Slow and Steady (Mission End)
Posted on Tue Dec 16th, 2025 @ 11:34pm by Captain Min Seong
824 words; about a 4 minute read
Mission:
Terrorpin
Location: Command center
Timeline: 24 hours after containment
From the Command Center Min could see almost everything. The transports drove by on the paved road that led back to the colony proper or the housing units, the latter of which still miraculously intact despite the threat. Marines flew overhead, on the off chance another gigantic creature decided to pop it's head up while the people were settling back in.
And in the distance was the faint glow of the pen that housed the still-unnamed mammoth-sized terrapin within. It had admittedly shrunk once a healthy dose of a dampening array. The creature still had a food source, thanks to the energy generated via the underground spring, but its growth, at the moment, seemed to stabilize to just under half the size it was before. Still big, but much more manageable. It was likely going to be continually monitored by the Lieutenant Colonel and his crew. Min still had to get used to the Marine hierarchy; the few she had in contact with prior were notoriously pushy in all the wrong ways. But on Haumea, it felt like it would not be the same without them.
There would be far fewer fighters in the air, at the very least.
The video surveillance that streamed on a screen nearby displayed a quieted beast which has retracted into its shell. The reddish brown surface of said shell glowed a faint green, but it was much less ominous than when the creature was twice as big. While the sight gave Min a sense of relief, there was a lingering anxiety that bubbled beneath her nondescript expression.
It would not be the first time Starfleet or the Federation had encountered creatures that were likely affected by new stimuli. There were enough colonies and planets that it would have been more surprising to Min if this was a first case. She was thankful that the counselor had her perspective, or else their outcome may have been disastrous.
Despite it all, Min was cautiously optimistic about their current status. Behind her, a pair of ensigns (who volunteered adamantly to help Min’s coordination efforts) were debating about what name they would end up sending in their reports. There was yet to be an official naming of the creature, a fact that Min would deal with when she submitted her findings to Starfleet and Daystrom. She had, up to this point, not considered calling it more than Entity T, which garnered hushed boos from the ensigns whenever she mentioned it. Apparently, it was ‘Boring’ and made the creature seem less like it belonged on the planet, which was markedly false. Science scans had indeed confirmed that the creature’s internal biology matched that of a smaller, turtle-like creature nearby, which made it more likely that the existence of the colony was a contributing factor.
So, while Min was content letting the scientists name the thing, she also did consent to the Ensigns’ point that she should be referring to it as something else.
She turned toward the pair as they were waffling over either cutesy or honestly nonsensical names. “I believe it's time we let the next shift take over,” she stated, catching activity from the turbolift behind them. “I’ll talk to your superiors about giving you two a day or two off.”
While the pair looked about ready to protest, Min took note of the tension releasing from their shoulders. The quirk in her brow had them both immediately return to their consoles, preparing for the shift change that had been requested hours prior. The sound of the turbolift swishing open behind them had the pair leaning closer in odd synchronization. Something Min made note of, before she took a step back and let their relief start on procedures.
“You call me the immediate moment anything changes in that pen,” she instructed the nearby officer meant to relieve her. He solemnly nodded as she added a, “I’ll be in my office until we can ensure stability of Ent-”
She cut herself off, eyes on the pair of ensigns. They had both stopped mid-change, eyes on her as if expecting something different. A small smile snuck onto her expression. “... Aesop. Which is what we're going to call this reptile until a name has officially been coined.” Her gaze met the officer’s. “I mean anything. If it relieves gasses, I want to know.”
“Ma’am,” the officer replied curtly in affirmation, nodding his head along.
She noted the small gasps from the ensigns as she walked by, any other noises drowned out by the sound of the turbolift door shutting behind her. This event was not something Min was about to sleep through, not with the lives of so many on the line. A nice nap in the office, where she could be nearby if needed, was sounding more than a little good right now.
There would be time for writing reports once she had her head on straight.
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