Snippet #2579368

Episode 1: Lost in the Black

Stardate 52003.4, on the Edge of Federation Space, on the U.S.S. Nobunaga.



Everything was going smoothly, Captain Zekr noted with approval as the crew bustled around him. They were in Federation Space but only just, and in one of the infinite spots where there was nothing at all around them. No planets, stars, even asteroids, and certainly no other ships. He sat on the bridge as all preparations were made and double checked, even triple checked, all in preparation for something that had never been done before.

Slip-stream drive. It had been a matter of science fiction for so long that when a brilliant team of scientists had made a breakthrough it had shocked the very small part of Starfleet with clearance high enough to know about it. Funding had been quickly routed to push the new discovery forward into a physical reality, and from there to field testing. Every possible test had been thrown at the drive, but they had hit a snag. Due to how the drive worked, any kind of unmanned test was doomed to failure, as Slip-stream required sentient beings to operate it for even the best systems failed to interact perfectly with it. Beyond this, there was only one Slip-stream drive that had been successfully put into production, and Starfleet couldn't afford to lose it to the depths of space, or worse, distant enemies.

So a very specialized team was put together, and under very specific confidentiality contracts. The U.S.S. Nobunaga had been staffed with the best of the best in every field, and although the crew was small, they were prepared for any eventuality. But with a drive that could fold space and take them farther than a warp drive could in centuries, they needed a place to go where they knew they could get supplies or repairs, whatever was needed for the return trip. In the years after the Voyager's return, no one had successfully established any official relations with the people of that quadrant, given the incredible distance between them and Earth. With the advance of the Slip-stream drive, however, they were provided with an excellent way to start diplomatic relations between the Federation and the Delta quadrant. Neelix, a member of the crew of the Voyager, had assured them that has people would be very open to such talks, and so Starfleet had resolved to start with them. The scientists' best calculations had put the ship in this exact point in space, and when the drive was activated, they should arrive in the Delta quadrant within four hours. Given the dangers involved they would still have to use their small warp drive, only capable of Warp 6 at maximum as anything stronger would rip apart the modifications made to the ship for the Slip-stream drive, to arrive at Neelix's planet in an additional three days.

The Chief of Security came in, looking as angry as ever. He'd gotten to know his crew somewhat since they'd started out from Earth, and being a personable kind of captain he had done his best to become acquainted with the quirks of his staff, especially his senior staff. And the Chief of Security, an Andorian named Lieutenant Commander Idrani, just had a face that lent itself to looking angry even when she wasn't. She was hard as nails, but he'd been briefed on her and the rest of his crew thoroughly and she seemed utterly dependable.

"How're things looking, Lieutenant Commander?"

She approached his chair, her posture soldier-straight. "My staff is prepared for any eventuality, Captain."

Captain Zekr smiled, having expected an answer of that kind. "Excellent." He contacted the Chief Engineer on the comm. "Lieutenant Lal? Are we prepared to make history?"