Mission Briefing: A Meeting of Minds - Part III

Posted on Wednesday May 26th, 2021 @ 11:37pm by Lieutenant Commander Curzon Bennett & Lieutenant Commander Albino "Viper" Jackson & Lieutenant Steven Edgeware & Lieutenant Jordan Chase & Lieutenant JG Talerian Maxx

Mission: Jeepers Creepers 2: Creepers In Flight
Location: Senior Officer's Conference Room
Timeline: Current

::ON::

"Gentlemen, gentlemen perhaps you are going about this all wrong," replied Svetlana, "what is wrong with beaming the entire crew down into the brig's isolation cells? There we can segregate the regular Federation Crew from the Alien crews, and also segregate the Aliens whom this station has deemed to be of interests to the Federation. Plus with the use of stasis containers, you an also beam aboard anyone who seems sick, so that nothing is left to chance," said Svetlana whose answer was very simple to a complicated case that now had the beginnings of a new novel in wasted use of time.

"Plus Gentlemen," continued Svetlana," all of this doesn't require us to string power cables out to a waiting freighter/merchantman, we can program the Transporter to every piece of clothing each person being beamed into a security cell, that way you don't have any surprise from hidden weapons; plus with a medical program that is loaded with every known bacteriological and viral contaminant, the transporter will do the job of scrubbing clean anyone we admit to the brig."

Finally saying her piece, Svetlana sat down to let the entire command digest this...

Steven sat at the back and listened. He had not drawn attention to himself yet. So most officers ignored him for now. Which was just how he wanted things. It was easier to gauge people better if they did not know. That you were their new Chief Medical Officer. So personal guards would be down. Plus any health issues could not be hidden.

Looking around he made some notes on a padd. A virus. Well if he had wanted the easy life. Steven would of stayed in Ballybrack and to his mother’s joy. Got married and produced little Edgeware’s. But Steven had chosen Starfleet and all the risks. That came with the uniform.

They were referring to the Covid-19 pandemic that started in 2020 on Earth. He remembered reading a book on the subject. Even his ancestors had been affected in Southern Ireland. He shook his head.

"Excuse me but, you are suggesting we beam that onto this station, pathogen? That would raise concern with the locals and certainly my department. Out here we can't afford to lose one pilot to an unknown pathogen. Losing one or a whole squadron would be critical in protecting the quadrant and station," Alie stated, and Chopper nodded in agreement.

Steven smiled to himself. He liked these people.

"Well not exactly," replied Svetlana," we just reprogram the Transporter, include a viral scrubbing program to scrub clean whoever we beam down to the brig, plus we could also have the brig moved from its location to the furthest portion of the cargo bay, put a bunch of Security personnel in full Biohazard suits, and just make that a quarantine area, if that would help."

Edgeware knew that as Chief Medical Officer he should say something. But technically he was not fully on the roster yet. So instead he just quietly observed.

Lt. Maxx made a very big yawn before he shook his head to wake up. He sipped his coffee before he look at the medical officer. Granted he could throw his two cents in with everyone else but he was to tired to speak up for now as he listened to everyone speak their mind. He looked around to see the varied expressions on the faces of the others before looking at his coffee and inhaling the sweet fragrance and then sipping it again.

Ithahr smiled as he raised his hand for quiet. "We'll use standard Starfleet protocols - scan the ship from a distance and bring her in to port if she proves safe. They only have a missing certification, which indicates a number of things."

He turned to Doctor Ambrose and indicated Edgeware, "perhaps, Doctor, you could bring your new Chief Medical Officer into the loop after this briefing?"

Steven sighed. So they knew all now knew who he was.

Ambrose glanced over at Edgeware in surprise, not noticing the Lieutenant amongst the general hubbub. He glanced back at the Andorian Executive Officer, 'I'll meet with him at his earliest convenience,' he rasped in his basso voice. "If that's convenient for the good Doctor himself?"

“Of course Dr Ambrose. At your earliest convenience sir.” Steven replied.

"In that case, sir I just need you to designate an area that we can safely take the ship too." Jo asked.

Jordan looked at the ensign with a thoughtful expression. "Are there any uninhabited L or M class planets close enough to tractor it to for the work? L class would require more of a commute for the team since they could be there only limited time, but we can set up a temporary station on an M class and rotate crews."

"The pirate activity will prevent any kind of long-distance project. As no crime has yet been committed that we know of, they can come within hailing distance of the station unmolested," Ithahr smiled kindly, "we have protocols in place that will minimize risk, but our job is a dangerous one, so we will proceed with all caution."

Ithahr looked to Bishop to finalize the protocol for the ship to be quarantined.

And nodded in satisfaction as the Captain agreed with his assessment

"Good then," Ithahr nodded and turned his attention to the Chief Diplomatic Officer, Lieutenant Chase. "How are the preparations for the slimmed down conference coming along? Have the three delegates confirmed their attendance?"

Jordan nodded, but frustration evident on her face at the number of calls she'd had back and forth. "I am still working with them but we are close to agreement. Every time I believe we are about to finalize the terms of the visit, they come up with new demands which I have to take time to formally look into, document, and see what adjustments that can, if any, be done before agreeing or denying their requests."

"I see, is this from the Klingon Ambassador after what happened on the Promenade? Or is this the Romulan Ambassador making it difficult for their own," Ithahr sighed and gesticulating with his hand, "byzantine reasons?"

An amused snort escaped from Jordan before she could stop it. Looking up at the XO, she raised a skeptical eyebrow. "Does it really matter who makes demands when it comes to events such as these? But for the record, it's more coming from the Romulans once they heard about the Klingon altercation, knowing that we are going to be dealing with our own issues with them after the incident. They are trying to take advantage of the situation for their benefit is all. Nothing I can't handle."

"Very good, Lieutenant, do we have an arrival date for the Romulan Ambassadors, and how are the arrangements for summit and VIP security proceeding?" Ithahr looked around the table to the Security and SCIS attendees as he peppered the questions over them. He was nothing if brisk and efficient in his manner during meetings - there would be time for sentimental getting-to-know-yous later.

Jo looked over at the Doctor. It was good to have a medical specialist onboard who could analyze the pathogen and tell us what it was, Grant thought.

Svetlana said, "since the protection of the lives of all the Ambassadors is of paramount importance to the Federation; I am going to assign Special Agent Garcia to Lieutenant Trensu's command team. She will have orders superseding all of Security's own protocols, if there is an immediate danger to the Ambassadors."

"I believe that if you look at Special Agent Garcia's jacket, it will have annotated that she was a Section Chief for the Protective Operations Field Office (POFO) — provides and manages full-time protection details on key Starfleet Personnel, to include all diplomats from the Federation attending the Summit."

"I know that all of you here, as she looked at every senior officer have all accessed SA Garcia's fitness report, just after the incident; but according to Starfleet Security, and the Chief of Starfleet Intelligence, the incidents mentioned have all been determined to be within acceptable losses. That means that in my opinion, she is good to go. And I will fight anyone who seems to think she is just window dressing, or tries in any way to have her removed from her position as the SA in chare of the detail. No matter how well trained a security specialists is, they still have to prove themselves to SCIS and to my own satisfaction that they are up and able to perform the job in which they are now being detailed to be in."

The Andorian Executive Officer raised an eyebrow, "and we're comfortable putting this Special Agent in charge of delegate protection following her breakdown?" His tone was skeptical, and he wondered how their Chief of Security would react

"I will work with Special Agent Garcia I think the best approach is combined teams SRT and SWAT which we are working on training together at this time. Now that said we have the ambassadors covered along with their own security details. We will have an overlapping system of protection for the ambassadors and the conference. Well, that's the plan I submitted. Just to make it clear my command team is not the SRT team they have a different function for this operation.

"The guest suites are about ready for the Romulan representatives. I'll be able to forward the final details as I receive them from both syndicates to each department head. I'll be available this afternoon in my office if anyone wants to finalize any specific details," Jordan shared.

Steven raised a hand.

“What about their medical needs? Is there anything we need to be made aware of?” Edgeware asked.

Raising her hand and acknowledged; Svetlana stood up with her coffee cup in one hand and said, "as far as the officials attending the summit, I will need to verify each and everyone who attends the summit, to include the Officers and crewmen assigned to Security, along with the delegates and their entourage's background, and I will need to see the security protocols that have been set in place for the safety of the delegates too, even including a thorough screening of each of the delegates and their support personnel. I will also need to see this station's security plans, we need to worry about contingencies, and I want a thorough plan evaluation on how to evacuate the delegates, if this station is under attack."

Svetlana sat down and waited for the usual complaining and yelling that would come from Security, along with the Senior officers of the station. And she was ready, though Starfleet Security in the past had done a magnificent job of protecting delegates. Even DS3 had been recently renovated, and its security protocols had been updated on a constant basis, there was always the possibility that terrorists would find a way to bypass even the best technology available to Starfleet Security. Remembering that back in the Desert Wars of the 21st century, when the former United States was mired in the Afghanistan/Iran wars, terrorists had found a way to kill US Soldiers by using the most basic of all weapons, that did not have the hi-tech or the most advanced AI systems...

However, if they all took the time to look at established policy; they would find out that in these cases where delegates' own personal security was at stake, SCIS would become the primary lead, plus if things went wrong, it would be SCIS's own neck that was on the line, not the Security Section on DS3.

Lt. Maxx simply sipped his coffee to keep from falling asleep. He knew he was going to have to work with medical on somethings, but he didn't see a point in putting in his two cents since it was moot at this point.

"Does anyone have any questions about the two Romulan factions? just to make things clear I would prefer that they stayed separated unless at the conference or with security or command present. The same goes for the Klingons and the Romulan factions. we don't need them trying to kill either on the station. I don't see a problem right now but I am sure it won't take much to spark trouble." the Security chief said.

Steven blinked. Maybe they had not heard him? He raised a hand and spoke louder.

“Sorry I did ask just before and this is very important especially as we don’t want Deep Space Three, to be blamed for any shenanigans. But is there anything we need to know about our visitors and their health needs. Will they be bringing their own medical team or will we be expected to look after their health needs?” Steven asked again.

"I believe that the delegations will be submitting staffing information to our diplomatic office, including medical particulars, as per the standard protocol," Sakaan spoke up from where she was sat, a cooling mug of tea in front of her. "So far as we've ascertained there are no particular medical issues to be aware of, though SI will be keeping tabs on any additional delegate members that either side will provide. As the Klingon contingent has been greatly reduced, I'm sure Ambassador Krod will be eager to summon reinforcements. Romulan Free State counter-intelligence does not have the skill or reputation of the Tal Shiar, thankfully, so we have a better read on their probable delegates."

“Well that’s interesting, although you know what the Romulans are like. Their more secretive then a group fox Cubs and no mistake. I would like to maybe speak with SI just the same. As me old ma used to say. It’s never wrong to be cautious,” Steven replied.

"Of course, Doctor - you may speak with me at your earliest convenience," replied Sakaan coolly

Ithahr nodded in thanks to the Intelligence Officer's answers, and turned to Trensu, Grant and Svetlana, "as per usual, Special Agent, Security and Operations have a detailed run-down of what to do in the situations covered in your questions. I'm sure Lieutenant Trensu and Ensign Grant will be happy to share the various scenarios with you in the run-up to the conference."

"Well for my part it depends greatly on what Intel tells us what they want. However I think our best bet would be to determine the exact venue of the meeting and then go from there. Are there any environmental concerns? What are the specific diplomatic protocols we should use? We could always use the Holo-deck for anything that is too out of the normal. Also will there be any dining involved?" Ensign Grant said.

Jordan looked up, giving a brief nod. "A selection of reasonable delicacies from all major groups are intended, as well as those of the houses that confirmed attendance."

Listening to the conversation, Svetlana was still in deep thought about SA Garcia, so with nothing else on her mind, she just said "What are the specific diplomatic protocols that you are using ... I would like to review these to make sure that they all fall in with the Federations regulations concerning dining protocols..." Then Sevetlana went up to a coffee pot, that was happily chirping along and filled her cup, and sat down.

Ithahr nodded towards Chase, "I believe that will be our Chief Diplomatic Officer's responsibility. I'm sure she'll be able to liaise with you regarding specific protocols to your satisfaction."

Jordan's eyebrow rose slightly without comment as she listened to the woman's questions before giving the XO a succinct nod. Keeping her sigh to herself, she wished this event was over as she marked another meeting reminder and notes on her PADD.

"Good. With that, I believe our meeting can be adjourned - we'll bring the freighter in to Quarantine, and then welcome the Romulan delegations in a few days, the Klingons and Federation ambassadors already being aboard. Any other business?" Ithahr peered about the room for a moment, waiting for any dissenting voices.

Steven shook his head. He now had all the information he needed. Things were certainly about to get very busy , for the medical department.

“Ok here we go then,” Steven said.

Lt. Maxx nodded as he replied, "Sounds good."

As soon as the sign the briefing was over, Jordan was out of her seat and through the doors, making her escape almost as quick as if she had a Borg on her rear end.

Jo made a beeline for Ops.

Ithahr watched the others leave and nodded in satisfaction. A very productive meeting, he thought to himself.


::OFF::

Captain Tobias Bishop III
Commanding Officer
Deep Space Three

Lieutenant Commander Ithahr th'Shrannok
Executive Officer
Deep Space Three

Lieutenant Commander Albino "Viper" Jackson
CAG
Deep Space Three

Lieutenant Dr Steven Edgeware
Chief Medical Officer
Deep Space Three

Lieutenant Ahksu Trensu
Chief Security & Tactical Officer
Deep Space Three

Lieutenant JG Talerian Maxx
Chief Science Officer
Deep Space Three

Ensign Jo Grant
Operations Officer
Deep Space Three

Lieutenant Jordan Chase
Chief Diplomatic Officer
Deep Space Three

SSAIC Svetlana Chekov, GS12
SCIS
Team 95
Deep Space 3

Lieutenant Sakaan
Chief Intelligence Officer
Deep Space Three
[PNPC Lt. Cmdr. th'Shrannok]