#FridayFlash: The Time Is Now

The Time Is Now

by Tony Noland

"Nothing, sir. No distress signal, no activity on any frequency."

"Acknowledged, Uhura. Analysis, Mr. Spock."

"The vessel appears to be derelict, Captain. Scanners indicate only minor power fluctuations in the impulse engines."

"And the crew?"

"The ship's life support appears to be functioning at minimal levels, but there are no life readings, sir."

"Abandoned?"

"That would seem logical, Captain. The configuration of the ship would suggest that it possessed escape pods, but none are present."

"Hmmm. Mr. Chekov, weapons status?"

"No readings, Keptin. Their varp core is off-line, their shields are down and their veapons are deaktivated. Hull integrity is von hundred percent, sir. Eet does not seem that they vere in a fight."

"Hmmm. Mr. Spock, what do you make of her? She's too big to be a crusier, too small to be a cargo ship."

"The configuration of the vessel does not match that of any ship in the computer registry."

"No, she's a puzzle. Speculations?"

"Speculations based on insufficient data are frequently inaccurate, Captain."

"Yes, Mr. Spock. Well, let's go get some more data. Scotty?"

"Aye, Cap'n?"

"Meet us in the transporter room."

"On mah way, Cap'n."

"Mr. Sulu, match course and speed. Lt. Uhura, Mr. Spock, Mr. Chekov, you're with me. Mr. Sulu, you have the conn."

"Aye, sir."

**************

"Sulu, what the blue blazes is going on up here? What are you doing to my life support?"

"Nothing, Doctor! That is, I don't know what's happening! After the Captain and the others transported over to that derelict ship, the computer just shut down."

"These damned machines! Nothing but a tangle of wires and trouble making circuits! Can't you get Scotty to come back here and figure out what's wrong?"

"I can't raise them, Doctor. There's been nothing but static since they transported."

"Come on, man! It's been more than an hour, we can't go on like this. We'll run out of air if we don't get the computer to turn the life support systems back on."

"You're right, Doctor, of course. I can only think of one solution."

"Well? Do it, man, or we'll all die!"

"Initiating full computer reactivation sequence in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1... REBOOT!"

And in a massive red and blue flash, the derelict spaceship exploded, killing everyone aboard.

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