ILLUMINARRPG: (9-1608) EO - EO Ensign Bohb and CO- Captain Sekal

[Al Muir]

Mission: Death in the Shadows

Day: 9

Stardate: 2446.02.09


 (USS Illuminar - Deck 1- Bridge – EO - Ensign Bohb and CO- Captain Sekal- 1608)


Bohb stepped onto the bridge, which seemed to still be all in one piece.  He looked at the command chair for any sign of Commander Verin’s injuries, but saw none.  He had given what he wanted to say to the captain careful consideration.  After all, he was a civilized Magillan.  He had spent a great deal of time in “sensitivity training” to understand the non-verbal cues of other races so as not to offend… or be offended.  One of the tenants had become, before you try to rip someone’s arms off you should talk to someone else.


He also had many questions about Luma’s time shifting, some of them were, well, important.  He moved across to the door leading to the captain’s ready room, and placed his hand on the door chime, as he waited for a response.


Sekal set down the glass in his hand while wondering who might be at his door at this time. "Come." He sat back upon seeing the Magillan enter the office. "Mr. Bohb please take a seat."


 (USS Illuminar - Deck 1- Ready Room – EO - Ensign Bohb and CO- Captain Sekal - 1609)


Bohb stepped into the office and on seeing Sekal his face beamed.  He was always pleased to see the son of Saleke, knowing the boy was a… chip off the old block.  He moved over to the desk and looked at the offered seat.  With a shrug he sat in it and wiggled his body until he was as comfortable as he could make it.


“I know you’re busy Captain,” he began, “so I will try not to take up too much of your time.  Recent events have left me with some questions, and I was advised to ask you.””


"Very well, continue please."


“As I am to understand it, Luma has the capacity to move the Illuminar through time as well as space,” he stated more as a question.  “Luma made it clear that she is connected to all time simultaneously.  Is that correct so far?”


"To an extent. We had this discussion earlier. It is believed Luma has access to the extent of her own existence."


“So my question is how does the ship's new position in time correlate to what” is already in that timeline?  Would it not cause a paradox on a universal scale, creating either an alternate timeline, or worse, an inability for the universe to make sense of the change and eliminate the new timeline in a most violent of manner?


"You make an excellent point which is why her movement through time with the ship and those aboard her is restricted. Luma moving herself alone would be a considerable risk but with the ship in tow it is conceivable that damage to the timeline would be considerable. Luma does not understand this as her own essence is relatively unaffected. It is the other repercussions that she does not see."


“So we shifted in time about 10 seconds, and I see no discernible effect on the universe,” Bohb said.  “I am having a problem aligning this to what little I know about time travel.  Traveling backwards in time would have a more considerable and measurable effect.  However, since we traveled forward, how can we measure the effect of the maneuver on the universe that we just white washed over?”


"A slight jump forward has little effect and the ripples are minimized. Consider this, some on the bridge of the Hades noted and were confused by it but what if the jump had been forward one minute or one hour? There would be no clear way to explain it outside of time travel. As is, it is simply a confusing blip that in itself raises questions but will not travel very far. Going back in the past as you noted however is problematic. What if the jump was before the encounter with the ship and now two existed? Or before we set out from Regulus? The farther back one goes the greater the damage to the timeline. So in either direction the consequences mount the farther one goes. This is why her ability to do so is constrained by a mind bondmate."


“I have indeed made such a consideration,” Bohb admitted.  “I wonder what happened to the Illuminar that we, for lack of a better way of putting it, rewrote.  I also have considered that humans… and Vulcans… are not fond of mysteries.  I am constantly amazed at the level they will go to solve such things, and often the mystery is minor.  Although it is only a 10 second mystery, that is the kind of mystery that will pick at someone until they find the answer.  And then her secret will be out.”


Sekal nodded. "The Admiral himself admitted as much. At some point her secrets will  be revealed but until then knowledge of them will not be fostered. Going back into the past would be rewriting and causing a paradox. The only result of this small jump forward is not unlike the trial run of the maximum warp sustainability test where the ship briefly entered a subspace conduit and began skipping over light years in a matter of seconds. The ship moved forward without altering past events. It is the altering of past events which causes a paradox and damage to the timeline."


Bohb laughed, “Once again, like your father, we are on the same wavelength.  I had taken the initiative to create a sensor scenario that would show the exact same event showing up in our sensor records, if someone were to do a diagnostic.  It would be almost indeterminable from the records that already exist in our data banks.”


He pulled out a data chip and put it on the desk, and slid it across to Sekal.  “Of course, if you’d prefer that I input the data and thus be the only one that would be culpable in creating an official false record I would understand, and would happily do so.


Sekal picked up the chip and inserted it into the computer access port. The simulation appeared above his desk and he tapped the control to play it. The ship that was input into the program disappeared to reappear exactly ten seconds later in a different section of the partitioned display which gave a reading of 200k kilometers. The Vulcan watched it closely before commenting. "Due to what I imparted to you earlier this could be explained away though some questions might still persist. Consider this: The ship energized a warp bubble to do a small jump but due to the necessary speedy release of energy entered a hyperwarp conduit and overshot then was forced to return. It would take a detailed examination of all of the sensor logs which might still be insufficient to debunk the official story."


“As I said,” Bohb responded, “human tenacity can cause them to do somethings that others might consider to be… crazy.  However, if you look carefully I have created the data to simulate the warp bubble and the access to hyper space.  It could only be “debunked” if you had actually been there, scanning for subspace instabilities at the time of the occurrence.  However, I will acquiesce to your own decision.  I just wanted to help.”


The Vulcan nodded. "I agree with your simulation and it corresponds to the experience aboard the ship in the past. I also agree with your deduction about the scans. This is what some would call I believe 'saying the same thing in a different way'. Though certainly not in the way Dr. Teller would no doubt express it."


Bohb chuckled, “He does have a way to turn a phrase.  I think I understood something he said earlier today.  But I can’t be sure.”


Bohb stood up and stretched a little.  He looked ready to go and then stopped.  “May I say something of a more personal nature?”


"Permission granted."


“I had a conversation with Ms. Luma earlier today,” he began.  “She informed me that Lieutenant Lee called her a traitor, or something of that ilk.  My initial reaction was to teach the man some manners.  If you know my record… .”


The Vulcan's eyes closed for an instant then reopened. "I also spoke to Luma about the matter but not only that I was given access to the entire conversation. I also spoke to Chief Lee later who apologized for intimating the way Luma received it. As I told Luma from a dispassionate and logical standpoint after looking at it this was the result of a misunderstanding between the two and he never called her a traitor. He was attempting to advise her that disobeying orders and allowing classified material to fall into enemy hands would be a traitorous act. And the reason he said that was because he believed falsely that she would be put into a situation where she could not be controlled. I informed him that this would not happen. Luma was giving a possible scenario of what could happen were she to be making the decision … as he asked. But that scenario would not happen. Luma is an emotional being and emotional beings make mistakes regarding content when they believe themselves attacked… which she was not. This is not the first time she has had a disagreement with an officer over the subject."


Bohb humphed at the thought of Luma being controlled.  He also gave an agreeing vocalization at her having disagreements with others, as he recalled his own timeout in her shuttle.  “As I said, sir, it was a personal matter.  What do you know, Doctor Aster was correct.  How embarrassing it would have been for me to dislocate Lee’s shoulders over a misunderstanding.”


"Quite." Sekal spoke in agreement.


“Well thank you for your time … Captain Sekal,” Bohb turned to leave then stopped at the door.  “You know, in some ways you are superior to your father.  Luma certainly respects you, and I respect her opinion.  Have a wonderful day sir.”


Before he left the Captain had one thing to say. "I believe you underestimate my father. Many have in the past and found out they were wrong. While Luma respects me my father is also the recipient of the highest status in her eyes, that of a mentor. Good day Mr. Bohb."


Bohb smiled, and did his best imitation of a Vulcan, “Indeed.  But trust me when I say, Capt...Admiral Saleke is never someone I would underestimate.  Nor would I you.  Thank you, sir.”


(reply none)

(posted by Al Muir and Charles G)

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