Missing Manifolds

Posted on 29 Apr 2012 @ 12:17pm by Rachel Hardaway Ph.D. & Anthony Hardaway Ph.D. & Rear Admiral Lirha Saalm

1,463 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Episode 01 - Project Sienna
Location: Starbase 152 - Project Sienna
Timeline: MD 04 - 0945 hrs

[ON]

Inside the large and bright construction bay, a small assembly of artificial fabricators were busy manufacturing the first components of Project Sienna. Scientists in blue and white lab coats rushed hurriedly around the open area as they chatted away and exchanged PADDs of the latest data and test results. It had been a busy two days since Anthony and Rachel made their breakthrough, and now the experiment was entering the beginning of the testing phase. A prototype had to be built, and there was no time to waste.

As the Doctors Hardaway entered the room, several of the support staff looked up and quickly grabbed PADDs as they all rushed towards the lead scientists while jabbering away the latest projection reports.

A small brown-haired woman with glasses quickly swooped in and approached the two of them with an excited look on her face. "Doctor, we've started manufacturing the components for assembly, it should only be a matter of days now before we have a working MCD." she said with a big smile and a bob of her head. "But, umm," she paused as she looked down at her PADD, "We are missing components for the inner manifold assembly. I think they were supposed to be delivered last week but our resupply vessel hasn't arrived yet. They must have been delayed." she said with a shrug.

Anthony spared his wife a glance and then looked at the scientists... most of the problems were probably simple to solve. He regarded the woman who spoke with a touch of annoyance, directed at the delay, not her. He frowned. Of course something that complicated would be missing. "Let me guess," he said, "all the components we don't have the ability to replicate?" How convenient; he cursed Murphy silently in his head.

"Well..." she answered in a quiet voice as she stared at the ground in thought, "We can still begin constructing the manifolds, we have enough raw materials, but we won't be able to duplicate the power source. I suppose we could tie them in to the station's reactor but I don't think those Starfleet engineers will be too happy." she said with a giggle.

"No," Anthony replied thoughtfully, "that would not work. However, we can replicate the material needed to synthesize the components. How long will the supplies take to arrive? If they will be here before we can finish then there's no point in beginning."

The research assistant tilted her head to the side thoughtfully. "I'm not sure, Doctor." she said as she looked at her PADD and flipped through several pages of logs and schedules. "Our supplies were scheduled to be delivered almost...four days ago, and no one down here has received word about it. Or anything, for that matter." she stopped briefly to push her glasses up on her nose and then furrowed her brow in annoyance. "I tried to send a message home last night but my access had been revoked. When I asked, the lieutenant told me something about a communications silence for the next few days." she finished with a sigh and looked up at Anthony. "Sounds like we might be on our own for a bit."

"Comm silence?" he asked with a frown, "Very well then." He looked at his wife, who had remained silent this whole time, "Shall we synthesize the materials? We can do it in a few days."

"Can't hurt to try." Rachel said finally breaking the silence she had been keeping. She looked between her husband and the research assistant. "If we have the necessary replicator inputs that is." she let out a sigh. She had been so excited when she entered the lab that morning about getting a chance to see her theory be realized. She wasn't going to let a little communication silence get in her way.

Anthony nodded. Drawing a spare PADD out of the pocket of his lab coat, he made a quick notation. "Get one of the engineering labs cleared out and prepared for the synthesis. We'll begin drawing up an inventory immediately. We should be able to replicate everything we need or get it from the station."

"Yes, Doctor." the small assistant replied as she put her head down and quickly walked off, on her way to pass along orders to the required personnel.

Next the doctor started towards the door. "I'm going to contact station control and find out what's going on," he told his wife, "Do you mind starting without me?"

Rachel simply shook her head indicating that she would get started. "Go... do what you gotta do... I will be here when you get back." She grinned as she looked almost blankly at the screen trying to figure out where she should start.

===

Anthony sat down at his desk and pulled up the computer console, contacting the Main Operations. The screen blinked to show an older gold-collared man sitting at his console, three solid gold pips on his neck. "This is Commander Jelbers, how can I help you?" he asked casually.

"Excuse me but what exactly is going on, Commander?" Anthony asked, sounding mildly annoyed, "I've just been told the supplies we need for our work haven't arrived and no one knows why."

Squinting at the screen, the operations officer leaned closer and furrowed his brow. "And just who might you be?" he asked with an annoyed voice. Scientists, he thought, Always demanding things from me and they have no clue how Starfleet operates.

The scientist was clearly miffed at not being recognized right away. "Aren't your eyes working?" he demanded, "This is Doctor Hardaway."

"Hardaway... ah, right!" began the ops officer as he peered closer at the screen. "Project Sienna, Deck 58, correct?" he asked as he picked up several PADDs from his desk and began to sift through them. Being an operations officer aboard a starbase with so many personnel and projects was a high-maintenance affair, and it took a moment to locate the correct manifests and information. "Well, it looks like your equipment was supposed to be delivered several days ago by the USS Petersham... but she never arrived, according to the station logs." he said as he tapped away on his console and read over more logs.

"Sorry, I don't know what to tell you, Doctor." he said with a shrug after a minute of investigation. "Petersham hasn't arrived and we can't contact them for the time being. We have orders for a temporary communications hold. No incoming or outgoing transmissions." he added, then leaned back in his chair as he picked up an apple from out of view and began to munch on it non-nonchalantly.

Fools, Anthony thought, didn't they know how important his project was? The fact that the operations officer didn't recognize him slighted his pride and put him in more of a bad mood. "Who ordered communication silence?" he asked, "Project Sienna is vital to Federation interests, I need those manifolds. If you can't get them in twenty-four hours I except the station to cooperate with me to get the material needed to synthesize the components. They can be found aboard the station." If he had to tear apart the station's power systems, he intended to get the parts he needed.

The operations officer chewed loudly with an open mouth, spraying spittle on the corner of the screen for Anthony to see. "We've been under comm silence for a few days now. Orders came from up top." he said rather curtly, then adjusted himself in his chair. "Doc, all the projects on this starbase are important, you can't just go demanding things from people." he continued in a dismissive tone and with a wave of his hand, "Tell ya what," he began after a long pause, "Send me your list of your required materials and I'll see if I happen to have available." he continued as he took another loud bite of his apple.

"Starfleet will be displeased with the delay," Anthony declared, thoroughly annoyed more by the man's slovenliness than anything else. How had so many worms made it into Starfleet? "You will receive a requisition within twenty-four hours. Good day, commander." Without waiting for a response, he closed the channel; it had been done to him often enough that he decided to allow himself the pleasure on a bad day. Giving a sigh, he leaned back in his chair and stared at the blank screen with a frown.

To Be Continued...

[OFF]

--

Anthony Hardaway, Ph.D.
Project Sienna
played by Chauncey William Remington III

Rachel Hardaway, Ph.D.
Lead Scientist
Project Sienna
NPC'd by Tarishiana Barel

Commander Rob Jelbers
Asst. Chief Operations Officer
Starbase 152
NPC'd by Lirha Saalm

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