Lt. T’Fearne - The Unnamed Giant
Teayl Thorn
((Briefing Room, Security Complex, Deck 11, USS Ronin))
T’Fearne strode into the briefing room with the new ensign at her side, giving Chief Kessler a brief nod before turning her curiosity and attention to the mission specialist waiting near a wall display
At first glance the woman appeared Human, or perhaps Centauran, El-Aurian or one of the various species that appeared so similar to Betazoid evolution. The woman's blue eyes, skin tone and texture and hair colour, smooth nose and ears suggested any number of species. Until she spoke. Her words carried the tones of a Rodulan accent. T’Fearne’s sensitive hearing and a whole semester at the Academy spent working with Rodulan on a BIO101 assignment made it easy to recognise.
oO A Rodulan… with blue eyes? Unusual. A genetic mutation or a dual ancestry, perhaps. Oo
The briefing room was larger than most departmental spaces aboard, large enough to house an entire security shift if needed. Rows of seating faced several wall-mounted displays, while the back floor remained open for demonstrations and standing room for larger gatherings. With just the four of them so far, they gathered near a large wall display, ignoring the seating and standing in a loose conference circle. Thinking on their feet as usual.
Kessler stood near the primary display, arms folded.
Kessler: Lieutenant T'Fearne, Ensign S'tek this is Lieutenant Venn. She has been tasked with working with the Ronin on this assignment. ::beat:: Lieutenant Venn, this is Lieutenant T'Fearne, my right hand in Security and this ::gesturing to S'tek:: is Ensign S'tek. He just came aboard before we shipped out but I feel he will be a valued addition to this collaboration.
T'Fearne: ::inclining her head:: Welcome aboard the Ronin, Lieutenant.
S'tek: response
Venn: It’s a pleasure.
Kessler: Lieutenant ::gesturing to Venn:: If you would please, let them know what exactly we are dealing with.
The Chief stepped aside, yielding the space as Venn moved to take the floor.
Venn: Thank you, sir. :: She quickly connected her datapadd to the nearest terminal and brought up the image of the object they were going to examine. :: We have no name for this object or creature yet, but this is our objective. We’re fairly certain it is biological, but that has yet to be conclusively proven. If it is, it would be a massive cosmozoan.
Venn adjusted the display, the wall flickered and resolved into a blurred image suspended against a starfield. T’Fearne narrowed her dark eyes, instinctively trying to bring the shape into focus. The shape bore a vague resemblance to a gormagande, though it lacked any discernible tendrils or other identifiable features.
That left a long list of what this thing couldn’t be.
The newcomer had paused for a moment and T’Fearne caught the edge of an odd interplay of emotions, from both Venn and Kessler. Mainly concern and unease, but they both maintained a professional demeanor. Meanwhile, ensign S’tek, somewhat predictable for a new officer, had a nervous aura, but he seemed to be controlling it well.
Venn: Starfleet has several concerns. Firstly, nearly every cosmozoan we’ve encountered has had dangerous qualities to it. A few have proven to be relatively harmless, if undisturbed. But more have proven to be extremely hazardous; some even hostile. We’re to assess the threat, if any, and make recommendations on tactical situations as needed. To quote Captain Niac, we’re to consider a full range of scenarios from “'big space fish wants a hug' to 'it just ate a nacelle and it still looks hungry.'”
The woman nodded at Kessler again and stepped back a bit to let him have the floor again. The Vulcazoid stopped looking at the image and focused instead on what they had been given…almost nothing.
T’Fearne crossed her arms.
T'Fearne: That is fascinating, if it’s what it appears to be. I’m not comforted at the lack of substantial information to work with, Lieutenant.
S'tek: response
Kessler: This is a great scientific discovery for sure, but as mentioned the safety of the ship and crew falls to us. With a power that this thing must project we need to know we can defend the ship even if it is from just the creatures natural biology versus a weapon. T'Fearne, has the Ronin ever encountered a biologic lifeform like this before?
The Vulcazoid gave a slight shake of her head.
T'Fearne: Not in the nearly two years I have been aboard. The largest vessel encountered might be a Lattice Alliance Super-Weapon over a year ago. I believe some crew encountered a juvenile Space Jelly several months ago, they can grow to quite a large size, but I’m not aware of their maximum size limit. I can run a search through the security mission database and see if a previous mission details anything like this.
Venn/S'tek: response
Kessler: Ok, then we are starting at square one. ::beat:: options? Through them out no matter how crazy they sound. We'll weed through them one by one.
She took the offered PADD Jack handed to her, cued a search of the database letting it gather and sort with her parameters for prior Ronin mission encounters with mega space phenomena.
T'Fearne: ::glancing at Venn:: You mentioned it has not yet been confirmed that this is biological. What of the non-biological option. Synthetic, some sort of living machine, large scale photonic? What do you think ensign?
She turned to the new department officer, encouraging his input.
S'tek: Responses
Venn: I have no more data than I’ve shared, but considering that we’re tasked with tactical options, I think I’d personally like to start with something that let’s us get this thing away from the possible hands of the Consortium or the Lattice Alliance. Like, how do we move it?
T'Fearne: Agreed, the Consortium and the Alliance have both demonstrated a willingness to weaponise what they can. ::slight brow raise:: Move it the same way you control any crowd or a larger, stronger opponent. Attraction or repulsion through leverage.
She tried to figure out what that would look like in this scenario. Picturing larger opponents or enemy combatants she had gone up against. She had seen grenades of repellent used to force an enemy to run and sonic disruptions, but what could repel a creature that was of such a scale? She didn’t even want to contemplate the alternative, attraction, the Ronin becoming bait and calling a behemoth towards the her precious cargo of life T’Fearne was responsible for protecting.
Kessler/S'tek: Responses
Venn: It’s massive. We’re not even sure how massive yet, but early speculation is on the order of kilometers.
Her thoughts abruptly took a paranoid twist and she took a step back from assumptions.
T'Fearne: Do we have a way to verify that? The details about the size? It would be remiss of me not to bring up the possibility of an Alliance or Consortium scheme? Could we be heading towards a trick? False readings created to lure starfleet explorers?
Just then the doors to the briefing room opened and one of the junior tactical officers entered. T’Fearne recognised her after a brief moment. Ensign Akani, one of the recent transfers from the Compass Rose Plage Ship. It appeared the young Bajoran woman had been called in to join the briefing.
T'Fearne: ::in greeting:: Ensign Akani.
Akani/Kessler/S'tek/Venn: Response
Akani moved toward the group as T’Fearne turned back toward the display.
T'Fearne: Given current uncertainties, I believe Security has several immediate objectives. I assume the Science department is attempting to determine what this entity is. What they uncover could help us understand more of its nature, tactical assessment is merely conjecture without more data. Regardless of what they uncover, it would be prudent to have a range of repellents and attractors.
Akani/Kessler/S'tek/Venn: Response
T'Fearne: I prefer to think of heightened situational awareness as a significant advantage in ship security and preparedness. I don’t assume hostile intent, but neither can I assume it can identify us as non-hostile, or that it can even distinguish between incidental contact and a deliberate attack.
Akani/Kessler/S'tek/Venn: Response
[Tags / TBC]
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Security Officer
USS Ronin - NCC-34523
R240107T14