Posted by Captain John Tiberius Glen (Captain) in Main Sim - Bridge - Setting Out
[snip + bump for answers]

Max then responded to the Captain =/\=That is a good idea. I was thinking about doing some simulations to see if we could get more information based on the data we have on the nebula. Captain, we will be down here keeping the ship in tip top shape and making sure nothing happens, if possible, with the nebula. Max out.=/\=

Captain Glen responded =/\= Very Good. See if it helps if we can make the Shields work in conjunction with the Warp field integrity. Or could we polarize the hull, which while not as protective as shields, but could be a little extra protective than nothing. =/\=

Max thought for a second and decided it was better than no shields to polarize the hull. He then responded to the captain =/\=That is a very good idea sir. I will start working on the process now. Mullins out=/\=. Max knew this worked for previous ships before shields were a normal thing but he was not 100% sure how to do it. He knew there was documentation on it so he asked the computer, “Are you able to pull the data in the memory banks on how to polarize the hull and do it, when requested, or provide the instructions on doing so?” He then waited either for the information to come up or if the computer is able to do it or not?

=/\= Working! =/\= responded Mabel 2.0

Max was very curious of what information would have been provided from the computer. Max remembered studying some of this during his time at the academy as an engineering student but could not remember all the ins and outs of the adaptive hull which he believed the Merrimack could replicate. He was pulling the memory from his mind and hoping just a brief read over the documentation would help out. He waited a few more seconds for the computer to hopefully produce the information needed.

Information came up for common polarzation modifications of the deflector and SIF systems to rig a standard polzarzation field on the hull and through their Rodium armor plating. The task would take at most a couple of minutes to complete and implement.

=/\=Lt Mullins to Bridge. I have the data I need in order to polarize the hull to help in the nebula. Please inform me when we are ready to enter so I can go ahead and do this. It should help a decent amount without enabling the shields and causing damage. Mullins Out.=/\= Max knew it would be any time to turn the polarization on and knew he needed to stay at his station and be prepared. He was still curious about the results of what the computer decided on how the polarization would help out. He continued to wait for those results.

=/\= When I give the order to proceed, I will let you know to begin the polarization. I have some other questions that I need to be answered first. =/\=

Max then went over to the simulation station in order to start running the data. He wanted to see what the computer would come up with. He waited for the computer to provide a number of possibilities in order to know what to prepare for, especially with leaving the shields up. He knew the ship was better equipped for this but one never knew what might happen with the nebula.

During his bedtime reading, Glen had recently read in the Starfleet Journal of Shield Engineers about the use of nanocochrane stabilizers in stabilizing shield frequencies, and so allowing their synchronization into a more dynamic configuration, with the generation of overlapping subspace fields, also known as metaphasic shielding. Unfortunately, neither the original specifications of the Merrimack, or it’s futuristic upgrades had allowed for such a thing, and Max would need to reply on old fashioned methods of synchronizing the shield frequency to the Warp field itself.

Glen then instructed NE Coals, “Before we enter can we send a Com forward using the USS Trudograd’s earlier dropped buoys and is there some way of telling how far it gets before it is cut or blocked? That would give us an indication of where the problem is, if not what it is.”

”..We can, they dont got much in the way of sensors so we can’t use them to scan for anything really though..” NE Coal said.

“But you can surely determine, from the infinitesimally small time delay, to which buoy a signal had reached before it was no longer being returned to us. Even if that gave us some very crude measure of the range… say, four buoys in, or six buoys in, then that would tell us approximately where to expect whatever danger awaits us. Obviously, there are still provisos with that… a big alien structure that moves its location, but it seems worth the effort to at least give it a try. To be forewarned is to be forearmed.”

:..Yes sir, sorry I misunderstood, each buoy is in contact with the one ahead or behind it in sequence. Their path lays on the course outlined by the Trudograd and DS K-5 based on their own readings. As for scanning for danger they only got basic sensor scan radius out to about 50 meters or so sir.” He said.

Glen was well aware that risk is our business! However, he didn’t take a gamble without calculating the odds first.

“Samson,” Glen asked Helm, “plot a course into the nebula, but let’s try to use the Coms first, so await my order before going in.”

Glen asked his new CSO, “Xavier, are you happy with the composition and distribution of gases? is this as you expected? Can you do anything to improve the sensors?”

“Verity,” Glen asked his XO, “Your thoughts might be useful too?”

“If the nebula gas composition results in the loss of sensors and shields, do you think we could reroute emergency power through the Rodium deflector shell? That should compensate for any static discharge from the subspace field distortion amplifier, that we might see between the amplifier and the eight shield generators within the space frame.”

“And It will be interesting to see how Lt. Mullins simulations work out, don’t you think?” Glen asked Verity.

When Glen looked again, his XO had inexplicably disappeared. <play> God Only Knows by Brian Wilson and Tony Asher.

Once Glen had received some answers to his remaining outstanding questions then he was happy to authorise Samson at the Helm to enter the nebula.

“Enable periodic scans for subspace or other anomalies, please,” Glen asked Xavier.

• Glen, CO

With their course set the Merrimack moved slowly ahead and soon was entering into the nebula following currently a path matching that which marked the buoys laid by the Trudograd. So far nothing amiss can up, though shields did not function properly and scans were limited to within about 100-200 meters of the ship all about they so far had not found any sign of wreckage or the like as they passed the second pair of buoys. On their current course and speed they would reach the last buoy in the 8 marker line in about 15 or so minutes.

GM CockRoach