Sole Survivor - Part 1

Posted on Thu May 8th, 2025 @ 2:01pm by Captain Daegan Baas & Lieutenant M'Tala "Hobbes" Clan Hrasi & Commander Jerome Hunt Jr. & Lieutenant Liam O'Riley & Lieutenant Urushi Yaotome & Lieutenant Erin Cussen

1,704 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Sole Survivor
Location: Bridge
Timeline: MD 14 - 13:25

[Bridge]


“Captain’s Log Stardate 77124.47

“The Valkyrie is now two weeks into her assignment and thus far our explorations had been routine to say the least. A few uninhabited systems, and a rogue planet being excavated by a regional mining consortium. They didn’t want to have anything to do with since we weren’t interested in buying anything, but perhaps this brief contact will lead to contact with a higher authority. We managed at least to….”

“Excuse me, Captain, but we’ve picked up a vessel on our long-range sensors,” D’Sai reported from Ops.

Pausing his log at the interruption he listened to the report. “Well let see what we got. Helm set an intercept course.”

Hobbes’ hands moved effortlessly over the controls. “Aye. Course laid in ETA 14 minutes.”

As the Valkyrie arrived at the coordinates the derelict spacecraft came into view as it slowly cartwheeled through space. Whatever the ships original mission or destination it was clear that it at failed. Rising from the center seat Daegan shook his head slowly.

D’Sai reviewed the sensor readings now that they were closer. “I’m getting minimal power readings, Captain. No life support. The ship doesn’t match any on record…” he let his voice trail off, looking closely at the larger image on the main viewer, but nothing about the design looked familiar. “No distress signal, or any other outgoing communication.”

“Well we didn’t come all this way just to fly on by. Commander, take an away team over and let’s see if we can figure out where it came from and where it was going.”

“Aye, Sir,” Jerome said as he rose to his feet. “Lieutenant D’Sai please notify Lieutenants O’Reilly, Yaotome, Wells and Cussen to meet me in Transporter Room 1. Include yourself on the away team as well. Hobbes, you too.”

“Aye, Commander.” D’Sai typed the order into the ship’s internal communications system and rose to join the first officer. He hoped they’d find the ship abandoned, as the alternative would be grim. Regardless, the chance to examine their technology up close would certainly provide some answers.

“Yes sir.” While he always hates stuffing his tail into those EVA suits, he was keenly interested in getting a look at suck an antiquated nav system.

[Engineering]

O’Riley was at the chief’s console when the order came through informing him he was assigned to an away mission. Turning to the ACEO “Lieutenant Sovak, engineering is yours; I’ve been ordered to assist on an away mission” Liam stated. “Understood Chief” was the reply. O’Riley left main engineering and stopped by his office and grabbed his phaser along with an extra battery. Entering a nearby lift “Transporter Room 1.”

(Transporter Room 1)

Urushi arrived at the transporter room. She had her tricorder and hand phaser ready. From what she had heard they were boarding an unknown ship with no power or life support. She glanced over at the doors that led to the EVA suit storage; she never liked those bulky cramped suits.

O’Riley walked into the transporter room noticing another officer having already arrived “Lieutenant, looks like we about to have our first adventure” Liam commented with a smile “You up for it.”

“I guess so.” Urushi responded giving the engineer a small smile. “As long as the EVA suits don’t get damaged, it should be interesting. Oh, and I hope we don’t find any remains of the crew…”

That thought had already gone through Liam’s mind a few times, but he didn’t want to make her uneasy “I’m sure it’ll be fine Lieutenant” he replied with a smile trying to put her more at ease.

Erin walked into transporter room, her kit on her back, headlamp on and tricorder ready. “Are we all here?”

Wells had stood quietly since arriving a few minutes ago. “I believe this is it” he said, his mind prepared for the unknown they would soon face. Holstered at his side was a hand phaser.

Jerome looked around the transporter padd, noting that everyone is in place, and tapped his comm badge. “Hunt to Captain. We’re ready to go.”

[Bridge]

Upon hearing that everything was ready Daegon replied. “Good luck Commander. If there is nothing of interest, we will just bring you home and adjust its trajectory towards the star so it isn’t a hazard.”

“Understood,” Jerome said. “We’ll keep you informed. Hunt out.” He turned toward the transporter technician and gave the nod. “Energize.”

As the beam cleared, Jerome stepped forward; to say the ship had been damaged was an understatement. Very little seemed to whole or even worth salvaging and yet, there were places that looked at least, less damaged. “O’Riley, D’Sai,” he said. “We’re not completely without power. Take a look at the ship’s systems, what’s left of them. See what you can find out.”

“Aye Sir” O’Riley replied as he walked over to a console seeing the panel with power but dimly illuminated. Taking a portable light from his equipment bag, Liam could actually see what he was attempting to work on. Quickly he realized this must be an older type vessel just by the console configuration; not unlike some of the early star fleet designs. Carefully accessing the panel for a readout he turned towards Jerome “Commander the vessel seems to be on backup reserves” then he paused “It doesn’t look like there’s much of that left either” O’Riley stated.

Zane glanced at the readout himself before continuing the inspection of the console. “It’s possible we could bring over a generator or two, but I’ll need to get a better understanding of this ship’s power distribution so we don’t accidentally overload the system.” He began to take readings with his tricorder. “Then we’ll need a converter to regulate the transfer.”

“Yaotome and Cussen,” Jerome continued. “See what you can find out about the crew.”

“Looks like it’s me and you,” Urushi said turning and giving Erin a nervous smile. She pulled out her tricorder and began a short-range scan set to pick up anything biological.

Erin sighed nervously and returned the same type of smile opening her tricorder and started scanning as well. The two slowly started moving along. “When said I wouldn’t mind getting you know you a better, I didn’t mean in an EVA suit on a scary broken ship,” Erin commented.

“Lieutenant Wells,” Jerome said, “weapons and shields. Clearly the ship was hit but with what?”

The Security Chief pondered for a moment. “Ships of this era, at least the one sent out from Earth had few if any weapons and from the looks of the exterior its only shield was that physical domelike structure. From the damage it looks like it took a catastrophic hit; if not several. However, I’d like to search for any other damage.”

“Hobbes,” Jerome said, “take a look at the navigation console. See what you can find out about their route. From where? To where? That sort of thing.”

“Yes sir.”

He began his search for the ships control center. The layout of the cylindrical craft made it fairly easy but the station was completely without power and nothing he did could get power to the station. Whatever power this thing had left was being diverted. The teams EVA suits had an open comm and he contacted Lt. O’Riley to see if there was anything he could do. “Lt. O’Riley the flight computer is completely without power. Is there enough power on this derelict to divert?”

“Let me check Lieutenant” Liam responded, “Yes I can but I don’t know for how long” as he made some adjustments “You should have basic power now.”

What no one knew was that the vessel’s programming was to maintain the cryogenic systems for the embryo pods, all other systems where expendable; including the cryo-systems for the crew. With the manual power transfer alarm lights began to strobe and the blaring of alarm sirens could be heard over the last near nonexistent atmosphere within the module.

Looking up and around Hobbes’ hand darted from the console. “What happened!?”

Wells unholstered his hand phaser and began scanning the room’s doors and corners for any threats.

Jerome, who had been looking for anything not already covered by the rest of the away team, turned as the alarms started going off, and said, “Report. Anyone.”

Looking at the console O’Riley was trying to figure out what had set off all the alarms when a thought occurred to him. His hands started flying over the console as he watched the readouts. Several minutes later Liam came up with a theory as he turned “Commander, I’ve traced back the power” then he paused a moment “It looks like the primary function of the systems is to provide power to one area of the ship at all costs to the rest of the vessel” as he paused once again checking his screen “The area appears to be two decks below us Sir” he concluded.

‘Let’s go check it out,” Jerome said to O’Riley as he gestured to the security officer. “You’re with us as well. The rest of you, let me know what you find out.”

“Aye Commander” Liam replied then started looking for a way off their deck when something caught his eye a short distance away. Walking over Liam shined a light around a railing “No way” he thought to himself. This was the first time he’d ever seen…..well….stairs on a vessel and they seemed to be going downward. Looking over to Jerome “Commander I found the exit point for this deck” he stated waiting to see the reaction on the XO’s face concerning their exit.

Wells nodded and moved towards the front of the party. He could see fairly well in the dark, though the EVA suit’s visor fogged slightly. He took the first steps down the stairway, turning to see if the crew was following.


TBC...

 

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