Posted by Lieutenant Kitiuas “Kit” Thenis (Science Officer) in Let the Exploration Begin -Briefing Room [FAO Senior Officers and Cadet Toussaint]

Posted by Commander Oliver Loughty (Executive Officer) in Let the Exploration Begin -Briefing Room [FAO Senior Officers and Cadet Toussaint]

Posted by Lieutenant Todd Nyman (Chief Counselor) in Let the Exploration Begin -Briefing Room [FAO Senior Officers and Cadet Toussaint]
Posted by… suppressed (16) by the Post Ghost! 👻
In the quiet confines of the Leviathan’s briefing room, Oliver stood at the head of the table. The subdued hum of the ship’s systems provided a backdrop to his deep and worrying thoughts. The flickering lights overhead cast shadows on the worn lines of his face, evidence of the recent challenges faced by the Leviathan and its crew Having only just arrived to the ship this was now how he anticipated his first mission.

As he waited for the senior leadership team to assemble, his gaze fixed on the entrance. The responsibility of commanding the ship in the absence of Henao weighed heavily on his shoulders, and the urgency of the situation lingered in the room. With each passing moment, the need for a cohesive strategy became more pronounced. Suddenly, the door slid open, revealing the arrival of the senior officers. A collective hush settled over the room as they took their seats. Oliver’s eyes, a mix of determination and concern, met theirs. He acknowledged each member with a nod, the unspoken understanding of the gravity of their mission passing between them.

[TagEntrants]

Lieutenant Nyman was one of the last to enter, having helped take Ensign Conners to sickbay. The physical and emotional impacts of the recent events had nearly weathered away his usual upbeat persona. He sat at the far end of the room, quietly, face drooping with somber exhaustion.
Brad entered along with Nyman, equally exhausted and still flushed from the heat but still somewhat optimistic. He gave the counselor a smile, albeit a bit strained, and sat as well.

Before diving into the critical discussions that lay ahead, Oliver approached the replicator console. “Computer Coffee, White with a Vanilla shot of 10 millimiters 90degress Celsius.” With the brief command, he summoned a steaming vanilla coffee, precisely at 91 degrees Celsius. The familiar aroma wafted through the room, a comforting contrast to the tension that hung in the air. “Please if you want a drink help yourselves” He added.

[Tag for Coffee]
Brad replicated a coffee of his own, letting the caffeine replenish his focus. With that accomplished, he returned his attention to the front.

With the first sip of the vanilla-infused warmth, Oliver signaled the beginning of the briefing. The senior officers focused their attention, ready to chart a course through the uncertainties that awaited them in the unexplored reaches of space aboard the USS Leviathan. “Cadet Toussaint Your briefing please.”

Commander Oliver Loughty
Executive Officer
USS Leviathan

|Lt. Nyman,
Chief Counselor|

Deshara hesitated at the threshold of the briefing room, her hands tightly gripping the Padd, a horrible knot of nerves formed in her stomach. She entered the room and took a seat.

Surrounded by seasoned senior officers, she felt the weight of their expectations. When the Commander called for her briefing, she rose from her seat, a gesture perhaps unnecessary but instinctive.

“Yes, sir, I have it here,” Deshara stammered, holding up the Padd with a hint of awkwardness. As she began, her voice stammered, revealing the unease. “It…uh…appears that the planet we were orbiting, initially classified as a safe class M planet, is unsuitable for habitation due to the inhabitants already residing there.”

Nervously tugging on her collar, Deshara continued, painting a vivid picture of the unexpected challenges they faced. “Our sensors failed to detect these subterranean beings initially. Historical data suggests they were humanoid thousands of years ago, living on the surface. Evolution has transformed them into what they are now, thriving underground. Much like some species evolve from being land creatures to sea creatures or vice versa....” he reyes darted across the room as she tried to get back on subject, “Moreover, they’ve developed an electromagnetic shield—a formidable defense mechanism, activated when they feel threatened.”

Describing the situation, Deshara’s tone grew more nervous. “The..This shield, akin to a powerful star, interferes with our transporters, leaving the away team stranded on the planet. Though equipped with Evo suits, the team is not without risk. The creatures emit a type of radiation from this field that, if exposed to for too long, could prove fatal or trigger evolutionary changes in the DNA of our officers.”

Dropping her head, Deshara confessed, “I should have ensured and double-checked the data on the planet. The preliminary information indicated it was a safe class M planet, and there were no inhabitants. All the senors showed nothing out of the ordinary. ” Her words carried the weight of responsibility and regret, an acknowledgment of the consequences her oversight may have caused.

Toussaint, Science

Oliver seeing the regret and the weight she felt stood, “No need to apologies Cadet. This one is on me too, I allowed the Captain to lead the away team and I failed to see the readings too and I’ve had far many more years of doing this than you, take it as a lesson and let’s figure out where we can go from here.” he turned to the rest of the senior leadership team, “The admiral expects us to find the away team, in fact he all but ordered it.” He let that linger and settle in.

“So options from around the table?”

Commander Oliver Loughty
Executive Officer
USS Leviathan

The briefing room doors slide open with a hiss and Kit silently made her way into the briefing room. She saw a seat by the back wall and slipped over to it and sat down. She had only heard the last part of the science cadets briefing. She remained silent as the commander spoke to the young cadet, then addressed the individuals in the room. She finally spoke up. “Cadet may I see your data you have collected on your PaDD?” unruffled by the commander and those in the room. “I need to get a better grasp of the scientific data before I make a recommendation.” she said smiling at the young cadet as she extended her hand for the PaDD.

Lieutenant Kitiuas Thenis, Science

Deshara handed Lieutenant Thenis her PaDD, her expression a mix of relief and gratitude for the experienced Science officer’s presence. “Certainly, Lieutenant. I appreciate your assistance in sorting through the data. I can’t help but feel responsible for the situation, and I want to do everything I can to rectify it.”

Deshara looked at CommanderLoughty then around the room, feeling the anxiety in the air. She took a deep a deep breath, realizing that her actions have implications beyond her own feelings of guilt. “I should have been more thorough in my analysis,” she admitted, addressing the room. “I understand the urgency of finding the away team. If there’s anything I can do to assist, please let me know. I’m here to learn and to contribute in any way possible.”

Deshara shifted her focus back to Lieutenant Thenis, eager to support the scientific analysis. “If there’s additional data or specifics you require, just let me know, Lieutenant. I want to ensure we have a comprehensive understanding before making any decisions.”

Toussaint, Science

While he was listening to the report, Nyman was somewhat distracted by the Cadet’s expressions. Seeing Deshara’s nervousness, guilt and regret manifest as she went through the information was difficult to watch. The counselor knew, from both his training and experience, if she did talk this through with someone those feeling would only get worse. The middle of a staff briefing in front of all of the other senior staff, though, was hardly the place to bring that to everyone’s attention.

|Lt. Nyman,
Chief Counselor|
“Lieutenant Thenis, when you’ve finished with the PADD, if I could see it?” Brad asked, writing himself notes to start working on ways to counteract any effects this radiation might cause.
Lieutenant Bradley Maxwell
Chief Medical Officer

Kit reviewed the data, young Deshara had done the standard and routine science scans in accordance with regulation, she was not at fault for the situation at hand. The away teams scientific data was hazy and disjointed at best, what images and data they had transmitted though intrigued her. She tapped a few commands in the PaDD pulling up some data. What she pulled up was similar in nature to what she thought: Domain – Eukaryota, Kingdom – Animalia, Phylum – Chordata, Class – Actinopterygii, Order – Gymnotiformes, Family – Gymnotidae, Genus – Electrophorus. In other words a form of Caecilian. She instantly thought of what she needed to do, modify and launch several Class-7 probes.
Kit looked up and smiled at Cadet Deshara, “Cadet I can assure you that you are not responsible for this. If what I suspect we are dealing with, a new class of Caecilian, then you most likely would not have found them with the standard and routine science scan protocols called for in regulations. Commander I request that we launch twelve Class-7 probes to the surface, after I have modified them. This will give me greater detail on the ‘natives’ of the planet.”

Lieutenant Kitiuas Thenis, Science
USS Leviathan

Oliver stepped back, recognizing the importance of actively listening and engaging with the perspectives of the crew. “I think that’s a good idea, Lieutenant. However, for those of us who might not be as versed in the sciences, would you mind elaborating on your theory?”

Commander Oliver Loughty
Executive Officer
USS Leviathan

At that moment, Ash Mavix crossed the threshold into the briefing room, “Hope Ah’m not too late Commander, what have Ah missed?”

-Lieutenant Ashara Mavix: Chief of Security-

Oliver raised his hand as if to reassure the security chief “That’s okay, don’t worry, Lieutenant. I understand you’ve been getting your security teams ready for a rescue, so I think we can all be excused for a little bit of lateness. After all, we can’t be in two places at once.”

“The cadet has explained the situation. It seems that we are unable to get close to the planet or use transporters due to the electromagnetic radiation caused from the life forms described only as large sentient worms capable of defending their habitat beyond the capability of this ship. The cadet will be able to share her findings. Science will be conducting extensive investigations using probes, and we hope that this will give us an insight into how and what we should do. I’d like for you to work with Tactical and RTF if a more… aggressive approach is required to return our away team.” The idea of having to cause harm to the species was not one Oliver would take lightly.

“Anything from medical?” He asked.

Commander Oliver Loughty
Executive Officer
USS Leviathan

“Not much yet, sir,” Bradley reported. “Once we get more data from science, I’ll get my people working on countermeasures to any effects this radiation might cause on the body.”

Lieutenant Bradley Maxwell
Chief Medical Officer

“Feel free to proceed, Lieutenant, and it goes without saying to have medical teams on standby. We won’t know the condition of the away team, and I’d prefer to have all bases covered,” Oliver clarified, glancing around at the officers. “Does anyone else have anything to contribute?”

Commander Oliver Loughty
Executive Officer
USS Leviathan

Lieutenant Nyman was still slightly concerned about the situation with Conners, but perhaps it would be better to talk details with Oliver later. The issue at hand was still the stranded crew members, who would probably need significant medical and phycological support after rescue. Additionally, the rest of the crew were also under a bit more pressure than usual.

“Per protocol, I will be putting together a plan to assist any rescued crew members who may be stuffing from emotional shock. Just so the resource is available if needed.” he started, leaning more forward in his chair,

“I would also just like to remind everyone to be on alert for any… erratic or unusual behavior from anyone in your respective departments. Knowing that the Captain had been - for lack of a better term stranded - will cause a significant increase in stress among the crew. Even in this crew, which I know is more prepared than most to deal with these sorts of issues. As usual, please don’t hesitate inform the counseling department if you notice anything concerning.”

His gaze shifted around to the other officers at the table. His request for the others to keep a lookout for odd behavior wasn’t just about the current stressful situation. It could also help them determine if Conner’s case was going to be an isolated incident. Again, he could talk details with the Commander later.

The commander wholeheartedly concurred with the counsellor. The well-being of the crew was of utmost importance at this critical juncture. While he was firmly in command, he couldn’t shake the feeling that he hadn’t entirely earned the crew’s trust. Moreover, he remained uncertain about whether he had gained the Captain’s trust, which explained her insistence on leading the away team herself. “Lieutenant. Thank you for raising a very valid point. People on this ship may have friends or even loved ones on the planet. Please, put out a shipwide announcement that if any crew member requires some reflection time, Holodeck One will be reserved for that purpose and that department heads are to permit crew to take time from work if required and that their work is not critical to the rescue attempts of our away team or the running of this ship. Lieutenant, could you take charge of organizing that?” he asked, acknowledging that the counsellor was far better positioned to facilitate such an undertaking. Nyman speaking up reminded him that he needed to speak to him about the other matter on the ship but decided to leave that to last.

Deshara attentively listened, her gaze fixed on Thenis as they dissected the data before them. The class-7 probe not only offered a means to study the aliens, but it also held the potential to bring the away team back home. “I believe it could work,” she spoke the thought in her brain out loud with a nod. “What if we launch the probes and leverage the EM Field pattern to charge our transporters? It would be a temporary solution, but if we can pinpoint everyone on the surface, we can lock onto them and beam them back. Naturally, we’ll require someone to monitor the probe, someone to operate the transporter, and another person to locate each crew member on the surface. It needs to be a synchronized operation.” A smile finally graced her face. “We should even be able to reach them if they still have their communicators.”

Toussaint, Science

[crosspost]
“Commander, it seems the away team is trying to make contact but the quality is too bad. We don’t know what information they were trying to relay.”

Ynuchausti, Comm. Officer

[OOC: inserted my two cents above where it made sense. - Ava]

|Lt. Nyman,
Chief Counselor|

=^=Understood, Lieutenant. We’re wrapping up here. Please keep trying to raise the away team and unscramble their transmission from our current position.=^= Oliver turned his attention to the cohort of officers (and the cadet). “I don’t think I need to remind anyone of the importance of our tasks. Lieutenant Thenis, please work with the cadet to prepare the probes. You have my permission to launch as soon as possible. Just notify me when that has been done, and we will monitor it from the bridge. If needed, bring in some engineers for the technical aspects.”

Turning to the security chief, he continued, “I want a full tactical analysis of the situation we may find, including a worst-case scenario. Given the potential for an attack on the life forms, have your teams use Holodeck 2 to conduct simulations and be ready to leave at a moment’s notice.”

Addressing the two medical officers, he added, “Please be ready to receive the wounded. Additionally, I would be interested in learning more about those creatures. I believe you may have personnel suited to studying their genetic makeup. Perhaps it will give us a way of countering their electromagnetic effects.” This time he stood up straight, concluding with a firm directive, “You have your orders. Brief your departments, and let’s get our people back.

Before Lieutenant Nyman and the Security Chief left, “Can I have a quick summary of what has been happening on the ship.”

Commander Oliver Loughty
Executive Officer
USS Leviathan

Kit replied “Aye sir. One last thing to add, tell the ground team to stop all scans with tricorders and unfortunately the Levi also. If I am correct the ‘aliens’ gain energy from the scans as well as can home in on the scans.”

Lieutenant Kitiuas Thenis, Science
USS Leviathan

(OOC: Implied possible self harm, tried to keep it brief but just a warning for anyone who would like one)

“I have some more information about what happened earlier, sir,” Nyman said, with a calm yet serious demeanor,

“The incident involved a crew member, an Ensign from the Engineering department. He is currently in sickbay under observation, per protocol for these types of things.”

He pulled out a PaDD and handed it the Oliver, “Cadet Webb has written an engineering report regarding what we know so far. I’ll be working with medical to get a report together about the Ensign’s condition as well. For now our Ensign appears to be recovering, physically at least.”

The summery of Cadet Webb’s report would have gotten the Commander up to date on what engineering had found. Ensign Harlow Conners had entered his quarters about 20 minutes before Nyman found him unconscious. No one else appeared to have entered the room in that time. The environmental controls were set from inside the room: 40 degrees Celsius, relative humidity was set to 10%, and Nitrogen levels were increased to 58 parts per billion. The summary also mentioned the looping program that was somehow installed by bypassing safety and security protocols.

Most interesting, and most concerning, was that it appeared it was the Ensign’s own access code was used to initially set the controls and activate the testing mode.

|Lt. Nyman,
Chief Counselor|