Frightened

Posted on Mon Oct 27th, 2025 @ 12:25pm by Captain Addison 'Rico' Leyton & Teevs Dosivi & Kerilia Dosivi & Conglomerate (Reece)

Mission: Season 6: Episode 6: Conglomerate
Location: Deck 15
Timeline: During and Immediately following the hound attacks
1804 words - 3.6 OF Standard Post Measure

Kerilia had lost track of time. It was just supposed to be a break from classes, and she wanted to go back to their quarters to get something when all hell broke loose. The ship shook multiple times, hard enough to make her use the wall for support. Her first instinct was to go to their quarters, and she got there right when a bunch of people were running towards her. She got in and locked the door, then heavy pounding, like a large beast, made her find a hiding spot.

The screams were what scared her the most.

Tear tracks lined her cheeks. A couple of times, she heard heavy footsteps and covered her mouth with her hands to stifle her trembling breath. Even if she wanted to move, fear kept her limbs uncooperative. What if they came back? Who or what even were they? So far, being curled up in a closet was safe. It had Ibeen a while since she heard footsteps, which gave her the courage to quietly cry, trying to keep her sniffles quiet.

Outside in the corridor, Addison moved slowly down the corridor with a Type 2 phaser in hand. Ripped open bodies littered the deck. She made a conscious effort to try and keep her breathing steady and not focus on the bodies. Blood had been splattered onto the bulkheads. She froze as she saw a large canine like creature with cybernetic implants sniffing the air by the door leading to someone's quarters. Was someone hiding? She wondered for a brief moment who it was when the creatures turned as looked at her, snarling.

"Shit," she cursed softly before snapping off a shot with her phaser. The beam struck the creature in the chest as it leapt at her. The creature fell to her feet dead. She carefully stepped around the creature keeping her phaser trained on it before taking a look at the quarters it had been investigating. "Teeves?" she wondered as she hit the chime. "Hello? Teeves? Kerilia? It's Addison. Anyone in there?"

Kerilia whimpered and flinched, her hands going over her mouth again when she heard the phaser fire. Her eyes were squeezed shut, hoping that whatever was out there would go away. Then, a familiar voice. Addison? She remembered meeting her when Teevs invited her over for dinner. This was a safe person. Sliding open the closet door a little, she looked around in case something had gotten into their quarters before cautiously sliding out of the closet. "Addison?" She called out, her shoulder shaking with each sharp gasp of air.

Rushing to the door, she unlocked it, and her fear momentarily waned when she saw Addison. Without thinking, she reached forward and hugged the woman. "Addison, I don't- I don't... there was-was screaming, and-and people run-running, and-and..." Her words tripped over themselves as tears began to well up again.

Addison stepped inside as she returned the hug. She liked the girl and was impressed by her curiosity of things around her as well as her intelligence. "Hey Kerilia. Are you ok? You're not hurt are you?"

Kerilia shook her head. The fear made her tremble. "I'm-I'm not hurt. What's happening? I was grabbing something for school, and-and the ship shook."

"We've been boarded by a canine looking race. I believe they're called Galatonians," shene planned. "Where's your father? "

She didn't mean... Galtonians, did she?? For a brief moment, her breath hitched in her throat. Kerilia didn't know much about them, but dad always told her that they were very dangerous. Eyes wide and with a hint of recognition, she pulled away from the hug to look up at Addison. She wasn't just scared now, she understood the stakes. "I... I don't know..." she hesitantly answered. "The Galtonians are dangerous, if-if they're on the ship..."

Addison thought about the bodies she saw--ripped apart. It was horrific. "Yes they are. " She had wanted to make her way to the shuttle bay and try to launch. But she couldn't have Kerilia follow her through the ship. The nearest secured area was several decks away. "Alright. I think it might be safest here."

Kerilia stayed close to Addison for the assurance that she was actually there. As much as she wanted Teevs with her, a logical part of her brain knew that he was probably using his knowledge to help the Elysium crew, like what he had been doing ever since they came aboard. He always called afterwards to make sure she was safe, even if it took a while. She had to cling to that hope. "It's not safe anywhere," she replied. "Dad told me that the Galtonians are terrifying hunters. It's better to escape than to try and hide from them or fight them."

Addison looked at her. She admired the girl's courage. "Right now I think we're safest here than wondering the ship.. We have a controlled, single entry way which I can seal with my phaser. I won't let anything happen to you Kerilia. I promise."

Rumbles of weapons fire could be heard through the bulkheads, as the attacks took place all over the ship. Though the viewport, a sudden explosion could be seen as the sleek Romulan warbird destroyed the first of the three smaller enemy ships.

"Come on," Addison gestured to her bedroom. "Let's go to your room. We'll close the potholes and you tell me about how school is going." She wanted to get the girl as far away from the fighting and her mind preoccupied.

Kerilia couldn't help the flinch as the light from the explosions casted shadows across the room. Despite her attempts to be courageous, as the Humans would say it was an uphill battle. She let Addison guide her to the bedroom, where ordinary circumstances would have had her apologising for the slightly messy state. The bed was unmade, blankets tossed aside in the haste of morning tardiness, and the PADDs Kerilia wanted to grab were sitting on top of her dresser.

"You have a nice room," she commented, looking around. Sure, it was a bit unkempt but so had her room when she was a teenager as she recalled the various holoposters she had on her walls of various aircrafts and spacecraft. "Kinda reminds me of mine when I was about your age."

Suddenly, the sound of battle can be heard out in the corridor on the other side of the door. Phaser fire, wild animal roars and screaming Elysium crew could be heard.

The distraction might have worked if not for the screams outside the quarters. Eyes wide, Kerilia's attention snapped to the door. Her hands covered her mouth again. She took a step back, feeling the edge of the bed bump the backs of her legs. Frightened, she looked to Addison for guidance, her breathing shallow enough that she was nearly hyperventilating.

Addison rechecked her phaser's setting as she looked at the door and held a finger to her lips making a low "shhh" sound. She placed her hand on top of Kerilia's, giving it a slight squeeze of reassurance. She listened for the door. If she heard any sounds on entry, she knew she would have to draw the creature or creatures away.

Outside, in the living area, there was a tremendous crashing and metal rending sound, as one of the beasts tore its way in. It strode heavily through the space, sniffing and listening for any prey. It could pick up a gently whiff of a scent, however, it had already sustained damage from the battle, so it couldn't track the scents to the closed room behind it. Out in the corridor, there was more weapons fire, so it snarled and made its way back through thd hole in the wall, and towards the sounds of battle.

The sounds of fighting came and went. The two stayed in Kerilia's bedroom for what felt like an eternity before their communicators started going off. It was an all-clear, followed by orders for officers to start assessing damage.

Addison breathed a sigh of relief that it was over. For now at least. She would need to get to the fighter bay soon but Kerilia was her first priority. Standing, she stepped out into the living room with Kerilla following behind.

Kerilia's heart was pounding even though the message should have been a relief. Making sure Addison was nearby, Kerilia opened the door to her bedroom to see the rest of the quarters trashed. Claw marks, shredded furniture, and a gaping hole in the door to the corridor. The only thing that was untouched was the bedroom they sought shelter in. Oh, dad was not going to like this.

Dad. He hadn't called yet. Kerilia tapped her communicator, her eyes darting around as if he'd just appear. "Kerilia to Teevs." When he didn't answer, her breath began to quicken again as a knot formed in her stomach. He had to answer. He had to. "Dad??" Her hand found Addison's, and she held on tightly, silently begging him to answer.

Addison squeezed her hand back. "He's probably busy." At least she hoped he was and wasn't hurt.

A long pause followed, then Kerilia's communicator chirped. "Kerilia, I'm here! Are you alright?? The teachers are worried, where are you?!" His voice was slightly panicked, tense from the situation.

Relief washed over Kerilia, and she put a hand to her chest as if it would keep her heart from escaping. As much as she tried to keep it together, the extended silence broke her composure and she began to cry. "Dad, I'm-I'm in our quarters... they destroyed-they destroyed so much... Addison found me... b-but they were everywhere!"

What sounded like a tense sigh of relief came over the comms. "It's ok, pheya, the attack is over. Is Addison still with you? If the quarters aren't safe, I want you to get to the school and stay there, you understand?"

"I'll escort her to the school Teevs. Good to hear your voice." She motioned for Kerilia to follow.

"Good to hear yours as well. Thank you for doing that." His voice had taken a softer edge, relieved that Kerilia was both ok and not alone. There was murmured conversation on the line that Teevs ultimately voiced agreement to. "I have been summoned to a meeting, but once it is done I will come right to the school."

Kerilia nodded. As much as she wanted Teevs there now, she knew this meeting was important. It usually happened after encounters with the aliens in this galaxy. "Ok, Dad," Kerilia choked out, following Addison. All she could do now was wait.

Addison kept a hold of Kerilia's hand, keeping her close as they made their way down to the promenade.