RP Log: Burn It Out Hotter
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Stardate:
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| 2024-08-25 19:23 | |
- Science Lab One <Antares Ship Yards>
- The labs on the station, have similar design queues to one another, but each is configured for a slightly different purpose. This particular lab has evidence of astrophysical studies, with star charts, and chemical analysis diagrams on display boards. There are a number of stations along the back wall, each of which can be devoted to a specific experiment or study project. A black, glossy panelling runs along the bulkheads at shoulder height near the entry door, allowing access to the LCARS interface, and tracers set into the bulkheads close to the ceiling indicate the current alert status.
[Crass's Commbadge] Sending request for communication to Lieutenant Commander LePage.
[Crass's Commbadge] Communications channel to Lieutenant Commander LePage open - audio only.
[Crass's Commbadge] LePage says, "LePage"
"Commander", Crass snorts, "This is Lieutenant Crass. I need an engineers opinion in science lab one. When you have some time."
[Crass's Commbadge] "I could use the walk, give me a moment and I'll be over" LePage replies.
Crass smiles, "Thank you. Crass out."
You double tap your commbadge.
[Crass's Commbadge] Connection to Lieutenant Commander LePage terminated.
Lieutenant Commander LePage arrives from Research Corridor.
Crass is at the first of several workstations, hers is setup for testing variable heat sources on a sample of the nanotech armor to see its affects. She waves you over when she hears the door open.
LePage walks over. "Howdy. What can I have a look at for you?"
Crass grunts, "We have several experiments underway trying to eliminate the infection in the nanotech armor." She points at the second workstation, "At that one, Ensign Whitley is trying to deprive the infection of a food source. Here", she points at the station she is at, "I have tried freezing the nanotech infection, but that only causes it to go dormant. Now, I am attempting to burn it out. However, the temperatures I am permitted to use in the science lab are limited. I need something that can go hotter than 1,000 degrees kelvin. I might argue much higher, 4-5 thousand may be needed."
"So you're needing something way hotter?" LePage scratches his chin. "I can think of a couple ways to do it, but while maintaining the quarantine you have..." He hmms for a bit. "How wide of an area are you needing this to be?"
Crass shakes her head, "I do not know. So far my experiments have had only marginal effect, but if any of the infection remains on the sample, the infection unfortunately spreads again. But for the test, we need something to
cover only a few centimeters. I was thinking a plasma flow might be hot enough?"
LePage nods. "I was thinking the same thing. I could possibly get an apparatus small enough to fit into a containment vessel"
Crass smiles, "That would certainly help, sir. How can I help?"
"I'll need to go fetch the compenents right quick from my lab, could you do me a favor and pop the cover off this containment unit pedistal so that I can get ready to tie in the plasma emitters?" LePage requests
Crass grunts in acknowledgement, and begins to do just that.
LePage sets off to retrieve the appropriate equipment
Lieutenant Commander LePage goes Out.
Lieutenant Commander LePage arrives from Research Corridor.
Crass has gotten a chair to stand on so she can reach the top of the containment unit, the cover popped off, she hops down off the chair with it in her hand.
"I'll need that" LePage says, getting stood up himself on the chair to start tying in some components. "It always surprises me how lacking the science labs can be in terms of equipment..."
Crass hands you the popped lid, and watches your work carefully, learning.
LePage installs a few circuits in places they don't look like they go. "Having to tap into the grid directly before the regulators so I can get a high enough voltage to start the plasma flow. This will almost CERTAINLY generate a few alarms" LePage chuckles. "I'm not doing a lot to endear myself to the ACTUAL Chief of Engineering"
Crass asks, "Isn't that you, sir?" She continues to watch, pointing out a missed connection or two, only to have you not gotten that far yet.
"In a place full of Engineers, someone has to be tending to the actual shipyards themselves. We all pitch in, but that's not me. I'm just Chief of Research... and I'm researching a new way to burn the shipyard down, that's all... Alrightly, should be good to set the emitters in" LePage says, setting up a secondary containment field temporarily to install the plasma flow emitter into the primary containment field before setting it all back up the way it was.
Crass asks, "Will we be able to control the flow and resultant temperature, or will the temperature be defined by the plasma itself?"
"The former, it's a standard plasma flow emitter, much like we'd use for welding parts together we can't replicate all at once" LePage nods.
Crass grunts, "Alright. I hope that is sufficient."
"Hope so too" LePage says, handing a PADD with the controls to Crass.
Crass studies the padd then asks for clarification on the various buttons before she proceeds. "I will set for an initial test with no sample inside for a .1 second burst. This could potentially be bright." She hands you some protective eyewear and puts on a pair herself. "When you are ready, sir."
"You know if I blind myself here, that's worth at least a week off" LePage jokes before donning the glasses.
"I would argue you could ask for anything you want, including a month off, if we are successful, sir. The adulation will be in abundance." Crass presses the button for the initial test.
A very short stream of plasma is directed at the testing area. Nothing melts or explodes, or even catches fire, well except the sample tray which is scorched beyond recognition.
LePage watches, with shielded eyes, as the emitter takes a moment before sparking up into an intense beam. "Captain Ki'Vek is trying to ship me off to Risa anyhow"
"That sounds like fun sir, I've never been. You?" Crass also observes the test, satisfied she programs the computer to load in a sample of the infected nanotech. "Increasing the duration to 1.0 seconds. Stand by." She presses the trigger button.
The intense light flashes across LePage's face again. "No, just heard all the stories. Mostly at the Academy"
A slightly longer stream of plasma is directed at the infected nanotech sample. The nanotech armor itself is marginally damaged, as it is designed to withstand extreme temperatures.
"Computer, what is the status of the infection in the current sample?" Crass asks. She says to you, "It is working well, sir. Thank you." She nods, "I too have heard stories about it, I just don't know if they are the kinds of stories I'd be interested in being a part of."
A computer generated voice says, "Analyzing..."
"I'm right there with you, but I've also often been accused of... well, not having much a life outside of work. In fact that's Captain Ki'Vek's main argument" LePage says
Crass smiles, "I don't even know what that is sir. But this is fun for me." She waits for the results.
A computer generated voice says, "4.75% of nanotech material remains infected, focused at the outer edges of sample. Indications that infection is returning to previously infected areas of sample."
"That's promising" LePage says, pulling up a heatmap of the sample piece.
Crass nods and grunts, "Yes, very much so sir. A wider dispersal then? Can we adjust the emitter to blanket a larger area of the sample?" She programs the computer to load a fresh sample prior to the next test.
"Up to a certain point, yes" LePage nods. He points to the heatmap. "Although I will point out that the outer edges are only just a couple hundred degrees lower. Spreading out the plasma stream will bring down the average temperature close to this outer edge's temperature here"
Crass asks, "Will spreading out the plasma stream lower the overall temperature reached? I think we should compensate by extending the length of the stream by another half a second."
LePage nods. "I agree with that, go ahead"
Crass adjusts the stream width, then the duration to 1.5 seconds. She glances at you to confirm your glasses are still on then adjusts her own. "Proceeding." she triggers the plasma flow.
The plasma flow covers the entirety of the infected nanotech sample.
LePage glances at the heatmap live readout
Crass asks, "Computer, what is the status of the infection in the current sample?"
A computer generated voice says, "Analyzing..."
Commander Temple arrives from Research Corridor.
LePage waits for the results
Temple walks into the science lab and looks around
Crass and LePage are at the first workstation, it has been outfitted with a plasma stream to direct hot plasma onto the sample within. They are just waiting for the results for the last test.
A computer generated voice says, "0% infection detected. Nanotech armor marginally damaged."
"Computer, is there any damage that a repair routine on the nanotech's part wouldn't address?" LePage asks, peering at the sample
A computer generated voice says, "Analyzing..."
Temple walks over to Crass and LePage and asks "Progress Gentleman?"
Crass grunts at Temple, "I may not be pretty, but I am not a man. Sir." She looks at LePage, "We may have solved it, sir. At least on a test sample."
A computer generated voice says, "Standard repair procedures will have minimal effect to nanotech armor. Reduction in nanotech effectiveness will be permanent unless additional repair procedures and techniques are designed and implemented."
"It's not elegant but it's enough of a start to develop some proceedures" LePage says.
Temple looks to Crass and says "Apologies Lt. I should rephrase that Progress, Ladies and gentleman"
Temple nods and says "Since command hasn't sent orders for the Coffey, you have my authorisation to test out any remedies on the Armor system aboard the Coffey"
Crass says, "I was thinking sir, in the hopes that this would work, of a way to envelope a ship completely so all the armor would be cooked at the same time." She snorts, "We could fly an infected ship into a star, with the armor deployed."
LePage sucks in a breath. "I don't like how that's not entirely unviable"
Temple looks to Crass and says "Flying the test subject into the sun is way to risky and overboard Lieutenant"
"I would argue sir, not all stars are created equal." Crass grunts, "The star in this system for example, does not burn overly brightly. There are other star classes that are less hot." She asks LePage, "What temperature was the plasma stream, we need to be able to repeat that over the entire hull at one time. Any area not properly heated will remain infected, as the tests show, and will just spread again."
LePage tilts his head. "That was about 5000 or so centigrade, easily within the realm of possibility for a lot of stars" he nods. "It would answer the area exposure question, as well as making it readily available to the fleet instead of having to have the entire fleet march back to their nearest shipyard for a tanning session"
Crass says to Temple, "Commander, I would argue we need to test this as a viable solution. It solves all the requirements. The armor, when deployed, will offer some protection to the ship."
Temple shakes his head and says "Lt. Flying a ship into a sun is not my idea of safe testing, we can thoroughly test the armor using safer means"
"You're getting hung up on the into part sir" LePage says. "It's more like a suntan. Or, well, a fairly controlled sunburn"
Temple looks at LePage and says "Okay, send myself, Captain Ki'Vek your testing plans and we will consider the next steps"
Crass nods to LePage, "A sufficiently hot enough sunburn will burn off the infection in the armor. We've proven that in the smaller-scale tests. We need to test it on a larger scale. I will volunteer for the tests."
LePage nods. "I can do that"
Crass smiles, "Thank you Commander Temple."
Temple looks to Crass and LePage and says "Don't thank me yet Lieutenant, you will need to find an appropiate star to use, one that does not produce any harmful radiation that could causes a crew harm"
"We'll have them close all the windows" LePage says. "In anycase, I'll need to get working on that. If y'all'd excuse me"
Crass smiles at LePage, "Thank you for your help sir. Have fun on Risa, if you end up going." She begins cleaning up the experiment.
LePage rolls his eyes. "Yeah right"
Lieutenant Commander LePage goes Out.