5. CIRRI NINE
Cirri Nine was an M – Class planet in a solar system consisting of nine planets, recently colonized by Federation. Its ecosystem was very similar to Earth's, with a large variety of plants and animals and only a downside: Cirri Nine was located at the far border of the Neutral Zone, at a very short pace from Romulan space. It had been a long time since the last registered Romulan activity along the border. The attempted Borg invasion first and the Dominion War later had been powerful deterrents. However, relationships between the Federation and the Romulan Empire had never really normalized and distrust remained from both sides. For this reason Cirri Nine's colonists were considered real adventurers.
As if these problems were not enough to handle, during the last months strange phenomena had been occurring in the colony. And some people had mysteriously disappeared. That serious situation had lead the Governor Victor Espinosa to ask the urgent help of Starfleet. The decision however had not been easily taken, because many colonists would have preferred to solve their problems by themselves. First among them, the group of scientists that conducted on Cirri Nine a series of experiments and in particular the Chief of the Research Center, Kristina Ender. She pretended and obtained to be present at the arrival of the Starfllet officers and to be along them during all their staying at the colony.
In that very moment, the woman was next to Espinosa inside his office, while the shapes of Admiral Picard, Captain Riker, Counselor Troi and Commander Data materialized in the room.
"Welcome to Cirri Nine" Espinosa greeted them, right after the beaming process was over. "I'm Governor Espinosa".
"Admiral Jean – Luc Picard. I'm pleased to meet you, Governor" Picard replied, shaking cordially the man's hand.
"I'm very grateful for your quick answer to our request" Espinosa went on.
"We'll try to help you in any possible way" Picard assure him.
"This is doctor Ender, Chief of our scientific department. She is at your disposal for every explanation you could need".
Picard nodded at the woman. "My officers and I will appreciate all the assistance you can offer" he said.
Then Picard suggested that the doctor showed Data the scientific information they had collected, while the governor summarized what had recently happened.
Before Data left with the colonist, Counselor Troi approached the android and whispered to him "The woman seems all but cooperative. She feels frustrated for not being able of solving the problem herself".
"I will keep it in mind" Data replied. Then he left with Ender.
Picard and the others sat with the governor around a meeting table.
"As I've already stated the issue is very complex, admiral" said Espinosa.
"Start from the beginning, sir" Riker suggested.
"Well, everything began more or less a month ago" the governor went on. "Our instruments registered strange emissions from the mountains located at the east side of the city. Dr. Ender will be more precise than me. However, we decided to investigate the phenomenon on site and people began to disappear".
"Disappear?" Troi asked, startled.
"Yes. Some only for a few hours, others for days. And when they came back, nobody remembered anything of where he had been or what he had done".
"Did they undergo a medical check – up?" Picard asked.
"Of course. Apparently everybody is in good health but their short term memories are somehow blocked. Our doctors can't explain it."
Riker addressed Picard. "Dr. Crusher should examine some of the colonists and compare the results" he said resolutely. The admiral agreed.
"There is more" the governor went on. "Some people are still missing".
"How many?" Deanna asked, perceiving more and more the governor's sense of anguish and useless.
"Four. Two women and two men. I'll hand you their available personal information, if you wish".
"Of course" Picard replied. "Every bit of information will be precious".
"Agreed" Espinosa said.
When Data and Dr. Ender returned, Picard prepared to leave.
"We're beaming back to the ship to assess the situation and distribute the assignments. We'll contact you again soon" the admiral promised.
"You are our last hope, Picard. If we don't solve the mystery our only other option will be to leave this planet" Espinosa said, sadly.
Even without Troi's empathic powers, Riker realized all the desperation those people should be feeling and prepared to return to the ship determined more than ever to help them the best he could.
When Captain Rank entered the turbo – lift en route to the Science Lab, she casually met Geordi La Forge, heading to Engineering.
"Hi, Geordi" Denise greeted him cordially, stepping inside. "Deck three" she ordered the computer.
"Denise" the engineer replied, nodding to her as a way of greeting.
In those few moments of silence the woman felt her friend's artificial gaze upon her. So she turned toward him. "Is there something wrong?" she asked.
La Forge felt a sense of discomfort. "Not at all".
However, after a short moment of hesitation he decided that honesty was the best course of action. "I was wondering if you had a chance to talk with Data".
"Yes, at the briefing" the woman answered.
"I meant another thing" Geordi insisted.
Denise stared at him. "Ah" she murmured.
Then she glanced at the ceiling, as she used to do when addressing the computer. "Halt!" she ordered.
The turbo – lift immediately stopped.
"If you have something to tell me, please do it" Denise told La Forge.
Geordi perceived the irritation in her tone of voice and thought that maybe he had chosen the wrong moment. But it was too late. "Denise, I don't want you to think that I'm violating your privacy. But since we've been knowing each other for so long, I believed I could advise you, without offending you".
"I'm not offended, Geordi. Go straight head" Denise replied.
"Don't you think that you should clarify your position? I mean, Data is my friend as well and so…"
Denise cut him down. "So you know everything" she commented. "And probably you're not the only one. How many others? Riker? Troi?"
"Denise, that is not the point. Honestly, I don't believe the two of you can go on this way for long" La Forge replied. "You should be more honest with Data. Tell him what you think of him. Don't be unfair".
Denise's face became astonished. "I can't believe this!" she exclaimed. "We've been knowing each other for almost twenty years. I would have never imagined that you had such a bad opinion of me!" Then, before Geordi could have the chance to add anything else, the woman addressed the computer again. "Proceed to deck three! She ordered.
"Denise, you misunderstood" La forge tried again.
"Really?" Denise asked, sarcastically. "Didn't you just imply that I'm deluding Data with my behavior?"
"Of course not! Not purposely, at least".
"Thanks for the benefit of the doubt, Commander" the woman replied angrily. As soon as the doors opened, Denise walked out so rapidly that almost collided with Counselor Troi, who was about to board the lift.
After the initial surprise, the Betazoid stared at the colleague with sincere wariness. "Are you all right, Denise?" she asked.
"I'm fine" the woman replied, without stopping. "But you must wait for your turn, Counselor. Commander La Forge preceded you!"
While Captain Rank walked away, Deanna looked quizzically at Geordi. But unfortunately the engineer seemed at a loss for words.
The Science Lab was almost completely dark, lightened up only by the dim shimmering of the equipment. Lt. Ris was performing diagnostics, helped by Ensign Tinik, a young Vulcan. Data, at a small distance, was studying some readouts from an analyzer.
Suddenly, the doors slid open and for a brief moment the light from the corridor propagated inside the room.
After a quick look around, Denise approached Data. "Can I speak with you?" she asked him in a low voice.
"Of course" Data answered, keeping working.
"Admiral Picard told me you identified the emissions from the mountains" the woman stated, straggling to maintain a neutral tone of voice.
"Yes, the emissions are tetryon particles. Their concentration is quite unusual" the android explained. "I would suggest a direct inspection of the interested area".
"I'm here for that. The admiral put me in charge of the away team":
"Very well" Data commented. "Let me know when you wish to go". On those words, he went back to his original task.
"Data" Denise continued, with a completely different attitude "are you trying to avoid me?"
"Absolutely not" the android replied matter - of - factly. Then he turned toward the other officers. "Lieutenant, let us get back to our calculations" he ordered the Bajoran.
"Aye, sir".
"I believe you can do whatever you're doing, from the Science station on the Bridge as well, Ris" Denise proposed. "I'd like to talk with the commander, alone".
"Of course" the woman replied walking away, followed by the Vulcan. But Data stopped them midway. "Get back to your stations" the android ordered in a resolute tone. Rarely Denise had the chance to hear that tone in Data's voice.
"With all due respect, Captain" Data went on, addressing Denise "I am the one supposed to give orders in this room" he said quietly. But Denise knew him quite well and was not fooled by his pretended calm behavior. Data was angry at her without any doubts. So she decided to drop the argument for the moment. The woman nodded, accepting Data's decision. "We're going to get down to the planet in two hours" she said. "I want the three of you reporting in the Transporter room".
When the doors slid open again, Denise stopped a moment longer. "I'd like to have B'rent with us as well" she added.
"In this case you would better tell him yourself. The Ambassador has never reported for duty here" Data specified.
Denise nodded once more and left the lab, wondering what could have happened to B'rent.