Jewelry Yet Not Only Jewelry

Posted on Thu Jul 2nd, 2026 @ 8:22am by Lieutenant JG Abrasax & Lieutenant Alena Alessa

1,305 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Episode 9: Across Time
Location: Science Lab 2
Timeline: Just Prior to “Well This Is Interesting”

Alena looked around the science lab. She had to admit she hadn't been here before. She started removing all the trinkets that had reacted to the beacon. Some of the clasps were a pain. The angel pendant was the one that had reacted the most of all the mysterious gifts that had arrived regularly since her arrival at the space station. She gently placed the trinkets on a nearby table as she glanced at Abrasax. "I hope this will give us some knowledge", she said.

She looked at the trinkets. All were smaller than a ring. The angel pendant was small and carved in something that reminded her of a diamond. The bracelet trinket was of silver. The small crystal she had found in her quarters recently, was carved a small flower. Big enough to get noticed, small enough to not getting anyone too suspicious. However, Alena knew that it wasn't a coincidence that they had appeared in her quarters. Something was going on, and she needed answers, sooner rather than later.

"Could you tell me about the Angel one? What did it feel like?" Abrasax had his tricorder open and directed at the pendant running all the sensor parameters it could do.

He smiled. "Any sensation could be helpful? We will do each one and probably should do it again near the Beacon." Abrasax wasn't sure that was wise but at this point they had to explore all avenues of inquiry. Taking precautions every step, he wasn't an idiot.

"It has always been warm to the touch, no matter my surroundings. It could be freezing and it would still be warm", Alena said as she looked at the trinket. "I tested it in my quarters. I set the temperature to just above freezing point and it was still warm to the touch", she went on as she glanced at Abrasax.

"I wish I knew more", she then confessed. "I've spoken with my Ma, and requested she come here as soon as possible. She's been evasive about... well, everything if I'm being honest. I have a ton of questions, and she has only answered a small number of them. I hope it'll be easier to get her to talk here. Contact across the universe is easy to stop the talk by ending the communication session."

Abrasax's expression softened and he offered a sympathetic smile. "Sorry to hear that things aren't so clear for you, I hope we get the clear them up." His tone changed when he continued to more serious. "Always warm seems an odd feature. It may be performing a constant action?" He asked himself.

He held out his hand for her to give it to him. "May I?"

Alena nodded and handed over all her trinkets. "I hope you can make them make sense. I sure as heck can't", she said.

He accepted them and gently inspected their sides, backs and lastly their fronts. Abrasax did feel some heat but it was cooling rapidly to room temperature.

"Let's run some tests but I'll need your help." Abrasax put the trinkets on the sensor plate. He put some space between them and had their chains hanging off the edge.

Alena nodded. "Let's do this", she said

"So I'll do a scan without your hand on each one and then another scan with your hand on each one. See what that can tell us." Abrasax explained what he wanted to do.

Alena nodded her understanding. "I'll follow your lead on this. This is your field of expertise, after all", she said with a smile.

"I hope I had make heads or tails of it, thank you for helping," Abrasax said.

The two spent several hours testing angles, distance, temperature changes and exposing the trinkets to different particles. Let's say it was a lot of waiting and tediousness.

It did become clear there was some reaction from the Beacon every time one of the trinkets were pressed or manipulated in some way. Sadly nothing major happened, thankfully no one else was disappeared.

The last scan was still in progress but Abrasax came over to Alena. "Why do you go get some rest, I'll contact you when I get the results."

Alena nodded. "Sounds like a plan to me. I've been running on next to no sleep lately. The beacon, the trinkets, Ilyas and me finally getting my mother to come here. It has been a lot. She knows as well as I do that something is going on with the trinkets. I mentioned them to her 3 days ago when we had our most recent talk. I stressed to her that she needs to join us here, as soon as possible", she said.
"I know the station is in a kind of alert mode. At least, that's what i sense from my surroundings. People are worried and rumors are all over the place", she added with a sigh.

"Why, the only person to vanish was Ilyas, I doubt the rest of the station even knows what's going on." Abrasax said, "not to mention they have their own lives to carry on with to dedicate any thought for some kid they don't know." He supplied.

"If more had vanished alongside Ilyas that's when people should worry." He offered a smile. "I'm sure the worry you sense is just life's daily worries that everyone has."

"You might be right. The people's everyday lives takes up a lot of time. However, I have sensed some people asking questions whenever there were officers whose families members they haven't seen around lately. I was by the bakery near Commander Horn's family's residence when I heard some teenagers talk about why no one had seen Ilyas the past few days. The rumor said he has run away. That he got into trouble and he ran away to avoid consequences. I didn't correct them. Too much is unknown and it is not my place to say something I don't have the answer to. Besides. It's about Commander Horn's family I'd love to support them, but in the end it is his son we are trying to get back", Alena admitted. "But I cannot comment on something I don't have the full picture of".
Alena fell silent. She wished she could have corrected the teenagers, but no one knew what was going on at present. She wasn't about to reveal information that might not be meant for public eyes and ears.

"Very wise, we don't want to panic the station's population with this." Abrasax spoke with a smile. "People jump to whatever they believe to be the worst case scenario and rumours along with belief that they will be next will spread, especially on a station this small."

He gestured to the trinkets. "We are already doing all we can to find and somehow bring him back. We don't need station-wide trouble when its such a small situation." He nodded to Alena. "And Ilyas running away and hiding is a pretty good cover story until we have him back, if you are asked." Abrasax winked, "that said Security would be the ones reporting it."

He checked the computer and the various scans that he'd programmed in were not even half way. Abrasax sighed. "Looks like this will be a while. I suggest you get some sleep or tend to your duties Counselor and I'll let you know anything once I find out. Deal?" He approached Alena and gestured to the exit.

"Deal", Alena said with a tired smile. Abrasax was right. She needed rest. "I'll leave you to it", she said, waved goodbye and left.

Abrasax followed her out but went the opposite direction to get some food in the nearby Mess.

off

Lieutenant Alena Alessa
Chief Counselor
Chief Diplomat
Deep Space 21

Lieutenant jg Abrasax
Chief Science Officer
Deep Space 21

 

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