Yellow Alert... Ha Ha "
By: Krystal, Pixie Hologram , [RNPC]
Maxine Lucinda Tapert, Computer Specialist, [PC]
Kelly Forrester, Assistant Chief Operations Officer, [RNPC]
Jonathan Wright, Executive Officer, [PC]
Ian Hunter, Commanding Officer, [PC]

Stardate: 58205.25 1145

==Bridge==

Wright settled back into the command as just as the yellow alert began. He was about to pull up the commuter data on Pacifica when the computer laughed. It was not just any laugh, Wright recognized it to be Birkoff. "What the--"

The main view screen on the bridge as well as the command chair console was filled with the laughing visage of Birkoff. "Ensign Forrester," said Wright, "What is going on?"

"I do not know Sir," she replied , "I cannot override."

"Hello Wright," said Birkoff, "How is your arm?" He laughed again. "Anyway, I have waited a long time for you to call for a yellow alert. I have a surprise for you." Birkoff sneered. "Computer , initiate auto destruct."

The computer beeped and said, "Auto destruct sequence activated, one hour until auto destruct. There will be no further audio warnings."

Hunter emerged from the observation deck and stepped up beside Wright.

"No further warnings," echoed Birkoff still laughing.

"What's going on Number One," asked Hunter.

"Birkoff appears to have left us a little gift," Wright gestured towards the view screen, "he came on as soon as I ordered a yellow alert."

Hunter had a look of grave concern on his face, "Computer, countdown until self-destruct sequence."

The computer responded 57 minutes 23 seconds.

"Computer cancel self-destruct sequence, voice authorization Hunter, alpha 1, alpha 2"

The computer chirped back, "Auto destruct sequence has not been activated."

More laughter from Birkoff, "It's it active or isn't it? You will find out in an hour."

Hunter looked at Wright ruefully.

Wright punched a button on the command chair, "Ensign Tapert report to the bridge." Wright hoped she was as good as her record said she was.

Maxine blinked and looked up at the call. "Yessir! On my way, sir!" she responded immediately. Perched on her shoulder, Krystal grabbed hold of Max's hair to hang on as the ensign took off for the bridge. "Look out, coming through! Hold the lift!" the little pixie called out and indeed the turbolift waited for them, the doors closing after Max hurried through and called out, "Bridge".

"Ensign Tapert reporting, sir," Max saluted as she stepped onto the bridge then rubbed her forehead where she'd smacked it.

"Ensign, the man on the main view is Gordon Birkoff, I trust you know who he is," said Wright.

Her eyes turned to the view screen and Maxine nodded. "Gordon Birkoff, sir," she answered. Krystal was being very quiet and standing on Max's shoulder, still holding onto a lock of the young ensign's hair.

Wright quickly explained what had just transpired, "I need to verify that status of our auto destruct system is inactive, then I want to to find his little bug and get it out of the computer."

"Roight, sir," Max nodded and moved to a free terminal where she slipped her neural interface on and typed in a series of commands. "Searching, sir... One section of the computer reports it being inactive, but another section is reporting it active and counting down," she talked as she worked. "I'm trying to ascertain which section is accurate..."

"Pixie, activate trace protocol. Hunt down and pinpoint the source of origin of the Birkoff recording...." At Max's command, Krystal came to attention, clicked her heels together, and saluted. "Aye, aye, ma'am!" then she disappeared in a poofing sparkle of pixie dust.

"I'll be on the observation deck if you need me." said Hunter turning.

"I'll keep you informed, sir," Max didn't even glance in his direction. Her eyes were filled with code as she stared past the terminal and went at the problem from this end while the AI program she'd designed sought out the originating terminal

Wright watched the main view screen in frustration, the image of Birkoff continued to laugh and remind him that time was running out. "Will someone shut him up," said Wright irritably.

"I am trying sir," said Forrester, "He has my station all locked down."

"Keep trying Ensign," said Wright.

Maxine kept hard at work, the fingers of one hand tapping out an absent tune as she did. "Arrogant blighter," she murmured at one point.

"I got it!" the little pixie hologram poofed back into sight at Max's shoulder.

"Location?" Max murmured, her eyes still filled with code and her fingers still tapping.

"Deck four. Auxiliary Control," Krystal announced. "Stardate 58204.24, 0557.024 hours."

"A'roight then... That's the date 'e took control... Pull up and playback the keystrokes and commands issued on that terminal. Start your search at the time mark for loss of computer control and continue till 0630 on that Stardate, Pixie..." Max commanded.

The little hologram came to attention and saluted. "Aye, aye, ma'am.." and disappeared once again.

"Commander, the autodestruct is not actually active sir. It's a virus and we're working on 'unting the blighter down now..." Max reported.

"Very good," said Wright releived that the ship was not going to blow up,"Can you restore control to the ops bridge station," he asked watching the laughing Birkoff still on the screen.

"M'working on that sir," she responded. "Looks like the bugger rerouted control back down to Auxiliary Control on deck four. We're just looking for his password..... Ahhh... Found it," Max smirked. "Computer, re-route Operation Command functions back to the bridge and restore Operations Station to full functions, authorization charlie22beta1," she commanded and within moments control was given back to Forrester and her station unfrozen.

"Sir," said Forrester, "I have control again" The laughing image of Brikoff disappeared and the normal star field filled the screen.

"Thank you," said Wright.

"Now... For bug control. Pixie, did you get me a sample of that code?" As soon as Max asked, the little pixie popped into view on her shoulder, nodding. "Yahuh." A string of the virus code appeared on Max's terminal and the ensign's eyes became unfocused as she studied it. The fingers of one hand continued to lightly tap the absent tune she'd started while she worked on the code and soon the string was dissolving into bytes and restructuring itself into a totally different string of code. "There, sir... The virus should be neutralized in...." She glanced at the pixie on her shoulder, who finished with, "Three minutes and thirty one point seven seconds." They both turned to look at Commander Wright then.

Wright was uncertain what to think about this rather odd computer specialist and her holographic pixie, he thought that Hunter was crazy for allowing it, however, he had to admit they appeared to work well together. "Good work Ensign," said Wright getting up from the command char and walking over to where she worked. "I think it might be best to run the computer though some more diagnostics," he said, "We need to make sure there are no more surprises from Birkoff." The thought that this could happen again the next time he ordered torpedos fired in battle concerned him.

Maxine thought that was a good idea herself and it showed on her face as she looked up at him. "Aye sir," she nodded. "I'll go through the computer and 'olosystems and weed out any thing that doesn't belong," she assured him with a smile. "And thank you sir." She left off saying what a pleasure it had been and how much she'd enjoyed herself because she thought that might be just a little too tacky sounding to actually vocalize.

"Please send a report on your findings when you are done," said Wright.

"Of course sir," Max agreed. "I'll make a complete, detailed report and have it for you as soon as I'm finished."