Disclaimer: I don't own Star Trek. If I did, do you really think I would be submitting stories to Fanfiction instead of to a TV company?

A new series, entirely new crew and class of ship.

2375 AD

The Galaxy- class ship zoomed through space, straight through the invisible border separating the Alpha and Beta quadrants, its sensors constantly searching the surrounding space for information.

On the bridge of the USS Sloane, Captain Norden gripped the arms of his command chair. His instincts were telling him to be on his guard, and his instincts were never wrong. Suddenly, his ops officer, some young slip of an ensign, just out the academy, turned to face the centre seat.

"Captain." The ensign called. "Sensors show unidentified craft approaching."

"On screen, Ensign Yale." The Captain nervously shifted in his seat, staring out at the unexplored area of the Beta quadrant in front of them. A strange, curved, gleaming semi-circle of a ship swung round to meet them. "Hail them." Norden barked.

"No response, sir." replied Yale. "Wait- I'm getting vague- AARGH!!" suddenly, everyone on the bridge was encased in flowing green energy, that sent strange, pulsing flashes of white noise to their brains.

"MR-VALERIE-REPORT!" Norden hissed to his science officer.

"IT-IS-POSSIBLE-THAT-THESE-ARE-SOME-KIND-OF-SIGNALS!" The science officer shot back.

Suddenly, there was a small BANG, and Norden turned to see that Valerie's console had just exploded. Suddenly, as quickly as it had started, the energy pulses stopped. Norden wheeled around to face the science officer. "Well?"

"My console appears to have been shorted out deliberately, destroying all data collected on the pulses."

"Damn." the Captain muttered. Suddenly, Yale let out a cry of alarm.

"Captain! Object approaching at high velocities!"

"A torpedo?" Norden said, alarmed.

"Like, but unlike," said the confused ensign.

"Tractor beam." ordered Norden, leaning forward in his chair. The small dot on the screen was eclipsed by a Tractor beam. "Pull it into the cargo bay." Norden continued, bouncing impatiently in his chair.

"Sir, the object resists all scans- is it wise to-"

"You do your job Mr Valerie, and I'll do mine."

"Aye sir."

A few minutes later, Yale reported that the mysterious object was inside. With a gasp, he then reported that the strange craft was returning to the nearby Forway nebula.

"Follow it." Ordered Norden. The Sloane came about and headed for the Nebula. Seconds later, the craft pitched wildly to one side, throwing the bridge crew left, right and centre.

"Somehow I doubt we are meant to follow." Valerie said calmly.

"Meant to? I'm not following instructions from these people."

"Nevertheless, sir, our shields have been completely drained."

"Ah. Very well, set a course for sector 004, maximum warp. Mr Yale, come with me. We're going to take a look at that object."

In the Cargo Bay, the tube sat, doing nothing. A top engineering squad was attempting to open it. Norden and Yale marched into the bay. Norden spoke to his Chief engineer. "Commander Pyron?"

"Nothing sir. Won't open for nobody, it seems. We can't tell what's inside, or even if there is summat inside." Turning back to a short, stocky ensign, he continued giving out orders. "Ensign Devon, try the laser blowtorch."

"Aye, sir." The ensign moved forward, then automatically took a step back, as an unearthly glowing came from the inside of the tube. The tube then split in half, the top half levitating to some distance away before dropping down onto the floor with a resounding CLANG. Everyone jumped. Norden was first to recover, striding forwards and peering down into the tube. His gasp of pure horror made the other all gather round too. Wordlessly, silently, every starfleeter in the room stared down at the gurgling, red-skinned baby...

20 years later

The infinite stretches of space held no boundaries for the new transwarp engines, purloined from Borg technology, now looking very much at home on the four curved nacelles of the greatest ship the federation had ever built: The USS ULTIMATE, NCC- 2647.

On board the bridge of this magnificent ship, Captain Yale twirled his goatee round his finger, keying in an instruction to his console to make a log entry.

Captain Log: One year into the voyages of this great ship, we will soon rendezvous with the USS Intrepid, for our first crew changeover. While I am sorry to see my current Helm Officer and Head of Security go, I must confess to a certain excited anticipation on meeting with my new Tactical and Security chief, as I was part of the original crew of the Sloane, who discovered Mr Volkar as a baby, 20 long years ago...

Yale was brought back to the present by the voice of his first officer and science officer, Jane Regent, speaking in her precise, clear tones. "Captain, a shuttlecraft is approaching from the Intrepid, containing our new crewmembers."

"Excellent." Said Yale breezily. "Have Dr T'pleth and Mr Devon meet me in shuttlebay one. You have the bridge, Number One." As Yale left the bridge, Regent smiled at him, but as he entered the turbo lift, her expression changed to one of venomous hatred...

Well, that was the first chapter of this new series! Please Read and Review!