Footprints in the Gulch

YEAR: 52028 HE

SHIP: Matriark II, Super-Frigate Exploration class

SUPERVISORY COMPUTER SYSTEM: Hahaoya X80 (HX80)

LOCATION: Ship’s Conference Room

MEETING TRANSCRIPT

IN ATTENDANCE: PRIME-CAPTAIN LARKINA, SUB-CAPTAIN ORTNER, SUB-CAPTAIN PINES, PROF GRUBER ZOOLOGY DEPT, PROF HARDERK AGRICULTURAL DEPT

     LARK: By now, everyone present should be aware of the discovery in the gulch. We are not alone. There are humanoids upon this planet. They may or may not pose a threat to our operations. But we must assume the worst from here on. I ask for your thoughts on how to proceed, baring in mind the need to cultivate a successful food supply within the year.

     ORT: We have to treat this as a hostile land from here on. No one should venture off without a twenty strong protective unit. We should increase the radius of the drone scans around the site of the footprints, and, we must build defences around the farms. I suggest watch towers and ramparts like the ancients of Earth.

     PINE: That will take longer than we projected. The crop yields may suffer.

     ORT: The farms won’t be worth a crap if we’re overrun by a band of hungry aliens. You forget we are only forty-thousand strong. For all we know, this planet could have millions of hostiles ready to descend upon us and wipe us out. We don’t know what level of technology they possess. It could be spears, but it could also be nuclear missiles. I hate to be the one to put a downer on the mission before it begins, but we must plan for the worst.

     ZOO: The humanoids may be peaceful. They might even be so small in number that they pose no threat at all.

     ORT: I hope you are correct professor. Until I know for sure, I’m gonna plan for war.

     AGR: The farms will benefit from irrigation ditches. We could easily convert them into fortifications that can benefit the crops.

     LARK: That’s the kind of optimism I’ve been hoping for. I appreciate your concerns Captain. However, I see our discovery as a moral booster. It will help unite us, if we’re all working together for agricultural prosperity and security. The two work well together. We have to get the farms planted immediately. I will put Sub-Captain Ortner in charge of crop defence. Sub-Captain Pines can oversee the exploration and investigation of the footprints.

     PINE: Thanks. I get to trek into the unknown alien ridden wild lands, while Ortner gets to build walls.

     ORT: I would happily swap roles if the Prime-Captain has no objections.

     LARK: Does that suit you Captain Pines?

     PINE: Now I look like a coward. I was just saying I got the short straw.

     ORT: And now I’m giving you the long one.

     PINE: Can we split it. Rotating from Walls to exploration, so that the protective units involved can get rest from the more dangerous task?

     LARK: Rotate and report back daily. Does anyone have anything else they want to raise?

     ZOO: We might find these Humanoids useful. I want to start on the premise of mutual cooperation before we go blasting them into dust. This is their planet after all. Their knowledge of plants and animals may prove invaluable should we manage to communicate with them.

     ORT: I hope they come in peace Professor. If they come to feast on our brains, I will be glad of my blade rifle.

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