Day Two and Things Are Worse
Posted on Sun Oct 19, 2025 @ 6:42am by Commodore T'mpest Michaels
1,108 words; about a 6 minute read
Mission:
Chicken Run
Location: T'mpest's Office & Command Center
Timeline: MD02
Because of the various security protocols, it took a couple of weeks to get T'mpest's AI assistant updated to work with the station. Sammi had been with her for a long time, but only on starships—until now.
T'mpest sat at her desk and ran a final check of the protocols and authorizations, then activated the program and turned to the pink pig plushie on her desk. "Sammi, activate all systems."
The pig shook itself, then turned to face the computer on her desk and sat down. "Processing." The screen flashed through a series of displays as the AI accessed the station's systems. "Processing complete. All systems online."
"Good. How many of the Minnow's animals have been retrieved?" T'mpest already read the report from the past 24 hours, but she wanted to do one more check that Sammi was working properly.
"859 retrieved. 27 confirmed dead. 114 still missing," the pig reported.
"Good." That matched the numbers she'd been given that morning. "Activate Sammi's Song 01962 Gamma."
"Activated." The plushie wiggled happily, then stood on all fours and turned in a circle. "I will require time to acquaint myself with the station."
"Take the time you need. But report anything urgent."
The pig nodded. "Acknowledged." Then it sat down on its haunches and focused on the computer screen.
That done, T'mpest pulled out a PADD and began to read the day's messages before her first meeting.
An hour later, the lights flickered, then went out. "Sammi?"
"Computer is offline."
T'mpest set the PADD on the desk and headed for the door, but before she got there, the lights came back on.
She stopped and turned back to the pig. "Sammi, what happened?"
"Uncertain. There was a transmission from the USS Gemini on Dyson Shipyards at the same time the SS Minnow activated its transporters, and then all the station's transporters began to materialize copies of the recently-retrieved animals."
"Copies of the animals?" This wasn't good. The probability of such a thing happening was so small it was almost impossible. Almost. "How many animals and where?"
"2,500…3,225, 3,672..."
T'mpest tapped her combadge. "Michaels to operations. Shut down every transporter on the station immediately."
"Ma'am?"
"Shut down every transporter on the station," she repeated. "They are replicating animals from the Minnow."
There was a loud exclamation, then, "Yes, ma'am. Right away, ma'am." The voice on the other end went silent and the channel closed.
A moment later, two cats and a pygmy goat materialized in her office. All three seemed to glitter in the light.
T'mpest looked at the animals for a moment, then pulled out her tricorder to scan them while she asked, "Sammi, what is on their fur?"
"It is a crystalline substance that resembles glitter. But it has an unidentifiable hallucinogenic property."
That was all they needed after a day of gathering wayward animals. "Computer, transport the two cats and goat to cargo bay 42." She wasn't sure if they'd been shut down or not, but it was worth a try.
There was a shimmer of a transporter signal, but didn't dematerialize. Instead of the three animals disappearing, there were now two additional ducks and an alpaca.
She'd hoped to get them out of her office before operations could shut down the transporters, but she hadn't expected that. "Computer, cancel transport."
"Unable to comply. Transporters are offline."
Now they were offline. T'mpest sighed. At least there shouldn't be more animals showing up unannounced. She tapped her combadge. "Michaels to security. A transporter malfunction caused 3,672 animals to materialize across the station."
"5,000," Sammi corrected.
"5,000," T'mpest repeated. "Transporters are now offline. Be aware that the animals seem to have a hallucinogenic glitter on their fur. Please send out teams to round them up and warn people not to get too close to them until we determine the nature of the hallucinogen."
"Yes, ma'am. Security out."
At that moment, another duck materialized on her desk and pecked at Sammi.
Was there something wrong with the comms now? She'd report that to operations, but first, there was one thing she had to do. She opened a station-wide comm channel. "This is Commodore Michaels. Due to a transporter malfunction, additional animals are now roaming across the station. These animals are coated in a glittery substance that is harmful to humanoids. Everyone is to go to their quarters or to emergency stations until the animals have been rounded up. I repeat, all non-essential personnel and civilians are to go to their quarters or report to the nearest emergency shelter. Michaels out."
As she spoke, her replicator activated, materializing a glittery, purple substance in the shape of a Terran Peep. "Sammi, why is there a Peep in my replicator?"
"Unknown. However, it does seem to be coated with the same glittery substance as the animals."
"Great." Now there was a problem with either communications, replicators, or both. "Sammi, see if you can analyze the substance, but don't make contact with it." She looked at the animals now wandering around her office. "Or the animals."
At that, the pig pushed the duck off the desk. "Confirmed. Communications, replicators, and transporters all seem to be infected by the same substance. Recommend taking them offline for diagnostic and repair."
"That is what I intend to do." But this time, she wouldn't use her combadge.
As soon as she walked out the door, she called to the security officer. "I have seven animals in my office. Without using your combadge, I need you to arrange to have them taken to an empty cargo bay. And try to avoid the glitter."
T'mpest raised her voice so everyone in the command center could hear her. "Transporters are offline. Communications, replicators, and transporters have been affected by some sort of hallucinogenic crystalline substance and are not to be used. We need to use runners with air carts to take messages to department heads. I want text messages sent to every computer informing station personnel that we are aware of the problem and they are to stay in the quarters or go to the nearest emergency shelter until further notice. As soon as I return from operations, we will discuss what to do next."
She wanted to report what she knew to ops in person as they would have to find some way to restore the station to working order. She also wanted to let Lasuma know what was going on as he was the President of the Merchant's Association.
This was going to be a very long day.
She stopped at the door. "And alert security and the promenade merchants of the problem. We may also need to break out the emergency rations."
Commodore T'mpest Michaels
Commander
Deep Space 5
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