Firefly's Log: Day 113 - Earth Date: March 27, 3561
If I were not programmed to keep this log as records, I would have stopped updating it. It is a waste of internal storage. There are no new developments of any sort - but coordinates will be attached, as always.
Contact with the Federation should have been established by now. Probability is low that it exists at all. I do not understand what hope is, but Rush says that's all we have to rely on.
Firefly saved her 'diary entry,' quickly turning her attention to the surroundings. Rush was sleeping by her port wing, and to her starboard there was a star system that was… admittedly looking rather unstable. The star's color wasn't consistent, and two of the three formed planets were made of molten rock. A new system, certainly. Worst case scenario, though, she could just wake Rush up and they could leave… but for now? It was interesting to analyze, especially since she didn't have anything else to do. She had to put her telepathic communications offline to keep from disturbing her mission partner… and dare she think it, her friend.
Space was majestic. Well, in comparison to other things that were also majestic, like the vastness of the ocean or an aesthetically-pleasing mountain range… Firefly still didn't understand it completely, though Rush had tried to explain it on a few occasions. Space did possess what would be considered beauty, though. Even a potentially dangerous system like the one before her was beautiful - everything seemed to glow against the dark sky, giving light when there would otherwise be none.
Kind of like Rush and herself. Not only did their engines literally glow, like everything else in space, but they were also a beacon of Earth. The people there were still alive, even after the Epidemic seemingly destroyed the planet… and they needed help.
But there was no one to hear their call.
The two planes had passed all kinds of planets, some in Firefly's database, some not, but none of them were inhabited. There was no sign of life anywhere, organic or otherwise. There was supposed to be a huge, complex civilization with advanced space travel capabilities, spanning hundreds of planets all over the galaxy, but there was no sign that such a thing even existed. Rush described it as frustrating. Impossibly so.
Pushing the thoughts out of her mind, she returned her attention to her sensors, watching to make sure conditions remained safe. She hadn't picked up on anything, but failed regardless. The tell-tale shadow alerted her to its presence: a huge piece of space rock flying straight towards them. Attempting to fire at it with her phaser - or, at least, that's what her system called the weapon - it still did nothing.
Rush? I don't want to disturb you, but…
The plane hadn't slept deeply since taking off. Snapping his eyes open, he immediately recognized the danger. "Move, Firefly!" he commanded aloud, increasing speed to escape disaster. The power of warp engines never ceased to amaze him, flying past lightspeed as they were.
Firefly did as she was told, following closely behind Rush. I was going to do that anyway… it was either move or be crushed.
I know, he sounded frustrated. I'm sick and tired of all this wandering. This star system isn't going to support life… the last one didn't, and the last, and the last. I'm starting to think there's nobody out here, let alone a whole civiliza- There was a beeping interrupting him, something within him. You picking up on that too? From what it felt like, it was a radio signal, and words he hadn't even been taught washed over him. Subspace radio transmission.
Yeah, I am… but what is- she paused mid-thought, realizing what it was before she could finish her question. It was instinct. Something's trying to get in contact with us… no idea what. I'm opening communications to see what they do, if you want to as well.
Of course I do… his mind raced as he realized that this could be Starfleet… and if not Starfleet, at least it was somebody. He hardly had to think about responding to the signal when he heard a voice coming from what sounded similar to a radio - a very clear and well built radio.
"This is Captain Leland Rupert Ainsworth of the USS Independence. Would you care to identify yourselves. You've crossed into Federation space, presumably from a zone quarantined from all space travel."