was something that the Ts'usugi were known for, and that was always offering a way out without being rude. No awkward feelings, no lingering pauses to come up with a reason. One was offered.

"Well I need to compile my list of queries for the Nironese Government." Elijah smiled as he got up. "Thank you very much for your time Val, I must do this again some time."

"Certainly sir, my services are ever at your request." she said, joining him in standing, despite the fact she still had food left. Protocol, the very lifeblood of the Ts'usugi. "I'll be prepared for the trip to the shipyard station by the time we arrive."

"Excellent." Elijah said with a smile as he departed.