=/\= Chapter Five =/\=
Stardate 57771.99 (October 9, 2380. 13:10 Federation Standard Starship Time.)
USS Mjolnir
Terralysium System, Beta Quadrant
An hour later Callum was standing in transporter room one wearing a newly replicated outfit that had been designed to look like the locals’ thanks to visual scans. In one of his jacket pockets was a mark ten TR-590 tricorder, in the other was a Type-Two A phaser pistol. On the left side of his chest under the jacket was his combadge. Under the jacket at the small of his back in a hard sheath was an all black bowie knife style combat knife that had a silver Starfleet delta insignia on the blade by the cross guard of the hilt. The knife’s twenty centimeter long blade had a single edge sharpened to nano molecular sharpness and on the opposite edge was a saw back design was cut into the blade’s edge.
Looking at the away team that Damrus had assembled he saw Ensign Tara Burton and Lieutenant Jonathan Daniels from the ship’s science division, Lieutenant Washbourne, and Petty officer Raymond Sanno from security along with senior chief petty officer Thomas Kemper from engineering all standing in the transporter room each similarly dressed in clothing designed to look like the locals’ clothing.
“Alright people, Ahm nae sure how much you’ve been informed but we’re beaming down tae a planet with a pre-warp agrarian HUMAN culture on it tae see why there is what seems like a Federation power signature comin’ from their planet.” Callum said. Continuing on he said, “From what we can tell the humans down there seem tae have been here since aboot the mid twenty-first century. Under no circumstances are we tae let them know that we are from another world. Please ensure any advanced technology remains oot o’ sight as the prime directive applies. Any questions?”
When no one said anything Callum stepped up onto the transporter platform and stood on one of the pads as the rest of the away team stepped up onto the transporter platform and each took a spot on one of the transporter pads. Seconds later Callum’s view of the transporter room disappeared in a flurry silver sparkles and was replaced moments later by a sunlit clearing at the in the tree line were the landscape transitioned from heavily forested to lightly forested before transitioning again to cleared farmland. Looking around Callum saw that they were alone in the clearing. Pulling his Mark X TR-590 tricorder from one of the pockets of his jacket Callum opened it with a flip of his wrist. After a quick tricorder scan to confirm what his eyes told and to get a directional bearing to take them to the settlement.
Putting the tricorder back in the jacket pocket he had taken it out of Callum pointed ahead of them and said, “Alright, lets move oot. The power signature is comin’ from that direction.”
After fifteen minutes of walking the away team came to the edge of what looked like a farming village from Earth’s nineteenth century North America. Looking around Callum saw several buildings including what appeared to be a church that appeared to be the oldest building in the village. Reaching into his pocket that held the tricorder Callum looked around, not seeing anyone but the away team he pulled the tricorder out of the pocket and quickly flipped it open with another flick of his wrist and began a quick scan to narrow down the location of the Federation power signature. Closing the tricorder and putting it back in his jacket pocket Callum pointed to the church before he began speaking.
“The power signature seems tae be coming from the basement o’ the church.” Callum said.
As Callum finished speaking a grey haired woman wearing flowing red robes walked out of the church and seeing the away team started walking towards them. Opening her arms wide as she walked towards the away team the grey haired woman began speaking.
“Visitors! Its been a while since we’ve had visitors. Welcome to the town of New Eden. I am Kamala, the All-Mother of this village.” The grey haired woman said as she walked towards the away team and they towards her.
“Ahm Callum.” Callum said. Pointing to each member of the away team in turn he continued with the introductions, “This is Tara, Jonathan, Malcolm, Raymond an’ Thomas. We’re from north o’ here.”
“Ah! Its been a while since we’ve had visitors from the Northern Territories. You must be here to see the White Church. It is the oldest structure on Terralysium, after all. The Red Angel brought it here with the First Saved when it rescued them from the nuclear bombs during the Final War back on First Earth.” The All-Mother said.
“That’s why we’re here. We were in the area an’ couldn’t resist the opportunity tae see the White Church.” Callum said quickly picking up on the unintended opening the All-Mother provided.
“I was about to head to the well to get water to bring to the fields for the workers. Feel free to look around the church if you wish. When I return from the fields I can answer any questions you may have about the White Church and the First Saved.” The All-Mother said taking half a step back and turning to the side as she gestured to the church.
“We look forward tae it.” Callum said with a smile on his face.
“I’ll see you later.” The All-Mother said before walking off deeper into the village.
Gesturing to the village around them Callum continued on saying, “Ah doubt very much these people have developed the equivalent o’ Federation technology on their own.”
Once Callum and the rest of the away team entered the small church they immediately fanned out and began looking around for anything that could be giving off a Federation power signature. As he was looking around the altar Callum happened to glance at the stain glass windows of the church and was quite surprised by the diversity of faiths the stain glass showed. Looking at the bank of stain glass windows off to one side he saw images depicting how humans were brought to Terralysium at the height of Earth’s third world war by what appeared to be a red angel surrounded by pillars of fire.
“Ensign Burton, make sure ye get detailed visual scans o’ the stain glass windows. Mah gut is telling me that those windows tell the story o’ how these people’s ancestors got here an’ the founding o’ their religion.” Callum said calling out as he got back to looking for the power signature.
“Already on it, sir.” Ensign Burton replied as she scanned one of the stain glass windows, “A find like this could get me published in the Federation Anthropological Journal.”
With a slight chuckle and a half shake of his head Callum thought “A & A Officers… gotta love 'em.”
“Captain, I think I have something!” Senior Chief Petty Officer Kemper said interrupting Callum’s reverie and calling him over to one of the corners of the church.
Once he had walked over and was standing by the non-comm engineer Callum said, “So what dae ye have, Chief?”
Pointing to the door in front of them Kemper said, “Very likely the door to the basement, if this is anything like the church my parents made me go to back in Indiana. And I’d be willing to put credits on the source of the power signature being down there.”
“Well then, chief… by all means lead on.” Callum said. Turning to face the rest of the away team who was spread out throughout the church he said, “Ensign Burton, keep getting visual scans o’ any and everything ye can. Lieutenant Daniels, Crewman Burke you are with us. Crewman Sanno ye have guard duty up here, assist Ensign Burton as needed.”
Once Callum, Daniels, Malcolm and Kemper had descended the stairs to the basement they fanned out to look around the basement to see if they could find the source of the Federation power signature. Looking at the church’s electrical panel Callum saw that it had been opened up and a series of batteries that had likely been connected to it was sitting on the nearby work bench and in their place wired into the electrical panel was an adaptor with a fiber-optic cable that was connected to an old but clearly Federation designed power cell. Walking over he looked at the power cell and saw it bore the words, ‘USS DISCOVERY NCC – 1031’ on its identification plaque.
“Ah think ah’ve found the answer.” Callum said, “It looks like we’re nae the first Starfleet ship tae make it oot this far.”
“I’ve never heard of a USS DISCOVERY with that low a registry number.” Malcolm said once he had walked over and saw what Callum as looking at, “That low a registry number would mean it was one of the old Crossfield class ships, but I’ve never heard of there being a Crossfield class ship named Discovery.”
Pulling out a tricorder Kemper scanned the power cell then looked at Callum and said, “They appear to be using the power cell to power the this building. According to this even if they only use it to run the lights it’ll only last for another five years, at the most, and these people clearly have no way of recharging it.”
“Understood, chief.” Callum said. Reaching under his jacket and tapping his combadge Callum said, “MacLeod tae Mjolnir.”
A moment later Damrus's voice came from Callum’s combadge and said, “Mjolnir. Rel here. What can we do for you, Captain?”
“You can beam a long-term saurium-krellide power cell for portable subspace transmitters tae mah location and standby tae beam the away team back tae the ship” Callum replied.
“You want us to beam down a power cell, sir?” Damrus asked with the confusion clear in his voice.
“Ye heard the order, commander. MacLeod oot.” Callum said before tapping his combadge again to close the channel without waiting for Damrus’s reply.
“Sir?” Malcolm said questioning why Callum had ordered that another power cell be beamed down.
“Clearly someone from at least the Federation, and possibly from Starfleet, has already made at least limited contact with these people. Ahm nae going tae make contact again, however leaving another power cell – which they clearly know how tae use – does nae constitute making contact in my opinion and it keeps them from loosing the use o’ electricity when their current one is depleted.”
Moments later a small silver glow appeared on the floor in front of Callum and formed into the shape of a power cell for portable subspace transmitters. Once the light of the transporter effect disappeared Callum bent over and picked up the power cell and, and after standing up, placed it on the work bench next to the power cell from the starship Discovery.
Reaching under his jacket and tapping his combadge Callum said, “MacLeod tae Mjolnir.”
A moment later Damrus's voice once again came from Callum’s combadge and saying, “Mjolnir. Rel here.”
“Have the transporter room lock on tae us and beam us back to the ship. Once we’re back onboard have Lieutenant Nerah lay in a return course for the coordinates of the vortex and engage at warp nine.” Callum ordered.
“Aye, sir.” Damrus replied.
Moments later Callum felt the grip of the transporter’s annular confinement beam take a hold of him a moment before his vision was obscured by the silver sparkles of the transporter effect. Moments later as the sparkles disappeared the church’s basement was replaced by the view of the Mjolnir’s transporter room. As Callum stepped off of the transporter pad he nodded at ensign Jean Hajar who was standing at the transporter console in front of the transporter platform as he reached under his jacked and tapped his combadge.
“MacLeod tae the bridge.” Callum said after tapping the combadge.
A moment later Damrus's voice once again came from Callum’s combadge and saying, “Bridge here.”
“What’s our status? Commander?” Callum asked.
“We have broken orbit and are heading for the coordinates of the vortex at warp nine. We are due to arrive back there in twenty-eight hours.” Damrus said.
“Understood. Ahm going tae stop by my quarters tae change back into mah uniform. MacLeod oot.” Callum said before tapping his combadge to close the channel.
Turning and looking at the rest of the away team as they stepped off of the transporter platform Callum said, “Ye all can consider yourselves dismissed.”
