Lt Commander Serala: You're Dismissed
Serala
((OOC: I think I got everyone's tags this time - sorry about that, Noa - but my apologies if I did miss some))
((Conference Room, Deck 3 - Primary Hull, USS Chin’toka, One Hour after Test Flight ))
Serala: Well, that is one thing we will have to determine. We’ll go ahead and approach this as if they have never had any contact before.
Raga: That’s probably the safest approach. From my understanding there are a few Federation member worlds that have had multiple First Contacts, though they didn’t necessarily know it.
Azorius: Hmm, either way, we need to ensure we're very careful with how we interact with them.
Snow: :: nods :: Well we'll find out soon enough.
Levinson: :: Nodding :: Indeed, we will.
Serala: Yes, indeed.
Raga: Agreed.
Levinson: Response
Kiax: It might be worth going in, if that's what we choose, unarmed and unarmoured to congratulate them on their successful test. Everything I've heard so far suggests they’re quite proud of this achievement, and it might score us some bonus points.
Serala: I agree. And I believe that is protocol. It’s a very risky mission, which is one reason commanding officers are tasked with the job.
Snow: Well, we don't know what kind of diseases we're going to come in
contact with. For all we know this planet could have a contagious and deadly
disease that we could accidentally bring on ourselves.
Kiax: The atmosphere is breathable by all Federation races, but I can set up a temporary quarantine in one of the cargo bays on Deck 9 for anyone returning from the planet with anything the biofilters don't pick up, and they're right around the corner from the transporter rooms so exposure will be minimal. We can use the force fields to screen off the corridor from the rest of the ship until it's decontaminated.
Serala: Why don’t we set up a containment area in sickbay. We can beam people straight back to there. And we’ll utilize the biofilters in the transporter to ensure we catch anything we can detect. Once medical clears people, they can be released from containment.
Raga: Good idea, Captain. We could also have security keep posts on either side of the deck from the containment area. Minimize and unintentional exposure. And have only necessary personnel in the quarantine until Medical has determined if there’s any risk to the ship.
Captain. Serala liked the sound of that. Oh, she was technically entitled to it since she was in temporary command, but she would love to actually hold that rank someday.
Levinson: Response
Snow: Of course, Captain.
Azorius: I will be ready whenever I am needed.
Levinson: The science department will be ready to report any oddities.
Serala decided the conversation had come to the point where she would need to delegate tasks to the various areas.
Serala: Alright, it sounds like we have a good overview of the tasks ahead of us. Here’s how I would like to approach this. I am going to beam down and make contact with whoever is in charge. That means we’ll need to figure that out first. So, :: to Kiax :: I would like you to monitor transmissions and find out who we’re dealing with and what the best coordinates are for beam down which will minimize our visibility.
Kiax: Response
Serala: Lieutenant Levinson, I am going to place you over the Science aspect of the mission. Until I can get permission for away teams to transport down to the surface, let’s get as much data about the planet as we can with our scanners. Let’s get Ensign Nar involved as well. This should be right up his alley. :: turning to Doctor Snow :: Doctor, I would like you to begin an analysis of the life forms as well as the various flora and fauna on the world. Coordinate with Commander Rosek. It sounds like we’re dealing with three distinct species, or three variants of the same one. I’d like to know as much as I can before I beam down.
Levinson / Snow: Responses
Serala started to tell Commander Rosek something and then realized she wasn’t present. Feeling the heat rising in her cheeks, she tapped her comm badge.
Serala: =/\= Serala to Commander Rosek. My apologies, Commander, but I seem to have forgotten to include you in this little briefing. Would you please report to the conference room? I have a task for you. =/\=
Rosek: =/\= I’ll be right there, ma’am =/\=
Serala: =/\= Very good, Commander. Serala out. =/\=
She tapped her badge again, closing the circuit. She felt a blush rising to her cheeks and knew they were probably a bright emerald by now.
Serala: Well, that’s embarrassing.
Raga: At least you didn’t destroy any furniture. :: He said dryly ::
Kiax / Levinson / Snow / Azorius: Response
Serala: While we’re waiting on her, Counselor Azorius, once we’ve determined where we’re going, I would very much like to have you accompany me. Your training in Diplomacy will be invaluable to me. :: to Levinson :: I am going to have Mr. th’Koro assist me on the First Contact, so you will be without his aid for a while. Commander Kiax, I would like to have you along as well.
Kiax / Azorius: Response
Serala smiled at his enthusiasm. She was going to need that for the upcoming task. About that time, Lael Rosek entered the room and took a seat. Serala threw her an apologetic look and gave her a quick rundown on what had been discussed so far.
Serala: I was in the process of assigning various tasks when I realized I had overlooked your presence here. Please forgive my oversight.
Rosek: :: inclines her head :: No worries, ma’am. :: smiles ::
Serala: Well, this is not an engineering task, but with your experience, I would like to ask you to take command oversight of both medical and science for the mission. Let them do their thing, after all they are the experts. But if you could make the command decisions, and coordinate with me, it would be most helpful. We have a big task ahead of us and I would like to be as efficient as possible.
Rosek: :: nods :: Of course, ma’am. :: grins :: Wherever you need me.
She turned to both Levinson and Snow.
Serala: Please understand that this is not meant to be a reflection on my opinion of your abilities. I am quite confident in your skills and training. But First Contact is one of our most important missions and I don’t want to screw up my first one. Having someone with command experience oversee your efforts will be a benefit to us all. And you will still be free to do what you think is best to do. As I said, you’re the experts.
Levinson / Snow: Response
Serala: :: nodding in gratitude, Serala turned to Toryn :: Commander, as I mentioned earlier, you will be in charge of the ship while I am planetside. I would like to have a member of SORT to accompany us. I am thinking possibly Mr. McKnight. But I want this made absolutely clear to your people. No weapons. Not even concealed weapons. It is vital that we do not present a threatening posture to these people, and we have no idea how it will be viewed if we show up with weapons.
Raga: Understood. They may not like it, but they’ll obey the order. That being said, it might be best to keep Solana on the Chin’toka.
Serala: Very good. :: looking at each person in turn, but with a growing smile :: I am not going to lie. I am very excited about this opportunity and I can’t wait to see the look on the Captain’s face when he gets back. But let’s make sure we do everything by the numbers. It’s a big task, but I am confident we are up to it.
Raga: Agreed. :: He smiled and looked around the room, then back to Serala :: If this world does indeed have multiple species that have evolved in parallel, we might want to brush up on similar worlds among the Federation. I believe the Xindi would probably be the best example to study.
Rosek: :: nods :: Absolutely. First contacts are tricky enough without adding diversity to the mix. We’ll need to be very thoughtful to ensure one species doesn’t feel we’re giving preference or deference to the others.
Kiax / Levinson / Snow / Azorius: Response
Serala: Well, let’s see if that’s an option.
Raga: There’s another concern, Captain. Assuming we don’t have to deal with any pirates, like Mister Logan informed us of, there’s a chance someone else detected the warp test flight. Any orders in case we end up not being the only ones who are curious enough to come poking around?
Serala: Agreed, Commander. Which is why I am leaving my First Officer in command while I am gone. I trust you do deal with whatever or whomever comes along.
Raga: Understood. :: He nodded ::
Peters: So am I parking the ship in the asteroid belt first and ferrying the shuttle to the surface second?
Serala: :: shaking her head :: Negative, Commander. We have plenty of skilled pilots that can handle shuttle operations. If we are expecting company, as Commander Raga suggests, then I’m going to need my senior helm officer at that station. Plus, parking in an asteroid belt is not easy. Just ask Ensign Callahan.
Rosek / Kiax / Levinson / Snow / Azorius: Response
Peters: Acknowledged. I could also provide some engineering assistance to medical for setting up force fields for the quarantine zone if needed.
Raga: We likely won’t need those until the away teams come back to the ship. At least until the medical staff have determined that there’s no bio-contaminants that could risk the ship.
Kiax / Levinson / Snow / Azorius: Response
Rosek: Is there any way to obtain more information on their culture and customs before we meet up with them? The last thing we want to do is offend them before we even get the chance to properly meet them.
Raga: Short of cosmetically altering an away team and sending them down ahead of time? :: he shrugged :: Not likely, without us just monitoring their global communications.
Kiax / Levinson / Snow / Azorius: Response
Rosek: :: nods :: If I’m understanding correctly, we will be the first aliens they see and that can be intimidating.
Raga: Especially with as diverse a crew as we have. That’s unavoidable. But, perhaps, because they have two other sentient species on their world it might make that easier?
Toryn turned and looked to Counselor Azorius.
Azorius: Response
Kiax / Levinson / Snow: Response
Serala: Well, whatever we can learn will be useful. I agree sending down covert teams would be ideal, and in fact, that is often how things play out. But since it’s so far from Federation space, it may not be prudent to wait for a science team to come and do six months of survey and study. Especially, as you pointed out, Commander Raga, others may have taken note of that test flight. That will be the task for Science and Medical.
Rosek: :: smiles :: Yes, ma’am. I’ll certainly give it my best.
Raga: I’ve complete faith in our crew to handle this First Contact.
Serala: As do I, Commander. In my opinion, we have the best crew in the fleet. If anyone is up to this task, it is us.
Kiax / Levinson / Snow / Azorius / Rosek: Response
Raga: I would advise, if we’re keeping the ship out of transporter range that having a shuttle on standby midway to act as a relay in case the away team needs an emergency beam out, might be prudent. Knowing how our away missions tend to go.
Serala: Good idea. Commander Kiax, will you arrange that for us? We can let Ensign Zarax pilot that, I think.
Kiax: Response
Levinson / Snow / Azorius / Rosek: Response
Serala: Okay. Sounds like we have things sorted. Let’s make it happen. Good luck everyone, and let’s make Starfleet proud. You’re dismissed.
Raga / Rosek / Kiax / Peters / Levinson / Snow / Azorius: Responses
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