Ye Who Enter Here

Posted on Thu Jun 15th, 2023 @ 12:18am by Captain Charlotte Rhodes & Lieutenant Commander Kenna Wolff & Lieutenant Commander Ryan Knight & Lieutenant Jackson Rutledge II & Lieutenant Callie Knight & Lieutenant Steven Edgeware

728 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Episode 1: Runner
Location: Bridge, USS Defiant
Timeline: MD 7

Captain's Log, Supplemental:
Having been cleared of any lingering contagions, the Defiant crew have made preparations for our exit form Eta Halix II. I wish I could say our mission hear had ended differently, with the rescue of more than one lone survivor. But the entity we encountered here has no interest in existing with any form of non-plant life. No interest in opening the dialogue we so often rely on to reach peaceful resolutions.

For that reason, we have chosen the most logical alternative. We have eliminated the space capable technology from the surface, and we have allowed the entity to live here, on the world it chose to claim. But it will go no further. In a few short moments, Defiant will purge the surface of that which Starfleet so recently worked to build. And then, we will remove ourselves from this place. I, for one, will be glad to see it go...

Rhodes exited the turbolift onto the bridge, glad to see the ship returning to a sense of some normalcy. The crew all seemed more than happy to leave this hellish storm-circled place and return to the stars. She didn't want to keep them waiting too long.

Setting her long-overdue coffee in its place on her chair, she approached the tactical station. "How's it coming, Commander?"

Kenna looked up from her work. "Ready to go Captain at your command." She said bringing up the the firing solution so the Captain could review it.

Charlotte looked over the firing solution. Kenna's work was excellent as always. Precise, efficient, and complete.

"It still feels weird to be erasing our presence from the surface so completely. But the targeting looks excellent. Charge weapons and fire at will," Rhodes said as she moved toward the center of the bridge, looking out at the planet below.

"Aye Captain" Came the reply and the firing solution was activated in the clean precise manner of the chief of Security. The phasers and torpedo's crashed through the atmosphere and to their target.

As the last of the energy bursts descended throuhg the atmosphere, Captain Rhodes simply nodded. It was over. The last plumes of smoke arose from the places that had been Starfleet Installations a few weeks ago in Defiant's time. The largest crater was the one left by the photon torpedo which had atomized the derelict vessel on the surface. The being on the surface was getting what it wanted. They were leaving.

Outside the viewport, the ion storm swirled back toward the planets surface. In a few hours, the skies over Eta Halix II would be consumed by the storm again. Whether the Ion Storm dissipated or became permanently trapped within the Eta Halix system would remain to be seen.

"Time to make our exit. Mr. Knight, set a course out of this storm. Once we're line up with the path out, take us to the highest warp you can manage," Rhodes said. "I know we've destroyed the ship's drive, but I have no interest in testing to make sure the dilation is truly gone."

Ryan acknowledged Charlotte. "Aye Captain." He checked the navigational sensors for a moment before calling out. "Course has been input. We should be able to sustain warp 2.5 and clear the storm in under an hour."

Steven looked over the readings on the science console. As before they were sketchy at best. But from what he saw so long as they got away from the storm. The Defiant should be safe.

"Good riddance," Rhodes said, rubbing the bridge of her nose. "This is not one I'm going to miss. Mr. Rutledge, I'd like you to prep some warning buoys. In a few hours, once we're clear of the storm, I want to lay a few of them around the system. The fewer people that wander in here, the better."

"Yes Captain, I'll get right on it." Jackson left the bridge and headed to the section that held the warning buoys. He imputed the buoy control number, selected the Federation standard warning recording, then downloaded the warning into 6 of the buoys. Once the warnings were downloaded, he programmed them for launch, to an equal distance around the planet.

---

After 30 minutes, Rutledge returned to the bridge. "Buoys ready for launch, captain."

"Good," Rhodes said nodding approval for launch. "Let's get the hell out of here."

 

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