Posted by Lieutenant Maria Beckett (Chief of Security) in After Action Designing - Open

Posted by Ensign Týr Bragason (Security Officer) in After Action Designing - Open

Posted by Ensign Amoni Zacharya-Alars (Aza) (Security officer) in After Action Designing - Open
Posted by… suppressed (13) by the Post Ghost! 👻
Maria stared at the PADD in front of her, ignoring the view of the stars outside as they cruised along at super luminal speeds. Any other day, it would have been a sight to behold. But no, she had more concerning matters to tend to. The last encounter with the Cardassians left a bad taste in her mouth. There wasn’t much they could have done better, given the situation. Had they known what they were walking into, there were things that could have been done. Different mission loadout and prep. But given the tools they had, they’d done what they could.

In front of her were drafts of various ways to handle that situation. Including new devices, one of which she was working on currently. A ghostly image of it flickered in the air next to her from a holo projector. It resembled a slug of a bullet, with dozen smaller almost rice-shaped pellets clustered inside it, slotted into ports along the device’s long axis. Touching a button, the ghostly blue-white image broke apart, with each of the ‘rice grains’ proving to be mini-probes that expanded out into a cluster. A moment later, beams shot out from each of the probes linking to each other in a tight net. A web. A Tholian Web.

The image shifted again and the web began to tighten until it was quite small and the beams collided with a cloaked Cardassian fighter.

“Hmm, ok, good enough for the base idea,” she mused. “Need someone to code it. Ship’s computer can handle the broad strokes.” She began making notes once more. LCARS interface. What else did it need? C3 architecture. Electronic countermeasures. High-end encryption. Overrides.

Tapping her PADD she shifted to other notes. Deployment time, mission package, and duration the system could last under various operating conditions. Any potential shielding that might be needed or … possibly alter the web/field to protect the nodes from internal attack… A self-replicating element?

Idly she tapped at her lips with the tip of a finger…

Lt Beckett, COS/CIO

Aza entered the room, her eyes scanning the holographic display and the schematics floating around Maria. The hum of the ship’s systems enveloped the room, but Maria seemed completely absorbed in her work. Aza cleared her throat, in an attempt to gain Maria’s attention.

“Hey, Lieutenant Beckett. What’s all this?” Aza asked, gesturing toward the intricate holographic model. Studying the hologram she continued. “Impressive. How does it work? Do you need any help with it?”

Aza, Security

Maria looked up from the piece. “So the encounter with the Cardassians was a crapshoot. Completely unprepared. I thought of a solution when it happened, but it was already too late. This is an additional package I’m designing to go onto fighters and shuttlecraft, runabouts…” She rolled her hand in an ‘and on and on’ fashion. “And we can scale it up for ships of the line. This is a rapid-deployment sensor net or data web. But we can also encapsulate the battlespace, like a Tholian web.” She paused for a moment. “This could actually be used as a temporary shield or containment field too, now that I think about it.”

“So the casing here can attach to your craft and fire this pod from a disposable launcher, or launch as it’s own vehicle. then it deploys the mini-probes which rapid-deploy and enclose the area, and bathe whatever’s in there in sensor nets and fields, and project a containment field to keep whatever is in, in. It wont last that long in that mode, but just as a sensor net it could last for longer.”

She shrugged. “I’m still ironing out some of the kinks in the theoretical design. Not ready for prototyping yet. And if you can think to add anything to it, or find a way to poke holes in the idea… or find any vulnerabilities, be my guest. I want to try to make this as bombproof as we can so we don’t get caught with our pants down. WE do it right and we can field this all over the fleets.”

Lieutenant Maria Beckett
Chief of Security, USS Memorial

Aza studied the holographic model with interest. “I always forget how closely, Security and Engineering aligns. This is impressive, Lieutenant Beckett. The concept seems solid, especially with its potential applications. I can see its value in various scenarios. Have you considered incorporating adaptive algorithms to enhance its responsiveness? It could dynamically adjust its configuration based on the specific threat environment.”
She continued as she pass her hand through the hologram, interrupting the projection for a moment, “Additionally, integrating a secondary energy source might provide redundancy, ensuring sustained functionality in case of power fluctuations. What are your thoughts on these suggestions, Lieutenant?”

Ensign Amoni Zacharya-Alars (Aza)
(Security officer)

Bump

Tyr had been walking past when he heard snippets of conversation between the boss and what sounded like Ensign Aza. He stuck a head in and quickly looked over the schematics and entered the room “If this is to be an addition to smaller spacecraft to be used in tandem with other projectiles conservation of mass should be a consideration. The Cutlass fighters are fast but they have limited ammunition compared to something like the Templar fighters. Do the simulations show how many would be neccecary to create a full web?” He asked

Ensign Týr Bragason
Security Officer USS Memorial

Aza acknowledged Bragason with a nod, appreciating the input from another security officer. “Good point, Týr. Mass conservation is crucial, especially for smaller spacecraft. We need to strike the right balance between firepower and efficiency. The simulations are still in progress, but I’ll make sure we run scenarios to determine the optimal number for a full web. We want to maximize our defensive capabilities without compromising too much on ammunition.”

Aza glanced back at the holographic model, her mind already processing the potential adjustments based on the new insights. “We’ll need to account for different ship types and sizes in the fleet, ensuring compatibility with various vessels. Lieutenant, how about Týr and I work on refining the algorithm proposals and see if we can optimize the secondary energy source integration? She looked at Týr with a smile. “This project has great potential, and with teamwork, we can make it a formidable asset for the entire fleet.”

Ensign (Aza)
(Security officer)

Tyr nodded slowly “If this is going to go beyond a theoretical stage we’ll need to bring in someone from Engineering, I can take apart any type one or two energy weapon apart and put them back together and do basic maintenance on my Cutlass but I don’t have the skills necessary to know if anything like this is technically feasible” He didn’t say out loud that non of them had that experience, or at least shouldn’t as far as he knew.

Ensign Tyr - Sec

Ensign Tyr - Sec

Aza nodded thoughtfully at Tyr’s suggestion, appreciating his expertise and recognizing the importance of involving someone from Engineering. “You’re right, Tyr. We need to ensure that our proposals align with the technical feasibility from an engineering standpoint. Let’s bring in an engineer to consult on the integration aspect and provide insights into the practical implementation of our ideas.”

She turned back to the holographic model, her determination fueling her focus. “Once we have the engineer on board, we can fine-tune our proposals and ensure that the integration process aligns with the fleet’s requirements. She look at Tyr and said, “So I guess this means you are going to help out with this little project?”

Ensign (Aza)
(Security officer)

Tyr smiled and rubbed the back of his head “I suppose that I am” He chuckled at the thought “It won’t hurt to have another pair of pilot eyes on this, especially since this might be well suited for fighter deployment.

Ensign Tyr - Sec

“Great,” Aza said with a smile, turning her attention back to the holographic model. “Having your perspective will definitely strengthen our proposals.” The project was ambitious, but with Tyr’s expertise and her own dedication, she was confident they could make significant progress. “I guess that’s all for today. Why don’t we meet back here tomorrow after our security shifts and continue working on this?”

Ensign (Aza)
(Security officer)

Lieutenant Becket opened her mouth to interject a few times, but both JO’s had taken off at such a rapid pace in their efforts to collab on what was intended to be a private project, she simply lapsed into silence and let them run down. When they finally seemed to slow down she cleared her throat. “That’s all well and good,” she interjected.

“I appreciate your enthusiasm for the project. Tyr, your concerns with the additional mass, but these fighters have a thrust-to-mass ratio well beyond 1. The container pod is maybe a quarter the size of a photon torpedo. Half a meter by a quarter meter by about fifteen centimeters. About the size of a suitcase,” she said. “You could put one on or inside a worker bee.”

Tyr blushed at the correction but didn’t speak up. He knew that mass was not a major concern but there was only so much tech one could cram into a device before it became impractical.

“As for a secondary power source, that’s possible. I can think of a few. It’s even possible to add a power supply in the pack and then have that power or energy relayed to the remote units.” She made a few notes in the air next to the prototype. “As for the minimum number of mini-probes, you could do it with four.” An image of a pyramid with 3 sides and a flat base appeared. “This is not the most ideal for this kind of operation though. Six is likely the minimum we want to use, but a dozen is better. Would require a larger pack. Or use two of them. Either is fine.”

“If you want to work on the algo, or find find someone trustworthy for it, you’re welcome to do so. But you’ll need to send me your approvals to approve.” She glanced between them. “As for an engineer, well… I’m not just a pretty face. I’m a certified engineer. I grew up on a tramp freighter and cargo hauler. I was one of our ship’s knuckle-draggers keeping the Atlas going. I tested out and certified with Starfleet when I joined. I keep up on them, though I lean more into weapons technology these days. But, I’m always up for more eyes and hands.”

And then there were designing some other fun toys for other jobs and missions.

Lt. Beckett, Chief of Security

OOC: Welcome back Lt. Beckett. You kind of left us hanging there a while.

IC: Aza listened to Lieutenant Beckett’s input, impressed by her knowledge and experience. She nodded along as Beckett addressed her concerns about mass, secondary power sources, and the optimal number of mini-probes. She turned to Tyr with a smile. “Looks like we have our work cut out for us, Tyr. We should work on refining those algorithms and see how we can optimize the design for maximum efficiency.” She looked at Lieutenant Beckett then said, “We will make sure you approve whatever work we do.”

Ensign (Aza)
(Security officer)

Tyr had to resist making a wisecrack at his Chief’s face comment and a comment about her engineering pedigree, things he might have said if they were peers but not something one said to their superior officer. It was only training that kept his instincts in check and he made a mental note to thank one of his first Instructors for the painful lesson that drilled that into his reflexes. He turned to Aza and grinned “Good thing I’ve stayed certified”

Ensign Tyr - Sec

She caught the momentary change in Tyr’s body language but it was only a twitch. There was something there. A comment controlled maybe. She approved, but at the same time, she wondered. Her expression dropped just a little. For a moment, her mind wandered back to Outpost 42, when she’d been only an ensign, fresh out of the Academy. She’d worked her ass off for years at the post, and would have done anything for a little recognition or appreciation. To be more than just an ensign. It took Acel’ex leaving the station entirely for that to happen. In some ways she felt more isolated now than perhaps she ever had.

Lt Beckett nodded. “It’s a good idea. I’m not the best in Starfleet or anything. But it makes me more well-rounded. And if I ever want to transfer, I can. Or if I leave the fleet, I have other things I can do as an occupation. Though I have no idea what I would really do or where I would go.”

Lt. Beckett, Chief of Security

Aza responded to Tyr’s grin with a smile of her own, then she acknowledged Lieutenant Beckett’s words with a nod, her mind lingering on the lieutenant’s last remark. The uncertainty about one’s future echoed within her own thoughts. The vastness of space sometimes felt like an endless void of possibilities, both thrilling and intimidating. Aza had always been a security officer, dedicated to her duty, but every now and then, a fleeting desire to explore different paths crossed her mind.
“I guess we’re all trying to find our way, Lieutenant,” Aza spoke, her voice carrying a hint of introspection. “Even with the best training and expertise, there’s always that uncertainty about what comes next.” As a relatively newly joined Trill, there were uncharted territories within herself, waiting to be explored.

Ensign (Aza)
(Security officer)