Captain log supplemental.

We have been in the area determined by the computer to be the most likely launching point for attacks on the nearby systems. As of yet, we have not found anything. Though the question persists, what are we looking for? Infrastructure such as a station? A lone ship? Alternatively, could it be as small as a beacon, set to mark a particular location, just floating in space? No one in the local task force/group has yet been able to answer that question. I for one hope we are not out here on a wild goose chase.

Operationally speaking we have set our sensor array to cast as wide a net as possible. With so many questions on what we are looking for, I have also tasked Lieutenant Th’taasrehr, Shralal to lead a small team with the task of combing through data from the Dominion War to look for anything that could give us a clue as to what to look for.

Computer end log.

Eric stood, grabbed the half-empty mug, and walked over to the lone window that his ready room had. Taking a long sip from his mug, he looked out amongst the stars. “Where are you?” he asked as he heard a beep emulate from the door. “Enter.”

He turned as Andorian in the gold tunic of a tactical officer entered the ready room while looking down at his PADD. “Sorry sir, I hope I am not interrupting anything, but you said that if we found anything to let you know.”

“That was quick. So what have you come up with?”

“Well sir, we asked ourselves how we would set up an area command and control and logistical hub. One way is that the fleet would set up a central point, usually by bringing with them something like a Naredra class station.”

“And the other is to just park an Odyssey class in the area,” Eric said as he sat behind his desk. “ I was thinking along the same lines just now. The question is would they have left such a ship?”

“That is the question, though another thought we had was what if they used the ship as a base to build from?”

“Hmmm, something that could become permanent over time. Would make sense especially once you gained control over the area. Would also speak to why they attacked Izar and Nasera, two of the largest producers in the region.”

“Yes, sir”

“Good work, Lieutenant. That will give us something to work off of, let alone look for.”

“Yes, sir”

Eric nodded as he thought about what the ensign had brought to him. “Contact Izar and find out if the lost fleet acquired anything that could answer the question.” Eric looked toward the window. “Speaking as an engineer, If I were a mobile force that originally was supposed to join up with the main force I would think that the idea of bringing something like a Naredra kit with them would make the most sense. A ship would be temporary but something like a Naredra would give them the base of operations that they could use to assert control over a region.”

Sir, wouldn’t something like that stand out though?”

“It should, and that’s what is bothering me. Why have we not found it yet? Are we looking in the wrong area?”

“I don’t believe so, sir. The data suggests that something should be out here.”

“Agreed. Go ahead and continue looking at the historical data. See if you can find anything that would help us figure out what we are looking for.”

“Yes, sir.”

—————————————————-

Austin sat in the central chair as the beta shift crew went about their business around him.

“Maybe, we are looking for the wrong thing. “he muttered to himself.

“What was that, sir?”

“Oh, nothing… well maybe it is…something.” he turned toward the science officer.

“Would a signature for something that has been destroyed or broken apart give the same signals as something that is still in one piece?”

“No, sir. They would be different.”

“I understand that it would be different but would or could it mask what used to be there.”

“Yes sir, if it was into a wide enough debris field it may not fully register on the sensors or it may read as something else entirely. What I mean is that the sensors and the computer may overlook the signal as something that does not fit what we have asked it to look for.”

Austin steeped his fingers under his chin. “What better way to make something disappear than to actually make it disappear.”

“Sir, the sensors would have picked up the energy signature though. Unless…” the science officer started to pull up information on their holographic displays. “No, nope, no. Well, hold on maybe, ahhh no that was already marked by the Izar.” As he started going through the previous data

“Well sir, what we do know about the dominion is very scant and mostly from remnants of the last war.” he started to quickly say before he stopped as the console beeped “Well hold on what have we here.” he looked at the latest data coming in.

“What is it, Lieutenant?”

“There is something just now popping up on the very fringe of the long-range sensors. I made a few adjustments to the data and now the computer is giving us a possible hit.”

“What is it?”

“Not sure yet to tell the truth, but whatever it is is big.”

“Show me” as he quickly got up and walked over towards the science console.

“Hmmmmm that’s two days away at warp.”

“Give or take a few hours.”

“Send those coordinates to the helm.”

“Helm, plot a new course to the coordinates that science is sending you. Warp 8.” as he tapped on his combadge. “Captain, we may have found something on the sensors just now. Coordinates have been laid in so we can go take a look.” The Aztec gave that slight vibration that most ships do as they enter warp.

“Very well, I’m on my way up.”