Captain's Log, Stardate 48239.95. We left Earth with a new batch of Starfleet graduates, headed towards Narendra Station so the new Ensigns can make their way towards whatever commissions they've been assigned. Some of the new recruits, of course, are assigned here, to the Firefly, but the vast majority are off elsewhere. Unfortunately, our trip has taken a slight detour, thanks to a distress call coming from an uninhabited Class M planet, Xerxes IV. Being the closest ship in the quadrant, Starfleet has ordered that we investigate and provide whatever assistance we can.
Ah, space. The vastness of it can sometimes cause people to get lost in their own thoughts about what is out there, and how to get to all of those planets. Even with the ability to travel at warp 9 and beyond, it would still take more than a thousand lifetimes to visit them all. But you'll take any chance to visit any of them, getting to know the people and places that make the galaxy and universe tick. And when you got the orders to form an away team to head to the surface of Xerxes IV, you had to all but contain yourself to not shout out that you wanted to go. This is why you joined Starfleet, after all.
The USS Firefly has positioned itself in orbit above the Class M planet, some 250,000 meters above the atmosphere, and you've got an orbital period of some 28 hours. Your commanding officers informed you that a distress call was received from the surface of the planet, but the only information you have is that there is a science team that was stationed on the planet and that they are in danger. Your only orders are to go to the surface of the planet, find the science team, and then help them deal with whatever situation they have found themselves in, up to and including bringing them back the Firefly.
Due to an inability for the ship to lock onto the location the science team is supposed to be at, you find yourselves arriving in one of the large shuttle bays of the ship, several Runabouts being worked on by multiple people. One of the Runabouts is being prepped for your journey to the surface, with several enlisted men and women making sure she has enough fuel, and supplies, and that the electronics work and such. All the normal pre-boarding checks are being taken care of so that you need only worry about the pre-flight checks once you get aboard.
Shuttle Command CrewThe Runabout's cockpit has space for only 2 people - one at the Conn, and one at Ops. The rest of you will be passengers in the shuttle on your way down to the surface. It is up to you to determine who among you sits where.