As the likely coordinates of the hidden vessel were transmitted to the USS da Vinci, Commander Anacostia-Bolling turned to her Saurian science officer. “Mister Beriev, I want you to bombard that location with everything from antineutrino to x-ray’s and all things in between.”

The Commander had no clear way of knowing is anything they tried, would make the target detectable or visible; but out there, were two of her crew and she was determined to get them back alive.  Beriev acknowledged the request and got to work

Lieutenant Grav, sat in his seat at Tactical, made the offer to fire a couple of low yield torpedoes, but was politely turned down.  Now was not the time to start shooting blindly.

The Saurian science officer wasn’t totally sure as to which of the multiple methods he undertook had proved successfully.  It was possibly the Gamma rays or venting warp plasma; in any event a bulbous green vessel shimmered into view.  It was like someone had taken some green roughly oval blobs of various sizes and squeezed them together.  There was no pattern, no uniformity, no way of establishing which way round they were viewing in from.  There was also no clear indication of its manner of propulsion.

**********

Though she’d never laid eyes on the ship that now rippled into existence right before her; Lieutenant-Commander Alara Ley knew almost instantly, that one of her symbionts previous hosts had encountered one of these vessels before.

The thought’s and images of one Chenso Ley swam into her mind.  This other ship was similar, but the various blobs that made up its out hull were arranged differently.  Did that mean every one of these ships were unique, or that these two were just dissimilar.

It had been in the Earth year of 2277, when a middle aged Chenso and forth host of the Ley symbiont; had been helmsman of a large freighter.  They were heading back to Trill from Vulcan, a trip they’d made several times over the past few years; when an undetected Ion storm had struck the freighter and knocked out the majority of its systems.

The crew of nine had escaped any serious injuries, but it had left their ship drifting.  That’s when they’d spotted it, floating in space; presumably caught up in the same storm they had been.  It was like nothing any of them had encountered before, and to Chenso at the time, it reminded him of how soap bubbles sometimes clung together.  Only these bubbles were made up of an unidentified alloy.

It had been impossible to tell which section represented the front, or which part was the propulsion unit; may be they didn’t have engines in the form of how most civilisations built them.  This ships design was far removed from anything normally witnessed.

Chenso had watched it, on and off; for the best part of seven hours, as the freighters systems were brought slowly back online.  In all that time, the mysterious ship, never gave any indication that it was operating, or that any crew were either alive or knew they were not alone.  Numerous attempts to contact the ship on various frequencies were made; they all went unheeded.

It had taken them another hour to edge closer; examining every part of the alien ship’s hull.  In the same way that no engines could be detected, there were no signs of any window, hatches or anything else, that might otherwise break up to smooth featureless curves.  They tried scanning its structure, but the equipment on a freighter, even one less than ten years old, was limited at best.

There had been a crew meeting, not long after, where everyone discussed what they should do about this unidentified craft.  Some had suggested contacted Starfleet and informing them about it; either waiting for any starship to arrive or leaving a marker buoy whilst they continued on their journey.  Someone else had wondered if it was possible to attach any cables and tow it.  Another had put forward the idea of cutting into the side of the hull and gaining access, but no one else seemed keen on that plan.

In the end they’d contacted Starfleet and waited.  It would only be 36 hours, and none of the cargo they had was perishable or required by anyone in a hurry, so they felt ok to stay. It was a New Orleans Class, which arrived, and comparing its overall dimensions with the unidentified vessel, there wasn’t much between them.

The Captain could have ordered Chenso to set course for Trill and leave Starfleet to their work; but a sense of curiosity had set in, after spending nearly two days with their wondering companion, everyone wanted to know more.

Chenso would never learn, exactly what did happen; an away team had beamed on to the unidentified ship, that part was known.  At some point during their investigation, all contact with them was lost.  Then the mysterious craft exploded; taking with it all its secrets and the lives of fiver Starfleet personnel.

That last image jolted Lieutenant-Commander Alara Ley back into the present.  If the previous encounter with these unknown travellers had ended so abruptly before anything about the ship or it crew, could be learned.  Her concern now was that Ensign Green and crewman Cooper would only stay alive as long as they proved useful.

She contacted the USS da Vinci, informing them of everything she could remember of those events 125 years ago.  It had been the first time Ley had given her such vivid images of past events.  Alara felt the sense of loss, even though she didn’t know any of those killed in the explosion.

‘I’m sorry to burden you with such sad images.’ The symbiont told her.

‘It’s ok, I understand.’

Just as the past host had witnessed it all those years ago, the ship in front of them exploded.  Its destruction was so utterly complete, that nothing more than microscopic fragments would ever be recovered for analysis; and they would yield very little clues to the ships origins

**********

The first thing that alerted Ensign Green and crewman Cooper to any problems, was the alarms sounding.  They didn’t know whether they had triggered something or the ship was under attack.  Had the da Vinci tracked them down?  Were they both about to be rescued?

Not long after, the doorway opened and in stepped two of the strange octopedal like creatures; this time they carried with the devices that more resembled weapons.

‘Task will stop urgent.’ The helmet translated.  ‘Life will stop urgent.

Neither of them had anywhere to run or dive for cover, and the distance between themselves and the two creatures was too great, to attempt disarming them, before they could fire,

“It’s been a pleasure serving with you.” Cooper announced, stepping in the way of the first blast from the aliens weapons.