further discoveries

Posted on Fri Sep 1st, 2023 @ 1:15am by Lieutenant Julius Mack

Mission: Albion, on Ice!
Location: ice show venue

OFF:


Sprague and Key: ::look at each other and shrug their shoulders::

Gage: ::still flipping through a booklet:: "I think you guys got off script."

***you ain't seen nothin' yet, ladies and germs***


ON::


::a strange clunking-sound at the edge of the ice, among a burgeoning pile of tribbles, makes Mack spin around and draw his weapon::

Sprague:: (noting Mack's behavior) "what is it, mister mack?" ::

(Key and Sprague look at one another blankly while Mack approaches the pile, weapon at ready. with the other hand,
Mack cautiously deploys his tricorder and waves it around.
Presently he appears to relax, stands up and holsters his weapon.
Then briefly rummages in the pile with his free hand and nudges some tribbles out of the way.
Then kicks a rather larger tribble out of the pile. )

Mack::(to Sprague) "No obvious human life-signs, but traces that do not actually appear to be purely tribble."
(Balances on one foot, shoves the suspect super-tribble, which slides for a meter or two across the ice,
stops and rolls slightly before coming to rest. Mack studies the tricorder display for a few awkward silent
moments, holding an increasingly confused expression and occasionally shaking his head slightly in disbelief)

Sprague::(getting impatient) "WELL?"

Mack::(takes in a long breath, stops breathing and coughs slightly. He retreats from the object, takes a few labored breaths,
re-approaches. Then reaches at the object and removes some kind of wrapping.
Scans again with the tricorder.
The object now appears to have tribble-like hair, but an orange-tinted, somewhat distorted humanoid face.
Mack continues to read the tricorder, makes a few adjustments and re-scans several times.)::

"I don't know how to explain this sir. The tricorder indicates that this is the head of a humanoid known as "Donald Trump" but the
details are sketchy. The official history of this individual, whether humanoid or otherwise, seems confused and at times directly
contradictory. But attached random and official commetary also note that he was sort of known for that, so it is rather to be expected.
The official history line was that
he had been 'sent to someone named Putin, in a prisoner exchange'. Possibly as some kind of ruse, yet here he is. In part anyway."

Sprague::(still impatient) "So is this Trump-thing...is it a threat?"

Mack::"the data about that issue seem equally confused and sometimes directly contradictory.

Tricorder data suggests that "such assessments depend upon whom you ask"
which to me seems profoundly un-scientific and mostly useless information."
::(Mack hesitates again, then continues...)::

"I am not sure about whether this is actually relevant, but apparently its appearance among a colony of tribbles is not entirely
unexpected. Since during its lifetime it sort of kept similar company and is mostly noteworthy today because as humanoids go
it apparently is known mostly for its close resemblance to a tribble. Not only in outward appearance but also in personality.
And it does note that tribbles are not generally regarded to HAVE a personality.
Anyway my point is that, from a SCIENCE perspective, the data about this object appear very confusing indeed."

Sprague::"so what should we do with it?"

Mack::(sniffing the air, frowning visibly). "Well there is this noxious odor to consider. It might well be toxic to intelligent life forms."
(waves the tricorder again, reads the display.)
"Tricorder readings indicate an out-gassing-substance known as MAGA.
But only says that public discussion about it, is only permitted beyond the jovian moons in the SOL system, not in
any closer orbits to earth.
I have to conclude that for some reason it became a controlled substance. Perhaps somehow potentially addictive
and brain-damaging.
The direct tricorder scan-evidence, suggest that the object we have here,
was sent into deep space and has been in sub-freezing suspended animation ever since."

Sprague::"So what is your POINT, mister Mack?"

Mack:: (Hesitating again, looking at the tricorder display.)
::"Sorry sir, I'm not used to encountering scan data this confused. While I am not sure it is actually a threat, I am inclined to recommend
we return it to where it was. Deep space freeze animation, just in case this MAGA substance proves to be toxic."

Sprague::"so ordered. can you transport it out of here?"

Mack::" I think so, I can execute a point-to-point transport using the facility on-site here, and send it to deep space, with a beacon that warns
that it is space-waste and to all craft, to avoid it and not disturb it."

Sprague::"So why are we even having this conversation. Why did you not just do that already.?"

Mack::" well, my primary responsibility is Science Officer. I was inclined to at least examine it, to contribute to the body of knowledge about
such phenomena. And there was one more thing that the tricorder detected that I'm not familiar with either."
(Mack re-configures his communicator for a moment, then says "Engage..." and the object fades to nothing, with a characteristic
transporter sound like an out-of-tune 1960's horn section).

Sprague::(now very annoyed) " I suppose I should ask, just at risk of appearing to encourage you, what this other finding was, and why anyone would care?"

Mack::(attempting to appear formal and detached):
"It is entirely possible that no one would, but it amounts to two things.
One, that this humanoid appears to have been poisoned.
The other is the apparently toxic substance, one that I am not personally familiar with,
yet is noted in the data resources to have been a well known deadly agent on Earth of Several Centuries Ago.
I was tempted to sample it and do some further research, except it may pose an unncessary risk to the ship and crew."

Sprague::"what substance would that be?"

Mack::the data identify it as something called "Pumpkin-Spice Latte".


OFF: