It All Begins With A Map

Posted on Fri Dec 7th, 2018 @ 6:13pm by Captain Benjamin Ingram Dr & Lieutenant Commander Mara Ricci & Lieutenant Commander Meilin Jiang

Mission: S1E1: Welcome Home, Now Go Away
Location: Station Command
Timeline: MD1 18.15PM

The main holographic display in the centre of Station Command glowed softly, the small star field it was projecting slowly rotating in place. Around one star shone the name ‘Canopus”, and around another blinked the name ‘Eg-M4-SO2’.

“Extra-Galactic Messier 4 Stellar Object 2,” Benjamin Ingram said from his place at the console, turning his back on it to look over the assembled command level crew...and their colonist companion. “I’ll save the naming convention until later, but for now the key facts of the matter are simply this: it’s the star around which the Support and Engineering modules are orbiting. At a distance of 5 light years, at maximum speed for the Resolute and the four warp capable tug’s we’ll need to secure and transport the Modules back to Canopus we are looking at a four-day round trip. One day there, two for assessing and securing the modules for transport, and then our return.”

He reached behind him and pressed a button on the console. The star map vanished, and the complicated orbital map of the rapidly approaching gas giant Tangerine Dream and her attendant moons popped into place. A long curving blue line arced in from outside the projection field and rapidly curled into a tight orbit around one of the larger inner moons.

“And soon we will begin breaking to enter the orbit of Carpathia,”

A grey Starfleet delta appeared on the glowing blue line, representing the station’s current location and its trajectory.

“Right now, what I want from you is to hear how ready we are to enter orbit and any problems we need to fix. Other statements concerning the retrieval mission are also welcome, as well as any data you might have,” he then held up a hand. “I would also like to introduce at this time a representative from the colony, Riya Bahat isn’t it? She will be observing proceedings for the foreseeable future, to help better strengthen relations between the Starfleet presence in Messier 4 and the growing civilian population.”

Meilin bowed to Riya Bahat. "Welcome, Prylar. It is an honor to have you among us."

The Bajoran woman held up her hand. "Please, ma'am, I'm no prylar. Bahat Riya," she said with an edge in her voice as she glanced sidelong at Commander Ingram. "Infrastructure engineer, emergency medic, and apparently your new diplomatic liaison. Just call me Bahat. Liaison Bahat if you're feeling formal."

"Forgive me," Meilin said with another dip of her head. "I should not have assumed."

"I wouldn't think a former Starfleet Marine would know much formality, but it has been some time since you wore the uniform with pride," Ingram said with a thin smile. "We'll have to see if the Marines on Canopus can be put to your aid on the surface, with any relief work that might be needed."

Bahat tried to keep a polite smile on her face and almost succeeded. Just imagining trying to get the colonists to agree to allow Starfleet marines to step foot on the moon... "We'll have to see," she repeated noncommittally. "Your records are remarkably extensive if you still have a record of my service. But we can swap Dominion War stories sometime when we're not in a mission briefing."

"If the Marine detachment is deemed unsuitable for relief work, perhaps the Rish enclave within our civilian population would find better welcome on Carpathia," Meilin suggested. "It is said they are a very industrious and crafty people."

"Crafty..." Ingram said softly, with a wry smile. "That is certainly a word suitable for the Rish."

"Insufferable. Annoying. Overbearing. Grubby." The comment came from the Commander sitting at the back of the room. By the crossing of his arms over his chest, it was quite obvious he didn't want to be here. "A few other words to describe the Rish."

Mara had to bite her lips to keep the grin from her face. She hadn't trusted the Rish from the beginning- being kidnapped tended to make one distrustful- and whole-heartedly agreed with that assessment, but voicing those opinions now wasn't productive, so she kept it to herself. But, her eyes met the Commander's and she allowed herself to give him the grin as a sort approval.

Dania stepped closer to the group from one of the side consoles, "we've picked up the modules' tracking beacons. So far so good in terms of no emergency signal requests and their signals are strong." The norwegian then sighed, "however that could mean their digital handshakes are working, and her platoons and caretakers are in trouble, or worse. Before I get called paranoid, we need to consider reasons why they haven't tried to send out any signals or receive ours, which are many, so we can't relax and just assume all is well."

"All good points, but it doesn't change the facts that we need both modules. Without the Support Module we have no hydroponics, that means we are rationing replicator and environmental consumables. It might also mean a mass exodus of non-essential personnel to the planet's surface," Benjamin eyed the Bajoran with a slightly narrowed eye. "Given our relationship with the colony it is doubtful we would find a warm welcome necessitating the establishment of a ground side facility somewhere else on...Carpathia isn't it? Named after the ship that saved the RMS Titanic's survivors? Apt if nothing else."

He nodded back at the navigational plot.

"And without the Engineering modules with its large antimatter reactor, we are not running at full capacity. That means if trouble does come calling we would be hard-pressed to mount much more than a token defence. Not to mention we will have run out of deuterium and helium 3 inside of six months even if we turn off one of our two fusion reactors. And that's before we discount the Phase Space transceiver array that will facilitate communications with the Federation that's bolted to the EMod. Caution bid's us to stay our hand, and feel out the currents of our new situation," his cold eyes met with everyone's around the holo table. "Now is not a time for caution. After we have slowed into Carpathia orbit, I will be assigning crew to the Resolute and sending them out as escort to a quartet of long-range warp tugs. Its mission will be to ascertain any damage to the Modules and to bring them back to Carpathia. Elements of Starfleet Marine Corp Air Wing assigned to Canopus Station, will accompany the Resolute and act as a force multiplier should the need arise."

He looked down at the holotable, pressing a button and letting the holo vanish from the air.

"Some leaders in situations like this would tell you to look to your fellows, to the unformed brothers and sisters who stand by your sides. They would remind you of the historic importance of what we are doing here, what they are doing here," Benjie said and pointed a finger are Riya. "We are establishing a new domain for the Federation beyond our galaxy. And to do that takes strife, determination, and sacrifice. The colonists on Carpathia have suffered enough due to the shortcomings of Starfleet first mission to Messier 4. It's time we showed them what it is we came to do."

He allowed a wry smile to touch his lip.

"Good thing I'm not that sort of leader, huum?"

The teal-clad Trill stood there with his arms crossed across his chest, "I hate to break up the historic importance, but there are other concerns that we need to address." Vereyn said taking a step from the back ground. The CMO stood a head taller than most of the other people around the map, "So far we have only had 2 cases of Capsule Syndrome here on this section of the station. We don't even have an idea how many came down with it on the engineering section. While I have full faith of the medical staff that are there, and the fact that they have the main sickbay, we need to get to them ASAP." He turned to the CO, "Permission to go with the Resolute to the Engineering section, sir."

Meilin had listened to everyone in the room and so far kept most of her thoughts close to her chest. Since the doctor had opted to make personal requests, this seemed the time to interject hers as well.

"Long-distance scans reveal that the local system consists of a yellow main sequence star with possible Class M worlds. I would like to lead a preliminary survey mission on board the Resolute while the warp tugs secure the modules." Though her tone was cool and even, her eyes were alight with the passion of curiosity. Knowing the sort of man who was calling the shots, she threw in a bit of tantalizing logic. "It would help secure more resources from the Federation brass if we could present better candidates for new colonists than desert moons in orbit of gas giants."

"Sensible, and approved" Benjamin said slowly, turning his head slightly to regard Riya. "I mean, if only we had a member of the local population to hand who could best measure the needs and desires of an entire crashed colony."

Bahat narrowed her eyes at the commander, evaluating him. "I'll need to consult with the rest of the leadership," she said finally. "If they agree this is in our collective best interest, yes, I'll come."

"I'm sending some of my people along as well to help keep data secured." Dania added.

"An excellent way to gain intelligence on our situation," Ingram said, and then turned to address the Bajoran. "When we're in orbit short-range communications with the colony shouldn't be an issue. Right now we have Tangerine Dream's magnetosphere and the Van Allen radiation belts to contend with. At this moment I fear the Runabouts and your lifeboat have more communications power than this whole facility. I assume that meets with your approval?"

Bahat was silent for a moment as she worked through the beginnings of a plan. "Runabouts," she said, as if that was a complete thought. After another few moments, she nodded. "You probably have a few, don't you? Why don't we put a runabout into geosynchronous orbit over the Acheron? We'd be able to keep in touch over a larger range, at least until we get permanent infrastructure set up. Put a minimal Starfleet and colonist combined crew aboard so both groups can maintain contact with us while we're on the Resolute." She glanced at the engineering and science personnel. "If that would work, I mean."

Meilin canted her head in thought. "Once we have the other modules at hand, one of my first priorities will be putting in place a booster network of comm buoys and sensor probes, but in the interim I believe runabouts should suffice."

“Not an utterly terrible idea...” Benjie mused, and turned a eye towards Ricci. “What say you? As Chief Engineer what is your take on setting up an adhoc comm’s network with a pair of Runabouts before we fabricate an entire satellite constellation?"

"It's an excellent idea," replied Mara. "It would be easy and quick to make the necessary modifications. I could probably have it done all by myself in less than an hour."

"I can't tell if you're overconfident or brown nosing, Ricci." Dania thought to herself amusedly as she listened and watched the others.

"Then we are in concordance," Benjie said as he brought his hands together. "Chief Ricci will modify a pair of Arrow class runabouts to act as a comm's relay between the colony and the greater universe. The rest of us will prepare to depart for the secondary arrival system to collect the mod-"

A tone like a gently struck bell played across the air, and the lighting along the walls shifted from a standard daylight setting to a blue-tinged glow. The floor then began to rumble gently, suggesting the passage of a maglev train or a turbulent river.

"That's it," Benjie said with a smile. "We've begun the braking burn. This will take a few hours to complete, so the rumbling will just have to drive us forward. We are committed to Carpathia, once in orbit, we do not have the mains to leave it easily without converting the Resolute into a gas harvesting ship. We are here to stay."

"If that's true," Bahat put in, "We should think about asking the Long Jump Project to send along terraformers in the second wave. You'll see it for yourselves soon, but the moon's environment has been... challenging."

"For that, we will need the Engineering and Support Modules, as the former houses both the Anti-Matter reactor needed for full station function and the latter the Phase Space Transceiver. Until then, much like we are now, we are reliant on our selves and our wits," he looked around the table. "Chief Ricci, you have your orders: prep the comm relays. Commander Jiang will prepare the Resolute for departure to Eg-M4-SO2. Dr Kiiz, we don't know what sort of trouble the crew of the modules might be in so expect the worst and bring a trauma unit with you. Commander Storm will accompany to ensure any sensitive materials on the Modules are intact and secured. Though given both Commander Vendrest and Colonel Sytex, the commanding officers for our starfighter wing and Marine forces respectfully, they should be in one piece."

Mara gave a single nod of understanding, but waiting for dismissal before leaving. After all, there could be more issues to go over before they all got to work.

"Aye, sir." Meilin was very pleased that she was tasked with readying the Resolute--all the better to ensure a proper survey team, such as a geologist, chemist, botanist, meteorologist, et al. Of course, there was the possibility that some of them were spread out to the other modules. Perhaps her plans were a bit premature... "I'll update you as soon as we're prepped."

"Good," Ingram said with a self-satisfied smile on his face. It rested there for a moment before it vanished beneath a scowl. "Well, what are you waiting around for? There is work to be done."