Chapter 4.1 - ISS Harrier : Chaala, Virel, Ruiha & Dr. Shone

Victor read through the logs and then looked at the Captain, "Captain, what do you think has happened to the rest of the crew? With the amount of ship activity, I think they have taken some of them outside the planet. Though I am not sure."

"They missed check in number 1, so whatever happened involved local forces. Well, local factions, we don't know if there was force involved. It's possible that one or more of them was taken off planet, but if so then we're likely dealing with Niparoo and that's beyond the scope of our mission. We need to rescue anyone still on planet and get them back to Pautho. If we find out that some of them went off planet, we report that because we'd have no chance of making a recovery on our own."

Chaala pauses, "It's possible that we'll get different orders once we recover Dominicus or Halsson recovers, but until then, let's stay laser focused on achieving what we can and acknowledge that something bigger than two Scout crews and a handful of Ironhands are going to resolve is happening."

Virel studies the log entries in silence for a long moment before speaking.

"I do not think Voss is going anywhere willingly," he says at last. "Not unless we can rescue the rest of his crew first."

He turns toward Chaala and Victor.

"Unfortunately, we have very few details about what happened to the rest of the crew. Something clearly occurred shortly after landing, but beyond that it is speculation. For now, I recommend we assume they are alive and still on the planet and proceed as though this is a rescue mission for all of them until proven otherwise."

"As for contact, I wonder whether direct communication is the wrong first move. If we can append to his local logs, or leave something in a place only he would find, we reduce the chance of interception and avoid forcing an immediate response. He may not notice it at once, but that may be preferable to anyone else noticing it first. We should let him know friendlies are present but I would be cautious about asking more until we understand the situation on the ground more fully."

Another short pause.

"I agree we should wait for the others but I am afraid any real extraction plan will not be straight forward."

"Nothing about this mission has been straight forward. Not since the first recruiting contacts. I don't see why the meat of it will be any different." Chaala sighs. "I think you're right to a point. We assume that the crew is alive and not at liberty. If they had any significant freedom they would have found a way to signal Voss somehow. I think at least one of the free traders knows something. You might think about how best to approach them. As for contacting Voss, I think we wait for night when it's comparitively quiet at the airport and make contact then. I don't think he'll want to leave Marinagua, but I think he'd accept orders to let us take the Cutter to get help. Travelling to orbit, where he can check on the ship he cared for, is likely within his sense of sticking to his orders."

"Once Voyager is back and we have all the options, of course."

All the crew are busy with the data as the Azure Voyager come up from the surface of Marinagua when

The Harrier’s computer continued indexing the recovered Cutter files while Chaala, Virel, and Dr. Shone reviewed the logs scrolling across the screen.

Suddenly the audio feed flickered.

A brief burst of static cut through the steady hum of the computer speakers.

Then voices.

Shone frowned slightly and glanced down at the console. It is an external microphone array from the Cutter. The signal stabilized. Wind could be heard first—soft and steady across the open tarmac. Then the sound of metal containers being set down against the Cutter’s hull. Another voice followed, deep and resonant, filtered slightly through the Cutter’s exterior pickup.

Scout-Engineer Harlan Voss.

"…I appreciate the food, Ziyótl. I really do."

A pause. Another voice answered—lower, deliberate, the Galanglic halting but carefully chosen. It appears to be Alejian

"Yes. Food good for strength. Imperial Scout must keep strength."

The faint sounds of movement followed—containers opening, utensils scraping lightly. Two other figures could be heard occasionally in the background, speaking softly among themselves in Alejia as they arranged the meal. Voss spoke again.

"You’ve been very generous. I mean that. But I need to ask again…" He hesitated slightly before continuing. "My Captain. Captain Dominicus. And the others. What is their condition?"

A pause, the wind moved softly across the microphone. Then the Alejia answered.

"They are safe." Another pause, as if searching for the correct phrasing. "They are not prisoners."

Voss exhaled quietly.

"You say that every time."

"Yes," The Alejian speaker replies calmly. "Because it truth."

The faint sounds of eating followed—utensils touching metal containers. Voss returned to the question, as he had so many times before.

"Then when will they be released?"

The Alejian speaker answered slowly. "They are… guests." The word sounded practiced. "Guests under protection of the people."

Voss shifted slightly; the microphone picked up the movement. "With respect, that sounds like detention."

"No," The Alejian speaker said firmly. "Not detention."

A pause followed. "Imperial Scouts came during time of broken memory." He searched for the right words. "Old fires still remembered. Many tribes do not trust ships from the sky."

Voss replied quietly. "But you do."

"Yes." The Alejian speaker calm voice replies. "But others must see this also." Wind brushed across the pickup again. "If Imperial Scouts go free too fast, some tribes think trick." a pause, "Think invasion." Another pause. "So they stay as honored guests until council speak."

Voss leaned slightly closer to the Cutter hull; his voice sounded nearer the pickup. "They’re not harmed?"

"No harm."

"They’re fed?"

"Yes."

"They’re safe?"

"Yes."

Voss exhaled again, the sound long and tired. "Then please tell them something for me."

The Alejian speaker waited. "What message?"

Voss’s voice softened. "Tell Captain Dominicus the Cutter is secure." A brief pause. "And tell her I’m still here."

The wind shifted across the tarmac. The Alejian speaker answered quietly. "I will tell her."

The meal continued for a few moments in relative silence. Then Alejian spoke again. "Imperial Scout should eat more.....You grow thin."

Voss gave a small laugh. "I’m an engineer. We’re supposed to look like this."

The servants began gathering the empty containers. Metal lids clicked closed. Before leaving, The Alejian speaker added one final comment. "Captain Dominicus strong leader." A pause, then "She speaks well in council."

Voss froze slightly. Then he asked carefully: "So… she is speaking for us?"

"Yes." The Alejian speaker's voice carried quiet certainty. "She speaks for the Imperial Scouts."

Footsteps began to fade across the tarmac. Then the audio feed returned to the sound of wind and distant movement.

On the Harrier, the computer quietly continued recording.

Victor saved the audio recording and then looked at the captain, "Well, that is good news, Captain, if the local was telling the truth. It means that the entire crew of the Harrier is alive and planetside. However, I don't understand what Niparoo's game is here."

"I am sure that's a very complicated question, and I suspect any answer should be more nuanced than 'power,' but that may be what it boils down to. They're starting with soft power, being the primary access to offworld resources for many planets. The same reason that the Imperium owns a piece of every major bulk carrier. If they aim to be more we haven't seen it yet, but you can be sure that someone wants them to be."