No Alternative to Love.

Author's note: This story is based on two of the characters from TOS: "The Alternative Factor", Charlene Masters and Lazarus, (with a good sprinkling of Nyota, Spock, and Spock Prime).

Chapter One. "Bird"

The day was hot…the sky, a bright blue...a perfect day for a flight. Charlene Masters took one last look at her experiment as she prepared to launch it into the atmosphere. She caressed her creation, which she decided to call 'Bird', and took him lovingly in her hands. She surveyed her surroundings. There was nothing but sand and dunes in sight.

Charlene was an Engineering and Physics major at Star Fleet Academy. She had left her dormitory room early that morning telling Nyota that she would be out for the day. She was often gone, so Nyota hadn't reacted suspiciously. Charlene had disassembled 'Bird' the night before and had stowed him and some other things needed for her experiment in a carryall. She had taken the nearest transport down the coast. There, she had rented a ground car and had driven deep into the desert where she wouldn't be observed, for what she was attempting was completely illegal. If she got caught, they would definitely expel her or worse. She had secretly been experimenting on 'Bird' for almost two years now, working out the Physics and Engineering equations secretly on an independent PADD. She had designed 'Bird' to resemble an eagle, smoothing out the wings and polishing and painting the body until he shone brand new. She admired 'Bird' again. Hopefully, this third time would be the charm, her two earlier creations having disappeared, never to be seen again.

The desert sand was beginning to whip up, seeming to give her a signal for her to begin. 'Perfect!' she thought to herself. She put 'Bird' on the ground, moved back a slight distance, and took a remote and a pair of mag-glasses out of a pocket of her utility vest. She pressed a sequence of buttons. 'Bird' took off slowly and gracefully, not making a sound. She let him glide in wide circles, doing a slow ascension. Then she angled 'Bird' upward, his nose pointed towards the heavens. She put on her special glasses as 'Bird' became a faint figure in the sky. She made some minor adjustments to increase magnification and nullify the glare of the sun. Satisfied, she was able to make him out perfectly. So far, so good. She pressed another sequence of buttons. She had set a special chronometer on her remote which corresponded to one on Bird's neck. If everything went right this time, he would disappear for approximately 20 seconds, then reappear. Her thumb hovered nervously over the last button. She breathed in deeply and pressed the button.

On cue, 'Bird' disappeared, just like her other two experiments had. She looked nervously at her chronometer…'5, 4, 3, 2, 1', she counted to herself as she looked upward again. What she saw then, shocked her and sent a chill down her spine. Something had indeed appeared in the skyline. Something larger than her 1.5m, 'Bird'. What it was exactly she couldn't make out, but it seemed like a spacecraft of some kind. She adjusted her glasses as it slowly came down. She fought down a surge a panic.

'What had gone wrong? Surely, this was a coincidence, no matter how bizarre. Where was 'Bird'?' she thought to herself. All of these thoughts and more went through her mind in a flash. No matter that this was her third attempt at getting her experiment to work, she was so sure that she had got it right this time. The spacecraft hadn't veered off as she had hoped…in fact, it was flying straight toward her position on the ground. She thought about fleeing in the ground car, but she knew there was no way she would be able to outrun it, if indeed it was interested in her.

Just in case, she pulled out something else that was illegal from yet another pocket…illegal for cadets anyway, but she had learned it was better to be prepared since she often worked alone. She had bought the small hand phaser from a dealer in San Francisco which could be surreptiously disassembled while on the Academy and quickly re-assembled for situations like this one. The craft finally landed about 50 meters from her current spot kicking up great volumes of dust. She stood facing it, wondering if it were occupied or not. She needn't have worried. The small hatch opened quickly upon landing.

A man emerged. He was tall, about 1,88 meters. The wind was blowing his long, brown hair about his face. Charlene involuntarily took two steps backwards and gaped in shock. The man's imposing figure took in his surroundings, his gray eyes flashing angrily as they finally locked on her. But that isn't what held her attention. She noticed that he was holding 'Bird' in his left hand!

'This wouldn't happen to belong to you, would it?' he said, crisply, holding up 'Bird' and slowly advancing to where she stood.

Charlene gulped, but managed to say, 'Yes, it is mine…but, but…how did…?'

He regarded her closely, his eyes beginning to relax as he noticed her confusion.

'Bird' looked ragged, his covering old and worn; his once straight back and proud wings were slightly bent at awkward angles.

'Of course, you know what you've attempted is totally illegal.'

'Well, if you know anything about what I've attempted, then you also know you are equally guilty,' she snapped.

'Well, well, you've sure got a big mouth for being this far out in the desert with nobody else around.'

'I've got a good friend here by my side,' she said saucily, as she whipped her small phaser towards him to see.

Emotions quickly crossed the man's face. First anger, surprise, but humor finally won out. He tilted his head back and laughed, exposing even white teeth. 'You can put your phaser away. I'm harmless.'

Charlene's eyes never moved from him. She was frightened despite her demeanor and distrusted the situation. She slowly retreated, moving carefully backwards towards her ground car. She hadn't noticed the small rock; however, that blocked her path. She tripped a bit, and the man closed in on her in a second. Dropping 'Bird', he grabbed her with both hands and wrenched the phaser from her grasp. She gasped in horror as she was now imprisoned in his grip. She tried a few defensive moves, but she was firmly locked in his close proximity as she felt his hot breath on her neck.

Like I said, "I'm not going to hurt you, so relax". He pushed her away suddenly, and with his bare hands, broke the phaser in two.

Seeing her only means of defense dismantled so handily, she realized she had nothing to lose. She summoned her courage and asked, 'What exactly are you doing out here?'

'Same as you, breaking the law.'

Charlene didn't have to ask what that was, but she quivered at the implications. She stooped over and picked up the fallen 'Bird'. Startled, she noticed the chronometer on his collar! She couldn't believe it! Her experiment had worked, but something more had happened.

'My experiment,' she said, still not able to believe her success…your spaceship…but the probability of interception…and you????'

He nodded his head in affirmation.

'Yes. I'm a time traveler. My name is Lazarus.'