SD 09/07/03 Bird-zerk I think I was more relaxed planning the mission, headaches and all.

We're now orbiting Planet Cid, and the away team is getting ready to leave, at least those Lynx didn't order off. The mission itself looks pretty simple - recover technological research from an abandoned research ship on an uninhabited world. However, the ship is pretty big, and the planet is pretty far from the nearest station. In fact, the last recorded visit by anyone was around the time the Federation was founded. The ship captain named it "Planet Cid" after a "Cid Meyer," a computer game designer. The planet was terrestrial, but no sign of native inteligence. The most notable life forms were various small hoofed mammals, and some rodent that lived in communal nests in the ground. The place had been visited before as various small toys were found, swords, shovels, etc., that were just big enough for a doll. As the planet was far from the major space lanes, it was never marked for colonization.

The ship itself, the Zenth-Trad, is a science vessel converted from a D-140X, which is several times the size of the Freedom. A team of scientists were using it to conduct medical and engineering technological experiments. The ship had been left automated when the scientists and crew left for some R&R, with only automated security and basic functions running, and when they returned, the ship had disappeared without a trace. That was ten years ago. Just a short time ago, a probe not far from here picked up the emergency beacon. A picture view of the ship shows it very much intact. I'd call it purely the result of the automatic piloting computer, but the picture seemed to show signs of a slide from a crash landing. It must have been made extra-durable. M'Rander, however, thought the whole thing looked to much like a set-up, calling for a raised alert status. Another thing that was causing jitters was a malfunction in our sensors, blocking our ability to pick up certain signals.

Of the technology, I recall something made as a compromise between a spacesuit and a shuttle, a "Personal Orb Drone." These "PODs" could either fly with a pilot, or under computer control. Naturally, it flies better with a person aboard. I wonder what else is aboard?

And so I was getting the crew ready, but I was distracted due to headaches. Thank God for coffee! Lynx seemed to sense my distress and insisted on giving me a back massage. I wanted Tempres on the team, but he was unavailable. I got Lynx, Lera, Tarra, and Melvin Orlan, hoping to get Demian later. Tarra seemed unusually friendly, staying close to Orlan. Then Brundle stumbled into the room, and made himself look rather foolish. M'Rander suggested he be put on the team, probably to keep him out of trouble.

Of Melvin Orlan, looking through his performance scores, there does seem to be quite a variance, some high, some low, not unlike my own when I first came here. As he scored high in some sciences, I decided to make him Lera's assistant in the science lab. The usually bubbly Lera took on a sober look when I explained this to her. Maybe Melvin Orlan's the type of person to make her take her job a little more seriously.

When I was ready to lead the away team out, Lynx made a sudden medical order. She asked that Tarra be taken off, due to a "delecate condition," and me due to the stress I had been under lately, suggesting we both use one of her outdoor programs to relax. As for Tarra, she was unusually clingy and hugging at me. Although quite friendly by human or Kzin standards, this is quite too much for her. I wonder what her "delecate condition" is?

At least Lynx and Lera are getting along, Lynx endorsing her ability to lead the away team, calling her mentally sound. Looks like they're finally starting to get along. But with two less on the mission, I better suggest to her to get more help.

NARRATIVE - On the Bridge, the crew works on fixing the sensor malfunction, notably Dammers and T'Kee, but some of the bugs turn out to be quite litterally that - moths. And with T'Kee having a severe moth phobia, "GETTHEMOFFME! GETTHEMOFFME!!" the result is pandemunium.


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