@notaweaponspecialist
Jim suspects it’s the Enterprise’s primary role as an exploratory vessel that gets them sent on so many small errands. Their equipment is top of the line after all, and usually the ship has the most flexible schedule of the entire fleet. He’s not surprised that during one of their slower weeks he gets a mission to extract and transport a few researchers off Minara II before their sun-star explodes. It’s a bit off their current course, but the mission is so simple that Jim has no reasonable excuse for denying the request. Besides, someone’s got to grab those scientists before the star wipes out the planet.
The extraction is supposed to be simple, so he limits the away team to necessary personnel only. He brings along Spock so he can look over the researchers’ data, and Bones to give them a quick scan before they beam back aboard the Enterprise. The last thing Jim needs is some weird flu or rash spread around the crew because they failed to give these guys a basic medical check after such an extended time in space.
When they land on the planet everything seems to be normal. Jim sends Bones and Spock ahead so he can respond to the comm without any interference from the research bunker. It’s a bit troubling to be left behind by the Enterprise, but they can’t exactly beam everyone back without first finding the researchers and checking on their medical status. Jim sends the Enterprise out of orbit, certain they could last a little while planet-side.
Inside the lab, Jim expects to make the announcement about their temporary delay to the researchers as well as Spock and Bones. However, all that greats him is a lungful of dust and his two crew members. “Have you been able to get in touch with the researchers?” He asks, temporarily forgetting about being stranded here. The room is full of undisturbed dust; there’s no way the researchers have been here in quite some time.
“No Captain. The dust appears to have settled long ago.” Spock confirms Jim’s suspicions.
Jim sighs and walks to the duo, attempting to peer over Bones’s shoulder to check his tricorder readings. “Any life signs, Bones?”