Captain's Log
Stardate: 2261.11.3

It's been nearly two days since we left at Planetoid K-4.

We arrived just in time to witness a large meteor storm in the equatorial region, which the subspace beacon
revealed to be the location of our missing crewmembers. The storms resulted not only in communication
disruptions but the caverns where they sought sanctuary also masked life signs.

For nearly an hour we had no way of communicating with the surface and the storms made it too dangerous
to beam anyone down or to send a shuttle. We had absolutely no choice but to wait out the storm.

It was the longest hour of my life.

When the storm finally passed and we got back a signal it was the sweetest music I'd ever heard.

Even without the storms, ionic disturbances in the atmosphere due to the rings made it impossible to beam
anyone down so we sent two shuttles. I of course was on one of them. Seeing our missing crewmembers
all gathered outside to greet us was the most beautiful sight I'd ever seen.

We all spent another twelve hours in the system. While we packed up equipment, Dr McCoy made sure
that everyone (particularly a certain pregnant crewmember) got a complete physical. L'Naym insisted that
both she and the baby were fine and that both Alyen, Belzoni and the rest of the children had taken care
great of her. But McCoy only said, "I don't care if an entire Starbase was watching you, Sweetheart.
I'm still the Chief Medical Officer of this bucket of bolts.'

We also had extensive briefings. I have nothing but praise for Lieutenant Akari's leadership of the refugees
during our separation and I've been sure to put a commendation in his file. Crewman L'Naym was important
too, in acting as an 'early warning system' for the colonists. But then everyone there played an important part.
Every member of the caravan is vital.

We also went over the system data the crewmembers gathered during their stay. I doubt that anyone will be
interested in establishing a colony on Haven. The frequent meteor storms make it unsafe and the regular block
in communications when they happen only add to its undesirability. The fourth planet's methane oceans
are very interesting and I can see definitely someone coming back here to take another look at them.

But that will be someone else's worry. We, along with the Andaman, are now heading toward Depot 14.
One of the main functions of a starbase is to act as support for all the ships that explore and patrol our frontiers.
But over the past several years the frontier has been growing faster than new starbases can be put in place
to support it.

Depots, like the one we're heading too now, are an affordable and quick solution and more and more
of them have begun dotting the Federation's perimeters. They comprise of three or four habitat modules
plugged into a central communications/sensor hub and are easily assembled, disassembled and relocated.
They usually only have crews of about two hundred, but they serve as support, supplier and repair station
for ships in remote, far away areas. Well, they'll be supporting us, we're heading there to get repairs done
and resupplied.

Since we picked up the rest of our crewmates, I've heard a few jokes about them being 'The Castaways.'
I suppose they were. They were on that planet for nine days and had no way of knowing if they would ever
leave it or see their families or home worlds again. But during those nine days they all conducted themselves
as Starfleet personnel and they made a mark on a world, albeit briefly. As dangerous as that planet was,
it granted them sanctuary and if circumstances had been different it might have become their new home
and ours as well.

The kids certainly made their mark. Crewman L'Naym had encouraged them to decorate one of the smaller
caverns and its walls were filled with 'cave paintings.' Any archeologist who goes to that planet thousands
of years from now will find an interesting puzzle! Little Trisha Deerhorn was even complaining that now that
they were leaving they wouldn't get to build a city on the planet anymore.

The entire ship has been happy about the reunion of our family. Our enforced separation has made us all
appreciate each other more. We're Starfleet, we're Saratogans and our strength comes from each other.

James T Kirk.