They were certainly a far cry from the ideal away team, and they all knew it. What they didn’t know was how much they underestimated the situation they were about to get themselves into, and how ill prepared they would be.

Which, to be fair, wasn’t entirely their fault. Captain Valdes had asked them to confirm reports on a technical fault in Risa’s weather control grid, a power fluctuation that had caused the temperature to rise.

It was inconvenient. Nothing more, nothing less.

Inconvenient for the tourists and party-goers who were sweating more than usual, for the merchants whose cold drinks were no longer cold, and for the Starfleet Officers that were now forced to interrupt their shore leave.

River was thinking about the beach-time she was missing out on. Renn was thinking about the fact that she was missing out on seeing River in a bikini.

Edwardson busied himself with glancing at Brennan whenever he deemed it safe. He was itching to ask her about what had happened on Asada, and why she had chosen to leave her position aboard the Callisto. He had heard rumors that she had been involved with a fellow officer – and was now wondering if she’d like to go out with him some time.

Brennan in the meanwhile was trying to sort through her feelings about the two strangers she had met, and why they felt different than other telepaths she had encountered.

Neither of them knew that it were those two strangers who were treating their ‘mission’ as important – and potentially dangerous.

When they arrived at the large, gated facility known as one of the main control centers just outside Atheta, River turned.

“Leave the talking to me.” She noted, the reminder was addressed to the two civilians – Nestira and Rixx – in particular, and only after Renn’s nod of approval. In theory, Renn outranked her. But Renn also didn’t like talking to people.

“The talking is all yours.” Rixx, the young man with the dark hair, said back to the woman, holding his hands up to indicate he wasn’t interested in stepping forward.

Not that Nacien Rixx was incapable – or unused to talking himself into and out of situations. Words were his primary weapons for well over a century, and he had an uncanny ability to become other people and worm his way into places. But this River person didn’t know any of that, and Rixx felt no need to divulge anything.

They were about to enter the facility when a young man rushed out of a side-entrance, and hurried towards them. His hair and clothing was in disarray, his facial expression tight and as he spoke, his voice trembled.

“You’re… Starfleet, right? You came to get the report on the power fluctuations.”, he asked, already handing them a PADD. “All you need is in there.”

Nestira tilted her head. The man didn’t just feel stressed – he felt terrified.

She wondered if he held some position of importance or responsibility, and if it was the technical fault itself that put him on edge. With a barely-raised eyebrow, she turned to Rixx, who gave a subtle nod.

The fear was easy enough to sense, but Rixx wanted to know what was behind it. He plucked surface thoughts from the man like picking half ripe apples from the lowest branches.

I can’t stay there.

I need to leave.

I should tell them, but I can’t…