Star Trek: Season 7 - Masquerade

[Jen]

FINAL BRIEFING

The poised Vulcan stood before the viewer as the screen displayed the planet's various inhabitants and planetary regions. "As you know, the geology of this planet will interfere with our ability to scan. She casually glanced to Aeric as she continued, "We will not rely on the transporter because of this.  The Aurora will be used to shuttle the away teams to the surface and ferry any materials that we recover during our investigation, back to The Arabella."

"To ensure that our squads are prepared for any situation, we have decided that both away teams will be comprised of engineering, science, medical and security officers.  I will lead a team to the northern hemisphere and the captain will lead a team to the southern hemisphere.  We will discuss which officers will be on each team, after everyone has had a chance to offer strategy suggestions and make mission inquiries." She nodded toward the Trill seated at the end of the table, "at the conclusion of this meeting, Doctor Drett will begin seeing patients for surgical alterations." Sevryll clasped her hands behind her back as she continued,  "to ensure that darkness covers our descent, we will transport to the surface at 0200 (2am). That provides us with thirteen hours to prepare for the mission and undergo our surgeries. Are there any inquiries or mission proposals?"

[X]

Aeric looked at the commander then spoke up. "Due to the fact that you are going to have a lot of ground to cover, I've worked with my team and we have added infiltrator technology to two of our runabouts. This will give us three vessels capable of covert planetfall."

Tapping a few commands into his PADD, Aeric brought the runabout schematics on the main display. "The two vessels will give each team a mobile command center while the Aurora maintain a low orbit in the event that emergency extraction is needed. Due to the inability of the sensors to function properly, I will assign my best pilots to getting the ships through the mission in one piece."

[Meds]

D'Callan watched and logged every detail. It was important to him that all members of the away team stayed safe. He raised his hand out of politeness.

"Regarding security personal. We'll need to be armed but i am fully aware of our situation regarding cover. I think we need to consider defense. Are we to issue standard weapons or shall we go for more conventional forms of defense?". 

[wraith1701]

"Since this is a pre-warp civilization, it would be best to minimize the amount of advanced technology we bring down with us," said K'Tan.  "However, you bring up a valid point."  After risking a furtive glance at the doctor sitting at the end of the table, he focused his attention on Commander Sevryll.

"My team has recently concluded a test of the Arabella's phaser capabilities, and I believe that our results have the potential to aid in the mission.  I've asked the head of our phaser team, Lt. Otak, to present those results."  K'Tan turned to the officer silently sweating next to him.  "Lt. Otak?"

Otak nervously cleared his throat, and stood to address the group.  "Th-thank you, Commander K'Tan," said the Lieutenant, his voice breaking as he tried to recover from his stutter.  He turned to address Quinn and Sevryll, visibly shaken by the prospect of reporting to the Captain and Executive Officer of the ship.  He silently focused on the coaching he had received from K'Tan earlier that morning-

'Remember,' the commander had said.  'The captain and first officer are people just like you.  Granted, their talents are extraordinary, and they are therefore due the utmost respect.  But they put their pants on one leg at a time, just like you.  They aren't going to strike you down with a lightening bolt if you look at them the wrong way.'

The commander's words had helped bolster his confidence, but Otak still felt intimidated by the presence of the Arabella's command team.  Otak gathered his thoughts, and continued.

"Commander K'Tan challenged us to improve on the performance of the ship's phasers, and I think we've made some noteworthy progress on range, accuracy, and power output.  Through the application of a number of different algorithms, we have managed to increase our emitters' nadion particle production rate by 7.5%."

Otak smiled at the assembled officers. "As I'm sure you all know, this will increases the amount of power available to the phaser emitters while easing the surge power requirements of the EPS emitter trunks.  In layman's terms, we have increased the kick of the phasers without placing undue strain on the Electro Plasma Shunts that rout plasma from the ship's engines to the weapons systems."

"The increase in available power made possible by this has allowed us to come up with several new fire-control and targeting algorithms.  Theoretically, our new settings will allow up to seven segments of each phaser strip to discharge simultaneously, combining their force into one beam.  This force multiplier should give the Arabella enough accuracy to punch a pin-sized hole in a structure on a planetary surface from orbit, as well as the power to reduce that same structure to vapor."  Otak quickly returned to his seat, a sigh of relief escaping from his lips.

Smiling with pride, K'Tan turned to Otak.  "Outstanding work, Lt." 

He then turned to address Captain Quinn and Commander Sevryll.   "My team has also been working on a prototype targeting enhancer.  Once completed, the devices should operate in a manner similar to the portable transporter patern-enhancers currently used by the fleet.  While they won't have the ability to create a signal strong enough to aid our transporter system, they should be able to provide a targeting lock for the Arabella's phasers.  While I hope that such drastic intervention will not be needed, I feel confident that if things on the surface go badly, the Arabella will be able to provide long-distant support to the away teams."

Noting a look of concern from one of the gathered officers, K'Tan quickly raised a forestalling hand.  "Of course," he added, "I'm not recommending that we use such drastic measures unless it can be done without violating the prime directive.  I understand that maintaining the integrity of any civilization we encounter should remain our primary concern."

[Meds]

D'Callan lent back in his chair and looked at K'Tan who looked back at him. Joe lifted his thumb up and winked. He was impressed with K'tans command of his own team and equally impressed with Otaks presentation.
Joe stood and walked behind his chair.

"My security team have been in training and have undergone some serious tests to make sure they are up to your standards Captain. I will make sure each security officer will have a small tracking pin hidden just in case we get lost, judging by our info that could easily happen and i want to make sure we are easily located.
Also taking into account  Lt. K'Tans words i suggest we have basic weapons similar to our Camelot session. With the Tactical team keeping eye ball from the ship i have every confidence in them so we don't have to worry about our own weapon power on the planet."

D'Callan nodded at Quinn and Sevryll and smiled at Qtak as he sat down.

[X]

Aria James sat more quietly than usual as she listened to the briefing. She has several questions, but she decided to focus on the scope of the mission.

"How much technology are we going to bring with us as we conduct our searches?" She asked as she looked over the department heads. "What medical supplies are we to bring with us and just how far will we be willing to further contaminate this culture to protect our people?"

She knew that they might need to work in primitive situations, but she need to know how far they would have to go to complete the mission. While this was far from her first away mission and in theory it seemed to be much safer than pretending to be a Romulan on their homeworld, this mission was not without its own dangers.

"It might be possible to disguise some of our equipment or use alternatives on site. It would also help if we knew the length of each search mission to better equip our teams." Aeric said. "I don't expect two teams to cover an entire world in a few days. Rations and survival gear should be a deciding factor in the length and success of the mission."

Aria had considered that as well, but her thoughts took her question in another direction. "Is this going to be like the Romulas mission? Should we expect that we will not be rescued if captured and it requires exposing more of our technology?"

She didn't expect to be rescued because her first exposure to an away mission had shaped her perspective. She just wanted to hear the answer aloud and make sure that the others on the mission heard it as well.

[moyer777]

Counselor Margon raised his voice,

"If any of you need to talk before we head out, I'll be having my office open for the next couple of hours.  Just give me a heads up and I can chat for a few minutes with you."

The crew looked at each other and then at Margon.  From their expressions you could tell who was nervous about the away mission and who wasn't.  The counselor suspected as much.  He would probably have a couple of visits before the away mission began.

[Omra]

Korridan looked to his Supervisor for approval before standing to address the room, Aeric inclined his head.  Korridan stood and felt nervous at all the attention it drew, he wanted to be polite and look everyone in the eyes when speaking but felt it would only make him more nervous.

He focused on the Captain and his trusted First Officer, "Hooch and I have created a collection of authentic weapons and assorted armour used by all of the different clans; based upon the information we could gather from the observation teams findings, and the newer info we received from Starbase 35's more comprehensive database."  "We have aged and weathered the materials so that it all looks used and battered, and the fabrics are all as authentic as we could get them for your clothing." 

"I believe all the away team members should familiarize themelves with these weapons," he looked to D'Callan and gestured to him,"please have them make use his departments expertise."  "I have tried to insulate the phasers for your away mission in an effort to minimize the planets harsh effects on our technology."  He smiled at D'Callan, "But as I am sure the Chief of Security would agree it is best to prepare for the worst; besides the more familiar they seem with their equipment and garb, the more effective it will be for them to blend in."

"I only have one serious concern," his expression became more severe, "we had no actual fabric dyes or paints to go on."  He shook his head, "so without knowing what pigments they use, all we could do is go by what we could see in the image files."

He paused for a moment trying to gather his thoughts, "And that worries me, why does that worry me?"  He pointed to Sevryl, "because she sees the light spectrum differently than he does," pointing to Quinn.  He pointed to Dr Peterson, "And you see it very differently than he does," pointing to K'arath.  "But we all tend to forget this because Starfleet is so very good at adjusting for that with paints, metals and fabrics embedded or laminated with refractive crystals."  He held his PADD as further evidence, "Another perfect example of how we take this all for granted is in our interfaces, in the old days we used to have to calibrate our equipment to make it easy on our eyes, now most of the 'big ticket items' we work with these days simply use passive scanners to read the rods and cones of our eyes and self adjust for us without us even noticing."

"So in other words, we may see the the armor and fabrics in the colors that they are supposed to be; but I can't guarantee that they," pointing to the dislay screen on the wall showing a collage of the indigenous peoples, "will see it that way."

He sat down and clandestinely tried to calm himself.  He didn't mind doing presentations, but he didn't know these people yet, and felt intimidated by them.

[institches]

Ensign Farmer took a deep breath, smelling the honey tone of success and approval in the air. She looked around at her crewmates.  A vague undertone of salty confidence seeped from her gland covers.

"If I may?" She looked to Sevryll, who nodded. "I've been studying the atmospheric samples we replicated from what was stored on StarBase 35. The base levels of argon, sulfur, and nitrogen in the air, combined with the slightly lighter than standard gravity gave me a general idea of the planet's scent profile." She punched up a diagram that should have shown the profile, but instead was a replicator file. "Oops. Just a sec." Ryla Drett was probably the only one there who recognized it as the recipe for jellybeans she had shared with the ensign only last night. "Ah, here it is." The correct file appeared on the screen.  "From this profile I was able to create simple scent packages that I can refine once we arrive. We may smell like raccoons for a while, but we won't be pegged as outsiders. Most species tag smell as the sense most evocative of memory, so if we just evoke dirt or air, we should blend in.

"And I'm guessing that a judicious application of dirt or plant life should mitigate any color distinction," she suggested.

[X]

"It sounds like the away team is going to have an interesting time on the planet, but a successful one as well." Commander James smiled at the presentations. Each new voice made him more curious about the surface, but everyone has their roles to play. Given what he new about both planet and culture.

"Captain, I'm still working out the details, but I have an idea. With their current technology level and the size of their planet compared to the estimated distribution of the population, it might be possible to put the Arabella on the planet if it become necessary to hide. While budding astronomers might look to the heavens and see the Arabella, it would be impossible for that to happen if we hid either behind an orbiting body or below the curve of the horizon."

[Jen]

During the meeting Sevryll observed an unusual number of anxious demeanors. The source for their nervousness eluded her, even though she herself was not beyond feeling the emotion on occasion. The briefing thus far, had been productive and the commander was pleased with the consideration each officer and crewman had given to their mission strategy. They were indeed a diligent group of dedicated Starfleet personnel. Commander Sevryll glance to the Captain, seated at the opposite end of the table; he made a gesture with his hand, indicating that she had the floor. A number of individuals had contributed during the course of the meeting, and the Vulcan felt that it would be best to address each of their concerns in the order they were given.

She turned to the second officer who sat nearby, "the additional shuttles should prove useful, and your forethought regarding the Arabella's concealment is warranted.  As for the time frame of this mission, that is impossible to determine. Yet, I believe it could be significantly shortened if we concentrate our efforts in the largest cities within these two regions."

Sevryll pointed to the viewer as it transitioned to an orbital image, "The planet's major cities are situated here and here.  If the scientists have deserted, they may have assumed that these locations would provide them with the best cover. And if they were detained by the monarchies that rule these provinces, it is logical to assume they would be held by their captors in one, or both of these structures within these cities." She touched the viewer and the image zoomed in to display a large building constructed of stone, guarded by a contingent of armored soldiers. She touched it again and the image zoomed out before focusing in on a similar structure located in the southern hemisphere. "According to the information provided to us, these buildings not only house the monarchy, but they also contain subterranean prison systems. We may learn more about the whereabouts of our scientists after we've interviewed the citizens of these municipalities. But remember, our mission is to investigate the sudden advancements in technology as well. Locating the scientists is only one of our objectives."

The crewmen and officers seated before her nodded in agreement as she then turned to Lieutenant Commander K'Tan. "The modifications your department has made to the weapon systems, is impressive. Obviously the Arabella will not utilize them to obliterate concentrated populations, yet they may serve to solve any unforeseen problems our teams may experience. Thank you Mr. O'Tak, Mr. K'Tan."

"As for the issue of weaponry, Mr. D'Callan. We will not risk further contamination; therefore our defense will depend on the weapons of the inhabitants and our ability to wield them. The only technology that we will take  to the surface, are combadges and pattern enhancers disguised as jewelry."

Next, Sevryll glanced to the nervous Bajoran, "I appreciate your diligence Mr. Korridan, but replication would eliminate the difficulties you have experienced. While I am certain your workmanship is above reproach, it would have been more efficient to replicate the items we require." She didn't want to discourage the chief, yet it was highly illogical to divert so much time and energy into hand forging these items. She noted his careworn expression and attempted to reassure him," "Again, thank you for your thoroughness, chief. I will forward the necessary information to you so that your team can replicate the remaining gear. Please work with Mrs. Farmer to see that our equipment is infused with the necessary bouquet", she said as she inclined her head in appreciation to the young ensign.

In their Department Briefing the day before, Sevryll learned that the Assistant Chief Science Officer had made inroads in modifying of their sensor capabilities. She found it curious that Zremm had not brought the subject to light during their current assembly. In fact, he had said nothing at all since the briefing began. She glanced at the man seated at the far end of the table. "Lieutenant Zremm?" The Andorian failed to acknowledge her; instead he continued to stare at his reflection in the table's glossy surface. 

[Rico]

Joint post by Rico & Jen

Lieutenant Zremm found himself rubbing his antennae. This was an old habit of his when he was tired. Andorian antennae much like the large ear lobes of a Ferengi and contained a much higher level of nerve endings than any other area of the body. These could be stimulated in a variety of ways. Currently, Zremm was using them to wake himself up more. He hadn't gotten much sleep last night. He smiled when he recalled the sensation of Marie in his arms. Being a little tired was a tiny price to pay for last night, he thought to himself. But he was quickly pulled out of his thoughts when he heard his name called.

"Zremm?" repeated Commander Sevryll a second time; dropping the formality to gain his attention.


"Ah, yes Commander. Sorry." Zremm quickly said as he pulled his hand away from his right antenna.

"Perhaps you could inform the team of your work on the sensor modifications." Sevryll said as she stood at the head of the table.

"Of course, Commander. We all know that the planet Ter 'Oss makes traditional scans near to impossible, but I have been working on a solution to that problem. I have run numerous simulations in order to find methods for enhancing their performance under such conditions." Zremm said as he tapped the LCARS panel in front of him. A display of the planet quickly appeared on the wall monitor behind him. He turned as he tapped the controls once more, and stood from his chair.

"By using class five probes, I believe I can create a sensor relay web around a good portion of the inhabited area of the planet. Much like an old style satellite system works, these probes would communicate and relay information to each other and back to the Arabella. The probes have limited functionality and wouldn't give us our normal sensor resolution, but I do think they might help in the search." Zremm said.

"Well done, lieutenant. But this class of probe has a very limited energy source. How long do you estimate such a grid could be adequately maintained?" The Vulcan first officer inquired, as she clasped her hands behind her back and inclined her head in curiosity.

"Yes, that is a problem. We would only have thirty to forty-five minutes before the probes lose power. After which, they would burn up in the atmosphere as they fell harmlessly to the planet," Zremm replied. He knew it wasn't a perfect solution, but as a science officer it troubled him greatly to enter a situation without sensor capability.

"Excellent lieutenant. I believe the probes could be put to better use by serving to pinpoint the location of our teams, should they require emergency extraction. I would like you to remain on the ship and prepare your sensor grid for such an event." Said Sevryll.

"Certainly, Commander. I will continue to work on optimizing the grid through simulations." Lieutenant Zremm replied with a pleased look as he sat back down.

Sevryll glanced to the Captain who addressed the room, "If there are no further questions, then you are all dismissed. I would advice you all to schedule your appointments with Doctor Drett as soon as possible. Doctor Peterson, Perhaps you should undergo you surgery first, so that you can aid her." Peterson nodded to the Captain and the crew began to shuffle out of the Briefing Room.

[Jen]

Ryla and Doctor Peterson walked together to the briefing room door, "I guess you're the lucky winner, doctor," she remarked with a chuckle.

"I've always admired the color blue," he said. "Perhaps you could see to it that my physical alterations accommodate that preference?"

"Certainly, Doctor."

Peterson's surgery was over in less than an hour and though he was proud of his new skin tone, his wife was not as enamored. Doctor Drett grinned as she noticed how Casey's blue skin and Myella's red hair were now perfectly complementary. "Don't get me wrong..." said Myella Peterson in a distinctly Irish brogue. "Blue is certainly a beautiful color...in fact it's my favorite. It's just that you no longer look like the Casey Peterson I married."

Ryla smiled as she helped Casey sit up, "Good. That was our goal, Myella," said the Trill.  Casey cast his new, piercing gray eyes upon the red head standing beside him and offered her a familiar smile.

Myella seemed to brighten at the sight and whispered, "I recognize you now." Doctor Peterson's wife moved her hands to his long, gray hair and helped him tie it back. When it was secured, she brought her fingers to the pointed ears that were dotted with intricate tattoos. "What do they mean?" she asked

"They denote a healer's specialization. My tattoos indicate that I can cure their equivalent to gout."

"Oh... I assumed they had a deeper, more charming meaning," she said with a smirk.

"How would you like to split the surgeries?" Interrupted the Trill.

"You take Engineering and Security Ryla, and I'll take Science and medical. That leaves Myella to tend to the rest of the crew if need be."  Said Doctor Peterson.

The doors to Sickbay admitted another patient and Ryla left the two alone to see to the new visitor.

[Omra]

Aeric patted the warweary Bajoran on the back as he passed him in the hallway, telling him silently with a smile not to take it too hard.  He nodded to Aeric as he melded into the surging crowd, letting him know that his message was received.

Korridan was old school, used to working with his hands, and was proud of it.  In the Resistance they had never had the luxury of replicators or any of the myriad niceties that Starfleet personnel take for granted.  Acclimating to this new environment was going to take some getting used to.

He kept thinking about what that Andorian had said about a network of sensors in orbit.   It was a good idea; but being a scientist his mind was thinking only of utilizing the items he had at hand.  Korridan was a tool pusher, if there wasn't something that already existed that you needed, in order for your idea to come to fruition; you built it.  He smiled, thinking, "Maybe I can redeem myself."

He wandered the corridors of the ship paying no attention to where he was going, or caring.  His attention was on his PADD and the ideas that were taking shape on it.

[Geekyfanboy]

Quinn sat back in his chair as the last crewmember left the briefing room. Quinn didn't say much during the briefing but he really didn't have too. He knew he put together one of the finest crews in Starfleet and this was the proof. Everything had been checked and doubled check for this mission. Quinn couldn't be prouder of what his crew had done.
Of course he felt the anxiety, nervousness, and excitement of his fellow crewmembers but none of them showed it outwardly. They were ready for this mission.

Nathan grabbed one of the padds sitting on the desk and began to read. His appointment for surgical alterations wasn't for another two hours.