Where No One Has Gone Before, Pt. 08

End of “Where No One Has Gone Before, Pt. 07”

“Does our nudity offend you, Captain?” she asked, seemingly hurt.

“Not at all. But it can be a bit of a distraction. And I need my people to focus on our mutual problem,” I told her.

“I… understand, Captain,” she said. “You should know the senior scientist working the problem is a native Gingravik. Will that be a problem?”

“No, at least not to me. If it bothers anyone else, I’ll have Jim kick their ass. Good enough?” Mishita looked confused, then glanced at Jim, who barely contained his laughter. She finally got the joke and smiled as she nodded her head.

“Um, yes, Captain. That will be good enough,” she said.

“Good. Besides, it’s about time our people learned who you folks are and start getting them used to the idea that we’re not the only intelligent species in the universe.”

“I couldn’t agree more, Captain,” Mishita said.

“Then I’ll see you in the morning. Carry on!”

“Aye aye, sir,” Jim declared, tossing a sloppy salute. I smiled back and ended the connection. I pinged Marco, who immediately answered.

“Lt. Ruiz,” he said, looking into his communicator.

“Lieutenant, I need you to join us for the morning briefing, 0800 tomorrow,” I said.

“I’ll be there, sir,” he said.

“Good. Carry on, Lieutenant.” We ended the call, and I read more of the Gingravik report on the Darnok. As I saw it, there were only two ways they could be dealt with, and both were fraught with danger. After a couple of hours, I shut the pad down, then left the ready room. The second shift comm officer stopped me before I left the bridge.

“Sir, Admiral Simmons has scheduled a secure point-to-point conference with you at 0630 tomorrow morning,” she said. So, he’s seen my report, I thought.

“Very well, Lieutenant. Thank you.” The duty conn officer turned around as I spoke. “I’m calling it a day, Lieutenant. I’ll be in my quarters if you need anything.”

“Yes, sir,” Sandra said. I looked around and left the bridge, my mind filled with disturbing images from the Gingravik report. I tried to push them out of my mind, replacing the pictures with thoughts of my lovely naked bride…

Tonight, I would focus all my attention on Kyra. Tomorrow would be the start of a new series of challenges, I thought.

…

And now, “Where No One Has Gone Before, Pt. 08”

I walked onto the bridge at 0545 the following morning and was intercepted by the duty communications officer.

“Sir, Admiral Simmons has sent a secure video message, and he is preparing the secure comm now. There’s maybe a five to seven minute window,” the lieutenant said.

“Thank you, Lieutenant,” I said. “Pipe it on into my ready room, if you would, please.”

“Yes, sir,” the young lieutenant said. I went into my ready room, closed the hatch, and poured a cup of fresh hot coffee from the dispenser, choosing one of the caramel-flavored coffee pods. I savored the hot brew as I took my first morning sip. As I sat down, my wrist communicator pinged, and I looked and saw it was Jim.

“Good morning, Number One. I trust you had a restful night,” I joked.

“Very restful, sir,” Jim replied, and even through the small screen, I could see the blush. I imagine he must have some unique and detailed… insights… into the civilization which had sent the Tere into interstellar space. I would probably need to ask Kyra about tactful ways to inquire about that interaction, as it might set the tone for all future relations.

“I’m just calling to let you know we’re preparing to leave the Tere now, and should be on the Enterprise before long,” Jim added. “I need to shower and change into my flight suit before reporting to the bridge. And I could use some breakfast.”

“That would be a good idea, Number One. The omelets are exceptional this morning. As always,” I told him.

“Good. Maybe I’ll have one delivered to my quarters. By the way, Mishita and their head scientist, K’ew, are coming as well. They seem open to working with us, and they’re bringing one of their prototypes for the engineers to study.”

“So, it sounds like you had a fruitful visit over there,” I said. “Good. I look forward to seeing you. I have a secure comm coming in, so I’d better get to it. Thank you for checking in.”

“My pleasure, sir, and thank you for the liberty,” Jim said. We ended the comm, and I saw the notification on my desk computer that the secure link with Star Fleet Command was being initiated. I pressed my thumb to the identification plate so it could read my print and waited for the connection to clear.

“Good morning, Bill,” Alan said when the video cleared up.

“Good morning, Admiral.”

“I read your report, and I must say, it was quite… comprehensive,” Alan said.

“Thank you, sir.”

“Listen, Bill. I’d love to shoot the breeze with you over all this, but unfortunately, we don’t have much time, so I’ll get right to it. Senator Jacoby has been riding my ass ever since you entered the exclusion zone. He’s pressuring me to open that space up,” Alan said.

“Does he know it’s not safe for human travel?”

“I told him. I even showed him some of the pictures you sent with your report. But he’s adamant. He wants that area opened up immediately if not sooner.”

“Why?” I asked.

“He claims it’s vital for shipping and travel.”

“That doesn’t make any sense, Admiral. We’ve just started exploring this area of space. And the ships that have been here have already been affected.”

“I know, Bill. But it’s not my job to question the Senator’s motives, Captain. Privately, I agree with you. Bottom line — do you feel you can trust these Gingravik?”

“Yes, sir, I believe I can. So far, they’ve been very forthcoming with information. In fact, their commander and one of their top scientists are coming to the Enterprise to speak with my staff,” I said.

“Really? That is remarkable. What are your impressions of these people?”

“They’re not what one might think an extraterrestrial being might look like, that’s for sure. And I still have some pressing questions.” I had been wrestling with yesterday’s casual revelation that our fellow star travelers had taken 24 female human embryos from Earth and that human females were viewed as prime, prized mates for this alien species.

Granted, they were quite… civilized, highly advanced, and more progressive from my point of view. And they seemed to hold this Queen Tere — a human female mated to one of their own — in very high regard. Still, I had no idea how my crew might view all that or even what I thought about it.

“I can understand that. I’ve addressed some of those in the message I sent you earlier.” The video glitched for a moment, and I knew the window was about to close. So did Alan. “We’re about to lose our window, Captain. Do what you need to do. I’m giving you a lot of latitude in this. Solve this problem so I can open that sector back up, as soon as possible. Keep me informed.”

“Yes, sir,” I replied as the video glitched again.

“Admiral Simmons, out.” The feed cut, and I found myself staring at a blank monitor. What the hell did Jacoby mean by this area is vital for shipping? I sensed there was something neither Alan nor I were being told, but I probably wouldn’t get an answer out here. I warmed up my coffee and brought up Alan’s previous secure communication.

“Good morning, Bill,” Alan said in the video communication. “I just finished your latest report, and I must say I am just a bit overwhelmed. It goes without saying that the age-old question of whether or not we’re alone in the universe has been answered.

“Of course, I always suspected we might encounter an alien species at some point, but I never expected anything like this. It’s rather fortuitous that you were able to establish communication so quickly. I’m reminded of something I once read — ‘Beginnings are such delicate times.’

“I was particularly interested in the claim that 25 female human embryos were taken from Earth some 90 years ago. Based on what you reported, I believe that would have been about the time Russia invaded Ukraine back in 2022.

“There’s not a lot of information about that conflict, thanks to the Internet hack in the last century, but I did check the available archives. From what I could glean, the whole Russian Federation experienced a complete power outage shortly after the invasion that put the operation on hold. To this day, no one has ever been able to explain how that happened.

“The situation in Russia deteriorated rather quickly, from what I learned, and the president at the time, Vladimir Putin, was reported missing for a while, which prompted several threats. Not that they could do anything about it — they had no power, and nothing worked, not even gas-powered generators. People were literally pulling cars and buses with teams of horses if you can believe that.

“Eventually, the Russian people got tired of a government that couldn’t keep the lights on and removed Putin from power in a special election. He supposedly ended up in one of Russia’s worst prisons, where he eventually died.

“As you can imagine, there was a lot of speculation and more than one conspiracy theory about that whole incident. Some even suggested the power outage was caused by aliens if you can believe that. I can’t help but wonder if your Gingravik friends may know more about that whole incident. I’ve attached a document summarizing what we know of that period for your review.

“I’ve also reached out to the Defense Intelligence Agency, and I have an appointment with someone the day after tomorrow. Hopefully, I’ll learn something that might help unravel this mystery. And I’ll be meeting with the heads of Star Fleet Science and Engineering to see if we can come up with something you might be able to use against these Darnok.

“Senator Jacoby is hot to see this sector of space opened back up. I’ll hit you up with this when we talk. For some reason, he seems to think that once you got on-site, the situation would be under control,” Alan said. I listened for several minutes as he remarked on various aspects of my report. He finally wrapped it up.

“We have a lot of work ahead of us, Bill,” Alan said. “I’m impressed with how you’ve handled this situation so far. Keep me in the loop. When you get back, we’ll need to discuss our protocols and assignments going forward. Admiral Simmons, out.” The video ended, and I sat back, considering his words. A few minutes later, the chime on the hatch sounded off.

“Enter,” I stated, loud enough for whoever was on the other side to hear. The door slid back, and Jim entered the ready room, followed by Mishita and one of the Gingravik, which I assumed was K’ew, the scientist she told me about earlier. I was relieved to see Mishita was covered up more than she was the previous day, but her curvaceous form was still quite apparent.

“Good morning, Captain,” Jim said. “You know Commander Mishita, and this is K’ew, head scientist of the Tere.”

“Good morning, Commander,” I said. “A pleasure to meet you, Q.”

“That’s K’ew,” Mishita corrected.

“My apologies,” I said. “Would you care for something to drink? Coffee? Tea?”

“What is… coffee?” Mishita asked.

“It’s the Captain’s life support,” Jim said with a wry smile. “It’s hot, bitter, and guaranteed to keep you awake for hours.” I chuckled at that.

“I thought you liked my coffee, Number One,” I said, feigning outrage. “You drink enough of it,” I added as I poured him a cup from the dispenser. Jim smiled as he took the cup.

“I will sample some of your hot bitter liquid,” Mishita said boldly. I poured a cup and handed it to her.

“You’re a courageous woman, Mish,” Jim said jokingly to lighten the atmosphere.

“Careful. That’s quite hot,” I said, handing her the cup. She took a tentative sip and her brows furrowed.

“What is that flavor?” she asked.

“Caramel,” I said. “One of my favorites. Captain’s privilege, you know. Would you like some creamer?”

“Yes, I would,” she said. I poured enough to give the coffee some extra flavor and stirred it into the cup. She took another sip and nodded her head. “That is quite good. Thank you.”

“You’re welcome,” I said. “K’ew? Would you like something?”

“No,

thank you, Captain. I do not require liquid refreshment at the moment,” the Gingravik said through his speakers. Just then, Kyra, Marco, and the other section heads began entering the ready room. They took their seats and looked at each other as they wondered about the two alien visitors. As professionals, none said anything, waiting for formal introductions.

“Thank you for coming this morning,” I said. “Let me introduce our visitors. This is Senior Commander Mishita of the Gingravik cruiser Tere, and K’ew, head science officer.” I introduced each of my officers to our guests and started the briefing.

To their credit, they all listened quietly as I summarized what I knew so far. Mishita and K’ew only spoke when I asked for clarification. I could almost hear the mental gears turning when I finished.

“Do you have one of your prototypes with you?” Lt. Commander Chet Samuels, the head engineer, asked K’ew.

“Yes, I brought one with me,” the Gingravik said as Mishita opened a compartment on his cart. She pulled out what looked like a head covering with holes for the eyes, nose, and mouth and handed it to Chet. He scrutinized it before giving it to the officer next to him. I looked it over when it came to me and noticed an almost invisible mesh covering the mouth, nose, and eye holes.

“This looks like some kind of Faraday cage for the brain,” Chet told K’ew when I handed the prototype back to him.

“I am not familiar with that term,” the plant-scientist replied.

“It’s basically a shield — an enclosure used to block electromagnetic fields,” Chet explained. K’ew seemed to consider Chet’s words, then seemed to nod his penis-like appendages in approval.

“That is a good analogy,” K’ew said.

“Do you know the frequency of the Darnok brain waves?” Lt. Commander Hastings, the chief comm officer, asked.

“Frequency?” K’ew asked. He considered the term for a few moments before responding. “Ah, the cyclic rate of the transmission. Yes, we do,” K’ew said, shaking his leaves. “I do not know how to translate it into something you can understand, but it is roughly twice that of the humanoid brain.”

“That would be about 50 Hz, maximum,” Kyra said. “There must be a tremendous amount of power pushing it.”

“The power level is quite high,” K’ew agreed.

“If we put our heads together, I’m sure we can figure this out, Captain,” Chet said. Commander Hastings and Kyra agreed.

“How will combining craniums help?” K’ew asked, causing some to chuckle.

“That’s a figure of speech,” I explained. “It simply means if we work together, we can find a solution.”

“Ah, I understand now,” K’ew said. “As I’m sure you can ascertain, I am not equipped with a cranium the way you are.”

“The primary organ of the Gingravik central nervous system is at the base of their primary stalk,” Mashita explained.

“Which means their brains do not have the protection ours do,” chimed Lt. Commander Sheila Carson, the ship’s botanist.

“Very true,” K’ew agreed.

“So, what is the problem?” Chet asked.

“We do not have the ability to mass produce these in the field in the numbers required to get the Tere close enough to T-107,” K’ew said. Chet looked at the others, then at me, before speaking.

“Captain, we have a huge stock of silver-infused titanium at the base normally used for printing replacement parts. Once we have the specs, we could simply print these out using our 3D printers,” Chet said. The other engineers agreed, and I considered the options before deciding.

“Very well, Commander. Work with K’ew and his people, get the specifications and let’s print some of these things out — at least enough to test the system.”

“Yes, sir,” Chet said. One of the fundamental problems I saw right off dealt with terminology. It was clear we could speak the exact words. Still, some, like technical terms used by our engineers, were utterly different or had different meanings. Hell, even I knew the definition of “frequency,” and I’m not an engineer or comm specialist. But did K’ew understand the term? Even if he did, did he comprehend our time measurement, or did he use the same numerical system?

I understood that humans used base ten mathematics because we have ten fingers. Did the Gingravik use base twelve because of their — appendages? Or something else? I was confident my engineers were up to the challenge; I just had to keep them grounded and focused on the goal.

“Commander Mishita, I would like for our respective crews to work together on this. We’ll need to know everything you know about these Darnok. The first thing we need to do is learn enough of each other’s technology and metrics so we can operate on the same page.”

“Same… page?” my Gingravik counterpart asked, confused.

“We need to better understand each other’s language, terminology, and abilities,” Jim explained. “That way we can… interface more efficiently.”

“I think I understand what you’re getting at,” Mishita said. “And I agree, Captain. Perhaps a temporary exchange of personnel would be in order while K’ew and your engineers work together.”

“I think that’s a good idea, Commander,” I said. Turning to my officers, I added, “Select one mid-level member of your staff for temporary reassignment to the Tere. Have them report to the shuttle bay by mid-shift.”

“How long will this reassignment last?” Chet asked.

“I want at least three crew members from each section to have spent a full 24 hours on the Tere by the time we depart for the base,” I said. “Will that give you sufficient time to work things out?”

“I… think so, Captain,” Chet said.

“I think that will work for us as well,” Mishita said. “We will do the same.” She turned to K’ew, and I noticed the plant-being had wrapped a tendril around her head. I saw her nod a couple times, and the plant shook his leaves. I wasn’t sure what that was all about, but I surmised it was their form of communication. K’ew removed the tendril, and Mishita looked back at me.

“We agree, Captain,” she said. “And it is done.”

“Good,” I said. “Alright, you have your directions. Get to it. Senior Commander, I’d like to speak with you and K’ew after everyone else leaves, if you don’t mind. Number One, Kyra, please remain.”

“Of course, Captain,” she said. Jim and Kyra echoed Mishita’s acknowledgment, and the others left the ready room. The room now empty, I turned to Mishita.

“Commander, I have a couple questions that have been nagging me ever since last night,” I said. “I’m hoping you can provide some answers.”

“I’ll do my best, Captain. You understand that like you, we have our… secrets.”

“I understand and respect that, Commander. As long as your secrets do not jeopardize my ship or crew or mission, I have no interest in prying. I am sure there is much we can leave for later. From what I saw in the report you gave me yesterday, it appeared your ship was headed directly for that planet. I was just wondering what that ship of yours was doing so close to T-107.” Mishita and K’ew looked at each other for a moment before she turned back to me.

“The Klagg was not a standard cruiser, Captain,” she said. “It was a… resource collection and transportation vessel. It was sent to T-107 to collect a load of quadrillium.”

“Quadrillium?” I asked.

“Quadrillium is a highly efficient and clean source of power, Captain,” K’ew explained. “Its crystalline structure absorbs and stores radiant energy, such as emitted by most stars. Several systems in this region are known to have large deposits of the material.” Interesting, I thought. A germ of an idea began to form in my mind, but I kept it to myself, at least for now.

“Who else uses it?” I asked.

“There are several civilizations that rely on it for power. It can be replicated, but only imperfectly, so far. The natural substance is far more efficient, and quite superior,” K’ew said.

“So this ship, the Klagg, was basically a mining ship. And it was sent here, knowing the dangers it faced from the Darnok? That doesn’t make sense.”

“The vessel’s shields were adjusted,” K’ew said. “We… hoped that would have been sufficient, but apparently, we were wrong.”

“Why not just reason with the Darnok? Maybe if they understood your need for it or if they saw a reason to let your people in, they might not have attacked. Is there anything they might accept in trade?”

“One does not reason with a Darnok, Captain,” K’ew told me. Even through the speaker, the tone was somber. “One would be better off trying to reason with the hot liquid in your container. They operate strictly on instinct. They are driven by their relentless, ravenous hunger, and their libido, which is matched only by ours.”

“So they’re not an intelligent or organized species,” I theorized.

“Correct, Captain,” K’ew said.

“That still doesn’t make sense to me. If your command knew of the Darnok before the Klagg arrived, why didn’t they take additional precautions?” I asked.

“The Darnok exist only in the area immediately surrounding the border between light and dark,” K’ew said. I knew he was referring to the terminator. “The planet’s orbit is such that one side always faces the star, while the other side faces away. The quadrillium is located in select areas on the side facing the star, where it absorbs the star’s emissions. Away from the Darnok.”

“And who collects this material?” I asked. I was shocked to think they would send people to that part of the planet, knowing what they would be exposed to. The solar radiation would cook them in very short order, even with heavily-reinforced suits.

“The ship was equipped with remote collection vehicles, operated safely from above the planet’s surface, Captain. We are Gingravik. We are not barbarians. We would never knowingly expose anyone to that environment,” K’ew said testily.

“The Klagg would normally have approached the planet from the light

side, Captain,” Mishita said. “There is a small corridor that allows ships to approach without drawing the attention of the Darnok. The glare of the star is too… intense… for the Darnok, and the vessel would have remained hidden.”

“And any deviation from that corridor could have drawn their attention,” I mused out loud.

“Yes, Captain,” K’ew said. I had a sudden thought, and I didn’t like it. But I knew I needed to ask anyway.

“And this is something you’ve done many times before, correct?” I asked.

“Yes,” Mishita said. “Why do you ask?”

“Is it possible that ship was sabotaged?” I asked.

“I do not understand — what is sabotaged?” K’ew asked.

“Deliberately damaged, to make it crash,” I said. Mishita’s face turned white, and if the Gingravik next to her could turn a paler shade of green, he might have.

“Why would anyone do such a thing?” Mishita asked.

“Why, indeed?” I asked in return. “Do you have… I don’t know what you might call it… telemetry — signals or data from the Klagg before it crashed?”

“I believe I understand what you are asking,” Mishita said, reflecting on my question. “Yes, every ship has a device that records flight events. The information from that might still be available. I will look into that, and pass on what I can. Do you believe this was done on purpose?”

“I don’t know. It is only one possible explanation. But I intend to find out. My commanding officer has been pressured to open this sector of space back up for some reason. Maybe it’s connected to your crash. Maybe not.”

“Do you believe that a Gingravik may have… conspired with someone on your planet to make this happen?” K’ew asked.

“Anything is possible,” I said. K’ew shook his leaves, and I didn’t need to understand Gingravik to tell he was visibly upset.

“This is NOT the Gingravik way,” he snarled through his speakers.

Great, I thought sarcastically. Two days into first contact, and I’m already alienating the aliens. And we needed each other. “No offense was intended,” I responded, as mildly as possible. “It’s just my training to consider all possible alternatives as carefully as possible before acting.”

Well, I admitted to myself I was usually brash and headstrong and noted for unequal measures of action and thought, but putting our best foot forward seemed like a good idea. Firmly refusing to think about what my guests would make of the phrase ‘best foot forward,’ I added, “Any subterfuge could easily be on the human side.”

“I assure you, Captain, I will do everything in my power to help get to the bottom of this,” Mishita said. “I’ll contact my superiors and get that data.”

“Thank you, Commander,” I said. “There’s one other thing I’d like your assistance with.”

“What’s that?” Mishita asked.

“I was wondering if you could listen to the transmissions we intercepted?” I asked.

“Yes, we can do that,” my Gingravik counterpart said. I pulled up the audio from the transmissions and played it, and Mishita and K’ew listened intently before speaking.

“Is that from your people?” I asked.

“It sounds Gingravik,” Mishita said. “But it’s been… I think you would call it… encycled, perhaps?”

“You mean, encrypted?” I asked.

“Yes, that,” Mishita said. “Without the proper code, it would be impossible to understand what is being said.”

“Can you find out anything about these transmissions?”

“Yes, all long-distance communications are recorded and logged. I’ll make some inquiries and see what I can learn,” Mishita said.

“Thank you, Commander. I appreciate that,” I said.

“We’d better get back to the Tere, Captain. We have much to do. I hope to see you again, very soon, Jim,” Mishita said.

“And I, you, Mish,” Jim said. I looked at my executive officer and wondered how close he was to this Gingravik commander… the woman of his dreams. I had no reason to doubt his loyalty and no reason to treat the Gingravik as hostile. It was just a nagging concern.

They said their goodbyes and left the ready room with Yeoman Carmichael, who would escort them to the shuttle bay. After they left, I turned to my two most-trusted confidants.

“Well?” I asked.

“I know you’re probably tired of hearing this, Captain, but are you sure we’re doing the right thing with this… exchange?” Jim asked. He was right about one thing — I was tired of hearing that question. Still, I understood his intent, and he never asked in the presence of subordinates, which I respected.

“If we’re going to work with these people, Bill, we need to develop a level of trust. Plus, we need to learn how to communicate,” I said.

“But we both speak the same language,” Jim countered.

“We use a lot of the same words, Number One. But I don’t think I would quite call it communication. You saw the exchanges between K’ew and our engineers. We can learn from each other, but not until we can actually understand one another.”

“Of course, Captain,” Jim said.

“And Jim. You keep right on asking me if I’m sure I’m doing the right thing. Privately, of course. I find it keeps me on my toes,” I added, hoping to reassure him.

“Yes, sir,” Jim said with a slight smile. “I will. I do have one question.”

“What’s that?”

“Do you suspect sabotage or foul play?”

“I’m not ruling it out, Number One. Keep this under your hat, both of you,” I said, looking from Jim to Kyra. “Admiral Simmons told me that Senator Jacoby has been riding his ass about opening this sector of space back up. Claims it’s important for shipping traffic.”

“What?” Kyra asked, startled at the revelation. Even Jim looked taken aback.

“There’s no shipping going on here,” Jim added. “Hell, we’re just now starting to explore this part of space.”

“Exactly,” I said. “I did a little check into Jacoby. He’s got a lot of irons in a lot of fires, but he’s especially interested in renewable energy. Granted, it’s improved considerably in the last 90 years or so, but still has a long way to go. You heard what Mishita and K’ew said about this quadrillium.”

“You think Jacoby knows about this stuff?” Jim asked.

“I’m not ruling it out,” I said. “If he does, it could be a potential gold mine for him. Imagine, having crystals that practically suck up all the energy from the local sun. Now imagine having exclusive rights to something like that.”

“Holy crap,” Jim exclaimed with a whistle.

“Exactly. Now, we know there’s been a lot of communication between these Gingravik and Earth, but we don’t know who’s at either end of these communications. And we don’t know what’s being said in these transmissions. I’m hoping Mishita can help me get to the bottom of it,” I said.

“I’m sure she’ll come through, Captain,” Jim said.

“You seem awful certain of yourself, Number One,” I responded, shooting Jim a meaningful look. “What makes you say that?”

“It’s just… I feel like I’ve known her all my life, Bill. I can’t explain it,” Jim said.

“I think I can,” Kyra said wryly. “It’s called love. You love her, and you trust her.”

“Is that right, Jim?” I asked.

“Alright, I admit I’m a bit biased,” Jim said reluctantly, with a streak of embarrassment.

“Just don’t let that bias color your judgment, Number One,” I cautioned. “Let’s get to it. Jim, let me know when the first shift is ready to depart. I want to speak with them before they leave.”

“Yes, sir,” Jim said before leaving the ready room.

“What do you need me to do, sweetheart?” Kyra asked.

“Keep a close eye on the crew. Keep an even CLOSER eye on our guests. Learn what you can. Through all of human history, I don’t think that there has ever been a first contact between two different cultures which didn’t have some friction. Let me know if you see any potential problems develop,” I said.

“Of course,” she responded.

“Let’s do this, then,” I said. We kissed before leaving the ready room, and I took the central chair, checking on the ship’s status. Once I finished that, I fired off a report to Alan, letting him know what I was doing without mentioning my suspicions regarding the good Senator. A couple hours later, Jim reported back to me on the bridge.

“The first shift is gathering in the shuttle bay now, sir,” he said. “It’s going to take all three of our shuttles to transport them. Commander Mishita is preparing to launch three of her shuttles. She’s waiting for my signal.”

“Alright, Number One. Walk with me. Commander Travers, you have the conn,” I said.

“Yes, sir,” Elizabeth said. I got out of my chair and walked off the bridge, Jim at my side. I waited until we were out of earshot before saying anything.

“You seem to be getting on well with this Gingravik commander, Number One,” I said. “I haven’t seen you this happy in quite a while.”

“Yes, sir, I am,” Jim said. “It’s as if I’ve finally met my soul-mate.”

“You see this going anywhere?” I asked.

“Personally, Captain, I hope so. I think she feels the same way.”

“Just be careful, Jim,” I said. “We don’t know much about these people. And you just met her. Just because some of the Gingravik look perfectly human — or like perfect examples of humanity — doesn’t mean that they have the same expectations of an… intimate or long-term relationship.”

“Understood. Maybe I just met her, sir. But I feel as if I’ve known her all my life. It’s as if she’s been a part of me that I didn’t even know existed. But I promise I’ll be careful.”

“That’s all I ask, Jim. There are too many lives on the line — both here and on the Tere,” I said.

“Yes, sir, I know. And she does, too,” Jim said quietly. “The victims of the Darnok didn’t die easy deaths.” We ended our discussion when we reached the shuttle bay.

Walking in, we saw a group of crew members with overnight cases. Their shift leaders stood to one side as they welcomed the new arrivals. Jim formed the group into a loose formation and called them to attention.

“At ease,” I ordered. “I just wanted to say a few words before you left. First, you will be exposed to a whole new civilization. That means you will be dropped into a society with a completely different set of values and customs. Even their dress — or lack of it — will be completely different.

“There are three things I want you all to remember. One: you are guests on their ship and will conduct yourselves accordingly. You will follow their rules and listen to what they tell you. Second: you not only represent this ship but you will be seen as representatives of the entire human race to these people. Do not bring dishonor upon this ship. Third: you are there to learn as much as you can. Listen to them. This is their culture and ship; you’re there to learn from them as they will be learning from you. Remember — patience is a virtue, and do not jump to conclusions.

“Any questions?” I didn’t see any hands raised, so I turned to Jim. “Do you have anything to add, Number One?”

“Just this, sir. The Gingravik have a completely different outlook on life, love and relationships than we do. They are very open about their sexuality and do not have the same inhibitions we do. They think nothing of open nudity, and refer to that as their ‘natural state.’ You will also see some crewmembers with green tattoos, here,” he said, pointing to an area on his chest.

“Those are their mating marks. The Gingravik are fiercely monogamous and protective of their mates. Keep that in mind. Also, be very careful when approaching a native Gingravik — those are the ones who look like plants. Their leaves emit a dew that is destructive to your uniforms. As a rule, they will not reach out to you. They are not rude — rather the opposite. They simply do not wish to damage your clothing.

“That’s all I have, sir,” Jim concluded.

“Thank you, Number One. Alright, if there’s no questions, let’s board,” I said. One female crew member raised her hand. “Yes?”

“Sir, I just wanted to clarify something. Are we allowed to engage in… intimate relations with these people if they approach us?” I recognized the crew member as Petty Officer Rhonda Jenkins. I knew she had just finalized her divorce from a cheating husband before being assigned to Enterprise.

“Good question, and I’m glad you asked, Petty Officer Jenkins,” I said. “I expect you to use your best judgment in that area. Personally I would advise caution, since we do not understand all the subtleties of their culture. However, as far as I’m concerned, you are all adults, capable of accepting responsibility for your own actions. And whatever happens on the Tere can stay on the Tere, unless it is officially brought to my attention. Think of it as the modern version of ‘don’t ask, don’t tell.’ Does that answer your question?”

“Yes, sir,” she said. “Thank you.”

“Let’s roll,” I said. The crew members went to their shuttles and climbed aboard. I joined Jim and the section heads in the observation platform and watched as the bay depressurized and the large bay doors opened. Once clearance was granted, the three shuttles left the ship. Jim spoke into his wrist communicator.

“Tere, this is Enterprise. Our shuttles are on their way.”

“Understand, Enterprise. Our shuttles have just cleared the ship. Thank you, my love,” I heard Mishita say. I saw Jim give me a sheepish smile and a faint blush before he responded.

“You’re welcome, my queen,” Jim said as he took in my raised eyebrow.

“Queen?” I asked my first officer.

“It’s a… term of endearment… common among the Gingravik,” Jim said.

“Uh huh,” I responded, wondering what all the implications of that ‘term of endearment’ were in the Gingravik culture. The Tere’s shuttles entered the bay and landed. After the bay was pressurized, we went out to meet our visitors.

Mishita had sent the same number of crew members we sent to the Tere, and it seemed the number was evenly split between native Gingravik and humans. To my relief, the humanoids were clothed, but I could tell they were uncomfortable with being covered. I chuckled inside as I considered the old French saying, “c’est la vie” — such is life.

They gathered together as we approached, and I could tell they were a bit nervous, which was completely understandable. I noticed mating marks on one of the two human females and wondered if her mate was there.

My question was answered when one native Gingravik joined her, wrapping a tendril around her head. I don’t know what was exchanged between them, but I saw a smile on her face. Then I caught myself wondering how they consummated their relationship and quickly put it out of my mind.

“Welcome to the USS Enterprise,” I said. “I’m Captain Jones, commander of the Enterprise. These are the section heads you will be working with during your visit. I hope you will find everything here to your satisfaction, and I look forward to working with you. If there is anything you need, please feel free to ask. Again, welcome aboard.” The group broke up as the section chiefs escorted their visitors out of the bay.

The three Gingravik vessels left the shuttle bay after we left. I headed back to the bridge, and Jim went to Engineering to start his rounds. After reviewing the status reports from the ship’s various sections, I retired to my ready room to consider what tactics we might employ once the engineers did their job. I knew I would have to consult with my Gingravik counterpart, but I wasn’t sure how strong a tactician she was. One thing at a time, I thought.

The following day was a repeat of the first. Jim and I saw our crew members off, welcomed the new Gingravik arrivals, and bade farewell to the first batch. We welcomed our first batch back to the ship, and I was glad to see they all looked rested and well-cared for.

“Why don’t you debrief the crew members and report back to me, Number One? I need to go over the day’s status reports.”

“Yes, sir,” Jim said, ushering the crew members out of the shuttle bay. I returned to the bridge and browsed through the reports, paying particular attention to Chet’s daily summary. It seemed he and the Gingravik scientist had developed a rapport over the last day and a half and were making good progress. Jim returned a couple of hours later and asked to adjourn to my ready room.

“What is it, Number One?” I asked.

“I debriefed the first batch, and they all seemed to enjoy their time on the Tere. They also learned quite a bit.”

“Good. That’s what they were sent to do,” I said. “Anything I should know?”

“Um, yes, sir,” Jim said in a somewhat embarrassed tone. “Petty Officer Jenkins said she decided to, uh, go ‘native’ after she arrived.”

“Go native?”

“Yes, sir. She said she felt uncomfortable being the only clothed person in the section where she worked. So she, uh, removed her uniform. All of it,” Jim said.

“She got naked over there?” I was amused and remembered the old saw that went, ‘when in Rome, be a Roman Candle.’

“Yes, sir,” Jim replied. “She also spent the night with one of the unmated Gingravik males in her section. Said it was the most exhilarating sexual experience of her life.” Jim pulled her report and read from it. “According to her written report, she claims to have had three of the Gingravik’s, uhm, appendages, inside her at the same time. Between that, and the fact that he, and I quote, ‘recited Gingravik love poetry,’ unquote, directly into her mind at the same time, she felt…”

“I get the picture, Number One,” I said, holding a hand. That was just a bit more information than I really wanted to hear. “What did you tell her?”

“I expressed my desire that she refrain from ‘going native’ on THIS ship, sir,” Jim said with a smile. “I also informed her that none of the … details… of her time with the Gingravik male would be maintained in her file or made part of the official record.” I smiled at that.

“Good,” I said, relieved to hear that I wouldn’t have to repeat this to Alan. “I wondered how you managed to get so much information from her. Anyone else… indulge… over there?”

“Yes, sir. Two other crew members accepted the offer of a ‘designated companion’ for the night. Said it was the best experience of their lives. They wondered if we might consider something similar here.”

“It’ll be a frigid day in a very hot place before that happens, Number One,” I said. I remembered Kyra being ‘assigned’ to me for our first deep space mission. All command-level officers had a specifically selected partner to keep them on an even keel during the long voyage.

The crew assignments were also made with that consideration in mind. And every possible demographic was considered to avoid as far as possible the hookups and breakups that passion-driven, temporary relationships could result in. Those were the kinds of things that could play havoc with crew efficiency and morale.

I also reflected on my admonition to the exchange teams that they were responsible adults and expected them to behave as such. After a moment or two of mental wrestling, I resolved to talk it over with Kyra to get some more clarity. As commanding officer, I preferred to be out in front of potential problems rather than playing catch-up.

“Yes, sir. But I can relate to what they reported.”

“Hmmm,” I replied, reflecting on Jim’s ongoing relationship with Mishita — a double-edged sword if ever there was one.

“By the way, Commander Mishita said she would be contacting you later. She said she has information to share with us that you might find interesting.”

“Thank you. Speaking of which, would you like to travel with the next batch of exchangees?” Jim’s face broke out in a wide grin. “We are slated to be here for another day, after all.”

“I would enjoy that, sir. It might be nice if I could get a look at how they run things on their bridge.”

“Yes, it would. I’m also interested in determining her tactical abilities, Number One. We may have to slug it out with these Darnok, and I want to know how proficient she is in that area. And what kind of weaponry they mount. Nothing classified or sensitive; just a general idea of what they have so we can sych up our tactics.”

“I think I can do that, sir.”

“Good, Number One. I want you here when she contacts me.”

“Yes, sir,” Jim said. Just then, my communicator pinged.

“Captain, there’s an incoming communication from the Tere,” the duty comm officer reported.

“Thank you, pipe it into my ready room, please,” I said.

“Yes, sir,” the female lieutenant responded. Jim and I turned our attention to the large monitor as Mishita’s image appeared.

“Captain Jones and Commander Decker here, Commander. What can we do for you?” I asked.

“Pleasant day, Captain… Jim,” she responded with a smile. “I have spoken with my contact in the High Council. There have been a number of communications between the home world and your planet, Captain. Many of those were sanctioned by our government, and I am not at liberty to share the details of those communications. I’m sure you can understand.”

“Of course, Commander,” I said.

“The others, however, were not official communications. From what my contact learned, those were relayed through a Mr’rk vessel in this area of space,” Mishita added.

“Merc? Is that another species we should be aware of?” I asked.

“That’s Mr’rk, Captain,” Mishita corrected. “They are not a separate species. They are a group of what I believe you might call… profiters… and they are made up of rogue individuals from several different species.”

“You mean, profiteers. Pirates,” I said.

“I… believe so. My apologies,” she said.

“No problem, Commander. What more do you know about these communications?”

“We were not able to decipher them, however, we were able to determine the end-point of the communication. It is a place called Was…”

“Washington, DC,” I finished.

“Yes,” Mishita said. “I have a graphic representation of that end-point.” The following image was a satellite photo of the capital city, with a red “X” where the signal ended. I recognized it as one of the several office buildings used by members of Congress. I resisted the urge to curse but gave Jim a knowing look, which he returned.

“I have sent that graphic to you, Captain, in a separate message to do with as you see fit. Let me know if you have issues retrieving it. I have been informed that the Council will have someone reach out to your command about this issue,” Mishita added.

“Thank you, Commander,” I said. “I know my superiors will be very interested.” Or at least I hoped they would be interested. I knew Alan would be more than a little concerned, and I couldn’t vouch for anyone else.

“I realize that tomorrow is the last day of our exchange program, Captain,” Mishita said. “Given what we may face, I think we should exchange command-level officers to help us… gauge… each other’s tactical abilities.”

“Yes, Commander Decker and I were just discussing that, Commander, and I agree. Especially given this new piece of information. What did you have in mind?”

“I would like to see Commander Decker join me here for the day, with your permission, of course. In exchange, I will send Commander Ra’al,” Mishita said.

“I agree, Commander,” I said. “I’ll see to it that Commander Decker is on your shuttle first thing in the morning.”

“Thank you, Captain,” Mishita said. “I have also been authorized to share a piece of technology with you that you may find… useful.”

“Oh?” I asked, surprised at this turn of events.

“Yes,” Mishita said. “It is our shielding technology. I understand your Enterprise has no such device.”

“That is true, Commander. It is something we have never needed before,” I said.

“That may change with the Mr’rk involvement, Captain. I will see to it that engineers are sent in the morning to help integrate the shield into your systems,” Mishita said.

“Thank you, Commander.”

“I must be going now, Captain,” Mishita said. “And I look forward to seeing you in the morning, my prince. The thought of being in your presence again makes me… lubricate. I also have new… poetry… I wish to share with you. I think you will find it more… colorful… than what I shared before.”

“I look forward to that… my queen,” Jim said somewhat nervously. Mishita smiled before ending the call, and I looked at my first officer.

“Queen… Not even married yet, and you’re already pussy-whipped,” I joked. Jim chuckled at that. “Alright, better get to it. I need to put together a report for Admiral Simmons.”

“Yes, sir,” Jim said before leaving the ready room. I sat down and started my report with a fresh cup of coffee. My comm device pinged about 15 minutes later.

“Captain, there’s a secure point-to-point flash comm coming from Starbase One. Admiral Simmons.”

“Pipe it into my ready room,” I ordered.

“Yes, sir,” the comm lieutenant replied. My monitor lit up again, and I looked at Alan’s face. He seemed quite agitated.

“Captain Jones here, sir,” I stated.

“Good morning, Captain,” Alan said. “We don’t have much time, so I’ll get right to it. I’ve just been informed that I’m to meet with an Ambassador Tsod from the Gingravik Prefect of Earth. Do you know about that?”

“No sir, but I just got off the line with the Gingravik commander of the Tere. She sent me information about those transmissions you told me about. A lot of them are official comms between the Gingravik and this prefect of theirs. But several of them went to Washington, DC. I’ll forward you the image when I receive it.”

“Washington, DC, huh? Any idea where in DC?”

“Yes, sir. According to the image, it looks like a Congressional office building, but I don’t know exactly which office. I do know that this system, T-107, contains material called quadrillium that absorbs solar radiation and can be used as a reliable source of clean renewable energy.”

“Interesting,” Alan said. “What else?”

“According to my Gingravik counterpart, the transmission went through a relay of sorts, run by a group called the Mr’rk. Commander Mishita describes them as profiteers or pirates.”

“Terrific,” Alan said. “I gather you suspect Senator Jacoby of being involved with these… Mr’rk?”

“I don’t know what to think, sir,” I said. “It’s out of my area of expertise. But it does look rather suspicious. The Senator has ties to companies involved with clean alternative energy, and if this is all true, he could stand to make billions. Possibly trillions.”

“You’re right, Bill. It IS out of your area of expertise. But it does look suspicious. And Jacoby would stand to make a great deal of money, if, in fact, he’s involved with this. Our window is closing, Captain. Keep up the good work. Deal with these Darnok creatures as you see fit. I look forward to your next report. Admiral Simmons, out.”

“Yes, sir,” I responded, ending the transmission. The monitor went dark, and I sat back in my chair, wondering what we had gotten ourselves into. Moreover, I couldn’t shake the feeling that every single person on this ship was about to be put in even more danger than we had ever faced before.

…

To be continued…

Note: Parts of this story reference the seventh entry of my “Plant” series, here.