Through the Looking Glass - Part I

Posted on Wed May 13th, 2026 @ 3:36am by Lieutenant Lily Marlow & Petty Officer 1st Class Shailyn Lothian & Lieutenant Commander Rafael Montoya & Lieutenant Commander Hadir Prenar & Lieutenant Rynna Csira & Lieutenant Junior Grade Tara Marsh

1,779 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: A Day In The Life
Location: Medical Lab and Various

Rynna Csira had an hour before she was to meet Raf for dinner. As she wandered the corridors after her shift, she felt like she needed to check on the sarcophagus. Or the room that housed it. She wasn't sure why. As far as she knew, it was safely locked away and there was no reason to do so. But she had a niggling feeling that she needed to go there. She rarely had such feelings and didn't think she should ignore this one. Besides, it would only take a few minutes to detour to the medical lab. She'd still have plenty of time to change.

As she got closer to the lab, the feeling that something was off grew stronger. She pulled out her hypospanner just to have something in her hand and slowed as she approached the door. It opened automatically. That made her pause. Wasn't the door supposed to be secured with a passcode? Was someone from medical running more tests? That was the most likely answer, but she couldn't ignore the feeling that was now more of a tingle that ran down her neck and arms.

"Hello?" She stepped into the dark room and was immediately hit by a phaser.

When she woke sometime later, she was lying in a bed of fern in a temperate forest. Her head and body ached and she had no idea where she was or how she got there. She sat up, then had to put her head on her knees until the pain eased. She was wearing a cream-colored peasant blouse with a green skirt and matching vest. They looked familiar, as did her ankle boots. She carefully stood and looked around.

There was a clearing to her left and beyond that, a camp. She would be safe there. Ryn paused. How did she know that? She shook her head, then stopped because it made the pain worse. Safety first. Then she'd find Robin. She paused again. Robin? Robin. And Little John. If nothing else, it was close to dinner time and she was hungry.


[Prancing Pony]

Raf had been sitting at the table waiting on Ryn but she had yet to show.

After taking another sip from his glass he set it down and slid his padd over, lifting it to check the exact time. It had only been another 3 minutes since he had check the last time but know she was almost 20 minute late without some much as a peep.

He didn't want to seem controlling or domineering by bugging her but now he was beginning to get concerned. Tapping his badge, "Montoya to Csira"

There was no response.

"Computer, locate Lieutenant Csira."

"Lieutenant Csira is in The Prancing Pony."

The computer's response came as total surprise and he thought that she might be trying to prank him. With a grin he looked about carefully to try and spot just where she might be hiding. The only thing out of the ordinary was a combadge sitting on a table near the door.

Rising he wondered how long had it been there. He would have seen her enter the lounge but he knew he hadn't. Where was she?


[Somewhere on the Orcrist]

Marion paused and listened before entering the glade that housed the refugees from Nottingham. It was too quiet. It also felt...empty. There was no sound of birds--something she hadn't noticed until now as her thoughts had been on her empty stomach and her desire to see Robin again.

Part of her wanted to just walk in and find out what was going on, but she had to be more cautious than that. So, she climbed a nearby tree and crept just far enough out on a branch to have a look. The glen was empty. She could see where the fire pit had been, but it was covered over with leaves. Where was everyone?

The back of her head ached. She should see the doctor... Doctor? But that would mean going back to Nottingham, and she couldn't do that. Not with the sheriff on the prowl. She paused again, listening. Was that music? Someone playing a Spanish guitar? That wasn't Robin. It was... Zorro? Raf? She wasn't sure who either of them was.

She moved back towards the trunk. She'd wait here for a bit and see if someone came along. If not...she'd think of something.


[Outside Security]

Raf had confirmed that the combadge he had found was hers. He had checked Operations and her quarters and found nothing. Something was wrong. As he approached security an officer stepped out. "Ah Lieutenant, do you have a moment?"

"Of course, Commander," Tara responded politely and professionally. "What can I do for you?"

Just after Tara answered Raf, another call came, "Security, Medical, this is Petty Officer, Lothian of engineering, we have just found an unconscious crew member, Lieutenant Marlow, in an equipment locker, she's a little bit tied up." Shailyn winced as the words slipped out. That wasn't her finest situational information.

Tara answered the call, =^= On my way. =^= She then turned to Raf and asked, "Can you tell me what's going on as I go to take care of this other issue?"

"Let's go." As the hurried to the scene, he explained how he was supposed to have met Lt. Csira in the lounge and after she never showed he hailed her without reply only to discover her combadge on a table inside the lounge. Holding out her combadge, "As far as I know we were the only ones that knew we were meeting and before I found this I thought she was either just delayed or pulling a prank, but..."

"Ryn has a decent enough sense of humor, but she's not the prankster type," she told Raf. As they headed to Lily, Tara said, "Computer scan for lifesigns of Lieutenant Rynna Csira."

"Lieutenant Rynna Csira is not currently on the Orcrist."

Tara said, "That's a problem." She asked the computer again, "Where was the last lifesign location of Lieutenant Rynna Csira?"

An androgenous voice answered.

"Lieutenant Rynna Csira, was last seen on Deck Four, outside of Medical." was the answer.

Tara tapped her combadge and reported, =^=Commander Prenar, we have a crew member missing. Lieutenant Rynna Csira. Her combadge was found in the lounge and lifesigns state she was last seen on Deck Four, outside of medical. I am also in the process of investigating the detention of Lieutenant Lily Marlow who was found tied up in a locker.=^=

Perhaps, Hadir Prenar knew the ship better than its Captain. He certainly knew what was aboard, and what happened. In this case he knew exactly what was in medical. A short communication later with staff there told him that the object known as the coffin was gone. From his console in his office, he brought the ship to yellow alert and raised the shields. "Prenar to the Bridge. We have an intruder aboard. I am responding with Lieutenant Marsh. Prenar out."

He smiled as he realized he would give these intruders a lesson in how things worked on a Starship. "Computer please locate the item known as the coffin." A moment later the computer replied that it was in motion to Cargo Bay 2. Silently he sent a message to all security teams. They were to allow the intruders to gain access to the Cargo Bay. With a few more taps of the console all transporter destinations targeted a Brig cell. He tapped his comm badge. "Lieutenant Marsh, once you have the information meet me in the Brig."

=^= Should I ignore Lieutenant Marlow, then? =^= Tara inquired.

=^= No, as stated get all the information you can and meet me in the Brig. Prenar Out=^=

===Cargo Bay Two===

Lieutenant Giselle Prentiss, felt triumphant as to her acquisition. She not only had the sarcophagus but also from what she had been told, the Chief of Operations, who had examined the item previously. Of course, she had to take care of one minor detail and that was Lieutenant Marlow. Silly woman had taken notice that the sarcophagus was being moved without her consent. A well-aimed blow, took care of that problem and Marlow was hidden from view. There wasn't time to put her in the device.

Giselle looked around, things were clear, the cargo bay transporter was waiting for their use. The Admiral will be very pleased to have the coffin and one with knowledge as to its secrets.

The coffin, Giselle and her cohort stepped onto the transporter pad, the coordinates having been placed in, the shimmering of the transporter beam swirled around the coffin, herself and her helper.

===Storage Locker===

Shailyn stood guard over Marlow, she didn't move her at all, feeling that she needed to wait for both security and medical to arrive and take care of this situation.

"Oh good, you're here!" she greeted them.

Lily's eyes fluttered open. She couldn't move, she couldn't speak. There was something over her mouth.

"Yes, we're here," Tara said. "Tell me what's going on." She looked at Lily and asked, "Are you alright?"

"I came here to get some tools and found her here, like this." Shailyn noted that Lily was now moving.

Lily tried to speak but it wasn't coming out intelligibly, she gave out a frustrated growl.

Tara started to unbind Lily, hoping that the freedom would assist her. If Lily could not speak coherently quickly, she would have to call a medical team to deal with her. "Lily, it is Tara. Can you hear me?"

A cough, Lily grated out, "water please, and I can hear you." she winced as she felt pain from the back of her head. "the Sarcophagus, it... it..." coughing . "It was being taken! Might be too late! You've got to stop them"

Lily started to rub her wrist where the bindings had dug into them.

"Lily, we know. Hadir is on that. Tell me what happened. I need information. How did you end up like this? Who did this to you? what do you have to do with the Sarcophagus?"

"I don't know who did this," Lily began. "But a crew member from the USS Majestic, she was taking off with the sarcophagus. It was an artifact that was found on Adna Station, containing T'Seng one of our diplomatic officers. Anyway, I was just heading to Medical when I saw it being taken out of there. I felt sudden sharp pain and then blacked out!"

(To be continued...)

Lieutenant Commander Hadir Prenar
Chief of Tactical Operations
USS Orcrist

Lieutenant Junior Grade Tara Marsh
Assistant Chief Security Officer
USS Orcrist

Lieutenant Rynna Csira
Chief Operations Officer
USS Orcrist

 

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