Remains

Posted on Mon Aug 17th, 2026 @ 7:17pm by Ensign Sung-jin Um & Captain Maddox Greene & Ensign Ash Ridley

1,127 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Lines in the Vacuum
Location: Skagaran Vessel: Bridge
Timeline: Following "Shipwreck"

The withered corpse fell to the deck with a sickening thud, the now open doorway more ominous for its appearance. Ridley flinched and stepped back at the sudden appearance; their hands fumbled their scanner and dropped it, Academy training directing them to go towards their weapon, but it registered they were in no danger before they ever reached it.

"Sorry, first dead body," they said sheepishly. Scooping up their scanner they took a step forward and knelt beside the body, examining it for decomposition and scanning it. "This fella's been here a long time. Bone structure is very weak, the material overtop is mold, not flesh."

"Looks as if he may have been the only one to make it back to the ship," Underwood spoke. "Perhaps, if we get this computer up and running. We can figure out why they were here in the first place." Moving towards the panel, he began buttons on the panel which clearly devoid of power.

Sung-jin stopped before the long-dead body. The desiccated figure lay exactly where gravity had finally claimed them. Time had stripped away all identity until only the fact of a life remained.

He holstered his phase pistol and with a slow breath, bowed his head. His grandmother had done the same whenever they passed the old gravesites in the hills outside Jeonju. She would touch two fingers against her heart, then drop her head without speaking. Once, she told him that the living owed the dead one small gift: to remember that they had belonged to the world before becoming part of the earth.

"May your journey be peaceful," he murmured in Korean, the words barely audible over the comm. After a moment, he picked his way along until he was standing next to Underwood.

"Amen," the armory officer spoke as he knelt down to remove the panel. Upon opening, he had access to the data recordings. "These recordings should give us some idea of what happened here." Placing the items into the bag, he moved towards the other two officers. "One guy on a ship this size. The others may not have made it back. Not sure how long this ship has been here, but there is no way anyone else could have survived outside this ship."

Ridley stepped onto the bridge, their helmet lights illuminating the tight quarters of the small vessel's command center. There were no more bodies, no signs of life at all, the systems powerless.

"Made it back from where is the question? Well, and why alone? And if the atmosphere was already like this? And if it was, how did he survive?" they rambled. "You know what's funny? Change the color of the metal, throw down some carpet, and this could almost pass for a Starfleet ship. Skagarans don't seem that different from us."

Pulling out a small power pack, he attached it to the communications section, which caused the panel to light up. It would give them a few minutes which hopefully would be enough time. "Those answers are likely outside of the ship. Downloading what information, I can get from this thing before power runs back out. A ship this size requires decent sized crew. My recommendation would be to go out exploring."

On the small monitor was an incomplete map. The map featured several unfinished structures, not too far from the ship. Raising an eyebrow, the mystery started to make a little more sense. "Looks as if Skagarans were in the beginnings of a settlement not too far from out current location."

Um had moved to a station that resembled an operations control area. Its small hexagonal screens were blackened and the alien controls were lifeless. He ran a hand along the switches and dials before looking up at Ridley. "You have another one of those power packs?"

"It's the last one." Pulling the small pack out, he tossed it over to Um.

Sung-jin attached the power pack to the console and watched as part of it came to life with some perimeter lighting.

"We need to check out that settlement," Ridley said. They tapped the communicator built into their suit. "Ridley to T'Vei. We have a new lead. Looks like the Skagarans started a settlement not far from here."

"Acknowledged," the Vulcan replied in a deadpan. "That would explain the missing supplies. Ensign, finish your investigation and meet us at the airlock in 10 minutes."

"Copy that, Lieutenant."

Ridley inched forward as the console in front of Um came to life.

"Got it," Um said, adjusting the station's power gain. He looked at Ridley and then back to the console.

"I don't know what some of these symbols mean."

"They're dates," Ridley explained, sliding in beside Um. "Skagarans use flowery language to describe the month and year but there's a rotating pattern to it. This ship arrived in the 2150s. No, right around 2160. It's been here for eight-nine years. These are ship's logs. I'm seeing damage and memory degradation in the files but maybe we can get some answers from here."

Sung-jin nodded to Ridley and watched them gesture to the various symbols. He had studied several written languages while at the Academy and while some were no different than the ancient Earth languages, others were far more intricate and aesthetically beautiful with the care and attention-to-detail a professional calligrapher might pay.

As the download was completed, just as terminal began to flicker. An indication that the power was beginning to lose power. Underwood removed the power pack, which had served its purpose. "We should have no problems getting to the colony on foot, according to these records.

"Then let's meet back up with the others and go check it out," Ridley said with a grin behind their faceplate.

Curtis Underwood nodded in agreement as he quickly checked his oxygen levels. They were still at an acceptable level with a few hours left. The away definitely had a mystery on its hands, and the armory officer had the feeling that this wouldn't have a happy ending. Ending up on a barren world a little over eight years ago, and now not a single soul was to be found. Everything in his training had told him to expect the worst. But yet, he had allowed himself to consider that this could very well end well. Following Ridley's lead, he exited the bridge.

Sung-jin followed Curtis to the door and cast a look back across the bridge. He hoped their visit to the planet would have a happier ending than whatever befell the Skagarans.

====

Ensign Ash Ridley (APB Lt. T'Vei)
Science Officer
Sentinel Station

Ensign Curtis Underwood (APB Maddox Greene)
Armory Officer
Sentinel Station

Ensign Sung-jin Um (APB Kytolos Sh'reyva)
Armoury Officer
Sentinel Station

 

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