Stardate: 80308:1515
Title: Grimalkin (Part 2)
Author: Captain Deadilus
Time: After "Grimalkin (Part 1)" and "Far From Home"
Scene: USS Horizon


Andarus was only a few days from the Horizon's location, and so once Lieutenant Remmick, the Engineering department, the Starfleet Corps of Engineers and the Exeter's Engineering department had all achieved a consensus that the Horizon was 'shipshape and ready to go', Lieutenant Cochran had entered the co-ordinates into the navigational system. As Deadilus once again said his farewells to the Exeter's Commanding Officer, he couldn't help but remember what Hito had told him of the border skirmishes...


=/\= Andarus System - Some Time Later =/\=

Even though the repairs were complete and the Horizon had been ordered to Andarus to investigate what had happened to the USS Grimalkin, Captain Deadilus held off on ordering their helmsman to push the vessel faster than warp 8; the ship covered the ground quickly nonetheless and, as the Senior Staff assembled in the Observation Lounge, Captain Deadilus filled them in on their mission orders.

"The colony on Andarus 5 was originally settled by the Federation in 2257. The settlers had little success with environmental controls and so were still prone to floods, storms and so forth; in 2367 the colonists left following severe damage as a result of a localised electrical storm. That, the Federation thought, was the end of the Andarus colony - barely M-class, their attention was focused on more important and viable colonies."

"However, two months ago a cargo hauler passing through this sector en route to Starbase 9 detected some electromagnetic signals emanating from Andarus. Starfleet had assumed that ALL the colonists had abandoned the planet in 2367, although if any colonists had remained had never actually been established. As such, four weeks ago the USS Grimalkin was dispatched to Andarus 5 on a routine planetary inspection and to investigate if anyone had remained behind."

Deadilus paused for a moment.

"Since then the Grimalkin has been silent and all attempts to contact them have been unsuccessful, although long range sensor scans of the system have confirmed that the vessel is intact and in orbit of the planet."

Scott paused once again.

"Now, many of you may have noticed the battle-damage sustained by the USS Exeter; during our time in the Rennas and Turnquist systems it transpires that there have been several small-scale battles between neighbouring non-aligned worlds and, given the proximity of Andarus to some of these factions, Starfleet is concerned that someone may have used Andarus to lay a trap to capture a Federation vessel. However, given that the Grimalkin is still in orbit of the planet either they were unsuccessful or something else is responsible - we're not exactly a million light years from the Tharan system after all..."

The Captain's reference to the virus-ravaged planet of Tharan 3, although missed by a few of the assembled Senior Staff, brought home a flood of memories for some more than others...


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Captain Scott Deadilus
Commanding Officer
USS Horizon
NCC-72400
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