[snip]

Getting to the comm system and beacon arrays within a small sort of external control plant for the local system and planetary array. The place was to be frank over run with small rabbit sized animals, they were chewing both on plants, and from the looks of things half decayed smaller bird like creatures. Indicating they ate both animal and plants. Their teeth looked a bit sharp, and the tiny claws on the four stupped paws probably could do a bit of damage if they got up close. They also it seems at one point or another had chewed through wires leading to power packs or the colony recently hence the damage further from the packs exploding causing some minor damage.

The first order of business would be scaring off or killing or something the bunny predator animals, from there a survey of the damage exactly could be made.

Lina looked to the Engineer “Those look sharp” she primed her rifle “I think it’s a little rude to blow these things up don’t you” She lowered the energy output so as to make it louder and flashier but not explosive. She aimed just past the creatures away from any technology she could see “You know I could shoot a singular wing of a mockingbird with these lovelies” She said cheerfully as she gently squeezed the trigger and fired.

As one of the newly formed Federation’s phaser rifles shot out its energy the blue lined pulse struck a rock nearby. The rock hued deep blue, then golden in a second, far faster then it should have actually done! The shower of the rock exploding sent the animals fleeing into the woods, but a few shards even pelted the pair nearby and the nearer to it technological systems! New dents and sparks showed in places.

Perhaps after a check on the systems a check on just why that rock exploded so quickly for a few second pulse was in order, either Lina accidentally put it on too high a setting without realizing it or maybe something else was up with the rock to cause it.

Lina ducked as soon as she heard the explosion, grabbing the Engineer with her as she did. On the ground, she aimed her rifle at the area and after a moment she seemed satisfied that it was just the rock and nothing else. Slowly she stood up staring at the debris “Ok I’m fairly certain I did not do that” She looked at the rifle and then at the pellets at their feet “Did I do that? How did I do that” She double and triple checked the settings on her rifle “Either someone was messing with my rifle settings when I wasn’t looking or they have some pretty special rocks here” She paused and looked around the hill “Unless…” She squinted her eyes as she looked around “Huldufólk… Álfar” She muttered to herself.

Looking around Lina wouldnt see anything else out in the area, just some wisps of smoke from where the rock blew up. No other signs of a weapon fired had been seen or heard. And if she tried checking he security triorder the humming of its scans would show nothing but local wild life within a 200 yard raidus all either hiding or moving away fast from the loud sound before. So for all intents they were alone.

Perhaps an engineer’s tricorder might show something more in depth by analyzing the rock or something else in the area?

Rachel looked at her scanner, it took her a little while to read the new tricorder, she hadn’t quite gotten used to the more streamlined technology “Ok so there’s nothing here and my weapon isn’t set too high. Can you tell me what the hell just happened?” She asked Snow

“Well let me see? ” as he pulled out a tricorder and started to do a more in-depth scan of the items in the area and the area around them in general too. He focised on his readings he did not want miss anything.

Hunter’s scans of the area from an engineering perceptive showed that the minerals of the rocks had properties of chemicals that when heated quickly would cause an explosion. So in this case the phaser shot Rachel had just done had triggered the explosion of her own making.

Secondly scans of the comms showed as mentioned above the animals had chewed through the wiring. Replacing it would be the first order of business or at least splicing together the frayed ends. Before a more thorough check could be done of any deeper problems. There was also signs that the birds of the planet had nested and left their waste inside the open housings of the equipment, that too would need to get cleaned out and tidied up, a messy job but someone had to do it!

As Snow looked over the reading he gave his report to all. The minerals in the rocks, when struck with heat, can cause an explosive reaction when triggered.” Hunter said quickly. “The wiring was chewed on and caused a short. cleaning up the units from the birds mess. And resplicing the wires will bring back the machines online. A more indeapth scan of the equipment is necessary to make sure all is operational.”

Lina looked at the device then the Engineer and frowned “Yes well I’ll just stand here and… secure the perimeter” She said with a modicum of amusment.

Hunter did his final checks and switched the machine on as the unit powered up. “One down plenty to go. Shall we go to the next machine?” Hunter said with a dull smile noting lina was not to happy here at present. “whats wrong looking at lina a monet as he finished resowing his gear.

The comm and beacon array here began to fire up smoothly at first. Then a spark was seen near the top left corner vent and a smell of acrid burned chips was picked up and with a slow whir the machinery shut down again. Maybe there was something Hunter had overlooked that the general scans didnt pick up. He would need a boost up though to get to the vent up there to peer in to see what was up.

GM CockRoach