This was a Solo RPG session from the Star Trek: Captain’s Log Solo Roleplaying Game.
In the once beautiful almost tranquil clearing, Phillips, Chen, and Reynolds now all stood with their phasers aimed. Everywhere they turned, they found themselves surrounded by this new enemy. It was slowly making its way towards them and enveloping the area around them.
The Drakalian was nearby, laying on the floor with the flowers and vines slowly enveloping it.
“What are these things?” Chen asked.
“I think it was called Klavor,” Reynolds answered.
“We have to do something.”, Phillips stood his ground and attempted to fire his phaser towards the Drakalian. But sparks flew as he found his weapon shorting out.
Reynolds moved in front of Phillips and fired a shot off near the Drakalian. It struck the Klavor.
A strong scent and humming began to fill the clearing now as the flower and vines began to retract themselves from the Drakalian.
As the Drakalian began breaking free of the Klavor’s hold, it rose to its feet.
Phillips noticed that there were remains of other creatures laying on the clearing floor, “This was no peaceful clearing…it’s a kill zone.” He quickly returned his attention to rebooting his phaser.
By this point, it was beginning to be clear that they were making little progress in this assault.
Suddenly a large rustling began to emanate from deeper within the clearing.
“It may be time to retreat,” Reynolds noted.
Chen turned and found herself facing a large Klavor – the size of an extremely large sunflower.
It reared itself back as teeth emerged from its petals – poised to strike.
A heat blast soared past Chen and struck the Klavor. A shrieking erupted as it engulfed in flames.
“Go,” a dark quiet chilling voice said, “Now.”.
———————————————————————————————————————
“What’s going on?!”Mitchell shrieked as she saw Phillips, Chen, Reynolds and the Drakalian rushing into the station. Chen and Phillips slammed themselves against the door bracing against it. A thunderous snapping could be heard on the other side.
“Mitchell, status report.”, Reynolds asked.
The snapping was getting louder by the second.
“What?” Mitchell asked again.
“Focus,” Reynolds calmly stated.
“Right,” Mitchell shook her head and worked to focus herself, “I think I almost got something.”.
“Can we take it with us?” Reynolds inquired.
A window nearby bursted as the Klavors began slithering their way in.
“We are out of time.”, Phillips yelled, “Mitchell, grab that drive. Horizon – Situation Black. Five to Beam.”.
Mitchell rushed and wrapped her arms around the Memory Box as the warm sensation took over as a small Klavor leaped at her.
———————————————————————————————————————
The team arrived back onto the Horizon. The small Klavor was still in mid-air. Mitchell crashed down onto the pad with the Box in her arms.
“Computer – Activate Biofield!” Reynolds shouted.
The Klavor slammed into a containment field before it had finished its strike against Mitchell. It hovered in the air, writhing. It was extremely clear what the intent was.
———————————————————————————————————————
Security Log:
Maxwell Phillips, reporting. I apologize that I’m skipping all regular formalities. Our mission down on the Station was a success. But at what cost? Ensign Carter was attacked. The one responsible is on board in holding. Or at least, that’s what the evidence is pointing to. We’ve also encountered something new. The Drakalian called it a Klavor. What is its purpose? Where did it come from? I’m hoping that the Box we brought back is able to bring us some answers.
Phillips joined Mitchell in their Lab.
“You called?” Phillips greeted.
“Yes, I..I..” Mitchell stammered then gathered themselves, “I wanted to say Thank You.”.
“For?” Phillips raised his eyebrow.
“Making sure we got back in one piece. Well, those of us that could.”, Mitchell answered and then lowered her gaze, “Sorry.”.
“It’s okay. There was a lot going on.”, Phillips reassured them, “I’m guessing Trills don’t do well with intense situations?”.
“My symbiont does.”, Mitchell looked back at him, “I still have some things to learn.”.
“We all do.”, Phillips gave a small smile, “Any luck with that?”.
In the center of the room, on a pedestal sat the large black box.
“From what I’ve been able to gather so far, it appears that those things didn’t originate on Korvex Prime.”, Mitchell stated.
“Someone introduced them for some experiment?” Phillips asked.
“Yes, it would appear that the whole station was a testing site. When they were first introduced, the -”
“Klavor.”, Phillips nodded.
“-Klavor were docile. But then things changed.”, Mitchell continued.
“Can I try?” Phillips asked as he motions towards the Box.
“Be my guest.”, Mitchell takes a few steps back, “If it blows up, I’m going to end you.”.
“Um.”, Phillips says as he pulls out his tricorder.
“Sorry, that wasn’t me.”, Mitchell lowers her gaze again.
“Symbiont?”
Mitchell nods sheepishly.
“Okay.”, Phillips nods, “What do I call it?”.
“It has a name. It’s Talen.”.
“Pleasure to meet you, Talen.”, Phillips runs the tricorder over the Black Box, “Nothing to worry about in terms of blowing up. Scans show no explosives.”.
“Finally something in our favor.”, Mitchell breathes a sigh of relief.
“Bout time.”, Phillips steps over to the console and begins to access it, “Let’s see what we got.”.
The screen begins flooding with information. The amount of it is vast.
“Oh.”, Mitchell acknowledges, “This is much bigger than we originally thought.”.
———————————————————————————————————————
When Phillips had arrived, Chen and Reynolds were attempting to communicate with the Drakalian. It was sitting on its knees in the middle of the holding area. Its head was down as if it was meditating.
Phillips had guessed that it wasn’t going well. Both of his superiors left frustrated.
“I’m sorry that we have you in here.”, Phillips started, “After everything that has happened, I don’t think you can blame us. When we first encountered you, you attacked us. Ensign Carter was his name. The one we lost down there.”.
The Drakalian’s head lifted up. The black eyes watched as Phillips paced back and forth. They had a hint of bioluminescent green to them.
“But, then you helped us. So, I’m guessing that something’s not adding up. My gut is telling me that you can help us uncover what that may be.”.
Silence filled the room once again.
“But I can’t help, if you won’t help me. I know you can understand. You communicated down there on the surface. If it helps, my name is Maxwell Phillips.”.
Silence.
Phillips shrugs his shoulders and turns to leave.
“Zoran Varn,” a cold quiet voice answers.
He turns to find the Drakalian standing in front of the field looking down at him.
“That’s a start, Zoran. Let’s see if we can get you out of there.”.
———————————————————————————————————————
Phillips stands at the front of the Ready Room, the lights slightly dimmed. The senior staff of the Horizon have assembled. A holographic display behind him shows an overview of Korvex Prime and some pertinent data points. He clears his throat and begins:
“Thank you for assembling on such short notice. We have a complex situation on our hands, and I want to ensure everyone is aligned on our current understanding.”.
He gestures to the display, showing an image of Ensign Carter and Zoran Varn.
“As many of you are aware, we suffered a tragic loss on Korvex Prime. Ensign Carter was shot. Initial evidence and circumstances point to Zoran Varn.”.
He lets the weight of the statement hang for a moment before continuing,
“However, as we’ve delved deeper into the incident, certain…inconsistencies have arisen. Some of the evidence doesn’t add up.”.
The display shifts to show images of Chen and Reynolds.
“Additionally, we’ve observed unusual activities and potential discrepancies in the reports from First Officer Chen and Captain Reynolds. This isn’t directly implicating anyone, but highlights the need for a thorough and meticulous investigation.”.
Phillips takes a moment to make eye contact with various team members, emphasizing his next point.
“It’s essential that we approach this situation without bias or preconceived notions. We’re Starfleet officers, and our duty is to the truth. No matter where it leads.”.
He pauses, letting his message sink in.
“I urge all of you to review your interactions, observations, and any data you’ve gathered. If you have any information, report it. In situations like this, even minor details can shed light on the bigger picture. We only have a few hours till we dock at Nexara Station. Our mission remains clear: to uncover the truth, ensure justice is served, and uphold the principles we’ve sworn to protect. Let’s approach this with open minds and unwavering dedication. Dismissed.”.