Episode 79, Communications
09 Jul 2024Ryuko Ntsikana
Episode 79, Communications
_____________________________
The Diamondback Explorer class ship was, as its name suggested, a purpose-built vessel for exploration. The abomination it was turned into took advantage of that design. There were more than a few gremlins that had to be chased around, which required a bit of creative coding before the ship’s computer would accept the changes that had been made.
Tara was deep into the data core of the ship, having a chat with the ship’s AI as Captain Akio, engineering chief Diego, and Lianna walked across the hangar towards me. I could see the curiosity and slight amusement on their faces as they approached.
“I don’t advise taking this to any facility that is dedicated to servicing explorers,” Chief Diego commented, nodding his head at the exposed utility and weapons bays.
“Seriously?” Captain Akio chortled, pointing at the midnight blueberry paint scheme as Chief Diego ran his hand down the barrel of the chin-mounted burst laser. “I see you also have mounted a manifest and kill warrant scanner, along with a plasma accelerator and triple burst fire Imperial hammer railgun.”
"Wait, it gets better," I said. "She has a Scarab ground vehicle hangar, two additional fuel tanks, with a fuel scoop, a chaff and flare launcher, and an automated field maintenance unit.”
Lianna raised an eyebrow. “That paint job will throw off anyone giving you a visual look-see but won’t protect you from a proper scan.”
“Anyone who does a deep scan is either the law or the opposite, and I don’t expect it to be the former,” I replied, shrugging.
“With this setup, I would guess you will not be exploring for new planets and xenobiology then,” Captain Akio observed, a hint of sarcasm in his tone.
“Planets, moons, and biology yes… not so much the Xeno,” I answered.
“Have you chatted with the Coterie group since your last adventure?” Akio asked, his tone shifting to genuine curiosity.
“Not a word, why, are they getting antsy?” I inquired.
“Actually, no. They have been enjoying the free maintenance and the other amenities. The dark and silent one, Nyx, tried to sneak into the brothel, but you know the Contessa. She is all about business clientele only, no crew. He never made it past the front reception area before being tossed out.”
“If he’s smart, he won’t cross her and try again,” I said with a chuckle.
“True enough. Guess we will see how smart he is,” Akio replied.
“You didn’t come down here with the entourage just to look over my new ship and tell me about someone trying to sneak in to be with the ladies. What’s on your minds?” I asked, sensing there was more to their visit.
“Lianna found a communications irregularity from your last mission. A data link was established between the Python and the facility, while you were out in the Scorpion. There was no record of any data being shared, but we didn’t know if you were aware of it or not,” Chief Diego explained, his tone serious.
“Not to my knowledge but someone else might have an answer,” I said, turning towards the ship and raising my voice slightly. “Tara, can you come out here for a moment?”
Each gave me a weird look at not using the communicator as Tara exited from the ship’s aft entrance ramp and walked over to join us.
“Lianna found an anomaly with the communications during our last mission. There was a recorded data link between the Python and the facility, but no record of any data being transferred,” I explained.
“That is correct, I attempted to make a connection with the facility to see if there was any information I could obtain should Nyx and the doctor experience any difficulties or fail in their task,” Tara replied, her tone even.
“You were able to connect but not retrieve anything?” Akio asked, raising an eyebrow.
“That would be correct. There should have been at the minimum a report on the lunar conditions at the facility, but as noted, no data was received,” Tara confirmed.
“At least the mission was successful. The doctor was able to escape with the encrypted data core and whatever those security personnel had become is no longer a concern for anyone,” Akio said, a hint of relief in his voice.
Something about the way she said it didn’t feel right to me, but no one else appeared to have noticed.
“Good work on catching that Lianna. You are learning the communication part of the engineering position well. How are you getting along with the other various ship’s systems?” I asked, trying to shift the focus.
“I have the data recording and reporting side figured out but I am not too familiar with the logistics of the parts,” Lianna admitted.
“I was going to pair her with the boatswain for that, whenever you thought she was ready,” Chief Diego said, looking at me for approval.
Thinking it could be nothing but my gut was telling me that something was off and I needed to throw them off the trail until I could figure it out, I replied, “If you think she is ready, Chief, pair her up and see how she does.”
“Do you feel like you are ready?” Chief Diego asked, looking at Lianna.
Lianna nodded nervously.
“Good, then I will let Amari know that she has a new intern. Once you get a feel for how everything is sourced and procured you can come back and put the two halves together and see how the whole works,” Chief Diego instructed.
“And all of this will help me to learn how to combat pirates for my employer?” Lianna asked, seeking reassurance.
“Yes, remember combating them successfully isn’t about destroying their ships but securing a superior position where you can set the standards of what is or is not accepted. Whether it be cargo, parts, maintenance, basically all of it. Their ships don’t run without credits and if you establish yourself in a position to dictate what is accepted and what the prices are, then you control the pirates,” I explained again.
I turned around to look at the ship again, putting my hands on my hips. “It looks like the mystery has been solved, now to chase down one more gremlin before taking her out for a proper test.”
“The ship’s computer accepted the latest coding change. I was running a final diagnostic before coming out here, but you should know, we will need to raid a place that has adaptive encryptors before you can redesign the manifest scanner again.”
“Nice,” Chief Diego commented as he took a step back to look up at the exposed manifest scanner with a grin appearing on his face. “You already have a fast scan modification, but you would only need that data if you are trying to reduce its range and power requirements while keeping its scan speed.”
“Now you’re thinking like a pirate,” I replied with a grin of my own causing both the Chief and Captain Akio to break out laughing.
Good, their minds were now on something else.
Keeping my attention on the ship I tilted my head to Tara. “Get her ready for flight darling.” Turning my head a little more I looked over my shoulder with a grin and wink. “Gentleman, if there are no other anomalies to squash I think it’s time to take her out on a proper mission and see what kind of credits she can earn. Don’t wait up for me.”
That produced a new round of laughter as I walked away, headed towards the ship’s aft entrance, my smile fading.
***
As Captain Akio and Chief Diego watched Tara and Ryuko depart the carrier, Lianna seemed lost in her own thoughts.
Chief Diego noticed her distraction and asked, “You still look troubled. What’s on your mind?”
Lianna tilted her head from one side to the other, her eyes fixed as she tried to make sense of her thoughts. “We all knew the facility's communications were down, so why did Tara attempt a data connection, which was confirmed to have happened, but no record of any data transfer? How do you connect to something that cannot receive or transmit?”
She looked up at Chief Diego, her face lined with concern. “I am not an engineer or a communications specialist, but something about this still bothers me.”
Chief Diego looked back at Captain Akio, who smirked with an amused expression.
Captain Akio shook his head as a parent would towards a child. “Tara confirmed your findings and her valid reasons for doing so. She attempted a connection but no data was transferred. A good catch on your part, but it’s an open and closed case.”
Lianna’s eyes fixed again. “That does not explain how a connection was made to something that could not receive a connection.”
A smile appeared on Chief Diego’s face as he watched his intern work out her issue. “Not to the facility’s primary data communications array, but the power inside was still active, as was the facility’s reactor. It is common for a connection to be made externally to an internal data port.”
Lianna shook her head, looking at Chief Diego once more. “Yes, but the signal strength is limited to less than ten meters. She was airborne and more than a few hundred meters distant.”
Chief Diego laughed, patting Lianna on the shoulder. “You just answered your own question. The Python’s transmitter could connect, but the limited ability of the data port would mean that nothing could be transmitted, not even an acknowledgment of the connection from its end. The only record of the connection would be from the Python, which you discovered.”
Captain Akio smiled, impressed with Lianna’s persistence in tracking down what she thought was an issue. “As I said before, it is an open and shut case. You’re going to drive yourself crazy on an issue that has been answered, and you will need all of your faculties if you expect to keep up with Amari tomorrow. Go clear your mind, get some chow and rest, then report to the boatswain’s office tomorrow.”
Lianna nodded, sulking away as both Akio and Diego glanced at each other with whimsical expressions on their faces.
Onboard the Diamondback Explorer, Tara smiled as well.