Log Entry 170107.201

We sat in our little camp and debated our options for hours, arguing everything back and forth. Eventually, we realised we had to talk to the captain. We had no choice. We hadn't checked in with the ship before as there was no need. Our excursion wasn't being classed as a mission, more a vacation, but things had changed. This was, essentially, a first contact situation and I could see the whole thing going tits up at this point.

I opened a communications channel and asked to speak to Captain T'Roc. Fortunately, she was in her office so I didn't need to ask for privacy before I unburdened myself of the whole sorry tale. At the end, there was a long, terrible silence.

"I'm sorry, Captain," I began to apologise. "It's—"

"No, Ensign, don't apologise. You've done exactly the right thing. I was just thinking that’s all. I need to come down there and chat to Arunga personally. As you've already realised, this could all go very badly—very badly indeed. The entire Mairne nation could be at risk and while Starfleet has a non-interference policy, we are responsible for the situation to a degree. We are certainly too deeply embroiled to be able to step away without repercussions of some kind. I suspect we are now into damage limitation, but whatever we do, we need to consult with the Mairne. It's their future that's at stake after all. I'll come down personally."

That was most unusual. The captain of a ship does not normally beam down into such situations but then, T'Roc was no ordinary captain.