Captain Jean Luc Picard looked up at his first officer from over his steaming mug of tea.
"Yes sir, it's true, an entirely unknown ship. It's got a completely different molecular and structural makeup than anything in the computer." Commander Riker said. He was extremely puzzled about this turn of events, and a little frustrated – he had wanted to play a game of racquetball with that cute lieutenant from Medical. Just transferred and that cute little nose of hers…
Riker whipped his mind back to the present as the Captain rose from his chair. "Well, let's see it." Straightening his jacket the Captain strode out of his ready room and continued to the center of the bridge. He locked his eyes onto the viewscreen.
"Magnify, Mr. Data." Picard's eyes narrowed, "Data, do you have any relevant information from the computer yet?" he asked. The drifting ship filled the screen, almost a taunt at the crew's inability to identify it.
"Little information is available, sir. The make and model are unlike anything other design specifications known to the Federation, the metals are molecularly similar but as yet unidentifiable, power source unknown, mechanical failure is also unknown…"
"Yes, alright, thank you, Data. Keep on it and notify me of any progress." Picard said. He always loved a good mystery, and as this one didn't seem to be harming them – yet – he was going to enjoy this diversion. "Mr. Worf, time to arrival at starbase Alpha Centauri?"
Worf tapped the console and rumbled, "Eighteen hours, twenty minutes at our last speed of warp 3, sir. Before we stopped." Worf was nothing if not punctual, and this delay was surely not improving his Klingon temper.
Riker looked questioningly at his captain, and Picard glanced back at his first officer, a familiar look in his eyes.
"What the hell." Riker mumbled as he tapped his comlink. "Bridge to LaForge."
"LaForge here."
"Geordi, have you made any progress with identifying the phenomena yet?"
"No sir! I've been running as many probes as the bridge, but nothing conclusive yet. If the captain would okay it, we would get much more accurate readings if we could bring the ship on board. I don't know if he'd want to…"
"He does. Prepare docking bay three for an arrival. Bridge out." Riker glanced at Picard, but the captain was merely staring at the viewscreen. He suddenly turned to Couselor Troi and asked,
"Is there anyone on board?"
Troi shook her head. "When we first approached, I thought I may have felt something, but the longer we are here the more sure I am that it was nothing. Living creatures give off a distinct feeling, but I can't sense anything." She smiled. "In short, no."
Picard nodded. "However, just to be sure, I'd like a security team down there to meet it with the engineers." Riker glanced back at Worf, who grimaced – or was it a smile? – and headed for the turbolift.
Worf arrived at the docking bay in short order with Ensign Polaris to assist him. The engineering team was already preparing their equipment and listening to final instructions from LaForge. Geordi looked up when the two Security personnel came closer.
"Hi Worf. Sorry you have to baby-sit us for a while. Don't worry, it shouldn't take long to verify that we don't need you. There shouldn't be any surprises or anything on it – we would have detected those."
"That seems plausible, but Commander Riker thought it best that I accompany the engineering team in case of… difficulties."
Geordi couldn't tell if Worf was unhappy with his assignment or was just being a Klingon, so he tentatively smiled.
"All right then, we'll be as quick as we can. Here's the green light, okay, is everyone ready to go?" Geordi asked, and his crew nodded the affirmative.
The door to the docking bay slid open, and the crew walked into the bay, all the while staring at the ship resting delicately on the floor. The design was not unreasonable, just new to their eyes. Exchanging glances, the engineering crew got to work. Worf's hand hovered over his phaser, as did Ensign Polaris' hand over his own phaser, but the only thing in this room that needed protecting was the ship from the crew's invasive scanning. Geordi circled back around from behind the ship and tapped a few buttons on his tricorder. He looked up at Worf.
"Well, it sure isn't anything we've encountered so far. It's basic enough, but complex in that we have no idea what to do with it. Did the Captain say anything, or give any further instructions?"
Worf grunted. "He did not say anything about it within my hearing. All I know is that he did not seem as anxious as would have been expected to reach the starbase."
Geordi smiled and laughed inwardly. He could imagine the Captain's lack of enthusiasm for one of the lesser-exciting starbases in the galaxy… and to have a benign mystery fall into his path out of the blue like that would be a dream for the Captain.
"Well, we don't need your time any more, so when the Bridge calls, you can tell them that." Geordi smiled and moved off to set up another piece of equipment, leaving Worf and Polaris standing at ease near the door.
Worf sighed to himself. There were so many other things that he could be doing – even Polaris was above such mediocrity. He was an exceptional Ensign, young and strong and full of ambition. Worf could tell that he would rise through the ranks with speed. Polaris was watchful of the engineering crew; if he was bored, Worf was not able to detect it through his attitude.
"Bridge to Worf," the commlink on Worf's chest beeped out. Worf tapped it – a bit harder than nessesary, Polaris thought. He smiled inwardly at his superior's idiosyncrasies, while Worf barked "Yes sir."
"What's the status of our mystery ship? Are we clear to continue on course to starbase Alpha Centauri?" Picard asked.
"Yes sir. Lieutenant LaForge has cleared its safety, and all that remains is to increase our knowledge of it." After a brief hesitation, Worf continued, "Mr. LaForge also said that he would not be requiring our services any longer, you do not see any further use for a security presence." Polaris stifled the laughter threatening to bubble out of him, and instead focused on the engineering team, who were in the process of trying to open the main hatch. With no ready buttons or seals available, they were having a hard time of it. Geordi was puzzling over it with a diagnostic, trying to check the location of power to the clamps holding the hatch shut. Polaris returned his attention to Worf.
"I agree with Mr. LaForge. Return to the bridge to resume your duties. Bridge out." Worf nodded to Polaris and they turned for the exit. Polaris gave a look back at the ship – it would have been great to see more of it. Mysterious ships don't just appear every day!
The hanger door slid open, but their attention returned instantly to the engineering crew when one of the lieutenants gave a stifled scream. Worf's head whipped around to look back at the ship; the hatch was open, and an engineer had nearly fallen off the top of the ship. The look on her face was shock, and one of the other engineers was calming her down.
Worf ran over with Polaris close behind him, phaser drawn. However, the look on Geordi's face was not one of fear of assault… but something else. Geordi looked at them running over and waved a hand distractedly.
"Nothing to shoot at, don't worry. Just a bit of a shock, that's all. I… don't even know…" LaForge rambled off, scanning the cockpit with his tricorder.
This answer was not nearly good enough for Worf. He vaulted quickly to the top of the ship and looked inside, phaser ready no matter the assurances of his friend.
Inside was the body of a human female. Not a skeleton… but a body. Flesh, attached hair, no bloating or scent of death, either. He looked at Geordi, and got a look that was as puzzled as he felt. He tapped his commlink amid the hushed mutterings of the engineering crew.
"Worf to Bridge."
"Riker here. What is it, Worf?"
"Sir, there is a discrepancy with the ship."
There was silence for a moment. "Can you be a bit more specific, Lieutenant?"
Geordi piped into the conversation, "There is a… body inside the ship. Not a deceased body, but… well, a body. I recommend emergency quarantine."
"Right. Bridge out."
Up on the bridge, Riker looked at his captain as he gave the order for the emergency transport, and notified Dr. Crusher of the situation. Picard had been gauging Counselor Troi's reaction to the news, and the look of shock on her face was apparent. She looked at Picard with a strange expression.
"No sir, I still don't sense anything. That person has no feelings, no aura, of being alive, but why it's not dead... I can't explain it."
Picard nodded, and rose from his seat. "Mr. Data, you have the Bridge. Continue to monitor the status of the ship and its crewmember from here. Number One, you're with me."
"Aye, Captain," the two chorused, Data taking the Captain's seat and Riker following Picard to the turbolift. Troi instantly rose from her seat also and followed them onto the lift.
"Captain, do you have any ideas as to this situation?" Riker asked.
"No, Number One, I haven't got a single clue." Picard sighed, and then smiled at his friends. "But we've certainly got a mystery on our hands, don't we?" Riker grinned.
"We sure do, sir."