The year was 2164 and the Starship Horizon had
commenced her second three-year exploratory tour of the Third Quadrant. Under
the command of Captain Klye Black, the Horizon had already visited twelve
systems on her tour and none had impressed him as much as the second planetary
system of the Star Sigma Lotia. Portions of the captain's log on the date of
departure should give you a better idea of why the captain thought so highly of
the Lotians
Captain Kyle Black. . Personal Log... Sigma Lotia a
crazy world we leave behind as we warp on our course to the tip of the Milky
Way's Orion Arm. So long, Lotia, I enjoyed you more than any other twelve
civilizations we've discovered thus far on this mission.
They made us feel right at home. Is your chair
comfortable? They would ask. How are your earth chairs fashioned? And the next
day there would be a dozen Earth-like chairs in our guest quarters. Or walking
in our Chief Administrator Byxmyx's garden, I told him about a formal English
garden I visited once on Earth during R&R. Overnight, he ripped out his own
garden and laid out one like that, with the closest Lotian equivalent of pink
ivy and spiny boxwood. Talk about hospitality …
Before we took our leave, Byxmyx asked if he could
borrow a few books about Earth, which from our reports he found altogether
admirable. I lent him some from my personal library, knowing full well we would
never return. But his friendliness was infectious. Funny, too, but I could swear
he had picked up some of my vocal inflections. And he even began to limp a
little as I still do from that nasty fall I took on Alpha Cruci a few stardates
ago. Well, they say imitation is the sincerest form of flattery… End Log
It would be over a hundred years before another
Starship would visit the Sigma Lotian Star System, for you see, the Horizon had
no warp communications. Space communications were sent at the speed of light. To
complicate matters, at the time of the Horizon's visit, the Federation did not
exist. The vessel never returned to Terra and was ultimately presumed lost
during the Romulan War. It wasn't until 2264 that the message was forwarded to
James Tiberius Kirk. He had been directed to proceed to Lotia II and upon
arrival, to investigate the effect of the interference into the affairs of the
lotions.
Those of you who know your Federation History are
aware of the events that occurred during the 100-year interval between
Federation visits. For those of you who slept during your history classes, a
quick summary follows. One of the books that Captain Black of the Horizon "lent"
Administrator Byxmyx was titled Chicago Mobs of the Twenties (Copyright 1993).
The leaders of Lotia had fashioned a whole society patterned after the notorious
Chicago mobsters. The book was literally an encyclopedia of their culture.
Though the present-day Lotians’ are unsure of how the Horizon managed to visit
them and leave them "The Book", they do not question its veracity. Captain Kirk
was hard pressed to develop a plan to change the course of the Lotian culture to
one that more closely followed the precepts of a democracy. It has been 44 years
since Captain Kirk's last visit to Lotia. The society has gradually begun the
shift from one of fractious hostility to one more closely allayed with the
democratic "syndicate" set up by Kirk prior to his departure. This "Syndicate"
was actually a steering committee of Lotians’ set up for the express purpose of
moving the Lotians' society away from a mobster society to one more civil and
democratic. Their recourses were derived from Kirk's original "piece of the
action." The "Syndicate" reports reveal that they still have a long way to go
before their objectives are met.
Just what does the Lotian problem have to do with the
operations of the Saratoga? Well, during the last "report" of the "syndicate",
they reported that one of the mobs may have come across a crystalline material
that seems to absorb light. They weren't sure what this crystal was. But,
Admiral Brannon and Star Fleet knew what it sounded like. Candescium. No one in
the "Syndicate" had ever heard the word. Lotia's status as a Federation
protectorate provides special problems for those who go planetside. As a new
protectorate, Federation law shields Lotians’ from further interference in their
culture. The possible introduction of the material Candescium is a violation of
their protectorate status. As such, any Candescium located must be declared
contraband and confiscated. Alien traffickers must be arrested, removed from the
star system and prosecuted in Federation courts. Since the Saratoga is presently
docked at Third Fleet Headquarters, Captain Kit Donaree has been assigned the
mission.
Daran VI-D has been established as the assembly point
for the Lotia Party. Following orientation, the Lotia party will embark aboard
the luxury Starliner USS King Charles for the five-day journey to the Lotia
System.
Captain Donaree scanned the group seated before her.
There was an air of excitement in the room. After dealing with the creatures of
S329, everyone was happy to be alive and onto something new.
"I have received information that one of the Lotia
mobs may have gained access to the crystalline Candescium. We have dealt with
this material before so we know the dangerous potential it has. Admiral Brannon
has assigned us to investigate. I think you know what harm could be done if this
crystal gets into the wrong hands. We are to go undercover into the Lotia
society and take on the jobs that the "Syndicate" has assigned us The
"Syndicate" has setup a singing job for me at a place called The Blue Parrot.
That will be our rendezvous point. Any trouble that may arise, you will report
there. We will board the Starliner USS King Charles tomorrow at 0800."
