by Salvek and Lair
81105.13
Following New Things…
-=Conference Room One, USS Serendipity=-
81105.13
Following New Things…
-=Conference Room One, USS Serendipity=-
The USS Serendipity was already en route to her ordered destination; it was time to make her mission known.
“Good evening,” Salvek greeted the assembled senior staff. “We’ve just been dispatched by Starfleet to Lethus IV. You are hereby ordered to share the following orders with members of the Serendipity crew only. Nothing discussed here is to be shared with anyone outside of this ship. Make sure your subordinates understand the same.”
Everyone assembled nodded that they understood.
“A metal box, of what appears to be Hugreti in origin, has been located on Lethus.”
Salvek relayed the information that Lassiter had shared with him regarding the box, as well as the brief history of what little was actually known of the Hugreti and their technology.
“Unfortunately, there is a problem with Starfleet’s efforts to keep this discovery secret. The construction crew that unearthed the box did not know the significance of it, and transmitted an image of it over an unsecured subspace feed. There is no telling who may have intercepted that message.” Salvek explained.
“Meaning there is no telling who may show up to try and claim it?” TC Blane noted. “We should send the Alchemy ahead. No one in the quadrant has the technology to keep up with her.”
“That will not be possible,” Salvek said, shaking his head. “The Alchemy is being dispatched to Bajor to deal with a humanitarian crisis as we speak. We are on our own for this mission.”
“What’s happening on Bajor?” Dabin Reece asked, suddenly concerned.
“I do not have all the details. An outbreak of some sort of fever.” Salvek said.
Reece made a mental note to let February know after the meeting. She would surely want to check in with Jariel Camen to make sure he was all right.
“So,” TC began, returning to the topic of their current mission, “Has anything like this ever been discovered before? Can we even hazard a guess what may be inside this box?”
“The Hugreti possessed, it is believed, technology far advanced beyond our own. There have been artifacts discovered but never a container such as this before. Anything constructed in such a fashion must be of great value,” Hok took the liberty of answering TC’s question, as Salvek listened. “I’m sorry Commander Salvek, I did not mean to interrupt.”
“Not at all, thank you for the information.” Salvek said. He appreciated that the value of Hugreti artifacts not only made an impression on scientists and archaeologists, but on profiteers as well. As both a Ferengi and a Starfleet officer, Hok was surely as excited as anyone to take part in this mission, and Salvek knew his enthusiasm would make him a valuable asset in the coming days.
“As I said, Starfleet expects us to have competition. Mister Blakeslee, I expect you to run security and battle drills. Turn in your reports to Commander Blane.”
“Aye, Sir.” Zander replied.
“Mister Hok will be taking on primary CONN duties for this mission and indeed, the months ahead. Commander Reece has given me permission to explain why. Some of you may already know, but for those who do not, Lieutenant Grace is expecting a child and there are some concerns about her health. Therefore she will be on restricted duty for the duration, which should be…” He waited for Dabin to fill in the rest.
“Our daughter should arrive in…” Dabin quickly did the math in his head…having been told she was about six weeks along already. “…Approximately twelve weeks.”
“Thank you Commander. Lieutenant Dengar,” Salvek turned his attention now to their Chief Engineer. “All attempts to scan the item in question to determine its contents have been completely unsuccessful. Additionally, they have not been able to even identify the metallurgical make up of the box itself. Please focus your efforts on these problems with a view to creating the technology to do the job, if existing scanners cannot be modified. If you and Commander Reece work in concert, it is my hope that we can take an appropriate scanning unit to the surface and, at least determine if it is safe to bring the box aboard.”
“Understood. But whatever the scans may say, I wouldn’t risk using the transporter to bring it up.” Rada warned. “Low-tech. cautious handling with kid gloves is what I recommend.”
“If I may?” Lair Kellyn raised her hand and Salvek nodded to her. “Rada, feel free to make use of any of the equipment in my laboratory. Couldn’t hurt, might help.” Kellyn volunteered.
“Thank you, Commander.”
“Is there anything else?” Salvek inquired. The room was silent. “Then we all have our jobs to do. We will arrive at Lethus soon, and I will assign personnel to the initial Away Team to assess the situation. Dismissed.”
The room cleared, except for TC Blane, Salvek and Lair Kellyn.
Blane, knowing that Kellyn likely had questions as well about the situation on Bajor, spoke freely in front of her.
“I’m concerned about what’s going on at Altaan. Has anyone been able to locate the Vedek?”
“From what I have been told by Commander Reece, Grace just received a recent message from the Vedek. He was said to be in the Takesian Plains area, not at Altaan. We can only hope he has been spared exposure to this outbreak.”
“Hope and pray.” Kellyn answered softly. “Altaan can’t confirm his current location?”
“They do not have a subspace relay at the facility in Altaan,” Salvek advised, “A situation which the Alchemy crew will correct the moment they arrive.”
“Doesn’t surprise me. They only have the one small replicator and that’s it as far as technology on the premises.” TC remembered aloud, having helped to install that replicator himself last winter when he had journeyed there with Zanh and Jariel. “Everything else is a couple centuries behind the rest of the Federation. It’s unreal.”
“Bajor just hasn’t been high on the Federation’s priority list since they signed on the dotted line.” Kellyn complained. “As soon as they were officially members and the bureaucrats could wave that around and say ‘See, we’ve got Bajor!’ they promptly turned around and forgot there are actually still people in need on the planet.” Kellyn frowned deeply. “I hope Jariel is all right.”
“Yeah.” TC’s countenance mirrored her expression. “Me too.”
“Mister Blane, may I speak to Commander Salvek alone for a moment? I promise I won’t keep him from you long.”
“Of course. Commanders.” Blane nodded and exited the room.
Salvek waited for Kellyn to speak, hands clasped serenely behind him.
“Have you lost your sanity?”
“According to the information contained in my medical files, I am completely sound in mind.” Salvek replied calmly even though he knew it was a rhetorical question.
“Anyone who is willing to get within a light year of Hugreti technology has to be twice as crazy as they are stupid! What the hell is wrong with Lassiter, sending us on this mission?”
“The Admiral feels it is a greater threat if the box is allowed to be intercepted by the wrong people,”
“The Hugreti wiped themselves out, Salvek!” She exclaimed, crossing her arms. “Their history is a cautionary tale for every modern civilization known to humanoid kind! We have no business opening Pandora’s box.”
“We have our orders, Kellyn,” Salvek said softly, unable and unwilling to spend any time debating the wisdom of the course they had been set upon.
“Aye Sir.” She answered angrily, knowing that there was nothing more to say. “Am I dismissed?”
“Kellyn,”
“Am I dismissed?” Her tone was cold as ice.
“Dismissed.”
Salvek stared out the window, his mind running rapidly through his own list of concerns and questions about this mission, as Lair Kellyn exited the room.
----------------
Commander Salvek
Executive Officer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
and
Commander Lair Kellyn
Engineering Research and Development
For The Alchemy Project
Commander Salvek
Executive Officer
USS Serendipity NCC-2012
and
Commander Lair Kellyn
Engineering Research and Development
For The Alchemy Project