Winter Avalon

[STSF Corizon 0]

Timing Note: This log happens prior to this coming week's sim.

 

Snow fell on the Avalon Complex, laying a thick blanket of white powder across the placid complex. From the third story observation lounge Colonel Kimura watched the substance fall with his hands folded behind his back.

 

“Colonel,” the gruff voice of the Dameon Captain interrupted his surveillance.

 

“Captain,” Kimura said turning to face Captain Ah-Windu Corizon. “What do I owe the pleasure of your visit?”

 

“I wanted an updated status report on the…problem you had here while we were gone.”

 

The Colonel frowned slightly. The ‘problem’ the Captain referred to was well under control now and not much of his bloody business; but that was Starfleet for you, always butting in when they didn’t really need too, best to humor them and get it over. “Well in hand,” Kimura said firmly.

 

“I see…”

 

“Turns out it was some new strain of malaria.”

 

“Malaria,” Corizon perked an ear. “Why didn’t it show up before now?”

 

“That’s the funny thing about technology,” Kimura said wisely, “If anyone had bothered to actually look at a sample of the blood instead of letting the computer do it for them, they’d’ve spotted in, but something about it wouldn’t show up on any of our sensors…I have my people working on a way to do that now.”

 

“Good,” Corizon said, his ears lowering from attention. “You don’t suspect foul play?”

 

“From what my doctors tell me,” Kimura said trying to end the conversation as quickly as possible. “The parasites that caused it are native to this planet…”

 

Detecting the notable disinterest in the subject Corizon nodded. “I see…”

 

“Was there something else?”

 

Corizon took a breath and folded his arms behind his back, matching Kimura’s posture. “Your last report to the station contained some… interesting data concerning the northern sector of the outer defense perimeter?”

 

Kimura stroked at his chin, mentally forcing the details forth. “Ahhh yes,” he said, “there was that.”

 

“I’d like to take a look at it myself.”

 

“Understandable.”

 

“I assume you have hoppers?”

 

“Well,” Kimura hesitated a moment, considering his response. “With the malaria and all, we’ve fallen behind on modifying everything for the winter climate.”

 

“I see,” Corizon said, though if there was annoyance or disproval in his voice it didn’t resonate.

 

“And as you know, the composition of the rocks up that way make transport next to impossible.”

 

“I assume you do have a way of getting up there that doesn’t require me to hike?”

 

A slight smile crossed Kimura’s face, “Ever ridden a horse?”

 

Corizon returned the grin. “You have a stable?”

 

“Apparently one of the colony groups that sent supplies ahead before the wormhole was cut off had planned on it,” Kimura said with a wry grin, “And I figured since they weren’t getting any use…”

 

“That you’d draft them into the service?”

 

“Something like that.”

 

“How long of a ride is it?”

 

“In weather like this?” Kimura pointed to the falling snow of the early morning. “A couple hours, maybe more if it gets heavier towards the mountains.”

 

Corizon nodded. “Then I’d best get saddled up.”