Science!

Posted on Sun Nov 5th, 2023 @ 11:48am by Lieutenant JG Anton Zakharov & Ensign Anne Marie "Ree" Beckett

Mission: Contagion
Location: Engineering Science Lab
Timeline: Current
1084 words - 2.2 OF Standard Post Measure

It was the third simulation he had run and each time the intermix chamber would reach critical, overheat and then probably explode. Anton could swear that each time he ran the simulation the tolerance levels for the intermix chamber were within thresholds. But with the new anti matter mix he was running through it seemed to destabilise the fuel induction feed and raised heat levels by over burning on the sub-particle fluid mix. Anton had thought with this new injection system he could at least up the fuel regulation on the ship and get a bit more speed out of the warp core. It was in vane though, they were light years from home, lost in space and no way back. But Anton had to keep on doing something to keep himself sane. Anton was butting his head against the desk and swearing in Russian when he heard someone behind him.

"Yeah, that probably hurts a little," Beckett nodded in conformation of her statement- mostly to herself. She set the PaDD she'd brought in to him gently on the edge of the desk and took a step back neatly, almost primly. "Unless that desk really had it coming. In that case you keep plowing ahead intrepid warrior. Do you need to talk? I'm really good at listening."

Anton smiled to himself as his forehead rested against the desk. Recognising the voice Anton asked "Does one of the Atlantis's top scientists know how my maths could be off with this intermix chamber calibration." He waved one hand toward the monitor, still keeping his head against the desk in despair.

She grinned until it dawned on her that he wasn't joking about her position. "You... must be talking about someone else. *I'm* ye olde lowly ensign meaning I'm part everything for what a body is needed for. Better than crewman- not as lofty as specialist. But I am a physics major and I do love the maths as you put it, so I can maybe look if you want? You'd have to tell me what you're trying to do, though, and rely on my finite knowledge of engines beyond routine cross training."

Anton got his head up off the desk and shook himself, giving himself a little slap on the cheek to jolt himself awake. He pointed at the monitor "I am trying a new anti matter mix through the intermix chamber to raise efficiency and get more speed out of the warp field. But with the new anti matter mix it always seems to destabilise the fuel induction feed and raise the heat levels by over-burning on the sub-particle fluid mix. So I think my maths is off somewhere."

Ree took several minutes and the help of a program on the PaDD that she was delivering to go over the numbers once, twice, three ties before frowning up at Zakharov. "I don't think it's your math that's wrong, I think it's system constraints. It's just not *made* to handle the output that you want to stream through it. That's why the mix is getting too agitated. You've got superheated elements breaking down and adding to the already volatile mix. Your math is right. The equipment is wrong- and I can't help you with that."

Anton's shoulders slumped. Ree was right of course. He was hoping she would not be. But in his heart he knew it was true. Anton had been kind of hoping that it was the mix that was wrong, but, to put it frankly the warp five engine just could not take it. "Da" said Anton slipping into Russian. His finger tapped against a finger against the desk thoughtfully. Other than replacing the warp drive their must be another way around it. Just to eek and tease out a little more from the warp field for a sustained longer period of time. He clicked his fingers and said "We can try upgrading the shielding of the chamber?"

"Maybe," Beckett offered hopefully. "But it still has to go somewhere from there, so you're not just upgrading the chamber, you're revamping the entire fueling system, which effects the cooling system, which effects life support and filtration. I'm really sorry, sir. I want to go home, too, but I don't know if this is the answer. Especially with us trying to preserve every drop of everything..."

The engineer returned his forehead to the desk he was sitting at with a muffled thud "Damn" he said to himself miserably. He wondered to himself what he had been thinking, getting all optimistic about one little tweak, with a change that was only very very minor but could of coaxed a little more sustained output from the warp coils.

"Oh, no. I mean, you're a brilliant guy and you're going to figure this out. Just not this minute," Ree said as she stepped forward, stopping short of touching the man because that was really personal and she wasn't very sure that her reassuring anyone was really reassuring at all. Rather than touch him, she squatted down to his eye level and peered over the desk to share in his moment. Hopefully he wouldn't feel so alone. "It might not help, but I'll tell you how I get through this. Remember when we were kids and we'd dream we were the heroes in a story we read? Yeah, that's us: out on the ragged beyond facing unknown everything and relying on our wits and friends. If it gets too be too much, I remind myself that there's always a happy ending. Don't worry, lieutenant. We're going to get home. That's just how the story goes because we're writing this one."

Anton closed his eyes and took a deep breath. He then opened them and in his Russian accent said. "Thank you kindly Ensign. you are most reassuring" He gave a wry smile. He wasn't exactly sure he felt that way but the Ensigns words had elated his dower mood somewhat. Anton sat back up in his chair and straightened his uniform. "You are right, we will get home and this problem is not going to solve itself over night. I probably need a break anyway. " He leaned forward and switch the monitor off.

'Sorry,' Ree mouthed again before shrugging her shoulders and scooting the PaDD back at him. "This is still for you. I'mgoingtogonow it was great talking to you. Promise that's not more bad news.." she said with a wave before hurrying back out of the office.