Bearded Crepis: Standing By

Posted on Sat Jul 11th, 2026 @ 8:20am by Commander Grace Vetur & Lieutenant Percival Bálor Ph.D

1,578 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Preservation Instinct
Location: Federation Outpost & USS Ontario | Captain's Ready Room

Federation outposts, especially remote ones were eerily quiet at times, in the way only the frontier could be. They served their purpose: efficient, functional, and perpetually occupied by people passing through rather than staying indefinitely. Outside the broad viewport of the communications center, civilian freighters and Federation auxiliary craft drifted between docking pylons.

Lieutenant Percival Bálor stood before a secured subspace terminal, his field jacket still carrying the faint scent of smoke from the Utzon. The transport's surviving crew had been turned over to station authorities, the wounded were receiving treatment, and salvage teams were already preparing to stabilize the battered vessel.

Only now did Percy have the luxury of thinking about his own journey. The shuttle he had taken was not in a decent enough shape to continue on his voyage back to the Ontario. He could wait around for repairs, but there was no guarantee the folks aboard the outpost were going to have it in workable conditions any time soon.

From his jacket, he pulled out his authorization chip and inserted it into the console.

"Computer, establish a priority Starfleet subspace communication with the Federation starship USS Ontario. Attention: Captain Grace Vetur."

The computer acknowledged with a pleasant chime albeit a sound that seemed dated. This outpost was definitely dated. That much he could tell from the moment he arrived aboard.

"Routing transmission through available relay network. Estimated connection... complete" the voice of the computer reported.

Percy unconsciously straightened his uniform, smoothing it out, and pulling his sleeves down. There was way too much to explain. His adventures, the detours, everything. Most of it could wait until he was actually back aboard the Ontario.

The screen remained dark, but only for only a heartbeat or few. "Come on...be out there. Pick-up," he muttered to himself.

Then, light-years away aboard the USS Ontario, Captain Grace Vetur's Ready Room console would notify her of an incoming priority transmission from Lieutenant Percival Bálor, her Chief Science Office on leave from the Ontario. Transmission source...Outpost Sierra 6 near what used to be the Romulan Neutral Zone.

Grace was taking a much-needed break in her ready room. They were still orbiting the planet and would continue to do so until they figured out what was going on. Why had Amanda been kidnapped? And why were some of her crew getting sick? Then her computer chimed an incoming message from near the Romulan Neutral Zone.

She was at first surprised. Then she saw the name. Percy Bálor. She quickly opened the comm channel. "Percy?"

His immediate response was to answer simply, casually, and call her Grace. It had been a little while since he was aboard the Ontario, his leave left rather ambiguous. He composed himself, and slid back into the mindset of the Starfleet Officer he was.

"Captain," he said acknowledging her. "I've been trying to get back to the Ontario, keeping up with your last reported coordinates, but I ran into some snafus. I am looking at being stuck at this Outpost until my shuttle can be repaired or until I can find a transport heading your way unless you and the Ontario would happen to be able to come pick me up?"

He was not in the loop on what Ontario had been up to nor what their current situation was. He could see something in Grace's gaze that took him aback for a moment. "What's wrong?"

"We are dealing with a...situation. We were sent to find out why a colony and research facility went silent. Everyone is dead and the fauna is odd. We aren't sure what is going on yet," she said honestly. "This is one of those times you would have been quite helpful. But enough of that. Once we resolve the problems here, we can pick you up. But we'll need to know exactly where you are...and what trouble you're in."

"I do have my uses, don't I?" replied Percy with a small chuckle. He looked at Grace with sympathy. "Whatever Ontario is facing, you have the best crew to handle it. If I can be of assistance, let me know? I am at Federation Outpost Sierra 6, and don't worry about what trouble I'm in. I just had small kerfuffle with some Orions... a few times."

"Orions? Why are you having kerfuffles with Orions?"

"Conflict of interest," replied Percy. "I ran into them on Folnar III, I was searching for a very valuable plant. They did not take it kindly to me finding it. I may have stumbled upon something, but I do not know for sure. Orions and I have history, Captain. Back when I was studying at Dartmouth, I was abducted by Orions."

This was something she hadn't heard. "Why?"

Percy scoffed. "I did not do anything. It is just what you get when your family owns and operates one of the largest mining companies, add to that being a descent of a rather important Tellarite. It's all generational stuff. They abducted me back when to hold me for ransom, leverage. The Federation may not have much need for financial matters, but currency and business occur outside our borders" he stated. He did not need to educate Grace. She knew.

"As I recall I am not the only one that has had a dust up with pirates and mercenaries, ma'am. Bandits of Black Rain" Percy quipped. "Sometimes, we don't do anything to merit these sort to come after us. With these Orions, I think I was just at the wrong place at the wrong time, searching for the same valuable thing that they wanted."

Yes, she understood that. All too well. "For my part, I did walk into it. And I deliberately violated their contract by copying and sharing it. Then another pirate paid the bounty for a favor." She still couldn't quite wrap her head around that one. "I don't think we can use that same tactic with you, though. So, you need a rescue by a starship. What do we need to be aware of when we come to get you?"

Percy shook his head. "Captain, don't worry. I think I am far enough from the Orions that they won't cause me much trouble especially on a Federation station. The outpost is safe enough. Just focus on what you have going on there. How can I help?"

"Work with Ensign Chabbra. He is analyzing the plant, air, and soil samples from the planet to help identify what may be making people ill. Apart from that, stay alive."

Percy smiled. "I always do, Ma'am. I prefer not to be pushing up daisies any time soon" stated Percy. "I'll work with them, but the same goes for you. Stay alive."

"That is my intention." She raised an eyebrow as she looked at Percy "But I don't have a fiancé waiting for me and I'm not being chased by Orions."

"No, but you do have a Chief Science Officer to walk down the aisle as promised" stated Percy, kindly reminding Grace of the responsibilities ahead when he finally did get a wedding planned. "Orions," scoffed Percy. "They are always trying to rain on my parade. Yes, my betrothed is waiting for me. Keep him safe, Captain."

"He's doing a good job of that on his own," she replied. "It's you I'm worried about." Then again, Percy had a history of doing things that ranged from problematic to dangerous.

"Hey," Percy shrugged. "I have been behaving myself for a while now. Don't worry so much. You'll get ulcers."

"Since I haven't seen you behaving, I'll have to take your word for it. But being chased by Orions is another matter entirely. So, the statement stands."

"You have not seen me misbehaving either," countered Percy. "I miss you. I miss the crew, and I miss that old starship I call home" lamented Percy. "Just come pick me up when you can. I'll be here twiddling my thumbs and pining for my plants."

"You'll be our next stop. I promise. After that, we'll stop somewhere for shore leave. I owe the doctor a dinner."

"I leave for a short while, Grace, and you've moved on from Captain underpants to Doctor grumpypants?" Percy shuddered at the thought. "You're dating that megalomaniac?!"

That almost made her smile. Almost. She raised a hand. "No. Not at all. A dinner for a favor. Nothing more." Or close enough. The details weren't important. "Besides, the doctor is not interested in anything but being left alone--unless a patient needs him."

"And I for one and happy to leave that old crabby physician alone," stated Percy. "I will be here waiting for my chariot, Captain."

"Good. Again, be careful. If all goes well, we'll leave here in the next couple of days." If nothing else went wrong, that is. But she hoped for the best. "Are you going to contact Yiv?"

Percy chuckled a little. "I thought it best that I contact you first, but yes, he is next on my list."

"Good. Then I will bid you farewell for now." She'd already asked him to be careful--for what it was worth. But she worried that he could still manage to get himself into more trouble.

"Hailing frequencies closed, Captain," teased Percy before ending his channel to Grace. He would check in with Yiv.

A Post By

Lieutenant Percival Bálor
Chief Science Officer
USS Ontario

Commander Grace Vetur
Commanding Officer
USS Ontario

 

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