Incommunicado – A harsh reality check
by Lieutenant Commander Jarred Wallace & Captain Tasha Tahir (NPC) & Commander Chelsea Dunham & Alderman Dorian Gabriel & Lieutenant Commander Bruce Freeman & Colonel James Darson
Post Details
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The newly minted Lieutenant junior grade Rhiana t'Sahen, stood at the briefing podium as some of the available senior staff, and took their respective seats, she realized that this was in fact about to start off with a really harsh note. "Thank you for attending this procedural briefing concerning the USS Horatio and its arrival in this part of the time line, but before I begin I must pass along the report that as of eight-hundred hours this morning Starfleet has declared Lieutenant Jarred Wallace missing and presumed dead, until a replacement can be assigned I will be in charge of intelligence on Deep Space Five by order of Admiral James, all task force matters have been relocated to another ranking officer."
Rhiana looked down at here notes letting the news sink in a little, she struggled to hide her own feelings. She was hoping to avoid questions on the matter, she quickly called up her notes on the procedure for the matter at hand.
Tasha felt uneasy as she looked upon the temporary CIO. It was now near to two months and they were no closer to finding Wallace than they were then, even with the help of those outside the station.
"If that is the order, then let the records show your position has been duly noted." She stated matter of factly but the faces of some of the staff registered otherwise.
Chelsea looked confused. ~Why hadn't the orders been relayed according to the proper protocol, i.e. to the Command Staff - the CO in particular ~ she couldn't help but feel defensive and worried too. Jarred had been a difficult shadow to keep track of, but that was the nature of his job. She thought of Claire and her twins. There were going to be 'tears before bedtime' in more ways than one. Chelsea's soft Bajoran ridges closed together in a frown.
Darson shook his head slowly in what was presumably a show of something that might maybe (at some point) be construed as a lament for the currently misplaced intelligence officer. But already the gears were spinning in his head at breakneck speed…playing the numbers. Now that Wallace was gone, how would that affect the power structure on board the station? Was he still alive? Was that question even worth the resources answering? But that line of thought was kept quietly to himself. What he did say was, “Well, he was a good officer and a gentleman, but…best not to wallow in our grief. He wouldn’t want that, or so I would imagine. I’ll break out the darkest blood wine for a toast to his memory, and the government will pay for a beautiful funeral. Steady on, I say.”
Chelsea observed. She had mixed feelings and doubts that needed more information to form up.
Rhiana resumed despite the rather mixed reactions of the senior staff present. "Currently we are in a rather low level of non-allied activities in the region, the Romulan ship T'shir is conducting some research in the Typhon expanse, the Klingons are currently conducting unspecified war games as well, and the USS Halifax is en-route with an unspecified VIP and entourage."
Chelsea was in full support of the Security reaction. ~How could THIS also have slipped past the channels too? ~ She sat nodding as he objected.
Rhiana waited until he finished his rant then spoke, "I'm unaware of who this VIP is, only that this person will arrive with two body guards, and is travelling on the Halifax because if my schedule is correct the Halifax will be conducting a colonization survey of the nearby Naradis system, and it is the only ship departing from sector zero-zero-one and travelling near this station."
Bruce looked up the Halifax on a PADD he had brought with him to the meeting. She sounded familiar and he wanted to make sure. He hated that he was right, his least favorite ship class. "Great another VIP that's going to want his quarters changed ever so slightly for the week or two he's here. Plus showing up on an ugly Drake class, they should only be allowed to beam over, forget docking." Bruce had been looking down with his rant. Looking up and seeing the disapproving faces. "Sorry my opinion, I'll be good."
The Captain grinned as she shook her head at Bruces' remark but she also understood the feelings of her crew. Despite his differences, Jarred was a damn good CIO and she harbored thoughts that he would still be found alive...somewhere.
"Duly noted." She added for the record and relaxed back into the comfortable chair. "Continue Lieutenant t'Sahen." Tasha urged as she glanced around he ensemble.
Rhiana looked around and resumed, "USS Alexander is conducting a systems test of a prototype fighter interceptor in a nearby system, they may be docking here after the test schedule is completed." She paused as the briefing slide changed "The prototype code named Moose is expected to be replacing aging fighters in the current inventory, a further briefing will be conducted on that at a later date."
"One final housekeeping matter, Mr. Wallace had a list of people who have not completed the mandatory fire arms training, for non-security and non-marine personnel, if I understand correctly this was being organized by the Lieutenant to take off some of the pressure security and the marines for this duty requirement." Rhiana saw some eyes roll "The noted officers include Captain Tahir, Commanders Villiers, Dunham Chelsea, Dunham Richard, Freeman Bruce, most of the science and medical staff have not even reported for any training accept for a Lieutenant Mackenzie who has been issued a special use permit." Rhiana didn't realize that this implied she was issued a personal weapon because of her relationship to the deceased Lieutenant Wallace.
Rhiana turned her head the point of her ears poked through her black hair, "If there are no serious objections from the security chief or marine commander Ensign Maxwell and Master Chief Ayers are both fire arms instructors and they would like to get things organized quickly, Commander Dunham I see from my info that Dr Stapleton is a civilian so she isn't required to do this but this is a military outpost and it might be ".
Chelsea looked surprised. "I don't wish to be contrary Lieutenant but firstly, Ensign-Doctor Stapleton is not a civilian in my understanding and secondly, wearing my CMO hat, I feel that fire-arms training for doctors, all of whom have sworn the Hippocratic oath to 'do no harm', is controversial at best and challenging too. It could be difficult to enforce the course if the individual should object and subsequently difficult to justify the time spent if they go on to refuse to use the weapons assuming you did train objectors. I suggest it might be better use of your resources to offer a voluntary uptake depending on individual beliefs amongst those who are sworn."
Rhiana tried not to get annoyed, "Commander Dunham, that blue uniform doesn't make any difference to an unfriendly boarding party your still just a target to them, and to be honest I hate responding to massacres where the medical staff are amoung the slaughtered." her sinister smile creeped out like poison needle. "Ensign Maxwell is one of the two best sharp shooters on the station, and he has some of the better credetials when it comes to small arms related self defense, including non-leathal targeting."
"I don't believe what the victims of a massacre were wearing nor did as a profession has any bearing, Lieutenant." Chelsea replied in a monotone, maintaining her trademark outward professional inscrutability.
"Personally, I am both happy and competent with non-lethal targetting - although debatably *do no harm* may not *only* mean do not kill. However, I was trained in non-lethal combat and equipment on my way up to the rank of Commander." she went on. "but whilst I, and a large percentage of my department, will be available for the up-date course, I am still obligated to defend the rights of those who disagree with me, or you, over this issue."
Chelsea took a dislike to the 'sinister' smile she'd been presented with but was too experienced to show any acknowledgement of it.
Darson fiddled with a PADD in front of him bringing up the list of officers who had to complete the training course, “I have no objection,” he said as his head remained down gazing at the device, “But I would like to sit in on a couple of the sessions…not to critique instruction, though I could very well do so. If I must confess, it has been a veritable ghost town on the entertainment front…my sit-coms don’t get out here, my soaps are going through a terrible love story, and everything else is being affected by that dammed Bolian writers’ strike…can you believe it? Writers striking! What century is this? So in the face of this the pale and unamusing season, I predict much entertainment of all you lot,” he gestured to the group, “messing around with phaser rifles. I’ll bring snacks.”
Rhiana attempting to contain her laughter quickly replied to the colonel, "Um begging the Colonel's pardon and I think concerns, the classes will be mostly in standard side arms type two phasers and TR-110 pistols, excluding the captain and first officer who need to be cleared on the M-six scout rifle." making a referance to the venerable compact shotgun recently resurected by starfleet.
While not having actually taken the course Bruce still knew how to use a phaser. He had to being an Engineer, know both inside and out incase something went horribly wrong and he had to dismantle one at any point in his life time. "Well when are we going to have this party? I'd like to get my test done ASAP and not have to worry about it." Bruce said knowing it was for the best but still annoyed he had to take it.
Tahir wasn't sure if she would have to take this 'Test', as Captain she could refuse, but then again, with her taking part, it would appease the remainder of the staff. She looked at Rhiana, then to Darson.
"Excluding Commander Dunham's objections....." Rihana paused as a crewman entered and handed a PaDD over "Um....ok, The Nimitz is coming in for an overhaul, that throws a wrench in my updates." Rhiana looked puzzled.
"Not until tomorrow." Tasha added, "Commander Dantius will be trying to manually scrub the outlet manifolds if he can." She advised, "If not, then Commander Freeman has already offered to help." She tipped her head to the Chief Engineer.
"Any time Captain any time." Bruce replied to her.
Rihana trying not to laugh again continued "Last for me is a request from a Romulan senator Nnerhin D'Merek, something about wanting to pay final respects to the Lieutenant and his family, the rest of the message is in an obscure Romulan dialect that sadly even I don't speak very well so I can't fill you in on the specifics beyond that at the moment."
"Wait a minute, there's going to be more special people coming? What's the definitive number so I can be prepared for quarter overhauls?" Bruce asked hearing the news about more 'honored' guests.
"We're still translating the message Commander Freeman, at this point all we can confirm is the Admiral coming from intelligence." Rhiana replied "The family name does match that of a Romulan rescued by the Lieutenant during the Dominion war, and the Klingons did some ceremony in his name."
Darson leaned back and rubbed the chin of his helmet with a gauntlet, “Romulans, huh? Our late lieutenant really did get around. But you know, that’s the problem with funerals. Or…whatever this is. Remembrance, ceremony of memory, whatever. People come in, they wallow, they cry…and the stream keeps on coming depending on how grand you are, or what you did. Very depressing.”
Tasha spoke "A funeral is a celebration of a person, cherishing your own memories of who you interacted with them, not so much depressing, but moving. After all, we all die and I am sure we would all want someone to mark that passing?"
“I plan to live forever,” Darson said confidently, “Or barring that, a couple of thousand years would be pretty nice. However, if I did have to die…I would do it in a sufficiently grandiose way as to be…well, grand. Dying in a…giant, cataclysmic fireball, surrounded by streams of a never ending horde of millions of…I don’t know, something evil from beyond the stars…. So yea. Fireball, going down fighting against these terrible creatures to protect the shuttle of hot women as it gets away…but then the star goes super-nova, and collapses into a black hole…vaporizing me and then sweeping me into oblivion. Or something like that. I’m a simple man with simple tastes.
"Simple?" Tasha said in a hushed voice through the widest of grins, "My dear Colonel, you are far more complex than you give credit yourself for." She leant back into her chair, unaware that James was about to continue.
“And if I can’t find a situation like that…I’ll fake my death anyway, and retire…using my vast personal fortune to commission a custom-made luxury planet from the Magratheans…though of course, that would mean evading the tax man. I tell you, the Federation Internal Revenue Service is tenacious, and one of the only two things in the whole galaxy I actually fear. But enough of my petty fantasies, let’s return to the briefing. Lieutenant,” He addressed Rhiana, “I believe that we were supposed to talk about the Horatio? Now, everything I gathered from him aboard his ship was in the report. But I am extremely interested in hearing your thoughts on the whole matter."
"Well, my thoughts on the matter seem to be more of concern that we will have another visit from temporal investigations shortly, and that we have now had three temporal events since the training exercise incident, and that could represent a danger to the station since certain temporal events still have an unpredictable effect on the subspace layers, especially one in this region of space where there has been various stellar phenomena occurring over the last 50 years." Rhiana paused as the images switched over "Osiris Delta three six four has seen an increase in solar flares in the last six days alone, this level is typically indicative of an impending supernova or other related events, I know this isn't supposed to be a science briefing, but nothing like this has been seen before and the fact there have been a lot of subspace phenomena in our area we have been advised to exercise caution until proper study can be conducted."
Chelsea paled slightly. It was probably imperceptible but it made her feel uncomfortable. ~Temporal events on the increase?~ She sat silently thinking fast.
That remark also pricked at Tasha. She had not even considered the fact that the Temporal agency would be alerted to prior events. She sincerely hoped that the last Horatio would not so much be considered an infringement, but an accident and that DS5 was in its vicinity had nothing to do with the displacement of time. It also made her wonder how the staff and crew were holding up after a week in this time line. She made a personal promise to see the member of the historic ship later that day.
"Subspace phenomena?" She queried.
"I can't give much more than that captain, Master Chief Ayers said it was some kind of subspace hic-up, to paraphrase." Rhiana actually wanted to quote the chief verbaitum but choose not too because of certain human taboos.
"I believe there was a report filed with engineering and communications, hopefully I'm just being paranoid."
Darson nodded slowly as he gazed across the table at Chelsea, who looked more uncomfortable with the idea of temporal distortions occurring around the station like a normal person. But at the same time thinking more about his little experiences with the space-time continuum...he had covered his tracks, hadn't he? Well, best best to make sure in any case...as soon as this meeting was over. He made a noise approximate to clearing his throat and leaned forward, "Temporal Investigations, huh? I suppose it was only a matter...of time." He paused for a moment, smacked his helmet with his hand and then deadpanned, "Yeeeaaaaaahhhh....that was terrible. I apologize for that. It was simply uncalled for. In any case, I must register my concerns about the presence of those stellar phenomenons you were talking about Lieutenant. You say that they can be indicative of supernova or other similar events, correct? Are there any populated worlds, colonies or stations in the area that could possibly be affected by any of that?"
"That system has a limited stellar cartographic entry in the records, so I can't tell you anything specific, we'd need to send a science ship to get any information." Rhiana reported
Darson nodded in acknowledgement and made a note on a PADD, "I would recommend sooner rather than later. If we need to evacuate any kind of population, I would rather have advance warning than doing it against the clock."
Tasha immediately sent a commincade through to the science officer, Lieutenant Kasikova and Lieutenant Dunham.
"Science and Flight have been informed" The Captain stated. "Any further business?" She asked, wanting to draw this meeting to a close.
"Other than emphasizing that time could be a critical matter like the Colonel pointed out, I don't have anything else to add." Rhiana said.
Tasha glanced around all the ensembled staff.
"Dismissed." She uttered as her thoughts began to sharpen to the duties of the day and to Wallace. "Rhiana, please stay a moment." She requested.
OFF
Captain Tasha Tahir
Commander Chelsea Dunham
Lt (Jg) Rhiana T'Sahen
Lt. Cmdr. Bruce Freeman
Colonel James Darson
by Lieutenant Commander Jarred Wallace & Captain Tasha Tahir (NPC) & Commander Chelsea Dunham & Alderman Dorian Gabriel & Lieutenant Commander Bruce Freeman & Colonel James Darson
Post Details
| Title | A harsh reality check | |
| Mission | Incommunicado | |
| Author(s) | Lieutenant Commander Jarred Wallace & Captain Tasha Tahir (NPC) & Commander Chelsea Dunham & Alderman Dorian Gabriel & Lieutenant Commander Bruce Freeman & Colonel James Darson | |
| Posted | Thu Jan 19, 2012 @ 7:46pm | |
| Location | Main Breifing room | |
| Timeline | SD40 07:30 |
The newly minted Lieutenant junior grade Rhiana t'Sahen, stood at the briefing podium as some of the available senior staff, and took their respective seats, she realized that this was in fact about to start off with a really harsh note. "Thank you for attending this procedural briefing concerning the USS Horatio and its arrival in this part of the time line, but before I begin I must pass along the report that as of eight-hundred hours this morning Starfleet has declared Lieutenant Jarred Wallace missing and presumed dead, until a replacement can be assigned I will be in charge of intelligence on Deep Space Five by order of Admiral James, all task force matters have been relocated to another ranking officer."
Rhiana looked down at here notes letting the news sink in a little, she struggled to hide her own feelings. She was hoping to avoid questions on the matter, she quickly called up her notes on the procedure for the matter at hand.
Tasha felt uneasy as she looked upon the temporary CIO. It was now near to two months and they were no closer to finding Wallace than they were then, even with the help of those outside the station.
"If that is the order, then let the records show your position has been duly noted." She stated matter of factly but the faces of some of the staff registered otherwise.
Chelsea looked confused. ~Why hadn't the orders been relayed according to the proper protocol, i.e. to the Command Staff - the CO in particular ~ she couldn't help but feel defensive and worried too. Jarred had been a difficult shadow to keep track of, but that was the nature of his job. She thought of Claire and her twins. There were going to be 'tears before bedtime' in more ways than one. Chelsea's soft Bajoran ridges closed together in a frown.
Darson shook his head slowly in what was presumably a show of something that might maybe (at some point) be construed as a lament for the currently misplaced intelligence officer. But already the gears were spinning in his head at breakneck speed…playing the numbers. Now that Wallace was gone, how would that affect the power structure on board the station? Was he still alive? Was that question even worth the resources answering? But that line of thought was kept quietly to himself. What he did say was, “Well, he was a good officer and a gentleman, but…best not to wallow in our grief. He wouldn’t want that, or so I would imagine. I’ll break out the darkest blood wine for a toast to his memory, and the government will pay for a beautiful funeral. Steady on, I say.”
Chelsea observed. She had mixed feelings and doubts that needed more information to form up.
Rhiana resumed despite the rather mixed reactions of the senior staff present. "Currently we are in a rather low level of non-allied activities in the region, the Romulan ship T'shir is conducting some research in the Typhon expanse, the Klingons are currently conducting unspecified war games as well, and the USS Halifax is en-route with an unspecified VIP and entourage."
Chelsea was in full support of the Security reaction. ~How could THIS also have slipped past the channels too? ~ She sat nodding as he objected.
Rhiana waited until he finished his rant then spoke, "I'm unaware of who this VIP is, only that this person will arrive with two body guards, and is travelling on the Halifax because if my schedule is correct the Halifax will be conducting a colonization survey of the nearby Naradis system, and it is the only ship departing from sector zero-zero-one and travelling near this station."
Bruce looked up the Halifax on a PADD he had brought with him to the meeting. She sounded familiar and he wanted to make sure. He hated that he was right, his least favorite ship class. "Great another VIP that's going to want his quarters changed ever so slightly for the week or two he's here. Plus showing up on an ugly Drake class, they should only be allowed to beam over, forget docking." Bruce had been looking down with his rant. Looking up and seeing the disapproving faces. "Sorry my opinion, I'll be good."
The Captain grinned as she shook her head at Bruces' remark but she also understood the feelings of her crew. Despite his differences, Jarred was a damn good CIO and she harbored thoughts that he would still be found alive...somewhere.
"Duly noted." She added for the record and relaxed back into the comfortable chair. "Continue Lieutenant t'Sahen." Tasha urged as she glanced around he ensemble.
Rhiana looked around and resumed, "USS Alexander is conducting a systems test of a prototype fighter interceptor in a nearby system, they may be docking here after the test schedule is completed." She paused as the briefing slide changed "The prototype code named Moose is expected to be replacing aging fighters in the current inventory, a further briefing will be conducted on that at a later date."
"One final housekeeping matter, Mr. Wallace had a list of people who have not completed the mandatory fire arms training, for non-security and non-marine personnel, if I understand correctly this was being organized by the Lieutenant to take off some of the pressure security and the marines for this duty requirement." Rhiana saw some eyes roll "The noted officers include Captain Tahir, Commanders Villiers, Dunham Chelsea, Dunham Richard, Freeman Bruce, most of the science and medical staff have not even reported for any training accept for a Lieutenant Mackenzie who has been issued a special use permit." Rhiana didn't realize that this implied she was issued a personal weapon because of her relationship to the deceased Lieutenant Wallace.
Rhiana turned her head the point of her ears poked through her black hair, "If there are no serious objections from the security chief or marine commander Ensign Maxwell and Master Chief Ayers are both fire arms instructors and they would like to get things organized quickly, Commander Dunham I see from my info that Dr Stapleton is a civilian so she isn't required to do this but this is a military outpost and it might be ".
Chelsea looked surprised. "I don't wish to be contrary Lieutenant but firstly, Ensign-Doctor Stapleton is not a civilian in my understanding and secondly, wearing my CMO hat, I feel that fire-arms training for doctors, all of whom have sworn the Hippocratic oath to 'do no harm', is controversial at best and challenging too. It could be difficult to enforce the course if the individual should object and subsequently difficult to justify the time spent if they go on to refuse to use the weapons assuming you did train objectors. I suggest it might be better use of your resources to offer a voluntary uptake depending on individual beliefs amongst those who are sworn."
Rhiana tried not to get annoyed, "Commander Dunham, that blue uniform doesn't make any difference to an unfriendly boarding party your still just a target to them, and to be honest I hate responding to massacres where the medical staff are amoung the slaughtered." her sinister smile creeped out like poison needle. "Ensign Maxwell is one of the two best sharp shooters on the station, and he has some of the better credetials when it comes to small arms related self defense, including non-leathal targeting."
"I don't believe what the victims of a massacre were wearing nor did as a profession has any bearing, Lieutenant." Chelsea replied in a monotone, maintaining her trademark outward professional inscrutability.
"Personally, I am both happy and competent with non-lethal targetting - although debatably *do no harm* may not *only* mean do not kill. However, I was trained in non-lethal combat and equipment on my way up to the rank of Commander." she went on. "but whilst I, and a large percentage of my department, will be available for the up-date course, I am still obligated to defend the rights of those who disagree with me, or you, over this issue."
Chelsea took a dislike to the 'sinister' smile she'd been presented with but was too experienced to show any acknowledgement of it.
Darson fiddled with a PADD in front of him bringing up the list of officers who had to complete the training course, “I have no objection,” he said as his head remained down gazing at the device, “But I would like to sit in on a couple of the sessions…not to critique instruction, though I could very well do so. If I must confess, it has been a veritable ghost town on the entertainment front…my sit-coms don’t get out here, my soaps are going through a terrible love story, and everything else is being affected by that dammed Bolian writers’ strike…can you believe it? Writers striking! What century is this? So in the face of this the pale and unamusing season, I predict much entertainment of all you lot,” he gestured to the group, “messing around with phaser rifles. I’ll bring snacks.”
Rhiana attempting to contain her laughter quickly replied to the colonel, "Um begging the Colonel's pardon and I think concerns, the classes will be mostly in standard side arms type two phasers and TR-110 pistols, excluding the captain and first officer who need to be cleared on the M-six scout rifle." making a referance to the venerable compact shotgun recently resurected by starfleet.
While not having actually taken the course Bruce still knew how to use a phaser. He had to being an Engineer, know both inside and out incase something went horribly wrong and he had to dismantle one at any point in his life time. "Well when are we going to have this party? I'd like to get my test done ASAP and not have to worry about it." Bruce said knowing it was for the best but still annoyed he had to take it.
Tahir wasn't sure if she would have to take this 'Test', as Captain she could refuse, but then again, with her taking part, it would appease the remainder of the staff. She looked at Rhiana, then to Darson.
"Excluding Commander Dunham's objections....." Rihana paused as a crewman entered and handed a PaDD over "Um....ok, The Nimitz is coming in for an overhaul, that throws a wrench in my updates." Rhiana looked puzzled.
"Not until tomorrow." Tasha added, "Commander Dantius will be trying to manually scrub the outlet manifolds if he can." She advised, "If not, then Commander Freeman has already offered to help." She tipped her head to the Chief Engineer.
"Any time Captain any time." Bruce replied to her.
Rihana trying not to laugh again continued "Last for me is a request from a Romulan senator Nnerhin D'Merek, something about wanting to pay final respects to the Lieutenant and his family, the rest of the message is in an obscure Romulan dialect that sadly even I don't speak very well so I can't fill you in on the specifics beyond that at the moment."
"Wait a minute, there's going to be more special people coming? What's the definitive number so I can be prepared for quarter overhauls?" Bruce asked hearing the news about more 'honored' guests.
"We're still translating the message Commander Freeman, at this point all we can confirm is the Admiral coming from intelligence." Rhiana replied "The family name does match that of a Romulan rescued by the Lieutenant during the Dominion war, and the Klingons did some ceremony in his name."
Darson leaned back and rubbed the chin of his helmet with a gauntlet, “Romulans, huh? Our late lieutenant really did get around. But you know, that’s the problem with funerals. Or…whatever this is. Remembrance, ceremony of memory, whatever. People come in, they wallow, they cry…and the stream keeps on coming depending on how grand you are, or what you did. Very depressing.”
Tasha spoke "A funeral is a celebration of a person, cherishing your own memories of who you interacted with them, not so much depressing, but moving. After all, we all die and I am sure we would all want someone to mark that passing?"
“I plan to live forever,” Darson said confidently, “Or barring that, a couple of thousand years would be pretty nice. However, if I did have to die…I would do it in a sufficiently grandiose way as to be…well, grand. Dying in a…giant, cataclysmic fireball, surrounded by streams of a never ending horde of millions of…I don’t know, something evil from beyond the stars…. So yea. Fireball, going down fighting against these terrible creatures to protect the shuttle of hot women as it gets away…but then the star goes super-nova, and collapses into a black hole…vaporizing me and then sweeping me into oblivion. Or something like that. I’m a simple man with simple tastes.
"Simple?" Tasha said in a hushed voice through the widest of grins, "My dear Colonel, you are far more complex than you give credit yourself for." She leant back into her chair, unaware that James was about to continue.
“And if I can’t find a situation like that…I’ll fake my death anyway, and retire…using my vast personal fortune to commission a custom-made luxury planet from the Magratheans…though of course, that would mean evading the tax man. I tell you, the Federation Internal Revenue Service is tenacious, and one of the only two things in the whole galaxy I actually fear. But enough of my petty fantasies, let’s return to the briefing. Lieutenant,” He addressed Rhiana, “I believe that we were supposed to talk about the Horatio? Now, everything I gathered from him aboard his ship was in the report. But I am extremely interested in hearing your thoughts on the whole matter."
"Well, my thoughts on the matter seem to be more of concern that we will have another visit from temporal investigations shortly, and that we have now had three temporal events since the training exercise incident, and that could represent a danger to the station since certain temporal events still have an unpredictable effect on the subspace layers, especially one in this region of space where there has been various stellar phenomena occurring over the last 50 years." Rhiana paused as the images switched over "Osiris Delta three six four has seen an increase in solar flares in the last six days alone, this level is typically indicative of an impending supernova or other related events, I know this isn't supposed to be a science briefing, but nothing like this has been seen before and the fact there have been a lot of subspace phenomena in our area we have been advised to exercise caution until proper study can be conducted."
Chelsea paled slightly. It was probably imperceptible but it made her feel uncomfortable. ~Temporal events on the increase?~ She sat silently thinking fast.
That remark also pricked at Tasha. She had not even considered the fact that the Temporal agency would be alerted to prior events. She sincerely hoped that the last Horatio would not so much be considered an infringement, but an accident and that DS5 was in its vicinity had nothing to do with the displacement of time. It also made her wonder how the staff and crew were holding up after a week in this time line. She made a personal promise to see the member of the historic ship later that day.
"Subspace phenomena?" She queried.
"I can't give much more than that captain, Master Chief Ayers said it was some kind of subspace hic-up, to paraphrase." Rhiana actually wanted to quote the chief verbaitum but choose not too because of certain human taboos.
"I believe there was a report filed with engineering and communications, hopefully I'm just being paranoid."
Darson nodded slowly as he gazed across the table at Chelsea, who looked more uncomfortable with the idea of temporal distortions occurring around the station like a normal person. But at the same time thinking more about his little experiences with the space-time continuum...he had covered his tracks, hadn't he? Well, best best to make sure in any case...as soon as this meeting was over. He made a noise approximate to clearing his throat and leaned forward, "Temporal Investigations, huh? I suppose it was only a matter...of time." He paused for a moment, smacked his helmet with his hand and then deadpanned, "Yeeeaaaaaahhhh....that was terrible. I apologize for that. It was simply uncalled for. In any case, I must register my concerns about the presence of those stellar phenomenons you were talking about Lieutenant. You say that they can be indicative of supernova or other similar events, correct? Are there any populated worlds, colonies or stations in the area that could possibly be affected by any of that?"
"That system has a limited stellar cartographic entry in the records, so I can't tell you anything specific, we'd need to send a science ship to get any information." Rhiana reported
Darson nodded in acknowledgement and made a note on a PADD, "I would recommend sooner rather than later. If we need to evacuate any kind of population, I would rather have advance warning than doing it against the clock."
Tasha immediately sent a commincade through to the science officer, Lieutenant Kasikova and Lieutenant Dunham.
"Science and Flight have been informed" The Captain stated. "Any further business?" She asked, wanting to draw this meeting to a close.
"Other than emphasizing that time could be a critical matter like the Colonel pointed out, I don't have anything else to add." Rhiana said.
Tasha glanced around all the ensembled staff.
"Dismissed." She uttered as her thoughts began to sharpen to the duties of the day and to Wallace. "Rhiana, please stay a moment." She requested.
OFF
Captain Tasha Tahir
Commander Chelsea Dunham
Lt (Jg) Rhiana T'Sahen
Lt. Cmdr. Bruce Freeman
Colonel James Darson