A Jump in Time
I do not own Star Trek or the characters portrayed in this fiction. I just have enjoyed them over the past 30 years after having first discovered them on late night TV when I got home from work. Since then, I have found myself "leaving the planet" when I have felt stressed or overwhelmed. Considering all that is going on in our country and the world with Coronavirus, now seems like a good time to head out.
So, this is for all of us who have secretly, or not so secretly traveled to the 23rd century. Hope you enjoy it. All characters are from the original series except for Cassandra Johnson and a few minor characters.
Awareness was coming slowly to Cassandra. She tried to open her brown eyes but that hurt too much so she decided to just…. not. Something was poking at her. She moaned, trying to get her brain to connect all the parts of her body. She felt a rough kick to her thigh. Oww, REALLY?! As she tried to open her eyes, she could hear voices; they sounded angry. To her it was just sound. That concerned her. Maybe nothing was working quite right yet. Her brain was trying to reboot when someone grabbed her by the arms and hauled her to her feet. The world spun harshly, brown wavy hair coming out of the scrunchie from the rough handling. She slumped back against the one holding her, only to be shoved roughly away, all 5'8" of her size 12 frame falling back to the hard ground where she started. "Knock it off!" she said in no uncertain terms. "Give me a minute". Again, more sound and another rough nudge to her thigh. This time she opened her eyes and the cerebral reboot completely crashed.
She was staring at 3 bug like things about 7 feet tall, standing on 2 legs with 4 more appendages sticking out of their torso. Their bodies were colors she didn't even recognize and she wasn't sure how many eyes they had because at that point, all reason left her. She was up and running before they knew it. Unfortunately in her condition, the attempt, while wholehearted, was rather clumsy so they caught her quickly. The gigantic bugs circled and began to taunt her with their pincher claws. It felt like a bad game of cat and mouse and she grimly realized she wasn't the cat. As they closed in on her, the "game" was ending and so in desperation, she screamed as loud as she could, then started swinging.
"Landing party come in please. Landing party, this is Lieutenant Uhura". There was a crackle of static then the distant voice of Spock answering. Uhura turned to Captain Kirk who was sitting in his chair with a PADD in his hands "Captain, I've finally reached them"
The man in question stopped reading to hit a button on the command chair "Spock, Kirk here. That ion storm is picking up speed faster than we anticipated"
The First Officer glanced skyward. The black clouds to the north were now close enough to their location to force the landing party to beam out before finishing their studies. The data gathered about this desert like planet wasn't likely to be much use to the Federation. "Yes Captain, we have been monitoring the storm along with our other meteorological readings. The science and geology teams are gathering equipment now and will be ready to beam out in 4.2 minutes." Spock checked the sun's position in the orange sky. Here the sun rose in the south and set in the north making it almost mid-day. Based on initial studies, this planet rotated on a 31-hour day though soon the sun would be hidden by the storm.
"Ok Spock but get a move on. That storm is huge. Chekov says it covers a quarter of the planet and could last two and a half days. Scotty is standing by but the beam out will be rough. Can you move quicker?"
"Understood" Spock said. The dry wind was starting to whip up loose sand from the planet surface. Without much more than scrub brush in the area, there wasn't much vegetation to keep the particles from stinging eyes and exposed skin. Everyone was ready to get off this planet. "Be ready to beam us out at my signal"
"Got it". Kirk turned his chair to face his composed Communications Officer. "Uhura, have you notified Mr. Scott?"
Uhura nodded, giving the captain confirmation without looking up or slowing her hands as they danced over the console. She was managing not only the landing party but also the necessary communications between Mr. Scott and the engineering department who were working together to make this happen. Captain Kirk turned back around to watch the planet below, willing his people to hurry.
On the planet's surface, Lieutenant Michaels fastened the last of his metal boxes and turned to the Vulcan in charge of the landing party. "Mr. Spock, both teams are ready to beam up" stated the head scientist for this mission. The science team stood around him in their respective positions. Spock acknowledged him first, then glanced over to see the geology team standing as a group off to the side, huddled together with their gear against the wind. They were ready to move into position once the science team was beamed aboard. The extreme dry heat made it uncomfortable even for a Vulcan so he knew the humans were reaching the limits of exposure to the harsh climate. He pressed the button on his communicator, indicating the first team was ready to beam out when suddenly, all heads whipped around at the sound of a very human scream originating south of their position. Before anyone could react, the science team was being beamed aboard.
Spock looked north at the black rolling clouds, calculated the distance between himself and the storm then turned quickly to the geology team. The Vulcan exchanged his communicator for the phaser on his belt. "Take your team and go. I will investigate, then follow you up." Before Lieutenant Sanders could argue or offer to help, the transporter beam had latched onto their signal and they began to fade.
Spock didn't wait to see them disappear. He had already turned south by southwest, running across the valley floor before starting up a hill towards the scream. As he crested the top, he could see someone being attacked by 3 insectoid beings at the base of the hill. Putting the phaser on heavy stun he waited until he was half way down the hill before he aimed and shot at the first being without slowing down. He was almost upon them before any of them, including the human could register his presence. He used that hesitation to his advantage and stunned the second creature. The 3rd insectoid had drawn his weapon, having shoved the woman away but was stunned and down before he could get off a shot.
"Are you hurt?" he asked. She looked at him without recognition. He helped her to her feet, quickly diagnosing shock but otherwise she seemed to be unharmed as far as he could tell from preliminary visual scan. Just then his communicator chirped. He replaced the phaser and grabbed the communicator all while holding onto her forearm. He did not want her running from him. She didn't move. "Spock here."
"Spock! Did you find what screamed?" asked the Captain with barely controlled urgency.
"Yes Captain. I have what appears to be an Earth woman who was being attacked by three insectoid type beings we have never encountered before." As he answered, the hair on the back of his neck stood up. Looking north, he saw the ion storm almost upon their location, menacing electric flashes of light throughout the black clouds. He knew beaming out was no longer an option.
"Spock…."
"I know Captain. It is too late to beam us out. Chekov, in your surface scans, did you find anywhere nearby that would provide adequate shelter" Spock inquired calmly. The woman stood next to him, motionless, silently watching everything. His glance told him while still in shock, she was beginning to function again. They both struggled from being pushed around by the swirling, scorching gusts of wind preceding the encroaching storm.
"Mr. Spock, I have the coordinates of a cave and tunnel system bearing .67 kilometers from your current location. Feeding in the coordinates now."
"Spock, this is the Captain. Did your tricorder receive the information from the science station" Kirk questioned, on the edge of his seat, back ramrod straight, eyes glaring into the screen at the monster storm on the planet below."
"Affirmative Captain. We will make a run for it. Spock out" and with a chirp, communications were gone.
Kirk stood and gave the order to increase orbit to maximum while simultaneously making his way to Spock's station. "Chekov, have you picked up Mr. Spock's signature on the planet surface."
"Yes Keptin. Two people are moving towards the designated coordinates." Chekov replied, still watching the viewfinder as it gave the best details.
"Will he make it?" Though Kirk asked quietly, conversation on the bridge stopped as all heads turned waiting for the answer.
Chekov stood and faced the captain and the rest of the alpha crew. "It will be close sir, but if they can get deep enough into the tunnels, the ion storm will not affect them. I can't track them once they enter the cave entrance though."
Nodding in response, Kirk began making his way around the top deck then stepped down toward his chair to grab his PADD. Looking to the Communications Officer "Uhura, is everyone in briefing room 2 including Mr. Scott?"
"They are heading there now sir." Uhura answered, looking at the Captain for the first time since contacting the landing party.
Turning, Captain Kirk instructed "Chekov, keep me posted. Sulu, you have the con". But as he stepped up to the turbo lift, Chekov stopped him with a word.
"Keptin"
Kirk drew up mid step and turned at the sound of his name.
On the planet below Spock shoved his communicator in its spot then turned to the woman and simply commanded "Run."
They did. To her credit she didn't question him. The storm to her left was causing the hair to raise on the back of her neck. Whatever type of storm it was, there was such a magnetic feel to it; like standing in a lake, with a metal rod, watching a lightning storm approach. If that wasn't enough, those insect things were waking up and were probably going to be pissed.
Together they sprinted east in the direction Chekov had indicated. Though not a bad runner herself, it was obvious Spock was keeping pace to her slower speed. The storm was surging towards them relentlessly. With the cave entrance clearly in sight Spock fortified his mental shields, grabbed her wrist and sprinted them both even faster. She knew it was going to be close as it was and gave it her all. The Vulcan could feel her burst of determination, and appreciated it as he focused intently on the shelter ahead.
They ran full speed into the cavernous entrance, through the vast cave where Spock let go of her arm, sweeping up the tricorder for further directions. "This way" he stated without breaking stride, running towards a narrow tunnel. Once inside they turned right than left until after a few more turns she was completely disoriented. They skidded to a halt in a medium size cavern. He pulled her up against the wall to the right of the entrance as they waited. They heard the insectoids in pursuit in the distance, yelling at each other. Their yelling in frustration changed to high pitch screeches of pain that went up her spine like nails on a chalkboard. Finally, they heard a mucusey pop. Eeew, one of them exploded.
That was enough weirdness for one day. Cassandra squeezed her eyes shut and put her hands over her ears. She could still hear the screeching so began to hum until all sound was drowned out. She was unaware of anything going on around her until something touched her arm. Remembering the insectoids and that she was closest to the entrance, she opened her eyes, swinging first, ask questions later.
Spock listened to the insectoids explode one by one until the only sound left was the gentle current of the water flowing across the other side of the cavern, and the woman's humming. He called out to her but with her eyes and ears closed, she was oblivious. Reaching out to indicate it was over, he avoided her fist due to his uncanny reflexes and Vulcan speed. She would have flattened a human.
"Sorry. Sorry. Oh my gosh. Are you ok?" She asked with alarm
"I am unharmed. I was only trying to tell you the screeching has stopped. They are dead". He replied while taking a few steps deeper into the room, pulling up the tricorder again to get readings of their location and environment. "I believe we are safe here for the duration. The water is palatable for us to drink and the air is fresh." Closing his tricorder, he looked around "Both must be cycling through the cave system. Fascinating."
"Where are we?" she asked almost hesitantly.
He stopped his investigation of the cavern and turned to the woman "This planet has not been classified or named yet. We are on the very edge of Federation Space and no ship has come out this far. This was supposed to be a preliminary assessment." He noticed she was beginning to tremble but her voice came out relatively steady.
"Who…." Was all she was able to get out.
"I am Spock." He offered.
"Cassandra" She replied in return.
He tried to give her some frame of reference "Nice to meet you Cassandra." Humans seem to like that volley of words. "I am from Vulcan. And you, I assume are from Earth?"
The trembling changed to shaking as she got a good look at him. Once again thanks to his Vulcan speed and reflexes, he caught her just as her eyes rolled up into her head.
Meanwhile back on the Enterprise Chekov straightened up from the scanner and reported "They have made it to the caves. I've tracked the insectoids in pursuit." He then slumped against the console "they won't make it. Mr. Spock will be safe."
For just a moment, Kirk visibly relaxed his military stance, took a deep breath and blew it out slowly. On the next inhale, he straightened again and addressed the bridge. "Good job everyone. Chekov mind the science station. I want to know the moment we can retrieve Mr. Spock. Uhura come with me. Sulu, I will be in briefing room 2 if needed."
There was a general chorus of "aye Captain" from around the bridge as the turbo lift doors opened then closed for the officers.