Joe had left the bridge immediately after talking to Glen. He had a lot of work to do and a short time to do it. He grabbed some off duty people. Two redshirts and a couple of engineers. His orders to them were simple. “No weapons and only happy faces. We’re going down to make a few friends. “

Then he set everyone to work loading a shuttle up. He had people streaming things in from three different decks and loading their cargo onto the shuttle. By the time it was loaded there was hardly room inside the shuttle for the passengers. One of the engineers fixed this by yanking out two seats and placing handholds on the walls. It didn’t meet safety standards, but it helped mission parameters. One of the engineers laughed as he got onto the shuttle as he said,” I think we may have overheated all of our replicators. It may be an hour or so before they work again!”

Only a few minutes later and Joe left the Merrimac piloting the shuttle downward in a long arc toward the planet below. In what seemed like only a few moments Joe was nearing the village from behind the crew of the Merrimac. He slowed down considerably and then flew over the natives in a slow stately manner letting them get a good look at him. After he had passed over both groups, he started to turn the shuttle slowly so that when they landed the door to the shuttle would open up facing the natives.

As he landed Joe exhaled slowly. It had been a while since he had piloted a shuttle, so he was for the moment just relieved to be here in one piece. “Here we go boys.” He said with a smile to his rapidly gathered crew. Joe then touched a switch on the control panel and the door to the shuttle started to open. As it began Joe flipped another switch that activated the exhaust fans. Joe leaned forward and saw out the door the collection of natives standing on the side of the hill. He waited a few moments to let smells of all the food hit them. For on the shuttle were loaded carts full of fried chicken, mashed potatoes, gravy, biscuits and mixed vegetables. Also, there were several different cakes. along with various appetizers. Cheese with pineapple on cocktail sticks as well as pigs in a blanket.

Joe looked at them and they at him for a minute before he threw caution to the wind as was more a portion of his personality than many of his superiors might want before he jumped down out of the shuttle and with a broad smile on his face waved enthusiastically before saying in a loud friendly voice. “Hello folks anyone hungry?”

Behind him his patched together crew was busy unloading all the carts with all the trays and everything from eating utensils to napkins. Joe then grabbed a chicken leg and began to eat it. He motioned for them to come over once again.

A hopeful Lt. Cmdr. Joe Milligan XO