Paths to Resolution

Posted on Mon Dec 25th, 2023 @ 9:13am by Captain Rhenora Kaylen & Commander Savar cha'Salik hei-Surak Talek-sen-deen & Commander Dean House & Lieutenant Commander Thriss Kla'ren & Lieutenant Commander Aurora Vali & Ensign Kitiuas Thenis & Lieutenant Commander Bonnie "Bon-Bon" Durnell

Mission: Halloween
Location: USS Sunfire
Timeline: Current

[Captain's Quarters]

It had been an eventful day, the majority of the crew were recovering before they had to tackle the next challenge head on in the morning. Rhenora dragged her weary feet towards her quarters, shadowed by the creature in an androgynous form of a Bajoran. It looked almost like a changing, not quite getting things right but close enough to pass from a distance.

The doors parted before her and she walked in, making a beeline for the couch so she could kick off her boots. The creature followed her in, going through the door as though it weren't there. So much for some privacy. She wanted something to eat, a coffee, and a good 8 hours sleep to recharge. It wasnt every day one got inhabited by alien creatures, stunned, nearly dying to heat stroke and asphyxiation, then having to negotiate for their lives - all on an empty stomach and no coffee. Was such a thing even possible?

[Ensign Kitiuas Thenis Quarters]

Kit sat behind her drum set in her quarters, dressed in a retro AC/DC concert shirt and her panties. She was drumming away to "Who Made Who" her mind wandering on the issue of what to do about the non-corporeal entities.

[Savar & Aurora's Quarters ]

Savar and Aurora returned to their quarters after being transported from the planet's surface. Savar had fixed each of them a glass of Vulcan herbal tea and then they settled down on the couch together. Each taking comfort in the other's company as they thought of what they had just encountered as a creature came through the door and 'sat' in the recliner across from them.

Aurora looked at Savar uncertain how she felt about having the company of one of the entities. “There is such a thing as privacy on this ship, you do not enter without permission to do so.”

The creature was silent for moment then replied in a deep but not unpleasant voice. "You and your mate are here, I/we are here. What is privacy?" It asked.

Aurora did her best to be tactful. “Privacy is...well it’s...” She paused. “Difficult to really put into words, but generally speaking, privacy includes the right to be free from interference and intrusion. To intrude on someone is considered rude.”

[Lieutenant Durnell's Quarters]

Bonnie hated the feeling of being watched. Much like the others, she had experienced the invasion of her mind and body if but briefly. As she retired to her quarters that evening, one of them followed her and just 'hovered' there as she undressed and climbed into bed. it didn't have a face, but she felt as though it was staring deeply into her as she tried to sleep.

At one point she pulled the blankets over her head and turned her back on the creature only to then feel as though she were turning her back on an enemy. After rolling back around she cried out, "Do you mind? You're too... bright. Maybe turn down your aura or something?" Bonnie asked knowing full well the creature didn't understand.

It took an extra hour to find sleep, only after a second blanket and a small pillow fort to separate herself from 'it'. When morning came, and her alarm went off, she found herself in a pile of pillows, on the floor, limbs jutting out in all directions. "Ugh." She proclaimed as she attempted to roll out of the fort and up off the floor. She glared at the creature, still floating nearby, "You had better be worth it."

[Patins Quarters]

In contrast, none of the energy creatures bothered Patin. In fact, sensors would record they had remained 30 meters or more beyond Patin's location on the ship. She didn't care either way as she retired to her quarters and set to work on a bottle of Jameson and a dozen more energy implosion grenades. Having realized the first one worked well at killing the creatures, she wanted to ensure if they met again, she would be ready.

The next morning the senior staff convened in the conference room, feeling mostly rested and refreshed following their ordeal the day before. The Captain walked in, her keen eyes checking each and every staff member to see how they were doing. She waited until everyone was present before taking her seat.

Ensign Thenis, her uniform in immaculate form, sat in the corner of the conference room. Taking a sip from a steaming mug of white chocolate hot chocolate and reviewing a PaDD. She did not even glance up when the captain entered the room, so engrossed in the PaDD she was reviewing.

Eyes heavy, hot cocoa in one hand, PaDD in the other, Bonnie entered the conference room and slumped into her normal chair. The smells of vanilla and cinnamon, with a touch of Lavender struck her nose and she peered over her PaDD at Thenis. "Morning."

Aurora entered the conference room alongside Savar, offering everyone a polite smile even though she wasn’t feeling the best. Her stomach had been doing somersaults all morning, it seemed morning sickness was beginning to set in. She walked across to the replicator, getting herself a ginger tea and a couple of biscuits to accompany it, before sitting down.

Savar watched as Aurora went to the replicator and got her herself a cup of ginger tea and some biscuits. He could not be entirely sure, but it appeared that Aurora's morning sickness had arrived with a vengeance. As she sat down next to him, he reached a hand out and gently patted her arm.

Aurora offered Savar a smile, before slowly sipping her ginger tea. She’d read it was supposed to be good for morning sickness. No doubt she’d find out.

Rhenora waited until everyone was present before sitting down and addressing her officers. "I know the last day or so has been rough on everyone. I wanted to thank you all for your efforts during this difficult time." She started, making eye contact with everyone. "It's not easy having the feeling that you are being watched constantly, but to earn our freedom entirely, we must keep up our end of the bargain - we must find a sustainable ethical food source for these beings. I want to hear any and all ideas - I don't care how stupid you may think they are"

Savar thought on Rhenora's question. "Other than ourselves, what source of energy, food is best suited to these creatures Captain? Can an artificial energy source sustain them, or does it need to be organic in nature?"

Aurora nodded as Savar spoke. “Inorganic sources we could probably provide with ease, but organic ones are going to be a problem unless...” she paused. “What about another planet? One that’s overrun with animal life that didn’t originate there? This species could become universal pest control if we can find them the right kind of energy?”

"cockroaches" Rhenora mused out loud, thinking of the earth insects that survive nuclear explosions, microwave radiation and other things. "We need something that doesn't have a brain so to speak, like an insect, but is alive"

"Well," Bonnie said, while choking on her words and then powering through, "According to the report Kit, er, Ensign Thenis put together, the surface was teeming with lower forms of life. I was able to track the mating patterns and extinction levels and it doesn't look good." She pressed a few buttons on her PaDD sending the data to the main viewer.

"The various species below have suffered a collapse of their subsequent ecosystems. Once the humanoid life was gone, they thrived for a while. About two hundred years or so, but then their populations began to decrease substantially. They weren't able to breed as fast as they were able to be consumed." She continued.

"So, uh, I mean, cockroaches might work, but it seems this entity would need something that breeds fast enough to satisfy their appetite, and that would also mean plant life to sustain such. I've cross referenced our records against what Kit, um, reported and found Five potential candidates if we go this route." She 'threw' the five options from her tablet to the viewer.

Thriss raised an eyebrow at his own thoughts. He wasn't sure if it was legal or would work, and it was crazy, but it could work. "What about tribbles? At least if we could find some?"

Kit looked up from her PaDD "The planet Iota Geminorum IV. The Tribble home world. A species that reproduces at an accelerated rate. A species and home world that the Federation and all known galactic powers ban their people from going to or transporting anything from."

Savar spoke again. "Before we decide which species we are going to offer as a food source to the creatures. Does anyone know or have the creatures indicated how often they need to feed?"

"Given they have been without humanoid sustanance for several hundred to even thousand of years, I was suggest their metabolism is quiet slow. Hang on, what do tribbles actually eat?" Rhenora mind bounced from one idea back to the previous. "Or if they could metabolise solar radiation we could relocate them to the first planet in this system..." She was finding it hard to focus.

Kit entered in a few commands on her PaDD and pulled up a three dimensional representation of a Tribble. “Tribleustes ventricosus and Polgeminus grex; Tribbles. Metabolism devoted to reproduction, accomplished through asexual reproduction. They appear to be able to thrive on just about anything, but scientist are still unsure how as they do not even posses teeth as we know. The Klingons wiped Iota Geminorum IV clean of Tribbles in the 23rd century. They were reintroduced by Captain Benjamin Sisko in the 24th century. On their home world there are an abundance of reptiles that keep the Tribble population in check. Attempts at genetically altering them have been less than successful. All in all I believe Iota Geminorum IV to be an excellent place to take our guest. It is marked as a planet and system banned to all travelers and has both a Federation and Klingon starship within a light year patrolling it to keep individuals away from the system and planet, by mutual treaty.”

Thriss looked to Kit. "Are there any planets that have tribbles that we aren't banned from?" He asked curiously.

"Or, what would be the harm in introducing them to this world?" Bonnie interjected. "The surface has already worn down. And if the Entity..." She looked over at the green floating being that needed a real name. "... eats as often as it seems, perhaps they can contract with us to ensure population control is maintained?."

Ensign Thenis smirked for a second before responding to Lieutenant Commander Thriss, “Officially no. A tribble requires complete sterilization, which seems nigh near impossible to accomplish. With that said there are species, mainly Orion’s and Ferengi, that deal in the illegal trade of Tribbles, and unfortunately I happen to be related to one of them. She could easily get us as many as you think necessary. Or we could ask Starfleet and Federation Science for permission to proceed to Iota Geminorum IV, purely for scientific research and good will."

Thriss looked to Kit and then Rhenora. "If we can be allowed access to Iota Geminorum IV, then I think that plan could work. I also think Commander Durnell's plan could work, given our close proximity to the planet, but with the planet being so devastated, there could be a chance when they become hungry again that the situation that happened to us could happen again, unless there is enough food for them."

Rhenora looked around the room. "So we're really going with the tribbles?" It would treading a fine line between interstellar law and saving another species. " Alright then, we do it." She looked at the creature who was still looking like a changeling version of herself. "We will resupply your planet with a species who breed so prolifically that they are outlawed."

"Adequate" the creature replied simply.

"Okay, break orbit, best speed to Iota Geminorum" the Captain ordered. "Let's do it"

Kit looked at the captain as she made up her mind and gave the command, "If it eases your mind captain, the Café des Artistes in Paris, France serves Tribbles dans les Blankettes; otherwise known as Tribbles in a Blanket, three small young tribbles sauteed with hot butter served in a wrapped bread. It is rather good."

"Well, that clears up any ethical dilemmas then" the Captain replied, having not actually tried cooked Tribble. Hopefully, this would be just what they needed to get themselves and the creatures out of this bind.

“Cooked Tribble, sounds awful” Aurora grimaced at the thought of that. “I hope we manage to resolve this easily.”

"Fried Tribble coated in a light batter alongside plomeek soup is quite tasty." Savar added completely deadpan. His face not giving anything away.

"Agreed," Bonnie added. As the others sauntered out to their duty stations, Bonnie stuck around and tried to move closer to the Captain. When it was just The alien, the Captain and herself she looked at the 'thing' and asked, "Can the Captain and I have a moment alone to speak please?"

The creature(s) wasn't sure what that meant but moved its semi-corporeal form a few paces away and looked out the window. The Captain shrugged and thought it was better than nothing and then looked at Bonnie.

"What's on your mind?" She asked.

Bonnie talked quietly, "I was just wondering if we are doing the right thing, you know. We are sacrificing one species, albeit a non-sentient one, to keep alive another. Something about it just feels, wrong." She was fidgeting with her hands, a sign of her apprehension. "We know so little about 'them', how they got here, why they are the way they are, etcetera. Yet..." As she finished they were both looking over at the entity.

Rhenora also lowered her voice, not that the creature couldn't get inside any of their heads and find out what they were thinking anyway. "I understand your moral conundrum, and it's been playing on my mind as well. The way I see it is like this - These creatures will eat us, and any other species that happens to wander across this planet unless we find them a more sustainable food source." She explained with a compassionate hand on Bonnie's shoulder. "It doesn't make it right, but it will keep us alive enough that we can post some warning buoys around this system to warn those that come after us."

"So for our benefit, we are providing them food. One wonders what the tribbles would say if they were given a voice? I know what a vegan would say..." Bonnie turned back towards the Captain, "Sorry Captain, I've allowed my inner voice out for a walk again. I will follow whatever you choose to do." She said unabashedly.

Dean quietly made his way to the conference room and inside. Just mouthing 'Sorry' and taking a seat with out a word. He can explain later.

TBC