Things were getting busy on the bridge of the Tycho as it hovered in geosynchronous orbit over Pandopost. Captain Klosowski had reviewed the intercepted communiques between SPROC and Starfleet Andoria with Sherriea. They were essentially dramatic warnings by Major Snodgrass of dangerous destabilization of the crystalline bed beneath SPROC and urgent requests for help. Ted also conferred with Sherriea and Donna about her archeological findings in the Vulcan system... and Donna's suspicions of what was happening on Pandoria.
Ted had instructed XO Marchelle Lee to work closely with Chief Engineer, James Kirby, in running a continuous deep scan of the crystalline field beneath both Pandorian outposts. The results were alarming. The subterranean crystalline belt seemed to be expanding at a rapid rate, which was causing tremors on the surface. If the expansion kept up, the tremors would soon turn into major quakes.
Ted tried contacting Pandopost, but the block Snodgrass had put in place earlier was still in effect. After a few minutes of repeated attempts, the viewscreen finally cleared and Ted found himself looking at a very nervous Major Leon Snodgrass.
"Major!" Ted said with an edge. "As you probably know, the Tycho is in orbit over you and Pandopost. No doubt you are also aware of unusual seismic activity around you. I'm trying to get in touch with Pandopost to see if we can help... but my transmissions keep getting blocked!" Ted leaned forward with thinly veiled sarcasm. "By any chance, Major, could YOU help us out with that?"
"Uhhh... " Snodgrass' eyes darted from his comm console to Ted and back. "I dunno... Perhaps.. Maybe I could, Captain." Snodgrass made some quick manipulations then looked back up at Ted. "See if that helps clear up some of the, uhh.. cosmic interference we get around here!"
Ted glanced over at Dianne, who made a couple adjustments then looked back at Ted with a smile and a quick nod.
"Thanks for your help, Major." Ted paused a moment while he studied Snodgrass' face. "Everything OK down there?"
"No. Not really." Snodgrass' almost succumbed to an attitude of despair. "We just lost six people!" His eyes drifted away. "I've asked for help from Starfleet..."
"Six people!" Ted suddenly felt a pang of sympathy. "Major, we've been in touch with Andoria and I believe help is on the way. Just hang in there for a little while."
Snodgrass looked back at Ted with a hopeful, "Oh, yeah?.."
"Captain.." Dianne looked at Ted and motioned her head down at the cloaking detector.
At the same instant Snodgrass seemed distracted by something on his own console. "Uhh, I've gotta go, Captain. We're in a crisis down here."
"Certainly, Major; I understand. Good luck! Tycho out."
Dianne said, "Snavely's shuttle just de-cloaked and is docking at SPROC."
As Colonel Snavely stepped out of his shuttle inside SPROC's docking bay, a very distraught Major Snodgrass confronted him.
"Colonel, I'm glad you're here! You can help me supervise a mass evacuation of SPROC!"
"Mass evacuation?!" Snavely's eyes narrowed. "What the hell are you talking about, Leon?"
"Colonel, the crystal field beneath us is... expanding.. erupting! I don't know why but the whole area is unstable! We're getting tremors nearly every minute!" Snodgrass reached out and gripped Snavely's arm. "And Colonel, all six men in mineshaft 3 have been killed!"
Snavely appraised the near panic he read in Snodgrass' face for a moment, then placed his own hand over the one Snodgrass was gripping his arm with. "Leon.. calm down, Boy! Take a breath. We can manage this." Snavely gently removed Snodgrass' hand from his arm. "Now tell me, Leon; has all the processed dilithium been loaded onto the Styx?"
Snodgrass stared incredulously at Snavely for a few seconds. "YES, Colonel!" Snodgrass jerked his head toward a transport ship in a nearby bay. "But I think we should UNload it to make room for more staff to evacuate! I don't think we have a whole lot of time!"
Snavely studied Snodgrass quietly for a moment without responding.
"Colonel, perhaps I should also tell you that I have been contacted by Andorian Security. They're sending two cargo vessels to help evacuate Pandopost and SPROC. They should be arriving within an hour." There was a tense pause as Snodgrass awaited a reply. When there was none, he continued. "They are also sending a couple of patrol cruisers with orders to pick you up for... uh, questioning. They'll be here shortly!"
Snavely's eyes widened. "I ... see!"
"Yes, Colonel! There's no point in being secretive about the dilithium anymore. Let's just turn it over to the Andorians and concentrate on saving our personnel. If we do a good job of that and cooperate completely, things shouldn't go too badly for us."
"Hmmmm..." Snavely's left eyelid twitched. "Perhaps you're right, Leon", he said soothingly. He turned toward the transport. "Why don't you show me how the dilithium is stacked inside the Styx and tell me how we could best unload it?"
Snodgrass felt a wave of relief as they walked toward the transport ship. Having his commanding officer concur with his proposed course of action seemed like a major victory. "Off loading the dilithium really shouldn't take long, Colonel. Two men working a standard cargo handler could have it emptied in fifteen minutes."
As they approached the side of the ship's main cargo port, Snodgrass turned to the docking control console. Snavely reached inside his tunic and withdrew a remote. "Never mind, Major, I have my own access control for the Styx." The large cargo port slid noislessly open to reveal a large block of neatly stacked plastene crates strapped into the hold. The two men stepped inside. Snavely stared raptly at the crates. "Nearly a ton!" He turned to Snodgrass. "Do you realize, Major, there's enough pure dilithium there to power several fleets of starships?!"
At that moment a low rumble sounded throughout the docking area accompanied by distinct vibrations felt even on the deck of the Styx. "Good Lord!" Snodgrass exclaimed. "That's the strongest tremor yet!"
His communicator sounded: "SPROC Control to Major Snodgrass. Andorian Security Patrol is in orbit above us. They want to talk to you... and to Colonel Snavely."
Snavely put his hand on Snodgrass' shoulder. "Leon, let's go to the bridge. We can talk to them face-to-face there on the Styx viewscreen." Snodgrass nodded and walked toward the bridge. He didn't notice the cargo port closing behind him.
"Captain, there's an incoming message from one of the Andorian cargo ships." Dianne looked up anxiously from her communications console. "It's from Director Kal'trax!"
Sherriea, standing beside Dianne, was monitoring the subspace stealth comm spy receiver she had put together. "Captain! SPROC is patching through a transmission from a ship in their docking bay to the Andorian patrol cruisers!" She looked nervously at Dianne. "Since hooking my receiver into Tycho's comm system, I think I could put this on screen as well!"
Ted half jumped out of his captain's chair with a jolt of excitement; then slumped back down. "Oh GEEZ! I wanna see 'em both but we can't let them know about our stealth comm yet!" He was struck with sudden inspiration. "Dianne! Can you give us a split screen reception to show both transmissions?"
Dianne wrinkled her brow and both she and Sherriea fiddled with their controls a bit. "Yeeesss, I think so." Half of the bridge view screen lit up to reveal Director Kal'trax standing next to Ambassador Kallindra towering over him on the bridge of a large cargo ship. The other half of the screen flickered a bit while Sherriea adjusted her controls but the image of both Colonel Snavely and Major Snodgrass seated in pilot and co-pilot seats of a smaller vessel began clearing up.
Ted quickly turned to Sherriea and hissed: "Mute the transmission from SPROC; but you listen in!" Sherriea nodded and stuck in an earpiece.
Ted turned back to the viewscreen and smiled expansively.
"Director Kal'trax AND Ambassador Kallindra! Fancy meeting you out here!"
The two Andorians gave perfunctory smiles in return then Kal'trax began in serious mode. "Good to finally meet you, Captain Klosowski. Our cargo vessel should be arriving in orbit near you shortly whereupon we will lmmediately begin beaming up all Pandopost personnel. A sister ship is accompanying us to provide the same service for SPROC personnel."
Kal'trax glanced up at Kallindra then continued. "It is my understanding the Tycho has been monitoring Pandoria with some.. uh, sophisticated geologic sensors. Our own scientists at Pandopost report sudden, dangerous levels of seismic activity that are increasing dramatically, but they can't say why. Nothing like this has happened for over a millenia!" Kal'trax paused to take a slow breath. "We are aware of SPROC's mining activities, of course, but fail to see how that could've caused such widespread cataclysmic action all around the planet!" Kal'trax leaned forward. "Captain, can the Tycho shed any light on this situation?"
"Ahh, possibly so, Director Kal'trax. Our staff has come up with an interesting theory, but we're still running programs and collecting data... so I can't confirm anything yet." Ted was taking quick glances at the split-screen view of Snavely and Snodgrass as he conversed with Kal'trax. Ted noticed that Snavely seemed to be doing all the talking while Snodgrass sat motionless; eyes fixed. A sudden, sharp intake of breath caused Ted to glance over at Sherriea, whose eyes had widened from what she was hearing in her earpiece.
Ted continued. "Needless to say, Director Kal'trax, we are in complete agreement with the need to evacuate all personnel from Pandoria immediately as the entire planet is showing signs of instability. I'll be certain to keep you apprised of further develpoments as we learn them. Now then..."
"One other thing, Captain." Kal'trax gestured to his wife. "Kallindra has a request."
"Oh." Ted smiled. "Of course, Madam Ambassador. How may I be of service?"
"Nothing difficult, Captain. As soon as we arrive in orbit near you I should like to beam over to the Tycho." A brief, mysterious smile. "Civilian Adviser Guy and I have some... diplomatic matters to discuss."
"Certainly, Madam Ambassador. It'll be an honor to have you aboard once again. Til then, Tycho out."
The split screen vanished and the Tycho bridge was looking at a full screen view of Col. Snavely almost snarling while a zombie like Snodgrass sat beside him on the bridge of the Styx.
Lieutenant Cunning mused: "Looks like Major Snodgrass has been lightly stunned."
Ted turned to Sherriea. "OK, Ensign; let's hear it."
Sherriea killed the mute control, picking up Snavely in mid-sentence: ".... and I REFUSE to be marched out of a Starfleet facility under guard! You will allow me to launch into orbit or I swear I will fire on the bay doors...possibly killing everyone inside!!"
"Sir! There's no need for such desperate measures! We only want to QUESTION you!" The tension in the Andorian cruiser captain's voice was palpable.
"FINE! You can question me after I reach orbit!" Snavely moderated his tone and offerred a twisted smile. "Don't worry, Captain. My little transport certainly couldn't outrun an Andorian cruiser! And you could blast me out of space any time you want!" The debate continued.
Ted looked at Lt. Cunning and nodded his head toward the screen. "Ken, could you possibly...?"
Ken's brow was furrowed as he stared intently at Snavely's image. "Already on it, Ted." After a moment of concentration: "The colonel's mind is very... prickly... and DEVIOUS! I'm afraid to probe too deeply in that briar patch!" Ken straightened and looked at Ted. "But there seems to be two dominant background thoughts right now in Snavely's mind."
"Which are...?" Ted prodded.
"Well, number one.." Ken grinned brightly; "he has a crapload of dilithium in his ship's hold!" Ken's grin faded. "And number two, he has cloaking capability which he intends to use!"
"Oh Boy!" Paula piped up from her navigator's station. "If he gets to orbit and cloaks up, the Andorians can't follow him anywhere!"
"No they can't," Ted agreed. "But we can!"