Chapter I: A Ship in Peril

Returning from what was meant to be a routine checkup on the newly founded colony on Beranus-4, the crew of the Consortium space ship USS Potential finds its crew of 76 slightly diminished. An Earthquake had released noxious gases from below the planet's surface and although the Potential had been successful in saving the colony, three crewmembers were exposed to the gases. While their lives are out of immediate danger they are currently being kept in a medical coma in sickbay until the Potential can reach Starbase 279 where an antidote for the gas' effect is currently being manufactured.

Among the exposed crewmen was Captain Frederick H. Darcy, commanding officer of the USS Potential. In his absence, his newly appointed First Officer, Commander Shawna Cassano, has assumed the captain's duties. With her on the bridge are head of security Lieutenant Commander M1-K3, chief science officer Lieutenant Commander Zephyr Borealis Jr and Lieutenant junior grade Embis Mezron, a fairly recent academy graduate who has temporarily taken over piloting duties for Commander Cassano.

The USS Potential is currently en route to Starbase 279 at Warp Speed, set to arrive in four hours, when Lieutenant Mezron turns towards Commander Cassano and explains: "Commander, we are receiving a high priority distress signal from a nearby system. There is no message attached to the signal."

[quote]( 6, 5 )[quote]

Zephyr, you complete the sensor sweep just as the Potential falls out of hyperspace into a small solar system: Three planets, circling a red star. Your scan shows no results, there appears to be a lot of interference due to strong solar radiation. Nonetheless, you manage to find the source of the distress signal.

A small trade vessel, not of Space Fleet origin but definitely human in design. You can see that the engines seem to be down, a big chunk of the hull seems to be damaged and it's drifting helplessly in space.
You cannot scan for life signs or energy signals from the vessel due to the interference.

The distress call is still being transmitted automatically from the ship but there is no visible reaction to your arrival.

Mezron slowly navigates the Potential closer to the damaged ship.
There are no visible weapon systems on this ship but you all are aware that looks can be deceiving.

"The ship is in range of our close range sensors now, ma'am!", the Junior Lieutenant explains. You all know that the solar radiation should affect these sensors much less than your standard long range sensors.

Just as Mezron finishes saying this, the distress signal stops. Zephyr, you pick up a different signal now. It appears to be originating from the damaged ship and it seems to not be meant for the Potential as it is aimed out of the system. Your ship's computer appears to have difficulties processing this new signal as it gets displayed on your screen only as a huge chunk of text consisting of seemingly random configurations of only three symbols: F, 2 and V.