5
Appearances
"I am sorry about that, chancellor," Pike said as he rejoined the delegation of people. He threw a sideway glance at the constant milling of others around the large atrium. "We are far from home and the ship wants to make sure we're all okay down here on regular intervals."
The alien nodded. "No need to apologize, Captain Christopher," he assured him.
Una had an inkling of what it was they'd called about. She grew curious and turned to face Ta'Bob Bobba Dus. "Tell me, do you make contact with new species on regular basis?"
He smiled and shook his head faintly. "Not as frequently as I'd hoped for," the chancellor admitted. "While Circusia is a well-known recreation site and offers a lot of adventure as well as calmness and a rich cultural life, it's usually business as usual."
Una nodded and glanced at Chris, who gave a faint nod back.
Ta'Bob Bobba Dus clasped his hands together and broke into a grin. "But it is so fantastic to learn about the vastness of the universe through you," he added. "Starfleet, for example. The United Federation of Planets."
"You said you'd never heard about it before?" Pike enquired carefully.
He was sure the Klingons would have bragged about almost defeating their enemies when they'd arrived here. Or perhaps it was a sour topic – that the mighty Empire had lost to an enemy they considered to be weak and humble; who wanted diplomacy and peace more than anything.
"No," Ta'Bob Bobba Dus confirmed. "But I am eager to learn all about it."
Something told Chris there was something very wrong here. The chancellor must have known about the Klingons on Circusia. He must also be aware how they got there, so why would he deny their existence? Why would he claim to have no knowledge of the Federation?
Spock unknowingly came to his aid.
"Chancellor, when was your last encounter with a new species?" he asked in an even voice, not taking his eyes off his scanner.
"Oh, I am almost ashamed to say it was a couple of years back now," he admitted sheepishly. "We can get back to that topic, please come with me and I'll show you our state-of-the-art facility."
The trio didn't look at each other but each of them grew even more curious and concerned because of the statement the alien made. It simply made no sense whatsoever.
Pike really needed to speak with the Enterprise again. He wanted to know if they'd determined the event horizon and found an estimated time for the accident the Klingon ships had suffered so that he could match that with Ta'Bob's statement.
OOOOOO
Mann sighed in frustration as she studied the lifesigns on the screen before her. Numbers where running, shifting for every second, as the computer was analyzing, comparing, discarding and recounting. Then suddenly there was a chirp. She sat up a little straighter and frowned, then she smiled. "I have a match."
Lieutenant Amin nodded and finished up the algorithm she'd fed into the terminal at her station, letting the program delve deep into vectors, navigational options and course corrections that the Klingon vessel might or might not have performed before the incident.
The chief of security frowned. "They are only four?" she reported skeptically.
"In the populated region?" Amin asked.
Mann tapped away at the screen, increasing the narrow field. "I don't think there are more than four on the entire southern continent."
"Isn't that a little odd?" Nicola stated as he turned around to look at the two women at the workstation next to him.
"They could have landed a shuttle or a life-pod," Amin suggested.
"Does the Klingon Empire even have life-pods on their ships?" Nicola replied curiously. "If they flee from a disaster, and gets killed in the process, would they still reach the glorious realm of Sto'vo'kor?"
"No, they would be more likely to end up on the 'Barge of the Dead'," Amin stated.
"Sounds like they were already," Mann offered smartly.
"Someone's beliefs are not something to joke about, Lieutenant Mann," Nicola cautioned. "Don't you believe in something?"
"Someone's brought up the heavy stuff," Doctor Boyce surmised as he stepped out of the turbolift.
Mann seemed to contemplate what to say and then nodded to herself before turning to face the communication's officer. "I believe we are all believers; it's just a matter of what we chose to believe in," she said seriously.
"Well said, lieutenant," the doctor commended.
"What about you, sir?" Mann asked curiously. "I mean, we've been serving on the same ship for years but I've never really asked-,"
Phil sighed, a tired and wan smile creasing his lips. "Like you said; we're all believers. Let's just say that I am not afraid of people but of their values. A person who does not respect others, or life in particular, is a dangerous person; it's not dependent on the species you represent."
"True," Jamila concurred softly.
Boyce glanced around the room. "I thought our French engineer was here or is he eating hors d'oeuvres next to the warp core?"
"Louvier and Lesley are trying to decide the timestamps for the Klingon accident from two weeks ago and then compare it with this new debris that we found," Amin informed. "They both reasoned Captain Pike would have asked for that information if he had had the time."
"That won't help us finding all the Klingons on the surface of the planet," the doctor pointed out.
"As of right now, we can only find four of them," Mann offered.
Boyce looked skeptical. "On the entire planet?"
"On the southern continent," Nicola stated.
"Well, if you're lucky you'll find the rest of them lurking somewhere on the northern continent," the good old doctor offered sarcastically. "As long as they're not near our landing party, I don't care."
OOOOOO
The hours passed quickly as they toured the House of Science. Spock's constant volley of questions and his genuine interest excited the already beaming chancellor as they took a quick walk across a plaza and entered to lobby of yet another large building complex.
There was no need to tell what the several stories high building housed; Chris could smell the antiseptic as soon as they walked through the doors. It reminded him a little of Starfleet Medical Headquarters in San Francisco.
"Doctor Tee'Pa Dus Do," the chancellor called kindly and gestured for a lean yet shorter man to come over and join them.
Spock judged the medical man to be in his late forties by human standards as he made his way over.
The doctor bowed lightly, showing his respect to the chancellor. "I did not know you had visitors today. I am afraid I am not prepared for any questions," he said respectfully as he studied the three newcomers and took in their appearance. The first thing he noticed where the differences. The man in the middle had a natural aura of command around him. He might not know it himself, but the dark-haired woman to his left and the slightly taller man with black hair and pointed ears to his right both guarded him and looked to him for confirmation. The doctor allowed himself a faint smirk as he noticed the ribbons on the sleeves, noting with satisfaction that his assumptions had been right. The man in the middle was the highest-ranking officer.
Ta'Bob Bobba Dus' lips curled upwards. "No one did," he said kindly. "Doctor Tee'Pa Dus Do. This is Captain Christopher, Commander Una and Lieutenant Spock of Starfleet."
"Doctor," Pike acknowledged diplomatically and pursed his lips into a tight smile as the communicator chirped.
Ta'Bob Bobba Dus broke into a grin. "Go ahead and answer that, please. I don't want your ship to send the security force after you," he joked kindly.
"Enterprise to Captain Pike, please respond," Lieutenant Nicola called.
"Pike here," he replied as he strayed away from the others to keep the conversation more private.
"Louvier here, sir," the engineer said. "We have a status update."
Chris sighed in relief. "Let's hear it," he ordered.
"We believe the Klingons got into a fight with each other," Commander Louvier explained.
The captain frowned. "Are you sure?" he asked.
"The autoconfiguration of the scenario - which is sketchy at best - does place the two ships in the same vicinity for a while. Possible trajectories and incident scenarios run by the computers tells us there was a bit of a skirmish."
Amin spoke up next, to continue the explanation. "Our anthropologists and Klingon researcher onboard are of the opinion that two different fractions – or two different houses – had a disagreement over something."
"So, it seems the Klingon Empire isn't so united after all," Pike mused sadly.
"With that said, captain," Amin said, "We also assume they disagreed upon who has got the right to claim Circusia as their trophy. They have been out here for so long they might not even know the war existed in the first place."
"A word of caution, captain," Boyce said seriously. "They might not accept the peace treaty with the Federation even if they know about it."
"I have an idea about that," Chris said cunningly. "Lieutenant Mann, please round up four or five teams of security officers and tell them they'll be first in line for shore leave. Make sure they understand they will be going on a covert mission. I want them paddling, running, climbing, hiking – whatever is necessary to get out remotely, away from the city and scout for Klingons."
"I am sorry for bringing it up, sir," Trina began regrettably. "But I think they'll want to know if they can have real shore leave too?"
Pike chuckled. "The mission will be active for 72 hours. If they haven't found anything by then, I will personally grant them shore leave."
"I'll call them right away, captain," she assured him.
"Good," Chris replied. "Now, there is something more I want you to look into. Chancellor Ta'Bob Bobba Dus spoke of a dead and barren world, not far from here, called Trehelios. I need for you to locate it and send down a team of archeologists, meteorologists, geologists and biologists as soon as you can."
"So, one new world isn't enough for you," Boyce half-joked and then added curiously. "What are you looking for, Chris?"
"Ichkamar," Pike replied. "I am afraid I don't have time to debrief about that right now. It'll have to wait until we get back to the ship."
"I understand, sir," Louvier acknowledged. "I'll have the experts assembled and ready to disembark as soon as possible."
"Thank you," Pike replied. "Break orbit and take the Enterprise to maximum warp, you should be able to get back within a few hours. Drop them off and leave the shuttle Columbus behind, they'll have to get back in the shuttle if they need to get back to us before this circus is over."
"Hold on a second," Boyce protested. "You should come back up here for a while, until the planet is safe."
Pike smirked, although he knew perfectly well Phil couldn't see it. "According to the chancellor, this place is heaven. They have the best service, the best medical care, science and recreational activities and adventure parks in the entire sector."
"You stay safe down there; all of you – you hear me?" Boyce ordered.
"Loud and clear, doctor," Chris replied. He'd been very close to add a sir just to get his friend to stop worrying. He knew Phil could be such a mother hen sometimes.
"Captain, with all due respect, sir," Amin said kindly. "I advise caution down there."
"Message received," Pike replied and killed the connection.
"Trouble?" Ta'Bob Bobba Dus asked curiously as the flagship captain neared the rest of the delegation.
"Not at all," Pike replied smoothly. "In fact, we were talking about scheduling shore leave for the crew. However, the ship will break orbit for a while before then and attend to other matters."
Spock and Una both arched an eyebrow at that, sharing a quick confused glance.
"When it gets back, I had hoped my chief of security could be given a tour to see the planetary security."
Ta'Bob chuckled nervously for a moment. "Are you in doubt of our abilities to keep your people safe, Captain Christopher?"
"Not at all chancellor," he replied smoothly. "I thought we could both benefit from the exchange."
Una smirked. 'The Circusians more than us probably,' she thought dryly. Chris' ability to talk directly to her and Spock, without actually doing it, never ceased to amaze her. He was telling them that Lieutenant Mann would come down to the planet's surface and get a tour with the corresponding security officer on Circusia and she figured the crewmen scheduled for an early shore leave would be security officers with orders to track and trace Klingons.
Spock cocked an eyebrow curiously as two young Circusians walked past them in the corridor.
"Your colleagues seem very young," Una stated.
Doctor Tee'Pa Dus Do smiled. "Do not worry, Commander Una," he said. "They are trainees from medical school. This semester they are here to learn how to offer comfort to patients and study the practice of modern medicine performed by the most experienced doctors on the planet."
"Captain Christopher," Ta'Bob Bobba Dus called. "Any preferences? This place is enormous."
"Like I said earlier," he pointed out in a friendly manner. "You should be touring this place with my CMO. I am sure he would be delighted."
"That can certainly be arranged," Ta'Bob Bobba Dus reasoned. "Will he come to the welcoming party later this evening?"
"Ah," Chris hesitated, momentarily surprised. "Forgive me, I wasn't aware-,"
Ta'Bob Bobba Dus held up his hands to stall him. "My fault again," he replied sheepishly. "We would be delighted if you could join me and my stab in the dining hall of the great government building."
Cornered, Pike had no way out of it. He smirked. Katrina Cornwell would have said the chancellor was very good at diplomatic manipulation and skilled when it came to master suppression techniques. "In that case I feel obliged to say yes," he replied. "Now, if there is anything that you are particularly proud of in all your excellence, we'd like to see it."
Una did a double take at her captain, hiding her amusement well. It seemed like the diplomatic flagship officer was tired of the constant bragging of how splendid Circusia was.
A young woman watched from a distance as a delegation of people passed the corridors of the fifth floor of the large hospital complex. Doctor Tee'Pa Dus Do strode down the newly polished floors, his dark green medical coat flapping slightly behind him. Even though the small Circusian man tried to look important – in a way he was, being the chief of medicine – there was another person in the delegation that immediately caught the young woman's attention.
He didn't say or do anything out of the ordinary, he just followed the Circusian. He had this natural aura of command all around him. He looked calm, stable and in control. Kelle tried to deduce who he was. His skin was fair, a little pinkish, there were no ridges, no other colors, no marks of any kind on his face and his ears appeared to be rounded at the top and not attached to his head the way the Circusian's were. On his cuffs there was a grade mark she didn't fully understand but as she turned to the man with pointy ears, walking behind him, she noticed that the golden lines on the blue base was far less pronounced.
Intrigued, Kelle looked at the woman, who appeared to be just as tall as the men. She was beautiful with her light skin tone and her brown hair which seemed to bounce off her shoulders as she walked. Kelle's eyes strayed to the cuffs of her uniform and found that, while she had more golden ribbons than the man in blue, she did not outrank the man in yellow.
She found herself smiling as she studied them. People had always interested her. She wondered where they came from; what sector of space. How they lived and what they usually did when they didn't visit this strange planet of pleasure and injustices. Perhaps they were military of some sort, even though Kelle seriously doubted that since they appeared very diplomatic. Maybe they were a small unit, a scouting team, wanting to make sure Circusia was safe to visit. She knew other newcomers had done that before they sent their entire ship compliment down.
"Cycle completed," a metallic voice reported and brought Kelle out of her musings. It was time for her to take the analyzed blood samples of the Zacharia species back to the specialists at level ten. She turned her attention back to the small machine behind her and retrieved the test tubes.
OOOOOO
5/24
