War Relic

A story of time travel in Star Trek TNG universe

Star Trek fan fiction by Dee Waldron

Part 2

Somewhere in Time

Chapter One: Waking Up

(Approx 300 years after the end of Part 1, this picks up at the end of Part 1's Prologue.)

Master Chief Miles O'Brien came through the transporter room doors like a burst of wind. "Whattaya got BJ"?

"You got me Chief!" Bolyjack answered him. Shrugging his shoulders. He made room behind the console and motioned for the Chief to join him.

After Miles examined the display for a moment, he shook his head and hissed out "6A?" Calming himself then "Did you do this"?

"No sir Chief!" Bolyjack answered quickly. "It came outta nowhere, the ship's computer intercepted it and then buffered that encrypted data package. We didn't have time to blink our eyes" Bolyjack was pointing back and forth at himself and his watch assistant.

Miles shook his head in understanding, and asked "And then the computer locked down the transporters"?

"That's right Chief".

"Yeah" the assistant agreed.

"We've got to get the transporters back on line, quickly". But there was nothing Miles could do at this point. He lacked the override authority the computer was requiring to free up the system. And then there was the matter of that encrypted data package in the buffer. This was all irritating him, but there was nothing he could do. So, he reasoned with himself; 'Make the call!'

Miles touched his comm badge "Transporter Room One to Bridge" he spoke.

The reply was immediate "Riker here! You got those transporters up and running again Chief"?

"No sir. It's complicated. I'm afraid I'm going to need you or the captain down here to free up the override command".

On the bridge, Commander William Riker raised his eyebrows in surprise. "That's a new one on me Chief! Standby".

Captain Jean-Luc Picard had just a few moments earlier, left his Ready Room and stepped up to his number one executive officer (XO) on the bridge. An otherwise routine matter was quickly growing in complication. Although he had full confidence that his XO could handle any situation, it was always prudent to be close by and available.

In a low voice Picard spoke directly to Riker "This is a new one for me too Number One. Let's both go down there, and see what this is about".

Commander Riker gave one quick nod of his head in agreement, then touched his comm badge as they began walking toward the turbo-lift doors "Riker to O'Brien. The Captain and I will be right there".

Picard pointed his finger at the Tactical console "Mr. Worf, you're with us". Then speaking over his shoulder "Mr. Data, you have the conn".

"Aye-aye Captain" Data answered in his usual matter-of-fact voice.

The three entered the turbo-lift and the doors whooshed closed behind them.

"Transporter Room One" Riker spoke out load. The turbo-lift car started immediately.

Worf silently stood at attention in the corner of the car, being his usual stoic self.

The captain touched his comm badge "Picard to Engineering".

"LaForge here sir".

"Would you join us in Transporter Room One"? Always phrased as a question, but actually an order…

"I'm already on my way Captain"!

Picard dropped his hand to his side. His face bright with a smile. Despite this technical problem they were struggling with, the crew was (as always) running like a well oiled and fine tuned machine. Picard liked that. He liked it a lot. It was just the way he wanted it be.

Riker was shaking his head side to side "Of all the damage we took fighting that Borg Cube-ship, the transporters were the one system untouched and still working. But put us in space dock for a day and there they go! Glitch City"!

Picard grinned back and said "What was it that engineers used to say"?

And they both spoke in unison "If it isn't broke, don't touch it"!

They both shared a chuckle.

Down in Transporter Room One, Miles O'Brien shook his head and blew out an exhausted breath "Oh brother. Now we're going to have both of them down here"! (When it rains, it pours)

Bolyjack's concern over this situation was growing into real worry. "Sorry Chief". He spoke in an anguished voice "We didn't know what else to do".

Miles changed his attitude quickly and gave Bolyjack a playful slap on the back of the shoulder. "Forget it! You guys didn't do anything wrong. Better than that, you did exactly what you were suppose to do". Miles gave him a smile and a nod. He understood from long experience that as the senior NCO, his visible attitude instantly reflected the attitude of his lower ranking enlisted personnel. So he thought, now's a good time to change the subject. "Say BJ? You studying up for that promotion review board"?

"You bet Chief! I'm ready to go right now".

Miles smiled at him and nodded his head in approval. This is what he wanted to hear. "Outstanding! I've got your recommendation all written up. It'll go to Commander Riker at the beginning of the month".

Bolyjack was all smiles hearing this.

Lt. Commander Jordi LaForge came into the transporter room a few moments later. "Whattaya got Chief"?

Chief O'Brien spent a few moments briefing the Chief Engineer on the situation. Jordi listened while he reviewed the information on the display.

"6A"? he said with a quizzical look. "I didn't think that type of transporter signal actually existed". Jordi shrugged his shoulders. "I always wondered why it was even cataloged in the computer".

But O'Brien did know about it. And because it was classified, he silently played his straight poker face. Miles had been in the service much longer than Jordi. Far back in his younger days, he had heard rumors and stories about it. And now as the senior NCO and transporter operator/technician aboard the Enterprise, only he and the captain had received the classified briefing on the significance of the rouge 6A transporter signal.

The captain, Commander Riker and Lt Worf came into the transporter room. They stood in front of the console.

The captain looked at Lt. Commander LaForge "Report Jordi".

"Well Captain, the ship's computer detected and automatically intercepted a type 6A transporter signal, whatever that is. It beamed it, that is, an encrypted data package, into the transporter storage buffer and then locked down the whole transporter system ship wide.

Picard was momentarily surprised by the news. Will Riker was the only one to notice the captains faint reaction. Picard and O'Brien shared a momentary glance at each other.

Jordi continued "The computer won't let us restart the system unless either you or Commander Riker authorize a command override".

Picard rocked back on his heels "I see" he said slowly.

Picard turned his attention to Chief O'Brien, "Chief, any idea what this encrypted data package in the buffer is"?

Miles shook his head in the negative "None sir". He pointed to the display on the console "After we override the computer lock, I can examine it and see about decompressing it".

"And you'll be able to do that while keeping it inside the buffer"?

"That's affirmative sir".

Picard looked at Riker. Will shrugged his shoulders slightly and said "That seems safe".

Picard looked to LaForge. Jordi shook his head in the affirmative and said "I see no problem as long as we can keep it in the buffer".

"Very well then" Picard said. He pulled down on the sides of his tunic and squared his shoulders as he often did "Computer!" he spoke crisply "Recognize Picard, Jean-Luc. Command authority 1Alpha. Release transporter lock".

The computer responded in it's dry female voice "Command authority recognized. Transporter lock released".

Jordi and Miles went to work immediately on the console. At the same time he was working, Miles started to explain "As you may know, every civilization in the galaxy that has developed tele-transportation has done so with a slightly different system. Our Star Fleet system uses type 1, subtypes A through G. The Klingons use type 2, and so on and so on. The ships computer has all known system types cataloged so that our transporter will be compatible with those systems when we encounter them. This makes handing-off and receiving system-to-system transports easy". He stopped his explanation there.

Jordi mumbled "almost got it…" He looked to O'Brien "Ready"?

"Done" Miles said with a final control setting.

"Well Chief," Picard said, "what do we have"?

"Miles kept his eyes glued to the console display "Not a what, sir. It's a who".

Riker was getting impatient. "The suspense is killing us Chief"!

"Yes sir" O'Brien said with a grin. "Let's see…We have a human… Male Caucasian. He seems to have an injury to his left hand, semi-serious I'd say".

Picard quickly touched his comm badge "Picard to Sickbay".

"Crusher here".

"Doctor, we will need medical assistance in Transporter Room One".

"On my way".

Miles huffed in surprise with the next discovery "Our friend seems to be armed. Some kind of weapon in his right hand".

Jordi leaned closer to look over the Chief's shoulder. "It looks like its in the process of discharging! But… what is it"?

Miles concentrated hard on the displayed information as he tried to understand it. "It looks like some kind of ballistic-percussion weapon of some kind". Miles was almost disbelieving this but the information on the display was now very plain.

Picard looked to Worf and ordered "Worf, additional security, on the double"!

"At once Captain"! Worf said as he was touching his own comm badge.

While Worf was organizing this, Riker asked the question that was suddenly on everyone's mind "Who goes beaming around in Earth orbit in the 24th century with an ancient gunpowder- percussion weapon"?

All shook their heads in the negative. Of course, no one knew. This situation was getting stranger by the minute.

Picard spoke directly to O'Brien, "Chief, can you disable his weapon and clear the discharged round"?

"I'm working on it now sir". Miles motioned for Bolyjack to join him at the console to help him sort through the lines of code.

Doctor Beverly Crusher came into the transporter room with her medical bag. The captain motioned her to his side and in a hushed voice, briefed her on the developing situation.

Two men for the additional security detail that Worf ordered came into the transporter room. Its starting to get crowded. The security detail converses briefly with Worf, and then take up positions on either side of the transporter pads.

Jordi is still watching Chief O'Brien working. Shaking his head in the affirmative, its looking good.

Bolyjack points to an item on the display "That's the last one Chief".

"Right! We got it". Miles says with an exhausted huff. "OK Captain, We've cleared the discharged round and deleted the weapons firing hammer. It's completely disabled now".

"Good! Is everyone ready"? Picard looked around the room and got acknowledgements from everyone. "Then lets bring him aboard"! He pulled down on his tunic and squared his shoulders again. Looking toward the transporter pads, "Energize"!

Miles worked the controls. The transporter began humming it's familiar tone, increasing in tempo as it decoded the signal. A shape began to materialize on the center pad.

The transporter sounded a small chime to indicate the process had successfully concluded.

They all looked in awe at the lone figure standing on the center pad. Everyone of them must have had their mouths hanging open!

George Pierce stood there in a state of dazed shock. The word 'confusion' didn't even come close to what he was feeling.

George's conscious mind first begin to register light. Sparkling white light. He began to sense that he was in a room that was brightly lit. The sparkling flashes faded away. The definition of the room started to firm up. There were people. Clean people! All were wearing odd form fitting clothing. This was all wrong.

The form of the man that had materialized in front of them was a surprise, to say the least. He was tall and muscularly built. Wearing camouflaged tactical warfare garments, he was almost completely covered in semi-dry mud, blood stains and just generally filthy. Even his closely-cropped hair was so encrusted with mud, it was impossible for them to tell his hair color.

George was frightened at the sudden change of location and environment and almost screamed as he continued to hold the Sig in his right hand. Shaking it at the people in the room, warning them to stay back.

George felt pain then. His left hand. He chanced a look. He was dripping blood, a lot of it.

Jean-Luc held up both of his hands, palms toward George. "Please be calm" he said in a soothing voice "No one here means you any harm. We want to help you. Do you understand"?

George heard the man talk. He even understood the words. But still in a state of pain and dazed confusion, he couldn't let his guard down. He tucked his injured left hand under his right armpit, and held his Sig as steady as he could.

Jean-Luc shook his head no, "Your weapon has been disabled. Please lower it. It's of no use to you". He shrugged his shoulders "And besides, we won't harm you, so you don't need it.

Beverly Crusher took a hesitant step toward George "I'm a doctor. Please let me help you. You're injured". She held out her hand to George.

At this point, George was only interested (and worried) by this news that his Sig had been disabled. How could that possibly be true? Well, there's one sure way to find out! He altered his aim to the leg of the transporter console and squeezed the trigger. Without the hammer, the trigger simply collapsed under his squeeze and nothing happened.

This was too much. George screamed in rage. How could they possible have done this? Confusion mounted on top of confusion.

He dropped the useless handgun and reached for his third Sig, still in it's holster, still fully loaded, chambered and cocked.

Everybody else in the room quickly realized the shortsighted mistake that had been made. Some people begin looking for cover, others turned toward the door, wondering if they could possibly get out in time.

Will Riker along with the two security guards wondered if they could rush the armed man.

Jean-Luc hollered out "Mr. Worf"!

Worf raised his hand-phaser and leveled it at George. With that movement, George paused from his fumbling attempt at un-holstering the third Sig and looked directly at Worf. What is that… animal! (Khan has gone too far with this one!) More confusion mounted on top of more confusion. George was loosing it. He was too confused and physically weak to continue. Nausea started to overcome him. He collapsed to his knees and then passed out.

Beverly rushed forward to catch him and gently lower him onto his back.

Will Riker removed the undetected Sig from its holster, examined it briefly, and handed it to Worf. "Take care of that". he said.

Miles O'Brien shook is head is exasperation. Standing back up after taking cover behind the console, he thought this situation couldn't possibly get any worse.

As Beverly examined and began first-aid treatment to the mystery mans injured hand, a red light started flash-pulsing within the room. The transporter room doors locked and the computer voice intoned an alarm: "Warning!... Radiation levels exceeded… Warning!"

Jean-Luc Picard was at the end of his rope with this situation. He waved a hand at nobody in particular and sternly said "Kill that alarm"!

Dr. Crusher stood up and faced them. "Alright everybody" she smirked "You know the drill… Strip"!

Miles was wrong.