The year is 2324 back on Earth. I don't know what year it is here on the planet we call, "OhAno 4". I'm sure the inhabitants have a different name for it. Of the 43-member crew of the Explorer Survey Ship, "Ambassador 3", only twelve of us survived the crash landing on the Great Red Plaines near the city of Tabor-Nu. It all happened so fast. Were we suddenly and invisibly attacked from the surface, or did we self-destruct by some internal malfunction? Our chief engineer was working on possible causes to extrapolate repairs when the ship exploded. We had no warning. No communications from the planet or otherwise. We had no time to jettison the rescue signal buoy into space and found it smashed where the engineering department used to be. No one at Space Force was aware of our condition.
The Command Module of the ship was not directly hit, and the Bridge was only part of the ship spared in the crash. Thankfully, of those spared were the Officers of the First Watch and most experienced. We gathered a short distance from the wreckage and fashioned a temporary shelter from what we could salvage from the various parts of the ship. After that, we tended to the remains of the crew as best we could. By nightfall, we had buried our fallen comrades under the meadowlands of a foreign land. We accounted for all except three, who we assumed had no remains because of the explosions. We listed the dead crew and missing members in the captain's audio logbook.
We built a small fire using the few salvaged survival canisters we found. There was also a small amount of food and water, but not enough to last long. Now, it was time for rest. Those who were able stood four, 2-hour watches, two by two, through the night. As captain, I tried to rest but found the loss of crew and ship to be detrimental to sleep. This planet is the second planet in the same solar orbit as its twin, we call "Oh-no 3". Their sun gives-off odd light rays that affect the colors of things we perceive. We have yet to visit either planet and have not developed relations with the inhabitants. We are on a peaceful exploration and mapping expedition, after all. Our weapons are for self-protection defense. Without established communications they could not have known. And yet, they are advanced enough to shoot us down with an invisible weapon our ship's sensors did not detect.
As dawn broke causing our eyes to open into the weird light, we found ourselves surrounded by what I'm assuming were warrior women. They were thinly humanoid and bald headed, and their skin seemed to be constantly shifting in metallic colors. Compared to earthlings, they also appeared to be female mammalian in form. They wore clothing that reflected the sunlight but not mirror-like. They appeared peaceful. I saw no weapons. I turned and awakened the rest of the sleeping crew, then approached who I perceived as a leader.
"I am Captain T. J. Kirock of the Explorer Survey Ship, Ambassador 3. We crashed here yesterday. Most of our crew was killed. We came in peace. We have no hostile intentions."
Their leader said nothing. The others looked around and at each other. The people had a mouth portal, so I assumed they could render speech of some type. Suddenly, the leader motioned to another, who then approached me slowly and placed what looked like small old-fashioned 20th century headphones on my head, but where the small speakers might have been were instead placed at my temples. I felt a small electrical sting.
In a short time, I began receiving images, then voices in languages I did not understand. Gradually, like tuning-in a radio signal, I began hearing our own language. I raised my right hand and smiled. "Yes, yes. I can understand you now. Can you understand me?"
Their leader did not need this device and would speak to me directly.
"I am Krall. I stand before you. It is clear to us now that you mean us no harm. Our automated planetary defense system miscalculated your intent of your ship's purpose in passing our planet. We have been violated in the past and have taken measures. That will not happen to us ever again. You did not respond to our system's communication warnings. The results, you know."
"We understood no communication or warnings. If we had done so, we would have responded in kind. That is our way."
"The past is past. You are our responsibility now. I will communicate with you and you with your crew. Now, gather and bring with you as much of your food and essentials as you can carry. We will replicate it for your future needs. We will escort you to temporary shelter until a suitable domicile can be created for you. Let us proceed."
I sensed no danger, and the crew seemed to share that observation. We gathered what we could and followed our escorts through the red grasslands to their village of Tabor-nu. The gates of the city were guarded by 20-foot all, armed warrior robots that stood like stone statues. I got the distinct impression they could be quickly activated for defense. The remainder of the town resembled what on earth we would say was a medieval castle courtyard with a city center around a well running of deep blue waters.
We were escorted to a cleansing room. Krall ordered, "You will remove all your clothing and put it into this container. Then you will be cleansed of contaminates and given new protective clothing. Do it now."
The twelve of us, men and women, disrobed and deposited our clothes into the container provided. Within seconds, all the clothing was disintegrated. Next came the showers of blue rain, yellow cleansing foam and a few moments of soaking time as the suds drained down our bodies. I wiped the suds from my eyelids and saw two of our escorts, eye to eye, communicating and pointing to some of the men and women. They paid particular attention to the male sex organs and the women's buttocks and breasts. It seemed to create some level of amusement for them. Next came the blue rain again as the suds was washed away along with all of our body hair. The next stage was an irradiating ray of deep purple that left our skin dry and flaked. The last stage of our cleanse was a spray lotion to further sanitize our skin. We were given clothing along the lines of aluminum foil fastened together as coveralls.
I then received a communication from Krall in another room. "You will be given clothing appropriate to your new station while you visit here." I relayed that to my first officer, Commander Cody-nai.
"What do you suppose he means, our new station here."
"Apparently, sir, they have plans for us of which we have not been made aware."
Krall added, still from inside another room, "You and your crew will rest while we prepare other things. Your food supplies will be returned to you shortly. The samples you provided are being synthesized now. Please use up your supply quickly as we have no storage facilities for it."
We were escorted to another room where simple cots were arranged military barracks style in a single room. After a rough night and long march today, it was easy to sleep.
We had no idea of time, but we awoke hungry. Our food supplies and water had been delivered and were available on a table in the center of the barracks. We each helped ourselves. Afterward, we sat in a circle and discussed our situation. Were we prisoners or were we guests? Could we expect cooperation in getting communication to Space Force to organize a rescue for us? What were the circumstances of our new station here, as mentioned by Krall? These were all unanswered questions. There was some level of fear and skepticism.
By now, it would be getting near dark outside. We had heard nothing new from Krall. Our questions might soon be answered as the door to our barracks was opening.
