Title: Message through the Darkness
Fandom: Star Trek: the Original Series
Rating: G
Length: 574
Author notes: also for gen_bingo prompt: Ship and Captain / Mount and Rider
Summary: The Enterprise receives a request for transport to Andoria, but nothing showed up when being beamed up.

“Captain, we have received a signal. Hailing frequency is all open.” Uhura said.

“Play it on audio,” Jim said. The signal had a mellow vibe, reminding him of an Orion rave Gary dragged him to “to loosen his nerve”. “Analysis station, decode the signal.”

Uhura did as he ordered, while Jim swiveled his chair towards Spock. “Mr. Spock, what does your sensor show?”

“There is an energy signature, but nothing our sensor can identify yet,” Spock replied. He looked at the signal pattern on screen and said, “It seems to be a binary signal spreading out over several frequency bands.”

Jim frowned and asked Uhura,. “Any progress?” So much for a milk run mission, Jim thought, and wondered what this unknown encounter mean.

Uhura continued to work on her station. “It’s collapsed into a singular band. It’s an old Andorian code, and the analysis station finishes the decoding.

“Excellent work, Lieutenant. Play the transcription.”

“Yes, Captain.”

“Greeting,” the message played. “Ethahr Ch'ororhel speaking. I request transport to Andoria to fulfill my obligation to my fallen comrades.”

“Have you caught any nearby ship signals on the sensor, Mr. Spock? ” Jim asked.

Jim frowned when Spock shook his head. “Lieutenant, try to pinpoint its source and transmit that we request his coordinate and more information to provide assistance.”

Uhura nodded and then said, “I’ve narrowed down the signal to where Mr. Spock detected the energy signature.”

“Interesting,” Spock said. He pressed numerous buttons at an inhuman speed. “The sensor does not detect a concrete object outline to the source of the energy signature.”

Chekov asked, “Are we dealing with an energy ghost here?”

“It is illogical to assume based on superstition, Ensign.”

Chekov blushed and buried himself in the panel, while Uhura said, “Another message. he asks us to beam him up at the coordinate”

“Transmit the coordinate to the transporter. Prepare for the beam up. Mr. Spock, come with me. Uhura, you have the com.”

“Yes, Captain.”

“Is it wise, Captain?” Spock asked on their way to the transporter.

“It is easier to face the unknown when it’s face to face with us,” Jim said. “Besides, he hasn’t shown any dangerous intention.”

“Very well, Captain.”

When the transporter tech finished the beam up, Jim expected to see an Andorian warrior materialized before him. However, nothing happened while Spock said, “I detect the same energy signature here.”

Then the tech shouted, “There’re words...words…” and both Jim and Spock looked over.

The screen displayed the following message. “Greeting, I am Ethahr Ch'ororhel, captain of ASC Thrisan. Our ship has been transformed into energy when we fought for the Empire’s glory. However, our consciousness remained and drifted in this sector of space. I am duty bound to return my crew to the cold ice of our home planet.”

“Permission granted, Captain. We will bring you all home,” Jim said.

“I am grateful for your assistance,” the screen showed. Then it returned to normal.

The scientists and historians had a field day with Captain Ethahr Ch'ororhel, and when it departed Enterprise for Andoria, Jim said to Spock, “It’s amazing how he kept his words to his crew when drifting in the space. A captain always goes down with his ship.”

“Your devotion to both the Enterprise and your duty has always been exemplary,” Spock said, brushing his hand.

Jim smiled at Spock. With Spock by his side, he knew that the loneliness wouldn’t come for a long time.