Storage Bay three

Inside the storage room, both Piper, Phoebe and Matt were becoming unhappy about the tree like structures hanging from the ceiling. Both Chris and Sophia were also showing an increasingly active interest in the structures that were beginning to feel anything but friendly. But before anything could be decided, the door was suddenly outlined in a flashing red light around its edges with another line down the center. It then opened by spitting in half along the flashing line and sliding into the wall on either side, completely silently. All present found themselves looking at two beings wearing what had to be uniforms that no one could recognise. Both of the creatures carefully staring around the sides of the door back at them. Each holding several strange electronic devices that could be anything. One looked almost comical given its obvious resemblance to a Star Wars character. The other looked far more dangerous given its lizard like appearance. Only it was standing on its hind two legs with a large head, an impressive set of jaws and a long tail that gently moved back and forth some twelve inches off the floor. For several seconds each group just stared at each other, then the two beings stepped far enough into room to block the door and reached for what everyone assumed was a weapon.

Partially blocked by the adults the children could do nothing but even if they could have, none would have reacted faster than the experienced sisters. Prue stuck first, sending both flying backwards. Piper was only milli seconds slower, instantly freezing them, leaving them frozen in mid air. With that Prue, Piper, Paige along with Leo, Matt and Henry stepped forward to examine them. Phoebe after a swift push from Coop, handed Penny to him and moved forward to join her sisters.

Both beings were dressed in a similar uniform. Both were apparently armed although with what, was highly uncertain. The "weapons" resembled nothing on Earth or any of the varied Science Fiction programs they were familiar with. Each like the uniforms was customised for each of the two completely different beings frozen in front of them. Phoebe reached out to carefully and gently touch the forehead of the more dangerous of the two. The one most likely to tell them what they wanted to know.

"Interesting" she stated. "No evil intent. But I also sense a great deal of uncertainty and some aggression. They were prepared to attack but only if we were not", and after a pause to consider her choice of words "friendly". "I don't think they are enemies but it's hard to be sure. This ones mind is so different in so many ways. Not like any demon I have scanned before. I think we need to be careful here. Don't kill unless we have no choice".

The four sisters silently agreed as their husbands nodded. None were happy but the fact was they were somewhere so unknown. Hopefully friendly so killing the first beings they encountered would not be a very good start. Especially as where ever they were was apparently a place with beings they had not met before. So much was uncertain. Phoebe and Prue turned to make sure their adult children also understood. Chris and Sophia already had an impressive number of demonic vanquishes. Wyatt was more relaxed in this area as his more gentle nature meant he preferred to allow demons to escape. However such was his magical ability when he did cut loose, demonic casualties were often high. While the remaining children except for Penny had been already been activity involved in more than one battle (she had seen several by the way), they had yet to kill.

With that Prue turned to look at Phoebe and said "We need a cloaking spell. One that will hide us well enough so we can find out where the heck we are. Phoebe smiled to reply "No problem. An old favourite will do, won't it girls" as she turned to look at her two oldest daughters. Both smiled and stepped forward to stand in front of her. Phoebe reached out to hold each of her daughters hands, bringing them into the middle. In a firm but quiet voice, echoed by her daughters, Phoebe said a spell they had used more than a few times in the past. A spell that Phoebe and her two oldest daughters were both by now highly skilled in.

In this time and in this hour
Cloak us from those with power
With this spell, spoken right
Hide us from all but our families sight

All currently present (unless frozen) could feel the spell wrap around them, hiding them. Encouraging, the small tree like objects hanging from the ceiling promptly fell apart in a series of very small explosions as organic components self destructed. Later Phoebe would swear quietly as she realised the mistake in the spell. A spell that worked so well against all but the most powerful of magical beings in the past. But it had a limited effect against muggles or computer monitored sensors. And even less against powerful magic users who had been warned about the spell so long ago and had plenty of time to prepare.

On the bridge, the various magic users, smiled as the "intruders" basically vanished from the screens. Initially some of the computers with organic components also had some difficulty but another spell, written some time ago and spoken by the senior magic users present, effectively broke Phoebe's spell.

All those present, friends all.
Let us see what should be.
Let us see those who are our friends.
Use our powers to bring sight to all here now.

(hint: read the last word in each line)

Both the command team and Federation contact team knew exactly what had happened and what would happen. One of the major advantages of being in the future and while a major infraction of the Temporary Prime Directive, one in this case that was carefully ignored.

"Activate the general alarm for Storage Bay 3 in five more minutes." Captain Sajja Ling instructed his Exec. "Only make sure our intruders can not hear it". With another deep sigh but a spring in his step, Captain Sajja Ling turned to lead the contact group into the ship's primary elevator and towards a meeting that had been planned for over five hundred years. One that he had only learned about when they had unexpectedly been ordered to stop over at DS9 47 days ago. A meeting that had fired his imagination and excitement.

The Corridor outside Storage Bay Three.

Turning to look at her family, Prue asked "Well what do now. Do we turtle up and stay here or explore to see what the heck our children have dropped us into to". Turning to examine the two still frozen unknown beings, she added "I assume these will remain frozen for some time" she asked of Piper. Piper smiled and replied "Quite some time. They have no magic of their own".

"Well I can't help," added Phoebe, "not a glimmer from my precognition power".

"So what do we do ?" Prue asked.

Henry added "Where ever we are, they must know we are here. These two would have reported us".
Leo added "The portal has vanished. We must either find a safer place than this or a way home. Any hostile beings can come at us from two directions and I don't like the idea of being trapped in this room. We have no idea if there are other ways in. I think we need to start exploring and now, before other beings, good or evil can gather to unite and attack. Turning to look at the quiet and suddenly guilty looking girls, he added "And to gain the time for our children to recreate the portal so we can return home. Please note, no one had the chance to grab the Book of Shadows".

From the other adults as well as Wyatt, Chris and Sophia came quick confirmation.

Moving carefully further out into the corridor, the sisters and their husbands paused. It continued in both directions, gently curving out of sight on either side. To the left, in the distance was visible what had to be either the end of the corridor or a very solid barrier. Wide, high roofed and well lit, the corridor resembled a four lane tunnel suitable for large vehicles more than anything else. What was curious was a pattern of holes in the floor, walls and roof. Clearly they were designed to withstand considerable force. Other large doors, each with unreadable labels were paced at surprisingly varied random intervals on both sides of the corridor. With only one direction clearly available, they carefully followed it towards what ever. Prue, Piper, Matt and Wyatt led. Behind them came the children protected by Paige, Sophia and Chris. Phoebe, Coop, Leo and Henry bought up the rear. A well practised formation.

Within minutes, having covered several hundred yards, they encountered the first major surprise. A very large window appeared as they continued around the still gently curving corridor. Initially it resembled an extremely massive TV screen but as they drew alongside it, everyone realised it was so much more. Composed of several layers of a thick looking plastic like glass incased in a strong supporting structure, it showed what all immediately recognised as a star lit background of space. Only this time there was no visible star movement. Making it even more certain was that parts of what had to be a huge spaceship extending out on several sides into the immediate space. This time it resembled what a spaceship should look like. Lights, windows and strange looking structures were all easily visible. And the conformation was gained as they changed their view point to realise that the picture was definitely three dimensional. Strange lines of light that had to be energy, moved in a complex pattern across the surface of what must be a massive spaceship.

Once again, Piper said it for them all "Oh crap, we are on a spaceship and in space". Turning to look at their children who had their noses pressed tightly to the glass and were studying what the window showed with a rapidly increasing fascination. "Where and when have you lot dropped us". Without waiting for an answer and with another sigh, she turned to look at the rest of the adults. "Now what ?". With a shrug Prue answered. "We carry on". Dragging the children away from the window, not without some difficulty, they moved on as another surprise came at them. This time from in front of them.

Moving at some speed appeared more beings. Initially more of the lizards who stopped some 20-30 yards in front of them. And who obviously meant to confront them. More lizards, star wars characters and to their surprise humans followed closely on their heels. And one was a magic user. That the sisters, Coop and their magical children instantly recognised.

It was clear that surprise was on both sides but the sudden appearance of what had to be weapons, instantly decided the sisters and Wyatt's response. Before any of the weapons could be bought to bear, before the magic user in front of them could do anything, the Halliwell family attacked. By now deeply uncertain and very much afraid, they did not hesitate and so many years of fighting meant they reacted so much faster than those in front of them.

Magic lashed out as Prue, Piper and Wyatt's active powers slammed out to hit those in front of them. Only the earlier decision to not kill, saved those in front of them from possible death. The pitiful magical attack from the only magic user who was able to partially resist their first attack was easily brushed aside. Prue with an almost contemptuous wave of her hand, sent her sliding back along the corridor to bounce off a wall to lie still. Paige ran forward to join the battle however it was over before she could help.

What did catch them by surprise was the sudden emergence of the corridor's two defence stations for this section. Doors camouflaged to be indistinguishable from the wall, slid open silently and instantly to release both sensors and weapons. Before anyone could react, the sensors had scanned the entire group and the computers had decided what to do. Because the unknown beings read as both human and probably non demonic, their response was limited to a non lethal setting. But a powerful combination of electrical and sonic based attacks lashed out.

A nervous Paige was ready and for the first time since their arrival, she instinctively erected her orb shield. Repeated attacks from the defence stations slammed into it. Concentrating she strengthened the shield to protect everyone however enough of the first two attacks bled through the shield to strike Wyatt, and Piper. Both were flung backwards, confused and unable to remain standing. A second later and with a snarl of fury Prue reached out, to channel her telekinesis through her hands to rip the defence stations from the walls. Both exploded in two balls of fire, with massive electrical arcing and smoke. Pieces of metal, large and small bounced around the corridor and Paige's Orb shield. Smoke and flame continued to billow from the walls but the electrical arcing ceased as circuit breakers tripped. Vents just below the roof, immediately began to suck in the smoke to clear the corridor. A badly worried Leo called Paige back to cure the barely conscious Piper and Wyatt. And after wailing Penny was given to Coop, Phoebe ran forward to aid Prue. Coop ordered Chris, Sophia and the other children to stay in the rear. Who knew what might be creeping up behind them.

And coming out of the smoke came more beings, some from the group they had already attacked who had recovered with alarming speed. And more concerning, more magic users. One in particular, an older woman's magic proved especially capable. While nowhere as powerful as any of the sisters, she was the most powerful magic user they had encountered so far. Still unwilling to kill, Phoebe joined with Prue and they struck back.