Interviewing the Locals

Posted on 10 Apr 2021 @ 1:01am by Captain Jonathan Reynolds & Lieutenant Commander Aidan Datari & Lieutenant Commander True Keading

Mission: Mission 5 - Season of the Witch?
Location: Natives village
Timeline: MD4
1955 words - 3.9 OF Standard Post Measure

ON

Natasha found it disturbing, the disappearance of the Captain as well as Ajhan. To her, that spelled possible danger. There was certainly more to this than what was being revealed. Ajhan had stated that she was possibly someone who was messing with those at the outpost and them being affected and acting like children. If that was so, how was she doing this? Maybe the locals had some answers. However, she will have to be careful in how she approached things. Perhaps she will start out with getting to know the people? Natasha was rather interested, and also wanted to gain more insight of those that were native to the planet.

Shouldering the backpack that Michael had provided, Natasha made her way to what could be the center of town. What would she find? A marketplace with stalls where people sold their goods? What sort of clothing and foods would they have? And even possible spices and maybe perfumes? Perhaps she can get into some haggling, and trade goods with them? Natasha wouldn't know until she started speaking to them.

The younger being had been watching the party with interest. Finally Eziria approached them. “Where is the chief?” She asked.

She knew there was no way they would be walking around with freedom in their camp. And they were not the same ones who had been on a very rare occasion granted this honour prior.

To the direction of the south of the camp she sensed sentries coming to the same conclusion. She reached up her arm in their direction silently ordering them to maintain their position for now.

"The Chief?" Natasha wondered if Eziria meant the Captain. "The Captain?" she queried. Looking at Aidan and True.

True didn't have an answer for her. It made her blood run cold but at the same time she reminded herself that as a starship Captain he was perfectly capable of taking care of himself. Even when she disappeared, though he had been worried, he had not panicked and let it get in the way of what needed to be done and she wouldn't either now that he had disappeared.

"Or perhaps the witch who took the captain?" the Trill suggested as he listened to the young woman speak. He was trying to get a feel for the language, a trait that was second nature to him.

"What is a witch?" the other female said confused at the aliens babbling. "I mean the chief. Our chief. What have you done to Ajhan?"

"We've not done anything with Ajhan. We just got back from speaking with her, she and our chief had gone somewhere, I do not know where." Natasha replied. "We are just trying to find out what is affecting people, and causing them to act like children. Do have any idea of why this is happening, and how long has this been going on?"

Eziria looked at her straight on. "You have all this technology your Federation and you cannot pinpoint it? It happens every 4th season."

"Every fourth season? Actually, there has not been much information where this is concerned. And apparently yes, we haven't traced the cause as to what is happening, perhaps not enough questions?"

The other woman not as angry as their chief at these people but bemused none the less softened. She called out to another person. "Sera fetch a sample of the Paidí empeiría for the Federation."

Although she would likely pay the price with Ajhan later. The other liked to have her fun making them fear them. Think them engaging in sorcery.

"Paidí empeiría sounds like some sort of plant. Or am I wrong on this?" Natasha commented.

"It does sound that way," True commented with a slight frown.

"It is. This world has many strange fauna. This is one of the oddest. When it blooms, only one season its spores cause some to believe they are youth again," she explained.

Sera had disappeared in a hut and came back holding a jar type device with a plant cutting inside it. She bowed and held it out to the newcomers. Then produced two more.

"And no one has ever found a way to counteract it?" True asked carefully. But her question was almost instantly answered.

"We found a salve mixed of these two Paidi hexanus and Paidi knocktiv applied to under their nose and inhaled for several days will reverse the effects. We can tell you how to obtain more specimens of these two," she informed them nodding at Sera to hand over the other two.

"Oh good, thank you very much." Natasha replied accepting the specimens from them. "I would definitely appreciate that." She looked at both Aidan and True then back to Eziria. "Is there something I can do to repay you for your help? Something in trade for this?" opening up the backpack to see if Eziria could see anything she was interested in.

Natasha could see some bars of chocolate, other items that some people may find of interest. Sewing needles, were included in there. What an odd assortment there, she thought to herself.

"Are those potions safe to use on Humans, or other aliens?" Aidan asked carefully, while turning his tricorder on one of the offered jars.

"One way or other we do need to do something to help out those that are affected." Natasha said, "Let's get this to C'Tora and see what he makes of this." she looked once more at Eziria, "Would you like something from here?" holding the backpack towards her.

The alien did look curious. She tentatively put her hand in and selected some chocolate. Tearing off the wrapping she smelled its suspiciously but then decided it smelt okay. She licked a small corner before looking pleasantly surprised. "Your market place has this. Thank you a rare treat. We rarely go there these days."

The Trill nodded in agreement. "But we still need to know it is safe. It may be safe for them to use, or perhaps a Vulcan or myself... but what if it is dangerous to Humans? Or Safe for Humans, but deadly for the rest of us?"

"You have as you call them ... a doctor?" Eziria said. "I cannot aid in this. I can only tell you what I know."

Natasha nodded, "Yes he is called a doctor. And here, you can have the rest of the chocolate, thank you for helping us out." smiling pleasantly to Eziria and handing her the rest.

True wasn't fooling around, and she wasn't about to be going back to the ship for days of testing something that she could use right now, if it would help find the Captain. She took the container and opened it, smearing a small spot under her nose. "There, it's tested. Might want to keep the tricorder on me just in case."

Eriria did a double take. So far this woman had said nothing. "But you do not seem inflicted. How can you check it works if you do not have the illness?"

"Outward appearances are deceiving. I can feel my mind slipping a little bit. It doesn't seem to be happening as fast as it did with the others. But just back there I nearly played a game of hopscotch. I don't normally do that." True assured her.

"Hop ... scotch," the alien tried out the word confused. "What is a hop that you would scotch it?"

True couldn't help it. A very childlike giggle escaped her lips. "It's a game. It's not important how it's played though."

Aidan turned his head sharply, casting the chief counselor a look of concern. "Does this affliction only affect females?" he asked as he flipped open his tricorder to take a few scans of the woman, "are any males affected by this that you know of?"

Natasha gasped, Captain Keading wasn't going to like this. "I had no clue." as she looked at True. "Okay we really need to get to where C'Tora is. Then she looked at Aidan. "I have observed that males also can come down with said malady. None of us are really immune to it." She turned to Eziria. "Thank you again, and we've got to catch up with our doctor."

"Your Captain is returning. You will meet him and our leader coming back up the hill," she said. Grabbing True she looked her over intensely.

"He has to find Methalina. You are closest to him I can see it. Make sure he does not give up and finds her. Its very important," she told her seriously.

True understood the sentence but also didn't. She gave a slight frown but turned in the direction to see John coming toward them accompanied. She resisted the urge to run toward them and only looked him up and down for any injuries or distress.

"Hey," he said a little out of puff again. "Well that was an interesting experience," he indicated all the dirt all over him now. "I was right, there's another species here. Tr ... Counselor are you alright?" he said looking her over. She sensed ... oh no."

Natasha looked over to Reynolds, "Glad you are back and, we just found out that True has been exposed. We're getting ready to join up with the others at the river." an expression of concern in her eyes.

"Exposed and testing a possible cure," Aidan added. "But what causes this. Exposure to what?"

"Testing a cure," Jon said looking True in the eyes. "Are you feeling okay?" She could sense his unease and concern at that information.

"I've been better." True answered him. "But hopefully the cure I've just tried will make a difference."

"It is the ... " Eziria did not know the translation. She reached for the plant specimen again and then blew in her hand making motions of something floating away. "How its continues to exist."

Natasha watched the pantomime then exclaimed, "Spores or seeds like a dandelion!" she looked sharply at Reynolds. "Maybe spores? Dandelion fluff would be seen I would think."

"I concur," Jon said. A mental image was projected in his head of spores similar to an earth dandelion. He wondered who it had come from. Was it Ajhan or the ancient beings?

"We should head back to the colony. Get this potential cure to the doctor and get Counselor Keading checked out. Is everyone else feeling okay?" he asked.

"I'm doing well, I think, I've not really paid any attention." Natasha replied. "I've been trying to find out things and they have been very helpful" giving a nod of thanks to Eziria.

"I don't feel any different than before," Aidan reported, "and this cure...maybe we should pre-emptively take it just in case? Or will that have any undesired effects?"

"I'm not sure I'm comfortable with that Lieutenant," Jon said firmly. "Counselor Keading has already done so," they could tell he was not overly happy about this turn of events but it had happened now. "So lets get her and these plants ..." he looked at the other specimens they were holding .." To the good doctor. Thank you Ajhan, " he bowed slightly, "For your peoples help. I hope that future relations between our people can start to improve."

"I do hope that as well. You are lovely people and would like to learn more." Natasha added, then turned to Reynolds. " Guess, its time to meet up with the others."

Natasha was worried that she would catch what was happening with others, and also her thoughts went towards Ron Bumble, how was he doing?

OFF:

Captain Jonathan Reynolds
CO USS Andromeda

Lieutenant True Keading
Chief Counselor
USS Andromeda

Cmdr Natasha Blackthorn
Diplomatic Officer
USS Andromeda

Lieutenant Aidan Datari
Chief Science Officer