Flowers for Algernon

Posted on Thu Dec 9th, 2021 @ 4:23am by Captain Wilkan Targaryen & Patton O'Sullivan & Lieutenant Commander Lily Snow PhD, MD & Lieutenant Commander Cyrus Marner & Captain Nathan Bishop

1,493 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: 749148
Location: Talos IV
Timeline: 2430-09-09, 08:30

In the midst of an ancient, dried ravine the transporter matter streams of the away team started to coalesce, the wind blowing around them with surprising force. Above them a deeply tranquil, yet disturbing purple sky hover above with twin suns in the far distance lighting the dead world. Jagged rock outcroppings surrounded them with strange orange vegetation laying about throughout the countryside.

Near to them a blue flower with a single, paper-thin lily pad-shaped leaf on a long stem. It vibrated in the wind, producing a haunting flute-like melody that echoed throughout the air. Admiral Willian Targaryen leaned down, blowing gently against the flower and making it turn from an icy blue color to being as white as snow. The lyric changed to a sorrowful melody, one befitting the death that surrounded them.

"Charming world," the Admiral said melancholy.

Snow was already scanning the flower. "I would like to take a biological specimen back to the ship." She said. "But I don't wish to offend the locals." She added. Lily liked the flower and it seemed to live up to her history.

Their Commanding Officer looked around the desolate scene that surrounded them, "I don't think that anyone will mind, Commander." It really didn't look like anyone was left to mind. The entire countryside was deserted. Not a single sign of life was around them. "Are we picking anything up at all?"

Patton scanned the area and didn't find any threat to them at present. He was keeping his attention on the crew and any sign of danger. He couldn't quite shake the feeling of unease that came over him. Patton pushed it aside and focused on the team.

"How intriguing." Cyrus remarked as he noticed the surroundings of where they were. "And this flower." Cyrus taking out a small pad and pencil and made a sketch of the flower. "Is rather unique, a bit of a symbol of hope. I would think."

How quickly that hope was dashed. As they walked through the outcroppings their tricorders began to abruptly sing a haunting, alarming melody. Willian turned, "Commander?"

Snow started to do further scans of the area, and was starting to detect weapons fire. "Sir, I've detected recent weapons fire."

"We need to try to access their subterranean colony," the Admiral answered. "Patton, interface with the records from the Enterprise. See if you can find a way to access their outpost."

"If we head to the East." Patton spoke up as he checked their location from the data that had been received. "We should come upon an elevator that will take us to the subterranean colony." he looked over at Willian. "I believe that is where we should head, Sir."

"If we find a Talosian do you think you can treat them?" Willian asked his Doctor as he walked alongside him.

Cyrus thought back to the history of the Talosians, a still mysterious race, but there had been more documentation from Spock, and others. "I do believe I can treat them, will have to do so on a case by case basis." he remarked, as he walked along scanning a bit more then gasped, "Captain... I see someone over there." moving over quickly to where the inert form was lying on the ground. He kneeled beside the Talosian to check his vitals, to see if there was any sign of life.

Willian knelt next to the Doctor and the Talosian Keeper, "Doctor?"

After running scans and also physically checking for any signs of life. Marner looked over to the Captain, sadly shaking his head. "I am sorry to report, he's dead Will." he rose from his kneeling position to gaze down at the Talosian Keeper. "This is a terrible thing to have happened."

"Agreed," the Admiral answered as he knelt next to the alien leader. The Talosians were powerful, ancient telepaths with incredible abilities to influence others. However, this time it felt different. This time he was certain what they were seeing was deadly serious. The Talosian Keeper was dead.

"Bishop to Admiral Teagarden. Admiral your presence is required on the bridge as we've detected an alien starship closing on our position."

Willian looked at the others, "We're still on the surface of the Talosian planet. We've found the Keeper - the leader of the Talosian delegation and the source of the distress call heard throughout the galaxy. The Keeper is dead and the planet has been attacked. Get us out of here."

Bishop reacted instantly, "Bishop to transporter room beam the Admiral and the others from the surface of the planet. Have the Admiral transported to the bridge, the other to Sickbay to check for any injuries."

Patton kept his eyes on the area around them while he waited for them to beamed to the ship. He hated not knowing what enemy they were facing but it was part of the job.

Crewman Saarnosh answered from the Transporter Room, "I'm having trouble locking on to them. There is a lot of interference."

Bishop frowned inwardly at the news. The Admiral and the others were needed onboard. "Draw power from cargo bay transporters to punch through the interference but get the away team up here!"

"I'll do my best, Sir, but I can't make any promises."

William looked at his Away Team, "We're going to the Talosian Compound. Patton, lead the way!"

"Follow me." Patton said as he headed in the direction of the Compound. "Keep your eyes open for any sign of trouble." It seemed kind of cliche to say that but he was in charge of this team. "We should be there in the next few minutes, Sir."

Willian smirked as they went toward the entry to the Talosian compound. In the distance a large rock outcropping loomed eerily before them casting long shadows across the valley. Amidst the rocks and other debris that lay across the plain they could see the remnants of what appeared to be doors built into the stone. "Commander Snow, see if you can interface with that and get the lift up here."

Snow started to work on the interface for the exterior hatch to get into the Compound.

"Doctor," he called as they continued walking, "The weapons evidence we've found. Are we at any radiation risk from the discharges?"

Cyrus ran his scans, took a look at the radiation level. "There is risk like that of an X-ray machine, I will be giving you a radiation blocker to block the radiation from causing anymore damage and I will be monitoring us all. " he queued up the dosage for inoculating those with him against the radiation they were being exposed to. A preventative measure would be necessary.

"Commander, do you think that it's possible any of the Talosians survived underground?”

“I believe it is highly likely they have.” Patton replied after looking at his padd for a moment. “There see some caverns and areas I’d they went deep enough would have protected them from this fate.”

Their communicators chirped. It was Captain Bishop, "Admiral, we're withdrawing from the area. We will return for you and the rest of the away team. When we can."

The channel abruptly closed, letting the Admiral know that there was something going on. They wouldn't evacuate the area unless there was a threat inbound and, with what happened to the Talosians, the Enterprise was clearly outmatched or outgunned by what was coming. They couldn't chance the crew.

"We're going to need to get into the outpost sooner rather than later," the Admiral informed. "Think we can get into their outpost and it's still functional?"

There was a loud and bright spark from where Snow was working at. She let out a serious string of British swears, but the hatch did open. "We can enter now sir." She said as she flexes her slightly burnt hand.

Cyrus went into alert mode, moving swiftly over to Snow's side. "Let's get inside, and I'll work on that." stepping inside the corridor and once they were in and the hatch closed behind them, Cyrus went to work to deal with the injury Snow had, checking to see how severe it was.

As they stood inside the small entry, Willian looked around wishing that he had thought to bring a flashlight with him on this mission, but he didn't need his enhanced vision to realize that they were inside a nondescript corridor of smooth, silvery walls. This would hopefully help to keep them hidden from the approaching alien vessel long enough for Enterprise to spin back around and pick them up.

As he leaned against the wall, noticing that the good doctor was working with Commander Snow, the distant sound of mechanisms engaging echoed from deep below them. Seconds later the floor below them began to rumble gently and then a bit more forcefully, lowering into the depths beneath them.

"Look's like we're going for a little ride," the Admiral mused as they descended.

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