Star Trek
Time Shattered.
Location: Earth, San Francisco, Starfleet Academy.
Date: December 15th 2251.
Sitting side by side in rows four deep and with ten students to a row, it was one of the smaller classes at the Academy during the second year at the Academy, from a class beginning with sixty students and slowly being dwindled down to the best and brightest this selection of students had to offer. One student had constantly struggled to remain within the class through the first year, barely surviving the cut for the second year of the three year course. Considered by many to be of almost genius level, the one student had taken on more then he could handle throughout his second year as he kept his eye on the most coveted position in the Starfleet as one day he had hoped to become a Starship Captain, one of the most highly sought after and respected positions in the growing Federation especially with the launch of the most advanced Starship class to date, the Constitution Class Starships. With his firmly locked on the prized centre seat, he had declared to himself that one day he would take such a position on a starship in honour of his Father, his inspiration for joining the fleet as he followed in his footsteps by taking the same courses as his father one of which was still taught by the same instructor.
Tugging at the collar of the grey-metallic looking Cadet uniform, he listened intently to the old woman sat at a desk next to a large rectangular screen at her left as she described the events which had lead to the launch of the Enterprise NX-01. Although the legendary event had been well established in past lectures by different Instructors, the aging woman had described the events as she lived through them herself. A young Ensign assigned to the NX-01 by accident, she had remained on the vessel for the year before requesting reassignment after a personal loss only to rejoin with the crew during the Xindi crisis.
"And so as you can see Cadets, the official launch of the NX-01 was due in no small part to the events of that in Broken Bow Montana and the recovery of an Klingon currier named Klaang after which, Captain Jonathon Archer and his crew launched early to return said currier back to his homeworld without incident"
"Forgive me Professor, but that is not what really happened, is it?" Called out a brash young male cadet from the middle of the room.
"I have no idea to what you are referring to Cadet Kirk" The old woman replied with a sigh. "But please, enlighten us all"
"Recently declassified files hinted at the involvement of a species known as Suliban, an advanced species… for the time at least, from the Tandar sector" The Cadet said with a cocky smile on his young face.
"Ahh yes, the so called 'Conspiracy Files'. You should listen more to what is presented in this lectures Cadet Kirk and less to the 'Scuttlebutt' gossip. As an environmental engineer on the NX-01, I was involved in that mission Cadet, I can tell you with absolute certainty, no involvement with the Suliban species was recorded during that mission to return Klaang to his homeworld" She said with a tired smile on her face.
"Then you have no comment on why the Enterprise had taken a detour to Rigel Ten in the Kandari sector?"
"I see that you have read ahead Cadet, that shows eagerness… Human food did not… appeal to our Klingon guest, the Rigel System had a more appetising selection for their guest. Hence the reason why the Enterprise made a quick stop off for nothing more then supplies for what was the largest Klingon I had ever seen in my life, after which we continued on our course towards the Klingon homeworld at warp three" She replied slowly.
"Why warp three?" Cadet Kirk said slowly.
"Engine troubles as noted in the Captain's official log entry after the Enterprise had safely left Klingon space under escort. Well Cadets, for now that is all the time we have, please read chapters 47, 48 and 49 on these events. Tomorrow, we shall discuss the ramifications of the encounters with the Klingons and it's effect on the Federation. Class, dismissed"
Slowly standing and gathering his books, he looked at Cadet Kirk with a slight smile on his face as Kirk walked towards him, returning the smile as he spoke.
"She's hiding something, I can smell it Rob"
"Ohh, I doubt that Jimmy. Professor Watson has always been candid with her lectures and one of the best"
"You would say that, I've seen you eying her granddaughter…" Cadet Kirk said as they left the lecture hall. "… You'll never catch me concentrating on women like that. I plan to be the youngest Captain in the fleet one day. I can't do that if all I can think about is women"
"They have certain, value though, right Jimmy?" Rob said as he watched an older female cadet leave with a smile on his face.
"You'll never change Rob, you should study more though… Professor Watson said that you show great potential, you could be a great officer one day. Not better then me of course…" Kirk laughed. "… If you're having trouble, just ask"
"Thanks Jim. But I have plans for the night… I've gotta get through all of this myself and catch up. We have five days until the Holidays, I intend to be ready when we return to Campus after the new year"
"Speaking of which Rob, with your parents on assignment and your brother on Vulcan for training, I'm going home for Christmas, come with me? My mom has been asking why you haven't been back"
"Thanks Jim, please extend my apologies to your family. Once I catch up, I'll make a point of dropping by… right now, I have a lot of work ahead of me"
Laughing slightly, the young Cadet Kirk picked up his bag containing his work for the night as he nodded slightly while slapping his friend on his back, hard. Sitting back down in the chair next to the exit, Cadet Robert Spencer leaned backwards slowly and sighed deeply before he looked back at the ever growing mountain of work ahead of him before burring himself deep into his work. For the moment, he skipped past the assigned chapters he was to read as he reread the past twelve chapters on the early Starfleet explorations. For hours each chapter seemed to blur into one as he sat hunched over his work, making notes on what he found in the pile books before him, cross referencing each find with that found in another. As the late afternoon had turned into the evening, he had moved his studies from the single chair and desk as he sat before the lecturer's desk with his man books spread out before him and moving between them like a man possessed in his search for knowledge while each paragraph in the old text books had displayed something different from the last.
The next two years arrived and passed with ease as the young Cadet had fought his way through from the bottom of his class up at the top as the number one student of his year and finally his graduation came. An accident one year earlier which had resulted in the death of his close friend, Cadet James Tiberius Kirk had pushed him to become the number one student in his friend's honour. After graduating one year early and with the service number of SC937-016CEC onboard the USS Republic. Quickly rising through the ranks, Robert Spencer finally realised out his dream to become the youngest Captain in Starfleet history and at the age of 32, his life long ambition had become realised as his second command had become a Constitution Class Starship, the USS Enterprise NCC-1701.
Captain's Log. Stardate 3113.4.
We have returned from the past after an accident which involves rapid acceleration around Sol to reach our own time and I happy to report that everything has continued as it should. Captain John Christopher and the Sergeant had returned to their original positions before the encounter with the Enterprise, and history has continued along its normal path. We are returning to Spacedock for minor repairs, Mister Scott says that we shall be ready for relaunched in three weeks following a minor upgrade to our systems.
Personally, I am looking forwards to a visit with an old friend…
Materialising on familiar ground, Captain Robert Spencer walked towards the old farm house with a smile on his face while an old man walked towards him with a smile on his face. Stopping before the man, Spencer nodded slightly and saluted with old style military salute which was returned by the man himself before they both laughed slightly and hugged as old friends.
"Damn it Rob, you look great! I see that command agrees with you. How long before you have report to command?"
"Thirteen hundred tomorrow. They gave me some time to visit with an old friend. You look good Admiral"
"Ohh come on Rob, after all of these years you still can't relax around me?" The old man said with a smile.
"Sorry, you intimidate the hell out of me"
"You'll still be that awkward friend on my son to me! So, can you talk about your last assignment?" The old man said as he lead him inside. "Or has that Admiral finally beat you down?"
"Not until I report in. I'm sure you'll get the report soon enough sir, you always do" Robert said with a smile on his face.
Stepping into the old building, Robert walked towards an old picture of himself and a friend as he picked up with a deep look of regret in his eyes before slowly placing it back on the mantle above the open log fire as he spoke.
"I miss him, he was a good friend"
"We all do Robert, he had potential to be the greatest…" The old man said with tears in his eyes. "… It took a long time accept his death…"
"Jim Kirk was the reason I am here now. He pushed me when everyone else had given up… But then you know that story George. I think that is the reason why I still come back here…"
"Out of obligation Rob?" The old man laughed. "You've never needed obligation to visit us, you know that"
"I know, You've been like a father to me since my parents where killed. You took me in and… well, enough of that. What I have to ask is why you returned to Starfleet?"
"You know that Answer Rob…" George Kirk said with a smile. "I missed it, all of it. Not to mention the chance of formalising the alliance with the Klingons ad it's all because of you" He said with pride.
"I was in the right place at the right time, nothing more"
"Modesty? So unlike you. That Romulan ship was heading into Klingon space, you took it out and saved a colony. The Klingons value… honour above all else" George said as he groaned while sitting in a chair. "You almost lost your ship in defending that colony against three Romulan ships"
"I know that old friend. Had the Klingons not shown up, I was out of ideas. But, they decided to sit down at the table and talk for a change"
Becoming what the Kirk family has considered as the adopted son, Robert Spencer had spent the night in the family home after enjoying a home cooked meal with the family he had come to know as love as his own. This family of his late Academy friend had become his own in his eyes after the death of his parents during his first assignment. Retiring to bed for the night, images flashed into his mind as he tossed and turned before he awoke with sweat beading off of his body as it had each night since his friend James Kirk had been killed in an accident as he could not shake the feeling that he was living a life destined for someone else. After hours of turning his bed, he left the home of the family who had accepted him as their own and decided to take a long run through the fields which surrounded the large farmland property in Iowa.
Rising slowly above the fields, the son gave off an eerie glow through the morning mist as he stopped to catch his breath from his run around the fields before a voice called out to him.
"This is wrong, this is all wrong. You must come with me now…"
Quickly turning around, he saw a young woman walking towards him whilst wearing what he could only describe as a uniform he had never before seen.
"What?" He said as he gasped for breath.
"There is no time!" The woman said as she stopped before him.
Her long black hair flowed in the morning breeze whilst her clothing remained still. Slowly his eyes ran up her perfectly toned body from her booted feet, up the deep black trousers, past her chest and shoulders towards her young face as he smiled slightly.
"Well, this is private property. You shouldn't be here" He said playfully.
"There is no time. Come with me, NOW!" She said urgently.
Reaching towards the metallic badge on her left breast, he spoke with urgency as her hair blew away from her forehead to reveal ridges that he had instantly recognised as some form of Klingon ridges. Reaching towards him before he could move, she grabbed his arm firmly and spoke before the cornfield disappeared only to be replaced by what had appeared to be a highly sophisticated room, filled with species of aliens he had never before seen.
"What, where… am I?" He said quickly.
"Please forgive the Lieutenant's actions Captain, urgency requires immediate actions" A deep male voice called from behind him.
Spinning around instantly towards the location of the voice, he stood face-to-face with a male wearing the same uniform. Recognising the species of the man before him, his fists clenched firmly as he spoke.
"Romulan? Robert William Spencer. Captain USS Enterprise, Service Number…"
"Please relax Captain, you are amongst friends here. I am Neral, captain of the Federation Timeship… Enterprise. This may seem strange to you sir, but you are in the 29th century and… we need your help sir"
"Capt…" He sad slowly.
"Captain, you are amongst friends here. If you will listen, history has been altered somehow… the Federation has fallen to the advance of an unknown species. We intend to put it right, we need your help"
"Spencer, Robert…" He replied.
"Spencer. Robert William. Commanding Officer of the USS Enterprise NCC-1701. SC937-016CEC, Graduated Starfleet Academy after a one year tour on the USS Republic as Lieutenant Junior. Arose through the ranks quickly and became the youngest Captain in Starfleet… perhaps a little more recent history? An accident with a Black-Star hurtled you and your ship back in time to they year 1969, your engines where down and you where stuck with one Captain John Christopher…"
"How do you know that?" Spencer growled.
"Required reading at the Academy. You returned to your own time by a gravity slingshot around Earth's sun… Shall I continue?"
"How do you know that?" Spencer said with shock.
"Your father's name is Andrew Robert Spencer, you where born on Vulcan. At the age of seven years old your father lost his left arm, which was replaced with a synthetic…"
"Anyone can know that from my file" He said as his fists clenched tighter.
"After the accident, you sat by your father's bed for days. You would eat nothing but toasted bread… your promised him that one day, you would become a Starfleet Officer like he was… and you would find the man responsible for his injury. You never did. I know you Captain Spencer… but what is important is, that history has been changed. Cadet James Tiberius Kirk was not meant to die in that accident. Someone has altered the past and we need your help to repair the damage" The Romulan said slowly.
"Very good, I had no idea that Romulan intelligence was this good. Well, it's been fun people, I must say that I have to leave now. So why not beam me back to wherever you found me and we'll forget about all of this?" Spencer replied swiftly.
""Captain, we have no time for this, as we speak a temporal shockwave is swiftly approaching this century after which the possibility of repairing the timeline with be erased forever. We are the last of the Federation, this ship is all that remains. If you will stand down and listen, we will explain… I give you my word Captain, you are safe as long as this vessel can remain hidden"