Be Prepared

Posted on Sun Jun 21st, 2020 @ 3:28am by Captain Nycolas Temple & Cailus Griffin
Edited on on Wed Jun 24th, 2020 @ 6:00am

Mission: New Moon Rising
Location: Senior Crew Quarters, Deck 3

Nyx had wanted to give the crew some time to settle in before he talked shop with them, but he was also very eager to talk with the new Chief of Security, Mr Griffin. The Captain didn't want to pry too much into his life, but he was such a unique case that he felt it was his duty to follow-up on his health and adjustment to 24th century life.

And he was just eager to talk to another Starfleet Intell man like himself. So Nyx appeared at the Ensign's door and pressed the chime eagerly.

The high-pitched beep at his door caught Cailus by surprise. He had been about to get changed for bed, intending to inspect the Pandora's Security facilities in the morning. Shae had the same sleep cycle as him, so it was unlikely to be her. With bemusement, he walked up and opened the door.

"Captain?" Cailus raised an eyebrow upon seeing the man. "What can I do for you?"

"Sorry for the impromptu arrival at this time," Nyx replied, looking around with a lumbering shrug, "I was hoping to catch you before you went to bed."

"Of course Captain, come in," Cailus said evenly, gesturing for Nyx to enter. As the door closed, he turned, his expression faintly curious. "Aren't we on the same watch rotation, sir?"

Nyx gave a grin, "Think I'm too buzzed to sleep. My head keeps swirling between all the excitement and the never ending list of things to do. Do you know a Captain has to approve the procurement of decorative plants because they're classified as a biological entity? The plants. Nice ones though, really liven up the office."

Temple stopped and smiled again, realising he was rambling. "Anyway, I actually have a couple of non-plant related questions for you. I promise it won't take long."

The mention of work visibly grabbed Cailus' interest, although his expression remained tightly neutral. Save for a small photo on his desk, Cailus' quarters were extraordinarily Spartan; he had even removed the minimal decorations that Starfleet provided as standard. Stepping over to the replicator, he said "I'm at your disposal, Captain. Would you like a drink?"

Nyx looked at the sparse quarters with a wry smile. There was a time when he lived so exiguously, when unpacking took less than a minute instead of half the day. That was before marriage and children and a life of accumulating souvenirs and memorabilia... But then he caught himself, and tried hard not to show the sympathy on his face. He realised Cailus *had* all of that once, a century ago, and he had lost it all. What could he have left to decorate with?

With a shake of his head, Nyx came back to the present and raised his eyebrows, "No thank you. I don't think that'll help my sleeping situation."

"Fair enough," Cailus said evenly. He sat down in a chair, gesturing the for the captain to do the same. "What would you like to discuss, sir?

"Well I had a couple of quick questions," Temple replied, sitting down formally on the lounge. "Obviously SI has once again reviewed you and approved you for service, but we both know they care more about the end rather than the means. Have there been any residual effects from your period in statis that we can help with?"

That brought forth the faintest of frowns from Cailus. "I'm sure you've read my medical certification, Captain, particularly all those asterixes. I understand your concern. Aside from some physiological damage that I'll be paying for in thirty years or so, I'm fully fit for service. The rest...well, I appreciate the offer, sir, but there's nothing you can do that the specialists on Pacifica couldn't."

"We do have a very experienced and qualified Counsellor coming onboard," Temple scratched his beard, "A Lieutenant Oakley, I believe. I don't want to ask you to go to her, but I do kindly suggest it." He added a smile to ensure that this wasn't a Captain's order, merely a friendly suggestion. "Your mental health is just as important as your physical."

"Lieutenant Oakley?" Cailus repeated the name with suspicious surprise, before shaking it off. Oakley was a common name, after all, and Starfleet was a huge organisation. It was unlikely to be Laurel. "Yes sir, rest assured that I will be checking in with the counselor when we depart."

"Very well," Nyx replied with a nod, deciding not to belabour the point, "Now, onto the fun stuff. As I mentioned earlier, you'll have all the latest tools and gadgets at your disposal. The armoury only has the basics at the moment but we'll be accepting onboard the full compliment along with your Security Team tomorrow morning. The holodeck wizards already have a training program based on the new layout of the Pandora loaded up, as well as the full spectrum of emergency scenarios, so feel free to start running drills and being prepared as soon as you can."

Glancing out the window at the surrounding dockyards, Cailus frowned. "You said earlier that we're also taking on Marines, sir? And a starfighter wing?"

Nyx nodded slightly but didn't speak at first, knowing that the Marines were here for a special purpose. He wanted to tell the Ensign exactly what their mission was but he hadn't be cleared to do so yet. Nyx knew however that Griffin would understand SI's way of operating.

"They have a mission from Starfleet Intel," He finally replied, deciding to be tactically honest. "High security investigation, straight from the brass. You know how it is. But they'll also be helpful for any incursions and battles we may face. The Inconnu Corridor has gotten decidedly dangerous in the past year alone."

"Understood, Captain," Cailus acknowledged curtly. It was a perfectly serviceable reason to have a military detachment onboard, although it did little to ease his disquiet. "I'll do what I can to support the Marines in their mission, as well as coordinate with their CO to properly delineate our responsibilities between Security and the Marines. I've never served with them aboard a starship, but I did graduate from the Joint Training Initiative a...while ago. There shouldn't be any major problems."

"Good to hear it," Nyx nodded, knowing that Griffin was more than up to the task. "I see the Security team as being our means of defense, and the Marines for our offense. Of course, as you say, there will be coordination between the two. But defense of this ship is the highest priority. And with good reason."

He stood and walked over to Cailus' nearby computer panel and paused, "Do you mind if I show you something?"

"Go ahead, sir," Cailus replied, curious as he walked up to the panel.

Nyx smiled and quickly tapped in his authentication codes, then stepped aside. "This is the latest intel from our Task Force command. I will be briefing the senior staff tomorrow but wanted to give you a heads up first."

"Okay." Folding his arms, Cailus examined the map. It took him a moment to actually identify the area as it was so far from the space he had once known, but the more he saw, the deeper his frown became.

"As you can see after the Federation ceded exploration of the Expanse, and while we were occupied with the Dominion and Breen, other forces have gained in strength and ferocity," Temple said, pointing to the map on screen. "The Ravengers have launched full frontal assaults on Federation property, while the Tzenkethi have been annexing space and promising to destroy anyone who crosses into it. So you can see, it's going to be an interesting journey."

Cailus gave the captain a dry look. "I would say that's an understatement," he said with concern. "We aren't that far from Starfleet reinforcements in terms of raw distance, but otherwise...yes, Captain, it's not pretty. If the Tzenkethi or the Breen want to block us from entering, or leaving, they only have to blockade these four choke points. It's a strategic nightmare. I can see why the Federation has been hesitant to explore the region. We have to run a gauntlet just to get in, and even when we do, we're effectively trapped in potentially hostile territory."

Nyx couldn't help but have a smile on his face, "If we're gonna fly, it might as well be by the seat of our pants, right?"

Of course the Captain was scared, he'd be a fool not look at this situation and feel a deep sense of foreboding. There were a lot of people putting their trust in the safety of this ship, all in the name of scientific exploration. Cailus was right, just getting there was half the battle. But with the danger came the thrill, and despite his fears, Temple was excited to see what will happen.

Cailus, for his part, was less than excited, his mind calculating fiercely. "I'll get my tactical team working on some tactical and strategic recommendations for you, sir, and I'll have a preliminary Security assessment for you by tomorrow night."

Temple sighed, "There's still time to come up with a strategy, and we'll see what the briefing comes up with. Though it looks like we'll either have to ramrod our way through, or sneak past somehow. At least we'll have the support from Captain Rao in his Vesta ship as well."

"Yes sir, I studied the Palatine's specs on the way over. They'll be a critical asset." Cailus had also barely even heard of the Vesta class starships until two days ago, but he didn't mention it. Squaring his shoulders, he made an internal decision and looked the captain directly in the eye. "Captain, while you're here, there is something I'd like to discuss regarding your standard operating proceedure for landing parties, if you're willing. I was planning to do this with you and the XO at the same time, but while you're here..."

Nyx leaned against the console, absent-mindedly tapping at Griffin's LCARS screen to dismiss the Task Force map they were looking at. He nodded to the Ensign, "Sure, what's on your mind?"

Considering the man for a moment, Cailus simply barrelled right in. "I'll be blunt: will you be the kind of CO who puts himself in harm's way, sir? Unnecessarily, I should add."

Nyx raised an eyebrow and dropped his hands behind his back, concerned by the sudden shift in tone. "Ten years ago, I would have said yes. I would have said emphatically yes, with a 'Geronimo'. But it's not just myself going into harm's way now. It's the hundreds of people onboard this ship, my crew and my friends. I have a duty to you all to see out this mission and get everyone back safely."

Temple shrugged, "I don't deny that the idea of going into the wild and trekking like the space explorers of old doesn't give me a thrill. But I didn't get to be Captain by being reckless. You'll just have to trust me on that, until you see it for yourselves."

"That's more reassuring than you know, sir," Cailus replied. He was still strangely formal in his speech, his stance comfortable but alert with both hands clasped behind his back. "I once lost a captain on a mission because he was too aggressive in pursuing a suspect on foot, so I ask that you forgive my caution in such matters."

Nyx nodded slowly, again having to remind himself exactly what Griffin had been through. He'd seen the entire destruction of his ship, and his crew and friends were killed before his eyes. In reply, Nyx softened his demeanor, relaxed his arms and reached out to give the officer a firm rub on the shoulder.

"I appreciate your caution. And your candour." Nyx replied. "You're just doing your job and looking after the crew. Promise me you'll be just as forthright going ahead, there's no time for mincing words where we're going."

"You have my word, sir." Cailus had to restrain a frown at Nyx's friendliness, keeping his face professionally blank. "Is there anything else I can do for you, Captain?"

Nyx shook his head, "I'll let you get to sleep, we can discuss our strategy further at the first briefing."

Inclining his head briefly, Cailus said "Very good, sir. Have a good night."

"Goodnight, Mr Griffin," The Captain replied, moving towards the door, "I'll see you on watch tomorrow."

As the door closed, Cailus frowned at it for a moment. The captain was presumably very competent, but his cheerfulness and overall friendliness...that would take some getting used to.