>"This is not like building a ship, Admiral. It is research. Sometimes we
get answers to questions and we make break throughs. Other
times we are only left with more questions to ask. If you take that combined
with requests and demands from the various departments in Starfleet
and the Federation Council, it is a miracle that we can get anything done.
But to answer your question directly, we do not have any specific hot
priorities. All projects are given the same weight-make progress. While
several projects share resources- labs and researchers, we are making progress
steadily. Now, I am not saying that what progress we are making is
necessarily adequite for some, but we are working the best we can."
This was a bull answer and Lorin smelled it like the garbage it was...
"Let me ask you this..." he pulled his PADD into plain view on the table and
pulled up his previously-obtained data..."Project Shadow Killer-in existence
for 80 years with an enormous amount of funding-yet little progress....along
with Projects Hummingbird, Drexel, and Lapis. These all deal with our ability
to continue our basic premise of exploration...discovering new worlds.
Hummingbird...the next level of photon torpedos...specifically...where are
we?" Lorin wanted to show he had done his homework hoping he'd catch
Hutchinson off-guard. He didn't let
nastiness climb into his voice, rather "well....WHASSUP" tone...and he
wanted answers.
Hutchinson looked at Lasiter.
To which Lasiter replied, "Give him the straight answer. He is going to be
taking on this mess, and will need the real deal if he is to be successful.
If your people and your work is to be successful he needs the real deal."
Lasiter said in his raspy, yet fatherly voice.
"Progress is slow because of the Federation Council's damned special research
projects. Because of their dickering with my budget and projects, all in the
name of oversight, I have had to take good people off of valuable projects.
They work part time on what I need, and part on what the Council wants. That
is the reason for the slowness of most of my projects.
Shadow Killer is a doomed project. I have been trying to either kill it or
redesign it for about 17 years without success. Either you boys at Command or
the Council refuses to allow it. Basically we are supposed to create a
cloaking device, or re-create one, and try to find ways of detecting a cloaked
ship. We get little support from Intell, not to mention that we are forbidden
from developing cloaking technology as part of a Romulan-Federation Treaty.
Our research into new technology for photon and quantom torpedoes is advancing
quite well condidering that both have been around for a while. The technology
is quickly approaching the point where it can't go any further. The teams are
set to test a pair of prototypes within the week at the test range outside of
the solar system. Two new configurations allowing a higher yield warhead by
about 15% and a new sensor package allowing for tracking of targets and less
precise targeting locks."
"New starships...we have none ready to go public except for one that my wife
is involved with....and project Star-Hugger could be combined with the new
starship for safer warp-impulse transitions."
"They could, but progress on the Star-Hugger project has to happen first.
That is a particularily slow research project because it looks at not only
emissions of radiation and the like from starships, but long term effects. By
the very nature of that project it will not be a quick one.
Combine that and the pesky world of the Starfleet Oversight committee of the
Federation Council, and you have a real mess."
"And finally....I would like information on Project Thunder Clap."
Lasiter stood at this question, "I will give you two some time. I have
to make a few calls. I will be back shortly...."
They stood as the CinC left, and sat back down when the doors shut.
Hutchinson then made an attempt at answering the last question.
"It seems as if you have done your homework. Tell me what you know of it,
and I will do my best to fill you in..."
{response}
