Stardate: 61119:2100
Title: Self-image
Author: Lieutenant Jenna
Time: After "Baptism By Fire"
Scene: USS Relentless


Maxine and Kal had finished assessing the damage below decks and met with the Captain, Commander Winters and Lieutenant Mock in the Ready Room to discuss their findings.

"Although no critical systems were damaged, we did get an EPS conduit blow-out. Its affected the feed to the jump drive and, as such, we are uncertain as to how long it will take to recharge the device. Initial estimates would suggest a little less than a week." Maxine summarized their findings regarding the device and its power feeds.

Alex turned to look at his CEO.

"We anticipate it taking only a day or two to repair and check the conduit before we can reconnect the jump drive." Kal stated calmly. Like everyone though, he was not going to risk being stuck in an alternative universe because of a botched repair job!

"It would also appear we have some problems regarding the ablative armour generators" Kal continued. "One generator on the port side has jammed on and so we cannot use those weapons at present, and one generator took a direct hit from a Galor lance weapon, rendering it useless."

"I have a team liaising with Engineering and we are looking into them both" Maxine replied. "We should be able to replicate a generator and refit it. I don't want to pull the power from the other one unless its absolutely necessary as we may damage it."

"We'll be operating at a reduced effectiveness in the meantime then" Clayton chipped in. "I'll have Ensign Tarek run up some alternative combat maneuvers for the time being, reducing exposure to our weakened flank."

Alex nodded solemnly. The Relentless had faired more than well against a much greater fleet of opponents, but they had left spacedock with some systems still not quite 'fine tuned'.


=/\= A Short While Later =/\=

With the other teams still looking into the ablative armour generator problems and checking the jump drive, Maxine had sat down in her office to read some additional reports when the door opened to admit Abigail in.

"Ma'am." Maxine stood and greeted the XO by the title she knew her to prefer.

Abigail smiled at the CSO as she sat down in the chair opposite her, Maxine reseating herself.

"I need your help communicating with Relly" Abigail began. "Although I have received communication from her through the ship's systems and communicated with her the same way, I need a quicker way to interact with her." She paused for a moment. "Have YOU spoken with her?"

"I've not spoken with her as such - my psychic abilities are more prescientin nature and a little unpredictable! I have had a vast amount of data entered into the scientific databanks though, which we are still sifting through to be honest. However, I have been working on something which may facilitate a more direct communications path."

"Kal's conversion of Christie you mean?" Abigail referred to the CEO's chrome android.

"No, he's still working on that. It's a holographic interface program that could run in here, the Science Labs and the holodecks. It has a couple of advantages over the use of Christie as well, the main one being that several people could talk with Relly at once about completely different things. Of course, Christie will allow Relly to explore beyond the boundaries of holographic projectors, maybe even down to the surface of a planet separate to the ship itself."

"How close to completion are both those projects?"

Maxine smiled. "I think I've got the last few bugs out of the system; Kal's been tied-up with repair work after those Ferengi shot-up engineering so I'm not sure on that one." She paused again. "Wanna give it a try?"

Abigail simply nodded, expectantly.

"Computer, began program Relly One."

The holographic projector blinked on and a fuzzy image of a young girl dressed in a flowing floral dress shimmered into existence before reforming into a solid shape.

"Why the young girl image?" Abigail asked.

"I didn't pick it, Relly did. The few times the program has run up she seems to shift between images. As far as I can tell she chooses this image when things are quiet and she is at rest. She also has an older female figure in a Starfleet scientific uniform, and another in a command uniform. There are probably more we haven't yet come across."

"A ship with a split-personality?" Abigail enquired jokingly.

The young girl in front of them let out a childish laugh.

"No, silly. It's self-presentation. Maxine is right, I have access to hundreds of thousands of images via the central computer and holodeck systems. However, I think I detected a trace of humour in your voice. Were you are making a joke, Commander?"

Abigail and Maxine smiled at each other before looking back to the sweet image portrayed by the ship around them.


====================
Lieutenant Maxine Jenna
Chief Science Officer
USS Relentless
NCC-11966
====================