RP Log: Procedural Containment
| Roleplay Log | |
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| Participants: | |
Location(s):
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Stardate:
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| 2026-01-05 00:33 | |
- Commander's Office <Emissary Station>
- This dedicated office is large and designed to meet the needs of the officer and billet assigned to it. The carpet is an almond colour with a sand coloured trim, with the bulkheads, walls, and furniture in a subdued beige. The room is bathed in a soft glow from the overhead lighting panels, and a glossy black panel set into the bulkhead opposite the door provides access to an LCARS interface. A sizeable desk is positioned in the center of the room, with a tall backed swivel chair behind it. A display curves out of the desk with a touchpad set into the desk at its base, and on the opposite end is a tall, built-in lamp. In front of the desk are two mid-sized chairs, and two workstations are built into the bulkheads on either side of the room in small cubicles. Displayed on an interior bulkhead wall is a beautiful painting of the Bajoran countryside.
T'Shaav is seated behind her desk, ending a commcall with someone who thinks that their problem is the most urgent one T'Shaav has to deal with today, which describes many a caller. "Indeed," T'Shaav is saying blandly. "T'Shaav out." She turns to the door.
Ko enters the Commander's Office with Toran. She stands at attention for the Captain. "Captain, we've returned from Bajor."
Toran enters the office. "Captain, we managed to learn a few things on the ground," he says. "Not everything, but a couple of things I felt worth sharing as soon as possible."
"Obviously you have returned," the Vulcan tells Ko, "since you are not broadcasting a subspace-mediated holographic transmission." She turns to Toran and nods at his statement. "Sit down, both of you, and continue with your findings."
Ko takes a seat as instructed. She elaborates. "The nanites have already been deployed on Bajor. Twelve fields in the province are already being modified."
Toran nods, also taking a seat. "The nanites are apparently of a type that is utilized on Vulcan," he says. "And, one of the last things we heard could hint at a possible danger. If not handled correctly, if they shutdown while they are in the middle of their work, they could perminantly render the soil they are working with unusable. They require a maintanence code to stay operational, and if they don't get it, they are designed to automatically shutdown to prevent rogue-like behavior. Tikar Rilan's fiance is overseeing them on the surface, but the maintanence code is something she doesn't have." He pauses.
T'Shaav takes this in. "Various pieces of this puzzle have been communicated in various ways to various individuals. We will remedy that shortly. To sum, you are telling me that the doctor's work involves nanotechnology deployed for agricultural engineering. Correct?"
Ko nods. "That's right. Doctor Tikar's fiancee admitted he had sourced the technology from Vulcan. They've been using it to fix the barren fields from the occupation."
Toran nods as well. "One field near the barn she's operating out of is showing signs of growth and revitalization," he says. "We don't know how long the nannites have been in play captain. We just know that they are. Did the Vulcans not communicate any of this to you captain?"
"Vulcan uses nanotechnology in its agricultural engineering. Given its population density and arid environment, technological means were necessary centuries ago for food production at scale." She turns to Toran. "No Major. Major T'Van of Vulcan security has been less than fully communicative about the nature of the charges. But logic suggests Vulcan authorities seek to try the doctor on a charge of theft if I am following this line of reasoning correctly."
Ko nods at T'Shaav. She says, "If the farmers have already benefited from this technology, they're not going to want to give up the nanites. They're not going to want to see Doctor Tikar prosecuted on Vulcan."
Toran nods. "And the average farmer isn't going to understand the risk if the nannites are handled incorrectly," he says. "So far, it doesn't appear that they have been. If they were stolen though, the question is, when that happened, and if it was the nannites or just their design that was stolen. If actual nannites were taken, how did they get to Bajor? Doctor Tikar has not been to Bajor since his return to Emissary Station. He's spent most of that time in your brig. So, there are still more questions than answers captain, but at least we have a couple answers regarding his work."
"Your question is easily answered, Major. It is possible, though unproven, that the doctor gave the nanites, or their design specifications, to his lover for further transit onwards to Bajor because he suspected that the authorities, Bajoran or Vulcan, would catch up with him." The Vulcan captain considers. "Right now, we are dealing with one legal question, Lieutenant, Major. The question of Doctor Tikar's extradition to Vulcan and the hearing that determines that outcome. We are not going to ejudicate his guilt, and we are not dealing, currently, with a request for the return of stolen property from Vulcan."
Ko looks at Toran as the Captain speaks. She nods to T'Shaav. "Do you want me to talk with Doctor Tikar about the maintenance code, Captain? We shouldn't let the fields that are currently affected be damaged."
Toran nods to Ko, then to T'Shaav. "I simply find it interesting that it was sloppily handled, in that case," he says. "Why give her the designs, specs, or actual nannites, without the maintanence code? That doesn't make a whole lot of sense to me captain." He pauses. "But, the nannites that are already in play, if they are not handled properly, they could pose an actual threat to my planet. We have a vested interest in not seeing more damage done to the surface, so if we can get those maintanence codes, that would be in our interests."
The Vulcan ex-security chief regards her Bajoran colleague with a serene expression. "On the contrary, Major Toran. It makes plenty of sense, as you put it, if viewed through the correct lens. Permit me to speculate within the causal chain of reasoning you have thus far developed. Suppose I could be assured of getting my absconded product, X, to its destination, Y, but I could not guarantee that I myself remained at liberty long enough to accomplish all my goals. Now suppose that in order to work properly, at scale, at duration, X requires some additional property, call it XSub1, and that information resided with me and me alone. Do you begin to see my conclusion?"
Ko stays quiet as she listens to T'Shaav and Toran's conversation.
Toran considers, then nods. "To use as a bargaining chip," he says. "In which case, either his fiance is in on all of it, or she should know what kind of person she's working with." He pauses. "Has anyone gone through his data? The code could be there."
"Precisely," the Vulcan says, nodding to Toran. She pauses a beat. "Let me reiterate that this causal chain of inference is speculative, not proven. Tell me," she adds to both, "what was the demeanor of his significant other during your encounter?"
Ko answers. "She seemed agitated with our presence, Captain." She looks at Toran. "She let us explore around her fields though."
Toran nods. "And discussed her work," he says. "And that work is?"
Ko answers. "Working with the nanites. She was busy maintaining them when we left."
Toran nods to Ko. "Trying to keep the nannites running, yes," he says.
T'Shaav nods, "Indeed. And what did you infer from her demeanor and her statements?" She asks the pair neutrally.
Ko takes a second to think. "She looked like she was in over her head. She didn't seem like she had all of the answers herself."
Toran nods. "She was pretty open, all things considered, at least with what she knew that I could tell. Wasn't trying to overtly hide anything from us."
"That word, overtly, is doing much epistemic work, Major," the Vulcan says. "What do you both propose?"
Ko looks at T'Shaav. "I think we should try and get the maintenance code to her until we're able to have other scientists step in. If they fail as a result of our inaction, it's going to make the growing sentiment towards us worse. The farmers won't see it as the nanites failing. They'll see it as us not allowing the project to succeed."
Toran nods. "I'm in agreement there," he says.
With no hint as to the chains of inference that may be ticking through her brain, T'Shaav deliberates for a full second, and responds. "Lieutenant. Per your question from earlier, you are authorized to speak with the prisoner, but if he attempts to bargain, know this. I do not bargain, and I shall not be extorted. However, you may tell him, should the matter arise, that his cooperation will be noted. Understood?" Her demeanor suggests that this may be one of a few things she means to say, but she pauses here.
Ko says back, "Understood, Captain." She repeats the order to make certain she understands it. "I'll speak with Dr. Tikar and give him the opportunity to provide us with the maintenance code. If he tries to barter with us, I'll suggest his cooperation would be noted in the record."
Toran nods, remaining silent.
She nods briefly to Ko. "Major," the Vulcan continues, "I recognize that my command authority does not extend to you. However, if Doctor Tikar's cooperation is not forthcoming, I suggest that you seek an audience with Major T'Van of Vulcan security. Your objective, to brief him concerning the nanite situation on Bajor, and to ask him firstly, if his government is aledging their theft, the theft of specifications only, or both. Depending on his information, he and his government may be able to provide information that will remediate the situation on the surface, particularly, if Doctor Tikar proves unable or unwilling to do so." A beat. "Finally, if Doctor Tikar is unable or unwilling to help, I will authorize a joint search of his data by the pair of you so that both Starfleet and the Bajoran authorities can be informed."
Ko looks to Toran as T'Shaav gives some directions to him.
Toran nods. "I intended to seek out major T'Van anyway captain," he says. "He aledged an imminant threat to my planet without specifying what that threat was. Now that we have some idea, I intend to discuss the matter with him."
She nods to Toran. "Lastly, Lieutenant Ko, I want a full and complete report from you on my desk by 08:00 hours tomorrow, with copies to Captain Anewan as sector diplomatic officer and to Major Toran. Discuss everything you have learned to date, even if you think I or he have heard it before. Consider the report a calibration, so that all senior officers have all of the matter to hand. Understood?"
Ko nods at T'Shaav and responds. "I understand, sir."
Toran nods one more time. "My government is going to be very interested in all of this as well. Thank you both for your time."
T'Shaav nods. "Major." She nods to Ko. "Dismissed, Lieutenant."
Ko nods at T'Shaav. "Yes, sir." She walks towards the exit.