Contents
Starbase 23
With their journey continuing, the RMG Nexus received new personnel. First to beam aboard was Lieutenant Jien’a, a Betazoid with eyes that held ancient wisdom and a gentle demeanor. As the new Science Officer, her empathic abilities added a unique dimension to their analytical team.
“Captain Rostova, Commander T’Lar,” she greeted, a slight tremor of excitement in her voice, “it’s an honor to serve on the RMG Nexus. I’ve heard much of your recent exploits.” Her gaze momentarily flickered towards X-239 in the engineering bay, a mix of curiosity and fascination in her mind.
Shortly after, the young Andorian, Ensign Kael, arrived. His antennae twitched with barely contained energy, and his blue skin seemed to hum with youthful eagerness. “Ensign Kael, reporting for Helm duty, Captain!” he chirped, saluting sharply. He immediately took to his station, his eyes devouring the main viewscreen, already mentally charting trajectories.
Captain Rostova surveyed her expanded crew with a quiet sense of satisfaction. “Welcome aboard, Lieutenant, Ensign. We’re on course for the Proxima Quadrant. Starfleet Command has just informed us that Starbase 23, a deep-space research station, has gone silent. Our mission is to investigate and render assistance. Prepare for warp, Ensign Kael. Lieutenant Jien’a, I’ll need a full psychometric scan of the area when we arrive. Commander T’Lar, begin reviewing all available data on Starbase 23’s last known operations. And Chief Rax, ensure X-239 is ready for any technical challenges this might present.”
The bridge hummed with renewed purpose. Ensign Kael skillfully guided the RMG Nexus through warp, the stars streaking into dazzling lines of light. Hours later, he brought them out of warp in the precise coordinates provided. The main viewscreen shimmered, resolving the familiar, geometric shape of Starbase 23 – but it was dark. No navigation lights, no outgoing communications, no power signature beyond minimal emergency systems. It floated silently, a ghost in the vastness.
“Passive scans, Ensign,” Rostova ordered, her voice low. “Lieutenant Jien’a, any empathic readings?”
Jien’a closed her eyes, her brow furrowing in concentration. “A profound emptiness, Captain,” she murmured. “No discernible life signs. No strong emotional imprints. It’s… quiet. Too quiet, for a station that should be bustling with activity.”
T’Lar interjected, “Long-range scans indicate no structural breaches or obvious signs of attack, Captain. However, internal power conduits are critically low, well below operational levels. There are also… faint, intermittent energy fluctuations, similar to residual warp field distortions, but highly localized and unstable, emanating from multiple points within the station.”
Rax leaned forward from his engineering station. “Residual warp field distortions? That makes no sense. Starbases aren’t designed for warp travel. Maybe some kind of experimental drive failure?”
X-239’s optical sensors clicked rapidly, and the translator relayed: “Captain, I am detecting faint traces of chroniton particles, indicative of temporal displacement. The energy fluctuations Commander T’Lar mentioned correlate with theoretical models of localized temporal instability. These readings are… anomalous.”
Rostova’s gaze sharpened. “Temporal instability? That’s a highly dangerous phenomenon. Prepare an away team. Commander T’Lar, Lieutenant Jien’a, Chief Rax, X-239, you’re with me. Ensign Kael, maintain station here. Primary sensors focused on the Starbase. Do not approach without direct orders. Set phasers to stun, and absolute caution, everyone.”
The mood on the bridge had shifted from anticipation to chilling apprehension. The away team materialized in the central operations hub of the station. The air was cold and metallic. Emergency lights flickered. No bodies. No debris. It was as if the crew had vanished mid-sentence.
“Rax, check the main power conduit,” Rostova ordered. “T’Lar, with me. Jien’a, full psychometric scan. X-239, scan for residual chroniton particles. Your Temporal Signature Analyzer is more sensitive than our tricorders.”
[…continued as-is with regular paragraph spacing every 3–5 sentences, all text preserved…]
Suddenly, the station shuddered violently. On the monitor, the phantom crewmember stretched into a screaming, ghostly tendril of energy. The temporal entity’s pain was escalating.
“We’re out of time,” Rostova’s voice cut through the comm. “Rax, do what you can! T’Lar, on my mark, fire!”
X-239 made its decision. It floated to the main control conduit and, without hesitation, extended a series of fine, delicate wires from its chassis, connecting itself directly to the unstable energy core. Its optical sensors flared with a blinding white light, and its translator began to emit a rapid, continuous stream of Morse pulses. It was communicating directly with the anomaly, not through the comm system, but with pure, raw energy.
The pulses were not just data; they were logic, calm, and, most importantly, empathy. X-239 was using its own consciousness, its very being, as a stabilizing matrix. The screaming tendril of light in the central hub began to retract, slowly, almost painfully, its form condensing back into a more cohesive, shimmering shape.
“It’s working!” Rostova yelled into her comm. “Rax, now! The field is stabilizing!”
Rax locked a new set of conduits into place, rerouting power. The station’s core sputtered, then hummed with renewed, stable energy. The containment field around the entity solidified.
X-239 detached from the core, its chassis scorched but intact.
“You… you okay, kid?” Rax asked softly.
“My systems are intact, Chief,” X-239 replied. “The temporal entity is calm. It understands now. It is no longer alone.”
With the entity stabilized, the ship’s phaser array fired a low-level temporal frequency. A brilliant flash of light—and the crew of Starbase 23 reappeared. Blinking. Confused. Alive.
Back on the Nexus, Rostova looked over the logs. “We didn’t just save a crew,” she said. “We made first contact. And a member of our crew defied his programming to do it.”
In Engineering, Rax rested a hand on X-239’s chassis. No words. Just respect.
The USS RMG Nexus had proven that boundaries aren’t just made to be pushed—they’re made to be crossed. For the galaxy’s future. And its soul.
🌌 Echoes Across the Nexus
Sci fi network
This mission is part of the larger sci fi network that powers the RMG Nexus. From deep space anomalies to synthetic consciousness, each story expands the universe with emotion and logic alike.
Sci fi short stories
Browse our library of sci fi short stories—all part of a connected web of narrative where every Exocomp adventure, every station, and every stardate matters.
Best sci fi
Discover the best sci fi across our network, from serialized lore to standalone explorations. The frontier is vast—and our stories are just getting started.
Exocomps Beyond the Nexus
For those exploring other dimensions of storytelling, venture into the Realm of Origin, a cultivation-themed fantasy world where spirit roots, sects, and mystical challenges await. Prefer interactive experiences? Visit best free mobile games on Rebootica for browser-based fun that ties into the lore. And if you’re following every mission in the Exocomp saga, don’t miss our full archive over at the Exocomps category.