| MSNPCs
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| Name
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Position
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Notes
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| Nimo Hayna'an
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Species Xindi Aquatic
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Groom, Played by Shedet
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| Balanomi Amph'ail
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Species Xindi Aquatic
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Bride, Played by Cade Foster
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| Efluvian To'dosha
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Species Xindi Aquatic
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Officiant / Wedding Planner/ Elder, Played by Edward Spears
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| Fyen Hayna'sen
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Species Xindi Aquatic
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Groom's Siblings & Advisor, Played by Jalana Rajel
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| Shii Tano
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Species Chelarian
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Daaka Colony Inhabitant, Played by Lazarus Davis
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OOC Briefings
| OOC Briefings are information for the players that our characters may not have, such as mood, theme, goals or general information about mission Specifics. They get posted for each Act for the mission to keep everyone on the same page.
|
Mission Brief
Jalana Rajel: HQ assigned us a new mission and this one is a first for me. We are going on a dive. We are being invited to a state wedding in an Xindi Aquatic Colony on Daaka. The groom comes from another Colony on Hobiru and we are going to escort him to his new home and the ceremony. But that is not all, we are invited to attend the wedding as well. As you can imagine that means a lot of preparation for us. None of our equipment is specialized for underwater missions, and neither are we. While we know Zero-G being underwater is a whole lot different. So we will have to take care of Equipment, Refreshers on Xindi and so on. A lot list of tasks.
Prelude
Initial Tasks
- Work on an aquashuttle. While various forms may already exist they cannot be supplied. Old plans and schematics are available and based on those with some upgrades. Conny Engineers and Scientists work on new versions. They are to equip 3 small vessels or two medium vessels with the capabilities to dive and stay underwater for an extended amount of time.
- We also will need diving suits because our crew will be proper underwater for this mission. Long term diving. How will they have enough oxygen or withstand pressure once they leave the aquashuttle?
- Pilots need practice in simulations on how to maneuver said vessels, which will still be slightly different because the ships don’t exist yet. But underwater works differently from space be it in a vessel or outside.
- Science, OPS and Medical (If familiar with Xindi Aquatics) need to prepare part of the cetacean lab tanks to support Aquatic Xindi for transport.
- Medical will need to brush up on possible conditions our teams could be affected by when going underwater for prolonged periods of time.
- Counseling check on conditions that are of mental nature of spending days underwater.
- Counseling make an overview of any diplomatically important Aquatic Xindi details (traditions, habits, culture, customs and such) to be prepared for interaction
- Security/Tactical might not be necessary just going by the mission description but they never go unprepared. So find ways to make weapons work underwater!
- COMM (OPS) would work on implementing the Sonar to Speech and Speech to Sonar translator modules at the tank. We also will need portables and/or adjusting universal translators for it.
Challenges
- Underwater and space are quite different in their physical properties, even though both require similar safeguards–such as EV suits. The biggest challenge we will face is resistance caused by pressure.
- Our standard EV suits
- are designed to account for a variety of pressure variances. However, they are not designed for long excursions. They also rely on the assumption of operating in a gas or vacuum for purposes of heat dissipation.
- The propulsion systems built in are likely insufficient to move through water. There may be additional factors to consider. We want a suit that does not kill its occupant in the event of a power failure, as we will be at pressures hostile to most, if not all, people present in this briefing.
- Our shuttles
- Structural integrity fields can accommodate the expected pressure, but that will tax the power systems, and a failure in the EPS grid would spell disaster.
- Shuttle propulsion systems are sufficient in terms of thrust, but the heat they generate will boil the water around it, making navigation difficult.
- The composition of the ocean itself may create challenges.
- The ocean consists mostly of water, but the mineral profile is somewhat unique.
- The water itself is relatively conductive to electricity, and we need to take care not to risk exposing ourselves or others to electrical shock.
- The vacuum of space is a decent insulator, so we are not used to the degree of caution necessary to maintain safety in this environment.
Act 1
- Preparations continue while the Constitution heads off to Horibu where the Groom, his sibling (advisor and witness) and the officiant are received.
- They are going to be brought right into the Cetacean aquarium section prepared for them.
- While we are on our way to said planet, the Senior Crew undergoes some simulations for training. Walking, talking, working underwater in our diving suits may be way different from land or in Zero G. We may need a few pointers.
- Pilots also do their crash underwater diving flying course to get familiar with the controls and the waters of Daaka
- Last preparations are being finished
Act 2
Briefing Notes
Shortly before Arrival at Daaka the Senior Officers are holding a meeting to update each other. The following has been shared:
Engineering
- Aquashuttle
- Type-11 shuttles refit for underwater travel.
- Can fly at normal impulse and under maneuvering thrusters, but not at warp.
- There are articulated propellers on the back of the shuttle that take over underwater. Shutters will close over the impulse engines and thrusters so we don’t cause any inadvertent damage to the environment.
- The rear compartment will also function as an airlock so suits can be donned or repaired underwater.
- They glide to the surface and then submerge.
- Removed the warp part of the warp nacelles, so now they are mainly ballast tanks. They will fill with seawater and allow the aquashuttle to get all aqua.
- Diving suits:
- So’Mior developed two ways to secure life support even if containment of the suit is breached. And that no one gets electrocuted.
- As to the physical structure of the suits, less than desirable. Think less a suit and more a portable shell for your body. Flexibility will be limited but it’ll get the job done.
- There will also be a standard Starfleet wetsuit underneath the main shell.
Medical
- Two-prong protection plan
- Medicine that will help any away team members adapt to the pressures and stresses of the underwater environment.
- It's adjusted to each member based on blood chemistry, so no swapping doses. Not a long term fix. ** Everyone should still plan on spending at least eight to twelve hours of rest time back on the Constitution per day.
- They also developed a topical compound to be worn under the suit, it will allow a smoother adherence as well as protect the dermis from the extreme climate.
- It’s a skin protectant that will prevent infection or unexpected contamination should you have a suit breach or come into contact with unfiltered water for any reason.
- The formula was adjusted so it shouldn't overpower the nasal passages while breathing in the suit.
- Possible medical conditions
- There are a few potential intoxicants from the local food and drink that will vary depending on species.
- There will be specific recommendations for each senior staff member on what they should avoid based on their specific body chemistry.
- The medical suggestions are based on all the available research on the environment we're entering. When in doubt, double check.
Counseling
- Possible Conditions
- As always with a very different atmospheric makeup as that we may be used to
- Changes in the air or liquid may affect respiration and this in turn can lead to psychological changes, such as dizziness, change of mood, anxiety etc..
- Customs
- Be mindful that they respect decision making and do not like to be rushed.
- They tend to over-analyse things and take their time, allow for that.
Security and Tactical
- Possible defenses and weapon adjustments
- There are several martial arts techniques that can be practiced underwater
- Three types of weapons: Fishing Net based, a tranquilizer speargun and ink bombs to provide cover.
- Each member of the Senior Team was suggested to visit the Holodeck to practice defending themselves with their defense of choice. Practice should include the suit and can also be extended to the tanks for a more realistic environment to practice. Security Personell will be available to assist.
- Emergency Transports
- In case of hull breaches both suits and shuttles are programmed to trigger the escape transporter. Using the buoys people can beam out immediately.
- Spare suits will be available.
- Every member of the team should be fitted with an emergency transporter enhancer patch before getting into suits.
- Portable transportation beacons can be used as well.
OPS
- Communications
- Multi-layered approach with buoys to short, mid, and long-range communication both underwater and for subsurface to orbital communications. Standard Scientific props were used to redesign them into said relay buoys.
- One will float on the surface, trailing a receiver down into the ocean that will pick up signals from our suits or the aquashuttles. Those signals will then be transmitted to orbit.
- It was made sure that the buoys are protected without having a negative effect on the local fauna.
- Communications to translate Xindi to standard and back was successful
- Travel of language under water has been adjusted and verified
- Transporter possibility
- If the signal strength is high enough between suits or shuttle and receiver the buoys can also be used to relay transporter signals. But a transporter signal requires much higher integrity than a simple audio transmission, and that signal drops off quickly as we move away from a receiver even with the modifications we've made.
- Suggestion of Emergency transporters will help with this too (See Security)
Flight Department
- Flight Simulation
- A training simulation was created based on the data of Daaka. There are some variables programmed in for weather and underwater conditions, enough to keep us on our toes for whatever Daaka may throw at us.
- The simulation is open for regular pilots and those interested in flying the aquashuttles in general. Recommendation is to attempt it in the diving suit - holographic version is in the database and should suffice for practice.
Science
- Research
- Still ongoing, one last scan when entering the system will make sure we have the up to date data.
- Assistance
- Science collaborated with other departments and is willing to continue to do so where needed.
Arrival at Daaka
- Upon arrival at Daaka the groom's party was beamed to the surface of the planet. Since the water interferes with the transporters they were beamed as close to the waterline as possible from where they would drop into the water itself and head to the colony.
- The Senior Crew assembled in the Main Shuttle Bay to prepare for departure and were instructed in medical precautions once more:
- 'The Goo' is provided by medical and is applied onto the skin before getting into the undersuit and diving suit.
- It "will create a protective, anti-microbial barrier on your skin that, in case you come into contact with any foreign substances, will prevent you from getting horrible infections, parasites, rashes and even worse things". It is applied on "every inch of skin you don’t want sea-yeastworm on. Leave areas unexposed at your own risk. [...] Besides, it’s moisturing and good for your skin." ~ Cade Foster
- The away team members shall not be more than twelve hours in the suit.
- "You will need to go back to the Constitution in shifts to decompress and rest. I think you’ll all be highly motivated to do so, since eating, drinking and toileting in the suit is uncomfortable. So I shouldn’t have to tell you – no sleepovers. But I’m telling you – no Xindi sleepovers." ~ Cade Foster
Act 3
