Scanning The Road Ahead

Ensign Murphy was in Stellar Cartography, the first time ever on a starship. The battle had been over for more than twenty-four hours and they now were a long way from the Beta Quadrant. He was using the ship's scanners and data read outs to see exactly what was in front of the Leviathan and Ronin.

*No this can't be right.* He thought as the results came back from the computers.

"What's wrong Ensign ?" A female voice said as he heard the doors opened to the Stellar Cartography. It was Ensign Gordon back from her meeting with Captain Devore.

"Don't deny it. I'm Betazoid I read your negative brain impulses." She said smiling.

James went back to work reading the data over and over, he was trying to check his math. Ensign Gordon walked over and read the findings.

"No you're right, Murphy. It'll take 156 years seven months and three days to reach the Beta Quadrant and then another four years at maximum slipstream once we reach the edge of the Beta Quadrant. Why can't we use the Slipstream now ?" Gordon asked.

"Obviously you don't know the laws of physics when it comes to the Slipstream drive.?" He stated.

"Sorry astrometrics was my major not theoretic warp drive." She replied.

"We need to have a known path to travel through. A single dust particle could throw us off thirty thousand light years." James explained simply. "Between the two galaxies, we can't travel at maximum slipstream velocity."

The doors opened and Commander Barker came with a PADD. The two young officers turned and stood at attention, Barker read the PADD out loud.

"Ensign James Murphy, Humanoid Biology Major, a minor in Computer Sciences. Ensign Janet Gordon, you hold a Major in Astrometrics, and Minor in Operations, I see you've both volunteered four hours a day to this department. I must say thank you. However I'd like to speak with Murphy." He gave a smile as Gordon respectfully exited. Barker read the data that Gordon read. He seemed very interested in his findings.

"When have you studied SlipStream Drive theories ?"

"It was a hobby sir back at the Academy. I took a two month course on it instead on a field tour during my freshman year. I'm a bookworm sir to tell you the truth." James said giving a smile.

"So do you ever want to become a starship Captain ?" Barker asked.

James thought for minute and then came up with an answer. "Well I suppose most officer do but not really me Commander, maybe a Nova class ship if I ever make command level, but I'm happy doing what I went to school for sir."

Barker then was quite and read a different stations computer. "Well I hope you give me your best Ensign we'll get along fine. Well keep up the good work Ensign. Oh at 11:30 present your information you've just done to the Captain and Lieutenant Shaka."

*Oh no not the Captain.* James smiled and said "Sure sir no problem"