[Vimyridge] 950124.23 JL Pt 17 (Vilqa, T. Blake, C. Blake, Saladin, Lox, Nix, Fen, Xoron and Balkion (NPCs))

[Tana Ragsdale]

"Lox," the part klingon's focus shifted for the umpteenth time in the past
couple of minutes, "We have Ensign Fen from engineering on the bridge should
you require anything from your department."

"Understood Captain. I need a class 1 subsurface probe launched to
coordinates 120 by 74, depth of 100 kilometers. There is indication that
there is a weak spot in the continental plates in that area." Justin
replied. "Standard seismic payload for the probe."

Vilqa glanced back to as inconspicuously as possible monitor the new ensign,
Fen, and how she reacted to the orders from Lox.

Sorala glanced up at the view-screen for a second and the after a short
pause looked down and began to key in the co-ordinates. 'OK, you know how to
do this' she thought. Her expression briefly changed to one of panic and
then she seemed to compose herself. "ready for launch Captain" she said.

"You are free to launch Ensign." The captain sat heavily in her chair as she
rubbed her left temple, "Lox standby for the probe's arrival. DuMont have
you received confirmation from the Mistral?"

Jason nodded. "The Mistral has responded. They are en route. ETA, 1.5 hours"

[Shuttle]

Saladin finished collecting the data he needed, he could hear the captains
word to Lox over the intercom and he grabbed one of the holographic storage
devices before heading to the shuttles doors. "Wish us well." And then he
was out, in full E.V.A. suit, heading back to the caves and praying against
any tremors.

[Ridge]

Vilqa's lip twitch slightly hearing Marcus so that she nearly smiled knowing
he was well, "Nix what can you tell us. Lox I need you to listen in."

Toby turned his attention to Nix, to hear what she had to say. Kylee took a
deep breath, looking between the captain and the commander.

"The data I discovered has shown that this is being caused intentionally.
Someone, for some reason, is throwing the asteroids at the sun. However.. We
may be able to use the asteroids to our advantage, as a shield against any
more attacks."

"How so?" Toby asked, quietly.

Kylee turned andmoved over to a free console, pulling up the image of the
sun and planet. "The asteroid protecting the shuttle during that flare gave
me an idea. This area in between the sun and planet is far enough that it
would allow us to position several of the larger asteroids in to a location
to act almost like a shield," she stated, pointing to a certain area between
the two. "Right here, if positioned, would protect the planet, and allow for
us to watch for any large debris that might break off and head for the
planet. It will also be far enough away to prevent any gravitational
effects. So, while the planet is protected, we can investigate the readings
of the ship that was launching the asteroids."

"In our present location, with the radiation interference can we accurately
use our tractor breams?" Vilqa asked in general to the bridge.

Toby looked to see if anyone could answer the Captain's question. The answer
came from someone listening from the planet.

"In theory, if you modulate the tractor beam, like we do the phasers during
a borg encounter, you should be able to maintain about 80% tractor beam
effectivness." Justin repsonded. "It would take a partial reconfiguration of
the emitter array."

Kylee furrowed her brow as she listened to Justin's response, pulling up the
specs on the tractor beams, as well as estimates of what would be necessary
to act as a proper "shield". "If needed, do we have access to any small
rockets we could attach to the asteroid, to help guide it and hold in
place?" she asked, trying to think of the best way to protect the planet. "I
could assist with this, or could work on finding out who was behind this.."

"Class one probes would work for that if we don't have any chemical rockets
in storage." Justin replied over the comm. "We need to get this done
quickly, we are fast approaching the point of no return down here for
radiation exposure to those in the caves."

Kylee nodded, looking back to the captain. "With your permission, I would
like to begin moving this asteroid in to position," she said, pointing to
one of the larger asteroids in the field. "If we get it moved in to location
within the next hour, that will prevent any more damage to the planet, and
only cause a diminishing of the sunlight, much like a solar eclipse."

"Might I suggest using the ships shields to bump the asteroids away from
their intended trajectories. You will need full shields for the large
asteroids, but only the navigational shields for the smaller ones." Justin
added. Jason looked up from his console. "USS Mistral has arrived. They are
standing by"

[Caves]

Cait was only a short way into the tunnels when Marcus caught up with her.
She seemed to be standing there either thinking or staring at the walls.

Xoron was waiting, and watching for Cait's return, when she returned alone,
his stoic demanor became stoney and he made his way over towards Cait,
easily seen approaching through the crowds due to his height.

As Marcus reached her he spied Xoron and spoke quickly under his breath to
his commanding officer. "We need to take him aside, and show him this." He
briefly held out the holographic data recording. "It's eveyrthing that
happened to your patient." Then he fell silent, making sure nobody else
could overhear what he had said..

Cait sighed softly and whispered back. "I'm not holding out much hope of
that." She seemed to brace herself for whatever Xoron was going to do or
say.

Xoron stopped in front of the two, and looked from one to the other quietly.


"I'm sorry, but she didn't make it. Xoron, she wasn't getting better when
you brought her to my attention. She was nearly dead." Cait said
regretfully.

{Caves}

Kat went back to treating the people and doing her best to convince them
that they needed to seriously consider leaving the planet. She knelt down by
another group and scanned them checking their vitals. "I know you like it
here but this place has become far too dangerous to stay here. " she said
calmly. A young man looked up at her. "but this is all we know.....and where
will we go?" he asked. Kat thought for a moment "I'm sure there's a much
safer place possibly another planet perhaps or maybe a federation colony out
post..but I suppose that bit remains to be determined." she told him as she
made her scans though they revealed what she'd been seeing for quite some
time, increased levels of radiation.

"I see." Was all Xoron said. "You are suited up, are you leaving?"

Marcus shook his head, "Not immediately, but radiation levels are rising
again Xoron. We don't think we can stop them, everyone's going to get a lot
sicker, quicker." He looked at Cat briefly, "Can we chat to you privately
for a few minutes?"

Xoron looked about then bellowed, and the man could bellow he was the kind
who'd make generations of drill sergeants envious. "Balkion! Feddies need ta
talk!" Then he looked back at Marcus and Cait, "This as private it gets, you
talk to Balkion too. Others will stay back."

The rotund male huffed as he less than elegantly jogged toward Xoron, "You
need to talk?" he was a wee bit out of breath, "Then do so." Rough hands
adjusted the rainbow coloured tunic he wore.

Marcus looked briefly at Cait, then turned to acknowledge Balkion and Xoron.
"We are facing two problems right now. The first, is the radiation." He
looked at the many injured and sick that lay within the caverns, his arms
fulfilling an all encompassing gesture, "The radiation has been causing your
peoples sickness. The radiation is what means our Federation officers must
wear these suits. It prevents the radiation from contaminating us for a
certain period of time." He handed the holographic imager to Cait, "If you
want to see what happened to your friend when Commander Blake went to treat
her then the commander here can fill you in." 

Cait brought the scans up. "As you can see, there's organ degredation all
through out the body. In layman's terms, she was dissolving from the inside.
This is what's going to happen to all your people if the radiation levels
continue to rise. The radiation in the caves is rapidly heading towards
dangerous levels and your food and water is already compromised."

As Cait finished her brief talk Saladin spoke up again. "Even if we were
able to prevent the radiation we have just become aware of a second issue."
He paused and took a deep breath, "Your planet is tearing its self apart.
Large seismic activity will soon destroy what is left. There is no easy to
way say this. We are out of options for saving your planet."

Xoron shook his head sadly, sadly because the Feddies didn't understand.
They knew about the radiation, it was why they had retreated to the caves,
and if the sun's tears wanted to kill them, then they had obviously errored
somewhere and upset the sun. It was a matter of belief and religion and
faith. Something that made Xoron sad, because obviously the Feddies had none
of it. He left the talking, however, to Balkion. He was better at it.

Cait picked up a sense of what Xoron was getting at. "Let me ask you
something. What if solar flares have been caused by someone else?"

"Is that, not why you are here? To help? If they are being caused, should
you not stop it? All we had who could... Already left." Cowards in Xoron's
mind, but he would not speak them.

"That's what we're trying to find out and stop, but it might not happen in
time. Would you agree to at least getting off the planet and somewhere safe
until we do?" Cait asked.

"I speak only for self when say no. Leave planet, then I not be me." Xoron
crossed his arms and lifted his head.

"Look Xoron, Balkion, this is not happening because the planet or sun is
angry at you. This is happening for other reasons that may still be
impossible to stop. If you leave here you will be able to continue your way
of life, and your beliefs on another planet, if not then everything about
you dies here, a long, slow painful death." Marcus was becoming frustrated. 

Balkion tipped his head to the side, "I live and breathe for my planet.
Would you abandon yours to demise?"

(tbc)