OOC: So maybe I missed it? Where did Glen ask about the comet? Also up top of this reply for the other stuff, the locals did give you permission to test things, like you asked. Maybe you missed that too?
OOC: I did have trouble with translation. I thought the native man had asked that he be allowed to ask us his own questions first, when what he really meant was for us to ask questions first. When I later realised my mistake then I did ask several questions all in the same post (see below). But you have also more recently warned us to to ask too many questions, and surely taking blood samples is a very invasive procedure that might even be constued as a physical attack upon a person? These people seem very jumpy, and there are a lot of them, but maybe I’m being too cautious. You don’t make an omelete without breaking eggs!

OOC: On 27th April I posted several questions that were mostly answered, but this part didn’t get an answer:

=/\= 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? =/\=
[snip]
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.

Hunter gave a small smile for those around him,not that he felt he wanted too but just for the sake of agreeing with what the Elders said.

‘’It does seem we are getting somewhere, there is a hint of trust ‘’ he told the Captain ‘’Any idea of how we should proceed? ‘’ .

“I’m still thinking… I’ve sown a few seeds of doubt in their minds, but that’s all,” Glen replied to Hunter. “They’ll need to grow a little more… a lot more! Or else I’ll need to sow a few more seeds! They didn’t answer my question about the comet yet. It may be that it hasn’t happened before… which would be concerning as it can’t be a coincidence that it just happens while we are here. What I really don’t get is their blind devotion to the Klingons as agents of Va. In Klingon mythology, the first Klingons, Kotor and Mrs. Kotor, killed the gods who had created them! The Klingons have neither gods or a heaven… Hmm! I’d ask them about Klingon anatomy, and why Va would have given his agents two urinary tracts and three lungs, and not made them in his own image, but they probably have no idea about the inside of a Klingon, even if they do look odd on the outside too! What about you? Do you have an idea on how to proceed? Don’t be shy. You aren’t usually!”

Shy? Hunter gazed at Glen in an odd way ‘’Well I did tell you what I would do did I not? ‘’ the doctor replied ‘’ Right know I feel like we are talking to a brick wall ‘’ he did wish he could seal the darn’s woman’s lips ‘’They are set in their believes about their Gods ,so why don’t we forget about it , Klingons or not .I don’t see how we can add them, they hunt, boil the water,are strong and have a roof over their heads ,while the mines are providing them with something valuable that they might trade ‘’ .

Hunter thought he picked some thing up ‘’ I’m not sure but did they say fertility is dwindling? Do they believe that those who are less stronger is the result of not pleasing their Gods ? And not once did they give a hint off knowing about the bacteria but then again I don’t think it matters much to them ‘’.

“The briefing said that the Klingons had rewarded those who worked hard and towed the line by giving them favourable treatment and status. Those who were weak did not and felt the brunt of harsher punishment. This has taken place over the past 25 years. It isn’t enough to for natural selection to have taken place on the natives, quite obviously, but I was thinking… could natural selection have taken place between the bacterial populations of different infected tribes?” Glen asked, mainly to himself.

Now Hunter looked further away from their central point ‘’They say that there are other tribes who have not cared about the Gods though to me it seems they are doing fairly well ,could the other inhabitants use farming and have domesticated animals ? ‘’the doctor scratched at his chin ‘’ Captain I don’t think these people need our help ,so why should we interfere in their way of life? Even us humans had gods in one form or another . The Klingons might have used them just as religion had used us , while through the ages there were Kings and Queens living and getting rich from exploiting the poor peasants for their personal gain. Who knows a hundred or more years from now all of what we are seeing now would change ‘’.

“And I agree with you,” Glen replied. “Our mission wasn’t to interfere but merely to make contact, and to dispell the idea that we are “Devils”. But 25 years indoctrination has meant that their society firmly believes everything the Klingons told them. And this society also firmly believes that the strongest rule by a divine hand, and through the agents of their Gods. Trying to tell them anything that goes against that will be counter-productive. We just have to live with it. There was no mission to begin trade, start education classes, or to clean up the environment. If they refuse help then we can’t force the issue. However, whatever the Klingons were mining, and it is most likely to be Dilithium Crystals, then I’m sure it is something we could also use. The biggest problem here is the poverty. Having something of value to trade would help them get there much quicker.”

‘’Check with the C.E Captain, he can verify a confirmed report if its Dilithium Crystals,maybe also more detailed information about the structure of those mines ‘’ Hunter suggested.

“It’s one of the reasons he’s gone to the mines,” the Captain replied. “But I’ve got more of a gut instinct. I’ve heard of Klingon planets like this, some of them Prison Planets, with poor and unhealthy conditions, and harsh punishments for failure to work hard. it is always Dilithium that is being mined there. But as I said, maybe this time it is Extra Strong Tribble Repellant instead.... Now as for further questions, I think we should keep them simple and ask minimal questions as the talkative man just said. We don’t want to annoy them and we can pick up a lot from just listening. As for these blood tests… I think we should probably leave off those for now too. I want to understand this bacteria as much as you do, so is there a non-invasive way you can test them?”

Hunter pondered on Glen’s question ‘’I have no desire to take any blood samples lest I have my head chopped off , beside we have samples of the bacteria in our labs should we need to study it further ‘’ and for the next question the doctor replied ‘’Captain I can only do that with a medical tricoder but is there really any need ? They seem healthy and strong, most more then us ! As for the woman saying the short Elder is because he did not care about Va,guess they have no idea about inherited genes ‘’.

There was more ‘’Captain you or the Cmdr ‘’ he could not quiet remember who ‘’ Made contact with the Klingon’s , have now left after getting what they came for, they also knew about the bacteria but it did not effect them in anyway . So what’s left is to prove to them that we came in peace,if we were the devils the Klingon’s made us up to be would we not have them slaves to work for us ?’’ .

At this point he realized the only way to help was to tell the inhabitants not to let anyone make them believe they are Gods so to serve them and whatever they have in the mines can be used for trade , business ,swapping or replacing one thing for another .

“It’s a difficult problem,” Glen mused. They’ve gone for the Klingon mantra of devilish “Fedoomers” hook, line and sinker, and any attempt we make to persuade them otherwise is likely to be an attack on Va, or at least some kind of blasphemy. They are inexorable, they’re very stubborn. However, the more time passes, and the more time that we don’t bring doom upon them, that can only serve to help our case. Now, I don’t know how much of my comm call to the XO you overheard, but this comet is concernng to me. Someone deliberately sent it towards this planet, and I don’t think the Klingons were lying when they said they’d had enough and were leaving. So, who sent it if not the Klingons? The natives didn’t answer my question, so I don’t think it is someone they see regularly. So, does that mean that they haven’t had contact with whoever sent it? So many questions! I’m think that maybe we get a few more answers here, wait for the CE to come back from the mines, and then leave in the Merri and go find the origin of the comet. We might find more answers there?”

’’ I have no problem with that !’’ exclaimed Hunter when Glen suggested they go back to the safety of their own ship ‘’As long as the comet is not of any danger to these stubborn inhabitants I cannot see how else we can help ‘’.

Sure there was the Cmdr who was making his life miserable ,the psychiatrist was also high on the list, then there was Cross where one would not have the slightest idea what she’ll do or come up with and last but not least Kate who had a crush on him, though the doctor was not the least bit interested.

He emitted a typical long and deep audible breath.

On hearing Hunter’s enormous sigh, “Another idea!” Glen said to Hunter. “Some of these people seem very stubborn, jumpy and they might see us taking blood samples as a very invasive procedure, and they might even see it as a physical attack upon a person, but others seem much more friendly towards us. If we can develop and coach that friendship just a little more, then maybe one or two might then agree to blood samples. You’ll only need a few.”.

The doctor looked at Glen as if he had started to sprout two antennas .

Glen looked to see where the smaller man had gotten to. He was the most friendly of them, and maybe he had more to say yet in reply to Glen’s questions if he rephrased them.

‘’Its a pity I did not bring with me my guitar ,I could have played a gig while you engaged in a dance and we wont be thought of as Fed-doomers but two men with a couple of loose screws ‘’ Hunter replied with all seriousness.

Glen couldn’t help but laugh out loud. Who aboard the Merrimack knew that Doctor Hunter was such a comedian? “Jokes aside,” Glen said, “I’m sure that the Klingons never brought these people a barbeque to eat, unless it was one of live worms. I’m sure they never danced or sung to them either, unless it was during some roudy, bawdy drinking session, and they were crude songs with filthy lyrics. I doubt they ever treated them as equals, but always with their signature prideful ruthlessness and brutality, with their authoritarian adminstration and feudalism. So no, Doctor, I won’t be asking you to pick up your guitar and jam to them today, but I do believe that the more that we can distance ourselves from the Klingon’s regime, then the more we can gain the trust of these people.”

The doctor nodded as he looked around him,there where plenty of stuff ,bits and pieces lying around to make a barbecue ,he had spent many weekends with his father camping ‘’Captain we could have a barbecue but and its a big but where is the meat?’‘.

“I meant the food that our XO brought down in the shuttle,” Glen said, “as well you know. I did laugh out loud at your joke about playing the guitar, but I’d stick to your day job!” Glen laughed again.

• Glen, CO