Authors Note: I own nothing but the OC characters I create for this story.
Okay take two!
I re-read my first chapter and realized it was a tad bit rushed and well confusing. So after careful thought about the plot and different characters I came up with a different opening.
The main idea was to establish why I chose a certain species and to set a date. These events in the first chapter happen before Vulcan was destroyed.
Ten years before the destruction of Vulcan.
'Life is the sum of experiences that we encounter as we go through life. Day to day struggles and triumphs are experienced by all of the world's creatures. As sentient beings, when we encounter a challenge, we have freedom to choose how to react. Every decision that we make leads us down a different road. We will never come to exactly the same crossroads. Every decision we make has significance. The tiniest choice that we make reverberates throughout the entire universe'
A little girl stood in the middle of a circular room, her face was calm and expressionless as she stared at the text displayed in front of her.
"Intriguing" she thought out loud.
Normally images, equations, and different forms of languages would flash before her she would read, calculate, translate, and answer when a question was presented to her on different skill levels. As she finished a level the next would start immediately afterwards, things had been this way every day of her life until now. The lines of text she read, though as illogical as it might seem, she concluded had no answer. "Curious" She tilted her head to the side.
There were times during her time in this room that such occurrences did happen. Lines of text with no answer, some in a set path that would have a combination of similar sounding words. These always had a hidden meaning in which she could not fully comprehend. So like she would before she tilted her head up to peer at the top of the room. "Instructor, what is the purpose of this line of text" and as quickly as she asked it would be gone and her normal flow of teachings would resume until her time was up and the system would shut down.
As she exited the room from a low hanging ladder she used her upper body to climb out until her feet were able to met the bars, slipping next to the wall of her exit she stood in silence as others emerged from theirs.
The small hall where they stood was eerily quiet, neither child moved aside from the rise and fall of their chest. Turning her eyes slightly she rested them on a boy, his skin was a darker shade then hers and his forehead had ridges on it. She had seen a few like him before, some female but they all gradually disappeared. Though it wasn't his features, or the fact that he seemed to be one of the last with said features, it was the wave of emotions she was feeling from him. It both alarmed and stunned her. They all were taught to keep calm and remain impassive everyday, and everyday she felt calm from everyone as she stood in the hall but now as she stared at the boy she felt fear, and anger...heated anger that made her chest burn. She averted her eyes back as soon as she heard the tapping of well polished shoes hit the ground.
Allowing herself to peer from her peripheral vision she saw that the boy had visibly stiffened as a mediator stood in front of him a PADD in hand. The mediator made a few movements on the PADD before looking behind the boy and shaking his head. He moved a small pen like device from his pocket and pricked the boy on his neck, then placing his hand on the boys shoulder he ushered him away from the hall.
The feeling of dread filled the hall as the boy and the mediator turned the corner.
It wasn't long before she along with the rest of the children were moved back to their 'rooms'. Each room had a basic bed with minimal bedding and a table that was nailed to the ground. On the left wall was a screen behind a high power force-field, she surmised before she was able to reach the screen it was presumably to stop anyone of them from trying to tamper with it. As she scanned the rooms and their occupants she saw no one who would be able or willing to do such.
All of them looked like her, not as dark skinned but they had the same eye brows and the same ears. Their faces were as calm as hers but she could still feel them, their fright, questioning, and confusion. These things they never let anyone physically see, or more so they were unable.
As the last child before her was moved into his room, she stood assuming she would soon be put into her room and wait for the morning feeding to begin. When they past her room and continued to lead her out of the facility where she and the rest of the children reside, he felt her stomach sink.
Where were they taking her? Had her time with the Instructor been unsatisfactory? Was she to go where they took that boy? Her little feet kept in pace with the mediator as they stopped in and oval room. Suits hung from hooks and helmets sat on top of shelves just above, there were no windows just a door and a few vents on the floor. She noticed the mediator slipping on one of the suits and a fixing a helmet onto his head then he carefully pressed on a pad on the far wall and the oval rooms back door sealed shut. Seconds passed before her ears heard a hissing sound coming from one of the floor vents. It wasn't sudden but she could feel her lungs struggling to gain control of her normal breathing, her body also started to feel weird like it was being pull down by a powerful force. It took her mind seconds to realize the gravity and air presser had been changed, she would need to gain control of her body functions in order to prevent herself from blacking out.
Slowly she lowered herself to the ground in a kneel position, one she learned from watching small clips in her Instructor room. She cleared her mind and took in small breaths, gradually she increased the length of time she would breath in until it became bearable for her to breath. Once she did that she slowly stood up and found that the changed gravity held much force on her small body. She worked her muscles and eventually she was able to stand straight again as if nothing had happened. It was then she felt something rise within her as she turned to look at the mediator tap a few things on his PADD, he seemed pleased. The feeling...it burned her chest and cause her heart rate elevate. She knew this sensation because she had just felt it just an hour ago...anger.
When the mediator looked up to see her face he froze and dropped his PADD, clenching his throat he tried to move to the wall and hit the pad. Before he could reach it he dropped to his knees and cried out in pain which turned to sputtered gasps for air. Soon he fell to the ground hard and went limp.
She blinked and stared at the still man shocked. She had thought it was only imagined in her mind...she was angry and wanted him to feel the pain he had caused her, to know what he did to her without much of a worrying glance. She imagined it...and it happened.
Her mind went blank as she stare at the lifeless body not even acknowledging the hisses of doors are the room being filled with men and woman, some in white and others in a deep blue color. It wasn't until two large men in black clothing grabbed her and held her arms behind her back did she look around. Wide eyes fell on the only man in the room who wore clothes of brown and grey.
"We had no warnings she was this far along" said a man in white to a man in blue. He just nodded and seemed to be thinking deeply, then he removed a small PADD from his pocket and handed it to the man in blue. It was then he turned his eyes towards her, she felt something from him that chilled her bones. She didn't like this man and began to struggle to remove herself from the two larger men but only managing to elbow one in the side and make him groan in pain. They finally forced her to the floor when she freed her arm. It did little good as the man had made his way over, bent down next to her head and sighed producing a hypo spray from his other pocket and pressing it to her neck. Her vision and mind was starting to go blank but she struggled to listen more having only a few broken words come through.
"Moving...tonight...far too unstable"
Then everything went black.
xXx
Twelve years later
Fascinating'
Would be one word to describe the scene that lay before Spock's eyes.
The mountains of Terris 5 were just in view as their shuttle made their decent, the purple, jagged lines running perpendicular around them stood out against the azure base color. His eyes peer down to the orange topped tree like formations at the mountains base, it created a unique visual that the Vulcan had never seen before. If he were to express it Spock would have been jumping for joy at the aspect of it all. The scientist within him wanted to go down and test the hydrogen, oxygen, and mineral levels within the mountain to learn how a combination of such hues came to exist like this.
Spock knew better than anyone what the mission parameters stated. 'They are to settle down in a nearby clearing and assist with the evacuation and medical assistants of the worlds handful of inhabitants' Inhabitants meaning Scientists. He moved his fingers across his tricorder making a few more adjustments, it was not one he was used to being a modified science tricorder with medical data. He almost kneaded his eye brows when he remembered the line of text he read as to the cause of their current mission.
'A distress call from Terris 5 was picked up at 043 hours, reports state high near dangerous level of contingents spread throughout the main facility. Distress call was made in Andorian, possible non-standard speaking people most likely present'
Logically the away team would consist of him, chief medical officer, chief communications officer.
Turning his head he watched is fellow officers place their helmets on, McCoy; who had fought tooth and nail to stay aboard the Enterprise grumbled. He didn't like the thought of having to walk around in Terris 5's atmosphere and stated that if even a tiny pin prick were to rip in his suit he would suffocate in less than a minute. Spock commented that in fact it would take 4.5 minutes to pass out from the high level of oxygen and another 3.4 minutes for his body to completely shut down.
McCoy caught his glance towards him and glared before mutter something under his breath and shoving his helmet on.
Others that occupied him in the landing party were Lieutenant Reves; A tall broad-shouldered German and a member of the security team, Ensign Felis; a very young female Caitian with piercing yellow eyes, a sharp set of canines with a specialty in low level gravity combat. Lieutenant Sulu who was asked to pilot the shuttle because of his expert piloting skills, and of course Lieutenant Uhura who's current attention was out of the shuttles side window as she took took in the wondrous site of the planet.
Terris 5, despite its beautiful aesthetics is not very habitual, its oxygen levels are too high but its gravity is greater'; only a few kilograms more than that of Vulcan Prime. Precisely 10.23 kilograms Spock thought.
Their shuttle made its descent to the landing site; a clearing just a few feet away from the main facility.
His eyes fell on Lieutenant Uhura again. Uhura or Nyota didn't have extensive combat training, she took the advanced combat class during her time at the Academy but it didn't cover a situation such as this. Even though it was logical that she accompany them he made a most illogical move by suggesting that with her small frame he surmised that it might be difficult on her person to travel around the dense gravity, even with her specially equipped suit. So for her on safety she stay aboard the Enterprise and handle translations via com-link.
That earned him a glare and a swift blocking of their bond. Though during the time they spent preparing up until this point he felt it trickle back open much to his relief. Uhura's eyes flickered over toward him, she felt his apprehension and came to stand next to him; holding on to the stabilizing bar. Sent calm insurance over their bond. 'I will be fine k'diwa' the words echoed though him and he felt increasingly calmer. Smiling she placed her own helmet on and pressed a few buttons on her arm pad to adjust the suit to her body type. Spock took the time to admire the suits pleasing qualities as it hung to his mate with no remorse. Uhura turned and gave Spock a sly look, apparently he had let that thought float into their bond without realizing.
When the shuttle started to shake trying to stay level it pulled both Spock and Uhura out of their own thoughts. Although strong, in the planets gravity Sulu managed to land it with grace. "Almost a perfect landing...alright guys I'm about to open the shuttle doors" Sulu even though he wasn't venturing out onto Terris 5 himself still required a suit ad hand been fully dressed before the decent. He tapped a few screens and buttons before the shuttle door opened.
They felt the greater pull of the planet as the air flooded the shuttles compartments and even in their special equipped suits they still felt immediately sluggish.
The first out was Spock, being Vulcan he could adapt to the gravity faster than the others. "Mr. Sulu please keep all com-frequencies clear"
"Aye Sir" Sulu flicked a few switches and buttons on the conceal before waving.
He took a few steps forward and pulled out his tricorder to analyze the surround area, he moved it into the direction of the compound and found that he wasn't picking up any life signs. He pressed on his tricorder to make sure it wasn't a technical problem. "Something wrong Commander?" Felis had followed shortly behind him.
"Unclear" was his only reply. There was a great THUD, as Reves exited the shuttle. He rolled his shoulders and cracked his neck trying to show that the low gravity didn't bother him in the least. Spock rose a brow in his direction, such a show of bravado was illogical as it would cause him to tired out faster. When the Lieutenant caught Spocks brow he quickly straighten and became more professional. Ensign Felis shook her head at him as Uhura came up behind them followed by McCoy who, even though his shaded helmet, looked less than enthused about their walk on Terris 5.
"I still don't see why we couldn't just beam directly into the compound" McCoy was affixing a medical bag to his back, of course he knew the medical risks but he still has some reservations and making the green bloodied commander twitch even the slightest at his difficultly was worth it.
Spock looked at his tricorder with kneaded brows, he was starting to pick up a reading he did recognize. Closing it and placing in a pocket at his hip he decided to analyze this information as soon as he returned to the Enterprise. "Since its distress call we..." Spock turned slightly towards the doctor. "...have not been in contact with the researchers within the compound so we would not, as Terrans would say 'Know what we are walking into'. We run the risk of bringing any number of the illnesses abroad beaming back. Thus we logically reduce the possibility of undue harm to the away team and the rest of the Enterprises crew, something I'm sure your aware of doctor"
Backfired.
McCoy huffed and Uhura suppressed a laugh as they walked towards the compound.
The path they walked along was mostly flat but their feet still fell heavy on the ground causing the pink tinted dirt to kick up, it swirled around the group like a fog as they neared the compound.
Reves leaned to the side to get a batter look. "Looks a bit small" Felis rolled her eyes.
"That is due to the fact that this is only the decompression station, the majority of the facility is underground" Spock didn't even turn in Reves direction instead he was focused on the readings firing up his tricorder.
"Doesn't that seem a bit weird to you?" Felis asked.
"All say it's more like suspicious" McCoy grumbled. "I honestly don't know why this hasn't been looked into prior to this catastrophe"
"I think with everything that has happened in the past years the Federation saw better use of their resources, small facilities like this were simply overlooked" Uhura answered. She looked to Spock to see any reaction or slight facial twitch but the Vulcan kept his focus on the compound in front of them, it was best she do the same and keep certain thoughts out of their bond. She did feel a subtle tug to let her know that he was listening.
"Lieutenant Reves, Ensign Felis I require your assistance. The compound along with his highly reinforced metal shell seems to also be protected by an impressive shield"
"Would would you like us to do Commander?" Reves asked steeping forward.
"As I do not want to damage the shield for the likelihood of the plants gravity crushing it within minutes is certain we need to focus our phaser beams on one point long enough for an opening to occur thus allowing us to enter. However we will need to enter in groups." both Reves and Felis nodded then set their phaser to their highest setting. "Dr. McCoy you will enter with Reves and Feils first, then Lt. Uhura and I will follow" McCoy walked between the two and waited for the word. "In 3...2...1...fire"
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