[snip]

He then hit the communication portion of the station, =/\=Lt Mullins to Bridge. I have provided some additional power to sensors. I hope its enough to help out. Also, the probe’s should be ready to go. They can be launched at any point. Mullins out.=/\=

Lance had come to enjoy the arrival into a star system. He was lucky enough to be on the bridge for this one. There was just so much information he couldn’t help but take in. He did manage not to make an “Ohhhhhhhh” sound, although it was harder than it should be.

He heard the requests for scans, communication and such were definitely the remit of engineering but he knew some of the data would come through his terminal.

“Will update you on the results of some of the scans as we get them Captain.” Lance said waiting for the information to populate his screen.

“Thank you, Lt.,” replied the Captain. “Run any scan you see fit… no, just run any scan you can think of… and then some you haven’t! Something has changed here, and it could simply be a new colony leader who wants complete isolation, but if it is anything else, from hostile aliens to ion storms, then scan for it! Whatever problems we can eliminate will make finding the actual problem easier.”

With more power to sensors the resolution gains were a bit better to resolve from their current distance for short range scans. The reports soon came in. Geological scans showed nothing too unusual on Unity itself where the colony was, leastwise near the northern central continent area where the main colony settlement was and elsewhere where outlying cities were. Spectrum analysis for energy or anything unusual in the system or else on Unity itself came up empty as well. Biological scans for Unity showed life signs were confirmed both native plant and animal life, and were picking up roughly 700-800 some thousand human life signs scattered across the planet in the records that showed their city/larger town locations. However, their health and status etc could not be resolved cleanly beyond this. Stellar weather showed clear of any solar storms, or ion storms etc, and lastly no signs of alien technology was picked up. Communication’s analysis both in the system and on the planet of Unity though were the only oddity stand out was picking up the various automated drone and mining systems around the system sending pings for service, mineral pick ups, and the like, but based on the record logs no responses had come from Unity to them in almost 6-7 months of time. Conversely local communications within orbit of Unity by automated satellites or subspace links showed a backlog of almost that same time of unread messages pending to come in but only a handful from just before that time period waiting to go out. Presently beyond this there was no active comms traffic of any sort.

When the results had been analyzed Cross turned to the Glen ‘’It seems there is nothing alarming here Captain except their communication system ‘’ she heaved a sigh of relief........maybe a bit too soon to do so.

“I’m not sure about making that assumption,” Glen replied. “There are 600-700 people down there still, but we don’t know anything about their state of health, and they have made no communications in or out for the last 6-7 months. Even if some despot had taken over and banned outside communication, I’m sure that a few would still have escaped, and if it were a technical problem, then why didn’t it affect the automated mining drones. No… there is definitely something else going on here.”

‘’But Captain the Commodore had said the colony got divided and some left wanting nothing to do with the Federation, if so would it not make sense that they severed all communications ? What concerns me the most is that there may be those who are being forced to live under an authoritarian regime enforcing strict obedience ‘’ Cross replied.

Glen replied, “Let’s wait and see, but the severing of communications with the autonomous mining drones will lead them to run out of resources for building and industry, and they will no longer be able to trade off-world, tanking their already meagre economy. That may be an ideological policy that they aspire towards. Maybe they do want to take their community back to rural feudalism. If so, then we will not be interfering. Your concern is noted, but we will observe only, and then leave. We offer them the trinkets we have brought, but I doubt they will take anything more.”

‘’I suppose ‘’ Cross mumbled then in a more raised voice she went on ‘’Captain if a team shall go down there , they’ll go down in protective gear for I don’t want history repeating it self’‘.

“I’d rather not go down at all if we don’t need to,” Glen said, “I don’t see any scenario in which we are welcome there. However, we have our orders and I will carry them out as best as I am able.”

She started walking towards the lift ‘’I’m heading to sickbay Captain as you have no need for me here’’ then the CMO thought he must have given a sigh of relief and smiled inwardly.

=/\=Lt Mullins to Bridge. Did the increase of power help with the sensors? Also, the probes are ready and I have not seen them being sent out yet. Is there an issue with them/=/\= Max then continued to monitor the sensor power to verify it was continued to be what he increased it to and not cause any problems. While doing this, he waited to hear back from the bridge to report what they had seen with the additional power.

=/\= Not a problem Lt., the increased power to the sensors worked and we’ve just been analysing the readings that came back under that better resolution. =/\= Glen continued to fill Lt. Mullins in on the new results.

“Launch two probes please. One to make a low but concealed fly-past of the planet surface. The second to inspect the condition and activity of the autonomous mining drones, please,” Glen told Lt. Malone.

• Glen, CO

Cross CMO.