On the Hunt - Part I
Posted on Tue Oct 14, 2025 @ 5:00am by Commodore T'mpest Michaels & Lieutenant JG Brianthe Oaxaca & Civilian Paula Pendergast & Commander Cara Letsul & Commander Tayanita 'Tay' Lio'ven & Lieutenant Commander Jason Haines & Lieutenant T'Lul & Lieutenant JG Ace Cannon & Ensign Matilda Cromwell
Edited on on Tue Oct 14, 2025 @ 5:29am
1,226 words; about a 6 minute read
Mission:
Chicken Run
Location: Deep Space 5
Timeline: MD01
"Attention." The announcement came in both voice and text to everyone residing on Deep Space 5. "A ship transporting farm animals to a new colony experienced a system-wide failure, resulting in the animals escaping onto the station. If you find any of them wandering around, please notify station security. Again, the animals belong to Orwell Colony and are to be returned. Thank you."
Tayanita was midway through reviewing morning charts when the station-wide announcement chimed in. Her stylus paused over the PADD, brows lifting as the words scrolled across the screen.
“Farm animals,” she murmured, then read the roster twice just to be sure: ducks, chickens, geese, turkeys, rabbits, goats—pygmy goats, no less—sheep, dogs, and cats. Her mouth curved in a bemused half-smile. “Of course.”
She set the PADD aside and looked across the ward. A few staff were already exchanging grins.
“All right,” Tay said, voice carrying with calm authority, though the humour was there. “If anyone comes in scratched by cats, nipped by dogs, pecked by geese, or bowled over by a sheep, document it properly. Tetanus boosters are in cabinet three, and antihistamines in case someone discovers they’re allergic to rabbits after all this time.”
That earned a ripple of laughter, and Tay leaned back against the console, arms loosely folded. “And if one of you decides to chase a goat—pygmy or otherwise—down a corridor and it ends poorly, I promise I’ll treat the bruises first and scold you after.”
Her eyes glinted with amusement as she added, “But please, for the love of balance, no one try to bring a turkey in here for observation. The biobeds are not rated for poultry.”
The smirk at the corner of her mouth suggested she half-expected someone would try anyway.
Brianthe was alerted before the rest of the station to give her time to lock down all four decks. Ten if you go by the deck listing. It was a lot of space to protect from any of animals looking for a new home--or people thinking they belonged in nature. She loved animals, and if they were on the planet, she'd probably build a pen for some of them. But here, she needed to protect the flora from the fauna. "Paula, the arboretum is going on lockdown."
The quacking could be heard before Paula walked in, holding a duck. "Too late. Not sure how this one got here, but I'm going to put it in the lake until someone can come get it. Okay?"
On the one hand, Bri loved the idea. On the other...she wasn't sure she was ready to deal with ducks, plural. If there was one, the others were likely to follow. "Okay. I'll contact security."
Sure enough, she heard more quacking before she got to her office. She directed two gardeners to take the ducks to the lake with the other one and called security while she made sure everything got locked down properly.
Jason was on the command deck when the alert came in. He did a face-palm and then pulled up the ship's manifest and scanned it.
He sent the list to the CMO, doctor Lio'ven with the note:
"Doctor, will you please confirm if any of these creatures carry diseases or parasites the Commodore might have allergic reactions too. Thanks, LCDR. Haines."
=^= Sickbay to Commander Haines =^=
“Confirmed, I’ve reviewed the manifest. Cats and dogs are low risk beyond fleas, ticks, and dander. Rabbits can carry respiratory bacteria. Poultry—chickens, ducks, geese, turkeys—shed parasites and droppings that can trigger fungal or bacterial infections, and feathers could aggravate allergies. Goats and sheep carry the occasional skin fungus or Q-fever–type pathogen.
Nothing here poses unique danger to Vulcans, but in a Human/Vulcan hybrid, feather dander and rabbit exposure are the most likely allergy triggers. Best to keep the Commodore away from poultry and rabbits until they’re cleared.
We’ll prep protocols in Sickbay for anyone scratched, bitten, or reacting. Lio’ven out.”
Jason sighed, although any diseases the creatures carried were most likely eradicated, one never knew what new 'crud', they might have encountered nor the hygiene of the ship."
He then looked at one of his new staff.
"Phillips, stick to the Commodore ", Jason said. "We aren't going to be the guard unit known to have let their charge being whisked away by a goat or a llama."
"Aye sir", the man said.
Jason looked to the XO.
"I recommend locking that ship down and having it searched by security and intel. Colony deliveries tend to have unlisted items to 'cover costs', depending on the ship's Captain.*
"I agree, get a team together. and get to the searching. And also, I suggest that the commodore goes with? There are several investigators on the team. She has already established a connection with Captain Grumby."
"Aye ma'am", Jason replied, getting up.
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Ace was minding his time in Operations. With Bri on board, dancing was on the table. He would have to see if she finally got her act together. If she did, then perhaps Tilly, as fun as she might be, could be ditched for the diamond in the rough. However, he would not cross that friendship line yet. She had to fix herself. Broken women were a pain and always ended up being a problem.
Then the announcement came in. Oh, for God's sake! Can't I get any peace? I'm going to be expected to clean up this mess, aren't I? Tell me these animals are tagged, so I can just transport them back on to the ship? A small scan said showed that luck was far from on Ace's side.
"Cromwell, are you here?" he called hoping that his favorite redhead would be able to do something.
Over the combadge came Tillie's voice. =^=I am at the Arboretum checking on things there, Ensign Cromwell out=^=
=^= You're WHERE? =^= The shock and displeasure were all over Ace's normal playboy voice. =^= I need you here, Cromwell. I will deal with the Arboretum. =^=
=^=Not on your life buddy, I'm here and I'm not in your department, stick that in your pipe and smoke it.=^= Tillie responded rather heatedly.
Like hell you're not! You're in ops on my manifest and even if you are not, you're out of order! Ace thought to himself before he made a beeline for the Arboretum. He then thought to himself, When in the hell did I become a person that cared about rank?
T'Lul heard the call and wondered at the necessity of the station-wide announcement. Logically, the animals should not have gotten far. Ops should take care of a problem like this. However, people might be afraid of the animals, even though none were harmful. She reasoned that she might go to the scene and see if she could assist with keeping the masses calm.
(To be continued...)
Commodore T'mpest Michaels
Commander
Deep Space 5
Commander Tayanita Lio'ven
Chief Medical Officer
Deep Space 5
Lieutenant JG Brianthe Oaxaca
Botanist
Deep Space 5
Paula Pendergast
Botanist
Lieutenant Commander Jason Haines
Bodyguard
Deep Space 5
Chief Petty Officer Phillips
Security
Deep Space 5
Commander Cara Letsul
Executive Officer
Deep Space 5
Lieutenant JG Ace Cannon
Assistant Chief Operations Officer
Deep Space 5
Ensign Matilda Cromwell
Engineer
Deep Space 5
Lieutenant T'Lul
Chief Counselor
Deep Space 5
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