Shoot for Earth: MedSci Missions 3

The Chiron party of Ambassador O’Bien, Woon’s Alpha team sixers, and EMT Jasper Grass landed in an area with the thickest growth they could find in the almost desolate land. The small copse they nestled into was covered with thorny vines that trailed along surrounding dull grey ground. It wasn’t ideal, but it served as partial cover the for Peleus ship. They disembarked cautiously, and tread across dusty particulate matter, kicking up tiny seed husks in the dry land, until they came upon a very different scene.

Tall robots tended a field with brown earth surrounded by trees and shrubs.

“Woon, is this a good place to set up our first observation post?” O’Bien asked.

Woon had been studying the area. He walked a bit. “Over here, I think, in this low-lying area.” O’Bien nodded, and motioned for the party to follow him.

They set up an blind and watched, fascinated at the activity beyond.

“Look,” O’Bien said. Drones are taking produce from shrubs over to the robots. Do you see that? They open a little flap and pop things into it. Is that for storage?”

They all observed. “I don’t think so,” EMT Jasper Grass said. “Looks like most of the fruits and vegetables are going into underground conveyers. They put them in a hole over there, and way down at the end of the field, ATVs pick them up and trundle them off.”

“Yes, you’re right,” Alpha four said. So why do they put some into the robots? Could those things run off organic food?”

Woon and the others looked quizzical. After a few minutes, O’Bien asked, “Do you think the Taslamin are inside the robots? Jasper, can you do a bio reading?”

“Not from here,” he said. “I could work my way around to that shrub the biped bots are near. From behind there I should be able to get a reading.”

O’Bien looked at Woon. “With an officer?” she asked.

Woon nodded. “Alpha One, go with him.”

“No fatal defensive action!” O’Bien said. “Allow yourselves to be held if necessary, and I’ll talk.”

“Understood,” Alpha One said grimly.”