Secret Computer’s Virus

Posted on Sat Jan 1st, 2022 @ 12:06am by Lieutenant Victor Barclay de Tolly & Lieutenant Alice Jordan ( Barclay de Tolly ) & Lieutenant JG Louis Bordeaux ( Barclay de Tolly ) & Lieutenant Myne Redal & Ensign Edward D'Gracefull

Mission: MISSION 0 - History Speaks
Location: Main Engineering
Timeline: MD8: 19 H 45
1021 words - 2 OF Standard Post Measure

Ed marched into Main Engineering in a rush. Looking for his boss, The Chief Engineer. Finding him in a group around the POOL, It was a hologram representation of the warp field generation and distribution system. Walking fast, he signaled his boss that he needed a moment.

"Boss", he said in a low voice, " Me and Lt Redal, found something." Ed continued, "We thought at first it we thought it was left over symptom's from the virus used to over power the intruders. It is not so. Someone has a project hidden, with no trails, or command path ways I can follow. Lt Redal is unable to find anything out either. It, the program or system is slowly growing, consuming more and more resources. My access level only lets me see the results, not who or what is doing it.”

Victor eyebrow went up. “Computer. Give Lieutenant Junior Grade Edward D’Gracefull full access level I have starting immediately.”

“Done,” the Computer answered.

Victor asked Ed, “I will get others to help as well. Edward,” Victor said addressed him by his full first name, “This is peculiar. Let us proceed.”

Ed smiled then said, "Yes, a mystery is afoot, I shall attempt to unravel it!"

“Before we bring Napoleon or Alice,” Victor says as he examines readings on the computer core, “We have to determine as much as we can. Starfleet regulations and procedures one must suspect any one in cases like this.”

Lieutenant Junior Grade Napoleon Bond and Ensign Louis Bordeaux walked in as Napoleon interrupts abruptly, “Chief, we have a problem. There is a potential threat to the warp core unless we address it right now.”

Victor nodded. “We know. Ed discovered a dormant virus. Ed, please explain what you found and these two can tell us what they have discovered and then we will be able to put our heads together to see what the deal is.”

Ed smiled, and said, let page my computer expert, and pushed the console call button. " Lt. Redal, AEO, could you stop by Main engineering, my boss, needs answers, and you are better at explaining them than i am... thanks!"

The reply came on the coms rather immediately. "Erm, yeah, what? Oh, that stuff! Sure! I think. Be there sometime soon. Soon-ish!" Myne replied and with a sigh made started to make her way towards Main Engineering.

Ed, swallowed, took a deep breath, and began to speak. "Lt. Redal, and I were looking over the computer memory and long-term data storage. We were just doing a routine check, but we found some anomalies. At first we thought it was left over remnants from the virus that the ships force used to kick the invaders out. But the things we found, are almost like the computer has a walled off section running a secret life, program, or advanced AI routine. There are no command pathways i can trace, and my access level was not high enough to find out anything more... Lt Redal, should be here shortly, to explain her side of things."

It took her about five minutes, but she eventually arrived, entering Main Engineering with her custom PaDD cusped close to her waist as she looked around confused at Edward. "Heya Ed! And I presume Ed's boss and other bosses. Or colleagues! Lt. Redal reporting for... whatever reason I was called of course!" She said chirpily with a smile and a bubbly attitude.

Louis scratching his head a beat. “Hello Lieutenant. We are trying to solve a mystery. It looks like we are trying to figure out The Who, What, When, Where and Why we have a computer virus that we discovered.”

“You forgot the How,” Victor added, “The what is a virus, so how did a virus get introduced.”

“We know the when,” Napoleon abruptly interrupted, “It happened about sixteen to eighteen hours ago.”

"Well, the ship has been boarded not so long ago. Hence, I kind of think we can safely assume who the Who was. The issue is I cannot isolate the virus on my own. Not for lack of trying mind you, I just don't quite get how the damn bug works." Myne sighed and shook her head.

“Conclusions on who did it without actual proof,” Victor spoke as he thought, “Would be foolhardy.”

Lt. Junior Grade Alice Jordan who had been present for the last five minutes said, “Chief, there was an attempt to steal the blueprints of the Vehicle Replicator but they were unsuccessful because it was never brought up online.”

Napoleon placed his finger up pausing for a brief moment, “It could still be done but it would take an artificial intelligence sentient entity to make it happen.”

“You mean like an android?” Louis asked.

“No,” Napoleon answered, “More like a photon organic being. Imagine a hologram that became a light form. There was a course on this at the Academy called Theoretical Artificial Intelligence. It is more Science Fiction than Fact.”

"That's an interesting theory to say the least. I still blame the boarders for it. However, how do we stop it seems the most important matter at hand. If we know the effective systems, we can just start to isolate them?" Myne proposed.

“We will have to get rid of whatever we have,” Victor answers, “After that, we can address where it came from.”

ED pondered for a moment, then spoke," What if it's alive, and not something someone or something planted? Just asking..."

“Several documented cases on what you suggest Ed,” Victor says as he scratches his head. “Ed, let’s go with your idea. Have the computer do a ship wide scan for any of the different types of life forms that could exist in a warp core. I will send a report to the Captain and the XO so they are aware of what is going on. Right now we have it contained and it poses no imminent threat or danger. Great work team. Ed and Napoleon, you two seem to head we have at the pass. Okay, we have assignments on what we must do. Any questions, ask.”