STF

Briefing Room- Project Bastion

Posted Sept. 7, 2022, 2:44 p.m. by Lieutenant Commander Daggum Hammor (Chief Operations Officer) (James Sinclair)

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Faye Calloway (Chief Intelligence Officer) in Briefing Room- Project Bastion

Posted by Lieutenant Shock (Chief of Security) in Briefing Room- Project Bastion

Posted by Lieutenant Commander Faye Calloway (Chief Intelligence Officer) in Briefing Room- Project Bastion
Posted by… suppressed (16) by the Post Ghost! 👻

(snip)

OOC: A bunch of people will be in this meeting shortly, so we can just bring everyone in and Tony and I can insert needed convo before that point. Faye would have sent out a meeting request for the CO,XO, COS, CE, COO and Dawson. Please all do jump in. ~Linds

bump

Serena almost bumped into the security officer but looked up from the PaDD in one hand just in time and slipped in next to him. “Uh, I don’t think I’m late,” she said. “Are we interrupting?”

Moving around Lieutenant Shock, she made her way to sit at the table, setting down the large mug and the PaDD she’d brought. Lacing her fingers together and resting her hands in her lap she waited for the rest to be seated and for things to get started.

Lt Cmdr Stone, XO

Orvos gave his new XO a nod before she sat down.

The new Lieutenant Commander with the Intelligence Division colour on her uniform watched people arrive. her dark brown hair tied back in a tidy french braid. her stormy grey-green coloured eyes took in each person rather intently, her mind moving along multiple tangents at a time. “Nope, your timing is great. We have a few more people arriving, so get comfy and I’ll try to get through my debriefing quickly and make it as painless as possible.”

~Faye Calloway, CIO

“Where is the fun in that?” the smooth, casual voice of a man sounded as a Bajoran wearing the colours of Engineering stepped through the door behind the group and with a practiced eye noted everyone in the room without moving his head. The mans normally deep green eyes seemed to have transformed into a more hazel hue, lighter than usual but no less intense. A quick, sharp look and nod to the Captain, and then they settled on the other three who were unfamiliar to him. Mostly unfamiliar. Calloway wore the Intel division colours so despite never having been introduced, Ros already felt familiar despite his retirement from that division of Starfleet.

Faye snorted.

Orvos also gave a nod to the man who replaced him as chief engineer not that long ago.

“Lieutenant Commander Akirel Ros,” the Bajoran introduced himself to the three with a slight bow. “I’d be your Chief Engineer. Commander, Commander, Lieutenant,” he acknowledged each of them in turn, being fairly new still and busy enough that he had not had the pleasure yet of meeting the new XO, CIO or the COS.

Lt Cmdr Akirel, CE

It was at that point that Dawson entered the room in civilian clothes. They were rather plain looking as he hoped to not attract too much attention to himself with anything out of the norm. His garb was dark and leather looking in nature. Dawson nodded to the CIO. “Ms. Calloway, a pleasure.”

Faye nodded in return. “We’ll definitely be chatting afterwards.”

He then looked to the captain with a nod. “Captain.”

Dawson kept the grin from surfacing to his face as he sat down. He offered a cordial grin for all, but deep down, he enjoyed watching Orvos internally squirm.

-Captain Orvos Legen, CO
-Dawson, Intel

The Operations Chief walked in next. The large Orion made his way around the table, nodding at those he knew and smiling at those he hadn’t really dealt with yet. Taking a seat, he said to the room as a whole “Sorry for the delay. Minor accident in the shuttle bay. Seems someone didnt know you can’t park two shuttles in the same spot.”

After Daggum arrived, Faye moved over a little to stand by the display screen, her keen grey-green eyes taking in the group. “All right, I’ll get started. For those that don’t know, I’m Faye Calloway. I was originally assigned to the Athena as a Intelligence Officer and Senior Field Agent, but with Commander Stark’s departure, things shifted and I have stepped into the role of Chief Intelligence Officer. So not the plan but we’re going with it. I had the opportunity to have a good conversation with Stark before I left my previous assignment and I was very excited to be working with him. He seemed to have confidence in my though so I can only hope to do the role justice.” Faye inhaled deeply, letting her lungs fill her torso before she continued.

“Now, I pitched my assignment here as a redux of something I had done on the Manhattan, where I just transferred from. I just got married”-just tossed a wink at Daggum-“and it made sense that I was here. While my priority has been expanded greatly, this project I have been a leader on is still very important. And we’ll get to that debriefing in just a moment, I want to be really open about a couple things. Firstly, I don’t always get social cues and my brain sometimes works really fast. It can short circuit in weird ways. That can make some interactions with people awkward. I don’t mean to be rude or difficult. If I do or say something that irks you, just tell me. Most of the time I probably won’t even have a clue it happened.” She shrugged. “And the other is that I know that Intelligence can come with a reputation. One its often gone out of its way to cultivate. But let’s be honest here, I don’t give a crap whatever people’s hangups with Intelligence are. I’m very good at what I do and I intend to be excellent here, for the safety of the ship and its crew. I’ve been building and hacking computer programs since I was a teenager. I also have an unconventional background that makes me see situations different than others might. Which is why I’m going to get ahead of the rumour mill and say yes, my parents were Maquis and so was I even as a teenager. And no I don’t care if it bothers some people. It was a long time ago a they’ll just have to get over it. But on the off chance that someone here lost a friend or loved one in those conflicts, talk to me later. I won’t apologize on everyone’s behalf, nor should I be required to, but… I get it. I lost people too.”

It was there that Faye paused and blew out a breath. “Any questions before I continue with the official debriefing?”

~Faye Calloway, CIO

“No”, Shock calmly replied. He had never really met Calloway before – only seen her around. She seemed to Shock like a Vulcan – such with social cues – yet her erratic way of beginning her briefing made her not seem very Vulcan after all. An interesting human being. He looked forward to getting to know her better.

Having answered in the negative, he wondered if others had questions and if they would ask them. He was curious about what the briefing would bring.

– Lt Stock – COS

Hammor shook his head in the negative as well. It was still weird, sitting here with his wife giving a briefing, but such was the nature of the universe. If you didn’t like change, you were bound to be very disappointed.

Hammor, Ops

bump

Orvos spoke up. “I think it’s safe to say we’re all a bit different here. Nevermind what others think. Some of us may feel different or weird, but that’s just part of job isn’t it? I think it’s safe to say we can proceed.” After giving a slight smile, he leaned back and listened.

-Captain Orvos Legen, CO

Faye nodded and turned halfway towards the screen. “On the Manhattan I was tasked with installing an experimental data protection system meant to work in conjunction with a ship’s current systems. Think of it like a redundant firewall comprised of both hardware and custom software. The former I consulted on, the latter I wrote myself. Given the Athena’s rather… unique penchant for finding itself in difficult situations in unpredictable places, both Starfleet Command and Intelligence have given me the go-ahead to replicate the system on this ship. Here is why it’s necessary…”

She tapped the keypad a few times and the display changed to show a crippled ship. “This is the USS Odyssey. It was commissioned several years ago and sent on a deep space mission to explore the closer regions of the Delta Quadrant. This is, of course, before the wormhole was discovered where Event Horizon Station has been built. The Odyssey was expected to do two years and return to a base for regular maintenance. Half way on their way back to Federation space, Command lost contact. Several months later a freighter came across the ship and relayed the information back to Starfleet via a Federation registered freighter.” Faye exhaled in preparation for what she was about to show them. “Please understand that I take no pleasure in showing you this, but it is necessary.”

She tapped a key and images began to slowly cycle. The ship was shown adrift, then interior shots showed the environmental systems were clearly non functional and the crew frozen, and in some spaces floating about, clearly dead. There were also signs of asphyxiation. It was grim and Faye held a somber gaze as she turned back to them. “From the information gathered and extrapolated, it appears the ship’s systems came in contact with a virus. We’re not entirely sure how, but it seemed to be an evolved bit of tech that sweeps through a computer and takes over, trying to restructure things to its liking, as if there is some sort of outcome its searching for. The freighter captains reported a few rumours of similar incidents with other non-Federation ships. Since my completion of the project on the Manhattan We’ve learned that the tech has specific origins that I am not free to disclose to you, but suffice to say those involved are not fluffy bunnies out to do good in the galaxy.” There was a surge in anger in Faye but she managed to contain it and only a flicker of it touched her eyes.

The images didn’t seem to surprise the Lieutenant Commander. If anyone paid attention she practically expected them. They weren’t the easiest things to look at with the various states of decompression damage done.

Faye turned the images off and took in the group, lingering on Captain Legen. “What you need to know is that I am really good at what I do, but this project is a massive undertaking and I can’t do it alone. I need all your help, all of us working together to do it properly and as quickly as possible. We’re in a calm enough situation at this moment but the ship’s records tell me everything I need to know: this needs to be done asap. I have crates of supplies I’ve brought with me that are all restricted on a need-to-know-basis. I will trust your judgement on who needs to know, but I do ask that you be exceptionally cautious about who you allow from your teams to work on this, and Commander Hammor and myself will be the only ones to distribute the hardware. The software I will work on with select helpers, using my program from the Manhattan as a starting point, but every ship, even ones of the same class have different power draws and quirks. So we’ll be customizing it heavily.” Calloway blew out a breath. “Now I know you have questions, so hit me.”

~Faye Calloway, CIO

Shock had listened intently to Calloway’s brief.

“Commander –” he said, “My understanding is that we must update the Athena’s systems using the special hardware and software. Have I understood correctly? If so, what is the timeframe? Why do we have to be so careful about who has access the hard- and software, if it is to protect us? Do we have reasonable ground to suspect having infiltrators that might wish to destroy it or cause it to malfunction?”

He had prepared questions about Security’s role in the endeavor, but those questions depended on Calloway’s response to these first. As chief of security, his responsibility was the internal safety and security of the ship and its inhabitants.

– Lt Shock (COS)

Calloway shot Daggum a deep look and knew she had a decision to make here. She had to tread that line between disclosure and not disobeying orders.

“As I said, I’m not at liberty to discuss details, but I can share that I personally know some of those that are involved in the group that created this tech and they were willing to go to great lengths to achieve their goals, including framing me for crimes I didn’t commit.” She planted her hands on her hips. “I’m already going to be on careful alert for any signs that someone else will try something again, but my safety is the least of my concerns. As for timeline, it took me mostly by myself 1000 hours to install the whole system. Obviously things go faster the more people we have doing the work. It will be a delicate balance between maintaining security over the system and getting it done fast. I am open to suggestions, but if I feel we’re compromising safety too much, I will override others. I have the clearance to do so in this case, and I really don’t mean to be difficult, but I just cannot be lax with this, and neither can any of you.”

~Faye Calloway, CIO

With her own background rooted heavily in security and tactical concerns, she shared much of Shock’s same thoughts on the matter. The answers were vague and not particularly helpful. A virulent malicious program like the one she outlined, a few sources came to mind. A defense system too. “Are either of these technologies adapted from the Borg,” she asked.

“One more thing, why aren’t we just installing an ENINTADI AI and just enhancing our cyber and electronic warfare packages. What makes your defense any more potent, unique, or useful by comparison?” Some might have taken question to be personal, but in this case it was a simple matter of comparison. Serena hoped the CIO would recognize it for it’s objectivity rather than taking it as some sort of harsh criticism.

Hammor spoke up. “Due to the level of compromise by the group in question, Command and Intel have deemed it necessary to forgo known systems.” He himself had no idea what had happened, but he had heard that response often enough that it was rote.

“Also what kind of timeline do we have for the Odyssey? When did it depart? When did it get found? When was it’s last check-in to Starfleet before we lost contact?” It was standard procedure to check in regularly, except for when being covert. Exploration missions were no exception, and when venturing into the unknown, reporting their position and latest updates regularly only made sense. Those data points would at least give them a corner piece to the puzzle that lay ahead, a good start as it were.

Lt Cmdr Stone, XO

“Might I suggest-” Hammor said “- to the Captain and XO that, once we are done here, you contact the Manhattan and talk to their CO? I was on the ship at the beginning of the Commander’s efforts there, and I am sure that the Fleet Captain could offer you a certain perspective that might be helpful.”

Hamkor, Ops

“What he said,” Faye said, pointing to Daggum. “But as far as the timeline goes, it’s like I said, they were out in the DQ for one year. When Command lost contact with the Odyssey they had had regular contact as much as they could at the time. Keep in mind that Starfleet didn’t have regular operations in the Delta Quadrant like they do now and the only reason we have real-time communications is because of the relay network I helped establish. There was no way for Command to send out a search party given the distance. Now, it would be a different story.”

~Faye Calloway, CIO

It having been quiet for a few moments, Shock decided he would speak again.

“Captain –, ” he nodded to, first, the captain, and then to Ms Calloway, “Commander, if I may.”

He decided he might. He rose from his seat. This required his colleague’s attention.

“There is not much information so far regarding potential threats. Ms Calloway has not been able to divulge what kind of threat we might face, and from whom, and how this threat might appear. As such, I am required to recommend full armed security on all matters of this process, in all areas, and in all parts of this implementation. I recommend armed escort of all officers tasked with both hardware and software implementation. This goes for all persons in this room as well. You will need to carry phasers or keep an armed escort, preferably both, at all times of the implementation. I do not know the nature of our enemy, and it is my responsibility that our enemy is kept at bay. Accordingly, I cannot recommend anything less than this, with the information and intelligence shared here today.”

Shock remained standing, waiting for comments.

– Lt Shock (COS)

OOC: Pasting me back in. :)
IC:
Faye shook her head. “No, I divulged the threat exactly,” she said, gesturing to the screen. “The threat is a semi-sentient computer virus. Whatever threat people-wise we might have to be on the look out for is secondary and I know all the details. I have clearance to share that with the captain and first officer, but would need further permission to share those details to others. I already know how unlikely I am to get that permission.”

“You told me that the people behind this tech would go at great lengths.... Now you say that the threat from people is secondary. How secondary? I understand you cannot share the details, but how likely or unlikely is it that there is a threat from people? With your intelligence, is it your assessment that escorts is necessary? Higher alert among security officers? Is there anyone in the ship we should protect more than usual?”

Shock noticed. he had misinterpreted earlier. He was not sure what had happened. Was he dysregulated? Had he meditated as before? All said, he trusted Calloway in so far that the captain did too. Could she be a threat? Could that even be possible? Working with intelligence people and things on a need-to-know basis was strange. Surely, he had thought (yet most in Starfleet disagree), that the ship’s internal security would mean that he should be able to know everything that he thought was necessary, not what others thought was necessary. But this was not the way of things. If everyone else had been Vulcan now, it would have been much easier. Humans were strange, not to mention El-Aurians. This entire’s ship mystery aura made nothing the better.

Daggum cleared his throat and said “Phasers won’t do a thing against a computer virus, Lieutenant. I am no expert in Security protocols like you are, but could it be more efficient to set dual authenticator lock outs on all systems that the Commander and her team will be working on? That way someone from, say, Security or Command would have to co-authenticate access to the systems while they are being worked on? Then we would have redundant access and no one person would be able to get in and mess with anything.” He looked at Faye and said “It would slow things down a little, but not enough to make a real difference.” and he looked back at Shock. “And it wouldn’t be huge draw on your department’s manpower.”

Hammor, Ops

“I’m okay with some extra protocols,” Faye said. I just need to remind you all that this is a -need-to-know classification. A visible contingent of security officers following everyone around is the exact opposite of discretion. This project does not exist out of those we have determined need to know. Not only have the people in this room been cleared to hear this briefing, how exactly do you expect your team to recognize wrong-doing in this matter? What would they presume to look out for. That’s a job for myself and my team. We’re the Intelligence officers here. You’re going to have to extend a bit of trust my way.”

~Faye Calloway, CIO

Shock did not appreciate the last bit. Intelligence was about information, not about actions. Shock and his people wwere in charge of internal security matters. He already noticed there would be tension between his and Calloway’s department. Why did it seem like she distrusted him?

“Intelligence officers gather information. Security determines the level of threat and acts on it,” replied Shock. “But given the clearances, I cannot argue that. What is your recommendation to Security? How can Security best assist?” He needed to alleviate any concerns that he was not a team player. His cooperation would aid the security of the ship, and that was better than being territorial about his department. That would be the logical way.

He thus stretched out a hand, metaphorically speaking.

– Lt Shock (COS)

It sounded all polite on the surface but Faye had explained exactly what she needed already. She hated repeating herself. So it took all of her restraint not to blurt out something like ‘Stay out of the way’. No, Instead she exhaled some of the tension and focused on Shock. “I said at the beginning that I was not your typical Intelligence Officer. I’m not typical anything, really. But let me reintroduce myself and maybe we can reframe this situation.” She took a breath. “Hi, I’m Faye Calloway. I’m a scientist with degrees in Geoscience, Exobiology and Computational Science. The first two were because I was bored and took some classes. The latter I am not just good at, but one of the best you’re meet. And that is not ego speaking. My skills are sought after. I am not here on the Athena to sit around waiting for security threats to waft through my console. I am here to work. In this case, it means that I will be working with different departments on different projects. This is our current and primary one but it won’t be my only one. For Project Bastion, this data protection system we are installing, Security is here as a courtesy. Because I’ve had personal experience with security officers who are kept out of the loop and it tends to not go well for anyone. This is not me as Chief Intelligence Officer going cloak-and-dagger about the ship. I feel like I’m being very up front about what we do and don’t need. But as Commander Hammor suggested, there are compromises that can be made.

“Do these people pose a threat? Hell, yes. But they aren’t our concern. Right now, as we speak, there are people risking their lives to deal with them. There is nothing we can do to help them except protect this ship and its crew,” Faye said, holding back the thread of fear she kept buried about her mother and step-father less she lose her composure entirely. “And in the infinitesimal possibility that they do pose a threat here, well, I’ve survived worse. The point is, that our concern is the off-chance that the Athena will come into contact with this computer virus and kill everyone. I will not let that happen. And together we can make sure that is actually true.” She had been on this ship all of one hour and she could feel her patience being tested. Would it always be like this?

~Faye Calloway, Grumbly CIO

Hammor cleared his throat again and said “Everybody take a breath.” and he looked at Calloway. “Security is here because they should be here, Commander… not as a courtesy.” His voice was not stern, but it was firm. “As you will have multiple personnel working in sections and areas they are not normally working in,Security absolutely should know about it… and know ahead of time. Secondly, as the Operations Officer for the ship, I will also have to know- and in advance- of who is working where. Neither the Lieutenant nor I need to know the specifications of the work, but he needs to know so he can anticipate personnel movements and I need to know so I can anticipate power and system issues. If you want a professional level of trust extended to you… then you will have to do the same for the rest of the Command staff.”

Hammor, Ops.


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