The Continuing Story of Deep Space 2: Page 106
Sarah commented to the others as they walked away from sickbay about
for someone (Dr. Vergal) who claimed he wasn't going to say another
word sure did a lot of talking. Did anyone else pick up on the stuff
he voluntarily managed to reveal without realizing it. We know now
there is someone above Dr. Vergal so he is not the "ring leader".
Also his leader seems to be male and Dr. Vergal isn't half
as "clever" as he thinks if he wrongly assumes our main goal is the
bring his boss to justice. As the saying goes , if they aren't
playing by the rules, why should we. Sarah suggested leaving Dr.
Vergal in solitary confinement, without any more questions, because a
lack of any further interest might lead him to assume we have
learned more on our own than we have. She doubted if Dr. Vergal's ego
could take being ignored very long and his need to know what we are
up to will prompt him to probably start thinking more strongly about
his boss & common goals--which will make it easier for Ernie to try
to pick up his thoughts.
ERNIE-TAP DANCING FREEDOM FIGHTER (Part 2)
************************************************************
As Ernie took 40 winks, the Empire's troop carrier flew to Endor. The
hum of the engines lured Ernie into a deep sleep. If there was one
thing Ernie was good at it was sleeping. Once the ship had landed on Endor and the lulling hum of the engines stopped, fresh air begin to fill the ship as it started to unload supplies and troops. Endor's gravity was a quarter lighter than usually maintained on the ship so unloading was easier than anticipated. Ernie woke up and stretched as he came out of his deep sleep. He not only felt engerized but very light weight ( due to the reduced gravity)and faster than a speeding bullet! He flew toward the daylight showing from a open cargo bay. Once outside, Ernie realized immediately he wasn't in Kansas any more. Everything seemed so different and where was the space port? Ernie decided to fly around and see if could find something that seemed familiar so he went toward the forested area beyond the ship's landing site. As he flew into the forest he noticed a dark moving cloud that seemed to sway and move in the gentle breeze. Ernie just realized he was hungry and wondered if the cloud might be some yummy juicy bugs. He flew into the cloud and immediately felt the urge to scratch. The itching became more intense and Ernie started to try to get away from the cloud. He tried to scratch & fly in circles at the same time. He didn't know that the cloud was actually a swarm of flea mites. This variety of mites caused itching so intense that entire herds of animals have to literally run off cliffs-driven crazy by the
bruning itching. Alas, our poor hero, in a scramble to get away from
the itching, managed to fly head first into a big hard tree and knocked himself unconscious. So when a big Wookie named Chewbecca came along foraging for some food to toss in his big cook pot back at his camp, he naturally tossed the unconscious Ernie into his gunny sack! Stay tuned--will our hero become lunch or rather a toothsome morsel for a hungry Wookie!
************************************************************
ERNIE-TAP DANCING FREEDOM FIGHTER (Part 3)
************************************************************
Once Chewbecca got back to his hidden campsite, he emptied his bag
with all the items he had managed to forage for his dinner. Obviously
some of it would have to be scrubbed and cleaned. He went to check
the pot he had placed over the fire coals to see if water was boiling
yet. He was on a scouting mission for the Resistance fighters so was
traveling light & tried to survive on what the surrounding forest
could provide for meals. The Resistance figured he would blend in
with the other natives of Endor easier than a furless humanoid who
would tend to stick out among the nomad tribes of Ewoks. Chewbecca
could always claim to be an interplanary trader if questioned by
Empiral troops, that is if anyone could understand his answers! His
mission was to find out the number of troopers to be stationed at the
post being built by the Empire. Also what kind of defenses would be
installed and most importantly what knowledge did they have
concerning the Resistance. Ernie woke up with a splitting headache and his first sight was the matted furry back of Chewbecca. He wasn't sure what was worst-the itching that was driving him crazy or his blinding headache from hitting the tree. Not to mention never managed to get anything to eat! Chewbecca turned around to gather up his foraged supplies, when he saw Ernie squirming and scratching. Apparently his dinner wasn't dead after all he thought. Ernie heard this thought and wondered if he could ask the big furry one if he could share his dinner with him.
Ernie flew to the top of Chewbecca's head and mentally introduced
himself and asked if he could have the honor of sharing his dinner.
He would gladly pay for this privlidge by telling the furry one of
his brave exploits as a hero and would be willing to give the furry
one tips on how to attract a mate-since was obvious the furry one
would need all the help possible in the romance department from his
matted unkempt appearance. Chewbecca was surprised the bat actually had telepathic abilities and he must not be native to Endor. He told Ernie that his planned menu had been barbecued bat & roasted tubers and he did not need tips on getting a mate! He might have matted fur from all the sneaking around in the bushes and shrubs but at least he didn't have fleas & smell like a filthy tunnel snake. Before Ernie could think of a reply, he started scratching again. Chewbecca asked Ernie if he could stop Ernie's itching, would he tell him how he came to be on Endor. Ernie said yes but only if Chewbecca limited their dinner to roasted tubers. Chewbecca grounded up a handful of green berries and spread the paste gently all over Ernie. Told him to let it dry because should kill the remaining mites and soothe the itch. Once the mites were gone, Chewbecca said would rinse off the dried paste and give Ernie a hair circlet for Ernie to wear around his neck which should keep from any future infestations of mites.
Chewbecca wondered if should tell Ernie the circlet of braided hair
was from his grooming between his toes or not. Chewbecca's fur had
some kinda of natural musky smell that the mites did not like so that
was one discomfort that so far Chewbecca had not had to suffer since
landing on Endor. Best probably to keep that bit of information to
himself! As he began to rinse Ernie off, Ernie began his story of how he came to arrive on Endor. Chewbecca began to realize maybe the little one might be of some help in gather information on the Empiral post. He asked Ernie if he had any other talents besides being a romance advisor? Chewbecca was beginning to form a plan how both he and Ernie could actually be invited into the Empiral post and greeting with welcoming arms! He and Hans Solo had visited enough bars on various planets to know how any entertainment was always a welcoming sight to a trooper away from home. Bob Hope and the USO eat your hearts out. Chewbecca would be the manager & stage crew all in one and Ernie would be the entertainer. If he was clever enough, might even figure out a way to signal directly in the middle of the show all the information the Resistance was seeking.
Time to break a leg! Ernie-" A Star is Born!"
************************************************************
Deep space 2 at the final frontier... The last Federation station at the borders of the unknown Delta Quadrant, where only bad things could happen. The old station had not been used for some time, being at drift in orbit of a worthless planet of ice. Nobody could remember what the station was build for and when Arthur, Captain at rank in those days, and his crew set their first steps on the station, not even all the lights were on. Strangely enough the technology on the station itself was more sophisticated than anything seen in the Federation. Later Arthur and his crew found out that someone from the future had installed all that technology. After an investigation and the help of the Emergency Medical Holographic program, it was found out that the crew of Deep Space 2 itself had been responsible for the changes aboard the station, operating from the future. Apparently the Time Prime Directive did not apply in the future anymore...
Then the droids came. They appeared out of nowhere. Some droids even went to the planet, but they did not return or the crew did not hear from them anymore. Nobody went after them. The temperature on the planet surface would kill anyone without environmental protection suits. It was a strange event that the Vice President of the United Federation of Planets would visit a place like this. There were not even interesting stellar events. This place was almost dead, but the station had to be kept to be the first line of defense against invasions from the Delta Quadrant. And it had already been proven that this was a certain necessity. The Borg came, the Giloppen came, but their attacks were nullified, by the extreme advanced station itself and the more than a few very strange ships...
The discovery of Relay Station 4465-A, occupied by a young officer by the name of Chris Esquibel, made the presence of Deep Space 2 even more unusual. The Relay Station was now used as outpost and Chris Esquibel served in the command staff as a Vice Admiral. Although it was not Esquibel, nor Vice Admiral Luke Davis who would receive the Vice President of the United Federation of Planets. Both were on a secret mission...Preparations had almost been completed.
Aboard USS Strike droid 493 was at the helm conducting internal communications with droid 66, who served as the superior droid in command of USS Strike while Admiral Arthur was not aboard. The droids did not pay attention to the human crew abaord, which was only small in numbers anyway. The droids were in control, that was a sure thing.
"66, sensor contact Erogarndi planet. Detection four temporal anomalies. No conclusive readings. Origin unknown."
"493, acknowledged. 378, Download Federation database on Erogarndi planet. Try to find out why only the Erogarndi have vanished and nothing or nobody else. I expect your report before Admiral Arthur has returned to our ship."
But droid 378 had nothing to report after viewing the entire database. No sensorlogs, no other logs revealed anything about the disappearance of the Erogarndi.
"66, the level of sophistication of the Federation at this time is not advanced enough to make conclusive readings. Our ship could have, but was not present during the events. It is to late to come to a conclusion. Maybe one of the other alien ships in our fleet have better equipment. We must remember USS Strike is just an experiment. We have not forseen that we would have to investigate issues like this. Installing and testing of the proper technology will take about three months."
Droid 66 knew that all to well. But he could not tell the Admiral. Even the Admiral should not know what this ship could do once it was completed and fully operational. But that would take another of the human years. But the ship was a necessity... for something that would come... In the future...