Just A Thing I'm Fiddling With

(Just a bit of an experiment that I'm working with here. Don't expect too much out of this.)

It began with a signal from deep space.

None of the usual hailing frequencies or communication methods could make contact, no sensors could identify the source or where it came, nor could some of the best scientific minds in the federation could determine what the signal entails. The only thing that is certain was a presence of a signal from some unspecified sector of space... possibly unexplored.

Several weeks after the signal first appeared, more precise co-ordinates were extracted. Much to the chagrin of the fleet, the co-ordinates placed the signal firmly in Romulan territory. Not only did this put a damper on any potential reconnaisance mission, but it also placed command in a bit of a quandry. Surely if they knew of the signal, there's no doubt that Romulus would know of it as well, especially if it was sitting in their proverbial backyard.

Before long, an emergency session of the Federation Council was called to determine how best to deal with this situation. For weeks, there was bickering, arguing, and anything short of physical fisticuffs over the issue. Eventually, it was decided that a lone starship would be sent to investigate the signal. To send more would provoke an undesirable response from the Empire; even just sending the one ship was pushing it. Regardless, it was deemed as the only viable option, with the other option of letting the Romulans get to it first being less than desirable.

Of course, there was the problem of picking the unfortunate ship and crew to carry out this extremely delicate mission. Right off the bat, sending the Enterprise was not an option; the presence of the Federation flagship would raise a few eyebrows and besides, she was busy on an extended mission of exploration and was far from the signal to make it there with any expediency. It was also decided that the mission would best be served with a smaller ship.

Eventually, a ship was selected.

To be continued... maybe...