"We're just entering the Serenity System, sir," the young ensign at helm called out. "Slowing to impulse."
"Understood. Take us into orbit over Serenity, Rich," Lieutenant Stone replied in a firm voice. The young ensign, Rich Watson, had just graduated from Starfleet Academy and this was to be his first assignment as one of the Search and Rescue Team aboard Stone's runabout. The long journey from Utopia Planitia, where Stone had collected the little ship from had ensured the four people aboard, Stone, Watson and Crewmen Marc Hedley and Janice Fisher, had got to know each other quite well. Stone believed that knowing your team was a requirement to a successful mission in the middle of nowhere.
"Entering standard orbit," Watson announced, "Serenity control has cleared us to land."
Jim nodded to Watson and looked over to the female crewman to his right. "What do you think to it, Jan?" he asked her.
"It's a bit isolated, to say the least," she replied.
"Just how we like it!" Jim burst out. "I believe we have a special parking spot right near the hospital. Take us in."
Watson tapped the console and allowed the runabout to autopilot itself to the surface. As it entered the atmosphere, a beautiful blue light filled the craft as the atmospheric gases burnt around them. As the blue haze cleared, they opened up to a brilliant green rolling terrain, surrounded by water which matched the sky.
"Wow!" Hedley muttered.
"Too right," Stone replied. "No wonder it's called Serenity."
The runabout touched down on a landing pad immediately adjacent to the hospital building, beside the spaceport. A few meters from the pad was a small two story building. Above the entrance door a sign reading 'Starfleet SAR Unit'.
The side hatch to the runabout split open and Stone strolled out with his crew behind him. "Well lady 'n' gents, welcome to your new home and life on the edge."
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