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» LCARS » Newspaper: The Federation Tribune » Newspaper Archives » 2004 » August 2004 » All that Glitters, Chapter 2: Glimmer and Growl, by Bram Peeters.
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Starfleet and civilian scientist had established an outpost on the planet Din'ghes VII to research the large deposits of green crystals. The crystals emitted various toxic gasses which required the use of environmental suits outside the outpost.
Civilian Dr. Moebius and Lt. Commander Kane had been on the planet for two weeks when an away team discovered that people had been to the planet before: they had found the remains of a crashed shuttle. It was decided that an investigation on the crash site would be started the next day.
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| Chapter 2 - Glitter and Growl | |
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June 6, 2386, 09:45 - Din'ghes VII outside, 7 km south of Tiber Station
"So this is were you found that shuttle..." Moebius said and he looked around. "I wonder why they landed here, in the middle of this crystal field..." He turned back to the Andorian security officer.
"Maybe they didn't have another choice," Bor said. "Or this field wasn't as big then."
Moebius nodded. "That is a possibility. We already know that these crystals contain materials from the shuttle, so these crystals here must be newer..." Moebius looked at the crystals near him. They were quite big, but it wasn't impossible that these crystals had grown so fast. The only problem was that the circumstances on this planet weren't enough to explain it. To his right Moebius saw some sparkles of light. "Did any of you see that?"
"No..." said Krel, looking up from his tricorder. The doctor had joined the away team to be able to identify possible remains of the shuttle's passengers.
"What did you see, sir?" the Andorian asked.
"Must have been reflections from the sun," Moebius said, looking to the northeast. "Unless there *are* life forms on this planet."
"We didn't detect any from orbit," Krel said. "And I am not detecting anything now... well besides ourselves of course." The Trill doctor grinned. "So it's not a tricorder malfunction either."
"Commander Kane to away team," a voice was heard from the communicator inside the environmental suit.
Moebius tapped the button on his wrist to answer. "Go ahead commander, have you found anything about the shuttle or its passengers?"
"No, I didn't find anything. And that is what I wanted to report..." Kane said. "The database search was completed. No shuttles have been reported missing in this area for the last 300 years."
"Odd..." Moebius said. "Well, we'll report back if we find anything. Moebius out."
"Could it have been an unmanned shuttle that crashed onto this planet?" Krel asked when Moebius had closed the comm link.
"I don't think so," Bor answered. "The remains of the shuttle didn't look like they crashed on the planet. If it had, the debris would have been scattered over a large area and we probably would never have found it. This shuttle landed here, but it could have been unmanned..."
"Even unmanned shuttles would be reported missing," Moebius said.
"It wasn't unmanned," Krel suddenly said, looking at his tricorder. "I think I found something."
"What?" Moebius almost shouted and walked over to the doctor. "What did you find?"
"I'm picking up some traces of organic matter a few hundred meters in that direction," Krel said and he pointed to the east. "It is not a very clear reading... but it's worth investigating, don't you think?" Krel showed the tricorder readings to Moebius.
Leaving the Andorian security officer near their shuttle pod, Krel and Moebius slowly walked to the east, slightly hindered in their movements by their environmental suits and also the 10-30 centimeter high crystals. "We should almost be there," Krel said. "Yes, this is the location..." He paused and looked at his tricorder for a while. "Strange... I don't detect it anymore. Hold on, I'll try to increase the sensor resolution."
The Trill pushed some buttons on his tricorder. Not much later the tricorder started to beep. "This can't be right," Krel said. "The signal is slightly north of us, and... It is moving!" He showed the tricorder to Moebius. A blinking dot was moving away from them.
Moebius looked at Krel. A living being, on this inhospitable planet? "What? Are you positive?"
"Absolutely. It seems to be moving to the shuttle pod."
Moebius tapped the comm button on his wrist. "Moebius to Bor. Lieutenant, something is heading in your direction."
"Something? What do you mean, sir?" Bor replied.
"Those readings Dr. Krel picked up... They are moving," Moebius said. "It's in that lower area to the north..." Moebius looked in the direction of the shuttle pod. "I can't see anything though.."
"It stopped moving," Krel said. "Near those large crystals over there." Krel pointed at several crystals that were about fifty centimeters above the surrounding terrain. Suddenly the dot on the tricorder speeded towards the shuttle pod's location.
"Bor!" Moebius shouted, but all they heard was a dog-like growl through the communicator before the comm link was severed. Krel and Moebius ran back to the shuttle pod, their phasers ready. When they returned there was no sign of whatever had attacked Bor. The lieutenant didn't appear to be badly injured, but he seemed to be unconscious.
"Where did it go?" Moebius asked.
Krel looked on his tricorder. "I have no idea. We must have scared it away." He quickly walked over to Bor. "He's unconscious, and his suit has been damaged... He must have been exposed to the gas, we have to get him back to base immediately."
Together they carried the Andorian to the shuttle. When the hatch closed Krel took off his helmet and started to scan Bor. "He has indeed been exposed to a high dose of Tiberium gas..."
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