Sage knew Thor was incredibly intelligent and that if anyone could solve their problem, it was him. But her nerves were still firing on adrenaline. “I’m sorry to seem impatient, Lt, but I don’t want to be forcefully beamed from the Genny. How long will this take and is there any place on the ship that would be safe for me to wait out the process? A place where beaming can’t occur?” She knew Cal had to get back to his duties but she was loathe to let go of his hand as long as she was still in danger.

—Sage

Dagen looked from one to the other. The diagnostic he was pondering would have the bridge wondering what was going on. However, that was neither here nor there. He had the go. He thought fast. Force fields would do it but they weren’t exactly everywhere but at strategic areas for security and structural purposes. His first thought was the brig, but that wouldn’t precisely be something that Sage would like. However he could work up what they had. Brigs had pattern inhibitors set in the walls to prevent that sort of thing - at least while the force field was activated.

“I can do two things fairly quickly, and a third thing … soon enough.” He glanced a touch nervously at the XO. He was on edge. “The safest place right now to prevent transport is the brig. With the field activated there are pattern inhibitors there so one can’t be beamed out. That’s the most immediate thing to do - apart from the shields. We can do a second work in your quarters, or sick bay, whichever you prefer, to set up similar pattern inhibitors there that would act in much the same way. The third thing that will take a bit more time is a personal inhibitor device to wear - similar to the one that tried to beam you out these would be to set up a field around you so as to not gain a transporter lock.” Just like with the sense of physical security setting up a layered approach to security all of these options would allow for a layered defense against transports.”

He thought more. “When I find out about how the transport was attempted I can better put together a defense, but I want to have this set up to be ongoing.”

Thor, Eng

“You mean if I get in one of the cells and you activate it, no one can beam me anywhere? Not even somewhere else on this ship?” Sage had a basic understanding of most systems of the Genesis, but her field was medicine, not engineering so the finer points weren’t in her knowledge base.

“This is a security protocol that has been built into ships for decades. Security tends to get rather cross when their charges are beamed out from under them. There are different levels of security there. The lowest level will enable transports, but anything more than that won’t. The brig on a high security setting is set to keep anyone in there and for them to stay.” Dagen tried to be reassuring. The truth was that security was only as good as the last attempt to breach it. But they could layer things up enough to make anyone wanting to snatch Sage to be very challenging indeed. “Not from our transporters. They will be shut down.” He took a breath. “I will have to work out a protocol, not so much to keep you from getting beamed out but to allow for the use of the transporter in a time of emergency. I can shut this down real tight but we still need it when we need it.

She walked over to one of the empty cells, pulling Calvin along with her. “What do you think, Babe?” All she wanted was a safe place to wait until Thor came up with an individual inhibitor she could wear. Only then would she feel free to roam the ship and do her job with any safety.

—Sage

“I’m going to check in with the transporter chief and see where this transporter beam originated,” he said, and looked at Calvin. “If you choose to go by the brig option at the start, sir, you can activate it and set it to ‘lockdown’. That means that the only persons who can de-activate the field will be those you designate at that time. You can limit it only to yourself if you wish, though the Captain can always override this but only in conjunction with a second officer present to co-authorize the deactivation.”
- Dagen, CE

“Cells are safe from transporters because they have their own individually powered force fields and transport inhibitors. They also have other security measures and hardened hulls associated with keeping the bad guy inside the cell making quite uncomfortable and inhospitable. You can transfer the systems, such as the force-field and transport inhibitors to our quarters the other stuff we don’t need, and my wife wouldn’t need to be put into a prison.” He looked at the cell and turned to face the engineer, he didn’t appear happy.

“Unless you think the best place for the Chief Medical Officer and my wife is a prison cell? That’s not what you think is it Mr Dagen?”

XO

Dagen frowned. “Only for a few hours, sir. At that time we’ll have identified if one of our transporters were used and ensure that they won’t be used for that again. It will also allow us time to place the inhibitors in your quarters so that she can be mobile there. The third step is the personal portable inhibitor. That likely would be another day.” He glanced at the cell. “No, it’s not the best place, but it’s the safest place in the short term.” He emphasized short term. This has seats, recording apparatus in the event of any attempt to extract her, facilities and food. There are other places in the ship that naturally inhibit transportation like the nacelles and near the plasma injectors of the warp engines and regions between the impulse engine reactors. But they require safety equipment. Stasis fields in sick bay also inhibit transporters, though I didn’t think that was a logical option.”
- Dagen, CE

OOC: Okay, I missed Gene’s post so I am rewriting mine.

IC:

Sage squeezed Calvin’s hand. “Don’t be upset with the Lt. He’s offering us different options, that’s all. We’re the ones who came to him about the situation and I honestly don’t mind being in a cell for a couple of hours if it insures my safety.” She swung around and looked up at Calvin. “Really, I can take the time to catch a nap or work a crossword puzzle or two.” He still looked stony faced. “Cal, its okay—its only for a couple of hours.”

—Sage

“I’m not angry.” Although he didn’t say he wasn’t annoyed. Calvin stared at the Engineer as he spoke to Sage, “A nap? In the brig… I don’t rest well locked in a prison.”

This was their choice and the most comfortable of the options and the XO could do this. Dagen wasn’t needed to listen to accommodation standards. They should have spent time ‘below decks’ on OP42. “Sirs I need to get on a transporter trace and get a team on the tech to install in your quarters and the portable device.” He was itching to know what had happened. He waited to see whether there was anything more before making is exit.

OOC: If there is more I’ll carry on, but will set up a second thread for this investigation. And, silly question, but whom am I looking to for answers to my inquirires? .. Gene

OOC: This is a side sim that I am controlling for the most part. I have sent you an email, Gene.

D…

“Do as you see fit, Lieutenant.” Calvin stepped into the brig cell first. “If its good enough for you.” He sat on one of the benches in the cell.
Marius

She hadn’t seen that coming. “Babe! Get back to the bridge. I’ll be perfectly safe in here by myself.” She looked back at Thor for help, but knew trying to convince Calvin wasn’t his job.

For the first time since he’d shown up in their quarters, Sage let go of his hand. “See? I’m fine now. I’m confident with my security in here. They need you at your duty station. And remember, I still have this.” She motioned to the weapon at her hip.

—Sage

“Turn it on and lock us down.” He nodded to the engineer.

He turned to his wife. “You’re my prisoner now… Perhaps for a change you’ll listen.” He gave her a half hearted smirk. She could see the beginning of perspiration on Marius’ forehead as he looked out the now shielded and locked brig cell.

Marius

Dagen nodded and pressed the controls on the panel. He got to the final tap and paused, glancing up. Everyone was where they needed to be. With an intentional final tap the field snapped into place. With the ‘lockdown’ setting, the field and the emitters had a slightly orange red glow to it. =^= Caution. This cell is in lockdown =^= the computer chimed in helpfully. “You have the authorization to deactivate the cell,” Dagen said to the Commander. “I’ll be in engineering working on these issues and will report in as soon as we have something.”
- Dagen, CE

“Thank you, Chief, On your way.” He nodded. The beads of perspiration forming into lines of sweat as he swallowed and stared at the force fielded doorway. He swallowed as he forced his lips into a half hearted smile.

Marius

Once the field around them came alive, Thor left. Sage straddled Calvin’s lap so she was taking up his field of vision. “Babe, you didn’t have to do this. I know how much you hate being confined.” She lifted the hem of the t-shirt she was wearing and wiped the sweat from his face. Realistically, she knew that in order to take his mind off of their circumstances, she should probably make him angry, but she just couldn’t make herself do it. He was sticking with her until she was safe again and she couldn’t fault him for that—especially, when a certain part of her liked his determination and loyalty.

“So, what do you think Julien will say when he finds out you’re here in the brig?”

—Sage