The Truth is Out There

Posted on Sun Jun 15th, 2025 @ 8:47pm by Lieutenant Commander Harrison Knox & Lieutenant Tyler Malbrooke & Lieutenant Daegan Baas & Lieutenant Juliette Barnes & Lieutenant Stormy Knight & Ensign Kivo Dak
Edited on on Sun Jun 15th, 2025 @ 8:47pm

898 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: A Silence of Friends
Location: USS Thunderbird & Guran III

Lieutenant Commander Harrison Knox, Acting Captain of the Federation starship Thunderbird had finished his conversation with the Guran III Artificial Lifeform known simply as 'Striel' after several intense minutes and wrestling with expressing themselves and trying to negotiate with the lifeform, Knox, Knight, and Trynn had made progress. Commander Knox and Lieutenant Knight stepped out of the Captain's Ready Room with purpose. Progress was made, but this was far from over. People were still fighting for their lives in Sickbay where Trynn was, including Captain Gray.

Malbrooke and Baas could monitor things from the bridge just fine. Trynn could coordinate all efforts from Sickbay, and as for the starship itself? It was going nowhere. Knox tapped his communications badge in one swift motion. "Bridge to Engineering. Lieutenant Barnes, pack an engineering kit and prepare a portable power generator. Grab your gear, but leave the phaser behind and stand by. We're going down to Guran III with Striel's approval."

Julie cursed internally. She’d been monitoring the drones’ progress on the communications array and thought for sure they must finish soon. She hated to leave now, but what else could she do? Say, ‘oh sorry, can’t go now. I’m watching a fascinating repair effort’? Of course not. Besides, it could be hours or even days before they succeeded. She had no way of knowing how close they were to finishing. “On my way,” she replied, already moving to gather the required objects.

"Don't worry about meeting us anywhere. We'll keep our quarantine in place. This AI is going to beam us down when we're ready."

Well, that was convenient. And also concerning. An AI could just reach into their ship at will and grab them? She would never have agreed to that, but it wasn’t her call to make. “Understood,” she replied, already checking the generator to make sure it was functioning at full capacity. “I can be ready in two minutes.”

"Thank you, Lieutenant," replied Knox and he could hear the underlying concern in her tone. It was apropos too.

Knox looked over at Knight, the Chief Science Officer who already was aware of the plan and the terms and conditions to the arrangement. Harrison gave her a simple nod. She knew what to bring with her. This was there last chance of getting anything of value from the surface of Guran III, and Harrison trusted that she would capitalize on the opportunity.

"Five minutes," she said. That was how long it would take her to grab her go back and a few other items from her office. Her first priority was finding information on the plague. But if she had time, she would gather as much information on the Gurani as she could--just in case this was their only opportunity.

"Have someone from science get what you need together. I don't want to risk breaking quarantine" added Knox.

"Gentleman," Knox said addressing the Chief Tactical Officer and Chief Operations Officer. "We're likely about to receive the transfer of information from Guran III from Striel. I don't know how much we are getting or anything of value is in there. Lieutenant Malbrooke, make sure we have space to store it safely. I don't care what you have to down. If it needs the holodecks are out of commission until First Contact Day, make it so."

"Aye sir." Tyler said with solemn resignation. He already knew where he would take power from and where he would not. Life support, engines, weapons and shields would remain untouched. However, anything and everything else was fair game. He was happy to see that Stormy was clued in on whatever went on, but a little disheartened that everyone was not aware especially himself. Tyler took a mental note to plan another date with Stormy when this all blew over.

Knox fired a look specifically at Lieutenant Daegan Baas. "You softened that AI up for me," teased Knox. "I need you here on the bridge maintaining alert status and monitoring our life signs. We cannot afford any sort of provocation, Lieutenant."

"Ensign, not much for you to do up here right now. Care for a little excursion?" He had been young once himself, and he knew how important it was to feel useful. A starship just sitting and waiting idle was not the best use of the young ensign's time. "We could use a hand down on Guran III" added Knox.

The Bajoran youth looked down at the bezels and displays of his console. He weighed inwardly what he could possibly contribute to the dealings on the planet surface. But his superior officer made the request, and not without a blatant reality to it. There was little to do here beyond the minute positional changes in the ship to keep them in the La Grange point. So he pushed away from his console, "Yessir," he stated to the chip's acting Captain.

Content with the status of everyone, Knox stood ready. He would inform Striel that they were ready for transport. Hopefully, they would find answers that would help them make significant progress.

Lieutenant Commander Harrison Knox
Acting Commanding Officer
USS Thunderbird

Lieutenant Daegan Baas
Chief Security/Tactical Officer
USS Thunderbird

Lieutenant Juliette Barnes
Chief Engineer
USS Thunderbird

Lieutenant Stormy Knight
Chief Science Officer
USS Thunderbird

Lieutenant Tyler Malbrooke
Chief Operations Officer
USS Thunderbird

Ensign Kivo Dak
Flight Control Officer
USS Thunderbird

 

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