The Blighted

Chapter 1

"Approaching Katsina now, sir. " Lieutenant Sulu announced as the pale, dusty looking world began appearing on screen. "Standard orbit, lieutenant. " The captain answers.

Planet Katsina was a world of dusty deserts and flat grasslands with scattered forests and tundras. Once inhabited by a spiritual race now on the verge of extinction from some kind of contamination. It has turned them into ravenous blood devouring demons called withers. Those bitten by them were infected and the cycle continues to spread. Even native animals were tainted by this blight.

"Jim, this has bad written all over it. As much as I'd like to see what this plague is all about I already don't like the feeling of this place. " Doctor McCoy mumbled as he stepped beside the command chair, looking down at his friend then looking at the image of the planet on the screen.
"I don't like it either, Bones but the sooner we find the cause of this plague the sooner we can find a way to save these people. Besides not like we have much of a choice. " Jim responded looking up at his medical officer with a shrug. All Bones did was shake his head with a sigh of apprehension.
"Spock, Bones, you two are beaming down with me oh and Uhura, get lieutenant commander Stryker to meet us in the transporter too. " Jim said as he got up and wandered towards the turbolift, the other two following.
"Yes sir. " Uhura responded.
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"Jason!" The ship's navigator called out as the away team was approaching the transporter room. The lieutenant commander of tactics stopped and turned. "Pavel?" He tilted his head.
Stopping right in front of the ghost boy he looked at him for a moment before taking him into his arms in a sudden, loving embrace. "Please be careful down there..."
"I will, Pavel. " Jason hugged back tightly. "Everything will be alright, love. Don't worry about me. "
"I vill never stop vorrying about you... I vill be here vaiting for you" Pavel looked up at his companion and gave him a longing kiss, gently nipping at the spirit's bottom lip, Jason blushed ferociously at the sudden intimate affections, returning the favor with a nip of his own. Pavel pulled back for a breath. "I will be back, Pav... I promise.." Jason whispered.
"You better be..." Chekov responded playfully but with all due seriousness.
"I vill be monitoring you. I love you... "
"I love you too, my dearest, Pavel. " Jason responded softly with a final nuzzle.

Smiling after having witnessed that little romantic moment between two of his bridge officers, the captain and the landing party geared up their survival equipment, phasers and communicators. Scotty took his place at the control panel.
Finally ready, they all took their places on the transporter. "Energize, Scotty. " The captain cued.
In a flash of swirling bright lights, the four were on the surface of the plagued planet. It sure was living up to its blighted reputation. It's quiet, barren and empty with the exception of a small abandoned and worn house.

Spock began scanning the surroundings with the tricorder. He shook his head slightly, "not a single life form in our proximities. There seems to not have been any life forms that we know of in the area for almost two years. Slight traces of a residual energy but undetermined of what it is. But that is all. " Spock explains.
"Ugh...what could survive out here anyway..?" Bones grunted ruefully as he looked around with a squint because of the almost blinding white light from the star of the planet.
"Well...apparently there's life and if we don't find a way to cure them I'm afraid this world and its people will be irreversibly infected. " Kirk sighed.
He pointed out the cabin, "Bones, Jason, Spock...lets hope we can be sheltered for at least one day in that."
The ghost boy looked at the cabin as they all did and he did not like the energy seeping out of it one bit. It was heavy and oppressive. It wasn't just the cabin. It was the entire surrounding area that had this feeling. Perhaps it's the energy that Spock spoke of.
"I know that look... " Bones mumbled as he observed the ghostly lieutenant commander.
"I don't like the feeling of this residual energy. It's negative...very very heavy and oppressive. " Jason spoke quietly, he got closer to the doctor for just a little sense of security.
"I feel it as well. Something about it reads we're not going to be alone for long.." Spock said as he stepped inside cautiously looking around.

"Uh.. I found something!" Jim called from right outside. The other three approached him to see. "It's some kind of cellar door.." he spoke as he began opening it. The doors were made out of very old, torn up wood and almost began crumbling under the captain's touch. The doors revealed a narrow sandstone tunnel that sloped down below the house. There was no telling how far it went. "Jim...don't tell me you're thinkin' about goin' in there..." Doctor Mccoy groans.
Jason couldn't agree more with his apprehension, "Y-yeah... whatever energy out here is way stronger and..." he shifted a bit "way fouler in there.."

"I'm sorry...but we need to investigate it a bit. I promise you we won't go that far. Just a quick look.." The captain looked back at the two. Spock simply stayed quiet, knowing the logical answer was far different in his point of view. But it's always that with Jim. Always heading towards potential dangers. They all knew that by now.