snip

Dagen nodded to Tom. Yeah, giant attacking rodents were important. ‘Sounds like a teenager’ Dagen thought to himself but didn’t voice. Maybe to Reia later .. seismic attacks. Dome that was a sphere to defend from all angles. He peered at the sphere, and a thought came to him. “Why would they bother .. attacking. That word suggests intent. That shield presupposes that you don’t leave food out for them.” By his tone he was inferring they were rather more than rudimentary. Rodents, at least most, would not go into areas where they would put themselves into danger without good reason. He glanced to Reia and Tom. There was more going on than for sure. The question was, was this in any way a danger or problem - Della sounded as if they were an inconvenience - so not a danger, but ethically this could be problematic. Sure these Volians could be just that, an overgrown rodent annoyed at being woken up early, or that of ethics whereby said Volians were more than they seemed and so crossing a line.
- Dagen, CE

Tom shrugged at Dagen’s statement.

“Predators and territorial herbivores and omnivores have been known often to attack things that they have thought were impinging upon their territory, threats to their young, or just because they’re hostile. Consider the vanzar beast of Tranky. They’re huge, entirely herbivorous and feed on large grasses but, if something they deem a threat comes anywhere near them, they immediately charge with the intent to crush it. What they decide is a threat is unknown as they have a tendency to attack almost anything that moves within a certain proximity of them. And when I say large, I mean something that could crush a small cargo transport.”

Tom looked around for a moment.

“Of course if these volumes are nothing more than an animal coming out of hibernation, the attacks might be in an effort to search for an immediate food source as they would probably be very hungry. To really know, we need more information.”

Dagen’s experience with critters was pretty small, or even with big critters. He tipped his head in acknowledgment to Tom, deferring to his greater knowledge. The guy was a walking encyclopedia! His typical largest worry with regard to animals was keeping the little ones from chewing on optical cable or relay connections. With essentially a career in space there wasn’t much room for running into animals.

Tom then looked pointedly at Della.

“I don’t suppose you have any files or documentation on these creatures that you can make immediately available to us would you?”

• Tom, IntSec

Tom and Dagen had basically covered everything Reia was thinking. She had a feeling that Della needed somebody who appeared to be on her side though. Perhaps that would help smooth things and get the information more quickly and with less of a fuss.

“This does seem like quite the little situation you have here. While I can understand you not including it in your briefing to us, or any shift that came before us, we really wish you had. I have only one question, how far back in your history do these attacks as you call them go?”

• Reia, CIO/Comms

Point noted there too. Some history would be useful and how did they come about to being so near to an installation? Still, it was better than say Gorn raining down fire from on high. Their fancy cloak wouldn’t be much good with them either, Dagen mused. These big moles would likely be operating from vibrations in the earth or smell or other senses rather than sight.
- Dagen

=/\=Gen..sis and …way teams, please return …palace .... let …drill proceed unencumber… our presence.=/\= Came through their comm badges. It was the Captain’s voice but highly static-filled. Luckily there was enough information to indicate what the Captain wanted.

Dagen listened intently to the message. It was broken up but seemed to be pretty clear. “Recalled to the palace,” he said, summing up the message.

Della let out a deep breath and signaled for a few of her people to approach. “I am sorry but communications between anyone other than our military and chief science officials have been terminated. You are safe,” she spoke as if they were small children scared by a storm. “I can have someone bring you the information you seek but it is of little matter. The Volians will attack the designated areas of the cities not under the shielding and when they are satiated they will retreat to the ground.”

“You mean to say that an order from the captain is to be ignored? It may have come from your superiors,” he cautioned, while inside being irked. He wasn’t afraid of these creatures - it was hard to be afraid of that which they knew so little of. Della was not concerned. More annoyed and inconvenienced and unconcerned. “How are areas designated? And what do they eat?” While the practical mind of his considered that they put out food for them where they could eat it and then go, he was concerned at there being an attack on what was not shielded of the cities. Why not move food elsewhere? Or protect the cities?

“You asked earlier about our history with them. It goes back to the ancient times. We are now in a symbiosis with them. They Harvest and then we are left alone for another year. It is the way of things.”

GM Kate

“You make it sound as though they are the dominant group on the planet,” he commented. While he knew there were forces of nature such as insect cycles and the like that ravaged whole areas and were let to do so, this seemed to be something that directly affected the populace. Symbiosis?
- Dagen, CE