A/N: Hey everyone! So I don't do Author's Notes often, so when I do please just read them. A few quick things before we begin:
1. With the introduction of a new character, my character, events of the series are bound to change, as such this is kind of an AU but I will reference and maybe even use events from the series, but the course of events as they were in the series may be changed.
2. This will be updated once every week, and if it won't be updated look for an A/N the week before and it will let you know
3. I love feedback and would greatly appreciate reviews!

Ok that's all. I hope you enjoy To Those Who Race The Stars.

Disclaimer: I do not own anything involving any of the Star Trek franchise.


Prologue

It was hot. Excruciatingly hot. It was so hot that it felt as if my uniform were melting into my

skin, forming a gruesome combination of polyester blend and flesh. The cooling systems had been cut over an hour ago, and our life support systems were begining to run low. The crew was gone, red lights flickered overhead, and the alarm kept blaring.

From my position at the helm I saw the Jem'Hadar battleship coming around preparing for another attack. This was it. Shields were completely down, and weapons systems had been destroyed. Around me the bridge shuttered from another torpedo connecting with the ships hull.

I closed my eyes waiting for the inevitable darkness that would soon takeover, if not from internal bleeding or oxygen deprivation, then from a well aimed torpedo that would shatter the viewer and allow the cold fingers of space would pull me from the ship.

"~S.S Val~nt. This ~s the U.S~ Enterprise. Do ~ou copy?"

The comm system, though the console was burnt and disfigured, had still somehow managed to receive a garbled hailing frequency.

I couldn't help but think I was delirious, possibly with a concussion, my mind making up a rescue that wasn't really there.

I could feel tears begin to gather in my eyes, as panic began to finally set in. It is one thing to realize the inevitability of death throughout ones life, but to come face to face with it after fighting so hard to live…now that is a fate worse than death. To face defeat, certain and utter defeat, that is something that would haunt me for the rest of, what seemed to be my very short, life.

"Repe~. U.S.S Valia~t. This is the U.S.S Enterpr~i~se. Do y~ou copy?"

My eyes opened as fast as they physically could, and blearily looked around the red-washed bridge.

I tried to swallow, but my throat was too dry and swollen to allow the silva to travel down.

Wheezing and rasping, I painfully raised my arm to rest on the panel in front of me. I'm pretty sure I had broken my arm at some point, during the pandemonium that had ensued only a short while earlier.

My fingers inched towards the comm button, and the ship lurched again. The lights went out, only the eerie glow of the still functioning consoles illuminated the bridge now.

I drew in a deep breath before answering my rescue, "U…S.S….Valiant…..here sir." Another attempt to swallow, "Acting…..Ca..Captain Aniah Kahn….rep….report…..reporting sir."

"This is Capt~in Jean-Lu~ Pica~rd, of the ~~.S Enterprise. We are pre~ared to beam you~~and your cr~ew aboard."

I could feel my consciousness fading quickly, "No crew" I gasp. "Just me and Tim."

"Prepare to ~eam ~board." Capitan Picard

The last thing I heard before everything went black, was the glass shattering, and I felt the bone chilling cold that could only be associated with space.

"Welcome aboard Cadets. While here you will be under review, not only by your senior officers in your department on this ship, but also for your conduct and professionalism in interplanetary communications and relations. You now may locate your quarters and report to your designated posts at 19:00. Dismissed."

Captain Ramriez turned and exited the mess hall where he had gathered us for our briefing.

I glanced around at my classmates, all of them with faces filled with excitement and promise. I spotted Tim across the hall chatting up Lani, the 5'8" resident Betazoid in the Red Squad, who was more beautiful than all the rest of the crew combined. I wasn't jealous though, Tim was a good friend of mine, no romantic affiliation whatsoever. He was a real ladies man, but I knew how much he actually liked Lani, and I was glad he was finally working up the courage to talk to her.

"Ni!" I turned my head to see Jane, a short and spritely Bajorian, who had been my roommate in the Academy my first year, "Common we're gonna go find our rooms now."

She had an infectious smile, and with a final glance at Tim, who was now laughing with Lani about something, I followed Jane out of the mess hall and into the hallways of the newly constructed U.S.S Valiant.


Hope the prologue grabbed your attention and you want to read more! Don't forget to write me a review and tell me what you think.