[USS Athena] "Fine Tuning"

[T'Shana Tubed <antediluvian2370@xxxxxxxxx>]

Fine Tuning


    "The length of the solar cycle on this experiment is slightly off," T'Shana 
remarked, after she had looked at the data on the large terrarium in the corner 
of the hydroponics lab.
    "How would you know?" Erein Hanaj quirked a doubtful brow at her.
    She turned, standing up straight, and grimace. "What did I tell you before? 
I have a doctorate...."
    "In Engineering, yes, yes... you told me," he frowned.
    "And... a masters in Astrogeology and Atmospheric Chemistry," she grinned 
victoriously. "So, trust me, I know what I'm talking about." She watched him 
open is mouth and cut him off, "Besides.... I spend a couple of months on New 
Romulus... which is the environment this particular experiment is simulating," 
again, she grinned.
    "You just got all the answers, don't you?" The Romulan Security officer 
shook his head with a sigh. "However, the problem here is, you should not... 
no, you cannot touch this. You might have forgotten, but you're not allowed 
access to any of the important thing on this ship," this time he almost gave 
her a grin, as if taunting her.
    T'Shana rolled her eyes up at him with a less than pleased look on her 
face. "No need to rub it in." She looked around the lab, "We need to find 
someone then that has access and knows what he's doing to adjust the setting."
    Hanaj's gaze moved through the lab as well. He nodded over to the far side, 
"Lieutenant Reichlig, he's one of the botanists here. I'm sure he could help... 
IF you can convince him that you're right."
    "Leave that up to me," she crossed her arms, "Just call him over, would 
you? Or do I have to get him here?"
    

    "You need help?" The man with the salt and pepper hair approached with 
Hanaj right behind him.
    "Yes," T'Shana flashed him a winning smile and stuck her hand out, "I'm 
Doctor cha'AAnikh."
    "Lieutenant Reichlig," he pulled a hand out of his lab coat pocket and 
grabbed her hand. "I've heard about you," he smirked, shaking her hand firmly. 
"The Erein said you feel something is not set correctly on the terraforming 
experiment for New Romulus?"
    "Yes," she brought up the information on the terrariums display screen. 
"You see...," she pointed to several numbers, "the solar cycle is off by 4.5 
minutes."
    Reichlig leaned over and looked at the data. "Hmmm...," he punched a few 
more buttons, checking on other aspects, "According to the information we have 
about the planet, its rotation and revolution around its sun, the distance from 
the star and the degree of tilt of the planet itself... the computer model gave 
Commander Svonn the exact number."
    "Svonn?" T'Shana's brow perked up with curiosity. "You're talking about the 
department head, the Chief Science officer? It's his experiment?"
    "Well, yes," the Lieutenant nodded. "He's began working on this germination 
project not long after we left New Romulus. There had been some discussion with 
the scientists there and then among the leading one here on the Athena about 
possible ways to overcome a food shortage." He looked inside the large 
terrarium, then at T'Shana, "Of course, it's just a backup plan in case they 
might get cut off from their connection to the Alpha Quadrant again."
    She nodded, "Precautions are always in order. But... I'm telling you, this 
setting is off. I've been on the planet, I've lived on that planet for months, 
out in the elements," she explained. "Trust me... I had to keep a detailed log 
on the amount of daylight I had to work with... after," she glanced at Hanaj, 
then moved in closer to the Lieutenant, "after they had thrown me outside to 
fend for myself," she continued in a whisper.
    "Hmm," Reichlig eyed her for a long moment. "You know I can't just adjust 
someone else's experiment setting on your word, right?"
    "I know what I'm talking about, Lieutenant," T'Shana looked at him in all 
sincerity. "What do I have to gain with lying to you?"
    "I don't know," the scientist continued eying her, as if he could see into 
her mind. "If you're wrong, I look like the fool that listened to the... 
stranger."
    She sighed. "I know I know... but honestly, I know what I'm talking about. 
And I'm trying to get approved as a crew member. Do you think I would 
jeopardize that for anything?" She pointed at the crops in the terrarium, "If 
you don't adjust it, all his research will be for nothing. All the date 
collected will not apply to the planet, and it won't be any good... it'll be in 
vain that he has done this."
    Reichlig wagged his head, thinking. "But I can't just in good conscience 
change the setting, just because you said so...."
    "Then don't," she remarked, then pointed to a console, "make sure I'm 
correct first."
    The Lieutenant looked at her, then the console, then back at her. "I don't 
see the validity of it. I mean, the computer calculated these setting. Why 
would they be different now?"
    "They wouldn't," T'Shana sighed, "But if you can show me the original 
program and input, I might be able to see if something was entered wrong... 
or... I dunno," she shrugged, "just give me a chance. There has to be a reason 
for the setting to be off."
    Reichlig contemplated for a moment, "Alright... no harm in showing you 
that."


    "You see?" T'Shana pointed to the input, "The tilt of the planet is off by 
point zero zero one degree."
    Lieutenant Reichlig nodded, as he compared the data from the senors and the 
data in the calculation program. "You're right... hmmm... I wonder why....?"
    "You're kidding me? That little bit would make a difference?" Erein Hanaj 
blurted out. He was leaning against the bulkhead over at the wall, getting 
rather bored.
    "Yes it does!!" Both T'Shana and Reichlig retorted simultaneously, as they 
turned to look at the Romulan.
    "Whoa!!" The Security officer threw his hands up. "Alright, alright..."
    "The universe is fine tuned, Hanaj," T'Shana lectured."Every little degree, 
every microsecond makes a difference. Don't you know that from... well, 
whatever you Romulans go to that's equivalent to Starfleet Academy."
    "Well," Hanaj crossed his arms, frowning at her use of the word 'Romulan'. 
"Science is not my strong suit."
    "Then let us deal with this," she sighed deeply, turning back to what 
Reichlig was doing.
    "I think the error came from the transfer of data," he pointed out to her, 
"For some reason the program's parameters for the tilt were only set to two 
decimal spaces. So, the program just rounded it up and then calculated."
    "Oh my," she shook her head, "Someone blundered. And I suppose Commander 
Svonn didn't see it."
    "Apparently not," Reichlig nodded. "Alright, so let's run this again and 
get the correct settings." He activated the calculation program.
    Hanaj watched them both waiting with excited anticipation. It was hard for 
him to resist shaking his head. There was just nothing interesting to him in 
matters pertaining to such mundane things as crowing crops. If it was about 
weapons or starships and fighters, yes, then he could get excited with them. He 
yawned slightly, peering at his chrono. Two more kevn, and he'd be done with 
his shift. Then, someone would have to take over watching T'Shana. The thought 
actually brought a satisfied smile to his face.
    "Done," Lieutenant Reichlig smiled, looking over the output. "Well, I be... 
you were right... 4.5 minutes," he smiled at T'Shana, "I'm going to make the 
adjustments right now."
    "I'm not going to say I told you so," she smirked, following him over to 
the terrarium. "But I did tell you."
    The Science officer laughed. It only took him a moment to make the needed 
correction, then he turned and winked at her. "I suppose I need to say thank 
you. I'll make sure that Commander Svonn will be informed of your assistance in 
the matter."
    T'Shana was just about to wave him off and tell him it wasn't necessary, 
when she realized that this might present a chance to get to meet 'the 
beefcake' in person. She chuckled at the thought. "Thank you."    
    

 "Knowledge becomes wisdom only after it has been put to practical use."

Other related posts:

[USS Athena] "Fine Tuning"