Hidden Cargo

[Firebird]

Having received the request from Twilight, Firebird boarded the Harbinger and was escorted down to the cargo bay to examine the malfunctioning NCUs. Given how the NCUs failure was linked with power fluctuations, Firebird proceed to investigate the system requiring the most power: the suspension field controller.

Upon close inspection and some digging, he found the problema hidden programdesigned to cause a powerful harmonic effect in the suspension field at a particular point in time. The sudden field changes would demand additional energy from the ships reserves resulting in power fluctuations. Eventually, the field would attempt to change so fast that it would become unstable and simply breakdown.

Upon removing the program and repairing the Harbingers NCUs, Firebird returned to his fighter and immediately checked his unit to see if the program was present. The system was clear. Still puzzled regarding the origins of the program, Firebird figured that the Harbinger was likely an isolated case and didnt give it further thought.

Firebird turned to his message console and began to leisurely browse over recent reports from other registered vessels. Couple of Nomads captured, cargo transfers his mind began to focus more at least two other vessels reported failures of their NCUs; however, in their cases the containers were lucky to have been empty at the time.

Firebird then began tracing the path of the malfunctioning units they all appeared to have been distributed from the same CRI vessel and all after docking at Yaren Base in Omicron Delta. He began checking the distribution logs for the vessel it had distributed NCUs to only four ships the two that were empty, the Harbinger, and the HMCS-Magnificent.

Firebird: Oh god.

Frantically typing away at the keyboard, Firebird brings up the record the HMCS-Magnificent had been issued a full load of over eight hundred NCUs from the CRI vessel just after its departure from Yaren. And at last report 80% of them were in use with several different forms of Nomads!!!

Although only one or two of the NCUs would have the hidden program, the resulting power fluctuations would be enough to disrupt all the NCUs on board!!!

Quickly turning to his ships communication system, Firebird attempted to hail the Magnificent.

Firebird: HMCS-Magnificent, this is Firebird with a priority message, please respond.
<Static>
Firebird: Repeat, this is Firebird calling the Magnificent, please respond.

The communications officer responded promptly:

Magnificent: Firebird, this is the Magnificent, go ahe<static>what the, wereperiencingtarypoweruationsloosing commu

The signal appeared to be stopped at the source. Firebird switched the channel and contacted the bridge of the Harbinger.

Firebird: Harbinger, Twilight was right the NCUs were sabotaged... I dont know who but Im looking into the matter. Weve got bigger problems, the HMCS-Magnificent is experiencing the same situation and they have nearly six hundred Nomads on board including nearly two hundred Nomad warriors. I have to rendezvous with that ship. If things go badly we may need the NSP ready to intercept and destroy the Magnificent.

Harbinger: Roger, Ill inform Twilight immediately.

Firebirds ship quickly left the Harbinger and set course for the last known whereabouts of the HMCS-Magnificent. It would be several hours before he would be able to catch up, so in the meantime Firebird began searching over hidden security recordings from the CRI vessel that had docked at Yaren.

Firebird: Lets see who our saboteur is?

The story of the HMCS-Magnificent is continued under a separate threadThe Fall of the Magnificent
http://discoverygc.com/forums/showthread.php?tid=530

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Retired

**I AM CANADIAN!!!**


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