10-02-2026, 12:15 AM
== Ensign Lars Olsen - Temp Security NRC ==
"Well, so much for 'unremarkable,'" Ensign Olsen muttered, stepping out from the second tent with his tricorder raised. He gingerly held a small, unfamiliar metallic device between two gloved fingers, its casing distinctly non-Federation in design. "Found this tucked under an upturned cot in tent two. Looks like whoever tossed the place either dropped it in a hurry or didn't care that they left it behind."
Loma knelt near the edge of the camp clearing, ignoring the damp soil pressing through his uniform trousers. His focus was pinned on the churned earth near the perimeter line. Deep boot heel gouges, scattered equipment straps, and broken branches painted a vastly different picture than the pristine center of the camp.
Not a peaceful departure, Loma thought, his jaw tightening as he traced the faint indentations with his eye. They put up a fight, but whoever came for them overwhelmed them fast.
"Look here, Lars," Loma said, pointing toward the heavy brush with his left hand while keeping his phaser firmly held in his right. "The ground's torn up. We've got a struggle, and a distinct foot trail heading northeast into the ruins." He leaned closer, frowning as the humid breeze rustled the foliage overhead. "Problem is, this damp soil is already settling. The moisture and wind are eroding the tracks fast. If we wait for a full forensic sweep team, there won't be a trail left to follow."
Loma stood up in a single, fluid motion, maintaining his low-ready stance with his sidearm. He signaled Olsen back toward the tents.
"Ensign, run an immediate localized diagnostic on that recovered device—see if you can identify the origin material or any passive energy signatures before it degrades," Loma instructed, his tone brisk and methodical. "I'm going to mark the start of this trail and maintain visual contact with the first few yards of impressions before we lose them completely."
He turned back toward the dark treeline leading into the ruins, keeping his eyes locked on the subtle breaks in the brush.
== GM Input / Questions for GM ==
Does Olsen's initial tricorder scan on the non-Federation device reveal its purpose (e.g., explosive, data storage, tracker, or alien tech origin)?
As Loma tracks the eroding trail toward the ruins, do his physical checks or tricorder scans pick up any discarded gear, bloodstains, or specific footprints belonging to the archaeologists or their captors?
"Well, so much for 'unremarkable,'" Ensign Olsen muttered, stepping out from the second tent with his tricorder raised. He gingerly held a small, unfamiliar metallic device between two gloved fingers, its casing distinctly non-Federation in design. "Found this tucked under an upturned cot in tent two. Looks like whoever tossed the place either dropped it in a hurry or didn't care that they left it behind."
Loma knelt near the edge of the camp clearing, ignoring the damp soil pressing through his uniform trousers. His focus was pinned on the churned earth near the perimeter line. Deep boot heel gouges, scattered equipment straps, and broken branches painted a vastly different picture than the pristine center of the camp.
Not a peaceful departure, Loma thought, his jaw tightening as he traced the faint indentations with his eye. They put up a fight, but whoever came for them overwhelmed them fast.
"Look here, Lars," Loma said, pointing toward the heavy brush with his left hand while keeping his phaser firmly held in his right. "The ground's torn up. We've got a struggle, and a distinct foot trail heading northeast into the ruins." He leaned closer, frowning as the humid breeze rustled the foliage overhead. "Problem is, this damp soil is already settling. The moisture and wind are eroding the tracks fast. If we wait for a full forensic sweep team, there won't be a trail left to follow."
Loma stood up in a single, fluid motion, maintaining his low-ready stance with his sidearm. He signaled Olsen back toward the tents.
"Ensign, run an immediate localized diagnostic on that recovered device—see if you can identify the origin material or any passive energy signatures before it degrades," Loma instructed, his tone brisk and methodical. "I'm going to mark the start of this trail and maintain visual contact with the first few yards of impressions before we lose them completely."
He turned back toward the dark treeline leading into the ruins, keeping his eyes locked on the subtle breaks in the brush.
== GM Input / Questions for GM ==
Does Olsen's initial tricorder scan on the non-Federation device reveal its purpose (e.g., explosive, data storage, tracker, or alien tech origin)?
As Loma tracks the eroding trail toward the ruins, do his physical checks or tricorder scans pick up any discarded gear, bloodstains, or specific footprints belonging to the archaeologists or their captors?