Starship mystery: Celine Harper's last week

Lieutenant Celine Harper's Personal Log, Stardate 54679.1: Strange
day today, it started off as every other day starts of on board the USS
Larpin, got up, two hours before my duty shift, tended to my basic
needs, had breakfast and then went to the Holodeck with a fellow
crewmember called Rakter Perton, a Bajorian from one of the Bajorian
colonies. There we had a game of Velocity before I had to report for
duty at the Bridge. Rakter works in Engineering, so we went our
separate ways at the turbo-life. The bridge was it's usual busy self,
crewmembers giving out reports to the Captain and First Officer, other
crewmembers working on the various consoles that made the back walls of
the Bridge, I work at Helm, so I went over to my post and the
crewmember there, an ensign called Kerin, got up and finished his duty
shift as I sat down, just like clockwork as always. I examined my
console, nothing important, a minor course change here, a little
nudging with thrusters there, completely routine. And then the ship
shopped, best description I guess, the ship was moving along sector
45676, Alpha, a routine patrol mission near the Cardassian border, just
a little something until we went to the Dasn system to take over from
the USS Victorian since it was there to recover the crew of two ships
that had been lost during the war, they had requested that we patrol
the border first, in case any disgruntled Cardassians decided to
attack, there was still the odd attack from the odd Cardassian
commander who held a grunge against the Federation for no real reason
at all, just being Cardassian I guess, they are a little xenophobic. I
was checking the course again, as usual when the ship just stopped,
just like that, all forward motion just stopped. The ship had shuddered
as if held in a tractor beam and the Captain had asked for a report,
there wasn't any. Engineering than called in and said that the core was
behaving strange, it was giving power, but the ship just didn't seem to
be receiving a lot of it, it was as if the power was being drained. The
Captain then went down to Engineering and a sensor sweep was run to try
and find a cause, there wasn't anything at all that was out of the
ordinary. I was called from my post to help with the sensors since I
have some experience in that area, so I helped out, but there was just
nothing there. I stayed on the Bridge and helped out while the rest of
the crew tried to find out what had happened to the ship until my shift
was over, I said that I didn't mind working a little longer, but I was
told that I would be called if I was needed, so I left the Bridge and
after leaving the lift, went to my quarters. And now here I am, telling
you, strange day.

Personal Log, Stardate54679.2: After writing into my Log last night, I
had gone and mingled with the rest of the crew in the Recreation Lounge
on deck 3, my quarters are on deck 5. We had all talked about what the
reason for the ship stopping could be and then the ship shook , as if
it was being fired on and then Red Alert came on and everyone went to
their posts, but it was a waste of time, there was nothing there, not
even a neutrino spike from a cloaked vessel, just the normal background
radiation of space and the standard Comm traffic that you get all the
time. The senior crew had a meeting, I'm not a member of the senior
crew, so I wasn't in the meeting. After the meeting, the Captain said
that if the problem wasn't found by tomorrow, he was going to call for
help from a nearby Fleet vessel, the Victorian was and is the closet
ship, but he doesn't went to call them away from the system, so after a
scan for a nearby vessel, the USS Fairway was located and a sensor lock
was kept on it, tomorrow, they would be called, for now, the ship would
be made operational again. After the Red Alert was called off, and
Yellow Alert went on instead, I left my post and joined a few crewmates
for a drink down at the Recreation Lounge. Afterwards, I went to
bed.

I woke up at 0600 hours, sweating heavily, I'm not sure what I had,
maybe it was a nightmare, but it was unpleasant. I dreamed I was on
deck 7, alone for some odd reason and I could hear the yells of other
crewmembers, as if they were after me. I seemed to run and hide
somewhere in deck 14, and just as I thought I was safe, they found me,
looks of hatred on their faces, and then I was dragged out of my hiding
place and a Phaser rifle put to my head and then I was shot, as I died
in the dream, I saw...something, no idea what it was, it was just
something. It was then that I woke up and got up. The rest of the day
was spent running diagnostics of the systems to se if the cause could
be found there, but there was nothing. At about 1900 hours, a call for
help was sent out, ten minutes before my shift was to end. It will be
at least six days before they get here, six whole days stuck in space,
and not one idea how this happened. I think I'll be spending tonight
trying to figure out what could have caused it, maybe I missed
something.

Personal Log: Day Three: Didn't feel like making a Stardate to the Log
today, my mind is too busy trying to remember the information that was
on my console, but all I can remember was the sensors that were saying
that there was normal space, a few small pockets of dust and the normal
background radiation, nothing special at all. During my duty shift,
there was a report that a few crewmembers seem to have disappeared, the
life pods are still on the ship, all accounted for, and all the
shuttles are still onboard. The Captain has called for the crewmembers
to be found, he did try and contact them by the standard means of Comm
Badge and ship communications, but there was no answer. A security team
is right at this moment looking for them, so far no luck. Hope they're
okay.

After my shift ended, I went down to Deck 3 and joined a few crewmates
for a talk and a meal, we talked about the missing crewmen, one of them
was from Engineering. I hoped it wasn't Rakter, thankfully Rakter then
picked that time to enter the lounge and join us. I asked Rakter what
he thought could have happened, he's the second in command of
Engineering, so the Chief Engineer would be able to give him any
information is required. So far there was nothing, even the Chief was
bewildered as to what happened, Rakter is also curious about the
missing crewmen and knows the one from Engineering, a Betazed called
Keartn Zwasit. He was supposed to check out a stray reading in Jeffries
Tube Delta 67L. He was supposed to report any problems and as he was
going to say something, his Comm connection went dead, murder has been
considered as the cause of his sudden cut in communications, but that
can't be right, why would a crewmember here want to kill him? It
doesn't make sense. I don't even think that a Starfleet crewmember
would kill another unless they had too, and even then any officer would
try and find a better way out of doing it. Well we then changed topic
and talked about the War, hobbies, and pretty much anything at all, but
I can tell that everyone is wondering about the missing
crewmembers.

Personal Log, day four: I had that dream again, only this time it's
worse. I saw the bodies of the Captain and First Officer in the dream,
and I saw my own next to them. Then I saw that something again, I wish
I knew what it was. I've made an appointment with the ship's
counsellor, maybe I can get some insight on these dreams. As I headed
for my duty shift after tending to my everyday basics, I noticed a few
crewmen seemed to be a little jumpy, as if they were seeing things out
of the corner of their eyes, wonder why? I'm fine after I wake up, but
then I'm just a workaholic when it's my shift, I don't let a lot bother
me. On the Bridge, the mood seem subdued, like all the life was sucked
out of everyone and the Bridge was just sleepwalking, or sleep working
as the case could be, even the Captain looked a little drawn, is he
having the same dreams as well? Well I got myself stuck into my work
for a while and didn't notice that there was someone standing over me.
I looked up and the Captain was looking down at me.
"Lieutenant." He said, I know the Captain well, he's a family friend
and it was his words that helped me get past my first year at Starfleet
Academy, in private I would call him by his proper name, Andrew, in
pubic and at duty, I called him Captain or Sir, as I'm supposed
to.
"Yes Sir?" I asked, my attention spilt between my console and the
Captain. He bent down and whispered something into my ear.
"Celine, we need to talk, I think you know what it's about. Come to my
quarters after your shift has ended, I need you to send a separate Comm
to the Fairway about something that seems to be happening on the ship,
meet me there." I gave a slight nod, he has been noticing, wouldn't be
a good captain otherwise.
"Okay Andrew, I'll be there." I whispered back and he gave a small nod
that only I could see and returned to his chair. I return to my work,
thinking thoughts about what is really going on, is he also getting the
dreams like me?

After my shift was over, I went to Andrew's quarters and he was there,
looking over the reports about more missing crewmen. I didn't need to
use the door chime, he knew me well enough, he used to change my
nappies when I was a baby.
"Come on in Celine, this is not good, more missing crewmen, Engineering
reporting that they think it was sabotage that has caused the ship to
stop, and Security believes that there is a murderer on board, maybe
one of the crew. If only the Fairway could get here sooner, or by the
time they get here, there'll be no one left. Oh sorry, please, make
yourself at home." I hugged him, he's like a big brother to me, always
has been, and I sit down next to him on his Starfleet issue sofa.
"So have you been getting the same dreams? I can see it in your eyes
that something other than what's going on with the ship and crew is
bothering you." He set down the PADD he had been reading and then
rubbed his eyes.
"You've always been observant, that's one of the things you're dad
loves about you. You guessed right, I have been having odd dreams, last
night I saw you die in a dream and it unsettled me. I think the entire
crew is affected, but dreams aren't supposed to do that to people, let
alone Starfleet officers. Celine, we have to send a Comm to the Fairway
and let them know that something could be wrong with the crew. I have
the Comm here, it's on a signal that won't be picked up by the Bridge,
so it's safe. Here, you send it, add your own words to it if you need
too. Dismissed." I took the PADD and after another hug, left his
quarters and ended for my own, I'll add and send the Comm in an hour, I
just hope the Fairway can get here sooner, I really hope so.

Personal Log, day five: I sent the Comm before I went to sleep, I was
really tired and I still am, even after a hard day. It was on the
Bridge that things became a little heated between the Captain and two
of the Bridge crew. They seemed to be whispering about something, but
they weren't doing a good job about the whispering and the rest of the
Bridge crew had heard them, me included. They were saying things like
the Captain was losing it, and the disappearances were his fault,
Andrew took it all in his stride, but when the two crewmen then said
that he was the cause of the dreams, he had gotten up and talked to
them loud.
"If you feel that way, then leave the Bridge right now, I am not the
cause of the ship being dead in space, nor am I the cause of the
disappearing crewmen and the dreams, I am the Captain and it's my duty
to protect each and every one of you, if you don't like that, then get
off my ship." That made them jump and they just muttered their
apologies and went back to work. Andrew looks tired, even worse than I
must look, I had a really nasty dream last night as well. I almost
snapped at a young ensign who had made a silly noise under his breath
at one point, maybe I should ask to be relived of duty for now, I know
that Andrew would understand, he looks like he needs a break as well.
Before I even needed to ask though, he came over to me and put a hand
on my shoulder.
"Lieutenant, you need a rest, since we're not moving anyway, you can
have an break." I can hear a tone in his voice that is also saying,
'wait for me, I'll join you in a moment.' I nodded and quickly entered
my commands into the console so that the next crewmember could take
over.
"Thank you Sir." I said and I got up and left the Bridge, Andrew joined
me in my quarters ten minutes later, and he saw me crying from lack of
sleep and fear. He sat down next to me on my sofa and hugged me as he
always does.
"Shh, Celine, shh. It will be okay, I'm still on duty, but for at least
half an hour, I can talk to you, are the dreams affecting you badly?" I
nodded my head and cried into his uniform, my hot tears soaking it.
"Okay, okay. The counsellor might not be able to help any of us, I've
noticed that even she's affected, so cry all you want, you seem to need
a good cry anyway." I stayed like this for the whole time he was with
me, his soft words calming me enough to make me tired.
"I have to report back to the Bridge now, why don't you have a nap
right now, it might help you a little. I'll see you tonight in Holodeck
2, we'll have a battle against some Klingons is you want, you've always
liked a battle to unwind with." I accept his idea and he leaves, now I
may as well nap, maybe I'll feel better afterwards.

I joined him at the Holodeck on deck 6 after his shift was over and we
fought about two hundred Klingons and then talked about home, my
family, dad, everything. For that time, it was like I was home again,
talking to my big brother Andrew about my life, my hopes and dreams,
just like when I was younger and he would drop by when he was on leave
and we would be like brother and sister for a short time, Andrew was
the one who had made me want to join Starfleet, so that I could learn
more, he was even my sponsor when I signed up for the Academy. He's
always been there for me, and my parents are grateful to him for
everything he's done for me. So am I, I owe him so much. After the
talk, we went to our quarters, we hugged like a brother and sister and
he told me that I didn't have to report in for duty tomorrow if I
wanted, I could always help out in Engineering with the new sensor
modifications if I wanted or just have a day off and relax, I told him
that it was nice of him to allow me that, but if I didn't repost in,
then it would be regarded as favouritism, and that wouldn't help the
crew in anyway. He understood and we went to our quarters for sleep, I
hope nothing happens to him, I would hate to lose my big brother.

Personal Log, day six: We've lost 3/4 of the crew overnight, and Andrew
is worried. Whoever the murderer is had got to be more than one person,
he thinks it could be a group. Rakter is one of the newly dead or
vanished, I'm scared, very scared. The Fairway will be here in two
days, but I don't think I'm going to live long enough to see the
Fairway arrive. I reported for duty as normal, but there was no point,
nothing happened on the Bridge at all, it was as quiet as a tomb the
whole shift. After my shift, I went to my quarters and slept,
something's happening and in two days, this ship will be a tomb.

Personal Log, day seven: One week now, one whole week stuck in one
place in space. The strain is showing on Andrew, he almost snapped at
the First Officer earlier when he had said something about more missing
crewmen, I've hardly heard Andrew yell all that much, but when he does
yell he can make even a Klingon snap to attention. Tomorrow the Fairway
arrives, but will they get here in time? We have 40 crewmen left, and
it's not enough, we have to work double shift's today, I'm tired, but
then so is everyone else. What doing this to us?

Personal Log, day eight: If you are reading this Log, then I deplore
you, destroy this ship, please! The missing crewmen came back today,
but something was wrong, they attacked us on the Bridge and all
throughout the ship, Andrew is dead, when the attackers came to the
Bridge and aimed a Phaser at me, he jumped in the way of the beam, it
was set to kill, he died protecting me. I had jumped up from my chair
and kicked out at the man who had fired on my brother and then I ran
for the Bridge escape hatch and managed to evade capture and death, I
heard Phaser fire and I knew that the rest of the Bridge was and is
dead. I'm the last sane crewmember alive, I escaped to my quarters and
I have made a barricade. I don't think it will hold them, if you're
reading this, please, destroy the ship, destroy everything about this
ship, it's cursed, and I don't want the curse to affect anyone else,
please! I can hear them, they're outside the door, I have to go now,
I'll fight them off the best I can, but I fear that this is it, I'll
die a Starfleet officer and I'll make my family extra proud of me, and
you too Andrew, this is for you. Goodbye. *Bleep, Log entry
saved.*

Two hours later, USS Fairway, Captain Perion Kaeois reporting: We
arrived to find the USS Laroin adrift and sent a Security detail over
after we got to replies to our hails. The ship was the scene of a
massacre. Every crewmember on board is dead, the Captain and First
Officer included. The journal of an officer called Celine Harper was
found and I have just finished reading it, it's quite disturbing. We
are doing as she asks, we had contacted Starfleet Headquarters first of
course and we were given permission after I had sent a copy of the Log,
I hate this, but it has to be done.

"We commit the bodies of our colleges to space, may they find their
peace in whatever they believe in. May they explore the final
frontier."

The Fairway took a firing position behind the Larpin and fired a
torpedo into the main Engineering hull, slicing through the hull metal
like a hot knife through butter and tore into the core which had
somehow been activated again. The crew of Fairway watched as Larpin
shuddered and then began to collapse in on itself, and then explode
into millions of small pieces, the Fairway was too far away because it
was a core explosion, but they saw everything. After the rest of Larpin
became nothing but space dust, they headed for the Desn system to aid
the USS Victorian.

The cause? It was never found out until 2380, after the USS Trojan was
destroyed protecting a replica of itself in the past, the person
responsible for the Larpin stopping dead in space was found. But the
cause of the crew's madness was never found, it's still a mystery to
this day.

End.