Lieutenant Divya Tam: Viperax is the Tip of the Iceberg
mrsciroth
((USS Magni, Selene, Solace System))
Their former kidnapper was requesting clearance for them to land. Divya had to wonder how wise it was for them to go into a village of a people who assumed ill intent upon first sight. Setting their escape vessel in the midst of possible enemies felt wrong. Her curiosity was overriding her worry but not her caution. Now that she knew how to identify the inhabitants of Selene, she was going to get as much information about the village as she could before they arrived.
DeVeau: Raeyen, how long ago did you say your people had to start doing the genetic experiments here on the moon?
Raeyen IV: We arrived thirty years ago. ::Considers:: The genetic experiments began shortly after on infected and uninfected livestock, 2-3 years after the facility’s construction finished.
Tam: You have made a mountain of progress in 30 years.
Nera: Response
The shuttle was set on a slow course to give Raeyen time to get clearance and make arrangements. Divya used that time to scan the village for its layout and population count.
DeVeau: And….when you did these experiments, you were trying to find cures for that virus as well as improving livestock?
Raeyen IV: Yes, resistances to Nova Terran born viruses, and then those found on Selene. ::fidgeting with her own gear:: Then some experiments to enhance the nutritional value of certain creatures.
Tam: I suppose running fish could create more muscles to fest upon.
Divya joked, but she was sure there had to be more to all of this. Even if the hybrid animals were all experiments of the one scientist who had been removed, their small team had run into four of them in a small space and a short period. That led to the question of how densely populated the forest was with experiments.
Nera: Response
DeVeau: Did they ever do any experiments on…humans?
That was a big enough question to stop Divya. Her fingers hovered over the console as her mind raced to find a reason for that question. Experiments on sentient beings, experiments on their own people was disturbing. It was in no way out of the question. She had learned much about human history in the Academy, as well as other cultures. Her parents had also told her enough about what happened during the Cardassian occupation of Barzan that she had a hard time seeing anything positive about the idea.
Tam: It wouldn't be the first time.
Nera: Response.
The woman focused on the map, eyes unmoving, for longer than simple consideration needed. When her answer came, it was tense.
Raeyen IV: Yes…
Not a good answer, but Divya focused on keeping a calm, light demeanor. She, of course, wanted to keep Raeyen talking, but she also wanted to keep the woman from feeling other. Whatever they were about to learn and walk into was probably not easy to discuss with strangers. She kept her voice light, as light as she could when all she wanted to do was whisk the woman away and introduce her to a group of people who would never have abandoned her.
Tam: Oh, what type of experiments? Antivenom development or Viperax experiments?
oO Bad job, Divya. I didn't believe myself. Oo
DeVeau/Nera: Response
Raeyen IV: One of the viruses evolved and spread to the crew, it killed our lead scientist and infected half of the population. ::She explained:: That’s when Dr. Ahreka Chalet took over and the studies on people began.
Tam: That sounds like a difficult time.
DeVeau/Nera: Response
Raeyen IV: …I don’t remember much else of the time, I’d been infected... ::taking a moment:: ...and one of the first casualties.
Tam: I'm happy they were able to save you and that we were able to meet.
She smiled genuinely. The tension in Raeyen's shoulders was still there. Divya wondered if she had ever talked about this.
DeVeau/Nera: Response
Tam: Are the experiments ongoing?
Divya braced herself for an answer she did not want to hear. She pushed down an almost overriding desire to protect Raeyen and told herself to be open to anything she heard. These people had a rough time and had been faced with difficult choices. It was not her place to judge.
DeVeau/Nera/Raeyen: Response
They had indeed had a rough time in the past 30 years. It was impressive that their discipline had remained so tight. Then again, the wildlife would have ensured the need for discipline.
A beep caught Divya's attention. The scan of the village and the surrounding area was complete. It revealed a village that could hold hundreds, but she saw only a fraction that. It was possible that many were assigned elsewhere, or the other group had taken more than she thought. It was also possible that the virus and experiments had taken out a chunk of the population.
Tam: Do you have other villages? This one doesn't seem to be running at full capacity.
DeVeau/Nera/Raeyen: Response
As the others spoke, Divya zoomed in on the scan of the village. She had set up the system to provide shapes so she could separate humanoids from animals. From what she saw, she might have to increase her initial population count.
Tam: I had been worried about how you would react to encountering a group with a variety of species. People from insulated populations can find Starfleet's diversity jarring at first.
She pulled her results up on the viewscreen. Raeyen had been more open with them than she seemed comfortable with. Hopefully, this would show her that they were willing to do the same and that there would be no judgment.
Tam: I don't think you will have that problem. I am looking forward to meeting your people.
DeVeau/Nera/Raeyen: Response
Lieutenant Divya Tam
Chief of Operations
USS Thor
A240104DT4
She/Her (character and player)