Unknown

“Krszz…day!” the speaker hisses as the dark skinned communications officer complies with your order. “This is the Star…If anyone can…me please resp…” A burst of static causes Uhura to grab her earpiece.

“I’ve lost it.” Uhura tells you as static continues to pour forth from the bridge’s speakers.

“Can you get it back?” you ask.

“I’ll try…” she answers. You spin to watch the lieutenant’s hands dance over her console. You suppress the smile that comes to your face as Uhura slides forward in her chair. It forces her short skirt to rise up to reveal even more or her
shapely leg.

“…sing power. Life su…” the speaker crackles, “…I say again...”

“Sorry sir.” Lt. Uhura apologizes as she cuts the power to the speakers, “The signal’s gone.”

“Understood,” you acknowledge. You hide the disappointment in your voice. Despite the poor quality of the signal, you were able to tell that person who had issued the distress call was female.

“However,” Uhura continues as she turns to face you, “I was able to get a bearing on the source of the distress call. Two Eight Three Mark 8.”

“Very good,” you respond. A pleased smile appears on the communications officer’s face in response to your compliment. You let a smile appear on your face. No doubt Uhura thinks it as reinforcement to your praise. You aren’t about to disillusion her. However, it has more to do with the way her red tunic clings to her well-endowed chest and the way her skirt threatens to reveal more of her shapely thigh. The thought that you might meet another attractive alien woman who needs you only contributes to your happy thoughts.

“Spock?” you ask. You turn to where your half-Vulcan science officer is already rising.

“Scanning…” he says. Blue light plays over his sharp features as he adjusts the sensor array. “Nothing within sensor range.” he adds after a moment.

“What else is in that direction?” you ask. Spock’s fingers work the computer console.

“Fascinating.” he says after a moment. Curious, you rise and cross to his station. As you approach, Spock presses a button. The monitor over his head lights up. Your eyes are drawn to the image that appears. At first glance it looks a lot like an amoeba, a shapeless irregular blob with pseudopods stretched out in all directions. However, unlike the green mass of chlorophyll and protoplasm, this one is multicolored. It tends heavily to the purples and yellows.

“A nebula?” you ask.

“The Quickeness Nebula.” Spock answers, “There’s more.” You raise a single eyebrow. “Wait for it.” After a couple minutes, it flashes three times in rapid succession. After two minutes it flashes five more times.

“A pulsar?” you speculate.

“If it is, it is a most unusual and irregular one.” Spock states, “Most pulsars have regular intervals of pulses. Nor have I heard of a pulsar residing inside a nebula.”

“So you think it would be worth investigating?” you prompt.

“I believe I have already indicated that it would be.” Spock said drily. You give him a quick smile as you realize he was pulling your leg.

“Could the distress signal have come from inside the nebula?” you ask.

“Insufficient data.” Spock responds, “But it is possible.” That was all you needed to hear.

“Mr. Chekov,” you call out, “Plot us a course to the Quickeness Nebula.”

“Aye Keptin,” the Russian navigator acknowledges in his thick accent, “Course plotted and laid in.”

“Warp Three Mr. Imato.” you tell the lieutenant sitting next to Chekov.

“Aye, Aye Sir.” the helmsman answers in a soft soprano, “ETA to Quickeness Nebula, three hours.” You study the gold clad woman sitting on the far side of the bridge’s center console. Barely four and a half feet tall and eighty pounds, Sumy Imato was probably the smallest person on the Enterprise. Lt. Sulu recommended switching her from Delta shift to Alpha shift to cover for him while he helped out in the biology lab. You can’t deny she is more than capable.

“Mr. Spock, you have the conn.” you say as you start for the turbolift, “Lt Uhura, see if you can pick up that distress signal again.” The doors of the turbolift close before the two of them acknowledge your orders. You grab the handle of the turbolift and speak your destination.