Episode 0: The Rescue at Xerxes 4

Stardate 48441.1
Shuttlecraft NC-59556, en route to Starbase 364 "Narendra Station"

A month ago you graduated from Starfleet Academy. After some well deserved R&R you are now en route to Narendra Station, near the unexplored Shackleton Expanse, where you will report for your first assignments as Ensigns.

Narendra Station is isolated on the border of the Federation, near both the Klingon and Romulan Empires. Both Klingon and Federation personnel work and live at the station, making it an important station for Klingon-Federation relations. It is also the first line of defense for the Federation and Klingon empire against threats from either the Romulans or unknown dangers from the Shackleton Expanse.

Recently you have heard rumors that Starfleet is planning to explore and chart the Shackleton Expanse in the near future.

Nadim sits in one of the rear seats on the shuttle at an auxiliary station providing oversight for non-essential systems -- such as the music and temperature controls. He idly pokes at the console to see if he can get a dance-club like effect programmed into the interior lighting panels but is having some challenges with color modulation.

"I don't know about you," he says casually to anyone paying remote attention, "but I'm quite looking forward to the opportunity to explore the Shackleton Expanse. Talk about being on the edge of civilization and bringing science and knowledge to the galaxy!"

Keeping her attention on the controls, her eyes flicker over the mass of readouts.

Ensign, Patil, was it? I agree, the opportunity to explore is marvelous! Truly what Starfleet is all about. Should be plenty of chances to do incredible things. I'm excited that I'll be able to be a Conn officer and can see so much of the world through the viewscreen! But please, do stop it with the modulating lights. I'd hate to have to turn this shuttle around! she says cheerily, continuing to keep her eyes glued to her display.

Not to mention getting aboard the ship will let me get to my cabin and get out of this wretchedly warm uniform for a little bit. What I wouldn't give for a bath! And some Holodeck time!

Hrm. I thought I'd been keeping that back to the light panels back here. Obviously I'm not paying close attention to these connected sub-routines. Nadim stops fiddling with the lights while he tries to figure out a way to dis-entangle the systems. This sort of thing isn't precisely what they teach you at Starfleet Medical, but no one seems to be sick or injured on the shuttle and a man's gotta do something with his time other than monitor a temperature graph that fluctuates by no more than 1/10th of a degree.

"Aye, aye, ensign." Nadim offers contritely keeping a firmer eye on what's happening up front. "But a viewscreen is so sterile. I'm looking forward to the away team missions. Although I imagine those don't get handed out to just anyone."

The communication array pings as a incoming transmission is received by the computer. When you bring it up to the viewscreen you see a distorted image of what looks to be a federation scientist.

"Xerxes Science Outpost requesting [... long distorted part...] by a ion-storm [...inaudible...] need help immediately! [...static...] only [...inaudible...] left. They were all [...static...silence...static...] I repeat [...distorted...] requesting immediate assistance! Please respond!"

Phenna reaches over to the shuttle's control panel, and flips a switch, opening her end of the communication channel.

Message received Xerxes Science Outpost. This is Shuttlecraft NC-59556. Ensign Phenna on the Conn. We are en route elsewhere, but can stop to try offloading a few people. Where can we dock? She says quickly. With a glance over her shoulder, she cuts off the audio feed.

I don't know if we should do this, but if you don't object, I'll take us in to see what we can do. Any objections from the rest of you? Ops?

Sevek tilts his head thoughtfully and raises an angled eyebrow.

Not only is it logical for us to divert course and render assistance; we are obligated as Starfleet officers to offer aid under these circumstances. However, it would be prudent to inform the Narendra Station of the nature of our delay before we proceed.

Make it so Ops. Please inform them while I guide us in. Phenna says, her fingers dancing over the controls, toggling off the shuttle's autocontrol. Sliding a finger across the controls, she re-aims their shuttle for the Station and lays in a course, boosting at 60% power.

Narendra Station acknowledges your report. You are the closest available vessel, and thus encouraged to investigate the matter. They let you know that the Xerxes 4 Science Outpost is a surface outpost on Xerxes 4 where a team of scientists are studying the planets wildlife. Xerxes 4 is an uninhabited M-class planet, and the science team is the only known sentient lifeforms.



After a couple of hours flight you enter the Xerxes system and approach Xerxes 4. An initial scan shows you the location of the science outpost, as well as several lifeforms in and near the station. There is too much interference to identify any of the lifeforms.

Looking up from his datapad on "Discipline in the Sciences; Anthropology and the Layman" Francisco looked out the view-port of the shuttle as they approached low orbit. He glance around at his crew-mates from the Copilots Chair next to Phenna...

"Ms. Phenna, can you put us in geosync orbit over the station while i try and establish contact with the scientists?" as Francisco sent standard Starfleet hails to the outpost.

"Mr Sevek, is there anyway to clean up these scans, you would should be able to determine what the Ion Storm left behind.", with that he adjusted the modulation on the comm display.

Affirmative, Ensign Martinez. Phenna says, easing their shuttle into the requested orbit.

I shall endeavour to do so, Sevek says as he calmly adjusts the sensors.

As the shuttle descends into the geosynchronous orbit, the buffeting from the ion storm becomes pronounced.

Phenna tries to drop into the geosync quickly and with a smooth practiced hand.

Phenna smoothly drops into geosynchronous orbit, you hardly feel the buffeting from the ion storm at all.

Nadim ensures his travel kit is ready, as there could be injured personnel on-planet. Otherwise, we uses his console to pay closer attention to the sensor readings the shuttle is getting. He is particularly detailed oriented and this vigilance has paid off in the course of his education, so he looks for anything that might be untoward or suspicious.

The outpost responds to your hails. The signal is still very distorted, but you make out the same scientist that sent out the initial distress signal.

"Shuttlecraft NC-59556, good to see you! [...distortion...] land near the outpost. Be advised [...inaudible...] hostile [...static...] science team. Only [...inaudible...] left. We need immediate[...static...] "

You discern loud banging in the background, as if something or someone is trying to break into the outpost. The distorted figure in the video feed looks frantically around. "They [...inaudible...] getting through!"

The transmission breaks off.

Sevek concentrates on finding order in the chaos of the garbled transmission, deftly and calculatingly working his controls to increase the signal to noise ratio.

"Based on my readings of these sensor logs," Nadim offers, "There are almost a dozen life forms outside moving around in an erratic fashion suggestive of a primitive display of aggression. I also only detect two life forms inside the station. I wonder if some of the scientists are already injured or incapacitated!"

Nadim taps at the console again. Is this shuttle equipped with a transporter pad? Tap. Tap. Tap.