Homefire #71"
By: Ian Hunter, Commanding Officer, [PC]
Mressha KaTira , Science Offcier , [NPC]
Simon Zent, Chief Science Officer, [PC]

Stardate: 58209.23 1050

Lietuenant Zent entered the Science lab and approached the work station manned by Sahril. Watching over her shoulder were the other two science officers, Ensign Dewey and Ensign M'ressha.

"Status report?"

Sahril's fingers lifted from the LCARs input screen as she pushed herself back a little ways and turned her chair toward Zent.

"No Sir, the code that Ms. Tappert used, its a very high level encryption."

Zent ruffled the hair on the back of his head and sighed in frustration, "Will you be able to crack it any time soon?"

"No Sir, I estimate that if all the ship's computational resources were allocated to the task it would take 4,097.3 days."

He turned toward Dewey, "well?"

Dewey looked down at his shoes nerviously. "I checked with OPS and Engineering, no one else has access to Tappert's code."

Zent lectured, "This data could contain vital information. We need to figure this out."

"I have an idea Sir," said M'ressha.

Zent nodded, "okay."

"Ms. Tappert used an avatar, almost as an extension of herself. It may have assimilated that information."

"Its possible, okay see what you can do."

Ka'Tira sat down at the large holomatrix work station in the center of the lab and began locating files. It didn't take her too long.

"I think I found it. Its a level 3 file though."

"I hate to do this," said Zent tapping his combadge, "Captain Hunter to science lab 1 please."

After the captain arrived, Zent updated him on their progress.

The Captain agreed with his recommendation. "Computer, command override, authorization sidney bravo 9."

The computer chirped.

Seconds later, Tappert's avatar appeared on the holopad in the center of the worktable.

Hunter rolled his eyes as Zent moved hurriedly around the table to where Ka'Tira was.

The Captain addressed her, "Krystal."

She turned and blinked at him innocently.

"Krystal, why are you naked?"

She looked down and covered herself and started screaming in a shrill little pitch.

Zent shook his head and reached down to the LCARs and froze her program.

"I'll fix it."

A moment later Krystal disappeared and re-materialized as the standard emergency medical hologram.

Krystal's voice began to eminate from the holographic doctor, "Please state the natur.... Hey!"

"Just another moment Captain, I've substituted the personality extensions, the program is still assimilating."

Krystal continued to protest the change in her appearance and then suddenly stopped and looked forward with blank expression.

"Do you know who I am?" inquired Hunter.

"Yes. Captain Ian Hunter, commanding officer of the USS Zion, serial number..."

Hunter lifted his hand, "that's fine."

He circled the hologram, "What is your name?"

"Krystal."

Hunter nodded, "Krystal, Maxine is unable to assist me in a very important matter, so I need you to take over for her."

"Aye-aye Sir."

"Good. I need you to help Mr. Zent here access some important stuff Maxine was doing for me. Do you understand?"

"Yes Sir!"

Hunter nodded toward Zent, "She's all yours."

Data began to fill a holograph screen directly in front of the holographic avatar, "Do you recognize this?"

"Yes, It's Maxine's data-mining worm."

"Yes it is, now, the Captain and I need the decryption key. Do you know it?"

"Of Course."

"Go ahead then," said Hunter.

With blazing speed the hologram manipulated a 3-dimensional array comprising of more than a thousand symbols which represented the code. Suddenly the screen changed, flashing to a bright green color.

"Done."

Zent nodded, "It worked Captain."

"Thank you Krystal. You are dismissed." Said Hunter.

"You are welcome Captain."

Zent turned off the hologram.

"Get that data up to intel and get it analysed."

"Yes Sir."