[snip]

As some time passed with Green and everyone left on the bridge, over by one of the axillary consoles, NE Charles spoke, “…Um, sir?” He said looking up not sure who was the ranking officer left on the bridge at the moment. “..proximity sensors for at the edge of the system here just picked up a warp pulse, probably a ship dropping from warp. solar radiation is causing some interference, but....ah there. I’m picking up 3 Long-Haul class Earth cargo freighters coming within range and to orbit here in the next 20 minutes. UES Baker, Barker, and Boo are their comm IDs. Registered to a Captain Samuel Baker, Henry Barker and Susanne Boo according to last fleet record updates..” he reported.

GM CockRoach

Serinde was down machining a part and Jackson, Kohl and Fry were finishing up some of the touch ups. The Captain and others were down in Sickbay, presumably anyway, getting checked out from the alien goo. Gagarin and Walters were down in decon and the crawler was still doing whatever it was doing in the ducts mapping and looking about for the lair of that beast. For the moment it was quiet on the bridge; he was the ranking officer by virtue of the fact that he simply hadn’t left there yet but was doing calibration tests on the panel to check what elements failed and which were still available after the creature wreaked such havoc with its claws.

The announcement came up and Green looked about. He was almost never on the receiving end of anything like this. Checking to see who was ‘ranking’ he was all the more surprised to note that he was it. “Is this hauler expected?” he asked as a blanket question to those on the bridge. He stood and moved to a comms panel. [o] Bridge to Captain. There is an Earth Class Cargo Freighter that just dropped out of warp and is entering the system on course for this world. ETA is 20 minutes. [c]

”..No, we were the only ship’s assigned to here for our survey mission, though Starfleet isnt on the best of terms with the Earth Cargo Haulers, so they likely wouldn’t have said anything unless pressured..” He said. “..Also its three ships not just one..” he clarified for Green.

“Three.” Green said, fingers tugging at his beard as he thought. This was the second unexpected thing that happened to him today. Alien creature first and now this. Cargo haulers. Swell. Momentarily the large engineer debated which of the two were more odious. Reggie was a navy man come from a navy family who had generations of inbred disdain for civilian ships. To his family they were a necessary evil. What were they doing here? And three of them? He had heard nothing of how the away team went on the planet. Something about energy bleeding from their core power unit and limited sensor scans, natives and big cats. That he overheard from Serinde while she talked to Jackson as they fixed the tactical console. This was not a coincidence and not with three of them.

He looked over at NE Charles. “Open a hail to them, Ensign.”

• NL Reggie Green

A moment later the comms NE spoke, “..Audio only sir. Cargo Captain Baker is replying for all three..” he said.

=/\= Greetings! We did not expect for one of your Fleeters to be out this way. Small galaxy huh?=/\= Baker’s voice said.

GM CockRoach

Must be Americans, Green thought, with that kind of ‘cowboy’ response. Frowning noticeably he replied, sending a quick glance to the lift in the hope of seeing the Captain. Not seeing him just yet, Green said, =^= Quite =^= His British accent was clear as was his more neutral response. =^= Lt Reginald Green, SS Sojourner, here on a survey mission. =^= He tried to put on a lighter air. =^= Captain Baker, what brings you to this .. neck of the woods? =^= Three of them? What would bring them here? Cargo Haulers went places where there would be a profit. This was a remote place. Three haulers. This was not simply a happenstance. He was convinced of that.

• Green

=/\= Well as you say its out of the way. Good for us haulers to regroup sometimes, swap supplies, maybe crew, stories, and well that planet you’re orbiting around as you probably noticed is a nice place to shack up for a night or three to relax in between trips when we’re in the area..=/\= He said. =/\= Havent uh…had too much trouble with the local wild life have you? Those mountain cats are particularly territorial during their mating season and birthing times. =/\= He said the tone slightly evident that he was trying though failing to conceal some other motive or information.

GM CockRoach