Klemendat paced the nearly-empty bridge, checking status monitors at ops and long range sensor readings at the science station; peering over the shoulders of the communications officer and flight controller, the only other crewmembers besides himself unlucky enough to be working the late watch. He knew nothing about the junior grade ensign at communications other than the obvious fact that he had an obviously oriental human ancestry. Nor did he know much about the young Bolian woman at the Conn. Neither were important enough to rate on his personal scale of "fear" or "favor"; that is, neither of them could pose any interference to his plans, thereby bearing watch under the "fear" category, nor could they exert any helpful influence, thus deserving special attention under the heading of "favor". They were just warm bodies at a job, not even worthy of remembering their individual names.

The only event to look forward to within the next six hours was the arrival of their new Diplomatic Advisor, a first contact specialist.

Her shuttle from the USS Hornet was due for rendezvous with the StarQuest at 0130, and for some reason, the Captain had left orders to be awakened at 0100 so that he could welcome her aboard.

There were habitable planets inside the neutral zone, he recalled, even in the days of the Empire. Anybody or anything might be hiding out there now. How would they know? Why didn't they care?

=/\= Landing Bay One to Bridge; =/\=

"This is Klemendat. Go ahead, L.B. One."

"Aye, sir. I'll call Ensign Rakh'bar to the Bridge." He tapped open a Comm channel to the Flight Controller: "Klemendat to Ensign Rakh'bar:

Report to the Bridge."

This is good, thought Klemendat, A Special Diplomatic Advisor hurried onboard just before we start rummaging through some very mysterious debris. If we need a diplomat so urgently, StarFleet must be expecting us to meet someone. Now if I could just find out why they gave us a forensic pathologist as well...Maybe they're expecting someone to die.