From: Katie T (kayteese_at_gmail.com)
Date: Tue Sep 11 2007 - 05:41:06 PDT
=/\= "Nighttime Stroll" (Continued from Taylor's "87") =/\= Location: RESTIIN II Stardate: 2.70911.1328 Scene: Outside the compound The three Starfleet officers and the Federation scientist stood at the edge of the compound of native huts, with their backs to the small structures. Darkness was falling rapidly, and had already swallowed the different parties they head seen heading out earlier. "They left in three groups," Tam said thoughtfully, trying to recall as much of the scene as possible. "One group must be taking the colonel somewhere, while the others are hunting or something." Ginny carefully studied her tricorder. "There are two more villages similar to this one," she said, showing the results to Catherine. "The one to the south is about the same size as this one, the one to the east appears to be slightly larger." "Then that's where they are taking him," Darum decided. At Ginny's questioning look he shrugged. "This is a tribal society. Each small group has its own leader, but in matters of great importance he will defer to the next higher in the hierarchy, who will be something like the local warlord. They won't know that Maverick is an alien, but they'll probably think that he is a scout from a different tribe and that more of his kind will come along and attack." Catherine hoisted her pack up on her shoulder and, after one last look at the tricorder screen set out once more across the plains. "Well, they'll be right about that." Tam and Ginny exchanged a look and then followed the intel officer. Darum feebly tried to protest, but when no one paid him any attention, he quickly hurried to catch up. =/\= Scene: Plains Time Index: An hour later The had been marching in complete silence for an hour, Sterling-Jade at the front, Tam and LaGrande behind her and Darum bringing up the rear. It was completely dark now, with only very little light coming from the stars overhead. Two small moons hung low in the sky but neither provided much additional illumination. Tam jumped when Mikel Darum's voice sounded close to her ear, the scientist having caught up with the two ensigns at last. "That's my home, up there," he said, pointing to the smaller of the moons. "Well, temporary home at least. If we were to light a big fire, you could see it from up there. At night the planet is so dark that even the small village fires stand out as pinpricks of light." "Speaking of light, I think there's something up ahead." They all halted, and Catherine turned to Ginny, who had spoken. "Where?" The part-Caitian pointed ahead and slightly left. Her feline heritage gave her better night vision than her companions', and under these circumstance she was grateful for it. "Over there." "Another village?" Ginny squinted, then shook her head. "Too small. It's more like moving torches." A battle cry shattered the silence and was instantly echoed by a number of shouts. The party of four broke into a run, but by the time they reached the scene the fight was almost over. Two bodies lay on the ground next to a small mound and were being searched by three of the natives. Two others were still grappling with each other, but then one swung his heavy club around and landed a blow to the other's right temple, and the latter fell and moved no more. The victor looked up just in time to notice Catherine storming at him, but then her bare heel met his nose with a sickening crunch and he joined his victim on the ground. The other three natives tried to flee from these unexpected attackers, but Ginny stunned them with her phaser set at wide beam. "You shouldn't have done that," Catherine scolded the ensign. "What if they saw what hit them?" "They had their backs turned," Ginny defended her actions "And I didn't want them going for reinforcements." Meanwhile, Tam had turned over the unconscious bodies. "That one is dead," she pointed. "The rest are alive, but I can't find Maverick." Sterling-Jade swore under her breath. Had they been following the wrong trail all this time? At that moment a third moon rose in the sky, throwing a pale blue light over the plains and outlining the ground in sharp relief. Behind Ginny, Darum gasped and jumped. Turning as one, the three women instantly saw why. Right at the scientist's feet, a patch of ground was glowing faintly in the light of the new moon. By contrast, the dark outline of several pictographs shone clearly against the illuminated area. Darum fell to his knees and traced the symbols with trembling fingers. "They are Iconian," he whispered with awed conviction, leaving his companions dumbstruck. =/\= NRPG: Unfortunately I'm out of time at this point. ;) I will be away from tomorrow until Sunday. Looking forward to more posts after my return! =/\= Katie T. Ensign Eugenie LaGrande Chief Engineering Officer USS PATRIOT From HyperNews_at_youth.net
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