Chapter 7 – Of Shoes and Ships

Their small craft set down in a valley where a large structure sat dead center. The five officers stepped out of the ship.

Nakano held up a tricorder and scanned the area. “No discernable life forms aside from some bacteria which won't cause us any difficulty.”

Zaylie smiled as she holstered her phaser. “Too bad. I was hoping for some alien rats to practice my target shooting.”

Melissa frowned. “I thought you were big on respecting indigenous life forms?”

“I'm joking, Commander.”

Melissa didn't see the humor in it.

“Awfully dry,” Sunita stated, holding up her own tricorder. “There are traces of plutonium and uranium in the atmosphere, but not at dangerous levels for us as long as we don’t plan on making a week of it.”

Zaylie looked at the structure with a frown. “It's amazing the galaxy is as full of life as it is given how many of these dead worlds we find.”

“Let's head out toward the structure,” Melissa said.

They all started walking.

Fifteen minutes later, they reached the base of the nearly five hundred foot tall, pyramid.

“It is made of a metal alloy I can't classify,” Sunita said.

Fowler frowned and activated her own tricorder.

“Could it be something placed here by another civilization?” Melissa asked.

“Entirely possible,” Sunita replied. “Since the alloy is...”

Fowler broke in. “Iron, nickle, palladium, also some traces of aluminum and technetium.”

Melissa looked at Fowler and grinned. “Anything else?”

“Based on the technetium, the age of the structure is thirty-four thousand, four hundred and twenty-three years, plus or minus seventeen years.”

“The alloy emits low level gamma radiation,” Sunita said. “But it’s not a hazard.”

“Why would someone build a structure that's radioactive?” Zaylie asked.

“To keep people away, maybe,” Nakano replied. “Or they worship a radioactive god.”

Zaylie chuckled. “I'd vote for keeping people away.”

“Or just plain stupid,” Fowler added. “Since they blew themselves to hell, they didn't seem to have much respect for the forces their technology made available to them.”

“Possible,” Sunita said.

Melissa turned to Natalie. “Lead the way, Lieutenant.”

The others followed Natalie through the wide entrance of the structure. Nakano and Zaylie each pulled out a flashlight to illuminate their way, letting Fowler focus on reading her tricorder.

“There are multiple chambers and levels within the building,” Fowler reported as they made their way inside. The plain walls were made of the same light orange material as the outside. “Some of these walls are secret panels which open into other narrow corridors.”

“Service entrances?” Nakano asked.

“I don't know,” Fowler said. “I've seen nothing which indicates the purpose of anything yet. But given the age, it could be there was signage which has deteriorated.”

A loud groan echoed out of the bowels of the structure.

“I thought there wasn't any indigenous life here,” Melissa said as everyone froze in place.

“Except for bacteria,” Zaylie said.

“That must be large bacteria,” Melissa replied with a grin.

Fowler adjusted her tricorder. “The sound came from parts of the metal in the structure. Very strange it would just happen to occur as we entered.”

“Unless there's some automated system scanning to detect entry,” Nakano offered.

“If this turns out to be their version of a haunted house ride, I'm going to enjoy this,” Zaylie said with a grin.

“A radioactive haunted house carnival ride?” Sunita asked. “And out in the middle of a valley all by itself?”

“Imagine if Disneyland or Disneyworld were left unattended for thirty-four thousand years,” Zaylie said. “And everything else around the Pirates of the Caribbean faded away into dust.”

All the others turned to her with a frown.

“What?” Zaylie asked. “It's possible.”

“But not likely,” Sunita said.

“And your hypothesis... Ms. Science Officer?”

Sunita chuckled. “Something this large probably had some cultural significance.”

“Yeah,” Zaylie said. “Disneyworld.”

They proceeded forward for about thirty feet until coming to what appeared to be an arched doorway, but the door seemed more like a wall.

Fowler stopped and looked down. “Hey, Burton, can you point your light over here?”

Zaylie hurried up to Fowler, eager to help. “Sure.”

“At the ground.”

Zaylie turned her flashlight to the floor.

“See that?” Fowler asked.

“It looks like... a faint footprint,” Zaylie replied.

“We aren't the first people here,” Fowler said. “I think we should leave.”

“Why?” Melissa asked walking up to the two women. “Our orders were to investigate any structures we found on the planet, especially those which registered any electromagnetic or radiation signatures.”

“Of course we were,” Fowler said with a scowl.

“What's this about?” Melissa asked.

“Nothing,” Fowler said, pointing her tricorder at the wall.

“Obviously it is something,” Melissa said. “Out with it.”

Fowler took a long breath and turned to Melissa. “We're being used.”

“Used?” Melissa asked, doing her best to suppress a grin. She'd never known Fowler to be paranoid, but obviously something was bothering her about this mission.

“Someone ordered us here to find something,” Fowler said.

“Yes, Starfleet,” Melissa said. “It's that strange new worlds, new civilizations thing they pound into us at the Academy.”

“No, something specific which they knew would be here.”

“To what end, and why not just find it themselves and get the credit for discovering it?”

“I don't know,” Fowler said. “I'm suspicious about these foot prints.”

“That could be from anyone,” Sunita broke in. “Likely they got this far and couldn't get the door opened, then they left.”

Fowler glared at her, but then turned back to Melissa. “My recommendation is we return to the ship, Commander.”

Melissa didn't like the idea of dismissing a recommendation from a subordinate out of hand, but this seemed more emotionally based than supported by any evidence.

“We'll go further and see what we find,” Melissa finally said. “But if you discover anything which indicates a motive for what you're suggesting, then I'll reconsider that assessment.”

Fowler seemed about to say something else, but instead nodded, and went to work on the door mechanism.

Within about two minutes, the door slid aside.

“Good work,” Melissa said to Fowler.

“Let us take point,” Nakano said, directing Zaylie to take the opposite side of the room they were entering.

The sweep of their flashlights showed they were now in a large chamber about forty feet from side to side, and roughly square in layout. In the center of the chamber stood a raised circular section of floor.

“This might be an Ancient Progenitor site,” Sunita said.

Fowler shook her head. “No, it's only thirty-four thousand years old.”

“This does follow the general layout of several of their sites,” Sunita pressed. “It could be the people of this planet maintained it as some sort of religious place.”

“The metal in the walls doesn't match Ancient Progenitor alloys,” Fowler stated. “It's something else.”

Sunita frowned, and walked toward a wall, scanning with her tricorder.

Fowler walked up to the raised circle, and looked about its base. After a moment, she blurted out, “Careful! There are motion sensors close to this platform.”

Everyone backed away. Nakano and Zaylie each pulled out a tricorder and scanned the platform.

“It's passive,” Nakano said. “Infrared sensor.”

“What does it do?” Melissa asked.

Zaylie motioned her tricorder about the room. “It's using metal wires for the circuitry. They run from the platform up through the structure to what I'm guessing are solar collectors of some kind on the roof of the structure.”

Nakano nodded. “That's the power source. The wiring then runs to the platform. It seems to be some sort of projection system.”

“A recording?” Melissa asked.

“Yes,” he said.

“Everyone have your tricorder ready, and make sure the universal translator is running,” Melissa said. “We may not get a second chance if the equipment here is thirty-four thousand years old.”

Everyone got their tricorders ready.

Melissa turned to Fowler. “Go ahead and trip the recording.”

Fowler took three steps forward, and light filled the room from the platform.

A figure appeared standing on the platform, but the image wasn't stable, shifting from moment to moment, scanning lines blocking out certain areas which a moment later reformed into a stable pattern.

The figure was that of a five foot tall, orange skinned, rotund creature which appeared to be a cross between an insect and a crab. It had a set of antennae standing four inches from its round head. It had a set of large black eyes, and small snake-like appendages protruding from what appeared to be its mouth. It wore a purple robe which covered its body from the neck down.

It spoke is a series of grunts and clicks.

Fowler's tricorder produced a translation.

“I am the lord, Hjulnus. Welcome to this monument of my life and work,” the creature said. “I who have ruled this planet since the great turmoil felt it appropriate that I leave for future generations guidance for your lives. I was and still am the leader of this world. I am your god.”

“Glad to see humility was something they practiced here,” Zaylie murmured.

The recording continued, “I am now immortal as is this tower. It is good that you have built a great city about this tower, placing me still at the center of your lives. For I shall return from time to time to bless you as a people, and to punish if you have strayed from the path I set you upon. Remember this well... do not incite my wrath. I can be a vengeful god.”

The recording faded away.

“Nice guy,” Nakano said. “You think the condition of this planet is a result of his wrath?”

“More likely he died and then his great civilization splintered and destroyed themselves,” Fowler said, scanning the rest of the chamber.

“He ended up being the lord of a cinder of a planet,” Zaylie said. “This world is nothing but desert sand and rock.”

Nakano laughed. “A king with no subjects is no different from a crazy uncle squirreled away in a basement.”

Sunita looked around, pointing her tricorder at one of the walls. “I'm getting an energy signature.”

Melissa walked up to her. “Where?”

“Behind that wall,” she said.

All them moved toward the wall Sunita pointed at.

“It's not one of the power conduits,” Zaylie said.

Fowler stepped forward. “It's a compartment of some sort.”

“Can you open it?” Melissa asked.

“Probably,” Fowler replied. “But I don't think it's a good idea.”

“Why not?” Sunita asked. “There's something behind this. We should investigate.”

“Open it,” Melissa said to Sunita.

She made several adjustments to her tricorder. A moment later, a panel in the wall slide open.

In a two foot square compartment, a glowing orb fastened to a metal frame sat, glowing brightly.

Sunita moved forward.

“What is it?”

“I'm reading a high energy density,” he replied. “Almost like a tear in the fabric of space and time.”

Fowler backed away.

“You okay?” Melissa asked.

“No.”

“What the hell is the matter with you?” Melissa asked.

“Don't you think it's just a little too convenient we were ordered to this planet, and just happened to find something hidden in this structure?”

Sunita turned to her. “It's okay, Natalie. Starfleet ordered us here. Obviously they knew something was here. Probably a report they received from someone who had come across the planet some time ago.”

Fowler shook her head. “No. There's more going on here than that.”

Sunita turned back to scanning the object.

“Is it safe to take back to the ship?” Melissa asked.

“We'll probably need a containment unit,” Sunita replied.

“I suggest we take it to one of the shuttle bays, and set up shields around it,” Nakano said. “That way if it turns out to be dangerous, we can just flush it into space.”

“Set it up,” Melissa said. She turned to Fowler. “After we get this thing out of here, I want you to make a full survey of this tower. See if you can find any more chambers.”

Fowler gave a quick nod, then walked out of the room.

Zaylie walked up to Melissa. “What's going on with her?”

“I don't know.”

An hour later, Zaylie stood outside the large structure, peering out across the sand covered valley. She checked her tricorder from time to time.

“Anything?” Nakano asked, stepping up next to her.

“Just thought I’d see if there was anything else in the area,” Zaylie replied.

“We can leave probes behind to do more extensive scans,” he said. “But seeing as how the scientists are being extra cautious with that energy thing inside, it doesn’t hurt to find something productive to do.”

“How are you liking being operations officer now?”

Nakano shrugged his shoulders. “It’s okay. I had gotten used to tactical and security, but the change might do me some good.”

“You want a command of your own someday?”

“I used to,” he said. “I don’t know if I’ve got the fire for it anymore, especially since I saw how Captain McCall was treated.”

Zaylie nodded. “That was a travesty.”

“I heard he resigned to keep Starfleet’s dogs from coming after the rest of us on the bridge that day.”

“I heard that too.”

“Think there’s any truth to it?” he asked.

“It sure fits the Jack McCall I came to respect,” she said with a smile.

“I still can’t believe Commander Kadan is dead,” Nakano said. “I learned a lot from her.”

“She was a good officer,” Zaylie replied. “And a good person. I hope they catch whoever…”

Before she could finish her thought, Zaylie’s tricorder began chiming away.

“It looks as if you’ve found something,” Nakano said with a smile.

Zaylie checked the display. “It’s a ship.”

“Out here?”

“It’s partially buried about a kilometer away.”

Nakano nodded. “I’ll inform Commander Vargas.”

Two hours later, they stood a kilometer away from the large pyramid, everyone had their tricorders scanning the object buried in the sand before them.

“The design seem familiar?” Melissa asked Nakano.

“No,” he replied. “I’ve never seen anything like it.”

“I think I’ve found a way in,” Sunita said. “A part of the ship is uncovered on the other side of the mound.”

A few minutes later, they approached an open hatch in the side of the metal hull.

Nakano scanned the metal. “Something unusual, not metal, but I can’t identify it. The ship seems to have been impacted by a nuclear weapon in the past, and one with the same kinds of isotopes as are in the air and which we found in our other scans.”

“Someone on this planet hit the ship,” Zaylie stated.

“Perhaps they didn’t destroy themselves,” Melissa pondered. “Maybe they were attacked by this ship and in the process their world was annihilated.”

Sunita frowned. “I find it odd that one ship could threaten an entire planet.”

“Imagine if the Chamberlain showed up in orbit of a world which hadn’t even explored their own solar system,” Fowler said. “We sometimes forget how devastating a few centuries difference in technology can be.”

“Let’s head inside,” Melissa said.

After a few minutes of parading through dark corridors, they arrived at a larger room with transparent panels.

“Looks like a control room,” Zaylie said as she scanned the room with her light. “But there’s a lot of damage.”

Various ceiling panels were hanging above them, and strange crystalline conduits hung out of the open ceiling.

“I do think our assessment that this ship was brought down is accurate,” Nakano said.

“Something over here,” Melissa called out.

The others crowded around her, shinning their lights at the floor.

“What the hell is that?” Nakano asked.

“It’s organic,” Sunita said, checking her tricorder readout. “But not carbon based.”

Melissa peered at the gelatin-like blue substance smeared on a support column.

“Blood?” Zaylie asked.

“I don’t believe so,” Sunita replied. “This doesn’t have anything close to what we might call a cellular structure. However, that might be the result of decomposition if this is thirty-four thousand years old too.”

Fowler stared at the blue material as it glistened in the light they projected at it.

“Have the tricorder check it against all known species,” Melissa ordered to Sunita. She turned to Nakano and Zaylie. “See if you can access the ship’s systems. I’d like to know what happened here.”

“Aye, ma’am,” Zaylie said as she and Nakano moved to another section of the room.

Sunita’s tricorder chimed. “I’ve got a match.”

Melissa turned back to her. “Well?”

“It’s from a species called Undinan.”

Melissa thought a moment. “Have you ever encountered them before?”

“I have,” Natalie said, taking a step forward. “Mei-Wan Lau is engaged to an Undinan.”

-GO TO CHAPTER 8-