[snip]

“Still repeating the contact signal to the Structure every five minutes, while monitoring all frequencies for a reply, but still no response yet!”

Unknown to anyone, once Cross left the bridge she was fuming, it had nothing to do with Kahuna taking over but more less the way he did so.She had never set eyes on this crew member before let alone had displayed or engaging in any violence, combat, or aggression .

*Calm yourself Miriam * she thought ,after all her main objective was for everyone concerned to be safe, both on the ship and those down on the planet along with the inhabitants .

On the Bridge, the Comms Officer said, “I’m still repeating this contact signal to the structure, but I’m not sure they are ever going to answer.”

“Continue a little longer,” Kahuna told her. “It’s what Dr. Cross asked for. I don’t have the authority to leave orbit and take the ship there, so we will remain and monitor it from here. In any case, it would be wrong to leave the landing party on the planet. Cara, do we have any other science probes that we could send that would give us more detailed information?”

“Nothing like than is held in stock,” Cara replied. “The kind of bespoke probe that you are thinking of, would some take time to prepare. Then it would take another hour to reach the structure. However, I could get someone started on that if you want?”

“Yes,” said Kahuna, “In the absence of any other ideas, that’s probably the best we can do.”

Cara asked the Science department officers to prepare an encounter probe with more maneuverability than the first probe. She asked for it to be equipped with a full EM/subspace and chemistry pallet, and with enhanced long-range particle and field detectors, and radiation flux sub-probes, deployable for detecting energy phenomena.

The Comms officer finally after winding through all the frequency bands, finally it seems struck one on the highest end band that the Merrimack was able to both transmit and receive on. A series of three beeps came through then a pause and then one more beep. Finally a signal was transmitted from the station requesting both audio and visual link.

“On Screen!” Kahuna told the Communications Officer, but he was out of his depth. Making First Contact should be done by a much more senior officer, so he contacted the CMO =/\= Dr. Cross! Please! Your presence is required on the Bridge urgently! =/\=

On the main viewer the mammoth station with the probe nearby faded, then resolved into what seemed a white-grey toned background, with the smaller image of a dark green-grey toned many angled gem like face somewhat humanoid in shape with two eyes (square like in shape), ears (also slanted square like in shape), a nose (three square nostrils on a pyramid like slant), and a flexile angular rectangular shaped mouth. The eyes flitted over the viewer to peer at the screen, =/\= Greetings, I am VA station matrix 009-Communication node for non-VA contacts. You appear to be in orbit of VA Experimental Planet 19 version 1.2. After further analysis of your probe design near this station’s main complex it appears to be linked to your vessel by means of a subspace transceiver. Apologies for not answering your attempts at communications sooner, this matrix does not normally monitor such low band emissions since The Ascension. May this matrix request what you are are called and where you come from and if you speak as individuals or as a collective organism? =/\= It said.

Kahuna spoke up, nervously, and tried to reply to the VA station matrix 009-communications node, =/\= This is the USS Merrimack of the Federation of Planets. Greetings, VA station matrix 009-communications node. My name is Junior Officer Hercules Kahuna. I’m trying to get a more senior officer for you to speak with. =/\=

• Kahuna, Weapons