Tiger- These are the Voyages by David Smith

Author:David Smith [Smith, David]
Language: eng
Format: epub
Published: 2019-05-10T06:00:00+00:00

Chapter 7: ‘Tomb Raiders’

Captain’s Log Captain David Hollins

Star Date 9433.3

Today marks something of a watershed for USS Tiger. After a couple of months of exploring Treaty Exploration Space, we’re getting down to one of the most complex tasks we’ll face as an explorer.

We’ve just settled into a high orbit around a Class M planet, identified in our catalogue as Sigma Epsilon Alpha Four. It’s an unremarkable world, but it’s home to a pre-industrial society that refers to their world as Sayalli

We’ve been asked to observe and assess the indigenous people at close-quarters, which is a huge challenge and a huge honour.

We’ll file the first detailed reports on this race, but it’s imperative that we don’t interfere with the development of their society. Who knows what damage a piece of lost technology, or even knowledge of the existence of aliens might have on their nascent social structure? That’s the reason the Prime Directive exists: to give them the chance to develop naturally at their own pace with no interference from more advanced species.

We will need to observe all Starfleet’s study protocols, remaining completely anonymous and undetected during our observations in order to comply with the Prime Directive.

I can’t begin to describe how excited the crew are, particularly the science team, who have recently blotted their copy book with the incident concerning the Jekylls. Aisling O’Mara broke too many regulations to list whilst still being on probation at her new rank, so I had no choice but to bust her back down to Lieutenant-Commander, but she’s taken that well and it hasn’t affected her performance.

For her, this is a chance to redeem herself and for many of her team this could a career defining moment.

This is why we all signed up.

Captain David Hollins

Commanding Officer, USS Tiger

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The ship’s Helmsman, Lieutenant Jim Bob ‘Crash’ Stallworth read out the data of Tiger’s approach to the planet known to its inhabitants as Sayalli. ‘Orbital insertion in three, two, one . . . Touchdown! Crowd goes wild!’

Hollins sat in the Captain’s chair watching the images on the main view-screen and also on the smaller screens on the arm of his chair. With no small sense of occasion, he addressed the ship’s Science Officer: ‘Lieutenant-Commander O’Mara, please begin scans.’

‘Aye, Sir!’

There was a palpable air of excitement across the Bridge as the tousle-haired Science Officer brought all of the ship’s extraordinary array of sensors to bear.

The First Officer, Executive Officer, Navigator and Comms Officer all assisted in guiding the sensor systems, as did the entire Science Team, spread throughout a dozen different laboratories and offices throughout the ship. Nobody wanted to miss out on this moment.

Even Commander Grosvenor was on the Bridge observing although she had no defined role in such matters. She manned a station and assisted the science team where she could, whilst managing to avoid any direct contact with the Captain. Neither of them had spoken much to the other since the ship had left Sigma Epsilon Iota Eight D.

The only person on the Bridge not

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