Posted by Captain John Tiberius Glen (Captain) in Main Sim - Planet Surface - Landing party -
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In what seemed like only a few moments Joe was nearing the village from behind the crew of the Merrimack. He slowed down considerably and then flew over the natives in a slow stately manner letting them get a good look at him. After he had passed over both groups, he started to turn the shuttle slowly so that when they landed the door to the shuttle would open up facing the natives.

As he landed Joe exhaled slowly. It had been a while since he had piloted a shuttle, so he was for the moment just relieved to be here in one piece… the door to the shuttle started to open. As it began Joe flipped another switch that activated the exhaust fans. Joe leaned forward and saw out the door the collection of natives standing on the side of the hill.

The landing party would have a much less clear view of the total picture than Joe did from the shuttlecraft, but the smell propelled by the exhaust fans would reach them almost as soon as it reached the natives.

Pashi, heard the shuttle craft way before it was even visible, and there was an odd whooshing whine coming from it. “Sir is the shuttle craft okay? No malfunctions? It has an unusual mechanical noise coming from it.”

“That’s the exhaust fans on full power,” replied the Captain. As a former pilot Glen would recognise the sound as the exhaust fans blowing above their normal parameters, but he didn’t understand what that actually meant until he smelled the food at the same time as everyone else.

With the shuttle coming in overhead, the native group coming up hill seemed unaware of it at first. Mainly because it seems some had seen flashes of the away team at the hill top and so were holding position. A bit of muffled shouting and aggressive various weapon waving was what had their attention. In total there were a good 20 some natives of men and women, all garbed in leather/cloth garb some having overlaid bits of metal as ‘armor’. All were armed with either metal pipes, sharp metal poles, or some form of ballistic based firearms, no doubt left behind by the Klingons when they left. The firearms probably would have no issue reaching the away team from where they were now but they for some reason were holding off.

As he landed Joe exhaled slowly. It had been a while since he had piloted a shuttle, so he was for the moment just relieved to be here in one piece. “Here we go boys.” He said with a smile to his rapidly gathered crew. Joe then touched a switch on the control panel and the door to the shuttle started to open. As it began Joe flipped another switch that activated the exhaust fans. Joe leaned forward and saw out the door the collection of natives standing on the side of the hill. He waited a few moments to let smells of all the food hit them. For on the shuttle were loaded carts full of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, biscuits and mixed vegetables. Also, there were several different cakes. along with various appetizers. Cheese with pineapple on cocktail sticks as well as pigs in a blanket.

Joe looked at them and they at him for a minute before he threw caution to the wind as was more a portion of his personality than many of his superiors might want before he jumped down out of the shuttle and with a broad smile on his face waved enthusiastically before saying in a loud friendly voice. “Hello folks anyone hungry?”

Behind him his patched together crew was busy unloading all the carts with all the trays and everything from eating utensils to napkins. Joe then grabbed a chicken leg and began to eat it. He motioned for them to come over once again.

Glen was fairly impressed that Joe had conjured up so much food in so short a time. Chef and the Food Replicators couldn’t have been that busy since that time they catered for the delegation from Tellar Prime.

It seems finally the natives who now all noticed the shuttle’s arrival and quick deployment of food had also gained their attention. The friendly nature of the Starfleet crew, and the no doubt appetizing smells though didn’t seem to dissuade them too much. If anything the markings of Starfleet design on the shuttle’s hull only seemed to embolden the native group in some way. One of the bigger women native among the group who held one of the primitive ballistic firearms of some type of rifle pointed it at Joe and shouted in her native tongue which the UTs in both groups picked up for them to hear. =/\= Feddoomers! Agents of the Feddoomers! It is just like the divine agents of unknown word reference who departed us so recently on their holy mission said! The Feddoomers come!=/\= She said. Echoes of similar statements soon joined her cry, and the whole group seemed only to rile up in a divine mandated manner of religious fervor to prepare to defend themselves.

Among the din of shouting and angry cries though one minority of a voice likely a man’s was also picked up, =/\= Friends! We must calm ourselves, if these are the Feddoomers of our departed providers of unknown word reference, likely a deity reference as we have all learned for many of our long decades in their presence then we must act jointly in what we do next! =/\= The voice said from a slightly shorter man who carried what seemed some kind of farming hoe like tool for his weapon. The landing party would recognize that he was one of the group of leading men arguing from the first time they came down and who had earlier fired a firearm into the air to get the squabbling people’s attention at that time to some success.

“Are you serious!” said Verity, “How ungrateful can they be. I say we pack up our food and get out of here!”

His lips were compressed ,he looked on with the eyes of a hawk ‘’Captain it does not look that they are hungry and neither starving ‘’ Hunter commented ‘’They must have seen the identification trademark on the shuttle and now know exactly who we are ‘’.

The doctor turned to Joe and gave him a sober frown ‘’Feddoomers ? Anyone has a plan D?’‘ he asked.

Joe and shuttle were on the opposite side of the natives to Hunter. He’d never see that frown, even if he shared the sentiment, but Glen answered. “This was our final Plan. There is no Plan D. If this doesn’t work, then as the CSO says, we pull out, leave, and let these narives starve to death and fight amongst themselves in their own relgious fervour. I’m not losing any crew on this foolish mission, for a planet with no value whatsoever!”

Joe was worried for a moment. Perhaps his gamble would backfire? While he was never known to back down from a scuffle, he was a different person if it involved the health of others. It was then he remembered his grandparents and how they had taken him to show him and his siblings the old country. Hid grandfather he remembered had made him kiss a certain rock! Thinking back on that certain stone now gave Joe a bit more bravery than he probably should have . He simply smiled and muttered, blarney. ”

Joe frowned and took a couple of steps toward the natives, looked them over and then broke out laughing at them. He shouted in the direction of the good people with the UT’s as he spoke. “Gods? Deities? What’s wrong with you? Why one of your little girls jumped me and nearly bit my ear off! A small little girl!” he laughed. “What kind of God would I be to let something like that happen to me? “

Joe looked around to see what if any effect his words were having yet before he continued. ” We are not gods! Who would want such a job? It’s too much work! And I don’t know about you people, but I like a good nap every once in a while! No, we are mere travelers across the sky seeking out friends. And where we come from a traveler seeking friends always brings gifts. ” He turned partly away from the gathered natives and swept his arm at the table laden with food like a game show hostess and said, “This is our gift to you as we seek your friendship and hospitality. For like I said we are but wanderers and always in need of new friends to grant us the gift of hospitality!

Verity nodded. The XO had given a good speech to the people. Hopefully, they listened. After all, it was all for their benefit.

Glen was also impressed by Joe’s irish blarney. They’d given this their best shot.

• Glen, CO

Pashi spoke to the group of natives in Klingon, her voice was calm and lyrical “As my friend has pointed out we come as friends. We wish to share food with you. If you doubt us, ask the young child who we returned. She did more harm to us, and we did not harm her.” Pashi knew that many species cultures began their negotiations with the exchange of food. She could only pray that these natives had not been totally corrupted by the Klingons and see the truth behind the gesture and what was said. She also knew that the Klingons would focus mostly on the Humans of the Federation than its other species members, thus she hoped her appearance would confuse what they had been told about the Agents of the Feddoomers.

–Lieutenant j.g. Pashi zh’Vhohlehr, Science