[snip]

Around them the sounds of an awakening forest were also heard, birds began to chirp here and there or take flight, distant hoots of some kind of unseen owl showed a last minute hunting by the bird on some unknown prey. The fading howl of one of the somewhat dangerous noted wolf packs in the region baying a warning against trespassers to their turf. The effect all around seemed almost spooky, like they had stepped into some kind of cheap holographic horror play. From within the deep fog bank behind them the muted sound of clopping horse hooves and the rattling of several pairs of wagon wheels gave away that they were on a well traveled firm dirt road, and they would soon have company of some of the locals it seemed.

As the bright yellow haze of the transporter beam faded, Marcus Anders took in the clear air, and stood for a moment taking in his surroundings. Two options presented themselves in Anders’ mind; the scientist in him knew that it would be sensible to draw his tricorder and start making scans, but the soldier and Security officer inside him wanted to keep his Phaser up and in hand, just in case. The forest around the landing party sent a chill down Marcus’ spine, reminding him almost instantaneously of haunted houses back on Earth, “Eyes up people, let me know the minute you see something fishy.”

-Lieutenant Junior Grade Marcus Anders: Chief of Security-

David pulled out his tricorder and started scanning around them. He didn’t look up as he asked “Well Lieutenant, any idea where we should be heading off to? Towards the village maybe?” David wasn’t too keen on going into the woods, but it seemed the only option.

-Ensign Sweeney

“No time like the present lad,” Anders replied, gesturing for the away team to head in the direction of the village, “Make sure to only raise your phasers when necessary.”

-Lieutenant Junior Grade Marcus Anders: Chief of Security-

As the third team began to move out of the forest and more onto what seemed a dirty but well traveled road, the sounds of the approaching wagon soon became more evident. Coming behind them at a leisurely pace a very large, red-brown covered wagon, more like a small cabin on wheels actually came upon them with two more behind pulled by a team of four very large horse like creatures. Guiding each was a man in the seat, their garb unlike many of the other locals they had scanned and that they themselves were now disguised as, looked out of place. They were garbed in a mish mash of red-blue-silver like color tones. Rugged pants and shirts mainly with deep black working and traveling boots. They seemed simple folks but their dusty dark toned skin and deep set eyes as they each took in the landing party seemed to be a piercing quality to them. The three wagons pulled up short about 5 yards from the team.

The lead man on the large tall wagon, leaned forward a bit spitting some kind of chewy liquid out of his mouth to the side. “..Looks like we got travellers on the road this morning..” he commented mostly to himself. “..Rare to see folks like yourself out in these parts at this hour. Where you all hail from Giorgio?” he asked, his accent was a bit different from those they had heard from audio logs from scans of others in this region.

GM CockRoach