Strangers in a Strange Land

Posted on 06 Jun 2022 @ 2:26pm by Lieutenant Commander Remington Dodd & Lieutenant Commander Alexanderia Cahill & Lieutenant JG Ted Silver

2,764 words; about a 14 minute read

Mission: S03 Ep 04 Captive State Part 1 (Main)
Location: Planet 569701-D or Arth as known to the inhabitants
Timeline: current

[ON]

The away team broke down into three smaller teams. Cahill, Taggert, and Silver were off to find and eliminate all possible tech that would not affect the advancement of the planet and if it could not be removed, they were to make it inert and thus not able to be used or reversed engineered.

After tying up his boot laces again. Ted stood and looked around. A road near them had, several buggy’s rolling along. They were being pulled by what looked like a cross between a bull and an ox. A few people walked past carrying bundles of some kind of cloth.

“So where do we start?” Silver asked

Cahill was ready, "Perhaps one team happens to join the ones traveling with the wagons. It always seems when people travel they talk a lot to pass the time.

I am planning to take my team and try to locate the university here. They may have some things we may be able to use once we arrive there.

All of you can decide on your parts to where you need to go to. Good luck, remember if you are trapped in a fight the Tomcat is a resource to get you out of it."

Ted looked at Cahill.

“Well. I am on your team Commander. So, I will be coming with you to the university. It will be interest to see their higher education system. You can usually judge a society by which subjects they teach their next generation so to speak," he said.

"It's possible if they have a university it might have research departments, if they're anything like Earth universities," Nicci added. Looking around, she saw a lot of the women had their hair down, so she took hers out of the ponytail to try to fit in more, and fluffed it out. Others had their hair in braids, but she'd rather not bother with it right now with the mission. She crossed her arms and rubbed her chin with her other hand as she thought, an old habit. "I'd like to see if there are any tech businesses around any commercial centers or industrial areas around here. They might have clues as to where we could find any unusual stuff, to them at least. My contact lenses will project data from my jacket's sensors...just gotta make sure no one steals my jacket."

"I have found out the university has a hospital there. I plan to go there to see how far their medical advances have come. This will allow me to get to observe them doing treatments and also see how they train their doctors as well. Plus one place any Star Fleet items would show first is in the medical care of patients.

I plan to tell them I am a doctor for a small village and have come to check out some new procedures they are doing," Replied Cahill.

Ted looked at his clothing. He was wearing a sleeveless body warmer over a dark fleece jacket. Even so he was feeling a slight chill.

“I'd be careful there doc. Remember these guys might have different shaped organs. The brief oh this planet was not conclusive.” Ted warned

Cahill replied, "I know, but are very similar to the organs of the Trill or Bjorns. So I should fit in very well. Also, the blood here is blue in them due to oxygen levels being different than on earth. If you bleed any tell yes that you have a blood infection that is going around.

OK everyone let's move out to our missions."

Ted had seen all types of blood. But never blue before and it peeked his interest.

“Can I tag along doc? I would like to see the biological make up of these people. Blue blood… that sounds interesting.” Ted said

Cahill smiled, "Sure, I think it is a side effect of something in the atmosphere. Much like where the Vulcans have green blood. But I would like some company also."

Ted had heard this theory before. There had been another that claimed human blood was also blue. Until it came in contact with oxygen. Some say that was why people turn blue. When they stopped breathing. Due to a lack of oxygen in the blood. Reverting to its original color.

“Thanks.” Ted replied.

Cahill replied, "In this case on this planet the oxygen levels are lower than on Earth as a result the inhabitants have blue blood. If we stayed here long enough eventually our blood would be blue.

You're welcome"

Ted gave a nod but as they walked along a question entered his mind.

“What about once the mission is over and we return to you know where. Will there be health problems?” Ted asked in a whisper.

"That will require us to be here for at least 120 days. I figure we will be back on the Tomcat long before that. Gravity is also .35% less here than on each as well.

OK everyone let's get started on our missions", as she moves out to lead her team.

--
Down the street, Nicci was making her way through what appeared to be market day, her senses assaulted with all the smells and sights and sounds. It was crazy seeing all the stalls open with all the various fruits, vegetables, meats, cheeses, and whatnot.

oO If I had time to stop I'd just eat my way through to the end of the market,Oo she thought to herself. oO But duty calls. Besides, I don't need to pack on another ten pounds...I feel like I've put on twenty these last few weeks as it is. Oo

Her contacts were helping her not look out of place with her face in a tricorder. She was just another face in the crowd, thank goodness. No one really paid her any mind, until a man running through the market stumbled right into her with baggy pants, a vest and an open shirt.

"Run!" he said with a wicked grin and led her with him on a chase away from two of the local security from the market.

Ted had been at the back of the group. He had been looking at the faces around him. He noticed something interesting. Even though their blood was blue. Unlike Vulcans who due to their green blood had a slight green tinge , to their skin. None of the people here had a slight blue tinge. Maybe this was why he did not see the drama unfold. Until the stranger collided with her.

“What?” Ted said amazed

Cahill smiled, "Excuse my friend, he has not been to town for a while and was too busy looking at the sites. We apologize for the inconvenience." And smiled.

She pointed over toward a tree and smiled, "love how those two little animals are having fun and playing with each other. They seem so happy."

Ted looked over at the two little animals. So that sort of thing was the same whatever planet you were on. Maybe it was a good omen on this world?

He continued to watch the creatures as if transfixed by their actions. It was only then that he realized the others had moved on. Seeing some rather angry looking people in uniform. Silver did his best to keep out of their line of sight. Thankfully they seemed to be chasing someone. Ted hoped the others would be safe. But if as he feared these angry looking uniformed people. Where chasing the others. It was very important he not get caught. So Ted could help rescue them if needed.

--
Nicci ran from the security forces with this stranger, luckily the universal translator helped her understand him. Weaving in and out of stalls, they finally escaped into an alley as the security ran past, missing them as they did.

"So just who the heck are you?" she asked, curious as to who dragged her into trouble with the local law. She was just getting her racing heart under control.

"Just call me a friend," he said with a definite accent, with long-ish brown hair, a big chin and blue eyes, despite the look of many other people on the planet.

"Okay, friend, what's with the police? Why're you running?" she asked, frustrated.

"I found something crazy...it appears we had aliens on the planet!" he said with a widening of his eyes.

"Aliens?" she asked, trying to sound nonchalant about it.

"Yes! I found some pieces of glass..." he looked around, making sure no one was around to hear. "If you strike them just right with the light...there's writing in them, pictures, all in an alien language...they store their languages, their images in light, not bumps on wax cylinders!"

"That's...impressive," she said, trying not to sound too eager about it. "But I'd have to see it to believe it."

"How can I trust you? Blondes aren't exactly common on this planet," he said, not giving much away.

"Well you trusted me enough to tell me about those light glass things, so why not show me?"

"Can you stand out less? You'll attract more attention if we go back out there," he said.

"Well, I tend to attract attention most places," she said wryly, glancing briefly down with her eyes, then back up. "So I'll do this..."

She concentrated and her hair darkened to a brownish-black, much like the people of the planet.

"I knew it," he said with a smile.

"Let's go see this thing," she said as he got up, and she followed him.

Slowly Ted inched back towards the away team. Keeping a wary eye on the uniformed people. They did look like a bunch you did not wish to annoy.

Cahill looked at Ted, "Lets's go over to the stable area. I love looking at animals and they have some horse-like creatures there." No one is close enough to hear what she said and "Call me Alex when we talk. We want to look like friends and acquaintances." And knowing exactly where they are could help if they need to get away quickly.

"Then we can go check out some of the sites here."

“That is ok. I saw a rather interesting structure in the distance. However horses even horse like ones don’t get on to well with me. They like to spit things at me. There is another thing. If we do have to borrow these creatures. Won’t it anger those rather sour faced uniform guys. On some planets stealing animals is a hang offence.” Ted warned

--

Cahill replied, "I was able to use a pocket replicator in the lining of my coat to replicator some of the local currency. If necessary we can buy a couple. And also any food or other items we may need as well."

She discreetly reaches a few dollars of it to Ted. Be careful and don't attract too much attention to yourself.

oO A pocket replicator. Oo Ted had heard about them and how temperamental they could be. He once had a friend who tried to use one to make marshmallows. It went wrong and started shoot them out like hot projectiles. His friend got burnt on rather an embarrassing place.

He looked at the currency.

“Incredible it’s even aged.” He said

They could soon smell the stable like building. Long before reaching it.

“Well, they sure smell like horses from home.” He said

The horse like creatures were grazing in a small pasture to the side of the building. These animals looked like a cross between an Earth Cow and and Earth Horse but smelled like Earth Swine. They were the size of a quarter horse but the females had utters like a cow and they had marking like cow but built like horses but the males had horns like a bull would on Earth.

Cahill looked at them and smiled. One with horns came up to her. She began petting it. Even though they look mean they were quite tame. A man approached and she asked about the price for them.

He replied, "The one you are petting is 300.00 Centars. if you buy 2 they will be 500.00 Centars.

Cahill replied, "OK I will come back later. I want to do some other things before I buy them."

Ted was a little suspicious but did not show it. When did he want to be rid of these creatures. If he was willing to drop 100 Centars for the two instead of charging 600. Something did not feel correct.

Cahill turned to Ted as they walked away." If we need to get away fast these will enable us to do it faster than running. It is just a precaution is all."

Silver saw the man smile but quickly hid it again.

“Yes. But if the thing drops dead on you as your trying to get away. They will still have us. Plus we could be charged with killing an animal. Who knows what the laws are like here.” Ted warned

"But it is a chance we have to take. And the animals can be a distraction too. If security thinks we would come back for them they may wait for us here. But instead, we go in another direction to get away and fool them." As Cahill winks.

Ted could see the logic in that and nodded.

“Yes. I see the logic in that.” Silver replied.

Cahill received a message telepathically from Dodd. She motioned to Ted to join her near a tree where no one was close enough to hear what she said.

Even if the team was not wearing the commbadges, they still had a means of getting messages from the ship. Dodd used this ability to get a message to Cahill. The message was to have her get her team back to the observation post and for Taggert to engineer the systems there to support a resident for undercover operations.

"Get back to the Observation area so we can beam back up to the Tomcat. Leave discretely and don't draw attention to yourself. " She discretely tapped a hidden comm badge. All team members return to the observation area quickly, but don't draw attention to yourself."

Silver was a little surprised at this. But life on the Tomcat was always filled with surprises. So putting his hands in his pockets and humming a tune. He slowly turned around and began following the others.

“Oh well.” He said softly.

Cahill and Ted got back to the observation post and waited for the others to arrive." I did get some good intel. How about you Ted?"

Ted took a seat.

“Mostly on the local animal life’s mating habits. Some very interesting variations on the reproductive process. But never mind I’m sure we’ll be back someday.” Ted said.

Cahill replied, "I am sure we will Ted because we need to locate and discover what happened to the Observation crew as well."

Taggert then showed up as she decided to head back to the duck blind after getting separated from Cahill and Silver.

"Well, that was an adventure," Nicci smiled as she walked into the blind. Her hair was noticeably longer than before, as if a long time had passed since she left. She was still in her local clothes, though they were more worn than when she left.

The team of Hawksley, Falk and Arderne arrived and were greeted by Cahill. "Welcome back everyone." So now the gathered six team members would relax until the final team arrived.

After a couple of hours, the last of the teams arrived back at the outpost/duck blind. Now that the last team arrived. Lieutenant Lee would instruct the whole team to download their data into the computer systems previously restored by Taggert and that she was remaining behind on the planet for observation. She also stated she would be joined by two others from the ship who would be able to help her. They would remain until a later date, when the mission would resume but her smaller team would likely be able to continue research and maybe finding any survivors or the whereabouts of the remains of the original observation team.

After that update the rest of the away team was then transported back to the ship as two new members were beamed down to join Lt. Lee.



[OFF]

LCMD Alexanderia Cahill
Chief Medical Officer/2XO
USS Tomcat LCC_62114

Lieutenant Nicole Taggert
Chief Engineer
USS Tomcat

Lieutenant (jg) Ted Silver
Deputy Chief Science Officer
USS Tomcat

 

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