Posted by Commander Shedda Mal’athar (Executive Officer) in The arrival

Posted by Lieutenant Saxon Kreeger (Chief of Security) in The arrival

Posted by Commander Shedda Mal’athar (Executive Officer) in The arrival
Posted by… suppressed (5) by the Post Ghost! 👻
The transporter matrix hummed, a cascading sheet of blue light coalescing into…

“Welcome aboard, Lieutenant,” the transporter chief said, snapping a brief salute.

Hahn stepped down from the pad, his polished boots striking the deck with a heavy, deliberate rhythm. “Thank you, Chief. Report the status of the security grid.”

Lt. Saxon Kreeger
Chief of Security
USS MANHATTAN

“Fully operational,” a female voice came from beside the door. An Orion woman in command red with three solid gold pips on her collar. “Welcome aboard, Lt. Hahn. I’m Cmdr Mal’athar, first officer.”

Cmdr. Mal’athar, XO

Gunther turned sharply at the sound of the voice, immediately coming to attention as his eyes settled on the Orion officer. The red of command stood out against the muted metallic tones of the corridor, and the three gold pips on her collar left no doubt about who she was.
“Commander.” He gave a respectful nod before straightening fully. “Lieutenant Gunther Hahn, reporting aboard as ordered.”
His posture remained rigid, professional, almost textbook Starfleet security. Years of training and habit made it second nature. The duffel over his shoulder shifted slightly as he adjusted his stance.
“I appreciate the welcome, ma’am.” His gaze briefly moved down the corridor, taking in the ship around them before returning to her. “She’s impressive already.”
A faint smirk tugged at the corner of his mouth.
“And if the first officer is personally greeting incoming officers, I’d say this crew takes professionalism seriously.”

Lt. Gunther W. Hahn
Chief of Security
USS MANHATTAN

“At ease, Lt.” Mal’athar said. “Captain Cochrane and I always make it a policy for one of us to greet all new and returning officers. Out here in the Delta Quadrant, it’s important to have that sense of community.”

“Chief Kennedy will make sure your bag is taken to your quarters.”

=/\=Mal’athar to Cochrane. Lt. Krueger has arrived. We are starting his tour.=/\=

“Anything in particular you would like to see first?” the commander asked.

Cmdr. Mal’athar, XO

Saxon relaxed slightly at the order, though the disciplined edge never fully left his posture. He shifted the strap from his shoulder as the mention of his quarters earned a respectful nod.
“Understood, Commander. Thank you.”
At the reference to the Delta Quadrant, his expression hardened just slightly—not from discomfort, but from understanding. He knew enough Starfleet history to understand what operating this far from Federation space truly meant. Isolation. Limited support. Every officer depends on the one beside them.
“That policy makes sense out here,” he said evenly. “A ship this far from home survives because the crew functions like family as much as a command structure.”
When she asked her question, Gunther considered it for only a moment.
“Security operations, if possible. Tactical, internal response systems, armory protocols.” A faint grin crossed his face. “Every ship has its own personality when it comes to security. I’d rather learn this one sooner than later.”
He glanced down the corridor again before looking back at her.
“And after that… maybe engineering. I like knowing what keeps a ship alive.”

Lt. Saxon Kreeger
Chief of Security
USS MANHATTAN

OOC: Somewhere along the line of this spec being approved, they totally forgot about the security section. So I’m just going to make up where all this stuff is.
IC:

“Forward phaser arrays are on the deck above us. The security suite and main armory are on deck 5.” Mal’athar began walking toward the nearest lift. “There are multiple armories across the ship. She’s too big to make it feasible to have the weapons all in one place. We’ll start on deck 2 with the phaser arrays and the captain will meet us there.”

Cmdr. Mal’athar, XO

OOC: Honestly, that tracks with Starfleet engineering culture way too well. They’ll spend six months perfecting cetacean ops and forget to allocate space for the people stopping armed intruders from taking the ship. Making up the security infrastructure is probably the most believable part of the spec at this point.

OOC: All of our specs were made by members of the club. Most are really complete, this one just slipped through the cracks it seems.

IC: Lieutenant Commander Saxon Kreeger moved alongside Mal’athar with the deliberate stride of a man already evaluating the ship as a battlefield instead of a vessel.
“Distributed armories are the only practical option on something this size,” Kreeger said flatly. “One catastrophic hull breach near a central weapons depot and your entire internal security posture collapses.”
As they approached the lift, his eyes moved over the corridor architecture, instinctively noting sightlines, choke points, and vulnerable access nodes.
“How are the armories compartmentalized?” he asked. “Independent command authorization, or does Tactical retain master control?” His expression hardened slightly. “Because if somebody compromises deck five, I don’t want them inheriting the keys to every rifle locker aboard the Manhattan.”

“Tactical/security can monitor all the armories, but they have to be accessed in person with the necessary clearances. In the event of power loss each armory has an independent backup power supply,” Mal’athar told him.

The turbolift doors opened.
Kreeger stepped inside, clasping his hands behind his back as the car began ascending toward deck two.
“And I want overlapping security coverage around the phaser control spaces. Internal sensors, hardened bulkheads, automated lockouts, armed response teams.” He glanced briefly toward Mal’athar. “Boarders don’t go after the bridge first anymore. Smart ones cripple weapons coverage and turn the ship blind before the crew realizes what’s happening.”

Lt. Saxon Kreeger
Chief of Security
USS MANHATTAN

“Your department Lt. You can arrange the shift rotations however you wish. As long as the officers in your department don’t get burned out from overwork. That makes for greater risk. Also be aware,” Mal’athar cautioned, “we are the premier science vessel of the Federation. Tactical and weapons were not the primary focus of this ship. We aren’t like a dreadnaught.”

Cmdr. Mal’athar, XO

“Understood,” the Lieutenant replied, giving a brisk, respectful nod. He stepped toward the tactical console, his fingers dancing lightly across the sleek LCARS interface to pull up the current departmental roster.
​”I’ll implement a standard four-shift rotation for the security and tactical divisions. It keeps the officers fresh, ensures maximum alertness on duty, and prevents the exact kind of fatigue you’re concerned about. I’ve seen what burnout does to a security detail, and it won’t happen under my watch.”
​He paused, taking in Mal’athar’s warning about the vessel’s operational capabilities.
​”And as for our tactical footprint, I’m well aware we aren’t flying a dreadnought or a heavy escort. My priority isn’t looking for a firefight; it’s ensuring the absolute safety of this crew and protecting the integrity of our scientific missions.”
​The Lieutenant met Mal’athar’s gaze with steady, measured confidence. “If trouble finds us, my goal is to give the bridge the defensive margins needed to maneuver, negotiate, or retreat. We’ll rely on rapid shield modulation, advanced sensor telemetry, and precise evasive tactics rather than sheer firepower. I’ll begin running the teams through defensive scenario drills immediately, tailoring our response protocols specifically to this vessel’s unique power distribution grid and scientific focus.”

Lt. Saxon Kreeger
Chief of Security
USS MANHATTAN