Lieutenant Serala: Wait? What? No Tactical?
Jim Davis
((Conference room, Deck 1, USS Atlantis, Mission day 01))
Williams: Good morning everyone, the Captain has excused himself this morning but he thought we can start without him. Given the nature of our upcoming new mission, I think he is right. Before I start with the official report that is also available on the pads ahead of you, I’d like to take a moment to welcome our latest arrivals. I am sure some of you have met them already, but I thought it couldn’t hurt to introduce them.
First I’d like you all to know Miss Esa Darkkdust, our new Com, and Operations officer.
Darkkdust: Hey there. Looking forward to working with you all.
Williams: We are glad to have you with us ensign. And the same can be said about our latest addition to security, Ensign Maddy Hyden.
Hyden: Hello to you all. I’m excited to learn more about you all and work with you.
Williams: I am sure each and every one of you will do their best to show them how to do things on Atlantis so they will fit right in.
Raga: Welcome aboard. Glad to have new Atlanteans. :: He gave each a cordial, if forced smile ::
Anyone: Response?
Williams: Well then, let's get on to business. In front of you is a PADD with our new mission. After all the chaos we had in the past few months it seems Starfleet is entrusting us with something we are quite fond of. Exploration. After we found the outpost Starfleet intelligence and science division seem to think there could be more hidden in the Janatris cloud. It's our mission to get out there again and explore the edges of the cloud. Needless to say it will ask a lot from the ship's systems in general. We can’t stay inside too long so one to two hours in, and then one to two hours out to regenerate shields. Our objective? To find and secure any Chon outpost we might find. We will have 48 hours before we get to the outskirts of the nebula and in the meantime, we’ll have a few preparations to make. Mr. Dermont I want you and your team to find a way to boost our shields and sensors. I want us to stay in as long as we can with strong sensors.
Dermont: Aye...we can boost shields usin' that modulation algorithm Ensign Termine used last time, as well as takin' a few extra steps ta prevent the overload that happen last time. O' course, we'll need more power...
Williams: I thought of that, but I believe we can take some power from our tactical systems. We won’t be needing them inside the nebula after all.
Serala: With all due respect, sir. I don’t think that would be very prudent. We don’t know what is in that Cloud. For that matter, anyone or anything could come upon us while we’re inside and already vulnerable. Lowering, or even eliminating our tactical ability even further is bordering on suicidal, sir.
Williams: Noted, but Starfleet intelligence believes there are no potential dangers out there. But I admit we should see first before we take them offline. Can’t hurt to have engineering take a look though.
oO Oh, well. If Starfleet Intelligence thinks it’s okay, then it must be! Oo
Knight: Excuse me Sir. Might I make an observation I feel may help the mission?
Williams: Response
Knight: I don’t speak for all of SFI, but as the ships assistant intel officer I feel it would be prudent to offer some quick observations. As you know DS26 was once Chon outpost itself and before the Federation occupied it, and it was shrouded by mystery and was believed to hold great treasures of value. If we had simply discovered the new chon outpost on our own it would be fine, however we rescued a Korri from it. And to be frank, it would not surprise me if they sold the information for the lowest price to anyone that would listen. We should be prepared to encounter any fortune seekers that may be searching the cloud themselves, whoever they may be.
Raga: Not to mention, even when we have had our tactical systems online they haven't always done much good. In case of the ambush....:: He fell silent a moment :: We need to be ready for anything and making ourselves an easy target is a great risk.
oO Well said, my friend. Oo
Williams: Response
McKnight: Sir, with the tactical systems down, I'd like to recommend we bring out our new..."assets" to cover us.
Williams: Don’t worry, Captain, I was getting to it. But by all means, tell us about your new toys.
McKnight: Two Mark II Valkyrie Heavy Fighters with advanced ablative armor and shared shields capability. It would be a shame to leave the ladies to pick up dust in the hanger.
oO Well, two armed fighters are one thing, but they are hardly the equivalent of this ship in a battle. Oo
Williams: Well said, as you can see, we won't be sitting ducks out there If we run into trouble. While inside it will be up to the science team to find that we are looking for. I know it will be like looking for a needle in a haystack but we have to try nonetheless. Ensign Burke, see what data we have on the Chon in our database. Perhaps there is a way to scan for their remains or something or anything that could link us to them.
Burke: Response?
Raga: We might also try scanning for similar energy signatures like the shield that protected the outpost the Captain's team found.
Williams: Well, if we do it will be up to us to secure it and make it habitable. Turn it inside out to learn what we can and… make it an official Federation outpost. Any questions so far?
Maeli: Response?
Williams: I set up a route already, we will depart Starbase 26 at 12:00, from then it will be a direct route to Midway station and from there straight to the cloud. All the way around it until we get to the border of the Freeworlds Region. It could take several weeks and if we don’t find anything I wouldn’t be surprised if Starfleet extends the mission and sends us all the way to the Solerian border on the other side of the cloud. So I suggest you all pack a few books, it could be awhile before we get back here. Make sure to spread the word to your departments. Anything else we need to discuss?
Danara: Understood, I’ll make sure my department is prepared for an extended mission on this one.
Raga: Any chance we could also reinforce the shields on the new Valkyries we got in to survive longer as well? :: He looked to Dermont :: If we're going to have to reduce or take our tactical systems offline, I think having as many fighters and shuttles ready to defend us even in the cloud is a worthy precaution to take.
McKnight: When flying in close formation, the fighters can share their shields and double its effectiveness. I'm sure we don't have to worry too much.
Dermont: As long as they stay close, aye. The problem with that Cloud is that the gas itself is constantly changin' it's 'armonics. Not sure 'ow or why a gas can even manage it, but eventually it find a way through the shields. We need ta install a secondary shield system ta overlap the first...between the two, they should be able to constantly remodulate ta keep the gas from workin' it's way in. But with the fighter...there is just literally no room for such additions. So close formation it is, sirs. Kiliak...if we gut the the non-essentials, 'ow soon could we 'ave our two type-9 shuttles ready ta launch inta the Cloud?
Kiliak: Response?
Dermont: Then we split up...I'll take the Atlantis, ye'll handle the Voltaire and Pembroke...
Kiliak: Response?
Darkkdust: Forgive my naivety, Sir, but are there any telltale things we should be looking for that might suggest the presence of an outpost? What gave away the last one you found, or did you just stumble across it? If we only have a sensor range of mere hundreds of metres, we’re going to be hitting it before we know what we’ve found. :: She paused. :: Also, I’d like to try and find a way of establishing inter-ship communications when we’re in the cloud. If we’re sending away teams to any stations we find, or launching fighters and shuttlecraft for added defense, would it not be sensible for those parties to be able to coordinate between them and back to the ship?
Udro: If it was not for the wake trail from the korri escape pod, we would have never seen it in the muck of the Jenatris cloud. The Captain’s team discovered that the outpost had a unique shield configuration. :: She looked to the Engineers. :: We might be able to use astrometric sensors to scan for that?
Dermont: Knight I think fixed that last time...at least short range. Tight beam signal...almost like line o'sight. As long as we stay close enough...
Kiliak: response
Dermont: response
Udro: :: Looking to her fellow science officers :: I think we could do that.
Jhotta: response
Sotak: response
Williams: Interesting suggestion folk, give that your attention while we prepare for what's to come.
Anyone: Response?
Williams: If we make it, we could really make a name for ourselves. Let's hope we are lucky. For now, dismissed, and report to your stations at 12.00 hours.
:: As Serala rose, she turned to the new ensign assigned to her department. She had yet to meet the young woman and now was as good a time as any. ::
Serala: Ensign Hyden. Will you please report to my office in 30 minutes? I would like to discuss your duties onboard.
Hyden: Response
(( OOC: I think I have covered all my tags, but if I missed any posts with tags for me, please let me know and I will try to get to them. Also, if I missed anyone's replies, again I apologize. I'm still not feeling well, but I am getting better. ))
USS Atlantis NCC-74682
A239412S10