Send in the Sentinels

Posted on Sunday, 5 June 2022 - 2:02pm by Captain Pippa Whitley & Lieutenant K'Var

Mission: Operation: My Unfair Lady
Location: USS Standing Bear | Deck 01 | Captain's Ready Room

Captain Pippa Whitley was still learning the layout of their new starship, there were thirteen habitable decks aboard the Ulaan class starship as opposed to the nine of its Merian class predecessor. In some ways, this Standing Bear was more technologically advanced, foreign in some cases, but in others, the familiarity was less sophisticated. This starship lacked at Quantum Slipstream Drive and it did not have anywhere as near as much holographic projectors or holo displays as Pippa'a previous command. Consoles that displayed interactive holographic LCARS were not a feature of this starship nor did their Ready Room require retina scans to authenticate who they were. Everything still operated much as it did in the 2370s and 2380s, the LCARS was slightly different, but still required a lot of light physical touch.

The Captain's Ready Room matched the rest of the starship's interior design, a color pallet of creams, greys, blues, and an occasional bronze accent. It was still evident that the ship had yet to launch and that Pippa had not 'moved in' yet as there was no charm to the Ready Room. It had been freshly cleaned and of course cleared out of the mirror universe Commanding Officer's belongings. None of Pippa's was there yet. Book and display cases were vacant. It had a very sterilized 'new ship' scent to it.

Pippa stood by the replicator which had been programmed with the previous Standing Bear's menus in addition to anything that was on it before. In some ways Pippa felt out of place on the starship because it was from another universe, and it was not theirs until now. Now, it was and it was under the flag of the United Federation of Planets. Soon, the door chime rang and Pippa was reminded in the moment that they had requested to see Lieutenant K'Var.

"Lieutenant," Pippa called out. "Please, enter," the Captain added and observed the doors part way with her approval. There standing at the threshold was the Caitian Chief Tactical Officer, Security Chief for the USS Standing Bear. "Something to drink, Lieutenant?"

"No thank you, Captain" Lieutenant K'Var replied with a nod, folding her hands behind her back as she entered the Captains ready room.

Pippa gestured to a sofa and then to a chair. "This is not an interrogation, Lieutenant nor is it the principal's office," the Captain smiled. "I had some security matters to run through with you. There are some nooks and crannies of this starship that I want to add an extra layer of attention to."

Taking the offered chair "oh?" K'Var asked, very curious as to what she could have missed. "I've done several security sweeps myself Captain."

"Going into Cardassian space and potentially having some guest aboard, I want to ensure they don't end up wandering into any crucial or sensitive areas. The usual. The unusual is my primary concern. Deck two with our...device" Pippa said referring to the ship's cloaking technology which was inactivate, but something Starfleet couldn't afford anyone knowing about.

"Yes there will need to be certain decks off limits to potential visitors" K'Var gave a toothy grin "especially deck two the Security Officer agreed with her superior officer.

"This starship will be unlike anything to Cardassians have on file for us. It is not a Federation design that they will recognize. It is going to have them curious, and a Cardassian's curiosity is not something we should take lightly. I kind of want to play into it, Lieutenant."

"What exactly did you have in mind Captain?" K'Var knew the design was unlike any she had seen.

"I want you to plant a decoy," replied Captain Whitley. "I want you to have engineering or operations rig something to emit 'strange' readings, something that would bait Cardassian curiosity, and I want you to have it set up on one of the lower decks away from anything important. Then, I want you to tighten security in that section."

"Easily done" she smiled, K'Var liked where the Captain was going. "I'll restrict access to deck two to only a few access codes and have your 'decoy'" she made air quotes like she had seen Humans do "within the hour."

Pippa nodded "Excellent. I want them curious, I want them lured towards the decoy. Let their minds try to wrap around what is it we have under lock and key, and distract them from deck two. I'd rather they leave concerned about something we don't actually have and can easily deny than have anything tangible on something we do have."

"I agree" K'Var gave a nod "let's just hope curiosity doesn't kill the" she paused and glanced away and then back at her superior "Cardassian" she said with a joking manner.

"Let's," replied the Captain with a nod and small chuckle. "I would hate having to explain that one to Starfleet Command and the Federation. We are on good terms with the Cardassians, but with this Obsidian Guard rising up trying to take over, I'm expecting to have a snake in the garden, and not a friendly one."

"Yes we will be on our guard and keep a close eye on the garden" K'Var agreed.

Pippa nodded. "Let me know you need anything. I'm working my way through requests, but I'll prioritize anything that I can."

"Thank you, Captain" K'Var now had some prioritizing of her own to do. "If there is nothing else I'd like to get to it" she asked with a smile, ready to get to the tasks she had been given.

"Nothing else at the moment, Lieutenant. You are dismissed" added Pippa with a tone of professionalism, but a friendly gaze.