Story:Star Trek: Churchill/Xindi Encounter/Prologue

The Churchill is studying a stellar nebula cloud.

''Colonel's Log Stardate 563454.4. We've entered a stellar nebula to conduct several studies of the nebula so far we've not had any contact with enemy vessels.''

On the bridge the crew are walking around the bridge to different stations, as Major Nelson folds her arms.

You know, they ought to rename this region the Negative Stellar Nebula. We haven't run across anything interesting for days.

Rivers turns to her.

If you're bored, Major Nelson, I'm sure I can find something else for you to do. The warp plasma filters are due for a thorough cleaning Colonel Rivers says as she looks at her.

Nelson makes an excuse to get out of it.

Now that you mention it, Colonel, I find this region of space a real navigational challenge Major Nelson says as she looks at her console then over at Colonel Rivers.

Then the sensors beep.

Colonel I'm picking up a distress call from a Bajoran transport ship, that's transporting a Kira Nerys to a peace conference on Babel Ensign Richards says as she looks at her console then turns to Colonel Rivers.

Rivers nods and Richards brings it up over speakers.

This is Kira Neryswe're-heavy damage the transmission ends before she can finish.

Rivers turns to Nelson.

Major? Colonel Rivers asked as she looks at her.

She looks at her console.

We can be there in over four hours at warp 9.8 Major Nelson says as she looks at her.

Rivers nods.

Nelson inputs commands into the helm.

Churchill goes into a great arch and leaps into warp.

On the bridge red lights are flashing and crew are at their battle stations.

We're approaching the system Major Nelson says as she looks over at Colonel Rivers.

She gets up.

Take us out of warp, ready phasers load torpedo bays shields to full power Colonel Rivers says as she looks at viewer.

Nelson drops the ship out of warp, as Lieutenant Grant inputs commands on her station.

Shields are at full power, phasers are at the ready and torpedoes are armed and loaded Lieutenant Grant says as she looks at her console.

Richards turns to her.

We're approaching the cargo vessel Ensign Richards says as she looks at her console.

Rivers turn to her.

On screen Rivers says as she looks at her.

Richards inputs commands into the console.

The viewer shows the damaged transport ship and debris floating around it.

My god Commander Johnson says as he looks at the viewer.

Everyone is shocked.