Mission 1 - Minor Auxilium Requiratur...

Eureka was now speeding its way toward the quarantine zone surrounding New Bajor and the Xenomorph encounter they had encountered there. Since Eureka was a small science ship, it was not built for combat, but it did have the space to ferry any and all survivors of the attack... It was very unlikely at this point that they would be fired upon...

Capt Sull: ETA to New Bajor, Lieutenant Gutiérrez?

Azeri was getting a little itchy in the chair, no matter how much she was not a soldier, these situations had a way of permeating even the hardiest of doctors...
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Captain Azeri Sull
Mission Specialist, USS Eureka

Bridge - Deck 2

Mateo brought Eureka to its maximum velocity of Warp 9 and altered the course once more, this time taking the California Class vessel directly to New Bajor in order to position the ship right over the capital city of New Rakantha. The ETA was dramatically shorter than it was at Warp 8 and the Lieutenant let the Captain know about it, per her order.

Lt. Gutiérrez: We're looking at just under twenty minutes at Warp Nine, Captain!

The Chief Flight Control Officer monitored the course and made sure there were no obstacles along the way. Moving at this velocity was as fast at Eureka could go for the next 12 hours, which New Bajor was considerably closer so they were in no danger of damaging the engines. The Lieutenant was curious to know exactly what kind of outbreak the planet was suffering from and what plans there was to rectify it.
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Lieutenant Mateo Gutiérrez
Chief Flight Control Officer, USS Eureka

The Lieutenant JG did as the Captain ordered and put Eureka on Red Alert and raised the Shields and powered up the Phasers and Torpedo Bays and set all their signatures on a random rotation as Capt Sull indicated.

Lt. JG Kaaha: Red Alert! Shields and Weapon Systems online and on random rotation, Captain!

The Chief Security/Tactical Officer maintained the random rotation on the Shields, Phasers and Photon Torpedoes. Charrothe was worried about the family he had on New Bajor and hoped they were doing alright during this outbreak the Lieutenant JG was unaware of.
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Lt. Junior Grade Kaaha Charrothe
Chief Security/Tactical Officer, USS Eureka

Gus was very excited when he heard the announcement from Lt. JG Kaaha Eureka was on Red Alert! The Yeoman just had no clue what a Xenomorph outbreak was or how serious of a situation it could be, so he called out to Cmdr Bennet since the Ensign did not want to bother the Captain.

Ens Montoya: Commander Bennet, what is a Xenomorph?

The Yeoman sat in the chair to the left of Capt Sull and hoped his question did not irritate her. Gus had the feeling the Captain felt she had no need for a Yeoman, so the Ensign would do anything to prove that he was a valuable member of the crew, even though he was so much younger than everyone else.
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Ensign Gustavo R. Montoya
Yeoman, USS Eureka

Claire thought it best to leave LtCmdr Meridius to his duties since he was a more than competent Chief Engineer and could handle bringing Eureka to Warp 9 without any assistance from a Bridge Officer. Besides, the XO needed to present the Yeoman and everyone else who was unaware of what a Xenomorph was, an outline from the Federation Database.

Cmdr Bennet: Captain, I believe Mr. Meridius knows how to maintain Warp Nine for about twenty minutes, he wouldn't need me down there getting under foot. Besides, I've brought up the database on the Xenomorph for Mr. Montoya and anyone else who may not understand what one is and what they're capable of doing.

Using the Main Viewscreen, the data of the life cycle of the Xenomorph came up first, showing it starting as an egg, then springing out of there to hug the face of a prospective host, laying an embryo down the esophagus and crawling off to die after implantation. How the embryo grows and becomes large enough to rip out through the chest of the host and scurries off to shed its skin and grows quickly to full size where it becomes a deadly, hostile, killing machine. That in time if there are more than one, a queen will emerge and she will lay eggs, creating more Facehuggers which will lay in a dormant state until a new host becomes available.

The Commander also had the impression Capt Sull was somewhat confused by the capabilities of the creatures since she asked Lt. JG Kaaha to randomly rotate the Shields and the Weapon Systems as if they were going into battle with the Borg. Xenomorphs do not have the technical knowledge to use weapons on Eureka, let alone find a way to fire such weapons in a manner that could penetrate the Shields by finding the same operational frequency. Claire hoped the presentation on the Main Viewscreen would shed some light on the matter for the Captain, Yeoman Montoya and anyone else on the Bridge who needed to know more about these insidious beings.

Cmdr Bennet: There you have it, Mr. Montoya. That...is a Xenomorph. If you or anyone else has any questions about them, please feel free to ask, we've got seventeen minutes before we reach New Bajor.

The XO looked around at the quizzical expressions on the faces of the Bridge crew and knew there had to be somebody wanting to know something about what they just watched on the Main Viewscreen. All they needed to do was ask Cmdr Bennet and she would do her best to answer them with what she knew or bring up in the Federation Database.
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Captain Claire L. Bennet
Commanding Officer, USS Eureka

Gus was very frightened over the images he saw on the Main Viewscreen. In all the Ensign's training, he never saw anything like this before and was horrified to his very core.

Ens Montoya: That organism sounds like it is a perfect killing machine! I really hope we will not be encountering them! I do not believe I have the training to deal with such a terror! I am so sorry, Commander!

The Yeoman shrank in his seat on the Bridge, afraid that his cowardice was going to get him fired from a position Gus had dreamed about since he was a toddler and played with miniature Starships in his room. Never in the Ensign's imagined adventures did he conjure up such a beast! Even the Star Cadet program offered more generalized training in ways to assist the CO and XO of a vessel during times of need. Not do battle with such a terrifying creature!
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Ensign Gustavo R. Montoya
Yeoman, USS Eureka

The Captain was just as mortified as Ensign Montoya was, and she showed this visibly. Her hair flourishes as she ran a hand through it her other turning a rather pale shade of white knuckle.

Capt Sull: So the weapon modifications won't work on them... But it does make me feel a little better we have them, less chance these... demonic angels of death will ever make it aboard.

Azeri turned to look towards Ens Montoya and the others who seemed just as fearful of what could happen.

Capt Sull: I'd be lying if I said I wasn't just as scared as each and every one of you, Ensign. The best we can do is to be prepared, and since the Shield rotations won't do a damn thing... I'll be authorizing the release and use of the Assault Phaser Rifles to all officers, Type Three's for Senior Officers... Even if it just helps everyone to feel a little better as we face death!

It was still just as obvious, with the quarantine field in operation, it was very unlikely any of those creatures would make it aboard Eureka... But this was not a time for truth, but a time for consoling...
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Captain Azeri Sull
Mission Specialist, USS Eureka

The Ensign felt somewhat better with the Captain responding the way she did towards him and the rest of the crew on the Bridge. Gus was still scared of those horrible creatures and hoped he would never see one up close...or even from a distance!

Ens Montoya: Thank you, Captain. I feel better knowing you are just as scared as I am about these monsters. They are truly horrible!

The Yeoman sat in the chair to the Captain's left and wondered if Cmdr Bennet was okay. The XO seemed to be quite distant all of a sudden and this concerned Gus. Perhaps the Commander needed to speak with Counselor Benz at some point if something was bothering her. The Ensign thought about recommending it, but it was not his place to do so. Only Capt Sull could do that.
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Ensign Gustavo R. Montoya
Yeoman, USS Eureka

Azeri saw the ghostly look on Cmdr Bennet's face and surmised she was remembering how these beasts from Hell itself had been involved with a family members death some years prior. The CO placed one hand on her XO's as she spoke softly.

Capt Sull: They will be stopped, Commander, we wont let them continue to survive.... Whatever the costs. The line must be drawn here... Here and no further. Take a moment, walk it off Commander, but take your time.

The Captain looked back over towards Ens Montoya.

Capt Sull: Fear is fear. It doesn't speak in riddles. Fear means you're smart, that you understand the risks ahead and the dangers that lie behind.

Azeri wondered if sending the Commander to the Counselor was even warranted but decided against it for the time being. Yes, the XO was lost in a memory, but it happens to even the very best of officers, it was nothing to be ashamed of and knew, whatever happened from here on out, Cmdr Bennet would face the task with admiration and the respect it deserved. Claire was a willing officer and an experienced one at that, so the Captain felt she probably just needed a few moments to herself.
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Captain Azeri Sull
Mission Specialist, USS Eureka

Claire just couldn't shake the loss of her younger brother at the hands of Xenomoprhs back when they were children living on Tau Ceti 6 with their parents. Leaving the Bridge for the time being should help clear her past memories of her tremendous loss which felt more recent than ever.

Cmdr Bennet: Thank you, Captain. I'll try not to stay away too long.

The XO got up from her chair and walked to the Turbolift and took it up to Deck 1 where her Quarters were located. Getting into her cabin, Claire picked up the family photo on her desk and walked over to her bed. Sitting on the mattress, the Commander looked at the photo of her brother and herself and couldn't help but break down and sob.
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Captain Claire L. Bennet
Commanding Officer, USS Eureka