NCC-1700

      The Starship Enterprise was cruising at warp 2 when something strange appeared on the sensors and main viewer.

                       "Sir, sensors indicate a very old starship ahead." announced Lieutenant Worf.

                      "Full stop, Mr. Crusher." ordered Captain Picard.

                      "Aye aye, sir, full stop." answered Cadet Wesley Crusher, who was visiting from Starfleet Academy. The ship halted near a small starship, the like of which had not been seen for over eighty years. The ship was completely dark, illuminated only by light from nearby celestial bodies.

                    "That's a Constitution-class ship." remarked Picard.

                   "Which one, though?" wondered Commander Riker.

                  "Whichever she is, she's beautiful." Wesley remarked in a stunned whisper while staring at the viewer.

                 "Mr. Data, magnify viewer image, focusing on the saucer." Picard ordered. Data magnified the image and read out the text on the saucer.

               "U.S.S. Constitution, NCC - 1-7-0-0."

               "Computer! Request information on starship U.S.S. Constitution, Constitution-class, registry NCC - 1-7-0-0." Picard requested.

               "Starship U.S.S. Constitution was the first of the Constitution-class starships,                      including the first U.S.S. Enterprise. Launched in full service in 2244. The Constitution was             then commanded by first Captain Oliver Sandler, who had been her captain during testing,             and then by Captain Israel Silverstein, under whose command the ship vanished from                       Federation space in 2266. Every Constitution-class starship in the fleet was subsequently                 put on an extensive search for the Constitution that lasted two months without success.                   Oliver Sandler was promoted to admiral after his two five-year missions in command of the           Constitution." the computer responded.

               "Picard to Engineering; Geordi LaForge, please report to Transporter Room 3 on the double. Bring five lanterns. Picard out. Commander Riker, Mr. Crusher, Mr. Data, you're with          me. You have the bridge, Mr. Worf."

             "Captain, are you sure you're going to risk your safety on this ship that hasn't been seen for almost a century? Who knows what could be there?"

            "Oh, cluck-cluck-cluck, Number One. The fact that this ship has not been seen for almost a century is exactly the reason that I insist on leading this away team in person."

When they arrived in Transporter Room 3, Geordi was waiting for them with the lanterns and some equipment. He handed a lantern to each person.

             "Pardon my asking, Captain, but where are we going?" inquired the Chief Engineer.

             "We have found the starship U.S.S. Constitution and are boarding her. Our intention is to repair her sufficiently to pilot her back to Earth and let Starfleet Command decide what to               do with her. If they find her to be worth keeping, they may very well recommission her into the Fleet."

              "In that case, we owe it to the Fleet to make sure that she is worth recommissioning. I'll  need help, but I can fix her up."

              "Good luck, sir." transporter chief O'Brien said.

              "Thank you." Geordi responded. The away team stood on the transporter pads.