Ghosts of EOS Prospera – We Weren’t Alone – Star Trek Fanfiction (Red Directive #12)

The remaining hours to EOS Prospera passed with a steadiness that should have felt like mercy.

Instead, it felt rehearsed.

No system failures. No course corrections. No emergencies worthy of a captain’s attention. Just routine reports, calm acknowledgments, and the quiet hum of a ship moving exactly as it should.

Too perfectly.

And through all of it, Q’s voice kept returning—uninvited, unwelcome, impossible to silence.

I sat in the Captain’s Chair on the bridge, pondering how the last 36 hours had gone a little too smoothly for comfort.

A couple of side glances from the senior staff made me anxiously try to forget it all every so often.

It was not easy.

“We’re within approach range of EOS Prospera, Captain,” Commander T’Varen announced.

I nodded at her announcement. “Helm, take us out of warp.”

The stars stretched back to normal on the main viewscreen. The hum of the warp drive started to fade as the ship fell out of warp.

“Approaching EOS Prospera, Captain,” Ensign Jaxa announced.

I lifted my eyes to the main display.

The colony came into view in pieces at first—sunlight on habitat rings, the sharp glint of docking arms, rotating agricultural modules, the controlled geometry of a place built to survive where survival had never been guaranteed.

EOS Prospera.

A frontier colony suspended against the dark like someone had carved out a promise and dared the universe to test it.

Beautiful.

Orderly.

Too orderly.

Oh, I think you already know.

I shook my head, trying to shake off the everlasting thoughts I had been blessed with by Q.

The only one with those thoughts.

Commander T’Varen gave me a questionable look, and I tried not to notice.

“Take us in at one-half impulse, Ensign.”

I intently watched the viewscreen as the Cairo slowly approached the frontier orbital deep space colony that was now the Federation’s first line of defense in the Gamma Quadrant.

EOS Prospera drifted above a gas giant, giving it a smoky, eerie feeling as it moved through orbit.

Beautiful, but it sent chills down my spine.

It was not as sleek as the Federation stations I was used to, but something older. Stranger.

The original structure had been alien, unmistakably so. Its outer framework curved in ways no human engineer would have designed, with sweeping support arches and clustered habitation spires arranged in patterns that felt more organic than logical.

But the Federation had touched it since then.

Docking pylons extended from the older superstructure in clean, practical lines. New habitat rings gleamed against weathered alloy. Shield grid emitters, comm arrays, and cargo trusses had been integrated wherever they would fit, giving the entire colony the look of a place halfway between preservation and reinvention.

EOS Prospera did not look built.

It looked reclaimed.

“The outer framework offers too many blind approach angles for my taste,” Kurn chimed in through the silence.

I wasn’t the only one taken aback by this reclaimed superstructure.

“Receiving automated approach beacons.”

I looked for the familiar light of the beacons on the main viewscreen after Drim spoke.

The only ones from the Federation to be here before us were a few humanoid crew members and androids who had worked the refit.

No one here to greet us like a normal space station.

A ghost town.

I could barely see their flashing light, but it was what we had to work with.

“Lieutenant Darak, run scans for the approach beacons to get their exact location for the docking sequence.”

“Aye, sir.”

I looked over at my first officer. “Commander T’Varen, run scans on the colony. Make sure we’re not heading in blind.”

She nodded and tapped away on her console.

The ship was slowly nearing the colony with every second that passed.

Then finally Lieutenant Darak spoke again. “Scans are complete, Captain. Automated approach beacon course locked in.”

“Helm, verify.”

“Lieutenant Darak’s scans have verified navigational compatibility with EOS Prospera.”

“Drim, transmit docking sequence instructions to the beacons.”

“Docking sequence transmitted, Captain.”

As we grew even closer, you could still see older alignment beacons embedded in the original structure.

Much good those would do anyone now.

The patched sections of Federation technology over alien architecture were becoming more visible and made the station seem like an inhabited relic. The mismatched lighting as we came near its docking orbit, shadowed against the gas giant, almost made it appear like salvaged elegance.

“Helm, adjust heading for docking orbit. Disengage impulse. Thrusters only.”

I could feel the deck plates shift underneath me as we watched the Cairo slowly turn to prepare to dock.

“Scans are complete, Captain.”

Leave it to the Vulcan for perfect timing. I was just thinking about going in blind. “Status?”

“No life forms of any origin on board EOS Prospera.”

Just us.

And EOS Prospera.

“Helm, prepare for final approach.”

Ensign Jaxa signaled she understood and tapped at the helm to adjust our approach for docking. The ship started to move even slower as we neared the upper docking pylons.

The ship shifted into its final position, coming to a steady halt.

“Drim, transmit final docking location to the approach beacons now.”

“Transmission received, Captain.”

No sooner had the Ferengi spoken than suddenly you could feel the docking clamps grasp onto the ship abruptly. The deck plating beneath my boots rumbled with more force than a normal docking.

“Kurn, scans show no life signs, but I think it would be best if you took an away team to clear the station before we start sending the colonists in.”

“Aye, sir.”

“Computer, call all senior staff not on the bridge except tactical to the briefing room for their assignments.”

The computer chirped back, “Acknowledged.”

Lieutenant Darak, Drim, Ensign Jaxa, Commander T’Varen, and I all got up out of our bridge chairs and headed for the turbolift.

Lieutenant Darak made the ride a tight fit. Nothing like getting a little too personal with your crew members right before their first real assignment.

Thankfully, the descent to the briefing room only lasted a few seconds. When the turbolift doors slid open, we almost all fell out comedically.

Regaining our balance at the last second and acting like nothing happened, we continued down the corridor to the briefing room.

When I passed my quarters, I imagined being back in my bed getting some much-needed rest.

Then I thought about the nightmare. I could feel the color drain from my face. 

Before I knew it, we were walking into the briefing room. I barely stepped in and stopped in my tracks.

Everyone bumped into me and then each other, giving me strange questioning looks as I stared at the computer screen right where he stood much longer than I anticipated.

Oh, I think you already know.