Secrets of the Pyji

Posted on Fri Jul 24th, 2026 @ 2:38am by Lieutenant Stormy Knight & Lieutenant Daltom Vesper & Lieutenant JG Caitlyn MacRae

1,505 words; about a 8 minute read

Mission: Friends and Traitors
Location: Science Department

As a young girl, Elynya Teikil had always been fascinated by the world around her. Over the years her interest had not waned- rather it had led her to study the sciences and gain an appreciation for the planet she called home. After the disappointment of her short spell as a Trill initiate, however, she realised she should expand her horizons. A mission which had eventually brought her to Starfleet, and then this ship as one of the many enlisted scientists on board.

For a moment she was lost in contemplation of all the choices which had led her to be standing in this very spot. Far from her childhood home, full of worry for Jii and a certainty she would be kicked off the ship at the next opportunity. Didn’t she hear that the new officer - MacRae - was in charge of disciplinary matters for enlisted personnel? Hadn’t she killed people with her bare hands on some outpost somewhere?

At least she wasn’t alone. Somehow she had convinced the counselor to come with her. She hadn’t known he was the counselor at the time - that she discovered on the way here to seek the help of Lieutenant Knight. And now that her Department Head was standing before them, with the familiar sights and sounds of the lab surrounding them, Elynya felt that panic building fast.

“Lieutenant Knight thank you so much for seeing me,” she blurted out, her voice higher pitched and betraying her anxiety while the words blurred together. “I didn’t mention it when I reported in but I am a huge, huge fan of your work and I promise I never meant for anything like this to happen. But my roommate! She thought the cage was empty and she ended up using it as a jar for some candles and now we have a Pyji lose in the ship…

I don’t know if you are familiar with them, they are indigenous to the Northern Hemisphere on the Trill Homeworld. I can call you up a file on them but the important thing is that she was pregnant and we might now have a lot of them to find. I’ve tried to recapture her, I swear, and I know I’ve broken regs by bringing an undeclared pet on board but -“

Finally, she stopped, sucking in a deep lungful of air. Finally, she added in a meek voice, “sorry again.”

That may explain the noises she and Thyler heard in the wall of her quarters. "There are millions of species on the various worlds. I'm not familiar with all of them. But the name does sound familiar." Stormy went over to her computer and quickly pulled up a file on the Pyji., "Ah, yes. What have you done to find your pet?" And if it had given birth, the captain would not be happy.

At least there was no shouting… Elynya seemed to visibly relax at the calm way the news has been taken. “Baited traps mostly. She will be hungry… and so will her offspring if the worst has happened. She has a preference for sweet jams and also heavy metal music. I feel like I’ve covered so much of the ship but …. Nothing.”

Daltom told Stormy, "I'm not a scientist, but I had suggested that the simplest method of solving this issue might be for you to scan for all Pyji lifesigns and have them beamed into the science lab so that you and this young lady can appropriately care for them. Then, of course, we will have to report the incident and the pets to the Captain. They're a prohibited species on board."

“Transporters have, historically, had difficulties in the past obtaining locks on the species,” Elynya cautioned. “The Pyji are able to blend in with the environment, adjusting body temperature etc. There are historical reports of an adverse reaction to transporters but, given the circumstances, if we can safely beam her out we absolutely should. Or them.”

Looking over at the science officer, Daltom asked, "Do you have any other solution?"

That would explain why her scan didn't pick up the Pyji the night before. "Yes," Stormy replied. "Find a lab with an access panel, put out a tray of sweet jams. Then open the access panel and play heavy metal. You could even pick three different locations on three different decks. that should draw them out, but it might take a couple of hours."

“I’ve been trying that, but so far nothing. Although I've maybe not given enough time…?” Elynya reasoned, a little pleased with herself that the lieutenant had the same idea.

"It is never easy, is it?" Daltom mildly complained. "Since this is small, would it be possible to build some sort of probe, like a mini-robot with a remote viewing device to look for this Pyji creature?"

"Do you know how many access hatches and Jefferies tubes are on this ship?" Stormy asked. "It would have to come across the Pyji by accident. Then report its location and hope someone could get there before it leaves. And there's no guarantee the mother and babies are in the same place." She paused, then added, "Maybe, if the robot was tiny and could fly, it could cover more ground, but that's still iffy as there are a lot of small spaces it could get into that we can't. I think adding more lures is the best way to go right now. We can try some sort of camera if that doesn't work, but I think this is the best place to start."

What a mess…. “I’ll do whatever it takes, Elynya vowed, “unless Lieutenant MacRae hears about this and throws me in the brig. Or worse.”

With a dramatic sigh she sank onto the edge of a lab chair, “I’ve had no luck with the traps but it is, as you said Lieutenant, a big ship. Maybe we can make some of the ship less appealing? She doesn’t like bright lights for example. Or the smell of coffee. Even the granules.”

"I assure you that Lieutenant MacRae will hear about it," Daltom assured Elynya. "However, you're of no use in the brig at the moment."

"Coffee?" That could definitely help. "We could put granules in some of the access tunnels to drive them to where we need them," Stormy said. "Coffee itself could be problematic, but the granules would be easier to clean. Operations might know where the best places are for all of this."

More people who knew… Elynya felt her heart sink. But Lieutenant Knight was correct. “Whatever you think is best. I still have some jams and other preserves in storage, She prefers them over replicated versions. I can go get them? But we will try to capture her, right?” She looked between them both. “I know I shouldn’t have brought her aboard but that isn’t her fault. Or her babies.”

Daltom informed Elynya, "You are aware that the Federation does not permit killing unless it is absolutely necessary, right?" What in the world did they teach cadets now, the Counselor wondered.

"That depends on what you're killing," Stormy had to add. "When it comes to plants, animals, insects, and arachnids, it depends on if they can be safely removed to another location or if they're too dangerous. But in this case, they should be safe enough, as long as no one panics, which means, the sooner we recover them, the better."

“Oh, yes, absolutely,” Elynya agreed, hurrying towards the door before spinning around. In long quick strides she closed in on Lieutenant Knight, throwing her arms around her in a quick hug. “Thank you!”

And then, letting go of the science chief, she hugged Lieutenant Vesper. “And thank you too.”

Daltom stiffened slightly when he was hugged. "I hope you still feel that way when Lieutenant MacRae talks to you."

"The important thing right now is to get them back," Stormy countered. "And get them out of the bowels of the ship before they caused any damage--or someone panicked."

"I don't disagree," Daltom answered. "Out of my expertise, though. I can leave that to you two."

"Works for me." Stormy didn't mind the counselor, except that he kept harping on her name. The man clearly didn't appreciate punny names.

She turned to Elynya. "I can help you put out the bait, but after that, I think it should be you doing the rest. The mom knows you, and that may go a long way towards getting them out safely."

“I will do anything!” Elynya promised. “I’ll go get supplies. Thank you!!!”

With that she was gone, grateful to have perhaps the same plan but help and a much much better chance of success.


OFF

Lieutenant Daltom Vesper
Chief Counselor
USS Thunderbird

&

Petty Officer (3rd Class) Elynya Teikil
Science Department
USS Thunderbird

&

Lieutenant Stormy Knight
Chief Science Officer
USS Thunderbird

 

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