Chapter 1

Captain's log, stardate 2267.41. Having just returned from shore-leave, the crew is reinvigorated and ready. Yet for some reason I'm having anxieties which I don't quite understand.

USS Enterprise

"Steady as she goes, Mr. Sulu," Captain James T. Kirk instructed his helmsman, Hikaru Sulu. He gripped the armrests of his chair but quickly stopped upon realizing it. Get a grip, Jim.

"Captain," a low, stolid voice called out.

Kirk swiveled his chair to face his science officer. "Yes, Mr. Spock?"

"The sensors are detecting what appears to be an approaching star."

"'Appears'?"

"It shares much of the same characteristics of a white dwarf with one distinguishing feature. It is crystalized," Spock explained. "I'd advise against any close proximity."

The ship suddenly rocked violently. Kirk swore under his breath. "It looks like we don't have much of a choice. Mr. Sulu, evasive maneuvers."

"Aye, Captain."

Now I know where that anxiety's coming from.

The ship shook again, followed by a sharp pull backward. "The star is emitting high levels of radiation and increasing its gravitational pull," Spock relayed.

"Warp speed, Mr. Sulu," Kirk ordered frantically. Sweat was beading from his forehead as the ship tossed furiously more and more by the second, a scraping, screeching sound blaring through the hull.

"It's not responding!" Sulu shouted over the noise.

The Enterprise was drawn into the crystal star. Radiation cascaded over the starship, deadly yet beautiful in its purple and green shaking. Then the shaking had abruptly stopped. The screeching had silenced. Kirk's eyes darted across the bridge, confirming that his crew were in one piece. He contacted engineering, "Report."

"She's been run pretty ragged, sir-" Chief Engineer Montgomery Scott answered.

"Can we warp?" Kirk interrupted.

"Aye, but I'll need a few hours."

"Do it then."

"What the hell is going on!?" a voice barked from the back of the room. Dr. McCoy had just stormed in.

"Not now, Bones," Kirk said. "Spock, where are we?"

"Unknown," Spock replied. "The ship's database can find no match of this star system. More importantly, our instruments have determined a backward distortion in space-time."

"How far back?"

"Unknown," Spock answered.

Bones rolled his eyes in response. "Great. You tell the science officer to do a simple job like tell us where we are and all he can answer is 'a long time ago, in a galaxy far away'."

"Unknown at present, Doctor," Spock elaborated. "By my calculations, we could be several billion years into the past."

Kirk rubbed his temples as he took everything in. Rising to his feet, he started to the turbolift. "Bones, Spock. Come with me. Mr. Sulu, you have the conn."

...

"You look awful, Jim," McCoy said as soon as they entered the briefing room.

"Never mind that," Kirk replied. He turned to Spock. "Any ideas?"

"As I stated before, we are in unknown territory," Spock said. "Logic dictates that we would collect more data before taking any course of action."

"Such as?" McCoy asked, a tinge of sarcasm in his voice.

"Locating habitable planetoids might provide us with insight."

"Assuming the locals are intelligent, of course," Kirk added. "We're walking a thin line, here. If we're as far back in time as you say, Spock, we risk interfering with a planet's development."

"It may only be necessary to obtain natural materials from the planet. It would aid in making my calculations."

"Well, whatever you decide to do, do it quick," McCoy muttered.

A pleasant whistling sound announced the room's communicator. "Captain, please come to the bridge," Sulu said.

"Something wrong?" Kirk asked.

"It'd be better if you saw for yourself."

The viewscreen displayed a violet-colored planet. Orbitting the world were hundreds of factories and starships under construction or repair. "Have they attempted contact?" Kirk asked.

"No, sir," Uhura, communications officer, replied.

Kirk calmly nodded, not taking his eyes off the viewscreen. "Keep a safe distance, Mr. Sulu. We don't want to give the wrong impression." Several smaller spacecraft emerged from the belly of one of the orbitting vessels. "Starfighters?" Kirk thought aloud.

"Sir, we're being hailed," Uhura said.

"On screen," he instructed.

The viewscreen switched to the image of a human male in a gray military uniform. "Shuttle, you are in a restricted zone. Identify yourself immediately."

"This is Captain Kirk of the Enterprise," Kirk answered.

The approaching starfighters unleashed green bolts of energy at the Enterprise. The attack jolted the ship, though the shields had held.

Star Destroyer Apocalypse

Captain Bao Deshekk had ordered the deployment of a TIE fighter squadron on the intruding starship. After unleashing a warning shot on the Enterprise, the ship's captain, Kirk, quickly responded. "We have no hostile intent," Kirk said, his voice firm. "We're on an exploration mission."

Deshekk felt a muscle in his face twitch. "An exploration vessel with a torpedo armament? I find that unlikely. You will be taken into custody. Lower your shields and prepare for a boarding party."

He watched Kirk on the viewscreen as he quietly consulted one of his officers, a humanoid of a species Deshekk did not recognize. "We'll cooperate. The transporter room will be standing by."

Transporter room? "Do not deviate from your course." Cutting off the transmission, he gave the order to prepare troopers.

...

"I hope you know what you're doing," Bones quietly said to Kirk.

"We'll play by their rules for the time being," Kirk said. He switched on the ship's comm and relayed the intent for surrender.