What Failure Looks Like:
Keran IV, Stardate 27620
The planet was on fire, and it was my fault...
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One week ago.
Captain's Log, Stardate 27612, USS Lion - Captain Robert Kenichi
Another successful delivery. A rush run of anti-virals rushed to Lagh Cheg II for a small outbreak of Risan Yawning Flu. Catch it early and all that. We got asked to expedite, as apparently some politician's kid was affected, so we managed to maintain warp 9 all the way here, but while that would be a cake-walk for newer and faster ships, that far for so long was a strain on a Miranda like the Lion. She works hard, and I know her like the back of my hand, but she was never meant to be a courier ship.
We timed it well, but the Dylithium Crystals are getting some micro-fractures we need to stabilize, and the warp coil polarization needs to get discharged. It should be about four days of standard maintenance here before we are ready to resume patrols.
Supplemental
Just got off the com with Commodore Khaggers. Apparently there is some kind of xenobiological contamination on Keren IV. Unfortunately, we have already de-mounted the crystals. I told him we could be ready to depart to assist in 4 to 5 days. The Commodore was not happy.
Captain's Log, Stardate 27615, USS Lion - Captain Robert Kenichi
OK, we managed to force-discharge the polarization of the nacelles into the crystals, force-annealing them, and we should be ready to head out in a few hours. My first officer, as ususal, managed to find something useful to do to avoid getting dragged into the engine room, and managed to find a few local xeno-biologists who are wiling to assist. We did have to cancel the student tour group that had been scheduled, but next time we are back on station, and not in a rush someplace, hopefully they will get a second chance.
Lt. Randerson is reporting heavy ion storm activity on the way. Our shields could take it, but the power drain would slow us down too much. He is using those data-glasses he wears to try to find an optimal course. I think they might have more computing power than the nav-computer.
Captain's Log, Stardate 27620, USS Lion - Captain Robert Kenichi
Keran IV
The planet is on fire. The colonists have burned out most of the 'Tribbles', and are burnt the fields to kill the vermin, and deny them food. We got here too late. We don't even have enough rations to help. Cargo ships are on their way, and hopefully they will bring more food so they don't need to remove people.
Honestly, I'm not sure what we could have done if we had gotten here sooner. The specialists we brought are working with the local expert, Dr. Davidowitz, but we don't have the lab facilities to try for a biologic solution. I have asked HQ to check shipping patterns to try to back trace the critters. I hope someone can find out who to blame.
Supplemental
Ok, we can't fix the fields or feed the planet, but at least we should be able to help hunt down the remaining Tribbles. The colonists are claiming they want to rebuild, and there seems to be popular support from them from the TDN report, but if we don't get every last Tribble, this will just happen again next harvest. I can smell them; burnt flesh and ash in the air.
I think we can get the shield back into an aerospike configuration, and hit an elliptical orbit that will get us close to the fields. If we can get low enough, we can use our tactical scanners to try to find their life-signs, and saturate the area with Lion's phasers on stun. The colonists can then burn those areas, and the stunned pests won't escape.