snip

As the PaDD’s moved around the cabin of the vehicle, Lt. Dean began to relay the information on them. “So Captain Trusdall was the last CO dirt side. His group got the Beltran’s to at least show us this proprietary shielding. We were told it was only for small scale items like uniforms or vehicles about this size. We were told that it could not be used on something as large as a space vessel however your intell about the orbital platforms says different.” On the PaDD’s the orbital platforms filled the page.

Dagen wondered what difference that made of shielding and the orbital platform. “Wonder if they had to cannibalize platforms for materials for the shield?” he mused quietly enough for Reia to hear but hopefully not interrupting anyone else.

“So as you all can see there are about fifty of those things in orbit according to Captain Trusdall so I am not sure how or why you only saw one. Might be a question one of you should ask the Beltran delegation.” The road was perfectly smooth. To those in the vehicle was so smooth, it felt like riding on air. Dean’s lax attitude disappeared as he started the briefing. He might seem like he had gone native ten minute ago but right now he was all soldier.

“That doesn’t make sense.” He looked about the circle of senior officers. “No cloaking technology and even at the most disadvantageous angle, we should have picked up 20 or so of them. All of them because they were powered....”

“We have no idea how they are actually powered. I am just a benchwarmer in this meet and greet so no one tells me first person intell. What I can tell you is my team and I have a theory.”

Thomas was quietly disconcerted about the forty-nine possibly missing orbital weapons platforms, but tried not to let it show.

Lt Dean SF expeditionary force on Beltran

“Where does the shield originate from?” Dagen inquired. “From the platform or the planet?”
- Dagen, CE

The contrast between the quiet spaceport and the lively streets was distracting for Surra, but she remained focused on the task at hand. Lt. Dean’s briefing brought her attention to the Beltran shielding technology.

She pondered Dagen’s question about the origin of the shield. It was a valid point. Understanding the source of the technology could provide valuable insight into its capabilities and limitations. Even as the CSO, Surra knew the importance of such details when dealing with unfamiliar technology.

“That’s an excellent question,” she remarked, her voice steady and analytical. “If the shielding technology originates from the orbital platforms, it could suggest a more centralized control over its distribution and usage. However, if it’s linked to resources on the planet, we might need to consider factors like sustainability and potential limitations.”

Surra glanced at the PaDD in her hands, the information displayed on it fueling her curiosity further. “Perhaps the Beltran delegation can shed some light on this,” she suggested, looking at Lieutenant Dean.

Lieutenant Almikaz
(CSO)

“From a device,” Dean replied. “The specifics are the real mystery.” Zack leaned back in his seat creating an informal setting as if they were on the same team. “I was sleeping with a Beltran a couple of months back.” Zack let his eyes drift again over the group not stopping on anyone specific but also not avoiding his target before settling back on Thor and Almikaz who asked the question. “She was part of their security forces. One night we got really drunk. She was talking about getting me one for the Coming. I don’t know what the hell the Coming is and haven’t found out anything so far about it nor do I know why I might need one. That is above my pay grade and something you might want to take up with his royal highness. I will say though if it was something he could give to me it can’t be that big right? I am not an engineer but most shielding tech is rather large.” He threw out the question to everyone in the vehicle.

GM Kate

“A device.” Dagen mused over that. “Control device perhaps? Can do anything on that that you could on a console and really shields are on or off and anything else is tweaking. The real machinery would be elsewhere.” Shields were just big energy fields that required generators to power them. If they weren’t done so by the platforms then from somewhere else. His mixing information along with his escapades was something he’d expect from a mess hall rather than a briefing. Dagen tried to filter out what was important though wondered if Dean had gone native with being here too long.

COS

Dean silently braced himself for the engineering staff to blow off his ideas like the previous ships but they asked the questions so he would give them a workable theory. “We believe that the Beltrans have found a way to just bend light without a quantum bubble or any other source of power. We think they have found a way to just refract light at a myriad of angles to create dead spots. These dead spots reflect back what you are looking at so essentially whatever is behind the panels, cells, whatever the hell they are using to refract the light, is invisible and you look like you are seeing through it. It would explain why none of you from space are talking about weird energy signatures and how they seem to be able to cover anything they want regardless of size in the shielding.” It was clear Lt. Dean had been working on the problem and not resting on his laurels but his passion on the topic rapidly disappeared. “I m just a grunt who barely passed physics 101 in the academy so what do I know.”

“So .. in short a kind of cloak,” Dagen said, brows furrowed in thought. Okay, a cloak .. but how did that turn into a shield of sorts? Perhaps they would find out.

Surra agreed with Dagen, “Yes, it seems as if the Beltrans might be using this technology to hide something significant from us. Something they don’t want us to see?”

“It’s complicated,” Dean had a neutral expression on his face. “They show off their shielding without an issue but no touching. Everything we have learned has been through visual demonstrations. No scanning, no tricorders, no analysis…just demos. That is of course until the ink dries on its petition to join the Federation. How good are both your eyes?” Dean looked at the CE and CSO.

Dagen glanced over at Reia then back to Dean. “Eyes are good, Lt. Are you suggesting we have lots of fine print reading to do?” He supposed they would be big on demonstrations. “When you say demonstrations .. was that live fire? Or just power up and everyone goes oooohhh and awwww?”

Magnus smiled, the overconfidence of a junior officer left in charge, Zack had clearly forgotten the cardinal rule of not letting senior officers know unnecessary details. “Your sex life excluded” He gave the officer a knowing look “Have you learned anything culturally significant that might be relevant” It was a rebuke without being one, the Captain could give one if he so desired but this way he could simply ignore the faux-pax.

XO

Dean let his gaze drift exclusively on Magnus. He was already checking off the mental list in his mind of which officers would be a handful this round of Let’s play ball with the Beltrans. “They are exuberant on living …Sir,” he paused after the honorific letting his gaze dip to the XO’s pip’s and medals on his chest. “Any of you have teenagers,” Zack wagged his finger to the group.

Teenagers? Dagen was seeing where this was going …

The mention of teenagers caught her off guard, and Surra couldn’t help but wonder where Dean was going with his analogy. Her mind raced with possibilities, trying to piece together the puzzle of the Beltrans and their mysterious technology.

“I most certainly hope not” Magnus muttered to himself, anyone close enough to him would be able to hear.

“All their cultural information reads like a teenagers Spacebook, Chitter accounts, Immedia-Gram, Ric RoK” he let his voice trail off. “It is all about having fun, living life, and not worrying about tomorrow in any capacity except to maybe report on what fun thing you did the night before.” Lt. Zachary Dean showed flashes of leadership and what most would expect as conduct becoming an officer. As he began to answer the XO’s question, a glimmer of his competency showed through as he squared his shoulder and took on a far more serious, albeit frustrated tone aimed at the situation he was reporting on. “The only way into their society is to join their society. None of the Starfleet brass stays long enough, however, to get in there and find out for themselves.” The last part was an obvious dig at command.

“Eat, drink and be merry and all that,” Dagen muttered. A planet of juveniles. Swell. “It’s a wonder they managed this technology.” He was starting to wonder if they had!

After a pause, Zach began again. “The only thing we have discovered about their history is the lineage of the ruling class and stellar cartography dealing with solar cycles and moon phases. The aristocracy has a very Greek feel. King Casper Artemis killed both his brothers to assume the throne and no one really seemed to bat an eye at it. Even when you mention it they are more meh whatever,” Dean shrugged his shoulders imitating disinterest. “The stellar cartography is insanely accurate. They use it almost like a clock knowing down to the minute where the moons are in relation to the sun and the planet.”

“Is this ‘Coming’ related to their astrology?” Dagen asked. “It seems big. No clues on what they mean by it?”

“Nope just that it is big and important to them. You might have a better chance at getting that info out during the little soiree you will be attending tonight.

Maybe if we get them drunk enough, Dagen thought.
- Dagen

Lt Zachary Dean SF expeditionary force on Beltran

So you are not curious as to what this “Coming” is?” Sura asked. She couldn’t believe he didn’t press for more information about it from his Beltran lover. “It sounds like it might hold some religious meaning or could be apart of some lore.”

Almikaz, CSO

Look Lady, Dean wanted to say but held his tongue. She was an officer and probably just stating what the rest of them were thinking. This group had no clue what they were walking into and that was not his problem. He was there to protect them. Not provide them with all the intell like he was an Admiral. “Nope,” Dean lied speaking in a slow tone. “They don’t pay me enough to be curious about those problems. That is a problem for you fine folks to worry about because based on all your questions so far Command hasn’t seen fit to share my insights from the last four reports I sent in.” His comment was sharp and his tone irritated. “My job is to make sure you leave the planet in the exact same form you arrived.”

“Lt, are you suggesting by your descriptions that these people are in essence religiously motivated narcissistic teenagers?” Dagen inquired trying to put the pieces together. “You may blink twice if you agree with me if you don’t want to .. say it,” he said with a wink.

Reia wiggled in beside Dagen to share the pad with him. She had been listening to the briefing while going over what was on the pad and thought some interesting questions were raised. Luckily, she had spent some time doing a lot of guard duty for diplomats once she had graduated the academy. She always likes to put her skills to use. She was definitely glad to be out of the shuttle. The bumps had not done well for her stomach. Smiling she leaned into Dagen and whispered…

“I miss the beast.”

• Reia, CIO/Comms

Marius

The beast. The open air jalopy that had more paint on it that one couldn’t tell what it may have originally been. While it may have had the tuning that .. what, his mind flashed to an ancient holo that he had seen that suddenly reminded him of the ‘Beast’ .. Chitty Chitty Bang Bang. One of his fellow Cadets was quite keen on trying to build one of those, saying that the tech was well able to manage it. Idly he wondered if that was ever completed. “I liked the convertible aspect.” The wind blowing in his hair and the earthy smells, yeah, that was fun.
- Dagen

Magnus had a frown on his face as they walked “If they’re that relaxed about coup’s” He said in a distracted voice “We’ll need to be careful not to get involved in any political nonsense here”

XO

“Good luck with that but don’t worry. I got your back sir,” Zachary replied as the vehicle came to a stop.

Lt Zachary Dean SF expeditionary force on Beltran

OOC: I am going to leave this thread open to clarify anything or to give people a chance to leave comments. I am going to start a new thread at the palace as they get out of the car.

~ Kate

Lieutenant Almikaz
(CSO)

Dagen, CE