Beta Quadrant, Here We Come

Chief Science Officer's Log Stardate: 2460233

We are finally on our mission to explore the Beta quadrant. There have been several missions that have preceded our own, but most have never returned. Many of the early missions had encountered either the Klingon or Romulan Empires and had been destroyed. The last two ships that have left to explore the quadrant have never been heard or seen of again.

The first was the *USS Equinox*, which was an Oberon class science vessel, under the command of Captain Sho Evertri, an El-Aurian who had been the first El-Aurian to attend the Academy.

The rest of the crew had been made up of Vulcans and other long-lived species. The idea was that because the ship would be on a sixty-year mission, a command staff that was able to operate over that long period was essential.

The second was the *USS Utopia*, an advanced prototype of a trans-warp craft. With the knowledge gained through studying the Borg and their salvaged technology, the vessel had originally been given the honour of being the first to successfully break the transwarp barrier. Of course, this was later found to have been premature.

The actually breaking of the transwarp barrier had taken place some six months earlier in the Delta quadrant. Lieutenant Thomas Paris in the *USS Voyager Shuttle craft Cochrane*, was eventually recognized with this honour upon *Voyager's* return to the Alpha quadrant. The *Utopia* had however managed to create a transwarp conduit, so the crew had not suffered the accelerated evolution that Tom Paris had. All contact with the *Utopia* had been lost some six months after the vessel had entering the Beta quadrant.

All science sections have reported in and are ready to perform those tasks that are ahead of us. Their reports are attached to this log.

We have some new additions to the science contingent of the crew, although I personally have not met any of these new recruits.

End Log

Personal Log. Lieutenant Chu Barker - Stardate: 2460223

Well the promotion to full Lieutenant was a surprise to me.

When the Captain had suggested the unusual promotion ceremony, Chu had gone along with the plan, the Captain hadn't mentioned that Chu himself would be amongst the crew to be promoted. It feels good though, Lieutenant Junior Grade is a ranking position, but full Lieutenant carries more respect from the crew.

We are finally getting to explore the Beta quadrant, this is why I signed onto the Leviathan in the first place. Fighting the Borg was not part of the plan, but I've survived and I'm starting to feel like this is home. Which it will be for the next few years. On my previous ship assignments, I've been just another Ensign and I've felt isolated from the crew. There was a time when I thought that I would never accept another position aboard a starship.

Nevertheless, the opportunity to do what Starfleet was meant to do, to explore new worlds and new civilizations was something that I could not pass up.

Ever since our battle with the Borg however, I've had the strangest feeling that someone or something is watching us. Several times over the past few days, I've had the feeling of another presence around me, the strongest was just after the promotion ceremony on the Bridge, after everyone left.

The mood of the Captain has changed since our short R & R on Starbase 114 and he's more like the Captain that I first met those few short weeks ago.

We are going into the unknown, is this what the crew of the *USS Voyager* felt when they found themselves lost in the Delta quadrant ?, seventy five years from home. They had survived and managed to get home, with information on the Delta quadrant that was going to take years to fully process and evaluate.

End personal log

Lieutenant Chu Barker downloaded his Science officers log and the section reports onto a PADD and headed for the Bridge to start his shift.

Once he reached the Bridge, he looked around and saw Commander Harris in the command chair. Looking towards the Captain's ready room, he saw through the open door that the Captain was sat at his desk, examining other reports. He handed the PADD to the Commander who quickly looked at the PADD and then placed it with a pile of others. Chu then relieved the young Ensign at the Science station, who acknowledging that he'd been relieved, quickly headed for the turbolift.