The IKS Y’tem burst from warp, her hull shimmering with the light from the white/yellow star at the centre of the Caelari system. The void around the vessel unfolded into brilliance, the star surrounded by a veil of refractive dust that turned the starlight into cascading auroras.

Captain L’rena, Daughter of Beltor, stood from her command chair at the heart of the bridge, surrounded by a red glow from the readouts. Around her the crew moved with disciplined precision. Even the youngest crew members knew what was needed, following the example of their seniors who were sharpened with decades of service.

“initial sensor sweeps are active,” reported Trang while continuing to tap commands into his console. “Subspace interference remains in the outer halo Captain, it could be remnants of the shrouds decay. The field is fluctuating in coherent pulses, as though reacting to the stars magnetic cycle.”

“Could the Shroud reform?” Asked Tal’kor from the tactical station, his tone suspicious.

“Unlikely,” Trang replied, “initial readings indicate that it could not do so, it’s almost if something is missing. But I would not wager my honour on it!”

The science console beeped as the readings appeared to Trang. “Initial scans indicate the system is populated Captain, there are vessels transiting between worlds.”

From engineering, Drenaks voice came over the comm. “Warp coils are cooling Captain, but the field dynamics are unstable. Whatever the shroud was seems to have a greater effect here, even now its dissipated.”

L’rena nodded, but her gaze was fixed on the main display at the front of the bridge.

“Then let us find out what has been hidden here in the dust! Engage cloak, bring impulse engines online, set course for the nearest planet.” She said firmly, “We will do a survey of the system before revealing ourselves.”

The Y’tem banked as the hum of the ship deepened. The aged bird of prey began its glide toward the inner worlds of the Caelari system.

The first planet, Tiryn, shimmered before them, the dust that filled the system gave the atmosphere an almost pearlescent colour. It was a world filled with golden plains and silver rivers, its atmosphere thick with pollen. Scans of the planet revealed a network of agricultural settlements and vast irrigation systems.

“civilisation detected captain,” Trang reported. “Population density is moderate. Mostly on the equatorial continent, there seems to be organised cultivation.”

“bah, a farmers paradise” barked Tal’kor as he crossed his arms, “a warriors nightmare.”

“every world has its battles,” L’rena replied, “even with the soil.”

Through the forward viewscreen the largest cities were visible, but they were far from the sprawling cities of other worlds.

“I’m reading minimum energy outputs,” Trang said,  “no defence systems. Limited transmissions, mainly localised to the system.”

Tal’kor huffed, “no defence systems, hardly seems worth sending US here.”

“launch probes,” L’rena ordered “One atmospheric, one orbital, record data and structural scans.”

Trang clicked his console and a moment later two probs launched from the Y’tem. “Probe telemetry stable,” Trang confirmed, “communications are encrypted but nothing sophisticated…. Got it. They seem to be mostly theological in tone”.

“theo… what?” Hoban asked

“religious” Trang continued trying to ignore Hoban, what could a helmsman know of the true battle with science, he thought to himself. “they speak of the ‘fading radiance’, the loss of the spires divine light.”

L’rena’s jaw tightened, “their gods have grown dim? Keep scans active, there seems to be more to this system than we expected.”

Several hours later the Y’tem arrived in orbit about Orran, the second planet in the system. It was a rough world, a stark contrast to the greenery of Tiyrn, a world scarred from centuries of industry. Huge open pit mines were visible from the Y’tem while in Orbit, while above orbital construction platforms hung lazily.

Trang began his scans once more, “I’m detecting metallic content in the crust,” he reported. “Extensive infrastructure, high power output.”

“They have built much for a people of…. Faith” Tal’kor observed.

“Faith requires fuel,” Drenak interrupted as he entered the bridge.

“should you not be in engineering,” Tal’kor directed toward Drenak

“what? And miss all this excitement” he replied sarcastically, “you know, when I was your age Tal’kor we would have taken this system in the name of the Empire, and we’d have done it on our own! Imagine the stories, one B’rel against an entire system”

Tal’kor did not respond, he was told the stories of those days as a youth and once dreamed of being on one of those vessels. He understood that now was a different time, though, he still longed for battle.

L’rena’s eyes narrowed toward the main display, blocking out the back and forth between her senior officers. The screen showed an almost barren world, if there was once plant life the mining operations looked to have almost killed it off.

Trang was excitedly explaining that much of the communications traffic was the same as what was detected on Tiryn. It was all using the same syntax, the same language. It seemed as though they had stumbled on a small civilisation that spanned multiple worlds. He suddenly stopped and stared at the console.

“Captain, I am detecting faint subspace emissions beneath the surface. Patterned, rhythmic, almost certainly artificial.”

“Weapons?” Tal’kor demanded excitedly as Drenak stepped forward his eyes widening.

“no, more like a signal. Old, buried deep. I don’t think the mining as even gotten down that far.” Trang explained.

L’rena sensed both Tal’kor and Drenak slump, one of them sighing audibly, clearly disappointed. She leaned back in her chair “Mark the coordinates, we will return once we have completed a sweep of the system.”

The Y’tem continued inward toward the final planet, Caelari Prime. As they approached their scans indicated much more activity here than anywhere else in the system. The bridge crew watched as the planet grew larger on the main viewscreen, it’s sapphire oceans glinting in the light of the sun, continents showing clear signs of civilisation.

“Hoban, bring the main centre of populace on screen.”

He clicked a few buttons on his console and the city came into view, a sprawling metropolis with a giant spire at its centre.

“What in the name of Kahless is that?” Drenak exclaimed.

“there’s not enough data, could be a monument, maybe the centre of government? What I can detect is a higher level of residual energy that is dissipating within the rest of the sector. It seems localised to the structure.” Trang replied.

“They live in the shadow of their gods” Drenak continued.

Trang shook his head slightly, “there is not scientific data to confirm that, but if I had to guess, it would seem that way.”

“Focus your scans at the spires base,” L’rena ordered. “If it’s some form of technology we must find its heart, we will find its weakness.”

Tal’kor gave a wry smile as Trang’s console pulsed with incoming data. “There is a residual energy signature, possibly a containment field. Likely predating the civilisation here, their civilisation grew around the spire.”

Drenak nodded, “that certainly explains their religious feelings toward it. Their faith rests on the bones of a machine.”

L’rena’s gaze remained on the column, “every faith does, in some way or another.”

The hum of the settled into quiet efficiency as the screw continued their scans of the system. Rin’tal, one of the new junior security officers on board broke the silence.

“Captain,” she said, eyes wide. “I have been monitoring interstellar traffic in the system. No ships have entered or excited, until now. I’ve just detected a warp signature entering the system.”

L’rena straightened. “Bearing”

“three, seven, four, mark two. Starfleet signature,” Rin’tal continued.

For a moment the bridge went still, then Tal’kor approached the tactical console and moved Rin’tal out the way, his tone edged with irritation. “so much for being first!”

Trang glanced up from his console having scanned the incoming vessel. “signature confirms the USS San Clemente, NCC 82317.”

L’rena leant forward, “they move fast, Kurnath said they would follow.”

“Or Starfleet doesn’t trust us to explore alone,” Tal’kor growled.

“Perhaps both,” she said glancing back toward her first officer, “but that matters little, the Y’tem was the first to enter this system since the fall of the shroud, That will be remembered.”

Trang turned toward the command chair, “They’re on course for Caelari Prime, they’ll be here in 1 hour, maybe they’re detecting the same signals as we did.”

“Drop the cloak, let them see us,” L’rena ordered, she rose from her chair with a fierce expression. “The game has begun.”

Drenak ginned “we may be allies but sight of the Y’tem will strike fear in…..”

“we’re receiving a hail Captain,” Hoban interrupted

Drenak’s shoulders dropped as if he hoped that the game would last a little longer.

L’rena pointed at the viewscreen “on screen”