Judith Eastman
Civilian
Grandma
Posts: 2,593 Likes: 84 
Rank: Civilian/other
Position: Civil Servant
Species: Human
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Post by Judith Eastman on Oct 1, 2020 13:21:48 GMT
Acting Captain’s Log
We are currently conducting a counter-piracy operation, against a group called Kosoter’s Scalpers. We aren’t certain whether this group is a new entrant to our region, or has simply grown more brazen, but the Federation has chosen to take action. We have deployed a former civilian freighter, the Medici, with an undercover Starfleet crew as bait for the Scalpers. Slow, heavy, barely armed, and laden with cargo, the Medici is quite the juicy target. They shouldn’t be able to resist it much longer than Michael can resist a pint of ice cream.
If and when the Scalpers bite, they’ll be surprised by a carefully concealed, heavily armed contingent of trained personnel. Any boarding operation should be beaten back, and the boarding vessel itself could well find itself boarded.
Should things go wrong, the Mac is tucked a short distance away, concealed by the 87 moons of Badrus IX. A short jump at high warp, and we’ll be there to take care of any trouble if we’re needed.
The Medici has now been cruising for four days. I’ve been communicating with them through text, as well as asynchronous video messages. It’s a very impersonal system, but it’s the best we could do with the encryption needs.
In charge of the Medici is Dr. Baker, who has performed excellently in every position of authority so far. I couldn’t be prouder of her, and if she keeps this up, I’m sure she’ll have her very own command in due time. This operation should be a nice feather in her cap.
Lieutenant Niles is serving as her First Officer, despite his lack of rank and seniority, in the interest of professional development. I believe that placing him closer to the decision-making process will help quench his recent aggression by exposing him to the nuance of operational realities. I also believe that a taste of command will help illustrate our need for dependability from subordinates, which he seems to have unlearned lately. All in all, I believe this will be a valuable experience for him.
As for me, I’ve had quite a bit of free time on this operation. Max and Anna are accompanying me on the Mac, and we’ve had the chance to watch the MLB playoffs in real time. Today, my Yankees are playing the Solar Sailors, Bajor’s great team. I fully expect a victory I can rub in Saya’s face.
End log.***[Cmdr. Judith Eastman(-Williams) et al. - Captain's Ready Room, USS Mac]Judy doffed her Yankees cap and scarf, leaving her uniform pristine, ready to record a message. "Good morning. I hope you’ve all been managing in those cramped quarters. Hopefully, we’ll be able to wrap this thing up soon, and I promise, I’ll have a worthy meal prepped up for all of you. For now, check the new charts we’re sending you - we think the Scalpers are getting closer, so today might be the day. Take care, be careful, and remember, we’re just one distress signal away." With the low resolution, she’d chosen contacts to avoid the glare from her spectacles, and her wrinkles were less noticeable. Altogether, she supposed she looked a solid 20 years younger at least! With the message sent, Judy turned her attention to the holoprojector, where she could see the game about to begin.
Our cast:
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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 Oct 1, 2020 13:32:53 GMT
Medici First Officer’s Log. It’s been four days since we headed out in this bucket, and still no sign of the Scalpers. We’re well within their known area of operations, and the Medici is just the kind of prize they’d be going after but we've yet to see any pirate activity. And I’m not sure if I should despair, or be glad for it. Q-ships, they used to call the sort of ship the Medici was converted into, and they have a long history of being used in commerce protection, but the idea of going into action with a few popguns and a ship that’s not designed to take battle damage doesn’t really appeal to me. But our orders are to find where they operate from, and I plan to do everything in my power so we can do just that.
Standing from his desk, Niles stretched out, and his fingertips brushed the deckheads, and the bulkheads, of his quarters. Perhaps a junior officer’s quarters on the Mac weren’t exactly VIP accommodations, but compared to the first officer’s cabin on a freighter they were positively palatial. But that was the nature of a freighter: the minimum possible volume and mass dedicated to the crew and essential machinery required to move as much cargo as possible. At least, the security team that was embarked had all sorts of space in the cargo bay they were occupying. And that also meant everything was quite Spartan. The replicators were working, but their selection was extremely limited and they clearly weren't even close to being up to Starfleet's standards, and if there had been time for recreation on what was really an extended away mission, well, there were no holodecks or gym, and the screens in quarters and the mess hall were small and grainy compared to what he was accustomed to. Due on watch soon, he shrugged into a thoroughly civilian jacket, the sort a space-going working-class stiff would be wearing, and he caught sight of himself in the small mirror in his personal head. He definitely didn’t look Starfleet in that particular getup, one in which he did not even have his trusty commbadge on, but a civilian example instead. Well, there was nothing else for it, and he made his way to the cramped space that was considered the Medici’s bridge, a decidedly non-Starfleet PADD in hand with the morning reports their acting skipper, Commander Baker, would review ahead of being sent to the Mac via encrypted burst transmission. Compared to a proper starship, what passed for a command deck on the Medici was sorely lacking. In fact, in terms of overall functionality it was little more than a runabout’s flight deck. The helm console was dead center and forward, with an Ops station along the port bulkhead, communications and sensors to starboard, the captain’s chair in the middle of the room; along the aft bulkhead was a on the port side there was a minimal tactical console, and to starboard the first officer’s pit, which really was just repeaters of all the other stations, and where a civilian officer of the watch would be parked as to reduce the required manpower on the Bridge during routine crossings. And if he thought that command deck was cramped, he knew Engineering wasn’t much better. Starfleet designed large engineering spaces for ease of movement, maintenance and replacement of large components using on-board means from the inside, with only rare major repairs needing to come through the hull. This, however, was a civilian design and all critical components were close to the outer hull for rapid repairs with even minimal docking facility… precisely where a ship that would be going into action did not want its critical machinery. Well, if there was one way to make sure one Joshua Niles would not call for too aggressive a course of action, it was to have him deploy in a slow and ponderous eggshell with warp drive to hunt vicious pirates! But for now, he simply took his threadbare and less than comfortable seat, and started reviewing the day’s report, and upon receipt of the morning transmission from the Mac, he pressed a button, an honest-to-goodness physical switch no less, on his console. =A= ”Niles to the Skipper. We’ve got our morning mail from the Mac, waiting for you on the Bridge.”=A=
Tags @jeastmang Thea Baker Matthew Harmon Ozu Saya Shavan Th'zhaar K'Dex T'Karra Layne Bira Kova Sh'qaleq
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Thea Baker
Command
[TI12]
Posts: 1,448 Likes: 46 
Rank: Captain
Position: Commanding Officer
Species: Human
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Post by Thea Baker on Oct 1, 2020 16:19:55 GMT
[CO's Cabin - Medici] Four Days of living in cramped and less comfortable surroundings than she was used to, had definitely brought out a side of Thea that was seldom seen. Not only did the Acting CO have a greater appreciation for what she did have and for those who served aboard Freighters in general but also the odd bruise caused by bumping her head, whenever she had attempted sleep. Although Thea knew that she wouldn't be the only one feeling this way and rarely spoke of it, unless it was a topic of conversation in the Mess Hall and everyone felt comfortable to share their experiences so far. They may be undercover and Thea, the Captain in charge of this vessel, preparing to become bait to catch the Pirates that had been terrorising this sector. But for the Doctor it wasn't about rank once they shared a meal together and acted in a slightly more relaxed environment, something that they rarely got the chance to do. So yes their mission could be dangerous, but none of them had forgotten why they had been chosen and Thea understood the reasoning behind making Niles her XO for this highly important undercover mission. Knowing it was her job to ensure everything went smoothly and to protect those under her command and whilst her level of responsibility was the same if not more than on the Mac, Thea wasn't going to let this operation fail. So here she was getting ready for what today would bring them and hopefully a step closer to finding their target, the messages from the Mac and Judy a welcome interruption amongst the occasional monotony or frustration. There was also the fact she was missing Isaiah, but understood why he wanted to join the expedition to Kerelia, along with promises that they would do something special when they saw each other again. As tough as it was, it was a healthy and natural response and seeing him was what kept her going. It was also easy to fall in love with this way of life to and the Medici was slowly growing on her as her thoughts were the interrupted by Niles's comm. =/\= Acknowledged, I'll be there momentarily =/\= Pulling her boots on, Thea then left her cabin and headed for the Bridge. [Bridge - Medici] " Okay Mr Niles, let's see what the Mac has for us today" she called as she entered the heart of the Freighter, dressed in the civilian uniform that had become like a second skin just like her usual teal. Pausing beside the Captain's chair rather than sit down just yet as she looked to her First Officer. 
tag Joshua Niles, any on the Bridge |
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Judith Eastman
Civilian
Grandma
Posts: 2,593 Likes: 84
Rank: Civilian/other
Position: Civil Servant
Species: Human
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Post by Judith Eastman on Oct 2, 2020 2:16:55 GMT
[NPC - Ens. Mabel Henriksen - Mess Hall, Medici]
Mabel missed the luxuries of the station and the Mac. She missed the fine food, the spacious quarters, her dog Bernie, and the comfortable furniture; at last, she understood Judy's incessant kvetching about low-quality chairs. She also didn't appreciate these jeans she was wearing, nor the dull leather jackets that were recommended to her as outerwear; she liked a splash of color. Nevertheless, she maintained her bubbly optimism, sure that they were going to achieve their important mission.
She was on this mission as an observer, on the one hand to watch and learn how these operations are run, and on the other hand to serve as Judy's eyes and ears on the Medici. She was also the ship's quartermaster, responsible for the food and other supplies they had. The latter position made her feel very important indeed.
At the Mess Hall, she helped herself to the standard buffet, taking some slightly runny eggs, so-so hash browns, and relatively impressive chicken sausages. Mabel Henriksen liked a hearty breakfast.
She sat down at a table, and waited to see who might dine with her.
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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 Oct 2, 2020 2:40:20 GMT
[...] =/\= Acknowledged, I'll be there momentarily =/\= Pulling her boots on, Thea then left her cabin and headed for the Bridge. [Bridge - Medici] " Okay Mr Niles, let's see what the Mac has for us today" she called as she entered the heart of the Freighter, dressed in the civilian uniform that had become like a second skin just like her usual teal. Pausing beside the Captain's chair rather than sit down just yet as she looked to her First Officer.
tag Joshua Niles , any on the Bridge Having called for Commander Baker to join him, Niles turned his attention to the reports before him. Engineering reports, navigation report, personnel reports, operations report, systems reports, tactical reports, consumables reports, spares reports, medical reports, watch reports, comms reports... Of course, with only a crew of thirty-odd plus their security detachment many of the reports read little more than 'unchanged' or 'situation nominal' or reported nothing beyond routine matters that did not affect the ship's functioning in any real way. As First Officer, his job was to go through those and filter out what would need to go to the Skipper. And he had very little doubt that Commander Eastman would be going over his logs and his own reports with a fine-tooth comb to see what he'd decided to pass on for further review or action and what he let ride or handled on his own. But, he'd certainly gained a lot more respect for the heavy levels of administration that were required by senior officers, and especially the XO's preternatural ability to manage administrative matters. Of course, she had her Yeoman to carry some of the load, but in the end she was the one handling what would once have been called reams of paperwork. The only saving grace this particular ship had, was that she had very few PADDs to go around as opposed to the inexhaustible supply found on a proper starship, let alone a starbase, so his folding desk (roughly the size of cafeteria tray, no less) which only had room for the equally foldable console, a cup of coffee, and a single PADD upon it could not be overloaded the way her own always seemed to be. When Doctor Baker arrived on the cramped Bridge, he offered her a nod. With the on-call nature of the work of a captain and first officer, taking watches was not normally something they did, but under the circumstances, well, Niles had taken the habit of working from the Bridge. Without a proper office to work from, this would give him a bit more space, and he could keep abreast of the goings-on much better from there. And, since they had started on their undercover assignment, he'd taken the habit of not opening the so-called mail from the Mac on his own, though it would have fallen under his purview. When asked about the contents of the dispatches, he accessed the heavily compressed, and thoroughly encrypted file and fed it his authorizations, revealing the contents of the dispatch, and putting the intelligence update components of what it carried on what passed for the bridge main viewscreen. "Well Ma'am, we've got Commander Eastman's greetings, good wishes, and her very much appreciated reminder that help is just a distress call away, and some new charts. If what the Mac is sending us is accurate, there are some indications of pirate activity in our immediate area based on ship movements, so maybe today it'll be our turn to come across the Scalpers."Then, he flashed a bit of a grin before continuing. "And before I forget, Commander Eastman is promising us a meal fit to make this trip worth our while when we return."
Tags Thea Baker and everyone else on the Medici's Bridge |
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Kova Sh'qaleq
Civilian
Posts: 516
Likes: 34
Position: Security Consultant
Species: Andorian
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Post by Kova Sh'qaleq on Oct 2, 2020 3:30:14 GMT
[ Kova Sh'qaleq - Mess Hall, Medici] They were all going to die. How one came to any other conclusion was beyond her. The Andorian was more than happy to escape the confines of her bunk. The smell. Humans like to pride themselves on their discovery of perfumes and antiperspirants. Clearly, no one had the nerve to tell them how severely lacking they truly were. She had thought she had escape the buzzsaw that was the snorer in her original bunks, but had traded that agonizing noise for a tiny swarm of Coridian gnats. The gnats were attracted to body odor, and the scent of human foot odor was like the sweetest nectar. After having spent most of the night swatting at the tiny passersby, Kova couldn't wait for the chance to escape the room altogether. The musk that hang in the corridors was a far more welcome scent, though not by much. The Klingons had a saying: Today was a good day to die. Kova was certain the one that first coined the phrase had probably experienced a posting such as this, and just wanted to be put out of their misery. This was nothing short of a suicide mission, and looking at the crew, nearly all the undesirables were there. How had no one else come to that conclusion? The sheer lack of senior officers aboard this barge should have been a red flag. Here they were, chasing pirates while the Mac was tucked safely away and supposedly only a distress call away. Naturally, they had an answer for Kova's 41 ways to dampen a distress call, and didn't seem remotely concerned with the 9 different ways that one could allegedly work around Starfleet's 'superior countermeasures.' This had to be punishment for Kova's rather tactless appraisal of Starfleet's security measures after that whole debacle with the holodecks. This was a convenient way for her to be one of the lost hands on this mission. Wasn't this the sort of op the chief security officer was supposed to participate in? And what did they send? Former ex-cons that worked in security, some fresh meat, and a junior officer that was rumored to have an itchy trigger finger where Talorians were concerned. Top that off with making the doctor the captain and you had the makings of ragtag band of future toe-tags. So, Kova had reserved herself to keeping her distance and her head down. If she could manage that, then maybe she avoid a disruptor in the back when the roozh[fn]Andorian term for excrement[/fn] hit the fan. As she made her way into the mess hall, it seemed that someone had helped themselves to her table. It wasn't as if Kova had an official claim on the table, but for the past few days, people tended to avoid it primarily because she sat there. And to top it all off, it was Eastman's right hand... or clever little spy. Kova was certain she reported everything back to the old bat, whom was living it up in the comforts of the Mac. Opting to forego delectable choice of human cuisine, Kova settled for a cup of coffee and slowly made her way over towards the table... her table... where Mabel now sat. Kova straddled the chair. In her mind, the plan was to maintain her sanity, enjoy this dreadful liquid that was supposed to be coffee, and eventually push the list of buttons that Kova was convinced did absolutely nothing. After everything that had happened, Kova was certain she still wasn't trusted. Three guesses what ghost was floating around whispering that warning into everyone's ears. She peered across the table at Mabel, and stared at the woman for a few seconds before finally speaking. "We're not talking," she stated flatly, before wincing at the taste of the liquid she was now forcing herself to consume.
Tag: Judith Eastman (Mabel), others in Mess Hall |
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K'Dex
Engineering/Ops
[TI20]
Posts: 50 Likes: 2
Rank: Ensign
Position: Engineering
Species: Caitian
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Post by K'Dex on Oct 2, 2020 5:56:48 GMT
[Main Engineering, Medici]
K'Dex was actually quite happy. As much as he was working on becoming a more sober, serious, and dedicated person/officer, this little trip back to the past was moderately entertaining. Of course, there were the things he hated. He'd become entirely too comfortable in custom quarters with a custom bed, so the first three days were quite uncomfortable. It'd only taken a day for him to remember he needed to duck his head everywhere, and keep his tail curled tightly around him. But outside of that, he had taken to many of his old teenage behaviors. Currently, he was blearily opening his eyes from his curled up position on top of a large crate of spare parts in the engine room. He was realizing that he had definitely become accustomed to temperature controlled rooms as on the Mac, especially his own colder room that he enjoyed to sleep in. Waking up in a baking heat was not pleasant, though the warmth tended to to lull him back into sleep, which is why he slept there to begin with.
Grumbling and dropping his forepaws down as he stretched out along a small walkway next to the engine, his back paws scraping briefly against the wall he'd been against, he yowled slightly at an exquisite stretch. He'd definitely gotten used to his custom bed, which allowed him to sprawl out. He kept to all 4's as he stepped around the elongated engine area, and to the door out.
He shook himself briefly after stepping out of the engine room, which was most definitely not an engineering room. It had the engine, some parts and tools, and a tiny walkway around the engine to work on it. The door said Engine, and that was exactly what it was. As he found himself in the hallway outside the Engine room, he reached back and shut the door, and basked in the ever so slightly cooler air. Instead of taking the main pathways, he kept to all 4s and took the exterior maintenance walks to the Cargo Bay where the security detachment was situated, as well as the cargo transporter he'd spent 2 days modifying and correcting. The transporter took a hefty portion of the room, cutting down on sleeping spaces, but it had been decided to simply keep it there and modify it, as having the Security detachment literally in the same room from it would make it useful for any surprise necessity.
K'Dex popped open the hatch from the maintenance tunnel into the cargo bay, a swoosh of colder air mixing with the Cargo Bay. It'd become a habit of his after the first 2 days to do that, the cold maintenance tunnel helping him to wake up, and he could either begin work on the transporter, or now that it was finished, check its systems on a daily basis. A short hop from the hatch to the floor, he then stood up and shut it again. The Cargo Bay was also one of the few places he could stand up freely, and it was nice to have that space before being scrunched up for the rest of the day.
"Morning all." He growled quietly to those beginning to get up and about, as he made his way to the transporter panel.
Tag Cargo Bay/Security
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Matthew Harmon
Intelligence
[TI42] Frontier's Most Malcontent Malcontent
Posts: 540
Likes: 18
Rank: Lieutenant Commander
Position: Intelligence Officer
Species: Human
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Post by Matthew Harmon on Oct 2, 2020 9:35:20 GMT
[Matthew Harmon - Mess Hall, Medici] It was well known that Harmon was seldom in a pleasant mood. Yet somehow, he seemed to be managing to be in what felt like record bad moods quite often lately. Chloe was in sickbay recuperating from being poisoned. He was angry at whoever was responsible, he was angry at Security's failure to do anything, and he was angry at himself for putting her in that situation by gifting her a ticket. And now, he was sent off on this disgusting dirty scrap heap to hunt pirates. To make matters worse, Eastman had put him under Niles' authority, as a 'learning opportunity'. As a result, Harmon wasn't given the XO's quarters but one where he had to bunk with perhaps the most annoying individual imaginable. The young security ensign assigned to his quarters would simply not shut up. He was constantly running his mouth. Harmon wondered if Niles, or someone had purposefully found the most intolerable officer to stick with him. It had also been made clear the mess would not serve alcoholic beverages. This was a problem with a solution however, Harmon had brought his own and had a flask situated in his leather jacket. He entered the mess hall, and took his breakfast, the eggs, hashbrown, and sausages. He began to walk to an empty table when he walked past Kova sitting next to Mabel and apparently being rude. Mabel was alright in Harmon's mind, and Chloe liked her. Kova on the other hand, annoyed him and so he headed towards that table and took a seat next to Mabel. "Why'd you sit with her then?" he asked Kova flatly, before facing Mabel. "Morning Mabel," he said taking the flask from his pocket and having a drink.
Tag: Kova Sh'qaleq, Judith Eastman
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Thea Baker
Command
[TI12]
Posts: 1,448 Likes: 46
Rank: Captain
Position: Commanding Officer
Species: Human
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Post by Thea Baker on Oct 2, 2020 11:05:40 GMT
[ LT(JG) Joshua Niles - Bridge, Converted Merchant Medici ]"Well Ma'am, we've got Commander Eastman's greetings, good wishes, and her very much appreciated reminder that help is just a distress call away, and some new charts. If what the Mac is sending us is accurate, there are some indications of pirate activity in our immediate area based on ship movements, so maybe today it'll be our turn to come across the Scalpers."Then, he flashed a bit of a grin before continuing. "And before I forget, Commander Eastman is promising us a meal fit to make this trip worth our while when we return."
Tags Thea Baker and everyone else on the Medici's Bridge [Bridge - Medici] Thea's gaze instantly moved towards the Medici's viewscreen or what passed for one on the converted Freighter as Niles began to fill her in on the latest message that had been received from the Mac. It was certainly reassuring to know that the Mac wasn't to far away and that they weren't completely on their own out here. Still every transmission definitely put them one step closer to their goal and their return home but Thea wasn't about to get to complacent either, not until they were able to deliver what they had came here to do. However when Niles mentioned the possibility of pirate activity in the area and how it could be their turn to finally come across the Scalpers, her mood seemed to shift, not daring to hope that it was true. " Please return those greetings when we return the transmission and include any updates that will be pertinent to the Mac"Thea began. " As for the possibility of it being our turn to encounter the Scalpers, let's be prepared as much as we can".When Niles then mentioned about Judy's promise of a meal to make the trip worthwhile, Thea smiled, knowing how the XO enjoyed feeding people and no doubt it would be something to remember. " Tell the Commander, that we'll hold her to that and how are the daily reports?, has there been any change?".
tag Joshua Niles |
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T'Karra
Security & Tactical
Posts: 96
Likes: 7
Rank: Petty Officer 3rd Class
Position: Fireteam Member
Species: Vulcan
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Post by T'Karra on Oct 2, 2020 11:08:34 GMT
[Main Engineering, Medici] K'Dex popped open the hatch from the maintenance tunnel into the cargo bay, a swoosh of colder air mixing with the Cargo Bay. It'd become a habit of his after the first 2 days to do that, the cold maintenance tunnel helping him to wake up, and he could either begin work on the transporter, or now that it was finished, check its systems on a daily basis. A short hop from the hatch to the floor, he then stood up and shut it again. The Cargo Bay was also one of the few places he could stand up freely, and it was nice to have that space before being scrunched up for the rest of the day. "Morning all." He growled quietly to those beginning to get up and about, as he made his way to the transporter panel. [Cargo Bay, Medici] Though quiet hours in the cordoned off sleeping area of the cargo bay were 24 hours, the bay was at its most silent in the early hours of the day before shift change. Intermittent snoring, the sounds of people shuffling from their cots to the bathroom, and the quiet murmurs of mid-shift personnel on the other side of the partitions were all that occasionally broke the peace. It was the optimal time for meditation. On the top rack of a stacked bunk was T'Karra. She had been pleased at her assigned sleeping space as it gave her adequate room to sit with her legs folded. Her eyes were closed and her breathing deep and they remained that way for nearly two hours as she contemplated their mission. It was dangerous and the details of their deployment were scarce beyond their general objective of disguising themselves to find the pirates prowling the local system. It was concerning. Like most of the crew, she donned civilian attire. Vulcan ears were hidden under a warm beanie and she was covered head to toe in thick, dark clothing to include gloves and socks. Despite her best efforts, the cold still caused a slight green flush on her cheeks. Her search for serenity in logic was cut short by the sounds of early morning maintenance. She opened her eyes, determined to put what little time remained before her shift to good use. Though she attempted to lower herself down gently and carefully, the bunk creaked. The string of muffled curses she had inadvertently elicited from her bunk mate was regrettable. She watched as they turned over and pulled a thread-bare pillow over their head. Quietly as she could manage, she padded her way from the sleeping area to the cargo bay proper and spotted a Caitian preparing to work. She returned his greeting with a nod.
Tag: Cargo Bay |
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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 Oct 2, 2020 16:12:30 GMT
[Bridge - Medici] Thea's gaze instantly moved towards the Medici's viewscreen or what passed for one on the converted Freighter as Niles began to fill her in on the latest message that had been received from the Mac. It was certainly reassuring to know that the Mac wasn't to far away and that they weren't completely on their own out here. Still every transmission definitely put them one step closer to their goal and their return home but Thea wasn't about to get to complacent either, not until they were able to deliver what they had came here to do. However when Niles mentioned the possibility of pirate activity in the area and how it could be their turn to finally come across the Scalpers, her mood seemed to shift, not daring to hope that it was true. " Please return those greetings when we return the transmission and include any updates that will be pertinent to the Mac"Thea began. " As for the possibility of it being our turn to encounter the Scalpers, let's be prepared as much as we can".When Niles then mentioned about Judy's promise of a meal to make the trip worthwhile, Thea smiled, knowing how the XO enjoyed feeding people and no doubt it would be something to remember. " Tell the Commander, that we'll hold her to that and how are the daily reports?, has there been any change?".
tag Joshua Niles Niles replied when instructed to add information to their next report. Acknowledging an order so formally might not be strictly necessary with just the two of them exchanging information at the time, but at least Commander Baker would know he was paying attention. His words were accompanied by a flurry of activity from his hands on his console as he appended the requisite courtesies and the morning reports to the message that would be sent out in their next randomly-set burst transmission window. One had to admire the degree of secrecy they were going through in order to maintain their cover as a heavily encrypted transmission no more than nanoseconds in length fired off at random would be next to impossible to intercept, let alone break down and decode in any kind of timely fashion. With the matter of their preparedness, the First Officer's face showed a variety of feelings on their status. Normally, lighter starships, often working in groups, were used for pirate-hunting rather than a lone converted merchantman. And without any solid doctrine to fall back on, much of it was seat of the pants. And, well, that tied into the daily reports all right. "Starting from the top, I'm like what I'm seeing with our Security element in yesterday's drills but I think we can still shave a few seconds in getting the corridors cleared, locking everything down and securing the Bridge and Engineering. But I'm still not happy with the targeting sensors' resolution and tracking speed, but they really didn't upgrade the computer that much, so between the new Engineering and damage control subroutines and Tactical needs, we're running into some hardware limitations issues so I don't think there's much more we can do unless we accept more manual control for Engineering... and I don't think that's the best idea." That itself surprised Josh; not that long ago, he would have advocated a strong offence and let the Engineers focus on Engineering needs, but in this bucket, without the armour and redundancies of a true starship, the Engineering department would need all the help they could get if they ever got into action. "As for the rest? That's two days running some people who had Salisbury Steak had some... issues so I had the recipe taken down from the replicator menu, and we've had one more minor concussion from someone who didn't get used to bunk beds. And a bit of a scuffle in 4 Mess; looks like a personality conflict we didn't know about when we set out came to a head, nothing that couldn't be fixed by switching out with a quick berthing adjustment. Beyond that? Nothing exceptional."
Tags Thea Baker and everyone else on the Medici's Bridge |
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Judith Eastman
Civilian
Grandma
Posts: 2,593 Likes: 84
Rank: Civilian/other
Position: Civil Servant
Species: Human
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Post by Judith Eastman on Oct 2, 2020 17:31:20 GMT
[ Kova Sh'qaleq - Mess Hall, Medici] They were all going to die. How one came to any other conclusion was beyond her. The Andorian was more than happy to escape the confines of her bunk. The smell. Humans like to pride themselves on their discovery of perfumes and antiperspirants. Clearly, no one had the nerve to tell them how severely lacking they truly were. She had thought she had escape the buzzsaw that was the snorer in her original bunks, but had traded that agonizing noise for a tiny swarm of Coridian gnats. The gnats were attracted to body odor, and the scent of human foot odor was like the sweetest nectar. After having spent most of the night swatting at the tiny passersby, Kova couldn't wait for the chance to escape the room altogether. The musk that hang in the corridors was a far more welcome scent, though not by much. The Klingons had a saying: Today was a good day to die. Kova was certain the one that first coined the phrase had probably experienced a posting such as this, and just wanted to be put out of their misery. This was nothing short of a suicide mission, and looking at the crew, nearly all the undesirables were there. How had no one else come to that conclusion? The sheer lack of senior officers aboard this barge should have been a red flag. Here they were, chasing pirates while the Mac was tucked safely away and supposedly only a distress call away. Naturally, they had an answer for Kova's 41 ways to dampen a distress call, and didn't seem remotely concerned with the 9 different ways that one could allegedly work around Starfleet's 'superior countermeasures.' This had to be punishment for Kova's rather tactless appraisal of Starfleet's security measures after that whole debacle with the holodecks. This was a convenient way for her to be one of the lost hands on this mission. Wasn't this the sort of op the chief security officer was supposed to participate in? And what did they send? Former ex-cons that worked in security, some fresh meat, and a junior officer that was rumored to have an itchy trigger finger where Talorians were concerned. Top that off with making the doctor the captain and you had the makings of ragtag band of future toe-tags. So, Kova had reserved herself to keeping her distance and her head down. If she could manage that, then maybe she avoid a disruptor in the back when the roozh[fn]Andorian term for excrement[/fn] hit the fan. As she made her way into the mess hall, it seemed that someone had helped themselves to her table. It wasn't as if Kova had an official claim on the table, but for the past few days, people tended to avoid it primarily because she sat there. And to top it all off, it was Eastman's right hand... or clever little spy. Kova was certain she reported everything back to the old bat, whom was living it up in the comforts of the Mac. Opting to forego delectable choice of human cuisine, Kova settled for a cup of coffee and slowly made her way over towards the table... her table... where Mabel now sat. Kova straddled the chair. In her mind, the plan was to maintain her sanity, enjoy this dreadful liquid that was supposed to be coffee, and eventually push the list of buttons that Kova was convinced did absolutely nothing. After everything that had happened, Kova was certain she still wasn't trusted. Three guesses what ghost was floating around whispering that warning into everyone's ears. She peered across the table at Mabel, and stared at the woman for a few seconds before finally speaking. "We're not talking," she stated flatly, before wincing at the taste of the liquid she was now forcing herself to consume.
Tag: Judith Eastman (Mabel), others in Mess Hall [Matthew Harmon - Mess Hall, Medici]It was well known that Harmon was seldom in a pleasant mood. Yet somehow, he seemed to be managing to be in what felt like record bad moods quite often lately. Chloe was in sickbay recuperating from being poisoned. He was angry at whoever was responsible, he was angry at Security's failure to do anything, and he was angry at himself for putting her in that situation by gifting her a ticket. And now, he was sent off on this disgusting dirty scrap heap to hunt pirates. To make matters worse, Eastman had put him under Niles' authority, as a 'learning opportunity'. As a result, Harmon wasn't given the XO's quarters but one where he had to bunk with perhaps the most annoying individual imaginable. The young security ensign assigned to his quarters would simply not shut up. He was constantly running his mouth. Harmon wondered if Niles, or someone had purposefully found the most intolerable officer to stick with him. It had also been made clear the mess would not serve alcoholic beverages. This was a problem with a solution however, Harmon had brought his own and had a flask situated in his leather jacket. He entered the mess hall, and took his breakfast, the eggs, hashbrown, and sausages. He began to walk to an empty table when he walked past Kova sitting next to Mabel and apparently being rude. Mabel was alright in Harmon's mind, and Chloe liked her. Kova on the other hand, annoyed him and so he headed towards that table and took a seat next to Mabel. "Why'd you sit with her then?" he asked Kova flatly, before facing Mabel. "Morning Mabel," he said taking the flask from his pocket and having a drink.
Tag: Kova Sh'qaleq , Judith Eastman To compare Mabel's reaction to Kova's great rudeness to a deer in the headlights would be unfair to deer. Mabel was stunned. "Uh, what?" she stammered hesitantly as she tried to figure out how she had offended the Andorian. Perhaps her slightly slouchy posture was somewhat hurtful somehow? Maybe there was something culturally hurtful about eating large portions for breakfast? But before she could apologize, Harmon showed up. "I guess we aren't talking," Mabel said to Kova, mustering up all the sass she could find in her head, and then turned to Harmon and the flask. "Morning, sir. The eggs are very runny this morning," she made small-talk, with a little warning about the food. Other than the drinking and the grouchiness, Matt wasn't such a bad guy; he could be nice, and he seemed to genuinely care for poor, poisoned Chloe (Mabel had spent quite a bit of time at her friend's sickbay bed too). Maybe Kova wasn't so bad either under certain circumstances, Mabel supposed.
Tag Kova Sh'qaleq and Matthew Harmon |
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Layne Bira
Security & Tactical
[TI13]
Posts: 23
Likes: 10
Rank: Crewman
Species: Bajoran
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Post by Layne Bira on Oct 2, 2020 17:52:07 GMT
... K'Dex popped open the hatch from the maintenance tunnel into the cargo bay, a swoosh of colder air mixing with the Cargo Bay. It'd become a habit of his after the first 2 days to do that, the cold maintenance tunnel helping him to wake up, and he could either begin work on the transporter, or now that it was finished, check its systems on a daily basis. A short hop from the hatch to the floor, he then stood up and shut it again. The Cargo Bay was also one of the few places he could stand up freely, and it was nice to have that space before being scrunched up for the rest of the day. "Morning all." He growled quietly to those beginning to get up and about, as he made his way to the transporter panel. ... Her search for serenity in logic was cut short by the sounds of early morning maintenance. She opened her eyes, determined to put what little time remained before her shift to good use. Though she attempted to lower herself down gently and carefully, the bunk creaked. The string of muffled curses she had inadvertently elicited from her bunk mate was regrettable. She watched as they turned over and pulled a thread-bare pillow over their head. Quietly as she could manage, she padded her way from the sleeping area to the cargo bay proper and spotted a Caitian preparing to work. She returned his greeting with a nod. [ Cwm Layne Bira - Cargo Bay, Medici ] Bira flipped up the back of her collar when she felt the draft of cool air wash over the expanse of the Cargo Bay. While she didn’t really engage in complaints about their accommodations, bunking out in makeshift cubicles in the Cargo Bay of the Medici as they were, she did miss having her own environmental controls for her sleeping quarters. If that qualified as an instance where life in Starfleet was making her soft, then Bira was fine with that. To be cold was one of life’s torments she absolutely abhorred. This, however, was just a mild attention getter and one she had expected. For the last two days Ensign K’Dex, as she learned was the officer’s name, had arrived bright and early to work upon the transporter dominating the floor of the Cargo Bay. Motion off to her side drew her attention just as Cwm T’Karra emerged from the cubicles and nodded to the Caitian in greeting. She hadn’t realized anyone else was up and flashed the woman a slight smile. The first words she had spoken that day were directed at K’Dex however. ”Good morning Ensign. How much longer until your repairs are completed?”, she asked from atop her seat on a cargo container. She had gotten up about an hour ago to stagger off to the bathroom, and afterwards out of deference to her bunk mate, sat up in the open bay rather than get back into her bunk. Lying down again would have been a pointless endeavor for the Bajoran; once awakened she was pretty much up for the day. In keeping with their disguise as civilians, she didn’t carry any insignia or equipment that would identify her as Starfleet. Clad in brown canvas trousers, Bira wore a black jacket that looked like it had seen better days for it was covered in scuff marks and the shoulder seam of the right arm was ripped slightly. Underneath she had a brown shirt she wired tucked into the trousers, which in turn were tucked into the tops of worn work boots. No one would doubt she lived and slept in the outfit, which was rather the point. Perhaps the disguise would matter, but Bira rather thought that by the time they encountered any Pirates the issue of their identities would not long remain secret. While not overly worried about how long it would take until their bait gained the attention of the Pirates, she would be more than glad to end the waiting. Inactivity had a way of getting on her nerves and she have to wonder if their quarry suspected a trap or they were just unlucky.
K'Dex , T'Karra |
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Kova Sh'qaleq
Civilian
Posts: 516
Likes: 34
Position: Security Consultant
Species: Andorian
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Post by Kova Sh'qaleq on Oct 2, 2020 18:08:52 GMT
[Matthew Harmon - Mess Hall, Medici]
[...]He entered the mess hall, and took his breakfast, the eggs, hashbrown, and sausages. He began to walk to an empty table when he walked past Kova sitting next to Mabel and apparently being rude. Mabel was alright in Harmon's mind, and Chloe liked her. Kova on the other hand, annoyed him and so he headed towards that table and took a seat next to Mabel. "Why'd you sit with her then?" he asked Kova flatly, before facing Mabel. "Morning Mabel," he said taking the flask from his pocket and having a drink. [NPC - Ens. Mabel Henriksen - Mess Hall, Medici]To compare Mabel's reaction to Kova's great rudeness to a deer in the headlights would be unfair to deer. Mabel was stunned. "Uh, what?" she stammered hesitantly as she tried to figure out how she had offended the Andorian. Perhaps her slightly slouchy posture was somewhat hurtful somehow? Maybe there was something culturally hurtful about eating large portions for breakfast? But before she could apologize, Harmon showed up. "I guess we aren't talking," Mabel said to Kova, mustering up all the sass she could find in her head, and then turned to Harmon and the flask. "Morning, sir. The eggs are very runny this morning," she made small-talk, with a little warning about the food. Other than the drinking and the grouchiness, Matt wasn't such a bad guy; he could be nice, and he seemed to genuinely care for poor, poisoned Chloe (Mabel had spent quite a bit of time at her friend's sickbay bed too). Maybe Kova wasn't so bad either under certain circumstances, Mabel supposed. [ Kova Sh'qaleq - Mess Hall, Medici] Kova couldn't fathom what Mabel could possibly be confused about. She had spoken in Terran Basic, and even used small words which weren't difficult to understand. Though as Harmon of all people showed up, the parameters of their co-seating seemed to dawn upon Eastman's walking-talking-recorder. The Andorian smiled, for the time being ignoring Harmon as he actually built up the nerve to ask her a question. Why was she sitting there? Really? For someone who was in Intelligence, his ability to grasp information from environmental context clues was sorely lacking. Kova's blue lips actually curled into a smile as she lifted her mug and gave Mabel a silent nod. The woman was more than welcome to engage Harmon in conversation, if she so desired to waste her time and breath with such a futile exercise. Kova only asked that she be left out of such trivial information. Kova even appreciated the extra sass in the woman's voice. Maybe she'd grow an extra vertebrae or two and actually speak her mind for once. Kova couldn't give her credit right now. It was too easy to piggy back off of Harmon's moral posturing. Upon sipping at the coffee once more, Kova pulled the mug back and stared at the liquid. Perhaps something had actually crawled into the mug and died. Kova then remembered her manners. It would be utterly rude to ignore Matthew's arrival completely. The smile that had once been upon her lips was gone without a trace. She glanced in his direction and casually held up her arm to soundly present Harmon with the middle finger humans so affectionately referred to as "the finger" or "the bird." It was about as close to a 'good morning' as he was going to get.
Tag: Matthew Harmon , Judith Eastman (Mabel) |
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Sven Aune
Security & Tactical
[TI23]
Posts: 378 Likes: 23
Rank: Lieutenant Commander
Position: Chief of Security. Combat Engineer
Species: Human
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Post by Sven Aune on Oct 2, 2020 18:34:54 GMT
Acting Captain’s Log
We are currently conducting a counter-piracy operation, against a group called Kosoter’s Scalpers. We aren’t certain whether this group is a new entrant to our region, or has simply grown more brazen, but the Federation has chosen to take action. We have deployed a former civilian freighter, the Medici, with an undercover Starfleet crew as bait for the Scalpers. Slow, heavy, barely armed, and laden with cargo, the Medici is quite the juicy target. They shouldn’t be able to resist it much longer than Michael can resist a pint of ice cream.
If and when the Scalpers bite, they’ll be surprised by a carefully concealed, heavily armed contingent of trained personnel. Any boarding operation should be beaten back, and the boarding vessel itself could well find itself boarded.
Should things go wrong, the Mac is tucked a short distance away, concealed by the 87 moons of Badrus IX. A short jump at high warp, and we’ll be there to take care of any trouble if we’re needed.
The Medici has now been cruising for four days. I’ve been communicating with them through text, as well as asynchronous video messages. It’s a very impersonal system, but it’s the best we could do with the encryption needs.
In charge of the Medici is Dr. Baker, who has performed excellently in every position of authority so far. I couldn’t be prouder of her, and if she keeps this up, I’m sure she’ll have her very own command in due time. This operation should be a nice feather in her cap.
Lieutenant Niles is serving as her First Officer, despite his lack of rank and seniority, in the interest of professional development. I believe that placing him closer to the decision-making process will help quench his recent aggression by exposing him to the nuance of operational realities. I also believe that a taste of command will help illustrate our need for dependability from subordinates, which he seems to have unlearned lately. All in all, I believe this will be a valuable experience for him.
As for me, I’ve had quite a bit of free time on this operation. Max and Anna are accompanying me on the Mac, and we’ve had the chance to watch the MLB playoffs in real time. Today, my Yankees are playing the Solar Sailors, Bajor’s great team. I fully expect a victory I can rub in Saya’s face.
End log.***[Cmdr. Judith Eastman(-Williams) et al. - Captain's Ready Room, USS Mac]Judy doffed her Yankees cap and scarf, leaving her uniform pristine, ready to record a message. "Good morning. I hope you’ve all been managing in those cramped quarters. Hopefully, we’ll be able to wrap this thing up soon, and I promise, I’ll have a worthy meal prepped up for all of you. For now, check the new charts we’re sending you - we think the Scalpers are getting closer, so today might be the day. Take care, be careful, and remember, we’re just one distress signal away." With the low resolution, she’d chosen contacts to avoid the glare from her spectacles, and her wrinkles were less noticeable. Altogether, she supposed she looked a solid 20 years younger at least! With the message sent, Judy turned her attention to the holoprojector, where she could see the game about to begin.
Our cast: It was the first time Sven had been on the Mac in quite some time. He was more of a boots on the ground security officer, and thus enjoyed working station security. He was better at dealing with interpersonal conflict rather than interspaceship. But it was felt that he should attend on this mission given that many of his officers were being used as bait aboard the Medici. It was an interesting dichotomy. Peaceful exploration turns to policing. Ah well. Eurus placed her shaggy head into his lap as he finished up the last of his reports for the day. It was a seemingly non stop rotary of paperwork. "I'm going to have to get an assistant" he said giving her fluffy head a good rubbing. "No, you can't be it. Unless you know how to operate a PADD with those paws of yours." she just gave him a baleful look. "I'll take you for a walk later! But I got to get going."
He stood and walked over to a hat rack and pulled off a New York Yankees ball cap. He placed it upon his bald head. But he was still wearing his gold security uniform. He was technically on duty, but in a standby capacity. He gave Eurus one more pat on the head, told her to go curl up. And she did circling her doggie bed before laying on it. He smiled then walked the corridors of the Mac. It was a fine ship, and he wondered if he should spend more time on it. But right now he was heading over to the Captains ready room. He landed on the bridge, and nodded to the staff working it before heading over the door. He pressed the chime. Tag Judith Eastman |
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