Part of USS Jaxartes: Into the heart of the Storm

What is that?

USS Jaxartes - Science Lab
February - 2394
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The Jaxartes was already a month at the nebula, collecting all the information. It took some time to convince Adrián that they were able to safely get closer to it. But all went all, and the ship had no direct impact on the nebula’s violent storm behavior. 

“It is a beauty,” Sazra said, looking with almost sparkly eyes at the screen that gave a live feed of the nebula. Sazra had nestled into the science lab and worked together with T’Path around the clock to get all the data on the behavior of the nebula, “That such brute force that can rip apart this ship in tiny bits could be so beautiful”

T’Path blinks and looks over her shoulder. “That sounds very likely, sir, but to define beauty with danger is a concerning matter by itself” She looked at the screen. “It has attribute to catch the attention of many scientists” 

Looking back at her science officer, “Yes, it surely does. We have been here for a month, and I feel we only understand about 5% of it” Sazra looked back at the screen. “The Typhon Frontier is a vast unknown area that must be explored, mapped, and shared its discovery with the galaxy” She smiled softly. “That is the primary reason I joined Starfleet, to go into the unknown and be able to bring something back” 

“It’s about 3.1% sir” T’Path spoke to correct her Captain as she looked back at the collected samples, “The reason I joined is to explore and discover. But more to understand the galaxy we live in” It sounded like a pure academy speech that Sazra had heard a few times already.

Getting lost with her eyes in the Nebula was easy, but she blinked a few times as Sazra moved closer. “Computer zoom 200% on the middle-left” The computer bleeps as the live feed changes to a zoomed-in image of the asked area. “T’Path, what is that” She points at the screen looking back at the Vulcan.

T’Path took a deep breath, looking at where Sazra was pointing on the screen. She couldn’t make out, but there was something of an odd shape there, “Asteroid?” She spoke finally and stood up, looking closer to the stream.

Shaking her head, “Asteroids have regular shapes. This is too perfect angled” Sazra said as she pointed at the object areas. “Is it a possibility that it is a ship?” She could zoom in, but that would make it not clear due to the interference of the nebula. 

“We could contact Starfleet for additional help?” T’Path suggested looking closer at the image, “I can try to do long-range scans, but it takes time….”

“No” Sazra spoke, “The interference of the nebula is also hitting the long-range scans. Work with Adrián to get a boost to those sensors” She nodded to herself. “I will brief in with Starfleet to see the best course of action is…if that is a ship, it might need help. Order Rami to scan all SOS frequency” T’Path nodded to her and left the lab as Sazra walked out to get back to her ready room to contact Starfleet. 

Comments

  • This snapshot of the nebula-charting process struck me as wistful, in the pit of my stomach. Sazra’s moment to pause and consider the beauty of the nebula, along with the beauty of what Starfleet empowers her to do with her life, hit that wistful intersection of Sazra just about satisfying that yearning for discovery, and the risk of melancholy were she to lose this moment she wanted so much. It leaves me curious about why Sazra wants to explore? In what of her experiences as a developing person did she develop a taste for exploration or stellar phenomenon — or does her yearning come from something that was lacking from her youth? Furthermore, T’Path’s 3.1% made me chuckle and I’m intrigued by the mysterious object in the mist.

    September 7, 2022