Episode 48. Proof of the Future
Context
- Coordinated Universal Time
- Thursday, August 1, 2024 - 03:57
- Location
-
- Space
- Lunar Orbit
- USS Enterprise
- Isolation Quarters
- Timeline
- Contaminated Timeline
- Previously
-
The Andorian Tarsi, a Starfleet temporal officer, has revealed to Agnes and Angie that she is a fugitive from the 26th century. She claims she tried to find the Vulcan vessel VSS Schak'Irra, which vanished in 1954, but that a temporal contamination diverted History itself. According to her, Tholian ships are wandering through this altered timeline, and the Enterprise is at the heart of the paradox. Wary but intrigued, Agnes decides to continue the interview under heavy surveillance.
Characters
| Name | Affiliation / Branch | Title / Rank | Species | Original Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Agnes V. Rodriguez | NATO / Special Fleet | Captain | Human | Schak'Irra Timeline |
| Angie Chen | NATO / Special Fleet | Commander | Human | Schak'Irra Timeline |
| Tarsi | Starfleet / Temporal Division | Commander | Andorian | Prime Timeline |
Manifest
| USS Enterprise | |
|---|---|
| Affiliation | NATO |
| Location | Lunar Orbit |
| Captain | Agnes V. Rodriguez |
| First Officer | Angie Chen |
| Pilot | Eric Corda |
| Communications | Emilie Flores |
| Operations | Charlene Savea |
| Tactical | Eric Corda Charlene Savea |
| Science | N/A |
| Advanced Weapons | Eros Vitos |
| Sickbay | Victor S. Calpel |
| Counselor/Consultant | Manu |
| Custodian | Manu |
| Passengers | Tarsi (Confidential) |
TL;DR
To prove her claims, Tarsi reveals a holographic implant hidden in her abdomen. It contains her flight logs, temporal readings, and personal data, accessible by projection or through a Bynar-made storage chip capable of holding several quantexaoctets of information. Between awkward humor and technological genius, Tarsi eventually convinces Agnes and Angie that her story is sincere, even if the captain remains cautious in the face of technology from another age... or another future.
Story
We have been interviewing Tarsi for more than an hour now, and the least I can say is that she has a real talent for adding knots to my already oversized tangled mess.
I remain perplexed. Her revelations are disturbing, but they sometimes brush up against science fiction.
On one hand, I would like to believe her story. On the other, there is our reality.
Whatever the case, I think I made the right decision by placing her in quarantine and, for now, keeping NATO Command in the dark.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Tarsi, I am going to be honest with you.
I am skeptical, and I would like you to give your story some credit.
Cmdr. Tarsi
Huh?!
I have to pay for my story? But I do not have any money, Captain Agnes Rodriguez.
Cmdr. Angie Chen (Number One)
No, Tarsi.
The captain is asking you to provide tangible elements that could convince her your statements are true.
Cmdr. Tarsi
Ah... all right.
Um... like navigation recordings, logbooks, that sort of thing?
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
I assume all of that is in your vessel.
Cmdr. Tarsi
Um... not exactly.
I do not keep any data in the Tal'Kyr, to prevent it from being used against me.
Remember, I am a fugitive.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
So I should take your word for it.
Cmdr. Tarsi
No, Captain Agnes Rodriguez.
I have everything... here.
With a sudden movement, Tarsi pushes her chair back, moves away from the table, and points to her abdomen.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
In your stomach???
Cmdr. Tarsi
No, no!
Right here!
I stare at her, unable to understand what she is trying to show me. Then she stands up and slightly lifts her T-shirt, revealing a luminous shard embedded at her navel.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
... Your navel?
Cmdr. Angie Chen (Number One)
Ha ha ha.
That is original.
I had guessed that luminous shard was not just a gemstone.
Cmdr. Tarsi
It is a holographic implant of my own design.
I can give it any appearance, or cloak it depending on the circumstances.
Inside, there is a small chip that stores all of my data.
Cmdr. Angie Chen (Number One)
How do you control it?
Cmdr. Tarsi
It is connected to my nervous system, as well as to other implants.
Cmdr. Angie Chen (Number One)
Incredible...
You are a bionic extraterrestrial equipped like a Swiss Army knife!
Cmdr. Tarsi
Oh no, nothing that spectacular.
They are just a few little gadgets I picked up.
Technological implants are fairly common in my era.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
All right, Tarsi.
How do we access that data?
Cmdr. Tarsi
There are three methods.
I can display it by holographic projection in the room...
Or I can give you the chip, which you will be able to read on your computers.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
What is the third method?
Cmdr. Tarsi
A direct transmission to my ocular system.
But in that case, no one but me can see it.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Myeah...
Project it into the room.
Tarsi tilts her head slightly and gives a brief wink. The luminous shard embedded in her abdomen immediately intensifies, then projects a multitude of shapes and signs around us, suspended in the air.
Caught off guard by their proximity, Angie and I both step back to clear the space.
Cmdr. Tarsi
What you are seeing are the Tal'Kyr's flight recordings since my escape in 2554.
You can observe every era where I made a stop.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Wow...
I have never seen anything so... floaty.
What do you think, Number One?
Cmdr. Angie Chen (Number One)
It is the same technology I saw in the shuttle.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
I was talking about the data, Number One.
Cmdr. Angie Chen (Number One)
Ah... um...
The list of destinations is impressive. And the details are very precise.
Cmdr. Tarsi
I wandered for many weeks to gather all this information.
You can also consult my personal log.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
If there is nothing too intimate, and if it adds value, why not.
Cmdr. Tarsi
Well... um... as long as you keep that information to yourselves, I have no problem with it.
Completely absorbed in reading the displayed data, I startle when the luminous shapes suddenly vanish, as if the fuses had blown.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Heeey...
What are you doing, Tarsi? Why did you cut the projection?
Cmdr. Tarsi
I am going to remove the chip from my implant and give it to you.
That way, you can make a copy and consult it whenever you like.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Copy it how?
We do not have your devices from the future.
Cmdr. Tarsi
That will not be a problem.
The chip is a 20th-century antique... one you know very well.
Tarsi makes an almost imperceptible movement. The luminous shard embedded in her navel pulses once, then something slowly detaches from it, as if drawn out by an invisible force.
The item floats in the air for a moment before gliding precisely into the open palm of her hand. Tarsi curls her fingers slightly... then presents what she is holding.
Cmdr. Angie Chen (Number One)
Oh my God...
It looks like a SIM card.
Cmdr. Tarsi
That is correct, Angie.
The oldest technologies are often the safest.
If this chip fell into the hands of my contemporaries, they would have a very hard time accessing it.
Cmdr. Angie Chen (Number One)
But its storage capacity is limited, right?
Cmdr. Tarsi
In your era, yes.
But this one is designed with 26th-century technology.
It has a capacity of five QXo.
It is a unique model in the galaxy, which I specially ordered from the Bynars.
They made me a small stock of them.
Cmdr. Angie Chen (Number One)
QXo?
Cmdr. Tarsi
The quantexaoctet.
It is equal to 10 to the 297th power bytes.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Angie... close your mouth.
Your jaw is about to come loose.
Cmdr. Angie Chen (Number One)
Um... yes.
That is a gigantic capacity compared with what we have on the Enterprise.
Here, we barely reach the quettaoctet.
I am afraid we will have to select what we want to copy.
Cmdr. Tarsi
Do not worry, Angie.
I have several chips I can part with.
Cmdr. Angie Chen (Number One)
But what could take up that much space, to the point of requiring such an oversized capacity?
Cmdr. Tarsi
Resolution.
We have reached the subatomic level.
Capt. Agnes V. Rodriguez
Thank you for all this information, Tarsi.
I remain skeptical... but I will give you the benefit of the doubt.
Cmdr. Tarsi
I understand your skepticism, Captain Agnes Rodriguez.
I would feel exactly the same if I were in your place.