The NuRanma Trek! – By Ocramed
Disclaimer: Sailor Moon, Ranma ½, and the Star Trek franchise belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a limited series. C&C are welcomed.
Special Note: This story, along with its "mate" NuSailor Moon Trek, is based upon the reboot premise of DC Comics' "NuDC Universe". Thanks to the mysterious Pandora, of "Pandora's Box" fame, the equally mysterious "Time Trapper", who was really Sailor Pluto from the end of Time, was able to get her fondest wish after all…
Part 1: "The Archer Years!" (I)
The next thing Ranma realized, he was tumbling though a weird place, where the skies were down, while the ground was up…
'I bet Kuno or Gosunkugi had something to do with this!' Ranma thought, realizing that he was unable to speak. 'Mousse and Ryouga would have attacked me straight away, after issuing a challenge letter or something…'
And then, Ranma fell into the light…
"Ooof!" Ranma said, as he fell on some sort of deck plate. "Ow…"
A blond main wearing a blue jumpsuit, that had red trim around the shoulders and collar, kneels besides Ranma.
"We got something," said the man, as he turned to look down on Ranma. "And he seems pretty banged up as well…"
Ranma wanted to say something, but, for the life of him, words would not come out of his mouth.
"It's okay, son," said the man, whose name was "Charles 'Tripp' Tucker", the chief engineer aboard the experimental, interstellar starship "NX-01 Enterprise". "You're in good hands."
And, with a weak smile, Ranma fell into a state on unconscious…
Four years later…
"And it is with great honor to award the Cadet Class of 2151, here at the Academy, with the rights and privileges of an officer of the United Earth Starfleet," said Admiral Maxwell Forrest, who was the guest speaker at the graduation ceremonies.
"All: rise!" yelled Cadet Mamoru Chiba, who was the head of school's "Honor Guard" for that year. Mamoru was also class valedictorian, an amazing feat considering his unique background…
"This is SO exciting!" Cadet Usagi Tsukino squealed, as she and her companion rose to their feet. "We finally graduated!"
"Usagi, calm down," Cadet Akane Tendo said. Inwardly, she, too, felt enthusiastic about having completed the course work necessary to graduate from the Academy.
"Yeah, let's just get this over with," Cadet Ranma Saotome said.
"Why are YOU so surly, Ranma?" Usagi asked.
"Ranma just hates doing TWO graduation ceremonies back-to-back," Akane said.
"Oh, that's right," Usagi replied.
"Yeah, I just want to get some sleep," Ranma yawned.
"Well, you could have gone straight to bed last night, instead of celebrating with your flight buddies, you know," Akane said.
"Yeah, yeah…"
"So, what're you plans, guys?" Usagi asked.
"Well, for me, I'm going to pursue 'Life Sciences', although I haven't made up my mind if I want to go into the medical field or not," Akane said.
"It's not because of Dr. Tofu, is it?" Ranma said.
"No, it isn't, RANMA. But I'd be lying if I said that Dr. Tofu wasn't an inspiration."
"Toldja."
"And you, Ranma?" Usagi asked.
"Well, it's off to flight school, of course," Ranma said.
"Of course."
"And you," Akane said. "What about your and Mamoru's plans?"
"Well, Mamo-kun wants to pursue his engineering field, but I haven't really made up my mind," Usagi said thoughtfully. "So, I was thinking of participating in the 'Ship Operations Program'."
"So, you're on the command track," Akane said.
"I guess so."
"Feh, good luck," Ranma scoffed.
"Hey-!"
"Ranma, stop," Akane said, as she whaps Ranma on the shoulder.
"I'm just saying…"
"Well, I do wonder if our career goals is going to hamper, well, us getting married," Usagi said with a sigh. "I mean, when we first got to this strange future, the priority was to figure out a way home."
"I am surprise that Neo-Queen Serenity and King Endymion refused to help us, when you and Mamoru went to Crystal Tokyo," Akane said.
"I know!" Usagi said with a growl. "I can't believe I'll refuse to help myself get back to the past, when I get older. What a witch, Neo-Queen Serenity is. Humph!"
"I mean, I do understand that we're supposed to live out our initial lives in this era before going back into the past, but still…"
"Frankly, I'm glad we got some breathing room," Ranma said. "I can relax without Pops and Mr. Tendo breathing down my back about getting married."
"So, you DON'T want to get married?" Akane said, as she raised an eyebrow.
"That's not what I am saying at all. Sheesh..."
"Yeah, yeah…"
A few months later…
"Welcome aboard the NX-01 Enterprise," Captain Jonathan Archer said, as the last of the new crew arrivals came on board. "And this is my 'First Officer', Sub-commander T'Pol of Vulcan."
"Greetings," T'Pol said with a curt nod.
Usagi raises her hand.
"Ensign?" Archer said.
"Are Vulcans related to elves?" Usagi asked.
T'Pol's left eyebrow merely twitched. One of her many pet peeves about humans were the misconception that Vulcans had anything to do with a mythical Earth species.
There was mild laughter while Mamoru groans in embarrassment.
"Um, no, not to the best of my knowledge," Archer said with a grin. "At any rate, the Ship's Quarter Master will assign you all your quarters."
"Will the quarters be coed?" Mamoru asked.
"They can be. May I ask why?"
"Well, it's just Ensign Tsukino and I have been engaged to be married and all…"
"Say no more," Archer said with a nod. "You and Cadet Tsukino can share quarters, but they have bunk beds only. Also, if you two are in a relationship, you both are required to see Dr. Phlox to get the appropriate contraception shots."
"Then, Akane and I should see this Dr. Phlox, as well, sir," Ranma said.
"Well, and here I thought we were just an exploration vessel," Tripp said with a grin.
"I mean, I don't want her to sneak into my bed without my knowledge, and risk ruining my career prospects with a kid so early, you know."
"Ranma," Akane said with a forced grin, thinking that later she'll have to use 'Mallet-sama' on her fiancé after all…
"But, if nothing else, we can ship out at 1200 hours after the dedication ceremony," Archer said.
"Sir, what is our first mission?" Mamoru asked.
"Well, the only thing we need to do is return an alien to his homeworld, which should be a piece-of-cake."
"If his people don't shoot us first," said Tactical Officer Lt. Malcolm Reed drolly.
And thus, the many years of adventures for our impromptu time travelers begin…
A year later…
"Ah, man," Ranma said, as he sat down the broken piece of equipment. "It's no good!"
Ranma and Archer were stuck in a future timeline, where the Earth was in ruins, and the only ones who might be of help was a babbling time traveler named "Daniels", and an unconscious Sailor Pluto.
Archer turned towards Ranma.
"What?"
"I'm not as good as Mamoru in fixing something as complex as…whatever this is," Ranma said. "I'm pilot, not an engineer."
"With all due respect, you have the gift of improvisation," Daniels said, as he turns away from Sailor Pluto. "Ensign Chiba is an engineer by rote. He lacks the creative genius that you are."
"You know, as much as I appreciate those words, why should I trust YOU?"
"Saotome is right," Archer said. "You pose as a crewmember aboard my ship and you don't even give straight answers in regards to this so-called…'Temporal Cold War'. So, what gives?"
"Mistakes," Daniels said. "Even when looking at the timeline from a narrative perspective, a tiny effect in the past can have devastating consequences in the future. In this case, we missed the fact that with Saotome in the future, the timeline would automatically cope with his absence."
"So, I'm at fault for what happened to the 31st century?" Ranma asked.
"No, Akane Tendo is."
"How so?" Archer asked.
"With Saotome's absence, seemingly killed by Silik's men, before I plucked you and him to safety, Ensign Tendo would become xenophobic towards non-Terrans. As a result, she would secretly aid the human-centric terrorist group, 'Terra Prime', and THAT would result in the creation of a fascistic version of the United Earth Government. Unfortunately, when that happened, no other world would side with Earth during its war against an invading alien empire, which takes place in 2160 CE, one that the Enterprise is destined to go directly against, and achieve victory over. But in this 'new' timeline, the Earth loses that war, and becomes the burnt-out husk that you see before you."
"Then, what can we do?" Archer asked.
"The only person who can correct this mess is Ensign Saotome," Daniels said. "From my records, you appear just before Akane kills Silik for what he is supposed to have done to you and Archer. This act would be seen by others, and televised as a rallying point of Terra Prime. Thus, the chain reaction that will lead to this world and time will occur…"
Pause.
"You have to go back and prevent Silik's death," Daniels said. "From what I know of you and your exploits, you have never been the type to quit when an obstacle becomes difficult to maneuver around. Don't quit now."
"Well, if that's the case, then I better think of something," Ranma said, as he rubs his chin…
"What about the power needed to initiate the time jump back to the past?" Archer asked.
"I think I can manage THAT," Ranma said. "Wait…that's it!"
Ranma then sits back down, picks up a tool, and begins work on Daniels' device.
"Ensign?" Archer asked.
"From what I know of warp dynamics, warp fields are affected by manipulating the Time and Space variables," Ranma thought. "But what if we invert the formula, where by Time is greater than Space, whereby the warp field becomes an inequality?"
"You get time travel," Sailor Pluto said, as she managed to sit up. "I am impressed, Ranma Saotome."
"Thanks?"
"How are you holding up, Princess Setsuna?" Daniels said.
"I could be better, thanks to the timeline beginning to be restored, thanks to Ranma Saotome's inspiration," Sailor Pluto said.
"But I didn't do anything," Ranma said.
"You did, since, for me, you and Captain Archer end up restoring MY timeline."
"Oh, I see…"
"Now that I am awake, I can help fix that transponder."
"Then, excuse the pun, there is no more time to waste," Archer said, as he looks around. "And no offense, this future is terrible."
"None taken," Sailor Pluto said, as she picks up a tool, in order to help Ranma fix the transponder…
A year later, after Ranma and Captain Archer return from the dystopian future…
"Captain, based upon Sub-Commander T'Pol's readings of the Delphic Expanse, I don't think the Enterprise can maintain the higher warp factors," Lt. Mamoru Chiba said, as he hands his report to Captain Archer during the morning briefing near the bridge of the Enterprise.
"Tripp?" Archer said, as he accepts the report.
"It's true, I'm afraid," Tripp said. "In fact, the higher the warp factors, the more strain there is on the dilithium crystal matrix. And if that matrix goes-"
"I know," Archer said with a sigh. Ever since the devastating attack on Earth by the mysterious Xindi, Archer was determined to find this mysterious race in order to prevent them from attacking the Earth again…and succeeding.
"We might have an idea on how to compensate, but I would highly recommend a test vehicle first," Tripp said. "Which means-"
"You'll need a test pilot," Archer said. Archer recalled how he was part of the NX-Project, a program that would lead to the creation of the Warp-5 engine.
"I could be that pilot, sir," said Travis Mayweather, the ship's chief helms pilot.
"No, I'll need you at the helm of this ship," Archer said. He then turned towards Ranma, who had been transferred to Military Assault Command Operations (MACO) at the start of the Xindi Mission. As a result, Ranma held the rank of "MACO Lieutenant", and was in charge of his company of MACO soldiers, under the command of Major John Hayes. Apparently, Starfleet Command felt that Ranma's talents as a tactical were needed more so than as a ship's pilot…
"Lt. Saotome?" Archer asked.
Ranma looks up from his work. Since the start of the mission, he did feel some distance between himself and the rest of the crew…
"Yes, sir?" Ranma asked.
"How would you like to be a hot shot pilot again?" Archer said with a smile.
"?"
A week later, the night before the first series of flight tests, for the new engine designs was to begin, Ranma was still awake, even after being intimate with his wife like it might be for the last time…
"Ranma?" Akane said, as she turned towards her new husband. Upon the departure to the Delphic Expanse, Ranma and Akane, as well as Mamoru and Usagi, for that matter, decided to finally get married, especially since the mission to find the Xindi was seen as a 'suicide mission'. Thus, on the eve of the mission launch, Archer officiated their wedding, although they would have to postpone a proper honeymoon.
"You still awake?"
"No," Ranma replied.
"Ranma…"
"Fine, I am," Ranma said, as he rolled over to face Akane. "I'm just thinking about the future."
"Well," Akane said, as she placed her hand on Ranma's face. "Just remember that no matter what, I'll be there to support you."
"Whoa," Ranma said with a smile. "And they say marriage doesn't change a person."
"You jerk," Akane said playfully.
The next day, Ranma sits down in the cockpit of a modified shuttle.
"Here you go," Usagi said, as she loads the flight recorder into shuttle. "And here…"
"A rabbit's foot?" Ranma said.
"Sure, for good luck, silly," Usagi said with a smile, as she places and secures Ranma's helmet.
SNAP!
Usagi gives a "thumbs up" hand gesture, which Ranma responded in kind. He looked around the cockpit and caught a glimpse of Akane, who waved her hand.
'Akane'," Ranma said, as he waves his hand in kind.
He then sees Akane exit the hanger deck, allowing the room to be depressurized.
"Okay, 'Wild Horse' to 'Enterprise'," Ranma said, as he begins the launch sequence. "Let's do this…"
Tbc.