Unknown anomaly

Posted on 04 Sep 2017 @ 11:17am by Commander Allyndra illm Warraquim & Lieutenant JG Tris Shizn

1,997 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Episode 15 - Emanation
Location: Heading to Akkadia - Danube Runner
Timeline: MD 41 1130 hours

ON:

The Stars are so beautiful and inspiring, Tris thought as he looked out the forward viewport of the shuttle as they crossed the great expanse of blackness.

It had been just about 24 hours since their launch from Earth. The Andorian felt that he was getting use to the intense schedule they had to assume for the pilots of the Denube Runabouts. They couldn't sit there in the seats the whole two days, but had worked out a schedule of three hours on followed by three hours off. There were a couple other personnel that could monitor the controls for a short time each 'night time', which allowed a six hour sleep period for the pilots. It was complicated, but working.

It was almost mid-day when Tris noticed something on the long range sensors. He wasn't an astrophysicist and only knew the classic type of spacial anomalies required for his training as a pilot.

Shizn' co-pilot was not due to relieve him for another half hour or so. So, after running the data through the on board computer and trying to cross reference it with Starfleet's database, Tris was still perplexed. He definitely needed to notify someone. He tapped the Comm, "Commander Warraquim to the Bridge." After ending the call, he considered using that word, 'Bridge'. It was more than a 'cockpit', but that didn't quite fit either.

Tris was sure, with all the officers and scientists on board, they would be able to identify and catalog this spacial disturbance.

Allyndra got up from the back to work her way forward. She was about to go crazy cooped up in this can crammed full of people and cargo. Another day should get them there. At this point the formalities of Akkadia seemed to be a blessing.

She got to where the Andorian was sitting and asked, "What is the problem?"

Shizn turned slightly looking up with a smile, "Oh no. No problem." He turned back to his readouts and began to explain, "The long range sensors have picked up an anomaly ahead of us. The computer has not been able to identify it as yet." Tris then turned to look at the Commander, "I just thought someone in the mission might be interested in it."

"How far away?" Allyndra asked.

Shizn explained, "Indications are that it's moving perpendicular to our current route and will only be a quarter light year from it when we pass in about an hour from now.

"Very well, does not sound like anything too serous, but let me get our lead scientist over here." Allyndra activated the comm, =^=Allyndra to doctor Wells, please beam over to the Runner, our pilot picked up something on the sensors.=^=

It took a few moments but then, =^=Right, be there.=^=

It took even more moments, but then the woman that had more or less organized this thing came forward and asked, "So what do we have?"

Tris was pleased to see the Doctor again that he had met previously, prior to leaving. A smile came to his face at that particular question and replied, "That is exactly the question at hand." Shizn turned back to his console, activating a viewscreen at their eye level to the side of the pilot's chair. The Andorian then explained, "Sensors picked up this spacial anomily, moving at a perpendicular course to ours. The computer has not been able to confirm its classification." He then looked at the two women, raising his eyebrows slightly, the tip of the right antennae angled up in curiosity.

"Hmmm.......mind if we change course slightly?" HG asked without indicating to whom it was directed. She figured with the commander standing there she would pretty much answer.

There was a moment, "As long as we do not loose time, nor put ourselves in danger."

"We should be fine, I just want to get a little closer to verify that it is what I think it is."

"And what is that"?" Allyndra asked.

"I think it is a quantum vacuum fluctuation. We are a bit too far to determine if that is the case." HG watched the readings almost absorbed in the data.

"Very well, Ensign Shizn alter course, but if anything looks dangerous move away," Allydnra said flatly.

Ensign Shizn knew that any course correction could easily be made up by increasing velocity later. They were definitely not traveling at their maximum rate. Tris made the slight course correction that would bring them closer to the object as it traveled past. Afterwards Shizn stated, "We should pass the anomaly at approximately 5000 kilometers. Will that be close enough for you, Doctor Wells?"

"Should be and it is HG by the way." She smiled at the Andorian and then moved into the co pilot seat. "Not one much on formality. Anyway, think we might get some decent data on virtual particle formation. Be careful though, this fluctuation appears to be strong enough that we might get some real anti-particle formation."

Tris nodded understanding the concern, "I can increase the shield on that side, which might help us in that regard . . HG." He felt a little uncomfortable with the informal manner, but he was trying for her benefit.

"That would help, keep an eye on those shields though, besides...." she jerked a thumb back. "We don't want to wake the others. Oh and by the way, best let Commander Ban know we are going slightly off mission."

Ens. Shizn took that as instruction and opened a Comm channel, "Runner to Shadow, acknowledge?"

=^=Hollenday here, commander is getting some shut eye. What's up?=^=

The Andorian pilot continued, "Please inform Commander Ban that Runner will be taking a slight detour to investigation an anomaly."

=^=I will do that, making a note in the log now. Y'all be careful now, ya here? Hollenday out.=^=

HG as soon as she had asked for the communication had lost all interest in it. She was more focused on the data stream. "Interesting.....seeing virtual particle formation, but little to no Hawking radiation at least on this side. Care to fly around the area?"

Tris wasn't sure who she was talking to, hesitating, but then added, "Which direction HG?"

HG was too busy looking at the readings to bother with telling the Andorian pilot much. "Yes, yes, that is it, a bit more to...that way..." she waved a hand, and then added as she sort of remembered things, "portish."

Tris chuckled softly to himself, finding her directions humorous, or lack there of. He guided the runabout to Port a bit more. From his readouts he thought he saw what she was trying to get close to, and brought the ship closer.

HG was absorbed in the data and she did not think one iota to grab the Andorian's arm, "See! Look! As per thought the particles are not smaller than Planck's constant!"

Tris did not even notice the hand on him as he strained his brain, quickly thinking about what he had learned about Planck's constant at the Academy. He was still sorting through the variables when she commented again.

"Hmmm........oh sorry, my apologies, get a bit entrenched in the data. See though uncertainty of position times uncertainty of velocity times the mass of the particle should yield greater than Planck's constant. It is an extension of the uncertainty principle, but because there is a velocity involved it also means there is an uncertainty of time as well."

The Andorian then realized the hand was squeezing his arm, only because of the pain. Looking from his arm up to HG he queried, "Now wait a second, how does time come into that variable?" He was about the grab her hand and remove it by force, then realized how focused she was on the data streaming in front of her.

"Hmmm.......oh well..." HG looked up. "A moving particle in classic sense was completely described by its momentum, that is its mass times its velocity and its position. And velocity requires a time dimension. However, quantum physics says you can never know those two properties precisely at the same time. Now my thought is altering the laws describing motion even more, postulating that position and momentum are not distinguishable at a given instant of time. Technically, they can be related by a mathematical symmetry, meaning that swapping position for momentum leaves the underlying physics unchanged for example, just as a mirror switching left and right doesn’t change the appearance of a symmetrical face. In ordinary physics, position and momentum differ because the equation for momentum involves velocity. Since velocity is distance divided by time, it requires the notion of a time dimension. If swapping the equations for position and momentum really doesn’t change anything, then position needs a time dimension also.

Thus, if position and momentum indistinguishable from one another, then something is changing about the notion of time, and thus requires an extra dimension of time to explain it. Whew......sorry, long explanation. Anyway, I am trying to parse out if there is buried deep within the fabric of the universe not one time dimension, but two or perhaps more."

Tris listened intently to her dissertation. He did quite well for the most part, he raised an eyebrow when she spoke of the position and momentum being 'indistinguishable', then to assume that there had to be a change in the 'Time'. "Yes," he began, "It could be assumed that a time variance had taken place, but that isn't proof. But, it's a wonderful theory." He then smiled at her, liking the way her mind worked.

Tris then glanced down at his arm, still being held by her. He wiggles his shoulder gently, wondering if she got the point. He really hadn't minded.

"Oh sorry, I am such an idiot," HG said and took her hand off. She was not sure what all the protocols were of Andorians and being touched. Some beings loved it, some found it offensive and she had not really bothered to figure out who was who. At least he took it pretty good.

"Alright one more pass around and unless the universe lifts its skirts and shows me her privates, I promise to refrain from grabbing onto you again."

A smile came to Tris' face, because her self-depricating nature and her unabashed love of science. He simply replied, "Very well," and turned back to manipulate the shuttle controls.

The Andorian pilot brought the shuttle slowly about the object, on an equivalent course, keeping the object in the forward viewport as he did. Trailing the object, the shuttle did a slow barrel role about its breadth.

"Well, bloody Hecate, guess I am not going to get a peek after all. Still rather interesting." HG tapped a few more readings and then turned her head, "best be heading back to the other Danube before we get too far behind. Well thank you sir for indulging me in a bit of detour and I hope I did not cross too many boundaries with my physical outburst."

Tris found HG's apology quite honest and acceptable. He smiled slightly and nodded in acquiescence to her good-will. The Andorian replied, "Not at all," referring to her unexpected touching. "I'm glad I was able to identify it in advance." Shizn then looked to Commander Warraquim to confirm authorization to proceed, raising an eyebrow in question.

"If she is satisfied, then we should catch up with the others," Allyndra got the look and nodded with the reply.

Shizn, taking that as a confirmation, turned back to the controls before him, brought the shuttle about, and increased velocity so that they would meet back up with the Shadow in about an hour. The Andorian knew that there was no reason to push the engines for a quicker rendezvous.

OFF:


Ens. Tris Shizn
Pilot
Danube Runner

HG Wells
Civilian Scientist
Danube Runner
[NPC Allyndra illm Warraquim]

RSS Feed