Fleet Captain Addison MacKenzie - Leave This Place

[Addison MacKenzie]

(OOC: This is going to wrap up the mission for us. With several players taking short-term LOAs, this felt like a very natural place to wrap things up. I’ll get another sim out in a bit that will act as a postlude and officially move us into shore leave, and we can handle the interrogation of Maular either as a backscene or an ongoing tangential progression of the storyline. Writers’ choice!)

 

 

(( Ground Zero, Near the Tree of Life – Genesis Planet ))

 

MacKenzie’s gaze shifted between Genkos and Jovenan as she considered their course forward. Farrel seemed to be fine – as fine as anything was going to be in this place – and while Addison wished there was a way of extracting her, that quickly ruled itself out as a viable option. At this point, it seemed like there wasn’t much to be done except to do what they could to preserve the sanctity of this world and all it represented. While it didn’t feel nearly adequate in her mind, it was about the only thing she could ensure control over in this moment. Fortunately, it seemed like her two senior-most officers agreed.

 

Adea: My recommendation is we reinstate the no-fly zone, let the planet evolve. If they want to study it, they can study it from orbit, but I would ask that the surface is treated as hostile… ::he pursed his lips:: it’s not entirely true, but it’ll keep them safe.

 

Jovenan: We discussed the scientific discoveries this planet offered when we were en route to here. There will be others trying to get into the Cochrane Institute in a day, as you ::looks at Adea:: said. Do we really want to stop them all?

 

Addison shook her head from side to side rather vigorously, not willing to grapple with the gravity of that particular question at this time.

 

MacKenzie: I don’t know. I wouldn’t trust just anyone here. And I know the planet wouldn’t either…

 

Adea: I feel strongly that we can’t just let anyone tamper with this place - even if I remove my personal stake in this planet, it’s possibly an evolving species - ::a small grin appeared:: one that doesn’t have access to warp technology. It might be a little white lie, but we could posit that the Prime Directive applies…

 

Addison looked to the sky, contemplating the implication of the suggestion. She was going to have to file a report: Starfleet needed to know what happened here, not only because of the trespassers, but they were now likely in possession of a ship that needed to be returned to its rightful owner. They’d also need to make decisions about what to do regarding accessibility to this planet, and the information she reported – or didn’t – would come with consequences for this place.

 

Jovenan: You might be right. There will be more opportunists and the likes of Maular and his crew. There is potential for this planet to bring forth life we haven’t seen before. I… I think we just have to rule this a pre-warp world.

 

MacKenzie nodded slowly.

 

MacKenzie: I’m inclined to agree.

Adea: Response

Jovenan took out her tricorder and looked at the results stored to it. There was a lot of information for the scientists to comb through – scientists that Jovenan would have jurisdiction over – but whether or not that material was shared as openly or remained embargoed information was yet to be determined.

Jovenan: A lot of this is unpublishable, then. It would endanger the development of life here. A pity, but unethically acquired research data cannot be considered valid.

MacKenzie: Agreed. Whatever life this is deserves the opportunity to develop into whatever life this is going to be. The last thing I want for this place is any kind of disruption.

Adea: Response

Placing the tricorder back to her belt, Jovenan looked to MacKenzie.

Jovenan: Is there anything else we can do here, or should we move on?

Adea: Response

Addison took one last look at the sky. The incredible impact crater. The tree at its center – familiar, but not. Her gaze lingered, taking one last opportunity to reflect on the gravity of their discovery, and the reason for its being, before looking toward the sky a final time. After a moment, her eyes returned to Jovenan and Genkos and she shook her head slightly.

MacKenzie: No. It’s time to go. 

 

 

Tag, and End Scene for MacKenzie!

 

---

Fleet Captain Addison MacKenzie, M.D., Ph.D., FASFS
Commanding Officer
USS Artemis-A

Captains Council Member at Large

V239601AM0