Emergency Discussions

Posted on Sun Jul 12th, 2026 @ 12:33pm by Lieutenant JG Varinity Atoro & Captain Gary Taylor & Commander Alicia Kelea-Salik & Commander Kyle Reece & Lieutenant Commander Serenity Triannth [PPC] & Legate Andrinn Orin & Lieutenant Camryn Shepard & Captain Samuel Woolheater & Lieutenant Nerinath zh'Rhilror [Lalor]

Mission: Season 6: Episode 7: Crossroads of Destiny
Location: Conference Room 4
Timeline: After Caged Commodore
2715 words - 5.4 OF Standard Post Measure

IC:

Gary had called for a Senior Staff Meeting of the Remaining senior staff not being held. He asked Varinity to attend as well as she could also give them a current sitrep. He also had Kyle released from house arrest so he could lend his insight and experience to the discussion as well the commodore from her biobed in Sickbay.

He sat at the head of the table and waited for what senior staff were still available.

Varinity was nervous to be here. Set aside that she'd never been in a meeting with more than one senior staff member before, she'd also be reporting ugly news to them. Her gaze was focused on the PADD sitting in front of her as she sat waiting, the one she was certain she was going to drop the moment she picked it up. Under the table, she clasped her hands tightly together.

"Relax and breathe Varinity." Gary's calm voice carried over to her. "Just tell them the news and what we've found and we'll proceed from there. " He paused Would you like a glass of water?"

Varinity glanced toward Gary and gave him a weak smile. If anything, she felt like she was waiting for the school principal, only the principal was an angry commodore whose husband was kidnapped by garden gnomes. “Trying, sir. Water might help.”

Serenity entered the briefing room with Nerinath right behind her. They both nodded and took their seats.

Gary got up and got Varinity a glass of water. "Here you go Varinity." Moments later Serenity and Nerinath came in. "Serenity, Nerinath, would either of you like something from the replicator?"

The doors slid open and the large Security Chief strode in. Moving to his customary seat, Kyle sat down and looked at Gary. "How's the Commodore, Sir?" He still felt very guilty for having shot her. Even if it was to save her life from herself.

"Gary met Kyle's gaze. "She's fine Kyle, resting comfortably in Sickbay. No lasting or permanent damage. She will make a full and complete recovery."

Alicia entered the room next having made her way from Sickbay to join the briefing. She offered a smile to all present as she took a seat

Gary met Alicia's smile and offered one in return..

Orin came in next and he was carrying a couple PADDs in his hand. "This is not good......not good at all," he said as walked in to see that he was already beaten there by several people, including Alicia and Kyle. "I just got off of subspace with one of the consuls and found out how many of our people have been charged and what with. I'm still waiting for the last data on a species that might have something to do with all of this, whether directly or indirectly."

"Charged with what?" Serenity asked from her seat. She was watching everyone carefully.

"An excellent question Serenity." Gary replied as he looked at Orin, "Well Mr. Orin, are you going to let the rest of us know why are people have been taken and what they have been charged with?"

Andrinn handed one of the PADDs over that he brought with him and on it, it had several of the charges for the people that had been taken into custody. The charges read as follows for several of them:

Major Richardson had 3 charges of assault on a royal guard. Naxea and Damien each had a charge of assault on a royal guard and misprision of treason. Addison had a charge of misprision of treason, as well as a class 3 illegal possession charge. Teevs had a charge of Treason and a class 3 illegal possession charge. The rest of the crew taken into custody had charges of misprision of treason. Kerilia, the daughter of Teevs didn't have charges against her, but was taken into custody as well.

"I don't know enough about their legal system to know what it all means. I might have to get with a JAG officer to decphier some of it, but from what I've learned from my talk with Phyans, these species are similar to the Romulans and the Vulcans. Two sides of the same species that eventually split off from one another. In this case?" Andrinn said as he looked at the group. "It looks like one happened to be upper class. The other? Lower class? At least from what I think I'm seeing thus far."

Gary looked at the PaDD, the names and the charges beside each. He raised his head to look at Serenity. "Serenity get with Mr. Orin and look at these charges and see what you can make of them." He looked at Varinity, "We do have some news on the abducted crew. I'll let Varinity give you the specifics."

Swallowing her nerves, Varinity stood and approached the wall display. She was trying to ignore how empty the room was. Typing on it, she pulled up a map of the planet before zooming in to the southeastern part of the supercontinent, where an entire forested region was highlighted. "There's a few heavily shielded areas on the planet, but we were able to narrow down crew locations to here thanks to the implanted trackers we got while dealing with the Thaih'hea. Still, sensor accuracy is limited to a 10 kilometre radius due to heavy interference."

The map gained a circle to indicate that uncertainty. It was deep inside the heart of the highlighted region, easily hundreds of kilometres from the nearest borders. "Teevs' shore leave notes indicated this is an off-limits area called the Toruna Municipality. During those cultural presentations he gave, I recall him saying something about how the government claims there are Kavai infiltrators residing there." The subtle face she made before she checked herself revealed how much faith she actually gave that claim.

She glanced to Gary and eventually Kyle, "the shielding is putting up a fight with our sensors, but I was able to at least locate an underground structure. All sensors can tell at the moment is that it's massive and heavily protected." The location of the underground structure appeared within the circle that approximated the crew location.

Nerinath watched the screen. "I can pilot Tir na Nog down to the planet." She said. "It can fit enough people to get in and then get them out."

Gary's eyes flicked over to Nerinath, "Appreciate the offer Neri and may take you up on it but we need to be absolutely sure where our people are before we any attempts to rescue them."

"Well, Phyans, the consul to Lady Emeyr said there was something about public records and I think I still have the link open to it. Could there be anything in there about what this place is? I know that it might be a stretch, but anything we might be able to learn about this place the better. Even if it's just stories of what's there," Orin said as he looked at the map and thought about it. "Plus, if there's public records of any kind of court proceedings, it might tell us more of what to expect with our people if they're being charged and going through the Lonian legal system."

The conference room doors parted with a soft hiss.

Captain Samuel Woolheater stepped inside carrying a PADD under one arm, his expression more serious than anyone in the room had probably ever seen it. His eyes swept the table. The Commodore was absent. The Colonel's chair was empty.

Too many chairs were empty.

He didn't ask what he'd missed. Judging by the faces around the table, he'd missed enough. He recognized many of the people but not all of them. Woolheater usually didn't attend senior staff briefings. Today was an exception.

"Apologies for being late," he said evenly as he moved toward one of the remaining seats. "I was trying to locate Lieutenant Colonel Azhul."

Woolheater took a seat and since he had already interrupted he filled the momentary silence.

"No Colonel and no answers."

His gaze settled on the XO Gary.

"Deck Thirty-Two has conducted a manual accountability check. Every Marine assigned to the Spartans is present or accounted for..."

A beat.

"...except the Colonel." He glanced briefly toward the display showing the highlighted region on the planet before looking back around the room. "I've also spoken with S'hib." The room grew just a little quieter. "He hasn't heard from her either."

Sam folded his hands on the table. "So." His blue eyes moved from Gary to Andrinn and then to the map. "Tell me where we are, and tell me what you need from the Marines."

Gary turned his attention to Woolheater and began to speak. His tone firm and resolute. "Seventeen members of the crew including Col. Azhul Naxea have been taken, arrested. Lieutenant Atoro has run several sensor scans of the planet and has come up with a location that we believe the missing crew is being held. Unfortunately it is heavily shielded so getting precise readings is difficult at the moment. As for the Marines, stand ready as we are exploring different avenues to recover the crew."

Gary shifted his attention to Serenity and then Orin, "You two to work on better understanding the charges and what options are available to us."

In his seat, currently to Gary's right, Kyle was visibly very angry. "If any of our people are injured or killed by those people..." he left the statement open-ended. It did not need to be completed, as it was clear what he was implying.

Andrinn heard the statement by Kyle and said, "I can understand the feeling. But, I know not everyone has the same feelings or anything as the main leader behind the detainings. Lady Emeyr, the one main person that I've been talking to, along with her counsul, both looked visibly as shocked as we were when they heard about the jailings of the members of our crew. I think this is a political move or something, if I had to take a swat at it."

Gary glanced over at Kyle, "I share your sentiments and I assure you if any of our people are hurt there will be hell to pay by those that did it." His tone firm leaving no doubt about the sincerity of his remark. he shifted his attention back to Orin. "That may be so Orin but I would like more than shocked feelings and talk from Lady Emeyr and her consul. I desire actual constructive information and help."

Orin looked between Kyle and Gary before sighing and saying, "With all due respects, sirs. Going in hot headed won't solve anything either. I think Lady Emeyr and her counsul want to help. But, just like with our crew, they're afraid they could get jailed just as easily and they might because they're working with us. I want to try and work with them and try to see what we can't do diplomatically before things really blow up. See how much they're willing to push back against the people who detained our people and Teevs. You guys maybe get prepared for whatever else might happen and let me do my job."

Orin looked between them and said, "Please."

"Mr. Orin." Gary replied firmly. "I have no intention of going in hot headed. I am quite well aware of what is at stake with our captured crew. It is why you are here in this meeting, so you can use your diplomatic skills to get answers. So yes please do your job and we will do ours and hopefully get our crew back none the worse for wear."

Serenity was reading the charges her forehead creasing as she did so. Assault, Treason, illegal possession charges, "Possession of what I wonder" She muttered. Then looked up. "I think we need a two prong process. Orin and I will follow the law. But we need ears on the planet. People who can listen and see what they can pick up. Officers between 4f7 and 5f1. Disguised."

Orin looked at Gary and Kyle as he said, "Sorry, sirs. With everything going on, I don't want to fan anymore flames and give them more of a reason to come for us. They've already taken some of our officers. I just don't want them coming for our ship too."

Orin sighed as he looked at Serenity to say, "Yeah, I think that would be a good idea! Take a look at where the law takes us while other gather information on the ground, maybe? I know that my access probably wouldn't be 100% accurate, so anything anyone else could gather would be useful."

Woolheater was quiet. He had been listening carefully. Sam studied the map for another moment before speaking. "Do we know if they're being treated as prisoners...or as hostages?" His blue eyes moved briefly toward Andrinn. "Have any of them been permitted counsel? Or even allowed Communication? Has anybody on the surface acknowledged that they're even alive?" Samuel was thinking of the worried S'hib as well as the dozens of others worried about their people. He tapped one finger lightly against the tabletop. "And what's our timeline? Are these formal charges with proceedings already moving, or do we have a window before any of this becomes irreversible?"

"You know what we know Captain. You heard Mr. Orin and the charges against our people. Totally unfounded charges. I might add." Gary's gaze swept the assembled group. "Sam, you, Kyle and myself will work on a plan of extracting our people. However before we do that we need to get more information, eyes on the ground."

"Yeah, I think the ones for resisting arrest are just there to get our people into the jails. But, I like that plan. Get people onto the ground. See what's happening. Serenity and I will figure out the legal and diplomatic loopholes," Orin said as he listened to the plan that was starting to come together better.

Samuel gave a slow nod as he absorbed the answer. "All right."

His eyes returned to the map. "I agree with Commander Triannth's assessment. If we're putting an observation team on the ground, Marines can support it."

He looked toward Gary. "Reconnaissance. Surveillance. Coordination with Security. Especially if we're gonna get all 'lawyered up'. And...we all know it. Extraction, if it comes to that. Whatever capability the mission calls for." He folded his hands together on the table. "The Spartans will be ready when you need them, sir."

"I know the marines will be ready, we'll all be ready. We need people on the ground that can fit in with the general population as far as height." Gary pointed out to the group. "Mr. Orin you and Commander Triannth will continue to gather information in regard to our people, where they are being held and their general health. Use your connections with the local authorities to get the information."

Cam had joined earlier. She'd snuck in without anyone noticing. However, working on her PADD and listening, she'd been studying the shielding in place holding their people. While taking notes from all that had been discussing, she found her voice and inquired, "Sir, I will work on the shielding. If I am to work on it, could I get more information on it? I might be able to find a workaround without setting off any alarms. What else should I know so I can prepare us for anything that comes up?"

"I'll share the sensor data with you," Varinity mentioned to the engineer with a nod. "As well as anything new that comes up."

Orin nodded as he grabbed Serenity as he heard Gary. "Yes, sir. We'll dig into the databases and start there. If we hit brick walls, I'll start working with my connections to Lady Emeyr and her counsul."

"Yes, you are to work on it Lieutenant Shepard, you and Varinity see what you can come up with concerning shielding and ways to bypass it.. Mr. Orin while you and Commander Triannth work the diplomatic angle. Sam, Kyle and I will work on plans of a more forceful nature if it comes to that." Gary replied.

A general consensus drifted throughout the room before the group was dismissed.