The transporter room aboard the USS Kusanagi remained dimly lit, yellow alert still in effect. Beyond the reinforced glass, the USS Glasgow drifted ominously, partially obscured by nebulous interference from the Grim Wall. The vessel appeared damaged, silent, and lifeless, a ghost ship lost in the dark.

At the control panel, T’Prin pressed a series of console buttons, her Vulcan precision unwavering as she monitored the data stream. With a single motion, she lowered her hands. “Away team has been successfully transported to the USS Glasgow,” she reported coolly, acknowledging the beam-in’s success.

USS Glasgow – Main Corridor

A blue shimmer illuminated the otherwise lifeless corridor as the transporter beam deposited the away team onto the Glasgow’s deck. The light dissipated, leaving behind only the piercing glow of flashlights cutting through the thick mist, a result of leaking coolant from damaged environmental systems.

Ebony Okafor narrowed his eyes, scanning their immediate surroundings before focusing on the only other members of his team “Secure the area,” he ordered before shifting his gaze to the Bajoran doctor. “Sar, any injured people are yours to handle. But stick close. We don’t know what we’re walking into.”

Adan gave a firm nod, acknowledging the directive.

The ship’s gravity fluctuated briefly, causing Ebony to grab a nearby support beam to steady himself. He exhaled through his nose, shaking his head. “This ship is barely holding itself together,” he muttered, his voice carrying unease as he scanned the dimly lit passageway.

Adan glanced at his tricorder, the faint glow reflecting in his sharp Bajoran features. “No immediate life signs,” he stated, furrowing his brows. He tapped the display again, frowning. “But some areas are shielded from scans.”

Ebony exhaled sharply, adjusting his phaser grip. “Defensive formation,” he commanded. “We move carefully and check every area that’s blocked from our scanners. I don’t like blind spots, and I sure as hell don’t like surprises.”

“Might be a stupid move,” he muttered, shaking his head, “but I’d rather not get a Klingon blade in my back.”

Adan chuckled dryly. “Might be?” he echoed. “You’re obsessed with Klingons, Lieutenant. There’s no solid proof they’re involved in this.” He gestured vaguely at their surroundings. “But… you’re in charge of this little endeavor.”

Despite his skepticism, even Adan couldn’t dismiss the tension in the air. Something had happened here, something deliberate.

USS Glasgow – Primary Deck

The USS Glasgow’s primary deck was a landscape of flickering power failures and eerie silence. Panels sparked intermittently, casting brief flashes of light over the blood-red glow of emergency illumination.

The team moved cautiously, weapons at the ready, medical kits secured.

Ebony let his hand slide over the bulkhead, feeling the residue of plasma burns against his fingertips. He motioned toward a nearby door, signaling the others to stand ready. As the door slid open with a groaning hiss, he studied the chaotic mess of unsealed cargo containers and ruptured storage locks.

He turned to Adan with a dry smirk. “I’d say it was a boarding action, Doc.” He pointed at the broken cargo seals. “Unsecured storage. Plasma burns. Someone was looking for something specific.”

Adan’s tricorder beeped sharply, drawing his attention. His expression darkened. “We’re on the clock,” he announced. “Life support is failing. At this rate, we’ve got about thirty minutes before oxygen levels drop to dangerous levels.”

Ebony stared into the cargo bay for a second longer, his thoughts lingering.

“Did you hear me?” Adan pressed.

Ebony blinked, then gave a slow nod. “Yeah… yeah. Sorry. We’re moving. To the bridge.”

He pointed to an open emergency airlock before turning away. “The escape pod was launched,” he noted. “Looks like some crew made it off the ship. But where the hell did they go?”

Without further hesitation, the team moved out, advancing toward the bridge.

USS Glasgow – Bridge

The USS Glasgow’s bridge was a wreck, filled with shattered LCARS screens and sparking overhead panels. The captain’s chair stood empty, abandoned in haste, and the remaining command consoles were locked behind emergency encryption protocols.

Ebony swept his light over the main console, frowning at the erratic power fluctuations still running through the system.

He tapped the interface. “This is strange,” he muttered. “Looks like the ship suffered anomalous power fluctuations right before the distress beacon activated.”

Another officer leaned over a separate console. “Sir, the logs are fragmented and encrypted… but there’s a repeating phrase: ‘Foreign vessel decloaking.’ Then it just cuts off.”

Ebony’s shoulders tensed. He looked up at Adan, who was kneeling beside a small bio-trace on the deck plating.

“The bioreadings indicate medical distress,” the doctor muttered. His expression grew more perplexed as he gestured to the empty floor. “But where is the body?”

Before either could contemplate an answer, the main engineering console suddenly activated on its own.

Adan straightened. “That’s new.” He took a cautious step forward. “Someone’s controlling this console remotely… or they’re still somewhere on this ship.”

Ebony’s frown deepened. He tapped the console, eyes narrowing. “There’s a sealed compartment deep within the Glasgow,” he reported. “Residual energy signatures suggest something, or someone , is still there.”

His gaze lifted to his team. “Let’s go. Stay alert.”

USS Glasgow – Sealed Compartment

The journey to the sealed compartment took time, the weight of expectation pressing down on them. As they reached their destination, Ebony lifted his tricorder, eyes narrowing at the readout flashing across the screen.

“I’m reading a life sign,” he confirmed. “Weak, but present.”

He signaled to Adan, then motioned for the team to take defensive positions. Slowly, he accessed the compartment’s controls, triggering the door to open.

The bulkhead groaned as it slid back, revealing the chamber’s dim interior.

A low-power stasis pod sat at the heart of the room, its flickering energy field barely sustaining its unknown occupant.

Adan immediately stepped forward, scanning the pod with his medical tricorder.

Then, the ship suddenly shuddered violently. The entire deck lurched beneath them, as if some unseen force had disrupted its inertial dampeners.

“What the hell was that?!” Adan shouted, gripping the pod to steady himself.

Ebony raised his phaser, scanning the area. “I don’t know,” he muttered, pulse racing, “but we’re about to have company. Stay sharp.”

His instincts screamed a fight was coming.

“Doc, focus on the pod. We need to know what’s inside.”

The team tightened their formation, weapons ready. Something was coming.