OTF's Blue Publication September 2015
The away team consisted of the chief
engineer, two security personnel and the captain. As they materialized in the great chamber
they came face to face with more than fifty armed guards. "Please lower your weapons," one of
them said.
"Tricorders down, gentlemen," the captain said firmly. Hands came down. To the speaker, "These aren't weapons. They're sensing devices. Our weapons are secured. I'm Captain Sam Draco of the Federation Starship Kepler. These are Commander Sean Ireland, chief engineer, Lieutenants Briggs and Renault of security. Our intentions are peaceful. Your weapons aren't necessary."
The one who spoke turned and nodded. He and fifty-four guards secured weapons. "I am Prefect Gab Rephal of the municipal police. Why are you here?"
"We are scientists and explorers, seekers of knowledge," Draco replied. "As we neared your planet, our systems began malfunctioning. We were fortunate to be able to establish an unstable orbit before our engines quit entirely. Some force on your planet disabled our ship. Our scanners detected an anomalous energy reading and traced it to this general vicinity. We came down to investigate."
"That agrees with my findings, Captain," Rephal confirmed. "All our systems have been disrupted as well. Conveyances also. Our detectors pointed in this direction. I suggest we continue on."
The great chamber was a natural formation, long, high and narrow. A great door stood at one end. Entrances to three tunnels stood at the other. Beyond those entrances lay a mysterious energy source.
Rephal spoke. "I know these halls. I will take two squads this way." He pointed to the left tunnel. "Four squads are at your disposal. First one to find anything will send runners for the others."
Draco replied, "Agreed! Briggs, you and Renault take two squads and search the right tunnel! Irish, the rest of us will search the middle tunnel. Any questions? Good! Let's go!"
Before long, Draco's team entered a dimly lit chamber. A pivoted turret with eight barrels pointing in as many directions was casting blue-white thermal dots onto the walls, melting the lead that comprised them. On the floor were eight small cars on ball-rollers vacuuming the liquid that flowed freely down the walls. They, in turn, through flexible tubing, were directing the melt into a larger main tube. The main tube passed through a window like opening in one small section of wall, near the floor, at Draco's two-o'clock. Liquid lead was literally being sucked out of the chamber. A lone individual monitoring the activity drew a weapon as Draco approached.
Draco sent for the others, then spoke. "Before you shoot all 18 of us, please, tell us what you're doing here."
The individual, standing no more than four and a half feet high, answered in a trembling voice. "A wandering star is nearing my world. Its rare form of radiation can destroy our atmosphere and annihilate our people. Your walls are pure element 82. We can emulsify and suspend it high above our planet and protect our atmosphere. There is more than enough for our needs here."
"Irish, got a fix on the cause of the disruptions yet?"
"It's not the extraction process, Sam," he said as he read from his tricorder. "That little aperture there with the big hose going through it is a spatial rift, a hole in space. That's where all the pesky energy's comin' from."
When the other teams arrived, Draco briefed Gab Rephal. Rephal spoke. "Please lower your weapon. You can't shoot us all." He introduced himself, then asked, "Who are you?"
The individual holstered his weapon and answered. "I am Glinn. I am a geological engineer. My world is at your mercy, gentlemen." His voice trembled less.
"How much longer do you need," Rephal asked.
Glinn replied, "About six turns of your planet will do, but I would like to have eight for a margin of surety."