Checking in
Posted on 21 Jun 2023 @ 8:24am by Captain Bane Plase & Lieutenant Commander Temerant Bast
667 words; about a 3 minute read
Mission:
Outbreak
Timeline: Immediately after "Reporting In"
Captain Bane signed off with the Cygnus, then tapped his badge again. Over the last several days, his Away Team had spread out over the city, and had not seen each other in about twelve hours now. It was time to do a status check, if nothing else than for safety.
"Bane to Lieutenant Bast. How are you doing?"
"We're doing well, Captain," said the Trill's voice over the commline. "Everything is set up in the Hall of the Ancestors for the announcement. The Tashi and you are expected in a little over three hours. There's going to be a lot of press, I'm told that's to be expected, since the Tashi is very popular. I don't think the story has leaked yet, which is surprising since we've been walking around the building for over five days and we haven't exactly taken precautions to hide ourselves. I suppose that says something about the Antiocians' sense of discretion and duty."
The Captain had almost forgotten that he was going to be doing a televised reveal with the Tashi to her population that intelligent life existed elsewhere in the cosmos, and that they had finally visited and revealed themselves. "Thank you for the reminder, Temerant. And yes, it does say a great deal about the discretion and duty of the people that are closest to her, or work within their government. Operationally, how will the reveal affect their civilization?"
Bast hesitated, the question catching him somewhat off-guard. It was a broad question, and could have several different interpretations. He wasn't a sociologist or a psychologist, so the impact of the revelation to the Antiocian psyche was something that he was ill-equipped to predict.
"I would say that over 85% of government and private operations are automated, so the reveal shouldn't have much impact there. But direct services should experience a slowdown because the affected personnel will understandably be focused elsewhere."
Bane was surprised by this. Even on Bajor when they were at this stage of development, nowhere near that much was automated. It could be argued that even today, not that much was automated, but Bane wasn't certain on that point. "Good. We will have to be on hand in key areas of the planet to lend a hand should the Antiocians request it. How will the broadcast go? What is the plan for the broadcast?"
Bast went on to cover the logistics of the broadcast. The Tashi would take the stage first, at 1330 hours local time. Bane, along with the Cygnus crewmembers who had been hand-picked to be present, would be hidden behind a curtain, and would be revealed a few minutes later. Bane himself, being Bajoran, along with Trill, human, Vulcan, Andorian, Orion, Caitian crewmembers would be there, to reflect the diversity of the Federation. Bane would make a speech, the outline of which had been prepared by the Federation's Diplomatic Corps, but which Bane could also supplement with his own style and colors. It would end with a meet-and-greet period between the journalists present and the Cygnus crew.
Plase nodded in understanding, even though his Chief of Operations couldn't see him. "Pretty straightforward," he commented. "Although the speed and suddenness of it to the general population will be an initial shock, I think the Antiocians are ready for this."
"I believe they are, Sir, yes," confirmed Bast. "Their fiction certainly is replete with examples of alien contact, both in written and in visual media. Despite their religious beliefs, which they have pretty much cast aside and now observe merely for their traditional values, it is an accepted fact they they are not alone in the universe. It's only a matter of time before they discover other inhabited worlds."
"Excellent. In that case, I will go practice my speech a few more times. If you would, please let everyone else know when to be at the announcement."
"Yes Sir. Bast off."
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Lt. Temerant Bast
Chief Operations Officer
USS Cygnus
Bane Plase, Captain
USS Cygnus, Commanding
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