[snip]

Cara squeezed in through the door, sighing once again about the human-centric design of the Merrimack doorways and consoles. She sat and indicated that everyone else should. New information from the Bridge immediately popped up on her terminal concerning the meteor shower, the sickness, and colony wide quarantine of any traffic or comms in or out that was possibly a cover up for something else, and the feasibility of posing as a hermit group with a home out in the woods using fake ID’s. Cara would need to be careful about asking anything about the latter though; she had no idea where this man’s political loyalties would lie, and if this was actually going to be the Captain’s plan, then Michael’s hope to be quickly reunited with his family and mother in law might need to wait until after they had gone down. For all she knew, Michael could immediately give them up to the authorities and be totally on board with the cover up.

The male doctor peered over Cara’s shoulder at the information.

“Hello Michael,” Cara began. “My name is Cara Meow. I am the ship’s Xenoanthropologist and Sociologist. My passion is to discover new cultures and new civilisations. This is Doctor Hunter, who you already know. I believe that Commander Royal will join us shortly. We simply want to ask you a few questions so that we can determine what happened to the Unity colony. We know that the colony isn’t too happy with the Federation’s attitude towards religious separatist groups like your planet, and I want to assure you that this visit is purely a humanitarian one. The Federation today, embraces diversity and social justice, and value the equality of persons and the dignity of life. The ‘Outreach Programme’ that has sent us, is merely concerned with the sudden loss of communications traffic, and breakdown in mining and industrial activity, and whether this was a sign of some natural catastrophe to which we should lend a hand. Now that we have arrived, we have found reports of a meteor shower about the time of the breakdown but some questions over whether that explains what we have observed. Can you tell us in your own words what you know about this?”

Hunter stood back letting Cara do all the talking.

“We know that there was Comms traffic about a disease before it all went quiet and non-responsive, and yet everything appears normal now down on the planet, apart from the black-out of Media and Comms. Did you hear anything about that? Maybe your family mentioned something strange? What about myths, legends, local folklore, that kind of thing; heard anything before that might explain it?

Michael looked between both individuals, “..Disease? I don’t know anything about any disease? Was that related to the streaks of lights I saw before we lost contact with Unity and my brother and stranded me on that mining station for almost 8 months?” He said, seeming to consider, “..I guess if there was they might quarantine things? But why they would also cut off contact with the station when I lost contact and not try some communication seems odd?” he said.

”..As for folklore and such? Eh not much to say. We got a few wild bed time tales we tell naughty children about the boogie man and such, but nothing too different from when our ancestors left Earth back in 2220s or so? Really it was our folks not liking the path the Federation and Starfleet were taking that caused them to leave. You Feds and Fleeters getting too nosey and putting folks in danger so much, not to mention laws being in our ancestor’s minds too strict or controlling on resources and trade..” he said with a shrug. “..But only real thing that came along was a few historians were big fans of the old Atlantis myth in ancient Earth. Some of our sea side tourist places feed into that for attractions and all but its just for economics and such not any real belief I guess?” he added

Hunter closed his transmitter, pulling a chair next to the man and put a Padd and pen in front of him ‘’ Would you give us a layout of the place you lived in, a map of some sort and who reside where ? Every society has a member or members of authority whose responsibility ,service and role are for the sake of things running smoothly within that society ‘’ he’s voice was calm and tranquil .

Michael seemed to consider this request, “..Eh I guess that’s ok for me to divulge? Not like we don’t figure those who left Unity since we settled here didn’t give similar information to you Feds and Fleeters.” he said taking a PADD, “..Grew up in a mountain town along the northern continent in the State of Cones, town was New Console, maybe about 1900 or so folks living in and around the area, mostly folks did local timber work and mining. Plus some light industrial and commercial building. Mayor at the time was Victor Hensworth and his family, plus a City council of about 11 other members for the different social and what not needs. The State of Cones’ governor was Timothy Hayes, though elections were coming up 3 months ago so might have changed? State of Cones did mostly what my town did but on a larger scale among the 12 other major towns and cities in the State.” he said.

“Could you also tell us about those people in authority? Are they approachable and willing to listen to us, and let us fix whatever tech is broken, or will they treat us a imperialists with a hidden agenda, only come to take advantage of their current weakness, and try to kick us off the planet? And do the ordinary people find their leaders charismatic and popular, and will the ordinary people follow them without question, whether that would be to accept our help, or to come as an angry chanting mob?” Cara added.

• Cara, Lt.

”..Well the planetary council of Unity is made up of 39 councilors, with two Head Councilors being the head of each major party, and then Planetary President at the top. When my brother and I left President Abraham Washington was still in office from the Fartown Party, with the other major party being the Newton Party. But again elections were coming up about 3 months from now so things could have changed I guess?” he said with a shrug.

”..As for the council or folks on Unity welcoming you? I’d say they won’t do it with open arms overall, but they shouldn’t be hostile outright unless you give them reasons or insult them or something. I mean the reason our ancestors left Earth and the Federation was cause we didn’t like the Federations way of doing things or Starfleet’s way of getting into everyone’s business so quick with exploration and all. I guess if you were open and honest why you came here like you said with that Outreach Program not getting contact from folks who left they probably would be ok? I’m just a mining engineer though so I can’t say for sure. Whether they would accept any help I guess depends on a lot of things above my pay grade?” he explained. Rubbing his nose he said, “..I guess try it and find out? Not like we got a large scale military force, we got enough to probably drive this ship off but not without taking heavy losses or damages, and well pretty sure you folks don’t got the force of arms to do anything in like truly blockading or fully forcing your Federation will on us again. Plus that wasn’t the Feds or Fleeters, usual way doing things from what we got told..”

GM CockRoach