ISS Artemis 24 en route to jump point 115d from planet 6 system 612-744
Date 1184-265 Imperial Standard
Time 1812 Shipboard
"Course set, thirty hours seventeen minutes untilmid point rotation," Valerii announced while entering the scout ship's common area/galley/sickbay/laboratory. The scouts had placed a quarantine beacon on Elli's Chance, cleaned themselves up then started out to the jump point. Ishyn sat at the dinner table observing his crew. Val took longer setting up a simple transit than Ishyn had ever seen before. Vrain threw himself into dismantling the port ventilator again. Ishyn suspected it had stopped working fifteen minutes before Artemis had been commissioned. Mel sat is a side chair, silently sulking.
Time to bare their souls, he thought. "Staff meeting, everybody gather around." The crew all sat at the table. Ishyn summarized what had happened to Val and himself for the two who had been below. "Does anybody have an idea of what those creatures were?" Each member shook in the negative. "So it is safe to say that we found the missing specimens. I do wish the probe was still on board that ship. It may have caught some pictures of those things."
"Sorry sir," Val mumbled, "I didn't think before sending it back here."
"Don't worry son, from day one we are taught to be frugal with His Imperial Majesty's monies. I would likely have done the same thing had I arrived first."
"Did you check the low berths," Mel asked. It was the first she spoke since they had disengaged.
"No," the commander admitted.
"And we won't make another effort?"
"You will learn, young lady, that while we may someday give up our lives in Imperial service, it is not expected to be the first choice. The thudders just bounced off, though the electros appeared to have an effect. I don't want to test how effective our war ammunition is."
"Sorry sir, I meant no disrespect. We didn't see anything so I can't say what might work."
Vrain jumped in, "Are you sure you didn't see anything Mel? You said something when I pulled you into the lift."
"I don't know boss. I thought maybe something moved or it could have just been a shadow. I can't really say. Maybe I just imagined it."
Vrain spoke to the commander, "I'm sorry Daryl; we didn't get much done downstairs. I let myself get sidetracked."
"The fault is mine, I should have kept us together. At least we made it out with only a few scrapes and bruises. Anything we haven't covered?"
Negative shakes again until Vrain recalled, "Mel what about your head?"
"Head," Ishyn asked, "what about your head. You said you didn't encounter anything."
"No big deal commander, I just had a bit of a headache. I'm fine now."
"A bit? Girl you were a mess down there," Vrain countered. "In the dash out I forgot I was going to let the autodoc check you."
"No, really it is fine. One hundred percent gone."
Vrain looked doubtful while Ishyn rubbed his chin thoughtfully. "When did you get better Mel?"
"When we came back. It just went away; must have been the stress of being in that drifting mausoleum."
Ishyn still looked thoughtful, "Fine for now then. If nothing else this meeting is over. Who has mess duty today?" The next ten minutes were filled with arguing and finger pointing..