Needle in a Haystack? (Part 2)

Posted on 13 Aug 2024 @ 8:43am by Lieutenant JG Montgomery Vala & Lieutenant JG Rafe Caradec & Lieutenant JG Saelihn Valenis

2,100 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Episode 19 - Tomorrow's Galileo
Location: USS Galileo-A - Various
Timeline: MD 04, 1800

Previously On Needle in a Haystack?...

"Hmm." Vala made a skeptical sound as he walked directly into the office. "There is certainly something to find, let us not waste any more time."

He pulled a PADD out of his pocket and sent data from it to a terminal. "For the benefit of Lieutenant Valenis, this is the evidence I am working from." A timeline and large amounts of mathematical data spilled over the screen. "The data originates here," he tapped a long finger at a place on the timeline, zooming the whole thing in, "and proceeds to here, Regula I, wherein it is distributed onwards." He pinched his fingers to zoom in further, "You can see here the data that the Commander deleted abruptly ends, but mere hours prior," he pointed further back on the line, "A copy finds it's way into other hands and thus it lives on."

He returned his gaze to the other officers, "I am no expert in security systems so I will leave it up to you both to work out who had the data and how. Finding this out could be crucial to avoiding the terrible research conducted at the Cold Station from seeing the light of day."

And Now, the Conclusion...

[ON]


"Very good, Lieutenant.", Rafe replied to Montgomery. He turned to Saelihn. "What would you like to tackle first, Saelihn? Maybe some video footage from when the shuttles arrived or when we reached Regula I?", leaving it open for her to take the lead. It seemed to him that they were slightly uneasy. Well, when he really thought about it, this whole blasted situation made him uneasy, and frankly, mad as heck! If it hadn't been for those of Starfleet, still unknown, that were willing to conduct off-the-books research that cost multiple lives, they would still be in their original timeline instead of fighting to return themselves back in time in order to prevent a dying Starfleet. What a freaking mess!

Saelihn nodded to Rafe. It was as good a start as any. "We can start with looking at the recorded footage, see if there is anyone we don't recognize or someone out of the norm who doesn't need to be there." Saelihn spoke as her eyes fixed on nothing in particular. She placed her thumb on her soft lips as she then thought of something else to help them dig into finding these files. Moving her thumb to the base of her chin she then looked at the two men, "If there has been a copy made of these files that 'lives on' then they must still exist, otherwise we wouldn't be in this future. If we had found them and stopped their distribution then time would reset and we wouldn't be having this conversation." she pointed out knowing they full well would know this. "To me, and I'm not computer genius, there has to be a trail from the original files Commander Tarin deleted to these copied files. Every contact leaves a trace, no matter how small, and if we can find that we'll find the files. Maybe look for an odd access time in the ships logs, or an unusual not commonly used console being used. Even the shuttle's on board computers can be checked as they can link up with our main computer. It's a good way to disguise a transfer as it wouldn't be a normal route to do so."

Vala nodded and allowed the other two to go about their work whilst scrutinizing them closely.

"Saelihn, how many ways do we know in which data can be transferred? I can think of by vibration, sound, in written form, transmission by light, subspace, and I'm sure there's a few I'm missing. Maybe, along with your investigation of unusual consoles being used and unusual times of transmission, maybe we could also look into forms of transmission, like passing information in written form, or camouflaged transmissions.", Rafe said while furrowing his brow. "I'm open to anything. But what you said about the information "living on" makes sense. It must still be here, somehow.".

"Most of which are what you have said Rafe," Saelihn replied. "but camouflaged transmissions pretty much take up a large umbrella. There could even be a specifically made hologram that someone has sent through as a file packet and used that to disseminate information that way, like a live interface." Saelihn brought up some search parameters. "The thing with written form, if on things such paper or non-electronic form, that would make it so much harder to track. It can be passed from person to person without anyone knowing. It can be put in a cargo container and we'd be none the wiser as paper isn't dangerous and we wouldn't pick it up as such when transferring supplies. Only thing that would help us in that regard would be pulling up records to see who is replicating writing paper." she shrugged.

"Right now, if we refine our search into certain parameters we can narrow it down by each of us taking section. So, Rafe if you want to open a search looking into the unusual use of replicators, holodecks, entry into cargo bays outside the norm. Look at odd timings for things that don't match with the ships regular shift, maintenance or activation patterns." She turned to face Vala. "If you could look at transmission records, anything that has left the ship in any form. Most notably things again that look outside the norm. For instance, why would we be transferring medical supplies to Regula 1 if they don't need them, or haven't requested them. Things like that. I'll look into the ships computer and see if there are any irregular files or information that has been uploaded recently, placed into odd places or seem miscellaneous." she then looked between the two to see if they were happy to go down that route.

"Sounds good, Saelihn", Rafe said. He turned to a computer console and started inputting parameters for the computer to search by: odd time tags, unusual items being replicated, or a combination of items that would combine to make something either unusual or by making it in parts, it would seem unusual instead of replicating it in one piece, anything out of the ordinary in terms of access. Knowing they could never find out what he had done because of how he had accomplished the task, he still could not give off any vibes of suspicious activity. They were either suspicious of him already, at least he felt some uneasiness there, or they simply weren't sure about his capabilities. Time to put those fears to rest.

Vala idly skimmed over the data as the other two worked. It was generally as one might expect.

Except.

Except...

What was this? A faint reading. Some kind of... EM radiation. So intermittent that it was barely discernible.

"Valenia, Caradec... There's... Something here." He pointed to the data point.

Coming closer to Vala, Saelihn looked over his shoulder with interest as she internally hoped it was something worthwhile to report to the captain, or at least some break in their investigation. A little crinkle formed at the top of her nose between her eyebrows as she scrutinised the data on display. "Where is that coming from? Is that the shuttlebay?" she asked out loud.

Caradec looks over both of their shoulders, "Interesting", he says, "almost in the terahertz range. Very short wavelengths then." Rafe looked at Vala, "Good job on detecting that, Vala! It very well could be overlooked as cosmic background radiation. In fact, maybe that was the intent." He looked at them both. "We've got to check that out!"

Saelihn had moved over to Vala with concern and interest. "Good job Lieutenant." she said taking a closer look at the scans. "Definitely the shuttlebay on deck 3. If we focus an intense sensor sweep on that area, focussing on the shuttles. If I were to hide something that's where I'd do it." she commented pushing a few buttons on the console. "Is that the Livia?" she asked as the scan seemed to hone in on something more specific.

"We need to take a look at this right away.", said Rafe. "If this is truly transmitting information, the Captain will want to know about it immediately." Rafe kept his face and mind in investigative mode. "Lieutenant Valenia, Lt. Vala and I will investigate this while you monitor from here. Keep us apprised if there are any changes in the signal, or the source of the signal. And see if you can tell what it is transmitting, if anything." Turning to Lt. Vala, "Care to take the lead, Lieutenant?"

"Well I can monitor the sensors," Vala replied, "But I believe Lieutenant Valenis is more qualified to draw... security related conclusions on the situation."

Rafe looks at Vala, "That sounds good to me.", he says. He then turns his head to Valenis, "Come with me, Lieutenant. We have a transmitter to find." Rafe begins walking out of the security office with Lieutenant Valenis following. Being on the same deck, the come quickly to the Auxiliary Shuttle Bay. Rafe touches his comm badge and speaks, "Caradec to Vala, we are entering the shuttle bay. Please monitor."

Vala opened up the relevant feeds and began to observe the data that streamed in. "Acknowledged." He responded dryly. "Ready and waiting for anything unusual."

They walk up to the Livia and Rafe touches the outside panel and the door opens slowly. "Get your tricorder out, Saelihn. Let's what treasures we can find." Rafe says as he does the same.

Saelihn arched an eyebrow and shook her head with a smile. She knew how to conduct an investigation and chuckled at the man's wording.

Vala tracked their progress as they moved slowly into the shuttle bay. Initially there was nothing of interest to note, but suddenly something began to come into focus. "Vala to Caradec, I am registering some kind of communications signal near your present position. Sending telemetry to your tricorder."

Rafe opened his tricorder. He turned towards the front of the ship...no, the signal was directly across from him, closer to Valenis. Rafe motioned to Saelihn to look on the bulkhead, but low. She reached under the inner wall of the shuttle across from Rafe and felt around. She felt along the conduit and touched it. The device was slightly longer than a conduit terminal end should be. It snapped off into her fingers and she pulled it out. Both of their tricorders went haywire with receiving signals that were dense with information, but at a very high frequency.

"Lt. Vala, I think we've found it. Lieutenant Valenis has the device. She's bringing it to you now. I want a full analysis along with any transmissions we can decipher from it as well.", said Rafe. "We've got to get this to the Captain immediately. Please make the Captain aware of our find."

Vala watched the readings flow in as Caradec's voice came over the comm. "Acknowledged." Was all he could think to say. For something of such momentous importance to the timeline, potentially at least, this had been rather... easy.

He made a mental note to check everything over once more once the feedback arrived from this 'device'.

Rafe watched, and followed, as Lieutenant Valenis delivered the device to Lt. Vala. Chain of custody was crucial and even more importantly, evidence that he had not handled the device. "Lt. Vala, since some of your expertise lies with temporal calculations, I feel it would be best if you took the lead from here on out. Please find out what you can and then notify me once you have compiled your findings.", Rafe stated.

Rafe left them in the security room, glad to be done with it. He could finally wash his hands of this freaking nightmare! Time to get back to work.

"Notify me first please Vala." Saelihn said after Rafe left. "I'm still suspicious of his behaviours here and I know a shuttle is small but we found it quite quickly and he seemed reluctant to touch it." she sighed. "I may be making more of this than I need to, but informing security takes precedence over flight control." she smirked a little.

[OFF]

--

Lt. JG Rafe Caradec
Senior Conn Officer
USS Galileo-A

Lieutenant JG Saelihn Valenis
Chief Security Officer
USS Galileo-A

Lieutenant JG Montgomery Vala
Deputy Science Officer
USS Galileo-A

RSS Feed