Little late are we?
Posted on Mon Jul 26th, 2021 @ 1:41am by Captain Maia Sterling & Lieutenant Commander Sheena Toran-Blake & Commander Ryan Blake & Lieutenant Commander Havri Belbre & Lieutenant Commander Rick Gibbs
Mission:
The Riixian Insurection
Location: Shuttle Bay
Timeline: Current
The current Operations officer on duty gave a glance down at the signal. "Little late are we?" Glancing to the Lieutenant who had the Conn at the moment. "We've got a Federation Type-13 shuttle in coming. Requesting clearance to land."
He raised an eyebrow. "Have they sent the usual, Ensign."
"Yes, sir." Checking she bantered back and forth for a minute or two. "It's confirmed. A new transfer."
Giving a look at the armrest a moment, "Well that's peculiar. Alright. Signal the Captain, Executive officer, Second officer, and our Chief of Security they have a visitor. Clear it for docking in the main Shuttle bay."
The Ensign glanced down a moment doing as ordered and then notifying the shuttle and the Shuttle bay of incoming.
Rick got the notifications and once cleared, moved the shuttle into position so the tractors could pull him in the rest of the way. Powering down systems. Leaving his personal belonging on there for the moment. Just bringing a PADD with the transfer orders on it.
Reaching to push the button to open the back hatch and stepping down, then waiting.
Lt Brannon got the call of a shuttle in bound, it was unusual and she went to the Shuttle Bay to see if by chance it may be something that we needed to handle in Security. She arrived ahead of the others and was waiting for the others and the shuttle to land. She checked all security logs and found a reference of a meeting with the shuttle but there was no references as to who it was.
=/\= Captain, I am in Shuttle Bay waiting for the shuttle to land. =/\=
=/\= Acknowledged bring him up to my ready room when He has settled. Sterling out =/\=
=/\= Acknowledged Captain. Standing by to assist.=/\=
The normal warning sounds started at the Shuttle Bay door began opening. The light hum and soft blue glow beginning as the force field was shown. One of the slightly larger type of the shuttle crafts with it's slightly sleek but also angular form slowly started to come in with the assistance of the bay's two tractor beams.
Brannon watched as the shuttle was slowly brought in. She then when the engines shut down went to the hatch and waited for the door to open.
Which it did after a couple moments, when the shuttle was secure. Rick came down, duffle over his shoulder.
"I am Lt Angelina Brannon, welcome to the Leto. I am Chief of Security here. When you are ready we will got to the Captains Ready Room."
"I half expected her to be down here, but that works as well. Lead the way," Rick smiled.
Turning to follow the Lieutenant out of the Shuttle Bay and into the Turbolift. "What should I expect?"
"Welcome to the Leto, we are preparing to leave for our next mission and it is a very hot issue. Tactical and Security will be spread thin and will have to use the Marines to fill the void when we arrive." We get on the turbo lift. Bridge. As we arrive we go to the Captain's Ready Room." And Brannon rings the chime.
"Alright then," Rick stepped off with Brannon and waited.
-----------Captains Ready Room------------
Captain Sterling and Commander Toran and Blake were in the ready room discussing final preparations for launch. They were also tieing up loose ends upon completions of there first mission.
"We are expecting a new tactical officer in about a half hour, we need to get him squared away before we launch. I believe his name is Lt JG Rick Gibbs. Do you have quarters assigned for him Number One?"
"Yes, Maia...the Lieutenant has had his quarters assigned to him. It will be good to have a new member of the crew join us", Sheena said smiling.
"Excellent, apparently he is a brilliant tactician, He should be a great help to Lieutenant Brannon." Maia said.
The chime to the Ready Room signaled again while Gibbs and Lieutenant Brannon were still waiting outside the doors.
"Enter" Maia stated.
The doors opened and Lt Brannon entered first. "Captain Sterling and Lt. Commander Toran meet Lieutenant Rick Gibbs. Lt. Gibbs arrived recently on the shuttle. I had his gear sent to his quarters and brought him directly here to report in."
Rick stepped to the side. "Sirs." If they'd read his file then they would know he doesn't at all look like his age. That's expected however.
"Thank you Lieutenant Brannon, if your duties permit why don't you stay." Maia said. "Wont you please come in and take a seat Mr. Gibbs." Maia added.
Brannon replied, "Aye Captain" As she stepped to a point to the side and would not cause interference.
"Mr Gibbs, I am Captain Maia Sterling. This is my First Officer Lt Commander Sheena Toran and My Second Officer and Chief of Strategic Operations Lt Commander Ryan Blake." Maia said pointing out each officer in turn. "I understand that you are quite a good tactician. We will put those skills to the test as I once again take the Leto into harms way. I understand you are El-Aurain. Therefore are a lot older than you look. Have you been briefed at all as to our next mission"? The Captain asked.
"You humble me, Captain Sterling." Giving a light smile and moving to sit down after at least a greeting nod to the others. "I have not."
Then read this Mr Gibbs" the Captain instructed.
Betazoid culture had enjoyed over four hundred years of peace and prosperity. Due to their telepathy, Betazoid culture embraced honesty almost to a point considered rude by other cultures. That came to a crashing halt when in 2374 they were invaded and occupied by the Jem’Hadar and other forces of the Dominion. The Dominion wreaked havoc and much destruction on Betazoid culture. Many resistance factions formed almost immediately, but two rose to the top and were the most effective at eradicating the accursed Dominion occupation. The Matriarchy and the Riixxian Caliphate. The Matriarchy was composed of mainly the seven great houses that were talented telepaths. They used a dangerous form of offensive empathy. As the name implied they were mostly females. The Riixxian Caliphate however were a group of male and female resistance fighters who were trained in the offensive forms applications and techniques of telepathy that were far crueller to the Dominion. They were experts at infiltration, assassination, and insurgency, but were also much more xenophobic than the more mainstream Matriarchy.
Once they had driven off the Jem’Hadar, the Matriarch moved to ban and delegitimize the Riixxian Caliphate due to political considerations, namely that the offensive telepathic techniques would most likely cause the Betazoid race their peaceful culture. The Caliphate was rounded up and exiled without due process and expelled from Betazoid society. Two of the Riixian Caliphate (Brannon’s Parents) switched sides to the Matriarchy and had evidence of the terror the Caliphate was going to inflict if their demands for autonomy weren’t met. Namely, an equal share of voices on the ruling council and as they were xenophobic they insisted on Betazed leaving the United Federation of Planets. For many years the Riixian Caliphate has been in the shadows causing discontentment with the Matriarchy to the people. There have been several revolts and the existence on Betazed has been anything but peaceful. Starfleet Intelligence has learned that that agents of the Caliphate have acquired a Thalaron biogenic device and are even now planning to use it as a terrorist weapon if their demands are not met.
I received this message from Starfleet Command:
To Captain Maia A. Sterling, Commanding Officer, USS Leto NCC-80916.
Well done on the establishment and construction of a Federation embassy on Thorion-4 and their entrance into the United Federation of Planets. Your first mission was a resounding success. Well Done! Starfleet Command has received and reviewed your recent reports about the Riixian Caliphate agent you have captured. You are hereby ordered to proceed to planet Betazed with your prisoner for trial. You are also ordered to track down and destroy the Thalaron device and monitor the vote of separation. While we will respect the final vote, however, we do not want to lose the Betazoids and their representatives from the UFP. Do everything you can to represent the Federation in these talks, Yours is a ship of peace. Make the Betazoid understand that.
Good Luck, Starfleet out.
"Your thoughts or concerns Mr Gibbs?" the Captain asked.
"Hmmm..." Rick finished reading it. "It's wild, but there's always a different way. Considering the terrorists are still around. We pretend that we are going to be there. And even show up. Make the presence known. Also that Agent that was captured. However, it's a ruse. We do not give the Agent over. In fact, we keep him on hand. Prod him for information, even if we have to find a Betazoid willing to read his mind without permission. We then find that Thalaron device and that faction before they can use it during the peace talks."
Brannon replied, "I plan to take my rightful place as my mother 's only female heir to the House of Belbre on Betazed. Once I do that I have a vote on the council. Plus can monitor what is going on in the council chambers as well. I will have access to a lot of key people on the council and can lobby to stay part of the Federation and not leave it." Brannon stated.
Captain Sterling looked between the two officers and nodded.
"I am also working on long range scans as we speak to be able to possibly locate where the Thaleron Device may be. I am also hoping that there are a few friends still left in the Rixxian Caliphate that I can use to negotiate for a peaceful ending to the hostilities as well. She passed a PADD to Lt. Gibbs. I found a chip hidden in an amulet that belonged to my mother. She hid the following information on it. It contained information of names and photographs of all the Rixxian Caliphate. As you can see from the video the way they killed was brutal and inhuman." Brannon continued.
"Yes they used a form of Psionic telepathy that literally blows out the synapes of the Jem'Haar shock troops. Its quite effective but also very brutal." Captain Sterling interjected.
"Also the captive we have, her name is Toda and she is in our brig now. I have been interrogating her and following the rules Starfleet allows. She kidnapped me for the information on the amulet. I was rescued and manage to take her down without resistance. And unlike her, I do not torture my prisoners, Lt. Gibbs." Brannon stated flatly.
"There is more than one way to torture that doesn't require touching them." Taking the PADD, Gibbs looked at the information. "I'll look this over in detail later." Wincing a bit at the video.
"Mr. Gibbs a number of my senior staff are Betazoids, ironically a number of them are from the fifth house which is currently the ruling house. This is a very delicate mission to say the least. They are currently a Federation world, but if they do vote to secede, I am under orders to honor that. We cannot go in with phasers firing or threaten them in any way. They must come to the decision on their own. However the Betazoid species value truth more than just about anything. If we can show them the face of their enemy and what they truly represent I think we will have a pretty good case to make for staying in the Federation. What I need from you is to coordinate with Intel and Security and also with the Executive officer Commander Toran. She is also a Betazoid and a daughter of the fifth house. She has been receiving encrypted messages from her parents on Betazed and they don't present a pretty picture to say the least." The Captain stated.
Brannon replied, "I also have a close friend from the academy that is a diplomat for Starfleet there as an Ambassador. She is also giving me intel on what is going on. Once we arrive she plans to come on the Leto to give us a complete update and current report that will have as much of the latest details she has. He name is Ambassador Stera Saagu. I know she can be trusted from where we are still close." Brannon said.
"I was talking about the prisoner, for information on where the weapon is. Like I previously said, there are other wise to get information without laying a hand on the person. We also go in and get it secured. While the talks are going on. The way for it I'm not sure yet, it might be a pretty simple grab." Rick nodded.
"The dissidents seem very compartmentalized, I don't think the prisoner knows where the weapon is." Maia said
"Someone has to know, not to mention that emits a very high Thalaron signature. The only problem is, it has to be activated and counting down to be able to scan for it from long distances."
"My thoughts exactly." Maia said.
Brannon replied, "I understand the need for torture. And have tried to read Toda's mind but she is well trained and also very well practiced. She will be hard to break. And also I have learned the House of Belbre ties to the Thirteenth House. Which is the the House of Peace and Protection. I am trying to be careful not to cross any lines in this torture. But it is hard. I do not want to become like the Rixxian Caliphate. They had no mores to kill if it helped to get what they wanted. Toda is a good example with what she did to me." Brannon said.
Brannon paused for a moment then continued.
"Also there are some experimental ways of detecting the Thalaron weapon. I have implemented them with hope we can find it before it is too late. I think once we get closer to the region we will have a better chance of finding it ."
"That may be true and I agree with the chances of finding the device, but, the last communique that I got was even more unsettling. My father, was undercover searching for the weapon. He has since been captured and he has vanished. My mother, and head of the house of Ria, has been abducted by the Rixxian Caliphate. They are holding her hostage with orders to execute her if the Fifth house does not concede to their wishes." Sheena said as emotionally void as she could.
"I am sure almost every Betazoid on this ship has probably lost family members in this insurrection," Maia said.
"Now we have to best figure out how to find and free them." Maia continued.
I will check my sources in Betazed Security and also in the Ambassador's staff and see if I can located your parents Lt Cmdr Toran. If my sources can locate them we can mount a rescue operation to get your parents back. Then we can use this as a negotiation tool for finding the weapon. I am not sure who told them we are coming but somehow the Raxxian Caliphate may know we are coming already. I have only used secure channels and at no time did I mention we were coming. I did not want to alert them we were coming Captain.
It may be we have some Rixxian Caliphate among our crew. Or that Ambassador Saagu has some on her staff and does not know it yet.
Rick made a bit of a face a moment, "I believe having the abductions should have been lead with, sir." Just saying. "That definitely splits the focus on which to do. As well as seeing if there is a spy. I would suggest from this point foward, any moves we make is only kept specific to the trusted department heads, and certain other crew. Small number."
Ryan had remained quiet throughout the exchange with this new officer. It was now time to reveal news he had just received prior to reporting to the Command Section Meeting when Rick had arrived. "We will rendezvous with the USS Vesta a week out from Betazed. The Leto is taking aboard two mission advisors at that time. Ambassador Amanda Blake has been named interim Earth Ambassador to Betazed until the assigned Ambassador recovers from her injuries. The other mission advisor will be Captain David Blake, Chief of Staff for Admiral Warren at the Office of Strategic Operations. They're...mine and Samantha's parents."
"Blakes huh? Your family really gets around Mr. Blake, We will of course accord them with every courtesy." Maia stated.
"My father was on Betazed when Dominion forces took the planet." Ryan hesitated for a moment. "He was part of a resistance cell that sabotaged command, control and communications networks. Most of his cell were members of the Riixian Caliphate."
Sheena's heart skipped a beat. What Ryan just said hit a nerve that shook her to the very core. "Is it possible that your parents know of mine?" she asked, having a fleeting moment de ja vu.
Maia thought about that for a minute, she didn't believe in raw chance or co-incidents.
"They probably are aware of each other. How often do you talk to your parents?" Maia asked.
"I talk to my father once a week. Mostly official matters regarding the ongoing mission we had in the Thorion System. Samantha has more frequent communications with our mother." Ryan said.
Sheena's head, not to mention her emotions, was spinning with the news. This was a lot to swallow and assimilate in just a few minutes. Sheena was about to ask the captain when her comm badge chirped. "Sheena here, what is it?" she said. "Sir, you have a message from your grandfather. It is marked urgent" said the young officer. " I'll take it in my office," she said closing the com. "Captain, I must take this. It might shed some light on what we are discussing," Sheena said, standing.
"That's pecular with the two involved. Hmm..."
"You're dismissed Commander. Let me know if you need anything." The captain replied.
Maia turned to Lieutenant Gibbs.
"As you can see we have our hands full, but I wanted to take this opportunity to welcome you aboard, Mr Gibbs." Maia said extending her hand.
Rick stood up and took her hand, "Thank you, Captain."
[END]
_____________________________________
A post by:
Captain Maia Sterling
Commanding Officer
USS Leto NCC-80916
&
Lieutenant Commander Sheena Toran
Executive Officer
USS Leto NCC-80916
&
Lieutenant Commander Ryan Blake
Second Officer/Chief of Strategic Operations
USS Leto NCC-80916
&
Lieutenant Junior Grade Rick Gibbs
Assistant Chief Tactical Officer
USS Leto NCC-80916
&
Lieutenant Angelina Brannon
Chief of Security/ Tactical Officer
USS Leto NCC-80916
