Without a Trace - Part II
Posted on Tue Sep 30th, 2025 @ 4:48am by Lieutenant JG Peri Valeri & Lieutenant Commander Anahera Chernova & Lieutenant Amanda Rose & Lieutenant Robin Maxwell & Staff Warrant Officer Madelyn Steele
1,556 words; about a 8 minute read
Mission: Preservation Instinct
[PREVIOUSLY]
Madelyn looked up getting another refill of their drinks and snacks, she noticed that hours had passed by.
"It’s gotten later in the day. My, how time flies when we're having fun." Madelyn giving a laugh.
[CONTINUED]
[Team Two]
Anahera approached the main power station. She could hear the telltale sound of the reactors in standby mode.
"Strange." She thought. "A research station of this size should be pulling a lot more power.
"Team, to me!" She called.
The door was locked by a security code lock. The Security Chief used her cybernetic hand to remove the housing and 'hotwired' the lock, and the door opened.
"Subtle." Maxwell remarked taking a place close behind looking past the doorway; glad that the lighting was activating with the opening of the hatch. "Better than going into the Dark, I suppose Ma'am."
Ishall was a couple of steps back but biting at the bit to get inside; the low power mode she could tell from the sound of thing meant no one had touched the section and automatics wound down due to lack of motion detection and to conserve power.
Amanda silently observed, keeping a close eye on Maxwell. She wondered if he would snap and wondered what she might be able to do.
Anahera looked around. "No, signs of a struggle." She said aloud.
"You want I go ahead Commander?" Maxwell asked, "I am used to being on point and I do not think this is exactly haunted."
"Okay, Lieutenant." Said as she entered the room. She smelt plant matter. Odd. She thought, filing it away for later.
Walking in measured strides Maxwell entered ahead, right hand resting above the Phaser and his left at his waist at the ready, His foot falls made no real sound as he ventured down the corridor towards the first intersection.
It did not feel right; did not look right and stank in a way he had sensed before. This place was empty, with no tattle-tail marks on walls of ground of a struggle,
"Seems the church mice are keeping this place quiet," He relayed softly behind him.
A 'T' intersection branching right towards what had to be a control room and ahead of them to the reactor Room and the main power Center.
"How do you want it played Commander; split for control and Reactor?" He had a stoic expression. We might need the Lady there for a manual check of the Power Room and core I think?"
"Not a good idea, Lieutenant, until we know what's going on." Anahera said. "I've lived long enough to know what happens.
For the first time since assignment Ishall felt a pang of reservation at the thought of what possibilities could be ahead. But the Main core seemed quiet , just how much of the control systems were in tact? If there was a struggle it would have been in the Power Room and that would be a place to lay and wait she guessed.
She almost wished she went Tactical rather than Damage Control at the academy.
"Then all to the Control Room for an over-view or down to the heart of the power problem?" Maxwell asked calm and calculated tone. "I am here only as support."
Anahera thought for a moment. "Control Room." She said. "We can work from there."
Continuing to be unobserved, Amanda watched and followed. So far, Maxwell was under control. Hopefully he could stay that way. The moment hell broke loose, there was more than a strong chance that Chaotic would come out.
Maxwell nod and started to lead the way down the corridor towards the Control Room, his right hand did not switch from hovering above his phaser. Looking about almost casually he advanced to the closed door marked 'Control Room'. Standing to one side he nodded to the Commander.
When the door wouldn't open, Anahera did her 'trick' again.
When the door opened, and the lights came on, the Security Chief drew her phaser and entered the room.
Finding it safe, she signaled for the others to join her. "Where's Amanda?" She asked.
"Trying to be unobtrusive." Maxwell stated as he had keep all the people on this team under his notice, The Counselor was hanging more rearward with 'Bunny'; no one knew to call Ishall that but him of course. "Ishall and her are playing safe as is in their best interests."
Maxwell trying to call Amanda unobtrusive was nearly infuriating. However, Maxwell was Amanda's concern and she was not going to react.
"Well, she's doing a good job at it, I forgot she was here." Anahera said.
"I'm right here, you know?" Amanda replied to Anahera. "No need to address me in third person."
"I-if I may." Ishall went past Amanda and the others heading to the main control panel.
A quick glance showed it was on what most called 'sleep mode' waiting for manual attendance to the system. She began with brining the console out of the passive setting; moving about a little to the key strokes needed and her movement automated training.
Give me just a second here..." She muttered.
The lights brightened on the console, screens began to activate and display the reading of the power grid.
"The reactor Core is undamaged just a little sleepy after no one used it." She explained while doing her job. "I do really need to get to the Core itself quickly to manually reset the grid and transfer power to the Main Central control unless you want me to do remote from this panel and wait command connections and protocols?"
"When did it go into 'sleep' mode?" Anahera asked. "And was it done automatically or ordered by one of the Station personnel?"
"I assume one of our engineers could sort that out," Amanda stated as if it was obvious.
Ishall checked the readings on the panels in front of her; each one slowly coming to full potential power.
"Looks like neglect; no one using the power grid and it goes to sleep to conserve power as well as no maintenance required with the sleep mode. "Ishall explained. "Just waiting for someone to come along and restart it and wake up the systems."
"Which might also mean no Engineer to keep it going nor anyone to use it for a bit." Maxwell guessed. "Seems our little colony is a ghost habitation." He remarked. "Usually, some kind of foul play when everything looks innocent,,," He glanced around. "Or cleaned after the fact?"
"Or," Amanda responded contrarily, "It is exactly what it appears to be. While it may be unlikely based on the active disappearance without contact, that does not mean we should rule it out. We need something more concrete."
[Shuttle]
It was now dusk, the vegetation was casting long shadows.
Madelyn gave a slight grunt, stretching out her legs she was feeling a bit stiff from sitting down too long.
"What do you think about stretching our legs a little and making a circuit around the shuttle? I know my behind would like a break from sitting."
Peri looked out the viewport. "Yeah. I don't want to be out once it's fully dark, as there may still be predators out there, but I would like a bit of a walk." She took her phaser out of her bag and attached it to her belt, just in case.
Madelyn retrieved her phaser and went out with Peri, reaching down to touch her toes, then arched her back when she straightened up. She heard a couple of vertebrae snap back into place.
"That feels much better." She pulled out a small flashlight, it wasn't dark enough yet to use it, but still. couldn't hurt to be prepared.
Peri used the light on her PADD and shone it around. "Better say close to the shuttle. Just because we don't scan anything doesn't mean there isn't something out there that's being masked by some mineral in the soil."
"Good advice." Madelyn looking around feeling slightly on edge. "Has anyone taken a sample of the soil here? Maybe we can take some more in-depth scans now that we're on the planet itself."
"I don't know," Peri replied. "We stayed in the shuttle." She thought she heard something rustling in the trees and stopped to listen. But as soon as she did, whatever it was stopped. "I think we should call the team back and return to the ship. Better to come back in the morning than stay here after dark."
Madelyn had heard the sound as well. "I agree. Let's get them back. Things just are not feeling safe right now." heading into the shuttle. Once inside, Madelyn keyed up the comms. "Calling away teams, this is Staff Warrant Officer Madelyn Steele, It's getting dark and there might be movement outside. I suggest that we head back up to the ship and get a new perspective in the morning. We didn't come prepared to investigate during the night. Steele out."
A post by
SWO Madelyn Steele
Chief Engineer
USS Ontario
Lieutenant JG Peri Valeri
Assistant Chief Operations Officer
USS Ontario
Lieutenant Commander Anahera Chernova
Chief Security Officer
USS Ontario
Lieutenant Robin Maxwell
Chief Intelligence Officer
USS Ontario
Ishall
Damage Control Officer
USS Ontario
Lieutenant Amanda Rose
Chief Counselor
USS Ontario
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