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current_story:return_from_innocence [2021/03/13 19:44] cromwellcurrent_story:return_from_innocence [2023/08/24 04:16] (current) cromwell
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 "Right," Saal was glad to see his Intel comrade was following along.  "Knowing that, when I looked closer at these gene modifications, I realized that the proteins they created were reactive to synchronic distortion fields." "Right," Saal was glad to see his Intel comrade was following along.  "Knowing that, when I looked closer at these gene modifications, I realized that the proteins they created were reactive to synchronic distortion fields."
  
-"So?" remarked Theo.  "Lots of proteins react to distortion fields."+"So?" remarked Theo.  "Lots of proteins react to distortion fields."  His feigning of a strong understanding of biology was unconvincing, but Saal had more pressing concerns on his mind than to point it out at the moment.
  
 "Yes, but other proteins normally have some sort of purpose in the human body.  The proteins from these modified genes didn't seem to have a purpose until I realized what happened to them in synchronic distortion fields.  I cultured a few of the DNA strands from the secured records into some research cells, and used a handheld phase generator on them.  This is what I found..." "Yes, but other proteins normally have some sort of purpose in the human body.  The proteins from these modified genes didn't seem to have a purpose until I realized what happened to them in synchronic distortion fields.  I cultured a few of the DNA strands from the secured records into some research cells, and used a handheld phase generator on them.  This is what I found..."
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 **Location: Main Bridge, deck 1, USS Republic nee Asgard, NCC-76241** **Location: Main Bridge, deck 1, USS Republic nee Asgard, NCC-76241**
  
-As Theo and Saal arrived on the bridge, over half the members of Task Force Trident were present.  Deuce was at his usual spot at the tactical arch overlooking the command pit, while Commander St. John took his roost in the captain's chair.  Ensign Carson Jenson was at the Ops station, while Lieutenant Shelia Anderson was manning the helm.  With the all the vital stations properly tended to, Theo "Doug Forrest" Carter took the first officer's seat to the right of St. John, while Doctor Yezbeck pulled out the below-console stool to sit at the Sciences II station at the rear of the bridge.+As Theo and Saal arrived on the bridge, over half the members of Task Force Trident were present.  Deuce was at his usual spot at the tactical arch overlooking the command pit, while Commander St. John took his roost in the captain's chair.  Ensign Carson Jensen was at the Ops station, while Lieutenant Sheila Anderson was manning the helm.  With the all the vital stations properly tended to, Theo "Doug Forrest" Carter took the first officer's seat to the right of St. John, while Doctor Yezbeck pulled out the below-console stool to sit at the Sciences II station at the rear of the bridge.
  
-Minutes passed silently as the ship closed in on the star system that the HMS Republic universe Victor Virtus had first triangulated as the source of the "H-O-L-A-C-O-M-P-R-A-D-E-S" message that went out to the refugees from the USS Republic universe just a few weeks ago.  As they approached what the charts said should have been a standard single main sequence star, the sensors were better able to resolve the star's spectrum due to the much closer proximity, revealing the system to actually be composed of not just a yellow Class-G main sequence star, but also a closely-orbiting and very rare blue dwarf star.  Burning so hot that it's spectral range surpassed the Class-range on the Hertzsprung–Russell scale, this unexpected second star was less than a quarter solar mass in size. According to the astrometrics database, it must have formed as a result of a small red dwarf running out of hydrogen fuel and not having enough mass to expand in size like a normal red dwarf, which could only have had the alternative result of increasing its radiative state by elevating it's surface temperature instead.  Had the ship been fully staffed by a scientific crew, this discovery of a second dwarf star would have been a phenomenal finding, causing waves of excitement and intrigue since the existence of blue dwarfs were only hypothetical due to the galaxy's relatively young age.  Sadly, no astronomers or astrophysical specialists were present, leaving the buzzing celebration of such a unique discovery to be held at a later date by future explorers, or perhaps by an astute intelligence operative at Starfleet Headquarters who would be lucky enough to review the logs of this most uncustomary trip to the Delta Quadrant.+Minutes passed silently as the ship closed in on the star system that the HMS Republic universe Victor Virtus had first triangulated as the source of the "H-O-L-A-C-O-M-P-R-A-D-E-S" message that went out to the refugees from the USS Republic universe just a few weeks ago.  As they approached what the charts said should have been a standard single main sequence star, the sensors were better able to resolve the star's spectrum due to the much closer proximity, revealing the system to actually be composed of not just a yellow Class-G main sequence star, but also a closely-orbiting and very rare blue dwarf star.  Burning so hot that it's spectral range reached the Class-range on the Hertzsprung–Russell scale, this unexpected second star was less than a quarter solar mass in size. According to the astrometrics database, it must have formed as a result of a small red dwarf running out of hydrogen fuel and not having enough mass to expand in size like a normal red dwarf, which could only have had the alternative result of increasing its radiative state by elevating it's surface temperature instead.  Had the ship been fully staffed by a scientific crew, this discovery of a second dwarf star would have been a phenomenal finding, causing waves of excitement and intrigue since the existence of blue dwarfs were only hypothetical due to the galaxy's relatively young age.  Sadly, no astronomers or astrophysical specialists were present, leaving the buzzing celebration of such a unique discovery to be held at a later date by future explorers, or perhaps by an astute intelligence operative at Starfleet Headquarters who would be lucky enough to review the logs of this most uncustomary trip to the Delta Quadrant.
  
 As Republic nee Asgard smoothly flew into the inner planets of the system at a few hundredths of units below the lightspeed barrier, it took only minutes to zero in on the single barely-habitable planet in the star system.  Registering as class H rather than class M, this world was firmly a desert planet due to the additional thermal energy invoked by the blue dwarf.  While calculations indicated that the dwarf star would eventually burn out, allowing the planet to drop back into the M-class category someday in the far future, it's current surface temperature exceeded that of even Vulcan, suggesting that any inhabitants would have had to evolve remarkable adaptations to thrive in such an environment.  For indeed, the desert world orbited close enough to the binary stars that the blue dwarf must have appeared in the sky even larger than the yellow main-sequence star it circled, acting like a fiery cobalt blowtorch as it rose each day.  Only after it set would the transition to night allow the searing heat to finally radiate away back into space.  During such evenings, lunar orbital calculations showed that the planet's multiple moons would shine brightly at all hours of darkness, as their highly elliptical orbits often brought them close to the planet, with one moon even kissing the upper regions of the planet's atmosphere at regular intervals.  Yet despite these dynamic and turbulent orbital conditions, lifeform readings were prominent if not discrete in the austere and uninviting wilderness of the planet's rusty-colored canyon-strewn surface. As Republic nee Asgard smoothly flew into the inner planets of the system at a few hundredths of units below the lightspeed barrier, it took only minutes to zero in on the single barely-habitable planet in the star system.  Registering as class H rather than class M, this world was firmly a desert planet due to the additional thermal energy invoked by the blue dwarf.  While calculations indicated that the dwarf star would eventually burn out, allowing the planet to drop back into the M-class category someday in the far future, it's current surface temperature exceeded that of even Vulcan, suggesting that any inhabitants would have had to evolve remarkable adaptations to thrive in such an environment.  For indeed, the desert world orbited close enough to the binary stars that the blue dwarf must have appeared in the sky even larger than the yellow main-sequence star it circled, acting like a fiery cobalt blowtorch as it rose each day.  Only after it set would the transition to night allow the searing heat to finally radiate away back into space.  During such evenings, lunar orbital calculations showed that the planet's multiple moons would shine brightly at all hours of darkness, as their highly elliptical orbits often brought them close to the planet, with one moon even kissing the upper regions of the planet's atmosphere at regular intervals.  Yet despite these dynamic and turbulent orbital conditions, lifeform readings were prominent if not discrete in the austere and uninviting wilderness of the planet's rusty-colored canyon-strewn surface.
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 "Any response to our hails?" Blake St. John asked Deuce at the tactical station. "Any response to our hails?" Blake St. John asked Deuce at the tactical station.
  
-"Nothing," he replied.  "No handshake signal, no nothing.  If there's any communications system down there, they're not currently active."+"Nothing," he replied.  "No handshake signal, no anything.  If there's any communications system down there, they're not currently active."
  
 "Bio-scans?" asked St. John as the ship took up position in standard orbit.  "Can you pick up any human lifesigns?" "Bio-scans?" asked St. John as the ship took up position in standard orbit.  "Can you pick up any human lifesigns?"
  
-"Indeterminate," Saal responded from the rear sciences station. "The planet has a layer of ionizing gas in the upper stratosphere, probably due to regular contact with one of it's moons, which is loaded with Kelbonite.  The dust is blocking the bioscanners.  However... geologic scanners are picking up sporadic readings of refined metal on the surface.  If we get into a lower orbit, I might be able to localize it."+"Indeterminate," Saal responded from the rear sciences station. "The planet has a thin layer of ionized particles in the upper stratosphere, probably due to regular contact with one of it's moons, which is loaded with Kelbonite.  The dust is interfering with the bioscanners.  However... the geologic scanners are picking up sporadic readings of refined metal on the surface.  If we get into a lower orbit, I might be able to localize them."
  
 "Understood," the commander acknowledged.  "Helm, decrease altitude to two-hundred kilometers and begin a grid pattern search of the surface.  Continue hails on all Starfleet frequencies." "Understood," the commander acknowledged.  "Helm, decrease altitude to two-hundred kilometers and begin a grid pattern search of the surface.  Continue hails on all Starfleet frequencies."
  
-"Acknowledged," Shelia promptly replied.+"Acknowledged," Sheila promptly replied.
  
-"Anything?" Blake turned and asked Saal after a moment while the ship slipped into the lower orbit.+"Anything?" Blake turned and asked Saal after the ship slipped into the lower orbit.
  
-"Yes," Saal responded excitedly as he studied the information coming in on the monitor.  "The refined metal traces have isotope ratios that correspond to Starfleet hull signatures They're coming from an area at coordinates three-five-six by one-eight-one.  Northern hemisphere, just ahead of the first eastern terminator."+"Yes," Saal responded excitedly as he studied the information coming in on the monitor.  "The refined metal traces have isotope ratios that correspond to Starfleet hull signatures They're coming from an area at coordinates three-five-six by one-eight-one.  Northern hemisphere, just ahead of the first eastern terminator."
  
-"The lower altitude may have cleared the bioscanners," the commander commented "Any lifesigns now?"+"Have the bioscanners cleared any?" the commander asked.
  
 "Some," Saal replied, a furrow forming on his face as he adjusted the scanner with a few taps of his fingers.  "There's a conglomeration of humanoids at those coordinates.  I'm seeing bits and pieces of the refined metal interspersed within a population near a large canyon.  The metal all adds up to roughly the mass of a small shuttlecraft.  My guess is that they've already taken it apart and found other uses for the parts." "Some," Saal replied, a furrow forming on his face as he adjusted the scanner with a few taps of his fingers.  "There's a conglomeration of humanoids at those coordinates.  I'm seeing bits and pieces of the refined metal interspersed within a population near a large canyon.  The metal all adds up to roughly the mass of a small shuttlecraft.  My guess is that they've already taken it apart and found other uses for the parts."
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 "Helm?" "Helm?"
  
-"Meteorological charts are clear," shrugged Shelia Anderson at the con.  "Just a little bit of wind at the higher elevations.  Otherwise, it's dry as a bone down there.  It shouldn't be a problem... It's just that..."+"Meteorological charts are clear," shrugged Sheila Anderson at the con.  "Just a little bit of wind at the higher elevations.  Otherwise, it's dry as a bone down there.  It shouldn't be a problem... It's just that..."
  
 "What?" "What?"
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 Theo "Doug Forrest" Carter and Blake St. John studied at each other in silence.  From his point of view, St. John had already stuck his neck out for Forrest and Yezbeck by sacrificing his life and the lives of his team to come to the Delta Quadrant.  He had kept his side of the promise, getting them to the distant world where their colleague John Carter appeared to have crash landed.  Now, they were asking him to go even further by possibly violating Starfleet's most cherished directive, charging in head-on, and all but shouting "here we are!" to the natives.  On the other hand, they hadn't the resources of a fully-staffed starship to perform a clandestine first contact mission, and if Yezbeck's suspicion is correct in that cultural contamination had already taken place, it would be a waste of time and resources to even try.  He needed to find middle ground. Theo "Doug Forrest" Carter and Blake St. John studied at each other in silence.  From his point of view, St. John had already stuck his neck out for Forrest and Yezbeck by sacrificing his life and the lives of his team to come to the Delta Quadrant.  He had kept his side of the promise, getting them to the distant world where their colleague John Carter appeared to have crash landed.  Now, they were asking him to go even further by possibly violating Starfleet's most cherished directive, charging in head-on, and all but shouting "here we are!" to the natives.  On the other hand, they hadn't the resources of a fully-staffed starship to perform a clandestine first contact mission, and if Yezbeck's suspicion is correct in that cultural contamination had already taken place, it would be a waste of time and resources to even try.  He needed to find middle ground.
  
-"Shelia," he began.  "It's my understanding that Starfleet regulations leave it to a commander's discretion when a member of their crew is being held hostage and/or is threatened by a pre-warp population in non-Federation space.  Am I correct?"+"Sheila," he began.  "It's my understanding that Starfleet regulations leave it to a commander's discretion on how to interpret the Prime Directive when a member of their crew is being held hostage and/or is threatened by a pre-warp population in non-Federation space.  Am I correct?"
  
-"Yes sir," Shelia Anderson replied.  "If there is evidence to that effect."+"Yes sir," Sheila Anderson replied.  "If there is evidence to that effect.  It's allowed under General Order Thirty."
  
 "And disassembling of Starfleet property -- as Doctor Yezbeck has already detected -- could be seen as a hostile act by that population, especially if that technology could be used against us.  Correct?" "And disassembling of Starfleet property -- as Doctor Yezbeck has already detected -- could be seen as a hostile act by that population, especially if that technology could be used against us.  Correct?"
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 "Therefore, if John Carter was a member of our crew, and his shuttlecraft is suspected to have been captured and disassembled by a hostile pre-warp civilization outside Federation borders, then General Order Number One could technically be suspended for the purposes of a rescue and recovery operation?" "Therefore, if John Carter was a member of our crew, and his shuttlecraft is suspected to have been captured and disassembled by a hostile pre-warp civilization outside Federation borders, then General Order Number One could technically be suspended for the purposes of a rescue and recovery operation?"
  
-"I suppose it could be interpreted that way," she admitted.+"I suppose General Order Thirty could be interpreted that way," she admitted.  "It allows you to interpret the Prime Directive as necessary if it's consistent with  other existing general orders."
  
-"Right then," Blake nodded, slapping his hands firmly on his lap, signifying he had reached a conclusion.  "As of this date and time, John Carter is considered a member of the crew of the USS Republic, NCC-76241.  As acting commander of this vessel, I have chosen to suspend the Prime Directive to rescue him and recover any Starfleet assets on the ground to prevent them from falling into hostile hands.  I alone take full and complete responsibility for this decision after having been advised by my crew of the repercussions."  Turning to Deuce at the tactical arch.  "Chief, please enter the order into the ship's log."+"Right then," Blake nodded, slapping his hands firmly on his lap, signifying he had reached a conclusion.  "As of this date and time, John Carter is considered a member of the crew of the USS Republic, NCC-76241.  As acting commander of this vessel, and in line with General Order Twenty Four, I deem that John Carter's security and safety is under threat.  I have therefore chosen to suspend the Prime Directive to rescue him and recover any Starfleet assets on the ground to prevent them from falling into hostile hands.  I alone take full and complete responsibility for this decision after having been advised by my crew of the possible repercussions."  Turning to Deuce at the tactical arch.  "Chief, please enter the order into the ship's log."
  
 As he did so, Commander St. John turned back around.  "Does that satisfy everyone?"  He scanned the collection of colleagues across the bridge for a voice of dissent.  With no challenges to the order, the commander moved on to the next order of business. As he did so, Commander St. John turned back around.  "Does that satisfy everyone?"  He scanned the collection of colleagues across the bridge for a voice of dissent.  With no challenges to the order, the commander moved on to the next order of business.
  
-"Okay, so, we have no cloaking device.  Let's use that to our advantage.  The only way to flush John Carter out -- wherever he is -- is to make our presence known.  Shelia?  Set course into the lower atmosphere.  Put us at a hover about two kilometers above the humanoid conglomeration at Doctor Yezbeck's coordinates."+"Okay, so, we have no cloaking device.  Let's use that to our advantage.  The only way to flush John Carter out -- wherever he is -- is to make our presence known.  Sheila?  Set course into the lower atmosphere.  Put us at a hover about two kilometers above the humanoid conglomeration at Doctor Yezbeck's coordinates."
  
 "Aye aye, sir..." "Aye aye, sir..."
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 "What do we do now?" Bah-Ki asked Dadjinn after a moment.  "You know the Warlord's mind as well as his heart.  What happens next?" "What do we do now?" Bah-Ki asked Dadjinn after a moment.  "You know the Warlord's mind as well as his heart.  What happens next?"
  
-"We wait," she explained.  "If his stories tell true, his companions will arrive on the heels of a flickering light... Like dust falling through a solitary sunbeam."+"We wait," she explained.  "If his stories tell true, his companions will arrive on the heels of a flickering light... Like dust falling through a sunbeam."
  
  
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 **Location: Main bridge, deck 1, USS Republic nee Asgard** **Location: Main bridge, deck 1, USS Republic nee Asgard**
  
-"Okay, we got their attention," commented Lieutenant Shelia Anderson at the helm station.  She watched the main monitor, noting the ebb and flow of the nervous-looking blue-skinned aliens on the surface below before turning her head to face the rest of the bridge.  "Now what?"+"Okay, we got their attention," commented Lieutenant Sheila Anderson at the helm station.  She watched the main monitor, noting the ebb and flow of the nervous-looking blue-skinned aliens on the surface below before turning her head to face the rest of the bridge.  "Now what?"
  
 "Right," Commander St. John came to another conclusion, standing up from his command chair.  "Our tactical situation has now changed," he proclaimed.  "Officially, we've learned through our rescue and recovery operation that the pre-warp civilization we suspected of disassembling John Carter's shuttlecraft may actually have non-hostile intent. By regulation..." "Right," Commander St. John came to another conclusion, standing up from his command chair.  "Our tactical situation has now changed," he proclaimed.  "Officially, we've learned through our rescue and recovery operation that the pre-warp civilization we suspected of disassembling John Carter's shuttlecraft may actually have non-hostile intent. By regulation..."
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 "Sheila," St. John turned to his subordinates and started handing out orders.  "I want you and Deuce to report to transporter room five for landing party duty.  You will accompany Commander Forrest and Doctor Yezbeck to the surface.  Diplomatic defense posture two.  In case you've forgotten, that means hand phasers and tricorders ONLY... NO tactical gear.  Understood?" "Sheila," St. John turned to his subordinates and started handing out orders.  "I want you and Deuce to report to transporter room five for landing party duty.  You will accompany Commander Forrest and Doctor Yezbeck to the surface.  Diplomatic defense posture two.  In case you've forgotten, that means hand phasers and tricorders ONLY... NO tactical gear.  Understood?"
  
-Shelia nodded her head as she pushed away the pivoted helm console and stood up.+Sheila nodded her head as she pushed away the pivoted helm console and stood up.
  
 "Can't I at least bring some stun grenades?" Deuce pleaded from the tactical arch. "Can't I at least bring some stun grenades?" Deuce pleaded from the tactical arch.
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 **Location: Transporter Room 5, deck 14, USS Republic nee Asgard** **Location: Transporter Room 5, deck 14, USS Republic nee Asgard**
  
-As ordered, the four officers reported to the transporter room fully prepped for a diplomatic away mission.  Like their ovalized combadges, the only Starfleet uniform patterns they could find in the ships garment replicators were the old-style spandex jumpsuits from the early 2360s.  The tightly-fit collar-less one-piece suits were stylized in a two-tone hue, with a black lower torso giving way to the branch color around the mid-torso that included the sleeves and chest area, all before terminating again to black across the shoulders where only a single strand of colored piping flowed along the upper collar bone.  There was no all-black pattern available in the garment replicator to denote the Intelligence branch of Starfleet, so each officer wore jumpsuits that denoted the branch colors they served in prior to joining the fleet's covert operations division.  Saal, of course, wore a medical teal-blue jumpsuit, sporting the one-hollow and two-full pips of his final rank of lieutenant commander prior to retirement.  Shelia Anderson and Chief Petty Officer Towe aka Deuce each wore mustard yellow, with Sheila sporting the double-pip rank of full lieutenant, while Deuce was forced to clip to his collar a single hollow-pip to denote his enlisted rank.  Theo, on the other hand, had no other branch of service prior to Intelligence, and therefore, had to default to the burgundy red command branch for his jumpsuit, sporting the same three pips as Saal to denote his co-equal rank of lieutenant commander.+As ordered, the four officers reported to the transporter room fully prepped for a diplomatic away mission.  Like their ovalized combadges, the only Starfleet uniform patterns they could find in the ships garment replicators were the old-style spandex jumpsuits from the early 2360s.  The tightly-fit collar-less one-piece suits were stylized in a two-tone hue, with a black lower torso giving way to the branch color around the mid-torso that included the sleeves and chest area, all before terminating again to black across the shoulders where only a single strand of colored piping flowed along the upper collar bone.  There was no all-black pattern available in the garment replicator to denote the Intelligence branch of Starfleet, so each officer wore jumpsuits that denoted the branch colors they served in prior to joining the fleet's covert operations division.  Saal, of course, wore a medical teal-blue jumpsuit, sporting the one-hollow and two-full pips of his final rank of lieutenant commander prior to retirement.  Sheila Anderson and Chief Petty Officer Towe aka Deuce each wore mustard yellow, with Sheila sporting the double-pip rank of full lieutenant, while Deuce was forced to clip to his collar a single hollow-pip to denote his enlisted rank.  Theo, on the other hand, had no other branch of service prior to Intelligence, and therefore, had to default to the burgundy red command branch for his jumpsuit, sporting the same three pips as Saal to denote his co-equal rank of lieutenant commander.
  
 The old-fashioned landing party scene was almost comical as the officers filed into the room, so much so that Petty Officer Louise Clayborne, who was manning the transporter controls, couldn't help but snicker as the four passed through the door wearing the quaint yet audacious uniforms of yesteryear.  The old-fashioned landing party scene was almost comical as the officers filed into the room, so much so that Petty Officer Louise Clayborne, who was manning the transporter controls, couldn't help but snicker as the four passed through the door wearing the quaint yet audacious uniforms of yesteryear. 
  
-"What?" she chuckled to an annoyed Lieutenant Shelia Anderson.  "No mini-skirt?"+"What?" she chuckled to an annoyed Lieutenant Sheila Anderson.  "No mini-skirt?"
  
-For her part, Shelia looked as if she was going to punch Clayborne.  "When this mission is over, I'm ERASING this stupid uniform pattern from the computer," she exclaimed sourly as she marched uncomfortably up the steps onto the transporter platform.  She tugged and pulled at the tight-fitting jumpsuit after locking her phaser and tricorder into their respective holsters.  "I haven't looked this ridiculous since wearing a grapevine around my body for a stupid Betazed ceremony seven years ago."+For her part, Sheila looked as if she was going to punch Clayborne.  "When this mission is over, I'm ERASING this stupid uniform pattern from the computer," she exclaimed sourly as she marched uncomfortably up the steps onto the transporter platform.  She tugged and pulled at the tight-fitting jumpsuit after locking her phaser and tricorder into their respective holsters.  "I haven't looked this ridiculous since wearing a grapevine around my body for a stupid Betazed ceremony seven years ago."
  
-"Don't worry, Shelia," chided Deuce as he stepped onto the transporter pad next to the lieutenant.  "Louise is just upset that she's not coming with us.  Besides, every time she's transporter chief at a newly-discovered primitive planet, she always gets the same urge."+"Don't worry, Sheila," chided Deuce as he stepped onto the transporter pad next to the lieutenant.  "Louise is just upset that she's not coming with us.  Besides, every time she's transporter chief at a newly-discovered primitive planet, she always gets the same urge."
  
 "That being?" the amused petty officer replied from the transporter console. "That being?" the amused petty officer replied from the transporter console.
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-As the veil of transporter energy faded, there were gasps of awe and intrigue among the gathered crowd of blue-skinned aliens.  They whispered nervously among themselves as the four pink-skinned humanoids dressed in dual-tone primary colors looked around at their new surroundings.  The newcomers took no hostile action, and only scanned the crowd with their white pupil-filled eyes.  The crowd parted to make room between the strangers and the formidable, high-ranking warrior woman who was clearly their leader.  She stood commandingly with her arms crossed, her sword hanging at her side, and her blue muscular legs spread in a solid combat stance. Clearly, she was waiting for the foreigners to make the first move.  As if silently accepting the invitation to confer, the four uniformed individuals walked slowly up to the battle princess in a non-hostile demeanor, with the leading man in the red and black uniform raising his arm in greeting.  He was about to speak when the blue alien woman chose to break the ice first.+As the veil of transporter energy faded, there were gasps of awe and intrigue among the gathered crowd of blue-skinned aliens.  They whispered nervously among themselves as the four humanoids looked around at their new surroundings, their skin tones varying from brown to pink, and wearing uniforms of dual-tone primary colors.  The newcomers took no hostile action, and only scanned the crowd with their white pupil-filled eyes.  The crowd parted to make room between the strangers and the formidable, high-ranking warrior woman who was clearly their leader.  She stood commandingly with her arms crossed, her sword hanging at her side, and her blue muscular legs spread in a solid combat stance. Clearly, she was waiting for the foreigners to make the first move.  As if silently accepting the invitation to confer, the four uniformed individuals walked slowly up to the battle princess in a non-hostile demeanor, with the leading man in the red and black uniform raising his arm in greeting.  He was about to speak when the blue alien woman chose to break the ice first.
  
 "You are Starfleet?" she asked very clearly in Terran, though with an exotic accent bleeding through. "You are Starfleet?" she asked very clearly in Terran, though with an exotic accent bleeding through.
current_story/return_from_innocence.1615664678.txt.gz · Last modified: 2021/03/13 19:44 by cromwell