The small team of engineers and security officers materialised in a swirl of blueish light on the outskirts of the Golden Peak’s main settlement near their main power distribution centre and comms array.

Sonia looked around slowly at the damaged landing pad, the scorch marks on surrounding buildings, the still-smouldering ruins of what appeared to be one of the power distribution sub-stations and the heavily damaged comms array. As she did, she let out a slow exhale, “I think we have our work cut out for us…”

Beside her, one of her engineers let out a snort, “You could say that again, though I am more worried about the locals.” Sonia turned and followed Ensign Smith’s gaze towards a group of ten rough-looking men and women carrying phasers, though antiquated models.

Sonia felt a flutter of nerves for a moment before she pushed it aside and responded, “They were attacked only a few days ago. I would be surprised if they weren’t armed. Plus, they are expecting us, so likely wanting to make a first impression.” She turned to the leader of the security detail, who beamed down with her four engineers, “Lieutenant Thorn, would you accompany me, please? We’d best go introduce ourselves.” She turned back to the four engineers and the other security officer and smiled, “Wait here. Though see what our scanners can pick up about the power flow from the generators. It may help us determine where we need to start first.”

With that, she turned and walked towards the group of locals and tried to present an air of confidence. She couldn’t help but think that she dove into the deep end for her first proper command of an away mission.

As Sonia and Thorn approached the group, one of the men, who looked to be in his mid-forties, stood from the crate he had been sitting on and walked over before stopping in front of them. He looked down at Sonia as he easily had over a foot on her in height and gave Thorn a mildly hostile glare before he spoke, “So you’re the ones the feds decided to send, uh?” His eye lingered on Sonia for a moment before he snorted, “Thought you would be older, have you even finished school? We have it all in hand anyway, told the council that, so you might as well head back to your shiny ship and piss off. We didn’t need you before, don’t need you now.” As he spoke, several of the other locals laughed and echoed his statement.

Sonia just smiled and held his gaze, ‘Right, so this is how it’s going to be…’

“My school was crawling through antiquated stations and repairing them from when I was a kid. I completely understand how you feel, though, and given that you and your team, I assume,” Sonia began as she nodded towards the other locals, “have kept everything running for so long, I am sure you’ll be able to fix everything in no time at all. But since we are already here and have brought all our gear down, how about we just take a look?” She turned slightly towards the smouldering sub-station, “I am guessing the loss of that is why a third of the settlement is still without power, right? Not to mention your defence systems, from what I can see. Give my team five hours and let’s see what we can do, how about that?”  As she spoke, Sonia let more of her flamboyant and outgoing nature seep into her tone, “What harm can we do…not fix it?”

The man just grunted before looking over at the sub-station, “Fine, but two of my men will be watching. They know the system better than your people.”

Sonia’s grin widened, “I would expect nothing less. Now, we haven’t been introduced. I am Lieutenant Jeden, and this is Lieutenant Thorn, one of our security officers.”

“Sampson,” he responded before he waved his hand, and a man and woman came over. “This is Bjorn and Char, they will watch your team.”

“Works for us,” Sonia said with a wide smile. “We can also have a look at the comms array at the same time if you would like. Two birds, one stone as they say, or well, so I am told.”

Sampson’s face shifted ever so slightly to something darker at the mention of the comms array. “No. Just the power Fed.”

“Whatever works for you and yours, Sampson,” Sonia responded, keenly aware that he didn’t want her or her team near that building.

For the next couple of hours, your team helped remove the rubble from the sub-station so that they could access the power distribution system. From your initial estimates, the damage looked worse than it actually was, but you need to get inside to check. As the last chunk of rubble was removed, Sonia nodded to Ensign Smith, and he disappeared under the large wall section that the tricorders determined was stable enough to leave for now and into the sub-station below.

Minutes passed before Ensgin Smith crawled out from under part of the collapsed wall. His uniform was stained with dirt and ash. “You were right, Lieutenant, the system is damaged but not beyond repair. The blast fried the main power switch and junction box but wi…”

“THE SWITCH AND JUNCTION BOX ITSELF!?” Bjorn said with clear anger, “That was meant to last for another 10 years; it will take us weeks to build a new one.”

Sonia looked at both Bjorn and Char over her shoulder, “Relax,  both of those are easy fixes; we have the materials on hand already to replace them and make it even more efficient.” Without waiting for a response, she turned to Smith and the 3 other engineers. “Let’s get this last wall moved and then get the power back on to the settlement.”

“Wait,” Bjorn said firmly as he stepped up in front of Sonia. “I want to see the damage before you risk making it worse.”

Sonia stepped back and gestured with her hand while she suppressed an eye roll, “After you.”

Bjorn pushed his way past Ensign Smith and, a few minutes later, emerged. He looked between you and the other engineers, then over towards Char and Sampson, who had made his way over after Bjorn went in to take a look. He let out a frustrated sigh, “I hate to admit it, but the Feds are right. The switch and junction box are burned out. They were meant to last us years….”

“Once we get the wall removed, we should be able to repair it quickly and can even set you up with some spares, but the new parts should last you for a long time even without replacements,” Sonia said. “That is, if you are ok with us doing the job.”

Sampson frowned in clear frustration, “Fine.” With that, he turned and walked off, though the expression on Bjorn and Char’s faces showed that they were both impressed.

Over the next three hours, the final wall was removed, and the team set to work. Once Sonia was confident that the team had everything in hand, she left Ensign Smith to lead the team as the ruined components were stripped out and the new and far more advanced components were installed.

“Let’s go see about this comms array, Thorn. The damage looks rather significant from here,” with that, she made her way with Lieutenant Thorn towards the damaged comms array. She has asked Bjorn and Char about it on several occasions, but was brushed off every time.  Before she could make it within ten meters of the building, Sampson intercepted her, “Where are you going Fed?”

“Your Comms station here is damaged, thought we would take a look at it to see what we could do while the power is being restored.”

“It’s fine, the damage looks more than it actually is. You can go back and help your team,” Sampson said as he stood before her, arms crossed.

“Sure thing. I’ll leave your not very damaged comms array for you to sort,” Sonia said as she looked around the large local at the blaster-scorched building, the collapsed transerver dish and blown out windows. With that, she turned back to the power junction with Thorn at her side.

Once they were halfway back, she spoke without turning to the security officer beside her, “You get the readings, ok?”

Thorn let out a snort, “Yeah, we were well within range. The system is completely down, and there are strange energy readings all over the building, similar to the scorch marks we have seen at the power junction and on the landing pad. Clearly, weapons fire, but the levels are an order of magnitude higher around that building. Given the blast pattern as well, it looks like something detonated within the building. There were also six life signs in the building, but one was unknown.”

“An unknown life sign, really?” Sonia said as she slowed her pace. “Send the data up to the Gagarin. Maybe they captured one of the raiders…”