The Calm Before the Storm

Captain Robert Steele stood proudly on the bridge of the USS Serenity, which had spent the past month on vital missions—investigating anomalies, escorting convoys, supporting research, and exploring uncharted space. Now, in orbit around Ciris, the Lunari homeworld, the ship was delivering essential supplies from Earth to reinforce the alliance between their worlds.

Seventy years ago, Ciris bore a striking resemblance to Earth—a rocky planet with a nitrogen-oxygen atmosphere, a stable hydrosphere, and vast landmasses divided by oceans. Today, much of its surface is an uninhabitable, radioactive wasteland of scorched sand, jagged rocks, and eerie silence—grim reminders of a devastating war of the past. In the face of such devastation, the Lunari had engineered a massive habitable dome spanning 800 square miles and towering 11,000 feet. Within it lies Baisei, their capital—a vibrant center of urban life, commerce, and political activity.

“Commander Noble, please inform Governor Irjmo that we have arrived and are prepared to deliver the supplies to his people.”

“Aye, sir.”

Noble skillfully input the necessary commands into the tactical station, transmitting a message directly to the planet's surface.

“The governor is reaching out to us, sir. Putting him on screen now.”

As the communication link established, an elder Lunari appeared on the screen. He wore traditional clothing reminiscent of an Earth kimono, the purple fabric flowing elegantly around him. His gray horns curved gracefully from his forehead, complementing his pale skin, while his crimson eyes exuded a sense of authority—hallmarks of the Lunari phenotype. The solemnity of his expression conveyed the importance of the moment, as he prepared to address Steele and his crew.

“Honorable salutations, Blue Star officers! It is a true pleasure to welcome you to Ciris!”

“Greetings, Governor Irjmo. I am Captain Steele of the USS Serenity. We have your supplies securely onboard and are ready to dispatch a team down for delivery at your convenience.”

“Splendid! Please send them down as soon as you can.”

“Commander Noble, please inform Lieutenant Commander Chen and Commander Weiss to assemble a team for the secure delivery of the supplies.”

“Aye, sir.”

Noble deftly navigated around the tactical control panel to ensure the orders are received without delay.

Qamiwat let out a deep, sorrowful sigh at the sight of her homeworld, still in ashes long before she was born. Since they first began working together, she had always been an enigma to Steele—reserved, unwaveringly dutiful, and executing every order with quiet pride, no matter the task. In her, Steele saw glimpses of his younger self—a reflection that left him uncertain whether it embodied strength to be admired or a cautionary tale yet to unfold. But in that moment, for the first time, she appeared visibly vulnerable. Steele’s perception of her shifted; she seemed more approachable, less like the robotic authority he had come to know.

“Are you alright, Commander?”

"Yes, sir, I’m fine. It’s just hard to believe Ciris was once a world teeming with life and greenery. I’ve only ever known it as an inhospitable desert with nothing but an isolated city."

“Sounds like Vegas to me.”

Deon interrupted with an attempt at humor, but his joke fell flat. Qamiwat’s mood shifted, irritation creeping into her voice.

“I don’t understand.”

“My apologies, Qamiwat. I was only trying to lighten the mood. I’ve been practicing humor—the concept in which sentient organic lifeforms find quips and jokes amusing and may react by laughing or smiling.”

“Thank you, Deon.”

Qamiwat, wasn't laughing or smiling, clearly unimpressed, rolled her eyes in annoyance.

Noble received a notification from the tactical station.

“Chen and Weiss confirm their safe departure, sir.”

The humanitarian mission descended to Ciris aboard a freighter, landing in the heart of the planet's capital. As they disembarked, they were greeted by an outpouring of enthusiasm—the Lunari people gathered en masse, their voices rising in cheerful harmony as they extended warm gestures of hospitality to their visitors.

After countless hours, all the supplies had been delivered.

“This is Lieutenant Commander Chen to Captain Steele. The supplies have been successfully delivered. The Lunari now has provisions to sustain them for the next several months.”

“Understood. Return to the ship. Steele out.”

Qamiwat was still visibly upset, a fact Steele didn’t miss.

“I understand your frustrations, Qamiwat. Earth faced a similar fate once, but through perseverance and dedication, we were able to restore it. Don’t worry—things will get better.”

“I’ll keep that in mind, sir.”

Her gaze remained fixed on the planet below, as if Steele’s words had barely registered. His attempt at comfort had clearly fallen short, but at least he had tried.

Noble received an update.

“Chen and the team are back on the ship, sir.”

“Acknowledged, Commander Noble. Take us out of orbit, ensign.”

Out of nowhere, Dubois staggered onto the bridge, visibly exhausted and struggling to stay upright.

For five grueling weeks, he’d repeatedly failed to eliminate every trace of dirt from all decks and had been sent back again and again to clean until they were spotless—a penalty imposed by Steele for his unprofessional behavior during their first meeting. Now, worn and weary, he wondered if he had finally completed his task properly.

“Finished! I’ve quadruple checked every deck, everything is clean, I swear on my life!”

“Ah, Dubois, have you finally cleaned the decks spotless?”

Steele’s tone carried a hint of amusement. Dubois, breathing heavily from exhaustion, nodded. The punishment had subdued his usual erratic energy, leaving him noticeably more restrained. Deon rose from his seat, his expression calm and resolute.

“I am ready to inspect the decks for any dirt or dust again, sir.”

“There’s no need for that, Commander Deon.”

Steele said, waving him down.

“I believe Dubois has learned to treat his superior and fellow officers with more respect. Isn’t that right?”

Dubois straightened, fighting his exhaustion.

“Yes, sir. Lesson well learned, sir.”

“You must be incredibly tired. I’ll grant you a day or two off to recover.”

Dubois was stunned by Steele’s unexpected kindness. Despite his rocky first impression, the Captain’s mercy left him speechless, igniting a newfound respect. Exhausted, Dubois slumped into the navigator’s seat after shoving the ensign aside. Steele, noticing his fatigue, approached with an offer to grant him a day off. But before Steele could speak, Qamiwat stepped in front of him with concern etched on her face.

“Lieutenant Commander Dubois, you’re in no condition to navigate the ship right now. I’m ordering you to take a day off. Why don’t you go find that girl you mentioned when you first met the captain?”

At the mention of a date, Dubois’s exhaustion vanished. Grinning, he sprang from his seat.

“I completely forgot about that! Thank you, ma’am! I’ll see you tomorrow!”

Steele watched Dubois dash off the bridge, a flicker of disappointment crossing his face.

“So much for learning discipline... Ensign, set a course for—”

An alert blared from the tactical station, cutting him off. The sound snapped the crew to attention as Commander Noble's expression hardened as he inspected the incoming data.

"We're receiving a distress signal from an outer Federation colony, Harmonia. They claim they're under attack and require immediate assistance.”

Steele with a look of concern thought of the safety of the crew.

“Ensign, set a course for Harmonia. Luceria, engage the jump drive as soon as the coordinates are locked. Noble, bring us to yellow alert.”

“Aye, sir.”

The crew sprang into action.

In an instant, the Serenity surged forward, propelled by its powerful engines, as it raced toward the colony. The stars outside the viewscreen blurred into streaks of light.

*

A woman in a gray camouflage uniform stood resolutely on the bridge of her ship, her gaze fixed on the chaos unfolding at the Federation colony. The fiery explosions and plumes of smoke danced against the backdrop of stars; their ominous glow mirrored in her unwavering eyes.

"Continue firing! Wipe them all out!"

The woman commanded with an authoritative presence, her voice sharp and unyielding. Her ship unleashed a relentless barrage of nuclear warheads, each one streaking toward the planet below with deadly accuracy, blotting out the vibrant greenery and leaving only a stark, scorched landscape. One of the men on the bridge, also dressed gray camouflage, turned to the woman.

“Colonel, we have an unidentified ship approaching rapidly. It will be here in fifteen seconds.”

The woman was stunned by the lack of response to their attack.

“Only a single ship? No matter. It's time to see what our pretenders have been up to—time to test their strength. That lone vessel won't stand a chance against our Dragon-class battlecruiser. All hands, prepare for combat!”