The Station That Doesn’t Add Up – Something Isn’t Right – Star Trek Fanfiction (Red Directive #17)

As fast as I had looked up from the Command Console to grab Commander T’Varen’s attention about the message, it had disappeared.
When I looked down at the console screen again—static.
What in the world was going on here?

I tapped a few controls on the console panel to start a diagnostic, and then, all of a sudden, the anomaly graphs appeared again.
But why?

I leaned in closer to get a better view. At this point, it was too tempting not to.
What was the station trying to tell me?
How is a station trying to tell me anything?

A million questions ran through my mind as I stared at the graphs, looking for any indication of why they had disappeared.
Lost in thought, I suddenly heard the shrill, monotone female voice I thought I was starting to get used to directly behind me.

“Captain, my sensors indicate all levels of primary nutrients are low in your system.”

Startled by her sudden appearance, I quickly moved my hands over the command console panel to clear the anomaly from the screen. Before I could even attempt it, it had already disappeared.
No static this time. Just a blank screen.
More questions…

I turned to speak with Aura, and she stood entirely too close, head tilted, staring at me with her glowing yellow eyes. Slightly thrown off, I spoke, trying to cover it.

“Yes, Aura. You are most likely right. I have not eaten yet today.”

“I am right, Captain. I ran my own diagnostics this morning.”

I chuckled and scratched the back of my head. Of course she’s right. She’s an android.
“What do you suggest, Aura?”

I hadn’t even noticed the glimmering tumbler she had been holding until she pushed it directly into my hands.

“I already brought you a vanilla protein blueberry peanut butter smoothie. All natural ingredients sourced from the station’s hydroponics bays. As they were fully operational and stocked. You must drink the entirety of it to ingest all essential nutrients.”

I took the drink from her, impressed she had already accessed and utilized the hydroponics systems.
Which only added more questions to the growing list in my mind.

Once we determine exactly what’s going on with communications, I need to contact Starfleet Command directly.
A much better way to get answers than waiting for transmissions.

Just as I was about to thank Aura, I noticed out of the corner of my eye that the EMH had entered. Aura followed my gaze and immediately approached him.

“How are you here? Are you no longer composed of photonic energy?”

The EMH smirked, clearly pleased with himself. “I found a mobile emitter in EOS Prospera’s sickbay.”

By that point, I had already stepped closer.
“I see Commander Pelia’s scans of your device confirmed your findings, and she was able to safely restore the emitter?”

He was about to respond when Commander Pelia joined us from behind and gave him a firm slap on the back, startling him.

“As safe as it could be, Captain. It’ll be like having a holodeck character walking around full time.”

She nudged him in the ribs. He rolled his eyes.
“I told you I could fix it.”

“Yes, no one doubted you for a second. Seeing as how your species lives for thousands of years, you’d think you’d be able to fix a whole lot more than an alien mobile emitter.”

She laughed and slapped him on the back again. “Oh, buddy boy. There are all kinds of things I can fix.”

Still laughing, she turned and made her way toward the briefing room.
“You just don’t know them all yet.”

He rolled his eyes again and followed after her, Aura moving just behind him. I noticed Commander T’Varen was still at the central command console, working.

I walked over to join her.

“Computer, time.”

“Zero nine fifty hours.”

I must have been staring at that anomaly longer than I realized.
Long enough to lose track of time.
It made me wonder if the Commander had noticed.

When the computer responded, Commander T’Varen looked up at me.
“Almost time for briefing, Captain.”

“Yes, Commander. Were you able to gather any further insight into the station’s discrepancies?”

“All systems remain within nominal parameters. This station has been operating as if at full capacity for an extended period. However, I have still been unable to recover any personal or data logs. Scans also indicate no evidence that life ever existed aboard EOS Prospera.”

“Let’s hope Starfleet doesn’t take too long with that data.”

She gave a slight nod and followed me toward the briefing room.

I walked in expecting to see only the EMH, Aura, and Commander Pelia—but everyone was already seated, waiting.

I really had lost myself in that anomaly.
It almost felt like I had lost time.

The quiet conversation in the room faded as Commander T’Varen and I took our seats at the head of the table.

“We’re not here to observe—we’re here to make this station work,” I said, clasping my hands together on the table.

Commander T’Varen followed.
“Our priority remains the colony. We are not here to pursue anomalies—we are here to ensure these people survive.”

Maybe the Commander isn’t as interested in the anomaly as I am anymore.
For a Vulcan, it’s only logical to focus on the primary mission.
But the unexplained nature of EOS Prospera still needed answers.

Commander Pelia cleared her throat and cut in.
“Excuse me, Captain, Commander—I don’t know who designed those quarters, but I’d like a word.”

She leaned back in her chair.
“Half the systems respond like they’ve been idle for a century, and the other half activate before you even touch them. It’s unsettling.”

There were a few nods around the table. Mine included.

Commander T’Varen added,
“My quarters were functional. However, environmental controls adjusted twice during my rest cycle without input.”

I let that sit.

Different systems. Different departments.
Same conclusion.

More questions.

“Yesterday, I asked for status reports. You delivered.” I paused briefly.
“Today, we determine what this station actually is.”

That got their attention.

I activated the console and brought up EOS Prospera’s schematics behind me. I stood up and stepped away from the table. Several sections of the station highlighted across the display.

“As we know, this was once an alien-built structure, later adapted for Federation use. Supposedly, a colony was established here prior to our arrival.”

Supposedly.

A few looks were exchanged.

“We’ve already contacted Starfleet. They’re aware we’ve arrived. I’ve requested all available station records, logs, and documentation related to the refit.”

“Drim,” I said, shifting my focus. “Once we receive that data, I want a full analysis. Cross-reference for anomalies, gaps, inconsistencies. If something happened to the original colonists, it’s in there.”

“Captain, what should I do while we wait?” he asked quickly.

I ignored that and turned to Lieutenant Darak.

“Lieutenant, you’ll lead a full review of the station’s historical data. Construction logs, system architecture, cultural markers. I want to know who built this station—and if they were ever actually here. Re-examine the science labs for any recorded experiments.”

He gave a sharp nod. “Understood.”

“Drim, you’re assisting him until Starfleet’s data comes in.”

He didn’t look thrilled, but he nodded.

“Chief Ren, continue analyzing transporter logs. Someone used them. If your results match yesterday’s findings, assist Commander Pelia.”

“Yes, Captain.”

Commander Pelia smirked.
“What’s the rush? It’s been here this long without exploding.”

I didn’t miss a beat.
“Let’s not wait to find out if it can.”

That got a quiet reaction.

“Commander Pelia, full systems diagnostics. I don’t care if everything appears functional. I want to know why everything is working—but not behaving as expected.”

She smirked. “So… everything.”

“Then you’ll be busy.”

That earned a small chuckle.

I noticed Ensign Jaxa had been watching Chief Ren for some time now. She wasn’t being subtle about it, either. I raised my voice slightly.

“Ensign Jaxa.”

She jerked slightly, her attention snapping back to the table as her PADD slipped from her hands, clanging loudly against the surface.

“I want you to pull everything you can on that navigation grid. Original configurations, modifications—anything that tells us who set those routes and why.”

She nodded quickly.

Kurn placed his hands firmly on the table, his presence unmistakable.

“Kurn, maintain active security patrols.”

“There have been no signs of hostile activity.”

“Then find out why the station’s security logs are incomplete. Sweep this station deck by deck—daily. No blind spots.”

“If this station has taken a colony once,” he said, “it can do so again.”

“Then make sure it doesn’t.”

“I will see it done.”

I turned to Aura and caught her staring at my barely touched smoothie, her attention lingering just long enough to make her intent clear.

“Aura, cross-reference inventory usage with station logs. I want to know when those supplies stopped being used—and why.”

“Captain—”

I cut her off before she could continue. I already knew where she was going with it—and this wasn’t the time.

“Doctor, begin interviewing your identified medical candidates. Establish a baseline. I also want daily neurological and physiological scans of the colonists. If this station is affecting them in any way, you’ll find it.”

He scoffed lightly, shifting his posture as if already irritated with the situation.

“I appear to be the only one who wasn’t present for the more… unusual developments.”

Commander Pelia let out a short laugh, leaning back in her chair as she looked over at him.

“Not everyone was lucky enough to find nothing but a single piece of alien technology in their assigned section.”

“I suppose not. What exactly—”

I cut him off as well. I’d already done it once—I wasn’t stopping now.

“Until we receive more data from Starfleet and complete diagnostics, I cannot provide a full explanation.”

He didn’t push further.

I stepped forward, resting my hands on the table for a moment, grounding myself.

Then I straightened and turned slightly toward Commander T’Varen.

“Commander, coordinate all findings and monitor communications. The moment Starfleet reestablishes contact, I want to know.”

“Yes, Captain.”

I looked across the room one more time.

“We’re not making assumptions about this station. Not its purpose. Not its history. And not what happened here before we arrived.”

I paused.

“We’re working with what we know. This station is fully operational—and configured for large-scale population.”

“Whatever lived here didn’t just disappear,” I said, my tone tightening slightly. “Not without leaving something behind.”

Silence followed.

Heavy. Intentional.

“Report back as you find anything,” I said.
“Dismissed.”