Lieutenant JG Lystra - Balance and Harmony
Rameses
((A Geyser Valley, Northern Hemisphere, Peekaboo))
She glanced between Leran and Indrid ruefully because of how much they’d struggled to get even a garbled message out.
Yirah: response
Utan: As I said, I'm not the one to decide and I'm surprised that your tech didn't … work well.
Perax: ::he talks slightly awkwardly:: So, um, What now? Do you take us to your leader?
There was a crack of thunder that was most definitely a lot closer than the last one and she glanced back towards the Little Crow. They should all probably seek shelter for the moment.
Lystra: Or they can come here. Either way, I think it’s prudent if we seek shelter. Either within our perimeter rods or whenever your camp is.
Yirah: response
Utan: I'll agree, the storm is wilder than usual.
She saw Leran was scanning their surroundings as she was, trusting Indrid as the away team leader to handle the conversation. It was possible this Kameryan was alone at the moment, but she was sure there were others. Cade’s transmission about them finding signs of agricultural attempts suggested as much.
Lystra: The storm’s getting worse. ::she noted::
Yirah: response
Perax: Well, I still have lightning rods to work on. So, I don’t mind staying behind if you still insist on only bringing two of us.
A second rumble, far louder than before, a storm was brewing, and the already dark purple sky grew dim and flickered with light within.
Lystra caught the abrupt motion and sound of rapid movement as someone bounded down the hill from above them without making an attempt to conceal themselves. For her part, Lystra turned towards the incoming Kameryan with her hand merely resting on her phaser rifle, still angled towards the ground. Wary but not being threatening.
Kol’Mana: Why do you invite the wrath of Gador? Do you creature-people wish us all killed?
Lystra: Gador? We’re unfamiliar with that…being but we certainly don’t wish to invoke any wrath.
Perax: ::speaking at the same moment as Lystra:: Who is Gador?
The way they phrased that made her think Gador must be some sort of deified entity.
Utan: Gador decides punishment for those with poor judgement.
Yirah: ?
The Kameryan pointed at the skies.
Kol’Mana: A storm comes. We would be fools to stand by your poles and wish destruction to the fertile soil and soft plans. Why do you come here to destroy?
Lystra: Those poles are meant to draw in the lightning to protect ourselves and our shuttle. Not to destroy. We’re explorers. ::she gestured to the away team:: We seek knowledge, we only made those to stay safe and to study the storms. Are you saying that the lightning harms the soil and plants when it strikes it?
Perax: The poles take the electricity from lightning and create a path for that energy to flow deep into the ground where it can be dissipated safely. It should cause less damage than if the lightning were to strike the field without them.
Yirah/Kol’Mana: response
The Boslic glanced up as another flash of purple brightened all of their faces for a moment before a count of three Constitutions resulted in another peel of thunder. One close enough to feel even through their suits.
Lystra: I assure you, we mean no harm. We have a way of doing things, when we explore. But the moment we understand that what we do causes harm or damage to nature or others, we stop and find a better, safer, non-invasive way. The only way to get rid of one’s own ignorance is through learning and understanding.
It was her father’s favorite mantra to quote whenever she or her brother did something that caused problems, or hurt themselves or others because they didn’t know better. Stars, how she missed him.
Utan: Experience and acts show the way. Understanding comes from open mind to nature and it's collective instincts and knowledge.
Kol’Mana: response
Lystra: Agreed. We have mere minutes to get to shelter. I don’t know if your shelter is closer than our ship, but you’re welcome to wait out the storm with us or we can go with you. Either way, I think we need to decide. Now.
The flash of lightning and accompanying thunder crash seemed to agree with her.
Perax: If we don’t get moving and fast, we are going to be soaked. Personally, I think the runabout is probably the best bet. We all know where it is anyway.
Lystra: Alright then, we should move quickly.
Yirah/Kol’Mana: response
Perax: ::turning toward Kol’Mana:: if you come to the runabout, I can show you how the poles work and how they will help your plants survive the storms better. Though, I’m surprised a spacefaring civilization doesn’t know about grounding electricity with lightning rods. That’s usually one of the first developments in power generation, but I guess every civilization discovers things in their own order.
Lystra winced and looked towards Leran with concern, hoping that the Kameryan’s wouldn’t take that as him calling them primitive, or uneducated.
Utan: We know electricity, we know about lightning rods, but the soil here is less rich in chrondite than those rocks over there. The problem might not be the lightning, but the static charges from where the lightning hits and it's dissipation through the surrounding land. It could lead to lightning forming on the soil and moving up the sky.
Lystra: Interesting. I don’t think we have time to risk taking them down.
Yirah/Kol’Mana: response
Utan: If your shuttle can dampen an electrostatic accumulation, it should be safe. We use, some of the animals scales, and trees outer shell to stablish protections on our encampment and... plantations.
Lystra: That’s clever, and to answer your question our shuttle should be just fine. We added the rods as a backup due to the lightning here being more powerful than on other worlds. We should go now. Leran?
Lystra gestured for Leran to lead the way back to the runabout so she could fall in at the rear, where she could keep an eye on their guests. Not out of suspicion, but because that was her job as the security detail. She had her tricorder out to scan the storm and gauge as best she could how much time they had. Another roll of thunder and bright flash made her jump. It was almost on top of them.
Yirah/Kol’Mana/Perax/Utan: response
As they neared the Little Crow she sent the signal over her comm badge to unlock it and the rear ramp lowered as they approached. A streak of lightning burst out of the ground where one of the rods were and she watched as it joined with a bolt descending from the sky. And that was all she could see for the moment. The bright flash of the lightning even with her eyes closed. That was stupid. It was like staring at a pulsar without the protective screen of a ship’s viewports. At least her suit’s filter kicked in in time to cause any permanent damage.
Lystra: Stars, that was bright. ::she stumbled towards the runabout:: And I see what you mean about the lightning. I recommend we close the hatch as soon as everyone’s inside.
Yirah/Kol’Mana/Perax/Utan: response
Lystra took off her suit’s helmet and set it down as soon as she was inside, so she could rub at her eyes for a moment. Of course it wouldn’t really do anything about the after image of the lightning bolt, that would just take time but it felt appropriate.
Lystra: I can’t wait to get back to the ship. ::she grumbled:: I hate planets.
Yirah/Kol’Mana/Perax/Utan: response
The Boslic looked around worried her comment might not have helped and she shot them an apologetic look. Based on some of their comments she was getting the impression that they cared greatly for the wellbeing of natural processes.
Lystra: Apologies. ::she gave Indrid a bashful shrug:: I was born in space. I’ve lived there my whole life and prefer being on a perfectly environmentally controlled ship, among the beauty of space to planets. I guess you could say, I prefer the harmony and balance of a ship where everything is controlled in a set way to make sure those living on it thrive.
Yirah/Kol’Mana/Perax/Utan: response
[tbc/tags]
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Lieutenant JG Lystra
Tactical/Security Officer
USS Constitution-B NCC-9012-B
Writer ID: A239410TR0