Starship Armstrong - Season 2

Part 62 - Remembrance of the Magellan Class (X)

"Science Department to Dr. Kang," came the voice of McAfree over the comms, breaking the silence.

"Dr. Kang here," said Kang "I'm on the bridge."

"Oh well..." said McAfree "The thing is finished."

"Thank you McAfree. Very discreet," Dr. Kang deadpanned.

"Alright, Doctor," said Captain Littlecrow "What thing is finished?"

"That particular thing is a solution to your problem so complete and elegant that it could even be described as Kangian," said Dr. Kang.

Mitzner retched dramatically.

"The Science Department, under my direction and minus Ensign Wagner, has modified one of our probes." Kang continued "It is now capable of copying the mind-state of the Orellana, storing it on on-board physical media, and then wiping the mind of the starship. To put it in terms even the Lieutenant-Commander can follow: it can imprison the mind of the Orellana rending the ship itself... well, a ship."

"Are you entirely serious?" asked the Captain.

"Entirely," confirmed Dr. Kang.

"Well it's out of the question," said the Captain.

"Why?" asked Mitzner "Messenger aside, this seems like the answer to all our problems. We can free the people on the orbital colonies, allow ourselves to leave this system, all without killing the Orellana."

"It's a fate worse than death," said the Captain "Trapped, blind, unable to influence the world in any way. At a minimum we'd run the risk of driving her insane."

"She's already insane, Captain," said Mitzner.

"I feel compelled to note that it would also be legal under Foundation laws," said Gibson "The standing orders for Military Fleet with regard to the rogue Magellans is to attempt to capture rather than destroy them."

"We. Are not. Military Fleet," said the Captain darkening.

"We are, however, in an entirely untenable situation," said Gibson "Dr. Kang's plan is the lesser evil. I'm still in favor of it."

"So am I," said Mitzner.

"Well this ship isn't a democracy," said Dr. Kang "What's your plan Captain?"

The Captain was anxiously pacing.

"All three of you agree that we should utilize this probe to 'imprison' the Orellana?"

"I do," said Gibson.

"So do I," said Mitzner.

"As I'm sure you guessed I am indeed in favor of my own plan," said Dr. Kang.

The Captain sighed. There didn't seem to be another solution.

"Do it," she said.

"In order to disguise our plan I suggest you release all of our sensory probes at the same time you launch the modified probe," said Dr. Kang "Give the impression we're trying to achieve sensor saturation for some minuscule tactical advantage."

"As he said," ordered the Captain.

* * *

The Armstrong disgorged a cloud of tiny to medium sized probes, and the Orellana barely took notice.

"You will need to lower the Orellana's shields for three full recharge cycles for the complete transfer and wipe process to go through," said Dr. Kang "We'll only get one shot, once it figures out what we're up to I'm certain it will be able to contrive countermeasures."

"Three cycles?" demanded Gibson "That's ridiculous."

"There's a half second margin for error," said Dr. Kang.

"The targeting computers still couldn't do it," said Gibson.

"I can," said Mitzner.

"No you can't," said Gibson.

"Oh yes I can," said Mitzner "Ask the Captain. I've done it before. I have an instinct for ion cannons. That thing will be using Foundation Ion-hardened shields, I have the rhythm of that shield pattern down to muscle memory. You need to be able to account for all the tiny little delays between the thought and the action. It's not something I could teach a machine but it's something I know I can do."

"I'm certain Lieutenant-Commander Mitzner will be perfectly sufficient," said the Captain, still obviously uncomfortable "Lieutenant-Commander, fire at will. Ensign Guildenstern, prepare to take evasive maneuvers the second the first shot goes off."

Mitzner hit a button on her console, then hesitated for a moment, then hit it twice more. Nothing was happening.

"Oh no," she said "Oh no we really screwed up."

"What's happening?" asked the Captain.

On the viewing screen suddenly the Orellana fired a bright white ion beam at a single one of the swarm of probes floating by. It was immediately blown into fragments.

"We didn't take the Armstrong's feelings into account," said Mitzner "He's refusing to attack the Orellana."

There was silence, and then:

"We're being hailed by the Orellana," said Ensign Marceaux.