Yesterday's Echo

Posted on Sat Oct 10th, 2020 @ 7:25pm by Lieutenant Commander Nicholas Coleman & Lieutenant Alekela illm Meaho'ōla & Lieutenant JG Matthew Plumeri

3,109 words; about a 16 minute read

Mission: Episode 107 – Recovery
Location: The Planet Mendak
Timeline: MD2-Unknown Time

THE PLANET MENDAK – DEEP INSIDE THE TRIANGLE

The two Endeavor crew had been running for what seemed like hours. Always seemingly just far enough ahead to not get caught by the Tholian away team now hunting them. Tired, hunted and fearing for their lives, they had made their way back to the site where the Cardassians had first discovered the organic mold, ‘the sample’. Here, in the ancient lava tubes an ancient race of beings called the Sadai, the ancestors of the Tholian people, had made what was at the very least an outpost. A colony perhaps. And they had left behind evidence of who they were. With a complete sample, the rest of the organic puzzle might be able to be put together and answers to a million-year-old question may be possible.

If the Tholians don’t destroy the evidence by blowing up the Endeavor and killing everyone onboard. And…if they don’t kill the two Starfleet officers now being hunted down in the ruins. Someone was coming!

Matthew Plumeri crouched low and pressed himself into the corner of the wall here. His heartbeat, pounding loud in his ears and thumping in his chest may as well be a metronome for his location. He tried to breathe only through his nose. He could hear them. They were close. But what was it that prevented the Tholians from making an accurate reading? Their tri-corders were just as good as Starfleet’s technology. Matt’s tri-corder had been destroyed. Somehow, the Tholians had pin-pointed it and sent an overload on the carrier wave. It was either loose the tri-corder or have it explode in his hands. Now, on the run, he had to find the other crewman from Endeavor. Matt was really beginning to hate the Tholians.

Before they were separated, 10-12 kilometers away they detected signals that were Romulan. Maybe it was another down shuttle? Maybe it was their way off Mendak? They might find a communications terminal or they might find weapons – such were Plumeri’s thoughts as he waited for the Tholian search team to pass by. A single bead of sweat went down the back of his neck and followed his spine. Then, he heard something. Stopped breathing and listened.

The other crewman left behind, Ensign Larken from Biophysics, had run for what felt like several kilometers. The moment that Plumeri's tricorder had exploded, they both knew that they were in danger and had to get away. Splitting up seemed like the best option, but time was of the essence.

So, Larken darted before mentioning the plan to Plumeri. Larken was on the Academy track and cross country teams, so he knew how to pace himself to make it somewhere relatively safe. He ditched his own tricorder along the way, so that he couldn't be traced by the Tholian expedition party coming to find them. He was a Betazoid, so he knew that he could find Plumeri by sensing his thoughts and seeing where he was hiding. It would be a violation for the moment, but for the sake of saving both their lives, he was hoping that Plumeri would forgive him later.

After a running for about two or three kilometers, Larken took a moment to stop and cool down. Taking a moment to take in the scenery, he knew he would have to find shelter and knew that the Cardassian landing party would have left something behind that could have been useful. Noticing a cave system nearby with some man-made structures, Larken knew it was better now than never. So, he began the trek to get up to them, but heard noises coming from within the caves themselves.

Getting to a nice hiding spot, he began backing up and tried to sense where Plumeri, but before he could do that, he bumped into something living and screamed. However, as he turned around, he noticed that it was his superior officer.

"God, I'm so sorry Lieutenant. I'm sorry I left you back there, but I thought it was best for us to split up in that moment, in case one of us was caught. Please, forgive me, sir," Larken said, still trying to come down of the nerves and adrenaline.

With no change of underwear and no hope of a replicator handy to make a new pair - it was a good thing Matt didn't have a big breakfast this morning. "Larkin! Man - whew - oh!" Matt said as he took a deeper breath, "Good to see you. It was a good idea to split up. We can use your...where's your tri-corder?" Matt looked for Larkin's device.

Looking down at the ground, Larken felt bad for ditching his own device. He just didn't want to have it blow up while it was on his own belt as he was running, nor did he want to be tracked by the Tholians.

"I threw it out as we split up. Since the Tholians were able to track and blow up yours, I didn't want them to track me down. So, I ditched mine. But, assuming that they haven't done the same thing to mine as they did yours, it should be within a five kilometer range, sir," Larken said, not sure what to say, but knowing there had to be something done.

"Welp. OK. Probably a good idea. If they can trace mine it was only a matter of time before they got to yours." Matt looked around the cave they were in for additional passageways. "We may be here a while. We aren't going to survive unless we find some water and some weapons. This will be a little more difficult without our gear. It's our own fault though. Leaving the ship with no weapons? Away-teams 101 yeah?" He looked back at Larkin after making his survey, "At least we have harsh language as our last line of defense?" He was making a little joke to lessen the tension.

The young Betazoid was just scared and never had anything like this happen before. He was a scientist at heart and loved biophysics. "Yeah, I guess so sir. But, how are the Tholians not just beaming us out of here? If they were able to detect our tricorders, I'm sure they'd have a way to scan for lifeforms."

Matt said, "There is something about these caves that is shielding some of our life-signs. I'm pretty sure. If not that then why are the Tholians staying out of the caves? I suggest we keep exploring. Captain Coleman indicated that a Cardassian survey team was here and originally got the organic sample. Maybe they left some gear behind? Let's head towards the center of the complex ruins? I know that the Tholians may be waiting for us...but, until another option presents itself we have little choice. We need water, food...how you holding up? Bet you wish you had beamed up with the others ay?"

"Honestly, I'm wondering why I beamed down. But, I guess it was for the Federation and my family. They were caught on Betazed when the planet was taken over by the Dominion during the war. It was bad and I guess that's why I do what I do. But, we better get moving if we want to find the Cardassian's leftbehinds," Larken said as he slowly made his way around the caverns, looking for lost treasure almost.

A FEW HOURS LATER - AN OPENING - SKYLIGHTS

If it weren't for some luminous fungi, the passage through the ruins and lava tubes would have been near impossible. Up ahead, some light streamed through skylights where the rock had collapsed giving the lava tubes more light. Thirsty, tired and feeling hunted, Larken and Plumeri made their way forward.

"Look here. It looks like a backpack. Some lights, a few powercells? These must have been left behind by the Cardassians? They got further than we thought?", Matt said.

"Sir, I've found a few backpacks around here. It looks like there were at least four or five Cardassians on the team," Larken said as he came back from around a corner with a few more backpacks and gear.

They walked into a circular, wide area with four standing stones. Each one stood nearly two-meters tall. Barely visible, etched onto the surface were rune-like markings. In each of the standing stones there was a single gemstone. What appeared to be a gemstone at least. Matthew says, "It looks like the Cardassians got out of here in a hurry? See if there is any power left in the energy cells? They maybe were trying to power these gemstones?"

"Maybe we could use one or two of the powercells that were left behind by the Cardassians and save the others for the other devices," Larken said as he looked around at the various pieces left behind.

Matthew said, "Good idea Larken. Wait a second, look here!" On the stone, one of the runes looked like the chemical pattern, the "DNA" that they had previously seen in the organic sample. "I've seen this symbol before. Back on Endeavor. Damn...the Cardassians didn't happen to leave a tri-corder lying about did they?"

Larken looked around in the bags that were left behind by the Cardassians and he found something that looked like a rather crude Cardassian Tricorder. "Yeah, I think I've got something. Rather crude, but it'll work for what we need it to do," Larken said as he handed over the tricorder.

"Good. Leave it to the Cardassians to go cheap on the scanning tech ay?" Plumeri said as he opened, activated and calibrated what was a Cardassian field scanner. When he got it working, he scanned the standing stone in front of him. "What do you make of this? It looks like the center gem can be activated by harmonics? Sound. Look at this chamber. It's...I don't know. It's set apart from all the over cave ruins. It's got access points on the cardinal directions. It's almost a sacred looking place?"

The Cardassian frield tri-corder beeped. "The gem resonates at a frequency of 70 megahertz...and it amplifies the energy put into it inversely?"

"It looks like it might be activiating something. Is that a holographic display? What is that thing?" Larken asked, seeing what was on the screen of the Cardassian Tricorder.

AN HOUR OR SO LATER

At least twice, the two scientists had to hide from a Tholian patrol. How they weren't discovered was a miracle. Matt's grumbling, aching stomach should have given them away long ago. Both of the Starfleet scientists worked on piecing together what was left behind by a previous Cardassian survey team. While they worked, Matthew whispered in low tones a theory he had heard about harmonic energy. Sound waves at the right frequency to cause a resonance within an object. Or, to even activate an object. But, something like these standing stones and 100,000 years old?! It was a longshot.

Matt said quietly, "Here...I think we got it. We've put together a harmonic resonance amplifier. I think. If we're right, the correct frequency will either...activate or shatter the gemstones in each of these standing stones. I only recognize the symbol on this first stone here." Matt reached for the unit and found his hand shaking. His lips were parched from the dry, arid atmosphere and his kidneys were hurting. They were getting dehydrated. There wasn't much time left. He looked at Larken and said, "OK, well, this is it. Seventy megahertz is the resonating frequency. Either we activate something or we blow it up. 50/50 chance. When Coleman gets here, I want somebody to know what happened. So, I've set up the only working Cardassian field tri-corder to record what we're about to do."

"Lets hope it works. Maybe if it activates something, they'd be willing and able to help save us," Larken said, helping to make final preparations to the device.

Plumeri was so thirsty and hungry his voice cracked. "I'll tell you this much. If I die here? I'm going to haunt the hell out of this place that nobody will ever want to come back here. And if Coleman shows up after my ass is dead? Then I'll haunt him." He grinned cheekily, wearily. It was his way; humor to pass the very real possibility that no one would find them for a very long time. He handed the device to Larken, "You...." his throat burned with every word. His mouth filled with what felt like cotton. "Hurry..."

Larken took the device and with a simple press of a button, it activated something that he couldn't quite explain.

An image formed, three dimensional and just as solid as something from the holodeck. A series of odd clicks and what almost would sound like rocks rubbing and then it seemed to clear with a sound like if a crystal was vibrating.

"Greetings," came a word in Federation.

Larken stood there, motionless. He was amazed at what he was seeing. He wasn't sure what to say except, "Hello."

Matt was equally amazed. He looked at the image and tried to understand what he was seeing? "Who...or what are you?" he asked the Sadai.

The being made a couple more odd sounds and then in Federation, "I am the keep of knowledge of Sadai." It did not inquire as to whom they were or why. While holographic the crystal was only a certain size and who knows how much information it could contain.

Larken looked at the holographic representation of the keeper of the Ancient Sadai knowledge and he couldn't help but be curious. "Who are the Sadai?" asked Larken, not caring the he overrode the senior officer.

"We are the Elders, the...." again that phase and a series of clicks before resuming, "the progenitor to those you call Tholians. We hold the knowledge ancient."

"Why did you create the Tholians?" Larken asked, curious as to the biology of the Tholians and how they were created.

"Create? No, we did not create, we let them evolve. They like what you call the Horta and a few other entities are our descendants. We are all what you term silicone based and we thought to seed other worlds where we thought the conditions right. Unlike others thought, they have evolved to be able to travel through the stars but not like we did.

Matthew kept a wary eye on the entrances and checked that the makeshift tri-corder was working. The "Elders" was indeed a holographic projection. Amazing as it was for something so old. Plumeri was reading power fluctuations in the matrix, perhaps that was the clicks they heard? At any rate, the number of questions they had outnumbered the hours left. As Larken engaged the hologram, Matt came alongside the projecting stone. And when there was a break in the conversation he said to Larken, "It's a hologram alright. Very sophisticated considering its age. And amazing that it can understand our language."

"Perhaps they are like our medical holograms? They could have a universal translator in their matrix and it could have picked up our language, anaylzed it, and was able to converse with us in real time?" Larken said, letting Plumeri do the work and join in on the questioning.

Addressing himself to the Elder he said, "Sadai Elder, we are from a different time than you. Many years have passed since you were last...activated? Perhaps as long as one-hundred thousand years. These tools around us here are allowing us to energize your gemstones with a harmonic resonance; it is very crude and we have many questions. This planet, however, is not hospitable to our life forms and we need to leave soon. It is possible to download your matrix into another device or another gemstone that we can take with us?" Matt got to the point as best he knew how.

"Indeed," the entity replied. "I will put my essence into one of your devices." There was a momentary flicker on one of the PaDDs and then the image said, "It is limited but should give you enough." Then the image winked out.

"That was definitely....interesting and inspiring. Maybe, once we get back to the station, we can analyze the hologram a bit more and knock off more of the dust from its programming," Larken said as he saw the hologram vanish before his eyes.

No sooner had the hologram vanished then they saw lights and heard mechanical footsteps. The chirping and pinging sounds of Tholians was unmistakable. In his hands, Matt held the holo-matrix of one of the Elders, the Sadai, the distant ancestors of the Tholians. He had to think fast. The Tholians might destroy the entire complex just to rid themselves of any future problems. Keep the gemstone or hide it? It was just big enough to swallow. But his lips were cracked and bleeding from lack of water and the arid climate. He didn't have enough spittle. And there was no way he was going to shove it up the other end. There were few options. He stuffed the gemstone down his pants. "Hide!" he cracked his voice to Larken.

But it was no avail. The Tholians walked in and their lights shone on the two Starfleet officers. Grimey, dirty and parched as they were.

"Don't move!" the one Tholian said as the Tholian soldier trained their weapons on the two scientists. A laser-like light beam, in three points found their beating hearts and centered over them. To the Tholians, they were just "meat bags" and not even worthy of life.

"Take them!" came the order. And they were both grabbed and dragged away from the cave. As Matt looked behind him, he could the Tholian soldiers shooting at the standing stones, shooting everything they could find. If the gerry-rigged tricorder was still functioning then that would be the record of the destruction. He would not know. Matt recieved a blow to the head and he was knocked out.

Larken wasn't too far behind Plumeri, but was taken through another exit. He saw them destroy all the stones, but saw that the tricorder was still recording everything, and was safe. So, when he was knocked out, he had a smile on his face and thanked the heavens for some sort of thing to take back home.

[OFF:]

LTJG. Matthew Plumeri
ACSO/Historian
SB400

&

Ensign Friar Larken
Biophysics
Starbase 400

&

Lieutenant Alekela illm Meaho'ola
Medical Officer
Starbase 400

&

Lieutenant (J.G.) Janelle Sykes
Science Officer
Starbase 400

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