GENESIS
Posted on Thu Jan 13th, 2022 @ 4:44am by Captain Rhenora Kaylen
Mission:
Paranoia Nebula
Location: Gamma Quadrant
The creature moved slowly through space, its energy levels low even as it's young consumed what little remained. It needed more energy, any energy. The last vessel it had consumed had only lasted a week or so. With the young still so immature it needed another energy source, and so it moved slowly in search of sustenance.
To the average ship's sensors it looked like any other spacial anomalies, a random confluence of dense particles in space that resembled a large gas cloud like thousands of others encountered every day throughout the galaxy. It could change shape, but that now required more energy than it cared to expend. It was starving.
It was well known that humanoid bodies produce energy easily consumed, starships were a little harder to convert into energy but the rewards were higher. A shuttle would do for a week or so, a fully manned starship would keep it going for months, long enough to birth it's children and give them the start they needed.
The Ferengi trading ship was nearby, cruising on the return from a successful meeting with its cargo hold full and it's latinum plentiful. A Marauder was escorting it, ensuring the safe return of the profitable cargo. Many bribes had been paid to fill the holds, bribes that would be held accountable should the goods not arrive. A large gas cloud appeared along their route home, harmless in nature according to their sensors and so both vessels continued forward, not wanting to waste precious energy detouring around a safe space phenomena.
A week later their distress beacons were received by Deep Space 9 and forwarded through to both the Ferengi Government and Starfleet Command. The station itself had little resources being tasked with the integration of Bajor into the Federation and the rebuilding of Cardassia along with their regular duties.
The Sunfire was the closest available vessel and was tasked to investigate and provide assistance if necessary. Hopefully it wouldn’t be too late.
