09-19-2026, 02:36 AM
Alex was having a hard time getting readings from the bots they deployed. When he did get a signal from a group of them, they were degraded, but functioning. He couldn't get enough from them though to determine if they did more than penetrate the shields. They did manage to get that far though, so there was a chance.
He had loaded a probe with as many bots as would fit, along with a small drone to act as a focal point at short range for the bots to stay close together. The program he loaded to it would pilot the probe, then when it reached the position he wanted, it would fire the bot package ballistically from a ventral angle of attack. The Probe would then resume a trajectory in front of the Hutet, acting as a comm relay, which would actually simply make it a decoy target, but would actually help with comms if they didn't shoot it. The package would continue until it could reach the Hutet's rear ventral shields. It would use the small gas jets to maneuver and then use the bots to create a minimal opening in the shield for it to get as many of the bots and the fist size drone through as possible. This would not use the default programing though. He was going to load a minimized version of Skye's program into it. It didn't need her entire system, but it needed some of her database and memories of engineering. It was pre-evolution, but able to use advanced decision making for target selection, evasion and combat protocols. It was a one way mission, but each time it succeeded in an objective, it would give a single small ping on an encrypted channel that used one of those old Bajoran frequencies the kids were talking about. The difference was that it would rotate to a different frequency each time. The first ws to get past the shields. The second was to access the ship through one of the ports used for umbilical connection to a base or supply source. They might have to select an alternate route through the sensor pallet and use the weak points where it fed through the hull.
The drone wasn't required for it to work, but it would help maintain better control until it got to the ship initially. The rest of the program could be distributed, but it was ideal if the drone could remain as a focal point, as it would be able to enhance processing a great deal. Skye had been a great asset to the team and was a very good engineer. He hated having to trim her program down to the essentials, but she would understand...if it were the original program anyway. This kind of situation was exactly why he kept copies of the old programs around. It still might not work, or might take too long to be of use, but he had to try it. They were not going to beat these guys standing toe to toe with them, that was obvious.
It only took a few seconds to instruct the system to load the program and the probe was ready for launch in under a minute. If they wanted to try anything more, they would have to make more bots and perhaps figure out different tactics, but Alex would take it one step at a time.
He called out, "Sir, I'm loading another probe into the aft launcher." He verified that it was currently clear of direct fire and then fired it. "Probe away..."
The probe popped out magnetically and then zipped off to begin doing as it had been instructed, piloting itself as it went. The stealth would hopefully minimize the signature until it reached the point where it would deliberately act as a decoy.
Turning to look at the CO, Alex said, "I can only say that some of the bots managed to make it to the target, but they were a proof of concept in that some survived the shields. I don't know that they will do much else, but they might at least distract the enemy for a bit. My second package is a little more ambitious, but I won't bother explaining it unless it survives contact. Consider it a guided attack this time."
He then glanced over to Beno and she could feel that he was reluctant about what he had done, but also hopeful that it would remain capable enough to adhere to protocols the program was familiar with. He wasn't trying to destroy the ship or have it go on a murder rampage, just attack the key systems in surgical and systematic ways to degrade the ability of the ship to keep people functioning in it. It would try to disable life support, shut down gravity, remove safety fields and open air locks, and many other mechanical systems that were often overlooked and would cause confusion. Eventually, it would get to shutting down power by eliminating various relays to try and create voids in the power grid that fed shields and containment fields. Redundancies would be tripped, but eventually it would cause failsafes to begin shutting down systems one at a time.
The only way it could hide, was by creating a limited area of holographic illusion near itself, if the drone was still functional. It might make it look like an access area was empty while it continued working, or mask itself as a device that looked like it belonged there. With enough bots, it could appear as a small maintenance drone.
Alex was nervous about attempting such a thing though. It would set a bad precedent and could lead to unintended consequences if the program became too degraded. Skye wasn't one of his original programs. She had actually been sentient and he had to alter the original program to make if safe by Star Fleet standards. There was a small risk that it theoretically could revert to a degree...and Skye may have been a great Engineer, but had a very bad temper under the right conditions.
== Tag Bridge Crew ==
== GM Input: I've tried to simplify the functions, but there is a very broad range of possible outcome (including complete failure) I am hopeful, but not going to presume. Please contact me if you need more context and to fill in any holes (as per previous conversations). ==
He had loaded a probe with as many bots as would fit, along with a small drone to act as a focal point at short range for the bots to stay close together. The program he loaded to it would pilot the probe, then when it reached the position he wanted, it would fire the bot package ballistically from a ventral angle of attack. The Probe would then resume a trajectory in front of the Hutet, acting as a comm relay, which would actually simply make it a decoy target, but would actually help with comms if they didn't shoot it. The package would continue until it could reach the Hutet's rear ventral shields. It would use the small gas jets to maneuver and then use the bots to create a minimal opening in the shield for it to get as many of the bots and the fist size drone through as possible. This would not use the default programing though. He was going to load a minimized version of Skye's program into it. It didn't need her entire system, but it needed some of her database and memories of engineering. It was pre-evolution, but able to use advanced decision making for target selection, evasion and combat protocols. It was a one way mission, but each time it succeeded in an objective, it would give a single small ping on an encrypted channel that used one of those old Bajoran frequencies the kids were talking about. The difference was that it would rotate to a different frequency each time. The first ws to get past the shields. The second was to access the ship through one of the ports used for umbilical connection to a base or supply source. They might have to select an alternate route through the sensor pallet and use the weak points where it fed through the hull.
The drone wasn't required for it to work, but it would help maintain better control until it got to the ship initially. The rest of the program could be distributed, but it was ideal if the drone could remain as a focal point, as it would be able to enhance processing a great deal. Skye had been a great asset to the team and was a very good engineer. He hated having to trim her program down to the essentials, but she would understand...if it were the original program anyway. This kind of situation was exactly why he kept copies of the old programs around. It still might not work, or might take too long to be of use, but he had to try it. They were not going to beat these guys standing toe to toe with them, that was obvious.
It only took a few seconds to instruct the system to load the program and the probe was ready for launch in under a minute. If they wanted to try anything more, they would have to make more bots and perhaps figure out different tactics, but Alex would take it one step at a time.
He called out, "Sir, I'm loading another probe into the aft launcher." He verified that it was currently clear of direct fire and then fired it. "Probe away..."
The probe popped out magnetically and then zipped off to begin doing as it had been instructed, piloting itself as it went. The stealth would hopefully minimize the signature until it reached the point where it would deliberately act as a decoy.
Turning to look at the CO, Alex said, "I can only say that some of the bots managed to make it to the target, but they were a proof of concept in that some survived the shields. I don't know that they will do much else, but they might at least distract the enemy for a bit. My second package is a little more ambitious, but I won't bother explaining it unless it survives contact. Consider it a guided attack this time."
He then glanced over to Beno and she could feel that he was reluctant about what he had done, but also hopeful that it would remain capable enough to adhere to protocols the program was familiar with. He wasn't trying to destroy the ship or have it go on a murder rampage, just attack the key systems in surgical and systematic ways to degrade the ability of the ship to keep people functioning in it. It would try to disable life support, shut down gravity, remove safety fields and open air locks, and many other mechanical systems that were often overlooked and would cause confusion. Eventually, it would get to shutting down power by eliminating various relays to try and create voids in the power grid that fed shields and containment fields. Redundancies would be tripped, but eventually it would cause failsafes to begin shutting down systems one at a time.
The only way it could hide, was by creating a limited area of holographic illusion near itself, if the drone was still functional. It might make it look like an access area was empty while it continued working, or mask itself as a device that looked like it belonged there. With enough bots, it could appear as a small maintenance drone.
Alex was nervous about attempting such a thing though. It would set a bad precedent and could lead to unintended consequences if the program became too degraded. Skye wasn't one of his original programs. She had actually been sentient and he had to alter the original program to make if safe by Star Fleet standards. There was a small risk that it theoretically could revert to a degree...and Skye may have been a great Engineer, but had a very bad temper under the right conditions.
== Tag Bridge Crew ==
== GM Input: I've tried to simplify the functions, but there is a very broad range of possible outcome (including complete failure) I am hopeful, but not going to presume. Please contact me if you need more context and to fill in any holes (as per previous conversations). ==