Feeding the hungry...
Posted on 16 Dec 2025 @ 6:47pm by Commander Suzanna Batenburg & Ensign Ryan Collingway & Ensign Mira Quinn
Edited on on 16 Dec 2025 @ 6:47pm
1,344 words; about a 7 minute read
Mission:
The Displaced
Location: Eirian Ship
//// Shuttle Golau ////
Vel was waiting in the Golau, docked inside the Eirian ship. Her boots were propped on the co-pilot’s seat, a Bajoran song blasting through the shuttle’s sound system as she sang along at the top of her lungs.
She wondered how Quinn and Collingway were doing. Technically, she was part of the away team—but for now, that meant waiting alone in the shuttle.
Just in case.
So far, there’d been nothing. No updates. No calls.
A console lit up with an incoming alert. Vel glanced at it absently—then froze, recognition snapping her fully upright.
This wasn't a standard transmission. The signal was on a Very Low Frequency band with a short notice of communication failure.
“Computer, cut volume.”
The music died instantly, the sudden silence pressing in around her.
“Zodeil to Engineering,” she said, tapping her comm.
Nothing.
Her frown deepened. “Golau to the Arawyn.”
Again, only silence answered.
Protocol said she should do everything to reestablish contact with the Arawyn, even if it meant undocking from the Eirian ship. But Vel hesitated, her fingers hovering over the controls. If the away team was in trouble, they wouldn’t care about protocol—they’d need help.
//// Bridge ////
Having listened to the conversation and then the comment from Collingway, Suzanna tapped her comm badge, "Batenburg to Arawyn. Come in." There was no answer, and she looked at Elaera for an explanation.
"What is going on?"
At that point, Zodeil's voice came online. "Commander, can you hear me?"
There was some static, before Suzanna comm badge twirped and Zodeil's voice came through, quickly she tapped it, "Yes, not good, but I can hear you. What is your status? We seem to have lost contact with Ensign Quinn. Please use the shuttle sensors to support and try to hail either her or Ensign Collingway and keep me informed... don't leave the shuttle!"
Static crackled across the channel before Suzanna’s comm badge chirped to life. Zodeil’s voice came through a heartbeat later. Vel tapped the control instantly.
“Yes—signal’s weak, but I hear you,” Suzanna said. “Status report. We’ve lost contact with Ensign Quinn. Use shuttle sensors to assist and attempt to hail either her or Ensign Collingway. Keep me informed—and do not leave the shuttle.”
Lost contact with Ensign Quinn?
Vel’s stomach tightened. Questions crowded in all at once, but there was no time for them now.
“I’m unable to raise the Arawyn,” she replied, already turning toward the flight controls. “Request permission to undock and reposition for improved contact.”
There were crew members in harm's way, and it took all her power not to let the panic take hold, Suzanna took a deep breath before replying. "Permission granted, be an amplifier. We need sensor support... help to identify the creature and why it is interfering with communications amongst others. Batenburg out."
///Engineering///
"We need to warn the Commander," Ryan said. "Can the ship do that?"
Kleat looked at the interface again. "...need more connection," he said.
"Then let me help," Ryan said and raised his hand. "I know what you said. I'll...calm my mind. It won't be an issue."
Kleat nodded. "Do not rush anything. Listen to the ship. Let it talk to you."
He took a few deep breaths, and touched the interface along with the other two. The feeling of profound peace came again, but this time he could feel more from the ship-where it was hurting from damage, and the uncertainty of what the creature was doing. He communicated to the ship his desire to speak to the Commander, and that she was in danger.
He could feel her, on the bridge. "Commander, the creature is coming," he said, speaking through the ship. "You have to hide!"
///// Bridge /////
Elarea was the first to react. "Suzanna, the ship has... message." She pointed to the interface on the bridge. "Touch it to use with me." She showed how she touch the control panel and Suzanna followed her example.
"Batenburg here," she said it as well as thought it, closing her eyes.
"Commander, the creature is coming, You have to hide!"
"Did you find Ensign Quinn?" Suzanna asked. In the meantime she looked at Elaera, "can we scan for it.... Elaera?"
"Yes, but it did something to her. She's fine now," Ryan tried to give off as much information as possible. "We think it's sentient. It's young, hungry, and lost. It doesn't know who we-"
Whatever he said next was drowned out by a pounding at the door.
Suzanna took out her tricorder and pointed it at the door and raised an eyebrow, "Theta-band emissions are dropping near the door, yet the verteron density map is showing a void beyond the door. If they feed in tears in space and subspace, that would mean they feed likely on Verteron particles.... and why it shows a void."
The focus on science grounded her and helped push back the panic. "What is it doing here though... and what did it do to Ensign Quinn." She turned back to the interface and touched it, communicating the detail to Collingway and Quinn, before turning back to the door.
//Engineering//
Ryan detached from the interface, suddenly fighting off an intense headache. He took a moment to steady himself, before looking at Mira. "The creature is almost at the bridge. She picked up theta-band particles and believes it feeds on Verteron particles. How can we use this to help the Commander?" he asked Mira, his tone direct given the circumstances.
Mira thought about it for a moment. Verteron particles were the result of a warp field, but where could they find a warp field here?
"Vel!" she suddenly realized. "She has a shuttle. We can ask her to lead the lifeform away. If we can contact her..."
//// Shuttle Golau ////
In between piloting, trying out the comms and reading the feeds from the sensors - Vel was suddenly very busy.
She had left the Eirian ship and tried reaching the Arawyn, but she could not raise the ship. She wasn't sure what to do - go back to the Arawyn and get help, or stay close to the Eirian ship in case the away team needed her.
For now, she had her orders from Commander Batenburg. Setting an elliptical course around the Eirian ship, she turned to look at the sensor consoles. She could see that the interference on the comms was not uniform. Which she already knew - she had managed to raise Cmdr. Batenburg, but not any of the others on the away team.
In fact, it was now drifting towards the bridge.
"Zodeil to Batenburg. Commander, do you read?"
She took a deep breath. Too late.
Her comlink chirped. "Quinn to Zodeil, are you there?"
Vel had never been so relieved. She hadn't been sure she'd see her friend again. "Mira!"
"The lifeform is probably looking for verteron particles. Can you lead it away?"
"While next to two ships?" She didn't add, 'are you crazy?' Such a stunt was extremely dangerous, both for her, and for the ships.
"It's either that or we have a very hungry lifeform rampaging through the ship."
Vel didn't know what to do. "I can't just.. "
"Vel," Mira stopped her sharply. "It's going to get into the bridge any second now."
There was a very long pause, which finally ended with "Going to warp, aye."
Vel moved over to the back of the shuttle, where she opened a panel to access the warp field regulator. If this was going to work, she needed to make sure she was shedding as many verteron particles as possible.
A few moments later, the shuttle initiated a warp field and the Golau surged ahead, leaving behind a dense path of verteron particles. Soon after, an orb of light exited the Eirian ship and slowly followed the Golau.
Cmdr Suzanna Batenburg
Executive Officer
Everything fits, otherwise, we'll make it fit!
Ens Mira Quinn
Science Officer
USS Arawyn
Ensign Ryan Collingway
Engineering Officer
USS Arawyn
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