Captain’s log Stardate 76768.11

We’ve concluded our first mission, which on paper was little more than a standard patrol circuit. Make the rounds, see the sights. Iron out the kinks and shake the dust out of the ship. Which we did. And some. Along the way, we discovered an artificial temporal anomaly that reversed time for anyone that entered it upon leaving back to the point of entrance. We charted and did a little mining, and I spent some time in the holodeck. 

Now we’ve been assigned to a convoy mission running escort. It’s a pretty minimal supplies run to nearby Deep Space 5. The crew is growing more into their roles with each passing day. It’s nice seeing growth from them all. Almost more so than if we’d remained aboard the old Rubidoux. In some ways, the change of ship and mission was something we all needed. Commander Kael especially. I was ready to step down and give the ship to her before everything changed. I didn’t want my keeping command to overshadow her, but she’s taken the opportunity to be even more involved with the crew. In the previous mission, she took a personal role in helping the science team work towards answers regarding the temporal loop anomaly we found. 

More than that, she’s also relaxed a little too. More and more I see the beginnings of a personality crack through that all business exterior of hers. It’s good to see her walls crack a little. It’s important for a crew to feel like they can count on their skipper. Some of that comes from getting to know them. Outreach if you will. That was something she’d lacked, mostly. I’m proud to see that she’s working on that facet of herself.

Danno is also settling in more, too. He and Zephyr are great coworkers. There isn’t a problem I’ve found yet, that those two couldn’t crack. It’s like seeing two halves of the same brain working together. It makes me proud and more and more certain of having pulled him out of Daystrom when I did. Especially after the mess that went down with Frontier Day. I didn’t always put a lot of stock in therapy and counseling, but maybe Counselor Alaric was on to something there. 

End Log – 

Tiberius leaned back in the chair in his ready room, watching the stars stretch by from the warp field effect. The compressed time dilation effects as they traversed at ftl speeds while avoiding relativistic issues. They’d set out from Deep Space 17 after assisting the Erigone with its delicate payload. Then linked up with USS Redding, which was loaded to the gills with supplies, and set out. The trip was already three quarters of the way done and they were just about breathing on DS5’s doorstep at this point. It was a pretty routine mission, and Tib was fine with that. The tone had matched what he was used to out of the Rubidoux’s old days as a California class ship.

He was about to start his review of the weekly reports when his desktop console chimed.

“Captain, we just received a strange distress signal. I think you should listen to this,” Commander Kael’s voice said..

She was trying to mask the concern with curiosity, but he could hear it just beneath the surface. “On my way.”

He strode out of the Ready Room a few moments later and emerged onto the bridge. The warm brown tones of the Galaxy era interior design ethic met him with arms wide open. He made his way to the command chair and found Lorena seated in the XO’s chair next to it. She tapped a few commands on her console and replayed a message. A wave slider on the main viewscreen scrolled as it did so.

“Please, I need help. I’m on the planet Thalora, and our colonial governor is working with someone or something calling itself the Great Nest. Please come quick. I don’t think we have a lot of time left before the Ascension.”

After that, the message cut out. Tib glanced over to Lorena. “Is that it?”

She nodded grimly. “That and the coordinates for the colony.”

He frowned, leaning back. “CONN, open a channel to the Redding, please.”

The audible queue for an opening channel played, and Thorne glanced back with a nod.

“This is Captain Rain with the Rubidoux, we’re receiving a distress signal from the colony on Thalora.”

“I know. We just got it too. You’re asking for permission to peel off and investigate it, aren’t you?” The Redding’s CO said.

Tiberius nodded. “I am.”

“Well, we’re just about at DS5. I think we can handle the rest of the trip on our own. Go ahead Rubidoux. We’ve got it from here. Thanks. Redding out.”

Tiberius stood up, straightening out his jacket. “Helm, plot a course to the planet Thalora, Warp 6.”

Lt. Thorne’s hands danced across the console like an artist. Then she glanced back at him with another nod.

“Course plotted, sir. Engines are primed and ready.”

“Send it.”

Space warped around the ship as it vaulted off at high warp.

“So, what do we know about this colony?”

Kael tapped at her console, tapping into the fleet database. “Not much. It’s fairly new. Established within the last 20 years. M class planet, and self sufficient. Grow their own crops, and only occasionally get shipments of tech in from various starbases. They’ve mostly relied on commercial shipping. Their colony governor is a religious leader, Prophet Varik Corvus. Very well liked and respected by his community. There have been no negative reports so far.”

Tiberius frowned.

“Seems odd, then, for someone to send out an encoded distress signal. Possible duress and coercion?”

Commander Kael frowned in thought.

“On my homeworld, it is often a tradition for the strong to shepherd the weak. Though this creates tension in some who are stronger than the shepherd. Perhaps this is one such individual?” Jel’kan ventured.

“Or perhaps someone has decided they aren’t interested in the kinds of religion that Prophet Corvus espouses?” Vossk said from the science station.

“Dissent in the ranks? Might be a reasonable cause to want to ask for help covertly.” Tiberius mused.

“How long till our ETA to Thalora?”

“Three hours twenty minutes and forty two seconds.” Thorne replied off the cuff.

Everyone gave her a questioning look, and the young lt. wilted at her console. “What?” She asked sheepishly.

“Nothing, but you just knew that off-hand?” Commander Kael asked, curiosity and awe in her voice.

Thorne shrank a little in her chair. “It’s not too hard once you know the math.”

Tib smiled approvingly. “I think my brother is the only other person I know who could pull that together off the cuff without computer aid. Well done. I’ll be in my ready room. I want to know more about what Corvus preaches to his people. Notify me when we arrive in orbit.”

And with that Tib strode back to the Ready room. He had some research to begin.