This is Dedicated to all my friends and watchers here. Something Bright and Beautiful to light your path through all the dark places you may walk.

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As the Federation Destroyer U.S.S. ARTEMIS tries desperately to fight the it's way free of the massive gravity surge created by the destruction of the Borg Factory (scene in the previous posts). The shock wave that was threatening to tear her apart suddenly stills.....

It takes a long few minutes for the small but powerful Starship to slow it's near-light speed and return to the battleground it only just managed to escape.
Long minutes in which to asses the dire cost of this battle, Her two sister ships gone, The Nemisis, Lost to a Chance encounter with an unknown weapon, Captained by a brave, and far to young and much liked Captain Maland, Who's boundless enthusiasm and 'Devil May Care' attitude is already missed.
And the proud Athena, Captain Boris and his heroic crew, were Lost in the last moments by a spiteful enemy, bent on destroying all that it could not posess. Without thier ferocious and stubborn defense of the Artemis during the battle, the outcome this day would certainly have left the Federation realing from this latest horror brought by this souless foe.

The Crew of the USS Artemis, stunned and solemn by the high price thier comrades and friends have paid. Say little, that is not related to repairing thier vessels many systems damaged in the battle, as they return to what should be a scene of utter desolation.......
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The Deltan Science Officer has been bent to her insturment panel, trying to get readings from the damaged sensors and hoping, against all reason, that somehow she will see an escape pod, or some sign that thier may be a survivor from one of the Federation Ships. Instead, she as the sensors gain focus she begins seeing readings of somthing very strange.....

Captain Nowlin!?! I am getting No Gravity/Mass readings at ALL from the Black Hole that should be there! But there IS an Energy Feild there, Very Compressed and ...... Well, Structured.... It's Off the Scale! I have never seen ANYTHING like this.... It is.....

Captain- Patty, NO One I have ever heard of has been at ground zero of a Collapsar like THAT being born. Who knows what's going to happen. Just keep looking for any signs.... You know...

Helm! Gee? You have the Visuals working yet? I am not happy flying Blind here.

Gee- And "I" Am?!?..... Yes sir, Getting something now on the main vei............what the hell?....

a stunned silence falls over the bridge, broken by a quite comment from Captain Nowlin

Captain- My thoughts exactly Gee....... My God, It's Beautiful.....

shortly OK people, shake it off! Science! I KNOW I don't have to tell you what to do. Everyone else, lets get all the reading we can! What the Heck IS that? And is it going to be trouble? The Admiralty is going to want more then pretty pictures on this thing...

Science- I confirm it has definate Crystaline Structure Captain, But seems to also be comprised of pure energy forms within that structure. The Covielance Bonds of the Atomic Str....

Right! record that Science! Tatical? Any signs it might be getting ready to swat at us?

Tactical- Unknown sir, if it does, with these energy readings? We won't even know were dead. I doubt it would even notice it if we Shot everything we had at it. Kind of like throwing a match onto a Bonfire Sir.

Captain- Well, try and figure out what Might hurt it, if we HAD to Zadrek. Get ExPac from Engineering to help you, he LOVES blowing things up....

Comm- CAPTAIN! I have a signal from the Colony!

Science- What? that's halfway across the system. We scanned that? No One was left?

Captain- What's the signal Comm?

Comm- It's.... It's DAN Sir! I mean, it's the Captain of the Nemesis! He's asking for a Sit-Rep...

cheering ensues on the bridge

Captain- Hell, Put him ON Comm! DAN! What the Hell are YOU doing way over there you wonderful bastard?

Captain Maland- Wondering that myself Butch. We have the Crew of the Athena here too, Boris is real pissed he isn't up there killing Borg right now. I don't know WHAT happenend. We all remember something hit us, hard, then.... Then we were here. Damnedest Thing...
Only been here a few minutes. But I think the whole Colonies here too, I have my Crew doing a head count now..... Is the Artemis OK?

Captain- We made it Dan, and the Borg are history, but we have something Very, Very Odd here now. Not sure if it is good or very bad yet. Damn, It is GOOD to here your voice my Friend!
Hopefully we'll be able to pick you up soon. Artemis Out.
Comm, Keep him updated.....

Aboard the Artemis, all the crew here/feel a voice, comming from now where and everywhere, it speaks in a Gentle, feminine tone

Small, Brite Friends, I am Becoming. Reborn and Changed by the Hard, Cold Ones Energy, I return you to your home. With joy of the stories we shared in your quiet rest.
Soon I will be free of this place of my birth. I will go to the places of the other small brite voices within me now, and to thier homes return them, free of the cold, hardness that held them. I will come to you again, in time, to share new stories with you in your quiet rest.

The Soothing, almost caressing voice stills, leaving a warmth that can only be descibed as Love behind. And the Crew begins to stir from thier waking dream-like trance

Captain Nowlin visably shaken- Ummm. Yes... Ok, I think we need to go and pick up our friends stuck planetside. And then try and write a report that explains what just happend. If it can be explained....

Helm Officer Gee- Captain... It's what we are all out here for... It just happened. And we were lucky enough to be witness to it....

Captain- What's that Gee? What DID we just see?

Gee- New Life sir....

Captain Butch Nowlin, Smiles a Broad, happy smile, shared by his crew.
Gee, when your a Wise Woman. Set a course for the Aurora Colony.

Gee- Course set Captain.

Captain- Engage..........

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These are the Voyages of Federation Starships. Who's Primary Mission is to Explore Strange, New Worlds, to Seek Out New Life, and New Civilizations and to Boldly Go, Where no Man has Gone Before.....

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Hoping this helps cheer my Friend

Lovely Planetscape is "Uneasy Quiet" by Who is also my inspiration for this piece. You can see this by looking at his deeply beautiful "Space Objects" found throughout his excellent Gallery.

Hope you Like! Larger in DL (2000 x 1500)

Now to wait for ALL the Star Trek Clubs to come knocking at my door
Hmmmm, still waiting...... And waiting...... Wuz that?!?..Nope.. back to waiting
I am Sooooo Unwanted