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STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE TIMES TWO by Mark D. Shuchat

STAR TREK: ENTERPRISE TIMES TWO
by Mark D. Shuchat

Part One

Captain's Log, Stardate 3472.5:
The Enterprise is en route to the Theta Epsilon system. This system has
never been explored, but one of Starfleet's long-range spectroscopes has seen
something made of refined neutronium, the hardest material known, orbiting the
star. Since refined neutronium does not occur naturally, Starfleet believes
that it is a manufactured object, possibly a ship from an unknown culture. It
is, however, very large; at least five miles in diameter.

"Steady as she goes, Mr. Sulu," said Captain James Kirk. "How long until
we reach Theta Epsilon?"
Lieutenant Hikaru Sulu looked at his board. "Five hours, thirty-six
minutes, Captain."
"Excellent." Kirk turned to the Vulcan staring fixedly into the sensor
readout on the science station. "Report on the system, Spock?"
Commander Spock did not look up as he replied, "There are six planets in
the system, Captain. None of them can support life any longer."
Kirk leaned back in his command chair thoughtfully. "Any longer? Could
they once have able to support life?"
"With the fourth planet, it is possible," said Spock. "The star, however,
went nova centuries ago."
Kirk leaned forward in his chair. This was the part of starship command
that he really loved; the part that made him go into Starfleet in the first
place. Exploration. The irresistible draw of the unknown. "And the artifact?"
Spock bent down over his sensor again. "It is cylindrical; approximately
eight miles long, five miles wide."
"Position?"
"It is orbiting the fourth planet." Spock thought for a moment. "Perhaps
it is a space station built by the Thetans. The radiation wash from the nova
would not penetrate the hull."
"Life forms?"
"There is no way to tell; our sensors cannot penetrate the hull either."
Spock sounded almost, but not quite, apologetic as he said this.
Kirk stared at the viewscreen. "So we've got quite a mystery on our
hands."
"Yes, sir."
The Enterprise cut through space as it headed towards Theta Epsilon.

Part Two

Captain's Log, Stardate 44638.0:
The Enterprise has just delivered a cargo of triticale wheat to Omicron
Delta V. Hopefully, our modifications to the colony's weather net will allow
them to maintain their self-sufficiency, at least in foodstuffs. I sometimes
wonder why people would choose to set up a colony this far out from the center
of the Federation; it would certainly make it difficult to get outside help in
an emergency. However, Starfleet Command approved the colony, and so -

"Riker to Picard." The voice interrupted Captain Jean-Luc Picard's log
entry as he sat in his ready room.
"Yes, Number One?"
"We're receiving an automated distress call from a ship called the
Darwin."
"On speakers in here."
There was a hiss of subspace static, then a voice broke through, a tinge
of panic just barely coloring the words. " - the Darwin. We have experienced a
cascade failure in our power systems. Warp and impulse engines have both
failed, and life support is operating on battery power only. We estimate that
we have only two hours before life support fails. Repeating: to any ship in the
area, this is the Darwin. We have experienced - "
The voice cut off. "The signal repeats automatically," said Commander
William Riker's voice.
Picard got up and strode onto the bridge. "How far away from them are we?"
"At maximum warp," said Lieutenant Commander Data, sitting at the Ops
station, "we can intercept the Darwin in thirty-nine minutes."
"Make it so," the captain ordered as he sat in his chair. "Commander La
Forge?"
"Here, sir," came the chief engineer's voice over the intercom.
"We'll be going to maximum warp."
"Aye, sir."
As the Enterprise leapt into warp space, Picard walked forward and stood
next to Data. "What can you tell me about the Darwin?"
Data's fingers flicked over his control panel. "Starfleet does not have
any ship by that name in file."
"It could be a private ship," said Riker, coming up. "There are a lot of
those, and some of them definitely don't want to be noticed by Starfleet."
"If it is a privateer ship," volunteered Lieutenant Worf from the tactical
station, "they must have exhausted their options before calling on a Federation
ship for help."
"It would pretty much put them out of business," agreed Riker.
"What can you tell me about Theta Epsilon?" Picard asked Data.
"Theta Epsilon," the android said after a tiny hesitation, "is an E-type
star with six planets. The only other Starfleet ship to visit the system was
the original Enterprise, ninety-eight years, three months and fourteen days
ago."
"Can you call up their mission log?" asked Riker.
Data worked for a moment, then a slight note of surprise crept into his
voice. "The Enterprise logs for that particular mission are classified."
"Classified?" This was odd, thought Picard. Theta Epsilon was out in the
middle of nowhere, so why should those logs be classified?

The Enterprise approached the Theta Epsilon system. "Slow to impulse, Mr.
Sulu," ordered Kirk. A moment later, he felt the slight drag as the ship
dropped out of warp. "Launch a class-three probe towards the artifact and
another one towards the fourth planet."
"Aye, sir," said Sulu as he complied.
"Is it a ship?" Kirk asked Spock.
"No, captain," the Vulcan replied. "Nor is it an orbital station of any
known design." He paused for a moment. "We are beginning to receive data from
the probes, sir. The planet shows definite signs of having once had a
technologically advanced civilization, possibly up to mid-twenty-first century
level."

Part Three

"What about the atmosphere?"
"Highly polluted, with large amounts of carbon dioxide and dust in the
stratosphere. The ozone layer is virtually gone."
Kirk walked over to stand by his first officer. "Did they relocate to the
artifact? Could it be a station?"
"Again, captain," said Spock a bit politely, "the artifact, if it is a
station, is of no known design." He bent over the sensor again. "The probe is
detecting - a set of doors at one end of the artifact."
That got everybody's attention. "Doors, Spock?" asked Kirk.
"They are huge - at least four miles in diameter."
Kirk turned his attention to the image of the artifact on the main
viewscreen. It was indeed huge, dwarfing even the biggest Spacedocks of the
Federation. "Could it be a container? And if so, what's inside?"
"Unknown, sir. Sensors cannot penetrate the hull."
"So," Kirk summed up, "we have a ruined world and an artifact in orbit.
Any idea how old it is?"
Spock studied his readings carefully. "As Dr. McCoy would say, I am making
a guess. But my hypothesis is that the artifact is at least seventy thousand
years old."
Kirk looked at the artifact with a new sense of appreciation. For a
species to have made something this big was impressive. To have it last for
seventy millennia was even more impressive.

"Now entering the Theta Epsilon system, sir," reported Ensign Maria
Calloway at Navigation.
"Slow to impulse," ordered Riker. "Data, can you get a fix on the Darwin?"
"Yes, sir," the android reported. "ETA is in two minutes. There is a large
cloud of high-energy plasma near the ship."
"Will it interfere with our rescue operations?" asked Picard.
"No, sir. It could, however, interfere with our tactical systems."
Worf looked up. "We have lost their signal, sir."
Data blinked. "We have also lost all sensor trace of the Darwin."
Picard glanced at Riker. "What's going on?"
Worf glared at his tactical board. "Captain!" he exclaimed. "Romulan
warbird de-cloaking! They're arming disruptors!"
"Shields up!" snapped Riker. "Red alert!" The Enterprise rocked as the
warbird opened fire.
"It's a trap," growled Picard furiously. "Lock phasers - and fire."
The phaser blasts leapt across the vacuum of space and impacted against
the Romulan ship.
"Minor damage to their forward shields," Worf reported. "Our shields are
holding."
"Data," said Picard, "you mentioned the plasma cloud. Can we use it to
confuse the Romulan sensors?"
"Theoretically," began Data, "but - "
"Good enough," said Picard tersely. "Ensign Calloway, set course for the
plasma cloud, full impulse."
"Aye, sir." The Enterprise angled gracefully and made a beeline for the
cloud.
The ship was again buffeted as the Romulan disruptors struck home. "The
Romulans are in pursuit," Worf reported, rather unnecessarily.
Riker turned to the captain. "What are the Romulans doing this far out,
anyway?"
"I don't know, Number One," said a still angry Picard. "But we're going to
find out."
"Five thousand kilometers to the plasma cloud, sir," said Calloway.
Picard stood between the Navigation and Ops stations. "Wait until the
Romulans fire, then evasive maneuvers, hard to port."
"Aye, sir."
Worf didn't even look up from the tactical rail as he called out,
"Romulans firing - now!"
"Now, Ensign!"
The ship vaulted out of the way as the disruptor blast sailed past them
and plunged into the cloud. The plasma roiled and seethed as all hell broke
loose on the Enterprise.
The bridge rocked violently as only Data managed to hold onto his console.
"What's happening?!" shouted Picard.
"Unknown, sir!" the android shouted back. "Sensors are detecting - "
The world exploded into blinding light, then darkness.

Part Four

The Romulan warbird Tarsuk rocked for a moment, then steadied.
"Tactical!" snapped Commander Jykaam. "Re-lock disruptors on target and
fire."
Sub-Commander Nuroq, the tactical/security chief, thumped his console.
"Disruptors are not responding, Commander. There is severe feedback throughout
the main power systems."
"Compensate."
Nuroq wrestled with his board. "Attempting now, sir." He took a closer
look at the sensor panel. "Commander - the Enterprise is gone!"
Jykaam turned to stare at his security officer. "Gone? What do you mean,
gone?"
"There is no trace of the ship, sir," Nuroq said.
"Widen the search."
"I have already scanned the entire sector, Commander. Nothing."
"Could they have built a cloaking device?" asked the first officer,
Sub-Commander Telahg. "Or could they be using the plasma cloud as cover?"
"Neither, sir. I've even done a gravity scan. But - "
Both Jykaam and Telahg walked over to stand next to the security officer.
"But what?" the commander asked.
"Sensors are detecting the resonance tracings of a temporal distortion."
"Where?"
"In the plasma cloud, sir."
Jykaam turned to stare thoughtfully at the cloud's image on the main
viewscreen. "You're saying that the Enterprise escaped through a temporal rift
in the cloud?"
"I'm saying it's a possibility, Commander," agreed Nuroq.
Telahg rubbed his chin pensively, a very human gesture. "Commander, do you
think the Federation has devised a reliable method of time travel?"
Jykaam shook his head. "No; if they have, we would know about it." He
turned to look at his officers. "Could our disruptors have opened the rift?"
Nuroq nodded slowly in agreement. "Yes, sir. It looks like they did."
"How soon can we be ready to follow them?"
There was utter silence on the Tarsuk's bridge.
"Follow them, sir?" asked Telahg, a touch weakly.
"Yes, follow them, Sub-Commander! How soon?"
Nuroq shook himself back to life and thought for a moment. "We would have
to duplicate the frequency, duration and power of the disruptor burst."
Telahg's eyes widened. "Commander, you can't be serious!"
Jykaam looked at his first officer gravely. "In the briefing room,
Sub-Commander," he snapped. Without waiting for a response, he turned on his
heel and strode off the bridge, followed by Telahg.
The instant the doors closed, Jykaam stood almost toe-to-toe with his
officer. "Do you know who is on this ship, Sub-Commander?"
Telahg blinked. "Sir?"
"There is an agent of the Tal Shi'yar here, and he is watching my every
move."
The Tal Shi'yar. The Romulan secret police, feared by all except the
Praetor himself. "Who is it, Commander?"
"I do not know," the commander admitted, "but my orders are to destroy or
capture the Enterprise by any means necessary - and the Tal Shi'yar would not
be sympathetic to any excuse." Jykaam turned away and stared at the briefing
map. "My loyalty to the Empire and to the Praetor will not be questioned. I
intend to follow my orders to the letter, and if you are smart, you will do the
same - no matter what the provocation."
Telahg stood ramrod-straight. "Understood, sir," said the first officer.
"Good. Inform me when you are ready for transit."

Part Five

As an image of the artifact slowly revolved on the main screen, Spock
explained to his captain. "The artifact is totally seamless except for the
doors. The probe may be able to obtain some readings, using minute gaps in the
door seal."
Kirk nodded. "Go ahead."
Spock bent over his station for a moment. "The probe cannot obtain a clear
reading on what is behind the doors, Captain."
"Is the neutronium blocking its scans?"
"Not to any appreciable degree. It simply cannot - " He broke off as he
stared into the sensor again. "Captain, something is happening?"
Kirk sat up straighter. "The artifact?"
"No, sir. Approximately forty thousand kilometers away from it."
"Put it on screen."
The image on the viewscreen switched to - the only way to describe it was
as a hole. The edges seemed to be constantly shifting and moving. "Analysis,
Spock?"
"The phenomenon appears to be a rift in the structure of space, possibly a
wormhole."
"Where does it go to?"
"Unknown, Captain."
That was as far as he got. In the space of three seconds, the hole seemed
to spit out a ship, then closed up again, leaving no trace that it was ever
there. The ship rolled slightly, giving the impression that no one was at the
helm.
Sulu leaned forward, as if he could get a better view. "I've never seen a
ship like that before, sir."
"Confirmed," said Spock. "There is no ship matching that configuration in
Starfleet Registry."
Kirk rubbed his chin. "Can you make out its markings?"
"I believe that I can." A moment passed, then Spock gave his answer with a
tone of what was almost awe in his voice. "Captain, the registry number is
NCC-1701-D."
The entire bridge crew turned to stare at him as the Vulcan continued.
"U.S.S. Enterprise."
The silence lasted for five full seconds.
Kirk finally cleared his throat. "An Enterprise from the future?"
Spock nodded. "It is possible."
"Uhura, hail them."
Lieutenant Uhura worked on her console for a moment. "No reply, Captain."
"Any life signs?"
"Yes, sir," replied Spock, "but it seems as though they are all
unconscious. In addition, power readings are quite sporadic."
Kirk stood up and gazed at the ship on the viewscreen. "A ship from the
future..." He seemed to make up his mind and strode up the steps. "Spock, we're
going over there. Uhura, contact Dr. McCoy and Mr. Scott; have them meet us in
transporter room two."
Uhura barely had time to reply before Kirk and Spock disappeared into the
turbolift.

Part Six

The lights continued to flicker on the bridge of the Enterprise-D as Data
sat up.
He accessed his short-term memory banks as he quickly walked around the
bridge, checking on his colleagues. He remembered that there was a bright flash
of light as the sensors went off the scale - then there was darkness as Data's
automatic systems shut him down. He briefly wondered what had happened to the
Romulans.
Confident that none of the others had been hurt - only rendered
unconscious - Data bent over the Engineering station of the rear terminals and
ran a level-three diagnostic.
"Power systems operating at fifty-three percent efficiency," the computer
reported with its brisk style.
"Has life support been compromised?" asked Data.
"Negative."
"Report condition of the Romulan warbird."
"There are no Romulan ships in this sector."
Data did something very unusual. He blinked.
"Are there any ships in this sector?"
"Affirmative. One Federation vessel, Constitution class. Registry markings
indicate it is NCC-1701, U.S.S. Enterprise."
If Data had been human, his jaw would have dropped open at this point, but
he was interrupted by the hum of a transporter beam. Preparing for the worst,
he grabbed Worf's phaser and stood his ground.
The transporter shimmer faded, and four people stood in front of him,
looking just as surprised to see him as he was to see them.
Data gripped his phaser more firmly. "Identify yourselves."
The man in the gold shirt held up his hands in the universal sign for
"don't shoot, we come in peace." "I am Captain James T. Kirk, of the Federation
starship Enterprise. These are my officers, Mr. Spock, Dr. McCoy and Mr.
Scott." He pointed to each one in turn.
Data looked at McCoy. The features that would be so evident a century
later, when McCoy would be an admiral, were already there. "I am Lieutenant
Commander Data, second officer of the Enterprise - the Enterprise-D."
Lieutenant Commander Montgomery Scott looked around himself, a glint of
unholy glee leaping into his eye. "And this is really the Enterprise?" he asked
with a rich Scottish burr.
"It is the fifth vessel to be named Enterprise." Data paused as he heard a
groan. He bent down and helped Picard to his feet.
"Mr. Data?" Picard asked weakly. "What happened?"
"It would appear that the Enterprise has passed through a temporal rift,
sir," Data said mildly. "In addition, sir, to quote a human phrase, we seem to
have visitors."
With a little effort, Picard focused on Kirk. "Captain Kirk," he muttered.
"Don't try to talk just yet," grumbled Dr. Leonard McCoy as he breezed to
Picard's side. "You've been unconscious for a while."
Picard started as he looked at McCoy. "Merde."

Captain's Log, Supplemental:
The Enterprise - from this point, I really should be calling my ship the
Enterprise-D - has apparently passed through a rip in the space-time continuum,
propelling us ninety-eight years into the past. We have encountered the
original Enterprise, and I sincerely hope that together, we will be able to
return the Enterprise-D to its own time.

Part Seven

Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge glanced out the window of the
observation lounge. He could see the Enterprise and, in the background, the
dark hulk of the artifact. Time travel was possible, he knew, but to have
actually experienced it... Giving himself a mental shake by the neck, he turned
back to his audience, made up of officers from the two Enterprises.
"It would appear," he began as the conference room viewscreen lit up,
"that the plasma cloud we came through masks a weakness in time."
"But this cloud isn't here," said Kirk.
Geordi shrugged. "Which means it hasn't been created yet."
Riker shook his head. "What will it appear?"
"I don't know," admitted Geordi. "It could be tomorrow, or next month, or
next year."
"Or in ninety-eight years," rumbled Worf.
The contingent from the Enterprise - Kirk, Spock, McCoy and Scotty -
looked over at the Enterprise-D's security officer uneasily. Even though Picard
had carefully explained that in their own time, the Klingons were allies of the
Federation, it was still disconcerting - to say the least - to have tangled on
and off with the Klingons only to see one in a Starfleet uniform. Still, he was
one of the Enterprise-D's most loyal officers, and that meant he would be
treated with respect.
"Exactly," Geordi agreed. "There's simply no way to tell."
McCoy let his eyes roam over the Enterprise-D's officers. Picard was a
good captain - he could tell that at a glance. Riker also had solid stock. La
Forge's VISOR implant was a touch disturbing, but it also gave him something to
shoot for in terms of medical technology. Counselor Deanna Troi was a telepath
- no, not a telepath, an empath - who looked like she would be absolutely
professional even in a social encounter. He couldn't wait for the chance to
talk shop with the CMO, Dr. Beverly Crusher.
Data sounded like a Vulcan. He'd probably get along just fine with Spock.
"Could your transport here," asked Spock, bringing McCoy back to the
present, "have something to do with the artifact?"
"We have no way of knowing," said Data. "It is, however, an intriguing
hypothesis."
"Mr. La Forge, Mr. Data," said Picard, "work with Mr. Spock and Mr. Scott
to determine the nature of the artifact. If it can indeed return us to our own
time, it's too big a chance not to pass up."
"Captain," began Data.
"Yes?" asked both Kirk and Picard.
"Captain Picard," Data amended a touch sheepishly, "request permission to
send a probe to the mouth of the artifact and attempt to open it."
Picard and Kirk glanced at each other. "If there's something nasty inside,
that might not be such a good idea," said Kirk.
"That is why we should use a probe," said Data.
"Granted," said Picard.

The probe hovered barely a kilometer from the business end of the
artifact. The Enterprise and the Enterprise-D had backed off, and were now
almost a hundred thousand miles away.
Picard stood and looked at Data and Spock, who were standing at one of the
science stations on the Enterprise-D's bridge. "All right. Make it so."
Data nodded briskly and turned to the console. "Now broadcasting to the
artifact."
"No response," said Spock. "I suggest that we try a higher range of
frequencies."
There was still no answering signal from the artifact.
"Perhaps a phase shift," proposed Spock.
Data agreed and altered the signal.
"Something's happening," said Worf.
That was an understatement, thought Picard.
The huge doors on the artifact split open, revealing a swirl of light and
color that seemed to go on for miles. And then, the vortex abruptly halted,
showing darkness beyond, lit by a star.
"Wow," said Geordi.

Part Eight

On the Enterprise, Kirk rose out of his command chair and gazed at the
view displayed on his ship's screen.

"What is it?" asked Riker.
"It appears to be a stretch of hyperspace," said Spock, "ending in a
gateway in another star system."
"Any way of telling where the other end is?" queried Picard.
"No, sir," said Data. "There seems to be only that one star. Celestial fix
is not possible."
"That means that this is also a gateway," came Kirk's voice, broadcast
from the Enterprise. "A gateway through hyperspace!"
"But what's on the other side?" said Picard thoughtfully.
"Captain," said Geordi at the Engineering console, "I'd like to take a
shuttle through the gateway and find out."
Picard's instincts were automatically against it. "If something goes wrong
- "
"Sir, I'll leave probes at both ends of the tunnel, leaving the two
gateways propped open. I'll also have a transporter relay on standby at all
times so you can yank me back." Geordi was almost pleading. Riker could swear
that he was practically salivating at the prospect going through the gateway.
"Captain Picard," said Spock, "I also volunteer."
"As do I," put in Data.
Picard mentally shrugged. "All right. Make it so."

Captain's Log, Supplemental:
Commanders La Forge and Data are taking the shuttlecraft Oppenheimer
through the hyperspace gateway into whatever lies beyond it. Representing the
Enterprise on this mission are Mr. Spock and Mr. Scott. At my insistence and
the insistence of Captain Kirk, all four members of the away team have had
subcutaneous transponders implanted in their bodies, so that we can instantly
transport them back to the Enterprise-D if the need arises.

Scotty leaned forward and spoke into the shuttle's comm system. "The
transponders work just fine. We're ready here, Captains." He leaned back and
gazed with naked greed at the Oppenheimer's controls. Perhaps one day he'd get
to pilot a shuttle like this...
"Understood, Scotty," broke in Kirk's voice. "Proceed."
"Ahead one-quarter impulse," said Data as his fingers flicked over the
navigational console.
The shuttle glided forward, into the mouth of the gateway, passing the
probe left there to keep the entrance open. Geordi allowed himself a moment to
look around at the sheer size of the gateway; it could easily accommodate the
Enterprise-D - hell, ten ships the size of the Enterprise-D could go through at
the same time without crowding.
"We have passed into the tunnel," reported Data.
"Understood," said Picard's voice, a little blurred but very
understandable.
The tunnel was filled with blazing, swirling colors, a vision that,
depending on whom you talked to, was either straight out of Heaven or Hell.
Spock leaned over his instruments. "The energy patterns seem to be a mix of
those one would find in subspace and warp space."
Then they were through the tunnel, and out on the other side.
"Releasing probe," said Geordi. The probe tumbled away from the shuttle
and kept the inner doors open. Then he looked up and got a real look at what
lay beyond the tunnel.
"Oh my God," murmured Scotty. The others could only agree.

Part Nine

What lay before them was the inside of a sphere so huge as to defy the
imagination. In the middle of the sphere was a planet, circling a sun .
Data was the only one not struck speechless by the vista. "The sphere is
approximately four hundred million miles in diameter," he related back to the
two Enterprises, which were hanging on his every word. "The inside of the
sphere is covered with gateways similar to the one we just passed through."
"How many are there?" asked Kirk.
Spock shook himself out of the spell and tapped at his console. "There are
roughly twenty-eight billion gateways."
That caused another attack of speechlessness aboard the ships. "Sensors
detect no other ships anywhere in the sphere," said Scotty.
"Twenty-eight billion?!" said Picard and Kirk at the same time.
"Yes, sirs," Geordi confirmed. "Each one probably contains another
hyperspace tunnel to other systems - presumably other galaxies."
"A large number of galaxies," whispered Picard in awe.
"Yes, sir, it does look like that," responded Geordi.
"Can you run a spectrographic survey of the inside of the sphere?" asked
Riker.
"That is not possible with this shuttle's resources," said Spock. "It
would take a starship to do so."

On the Enterprise-D, Picard and Riker looked at each other. "Are you
thinking what I'm thinking?" asked Riker almost impishly.
"Ensign Calloway," said Picard. "Ahead one-quarter impulse. Take us
through the gateway."
Calloway gulped for a moment. She had gone to the Academy and signed up
with Starfleet in search of, as she once read in an old book, excitement,
adventure and really wild things. But this threatened to be a little too much.
She forced down her uneasiness and laid in the commands. "Aye, sir. One-quarter
impulse."
The Enterprise-D slipped forward and into the gateway. Riker braced
himself, instinctively waiting for the buffeting of the hyperspace tunnel, but
nothing happened. As the ship emerged on the other side of the tunnel, there
was a muted "whoosh" as everyone on the bridge let out the breath that they had
been holding.

"Two can play at that game," said Kirk almost gleefully. "Mr. Sulu, take
us in!"
Sulu took a deep breath. "Aye, sir."
The Enterprise also went through the gateway, just in time to miss seeing
space split open and another ship come through.

Part Ten

The navigator aboard the Tarsuk leaned back in his seat with what looked
like relief. "Transit complete, Commander. We have moved ninety-eight years
into the past."
"Good," said Jykaam succinctly. "Re-engage cloaking device and search for
the Enterprise."
"Commander," said Nuroq a little shakily, "sensors cannot find any trace
of the plasma cloud we used to get here."
Jykaam turned to look at the tactical officer. "No trace?"
"None, sir."
"That means we can't get back," muttered Telahg darkly.
"This changes nothing," snapped the commander. "Our orders remain the
same. Commence the search."
Nuroq worked at his tactical board. "No sign of the Enterprise, Commander,
but there is a large, neutronium-hulled object in orbit around the star. One
end is open."
"What is it?"
"Sensors are picking up residual wash of an open hyperspace shunt." Nuroq
looked up. "It appears to be a gateway; it is possible that the Enterprise
passed through it."
Jykaam nodded. "Navigation, plot a course through the gateway."
A human expression flitted through Telahg's mind: in for a penny, in for a
pound.

"This is incredible," breathed Kirk as the Enterprise sailed across the
interior of the sphere.
Spock, having returned to his own ship, bent over his science console with
Data at his side. "The interior is composed of an alloy containing, among other
materials, neutronium, castrodinium and adamantium. It is virtually
indestructible."
"It would have to be," put in McCoy from the upper level of the bridge.
"If some damn fool misses the entrance, you don't want him plowing right
through the surface of the sphere."
"What can you tell me about the planet?" asked Kirk.
"It is class-M," said Data, "approximately the size of Mars. There appears
to be a manufactured facility covering sixty-four percent of the planet's land
mass."
"A traffic control plant?" inquired Kirk.
"A distinct possibility," agreed Data. "With so many gateways, it seems
logical that a central control and maintenance facility would be necessary."
"But where did everyone go?" asked Scotty, wandering over from the other
side of the bridge. "The whole system seems to be abandoned."
"Unknown," said Spock. "The star is stable, as is the control planet.
Perhaps there was a plague."
"I doubt it," said McCoy. "Any race that could build all this wouldn't be
bothered by something as small as disease."
Kirk stood up. "Any sign of habitation or occupation?"
"None, sir," said Data. "The facility is, as Mr. Scott said, abandoned."
Kirk thought for a moment. "Mr. Sulu, standard orbit of the control
planet. Lieutenant Uhura, open a channel to the Enterprise-D."
Uhura nodded. "On screen, Captain."
Captain Picard's image appeared on the viewscreen, with the backdrop of
the Enterprise-D's bridge. "I'm sending an landing team down to the control
facility," said Kirk without preamble.
"Is that wise?" asked Picard.
"We can't detect any threat on the surface. Atmosphere is clear and no
radiation hazards."
"Our sensors say the same thing," confirmed Picard. "Mr. Data."
Data stepped forward. "Here, sir."
"You will go along with Captain Kirk's team," Picard instructed. "You will
be joined by Commander Riker, Commander La Forge, and Lieutenant Worf."
"Understood, sir."
"Picard out." The image of the Enterprise-D's captain blinked out.
Kirk strode towards the turbolift. "Spock, Bones, Scotty, you're with me."
Data joined the others in the turbolift.

"There are two Federation starships here," Nuroq reported in surprise.
"One of them is the Enterprise."
"And the other?" asked Jykaam.
Nuroq blinked. "It is also the Enterprise - the original Enterprise,
commanded by Kirk."
The commander smiled. "So much the better."

Part Eleven

Deep within the control facility, in a corridor that seemed to stretch on
for miles, eight people materialized. Spock and Riker consulted their
tricorders, the Vulcan experiencing a pang of most un-Vulcan longing for the
more advanced technology of the Enterprise-D. "There doesn't seem to be any
difference which way we go," said Riker.
"Commander," said Kirk, "I'll go this way, with Spock, Data and Worf. The
rest of you will go the other way."
Riker nodded. "Understood, Captain." He took Scotty, McCoy and Geordi and
began exploring in the opposite direction. He grumbled inwardly about the risks
Kirk seemed to delight in taking. When would he realize that the captain just
wasn't expendable?

"Wow," breathed Geordi as he went from cavernous room to cavernous room.
"Aye, you can say that again," agreed Scotty as he eagerly examined one
set of controls. "This looks like some sort of stabilizer control."
"Perhaps it's for one of the hyperspace tunnels," Geordi suggested. "God,
there must be billions of rooms like these. No wonder the facility takes up so
much space."
"But there's no sign of anyone here," asked McCoy. "Did they all just pack
up and leave?"
"Looks like it," said Riker as he scanned a panel with his tricorder. "No
message or anything."
"But it's all so well-maintained," protested Geordi. "This place must have
some sort of self-cleaning system."
"Let's find out," said Scotty mischievously. He hunted in his pack for
something expendable and found a crumpled piece of paper, muttering, "What's
this doing here anyway?" With a flourish, he tossed it on the floor, standing
well back.
A few seconds passed, then a panel opened in the wall and a small tube
extended itself. There was a bright flash as a beam of blue light speared the
scrap of paper and disintegrated it.
"No littering," muttered McCoy.
"Got that right," Riker agreed.
They went on.

The Tarsuk had glided into orbit around the control world, still cloaked
and completely invisible to the two Enterprises.
"It's a control facility," said Telahg as he looked up from the sensors.
"The whole system is run from down there."
"And it's ours for the taking," salivated Jykaam. "With the secret of
instant hyperspace travel, the Empire can go anywhere and do anything. It's the
ultimate power." He looked at Nuroq. "Status of the Federation ships?"
"They're both in standard orbit, Commander," Nuroq reported. "Their
shields are down and their weapons are off-line."
"Is there anyone already in the facility?"
"Sensors read seven life-forms. Five are human, one Vulcan, and one
Klingon," said Telahg.
"Attack maneuvers, sir?" asked the navigator.
"Not yet. Patience," said Jykaam, then he turned to Nuroq. "We're going to
transport down. Draw four men from your security detail as escorts. Nuroq,
Telahg, with me."
"Yes, sir," exulted the first officer as he joined his commander and the
security officer in the lift."

Part Twelve

Worf was uneasy. The facility was huge almost beyond words, but the fact
that it was also empty almost beyond words was giving him an itchy trigger
finger. He didn't like deserted buildings; too much room for ambush.
Spock and Data were chattering away at each other, spouting possibilities
and theories. Kirk couldn't get over it; they were perfect together. Of course,
the unemotional (by practice) Spock and the unemotional (by design) Data would
be the last to appreciate the irony.
Data took a moment to tap his combadge. "Data to Enterprise-D."
"Picard here," said the captain's voice filtering through the badge.
"We have explored several miles of corridor and two hundred and
thirty-seven different rooms," said Data. "Each one appears to be a separate
control center for a different gateway."
"Is the system still working?"
"We believe so, sir. However, the facility has clearly been abandoned for
some time. I would not advise attempting to use the system at present."
"Understood. Keep me posted. Picard out."
"Fascinating communicator," said Spock as he peered at Data's badge.
Worf grunted.

Riker couldn't believe his eyes as he tapped his badge. "Riker to Data."
"Data here."
"I think we've found the map room." He was staring at a gigantic
holographic image of stars and galaxies, big enough to boggle the mind. The
room was bigger than anything they had seen so far. Scotty was willing to bet
that the whole gateway, all eight miles by five miles of it, could fit easily.
A minute later, the other four members of the away team materialized as
they were transported to the map room. Safety in numbers, thought Geordi.
Kirk, Worf, Data and Spock immediately went over to the others, who were
still staring at the holo-map. "Can you access it?" whispered Kirk.
"I believe so, Captain," said Spock. He, Geordi, Scotty and Data went over
to a huge, free-standing control console about fifty meters away, followed by
the others.
Data scanned the controls for a minute. "I believe I can program the
system to project images of where the gateways lead."
"Do it," said Riker as Data set to work.
The air shimmered and reformed into a picture of a galaxy, peppered with
about a hundred blinking lights, each one representing a gateway. The view
shifted again, this time drawing back to encompass thousands, even millions of
galaxies. The blinking lights were enough to blind someone.
"There are apparently gateways in virtually every known galaxy," said
Spock as he looked over Data's shoulder.
"What about our galaxy?" asked Worf.
"There seem to be only three," said Data. "One is in orbit around Theta
Epsilon. One is in the Gamma Quadrant and the other is in the Delta Quadrant."
"Both of them totally unexplored," said Riker. "Any way of finding out
which gateway goes where?"
"Possibly. It will take some time, though."
"Time you don't have," said a voice from behind them.
They spun around to face seven disruptors held by seven Romulans.
"But we do," said Commander Jykaam as he smiled.

"Captain," said Worf's replacement at Tactical, "sensors are reading seven
other life forms in the control facility, with our away teams."
"What kind of life forms?" asked Picard.
"They appear to be Romulans."
Picard sprang out of his chair and smacked his combadge. "Picard to
Riker!"

Part Thirteen

One of the security people pushed his disruptor against Scotty's head. The
meaning was clear.
"Picard to Riker," said Picard's voice again.
"If you respond, he dies," promised Jykaam.
Riker's hand, which was automatically rising to tap his badge, sank back
down as he glared at the Romulan commander. "What do you want?"
Jykaam waved his hand expansively. "This facility. All of it."
"You can't be serious," said Geordi.
Jykaam was almost purring. "I assure you that I am." He walked over to the
map controls and poked at a button or two. "The secret of instantaneous
hyperspace travel," he murmured. All he had to do was go back through the Theta
Epsilon gateway and, using a tractor beam, tow it to Romulus. The Empire would
be invincible.
"Aren't you forgetting something?" asked Kirk.
Jykaam looked up, really seeing him for the first time. "The redoubtable
Captain Kirk. You will also make a handsome prize."
"What about returning to your own time?" asked the Enterprise captain.
The Romulan commander snorted. "With all this, who needs the future? I'm
quite sure we will be welcomed back to Romulus with open arms right now."
"With all you're planning to do," protested Riker, "you're going to
disrupt the flow of history."
"A future with the Empire supreme is hardly a disruption, Commander
Riker," said Jykaam. "I prefer to think of it as a historical correction." He
waved his disruptor in the direction of one of the control rooms. "Move."

"No response, Captain," said the tactical officer.
"Merde," spat Picard. "Picard to O'Brien."
"O'Brien here," said the voice of the Enterprise-D's transporter chief.
"Can we beam them back up?"
In Transporter Room Three, Miles O'Brien shook his head. "They're
constantly moving, sir. There's no way we can get all of them up without
getting the Romulans as well. And I don't fancy the idea of beaming seven armed
Romulans onto the ship, sir."
"I quite agree," replied Picard. "All we can do for the moment is wait."

Telahg bent over one of the gateway consoles. "Where does it go?" asked
Jykaam.
"All I can tell," the Romulan first officer replied, "is that it's not in
this galaxy."
"Try it anyway."
Virtually all of the Federation people started to protest at the same
time. "There's no way to tell if this stuff will still work," said Geordi. "For
all we know, the people who built this system could have installed an
anti-tamper mechanism to prevent anyone else from using it."
"I doubt it," said Jykaam curtly. "Open it up."
"Yes, sir. Transmitting commands now." Telahg's fingers worked the
controls - to be answered by a rumbling deep within the planet.
The facility rocked, throwing everyone around.

"Sensors are reading severe tectonic stresses under the facility,"
reported the tactical officer.
"Picard to O'Brien," snapped the captain. "Lock onto all non-Romulans and
get them aboard!"
"I'll try, sir."

Nuroq was aiming his disruptor at Riker when the Federation officer
disappeared into a transporter beam. He looked around wildly to see that the
other Enterprise people were also being snatched away as O'Brien took advantage
of the two groups being separated.
Telahg turned to his commander as a chunk of the ceiling fell in. "What
have you done?!" he screamed.
For his part, Jykaam pulled out his communicator. "Jykaam to Tarsuk.
Emergency transport now!"
The seven Romulans were snatched away as the floor collapsed beneath the
spot where they had stood instants earlier.

Part Fourteen

The Federation officers materialized in Transporter Room Three. "Bridge!"
cried O'Brien. "We've got them!"
Riker hustled the Enterprise-D personnel off the transport platform as he
snapped to O'Brien, "Get the others over to their own ship. The control world
is going to blow."
"Aye, sir," said the transporter chief. "I'm beaming you to the
Enterprise's bridge."
Kirk nodded as he vanished...

...to reappear on his own bridge, on his own Enterprise, with his own
officers. Not giving anyone a chance to speak, he said briefly, "Back to the
gateway. Full impulse."
"Yes, sir," said Sulu as he choked back a thousand questions and slammed
the ship's impulse engines into life.
The Enterprise moved out of orbit as the continental plates of the control
world began to snap like twigs.

Jykaam stormed onto the Tarsuk's bridge. "Condition red! Disruptors
on-line!"
Telahg was right behind him. "Disruptors?"
The commander turned to glare at his first officer. "We're taking the
Enterprise-D with us. Disengage cloaking device!"
The Tarsuk swam back into view as the Enterprise, guided by the probes
left there, escaped through the gateway.

"Romulan warbird de-cloaking!" Worf, back on the Enterprise-D's bridge,
called out. "Their disruptors are coming on-line!"
"Not now, damn it!" snarled Picard.
"Red alert!" snapped Riker. "Shields up! Ready phasers!"

"Lock disruptors on the Enterprise-D and fire!" cried Jykaam with an
insanely obsessed light in his eye.
"NO!" shouted Telahg. "Belay that order!" He turned and stood nose-to-nose
with Jykaam. "Sir, I am relieving you of duty; you are no longer fit to hold
command!"
The navigator smoothly stood up and spun at the same time, drawing his
disruptor and targeting the first officer.
The navigator, thought Telahg a bit numbly. The navigator is the Tal
Shi'yar agent. And he's going to kill me...
A disruptor blast whined out, and the navigator was propelled across the
bridge, smashing against the far wall. Telahg turned to see Nuroq holding his
disruptor, except he was now aiming at Jykaam.
"Commander," said the tactical officer mildly, "I do not want to stun you
as well."
For a moment, the air was dark with Jykaam's rage. Then he took a deep
breath and stepped back from his command chair in acknowledgment. But he still
aimed an icy glare at his former first officer. "The Tal Shi'yar will have your
head for this."
"We have to survive this first," said Telahg. "Security!" Four burly
Romulans stepped forward.
"Take them to separate detention cells on opposite sides of the ship," he
ordered. "They are not to communicate with anyone, especially each other. Go."
Two of the security men hustled Jykaam off the bridge, while the other two
bodily picked up the navigator and took him away as well.
Now in command, Telahg took the great center seat and began to issue a
stream of orders.

Part Fifteen

"Sir," said Worf slowly, "the Romulans have taken their weapons off-line
and have lowered their shields." A moment passed. "They're hailing us, sir."
Picard blinked. "On screen."
Telahg appeared on the bridge's main viewscreen. "Captain," he began, "I
am Acting Commander Telahg of the Romulan warbird Tarsuk."
Picard glanced at Riker. "Acting Commander?" he asked softly.
Riker shrugged.
"Commander Jykaam - or rather, Ex-Commander Jykaam," explained Telahg,
"has been stripped of his position and is under arrest for his actions against
your ship and your crew." He smiled a bit. "I thought you'd like to know."
"Thank you, Commander," said Picard a bit hesitantly. He still did not
know what the Romulan was up to.
"I think we should leave, don't you?" asked Telahg pleasantly.
"Definitely." As Telahg's image blinked off, Picard turned to Calloway.
"Ensign, full impulse out through the gateway."
Calloway sighed in relief. "Aye, sir."
The Enterprise-D shot out of the gateway back into the Theta Epsilon
system, followed closely by the Tarsuk, to find the Enterprise waiting for
them. All three ships backed off to what they hoped was a safe distance.
An unimaginable distance away, the control world burst apart, the victim
of a booby trap triggered by the Romulans. When the people who built the
hyperspace network had abandoned their planet and moved on, they left a
fail-safe system behind, designed to prevent anyone else from following them to
their new home.
And now no one ever would.
The shock wave slammed into the sun; it roiled and flowed, then exploded
with an inconceivable fury.
The white-hot wash of nova energy pulsed out until it erupted through the
hyperspace gateway, then out into the Theta Epsilon system. The gateway itself
crumbled under the incredible stresses, collapsing into an cloud of energetic
plasma. The three ships stayed safely in the shadow of one of the planets,
shielded from the blast of radiation.

"So much for that," sighed Scotty wistfully as he saw the gateway
disintegrate from the Enterprise's bridge.
"Indeed," agreed Spock. "Further study of the tunnel system would have
been quite fascinating."
McCoy looked at the Vulcan sideways. "Sad, Spock?"
"I see no need to be insulting, Doctor."
Uhura broke into the exchange. "Captain, the Enterprise-D is hailing us."
Grateful for the interruption, Kirk nodded. "On screen, Lieutenant."
Picard's image appeared on the viewscreen. "It seems that we have a way
home."
Kirk grinned. "I wondered when you were going to notice the plasma cloud.
How will you re-open the time rift?"
"It has something to do with the Tarsuk's disruptors," Picard replied.
"Commander Telahg has agreed to allow us safe passage back to our own time."
Kirk clucked his tongue. "Pity. It was nice getting to know all of you."

Picard beamed back at his predecessor. "I wouldn't worry, Captain. I
should think that we'll see you again."
Kirk smiled a bit strangely. "If you're trying to give me information
about the future - "
"Heaven forbid. Good-bye, Captain Kirk."
"Good-bye, Captain Picard."
Kirk's image blinked off. "Channel closed," said Worf.
"Hail the Tarsuk," said Picard.
Telahg's image now appeared on the screen. "We're ready when you are,
Commander."
The Romulan nodded. "Locking disruptors on the plasma cloud, Captain.
Firing - now."
The Tarsuk opened fire on the mass of plasma. It boiled and seethed, then
split apart. "Sensors are detecting a temporal rift, sir," said Data.
Picard settled back in his command chair. "Ensign Calloway, take us home.
One-quarter impulse."
Calloway looked back and smiled happily. "Delighted, sir."

Part Sixteen

Kirk saw the Enterprise-D sail back through the rift, followed by the
Tarsuk. Then the rip in space-time closed up again, and was gone. The
Enterprise was once again alone in the Theta Epsilon system, accompanied by the
plasma cloud.
"So that's our future," said McCoy.
"Problem, Bones?"
McCoy blinked. "Yeah. I never did get a look at their sickbay."
Kirk smiled. "I once heard a quote from an old Earth philosopher. He said,
'You can't always get what you want.'"
McCoy thought for a moment. "Who was that?"
"I think his name was Jagger. Mick Jagger."
"Sounds like a wise man."
"He was."

Worf scanned his controls. "We are back, sir," he said with the closest
thing possible to relief in a Klingon voice. "According to a Federation time
beacon, we have been gone for seventeen hours and twenty-eight minutes. And we
are again being hailed by the Tarsuk."
Picard leaned forward in his chair. "On screen, Mr. Worf."
Telahg appeared on the main viewscreen. "It seems like we must say
good-bye, Captain."
"Indeed, Commander," said Picard. "What will happen to you with the
Romulan government?"
"Much of my predecessor's actions were based on directives from the Tal
Shi'yar, which is not particularly well-liked in the Empire," said Telahg.
"With any luck, enough people in high places will be sympathetic to my
position."
"I certainly hope so," replied Picard.
Telahg smiled. "As do I. Good-bye, Captain."
"Good-bye, Commander. Perhaps we shall meet again someday under - less
strenuous circumstances."
Telahg smiled again, this time ironically. "I certainly hope so." His
image blinked out.

Telahg leaned back in his seat. "Re-engage cloaking device and set course
for the nearest Imperial base."
"Yes, Commander."
The Tarsuk shimmered into invisibility and sailed off into the void.

"The Tarsuk has re-cloaked," reported Data.
Picard stood up. "And it seems I have a lengthy report to make. Mr. Worf,
establish a subspace channel to Admiral Bernaar at Starfleet Command. Patch it
in to my ready room. Ensign Calloway, set course for Starbase 264."
"Aye, sir," said Worf and Calloway at the same time. They looked at each
other and smiled a bit as the captain disappeared into his office.

Part Seventeen

Kirk's jaw almost literally hit the floor. "What did you say?!"
Admiral Langdon's image was utterly serene as it stared out of the screen
in Kirk's quarters. "You heard me, Captain."
"Classified?" exploded Kirk. "The whole event from start to finish? The
Enterprise-D, the Romulans, the hyperspace tunnel network - you're classifying
everything?"
"Yes indeed."
"But why?" the captain pleaded. "This is the most incredible discovery in
decades!"
"Partially," replied the admiral, "because it's not there any more. You
said yourself that the gateway was destroyed. But you also said that there are
two more gateways in the galaxy." He leaned forward. "There are those on the
General Staff who believe that some of our more unfriendly neighbors may find a
way to exploit them for their own interests - interests which undoubtedly run
counter to those of Federation security."
"So because you don't want the Klingons or the Romulans to find out about
it," said Kirk, still angry, "you're denying the Federation all knowledge of
these people and their achievements."
Langdon pinched the bridge of his nose as if he were tired. "Privately,
Captain, I agree with you. But orders are orders, especially when they come
from the President of the Federation himself. I am ordering you and your crew
not to discuss any aspect of your latest mission with anyone. Understood?"
Kirk nodded slowly. "Yes, Admiral."
"Good. Then no more need be said."

Riker entered the ready room. "Yes, Captain?"
Picard looked up from a cup of very hot Earl Grey tea. His face was very
still, the way it got when he was struggling to contain his emotions. "Our
mission has been classified."
Riker's jaw dropped open. "Classified? Why?"
"Admiral Bernaar essentially said, 'Don't ask.'"
Riker began to pace the ready room. "It's crazy! We went through all that
and we can't even talk about it?"
"Essentially, yes," said Picard tiredly. "And that's the way it ends, eh,
Will? Not with a bang nor a whimper, but silence imposed from up on high."
Riker sighed. "At least we know why the other Enterprise's logs from that
mission were classified as well."
Picard stood and gazed out the window. "True. But it's all such a waste."
His first officer said nothing; he just silently excused himself and
returned to the bridge, leaving the captain standing there.
The Enterprise warped towards its next destination.

THE END
 
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