"Computer," Churok began, "download orders and all related files pertaining to my shuttle mission."
<Acknowledged . . . transfer of orders and related files will require level three-duty related clearance.>
"Clearance code: level three, voice print, Churok, Ensign, U.S.S. Knight."
<Access granted . . . transfer complete.>
As Churok reviewed his orders he wondered just how pure of a find the Ethyl-preotine would be. A large vain was found in a nebula that they were passing by. The captain had ordered him and Ensign Linn Haakon to investigate and possibly mine the vain in the nebula. They would be departing the Knight in a half an hour and he wanted to be ready. So he went over the analysis of the nebula. It had never been charted from the inside due to dense gamma radiation whichobscured sensors, however the levels had dropped recently and sensors would be able to work, although limited.
<Scheduled shuttle departure in fifteen minutes.>
Churok had to go. He picked up his padd and headed for the door. As he was walking towards the main shuttle bay he was joined by Ensign Haakon. "Hi Churok."
"Hey Haakon. How's life?"
"Not bad, not bad at all." A smile landed itself on her face which made Churok chuckle inside. They walked into the shuttlebay together and Churok gave the order. "Computer, initiate pre-launch sequence of runabout Mekong."
<Acknowledged . . . pre-launch sequence underway.>
The hatch to the runabout opened and they stepped inside. Churok took his place at the navigation console and Haakon sat at the science station. "Churok to bridge, do we have clearance to depart?"
"Clearance to depart . . . granted," Harris stated over the intercom. "Have fun you two, and don't do anything I wouldn't do."
"Really, the maturity level of this crew has got to be the lowest in Starfleet," Haakon said rolling her eyes.
The shuttle bay doors opened revealing a mural of a red nebula. As the runabout left the bay the vastness of the nebula was realized by both the ensigns. It was huge. "Setting course for the source of the Ethyl-preotine readings." The shuttle's impulse engines lit up and off they were. As they closed in on the Nebula the sensors became worse and worse. Haakon said, "We probably should check in before we go into the nebula and loose all contact with the Knight."
"Agreed," Churok replied. "Mekong to Knight, just checking in before we go inside."
[Acknow . . . Mekong . . . commu . . . expecting to see . . . a few hours.] The message broke off. No further communications was going to be possible between the ships.
As the runabout neared the strongest emissions of the readings, Churok cut the engines and took her in slowly.
"Sensors show the find to be 98% pure, with 1% hydrogen, and 1% composed of a mixture of dilithium, neon, and uranium," Haakon said excitedly. "This won't even have to be refined. I'm picking up over four hundred kilograms of it. This will be able to save thousands of lives. Computer, erect a level eight quarantine field around the transporter chamber."
"Computer, equalize atmosphere and pressure in the quarantine field with normal space, and beam the Ethyl-preotine into the quarantine field."
The hiss of escaping gasses flooded Churok's ears. And then the unmistakable blue shimmering of the transporter beam to reveal an apple-sized ball of dense, swirling gas.
"Computer, begin sterilization."
<Sterilization underway.>
"If you don't mind, Churok, I'd like to get back to the ship," Haakon said with relief that the mission went well.
"No problem." Churok powered up the engines and engaged one-tenth impulse.
"Four minutes to outer limit of nebula," Haakon said. A loud signal started beeping. "I'm detecting something strange four meters to port, we should stop and take a look."
"Scanning. It seems to be made from iron and has started to oxidate."
"Rusting? Does the nebula have enough oxygen concentration to oxidize iron?" Churok asked.
"No it doesn't, let's beam it on board and see what it is. There is no radiation emanating from it and no contamination present. It's safe," Haakon explained.
"You beam it on board and then we'll get back to the ship so we can analyze it further."
"Churok to Knight, permission to board?"
[Granted, welcome home. Did you find what you were looking for?] Captain Neil asked.
"We have, and more."
"Doctor Kira said that he was going to ship the Ethyl-preotine back to DS9 on the Borellian transport that we are rendezvousing with in three days," Commodore Pike said, "now as for that object that you found. That's the mystery. The only way that it could have been brought here would be by a ship, but we have determined it to be older than the nebula itself. Over four million years. We've put it into storage, but it looks like it may just be the last remnant from an ancient fallen civilization. We may never know."
"Science Lab to Bridge, resume course, warp 12."