A Grim Homecoming

Posted on Sun Oct 24th, 2021 @ 7:30pm by Captain Björn Kodak & Lieutenant Sovaan

Mission: The Place of Skulls
Location: The Place of Skulls
Timeline: Mission Day 20 at 0915

[The Place of Skulls]
[Jungle Moon]
[MD30: 0915 Hours]

Three clouds of sparkling sprites deposited Captain Kodak and his security detail on the surface. As the golden haze of luminance faded from his eyes, the Chameloid could clearly see the structure he'd seen in the holographic projection from Ankerus. Set back into a forest-shrouded hill, a cave with a skull-like facade stared out at the Away Team with dark, lidless eyes. Leading into the mouth of the skull aperture -- haphazard teeth forming an opening -- was a pathway lined in the long decayed craniums of all manner of creatures, from humanoid and animal to something resembling a state in-between. The place was foreboding in a way that would deter visitors -- should they ever find the cave -- from venturing in, lest their skulls be added to the rest.

This was, very clearly, The Place of Skulls that'd been referenced in the holographic message. Kodak thought he'd feel hopeful to see it in person -- to know that his people might be close at hand -- but the facade filled him with dread. "Sovaan, Blackstone," he said, turning to face the security officers, "I admit to feeling a little unsettled here. I don't like the way this place feels. It's like...like death itself," the Captain admitted, his voice a rasp. "Nothing for it but to go in but...I'd feel a lot better if we had twenty security officers instead of two."

"As the humans would say, I believe you are 'preaching to the choir,' Captain," Sovaan said, unable to take his eyes away from the structure. "This location bears an eerie resemblance to Golgotha, on Earth. Jesus Christ is believed to have died there." He took a nervous breath, keeping a hand close to his phaser. "I have a bad feeling about this."

"You and I both, Lieutenant," Kodak nodded to Sovaan. As the security guards assumed positions in front of and behind the Captain, the Chameloid bade the party forward.

As they entered the skull-shaped orifice, the temperature seemed to cool by several degrees. This was, in part, due to being out of the direct sunlight. There was also a sighing breeze that came from deeper within the tunnel before them, which led the party along a downslope eventually took them to what could only be described as a tomb. The cavernous crypt was much like the one on Ch'othil had been before the Orions destroyed it. Bodies were arrayed in various poses on a plethora of plinths, possessions laid out around them on their funerary resting places. Occasional beams of sunlight fell from various cracks above, lighting the room in a sort of bitter-sweet warmth; pretty in its own right but also achingly sad.

Looking around, Kodak shook his head. "It's just another ruin. A mass graveyard. I expected...I don't know," he remarked, sighing, "tunnels? People? But The Path seems to end here, at these graves." The Captain's voice was filled with notes of confusion and disappointment as the waves of his expectations crashed against the shores of reality. "This can't be all there is...can it?"

"Are you so easily defeated only by what you can see?" came a soft voice from behind.

Turning, the security officers instantly trained their phasers on the form of a middle-aged woman who -- like Kodak -- appeared to be human. It was only her glimmering, golden eyes that gave her away as a fellow Chameloid. The Captain motioned for Sovaan and Blackstone to lower their weapons, taking a few cautious steps towards the woman.

"I'm...I'm Captain Kodak," confidence surged to fill the Chameloid's voice. "Of the Federation Starship Sojourner. We've been following The Path you've laid out..."

"Ah," a spark of recognition flitted across the woman's face at Kodak's name. "We've been expecting one of our Lost Children to return, though we did not know who it would be. Our listening posts have conveyed your potential arrival. I am Muriel," she said, reaching a hand up to place on her breastbone, lowering her head in respectful bow. "Welcome home, Kodak. You have been away from your people for a very long time, I imagine."

"I've never known them at all," Kodak replied mournfully. "But I hope that's all about to change."

"More than you know," Muriel said, offering a wan smile in the dusky light. She gestured then to an opening in the wall that had not been there before -- a secret door she'd opened to enter the room. "All of your questions will be answered in time. But first, you must come with me. I will allow your guards to join us, but they must stay back a respectful distance. I promise, you will come to no harm."

Kodak eyed Muriel and the door before turning to Sovaan and Blackstone. "It's alright. I think we can trust her. Stay far enough back to give us some privacy, please." In the back of his head, he could feel Emni's potential disapproval at this plan but, as far as he was concerned, it was do as the Chameloid said...or possibly be turned away. He wasn't going to let the latter happen.

As the security officers acknowledged the order and fell back, Kodak turned to Muriel again and said, "Very well. Lead the way then." He had so many questions. He wanted to ask them all in that very moment. But as the woman led them into another tunnel -- sealing the door behind them -- Kodak convinced himself to remain patient. All in due time...I hope, he thought to himself.


=/\= A joint-post by... =/\=

Captain Björn Kodak
Commanding Officer
USS Sojourner

and

Lieutenant Sovaan
Chief Security Officer
USS Sojourner

and

Muriel (NPC)