Star Trek: The voyages of the USS Apollo

Chapter Six: First Contact with the Shalari

August 18th 2410

"Captains Log: Star Date 387370.281. It has been one day since we began our journey to the Bajoran Wormhole and we are expected to arrive there by the year 2440. Hopefully our journey will be a safe one and whatever new life we meet here will be friendly. Voq has concluded that if whatever alien life exists here is peaceful then our journey will be a safe one. If they are hostile however, then we will have to be "prepared for glorious combat" as he would put it."

Inside the medical bay, the Chief Medical Officer and the seven medical staff onboard the Apollo were tending to the Crewmen who had been wounded while they went through the Iconian Wormhole. Doctor Crawford Bernard was well known for performing successful organ transplants between species before deciding to join Starfleet, but was also known for his apparent temper. As T'Vrell entered the Sickbay to check on the wounded as per Captain Rivers request, Doctor Bernard said in his deep English accent "Oh thank goodness your here, I was beginning to worry that we wouldn't have the help we needed. Now please hand me that hypo spray for Ensign Jones." T'Vrell picked up a painkiller hypo spray and handed it to Doctor Bernard. As Doctor Bernard used it to numb the pain from Ensign Jones' broken arm, T'Vrell explained "The Captain sent me to find out how long it would be until the injured members of the crew were able to return to their duties. He also wanted me to tell you that the Emergency Medical Hologram will be online permanently from now on in case of a shortage of medical personnel." The EMH looked at T'Vrell with a stunned expression as he said "This isn't part of my programming. I'm a doctor, not a Starfleet Medical Officer." T'Vrell then looked at the EMH and said "EMH, I apologise that you must go against our programming. But since your display is that of a Vulcan, do you not find logic in being active continuously in order to help the Crew of the Apollo in this difficult journey?" The EMH sighed and said "I suppose so. Who knows, I might even learn opera singing like the Voyager EMH." T'Vrell then suggested "Or perhaps how to play a Vulcan harp."

Just then, Yellow Alert was issued as the lights turned yellow and Captain Rivers said on a ship wide channel "All hands, this is Captain Rivers. There is an M-Class planet up ahead with a Warp capable star ship orbiting it. Scans show that the ship contains a variety of weapons capable of inflicting serious damage. I am ordering the Bridge Crew to return to their stations." T'Vrell then exited the Sickbay and headed for the Turbolift. A few minutes later she was at the Bridge and quickly got to her station. T'Vrell looked ahead to see an M-Class planet that was very much like Earth. There were many different biomes across the planet, including desert, tundra, rainforest and plains. In orbit above the planet were two star ships, one of them descending to the planet and the other guarding the planet. As T'Vrell got to her station, Ethan said "T'Vrell, launch a scan of the planet, Lieutenant Toral, scan the ships in orbit." Both of them obliged and started scanning. While the two of them started the scans, Commander Flores said to Ethan "I wonder if these aliens are friendly?" Ethan scratched his head and said "I'm not sure. All we can do is hope for the best."

As T'Vrell finished her scans, she said "Captain, scans show that there is a peninsula that is thirty eight thousand square miles long and several settlements have been constructed there. Infrastructure includes a few farms, but many industrial facilities have been built that are mining the planet's resources. Scans also show no other settlements on the planet. Meaning that this planet is likely a colony of an alien race native to the Gamma Quadrant." Ethan was intrigued at the thought of meeting an alien race native to the Gamma Quadrant and was hopeful that they would be friendly. But he could tell that this planet was a colony and was about to get confirmation as Laren said "Captain, the weapons on the first ship seem to be designed to disable. There is a large compliment of soldiers on board and scans show basic weaponry. Scans of the second ship descending show over five thousand life signs and provisions such as food, water and medical supplies. As well as the equipment needed to build a settlement."