Ensign Artinus Serinus - Moving out, and about (Safe Harbour)

[Joseph George]

Whittaker: Governor- ::he said with obvious unease.:: - we are unable to contact our vessel in orbit and I cannot overestimate the danger the Ya-Grhan pose. They have destroyed countless civilisations for simply existing near to their territory. They dispatched Shanshuri to capture and interrogate us simply because we strayed into their territory without realising it. Counsellor Stendhal- ::he pointed to the Betazoid:: - was a prisoner of the Shanshuri. ::beat:: I know that you are confident in your ability to repel an attack by their forces but what happens if a fleet arrives? How long before your people make a mistake or grow tired or expend their abilities? What about men like Walter Hudson- he can rejuvenate your soil but how good is he at repelling attackers? What about the children of Safe Harbour? Can you say with absolute certainty that your colony will survive? ::his tone had become more and more urgent.:: 

ch'Ranni: Are you willing to gamble with the lives of your people on your superiority?

::Reidella opened her mouth but no sound came out. Though he was no telepath Theo could tell that his words were getting through the green-skinned esper.

Stendhal: Yes I was a prisoner of the Shanshuri, with my mate we went there to help. They cheat us, they knew our weakness and that we must help anybody in danger and needs. So this darn Ya-Grhan, they used our good intentions against us. Nice, isn’t it? They'll probably use your peculiarity against you too, how ? I don’t know… I would never imagined that somebody would be able to act and put themselves in danger just to hit us. It was a bad surprise. Me and doctor G’Reen, well we were helping to heal their patients with all the kindness of the universe and guess what ? They just try to poison us and to put us in jail!

Reidella: What is is that you recommend that we do?

Whittaker: Our scans indicated that your world is laced with large deposits of kelbonite, fistrium and dentarium. Your colony is built on top of a particularly large one. If we could get your people into the nearby mountains- we might be able to use the natural topography and the refractory nature of the minerals to hide from a Ya-Grhan invasion force. Our shuttle's sensors picked up what looked like a particularly large cave system in the nearby mountains?

Reidella: The Red Rock Caves. I am familiar with them.

Serinus: ::wondered if the Captain's words could sway the governor. In his religion, the gods were known for their arrogance. As he pondered, his brow furrowed.::

Stendhal: I think that would be the best option. Maybe if you can reveal them putting down or altering their camouflages, they may just escape away or at least they will lose their best card...

Whittaker: The alternative, Governor, is that your colony is destroyed and your people become slaves of the Ya-Grhan. With you under their control, the balance of power in this region could be altered. Forever.

Reidella: ... you feel that is their plan?

Whittaker: Our scans indicated that your world is laced with large deposits of kelbonite, fistrium and dentarium. Your colony is built on top of a particularly large one. If we could get your people into the nearby mountains- we might be able to use the natural topography and the refractory nature of the minerals to hide from a Ya-Grhan invasion force. Our shuttle's sensors picked up what looked like a particularly large cave system in the nearby mountains?

Serinus: oO A cave system would be more easily defended as well. Oo

Serinus: Anyone with abilities that can detect, or reveal those in different phase variations would be of great use, in case an invasion fleet were to be landed. A cave system would also be a boon, tactically speaking. Imagine all the choke points, and ambush opportunities.

::The Ensign saw the Captain look his way. But Whittaker didn't have a readable expression on his face, as far as he could tell..::

Whittaker: The alternative, Governor, is that your colony is destroyed and your people become slaves of the Ya-Grhan. With you under their control, the balance of power in this region could be altered. Forever.

Serinus: :I would say that makes our next few moves more obvious.

Stendhal: Yeah I think is what happened to the Shanshuri, now they are Ya-Grhan slaves and they used them to hit us. They appeared more afraid of the reaction of the Ya-Grhan in case of failure than about us…

Reidella: Very well. We will evacuate to the Red Rock Caves.

::The governor turned and looked towards the entrance to the room. A moment later the avian sheriff, Sqeour, appeared on the other side of the threshold.::

Sqeour: Governor?

Reidella: We are evacuating the colony and moving to the Red Rock Caves. Please go to the residential areas and begin gathering everyone together. We will clear the buildings here on the Forum.

::The avian esper betrayed no alarm in his reply or on his face. He simply seemed to take the order at face value without any sort of argument or questioning.::

Sqeour: ::Without betraying any concern or alarm.:: It will be done.

::Sqeour bowed in respect and then left to make the necessary arrangements.::

Whittaker: Thank you, Governor. I know that cannot have been an easy decision to make.

ch'Ranni: ?

Serinus: :tended to agree with the Captain's assessment, it's hard enough for any leader to uproot their people, but one with such powers? It must be really confusing.::

Stendhal: ?

::Theo led his away team out of the reception room, trailing Reidella. She steered them towards the entrance and beckoned for them to follow her out into the cold air. As the doors opened, the winter hit them like an icy blast. Through the haunting wind, and driving snow, Serinus saw the Captain pull the hood of his winter survival jacket up and tightening it up, before and stepping out into the night air, followed suite.::

((The Forum, Town Center - Safe Harbor))

Reidella: I hope that you are able to help coordinate the evacuation. We have a very limited leadership. It is mostly just myself and Sqeour.

Whittaker: Of course! ::he called out above the din of the wind.:: We won't abandon you. Not now.

ch'Ranni: ?

Serinus: Once we have all convened, I will reach out to Sqeour, so that we can coordinate in route defense.

Stendhal: ?

::The journey to wherever Reidella was leading them was short but felt much longer on account of the bitterly cold weather. Artinus could feel it, in the back of his head, he reminded himself of all the battles lost due to inclement weather.::

::Without stopping, the Governor flung the doors of a building open and marched in. Following her, and his Captain, with the rest of the crew following, they were looked over by a gaggle of children. At the front of the room was another esper, apparently human.::

Reyes: And that is when-  ::In confusion:: Governor?

Reidella: Sorry to interrupt your class, everyone. ::Forcing a smile:: We have some visitors today, and we’re going on a field trip into the mountains!

::The small group of students excitedly grabbed their book bags and began walking out the door onto the school’s porch. Artinus saw the Captain look back at them, looking confused.::

::Ensign Serinus thought to himself that the children had not yet been indoctrinated into fearing the non-altered, or that they had strong faith in their governor.::

ch'Ranni: ?

Serinus: ?

Stendhal: ?

Reidella: ::Conducting a headcount as the younglings left the school building.:: Dolarath, Celdan, Franklin, Ara, Sato, Yanol, and Kaironn. ::She turned back to Captain Whittaker and his team.:: We’ll also need to go check with Doctor Velross. He does have two patients who may need help being moved.

Whittaker: Mr. ch'Ranni, could we use the shuttles short range transporters to facilitate their movement?

ch'Ranni: ?

Serinus: ?

Stendhal: ?

::Two people entered, one a Losarian, and the other, of a race the Magna Roman did not recognize. Their presence seemed to calm the Governor.::

Reyes: Would somebody mind telling me what is going on? There were no field trips scheduled for another three months!

his talents for calming anxieties in others paled in comparison to his quirky Betazoid counsellor.::

::Artinus saw the Captain look toward Stendhal. A fine choice, he thought.::

Stendhal: ?

ch'Ranni: ?

Serinus: So, as you can see, it would do us all well to remain calm.

Reidella: ?

Whittaker: Governor-  perhaps we should move on. Time is of the essence and the journey to the caves will not be easy in this weather, I fear.

Reidella: ?

ch'Ranni: ?

Serinus: ::nodded, meeting with the Sheriff, and planning their in transit defense was utmost on his mind.::

Stendhal: ?

Whittaker: ?

Riedella: ?

ch'Ranni: ?

Serinus: ::followed along, thinking about his questions for the Avian, else he think of how miserably cold he was..::

Ensign Artinus Serinus 

Security Officer 

USS Columbia 

NCC 85279 

C239607A