The station groans and vibrates, as an unseen force pulsing through its metal framework, reacting towards the intrusion of the away team. Emergency lights flicker between red and violet, casting an eerie shadow. The air feels heavier, charged with energy, as if something is waking up. The holographic displays cycle through Starfleet commands mixed and corrupted by unknown alien script.

The away team focus on either the entity approaching them or their predicament their in. Aneesa was still tapping away on the screen trying her best to decipher the logs “The station was not built to ….contain a threat, but…” Her finger slides the logs scanning the information as fast as possible before it becomes alien to her again “To repel an external force”

“Lovely” Keslara stated, aiming her rifle at the entity “Kaine”

He looked back at his tricorder “It is right in front of us, but no life signs” The entity had stopped moving, as if it was observing them. “Keep yourself sharp” Darius orders his security force.

Tapping on his own device as Thal shrugs in frustration, “The interference is driving me nuts, I am not able to reopen the comms to Himalaya.” But the moment he finished his sentence, the walls pulse with a deep droning sound, almost like a distorted voice speaking in an ancient tongue, that caught the attention of the away team.

Bridge

The Himalaya is shaking under the extreme energy fluctuations, alarm blaring across the bridge. The bridge crew were doing their best to react faster than what was hitting them. The Grim Wall’s subspace distortions are increasing, disrupting the ship’s navigation, transporters, and shields.

Rubbing his face, Adrián looked at the screen “Get energy focus on vital systems, get me navigation and transport systems back online” He was barking out the orders, knowing that his crew was doing their best. He took a deep breath as he mutters, “What would Sazra do…” He could risk using phasers or even tractor beams to break through the interference.

“Captain, we got dangerous fluctuations, if we push too hard, the ship might get trapped in the anomaly” An engineering officer spoke up with great concern.

A follow-up suddenly came from operations “Sir, detecting a signal of unknown origin, it is responding to the stations distress call”

“Wait..what…” Adrián looked at ops confused, knowing now they might get company.

The Station

The station’s security protocol was now fully activated, sealing the away team deeper inside. The flickering entity that had earlier halted was now responding to something. Holographic displays flash erratically, as if they are being rewritten in real-time.

Keslara shrugs seeing the light show around them “We either can try to reactivate the station’s defenses or get the hell out of here, Kane I choose exit”

Standing up from his defensive form and taking point “I agree, defensive formation” The security team members get to their assigned positions as if they practice this in drills daily, well they actually did. “Lieutenant Quinn we need to get going” Darius looked at her direction.

Tapping on the console, Aneesa hums “The station was built by both Starfleet and another unknown species” Fascinated by the discovery, she kinda forgot what was happening around her. As she suddenly gets her collar dragged by Keslara “Woah”

“Move Lieutenant” Keslara pushed Aneesa in front of her, she eyes the entity seeing it move behind them, but was it hostile or was it trying to do something else. Keslara was not there to wait for the answer, and followed Darius to an exit.

Thal checks his readings, “External force is breaching the station’s hull….we might get company.”

Bridge

“Sir detecting a massive subspace rupture forming near the station!” Operations stated loudly as he looked at Adrián.

“Well shit, get a lock on the away team!” Adrián orders eyes locked on the screen seeing the formation at the side of the station “GET THEM OUT OF THERE”

The operations were doing their best to get a lock on them “Sir a lot is happening, station’s weapons systems come online” She looked concerned “Earlier scans dictate it has not been active for at least some decades”

Science followed-up “I got the Grim Wall distortion spikes reacting to the anomaly at the station itself”

“Ops, initiate emergency transporter protocols” Using his joker card “Engineering boost power the transport systems, when we got them flip the system to navigation and get us out of here” Adrián had to use his engineering skills, as he was not going to wait for the science to catch up on him.

The Himalaya manages to get a lock on the away team, pulling them out quickly. As it switches energy to its engines and pushes itself away from the station.

Ready Room

A good 45 minutes later, both Lieutenant Commander zh’Talen and Lieutenant Quinn stood in the ready room of Adrián. “So…what the hell do I report to Hecate Station about this?” Adrián shrugs, leaning back in the chair looking at the two.

“The station wasn’t trapping something, it was keeping something out” Aneesa stated looking at her PADD “I manage to decipher the final warnings of the station. Plus before you beam us out” She said in a disappointed voice “The entity that followed us in flickering state, became visible. Not solid, not quite there, it was like between dimensions”

Taking a deep breath “Oh joy” Adrián knew that Sazra was going to enjoy this report “Anything else”

“We were extremely lucky, the station had us trapped but with everything that has happened we had a brief opportunity to get out. We thank you, Captain. You got us out alive” Keslara stepped over her pride and acknowledge the small victory of their captain.

Giving a nod to her “But I got to thank you for keeping the away team sharp and alive” Adrián gave his xo a counter compliment “Now what about the station”

“The station collapse under its own failing systems. Whatever was in there, is sealed forever” Aneesa said once again with disappointment “Maybe one day we might return to it”

“Perhaps, but for now, let’s get back to Hecate Station. Dismissed” Adrián orders seeing the two leave the ready room.