[MISSION START] Captain Mei'konda Delano - Mission of Mercy (Part 1)
Mei'konda Delano
// Captain’s log, Stardate 240002.04.
A few hours ago, we bid a farewell to the Chin’toka. At least for now. Under tow, she’s being brought back to Starbase 74 for extensive repairs. When she’s back in service, I may just see how generous fleet logistics is feeling. The Expanse is a big place, after all, and we could use the presence of another good ship.
The crew continues to adapt to their new lives aboard the Astraeus, and though my crew’s readiness reports are already better on this ship than required by fleet standards, they are nowhere near what they were on the Chin’toka. Yet. I know my crew will continue to train, learn, and adapt to their new environment.
To use an old Human colloquialism, though, fortunately, we’re going to be getting some on-the-job training. I’m convinced that my officers and crew are ready for assignment, and after the highly contagious illness that we discovered on Lanaxa during our last mission, everyone aboard has made it clear that they want to help. A trip to and from Lanaxa should not be taxing on the ship, even if the crew is still learning her intricacies.
Thus, we’ve taken on the remainder of our standard supplies from Shemsh, along with tens of thousands of tons of emergency medical equipment, and as I understand it, roughly a hundred civilian medical personnel from Shemsh itself, who will be under Dr. Snow’s direct supervision.
Shortly, we’ll be underway for Lanaxa once again. End Captain’s log.
//
(( Ready Room, Deck 1, USS Astraeus ))
Mei’konda had carefully pulled the new plant he’d requested from Shemsh into place on the corner of his desk, a relatively large, Bonsai-like plant that had been found growing natively on Shemsh.
It had been one of the earlier flowering plants that the colonial botanists had analyzed due to its abundance near the chosen site of the planet’s new capital, and had been discovered to have a pleasant, sea-breeze like scent while flowering. It needed remarkably little sunlight, flourishing in shade, and sprouted tiny violet blossoms about once per month. The plant, Mei thought, added a welcome touch of color to the beige walls and maroon carpeting in his office.
Levinson: =/\= Bridge to Mei’konda. Captain, we are approximately ten minutes away from finishing the loading process. Shall I have us go to warp as soon as we are all done? =/\=
Straightening up as Levinson’s voice was played softly over the speakers around him, the Caitian replied.
Mei’konda: =/\= Yes, Lieutenant, please taake care of it. Warp speed at your discretiion. I’ll be out as soon as I’ve fiinished a… small amount of paaperwork. =/\=
Levinson: =/\= Understood. Levinson out. =/\=
With that, Mei leaned down, eyes fixed intently on the distance between the corners of the desk and the small plant’s pot. He nearly had it exactly right…
(( Bridge, Deck 1, USS Astraeus, two or three minutes later ))
Striding out onto the Bridge, Mei’konda smoothed out one of the crimson shoulders of his uniform as he made his way toward the command area, where Levinson was seated in the command chair. He aimed a casual nod toward Kiax at the ops console along the way, then met his eyes with the part-Vulcan chief of the science department as he approached, noting the fact that Commander Lansa Cheveyo-Arma was seated at the helm.
Mei’konda: Hello, everyone. Commander Levinson. Report?
Lansa / Levinson / Kiax / Any: Responses
As Levinson vacated his chair, Mei inclined his head toward her, easing himself down into it after a brief glance up toward the viewscreen which was the centerpiece of the Bridge. At least, if you were anywhere forward of the large wooden horseshoe further back.
A brief smile quirked at the edges of his lips as he gazed at the speed with which they passed the Galaxy class starship, before his eyes drifted back down toward his armrest controls. The Astraeus’ cruising speed had been raised from warp six to warp eight during its retrofit, and though the visual distortion accompanying every ship was slightly different, he could tell by looking through the viewscreen that Levinson had set them on course at warp seven as an extra safety margin.
With navigational deflectors exponentially more powerful than the Chin’toka’s had been, traveling at higher speeds was significantly safer in the Expanse on board the Astraeus than on this crew’s prior assignment. But that didn’t mean it was always necessary.
A few taps of his fingers on his armrest controls brought up their ETA. After a momentary pause, he tapped in a few more lines of data, bringing up the picture of a newly assigned officer who’d come aboard on Shemsh. One of Levinson’s, with some potentially applicable specialties. He ensured he’d memorized the complicated name, after having the computer spell it out phonetically to him on the screen. Nodding with approval, the Caitian looked back up again.
Mei’konda: A little over four daays until our arrival at Lanaxa. It’s much less of a rush than last tiime, and that will giive us some much needed preparation time. I think it’s tiime we held a staff meeting, don’t all of you?
Lansa / Levinson / Kiax / Any: Responses
Mei’konda: Commander Levinson, I believe you haave a new Academy graduate on your staff, do you not? An Ensign T’Prana?
Levinson: Response
Mei nodded thoughtfully.
Mei’konda: I understand she has a double major in planetary sciences and xenobiology. Her skillset could be useful if the Lanaxans’ problem has anything to do with their environment. Do you haave any objections to her Captain extending her an invitaation to attend the briefing?
Levinson: Response
Rising from his seat, Mei’konda reached up to tap the new-style combadge on the chest of his uniform.
Mei’konda: =/\= Captain Delano to all senior officers, and Ensign N’Keth T’Sehn T’Prana. We haave resumed our mission, and are en route to Lanaxa to assist with their medicaal needs .At sixteen hundred hours, we will assemble in the deck four Operations Center for mission briefing. Ensign T’Prana, report in with your depaartment head ten minutes early, so that Commander Levinson may prep you. Senior staff, briing any additional staff with you that you see fit. Delano out. =/\=
Folding his hands behind his head, Mei inclined his head back toward Levinson, Kiax, and Lansa.
Mei’konda: Commander Cheveyo-Arma, I’d liike you to focus on learning what you can about Lanaxan culture between now and our mission briefing. Anything we caan use for leverage duriing negotiations could be essential.
Cheveyo-Arma: Response
Mei’konda: And you other two, you know your jobs as they relaate to this mission. Please ensure that we haave population socioeconomic and illness numbers ready for the presentaation. I’ll see all of you in Operations in a few hours.
Lansa / Levinson / Kiax / Any: Responses
With that, Mei turned away, and strode toward the turbolift at the aft of the Bridge. Though Captains did, of course, work regular Bridge shifts, they often had duties elsewhere in the ship - anywhere in the ship - and on a vessel the size of the Astraeus, that could mean a lot of travel time. He would work in several sections in several decks over the next few hours, before it was time, once again, for a trip to deck four.
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Captain Mei’konda Delano
Commanding Officer
USS Astraeus, NCC-70652
M239002M10