Stars, Dust & Dreams

Discovery

(Author's Note - qualifying entry for the SFSD.  Prompt is the image above - 365 words)

The ship popped out into normal space like a pea from a pod. Captain Su couldn't help a sigh of relief, even though this was the second time she had experienced the disorienting unconsciousness of the quantum drive.

She looked around at her skeleton crew, checking that everyone was alert and at their stations. The rest of the crew, and the scientists they were escorting, would stay safe in cryosleep until Medic Norton gave the word.

All good. Chief Navigator Swanz was seated at the controls, concentrating as she took back control of the ship. Communications Officer Nylan was just about to bring up the image of their surroundings on the big view screen at the front of the bridge and Harlo, her second in command, was sitting next to her, already smiling in anticipation.

Now she could relax and enjoy some of the excitement fizzing in her veins.

A new star system, the first humanity had visited outside their own. What could be more exciting than that? Even though they already knew the single planet orbiting Kentaurus 341 was too hot to support any life, it was still a thrill to be the first humans to see it, in the flesh so to speak.

The bright glow of Kentaurus 341 was dazzling against the black of space, blotting out the distant stars in the background. The lone planet, already nicknamed Vulcan, could be seen in the lower right of the screen, a dark ball against the light.

"What's that, there, Captain?" Nylan enlarged the section of the screen she was pointing at. "Looks like Vulcan has a satellite, a tiny moon!"

"So it does! Can we get a clearer image?"

"Perhaps when we get a little closer..." Nylan made a slight adjustment to the controls and suddenly the satellite filled the entire screen.

Everyone fell silent, staring.

"That's... that's not a moon." Su swallowed. The image resembled nothing so much as a giant wheel, complete with spokes and a hub in the centre. Nobody considered for a second that it could be a natural formation.

"That has to be a space station," murmured Harlo, his voice soft with awe. "Humanity, we are not alone."