Sector One
Sirius III (Alpha Canus Majoris)

The science outpost consisted of twelve prefabricated buildings and a dirt trackway leading to an Explorer ATV tracked vehicle. A steel fence circled the complex, intended to keep out predators. A tall comm tower stood in the midst, allowing communications with teams in the field. The outpost stood quiet, save for the hooting and growling of animals left in cages.

Suddenly a whine and blue-green glow announced the arrival of newcomers to the planet. After a moment the whine faded and the glow dimmed, leaving Trip and his team behind.

"Okay," said Trip.``Let's spread out and look for any sign of survivors. Investigating the camp itself is a secondary concern."

The team set out in all directions, with the MACO moving first to establish a perimeter.

Trip was the first to determine where survivors might have gone. At the east fence three scientists lay dead, all in a line. Two Humans and an Andorian. A Romulan was there as well, at the front of the line and presumably the one who'd shot the three scientists. He wore armor and a helmet, marking him a soldier of some kind. A large hole had been burned in the fence.

On closer examination Trip could see the Romulan had been shot in the facemask. It had warped from the parathermite charges after his death, but there was clearly a hole burned through from the outside.

Trip recalled that the scientists were armed with stunners as a matter of course, but the lead scientist was armed with a phase pistol.

It looked, then, like a group had made it here and the lead scientist had both burned a hole in the fence and shot a Romulan before they fled into the wilderness.

Ross appeared around the corner.

"Captain," He said. "I'd like to show you something."

Trip was more than willing to leave the short alley of death and follow Ross to anything less gruesome.

Ross led him to the animal pens.

"Captain, notice anything?"

Trip looked about at the small menagerie that filled the building. He almost didn't get it, then he did.

"How are they still alive?" He asked. "It's been weeks."

"Exactly." Ross said. "Someone's been caring for them. Even changing out the bottom of the cages."

"So there are survivors."

"At least one, sir. And where there's one there's probably more."

"That's good. Let's join the others and see what they've come up with."

They exited the building to find Chang and the MACO gathered nearby, examining something on the ground. Chang spotted them and broke off to meet them.

"Captain," He said. "We've got a problem."

"What's going on? Trip asked, approaching close enough to get a look at whatever was so interesting.

"We've got laser tripwires scattered all over the place." Chand said. "All attached to radios hooked to the tower. We have been sending signals probably since we got here."

Trip looked at the object. It was obviously a simple radio with a line reaching to the tower. Easy to spot now that he knew what to look for.

"From their perception," Trip said. "They've got survivors returning to camp."

"Will they send soldiers after us?" Chang asked.

"They would be pretty dumb to do so." Trip said. "They've got to know that Starfleet holds orbit. We can just take out the whole group with one phaser strike, once they're in the open, away from their prisoners at camp.."

"Commander T'Pol to Captain Tucker."

Trip reached for his communicator and answered.

"Go ahead, T'Pol."

"Captain, you have ten hostiles inbound to your position. ETA twenty minutes."

"Can't you just hit them with a phaser strike?"

"Negative. They have an Andorian captive with them."

Damn. He hadn't thought of that.

"Can you lock onto the Andorian with the transporter?"

"Yes, Captain. Should I transport him to safety, then strike the group?"

"As soon as the hostage is clear, yes."

"Very well."

"Keep me informed."

"Understood."

"Wait a minute. Is there any reason we can't do the same to the enemy camp?"

"No, Captain."

"Good. Then as soon as you've dealt with the incoming group, transport the prisoners onboard from the camp, then strike the soldiers there as well."

"Understood, Captain.

"Tucker out."

"Captain," Ross said. "Aren't you afraid of turning the prisoners inside out? The matter transporter still isn't approved for personnel."

"We'll just have to take that chance. If we assault the camp and it looks like we're winning, the Romulans will just start executing them anyway. They've got much better odds with the transporter."

To the north the first phaser strike came down from orbit, broad and orange in the sky, burning away the first group of Romulan soldiers. Moments later a second strike came down further to the north, lasting only a few seconds.

"Okay, " Trip said. "That's that. Now come on. I think I know which direction the survivors went."

Trip led the team to and through the hole in the east fence. There the tracks left by the science team were easy to follow, once looked for.

They followed the tracks for a little more than thirty minutes, long enough for Trip to begin wondering if he was being led astray somehow. Then the tracks stopped at a low, rocky ridge. There they milled about somewhat but otherwise seemed to have disappeared.

Chang was the first to turn to his scanner and the first to make the discovery.

"Captain," He said. "I think we've got a cave up there, behind that brush."

Trip looked where Chang was pointing. There he saw two bushes growing on a ledge, and behind them was obviously a cave opening. Climbing up to the cave would not prove difficult as the ledge practically had steps leading up to it.

Trip took the lead, climbing up until he stood silhouetted in the cave opening, and called out.

"Hello? Is anyone there?"

A phaser beam flashed passed his shoulder and he ducked instinctively,

"That was a warning shot." Someone called out. "Don't come any closer."

"Hold your fire.' Trip yelled. "I'm Captain Tucker of the Challenger. We're here to rescue you."

A second voice spoke, "For God's sake, Bert, can't you see his uniform?"

"Okay, we're coming out." The first voice spoke. "Don't try anything funny."

Three people came forward until silhouetted in the cave entrance. All were Human and all were clean shaven, and well fed. That indicated they'd probably been to camp to raid it for supplies several times. How they'd avoided capture Trip couldn't guess, as he'd found their tracks easily enough.

One man held the phase pistol, identifying him as the lead scientist. Trip spoke directly to him.

"Sir, if your people are accounted for we should move quickly." Trip said."We don't know if reinforcements are on the way."

"Okay," said the leader. "But if you're Starfleet there's something you need to see."