Mystery at Ryloth

Posted on Thu Aug 15th, 2024 @ 6:47pm by Commodore Gregory Paladin & Commander Forest Patton & Lieutenant Commander Athena Callaghan & Lieutenant Commander Nicole Perkins MD & Lieutenant Callie Knight & Lieutenant Connor Hayden & Lieutenant JG Jessica Stewart

2,002 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Mystery at Ryloth
Location: USS Poseidon; Various
Timeline: A Precocious Odyssey: Part 2
Tags: 2396, Character Development

[ON]

=====BRIDGE / USS OCEANUS=====

The USS Oceanus was cruising at warp speed, leaving the tense encounter with the Orion vessel behind. Commander Patton sat in his command chair, the weight of recent events still lingering in his mind. The bridge was quieter now, with the crew focused on their stations, ready for the next assignment.

"Status report," Patton requested, his tone calm but authoritative.

Athena looked up at Patton. “So far so good Commander. All systems within norms, nothing unusual to report right at this moment.” She offered a relaxed smile.

Forest nodded. "Good. Let's hope it stays that way."

"Commander," Ensign Rajam called from the communications station. "We have a priority message from Commodore Gregory Paladin."

Patton straightened in his chair. "Put it through to my ready room, Ensign. Athena, you have the bridge."

Athena nodded. “Aye Captain.” Walking around to the centre seat she sat down hoping nothing untoward would happen while Patton was away.


=====READY ROOM=====

Patton walked briskly to his ready room, the door hissing closed behind him as he approached his desk. He tapped a control on the terminal, and the Starfleet insignia on the screen was quickly replaced by the face of Commodore Gregory Paladin.

"Commander Patton," Paladin began, his expression serious. "I understand you had an encounter with an Orion vessel recently."

"Yes, Commodore," Patton replied. "We managed to avoid conflict, but it was a tense situation."

Paladin nodded. "Good work. However, we have more pressing matters at hand. We've received intelligence indicating that there might be a Romulan agent operating within Federation space, possibly in your vicinity. This agent is believed to be part of a larger plot to destabilize the region."

Patton's eyes narrowed. "Do we have any specifics on this agent or their mission?"

"We're working on it," Paladin replied. "What we do know is that they may be attempting to incite local factions or disrupt key operations. I need you to stay vigilant and report any suspicious activity immediately. Additionally, I've sent over detailed intelligence files for your review."

"Understood, Commodore," Patton said. "We'll be on high alert and I'll consult my Chief Intelligence Officer right away."

"Good. Paladin out."

The screen went dark, and Patton leaned back in his chair for a moment, considering the implications. Then, he tapped his combadge.

=/\= Commander Patton to Lieutenant Hayden and XO. Report to the briefing room immediately. =/\=

As he stood and made his way to the briefing room, he couldn't shake the feeling that the mission to Ryloth was about to become even more complicated.

=====OFFICERS' BRIEFING ROOM=====

Commander Patton entered the Officers' Briefing Room, a compact space located on Deck One of the Intrepid-class starship. The room featured a sleek, modern design with a central table that dominated the space. The table had six chairs along its longer, straighter sides, and two chairs at either end. The captain's chair, situated at the rounded end of the table, provided a clear view of everyone present. Opposite, the chair at the more blunt end served as the focal point for presentations or reports.

Embedded within the table was a sophisticated holographic projector, its main emitter located in the rounded section where Patton would sit. This advanced system allowed for three-dimensional displays of tactical data, mission briefings, and other critical information, ensuring that all officers had a clear and interactive visual reference during discussions.

Patton prepared the table's holographic display with the intelligence files sent by Commodore Paladin. The room hummed with a quiet anticipation, the subdued lighting and efficient layout reflecting the seriousness of the impending briefing. He waited for Hayden and Perkins to arrive.

Connor arrived at the briefing room with a lone pad in hand, he looked to the commander, "I've spoken to Intel back on earth, their going to forward a series of after action reports along with some other files that they've piled up on the region over the last few weeks and shockingly a list of arms dealers working in the area going back two plus years."

Commander Patton acknowledged Connor's report with a nod. "Good work, Lieutenant. We'll need every bit of information we can get."

Patton tapped a few controls on the table, bringing up the files Commodore Paladin had sent. The holographic display projected a detailed region map, highlighting potential hot spots and known Romulan activity.

"As you can see," Patton began, gesturing to the map, "we have much to cover. The presence of a Romulan agent in this sector is a significant threat, and we need to be prepared for anything."

He paused for a moment, considering their next steps. "Lieutenant Hayden, I want you to cross-reference the intelligence reports from Earth with what we've received from Commodore Paladin. Look for any discrepancies or new leads. This agent is likely trying to exploit existing tensions, so focus on any recent disturbances or unusual activities."

Connor looked up from his notes "I'm still compiling things, there are gaps in the data that I'm hoping Intelligence will fill in when that data dump arrives."

"Noted," Forest replied. Turning to his executive officer, he continued, "Nicole, coordinate with Security and Tactical. Ensure all departments are on high alert and our defenses are ready. I don't want us caught off guard."

Nicole nodded at the request. "I will get that done sir." She turned to Jessica "Lieutenant, meet me after our meeting here in your office, we'll make sure everything's squared away."

Jessica sat at the table listening to the briefing when the Captain mentioned her department by name looked over at Nicole and gave her a nod of her head, She knew that her teams had been drilled for this sort of thing including hand-to-hand combat like her god father had taught her by putting her through the toughest combat training back home.

Connor tried to assess the room before speaking again, "We'll need to be cautious, arms dealers don't like people interfering with their business, last thing we need is a pair of mercenary ships starting a fire fight with us."

Commander Patton leaned forward, placing his hands on the table as he addressed the room. His eyes moved from Jessica to Connor and finally to Nicole, ensuring he had everyone's attention.

"Agreed, Connor," Patton said firmly. "We must tread carefully. The presence of arms dealers adds another layer of complexity to our mission. Our primary objective is to identify and neutralize the Romulan agent without provoking unnecessary conflict."

He turned his attention to Nicole. "Number One, coordinate with Lieutenant Stewart to enhance our ship's defensive capabilities. I want us prepared for any potential threats, including mercenary ships. Ensure all tactical teams are briefed on the situation and ready for rapid response."

Nicole nodded again. "We'll make sure we have teams in key positions as usual, plus a few teams in reserve."

Forest's gaze then shifted back to the holographic display, highlighting the known hot spots and areas of Romulan activity. "We will need to remain vigilant and adaptable. Our intelligence gathering will be ongoing, and we'll need to be ready to act on any new information swiftly."

"Let's also consider establishing a network of covert observation points," Forest continued. "These could provide us with early warning of any suspicious activity and allow us to track the movements of both the Romulan agent and any arms dealers operating in the area."

He looked back at Connor. "Connor, work with the science and engineering teams to set up these observation points. Use any available resources, including drones and sensor buoys. Discretion is key; we don't want to tip off the Romulan agent or any hostile entities to our presence."

Finally, Patton addressed the room as a whole. "This mission will require all of us to be at our best. Stay alert, communicate clearly, and be ready to adapt to changing circumstances. We're dealing with a complex and potentially volatile situation, but I have confidence in this crew's ability to handle it."

He paused for a moment, letting his words sink in. "Any questions or additional suggestions?"

Connor felt he should play this card before anyone spoke, "We should find an empty warehouse near the spaceport as a planetside operations center, keep it as low profile as possible, I'll get operations to set up a dummy corporation to lease one and we can operate off the radar so to speak, I think I can secure an old Ju'Day class courier ship for cover."

Commander Patton considered Connor's suggestion carefully, nodding as he envisioned the tactical advantages of such a covert setup. "That's a solid plan, Connor. Establishing a low-profile operations center will give us a significant strategic edge. Make the arrangements for the dummy corporation and the warehouse lease. Ensure that everything appears legitimate on the surface—no loose ends."

He paused, then added, "As for the Ju'Day class ship, proceed with acquiring it. We'll use it as our cover for any ground operations or discreet movements within the sector. Make sure it's equipped with the necessary modifications to support our mission, but keep it inconspicuous."

Forest turned to the rest of the officers in the room. "The success of this mission will hinge on our ability to blend in and operate without drawing unwanted attention. Everyone, coordinate with your departments to ensure all preparations are made quietly and efficiently."

His gaze returned to Connor. "Once the operations center is established, we'll coordinate closely with both our intelligence and tactical teams. We need to be ready for any developments, especially if our Romulan agent decides to make a move."

Patton leaned back slightly, his expression firm. "Any other concerns or suggestions before we proceed?"

Connor spoke one final time "I'll need a name for the ship as part of it's transponder, an alternate name as well incase there's a ship in the sector with a similar name."

"I believe the USS Optimus is a similar design to the ship we'll be taking, and it's currently in dry dock having a refit. I doubt the arms dealers will know that, so that might be a good one to use. It'll help us as well if they have any kind of access to starfleet vessel records." She said looking between Connor and Patton. "If you agree of course Commander."

"It also looks like a Starfleet ship, intelligence has a small stockpile of ships that would fit the role better, but i'll put a request in, I'll also check into getting a pair of old Archer class ships or one of the Galleon class freighters intel ops uses." Connor said

Commander Patton considered the suggestions from Connor and the others with a thoughtful expression. He appreciated the thoroughness of the proposed plans and the attention to detail.

"USS Optimus is a good choice," Patton agreed. "It’s distinct enough to avoid immediate suspicion but generic enough not to attract unnecessary attention. We'll proceed with that name for the transponder and ensure the ship is configured accordingly."

He then turned his attention to Connor's mention of additional ships. "The Archer and Galleon class vessels are reliable options. If you can secure them, it will give us additional flexibility. Keep me updated on the progress and any developments from Intelligence."

Patton looked around at the assembled officers. "Let's ensure we maintain the highest level of operational security. This mission's success depends on our ability to operate discreetly while gathering the intelligence we need."

He glanced at the holographic display once more, then back to the team. "If there are no further questions or suggestions, let’s proceed with the preparations. We'll reconvene as needed based on new intelligence or developments. Keep your communication lines open and stay sharp."

With that, Patton concluded the briefing. The officers began to disperse, each moving to their respective tasks with a clear understanding of the mission's scope and their roles within it.

[END]

Commander Forest Patton
Commanding Officer
USS Oceanus

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Lieutenant Commander Nicole Perkins
Executive Officer
USS Oceanus

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Lieutenant Connor Hayden
Chief Intelligence officer
USS Oceanus

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Et All

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