[snip]

At first Cross looked at Kahuna as if he had just sprouted two antennas while biting on her lower lip but it did not take her long for a grin to spread across her face ‘’ Don’t be alarmed if you see the COS dragging me to the bridge cell ‘’ she responded back.

Taking the Padd she had just sighed from Faith ‘’ I’ll save you the trouble of taking this to the Captain’’ and with that the female doctor excited the bridge.

Kahuna also allowed himself a small smile. Doctor Cross didn’t appear to like him very much, but he hoped he could change that given time, and maybe this was a small beginning.

Faith decided she would keep away from the Conference Room for the moment.

“Okay!” Kahuna announced as he sat down in the Captain’s Chair, “Reports please! Communications, Navigation, Science! Where are we and how are we doing?”

“The Merrimack remains in a stable orbit of the EP19,” replied Pokorski. “All systems are operating under normal parameters.”

Cara reported, “I’m detecting lifeforms, both on EP19’s surface and underground, so they haven’t been exterminated yet! Shields at maximum. Weapons standing by. We have Impulse and Warp power. Life Support is at optimum levels. All other operating systems within normal parameters… Oh! Sorry, Sir! He said that already…!!”

• Cara Meow

Also showing up on screen after a while and on scans was the large comet that had originally drawn their attention coming to the planet. As planned on its flight path the comet came within about 500km of the planet’s atmosphere a few chunks of it breaking up and burning up quickly from the planet’s gravitational pull. The flecks that broke off, and the large cometary dust cloud also were pulled down shedding an invaluable amount of dust particles and minerals across the planet from east to west. No doubt on the planet it would look like a long streak appearing in the sky from the larger brighter presence of the comet. As they would recall the locals knew of its approach and had seen it, considering it to be a sign of some sort from their deity Va for good will and guidance. How that would play out was anyone’s guess, though nothing was stopping them if they wanted to drop a small surveillance probe to get close to the native areas to listen/observe their reactions if they wanted. In addition scans of the dust and minerals and ice particles showed they were rich in many different types of common ore as well as H20 and such that would get cycled into the planet’s atmosphere and biome.

The comet’s passing took all in all about 30 minutes and soon was on another course from the planet’s shift that would eventually see it burn up in another 5 or so hours nearing the center of the system’s solar body.

GM CockRoach