Joshua Niles
Security & Tactical
[TI22]
Posts: 649 Likes: 21
Rank: Lieutenant
Position: Tactical Officer
Species: Human
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Post by Joshua Niles on Nov 21, 2021 4:34:36 GMT
[ LT Joshua Niles - Briefing Room, USS Wyvern ]Niles was not entirely surprised that what he had mentioned had already been preempted. But that didn't mean he was pleased with finding that out now rather than in the information he'd been provided about the party responsible for the attack. Now, Taggert had also been off the Wyvern, but clearly he'd been kept in the loop a good deal more, but that was the kind of thing that he should have known about. But a week between setting up orbital security arrangements and Wyvern arriving to start the hunt in earnest? That was a very, very long time. And especially that it had been a few weeks since the attack had occurred. Information that could be gathered planetside would be stale, at best... Now, if there were any records left of the attack from whatever traffic control the colony had before it was hit, or any kind of sensors they might have on the surface, it would be invaluable... But people as an information source? That might be less than ideal... but it wasn't his mission to run. Which meant, he only had two words to say in response to the answer he got. "Yes Sir."
Tag Jovireh Velal
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Jovireh Velal
Security & Tactical
[TI18]
Posts: 2,609 Likes: 55
Rank: Senior Chief Petty Officer
Position: Chief of Security/Tactical
Species: Betazoid/Romulan
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Post by Jovireh Velal on Nov 22, 2021 2:02:07 GMT
[Lt. Cmdr. Pierce Taggert - USS Wyvern - Briefing Room]When Niles was finished with his questions, an Ensign in a grey uniform spoke up. "Sir, is there anyone in specific we need to make sure we talk to?" Pierce shook his head. "I'll talk to the colony director. The rest of you split up, talk to as many colonists as you can. You never know who might have seen something the rest haven't." There were nods around the table, a few tapped notes into their PADDs. "Now, if there's nothing else, you're all dismissed. Make sure you have everything you need and meet me in the transporter room in ten minutes."
Tag Joshua Niles
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Joshua Niles
Security & Tactical
[TI22]
Posts: 649 Likes: 21
Rank: Lieutenant
Position: Tactical Officer
Species: Human
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Post by Joshua Niles on Nov 22, 2021 19:20:25 GMT
[ LT Joshua Niles - Briefing Room -> Transporter Room, USS Wyvern ]The next question came from an Ensign in Intelligence grey. At least, Niles found himself reassured that he wasn't the only one who reckoned having more information was not a bad thing, and the response that came from Commander Taggert was, well, to cast as wide a net as possible. Of course, that was entirely feasible, but it always helped to concentrate on the witnesses who would be the most useful. Once they were dismissed, Niles who was already equipped and armed, caught up to the Intelligence Ensign. "Ensign, let's walk and talk," he started. It was a good thing his prosthetic leg finally functioned normally enough, and he had finally come to a dosage of medication that kept the pain as tolerable as that in his arm was. "Lieutenant Niles. I don't know what your specialty is, but I know you've got the training to put together and deconflict accounts. Unless Commander Taggert wants you somewhere else, I'd suggest you get to anything that's written down in some form. Any records from system traffic control that were collected before and during the attack, personal logs, even injury reports from the medics."True, Niles himself could have taken at least the space-side aspect of the job. He knew how to do it. But by virtue of carrying a higher rank, and the whole reason as to why Taggert had decided to take him along on Wyvern, was to expand his professional horizons, he would be have to do first-line investigation, and probably be expected to step in where folk would expect to speak to 'someone with authority'. With his suggestion made, the Lieutenant made his way for the Transporter Room, and waited for the word to step onto the pad and head down, checking, for the umpteenth time, that his tricorder and phaser were in working conditions.
Tag Jovireh Velal
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Jovireh Velal
Security & Tactical
[TI18]
Posts: 2,609 Likes: 55
Rank: Senior Chief Petty Officer
Position: Chief of Security/Tactical
Species: Betazoid/Romulan
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Post by Jovireh Velal on Nov 23, 2021 14:51:56 GMT
[Ens. Tobias Reed - USS Wyvern - Briefing Room]Ensign Reed looked up as the new security Lieutenant fell in step beside him. He didn't say much, but listened as the other man spoke, his eyes shifting uncomfortably. "Aye sir," was his only response, and he quickly typed in the suggestions on his PADD as he walked. [Lt. Cmdr. Pierce Taggert - USS Wyvern - Transported Room]Once the entire team had assembled, they piled onto the transporter pad and turned to face forward. "Energize," Taggert ordered. [Kaus Borealis Colony - Town Square] The square had been cleared for the arrival of their guests, and Director Sihu stood waiting to greet them. When the team materialized, he stepped forward. "Welcome. Thank you for coming, though I wish it were under better circumstances." Pierce stepped forward with a warm smile. "Perhaps we'll arrange our next shore leave here. Is everyone ready to begin?"Sihu nodded, shifting his gaze to those waiting behind the Commander. "They are, though I'm afraid we couldn't afford to take the day off work. Feel free to wander, there aren't any places forbidden to you. Anyone you see should be happy to help with whatever you need."Taggert nodded, and turned back to face his people. "Let's get started. We'll meet back here in an hour to regroup."
Tag Joshua Niles
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Joshua Niles
Security & Tactical
[TI22]
Posts: 649 Likes: 21
Rank: Lieutenant
Position: Tactical Officer
Species: Human
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Post by Joshua Niles on Nov 24, 2021 4:42:19 GMT
[ LT Joshua Niles - Transporter Room, USS Wyvern -> Town Square, Kaus Borealis Colony ]Strange. Not that long ago, Niles would have preferred Kaus Borealis to Serenity, hands down. He was a man who liked his comforts and his technology. Who felt most comfortable when he had the full extent of the Federation's computers and communications networks at his fingertips. When he could get anything he wanted to eat or drink but still had the luxury of picking out the real stuff. But materializing on the town square, surrounded by buildings made by modern materials, in modern aesthetic, gleaming with alloys and modern composites? It somehow felt much, much colder than it should. Less... homelike. Yes, he would have to make his way back to Serenity given the chance. Maybe even take a few weeks' leave down there, get his hands dirty doing some physical labour? Of course he would have no bloody idea of what he was supposed to be doing, but maybe he would need that at some point. And, the Serenity colonists had definitely grown on him. However, his thoughts came back to the here and now. Kaus Borealis, hit by slavers who took a number of their people. He had a roster of those taken, and from where, but there hadn't seemed to be much rhyme or reason to who they'd taken, beyond the obvious prizes for the slave markets and targets of opportunity. Unless there was a pattern he wasn't seeing. But, he had already selected who he would see first, and he made his way towards the colony's school building. One of the teachers, apparently, had witnessed the initial assault and managed to squirrel away a good number of pupils away so they wouldn't be taken, and had managed a decent look at the aggressors... and if the information he had read had been accurate, that teacher had taken tricorder readings. Entering the school, he first found the office, and then was directed to a particular classroom. At the door, he simply knocked. "Miss Miller? I'm Lieutenant Niles of the Ma... Wyvern. May I have a word with you please?"
Tag Jovireh Velal
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Jovireh Velal
Security & Tactical
[TI18]
Posts: 2,609 Likes: 55
Rank: Senior Chief Petty Officer
Position: Chief of Security/Tactical
Species: Betazoid/Romulan
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Post by Jovireh Velal on Nov 26, 2021 9:30:22 GMT
[Lt. Cmdr. Pierce Taggert - Kaus Borealis - Town Square]After the brief introductions, his team dispersed, all eager to get to work and get to the bottom of this. Pierce accompanied Sihu to the town hall, where his office was located. [Schoolroom] The class wasn't full by any means, but there were a handful of children of varying ages under ten years old gathered at the desks, staring up at the teacher as she spoke about the different types of trees that were native to the planet. Hearing the knock on the door, she paused her lesson and turned to their visitor. "Yes, give me one moment please." Looking back at the curious students, she grabbed a stack of PADDs off her desk and began to pass them out. "For today's assignment, identify each of the plants pictured here and list their common uses. If you're not sure, look them up in your book. I trust you'll all behave yourselves while I speak with Lieutenant Niles."Once the PADDs had been passed out, she stepped over to the door. "What can I do for you, Lieutenant?" Of course they'd all been informed that the Wyvern would be arriving today to investigate the abductions, but she hadn't expected to be at the top of their list of people to talk to.
Tag Joshua Niles
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Joshua Niles
Security & Tactical
[TI22]
Posts: 649 Likes: 21
Rank: Lieutenant
Position: Tactical Officer
Species: Human
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Post by Joshua Niles on Nov 27, 2021 3:20:56 GMT
[ LT Joshua Niles - Schoolhouse, Kaus Borealis Colony ]Well, Niles could honestly say he was surprised when he saw the Miss Miller in question. He had expected, well, not someone teaching some of the youngest pupils in the school. Someone more like Chief Velal and less like Mary Poppins. But then again, Cadet to-Ennien had shown him firsthand what even the most unlikely of people could do under pressure, when push came to shove. "Of course," he replied with a nod when the teacher needed a moment to set her classroom to work on an assignment about local flora before stepping out. Though, the Lieutenant had the very strong notion that there were many eyes darting his way... Odds are, a number of those kids would be worried about someone armed in their presence these days, or be curious about the presence of a Starfleet officer in their school. But, that was a problem for later. When the teacher came to the door to speak to him, Josh gestured towards the hallway; what was about to be discussed was something those kids had to live through once already. And if he still had nightmares about the events on the Jupiter Star and his various run-ins on Serenity, no doubt those kids didn't need to hear their teacher and some stranger going into a deep dive of the day of the attack. "Hopefully, Miss Miller, what you can do is help us help your people."He remembered that exercise with Commander Taggert, talking to people. And he was hoping that he was doing this right; this was not a suspect to interrogate, or a Starfleet member who could be compelled into a debrief. It was a civilian who had gone above and beyond anything that could be expected from her and had done what he damn well knew even trained Starfleet veterans might not have been able to. Hell, he had serious doubts he would have had the presence of mind to consider holstering his phaser and focus on evacuation and collecting information rather than taking the fight to the enemy. If anything, he had a cybernetic leg saying that he most likely would never have done what she did. "But first of all, I'm very sorry that our conversation will dredge up memories and feelings you'd rather no have," he said softly. There was no 'if' in his statement; sugar-coating things, he knew from experience, wouldn't help anyone. And generally speaking, unless someone wasn't wired quite right, being reminded of a slaver raid on their home and knowing it was their friends, neighbours and family being taken was something that took its toll. "During the attack, you displayed the kind of presence of mind, initiative and calm that a lot of Starfleet personnel could legitimately envy. Your actions saved a lot of children from being taken and a lot of families a pile of grief; I admire that to no end. But what's even more important is that the reports say you saw the aggressors first-hand and even managed to get tricorder readings of them. I need to know what you know, and not just the hard data, but anything you might have thought was unimportant, even gut feelings. Anything will help."
Tag Jovireh Velal [/font]
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Jovireh Velal
Security & Tactical
[TI18]
Posts: 2,609 Likes: 55
Rank: Senior Chief Petty Officer
Position: Chief of Security/Tactical
Species: Betazoid/Romulan
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Post by Jovireh Velal on Dec 3, 2021 17:14:46 GMT
[Ms. Miller - Kaus Borealis - Schoolhouse]The woman shook her head a little as the Lieutenant spoke. It was understandable that information would get a little mixed up along the train of communication, but she wasn't as heroic as whatever report he had read described. "It all happened so fast. I was in the yard supervising the younger students. One of the younger kids had fallen while climbing a tree. I already had my tricorder out to scan for injuries." She paused then, running a hand through her hair as she tried to think of the details that she had tried so hard to not think about since that day. "I heard a transporter. I turned around just in time to see a group of cloaked figures materializing around the ball court where the older students were playing. They simultaneously fired on each of the students on the court. That was when I started shouting for the younger students to get inside. But they didn't even look around... all their focus was on the kids they'd stunned. Some sort of field appeared between them... and they transported out, along with everything on the court. Even the ball was gone." Ms. Miller shrugged slightly, crossing her arms over her chest. "They knew exactly who they wanted. They only took people who were in a small group. Workers in the fields, mostly. They were all very tall... At least two meters. Their technology was at least as advanced as Starfleet's, but different. I went over the scans my tricorder had gotten and didn't recognize most of it. Those reading were forwarded with the rest of the information we could provide."
Tag Joshua Niles
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Joshua Niles
Security & Tactical
[TI22]
Posts: 649 Likes: 21
Rank: Lieutenant
Position: Tactical Officer
Species: Human
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Post by Joshua Niles on Dec 3, 2021 23:01:48 GMT
[ LT Joshua Niles - Schoolhouse, Kaus Borealis Colony ]Now that was information that hadn't been included in the reports all right. Right place, right time, and an opposition that was actually laser-focused on very specific groups and individuals. That really wasn't the sort of behaviour that he'd learned to expect from slavers, pirates and associated scum. Generally they would take those who'd be worth the most on the slave market, and be all for prey of opportunity. But to not even look towards a running teacher and children when there was shouting involved? That definitely changed things. And a mass, volume-based transport of everything that wasn't nailed down? That called for a lot of power, and a really performant transporter system, but it would be too late to get traces of that sort of activity. That, or each of those aggressors carried a portable pattern enhancer? Getting a signature form that would likely narrow down the suspect pool immensely. But that kind of hyper-focus on who they were taking, that was the kind of thing that stuck to his mind. Little to no collateral damage or captures of opportunity, and just doing whatever it was they were doing... "Well, whoever put the information package together at this end certainly didn't include your tricorder readings. There was only a mention that you took them. And this is the first I hear of the aggressors' appearance and apparent focus." Though, that could be attributed to shock, or simply just an oversight. An oversight that could be corrected easily enough. Now, how much had not come through the reports? Could there have been collusion from within the colony itself? Those were questions that what he was learning were starting to spawn... and part of him wished he'd gone with that Intelligence Ensign to pore over sensor take and traffic control. "To go back to their appearance, they were all uniformly very tall humanoids? Would you say they were all of the same species? And did you hear them communicate with each other?"
Tag Jovireh Velal
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Jovireh Velal
Security & Tactical
[TI18]
Posts: 2,609 Likes: 55
Rank: Senior Chief Petty Officer
Position: Chief of Security/Tactical
Species: Betazoid/Romulan
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Post by Jovireh Velal on Dec 8, 2021 3:40:38 GMT
[Ms. Miller - Kaus Borealis - Schoolhouse]The woman sighed and shrugged. "If they talked at all, I didn't hear them. But yes... they were all within a few centimeters of each other in height, broad build. Humanoid." Her attention was diverted by one of her students getting up from his desk and walking over to them. She turned to him with a questioning look, about to ask what he wanted, but stopped when she noticed his small eyes were focused intently on the Lieutenant. "Are you here about the monsters?" he asked in a quiet voice, as though he feared speaking of them too loudly would cause them to return.
Tag Joshua Niles
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Joshua Niles
Security & Tactical
[TI22]
Posts: 649 Likes: 21
Rank: Lieutenant
Position: Tactical Officer
Species: Human
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Post by Joshua Niles on Dec 8, 2021 5:27:13 GMT
[ LT Joshua Niles - Schoolhouse, Kaus Borealis Colony ]Well, it was worth a try to ask if she had seen more. But, it also meant he would need a word with Commander Taggert sooner rather than later with regards to the tricorder recordings. If they hadn't been sent, that needed addressing sooner rather than later. However, before he could request her tricorder so he might copy the readings himself, assuming they were still on it, his eyes followed Miller's when one of her pupils came out of the classroom, and had only eyes for Niles himself. And his question, spoken quietly and with a heavy dose of fear, struck him. It wasn't the first time he was tangling with that sort. Counting the Talorians who had butchered the crew of the Jupiter Star, these particular raiders were the fifth group targeting mostly civilians he had tangled with. And it wasn't getting any easier to see the damage they were doing. Turning towards the boy, Josh lowered himself to a knee, but this time the unusual movement brought a wince of pain to his face; his mutilated leg was letting him know it didn't care much for this particular decision. "Yes, that's why we're here," he started. He had to make a great effort to to keep his voice quiet and level, and tamp down his burgeoning rage. He had joined Starfleet just so kids like this boy would never have to see raiders land in their schoolyard. He'd become a tactical officer so he would have the knowledge and the means to find them and stop those savages. And seeing the fear in that boy's eyes... "I was just asking Miss Miller if she had seen anything, or recorded anything on her tricorder, so she can help me, help us, get your people back."Now, hopefully she would get the hint that he wanted to take a look at her readings himself, but something else crossed the Lieutenant's mind. And maybe this wouldn't be the best idea he ever had, but he didn't exactly have a lot of leads right now. "They scare you a lot, but you know what? It's ok to be scared. I'll let you in on a little secret: it doesn't take a whole lot more to scare me than it does to scare you. Granted, with training and experience, fear wasn't nearly as crippling to one Lieutenant Niles as it had once been. But when the Breen hit Earth, he had none of that, his only advantage over that boy being that he was much older. And had a disposition to want to do something about what had just happened. "Did you see anything, hear anything, notice anything?"Perhaps the boy wouldn't make the most reliable witness, but it might even be enough to open up another lead.
Tag Jovireh Velal
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Jovireh Velal
Security & Tactical
[TI18]
Posts: 2,609 Likes: 55
Rank: Senior Chief Petty Officer
Position: Chief of Security/Tactical
Species: Betazoid/Romulan
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Post by Jovireh Velal on Dec 13, 2021 3:24:55 GMT
[Ms. Miller - Kaus Borealis - Schoolhouse]The teacher remained silent as Lt. Niles spoke with her student. Shortly after the raid occurred, they had asked everyone if they had seen or heard anything that might help Starfleet find out who was behind it, but Ms. Miller knew it was possible the kids had been too scared to speak up then. Or too traumatized to remember the details. Perhaps something had come up in a memory, or a nightmare, since then. The little boy chewed on his fingernails as he listened to the man talk about being scared. He'd told his friends what he had seen, but they laughed at him. Told him it was impossible. He was imagining it. But this man might believe him. "Their heads were weird. Like triangles. But round, not pointy." He said after a moment of careful thought.
Tag Joshua Niles
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Joshua Niles
Security & Tactical
[TI22]
Posts: 649 Likes: 21
Rank: Lieutenant
Position: Tactical Officer
Species: Human
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Post by Joshua Niles on Dec 13, 2021 3:40:14 GMT
[ LT Joshua Niles - Schoolhouse, Kaus Borealis Colony ]The boy in front of Niles looked nervous. But then again, he was talking about a raid on his home, people he knew, possibly people he loved, being taken by aggressors and it was only now that the people supposed to protect them were showing up to actively seek them out. And, of course, there was the whole thing about talking about something he wasn't sure he could be believed about. And, the notion that he might have had that fear was somehow weakness and should never be admitted to; with some luck, Josh's admission about getting scared would help. But then, he spoke, describing the aggressors' heads. Now that was a new piece of information, something that hadn't been in the information package he'd spent the previous night studying. And, he actually smiled. "Now that's the kind of thing that can help all right." Then, he had an idea and his left hand went to his hip to pull up his tricorder, and with a few button presses he brought up a simple drawing program and handed it over to the student. "Could you draw it for me? Please?"
Tag Jovireh Velal
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Jovireh Velal
Security & Tactical
[TI18]
Posts: 2,609 Likes: 55
Rank: Senior Chief Petty Officer
Position: Chief of Security/Tactical
Species: Betazoid/Romulan
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Post by Jovireh Velal on Dec 15, 2021 3:04:17 GMT
[Ms. Miller - Kaus Borealis - Schoolhouse]The teacher's brow furrowed slightly at the child's description, trying to recall if she had noticed something similar. No, she was too focused on getting the rest of the children to safety to notice anything other than the size and the fact the raiders were all cloaked and hooded. The little boy nodded, accepting the padd that was handed to him and used his finger to trace out the image in his mind on the screen. It only took him a moment, then he was handing it back to the uniformed man. "This is what they looked like from the side." Due to them all standing in a circle, he hadn't gotten a clear view of any of them face-on. But he'd seen cloaked people in the holoflicks, and their heads were never shaped like that.
Tag Joshua Niles
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Joshua Niles
Security & Tactical
[TI22]
Posts: 649 Likes: 21
Rank: Lieutenant
Position: Tactical Officer
Species: Human
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Post by Joshua Niles on Dec 15, 2021 3:28:30 GMT
[ LT Joshua Niles - Schoolhouse, Kaus Borealis Colony ]The drawing program in Niles' tricorder was mostly intended to come up with quick drawings for quick field-planning purposes and brainstorming, but it would do well enough to come up with a quick an dirty sketch from a kid. And if anything, he might even be happy to have an actual, current-issue tricorder in his hands for a little while... and to be able to help his people with information towards the investigation. Of course, that would have to be taken with a grain of salt, and would need some confirmations all right. But when he was given the tricorder back, Josh found himself smiling. The drawing was crude, but the silhouette was rather distinctive, especially given the other information he had. "Well then... that's really narrowing it down, thank you," he answered with true gladness. However, he did have another question for the boy. "They wouldn't happen to have been green, would they?" Now that answer would indeed further narrow it down almost to a certainty, but he needed those tricorder readings to know for certain. Which meant he had to go to the source, and he looked up to the teacher. "Ms. Miller, If you still have them, I'm going to have to ask you to send the readings you took directly to my own tricorder, if you please." Though at this point, he was nearing the stage at which he would be done asking; the fact the readings had not been made available despite a the report stating they had been taken raised some rather ugly implications he would have to run through Commander Taggert as soon as he could. He already had a good idea if what he was dealing with, but he needed confirmation one way or another. But first, he had another problem all right, given that neuropathic pain was shooting through him, feeling as though it started in his cybernetic toes and going all the way to his prosthetic arm. So it was with a wince and a groan that he stood back up.
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