[Backlog] Echoes of Blood Pt 3

Posted on 12 Jan 2026 @ 6:58am by Lieutenant Aev Flammia

2,288 words; about a 11 minute read

Mission: Echoes of Blood
Location: Corvanis IV
Timeline: 1.5 Weeks Previous

= Runabout Loire =

The runabout began to vibrate as it pierced the upper atmosphere. Along the edges of the viewport, tendrils of blue-white fire crawled across the forward hull as ionization flared against the shields. Ahead, towering cumulonimbus clouds surged upward like walls, their tops churning and alive. Aev braced a hand against the console as the runabout bucked, then slipped headlong into the blinding white of condensed vapor. Visibility vanished in an instant, the world reduced to turbulence and sound.

“Minor atmospheric turbulence,” Ignis remarked smoothly as the shuttle lurched again. “Entirely within acceptable parameters, assuming one enjoys being shaken like loose cargo.”

The runabout jolted once more, hard enough to rattle the panels. Sam steadied herself at the ops console and shot Ignis a look. “‘Minor,’” she repeated dryly. “Sure. And I suppose if we start bouncing off the clouds, that’ll be ‘moderate scenic variation.’”

Ignis didn’t miss a beat. “I prefer to frame it as interactive atmosphere.”

Sam snorted. “Figures. Next time you fly us into a storm, I’m taking the controls.”

Aev leaned back in his seat as they finally broke through the cloud cover in a rush of gray and white. Beneath them the world opened and jagged terrain stretched to the horizon, dark stone veined with rust-colored mineral scars. Far in the distance, he could make out unnatural lines and angles cutting through the landscape, structures, half-buried and deliberately muted against the rock.

“There,” Ignis said softly. “Target zone.” The runabout banked, dropping fast now. Thrusters flared as Ignis bled off speed, the ground rising to meet them. The jamming intensified as they descended, sensors dissolving into static, forcing Ignis to rely almost entirely on visual input. “Switching to manual terrain mapping,” he added. “If anyone asks, I will deny enjoying this.”

The landing struts deployed with a muted clank, dust spiraling upward as the Loire settled into a shallow depression between rock outcroppings. The engines whined, then fell silent.

Ignis smirked, very proud of himself. “We’re down. One point one kilometers from our destination.”

Outside, the wind whispered across the barren plain. The distant shapes of the settlement loomed just beyond a low ridge, close enough to reach on foot, far enough to watch.

Aev rose from his seat and moved toward the aft compartment, opening the runabout’s equipment locker. He retrieved two hand phasers, checked their charge, then tossed one to Sam as she came up beside him.

Ignis lingered near the cockpit entrance, leaning casually against the bulkhead, watching them quietly.

“We should be prepared,” Aev said, his tone even but firm. “Just in case.”

Sam caught the phaser smoothly and gave it a quick once-over. “Of course you go straight to weapons,” she said, lips quirking. “Security really is a lifestyle choice.” She turned back to the locker and pulled out a compact medkit, slinging it into a small field pack along with a scanner and a few emergency rations. “And before you say anything, this is me being responsible. If someone’s hurt, I’d rather patch them up than interrogate them. You bring the phasers. I’ll bring the things that keep us alive afterward.”

From the bulkhead, Ignis smiled. “Ah yes. Balance. Violence and first aid, Starfleet’s two greatest traditions.”

Sam snorted. “You’re lucky you don’t bleed.”

“On the contrary,” Ignis said pleasantly, “I leak existential dread.”

“This whole place leaks dread,” Aev murmured. He clipped a tricorder to his belt and moved toward the runabout’s side hatch. Pausing there, he glanced back toward Ignis. “Were the sensors able to punch through any of the interference?” Then, more pointedly, “The atmosphere’s safe, at least?” He stopped at the hatch, finger hovering over the release panel, waiting for Ignis’s answer before committing to whatever waited outside.

Ignis pushed off from the bulkhead and fell into step behind them as they moved toward the side hatch, his projection adjusting seamlessly to the narrow space. “Limited confirmation,” he said, reviewing the last of the available data as they walked. “The interference complicates precision, but atmospheric composition remains within Federation-standard tolerances. Oxygen levels are stable. No detectable toxins, pathogens, or radiation spikes beyond background levels.”

He glanced at the hatch as they stopped. “In short, you should be able to breathe without immediate regret.” Ignis looked between them, a faint, knowing smile returning. “What awaits outside, however, remains… unresolved.”

Sam stopped beside the hatch and gave Ignis a long, flat look. “At least we won’t suffocate. That’s always my baseline for a good landing.”

“Yes,” Aev said, a trace of uncertainty threading his voice. He pressed the hatch control. The seal broke with a hiss, and a rush of cool, damp air swept into the runabout, carrying the scent of stone and rain. Aev stepped down the ramp and paused, taking in the view. The horizon stretched out before him, dark and uneven. Far beyond the settlement, faint flashes of lightning flickered within distant storm clouds, illuminating the sky in brief, ghostly pulses. The ground beneath his boots was harsh and gravelly, loose stones shifting with each step as he moved away from the ramp.

“I wonder if that storm’s headed this way,” he said quietly, glancing toward the flashing sky. “Do you have any idea, Ignis?”

Ignis glanced toward the distant lightning. “Unlikely to reach us anytime soon,” he said. “But this planet doesn’t strike me as predictable.” A faint smile followed. “Best to assume it enjoys surprises.”

"We should get moving then.” Aev said, the creeping sense of dread tightening again in his gut. Once Sam cleared the ramp, he set off toward the settlement, boots crunching softly over loose stone. It was hard to shake the certainty that someone, something, had watched their descent. If there were eyes on them, those eyes would be ready by now. The thought followed him with every step.

Six minutes into the hike, a sound cut through the steady grind of gravel beneath their boots. Aev lifted a hand, signaling them to stop. “Did you hear that?” he asked quietly. He unclipped his tricorder and flipped it open, sweeping it across the terrain ahead. The display sputtered and danced with interference, refusing to resolve into anything useful. Aev frowned and glanced toward Ignis. “Did you pick up anything?”

Ignis had already slowed, his attention fixed ahead. “…Yes,” he said quietly. He gestured toward a low rise where the terrain dipped and folded in on itself. “Visual contact only. Movement along the ridge, intermittent. Mostly silhouettes, revealed when the lightning breaks through the cloud cover.”

Another distant flash lit the horizon, briefly carving shapes out of the dark. “They’re using the terrain and the weather,” Ignis continued. “Staying just visible enough to be noticed.”

Sam shifted her weight, tightening her grip on the strap of her pack. “I don’t like that,” she murmured.

“Neither do I,” Aev said, the unease in his gut tightening another notch. His thumb brushed the phaser at his side. “Let’s keep moving. I imagine they’ll introduce themselves when they’re ready.” He couldn’t help wondering what form that introduction would take.

It didn’t take long to find out. As they neared the outskirts of the settlement, a sudden burst of light flared to life, blindingly bright. Aev raised an arm to shield his eyes. “Ignis, can you see anything?” he asked. Footsteps echoed around them, close and unmistakably approaching from more than one direction.

Ignis’s voice came immediately, calm but edged now. “Visual clarity is compromised,” he said. “The light source is deliberately overpowered, designed to obscure rather than illuminate.” A pause, then quieter. “Multiple contacts. At least four. They’re moving to encircle us.”

“I’m Lieutenant Aev Flammia, Starfleet,” he called out, keeping his voice steady. He gestured toward where he knew Sam and Ignis were standing, more by instinct than sight, the glare still blinding. “This is Lieutenant Samantha Dawes, and… our assistant, Ignis.” He let that stand, intentionally nonspecific. “We’re not here to cause any trouble,” Aev continued. “We’re only looking for information."

The spotlight snapped off without warning. Darkness rushed back in, thick and immediate, broken only by the low rumble of distant thunder and the faint glow of reflected lightning in the clouds. For a heartbeat, there was nothing.

Then eyes opened in the dark. Not human. Not Romulan. Pale, luminescent points, cold and watchful, resolved first, followed by tall silhouettes stepping forward out of the gloom. Heavy boots crunched on gravel. The smell of ozone and damp stone hung in the air. Aev’s hand tightened near his phaser, but he didn’t draw.

A Reman stepped closer than the others, his features finally catching what little ambient light there was. Ashen skin, ridged brow, eyes burning faintly blue-white. He lifted his disruptor slightly and spoke, voice rough and unyielding. “Usan t’kalem. Khre’Riha.”

Ignis’s gaze sharpened. “Translation,” he said quietly, his tone deliberately steady. “‘They carry weapons. Take them.’” A brief pause, then he added, lower, more analytical. “It’s not a threat, more of an instruction. Procedural. He’s issuing an order to the others.”

The figures around them shifted immediately. Two Remans moved in without hesitation, disruptors trained but steady. One reached Aev first, fingers closing firmly around the phaser grip and pulling it free in a single practiced motion. Another took Sam’s weapon just as efficiently.

The lead Reman turned his glowing gaze back to Aev. “T’khal trii. Uhlan nah.”

“Do not resist, walk.” Ignis translated.

Aev could make out some of the words based on his Rihannsu training from his childhood but the Reman dialect was so much harsher, maybe even a bit guttural. He gave the Reman a slight nod and responded in Rihannsu “Rihaen nah.” Signaling they would cooperate with them.

The Reman didn’t acknowledge the words. He turned sharply, gesturing with a short, decisive motion. They were herded forward, past the ridge and down into the settlement. As they descended, the darkness opened up into something far larger than Aev had expected.

Structures emerged, low, angular buildings carved directly into the rock, reinforced with metal struts and dull lighting strips that barely pierced the gloom. Remans moved through the space with purpose: carrying equipment, repairing conduits, sorting crates, speaking in low, efficient tones. Aev couldn’t help but notice a familiar symbol stamped across several pieces of the equipment and cargo crates.

The Remans guided them through a narrow corridor carved directly into the rock, the air growing cooler and more metallic with each step. The sounds of the settlement faded away as they were steered toward a recessed doorway. One of the guards keyed the panel. The door slid open with a low hiss. They were ushered inside without ceremony. The room was sparse with stone walls reinforced by metal supports, a single light strip casting a cold glow across a bare table and a pair of seats bolted to the floor.

One of the Remans stepped forward, his glowing gaze locking onto the ring on Aev’s finger. He raised a hand and pointed directly at it. “Uhlan rehn. Jolan t’khal, au ih’khal rehn.” From a sheath at his side, he drew a narrow blade and angled it toward Aev’s hand, the implication unmistakable.

Aev took a cautious step back and glanced at Ignis, his expression tight. He didn’t need the translation, he already understood, but hearing it spoken aloud somehow made the threat feel heavier.

"Give it to me. Comply, or I will take it from you." Ignis translated and moved immediately, stepping just enough in front of Aev to make the gesture instinctive rather than defiant. His usual levity was gone; what remained was focused concern. “Wait,” he said, voice calm but edged. “That device is integrated with his bio-signature. Forcible removal could cause injury.” His gaze flicked briefly to Aev’s hand, then back to the Reman.

“I’m sorry, Ignis,” Aev said quietly. He raised both hands, then slowly slid the ring from his finger. It pulsed once in his palm, an anxious flare of orange, before flashing out entirely as Ignis turned toward him, concern etched across his features. The projection sputtered, then collapsed into nothing.

The sudden absence felt louder than the room.

The Reman snatched the ring from Aev’s hand without a word and turned away. Moments later, the door sealed shut behind him, leaving Aev standing in the cold, dim light, alone with Sam.

Sam let out a slow breath, eyes flicking once to the sealed door before settling back on Aev. “Well,” she said quietly, “that answers one question.” She stepped closer, lowering her voice. “We’re unarmed, separated from our ride, and down one very useful assistant. That means we’re officially guests, whether we like it or not.” She glanced around the room, taking in the sparse furnishings and the lack of restraints. “They didn’t hurt us. Didn’t restrain us. That tells me we’re not prisoners. At least not yet.”

“No we’re not,” Aev agreed quietly. “Not yet.” His expression tightened. “But I don’t like that they took Ignis.” He paused, then looked back at Sam. “Did you notice the markings on the equipment and crates?”

She shook her head.

“They were Fenris Ranger symbols,” Aev said. “Or someone went to the trouble of stealing from the Rangers. This may be a Ranger base.”

The implication settled heavily between them.

= To be continued =

Lieutenant Aev Flammia
Chief of Security
USS Arawyn

&

Lieutenant Samantha Dawes (NPC)
Medical Officer & Surgeon
USS Charon

 

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