When the U.S.S. Voyager, registry number NCC-74656, returned to the Alpha Quadrant after being lost in the Delta Quadrant for seven years, Starfleet Command was surprised to find a pair of major technological developments installed on her. These developments were then fitted to the U.S.S. Anasazi, NCC-62001, as part of a testing and development program to determine feasibility of usage within the fleet. This report deals with one of those developments, transphasic torpedoes.
During a temporal incident that led to the Voyager’s
recovery, one VADM Janeway (temporal), went back into time to effect that
recovery. During the incursion, she caused this technology to be installed to
increase the Voyager’s
survivability. The modifications persisted even after the ship arrived in this
time and spatial coordinate. After study, the modifications were installed on Anasazi.
Transphasic torpedoes use the standard quantum torpedo systems, with some important differences. Transphasics use a heavily miniaturized modified sensor suite enhancement as well as the standard acquisition and targeting systems to detect, quantify and analyze matter/energy phase states of the target in the current space-time frame. In addition, FTL (faster than light) computing systems and Heisenberg compensators are installed, as well as a specially modified matter/energy generation coil from an emergency transporter system. Unfortunately, the modifications reduce warhead volume and reactant space, resulting in a 30% reduction in warhead yield.
However, the reduction in yield is more than made up for by the ability of the torpedo to “ghost”, changing its matter/energy and space-time frame state, so as to not allow interaction with matter/energy in the “normal” space-time frame. This “ghosting” is power intensive, finite in duration, and limited, but quite dramatic in application.
The sequence of events is as follows; When the torpedo is locked on a target, the torpedo is given an initial matter/energy state of the target by the ship’s sensors. This hand-off allows the torpedo to set its initial matter/energy states accordingly. Upon given the order to launch, the torpedo is ejected from the launch tube by the usual magnetic drive coils. After clearing the tube, the torp ignites its propulsion system and begins to track the target. At warp, the torp uses its field coil to maintain the warp field it was launched with. The usual tracking goes on as the torpedo closes to the target.
When this torpedo is close enough, though, a new process occurs. You recall the initial sensor hand-off and the in-flight tracking of the matter/energy and space-time frame, which is being used to detect and monitor the states of the target. Now, the torpedo uses this information to “shift” its own state and frame out of synch with the target, employing sensor and Heisenberg compensator data to read the needed amount of shift, processing the data through the FTL system to get an instantaneous read of how much and what way to shift, and using the transporter coil to do the shifting. Now the torp “ghosts”; it’s there, but not there. The effect is of short duration, usually just long enough to slip through shielding and armoring, bury itself a short way into the target, then re-phase and detonate.
The effect is awe-inspiring and frightening. The target has no way to avoid the torpedo, short of its own transphasic system. Even then, the torp can do a little catchup with a phasing vessel, within a narrow set of limits it can adapt to. If the target can rapidly shift, the torp cannot extend too far out of the limits imposed by the small matter/energy field generator and warp generator systems. It will detonate, but without much effect on the phasing target. On conventional targets, it is devastating. Almost all the released energy translates into the target, and energy normally vented into space away from the target is trapped and reflected back inward from the targets’ own shielding.
Effective yields for the warhead can reach above 180% of the nominal quantum torpedo yield, even though the warhead is 30% smaller, due to the transphasic effects, which allow for nearly full warhead yield into the target itself. Though field/field interference, more delicate systems, greater complexity, and higher maintenance requirements make for a more difficult to use weapon, the greater yields, better penetration, and shielding transparency makes this system a formidable tool in a starship arsenal.
Current efforts with Starfleet R&D, led by Chief Engineer Reustle and directed by Tactical department head Donaldson, envision a 20 to 40% reduction in size of the transphasic componentry, with a goal of an integrated system package which can be added to a standard quantum torpedo as needed. Current systems require a dedicated delivery platform strictly for the transphasic systems alone. When achieved, the package will be released to general fleet usage. Experimentation and development will continue on Anasazi for the time being.