I Ain't Afraid of No Ghosts

Posted on Fri Oct 23rd, 2026 @ 10:59am by Lieutenant Aidan O'Connor & Chief Petty Officer Aaron Geiger

842 words; about a 4 minute read

Mission: Creatures of the Night
Location: Planet Stoker - Science Station

Kapowski screamed in terror and then ran to the Chief like a scene out of an old horror film or Scooby Doo cartoon. The voice of concern from Aidan came over the comm.

=^= What the hell was that scream? =^=

Kapowski pointed up near the top of the window where a chandelier was, and "standing" on the large black iron feature was something unexpected, an apparition that looked like a female in flowing robes and a spectral green cloak, and she was semitransparent.

=^= That was Lieutenant Kapowski sir. We've got a visitor of sorts. You may want to tap into my tricorder readings. =^= Aaron replied into his commbadge, not taking his eye off the... well ghostly figure. Taking out his tricorder he deftly began scanning.

"My name is Chief Petty Officer Geiger, this is Lieutenant Kapowski of the Federation Starship Washington. We mean you no harm." Aaron lightly nudged the Lieutenant, nodding to his tricorder. "Please identify yourself so that we can amiably find some common ground."

The apparition floated around the light fixture for a few moments then slowly began to drift down towards Kapowski and the Chief.

Aidan looked confused for a moment as he looked at the tricorder data. "What the hell am I looking at?" he muttered.

Stantz looked at the readings and then to Spengler, "Banshee."

Venkman rushed over and looked at his two colleagues, "Did you say that we got a banshee?"

"Looks that way, Pete. But I want to get some PKE readings to be sure, if not get a visual identification" Stantz replied.

"And what about our StarFleet friends here?" Venkman questioned. "That cute lieutenant, and the gruff guy out there?"

"We should definitely tell them to avoid contact" Spengler chimed in.

Aidan was beside himself listening to the conversation. They were talking about spooks and goblins, the sort of thing he would hear back home around a campfire. A banshee, this had to be somebody playing a joke.

Suddenly over the comm, another loud shriek from Kapowski, or at least it sounded a bit like her. In reality, the banshee, if that was indeed what it was, was wailing so loudly as it made its way towards Kapowski and Aaron that Kapowski fled in fear.

The doors to the adjacent room opened and Kapowski raced through them in abject terror.

Venkman wasted no time. "That's it, this chick is toast!"

"Let's saddle up gents" Stantz noted.

Aaron dove to the side, grunting as he rolled to his feet, watching Kapowski run from the room. The apparition swooped upward, turning toward him ominously.

"Well this is just great." Aaron said, tensing on the balls of his feet as he awaited the next swoop. The banshee wail rung out, echoing off the walls as it swooped towards him. Diving again, Aaron dropped his arcing hyperspanner, set to maximum output. The banshee recoiled at the sudden light giving the scientists their opening.

From behind the banshee the sound of high energy beams rang out, and suddenly, the banshee found itself entangled in streams of energy. It wailed and shrieked loudly as it attempted to break free, but to no avail. A small rectangular device slid under her and then opened, a bright light shining as the banshee was engulfed. The device closed and standing in the doorway was the three scientists wearing strange equipment on their backs and holding what looked like some sort of attached positron wand.

"Got her!" Stantz exclaimed.

Venkman walked back into the room where Aidan was holding the frightened Kapowski and exclaimed proudly, "We came, we saw, we kicked its ass!"

Aaron stood to his feet, brushing off his uniform. Rejoining his fellow engineers he chuckled to Aidan. "Boss you always bring us along to the nicest places." He looked at the scientists as the clucked over their captured quarry with a critical eye. Their equipment was a mess of barely organized cables and components. Clearly never made with the intention of long-term maintenance. Aaron looked back to Kapowski. "You alright Ma'am?"

Kapowski nodded, "I am good now. Thanks Chief."

"Bag and tag time" Stantz noted.

Aidan looked to the scientists, "Explain what in God's name just happened. Was that an actual banshee?"

"Yup, definitely a banshee" Stantz noted.

Venkman looked to Aidan, "There are some things that go way beyond human understanding. That is where we come in. Sometimes, things happen, somebody has to deal with it, and who you gonna call?" He offered a wry grin towards his compatriots who looked proud over their work.

"We are paranormal exterminators, if you will accept an explanation, albeit a little strange" Stantz added. "This planet is a hub for the paranormal, for the supernatural. Thankfully, on this side of the mountain range, all we have to deal with are the spooks, specters, and ghosts. It is the western side of the mountain range where things really get dicey. I don't envy where your captain took the bulk of your landing party."

Aidan shook his head, "Jaysus. We are living my childhood here."

 

RSS Feed