[snip]

The larger more combative woman tsked to the side also speaking her mind, =/\= Tch! Ask them why we should listen to their words. His agents who blessed us with knowledge of strength and combat we only till recent lives in our line held to the ground like a Unknown Word, perhaps a native animal would endanger us. What lines of words would they spin to convince they are right and Va’s agents are wrong? They have done well by those in our lines for many rotations of Va’s Life. =/\= She said.

=/\= But your blessings of strength and improved senses did not come from the Klingons, did they? You have always had them among your people from long before. We have had our scientists looking into this phenomena because two of my crew have now been blessed with these advantages. Why would Va give two of my crew this blessing if Va opposed us? And why would Va poison her own body like this? =/\=

There was a pause at this point. The larger woman replied, =/\= Va is not a she, Va is a HE,=/\= She stressed. =/\= but as for your own people being given Va’s blessings of strength and endurance as we are so blessed. Such wisdom of my years is beyond me for now. Such is for the Elders to answer..=/\= She said glancing to a trio of older men and two older women who sat in slightly finer leather and fibre clothing to their right away from the table. The five seemed interested in the talks but for now kept out of it letting the two faction leaders it seems take charge.

The smaller man paused but after a moment nodded in somewhat agreement, =/\= She is right, some do argue that our lines and life of what we did before Va’s agents arrived from the Heavens did hold our ways of defense too lightly. We held off on Va’s blessings to truly embody what we could do on Va’s body here..=/\= He said gesturing about. Then added, =/\= for better or worse, whether it poisoned the body or not. =/\= He added.

=/\= Weren’t your people always very strong and immune to disease? The Klingons simply found that your very strong miners made very good workers. Have you really done so well for so many recent rotations? Do you eat better than before the Klingons arrived? How good is the hunting in comparison? Does your food last the whole year around? Is your water cleaner? Is your air cleaner? Are your children healthier? Has your population grown? The Klingons did not care about your health as Va would have done. If you look around you with fresh eyes you will see that Va has only been damaged by their presence. I tell you with all honesty that they were not the agents of Va as they claimed! =/\=

The smaller man considered Glen’s words, =/\= We have always been blessed by Va. Sickness was and still is fairly rare, and our strength of muscle and endurance remains hearty before and now.=/\= He said but got interrupted by the larger woman.

=/\= His Agents showed us ways to improve our strength and skills! Showed us ways to dig deeper into Va’s body to maximize what we took and expanded our knowledge of Va’s body to give back. Our hunters do need to go further away but they return just as well to stock our meats and larders. Our water is darker then before but we manage just fine to make it lighter and do not bow to the weakness it can bring those of us who did not embrace Va’s Agents further wisdom.=/\= She stated glancing at the smaller man and a few others like him a moment.

The man then took back the control of the talks, =/\= Yet our air is worse..=/\= He said to the woman and to Glen, =/\= This is beyond the inability to doubt.=/\= He said four of the five nearby Elders nodded to this statement, =/\= While birth of new lineages has slowed some before His Agents came, we do not starve or want for much. Indeed our homes though of metal then of natural fibres like before are much stronger and hearty when storms come at any time.=/\= he said.

The woman then spoke tsking to the side, =/\= We grow still! Our hunting parties can expand now, the other tribes over the backbone of Va to the south shunned His Agents, and though we still live in peace and they were ignored by His Agents for being too weak. We remain strong. We can convert them with Va’s blessings in time, we simply need the Elder’s approval. =/\= She said glancing to the Elders where only one gave affirming nods, and one other gave only a hesitating nod, the other three did nothing.

=/\= I’d also like to ask you, what ‘Doom’ it was that the Klingons suggested we could bring upon you, that could possibly be any worse that what you suffer now? Do you still have your freedoms of climate and nature, and maintain them to find abundant nourishment? Did they behave like good guests, or were they brutal, and did they impose upon you new laws, and did they mistreat your females? And then ask yourselves this: is this really the way that the agents of benevolent Va would treat her loyal followers? =/\=

=/\= Va’s Agents spoke of the Fed Doomers who would descend from the sky, proclaim as you do now our peace and cooperation. They spoke of how you would strip Va’s religion from us, how you would in generations to come indoctrinate our younglings of your lies and immoral deeds and lack of honor and code of strength.=/\= The woman said. =/\= Personally I see nothing but truth in their claims so far from what you have so far said to us.=/\= She proclaimed crossing her arms about her chest.

The smaller man sighed a bit, shaking his head a bit, about to reply but Glen’s words broke in then.

=/\= We do not proclaim to be the agents of Va. We come here as mere mortals who only want to offer our help to improve your lives, and to put Va back onto her feet again. We believe in science. Science is simply a way to explore and explain the world and nature by testing and predictions. Science predicts that there will be a bright light in the sky later today that we call a comet. You should not worry about it. It will cause neither you nor Va any harm, and nor does it mean anything prophetic. However, it is not a natural occurrence. Some agency has sent it here to you. I wanted to ask if you have ever experienced this before, and if so, whether you thought this is the work of Va? =/\=

Lance was thinking and whispered to the captain and to hunter “bring doom down on them sounds like an orbital strike to me” he said

“No… the XO says it is totally innocuous,” Glen replied. “Mostly composed of ice, with some colourful minerals for a good firework display. But someone wants to continue to keep them frightened, and if that’s not not the Klingons, then we want to know who?”

Hunter stood silently listening to the ongoing conversation, the Captain was doing his best to convince them that they were there to help and yet the inhabitants where reluctant to believe them …he started to wonder if they were worth the effort and hassle , since they seem to be a dysfunction society hell bend on believing the Klingon’s.

Glen realised that most of his crew felt the same way that Hunter felt. He felt the same way himself. However, this was their mission and they had to, at least, try. The food had been a good idea to break the ice but it was beginning to run low so Glen indicated to one of the NEs left behind by Joe, to top it up again. He felt that while the natives were eating and filling their bellies with Federation food, they would be unlikely to turn against them.

=/\= No, we won’t claim to be messengers of Va, but we will treat your people with respect, and we will respect Va, and also help you any way in which we are able. We can teach you how to improve agricultural yields and productivity, how to make your mines safer and how to clean your water. Before we leave you, we will show you how to reverse those mental and physical health hardships, and the population decline you have sufferred under the Klingons. =/\=

By now Hunter was standing and seemed to be looking into the distance ‘’Say Captain,why don’t we scan for a cleaner place on this planet and try to convince the inhabitants to relocate them there? ‘’ the doctor asked ‘’ Cleaning here is going to be a mammoth task ,finding clean water and soil would be a far better option ‘’.

“We could do,” Glen replied quietly to Hunter. “I think they are here because of the proximity of the mine. I’m hoping that Lt. Mullin’s team will find that they mine something useful. Otherwise, their whole economy is going to crash without the Klingons to buy it from them. I’m hoping it will be vast deposits of Dillithium Crystals and not Maximum Strength Tribble Repellant!”

The doctor chuckled then thought for a moment before replying ‘’My dear Captain, the Klingon’s used them as slaves and slaves don’t get paid. I do wonder if the mines are any use to them since their Gods left.”

“It does seem like they were slaves, in the sense that a slave is someone who has to work very hard without proper remuneration or appreciation, but they were well fed, they had these buildings maintained, they own property themselves, and they have continued to work the mines since the Klingons left. I think it must have been more complicated than you imagine. Unless they just work the mines out of habit, but… wouldn’t you repair you house instead of working some redundant mine?”

‘’Probable ‘’ Hunter replied sitting down again ‘’It’s a good thing you are the Captain,diplomacy is not my best virtue .If I had my way I’ll consider rounding them up whether they like it or not and find a better ,sustainable place for their society to thrive ‘’ he stopped for a couple of seconds ‘’Once back on the ship I’ll sure - fire at those darn mines destroying them completely......they believe we are devils, then I have no problem acting like one ‘’.

“Okay, okay!” Glen replied. “I feel your pain, but try to keep your voice down, or they will hear you. I’m not a trained diplomat, but this is our mission, and I intend to try to achieve it. If I can, I’d like to leave them with a sustainable society and ecosystem. If they refuse to take advice or help, then so be it!”

• Glen, CO

Clearing his throat the smaller man took back the reigns of their talk, =/\= You speak of belief in science, this too Va’s Agents spoke of, they showed how such was woven with Va’s blessings. Only the Elders and their closest confidants understood such I believe.=/\= He said glancing to the fiver Elders, all five who gave simple firm nods, the two women and one of the men each raising ornate wooden and reinforced metal bound staffs and shaking it then rocking then in joint union to the left. Nodding back the small man continued, =/\= You spoke earlier about helping us, testing our bodies, our water and Va’s Body. A way to make our mining of Va’s body safer. If you wish to still do so you may proceed, the Elders have agreed as one mind to allow you to do so over the course of our talk. But I would advise you to heed the course of minimal speech keep things simpler for those you wish to approach or wish to approach you. You are under the protection of the Elder’s blessings but do not if you can avoid it push their patience. Do you have anything else you wish to say or ask of?=/\= The small man asked.

GM CockRoach