“Unauthorised entry detected. Initiating DNA scan. Unknown multiple lifesigns. Particle weapons detected. Activating internal defence protocols. Unable to activate security containment field or weapon dampening field. Identify yourselves.”

The voice came out of nowhere. It was smooth, melodic, and yet hollow.

It echoed along the dark corridor like the breath of something half-alive.

The sultry computer voice that had welcomed them after the transporter beam had completed its cycle had surprised Nelson.

With her weapon raised and still active, she looked at the rest of her team. Ortega was already running a scan of their surroundings while Carrillion was trying to find lifesigns. Rowal and his security team had already raised their phaser rifles and were setting up defensive positions. Everyone was wearing their body armour as they didn’t know what they were entering.

The corridor itself was barely lit. Lights running along the edge of the flooring were flickering on and off. From what Nelson could see, most of the corridor was barely operational. The corridor itself was wide and high. This made her wonder if the Ivalans were taller or broader than they appeared to be. From what she could make out with her wrist torch, the corridor seemed to have a shiny black marble-effect flooring with silver walls and gold bulkheads at every section and intersection. Wisps of pale mist drifted from ruptured wall conduits, curling across the polished black flooring.

“Identify yourself, or automated defence personnel will be deployed.”

The same computerised voice had handed out its own threat again, so Nelson decided to respond. Nelson took a steadying breath and spoke in a clear voice. “I’m Commander Elizabeth Nelson from the U-S-S Atlas. We represented the United Federation of Planets. We come in peace, and we’re here to answer the automated distress call. We bring you no harm.”

For a heartbeat, there was silence. Then light shimmered before them, coalescing into the shape of a tall humanoid woman. She was taller than anyone on the away team. She was striking, almost statuesque. Her skin held a faint opalescent sheen, as though the light couldn’t decide whether to rest upon it or pass through. Fine ridges traced the line of her temples. Her eyes glowed faintly from within, reflecting the corridor’s dim amber hue.

“I am I’Rethi,” she said, her voice now gentle but fractured with faint static. “The Primary Command Avatar for the Ivalis Union explorer, I’Shathren. Welcome. I am sorry for the state our ship is in. I am currently unable to activate many other systems.” Her final words stuttered, and the image flickered before stabilising again.

Nelson forced a polite smile. “Thank you. We didn’t mean to trigger your security systems. Our intention is to offer assistance.”

“It is… acceptable,” I’Rethi replied. “Your vessel was known to us. You were the ones we were meant to meet.”

“Oh?” Nelson questioned as she shook a look at Rowal, who stood beside her.

Rowal, who had lowered his rifle a bit, shared the same confused expression as their first officer. “Meet? We were not informed to prepare for an escort.”

Shaking her head, the hologram clarified what she meant as though searching for a memory through static. “My error. Not an escort but a demonstration. The I’Shathren was to meet you to show our capability. Our first warp-three vessel. Our pride.”

“For what purpose?” Nelson probed. She felt that this hologram wasn’t being entirely clear in what she was sharing and was complicating the matter at hand.

“We wanted to show you that we are advanced and to show off our first warp-three engine design.”

“So this was an experimental ship,” Nelson said carefully.

A faint shimmer rippled across I’Rethi’s form, like light scattering through broken glass. “Yes, the I’Shathren is our most advanced vessel, and as we have not been able to test warp technology beyond warp two, this was our first experiment with our new engines and other systems. We didn’t want you to believe we were not sophisticated enough.”

“We’re not here to judge anyone,” Nelson’s expression softened. “But we did receive a distress call. I assume that, as it was automated, you sent it?”

“I did.” I’Rethi’s voice faltered. “After the silence began.”

“Where’s the rest of your crew?” Carrillion asked, now stepping forward with her medical tricorder in her hands.

For a moment, the hologram’s expression broke. A tremor passed through her voice. “They’re all gone. All gone. I couldn’t help them.”

Nelson’s brows knitted. “Gone? You mean—”

“Dead,” I’Rethi said flatly.

“Dead?” Nelson repeated. “What happened? Did something go wrong with the new engines?”

“No, everything was fine. The crew began to behave strangely after we left Union space, and then,” She paused as if she was unable to continue. “Let me show you.”

Feeling like she had no choice, Nelson nodded grimly in agreement as I’Rethi led them down the long, huge corridor towards a set of double doors at the other end.

Their boots echoed on the polished floor. The walls bore faint streaks, not of damage, but of something more organic, smeared like paint. Ortega’s torchlight caught it briefly.

“Is that—” she began.

“Dried protein residue,” Carrillion murmured. “Blood.”

“Great,” Ortega said flatly, deadpan. “So we’ve got a mystery ghost ship that’s still stained.” She shone her wrist torch ahead, light cutting through the gloom. “Ten bars of latnium say someone’s gonna suggest that room ahead is haunted.”

“Let’s not start betting and remember our manners, commander, ” Nelson warned. She didn’t appreciate having to remind her chief engineer of the decorum required in their current environment.

They reached a pair of large double doors, their gold trim dulled by scorch marks. I’Rethi paused. “This was our healing chamber.” The doors parted with a sigh, revealing a vast, oval-shaped room filled with considerable darkness.

Surprised at how big their rooms were, Nelson ignored that fact for now and gestured for Carrillion to come up closer to her as they entered the chamber.

Rows of beds lined the perimeter, each covered in white and gold-trimmed cloths. The air smelled faintly metallic, sterile, but beneath it lay a sourness. It was the unmistakable scent of decay held at bay by environmental systems struggling to compensate.

I’Rethi’s voice softened. “The first lot of our casualties were brought here to rest.”

On each bed was a body. All of them were draped with the sheets. The silhouettes of the bodies could just be seen through some of the working lights.

“They’re all dead,” I’Rethi said in an upset way. Nelson was impressed by how advanced this hologram was in its behaviour. It certainly rivalled some of the Federation’s best holograms.

Before Nelson could say anything more, Carrillion had gone to the nearest covered body. She hesitated, then gently pulled back the sheet. Her tricorder beeped softly. Her torch was aimed towards its face, and her expression changed from one of intrigue to almost horror.

Intrigued by what the doctor had seen, Nelson and the others walked up to stand on either side of her. They all froze the moment they saw what she had seen.

The Ivalan beneath the cloth was humanoid, but its face had been altered. The sockets where eyes should have been were sunken and sealed by scar tissue, like melted wax.

“Oh, merciful stars,” Carrillion whispered.

I’Rethi spoke, voice trembling with distortion. “One by one, they began to remove their eyes. They said they needed to see the ‘deep light’ and that the eyes were a barrier. The captain tried to get them to stop, but he ended up succumbing to it.”

Ortega swallowed hard. “They did this to themselves?”

“It was horrific,” I’Rethi said, still disgusted by it all. It was almost as if she were suffering from post-traumatic stress disorder. “I do not know why they were doing it. None of the crew was able to explain themselves. Some appeared mad and started to damage the ship. I’ve been trying for some time now to make repairs, but with limited power, I’ve not been able to restore key systems to activate the automated support personnel to help me.”

Nelson exchanged a grim look with Rowal before looking over at Carrillion. “Doctor?”

By this point, Carrillion had examined three more bodies and spoke up to share her findings. “There’s no consistency to how they did it. Some burned the tissue with a weapon’s emitter, others used blades or even their own hands.”

Rowal’s tone hardened. “Any sign of infection or external cause?” Already, the Delta security chief was starting to get into his investigation mode.

Carrillion shook her head.“None I can identify. No viral markers, no neural parasites. Nothing. Whatever drove them to this, my initial assessment suggests that it wasn’t biological. However, we don’t know enough about Ivalan physiology to be certain.”

“Our medical staff hadn’t detected anything else either,” I’Rethi added.

Nelson studied the hologram. “Did anything unusual happen before this began? A system malfunction, or a signal from outside the ship?”

The hologram hesitated, and a ripple of blue static ran through her image. “Nothing that I’m aware of. However, the database is damaged. There may be something there that can be retrieved.”

Turning to I’Rethi, Carrillion gave her a sweet smile. “With your permission, I’d like to take some of your crew for a closer examination with our medical equipment.”

I’Rethi hesitated at first. “I don’t have clearance to authorise that.”

“Who would?” Carrillion asked.

“The captain.”

“Isn’t he dead too?” Nelson countered.

“He is.”

Nelson smiled at I’Rethi, trying to reassure her.“Then surely that makes you the acting commanding officer?”

“Our ship avatars do not hold a rank in the chain of command. We merely support and serve.” I’Rethi said with a worried tone.

“I’Rethi, your ship is disabled. We’ll be happy to help you with repairs, but surely it is important we find out what happened here.” Nelson insisted.

For a second, the hologram hesitated as she flickered. “Are you sure you’re happy to help me? I mean, this wasn’t the welcome the captain wanted to give you when we met you. Are you sure you want to meet our people?”

“Of course we do, and we’re happy to help,” Nelson assured her sincerely.

“Then I give permission as acting commanding officer,” I’Rethi said with a sense of relief, leaving her voice. “And thank you.”

Nelson smiled at her. “It will be our pleasure.” She tapped her combadge. “Away team to Atlas, captain, I’ve got an update for you, but you’re not going to like it.