The Game is Afoot

Posted on Mon Jun 1st, 2026 @ 11:27pm by Commander Grace Vetur & Lieutenant Commander Yivliph Ra-Gruvloveii & Lieutenant Commander Anahera Chernova & Lieutenant Xavier & Lieutenant Amanda Rose & Staff Warrant Officer Madelyn Steele & Lieutenant JG T'Avia Espinosa

1,914 words; about a 10 minute read

Mission: Preservation Instinct
Location: Planetside

The game is afoot, Madelyn said to herself.

"Can we call it follow the emanations of the power source?" the Redheaded engineer called over her shoulder.

"Then again, maybe someone with science leanings could also be the leader or help find out the destination where we need to go." Madelyn looking back to the others.

'An excellent idea, Ms Steele,' Yiv said as he glanced over at Chernova and T'Avia. 'Would you both kindly form point with me? Maxwell, bring up the rear. The rest of you form up in the middle so we can keep an eye on you.'

Xavier checked his phaser ready to jump in anytime. He eyed Tox across the room as he was going through some supplies. He hoped that the counselor would be safe and sound soon, back with the team.

Tox checked and double checked the kit. "We'll find her." He mumbled to himself. She had to be alright. The thought of anyone being lost, especially the only person standing between him and insanity was unthinkable.

To Peri, Madelyn spoke, "Are you able to still hear me? I want to make certain that the comms are working as we move, hopefully in the direction of where our counselor is at."

"I hear you loud and clear. I've been keeping the commander informed as well," Peri replied.

With a relieved sigh, Madelyn answered. "Oh good, and just don't quite know what is going on with this planet but, somethings in the air, and its truly strange." The engineer following after Yiv. She did wonder just what happened to her and why the scent made her retch. She shivered as they continued on the path to find Rose.

Xavier moved closer to the Commander. "Sir. Permission to speak a little liberally?"

'You may speak somewhat liberally,' Yiv replied with a flash of a smile.

As Xavier went to talk to Yiv, Madelyn was concentrating on the tricorder, Looking for some sign of where they can find the Counselor. There had been fluctuations, which led them to the conduit which was siphoning power from the power station.

"C'mon, c'mon. I need a sign, where are you counselor." Madelyn muttered or was it more of a frustrated growl.

Her stomach started feeling queasy once more, Madelyn got worried, was she going spew again? Oh no that wouldn't do at all. She quickly moved out from behind the person, fighting the nausea.

Something caught her attention taking her mind off of wanting to vomit.

A flicker. "What the..." Madelyn stared at the tricorder.

"Is that you, counselor?" Madelyn stood stock still, waiting, watching. Then there it was again.

"I think I have something!" Madelyn shouted, this going over the combadge and to those in the group, and to Peri moving hurriedly.

Lieutenant T’Avia Espinosa had come closer, approaching Madelyn Steele. "That is abnormal. We have not encountered anything like that while on this place. That has to be intentional" added the Acting Chief Science Officer. She was confident it was not a natural occurrence.

"What do you have?" Peri asked over the comms.

"I thought I caught a flicker or flash of something. I hope it’s from where the counselor is." Madelyne responded.

==Where ever Amanda is==

Amanda was not in the business of getting knocked out, so she did not approach the barrier again. Alright, Amanda, what do you have? Comm device that is not working, likely because of the barrier, tricorder that is not working due to the barrier, and your brain. What can you do? What could short out the barrier? Maybe if I toss my combadge into the barrier it can get shorted. So, Amanda testing her theory, took her badge off and tossed it underhand towards the bottom of the barrier, striking it, waiting to see what happened.

=== Back with the Away Team ===

'Officers, what do you see?' Yiv asked, distracted by the cloying smells and atmosphere of the place. He looked over to the Science and Engineering officers expectantly.

There was a sudden burst of static. It could have been, from a com badge? Hitting something maybe some sort of energy? Peri will have to determine that for certain.

"Peri did that sound like a combadge hitting some sort of energy field? I'm not certain if my supposition is correct and need it verified." Madelyn was starting to feel her head swim.

Turning towards Yiv. "I registered something, it was like a little bit of a flash and now there is something else that came after. I'm seeing if Peri can identify it." Madelyn was feeling just a tad bit thirsty, it was humid and warm. Well at least to her.

Madelyn reached into one of her pockets, bringing out a bottle of water. Oh good. She did have one more bottle.

"Yes," Peri replied. "I got it twice. It didn't last long enough either time to get an exact location, but I can give you a direction. That, plus what you heard, may at least get you started." She sent what little she had to Madelyn. "Just be careful."

'Let's head in that direction,' Yiv replied. 'There might be something there if we're closer in proximity.'




Amanda sighed. She had not expected much from tossing her combadge, but it had to be tried. Well, what else could she do? Maybe a prolonged connection of the combadge with the barrier would short it (if it did not kill her). She opened it up and then pulled out a pin. Slowly, she approached the barrier and connected the inner pin with the barrier and hoped for the best.



Just after Peri had given Madelyn a generalized location. Something sent Madelyn's heart racing. There was another something, not a flash not a flicker but thirty seconds was enough to get a better direction.

"Peri, I got something more solid!" Madelyn exclaimed, the readings being sent to the operations officer. "Triangulate the direction and lets go get her. I am hoping it is the counselor."

"At least it's something." Peri wasn't quite ready to say it was Amanda, but it was something out of the ordinary, and thus worth a look. "Triangulating." Using the data, she got a general direction. "Thirty degrees north northwest."

"Thank you!" Madelyn responded, quite happily.

Like a hound having gotten the scent of its quarry, Madelyn began following the trail. She paused momentarily to turn towards the others.

"C'mon, let’s go!" she called to the rest of the away team, turning back to follow the trail. Madelyn followed the blinking arrow indicating the direction that Peri had triangulated for her to follow. She felt like a hound dog tracking its quarry. And right now, that signal was it. And Madelyn had the scent.

Madelyn placed a hand up to brush away any vines that draped over her path, right now she was concentrated, slipping when her foot slipped upon something oozy. Almost falling but managing to keep from landing on the junglelike forest floor.



Amanda looked at her pin. She kept forcing it into the barrier but now it was broken. What else do I have? What else is available to me? I still have my tricorder. I could take it apart and use some of its parts but that does not seem effective. The barrier is all around me, but the ground is natural. Perhaps I could dig under it? Maybe it doesn't have a bottom?

With that thought, Amanda moved to one side that had ground that seemed looser and took her hands and started loosening the earth, throwing the discarded portions into the space and barrier behind her. Occasionally she'd hear the reaction of the barrier but that did not hinder her taking both of her hands and continue moving soil and rocks away to try and make an escape.

From the shuttle, Peri noticed the pings. Quickly triangulating where they came from with the shuttle and the away team, she had the coordinates. Then she tried to get a transporter lock on Amanda. It would be the quickest and easiest way to retrieve her. But there was some sort of field or barrier preventing it. "Valeri to away team, I found her. Five klicks north by northeast of my location. She's behind some sort of field that won't let me get a transporter lock. Sending you the coordinates now."

She then relayed the message to the Ontario.

Madelyn gave out a "Thank you!" as she followed the directions Peri had given her.

===========
Five klicks later.
===========

Madelyn breathing a bit heavy from moving at a great rate of speed. Well, a safe enough speed for her not to collapse, then again going over vines and such, it was a bit of work.

Madelyn stopped when she saw s forcefield shaped like a dome, and she called out, "Counselor, are you there?" hoping that Amanda Rose could hear.

Excitedly, Amanda called out, "I'm here! I'm here! Quickly! Before I'm plant food!"

Madelyn glanced to where the others were at, then smiled as she heard Amanda.

"Okay, hmmnn, now to find where this birdcage is being powered, so many vines to look under. Fan out maybe? And see where we need to pull the plug?" Madelyn already looking.

"I feel like I'm Horton's Who," Amanda yelled out to anyone that cared to listen.

Madelyn heard the counselor, and she shouted back, "I hear you. Can you hear me?"

"If you want me to yell back, 'Yop,' I will!" Amanda hollered back, referencing the one Who that finally participated in shouting so their voices could be heard by the other animals.

Madelyn gave a slight laugh, she knew the story well, one of the books that Crystal was so fond of hearing and reading. Crystal, she needed to get back to her daughter which meant she needed to get Amanda out of her imprisonment. Looking around her eyes happened upon the 'plug' she went to it, grasping onto the cable, then she yelled.

"Amanda, say YOP!"

Ready to pull the plug once the counselor said that word. It might be silly but, Madelyn felt it appropriate.

Madelyn's muscles went taut as it was going to take a good pull to pull the coupler loose and drop the field...

Trying not to laugh while being in danger, Amanda yelled at the top of her lungs, "YOP!"

Once Amanda was out, Peri informed the commander.

"Excellent!" Grace had been growing more concerned as time passed. She'd send a message to the doctor so he'd know to expect Amanda the moment she came aboard. "Scan everything, take samples from where they were holding the counselor, and leave a camera somewhere so we can monitor what happens. Then bring everyone back to the ship. And tell everyone good job."

It was with great satisfaction on Madelyn's part, the counselor was free. Now all they needed to do, well gather what was required by the Commander and then they go home. Madelyn gave a smile looking forward to getting back home to her daughter.


A post by


Lieutenant JG Peri Valeri
Assistant Chief Operations Officer
USS Ontario

Commander Grace Vetur
Commander
USS Ontario

Staff Warrant Officer Madelyn Steele
Chief Engineer
USS Ontario

Lieutenant Amanda Rose
Chief Counselor
USS Ontario

Commander Yivliph Ra-Gruvvlovei
Executive Officer
USS Ontario

Lieutenant Commander Anahera Chernova
Chief Security/Tactical Officer
USS Ontario

Lieutenant JG T'Avia Espinosa (NPC- Bálor)
Acting Chief Science Officer
USS Ontario

 

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