Settlement Survey

Posted on Tue Dec 23rd, 2025 @ 10:41am by Captain Daegan Baas & Lieutenant JG Aziz Yilmaz & Lieutenant Edruj Daughter of Thrawn & Lieutenant JG Christian Rogers & Lieutenant JG Jason Mallory & Ensign Willow Oakley & Petty Officer 2nd Class Hunter Kawolski
Edited on on Mon Dec 29th, 2025 @ 7:24pm

1,666 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: What was Lost is Found
Location: Planet's surface
Timeline: MD 6 - 1300

Jason looked around the settlement a bit more and then reached for the box with the pattern enhancers. Settling into his 'command voice'. "Alright, you heard the Captain. Break up into teams of two, fan out from here and let's do a full survey. Hard numbers people. Remember this is their home, we're here as guests and to offer up what we can to help. They tell you to back off, go way, etc, you do it. Someone stay behind and help me set up the pattern enhancers."

Rulis, one of the settlements 'fixers', watched as things unfold. Feeling like a third wheel but also excited as he watched the strangers work. As the devices were placed and the person did something and the top illuminated. "What are those?"

"They're called pattern enhancers. We use them to strengthen the signal used for transporters when there are environmental issues that stop them working, like the antimatter radiation in the atmosphere here. Like a beacon showing you the way in the dark. Have an interest in fixing things, or making things work?" Jason asked as he worked, and motioned to indicate that Rulis come close.

Rulis moved in closer at the invitation, kneeling to examine the device, but didn't touch anything. "I'm in charge of the group that fixes things around here. That radiation you mentioned has been a pain around here for a long time. We couldn't get a signal out strong enough to penetrate the interference. And neither of the surviving shuttles have been able to fly since the bombardment.

"If you and the council would like, we can assist with the shuttles. As for not getting a signal out, we can fix that easy enough with a comms relay. How much you all want us to help will determine what we can do. Feel free to ask whatever hits your curioisty. I'm also from a colonial background, so I can understand how this can hit all at once." Jason reassured Rulis and set the tone. Of course everything had to be approved by the CO, but given his statement, that should be easy within reason.

Standing and turning back to him. "Thank you very much. I'll put a wish list together but other than getting everything up and running I honestly don't know what to ask for and I wouldn't know a thing about your technology."


[Elsewhere]

Kawolski and Brooks wandered around the area, watching as the surviving descendants of the two ships gathered around as the squint teams worked to stabilize the transporters so they could be used. Kawolski's attention was fixed on one of them, one who seemed boldened to walk up closer to the Starfleet groups and the technology. In a way he understood their excitement. Much of what he's seen of the settlement so far reminded him, in a way, of his own home. They barely used the technology they brought with them hundreds of years ago and only reluctantly upgraded it every five decades or so. His people preferred to live off their own hard work and what they could work from the land - as God intended it to be. It was the underlying reason they left Earth all those centuries ago.

He gave Brooks a quick backhanded tap on the shoulder, nodding in the direction of Rulis. He hoped the survivors would contain themselves and act appropriately, but he had to be prepared for "exuberance". It didn't help that there was a history of the Defiled on this planet as well.

"Got it," Brooks said, but he kept looking around.

"Hey Kawolski, Brooks? As you two keep an eye on things, would you mind looking out for potential automated and manual defenses or locations for them?" Jason called out to the duo. Yes, he knew who they were, might as well use what resources they had to hand.

"Yes, sir," Brooks called back as he glanced at Kawolski. They were going to leave weaponry at the colony? That sounded...surprising.

"You want to find places to fortify?" a voice called from those gathered. Then the owner and another, who had enough of a family resemblance to be at the very least a cousin, moved toward the security officers. "We've seen a few places and our fathers used to talk to us about defensive positions."

Kawolski watched the two young men approaching. Neither appeared to be more than months into adulthood with the strong, lean bodies he often associated with farm labor from his own homeworld. But, he'd also been in service long enough to recognize the glint of new boots not yet a full week into basic. "You have a few ideas to share?" he asked, knowing he'd have to be cautious not to encourage them too much.

"Yeah," the cousin spoke. "Like Thibarl said, our dads often talk about it and we've seen where they said. We could show you, if you'd like?"

Kawolski shrugged. "Sure beats standing here watching pattern buffers being installed. As long as it's not going to get you two into danger...or worse...a telling off by your fathers for ignoring your chores."

The one that was introduced as Thibarl grinned. "Nah, everybody's takin the day off on account of you offworlder's arriving! We already finished the feeding and mucking, so we got the whole rest of the day to help out! 'Sides, it'd be like doin our chores if we helped out enough to bring back all the wonderful things we heard about from our grandparents and the like."

Kawolski looked again to Brooks, smiling as he once again shrugged. "Okay, let's talk about fortifications and defensive positions."


[Central Settlement]

"Q'Pla!" Edruj exclaimed as the upgraded communications array came online. She had worked on it for the better part of the day. While the radiation would still be a problem for now, that would all end once the relay came online. Before that could even happen the base system needed a major overhaul, and upgrade. "Soon you will be able to talk to any ship you see as they pass by." She said to one of the colonists that assisted her.

Rulis turned at thee shout. "What was that?"

"Hi there!" the chipper female voice of Willow Oakley said. "This is your friendly neighborhood starship testing the frequency. Or, should I say, Come with me and you'll be in a world of pure imagination..."

Jason shook his head at the whimsy and attempted to reassure Rulis. "Just the eager eccentricity of our Assistant Chief Engineer. Mostly harmless, and not contagious. Looks like we have comms up again. And the transporter is working with the pattern enhancers, so we can get to work on that list."

"Ops staff," Willow countered over the comms. "But close enough. And now...Valkyrie out." She'd let the chief engineer do her own talking.

Rulis chuckled at how easy and outgoing these people were. "Well with everything going right, my grandfather would have said we were batting a thousand. I think first priority would be power for the settlement. We have an old fusion reactor but it's been inoperable for some time."

Edruj walked over with a repair kit in hand. "Most likely a matter of parts. These old fusion reactors break parts constantly. If I can have a look we should be able to replicate what is needed." She said with a smile. Edruj was up to her elbows in repairs and problems and she could not have been happier.

Gesturing to the path leading up hill, "Right this way." As he led off he turned walking backwards. "What did you mean by replicate?"

"Replication. it means to use energy to take matter in one form and change it to another. We use the process to make things we need, sometimes want. Lot of food onboard a ship is replicated, as are basic parts." Jason responded to the query. Skirting technical details while not going into total layman.

Rulis stopped. "Wai..wait... You can take energy and create whatever you want?" He didn't wait for an answer. "Can we get some of those?"

Edruj did not see why not, in her mind it went along with the upgrades that they performed. However, she knew it was not her decision to make. "If you wish we can file a request with Captain Baas. In situations such as these there are a lot of regulations that govern the use and distribution of our technology. Replicators while exceptionally useful are also quite dangerous. However, if the Captain approves it then we can have them installed." Edruj chastised herself internally for even mentioning replicators.

The idea of all the new tech put a bit of an extra pep in his step as the neared the top of the hill. Pointing off to the right. "There she is..."

"Excellent..." Edruj said as she drew her tricorder. She began to scan the reactor and learned that there was a number of issues with it. But, the good news was that the control rods were still in tact and functional. "Well it seems that I was right. There are a number of parts that need to be replaced, the control rods are good. But, those will most likely need replacement in the near future. My recommendation would be a full replacement."

Rullis, while excited out getting to see some of their tech first hand he was also a bit intimidated. He had been taught about the reactor but had never worked with a functional one. "You'll teach us how to work and maintain it yes?"

"Yes of course we would. However, you are going to have to make sure that you do the work. It seems that the reactor you have has not been serviced in some time." Edruj had began to think that these people simply neglected their technology until it stopped working. Then they would hope that someone would come along to repair it or replace it for them.

 

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