[snip]

Scans by the probes did pick up a system pod drifting in a low orbit 80 some meters away on the dark side of the asteroid that the mining station was currently latched onto. Life signs showed empty, and life support systems and power long dead, it seems a micro meteorite fragment from the mined asteroid had hit the bubble screen and pierced it liking killing the brother in question before any emergency action could be taken.

=/\= 30 minutes!? =/\= The man gave a hiccup then gasp and wheeze chuckling with a tremor, he clearly was fighting to not giggle loudly at the idea of his isolation and rescue coming to an end, =/\= I mean what’s 30 minutes right after almost 7 to 8 months alone! =/\= he said.

“Okay, take us in closer to that asteroid belt and let’s rescue Michael,” Glen told the Navigator. “We will want to interview him further after he’s been medically cleared, Dr. Cross. Patch him up, and let’s not mention his unfortunately named brother until we are quite sure he is dead. We will need to bring that system pod with the cracked bubble aboard and autopsy his body. Meanwhile, science can work on exactly what the ‘six to eight streaks of bright lights’ that he saw seven to eight months ago, might have been; a natural phenomena or some kind of new weapon attack. Something major happened here, and yet the planet seems to be carrying on as if normal. It’s a puzzle where the pieces won’t fit together, and I don’t even like puzzles. Any questions?”

The Merrimack began its approach to the asteroid field within the inner most part of the system, giving the main colony planet of Unity for now a wide berth. Within 28 minutes they were soon parked in a stable orbit near the asteroid and mining station.

Glen was awaiting the report from Science of the streaks of light, but disappointed that they held no information on the colonists names. He didn’t expect that the ‘NX Memorial’ archive would hold anything more, and he still wondered how ethical it was to continue to consult it over trivial matters. “When we become within range of Unity, please see if we can hack into their local computer networks,” Glen instructed, though he also wondered if that would be any more ethical?

“Hail Michael Duck again, and tell him to be ready to beam aboard!” Glen asked. “Can I have an analysis of the this station and any drones still in operation? Any security or weapons systems or machinery in use? Then I’ll need a plan to bring aboard that stray system pod with the body of Donald Duck aboard.”

=/\=Lt Mullins to the Bridge. I am not sure how much longer I can provide the additional power to sensors before it starts effecting essential systems. Were you able to obtain the additional data which was required?=/\=

=/\=Very well. I will set the sensors back to the standard value. I will be down here. =/\=

=/\= Yes, thank you, Lt. Also the probes made contact with someone we are going to rescue and bring abroad. He should provide us with far more information than the sensor could, so you may reduce the additional sensor power back to normal parameters. =/\=

=/\= Lt Mullins out =/\=

=/\= Sickbay to bridge ..em Captain why is it taking so long to bring the man on the ship ,is it that big of a deal? =/\= she was about to continue but decided to leave it unsaid just in case the Captain have a meltdown instead of her.

=/\= I want to arrange his transfer so that he doesn’t see his dead brother’s body in the process. Were that to happen then he might go slightly quackers! =/\= Glen replied.

There was a pause from Cross ,he heard her take a deep breath =/\= Captain do you think he’s that naive and has not already concluded that his brother is unfortunately already dead =/\= she then went on =/\= He has already shown how resilient he is enduring these past seven or eight months alone and still thinking straight =/\= .

=/\= I do hope so! We also need to get into transport range. Anyway, you’ll have him very shortly, standby! =/\=

=/\= Tks for the information ..Cross out =/\=.

Lance cursed for the fourth time under his breath as he argued with the ships computer. Managing the probes plus now searching for the pilots. It should have been simple but the error messages he was getting were clearly because another piece of technology hated him. “Come on.... We were friends yesterday” he hissed.

He searched again for the survivor and his brother “Don’t you dare give me that photo of that creepy grinning duck again, I swear you’re not helping here” Lance warned the computer in a low voice.

Then there was the steaks of light that were mentioned, he knew the boss works want to know what they were, heck her wanted to know what they were, but he had his hands full, but he wasn’t alive in this.

=/\= Ensign Ryder can you come up to the bridge, I could do with a second pair of hands up here. =/\= Lance said two eyes were likely going to be better than one.

“Any progress on the origin of those streaks of light or with hacking into the local computer systems,” Glen asked Lance and his team.

• Glen, CO