No one knew when Phantom Station had been constructed, or who had constructed it. No one even knew what the station's original name had been. The odd, shuffling, snuffling aliens who lived at Phantom Station had taken to calling it that name so long ago, they no longer remembered their own name for it.
The name had been given by an ancient general of the Andorian Imperial Guard centuries ago when the Andorian Empire had a much greater reach than its current borders. It was the only deep space post still operated by the Andorian Empire, still protecting the Empire's flank at the edge of the Typhon Expanse. Paradoxically, the Andorians were more often resupplied by visiting Vulcan scientists than by their own shipping.
Centuries ago, in the heyday of their power, the Andorians had occupied the entire structure and built additional weapons platforms and watch stations, appropriate for a station that was key to defending the Empire's border. That border had long retreated and the Andorian population had dwindled, leaving still a few hundred Andorians, some of them from families who had never been off station for as many as four generations.
The Rokans, vaguely humanoid aliens with short, prehensile tails, a hunched over, shuffling gait, and large, open nostrils that produced prodigious amounts of mucous, had been there when the Andorians had taken the station from the Orions. They had been there centuries before when the Orions took the station over from some now-extinct race. Had probably been there longer and their people were not known to exist anywhere else. The Rokans had served the Orions and now served the Andorians, but largely tended their own affairs. The Andorians were in charge, but most of the station belonged exclusively now to the Rokans.
The U.S.S. Doohan was not stopping at Phantom Station to pick up supplies for its journey into the Typhon Expanse. The Doohan was bringing supplies to the station.
One week out from arriving at Phantom Station, Captain Caspian Williams found himself taking an unexpected call not from the station commander, but from Mareshi Radagesh Sevoran Carn Devali Uhalan, the leader of a religious cult aboard Phantom Station, mostly among Andorians, but with a significant Rokan following and even a few human, Vulcan, and Catullan members.
Vicet Prim was a very distant cousin to Commander Carrone Bet and he had set up this meeting. Commander Bet had joined Captain Williams in his quarters, one deck below his office. Prim balanced comfortably on his haunches next to the andorian cult leader, who had assumed a similar position, comfortable for both species. Bet had made herself comfortable on a lounge chair next to her captain.
"It is pleasing to see another of my relatives wearing a StarFleet uniform and having achieved seniority in the service." Vicet Prim was wearing a simple, but comfortable looking one-piece garment made of a fabric that resembled brown corduroy. His brush of dark, purple hair was shaved and close-cropped to create subtle patterns.
"I have never met Captain Pet," Bet replied. "Until recently, I didn't know I was related to him."
"Probably because you are related through me," Prim replied. "Both of you are closer to me than to each other. But there you are. A long, but unbroken chain holds us together across centuries and lightyears. When I discovered our relationship, the Devali Uhalan asked that I arrange this meeting and make introductions. Captain Williams, thank you for bringing my long-sundered cousin to me."
"A pleasure, I have every expectation, Mr. Prim," Casper Williams replied. "Mareshi Radagesh Sevoran Carn Devali Uhalan, how am I to address you? It seems from context that part of what I thought was your name might actually be a title."
"I give a different answer to anyone who asks me that question," the Andorian replied. He had a surprisingly high, musical voice, unusually dark blue skin, close cropped blue-white hair, long, thin, dark blue antennae, twinkling, blue eyes and undeniable friendly charm that was completely unexpected from an Andorian. His clothing was simple, comfortable looking, and more beige than white. He closed his eyes briefly and his antennae oddly seemed to reach toward the viewscreen on which his image was displayed.
"You enjoy being called Casper by your friends and I think you might enjoy referring to me as Radagesh. That name seems to amuse you." His antennae seemed to refocus on the U.S.S. Doohan's first officer. "I extend that familiarity to you as well, Carrone, but to the remainder of your crew, the Devali Uhalan would be most appropriate."
Radagesh stretched his neck, relaxed his antennae, and only then opened his eyes. "Casper, I am reaching out to you to let you know that your intent to enter the Typhon Expanse has disturbed of one of the many disassociated consciousnesses, spirits, if you will, that exist within the expanse. I have never encountered this spirit before and I do not yet know her name. I do not think she is awake, yet. But she feels, in her lightened, unsettled slumber, very powerful. She could be very helpful to you. She could be very treacherous. If she is anything like the local spirits I am more familiar with, I suspect she will prove to be both."
Caspian Williams smiled. "What do you recommend, Radagesh?"
The Andorian cult leader smiled again, a relaxed, genuinely happy smile. "You see, Casper? I knew you would enjoy using that name." The Andorian relaxed and took on a more serious expression. "I do not have a lot of time to train you. Humans have very limited telepathic ability, but you still have a very small amount and that can be improved with training. Alas, Carrone, the same is even more true for your people. Great instincts, but almost no telepathic ability. The exercises might do you some good in helping you calm your emotions and heighten your awareness, but there is little chance it will awaken any latent telepathic ability within you."
Radagesh returned his attention to Captain Caspian Williams. "My associate, Mr. Prim, will make himself available to you, Casper, to develop your awareness and focus it so that you can become as sensitive as possible to our mysterious entity. After you arrive, I offer to train you in person. Carrone or another person may attend if you anticipate such intimate contact might be disquieting."
Captain Williams' expression had changed as he had listened to this proposal. He was now a study in skepticism. "We have telepathic crew members..."
"And perhaps our spirit has noticed and focused on one of them," Radagesh responded. "But the more I talk to you, the more I watch your face, the more I feel your emotions, the more I am convinced that it is you, Casper, who has disturbed her slumber. And you with whom she will seek to form a relationship."
