[snip]

During the next three days, things about the Merrimack fell into their usual day to day affairs. Nothing of note occurred on board the ship or in their passage beyond the Federation’s borders into unclaimed space. On the morning of the third day just coming up on 0730 in the morning the ship dropped out of warp of the Unity system. Holding station as they came to a stop outside the system, NE Baskets at helm said, “..Coming up on the Unity system sir. Holding station 2000km outside the colony’s claimed system space..” he reported.

On scans the system was as much described, a single solar body, three inner lifeless small planets of various mineral make up, a large outer gas giant with a multiple ring system and small moons, and in between a single class-m world with a pair of orbitally opposing small moons. Nearby at the edge of the system the colony’s long range subspace relay was present and by all scans showed active and in good shape, so on the surface not likely they had a communication failure. Inside the system a 30 some year old automated gas collection and processing drone was still busy floating in a low orbit of the gas giant collecting and processing helium and hydrogen gases, again no signs of problems there. Orbiting the Unity itself the class M world, a few smaller orbital satellites were present for weather and in-system comms and navigation all seemed operational. But long range scans of the planet while indicating life signs, could not resolve if there was any human life signs, or their status.

GM CockRoach