“Captain’s Log, Stardate 9.16.2402.”  Helena Dread stood in the middle of her ready room.  The senior staff had all arrived and settled in overnight.  Briefings had been held, drills had been assigned to department heads, and now they were in transit to a far-reaching colony grouping that had reported an upswing in attacks.  She couldn’t help but wonder about who – was it Tougun?  Or was the Orion Syndicate returning to stir the proverbial mixing bowl of chaos?  Her mind wandered to wondering if it was someone new entirely – a troubling thought in the expansive space of the rimward.

“We’ve been tasked with addressing some concerns in the Golden Peak colony groupings. A sudden rise in activity has forced them to ask us for help.”  She grimaced, continuing, “Like most colonists and settlers out here, they’re not our biggest fans.  Plenty of them fled the crowded Federation for the emptiness.  Montana Station is working to get us historical information on this group.  What we do know, which isn’t much, is that they’ve been out here for around fifty years, possibly more.  They’ve got a stable government, an active civic structure, and a growing trade enterprise with some sparkly minerals, a rogue moon with fuel mining on top of an artists’ commune that’s been growing in popularity for their literary and theatrical productions.”

She chuckled, “I’ve glanced at some of it, and it’s got possibility.  I think they’re just happy to have their names come up in the cultural and entertainment coverage in the Federation.  Starving artists and all.”  Dread scrolled through her PADD, “The XO and I are working well enough.  Trust is going to take time for her.  I’ll take her at her word and lean less on her written record.  We’ll all have to prove ourselves to each other out here.”  She let her words hang in the air, unsure how she really felt about the situation.  There had been time over the last few days to think beyond her initial reaction.  She pushed on, “We’re all here for a reason, and the Gagarin has a mission.  For the time being, I’m going to hang onto that idea.  Save and end log.”  The console beeped, securing her words into the depths of the central core.

It was time to begin.  She checked her watch.  They were minutes away from arrival.

Dread whispered to herself as she walked towards the door and the bridge beyond, “So it begins.”