[Act 2 Start] Lt. Cmdr. Lhandon Nilsen - Trouble & Hope
Lhandon Nilsen
((OOC: For the sake of ease, I’ve assumed that Lhandon has gotten reports from all the teams. Don’t stress if you’ve not finished your Act One. The teams are the same))
Executive Officer & Senior Diplomatic Officer’s Log, Stardate 240304.20
The USS Octavia E. Butler has departed orbit to pursue a high-priority lead, leaving me as the ranking officer on Argratha V. Captain Rouiancet has Commander Katsim and Lieutenant Forsyth with her, and I hope that they find what they are looking for. Meanwhile, the situation on the ground is… a mess.
Something has happened to the Sower. The team up there is meant to be our primary support. I have no information on them right now. Even an attempt to call them on the com badges hasn’t worked. I have, however, been able to make contact with the other teams.
I had hoped that the Sower would be able to get a possible ID on the ship that ran away from Greaves' team and to provide any extra processing power needed to identify transporter signals or anything that's off. I hope they make contact soon. I’ve got the news programmes on in the background, just in case they hear of something. If the media reports first, often that means something has gone horribly wrong. I hope that it’s a slow news day.
Our overarching objectives are clear: identify the source of the Ketra Omni trade, neutralise the distribution networks, deploy a viable antidote, and bolster Argrathi medical infrastructure so the local authorities can manage the aftermath without us. Because of the uncertainty of the Sowers' radio silence and because each of the other teams has uncovered something, I am maintaining the current teams. I don’t want to ruin their progress, and it's good to know where they are.
I have directed Lieutenant Colonel Greaves, Lieutenant JG Varik, and Lieutenant Commander Peters to continue their investigation into the suspect known as Sonn. Their team already identified his connection to the freighter that fled the port after the shooting and the death of the suspect. I have tasked them with determining exactly who Sonn worked for, what cargo exchanged hands, and what the vessel was. Was it really the Sweet Charlotte, or just a decoy? I can’t help but feel like we’re being played here. They are authorised to make arrests where probable cause exists. Time is of the essence for that team.
Lieutenant Commander T’Korva, Lieutenant Lahl, and First Lieutenant Woolheater are to continue their work. Apparently, they got to drive a big truck, and I am not jealous. They have made a lot of progress in their investigation. They found a transporter signal which leads to the central clinic, which just so happens to be where Nis and JoNz are. It seems that they, too, are the victims of a bluff. Woolheater quite rightly recommended that they secure the site, and so I’ve asked them to do just that. At least with the site secured, evidence can be gathered, be that on computers, through transporter signals, or anything else they can think of. I have then asked T’Korva to act on any information she finds. Time is also of the essence for that team.
I want Nis and JoNz to not go wandering too much, partly because of the investigation and partly so I know where they are for now. Their job is to gather information, preferably without: a) getting bitten again, 2) killing anyone, or c) ending up in jail. I’ve also ordered that Nis do another medical check-up on JoNz, just to be safe, as she was the one bitten in that “incident” that I had heard about. They did find out where the man who bit them had been attacked. I’ve given them the additional objective of investigating that further. I’ve also told them (and it bears repeating) to stay out of trouble. I’d like to reiterate that they need to stay out of trouble. I hope that giving them the objective of continuing to set up the installation of medical and computer equipment at clinics will keep them focused… and out of trouble.
Oh, and for the love of the Prophets, I’m also ordering them to stay out of trouble!
The report that was most concerning was from Sh’Charva City Medical Station. It came from Smith, a member of the crew I’ve yet to meet. Smith reports increased cases of "The Rage." They say that support wasn’t required, but requested that security be on standby. I can’t really spare anyone at this moment, so I’ve told Smith to be cautious. There is no need for heroics. I’ve sent Ensign Marrell out to find more information about the rage and to help Smith.
Finally, my team of Richards and Ragh are getting to work on synthesising an antidote. Ragh is good, Ragh is really damn, that boy works fast. Telek is now a little more on-side than he was, but I might be letting my mind run away with myself; it felt like he was hiding something…and might still have more information for us. With Ragh primarily working on the antidote, I’m going to rely on Richard's detective skills
But…as I tell him...
(Medlab 2, L’Kar General Hospital, Garasi District, Argratha Capital City, Argrathi V)
Lhandon had finished his log and, wearing what seemed to be overly large safety goggles, was focusing on the beaker, unlike the one he had knocked over earlier. In his left hand, he held the pipette with a cerulean liquid suspended above it. He slowly dropped it into the clear liquid below. He spoke quietly, not in a whisper, but in a voice of concentration.
Nilsen: Why do I feel like we’re being played? Every one of those reports ::beat:: they were always one step ahead.
On the desk lay the padd Lhandon had been using to track the away teams, with a stylus beside it. The handwriting was generally neat and readable, but the letters varied in size and slant, with uneven spacing. Longer words often contained spelling errors. Several had been crossed out and rewritten immediately above or beside them, sometimes more than once. The word “coordination” had been struck through twice, and the second attempt still featured a lowercase ‘c’ that sat slightly taller than the rest of the line.
There were circles around each of the notes from the away teams. He had put squares around important words, too, and many of the shapes had been connected with lines, as if he had been working out a connection between them all and needed to see it written down.
Richards/Ragh: Response
Lhandon did not mind taking instructions from Ragh. After all, Ragh was the expert, and the antidote was a priority. He had wanted to tell Lohkina to alert him if something else required him to use the diplomatic duties of his role.
Nilsen: Yeah, hopefully the OEB has got the jump on them. Any news on the Sower?
In the background, they had projected a 24-hour news cycle. The programme repeated the same basic headlines every 30 minutes, and the sensationalism of some of the reporters, including one with the beadiest eyes and raspiest voice, gave her an air that said, “She was right, you were wrong, but if you listened to her, then you could also be right.” Lhandon had asked for it to be on, partly so he could have a source of information, and partly so he could keep tabs on public opinion of their mission. The Diplomatic Suite’s briefing room had a screen that could display every news source from a planet. He had not really had a chance to use it.
Richards/Ragh: Response
He then smiled and held the beaker up to the light as the colour of the liquid changed from clear to blue.
Nilsen: Doc, it looks like we’ve got a positive reaction over here.
Richards/Ragh: Response
Tags/TBC
Lieutenant Commander Lhandon Joseph Nilsen
Executive Officer & Senior Diplomatic Officer
USS Octavia E Butler
O240007LN1
He/Him/His (Both player and character)