"Well today just seems to be getting better and better" I thought sarcastically. Normally I'm not one for bemoaning my situation in life. Considering the fact that I was currently floating in space, with no friendly ships in sight, and with zero chatter on the comms though, completely warranted a little bemoaning in my opinion.

The mission had been going rather well in my opinion. We had managed to sneak onto the Bug's ship undetected, and through a combination of Jackson's hacking skills and what Smithy liked to refer to as "Russian Stealth," we had remained undetected until we got to the ship's compter core. There though, a combination of bad luck and overconfidence lead to a sensor tech noticing us poking around in the mainframe and sounded the alarm. We managed to get the data we were after transmitted back to command, but had to blow the quantum bomb while we were still onboard so the bug's didn't report back that we had their encryption codes. Which lead to the other major problem of the day. I should be dead, blown to less than atoms along with the rest of my team. Instead, I'm slowly rotating on two different axis in a rather quiet area of space.

As I'm ruminating on how long it'll take before the stellar radiation starts corrupting my systems I notice something new. A thermal bloom that, if I'm lucky, is a ship; and if I'm extremely lucky, is not a Bug ship that'll use me as target practice or worse. Giving a mental shrug, I activate my thrusters to stabilize myself, and launch a five stage emergency flare before averting my optics. If this doesn't get their attention, nothing will.

"Are we under attack?"

"No, sir. Maybe a dazzler, but it hasn't harmed any of our systems."

"Bring us in closer, then. What are we looking at?"

"Some sort of metal humanoid, captain. Significant energy density, could be a weapon. Seems active, besides the flare it's firing impulse thrusters. Recommend caution."

The ship moves closer. Though it has a significant heat signature, it leaves no exhaust cloud as it travels. It flashes a broad spectrum of radio pings, then repeats a few specific frequencies.

"Well, at the very least I managed to get it's attention" I thought to myself. I wasn't quite sure what to make of the RF and pings it was sending out though. They seemed to just be gibberish, which ruled out the ship being UHS. At the same time though none of the comm keys that any other species used seemed to clear it up either. This still left the Bugs as a possibility, but they used antimatter drives for sublight manoeuvring and I wasn't seeing a radiation plume. So, possible first contact it is then. I load up the bare bones first contact package I've got; a list of prime numbers, some higher math equations, and a lexicon of English and Binary; and squirt it off towards the ship on a few different mid-band comm frequencies, as well as a high-band and low-band frequency for good measure.

"Captain, the object appears to be transmitting a human language. Additionally, analog numeric sequences and other data reminiscent of historic first-contact sapience proofs. I hypothesize that the object was produced by a human civilization that is not aware of galactic life. Potentially a time traveler."

"Acknowledged, commander. Let's see if they'd like to chat."

The ship transmits a series of significantly more complicated confirmations, followed by a mathematical proof describing a video encoder, followed by an ongoing audiovisual feed. The captain speaks in nearly-perfect English.

"Greetings! I am Captain Zarikk of the USS Palmer. To what sort of being might I be speaking?"

-Well, Now we're getting somewhere- I think to myself. Though I'm a bit put off by the Captain's last statement. -I really hope it's not a race of xenophobes.- I squirt off a mathematical proof describing a popular full-dive VR encoder with a reply in English. "This is Captain Drake Lugh of the UHS Ranger Corps. I am human. To what sort of being am I speaking to?" As I send the message it occurs to me that "Palmer" is a very human sounding name. Curious, but it's best not to make assumptions about species you know nothing about.

"Human, interesting! My own species is Denobulan, and our ship represents the United Federation of Planets. The Federation includes many species, including a significant number of humans! While our humans use this same language you speak, however, I notice that they do not look much like yourself, nor do they field a 'UHS Ranger Corps'."

"What system do the humans you know hail from might I ask? We had a rather large diaspora event soon after a realiable FTL system was developed and I confess that there are several colony fleets from that era that we have still not rediscovered. Additionally, do you happen to know what the human designation of this star system is? I seem to be somewhat lost."

"We record that the human race originated, and still largely resides, around the star Sol. I am no scholar of human history, but I have never heard of any human diaspora that did not take place under Federation colonization efforts. As an alternative theory, what date is it by your methods of reckoning? In any case, we are currently around half a light-year out from Zeta Orionis."

-Well I seem to be in the right place in any case. Assuming what they call Zeta Orionis is the same place we call Zeta Orionis. That brings us back to the question of where everyone went though. I should at the very least be picking up a signal from the navigation beacon on the station in that system.- "According to the Earth Gregorian calendar system the date that I have is May 16th, 2348."

"By the Terran calendar, the current year is 2360. Commander, does that match up?"

"Yes, captain. We also have no records of any military operations taking place near this system twelve years ago."

This speaker appears to be a bright blue pile of rocks, vaguely slug-shaped. It also speaks in perfect English.

"Then yes, Captain Lugh, we have a time mismatch. That was somewhat to be expected. From our end, your arrival looked like it might have not occurred smoothly across the angle of time."

"It would seem then that we have much to discuss. Requesting permission to come aboard."

"Of course! Stand by, we will beam you aboard."

"Captain, are you sure we should not check more closely for possible dangers?"

The ship beams Drake aboard.

-What the... Okay, so apparently they have matter transporter technology. That's... certainly a new one.- As I glance around myself and step off of the platform I now find myself on, I begin a full check of all of my systems to ensure there was no adverse effect from this "beam" technology.

The transporter appears to have been remarkably gentle, given the fact that Drake is from another universe with unknown technology.

The chief engineer meets Drake in the transporter room, and offers to show him to a meeting room where he can speak further with the captain.

Immediately upon stepping off the "beam" platform I learn a few things about my hosts. First and foremost, they are indeed human. I had noticed a few individuals who appeared to be human on the video feed I had been getting but with convergent evolution and gene-splicing I wasn't sure. Second, this was most likely not a military ship. The lack of armor or void protection on the crew and the large thermal signature of the ship as it approached told me that. And third, my appearance apparently startled them. The technician, and to a lesser degree the Lead Engineer as he introduced himself to be, both expressed shock and a bit of fear at my appearance, though they were quick to school their expressions. On the last point I at least understood. I was a bit over seven feet tall, armed and armored to the teeth. Still, this did not bode well for getting on their good side. Shaking myself from my thoughts I addressed the Chief Engineer.

"Please, lead the way."

Despite his nervousness around the unknown warbot, Chief Trelway is a polite host on the 30-second turbolift ride. The captain and a human woman are waiting in a comfortable conference room, and neither seems so startled by Drake's appearance. The captain greets him warmly.

"Welcome to the USS Palmer! Good to get you in out of the vacuum, though it doesn't seem to have done much harm. Is there anything you need, to be comfortable on our ship?"

"Thank you for the welcome Captain. Quarters if there are any available. Otherwise no, though I wouldn't turn down raw materials if you have them available."

"Of course, quarters will be arranged. What sort of materials do you need? You may access the replicators, of course. They provide most of our basic necessities. Do you have the same needs as a human?"