Unfinished Business

Posted on Tue May 4th, 2021 @ 1:27pm by Captain Michelle Bartlett & Lieutenant Commander Danon Prel & Lieutenant Talea Honn & Lieutenant JG Sandra Garcia & Lieutenant JG Odelle Lin & Ensign Andrew Gervais & Master Chief Petty Officer Petru Kagan & Commander Rostra Tang & Major Hailey Weston & Lieutenant Cor Cordale & Lieutenant Commander Shaille Levine & Lieutenant Valeria Mordin

Mission: Arriving
Location: Observation Lounge
Timeline: 1 hour after reception

Prel walked into the observation room as one of the first there. He didn't have the chance to meet this new captain yet, but he certainly hoped she wasn't some dime a dozen diplomat wanting to negotiate the peaceful handover of Federation property with a gang of bandits that killed Reynolds and T'Prymm. He was livid about what had happened and the events of the last two weeks consumed him. Bartlett seemed nice. Just... too nice. He sat down, still scowling a little. What was this meeting about? A quiet mission to go scan space gas?

Hailey loosened the collar of her dress uniform as she walked in the door, shaking her head. She reached out to her chest and removed the decorations now that the formal party was over and slid them into a pocket. "I hate those events..." She muttered to herself before glancing up and stopping for perhaps half a step, "Sorry, Commander, I wasn't expecting anyone to be here this soon." She continued on to a chair next to the officer, "Major Weston." She introduced herself.

"Lieutenant Commander Prel. Fighter Squadron Commander. Nice to meet you, Major." the Trill said, easing up on the scowl a bit. "I wanted to get up here and see what the fuss was about. I didn't have a chance to meet the new Captain yet."

The door swished open to admit the next officer. A pair of identical twins made their way collectively into the lounge, giving those already present a nod in welcome. "Oh, I'm usually the first one here so this is something of a relief." one of the two said, while the other was oddly silent as they each took up a seat a piece.

"Rostra Tang." the talkative one offered her name. Her twin, still, remained silent but friendly.

"Nice to see you again, Commander. I suppose the captain didn't say what this all was about?"

"Not to me, which would normally make me feel a little left out, but if you don't know, and no one else here knows, then I feel a little better." one of the twins spoke, while the other let out a relieved sigh that she herself probably wasn't even aware she was holding in.

Garcia and Gervais arrived next, finally out of uniform. "Not sure." Garcia said. "Maybe just a 'meet the senior staff'? thing? I can't imagine she had a lot of one on one time planned with the crew."

"Probably not." Prel replied. "I just hope we find out if we're doing anything about that damn fighter."

Gervais sat silent. Prel still seemed to be in as much of a mood as Paul said he was. Hopefully he didn't take this time to make an ass of himself in front of the Captain.

Shaille walked through the door, having taken the time to return to her quarters and change out of her dress uniform. Her jacket hung loosely in her hand, boots unlaced, blonde hair falling down her back as she crossed the room to the replicator and ordered a strong coffee. Tossing her jacket on the table, she sank into a chair and sighed. "Honestly, as long as we don't have to get back into dress whites I don't really care what this is about, but I suspect I have an idea."

"As long as we aren't negotiating with the thugs on that world for our property, I'm all for anything. Well, that and as long as we aren't scanning gas while someone else tries to ask nicely." Prel said a little snarkily.

"Commander, were you always so pleasant in your previous lives?" Lin said as she took her seat. "Best case, we're going back. Worst case, we're really just here to meet her."

"All I'm saying is if we're going back, I'm going with." Andrew said. "But... Either way. We'll get the orders we get. I don't like what happened anymore than you do, sir."

The next figure through the door was the other resident from the most distant stars, and just as impossible to confuse with any of the other locals. Tall, taller when you counted her ears, Valeria Mordin made her way in, still wearing her dress uniform, still prim, still proper. Protocol was in their blood. She made a slight detour to the wall replicator to snag herself a cup of tea.

"Would anyone like anything while I'm here?" she turned to offer, tea in hand.

"Please!" Andrew said.

"Sure." Odelle replied, as she took a sip. "Ooh... What blend is this?"

"It's called Planetrise, or at least, it's the closest I can get to the actual Planetrise blend without violating vegetation import clauses." Valeria replied, now setting the replicator to fabricate a kettle of tea instead of simply making many mugs. Though, many mugs were made, just empty mugs this time. Fixings on the side of the tray, the rabbitess played hostess as she brought the tray over. "It's a blend of three teas from home. Again, simulated."

"Seriously the best I've ever had." Lin replied. "I might never leave this quadrant. I hope there's another Trill that went through Symbiosis training because I dont think the Lin symbiont is returning." she said with a smirk.

Rostra gave a pair of smirks, "I've always wanted to meet and chat with a Trill and their symbiote. Just to imagine that somewhere in the universe there's a species out there that I could..."

"... *almost* relate to. Or could almost relate to me." she offered with a pair of smiles. "I know, I know, not the same. But a girl can dream."


Any further discussion was stopped when Michelle entered the room. "Thank you for joining so soon after. I wish we had a bit more time, but I was just informed our plans have changed a bit."

Rostra perked up a bit. "Changed good, or...?"

"...changed for the bad?" Instead of the second half of Rostra, it was Hailey who finished the thought as if she were that other part. She gave a sheepish smile towards the Dalacari as that thought hit her.

Michelle smirked a little... She could easily work well with these two... But now wasn't quite the time for anything just yet.

"I guess that depends who you ask." Michelle said. "Starfleet Intelligence has located the downed fighter that was lost during the... incident that took place during your last mission." she added before being interrupted.

"Incident?" Prel said indignantly. "You mean the murder? The ambush by thugs that made us just tuck our tails away and run?" he added

"The incident that killed your Captain." Michelle said. "I'm sorry, have we met, Commander...."

"Danon Prel. Fighter Commander." Prel said. "Apologies for not making it to the big party, I was actually having to do some work.... Ma'am."

Andrew looked over at Shaille with a look of 'what the hell?', shocked that the new Captain had even let Prel get THIS far.

"I'd like to say he's being an arrogant jackass to impress you Captain, but, well, we all know he's just a sanctimonious twat," the acerbic tone to Shaille's voice was clear from the first word she spoke.

"Right. Well.. If you would like, we can quibble over definitions of words later, Commander Prel. In the meantime, if I might continue..." she paused for a half second before waiting no further.

Turning toward Prel, Shaille raised an eyebrow slightly. "Would you like me to replicate a dictionary for you?" she asked with a smirk. "Just so you can make sure you're on the right page?"

Andrew barely suppressed a snicker as he watched the two go back and forth. Not that Prel didn't deserve it. Is he really doing this now? Like... really? Who the hell acts like a raging prick 60 minutes into the new skipper's command?

"Very bold comment" Prel replied, as he looked over at Levine. "I think mouthing off to a superior officer in this dictionary you gave me is called insubordination. Would you like to borrow it so you can verify that?"

"And I think that the term conduct unbecoming is also in that dictionary, Lieutenant Commander Prel." Hailey's tone was icy enough that could almost frost a drink with how she emphasized the rank, "Morale building is also work." She paused half a heartbeat, then spoke two more words, a command, "Leave it."

"No, let him bring it," Shaille countered as she rose to her feet, leaning forward, both hands resting palms down against the top of the conference table. "Who in the name of all holy hell do you think you are to stand here and cast aspersions over decisions that were made? And while I'm going, where the hell were you when Trapdoor was shot down? For that matter? Where the hell were you when Ghost and Deadeye were being shot to hell? You were meant to be there leading them, so if you want to cast blame, look at yourself first, because so help me Dia, if you say one more word about Captain Reynolds, Commander T'Pryn or anyone else that was down there, I will reach across this table and pull your colon out through your nose and I'll wear that charge like a damned badge of honour!" She drew in a sharp breath before dropping back into her seat. "And I wasn't addressing a superior officer, just a higher ranking one."

"Now you listen to me, you mouthy little--" Prel said, standing up before being interrupted by a loud thud on the conference table desk.

"ENOUGH!" Michelle said. "Commander, resume your seat." she said pointedly at Prel. "This entire conversation needs to end, and that isn't me asking 'would you kindly'? It's saying it WILL end or your service aboard my ship will." she said in a tone that was tolerating no opposition. "I don't want another word. You have 5 seconds to resume your seat or I'll have you taken to quarters and you can sit there the rest of the mission. 5...4...3..." whatever diplomatic niceties this jerk thought she had were clearly not in use at the moment. "As for your concerns, Lieutenant.... Starfleet Command has promised there will be a full review and I'm sure that if there was any wrongdoing on the part of Commander Prel... We'll make sure you get your answers. But if he did nothing wrong, he has nothing to worry about. Now... Are we good? Or do I have to have you removed from the meeting and you can get notes from someone else?"

"That won't be necessary, ma'am." he said, resuming his seat. "Continue."

"I thought you might say that. Now... As I was saying. Starfleet Intelligence has located the fighter and understandably given the tensions that now exist between the rogue faction on Mularva 5 and the Federation, they want our fighter back." Michelle said. "Despite some initial hesitation, they've asked that we be the ones to retrieve it." she paused. "However, I must admit I do have some concerns."

Andrew saw Prel about to stand up again... "What concerns are those, Captain?"

"Have we not been sitting in the same briefing, Ensign? I'm a little concerned we aren't emotionally sound enough to pull this off without someone getting killed. There's a few of you around the table, would you like to tell me why I'm wrong?" She looked at Prel. "Not you. I've still heard too much of your voice in the last 5 minutes."

"With all due respect Captain," Shaille responded, turning toward Michelle. All traces of anger were gone from her voice. "You may not be wrong. Maybe we aren't emotionally sound enough to pull this off..." She paused, looking down at her fingers, splayed across the table in front of her. "Trapdoor was part of our family and we don't leave our own behind. We're all he has, we have no choice but to succeed, so long as some of us can check our egos long enough to get the job done." She cast a pointed glance toward Prel.

"We actually have a set operation in the playbook for this sort of situation." Hailey said, not even looking anywhere but the Captain, "Assault shuttle with a platoon land near the target and secure the area while engineers check if the fighter can fly. If they can repair it quickly, we'd need a pilot to take the fighter up, load up the shuttle and extract. If non-recoverable, blow the fighter, load up and extract. Depending on how fast the rogue faction reacts, could be bloodless or not."

Michelle silently paced over towards the window, looking out of it and paused a moment before considering her next comment. The person who had firmly enforced order just a moment ago had all but evaporated. "I'm not going to pretend that I expect everyone to be almost Vulcan-like in composure about this. And to be honest, I agree. Trapdoor, and that shuttlecraft are part of our crew and we can't stand idly by just hoping for the best. You've all had enough death and funerals and goodbyes for a couple weeks. And it sounds like you have some ideas in mind. Those ideas might actually work. But I need to make one thing absolutely clear. We do not fire first. Only if provoked. Am I clear? Under no circumstances are we to start a war over what a few insurgents did."

"They get a better chance of survival than the Captain or T'Pryn did? Captain, that's just ridiculous." Prel said.

By this point even Andrew had enough of Prel. He sighed heavily... "Commander, even Captain Reynolds wouldn't have went full on 'blow em up' mode in this scenario. And T'Pryn, if she even allowed you to still be sitting here after that stunt, sir... would consider your actions to be reckless and illogical."

Shaille rolled her eyes slightly. "Oh just shut the hell up Prel!" she retorted. "Captain, Major Weston is correct. We get an experienced pilot to drop us at a predetermined location. We scout on foot. We find Trapdoor and his craft. We radio for retrieval and we get the hell out of dodge."

“It’s one we train for.” Hailey nodded, “And of course we wouldn’t fire first, ma’am, for one, it gives away our position. And because of that, ma’am, neither the shuttle pilot nor a spare fighter pilot will be Commander Prel.” Her ice blue eyes finally went to the fighter commander, “Too hotheaded and as the Ensign said: Reckless.”

A deep breath from the binary forms of the resident Dalacari, "This is around where I'd recommend Dead Eye." she paused for a moment. "Grey Op shuttle drops are her specialty."

"Dead eye?" Michelle asked. "Do go on."

"Callisi Veera. A Ts'usugi pilot, Grey Op specialist. Her callsign is Dead Eye." a pause, "Not Deadeye, like a bulls eye or a straight shot. But Dead Eye, like a Dead...Eye."

Hailey nodded, if she remembered correctly, Callisi was a fighter pilot, but if Rostra was willing to vouch for her shuttle capabilities? “Sounds good to me, worst case scenario, if Trapdoor can’t fly the fighter, Veera can take that and the Gunny can handle the shuttle well enough to get out of the gravity well.”

"We need an alternate plan, in case the fighter can't be salvaged. If it isn't flyable and isn't able to be quickly and easily repaired then we'll need to either destroy the equipment or transport it back to the ship, which would mean taking the Wellington into the atmosphere." Shaille leaned back in the seat, looking between the Marine and the Commanding Officer.

"If we want to try to keep problems to a minimum? Destroy it." Hailey opined with a slight smile on her face, "We can blow it so that there won't be anything left of use to the faction. I've got a Sergeant Dreik who's an expert with explosives, artist, really."

Michelle sat and observed the three ladies at the table discussing options. "I agree on all counts." she said before looking at Rostra. "Commander, I want you to lead the away team and coordinate plans with Major Weston and Lieutenant Levine. Ensign, are you capable of flying a fightercraft if it gets to that point?"

Rostra acknowledged with a pair of nods.

"I mean... It can't be any different than flying this ship or the shuttle we'll be taking to get there. Probably easier." Gervais said. "Basic principles are the same, I'm happy to help where I can."

"Excellent." Michelle said. "I want us underw--" she started ordering before being interrupted.

"Captain, with all due respect... I'm the department head responsible for the fighter squadron. I should lead the mission." Prel said.

"Unfortunately, Commander Prel... I tend to agree with Major Weston. Your behaviour during this briefing suggests a level of recklessness I'm not prepared to entertain. I don't need someone turning a retrieval mission into an excuse to enact revenge and to be quite honest, I fear that's what you would do. You can monitor from the bridge."

Prel sighed. "As you wish... Ma'am." he said with as much derision as he could say it with before it became clearly insubordinate.

"Besides." Michelle replied. "Commander Tang is acting as First Officer until further notice, and Major Weston will be acting as Second Officer."

"Major Weston?" Prel asked. "Captain, she was the Marine First Officer not even a month ago, she has no--"

"And commanding officer of Raider Delta before that." Hailey snarled at Prel. She really didn't like the pilot, especially not now, "Don't pretend to know me until you know me."

"This isn't the Federation Council, Commander. My appointment of senior staff isn't up for debate." Michelle said firmly. "From what I've seen of her unit during my initial inspection, she's more than qualified. You will remain on the bridge assisting me. Hardly doing nothing, now is it?" she paused. "As I was saying... I want us underway in the next 30 minutes. We will leave the crew currently down on the planet to continue their time off and we'll run a skeleton crew here to get the shuttle. But I want to make one thing abundantly clear."

"Of course." Gervais replied

"Under no circumstances are we to fire first." Michelle said. "Only if we're attacked on. If I hear ONE report that we were the instigators of an incident, you can make your case before a Board of Inquiry once I've transferred you off this ship. Am I clear?"

"Crystal." Rostra commented, before turning to address the gathered crew, "My people view life in the highest regard. Avoiding hostility is our top priority, which will also mean avoiding..."

"... detection. We do this careful, we do this quiet, and we'll be done and back before anyone is the wiser." she paused, and one of her forms turned to look at Prel, "I'll keep a line of communication open..."

"... for any on the moment advising. Just bear in mind if things go south, as the humans say... I'll have to cut comms."

"If things go south... well..." Shaille glanced toward Hailey, leaving the rest of the comment unspoken. "We can be ready to leave within the hour."

"Sounds like a plan. I think that concludes the briefing. If you have any concerns you'd like addressed, I'm more than happy to meet with you. But for now? That will be all. Thank you everyone." she said, dismissing the meeting.