Cracking an indestructible egg.

Posted on Fri Dec 28th, 2018 @ 6:30pm by Lieutenant Commander Thex sh'Zoarhi & Captain Enalia Telvan & Commander Rita Paris & Lieutenant Commander Sonak

Mission: Escaped Pantheons
Location: Engineering Test bay.

A scowl of annoyance spread over the andorians face as she heard the news over the coms channel. " Well, at least we can rule out nothing wrong with the ships scanners. Looks like this is just to dense to scan through." She said to her team as she kicked her heel to deactivate the armor. Standing in the testing room she looked at her team who had been working for hours. " Go and get some chow and some rest people. I'll have a word with science and see if I can get something made to give us a good look of this suit." She said calmly as her team nodded before packing up and leaving.

Letting out a slight sign the andorian walked over to the desk and opened a channel to the Hear's science division. " Commander Thex to science division is Lieutenant Sonak available. I need some help with the god armor and I'm hoping you guys can help." She said politely into the coms.

On deck 7, the chief science officer of the Hera tapped his combadge.

"This is Sonak. I can be with you in five point three minutes, Lieutenant Commander. Will that be convenient?"

" That's fine Lieutenant. I'll see you then. " Thex said. She could use the time to grab a drink.

Exactly at the appointed time, the Vulcan entered engineering. He went straight to the Andorian chief engineer.

"How may I be of service, Lieutenant Commander?"

" Ah thank you for coming so quickly, lieutenant. Have you had a chance to read over the reports over the god armor that managed to get repaired? " Replied the andorian as she held up on the pieces. " Well, we've still had no luck even getting a scanner to get through whatever this material is made from. I was hooping science could help me find a way to take a look inside. "

Sonak nodded.

"Exochemistry and the physics department have a joint study ungoing about this artifact. I took a glance at the report but have not involved myself directly into it, since you yourself were leading the overall research. However, as you now request it, I can try and assist you. First off, what have you done exactly to try examining the object?"

Thex reached around for a padd which they had all the results on. " First we've tried using the scanners to see if we could take a look inside, but whatever the material is are scanners can't get through. We've tried removing a few flakes for a better analysis, but the highest frequency cutting laser doesn't even seem to heat it." Thex explained as she handed over the padd.

It took mere moments for Sonak to read and absorb the data.

"Obviously this material is of an unusual high density, beyond what nature may produce. I would suggest to try the same approach as we do with large cosmic bodies scanners can't penetrate; sending in a probe."

He went to the nearest computer terminal and input several data referentials to access the ship's massive computer banks. hen he showed her on the screen what he started to explain.

"While at the Academy, I became quite intrigued by the experiments in nanotechnology performed by an acting ensign named Wesley Crusher aboard the then USS Enterprise D. Commander data, my guide during my refresher training, confirmed all of the data and provided me with his own insights into nanocommunication, as he had been himself the host of sentient nanites for a time. From this, here is an idea I beleive should allow you to proceed better with examining this artifact."

The screen showed strangely moving geometric forms along with a string of complicated data as he summarized it all for the chief engineer.

"If something is material, it is made of atoms; there is no way around it. These nanites you see here are subatomic artificial lifeforms that can be programmed and inserted within the quantum lattice of any form of matter. Programming them as probes to collect data, they should allow us to penetrate even this allegedly impenetrable substance. Once inside, neither matter nor energy will hamper them from scanning the artifact from within. And once retrieved, their collected data would be transfered to our analyzing computer for study."

Thex slowly nodded as she listened to the Vulcans ideas. It all made sense. " That could work. Even if the armor has some defense against nanites. We should get some information that is better than nothing. It shouldn't take long to get some ready for an examination. Would you be willing to assist? " She inquired.

"I come to serve," he simply responded with his usual deadpan tone. "I have recalled the Crusher Algorythm and the Enterprise science logs in order to replicate the advanced nanites they ended up with; minus of course the sentient awakening that resulted in their interaction with the ship's computer. We will avoid this mishap and keep them as advanced scanning micromachines only as long as we do not lose any of them within our own computer banks. I will remove their self-replicating capability to avoid any possibility of them escaping outside of the confinement zone and infect the ship. I suggest also to preprogram a short lifespan to further ensure secure proceedings of the attempt to probe the artifact."

" Sounds good. I'll get the armor set up and have a shield put up to help keep them contained. Can't be too careful with nanites. " Thex replied as she got to work preparing the Test armor and the testing area.

"I concur," said the Vulcan as he checked the programming. "Since these nanites are able to slip between atoms, I recommend a level 10 forcefield. It will also block all forms of energy and therefore any transmission, but since they are autonomous, they will collect the data which we will retrieve when we retrieve them."

Fifty-three minutes later, Sonak held a magnetic-bottle injector full of some greyish liquid like substance he had taken out from the engineering replicator.

"Nanoprobes ready, Lieutenant Commander."

" Okay lieutenant place them next to the armor and let's get started. " Thex responded as she took her position next to the console.

The chief science officer went next to the confinement area. he affixed the injector right on the artifact then stepped back to allow the forcefield to encase the entire table where it rested. Going back to a nearby console, he remotely deactivated the magnetic confinement of the injector and activated the apparatus itself. The greyish morass spread to the surface of the armor then seemed to sip right through like water drank by soft earth.

"Nanoprobes insertion completed. I estimate five point three-four seven minutes before completion of their scanning and recording of data. Then we will be able to proceed with the extraction."

" Sounds good. " Thex said as she kept a keen watch on the mass of goo. For a minute it continued to seep into the material until the armor let out a bright flash of light. The goo on the armor vanished and what was left seemed to retreat from the armor. " Great looks like it has an anti nanite defense. Do you think they may have gotten anything though?" The andorian asked.

"There is no purpose in speculating. We shall retrieve them and recover what they have gathered even from such a brief contact," the Vulcan answered without even blinking. "With billions of them working at the same time, there should still be substantial data."

Sonak waited until the nanite wave took refuge in the only shelter available to them; the injector they came from. Once they had reintegrated it, the magnetic containment field automatically reactivated. The forcefield was then lowered and the CSO went to retrieve the assembly. Not wanting to risk any infection of the ship's systems, he connected the nanoprobes to a tricorder instead of a computer terminal and downloaded the data they had collected. Then he took the data storage chip out of the tricorder and inserted it into his console.

"I am transmitting the data gathered to your terminal, Lieutenant Commander."

Thex nodded as she received the data which she quickly brought up onto the screen. " Well, this is something. It does look like it has some defenses against what it believes are hostile nanites. " She said looking at the massive energy spike that it had detected.

Even still they had received a lot of information from the brief time the nanites had been able to work. The material it was made from appeared to have been artificially created as it resembled nothing that Thex or the computer had ever seen. They had found one thing though. The gem was putting out the same energy and radiation of a young star which seemed to be the suits power supply. " Well, that is interesting," Thex said looking at the energy readings.

"Indeed, Lieutenant Commander," agreed Sonak. "That now opens up an avenue of work on this artifact. "Stellar radiation is nothing else than nuclear energy. Therefore, all methods of regulation of nuclear energy, starting with antique heavy water and lead bars and shielding and up to current subatomic recombination used in our replicator and transporter systems, should be effective to take control of this power source."

" It may be rather hard though. It does appear to have ways off preventing of tampering with it. I'd hate to try and tap into it and suddenly the Hera has a sun burning a hole through the ship. Still, at least we have something. I'll take a look at the rest of the data and see if I can find something. Would you mind assisting me with something else lieutenant? " Thex replied as she made a back up of the data.

"Of course," he simply answered.

“Leave it to the ancients to incorporate modern energy sources into antiquities,” a familiar voice added from behind, as Commander Rita Paris arrived in Engineering. “Under ordinary circumstances I wouldn’t interfere in an investigation between science and engineering, but in this case it seems I have something relevant to bring to the table.”

Stepping into the work area, Paris slowly paced around the ornate armor suit in the containment field, speaking deliberately as she did so, eyeing the antiquity with a critical eye. “What we have here is the Armor of Achilles which, according to legend, renders the wearer invulnerable, enables them to fly due to a favor owed the mythological hero by a god who lost to him at dice, and hypothetically even allows one to operate freely underwater. It tends to bond to one person, and only function for them.”

Pausing to make eye contact, Paris offered a self-depreciating shrug. “Or so I have been told by informed parties.”

" Thank you for the information Commander Paris. " Thex said letting out a little sigh. " Well, at least we can stop the testing to see why it would work with anyone else. A Pity I'm sure security could use a few of these. Did Hera inform you of this?" She said looking at her human friend giving her a warm smile.

“Ugh,” Paris roiled her eyes. “For an intel ship we are the worst at keeping secrets. I can neither confirm nor deny the source of this information,” Paris replied with a smirk.

" Well at least we know what it is and now's it's bonded to me. Never thought I'd be wearing the armor of a human demigod." Thex replied with a grin.

“I’d be careful with that,” the crimson clad commander opined. “I’m no expert, but I’ve been told that magic always has a price, and if you are going to try to use that, it will quite likely exact some sort of cost. No idea what that might be, but as I recall, Achilles didn’t come to the best of ends himself. Although I promise not to shoot you in the ankle with an arrow…”

" Yeah, that is something to worry about. " Thex said looking at the armor. " I don't suppose are guest mentioned anything about it affecting anyone? I know Achilles was more god than i ever will be."

"Actually, according to myth, he was not," Sonak corrected her. "Achilles was a mortal man rendered invulnerable after his mother dipped him into the river Styx while still an infant; thus having no memory to loose yet while rendered impervious to harm. However, since she had to keep hold of the baby by the heel while dipping it in onto the magical waters, that part was the only one not affected by the magic; hence why he died of Paris' poisonous arrow to the heel."

His eyebrow went up slightly as he realized the similarity of his wife's surname with that of the legendary hero slayer. But his tone remained the same as he finished.

"This armor is meant to symbolize the hero's power. But in itself, it is an inaccurate rendition as Achilles needed no such protection. Therefore, mythological references will not be much relevant in studying it."

Thex was running her fingers through her hair as she leaned against the desk. " So much we don't know about them. I mean they had the tech and powers to build this and make someone's skin indestructible but started a war over this. " She said reaching for the solid gold apple that she was now using as a decoration for her workbench.

"Some wars were started for less," noted the Vulcan. "And speaking of wars, Achilles is most famous for his participation in the legendary war of Troy, fighting on behalf of the Greeks against the fabled city to retrieve the Spartan king's wife Helena, seduced and taken by Paris. He slew many great warriors, including the amazon Penthesilea and most of all Hector, greatest hero and favored son of Troy. Also according to the Illiad of the bard Homer, he is just as famous for refusing to fight for a time after the death of his lover Patroclus at the hands of Hector... and of course the manner of his death, from which comes the expression "sulking like Achilles in his tent" and the term "Achilles heel."

Sonak then raised an eyebrow.

"If this armor is meant to be a physical manifestation of this legend... then it means that it should have one specific weak point; and a weak point related to it's making."

“Uh, also might want to be careful with that apple, if the legends are to be believed,” Rita Paris observed, pointing to the golden apple. She herself, having seen much more of time in the universe than her lifespan would allow, had no interest in immortality. While she had dealt with the fact that everyone she had ever known was dead, the prospect of outliving her spouse and anyone else in her life through a linear progression sounded hellish to her, and she’d have nothing to do with it. If Thex wanted to toy with such forces that was on her, but leaving a potential key to immortality sitting on her desk as a paperweight seemed radically irresponsible to Rita’s eye.

" Well, the armor does have an off switch on one of the feet when it's activated. " Thex replied having put that info in her first report on the armor. " As for this, I've scanned it and it's just a solid ball of gold in the shape of an apple. Maybe it can do something in their hands, but it's harmless to us. Unless someone fooled Hera and she just hasn't noticed?" She responded the thought jumping into her head.

“Hadn’t asked, just operating off mythology,” Paris admitted. ”An apple is representative of wisdom in my culture, and the golden apple was the key to immortality. Given that it came from the same batch of mythological artifacts, I’m just advising caution. But if you want to use the retrieved ancient artifact of potentially unknown properties as a paperweight on your desk, that’s your call. I assume there is a report floating around about your analysis so far for review?”

" Yup." Thex said as she leaned over and drew a padd from her pile before handing it over to Rita. " I'll get a security case made for this and get it stores at once Commander." She said Profesional.

“As you see fit, Commander,” Paris replied, glancing at the report before looking back to the two senior staff officers. “I’ll get this to the Captain, and nice work on cracking the code, Chief sh’Zoarhi.” With that, the old-school officer offered a snappy two fingered salute as she pivoted and marched off to continue her rounds.

"Do you still require my services, Lieutenant Commander?" asked Sonak.

" No lieutenant that will be all. I'll make sure to send you the data." The andorian said as she turned to pack away the armor.

 

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