Not having found any of the Scientists and Engineers at the Research & Monitoring Station, we had returned to the USS Einstein to warm up and consider our next move.
(See previous USS Einstein "Ice Station" Mission 240212).
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Our scans had shown a further building complex, not far from the Research & Monitoring Station.
So we returned to the Transporter Room and beamed back down to the planet.
We landed just outside a modular building complex, with each of the pods being joined to a central pod - which we entered.
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We visited each of the other four pods in turn, where we found Sleeping Quarters, a Laboratory, a Sickbay and a Reactor Room which powered the whole complex.
However, again there was no sign of the Scientists and Engineers.
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We then went back outside and walked the short distance to the Transmitter Station and went inside.
To our surprise we heard the voice of Jon Smith (one of the Engineers) over the speaker system. He explained that he and the other Engineers & Scientists had been taken by a group of Ferengi to the innermost planet in the system.
It seemed that the Ferengi believed that the Research & Monitoring Station was being used for mining precious minerals without the necessary permits. So they were being held hostage by the Ferengi till the necessary permits were purchased.
Having obtained further information from Jon Smith, we informed him that we would travel to the innermost planet and get things sorted out.
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We returned to the USS Einstein, left orbit and set course for the innermost planet in the system.
On our arrival we hailed the Ferengi outpost and explained that the Scientists and Engineers were not mining for precious minerals, but had recently started drilling to the molten central core of the planet to use as a heat source.
The response from the Ferengi was that in their view, drilling was the same as mining - so the Scientists and Engineers would not be released until a mining permit was purchased. However they agreed that we could send a negotiator down to try and resolve the dispute.
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Group Photo of the crew :-
Capt David7 Bravin - Commanding Officer
Lt Cmdr Slash Godard - Operations Officer
Ensign May Spring - Science Officer
Ensign Salsa - Security Officer
(Photos taken by Ensign Salsa)