Unexpected Information

Posted on Mon Jun 19th, 2017 @ 10:14am by Captain Daniel Westphalen & Lieutenant Commander Amber Quinn & Lieutenant Trei Jansum & Lieutenant Kizre Viiar & Captain Ka'Tock & Lieutenant JG Djeneba Nastari

1,528 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Taking Wing

ON

The team carefully approached the hidden observation point from the back side, or what their information told them was the back side. The duckblind was built into the side of a bluff, with no exterior sign of Federation construction - at least, until the team received a tricorder signal with instructions on how to signal the structure's camouflaged door to spring open, admitting them.

Inside was a space that seemed cramped, but not overly so. The team was met just inside by an older fellow with salt-and-pepper-hued hair cut short and a sciences division uniform, complete with full commander's pips.

"This is unexpected," He said with a smile, gesturing for the team to come forward. "Come in, come in. My name is Commander Dunhill. Welcome to Nal'dayan Observation Point A, or as we've come to call it, the Edifice."

"Hello, commander. I'm Amber Quinn, First Officer of the USS Aurora. A pleasure to meet you."

Djeneba has entered behind the others and simply nodded and spoke her name when it was her turn. "Djeneba Nastari"

"I am Ka'Tock." The Large Klingon began his introduction. "Ships Chief Counselor." HE gave a Klingon style smile. "I am looking forward to your observations."

Trei nodded. "Lt Jansum, Chief of Security."

Chase smiled briefly. "Petty Officer Chase."

"A pleasure," the commander nodded his head in turn to each of them, before wheeling and heading deeper into the complex. "I admit I was surprised to hear from a Federation ship. We weren't expecting resupply for another two months, and all's been quiet, for the most part - we hadn't even hoisted the subspace antenna for outgoing messages in a month or better."

"We're not here for resupply," Amber said. "We're here about some anomalies in the system."

"Oh?" Dunhill paused, glancing back to Amber. "Anomalies in the system? Is it something my team should be concerned about?"

"Possibly. Have you been taking radiation readings?" Amber asked.

"Of the planet?" He glanced back into the control center behind him. "Our staff ecologist takes regular emissions baselines."

Djeneba looked up curiously "What did they show at the last readings?"

"There have been small increases in delta-band radiation. We assumed it was related to the recent change of seasons - we're fully into summer on-planet now, with the orbit closer to the system's star now."

Ka'Tock watched the man; the body has a way of tellig the story by the subtlties when one takes time to observe. Ka'Tock was using the old Proverb a Sensai had told him during Ka'Tock's time studying meditation. 'A fool talks whilst a Wise Man listens.' Ka'Tock was practicing being a Wise man as he followed.

"What other readings have you been gathering?" Amber asked. She was eager to see the ecologists' records, but she also wanted to see what else they might have.

Djeneba had been curious about that as well but waited and listened before she asked other questions.

"The standard suite. Beyond radiological, we've got atmospheric analysis performed every eight days - the planet's day cycle is actually only about 21 hours, so we use an eight-day week here. We send out away teams at irregular intervals in isolation suits to collect biological, ecological, and geological data. That's actually why it's relatively quiet right now - we've got three teams afield. It's just myself and the operations staff here right now." Dunhill showed them finally into the "bridge" of the Edifice, a control room with a central holographic display table in the middle of the room, projecting a topographical layout of the nearby area, with blips on the map presumably representing staff out in the field.

"We were in this system a while back," Amber explained. "The radiation levels have increased since then. We're here to find out if the planet itself is suffering any ill effects."

She logged in to her PADD and pulled up the delta-band readings from their last visit. "Here are the readings we took on our last trip." She showed the information to Dunhill.

He took the proffered PADD and looked it over, eyebrows close together in thought as he reviewed them. Finally he looked up and said, "They've increased, but not to dangerous levels. At least, not based on our previous scans. But then, the local radiation wasn't much of a factor in our study. Come, make yourselves comfortable. I'll reach out to the field teams and see if they've noticed anything."

"I'd appreciate it," Amber said, grateful that he was willing to help them. She wasn't sure what she hoped to find, but at this point, she could use all the scientific help she could get to figure out what was going on, and if it was affecting the inhabitants of the planet. "If the radiation is a danger, it may manifest in your insects and lower lifeforms first."

"Which is precisely how we came to find the problem." An unfamiliar voice joined the group as a figure approached. Judging by her manner of dress, the tall woman was probably one of the field scientists that Dunhill mentioned earlier. Strapped across her chest was a large bag containing various equipment and samples.

After a quick scan of pips once reaching the group, the scientist first extended a hand to Amber Quinn in greeting. "We weren't expecting company." The statement, while possibly rude without a proper introduction, betrayed her surprise at the presence of the Aurora's officers.

Amber shook her hand and smiled.

Regardless of her surprise, she managed to navigate the conversation without too much trouble. "While the planet's naturally occurring low levels of Delta radiation have gone relatively unchanged, the concentration of Omnicron radiation has been steadily increasing. As standard particle scans aren't tuned for Omicron radiation, we may not have caught the change had we not been observing aquatic plant life nearby."

Collecting a small jar from her bag, the blonde woman held it up to be observed by the others. "The specimen has shown significant sensitivities to this new radiation, experiencing far more cellular damage than surrounding life forms."

With a quick glance around the group, she went on to conclude, "If this plant were incorporated as part of the native population's diet, it could certainly be responsible for some of the adverse signs that we are observing."

"What adverse signs?" Amber asked. "And how long have you been seeing these signs?" The information was a concern, but it was also crucial to protecting this planet and its people.

Dunhill had frowned when the new face joined the conversation. He called up some information on the library computer in the center of the room. "We've been seeing a rash of sickness spreading amongst the local population. At first, we were concerned that it was something we brought to the biosphere, but once we ruled that out, we assumed it was a native contagion. And since the Edifice is self-contained, with quarantine procedures in effect, we simply relied upon the isolation suits and containment protocol. Besides, the teams looked into it, and confirmed it wasn't airborne, so we ceased concern about it. Though we were looking into potential causes in the environment."

Dunhill's gaze went up to the blond Trill. "It appears you may well have located it, Lieutenant. Omicron band radiation is supposed to be artificial in nature. There's a reason we don't typically scan for it."

Amber was comparing the information with the scans from the Aurora. "Artificial or not, the sun is showing increased levels of omicron band radiation. What we need now is to find out how it is affecting the inhabitants of the planet and if it can be reversed." She was not going to mention her orders to evacuate the scientists right now. She would rather work to fix the problem than condemn a planet full of people to death by radiation poisoning. That was one reason she would never do well on an observation post.

Dunhill's eyes went to the Trill again. "I can reach out to the teams in-field and direct them to check on the population. In the meantime, Lieutenant Viiar can assist with anything else you need."

"Thank you. I think right now we need to go back to the Aurora and compare data." She turned to Viiar. "Would you like to accompany us? You're the expert on this planet and its inhabitants."

Lieutenant Viiar returned the samples to her bag while Dunhill and Quinn discussed the subject of unexpected radiation on the planet. Having spent so many years stationed on Nal'Daya, the prospect of exploring the Aurora piqued her curiosity. It would also be interesting to have an entirely fresh perspective on many of the issues that they had been struggling with planetside.

"I would be glad to provide my assistance," the Trill answered before turning to Dunhill. "Permission to board the Aurora, sir?"

"Granted," Dunhill said with a nod. "Good luck."

OFF

Commander Dunhill
Commanding Officer
Nal'Daya Anthropological Expedition

Lieutenant Commander Amber Quinn
Executive Officer
USS Aurora

Lt. Kizre Viiar
Science Officer
Nal'Daya Anthropological Expedition

Lt. Trei Jansum
Chief of Security
USS Aurora

Lt. Djeneba Nastari
Science Officer
USS Aurora

Lt. Ka'Tock
Chief Counselor
USS Aurora

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