Returning Home

Posted on 25 Jul 2026 @ 7:30pm by Commander Suzanna Batenburg

878 words; about a 4 minute read

/////// Sherman Oaks /////////

Suzanna looked around as Astor began to repair what he had caused. Despite the circumstances, she found the process fascinating. First came the Veylith. Their communication was unlike anything she had experienced before. She had not merely heard their response. She had felt it physically, the sensation passing through her before fading again. Then, one by one, the Veylith disappeared. Each seemed to fold into space itself, returning to wherever it had originated.

Her attention shifted upward. The two warbirds followed. One vanished, then the other, until the sky above Sherman Oaks was empty once more. For the first time since their arrival, there was a semblance of order. But the restoration was not yet complete. Sherman Oaks itself still had to be returned, along with the two members of her away team whom Astor had described as being caught within a ‘holding frame.’

Suzanna's attention settled on Remington and Collingway. Whatever happened next, she intended to watch both men closely. Their previous displacement had affected more than their physical location. If Astor was now restoring everything to its proper place, she wanted to see precisely what that meant for them.

The surroundings began to fade and blur around them. Buildings lost their definition, colours bleeding together before the entire landscape seemed to stretch toward a single fold in space. Then Sherman Oaks was gone. The change was absolute. The sounds disappeared first, followed by the familiar smells of vegetation, asphalt and suburban life.

In their place was silence and a dry, reddish landscape. Suzanna immediately surveyed their new surroundings. Fine grit covered the ground beneath her feet, disturbed only by the arrival of the away team. The air was breathable, although noticeably different from the atmosphere they had left behind. She retrieved her tricorder and began scanning. Her eyebrow rose as the first readings appeared. “The atmosphere is breathable,” she reported, studying the results. “But I would advise against an extended stay. Exposure limits are acceptable for the immediate future, nothing more.”

She looked around the unfamiliar landscape before returning her attention to the tricorder. “This is clearly not Sherman Oaks.”

A light opened before them. Suzanna stared into it. There were figures within the radiance, or at least her mind interpreted them as figures. Faint humanoid shapes seemed to move beyond its edge, never resolving sufficiently for her to determine whether they truly possessed physical form or whether her brain was imposing something familiar upon sensory information it could not adequately process. The Meridian.

It was difficult to look away. Every scientific instinct urged her to observe, to understand, to record every detail she could. With some effort, she forced her attention elsewhere. Remington and Collingway.

Both men appeared physically unharmed. That was encouraging, but hardly conclusive. Their exposure to the holding frame had already demonstrated effects that no tricorder scan in the field could fully assess. Only time and a detailed medical examination aboard the Arawyn would determine whether they had truly been restored. Her gaze shifted to Flammia and Amberlyn. Both appeared unharmed as well. Finally, she looked toward Astor. His posture had changed. Whatever communication was taking place between him and the beings within the light, Suzanna had the distinct impression that he was being reprimanded. A strangely familiar interaction amid something utterly alien.

Astor stepped toward the light. For a moment, his form became indistinct against the brilliance. Then he and the other figures disappeared. The light vanished with them. Suzanna remained still for several seconds, staring at the empty space where the Meridian had been. Silence returned. All that remained was the away team, standing together on the red soil of a barren and unfamiliar world.

“Corbin to Batenburg.”

It took a moment for Suzanna to recognise the Captain's voice, then she tapped her comm badge. “Batenburg here.”

“I cannot wait to read this mission summary.”

A pause. Suzanna considered her answer, did it even need one? “I will endeavour to make it comprehensive, Captain.”

“I have every faith in you, Commander.” Corbin looked toward Ops. “Prepare to retrieve the away team. Standard biofilter, full decontamination protocol, medical priority on arrival.”

“Transporter room standing by.”

“Commander Batenburg,” Corbin continued, “hold position. We are bringing you home.”

Moments later, the familiar whine of the transporter broke the silence. Light engulfed the away team, and the barren red landscape dissolved around them. They materialised inside the decontamination chamber aboard the Arawyn. Amberlyn immediately began checking each member of the team, while Dr. Dunross remained outside the sealed chamber, monitoring the readings and making adjustments at the control console.

Suzanna glanced upward as she felt the subtle vibration beneath her feet change. A moment later, the unmistakable sensation of the ship accelerating to warp followed. They were leaving. For the first time since they had entered the Sherman Oaks fragment, she allowed herself to relax, if only slightly.

“Good work, everyone,” Suzanna said, looking around the away team. Her attention settled on Remington and Collingway. “And I sincerely hope that you two,” she added, a faint hint of warmth entering her voice, “have returned to yourselves again.” A raised eyebrow followed. “Preferably without any lingering desire to remain in 1984.”

Cmdr Suzanna Batenburg
XO USS Arawyn
Everything fits, otherwise we'll make it fit!

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