==Breifing log== Keylor listened as Jack gave his report. It was a bit terse and abrupt, but it was sufficient. Keylor wondered if the remedial training he had been giving Jack had soured his personality any. Though that seemed like an impossible task, He still wondered.. "Either way I'd appreciate it if you'd enquire into this? I for one don't like to get into a fight without my back being covered slightly." Jack said dryly. Keylor said nothing to this comment but glanced over to Samantha. Personally Keylor had not looked in to any of the archives for detailed information about the X'hi, he had been busy managing the engineer situation with the refit as well as the other problems that cropped up forom the installation of the prototypes. He hoped Samantha had more information and she would get the hint to brig the information to his attention, if it existed. Jack finished his dissertations and went back to fiddling with a pad. Lieutenant Oriana was next. In precice Vulcan fashion she reported everything being in order and relinquished the table to Samantha who was last. Samantha straightened in her chair and started. "Every thing about is known about the marsh is in the federation database. A large expace riddled with several types of spatial anomalies, especially temporal." She started right off the bat with our any foreplay. Samantha did not take long on the subjet. By Keylor's account a total of 4 minutes were used by Samantha, who appeared to be regurgitating the federation database. As Samantha glanced over to Jack she stated, "Unfortunately there is not much information about the X'chi Major. The only reported encounter was form the Coronado many years ago, and the survivors of the Gott. They are insectiod race, about 2 to 3 meters tall, resembling a teran grasshopper. They have a collective intelligence and propagate by sending Spores, or eggs have you, though space to colonize. Though capture of ships in not common place, it has happened, most resulting in the entire loss of crew. To date Starfleet has accounted for 11 ships in the past 5 years as being taken by X'chi. As to how they do this, we are not actually sure." She paused for a moment. "I suggest you treat them with extreme caution and extreme prejudice." Jack scowled a bit at the information and looking up form his pad nodded to Samantha and returned his gaze at the pad. Having seen Samantha finish her dissertation like some actress performing a play, Keylor leaned forward. "Ok We leave for the base soon. Make sure you have all the supplies you need form the base in the next 8 hours." He looked at Jack" Major, do the best you can to prepare the away teams. Aside form Lieutenant Andersen, Combat troops only." Jack nodded curtly, not looking up at the General. Keylor then looked over to Oriana, "Lieutenant Oriana, be prepared to scan the marsh, where ever we enter. I want science to know exactly where every anomaly is and know before we even approach it. " Keylor pointed to Samantha. "the lieutenant commander here is an expert. I suggest you two form a working relation ship. " Oriana nodded. Keylor then sat back in the seat. "As for everyone else, you know the drill. Prepare for the worst and hope for the best." He motioned to Sean McTaggert. "With all of the modifications our engineering team will be very busy for a while longer. Please only make any engineering requests ii the next few days only the minimum necessary to continue operations. Help out where possible and let them finish the work they started here on the base." Silently everyone nodded. "Ok that is all for now. I want complete status reports in 3 days. Dismissed." He said wondeing about the unusually silent crowd. At the mere mention of dismiss, the bodies surrounding the table suddenly re-animated and came to life. Where once were silent docile cattle now were busy little bees. Keylor watched in sheer amazement how everyone seemed to hurry towards the doors. First out were Samantha and the helms officer, Harker. Tightly behind was Athena. {I wonder if she is in a hurry because of that little stunt. He wondered. "I'd like to have a word with you later, Counselor." He called out as she hesitated at the door. With a slight pause she exited the room. One of the last to try to escape the general's eye was Jack. As Jack was turning away to make his escape Keylor called out. "Major." "Sir." Jack said turning back to him. "Major, I've reinstated all your access codes and such. You'll be needing them obviously for the upcoming mission, I do hope that I've gotten through to you on some level." Saying nothing Jack simply took a piece of cake form his untouched plate. Motioning To Shane, Keylor stood up and headed out of the briefing room and out on to the bridge. The two men crossed the bridge and over to the captains ready room, neither saying a word. Keylor entered the ready room first and waited to hear the hiss of the door behind Shane. Keylor stopped in front of his desk and turned to face Shane. "Ok commander. Voice your objections." He said smiling. Shane had a serious look on his face. Keylr knew he pushed the boundries of the protocol. "Sir, I object to you going on the away mission. This is a known danger and you are after all the ships captain. Some one else should go in stead." He said in a professional but some what, curt tone. Keylor nodded, "I know Commander. Objection noted." He paused and sat on the front edge of his desk. "Commander, I am a combat soldier, trained to be on the front lines observing the action and making decisions based on it. Frankly I find it hard to do that from the chair on the bridge." He said. "Shane remained standing. "With all due respects sir. Many have done just that, from the bridge of the ship. As Executive officer I insist that you send some one else." Keylor bowed his head. "I know commander. And I promise you I wont make a habit of this. But there is something about this mission some thing I cant put my finger on it. But some thing tells me we are in for more than we bargained for." He said thinking of the now several dreams he has had involving the Nova class vessel and the X'chi. "IF things go terribly wrong over there, I will be of more use to us there than here." "Very well sir, but I still think this is a bad idea, more so than the times before." Shane added. Keylor kept looking at the floor. "As well do I commander. But I fear necessary." He said letting his words drop off. As a brief silence fell over the room Shane spoke out. "Well then sir if you will excuse me, I need to make sure things are in order. I have been meaning to check in with Lieutenant McTaggert since I returned form the base, but things have been preventing me form doing so." He said lightly. Keylor could hear Shanes footsteps head back to the bridge. "Commander?" he said looking up. He saw Shane stop and turned around, Yes sir?" he asked. "Keep an Eye on this Harker fellow. It was bad enough that Command saddled us with Palmer, but with the sudden Appearance of Harker, I really wonder what else is going on here. This smells like some covert second operation going on here, though I can't prove it." He said. Shane nodded. "Aye sir I will. I was feeling the same way." He said. Not saying any thing else, Keylor nodded to Shane and returned his look to the floor. A moment later, the door to the bridge opened and closed. {May the prophets guide and protect us.} he thought. ==End Log== Bgen Bretam Keylor Captain