ESV Geodesic moves to intercept the unknown probe. Its warp engine running at a sub-light speed mode and matches the probe’s velocity, staying right in front of it.
Thunder Flare is one of the best, coming to tractor beam operations. He stands confidently by the console in the hangar bay control room tapping on the panels trying to lock on to the probe, while Kahley’s team stands by down stairs in hangar bay.
“Locking in 3, 2, 1…” Thunder whispers to himself. Counting down to one, a tractor beam with blue luminescence shoots out from the generator in hangar bay, penetrating the air-tight forcefield and locks on the probe. As the blue beam touches the probe, the entire ship starts shaking. Alarms go off throughout every single deck.
“Bridge, Increase speed by Three point Three Eight KPS,” Thunder shouts through the com,” The probe is coming too fast!”
“Affirmative.” Alastair’s voice seems much less worried while the ship struggles staying in one piece. The ship is gradually stabilized when it speeds up. Thunder sighs as nothing serious done to the ship. With tractor beam locked the probe in place, the ship is able to reduce its speed and enters orbit to the nearest star system. Thunder finally gets a chance to breathe a little bit and a closer look at this probe of unknown origin.
It is a cigar shaped satellite with wing shaped solar sails on its both sides. Solar sail, it only appears on the text book, an old fashioned way for interstellar travels. It offers so little thrust that makes it impractical. Yet someone used it and achieved high sub-light speed with this primitive technology. The more Thunder thinks about it, the more fascination he finds. Suddenly he realized something. The widely extending solar sail won’t fit in the hangar bay.
Alastair’s voice coming through the com, ”Lieutenant, everything alright down here? Can you bring it on board?”
“Eh, no…”Thunder replies “Not yet, can’t bring it in while its solar sail extended… but wait a second. I think I can change the anisotropy of the tractor beam and manipulate the folding mechanism on the probe… Here we go…”
The solar sails on the probe are slowly retracted and folded back. Thunder cautiously taps on the tractor beam control console and tows the probe on board, placing it on a stand Kayley’s team just set up in the center of hangar bay.
“Tractor beam disengaged. Thunder to bridge, we are all set.” Thunder finally gets to press the big button with Disengage Tractor Beam written on it. He turns around preparing to go downstairs checking what he just brought on board, while he stumbles into someone. He steps back and sees a black deer accompanied by a yellow unicorn. Thunder recognizes them at once. The deer is Cooper while the unicorn’s name is Bashir. They are onboard inspectors, the government-hired supervision force on the ship.
Bashir starts questioning before Thunder before he could say hello. “What was that?”
Thunder bows to Bashir. “It was the probe, sir. It was coming too fast, but everything is under control now, sir.”
“Why risk the ship for this, probe?” The other inspector, Cooper asks.
Pawwy just came up stairs for Thunder and witnessed this awkward situation. He clears his throat and helps Thunder out. “A distress probe it is, sir. Its transmitter appears to be damaged, so we need to take it on board to retrieve the complete message.”
“Alright then.” Cooper seems to be satisfied by his answer. He turns away and walks away.
Pawwy walks downstairs to the hangar with his tricorder. He starts to examine the probe with Kahley.
Professor Kahley noticed something:” Interesting design. I don’t think I have ever seen something like that before, but the tech, it’s somehow familiar…”
Kahley taps on his badge:” Professor Sivath, this is Kahley. I need your help down here.”
A few minutes later, Sivath walks in. He is a grey cyborg unicorn with green mane and tail. Most of his body parts are replaced by implants. Kahley and pawwy stops scanning the probe the moment they see Sivath walks in. Kahley shows Sivath his tricorder:”Hey, come look at this”
Sivath checks the tricorder readings thoroughly:” Intriguing. I remember this energy signature from the probe’s energy core. It’s an ancient type of power source that we used thousands years ago. It is powered by unicorn’s telekinetic power. It is unique to us, only unicorns can power such energy core…”
“Well, what is a psycho-historian’s business in here?” Sivath gets interrupted by Bashir. It seems that the inspector comes back from inspecting the other areas of the ship, and decides to check out the new discovery once again.
Meanwhile, Thunder Flare have already gotten down from the control room. He decides to speaks up for Sivath this time: “Oh, Siv he’s just helping us decoding the mystery. Cuz… He knows everything a lil bit, I guess”
Thunder nuzzles Sivath’s cheek, leaving Bashir awkwardly standing in front of them. Bashir sighs and walks away.