PT 002 Forgewight in Engineering

7:16 PM

You, I would assume, have already begun a diagnostic.  But, even just glancing, you see some superficial damage has been done to the jump engine.  You know that it would be highly dangerous to attempt any jumps until that's been sorted, though.

7:40 PM

Let's say your diagnostic is at about 40% complete by now.  You're mostly seeing things ok, save the damage to the jump engine.  As you're working...an image flashes on your screen briefly.

It was so fast you barely caught it at all, and no idea what it was.

Forgewight frowns.

7:42 PM

Going through the diagnostic's history, you're able to rewind back and freeze it...the image appears to be of a bright golden eye.

Forgewight, 7:43 PM

(IS that kind of iconography associated with any of the ship's systems?)

7:44 PM

You don't believe so, no.  It appears to be something embedded in the code of the terminal.  Like, if you look at an HTML layout and see someone did an image in ASCII.  Except with color.

Forgewight looks closer at the terminal, then.

7:45 PM

...this might require an investigation check.

Forgewight, 7:46 PM

((16))

7:48 PM

You check further and open up the coding page.  Most of it seems quite normal, but you do see more extra code.  The runes of it you don't recognize, though.  When you exit the history and check the current code, none of this is there.  Just in that one frame in the diagnostic check.

Forgewight makes a note of it, then heads to the engines to start repairs.  He does hail the captain, though.  "There's something in the ship's systems.  I don't know what it is, yet, but there's a lot of extra arcane code running around."

7:50 PM

Captain: "...understood.  Continue the check as best you can, but alert me the moment anything else happens."

Forgewight, 7:50 PM

I'm about to start repairs on the engines.

7:52 PM

((You go right from diagnostics to repairs?))

Forgewight, 7:55 PM

((Yep!))

7:56 PM

Ok, you get right to work.  It's not that hard a fix, really, just around some sensitive equipment.

About halfway through the jump engine repairs, you get a call on your comm.  It's the team you sent to fix ARTI.  "Sir, Mr. Forgewight, are you there?"

Forgewight, 7:57 PM

Yes.  What's happened?

7:58 PM

"We're checking over all of ARTI's systems and...uh....nothing happened, sir."

Forgewight, 7:58 PM

Check the code.

Look for traces of foreign Arcane Code.

7:59 PM

"...you sure? ...that could take hours, sir.  ARTI's really complex."

Forgewight, 8:00 PM

You'll know it when you see it.

8:01 PM

"Aye sir."

Not long after this...you hear a sound...a terrible sound.

A loud clunk and then the sound of energy pouring in.  Something is starting the jump drive...before you've fully repaired it.

Forgewight clicks the comm to the bridge while he's still repairing it.  "DID SOMEONE INITIATE THE JUMP DRIVE?"

Forgewight is trying to shut it down at the source.

8:05 PM

"WE'RE TRYING TO SHUT IT OFF!  SOMETHING'S MESSING WITH OUR CONSOLE!"

Forgewight, 8:05 PM

Dammit.

8:06 PM

You track it back to the power source and you find a turbine activating.  It's...slow.  It's not moving like it should.

Forgewight tries to disconnect it.  Unplugging things if possible.

8:08 PM

You are able to.  It's a daring scene and you only get the last one unplugged at the last second.  But now you have a turbine spinning with nowhere for the energy to go.

Forgewight, 8:09 PM

(I imagine that he's suspended by some kind of rigging.)

ARTI team, status?

8:44 PM

Just to keep you in the game.  Systems seem to be cooling.  Can you give me just one INT check to see how quickly you fix the damage?

Forgewight, 8:44 PM

Tinker's tools?)

8:45 PM

Sure!

Forgewight, 8:45 PM

(28!)

8:46 PM

You're able to get the engine back in no time.  The others are helping with larger mechanics, but you're nailing the fine details fine and have it back in 15 minutes.

You also finish the diagnostics.

Most everything else seems to be coming back, save the problems with ARTI.

...then you check the data logs...and you see a massive problem.

Forgewight, 8:51 PM

(Which is?)

8:51 PM

((Oh, sorry))

A particular hard drive appears to be fried.  The one containing the known locations of other planes.  ...including your home plane.

Forgewight, 8:52 PM

Oh, fuck.

9:01 PM

((Sorry, I didn't think you'd be out of the loop this long.  Is there anything Theo would do in his current situation?))

Forgewight, 9:03 PM

Not really.  He did get a look at the map on the console, so he can remember what he saw there, but recreating it is not a priority right now.  HE'll probably head over to the AI core once the engines are sorted.

9:03 PM

Ok, I'll say you're on your way.  Feel free to enter the main chat and announce your re-entry when you want to.

Engines are likely sorted well enough for you to leave.

Forgewight, 9:04 PM

I'm heading to the core.  Make sure the bridge console is sorted next.

9:05 PM

Szazlai: "Aye, sir."