The Emerald City (part 1)

Posted on Sat Oct 5, 2019 @ 3:35am by Lieutenant Alanna Wells & Lieutenant JG Brianthe Oaxaca & Lieutenant Annora Tessaro & Lieutenant Jason Haines & Civilian 'Key Holder' Yolanthe Ibalin & Lieutenant Commander River Morgan & Ensign Jessica Mayhew & Ensign Tizo Criteser
Edited on on Thu Oct 10, 2019 @ 5:53am

1,185 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Doors of Perception
Location: Not Kansas
Timeline: MD 8, 2200 Hrs

ON

The trip to the city by the prophet's ship was, fortunately, uneventful. There was forest most of the way, dwindling as they neared the city, if it could be called that. It was significantly smaller than anticipated, and the inhabitants looked in need of a good meal and a doctor. The reality did not live up to the hype. However, halfway up the mountain could be seen the wreckage of the Borg ship. A trail zig-zagged down the mountain to the village. The party stopped a click away from the town to take stock.

Yolanthe had plaited her now purple hair into braids that kept her long hair away from her face, and pulled on clothes borrowed from the natives, leather leggings and tunic that were far more practical than her flowing black pants and crop top. But looking at the green fields, she shook her head. "Someone else will need to scout ahead. I'm going to stick out like a," she glanced down at her violet hands. "Like a ripe plum."

"I'm too blonde, unless I can cover my hair with a scarf," Alanna said. "But maybe we can send the doctor with one of the security officers to scout ahead." She looked at Jessica and Tizo. "Or maybe both. Should we divide into two groups? Send one to the town to see what can be found and the other to skirt around and up to the ship?" She looked at the group. "I'd say Yolanthe and I should go to the ship."

"I'll go wherever you need me," Brianthe said. "I work best in the woods, though."

Jessica was just as blonde. She pulled out the waterskin the villagers had given her. “I don’t want to leave anyone without security,” she said. “Either Tizo or I stay with you at all times. We don’t have to hurry. We can scout both.” She poured water from her skin onto a patch of dirt, then crouched down and mixed up some mud. Taking a handful, she plopped it into her hair and started to work it in, darkening her hair. She rubbed some on her face, as well.

"That works." Alanna looked around in the bag she had with her and found the headscarf she remembered. She braided her hair around her head and covered it with the scarf. "Not as versatile as what you did," she said to Jessica. "But it should work."

“At least you won’t need a shower after,” Jessica told Alanna with a wry smile.

Alanna looked around at the others. "I suggest that Yolanthe, Jessica, and I go up to the ship. River, Brianthe, and Tizo go to the village. That puts one scientist and one security officer with each team."

The Bajoran security officer nodded in agreement. "I'll go with to the village. Let those of you with more experience head towards the ship."

She had heard of the Borg, and seen holographic projections, but seeing the wreckage of a real life Borg ship sent chills down her spine. Gripping the hunting spear in her hands, Annora stared at the path ahead. "Let's go bag us a Borg, shall we?"

"I was gonna say you could decide where to go," Alanna said to Annora. "But it sounds like you want to come with us." She looked at River. "Do you want to scout out the town and find out how many people are there and how well armed they are?"

"Will do, no problem" River answered and put some basic emergency medical supplies into her pack - but not enough to make it bulky or heavy and hauled it up onto her back.

Jessica waited as Alanna settled the teams. She stared up at the Borg ship, wishing she had a pair of binoculars. It would make scouting so much easier and safer, able to keep a distance.

Alanna looked at the mountain. "It looks like he's got a clear space around the front of the ship." She turned to River. "I think your skills as both a doctor and a scout would be more useful in the town, but I won't tell you no if you want to come to the mountain. Either way, we should head out now if we want to be back before dark."

“Dark might be good, for close in,” Jessica judged. “If we just get a good, high vantage point for now, we can get the overview.”

Alanna nodded. "Yes. Get up behind the ship and see what we can find." She adjusted her bow. "Let's go."

Brianthe looked at the others. "That's our cue. Let's see who's walking around this morning?"


The Township

Brianthe headed for the town, watching carefully for townsfolk.

The town was very basic, and seemed like something just a touch larger that you might read about or see in a holovid of Earth's old west. There were a few young children playing with what seemed to be a ball, but despite their general positive attitude, it was easy to see from a medium that the children were already developing lesions on their skin.

"Radiation poisoning?" Brianthe asked in a whisper. "All the more reason to remove the problem."

A child noticed them and ran inside one of the small houses. A minute later, a man walked out. "Are you here to join the prophet?" he asked.

"We want to learn more," Brianthe said. "Who do we talk to?"

"I'll tell you right now, young lady," he said. If he was concerned that she was an Ancient One, he didn't show it. He coughed and some blood came up. "If you are looking for the prophet, turn around, go back the way you came, and stop looking for him. If you are foolish enough to want to meet him, climb the mountain."

He looked to the child. "Let's go, Asiya, inside."

With that, he moved with the child inside.

River moved forward, intending to offer some medical help at first, but the man and child were in a hurry to be gone, and as they were trying not to be conspicuous here, she hesitated and missed the chance to offer. The doctor in her regretted that missed opportunity, but there was a side of her that knew the value of duty before preference only too painfully well. She shivered at the memory flash, which was gone in moments, and turned to carry on with the rest of the group.

"You're right, and it's not even subtle, nor in the early stages." She hurried to catch up with Brianthe and agree with her conclusion about the radiation poisoning.

"All the more reason for us to stop this," Brianthe said to River.
River nodded seriously and with heartfelt agreement.

(To be continued...)

[OFF]

Alien Villagers
APB Lieutenant JG Jason Haines

Lieutenant JG Alanna Wells
Chief Science Officer
Deep Space Five

Ensign Brianthe Oaxaca
Botanist
Deep Space Five

Yolanthe Ibalin
Owner,
The Box of Delights

Lt Cmdr River Morgan
Acting CMO - DS5

Lt Annora Tessaro
Chief Security Officer
DS5

Ensign Tizo Criteser
Security Officer
DS5

 

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