Force & Federation: An Anthology

Vestigial Sorrow by @pleasantlybad (Federation)

Vestigial Sorrow

A Star Trek Story by pleasantlybad

The foreign ship glimmered in the distance, framed by the wavering red orb of Hades. Few stars blinked around it, their light dimmed by the fiery sun. The USS Sorrow sat at the edge of the marked solar system, not half an astronomical unit away from the unknown vessel. On the bridge of the Sorrow, the crew were silent, watching.

First officer Erich Kiani shot a glance at the Captain. His face was blank, eyebrows furrowed slightly, conveying no emotion. His dark eyes shone with the distant light of Hades. Erich chewed his lip. He hated that he couldn't read Captain Triggs as he could read other people.

"Romulans?" he asked, hoping to spark some reaction.

Triggs shook his head slightly, not taking his eyes off the window. "No, not Romulans."

Erich returned his gaze to the other ship as well. "D'you think they're going to Mauta?"

"Doubt it. They wouldn't be able to land. Unless they have some sort of apparatus for landing on a gas-based planet." Triggs pushed his hair out of his eyes. "Sharpey?"

Their communications officer swung around in her seat. "Still nothing, sir. They're either not receiving our signals or they're ignoring them."

Triggs inhaled deeply. "Open up a channel for me, I'll try," he breathed on the exhale.

"Okay, sir."

Eyes still trained on the other ship, Triggs leaned forward slightly. His hand twitched out and pressed a button on the arm of the chair. "This is the USS Sorrow. I am Captain Jonas Triggs. Are you receiving our signals?"

Silence.

"This is a Federation ship, operating through Starfleet. Are you in need of any help?"

The foreign ship hung suspended in space, Hades a halo around it. Triggs lifted his finger from the button and finally looked away from the ship and toward Erich. "What d'you think?"

"Could be a trap, Captain," Erich suggested.

Triggs shrugged. His emotionless eyes twinkled. Erich clamped his teeth over his bottom lip, raking his eyes over Trigg's body, trying to search for a sign of what he was thinking, anything to help him work out what was going on in his captain's mind. Frustration flickered in his gut.

"Aaaaand what if they need our help?"

"You sound like you're deciding which flavour of ice cream to get," Erich said, crossing his arms disapprovingly. Triggs' lips twitched. His finger slid over the panel on the arm of his chair, pressing another button.

"Six security personnel, equipped with phasers, to the transporter room. Doctor Machesky as well." He pushed himself off his chair with some effort, lightly stepping towards the door. He paused before the elevator, tilting his head back slightly - every move he made was graceful and smooth. "I want you too, Kiani."

"Of course, Captain." Erich hurriedly made his way around the bridge and joined Triggs in the elevator.

"Transporter room," Triggs commanded in his soft voice. The elevator slid downward. Erich kept his eyes on the strange man's blank face. His eyes twinkled and his lips twitched up in a small, secretive smile, but Erich couldn't find any portal into his thoughts.

Triggs turned his head to Erich, giving him a small, knowing wink before stepping forward, out of the elevator. Erich stared after him in amazement, shaking himself and following him. Their footsteps echoed down the empty corridor, the captain's uniformed back blaring at Erich as they made their way to the transporter room.