The Remains of the Exiled

The deep space mission of the Federation starship USS Enterprise, led by Captain Jean-Luc Picard, was in full swing. The ship was on its way to a remote planet to retrieve the remains of the exiled race known as the Niborians. The Niborians had been forcefully banished from their home planet decades ago, and the Enterprise had received orders to bring back their remains to their descendants.
As the Enterprise entered the orbit of the Niborian homeworld, the crew was in awe of the beautiful planet. It was lush and vibrant, with blue oceans and green forests. But their awe was short-lived when they were suddenly hailed by a nearby Niborian ship.
'Attention Federation vessel, this is Captain Dax of the Niborian ship Amara. Please state your intentions,' came the stern voice over the communication channel.
Captain Picard, with his calm and authoritative voice, responded, 'This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the USS Enterprise. We have been sent by the Federation to retrieve the remains of the exiled Niborians.'
There was a long pause from the other end, but finally, the voice replied, 'Very well, Captain Picard. I will grant you permission to land on our planet, but I must warn you that we do not welcome outsiders. The remains of our ancestors are a sacred matter to us, and we will show no mercy to anyone who disrespects them.'
Picard nodded, understanding the Niborians' concern for their deceased. 'We will handle the remains with utmost respect and care, Captain Dax.'
The Enterprise landed on a designated area of the planet, and when the doors opened, the crew was greeted by a group of Niborians. They were a tall and slender species with blue skin and dark red markings on their face and body. Their eyes glowed a brilliant white, and they carried themselves with a regal air.
They led the crew to a nearby city, where they were taken to a grand temple. The inside of the temple was ornately decorated, with intricate carvings and glowing crystals adorning the walls. In the center of the room stood a large statue of a Niborian, most likely a religious figure.
Captain Picard and a small group of officers were escorted to a room beneath the statue, where the remains of the exiled Niborians were kept. They were stored in individual glass caskets, each adorned with glowing crystals and ancient symbols.
One of the Niborians, a woman named Tara, spoke to Picard. 'These are the remains of our ancestors, Captain. They have been preserved here for over a century, waiting for the day when they can return to their rightful resting place.'
Picard nodded in understanding and began to examine the caskets. But as he was inspecting them, he noticed that one of the caskets was missing a hand. He pointed it out to Tara, who looked surprised and then quickly regained her composure.
'We do not know how that happened, Captain. Perhaps it was damaged during the journey to this planet,' she replied.
Picard knew that something was not right, but he didn't want to create any conflict with the Niborians. He decided to let it go for the time being and focused on completing their mission.
Back on the Enterprise, the crew was divided into smaller teams to work on retrieving the remains. One team was tasked with transporting the caskets, while another team worked on collecting DNA samples from the remains for identification. Commander Data, the resident android, was in charge of analyzing the remains and determining the cause of death.
As each team worked, they began to notice strange occurrences. Doors would close on their own, tools would go missing, and some members reported feeling a presence in the room. But when they turned to look, there was no one there.
Counselor Troi, sensing the growing unease among the crew, decided to investigate the strange happenings. She approached Tara, who was overseeing the mission, and asked if there were any supernatural beliefs or practices surrounding the Niborian ancestors.
Tara hesitated before answering, 'As a race, we believe in the spirits of our ancestors watching over us. We also believe that our ancestors' remains hold a powerful energy that must be respected and protected at all times.'
Troi's empathic abilities revealed that Tara was hiding something, and she immediately reported back to Captain Picard. They both knew that the missing hand from one of the caskets was no coincidence. They had to investigate further.
Meanwhile, Commander Data had made a startling discovery. The DNA from the remains did not match the DNA of the living Niborians. It was then that they realized that the Niborians were not the descendants of the exiled race, but they were somehow connected to them.
As they delved deeper into the mystery, they uncovered a dark secret. The Niborians were not the peaceful and lawful race they appeared to be. They had banished their own people due to their desire for power and control. The missing hand from the casket belonged to the leader of the exiled race, who had been murdered by the Niborians.
The final piece of the puzzle fell into place when Commander Data discovered that the Niborians had been draining energy from the remains of the exiled race, which was the source of their power and immortality.
In the end, Captain Picard and his crew were forced to confront the Niborians and stop their unethical practices. With the evidence they had gathered, they were able to force the Niborians to face the truth and accept the consequences of their actions.
As the Enterprise left the Niborian planet, they left behind a world in turmoil and a race facing the truth about their past. But the crew of the Enterprise knew they had done the right thing by bringing justice to the exiled race and allowing their remains to finally rest in peace.
Category:Story