Future Heroes

by Antonio Cabañas

Chapter 1

Disclaimer: Star Trek in all its incarnations and all related characters are property of Paramount Pictures. The other part of the crossover is owned by C2 Productions (I want to keep the mistery a bit).

Spoilers: this story is set in the final year of Kirk's five-year mission, after Star Trek: The Animated Series.

Deep Space. U.S.S. Enterprise, NCC-1701

Captain's log. Stardate 6097.1

While we are testing the new deflector shield system designed by Professor Brennan, most of our crew will be on leave on Starbase 52, for security reasons.

As the captain closed the ship's log, Professor Brennan entered the bridge and Kirk repressed a sigh. Brennan was one of the most obnoxious individuals that he had met in his life.

"Ah, Kirk, I have just come from Engineering. That funny-talking guy down there has finished the modifications to the shield systems. We are ready to start the tests."

"Thank you professor, but I already knew that. Mr. Scott called while you were in your way."

"But…I ordered him…"

"You have no authority here, Professor Brennan, outside of the pure technical matters. And I would appreciate if you stopped trying to order my crew around."

Before Brennan could answer, and give Kirk a reason to put him under arrest, Spock asked the professor:

"Professor Brennan, am I correct to assume that the modifications in the deflector shield system will allow them to take energy directly from the warp chamber?"

"Exactly, Mr. Spock. That will increase the efficiency of the deflector shield system by a thirty percent."

"But that could cause an harmonic feedback between the nacelles and the deflector shields, causing an overload in our warp drive, and seriously damaging the ship."

"Bah, one possibility in a billion, Mr. Spock."

Kirk ignored Brennan and asked Spock:

"Is there some way to prevent the overload in our warp drive, Mr. Spock?"

"The warp drive overload will be preceded by a few brief signals. If Mr. Scott shuts down the warp chamber in that brief period of time, the deflector shield will return to normal operation mode."

"Captain Kirk, I assure you…"

"Professor, I have seen smaller possibilities become true facts, so don't lecture me on probabilities. Mr. Spock, brief Mr. Scott on the signals that you mentioned."

"Aye, sir."

He opened the intercom to Engineering.

"Mr. Scott, Mr. Spock will inform you of certain modifications of the protocols to follow regarding the Brennan device."

A secret Federation facility, not too far from the Enterprise

"Commander Nicholson!" said the man dressed in a light green jumpsuit, which identified him as one of the civilian specialists in the project.

Nicholson, a short, wiry man in his mid-40s, dressed in a Starfleet uniform, science division turned to him and answered:

"Yes, Mr. Sarkovsky?"

"The instruments around the artifact have been sending erratic signals all day long. Maybe some couplings need replacing?"

"You don't need my authorization to replace them if they are damaged, Mr. Sarkovsky."

"Yes, sir, but after the lightning storm of two weeks ago, we have almost ran out of replacements. I want to turn them off and repair the ones that are broken."

Nicholson thought about what Sarkovsky was suggesting for a moment and said:

"If I recall correctly how the power couplings are placed, you can't turn them off one by one. You have to deactivate all of them simultaneously."

"Yes, I know. But with so few people here this past week, there is no danger that somebody would activate the artifact."

"All right, but you have to repair them before the director returns from her meeting."

"Don't worry, commander. I'll only need a few hours."

While Nicholson resumed his walk to the command building, a wicked smile crossed Sarkovsky's face.

USS Enterprise

"We should be ready for a dynamic test of the shields." announced Brennan from the engineering console, sitting alongside Johannsen, Scotty's right hand. "That is, if you are ready for them."

"Scotty, activate the new shield system configuration" then he turned to the communications officer. "Uhura, signal the Corsair and the Lexington, they can start now."

A secret Federation facility, not too far from the Enterprise

"Three…two…one…go!" said Sarkovsky as he jumped through the device.

The planet emitted a wave, which hit the science vessel in orbit of the planet, replacing it with another ship with more sinister intentions.

USS Enterprise

The Enterprise shuddered as the phasers from her sister ships grazed her shields.

"Shields holding." informed Johannsen from the engineering station, "No sign of…"

The voice of Scotty interrupted his subordinate.

"The intermix chamber is overheating! I'm gonna turn off the shields!"

"Uhura, signal…"

Kirk hadn't time to complete the sentence, as the ship suddenly shook, throwing almost everybody to the ground.

"What was that?" asked Kirk while he tried to get back to his feet.

"Unknown, sir." said Spock who had somehow managed to stay in his chair. "Whatever hit us, however, seems to have reset our computers. "

"Damn!" said Kirk.

"Jim, what the hell was that?" said Dr. McCoy through the intercom

"We are still trying determine that, 'Bones'. Anybody hurt?"

"Only my wits! As in 'scared out of'!" Captain Kirk smiled, if the cranky doctor had time to complain, then, nothing serious had happened.

"Captain Kirk!" croaked a faint voice to his back. He looked back and saw that Professor Brennan was still lying on his back. One of his arms was twisted in a way that couldn't be natural.

"Medical emergency! Professor Brennan..."

"On my way!"

A planetary orbit, not too far from the Enterprise

The ship scanned the surface. The time ripples that seemed to emanate from the planet had attracted it there. There seemed to be a settlement in the surface of the planet. Obeying blindly its programming, the ship coded its findings and transmitted it in a tachyon burst aimed at the third planet of a mid-size yellow star in one arm of the galaxy, that one time had been called Earth.

TO BE CONTINUED...