Chapter 1:
Paradise Prologue
Stardate 47578.3
(Aboard Runabout USS Rio Grande)
Commander Sisko, still recovering from his ordeal in the punishment box, confronts Alixus and Vinod. Both mother and son are still defiant in their attitude, despite the charges against them.
Benjamin asked, "how many people have died since you landed there 10 years ago?"
Alixus and Vinod, exchanging concerned glances, appeared a little uncomfortable about answering his questions. Alixus, after some thought, replied, "why do you need to know, Ben? I'm accepting my part in their deaths."
Sisko rejoined, "I need to know. How many? I can find out, you know."
Again looking concerned, Vinod spoke up. "Then go ahead. You're going to charge us, anyway, aren't you?"
Ben replied, "nothing's been decided yet. So far, the only death I can charge you with is Meg's. You're also charged in the punishment you used on me and Stephan, and your son is charged in Chief O'Brien's attempted murder."
Vinod looked stunned. "Attempted murder?" He asked.
"Yes, Vinod. When you shot his uniform with your arrow, you thought you he was still in it. That's attempted murder of a Starfleet officer. It's a felony."
"I only-," Vinod angrily started, before being interrupted by the voice of Major Kira Nierys. "Commander," she began, "I think you should see this." She beckoned Sisko over to the console she sat at.
Ben slowly made his way to the pilot's station, wondering what could be wrong. With the Orinoco in tow, the small runabouts hadn't even left orbit of the Orellius system planet the uncharted colony had been found on.
"We're being haled," she informed him, indicating the communication panel lighting up.
"Where's it coming from?" Sisko asked.
"The planet below," Kira replied.
"I thought the colonists didn't have any communicators. They said they'd thrown everything out," Chief O'Brien joined in.
From her science station, Jadzia said, "it's not from your beaming position, Commander."
"Then where?" asked a puzzled Sisko.
She answered, "about 8 kilometers from there. I'm reading 5 life forms. Humanoid."
Ben nodded to Major Kira, who pressed the comm switch, and heard a definite male humanoid voice. "Do you read me, Starfleet vessel? Do you read me? Come in, please."
Kira replied, "we read you. Can you please identify yourself, and your purpose?"
The reply came back, calmly and firmly, "I'm Ronald Clark. I'm a colonist that accidently landed here 10 years ago. We'd like to give you some information concerning another colonist that you've apparently had some contact with."
Ben joined the conversation. "Which colonist would that be?" The reply again came quickly.
"Her name is Alixus. She's responsible for the deaths of a number of other colonists, and for their entrapment here 10 years ago."
Ben, knowing too well what Alixus was responsible for, replied, "how do you know about her?"
Ronald, the voice on the other end, rejoined, "my wife and I left her colony and made a home of our own 9 and a half years ago. I think it would be to your benefit and ours if one of you could beam down and hear us out. I affirm you will be well-treated by my family and I."
Pressing the mute, Ben looked at Kira, who could see the unasked question before he could ask. "It's not a good idea for you to exert yourself like that. I'll go." "You really should listen to the Major, sir," joined in Chief O'Brien. Ben, mulling over this advice for a moment, nodded, saying, "go ahead, Major. See what's going on down there. Take Dax with you. She might be able to help."
With that, the Bajoran and joined Trill made their way to the transporter, with O'Brien activating the beam, sending them straight to the coordinates given by the communication console.
Upon their arrival, they noticed that they were inside an odd structure, appearing to be the inside of a cave. There was a hole in the center of the roof of it overhead, with a pool of clear water in the center, from which a stream moved quickly away, towards a hole in the wall about 20 meters from the edge. Several structures had been erected around the pool, appearing to serve as living quarters, and then they noticed the 5 figures standing nearby, one a human man holding a hand-held communicator. He stepped forward.
"I'm Ronald Clark," he said in an even-toned voice. The women nodded in recognition, and he continued the introduction.
He indicated a humanoid woman in a hooded robe, with the hood up, and said, "This is Lerius, my wife, and our children," sweeping his arm past 3 smaller figures similarly dressed.
The woman used both hands in pulling the hood back from her face, revealing her head...and the obvious pointed ears of either a vulcan or a romulan. Upon noticing the questioning look, Lerius flat-toned, "yes, I'm a vulcan."
"How…" began Dax, curious as to how they evaded notice before and who this family was. Familiar with cross-bred humanoids, there was no curiosity as to the makeup of the family, but questions crossed the minds of both Kira and Jadzia as they looked these five over.
"How come you're not with the other colonists?" was her first question.
Ronald and Lerius exchanged glances, Lerius nodding at her husband, who turned back to Kira and Jadzia. "That's a long story, so call your ship, and tell them you're unharmed, safe, and are going to be here awhile."
After calling the Rio Grande and assuring the Commander that all was well, they turned back to Ronald and his family. With Jadzia's tricorder recording, the story began...
