I do not own any of these characters, they are the property of Star Trek, and JK Rowling. This is just a fanfic, I mean no harm.
Voldemort's Enterprise
Chapter One: The Anzar
As the USS Enterprise—NCC-1701 D—traversed the blackness of space at slow warp velocity, elongated stars passed by its side from countless light-years away. Captain Jean-Luc Picard observed this lazily as he sat facing the window of his ready-room. Glad to be free of disruption for a few hours, he turned upon the swivel of his chair to face his desk and pressed the log button of his desktop computer.
"Captain's Log Stardate 43650.2, the Enterprise is en route to the Alpha-Zeta 14 Star Cluster to engage in scientific research of unusual temporal phenomena emerging from a collapsing red-giant in that cluster. As we are not due to begin this assignment for another week, we are only proceeding at warp two, and are glad for a few days of light duty."
A few days of light duty was definitely a welcome change of pace to the Enterprise. For the past several months they had seen their share of action, mostly in patrol of the Romulan Neutral Zone. At present, however, shifts were becoming far lighter in work-loads, and more enjoyable. Off-duty hours found the senior staff either in ten-forward or in Commander Riker's quarters playing poker. Other than Data conducting his usual share of experiments in the science laboratories between said poker games, the ship was running with her crew practically unconscious; performing duties each of them could very well do in their sleep.
Captain Picard stood and walked to the couch which resided in his ready room. After sitting down, he picked up the book he had been enjoying during his own off-duty hours—Principle Writings in Cardassian Archeology—but before he could delve into a fascinating article about Quadrelian Runes…
"Bridge to Captain Picard," came Lieutenant Worf's voice over the intercom.
"Picard here," the captain replied, trying not to sound terribly annoyed.
"Captain, we are picking up a distress call from the Alpha-Zeta 14 Star Cluster. A Terellian freighter seems to have suffered from some kind of discharge from the red giant we're assigned to research."
"What exactly do you mean by 'some kind of discharge,' Mr. Worf?"
"We're not sure, Captain, the message cuts off after that point."
"Very well Mr. Worf, have Mr. Crusher increase speed to Warp Nine, that should get us there in about an hour…"
"1.246 hours to be precise, sir," came Data's voice.
"Thank you Mr. Data," Said Picard, now quite annoyed. "I'll join you on the bridge in a moment."
At that moment, Picard pressed the communications button on his desktop computer and indicated to the computer that he wished to address the ship.
"This is the Captain, all senior officers to the bridge, man yellow alert, this is not a drill."
Following this announcement, Picard stood and exited his ready room onto the lighter, larger bridge. Lieutenant Worf stood behind the weapons and communications station as usual, manning his daily shift, while Acting Ensign Wesley Crusher manned the helm, with Data at OPPS.
"Mr. Worf put the distress call on audio," ordered Picard as the door to the main turbolift opened, and first Officer William Riker entered the bridge, followed by Dr. Crusher, Chief Engineer Geordi LaForge, and Councilor Troi.
"Trouble Captain?" asked Riker casually as if he half expected something like this to occur. As Riker spoke, Captain Picard placed his hand up signaling for Riker to wait for a moment while the fragmented distress call came over the bridge's audio speakers.
"This… Terrellian Freigh… Anzar… we... Some kind of… discharge… Alpha Zeta 14b…" The Message stopped transmitting.
"Alpha Zeta 14b?" began Riker. "That's the star we've been assigned to investigate."
"Indeed number one."
"Strange," said Data simply.
"Mr. Data is there something of consequence you wish to report?" asked Picard.
"Sir," Data began looking at his console. "The interference of this message appears to be caused by temporal phasing."
"Explain."
"The location of the transmission is phasing in and out of our space-time continuum."
"How is this possible?"
"The position of the Anzar is approximately three astronomical units from the star under study Captain. I believe that we can assume that the so-called 'discharge' is resultant from the very temporal phenomena under investigation."
"Obviously Data," began Geordi. "But the Terellian vessel was traveling, as you say, three AU's from the star, that should have been more than enough of a safe distance."
"I have a theory, but it will require further research," Data said. "Geordi, will you accompany me in star-lab three."
Geordi nodded, Data's face then turned to Captain Picard.
"With your permission Captain…" he began.
"Agreed," Picard replied.
Dozens of scientific research laboratories traversed the labyrinth that was the USS Enterprise, and Data and Geordi were probably the only two officers on board who knew all of them proficiently. Both Data and Geordi passionately devoted themselves to scientific research of various kinds as a hobby; this made them a nearly inseparable pair, as many of their off-duty hours were spent in the various labs of the Enterprise. This also made them two of the most valuable officers on the ship as their keen ability to recognize scientific phenomena, and proficiency at laboratory study had saved the enterprise on more than several occasions.
Star-Lab 4 was a typical scientific laboratory with testing devices, measuring devices, scanning equipment, computers, et cetera. On the primary viewscreen of the lab rested a computer-generated tactical image of the Alpha-Zeta 14b red giant, while several grey computer-generated blips rested in what would have been the star's core. It was upon these blips that Geordi LaForge's visor-aided eyes were focused
"The Star's normal enough, except for the large concentration of neutrino energy emissions in its core (A/N I know nothing about science, please forgive my ignorance)," LaForge began.
"These neutrino emissions generate the temporal displacement which we are to investigate. It is the reason why solar plasma molecules throughout the star seem to be phasing in and out of our current time." Data said. "However, if neutrino emissions become too concentrated in a single area of the star, it could result in an explosion causing a sizeable shockwave, perhaps this is what the Anzar meant when it spoke of a 'discharge.' Furthermore, it is conceivable that such a shockwave generated by a neutrino explosion could contain temporal residue from the neutrino emissions."
Geordi nodded as he contemplated what Data was explaining, he turned to a computer console and began to punch in certain specifications.
"Yeah, but the problem is that it's all theoretical Data," he began. "None of that has ever occurred before."
"Indeed such an event is not on record," Data agreed.
"Computer," Geordi said as he continued to punch instructions into the console. "Can you create a graphic model based on the specifications I've entered?"
"Specifications imply multiple potential results," Came the female computer's voice.
As the computer spoke, Data approached another computer console and began typing.
"Computer, are the calculations I am entering potentially compatible with Lieutenant LaForge's specifications?"
"Affirmative," The Computer's voice replied. "A concentrated neutrino emission explosion, causing a level 2 shockwave capable of reaching a starship three Astronomical Units distant could potentially cause temporal abnormalities on said vessel… abnormalities include…"
"Thank you computer," said LaForge who was not interested in a thirty-minute long list.
"Unfortunately Geordi, we are as we have begun," Data began. "We only know that our hypothesis is possible, but we do not know how likely."
"Hmm, at least we have a theory," said LaForge.
After disengaging the computer protocols the two were working on, LaForge and Data proceeded to exit the star-lab and head for the nearest turboshaft.
"Time to arrival at Alpha-Zeta 14b, Mr. Crusher?" asked Captain Picard as he sat in the central chair in the middle of the Enterprise bridge.
"Approximately 30 minutes, sir," Replied Wesley Crusher at helm.
Data and Geordi had been testing their theory in the star lab for some time now, and Captain Picard was growing restless. Though none of this was out of the ordinary for the Enterprise crew, neither Picard, nor his bridge crew liked waiting. Though for now, there was nothing they could do, they were traveling at maximum reasonable warp speed, and such speed was not good enough to alleviate their boredom.
It was then that the door to the main turbolift opened and Data and Geordi entered the bridge. Data proceeded immediately to relieve the junior officer who had taken over the OPPS station at the front of the bridge for him, while Geordi took his post at the bridge's engineering relay. Upon sitting down, Data immediately turned upon the swivel of his chair to face Captain Picard.
"Captain we are no closer to understanding what has happened to the Anzar than when we began sir," he said.
"We have at least validated the possibility of our theory though, Captain," Geordi continued.
"But there are at least seventy-three independent possibilities which reasonably fit the current results."
Captain Picard shrugged, slightly frustrated at their inability to adequately prepare him for what might lie ahead.
"Well then, we'll just have to test your theory upon arrival," Picard began. "In any case, report."
"It is my belief, that a high concentration of neutrino emissions caused a temporal explosion which resulted in a level 2 shockwave which overtook the Anzar causing massive damage and temporal phasing sir, but as I said there are seventy-three reasonable causes, this is merely the first I have been able to derive," Data said.
"Will these temporal disturbances interfere with our ability to rescue the survivors, Data?" Asked Riker.
"Unknown sir," Data began, "since we do not know the exact nature of these disturbances, we cannot adequately postulate what their results will be."
"Or whether or not the exact same thing that happened to the Anzar will happen to us," said Riker.
After almost another half-hour of waiting, to the relief of all on the bridge, Wesley Crusher's voice announced with repressed joy…
"We're arriving at the Alpha-Zeta 14b, sir."
"Put the Anzar on screen, Ensign," Ordered Picard.
A drifting, obviously damaged, cargo vessel appeared on the viewer. Also visible was the star, Alpha-Zeta 14b. A purplish colored gaseous substance was being vented from the aft section of the drifting vessel.
"Sensors detecting twelve life-signs aboard the vessel, Captain," said Data.
"Bridge to Transporter-room one, Chief O'Brien," said Captain Picard.
"O'Brien Here,"
"Mr. O'Brien, coordinate with transporter room two and beam the survivors off of that vessel!"
"Aye Captain,"
Captain Picard then turned to his first officer with a repressed hint of jealousy. Picard would have liked nothing but to accompany Riker on the mission to which he was assigning him, but given safety regulations governing the position of a Starfleet captain, he was forced to remain onboard the Enterprise.
"Number One, prepare an away-team and begin an investigation!" ordered Picard.
Riker nodded, "Aye Sir. Data, Geordi, your with me."
"Transporter Room to Bridge," Came Chief O'Brien's voice over the intercom. "Captain, we're having trouble locking on to three of the lifesigns."
Before Picard could respond, Data interrupted…
"Captain, our sensors show that the Anzar is caught in Alpha-Zeta 14b's gravity, she has only one hour before the temperature aboard will exceed maximum tolerance for humanoid exposure."
Picard reacted almost instinctively: "Mr. Worf lock on a tractor-bream."
"We have insufficient power to resist the gravitational forces of a red giant at this distance, Captain," Data Spoke.
"Can't we at least delay the Anzar's destruction?" Riker asked.
"Not by any significant period of time, sir."
Picard sighed to himself, a perfect opportunity to come to an understanding of what a star with this much neutrino energy could do was about to be wasted.
"Damn!" Picard exclaimed.
"Sir the vessel is losing life-support," Data claimed, as it seemed that things could not possibly get any worse. "At this rate, the vessel will lose oxygen in approximately twenty minutes.
"Captain," This time, the bridge crew was surprised to learn that it was councilor Troi who was speaking. After a small pause of shock, Troi continued: "I'm detecting something, mental activity of a highly advanced discipline."
"Emanating from the three remaining survivors?" asked Picard.
"Yes, as well as confusion sir, they do not know where they are or why they are there, yet I believe them to be extremely intelligent," Troi said. "Captain, they are very frightened, especially for the safety of the third."
"Do you detect any evidence of mal-intent?"
"None Captain, only worry, genuine worry," Troi continued. "Captain I believe that I can be of service to the away-team."
Picard then turned his attention back to Chief O'Brien in the Transporter Room.
"Mr. O'Brien, why can't you get a lock on them?"
"I can't understand it sir," O'Brien's voice replied. "It's like their lifesigns are phasing in and out of our space-time continuum. It's affected the entire section of the ship they're occupying, perhaps if they were moved to a different section of that ship."
Picard nodded: "Understood, Picard out." Picard then turned to Riker: "Number One we'll send two away-teams, Mr. Data and Mr. LaForge will attempt to gather any data they can on what happened to the Anzar. You, Dr. Crusher, and Councilor Troi will attempt to locate the survivors and get them to a section of the ship from which they can be beamed to the Enterprise. You have a limited time so I want you to understand…"
"Our first responsibility is to the survivors' safety," Said Riker, finishing Picard's sentence.
"Exactly Number One," Picard replied. "Assemble in transporter Room One."
"Aye Sir,"
The five stood and immediately traversed the bridge, arriving at the main turbolift seconds later.
A few minutes later, the away-team of five had been beamed to the Anzar. It seemed that the ceiling of the vessel had been almost entirely brought to the floor, as the five noticed upon arrival that their path in any direction was obscured by pipes and large pieces of metallic wreckage. Immediately upon arriving, Data and Dr. Crusher drew their tricorders and began scanning.
"Geordi, I believe we should begin with the section of this vessel which has sustained the greatest amount of damage," Data said.
"Agreed,"
The two set off without another word, while Dr. Crusher continued scanning.
"Three lifesigns this way," she said indicating with her posture a certain direction. "One of the lifesigns is very faint."
Crusher, Riker, and Troi maneuvered with great difficulty through the obscured corridors which were full of huge pieces of metallic mass. Occasionally they would have to climb over a piece of debris in order to continue. Suddenly the tone of the beeping of Dr. Crusher's tricorder became higher, coupled with a second sound, a high-pitched wail.
"The First lifesign is not far, about five meters ahead," Crusher said.
"Is that wailing an infant?" asked Riker.
"Yes," confirmed Troi who now appeared to be deep in thought, her face screwed up in concentration. "The others are very, very worried about its welfare."
"Commander, the lifesigns are definitely human but…" Crusher began.
"But what?"
"I'm not sure if I can explain, I'm getting very odd readings."
"We'll have plenty of time to scan them later, Doctor," Riker said. "Right now we need to get them off of this ship, did you say that one of the lifesigns is faint?"
"Yes, not the nearest one though," Crusher replied. "The nearest one is only five meters ahead, the other two are about ten meters beyond that. Commander we have to get to the faint lifesign fast, I think he or she is dying."
Riker, Troi, and Crusher proceeded through the corridor. The Debris was extraordinarily thick.
"Hello!" came a faint female voice.
"Hello!" responded Commander Riker.
"I'm right here, please help me!" the voice pleaded. The voice was definitely that of a young woman, it bore an English Accent which sounded frightened but not panicked. It certainly gave an air of confusion as well as the speaker clearly had no clue where she was or what she was doing there.
"We're right here," called Commander Riker calmingly.
"Please don't' leave," called the voice in a quiet but uneasy voice.
"We won't leave you," responded Councilor Troi. "We're coming to you."
The mere six feet between the away team and the origin of the voice was made by the debris to seem like miles. In the silence, the high-pitched wailing continued. Something in this seemed to alarm the bearer of the voice greatly.
"Oh my God," said the voice slightly more panicked.
"It's okay," reassured Commander Riker. "We're coming to you."
"It's my daughter," the voice pleaded, now quite panicked. "My daughter, can you get to her, she's only a baby."
The voice was now crying openly, as Riker peered ahead into the dark corridor, he saw faint movement under a large piece of debris, a hand faced-down on the corridor floor. Following the arm attached to this hand, Riker could make out an arm, a shoulder and the head of a woman with very bushy hair whose color could not be made out in the darkness. The last three feet between Riker who was at the front of the team of three, and the survivor was devoid enough of debris to allow Riker to stand.
"Please," plead the crying woman. "My daughter and my husband, can you get to them, please help them."
"We will," Riker assured her. "Everything's going to be alright, do not panic."
The woman, whose face, Riker could now make out, could not have been older than twenty-five Her torso was pinned to the floor by what appeared to be a large piece of bulkhead. Her face was sweaty, bearing a few cuts; her eyes bore tears. Though her body was not crushed, she was quite unable to move. Upon arriving, Commander Riker took her outstretched hand reassuringly, when Dr. Crusher and Councilor Troi arrived, Crusher immediately began scanning her with her tricorder.
"I'm Commander William Riker of the Starship Enterprise."
The woman's face looked extremely confused by something in this statement, her face screwed up as though it took a minute for her to take in what was being said.
"Hermione Weasley," she said.
Dr. Crusher suddenly stopped scanning.
"She'll be alright," Crusher said. "She should even be able to move if we can get this debris off of her, but we have to get to the other lifesigns, I'm beginning to lose the faint one."
"Oh God!" Hermione was starting to panic. "RON! RON CAN YOU HEAR ME! Please get to them Mr. Riker!"
"We will," Commander Riker assured her. "Dianna stay with her."
Dr. Crusher and Commander Riker pressed on through the wreckage which was mercifully lighter beyond Hermione's position. Finally they found the two remaining lifesigns, one of which was the source of the wailing, a human infant, not much more than a year old, resting in the arms of a shaking man who looked to be in his early twenties. Though the corridor was dark, Riker could tell that this man had rather long, fiery red hair, he was struggling to breath, and when he was able, his breath was very rapid. Immediately upon arrival, Dr. Crusher began scanning him, while Riker noticed that though the man was not pinned by any debris the floor was covered in blood; this man was bleeding to death.
"Cold," The man said quietly. "I'm very cold."
"That's because you're losing a lot of blood," Dr. Crusher said calmly while removing a hypospray from her medical kit. She placed the hypospray to his neck and pressed. Following the instrument's hissing noise Dr. Crusher resumed scanning him. "That will help with the cold."
While one of the man's arms cradled the wailing infant, the other was grasping his opposite side. Dr. Crusher stopped scanning for a second to remove the hand from it's place in order to discover than a whole chunk of the man's side was missing. This indeed was the source of all the blood.
"We've got to get him to sick bay," said Dr. Crusher with a definite since of urgency.
Commander Riker pressed his right arm to the communicator badge residing over his left breast.
"Riker to Enterprise."
There was no response
"Riker to Enterprise," he repeated but waited for a second before continuing. "The temporal interference must be interfering with our comm. link."
"We've got to get him out of here," Crusher said simply. Though she did not want to mention it in front of the dying man, Riker understood her perfectly.
"Take the infant, I'll see if I can carry him," Riker said. "We'll keep pressing forward as there is less debris in this direction."
"Agreed," said Crusher as she gently took the crying baby into her hands, which wailed all the more loudly.
It took all of his strength, but commander Riker was finally able to lift the dying man into his arms in order to carry him. Though the debris was lighter proceeding on than it would have been returning to Hermione and Councilor Troi, the journey was by no means easy. After a few meters, Crusher pressed her right hand to her communicator badge while cradling the infant in her left arm.
"Crusher to Enterprise."
A high-pitched static-like sound came back.
"At least that's an improvement," said Commander Riker. "Let's keep going."
After another few meters, Crusher again pressed her communicator.
"Crusher to Enterprise."
"Enterpr… Here," Came back a faint signal
"Let's keep moving, only a few meters more," said Riker who was now beginning to buckle under the stress of carrying the dying man.
Crusher again tried contacting the Enterprise
"Picard here, go ahead Doctor," Came back Captain Picard's voice.
"Captain we have two of the survivors with us," said Commander Riker. "Can you beam us directly to sick-bay in a moment, one of them is seriously wounded."
"Yes Number One, your signal is strong, we can get a lock on you from there."
"Captain wait a second," Riker said. "Doctor, please contact Geordi or Data."
"Crusher to Data."
"This is Commander Data,"
"Data, we need you and Geordi to get to the remaining lifesign," said Commander Riker. "Dr. Crusher and I have to return to the ship with two of the lifesigns."
"Acknowledged,"
Crusher again beeped her communicator.
"Crusher to Enterprise, four to beam directly to sickbay."
Data and Geordi were now fighting through the exact same debris conditions that Troi, Crusher, and Riker had started off contending against. After a few minutes of climbing through fallen obstacles, the two reached Troi and Hermione.
"Geordi, Data, this is Hermione Weasley," said Councilor Troi.
"Did they get to my husband and my baby?" asked Hermione in a panicked voice. "The cries have stopped."
"Commander Riker and Dr. Crusher have returned to the Enterprise with the other two survivors," said Data in a matter-of-fact voice.
"I'm sure we'll have time to explain later," Geordi began. "Right now we have to get this debris off of you, Data can you…"
Before Geordi could even ask, Data had removed what Hermione could not even budge under. Data discarded it behind their position, while Councillor Troi helped Hermione to her feet. Hermione made a confused, shocked look at Data while he drew his tricorder and scanned in the direction Dr. Crusher and Riker had headed to find Hermione's husband and daughter.
"There is less debris in this direction," he said. "I believe it will be easier to cross."
The four walked—Hermione aided along by Councilor Troi—until they found a place from which they could contact the Enterprise. From there, Councilor Troi and Hermione—much to Hermione's astonishment—were transported back to the enterprise.