Holes in the System

Posted on Sat Nov 30th, 2024 @ 6:53am by Lieutenant JG Nerinath zh'Rhilror [Lalor] & Avalon [ADMIN NPC] & Lieutenant JG Maxine Mckull & Lieutenant JG Jason Danvers [Taylor]

Mission: Season 6: Episode 5: A church beyond heaven
Location: Meeting Room 2, Deck 6 - U.S.S Elysium
Timeline: MD4, 0800 hours
1357 words - 2.7 OF Standard Post Measure

The waiting was killing her. Or was it the uncertainty?
Max had scheduled a meeting with the flight control department, to try and figure out what was happening. She wasn't sure if they'd be able to, but it was just as much for the officers who were now under... her command, to get some facetime with their new boss. She wasn't looking forward to it, but what could she do?

Jason had received the message saying there was to be a meeting with Lieutenant Mckull the new chief of flight control. he tried to remember who was chief before her and his mind came up blank and he instantly felt bad for not remembering. Nonetheless, he headed to the meeting room and upon arriving he stepped in to see Lieutenant Mckull already there waiting. "Hi Maxi.... I mean Lieutenant Mckull." As he made his way to a seat.

Nerinath entered a short time later, feeling like she was missing something. She had a padd in her hand and she was scrolling through her personal logs and frowning. She looked up and stepped up to Jason’s side. “Jason.” She said softly and looked towards their new Chief of Flight. There was something up and her antenna twitched back and forth over her snow-white hair.

"Hi Neri." Jason replied pleasantly as Neri greeted him and then came to stand next to him. He saw her frowning, In addition her antenna was twitching back and forth, a sure sighn something was bothering her.

For a moment, Maxine did not respond.

'Lieutenant Mckull.'

That was going to take... more than a little getting used to. She nodded to the two officers and bid them a monotonic, "Greetings," before she caught the frown on Neri's face. "Doing some research, Lieutenant?" She asked.

"Just reviewing my personal logs. I do it every 6 months or so. Keeps my thoughts clear. There is a few holes. Maybe Avalon has a glitch" The andorian replied as she sat.

"Holes," Max parroted at the woman. She nodded slowly, letting out a huff of air, her chest moving noticeably as she did so. A frown grazed the corner of her lips. "Holes are part of the reason I called this meeting," she droned on. "I have attempted to look into this matter extensively, but..." she trailed off. Reaching for a glass of water in front of her, Max took a sip. Even though it wasn't an excuse since she could "speak" while drinking, she doubted anyone else would consider that advantage. Putting down the glass after she managed to collect herself, she shrugged. "It would seem as if our department is down an officer, yet I can find no indication they ever existed. Holes?"

Jason glanced at Neri, "You think someone has been tampering with Avalon's matrix and they've altered her memory?"

"If they have then they have gotten to us as well" Neri signed. "I cannot put a name or a face to the last person who was our chief."

Jason frowned at Neri's statement of both Avalon possibly having her matric altered and even more alarming that the crews' memories had also been altered. "That is a serious matter Neri, how can we find out if it is indeed true?" He questioned.

Neri shrugged and looked at the others "Above my paygrade. Maybe Lieutenant McKull can run it up the flagpole so to speak."

Jason in turn looked at McKull, "Lieutenant McKull, you going to mention this to Commodore Lalor and Captain Taylor as Neri proposed?"

They were looking at her. Max was looking back, simply listening to the back and forth. It seemed that her worst fears may have come to pass. And, perhaps unsurprisingly, it had been discovered quickly. She nodded slowly at the two officers in front of her. "Given the situation, I do not believe their is a choice. I have no memory of anyone who may have been in charge of the department previously," she droned. "Yet clearly, logically, someone was. Or I would not have received the communication I did from the Commodore placing me in charge of the department days ago."

Neri nodded. "Well you are in charge now, so after that, how may we assist?"

It was a good question. Was there much they could do? Max examined the woman in front of her, who had been reviewing her logs for... holes. She wondered, were those holes because of something she had recorded previously, which had somehow been deleted? Or did the holes not really exist? Even if they couldn't identify what had fallen into them, they knew something had. Which gave her an idea.

"Help us all help one another," she said after giving it a moment's thought. "If this is an ongoing issue, if we are in danger of losing something... or someone, else. We may not realize that we have. But we can at least attempt to leave a trail. Even if it results in more holes we can't identify, the knowledge of them may be useful in its own right. I would like you two to record as much as you can into your personal logs until we get to the bottom of this. Your daily routine, activities, etc. If we are leaving... holes, maybe we can piece them together later, based on patterns, if we have to."

"Sure, like the three musketeers. All for one and one for all." Jason chipped in. "Leaving a trail or logs is a good idea. As well as keeping logs of our conversations.... just in case something happens to one of us."

Max nodded slowly and looked around. Though it had only been the three of them here, she wondered if a fourth individual lurked in the shadows, and could serve as their record keeper.

"Avalon," she said to no one in particular. "Have you been listening?"

Jason's gaze shifted between Neri and Maxine as he waited for Avalon to reply.

The AI appeared. "Yes. There are a lot of questions going around."

"Alright," Max started, looking between the four entities in the room. "Once everyone leaves, I want you to save a recording of this meeting to the personal database of everyone in this room. Keep detailed logs of our activities, also only accessible through our respective databases. If something seems off, if you become aware of any more... holes, alert all of us," she lays out.

"Yhat sounds like all the bases are covered or at least I hope so." Jason replied looking at Max, Neri and Avalon. "Any ideas of what is going on Avalon?" he asked after a moment.

Neri shrugged. "Avalon has always been limited. The Commodore insisted she be limited after the Admiral left, maybe it is hindering her ability."

"Good point Neri." Jason added, "Though I would think she would have a least an idea of what is going on."

"You'd be surprised the last time we had an AI all knowing the XO was killed." Neri sighed. "It was not fun." She gave a shrug.

"The AI killed someone?" Jason asked in a shocked, incredulous voice. "And I imagine it wasn't fun dealing with a homicidal AI."

Neri shrugged. "Thats why the Commodore has limited the AI's abilities. Her movements are tracked. I highly doubt Avalon is behind it. She is not the same program."

"Christ, I don't blame her. Good call." Jason answered still thinking about a homicidal AI and not liking it.

"For now," Max said, listening to the conversation between the two, "I am inclined to consider Avalon an ally. Nevertheless, do keep a detailed record of your activities. If I learn anything, I will inform you two immediately."

"Will do and I will do the same should I either come across or discover anything new. The two of you will be informed immediately." Jason assured Max and Neri.

Neri smiled and said "I will do the same."

"Then," Max droned, nodding slightly. "You are both dismissed. And... watch yourselves."

Jason nodded and looked over to Neri and Max. 'Make sure you heed your own words Max, and you do the same Neri,"

OFF