Episode 2: Leaving the comforts of home

"Easy for you to say, you're not about to touch an alien mind for the first time in the history of humanity." Comeau could tell that Sylvia almost wished that Comeau would have said no.

She shut her eyes slowly and took a deep breath. It wasn't long after Comeau felt a strange tingle in the back of his mind.

"Greetings." The voice was oddly monotone and came from no specific direction. It took a moment for Comeau to realize that the voice wasn't coming from any direction specificially, but from his mind itself. "I was hesitant to reach out before I was sure your people wouldn't respond with hostility. It has been my experience in the past that few species enjoy telepathic contact without permission. I assume that your friend reaching out shows your acceptance of such practices. If not, I apologize."

Ventura looked back at Comeau, his hand tightening on the grip of his rifle. "You hear that, sir? If I didn't know any better, I'd say one of them was talking into my brain!" It could never be said that Ventura was an excellent observer of the obvious.

"Yes. It seems like they did, Ventura."
He turned to Sylvia. "Can they also read our thoughts, or will you have to act as mediator indefinitely?"

"I can understand you." The alien leader responded directly into their minds. "Though, I would hate to deprive you of your place here, young lady." The alien did what Comeau could tell was a sad approximation of a smile. It wasn't hard for the alien to sense the discomfort at the imitation of the gesture had on the rest of the team. "I apologize for the discomfort. Sharing a mind link allows us access to certain...things...but it does not provide the experience."

"I guess I'm not very needed here..." Sylva said stepping back slightly. "But I'll stay...I have more first contact experience, after all." Though it was clear that Sylvia would make herself available to Comeau in whatever capacity he needed, she wouldn't directly take the initiative.

"Obviously, you have us at a disadvantage Captain. But I sense that our peoples have more in common than either one of us can understand."

Comeau nodded. "I can only hope so. I would love to exchange information, but first, we are here to offer assistance. I have both Engineering and medical staff who are eager to help. Shall I have them assist you?"

The alien leader straightened, //You have me at a disadvantage, captain, I can't readily refuse but I imagine accepting your offer will involve the both of us in a great deal of situations neither one of us seem prepared to handle.// The alien sighed lightly, Comeau found himself thinking that every breath the alien took was quickly depleting the air in the command deck.

//But yes, we will accept your assistance. I do, however, have some requests to make.//

Comeau was slightly puzzled, but curious.
"Absolutely. What are they?"

//That this ship remain in the possession of my people and the crew and the ship are to be taken to a location of our choosing.//

The request puzzled Comeau, but he was willing to oblige, to a point. "We never intended that you relinquish control of your vessel, so that's not a problem at all. Moving your ship, however, may be more difficult, but I'll see what we can do. If we relay the coordinates, I can get a team working on a towing procedure."

The alien nodded. //Very well, captain. I meant no insult, some more primitive races would readily jump at the chance to advance themselves. Especially your people.//

This alien was confusing Comeau more and more. "As far as I'm concerned, I would just be happy to have met a friendly people out here. As far as the rest of my people are concerned, have you been observing us?"

//This is something I cannot speak to.// Comeau could feel the 'I don't want to talk about it' tone in his thoughts. //When we transfer to your ship, my navigator will notify your navigator of our destination. Is that acceptable?//

Comeau nodded his assent.
"I believe so. Also, there is also something I would like to discuss with you. You may or may not know what I'm referring to, but it would be best if we spoke about it in private, if that is alright with you."

//I believe I...understand.// The alien took a quick look back at his crew. //Unfortunately, it is beyond my place to talk of such matters. A council will have to be gathered on such matters.//

"I see. I suppose that will do. How long do we think setting up the meeting will take? I'm sure you understand, we are anxious." Comeau felt that helping would be good, either way. Favor would have to be earned from this new species. It could wait to hear his answer.
"No, never mind. It can wait until things are underway. How should we proceed in your repairs?"

//I think it might be best to tow my vessel to the disclosed location. I do not think your people have the technology to repair my vessel. In relation to arranging a meeting, I imagine the Council will want to make formal contact rather quickly.//

Comeau nodded. He liked the idea of a meeting happening sooner rather than later. The alien was making it clear that the only assistance they wanted was that of a tow truck.
"Sounds good to me. Transmit the coordinates, and we can get underway."

The alien being nodded. //I believe I have you at a disadvantage. I know your name from my contact with your mind, but you do not know mine. I am Shi'Zhan and my people are known as the Fraal.//

The next few hours were spent preparing the Tenacious to tow the alien vessel safely. There were a great deal of precautions to be taken. The Tenacious was not designed to tow vessels for long periods or into FTL. The simple act required a great deal of simulation on the behalf of the flight crew. Also, transitioning another vessel into Slip-space with a vessel in tow had never been attempted before and no one really knew for certain what the effects would be.

After safely securing the alien vessel, which was an undertaking itself, the flight crew were cautiously optimistic that they wouldn't be instantly obliterated upon entering slip-space or they wouldn't tear a hole in the fabric of the universe.

All that remained now was the order to transition into slip-space.

"Helm, have you received the coordinates yet?"
Comeau stood on the bridge, mulling over the various outcomes in his mind.
"The moment I can have one, I want an estimate of how long it will take once we're underway."

His attention turned to Ryan
"How do you feel about this little undertaking?"

The helmsman glanced over her shoulder to the captain. "Yes sir, we have the coordinates. Cartography is plotting out the coordinates and making all the necessary adjustments for the additional mass of the alien ship as we speak. They expect to be done with calculations within the hour."

"Permission to speak freely, sir?" Ryan said straightening in his seat. "Honestly, I don't like the fact that we're following an alien we just met on a ship that looks awfully like the ones that attacked Earth into a location where we don't know what we're getting into." He smirked jokingly. "But other than that I think its pretty cool we made first contact without getting blown up."

Comeau chuckled. "Commander, their communications were working. They managed to send us the coordinates, didn't they? Why wouldn't they have just... Sent for backup, if they were the same people? I think it's best we continue, and make an ally. First contact could have gone any number of other ways, but it went this way, and I'm glad it did."

"I wonder if we were the first? There have been a lot of ships that got sent out...For all we know we could have been the last ones." Ryan smirked. "I wouldn't mind going down in the history books as the first people to make a successful first contact. I bet the ladies back home would love hearing that one."

Comeau grinned.
"I'm sure they would. Let's prep a message to ship out before we tow these people. Let the crew know to prepare something brief within the next half hour to be sent out."

He looked around the bridge, suddenly feeling optimistic about the endeavor. "I want status updates every fifteen minutes until we're ready."

"Aye, aye sir."

The next hour progressed at a surprisingly uneventful pace. Despite Murphy's Law, everything for the next hour went smoothly. Docking operations between the Fraal ship and the Tenacious went without a hitch and Navigation quickly computed the proper transition data for the jump into Slip-Space.

Just then, Comeau noticed a blip on his systems display indicating Shi-Zan was sending a mail. Just as Comeau noticed the hail, comms notified the captain.

(If he decides to accept the comm)

//Hello Captain.// Though the communication came through on the ships mainscreen with video, Comeau noticed that the aliens mouth wasn't moving as he spoke. //I was wondering if it wouldn't be better if you took me as a guest for our travel to our destination.//

Comeau smiled and nodded, after moving to accept the comm.
"It would be my pleasure. There are many things I would like to discuss with you. I am not familiar with your customs, but to my people it would make sense for a guest to be invited to join the captain in the officer's mess, if that sounds suitable?"

//That would be quite acceptable. I will arrange with my crew. We can discuss our peoples and why yours is so far out without any sort of assistance.//