The next mission brief.

Posted on 10/11/2011 @ 2:30pm by Captain Finchley Kerr & Lieutenant Commander Rakka & Ensign Cailin Dresden & Lieutenant JG Thomas Richmond III.

Mission: A new Dawn?
Location: Captains Ready Room, USS Exeter.
Timeline: MD01: 0900 hrs.

Finchley had just finished having his mission briefing from Admiral James Klospar, and the news wasn't all good. Congratulations had been passed on from the Admiralty to the crew of the USS Exeter and also the thanks of both the governments of Moracia and Espacia on Denevia IV, a solution to the famine and drought had been discovered ans implimented, the rewards ofthbe work were at that very moment being given out freely to everyone on the planet.

However, other news had Finchley concerned. There had been raids reported on the outer rim of the quadrant, and Jem'Hadar fighters had been witnessed as the raiders. It was nothing big, or of real significancethat had been attacked if he was honest with himself, and he was very happy to hear no lives had been lost on the transports that had been fired upon, however, the fact that Jem'Hadar vessels were in the raiding party was enough to let him know that the Jem'Hadar were sending out a message to the Federation that they were etill alive and kicking.

The USS Centuar was being dispatched, along with the USS Friesnor and USS Hipsom to help with the raiding problem, so Finchley had been told that the USS Exeter was being recalled from Denevia IV and was being sent in the direction of Vulcan to help 'picket' that area.


Finchley immediately knew what that meant. Word had gotten to the Admiralty that Avaali Warrior ships were already in the sector, no doubt the news had been relayed by the Vulcan High Command themselves to the Federation Admiralty and the Admiralty had acted immediately.

His orders were specific "Keep the balance", and odd term Finchley ahd thought at the time, surely a better way to express it would have been "Keep the peace", but no, "Keep the balance" was what was said.

Tapping his COMM badge he said "Senior Staff please report to my Ready Room immediately for a mission briefing, Kerr out."

Sarah was still in sickbay, filling out the death certificates of the crew that didn't make it, when the call from the CO came. Taking a deep breath, she quickly finished up the Certificate she was working on than slowly stood up and headed for the closest turbo-lift. Although this wasn't her first time watching a crewman die, she still felt that each death was a failure on her part, but somehow she managed to keep going. After a while, the turbo-lift stopped at the bridge and Sarah straightened herself up before walking into the CO's ready room.

Finchley smiled at his Chief Medical Officer as she came into the Ready Room. "Thank you for being so prompt Lt Keller, may I ask how things are going in sickbay?" he asked.

Sarah closed her eyes and took a deep breath before answering, "Have you finished your letters to the families of the dead crew yet? Until you have, don't ask me how I'm going." she snapped, staring directly at Finchley.

His facial expression didn't alter one iota when he replied to the Chief Medical Officer "Yes, I did finish the last communication about an hour ago. When this meeting is concluded, can you wait behind please, I'd like to discuss something with you."

Sarah nodded and was about to say something when the next officer entered.

Thomas had been reviewing the data they took from the Dominion Scout Vessel, trying to find some records on Dominion ships operating in the area. He knew that the Dominion didn't assign only one vessel to do what this craft had done. Hearing the Captains message he set down his pad and took one final sip of his coffee and made his way to the ready room. Entering the room he saw the Captain and Doctor and took his perfered seat.

Finchley watched as his Chief Helmsman came into the room and took his seat, as the officer sat down Finchley said "Lt Richmond, how is the situation with the Jem'Hadar scout vessel, anything interesting show up yet?"

"Nothing yet sir, I did discover an encrypted file, but I still haven't been able to break through it. I have a feeling that file may contain why the Dominion have taken the actions they have, but that's only specalation", Thomas responded.

Rakka ducked through the doorway next, carefully skirting around the two already assembled and sitting near the Captain.

"Ah, Lt Rakka, good" Finchley said "Any word yet from HQ regarding Vorta or Jem'Hadar movement in the Gamma quadrant?" he asked.

Rakka snuffled and shook her head grumpily. "So far they've been... singularly unhelpful," she admitted. "Perhaps Intel may be better equipped to cut through the red tape."

"Yes, they can be like that I suppose" Finchley answered with a sigh. He was slightly non plussed about why HQ would hold up on letting any information like that out, then it dawned on him that when Lt Rakka had contacted them to ask, it must have been red flagged at their end.

Now that was an interesting thought, was it because they were trying to hide something that would embarras them, or were they just being difficult for the sake of it?

"Captain Kerr, this is the bridge Sir, Lt Maxwell. Sorry to interupt you, but we have a communique regarding Commander Anderson that is priority one and needs your attention."

Finchley tapped his COMM badge and said "Ok, send it to my personal console please, Kerr out."

He watched as the message came throun, then entered his authentication code and read the message. When he was done he looked at the rest of the assembled Senioe staff and said "Commander Anderson won't be joining us for this meeting."

That was all he said and then carried on "I want to know what all of you know about Vulcan, it's set up and it's surrounding systems. There's a reason for this question, but I want to know what you know first so come on, share with us your knowledge!"

Thomas was the first one to pitch in, "Well sir, that entire area is well known and there is very few if any areas you can hide anything. Not to mention that it is probally one of the most populous systems at the heart of the Federation."

"That's true" Finchley said, then and went on "I've been in touch with the Admiralty, and they've re-assigned the Exeter to the area around Vulcan. Regarding the mission we'll be on, we have two slightly differing problems however, they may end up giving the same results. Firstly, here round the planet of Denevia Four, we really can hazard a guess that the Dominion are once again planning to re-ignite the war with the Federation, and from what I an telll, they're a lot closer to doing so than we realised. Secondly, and this is going to take preference for us just now, I have some information I would like to share with you all, but for the moment, keep it to yourselves. The Vulcan High Command ahve contacted Fleet HQ to tell them that the Avaali have invaded Vulcan space, outside of the diplomatic station they have there and the Vulcans are hopping mad about this, saying that it infringes on their rights. Now, after the incident on the Avaali diplomatic station near Denevia Four, I have to admit that I had no real idea how the Avaali would react, now we know, they send in forces to a neighbouring system under the auspicies of 'protecting' their other diplomatic station, but then they go and start to invade on other Vulcan territory. I believe that the Avaali pose a grave threat to Vulcan stability, and therefor we go to help a neighbour in need. Thoughts on this new mission then ladies and gentlemen" Finchley asked, looking round the table at his Senior Officers.

Rakka cleared her throat gently. "Well, sir... my immediate concern is how to address such a delicate situation without an appropriate diplomat," she ventured. "Clearly this would present an enormous conflict of interest for Ensign Arrenen."

"True Lt Rakka, very true, but at the moment she's on the runabout as part of Lt Murphys away team heading towards Vulcan space and the Avaali diplomatic station there tgo see if tghe Avaali are indeed encroaching on Vulcan space as the Vulcans say they are" Finchley said.

Richmond was starting to show some concern in what the Captain had said, "Captain, will there be any other Starfleet vessels joining us in our mission around Vulcan, or at least in ready support should we need them."

"A task force is being assembled" Finchley said "the USS Jackson, USS Wolffe and the USS Thall are being called on to head into Vulcan space, but not to 'crowd', as it were, the area around the Avaali diplomatic station, instead to maintain an orbit around Vulcan itself. This at the behest of the Vulcans themselves I may add, as much as they will have their own ships available to them, we've already sent them what we know of the Avaali, and they don't think the ships they have may be enough to protect their homeworld."

"That's reassuring", Thomas said under his breath as he leaned back in his chair. The prospect of this so called picket duty was not one he too much cared for. Tensions run high and everybody is on edge.

Turning to Lt Rakka, Finchley said "I'd like you to ready a security team Lt, it 'may', and I am only implying 'may' be that when we get there, the situation won't be as bad as we think and we get the chance to go onboard the Avaali diplomatic station ourselves to speak to them on what they think may hav happened at the station ne Denevia Four, but we'll just have to wait till we get there to find out if this is the case. However, I'd like us to be ready for that eventuality."

Looking around the table he carried on saying "Chief Warrant Officer Karadis has gone with Ensign Arrenen, the Avaali Redwing Trine and Lt Murphy, so we'll be following them up once we're finished here at Denevia Four. If there are no further questions, I suggest we finish up our current assignments as quickly as possible, contact the bridge to say you're department is ready to leave and we can get ourselves away from Denevia Four and onto Vulcan, dissmissed."

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Captain Finchley Kerr
CO
USS Exeter
Theta Fleet

&

Lieutenant JG Thomas Richmond III.
CFCO
USS Exeter
Theta Fleet

&

Lieutenant JG Sarah Keller M.D.
Chief Medical Officer
USS Exeter
Theta Fleet

&

Lt Rakka
Chief of Security/Tactical
USS Exeter
Theta Fleet