Never Ordinary
Posted on Wed Jul 29th, 2026 @ 3:56pm by Commodore Wilkan Targaryen & Commander Ash Randall & Commander Zhora zh'Roothi & Lieutenant Commander Kuzos & Lieutenant Commander Sora Bernadotte & Lieutenant Commander Aidan Datari & Lieutenant Urvasi Elandorn & Lieutenant Amber Laurell
2,421 words; about a 12 minute read
Mission:
10. Rumble
Location: U.S.S. Enterprise
Timeline: 2439-10-20, 08:00
Captain’s Log, Stardate 116800.9, Commodore Wilkan Targaryen recording:
Enterprise has arrived in the Iocarro system to investigate a series of highly unusual energy readings originating deep beneath the planet’s rugged, mountainous surface. Preliminary scans suggest these anomalies may indicate vast, untapped deposits of natural Benamite crystals, one of the rarest substances in our galaxy. As Benamite is completely impossible to synthesize a stable source would be invaluable to Starfleet, securing an essential fuel needed to power our Quantum Slipstream Drives.
Our destination also carries a historical mystery. According to archived Dominion reports, this world was once the homeworld of the Iocarran civilization; however, those same records indicate that the Iocarrans died out centuries prior, victims of the deadly volcanic activity on their world's surface. The volatile atmospheric turbulence is impacting our sensors, but scans suggest that there are temperate and highly sheltered subterranean networks that may offer our mining teams some comfort.
An Away Team is preparing to travel down to the primary cavern to scan the anomalies firsthand. If the old data is accurate, we are walking into the graveyard of a dead world, but - here in the Gamma Quadrant - we must always be prepared for what truly lies waiting in the dark.
The desktop Personal Access Display Device's holoscreen flickered, casting a stark, pale light across Wilkan Targaryen’s hardened face. He tapped the control, saving the log entry, but his hand lingered on the interface a moment longer than typical. The words of his log felt hollow. To the sector, this was a standard planetary survey; to Wilkan, it was a desperate distraction from the ghosts haunting his ship.
Seven crew members dead. A brilliant doctor's spirit broken, her career left behind. He rubbed a hand over his face, feeling every year of his long life settling like lead into his bones. Like so many before Christopher Pike before him, Wilkan was trapped in the suffocating cage of his own mind. The bitter irony tasted like ash. Xurbam - a living penitentiary screaming against fifty hijacked souls - had met his end on the deck plates of the shuttle Christopher Pike. A tragic entity, executed by an accidental stun discharge inside a vessel named after Starfleet's ultimate symbol of physical and silent confinement. The true burden of command wasn't the danger: it was the survival; it was standing in the quiet afterward, wondering if a sharper, younger leader would have saved the dead. He stared out the viewport, gripped by a profound, paralyzing self-doubt as he wondered if he had finally outlived his own usefulness?
The sharp chime of his communicator shattered his introspection.
"Bridge to Commodore. We are approaching the Iocarro system. Dropping to impulse in thirty seconds."
Wilkan closed his eyes for a single, fracturing moment, letting the weary, broken man exist in the dark. Then, with a slow, deliberate breath, he stood up. Straightening his utility uniform, pulling the rigid mask of command back over his haunted soul. Turning away from the shadows of his desk, Wilkan stepped through the swishing doors and walked out onto the Bridge once more.
Amber was on the bridge eager to see what this new mission held in store for them, she stifled a yawn not having got a perfect night’s sleep due to the side effects of the growth Rio had found in her brain scans. She wasn’t going to let it stop her from getting on with her duties though, she could sleep when she wasn’t on shift.
Kuzos stood at the main tactical station. The crisis with Xurbam behind them. It didn't have the ending many hoped for but it was over and the Enterprise was starting a new mission to the home world of the Iocarran civilization. He watched as Amber tried to stifle a yawn. "Rough night Amber?" He questioned.
Amber nodded. “Somewhat Kuzos. I’m getting used to it to be honest.” She offered a smile.
"I am sorry to hear that." Kuzos replied sincerely. "I hope you are able to get a good night's sleep soon."
"Quality of sleep is important." Ash commented, quietly, while The Enterprise dropped to impulse. "Go too long without it and you end up, bat crap, crazy." She added, in a knowing tone.
"Or, you know, like me," Sora replied with a chuckle, clutching, as usual, a huge mug of coffee. "Caffeine addiction is no joke." She glanced at her console, and nodded to herself. "Morning, sir," she added, nodding again towards the Commodore. "Could we have a more relaxing mission this time, please? I think we could all use a break."
"We all could, Lieutenant," Wilkan said as he took his seat, the bitter irony of Sora's request striking a dull ache against his ribs. A relaxing mission, if only the universe obliged. He looked at the fatigure of those around him as he kept the mask of command perfectly intact. "The problem is the Gamma Quadrant rarely obliges."
Glancing up at Tactical, "The Dominion records show that this planet's civilization died out long ago so maybe, just maybe, we'll have a quiet survey."
Kuzos met Wilkan's look. "Dominion records show this planet to be long void of life so perhaps a nice quiet survey is in store. I request being included in the away team."
"Granted," Wilkan replied as he tapped the arm of his chair, the metal cool against his fingers. Their Tactical Officer was sharp, and they’d need that level of focus if the subterranean anomalies proved to be more than just geological noise. "Now, we wait for the Enterprise to drop out of impulse."
At the helm, Urvasi was watching the upcoming planet on sensors as she shifted towards the standard trajectory orbit the UFP usually desired for their starships. She Yiffered upon hearing Wilkan's words and replied, "Bridge, Helm, Speaking of which, 3.. 2.. 1.. impulse dropped with standard orbit achieved around Iocarro."
"Exec, you'll lead the Away Team," the Commodore said, looking to his First Officer. "Assemble your team and proceed to Transporter Room 2."
An abrupt jerk of the Andorian's antenna signalled Zhora's appreciation of the assignment. With a heavy background in science previous to her ascension into Command the First Officer was already looking forward to the potential discoveries that lay ahead. "Gladly," she replied brightly.
Kuzos gave a short nod of his head, his violet eyes on Wilkan, "Standard away team equipment, tricorders and phasers?"
Wilkan didn't answer, choosing instead to defer to his Executive Officer and her expertise.
In Zhora's opinion Kuzos' presence on the landing party was a hindrance to an otherwise enjoyable outing due to a clash of their personalities. However, protocol dictated his attendance to ensure their safety. Noting the lengthening pause Wilkan had left awaiting her reply to the Vorta's question she swivelled towards Tactical. "Among others," she replied, her bright tone beginning to slip away. "Additional equipment to identify and extract Benamite deposits, not to mention enough gear to support subterranean excursions and pattern enhancers to combat the interference."
Kuzos's violet eyes drifted to the Andorian First Officer and settled on her. He was well aware of her thoughts and views on him, and he was smart enough to keep his opinion of her and her capabilities to himself at least so far. As she finished her statement on gear to outfit the away team with, he resisted a sigh and answered with a simple "Of course."
Wilkan watched the subtle, crackling tension between his Executive Officer and his Tactical Officer—the clash of an Andorian’s direct, pragmatic fire against a Vorta’s practiced, stoic containment. It was a friction he had grown accustomed to, though it did little to soothe the exhaustion deep in his marrow. He looked toward the Science station, where Aidan and Sora were laboring against the planet’s turbulent, static-heavy veil.
Turning toward the Science station, Wilkan narrowed his eyes at the swirling atmospheric interference. "I know our sensors are fighting the turbulence, but keep a tight watch on those seismic spikes. If the crust starts shifting, I want a warning before the first tremor. Sora, help the Commander pierce that interference."
Aidan nodded silently, his senses already on the incoming readings. "It might be better to get readings from the surface and send them up to astrometrics," he offered. Though still visually impaired, in that his eyes were very sensitive to changes in brightness, he was glad that he could at least see again. It hadn't lasted as long as the last time, fortunately. "I'd like to go too."
“Sir, are we sure this planet is uninhabited?” Amber asked curiously. “I’m sensing something from the planet, but it could just be animal life.”
"That's what the Dominion tells us, Counselor," Wilkan reiterated as he looked away from the volcanic world on the viewscreen toward Amber. He knew the weight of her fatigue, but he learned a long time ago that the "gut feelings" of a crew member were often the only early warning system that mattered in the Gamma Quadrant. He looked at his First Officer, letting the silence emphasize the gravity of the command. He had deferred to her for the team composition, but the mention of potential life raised the stakes of the landing party significantly.
"Zhora, we don't know what’s waiting down there, dead or otherwise, so adjust the gear requirements accordingly. "Sora, keep pushing that sensor grid, see if you can filter out the atmospheric noise."
The XO held his eye before nodding understanding the unsaid words he was portraying that ran in conjunction with his verbal instructions. "We'll be careful. Aidan," she turned to the Trill. "Consider yourself hired, and Counselor," she looked to the slightly weary hybrid. "You too, we can put your theories to the test."
"Can I take Sherlock? I think he'd like a chance to stretch his wings a bit beyond the next bulkhead." Aidan smiled.
Amber smiled brightening up at the thought of going on landing party duty. “Aye Commander.”
Recalling how distressed Aidan's companion became during the Commander's recent health scare after inhaling toxic spores on the Rogue Planet zh'Roothi didn't respond instantly to the question. The environment was going to be challenging in the open, so much so the XO was seriously considering issuing breathers to handle the heavy, ash laden atmosphere as a precaution. "Can he tolerate the conditions down there?" she asked.
"Yes ma'am," the Trill answered without pause, "he can. And he's capable of holding his breath for quite some time, I've noticed."
"Very well," Zhora replied having developed a soft spot for the creature.
Wilkan stood, his hands clasped behind his back as he stared at the churning, hostile atmosphere of Iocarro on the screen. "Forget the transporters, get to the hangar deck and take a shuttle: the Robert April. It's got an atmospheric ramscoop for high turbulence travel. I won't risk your safety on a transport failure if the interference spikes any higher. If you feel something," he looked at the Counselor then the rest of the team, "trust it. We’ve lost enough on this tour to know that 'standard' surveys are a luxury we haven't earned yet. and if those seismic spikes show even a hint of erratic behavior, do not wait for my order to abort. You have it already."
He turned away, looking back to the viewer, "Go, and bring everyone back."
“We’ll watch our backs, Sir” Amber smiled warmly.
Upon hearing the change to the Robert April, Urvasi contacted the Flight Office for shuttle bay 1 where the type 20 Shuttle Robert April was housed. She received a time to ready of 25 minutes. She called out, "XO, Helm, Robert April will be ready for launch in 25 minutes."
The Commodore answered instead, "Well, that gives them plenty of time to gather supplies at least."
"Time enough to dispatch a low orbit relay and a suite of atmospheric probes to collect and transmit detailed scans. We could leave the relay in place to facilitate communications once the away team is planet side." The Chief Engineer suggested.
Realizing that every sensor probe and relay was another tether to keep watch over their team from the safety of the Bridge was something that Wilkan appreciated. He turned slightly, his eyes sweeping across the Bridge crew as he looked for Ash, "Make it happen."
"Sayori could help with that," Aidan suggested, wanting his team member to have the opportunity to be included, "she should be in astrometrics."
"Looping in Sayori in Astrometrics." The Chief Engineer advised, quietly, while she sent the parameters for the atmospherics probes to Sayori and left determining the ideal deployment pattern in atmosphere while she saw to the configuration of the relay and its placement.
"Got it," Sayori's voice replied over comms. "I will have a selection of possible sites by the time the shuttle is ready to launch."
The tension on the Bridge didn't dissipate with the shift in tasks; if anything, the focus on the upcoming deployment seemed to sharpen the air. Wilkan watched as his crew moved with practiced, efficient urgency. It was a well-oiled machine, yet he felt like a ghost observing it from the periphery. He needed to be alone. The weight of his own thoughts - the constant, nagging suspicion that he was becoming a relic, a man out of time - was becoming difficult to contain behind the stoic expression he’d spent a lifetime perfecting.
"Ash," Wilkan said, his voice dropping into that low, gravelly register that signaled he was shifting his focus. He gestured vaguely toward the Captain's Chair. "You have the Bridge. I’m retiring to my Ready Room to coordinate with the long-range sensor arrays from a private terminal. Do not disturb me unless the Away Team reports a structural anomaly or the planet exhibits a major event."
He didn't wait for her confirmation. He turned on his heel, his stride long and deliberate as he crossed the Bridge. He felt the eyes of his crew tracking his movement. He, however, resisted the urge to look back at the viewscreen where the bruised, volcanic face of Iocarro swirled in the dark. He crossed through the exit and the doors swished shut, giving him the silence he so desperately craved.
"Aye, sir." Ash confirmed, quietly, while she watched the Commodore retreat to his ready room. The Chief Engineer motioned over her relief at the main engineering console and took the center seat, her feet dangling in, child-like, fashion.
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