Under Neon Skies

Posted on Wed Nov 26th, 2025 @ 5:11am by Lieutenant JG Lakyn Vale

2,691 words; about a 13 minute read

Mission: Character Backstories
Location: Manufacturing District, Erevan City, Vega IX
Timeline: Three Days Prior to Joining USS Astrea

It was 0107 hours on a rainy and gloomy night. The rain fell soft and steady. It streamed down the rusted and long side of abandoned buildings that lined the blocks of the industrial zone. Puddles and unfilled pot holes littered the deserted streets. The soft hum of fading long-abandoned machinery created a haunting soundtrack in the expanse. 

This industrial zone was part Erevan City on the planet Vega IX. The entire city was a decaying metropolis of sparsely populated districts. There were a total of six districts. Most were littered with skeletons of old buildings now serving as refuge for scavengers, smugglers, and those who wished to remain hidden. 

There were only two districts that really had any safety and life. The main one was the Central district. It was filled with neon lights, overcrowded streets, and a plenty of loud music, commerce, and all sorts of illicit and illegal activity. The glow of vibrant greens and yellows reflected off puddles, windows, and were seen twenty miles away inside his cockpit that hovered softly and silently just above the clouds.

Lieutenant Lakyn Vale, Wing Commander of Alpha Wing, assigned to USS Shield Breaker, hovered roughly 8,000 feet above the rusted structures of the long abandoned industrial zone inside his Gryphon Mark II. He was tasked to follow an individual named Skrell, a Ferengi, who was an underground weapons trader that had been on Starfleet’s radar for a while. His illegal dealings had finally caught up to him.

He’d been trying to sell stolen Starfleet military weapons on the black market for a while and Starfleet wasn’t about to let that happen. Not any more.

The entire mission was called Operation Trident, a three-pronged coordinated operation involving Starfleet Marines, Starfighters, and Starfleet Intelligence. Starfleet Intelligence would confirm the targets and locations, Marines would breach, enter, and make the arrests, and the Starfighters would provide airborne reconnaissance and transport.

So far the operation was a success. The marines and intelligence were in a district over making arrests and Lakyn’s wing were providing the pickup. However, one individual slipped out. It was Skrell and Lakyn made sure they didn’t lose him.

Skrell was approaching a large dormant factory.

“Lieutenant Vale to Captain Reyes.” Marine Captain Jenna Reyes was in charge of ground operations and a close friend of Vale.

“Reyes here.”

“The last one loose from your cage is on the move. What’s your ETA?”

“Not sure, Lakyn. I’ll let you know when I know.”

She responded as she placed a very tall and bloodied Klingon in cuffs and inside a transport shuttle.

“We might lose him, can you spare anyone?” Vale asked. 
 
“Lieutenant, we’ll get there when we get there. Reyes out.”

Lakyn was frustrated. He didn’t want Skrell to get away. 

“Vale to Wing Ops.”

“Go, Lieutenant.” Vale was talking with Starfighter Wing Control onboard USS Shield Breaker. She was currently in orbit.  

“Marines are behind schedule. Need permission to land and subdue final target.”

“Hold one.” Wing Control had placed him on hold to consult command. 

Starfighter Wing Operations Control did not like when missions deviated. That was an order from Group Commander Lt. Commander Tyler. He was a very fearful officer who was always scared when missions deviated. Lakyn was the complete opposite who was generally more impulsive, went with his gut, and always thought on his feet, for better or worse. 

“Lieutenant Vale, permission to land and engage target denied. Tyler’s orders. You are to wait for the Marines to arrive.”

“The target is heading into a factory. Unsure if I can keep up with him.” Vale pleaded. 

After a short pause, they came back. 

“Lieutenant Vale, this is Commander Tyler. Permission denied. Wait for Marine Support.”

Vale rolled his eyes as he watched Skrell slip inside the factory through a side entrance. Vale had to thing on his feet and came up with a ploy.

“Vale to Wing Operations, there seems to be some sort of interference. I can’t hear you.” 

Vale deactivated his communications array and began landing procedures. He couldn’t let Skrell slip away. He would hold him at the factory until the others arrived. 

He descended below the clouds then landed onto a street a few yards from the entrance Skrell went into.

He powered down and opened the canopy. Right before he dropped down to the ground, he sent a communique to Reyes letting her know his status and his plan. He then climbed down from the fighter and looked around to make sure the coast was clear. Vale reached down and unsnapped the holster of his sidearm, fingers brushed the cool metal. He knew he was walking into a potentially dangerous situation, but he also knew that Skrell wouldn’t be alone. He knew he had to do what he had to do.

He approached the entrance cautiously, rain dripping from the brim of his jacket, then entered the building.

The air inside the factory was thick and stale. It smelled of rust and damp metal. His boots made soft thuds on the factory floor.

The building was vast, a labyrinth of long dark corridors. Somewhere deep inside, the faint hum of a generator powered what little light remained.

Lakyn’s eyes scanned the area, taking in every detail. The walls were covered in dust and grime. Rusted machinery stood silent. The occasional creek of metal and the drip of water echoed through the space which heightened the tension.

He moved deeper into the factory, six-shooter drawn and ready. The deeper he ventured, the more his senses went on high alert. 

Suddenly, muffled voices reached his ears. He froze, listened intently. The voices came from a room ahead, behind a half-closed steel door. Moving closer and careful not to make a sound, he peeked through a crack in the wall.

Inside, he saw Skrell standing in front of a large crate, flanked by two armed Jem’Hadar soldiers, easily recognizable with their rigid and reptilian like characteristics. The crate was open, revealed rows of military-grade weapons. Modified rifles and side arms, a large hand canon, and a torpedo casing. He didnt want to know if it really was a torpedo or it was protecting something inside. Either way, it was no good.

Skrell was talking rapidly, his hands gestured toward the weapons as if to convince the two buyers. “This is top-of-the-line, gentlemen,” Skrell said voice full of false confidence and promise. “You won’t find this kind of firepower anywhere else. And I put a personalized guarantee no one’s going to trace this back to you.”

Lakyn clenched his jaw, knowing that if those weapons hit the black market, they could cause untold damage. He had to move quickly, but he couldn’t just barge in guns blazing. He needed to be smart about this.

He backed away from the door, his mind racing. There had to be another way in. He saw a narrow ladder leading up to the catwalks above. From up there, he would have the high ground and a clear shot in the event he needed to use that option.

Lakyn made his way up the ladder. The catwalks were old and rusted, and he had to move carefully to avoid making any noise. As he reached the top, he crouched low and moved along the walkway, peering down at the room below. Skrell and his buyers were still deep in conversation, unaware of his presence.

 Lakyn’s heart pounded in his chest as he positioned himself directly above the group. He raised his weapon, set for stun, and aimed at Skrell.

Just as he was about to act, one of the Jem’Hadar glanced up, his eyes locked onto Lakyn’s position. For a split second, time seemed to freeze. Then all hell broke loose.

“Up there!” the man shouted as he reached for his weapon.

Lakyn fired first in self defense, the blast from his sidearm lit up the dark factory as it struck the threat square in the chest, sending him crashing to the ground. Skrell dove for cover behind the weapons crate, while the second buyer fired aimlessly then ran out of the factory unwilling to fight wanting to have no part in this.

The catwalk groaned under the stress, bits of rust and debris fell around him. Below, Skrell scrambled to escape, but Lakyn wasn’t about to let him get away. With one fluid motion, he leaped from the catwalk and landed hard on the floor below.

 Skrell froze, his eyes wide with fear as Lakyn aimed his weapon at him.

“Don’t even think about it, Skrell, you are under arrest.” Lakyn ordered. his voice commanding.

Before Lakyn could take another step, Skrell bolted. Lakyn cursed under his breath and sprinted after him, the sound of their footsteps echoed through the factory.

Skrell dashed around corners and through narrow passages, knocking over crates and barrels as he tried to slow Lakyn down.

Lakyn’s boots pounded against the metal flooring, his breathing steady despite the physical exertion. His focus was razor-sharp, his training and experience kicked in. Every movement was calculated, every obstacle navigated with precision. Skrell had a head start, but Lakyn was closing the distance.

Skrell made a sharp turn down a narrow corridor, disappearing from Lakyn’s line of sight. Lakyn followed, skidded slightly on the slick floor as he rounded the corner. The corridor was dimly lit, the flickering overhead lights casting long, ominous shadows on the walls. Just ahead Skrell struggled to get through a door, his hands shook as he fumbled with the handle.

 Lakyn saw his chance. He surged forward, his sidearm went up to fire a warning shot but just as he was about to Skrell managed to force the door open and disappeared into the darkness beyond.



"Tsidetsi!" Lakyn yelled from his side of the door calling Skrell a rat in Cherokee as he reached the door.

The factory’s power generator was barely functional, leaving sections of the building in complete darkness. Lakyn flicked on the flashlight mounted on his sidearm, the narrow beam of light cutting through the darkness. He stepped through the door cautiously. 

The room he entered was a storage area, long abandoned like the rest of the factory. Old metal shelving units were scattered throughout, their contents long gone, leaving behind only dust and cobwebs. The air was cold, damp, and thick with the scent of decay.



Skrell’s footsteps echoed faintly from somewhere deeper inside the storage area. He was fast, but his panic made him sloppy. Lakyn could hear him knocking into things, his breathing ragged as he tried to stay ahead of Lakyn. 



Lakyn pressed forward and moved as quietly as possible. He weaved between the shelves, his flashlight illuminated the path ahead. The narrow aisles felt claustrophobic and the walls seemed to close in around him. Every sound felt amplified in the silence, every creak of the floor a potential giveaway of his location.



Suddenly, a loud crash echoed from deeper in the room. Skrell had knocked over a metal cart in his desperation to escape. Lakyn didn’t hesitate. He broke into a sprint, his eyes locked on the faint flicker of movement just ahead. He was so close now. He was just a few more steps and he’d have Skrell within his grasp.



But Skrell was desperate, and desperation made things unpredictable.



Without warning, Skrell darted to the side and climbed up a set of exposed pipes that ran along the wall. He was agile despite his fear, scrambling up the metal structure. Lakyn cursed again and followed, his muscles began to strain as he hauled himself up the slick pipes.



Skrell reached the catwalk above and took off, his footsteps clanging against the metal grating. Lakyn followed, the narrow catwalk swayed slightly under their combined weight. 



Below them, the factory floor. A fall from this height could mean serious injury or worse.



Lakyn’s legs burned as he pushed himself to keep up. Skrell was just a few feet ahead, but the catwalk was old and unstable and groaned under their weight with every step. 





Skrell reached the end of the catwalk and leaped across a gap in the metal structure. He landed with a stumble, his arms flailed to regain balance. 



Lakyn followed, his heart pounding in his chest as he jumped after Skrell. His boots hit the metal with a loud thud, and he barely managed to stay on his feet.



Skrell glanced back, his face pale and slick with sweat. He was running out of options, and he knew it.



Lakyn saw his opportunity. With a burst of speed, he closed the gap between them, lunged forward, and grabbed the back of Skrell’s jacket. Skrell let out a grunt as both men went crashing down and through the metal structure down to the first level. 

The catwalk held their weight no longer.

The impact echoed loud enough that everyone within a block radius heard the ruckus. Two homeless men who were undisturbed earlier jumped up from their old and moldy beds looked in the direction of the factory perplexed at the noise.



About ten seconds passed in silence. The dust and debris finished their celebration and settled back down to sleep. Lakyn got to his feet first as he coughed. A newly made three-inch bloodied gash was on Lakyn’s cheek and probably filling up with Tetanus. Skrell couldn’t get up. His right leg was broken. Blood seeped through his pants.

Both men paid the price for their recklessness.

Lakyn exhaled as the tension of the chase began to ease. He raised his pistol to Skrell. The light planted on his chest.



“It’s over” Lakyn said while coughing. But Skrell didn’t seem to hear him or care. Lakyn saw a flicker of movement from Skrell. 



The Ferengi's hands trembled and inched toward something hidden beneath his jacket. Lakyn’s eyes darted down just as Skrell’s fingers curled around the handle of a concealed weapon.



"Please don't…" Lakyn barked, ready to defend himself.

Skrell whipped the blaster out, a desperate gleam in his eyes as he leveled it at Lakyn’s chest. Lakyn’s mind raced, his muscles tensed.

Just as both men were about to squeeze their triggers, a sharp, precise blast echoed through the factory. Skrell’s arm jerked violently as the blaster was knocked from his grip. Skrell's weapon clattered to the ground.



Lakyn and Skrell both turned their hands at the factory entrance to see Marine Captain Jenna Reyes standing there with her rifle pointed toward them. She was calm, composed, and chewing bubble gum.



Lakyn looked back at Skrell who was now on the ground resigned to his fate.

Moments later, Lakyn secured Skrell with restraints and left him there as two other marines entered the factory to assist Skrell due to his injury. Lakyn and Reyes exited the factory and into the rain.

Just as they made it outside the distant roar of approaching Starfleet Transport shuttles filled the air. 



The once-quiet area was now suddenly alive with activity as security personnel and Marines poured out of the shuttles, weapons drawn and moved with a swift, practiced precision into the factory to secure it along with the weapons. 



Lakyn and Reyes stopped at this Gryphon as they saw Skrell enter one of the shuttles assisted by the two marines under guard.


“Got here just in time," Reyes said, her voice casual but with a hint of relief. 

Lakyn nodded his thanks.



"You owe me one, Vale."

 Lakyn couldn't help but chuckle, his pulse finally settling.

“Uwodúha usdidanéliisdi tla” Lakyn said sarcastically as he climbed into his Gryphon.

“What did you say?” Reyes asked.

Lakyn's canopy closed as he started flight controls.

“Ignoring me? Dont worry, I’ll see you ship side and I’m going to give you a piece of me!”


His fighter drifted up from the ground as he smiled and chuckled on the way back to the Shield Breaker.

RSS Feed