Final Away Team Prep

Posted on Mon Feb 24th, 2020 @ 1:13am by Jillian "Phoenix" Sullivan & Company Sergeant Major Jeffery "The Mountain" Duval

Mission: Mission 9: Interference
Location: Various Locations - USS Essex
Timeline: 1400Hrs - April 22nd, 2389

Bremer watched the Officers leave, then looked back at Deela, “Now, we need to know exactly what a member of his species looks like. See if we can intercept any video transmissions. Also see if we can zoom in on any population centers, close enough to see faces and features.”

Deela nodded, "I will get that to you as soon as I can." She walked over to the Science station and started to woking on it.

"I am going to the Tactical station to see what I can find out there." said R'nard, as he got up and started checking any transmissions coming from the planet. He wished he could have been on the away team, but orders were orders.

Deela looked back at R'nard and nodded to him. "Okay." She scanned the planet's surface for inhabitants, trying to get a glimpse of what they looked like. She narrowed the search to the heavy populated areas. She could get a look at those in motion but it would be easier to find those who were stationary. She honed in on someone, "There you are. Smile." She turned to Bremer, "I have them." Her fingers danced along the console as she pushed in a few commands, transferring what she found to the viewscreen.

Bremer waited for the report, then looked at the screen which showed a male and female having a discussion on a street corner from above. “They don’t look too different from Humans really.”

Deela shook her head, "No, they don't."

"Agreed." said R'nard.

“Get these images and information to Doctor Brislan, I want the away team to be ‘fixed up’ as soon as possible.

"Bridge to Sickbay, Dr. Brislan."

"Aye Admiral, Brislan here."

"Be prepared to receive an image of the inhabitants of the planet. I need you to prepare the away team."

"Understood, Medical will be ready once we get the image," Tressa said.

Deela contacted the away team, directing them to report to Sickbay.

The second to arrive after Lieutenant Jack Solomon was Master Sergeant Jeff 'Hardcase' Duval as he regarded the much smaller Doctor who reminded him of his wife in more ways then one, he repressed a soft sigh as he walked over to her. "Hello Doctor. I'm ready for the operation..." he rumbled.

Bremer and Lennox arrived together, “I want to keep security tight on this. No one is to go off on their own, and weapons set for stun only and used only as a last resort.” Bremer said to Lennox.

“Understood Skipper.” Lennox replied.

Mike nodded, then looked for the Doctor, but saw she was in with someone else, so he looked over at a Nurse. “I guess we’re next.”

The population below was very Human in appearance, but they were actually more similar to Trills really. They had a thin line of dark spots in the shape of a ‘V’ on their foreheads above their noses, between their eyes. No ridges of any kind and nothing else visible to distinguish them from Humans.

Duval blinked open his dark eyes as he quickly took in the situation at a glance, while not moving his head he regarded Lennox and Bremer as he nodded at both men, which if one knew Duval was a big deal as he generally didn't respect anyone unless they had earned it from him.

"Gentlemen, follow me please," a nurse said smoothly. Moments later they were in a large room. Several meter-high chairs were lined up along one wall, and Tressa Brislan was there with two other doctors.

"Hello," the CMO began. "This won't take long, there are only a few appendages that need to be applied. If each of you would take a seat we will begin."

Duval selected a seat in silence, he then made himself comfortable as he waited.



A While Later: Shuttlebay 1

Once the race they were ascending upon had been identified, Phoenix was among the first to get in line for Tressa to disguise. After that, it was back to the the shuttle to safeguard her toy.

Sometime most hardcore pilots tended to do, was be overprotective of their planes. And let's just say Phoenix was more than dubious about putting cloaks on planes smaller than D-7 BOPs.

Add to that, depending on the type of cloak, meant chronaton leaks or tachyon emissions. No matter how much an engineer boasts, there was no such thing as a perfect cloak. If it overheated or malfunctioned, it was on Phoenix's shoulders get them out of danger.

The rustle of footsteps brought Phoenix out of her dour reverie, for which she began to perform the basic systems checks.

Dressed in his native garbs, Jack walked onto the Bridge of the Runabout and sat down at a console, tracking readings from his tricorder that were taken from the cloaking device earlier after it was powered up with all the dampening devices fitted. He cross checked the data as he noticed Major Sullivan at the helm, running through her checks.

"Just running a few checks Major, all being well the dampeners are working at 100% and no one will see this ship coming," he explained. It wasn't the first time he'd flown with Marines in his career, but he was aware they could be touchy about their flying machines.

"I'm more concerned with what happens if tha cloak malfunctions. Cause that's when dung hits tha fans and tha danger is the highest," Phoenix countered dryly, then pointed out more grumpily, "Brass don' got business on away teams, bein' that they are flag officers - out-of-practice paper-pushers with little field work. So when Admiral Bremer comes aboard, it'll be me that gets punished if somethin' bad happens to 'im on this mission."

Phoenix checked the deck to make sure it was just her and the young lieutenant before she added, "So you make sure nothin' befalls him on tha ground while I warm the plane for our exfil."

A moment after Phoenix said her last comment, there was a series of footfalls and in came 'Hardcase' as some called him behind his back, the braver ones said it to his face. "Major, Lieutenant." he greeted them both in rank, it was seldom he ever called anyone sir as they needed to earn it from him but he was easy with rank usage.

Jack nodded to the Major as he joined them. "Major," he said, acknowledging his arrival. Turning to Major Sullivan, Jack grinned. "Trust me Major, I've got years of experience working in Operations on Starships all over the fleet and my reputation is a safe one. Admirals Bremer and T'Lar will back me up on that. I'll keep your ship in one piece," he confirmed getting back to his work.

"Call me Phoenix. Not Major. Not Sir. Not Ma'am," the pilot reminded both of them as she took in Jack's comments. "I don' like military protocol."

Jack understood what she said and nodded back to her. "My apologies, Phoenix, its been a while since I've worked with the Marines," he said, understanding the Marine preference on using nicknames as a way of recognition.

"It aint a marine preference. It's a me preference," Phoenix countered and looked to the statue that was Hardcase. "Master Gunny here can attest ta my aversion against all-things protocol."

Duval simply looked at the Lieutenant as he nodded. "Indeed... but my hypocrisy only goes so far sir." he addressed Solomon directly.

Jack could see he was going to be working with some good hard working people who had safety and personal honour plus the safety of the crew in their hands, a job he could tell they took seriously. Looking at both Phoenix and Duval, he addressed them. "Well I dont really mind the rank, but I prefer my colleagues call me Jack. You all have handles, I dont, so call me Jack. But its good to be working with you both," he explained.

"Indeed sir...Jack." Duval commented, a soft smile appearing on his face, he very seldom smiled on duty but it wasn't often he found anyone who had an informal style to how they conducted business. He found himself liking this young officer.

Bremer and Lennox, freshly spotted and dressed in military uniforms of the faction in passion of the target, stepped aboard the small craft. Lennox didn't say a word, he just pointed at Duval, then toward the aft compartment. He wanted to discuss things with him and Pepper when he arrived.

Bremer glanced at Solomon and gave a nod before addressing Phoenix. “How long before we can launch?”

"All boards are green," Phoenix confirmed as she began to spoil up the engines. "The LZ looks good, but if we rustle a lot of foliage with tha engines, the natives might come a knockin'."

Duval rose to his height as he moved out of the front area where he had been sitting. "Excuse me sir." he said to everyone gathered as he went over to see what Captain Lennox wanted.

A few moments later, Pepper also arrived and heard down to the aft compartment to meet with Lennox and Duval.

“Okay” Lennox started, “each of us will partner up with a Fleeter. Where he goes, you go. We’re not looking for a fight, but it’s our job to make sure they can do their job without interference. Duval, you’re with Mister Solomon. Pepper, you’re with the Admiral. I’ll stay with Mister Coleman. Phoenix will remain with or close to the Runabout…I’m sure she can take care of herself. Any questions?”

Duval nodded. "Just two. What if we're caught by either side?" he inquired. "and do we have a fall back plan to avoid capture?"

Lennox looked at Duval, “That’s up to the Admiral. I’m not sure of deployments yet, but he wanted one of us assigned to each Fleeter. He’ll be briefing everyone once we’re away.”

Duval nodded. "Understood sir." he answered evenly,. he knew Lennox's record and the man had seen some serious action, he respected few and four of those people were on this flight, the Admiral had it by default, the fact that he was a warrior was in Duval's opinion, a bonus.

Back in the cockpit area, Bremer looked over sensor readings of fighting localized around the target and landing area, for now things were quiet. “I see a military airport as well as a military weapons depot within close proximity to the target.” The ‘wheels were turning’ in Bremer’s head...and the military historian in him really wanted to have a look at the technology these people were using.

Coleman and Pepper both finally arrived aboard the Runabout. Pepper headed to the aft section with the other Marines while Coleman took the aft Aux station in the cockpit area.

After a few moments, Mike took a seat at Tactical and tapped the comm, “Bremer to L’Verrem...Captain is the sensor data-link between the Essex and the runabout established?

"Indeed, Admiral Michael Bremer. We are receiving telemetry now and the signal is strong," L'Verrem replied. The response came with a slight purr in his voice, indicating he was at ease with the quality of the data link.

“Phoenix, are you getting over all warzone telemetry?” Bremer then asked.

"Aye... But if they got motion sensors throughout the area, cloak wont fool 'em very long." Phoenix mostly studied the typography of the LZ, so as to determine how gently she'd needed to land the bird.

“Understood. These people are using Earth 1940s technology, so we shouldn't have to worry about motion detection beyond primitive radar.” Mike replied, “Let’s get the show on the road then.”

"Cloak us once we're off, Mister Solomon." Phoenix then hit her comm to the bridge as she began to lift the flier off the ground. "Permission to disembark, Essex Actual?"

Jack nodded at Phoenix's order and ptepped the cloaking device for operation. "Understood, Phoenix."

Deela answered, "Permission granted. Good luck."

"...And the monkey flips the switch," Phoenix half-joked as she lifted the shuttle off the ground gently, then punched the impulse engines to full throttle once the forcefield to the bay was let down.

As the Runabout cleared the Essex's launchbay, Jack powered up the cloak and activated the modified dampening system. He grinned as the ops panel showed that both systems were functioning normally. "We're fully cloaked Phoenix and the dampening system is running to parameters," he reported.


USS Essex, Bridge

R'nard watched from the Tactical station.