The "Ghost" In the Machine

Posted on Mon Nov 29th, 2021 @ 4:36pm by Commander Alora Knight

820 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Operation Romulus Return
Location: Varous
Timeline: After the Tal'Shiar takeover

ON


With the lack of secrecy around their departure with the Romulan Ambassador, Alora wasn't surprised at the Elachi attack—or that the Tal'Shiar would wait until the Elachi had practically disabled the Tokyo to show up. She hoped the three starships would have done better than they did. But they were clearly out-gunned.

She had no idea why the Romulan Senate insisted that Aisaka show them the evidence about the Tal'Shiar instead of taking the word of their own ambassador and Starfleet, but it was what it was. Now, it was imperative that the Romulan Ambassador and the Prowler make it to Romulus. The attack came so fast and hard that there was no space to send out the Prowler without risking it getting hit, and now, the Tokyo was being boarded.

The SWORD team was well-trained. She had full confidence they would make it to Romulus with the evidence. What she wasn't sure about was if the rest of them would make it as well. She sent an encrypted message to the team. "Alora to SWORD. I don't know if we can fight off the Tal'Shiar. Get to the Prowler as soon as you can. Wait for your best opportunity and slip away. I'll try to join you, but if I don't, go without me." She wouldn't leave Alex behind, and she couldn't leave if there was a way for her to help the others.

She then sent a private message to Alex. "Go if you can. I'm going dark to see what trouble I can cause. I love you and I'll see you when this is over." At least she hoped she would. It had taken them so long to finally be together, she couldn't lose him now.

Alora had two priorities: Get the Prowler with the evidence and the Ambassador to Romulus, and keep the Tal'Shiar from accessing the ship and its computer.

Alora took off her combadge and set it on her desk. She didn't want to be traced through it and even if she couldn't get to the Prowler, she wanted the Tal'Shiar to think she did.

She spent a lot of time after leaving Earth setting up subroutines and protocols in the main computer in case of this. She'd hoped it wouldn't be necessary, but with the Elachi working with the Tal'Shiar, she wanted to be prepared.

First, she activated a bait and switch program that deactivated her combadge and activated what appeared to be a combadge on the Prowler. Anyone trying to reach her would get the computer, who would answer only if it was one of the team.

Second, she sent a message to the Captain and First Officer that would appear on her console. "Secondary computer inaccessible. Initiating the Algernon Protocol."

Algernon would allow Alora to lock out all non-essential computer functions and change the language code to what amounted to gibberish to any who didn't have the encryption code and the only ones who had it at present were Trigman, Hunter, and the Knights. Because of the trial, Aisaka had not yet been read in on Algernon. If they survived this, that would have to be rectified.

The protocol "dumbed down" the main computer, limiting it to essential functions, such as life support and basic replication. Sickbay could still do its job, but anything not related to medical would be unavailable.

There were dozens of data loops and dead ends in tertiary systems to keep anyone trying to get in busy for days. They'd have to find and override over a dozen routines and subroutines. Hopefully help would come by then, or the ship would be destroyed. She doubted the crew would allow the ship to be taken.

She initiated the protocol, setting things in motion. Once her bots had spread through the ship, she could then activate it. that would give her time to see how the fight went.

That done, she removed the intel database and hid it in a secure location where it would be masked from scans or tricorders. It had special encryption to protect it, but she would rather not give the Tal'Shiar the opportunity to try.

Finally, pulled out a hypospray and injected herself once. There were enough doses to last a month, if she was careful. The chemical compound would make her invisible to internal sensors and scans—including tricorders. She could still be seen, so she'd have to be especially careful, but she'd been the first officer for years and knew how to get around the ship and where the best places were to hide.

She shut down the power to intel and slipped into a Jefferies Tube to see if she could help Alex. She could do a little mischief as well, just to make it more difficult for the Tal'Shiar.

____
OFF

Commander Alora Knight
Chief Intelligence Officer
USS Tokyo

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