Senior Staff Briefing

Posted on Fri 30th Sep, 2016 @ 4:08am by Commander Paul Graves PsyD & Colonel Horatio Drake & Commander Zachary Hunt & Major Kyle Green & Lieutenant David Anthony & Lieutenant Ricardo Shepard & Lieutenant Sianna Dal
Edited on on Fri 30th Sep, 2016 @ 6:36am

1,793 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Cloak & Dagger
Location: Deck 14: Senior Officers' Conference Room
Timeline: MD-01: 0700 Hours

Drake had been in the Conference Room for the past twenty minutes and was on his fourth coffee. Mornings were never a friend of his, but since coming back from leave they had been even more of a struggle. He stood, by one of the large windows, staring out into the stillness of space. This was such a dead sector, with virtually no tactical advantages anymore. Why had Starfleet wanted to reopen this base? Was it just so they wouldn't lose resources? If that was the case, then why didn't they simply move the thing? These were questions that he felt he would probably never get the true answers to.

Presently the doors slid open ....

Jade Lantz, owner of Orchids & Jazz, walked in carrying a tray of delectable treats from her pastry chef. Because she headed the Promenade Merchants Guild, Jade was always invited to the briefings. She thought this was a rather enlightened policy, but wasn't foolish enough to suppose it was just in that capacity. As an El Aurian, albeit a young one, she could sometimes provide insight into situations faced on the base.

"Good morning, Colonel. I don't suppose you mind a little treat for the meeting." She placed the large tray on a side table and then turned to scold him. "Don't tell me you're drinking that awful replicator coffee when you know very well I could bring you the best in the quadrant."

One of the few people and establishments that Drake had actually been prewarned about by Starfleet was Jade Lantz and Orchids & Jazz... not for any bad reasons, quite the opposite. Jade had established herself, across Federation Space, as a fine dining specialist, an entrepreneur, a manager of people, a business woman and everything else in between. One of the major factors of the Promenade reopening at such an early stage was because Jade had agreed to open an establishment... once word got around that she was going to be there, hundreds followed.

"Miss Lantz, what a pleasure it is to put a name to the face." He smiled and pondered the coffee in his hand, "In fact, I think I'll take you up on that offer next time I'm passing. How goes the new business?"

Before she had a chance to answer, a male figure came stumbling through the doors. "Sorry did I interrupt something?" Hunt had a knack for making appearances at the wrong time.

Jade laughed and said to the captain. "No major problems ... yet. Stop by when you have time, and I'll see you have the best meal you've had in ... possibly forever." She nodded at the XO and took a seat halfway down the table, contemplating the Colonel's second in command. Everything she knew about Drake was positive. She'd known his relative on Protector, of course, so that counted in his favor. She knew nothing about Hunt, but thought she should, perhaps, find out what she could. To be the XO on a base like Vanguard ... surely he is more than the clown he appeared to be just now?

There was a spartan austerity to Starfleet decor, past even the simplicity and humility of Federation architecture. For all that the humility might be a hollow shell, a thin layer of falsehood placed atop the pre-eminent power in the known galaxy, there was a certain ... nameless something that nevertheless made it a refreshing change from marbled, gilded halls.

As she swept into the briefing room, and how unfamiliar a concept that was to someone used to whispered discussions in comfortable sitting rooms and written documents on encrypted PADDs, someone from a metaphorical world where walls had ears and eyes, Sianna Dal offered a brief, if respectful, greeting to the assembled personages. Permanent fixtures of her new ... assignment. And how odd a concept that was, having to acquiesce to commands of others.

None of the internal turmoil showed on the Orion's face as she took a seat.

Shepard entered the conference room with a hastened step. He hated the thought of being the new guy and being the last one to the meeting. As the doors whooshed closed behind him, he saw a few familiar faces. He gave a look to Drake and nodded his head. He then looked over to Jade and found an empty seat beside her. Rico quickly made his way over to her and sat down. "I see you brought us some treats today," he whispered to her.

"And every time," she whispered back. "If people have to be here, I try to make it a little ... appetizing. Have one, you won't be sorry."

Paul entered the conference room with a tall, lidded beverage cup in one hand and a PADD in the other. A sweet, spicy aroma of cinnamon and cardamom wafted from the steam pinhole, betraying that his cup contained hot chai. He set it and his PADD on the table and then took the empty seat on the other side of Shepard, though he didn't know the other lieutenant's name yet.

"Hi. Paul Graves," he said to Shepard by way of introduction. "Will it be social suicide if I admit to being Chief Counselor?"

"Very likely," drawled the pale woman on the other side of the table. "But suicide is so unfairly stigmatized, don't you find? It is not the ending of the self which should be decried, but the way so many go about it -- lacking in artistic flare and imagination." She smiled, as if reflecting upon beautifully artistic ways to die.

Jade eyed the woman she identified as the Chief Medical Officer. Addams's reputation preceded her, but it was certainly interesting to see her in person. Now there was a story she'd like to collect. It would undoubtedly be one of the more intriguing ones.

Shepard extended his hand out to the counselor to shake. "Rico Shepard. Chief Operations Officer." With a smile he added, "And it's not suicide if you don't analyze me at the Christmas party."

Paul nodded in acknowledgement at the woman who first answered him. Perky Goth. Very Gothy. "I would be intrigued to discuss that with you in more detail...but probably later would be a better time," he said. Paul shook Shepard's hand. "I won't if you won't."

LT Anthony hurried through the corridors to the staff briefing room. He carried his PADD in his hand. He thinks to himself that he will have to go earlier to his morning workout at the gym, or make it a shorter workout. As he nears the briefing room, he sees a few other Lieutenants enter the briefing room ahead of him, so he quickens his pace. He turns into the briefing room to see an almost full room. A few of them he has already met. Those he gives a nod of recognition, nods to the commander, then finds one of the few remaining seats and sits.

Hunt had taken his seat next to Drake. He was watching as the new faces were piling in. The first time he had seen many of them, finally being able to bring faces to some of their reputations. Some of them he was quite surprised by but happy to spend time working alongside all of them. He continued to watch and listen to some of their conversations before acknowledging their introductions. He could feel Jade Lantz was still eyeing him up after his less than impressive entrance. He was just glad that only Drake and Lantz were there. Maybe he would pay Orchids & Jazz a visit at some point...

Paul let the ambience of the others soak into him. There was the lively mental sparkle of the man sitting next to Drake--probably Lt. Commander Hunt, Paul suspected, the calm but serene presence of the woman who had blithely discussed her odd take on suicide with him--That was Dr. Addams, he knew. He had an appointment scheduled to meet her formally after the staff meeting. Drake seemed...a bit broody but willing to be distracted from it. Paul had no idea who the civilian woman, the Orion woman, or the remaining men were, aside from Shepard, who was solid, stable. The Orion officer struck him as...regal, Paul decided. There was a reserve about her that warned him not to pry into her without good reason. It occurred to him that she seemed like the polar opposite of Hunt. That should be interesting, Paul thought.

The conference room was getting rather full. Paul leaned back in his chair and pretended to study his PADD as he concentrated on strengthening mental shields. It would be better once the meeting began, and everyone's attention was, for the most part, focused on the agenda. But right now, emotions were going in all directions, from curiosity, to boredom, to worry, to businesslike, to the abstract meanderings of (he suspected) Dr. Addams. Of everyone in the room, she was the most original thinker. He couldn't read her thoughts, but the tenor of them was distinct.

Drake cleared his throat to bring the room to order, this certainly wasn't his first Senior Staff briefing... but it had been a while. He tugged on his tunic again, a trait that so many officers seemed to pick up.

"Thank you for all coming." He pressed a button on the table controls and the large screen behind him changed to display a pre-loaded diagram of an Intrepid class starship.

"Earlier today an Intrepid class starship jumped out of warp at the edge of the system. Due to long range sensors still being offline and short range sensors at fifty percent efficiency, we struggled to get detailed readings. All attempts to contact the ship failed and, within two minutes, it was gone... leaving behind a Federation warp signature."

He moved to beside the screen. "Soon after this, we received orders from Sector Command to begin an investigation into the attacks on Romulan freighters in nearby systems. The majority of these attacks have been non-fatal and no cargo has been stolen. Recent reports indicate a Federation vessel has been responsible for some of these. Suffice it to say, the Romulans aren't too happy and are launching their own investigation."

He came to a natural pause, opening up the room to any comments or questions at this point. The real mystery was still to come.

Doctor Addams gasped at the words "Intrepid class starship." She placed her hand over her mouth as her vision narrowed in on the diagram. "Unidentified," she managed. Addams started to stand as sweat broke out on her brow, and nausea bloomed in the pit of her stomach. "Archi...." she started, only to slide to the floor with a thud, unconscious.

 

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