New Staff Briefing

Posted on 26 Apr 2012 @ 1:03am by Rear Admiral Lirha Saalm & Lieutenant Commander Dea Mialin & Lieutenant JG Kestra Orexil

1,525 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Episode 01 - Project Sienna
Location: USS Galileo, Conference Room
Timeline: MD 02 - 1645 hrs

[ON]

Stepping into the small conference room attached to the bridge, Lirha made her way to the nearby replicator and ordered a mug a hot chocolate, her favorite drink. Once her beverage had been materialized, she carefully wrapped her hands around the warm mug and brought it to her lips, slowly sipping the creamy beverage. She walked to the head of the large table and pulled several PADDs from a hidden drawer. Hearing footsteps coming closer, she looked up as Galileo's two newest department heads followed her into the room.

Kestra remained placidly silent until the doors shut behind herself and the flight control officer. The Captain wasn't sitting, so Kestra remained on her feet, watching and waiting.

Dea entered the room as requested by the Captain. Like her counterpart she remained standing. Interested to see what information the captain wanted to brief them on.

Once all three women were inside the room and the doors shut, Lirha finally spoke. "Take a seat, please." she said as she walked around the side of the table and handed each of them a large PADD, then returned to the head of the table and sat down, taking another long sip from her mug before beginning the briefing.

"Galileo is on course for the Klingon Neutral Zone, and our intended destination is Starbase 152. Our orders are to retrieve a covert prototype propulsion technology codenamed Project Sienna as well as the science staff and return them to Starbase 001." she began simply enough. "Starfleet Intelligence has reason to believe the Klingon Empire has recently become aware of the project, and might attempt to interfere with its development." she continued, then paused to pick up one of her own PADDs.

"On the PADD I handed you are the details from our mission briefing two days ago, as well as all the information we were able to compile about Project Sienna. It's not much, but it is enough to show you just how important this new technology is to not only the Federation, but the Empire as well." she said, then quietly leaned back in her chair as she watched the two women read over their PADDs.

Kestra scanned the PADD she'd been handed, absorbing the information compiled there as a sponge absorbs water. She thumbed to the next page, then the next, expressionless, before returning to the first and starting again. A lot of her own questions had been covered by others in the previous briefings. "You've got Ops and Engineering handling the Security scans. If they've already begun that work, I'm hesitant to complicate things by getting involved with those particular activities." She looked up, "I'd like to run a diagnostic on the ship board locks and lock override commands when it's convenient. Also, I spoke to the XO earlier and he mentioned an interest in having the security and tactical teams trained for a boarding party situation. I can begin working with them now. We only have one bodyguard specialist aboard, so I'll select another member of my team and do an emergency training rundown for him. Or her." She tapped notes into her PADD as reminders. "I'd also like to give the crew a rudimentary lesson in Klingon culture and dialogue. It could help assuage any panic in the event of a confrontation, allow people to make more logical and measured action. I'm in the midst of compiling a holo-lesson on the subject. Once it's finished, with your approval, I could release it for their viewing whenever they have the time. It should be fairly short."

Scratching her chin in thought, the captain placed her mug down and picked up her PADD. "We picked up additional security personnel at Starbase 234, so I want your teams stationed at all vital areas of the ship. We're not at Red Alert but I want you to maintain readiness at all times. We have less than eight hours before we reach the Neutral Zone so you'll have limited time to prepare. Begin training your security teams and if we have extra time, proceed with Klingon customs. I don't intend to have any encounters with them other than behind a viewscreen, but I agree it is prudent to be prepared." she said, then took a deep breath. "Go ahead and start your diagnostic as well. Cadet Im'er is available to assist you, work together and coordinate your efforts." she added.

Quickly Dea read through the information on the PADD. Galileo had been tasked with an extremely important mission. "I'll make sure Flight Control remains ready for anything." At this point she wasn't really sure what else her department could assist with at this point. "What do you see as my departments role in this current situation?"

Lirha turned her green eyes towards the chief flight control officer as she prepared to respond. "When we reach Starbase 152, I don't think we will be able to use the transporters for evacuation." she began, then tapped her PADD several times to display a large schematic of the starbase on the wall monitor. "The station is a covert research and development facility disguised as a starbase. It appears to be able to mask its true intentions by refracting sensor arrays and projecting false information, even holographically. There are also three nearby nebulae which are emanating additional EM interference," she paused and shook her head, "I don't think the transporter targeting scanners will be able to get a lock through the station's exterior. If we're not able to dock when we arrive, we're going to have to do it the old fashioned way - with shuttles. We have two Type-9s in the bay which will have to make due until we find something larger. I want you to assemble a team to assist with the evacuation. The quicker we can transfer the personnel and equipment, the better." she said, then picked her mug back up and took a long sip of hot chocolate.

Kestra took notes on her PADD, already relaying the information to the security office on what exactly she needed tested during the diagnostics. Hopefully, they could run them during the night when they wouldn't interfere with too many crew. "How many security personnel will you want to accompany the boarding party, Captain?"

The captain took another sip from her mug while she briefly pondered the question. "Take a team of four with you. Once we reach the station, we have to move roughly twenty-five civilian and Starfleet personnel, along with their supplies and equipment. Needless to say, it's going to be a tight fit to squeeze everyone in." she answered.

Listening carefully to Kestra and Lirha, Dea let the Captain's comments sink in. "Understood Ma'am. I have concerns with that myself. We'll need to make some modifications to the shuttles to give us better sensor resolution but I think shuttles is a better way to go. To make it more feasible we'll have to use both shuttles."

"Agreed." replied Lirha with a nod. "Assemble any necessary personnel to make the required modifications to the shuttles. We're scheduled to arrive at Starbase 152 in just under three days so that doesn't leave us much time to prepare." she said.

"You're not planning to join the boarding party, are you, Captain?" Kestra asked quietly.

"I am." she answered simply with a nod. The assignment had been given to her and her crew, but was ultimately her responsibility to see carried out. She also knew that Galileo was in good hands with Commander Holliday in the big chair.

The Betazoid lifted her brows for a moment, but said nothing.

While Dea had her reservations about that she remained quiet. After all the Captain could choose to join the team if she wanted to. It was up to the XO to object to or counter act that decision. Given that bit of news Lieutenant Mialin decided she would be piloting that particular shuttle herself.

"Very well then," Lirha began after a final pause. With her new senior staff members now briefed and given their assignments, she could move on to other pressing matters. "We have a lot of work to do so let's get to it. Dismissed." she said, then picked up her mug to take a final sip of her drink.

"Captain," Kestra bowed her head. "You know where to find me if you've need of me." She smiled at Dea, "Lieutenant Mialin, nice to put a face to the name." With that, she slipped unobtrusively from the room and headed to get to work. She had a lot to get done and not very much time at all to do it in.

"Aye Ma'am," Dea replied simply as she stood from her chair. "Nice to meet you at well Lieutenant Orexil." There were many matters that required her attention. Exiting the room Dea was already working out some of the logistics in her head.

[OFF]

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CMDR Lirha Saalm
Commanding Officer
USS Galileo

Lt JG Kestra Orexil
Chief Security/Tactical Officer
USS Galileo

Lt JG Dea Mialin
Chef Flight Control Officer
USS Galileo

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