New Orders, Old Mysteries

Posted on Sun Nov 1st, 2026 @ 12:35am by Captain Maddox Greene

856 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Lines in the Vacuum
Location: Ready Room: USS Frontier

The USS Frontier had escorted the transport to a safe spot in the region clear of the threat of the Nausicaans at this point and were now just a few hours away from Sentinel Station. Captain Greene was happy to be returning back to station. Something about all that extra space that made the Frontier feel so cramped. Being a station commander now would definitely going to spoil him regarding any future ship postings. A simple route patrol led to a successful rescue and newfound resources. Needless to say, the last few days had been a good look for his crew with Starfleet Command. He continued writing the report when the sound chime alerted him to an unexpected visitor. "Come in."

As the door opened, Lieutenant Belanger entered the office. "I'm not interrupting, am I, Captain?"

"Not at all," Maddox responded. "Please have a seat, and can I get you anything to drink?"

"No, thank you."

"What can I do for you?"

"Guess that there is no easy way to say this," Jane responded. "But I am being reassigned."

The Captain raised an eyebrow, clearly surprised by the news. "Starfleet hasn't contacted me regarding a transfer."

"Apparently you will be receiving the news in an hour or so. A friend got word of the news and gave me a call. Just wanted you to hear it from me and not be too blindsided."

"Just surprised that you're leaving so soon," he replied. "You literally just arrived a few weeks ago."

"This was a position that I applied for with Starfleet Medical months ago," the doctor explained. "I was passed on the position for someone else, but apparently things changed. And they want me to report in right away."

"Honestly, I hate to see you go. One reason I requested you was that you were highly recommended. So, I shouldn't be surprised. How long until you head out?"

"I have to start packing as soon as we return. Then take the first transport leaving for Coridan. From there to Earth."

"Congratulations are in order. I'm not one to get in the way of a great opportunity."

Jane was grateful that the Captain wasn't upset. The last thing she wanted was to leave on bad terms. "On another note, I've had a chance to run autopsies on the other remaining Skargarian brought back to the ship. They were executed in the same manner for the most. Except for about three, which were discovered in different locations not too far from the others." She handed over a PADD with her findings over to Maddox.

"Perhaps they were killed before the others were rounded up," said Greene. "The wounds weren't like the others. Damage to the chest on one and the throat in another. These guys might have been fighting to protect the others."

"Could be possible," Belanger said shrugging. "But there's no way to know for certain. And I am working with skeletons here and the atmosphere did a number on the remains. The weapon burns don't match anything else my contacts could find as well. Whoever did this, the Federation has yet to encounter or at least been fired upon by."

"Perhaps that probe we launched before leaving orbit will provide us with an answer. We have no idea about what's beyond Orison III. But I am certain Starfleet Command will send a ship out there to explore the area."

Jane looked concerned. "You don't seem too worried about the possibility of the killers still being out there."

Thinking about her concerns, Maddox grabbed a pitcher of water from the mini refrigerator next to his desk, pouring himself a class. "Whoever is responsible for those deaths hasn't been around in over eight years. The risk is acceptable, and if we do eventually encounter those responsible. We'll deal with them accordingly."

"Wish I had your confidence, Captain," the Lieutenant admitted. "I just continue to imagine what took place down there, And I doubt that my imagination can completely grasp what actually occurred there. There isn't even a reason that we're aware of."

"From what we can tell, nothing was taken," Greene mentioned. "But we never had a chance to compare the cargo manifest to see if anything was missing. There's a planet with a valuable resource, but nothing drilled. It feels like it was more personal than anything else. But I get your concern."

"With your approval, I submit my report to Starfleet Medical as well. If anyone should ever encounter anything similar, they will have something to compare it to. Which will help shed some light on this mystery. Though I am not wishing for any more death, just to have some sort of resolution."

Holding up a hand. Maddox nodded in understanding. "Perfectly clear on what you mean. But we move onto the next matter and not dwell too much on the past. The Skargaran will have the remains of their missing people returned. This isn't as perfect as you or most of us would prefer, but it's a good thing."

=================
Captain Maddox Greene
Commanding Officer
Sentinel Station

Lt. Jane Belanger (NPC)
Chief Medical Officer
Sentinel Station

 

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