Star Trek: The voyages of the USS Apollo

Chapter Twenty Two: Contact with Starfleet

September 7th 2411

"Captain's Log: Star Date 388315.523. We have confirmed that the True Way travelled back in time by approximately five thousand years upon arriving in the Gamma Quadrant and now they seem to have attacked several alien civilisations to steal any technology that might benefit them in their quest for Galactic domination. We now believe that they have built an empire of some kind in the Gamma Quadrant and may soon be plotting to invade the Alpha and Beta Quadrants via the Bajoran Wormhole. We now know full well that we must do whatever it takes to stop the True Way, so we have salvaged some old communications equipment from the Great Ark in the hopes that we can contact Starfleet to inform them that we are alive and that the True Way may have built an entire empire in the Gamma Quadrant."

As Captain Rivers finished the Captain's Log he wondered if the desperate plan to contact Starfleet would work. He was hopeful that the communications technology would allow them to contact Starfleet, but he was unsure if it would actually work. He had not seen his mother in over a year and was sure that she thought him dead by then. He was also certain that the Crew thought the same and that it was the reason why morale had been low in the previous few days.

Tired of waiting for T'Vrell to tell him if the communicator was ready, Ethan stood up and walked out of the ready room. As he walked through the Bridge to see Lieutenant Commander Voq in the command chair, Voq looked back at Ethan and asked "Where are you headed Captain?" As Ethan stepped in the turbolift and set it for the Science Lab, he said "To see if we can contact Starfleet that's what. As you were." The turbolift doors then closed and Ethan went speeding down to the Science Lab. As the turbolift arrived at deck five and the doors opened, Ethan walked out and walked straight into the Science Lab. As Ethan walked through the doors to see his lover T'Vrell, he saw the communications device on a large table. The device was effectively a big console with a large dish on top. It was hopeful that they could communicate with Starfleet using the device, but that was easier said than done. Ethan walked up next to T'Vrell and asked "How is the equipment coming along?" T'Vrell turned to her right to face him and said "It is actually ready for us to open a channel to Star Base One Captain. When you are ready of course." Ethan looked relieved as he asked "How long will the channel be open for?" T'Vrell then answered "Unfortunately not for very long. However it should be enough time for us to contact Starfleet. However I propose sending a message in advance before we attempt any communications."

Ethan thought for a moment, considering weather or not they should send a message in advance, before finally answering "Alright then. We'll send a message beforehand." T'Vrell then held up a microphone to Ethan and said "Then I find it logical to send that message." T'Vrell then turned on the recording and Ethan could tell by the look in her eyes that this was the time. Finally after over a year they could at least let the Crew's families know that they were alive. Ethan took a deep breath in and said "This is Captain Ethan Rivers of the Federation Starship Apollo to Star Base One. I know that by now you have probably declared us lost, but we are not. We are alive and well. During our mission into the Badlands we came across the True Way, who had discovered a relic from the Iconian Empire known as "The Sphere". They activated the Sphere, creating an unstable wormhole into the Gamma Quadrant. The three True Way ships, all under the command of Gul Madred, then flew through the Wormhole and were deposited in the Gamma Quadrant, five thousand years in the past. It then closed...but not before pulling us in. We were deposited in the Gamma Quadrant at the present time, approximately forty thousand lightyears from our previous position. We have spent the last year trying to get to the Bajoran Wormhole, just twenty nine thousand lightyears from us and we will soon be crossing through the Georgiou wormhole that will cut ten years off our journey home. If you are hearing this then please let our families know that we are alive and well and please try to do everything you can to bring us home."