Star Trek: Shooting Stars Past, Present, Now! Bk 2

by CaptainZac

During a Mission using the Guardian of Forever, Commander Joleta must search through the Shooting Stars past in order to repair a glitch that has frozen time! Please R&R

Shooting Stars:

Present, Past, Now.

By D. C. Yasovsky

Forward or is it backwards

Well this is round two. I reread the first story and thought to myself. 'Hey, everyone who read this story has no Idea that Zac and Jaxxon were best friends for more than a hundred years.' So I thought 'How can I tell everyone what happened to this point ?'

This book is that answer. It moves you back and forth and side ways thought time. Time has always been a favorite Sci-Fi subject of mine. " The City on the edge of forever" is still my favorite of any 'Trek' episode. So in that tradition I wrote this book to help everyone fill in shooting star history. But beware I spent seven years in Mifflintown with nothing to do. So as a warning I'll let you know that all is still not what you might think it is. Or was. or will be again.

If you are confused, Well then I offer three pieces of temporal advice.

1. What would happen if you went back in time and stopped your grandfather from marring your grand mother. Would you be alive or not? If not could you do it? If you couldn't do it how could it have been done?

2. Sometimes it dosed go B,C,A.

3. And No matter where you go there you are.

4. To many temporal Paradoxes even themselves out and

5. In Time travel three is never three.

So if you can follow that I highly suggest these book available (Or should Be) at your local library:

Imzadi: By Peter David.

The return By William Shatner (who knew he could write)

Time Squared By Peter David Ambassador By D.C. Yasovsky

Past, Present, Now By D.C. Yasovsky

Jaxxon's return. By D. C. Yasovsky (Or what ever it's gong to be called.)

My favorite Arthur and friend Peter David once said in his book cover that once you start to read one of his books it's best to read it the whole way though. And after reading Imzadi manuscript from 7:15 one night to 4:17 the next morning I agree. But I'm not him so feel free to stop any time.* So enjoy. I'm sorry but you will have to read this no audio tape of this book is in the works at all.

The next important thing I can tell you about is Stardates. On star trek it would just be numbers to say how old the ship was. That's why in undiscovered country the final one was 9996.0. The next gen. It was like this: Stardate 44303.9

4 Twenty fourth century

4 forth season.

3 third shooting month

0 which week 0-3 not 1-4

3 Commercial brake

.9 hour of the day the story is suppose to be at.

Well, for each starship the Stardates are different. until you use the next gen. method. DS9 Voyager still use them today. But the Stardates that use are the generality accepted Refernce Stardates as seen on most all star trek calendar. They work this way. My birth date is April 6th 1965. This translates to SD -1/6504.06. The date for the class of 2003 to graduate would be around SD 0/0306.01. Zac went top the academy on the Stardate 21/3204.10 or April 10, 2132. And so on. anyway I'm think of writing another book if Ya'll want so let me know.

A little joke you'll get after reading this story. My e-mail address is Dave .

Dave.

* Except for Julie Haupt who I gave my first book to first and has yet to finish it.

P.S. If you can read this your to close

Dedication:

This Book I dedicate to Mrs. Lilly Deckilly My fifth grade reading teacher. Who made her class so boring that I have time to develop my imagination. And My aunt Betty.

Also I'd like to apologize to Mrs. Deckilly for catching her book on fire with my magnifying glass. Also to my aunt Betty for putting up with the results of my developed imagination.

Present

Chapter 1

Zac sat looking at an Ambrosian Straightarrow, looking out the large window in his cabin. Alex sat beside him and was reading. Zac looked over to her and saw that Dex was looking over the shoulder of her blue uniform but not at the lap display she was reading. He grunted a cough, Dex disappeared and Alex looked at him. "Yes you wanted something."

"No not really. I just was clearing my throat. What are you working on?" He replied.

"Crew efficiency reports, they haven't been done in over a year you know." She said scornfully. "Why in the name of the great bird of the galaxy didn't you update these?"

"Well, that's the first officer job and since we didn't have one it wasn't in anyone job description." Zac answered.

"Just the fact that you didn't get it done took your own efficiency rating down by Twenty-five percent." Alex said.

"And this means?" Zac asked.

"It means that you are about dead last to be put in for a promotion."

"The one where I become an Admiral?"

"Yes."

"And are no longer the captain of the Dexterous?"

"Yes."

"And stuck behind a desk?"

"Yes."

"Giving order so that others can risking there lives while I'm safe behind my desk, because I'm to important to risk?"

"Well, yes, I mean No.."

"Alex, You know that's not my style." Zac said looking back out the window.

She starred at him for a moment. As usual she both hated and loved him at the same time. Why she loved someone who made her so mad all the time was beyond her. Some times she suspected that he angered her on to keep her in love with him. "It would be something stupid he would do." She thought to her self.

Changing the subject. "Dr. Wildstar tells me that you keep putting off your physical, why?" Zac asked.

"I don't know, maybe it has something to do with having the chief Med officer being the ex-wife of the captain who you are dating. Plus I've never been big on having someone poking around my body." She said flippantly.

Zac moved closed and took her hands, looking deeply into her eyes. Could of fooled me. Look, she been working on this ship almost from the start, after Dr. Day was killed by that Romulan virus. An even though we split a few years ago Sabrina and I have been able to work it out ok. I'm not saying that it's always been easy. But she and Bo are happy now. So why should you be upset?"

"Sometimes I see you look at her and for a moment if feel that your still in love with her."

"No not love, just a familiarity." Zac said.

Alex leaned over and hugged him. "Just make sure of that Captain or maybe I'll get my own command the Klingon way."

Zac wanting to change the conversation again at this point desperately said. "By the way, T'Lar reported to me yesterday that she caught you trying to get into my personal Files." Catching Alex off guard. She sat back and started reading again. It was true that she had tried yet again to look into his past. She thought that she had covered her tracks enough not to get caught.

"She's good I put up a level seventeen bio code scrambler to the down load." Alex said wily. Knowing that there was no use in denying it.

"So what did you get this time?" Zac asked.

"Sid's recipe for hot tabby brand muffins." She moved closer to him on the sofa that they were both sitting on. "Why can't I know your past. How bad can it be?" Trying to cover her indiscretions she moved her hand rubbing the back of his neck.

He waited a few moments enjoying the rub then took her hand off his neck holding it. Then he moved closer looking deeply into her eyes. He took a small breath, "I'm due on the bridge." He said as his mouth was about half an inch from her mouth. He got up straighten his dark blue uniform and went to the chair behind his desk. Alex stood up putting her hand on the sides of her waist. "Wait, you've been drinking." She said.

"Was I?" He said pointing to the glass still full."

She was about to say something as Zac dropped through the floor waving as he went down.

On the bridge all was normal. Sid sat at communication humming with his head set on, T'Lar was scanning the sector trying to determine if she was looking at a proton star or just a speck of old milk shake on the scanner, K'Tar was working on a battle drill, and Bo was looking at the helm control looking for anything that he could fly through that wasn't to far out of there course. Zac came in and sat in the Captains chair which was in the center of the back bridge. "Situation reports." he said tugging at the front of his uniform.

"Nothing to report." Sid said.

"Negative reading." T'Lar said.

"No breaches sir." K'Tar rang out.

"Board as a gourd Captain." Bo said smiling.

Zac looked around. "Well we have no troubles how strange. For us I mean. I should call a red alert just to keep in practice." He sat there for a few minuets. The comm. chimed from his arm rest he was glad that Oddball had replaced the buzz/beep that it use to make. One of the thing that Zac hated about most starship was the fact that most of them had the most annoying background sounds. He hit the button that was lit up from Engineering.

"Bridge." Zac said.

"Thir one of the centhersth for the Afth power coupling ith reading funny I'd like tho thake usth out of warp to fixth itt." Saragar said.

Zac shifted in his seat. "Is it the main censor or a back up one?" Zac asked.

"Iths a backup, Thir." Was Saragar reply.

"Then just give it a whack and see if it readings before we shut down are speed."

"Thir?"

"You heard me right Saragar give it a whack." Zac said confidently.

"Aye Thir." Then over the inter comm was heard a loud "WHACK" "Thir centher reading normal. Saragar out."

Bo gave Zac a grin. Then K'Tar spoke up.

"Sir, She trying it again."

"Ok, T'Lar give her some ultra sonic. Not to much just enough for her to be a little dizzy for a while."

"Aye sir." T'Lar said.

"Bo, you have the bridge. I'm going to sickbay to meet our first officer."

"Yes'sem Captin'."

Zac left the bridge grinning.

Dr. Sabrina Wildstar was working on Lt. Ho when Zac entered sickbay. She pulled slightly at her blue uniform allowing her more movement. The Doctor was running a bone mender over the Lieutenant. Zac walked over with his hands behind him looking

at the procedure.

"Prognosis Doctor?" Zac asked.

"He will live, but not if he doesn't stop moving full grown palm trees around the transporter room like he was eighteen." The doctor replied.

"Mr. Ho what happened?" Zac inquired.

"Sir, I was moving the palms to the other corner of the room when one fell on me, cracking my rib and collar bone." Ho answered.

"What do you have to say for yourself Mr." Zac came back.

Ho stood up at attention. "Sir, other than occasionally beaming what else do I have to do."

"He's got a point doc." Zac said looking at her. "All right if the doctor is done with you then back to your station and Ho, next time use an anti grav ok."

Ho nodded and went out the door. Sabrina put the instruments away and asked. "So why are you here?"

"Well, Alex was trying to get into my personal files again and she got a burst of ultra sound that would make her dizzy. So I thought I'd come down to watch her expression."

"Your to late she called and I told her to lie down until she felt better. By the way she still hasn't been down for her physical. I'm about to make it an order."

Zac looked away for a moment. "She's shall we say nervous about coming to see you. The whole Ex-us thing. If it was me I'd be nervous too.

"I see your point. But above all else I'm the doctor you might remind her if that." Sabrina said.

"Oh your right, of course, if she isn't here by tomorrow I'll order her myself. Deal?"

"Deal."

"Are you sure that she hasn't come down here?" Zac asked.

"I think I would know who is and is not in my sickbay." She said.

"Of course." Somewhat disappointed Zac said. "I'll see you later than Sabrina." Zac said as he left.

Sabrina is turn from the triage room which was in the first room of sickbay and walked down the hall, out of the third patient room on the left Alex looked out clutching to the side of the door for balance. "Is he gone?" She asked as the doctor helped her sit on the bed in the room.

"Yes, Yes he is." Sabrina moved a instrument that looked like an old fashion salt shaker over each ear of the commander. "Why were you looking though his files any way?"

"It started out that I wanted to get to know the crew better. It's not easy being the newest kid on the block you know." She started to sit up straighter which Sabrina thought was a good sign that her equilibrium was returning.

"I can imagine, especially with this crew. How is that feeling."

"Much better thank you. So as I was saying, I started to read personnel files, to try to get more acquainted with everyone's likes, dis-likes, abilities so forth. I was able to got everyone's but Zac's. It started out as an annoyance, but now it's personnel sort of me against the computer." She said smiling, with just enough glaze in her eyes to charm or scare who ever she talked to depending on her motive at the time.

Sabrina put the tool down then put his finger seven inches from her eyes. "Track my finger." She watched her eyes follow his movements. "Have you tried calling the Admiral and asking for the records that you want."

"Yes. but he told me that it would be easier to get his than Zac's. What ever that means."

Sabrina put his hand down convinced that there was no damage left. "Fit for duty Commander. Don't worry as far as I know the captain is just as he seems annoying as that maybe at times."

"I see. You know doctor you can learn a lot from a persons med file or someone who they knew in the past." She suggested half jokingly.

"Yes you can, but you won't as long as I'm the doctor on this ship." Sabrina said sternly.

"That's what I figured but you can't blame a girl for trying."

She was walking out of sickbay when she heard. "Attention, this is the Captain. All senior staff fit for duty report to the conference room in 5 minuet. Wildstar out."

Alex looked back at Sabrina. "You think that was directed at me?'

Sabrina smiled.

In Engineering Saragar slithered out if the control booth that was to the left of the warp core. He could almost could feel the energy hit his scales. He truly loved that feel. Many times he tried to explain to several of the crew how he thought that he could feel the generation rate of power through the core by the amount of vibration his scales. Mostly to no avail, it seemed that the only one who believed him was Jimmy Teffub. The ship's bar tender that worked at the rear end of the ship.

One day after a warm sunning on the artificial beach also located at the back of the ship Saragar was relating the story over an Axaparian aperitif from his home world. There was several of the command staff present. Zac, Jax, Sabrina and Bo. Zac flatly refused the idea, Jax bet Saragar that if he could prove it he would personal own him for a year, Sabrina wanted to conduct a series of 34 test to find out the accuracy of Saragar's claims and Bo just shuttered at the idea and went back for a swim.

Murry was dusting off the forward port warp power conduit with an oily rag. Which at first Saragar wondered where he would get oil from to get the rag dirty but he had learned where Murry was concerned he didn't want to know some things. Still Saragar asked. "Murry whereth is Oddball I havth to go to a thaff meeting?"

Murry scratched his head and said. "K gnkym nd?x ztljg gdy vddg lrdf hljf ndzc." Pointing up. Then the translator that Oddball put together for Murry Said in Oddballs voice. "Murry said, "I think that he's ten feet above your head."

Just then Oddball looking over the hammock that was indeed ten feet over Saragar's head. "Murry I told you not to telllllll..." With a smart thud Oddball hit the deck.

"Are you othk?" Saragar asked.

"Sure snaky no problems here. I was just a .... looking for a new way to dusty the sealing."

"How inventhive, I'll be back thoon." Saragar left the room snickering. Oddball turned to Murry. "Murry If you so much as snicker I'm gonna weld all you short cuts shut for a month." Oddball went into the control room and put his feet up on the main console. Murry went around the back side of the warp core and laughed as only Murry could.

Zac paced around the conference room. Dex "sat" on the round card/conference table. Holographically smoking a cigar. Trying to cheer Zac up. "Come on it ain't so bad you know it not like you were going to fight the Valonion's with out shields."

"I'd prefer that at least then I could be sure of what I did. Be sure that after I got back it was the back that I knew."

"Sounds to me like a circular argument." Dex said. Tapping the ask off of his cigar which never made it to the floor.

Zac looked at him And smiled a sarcastic grin. "Ha Ha." Zac sneered.

Just then Bo came in with Saragar, T'Lar, K'Tar, Sabrina and Sid. "Ha Ha what Captin'?"

Zac knew that they couldn't see Dex, A little joke Jaxxon had played on Zac only allowing his brains neurons to be the focus of the holographic image. Then Dex smiled and disappeared. Zac chuckled inside realizing that even for a brief moment Dex had indeed distracted him from his worries. "Inside joke." Zac said. "Where's Alex?"

"She stopped over to get the "Doc". Bo answered.

Sabrina always flinched at the way Doctor Lawrence "Bud" Jacobs was demeaned to the term of "Doc". "Bo, Sweetheart, must you always refer to one of the most brilliant minds as "Doc"." Sabrina said in a huff.

Bo fixed his cowboy hat to fit his ears a little better. Then winked at her "No, snookums, I don't."

Zac could see the temperature rise in Sabrina even with out a tricorder. He was about to jump in to distract the some to be verbal brawl when Alex and Doctor Jacobs came in.

Zac sat in his seat as did every one else. This was the first official Senior meeting since Alex came on board. It was Odd seeing her sitting in Jax seat. He almost said something but he realized that it was time to move on. Alex picked up on his uneasiness and cave him a calming look. This allowed him to focus on the task at hand. Zac hated to give out news like this. "Well now that we are all here." He said looking at the late comers "Our assignment is simply, revetment. The location is not. Gateway." Zac let the weight of his statement sink in. As it did every one in the room gave at least a disapproval sigh.

Sid spoke up. "Sir, What happened I thought that we set up a security camp on gateway so we wouldn't have to go back and fix time, time and time again."

"Well we did Sid. But somehow someone got past it." Zac said with even more choirs of sighs. Of all the thing the crew hated was going back in time and fixing the wrong doing that some one has undone. "This time it was an earth professor that thinks that there was a second shooting in the Kennedy assignation."

Bo shook his head. "Wait, wait there was a second shooter in the grassy knoll." Bo punched the library computer and played a film clip of the president car going by and his head pivoting to the right then left. Seconds later after a secret service man hopped on the back of the car. A man ran out of the bushes getting caught for all time. As the shooter Of J.F.K. The clip ended with the man getting arrested and pointing up to the book depository.

"See, every time It's the same thing. What's his name. Spock... Eh Ben Spock."

"Well, that's true for us but according to the Guardian it was Oswald alone and Ben Spock wrote some questionable children development books."

"Wait a minuet we fixed that time line three years ago." K'Tar spoke up loudly.

"True but that time it was decedent of the United States Central Intelligence Agency think he would put his family history right. I'm sorry to sat this is a new wacko in an old situation."

Saragar spoke up. "Thir ith there any way we could geth thhe guardian the thop playing thhat part oth hithtory."

"Maybe you can ask it yourself Saragar. Any one else?" Zac paused. "Good then best speed to Gateway. The sooner were finished the sooner we get started.

Zac returned to the bridge as did the rest of the senior staff. Those who were on duty returned to their stations replacing the different crew that filled in for them as the attended the meeting. Saragar slid to the lift and entered. Alex also went into the lift followed by Doc Jacobs and Dr. Wildstar. The door closed.

"Sickbay." Sabrina called out to the lift as his destination.

"Engineering." Saragar said with a hiss.

Alex didn't say anything wanting to keep things to herself. Jacobs spoke up. "a R & D."

That was her clue. "Ships barber." She said as everyone looked at her. She grabbed the shoulder length hair that was hanging down. "What, I just want a trim." Jacobs rubbed his bald area of his own head.

"Lucky you." He said. Then the door hissed open and Sabrina got out. Nodding good-bye. The rest remained and dropped until the door opened again and Saragar slithered out. After the door closed Alex said. "Cancel Barber. By the way Doc have you been working on any new types of data storage units and readers?"

Always looking to show off his toys to someone he said. "May west mean. Why yes. Would you like to see some of them?"

Alex just smiled as the lift door opened to the Research & Development section. Not unlike the cat walking into the canary house at the zoo.

Chapter 2

Still now

Commander Joleta sat at the first officers station. The bridge was quiet. Mostly second shift crew were manning the bridge. From the helm Ensign Greenblatt spoke. "Sir, I mean Mama. We have entered into the Gateway system."

Greenblatt was nervous she could feel it being Betazed. This was his first week with the crew. Some of the senior staff said that if anyone was deserving the name Green it was him. Still Zac had told her that he liked something in the young man. Alex found that it was true she had never seen someone more at home at the helm, but he just needed some self confidence.

"Thank you ensign. Set course for standard orbit half impulse." She said trying to confront him. She then hit the intercom button on her panel. "This is Commander Joleta all senior staff to your stations please." She sat looking at the view out the stars themselves seem to move oddly. She looked over at the only crewmen she couldn't read Chester the Robot. Zac had Brought Chester from the Titanic two base for it for an emergency crew replacement long ago then put into storage and just recently found again. Chester was very aped at his duties and very efficient but Alex still didn't trust a robot to handle duty stations. However Zac let it fill in from time to time so that it could "Keep in practice.

"Chester why are stars on the viewer waving like that?" She asked.

Chester scanned the area, then in the French accent the doctor had given for who know what reason answered. "Ah you See, it is the time ripple effect that we are seeing. As we get closer we will get more and more truculence from the effect." Zac walked onto the bridge as did Bo and T'Lar. Seconds later K'Tar, Sid and Sean Mc Pherson came in from the bottom port lift.

"How do you do that?" Alex asked.

Zac taking his seat as did every one else except Sean. Who was leaning over Greenblatt.

"Do what?"

"You all come on the bridge at the same time every time." Alex responded.

Zac smiled. "Years of practice I guess. Mr. Mc Pherson are you going to take your station?"

"Sir, with your permission I thought that the time waves in the area would be good exercise for young Greenblatt."

Zac thought for a moment and looked over at Bo then Alex she nodded at Zac giving sign that he was confidant enough to manage it. "By all means If you think you can handle it."

"Yes sir. I can!" Greenblatt said confidently. He touching the controls of the helm. Sean took the navigation chair beside him. He wanted to be close but not too close.

The ship started to shake but not too bad. "Time ripple sir. Also I'm picking up a small warp class 3 craft in orbit." The older Vulcan T'Lar said coolly. A second wave rocked the ship. Zac knew that the ripples were part of the planets nature. It was once suggested that every ripple was the Guardian fixing a broken time line somewhere. Zac rejected that idea and replaced it with the idea that it was electro-magnetic in nature. However he was worried about the ship.

"Sir, I have the Guard post Station. But on audio only." Sid reported. "Captain Solman.'

"Thank you Sid. Captain this Is Captain Wildstar Of the Dexterous."

"Captain. Good to hear from you again. We advise you not to try to approach the planet. The time waves are severally disturbing today." Solman called. And just as if on Queue. The shipped again rocked.

Zac looked at Greenblatt wondering if the junior office was indeed over his head. But Richard Greenblatt looked back at Zac and said. "Sir. Time ripples charted and standard orbit will able to be achieve in seven minuet."

"Well done, Mr. Greenblatt. Well done indeed. Captain Solman thank you for your warning. Our helmsman has said that we can achieve standard orbit with your permission." A moment went by.

"Say again Dexterous did you say that you have charted the ripples?" Solman asked.

"Confirmed, Guidepost station." Zac said with confidants.

"If you do, then my complements to the helmsman, Captain when you beam down I'd like to meet him."

Zac got up from the captain's chair and walked over to the back of Greenblatt. Then patted him on the shoulder. "Thank you, were quite proud of him ourselves right now. Stand by for mission confirmation code." Zac nodded to Sid. He locked a small cylinder into a slot on the communications console a red light turned green then captain Solman called back.

"Dexterous permission to enter standard orbit granted and mission code confirmed. Captain we also have a ship in orbit we think that it was the professors as we have no transporter we couldn't check it out."

"Thank you, we have picked it up. We were wondering about it." Zac said.

"The planetary defenses are combined to your ship recognition signal you can pass freely. Solman out."

"Thank you we will be down for a briefing shortly, Wildstar out." Zac looked at Sean. "Well while we are down on the planet can you hold the ship here with out Rich?"

He laughed. "Aye sir, that I'a can do."

"Good, Greenblatt your with me Bo you have the con. K'Tar assign two security. Alex you Dr. Wildstar and T'Lar are with me."

Great Alex thought. Why do I always get to go with his ex-wife. Sometimes I think he enjoy watching me squirm. Everyone having an assignments nodded and those in the landing party left.

The crew landing team from the Dexterous reformed on a flat pad which was just outside the gray building which made up Guide post station. The wind was howling an eerie moan as if the souls of the dead watched over everything that went on. Zac shuddered every time he was here. Captain Solman was standing with Andorian Lt. He approached and raised his hand to Zac. Zac looked at his hand and in stead of shaking it Zac opened his left palm. Obviously, the Captain didn't know it was offensive to a Centarian to shake hands. He didn't know that in accent times this was done to enemy that you didn't trust not to have a weapon and to prove that no weapons were in hand a gesture of mistrust. But in a galaxy where Human customs were prevalent it was

an easy oversight. How ever Solman saw and acted in like manner when he saw Zac.

"I'm sorry I didn't know you were from Alpha centauri." Solman said apologetically.

They started to move from the pad towards the building which had aged looking pillars outside the main door. "Not a problem, natural mistake I didn't check to see that you were human. We look for who we are. Allow me to introduce my staff."

The wind picked up festally and the noise rose to where it was hard for Zac to hear himself. "Why don't we go in first." The Andorian said tilting his head down.

They nodded and rushed inside. As they went in everyone felt a small rush of air and a sucking. Solman saw the expression on the Dexterous crew faces. "It cleans the dust off of you as you come in with out it we would be hip high in a week."

"I see," Zac said. "As I was saying outside this is me staff. You know Science officer T'Lar, and Dr. Wildstar."

"Yes good to see both of you again."

Zac moved over to the other end of the officer line that had formed. "This is My first officer Alexandria Joleta."

Solman bowed slightly and kissed her hand. "Delighted!" Solman said. Alex looked at Zac and said. "As am I Captain."

Zac proceeded to go down the line. "Security chiefs Lorenzo and Tripp and last but not least Ensign Richard Greenblatt."

Solman looked at the young ensign. Then he looked at Zac. "Is that "Splats" son."

Zac smiled think of admiral Greenblatt of Starfleet training being called "Splats". "Yes it is, but you'll find that this one has just a little more stability at the Helm then his father did."

Solman looked the ensign up and down. "He would have to get though this bumping today. Congratulation Ensign that was masterful flying." Solman said shaking his hand.

"Thank up sir, the trick was looking for the next wave fervency and compensating with anti thrust to an impulse shunt." Greenblatt said.

"Solman looked back at Zac. "Yeah "Splats" son all right. This is my first officer Thorn He's been here about three weeks and has reorganized things all ready. We are getting thirty seven percent more data compensation to our historical files."

"Interesting, I would like to see that if time permits commander." T'Lar spoke up.

"Well time is one thing we have in ample supply around here." Solman said jokingly. "That's where you come in I afraid." Solman extend his hand and the group moved down the corridor.

"Yes, from the briefing we received it was the Kennedy assignation again."

They entered a briefing room with a large screen at ether end of the room. Everyone took a seat. "As you know, we remember that there was a second gunman at the event. But the images we recent got from the Guardian was that there was only one. That is where you come in, Do you have a plan of action to fix the situation?"

Zac smiled. He sat to the right of Solman by the head of the table. "Yes, We do and if your staff is as ready as the last time we should be ready to go soon."

"No problem. We have standing by replicated close from that time as well as I.D. But what we need to know who is going on the mission before final arrangements can be made." Solman said from the head of the table.

"Grand, other then myself Tripp, as security, Dr. Wildstar just in case. Commander Joleta, Ensign Greenblatt, and chief loran will stay and monitor the Guardian to make sure that we don't tamper ourselves.."

"Thank you Captain." Solman said marking it all down on a Padd. He then handed it to Thorn who took it and left the room. "If you like we have some refreshments before the mission, this will allow the staff to get the items you will need ready."

Zac looked around and thought that a bite would be in order. "Yes thank you."

Solman smiled seeing that his hospitality was welcomed. "This way to the dinning hall then." He moved the crew back in the hall as the started down Alex spoke up.

"Captain Solman."

"Yes Commander?"

"I was wondering while the other were eating may I be allowed to get some readings on the Guardian?'

"I'm sorry Commander no one is able to be alone with the Guardian at any time. The risk of time contamination is just too great." Solman said matter of fact.

"What did you want to look at anyway?" Zac asked.

"Kirk. Of course." Alex replied looking at him with what he called her Imzadi eyes.

Everyone was walking into the dinning hall and Zac stopped Solman just outside of the door. "Will two officers be permitted to be around the Guardian?" Zac asked.

"Why yes, if you want to take respot... Oh I see yes, I see now of course. But I'll tell you know that we have the Guardian always under watch, for security." Solman replied back.

"Thank you Captain!" Alex said excitedly.

She grabbed Zac's hand and took him back the way that they came. Just before they rounded the corner Zac still looking at Solman shrugged then disappeared.

Chapter 3

Now and past

While the station crew were making up the clothing and Id for the mission, the crew of the Dexterous were eating a meal. With the exception of the Dexterous' Captain and first officer. The stood at the edge of all history. The guardian of forever. The eerie wind howled at them from all directions yet at this time they felt no wind.

Zac looked at the stone rough-hewn tours. Alex looked at the Zac smiled at him. "Go ahead."

"What?" he asked as if he forgot she was right beside him.

"Ask it." She said.

Zac moved closer like a child going before a teacher's blackboard. "Guardian." Squeaked out barely audible over the wind. Zac cleared his throat. "Guardian. Will you replay sections of the time correction made by James T. Kirk."

"The time you ask is shown." the Guardian replied in a rumbling voice.

The opening became a mist Alex started to record with her tricorder, then a picture of Captain James T. Kirk and Mr. Spock jumping in from a wall. Zac could help but notice how young Kirk looked.

Alex sat on a broken pillar one of many in the area where a great city once stood. Zac sat beside her as they watched the history unfold. In an less than three seconds the Guardian cleared the whole and spoke. "Now all is as it was."

They sat there and started top watch the replay on the Tricorder. After the point where Kirk and Spock ran into the basement of the 21st street mission. Alex put her hand on Zac neck and started to rub it. She was so genital that Zac never felt the neck pinch. Nor from where they were sitting could as anyone see him pass out.

Alex gently took Zac's head off her shoulder and propped him on the pillar. She looked again up at the Grand monolith. "Guardian can you play the true history of Captain Zacary R. Wildstar?"

"A moment in time that has been extended he is the Dener'fusht."

"Explain Dener'fusht."

"A life that has warped and resolve attachment."

She was taken back by what the Guardian said not that she under stood it at all. But from the under lining tone of the message she knew that she was getting into deep trouble. The mist again appeared and she started to record.

Zac's Comm badge beep, and he jerked somewhat groggy he answered it. "Wildstar here." By that time he remembered where he was. And noticed that Alex didn't look very happy at all.

"This is Captain Solman the mission ordnance are ready if your ready to come back." Solman said over the Communicator.

"Yes we'll be there soon. Wildstar out" He turned and looked at Alex.

"How could you do that." She said angrily.

"Do what?"

"One most romantic actions of all times and you sleep though it.

Zac looked at where they were sitting. Then at her "Hey, I'm sorry." He said. "I didn't even know I was tired. But you know it might be for the best I wouldn't want to go back unless I was one hundred percent." Alex acted as if she forgave them and they walked back to the base. She patted ever so slightly the data storage device that was in her pocket.

When they returned to the base they were met by Thorn. As the walked to the dressing rooms Thorn asked. "So did you enjoy the replay of Adm. Kirks adventure?"

Before Alex spoke up Zac said. "Yes we did. Have you ever seen it?"

"I have seen many thing while on Gateway." Then he added Quickly. "Since I have been here."

The door opened and the crew were already out of there standard blue uniforms and into the cloths selected for the mission. Sabrina was in a yellow dress with big white flowers that was cut just above the knee. Along with that was a small brown box in her hand and a large white hat and purse laying by her side. Tripp had on brown shorts with a flowered shirt and white socks with sandals. He to had a box like Sabrina did. Each also had a pin of a flag on there chest where a communicator would usually be.

"Ah, Captain Wildstar you will find your outfit behind the curtain." Solman said. Zac moved in to the changing room.

An older man in a Blue SSD uniform handed the boxes to Tripp and . "Let me explain your equipment. Captain Wildstar can you hear me all right?"

"Yes fine thank you." Zac said from behind the curtain.

"Good. My name is Tyler I'm in charge of gadgets around here. The box that you two are caring resemble a "Brownie" camera. Extensible used at this time period."

"Not holo graphic." Alex noted.

"No much to old for that. No these are still photo cameras without sound. But they are your standard issue Phazers as well. There is a small Pad on the bottom that give you Phaser mode with all settings. Now this is also truly a camera, so, I want you take as many pictures as you can about 12 per camera. We have many details about this event but every different angle picture will help us learn more.

The pins that you have on are as you might of guessed communicators. But as you won't have a starship to act as a relay, we have given Mr. Tripp a device that looks like a Am radio to act as a Comm Unit.

Zac stepped out from behind the curtain. He was dressed in a black suit with white shirt and a dark pair of sunglasses. "Let me Guess Secret Service." Alex said.

"That's right Commander, As per the Captain's request." Tyler said.

"Request?" said. "I'm surprised that you didn't request a nurse outfit for me."

"I did but the historian's told me that they would of been at work at that time of the day and we're trying to fit in."

"That's all I have for you at this time my best wishes folks." Tyler said then he bowed and left the room.

"Well let's get going the sooner we get stared the sooner we are finished." Zac said. Every one smirked as they left for the Guardian.

At the Guardian Zac, Sabrina, and Tripp stood before the time portal. Solman watched a tricorder which was attached control console and platform. A crewmen of Solman's staff placed a platform before the guardian and then attached it to the console where Solman was standing. The platform had been brought from the base it was only a few feet wide. "We use this to get the persons exactly where they needed in time. We found out early on that when we use the Guardian for travel even the most carefully times jump could land you a week before or after the event. So this was use to push the travelers in the time portal at the exact moment thus cutting the risk of even more time contamination." Solman said.

Zac, Sabrina and trip stood on the platform where the crewman had showed them. Zac nodded over to Solman.

"Now" Solman said at that they were thrust in to the portal. Then the ground shook.

Past

Chapter 4

Past

Zac and the others came out of the time slip just where they wanted to be in fact from the angle of the buildings they could see that they were only about a block from the Presidential parade route. Zac smiled until he saw what Tripp did. Nothing was moving not a bird or person, car or tree leaf was moving.

Sabrina looked at a bird that was by her left foot six inches from making a landing but hanging in mid air. She tried to move it but couldn't. She looked at Zac. "Toto I don't think were in Texas anymore. Think I should take a picture if this?"

Chapter 5

Present

The ground shook then nothing. Alex looked at Captain Solman and was about to ask A question. Then she noticed that he wasn't moving. Startled she reached for her communicator as she did it didn't chirp.

Subchapter 5

Never

(Time out! One of those things that never happens, yet dose all the time)

{Just then out of a rock just to the right of the Guardian. (The one Kirk stood before when he beamed up.) A beam of light flashed, a white blocky robot appeared. Its head was a perfect trapezoid. Two blue sensors near the top gave an appearance of eyes while a line of lights resembles a smile was used as a mouth. Out on the sides sticking straight up were antennas giving an all around face look to the mechanical man. It's arms were tubes from which claw like pincers came out. On it's flat chest were different lights blinking on an off at random. The bottom half was nothing but a box with a slight crease where legs might have been.

Alex to her own surprise was standing with her phaser drawn. She then noticed that everything was white. The rocks, dirt, uniforms of everyone (who still hadn't moved) and then she saw the most startling thing of all the Guardian was white as well. "Halt!" She screamed at the robot.

"I beg your pardon." It said as the light on it's "lips" lit up. "Are you mobile?"

"Of course I'm mobile Tin heap." As she prepared to fire the robot moved back into the rock with a flash. But not before Alex pressed the trigger on her phaser. The beam of light moved out slowly. Then stopped just after leaving the barrel of the phaser. Another burst of light and the robot was back standing just in front of the phaser beam.

"What's going on here?" Alex screamed.

"You are Alexandria Marie Joleta, Correct?"

"Yes."

"Second command S.S.D. Dexterous?"

"Yes, Who are you?"

"My name is Biff."

"B.I.F.F.?" She said lowering her phaser that she now realized was totally useless. "What dose B.I.F.F. stand for."

"It stand for my name, my designation. If you will."

"Oh." She moved off to the side looking at the side of the still Phaser blast. It was moving but so slowly that it took a while to see it. She put up her hand, nothing, no heat from the bolt that should be a few thousand. Yet she was feeling relaxed.

"Dose that bother you?" Biff asked.

"You mean seeing a phaser blast just hang in mid air like that Yes it dose."

Biff erected his arm where a rag was at the end and removed the blast like a school teacher erasing chalk from a chalk board. "Now maybe we can get down to business. I'm a friend of your Captain Wildstar and even of his former friend Jaxxon McCord, a pity about that one." It said as an after thought. "Several times before when I visited the Captain I had the honor of putting him though The Test..."

"The Test?" She asked.

"Yes, Yes The Test. The one that all must face. The test of looking into the very faces of certain death and not looking a way. It's different for everyone..."

"What was the test Zac took?"

"He went down with the Titanic."

"And he looked in the face of death?"

"My dear not only did he look at the face of death but he did a perfect swan dive off the back of the boat just as it was sinking under.

"Didn't he die?" She asked trying to grasp all being said to her.

"No as he hit the water he was returned to the bridge of the Dexterous where he remembered nothing. Just as when I leave you will remember nothing. However you asked what was going on well the truth is nothing. Nothing here nor in the past nor in the future. All time has stopped."

"Why?" She asked sitting on a rock. She noticed that she was getting light headed.

"You. As you scanned the Guardian and asked for the true history of Captain Wildstar you caused the Guardian to find a time anomaly. In effect you have "Crashed" the Guardian of forever. And after I repair it you will go back in time and fix the anomaly." Feeling warn all over like she was in a very warm bath Alex said. "Why Me?"

Biff moved over to her. "You are the only one still mobile to carry it out."

"What about you?"

"I am not permitted to interfere with living beings I am merely here to fix the Guardian, so that you may go back and fix what is wrong." At that Biff floated over to the guardian and hit it with it's left arm. The guardian changed color back to it's normal lighted gray. Biff moved out by the rock and said "By the way we never spoke." then in a flash of light it was gone.}

(Time In)

She tapped it again. Again nothing Alex looked up noting that her badge gave no sound for a moment and everything looked white but then it changed back to normal. A trick of the light she thought. Everyone was still frozen. After a minuet she looked at the Guardian. "Guardian." Why has time stopped except for me?"

"You hold the key to the Past, Present, Now."

She felt strange then she realized that the data clip of Zac's life must be the key.

"Guardian, do you mean that the true life of Captain Wildstar is the key?"

"Yes. You must unlock time."

"How do I do that?" She asked. Then nothing. She waited a minuet then two. Finally she realized that she wasn't going to get an answer. She looked at the hole on the guardian. She took out the small silver box that Doctor Jacobs had given her and tossed it through the Guardian. Nothing happened.

She moved around the other side to get the device that she had just thrown. As she bent down to pick it up she spied the console that Captain Solman was facing. She remembered that it was essentially a big tricorder with the Platform. She moved toward it. As she got there she saw that Solman was standing in front of the controls. Alex grabbed the man under his arms and moved him out of the way. He was stiff and ridged. At first she was going to lean him on a rock then Alex got a mental picture of him falling over and breaking into a million pieces. So she laid him on the ground.

Now facing the controls she took the data storage unit an attached into the active memory slot. She was surprised to see that the console which was attached to the Guardian was working unlike everything else in the universe. Alex started to watch as the first image came up. She was finally going to see Zac's past. Alex at this moment vowed that from then on she would be extremely careful what she wished for. On the screen came a picture of a blond headed boy about fifteen old.

Past

Chapter 6 a

Past: Star Date 21/3204.10

Zac sat at the desk in quarters, he was still crying. Well not crying but sad. No he defiantly wasn't sad any longer now her was mad. Mad at his parents for leaving, mad at then dying. Mad at the Galaxy for turning. Now he was mad at the life. He knew that he would no longer be allowed to stay in the academy. He was so mad that he took the only thing detachable on the desk and thrown it at the door.

As it flew Zac was surprised that he didn't hear a crash. He turned to see a young man a little taller than Zac holding the lamp in the door way. "If you want to play catch then get a ball." The young man has a pare of sunglasses on and had a toothpick in his mouth.

"Jax, did you hear? I'm out. A foster home or something." Zac said. Trying to sound more mad then upset.

"Yeah kid I heard, tough break. That's why I'm hear. I came to help." Said Jaxxon McCord.

Zac sat up. "Help how?'

"Ok let me say this what's the biggest reason that you can't stay?"

"My parents just died you fool." Zac said with anger.

"Right, sorry, but it ain't a matter of them taking care of you now is it. The school been taken care of kids like us for decades. Feeding, clothing, makin' sure we get to bed on time and doing are school work. All the thing parents do right?"

Zac thought for a moment the said. "Right."

Jax sat on the bed next to Zac and leaned forward. "Right, so the only thing that is missing now it the financial backing to do all these things. Take me for instance for the last three years I've been paying my own way." Jaxxon said.

"Bull, how tuition here is steep. How can you have all this money?" Zac asked.

"How isn't important it's can I do the same for you. But to do it legally there is a small problem." Jax said soulfully.

"What's that?" Zac asked a little to eagerly for his own good.

"Too enroll you we have to get someone to act as your legal guardian."

"But who?' Zac asked.

"As it so happens I can do that too." Jax said quietly. "It's technical, but I'll explain it. Ok. you know that I was genetic engineered right."

"Yeah. So?"Zac asked.

"SO! The federation council was in such a hurry to give us legal rights that they never expected us to be born they thought we would come out fully grown. As we were born we were given full legal rights as adults. Not the least of which was emancipation. Then after they found out the truth they couldn't revoke the laws. Thus I have the legal power to adopt you, pay the tuition and then my friend we can stay together. That is if you want to." Jax said twirling the toothpick in his mouth.

Zac looked Jax carefully. "I don't have to call you Dad do I?"

Jax smiled. "You do and I'll ground you.

Zac's mood changed insanely. Jax had always been there for him and yet again he was saving him. "So what do we have to do?"

"I'll have one of the Legal eagles cadets make up some papers and you can sign them. After that we'll transfer the credits into your account, then that should be it.

Several days later the commandant of the school had Zac & Jax called into his office. After sitting there for what seemed an eternity the schools head master finally turned around. "Wildstar, why in the seven stars did you sign this document." Commandant Conner took a file and plopped it in Zac's lap. He looked at it and saw that it was the agreement that Jax had given him to sign so that he could be adopted by Jaxxon.

"Sir it was the only way that I could stay in the Academy sir." He said sharply.

"The only way... Mc Cord wait in the outer office."

"Aye sir." Jax moved quickly out of the room.

The older man moved around the room for several minuets, finally he stopped in front of the large picture window that faced the practice grounds."Cadet, are you not from Alpha Centauri?" Condor said.

"Yes sir."

"Didn't you know law for orphaned children?"

"No Sir."

Commandant Condor moved back to his deck and took a thick leather bound book that had been sitting on his desk and opened it to a page that he had marked and began to read. Zac noticed that Centauri law was written in gold on the binding. "A Centarian that is orphaned with no other family may be by law considered an adult with the inheritance of the trust to provide for youth until the age of wondering." You didn't need for Mc Cord to adopt you. Your tuition was guaranteed by law.

"What?" Zac said sitting up.

"That is what I was trying to tell you. You have for the next 75 years signed your life away to Jaxxon G. Mc Cord. And as you are now an adult under Centauri Law you are legally bound. To that end I hope that your up to it."

"Sir is there any way that I can get out of it?" Zac asked.

"I'm afraid not. You are now the ward of Cadet Mc Cord. I'm sorry. Dismissed"

Zac got out of the chair and walked out of the office. after the doors slid shut He looked over at Jax. "You tricked me. Why."

Jax looked at him through his sunglasses. "Hey I'm sorry. It started as a Joke. I didn't know about your planets law's. Or the fact that the school sent the contract top be filed. After all I just wanted to help."

"But seventy five years? What were you thinking? Why in the worlds would put that long on the contract? Zac asked angrily grabbing Jax's collar of his cadet uniform.

"That was Coda mistake, when he asked me how long I said seven or five years. How was I supposed to know that Lecterns have no word for "or" and it wouldn't be translated." Jaxxon said apologetically.

"Cadet Mc Cord the Commandant wants to see you now." The secretary said from behind the desk. Jaxxon got up took the toothpick out of his mouth and said.

"Time to pay the Piper."

Now

Chapter 5

The next section that came up on the viewer. Alex was amazes at the clarity of the events. As the last was playing she noticed that the wind had stopped howling and that the sounds and smell that would of been appropriate were indeed there for her as well. She rubbed her eyes quickly and began again to watch.

Past

Chapter 6b

Past: Stardate 21/3207.10

Jaxxon looked almost tear eyed at the three queens and two jacks in his hand. It had been a particularly bad poker night. In fact he had lost the last seventeen hands. The pile of credits on the table lost under the other objects. Hover permits weekend passes. Blytt L'tts sat across from Jax stroking the blue tubes coming out of his head that acts as his "hair". The Fasewtian was known almost as well as Jax was for poker. And a game between them was inevitability.

"Bluffing Mc Cord?" Blytt said.

Jax puffed on the cigar that he had won in his last good hand. "Naw, just got a pair of three's." He said coyly as he tossed his last credit into the pile.

"Good, then you won't mind if I raise the pot." Blytt tossed in a credit slip for 1000.

Jaxxon's eyes grew big as life.

"Well you gonna cover it or fold?" Blytt said smiling from his webbed mouth and raising the whiskers that came out from under his nose.

"Tell you what. Let me go to my quarters and get a few more credit from home....

"No credits no hand!" Blytt shouted. Raising out of his chair.

Jax looked angrily at Blytt. "I guess that I'm out. I've got nothing more to bet."

Blytt sat looked around and smiled. Jaxxon could see his purple teeth gleaming back at him. Blytt forced his whiskers up and down a few time then said in a sly voice. "Maybe you have something that you could bet?"

"What? I'm tapped out you won." Jax said annoyed at the Fasewtians attitude.

"Wildstar."

"I can bet a person. I Won't He's my friend! I...."

"I'll give you ten to one odds in everything on the table." Blytt said knowing he got Mc Cord's attention.

"Deal. What have you got Blytt?"

"Hold on hot shot. My odds you go first." Blytt replied.

Jax smiled and looked around the room it had been the first time that he was even aware of anyone else in the last five minuet. The other cadets who were playing as well as everyone who was now watching, (and wouldn't officially remember anything later) hung on Jax's next move. "All right, have it your way." Jax proudly laid out the cards one at a time smiling more boldly with every card. "Read 'em and weep." He then leaned back on his chair and put his feet on the table. Blytt smiled and plopped his cards over Jaxxon's "Sorry Hot shot. Three Kings two aces. You loose."

Jax sat up to look at the cards and as he did lost his balance and went crashing to the floor. The crowd broke up and Jax kept looking at the cards.

"The contract hot shot." Blytt said pulling the pot into his pouch that was on the. Front of his abdomen. Jax reached into his breast pocket and handed the papers over to Blytt.

Blytt walked over to Jax's side of the table and patted him on the top of his head. "And tell Wildstar to move in tonight. I need my boots shined." For the next half an hour he sat there looking at the cards.

Jax took the long way back to Zac's quarters. He opened the door and this time he was hit square in the jaw. After a few seconds Jax could see that it was Zac who had hit him.

"You heard?" Jax said rubbing his jaw. He move and sat on Zac's bed.

"Yeah small campus. First you enslave me, then you lose me in a poker game. I ought to do more than sock you I should kick you butt!" Zac said angrily standing by the doorway.

"Can I explain.." Jax tried. But Zac cut him off.

"No." Zac pointed out the window. "And if you even try to tell me what the hand was that you did have I'll throw you out the window."

"Sorry. It was stupid." Jax said plainly.

"Bloody right it was what were you thinking." Zac said as he started to pace around the room. Wondering what his future held.

"Never mind what I was thinking. But I do have a way out of it." Jax said hoping for a little mercy.

"What?" Zac said almost not wanting to know what it was going to be.

"I'll contact the exchange on Phred and transfer all my saving and the remaining part of the trust money and we'll give it to Blytt."

Zac stopped pacing and looked at his friend who had just laid all of his life saving on the line to save him.

"This is not your usual plains. It seems to legal." Zac said sarcastically.

"I'll be able to pay him three times what he won tonight. Then He'll have no choice to sell you back you know how Fasewtian are about customs. He'll be honor bound to increase his family fortunes."

Zac looked at Jax seeing that it wasn't easy for him what he did. "But that's all the money that you saved up to buy a freighter after we get out of the academy."

"I know but there is always another way to get one later. Besides It's my mess I'll clean it up."

Zac sat at the chair by the desk in the room. "Man, I hate it when you get all self-sacrifice on me like this. It's really hard staying mad at you and when really I should kill you right now." He said easing up on the pressure of the moment.

"You should see how it works on some girls."

Zac shot a look back. "If you didn't go off like some Shooting star all the time maybe these thing wouldn't happen."

"True, but then again some shooting stars just can't be stopped!"

"Yes, but your not the one who has to go shine all four of Blytt's boots." Zac said as he walked out the door.

Chapter 6c

Past: Stardate 21/3207.11

Early the next day the cadets lined up in front of twelve of the academies trainers. The ships were nothing special too look at. Certainly nothing in the class of the new starship like the Horizon. An Andorian instructor came onto the field by hover. He got out and inspected the cadets looking for the normal things, Lose button, dirty shoes, having a flipper out of your uniform. After the looking over the group he pulled out a clipboard and began reading names.

"Hall, L'tts one. Wildstar, Fox two. Apple, Mc Cord three. Lia, Wertzle four. Frakes, Steward five. North, Reagan six. Your mission is simply boys & girls. Two formations of three ship over the ocean then an up shaft burn until you reach orbit then a low power burn and I would hope by now a safe landing. You will follow the Nav. transponders within thirty meters. To your ships." Commander Thevel said.

They moved to they ship and climbed in. The ship themselves were flat with a fixed tail in the rear. Midway was the folding wing, which acted at a air foil in atmospheric maneuvers.

Several cadets from earth nicked named them mantas for the resemblance to creature of earths oceans. Each of the ship had a number painted on the hulls back. After getting in the clear plastisteel hood shut and locked into place. Thevel boarded the hover and sped off to the base operations.

From the monitors in the controls and command tower Thevel saw the ships lined up in two wings in "V" formation. "Cadets launch." He ordered instead of taking off they hovered a moment then shot towards the Miljui Ocean located by the side of the academy space port.

The first five minuets of the flight was uneventful. Zac was piloting the wings left ship while Jaxxon was in the wings right. As communications were approved Zac opened up to Jax.

"Attention this is "Captain" Wildstar you have violated our air space be prepared to die ranger three."

Jax just shook his head. "So now It's "Captain" Wildstar. Yesterday it was just commander." Jax radioed back.

"I got a promotion." He answered.

"I don't care who you are or your rank. You belong to me." Blytt cut in spoiling the fun.

"Cadets, full to orbit burn now." Blytt's ordered from the lead ship. Zac felt the gravity thrust against him. His ears popped and then cleared. The maneuver forced seven "g's" which was livable but uncomfortable.

After twenty seconds. The comm unit sounded. "Why are you breaking formation One?" Thevel was yelling. Zac looked at his monitor the lead ship was moving back towards the planet. Zac next herd Blytt L'ytt's screaming in the speaker. "Canopies blown, Hall knocked out ship .... pining." Zac arced the ship around and headed for the blip that was ship one.

"This is Wildstar in two, diving to assist."

"Negative, two return to formation. Repeat return to formation!" Thevel shouted.

"I think our radio is broken Zac." Fox said from behind. Zac looked at the screen again instead of one dot there were now five.

"What?" Zac wondered then the three of the second squad who were unaware of the trouble screamed past Zac and Fox barely inches from them.

Zac looked ahead of them and saw not one but to fliers in front of him. the second with the number three on the back of it's hull. "Zac glad you can join us." Jax said from the speaker. The next thing Zac heard was the sound of metal. Zac started a spin to try to air break down to Jax's ship. As the ship came into view Zac seeing only one ship called out. "Jaxxon! Come in Jax, come in are you..."

"Relax Zac we caught them."

Zac looked again and saw that Jax had flew under Blytt's ship and was piggy backing them to the Base.

"Squads return to Base." Thevel ordered. "Cadet L'ytts can you detach from Cadet Mc Cords plane to land?"

"I...I think so Sir. "Blytt's reported back.

After the landing Blytt's and Hall were being taken out of the craft by the E.M.P.'s Blytt's pulled Jaxxon over to him. Then let him go. Jax stood there rubbing his hair while a hover-blunce sped the two to sickbay. Zac walked up to Jax who was smiling.

"Nice flying, Jax." Zac said. "Why are you smiling, you've been grounded three weeks for endangering yourself."

"Oh. I don't know. Maybe because Blytt was honor bound to give me his most recent acquirement." Jax held up the deed to Zac. Zac smiled as Jax put a tooth pick in his mouth.

Chapter 7

Past: Stardate 21/3511.05

Zac's hand hurt from the tips back to the palms. Rock climbing was not one of his most favorite things in the galaxy to do. But the map said up so up they went. At least they were in the cave now Zac thought to himself. He pulled out a bent stick of wood that he had take from the forest below and started to carve at it again. Jax sat down next to him, as he rested on the slanted cave wall. Zac watch several of the supply bearers pull up long poles. He was about to ask why when.

"Fun huh?" Jax asked stroking this newly grown bread. Just one of the two thing Jax started since they graduated Centauri Academy three month's ago. The other was that stupid smelly weed that he smoked. Why he ever started the disgusting habit was beyond Zac.

"Fun?" Zac replied. "Since we started this little adventure we have been thrown over a water fall.."

"It was ten feet at most." Jaxxon replied.

".. attacked by moths.." Zac added.

"..Who was just looking for a heat source to feed off of."

"..Chased by wild animals.."

".. Ok you got that one..." Jax smiled.

"and lead up the side a shear cliff for three hours."

"Hey, is it my fault that no power sources work on this part of the planet while the sun hits? Beside Zac we are almost to the treasure I can feel it." Jax said rubbing his hands together.

Zac leaned further back so that his head was now touching the rocky wall behind him. "That's what you said on Philol, then on Ferd VI now here on Phred."

They were interrupted when the light from the outside was block by a huge figure. The figure was that of Grog Bloodknife, there guide.

"When will you be able to go Mr. Wildstar?" Grog asked in a slow manner that hissed out of his mouth. Zac had not been overly excited at the choice that Jax had made for guide. He was always watching them always studying the way that they moved. It made Zac cautious.

Zac looked up at him and asked. "In a hurry Grog? Is the treasure going somewhere?"

Grog starred at Zac for a moment, then smiled. "No sir. But the festival of my village is seventeen cycles away and I wish to be home for it you understand."

"Oh. Well, if we rest five minuets longer than you should still have plenty of time. Besides it's getting dark and our scanners will work soon. That should help us find the treasure." Grog turned and walked away. "I love that Guy." Zac said under his breath.

"I know I don't trust him much ether." Jaxxon said surprising Zac. He held out a hand and helped Zac up then Zac, Jax Grog and the two other men carrying supplies went into the cave deeper.

The group walked past several narrow passes that lead to larger rooms at the end of the forth Grog stopped. "We are to be careful from here there are many traps."

"Traps?" Zac asked. "How many?"

"If that was known then the treasure would be gone by now." Grog answered. "We know that there will be at least one. Eh." Grog laughed in a semi-sinister way. They press on, in the next chamber they saw that several would be treasure hunters were laying on the floor. Apparently even though they there were flatten and crushed and of the same origin as Grog. Two of the Grog's men took the poles and went up front. The first took a rock and tossed it on to the floor. With in a second the top and bottom of the cave came together crushing anything between. Zac cringed at the thought of the pour souls that were caught unaware. The first man put the pole under the floor plate. Than a whine started. The second man wedged his pole in the middle not letting the two stone plates go together or retract again.

"There that should hold for a while." Grog said.

Jax walked by the pole and jumped up and down. Nothing happened."Yet your right. It's solid."

They were about to cross when the man you had the first pole started to scream to Grog in there native tongue. The exchange got heated a few times Zac could tell from the way that the voices of both flailed. It stopped when Grog took the pack off the man and shoved him toward the open end of the cave. "Do we want to know?" Zac asked.

Grog bushed the dark black ridge if hair off of his dark blue forehead. "It was nothing. He's superstitious. He didn't want to go on so I sent him back to the village without pay or supplies, the coward."

"With out supplies, he'll never make it back." Zac said firmly.

"Indeed he will, there are several berries and fungi's that he can eat as well you aware of there is water. Shall we go on it's not much further." Grog said pushing ahead. Jax looked at Zac and mouthed the word "It's" then wiggled his finger on his chest in the shape of a star. A move that they had come up with to show the other to be cautious. Zac nodded.

The went into the next chamber. On the wall at the other end was three eyes looking at them carved in stone. Under each there was a carved door way. Just above the door was writing. Grog laughed. Jax asked what the writing said. "Chose your fortune.' The stone work on the floor resembled three side walks going from where they stood across the room to the doors below the eyes. On each side of the paths were small patterns of tiles. Several of which had over the years fallen though to revile the lower pit with spikes on the floor.

"I guess that we don't make any side trips here." Jax said.

The supply bearer steeped in front of Zac and hit him with the torch he was caring. Then he rushed into the middle path. As he walked towards it the ceiling came down in him in the form of a stone pillar. After it hit the floor killing the man the stone slowly slid in the floor until it was again even with the square it replaced. Other then a small amount of wetness, the floor looked the same as before. "The builders were efficient. He chose badly." Grog said looking at the spot.

Stunned Zac went up to Jaxxon and started to yell at him. "Now are you happy a man is dead because of us! You had to get your stupid treasure! Now.. God I don't even know his name is dead. For what your little get rich quick plans!" Then Zac shoved Jax and they both fell to the floor wresting each other. Grog stood amazed at the sight. Jax got on top of Zac for a moment then said. "Wildstar, your a wimp. Zac kicked Jax off and was about to hit him again when Grog grabbed Zac by the back of the collar and shoved him under the first eye. Zac stood there a second then realized first that he wasn't crushed then that Grog had a laser on Jax and one on him as well. "Now that you are not such good friends you won't mind getting my treasure out from there will you." Grog said.

Zac swallowed hard and moved slowly in the darkened door the room, Once inside He saw that there was adorned on much interlaced wood work a pedestal. A box adorned in gold filed gems of all colors. Zac moved it off the pedestal and took it out. The doors all slid shut and the room began to shake. Zac crossed the room Grog motioned for him to stand next to Jax. Rocks were now beginning to fall around them. Grog moved to the opening. "If you follow me before morning I'll kill you." Then Grog left.

"You didn't have to hit me so hard you know." Jax said.

"Sorry, you were the one who thought that he would go in after it himself." Zac replied. Jax threw a small blue box at the third door. An explosion set off blew the door. He ran in and got a similar treasure out of that room. "Naw, I knew that the sides were safe."

Zac sighed. The rock were starting to fall faster. "What now money's no good if were dead."

"True let's follow Grog." Then ran into the narrow pass just as the room clasped. When they got to the chamber with the smashing rocks Grog was there pointing his laser at them. "Well, well aren't you predictable. I knew that you'd follow me. Now it seems that I have a bonus to boot. Give me the other treasure And I'll let you live." Grog said with an air of self righteous tone.

Zac & Jax looked at each other then to Grog who was pulling out the first rod from under the bottom stone plate. Jax took the box and closed the lid and pushed it hard. It slid across the smooth floor and stopped about an inch before the plate ended. "Good now raised those hand gentleman." Grog said. Grog then bend down to get the box taking his eyes off them for a second. Zac reached into his backpack took out the wood and threw it at the pole in the center. It cracked in half from the excess pressure throwing the logs toward Jaxxon's feet. At the same time Grog's right hand reaching for the box was smashed between the plates. Grog screamed in agony.

Jax wedged the log between the plate and roof when it got to the right place. Then the other one in the middle so it didn't close. Zac and Jax crossed on there knees as fast as they could. Once on the other side Grog held up the laser at Zac's head ready to fire. Jax kicked the gun out of Grog's left hand. The gun went to the floor and Grog fell back. Looking at the floor where his hand was smashed seeing no remains of the jewels. "The... The box was empty wasn't it?" Zac nodded. Grog sat up. "What was it I herd you call each other the other days Shooting stars?" Jax nodded. Grog laughed as he went unconscious. Zac pulled a Radio out of his bag. Turned a knob. "Phredian City dispatch. We have an emergency in the Cave of Frt'la follow this signal." Zac tossed it in Grog's lap.

"I told you I didn't like that Guy from the start." Zac said picking up his back pack.

"I know I know but you have to admit that he did know where to find it." Jax answered.

"Yeah so that he could get us to pay for it then kill us and take it."

"So it would seem. OK next time we try to find an ancient treasure, you hire the guide."

They walked out to the caves opening. Daylight was coming up over the mountains in the horizon. They sat by the rock where they had rested before. A shadow came upon them again. Both men jumped. It was the supply carrier that Grog sent away.

For the first time he spoke to them. "I see you have killed Grog. Not an easy feat. Give me the treasure!" He said raising an old fashion pistol at them. "Jax took off his pack and said.

"You want it here." and flung it at the man. The pack hit him with such force due to the weight that he stumbled back falling out of the cave to the jungle below.

Jax and Zac walked over to see that far below the trees were broken where the man had fell. "Don't think for a minuet that just because of this your not carrying down something." Zac said.

"Hey. My stuff is already down there why should I carry any of yours?" Jax asked.

"For one thing. My pack has the ropes and hooks." Zac said smiling back.

"Ok fine but when we get down you cook."

"Deal." Zac said then he hooked a clamp in a craves and started the decent.

Chapter 8

Past: Stardate 21/3706.06

Jaxxon worked the controls of the Whammo as it flew on the outer edge of the green atmosphere. Sitting next to him was of course was Zac. He was scanning the planets surface.

"I don't think anyone is home." Zac said looking up from the scanner that was to his right. He turned his chair forward putting in the same direction as Jax.

"He's there all right, I can smell him from here." Jax said as he pushed the double yoked stick forward.

The ship arced down ward and started to heat up as they streak into the path of the air molecules. Inside Zac again looked at the scanner. After several different type of scanning he again turned to Jax. "I've scanned thermal, inferred, molecular, even x-ray and nothing. If he's there then He's turned the Darkwinged Vengeance into a rock."

"Ok. Lets look at it this way, where did we get the info about where we could find Grog?" Jaxxon asked.

"Zooka." Zac answered.

"And who just swindled a thirty five thousands Heta acres from Zooka?"

"Grog."

"So, what would Zooka have to gain by giving us misinformation. Nothing."

"I'm not saying that I don't trust Zooka I love that little Italian bar keep. What I'm saying is that according to your scanners on your ship Grog's ship is not one this planet!" Zac said manner of fact.

"Whack the scanner." Jax replied.

"What?'

"Whack the scanner."

"Are you kidding do you know how fragile these thing are..."

Jax reached across Zac and hit the scanning system on the top. After a moment Zac again looked into the scanner view finder. He saw a large ship was sitting near a canyon. And that the ship power was working a low power as well. Probably repairing some system to fragile for an orbit repair.

"Well?" Jax asked.

"Fixed." Zac said moping.

The de-orbit on the craft shock so that several small objects off the round navigational table that was behind them. The shaking only lasted for about a minuet. Soon after it settled down and the small circular ship dropped out from beneath a thick layer of clouds. It resembled a flying sauce that one would see in an old earth movie. But it was meant to look that way.

A few minuets late the Whammo was surfing on the sides of the canyon that Zac had scanned before. The scanner were working perfectly and it stilled showed that Grog's ship 'The Dark Winged Vengeance' was running at low power out put.

"I don't like it." Zac said.

"What?" Just as he said that they nearly missed a outcrop of rocks.

"Among other things, we are to low!"

"That just something you have to do when you attack someone go in low." Jax said as another rock bridge zoomed past almost to close even for him.

"Not only that. Grog hasn't seen us yet. He's not even scanning for us. He must know we'd come after him."

"Hey this is classic military strangely my friend, surprise attack. Besides for the last two years Grog has been trying to kill us or push us out of every good business deal around this sector. Maybe we are getting lucky this time."

In the bridge of the Dark Winged Vengeance Grog Bloodknife stood watching the scanners. He had followed the course of the Whammo since it entered the system. The bridge was other wise dark. He had ordered the shut down of all systems to the crew. And on Grog ship the crew listened or died. Grog looked up for a moment and said to his first officer Tedent. "'Maybe we are getting lucky.' that's what they are saying Tedent. For two years now I have been trying to kill them for what they did to me. Two years since they took my arm and left me to die in that stinking cave." Grog said as he flexed his mechanical arm. The stainless steel casing gleaming in the light of the scanner.

"All section prepare for full power up on my order. No sooner." Grog said into the speaker on the console. He then sat back and for the first time since he had crews the ship they saw him smile.

In the inner bowls of the ship an Andorian named Ty'fre sat up in the port side gunners chair. From her scope, she could make out that the saucer shaped ship was going to be with in her range in two minuets. She smiled because she knew that Grog would reward anyone who had shot down the Whammo. As Ty'fre watch the approach she imagined the things that could be done with the extra money. Thoughts such as a ship of her own, a business of her own maybe even the chance to go straight, getting out of the pirate game.

The last thought was so appealing to her that she never saw that she accidentally turned on the main power supply.

"I got a power reading Jax!" Zac yelled. "Port side right where we were going to attack. He was playing dead."

Jaxxon twisted the controls and the Whammo did an arc in the close canyon walls. Still heading for the Vengeance Jaxxon changed the angle of attack. "Ok plan B. It we can't hit the bridge then were going to hit the main generators. Power up the deflector shields using all aft power forward."

"If you do that then they'll slam us after we go past!" Zac said uneasily.

"If Grog know were coming we aren't going to get out of this any way but we can take him out too."

Zac was going to say something to protest but then changed his mind. He knew that Jax was right. They could escape now but they could rid the galaxy of one of the worst scum's it had even know. Now Zac powered up the weapons and the front shields. Then he hailed the Dark Winged Vengeance. "Attention Grog this is the Shooting stars It's time to pay the piper you sloth. I hope you have your life insurance paid up."

Grog hit the console so hard that the side with his mechanical arm made a dent in the console. "Shooting stars. How did they know we were watching them?" He screamed. "All weapons power up and read just the target. Shoot down the Shooting Stars!" The bridge came alive. Grog moved out of his seat and into the captains chair.

"Sir engineering reports that they will be able to move us in two minuets. Also they are reading a shout circuit in the deflector controls." Reported a Tellarite.

"What, where is the malfunction? Fix it!" Grog screamed.

"Apparently, sir, it is in the console you just dented." He said.

"Blast!"

The Dark Winged Vengeance sat on top of the canyon wall it was big. Big and orange. Zac often wondered why someone who would be the scourge of the universe would do it in an orange ship. It grew closer and closer. Zac could now see that the laser guns were starting to readjust to fire at them. "It's show time." Zac said.

"Yeah, it's been good buddy." Jax replied.

"You know I just had an idea if we are going to die any way why do we need the front shields up at all? Let put the power into the lasers just to be sure."

"Mr. Wildstar I like the way you think. What's a shooting star with out a nice bright streak? Do it Zac."

Zac rearranged the power into the laser batteries. "Ready?' Zac asked. Looking out the window the Vengeance blocked out all else.

"Ready, Fire!" Jaxxon yelled expecting it to be the last thing he ever said.

From her window Ty'fre saw the Whammo making a suicide run then a flash of light.

As the Whammo fired a Bolt of bluish/green energy It lanced out into the heart of Grog's ship. An explosion happened as the had expected then the energy seemed to continue to open up a bigger hole around the blast point. "Jax!" Zac yelled.

"Keep firing, I know."

He kept firing a second then a third shot as the third shot left the barrel Jaxxon saw that they were flying into the ship after the third blast He saw light on the other side they had shot right though the Dark Winged Vengeance. Jax punched the throttle and The Whammo streaked though the ship. When they got though to the other side Jaxxon flipped the ship clockwise doing a twirl. Zac looked in the aft scanners to see the hole then the expiation that blew apart two thirds of the Vengeance. The Whammo still smoking from where it had skidded an a power rod looped up and headed for home.

The Vengeance burned around him. Grog was burn on the side of his face. From the hole in the side of the ship where the main viewer use to be Grog saw the Whammo steak a cross the sky. "Shooting stars, HA Ha Ha Ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha ha....."

Two days later at Zooka's Bar and Grille on the planet Phred Zac and Jax was celebrating the newly found celebrity-ism. They sat at there usual table Zac was holding a Ambrosian Straightarrow. Jax on the other hand was holding a brunette on his lap. Zooka was wiping the table as the crowd stood around.

"So leta me get this a straight." Zooka said sitting next to Zac and scratching the balding spot on his head. "You not only shoota at the ship you put sucha biga hole that you flew the Whammo right in it?"

"That's right." Zac said. "When I transferred the energy from the shields to the lasers I forgot to rephrase the power signal so the two type of energy must of phased together some how. I wish that I could figure out how to redo that one I could make a mint a new weapon like that."

"Yeah then maybe you could pay for the damage your little trick did to the lasers on the Whammo." Jaxxon said smiling at the girl.

Zac was going to say something then was interrupted by a delivery boy.

"Package for the Shooting Stars." He said.

Jax took the box and shook it but it wasn't ticking. So he opened it. Jax gasped then backed away. Zac looked at the same thing Jax did a crushed piece of metal that looked like a metal hand. Then looked at each other and said at the same time. "Grog!" Then everyone at Zooka's that night knew that the party was over.

Present

Chapter 5 b

Alex looked up from the screen and scratched. She had wondered how long she had been at this it felt like days yet it didn't. Still she was getting hungry. "I guess there is something in life you can't stop even with time." Then she looked back into the scanner.

(And now a word from our sponsor) Templeton Wildstar was working in his office when time stopped. He was still holding the Padd when a flash of light "woke him up" He looked at his fish tank that held various types of colored fish. He also saw that they along with everything else in the room had turned white. Before his stood Biff. Templeton looked at the robot and said. "Not again."

"I'm afraid so we have yet another ripple for you to smooth out. The difference is that this one entirely new. It has never happened before.

"So?" Templeton said sarcastically knowing the answer that Biff was about to give.

"You have a mission." Then Biff pushed Templeton through a hole.

(And now back to out show)

Past

Chapter 9

Past: Stardate 21/4010.05

Zac sat reading he was enjoying a book that he had found in a small antique shop on Alpha Centauri. He liked it because of it being one of his favorite Earth stories and because it reminded him of his home planet where he had bought it. True books were getting rarer and rarer. That made it extra special finding this one.

He had enjoyed the last month. He and Jax had taken a much needed vacation on Zac's home world. Zac stopped for a moment from reading and once again picked up the picture of a wooded area with a lake. He smiled and took out his golden engraved stylist. Working the controls on the picture Padd he cleared some of the trees then drew in a small log cabin between the hill and the lake. He smiled more seeing how nice it all looked.

Jaxxon had woke up and came up the elevator to Zac's right rear. Jaxxon still he shuffled across the deck almost hitting the astro navagation station in the middle of the floor. Groggily sat down beside Zac. He gulped when instead of the blackness of space he saw the swirling of a multi color nebula misting and clouding around swirling to and fro like the smoke of a good camp fire. Even though the colors were beautiful and bright Jaxxon sounded up with his alarm. "Zac where are we! What happened?"

Zac quietly put down the drawing and looked calmly at Jaxxon Mc Cord. "Phredian Nebula."

"How? Why? Is the gyros down. Why didn't you call me?" Jaxxon continues anxiously.

"Nothing so grandiose." Zac said. "We picked up some of Grog's raiders and before I could call you they pushed us in here. Good news is I lost them. Great new is I found out a way to navigate in this soup.

Jax controlled his fear a little and sat beside Zac. Then he worked the controls. Normally the ship this small would be pushed like a kite in a wind storm by they were stable. "Mind telling me how?"

"Since the shields wouldn't work I thought that we must still have nav deflectors so I revamped them to match the wavelength of the Nebula." Zac said leaning back and putting his arms behind his head. "It worked so, I figured that we could just wait out the raiders and leave when we want to. That was a half hour ago. But since then I found something Big and metal. So I figured that I would head for it, you know, see what it is."

"Let me get this straight, you out ran raiders-"

"Grog's raiders." Zac corrected."

"-Grog's raiders, then figured out that we can stay alive in this soup a feat that no one has ever been able to devise, then after all of that you find something big and are heading deeper into a nebula to find it." Jaxxon says in disbelief.

"True."

"And where was I when you were coming up with a miracle a minuet."

"Sleeping." Zac said carefully.

"Wildstar. I hate you." Jax said madly. "I think that I'm getting a new partner, I think that I should shove you out an air lock, I think-"

"I think," Zac pointing out the main window. "that were here."

They both looked out a window. Through the haze of multi color swirls there it sat. A huge ship impacted into a large crag of an asteroid. She sat upright and looked as if she was swallowed by the asteroid not crashed on to it. The stern of the ship was clearly embedded into the asteroid with jagged metal twisted in an unnatural fashion. The mid section slightly bent and rippled as if the metal of the hull was the bellow of an accordion. The aft third however was pristine. As if the passage of time had never seen a day. Even in this condition she was strong and mighty. As if the immovable object had hit the unstoppable forcer and it has been a tie. Jaxxon took control of the ship and move it passed the port side and around the back, even with thruster at full it took more than thirty seconds to get past the hulk in the rock. Jaxxon turned the ship so that the Whammo was looking at the very aft section of the ship. Even as they read the name they couldn't believe it. Both of them looked at it in awe of the repercussions of this event. For in the rock after being lost for 75 years The shooting stars had found the "Titanic II"!

Jax & Zac sat in the cock pit of the Whammo drinking champagne. This was there big one. Jax kept looking at it just sitting there. "My God Zac, do you know how rich we are. The salvage, the artifacts. Man we are rich. After a few years we can even "stumble upon it" and get all kinds of loot from tours, memorizing, merchandising." Jax said greedily.

"No." Zac said flatly.

"NO?!?" Jaxxon questioned. "Why not? It's ours, hey it's even legal." "True. But everyone died on it. It doesn't seem right some how."

"Zac, do you know how rich we could be. The salvage rights, the artifacts. After a few years we can even..- " suddenly a bright green beam cam shooting out the back end of the Titanic II. The Whammo was enveloped by the ray. Then it began drawing them closer. Zac and Jax went into action. This being the seventeenth time that they had been gripped by such a beam.

"Increase the thruster power while I start the Impulse generators." Jax said. He started to work the controls then he jerked back as sparks flew from the console.

Zac looked over to Jax. "If I modulate the deflectors we'll be ripped to pieces this far in the nebula."

Jax pounded his hands on the flight controls in front of him and said. "Well, I guess we get a free ride for a while." Outside the Titanic II grew bigger and bigger.

Once the ship was inside the largest docking bay ether of them had seen. The outer doors closed and lights came up. They noticed that there was several ships there from seventy five years ago. All being non-warp ships with large impulse engines. The marveled at the ancient ships. Jax went over to the air lock and dawned a mask. "Where are you going?' Zac asked.

From underneath the mask Jaxxon said muffled. "Out to see who brought us in here."

"Are you kidding?" Zac asked.

"No." Jaxxon said flatly. "If we don't see who brought us in then we'll never get out."

Zac sat back then thought for a moment. "Your right pass me a mask."

They opened up the hatch to the outer door on the Whammo's air lock. Dust covered the floor. Zac looked at the hatch indicator and say it's readings. "Were clear Type M atmosphere. We won't need the mask." They took them off and gave a small sniff. "But then again it could use a good air freshener. Where do you want to go first?" Zac asked.

"The bridge I saw as we passed that it was still in good looking order, besides if any one is here we can find them or evidence of them there. Some on had to be running this ship for this long."

They found an old fashion elevator and took it up to the upper level. Surprisingly after they went up to the top level it was a short walk up a ladder to the main bridge. They entered from a floor panel. Jaxxon went first surprised that the lights were still on the control center after all this time. He helped Zac up and they looked around. Finally Zac found the controls that they were looking for the ship auto recovery center. "I've switched it off we can leave now if we want."

Jaxxon looked at Zac then he was pushed down by a black robot who was hiding in a corner. It ran to Zac and stopped. "You know how too work zee ship then you are in command. I await you orders Ser." The robot spoke with a French accent'. Jaxxon picked himself off the floor and went over to where they were standing.

"What do you suppose it is a worker Bot' ?' Jax asked.

"Don't know maybe. " Zac turned back to the robot who was standing at attention. "Name and designation." He commanded.

"I am Chester Model 42, assistant wine specialist and ships 23 rd operations robot." It sounded in the same accent.

"Why are you on the bridge Chester?" Jaxxon asked.

"When we collided with the asteroid all other operation personnel and bot were deactivated. I have for the past seventy five standard years been manning the ship."

"Do you mean to tell me that you are serving as ships captain due to everyone else being "non functional."

"No ser, I have been in fact ships captain and crew. As there has never been any to replaces me."

Jaxxon sat in the captain chair. Zac moved around the bridge. Then asked. "Chester. where there any survivors of the crash?"

"Yes sir, but they ceased to function soon after due to a radiation leak from the ships warp core which was fixed 17 seconds after the last passenger expired. Unfortunately the ship cooking assistant was not very efficient with engineering skills."

Jaxxon sat up. What happened to the cooks assistant after he tried to fix the warp core?"

"That unit was damaged due to radiation like the passengers and crew. This unit gave programmed proper hail to all ships company and crew." The French robot said.

Zac cautiously asked then next Question. "Chester who do you think we are?"

"I have scanned the roster and found that you were not part of crew or company so it is my estimation that you are ether scrap dealers or a rescue party. With a 89/ 11% in favor of the first designation. If this is true then by interstellar law you are the new owners of the Titanic II and I await your orders." Chester stopped and looked both ways at Jax then Zac.

Jax leaned back and said. "I think we have a new base Buddy." Zac grinned an nodded back at Jax.

Then Zac looked at Chester. "Hey, Chester can you give me a tour of this joint?"

Chapter 10

Past: Stardate 21/4206.26

The man got out of the hover taxi and paid the driver. In his left hand was a Silvery black Briefcase. He looked up at the large building that was his destination this day. Zooka's Bar, Grille, Pleasure palace. As he walked up the ramp into one of the three revolving door he saw the dedication plaque.

Zooka's

may you never spill a drink!

From the Boy's

213904.06

The stranger entered the building and glanced at the Old fashion grandfather clock which read 2:37. He then headed to the coat room. After checking his coat with a lovely young lady with the bluest hair he seen in a lone time. Then he walked to the left and went down a flight of steps into the Red Room bar. The Red Room was only one of the may pleasures at Zooka's. Besides being Phred's premier hotel and casino it was also known for the Shooting Star restaurant, along with the other services that may be required. After scanning the room for a moment he smiled as he spied a small almost balding man with silver streaks in his almost gone hairline.

The stranger sat at the bar right in front of Fredercia Zooka the owner and bartender of the now famous place. Zooka stepped up to the man. "Canna I help you?"

"Maybe, I'm looking for ether Zac Wildstar or Jaxxon McCord, I want to hire then for a cargo."

Zooka looked at a scan under the bar it read that the stranger was carrying no weapons so Zooka said. "Mr. Zac isa over there in tha left back table. I donna know where Mr. Jax is.

The stranger smiled, a smile that made Zooka think of someone that he knew but Zooka couldn't place it. He watched as the man cross the floor to Zac's table where he was finishing a steak dinner.

Zac had just put the last bite into his mouth when a man walked up to the table. He looked up at the man. "Can I help you friend?" Zac asked expecting trouble.

"My name is Horatio Starbuck. The man at the bar said that you might be able to help me. Are you..

"Wildstar. Zac Wildstar. What's your business?"

"I have a precious cargo that I need transported to the Capac System." Horatio said.

Zac wiped his mouth and straighten his black tailored suit. "What's the Cargo?'

Horatio shuffled nervously. "Aludium Phosdex!" He replied.

Zac smiled because he knew that the stuff was hard to carry thus he could get a heavy price out of it. Still he decided played it cool. Aluduim Phosdex? That's highly unstable and dangerous atom.

"Yes, I know, if something were to happen to it, it would be a close shave for anyone carrying it."

Zac started to get up and put his white linen napkin on the table in front of him. "I'm sorry way too dangerous.."

Horatio cut him off before Zac had a chance to go on. "I'm willing to pay one hundred and fifty thousand credits!" Zac just starred at him a glare.

"Two hundred thousand credits." Horatio raised his voice.

Zac raised an eyebrow.

"All right then, three hundred thousand credits, But that's my final offer.

Zac sat back down and offered the man a chair opposite to himself. "How do you propose that we ship it? The slightest jar will cause the Phosdex to explode. Zac said calling a waiter. The waiter came with a Padd in hand. Zac looked up at him. "Ambrosian Straightarrow. Frosted." "Anything for you sir?" the waiter asked. Horatio waved his hand indicating he didn't want a beverage. Then Zac turned and said. "After all I have no intentions of having my ship destroyed, no matter how much you pay me."

"The Phosdex will be shipped in a special container in which the material will float suspended in an magnetic fields, plus the containers themselves is constructed from a special alloy that can contain almost any kind of explosion. Including that of Aludium Phosdex."

Zac liked the way that sounded. Still he wanted more info in his cargo. "So how many container of what size are we talking?" He asked.

"Five standard cargo class three containers."

"Ok. I think we have a deal." Zac said smiling.

"Good the cargo is all ready being loaded onto your ship at the space port." Horatio answered.

"You don't believe in wasting time, do you?" Horatio smiled.

"So the only thing we have left to discuss is the payment." Zac said. looking for the waiter with his drink.

"You will get half now and the other upon delivery." Horatio said answering Zac.

The waiter returned. Zac turned to grab the glass of swirling liquid. "And how long do we have to arrive?"

"One hundred Years." Horatio said.

Zac signed the credit slip and turned. "Excuse me did you say..." There was nobody there, but on the table was a briefcase full of money, and a white rose. Zac took a drink of the straightarrow then picked up the rose and put it into his lapel. "Strange Guy." He said to on one. He opened up the briefcase and took out a wad of credits and put them into his pocket. He closed the case and walked over to Zooka at the bar. Zac sat at the bar and waited for Zooka to come by.

"Hey, Zooka." Zac said.

Zooka put down the glass he was washing and came over to where Zac was sitting. "Yeas, Mr. Zac?"

"Did you see where that Guy was I sitting with went?"

"What Guy Mr. Zac?'

"The one that you sent ova .. Ah. Never mind. You see Jaxxon around?"

Zooka looks puzzled for a moment then he said. "I think he's inna Da casino."

"That figures." Zac mumbled.

"What'sa dat Mr. Zac?'

"Hmm, Oh, nothing. Thanks Zooka." Zac reached into his pocket and took out the wad of credits and through them at Zooka.

"What'sa dis for?"

"To pay for the damage that Jax is probably creating." Zac said as he left the room.

Zooka took the credits and put them into the cash register. "You a nice a guy Mr. Zac."

Zac smiled and walked out of the red room bar and said. "Yeah. I know."

In the Casino Zac spied an old friend dealing at the blackjack table. Barney was a real card shark. Literally, for if any one who saw Barney swimming at the ocean then they would see him as a shark as well. From his large jaws with pointed teeth to the large pectoral fin on his back Barney was all shark. The rest of him was as humanoid as anyone. From his size 42 waist to his size 10 d shoes. Still to first see Barney gave most costumes a chance to do a double take. As it turned out most people like him to deal the cards. So his was the most popular table in the casino. Also the most lucrative for the owners.

Zac walked up to the table. Barney was about to finished a hand and went to see if Zac wanted dealt in. But Zac waved his hand signifying that he just wanted to talk. "21, House wins." Barney proclaimed.

A man at the table with rather scruffy appearance for Zooka's took a puff on his cigar, and blew it into Barneys face. This while up setting most was brushed off by Barney because none of the smoke went near his gills. "You're cheating you lousy Fish!" The man said enraged.

Barney had been accused of this before as have every dealer in the galaxy. Barney tried to settle the man down. "Sir, If you have a complaint, please feel free to inform the house manager. I'm sure tha.... "

The man slammed his fist down on the table so had that several piles of chips tilted. Enough for other players at other tables to look that way. Then the man stood up. "I SAID! YOU WERE CHEATIN' FISH!" The man said pulling out an old fashion Bullet gun.

Zac reached for the palm laser that he kept in the lining of his vest for such emergencies.

The man now had almost everyone's attention in the casino. Then as everyone stood at a stand still a small voice from an older lady could be heard faintly. "Bingo" This didn't detract from the glassy glare the man gave Barney. "I WANT MY MONEY BACK, FISH!"

Barney was holding his small arms up as high as he could seeing how they were fin shaped and all. Still Barney tried one last time to reason with the man. "Sir did you ever consider that you are a lousy card player?" As he was saying this he flicked a metal cover up on the floor. Then he smiled at the man with all three row of his teeth showing "I'm sorry we don't give refunds!"

The man pointed the gun at Barney and said. "Well fish we'll just see about that." Then floor under the man opened up and the man dropped though the floor. Barney put his hands down and said."I doubt it, sir." A waiter replaced the chair in front of the counter and Zac sat a the table where the man had been. "You truly are a card shark Barney, Have you seen Jax?' Zac asked.

From the upper levels where the Hotel rooms were. Zac heard a loud thump then the sound of breaking glass, followed by a small mean looking person come from a hole in a window. Barney looked at Zac and said. "Off hand I think He's upstairs. Should I call security?"

"No. Thanks barn." Zac said looking up at the balcony.

Zac took off running towards the elevator.

The ride up seemed to take for ever though it was only third floor. When the doors open a bottle smashes on the opening doors. Standing in front is a semi familiar looking girl with blond hair wrapped in a Black towel with a blue and red stripe. (from the Hotels finer rooms.) She ducked in time to be missed by another bottle, as it flies toward him Zac catches it in mid-air. Looks at the label and nodes in approval of the vintage. He then looks up to see a form of Jaxxon on a bath robe fly by the open doors. Zac looks out of the elevator to see Jaxxon laying next to a broken table. Zac then goes over to Jax who is getting up brushing himself off. "Jax are you all right?" Zac asked.

"Merely a flesh wound." Jax says obviously in pain. Then the girl screams. They look up in time to see something coming at them. "Incoming." Jax yelled they all three ducked as a chair went flying over head.

"Zac, I'd like you to meet... Eh?" Jax said trying to introduce his friend.

"Roxanne." She said with a small giggle.

"Yeah, Roxanne."

Zac looked at her a weakly smiled. "Hello." Tipping his head.

"Yo." Jaxxon yelled as a lizard like creature bounds over Roxanne and Zac's heads and leaps on Jax who crumbles to the floor mumbling.

Zac turns to Roxanne. "So have you known Jax for long?"

She tightened up the towel around her that was giving way due to all the moving about. "Oh Yeah. It's been like, an forever."

"Really?" Zac asked.

"No really it's been about an hour and a half." Roxanne replied.

Outside the elevator Jax was with his back to the floor looking up at the lizard as it pulled a large beam from the ceiling support pillar. As the dark green reptile raises it to smash Jaxxon it stopped then with it's lizard like eyes blinked and fell down next to Jax. He looked to see Zac holding a the broken remains of the bottle me had caught earlier. "Thanks." Jaxxon says.

Zac grabs Jaxxon by his ear and lifts him up off the floor. "C'mere, sparky." Then Zac pointed toward the unconscious lizard man that he just knocked out. Roxanne looked out from the elevator. "Oh that's Bill."

Zac turn towards her still holding Jax by the ear. He took a small breath trying to relieve the stress that was building up. Zac had tried to get Jax to settle down now that they both owned Zooka's. He hoped that the smuggling and mis-adventure days were going to settle down. After all they were rich, they had good cloths, well known in the community, they had several nice ships. And were now at least fifty percent legit. He expected some people to show up from there past looking for revenge but Jax just kept adding name after name to the list. This situation was just the latest of the "Jax mishaps" this month. Last week was the laser shoot out in the casino, the week before it was the drunk repair guy in the Red room. Zac decided that he at least needed to know so he asked. "Who's Bill?'

Jax still being held by Zac smiled and looked longingly in to Roxanne's eyes. "Her husband."

Zac stares at Jax. "Her Husband?"

"Yeah." Jax answered.

Her husband bill, with the large steel beam. He let go of Jaxxon's ear only to grab both collars on the robe and pulled him towards his face. "Her husband Bill with the large steel beam who wants to play baseball with our heads?!" Zac said excitedly.

Jax pulled out a cigar from who knows where and lit it. "You haven't been going to your stress reduction classes have you Zac?" Then Bill woke up and started to charge at Zac & Jax.

"Eh.. Guys.." Roxanne said.

Not paying any attention to Roxanne. Zac started to yell at Jax. "Two hours I left you alone for Two hours." Bill was almost upon them Racing with the steel bean like an old fashion javelin.

Roxanne screamed. "Guys!?!"

Both Jax and Zac shoved the beam to the floor at the same time. It wedged under there feet, causing Bill to pole vault over the balcony rail overlooking the Casino. After Bill had flown the railings edge all three of them walked over to see the out come on the casino floor below. To there surprise Bill was running towards the elevator joined with several more of his race who were wearing blue uniforms tagging alone.

"Wow cool." Roxanne said.

Zac turned to the elevator door and took out his gun. To himself he thought. "You would think that I could leave him alone for two hours, without him trying to get me killed."

Jax turned to him and said. "Yeah, you'd think."

Zac fires at the door controls and then turns to Jax. "Could you just once go to the bar order a nice quiet safe drink? How about that wouldn't that be a nice change MM.?"

Jax lifts up his arms half way. "Everybody needs a hobby." Jax replies.

Stamp collecting ever think of that?" Zac said.

"I like stamps." Roxanne said meaning nothing.

Zac and Jax look at her and at the same time said. "Shut up Rox." A pounding could be heard from inside the elevator. The pounding got louder and louder as more of Bill's friends tried the door. At one point the door looked like it moved a little Zac reassured everyone by saying. "Don't worry the door fused shut."

Just then a beam from a cutting torch began to cut a circle in the door. "By the way Roxanne what kind of work is Bill in?" Zac asked as they start to move toward the stairwell.

"Oh, He's the chief of the local militia." She said matter of fact.

"What?" Zac and Jax say at the same time.

"You know, planetary defense, local law. That sort of thing. But he got the job through his cousin Grog."

"Grog Bloodknife?" Zac asked very afraid of the answer. She nodded then opened the door to the stair well.

"Grog's Cousin-in-law, How could you.." Zac started to say integrating.

"Hey, it's not like I ask for a resume's." Jax said shrugging. Roxanne came back out of the stairs and shut the door quickly. "That ways busy! "She said. Just then Bill and two other emerged from the elevator with lasers drawn. Zac picked up a potted plant. Then the stair door opened. Two others joined all flicking ther nasty lizard tongs. Bill spoke up. "Zacary Wildsthar, Jaxxthen Mc Cord you are under arrest."

"Jax. Window?" Zac asked. Motioning behind them.

"Window." Jax said sadly remembering they were on they third floor. Zac threw the plant into the glass and it broke. Then right after it the jumped out the window.

They had expected it to hurt when they fell. But it didn't then Jax looked up they had landed on the top floor of the Parking Garage. So that they fell exactly three feet. The Lizards started to fire out the window as Roxanne, who was still in the black towel, walked out of the window onto the garage roof. She smiled at Zac and Jax. Then they grabbed her arms and started to run across the roof. Zac looked back in time to see Bill standing in the window Yelling. "Roxanne, I'm sorry Honey come back." Then bill found them and with the rest of the officers started to fire.

Jax, Zac, and Roxanne raced between several parked hover cars while lasers bounced off of the highly shined and perfectly super-waxed cars. Jaxxon stopped them at a black 1970 mustang that was converted to hover. Jax's Car. "Ok." Zac said. "Give me the key's!"

"Dose it look like I carry the keys in this outfit?" Jax replied as the laser volleys grew in intensity showing that Bill and his men were getting closer.

"You don't have the keys?" Zac said as his heart sank.

Then Roxanne handed a set of keys to Zac. "Here." She said. Zac unlocked the door and they pulled out making Bill's party grab concrete as they whizzed by. Bill then got up and was handed a radio. "This is Bill, Shooting stars in a black sport coupe, License 'J-a-x-s c-a-r' most likely heading for the space port. I'll call Grog."

In the car Jax drove. Several police hovers were chasing them though the streets of new Phred. Zac was beside Jax with Roxanne on the other end. After flying by the police Jax had just completed an maneuver of flying under a moving truck. This at least slowed the police. "I'm heading for the space port." Jax said. "I think we need to get off planet for a few days. Wanna stop at an atm?"

Zac just opened up his vest and showed him a wad of money. "No, Oh, by the way I was coming up stairs to tell you we have a job. Cargo to the Capac system. It's already loaded on the Whammo."

Roxanne looked behind and didn't see anyone behind them. "Fellas, We have nothing to worry about."

Jax smiled. Them he had a realization. He looked over at Roxanne. "You were going to steal my car. That's why you had the keys."

"How do you think I meet Bill?" She said coyly.

Zac then turned to her. "I got one Question."

"What?" She asked.

"Where did, you hide the keys?" Zacasked

Roxanne just gave a huge smile.

Jax slowed and tilted the car and released the door Roxanne started to fall out Zac grabbed for her arm but only got the black towel. Jax then closed the door and sped off.

"Jaxxon! What do you think your doing?" Zac yelled implying his message of dissatisfaction.

"Hey, she was going to steal my car."

At the space port they were waiting. At the door, at the gates, in the parking lot, and most likely in the rest rooms as well. Jax circled the port. It was a good thing that they had "changed" cars he thought as he was eating french fries. "Zac looked at him again. "You know we could of at least left the food." Zac said.

"True but if your going to do that by the side of the road you deserve to get caught. Besides that's illegal and most likely not to good for the tree ether." Jax replied. Then a energy bolt shot at them. Then another. "I'd say we've been seen." Zac said.

"Drastic times." Jax said. Then he took the car down. As they were diving Jax took hand mic from the radio and tuned the radio/comm. "Whammo Preflight." They dove past the police cars and swooped near the radar dish above the space port.

Zac was almost getting used to such exploits. "Aren't we going in a little steep?"

"Yes we are, I figured if I break at the last minuet then we have a couple of seconds to get in the Whammo. They will think that I have to do the Preflight so they won't attack right away. I hope." Jax said almost convinced of it myself. The car angled down. It reminded Zac of the training accident those many years ago. From his window Zac could see the police cars surrounding the port. Their hover cars began tiller then did a full roll.

"Is this part of you plan?" Zac asked. The car turned upright and then Zac saw the ground rushing up at what seemed warp speed right along with his stomach. The hover hit the pavement and skidded ever closer towards the round silver ship. Sparks flew and they knew that this car would never fly again. Zac closed his eye not wanting to see themselves crash into the Whammo. Then a small thud and he jerk forward slightly.

"It is now." Jaxxon replied.

They both had to kick open their doors. While Jax was running around the back at the car Zac looked at the small dent the barrowed car made in the Whammo. "You can't get good valet parking anymore."

Jax hit the key pad on the Whammo's lock. "Hey, what do you want your a lousy tipper."

"Nice."

The hatch opened and they ran up the ramp and into the to deck of the Whammo. they sat in the two chairs that faced the large three paneled window. Jax hit three buttons and said.

"Launch." For a second there was nothing then they were jerked into their seat by the thrust. It felt like a swat from the angry principle. Then the dampeners kicked in and Jaxxon hit the thrusters taking them away from their beloved Phred.

As the Whammo took off the car was wedged into the side more than Zac had seen. It stayed for about five seconds after tale off going higher and higher with the Whammo then it fell back to the ground where it landed on the top of Bills police car that had just landed. From inside Bill picked up the radio.

On the bridge of the New Dark Winged Vengeance Grog sat at the command chair watching the view. "Sorry, Cousin but they got away. If you make orbit in time you can catch them." Bill said bending his head down due to the bent in roof.

Grog stroked his beard. "Bill, you are still the fool that you have always been. If you would of waited an hour then I would of been in orbit. But now that you jump the gun I'm going to have to chase them yet again. Pray that they don't escape me again. Grog out." He stood up and went to the helmsman. "We are looking for a small class two cargo ship. Find it, track it, then call me. Do not try to over take it."

"Aye, Sir." the helm answered.

Grog turned and moved his black cape, and left the bridge.

Three hours had past and Zac still looked at the aft sensors. "I'm telling you that we are being followed."

Jaxxon paused and tried not to roll his eyes. "Look Zac, It's a sensor shadow. I'm sure of it. If we were followed then they would attack by not. But nothing Phred police has would catch us. It's just a sensor shadow or something. Take it easy."

"I guess that your right. But still when we get to the Capac System Have them checked out Ok?"

"With the deal that you cut for this cargo not a problem." Jax replied patting Zac on the back.

The ship rocked with a loud thud, then another. Over the comm unit a familiar voice came. "Greetings Shooting stars. I'm glad that you have entered into my trap. I'm wanted to call before blowing you up and say good-bye." Grog said.

Jax looked at Zac. "Sensor shadows, Thank Jax." Zac said.

"Sorry, I didn't expect this. I think we can make it into the Titanic II and hide."

"Maybe. Were heavy with this cargo but think we can make it inside then we'll be safe. Modulating deflectors now."

As Zac hit the controls Jax flew the Whammo into the Nebula. Countess time before they had escaped Grog in this manner. Each time they inversion Grog madder and madder.

this time was different as they entered the nebula then were shocked to see Grogs ship following them. Zac scanned the Dark Winged Vengeance. "Jax your not going to like this." Zac said.

"What?" Jaxxon asked. "What ain't I going to like?"

"Grog modulated his deflectors and is following us in." Zac answered.

At that moment the life support panel exploded as the ship was hit again. "Cargo bay hit, life support down." Zac yelled. Then the hatch to the cargo bay burst open. Minus twenty degrees Aludium Phosdex flooded the cabin. And with the coldness of space expanded and engulfed the Shooting stars. The last thing in Jaxxon's McCord mind was."So that where left my keys......

The last thing through Zac's mind was. "So that's were she put Jax's keys."

Present

Chapter 5c

Alex rubbed her eyes and asked. "Guardian is this the time flaw? Is Zac Wildstar suppose to get away and be safe at this point?"

"NO!" the Guardian answered.

Alex again looked at the screen and this time she saw a constitution starship from the outside. From the outer view the angle she was looking at came in from the roof reviling a young captain in a goldfish green tunic sitting in the command chair.

Past

Chapter 11

Past: Stardate 22/1203.15

Captain Log: Stardate 1203.15. The Enterprise is working it's way back home to earth. In the five years since I have commanded her we have been through a lot together. Now as our final "cake" Mission before returning home we are to investigate and Map the Phredian Nebula, long hazard to navigation in this region. Who know maybe we'll find the Lost liner Titanic II reported to disappeared in this region of space more than one hundred and fifty years ago. Our duration of this mission is estimated at two solar days.

Captain James T. Kirk.

Commanding U.S.S. Enterprise

Kirk shut off the log recorded and went over to science officer Spock's station.

Kirk hung there as Spock looked into the View scanner. "I'm detecting nothing out of the ordinary for a nebula of this size Captain. Recommend that we proceed into the Nebula at this time. With scanners and mapping equipment." The Vulcan said dryly as ever.

Kirk repeated the order as he turned around to see Sulu entering the commands into the helm. Chekov work his station recording the Nebula gases as Kirk went and sat back in his chair in the center if the starships bridge. The scanner was all kirk heard for a few moments then Kirk received a call from sickbay. "Go a head Doctor." Kirk said.

"Jim, Starfleet wants a full medical profile on you before we reach space dock. Some nonsense about comparing starship Captain stress levels before and after mission. It sounds like a bunch of hogwash to me but I'm required to do it. So if you have the time while Spock watched the pretty lights then we can get over with and I'll sleep tonight."

James Kirk hate exams. All way had ever since his first hospital stay after that accident with the U.S.S. Farragut. But this time he didn't seem to mind. James kirk was an explorer but the study of what he explored mostly made him feel like a fifth wheel. So this time he didn't mind the exam. Getting up from his chair, he spoke." I'll be right down Bones, Spock you have the Comm. Call me if anything exciting happens." The turbo lift doors shut and Spock who Barely looked up from his scanner said. " Aye Sir."

As Kirk walked into the sickbay, He saw that Mc Coy was working on one of the Bio beds. Kirk had seen the intensity before as Mc Coy worked on an unfortunately patient. But something was different to Kirk a sweetness in the air immediately he thought of the cloud creature from four years ago. He rushed over to see Mc Coy. But there on the bed sat a cake, and instead of a medical scanner. Leonard Mc Coy was holding a pastry bag full of frosting. "blast Jim. if you could walk a bit slower I'd of had this done before you got here!" the doctor scolded.

James Kirk looked down at the cake which read. "To James T. Kirk, Who has boldly gone where no man ha~" "i was trying to finish 'has gone before.' But you came in too early."

"Bones this is great. I didn't know you could cook." Kirk said looking at the cake smiling.

"Wait until I maker you some of my grand fathers baked beans." Mc Coy paused and handed Kirk a laser scalpel on a low setting. "care top do the honors Jim?'

He took the instrument and started to slice the cake. "I'm surprised that you didn't through a full blowout party."

Mc Coy put his hands around his back and did hid Spock imagination. "Captain, such a function would be of no logical value and would serve to hinder efficiency. Besides Scotty is preparing a blowout now. I truly wanted Spock here for our private party but He's glued to his monitor."

"Well you can't blame him for his respect to duty." Kirk said taking into his mouth the first bite of cake. It was chocolate, but not just any Andorian Chocolate. the best in the Quadrant, and the most expensive. It exploded in his mouth activating every taste but he had.

Mc Coy took his piece in hand. "Yes, I can Jim, every time I try to warm up to that pointy eared hob goblin I get the...." Mc Coy was interrupted from a whistle.

"Captain Kirk to the Bridge, Emergency." Rang out the voice of Spock. Kirk thrust the plate down and looked sorry at the doctor. Mc Coy simply said to kirk as he headed out the door. "Don't worry i knew this would happen I have a status cabin cleaned out to keep the cake."

As Kirk entered the turbo lift he smiled and whipped the chocolate off of his face.

Kirk entered the bridge and asked. "Status, Spock?" As he sat in his command chair. The chair was soft and comfortable. It molded to him like a glove. As if only he could ever sit there and the ship knew it. There had been a rumor floating about that since the Enterprise was the only Constitutions class ship of the first twelve to come back from a five year mission that his chair was going to be put into the Smithsonian's flight museum. Kirk never liked rumors like that first because he thought that it was silly but most of all because if he did take out the enterprise he wanted his chair where it was.

"Captain, I'm scanning a small vessel. class two perhaps three." Answered the Vulcan.

"What's so strange about that Spock?"

"The ship appears to be a design over a hundred Years old. Also I'm reading two life forms most likely the ships captain and navigator.." Spock answered.

"Spock try to get a registry, Chekov main viewer." Kirk ordered.

The screen shifted from the ahead view to some where else. Kirk saw a round silver ship liken to the old earths myths of flying saucers. It turned slowly. as the aft shown itself Kirk could see the rupture on the ships skin. nearly one forth of the ships hull was gone exposing what looked like a cargo area.

"Sir, registry coming clearly now. she is listed as the .." Spock paused for a moment looking for the slightest moment uncertain of the information he was about to relay. "..Whammo."

In unison Chekov, Sulu and Kirk said. "The shooting stars."

Kirk retrained the composer and cough slightly making his younger officers regain theirs as well. "Spock are you sure your reading that right? The Whammo?"

"Yes sir the Whammo. Are you familiar with this vessel Captain."

"Yes, Spock you could say that. As a boy I read history tapes of the "Shooting stars." Early on it was partly them that had me think about going into space. You've never heard of them Spock?" Kirk asked.

"Jaxxon McCord, a genetically engineered human, and his partner Zacary Wildstar. Know for shall we say numerous infractions of the law. Then modern day pirates. There disappearance some seventy years ago was at best sketchy. I can give you a list of there suspected crimes." Spock answered.

"No, Thank you." Kirk said. "I'm well aware of there exploits. As a kid I read everything about them.

"Da vammo is famous, every school boy in Russia has vead about them. I use to read book about deem vita my school mates." Chekov spoke up.

"I've always wanted to go to Phred and see Zooka's there old hide out." Said Sulu.

Spock looked around not knowing quite what to say. Many time in the past the crew had expressed fond feeling about curtain criminals. "I still fail to see why stylish criminals are relished. Did they not break the same laws as did stylishly ones."

"That's true Spock. But they were never actually found guilty by any one except.. Oh what was his name. The Governor at the time?"

"I tink it vas Grog Bloodknife, Sir." Chekov said.

"That right Bloodknife. And he was late found to be a crook himself as I recall."

"Correct, Sir." Spock answered. Then a loud beep from Spock board made him turn around again looking into the scanner. "Sir, I'm now reading two faint life signs.

"Bring the ship in to the shuttle bay." Kirk ordered then he turned on the sickbay channel. "Doctor Mc Coy to the shuttle bay. With deep cold recitations gear. Mr. Sulu you have the bridge Spock your with me." The two man raced to the lift.

Zac was cold, No more than cold he was frozen. He could tell where every vein, artery, capillary was. He thought that his blood was replaced by Ice water. He tried to think of his last memory but nothing was getting though his mind but the cold. The only other thing Zac realized was that he definitely hears Jaxxon snoring.

Zac again woke. This time he was warmer, he tried to move his hand, Nothing. Mouth, nothing. Head, nothing. Legs, still nothing. From everywhere there was a bright light. Even though Zac's eyes were closed, (he thought) he could still see the blinding light. Then he felt a little warmer. As this happened he realized that it was because he was so tired that he couldn't move his muscles. He concentrated then with what he thought was his greatest effort made his eyes open. He was hit by a grittier light which slowly faded into light blurs then into fuzzy shapes. he blinked and sat that he was lying down on a bed some where. An older man walked into the room then looked at Zac and smiled. He went over to a walk and did the strangest thing he ever saw he talked to the wall and it answered back. Zac tried to laugh at this but went back to darkness.

Zac heard a small his, and he was warm. He felt his lungs fill up with air, but was shocked to feel how for some reason he had missed doing that. He realized that there was a slight wetness to his right arm. Again he opened his eyes and saw the man who talked to walls. this a time the colors he saw wasn't as bright, but they now looked normal. He tried to speak but a small wisping sound came out. the Man in blue smiled down at him. "Take it was friend, don't try to struggle. You've been out of it for a while. My names Leonard Mc Coy. I'm your doctor for good or bad. But I'll tell you this so fare your doing great in the way of recovery. I have to go now." The man put a button in his hand. "If you need anything squeeze, your strong enough for that now." The man turned and left the room. Zac laid back and fell back asleep.

Zac was a woke by a bright light shining in his face. "you still with me Zac?" Jaxxon asked wiggling a penlight in Zac's face. "I am unless you stop shining that bloody light in my face then I'll be all alone."

Jaxxon sat back on his bed that was next to Zac's. "Have any Idea where we are. I know we ain't on Grog's ship it's to well lit."

Zac remembered the Button the doctor cave him. He pressed it and a small beep rang out. "No but we'll know in a few minuets."

In just that amount of time Doctor who called himself Mc Coy entered the door to the right of the room. Behind him was a man in a similar Gold/ green shirt. And behind that man was a man in a red shirt who waited out in what looked like a hallway. Dr. Mc Coy checked the reading and nodded to the other man who looked at the two as if seeing old friends then he straightened up and spoke. "Hello, My name is Captain James T. Kirk I'm the command officer of the starship Enterprise, the vessel that you are on. WE found you adrift in the Nebula."

"Adrift, We were blown out of the sky." Jaxxon Added.

"True." Kirk added. "My science officer tells me that if the phosdex hadn't instantly frozen you would is died in the vacuum of the nebula. For some reason we are still trying to figure out you entered into a type of hibernation."

"Jaxxon McCord and this is my partner Zacary Wildstar." Jax said.

Kirk bowled his head slightly. Yes I know we have done some checking while the good doctor was reviving you."

"How long were we frozen." Zac asked quickly.

"Seventy years. Approximately." Kirk replied.

"Seventy Years?!" Exclaimed both Zac and Jax at the same time.

Dr. Mc Coy Watched as the Blood Pressure, Heart Rate, adrenalin, stress levels rose on the two patients. Jaxxon passed out. Mc Coy shoved Kirk out of the way and began working On Jax. after several injection by the hissing rod he brook off from him and looked at Zac.

"The shock was too great for you friend after the hibernation. I cave him a mild sedative but he'll Be all right in a few hours. Better to let him sleep."

Kirk looked at Wildstar. For a moment the connected on some level. like brothers and Zac felt a kinship with this man, as if the situation could be reversed and Kirk would be feeling the same as Zac did now. "Captain Kirk where did you say we were on a "starship" What is that?" Zac asked.

"A Starship Like the Enterprise is an exploration Vessel of the Federation." Kirk said.

"Federation?' Zac asked. A trade Federation?"

"Well yes we do deal with trade but the federation is a group of planet who have the common goal of exploration, learning, trade and general welfare, and common defence. Our ship has weapons but only as defense. We ourselves are returning from our first five year mission..."

Wildstar interrupted. "Five years. No ship can be out that long. I don't care how long we were 'asleep' Your talking thing from an old Si-fi movie Captain."

Kirk smiled and said. "It's true I assure you. The federation is member by some seventy five different races and planets. Several whom we have made first contract with I'm proud to say."

"As you night know were are.." Zac looked for the right word. ".traders." are there still such a need for free traders."

"My yes, free trade is encourage in the Federation. And as endurance of that free trade we Meaning my self and crew are part of an organization called Starfleet. We act as explorers, defense and some times as inspectors to make sure trade stays fair." Kirk said hinting around to Zac's past.

Mc Coy stepped in and said. "Jim, that enough for now, Let them rest. you can come by later if you want."

Kirk agreed with the doctor and started to leave. Then he turned. And asked. Are you free for dinner tomorrow night?"

Zac turned to Mc Coy. "Are we?'

"They should be if you rest and the Captain quits bothering you."

Kirk gave a false salute to the doctor and left.

Once in the hall Captain Kirk stopped at the guard at the door. "Stand guard, let no one in or out unless authorized by myself Spock or Dr. Mc Coy."

"Acknowledge sir." Was the security guards answer.

Kirk walked along the curved wall until he cam to a comm. unit that was in the wall. He hit the red button. "Spock assemble the senior staff in the briefing room. We may have trouble. We not going to get caught off guard as we were with Khan."

Kirk entered the briefing room to find that the officers were there waiting for him. He sat at the head of the table.

Spock began by displaying the images of Jax and Zac on the triangle shaped viewer that sat in the middle of the oddly shaped table. then he spoke up. "According to out records "The Shooting Stars" as they have been called. Were at their time known as pirates of the Phredian, Drexel, Perty, G'rtiar and several systems in this sector. Thought never actually arraigned of crimes they were indited by the then governor of Phred Grog Bloodknife. What are records have found was that when they are to have there most famous crime the robbery destructing of the Bank of Phred and that, that charges statute of limitations is still in effect.

Kirk sat and listened as did everyone else. Thinking of the stories that he had read and heard as a boy. "Dr. McCoy do we have prove that they are truly who they say that are."

'I did a compete Physical on both of them. Even retinal scans. they both check out as who they say they are. McCord even has at a cellar level the serial numbers that Dr. McCord used when he created his highbred children. I checked with Centauri and Wildstar had a scare from when he was a child. So there is no doubt in my mind that they are the true shooting stars."

"Aye, an the vessel we got in the hanger is'd true article for that time. Metallurgy confirms that. I dinna see how they canna be any but the genuine thing." added the chief engineer.

Kirk as usual sat back and listened to all his officers give their advise. As in many times before in the back of his mind he had a plan of action. He used their options as a sounding board as to the validity of his plan.

Spock was the next to speak up. "Captain the fact of who they say that are is not in question. In fact we have, indeed, all ready proven that. The paramount concern at this time is that the individuals we have in our sickbay have a warrant out for their arrest. Under Federation law you must expedite them to the nearest Federation court of Law."

James Kirk sat up in the chair. He knew what his first officer was saying. And at this moment he didn't like it. "Mr. Spock is right. Despite our personal feeling we are bound by regulation in this matter. We will here by reconvene at fourteen hundred hour tomorrow to conduct a hearing. Mr. Spock will act as the prosecution and Uhura will act as defense. I'll ask consuls that no charges be brought up until tomorrow. Dr. Mc Coy's patients need their rest and charging them tonight we'll only add to their weaken condition." Kirk looked around the room to the somewhat disturbed faces. "Dismissed." The crew got up and started to exit the room.

Once in the hall Uhura caught up with Dr. McCoy. "Leonard, is there any way to prove exactly how long the shooting stars were in hyphenation?"

"If you mean to the day then no. But I could pin it down to the month, maybe the week. Why?" Mc Coy answered.

"I'm not sure but if I'm going to defend them then I'd better get the facts about out guest. Can they have visitor in the morning?" She asked.

"In the mourning, yes. It'll give me time for your test." He answered.

"Ok, Tonight I'll look up my facts about them. Thank you Leonard."

Mc Coy turned into a small hall that lead to a lift. "Think nothing of It my dear."

The next morning. Zac sat reading from a small screen that hung by his bed. He was amazed by all the technology that had sprung up. They have past warp three, used subspace for communications, And was now using phased directed energy as weapons. Zac was reading a article on the subject. "Jax listen to this Phased energy with the energy being remodulated before firing.' That what happened when we blew up Grog Remember. Man we invented the first phaser. I knew that was going to be big."

Jaxxon sat eating a steak that the blond nurse brought out of the wall. "What was it with the wall on this ship." Jax thought. "don't they ever just hold up the roof?" He stopped chewing. "Yeah sure Zac and if you lived in the twentieth century then you'd have invented those plastic end to shoe lasses."

Kirk walked in and was followed by two security guards Then Uhura and then Spock. Spock stood besides Kirk. "Gentleman I'm sorry, but I'm afraid that you are to be put under arrest, for the charge of Robbery. We have set a trial for this afternoon at fourteen hundred hours." Spock nodded her way. "This is Lieutenant Uhura she will be acting as you consuls, if you so desire than other will be provided."

Jax looked deeply in to Uhura bark brown eyes. "No, thank you If we're going up the river then I want her rowing the boat."

"Jax. this is serious." Zac yelled. Then shook his head and looked at Kirk. "Why?"

Kirk saw the wonder in Zac's eyes. That was a powerful world ,'why'. He had used it on the companion, on Landru, even on himself as the spores of omicron ceti three. He knew what he was asking. And something else struck Kirk. This Wildstar was different. Of al the challenges that Kirk fought though the years, under it all none of them Kirk saw as a danger because there was some way that Kirk could see around them. But with Wildstar he saw and equal, Kirk had remembered the last time this. It was four years ago on the Romulan neutral Zone, a commander who Kirk never knew his name a man that in an other reality he could call a friend. But like before his duty came before anything else. "I'm sorry, regulation constrict me as arbiter in this matter if you wish to address me it must be through your lawyer."Kirk said trying to sound like Spock.

Jaxxon laughed. "Don't worry captain Grog was always trying to do this type of thing to us. But I guess this time He made it stick."

"We'll be keeping you hear so that your recovery may be unhindered. Unless you prove difficult." Kirk said before he and Spock left the sickbay. As they did Mc Coy plopped two chairs on the wall of the sickbay. He motioned to the Guards and pointed to the chairs. "Sit, and stay out of my way, or I'll lock the two of you in the Brig." Mc Coy then handed Uhura a data pad and she smiled. "Fellas, We have nothing to worry about."

Jaxxon leaned back in bed and asked. "Isn't that what Roxanne said before we got turned into Zac & Jax-cicles?"

In the elevator to the Zac had counted that the ship had at least ten decks, this information made him both excited and scared. If this Federation could build ships like this what could a couple of ancient smuggler like them do? All Zac know for sure that this ship was big. and if Jax tried to escape they were both dead. Just before they got to the makeshift court room Jax said "Big ship." This nondescript message passed by the guards but it made Zac a little more at ease to know that Jax also knew that escape was at this point not a viable option.

As they entered the saw mostly officers that they knew from before, the only addition was a young woman doing wharf they assumed was recording the proceeding. Zac noticed that their uniforms were different than before, newer, less comfortable. Then it hit Zac. Dress uniforms. He remembered the ones at the academy stiff itchy. As if on cue the Doctor scratched and pulled at his. They were seated on at the table where Uhura was sitting. Spock was at the table to the left and Kirk, Mr. Scott, and Dr. Mc Coy sat at he table in front of them.

Kirk took a small wooden hammer and double struck a brass bell three times. Ding- Ding, Ding- Ding, Ding- Ding rang the Bell. Kirk then spoke up. "This hearing of Jaxxon Garfield McCord and Zacary Remington Wildstar, is now called to order. The charge is Robbery of the Bank of Phred. How do you Plead?"

Zac looked at Jax and shrugged.

Uhura rose from her chair. "We plead Not-Guilty your Honor."

"Court enters the plea of not Guilty, Mr. Spock you may call your first witness." Kirk said trying not to look at Zac.

Spock rose and addressed the head table. "Sir, Due to the extemporaneous facts of this case I have no Witnesses to call. So at this time I would like to submit Peoples Evidence A & B." Spock answered. He carried over two item nether was recognized by Zac or Jax.

"First we have the play back of the Robbery of the Bank of Phred on stardate 21/40 10.24 Which with the court permission I would like to review at this time." Spock said.

Kirk slipped the disk in to a slot on the table in the view screen that was opposite the door a picture of the Phred skyline appeared. What happened next was astounding to Zac & Jax. What looked like the Whammo landed and fired at the bank. A tractor beam opened up on the bank and yanked the banks safe from it's very foundation, smashing a person who was caught between the safe and the ship, killing them instantly. The ship took off holding the safe in tow and the bank now unstable collapsed on to itself. The screen went blank.

Spock again stood up. "Other then the one seen seventeen people were killed when the building clasped. The other tape is of the arrest warrant for the accused here today. All is in order and the term of one hundred years has not yet expired."

Zac and Jax sat looking at each other. Then Jax spoke up while lighting a cigar. "Captain, your honor, what ever. First who ever made that tape has falsified the records. Second We had money in that Bank why would we rob our own money. I'll admit their atm's didn't work half the time and I blasted a few but that was not us."

Kirk pounded the table with the hammer. "You sir are out of order. If you have another out burst like that I'll hold you in contempt." Jaxxon sat down and shot an angry glance at Zac. Then Kirk began again. "Uhura do you have a rebuttal to Mr. Spock's Testimony?"

"Yes sir, We have a witness for the defense." She said confidently gave Jaxxon a wink as if the damaging evidence was nothing to be worried about.

"Miss Uhura you may call your first witness." Kirk said.

"Defense calls Dr. Leonard Mc Coy, Chief Medical Officer for the Starship Enterprise."

Mc Coy went over and took the stand. the computer lit up under his plan and spoke.

"State name and Rank."

Mc Coy Grimace slightly. Then said. "Mc Coy Leonard H. Chief Medical Officer of the U.S.S. Enterprise."

Uhura stood beside Mc Coy and looked at the Doctor. "Doctor, all in this tribunal are well aware of you medical knowledge. And I think even Mr. Spock would Acknowledge your credentials are logical the finest we have in space medicine." She shot a look at the Vulcan. He nodded his head in acknowledgment. " As I prepared for this trial can you tell us what your findings were and what kind of test I had asked you to perform on the accused."

"You had asked me to run a micro cellar scan. Or as you put it try to find how long they were frozen. The scan I'm sure Spock could tell you, will also give a reading of how long a foreign particles would be present. In this case I checked for Aludium Phosdex. The test showed that from the time they were unthawed. Stardate 22/1203.15 they were suspended for a Seventy years, nine months, twenty to twenty five days. Which puts them frozen for about three

months before the bank raid. Also I found that due to there exposure that they will both half as slowly as they are suppose to." Mc Coy looked at them. Confabulations boys I wish it was under better timing that I told you."

Uhura handed the results to Mr. Spock and he looked them over. Uhura turned to Kirk. "The defense rest."

Zac and Jax sat nervously not knowing what to do. Under the table however Jax tapped Zac's leg. When Zac looked down he saw that Jaxxon was holding a gun shaped devise. To his relief It was on a stun setting. Zac nodded at Jax.

The Vulcan stood up and set the readout down. "Sir, Prosecution hereby with draws it's clam." And sat back down.

Kirk sat up straight. "Charges Dismissed." and rang the bell as he did before. Immediately Mc Coy undid his top button. Then Kirk walked over to Zac & Jax extending his hand to McCord only. "Gentleman. I'm sorry that we have welcomed you into our century so rudely. But we had to be sure. To make it up to you Please accept my invitation to Dinner tonight. And I'll explain in detail how history retails your tails."

Jaxxon light up a cigar. "So what your telling me is that we are famous?"

"As famous as Billy the Kid and with as many legions I'll wager." Kirk said smiling back.

Jax puffed. "I'll take that bet.

(Another Break from our sponsors) From the floor of Starfleet command ambassador Sarek pointed out the broken window. Through the rain and hail and bitter lashing storms he pointed to a growing shape of a Klingon bird of pray. "Look, There!" He yelled.

(And now back to our show.)

Chapter 12

Past: Stardate 22/2110.21

Commands Log Stardate 1905.21: This is a different very unusual day for me. My first full day as a Commander. My first day as first officer of The U.S.S. Dexterous NCC-1750. Captain Kypkov. Has been preparing for our trade mission with a new race the Betazeds. And we are underway to that planet. Ships status is green and all is functional normally.

Commander. Zacary R. Wildstar

A man look at the readout and he tugged at his uniform then he read again. "'Ships status is green and all is functional normally.' Zac was that some kind of a joke?" Captain Bernard J. Kypkov asked the Commander standing before him in his ready room. "People actually read these thing everyone in a while and you putting down things like Green and functional."

"Sorry Sir." Zac said.

"No your not, Don't lie. You hate paper work as much as I do." Kypkov said.

"More Sir." Zac replied.

"True but as long as I'm the captain your stuck with it. So lighten up on the sarcastic metaphors. Dismissed." Kypkov said waving his hand.

"Thank you sir." Zac said and started to turn to leave the ready room.

"Oh, Commander. Cards at twenty two hundred?"

"Depends sir. Have any money to lose?" Zac said as he walked out the door not waiting for a reply. He move toward the turbo lift.

"Zac, Wait up." A young blond Vulcan yelled at Zac from down the hall.

He stopped and waited. "Bo. What do you need?" Zac asked starting to walk again.

"I just was wonderin' if yall has heard the news?" Bo said trying to keep up as the lift door closed.

"What news? Deck 7." Zac said to Boregard Belvedere the to the lift.

"Why about Kirk you knew em didn't ya."

"Lift stop. What about the admiral?"

"He's stolen the Enterprise, and took her to Genesis then brought back a Bird of Pray. Now he's standing trial at command." Bo exclaimed.

Zac looked astonished at first then looked again at Bo. "Good try you almost had me that time.

Bo held up his hand and gave the Vulcan salute. "Scouts honor, Zac It just came though subspace. Ya'll can check with fuzzy ifin' ya want." Zac consider it for a moment then knowing James T. Kirk the way that he did he knew that it could be true.

"Computer return me to Captain's cabin, deck three." Zac said. The lift started to move once more.

"Zac, I'm sorry." Kypkov said from behind the desk. "I know that your friends with Admiral Kirk. And I know that he even sponsored you to join Starfleet, but I can't authorize you leave at this time. For one thing I'm going to need you at these Betazed negotiations. The other fact is that we are to far out to turn around to arrange transport." The captain truly looked sorrowful at having to turn down Wildstar request for leave. "I'll tell you what..."

Just then a chime sounded and Sid Wuvuw the ships communication officer spoke. "Captain to the bridge please. Emergency." Both Zac and Ben raced to the bridge.

Once there Kypkov sat in his center chair while Zac scanned the rest of the bridge to get the same information. "Status?" Kypkov asked. Zac was always in awe of how well he handled the stress of moments like this one.

The helmsman Ensign Steward "Nick" Delarenzo reported with his deep Italian voice. "What wes gat here is a class M planet in the middle of now here."

"Science Report." Kypkov ordered. A Vulcan reported from her station to the right of the Captain. Zac was standing over her as she spoke up.

"Sir, what we have is an anomaly at best. With no solar source this planet is still reading as class M. Sensor reading relate that at one time the planet was part of a system but I am registering that the systems sun must have exploded pushing this planet away from it's orbit. A large mass of the cooling stars mass must of impacted in the surface and have since cooled enough to maintain life."

"How is that possible T'Lar?" Zac asked in surprise.

"The sun must of been high mass and hit with an impact quick enough to mold the stars fragment in to the planets crust. After that the molten part of the planet must be keeping it supplied with energy. Captain I request a scientific landing party."

"Kypkov sat in his chair thinking for moment. "Do we scan any life on that planet?"

"Lower animals sir, as one would expect nothing very large would of survived the dust winter of the impact."

"All right then. Zac you have the bridge. Nick take us into standard orbit and keep us there. I don't want you to lose our floating friend there."

"Yo" Nick replied.

"T'Lar, Belvedere, your with me. Zac call security and assign me someone, also tell Day that he going planet side." Kypkov ordered.

"Think that will help his disposition?" Zac asked jokingly.

"It better."

Zac sat in the captain chair following the landing parties progress. Their report read that they were in a temperate zone of the planet. As the world spun the heat from the core kept the rest of the planet warm. T'Lar reported that in fifty years the core would play out and the planet would ice up into a rather unusual asteroid with a hollow center. Zac couldn't help but think of the Titanic Two stuck in one such asteroid. Some day he thought that he should go back their again. Jaxxon had moved there after they went and join starfleet. After graduation Jaxxon wanted to recapture their one time glory only to find that any one who was interested in the shooting stars was under the age of ten. On any world. So in typical Jaxxon fashion he went off as an independent to the only place in the Galaxy that he thought he fit in The Klingon Empire. There he could tell his deeds and fight for honor. He was doing well, even helped several Klingons in power to see the human side of things. In his last letter to Zac he had been awarded a bat'leth what ever that was. But at lease he was happy in his new life. Zac knew that somehow one day there paths would cross again He just hoped it wasn't in a border conflict. Zac was caught by the scream of Bo's voice over the intercom.

"Medical emergency, Captain' down request beam up. Repeat Captain Down."

Zac sprung into action hitting the comm. On the chair. "Transporter room Ho Beam up the landing part Express to sickbay Code seven!"

"Aye." Ho replied.

"Sid you have the bridge Yellow alert. The light changed yellow on the bridge as Zac left.

Zac walked into sickbay. Day was working on the captain. Kypkov has blue streaks that looked like lightning under his skin. They were growing inside the Captain's body Zac thought.

"Clear," Day said activating a mechanics. Ben's body shot off the table and the Vines grew with a leap. At that moment Kpykov's eye worked the room until the leaned back and saw Zac. He smiled and said struggling. "Con...grad..ulationssss.. CAPTAIN.... EEEyyyyyahhhaaaaa." Then it was over his body went blue all over a vine pocked out of his chest and Day trained his field phaser on it. Zac began to protest but the vine sprung out towards the Zac. Day fired. Vaporizing the Vine and a flash of energy went inside Kypkov's body after it the shin and uniform of the Captain laid on the Table.

Zac walked over and grabbed the Doctor by the collar. "Day what in the name.. Why did you shout the Captain. Still confused Zac to himself wasn't sure of what just happened.

"That wasn't the captain. What ever that was ingested the Captain body and left nothing but his epidermis. If I had not fired then it would of take over the entire ship as it did the planet.

Zac looked at what was left of his friend, His captain of four years. It looked like a rubber mask of someone. He was in shock of the words that hit him. He managed to ask. "How?"

"The Captain picked a flower and a thorn started the vine growing. I had Bo call for beam up. Then you saw the rest, I'm Sorry Captain." Zac looked at Day tears starting to come to his Eyes. Zac pointed at Kpykov's body. "That's the captain Day never forget it." And he left.

Zac sat on the main bridge after informing the crew of what had happened. He hadn't moved for two hours. Not saying a word Bo asked if he was all right every fifteen minuets. All he said as a reply was "fine." Then he sat up in the chair and looked out the view screen. "T'Lar are there any animal reading in the area of the that the landing party was at?"

"Negative Sir," Was her response.

"Bo, Aim a photon at the landing parties coordinates."

Bo hit the switch. A green indicator light showed that the photon was armed and ready.

"Smokin' Sir." Bo replied.

"Sid intraship." Zac said then Sid nodded. "This is Acting Captain Zacary R. Wildstar. By now you have heard of the death of Captain Kypkov. Please turn to the bridge view channel." Zac waited for a few moments allowing all the crew to watch. "This is for you Sir." Zac said. "Fire."

A streak of blue flashing energy shot out the front of the enterprise class vessel and streaked towards the planet where it struck the ground with a small flash and explosion. "That was the area where the Captain was attacked by the plant. It is now also dead."

From the death of the ship with no intercom working from any part of the ship Zac heard the sound of a unified crew cheer.

"Sid contact Starfleet, tell them what has happened and tell them we are awaiting orders."

"Aye Aye Sir." The Melmacian said smiling.

Zac sat in the ready room. He looked out at he stars that streaked past the ship. The officers sat around the table. Bo, Sid, T'Lar, Nick, Day, even Saragar the chief engineer. He was silent. Then spoke up. "Starfleet has made me Captain of the Dexterous as of this stardate. Our orders are to proceed with the negotiations on Betazed. After wards we are to report to Earth for formal services for the Captain. Bo I'll want everything we have on Betazed. As of now you are acting first officer. Sid Place this call towards the Klingon Empire on broad Subspace. 'Greeting Shooting star, I need you Zac.' The person who will be coming will be your new first officer. He's reckless and undisciplined but he gets the job done. Any objection?" He waited for anyone to say anything. "Good. Then best speed to Betazed."

Chapter 13

Past: Stardate 22/2203.22

Captain Log Stardate 22/2303.22 : We are seventeen day out side the Federation Boarder and have been star mapping the systems in this sector. First officer McCord Has commented that Starfleet has sent us out here to get ride of us for a while. I tend to think that they are right. After we let K'Tar zenti Drexia and his black fleet return to Klingon space I think I really ticked off the Brass at command so they sent us here to cool out heals for a while. the most unusual thing we have found is the system we named "Hydro because of it's due water world in a dual orbits. Captain Zacary R. Wildstar.

"That will get us home faster." Jaxxon McCord said sarcastically. Leaning over Zac's captain's chair.

"Aren't you due for a physical?" Zac asked his first officer.

"Yeah, but the blonde nurse, Julie something isn't on duty today I thought I'd wait."

"Good then you have the bridge, I'm going to my cabin." Zac said getting out of his chair. "Oh, by the way finish the crew evaluations and send them will you." Zac said as the door to the lift closed.

"Pla'tak." Jaxxon said under his breath.

Zac went to his room and was changing for the gym when the call came in from stellar cartography. They had picked up an anomalous reading which lead them to believe that they were reading a black hole. How ever after a detailed scan they found nothing. This was very unusual due to the fact that the Dexterous among other thing had the best scanning equipment in all the federation. For the past several years the Federation had upgraded scanner of all ships to the which the newest starships would have. And the crew that maned her Zac thought was the best of the best. Most of who had honors in there own fields. Before he left his cabin Zac called up to the Bridge. "Jax."

"Yes, Zac?" He replied.

"Can you join me in Stellar cartography?" Zac asked.

"Sure, We are quiet up here in fact Sid is taking a nap at his station."

Just then Sid cut in. "No, I'm not sir, I was just checking my eyelids seeing if any fur got in."

Zac smiled to himself thinking how great his crew was. Though some times he would never admit it to them. "That's great Sid now you can have the con while Me McCord joins me Zac out."

Jaxxon joined the Zac in stellar cartography, Lt. Ben Gerth was filling Zac in from the rounded station that filled the "Map" room. As in ancient sailing vessels the Dexterous had a room set aside for charts and maps. But where the old ocean sailing ships maps were on large paper rolls the Dexterous' was a screens that could with the help of the navigation and sensors would bring up any part of explored space. The truly remarkable thing was that this "Map" was up dated every time the subspace link with starfleet. Now, however, they were focused on the area of space that was showing reading of a black hole. "The images that we're seeing reviles none of the classic signature signs of a black hole except the large X-ray radiation." The officer in red reported.

"Could this poise a danger to the ship if we investigate?" Zac asked. toughing the controls trying to get a better look at nothing.

"I don't believe so Sir, the X-rays would be defused even by just our navigational shields." He replied.

Jaxxon leaned on the console as asked. "So do we or don't we have a black hole?"

The scientist shot McCord a glance. "AS I told the captain. We are getting no other reading indication a black hole except the excess X-Ray radiation." He said in a tone of voice one might use on a misbehaving child.

Zac stepped in and asked. "We should be in range of the phenomenon within seven hours. Can you and your team be ready for a full investigation by then?"

"Yes, sir. Am I to assume by that we will be able to have full access to the sensor array?"

Zac looked back at Jax and winked. Jaxxon stood up and faced Gerth. "After we have scanned the area to make sure that we don't play chicken with an event horizon then I'll assign you the scanners that you need. Make a list and I'll see what we can do."

They left the room and Gerth sat in the chair feeling the sting of his mistake in protocol.

Zac and Jax waited for the turbo lift to open both were smiling. "Thank for that back there." Jax said changing the mood. "Sometimes I still feel like I'm the new kid who took Bo's job."

The lift door opened and both walked in."Bridge. Your kidding me right." Zac said surprised at his friends revelation. You've been with us for almost four months now."

"True but some of the crew are afraid of me. I don't handle them as well as you do."

"It may be hard for you to understand but it wasn't exactly a picnic replacing the captain the first day of me being the first officer. The crew has had to adjust to a big change in the command structure of this ship."

"True enough. But did you ever miss the way thing use to be for us. The raids, the smuggling, the girls at Zooka's." Jaxxon asked remembering the days of there youth.

"The raids nearly got us killed, The smuggling got us shot at, and the Girls as I recall is why we are here today. But yeah sometime I would give anything to be lose like that again. I enjoy command but some people on this crew can be so stiff.

"Yeah Dr. Day for one what is with that Guy He's always looking over my shoulder." Jax thought for a moment. "Still If we would of had this ship back then..."

Zac held up his hand. "We would of been as corrupt as Grog, maybe worse."

"True again. But still the only time that I've had a feeling of being back there was when I was with the Klingons. They are rowdy but Great fun." Jax exclaimed.

"If that's so true then why did you ever agree to join my crew?"

The door to the bridge opened. Jaxxon looked back at the captain. "Ever eat Klingon food?"

Zac smiled and went over to the bridges center seat. Sid vacated and went back over to the communications station. "Helm set course, three fifty seven, mark nineteen. Science, as we approach I want a full scan of the area on all scanners our first office doesn't want to do a header into a black hole."

"Affirmative sir always a wise precaution." The younger Vulcan T'Lang said back.

Sid, enter into the log that we are changing course on my orders. And Jax put the cat out." Zac smiled at Jax.

"Aye captain I'll throw him and his bag out the window." He returned to Grogs man in the cave on Phred.

"Sar, we are locked an' loaded." Reported Sean McPherson.

"Then let it be."

In an under tone from Sid station Zac heard him say. "Well there goes my lunch."

Captains Log Stardate 22/2303.23: We have entered the system where Astro physics and stellar cartography have reported the excess of X-ray radiation. We have e been scanning and have found nothing. As far as we can tell there hasn't been a black hole or any other high gravity phenomenon in this area of space ever. They are now looking for other reasons to the phenomenon. Capt. Zacary R. Wildstar

Zac watched the few screen at the deadness of space. Scientific research was part of the Dexterous' mandate. But waiting for that research wasn't in Zacary Wildstar's mandate. He couldn't help but pace the bridge. Slowing every time he passed the science station. T'Lang with her younger sister T'Lar both worked at research. Every once in a while they would try to combine the data into some type of theory, as of yet nothing passed the first stage of the Vulcan ridicule.

Jax sat near the life support console next to the main view screen. He watched Zac pass him by for the umpteenth time finally he grabbed his arm. "Zac your wearing out the carpet."

Looking down at the floor. "Can't have that can we." Zac walked over to the captain's chair. "Mr. Belvedere. Please report to the bridge."

After a minuet Bo came on the bridge. "Yes'am Captin'."

"Take the con for a while I'm going to my quarters and Rela..." The bridge shifted under Zac forcing him back into his chair. Most of the bridge crew went flying. The captain saw that Jax had been thrown over the helm. Only T'Lang was still at her original station. "Red alert! Shields at maximum!" Zac ordered.

As the crew scurried to their stations T'Lang reported. "Sir gravity well with a power of ten to the third power has gripped us. It is acting like a huge tractor beam. Pulling us toward the near by nebula."

"Helm, plot a sheer course, Try to break us free." Zac ordered. "Unwise at this time Captain we have only a fraction of the necessary power the ship would most likely be torn in half." T'Lang reported.

"Cancel helm, Sid are we being hailed by any body."

"Negative sir. we are clear as a bird." The melmacian said.

"Sean can we get a fix on where we are going?" Zac asked. Then the ship stopped shaking. It was if nothing happened. The screen began to brighten reviling a large rock and on the rock was a mamoth ship embedded into a great crag in the rock.

"I'd say here." Sean McPherson replied.

Zac spun around to give an order. Not beleieving what he saw. "Science scan the.." as he looked at them both T'Lang and T'lar vanished in a white blaze of light. Zac looked at Jax to see the same thing happen to his friend. Then Zac realized the bridge was fading.

Zac awoke to a nothingness, the blackness was all around him. He couldn't tell of the end of his hand was three centimeters or three kilometers away. The one sound that he did here was the familiar sound of Sid breathing. "Sid?" Zac called out cautiously. "Is that you?"

"Zac?" He heard from Jaxxon voice just to his left.

"Commander McCord you to are here as well." T'Lang said.

"Everybody sound off." Zac ordered. In turn all of the bridge crew went accounted for with the added bonus of Doctor Day being added to the group.

Still in the dark Zac knew that they were no longer on the Dexterous. the echoes were to far between, the air to fresh for a starship. "Jaxxon, gotta light?"

From next to him Jax said. "You don't smoke. Oh I got it. Yeah."

Just as Jax was going to light the match the lights in the room came up. Two rows of ceiling lights from twenty different bubbled lamps. Zac reconized it as the Main dining room aboard the Titanic Two. "Greetings Command staff Of the Starship Dexterous." Said a voice from a figure case in shadows at the end of the long table.

The entire crew looked at the figure. The table that it sat at was arranged for black-tie dinning. They could see set before them a large amount of the federation fines fair most of which was still steaming. "Sit my friends eat, please." The figure said out stretching it's arms. Though no more then the arms could be seen Zac saw that the sleeves were darkest black. And the hands at the end looked Humanoid.

Zac came closest to the figure. "I'm Captain Zacary Wildstar. What is the meaning of this abduction? I demand that you release my crew and myself at once."

"I see that you are going to be difficult. You know captain sometimes strenght at a first meeting will never give you an upper hand. Very well." The figure clapped his hands and from out of nowhere came men with phaser rifles pointing at the command crew. "I'm sorry for the 'staff' watching us like this but I must insist that you sit and eat while we chat."

Zac looked at Jax and for the first time neither one of them had a way to get out of the mess. So they sat.

Zac sat closest to the figure and still he was a good twenty feet away. The crew sat not unlike they did at a staff meeting. Except Jaxxon had opted to sit across from Zac not at his side as usual. "Please, eat, Everyone it's safe I assure you. And Captain I've made sure that we have you straightarrows chilled to just the way you like them."

Zac pushed his way from the table ready to jump to the mystery mans end of the table as he did several of the guards rushed around him and two grabbed him sitting him back his seat.

Jaxxon noticed that as Zac did this the man never stopped cutting his meat on the plate.

The two guards stopped by the captain's side. Watching for any stray movements. For the next ten minuets Zac ate the food before him as did the crew following his example. The silence was broken when Sid let out a rather large belch that echoed in the huge room.

The figure laughed. "Thank you Mr. Wuvue, I'm glad that you have enjoyed your meal. But now that we have eaten together I feel that it is my duty to inform you why you and the entire crew are here."

"What do you mean 'Entire crew' Whose on my ship?" Zac asked.

"There is currently no one on board the Dexterous. But fear not this is a good thing. Captain you have no doubt heard of the Federations Special Services Division have you not?"

"The S.S.D. Of course. Mostly rumors. None of which are to flattering." Zac said coldly.

The person leaned back in his chair. "That is true we do have the reputation of being above the law. But then again so did you and you first officer at one time. And as I sure you know the "shooting stars" had very little actual doings of what they were have said to have done."

Zac looked at Jax both knew that they had used the reputation they once had to be more famous and dubious then what the actually were. Several time it had almost gotten them killed and more times than not it saved their lives. Others in history had used similar devices, Billy the Kid, Elvis, Tom Majet. All had used a little talent and became famous with nothing else but people talking and blind dumb fortune.

"And what dose this have to do with us?" Zac asked coyly.

"A player to the last eh, Captain? I'll tell you what." A curtain opened to a large window behind the figure. As the light of the window opened the man again became nothing but a shadow. Outside was the Enterprise class U.S.S. Dexterous hanging in the swirls of the nebula With every so often poking though was the black velvet fabric of space. "Congadulations you and your crew have been recruited by the S.S.D. You have but two choices serve us or disappear forever. I'll each have to make up your own minds. You have fifteen minuets to do so. And to show you that we are most serious about this honor." The figure pushed a button and a flash came though the window.

Zac looked to see his horror, the horror of every captain since the model was invented. Captain Zacary R. Wildstar watched his ship be engulfed by an explosion and the break into billions of small fragments. Zac had just watched the Dexterous die. Zac looked to where the man was sitting the chair was now empty.

Zac ran to the window the smoldering hulk of the ship, his ship was still tumbling in space. He wanted to smash the glass in from of him. Question flooded his mind. Why? How are we going to get out of this? Who are these people?

"Zac?" Jaxxon said. "Are you OK?"

"Just bloody fine why do you ask." Zac shot back. Then he saw that even if he didn't have a starship he was still the captain of this crew. He looked back from everyone staring at him and looked at Jaxxon again. "Sorry Jax, Ok. Everyone staff meeting." Zac said pointing to the long table where they had just eaten dinner.

They moved to the table and every one took there seats as of the were on the ship. "I've got to say first that we are not out of this yet. And depending on what you say will sway my judgment on what we do next. So make it good. Opinion everyone."

Bo moved his hand slightly and motion that he wanted to speak. "Well as I see it the things that we have seen so far act in favor of the SSD side. We never could of done some of the things that they have. Ya'll ate the food, most of it would of had to be in status of from a high warp carrier."

"Mr. Belvedere is correct captain." T'Lang spoke up. "The level of technology that we have see I would estimate is Thirty-Five to forty-Five years ahead of ours. Consistent with the range that is currently speculated with the SSD. Also from what I have been able to discern from the building materials and weaponry are also in line with that estimate.

Zac thought about what was being said. "Jax?" Zac asked.

"Sorry I'm new to this I've never heard of the SSD before. No what there was once I heard an old space logger said that he had a run in with the SSD. He was pretty scared of them, then again he was also pretty drunk."

"Sar, If I may interject?" Sean said.

"Go ahead." Zac ordered.

"We'll jest before I vanished I sae that we were goin' warp 13 being pulled inta thee nebula. It Na stanta' reason that what ever we were pulled by they wasa might more powerful then us."

"Captain," Day spoke. "I want you to know that I believe that they are indeed SSD. Despite the unusual way that you have run the ship we have in fact in a short time moved to the highest rank of crew efficiency. The perfect and logical choice as a SSD crew."

"T'Lang motioned. "Where your praise is somewhat correct Doctor your logic is somewhat flawed. The SSD to this point has worked only with one or two agents as a team. No reports have ever surfaced concerning a SSD crew."

"She's right.' Said the man in the shadows. "I'm sorry for interrupting this decisions, It truly reminds me of the discussion I had with my crew when we joined. But I'm afraid that you need more proof of we are who I say we are. So you will find that I have accessed the computer terminal for you use. Just enter the Captains personal code and all access to this station will be granted. Oh and by the way, Captain Wildstar, Mr. McCord. It seems that we have an old friend of your here." The shadowy moved aside a small robot wheeled in to the room with a plat caring a tray with two drinks as it got closer Zac and Jax both saw the drinks were straight arrows, and the robot was Chester.

Chapter 14

Past: Stardate 22/2203.22

"Chester!" Both Zac and Jax yelled.

"Yez Sar, It iz I and I zee that you both are doing well." Zac looked at T'Lang and entered his code. "Find out every thing you can." Zac said to his science officer.

Jaxxon took the drink off of the tray and sipped it. "Zac it's Chester all right."

"How do you know?" Zac asked.

McCord licked his lips. "No one make one of these like he dose."

Zac rolled his eyes at the first officers comment. Bo looked over at Zac. "Friend of your sir?"

"Yes, Well he was at one time but that was a real long time ago. For now think of him as a lost cousin. Chester, can you recall how they got you here?" Zac said.

"I'm sorry sar, but they did not get me here I was always here."

Jaxxon opened the access panel on the back of Chester head and looked for any tapering. "What do you mean that you have always been here?"

"I think I have information on that for you Sir." T'Lang said from the computer display. "Have either of you ever been to an asteroid called Titanic two?"

"Oh My...I thought it might be when we arrived." Zac said stumbling back and falling into a chair from the sheer shock. "Jax it can't be it's on the other side if the Federation...'

"Yes and it wasn't easy to move all this way in such a short amount of time." Again the dark figure said. From yet another corner of the room. "T'Lang what have you found please tell the Captain." Zac nodded in agreement.

"From the files that I have accessed it would appear that they are indeed telling the truth. I have scanned the asteroid and have found that there is a ship matching the Titanic two imbedded into the bedrock. Also I have scanned another one hundred and fifteen decks which serve as a most unusual verity of functions, from space docks to starship yards, from crews quarters to science labs. A most impressive base they appear to have not only several small vessels in storage but also a Romulan Bird of Prey, and a Klingon K'Tanga and Bird of prey class. And a round vessel of unknown design. I have also seen current SSD files and assignments marked top secret. The most interesting was Marked Project :Shooting Stars."

Zac and Jax gulped. "What is project Shooting Stars?" Zac asked forcefully.

"It seems that the project was designed to lure us into this area of space, then to induct us into the SSD." T'Lang reported.

"The Whammo! Zac they got the Whammo!" Jaxxon yelled like a school boy on his first day of summer vacation.

"Jax they couldn't Kirk turned it over to the Federation."

"And then they turned it over to us." The man said. "If I show you it will you believe that we are who we say we are?"

"Maybe." was all Zac said.

The lift that held Zac and the crew opened to the main ship bay as the computer announced. Across the bay was indeed a Klingon and Romulan cruisers. But one hundred feet away was a round silver ship. It was sitting in a round landing nest so that only the top deck showed. Jaxxon ran over to the door. Zac knew what he was going to say. "Zac it's her. Look this is where I carved our initials.'

"What initials is that?" Bo asked.

"J.G.M Plus R.Z. forever." Zac answered.

"Who's R.Z.?"

"No one know, I woke up one morning and Jax and some girl lasered them in." Zac walked around not that he moving gave him a better view. The bay was huge. It looked like the asteroid had been hollowed out and a starbase had been put in inside out.

From the turbo lift the shadow man stood in the lighted area Zac could not see that his uniform was very similar to their red ones. With the exception of his being pitch black so that it seemed to swallow light. It was off set by a blue stripe down his led and around his belt, it also went up the coat fold and around the high collar. But from there the man wore a hood so that very little of the mans face could be seen. The last thing that Zac noticed was that he wore the rank of admiral. "Sir, I'd like some time to discuss the fate of my crew with you." Zac said.

"Fine, let's go back to the dinning room."

Again they all met in the dinning room where they had first arrived. Each again took their eats, as did the admiral. "Well what's it going to be are you in or out?" The admiral asked.

"First, respectfully sir, where is the rest of my crew?" Zac asked.

"They were in a larger room, we've put the same question to them and most of them have already accepted the officer depending on what you do it seems that you have a most loyal crew. However out of the three hundred and seventy six crew seven have declined our offer."

"What will happen to them? You can think I'm going to sit by and let you..."

"As you were Wildstar. Never would such a thing even be brought up here. I don't care what they say outside the SSD is not and never will be that kind of an origination. The ones have a choice they can spend the rest of there days on a colony world that we have set up, or the can chose a short term mind block and be found in a burnt shuttle near Vulcan next month. Both are safe and the mind block will allow ones to return to their families. They have all chosen the mind block."

"What about the Dexterous? It's disappearance and the shuttle will bring up questions?." Jaxxon said.

"A minor mystery the Federation will examine the shuttle but find no cause for loss of your ship. You and the rest of the crew will officially be listed as missing."

"It sound admiral like you have done this before." Day said.

"Yes. Doctor we have. Well will the shuttle be fore more?"

"One last question." Zac said. "Why us why the whole crew?"

"The SSD has in the past used complete starships and crew but only several at any given time. We want you to help build the next generation of ship and command her for us. I realize that you don't know much about building starships but we've found if a captain has some control over the ship he commands that it is best that he starts with the construction. So if you agree you all will be able to help build this new ship the fastest and best armed ship ever. And as construction is progressing you will be trained by the SSD. Somewhat more extensive than the Federations. But it is here that I warn you all SSD personal are required to undergo several operation to reduce pain, self destruct, increased adrenalin glands, and so on. The reason is for you own protection and self defence. I'll ask that you make your choice now."

Zac looked around the table. From the faces of his crew he saw that they had all accepted the responsibility that was layout before them. Zac rose and said. "Sir, it is my pleasure to inform you the complete Command crew of the U.S.S. Dexterous will indeed accept the assignment of entering the SSD to serve and so that we may help you build the S.S.D. Dexterous."

"So you've already chosen a name for her Eh. Wildstar?" The admiral said.

"Aye, sir. That I have."

The admiral rose from his chair. "Chester escort the captain to the rest of his crew and then have the officer of the day assign them Quarters. Captain once your settled in call me I'd love to show you and McCord how we redecorated the place."

"Hey admiral I have a question?" Jaxxon spoke up.

"Yes?"

"How long will it take us to get the Titanic Two back to the Pheredian Nebula?"

"Three years, just as long as it took us to move it here. By that time the Dexterous and your crew should be ready to launch."

Chester went with all of them into the turbo lift. "I thought that ya'll was kiddin' bout movin' this asteroid back to the Nebula." Bo said to Jaxxon.

"I was." He replied.

Zac smiled and turned to both of them. Remember boys, No matter where you go... there you are."

"Hey, I like that can we use that for the ships motto."

"Quiet fuzzy." Jaxxon said.

After rejoining the crew. Zac held a brief staff meeting thanking the crew for their loyalty and support. Then he told them of their new assignment and what little he knew of the plans to build a new ship.

Chester then escorted them to the Titanic Two part of the base. It looked the same as it did before but a lot cleaner. Jax dropped back for a moment and looked down a hall way. When he rejoined the rest of the command staff he reported to Zac. "Were really here the time I wrecked the Whammo into the docking pylon I went down that hall and blasted it about twenty times. The marks are still there."

"We couldn't get them out." Chester said.

They traveled for a while then Zac knew where they were going. Chester stopped at there old cabins. Zac poked his head inside. Something had changed but for the most part all was the same. Zac nodded to Jax and went in. He realized how tired he was. Zac sat in the quarters that had been assigned to him His old room from his smuggling days. He saw that all of his personal belongings had been taken off the Dexterous. It was a lot to take in the destruction of his ship and the crew being recruited by the SSD. But it was a comfort being in somewhat familiar surroundings, even if he hadn't been here for about eighty five years. Only now was it sinking in that He and the others were going to be amount the most respected and efficient intellect agencies in the Galaxy. He got up and decided to take stock of his cabin. It was larger than anything he had seen even on a star base. But then again space didn't seem to be a problem. In fact he was sure that it was about eight meters longer then before. On the wall opposite of the entrance door was a large flat laying oval shape which was also new. On both sides of the oval was a red and blue touch pad. Zac had noticed that the usual button controls were gone on this base and they were replaced with the touch pad controls. Going over toward the left control he pressed the blue pad nothing happened. Then a women voice rang out. "That control is already in use to open window please press the red control pad under the red control pad."

He was taken back by the instructions that the computer had given him. It seemed more.. personal then the computer vocal response of the Dexterous. Pushing the red control the window opened reviling the large opened space on the others side of the transparent aluminum. It was a ship construction bay. He recognized the refit equipment and mooring facilities. They dug out this section of the asteroid for the bay. Zac tried to see how the sealed the space between the rock and the ship but was unable to see up at the angle. He could tell that he was near the top so that went there was about four or five decks of the ship still above the bay. Which was larger than any he had ever seen before. It could hold the Dexterous seven times over.

"Big sucker isn't it." Zac turned his head and saw that Jaxxon was standing in a doorway at the end of the wall to his left. Another new addition to the cabin.

"What do you suppose it is?"

"Well either it's a space dock or the largest frisbee arena in the galaxy." McCord answering lighting a cigar. "So can I ask, what is our mighty captains slant on today's events."

Zac pointed his thumb out the window. "I'd have to say mind boggling."

"Well, I was hoping for something more pronounce then that but it will do. If we aren't doing anything later I'm going to go back to the landing bay and checkout the Whammo..."

The door to Zac's quarters beeped and he moved to open the door. On the other side was a tall blond women with deep, deep blue eyes. It took Zac a moment to come back into his head. "Yes?"

The women who Zac now saw was a commander in the SSD stood with her hands folded behind her. "Sir, I'm Commander Sabrina Wilt. The Admiral's chief of staff. He had asked me to give you a tour of the base and all facilities. That is if your up to it."

Zac smiled and tugged at his red uniform. "Why yes, I am. What did you say your name is again? Zac said as the door shut behind him. Jaxxon still in the room looked at the door. "Naw, that's ok I'll take the tour later.

Present

Chapter 5c

Alex looked up from the screen and stood up. She looked at the crew members that were still frozen and wondered how long she had been at this.

She truly wished now that she had stayed with the others and had a snack. Maybe if she had she thought she wouldn't be in this mess right now. She was then struck with the Idea that if she traveled back to the base then she could find some food to relive her hunger.

Walking back to the base everything was quiet. She realized at this time that with the howl of the wind gone that this planet was even more unnerving than before. Upon reaching the base she entered in the door that they had when they had all beamed down only this time there was no rush of air to take care of the sand. But then again she realized that she was kicking up no sand while she walked on her way to here.

The door to the cafeteria was open with a crew person "walking" through. This relived Alex because she wasn't sure how she was going to open the door. She looked about the room and spied the trays of meat and cheeses. Her mouth started to wonder at the sight of the food. Hungrily she made a quick sandwich and was about to sink her teeth into it.

Subchapter 5

Never

(Time out! One of those things that never happens, yet dose all the time)

"Stop!" Biff shouted to Alex. "Don't bite into that."

Alex pulled the sandwich away from her mouth. Again noticing that everything had turned white. "Why not?" She asked.

"For one thing even if you could bite it and chew it would never digest. You forget it is only you who are mobile at this point. All other substances in the cosmos have stopped." Before Alex could say any thing else Biff's stomach opened and he took out a glass full of pink liquid. "Drink this and your hunger and nutritional needs will subside.

She took the glass and drank it. Then

(Time In) But Alex stopped and took another look at the sandwich that she had made. The bread was stiff as was the meat when she picked it up. Alex then took a spoon off the table and left go of it. The spoon hung where she had put it, not falling. She put the sandwich down on the table and said. "Most likely wouldn't digest anyway." Then she noticed that her hunger and thirst were gone. And that she was feeling very good like after a nap on a relaxing Sunday after noon. She walked back to the Guardian and sat at the control board once again.

Past

Chapter 15

Past: Stardate 22/2404.15

Zac slept in a large brass bed. The bed was is in a large wood room. Zac rolled over and felt the warm body next to his. The air was cool Zac turned his head to see that the fire in the stone fire place had gone out sometime during the night. But from where he was it was warm soft and comfortable. He moved closer to the young lady next to him. Looking at her blonde hair he smiled inwardly. As if she could feel the stair from Zac she stirred slightly. In a soft sweet voice that had only a slight roughness from the nights unused she said."Quit watching me sleep." Zac smile grew large as he leaned over and kissed her on the shoulder.

"Good morning I thought you were still asleep." He said brushing her hair away from her face so that he could look at her more clearly. She turned and stretched then quickly returned her arms under the covers.

"It's so cold."

"I know the fire went out. We could stay here and warm until it wars up outside."

The women grabbed the covers and pulled them over the both of them. "Why Mr. Wildstar sometimes you have such a good Idea."

"Thank you Mrs. Wildstar."

Two hours later Zac was adding another log to the coals in the fire place. He then looked out the large glass window in the front of the cabin. Sabrina was sitting in the rocking chair facing lake Kpykov.

Walking out the door Zac also starred at the clear bluish green lake. The surrounding mountains were the perfect back drop. "Do we have to go?" She asked.

"You know that we do. Besides if we stay planet side for to long we'll both need to get recetified. And Dr. Day would just love that.

She got up and hugged her new husband. "You right. You think it's hard being his commanding officer. Try to work with him in sickbay all the time. He's had us redesign the new Bio beds three times. What time is it?"

"Don't know. I took my watch off three days ago. I thinks it's by the bed."

"Then I'll go look for it by myself. Other wise we'll defiantly be late for our transport." She walked in the cabin. Zac took a wooden log and phased it in half the cut it again on the back side. Resetting the beam he started to wright on the newly flattened board. He then phrased two holes in either end. Taking a hammer from a tool box on the porch he nailed the wooden plaque above the porch stairs. Zac walked off the porch and looked back and saw that the "Captain's log" sign was indeed hanging correctly.

"Looks nice. Not original but nice." Jaxxon said from his captain.

"Thanks what are you doing here?" Zac asked.

"You to were late for the transport. Now the base is too far away for the shuttle. Not to mention that officially your listed as A.W.O.L."

Sabrina came running out of the cabin with both of their suitcases under her arms. The cases had had everything just thrown in them. "Zac were late. Were late."

He caught her as she tripped, and the suit cases went flying. "Yes, I know. Jax had just told me."

"What are we going to do?" She asked.

Jaxxon puffed on his cigar. "Not to worry Ol' Jax took care of it. We'll be able to catch the base if we can make it to earth. From there we can get an SSD shuttle and catch up to TT2."

"Great what did you get a Federation Starship?" Zac asked.

"Well not exactly."

"A diplomatic transport?"

"Nope."

"What then."

"Three couch tickets on UFP airways." Jax answered.

"Let me get this straight. Three SSD officers are making an emergency run to earth on a commercial fight?" Sabrina asked putting the close back in the cases.

"Yes and as a matter of fact it's leaving in half an hour so we better hurry to my flitter on the other side of the hill." Jax said pointing over his shoulder.

Zac took the cases and started walking. "Couldn't you of given us a little more time?"

"Yeah. It wasn't my fault. You know how much of this planet likes you property. By the way the couple three valleys over just got marries too. You might want to sent them an apology card.

The fight had been had lasted for three days and as passengers they were given the choice of being seated or residing to their sleeping compartments. Not to Jaxxons surprise Zac and Sabrina stayed close to the sleeping cabin. However since the flight was about over they were like most other pasangers in the seated area ready to enter the Sol system. Zac sat in the isle seat wondering why in all the time that humanoids have had commercial flight none of them have ever made an improvement in the seats. Sabrina was reading a magazine and Jax by the window seat was fast asleep.

Zac turned Sabrina and said. "You know now that we're married you can tell me any thing."

At first she didn't get what he was saying by such a blanket statement. Then it dawned on her his meaning. "I don't know. No one dose."

"Come on Sabrina you've worked with the man for five years and you don't know who he is yet?"

"You've worked with him for two."

"True but you can tell me that you haven't tried to find out his Identity.

"Yes, I did and then I got call from the president of the Federation council. After me several others tried to find out who the Admiral was but they all got demoted for it. All I know is that he showed up at the base with all the right codes and signed confirmed orders and took command. I trust him, in some ways he reminds me of you.

"Thanks, I think." Zac replied to his wife.

"No, I mean it before you were recruited he acted driven to make sure everything was just so for when you were approached. Just like your trying to make everything on the ship just so." Sabrina said.

"So your not going to tell me who he is?"

She looked at Zac and handed him a padd full of technical patterns.

Zac tried to pass the rest of the time trying to figure out how they could cut power to the Champion mode with out losing main power for more then three minuets. It wasn't until the man rubbed up against him that he knew that there was trouble. Then it was too late.

Three other men jumped up and were holding phasers on the cabins occupants. When a flight security tried to get one of the phasers he was vaporized.

Sabrina elbowed Jax. Then quickly took the pillow from under his head stuffing it under her blouse. Zac smiled at her then winked at Jax.

One of the men spoke up. "Greetings passengers. We have taken the flight deck and both sections of this space craft. I am going to in form you now that we are taking you to the near by Deca system. At that time you will all be released and we will be gone. Until then you are to all remain in your seats and be as quiet as possible. As you can see we are most serious about our intent. Please don't know make this difficult. You will be treated well with all meals and rest breaks every four hours."

The man put the hand held speaker down. Another improvement that was never made be the flight industry. The man who was speaking flipped out a communicator and spoke. "Aderin, are you set up there?"

"Yeah, the crews out for the duration. And we are clear. I set the pilots retinal imprint then blew the system we should have complete control." Came the answer over the communicator.

"Excellent change course. We are ready here."

Zac looked over at Sabrina taking her hand as would a normal husband in an instant like this one. "Plan?"

"Yes, I'm very pregnant. We'll draw them in."

"I like it simple yet clever. We'll go on your single."

Just then one of the three men came over the Edoian and poked the end of a phaser at Zac's shoulder. "No talking! You herd what Dave said!" The gunman pointed to the leader. Zac betrayed himself by the look he returned to the gunman. For a moment the man shifted his weight back to his third foot. This was all Zac needed to see at this point. He had at least in this case already won the mind part of this little game. The man regained his nerve and said. "You watch you self Pal. I'm gonna watch you.

Zac gave the man a big smile. "Yes sir." then winked.

The Edoian left and went up front. Then started to converse with Dave, the leader. Zac took a magazine off the rack and started to read. He knew from the SSD training that he had received that terrorist were like bullies. If you ignored them it made them nervous. Zac smiled as he read.

Two hours later all six of the hijacker were reviled to Zac, Jax, and Sabrina. Three were stationed in the couch section were they were, two in the larger but smaller populated first class section, and one at the ships flight center. Zac had constantly been edging on the three from his section in various non threateningly ways. He had spilled his drink, lost two pens, coughed every time one of them went by in general he was a pest. He had done every thing in the book to keep there attention on him while not threatening them in the least. This had two effects one was to keep them focused on him, and another so that they all could study the enemy. All was going to plan. He knew that they would not harm anyone until they reached there destination, for fear of the passengers uniting and overwhelming them by sheer numbers. So Zac decided to let them go on for a while. As this drug out they would start getting tired and then make mistakes.

That was the plan. The plan was changed however by a little kid from Tellar. From two rows in front of Zac he could see the little boy putting the straw to his mouth aiming for Dave the leader whose back was turned at the time. As if almost in slow motion the wade of paper shot out of the straw, like a miniature photon torpedo with what was going to be the same effect. Zac pinched Sabrina's arm hard. Surprised she let out a yell. Then several events happen at once. Everyone in the cabin looked at her. She looked at Zac. And the spit wade flew past Dave. And Jaxxon poured a large hidden glass of water in her lap. Catching on she gave a louder scream. The three men raised their phasers. Then Dave and the Edoian came over and stood. The third stayed in the back of the cabin and kept watch over everyone else.

Dave leaned over Sabrina while the Edoian kept a phaser on Zac.

"What is your problem?" Dave shouted putting the phaser in her faces.

Acting scared and nervous Sabrina said. "My.. My water broke I'm having The baby. Agguuee." She screamed again. Dave leaned closer. Then he saw that the baby was a pillow. His eyes opened wide.

Jax Grabbed his phaser out of the holster under his arm and shot the Edosian. Zac then grabbed the Edosian's phaser and shot the man in the back of the cabin dropping him instantly. Dave started to lean up but before he could move Sabrina kick him hard with her left knee. Dave recovered and was going to strike Sabrina. That is when Zac stuck the phaser in his belly. "She may not be pregnant pal but she is my wife." Zac pulled the trigger. Dave flopped back into the Isle. Stunned by the quick excitement the other passengers were silent. Zac stood up. "Everyone, attention please. Please remain calm. We are SSD agents and are taking care of the situation. Is anyone here part of any federation law agency.

From several row behind Zac on the other side of the cabin a man with graying hair stood Up. "Yo, I'm N.Y.P.D. retired."

Zac walked over to the fallen man and took his phaser. Then walked the rest of the way to the man. "Here." Handing him the phaser. "We'll put them in our seats you keep them covered while we take out the other three."

Mean while Jaxxon and Sabrina took the two men putting them in the seats. Zac then drug the last man from the back row and shoved him in the empty seat where he had been siting. "Ok. What next? Captain My captain?" Jax asked.

"Well I think we should try for the two in first class then the pilot. Any ideas?"

"We could pretend she's pregnant and then when her water breaks grab the bad men."

Sabrina lightly slapped Jax on the back of the head. "We already did that one."

"Yeah, but it worked didn't it."

Zac smiled at the exchanged. "Since the sleeping cabins are between us and them let's put two in there and I'll act as bait."

"Better you then me." Jax said jokingly.

"When they come through just don't miss."

"Have I ever?"

"Remember the Orion on Phred."

"Hey the gutter hit him I planed that shot like that." He said defensively.

Jax hot wired the door getting it opened. Walking into the passage way between the sleeper compartments they noticed that they were all empty apparently the hijackers cleared everyone out of them before the took complete control.

Sabrina and Jaxxon went into opposite side bunks setting up a cross fire. Zac proceeded to the next hatch which lead into the first class section. He looked at the door panel then turned and went back to the bunk where Jax was hiding. "What was that combination again?" Zac asked quietly.

Jaxxon opened the curtain and gave a disproving look. "1-2-3-4-5"

Zac started to move away then stopped and looked back. "Funny what's the real combo."

"S-3-3-3-4-5-4-5-4-2-3-6-7-2-1-7-blue." Jaxxon answered.

"I liked the first answer better. Zac said moving back to the door.

From in the first class section the two Orion's stood unmoving. They had been like that for about three hours. No one in the cabin had made any type of movement for fear of the Orion's wrath. As well one would expect. In fact it came as quit a surprise to everyone in the cabin when the door slid open then closed again. Then did it a second time. Then a third.

The larger of the two blue skinned man walked over to the door cautiously. He looked though the glass panel the connected the sleeping compartments. Everything looked quiet, no sign of trouble. The from the bottom shot a humans face with a large smile. For a moment the Orion was surprised then to add to the insolence the human stuck it's toung out at him.

"We gatta live one." He grumbled. "Cover me." The Orion opened the door preparing to fire then was grabbed by the human who face he had just seen. From his own gun belt he was tossed over the human who was on the floor weighting for him to open the door. Landing on the back side of the human he wondered why he though him at his back for surely the human knew that he would now be attacked from the from and rear. That's when he saw the phaser light hit im in the chest and the girl in the top bunk, right before he want out.

Zac hurried in to the nearest bunk. He had jammed the door to let it stay open with a blanket from the bunk he was now on. However the other Orion wasn't moving in as he had suspected he would. From above him Zac heard Sabrina. "He's go a hostage. Women about twenty meters from the front I can't get a clear shot."

"Jax?" Zac asked hoping he had a better angle.

"Can't even see him."

Zac put his head down in the pillow and gave a muttered curse. He laid there for about two minuet. "Honey, can you get him if the hostage isn't there?"

"No problem why." She asked not wanting to know the answer.

"You know why."

Zac came out of the bunk and walked trough the door. The Orion grabbed the girl tighter around the neck. "I don't know how you did it but you Ain't gettin' me. Who are you and way federation security who got lucky?"

Zac smiled he had been weighting months for to say these next words. He didn't think that he'd have the opportunity until the ship was finished. But some how He would of rather waited. "No. I'm Zacary Wildstar of the SSD. And you are under arrest for space-jacking, assault, kidnapping."

"Funny black-suit. From where I'm standing you got no phaser and I got the girl. How do you except to change this?"

"By laying on the floor." Zac fell flat to the floor. As he did a blue stun beam shot over past him and hit the girl. The Orion left go of her now limp body and was pointing his phaser at Zac. Then two thing happened. Another blue bean hit the Orion causing him to fore his phaser at Zac. The shot went wide as he fell but not wide enough. Zac was hit in the leg he could feel the mussel and bone rip with blast of the phaser.

Seconds later Jax and Sabrina were at his side. "Great plan Zac. I never would of getting myself shot to save someone." Jaxxon said opening an emergency kit he had found.

The pain was sever bit manageable. As he looked at the wound he could see that it would be fixed easy enough and that the damage was mostly mussel which would regenerate. But it still didn't help the pain.

"We still got one more. Jax take him out." Sabrina pressed a hypospray to Zac's arm.

"This will keep the pain down We'll put you in a chair but don't move or you could still bleed to death before we get the other guy and help." She helped Jaxxon put Zac into a chair.

"Your just saying that because you wanna get the guy yourself."

She leaned over and kissed him. "Yeah that to."

They both moved back towards the sleeping cabin. As they were half way though Jaxxon saw the pilot standing in the door way phaser drawn. Neither had phaser drawn as they didn't think they were going to need them before they got to the bridge.

"So your the two hotshot's who took out my friends. I can't tell you how bad that ticks me off. You'd have me too unless I tried to contact Dave a few minuet ago. So who's it gonna be first ladies or the gentleman?" He pointed the phaser towards Jaxxon head. Then they heard. "Neither scum." The pilot fell behind him was the old New York cop. Phaser in hand.

"I saw him coming down the stairs and after he saw what just did to his friends I figured that you might need some backup, did I do Ok?"

Jaxxon took a cigar out of his vest packet and though it to the man. "Great man great. What did you say your name was?"

"Jacobs, Lawrence Jacobs, but people call me "Doc" on account that I worked in the science labs of the force for twenty years."

"Really what department?" Jaxxon asked lighting both of the cigars.

"Research and development why?"

"No reason. Hey did you ever get a chance to look at a Romulan clocking device?"

Sabrina saw where this was going and she went back to Zac. He sat up slightly. "What happened? why are you back so soon."

"Well we got the bad guy and we also have a guy for our research and development team.

"You know I think you gave me too much mediation I'm having delusions."

"The way the crew is shaping up I might join you."

Chapter 16

Past: Stardate 22/2503.22

"Listen to me lieutenant. And listen close. I don't care that we are not getting a shipment or that the material is in the buffer for replication. I have a ship that is due to launch in three hours and all the uniform colors are wrong! I know that you work for the same organization that you do, and that most likely your wearing a black uniform with blue trim. But my crew has blue uniform with Black trim. So find some way to fix it or I'll ask that you are reassigned to the Dexterous as the impulse engine painter. Wildstar out." Zac punched the comm button on his desk. He looked up and saw Jaxxon and Sabrina in his base office. Sabrina sat in the chair in front of his desk and Jax stood in the middle of the room holding up the blue uniform looking at it.

"What's that famous painting blue man?" Jax asked.

"'Blue boy'." Sabrina corrected.

"Yeah that's it. 'Blue boy' that's what we're gonna be called.

Zac sat at his desk and turned around and looked out the window. His office was right above his quarters and both shared the view of the construction bay that was nicknamed 'the womb' which held the newly finished S.S.D. Dexterous. He looked at her over all arrow shape design accentuated by the sensor wings along her midsection followed by her long aft section offset by the upper sensor wings on her aft. The ship was his dream realized. Her black line were only broken by the light blue of the lateral sensors and sensors wings. This blue strip in black reminded him of the current uniform dilemma. When he turned around he saw that Sabrina was reading a Padd that she had picked up from his desk.

"Bo reports that the Champion won't attach to the Dexterous, Saragar reports that he can't get the Dilithium articulation frame to aline properly and there is a large air leak ion the aft air lock on deck 32." She tossed the padd to him and went out the door.

Zac picked up the Padd wondering how he could let so many major problems pass by him just hour before they launched. He activated the Padd. "Aren't you glad that you don't have any real problems, I love you Captain." Zac smiled with joy and relief.

"She wrote you another love letter to settle you down again didn't she." Jax asked.

"Maybe. She just..." The Comm on Zac's desk beeped. "Wildstar here."

"Wildstar this is the Admiral. I've heard that your having uniform trouble." The voice of the mysterious man said.

Oh god Zac thought. "Aye sir. We should have it figured out soon sir."

"Don't let it throw you boy. Is McCord there with you?" Jax shock his head no.

"Yes sir, he is." Jax made a fist.

"Good I've had the Whammo reassigned from R & D to your shuttle bay. Meet me there at eleven hundred thirty. Admiral out."

At eleven hundred twenty eight Zac & Jax walked to the whammo which was sitting out in the main floor of the Dexterous' shuttle bay. Last minuet securing of the shuttles, runabouts, and mission shuttles were being done. When they got to the Whammo they walked up the ramp that had been placed there for easy access. "Should we knock." Zac asked.

"No. I still own it you know." Jax said pulling out his card key. As he was about to stick it in the door it opened . They walked in and sat the round navigation table center of the room behind it was the animation tube. To their right was the ships main controls The admiral sat in the seat.

"Well, come boy how are you doing? Nervous?" He asked.

"A little." Zac answered.

"Good I knew that you would be. Have a seat. We three need to have a talk." This made Zac even more nervous, why so soon before the launch would the Admiral want to talk to them. They sat Zac in the co-pilots seat Jax on a chair that the Admiral must have brought with him. The admiral them poured a small blue drink.

"This my friends is Romulan ale. Now I know it's illegal so spare me the false shock. I've two very important thing to tell you at this time but first drink up."

All three men drank it.

"Good now both things I'm about to tell you have something to do with the Ale we just drank. First your mission. After we leave the base today you are to proceed into the triangle to The Affilation of outer free world's or more commonly known baker dozen. I'm accepted at a conference there in three days. As you know it's the only government in the triangle that has any friendly relation. The president Willis Baker is planing a good will trip though the federation and I'm going to plan for his security arrangements. Good thing two I haven't been planet side for about six years."

"That our mission to ferry you to Bakers dozen?" Zac asked.

"No not at all. Your mission is to go into Romulan space to the planet Chak. They have a research base they on the second planet. It is rumored that this is where they build the proto- types for some of the cloaking devices as well as weapons research. If this is true I want you to go in and retrieve some samples. If you succeed then you'll be the first SSD Federation ship to have a cloaking devise."

Zac thought for a moment. "But sir, what about treaty of Amonon. We aren't allowed to have cloak technology."

"True then again we aren't suppose to go over there boarders either." The admiral replied.

"Good point." Jax said.

"So that's our mission. What else did you want to tell us?" Zac asked.

"Well that's the hard part. First off I want to thank both of you for following my orders so well over the last three years. And that why I think that you especially should be told who I am."

Zac couldn't believe what he was hearing. The admiral pulled off the hood that he had always worn. Zac took a look but couldn't believe his eyes the man looked like his father that was killed in deep space almost one hundred years ago.

"Father?" escaped Zac's lips before he could stop them.

"No Zacary. I which that I were. It might make this easier if I was."

"Then, who are you?" Jaxxon asked uneasily.

"I'm Zac's uncle. Templeton Wildstar." He said to McCord. "Your father and mother died those many years ago."

Protesting the events that had just happened. "Now just wait minuet. If your my uncle how are you here? Why are you still alive?" Zac said standing up in dismay.

"Far question. I was on the same ship as your parents. The blackJack." Templeton said.

"Wait a minuet that's the ship My geno/father was on when he disappeared." Jaxxon said.

"Also true. Both of you please sit down and I'll explain." He said in reply.

The two sat but both on the edge of their seats.

"Both of you are correct about how your parents died. Zac your parents were SSD not just on a federation starship. And Jaxxon your father Arnhiem Quince McCord was not on a botany mission, He also was SSD. As was I.

"Together they said. "Your joking." Then looked at each other then back at Templeton.

"We were on a mission investigation a long metal probe we followed it for two days. Then we were attacked by two ships that I've found out were really two magenta class ship from this time. Damaged and losing life support we drifted towards a sun. Zac your father ordered the helmsman to try a break away maneuver using the suns gravity well to spring us around. It work the bad part was we were damaged more in the effort life support went out as we were in the wake of the suns stress. I was in engineering and the ship literally was ripped to shreds not just in space but time. I arrived ten years ago the SSD found mer by the beacon I rigged up. From then on I've found out that you two were unfrozen and have followed you. When I saw that you had joined starfleet I new that you'd be SSD material one day. And to your credit here you are."

"So what happened to the rest of the Blackjack?" Jaxxon asked.

"That's the strangest part of all. Every three month and twenty three days a another part of the ship has been reported around that same sun. Some times small sections of debris others time whole section like engineering. What we do know is that it seems the ship is coming aft end first. The bridge is still fifty five years away how ever. that's were your parents were.

Zac stood up not sure if he could believe what he had just heard. "This is a lot to focus on. "Uncle". If it's true why did you wait so bloody long to tell us."

"At first I didn't think it was right, then I knew that it would effect your training trying to prove yourself to your uncle."

"That's stupid." Zac said.

"No that you. I remember the way you use to be at the school when you knew your parents were coming. For days you did al you could to improve your grades, set records just so when they saw you your parents would be proud." Jaxxon said.

Zac looked at his friend then to the Templeton. "That my have been true when I was ten but not now. Now "admiral" if you have no other orders I have a ship to launch."

"No discussed." Templton said wishing it would of went better.

Jaxxon stay behind a moment. "Yeah Temp. Don't worry about it He'll be over it by time he gets to the bridge."

"Are you sure?" He asked.

"Hey. I've known him about a hundred and nine years now. In that amount of time you get to know someone." Jaxxon said. And left for the bridge.

Templeton stayed in the Whammo thinking of what Jaxxon said finding the Irony of it in the long run. Then after a few minuet and said. "Yeah you think that you would have."

Zac walked onto the bridge of the SSD Dexterous. The main bridge crew were at there stations. On Science was T' Lang of Vulcan, On Communications was Sid Wuwvu Of melmac (Or what was left of it.) On navigation sat Milo Sullavan, though blinded as a child the man could he steer, At the navigation was Sean Mc pherson mumming in a Scottish undertone. Steward Nick, sat at the Weapons control and Bo Belvedere sat at Ops.

Zac came in and everyone looked at him. He took pride sitting in the Captain's chair for the first time. He had not allowed himself to sit in it before now thinking that it wasn't quit time yet somehow. However now was the time and for the first time in three years he felt like a Captain again. Jaxxon came on deck and sat off to Zac's right. He knew now that all was in place. He smacked his hands together and took a deep breath in. "Man there isa nothing like the smell of a new Starship. Let's get the show on the road everyone. Last preflight countdowns."

In engendering Saragar slithered past the new warp engines. He had built them up from nothing and couldn't be prouder if they were his own eggs. As he completed his final survey he say a man in dirty coveralls under the Dilithuim matrix controls. "Can I help you." He asked with a slight "s" sound on all his words.

From under the control a voice came back. "A no thanks."

Caught off guard Saragar rapped his tail around the man and drug him out from underneath the panel. "What are you doing there?"

"You matrix is faulty I was fixin it for you." The man with the beard said matter of fact. "When they call for mainpower it's gonna fail in seven seconds and we'll stall."

"Are you jokthing. Thiss iss a new unit." Saragar said. "just who are you any wayss."

"Oddball ships maintenance, you know light panels, door jams, damage repair, preventative maintenance. That kind of stuff."

Saragar let go of the man. "Tthhern why are you in my engine room?'

"I told ya snaky Preventative maintenance. When that blow then I gattta lot more work to do."

Just then Zac's voice came over the intercom. "Saragar It'sd time I want full power at start up."

"Aye thir." Was His response. "Oddball or whatever you name iss keep away from my enginth." Then he announced to engineering. "thhiss iss It Sstart up. Engage warp core."

The blue shaft of light grew brighter as the warp engine came on line a woom, woom, woom, sound started as it pulsed with energy. Exactly ten wooms went then the whole shaft went dark. Saragar slithered to the control unit and saw that the Matrix was faulty. Then he turned to talk to Oddball to find him missing. Saragar looked under the console where he stood. And there was Oddball working as he had found him before. Before Saragar could speak the engines started up again.

Oddball came out from under the console and handed the burn out part to Saragar. "See snaky It told ya. And how about next time when I tell ya something about to break on this mother loving ship you don't give me so many negative wave about it."

Oddball then turned to leave the engineering section. "Wait a minuet." Saragar yelled. "where do you think you are going?"

Oddball turned back to face the axaparian. "When we blew the engine relays then we also blew the power breakers. I gatta go reset them. But I'm gonna need some help. Murry!"

From the control panel next to the door a unsaven humanoid came out of the Jeffries tube. He wore a dirty t-shirt and shorts with Starfleet boots. Looking at Saragar he said. "How's it going snaky?"

The words were garbled and unrecognizable. Then a second later a box that murry had on his belt started to talk in Oddballs voice. "Murry said. 'How's it going snaky? Both then left the room.

Saragar slithered to the door and entered the corridor. They had disappeared without a trace.

On the bridge Zac sat watching over the final checks. He had invited Dr. Day and Sabrina to watch the launch from the bridge. Not that he truly wanted Day there but Zac could find no reason to invite the Chief nurse without inviting the C.M.O. The comm from engineering Buzzed. "Thir thiss Iss Saragar. We jusst had ssomething sstrange happen down here."

"Saragar we haven't even launched yet, What could be so strange already?" Zac said questioningly.

"Thir, we were just visited by two people who were very weird."

"A large man with a beard and a smaller one with a rather unique way if talking?"

"Aye thir. Thhat'ss them."

"Murry and Oddball, they were stationed here from the base. The admiral said that they are strange but are the best maintenance people He'd ever seen. I've meet them their are strange but OK. they have full access." Zac said trying to settle the engineer. "Are we ready to go down there?"

"We are now thir. Oddball fixed bad relay and hass resset the Breakerss. Power is at ssenenty sseven perssent and rising. Saragar out."

"It looks like we are ready to go. Final launch status everyone. Security?"

"Yo sir, weapons are loaded and accounted for and we are ret to go." Nick reported.

"Navigation?"

Milo rubbed his hands over the smooth controls. "Ready sir."

"Helm?"

"Engines are on line an' purrin' like a wee kittin' sar." Mcpherson reported.

"Science?"

"Full operational Sir." T'Lang said.

"Great then Sid if the comm unit is working, call the base and tell them we are ready for departure. Then give me ship wide inter comm. Sean clear all moorings. Bo raise the main sail."

"Sir base reports we are clear for departure and to have a safe trip." Sid said.

"Sid confirm."

"Intercom Captain. your on." Sid said opening the comm system for the hole ship.

"This is the Captain speaking we are about to launch the ship. I wanted to thank you all for the tireless efforts that you all have made in her construction. You've helped to not only build a fine ship but in some way helped to bring a new life into this universe. But a ship is only as good as her crew that is why I know this ship will not only succeed but become a legend in her own right. And no matter what we face we will face it together. And as our ships motto states. "No Matter where you go.... there you are. Thank you. Wildstar Out."

Members of the bridge clapped as well as did the rest of the ship. Sabrina went over and took hold of Zac's hand and kissed him softly. Zac was at this moment happy.

"Helm take us out. Set screen for aft bay view."

The screen changed to see the Dexterous sitting in the Bay. In the distance over the ship the large space door sat at the end, then began to open just a slit at first then opening wider and wider. The ship started to move from "the womb" slightly then faster she sled the Champion had cleared the doors. Then the mid-section with the sensor wings. "Out side view, please Sid."

The view changed to a remote camera that had been prearranged to be outside at this time for this reason. All that was seen now was a creator in the side of the asteroid, except for a small potion of the Titanic two sticking out of the rock. Then the front of the Champion had emerged. The Dexterous sped clear of the rocky hole next and then the camera shifted to watch the ship departed into the nebula.

"Dexterous this is Titanic Two you are clear and free to navigate." Came a voice over the ships comm system. "May the great bird roost on you planet."

The bridge rang out with an almost deafening round of applause which caught Zac and T'Lang of guard. Zac looked over at Jax who was smiling wildly through his beard and Sabrina bent over and gave him a big hug then kissed him lightly on the cheek. Zac grabbed her hand with his and gave a slight squish back.

"Captin', We read all green we are fully functional." Bo said tipping his Stetson hat.

"Engineering, This is the captain we are going to see what she can do Mr. Saragar. Highest warp power available."

"Are you thure we don't want tto break them in firsth thir?'

"Saragar do you think we'll blow apart?"

"Never thir!" He replied.

"Then full power to all systems Mr. we have three years to catch up on. Wildstar out." Zac sat looking out of the viewer thinking of how he knew that this was going to be the best time of his life. "Helm, Best speed to Bakers' world."

"Ho." Nick rang out with. What he lacked in vocabulary Nick made up for in heart.

The ship went into warp smoothly and quickly leaving up to her name sake. Jaxxon leaned over to Zac. "now that was smooth." and patted him on the back.

Sabrina was about to leave the bridge when Zac stopped her. "Lieutenant Wildstar. I wanted to say thank you for the message earlier. And I'm begging to like blue perhaps we could keep it a while."

She smiled at Zac then her and Day left the bridge.

Chapter 17a

Past: Stardate 22/2503.25

Captains Log Stardate 2503.25 We have entered orbit around Baker's world and are preparing to transport the Admiral, My uncle down. The Dexterous kept in the planets magnetic poles to avoiding detection. For all her mass the Dexterous has maneuvered extremely well. The department heads have reported that every section has been checked out and all systems are functioning at one hundred percent or better. After leaving here we are heading for Chak. To carry out our mission of stealing a Romulan cloaking device. Captain Zacary R. Wildstar

Zac finished the log and saw Jaxxon was smiling back at him from his station.

"What?" Zac asked his friend.

"Nothing. I'm just glad that you are able to make a decent log entry nowadays. If I remember reading correctly your first was something about 'everything red and rosy.""

Zac laughed to himself at the recall of that first log on the old Dexterous. "To was green and functional. Not red and rosy." the two men enjoyed the moment of girth but it was interrupted by Sid

"Sir, the admiral is ready to depart soon. He is wondering if you are going to see him off."

A stern look came across Zac's face. "Sid tell the admiral that.."

"...That the captain will be right down." Mc Cord said.

Wildstar looked at his long time friend and in a voice that was as stern as his look said. "Jax can I see you in the ready room for a moment." Which wasn't a question as much as an order. They both got up and started to walk toward the door on the back wall of the bridge. "Bo you have the Con." Zac added as the door shut. Jaxxon went to the large round table and sat by the closet star in the shooting star symbol that had been inlaid in the tables hard wood table top. "Why did you cut me off like that you know I don't want to see him. I've avoided it for the last three days?"

Jax looked at his friend. "When he took off the mask you first thought that he was your father right?"

"Yeah, what of it?" Zac said some what humbled by the question.

"Imagine how he felt not being able to share who he was with you for three years. And now your mad at him for it. Can you say that you could do the same thing in his place. After years of knowing a family member who you never thought you would see again reappears. Then you hide yourself for their benefit only to treated like garbage for it."

Zac raised a finger to reply them with his mouth opened stopped. For a long pause Zac stopped and stood there not saying a word. "You have the bridge. I'll be back as soon as The adm.. Templeton has left." Zac started to leave the room but just short of the door he stopped and tugged at the blue uniforms. "Jax, thanks." Then he left.

Jaxxon sat back and put his foot on the table and leaned way back in the chair. He took out a cigar and lit it. "ye, what would you do with out me."

Zac had gone to Tempelton's quarters only to find that he wasn't there after quickly computer check Zac found that had went to the Champion.

He found Templeton in his own cabin, holding a rock from the cave where Grog had tried to kill him and Jaxxon of Phred. Zac was angered by the invasion of privacy. But decided to put it aside with the rest of the problem. Still he couldn't help but to make a smart comment. "Can I help you uncle?"

Templeton quickly put the rock down. Turning towards Zac he said."I'm sorry about coming in here I was just trying to find someway to bridge the gap something that we might have in common."

Zac saw that he was really trying to make a mends. He looked around the cabin. Then he spied the objects that he was looking for. He picked up two glasses and handed one to Templeton. Looked at the glass, on it was what looked like a earth rabbit but it was standing upright on two feet and was holding a carrot with humanoid hands. "They are from earths mid-twentieth century." Zac said. "The characters on these glasses were famous Cartoons, Non computer animation. Each frame of film had to be hand drawn."

"Really." Templeton said. "That must of taken forever to make a movie."

"The cartoon themselves only lasted about ten minuets at best. Still that required hundred of man hours. The one you holding was called Bugs rabbit. and this one was called Doopy duck but you see here that it was misprinted Daffy."

Templeton took out a bottle of rum that was in back of a chair near the door. And opened the bottle then poured a little in each glass. Zac looked at him in wonderment and couldn't help asking. "How did you know I put that their?"

Templeton paused for a moment as if he was trying to come up with answer. "Because that's where I would of hid one and after all we are family.

Two hours later the door opened. Sabrina saw the two man laughing together. She smiled realizing that they were a family reunited. "Zac. Jax has been trying to call you both for the last half hour."

"I shut off our communicators an hour ago." Zac said.

She looked at the two Wildstar's and thought how much the were a like. I hate to break this up but We're in orbit and the Bakers' are getting nervous."

Templeton looked at the time. "Blast Zac we lost track of time. I've got to beam down right away. You go arrange my things and I'll go to the transporter room."

Zac stood up and smiled at his uncle. "Aye sir." The two men gave a long over due hug patting each others back.

Zac started to leave the room, then Templeton called out. "Zac, you'll do fine. See you when you get back. By the way don't drink the ale." Zac left, leaving Templeton and Sabrina. They both started to walk to wards the door. Templeton allowed Sabrina to go first. He followed her until the exited the Champions launch control/docking room. As they exited into the main hall Templeton looked into Sabrina blue eyes a moment longer that usual.

"Yes Admiral?' Is there something?' She asked.

He smiled back at her embarrassed. "No nothing, It's just for a moment you reminded me of someone who I use to know. Why don't you walk an old admiral to the transporter bay.

They walked but Templeton remained quiet. As the door opened He walked up to the transporter pad and turned to face Ho at the controls. "Have you ever wondered why people ever turned around when they get up here? It's not like it matters when we beam down."

Sabrina and Ho looked at each other not knowing what to say. Then they heard the admiral say. "Energizes."

Ho worked the controls and Sabrina looked up at the admiral. For a moment she thought she saw a tear streak down his cheek and his mouth say. "I love you."

Chapter 17b

Past: Stardate 22/2503.29

Captains Log Stardate: 2503.29 We have been in Romulan space for three hours. Commander McCord has crewed and powered up the Champion. However we are waiting for the first sign of a Romulan vessel for them to launch. As for now, the crew is a little nervous. We have trained in the simulators for months but everyone knew that they were just that. I'm also worried that we haven't seen any Romulans as of yet. Captain Zacary R. Wildstar

Zac sat back in his chair of the ready room. Then he moved up to the Comm switch. "Sid call the Champion."

Zac waited a few moments. He had expected the voice of Jaxxon. But was greeted by a female voice. "Ensign Kinaka.' Puzzled Zac asked. "Ensign this is the Captain where is commander Mc Cord?"

"I'm sorry sir, the Commander had to well, tend to some personal business."

"What kind of 'Personal business' ?"

"I had to go to the bathroom all right. and I'd like a little privacy next time." Shot back Jaxxon's voice. Zac then heard a flushing sound.

Zac smiled and laughed about it. Maybe Jax was right. "Sorry, I was just checking to see if everything was working for launch."

"No you weren't, you were calling to check up on me. Your too tense Zac. When was the last time you were at you stress reduction classes?" The first office asked his captain.

"Two days before we meet Roxanne." Zac answered knowing that his friend would smile.

"Then it's diffidently been too long! Tell Bo that he now owes me twenty credit. I bet him that you'd call three times before we were attacked."

"Yeah, I know now you can give my the twenty you owe me. Wildstar out." Zac rose from his chair and headed to the bridge. He paused and looked around for a moment before setting in his command chair. Bo filled Jaxxon's seat to his left. He ran ops from this location while the first officer was gone.

"Sir, we have scanned the area and have not sensed anything. With you permission I'd like to launch a sensor probe." T'lar said from the science station.

"Now is as good a time as any. Make it's range 200,000 KM's." Zac acknowledged. Looking around the Bridge crew were noticeably nervous. Never a good thing in battle. He was trying to find something to break the tension of the crew. Then like a flash of bright light it his him. "Sid, Play some music."

"Sir?" Asked the Melmacian.

"You know Sid music rhythm with words. Something in earth's rock and roll era. I've always been fond of that stuff."

"Aye sir." Sid Wuvue said not sure of the captains order. Soon a song about leather blue shoes came on and Zac could see everyone who could relax.

"That's better, you all were so wound up waiting for the Romulans we could of made diamond with out a replicator. It'll come let's not wish fore it sooner.

Ten minuets later T'lar spoke up. "Sir senores report that there might be a Romulan cruiser in the area. Suggest we launch the Champion and triangulate with the sensor probe."

"Champion this is the Dexterous. proceed with launch."

"Later.' Was all that came back from Jaxxon. A slight nudge from the Champion launching was all that was felt. On the main viewer the Champion sped off into the blackness of space.

Minuets later Zac paces around the bridge looking over T'Lar's shoulder. "Sir, we have triangulate the Romulans position." Zac was about to give the order to fire. But again the Vulcan spoke up. "The vessel is decloaking and preparing to fire."

"Shields up Red alert people." Zac ran back to his chair sat down and buckled the seats belt. Looking to the viewer he saw that the target was not the Dexterous but the Champion. Twin streaks of green energy hit the Champion on the bridge. Zac gasped as he thought he witnessed the death of his friend.

"Nick return fire."

"I am sorry sar, We are outta range." Nick said begrudgingly almost trying to push the ship faster with his words.

"Milo get us in there." Zac proclaimed.

"Sir, message from the Champion." Sid reported.

"On speakers. Sid." Zac ordered fearing the worst. After a few tense moments of static.

"EEeyy man Zac can this baby take a punch. We took a direct hit to the bridge and all we lost was out generator. But we can fix that soon enough. Champion out."

The Romulan ship rock as the Champion fired back at it. It was noticeable moved by the impact. Zac watched the battle. He knew what the answerer would be but he asked it anyway. "Are we in firing range yet nick?"

"Nope nat for another minuet." He replied.

"T'lar can you give me a damage report on the Romulan vessel?" Zac asked.

"Scanning," she answered looking into her view-finder. "Sir, The Romulan has take hits to her bridge. And I read that the shields are down."

"Good shooting Jax." Zac felt helpless he watched the ships fire at each other. Then he saw the Champion launch two photon torpedos. The streamed across space hitting the Romulan ship on her port wing and her aft. "Romulan damage T'lar?" As her head went down to the finder the Romulan ship on the screen exploded into millions of small fragments. "On second thought never mind I think I know."

"Sir, call from the Champion." Sid said raising his captain's attention.

"Put them on the screen." Zac said. sitting down in his seat again. An image of Jaxxon in the Champions captain's chair filled the viewer.

"Dexterous this is the Champion. That's one for us and none for you Zac." McCord said smiling.

"The day's young Jax. Are you OK to proceed to the planet?" Zac said.

"Yeah, we're cool over here. Shields are back to full. But I seemed to have missed placed a few torpedoes!" Jaxxon said raising his voice. The crew on the bridge all cheered behind him.

"If you ask nice then maybe the Romulans will give you some at the base. We'll be right behind you. Buy time the survey is over we'll be in orbit to pick you up. Unless you want to wait for us. And reattach." Zac said knowing the answer.

"I thought this was a race?" Jaxxon asked.

"No kidding. If it gets hot there pull back. I mean it. It isn't just us anymore. Cool?" Zac replied.

Jaxxon winked at Zac and gave a limp salute. "Frosted. Champion Out."

Bo leaned over and whispered to Zac. "Ya'll think he'd pull back if it really got to hot?"

Zac smiled and leaned back. "Do you?" He waited until Bo smiled. "Helm increase speed We have a date with a planet. And Nick keep weapons at ready. Just in case the neighborhood turns out to be the untrusting type."

Jax sat at the helm of the Champion. The captain's chair just wasn't hands on enough for him. They had entered orbit with no other trouble from the locals. This too, had Jaxxon wanting to be at the controls in case they needed a fast escape. To his left at the scanner was Talon. She sat watching the reading with her silvery blue wings draped over the chair. Jax had to admit to himself that the wings made he seem more attractive to him. Another reason he took the helm so he couldn't see her. Still taking with her was bad enough. "Talon," Jax said. "what are the life forms reading below?"

"I read seventy five Adult Romulans. However we are getting no reading of shields or defence systems."

"That's odd. Why be a R and D base and no defences." Jaxxon thought a moment. "Well let's not look a gift horse in the mouth. Fire all stun phasers."

The view screen showed that three shots went down to the planet striking the bases location. But not the usual smoke and crater that came with a fully charged phaser blast.

"I now read seventy five sleepy Romulans. No motion at all and several puddles of liquid that had been stilled." Talon reported.

"Good." Jaxxon opened the comm unit to the rest of the ship. "This is McCord we are landing by the base. Alpha squad, you'll be beamed to the station thirty seconds before we land. Just in case they are playing dead. Everyone else please fasten you seat belts and put you trays in the upright position." Jaxxon felt Talons wings open and brush against him. The feeling was good but not what he wanted right now. "I said 'trays' not wings ensign.

"Sorry sir."

"The Dexterous has entered Chak orbit. Scans report that the Champion is still on the ground. Romulans on the base seem to still be unconscious at this time." T'lar reported.

"Well at least that part is going according to plan. Sid try to raise the Champion." Zac sat in his seat nervous. On the readout before him he saw the Dexterous icon in orbit with the Champion icon on the planet. He zoomed out to the edge of sensors range and saw the three green dots that represented the Romulan wind defended heading to the planet. Below the readout were the number 5:02 then 5:01 the countdown to when the Romulans would be in firing range of the Dexterous and Champion.

"Sir we got them." Sid reported.

"Yeah, Zac what do you want we found some really spectacular stuff here." Jaxxon said.

"A cloaking device?" Zac asked.

"Seven if my Romulan isn't to rusty. Also some containers marked 'special weapons cargo' and twenty three cases of ale. It'll take some time to bring that aboard thought."

"Forget it Jax we have company coming. Three heavy cruisers in four and a half minuets. It'll take you two and a half to get in orbit." Zac said.

"Great then we have a minuet and a half to get more ale! Thanks Champion out."

"He cut us off sir?" Sid said surprised.

Zac smiled and knew that there was no use in trying to recall the Champion. "Welcome to my worlds fuzzy."

Five minuets later the Champion streaked out from the planet Chak. The Dexterous broke orbit to tend to the Romulan protectors. On the bridge the of the Dexterous Zac watch the Holo tactical display in front of the main viewer. The Romulans were going to be attacking from all sides in a classical Romulan maneuver.

"Sir the Champion has requested docking clearance." Bo reported.

"Denied." Zac said.

"Sir?' Bo questioned.

"I said 'Denied.' We'd have to drop our shields for them to attach. If we do. We'll get pounded. Tell Jaxxon to meet us at the systems edge."

"Aye Captin'." Bo replied.

Zac didn't like having to give those ordered but he couldn't risk the crew because Jaxxon got greedy.

"Nick, fire at all three ships two photons each. Maybe we can get them to brake off long enough to get the Champion aboard."

Nick fired the torpedos and each struck the ships targeted. The Romulans started to brake off from the Dexterous. But to Zac's horror headed straight for the Champion. On the viewer the ships seemed to shape into an arrow head ready to strike at the bulls eye target of the Champion.

"Sir, Commander MC Cord he request we set our shields to match his at 23.094 Terra watts."

Zac thought for a moment then saw the Champion change course and streak into the middle of the three Romulan ships. As the Champion went though the hole in the Romulans defences they fire but to on avail. "Blast it Jax! T'lar what's is the speed and course of the Champion?"

"212 Mark 3 Sir. Warp 9. Romulan's following at warp 7 It seems to be their best speed."

Zac said standing up. He bent down and open to engineering. "Saragar this is an emergency! Rotate the shields to a frequency of 23.094 Terra watts. Then on my mark get two second burst warp power ready."

"Aye Thir." Saragar answered.

"Helm turn us around and match the Champion course exactly after it passes us. Then match speed when she come in front of us we'll increase warp power by two percent for two seconds. No more no less. Bo put aft shields up full."

"No problem but what are we doing?" Milo asked.

"The first flying catch between two starships."

Milo worked the helm and the ship turned. "Yeah, now I'm glad I asked." Milo said softly.

On the screen the Champion came slowly up from the bottom of the screen. At the same time the Holo tactical showed the Champion edged in front of the Dexterous and move upward. The ship shock suddenly.

"Sir the ship is in the Champions warp wake. This is not a recommended procedure." T'lar reported from the science station.

"Tell me about it. Milo now two percent now." Zac ordered.

The Champion held it's course in front of the Dexterous then all lights on her Warp nacelle went out she slipped back and attached to the Dexterous with a resounding thud that shook everyone.

"Sir, Champion has somehow attached. But we have just lost aft shield." T'lar reported.

Just then another thud hit the ship, this time the lights oft the Dexterous bridge flickered.

"Thir engineering we have justh lost warp power. It won't be fixed for thirty minuets."

Chapter 17c

Past: Stardate 22/2503.29

"Estimated time of arrival T'Lar?" Wildstar said.

"We were able to match the Champion speed until the warp engines went down. I estimate 21.35 minuets. Until firing range."

"Great. Helm head for home best speed to the boarder." Zac ordered. "and get Mc Cord up here."

Jaxxon was in the Champion docking control when the call from the bridge came for him. "Zarla tell the bridge I'm on my way up in a minuet. I'm storing the cargo." Jaxxon said to the red skinned zeltron.

An ensign with an anti-grav unit carried a load of seven blue gray cylinders. "Sir what do we do with these?"

"Those my young friend are Romulan cloaking devices rush them to engineering."

He left then another ensign came out of the Champion. This time it was loaded with several different type of containers. Jaxxon looked them over. "Take them to sickbay we think that they are Bio weapons. So don't drop them. Have Dr. Day put them in isolation. Better yet. Have them beamed over to Sickbay."

Zarla interrupted McCord. "Commander the captain want's you there now."

"Fine. Fine. Zarla I've marked down where everything goes help them unload." As the next ensign came out of the Champion Jaxxon stopped him. He grabbed a bottle out of the top box and put the bottle of blue liquid quickly beneath his tunic.

Jaxxon walked onto the bridge sat beside Zac and took out the bottle. Zac Looked at it and said. "Did you bring this for our last drink together?"

Puzzled Jaxxon asked. "Last drink what do you mean. The docking worked fine no damage and the Romulans are way back that away." He said pointing his thumb towards the rear of the bridge.

Zac smiled. "Take a look at the holo." He said pointing towards the projector at the front of the bridge. It showed three Romulan Winged defenders quickly moving to wards the shape of the Dexterous in the middle.

"We don't have warp speed?" Jax asked Zac.

"Nope." The captain replied.

"Shields?"

"Burned out by your little maneuver."

"Weapons?"

"Those we have. But only forward."

"Are we dead?"

"Yes we are."

They both sat there for a moment looking at each other. Then Jaxxon looked at Zac. "Cloaking devices."

"They don't need them. We haven't the power to destroy them all. Besides we're in there space."

"No Silly." Jaxxon said lightly tapping Zac in his face. "I Had the ones we took taken to engineering to be studied. Saragar could install one and we could hide."

"And if we could manage a warp pulse after we do they would never be able to find us while we make repairs." Zac added to the plan. "Engineering, Saragar start unpacking the cases that Jax got and install one of the cloaking devices. We're on our way down."

They both jumped up and headed for the lift. The doors slid shut. Then opened again. Zac pocked his head out. "Bo you have the bridge. If I'm not back by time they get here turn and fire with our forward weapons." The door closed again.

Sabrina, walked into the isolation lab where several black containers had just came in. She joined Dr. Day in trying to scan the contents of them.

"Doctor. I think we should try opening one of these in a separate lab with a force field around it."

Day looked at the readouts and scanned nothing through the box. "I would agree with you except that we can't open one in that manner. Should the force field go down we would risk infecting the whole ship. Instead we will used the decompression chamber lab. It is a sealed environment. We'll take a container in there open it up and scan it. If it is a Bio weapon the we can reseal it and dispose of it later."

Sabrina nodded to the doctor. "I'll get the isolation suits." She left the room and went to get the suits. After she returned Day stood looking over the cases rubbing his chin.

"No Wait." Day said. I'd much rather wait until we are out of the Romulan empire. If we wait we only waist a few days if we get destroyed it won't matter was in these cases any way."

Sabrina smiled at Dr. Day. "I like the way you think Nathanel." She took the suits back to the closet in the isolation ward. Carefully she put hers on the table. The other one she hung back in the locker marked N. Day C.M.O. As she shut the door however she never saw that the screw that held his name plate to the door punctured the fabric of the isolation suit ever so slightly.

When Zac and Jaxxon entered engineering the first thing the heard was a cooing sound like birds. The first thing they saw was Saragar holding a laser cutting open a cylinders with what looked like several blue Tribbles around the coil of his lower body. Zac saw that five of the seven containers were already cut open. And that Tribbles were all over engineering. The walls power conduits were covered in small blue furry dots. "Don't tell me." Zac said in horror. He walked up to Saragar right in from of the container he wars working on.

"Thath right. Every one hath had ttribblth. Not one cloaking devicth. I've assinged Murry anf Oddball too find the Tribblth who hath esthcaped." Just then it unlatched and Zac was pelted with about three dozen Furry blue Balls. Jaxxon tried to suppress a laugh but couldn't.

"Cloaking devices huh?" Zac said looking at Jaxxon.

"Hey. I can't help it if the Romulans misspelled them on purpose. Maybe it's there sick way of slowing down a ship so that there fleet can come by and shoot anyone trying to steal there goodies." Jaxxon replied.

Saragar moved to the last cylinder and began working at cutting a way the lock.

Zac climbed out of the moving pike of furry creatures and asked Saragar. "If the last one dose have a cloaking devise how long to install it?"

"How fath do you need it?" The Axaparian asked.

"Romulans are going to be here in twelve minuets." Zac answered.

"I wath a afraid of tthat. I don't know how long. Maybe twenty minueth. If all mathes up right."

"You have ten." Zac looked over and saw Jaxxon holding and petting a Tribble. "I'll be on the Bridge. Jax you stay and help Saragar."

Just then the door to the last opened and a round devise with a elongated circular base sat in a protective form buffer pad. "Thir, thiss iss it." We'll hook it up through tthe deflecthorss."

"Great work Saragar keep me posted.

On the bridge while every one was working at there stations the bottle that Jaxxon had brought on board sat by the bottom of his chair. But everyone was to busy to notice the blue smoke that started oozing out of the top.

Simon Taren stowed the cases of Romulan Ale from the raid. Of the ten cases that Jaxxon had "liberated" from the Romulans. Three wore the blue strip around the top hatch to the case these were the three that began to also smoke.

Zac entered the bridge. Bo was standing just in back of the helm. He turned around from where he stood and in a loud voice yelled in a clear unaccented voice. "Captain Wildstar on the Bridge." And then stood at perfect attention. A sweet misty odor permeated the bridge.

Zac noticed that T'Lar was slumped in her chair. "Bo what is going on?" Zac said going over to the science station. He pulled T'Lar back she was out cold. "Sir we think that the bottle of ale was rigged to vaporize and inebriate the bridge crew sir!"

Zac looked stunned. Everyone on the bridge now looked plastered. Sid came around and hugged Zac midsection. "I love you man. You are the greatest Captain anyone ever had." Then Sid passed out colds on the carped deck of the bridge.

"Bo, are you?" Zac started.

"Drunk sir? It depends on you perspective. I learned long ago that due to my unique body chemistry I tend to get highly logical at time of inebriation. However sir I do request a leave from duty for tomorrow. This level of shall we say logic leaves me with a very large headache. However I estimate that I shall be most effective for another seven point five hours Sir."

"Blast we have ten cases of that stuff in the cargo hold." Zac raised up to his station. He changed the readout to ops position. He work at closing the vent from the cargo bay but according to the scans the ale vapors had all ready went into the air supply system. He opened up the ship wide intercom. "This is the captain. All sections report in." He waited. At first there was no response. Zac glanced at the tactial display and saw that the Romulans we now only a mere three minuets away. Finally a response came. "Zac what do you want? We are about to try the cloak." Jaxxon's voice came back.

"Jax great. We've got a situation. The Ale you brought back has been turned into a gas and has now been breathed by all the crew except myself and everyone in engineering." Then another beep rang out from the Sickbay. "Zac what the problem?" Sabrina asked. Zac repeated the story of what was happening.

"Be carful sweetheart. We'll stay in sickbay until we can access the environmental control. Dr. Day is working on an antidote." She said.

"Tell Day if he has an antidote for Romulan ale I'll take a case. Gotta go." Zac breathed a little easier now. Again the chair intercom beeped. Zac hit the button for engineering. "Dang it Zac you know I hate being put on hold. We're ready." Jaxxon said.

"Great, engage the cloak."

From out side the Dexterous started to waver A shimmering effect washed over the whole ship. It began to fade from the blackness of space. Then at a point which some would described as opaque the Dexterous hung against the darkness of space neither cloaked or uncloaked.

"Are we cloaked?" Zac asked. From the bridge. "Jaxxon checking the what the readouts said versus the scanners.

"Ah, mostly." Jaxxon relied. From the background Saragar hissed and spat a Axaparian curse.

"What do you mean mostly?" Zac asked growing impatient. "Either we are or we aren't.

"Ye, you'd think that wouldn't you. Listen, Saragar thinks that we need more power that's all. Remember this is a big ship." Jaxxon said calmly.

Zac came back angered. "Jaxxon we have thirty seconds to go and......."

The Dexterous faded from view. Seconds later three large steel green Romulan Winged Defenders streaked by the SSD Dexterous at warp 9 only three hundred meters away.

"See Zac what did I tell you I knew Saragar would get us up and running. Mc Cord out.

Saragar slithered over to Jaxxon smiling. "Ith it always going to be like this?"

Jaxxon took out a cigar and lit it and looked around. Then he smiled at Saragar. "Most likely. Bad thing like this always happen to Zac. You wouldn't believe some of the thing I've had to get him out of over the years. By the way where are all the Tribbles?"

Chapter 17d

Past: Stardate 22/2503.31

Captains Log Stardate: 2503.31 We have finished repairs and are heading for Baker's world to Get the Admiral Wildstar. Doctors Day and Wildstar are starting to open the Bio Hazard containers that We've taken from Chak. He felt that it was best to wait until the action settled down before opening "the unknown." Chief Engineer Reports that the Cloaking devise will work better after he's had time to examine it more. And after an extensive search We think that we have all the Tribbles that escaped from the Romulan containers. For now we are putting them into Stasis so that we can later figure out why they are blue. The ships crew are now returning to normal function after the Blur Haze Of Romulan ale. It was once said that you never know what your capable of until you have a trial by fire I think that this crew and ship will be fine. Captain Zacary R. Wildstar.

Zac finished the log and sat back in his couch. Before him as he looked out the window the stars streaked past. The blackness of the night was then interrupted by a Romulan ship than crossed the flight path of the Dexterous. "Red Alert all hands to battle station." Zac cried out. He sat into his desk chair and dropped though the floor. Not waiting until the chair lift got the whole way to the floor Zac bolted out across the room and onto the bridge. The red alert light were lit and the bridge was coming to action.

"Nic target and fire at will. Raise shields if not already done and get me a tactical. Milo go to impulse. And some one recall Sid to the bridge he was helping store the Tribbles in the stasis lab."

Zac watched as three photons lashed out and hit the first ship blowing it to dust. The Holo snapped in to focus and then Zac saw the three other ships moving towards the Dexterous. Getting ready to order the next wave of weapons fire was interrupted by the shock wave of the Dexterous being hit.

"Our shields are at eighty seven percent Captain." T'Lar reported.

"Zac Do you want me to launch the Champion?" Jaxxon asked from the right side ready to move.

"Not yet. Nick Target ships two and four. Milo as three slips behind us I want full reverse."

Milo smiled thinking of the expression of the Romulan commander seeing the Dexterous backing right his way.

Amidst the confusion on the bridge Zac heard the Comm beep. "Bridge this is the Captain."

"Captain! What the blazes is going on I'm working with the Romulabn Bio- hazard down here!" Day shouted.

"Well, doctor I'm working with the Romulan battle hazard up here so clamp it and you down until this is over Wildstar out!" Zac hit the comm button with the side of his chair knowing that he was going to have a good long talk with the good doctor if the got out of this.

The phaser lanced out and struck both ship setting for an instant a bright orangish red glow on each ships engines. Then they returned fire.

In the isolation lab Sabrina shook her head. "I told you that you shouldn't call up. You know how he gets. Let's do what he said and lock this stuff down. We know that it's lethal at least for ten seconds."

"Your right of course. But he could of warned us that we were going to go into a fire fight."

Day said though the clear hooded mask of the environmental suit. "This sample we'll mark a SSD bio hazard 3423-E. Let's get this shut down and locked up. If I know you husband He'll find someway out of this and I'll get sickbay ready for nothing.

Again Sabrina smiled. She looked through the clear plasti steel window and for a moment thought she saw a shadow. Brushing the feeling aside she Walked over to the case that held the samples of the Romulan "This is the last one of this batch. No wait We have a sample missing.

Day lifted the lid if the container and saw that the sample was underneath. "No wait it's over her." Just then the room shook. Typical of a lower deck jolt that happened during battles. Day saw that the clear glass tube was falling off the table he grabbed for it but it fell Smashing on the floor. They both looked at each other. Then Day yelled. It only has a ten second life. Sabrina looked at Day with relief that they had wore the suits in a moment they infections life of the virus would be over.

"That was a close one." They both started to say. Then Sabrina Wildstar fell.

"Sir the aft ship was struck by the backwash of her own photon torpedo. We have lost the aft shield generator repair crew are working on it. The other two ships are heavily damaged and are starting to brake off." T'Lar reported.

"I'll have to remember that one. I was just trying to keep it off balance until we got rid of the other two. Zac said leaning over to Jaxxon.

"Works great until they don't flinch." Jax replied.

"Good thought." Zac said. "Sean hold our course. Nick fire two more Photons at half speed. One at each ship target there engines. I want them to get back home but not for a while."

Zac watched the main viewer as each photon left the aft end of the Dexterous and struck an engine of the Romulan Ship. A cheer went up through out the bridge. Zac smiled. "Sean best speed to Bakers' dozen. Bo have repair teams get to work where we need.

"Aye captin'" Bo said still a little slowly.

Zac sat down at his chair again the light from cickbay lit up. Zac looked at Jaxxon discussed at the prospect that it was day calling to yell about some experiment that had been ruined. "Doctor, whatever it is I'm sorry." Zac said sarcastically.

"Captain. This is Day there has been an accedent." Day paused a chocked came out of the normally disgruntled Doctor. Sabrina is dying."

Zac stood up being hit with the news of the Dexterous first casualty was his wife. "You have the bridge Jax." Zac said as he raced for the turbolift.

Zac bolted into the Sickbay. Day grabbed him and held him back. "I'm sorry there is nothing we can do the Virus was a Romulan Bio weapon. Some how her suit was torn. I'm sorry." But some how Day knew that the words he had just spoken were falling on deaf ears. Zac pushed past the doctor and looked through the glass partition she was lying on the main sickbay diagnostic table still in the white hazard suit. He went around the wall and to her side. Zac paused for a moment hoping that it was a dream. That this was not real at all, He was brought back to realty when Sabrina spoke to him.

"Zac?" She said shallowly. Truning her head slightly.

He went over to her taking her hand, then stroker her blonde hair gently with his other. "Shh. quiet. You need to rest. Day's going to find a cure soon you just need to hand on." He said trying almost to convince himself.

She managed to smile at him. "Why is it you can tell lies to any one else in the galaxy and they believe you yet I'm the only who can see right through them?" She said then cough. And tried to grasp for a breath.

"Maybe because you love me?" He said forcing a smile that was waisted. She grabbed his hand tightly. Not wanting to let go. Zac moved closer to her face. As she tried to talk again.

She was able to lift her hand up and put it on his cheek. Zac felt the once warm hand going colder.

"You know you never looked good in blue."

"Don't worry the new uniform will be her soon. You'll see."

She jerked in pain as the poison worked deeper into her body. "You did good here. Don't let it go to waist." Her voice was fragile and broken. He leaned closer to her. "I love you. Captain." As she finished Her hear slimped back. That was the first time Zac heard the medical read out and all he heard was one long beep. Zac stood up looking at his wife looking for the glow he had always seen when he was around her and then sunk to his knees.

Present

Chapter 5

Alex Joleta cried as she watched her captain lose his wife. She never thought that he had lost so much. Worked throught so much pain. No wander he didn't want me to know she said to her self. She paused the play back watching Zac on the sickbay floor.

"You have found the ripple." The guardian said thunderingly.

She now knew what she had to do. From her perspective Dr. Day had been the one who was killed by the virus. But in reality it was Sabrina who died. And all because of her spying on Zac. She sat on the rock near by and thought of what she had too do. Her only solace came when she remembered that Zac and Sabrina had split up in her time line and Day was dead. That this was the only way to get time going again. She remembered the image of James Kirk holding back Lenard Mc Coy from saving Edith Keiller. And wondered if Kirk could go back and stop himself again.

She walked back to the base and entered the room that held uniforms. She found the rack marked ensigns and then medstaff. She new that during her mission she would have to blend in with the crew from so many years ago. And a uniform was the key. She could find nothing that fit her in stock.

She then had to turn to her "b" plan. After searching for several mineuts she found the base sickbay. Room by room she covered the faclity. After the third room she found a young rensign the same hight and wait as her. Soon after she immerged from the base waering the new lower rank uniform.

Before she knew it she was standing in from of the Guardian of Forever. She went around and set the controls of the platform. She then stood on the platform and spoke. "Guardian please replay the true history of Captain Zacary R. Wildstar."

A swirl of light and mist swirled in the open hole of the guardian. she caught glimpes of the things she had saw before. Zac in the acadmey flyer, in the Whammo, in board Titanic Two, at Zookas, frozenn on the Bridge with Kypkov then Jax, then on his honeymoon At that piont she felt a tear start to well up and sher closed her eyes. Then she felt the platform jerk.

Past

Chapter 17b/c

Past: Stardate 22/2503.31

Alex hit somthing soft and furry. She opened her eyes to see that she was laying on Sid Wuvew. And on him were several blue Tribbles.

"I don't know what you've heard ensign but I'm not that type of malmanian. Ha!" She got up Helping Sid up. Then she started to help him pick up the Tribbles. "I'm so sorry Sir. I wasn't watching where I was going."

Sid shrudded his tiny shoulders. "No problem. These guys are just going for a nap then I'm going for a snak."

She didn't know what to say after this. But maybe it was just as wel if Sid didn't remember having a conversation with her. After Sid rounded the Courner she got a bearing of where she was. Then she looked up and saw the door to sickbay. She entered and saw the head nurse. "Are you my relief?" Alex froze She thought of faking an illness. Then remembered that she was now part of the medical personal.

"Yeah. I'm nurse. "She paused for a name knowing that shew couldn't use her real one. Then she saw the Bio bed with an old fasion bed pan laying on it. "Dish."

The nurse came around the desk and handeed her a comm badge. "All on duty personel need one Doctor Day's orbers. I don't remember you. Did you transfer from the base?"

"Yes," alex said. "Last minuet replacement. Didn't get permanent quarters until this morning."

The older nurse laughed. "Tell me about it. The first night I was assigned to the chierf enginers room by mistake. And he's a snake. Any how Doctors Day and Wildstar are working on a research project. Later they are going to start on some samples the exce brought back from that Romulan base. So unless someone's dying don't distrub them."

"No problem." Alex said faking a smile. The other nurse left and Alex bolted out of the waiting area. Memories came back to her of how she snuck around the ship while she was injured thinking she was captured prisoner. With the same effort she worked her way through sickbay. Finally she got to the lockers. Opening them up she saw the white suits. The one in Sabrina's locker was fine without a mark. In Day's below the collar was a small tear on the top right. A small hole really. For a moment she wondered what would happen if she fixed the hole and let both of them live. She heard both Day and Sabrina coming down the hall she had been in minuets before. She switched the suits and turned the screw in Day's name plate so that another tear would occor. Shutting the locker doors she then ran out other door opposite the one she came in just. Alex found that this door lead to a closet. She kept it opened a crack and watched Sabrina and Day were walking in.

Alex sat in the closet for hours. She knew that the time ripe wasn't yet settled or she would be returning back to the Guardian. After waiting an etenity she could help but think of the words Kirk had said before leaving Gateway and how they applied now to her own fellings. Suddenly the closet shook. The battle with the Romulans. Alex felt the second then third blast. Afterthat she could no longer stay in the closet. She opened the door and went to the glass of the lab where Day and Sabrina worked looking in she saw the same seen as she did from the Guardian but this time from the window.

In the isolation lab Sabrina shook her head. "I told you that you shouldn't call up. You know how he gets. Let's do what he said and lock this stuff down. We know that it's lethal at least for ten seconds."

"Your right of course. But he could of warned us that we were going to go into a fire fight." Day said though the clear hooded mask of the environmental suit. "This sample we'll mark a SSD bio hazard 3423-E. Let's get this shut down and locked up. If I know you husband He'll find someway out of this and I'll get sickbay ready for nothing.

Again Sabrina smiled. She looked through the clear plasti steel window and for a moment looked right at Alex. Alex saw her in her white suit and mouthed the word. "I'm Sorry." Alex then turen and ran out of the room.

Brushing the event Sabrina walked over to the case that held the samples of the Romulan "This is the last one of this batch. No, wait we have a sample missing.

Day lifted the lid if the container and saw that the sample was underneath. "No, wait, it's over her." Just then the room shook. Typical of a lower deck jolt that happened during battles. Day saw that the clear glass tube was falling off the table he grabbed for it but it fell smashing on the floor. They both looked at each other. Then Day yelled. It only has a ten second life. Sabrina looked at Day with relief that they had wore the suits in a moment they infections life of the virus would be over.

"That was a close one." They both started to say. Then Sabrina Wildstar fell.

NOW

Chapter 3

Then the ground shook. Ten Stopped. "It's OK." Solman said. "it dose that all the time. They should return any second."

Alex saw that she was exacly where she stood before and Solman was at the controls. Everyone in black uniforms with blue trim. Alex smiled.

Past

Chapter 4

Past

Zac and the others came out of the time slip just where they wanted to be in fact from the angle of the buildings they could see that they were only about a block from the Presidential parade route. Zac smiled as did Tripp.

Day looked at a bird that was by his left foot making a landing. He tried to move it but the little bird just flew away again. He looked at Zac. "Toto I don't think were in Texas anymore. Think I should take a picture if this?"

Zac lifted up the dark Glasses. "Naw, I'm sure that they have pictures of birds. Ok. I'll work my way into the crowd by the noel. Day I want you to the left Tripp to the right. If I miss Trip your the one who will take out Ben Spock."

"Aye Sir." Tripp responded.

The three men started to walk talking pictures of the buildings as the went. As the got to the crowd that lined the street Zac saw a flash out of the corner of his eye. He striped off his jacket and handed it to the Doctor. And taking Day's camera.

"Captain what are you doing? Day asked surprisingly.

"I know he up there I just saw the gun barrel reflect with the sun. I'm going to get a picture of him up there."

Before day could stop him Zac took the picture. When Zac got back Day's look showed his disapproval. "If he would of seen you then he might not shoot. Or we could have been lucky and he shot you instead."

"That's why your here doc in case Oswald shoots me instead."

"Imagine my joy." Day said sarcastically.

An hour later Zac watched as the motorcade came around the corner. Care after car came. Then around the corner was Kennedy, smiling and waving. Mid way up the street Zac heard the first shot ring out. He turned towards the bush and saw a hand stick out holding an old fashion revolver. Zac aimed his phaser and shot. At the same time two more shot were fired and people started to scream. As people started to run a man fell out of the bushed in the knoll. Zac, Tripp and Day went to him. Still groggy the man looked up. Zac smiled at him. "I'm sorry Professor. Times Up."

Now

Chapter 4a

At the Gateway base a young ensigns yelled finding herself naked in the middle of sickbay.

Day and Tripp returned holding the professor. Solman motioned and his Guards took the time bandit away.

Alex looked at the Guardian and asked Solman. "Where's the Captain? Where's Zac."

Solman worked the controls and then looked up at Alex. "I don't know he should of been returned with the others. He not here or in the past.

Solman and Alex continued to scan. Time and again the got no reading from the Guardian

Subchapter 4

(Time out. Another in our continuing thing that never happen yet do all the time ) Zac stood in a room with white walls and floor with his Black suit completely white. In the middle of the room was a totally white version of his captain's chair. After a minuet he realized that he had been here several times before and went over and sat in the chair. He clearly remembered that he had been hear four times before. Yet could not remember thinking of those time anywhere else but here.

From a door to his left A block robot came in holding a tall glass with blue liquid. "Biff!" Zac said getting out of the chair taking the drink. "How long has it been?"

"Time you are aware Captain is relative."

"True. You hear about Jax?"

"Affirmative. My condolences." The robot relied with just a hint of feeling.

"Thank you. So what did you think of that dive off the back boat?"

"I gave it a 9.3 Sir." Biff said.

"9.3 are you kidding it was flawless." Zac said annoyed.

"You open as you went into the water, The wake splash was to great."

Zac thought for a moment. Wait a minuet I never hit the water. I landed on the bridge."

"Again sir it is a matter of perspective." Biff said.

"Well, why am I here. Another test?" Zac asked inquisitively.

"No sir. While you were in the past we had problem which we enlisted the help of your first officer to sort out."

"That's great. Wha'd she have to do. Ride the Titanic Two, Hindenburg, work at chernobyl?"

"No this was not her test that will come later. As you know she has for some time been trying to find out your past. In doing so the Guardian found an anomaly. Since you were in the past it couldn't fix the anomaly it shut down time. She went back and fixed the problem. Allowing all time to restart on all plans."

Zac sat back in the chair trying to fathom the temporal mechanics in what Biff just said.

"What did she have to do?" He ashed the metal man.

"That will take some explaining to do."

(Time In) then as if triggered by their desperation Zacary Wildstar jumped out of the time portal. Alex went over and helped him up. "So did you miss me?" Zac said wiry. Hugging Alex, She felt almost numb. She didn't know how to tell him what she did and why she had to do it. The strained silence was broken by Solman.

He came over and through the wind yelled at Zac. "Congratulations Captain, You've done it again."

Then in a loud voice that cut though the wind as if the air was still the Guardian of forever spoke again. "All is as it should be. Many such journey's are possible."

Alex looked at Zac and his eyes had changed from the last time she looked at him. She tried to read his feeling but was shut out by him. She didn't press any further.

"Captain Solman," Zac said. I'd be delighted if you could join us for dinner tonight."

Solman laughed. "Fine I'll bring the wine."

The three went back towards the base. Alex stopped just before getting out of sight of the Guardian. Letting the other two proceed on. After she was alone she pulled out her phaser and pointed it at the Guardian. "I just want you to know what ever you are I hate you." And as if to respond the Guardian went completely dark.

Commander Joreta came up from the rear as Solman and Wildstar were talking about the details of the mission. "I think that I got a picture of Oswald in the window with the rifle."

"Excellent! It will be a great help. Our researchers are trying to construct a holo program of the events."

She joined then walking along side of them. Zac handed the camera to Solman. "Captain would you excuse me and my first officer for a few minuets. We have some ships business to discuss before we rejoin you at the base."

Solman knew that there were time that officers wanted a word in private with an officer under his command. He accepted the camera. "Certainly captain I'll be at the briefing room when your finished."

After watching him get out of hearing distance Zac turned to her and looked into her big brown Betazed eyes. "I don't know how, but I do know what you had to do. I now it wasn't easy for you to have done such a thing." He said softly holding her close to him.

Alex held Zac tight hoping some of the pain would be disappeared from her. She wanted to say how sorry she was how much she didn't want to see him hurt, how she wished it could have been different and a dozen other things she couldn't even put into feelings let alone words. "I'm so sorry!" was all she managed to get out as she started to cry.

He pulled away from her with his head tilted down and looked into her redding eyes. "if it helps you know I only remember this timeline. Sabrina died ten years ago. I'm not saying that it doesn't still hurt but I've moved on. I love you, Alex. What you did you have to do." Zac said hoping that it would take some of the sting away.

"But I killed he surly as if I held a phaser to her head. How can you forgive me? When I can't even forgive myself." She said turning away from him.

Zac touched her on the shoulder. "From what I know, that I know that her and I wasn't still together were we?" Zac asked.

"No, you were divorced but she was still on the ship as the C.M.O." Alex replied.

"Yes, but weren't we still as we are now." Zac asked walking around to face her.

"Yes." She said softly.

"Then why are you trying to take my Imzadi away from me here? What happened in the past weather Romulan virus, time replacement or Klingon Bath'lth wound would not change whet we have now. If you didn't set time straight then there would be no time. I once talked to Jim Kirk about why he did what he did. Do you know what he told me?"

"There was no other way." She answered taking the wind out of Zac's sail.

"Yeah. Right. How did you.... Never mind. Alex I'm not happy about all my past no one is but it's what makes us who we are. You did your job, you saved the Federation once again. If you want to split hair you also saved the Romulan's and the Klingon's. And for that I could have you arrested. What I'm trying to say is that it's how you are going to look at it. Do you understand?"

Alex wiped her eye and smiled at Zac. He could still see the pain behind them. Even feel a little of it in his own heart. Then she looked at him. "In time, I will. In time.

Zac took her land and they walked back to the base.

Later that evening in Alex's quarters she fastened the clasp on her dress uniform. The dinner for the crew of Gateways command staff was about to be served. She looked at her self in the mirror studying her black uniform with blue trim. For a moment she thought that it looked funny somehow. Then she thought "That's crazy it's how it's always been." A knock came through her door and at the she thought that's odd why not beep. She opened the door. Standing in the hall was Doctor Nathanel Day holding a small black leather bag. "I'm sorry commander but your dinner has been cancelled. It is time for you crew exam." Day opened the bag and pulled out and ancient stethoscope. "You but too choices at this point. One I do a house call and you my great grandfathers medical instruments." Day said as if the were tool of torch her. "or two you come to sickbay."

She smiled at the good doctor. "Sickbay diffidently sickbay."

The End?