Arriving at his ready room, Maxwell immediately took a seat and opened his computer. 

“Computer, access all files related to the Underspace. Authorization: Knapp Omega 5 Beta.”

“Granted.”

Maxwell speed read through some of the reports and he raised an eyebrow and thought, ~ Well now this is interesting. ~

The chime of his ready room rang and two officers came into view. “Come in. Take your seats, we still have some people to wait for.”

Tapping his com badge, Maxwell called for two more people who were the executive and chief tactical officer. 

The door chimed again and Maxwell motioned for the two officers to take a seat, in his rather spacious office which granted they didn’t use the conference rooms.

Maxwell started off the impromptu meeting and said, “I’d like to thank everyone for coming as we have a serious discussion about how we are going to deal with this dilemma of sorts. Any takers on how we should go about it?”

Taking up the chance, Avery offered her thoughts on the matter. “Captain, with all due respect, sir. I would rather not for the Galileo to stay here longer than we need to. The tactical and security risks would be immensely greater than being in our own space. I don’t think or know if the Galileo would be up for the hostiles here at the Delta Quadrant.”

Countering the Chief tactical officers statement was the chief science officer. Hilary enraged, stood up and said, “With all due respect! I know exploring the Delta quadrant may pose significant risks and challenges but we can’t ignore the fact that we could have a wealth of information about the Underspace and its corridors. After all, it’s an unexplored part of the galaxy. It is Starfleet’s mission to “to explore strange new worlds and seek out new civilizations.” This would very well be history in the making.”

Maxwell looked at the officers in front of him and said, “People, settle down. We will talk this out like civilized people, with chances to counter the statements. Both of your viewpoints are valid but we have to look at the bigger picture here.”

~ I should have really not taken on this job but oh well, I’m already stuck here anyways. The Underspace practically gives the Galileo a chance to prove its name once again. After all, it was named after the brilliant astronomer Galileo Galilei, who “discovered”. I mean technically Galileo observed it, the mountains on the moon, the moons of Jupiter, rings of Saturn, phases of Venus. So what? I think it’s time for the starship Galileo to discover some important pathways in the Underspace where it is mostly uncharted territory. Speaking off, that’s what makes it so dangerous. It’s in uncharted territory so if we are invading another species’s space we would not even know about it. Which would lead to some fighting and what not. ~

Kristen stood up next and said her piece, “How about this, we explore while we find a way out? I mean, the opportunity here is already presented clearly in front of us. So why not use this opportunity to explore and map a portion of the Underspace and the Delta quadrant. It could help the other ships that might slip into the apertures have a good chance of finding a way out.”

Maxwell and the other officers looked thoughtful about the statement that had just been said by the executive officer. 

Avery looked and said, “That could certainly work, but how would we navigate the Underspace anyways? I’m sure Miss Lopez would want to navigate the Galileo safely across uncharted territory. With all her skill that she might have, going through uncharted territory is not something the Academy has prepared her for.”

Maxwell looked at the Chief tactical officer and said, “You bring up a good point, Miss Dusiend. Does anyone here have more piloting experience than a skilled ensign?”

Maxwell looked around and saw no answers or other indications of any. “I guess no one then? We have no other choice but to trust Miss Lopez to bring us or albeit get us out of the Underspace.”

Avery looked thoughtful but said a simple, “Aye, sir.”

~ I would love to disagree with this but I guess I have no other choice. I just very well hope that Galileo’s tactical armament is enough for all the trouble we might run into. Though I would most definitely and certainly wish not. After all, opportunities like this don’t present themselves that often. We have a chance to actually be explorers! Real life explorers, just like Kirk and Picard. To make history as we say. I just hope we make it out alive. I will most certainly keep us alive as long as the Galileo’s system can hold up until. ~

Asa who has been silent thus far finally spoke, “Captain, the astrometrics lab could be configured to help us navigate the Underspace but it will take time to fix. I am willing to give it a try, if this is what it takes to go back home. The sensors can be re-calibrated to detect any life forms or ships light years away. It should give us a few seconds at best to act before any assailants could attack.”

Hilary spoke up and supported her deputy which also happened to be their astrometrics specialist and officer. “I concur with my deputy, Captain. We can certainly have the long range sensors recalibrated to detect that far. We will have systems hooked up from the helm console and the astrometrics lab so that Miss Lopez can navigate us with all the necessary information and data available.”

~ The opportunity presented here and now is something I can’t ignore. The wealth of knowledge being presented is a scientist’s dream. After all, their best defense right now is the knowledge that we know about the Underspace and its corridors. Although the data might not be sufficient to help us in the long run. It won’t help that for that long, but it should give us the upper hand for a few days at least. It’s not much but it will definitely help and at this point I believe anything will help. ~ 

Maxwell spoke and asked, “Any more counter arguments on why or why not we should continue to explore the Underspace? It will be a dangerous game we will be playing but it will help future generations understand how the Underspace works and how to navigate it without all the risks associated.” 

Avery spoke up and asked, “How will Galileo get more powerful armaments if we do face some unexpected challenges and hostiles? I doubt with the current tactical armaments we would have a chance against any other more powerful species and their ships. So the question presented is how or what we will do when we do encounter an aggressive species?”

Kristen stood and answered the Chief tactical officers question, “Diplomacy. We always try diplomacy first, but given our current predicament we will have heightened security and tactical measures to go with it if the negotiations do go sideways. We will always try diplomacy first, if we are attacked then we try to reason with them but if it doesn’t work also then we attack. We do not provoke under any circumstances.”

~ Diplomacy is the key to most successful negotiations between worlds, yet there has been a lot of bloodshed during the process of diplomacy. So does diplomacy actually work? Or does it bring more unnecessary bloodshed that we can’t afford to have? The Underspace will be dangerous to traverse but I don’t think it is impossible to do so. The Galileo has got a brilliant crew with skilled officers and personnel. I believe we will successfully go home after this adventure and live to tell the tales. ~ 

Maxwell nodded and agreed with his number one’s response and said, “There is always another way or various ways to avoid bloodshed. First and foremost is the art of diplomacy and negotiations.”

All the officers in the room nodded in agreement and sentiment but they all still had a burning question in their minds. ~ Will they ever arrive home? ~

Maxwell looked at the officers in front of him and answered the unasked question, “We will go back home. I’m positive of it, we will work together to the best of our abilities and escape the Underspace and its corridors. We will not be stuck here forever. We will go home and tell the tale and of course we need to fill out the paperwork needed for the reports to Starfleet Command, I’m very curious as to how that will go.”

Everyone echoed their agreement and collectively said, “Aye, Captain.”

Maxwell looked at the officers in front of him and said, “Well then, what are we waiting for? There’s a galaxy to explore! Science, have the astrometrics lab ready and functional. Tactical, have the security measures heightened and up to standard. Also have the teams ready for any combat missions if needed. I don’t want the phasers to be non-functional in combat. Engineering, get the warp core fixed as soon as possible and try to keep it from breaking. If we can’t fight, we escape.”