Fleet Captain Addison MacKenzie - Final Preparations

[Addison MacKenzie]

(( Briefing Room – Deck 1, USS Artemis-A ))

In front of her, the senior staff sat around the long briefing room table. On the precipice of a new mission, the uncertainty in the room was palpable, especially now that she’d finished presenting the critical details out in the open for them to digest. Having made it through the end of her briefing, it was now time for each of the experts to filter the information through their particular lenses, and to prepare for the work ahead. She asked for their comments.

MacKenzie: Questions?

Their new Assistant Chief Medical Officer was the first to offer thoughts.

Sadar: A-Are the Kobyar and Grunden leadership structures aware that they, uhh...  H-Harbor similar suspicions about each other? And that we’re in communication with both?

MacKenzie: Yes, they are each aware that they share similar suspicions. The Federation has been specifically requested as a third party.

Vailani: Do they have a government? Established representatives from either side? I'd be interested in knowing what that infrastructure would be like? 

MacKenzie: ::nodding:: They each have systems of government, though from what we know, I wouldn’t be surprised if the structures of each are different.

The business of infrastructure, as she would expect, piqued the curiosity of their engineering officers. The Andorian was the first of the pair to offer his question.

 

Tho’Bi:  Captain, you said the planet was warp-capable  ::dry swallow::  B-But there’s a big difference in technology ::forced breath:: urban cities, tribal clans.  (beat)  Do we know if both the factions, the Kobyah …I mean, Kobyar and (beat) Grunden are warp-capable?

MacKenzie’s eyes narrowed. She wasn’t sure if the misspeak was the result of his not paying attention, or something different.

MacKenzie: Both species are highly developed, but they operate differently. I am certain the Kobyar have warp capabilities. Given that we know the Grunden focus primarily on ground campaigns and have a more democratic governing style, that remains to be seen. Because they occupy the same planet, it would be reasonable to assume that if the Kobyar were truly so much more advanced, that they would have subjugated the Grunden by now.

Bergmen: If I understand correctly, we will be acting as Starfleet inspectors on Galaris IV. What are our Rules of Engagement? Do we have confirmation from both parties that we will have access to audit any sites, systems, or documentation they possess for our inspections?
It was a reasonable question – one to which MacKenzie nodded emphatically.
MacKenzie: They’ve both requested our assistance. Each side believes they’re right, and they’re both very interested in being able to prove that the opposite faction is at fault.
Sadar: I-I’m concerned about heading into an active battle field, but... ::looks to Captain MacKenzie for confirmation:: I-I presume the two factions are aware of, and minding, the Federation policy on biological warfare?

MacKenzie’s eyebrows raised slightly as she sat back in her chair, trying to recall if anything had been provided in the briefing materials about the topic.

MacKenzie: I have to assume so. Starfleet didn’t articulate this as being a point of concern.

Vailani: Do we know who will be going to the planet, sir?

MacKenzie held up a finger. They’d get there in good time, but she wanted to make sure the questions were answered first.

Imril: What military support, specifically, is each side claiming the other is receiving?

 

MacKenzie: We don’t have any specific information – part of our job is to find that out.

 

Bergmen: In case we find ourselves in an active conflict zone between two named parties, our RoE is not to engage and just document, am I right? What if we spot outside agitators? Can we apprehend them?
MacKenzie: Both factions believe that we are acting in good faith and are expecting us. We’ll be working with figures from each faction’s government, so I don’t believe we’ll be anywhere near any conflict zones.

 

That said, in war, anywhere had the potential to become a conflict zone.

 

Imril: Even a notable increase in the amount of equipment both sides are known to use already could be worth investigating. As it may have been enabled by receipt of advanced manufacturing tools, or even replicators. Or an influx of raw materials needed to produce the items; supplies in excess of a given side’s mining and import capacity. 

 

MacKenzie nodded at the engineer’s perceptiveness. They didn’t know what they were looking for – apparently each of the factions had evidence to suspect the other, but it would be up to Starfleet to investigate and substantiate any claim.

 

Richards: Has it been confirmed the Kobyar and the Grunden are the only two intelligent native species?

MacKenzie opened her hands slightly and offered a barely visible shake of the head.

MacKenzie: We don’t know much about the world, but I have to imagine that with these two large factions, if there was another native species to contend with on the planet, one of them would have mentioned it.

She paused, waiting to see if anyone else spoke up.

(OOC: Anyone wanting to insert any questions can/will be backsimmed here.)

 

MacKenzie: We’ll be arriving at Galaris IV in the hour. Commander Dakora will lead the away team to work with the Grunden, along with Lieutenant Vailani, Doctor Sadar, Lieutenant Gnai and Ensign Tho’Bi. Their territory is rural. Rugged. Let that inform your preparation.

She nodded to Dakora. He’d read the same briefing materials she had. He would take his team and get them filled in with any pertinent information and be able to answer any questions. MacKenzie watched as Dakora pushed himself back from the table and made for the door, the members of his team trailing behind him. She turned her attention to those who remained.

 

MacKenzie: The rest of you will be with me heading to the Kobyar capital. Their urban centers are highly developed and readily display their technological ability. With that in mind, are there other questions I can answer before we arrive?

 

Jovenan/Silveira/Bergmen/Imril/Richards: Response

 

 

(OOC: We’ll have a little bit of time for final questions/preparations on the ship. Travis will share the MSP character bios with us via the OOC list and those of you writing the MSP faction leaders should post a bit from your characters’ perspectives to set the stage for what each team is walking into.)

 

Tag, and TBC!

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Fleet Captain Addison MacKenzie, M.D., Ph.D., FASFS
Commanding Officer
USS Artemis-A

Captains Council Member at Large

V239601AM0