Cold Wastes

The readings originate from a small research outpost - which the … has no records of establishing or indeed authorizing - on the surface of …. It is staffed by one … scientist, a fairly talented and industrious one if their research on … is anything to go by. There is a problem with regards to their identity however; we have been unable to match them against official state records, and they refuse to identify themselves save for stating that they are "an exile."

They have expressed an interest in returning to … and serving the … directly, on the condition that the … immediately depart … and no … ships ever return there.

Science ship … could find no source for the strange readings we detected on …, which appear to be mere sensor echoes. Nevertheless, Science Officer … - a self-proclaimed gourmet chef and history buff - claims to have made a significant discovery there.

A mineral deposit found in several vast patches of surface ice appears closely related to … Stellar Salt: once an essential ingredient in many traditional … dishes, long thought depleted on ….

Culinary historians have long suspected that this mineral condiment was not native to our homeworld, and the Science Officer's discovery on … lends some credence to this theory. Whether or not the salt actually tastes like the … Stellar Salt of old is ultimately of little consequence: the mere idea of reviving traditional foodstuffs with such closely-matched ingredients is bound to excite our economy and our palates.