Those Aboard Continued

Posted on Mon Mar 17th, 2025 @ 10:51am by Commander Jenna Ramthorne & Commander Dean House & 2nd Lieutenant Connor McQueen & Lieutenant Thomas Haldeman & Lieutenant Alison Haldeman & Lieutenant Sarah Wilson
Edited on on Mon Mar 17th, 2025 @ 5:30pm

Mission: Ramant
Location: USS Sunfire

~SNIP~
"I see you are indeed hostile to our greeters. Our request was simple, yet met with such hatred. We wish merely to be left alone" The Progenitor spoke with a practiced tone oozing sophistication and logic.
~SNIP~

Jenna stood and stared at the eyes of the person on screen. "What you see as hostility is determination. What you see as hatred is loyalty and I can say the same about being wanted to be left alone. You have our people, we want them back, unharmed. I'm sure our desires align." Jenna said with a forthright spirit.

"Let's start with names. I am Commander Jenna Ramthorne of the United Federation of Planets starship, U.S.S. Sunfire. To whom do I have the pleasure of speaking with?" She made certain to be completely transparent and forthcoming with her words. If there was a chance for diplomacy, this was it.

Tom stood quietly at the tactical station as Commander Ramthorne spoke. He hoped for the best but was prepared for the best in getting the kidnapped crew members back.

"I am the Progenitor, protector of Ramant" the being answered serenely. "You have come here for your people you say. To what end? They are being put to the most noble of causes"

"Coercion is not noble, it's slavery. Had your people asked for help instead of stealing our people to entertain your cause, we would not be here on your doorstep attempting to seek their return. Yours is an act of desperation, not nobility. Now, I must ask, are you willing to negotiate, for the sake of both our people?"

BRIG

"Okay, Ramant. That's a start, but what is your name? I went with Ozemia. I'm Dean. As I said before. I also did offer you something to drink, or a sandwich to eat."

"Defense agent 346B, I don't have a....name." their society had ceased naming individuals uniquely many years ago. "We live to serve the Progenitor, she is wise and will save our people"

There was a shake of Dean's head, "Not like this, and not this way."

"We know of no other way to ensure the survival of our species. We are unable to bear young. So we must find others to do this for us. Your ship has been most bountiful in this endeavour" the defence agent explained. "The Progenitor ordered the capture of your people to ensure our continued existence.

Dean just sighed, "I don't believe you are really listening to what I am saying. You've been conditioned for so long you won't listen to any other view. That's one thing I needed to know."

Stepping back and to a corner where he couldn't be heard, tapping his comm badge.

BRIDGE

Alison stood at her station observing the interaction with the Ramant. All they could do now was hope to come to an arrangement for the safe return of the missing crew.

Tom listened to the back and forth between House and the Defense Agent 346B. The agent gave the reason the Sunfire crew had been taken and while he may have commiserated on the plight of the alien race. The kidnapping of the Sunfire crew, impregnating the women to bear children so this race could survive was wrong. I00 percent wrong.

BRIG

"What lengths would you go to if your race was going to become extinct within one generation? Simply stand by and watch it happen?" The agent challenged. "Action was taken, progressively until a viable short term solution was found"

"Action was taken with willful disregard to the consequences of those actions on those you forcefully kidnapped. You gave no more thought to those you took other than the end justifies the means." Tom replied holding his anger in check.

"House to Bridge. I'm not making a lot of leeway, however, I have established that they are entirely too conditioned to even give way for a compromise and different solution. As far as they are concerned, The Progenitor, is the only one that can save them. They have some knowledge of our species because the Progenitor, knew that we were compatible. They don't have any semblance of individuality, that I can tell. Just tags and numbers."

"You've done enough Mr. House. Please escort our guests to the Bridge. Their Progenitor would like to have a word." Jenna declared through the comm channel even as the trapped Ramant 'Greeter' gasped for air within his shielded cage.

Noticing, Jenna readdressed the Progenitor, "We are currently at an impasse. One I believe the two of us will never see eye to eye so long as certain prejudices are in place. One one hand we have three of your people and a Battle Ready Starship capable of crippling your planet. On the other, you have our people, whom we desperately want back. What say you?" She had drawn the line, laid out the terms. If there was a sliver of logical reasoning now was the moment.

"Understood," turning back to 346B, "Come on, up." Dean moved to the field's opening. "We're going to the Bridge so you can talk to your Progenitor."

The agent nodded grimly and started thinking about all the reasons he should plead for his life when the Progenitor addressed him. The threat of violence was never expressed, but everyone knew sometimes people just vanished.

BRIDGE

By the time they arrived on the bridge there was a sketchy transmission competing with that of the Progenitor.

Jenna turned to Allison, "Can we clear that up?"

At first the image on the screens and among the various 3D display units focused on a Ramant male, his face obscured, but his chest clearly visible. It was his voice which resonated the loudest and clearest as it overrode all other noise until he shifted the image. "Peoples of Ramant, we have been deceived. All of our lives we have been led to believe there was no possible way to save our race. Despite our vast intelligence and in our infinite wisdom, we were wrong."

He took a breath, looked off screen as though waiting for something, which was the Intern to be ready for her part, before continuing. "Over a millennia ago we embraced our science based society, our lack of emotion in favor of logic. Somewhere along the way we lost that spark which creates life, leaving it in the hands of the bureaucrats. We lost the ability to birth our own offspring."

"But no more! There is a cure! There is a way and we have proof!" The Ramant Tech pronounced before looking off screen at the Intern and then back. The camera then shifted to show the timid Intern, her belly on display, along side what appeared to be an advanced ultrasound with 3D imaging clearly showing the baby growing within. "Conceived naturally only hours earlier, growing naturally. We... are with child." He pronounced.

The screen went dark as though the transmission was interrupted, with the Progenitor now back on the viewscreen. "Heretics! They shall ruin my people!"

"Are you sure about that Progenitor? Or is it possible the knowledge will set them free?" Jenna glanced at the Ramant still trapped in the ray shields and contemplated how they were processing that information. "Tom, please lower the shield." She ordered knowing full well Connor still had his weapon drawn for the safety of the bridge crew.

Connor stood still, weapon still loosely gripped in his hand, his eyes narrowed as he watched the interaction unfold before him. Lowering the shield now felt like a calculated risk. He wasn’t fully convinced it was the right move, but he lifted his rifle and trained the sights to center mass, watching for any possible hostile movement.

Tom nodded, "Yes Commander." He replied as his fingers danced on the tactical console and the shield lowered. "Shield has been lowered."

Dean raised an eyebrow, listening to the conversation, glancing back and forth. "Did I just change an entire races view of how things are? Cause I was nice to Ozemia. Which, yes, Progenitor. His name is Ozemia."

"What say you, Greeter?" Jenna asked, using the name the Progenitor used earlier. "Your people are holding our people, for unethical purposes, against their will. Now one of your own has proclaimed there is another way. A natural way, to restore your people's ability to have children. Will you now lower your defenses and allow us to retrieve our people, or, do we still want to try this the hard way?"

"I..." the Progenitor stammered on the viewscreen, fumbling for word. The Greeter looked on in dismay, shock at the absolute disintegration of society before them. Everything changed now.

"We must analyse this new information. Extensively. Perhaps there is a way we can use this without reverting to the old ways entirely" the Greeter finally added.

"Indeed. Your people will be free to leave, once those carrying our young have delivered them. All will need to submit to the memory purge." The Progenitor offered as an olive branch.

"Send me the details of this purge and I will advise if it will harm our people" Dr Wilson said sternly, not believing what she was hearing.

"It will be supplied at once." The Progenitor vanished, as did the Greeter.

As the planetary shield dropped, Jenna turned to Connor and Dean, "Good job. Now, if you would, please escort our guests to the surface. Take your team, Mr. McQueen, and bring our people back in one piece. " She nodded then turned and sat int he big chair. "Stand down from yellow alert. I think it's safe to breathe now should anyone desire."

TBC