"Limits of Intelligence" - Part 4 - NonPlot Log - Commo Sebastian Ascari, SFI

Posted on 241605.20 @ 11:04am by Commodore Sebastian Ascari

Mission: Reconciliation & Reconstruction [Fleet Plot]
Location: Stellar Reference: XKR-21199-B
Timeline: Current-ish

Log Title: "Limits of Intelligence" - Part 4
Setting: Rocky, ice covered moon and underground cavern complex

== Continued From Part 3 ==


“So they really told you nothing”, the professor asked as the makeshift elevator slowly descended down the shaft suspended only by a single cable from a wench half a kilometer above them. “You are the head of Starfleet Intelligence aren't you?”

Ascari didn't care for this line of questioning. It was bad enough the upper echelons of the Science Council and others had blocked his demands for more details on this mission. He hadn't had the time to press for more information or use his authority to obtain it. He had met with Starfleet brass and had been sent packing on the conclusion of that meeting armed only with scant details. Whatever waited for him below was explosive. It had the scientists in that meeting positively giddy while a thin veil of nervousness and uncertainty had surrounded the admiralty. He hadn't seen some of those men swayed even during open war. Despite their misgivings there was one man in that meeting who was oddly calm. Admiral James Valtren, head of one of the more unorthodox and independant intelligence divisions, was the only person at that meeting who took the information in stride as if he had some sort of insider knowledge on the matter. The admiral's stoicism during the briefing had stuck with him for some reason, but he had not had the chance to discuss the matter with the admiral prior to being sent on this assignment. In any event the point wasn't relevant at the current time given the doctor's probing questions or the fact he was dangling from a wire line like a fish out of water.

“To who are you referring”, Ascari replied to the professor's intentionally biting question.

“Don't play coy Commodore. Your bosses, you do have bosses no? The ones that sent you here without telling you why?”

“They did not give me as much information as I would have preferred”, the commodore replied. “Perhaps you could fill me in as we wait for this...this amusement park ride to come to an end?”

“I can't describe it. Not because I won't, but because words just can't describe what we've uncovered. You just have to see it for yourself?”

“What? What is below us that's caused such a damnable ruckus at Starfleet Command and the Science Councils?”

Bernard glanced at her arm. “You'll find out in about three minutes.”

“Well I've been shuttled half way across the quadrant. What's another three minutes”, Ascari quipped folding his arms.

“I'm terribly sorry you've been pulled away from your palatial corner office, political intrigue, plotting, planning, and calculations. Trust me, you'll want to see this. Plotting Romulans and scheming Cardassians can wait."

"And you're an expert on intelligence matters also it would seem", he stated more than asked.

"No, but whatever you do with your chess pieces and security apparatuses pale to what I have to show you. Just take my word for it. Or don't, either way you'll change your tune very shortly. That I can guarantee."

Ascari said nothing more for a time. Only the sound of the lift gently scraping the sides of the shaft were audible.

“You aren't exactly the most orthodox scientist I've ever met. I expected someone exactly like Dr. U'Lan", he finally stated after the awkward moments of silence.

“Thank you.”

“It wasn't a compliment.”

“I'll take it as one regardless.”

“How did you end up heading this operation? I don't question your talent however your personality doesn't seem to be an exact fit given the mission parameters.”

“You are full of complements today Commodore”, Bernard cheerfully responded. “The answer is quite simple, no one else was willing to accept the mission risks which are quite high, we initially had no idea what we were dealing with, and I happen to be highly qualified in several areas I won't bore you with that make me a good choice. Dr. U'lan, while a great scientist himself, who was sent I suspect to keep an eye on myself and the project as a whole is more in line with your expectations? He is the quintessential stodgy, stuffy, scientist with a nose for facts, figures, flow charts, and other dreary minutia. I, on the other hand, like to get my hands dirty and I'm not afraid to take a few risks doing it.”

Ascari considered her statement and asked what had been on is mind for sometime. “If this whatever it is..is so important, why isn't every scientist and researcher tripping over themselves to get a piece of the action?”

“Another simple question. Starfleet has this entire sector on lockdown. We've been sword to absolute secrecy and our communications are monitored. No one leaves or arrives without my permission and that of the Science Council. The fewer people that see this the better. That should be obvious given they've kept even their own intelligence director in the dark.”

“You'll get no argument here", he muttered still frustrated he didn't know more. How long have you been here working on this...project?”

“Four months give or take. When you're in a hole a mile inside a dead moon that's a billion kilometers from everywhere you tend to lose track of the date and time. Once the pilot shaft was successfully cut we were able to beam in a robotic probe after much difficulty with the transporters. That experience made using them too unreliable and risky. Not to say it isn't impossible, but the odd crystalline structures in the rock that absorb energy of any type like some sort of sponge coupled with the occasional radiation leakages...”

“Radiation?”

“It isn't anything to be too concerned about. The source is the core of this rock, but it isn't a planetary magneto driven by a solid or molten core. It's...well I'll let you see the data in a few minutes. The power source appears to be malfunctioning or damaged. Some of the high energy radiation escapes to the surface via cracks in the mantle. We're in a mountain range of dense rock surrounded by the equally mysterious crystals which feed on energy so our analysis indicates that our base of operations is safe from any radiation related issues.”

“Are there any other hazards I should be made aware of while here”, Ascari asked as the mysteries of this moon continued to build.

“I'll let you make that decision Commodore. That is, one of the reasons, you're here after all.”

“And speaking of here – we are exactly that.” Bernard looked through the bottom of the elevator cage as a glow came into view. It grew larger and brighter as they approached. Gingerly working the wench controls, she guided the steel cage slowly down the remaining hundred meters until it touched down on rock with another harsh jolt.

“Sorry about that. Our lift system isn't exactly built for comfort.”

“I've been through much worse today already. I'm beginning to almost get used to the occasional unexpected jolt.”

“I can guarantee it won't be your last today”, the professor replied. “This way commodore and watch your head.” She stepped from the lift and made her way down a narrow, horizontal tunnel cut straight out of solid rock barely large enough for one person to traverse. Ascari followed anxious to finally discover what, after all the hype, lie at the end of this tunnel.

Ducking in the narrow tunnel which at its end became less tunnel and more jefferies tube, Ascari emerged into a well lit chamber. He suddenly froze as his eyes and brain struggled to comprehend the size, scale, and magnitude of what lie before him.

The walls of the chamber were covered in iridescent, jade panels which appeared to be highly refined sheets of the crystalline material he had seen above. There were like polished, translucent, marble which had some form of technology woven or inlaid into them in uniform, functional patterns. Beyond the two walls and the dazzling technology that they seemed to contain was some sort of balcony.

“You haven't wet yourself..well yet anyway. I'm impressed”, Bernard stated after giving the commodore several moments of silence to absorb and process what he was seeing. “One of the senior scientists had a complete loss of bladder control when he first came face to face with this.”

"I've been around the block a few times doctor. While impressive, extremely impressive, this isn't quite enough to rattle me as you seem to be quietly hoping for over there."

"Other than history changing discoveries made everyday, what can I say, there's just not that much excitement down here."

Ascari moved toward one of the jade panels that lined the walls dismissing the doctor's quirky humor. “Is it safe to touch?”

Benard nodded. He reached out and touched the surface of the wall which was smooth like polished glass but somehow more so. He moved his palm around feeling no traces of imperfection nor seeing any seams or joints where the panels aligned. It was as if the entire wall was made out of a single piece of highly refined crystal. He looked past the translucent material and noticed what looked like wires or filaments running through various points and connecting to nodes or junctions not unlike complex circuitry. He studied the wiring with a great deal of fascination until his hand suddenly and painfully burned. He recoiled and moved away from the wall rubbing his hand which was freezing cold.

“My hand its...”

“Cold..freezing”, Bernard asked completing his sentence.

“Yes.”

“It's this highly refined material and the technology embedded in it. It absorbs energy. Leave your hand there long enough and it will drain the heat and electrical energy straight from your cells. It's like a solar cell except it collects everything. The effect is localized or so we think so no risk of it draining your body of energy. We have had a few people report growing cold and have shown some signs of cognitive dysfunction but they were working in close proximity and contact with the walls at least initially. Just avoid prolonged contact with the walls and you should be fine.”

“If it absorbs energy so efficiently then why does it appear green? Why isn't it black? Shouldn't it be absorbing light as well?”

“It seems to not absorb certain wavelengths of light. We aren't sure why. Someone suggested perhaps that was by design for maintenance purposes so that it was visable. It was also postulated that it is purely for aesthetics or some other reason. We aren't sure. We don't even know how or why it works.”

Ascari continued to stare at the walls like a child lost in wonderment seeing something vast and grand for the first time.

“Gives you a sense of what it was like being there in person for some of Earth's greatest discoveries no? I like to think I'm Dr. Howard Carter who first discovered the lost tomb of King Tutankhamen, the boy pharaoh, who's tomb was lined with untold riches forgotten by man, lost to history, untouched by time. Standing here I get a small sense of what it must have been like discovering such a place steeped in mystery and the unknown.”

Ascari didn't reply, but took heed of the professor's words. Indeed he did feel like a ten year old explorer going on a grand adventure beneath several blankets armed only with a flashlight and an unlimited imagination.

“There's more whenever you're ready.”

Ascari turned and nodded. “Well in that case, lead on Dr. Carter”, he stated with a smile. "I'm intrigued thus far."

== To Be Continued --


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Commodore Sebastian Ascari
Director, Starfleet Intelligence

and

Doctor Elsa Bernard
Lead Project Scientist