Captain Reva Sarrik sat alone in her ready room aboard the USS Tianlong, reading daily reports. The crew seemed to be getting used to their new home. New homes. The Tianlong was a far cry from the Cardiff and the Endymion even moreso.

“Captain, you have a priority call from Starfleet Command.” Her XO’s voice broke Reva’s musings. She twitched a smile. Though she missed Commander Gareth, her former XO now had charge of their sister ship and Reva’s protege had taken his place.

“Thank you, Commander. Patch it through.”

“Aye, Captain,” Kaalir replied. Moments later Reva’s desk terminal emitted a melodic chirp and blinked to life.

“Admiral T’Val. Greetings. How many I assist you?” Reva asked, inclining her head.

The Admiral returned the polite nod.

“Captain Sarrik,” she began, “Do you recall the science ship Eidolon?”

“The Eidolon disappeared 10 years, 5 months, 2 weeks and 8 days ago.” Reva began cataloging everything she knew about the Eidolon: an experimental science vessel crewed by some of Starfleet’s most brilliant minds, rumored to have been testing advanced theories of subspace navigation. It’s disappearance had been a harsh blow to the scientific community.

“It has reappeared,” T’Val continued. “A faint distress signal was detected—fragmented, but unmistakably from the Eidolon. Its current position is near the galactic rim. The Tianlong is the only Starfleet vessel equipped to respond quickly. How are the Farseer tests progressing, Captain?”

“We’ve only tested the Tianlong over short distances, but she’s held up well. Urzas’ anticipates no issues over greater distances.”

“You are to investigate, assess the situation, and recover survivors and the ship if possible. Proceed with caution, Captain. Starfleet still considers the Eidolon a high-priority asset.”

The soft hum of the Tianlong’s engines thrummed beneath Captain Sarrik’s feet as she addressed her senior officers in the ship’s conference room. The faint blue glow of a holographic projection dominated the table’s center, displaying the Eidolon’s distant coordinates.

Lt Commander Ch’shraonness, her Andorian engineering chief, folded his arms. “This is uncharted territory. If this signal is genuine, we could be walking into anything. How could the Eidolon possibly have ended up halfway across the galaxy?” He shared a glance with the tall man seated beside him. “Tianlong is ready though, Captain.”

“Saa, Captain. The depth wells are holding and are currently at capacity.” Urzas’ studied the display for a moment, gaze calculating. “To jump to the Eidolon will take around half the energy. There are enough charged rods to replace it. This is no Sikkaran ship, with a crew of Technomancers, though. There is only myself to recharge the rods so we must use the other Sikkaran tech sparingly.”

“It seems like a mostly routine rescue mission,” Kaalir said, “Despite the odd location. Not that I wouldn’t mind impersonating an Orion ship again. That was kinda fun.”

“We have different ideas of fun, you and I.” Piva Faarn snorted. The Tellerite Chief of Security quirked the Trill a smirk, softening her words.

“If we do need to, then we’ll have some nice leisurely exploration time while the rods are recharged.” Reva stood, looking to each in turn, “The Eidolon was a pinnacle of Starfleet’s scientific advancement of the time. The knowledge aboard that ship is invaluable. Let’s get to it, shall we? Prepare your departments for longjump. We leave within the hour.”

The Tianlong emerged from its longjump with minimal fanfare, greeted by a disconcerting darkness that yet seemed to shimmer with faint oily iridescence. At the helm, Ensign Sillar let out a slow, shaky breath.

“It’s so weird. No stars. Like one of those sensory deprivation chambers.”

“Steady on, Ensign.” Kaalir murmured.

“Status report?” Captain Sarrik sat in her chair, hands resting lightly on the armrests.

Urzas’ voice came first, smooth and unhurried despite the palpable tension on the bridge. “Longjump successful, Captain. All systems nominal. Depth wells at 45% capacity. We’ll need time to recharge fully. Full recharge estimated at a week, return longjump recharge estimated at a day.”

“And the Eidolon?”

“We should be at her position,” Faarn replied. “Annnd there she is…” Barely visible amidst the void, the eerie silhouette of the Eidolon hung in the void, its sleek, enormous frame unblemished by time or damage. It looked like a predator lurking in wait.

“Magnify,” Reva ordered.

The view zoomed in, revealing no external signs of distress. No debris, no damage, no hint of the passage of time one would expect from a ship missing for a decade. Yet the silence of its systems and the faint static of its distress signal painted a far more ominous picture.

“Still no response to our hails,” Faarn reported. “Scans show minimal power output and no life signs. The hull is intact. No damage.” though

Reva rose from her chair, her gaze fixed on the Eidolon. “A ship that’s been gone for ten years should not look like it left drydock yesterday,” she said, her tone low. “Maintain yellow alert. Kaalir, prepare the away team. I want answers.”

“Aye, Captain.”

As the Tianlong maintained its silent vigil, Reva couldn’t shake the feeling that the Eidolon wasn’t just waiting—it was watching.

The Tianlong’s briefing room was awash with dim light, the holographic projection of the Eidolon casting an ethereal glow across the assembled officers. Captain Sarrik stood at the head of the table, her hands clasped behind her back, her voice steady and calm despite the undercurrent of unease.

“You’ve all seen the scans,” she began. “The Eidolon shows no signs of external damage. There’s no debris, no atmosphere leakage, no indications of a catastrophic failure. Yet, there are no life signs, minimal power output, and the distress signal is fragmented and faint.”

Chief Engineer Eshass Ch’shraonness leaned forward, his antennae twitching. “The lack of decay on the hull is… troubling. If the ship’s been adrift for ten years, it should show micrometeoroid impacts or radiation wear. This looks like it left a Starfleet facility yesterday.”

“And the interior?” Ambassador Terengel’s voice was quiet, his Borg enhancements glinting faintly in the low light.

“Internal scans are inconclusive. Some compartments seem to have breathable atmosphere. Others are completely unpowered, though no structural breaches are evident. We’ll know more once we’re aboard.”

Reva nodded. “The away team will consist of Ambassador Terengel, Chief Ch’shraonness, and six support personnel: Ensigns Carter and Allen from engineering, Medics Kobai and Devore, and Security Officers Bahn and Sinclair.”

Piva Faarn, standing at the back of the room, crossed her arms. “We’ll keep a lock on them, Captain. If anything goes wrong, we’ll pull them out.”

“Good,” Reva said. “Chief Ch’shraonness, you will lead the team, with support from Terengel. Our Borg ambassador has likely had the most experience with unexplained phenomena.”

Terengel inclined his head towards her.

“Proceed with caution. Fortunes favour you.” Reva said.

As the team filed out to prepare for boarding, the hologram of the Eidolon flickered for a moment, the image rippling like disturbed water. Reva’s gaze lingered on it, her instincts stirring uneasily. Whatever waited aboard that ship, it would be far from routine.