Jiornoth

[Crash Calestorm 0]

The following log is set during the first 48 hours of our 72 hour TBS…

 

Communications had been reestablished with the ‘Creek. Repairs were underway among all the Starfleet ships caught in the skirmish with the Orion dreadnought Audacious; Calestorm wanted to nail Litasha’s hide to a bulkhead. That would have to wait.

 

With the original ground teams on rotation back to the ship or remaining to finish up assigned duties, the captain had teamed with Jiornoth to further handle business planet side before returning to her ship.

 

She had been introduced to Tyree, Chief of the Hill People. Cale had sensed that the young man would come into his own with a few more years of leadership. Tyree had been diplomatic, though mad as hell that his people were continued casualties. He had asked the inevitable question of the captain: Would she provide Tyree’s Hill Tribe with the ‘fire sticks’ to defend against the Village faction?

 

The secondary away team had observed Apella, the leader of the Villager, though the captain felt no such compulsion to meet with him.

 

She had met with Dr. Lester, who straight up admitted to her that the scientific team had been harassed for weeks by Litasha’s Black Kris Cartel faction. Arrangements had been made for a shuttle retrofitted with EC equipment to discreetly enter orbit and transport Lester and her team off planet. They would be held temporarily in VIP custody on the USS James Walking Bear for transport back to Earth.

 

The Black Kris, in collusion with the rogue Starfleet Intel faction, were upsetting the balance of power and cultures of the planet - directly manipulating Apella and his Villagers, providing the faction with firearms. Several members of Tyree’s tribe and two friendly Hill tribes to the southeast had disappeared; the rumors were flying among the primitive culture, and from the descriptions (a big metallic bird of the sky, the hover sleds that the Black Kris used to attack) Crash was betting they’d been snatched and taken in a shuttle for the purpose of the Outer Rim slave trade run by the Orion Cartel.

 

She had more then enough evidence to act accordingly, and there were enough factions running around here to start a new government.

 

Would she provide the flintlock rifles to Tyree and his Hill Tribe? Or was it best to leave the world, and let them fend for themselves?

 

*****

The Neural sun was beginning to rise over the distant horizon, bathing the surrounding woodlands, rocks and plains in pre-dawn light and shadow. The early morning breeze had been chilled with the night, and the smells of the blooming local flora were rich on the wind. Jiornoth and Calestorm were quietly squaring away their campsite.

 

The muscled tribesman glanced over towards the lanky starwoman, his brows creased in curiosity. “What will become of us?”

 

Tyree had asked much the same questions. “There is no one answer I can give you Jiornoth. When I and my people leave, we’ll…send out…devices to your sky. These metallic scouts will send warnings to whomever should approach this planet, to stay away and leave you and your people be, should Tyree wish it. We can also maintain a more permanent contact should he wish it, as well; perhaps someday you and your people may join us.”

 

Now, it was Cale’s turn to regard the Hill man in curiosity. “Why aren’t you chief Jiornoth?” The question was blunt and out of the blue, but you had to consider the source.

 

Jiornoth, for his part, found the directness…refreshing. Calestorm was honest and let her actions do the talking, for the most part lacking the bitterness that had driven Chief Tyree’s bond mate Nona. The Hill Hunter’s attention went towards the captain of the stars, bushy blond eyebrows up in bemusement at her bold statement.

 

Cale felt her ears redden from embarrassment and her jaw clench in anger directed at herself. You’re leading with your mouth, again. Real smart there girl. Let’s question the second in command and basically infer that he should take command of the tribe for himself. Let’s hear it for the further destabilization of the tribal castes on Neural! Yay!

 

She cleared her throat and tried to relax her jaw, her expression earnest. “I meant no disrespect to Chief Tyree, please understand that.”

 

His square jawed features lightened with a smile. “I know you didn’t Cale. Tyree’s father, Anaree, led before him. I see much of the Father in the Son, and this is encouraging. As with the son, I was Anaree’s second and head scout. Tyree is more comfortable in the role of leader, and I have no desire for the position. That is why I chose the life of a scout among my people, and I have no regrets.”

 

There were other concerns, long term concerns, and Crash hedged her bets by continuing her line of questioning. “He is young. Is he able to lead your people from this current darkness?”

 

Jiornoth nodded once, a quick jerk of the head. “Yes, he is. As a leader yourself, I do not need to tell you that young does not necessarily mean foolish?”

 

Calestorm nodded in understanding, and indicated that Jiornoth continue.

 

The big tribesman used one moccasin booted foot and pushed dirt over the remnants of the small fire that had been used to heat the interior of the cave. “Tyree carries a fresh perspective, and this is a benefit to our people. He loved Nona, and is angered by her death. Eventually the kill haze that clouds his vision will pass, and he will return to his right mind.”

 

The captain was silent for a moment as she stooped to grab and sling a leather travel pack across her back, then she spoke. “I’m sorry the Sage Devils came. I’m also sorry my people were here, unknown to you and your people, hiding in the shadows.”

 

“The Devils you could not control. Even I realize that our world offers certain supplies of interest, such as the healing properties of our roots. As for your people…”

 

He chose his words carefully, and the tribesman’s expression altered slightly in annoyance. He studied the officer’s face, the lines that measure the time of the seasons prominent on her skin, the sparking amber of her eyes much like the shale rocks of the southern continent. “Yes, it was wrong.”

 

Cale’s jaw set and she dropped her attention from his face, not meeting his light blue eyes. Her blood pressure roared in her ears. She busied herself adjusting the knife and slingshot strapped to her leather thong belt. She had her own blistering opinions on the entire cluster frag that had befallen the two dominant tribal factions, and would have loved to break out some old fashioned justice to deal with the ones most responsible.

 

But, it would do no good to vent her feelings to the tribesman. And as the senior officer on site, she had to maintain at least a modicum of duty and not go all vigilante. Or did she? Others had not seen fit to honor their oaths of duty, yet was she constricted regarding a response to the situation? Calestorm pushed these uncertain thoughts aside, though she noted that it was getting harder to ignore her true feelings on the Neural situation. Or what her heart was telling her.

 

Jiornoth’s next statement intruded on her thoughts. “Yet….I can understand the need of observation for a time long past on your own world. And, you should not bear the weight for the mistake of others.”

 

Calestorm sighed inwardly. The mistake of others. Jiornoth, if you only knew… With an effort, she managed to again push away her darker thoughts on the matter. After a long moment, she smiled at him, the gesture genuine.

 

Jiornoth returned the smile. “Come, we must return to the main campsite.”