So, I got bit by the creative bug the other night and started writing again. I decided to post it here. It's a trek fan fic. Feedback is welcome. The Badlands By Theodore A Wolf III "Personal log, January 13th 2300. So far my first assignment is going well. It's hard to believe that a little over three months ago was graduation. I really wish I could have seen Tom before I set out. I'm sure he will understand. I mean, this is a dream assignment. Explorer duty in a newly open sector, and one as full of odd anomalies as this one. He always went on about the border service and holovids, so I hope he gets a kick out of the one I left for him..." The female voice entering the Log is interrupted by a young male voice, "Ah, how cute," followed by some rustling sounds and a slapping noise and the yelling of, "Ow!" The female voice continues, "So where was I? Ah, thats right. So Today," another interruption, this time the wail of a read alert klaxon and a computerized voice calling for general quarters, "Shit! Computer end," and the voice is cut off by an explosion and then nothing but static and finally silence. The group of Officers seated around the conference table sit in the silence for what seemed like an hour, until the senior admiral spoke. "Do we have any clue what happened?" The young lieutenant, youngest and most junior officer present, was the first to speak, "No, sir. All sensor and bridge data was erased as was the ships log. It appears to be shear luck that this ensign," he consulted a PADD, "This ensign Branch was recording her personal log when," he paused to think for a second, "whatever happened, happened." This lieutenant spoke with an authority unbefitting his image. The senior admiral looked around the table and was a bit disappointed that none of the other officers present were ready, or willing, to offer their thoughts. He had had enough of this silence again, "Well then. I want this mystery solved, and I want it solved as soon as possible. Is that under stood!" The firmness of that last part couldn't be missed. Nore could his pleasure at the chorus of "Yes sir's" that followed it as he stood. "Good. Well then, I'd say we're done here." He started packing up his PADDs from the table, putting them in a worn leather brief. Thats when he looked at the officers, who were still seated, and said,"You're dismissed." The collection of Admiralty and Flag staff stats to fracture into smaller groups as they leave, all no doubt discussing the events of the meeting. All but three officers, who drifted to the far side of the conference table from the doors. The confident, young lieutenant. A mid-forties female captain. and a male admiral who looked to be in his late sixties. As they got to the head of the table, the admiral held up his hand very slightly, to hush the two officers as he glanced toward the anteroom, and the last few officers making their way out. As the door shut, the admiral sat in the nearest chair with a sigh, Of the three the lieutenant was the first to speak, "That new C in C is a real..." The female captain cuts him off sharply, "Hold your tong. No matter what, he is still the Sink. "Acting sink, captain," the admiral interjects, then turns his attention to the lieutenant, "But she is right lieutenant. So tell me guys, what are dealing with?" Both officers looked at each other, then the captain spoke, "Sir, we really don't know much more beyond what the lieutenant here said in the meeting. Only that the Nebula debris showed signs of weapons strikes and that those weapons appear to be some sort of Phaser based energy weapon of an unknown energy type." "Similar to what was used on the cutter that was lost in that region a few years ago." the lieutenant added, to which the captain nodded. The admiral leaned forward in the chair, rubbing his face in his hands. "I think the young ensign in that recording was right." The two officers looked at each other, neither having a clue what he meant. the captain turned her attention back to the admiral and asked, "Sir?" "Shit indeed, captain. Shit indeed." the admiral chuckled and lifted his head out of his hands to see the two officers staring at him with bewildered looks. "Ok. Who is handling the investigation?" "Intell and the Boarder Service, Sir" the lieutenant said. The admiral stood, "Good, let them do their job. This should all work out into the original end planned. Loosing the Nebula wasn't a part of the plan, but..." He trailed of in thought for a second then snapped back, "Just make sure to have one of our people involved in the investigation in the field." The admiral looked around, "come on, lets get going." As the three walked out of the room, Tom turned the recording off. Now he knew that before this was all said and done, he was going to kill someone. And, it wasn't some nameless, faceless alien out on the frontier. No. It was going to be a Star Fleet admiral who apparently sent the USS Nebula, and more importantly his baby sister, on a mission to their deaths. Tom now knew the who, but he still wanted to know the why. Why, if the admiral knew there was a hostile force in that region did he approve it's opening? Why would he order an Explorer there without so much as an armed escort, let alone a battle fleet. Why, Tom thought, did he order a survey mission to the Badlands?
