𝙲𝚊𝚙𝚝𝚊𝚒𝚗'𝚜 𝚕𝚘𝚐, 𝚂𝚝𝚊𝚛𝚍𝚊𝚝𝚎 1513.1. 𝙾𝚞𝚛 𝚙𝚘𝚜𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗, 𝚘𝚛𝚋𝚒𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚎𝚝 𝙼-113. 𝙾𝚗 𝚋𝚘𝚊𝚛𝚍 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝙴𝚗𝚝𝚎𝚛𝚙𝚛𝚒𝚜𝚎, 𝙼𝚒𝚜𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚂𝚙𝚘𝚌𝚔 𝚝𝚎𝚖𝚙𝚘𝚛𝚊𝚛𝚒𝚕𝚢 𝚒𝚗 𝚌𝚘𝚖𝚖𝚊𝚗𝚍. 𝙾𝚗 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚎𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚛𝚞𝚒𝚗𝚜 𝚘𝚏 𝚊𝚗 𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚒𝚎𝚗𝚝 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚕𝚘𝚗𝚐-𝚍𝚎𝚊𝚍 𝚌𝚒𝚟𝚒𝚕𝚒𝚜𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗. 𝚂𝚑𝚒𝚙'𝚜 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚐𝚎𝚘𝚗 𝙼𝚌𝙲𝚘𝚢 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚖𝚢𝚜𝚎𝚕𝚏 𝚊𝚛𝚎 𝚗𝚘𝚠 𝚋𝚎𝚊𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚐 𝚍𝚘𝚠𝚗 𝚝𝚘 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚙𝚕𝚊𝚗𝚎𝚝'𝚜 𝚜𝚞𝚛𝚏𝚊𝚌𝚎. 𝙾𝚞𝚛 𝚖𝚒𝚜𝚜𝚒𝚘𝚗, 𝚛𝚘𝚞𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝚖𝚎𝚍𝚒𝚌𝚊𝚕 𝚎𝚡𝚊𝚖𝚒𝚗𝚊𝚝𝚒𝚘𝚗 𝚘𝚏 𝚊𝚛𝚌𝚑𝚊𝚎𝚘𝚕𝚘𝚐𝚒𝚜𝚝 𝚁𝚘𝚋𝚎𝚛𝚝 𝙲𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚊𝚗𝚍 𝚑𝚒𝚜 𝚠𝚒𝚏𝚎 𝙽𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚢. 𝚁𝚘𝚞𝚝𝚒𝚗𝚎 𝚋𝚞𝚝 𝚏𝚘𝚛 𝚝𝚑𝚎 𝚏𝚊𝚌𝚝 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝙽𝚊𝚗𝚌𝚢 𝙲𝚛𝚊𝚝𝚎𝚛 𝚒𝚜 𝚝𝚑𝚊𝚝 𝚘𝚗𝚎 𝚠𝚘𝚖𝚊𝚗 𝚒𝚗 𝙳𝚘𝚌𝚝𝚘𝚛 𝙼𝚌𝙲𝚘𝚢'𝚜 𝚙𝚊𝚜𝚝.

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                                                       *   ˚

𝐀𝐬 Captain Kirk, Dr. McCoy and some guard's were set to beam down on the alien planet, Mr. Spock was assigned to temporarily command during their absence. Beside him is Lieutenant Junior grade Lonei, a science officer waiting for her report to be checked.

Lt. Uhura removes her earpiece and begins to stand from her seat to approach the two Vulcan natives.

"Miss Uhura, your last sub-space log contained an error in the frequencies column," Spock speaks up whilst not looking up from the report.

"Mr. Spock, sometimes I think if I hear that word frequency once more, I'll cry."

Spock and Lonei look at her in confusion.

"Cry?"

"I was just trying to start a conversation." Uhura chuckles.

"Well, since it is illogical for a communications officer to resent the word 'frequency,' I have no answer."

"Do you hear any ringing in your ears? It could be a sign of Tinnitus," Lonei tilts her head, trying to connect types of hearing loss and their signs to her statement. But Uhura just shook her head.

"No, you two have an answer. I'm an illogical woman who's beginning to feel too much part of that communications console." She looks at Spock up and down.

"Why don't you tell me i'm an attractive young lady," she flutters her eyelids, "or ask me if I've ever been in love. Tell me how your planet, Vulcan, looks on a lazy evening when the moon is full."

Once again, Lonei tilts her head and Spock furrowed his eyebrows at her statement.

"Vulcan has no moon, miss Uhura."

"I'm not surprised Mr. Spock."

As the whistle blows to signal the landing party's arrival, Uhura gave Lonei a 'really' look to which the Aidean could only shrug and exit the bridge followed by Mr. Spock.

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                                                       *   ˚

𝐋𝐢𝐞𝐮𝐭𝐞𝐧𝐚𝐧𝐭 junior grade Lonei is hard at work in the bio lab.

Studious and naturally curious to the mysteries of Science, she dedicated her time to mastering her favorite field of study: life science. She is an Aidean, the minority species that resides in planet Vulcan. Although Aideans are typically loyal to their homeworld, some have the curiosity to trek the universe alongside other ally species, particularly humans and vulcans.

Currently, she is researching for a new drug based off of the flowering plants that grows in the depths of her home planet's caves. Ai'sh'tuk, they called it. It was a miracle cure as it was an enigma. Her people used this plant for hundreds of years due to its medicinal properties. However, its hard outer layer makes it difficult to sample as it deteriorates instantly when detached from the plant, thus being almost impossible to convert into medication even for their modern technology. Stories as old as hundreds of years told of the sick and dying being cured of their ailments. Some told of myths of it bringing back the dead.

As she takes notes of the chemical compounds in her little succulent from home, a PADD was placed on the table in front of her.

"Dr. Mccoy needs those files by 1000 hours. He didn't get his coffee yet so don't try to delay," said Margarita. Her high, almost nasal voice pierces the once tranquil room.

It took some time for Lonei to get used to her voice, but ever since they started seeing each other more during lunch, their friendship came like a breeze.

Margarita, a human woman, is the head nurse of the USS Enterprise along with nurse Chapel. Because of her high ranking, she can be regularly found alongside Dr. McCoy. Due to her her regular contact with the southern doctor, she became more like an assistant to him. Walking to and fro with a PADD for any medical reports and the occasional coffee if much work was needed to be done or lack thereof. Though she detests the idea of being a nurse instead of a doctor for the whole 5-year mission, she does her job seriously.

Lonei absentmindedly signs her signature without looking away from the microscope, observing a new type of chemical reaction with viral cells.

"Is that all nurse Dela Vega? I wouldn't want to keep the doctor waiting," Lonei proudly remarks with her new skill of human sarcasm, or at least she thinks it was. Being around humans this long has its perks, after all.

Margarita scoffs and slides the PADD back in her hands. "You better walk me to lunch this time, ma'am." With a lazy curtsy, Marg exists the lab to wait for the doctor to return with the landing party.

The USS Enterprise is currently orbiting a planet home of a long dead ancient civilization. The only people, and living animals for that matter, are archaeologist Robert Crater and his wife, Nancy. As she looks back, she notices how the doctor would have this sad look on his face whenever he spoke of her. It wouldn't be unreasonable for him to have had a relationship before.

'Maybe thats why he's so grumpy all the time,' Margarita quips in her head.

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                                                       *   ˚

𝐖𝐚𝐥𝐤𝐢𝐧𝐠 past the long halls and corridors, she was about to pass the transporter room when the landing party beamed back up. She noticed the lack of company. It was only the captain, Dr. Mccoy, and just one crewman, all looking like they've seen a ghost. She stood in surprise before rushing to aid the men.

"Doctor what happened?"

McCoy approached her and held her by the arm saying, "Ready a bed and the body scanner in the med bay. Two of our crewman have died."

Nodding, she continued on her duties until her shift was done. She could use some sleep after the thought of what just happened.

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                                                       *   ˚

𝐘𝐞𝐨𝐦𝐚𝐧 Neomi enters the botany room of the Life Sciences dep., holding a tray of food for Lonei, an unexpected friend she's made from the past few months of bumping in to each other and delivering food.

"Where are you Lonei?"

"In here feeding the weepers, Neomi," Lonei calls out while wiping her hands, "this looks appetizing Neomi. Thank you." She digs in as her friend approaches one of the plants.

"Hello, Beauregard. How are you today cutie?"

"Her name's Gertrude."

"No. It's a he-plant. A girl can tell,"

Neomi says as she scratches the plant, making it yip in happiness. The pleasant conversation carries on until a crewman enters unexpectedly. Lonei recognized him as one of the popular crewmates among the ship's guards.

"Hello green," Lonei greets, but is met with silence.

Green was sweating a curious amount as he stares at her food.

"He's not talking today. You've been nipping Saurian brandy or something?" Neomi crosses her arms.

Beauregard suddenly screeches and hides inside it's hard exterior. Green jumps and leaves the room in fright.

Lonei rushes to the hiding plant, petting it comfortingly. "Calm down." She looks up at Neomi. "What an unnatural occurrence."

"He's the real spook. Suppose he's going space happy or something?" The yeoman gestures her head towards the door.

After Lonei had finished her meal, Neomi exits the room for the bridge.
"I better get this tray back. Bye, Beauregard."

A squeak was heard before the door slides closed.

She enters the lift, where she saw across from her Lieutenant Uhura standing awfully close by an unknown crewman. Weird, she thought. With her time spent throughout many parts of the ship, she assumed she knew almost every crewman at her shift.

"Lt. Uhura, report to the bridge," Captain Kirk called through the comm.

"Lt. Uhura on my way sir." Uhura glanced back at the man before entering the lift. "Bridge."

Immediately, Neomi's itch for gossip got the best of her. "Do you know that crewman? I would have thought I knew almost everyone here by now."

"No, I don't. But he seemed awfully weird. Like he suddenly appeared from my imagination."

"So you're both going crazy, then." Uhura managed a chuckle, relaxing a little from her shaken state.

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                                                       *   ˚

𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐭𝐚𝐢𝐧 Kirk and first officer Spock beams back down to the planet in search for Robert Crater, Archeologist, husband of Bone's previous wife, Nancy. The latter is also a suspect of the slaughter among their crewmen.

Kirk spots Crater hiding behind the boulders but was called upon by Spock, who has discovered the body of-

"Green. He beamed up to the ship with us."

"Or something did," Spock finished, theorizing a creature could have shapeshifted into Green and is now on the loose among hundred of their other crewman.

Kirk opens his communicator. "Enterprise from Kirk. You have an intruder aboard. Could be masquerading as crewman Green. General quarters. Security condition three."

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                                                       *   ˚

"General quarters three. Intruder alert. I repeat, GQ three. Intruder Alert."

The alarm blares throughout the halls as workers rush towards their assigned posts or quarters.

Quicky pacing past the crowd was Ensign Andreana Bridges, a recently recruited honors graduate of Starfleet Academy assigned to the operations department.

Straightening her pants and red shirt, she enters the operation department room and activates the communicator. "Reporting GQ three secure, Captain. Do you require assistance there?"

"Negative, ensign. But keep locked in on us. Kirk out."

She was occupied writing on her PADD when she heard a familiar male voice.

"Ensign Bridges."

Lieutenant Commander Wales approaches her. A man in his late-30s, he acts as a mentor to Bridge ever since he took notice of her performance in Starfleet Academy and her competent work ethic. He plans to request the Captain for her to be transferred as a intelligence officer after a year or two as ensign.

"Send me reports of security footage with officer Green present or any suspicious activity among the crewmen. I'll be expecting them by the hour."

"Yes, sir," she politely smiles at her superior officer before entering the surveillance room.

Some of the officers subtly glance in envy of her lucky position. Not every day you're given the opportunity to learn under the wing of the Chief of Security. As the crew were manning their post, Sulu signalled a GQ 4, meaning the imposter was definitely in the ship somewhere.

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                                                       *   ˚

𝐃𝐫. 𝐌𝐜𝐂𝐨𝐲 exits the lift that brought him to the bridge. The space is currently occupied by Lt. Sulu, Lt. Uhura, Lt. Junior grade Sky, yeoman Janice, and yeoman Neomi. McCoy, or something that looked like him, got hit with the enticing scent of salt in their bodies.

So close.

"GQ 3 now secured except for decks 5, 7 and 10. Come in please," Sulu called through the comm, flipping switches.

"He's not in supply and maintenance."

"Alright, Torres. Engineering deck now. Run through five photos of the crewman there."

I need more.

Deck 5 reported that crewman Green is not in his quarters and no one has seen him. Sulu said to keep in mind that he is not crewman Green if seen. The Captain reported the real Green is dead a while ago.

"And he—rather it followed me. I thought there was something twitchy about him," Janice said, standing behind Uhura's chair.

"He—or whatever—was probably your crewman too, yeoman," Sulu looks up from his PADD.

"He must have been it. You know, I would have remembered a crewman like him," Naomi said. "Won't you too, Uhura?"

Uhura hums in agreement, shuddering from her encounter with the strange man—or rather creature.

"The creature leading you a merry chase, Mr. Sulu," McCoy interjects with an uncharacteristically monotone voice.

Sulu turns to face McCoy. "Creature?"

"—or whatever it is that's killing the crewmen. Perhaps I can help. Fill me in."

He walks closer to Sulu, giving Sky a weird, uncomfortable feeling in the back of her mind. 'Something doesn't feel right,' she thought. He could either be high on something or, to her horror, be the creature itself. And she knew the doctor would rather do a sedationless operation on himself than do the former option. Her instincts drove her to think of a diversion. She stood from her seat.

"Doctor, I thought you were supposed to attend to the medical bay. Nurse Dela Vega said she has discovered important information about the imposter."

The rest of of them looked at Sky to 'McCoy', who seemed to have freezed in his place.

"Ah—yes, I will... Just checking up on the bridge," he drawled while staring at their confused faces.

Salt.

Eventually, he left the group on the bridge to ponder what was the matter with the doctor, but sky's intuition had noticed a change in him she couldn't point out.

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                                                   :   .
                                                       *   ˚

Margarita could feel the sting from his hands before he kissed her, disorienting how she should react at the moment. He would lull her back into his arms every time. Every time, back to that shithole that he calls his apartment. Hearing the same white lies she has heard all before—

before she woke up in a cold sweat.

"Ugh. Fuck," she mumbles to herself and sighs.

She slowly sits up from her cotton white sheets, knowing she'll have a hard time sleeping after that. She changes to her blue uniform and briskly walks along the empty hall, with a few crewmen walking past, towards the medical research lab where Lonei was working on her new drug.

She enters and makes sure the door was closed behind her. "Lonei, I know it's impolite to curse but im really fucking scared at the moment." she sighs and rests her head on her hand, leaning against the counter.

Ever since Margarita heard that two more crewmen were killed from a creature on the loose in the ship, she had to find her friend that couldn't care less if they were to encounter it.

"I still dont understand how reproductive activities are considered detestable words," Lonei turns to her," but I think I've discovered something about the creature."

Margarita raises her head, "What is it?"

"The scans indicate 0% of Sodium Chloride in his body. From what I know, a human could instantly die from this lack of salt. And those rings on his face. It must be where the creature fed from him."

"It wasn't skin mottling, after all." Margarita looked down in deep thought.

Lonei continued, "If those two are the only humans in a hundred mile radius, there's a high probability for them to be the creature—or creatures—we are looking for."

The Captain said he has gone to interrogate Robert Crater, but his wife was nowhere to be found.

"Come, we have to tell the captain!" The brunette pulls her friend from her desk and runs towards the briefing room. An alarm rang, calling for the captain to the dispensary.

The two officers enter the room to see Spock injured, a scar with green blood oozing out, and Crater dead on the floor with the same circular markings. The Vulcan lay on a medical bed with Kirk standing beside him.

"But it had you too," Kirk said.

"Thankfully, my ancestors spawned in another ocean than yours did. My blood cells are quite different," Spock informed Kirk.

"That must mean... Bones!" The captain runs out of the room towards the doctor's quarters.

"So I was correct. It was Nancy," Lonei said, still observing Crater's corpse.

"It was not Nancy. It was a creature the last of it kind," Spock corrected.

He stands up from the bed and walks towards the exit, most likely to follow where the captain went.

"I'll come too. You might need help."

"No." The Vulcan stops and looks down at her 5'4 stature. "You must assist nurse Dela Vega in disposing the body. We will contact you when we need any medical attention."

With a silent huff, she quickly helps cover the body in a body bag in hopes she could catch the creature fast enough. If it really was the last of its kind, she might as well take the chance to collect some of its DNA for sampling.

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                                                   :   .
                                                       *   ˚

𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 everything was cleaned up, her and her nurse friend set out to help capture the creature. The Aidean isn't as vulnerable as she may seem, after all. As they were running, they heard a man's faint scream following a blast of a phaser gun, then another.

When they entered the doctor's quarters, they were surprised with the sight of the creature lying down on the floor after wavering from its illusion of Nancy. Everyone was silent. Bones, in an incredulous state, slowly slides down the wall with a phaser gun still in hand.

"I'm sorry Bones," Kirk apologized from where he sat.

Margarita rushes to tend to Bones's wounds. Lonei walks up to Spock's pained position on the floor.

"I sensed you needed medical assistance." She holds her elbow out.

Both of their species are tactile telepaths and are more sensitive to physical touch compared to humans. The gesture is seen as a respectful way to make physical contact without making it intimate.

Grabbing her elbow, he got up to his feet and lightly groaned at his second dose of pain for the day. "Thank you, Lieutenant, but I am alright."

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                                                   :   .
                                                       *   ˚

𝐀𝐟𝐭𝐞𝐫 everything was settled, the crew were back in the bridge, ready to leave the planet's orbit. Both Lonei and Margarita were assigned to give reports to the bridge. Thus, the two officers currently stand in the lift.

"Dr. McCoy appears to still be disturbed by yesterday's events."

"Of course he would be. Poor guy had to shoot his wi—er, ex-wife. Wonder how old he actually is to have this much happened to him."

Margarita was not lying lying when she said she did not know his age. When it came to his private life, the doctor was quick to change the subject. Plus, she was worried that she would have to be as 'creased,' as she would describe it, until she could be in the same ranking as the doctor.

"He doesn't seem to be that old, to my kind's standards at least. And don't worry, you'll become a doctor in no time."

Margarita smiles half-heartedly in return.

The lift opens to see the captain Kirk with dr. McCoy and Mr. Spock by the captain's seat. The two women gave their padds to their superiors and stood there waiting for the documents to be signed when Spock looked up and turned to the captain staring into space. "Are you alright captain?"

"Yes, Mr. Spock. Just thinking about the buffalo." Kirk smiled and shifts his gaze to the gloomy McCoy who looked back.

Seeming to be infected by the captain's grin, he slowly gives a small smile back. He turns back to Marg with the smile still on his face and a smile line forming on his cheeks. Marg's face softened at the uncommon sight of the usually grumpy man.

"Warp one Mr. Sulu," Kirk ordered. Then the USS Enterprise left orbit.

‧＊˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚　˚*•̩̩͙✩•̩̩͙*˚＊‧

┊       ┊                 ┊       ┊

┊       ┊       ★       ┊        ┊

┊        ☆                   ☆           ┊

★          𝐩𝐨𝐬𝐭-𝐜𝐫𝐞𝐝𝐢𝐭𝐬 𝐬𝐜𝐞𝐧𝐞          ★

After the ship has left orbit, Mr Spock returned the PADD. The head nurse left a few moments ago with a happier McCoy trailing behind.

"Ms. Lonei."

The said officer turns around, eyebrows raised.

"I have noticed in page three of your report that you are researching a particular plant native to Vulcan."

"Yes sir I am." She walks closer, arms behind her back.

"As noteworthy your skills are in the fields of Science, I suggest you focus on working with alien life forms outside planet Vulcan that may be more useful to our missions. It is only logical to be prepared for any new planets we may arrive to."

Lonei raises an eyebrow at his suggestion. She understands his intentions, but she would not have been working overtime and complying to additional workload if she wasn't qualified for the job. Obviously, he did not know that the benefits of this drug could very much outweigh the drawbacks of her decreased focus towards other projects.

"May I be so blunt Mr. Spock, but I have been giving every one of my research my equally undivided attention. If you may need further inspection of my work ethic, my doors are always open." She does not notice, but her calm state begins to waver from annoyance.

It was not uncommon for Aideans to be more emotional than Vulcans, but the Vulcans always insisted them to follow the ways of Surak. Nevertheless, both species respect each other enough to not scrutinize the other.

"Yes; expect me to visit the hydroponic lab by 1200 hours. That is all, junior lieutenant."

Until now, she does not know when Spock is being professional or aloof. Her prolonged exposure to humans does not work in her favor in this situation.

By "midnight", Lonei walks back to her quarters to retire. She will have to give a good impression to her science officer tomorrow, and she'll make sure of it. Along the way, she passes by the empty lounge where a certain surgeon and a yeoman were drinking by the bar.

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                                                   :   .
                                                       *   ˚

𝐃𝐫. 𝐂𝐚𝐩𝐮𝐜𝐡𝐢𝐧𝐨 sits on one of the bar stools, tired from yesterday's events.

She had to collect tissue and blood samples from one of the crewmen's corpse and the constant alarms did not help with her concentration. Now, she is hunched over her sweet alcoholic drink, one of her favorite commonalities between alien culture.

She is a Striik, an intelligent humanoid race from the Delta quadrant, previously cannibals until they've discovered plant-based food and ultimately became a mostly vegan race.

"I don't understand, Neomi. Even after my people have converted to veganism over a century ago, most patients still look at me like I'm the monster. Most of them eat meat, after all." Mumbling the last sentence, Kaitlyn slowly sips her fourth cup, turning her focus from the window to her more intoxicated friend.

"Not—burp—not to be rude but I—I think it's because of 'em pearly whites 'ere yers'," Neomi slurred, downing her forgotten number shot of tequila.

'Oh,' Kaitlyn thought.

She almost forgot the extra rows of teeth inside her human-like jaw. It was originally used to shred through the tough skin and bones of her people, but ever since the conversion, it's use has been almost obsolete. Now, Striiks mostly use it for intimidation purposes as anything related to fighting or scaring are their best skillsets. For everyone except for Kaitlyn.

She was born smaller and weaker than her siblings but she was gifted with a knack for Science and Math and had an innate instinct to help others. But alas, her 'sharp' features and her people's reputation still intimidate those who do not know her.

"I should get going. Got work early tomorrow," Neomi said, stumbling from her seat.

"Meet here again next week?"

"Next week." Looking back to the windows, the doctor wonders where this 5-year mission will bring her, and the fatalities it will bring. No matter what, she'll be sure to help every one of them.

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                                                   :   .
                                                       *   ˚

"𝙏𝙝𝙚 𝙈𝙖𝙣 𝙏𝙧𝙖𝙥"

ʷʳⁱᵗᵗᵉⁿ ᵒⁿ: ˢᵉᵖ 27, 2020
ʷᵒʳᵈ ᶜᵒᵘⁿᵗ: 3902