New Horizons

Posted on Thu 27th Apr, 2023 @ 1:49am by

1,270 words; about a 6 minute read

Mission: Neither Yours Nor Mine
Location: FNS Studio
Timeline: MD 7, 1200 hours

Caroline touched up her real life appearance and nodded to her cameraman, Handsome Harry. He counted down from three, using his fingers and then pointed at her to signal she was on the air.

"Good afternoon. Today's weather conditions on the starbase include snow scheduled on deck 1552, in the winter sports area, and a soft rain on the agricultural decks between 2350 and 2375. There will be overnight showers in the Arboretums on all decks where they are located. The rest of us can look forward to a mild and sunny day.

"Now, let's turn to news out of the Par'tha Expanse. If you are looking for a new colony to help establish, there's news from Shemsh, chosen for establishment of a new Federation settlement in a rainforest environment. The colony buildings are almost completed, and a few families have already moved in to help get things going."

In the back of her mind, Miss Post thought such an assignment might be interesting, but she also knew things went wrong in such situations. This particular colony had been well researched and negotiated, and it wasn't a wild frontier or a place where a survey crew would have made mistakes. Still ... living on a starbase was probably much safer.

"The project was first announced last July, when Captain Mei’konda and his crew met with representatives from the Caaradian Houses to negotiate the location of the outpost. Those negotiations were successful, and engineering teams transported materials to Shemsh. The colonists' new home is a class M planet in the Oscion Sector, comprised mostly of rain forests. The planet has been praised as an ideal location for a new colony in the region.

Tomas Rai, the lead civilian engineering consultant for the settlement, stated, “The humidity can be a bit intense when working long hours, but the view is absolutely spectacular.”

"Currently under the command of Dominion War hero Lieutenant Commander Sherhr Th’quosral, the colony has a central garden and embassy compounds for major players in the region, as well as commercial districts that bring together the offerings of various species. Merchants and tradespeople from around the sector are eager to secure space in the new colony, with one merchant, Saldar, exclaiming, “It’s the opportunity of a lifetime. A Ferengi would have to be a fool to let this sort of profit pass him by.”

Continuing to read from the information on the prompter, the reporter said, "In addition to the planet-side amenities, Shemsh Orbital-Alpha, a maintenance facility similar to Jupiter Station, will provide a crucial resupply and repair outpost for Federation ships and allies in the area. Several ships, including the USS Helios, an Akira Class Federation ship, a Bajoran Kendra class cargo ship, and the Par’tha Expanse flagship USS Chin’toka, have been permanently assigned to the colony for its protection.

"Why it needs protection, Lieutenant Commander Th’quosral shared, was the challenges faced during the construction. 'The journey out here was anything but uneventful. While Captain Mei’konda was able to successfully fight off an attacking fleet, the attack itself only highlighted the need for increased security and protection.' That doesn't tell us much, but further details are to be released at some point."

"We will continue to provide updates on this developing story," Caroline informed her audience before turning to the next news story.

"Next up, speed racing. If you follow this exciting sport, you already know Starbase 118 is sponsoring the next race between “Mighty Gorn” Glirash Voorsh who is challenging Champion V’Nar in Round 5 of Jenatris Cloud 500 Speed Racing."

While Caroline could see the attraction of speed racing, it was anything but speedy. The only thing she could imagine being more boring was the 20th century earth contests where cars with four rubber wheels on the ground went round and round and round a track, stopping occasionally for maintenance, and sometimes adding a bit of spicy excitement by running into a wall or another racer. At least that wasn't likely in modern day speed racing!

"I am confident in my abilities to claim the championship title,” declares Glirash Voorsh, as he sets his sights on dethroning last season’s champion, V’Nar. Vulcan V’Nar is a Jenatris Cloud 500 ‘Ace’ having won his fifth title in 2394. That was followed with title wins in 2396 and 2397, missing out on the second half of the 2395 season due to spinal surgery after his crash in Round 7. V’Nar will be looking to claim his eighth title this season, but he will have to keep a close eye on Glirash who currently sits securely in second place on the points leaderboard.

"I can’t disclose any technical details about my upgrades yet, but I can tell you that it feels good," said Glirash when questioned about his engine upgrades. “The responsiveness is greater, the immediate power much smoother. She’s a real race winner now."

Caroline was too professional to roll her eyes at such a statement, but it was tempting. Why didn't celebrities hire people to write better material?

"Stay tuned for further updates as FNS Sports Report brings you the latest sports news from around the galaxy, including coverage of Tetraball Finals scheduled for next month at Starbase Columbia in the Alpha Quadrant."

After a brief sponsoring announcement from Pub 10-42 on deck 595 in the Promenade, Handsome counted Miss Post back down and gave her the live signal.

"Today in entertainment news, we have a bit of a musical mystery.

"From Klingon opera to the orchestral masterpieces of the Terrans and the calm sounds of the Vulcan lyre, all cultures seem drawn to creating music. It should be no shock that those of the Gamma quadrant love their music, too. What might be surprising is the newest figure on the Gamma quadrant music scene may just be an Alpha Quadrant invader.

"A recent look at media trending Klick-Knocks showed nearly 11 million references to a Dr. Sevrin. He has no media presence himself, and we can't say exactly what kind of doctor he is, but his popularity is undisputed. Fans have opened multiple knocks sharing performance videos, audio recordings, pictures and stories of their encounters with the mysterious musician. Most describe Dr. Sevrin as male, but descriptions beyond that vary widely. Some describe him as an older, grey-haired human. Others say he is spotted like a tiger or leopard. Still others maintain he has blue skin.

"His instrument of choice is a Terran Guitar, either electric or acoustic. Songs he performs are generally covers of Terran songs from the late 20th century. Songs reported include “A Hard Day's Night”, originally by the Beatles; “Pinball Wizard”, originally on an album by The Who; “Unchain My Heart”, originally by Billie Bob Jacobs; and “A Hard Rain's A-Gonna Fall”, originally by Bob Dylan."

Preparing to wrap up the fast headline reports, the reporter gazed directly into the camera. "Dr. Sevrin travels alone and recruits local musicians to accompany him where he plays. He's a musical Robin Hood, typically donating any compensation he receives to a local charity. Who is Dr. Sevrin? If you have any clues, contact this news station. We'll be reporting on the mysterious musician until we sort out who he is. Maybe we'll see him one of these days right here on Starbase 109.

"Until our next headlines at 1800, this is Caroline Post signing off for Federation News Network, your hometown and across the galaxy news source."

In seconds, Handsome Harry had switched over to the station feed and the day's holonovel programming. His signature laconic smile made an appearance. "I know," he said. "Elvis has left the building."

 

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