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Away Team Assignments

Posted on Wed Jan 20th, 2021 @ 7:51pm by Commodore Keiben Haistro & Commander Lillian Carter & Commander Peter Horn & Lieutenant Commander Melanie D’BrooNi- Haistro

1,894 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Episode 2 - Echoes Of An Empire
Location: Deck 1 - Ready Room
Timeline: Mission Day 9 - 0800 Hours

ON

Keiben had found sleep had not come so easily over night, his excitement building to a point that it was keeping him awake no matter what he tried so once dawn had started to break across the landscape outside his window he had been out of bed, dressed and down to Astrometrics. He had spent the time planning out the away team assignments and who would be going where and now, once again sitting at his ready room desk hurriedly eating some toast before the team commanders arrived for assignments. With that in mind he had instructed the computer to hold the ready room doors open so they could just come straight in.

Mel found herself there first. She hadn't seen him last night both knowing a firm nights sleep was beneficial before an away team but she could see or sense now? his excitement.

“Morning. Did you enjoy the sunrise this morning? It's been so long since I've been planetside and seen one. Even Charlie crawled out of bed to watch it, ” she grinned. “She swears she saw some small birds. Did any life signs come up on the scans?” Mel asked.

"I didn't see it... not properly. I was in Astrometrics from dawn... Maybe we could go watch..." Keiben trailed off as the next arrival came through the open doors.

Peter gave a brief nod to those already gathered as he walked over to the replicator to get some coffee. "Ilyas and Connor were up too," he said, "we had a hard time getting them back to bed. Ilyas is wondering if they can go play when it is considered safe."

"Once we have done the preliminary security checks I'm sure that can be arranged, and good morning Peter".

Keiben finished his toast and sat back in his chair, not really feeling filled by any degree from his rushed breakfast.

Tamaska arrived next, pushing a small cart with covered dishes on it, she made a point of bringing a covered plate and set it in front of Keiben, then brought over three carafes, one which had coffee, one with tea and the other had juice in it. There was utensils on a tray as well as freshly made muffins.

"Time for some breakfast." Tamaska remarked, pointedly looking at Keiben. She wasn't about to have him go hungry, not by a longshot. There was food that would take into consideration everyone's different palates. She had been doing some studying on that part. Tamaska set a plate down where she'd be sitting. She was hungry and wasn't afraid to eat.

Lillian arrived next. She had woken early that morning, not use to having something other than stars out of her window she had also with the blind over her window. Something she normally didn't do. She acknowledged the Captain and other officers present before taking her seat.

Mel meanwhile smiled to herself as Keiben had been about to suggest they take in the sunset before Peters arrival. The answer to that was of course Yes, she tried to think loudly too him but had no idea if it got through. There were other people here now and her hosts had started talking again. She helped herself to some tea and when she got a closer look at the muffins being passed round really lit up to see the Mopa fruit which she made a fast grab for. Ignoring any amusement coming her direction from anyone who did knew her infinity with this, she bit down happily into it.

"Sack of spuds covered in Mopa Juice," Leiko laughed at her as she reached for a napkin before she did get juice everywhere in her enthusiasm. She swallowed and tried to be more dainty as she handed the muffins to Lilian and Horn next.

Peter passed on the muffins as they were handed to him, but selected a slice of oddly shaped bread instead. Because of his many food allergies, being careful with consumption had become second nature to him. Well, almost as he had mishaps on occasion. He passed on a milky looking substance too as it came his way, indicating the coffee he'd gotten himself upon arrival.

"Tam, thank you. I was just finishing something off before you all arrived but it hasn't made a dent on how hungry I'm feeling..." he retrieved a bowl of Granola and some milk, covered the cereal with the milk before digging in heartily. Mel not the only one demonstrating true etiquette for a chimps tea party.

"I have the assignments for the away team details but I thought it wise to bring the team leaders together to discuss who else would be assigned to what teams. Ensign Carter, you have the orbital survey with the waverider shuttle. Mel, I have you on the bio survey starting with the aquatic elements and possibly investigating the structures the sensors seem to have picked up down there. Tam, how do you feel about the city ruins just north of the landing site and Peter, there was a structure on the coastline, possibly connected to the aquatic structures. I will lead a small team up to the mountain area we spotted, it looks like it could have been some form of religious meeting area... It could give us invaluable information into the culture of the T'Kon".

Talking, trying to eat and hand out the assignment PADD's was not going to well and he gratefully accepted the napkin someone handed him. Still he plowed on. "My question is who do you think you will need on your teams? Mel, I want to assign Chief Stoun to you immediately... Given where you will be heading I want our best engineer with you... Who else do you all want?"

Mel wasn’t expecting to be given a choice but it made sense to take a science person in her head. Also she shared a look with Tam knowing that the Captain taking his own team needed “that” talk from either the XO or 2XO or both. That would probably be better in private.

She knew though that Keiben wouldn’t entertain it. It would be futile but it was part of the job. This was something he had been interested in for over a decade. She even thought she remembered him talking about a thesis he had wrote on the T’Kon.

“Someone from science sir. Chief Han or one of his team,” she said not actually sure who was being left in charge.

"How does Chief Sidorov, Ensign Bain and Chief Stoun sound as your team Mel?" Keiben asked, not wanted to make the assignments for her and encouraged her to speak up if she had any problems with his suggestions.

“Its sounds great, ” Mel nodded. “Thank you.”

"If I am to examine a structure, I would like someone with an archaeological background, and perhaps an engineer or linguist." Peter looked thoughtful. "And some security just in case."

"In that case..." Keiben trailed off once again looking at the manifest. "Lieutenant Han, Ensign Sato and Ensign Olowe?" again he asked rather than ordered.

Peter just nodded, having no real clue as to who the mentioned officers were. He assumed they would be suitable to the task, or they wouldn't have been selected.

Tamaska was digging into her food whilst the others were discussing the division of the away teams, she looked up to make certain they knew she was listening. "The area you are assigning me sounds good." She replied, after almost polishing off her meal, then continued to eat, and accepting the padd as well.

"Perhaps you could take Ensign Yojar, Ensign Teach and our resident Botanist" knowing Tam had a background in security he could instantly assume she wouldn't need to details.

"Aye Captain." Tam answered with a smile.

Lillian acknowledged her assignment. It was fairly routine to provide low-level aerial reconnaissance but she was looking forward to a chance to pilot the waverider. "Will someone be accompanying me?"

"Ensign Matthews can be with you Ensign... Do you think you'll need anyone else?" Keiben looked at his Chief Flight Officer, wondering if perhaps he was throwing to much at her in one go?

"No Sir, Matthews will be fine." Lillian replied, not having met this ensign yet but hoping he would be pleasant company.

"And that leaves me with Ensign Verona, Chief Darcy and, if her mother agrees, Yeoman Brooks!"

He didn't want to just assume so cast a look over to Mel waiting on her input on his suggestion.

“No, ” Mel said simply locking eyes with Keiben. “It's unexplored and she's far to young. And she has school.”

“He's going to take this badly again. Accuse you of not trusting him, ” one of her hosts rang out in her mind.

“He will tell you to leave again,” Hal said snidely. Mel chewed her cheek sadly at that idea if it was to happen, but she wasn't comfortable with Charlie being on an away team with anyone at 14.

"I would have to agree with Doctor D'BrooNi," Peter nodded, "an away mission is no place for children."

"That's fine, but could someone tell her that I tried!" he beamed over to Mel, hoping she could sense his amusement and contentment at her decision. "In that case I'll take Ensign Sage with me... and before you all start ganging up on me, yes I will be careful but there is no way in hell you are keeping me away from what could be the archaeological find of my career... and I will arm wrestle every single one of you on this matter!"

Every single words was tinged with amusement and joy at what waited for them on the planet surface, and in some cases below the surface. In a lot of ways he wished he could be with every team at once but that simply wasn't feasible. Instead he had assigned himself to the one team that would likely tell more about the T'Kon culture than the others, and that prospect was fuelling his passions.

"Any further questions?"

"No, Captain and honestly it would be a good idea for Yeoman Brooks to be here on the ship, we're going to be needing someone who is already familiar with ship's operations to help keep things together while we are on our away teams. This is due to her status. " Tamaska responded. "All part of her training and duties whilst being a yeoman."

Mel nodded. She knew Tam was being diplomatic.

"Also lets be honest she's the only one here who can best you at an arm wrestle," Mel joked ,"but more importantly as," she locked eyes with Tam again, "your XO and 2XO the record needs to show that we protested you going on the away team. That's our job."

"So noted... Now can we go?" his excitement building, and nothing was going to stop him poking around those ruins.

"You are the Captain, Captain," Mel said simply. He made the orders. They followed.

She just hoped everything was going to be okay and he didn't get to excited down there. Everything she could gleam off Hal was that the T'Kon had a darker side.

"When planet side keep in contact with the ship and other teams... Dismissed!" and with that Keiben stood and started moving with the others for the door.

END

 

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