**Action** "By the book"

(OOC- everyone take note of this post, it is important to the next storyline, it expands on the last action post which set the scene)
 
**Action**
"By the book"
JMC Blue Dwarf, en route to Argus prime
Time: 9:00AM
 
The Captain called a meeting for the senior staff, which was very abnormal for Cannon as he usually let his seconf in command organise the staff. But it seemed that Cannon was a new man ever since the tribunal. He was now doing more things himself, he had already organised the new staff rota, personally checked out the new missile launcher which had been added to the ship. Chief Engineer Commander Smegg had given the curious Cannon a personal tour of the launcher and the silo where the additional missiles and warheads are stored. Cannon had excitedly rubbed his hands together when he saw the impressive armament.
 
But now he was holding a meeting to explain the new mission to the department heads. Commander Niples had scheduled to do this, but Cannon was eager to get it over and done with. Niples, Harris, Febuggure, Kayn and Smegg walked into the conference room and sat at the table. Niples would have invited a few more people, but Cannon must have wanted to keep it on a 'need-to-know' basis.
 
"This is the enemy" said Cannon pointing to a picture of one of the Piks'e Gelfs. "We have been ordered to stop these beings from terrorising the human colonists on Argus Prime. The Space-core have given us the 'AP-M3000'  Missile launcher to help us with this task...."
"But we are not to use it as a weapon for attack, only for self-defence." Seymour cut in.
 
Cannon coughed slightly. "of course" he added dryly.
 
Kayn studied the picture of the Gelf. It was humaniod but was green and scaly- with odd tufts of hair forming a scrappy beard on his chin, and an unkept mullet down his neck. Despite the monsterous look, the creature looked vaguelly intelligent. It wore a tattered uniform of a Space-core worker, whom he probably killed to get the uniform. kayn hoped that he wouldn't have to go down on an away-mission and face one of these creatures head on, as only this picture was scareing the crap out of him.
 
Cannon assigned each department new jobs to achieve, Niples was remarkabley impressed- Cannon was so far planning this mission not only 'by the book' but with methodical, almost military precision. Seymour crossed his arms and leaded back in his chair as he watched Cannon do his job properly for once. Every other member in the room frowned at the realisation that they would have to actually start doing some work.
 
Niples walked around the table, barking strict orders at every department head.
"Engineering," he turned to Smegg. "I want the missile launcher fully operational in case we get...attacked.
 Science, I want you to work with the sensor operator on the bridge to see if we can find any of the Gelfs base from orbit. They must have a base somewhere, either on the planet or on an asteroid nearby. I want to know where it is."
 Security, I want a security team selected to go on away-mission to the Planet Argus Prime when we get there. We need to do a search for the Gelfs, ask the locals if you have to. In the meantime, I want them taken off-duty so that they can get some rest. its no good sending tired soldiers down to the planet when we're supposed to be finding those things." He pointed to the image, Kayn cringed.
 
"How the hell am I supposed to do that?" snarled Harris at the Captains order. "We are low on security officers as it is, especially with the new missile launcher bay which needs guarding at all times...."
Cannon cut him off, which nobody who was worried about their future health would ever dream about doing to Major Harris, but the Captain got away with it.
"In that case, take them off missile-bay duty. We don't need it guarding all the time, anyway- we're all friends here eh?"
Harris was about to form a response, but Cannon's further barking of orders cut him off.
 
"Helm," he turned to newly-promoted Lt. Bestrom. "I want you to get us to Argus Prime as soon as you can, orbit the planet and get one of your best pilots ready to take a Starbug down to the surface. I suggest you get a Blue Midget on standby too, in case we need it.
 "Doctor," Cannon turned to the chief medical officer. "How easy do you think it would be to kill one of these beings?"
Cannon noticed the glare Niples was giving him and shot one back. "...to make sure we don't kill any. The Core wants us to capture them alive, I remember!" he said to Niples.
 
"They don't look too much stronger than humans, they have slightly tougher hides. About one or two gun shots should kill them, a bazookoid would definately 'tear them a new arse' sir." said Doctor Keto.
"Your medical opinion is very much valued." said Cannon, and in a commanding voice so that Niples would be sure to hear, Cannon said "In that case, if we need to capture these alive then we must use stun-guns and tazers. We don't want to hurt the poor beasties." he grinned at Niples, who was a bit taken aback by the man's initiative.
 
"I think you thought of everything Captain" he said. And the meeting was closed, everyone went back to their departments to get ready.
 
***3 hours later***
 
The Blue Dwarf swung into a slow planetary orbit around Argus prime. Major 'Nutter' Harris had assembled an away team to go down to the planet. He had stocked the mostly non-lethal weapons they needed, and was putting them all onboard Starbug 2. It was still an hour to their mission, but Harris like to be ready.
Commander Niples sautered down to the flight deck to see what he was doing.
Harris snorted when he saw him, Seymour was usually busy to roam the ship like this. "What's up? Cannon doing all the work so that you don't have to anymore?."
Niples raised an eyebrow. "Actually, I can't get over the transformation. He's doing everything right for a change. It seems almost too good to be true."
 
"I bet you had your eye on the Captain's seat- but now he won the tribunal and you're going to have to stay the lowly second-officer!"
 
Niples sighed and gave Harris a sheet. "Heres the list of other crewmembers the Captain...and me recommend for the away-mission."
Harris read the sheet.
 
Suddenly, Communications officer Alota Viagra's voice came over the tannoy system, booming through the ship.
"Major Harris and Commander Niples to the Drive room, repeat..."
They never heard the repaet as they were already in the lift bound for the drive-room.
 
***Drive room***
Harris barged past a huge hamster to get to Alotta. Niples politely stepped around Whitewolf instead.
Alotta read from her computer screen, listened to the speaker in her ear and talked to the Captain, Commander and Harris at the same time. "We have just recieved a news bulletin from the Planet that the rebel Gelfs have just taken over a military base on the surface."
 
Captain Cannon gave the order before Seymour could. "Harris, take the away-team down now. Try to recapture the base...."
"And try not to kill any Gelfs!" added Niples.
 
Harris muttered as he went back down to the flight deck where he rounded up the away-team. The team consists of, Harris, Whitewolf, Penny Lloyd, Joe Scweeble and Jay Chrysler would pilot the Starbug to take them there.
 
<<here we go, I want to do this storyline fairly slowly so that everyone can keep up. I've planned all this out so i'll e-mail everyone who has an important part to tell them vaguelly what to do. Hopefully we can keep the storyline going the way it should.>>
 
==================================Lt. David "Onion" BallAssistant Helm officer/ Pilot  USS Endeavour-ACommander Seymour Niples  JMC Blue DwarfWWW.Home.JMCBlueDwarf.com==================================