Post by Scribe on Oct 12, 2009 5:20:40 GMT -5
STARDATE: 1612170
It was puzzling really.
Talen III was a farming community. It was a pre-warp civilisation that under normal circumstances would have been avoided like the plague by most space faring races, particularly any of those worlds currently holding Federation membership.
However, it was hardly normal circumstances when the Talen had become the object of interest for a bunch of Jem'Hadar scouting parties that had deigned to leave Dominion territory. Unless they was good reason for it, the Dominion tended to avoid stepping out of their spaces and Talen II was almost definitely out of the designated territories the Dominion had claimed for itself. Thus the effect of the Dominion was paying an interest, produced a corresponding reaction from Starfleet to pay attention even though by definition, Talen III fell under the restrictions of the Prime Directive.
Unfortunately, in times of war or at least in a cold war where open hostilities had not been declared but one side had an army vastly superior to the other, exceptions could always be made.
Even so, Starfleet was cautious at the level of interference in Talen affairs so a MACO team was dispatched led by Captain Tatiana 'Tate' Starkova and accompanied by a Starfleet anthropologist who would advised them on the customs of the Talen people. Since the Talen resembled humans except for a deep maroon splotch on their foreheads, it was an easy enough exercise to blend in. Properly disguised as travellers from their southern continent, Tate led her team into the rather provincial village a short time after they had been beamed to the surface, in order to watch and learn what the Dominion really wanted with this rustic world.
****
"Want us to 'mingle'?" Sean asked Starkova quietly, leaning in next to her. The team was dressed in the appropriate garb, something along the lines of homespun fabrics and skirts for the women. "I hope this doesn't turn into another Angel One situation," he told his captain.
Having read the report filed from the Vanguard about that mission, Starkova could help but smirk. Oh she would have loved to have seen some tough guy Sharks having to be referred to as property. It somehow made two thousand years of gender oppression almost worth it. "Oh don't worry, I'm sure your brother wouldn't mind being sold for either breeding or pleasuring."
"And I'll kick the ass of anyone trying to stake a claim," Mack snorted, giving the captain a playful smile as she regarded Sean. Hell, just because you couldn't see it, didn't mean there wasn't a 'property of Mac' stamped on Sean's ass.
"No, no, no," Dr. Brent Holloway protested vehemently."There's nothing like that I assure you," he said in a thick English accent. "I've thoroughly researched the customs of the Talen and there is no reason to get violent.
Tate smiled to herself as she regarded the ship's anthropologist. He really was a bookish little man, who seemed more like a school teacher than a Starfleet officer. Holloway was not her first choice for a member of an away team but she had been assured by First Officer Okoro that the man was an encyclopaedia of useful information.
They had transported in a clearing of the woods surrounding the village where the Jem'Hadar activity had been noted. While not landing, the enemy ships had taken several passes over the small community and there was residual evidence that they might have conducted multiple scans before going off on their way again. It was possible that the Dominion had found nothing of interest and moved on but the fact that they had left their space for this planet, could not be ignored and had to be investigated.
Upon reaching the village of Aderva, Tate and her team observed a provincial village that reminded her of seventeen century Europe. The buildings were constructed with stone and wood, with chimneys protruding from roofs, hedges of rocks marking the boundary of small vegetable gardens. Women were dressed in full length dresses, their footwear were boots for walking on terrain where life stock clearly travelled and the roads were either cobbled or dirt. There was even a farmer leading a bovine like animal down own of the meandering paths through the village.
The place was a hive of activity at this time of morning with women gossiping as they went to the town square where most of the town's civic activities took place it seemed. Thanks to Dr. Holloway's programming of the universal translator, the Sharks could speak to the natives and not stand out, which helped since they were here to observe without drawing suspicion.
"Just don't tell me it's the other way around," Cori grumbled, sliding the homespun sack off her shoulders and squatting to the ground, skirts billowing around her feet. "Hold up. I can't get the med kit settled right," she said, loosening the drawstring top.
"So how long have you studied them?" Sean asked the doc, wishing he had his shades. Damn sun was bright here.
"Only a couple of weeks," Holloway spoke quietly upon emerging from the cover of the woods to enter the village's outskirts. "To tell the truth, there wasn't much reason to until the Dominion appeared here. After receiving the report about Dominion activity, Starfleet had me do a preliminary study so we could conduct our investigation without disrupting them too greatly."
"Well hopefully we won't find anything to indicate the Dominion will come back," Tate remarked.
Meanwhile, Luke had walked up to Cori and commented, "you look so pretty Cori," he teased, perfectly aware that she hated the dress. Secretly though, he had to admit she did look pretty in the full length skirt.
"Grow up," Tate walked pas, swatting him on the back of the head. Honestly.
Stifling a chuckle, Sean managed to NOT look at his brother. Or Mack. Either one and he'd start laughing. Returning his attention to Dr. Holloway, he figured that was the safest bet. "So we won't have a problem if the women go wandering around by themselves?"
"Not at all," Holloway answered with a smile. "While the Adervans are an agrarian society with patriarchal tendencies, there is no evidence that women aren't treated fairly. It's a slight variance from the social sensibilities of our own culture in the seventeenth and eighteenth century. If anything they're a little better off then we were since the role of women is viewed with some reverence as they are the home makers and child bearers."
"Wonderful," Tate rolled her eyes, keeping it under her breath. That meant that Holloway was going to have to take the lead if they entered any discussions with the villagers. She didn't think the man knew how to conduct a conversation that did not come out of a book. "I just hope these Jems show up soon."
"I rather hope not," Holloway shuddered. "These people are simple folk. There's no telling what that kind of contamination could do their culture."
On second thought, he had a point. Damn, Tate hated it when Fleeters did that.
Giving Luke a look somewhere between being flattered and disgust, Cori dug into her pack. "Thank you. My dowry is one milk cow and four bales of hay," she cracked. "Ah…no wonder it wouldn't sit right." Peering into the sack, both hands tucked inside, she frowned, just before there was an audible snap. "There." Closing up the sack, she got to her feet.
"I wouldn't pay a cow for you," Luke quipped back as the group entered the town and made their way up the cobbled paths leading through the buildings. The main track seemed take them towards the square where there was market day of sorts.
"A goat maybe but definitely not a cow," he gave her a wink.
"A whole goat?" Cori chuckled as she shrugged into the rucksack again. "I'm…flattered." She grinned at Mack, eyes twinkling. Nope. She wasn't flirting. Not one bit.
"These people," Sean interjected, glances to both Cori and his brother as a subtle reminder. "Don't look like Jem victims though. You know? Nothing's destroyed or shot..." he said.
“No,” Tate had to agree with his assertion, “they haven’t been. I wonder what it is about this place that interests the Jem’Hadar so much?” It really was baffling.
“Maybe we should split up?” Mack suggested, “you know, see what these people actually know about the Jems if anything. I mean they haven’t actually been to the village have they?”
“No that we’re aware of,” Holloway answered, "But according to the report I read, the Jems were paying close attention to this village from orbit and by scans. I can't imagine what it could be about these people that warrant such scrutiny.”
"Maybe it's the local cuisine," Cori said dryly, indicating where an animal was being roasted in a pit, on a skewer. "Or those funny looking crops we saw back down the road."
"We could split up," Sean nodded to Mack. "Good idea." And he wasn't saying that because of their relationship. "What do you think?" he asked Starkova. "We could cover more ground that way?"
Tate considered the suggestion. Surprisingly enough Mack was often the quiet one in all this but she was starting to see that the young woman was quite a strategist. Officer material actually. "I agree," she conceded to the suggestion because them grouping like this could also attract the wrong kind of attention. "Split up into groups and meet back here in one hour. Doctor, you're with me." She wouldn't inflict him on anyone else.
"Come on Goat Girl," Luke teased, "better if we paired up like a couple travelling through town or something but be warned," he gave her a look. "if you get mouthy on me, I'll take a switch to your ass."
"Oh dear," Holloway gasped, uncertain if the young man was joking or not, "I dare say that won't be necessary."
"You're scaring the straights, schnookums," Cori retorted to Luke and gave Dr. Holloway a wink. "He wouldn't do that. I'm armed," she said.
Sean rolled his eyes and gave Tate a look that said 'kids'. "That's you and me then, Mack." His usual name for her, Kenzie, was reserved for more intimate situations. "One hour and no shopping..." he said, giving Cori a pointed look.
"Okay but if I see a tavern wench that I like, all bets are off." Luke grinned, even though he had no intention of tail hunting while he was on a mission. Besides, Cori would never let him get away with it.
"Keep it in your pants Randy," Tate tossed at him. "Keep an eye on him Cori. Last thing I need is to fill out the paperwork for unauthorised cross breeding. Those forms are….awkward."
Laughing at Luke, Cori looked over at their Captain. "We can hit the bar.. uh.. tavern..." she said, with a glance at Doctor Holloway. "How does that sound? Listen to what the locals are saying? Get a feel for what's going on?" she said, tightening the headscarf holding back her thick brown hair.
“Sounds good to me,” Luke agreed because it was a sound request. At a tavern, they could mingle and find out what news was around, see if the villagers had noticed anything out of place. "I wonder if they’ve got those bar maids with those tight corsets that cut off circulation to the nipples.” He smirked just for Cori’s benefit.
Tate rolled her eyes resignedly and gestured to Holloway, “let’s go.”
****
Shaking her head, Mack left Cori and Luke to their game of verbal foreplay and headed towards Sean. "Maybe we should see what kind of industry they have here. I mean it looks straight forward rural but you never know…" she suggested shyly.
With a look around the village, squinting in the bright sun (damn, he wanted his shades), Sean nodded. "Sounds good." He added a slight smile to it because Mack needed to hear her ideas were good ones. Of course, he and the other two often encouraged her but like Cori, Mack had ghosts that were hard to ignore at times. Plus, it gave him a chance to put to good use all those leadership things he'd picked up in the NCO's training. "Where did you want to start?"
“I say we keep going towards the marketplace,” Mack suggested. “I mean if we want to know what they produce around here, might as well go to the place that gets the most distribution right?”
"Definitely good thinking," Sean replied, falling into step next to her. "And since you're our field botanist, you're the best one for that," he said with a grin. "We should get tricorder readings of the different plants and things we see. Think you can do that without the tricorder being seen?"
“In this outfit?” She looked at him with a hint of evil. “I could be pregnant under here and you’d never know until I decided to call you daddy.”
The 'D' word. Sean raised an eyebrow at Mack, unable to help the glance he sent her midsection. "Just remember," he said, recovering. "In this society, it means being barefoot and in the kitchen." Smiling at her, Sean winked, making a mental note to let her know at some point that he hoped she'd tell him way before it got to that point. "Come on. You can do the talking."
“Me?” Mack stared at him. “You do the talking. You’re the guy remember, I’m just the smart but capable little woman, supporting her man in the background.” She flashed him a little smirk.
They walked down the pathway, causing a flock of geese (or equivalent) squawk in protest as they waddled out of the way. Mack saw some of the women her age hand in hand with their men and slipped her arm through Sean’s. “When in Rome…”
"I'm liking Rome." Taking his cue, Sean settled one hand over top of hers on his arm and gave her smaller fingers a squeeze. Around them, people came and went, like something out of a Bajoran province or some movie about a simple people and simple times. There was some sort of livestock being auctioned off towards one side, the auctioneer going off just like the ones he'd heard back on Gaia.
Across the main square, people were bartering for the food displayed neatly on the stands. The vegetables.. or fruit... were brightly coloured and oddly shaped but apparently the 'in' thing as a young mother cut a slice off to hand to the toddler clinging to her skirts after she'd handed over some coins. "I wonder how their money system works," he said to Mack, eyeing the transaction.
“Well don’t you have some?” She asked, glancing at the pouch that Holloway had given them as part of the essentials when travelling in this village. In the pocket of her rather voluminous skirt, Mack was scanning. “Fruit seems pretty normal.” She replied as they walked further into the market and saw more variety of wares being sold. “Remember you better buy me something pretty, seeing as I am your honey here.” She teased.
"Something pretty and shiny, I know." Sean grinned at her, one hand idly feeling the pocket where he'd put that little bag the doc had given him. "OH yeah...I do and I plan on it." Inclining his head towards the livestock, Sean directed her attention there. "Try those next. Please."
Mack winked at him, enjoying the mission they were undertaking somewhat on this rustic world. Of course, it would all go pear shaped if the Jems showed up but still…
She made her way towards the enclosure where the animals he had pointed to where kept when suddenly, she saw a vendor selling some animal figurines carved in what appeared to be some white, limestone or calcified material. Curiosity tugged at her and she aimed her tricorder at it subtly and picked up the oddest readings.
“Sean,” she beckoned at him and then went over to the vendor, an older man in his fifties. Picking up the figurine shaped like a woman, she greeted. “Hello, I am from the Southern Continent, from what do you make these?”
Following her over, Sean stood behind Mack, close enough to see over her shoulder. With one hand on the small of her back, he picked up a figurine as well.
"Well, pretty one..." The old farmer began, eyeing his wares. "Like to know myself. Got a whole grove of these things on my farm and it's good for nothing but carving those baubles," he said.
"What do you mean?" Sean asked, glancing up at him as he put the statue back down.
"Good for nothing, that's what I mean. Can't burn them for fires, the leaves make me itch something terrible down yonder and the sap is as bitter as strap root."
“Its very beautiful,” Mack complimented as she examined the statue and in particular what it was made of. Even though it was stock standard timber there was evidence of isogenic compounds that was unusual in organic plants. This was usually needed to be grown in a lab and yet in this tree that the man was speaking of, it was natural.
Suddenly she heard the distinct hum of a transporter in the middle of the town square, drawing scream of fright as a dozen Jem'Hadar soldiers beamed right in front of the terrified crowds.
****
"You better hope it's not the males that do the birthing here," Cori remarked, knowing she was feeding him material but ehh...she couldn't help it. Luke, when he wasn't intent on laying everything with oestrogen, was very funny and a very nice guy. Not that she'd tell anyone, might ruin his rep. Grinning to herself, she nodded to Tate and broke away from the main group. "Come on, Lotharomeo," she teased.
“Its okay,” Luke assured her with a wink as he started walking. “I’ve got protection.”
Laughing, Cori gave him a shove. "Come on... that looks like a tavern, what do you say?" she said, pointing out a door that was rather busy with people coming and going and a sign with what looked like a tankard of some kind on it. More over, the place had that airy charm to it one usually saw in the movies. "Looks friendly."
“Yeah everything’s friendly until someone’s wench takes a liking to you or worse yet, someone eyes your goat wrong.” Luke retorted, taking the lead and stepped through the door.
Assaulted immediately with the smell of strong spirits, Luke took a deep breath and saw a scene right out of another age. Wooden tables and chairs, men gathered around in discussion, drinking frothy beverages from large tankards. Buxomly women moving through the tables, taking orders and a fat, pot bellied bartender behind the counter.
“Okay woman,” Luke replied. “Stay close before Farmer John decides to take you home to rut. I got dibs on that.” He winked.
"Only if you pay more than a goat," Cori retorted, heeding his advice despite her teasing, and stayed close, even slipping her hand into his to make it clear. "This place is wild," she whispered at Luke's shoulder. "It's like that tavern in Lord of the Rings, where Strider finds the hobbits."
Luke stared at the hand that was entwined in his and for a split second, all thought left his brain as he looked at her. It felt…nice. “Uhm…you really needed to get out more on Saturday nights…Harwood.” He shook whatever thought had been coalescing in his head for something more in character.
"Have a seat, you two!" The voice that hailed came from one of the women, a motherly looking type who was wiping her hands on a rag as she approached them. "Sit!" she encouraged, a plump hand waving at a nearby booth. "The name is Varla, welcome!"
“Hey Varla,” Luke burst into a grin, liking the woman who by manner reminded him of Moira. “You give a warm welcome to travellers,” he said in typical charm mode. “I am Luke and this is my intended, Corinne.” Just for good measure, he showed the woman his hand with Cori’s in it.
Managing a shy smile (when she was anything but shy, especially in public), Cori nodded at the woman as she cooed over them.
"Travellers be welcome in my place," Varla said, pegging this young man as quite the catch and so must the girl be, if she caught this one's attention and held it. "And especially those who bring such joyous news," she smiled ear to ear, placing a hand on each of their shoulders. "Sit, sit! Arron!!"
Cori nearly jumped at the bellow the woman let out, her hand tensing in Luke's automatically.
"Quiet down woman!!" That was the pot-bellied barkeep, smiling at his wife across the room. "You're loud enough to wake the dead, may the gods smile upon them. Leave those two young ones to their whisperings and come get this tray."
"Oh, stick it in your boot, old man.," Varla gave an impish (and contagious, Cori thought) to them both. "Seventy two cycles and still going strong. You two sit and I shall return." She trundled off, easily moving through the chairs and tables and customers despite her bulk.
Sliding into the booth, Cori grinned at Luke. "I like her," she chuckled. "Did you catch that..? Seventy two cycles? If that's our years, wow... she doesn't look a day over fifty."
“It the healthy living,” Luke pointed out as he swept his gaze across the room at all the people drinking, chatting and generally having a good time. Clearly, these weren’t the worker bees of the village but then again, why did they need to be? Looking at Cori again, he remarked. “I hope the Jem doesn’t have any plans for these people. I kind of hate to see all this spoiled.”
"Me too," Cori replied, frowning as she took in the same view Luke did. To imagine this place torn asunder and ripped apart as the Jems had left other planets seemed almost too vulgar to think about. Although she loved her life now, Cori wondered what it would be like in a world where your biggest worry was when to harvest the crops.
"Alright children," Varla reappeared, the now empty tray in one hand. "Now that dress puts you from the Southern Continent, young lady. What brings you all the way north to Aderva? And what a beautiful stitch on it," she said, indicating the embroidery.
"Oh, thank you. My.. my grandmother made it for me." Cori looked over at Luke, remembering her role here and nodded at him. "He wanted to visit."
“I’m something of a traveller,” Luke spoke easily. “Before we’re married I thought we should both travel a bit, see the world.” With a smirk he added, patting Cori’s belly, “before I fill her up with babies.”
Cori's eyes went wide as she elbowed him in the stomach playfully, free hand clutching at his.
"Oooh, you two are adorable. Reminds me of myself and my Arron when we was your age. Birthed eight babies and adopted two more." Varla smiled at them both. "Lost two to the winter sickness over the turns. Now, what will you two be having? You have to try my stew, good fill for a strapping lad like yourself and for you," she winked at Cori. "Give you energy to keep that one happy," she chortled with a wiggle of her bosom.
Oh God. Cori cleared her throat and looked at Luke, her face clearly saying 'look what you started'. "The stew sounds wonderful," she said. "Is Aderva always this prosperous?" Might as well get a few questions in while Varla was talking.
Luke grinned happily, taking a moment to brush a strand of hair out of Cori's face. "She keeps me happy plenty." It surprised Luke how much he meant that.
His tone caught Cori's attention and she glanced at him, finding herself sucked into those blue eyes in that way that made the floor spin. Smiling, honest and not part of the act, she forced herself to look back to Varla, absently tightening her hand around Luke's. "The stew will be fine," she told the older woman.
"Aye, Aderva is set at the heart of our land. Off to the end of town, you'll find the river and the docks," Varla replied. "When ye come back tomorrow, you'll have to try my cabbock, made fresh every morning." A dimpled hand patted Cori's shoulder.
Suddenly, the jovial mood was shattered by the appearance of a man shouting at the doorway. "Everybody! Flee! Demons have come! They appear out of thin air!"
"Demon?" Luke shot Cori a look. Hell.
****
With Mack being so interested in the thing, Sean figured what the hell. About to ask how much, his head snapped up at the noise all Sharks knew. "Oh. Shit." Glancing around them, he stayed put, one hand taking Mack by the arm and hauled her back into the stall. "Stay here.. we don't want to give ourselves up if we don't have to," he told her.
Mack nodded and when she was hauled away to the corner, out of sight, she said to him. "Should we try and reach the others? Give them a heads up?"
Sean only nodded, pulling his communicator from it's hiding spot. "Randolph to Starkova," he said quietly, removing his sidearm and indicating for Mack to do the same. "Just be ready," he told her.
"This is Captain Starkova," Tate's response was immediate. The tension in her voice indicated that she was aware of the change in their situation. "What's your status?" She asked.
As Sean spoke to the Captain, Mack watched the Jems heading straight for the market, holding the terrified villagers at bay with their formidable weapons, not to mention the mere appearance of them. What must these people be thinking?
"We're tucked away in one of the stalls in the market," Sean answered quietly. "Not going to show our hand until we have to," he said, frowning as one of the Jems marched over to the closest table. Every item he picked up, the creature seemed to sniff it and toss it away, growling in frustration. "They're looking for something.."
Mack watched as they went to the stall that had the statues on it. The Jem paused and looked at the object, picking it up and looking at it strangely. The rest of the contingent were aiming weapons at the villagers, forcing them to stay put even if these simple folk had no idea what they were.
"How is this made?" The leader of the troop demanded of the old man whom she and Sean had been talking to later.
"What the hell?" Mack looked at Sean in confusion. "They're here about statues?"
"Somehow I'm certain it's not Decorating 101," he said, as surprised as she was.
"Take it!!" The old man said, spotted hands shoving the lot towards them. "Take it and be gone, demons. Spare us!"
"HOW IS THIS MADE?" The Jem bellowed again, weapons trained on the old man who was beyond frightened and unable to answer coherently.
"Christ," Mack swore. "They wouldn't even know what a phaser is..." she replied, determined to do something though what at the moment escaped her.
"Mack, stay put." That was an order, one Sean would apologize for later for it's shortness. "Cap," he said in the communicator. "Can you see the square?"
"I can see," Tate nodded, adjusting the frequency so everyone could hear each other.
"M..m..made??" The old man peered at the beast from behind his table. "From the Raban tree. There are groves outside of t-t-town," he said weakly. "Tis the wood, good for nothing but them carvings!"
"Show us!" The Jem jabbed a weapon in his belly and even if the old man didn't know what it was, he certainly understood the threat.
"Yes, yes," the old man nodded.
From where she was, Tate saw the old man cowering in fear as Holloway appeared pale, aghast at the effect these 'demons' would have on the poor folk of Aderva.
She couldn't blame him.
****
"Demons!!" Varla's tray clattered to the floor as she covered a gasp.
"That can't be good." Glancing out the window, Cori frowned. "I can't see anything from here," she said, sliding out of the booth. "Should we go check it out?"
"Yeah," he nodded, getting up from the table. "Let's go."
Switching into Shark mode, Luke hurried out of the place, expecting him to be right behind him as they reached the doorway and saw the island of panic that had formed around the Jem advance. They were heading to the market...towards Sean and Mack.
Cori was right behind Luke, but not before she'd urged the terrified innkeeper to find a safe place to hide. She double-timed it to catch up with him, dodging around people running in the opposite direction. "Right out of thin air," she told him. "That means they beamed down.. which means there's a ship in orbit. Do you see Sean and Mack?"
"No," he shook his head, watching them. "But if they're smart, they're laying low. Its better the Jems think we're one of the natives. If they realise that there's Starfleet down here, they're going to start shooting."
"And Captain Riggs has cloaked the ship." Grabbing his arm, Cori tugged Luke behind a wagon. "They see us run towards them they might think its weird when everyone else is running away," she said. "We need to find Starsky."
"Right," Luke nodded, risking the use of a communicator while they were hidden behind the wagon. "Captain, what's our situation?"
"Our situation is that the Jems are looking for something," the woman said from her observation point behind a building that gave her the view of the square, with Holloway, cowering behind her. "For some reason, they're interested in some statues."
"Statues?" Luke's brow knotted.
"Statues?" She hadn't meant to echo him but the revelation was just so bizarre. "The Jem' Hadar?"
"Yeah," Tate answered, "they seemed very interested in how its made."
Luke's mind was churning. "How its made?" He paused a moment. His 170 IQ working overtime now.
Mack's voice chimed in, having heard Luke's remark and interjecting. "Luke, I scanned it earlier and its got traces of isogenic compounds."
Isogenic compounds...shit...that meant enzymes... Prior to the mission Luke had read everything they knew about the Jem'Hadar including a paper by one Doctor Cate Vedder of the Vanguard.
"Captain," Luke said quickly, "I think I know what they want. Did you read the report by Doctor Vedder of the Vanguard? They recently encountered Jem'Hadar who were incapacitated because their genetic structure requires an enzyme that had to be artificially introduced into their systems periodically. Without it, they die. I think, I think that whatever that statue is, its made of the material the Jem'Hadar need to live."
"They're physically dependent on it," Cori told him, having read that report Luke spoke of. "Like an addiction only worse. Their bodies physically break down without it," she said. "And just like drug addicts, they miss it for even one dose and they go wacko."
Listening, Sean frowned. "You still have that one you were looking at?" he asked Mack.
"Yeah," she nodded, showing him the small figurine she had forgotten to put down when all the excitement had started. "Here it is."
"That's what they're here for," Tate declared. "This planet has their fix."
"Oh fantastic." Cori frowned as she squatted down, peering around the corner of the wagon to get a good view of the scene. Digging her tricorder out of a pocket, she aimed at the closet Jem. Quite a distance and she wasn't sure she could get a reading. "Mack," she said, grabbing Luke's hand with the communicator in it. "Let me see those readings. I've got a medical tricorder. Maybe I can analyse it against the stats we have."
Mack obeyed, transmitting those reading to Cori as her eyes darted to what was happening in the square.
"Captain," Luke spoke up. "What are we going to do? If they realize that they can get their enzyme here, they'll take this planet."
Tate had already made that deduction. "I know," she said grimly. "Its outside Dominion space too so our cold war could become a hot one pretty quickly."
Steadying herself against the wagon, Cori frowned as she keyed Mack's readings against her own. "Oh boy... Luke?" she said, looking up. "These guys..." One hand indicated the Jem party now following the old man. "They have the same enzyme Mack recorded in their systems but they're low on it so my guess is they're already running low on juice," she said, showing him the tricorder.
"What the hell are they doing so far from home?" Tate demanded and then decided it really didn't matter. They were here and she had read Mercer's report from the Vanguard. The colony in question had nearly been totalled. "We've got to handle this."
"Handle it?" Mack stared, "how?"
"We better figure a way, because if they don't get their fix, they're going to kill everyone here and if they do, they're going to take the planet." Luke summed up the stakes quite adeptly. "What we need to do is convince them that while this plant might have some of the properties of their drug, its not the same. Captain, we might have to sour the milk."
Damn, his brother was awesome. Even if Sean had no idea what was ticking inside Luke's brain, his brother was awesome. "What's on your mind, Luke? I'd say burn the groves but that could affect the town and they'd just come back," he said. "Mack, any ideas?" Sean gave her arm an encouraging squeeze.
"I'm not sure," Mack said thinking about it hard. "What about contacting the ship? I mean the new doctor might have some ideas how we can do this."
"Yeah," Tate agreed, "good idea."
"Doctor Nallon?" Cori looked up at Luke from where she was kneeling on the ground. "What about it?" she asked him. "Can we get a call out without being detected?"
“We should be able to get a signal out but I’ll need to scramble it so the Jems think its normal subspace static.” He suggested.
"Excellent." Cori beamed him with only a half-megawatt smile, as she was concentrating on putting the readings together for Dr. Nallon.
****
"Doc?"
Having spent a few years now around humans and their need to shorten everyone's name or title (or so it seemed), Dr. Nallon Carys lifted her gaze from the reports on her desk. Above the young ensign standing in the door, she could see the yellow alert klaxon lights swivelling around in their warning, although they were now thankfully silent for the time being. "Yes, Ensign Lane?" she managed a smile for the young woman, whose face had gone to taut an hour ago and hadn't let up one bit.
"Contact from the surface, Lance Corporal Hartwood, ma'am."
Carys was on her feet in an instant and not because she founds reports to be the most boring thing (she'd found over the years that this sitting and waiting was perfect for catching up on things). "Injuries?" she asked, thinking that was why the capable young woman was asking for her directly.
"No ma'am but she insisted on speaking with you and the Captain."
Frowning, which with her already wrinkled Bajoran nose, gave Carys the manner of someone truly perplexed, she went to the comms station. "Dr. Nallon, Lance Corporal."
****
On the surface, Cori gave Luke a thumbs up, to indicate she'd gotten through. "Dr. Nallon, we have a slight situation."
"So do we, Lance Corporal. Yellow alert up here."
Loooovely. Cori sighed and continued. "The Jem are here and they're really interested in the local artwork but not for it's aesthetic value. They scanned some little statues and are demanding to be taken to what they're made off. Lance Corporal Brook scanned the item and I've scanned them. The enzyme from Dr. Vedder's report from the Vanguard is present in both these Jems AND the tree-thing the statues are made of and these boys are running low on it. I'm sending you the data now," she said.
****
Really? Carys actually blinked at the communicator, as the promised information streamed in. Could this be that easy? Discoveries such as the one Corine and her friends was intimating took years of research.. no one stumbled onto something like that. After a moment of checking Cori's report, she nodded. "You are correct, Lance Corporal. Hold on just one second, I want the Captain in on this."
Keying Captain Riggs communicator directly, Carys hailed him. "Captain? One of the marines on the surface has some information I think you need to see."
Cal Riggs, Captain of the Nemesis was itching to fire on the Jem’Hadar ship that had come out of nowhere in the last half hour above Talen III. The ship had popped out of warp, large as life, not giving a damn that they were violating Federation space and promptly beamed their shock troopers to the surface without any consideration to the agreement reached when they had first invaded Bajor. If there was one thing Cal hated more than totalitarian regimes, it was assholes that couldn't follow their own rules.
Furthermore, he had friends on the Potemkin, Captain Gerard Kenyon was a good man who left behind a family. There wasn't a person on the Nemesis who didn't have a friend on that ship. Cal would have loved to have even the score, even a little. Unfortunately, with an Away Team on the planet and no idea why the Dominion was so interested in Talen III, he was forced to hold back. He couldn't even risk opening a channel to contact Captain Starkova because it might compromise her if he called her at an inopportune time.
Besides, the last thing you wanted was a pissed off Russian on your hands.
Especially one built like an Amazon.
“I’m afraid I don’t really have time to look at those etchings of yours at the moment Dr. Nallon,” he said in a deadpanned delivery, still playing the game of ruffle the Bajoran’s soothing spirituality, they had started following their first meeting. “Call me later.”
****
Carys' head came up from the report and she blinked at the communicator. A second later, her gaze lasered in on the ensign she was positive she'd heard snort. One of her human nurses who was suddenly quite busy. Refraining from reaching out and slapping the communicator, Carys took a deep breath. By the Prophet of Najara, these humans and their.. humour. Especially the Captain and his commando self. That was so the last time she was playing at bets.
And this was NOT the time to think back to those scant weeks ago.
Keying the communicator, Carys frowned at the thing before schooling her features into a smile. "Wonderful!" Her voice lilted with positive energy. For once, she was thinking fast enough to play his game. "Then I shall not tell you I believe your Marines have found the source of the Jem'Hadar enzyme and that there are Jem'Hadar on the surface." How did the humans say it? Tag?!
Cal sat upright in his chair, exchanging a look with his first officer, Commander Zak Okoro who like Dr. Nallon’s staff was trying to hide the snigger on his face at the teasing between the Captain and the CMO. Their expressions went from amused to dead serious in a heartbeat.
“Seriously? Report doctor.” He stated firmly, all traces of humour gone as he was now addressing her as the captain.
That got his attention. "They have not been discovered," Carys said, peering at the data in front of her. "A scan of the local plant life shows the same enzyme mentioned in the Vanguard report. Hartwood scanned the Jem soldiers and found the same compound however she warned that the levels in their blood streams appear to be low. The evidence points to this plant or tree as the source. If the Jem'Hadar discover this and can process it..." Cal was a smart man, she wouldn't have to elaborate.
“Yeah we’ll have another situation like the one with the Vanguard,” Cal nodded. “Alright, what are our options? We can't let them find out this planet has their enzyme and if we destroy their ship, there's nothing to stop the Dominion from sending another ship to see what we were willing to risk a war to protect. We need another solution.”
"I think I have one." Carys pulled up the new readings from the away team. "Our team will have to be decon'd when they get back here but I think it will work." She frowned, running tests on another padd. "Actinon, or Radon 219. It's an alpha particle emitter that will act as an enzyme inhibitor. Our people will not be injured, especially since we have the ability to decontaminate them and the indigenous people on the planet will not be affected. They have beta blockers in their blood that will filter the radon out harmlessly."
“We’re already playing pretty close to the vest with the Prime Directive Captain,” Zak reminded them as a good exec was meant to do.
“Yeah,” Cal agreed. “But these are different circumstances, besides we do this right we'll be protecting the Talen. If not, we'll be giving the Dominion all the excuse they want to move out Bajoran space into the rest of galaxy. We don’t have a choice. What do you need to get it done?” He turned his attention back to the doctor.
Good question.
Carys frowned, the corner of her lower lip tucking into her teeth for a moment. "How close can we get to the atmosphere without alerting the other ship?" she asked. Depending on the answer, she would have hers.
"We can get within 5000 meters of the surface," Cal answered automatically. "Thanks to the Romulan cloak, we can do it without being seen for at least twenty five minutes."
"After that, the strain on main power will become dangerous," Zak explained for Carys' benefit. "Our thrusters and anti-gravs will be taking up too much of our power."
"We won't need to get that close," Carys replied, thinking as she ran another test. "There's a carbon cloud mass in the upper atmospherics. If we hit that with one of the rainmaking bombs we used for Ardonus," she said, referring to first colony their ship had visited. Post warp but in the middle of a major drought. "It should create the actinon. Our people will get wet but it will change the readings fast enough," she said.
"Nice plan," Cal said impressed, remembering the crisis in Ardonus that required them to develop the technology. The Ardonus had been struck with a solar flare with dried up several of the river beds that kept their major cities irrigated. As the planet was a member of the Federation, Gaia had sent assistance by delivering a rainmaking bomb that started a torrential downpour that gave them enough water for relief and long term replenishment plans to be put into effect.
"Zak, get engineering on it, "he ordered. "I want this done quickly. In the meantime, tell Captain Starkova to contact me, I want to know how secure their situation is. I don't like our people sharing the same space with the Jems any longer than they have to."
"Yes Sir," Zak nodded and went off to get engineering on the horn.
****
"What do you mean, it's going to rain?" On the surface, the Jems had managed to get the farmer out from behind his stall and were marching him in the direction of the wagon. Worried, Cori watched the proceedings from her hiding point.
"We're going to try and change the readings, Lance Corporal. And we'll have to make it rain..."
"Alright." Cori glanced up at Luke, one hand covering the hidey hole cut into her skirt for easy access to the phaser pistol strapped to a leg. "Gotta go..." Severing the connection immediately, she could hear their footfalls, heavy storm trooper boots making noise even on the packed dirt. Stowing the communicator, she huddled down behind the wagon. "Luke?"
"We need to distract them..." Luke told her. "If they get clean readings before we deploy the Ardonus bombs, they're going to know something's up. Come on," he said moving out of their hiding place and taking the same route the Jems had taken the old man at the marketplace.
"What?! Luke!" Growling in frustration, Cori hurried after him and caught up a few steps later. "Okay. I'm following your lead," she told him.
Luke was already formulating a crazy plan in his head and grabbed a bottle of something he was convinced was alcohol, off a vendor's table as they hurried past. Opening the cork and holding it to his nose, he winced. The stuff smelt foul and he looked over his shoulder to ensure that Cori was behind him. "Hey get Sean on the line, I got an idea."
Frowning, Cori nodded, bringing the communicator out again. "Sarge?"
****
Hearing the 'bug' in his ear go off, Sean caught Mack's eyes and tapped his ear. Leaving her to deal with helping the farmer upright the tables, he took a few steps away. "Yeah...?"
"Thing One's going to intercept. The ship is working on a plan but we need to stall them," she said, voice low. "They get that guy away from here, they'll kill him..."
Fuck it all. Sean took a deep breath, motioning to Mack and switched channels over to the Captain. "Starsky, you heard that? Brook and I are heading over there."
"Just see where the guy is heading," Luke told Cori, as they made a stealthy approach towards the Jem and their captive. "Tell Captain Starkova, I've got a plan but she needs to let me, you, Sean and Mack take point."
"Alright." Relaying the information, Cori stayed beside Luke, keeping him within reach. Or tackling distance in case those scabheads decided to shoot at him.
****
Sean's view opened up the more he closed in on the street that ran through the town. Down towards the end, he could make out the Jems marching the man off and then to one side, his brother and Cori. "We're on our way," he whispered into the communicator, motioning Mack forward with him.
Mack followed Sean, wondering what the hell Luke had in mind but then again, most of the time, Luke didn't know what he had in mind until he'd done it. The guy's neurons worked on a different level than everyone else's.
Whatever it was, she hoped it was good or this could turn ugly really fast.
****
Luke followed the Jem'Hadar, leaving the confines of the village. Aderva was surrounded by thick woods and upon leaving the village, Luke and Cori found themselves in the thick of it again. Fortunately, the dense vegetation also provided them with suitable cover but they were still cautious enough to keep ample distance between themselves and the Jems. This would be for nothing if they were seen.
Luke took a drink of the bottle and nearly gagged. "This taste like crap but drink it," he handed her the bottle. "It's some kind of rotgut."
Giving the bottle a dubious eye, Cori snagged it, nose wrinkling when she gave it a whiff. Smelled like rotgut but then, she'd known Luke long enough that she who gave trust cautiously, trusted Luke Randolph implicitly. Without another pause, she swigged back a mouthful, instantly making a face before she swallowed. "That's... " Cori licked her lips. "Horrible," she chuckled, handing it back.
"Just think of it as props," he remarked as they moved through the brush. "Find out where Sean is and tell him to meet up with us."
****
"Approximately 100 meters behind you," Sean answered when the question came through. Mack was right beside him, both of them jogging along to catch up.
Relaying the info to Luke, Cori continued. "Good. Meet us just inside the tree line, the funky purple tree," she said, meaning the one she'd seen earlier. With purple fern-like fronds and a white birch like trunk, the thing definitely stood out. "They'll be here shortly," she told Luke.
"Great," Luke nodded, watching the Jems continuing through the shrub. "We've got to give them a distraction that doesn't involve drawing weapons." He explained to her as he continued through the bush. "If they know we're here, the Ardonus bomb we're deploying won't mean anything."
****
After a few minutes, Sean hailed his brother and Cori. "We're coming up on your six," he said quietly, not wanting to be shot.
"They're here," Cori announced, glancing back behind her when she heard, spotting them quickly. "Alright, Brainiac," she said to Luke. "What's the plan?"
"Drink this," Luke handed his brother the bottle. "Its disgusting but it works. Splash it on yourselves and don't use all of it. We need to smell like we've been drinking and screwing all night." He tossed Cori a smirk.
Mack rolled her eyes wondering if there would ever be a day where Luke's plans didn't involve copulation. "Figures..."
Glancing at her best friend, Cori only sighed a sigh of long suffering acceptance. "Somehow, I'm not surprised," she said with a shrug, reaching up to muss up the braid in her hair.
Taking a drink from the bottle, Sean made a face. "That's nasty," he said, dribbling a bit of it on his fingers and flicking it at Mack. "Down the hatch," he said with a wink, handing the bottle off. "Tastes like paint thinner but he's right." Usually was.
Mack took a sip and swallowed the vile stuff, trying not to taste it. Wetting her fingers, she sprinkled her self with a couple of drops and splashed Sean with it as well. "Oh great, now we smell like we've just rolled in from Beasts."
"Exactly," Luke grinned and gestured at her to hand the bottle back. "Mess your hair up girls, pretend like we've been at it all night. Mack you know how to do that and Cori, I think you still remember what that looks like." He smirked at her, expecting to get hit.
"Oh, no he didn't..." Cori popped Luke in the bicep with a fist and stuck her tongue out at him. Reaching up, she scrubbed a hand into her braid, deliberately messing it up even more.
Sean only chuckled, sprinkling some of the alcohol on his brother and glanced at Mack. When were these two going to admit what everyone else saw?
“I’m so glad we just screwed in your bedroom and got It over and done with,” Mack shook her head as they got ready for the performance to come.
****
Not far from the boundary of his farm where the Raban Trees grew, the old man named Kovan led the terribly demons to his home, praying that he would still have a skin after giving them what they demanded. One could not expect demons to keep their promise. He could not fathom why the demons would be so interested in Raban trees but the ways of demon was not to be understood by mortal men such as himself.
Suddenly, Kovan was shocked by the sudden appearance of a group of young people he did not recognise, who reeked of Fierling Juice and making a terrible noise.
Luke burst through the bushes, holding Cori around the waist, laughing like they had the best time when all of sudden he stopped short at the scene before him, wearing drunken surprise on his face. “What the hell? Are you demons?” He pointed at the Jem Hadar, playing intoxicated.
And well.
“Stand aside!” The Jem closest to Luke barked gruffly, shoving a weapon in his direction.
“You stand aside!” Luke retorted in mock offence, shoving the barrel of the weapon away with the fearlessness that came from the retarded. “Hey look," he gesticulated to Cori, Sean and Mack. "It’s a demon! A real life demon!”
The Jem did not appear amused.
Kovan frowned when he recognized the kids from his stall earlier but he said nothing, uncertain what was happening here.
Giggling, Cori made a show of rubbing her eyes and peered drunkenly at the creature. "I don't know," she slurred, every bit the farm girl happily draped over her man. "Looks like my grandmum..." She burst into loud laughter, slapping Luke's shoulder as if she'd said the funniest thing in the world.
"Well," Sean's face was plastered with a grin, hands unable to leave Mack. "Demon.. schmemon. They can't join us."
“Move along!” The Jems barked impatiently, concluding that these children weren’t dangerous. Just morons.
“Oh come on now,” Mack stumbled towards them, her walk shaky. “We’ve never met real life demons before,” she giggled. “Are you from the southern province?”
“I don’t think they’re from any province.” Luke pointed out, hiccupping loudly. “However, we should be hospitable. Would you kind travellers like a drink,” he shoved the bottle in one of the Jem'Hadar’s faces.
Another raised a weapon to shoot but the commander of the group stopped him, much to secret Mack’s relief. “These are stupid children! Ignore them!”
"But it's my papa's best vintage yet, you have to try it. OH!..oh!!!!" Cori snapped her fingers. "I know where you're from!!" she exclaimed and tugged on Luke's tunic. "I know where they're from, my betrothed," she grinned, playing up the act and swaying against him. "The Eastern Continent." Giving a hard nod, Cori blinked, leaning against Luke as if propping him up. "Whoa.. I shouldn't have done that..."
From a distance, Captain Tate Starkova was watching with a mixture of horror and amusement.
A proud moment in Shark history is unfolding before our eyes, boys and girls, Tate thought to herself.
After having Holloway transported back to the ship because she was certain he'd be useless at approaching with stealth, she had closed in on the signal of her errant team only to find them playing highlights from their best hits of Beasts apparently. Still, she couldn't deny that the ploy was working as ridiculous as it was. The Jem Hadar were more annoyed than they were threatened and with Mack canoodling up to a Jem (God the girl had a strong stomach), the Dominion foot soldiers were more bewildered than they were threatened.
"Starkova to Nemesis, how long until we deliver the payload?" She spoke quietly into her communicator.
"Five minutes," Zak answered automatically. "What's your status?"
"We're stalling for time but you better hurry. If they take readings of that plant, its all for nothing."
"Acknowledged, we're entering the atmosphere now."
****