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Part Four
Following the tricorder readings, Data, Kate, and Wesley make their way toward a large, rather old looking gray building. Upon entering, the tricorders sounded off furiously and led them to a back room. The technology pushed up against the walls was similar to that of mid 21st century Earth. Data went immediately to the center computer screen for more information.
"It appears," Data said after only a few moments of research, "that these people have been using an advanced, yet unstable form of nuclear power."
"Can you locate the leak?" Kate asked.
"Working on it," Wesley said, hunching over a terminal.
"I appear to have found it," Data said, pointing to the screen. Kate and Wesley joined him, peering over his shoulders and both agreed that Data had identified their problem.
"Can we repair it?" Kate wondered.
"Most likely not. The main solution would be to shut down the system entirely." Data tapped his insignia. "Data to Com. Riker."
"Riker here."
"Sir, it appears that the only way to repair the damage is to shut down the power completely."
"If that's the only option, go ahead. Riker out."
Data and Wesley nodded at each other and set to work at shutting down the reactor. As they did so, Kate wandered around the room, peering one at a time at the odd collection of machinery. She wondered about the origin of these people, and knew that once she got back on the Enterprise she'd have a lot of research to do.
With a bumping lurch, the task seemed to be completed. To confirm it, Data tapped his insignia again. "Data to Com. Riker. The shutdown is complete."
"Very good, Data. We need you three down here to help with the evacuation," Riker said.
"On our way, sir."
Thirty people had already been beamed aboard the Enterprise by the time Data, Kate, and Wesley got back. They helped gather the people together, and in under an hour, the entire population had the beamed aboard.
"Riker to Capt. Picard."
"Picard here," the captain answered.
"All of the villagers have been evacuated," Riker said, obviously growing tired of the impromptu mission.
"Good Commander. Mr. La Forge informs me that we are having a slight problem with the transporter." Picard didn't seem too happy about the new hitch. "We can only beam up two at a time."
"All right," Riker snuffed. "Data and Deanna, you go first." They stepped next to each other and soon disappeared. Kate and Wesley then coupled up, prepared to be beamed up, when Riker and Worf were beamed up instead. Kate and Wesley exchanged a strange look and shrugged their shoulders. They were still waiting to be beamed aboard when from behind them came an extremely loud and violent eruption. They were knocked to the ground with the force of the blast. They looked behind them to see flames engulfing the stark grey building they had just, supposedly, deactivated.
"Addleton to transporter," Kate tried her communicator. There was no reply. Then Wesley tried his. "Crusher to the Enterprise." Again, nothing. Kate pulled out her tricorder while Wesley tried once again to call for help. She interrupted him with startling news.
"Wes, we've got to get out of here. The radiation levels in this area have more than tripled." Kate looked around for some kind of shelter. "We should make it into that forest over there," she said, pointing. "We need to get out of open air."
"What about the Enterprise?" Wesley asked. "That will make it harder for them to lock on to our signals."
"Well," Kate said, "if we don't get out of here soon, they won't have a signal to lock on to at all."
Wesley nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. The two then ran towards the forest and continued to gather distance between them and the city.
Back on the Enterprise, Riker was looking over the transporter panel, trying to figure out why he couldn't get a lock on Kate and Wesley. As far as the sensors were concerned there was no one alive in that area.
"La Forge to Com. Riker."
"What is it Geordi?"
"My sensors are reading some kind of explosion on the surface," Geordi said, confused, wanting to ask what had happened.
"Damn," Riker cursed. "Kate and Wesley are still down there."
"They are?" Geordi sounded very disturbed.
"Yes. Why?"
"My sensors don't read any human life signs on the surface at all." Riker exchanged a troubled look with Worf and both left the transporter room immediately to go speak with the captain.
Part Four
Following the tricorder readings, Data, Kate, and Wesley make their way toward a large, rather old looking gray building. Upon entering, the tricorders sounded off furiously and led them to a back room. The technology pushed up against the walls was similar to that of mid 21st century Earth. Data went immediately to the center computer screen for more information.
"It appears," Data said after only a few moments of research, "that these people have been using an advanced, yet unstable form of nuclear power."
"Can you locate the leak?" Kate asked.
"Working on it," Wesley said, hunching over a terminal.
"I appear to have found it," Data said, pointing to the screen. Kate and Wesley joined him, peering over his shoulders and both agreed that Data had identified their problem.
"Can we repair it?" Kate wondered.
"Most likely not. The main solution would be to shut down the system entirely." Data tapped his insignia. "Data to Com. Riker."
"Riker here."
"Sir, it appears that the only way to repair the damage is to shut down the power completely."
"If that's the only option, go ahead. Riker out."
Data and Wesley nodded at each other and set to work at shutting down the reactor. As they did so, Kate wandered around the room, peering one at a time at the odd collection of machinery. She wondered about the origin of these people, and knew that once she got back on the Enterprise she'd have a lot of research to do.
With a bumping lurch, the task seemed to be completed. To confirm it, Data tapped his insignia again. "Data to Com. Riker. The shutdown is complete."
"Very good, Data. We need you three down here to help with the evacuation," Riker said.
"On our way, sir."
Thirty people had already been beamed aboard the Enterprise by the time Data, Kate, and Wesley got back. They helped gather the people together, and in under an hour, the entire population had the beamed aboard.
"Riker to Capt. Picard."
"Picard here," the captain answered.
"All of the villagers have been evacuated," Riker said, obviously growing tired of the impromptu mission.
"Good Commander. Mr. La Forge informs me that we are having a slight problem with the transporter." Picard didn't seem too happy about the new hitch. "We can only beam up two at a time."
"All right," Riker snuffed. "Data and Deanna, you go first." They stepped next to each other and soon disappeared. Kate and Wesley then coupled up, prepared to be beamed up, when Riker and Worf were beamed up instead. Kate and Wesley exchanged a strange look and shrugged their shoulders. They were still waiting to be beamed aboard when from behind them came an extremely loud and violent eruption. They were knocked to the ground with the force of the blast. They looked behind them to see flames engulfing the stark grey building they had just, supposedly, deactivated.
"Addleton to transporter," Kate tried her communicator. There was no reply. Then Wesley tried his. "Crusher to the Enterprise." Again, nothing. Kate pulled out her tricorder while Wesley tried once again to call for help. She interrupted him with startling news.
"Wes, we've got to get out of here. The radiation levels in this area have more than tripled." Kate looked around for some kind of shelter. "We should make it into that forest over there," she said, pointing. "We need to get out of open air."
"What about the Enterprise?" Wesley asked. "That will make it harder for them to lock on to our signals."
"Well," Kate said, "if we don't get out of here soon, they won't have a signal to lock on to at all."
Wesley nodded, understanding the gravity of the situation. The two then ran towards the forest and continued to gather distance between them and the city.
Back on the Enterprise, Riker was looking over the transporter panel, trying to figure out why he couldn't get a lock on Kate and Wesley. As far as the sensors were concerned there was no one alive in that area.
"La Forge to Com. Riker."
"What is it Geordi?"
"My sensors are reading some kind of explosion on the surface," Geordi said, confused, wanting to ask what had happened.
"Damn," Riker cursed. "Kate and Wesley are still down there."
"They are?" Geordi sounded very disturbed.
"Yes. Why?"
"My sensors don't read any human life signs on the surface at all." Riker exchanged a troubled look with Worf and both left the transporter room immediately to go speak with the captain.