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I am still waiting for the final autopsy report from Dr. Dolahn on the shii that I killed. Scans of the region still fail to provide any reason why the shii would be attacking us.

Personal log, Commander Sonya Gomez, planet Sarindar, Stardate 53287.0

Okay, my official log has the formal report about how exactly Entorr, Kugot, and Amuk were killed.

I need to say, however, that it was the most pathetic sight I have ever seen in my life! Much as I hate to speak ill of the dead, I really have to wonder about those three. Did they have a death wish?

Admittedly, part of it was the fault of the ever-substandard Nalori equipment. At least one of the rifles was on the wrong setting.

But still—how the hell can you miss something at point-blank range?

The shii took the bait we laid out. I activated the force field. The shii realized it was trapped and started making this squeaky noise. I gave the order to fire.

And they missed.

Worse, one of them—Entorr, whose weapon was on the wrong setting—hit one of the bars. That weakened the steel enough so that it started to buckle. The shii must have noticed this—or maybe it would have attacked the bars anyhow. Either way, it sliced through one of the bars, leaving the three Nalori vulnerable—

—especially since they panicked and started firing wildly instead of doing what they were supposed to do if something like this happened, which was run out the back door. I had made sure that there was a method of escape in case something like this happened, and they didn’t use it.

I’ve been sending regular updates on the situation to the senate, including images of every attack of the shii. I’m really of two minds as to whether or not to send this one, as it makes all of us look like idiots.

Naturally, everyone’s blaming me for the trap not working, even though it should have worked, if those three jackasses had done what they were supposed to do.

Okay, that’s not fair. They panicked. It happens. But that panic got them killed.

The last batch of messages included one from the da Vinci. Even though it’s time-stamped two days after I sent out the distress call, it makes no acknowledgment of it. I’ve continued to send it at each opportunity, so, with any luck, they will get it eventually. According to Kieran, things are going better—it turns out that there isn’t going to be a war, and the da Vinci has been assigned to help the folks at Deep Space 9 put the station back together. Fabian Stevens used to be assigned to DS9, so he’s probably happy about the assignment.

Right now, I really wish I was back with them. I wish I could watch Fabian and Pattie crawl around a warp core with me, listen to Carol make one of her snide remarks, try to decipher Soloman’s chirpy computer-speak, watch Bart write a letter on paper to Anthony, hear Captain Gold go on about his grandchildren. Hell, I wouldn’t even mind listening to Corsi complain.

But most of all, I miss Kieran’s smile. That dopey, aw-shucks smile that he always gets on his face when he decides to torture me by reminding me of when I spilled hot chocolate on Captain Picard.

Work on the SA has crawled to a halt. The team that put the trap together is down to one person now, and he refuses to work. Nobody’s tried to steal the Culloden —mainly because of what happened last time—but nobody’s willing to work, or talk to me, either.

I’m going to go to the camp hospital and sit on Dolahn until he gives me an autopsy report.

Partial transcript of autopsy report of sample

S019 (a.k.a. “monster shii”) by Dr. Dolahn,

Sarindar Medical Unit, thirteenth day of

Sendrak, twenty-third year of Togh

DOLAHN: The creature also shows signs of—Ah, Commander Gomez, I was just going to summon you.

GOMEZ: I see you’re actually working on the autopsy.

DOLAHN: Don’t sound so surprised, Commander. I admit, I’ve been dilatory in getting to this, but caring for Kani and Rimlek has been difficult—I almost lost them a couple of times.