PNPC PO3 Xandeus Filistrien - Drums in the Deep?
LT Gila Sadar
((Cockpit of the USS Griffin - Skies Above Wallace Forest, Kahines II))
Being assigned to do subterranean echo surveys aboard a Starfleet Shuttle while the other team was knee-deep in an ancient Klingon Prison Ruin, surrounded by rather volatile burrowing wildlife and ‘angry trees’, may not have suited most officers well, but Xandeus considered himself a reasonable sort. He knew where his strengths lied, and it was not separated by phaser-distance from a rabid scorpionmole. Instead, he did his best work when safely behind a console, where he coordinated two dozen away teams into a cohesive approach, or attempted to investigate the patterns behind government-issued statements about improper quarantine procedures.
It had been a long time since he’d had proper opportunity to do either, so for now, he’d have to accept that his job - at present - was scanning for wildlife tunnels. Any job was worth doing right.
Lyara: Are we getting faulty readings Filistrien? Or are the tubes just that hectic in design?
Filistrien: Unclear Sir. The colonists have avoided contact with the scorpionmoles, so the Federation databases have little information on them.
Dr. B’equ’s scoff almost made the deck plating beneath Filistrien’s boots shudder from impact.
B’equ: That’s not surprising. Civilian colonists aren’t prepared to deal with that kind of wildlife. ::shakes her head:: The Federation’s colonization efforts are hopeless.
Lyara: The Civilian colonists aren’t supposed to deal with particularly violent wildlife. Based off of the information we have they weren’t expecting creatures that burrow the way they do.
Xandeus remained quiet, content to let his senior officer conduct the diplomatic overtures here. Not that he wasn’t paying attention, of course. He was surreptitiously studying B’equ’s reactions to Ensign Lyara’s attempts at diplomacy.
B’equ: Of course. Scorpionmoles are excellent burrowers, with claws capable of digging through most steel alloys if given time. It is likely that their tunnels weave in and out of the entire lower layer of the compound. Only, they aren’t supposed to be this close to the surface.
Filistrien: So ‘something’ has forced them up? ::glances to Ensign Lyara:: Perhaps the same phenomena that unearthed the ruin in the first place? If the entire ruin was underground until not long ago, then those tunnels would also have been further down, after all.
The Bajoran Ensign seemed to consider that notion.
Lyara: Doctor B’equ, have there been reports of any reports of major tectonic in the area?
B’equ: Your colonists swear that there hasn’t been any tectonic activity that could unearth a ruin of this size…
The thinly-veiled accusation was impossible to miss.
Filistrien: You suspect them of duplicity?
Lyara: Let’s not jump to conspiracies here. As allies there’d be no reason for any underhanded actions ::she looked to B’equ:: from either side.
A tell-tale sign of Klingon pride reared its head, as Dr. B’equ let out another giant scoff and crossed her muscular arms.
B’equ: Like your peace loving colonists could even attempt any obstruction against the Klingon Empire.
Xandeus’s expression didn’t change. While he held his and his fellow Intelligence agents’ work in high regard, the truth was that the Federation modus operandi when working with their allies - amongst whom the Klingon Empire currently counted - was a policy of transparency. It was a foolish notion to expect non-Starfleet personnel to attempt duplicity, when even the so-called ‘spies’ of their government were (officially, at least) open books.
Lyara: Dr. B’equ, if you could assist in uncovering this mystery we’d love any information on the scorpionmoles you have.
The Klingon Archaeologist seemed to consider this for a short moment, and Xandeus watched her, awaiting whether the previous confrontational disregard would resurface.
B’equ: In a show of… good faith, I will share what we have on them since your Federation database is so ill equipped.
The longer the amount of time he spent in Dr. B’equ’s company, the more he became convinced that whatever ill will Dr. Sadar had clocked was an isolated instance. A result of the two doctors’ proximity, more-so than any direct ill will or intent by the Klingon Science Team, or indeed this particular scientist herself. He was no closer to figuring out exactly why, but he’d divert a small amount of the Griffin’s computing power to find out why.
Lyara: Petty Officer, can you check tectonic data from the past three months and look for any anomalies that we can attempt to link to this?
Xandeus nodded in response.
Filistrien: Yes Sir. Retrieving relevant reports from the Administrator’s office now.
The group aboard the Griffin worked in silence as Xandeus worked through official colony reports, and Ensign Lyara perused the information granted by Dr. B’equ.
Lyara: Any anomalies so far, Filistrien?
Xandeus shook his head.
Filistrien: None thus far. But as far as I can tell from these readings, the colony doesn’t have access to refined equipment to detect remote tectonic movements. ::forwards data:: But maybe their observation logs regarding their issue with the treeline may be of some use?
Ensign Lyara opened the files he’d forwarded, considering their next course of action.
Lyara: ::Still looking at console:: Dr. B’equ, how sensitive to tectonic movements are the scorpionmoles?
The Klingon doctor thought for a moment as she considered the Ensign’s question.
B’equ: Very sensitive, they’ve been known to migrate to less tectonically active areas when their nests are threatened.
Ensign Lyara turned to him, and Xandeus turned more fully towards her in turn, acknowledging her bid for his full attention.
Lyara: Are there any seismic anomalies from around two to three months ago close to the region? Particularly near the forest where the “Angry Trees” have been propping up?
Filistrien: None that have been listed as ‘major’ or threatening in magnitude, but I’ll widen my search parameters. ::looks to the Ensign:: You sound like you have a theory, Ensign?
Lyara: I'm going to keep the shuttle on autopilot to get more scans of the area while I look through recent colony expansions. My working theory right now is something happened to scare the scorpionmoles closer to the surface and their burrowing has been causing major landscape changes. Any comments, questions or concerns?
B’equ: An interesting proposition. But what?
Filistrien: That’s what we have to find out. The most critical question is, is whatever forced the scorpionmoles up still a threat to our people on the ground?
Lyara: Response
Xandeus turned back to his console for a few moments, widening his parameters both in time and scope.
Lyara: Response
Filistrien: ... The colonists noted an increase in the ‘temperament’ of the trees four months ago. The change in the trees’ behaviour was never found, but the increase in airborne particles from them drove much of the forest-dwelling wildlife to new migratory patterns.
B’equ: It’s likely not just the trees. Prior wildlife observations from your colonists indicate that a lot of nesting grounds were previously located on top of the now unearthed ruin. But what- ::alert stance:: Something’s happen. The scans from the echo survey. There’s a disturbance underground, beneath the ruins.
Lyara: Response
TAGs/TBC
PO3 Xandeus Filistrien
Signals Analyst
USS Artemis-A
As simmed by
LT Gila Sadar
Medical Officer
USS Artemis-A
A240006GS1