09-15-2026, 11:27 PM
Sebastian listened carefully as Lieutenant Ra'an reported what her sensors were telling her. The problem was straightforward enough: they needed more data, and the Hutet was not exactly volunteering to provide it.
He glanced toward the tactical display, then back to his station.
“Lieutenant Ra'an, could you give me the raw readings from the Hutet's shields during the last engagement? Don't filter them. I want to compare the energy fluctuations against the weapon's impacts.”
Sebastian began pulling the available sensor data together, watching the various shield readings overlap on his display.
“If we can identify the sequence they're cycling through, we may not need the exact frequency. We might be able to predict the next phase of the oscillation.”
He turned slightly toward Keti.
“ Lieutenant Keti, I want to run something past you.”
Sebastian brought up a representation of the Cardassian network architecture.
“Lieutenant Ra'an suggested using one of the decoy buoys to get a virus into their systems. I'm wondering if there's a less aggressive approach.”
He highlighted the communications and tactical-control systems.
“ If the buoy can establish even a limited connection, is there a way to make the Hutet believe it's receiving legitimate telemetry? Nothing destructive. Just enough to get their system to respond to a controlled request.”
Sebastian paused, giving Keti the opportunity to consider the proposal.
“ If we could get a response from their shield-control system, we might be able to correlate what it's telling the computer with what Lieutenant Ra'an's sensors are seeing externally.”
He looked back at the tactical display.
“ I'm not suggesting we take control of anything. We just need information. If their system will answer a legitimate-looking request, that could give us another source of data without putting a virus aboard the Hutet.”
Sebastian glanced toward Lieutenant Ra'an's station.
“Then we compare the two. What her sensors see happening from the outside, and what their system reports internally. If they line up, we might have enough to identify the oscillation pattern.”
He looked back toward Keti.
“ What do you think, Lieutenant?"
Sebastian left the question there, waiting for Keti's assessment rather than assuming what the lieutenant would do.
“ Now we just need to find out whether the Cardassians have left us a door unlocked.”
“ If it's possible, I'd rather try that before we start putting anything malicious into their systems.”
== Tag Ra'an and Keti.==
He glanced toward the tactical display, then back to his station.
“Lieutenant Ra'an, could you give me the raw readings from the Hutet's shields during the last engagement? Don't filter them. I want to compare the energy fluctuations against the weapon's impacts.”
Sebastian began pulling the available sensor data together, watching the various shield readings overlap on his display.
“If we can identify the sequence they're cycling through, we may not need the exact frequency. We might be able to predict the next phase of the oscillation.”
He turned slightly toward Keti.
“ Lieutenant Keti, I want to run something past you.”
Sebastian brought up a representation of the Cardassian network architecture.
“Lieutenant Ra'an suggested using one of the decoy buoys to get a virus into their systems. I'm wondering if there's a less aggressive approach.”
He highlighted the communications and tactical-control systems.
“ If the buoy can establish even a limited connection, is there a way to make the Hutet believe it's receiving legitimate telemetry? Nothing destructive. Just enough to get their system to respond to a controlled request.”
Sebastian paused, giving Keti the opportunity to consider the proposal.
“ If we could get a response from their shield-control system, we might be able to correlate what it's telling the computer with what Lieutenant Ra'an's sensors are seeing externally.”
He looked back at the tactical display.
“ I'm not suggesting we take control of anything. We just need information. If their system will answer a legitimate-looking request, that could give us another source of data without putting a virus aboard the Hutet.”
Sebastian glanced toward Lieutenant Ra'an's station.
“Then we compare the two. What her sensors see happening from the outside, and what their system reports internally. If they line up, we might have enough to identify the oscillation pattern.”
He looked back toward Keti.
“ What do you think, Lieutenant?"
Sebastian left the question there, waiting for Keti's assessment rather than assuming what the lieutenant would do.
“ Now we just need to find out whether the Cardassians have left us a door unlocked.”
“ If it's possible, I'd rather try that before we start putting anything malicious into their systems.”
== Tag Ra'an and Keti.==