Chapter 5
Johnson was both confused and angry. He had assumed that they were upset over the scientists who had been studying them. Apparently that wasn't the case. Like Dr Munroe he had been wondering if the scientists had done something they shouldn't have. Interfered in their culture in some way. There was another issue he wanted answered to but thought it best not to bring it up just now. He wanted to know how the Kenzatons knew so much about them. Perhaps that answer also lay with their scientists. Either way he was going to find out.
"President Makell," he began. "Starfleet doesn't take accusations of this sort lightly. If you could explain what we have done we can perhaps make amends. Please tell is what our scientists have done."
A few of the Kenzatons stirred and fixed him with angry stares. Makell however, just looked thoughtful. "Your scientists have done nothing other that what you claim. At least, that we know of. I find it difficult to accept that even now you claim ignorance."
Johnson was feeling exasperated. Counsellor Trent cut in before he could say anything. "President Makell our ignorance in this matter is genuine. It may save us both a lot of time and trouble if you explain it to us."
"Very well" Makell sighed. "Three days ago our city came under attack. We had never seen like it before. Huge flashing lights from the sky. Many died from this attack and much of the living was destroyed or damaged." Makell's anger was clearly rising above his other emotions as he continued. "We know that it was you who did this and we know that you are here to try and conquer us. Nothing you can say will atone for what you have done. Never before has our world seen such destruction."
Johnson's cheeks were tinged pink with anger at these false accusations. Had the scientist done anything he was willing to accept the consequences but here they were being accuse of something they clearly had not done.
"President I can assure you that we are not responsible for this attack. Our ship entered this system just as you contacted us and there are no other Federation ships within this system." He could hear his voice begin to rise and tried to keep it in check.
"Commander I'm beginning to lose patience with you. We know that you are responsible." Makell replied.
Johnson was grateful when Trent spoke up again before he could. "What makes you so sure that it was us who attacked you?"
The Kenzaton president raised an eyebrow at the question. "Who else could it have been? You have people spying on us to discover the right time to conquer us. Also, when we found your scientists we discovered that they had not long transmitted a message."
Johnson could see how they came to that conclusion given the evidence but he wasn't willing to let it lye at that. "There are other ways of proving whether or not we are responsible. Using scans we can discover the types of weapons used."
The Kenzaton to the right of the President didn't seem particularly happy with this prospect. He began to rise from his seat but the President quietened him with a wave of his hand. "Very well, we will allow you to carry out these scans but I must remind you that proving your innocence will take a great deal of convincing on your part."
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Louise touched the wall as if testing it. She was surprised to feel that it was solid. She had expected that it would give way slightly to the pressure from her hand. "It's not sentient," she explained to Hant who was standing nearby. "It's definitely alive though."
She began to notice the strange looks they were getting from the various Kenzatons in the room. That also included the guard who was watching them closely. They moved back to the closest patient but continued scanning.
"You're not going to believe this," she whispered. "The bed is organic too and the floor."
She had never seen anything like it before. To the naked eye the bed looked like a normal bed but the tricorder showed something else entirely. It was then that Commander Johnson and Counsellor Trent entered the room also escorted by guards. They looked at the sleeping scientists around the room before they made their way to Munroe and Hant.
"Report Doctor." Johnson's tone was curt. Louise guessed that things hadn't gone well after they left.
"No serious injuries. At least, not now. The Kenzatons medical knowledge is extremely advanced. All of their injuries have been treated and they are now sedated."
"Thank you Doctor." Johnson replied with a nod. "The President has allowed me to put a call through to the ship. I requested that a shuttle be brought down for the patients"
"There is something else," Louise whispered so that the Kenzatons couldn't hear her. "Nothing here is manufactured. That is not in the sense that you and I would consider manufactured. Everything here is organic."
"Well that explains something anyway." Trent sighed.
"Explains what?" Louise asked sounding confused.
Trent explained that they were being accused of attacking the city. "Something the President said sounded funny. He said that many people died and that much of the living was destroyed or damaged. I thought it sounded funny at the time but this would explain it."
Louise nodded as she listened. "Yes, he must have been talking about the buildings and everything in them."
"It also explains why these people have never seen war," Trent continued. "To these people all life is sacred. To destroy one building would almost be like sacrilege."
"And now they think we have destroyed several." Johnson finished shaking his head. "I don't understand it though. These walls look like normal walls. Look at the cracks obviously caused by the attack and the dust on the floor."
Louise smiled as she started to explain, "Think of it as a protective skin. What's inside is very much alive and it is protected by a solid exterior. I would also guess that these walls were designed to look like walls. The Kenzatons wouldn't have always have had this technology and so the design is based on what they had before."
To Louise the guard appeared to be looking a little impatient and so it was probably just as well that the Commander stopped their little conference when he did. Although personally she could have continued. She found the use of organic material fascinating.
"That settles it," Johnson said decisively with a clap of his hands. "When the shuttle arrives I want Counsellor Trent and Lt. Hant to ensure that the injured are on board safely. The medics will see to them the rest of the way. Dr Munroe I want you to come with me. We are going to the area that was attacked and find out who is responsible."
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Captain Larenzo headed to sickbay as soon as the scientist came on board. He immediately recognised Dr Andrew Pernell from the transmission that Starfleet had sent him. He was sitting up on a bio bed looking around at his surroundings.
"Captain Alex Larenzo of the USS Pegasus. How are you feeling?" He asked a little curtly. He had heard from one of the medics about the organic technology and the reason for the Kenzatons mistrusting them. He was in no mood for games and clearly the scientist knew about this organic technology but he had been kept in the dark.
Dr Pernell ignored the tone. "Fine, thank you Captain. Although, I should warn you that all is not well on that planet."
"I'm perfectly aware of that." Snapped Larenzo.
"The Kenzatons it seems are being helped by the Cardassians."
Johnson was both confused and angry. He had assumed that they were upset over the scientists who had been studying them. Apparently that wasn't the case. Like Dr Munroe he had been wondering if the scientists had done something they shouldn't have. Interfered in their culture in some way. There was another issue he wanted answered to but thought it best not to bring it up just now. He wanted to know how the Kenzatons knew so much about them. Perhaps that answer also lay with their scientists. Either way he was going to find out.
"President Makell," he began. "Starfleet doesn't take accusations of this sort lightly. If you could explain what we have done we can perhaps make amends. Please tell is what our scientists have done."
A few of the Kenzatons stirred and fixed him with angry stares. Makell however, just looked thoughtful. "Your scientists have done nothing other that what you claim. At least, that we know of. I find it difficult to accept that even now you claim ignorance."
Johnson was feeling exasperated. Counsellor Trent cut in before he could say anything. "President Makell our ignorance in this matter is genuine. It may save us both a lot of time and trouble if you explain it to us."
"Very well" Makell sighed. "Three days ago our city came under attack. We had never seen like it before. Huge flashing lights from the sky. Many died from this attack and much of the living was destroyed or damaged." Makell's anger was clearly rising above his other emotions as he continued. "We know that it was you who did this and we know that you are here to try and conquer us. Nothing you can say will atone for what you have done. Never before has our world seen such destruction."
Johnson's cheeks were tinged pink with anger at these false accusations. Had the scientist done anything he was willing to accept the consequences but here they were being accuse of something they clearly had not done.
"President I can assure you that we are not responsible for this attack. Our ship entered this system just as you contacted us and there are no other Federation ships within this system." He could hear his voice begin to rise and tried to keep it in check.
"Commander I'm beginning to lose patience with you. We know that you are responsible." Makell replied.
Johnson was grateful when Trent spoke up again before he could. "What makes you so sure that it was us who attacked you?"
The Kenzaton president raised an eyebrow at the question. "Who else could it have been? You have people spying on us to discover the right time to conquer us. Also, when we found your scientists we discovered that they had not long transmitted a message."
Johnson could see how they came to that conclusion given the evidence but he wasn't willing to let it lye at that. "There are other ways of proving whether or not we are responsible. Using scans we can discover the types of weapons used."
The Kenzaton to the right of the President didn't seem particularly happy with this prospect. He began to rise from his seat but the President quietened him with a wave of his hand. "Very well, we will allow you to carry out these scans but I must remind you that proving your innocence will take a great deal of convincing on your part."
---------------------------------------------------------------------------- --------------------------------
Louise touched the wall as if testing it. She was surprised to feel that it was solid. She had expected that it would give way slightly to the pressure from her hand. "It's not sentient," she explained to Hant who was standing nearby. "It's definitely alive though."
She began to notice the strange looks they were getting from the various Kenzatons in the room. That also included the guard who was watching them closely. They moved back to the closest patient but continued scanning.
"You're not going to believe this," she whispered. "The bed is organic too and the floor."
She had never seen anything like it before. To the naked eye the bed looked like a normal bed but the tricorder showed something else entirely. It was then that Commander Johnson and Counsellor Trent entered the room also escorted by guards. They looked at the sleeping scientists around the room before they made their way to Munroe and Hant.
"Report Doctor." Johnson's tone was curt. Louise guessed that things hadn't gone well after they left.
"No serious injuries. At least, not now. The Kenzatons medical knowledge is extremely advanced. All of their injuries have been treated and they are now sedated."
"Thank you Doctor." Johnson replied with a nod. "The President has allowed me to put a call through to the ship. I requested that a shuttle be brought down for the patients"
"There is something else," Louise whispered so that the Kenzatons couldn't hear her. "Nothing here is manufactured. That is not in the sense that you and I would consider manufactured. Everything here is organic."
"Well that explains something anyway." Trent sighed.
"Explains what?" Louise asked sounding confused.
Trent explained that they were being accused of attacking the city. "Something the President said sounded funny. He said that many people died and that much of the living was destroyed or damaged. I thought it sounded funny at the time but this would explain it."
Louise nodded as she listened. "Yes, he must have been talking about the buildings and everything in them."
"It also explains why these people have never seen war," Trent continued. "To these people all life is sacred. To destroy one building would almost be like sacrilege."
"And now they think we have destroyed several." Johnson finished shaking his head. "I don't understand it though. These walls look like normal walls. Look at the cracks obviously caused by the attack and the dust on the floor."
Louise smiled as she started to explain, "Think of it as a protective skin. What's inside is very much alive and it is protected by a solid exterior. I would also guess that these walls were designed to look like walls. The Kenzatons wouldn't have always have had this technology and so the design is based on what they had before."
To Louise the guard appeared to be looking a little impatient and so it was probably just as well that the Commander stopped their little conference when he did. Although personally she could have continued. She found the use of organic material fascinating.
"That settles it," Johnson said decisively with a clap of his hands. "When the shuttle arrives I want Counsellor Trent and Lt. Hant to ensure that the injured are on board safely. The medics will see to them the rest of the way. Dr Munroe I want you to come with me. We are going to the area that was attacked and find out who is responsible."
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Captain Larenzo headed to sickbay as soon as the scientist came on board. He immediately recognised Dr Andrew Pernell from the transmission that Starfleet had sent him. He was sitting up on a bio bed looking around at his surroundings.
"Captain Alex Larenzo of the USS Pegasus. How are you feeling?" He asked a little curtly. He had heard from one of the medics about the organic technology and the reason for the Kenzatons mistrusting them. He was in no mood for games and clearly the scientist knew about this organic technology but he had been kept in the dark.
Dr Pernell ignored the tone. "Fine, thank you Captain. Although, I should warn you that all is not well on that planet."
"I'm perfectly aware of that." Snapped Larenzo.
"The Kenzatons it seems are being helped by the Cardassians."