Ecto what?

Posted on 02 Aug 2020 @ 1:55am by Lieutenant Commander Aidan Datari & Captain Jonathan Reynolds & Lieutenant Xu Chang Lau

Mission: Mission 4 - Race against the machine
Location: Science
Timeline: MD6 10:00
2104 words - 4.2 OF Standard Post Measure

ON:

The Planet killer had set off going again and they were now in pursuit once more despite still having to fix some things up. Jon didn't often make department calls but he was bored of paperwork and just staring at the screen as they followed the huge monster.

"Captain," came a voice as he collided with an unknown man. "I'm sorry. I'm Lieutenant Bumble from the Europa," the man flushed awkwardly. Jon felt his embarrassment.

"No harm done, so your visiting Lieutenant Datari too?"

"Well unusual although small detection of something. You know us science types," he said quietly.

"Of course," Jon nodded as they headed in the direction of the chiefs office. Inside he could see Datari and the new assistant he had met yesterday.

Xu had found herself a small corner of Lieutenant Datari's office to pour over the readings they had managed to pull from the planet killer that was now lazily making its way onwards again. She was looking for anything, some form of correlation between the data they had, some hint at a language... anything. So far she was coming up with nothing but a headache and wishing she had just stayed in the lounge with Ensign Hawkins. She dropped the PADD down into her lap and leaned back in the chair, rubbing the bridge of her nose before moving to her temples, trying to massage the pounding head away.

"I'm still coming up with nothing Lieutenant!"

"Perhaps nothing is exactly what we're looking for," Aidan grumbled as he tossed a PADD aside and ran his fingers through his already tousled hair. "Those readings that are coming back from that monster out there are just plain weird. And the weirder part is, I think I've seen it before but I can't remember where!"

"Is that the scientific term we are using now sir... Weird?"

She smiled, dropping her hands to her sides in defeat. "The only incidents I can think of with technology similar to this would be the doomsday devise Captain Kirk stumbled across or later in his career the probe that was ionising Earths atmosphere, but both he dealt with... Plus the whole whale probe thing isn't similar enough... Also, why would a people build a weapon like this but with no obvious system interface!"

“Ahem,” Jon stated announcing his and Mr Bumbles arrival.

'Oh hi." Aidan beckoned them both in.

“Lieutenant nice to see you again. Ermmmm madam,” the ginger haired man offered to the female. “I assume you caught it. Such a tiny reading. Almost like a ghost. I ran the data several times on the Europa but it’s definitely there. May I?” He indicated a computer panel.

"You need to ask?" Aidan's eyebrows shot up in mock surprise. "By all means, show us what you found."

"Its biological matter or looks like it but it was tiny. So tiny and I have no idea what kind of biological matter as we couldn't get a sample on a reading .... but ...." Bumble was suddenly a flurry of activity bringing up the reading on the viewer. "It was only there for a short time. During which we spoke with it. Like it woke up or something. I want to call it Ecto. You know ghost connection and it sound so cool,"

Xu had moved to stand to the side of the other officers, still able to see the information this new Officer was showing them. She silently rolled her eyes at the choice of designation he had chosen for it but she also found it interesting that the biological reading only showed, however faintly, at the moment communication had taken place. She was no expert in this field but her mind was racing trying to process and at least offer some form of explanation. Could it be some sort of folding of space. The machine controlled by a being light years away and the fold in space only happens when the user needs to take direct control... Even to her it seemed unlikely. She decided to remain silent for the time being, no need offering up half baked possibilities.

"Ecto seems like a good a name as any," Aidan agreed, glancing sideways at his assistant. "Got something to offer Miss Xu?" he asked her, "don't ridicule someone with an eye roll simply because you don't seem to agree with a certain choice. Until we know what this is, or where it comes from... Ecto it is."

"Yes sir!" she quietly snapped her reply while kicking herself for her lack of judgement.

“Is it the name?” Ron asked. “You don’t like it. That’s a shame, I pictured it a lovely shade of oozy green ... quite like your beautiful hair pin there. Well I doubt they will let me name it anyway ....” he waffled. “Probably want to call it something after one of our names and I’d go Datari. Far more interesting than Bumble .......

Jon was starting to realise why Vern and plenty others got irritated by this man. His eyes naturally rested on his asst science chiefs pin. He had not noticed that the first time they had met.

“Mr Bumble. I don’t think naming it is high on the priority list of things right now. Nor what colour. Can someone tell me what this ... erm discovery means?”

This time Xu remained stoic even under the Captains passing look. She couldn't tell what the look had meant... annoyance at her, sympathy or an understanding. Instead she kept her eyes locked on the monitor before them all and waited for the newcomer to explain his findings.

“Well it’s ... it’s like a print that something biological fired up or jumped into ...” he looked at Aidan To see if he wanted to add anything further, “it.”

“So,” Jon crunched this new information, “either there’s a biological element of life somewhere in that thing and we caught a glimpse Of it or ....” Jon also looked at Aiden, “some sort of life used it like .. erm like a telephone?”

"More like spiritual possession," the Trill answered slowly, having gone utterly white at the explanation, "like a ghost taking possession of a living... or dead creature and taking over its body to use for its own purposes." He bit his lower lip, almost to the point of bloody as he looked down and watched his trembling hands.

"Well that's a disconcerting idea," Jon muttered. "Is it something we can try find again to find these dark ones? Can you calibrate sensors or more probes to look for that?"

Aidan nodded slowly. "Now that we know what we are looking for, yes, we can," he answered tightly, a sense of fear threatening to overwhelm him. "This ecto will help us find them, once we figure out how to calibrate sensors to pinpoint them."

Jon winced a little from the fear emanating off the other man. "Why are you so frightened Lieutenant. Sorry its impossible not to pick up on empathically."

Aidan looked up, nodding in understanding. He was just glad Sherlock was too busy watching Saeri and Emme, and wasn't bursting into the room. "Possession," he whispered, "it's frightening beyond belief. I wouldn't wish it on anyone, and want nothing more than to stop that from happening to anyone else."

"Well I think its fair to say that's a wish we share," Jon nodded. "Okay you three get on this. Try have something ready for when we go for this second attempt with the quantum torpedoes to see if this ..." he looked at Bumble, "Ecto appears again and if we have any further dark ones possession on the weapon."

The Trill chief nodded, looking towards the others for help. Weapons were not his area of expertise, after all. "I would like some ideas on how to catch this Ecto," he started, his voice still shaking, "any idea at all."

“Well that’s what I have you guys for,” Jon smiled. “I’ll leave it in your capable hands Chief, Lieutenants.”

With that Jon headed back to the bridge.

Bumble watched him go. “I think your captain likes me more than mine,” he sighed. “So we need to figure out an ectomonitor programme in a probe ehh!”

This was far beyond Xu's field of expertise and she was not familiar enough with life sciences that revolved around living beings to comprehend how to scan for what the two gentleman were asking for. She still firmly believed their would be a technological explanation for it but she couldn't with any certainty offer anything. Instead she looked at her direct superior and with a furrowed brow she shrugged her shoulders.
"Sorry sir, I'm not sure I have the correct experience here... Should I start pouring over the records and see what I can turn up that is similar to this situation?"

"Nor do I," Aidan reminded her with a friendly smile, "but now is as good a time as any to broaden our horizons, right Mister Bumble?" He did give the woman a nod of approval. "Yes, go over everything you can find, and if there are documents you can't read, send them over to me. Linguistics is my field, I haven't encountered a language I couldn't figure out just yet."

"Definitely," Ron stated. "And Maaaa ...." he cut himself off at her face. Ahh thats what he had done wrong. She didn't like Maam. "Lieutenant you must tell me about the history of that pin. Its a hierloom yes?"

Her hand went to the pin instinctively without any thought, he was correct that it was an heirloom, not exactly regulation but so far no one had asked her to remove it.
"It is indeed. It has been in my family for generations" she pulled it loose, trusting the other discreet pins to hold her hair in place while she handed it to him to allowed him to look it over. "I don't know exactly how old it is but it has more sentimental value".

"I could look into that for you," Ron said seriously. "After we sort this of course. Antiques. I kind of like them. Bit of an interest."

"Perhaps a good side project for you, once we sort this," Aidan suggested, "perhaps you can appraise my swords too." He smiled, knowing that could be a fun one as they were pretty ancient.

"In all honesty, the value means nothing. The memories are priceless though. I do appreciate the offer though".
Xu left the pin in his hands while she turned to start pouring over what little data they had to see if she could find something. "If there is a biological element to this... ecto-thingy..." she mouth almost tripping over the word. "Would we not be able to pick up on other aspects of the bological element, maybe hep us lock on to what i is... I'm just thinking here, and I could be way off base but most biological beings have a bone structure and a high percentage of those have calcium... Maybe if we can refine the sensors enough we might pick up on traces... or not, at least we could rule out the presence of some form of life within the mechanism."

"See if you can find anything resembling synaptics," Aidan suggested, "if it's alive, then it has to have some form of brain. Or brain function, which is measured by synapses isn't it?" While he had attended medical classes, and had some medical knowledge, his focus had never been on learning the material. he had been his sister's interpreter, nothing more.

"Perhaps we need to bring in someone from Medical and someone with the expertise to refine the sensors... What about Ensign Hawkins for the sensors?"

Xu couldn't help but smile at the idea of spending more time with Michael. He really had made an impression on her.

"Oh you like this Ensign Hawkins," Ron noticed. "Yes then lets get him down. Am I right in thinking you have a Caitan doc?" he asked suddenly. "I never met a Caitan before."

Xu reddened even more than usual, as if a red alert had just been declared. She could feel her skin burning hot. Thankfully the two gentleman were busy talking to one another so she turned and retreated to a spot at the other end of the room and placed the PADD between her face and the pair.

The Trill nodded. "Caitian medical chief," he confirmed, "if that is all.... let's get to work." He wanted this day to be over, so he could go home and spend time with his little girl."