1 The Beginning
"Captain, I'm picking up a strange energy signal coming from a planet in this system."
"It looks to be on the third planet from the red giant", the science officer on the bridge added, "The planet is full of ruins, I'm not getting any signs of life."
Captain Kalor was intrigued, "First, gather an away team, I am going to lead them to the surface."
First Officer Treim dare not question the Captain's orders in front of the crew, let alone on the bridge. However, he found it odd for the Captain to lead an away team, that was a task usually for the senior staff. He wondered what about this signal caught the Captains attention.
-----------------------------
As our small transport approached the surface, I wondered what could have happened to his planet. The scans found countless alloys and other materials that were hundreds of years more advanced then our technology. How did such a technologically advanced civilization like this become a strikingly beautiful dystopia? The dark violet sand and the blood orange horizon looked like a masterpiece with dark ruins like daggers piercing the skyline.
"Captain, the signal is close by, but its deep underground."
"Leutinent, how far specifically underground? As the science officer on this away team, I rely on you to be as specific as possible."
Embarrassed by the Captain's strick remark, Leutinent Luci sheepish responded, "Sorry Captain, the signal is showing a thousand meters east and three hundred meters underground. There seems the be a series of tunnels and carverns under what was this city. I found an entry point straight ahead."
The entry point the Leutinent Luci was referring to appealed to be what was left of a lift. We will have to climb down and I, for one, was quite excited about this little adventure. The away team consists of five members, Leutinent Luci, a young engineer named Ensign Roma , Leutinent Houg who was a security officer, Doctor Roymane and myself, the Captain.
"Leutinent Houg, I expect you bought our climbing gear?"
"Yes Captain."
"And everyone here is trained on climbing?"
"Yes, Captain", the away team said in unison.
"Alright then, let's go. That energy signal is close by and I would like to know the source!" I was getting impatient and then remembered why I left these things to First Officer Treim. First had so much more patience when it came to working with the crew. I demanded excellence in every way from my senior staff, however I would have to make do with my current away team.
The decent toke forever, atleast the walls of the cavern remained steady. Finally after almost a full hour, our feet hit solid ground.
Ensign Roma cheered with joy, "We finally made it! Captain, I also placed transport extenders in the carvern wall as we desended so we can save ourselves a climb up!"
They was some hope for the young Ensign yet although I had been looking forward to the challenging exercise of the climb up.
"Perfect, Ensign. How far to the signal?"
"It looks to be a left turn ahead and then straight 400 meters. Its so dark down here, I'm running only on some spotty signal. Whatever this is place is made of is interfering with our instruments."
We walked carefully into the carvern, time had definitely toke a toll of this place. It was huge, atleast 10 meter ceilings and 30 meters wide carved deep into the earth. We toke the left turn and the whole away team gasped.
"Woah. Captain, this has to be thousands, if not millions of my best guess stasis pods. None of them seem to be functioning." said Doctor Roymane in complete awe.
It was quite the site, when we turned the corner the carvern opened up even larger. The pods were stacked as high as we could see and as far as we could see. I continued walking towards the signal in hopes a pod was still functioning but most of the pods looked damaged. I didn't have high hopes.
