Vulcans

The Discovery NX-05 met the Soval science vessel about 10 light years from Akal. Their warp 7 science vessel could shorten the journey by more than a week. Admiral Jonathan Archer, Ensign Laural Samuels, and crewman Russell Laskin boarded Discovery  Pod-02. Ensign Jeffries joined them to return the pod to Discovery after they disembarked. They launched and traveled the short distance to the Soval.

            “Permission to come aboard, Commander.”

            “Of course, Admiral,” Commander T’Jen replied.

            “Ensign Samuels, my science associate; crewman Laskin, a medic first responder.” Head nods were exchanged as appropriate.

            “Admiral, please accompany me to our conference chamber. I have reports available for you on the status of the reactors. As an aside, may I compliment your ship’s quartermaster and surgeon on your transformations to Akalli.” All exchanged glances briefly. Instead of Starfleet uniforms, the team wore clothes similar to Earth’s renaissance period. On the Discovery, Captain Rodriguez’s doctor had performed some minor surgery to add small ridges just above each brow. “They’re quite accurate,” T’Jen added. The four of them entered the turbolift.

            “What about the population?”

            “As I have documented in the reports, the population is static,” said the Vulcan. The turbolift arrived at the bridge level, and the small party stepped into a stark corridor, and then a Spartan room with a large table and a dozen chairs. The walls had been painted a burnt orange that matched the other earthen tones inside the ship.

            “What have your teams on the ground done?” Archer asked.

            “We have not made contact directly with the Akalli. Our away team simply observed from a distance. Vulcans do not infiltrate, mimic, disguise or interfere with pre-warp civilizations.”

            Archer’s frustration grew. Just when he thought he could count on Vulcans as steadfast and reliable, here was another one that was simply stubborn and arrogant.

            “Very well, I can see I’m wasting my time here. I can read your reports while we are en route. I thought perhaps you could give me some insight from being in close contact but I see that was mistaken. I sometimes overestimate what your people are able to do.” He rose from the table and the two Starfleet members followed suit.

            “Admiral, I can only tell you that we sent paired teams to each of the 8 reactors we identified.”

            “I read the report.”

            “At each reactor, a team of Akalli was in command of the operations of each facility.”

            “Did you find out who brought the technology for fission reactors?!” Archer slammed his fist on the table, a move he instantly regretted. Losing his temper with the Vulcans was an old habit that died hard. He sat back down at the table as did the ensign and crewman.

            “We have concluded that the Akalli are unaware that their benefactors are aliens. They seem to believe that Akalli from the Science Education Institute are responsible for the new technology. They have energy from a new source that is revolutionizing their cities. They are not particularly eager to destroy it since they are unaware of the implications of using radioactive elements to create heat in the first place.”

            “Precisely why they shouldn’t be using it. But why do they need so much power? There are less than a billion inhabitants on the whole planet. The cart came before the horse. ”

            “We have been unable to confirm the need, although it appears the reactors are being used to mine the Thorium that they run on. The Akalli don’t seem to care since they are reaping other advantages of modern energy,” Commander T’Jen finished.

            “I’d like to talk to the ground teams,” Archer asked. “My crew and I are planning on going down and a report isn’t going to tell me what I need to know. Someone has ruined the natural evolution of these people and I intend to find out who it was.”

            “One team is currently on the southernmost continent. The other teams returned to the ship shortly before your arrival. I will have them join you here momentarily.”

            Commander T’Jen left the Discovery team in the conference chamber of the Soval.

            “What do you think we’ll find down there, sir?” Samuels asked.

            Jonathan Archer wondered about that himself. He’d been wondering about it for weeks. The Vulcans hadn’t reported anything urgent, but he had no doubt in his mind that something was wrong. A population might develop a use for fossil fuels in a short amount of time if they were on the edge of the discovery. But the technology for facilities and production of energy from radioactive elements couldn’t possibly have developed in a single decade.

            “I would expect possible radiation sickness if the facilities aren’t adequate,” Laskin commented.

            “I think we’ll find trouble,” was all Archer said to them.The three pairs of Vulcan survey teams entered the room and sat down. Some brief introductions commenced the meeting.

            “Frankly, Admiral Archer, it seems quite straightforward,” Sorres said without expression. He obviously had the status as the leader of the teams; the others offered no conversation. “It does appear that they possess technology more advanced than a pre-industrial civilization. We have not seen evidence of internal combustion engines, and that leads us to conclude these reactors are indeed alien. Our surveys indicate a Tellarite connection.”

            Archer tried to hide his frustration but he’d never quite learned to play poker well. He unconsciously clenched his jaw and made a fist with one hand.  He looked at his two crew members.

            “Tellarites. And they’re members of the coalition.”

            “Survey crew Beta took employment in one of the reactor facilities. They covertly discovered a Tellarite alphabet on many sensitive components. Of course all components quantum date to within the last 10 Earth years.”

            “What element are they using in the reactors?”

            “A surprisingly abundant material: Thorium. This planet seems to have a wide assortment of unusual elements in the crust layer.”

            Admiral,” Laskin offered, “I’ve dealt with Thorium toxicity, and it’s not as serious as Uranium radiation. That’s why Earth decreed in 2050 to stop Uranium mining and use Thorium in nuclear reactors. Of course, before they were all shut down after the Energy Revolution.”

            “The Thorium is converted into Uranium,” Sorres explained.  “However, it cannot be made into weapons grade Plutonium. These reactors are for energy, not weapons manufacture.”

            The real question was what were their needs for energy in the first place? Was the cart put before the horse or did a need arise to produce electricity? And if so, what was the need for massive production of electricity when they were still using animals for labor and burning tallow and oils?