What You Need to Know

Posted on Mon Nov 15th, 2021 @ 5:40pm by Captain Jocelyn Blake & Rear Admiral Jan van Groesbeck & Rear Admiral Duncan Hurroo & Commander Reginald Hertford & Lieutenant Kathryn Landingham

Mission: Episode 2: 18th and Constitution
Location: Briefing Room 1, Starfleet Headquarters
Timeline: Mission Day 9 at 0930

[Briefing Room 1, Starfleet Headquarters]
[Immediately Following New Faces]
[MD 9, 0930 Hours]

Jocelyn Blake had been offering briefings on various and sundry topics for most of her career. Updating important figures on the news of the day and discussing its impact were part and parcel with the jobs she had held. She had not, however, done one in her capacity as Press Secretary and this particular briefing held more classified information than she had seen in her lifetime. She was cognizant of the trust being placed in her to relay the details to the two newest division heads.

The briefing room she had chosen was small, but still felt large with only herself and the two newly minted admirals. A long table, big enough to hold 10, dominated the room with a large view screen taking up the wall at one end. Chairs dotted the walls for various aides and, even as they entered, Lieutenant Landingham slipped into the room, PADD in hand ready to record any pertinent action items coming out of the meeting.

"Please," Jocelyn said as the two men entered the room, "Make yourselves comfortable. If you need anything Lieutenant Landingham is certainly happy to get it for you. And of course, if you would like your aides to join you then they are welcome. Otherwise, we'll dive right in."

Rear Admiral Jan van Groesbeck smiled at both Captain Blake and Lieutenant Landingham. He turned to Lieutenant Landingham, "Could you please page my aide, Commander Reginald Hertford to join us, please, Lieutenant?"

Landingham offered the Rear Admiral a smile and nod, "Certainly, sir," she replied before ducking back out of the door from whence she came.

"I'm good to go," Hurroo said, placing his PADD on the table before the chair he selected and then sat.

Jocelyn settled herself across the table from Hurroo then, waiting for van Groesbeck to sit before beginning. She met the eyes of the two Admirals, offering them both a warm smile. "There is a lot to catch up on, some of it I imagine you are already familiar with, but for the sake of being thorough I'll start from the beginning.

A quick tap and a flick and files were sent cascading across invisible lines to the PADDs settled in front of both men. "We'll present you to the press as the new heads of your departments, with a focus on your history and Admiral Sturnack's faith in your skills and experience for these rolls." Notably, she did not make mention of Admiral Whitford here. "I'll separate this briefing into two categories -- things that are ok to share with the press and things that, either for reasons of security or for the purposes of managing interstellar response, are not ok to share."

She eyed both men, pinching and flicking the file that she had already send it up onto a viewscreen. A diagram of the Romulan Embassy, whole before the bombing, rotated in front of them running down a timer which, ultimately, displayed the explosion in slow motion, pieces of the building collapsing inwards as explosive force pressed outward. The simulation took no more than 15 seconds, but was devastating to watch as the scale of the attack played out clearly in front of them.

"This is a recreation of the events," Jocelyn said, voice level though an intensity had entered it. "The press has not seen this version of it, though they have likely constructed some of their own. For the purposes of the briefing, though, this portion is still need to know."

She tapped, lighting up sections of the display. "On the day of the bombing dignitaries for the Embassy's opening ceremony were gathered in the central courtyard here," she tapped and the colored space blinked twice. "So far as we can tell the explosives must have been placed on the same day. Security swept the building for explosives and other incendiary devices an hour and a half before guests were allowed to enter the space, so the window for entrance is small."

The door to the room slid open again, quietly, and Landingham re-entered taking up a position in a chair along the wall behind Blake.

"Mr. Hertford, welcome," Jocelyn said with a smile. She flicked two fingers up her PADD again, sending the file in the direction of his PADD. "You should have the information we're reviewing now."

"Admirals," Hertford addressed smiling towards van Groesbeck. His head shifted to Captain Blake, "Thank you, Captain."

Commander Hertford sat down beside Landingham.

Groesbeck was relieved when his attaché of nine years had arrived. He turned back to the conversation, "Is there any information regarding the explosive devices that were used in the Embassy bombing? Make and origin?"

Jocelyn frowned at the question, but nodded. "There is some preliminary information, but it isn't open to the Press yet, so these details we'll ask you not to reference even if asked. The line you'll want to use is, " here she added finger quotes, "This is a developing investigation and once details have been confirmed we will share them."

She met the eyes of both men, making sure they understood her before continuing. "The make up of the explosives is problematic. There are, without question, some materials that indicate a Romulan origin. Others are clearly pointing to home grown domestic terrorists. Neither group likes each other, so it seems counter-intuitive to assume that they collaborated here, though that hasn't been ruled out yet. More likely one of the groups is trying to frame the other."

"Captain," Vice Admiral Groesbeck, "Journalists and Spooks make strange bedfellows. And in my nearly thirty year career with Starfleet Intelligence, I've never got into the habit of leaking to the press. But that was before, I became the public face for Starfleet Intelligence so it will take some adjusting to, of course. I don't get in the habit of providing anything concrete.. because that would be bad for business."

"I can imagine that the adjustment must be difficult," Hurroo said, simply. "my agency would by design lean heavily toward the prospect of the terrorism aspect while I think that Starfleet Intel would do a much better job with the Romulan aspect of things. I am sure that together we can get to the bottom of this."

The Intelligence Director offered the Captain a curt smile. He rose his hand and waved Commander Hertford over. He bent down for Groesbeck to whisper in his ear in a very hushed ineligible whisper to those around them with his hands covering his lips, "Attempt to reach, The Gul."

Commander Hertford straightened himself up and his uniform, "Yes, of course Admiral. I will get that tea for you right away." He walked over to Landingham, "Sorry. Which way to the tea?"

The Press Secretary's aide looked up, a warm and professional smile on her face. "Out the door and to the left, then a right for the nearest replicator," she replied kindly before turning her attention back to Captain Blake.

Jocelyn pressed on once Hertford had made his way back out of the room. "It's my understanding that Homeworld Security has already picked up a member of the domestic terrorist group." Here she made a face. "Unfortunately that was leaked to the press and FNN has already attempted to paint us as harboring domestic terrorists due to our intense xenophobia," she remarked. Her tone dripped with frustration and sarcasm as she reached the final two words. "They've been subdued for now, but the story hasn't left the news cycle yet. You're likely to be asked about it, Sir."

This last comment was made to Hurroo specifically, an apologetic smile on the Press Secretary's lips. "The Romulans are also vying for control of the investigation and, as it was their embassy on our soil, it's important that we not appear to be blocking them in any way. Another reason why the make up of the bombs needs to stay need to know for now."

"That I'm aware of," Duncan said, it was in an infrequent and uncharacteristic annoyed tone. "What have the Romulans been told to stall them in gaining the bomb competition? And do they have any investigative agencies on the ground yet?"

"Much of the same things that the press has been told," Jocelyn said evenly. "That this is ongoing. That we'll share our findings with them as soon as there is conclusive information to share." Here she tapped again, pinching and tossing another file onto the screen in front of them. "This is Ambassador tr'Lito," she said indicating the Romulan face before them. In the image the man's shoulders were back and he wore the trappings of his position. "He has been dispatched to Earth to replace the two contacts who were killed in the blast. At last check he is expected to arrive this week, though he has been in regular contact while en route and is the individual who has already applied for jurisdiction."

Jan rolled his eyes; his patience was being tried, "While it is within their right to investigate the Embassy Bombing on Romulan soil. I strongly advise against allowing them to question Federation Citizens and Starfleet Assets without a member of Starfleet Intelligence and Starfleet Homeland Security present to ensure that Romulans obey Federation Criminal Law and Starfleet Penal Codes."

Jocelyn nodded. "Jurisdiction is something you will both have to discuss with the JAG. The issue has been referred to Admiral Romanowski and I'm not in a need to know position beyond what I have already shared."

Pale fingers flicked from her PADD and twin service records appeared on the screen, the faces of both men appearing at the top of them. "The press are likely to inquire after or poke at your service records. It seems to be a pass time of theirs. Out of the gate, is there anything I should know that they could latch onto?"

"I was a stand-up comedian before going to Starfleet Academy?" he shrugged. "And perhaps during from time to time."

Jocelyn raised her eyebrows, a small smirk on her lips. "You'll have to demonstrate for us sometime," she remarked with a chuckle, "but I don't expect the press will have much to say on that front."

"You never know," Hurroo shrugged. "Who want's a funny admiral who wasn't quite funny enough to be in charge of Home-world Security?"

She turned to Groesbeck then. "How about yourself Admiral?"

"I'm not much of a comedian," van Groesbeck replied plainly, "In terms of my service record: there's most likely be skepticism and scrutiny about my service record as most of it is sealed."

Jocelyn nodded, a small shrug gracing her shoulders. "They should expect that for Starfleet Intelligence, but your point is well taken." Two fingers brushed down her PADD, swiping the holo display closed before she set the PADD down and to the side.

"We'll convene for the briefing at 1100 at the end of the usual mid-day briefing. Do you have any questions or need anything from me before that? Otherwise I won't keep you from other work any longer." Jocelyn's gaze moved from one man to the other, a practiced air of patience on her face.

"I have no additional questions for you, Captain." van Groesbeck offered her a smile then looked over at Duncan.

"I'm all set, if I come up with anything I'll reach out," Hurroo stated. "Thank you for your time Captain," he said, rising from the couch.

Jocelyn nodded, offering both men a warm and encouraging smile. "See you outside the press room at 1100 then. I'm sure you'll both be great."

=/\= A Mission Post By =/\=

Rear Admiral Duncan Hurroo
Director of Homeworld Security

Rear Admiral Jan van Groesbeck
Director of Starfleet Intelligence

Captain Jocelyn Blake
Press Secretary

Commander Reginald Hertford
Attaché to RAdm Groesbeck

Lieutenant Kathryn Landingham
Aide to Captain Blake