Which department head was supervising this? The presence of Commander Levesley implies that perhaps Intelligence had some influence, but I was under the impression Lieutenant Junior Grade Zital was supposed to be reporting to Lieutenant Commander H'ajah, yes?
Otherwise, please proceed, Commander.
//SIGNED//
Captain Beylara Ailes
Commanding Officer, Deep Space 13
I can only seek to clarify as to the points that I am aware of.
My presence in this project was primarily as an Engineer, secondly in my capacity as an Intelligence officer to ensure that this project (as sensitive as it is) remained confidential and closed information, given the far reaching implications of the technology.
As far as I was aware Lieutenant Junior Grade Zital continues to be the project lead on this and I assumed, perhaps wrongly given the course these messages are taking, that the Lt had gone over all of the relevant approvals for taking the project to this stage.
//SIGNED//
Commander William Levesley
Intelligence Officer, Deep Space 13
TOCMDR William Levesley; CMDR Mishune sh'Sonora; CMDR Maxwell S Austin; LT Valore; LTJG Serris Zital CCCAPT Beylara Ailes; <38th Command> FROMLTJG Alex Niraj SUBJMastermind
Good Afternoon,
My role in the deployment was the physical deployment of the satellite payloads and syncing them with the Deep Space 13 computer. I had assumed Commander Levesley as ranking officer was overseeing the project, and as there were no alternative orders, belays or overrules, myself, the other duty officers in OPS and observers had been under the assumption that everything was within approved orders.
//SIGNED//
Lieutenant Junior Grade Alexandria Niraj
Operations Officer, Subspace Computing and Communications, Deep Space 13
TOCMDR Austin, M. CCLT Cullum, J. FROMLT Valore, S.
SUBJRE: Mastermind
Good Day,
This is an automated response due to myself being on leave until Stardate 96395.4. If it is a matter that deals with the general duties of the fleet command yeomen, please contact Lieutenant Jonathan Cullum who will handle all of your administrative needs. If this is an emergency to the security or integrity of the fleet, I would refer you to Rear Admiral Konieczko.
If this is an emergency that requires my attention, I would refer you to the individuals staffing the fleet command office for my personal contact information. Just so there is absolutely no confusion on the matter, Rear Admiral Konieczko's death or entrance into a vegetative state is a situation I would consider to be an emergency that requires my attention.
Thank you; Peace and long life.
//SIGNED//
Lieutenant S. Valore
Administrative Yeoman
Office of Rear Admiral Konieczko
As the officer who was responsible for heading up this research task force and ultimately responsible for setting up and executing the tests, I would like to formally and sincerely apologize for the lacking communication regarding the test protocol. This was entirely my fault. My recent re-introduction to Starfleet's command structure coming from years working in civilian research has resulted in grave lapses in judgment on my behalf. Hands-off oversight and a lack of defined scope of authority had led me to make choices that violated several regulations, led to the loss of a Yellowstone-class runabout, and nearly ended the lives of Commander Levesley and myself. I would like to submit myself for questioning and disciplinary inquiry, whether by yourselves or the Judge Advocate General's office, as you see fit.
//SIGNED//
Lieutenant J.G. Serris Zital
Propulsion Theorist, Deep Space 13
SERRIS, SON OF ENTRADES, WAS ACTING WITH MY OVERSIGHT AND APPROVAL. HIS EXPERIMENT WAS AN ASTOUNDING SUCCESS. ASK YOUR QUESTIONS OF ME, AND TROUBLE MY MINION NO FURTHER.
//SIGNED// tuq cargh qaStaHvIS ghIm h'ajah, shal puqbe'
Lt. Cmdr. H'ajah, daughter of Shal, of House Cargh in exile
Chief Engineer, Engineering Dept., Deep Space 13
TOLCDR H'ajah CCCMDR Austin, M. FROMCAPT Ailes, B. SUBJRe: Mastermind
Commander H'ajah,
I am most relieved to hear that there was indeed oversight for this project, although I would like a more thorough reasoning to your claims of astounding success, because I believe your definition of that and mine differ. However, that does not diminish Commander Austin's question regarding installation of new equipment aboard the station without our being given so much as a notification.
Experimentation is all well and good, but implementation and installation does usually suggest a need for command involvement. I don't think its too much to ask if you're going to change the specifications of the station, that the XO and CO at least be dropped a line.
On another note, I will be releasing the approved designs for the memorial wall for the promenade to you shortly. I know that you are just as ready as I am to honor our fallen.
//SIGNED//
Captain Beylara Ailes
Commanding Officer, Deep Space 13
I BELIEVE YOU ARE MISINFORMED, CAPTAIN, AND SHOULD REVIEW THE REPORT FOR YOURSELF. SERRIS AND HIS TEAM HAVE DEVELOPED AN AREA DENIAL SYSTEM THAT CAN PREVENT THE AZEDI, AS WELL AS ANY SUBSPACE MANIPULATION TECHNOLOGY INCLUDING WARP, FROM BEING USED WITHIN AN RADIUS OF ONE ASTRONOMICAL UNIT FROM THE STATION. ANY INVADING HORDE WOULD BE FORCED TO SLOW TO SUBLIGHT SPEEDS BEFORE CROSSING THE THRESHOLD OF THIS AREA, OR ELSE BE DESTROYED. THIS SYSTEM CAN BE DEPLOYED WITH ONLY MODEST HARDWARE REQUIREMENTS ANYWHERE WE CHOOSE TO DEFEND, AND IT WAS ACHIEVED USING NOVEL APPLICATION OF TRIED AND TRUE EXISTING TECHNOLOGIES.
NO MODIFICATIONS TO DEEP SPACE 13 SYSTEMS WERE REQUIRED TO REALIZE THIS BREAKTHROUGH. ALL HARDWARE USED IN THE EXPERIMENT WAS CONTAINED IN FREE-FLOATING, SELF-POWERED PLATFORMS. THE ONLY COMPONENT PRESENT ON DS13 WAS A CONTROL PROGRAM BUILT BY SERRIS. THE OPERATIONS DEPARTMENT WAS NOTIFIED TO ALERT INCOMING WARP TRAFFIC AND TO EXPECT THE COMMUNICATIONS DELAY WHICH IS A SIDE EFFECT OF THE SYSTEM.
IT IS TRUE THAT A RUNABOUT SPACECRAFT CARRYING SERRIS WAS DAMAGED IN THE EXPERIMENT, DUE TO THE EFFECT OF THE SUBSPACE DISRUPTION BEING EVEN GREATER THAN ANTICIPATED. THERE IS NO GLORY WITHOUT RISK. NO LIVES WERE LOST, AND MANY LIVES MAY YET BE SAVED.
SERRIS DESERVES OUR VIGOROUS PRAISE, NOT TO BE SUBJECTED TO INQUISITION BY POMPOUS BUREAUCRATS. IF COMMANDER AUSTIN IS DISPLEASED WITH THE STANDARDS AND PROCEDURES OF THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT AS IT PURSUES ITS STANDING ORDERS TO DEVELOP TECHNOLOGIES WHICH COUNTERACT THOSE OF OUR ENEMIES, HE SHOULD TAKE HIS CONCERNS UP WITH ME.
//SIGNED// tuq cargh qaStaHvIS ghIm h'ajah, shal puqbe'
Lt. Cmdr. H'ajah, daughter of Shal, of House Cargh in exile
Chief Engineer, Engineering Dept., Deep Space 13
Commander H’ajah,
It seems there is a miss understanding as to the purpose of this email chain: we are attempting to identify who authorized what, where, and why.
While the Lieutenant’s result was practically beneficial the methodology applied to this effort was frankly reckless. I don’t give two hoots in a hammock about a runabout.
Here are my concerns:
- Two officers nearly died in this experiment
- Station communications were interrupted
Do you recognize the impact that a communications disruption has on this sector? How many starship, military and civilian, rely on this station to provide logistical, tactical, and navigational support?
Also, why in the wide wide world of holo-sports was this test conducted around the station? Why not pick a location, like the munitions testing range or an uninhabited system? We have support ships on this station precisely for these kinda of efforts.
Imagine a ship like Endeavour—or that little feller the Brahe—warping in while this test was doing on; how many lives would have been lost?
Stopping the Azedi is important, but it ain’t worth a hill of beans if we kill our own people in the process.
//SIGNED//
Commander Maxwell S. Austin
Executive Officer, Deep Space 13
YOU KNOW NOTHING OF WHAT THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT DOES ON THIS STATION, COMMANDER. PERHAPS YOU SHOULD COME DOWN HERE AND SEE FOR YOURSELF WHAT REAL WORK LOOKS LIKE. YOU MAY DISCOVER THAT THERE IS AN ENTIRE WING OF THE ENGINEERING LEVELS DEVOTED TO RESEARCH AND DEVELOPMENT, WHERE WE DESIGN, BUILD, AND TEST EXPERIMENTAL TECHNOLOGY WITH THE TACIT CONSENT OF COMMAND. IN THE PAST MONTH, 2,109 TEST PROCEDURES HAVE BEEN CONDUCTED FOR 84 DIFFERENT R&D PROJECTS ONBOARD DEEP SPACE 13. YOUR PERMISSION WAS NOT SOUGHT FOR ANY OF THESE, NOR SHOULD IT HAVE BEEN.
YOUR CONCERN FOR THE SAFETY OF THE FLEET IS MISPLACED. MY DEPARTMENT COORDINATED WITH OPS TO SCHEDULE THE TEST DURING A GAP IN REGISTERED FLIGHT PLANS, AND THE FIELD PERIMETER BUOYS WERE EQUIPPED WITH SUBSPACE TRANSCEIVERS SET TO BROADCAST A WARNING MESSAGE TO ALL UNSCHEDULED VISITORS. ONLY A VESSEL ARRIVING WITHOUT COMMS OR SENSORS COULD HAVE BEEN AT RISK OF STRIKING THE FIELD BOUNDARY UNAWARE, AND SUCH A SHIP WOULD HAVE BEEN IN GREATER DANGER OF FAR MORE COMMON STELLAR HAZARDS THAN OUR EXPERIMENT.
THE STATION, MEANWHILE, WAS IN NO DANGER GREATER THAN THE MILD INCONVENIENCE OF A COMMUNICATIONS SLOW-DOWN. THIS WAS AN ANTICIPATED SIDE EFFECT OF THE TEST, WHICH IS WHY A DOWNTIME NOTICE WAS LOGGED FOR DS13 COMMS SYSTEMS. THAT THE EXPERIMENT EXCEEDED ITS SCHEDULED MAINTENANCE WINDOW IS UNFORTUNATE, AND I TAKE RESPONSIBILITY FOR ANY HARDSHIP SUFFERED AS YOUR RODEO VIDEOS WERE SLOW TO BUFFER.
ONLY MONTHS AGO, YOU SAID YOURSELF THAT WE WERE IN A STATE OF "UNDECLARED WAR", AND IMPLORED THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT TO WORK ON COUNTERMEASURES TO THE AZEDI THREAT. NOW WE HAND YOU A SPECTACULAR BREAKTHROUGH IN DEFENSIVE TECHNOLOGY, AND YOU COMPLAIN THAT YOU WERE NOT SUFFICIENTLY NOTIFIED THAT WE WERE DOING WHAT YOU ASKED, AND THAT YOUR COMMUNICATIONS WERE BRIEFLY SLOWED DOWN. MAKE UP YOUR MIND ABOUT WHAT MY DEPARTMENT'S PRIORITIES SHOULD BE, AND PROVIDE NOTICE WHEN THOSE PRIORITIES SUDDENLY SHIFT, IF YOU WANT US TO BE RESPONSIVE TO YOUR FICKLE WHIMS.
//SIGNED// tuq cargh qaStaHvIS ghIm h'ajah, shal puqbe'
Lt. Cmdr. H'ajah, daughter of Shal, of House Cargh in exile
Chief Engineer, Engineering Dept., Deep Space 13
Commander H’ajah,
I have little interest in getting into a spitting match with you over email. My concerns are also the concerns of the CO.
That your department enjoys the autonomy it does is a privilege afforded to it because it historically acts with a high degree of ability and professionalism.
Now, I want an explanation as to why this test had to be conducted on the station itself. I want an explanation as to why they thought ramming a runabout into an experimental field was a good idea. And I want an explanation as to why Command was only informed of the coms outage and not that an experiment was being conducted that day.
As the head of your department, I expect you to have justification for these actions and they’d better be good ones.
//SIGNED//
Commander Maxwell S. Austin
Executive Officer, Deep Space 13
THE EXPERIMENT DID NOT HAVE TO BE CONDUCTED AROUND THE STATION. IT WAS LOCATED HERE BECAUSE THE PURPOSE OF THE EXPERIMENTAL TECHNOLOGY IS TO DEFEND ASSETS LIKE DEEP SPACE 13 FROM ATTACK, AND TESTS ARE MOST EFFECTIVE WHEN THEY SIMULATE CONDITIONS AS CLOSE AS POSSIBLE TO THE INTENDED USE CASE.
A RUNABOUT WAS SENT THROUGH THE FIELD BOUNDARY AT WARP BECAUSE WE ARE NOT YET CAPABLE OF CREATING STABLE ARTIFICIAL WORMHOLES LARGE ENOUGH TO PERMIT A VESSEL'S TRANSIT. WHILE WE WOULD PREFER TO SIMULATE THE INTENDED USE CASE AS CLOSELY AS POSSIBLE, WE MUST SOMETIMES MAKE COMPROMISES TO THE LIMITS OF OUR TECHNOLOGY AND FIND INDIRECT WAYS TO TEST THE DESIRED RESULT.
AS I HAVE ALREADY EXPLAINED, EXPERIMENTAL TESTS ARE CONDUCTED EVERY DAY BY MY DEPARTMENT WITHOUT SEEKING COMMAND APPROVAL. COMMAND HAS NEVER REQUESTED THIS LEVEL OF OVERSIGHT FROM ME, NOR HAS IT BEEN REQUESTED OF ANY OF MY PREDECESSORS TO THE BEST OF MY KNOWLEDGE. WE HAVE HISTORICALLY BEEN TRUSTED TO DO OUR JOBS. THIS EXPERIMENT IN PARTICULAR WAS DEEMED TO BE WITHIN ACCEPTABLE RISK TOLERANCES AND PRECAUTIONS WERE TAKEN TO MITIGATE THE MOST PROBABLE CONTINGENCIES.
NEVERTHELESS, AN ACCIDENT OCCURRED. THE FIELD STRENGTH WAS GREATER THAN OUR COMPUTER MODELS ANTICIPATED AND THE EFFECT WAS DAMAGE TO THE INVADING SPACECRAFT (THE RUNABOUT). IT IS FORTUNATE THAT NO ONE WAS HARMED. ACCIDENTS ARE A RISK WE TAKE WITH EXPERIMENTAL AND FIELD-TESTED TECHNOLOGY ALIKE. I STAND BEHIND THE ENGINEERING DEPARTMENT'S SAFETY RECORD AND AM CONFIDENT THAT WE WILL WITHSTAND ANY ADDITIONAL SCRUTINY YOU SEE FIT TO IMPOSE ON US IN ORDER TO SATISFY YOUR NEED TO MICROMANAGE MY MINIONS AS THEY CONDUCT THE DUTIES THAT ARE THEIR EXPLICIT MANDATE FROM COMMAND.
//SIGNED// tuq cargh qaStaHvIS ghIm h'ajah, shal puqbe'
Lt. Cmdr. H'ajah, daughter of Shal, of House Cargh in exile
Chief Engineer, Engineering Dept., Deep Space 13
