"Limits of Intelligence" - Part 5 - NonPlot Log - Commo Sebastian Ascari, SFI

Posted on 241605.31 @ 9:57am by Commodore Sebastian Ascari

Mission: Non-Plot Log
Location: Stellar Reference: XKR-21199-B (Moon)
Timeline: Current-ish

Log Title: "Limits of Intelligence" - Part 5
Setting: Rocky, ice covered moon and underground cavern complex

== Continued From Part 4 ==

Warm air, tinged with the smell of the unfamiliar, unexpectedly washed over him as he emerged from what he could only term the 'green room' for lack of a better objective description. The crystalline walls enfused with unknown technologies had given way to something grander as Ascari again struggled to process what his senses were relaying. He had emerged from the hallway into a circular chamber that stretched out in either direction. He ran his eyes around the circumference of the area. A kilometer? More? He couldn't be sure other than the area he was now in was massive in size and scale. In the center of the colossal chamber that appeared to be circular was some sort of gap protected by a chest high wall.
He slowly approached the wall in awe at the sheer size of the chamber. He couldn't fathom the engineering skill, time, equipment, resources, and labor it must have taken to carve out such a space within solid rock. Who would do such a thing and why? He grasped the wall scanning the horizon which stretched out for a kilometer perhaps more. The round chamber clad in the same green crystal panels behind him rose upwards disappearing into the darkness. He glanced over the rail and was stunned. Circular levels like the one he was standing on were visible down a giant, dark, shaft like floors of an office building. The floors continued downward until they disappeared entirely obscured by the haze of extreme distance.

“How...”

“How far does it go”, Bernard instantly responded anticipating the commodore's question. “Five hundred kilometers. That's right, a quarter of the way from San Francisco to New York, straight down.”

“Five hundred kilometers? Right into the core?”

“Yes actually.”

“How is that possible? To drill and excavate this much tonnage of rock must have taken centuries. Even with a fleet of robots or an entire planetary workforce such a feat couldn't be possible. Where is the debris? It's not on the surface is it? I just...I don't believe it.”

“You are looking at it commodore. Do you not trust your own eyes?”

“I'm finding that difficult at the moment”, he stated peering into the inky blackness below.

“Allow me to fill you in on what' we've discovered. This moon lacks a molten core. It cooled eons ago or perhaps this entire moon was fabricated using technologies we can't even begin to imagine.. This shaft goes all the way to the center of the moon. But that isn't even the most interesting fact among the jaw droppers. Most planetary bodies have a core made of heavy elements usually iron which sink to the center of molten or rocky bodies during planetary formations due to the effects of gravity. The heavy metallic core we expected to find is missing.”

“Missing”, Ascari repeated. “If the core is missing what's keeping all of this from spinning out into space? I'm no physicist, but without an iron or metallic core there wouldn't be any gravity well at least not much. With no heavy metal core this moon should just be a rocky ball of loosely attracted debris, correct?”

“You're smarter than you look. The core is gone, but in its place are two things.”

Ascari blinked when the doctor was not forthcoming. “Well?”

The doctor laughed. “The look on your face is priceless at the moment. I wish I could make a holovid to record the moment.”

“Get on with it doctor”, Ascari shouted suspending his disbelief for a moment to snap at the professor who seemed to take pleasure pushing his buttons.

“The core of this moon has been replaced with an artificially created black hole.

“Come again”, Ascari stated his mouth hanging slightly askew.

“I said, artificial black hole. Yes. You heard me correctly. The singularity provides the gravity lost by the absence of a heavy metallic core. And if that wasn't enough...”

“Wait, there's more”, Ascari interrupted glancing down over the railing into the abyss once again.

“Affirmative. The black hole is regulated by a star or rather a tiny facsimile of one. The micro-star as we've dubbed it for the moment doesn't have the density required to generate the gravity needed to hold this moon together however the black hole and its density does. Black holes over eons eventually evaporate away in what's known as Hawking radiation. Whoever constructed this facility used a fusion reaction of an artifical star to constantly supply the black hole with just enough matter to keep it stable over vast, vast time periods. It's a balancing act unlike anything ever seen or even contemplated. Below us is a fully functioning artificial star and black hole. Near as we've been able to deduce the crystal panels all around us absorb energy and redirect it to the core where it helps feed the fusion reactions of the star. It's been suggested that this arrangement might be some sort of nearly perpetual machine – or rather the most efficient machine ever constructed. Whoever constructed, no engineered, this moon obviously built something that would last eons without requiring refueling. The core is still operational today although we estimate its running at reduced levels than perhaps it was designed for. The fact that it's still in place, operational, and functional at all having not torn this moon apart in a cataclysmic event is just staggering. Radiation and pressure levels around the core are intense so we haven't been able to as of yet get a probe down to the bottom, but we've seen signs of automated machinery that appears to be programmed to maintain the function of the energy drive. We have no idea what provides fuel for the artificial star, but we hope to have a few more answers soon. The Science Council is sending a variety of purpose built probes and equipment to help get a better look down there.“

Ascari rubbed the bridge of his nose for several seconds. It was just too much to absorb in such a short period of time. “I need to break this down into something manageable doctor. You're telling me this moon was built or engineered to house some sort of perpetual or nearly perpetual engine consisting of two of the most powerful stellar bodies in the known universe?”

“Yes.”

“The technology and techniques required for such a feat are centuries perhaps dozens of centuries beyond our current capabilities and...” Ascari suddenly stopped grasping the full magnitude of the situation and what had been discovered.

“This discovery could advance scientific progress on all fronts drastically accelerating it by the same, said centuries. The technology alone could....oh my god.” His words abruptly ended as he nearly choked on them. His face, having grown slightly pale, wore a blank stare as his mind churned through various possibilities like an overworked computer at maximum capacity diligently working to solve a complex problem with no regard for anything else outside of its programmed directive. Suddenly, Ascari, fully appreciated why Starfleet Command had sent him here with so little information.

This discovery could be the greatest single event in galactic history. What could be learned here could advance civilization by a thousand or a million fold. However, if the discovery were made public then every major power in the quadrant would eventually want access to this place and its treasures. The lure of such fantastic, god-like, technology and power would very likely lead to deep disagreements over who should remain its caretaker. The Romulans, Klingons, Cardassians, perhaps even the Borg would likely stop at nothing to possess such a prize. Whoever controlled this technology would possess capabilities no other power could dream of matching. If that indeed came to pass as the scenario played out inside his head then the balance of power that currently maintained the peace would be forever shattered.

The Federation would almost certainly be forced to use this technology, weaponize it, and conquer its rivals if only to stop them from endlessly attempting to acquire it for themselves to do exactly the same. Races would commit their entire societies to claiming some or all of this prize and the end result could end up destroying galactic civilization. Entire cultures would commit themselves to a suicidal fight to possess this power rather than become vassals or slaves of another or perhaps worse be eradicated entirely simply to eliminate them as competitors seeking this ultimate prize.

It was as if Mount Olympus or Heaven had an earthly door which mankind had discovered and opened. The entire knowledge of the gods and their power were on display, were tangible, and could be harnessed for – for any purpose the heart or mind desired.

Suddenly the amazement and childlike wonder that had filled him earlier drained away replaced with a sense of nausea and foreboding. This discovery while stupendous in nature might be the largest, most complex, most deadly intelligence problem in human or galactic history.

“Would you care to sit down sir”, Bernard asked with a comforting tone that differed from her usual sharp edged wit. “Your expression indicates you finally understand why you were sent here”

“Maybe some water”, Ascari managed to say as his mind raced at capacity as dozens of overlapping thoughts, scenarios, projections, and what-if simulations bubbled into existence each competing for computational time. Where did one begin? He was the director of intelligence and yet his experience lie in moving the usual pieces on the chess board. The Klingons, the Romluans, the Cardassians, occasionally the Dominion and the Borg – they had their playbooks which he knew well. He knew how to play their particular games. How was he, a single man, supposed to come to terms with something that could eventually metastasize into galactic war costing trillions of lives? He was locked into a single conclusion from which he couldn't escape. Knowledge of this place would forever change the future.

Amid the chaos of his mind a single, unusual thought emerged through the noise. Was this what it felt like to be a Q? Omnipotent? Having the power of the gods? Humanity couldn't handle this type of power. He feared no sentient beings could. It had to be sealed away and yet he knew that was an impossibility. Pandora's box had been opened. It was too late to close the lid. The demons had already escaped.

The temptation to investigate, to learn, to understand – that primal urge programmed into humanity couldn't be suppressed. It would start out benign, as highly classified, secret projects studying ever centimeter of this place. Answers would eventually be forthcoming. Breakthroughs would be made. Information. Information. He could hear the Admirals squabbling with one another. They would demand that steps be take to weaponize the technology if only as a hedge against someone else getting their hands on the information through leaks, security lapses, or spies. And the information would eventually leak. The Romulans, Klingons, or Cardassians would manage to catch wind of the discovery. It was only a matter of time. Once confronted with some or all of the details the politicians would be at each other throats demanding their scientists obtain access. Threats would give way to violence and violence to war. Technologies harvested from this place would be used to attack others out of fear and survival instincts. The entire quadrant and beyond would become engulfed in perpetual conflict to seize this 'sword in the stone' and claim the crown just like in Arthurian legend. It would be a race to harvest the technology of this moon. A battle to control its secrets and its power. Such a battle would destroy the status quo with this point in space becoming a nexus for warfare on a scale never before seen or perhaps even contemplated.

“Commodore”, a voice called out from somewhere. He was too engulfed in his own thoughts to pay it any mind. The future of civilization rested on the decisions that were made here. So far, in the limited time he had had to think, all options seemed bleak. He could recommend the moon be destroyed, but such a statement would likely cost him his job, accomplish nothing, and remove him from any position to influence decisions. But what could he do? He could perhaps, as head of intelligence, slow the inevitable, but he wouldn't be able to stop it. This knowledge would be pursued with the best intentions paving a road not to a brilliant future but to a tragic and horrific endgame with the galaxy locked in a battle to claim, secure, and control this place. Would they destroy it? Would they destroy it to prevent another form obtaining its secrets? That would be a logical course of action if the result was allowing a rival to develop technologies of unspeakable power. So then, would a suggestion to destroy this place be feasible given the stakes? Was this knowledge just too forbidden, too taboo, too advanced? It could be. It could be.

“Commodore.”

“Commodore Ascari.”

“Sir?”

“COMMODORE!”

His face suddenly stung. He blinked realizing the doctor had just slapped him.

She suddenly blushed. “I..I apologize sir. You, you weren't responding and well you looked like you needed that. Forgive me. I brought you some water.” She held out a Starfleet issue canteen.

Ascari reached up and rubbed his face while simultaneously taking the water bottle. “No need to apologize doctor. Yes, perhaps I did need that particular prescription after all.”

“We've set up a research camp not to far from here. You should sit down. We can talk more after you've had some time to digest all of this We all went through this phase. Denial, awe, shock, fear, wonder – it's too much to process all at once. For many of us, it still is. Come on.”

Ascari took a sip of water. The doctor's words were distant as if she was shouting over a great distance. His mind couldn't devote the time needed to concern himself with interpreting speech. It was attempting to dissect, digest, and make sense of the impossible.

He suddenly felt something warm touch his hand. He looked down and saw the doctor tugging on his hand. “This way commodore. You need some time to yourself.” She smiled, warmly this time her voice resonating with both compassion and concern.
Ascari nodded. “Aye. Perhaps a few moments are in order.”

** To Be Continued **


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Commodore Sebastian Ascari
Director, Starfleet Intelligence

and

Doctor Elsa Bernard
Lead Project Scientist