Enter the Dragons

Posted on Wed Aug 3rd, 2011 @ 12:33pm by Captain qeraQ'

Mission: In Our Time of Need
Timeline: Arrival at Divitia Prime

The chirp of a comm badge wouldn't normally have been enough to wake qeraQ' from a deep sleep. Unfortunately his sleeps hadn't been deep since the Divitian's arrival on Starbase 900. Rising from the bunk he tapped the panel above him.

=^= Sir, we are approaching Divitia Prime. ETA is 15 minutes. =^=

"Understood, I will be there presently. Slow to Warp 3 and ask Mr Frost to add a bit of water to the mix."

=^= Aye Sir =^=

Rising and donning his duty uniform he took a moment to check the sash. The lack of an arm always made this more awkward, and made the uniform hang rather oddly. He had considered more than once having a prosthetic fitted. On Qo'noS there had been no option - prosthetics were for people who were ashamed of their battle scars. Anyone that badly injurred, however, would normally have been left to die or dispatched to a desk job. There wasn't much honour in a disability. Since returning to the Federation, however, he had been accepted for who he was and, despite some odd looks, no one had paid much attention to his odd number of limbs. Apart from the Doctors.

They all wanted to try some kind of new treatment. All wanted to test their latest gadgets on a Klingon. For some it was purely a scientific interest, but he suspected that some had seen a new opportunity... a market as a Ferengi would say. He had refused them all. It was a part of him now, and the physical loss of an arm seemed to be perfectly in balance with the emotional loss he felt. B'Tranna... she was never far from the surface of his mind...

This is no time for weakness......

Battle was about to be engaged, perhaps a bloodless one but there were questions without answers, and problems without solutions. Blood was not ruled out, but he hoped to avoid it. Tucking the arm of his uniform beneath his sash he turned and strode purposefully towards the bridge.

--- Bridge - USS Hammond ---

"Entering the Divitian System."

"Assume a standard orbit around Divitia Prime and instruct the Takei to keep station for the moment."

The planet loomed closer on the view screen, an M Class world from initial views but the readings suggested that things were starting to change quickly. In some areas the expected greenery had vanished and vast deserts appeared in their stead. Small patches survived, but he couldn't help but wonder for how long.

"Open a channel to the planet, priority one."

"Channel Open"

"Divitia Prime this is Commander qeraQ', in command of the Federation Starship Hammond." A few moments passed before an image appeared on the screen of an office built from some form of crystal or glass. The scene was impressive, built on by the look of the man seated behind a rich looking desk. Eyes surrounded him from numerous pictures all with differing styles, some of them looking incredibly old. A haggard looking man sat behind the desk, surrounded by emblems and flags. One of them - looking suspiciously like that of the Perenalthorias Union - hung as if someone had tried to pull it from the wall.

The man himself - at least qeraQ' assumed it was a man - looked tired. The dark blue skin seemed to sparkle and shimmer less than that of the Divitians that he had met on the station, but the eyes were just as black and bottomless.

"Commander. I am President Atanatar, leader of the Divitian people. I am pleased to meet you."

"President, on behalf of the United Federation of Planets I am honoured to meet with you also." He wasn't sure what he had expected, possibly a minister of some kind, the President was a surprise and he reminded himself to have a word with Kh'ali for not briefing him on Presidential Protocol. He would, however, check that it hadn't been part of the extensive briefing he had been given on departure. "We are here at the request of your Speaker to provide assistance. I have teams waiting to come to the surface to provide you with assistance and emergency supplies ready to transport at your convenience."

"I am glad you are here. After our previous encounters with the Excelsior I had expected no less, but it is still a relief." he looked away for a second, likely at an aide or advisor, "We are in need of medical supplies, food and water at this current time. Please coordinate this with the local disaster management offices."

"Lieutenant Commander Sakkath will be in touch with them shortly to arrange delivery. I also have a science team ready to help investigate the Ion Wavefront and it's impact on the planet, and engineering teams to help with infrastructure and repairs."

"The Engineering teams will be welcomed, much of our infrastructure has been damaged over the past weeks and many areas are suffering from lack of power." again the President looked away, shaking his head at someone to the side of the camera and frowning slightly. "Your science teams will.... also be welcomed... I would ask that they work with Minister Gettard, who has been leading the investigations to date. He will assign them to tasks as he sees fit."

The response was not quite what he had expected, and one he was sure would frustrate Leroy. The President had seemed enthusiastically greatful for supplies and engineering assistance but the offer of science assistance, one that he expected to be taken up eagerly, seemed to have felt like a raindrop in the ocean. Still... this was a Diplomatic Mission, and there was always Marcinko...

"I will have Commander Frost coordinate the engineering effort. If you can have all engineering requests sent through to him from the Local disaster management teams then he will prioritise them. Lieutenant Commander Leroy will contact Minister Gettard."

"Excellent, thank you Commander."

"Perhaps you would care to come onboard the Hammond for some Dinner and face to face discussions Mr President."

"That would be delightful. I will consider it in time as soon as things begin to calm down here, which I am sure they will do now that you have arrived."

"We will do our best, Sir." The President looked at qeraQ' deeply for a few minutes before nodding and terminating the connection. The Klingon breathed an imperceptible sigh of relief and then turned to the crew.

"Take us to a lower orbit. Inform Mr. Sakkath to begin operations and have the first transports loaded with the essentials. I want hourly updates from the surface and an initial assessment of the ground conditions within the hour. Get to work!"

---
Commander qeraQ'
Officer in Command
USS Hammond

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