Personal Log
Where did this last week go? Let me explain... No, there is too much. Let me sum up. See what I did there?
So it was... 3 days after the stream, maybe 4 and I get a message from the Captain and the Commander. After reviewing the ships logs that the received in the data stream, Starfleet Command felt we needed a better way to get raw materials and foodstuffs back on board. Apparently they’d like us to reduce our dependence on shuttle craft for routine supply missions due to safety concerns. Personally, I’m offended on behalf of every pilot on Voyager. But okay; sure.
The Captain took a look at Starfleet’s guidance and raised concerns the annular confinement beam’s ability to keep the matter stream intact throughout transport. She really doesn’t miss a thing. Ever a practical man, the Commander had concerns about the time it takes to set up the interlock and how it might limit transport in case of a medical or other emergency. It was a very yin and yang response. No wonder they make such a fine command team.
The Commander wanted a preliminary report in 48 hours and then a plan for holodeck simulations another four days later. Easy enough. Until Laethea showed up on sensors. Now it’s straight to real world testing. Tomorrow.
So, what did the team of crack scientists send us? They sent us a cutting edge system interlock protocol. The mapping diagram alone made my head hurt. The protocol allows us to connect the cargo transporter with up-to two of the standard transporters. Gee Starfleet Command, why didn’t we think of that? Maybe because it is a logistical nightmare. It took me 2 days of non-stop work to get the transporters linked and the pattern buffers aligned. The program they wrote to “flip” the transporters into those settings work well - they just didn’t get the initial configuration right. Today’s breakthrough was getting the right timing in each transporter’s phase transition coils. The only thing that worked right out of the information from the data stream was the targeting and containment beam coordination. The personnel transporters take the lead and the cargo one just provides the added capacity.
It’s excited stuff and it would be nice to have the option of getting the supplies up to the ship via transport instead of hauling it back out through caves but personally, I’m not sold. A single transporter can’t cut through radiation and ionic interference. Connecting the transporters will let them cut through the interference, but that doesn’t make them impervious to it.
I’m going to catch a few hours of sleep and then go double check everything one more time before the test tomorrow.