Malcolm rewinds the recording Recording of Malcolm: Short but memorable service with Starfleet. Recording resumes Malcolm: In order to test the targeting scanners on Shuttlepod One, Commander Tucker and I had to get at least 20,000 kilometers from Enterprise. During our third trial, we experienced a short, but sizable jolt and shortly thereafter realized that our sensor array had gone off-line.
Malcolm rewinds again Recording of Malcolm: That our sensor array had gone off-line. Recording resumes Malcolm: We had no choice but to head back to the asteroid field where Enterprise was engaged in a mapping project. We found the ship, destroyed. Its debris strewn across a square kilometer of one of the larger asteroids. Had our sensors been working, we certainly would have done everything possible to determine the cause of the disaster, but as it was, with only a short-range distress beacon and limited air, we had no alternative but to set course for Echo 3, where someday this vessel...someday this log will be found. May God have mercy on our souls.
Trip: I don't know. You could hold this flashlight, or turn down the heat. Whatever you want. I'm just getting a little tired of listening to all your pessimism.
Malcolm: If there is something you need for me to do, I would be more than happy to comply, but I'm afraid pessimism is simply not an accurate description of my log entry. I'm just being realistic Commander.
Trip: Vulcans, Klingons, Suliban, Xyrillians, Andorians. God knows who's going to be lurking around the next planet we run into.
Malcolm: But, that's just it, Sir. At impulse we're not likely to be running into any planets. Not for at least six or seven years.
Trip: Then somebody can run into us. You ever think of that? Or see us on their sensors. The possibilities are endless.
Malcolm: I'll heat up some rations. Unless of course you'd rather wait until we run into a vessel serving proper meals?