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Chapter Text

The Star Beagle Adventures                                                
Episode 5: All Good People
Scene 12: Eventualities

5.12
Eventualities

“Did Arthur complete his Eventualities form?” Commodore Yui Song had a somber expression.

“He selected Option 1,” Captain Skip Howard replied. “We bury him here. How are Lieutenant Pora and Crewman Grubman?”

Captain Howard, along with most of the U.S.S. Beagle’s leadership, were gathered in the Beagle’s executive conference room. Commodore Yui Song and Captain Rhonda Carter of the U.S.S. Escort were also present. All three ships were currently in orbit of Serrat Prime.

“Both suffered broken bones and concussions, as well as some acid burns where the tongue-fish contacted them,” said Dr. Tentis Uto. “Lucian has cleared them to return to duty, but they’re under observation for any lingering toxic shock.”

“How about the tongue-fish you tried to rescue?” Yui asked.

Dr. Uto sighed heavily. “I was able to save one of them. It may recover in a year, if it survives. The best I could do for the other was to treat its pain as it was dying.”

Commodore Yui cleared her throat. “Next order of business: I have not countermanded Dean Holland’s order to cease all space-bound investigations in this system since the fingernail incident. I think it was a good instinct, but, Sakura, I’d like to know more about your reasoning that led to that order and whether, in your opinion, we should continue the investigation at this time, or at all.”

“The Fingernail Incident,” Dean Sakura Nakamura Holland made an amused noise. “That sounds like a mystery holo-novel.”

“A mystery we haven’t solved yet,” opined Trader Pel.

“At the time, I thought it might be an attempt by a very foreign, telepathically endowed intelligence to communicate with us,” Sakura continued. “Then Tentis thought it was the mushrooms we ate…”

“It wasn’t,” Dr. Tentis Uto interjected. 

“Which means my initial instinct may have been correct. Which suggests that we are being observed by the people we are trying to observe,” Sakura concluded. “I figured it would be a good idea to back off and get our robots out of their cemeteries… mausoleums… We have been seeking them very aggressively. As to whether we should resume our investigations or leave, I don’t think we should do either.”

“So you suggest we do nothing?” Captain Rhonda Carter asked.

“We’re not doing nothing now,” Captain Howard responded. “We still have nearly 150 crew rotating down to the surface, partly for extended shore leave, but also to continue looking for evidence of silicone organics.”

“Yes,” Sakura agreed. “I think we can continue that investigation. It is far less aggressive. But we should also avoid any indication that we are intent on colonization. Whether or not the Fingernail Incident… I love that name… whether or not that was a telepathic first contact, it is very clear that all of the betazoids were contacted telepathically in the moments before the tongue-fish beached on Pichilemu.”

“I’m reasonably certain the Fingernail Incident was a first attempt to warn us that Lance Corporal Spitze and her fellow campers were in danger,” opined Captain Howard. “I didn’t notice it at the time and I should have… It was the eyeshadow…”

“What are you talking about, Skip?” Yui asked.

“British Racing Green. Everyone was wearing British Racing Green,” Howard said. “I never use that color. I use Bavarian Forest Green. It’s just a little darker and has some blue in it. And, as we all noted, I wasn’t wearing green at the time…”

Yui Song’s patience was being tested. “I’m waiting for the sequitur with baited breath, Skip…” 

“Lance Corporal Petra Spitze. She and I use the same glossy black on our nails, but she always wears British Racing Green eyeshadow,” Howard replied. “Someone was trying to draw our attention to her. Ten reported a horrible headache - all the betazoids did following the second telepathic contact. I think our alien friends were trying to communicate with us and when we failed to figure out the fingernail thing, they cranked up the volume.”

“So what is your recommendation?” Yui asked.

Dean Sakura Nakamura Holland exchanged glances with Captain Howard. She took a breath. “I think we should idle our probes into stable orbits, collect information from them in passive mode only, land and idle our robots at surface level, maintain our current posture, calm down, take a breath, and let them come to us.”

“And give Dr. Rush a proper burial,” added Skip Howard.

5.12