"Aye, Captain." Doctor Bhalla says in response, doing her best to mask her uneasiness in further contact with her former captors so soon after her release.
Thoss rises to his feet and responds crispy, "Yes sir!"
As he moves to the ready room he decides to requisition an environmental suit and also a type 2 phaser pistol, along with the standard survival gear. As he sees the Doctor approaching he gives the Doctor a reassuring nod. "I know this will be a tough experience for you after being trapped before but at least you have me with you now."
Moving to the comm panel he opens a channel to the bridge, "Lieutenant Kerensky I expect you to keep improving on the translation of the Hive's language. It would be best not to make a false impression here."
Anders response: "I concur, Captain Reeves. Pursue your first contact protocols and secure the system from outside interference. We will dispatch the USS ShirKahr to relieve you, but they won't arrive for...5 days at maximum warp. For now you are on your own. You should know that the mining engineers on your ship aren't going to appreciate this decision. They are serious about their mission to mine dilithium for the Federation."
"And the fleet needs the dilithium, Commodore. I'm hoping we can secure some sort of cooperation once negotiations are concluded. But I'm not willing to start a shooting war over poor communication. No matter how ravenous the Hive is, there's a limit to how much dilithium it can consume in a single week. There will still be crystals to mine when the dust has settled."
"Thank you, Commodore. Reeves out."
Returning to the bridge, the captain orders a communications channel opened to the Hive.
"Hive ship, this is Captain Reeves of the Valiant. We have each taken important steps towards peaceful coexistence. On behalf of the United Federation of Planets, we would like to continue this dialog. Will you accept two representatives of my crew to begin discussion of our future as neighboring species?"
At Kerensky's station, a series of warning lights flash. Looking at a screen, he sees that there is an unauthorized shuttle launch in progress. The shuttle bay doors at the rear of the ship slide open as a shuttle exits.
"Computer!" says Reeves, once Kerensky identifies the issue, "Who is onboard that shuttle?"
"Mister Kerensky, stand by Tractor Beam!"
Kerensky looks positively relieved as the Captain asks him to be ready to engage the tractor beam... he had gone pale when Commander th'Chiaqis asked him to refine the translation method... he wasn't entirely sure how he had got it working in the first place to be honest... for now at least he had a reprieve from that particular problem.
The computer intones: "Administrator Russell and Engineer Coburn are onboard the shuttle."
"Open a channel."
"Administrator Russell, turn the shuttle around and return to Valiant immediately."
"Captain Reeves, maybe you can abandon your allegiance to the Federation easily, but I was sent here to mine dilithium out of the ground. Surely you understand how important these deposits are to the Federation. These insectile creatures clearly have a Queen. All we have to do is tractor the Queen and the rest of these monsters will follow wherever it goes."
Kerensky didn't activate the tractor beam yet but considered that the shuttle would have to be stopped if not by words than technology. It was foolish to underestimate these creatures just because they were so different... the Federation could not afford a war on two fronts... nor to abandon it's principles.
"We can discuss politics once you're back onboard, Administrator. It's your choice whether you'd like to have that conversation in the wardroom or the brig. Now turn around."
"Now, Kerensky. We're not waiting."
Clearly Kerensky was anticipating the order as the tractor beam rather quickly locked onto the shuttle. "We've got them Sir."
Kerensky targets the tractor beam on the shuttle. Fans of blue light stretch from the Valiant to the rogue shuttle. The shuttle shudders as the force grips it, but it has little chance of breaking free.
"Captain, consider this a formal protest. These monsters are a danger to my mission and my workers. Your mission is to protect us and to secure the mining colony. I demand that you deploy your ship's offensive abilities."
"My mission is to seek out new life and new civilizations. We will pursue a peaceful resolution to this conflict, Mister Russell."
Later, Reeves has Russell and his senior officers in the wardroom (and the miners being watched by security). "Administrator, what you are suggesting would be an open declaration of war. Those aren't monsters out there; they're a space-faring civilization. They operate under different rules and different imperatives, but they are sentient. The mining operation will simply have to wait until the Federation and the Hive come to an agreement."
Reeves turns to Kerensky. "Exactly how much dilithium are these creatures eating, anyway? Can they really consume a planet's worth?"
"I suspect we'll need to watch them for longer but I doubt it. They seem to consider this place theirs. They might have detected the dilithium or maybe this is part of a long migration for them, refueling?"
Administrator Russell is resistant at every turn, requiring a security contingent just to get her and her engineer to the wardroom. "I'm sure you think that your mission to seek out new civilizations takes precedent here, but we have no such mission parameters. My understanding is that you are Tasked to support our mining mission. Of course, at this point, you have all of the guns, so you get to make the decisions."
"The races of the Federation are bound together with their principles. If we abandon them then though something may triumph in our struggle with the Klingons it wont be the Federation." Kerensky moved along with them. "I have some sympathy for you but I hope in time you'll come around."
The chief engineer will ensure the engine room, transporter rooms and shuttle craft bays are secured and all well protected before returning to engineering.
"Administrator, exactly how much dilithium is down there?" asks Reeves. "Is this something we could eventually share?"
The administrator's face shows a combination of anger and surprise. The vein in her forehead bulges.
"Captain, as you know, dilithium is one of the most, if not THE most precious commodity known to the Federation. Without dilithium, warp travel doesn't exist. We don't even trade away dilithium, much less share it with agressive squid-bees!"
Dr. Bhalla continues to monitor the conversation on her comm link. She contemplates whether it might be possible to replicate a synthetic food source that could provide nourishment to the hive-like creatures without their having resort to dilithium consumption.
"I hope that foolish administrator doesn't begin a war with these creatures." she mutters to herself. "If we drive them from this planet--take an entire world of food from them-- who knows how many worlds, or starbases, or ships, they will try and take from us? If not out of vengeance, then simply out of the necessity for sustenance? Better to 'lose' one rocky planet and buy peace, than enter into an unavoidable war against a foe of unknown strength and numbers and lose lives and so much more."
Watching on long range scans, you observe the largest of the creatures descend to the planet's surface, and then disappear beneath it. Many of the smaller creatures, still as large as a shuttlecraft, descend after it, while the medium sized creatures maintain a defensive pattern.
Russell is furious, constantly paging the Captain.
"Captain, we can't know what they are doing there."
"What are they up to Captain?"
"I hope that foolish administrator doesn't begin a war with these creatures." she mutters to herself. "If we drive them from this planet--take an entire world of food from them-- who knows how many worlds, or starbases, or ships, they will try and take from us? If not out of vengeance, then simply out of the necessity for sustenance? Better to 'lose' one rocky planet and buy peace, than enter into an unavoidable war against a foe of unknown strength and numbers and lose lives and so much more."
Thoss nods sagely, "It is a fool who starts a war without already knowing the outcome. The Administrator can only see the results of her mining. We have to look at the galactic picture, so to speak." He readies his gear as they are about to board the shuttle before turning to face the Doctor. "I am relying on your 'expertise' here so as not to provoke any further hostile actions here."
"You don't have any remote sensors set up at the mine, Mister Russell?" Reeves asks the (I know she's female) Administrator.
"Power to the mine and many of the systems there were destroyed in the initial attack. Remember Captain Reeves, when these aliens attacked our facility without provocation... And now you have turned it over to them. Who knows what they are up to in there?! At least send an away team to find out if they are devouring the dilithium deposits."
"I'm not getting anyone killed over some rocks, Administrator, no matter how valuable. And that includes your people. I've made my decision. I've sought further direction from Starfleet. If they direct me to take action, I will do that. You are free to file your own report and I will send it on to the authorities. For now, we wait. Please feel free to take advantage of some of the ship's facilities."
Privately, Reeves is more worried than he lets on. He's concerned that the Hive may erect defenses or habitats which will make them more difficult to remove and he guesses that they will ultimately have to be removed. Still, his orders place a priority on first contact situations and so he waits. For now.
Yesult will see if he can put together a probe that might be better able to track and observe biological creatures and their actions so he will meet with exobiology and science departments as well as medical.
"We should also see if there have been any other reports from Starfleet or any of the nearby colonies for any records of encounters with these creatures," Thoss adds, "If they do indeed have the ability to communicate across light years then perhaps there is another colony of them that has run out of food." For the most part he will keep working on the universal translator in order to better translate their 'language'.
"Captain's Log, Supplemental. We have permitted the creatures from the Hive to enter the mines and begin consuming the dilithium. As dangerous as they are, it would have been possible to lure them away by tractoring their queen out into space. Although the Hive seems capable of surviving in a vacuum, my biologists tell me she might not have survived much longer without food. Thus, towing her away from the planet might have meant a death sentence for the entire Hive."
"Mindful of our orders to secure the dilithium, I have nonetheless chosen to place standing orders regarding first contact with intelligent alien species above the immediate concerns of logistics and supply. Only time will prove whether this decision was the correct one. Time, and Starfleet Command. I stand by my decision. My officers have acted with full correctness in providing me with a palette of options. The responsibility...and the blame... for this action is mine and mine alone."
"Now that the Hive has had two full days to get used to our presence as a non-threat, and in the absence of further orders from Starfleet, I have elected to initiate the next phase of first contact. I am sending two of my officers to begin study and negotiation with the Hive. My helmsman, Commander Thoss th'Chiaqis is an expert on galactic politics and diplomacy. My Chief Medical Officer, Commander Malati Bhalla has more experience than anyone with these creatures and may be able to provide invaluable insight into their life cycle and their need for dilithium as a food source."
"To that end, I have had a shuttlecraft loaded with supplies and prepared for launch. I have refused the demands of Administrator Russell to send along one of her mining crew. I want only seasoned Starfleet officers on this important mission. End Log. Adam Reeves, Captain, USS Valiant."
Thoss and Bhalla are aboard the shuttlecraft Liebniz, ready to head out on their mission.
"Commander Thoss. You are cleared to launch when ready. Godspeed, Liebniz."
Thoss settles in the pilot's seat of the shuttle, fingers dancing over the control panel with the ease of familiarity. Once he has run through the pre-flight checklist he opens a channel,
"Valiant this is shuttle Liebniz reporting ready for departure. Open the hangar doors."
As the shuttle bay doors slowly swing open, revealing the vast space on the other side, he takes a moment to close the channel. "Well Doctor this is it. This is what you signed up for right? Conversing with aliens? Don't worry I am the...expert here." He chuckles nervously.
Reopening the channel he announces, "I am leaving the comm channel here as long as it is possible, presuming they do not jam the signal. Make sure the translator is receiving any communications from us. Initiating launch now. Liebniz out."
As he steers the shuttlecraft out into space he maneuvers it away from the Valiant and into a parking orbit near the location of the mining facility.
"I hope the translator doesn't mangle this too badly...Okay here goes," He mutters to himself as he switches on the shuttle broadcast array, "Residents of the Hive, this is Commander Thoss th'Chiaqis of the USS Valiant requesting permission to land. We wish to open negotiations with your representative concerning areas of mutual interest of ours."
As the shuttle approaches the planet and settles into orbit, one of the medium sized and four of the smallest creatures rise to meet you. They take array themselves in a formation in front of the shuttle, their skin swirling with patterns. Feeding the visuals into the computer, the universal translator does its best to make sense of the message.
"Queen Thoskiakis of Valiant, shed your outer shell and take to you to the planet we will."
Thoss is nonplussed at first by the translation...Did they refer to me as a female? before he responds to the message,
"This outer shell is necessary for our survival. We would need to land on the surface before we can shed our shell."
As he awaits the response he turns to Commander Bhalla, "You were transported inside one of them correct? Do you believe it is safe to rely upon them for transportation?"
The tentacles of the creatures writhe and glow, charging their energy blasts.
"This, Queen Thoskiakis of Valiant, cannot we your stingers our Queen take."
Kerensky is quite happy to let Garret take the lead on refining the communications systems and does his best to recall the names of the various tools to hand Garret.
As he awaits the response he turns to Commander Bhalla, "You were transported inside one of them correct? Do you believe it is safe to rely upon them for transportation?"
"I can't say it was the most pleasant experience that I've ever had." the doctor notes. "However, I underwent transport both through atmospheric conditions as well as the vacuum of space. And in both instances, I remained unharmed. 'Reliable' seems as good a word as any for it."
Thoss nods in response to the Doctor, his eyes glinting in amusement. "Well I believe we are about to test that theory again."
Opening a channel he announces, Very well Hive, we agree to your terms. Please transport us down to the surface at your discretion. We will await your arrival."
The Doctor and th'Chiaquis don environment suits and step through the exit.
The second time being swallowed by a space squid is no more pleasant than the first for Dr. Bhalla. It takes a matter of minutes for the squid to descend through the turbulent atmosphere. At least this time you aren't alone.
When the tentacled space creature everts its "honey bladder," you find yourselves in a massive cavern within the planet. A rough stone surface stretches beneath you, the ceiling nearly 150 feet above you. Myriad smaller passages branch out, while a large tunnel leads out toward the surface.
Within the cavern, drones are processing stone into a sort of concrete slurry, creating a 50 ft diameter cylindrical cell. Nearby, the largest of the creatures, the queen, seems to be waiting for something.