Star Trek - Fingers Crossed
Copyright© 2026 by SilkStories
Chapter 7: The Blue Danube
“Captain, I’m detecting Federation vessels nearby,” Ensign Mitchell reported. My head whipped toward him. “Are they pursuing us?” I demanded sharply.
He shook his head again, studying the readouts more closely. “It appears they’re holding position, Captain,” he clarified, his brow furrowed in concentration. “More like standing guard than pursuing. They haven’t detected us.”
Garrett leaned down toward me as I remained seated. “Guarding Krios Prime perhaps?”
My lips pressed into a tight line, his suspicion mirroring my own.
“What about the other planetary bodies within this system, Ensign?” I pressed, maintaining focus on the viewscreen. He nodded once, fingers already moving across the console. “Checking now, Captain,” came his prompt reply.
“I have identified a gas giant with multiple moons, Captain,” Mitchell reported, the console bleeping softly under his fingertips. “One of them is a class-M moon designated Veridia, approximately fifty million kilometers distant.” I leaned forward intently.
“Any signs of inhabitants?”
Mitchell studied his readings for several seconds. “No major population centres, Captain. I’m detecting abundant biological activity, but nothing indicating an indigenous technological civilisation.” His fingers moved across the console. “There are, however, several artificial structures on the surface. Small installations—possibly Kriosian.”
I nodded slowly. “What about resources? Water, food, anything we can use to replenish our stores?”
Mitchell adjusted his sensors. “Abundant fresh water. I’m also detecting extensive vegetation and substantial mineral deposits. Iron, copper, titanium, silicates...” He paused as another scan completed. “And several deposits containing elements useful for our replicator and fabrication systems.”
“What about deuterium?”
“Trace concentrations in the moon’s natural water supply. Recoverable, but we’d need to process a considerable volume.”
I glanced toward Garrett. “Sounds promising.”
I didn’t need any more convincing. “Ensign Rejal, set a course for Veridia, warp two.”
The quick sounds coming from the helm confirmed her swift compliance as she responded crisply.
“Course laid in, Captain.”
“Engage.”
I turned to Garrett as Veridia’s curved horizon filled the viewscreen. “Commander, I’d love to join you,” I said, my gaze steady on his. “But I should remain on the bridge. Take an away team and secure whatever resources you can.”
Garrett stared at me with visible surprise. I raised an eyebrow and asked coolly, “Did I stutter?” He shook his head, replying simply, “No, Captain,” before turning and heading toward the turbolift.
“Good luck, Commander.”
Garrett’s voice came through the comms, his tone light and almost teasing. “A lot of vegetation down here, Captain ... lovely view. Mountains, freshwater rivers...” he said.
My elbow rested against the armrest of my chair, my temple pressed to my palm as I sighed out the words too low for anyone to hear: “I hate you, Commander.”
I blew out a heavy breath. God, I so wanted to go down there.
A tiny pinprick of pain stabbed through my head.
The bridge dissolved around me.
My chair vanished beneath me and I dropped hard onto my ass, my palms slapping against rocky ground.
For several stunned seconds, I simply sat there.
Thick vegetation surrounded me. A clear lake shimmered nearby beneath the alien sky.
Undeniable proof that I was no longer aboard my ship.
Shit.
“Captain?!” Ensign Rejal’s voice crackled through my comm badge. I tapped the device with deliberate calm. “I’m on the surface, Ensign,” I replied.
“I’ve got you, Captain! Beaming you back!” Mitchell’s voice crackled through my comm badge just as I found my footing. “It’s all right, Ensign,” I replied, scanning the alien landscape unfolding before me. “Now that I’m here, I might as well explore. You have the bridge.”
As I moved deeper into the wooded terrain, a crude dwelling emerged ahead. I froze behind a thick tree trunk when two figures stepped outside—a Kriosian woman and what appeared to be her young daughter.
As I squinted at the figures, my boot caught on an exposed root. The sharp snap of breaking wood cut through the stillness, drawing the child’s gaze directly to my position. Our eyes locked—hers narrowing with suspicion, mine widening in surprise at being discovered.
I glanced over my shoulder, considering retreat, when my attention snapped back to the girl. My jaw dropped as I saw her swing a makeshift bolas overhead. I whirled around to flee - too late. Something heavy connected with the back of my skull.
I stirred groggily, my head throbbing with a dull ache. Blinking against the dim light, I reached up to find a coarse rag wrapped tightly around my forehead. Footsteps approached from the entrance. The Kriosian woman knelt beside me, her expression unreadable in the shadows. “Ahh, you’re awake,” she observed quietly. “How are you feeling?”
“Like I just took a rock to the head,” I muttered. The woman’s gaze dropped briefly in chagrin. My eyes shifted toward the doorway where the girl lingered, her small face half-hidden as she peered in with matching embarrassment.
The woman spoke softly, her tone carrying genuine regret. “I’m really sorry about that. Tara can get a little excited—she’s been hunting wild animals with that bolas. You were her first successful strike.”
My expression fell as I regarded Tara. Perfect—after all that Starfleet training, I’d been taken down by a child and her toy weapon. And to add insult to injury, I was apparently her first successful target.
Anyway, I decided that particular detail was beside the point for now. “We detected certain structures here on this moon,” I said, shifting slightly against the rough bedding. “I hadn’t expected to find Kriosians living out here.” The woman settled back on her heels, her expression softening with what seemed like nostalgia. “My husband and I came to this moon to work,” she explained quietly, her hands folding in her lap.
“We were happy,” she continued, her voice growing distant. “We had a decent place to live and regular credits coming in ... until...” She trailed off abruptly. My head was slowly moving downward, anticipating the rest of her story.
“Until what?”
“Until they came,” she said, her voice dropping to a whisper. My eyes narrowed at this revelation. “Who?” I pressed gently. The woman shook her head, her fingers twisting nervously in her lap. “I don’t know who they are. They just ... appeared. Started taking people away - grabbing them by the arm and vanishing into thin air.” She looked up at me, fear etched across her features. “They were probably using transporters.”
My gaze drifted away into empty space as the realization struck me - could she be talking about the Xylothians?
“What happened after?” I asked as she said, “They took my husband, and was brought back after a few cycles ... he seemed different.”
She continued, her voice trembling slightly as she spoke. “He was still my husband ... but his mind had changed. Before, he believed in our government, supported the Kriosian way. But after they took him, he only ranted about how the rulers betrayed us—that the whole system was corrupt and evil.”
“Commander Stone to Captain Vance! Come in Captain!”
Garrett’s abrupt comm signal shattered the fragile connection I’d forged with the Kriosian woman. As I tapped my communicator, irritation sharpened my tone. “Yes, Commander.”
“Are you okay, Captain?”
“I’m fine, just busy, Commander.”
“Captain?”
I rolled my eyes at having to elaborate further. “I’m just in the middle of something important,” I said, keeping my tone deliberately neutral. “What’s your report?”
“We’ve secured sufficient supplies and deuterium,” Garrett’s voice maintained professional calm through the comm, though I caught the subtle tension beneath. “The team was preparing to beam back when Ensign Mitchell alerted me to your presence on the surface.”
“I’ll be with you shortly, Vance out!”
I leaned closer, my hand resting gently on her arm. “What’s your name?” I asked, keeping my voice low.
“Lyra,” she whispered, her eyes searching mine.
“I need to leave, Lyra,” I said softly. “Is there anything I can do? Perhaps get a message to someone?”
Her gaze shifted to Tara before returning to me. “Can you ... could you take us back to Krios Prime?” she asked hesitantly.
My body tensed at the unexpected request.
Krios Prime teemed with Federation patrols; they would surely detect us. Still, I found myself nodding despite my reservations. Lyra was desperate to return to her homeworld, and I couldn’t refuse her plea. As I attempted to rise, a sharp pain lanced through my skull. Lyra steadied me with gentle hands until I regained my balance.
I beckoned Tara to join us, and she shuffled forward with downcast eyes, nestling into the warm circle of her mother’s arms.
“I’m sorry,” she murmured, her eyes holding a sorrow so profound it could melt the ice caps of Andoria’s polar regions.
I tapped my badge, “Captain Vance to USS Seeker, three to beam up.”
As Lyra, Tara and I rematerialized on deck four’s transporter pads, I tapped my combadge. “Garrett! We have visitors,” I announced, leading the mother and daughter toward the turbolift.
As the lift doors parted onto the bridge, Garrett’s eyes widened at my disheveled appearance. “Captain? What happened to your head?” he asked, his brow furrowing with concern as I realized I still wore the rough bandage. My fingers brushed against the fabric self-consciously.
Too mortified to confess the truth, I stammered, “Uhh ... I fell.” With a sidelong glance at Tara, I pressed a finger to my lips. The child gave a solemn nod, her violet eyes wide with understanding.
Leaving the mother and daughter near the lift, I approached Garrett. “Commander, I promised them I’d take them home to Krios Prime,” I said quietly. His eyes widened slightly at my words. “Oh, uhm, that might be a little difficult, Captain,” he responded, his tone measured. I nodded in acknowledgment. “I know, but I couldn’t leave them behind.”
I exhaled slowly. “Ensign Rejal, set a course to Krios Prime, warp one,” I instructed as Garrett shot me a puzzled look. “No rush,” I added, sinking into my chair with weary resignation.
“Aye, Captain.”
As we traveled toward Krios Prime, I showed Lyra and Tara around the ship.
“It’s very small.”
My expression fell, the child’s innocent candor forcing a strained smile that never reached my eyes. “Yes, Tara, it does feel a bit confined sometimes...” I trailed off, studying her small face intently as my gaze sharpened. “But where exactly is your own ship, huh?”
She cowered behind her mother as Lyra chuckled, then Lyra froze mid-laugh, her gaze locking onto something within the ceiling conduits. Her eyes widened with dawning horror. My own vision blurred as I squinted upward, following her line of sight.
A section of bulkhead panel hung askew near the power conduit junction, exposing what lay beneath. Through the gap pulsed a thick, vein-like structure embedded in the Seeker’s framework. Its surface shimmered with slow color shifts, cycling through deep blues and violets like a living thing breathing within my ship’s bones.
I waved it off with a dismissive gesture. “Don’t worry about that,” I told them, motioning for us to continue our tour.
As I led the way, Lyra clutched her daughter closer while glancing upward. She hurried her steps to catch up with me. “What is that thing?” she asked, her voice tight. Turning, I met her anxious expression with a sympathetic look. “It’s a long story,” I said simply.
“I ... I feel I’ve seen something like that before,” she stammered, her body trembling as she stared at the exposed panel. With focused concentration, I willed the pulsing tendril to retract deeper into the conduit. It shifted among the wiring until it became completely concealed from view.
I released a measured breath and turned to Lyra with a reassuring smile. “Better?” Her wide eyes darted between my face and the now-concealed conduit several times before she gave a rapid, shaky nod.
“Let’s keep moving, we’ll be coming to Krios Prime soon.”
We dropped to full impulse as we closed in on Krios Prime. I sat in my chair on the bridge, visibly nervous as I glanced over at Lyra and Tara. They stood near the portside panels, Lyra clutching her daughter close. Her face showed clear signs of fear, her chest rising and falling rapidly as I offered a gentle, reassuring smile.
Garrett turned to Ensign Mitchell at the tactical station. “Any Federation vessels nearby, Ensign?”
The young officer studied his console. “Three Federation ships are holding position a few hundred kilometers off, sir.” He looked up, adding with a slight shake of his head, “No indication they’ve detected us.”
“Not yet,” I murmured, my gaze fixed on the viewscreen.
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