Day Two - And Things Are Different - Part I

Posted on Tue Jan 20th, 2026 @ 7:50am by Lieutenant JG Peri Valeri & Lieutenant Commander Yivliph Ra-Gruvloveii & Lieutenant Commander Anahera Chernova & Lieutenant Xavier & Lieutenant Amanda Rose & Lieutenant Robin Maxwell & Staff Warrant Officer Madelyn Steele & Lieutenant Endymion Tox

1,662 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Preservation Instinct

Bright and early the next morning, the away team headed back down to the planet, hoping that this time, they would find some answers.

Madelyn looked about where the runabout had landed. "A question for you, which building will we be examining first? I do know that someone had gotten the power activated on one of the buildings." the redhead turning towards the leader of the away team, Yiv, then to the others as well. I did read the reports of some of your findings and I am looking forward to seeing it with my own two eyes." having a look of amusement in her eyes.

The flight had been mostly routine. Xavier was just locking the shuttle post flight and taking checks while the rest of the team checked and rechecked their phasers and equipment. For what felt like the thousandth time Xavier snuck a glance at Tox who seemed to have a goofy grin on his face.

"Lieutenant, are you alright?" Xavier asked quietly. As per the previous flight the Nurse sat next to him due to his dislike of shuttles.

"Yeah...it's been a hundred life times in a day moment."

"That sounds both profound and somewhat silly."

Tox chuckled. "Why Vulcula did you just make a Joke?"

"Vulcula?"

Tox shrugged. "You have this hot goth Dracula Vulcan thing going so Vul cue la."

Xavier flushed green the blush traveling from his cheeks to his neck and up to his ears. "Your reasoning is flawed. I am not hot."

Tox snorted. "I've seen you at the Rec pool in swim shorts. I think I know hot."

Xavier locked his panel. "This discussion is pointless. He stood and headed back to the rest of the team to listen to the XO's pre debourding prep.

Unless ordered to accompany one of the teams, Peri planned to stay on the shuttle again as backup. just in case someone needed an emergency beam out. Or something.

Xavier stepped up to Peri. "Lieutenant Valeri may I speak with you a moment?"

Peri raised an eyebrow. "Sure. What can I do for you?"

"How familiar are you with shuttle flight?" He asked. "In case I am incapacitated I want to make sure there is someone who can get the shuttle back to the ship if not I can set it for automatic."

"I'm competent enough." Peri smiled. "Not as good as you, but I'll get everyone back." And she meant everyone--including Xavier.

He gave a nod. "Excellent. Then I trust the shuttle to you." He paused. "And thank you."

"Thanks. I'll take good care of her. And good luck to you."

Xavier bowed. "Thank you." Most Vulcan's would have brushed aside the wish but Xavier had learned that luck was a very real thing.

Amanda had arrived to watch Tox and Xavier flirting. She wished that the two of them would consummate their relationship already. The problem with being a counselor was that one could not tell people what to do or reveal secrets, but only hope to lead them by the nose to the truth.

Maxwell had remain rather stoic and almost relaxed during the flight, Ishall had used him to lean against. She was ready to start getting power across the grid and the building back into operation.

Maxwell had on a belt with pouches and a satchel for over the shoulder. He did not recheck, seemed he had confidence in his equipment, the phaser and even an old fashioned revolver stashed at small of the back.

He seemed to almost dose during the flight and need not yawn but just had a ready expression on his face awaiting any order that might come about.

Close to landing, Ishall had separated herself from the comfort to check her gear again. All the generic tools were in place; the colony stores would have anything else she needed so she just remained comfortable until landing.

Anahera had spent the flight in silent thought. The personnel were gone, but there was no sign of a struggle, and no bodies. Orbital scans had detected on humanoid life, something confirmed by their own tri-coder scans.

When the shuttle landed, the Security Chief, instinctively checked her gear and left the shuttle.

Once everyone left the shuttle, Peri pulled out her deck of cards and began to play a game of solitaire.

Ishall was first of the two disembarking the shuttle; Maxwell not far behind. Taking up a protective position, he followed the Damage Control Girlfriend. She would be heading to more vital areas in attempts to get power working; those sections are suspect as targets if something; or someone, is waiting. This time a rifle slung over his shoulder; he would get a chance to check the perimeter once the Colony was more operational. Until then Maxwell would just keep an eye out for evidence of trouble.

From within the jungle-like woods, a branch moved almost imperceptibly as something moved to get a better look at the arrivals.

Amanda stayed quiet, sensing that something had changed. Though she was not in security, she had led away teams in her past and had some command experience. Subtlety, she started looking around, trying to see whatever might be out there despite the scans.

'We're not alone,' Yiv said quietly, whiskers twitching as he looked at his tricorder. 'I'm sure you all feel we're being ... watched.'

Xavier had that feeling too. He moved closer to the XO his hands slowly going to his phaser.

Amanda moved up to Yiv and asked, "Is there a reason that you're stating the obvious?"

"He's trying to confirm that we're all on the same page, Lieutenant Rose." Anahera said.

Yiv nodded. 'It also begs the question,' he continued in a quiet voice, 'why hasn't my tricorder picked up the signals of the being - or beings - watching us?'

Ishall’s antennae were twitching; something in the air that was one the breeze but out of place; she looked around with those heightened Andorian senses while taking a step back towards Maxwell.

His eyes were checking the parameter of his visual range; the hair on the back of his neck warned him like so many times Covertly where he should not have been that he was being observed and ambushed at a later time.

No bodies, no signs of foul play and the lack of a struggle from first observations ticked his training that things are far from what they seemed.

"I think it is time to get this place a little more running and ready for guests." Maxwell commented in a normal tone. "The same guests that the colony had obviously."

"Guests that left no trace, not even the signs of a transporter beam or the disruption caused by shuttle engines." Anahera said. "Now, what do we know, that the crew of this research station is gone, there are no bodies of the crew, Maxwell's supposed guests, lack of phased particles, suggests the bodies weren't disintegrated by energy weapons. Anybody have any suggestions about what happened here?"

"Phase differential? A species that is not known to our tricorders or does not breathe traditionally?" Amanda offered.

'All reassuringly troublesome propositions,' Yiv replied, scanning the near horizon. 'We shall keep our eyes peeled for trouble, but we have to get the buildings running again - that is our first priority. Hopefully there'll be some records of what happened here.'

Amanda had her doubts. She suspected that whatever was watching them likely had something to do with the disappearance. "Well, hopefully the engineers and ops officers will have luck there."

"I will start off with checking the exterior junctions to make sure the buildings are connected to the power grid, after all a blown major breaker can make the building go dark." Ishall nod with a grin. "Probably not need more than a glance to assure all is well but start at the obvious and go from there right ma'am?"

Maxwell glanced around with the analytical type of expression.

"I think I would like to have a walk about and check the buildings a bit." He mentioned. "Okay, I do have a Torch for those Dark Corners." Gave a wink to Ishall. "Meet you in a building after you check exteriors."

He turned to a building near the edge of the colony nearer to the foliage that would be best vantage if someone is hiding.

"Search with a little Bait." He told himself quiet enough no one heard.

The hairs on the back of Tox’s neck went up. “Well, whoever or rather whatever it is this thing is good at hiding. I was never a fan of hide and seek.”

[Inside the shuttle]

Peri set the sensors to keep an eye on the away team and to pay attention to anything unusual. She set an audible notification, then took out her deck of cards and began to play solitaire.

[Outside of the building]

Madelyn took some time to look for an outer door that would lead to where access to the powerline to the building. Granted there could be generators in the basement but there also could be a housing for a separate building to power the buildings. And there she did go. Right now, though, after that strange sound from last night, Madelyn's head was on a swivel.

Tapping on her combadge "I may have found the power plant to get the power back up and running. Anyone wish to come look at it with me?"

(To be continued...)

Lieutenant Amanda Rose
Chief Counselor
USS Ontario
 
Lieutenant Xavier
Chief Flight Control Officer
USS Ontario
 
Lieutenant Endymion Tox
Head Nurse (NPC)
USS Ontario
 
Lieutenant Robin Maxwell
Chief Intel Officer
USS Ontario

Ishall
Damage Control
USS Ontario

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

Commander Yivliph Ra'Gruvloveii
Executive Officer
USS Ontario

 

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