Providence [M]

[Holocene]

The SS Providence leaves it's Protectorate port without much notice. A small ship, far smaller than some of the multi ship fleet science expeditions, it's crew is meant to complete brief surveys of new planets, report any alien contacts, and anything else they may encounter along the way.

The nine crew members are about to embark on a journey where they will see amazing things, make new discoveries, and explore the unexplored. The entire universe lies before them.....

[UserError404]

"Attention, this is your captain speaking. Will all crew members please report to the bridge. I repeat, will all crew members report to the bridge in 15 minutes." a voice begins to blare over the loudspeakers of the ship.

The ship may not be a large one but upon boarding, each crew member was led to their quarters and shown their respective stations. The head of each department met with their subordinates and the crew had about 30 minutes to familiarize themselves with the ship before they were summoned by their captain.

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Goldshield explored the medical lab after dropping off his belongings in his quarters. It was rather small, with only one table for operations and such. There were two portable beds in the room as well. The medical officer looked over his supplies, making a mental note of what he had available to him. He then brought in some tools of his own: a large handsaw, a hand drill, and some bottles with leeches in them, just to name a few. Looking through the glass door that connected to the science lab, Goldshield caught a glimpse of the science officers, though he made no effort to interact with them. There would be plenty of time to meet his crew members once he gets comfortable in his lab.

"Well, I guess it's time for briefing. I'll be back, my quaint little lab." Goldshield said in response to the captain's announcement. He made his way to the bridge as soon as the captain finished speaking, in an effort to be one of the first ones there. Punctuality was important. Or at least that's what his parent's taught him.

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Chenzi was nervous. She couldn't believe she was able to join Kenta's crew, but she was happy she had made it. Despite being in the same class as Kenta during their basic training, she knew very little about the guy. Though they rarely talked, she was impressed at Kenta's leadership and piloting expertise. Kenta gave her a rundown of the ship's controls and the two performed system maintenance checks before getting to far from port. After completing the checklist, Chenzi proclaimed "All systemsss checked and we are ready to fly. Ssshould I plot our courssse? I'm gonna plot it."

"I appreciate the enthusiasm, but I've got to give a briefing before we jump!" Kenta leaned over to his microphone and announced over the loud speaker "Attention, this is your captain speaking. Will all crew members please report to the bridge. I repeat, will all crew members report to the bridge in 15 minutes."

He got up from his captain's chair and went into his personal quarter. Several minutes later, he returned with several sealed envelopes and placed them on the command console of the ship. Kenta walked over to Chenzi and asked "So, are you still just as trigger happy as you were in training?"

"I don't know, are you still as much of a recklessss idiot as you were in training?" Chenzi retorted.

"Well, that has yet to be determined. Either way, it's good to see a familiar face." Kenta handed Chenzi one of the envelopes and added "You've got probably 10 minutes to look over the mission briefing before the others arrive." The captain returned to his seat and waited for the rest of his crew.

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With his crew assembled in front of him, Kenta scrutinzed each member carefully, comparing their appearance to their personnel files. Chenzi stood beside him, quietly smiling. Kenta cleared his throat and began to speak.

"Greetings. I am Kenta, your captain, and this is Chenzi, my copilot. Now, I know you are all still getting comfortable at the moment, so I won't speak for too long. Each chief officer will be given an envelope containing our mission objectives, I ask that you go over it with your departments. I know there are a couple one-man departments so, congratulations, you won't have to share. The general idea is this: we will be travelling to a small planet around a tier 3 star, Phath Strel B, in the Omicron Acallaris galaxy. This will be a simple exploration mission. We are to scout out the planet’s surface, take soil samples and notes on local wildlife, and determine if there are any valuable resources located on the planet. Further details are in your envelopes. I will be meeting with each department head here shortly. We will be making our jump in two hours. You are all dismissed.” Kenta returned to his captain’s quarters with Chenzi in tail.

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To the Head Security Officer:

“Thank you for accepting this mission. We wish you the best of luck on your journey.

Your mission is to protect the Science officers as well as any other ship personnel as they explore the planet. The planet is around a tier 3 red giant called Phath Strel B. Limited intel on the planet suggests it is in the habitable zone. Depending on its location, it could have one of three biomes: savannah, snow, or ocean. You should be equipped to handle all three environments. Life on the planet is a possibility, whether it will be hostile or not is unknown. Please be prepared for anything. Survival of the crew is your top priority.

Enclosed are various environmental hazards you might encounter during your mission. Deal with them however you see fit.”

Several other sheets go into detail about the possible dangers of the different biomes, such as water dangers, cold weather hazards, and heat advisory warnings. There are also sketches of various common creature archetypes found on planets across the galaxy. The list of creatures is short, but their general hazards apply to many creatures throughout the universe. The list includes creatures who use camouflage, pack tactics, hazardous saliva or breath, etc.

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To the Chief Science Officer:

“Thank you for accepting this mission. We wish you the best of luck on your journey.

Your mission is to gather intelligence on the planet. Being in the habitable zone of a tier 3 red giant, Phath Strel B, one of three biomes are suspected to be prominent on the planet. It may be largely covered in savannah, almost entirely ocean, or covered in ice. Please use extreme caution and adhere to environmental safety standards in any biome. Soil, water, and atmosphere samples should be collected and analyzed. Local fauna and flora should also be briefly studied and given a hazard rating. Additionally, notes should be taken on any other aspects of the planet (ex: if it would be easily habitable or is abundant in natural resources). An official report should be compiled are presented to the appropriate personnel in the Protectorate.

Enclosed are various environmental hazards you might encounter during your mission. Please be careful out there.”

Several other sheets go into detail about the possible dangers of the different biomes, such as water dangers, cold weather hazards, and heat advisory warnings. There are also sketches of various common creature archetypes found on planets across the galaxy. The list of creatures is short, but their general hazards apply to many creatures throughout the universe. The list includes creatures who use camouflage, pack tactics, hazardous saliva or breath, etc.

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To the Chief Medical Officer:

“Thank you for accepting this mission. We wish you the best of luck on your journey.

Your mission is to provide medical support for the crew aboard this ship. In addition to the dangers of space travel, the crew will also be traveling to a planet with possible hazards. The local wildlife may be hostile. The planet is suspected to be a warm savannah, a vast ocean, or a frozen tundra. Please be aware of the possible dangers and prepare to deal with them appropriately. Additionally, you may assist the science division in studying the anatomy and physiology of the local wildlife.

Enclosed are various environmental hazards you might encounter during your mission. Please be prepared to treat the injured in these scenarios.”

Several other sheets go into detail about the possible dangers of the different biomes and how to deal with those injured by various environmental hazards. There are also sketches of various common creature archetypes found on planets across the galaxy. The list of creatures is short, but their general hazards apply to many creatures throughout the universe. How to provide help to those injured by these creatures is also listed here.

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To the Head of Engineering:

“Thank you for accepting this mission. We wish you the best of luck on your journey.

Your mission is to keep the ship in working order. Please be advised of the general hazards when approaching planets and stars. You will be traveling to a solar system with a red giant, Phath Strel B. The planet itself may have several hazards. Little is known about the planet’s atmosphere or the wildlife found there. Limited intel shows this planet to be in the habitable zone, possibly being a dry savannah, a vast ocean, or a cold tundra, depending on its placement in the habitable zone. Please be prepared to service the ship in any environment presented to you.

Enclosed are various environmental hazards you might encounter during your mission. Please be advised of any potential dangers to the ship.”

Several other sheets go into detail about various atmosphere compositions and the hazards that go along with them. There is also information about the planet’s different biomes and suggested ways to deal with various technical problems with the ship. Basic safety guides describe equipment and strategies to stay alive in different hazardous environments.

[abbiejlee95]

Dhalia stood with crossed arms during the captains briefing and took in the crew she was in charge of protecting. She could already spot some potential problems. There were several young members that most likely didn't have much experience. She shrugged. Hopefully they would behave and if the time came listen to instructions. She glanced over at her giddy Novakid subordinate and grabbed his shoulder to calm him down. Radon had worked with her on previous security missions and he was a good fighter. Just a bit airheaded. She glanced past him at the new member of her team that she had yet to meet and wondered how they would fare. She summoned both of them to follow her to the armory and briefed them on the contents of the letter and showed them around the ship that she had already had quite a while to explore. She waved at the cheif engineer as he passed by, also taking in the ship.

______________________________________

Baat waved back at Dhalia, whom he had had some conversation with before the others had boarded the ship. He was optimistic that they would get along. He hoped to converse with the other cheif officers soon.

Baat turned his focus to familiarizing himself with every inch of this lovely ship. He ran his hands along the metal walls and inhaled the scent. "I truly love my job!" He smiled widely to himself and continued his rounds.

[Holocene]

Aaron's head was spinning. His first real mission since joining the Protectorate. All he had wanted to do his whole life is see new things, go new places, and meet new people, and new types of "people". And it was finally here. He barely paid attention to anything the Captain said as he looked around the ship, and marveled at the various life forms around him. These would be his companions. A strange concept, at least to Aaron.

He eagerly followed Dhalia and the other SO around the ship, as Dhalia showed them around.
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Walther listened as the Captain greeted them. Walther had spent 5 years in space, aboard two different ships, making him more experienced than most of the others aboard this ship, including the Captain.

Walther tried to work out the Captain, and his personality based on the briefing and how it was given, but Walther was never very good at picking up personality traits of other species. He would hopefully have a chat later, to make sure this Captain was not a repeat of his last one.

After the briefing was over, Walther looked for his science officer, but couldn't find her. Guess she had more important things to do. He also thought about talking to the Medical Officer, since he would probably be working closely with him, but decided to pay a visit to the lab to look for his Casian subordinate.

He entered the lab area of the ship, and looked around, finding it empty. Walther walked over to a tank of jellyfish, and rubbed his hand against the glass. He had brought these form Earth for a side research project he was working on.

Walther then started to roam the lab, making sure everything was in the order he liked it. He had a good feeling about this ship, and it's crew. he hoped he was right.

[UserError404]

After the meeting, Kenta returned to his quarters with Chenzi and began to go over the details of the mission with her. He explained the jobs and duties of each crew member and gave her the details of the planet they would be exploring. "So that's that. Any questions?" Kenta asked.

"If it's a desert, I quit. I hate desertssss. Aside from that, what could go wrong exploring an unknown and posssibly hosssstile planet? It soundsss fun!" Chenzi said optimistically.

"Well if that's the case, then I'd say it's about time to meet with the different departments. Who should we visit first?" Kenta inquired.

"You know I alwaysss love the armory!" Chenzi said with a smile.

"Armory it is then. Let's go!" Kenta said, as he left the room with Chenzi in tail.

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As Goldshield finished tidying up his medical lab, he looked through the glass door at Walther doing the same. He figured now would be as good a time as any to introduce himself. Walking through the door, Goldshield said "Sincere. My name is Goldshield. I am the medical officer aboard this ship. Curious. Are you a one man department too?" his green glowing eyes blinked as he awaited a response.

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Kenta and Chenzi entered the armory and found it empty. As Chenzi examined the room, particularly the weaponry, Kenta walked back out into the atrium. He saw Dhalia showing her junior officers around the ship and flagged them down, beckoning them to return to the armory. As he waited, he had to remind Chenzi "Please don't fire any guns inside the ship. At least not right now."

Once the Security officer returned, Kenta and Chenzi greeted her. "So Dhalia, please introduce me to your junior officers. I'd love to get to know all you a bit before we head out. How long have you been serving the protectorate? Do you have any special rules for us? This armory is yours for this mission after-all." Kenta politely asked.

Chenzi stood behind him with a gleam in her eyes, excitedly looking around and waiting to hear from her fellow Floran.

[abbiejlee95]

Dhalia stopped her tour as she spotted the Captain waving her down in her armory. She immediately headed towards him and lowered her head in a respectful nod. "Captain."

She glanced over at Chenzi whom she had yet to introduce herself to and nodded at her as well as the Captain began asking her about herself.

"Of courssse captain. I apologisssse for taking so long to introduce you. Thisss bubbly idiot isss Radon. He has been my sssubordinate for a while now. We have both been with the protectorate for three years. And the other isss Aaron. I will let him introduce himssself as I have yet to learn much about him myssself."

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Baat found himself wandering all the way to the lab and he spotted the head science officer and the Medical officer. He perked up.

"Hello! I'm glad I ran into you both! My name is Baat! I am the head of engineering for this ship! How are you faring this fine day? How long have you been with the protectorate? I have just celebrated six months! But I've been tinkering all my life!" He took a breath and tried to calm himself. He had been told he could get a bit over excited.

[Holocene]

Walther stopped what he was doing, and smiled as Goldshield introduced himself. Walther did not know how Glitch's greeted each other, so he did not offer a greeting, but replied, "Hello, you can call me Walther. And no, I'm supposed to be working with a Casian physicist, but I haven't seen her. Maybe she got lost," Walther then said, "Or maybe she's hiding in a box," before he chuckled to himself, then realized Goldshield probably did not understand that joke.

"Anyways, I look forwards to working with you, though I do hope I'm not ever in need of your services," he said, winking, knowing full well Goldshield probably did not understand that gesture either.
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Aaron nervously reached out his hand to shake the Captain's hand, still not accustomed with how to greet aliens. "I'm Aaron. I've not been with the Protectorate long, only a few months. Earth months that is."

He then lowered his hand and withdrew, letting Dhalia take back over.

[UserError404]

Not picking up on the sarcasm, Goldshield replied "Confused. Do physicists like to hide in boxes? How strange. Cordial. If you need my services, you know where to find me. I am well trained...." Goldshield was interrupted by Baat's introduction.

"Suprised. Oh, Hello there! Cordial. I am Goldshield, the medical officer aboard this ship. It is a pleasure to meet you. I have served the protectorate for a few years now." His green eyes blinked as he finished his sentence.

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Kenta bowed when Aaron extended his hand. "It is a pleasure to meet all of you! This is my copilot, Chenzi." Chenzi stepped forward and waved, looking directly at Dhalia. "It'sss nice to meet you. Perhapsss I can come and try out your gunsss sometimessss?" she said excitedly.

Kenta took back over and said "Well, do you have any questions for me? If not, I'll be on my way." He stood awaiting a response from his subordinates.

[abbiejlee95]

Dhalia stepped back forward and took over the conversation again. "No captain thank you. And Missss Chenzi you are more than welcome to ssstop by the armory anytime. With our good captainsss permisssion of courssse." She bowed her head once more and made her exit. Gesturing for her subordinates to follow.

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Baat smiled at Goldshields introduction and turned his head to Walther to wait for his response.

[Holocene]

((Not gonna lie, I completely forgot Baat had entered in on the conversation with Walther when I was writing my last post, so i forgot to make a response =P Well it worked out so))

"Good to meet you as well," Walther said, and the told Baat he had been with the Protectorate for what was the equivalent of 11 Earth years. By now Walther had come to think of time in the standardized unit, no longer having to do quick conversions in his head like he had when he first started with the Protectorate. Aaron, who he had not met yet, but definitely noticed, being the only other human, probably had not adjusted yet.

Walther then looked back at Baat after looking at the floor for a moment, "I think it's funny you two are the first two I have met. One of you is the doctor for the crew, the other is like the doctor for the ship," he said, smiling at Baat. That wasn't even funny by human standards. I've been in space too long, he thought to himself.
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Aaron smiled as they talked about guns. He hoped he would get the opportunity to use some of them. He then followed the Chief, eager to see what she was going to say next.