The U.S.S. Camelot was orbiting a class M planet that showed promise of being suitable for settlement. The crew were in the middle of a surface scan of the life forms on the surface prior to a full survey but surface teams. It was the most promising planet they had found for a long time. Most of the suitable planets already had sentient and developing life forms present. This one seemed at first scan to have some life forms but none showing signs of a developing intelligence they were waiting for the full scans to be collected. Some reptiles and a few mammal species and fish in the seas but nothing to suggest that, despite its age, intelligent species had developed.
Captain Arthur Pendragon was getting impatient to start the surface work. He hadn't felt earth under his feet for too long and nor had his crew. The Camelot had a crew of four hundred and thirty, and he knew them all and was already working out the teams he would select for the first wave to go to the surface. His thoughts were interrupted by his science officer Mr De Luc. "Captain I have the preliminary report for you based on out complete scan of the planet"
"Good call a meeting of the chief of departments for an hour's time, and then we can get this show on the road." Arthur grinned "I need some fresh air." Arthur was impatient but it would be silly to listen now and then expect Lance to repeat everything later. Arthur was one of the youngest Captains in the fleet but that didn't make him the stupidest. He knew there was a time and place for everything.
A hour later he was sat waiting as one by the others arrived first was Lance, his science officer, Percy Hooper, head of security, First officer Leon Knight, Tactician and Weapons, Gwaine Green, Navigator Morgana La Fay, Eylan Smith Chief Engineer and Chief Medical Officer, and the eldest crew member, Gaius Wilson.
Once they were all sat down Arthur called the meeting to order then turned to Lance "Come on let's not waste any time what have we got"
Lance stood up and looked at the others "The planet is approx fifty percent oceans as you are aware of the remaining fifty percent there are large areas of deserts and polar ice caps the rest is made up of forests with grassland. Our initial scans have shown the land to be populated with about seventy five percent of reptiles and some mammals. The only flying creatures appear to be reptilian, with some of considerable size, average of thirty feet long. The mammals are small in size the largest being rabbit sized. The seas are also mainly of a more primitive forms. There is an anomaly in that there appears to be a small population of humanoids. They are in several groups with a world population no larger than two hundred all settled in a fairly small area."
That caused a mummers among those who hadn't heard before "I assume some sort of settlers" Arthur asked.
"It would appear to be so, there are no signs of a past civilisation and the numbers are too small to be anything else, however there is no sign of any power being used or how they got there. The level of development is low, their habitation is fairly primitive. They may be survivors of a crash, we can't be sure. They seem to be living with hunting and primitive agriculture."
Gaius spoke up "we've looked carefully and can see no signs that these are the remainder of a larger population, ravaged by disease, but we can't rule that out. We will need to be very careful, I have had air samples taken but we need to go down suited until we're sure. And full decontamination procedures need to be in place." He glared at his captain. "No moaning about fresh air until we're one hundred percent sure" he raised his eyebrows in an expression they all knew too well, in other words 'do as you told'.
"On the plus side the air is very close to earth normal although[ on the hotter side and temperatures are in the thirties at the moment, but with the large retile population we would expect that." Lance continued.
Leon spoke out "After talking to Gaius and Lance we feel that a site about ten miles from the largest settlement might offer the best first site for exploration. If we beam down a small first contact team first then do the full survey with teams going down in shuttlecraft "
"That sounds sensible" Arthur said "And the first landing party recommendations?" he asked.
"Lance, Percy, Gwen and Gwaine and I" Leon said "Lance needs to be there, Gwen as Gaius's second; she also has knowledge of planets who have suffered catastrophic population decrease, Gwaine and Percy because of the large reptiles also Gwaine's home planet is very similar to this one, excepting the abnormal retile population, and myself to lead." Leon said expecting a protest for Arthur.
"I see, I think I should go down, Leon you can stay here" Arthur said quickly.
"Sir, don't you think with all the unknowns you should stay on the ship" Leon added
"That's just why I should go Leon" It was clear that Arthur intended to go come what may.
The plans were made and they would set off in three hours. All personnel would wear full protection shields for the time they were on the planet would be fully decontaminated on return. The new shields meant they didn't need the bulky suits they used to use. The shields operated over normal clothing and except for a glow were almost invisible to the eye.
They materialised in the planned spot and started to look around. The area had very large vegetation and was very lush but humid. The was a large rocky outcrop to one side. None of the plant life looked anything like they were used to accept to say there were what appeared to be ferns and grasses. As Lance and Gwen started to scan the area Arthur, Gwaine and Percy looked round from a more defensive point of view. They may need to protect themselves from the reptiles and indeed the humanoids. Gwen was the first to speak:
"There appears to be a very weak humanoid signal coming from the rocks Captain."
""In that case lets go and investigate, keep on your toes" Arthur and the others drew their phasers out "Keep them on stun"
As they walked closer to the rocks they could make out what appeared to be a cave albeit a small one. The signal seemed to be coming from inside the cave. As they got closer the men fanned out while Gwen and Arthur went towards the cave entrance. Percy stepped towards Arthur "I'll go in Sir, it may be a trap of some sort."
Arthur stepped back to cover Percy as he went inside. Arthur stopped Gwen following "We'll go in if it's safe and not before." he told her.
"Sir, I believe whoever is in their is in no position to cause us a problem, the readings are very weak." Gwen protested.
"That's as may be, a weak and injured being can be all the more dangerous" Arthur insisted.
Percy went in cautiously and it was a couple of minutes before he called out. "Come on in, one humanoid but he looks almost dead."
Arthur and the others went into the cave leaving Gwaine at the cave entrance as look out. As Arthur's eyes adjusted to the darker cave he could see a figure led on the ground. Percy was checking it over. "No weapons of any sort Sir, this poor sod isn't going to be a problem."
Gwen moved forward had Arthur heard her gasp "Oh the poor thing." before she knelt down and started to take readings. Arthur got closer and he too was surprised by what he saw. The figure was dressed in what could only be called rags. The head was cover in long black matted hair and Arthur could just make out some stubble or a fine covering of hair to the lover face. But what had made him look twice was the almost starved appearance of the parts of the body he could see. The boy or man was almost a skeleton covered in paper like ski. He appeared to be clutching some sort of bag close to his abdomen and it seemed he didn't want to let it go.
Gwen looked up at Arthur "We need to get him up to the ship Captain, even then I doubt we'll save him"
At that Gwaine shouted out "Company coming"
Arthur walked to the cave entrance with Percy in tow. Come up towards the rocks form the valley below were a group of what looked like hunters. Twelve in number they were dressed in very basic clothing made mostly of some sort of leather and on their feet were moccasin type shoes also made of leather. They were all carrying spears or bow and arrows. As they got closer they stopped and began to huddle closer together clearly unsure who Arthur and his team were. Yet Arthur noticed they didn't seem as surprised as he might have expected.
The biggest surprise was when the leader spoke to Arthur in a very broken but understandable English standard "What here for?"
"We are from the United Federation of Planets, we mean you no harm, we have found one of your people he is very ill" Arthur explained.
"Go ... our home ... we kill him...devils sperm" came the angry reply.
"Why do you wish to kill him, has he broken your laws?" Arthur asked their leader.
"Devils sperm, must die, should have killed at birth. You go" came the reply. The other men started to wave their spears in anger.
Arthur looked at them in puzzlement "What has he done?" he asked once more.
"Devils sperm" was the only reply.
Arthur turned to Gwaine "Tell Gwen to beam up with him, but keep an eye and make sure he doesn't go anywhere other than sickbay and have security on him"
Gwaine went in and spoke to Gwen and there was a hum of the transporter in the background. Then Lance and Gwaine came out to join Arthur and Percy. Arthur turned once more to the group:
"Your man has gone, we have taken him to our ship, we need to speak with you, we mean no harm. I am Captain Pendragon from the USS Camelot we have come to survey your planet. Are you crash survivors or have you people been ill?"
"We came many years, to be alone, go away and take Devil sperm or we kill" the leader said. As he finished speaking another man came forward and whispered in his leaders ear. Then he stepped forward.
"My name is Obram, I joined the settlement ten years ago when my ship landed here. The people here are from an earlier settlement, they wish to live simply and not have the things modern man expects. They have been approached many times, by different races, about leaving but just wish to live alone. They know their numbers are decreasing but accept that, and the fact that in time they will die out. The boy you have saved is the result of one such ship. One of their kind stayed here with the healer, they had a child, then they found he was evil and drove him into the desert to die. Life is hard here but the rules are simple. The boy was safe, but not liked, until his mother died. Now they want to send him to the desert to die. He is not welcome here, he ran and has been living alone but the people want him gone. They will not risk him breeding with one of their own."
Arthur asked again "but what has he done, what did his father do?"
Obram looked at Arthur "As I said their rules are simple, his father was different and didn't fit in, his ways were not theirs. They feared him, they fear his son. They would have killed him when he was born but they only had one healer so they let him live, when she died he wasn't welcome."
"So they would kill him for being different?" Arthur demanded.
"They would, I stayed here as their healer, it is a good life but a hard one, they have little to eat and won't waste it on unwanted people. All the people voted, none sided with him. Take him and leave do not come back."
Arthur looked at the other group appalled by what he heard "The universe is full of different races, we celebrate it and are stronger for it."
"That's why the people are here, it is our refuge from such a place." Obram told him. "We have a few more each year who join us. We do not interfere with others if we are left alone. We do not wish to change others just live as we wish."
Arthur turned away in disgust. "Come on gentlemen I think we will do as were asked." he turned to Obram "I will record your colony in our records"
"Oh it is already recorded, how do you think I found it. We are left alone and want it that way. Our founder was from one of the top Earth families and left to come here, several generations ago, with a ship of other likeminded people."
Arthur turned and gave the order for them to be beamed up. On arrival back at the ship Arthur went straight to the sickbay after asking Lance to see if he could find record of the colony.