This is a continuation from USS Feuos: An Exchange of Science 

It was a beautiful day in Avalon as Aoife McKenzie walked down the street of the village she found herself in.  In her plain tan and brown homespun dress she completely blended into the local populous after being stuck there for nearly a year. 

Aoife had opened a school for the children. These were Humans so surely the Prime Directive didn’t apply.  At least that’s what she told herself  so she unashamedly taught math, science,  and social studies.  Sometimes she would catch the ire of the local Bishop, but for the most part the local spiritual leader left her alone,  and in turn she and Nicholas would attend mass once a week.

With a basket under her arm she stopped at the edge of the road where she knew some medicinal plants grew. With her small pin knife she made several clippings of some leafy green plants and placed them into her basket.

A commotion drew her attention to a group of people gathered around one of the farmers carrying an unusual device.  She approached the group, “Hail John.”

“Hail Lady Aoife,” the farmer greeted.

“What have you there?” Aoife asked. 

John looked down at the device,  “I don’t know.  The Lord delivered it on lightning.  I saw it with my own two eyes.”

Aoife had no idea what it was, but it was certainly Federation technology, a Starfleet property tag was affixed to the main housing. It was clean and looked as if it hadn’t seen any time in the elements. That could only mean one thing: it’s a recent arrival.  Her crew could still be looking for her… or it got pulled in a the same time and for some weird twist of fate it was just now arriving.   That seemed unlikely to Aoife.

“How much?” Aoife asked John. She and Nicholas had saved up a few gold coins, but this was mostly a barter and trade economy.  “I can get you that plow you have been eyeing for sometime.”

“Lady Aoife…”

“It will take years before you can afford that plow,” Aoife urged.  She knew he was torn between his needs to take care of his family and make his life easier with what he saw as a gift from God.  “You need not pay me for teaching your children.”

That sealed the deal.  It was a struggle every year for he and his wife to provide the tuition to send their kids to school, and he also knew that was their path to the merchant class. John Rolfson may not have been a good farmer, but he was a good father.

John reluctantly handed her the device and Aoife gave him an encouraging smile. “May God be with you,” he said to her.

“And you as well sir.  Come by the shop and the plow is yours.”

He nodded,  “I will.”

Aoife turned and ran for blacksmith shop at the far end of the the village.   Their little cottage sat behind the shop.  She entered panting and out of breath, with Nicholas in mid strike with his hammer.   His eyes were wide with concern. 

“Aoife? What’s the matter?”

Through panting breaths,  “They… haven’t… given.. up… on… us.”

“Who?”

“The crew!” She exclaimed showing  Nicholas the device. 

Her first officer carefully set his hammer down and reached for the device. Aoife gladly handed it over, and after turning it over in his hands a few times he spoke, “I belive it’s a tachyon emitter.”

“Tachyon emitter?” Aoife said in thought, “Why would they send us a tachyon emitter?”

“It has to be the key to getting home,” Nicholas said excitement in his voice.

“Yeah it does. I would say it would be safe to assume that the current settings are a good place to start.”

“I agree.  They wouldn’t have sent it to us otherwise.”

Aoife spread the legs of the tripod and pointed it at the back of the shop.  She shrugged doubt creeping in.  It seemed too easy.  “Well, here goes nothing.” She flipped the switch and an energy beam danced across the far wall.

“Now what?” Nicholas asked. 

“I… I don’t know,” she said honestly.   

“What if we have to be in contact with the energy beam,” Nicholas suggested. 

Aoife nodded, “Well, here goes nothing.” Walking around the emitter she hesitated at the edge of the blue beam.  Taking a deep breath she stepped into it.  Nothing. 

A loud gasp drew both of their attention to the entrance of the shop.  One of Aoife’s older students stood at the door.  She dropped her basket and ran off in terror.

“That’s not good,” Nicholas said.

“We got to hide the emitter,” Aoife said.  “It didn’t work this time but it has to be the key.”