Captain’s Log
Captain Olivia Carrillo USS Hood
September 22, 2403
We’ve gone deeper into unexplored space. Everyone is a bit on edge after our unsatisfying conclusion to our visit to Pernod. The incident was an important lesson in the differences in exploring on the outskirts of Federation space and so far away. While the USS Hood is a formidable ship we’re unable to project power in any manner, as the Federation can’t extend any protection to worlds once we leave. Thus we were unable to protect Pernod and its people once we’d left. So they’re forced to deal with their situation without our support.
The people of Pernod knew this, so this was a lesson more for us aboard the Hood than it was for them. Commander Strie Ryaon in particular took the lesson hard, as he’d formed emotional bonds. I’m not the most experienced commanding officer, but Ryaon’s inexperience in his role is stark. He’s developing something of a Kirk-esque affinity for the women we meet without having the Admiral’s ability to disassociate himself with his romantic partners.
It’s something I’m either going to have to teach Ryaon or that he’s going to have to learn from hard experience. I’m not sure which.
We’ve continued on, doing rough surveys of systems as we pass. Nothing yet has proven worth our time, and so we just continue on. However we’ve finally got a destination as long range scans have picked up what looks like a space station of some kind. Preliminary data suggests it’s on par with Earth Spacedock for size and so we’re heading that way. I’ve already ordered commander Ryaon to prepare an away team to visit the station.
Meanwhile we’ll take the opportunity to take the warp engines offline and perform some basic maintenance on the USS Hood. We’ve been going at high warp for several months now, and Commander James Young has been asking to service a few things since this is still the Hood’s shakedown cruise.
—- Bridge, USS Hood —-
Having completed her log Captain Carrillo exited her Ready Room onto the bridge. Commander Ryaon stood from the centre chair, giving it up for the Captain. The pair exchanged nods as she went to sit centrally and he moved over to the First Officer’s chair.
”We’re within contact range of the station,” Ryaon said.
Carrillo nodded, “Open a channel Mister McKenzie.”
The comms officer nodded, and carried out the order.
”This is Captain Olivia Carrillo of the Federation. I’m aboard the USS Hood and send greetings,” she said, wanting to handle first contact as diplomatically as possible.
There was a pause and then a grumpy looking woman appeared on the viewscreen, “Do you want to dock?”
”I’m Captain Carrillo and I bring greetings from…”
”Dock yes or no.” The woman was not particularly interested in hearing about greetings from the Federation or any other formal pleasantries.
”Yes, we would like to dock,” Carrillo said.
”C45.”
”What’s that?” Carrillo asked.
”The bay. Dock at C45.”
”Which one is that?” Carrillo asked, as there seemed to be about a hundred possible docking areas on the station from the Hood’s initial scans.
The woman said something that the computer could not translate and then said, “I’m flagging it.”
Over at the science station the officer on duty nodded, “Sensors pick up a docking bay that’s giving off a new energy frequency, likely a way of indicating where we should go.”
Carrillo nodded, “Thank you. Conn, please dock us there.”
The screen went dark, and the woman was soon replaced by the view of the approaching station. Carrillo looked at Ryaon, “Try not to fall in love with her.”
He rose once more from his seat, choosing to ignore the captain’s jibe. He headed for the turbolift, “I’ll assemble my team and we’ll go aboard to try to make friends.”
