Light's on but Nobody's Home Conclusion

Posted on Thu May 28th, 2020 @ 12:07pm by Lieutenant JG Kevin Lance

Mission: Ghost Station
Location: Starbase 945
Timeline: Current

Through liberal application of phaser fire, Kevin and his Marines were able to clear main engineering but there was no sign of Lieutenant Covitchka’s team. The computer feed showed that CO2 concentrations were steadily increasing outside. Kevin knew that this meant that his team would need to clear a path to the environmental plant so Doctor Relor could deploy the antidote throughout the starbase. Motioning toward the entrance to main engineering, Kevin and his team moved out.

They dropped several infected crewmembers that tried to enter through the doorway but when Kevin turned the corner, he saw something that he did not expect.

The corridor leading to the environmental plant was filled with infected crewmembers, but they were all on their knees with their hands clasped behind their heads, a clear indication of surrender. “Sir?” came the confused voice of one of the Marines.

“Hold your fire,” replied Kevin, a hint of doubt creeping into his voice.

“Don’t’….Shoot,” the infected called out in a ragged chorus.

What in the name of Cochran was going on? Kevin wondered. He was about to contact the ship when one of the infected stood and said, “They mean no harm”

The Marines all raised their weapon to shoot but Kevin held up his hand in a stop gesture. “Who are you,” he asked of the Trill crew member.

“I am…Lieutenant Rilla Von,” said the Trill in somewhat halting speech. “The Choc’kta… only wish to… survive.”

“Who are the Choc’kta?” Kevin inquired.

“What…are the…Choc’kta,” replied the Trill, “They are…beings who wish…to co-exist. They…were uprooted from their…environs. They…are surviving the…only way that…they know. But it has…been difficult.”

“Why aren’t you infected?”

“The…Trill host is…but I am communicating with the Choc’kta,” responded the Trill’s symbiote.

Kevin considered the information, then activated his communicator, “Away team to Independence. I think we have a first contact situation.”