“From second contact to border patrol,” Burton commented as he dropped into the seat next to Raan in the centre of the bridge. Around them, the bridge officers went about their business barely glancing at the two senior officers. “Can’t say this job doesn’t ring the changes.”

Raan grinned at his executive officer. “Stops us getting bored, doesn’t it?”

Burton looked amused. “That’s very true. I’d have liked to spend more time with the Volar, though. Their food… you wouldn’t have believed it.”

“It’s a good job you didn’t take Bennett then,” Raan said, naming the ship’s very large and often ravenous Chief Engineer as he reviewed the latest intelligence on the area they’d been assigned to patrol. Since they were so new in the area, he wanted to make sure he didn’t miss anything. “He’d have eaten them out of house and home.”

There was a deep chuckle from the XO. “As long as he didn’t try and blow their kitchens up like he did the replicators, then we’d be all good. Is that dodgy one fixed yet?”

Raan looked up and nodded toward Kovash on helm. A large coffee mug balanced on the edge of her console, showing sprinkles around the top edge. “Nope, still giving out whipped cream and sprinkles with everything.”

The fierce look on the pilot’s face amused him, but he knew better than to show it. She’d only take it out of his hide during their sparring session later. Besides, he was fairly certain, despite her protestations, she liked the sweet drink rather than the engine degreaser she usually drank.

Silence reigned for a moment. Then Burton spoke again.

“So the distress call was a no-go?” he asked, revealing he was reading Raan’s report of their aborted ‘rescue mission’ before their recall and assignment to the Beta Quadrant. Now they were on border defence and pirate watch, which suited Raan down to the ground.  

“Indeed,” he replied. “Seemed like we were just chasing the same sensor ghost as before. A message that had been pinged around the ether, and for some reason, we picked it up. Science is still looking into some angles, but we’ll have to pass it back to ships in the area to check out.”

Burton nodded. “Makes sense. Pity we couldn’t find them, though. Bringing a ship back from the dead would have made for a great story, wouldn’t it?”

Raan smiled as he nodded, his big frame relaxed as he scanned through the reports on his screen and the standing orders they’d been given. Standard patrol route with some check-ins on local authorities in the area to ensure any criminal activity was under control. Although as they were the new kids on the block, it was as much about introductions and making themselves known as it was about keeping the peace in the region. A ship like the Resolute was a message all by itself though, which helped for this kind of assignment.

And that was an advantage Raan intended to use if necessary.