Take A Chance

Mission : TAKE A CHANCE

The contents of the Ship Logs are considered to be a "compilation" under the provisions of Title 17, U.S. Code (known as the Copyright Act): that is, "A work formed by the collection and assembling of preexisting materials or of data that is selected, coordinated or arranged in such a way that the resulting work as a whole constitutes an original work of authorship." As such, it is the property of the ship’s Captain; however, automatic transfer of ownership to STARSHIPS OF THE THIRD FLEET is effected upon publication of this mission by the ship’s Captain ipso facto.

As outlined in Circular 1 (Copyrighted Basics, Library of Congress, Washington DC, USGPO 1989-262-309/12), "copyrighted in each separate contribution to a periodical or other collective work is distinct from the copyright in the collective work as a whole and vests initially with the author of the contribution."

This mission may not be reproduced in any form without the express, written authorization of STARSHIPS OF THE THIRD FLEET.

Prologue

From the Ship’s Log of USS DILIGENCE (NCC-1956), February, 2306

The roar of the engine filled the cockpit as the ancient Cessna strained in response to the pilot's open throttle. Barely an hour out of the space port at Rio Rancho, it was time to climb those last few hundred feet and bank to port. The terrain ahead was as familiar to the pilot as the back of his hand. The Capitan Mountains were directly below now, up ahead the tiny settlement of Lincoln, Just off to starboard, the Mescalero Apache Nation. Receding to stern was the Sandia Base and the White Sands Proving Grounds. About twenty minutes away stood Roswell, the boyhood home of Captain Peter Sullivan. God this is great! You never realize how you miss it until you return! A wave of nostalgia spread over him as he thought of the vacation ahead.

Suddenly, in front of him came a voice with a note of urgency, dragging him back to reality, "Unidentified vessel dead ahead, sir!" Sullivan looked around with a start. He was relieved to see that no one seemed to have noticed his daydreaming (It was a great shore leave!) His customary morning period on the bridge had been uneventful...so easy to drift off when everything was so quiet. His lack of concentration did embarrass him.

"Do you wish to investigate, Captain? asked Stevens, thinking it odd that the Captain had not replied to his first inquiry.

"What do you have on the vessel now, Mr. Stevens?"

"It's at 150,000 kilometers, and appears to be drifting. There are signs of damage, but even considering the damage, it's like nothing I've ever seen," replied the helmsman. His last comment served to get the attention of all on the bridge.

"Mr. Edwards, is there anyone aboard?"

"Yes sir, there appears to be one. I believe that it is humanoid."

"Commander Bradford, see if you can raise the vessel, offer it assistance." The Communications Officer tried for several moments before turning to the Captain, "Sorry sir, I'm not getting any response."

Now, more urgently, Edwards called out, "Sir, the life reading seems to be fading!"

After only a moment's hesitation, Captain Sullivan hit the button on his console, "Transporter one, Sullivan. Prepare to lock on to a vessel at coordinates being fed to you. Beam aboard the single life form."

"Lieutenant Hanners here sir, I am unable to get a lock. There seems to be some interference with our signal."

"Standby, Mr Hanners, Sullivan out."

Turning to his Science Officer, the Captain asked, "Are their shields up?"

After checking his readouts once again, "No sir, no shields."

"Engineering, Sullivan here, Caggiano?"

"Aye sir"

"Do you think you can lock on to that vessel and pull it into the shuttle bay?"

Following some quick calculations, "I think so, Captain, in any case, we'll give it a try."

Sullivan set back in his center seat and pondered, ‘What do I do now? Dare I place the DILIGENCE in harms way? Should I risk the ship for one person? An unknown craft in my shuttle bay?’

"Do it!"