From: "Amy Gross" 
Date: Sun, 13 Apr 1997 07:55:07 +0000
Subject: USS CHESAPEAKE Mission Briefing Draft

SD: 90413.1145
MD: 5.0900
Scene: USS CHESAPEAKE, Ready Room
<>
     "...It is my conclusion as Counselor that there are doubts
as to the mental capability of the officers of this vessel to
complete a deep space mission."
     Bell squirmed.  "Are you saying that the officers are
incompetent?"
     "No.  But I'm asking, don't send them."  It was Stavay's
turn to squirm.  She continued, "because I think it can only lead
to *disaster*..."
<>
     Amanda Bell took a slow sip from her coffee cup, then set it
down carefully upon the desk.  For several moments, she said
nothing, gazing down into the depths of the dark liquid. 
Finally, she looked up, her expression rather mild, Stavay
thought, considering the circumstances.  "Counselor?"  That word
was somewhere between a question and a command.  The next two,
while delivered in a rather pleasant tone, did not hold any such
grammatical ambiguity.  "Get out."
     Tats-Marush stiffened slightly in her seat.  "Sir?"
     The CO had already taken up her coffee cup again, and was
apparently absorbed in studying a PADD on the desk in front of
her.  She lifted a fork absently, swiping at a slice of
anemic-looking apple pie on a plate.  The counselor watched for
several minutes, waiting for some type of response from the
straw-colored crown bent over the desktop.  She got none.
     With one final sigh, Stavay Tats-Marush turned on her heel
and exited.
     As soon as the door had slid safely shut, Bell snapped her
gaze upward.  She tapped her fork against the side of her plate
several times.  Was the concept of job security not a large part
of Orion culture, or was this one simply perverse?  Hardly worth
it to pursue the matter if the scene didn't repeat itself--the
ship was to launch in a few hours, and it was generally more
trouble than it was worth to replace counselors.
*******************************
MD: 5.1400
 Scene: USS CHESAPEAKE, Bridge
 
      To the untrained eye, everybody on the bridge looked
 perfectly sane.  In the sense that she was supposed to be able to
 determine these things, the Captain was, in fact, untrained. 
 Tats-Marush, on the other hand... well, who knew what she was
 thinking?  Bell cast an annoyed glance to her left, watching for
 several seconds as the Shrevashal woman tapped something into her
 console.  It had better not be another recommendation in the vein
 of the one she had made earlier, the CO thought.
 
      She looked to her other side.  Brennan's fingers were doing
 a similar dance but Bell was well-pleased and had every
 confidence that he, at least, was making himself useful.  They
 had met the previous evening to discuss the briefing materials
 the crew would be discussing shortly, and she had been happy with
 the outcome.  He seemed competent, he seemed comfortable with the
 crew, and he seemed to know who was in charge.  All of which
 spoke well for him, in her book.
 
      At their stations, th'Tellan, Keyrin, Murray, and O'Graeach 
 all seemed to be absorbed in their work.  If there was any sign
 of instability in the CSO or CSciO at the moment, their Captain
 could not see it.  Still, she took an extra look behind her
 shoulder at their stations, just to be sure.
 
      Jareth Gann, she knew, would be down in main engineering,
 making sure that the engines did indeed fire when needed. 
 Shachor was doing...well, whatever it was Marines did at a time
 like this.  Bell wasn't sure she wanted to know.  Ledoux was
 probably near... the mission briefing was scheduled to begin
 directly after launch, and even two days' mandatory rest couldn't
 keep her from attending.
 
      Bell cast a glance over at Brennan, who nodded and hit his
 comm badge.  "Bridge to Engineering..."
 
      [Engineering, Gann here,] came the somewhat tinny rendering
 of the CEO's voice.
 
      "Status, Ensign?"
 
      [All systems functional, sir,] Gann affirmed.  [We're ready
 when you are.]
 
      "Understood, Ensign.  Bridge out."  Brennan looked to his CO
 questioningly.  Bell nodded and spoke up.
 
      "Mr. th'Tellan," she called above the general din of the
 bridge.  "Inform Starbase DELTA of our status."
 
      "Aye, sir."  The Romulan spoke quietly to the station, and
 nodded as the confirmation was received.  Bell again looked to
 Brennan, who gave the order to move the ship slowly forward as
 the docking clamps retracted.
 
      The CO sat back and watched carefully.  A routine procedure,
 a launch...they cleared the station in due course, impulse
 engines powering up.  After several minutes, she nodded to
 herself.  "Mr. O'Graeach, set a course for the primary Delta
 Corellis star system, heading 108 Mark 32."
 
      "Heading laid in, sir..."
 
      "Engage, warp 6."
 
      There was that moment of disorientation one always felt as a
 ship jumped into warp.  A shudder, almost, seemed to pass through
 the bridge, and then the hum seemed normal.
 
      Forty minutes passed, with any manner of tests being run
 and reports being filled out.  Little of note seemed to
 happen... the warp engines, at least, seemed sane, and they
 traveled ahead.
      Finally, Bell nodded to the senior staff
 present.  They rose, and relief officers immediately stepped in
 to take their places.  The CO nodded politely as she exited the
 bridge, most of the staff in tow.  She had a briefing to conduct.
 ************************
 MD: 5.1500
 Scene: USS CHESAPEAKE, Observation Lounge
 
      To be more accurate, a less charitable-type might have said
 that she had a briefing to watch DJ Brennan run.  She stood at
 the head of the table, looking at each assembled face.  Ledoux
 and Shachor had been waiting when the bridge crew had arrived,
 with Gann rushing in several minutes later, fresh from his
 ministrations to the warp coils.  She nodded once, noting the
 PADD that each officer had in front of them, then spoke.
 
      "Good afternoon.  As we have just launched, it seemed an
 appropriate time to discuss our tasks for the upcoming days.  Mr.
 Brennan?"
 
      The XO nodded and punched up a few notes on his own PADD. 
 "We are headed for the Delta Corellis systems, seven point one
 days away at present speed.  There are, in all, three star
 systems, shared between the natives and a group of Federation
 mining colonies.  Counselor," he looked to Tats-Marush, "what do
 we know about the systems politically?"
 
      Stavay composed her answer carefully.  The double function
 of Counselor and Protocol Officer was one that threw many holding
 the position off.  "The systems are home to the Corellians,
 originating on the third planet in the second system, and
 spreading out to occupy the fourth and fifth in that one, as well
 as the second and third in each of the other two systems.  The
 outer planets of the two closer systems are home to Federation
 mining colonies.  There is a dispute over the habitation of two
 planetoids in the third system.  Both sides seem interested,
 though they're little more than rockpiles."
 
      Brennan nodded, apparently satisfied.  "We have been sent to
 try and mediate the dispute."  He paused, looking around the
 room.
 
      It was Shachor who finally spoke up.  "With all due respect,
 sir, why would the Corellians agree to let us into the dispute at
 all?"
 
      "The Corellians have recently applied for Federation
 membership.  Their attempt to play the good sport, one might
 suppose."  The XO looked around again, then went on.  "The two
 planetoids in dispute are suitable for bubble-type habitation,
 and may even house some rather valuable mineral deposits.  For
 the time being, both sides have agreed to stay away from the
 territory until a settlement can be reached.  We hope we can
 help speed the process."
 
      Anne Murray nodded as he said that, but appeared to be
 bothered by something.  Brennan nodded encouragingly.  "Go ahead,
 Lieutenant."
 
      "Well...I simply wonder that there is a dispute at all.  If
 the Corellians were there first, why would we settle there in the
 first place.  There are lots of planetoids with minerals on them in this
 quadrant."
      "It gets sticky, Lieutenant," th'Tellan broke in.  "The
 third system has no native life in it, and both sides began to
 settle it at more or less the same time.  The settlements in the
 first two systems are provided for by treaty, but the ones in
 this area seem up for grabs, almost."
 
      "It all depends on who you believe, really," Brennan mused. 
 "The Corellians claim they sent out an exploratory ship first,
 the miners say they were probing several years earlier.  For
 fifty years, no one much cared.  Over the last two years,
 however, the dispute has come up.  There is also the matter of a
 complaint being filed by the Corellians.  They suspect the miners
 of putting a clandestine settlement on the smaller planetoid."
 
      "Trying to get their people in, with ownership being
 nine-tenths of the law, as they say?"  O'Graeach chimed in.
 
      "Something like that, Ensign," Brennan agreed.  "In any
 case, we will be keeping an eye on it.  An outpost, even a small
 one, should be difficult to hide in an area like that."
 
      "We arrive in just about seven days," Bell suddenly said. 
 "It falls to us to facilitate the negotiations and to keep an eye
 on the disputed territory.  Commander th'Tellan," she looked
 suddenly to the Romulan, "will be the one for science, security,
 and engineering to co-ordinate with on the latter.  I want as
 much information on those planetoids as we can gather as soon as
 we are within range."
 
      The OPS officer nodded, as did Murray, Keyrin, and Gann. 
 Bell looked to Tats-Marush, trying to keep any traces of
 irritation from her eyes.  "You, Counselor, will be needed with
 Commander Brennan and myself in the mediation efforts.  Mr.
 O'Graeach, you might do well to have a look at the navigational
 charts of the area, in case you need to pilot something smaller
 than a starship through the system."
 
      She paused, her gaze finally falling on the CMO.  "Doctor,
 one would hope that we keep ourselves nice and healthy.  As
 always, be prepared.  The same goes for you, Lieutenant," she
 nodded to the MCO.  "Are there any questions?"
 
 <>
 
      Amanda Bell looked around and nodded once more.  "Very well,
 then,  You have your tasks,  Dismissed."
 
 
NRPG:
All:  Well, it gets us going...nice posting from you all so far! You
can backpost a bit if you like, but things should begin to move
forward now.  Arrival at the nearest systems should take place around
13.1400
Chris:  I promise we'll injure some people before it's over.  In
the meantime, physicals, studies, and anything Catherine wishes to add
to the mix are welcome.
James:  Same goes for mental evaluations.  Diplomacy isn't
exactly Tats-Marush's chosen field, as I recall, so perhaps some
brushing up before the arrival?
Naomi:  Bell will be paying a visit to Shachor soon (and we can
work out the details amongst ourselves).  Very nice post, btw...
Fabian: Oz's take on the launch/briefing is welcome, of course...
Michael: As far as the planetoid goes, suggestions about ways a
secret colony could be hiding itself might be in order.  As far
as the ship goes, I'm trusting you to keep the engines going. 
Lynnaea: Similar vein of questions for security.  Also, Keyrin
and company will want to be on the lookout for any ships
violating the disputed area when we get in range, as well as
being extra-paranoid about the safety of any of the members of
the opposing side who come aboard the ship.
Masako: Murray would want to look into the planetoid issue as
well.  Is there, in fact, anything worth fighting over down
there?  Will the students in SCI spill coffee all over the
findings if there is? 
Melvin: th'Tellan is more or less in charge of the information
gathering once we get in range, and should be co-ordinating with
the various departments on it.
Takako: Gee...diplomacy.  How convenient...

Respectfully submitted,
Capt. Amanda Bell, CO, USS CHESAPEAKE
Amy Gross, ag8836a@american.edu

Go to messages for April 1997 or Main Archive Page