< Five minutes until arrival at Supply Base 901, > sounded the computers voice.
Paul fidgited in his seat. The whole three day journey he had said nothing to any of the other passengers on board. He sat at the back reading a paper published by his friend Stephen Riley about the ruins that had recently been excavated on Rinara Prime. Paul wishes he could have been a part of it, it seemed very interesting. The Rinarans had died out many centuries ago and never gained warp capability. They were much like the ancient South American peoples of Earth such as the Incas and the Aztecs. They had a similar culture, but they died out for reasons unknown. Where as the reason for the decline of the Aztecs and Incas were known - the Spanish conquistadors, there was no apparent reason why the ancient Rinaran civilisations had died out.
< 1 minute until arrival. >
Paul stood up and walked towards the view port and looked out at the Briar patch. He personally didn't see the beauty in it. Many people say that a nebula can be one of the most amazingly beautiful things you ever see. To Paul, they were nothing out of the ordinary. Just another thing that could be explained by science, just a collection of gasses concentrated in one area. Beyond the patch, Paul saw the station in the distance. A tiny metallic object outside the vast red nebula.
"Computer, download all ze information of charted planets within and around ze patch to ma PADD."
< Downloading data.... File transfer complete. >
Paul looked at his PADD and briefly skimmed over all the planets that had been charted. Apart from the home of the B'aku and the new colony, there was no other planet inhabited or that had ever been inhabited.
Great! Come all ze way out here, expecting to find somesing, but nothing!
Paul looked back up at the view port and the station now consumed the view.
Wow! Zat was fast! he thought.
< Docking sequence initiated, > announced the computer.
Paul felt a soft thud as the transport docked with one of the stations docking ports.
"Attention all passengers, this is Captain Thompson. We have docked with Supply Base 901, if you would like to head for the docking port and disembark."
Well, ere goes, thought Paul as he gathered up his belongings.
"See zat my things get transported to ma quarters mon amis" he said as he passed one of the crew.
"I'll do that" replied the officer.
Paul stepped out onto the station and looked around. There wasn't anything too special about it at first glance, just a standard
Federation starbase. He walked along the corridor and eventually reached the main shopping area.
"Now dis is interesting," he muttered to himself. The station was bustling with activity. Unusual for a federation station, but after the success of the promenade on DS9, Federation stations seemed to be built with shopping areas. Paul walked out and had a loook around the shops, but there was nothing he was really interested in. He decided to get a drink from the bar, so headed for the nearest one and ordered a drink. He sat there and fiddled with his claw as he drank and continued to over the paper about the Rinarans.
After finishing off, he decided he had better report to the stations commanding officer. He walked over to the nearest turbolift, "Ops." The turbolift sped off toward the upper part of the station. The doors slid open to show a vast operations centre. Paul stepped out and took a look around. For the size of the station and the amount of ships coming in and out continually, he would have thought there would have been more officers on duty.
"Zis is a bit of a ghost town no?" he asked the nearest officer.
"Yeah, most of the senior crew are out on the Ariziona."
"Ze Arizona?"
"Yeah, the ship thats stationed here permanently for the stations protection."
"Oh, I see. So who is in command ere mon amis?"
"Lieutenant Call."
"Where can I find him?"
"He should be in the Commanders office."
"Thank you," said Paul heading up to the office. He rang the chime and was invited in.
"Can I help you?" asked Call.
"Sure can mon amis. I has been posted ere on zis station as chief science officer. I is here to report for duty sir."
"Whats your name?"
"Lieutenant JG Paul Deveraux."
"Ahh yes, heres your file. You were meant to be here three weeks ago? Where have you been?"
"Lets just say I had an unfortuanate encounter wit some Klingons on Artack Prime."
"Well, I'm not going to say anything, but I'm sure Commander Wallace will have something to say about it. Until then, I suggest you be on your best behaviour so that I can have something good to say about you when he gets back."
"Sure sure mon amis. I shall get straight to work."
"I suggest you do that. One question, what is that hanging around your neck?"
"Zis? Zis is ze claw of a Velociraptor," said Paul pulling it out and displaying it.
"Well, I'm affraid you can't wear that around the station, it can be classed as a weapon and therefore cannot be carried around the station."
"Look, gumbo, I has had zis claw since i was only baby. Zis brings me luck and has gotten me out of many fight, so non, ze claw stays!"
"Station regulations state..."
"Station regulations? Station regulations?? To hell with ze regulations, zis claw has not been off ma neck in tweny three year, I ain't gonna betakin it off now mon amis."
Paul turned and stormed out of the door and headed for the science lab.
"The Science labs are on level four!!" called Call after him.