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#sttri

Star Trek Triangulum

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Chapter 1


You are a Lukari captain aboard a non-warp-capable shuttle. Your starship has been destroyed in a spatial anomaly. You...

  50% > look for escape pods.

  50% > search habitable planets.

   0% > go over final logs.

   0% > sit and wait.


You are in a 2-seat sublight shuttle. Nevertheless, the crew is your responsibility. You perform a spherical search pattern for several hours, but find no escape pods or any debris.

On long-range sensors you see an L-class planet, only a day away at full impulse.

28.6% > Set course.

28.6% > Widen search area.

14.3% > Modify sensors.

28.6% > Send distress signal.


Space is big. Mind-bogglingly so. You may think it’s a long way down to the chemist’s...

You zigzag towards the planet, calling to the void. As you catch up on Cardassian poetry and ponder the elegance of the repetitive epic, you notice the stars are unfamiliar.

57.1% > Consult star charts.

42.9% > Scan for strange readings.

   0% > Rush to the planet.

   0% > Keep reading.


The charts confirm your worries: somehow you have ended up in an uncharted area of space, too far away from any known location to identify.

  50% > Continue towards planet.

   0% > Return to starting point.

  25% > Scan for exotic matter.

  25% > Scan from chronitons.


You park in a high orbit, finally giving your engines and orbital mechanics a rest. It’s been four days since your ship was destroyed, yet you found no traces of it or the crew on your long-winded way here. Wherever you are, you’re on your own.

71.4% > Scan planet for life.

28.6% > Scan for structures.

   0% > Find a landing spot.

   0% > Investigate moons.


You are a Lukari aboard a shuttle, orbiting a brightly coloured L-class planet. While the surface appears to be scattered with vegetation, your scans show no carbon-based life. Instead you find high concentrations of copper phyllosilicates.

  25% > Scan underground layers.

62.5% > Scan for structures.

   0% > Use protomatter.

12.5% > Go on the planet.


The mineral formations are oddly regular, despite looking quite fragile. They follow a hexagonal pattern which spans vast distances, larger than any city on Lukari. Understanding the origin and purpose of this network would require a closer look.

14.3% > Beam down in the center.

42.9% > Land a safe distance away.

28.6% > Fly at low altitude.

14.3% > Beam up a sample.


You take the shuttle into the atmosphere and gently guide it towards a safe spot. Guiding is, after all, the only thing you can do as the harsh winds send you into a downwards spiral, performing several ground-scraping loop-de-loops before plummeting into a hole.

  75% > Assess damage.

12.5% > Evacuate immediately.

   0% > Check surface integrity.

12.5% > Have a cuppa.


The interior is quite shaken up and the fire suppression system is on fire, but the integrity field has kept the hull in near pristine condition. As you check this, the ground below collapses and traps you inside a cave. Your console lights up with a distress call.

  40% > Put out fire.

  20% > Fix suppression system.

  20% > Follow distress call.

  20% > Map out cave system.


You are in the 25th century. You have never intentionally started a fire in your entire life, let alone put one out. How the suppression system does it so seamlessly is genuinely pure magic to you, and now you’re faced with the daunting task of figuring it out.

14.3% > Blow on it. Really hard.

   0% > Shoot it.

57.1% > Trap it in a forcefield.

28.6% > Lower ambient temperature.


Trapped inside a cave with a console trying to get your attention, you decide to raise a forcefield around the fire and mark it as SEP in the computer. You shift your attention towards the primary task.

85.7% > Follow distress signal.

   0% > Mute distress signal.

   0% > Explore cave.

14.3% > Tea.


You head towards the source of the signal. As you delve deeper into the perfectly symmetrical cave system, it grows in amplitude but also diffuses all around you. You feel like you're running in circles.

83.3% > Try to maintain heading.

16.7% > Think. (best reply wins)


With the reverb overwhelming your computer, you stop tracking it and continue your flight on a straight path. You reach a hollowed-out section, several kilometres in diameter. Your console goes silent. In the distance, you see a glimmer of light.

62.5% > Follow the light.

37.5% > Run a level 5 diagnostic.

   0% > Land and rest.

   0% > Explore.


The light flickers as you approach it. It seems to be reflected from a familiar-looking metal object, mostly buried in the ground. The source of the light is likely to be one of the many tunnels above.

The signal has resumed, originating where you came from.

  75% > Inspect object.

  25% > Calculate light source.

   0% > Explore.

   0% > Return for signal.


You are the captain of the now destroyed L.S.S. Coelho. You land your shuttle next to the object, this time not having to worry about wind-induced litholanding. Walking up to it, you see the end of a Lukari word engraved on its smooth surface. It’s an escape pod.

  75% > Identify life signs.

   0% > Transport inside it.

   0% > Break it open.

  25% > Get residual readings.


Tricorder shows one life sign inside the pod, too faint for the transporter to lock on to. No badge found. There should be a door on the other side, about two metres underground. It’s fairly spacious inside, but it could still be dangerous to cut the hull open.

  25% > Try to talk.

37.5% > Cut the hull.

  25% > Dig.

12.5% > Beam inside.


You take your piezo-polaron pistols and blast the shit out of the hull. Structural integrity must be off. You finish at a lower setting and clear the debris. Fortunately it’s empty, except for the rock filling half the space. Still one life sign on the tricorder.

14.3% > Check for logs.

57.1% > Scan rock.

   0% > Try to remove rock.

28.6% > Try to talk.


A tricorder scan shows the rock is composed of the same copper phyllosilicates found on the planet’s surface. The life reading is unclear, but appears to be concentrated on the far side of the pod.

44.4% > Try to talk.

22.2% > Try to get past the rock.

11.1% > Beam everything outside.

22.2% > Check for logs.


‘Can you hear me? Is anyone there? Hello?’ You sigh, reconsidering your stupidity. ‘I’m just talking to a rock, amn’t I?’

It shivers in response.

‘You’re right...’

You straighten up, watching the rock tremble.

  50% > First contact protocols.

16.7% > Decode resonance patterns.

   0% > Run away.

33.3% > See what it does next.


‘Oh, excuse my callousness. Greetings, I am Captain Uukaave of the Lukari. We are thrilled by this opportunity to meet and exchange information. I’m sure our people will have a bright future together.’

The rock keeps trembling.

  75% > Explain your situation.

  25% > Check your translator.

   0% > Try to translate manually.

   0% > Check for logs.


‘I have been exploring your network for the past few hours, it is most intriguing.’ You look around. ‘My... ship, I lost it to an anomaly. I don’t know how I got here. Apologies if I disturbed you in any way.’

You can sense the rock getting calmer in its trembling.

33.3% > (40%) Inquire about survivors.

   0% > (10%) Ask about cave network.

33.3% > (30%) Get to know their species.

33.3% > (20%) Invite for a drink.


‘Do you drink?’ You select a random option on the replicator and a bottle materializes. The rock trills quizzically.

‘Oh well it’s, um...’ You turn the bottle, smell it, then look down its neck. ‘It’s green.’

As you down it, you feel a reassuring mind meld forming.

45.5% > Discuss new knowledge.

 9.1% > Share a cunning plan.

27.3% > Tell a story.

18.2% > Make a historical remark.


‘Pentheor... pleased to meet—severed? The pod? But how did you get—it appeared around... But what—oh thank Kal Dano they are fine! Where—just one? I know we’re similar. Less blue? Spots!’

33.3% > Let the thoughts flow.

22.2% > Focus on survivor.

11.1% > Focus on their species.

33.3% > Drink more to boost link.


You pour another glass for each and free your mind, hoping the thoughts will clarify.

‘Where is—Rock’s offensive? You are one, within—The one with spots, soon she should—Millennia? Naturally... Evil—home... far. lost. alone. not—gone?’

  75% > Separate the voices.

   0% > Try to change subject.

12.5% > Request silence.

12.5% > Talk about yourself.


You fill another glass and drink from the bottle.

‘...feed on minerals. We travel in groups, but your cage trapped us.’

‘...not from this galaxy, are you? Long since we had visitors, how lovely to see someone so alien!’

You see a figure entering the pod.

11.1% > Continue your chat.

66.7% > Greet them.

11.1% > Request identification.

11.1% > Ready your weapon.


You lift your head off the floor and try to clear your throat. ‘Greets, I’m... mwhh... wh-what can I do you for?’

‘With all due respect, Captain, why are you drinking my Aldebaran whiskey?’ You recognize this as the voice of your science officer, Caoilfhionn Afhm.

  20% > Ask for status report.

  20% > Explain yourself.

  30% > Offer a glass.

  30% > Introduce the Pentheor.


‘Commander! How lovely to see you again! Here, a toast! To another successful first contact. Oh but how rude of me, these are the Penthor. Pentheor, this is—’

‘We’ve met.’ she says, trying to stop you from flailing your arms across the floor and preparing a hypo.

37.5% > Continue talking.

   0% > Stop her.

62.5% > Ask for details.

   0% > Return to your shuttle.


‘You have! ...since when d’you do peletaphy? And what’re’ye doing with that thing?’

‘I’m giving you some inaprovaline to counteract the effects of alcohol. Tell me, have you ever met a Betazoid? Did you have to be intoxicated for telepathy to work?’

  50% > Respond affirmatively.

12.5% > Respond negatively.

  25% > Ask about whereabouts.

12.5% > Replicated alcohol?


‘Is that why the asmassabdor gave us champagne when we entered the Federvation? I should’ve known there was something sketchy about that kolrak.’

She chuckles. ‘You know these drinks don’t go well with you. Better stick to the standard menu. Alright, hold still.’

12.5% > Resist the hypospray.

37.5% > Question legality.

  25% > Reminisce old times.

  25% > Check on Pentheor.


‘Why can it make this anyway?’

‘You don’t tell Starfleet about my tweaks, and I’ll keep hush about your little adventure. Deal?’

‘Doubt that’ll come up. The marble mentioned another galaxy.’

‘We’re still here, you know.’

‘Excuse my captain, they’re quite boozy.’

14.3% > Ask for Pentheor’s help.

28.6% > Offer your assistance.

42.9% > Salvage pod.

14.3% > Continue exploring caves.


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You struggle to stand up, covering your grunt by pretending you meant to say your commander’s name. ‘Afhm, transfer all data to my shuttle.’ You gesture at the Pentheor to scoot over so you can start emptying the supply container.

‘So what’s the plan, Captain?’

14.3% > Return to orbit.

28.6% > Go deeper into the caves.

42.9% > Scout planet’s surface.

14.3% > Settle here.


‘I want to take a better look at the surface.’

The Pentheor quickly consume what rock’s in the way.

‘Impressive.’

‘Perhaps we could help? Always wanted to know what lies in the beyond.’

‘You’ve never seen your sky?’ Caoilfhionn asks.

‘Few can make it that far out.’

71.4% > Ask what’s stopping them.

   0% > Consult with Caoilfhionn.

28.6% > Agree.

   0% > Decline.


‘It seems you can travel fairly quickly, what’s stopping you from heading up?’

‘Up?’

‘You know...’ You look above.

‘Oh, but how deceiving your eyes must be. The network is vast and leads many false ways. Even if we knew where to go, we can only carve so much.’

  40% > Ask about their movement.

   0% > Ask about the network.

  40% > Agree to take them.

   0% > Decline taking them.


‘Carve? Would you like a trail of pebbles to the shuttle?’

‘We can follow your ringer, it is only a week away.’

‘For a few metres?’

‘For you it may be just a few, but for us it is billions of molecules away.’

‘Right. We’ll just use the transporter. Commander,’

57.1% > ‘accommodate our guests.’

   0% > ‘take what’s left.’

14.3% > ‘plot a course.’

28.6% > ‘you have the bridge.’


You start updating the cargo logs on your PADD and enter the tiny transporter at the back of your shuttle.

‘Captain.’

Your view jolts up as your body stiffens. ‘Chief.’ you say baffled. ‘How did... Right, of course you were here.’

‘Is everything alright Captain?’

  50% > Offer a summary.

16.7% > Ask what he was up to.

33.3% > Double check he’s real.

   0% > Just beam the Pentheor.


You hesitate for a bit. ‘Yes. Yes, we... lost the Coelho and its crew, we might be in another galaxy, and we established first contact with some kind of bacteria. Transport our guests to these coordinates.’

‘I-I-I... I was asking about y-your balance, b-b-wh...’

  20% > ‘You have your orders.’

  20% > ‘What are you implying?’

  60% > Comfort him.

  20% > Keep explaining.


‘Chief...’ You rest your elbow on his shoulder and gesticulate aimlessly. ‘Vril, you always said you wanted to serve on an exploratory vessel, right? Well here we are, the first to wander into a whole new world, and we already encountered intelligent lifeforms!’

  25% > Wait for his response.

  25% > Discuss opportunity.

   0% > Talk about returning.

  50% > Focus on mission.


‘So come on, let’s not leave them waiting.’

‘I... Aye Captain.’ He beams the Pentheor over to the main room.

‘Hey Kav, why are you tracking your own distress signal?’ you hear Caoilfhionn shouting. ‘And what’s with that forcefield?’

  25% > Check on the fire.

  50% > Turn off signal.

   0% > Make up an excuse.

  25% > Check on the Pentheor.


‘Carry on, Chief.’ You pass the melted console while disabling the signal.

‘Who were you talking to?’ Afhm asks. ‘Chief! Didn’t see you coming.’

‘I’ve been here all week. You said to wait in case anyone needed emergency beamout.’

‘Oh that’s right! Carry on, Qott.’

   0% > Diagnose the console.

  40% > Ask them what happened.

  40% > Ask for suggestions.

  20% > Just head out.


‘Either of you know what happened after the Borg attacked?’

‘The Cooperative sphere?’ Qott asks surprised.

‘I've been thinking about it,’ Afhm replies, ‘but I'm still not sure why they’d turn hostile. A glitch in their system, I assume, or a virus of some kind.’

33.3% > Debate who would do that.

33.3% > Discuss the anomaly.

   0% > Discuss your ship.

33.3% > Form a plan.


‘Maybe the Voth are trying to stop us from catching up to their tech?’ Qott suggests.

‘I don’t think they could get us all the way here,’ you reply.

‘Unless...’ Afhm enters some numbers into a PADD. ‘If we could replicate warping away together with the Borg...’

  50% > We don’t even have a ship.

  50% > Check Coelho’s scan logs.

   0% > Find use for protomatter.

   0% > Warp particles.


‘If only we still had the Coelho,’ you say.

‘There should be a backup of all scan logs on this shuttle.’ Qott offers.

‘Oh you beautiful bastard.’ Afhm rushes to a console. ‘Chief, how soon can I have a simulation from this data?’

‘Two hours, maybe?’

‘Get on it.’

   0% > Continue theorizing.

  50% > Plan route with Pentheor.

  25% > Consider alternatives.

  25% > Just head up.



Chapter 2


You are Lieutenant Toval, a Cardassian Starfleet officer in command of the LSS Coelho, a short-range science vessel. The ship is badly damaged, running on minimal power with a skeleton crew. You’ve been drifting through deep space for weeks.

A small unidentified vessel has dropped out of warp and is approaching on an impact course at high speed, not responding to hails. This is your first encounter since the accident, and possibly your only chance of survival.

66.4% > Evasive manoeuvers.

 7.4% > Fire warning shot.

10.1% > Keep trying to hail.

16.1% > Entertain other options.


Despite Chief Engineer Amber’s protests, you route what’s left of your engines through the RCS thrusters and push them beyond their limit. Still, the other vessel adjusts its course faster than you can.

The warning microcharges in the ops console go off. ‘Damn these Starfleet systems,’ Ensign Cajaaro mutters. ‘I’m detecting a high energy buildup within their vessel, ma’am.’

‘They’re firing some sort of wide superheated methane beam.’ SubLt. Kihal takes over tactical. ‘No damage. It appears to be very short range.’

10.8% > Return fire.

33.3% > Boost shields.

12.7% > Wait to get close.

43.1% > Hack them.


‘Vox, that Hierarchy tech of yours could really come in handy right now.’

‘I’m trying, but it’s quite limited without a connection to the Central Command.’ They go through several unfamiliar interfaces. ‘It appears fairly primitive. Attempting to disrupt its power flow.’

The vessel is disabled. On its current course, it will fly past the Coelho at 2146 m/s in two minutes.

‘I’m also reading high amounts of organic matter, minerals, and antimatter.’

‘A freighter?’ Cajaaro perks up. ‘We could trade.’

‘Or capture it!’ barks Sgt. Qovak.

34.5% > Remotely rendezvous it.

21.8% > Teleport supplies over.

41.8% > Send away team.

 1.8% > Leave it be.


‘Are they willing to talk yet?’

Cajaaro attempts another hail. ‘Negative, captain.’

‘Then let’s see what’s on that ship for ourselves, shall we? Vox, find a suitable location to beam to.’

(Select away team. Top 3 win. Above 50% counts as two members.)

  38% > Security.

12.7% > Engineer.

19.7% > Scientist.

29.6% > Go yourself.


‘Kihal, Dr. J’Lan, prepare for beamout. Amber, you have the bridge.’

‘You’ll start close to a connecting node,’ Vox informs you. ‘No gravity. Nitrogen-hydrogen atmosphere, so keep rebreathers on. You’ll be out of transporter range in five hours.’

‘Acknowledged. Energise.’

You’re in a small room. A blinking light draws your attention towards an opening in the ceiling. The corridor outside stretches to the right into a fog. To the left, you hear the hum of machinery. Further ahead, another corridor splits off, glowing a soft purple.

34.8% > Climb up.

 4.5% > Go right.

16.9% > Go left.

43.8% > Take second corridor.


You silently cross what appears to be a main corridor spanning the length of the ship, and slip into the first branching off point. A series of thin window strips run across the bulkhead, allowing the light to escape. You carefully approach one of them and squint through.

‘Imirrhlhhse arhem.’

‘That...’ J’Lan swallows, ‘that is a lot indeed, sublieutenant.’

‘Toval to bridge.’

‘I see it,’ Amber replies. ‘You don’t suppose they’ll mind if we take a few crystals? Just enough to get the Coelho running again, find a populated system.’

You consider the suggestion, as the dilithium crystals gently bounce across the chamber and float away into the endless fog.

21.1% > Try to get in.

 8.5% > Keep looking around.

43.7% > Start moral debate.

26.8% > Find the bridge.


‘Let’s not rush it. Log the coordinates, but I’d like to at least know the purpose of this ship first. Maybe we can still make a deal with whoever...’

You look over at Kihal configuring her plasma disruptor. She stops awkwardly when she notices your silence. ‘Sorry, what?’

‘We’re not here to rob.’

‘Well they certainly seem unwilling to trade. And they don’t know we’re here yet.’

‘And for all we know, this could be just an automated freighter.’

‘J’Lan does appear to be right,’ Amber chimes in. ‘We’ve been studying the ship’s structure—’

‘Shh.’ Kihal indicates at you to take cover.

You look around expectantly. The fog makes it impossible to see for more than a couple dozen metres.

A loud bang is followed by a small round creature rapidly approaching you, propelling itself from surface to surface.

16.1% > Run.

12.9% > Attempt to talk.

17.7% > Fire your phaser.

53.2% > Order team to hold fire.


You’re not one to usually play into stereotypes, but with a Vaadwaur veteran and a quarter-Klingon on your team, you can never be too careful. ‘Hold your fire!’ you order them, only a squeeze of the trigger away from a deadly mix of polarons and plasma.

The creature stops above you. You stare at it intently, waiting for a reaction. Getting the feeling it’s doing the same, you slowly take your tricorder out and attempt to scan it. It responds by rapidly changing colour in waves in your general direction, then jumps away.

‘Was it laughing at us?’ Kihal bursts.

‘Never mind that.’ J’Lan grabs your tricorder. ‘Why is it not showing up on scans?’

‘If it’s masking its signature, it must have a reason. And now it knows we’re here.’ Kihal looks back at you. ‘I say we hunt it down.’

17.4% > Follow it.

21.7% > Inspect the bang.

54.3% > Grab dilithium and go.

 6.5% > Keep looking around.


‘No. We should leave as quickly as possible.’

‘Toval,’ Amber calls, ‘something is interfering with the transporter.’

‘It’s fine, we can find another way out.’

‘No, that is not it. I cannot get a lock on the dilithium.’

‘Oh, right.’ You look over at Kihal.

She grins and happily blasts a hole in the bulkhead, then grabs an armful. ‘Is this enough?’

‘I only need one good crystal. Take the one there.’ Amber adds a highlight to her AR. ‘No, slightly to the right. Up a bit. Yes, that one—actually, can you take the one behind it?

‘Ooh, over to the left, it has a far better structure.’

‘How much of a difference are we talking about here?’ you interrupt the two of them.

‘It will take 12 microseconds less to prepare. Look, up there, that one will reduce our subspace fluctuations by 3 nanocochranes.’

You sigh and grab a handful at random. ‘Let’s go.’

‘No, those will take a full minute!’

‘You could use a challenge, haven’t had a good one in a while.’

‘I am still dealing with last week’s plasma leak. It got all over the neural gel.’

‘Come on, we’re done here.’

33.3% > Head to an airlock.

11.1% > Head to the engine.

22.2% > Head to the power core.

33.3% > Head to the bridge.


‘So much for that “we’re not here to rob,”’ J’Lan mutters while continuing to scan the area.

‘We’re not. Yet. Chief, can you guide us to the command center?’

“Start heading down this corridor.”

‘So what’s the plan?’

‘We’ll ask nicely.’

‘If we could even speak to them.’

‘Guess you better get on with figuring out their language.’

‘On it. Although one second isn’t much of a dataset.’

‘Kihal, I’ll need you to secure us an exit. We’ll try to stop the interference, but we might need to jump out.’

“Now left.”

‘Here,’ you hand both of them a few crystals, ‘keep them hidden.’

‘Shouldn’t be hard, I can’t even see my toes,’ Kihal jokes. ‘What’s with all this fog anyway?’

‘Ammonia. Probably what these creatures are based on. It would explain why it’s so damn cold in here.’

‘I thought Kobali liked the cold,’ you smirk at J’Lan.

‘I don’t. Reminds me of being stuck in a cryopod.’

“Continue up the corridor above you.”

‘Up?’ You look at the overhead. ‘I suppose they wouldn’t care about moving vertically. Does this ship even have an up?’

33.3% > Discuss the creatures.

33.3% > Discuss ship’s design.

16.7% > Ask about cryopod.

16.7% > Think about future.


“Not really. It is perfectly symmetrical around its axis, and between its two ends.”

‘Try not to get us walking in circles.’

“You are simply going straight up.”

“Or down,” Vox interjects.

“Towards the central ring.”

‘Is that gun on both ends?’ Kihal says. ‘I wonder why.’

‘Might be data carriers...’

‘Excuse me, doctor?’ you ask J’Lan.

‘The creature. It’s almost as if it was pulsating in 5-bit patterns.’

“Can you send that data over?” Vox says. “If we know their frequency range...”

“Enter the next corridor behind you. Are you thinking the interference is caused by chatter?”

“Or power flow.”

J’Lan shakes his head. ‘Must be a limitation of their luminescence.’

37.8% > Stay quiet and listen.

35.1% > Discuss luminescence.

 5.4% > Debate reason for attack.

21.6% > Determine ship function.


“They would have to redshift their power signature so as not to interfere with communication,” Vox says.

“Access denied.”

“Come on you stupid... there you go.”

“Through this door now. And as power draw increases, so does its frequency, getting increasingly less efficient.”

‘Maybe we just agitated them,’ J’Lan mutters.

“I should avoid any unnecessary hacking to minimise the stress we cause on their systems. Suggest replotting route.”

Amber drums her fingers. “Unless...”

“Why do you Starfleet always say that?” You hear Qovak playing Kotra.

“Unless, right,” Vox agrees.

‘No, that’s not it.’ J’Lan deletes a whole file.

“Perhaps Kihal could... Where did she go?”

You feel a rumble. ‘Toval to Sublieutenant Kihal, come in. Kihal.’

J’Lan taps his PADD proudly. ‘A system report.’

27.3% > Search for Kihal.

63.6% > Ask J’Lan for details.

 9.1% > Plot a new route.

   0% > Stay on track.


‘Doctor, what are you on about?’

‘Our intrusion has disrupted their comms, right? So they must be resorting to manually carrying reports between stations. And would you not find it a rather interesting coincidence that the only specimen we saw, was after an explosion? I believe these are just observers, or drones. The crew must be minimal, if present at all.’

‘This is all very fascinating, but have you figured out their speech yet?’

‘Not a clue. But if we capture one of the blobs, we might be able to place a message on it.’

“Are we seriously going to simply ignore Kihal?” Amber interrupts.

‘Who?’ J’Lan looks around. ‘Where did Kihal go?’

“She’s not showing up on sensors,” says Cajaaro.

“Two decks down,” says Qovak. “Following one of the orbs.”

“How can you know that?”

“Her mind is strong.”

You speed up. ‘Tell her to wait for us.’

“That’s not how—why does everyone think we can implant thoughts?”

‘Well keep a track on her—’

Multiple explosions go off around your location.

“We just lost contact to the power nodes in your area,” says Vox.

The corridors begin to flood with an orange gas and several of the creatures emerge from bulkhead ruptures.

‘Why would they pump ammonium nitrate through their ship,’ J’Lan panics, ‘have they got some sort of death wish!?’

Cajaaro dusts some rubble off his console. “Yeah, I really wonder who would come up with such ideas...”

You push J’Lan through the closest door and seal it behind the both of you. ‘I swear, if this is her escape plan...’

  20% > Continue to bridge.

28.6% > Capture a creature.

  40% > Disrupt power flow.

11.4% > Ask for suggestions.


‘Vox, I want you to jam their systems. Blue-shift their power signature. Cause as much interference as you can. I want us completely cloaked from their sensors. And do be careful not to blow anything up, we’ve done enough damage already. Let’s at least slip away without further engagements. The diplomats will handle this later.’

“I should note that will also cut off our communications.”

“May I offer—” begins Amber.

‘I am aware. I trust your judgement to keep us safe from now on. We’ll keep an eye out for any signals you can give to guide us. Two decks down you say?’

“And rapidly advancing towards the other end,” says Qovak.

‘She’s lost.’ J’Lan rests his head back against the bulkhead. ‘They’re probably dragging her to a torture chamber right now. And we’re next. We’re never getting out.’

‘Doctor—’

‘They’re everywhere. Every corner, every wall of every room, they’re hidden away. Every pipe and every console on this entire ship is rigged to explode in our faces, and they thrive on it.’

You hold his shoulders. ‘Focus on my voice. You’re going to be safe. I’ll make sure of that. Focus on my hands. Feel their pressure. I will get us out of this. Follow me closely and we’ll be out before you know it.’

‘Can’t you see, there is no escape. They’re going to capture us all. We might as well blow up this entire ship right now so no one else has to suffer.’

The door is getting dented from multiple blows.

  37% > Keep grounding him.

25.9% > Be firm.

  37% > Discuss his perspective.


‘We’ve gotten out of worse situations before, there is always a peaceful way out.’ You take your jacket off. ‘Hold this.’ You squeeze his hands over the soft fabric. ‘Tell me everything you figured out about these creatures. What could make them hostile? Why would they—’

‘Oh like you don’t know this situation far too well. It’s always the same.’ He grabs your collar, his voice cracking. ‘They won’t stop until every single one of us is dead. And when they’re done with us, they’ll be right on their way straight to the next target.’ His grip loosens. ‘They prey on derelict ships. Pillage the weak. Feed on the remains of lost travellers...’

‘J’Lan, listen to me, they’re not going to hurt anyone. This is just a hauler. We have no reason to believe they’re doing anything other than defending themselves.’

‘It’s a bomb! That’s why all the dilithium and ignition gasses, it’s headed for a planet! Or a station! Or... Or...’

‘I know it’s hard to believe, but you’re in a nicer place now. And if they are indeed desperate enough to resort to such measures, then it is our duty to help them.’

‘No... you’re right. They won’t hurt anyone. Not while we’re here. We need to stop them. We need to detonate this ship before it reaches its target.’

‘You know that’s not what I meant—’

The door gets breached. J’Lan aimlessly fires multiple polaron bursts towards it. The gas ignites and an explosion propagates across several decks. Your personal shields are mostly holding, but not for long.

  13% > Wanna keep chatting?

  50% > Get the fuck out.

  37% > Let him do his thing.



Chapter 3


You know what? Let’s not do a war story right now. Back to Uukaave.

Last time, on #sttri: A Cooperative Sphere turned hostile during a joint R&D mission, the L.S.S. Coelho crashed through the very fabric of space, and the emergency escape protocol placed you on a shuttle in some uncharted location. You crashed that shuttle into an L-class planet covered in copper phyllosilicates, spent a few hours chasing your own distress signal through a vast web of tunnels, found your science officer’s shuttle, got confused with her illegal replicator menu, and ended up so drunk you established first contact with the Pentheor, a species of telepathic bacteria living in these rocks. You remembered you had a transporter chief in this shuttle silently waiting for your orders for the past week, and now your two found officers are trying to figure out how any of this even happened in the first place while you’re giving the Pentheor a tour of their own planet.

   0% > Copper philosophers?

66.7% > Borg diplomacy.

   0% > Someone Else’s Problem.

33.3% > Forgot the plot innit Ice.


And now, the continuation:

The Borg Cooperative were most eager to live up to their name when their assistance was requested to adapt transwarp technology to fit into Alliance starships. Although it proved a challenge to both sides, progress was going well. Perhaps more importantly though, it offered a chance for relations to strengthen. Despite the Cooperative being nothing but friendly and helpful for the past half a century, many were still uneasy to coexist so closely with the Borg. There was no shortage of theories going around either, as people doubted them for ulterior motives at every step of the way. Some would even conspire that, while the Cooperative may genuinely believe in their claims of peacefulness, the fallen Collective might yet exist somewhere, puppeteering them from the shadows.

Caoilfhionn Afhm on the other hand, after carefully considering all the data available, thought that what she needed most was another glass of cranberry juice. ‘How are our guests doing?’

‘We have never experienced something like this!’

‘It is a marvellous sight indeed,’ you say.

‘Mmh,’ Afhm nods pleasingly to her drink, ‘wish the Borg were here to see it.’

‘We have never felt the fields pass us with such high frequency! Is this how visitors get around?’

‘Oh, right.’ You think it over as you remember they have no light receptors. You realise you cannot speak for other visitors, so you answer by talking about...

33.3% > Home.

33.3% > Aliens.

   0% > Borg updates.

33.3% > Planetary features.