✨ XIMILIA TOWN HALL MEETING ✨ ( video/audio/action )

[farr]

[ some morning in the middle of the week, during their return to the station, an invitation will be taped on the door of every orber. though the calligraphy would suggest this must have been typed on a computer and printer, each invitation is actually very carefully hand-written and reads as follows: ]

[ the idea is for everyone to meet in the mess hall at the intended time, but if some choose not to attend, the meeting can still be accessed by the earpieces, allowing all orbers to watch or listen in and contribute however they wish, no matter where they are.

however, for those who do decide to attend, the mess hall features a full display of bagels and donuts, along with plenty of fresh coffee, all to help everyone wake up and feel refreshed for the meeting that's about to take place.

a makeshift little stage, arranged by stacking together a few metal boxes is at the center of the room, atop of it being the one and only rita farr herself, with a bright optimistic smile. when she sees enough people present and settled, she speaks up, loud and clear: ]

Hello, everyone! Welcome to our first Annual — or monthly, or however we decide to do it — Town Hall meeting! Thank you all for coming and please enjoy the food to your heart's content. For those who don't know me, I'm Rita Farr. Now— though my name does appear on the invitation, this is hardly about me. This is about all of us.

After our ... last mission, it became quite clear that our group could use a bit of improvement with how we approach our next missions moving forward. And I thought the best way to plan for that is to allow all of us an opportunity to discuss how we all feel about what we've done well and what we could do better. After all, everyone deserves a say in this, right?

[ she points behind her where a giant board is on display on an easel, once again, hand-written with careful and precise calligraphy in giant letters: ]


Here, I've written some sample questions we can all try to offer answers to, but the floor will also be open for any other questions and suggestions that anyone might have. Remember, there are no wrong answers! We're all here for an open forum discussion. But before that!

[ she reaches over to the board, pulling it off to reveal another one behind it. this one reads as follows: ]


Please consider the "Keys to Success", not only on our missions, but as we talk together in this room right now. We'll go ahead and take turns either stepping up here on the stage or speaking out from wherever you are. There are no microphones but the earpieces should get your voices out to everyone. Now, who would like to start?


( this post is open to all! the idea is that everyone is taking turns in each thread to speak out to the entire group (whether from within the room or from elsewhere), but thread-jacking and hopping around for discussion is the key here! feel free to run wild with ic suggestions or questions regarding mission layouts or planning or whatever floats your boat (ic complaining/protest is always an option too). though rita is organizing it, it's open to whatever people are inclined to discuss. )

Comments

[legalcy]

[Minimus resumes sitting and types away furiously, copying McCoy's every word. It's best that he quotes the order directly rather than paraphrase it; they mustn't overlook a loophole created with approximate wording.]

We have something similar regarding the sharing of technologies. By "strength", do you mean armed forces? What is the different between lending strength to repel hostile alien forces and lending our aid for their personal matters? Would that have meant refusing to ally ourselves with the Fables?

[homeostatic]

( Just so they're not talking across the room, McCoy abandons his post by the breakfast table to have a seat by Minimus, setting down his coffee. )

Let me start with your first question. "Strength" in this case would mean providing superior weaponry, supernatural powers and might to one side of a civil conflict. It could also mean givin' them land surveys, scans and knowledge of their enemy's personnel movements, giving them transporter technology (or the magical equivalent), or matter synthesizers like the Ximilia's armory unit.

When it comes to the interference of an outside alien force, such as in Giva, we would be able to provide aid, even assistance in repelling them, if the affected society asked for our help. It's rarely so straightforward though, as many pre-warp societies aren't unified, so while one group might be gettin' chummy with the Klingons in their backyard, another might be subjugated by them. Things with multiple moving parts like that are difficult to tell from orbit, so we would first send a forward team for diplomatic talks and make further decisions from there.

( which... they could maybe?? do here?? they did send staggered teams to Badrock, after all... )

Lending aid for personal matters would be more like simple humanitarian aid. Medical care, building or maintaining homes and structures using local supplies, ensuring they have access to clean water, things of that nature. We wouldn't leave anything behind that they would not be able to maintain themselves, with the technology they have.

Does that make sense?

( He'll wrap up here in a second with Minimus' last question, but this is A Lot he's summarizing. )

[legalcy]

I like the idea of scouting teams. We all are given the same information at the start, but it helps to stagger our investigations. Those that can gather intelligence are prioritized, followed by those who can act on that information. Medical care or aid can be implemented depending on the situation.

[He's organizing this as one would a military mission. It's the best thing he knows.]

The question also remains: How much information do we give about the orb? It feels as if this would also depend on where it is located and with whom it has a contract. I've never been on a mission where it was not in someone's possession, but I imagine it must be difficult explaining such a thing.

[homeostatic]

( Be still his beating heart. )

The few orbers who've done so were successful. If we can continue to meet locals where they are, and be honest about our intentions, and the dangers of the orbs, I believe we'll keep seeing positive responses.

Though we should also prepare for the worst. All it takes is one local to decide we're stealin' something of theirs, and things will get messy.

( And then they get mired in more worst case scenario business he keeps to himself. Disagreements aside, he's reasonably sure most of the team wants to do good wherever they land. )

[legalcy]

Communicating with them should be a last resort. Sharing incomplete intelligence with someone we have not vetted puts the mission and the crew in jeopardy.

[The residents of the planets are not Decepticons, but they have the potential to become hostile.]

The ideal solution is to take the orb without their noticing, thus leaving the smallest impact on a pre-contact society.