Coming Up With a Plan

Posted on Sun Aug 20th, 2023 @ 10:32pm by Captain Shran dh'Klar & Commander Samantha Howard & Ensign Kate Kono & Ensign James Phoenix

Mission: Damn Dirty Apes
Location: USS Washington

Shran had been a bit agitated for the last hour. He hated not being able to get his people back. While Callie had been retrieved safely, Ayana had taken her place on the surface with Jon. To make matters worse, while they now knew that Jon and Callie had survived the crash, they also knew that the planet they had crashed on had a strange EM field that caused all sorts of trouble for most of their systems, and the planet was populated by a primitive yet hostile species. The Prime Directive would say not to do anything that might hinder the evolution on the planet, but Shran wasn't about to leave two of his people stranded and at the whims of the hostiles. The initial rescue attempt had provided information and gotten Callie out, which considering her condition was for the best, but Shran wasn't known for his patience when it came to these sorts of situations.

As he walked into the conference room he saw that everyone was assembled. It wasn't a large group, just 4 officers. Sam was in the chair to his right, Deanna on the left, Kate was sitting next to Sam and Phoenix was next to Deanna. He quickly strode to his seat at the head of the table and sat down. "Please tell me you have something to report Deanna."

"I've been able to look over all the data collected, though not perhaps as thoroughly as I might like. Here is a map of the area in which the crash occurred as well as the surrounding area including where each group was at the time of transport. Jon and Ayana were atop this hill which gave them a view of the entire area. Callie and myself were here at the shoreline of this lake, and Sam and Kate were exiting this forest here" she said as she pointed things out on the screen. Assuming they were able to get away, the best tactical positions would place Jon and Ayana either here in this small wooded area near the lake, or here, in this rocky desert."

"What about the EM field?" Shran questioned.

"It is a naturally occuring phenomena of the planet. It can't be dissipated unfortunately. However, I do believe we can circumvent it. It will require the modification of a probe to include additional shielding, which will limit the probes lifespan in the atmosphere to 1 hour, but I beleive that will give us a large enough window to locate Jon and Ayana and get them out. Rather than carrying transport enhancers, an away team will carry the new emergency transponders which bolster the transporter signal of any creature they are attached to."

James leaned back in his seat and looked at the others. “From a tactical and combat standpoint, what are we looking at when we go to get our people back?”

Kate leaned forward, "I was able to avoid them temporarily when I looked like one of the natives, however, without a more worthy threat, they would have gathered the humans up regardless. Going in with loincloths is out of the question unless the higher status of the society see you as a secondary matter only at the moment." Kate steadied her head to focus on a spot of the conference table in front of her. "... They're very much afraid of what they don't understand and won't hesitate to attack." She looked to Shran with her wide dark eyes without moving her head away from the spot on that table she had chosen as if she were stiff. With a shaken voice she continued. "We are everything they fear - Humans, or anything non-ape, having the ability to outsmart and disprove what they see in their own perception of a lower base counterpart..." Kate trailed off, shook her head and then slowly brought her full attention to the captain in that head movement to stab her point forward coldly, "it's an affront and a clear, present danger to their way of life. They will do everything they can to make sure we never exist in the eyes of their society. We are - blasphemy, sir."

Shran arched an eyebrow, "That is a rather detailed analysis of a culture we have never encountered before. I'd almost say you were telepathic with such detail. How have you come to your conclusions?"


Kate smiled at Shran a little. She loved reciting her knowledge of history and explaining her logical deduction as Starfleet so diligently taught her.

"I saw how they regarded the Humans. They're second class. They were to be rounded up if it wasn't for our presence. In Human history the same thing happened prior to one species conquering the other. It simply happened the other way around in our society which made Homosapians no less accountable for our hostilities. We brutally killed our Neanderthals. And in feudal Japan, we met every outsider with unrelenting hostility. It's part what I saw and part recollection of our own history to be able to put two and two together to make an educated assumption. It's a miracle two species lasted this long into the industrial revolution together. In a way that at least makes their planet more hopeful than ours ever was at their point in their history." Kate said. "Under the circumstances, they may very well end up ultimately more well off than humanity one day despite being so --inhumane."

"I wouldn't jump to such conclusions" Deanna intervened. "We have no idea how either the humans or apes arrived on this planet. Both appear to be evolved from the same species as from Earth, and yet we are hundreds of lightyears from there. While the evolutionary aspect of what you are discussing may be correct, we have to consider the possibility that these species are from Earth and have simply evolved at a different pace than on Earth. If this is true, we would then have to consider how the species arrived here, and that would certainly negate the Prime Directive."

"While this is all fascinating conjecture, I think our first priority should be to retrieve our people" Shran interjected. "Sam, are you able to lead an away team down should Deanna make this possible attempt possible?"

"Interesting theory, one that would undoubtable require for study if this weren't a search and rescue operation" Sam mused as she regarded those gathered around the table. "But essentially we will be able to field a team at a few moments notice Sir."

"The officers here will be your team Sam. As soon as Deanna is ready to make the attempt. I want our people brought back. And we'll deal with any Prime Directive violations afterwards" Shran said in a determined voice. He turned and looked at Phoenix, "Are you up for such a tactical situation ensign?"

He hadn't been through many situations like this, but he knew he was capable. To him while there were high stakes and risks to the team going down and to the team already stuck on the ground, he was confident in his ability to be on the away team. In a weird way one of the more traumatic events of his time on the Washington -the trip to the Mirror Universe- helped him prepare for something like this. James returned the look to Shran. "I am sir. As I'll ever be" he nodded.


Kate took a deep breath and decided that not only was she not going to go native this time, but she was also going to bring a phaser rifle with her. She stood up from her chair in and tried not to look so nervous as the recent memories of her last mission ran through her head.

"Are you alright ensign?" Shran queried.

"Oh, I will be." Kate confirmed with a forced, polite smile. It was the first time she had a short answer and she just hoped that detail flew by unnoticed.

"Very well. Deanna, everything awaits you informing us you are ready to proceed" Shran said confidently.

"I should be ready for us to transport down in an hour" Deanna replied.

"Very well. Dismissed." Shran replied.