Unexpected Occurrences

Posted on Sat Jun 28th, 2025 @ 9:59pm by Lieutenant Adrianna Baciami & Lieutenant Commander Oscar McDonald MD & Lieutenant Fang Lee & Lieutenant Lanna Alexander & Jynx

1,843 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: Stars Around the Well

ON:

Exactly on schedule, the shuttle made a gentle and near textbook landing within the vessel they had detected adrift within the debris field. During those last few moments on the approach they had continued to detect no signs of life, all while the members of the away team donned the cumbersome EV suits. Armed as a precaution, the team emerged in single file, scanning the immediate area for any sign of life - friendly or otherwise.

Doctor McDonald was second to last to emerge, wondering why now his knee had decided to itch when it was impossible to scratch while simultaneously hoping they discover the vessel had been abandoned rather than... well, the alternative. Abandoned would mean hope.

Every step carried them further from the shuttle and the safe haven it offered, but that did not trouble him. He was far from a green cadet terrified by his own shadow, nor were his companions as near as he could tell. Even so, with just their flashlights illuminating the immediate area, there were plenty of shadows to go around.

"Do you think we can perhaps restore some power, get the lights on?" he mused, as the hull of the ship seemed to groan under a heavy strain. Given the damage even their own ship had sustained, it was hardly surprising if this vessel was in danger of losing hull integrity. "It would make our search efforts easier. And faster."

Adrianna wasn't exactly trigger happy, but she did know what desperation and fight and flight could do to a being. She lead with her phaser and torch, in a tactical manner, "if power could be restored, I could maybe try and download the black box data and manifest-- might help those mourning or worried."

Lanna was stood looking around, she was feeling more unsettled now than she had before, but she couldn’t put her finger on the exact reason why. “This place gives me the creeps, don't ask me to explain why though.”

Fang sighed. "Everyone Keep your phasers close. We're splitting up. Doctor, Baciami team one head to medical bay and bridge. Counselor you are with me and Walker. We're heading to Engineering. Everyone keep in coms contact every ten minutes check in." He looked around. "We'll try get the power back up...on second thought Walker head to the bridge coordinate from there."

Walker nodded.

"Alright folks. We have two hours and then we meet back here." Fang stopped as a hand tapped him on the shoulder. "And me?"

"Shit Vance I forgot you're here. Okay You're with Walker. Keep to your away team buddies."


**Doc and Adri**

Adrianna looked at the doctor and smiled. Before beginning the descent though, she looked back to their own ship. Something in her told her that she was being watched. She stepped back to where the doors were and looked around. Nothing caught her eye, although the silence made her uneasy. She looked back at the Doctor and shook her head, "I have that horrible feeling like were being watched-- but from our ship. Come on, let's go and get this over with."

At her comment, McDonald directed the beam of his flashlight back towards the shuttle but so nothing amiss. "Hm. Seems alright, but lets keep an eye out, never can be too cautious," he commented as they set off. "Perhaps we can tell a story to pass the time, silence does make things more unnerving, or so I've heard. Quite enjoy it myself. But if you wish a distraction, we can plan the next torment of the lower decks. You do have a reputation to maintain after all."

Adrianna snorted in amusement, "I would imagine that it goes against some hipa-hippo-- hippopotamus... No that's not right... Some doctor oath anyway to fake a new mandatory vaccine." She amused leading the way with her flashlight and phaser, "that said, I was thinking about tribblenapping this Gary. The cult is getting really dark. Might chuck it out of an airlock... Or skin it... I need new gloves."

McDonald studied her - or rather her back since she was in the lead. “I’m not certain skinning a tribble is not a viable solution. Thinking logically, to make a pair of gloves you will need two fairly decent sized tribbles. I have some excellent scalpels which would be ideal for the task though…”

"Well, one tribble turns to two pretty easily. I suppose I could just flay him and maybe do taxidermy. I mean, let's face it, he'll look good on a wall," she replied turning a corner and checking the corridor. Seemed like they were already there at the med bay. Adrianna lowered her weapon and gestured to the CMO office, "I found the CMO."

McDonald stepped to the side so he could see around her, eyes widening at the sight of a body on the other side of a desk. “Far beyond my help,” he lamented. Even from afar that was obvious. “But let’s look around. Even if that isn’t the CMO, there might be information. Especially if power comes online.”

Adrianna nodded and gently pulled the chair the body was slumped in. Now with easier access to the desk, she started looking through it, trying to see if he had any handwritten notes. Instead, she found a bottle of whiskey, "do all CMOs like alcohol?"

"Occupational hazard," McDonald confirmed with a sadness in his voice. Not a worry anymore for this poor fellow. "Some indulge more than others from time to time."

"Well it's coming back to the ship. We're not wasting this quality--" Adrianna paused and stepped back out into the corridor, staring back at their ship, "Doc, I'll be right back. Something isn't sitting right about the ship."

"Oh no," McDonald said quickly, following in her wake, "I've been around long enough to know bad ideas when I hear them and splitting up is definitely top of the 'bad ideas' column..."

For his part he couldn't see what had made his friend so concerned, not that there was much to see. But he trusted her judgement and remained alert, just in case. Which was perhaps why he caught the subtle shift in the shadows, something his brain registered just a second too late. It had no distinctive form or substance but it was close and coming right at him. His eyes widened in surprise and he was just about to call out to Adrianna when something hit him from a completely different angle, sending him crashing to the deck just as whatever the hell had been about to hit flew over his head, missing him by inches.

"You shouldn't be here, you need to run!"

The voice, full of fear, echoed through the comm system McDonald tried to regain his equilibrium. He could see now that someone had hit into him, someone in an ill fitting EV suit and - now that he could see their face - the last person he expected to see. "Jynx?!"

Adrianna quickly grabbed who she assumed was a violent intruder, one arm around the person's neck, the other holding a phaser to the head. The second she heard the doctor reaction if it was Jynx, she let the woman go. Spewing off a few choice words in her native tongue, she spun Jynx around to face her, "seriously?! Stowaway twice in one lifetime? What the hell are you doing here, piccolina? We could have killed you!"

“Because nobody would listen to me - it’s dangerous, if you stay you will die! Please!” Jynx pleaded, tugging on McDonald’s arm. “Bad things live in the shadows. You need to find somewhere to hide and be quiet. We’ve made too much noise already…”

“Alright,” McDonald conceded, more to calm her than agreeing with her assessment. “If nothing else we need to get you back to the shuttle safely. I don’t know what else it was I saw but I don’t much want to find out.”

He nodded towards Adrianna. “Perhaps a strategic withdrawal is in order?”

Adrianna looked between the doctor and stowaway, "merde, come on, back the ship. We've got the manifest and stuff. We can close some caskets so to speak." She looked at Jynx, a stern, almost parental tone mixed with anger, tainting her tone, "as for you-- we know the risks. You and I more than most, but you cannot just stow away. You are not an officer. You are a barista. You being here is the biggest risk to this mission-- just as you were for me when we first met." Adrianna didn't even bother elaborating, she'd forgotten that Jynx didn't seem to remember her. The words had been out of her mouth faster than she could think.

“Lieutenant …” McDonald began, his tone more one of caution than annoyance. Now was not the time to bring up the past. “I for one appreciated the help. From… whatever that was. I don’t think it was attempting to offer a friendly hello. Although my tricorder didn’t seem to register anything. Fascinating … and damn peculiar.”

Stepping forward he put a hand on Jynx’s shoulder, “let’s get to the shuttle, shall we… Jynx?”

He felt the shaking, the kind that went down to someone’s bones. Spinning her around he saw the paleness and the bleeding nose just as the teen collapsed in a heap, thankfully close enough for him to catch her. “Good thing I didn’t bring the whisky, hmm?” He managed as he picked up the girl, “let’s get moving. I don’t know about you but I’ve seen enough of this ship.”

Adrianna nodded, looking around. She took the hint from MacDonald, understanding her screw up. She sighed and gestured to her bag, "I got the whiskey though. Not wasting it." She offered a small smile, "let's get Jynx to the shuttle and make sure she's ok. I've not lost any of those children yet and I have no intention of starting now."

Fang's voice came over the coms. "All crew back to the shuttle. Doctor we have...a patient for you. Please be ready."

“If I knew I’d be this busy I’d have sent Chloe on this little jaunt,” the physician sighed as he kept up a steady pace towards the shuttle, wondering what exactly their XO meant. One thing was for sure, he wanted off this ship. Yesterday.

"Baciami here. Already on board, sir. I'll keep an eye out for you. Doctor is already with one patient "

"We found someone?" Fang asked.

"We'll explain when you're back," Adrianna sighed, "it's-- not a member of crew from this broken ship."

"Understood, we're on our way. I'm sending Vance ahead to get the launch prepped."

Adrianna smiled to herself. This felt all too familiar. Something about being on a mission with him again just felt like old times, "alright, mind your head on the way in, Vance. A panel has come loose since we parked up."

OFF:

 

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