T’Penga manned her station as she pondered exactly how this could have happened. She knew that time changes, and time travel was something relatively normal. T’Penga herself was an example of that. But, this would mean that a ship had been out of touch with Earth for just over a hundred years. That just did not seem logical. She continued to search the database on anything she could find.

Captain Walton had been briefed, and there were plenty more questions than answers.  The Mack and Oly were nearing the location of the distress call.  Park tapped at her console to the right of Wren, who stared at the screen.  They’d contacted Starfleet for any indications of why the Argovan people were suddenly back on sensors after over a hundred years of silence. The Intelligence and Diplomatic departments were as confused as they were about the sudden breaking of silence.  Castillo, at the helm, announced they were dropping from warp speed.  Both ships thundered into the system.

Kondo immediately went to work with a threat assessment reporting, “One signal located, sensors confirm an older model and make shuttle.  The distance is 500 meters.”   He glanced at T’Penga.

“Yes, I see them…” T’Penga began with her eyes on the sensors. “The shuttle’s engines are unstable and may destabilize, causing an anti-matter explosion. The weapons and shields are non-functioning and life support is failing. There is one life sign aboard the shuttle, the life sign is unstable, vital signs fluctuating.” 

Walton didn’t want to wait, “Get them out of there.  Bridge to sickbay – report to transporter room 1 – medical emergency.”  She stood and waited for the report.  She reached her feet in time to watch the shuttle collapse and explode. She snapped her head at T’Penga, “Report.”  She was desperate for good news.

“We have the occupant in the transporter room. Captain. Medical teams are attending to them.” T’Penga reported with the faintest cock of her eyebrow and not even the faintest sign of excitement or any other emotion for that matter.

“Engineering to bridge,” the voice of Chief Okada broke through the moment.  “I’d recommend transporting the debris into cargo bay 2 with containment measures.  A hardy shuttle like that doesn’t just…do that.”

Wren agreed, “Get it done, Chief.” She returned to T’Penga, “Get your team to compile a full report on what happened from when we arrived to when it exploded.  Meet me in sickbay when you’re done organizing the report.  Park, you have the CONN.”

“Yes, Captain,” T’Penga replied and began to compile all of the telemetry from when the Mack and Oly arrived in the system to their current state. She had no answers and would not give any until compiling the report. However, what T’Penga did know is that the Chief Engineer was correct. So whatever caused this damage must have been powerful.

Henry Longfellow felt the reassuring click of his isolation suit helmet slip into place as the HUD powered up.  His charge nurse Hiro checked the suit’s diagnostics and gave him a thumbs up.  He stepped into the chamber and waited for the pressure systems to kick in.  The Argovan patient had been transported into the isolation chamber, and her vitals were erratic at best.  He’d read up on them over the years as a part of his continuing study and an old article from The Olympic Journal had crossed his desk recently.  They were still a mysterious species of humanoids, and the xenophobic nature of their culture hadn’t helped matters in the past.

The doctor moved quickly through the door as it flew open, picking up a tricorder.  Hiro stood on the other side of the glass, working the console, “The data from her transmission is being decoded.  It includes complete medical records for her and detailed information about her species.”  The Charge Nurse continued, “They have…three hearts.  Two on opposing sides of the chest…and one in the abdomen.”  She continued to read the details as the computer translated them.  Henry worked with what he had and knew – stabilizing her condition.

Wren stepped into sickbay and caught Charge Nurse Hiro’s eye, who waved her over, “Captain Walton.”  She gave a rundown on what she knew so far and that Doctor Longfellow was finishing the stabilization process.  “She is currently unconscious.  Doctor Longfellow has attempted to wake her several times but has been unsuccessful.”

Walton accepted the PADD with the report and the details that the computer was pulling from the data packet the woman had transmitted, “She seemed very prepared for us, Lieutenant.”  She scrolled through the information, “They’ve got a very dependent system – cardio, nervous, muscular, respiratory…there’s more cross connectivity than most humanoids.”  She watched as Longfellow continued his work, “That could be part of it…although…if you compare the data she provided…with her data…there are significant differences in her body and the base model that she gave us.”

Hiro examined what the captain said, “You are not wrong, Captain Walton…this is very unusual.”  She turned as the new Chief Science Officer stepped into sickbay.

“Captain, Doctor, Nurse Hiro.” T’Penga said by way of greeting. “Captain, I have that report that you requested. It seems that the Argovan’s shuttle took heavy damage from weapons fire. The heartiness of the shuttle seems to be the only reason she was able to hold out as long as she did. Further evaluation of the debris would be able to possibly tell us who fired upon the shuttle.” T’Penga handed the PADD containing her report to the Captain and then placed her hand behind her back.

Walton skimmed the report, “Kondo did a short and long-range tactical threat check – there’s nothing in the system, sector, or beyond that could do this kind of work.”  She turned to the glass, We haven’t had contact with her species in over a hundred years…and suddenly she’s here…and with a confusing biological scan and data?”  Wren didn’t like how this was all adding up, “Lieutenant T’Penga, work with your counterpart on the Olympic.  I need to know as much as you can find about the shuttle, the debris…and it’s connection to our patient.  Something isn’t adding up.”

Hiro asked, “Captain, should we contact her people?”

Wren had been thinking about that question since the situation had begun.  She reasoned, “She asked for asylum.  Let’s hold on contacting anyone for twenty-four hours.  Do our due diligence on the shuttle and her.”  The Mackenzie CO gave them all a nod, “Dismissed.”