Decisions, Decisions

Posted on 11 Jul 2016 @ 3:46am by Captain Harvey Geisler & Commander Thiago Teixeira & Lieutenant Commander Temerant Bast & Lieutenant Commander Camila Di Pasquale & Lieutenant JG Felix Langston

2,253 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Risky Business
Location: Deck 3 || Conference Room 2
Timeline: MD 3 || 0945 hours

With the room emptied, Harvey, still standing, looked to the officers at the table. "Well..." he remarked, not entirely sure what to feel about that meeting. "We heard a lot today, but not many actual solutions. Mister Langston, what are your thoughts about getting those crews on this ship. Time will be short, as most evacuations are. And, Miss Di Pasquale, what about finding Consortium agents?"

"Well, sir," Felix said as he turned his chair towards the captain. "The runabouts and shuttles are still going to be our best bet. It's going to take a while, but it's probably the most sensible course of action. If tactical's plan to immobilize the crew works, evac shouldn't be too difficult. The only thing I'm worried about is our CONN officers potentially getting stretched thin. I may not have enough helmsmen to have relief officers posted near the bridge and engineering; we're gonna be pulling some long shifts in the nebula."

"There are many other officers and crew on board who are qualified enough to pilot a shuttle," chimed in Bast. "It shouldn't be too difficult to fill those seats."

"Got it," Felix said. "Then we shouldn't have a problem with the actual transport. I can maneuver the Black Hawk to make things easier for the evac crews."

"With the addition of Warrant Officer Tanika, we should have a better idea of who is Consortium and who isn't, Captain," Camila said. "Cadet Khan had a valid idea about using Anesthizine, but I'm afraid that using that in combination with the plan that Security came up with may be fatal to some species. I would recommend converting the cargo bay to a Brig until such time as everyone can be telepathically scanned. We also have no on in the Brig at the moment and we can also convert the recreation centers and holodecks to holding areas as well if need be. I'm willing to bet that the major department heads and Command has been compromised by the Consortium on the ships and suggest that we isolate them from each other and everyone else immediately."

Harvey nodded. "How long would that take?"

"It shouldn't take too long," said Bast. "Clearing out the cargo bays shouldn't take more than a couple of hours, then it's a matter of dividing them into separate cells, and installing forcefield emitters and setting up a watch console. I'd say about four to six hours."

"Commander Bast has the right of it for time. Three and a half to five hours if we allocate extra personnel from other departments," Camila said. "Commander Teixeira mentioned that he'd look into that to help out with Security on the ship."

Harvey continued. "Intrepids have small shuttlebays, if I remember correctly. And it could take a while to rally everyone on board to it, especially if there's a short window. Lieutenant Kilmartin mentioned transporters. I know the nebula screws everything up, but surely there is an effective range. What if the shuttle or runabout is sitting directly on the ship's hull? Will transporters work then?"

"They should, but that's a question of them allowing us to put our shuttles and runabouts on their hulls," Camila said. "Of course, should Security's plan succeed, we won't have a problem with that."

"We could send the first pilots in with pattern enhancers, which should give us a bit of a performance boost with the transporters," recommended Bast. "But of course, this is all contingent on the crews wanting to be rescued."

"How do you propose we determine that, Commander?" Thiago asked, breaking his silence.

"I imagine if they're shooting at us, they probably don't want to be rescued," Felix said. "Is there any way we can reach out to the Starfleet-loyal crew with some kind of message? Or, lure the Consortium out with some kind of coded transmission?"

Camila shook her head and looked at Commander Teixeira, then at the others. "It's already been approved that Security is going to send one officer to each ship with a device designed to disable the crew of the ships so they won't have a choice about being rescued or not," she said. "We'll be able to take the runabouts and shuttles over once that's done and begin beam outs using combadge signals and close range scans for life signs."

Wow, this woman has her ducks in a row, Felix thought. That's the kind of thing I need to do as Chief. Maybe I should talk to her about how she runs her department.

Harvey nodded. "It sounds simple enough, and I hope it's just as doable. All right, let's go with that. Mister Bast, make sure we make the proper arrangements with each shuttle, and go ahead and prepare the necessary facilities, starting with the holodecks. Lieutenant Di Pasquale, I know your team is already stretched, but you'll have to give him a hand."

Bast nodded, and tapped a few commands into his data padd, making a note to assign Ensign Sisserk to program the requirements into the Holodeck matrix.

"We'll have to physically dismantle the cargo transporter pads. Wouldn't want anyone gaining access to that," pointed out Bast.

"Yes, Sir," Camila said, wondering exactly who she could pull from the various assignments that the Captain had been correct in stating was stretched thin.

"There is one more matter," Harvey said. Normally, this conversation would just be for Teixeira and Bast, but this one required more of a unified front. "We have to prepare for the possibility that they'll beat us to the weapon and want to use us as guinea pigs. This ship contains valuable information and arms that can not get into the wrong hands. In the event that there no option but failure, we will have to scuttle the Black Hawk."

"Of course, Captain," Teixeira said without hesitation. Using a ship's self-destruction protocol was always a real possibility, but was rarely used. Thiago had yet to see it personally, but, as Executive Officer, he stood ready to use it if needed.

"We will need to design a protocol," Harvey continued. "In the event of an extreme and sudden loss of life, this self destruct needs to start immediately. Can it be done?"

"For a fully automated process, we'd have to reprogram the self-destruct subroutine," Thiago explained. "It could be done, but I'm uncomfortable relying on the computer to know when to set it off. It's too easy to disrupt the computer."

Bast nodded. "I agree," he said. "All it would take is for them to lock you in a shielded room, for instance, where the sensors can't scan you, and then... boom."

"Then I'm open to recommendations," Harvey said. "One hit with a thalaron weapon, and there may be no one behind to take care of the ship."

Camila shivered at the Captain's words, but gathered her will and repressed it as her face set in stone. "I suggest that the protocol be initiated upon the loss of the first three levels of the Chain of Command," she said, fully aware that it meant the Captain, Executive Officer and Second Officer would have to be dead for that to happen.

"And how would that be tracked, exactly?" Harvey asked. "Do the three of us need to wear biomonitors for the duration of the mission?"

No way they're talking about this! Felix thought. This is not even my third day on this ship and they're talking about scuttling her? And talking about the CO, XO, and SO being dead? This isn't real! Felix nodded at the captain's comment. "I hate for us to be callous like this, sir," Felix said, "but biomonitors seem to be the best way for us to know if we...um...need to scuttle the ship."

Still standing, Harvey looked down at the young Lieutenant. Harvey had not been much older than Felix when he first considered his own mortality. He wished he could tell him it would never get easier, but trying to console the Lieutenant was not a priority in this mission. "Biomonitors it is then," Harvey said. "Thiago, Temerant and I will report to sickbay this afternoon to have them issued. Mister Bast, sync them with the ship's computer, and let's program the auto-destruct. Sixty second detonation." He couldn't wait until this thing was over.

Teixeira sat there, unable to say anything. He didn't want to contradict the Captain in front of other, something Geisler had specifically mentioned when they'd had lunch. But he also wasn't sure this was the best idea. He decided to bring it up to Geisler after the meeting.

Bast nodded gravely. Sixty seconds was a short time. "Do we give anyone authority to cancel autodestruct? If the three of us are dead, but Lieutenant Di Pasquale or Doctor Rykov manage to regain control of the ship... ?"

"If the three of us are dead, then it would be likely that Camila and Parisa would be as well," Harvey countered. "We go too long on the countdown and we increase the chances of the ship being captured."

"To ensure a full destruction of the ship, the countdown should also be linked to the weapons in the armory," Camila said. "All it would take is one tri-cobalt device being armed and programmed to detonate when the self-destruct is initiated."

Camila and tri-cobalts... Harvey thought, thinking this was her second request in two days for the powerful explosive. "I think the existing system should be sufficient," he said. "We're already introducing bio-monitors into a delicate system. We don't need a glitch or a bump in the nebula to cause premature."

Camila instantly regretted what she had said and could only berate herself mentally for having done so. It was enough that she had suggested using one in the first place, but to suggest a second one less than a few days later? The young Security Chief made a mental note to think of alternatives before going for the ultimate solutions. "You are correct, Captain and I withdrawal my suggestion."

Felix shuffled in his seat, trying to hide his displeasure at the current situation. I wonder if we'll get a chance to have any more of these meetings, he thought. "Well, I think it goes without saying, sir," he said, "but I hope we never get the opportunity to put this plan into play."

"As do I," Harvey said solemnly. "Mister Langston, I have one final matter for you. Should the worst happen, and there is a chance for some of the crew to escape, we need to have a plan for that as well. My recommendation would be to scatter. And, believe it or not, the safest place to be is probably Dominion space. Runabouts, shuttles, escape pods, fighters... doesn't matter. Just get them out of the nebula and to somewhere where they can hide or link back up with Starfleet."

"My dad had some notes about possible rally points in the Gamma Quadrant," Felix said. "I'll consult them and come up with a flight plan should the worst happen."

With all of the matters now at least underway, Harvey nodded a final time to the assembled team. "Let's get to it. You're dismissed."

Bast looked at Camila. "I'll go and have a talk with Ensign Sisserk about programming the Holodecks. I'll meet you in the cargo bay right after."

"I'm on my way," Camila said as she got up and headed out.

"Yes sir," Felix said and walked out the door.

"Captain, a moment," Teixeira said as the others filed out.

"What's on your mind, Commander?" Harvey asked. He had a feeling this wasn't going to be a pleasant matter.

Thiago glanced at the doors to make sure they had closed. "I don't like this plan. Risking the crew on biomonitors? What if we're all still alive but the monitors fail? Sensors can fail. They can be fooled."

"And I don't like the idea of being caught unaware," Harvey countered before heaving a sigh. "Damn rumors. If they are true, and they get the upper hand, the Consortium will have the Black Hawk and quite a few secrets. If you've got a better idea, Thiago, now's a good time."

"I understand the problem, Captain. And I also understand sensors. With, perhaps, moderate effort, I could negate the use of the biomonitors. And I'm willing to bet there are people on those others ships who could do it even easier."

Harvey considered it for a moment, then nodded his consent. "You've got twelve hours, Commander," Harvey ordered. "If you don't have anything by then, we'll have to stick with the biomonitors." The idea of having someone or something monitor his every heartbeat and pulse rate was not appealing to him, but if meant the safety of Starfleet forces in the Gamma Quadrant, his comfort had little meaning.

"Thank you, Captain." He stood and started towards the door, but then stopped and turned back to face Geisler. "If we do have to resort to the biomonitors, a sixty second countdown might be too long. A minute is a long time. Something to think about." With those words, he left the room, leaving Geisler alone.

Alone, Harvey looked back to the empty table. As his eyes examined the empty room, all he could do was hope that it would one day be used again. And, with any luck, what they had just discussed in here would never be needed.

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