Confusion in Many Colors
Posted on 13 Dec 2025 @ 7:34pm by Ensign Ryan Collingway & Ensign Mira Quinn
561 words; about a 3 minute read
Mission:
The Displaced
Location: Eirian Ship
---Eirian Ship, Engineering----
Ryan had managed to get both Mira and Serel back to engineering, which was out of the creature's path, whatever it was. As the door sealed shut, Ryan turned around. "We should be safe for now. Are you all right?" he asked Mira again.
Mira was shaken, but she was slowly getting her bearings.
"I'm not sure," she admitted. She glanced at both Serel and Ryan. "There was an energy buildup... what happened?"
"We sounded the echo," Serel said, his skin flashing through several colors.
Mira looked from him back to Ryan. "And...?"
"There was some kind of creature which passed by us. It seemed to be able to go through the bulkheads. I'm not sure how well this ship can contain it. Fortunately, whatever it was didn't seem interested in chasing after us as a snack. For now at least," Ryan supplied. "You were awake but seemed...out of it. There were things you said didn't make much sense."
"Right... " Mira didn't like thinking that she had no idea what she had said. Or what had happened.
"Is Commander Batenburg on the bridge? We should probably head there."
With a start Ryan realized that he hadn't heard from the Commander for a while, even though they were supposed to be on open coms. "Commander?"
There was no response.
"Oh dammit, of course," Ryan said as he realized something, and released a breath. "Looking at things logically, I would say whatever that creature did is causing our coms to fail, and closer proximity might also be an issue. Therefore, in order to get coms back, we have to either contain the creature somehow, or...at least draw it somewhere away from us. Do we have any idea if this thing is sentient?"
Serel answered, "It is young."
"And close," Mira added. "If we assume comms are down because it's in the vicinity."
Ryan looked at Keat. "Can we track it?"
"...need interface. Dangerous to try otherwise. More....connections could help. Together," Kaet said, and looked at Ryan. "Your pain....secrets...you can't focus enough. Too much chaos. Incompatible." He glanced at Mira. "What about this one?"
"The young one...spoke through her," Serel said. "Would not....recommend again."
"Wait... what?" Mira blinked. "It spoke through me?"
Serel looked at her. "You echo."
Mira swallowed at the thought.
"You said it was sad and at one point wanted to go home," Ryan offered. "So maybe there is a sentience behind this. The question is, does it understand that we are *not* harmful to it?"
The Eirians didn't offer anything to that.
"Can we find out where it is now?" Mira asked. "You could see its lifesigns before."
"...Yes. But like I said, there is...danger," Kaet tried his best to explain. "Before, it was asleep. Safe to scan. But now...we see it....it might see us."
Ryan understood. "If we try to scan it again, it may pick up on the fact that it's being watched?"
"Yes. That's why...interface is better..." Kaet said. "No scan required. The ship will tell us where it is. We...only have to listen."
"Then yes. Please do so," Ryan said.
The two touched the interface. Finally, they turned back.
"It is almost at the bridge," Kaet said.
=/\=
Ens Mira Quinn
Science Officer
USS Arawyn
Ensign Ryan Collingway
Engineering Officer
USS Arawyn
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