Captain's Log 03 - Landing Party

[universal_charm]

Who: Jim Kirk & Anyone Who Wants to Come On an Expedition
Broadcast:No
Action: Yes - On the moon, in the Terraformers
When: Sometime this week

Tests have been run, data has been gathered, packaged, looked over, highlighted with all sorts of colored sharpies. There is only so much the data can prove. What's needed now is an actual investigation, getting the final clue to a puzzle that, Kirk thought, they were running very short of time on.

Which was how he ended up down on the surface of the toxic moon, in front of the nearest terraformer.

Time to go find some answers.

<sub>[ ooc: Since I didn't want to flood the comm, it can be assumed that Kirk announced he would be going to explore the terraformers and asked if anyone wanted to come and form an expedition party. So, if you want to come, feel free to jump in.

Also feel free to start your own side threads. I will put up some sections, but feel free to start your own as the group explores. The ultimate goal is just to gather information (but this is a Jim Kirk Expedition (TM), so something may very well go wrong!), so have fun!)

If you need help starting things or want a refresher, here is the original mod post. ]</sub>

Comments

[tallasaking]

Tyrion came up to the red-haired woman and slowed to a stop, his gaze moving to the device in her hand. He had no idea what it was -- but if it was recording the area? He wished he had one.

He smiles in turn, and takes her hand in his own stubby one. "Tyrion Lannister, of House Lannister. A pleasure to meet you, Dr. Crusher."

[dancingmd]

"And you as well..." She pauses. Her default term of respect would be "Mr," but she's learned by now that doesn't always work here. "What would you prefer I call you?"

[tallasaking]

"Lord Lannister is the typical title, but most people tend to give me the odd look for such an honorific, so if it pleases you, Mister Lannister." He starts to walk again, "Once it has been decided that we are companions for life, then simply call me Tyrion."

[dancingmd]

She grins, liking him already, particularly his turn of phrase. And at least this time around she avoided any awkwardness of assuming something was a last name only to find out it's an honorific. Mr. Felagund indeed.

"I will admit, lords and ladies are not common in my world, so I'm afraid I'm one of those not used to the titles either. But I have been getting better about it."

Meaning she's given up on trying to correct Robb every time he calls her "lady."

[tallasaking]

He chuckled softly at that, before shaking his head. "Trust me, democracy is as odd to me as our system of monarchs and nobility is strange to you. I will admit, your worlds seem to have much steadier leadership. With less assassinations, as well."

He nodded his head, "What is that device you are carrying?"

[dancingmd]

Well, at least there are less assassinations in the Federation. Can’t always say the same for other powers in the quadrant.

“It’s called a tricorder - a scientific scanner and recorder from my world with a diverse number of uses and it’s more advanced than the ones we’re provided with in the fleet. Hopefully, it’ll help give us a more detailed understanding of what’s happened to the terraformers.”

[tallasaking]

Which is probably a good political move for them, honestly. Assassinations are, if nothing else, unbelievably messy.

He nodded his head, clearly impressed. "These modern devices are fascinating - and complex. Have you gotten any readings?"

[dancingmd]

"Some, but nothing particularly noteworthy. About the same as what I've gotten from previous forays into the countryside. Toxicity levels beyond anything I've ever seen on what should be an M-Class planet. Or at least L-Class." She pauses, realizing that of course that means nothing to him, nothing to anyone here except Kirk. "That is, planets inhabitable to most species of humanoids."

[tallasaking]

Yes, you've lost Tyrion a little there, Bethany. Thank you for going back and explaining. Although now he might ask you a million quesstions on the types of planets there are in her world.

"Which is ... basically telling us what we already know. This planet is covered in poison."

[dancingmd]

Beverly will be more than happy to talk to him about planets and space travel and anything else he might be curious about, scientifically speaking.

"Basically. I've been keeping a record of our various stops, though, so even if the data doesn't help the residents of this moon, it'll be good to add it to our records. Never know when it might come up again."

Just realized I put in Bethany instead of Beverly this is what I get for switching out characters

[tallasaking]

Oh, Beverly. If you only knew what you had gotten yourself into. It might just be easier to give the man some books.

"Do we honestly think there are more worlds out there that are this poisoned? That is depressing." He looks around, his breath mask rasping. "I would hope people would learn from such horrors -- but then again the human race never seems to learn."

It's okay I got you <3

[dancingmd]

"Oh now, don't count us out. We are capable of great things when we put our minds to it." Ever that Starfleet optimism. Still, she sighs, a weird rattly sound in her gas mask. "But since we don't know what caused this terra former to fail, it's hard to say. Was it a manufacturing problem, or was it something specific to this planet?"

Re: It's okay I got you <3

[tallasaking]

"Well, I cannot deny that. And the more great minds, the better." He glanced over at her, before looking at the machine. "We'll find out soon enough when we start investigating. And as soon as we do, we should be able to figure out how to inform them."

[dancingmd]

She nods. "And it's my impression that they would do everything they could to fix it, if only they knew how. It's unfortunately a case of one generation paying for the mistakes of previous ones, which makes the problem all the more difficult to solve."

[tallasaking]

"Ah, but isn't that the truth of every civilization? We are all paying for the mistakes of our fathers." Tyrion mused, adjusting his mask as he walked along side of her. "Some of us more than others."

He looked up at her. "Considering how much research we can all do, in a short amount of time ... I am not one for positive thinking, as it were, but I think we can make a mark here, for them to save themselves."

[dancingmd]

She glances down at him, her expression thoughtful. An interesting perspective on civilization - and perhaps an insight into his own life. As for her, she wouldn't say that 24th century humanity is still paying for past mistakes - learning from, avoiding, hoping never to make again, maybe, but few would argue that they were suffering for those who had come before.

"I believe so as well." She gives a little rueful half-smile. "But then, no doubt many here would accuse me of being a naive optimist."

[tallasaking]

Oh, that statement was the cornerstone of Tyrion's entire problem with just about everyone in Westeros. He was his father's son, in more ways than one. Yet he was not going to be owning up for anyone's mistakes but his own, thank you very much.

"In all probability." He smirked a little. "But we need your kind around. You get the impossible done."

[dancingmd]

She laughs and shakes her head. "When you've seen as many seemingly impossible things as I have, it gets harder and harder to believe there is such a thing as impossible."

[tallasaking]

There we go, laughter at his jokes from a beautiful woman. He quirked up one corner of his mouth. "All right, now you must indulge my curiosity. What is the most impossible thing you have ever seen?"

[dancingmd]

Hmm. That is a difficult question - very difficult. Q alone has made many impossible-seeming things happen, including turning her into a dog. But truth be told, she'd rather anyone know about that incident. And as absurd as that was, she believes that perhaps there is something else to top it.

"I have seen the outer limits of the universe. Time and place and thought become indistinguishable from each other at that point. There, our thoughts became reality. Truth be told, it was all very confusing and I was relieved to return - but I am glad to have had the experience as well."

[tallasaking]

Now that ... .was interesting. Both of his eyebrows lifted up into his golden mop of hair. "So what you are telling me is - your thoughts formed reality?"

That must have gotten ... ah, confusing.

[dancingmd]

She grins at his evident surprise: obviously she chose well. “Exactly. Only we were on a ship of over a thousand people, so everyone’s thoughts were competing, so to speak. And none of us knew what was happening, not right away, so you might run into someone else’s dead grandmother in the corridor or their pet targ in the middle of sickbay or worse: some parts of the ship became distorted, warped by whatever our subconsciouses happened to bring to the forefront in that moment.”

[tallasaking]

"By the Seven ... someone's best dream becomes everyone else's nightmare." He shook his head, mis-matched eyes going wide. "What if you imagined yourself home? Would your house have appeared inside of the ship? Or is that where the distortions were?"

[dancingmd]

She nods. “That’s what caused the distortions - too many ideas existing at once. And it only got worse as time went on, since each new apparition would cause all the people who saw it to react with visions of their own. Some people managed to control their thoughts better than others, but none of us were really prepared for what was happening. Fortunately the being who had brought us there - unintentionally, mind you - was able to bring us home again before there was any permanent damage to ship or crew.”

[tallasaking]

He arched one eyebrow, "A being did that? One person had enough power to bring you to a place where such things happened? Why would it do that?"

Surely there had to be sense to that kind of madness.