Chapter Seven
The young boy was once again in a bad situation, but this time he was younger than before. A man was walking up to his front door, he was dressed in black. For some reason the young boy's mother was crying, he didn't know why, but she seemed to know what the man was there about. Once the man got up to there door he took off his hat and rang the doorbell. The boy's mother was crying even harder now, she answered the door. "Please don't tell me what I think you are going to tell me," she said.
"Then I wish tell you that your husband his unharmed and doing his duties," said the man, "But I can't".
Once again Jack Watkins woke up from one of his reoccurring nightmares. The news of his father's death was hard on him, but seeing his mother die was harder though. He looked at his chronometer, 3 AM. He got out of his bed and walked over to the bathroom. "Sonic shower, cold," he told the computer. He shed his clothes and walked in to feel a blast of cold, cleansing air. He wouldn't be going to sleep again tonight.
***
The alarm on Robert's chronometer went off, that meant it was 6 AM, time to get ready and report for duty. He told the computer is usual, warm sonic shower, and washed himself off. He had been sweating all night anticipating Jpak's answer to his question. He got out of the shower and put on his uniform, carefully putting on each command pip and making sure the uniform was straight. 6:30 AM now, better eat something, he thought. He put on his watch; he always found it funny that no one ever wore them anymore. He replicated a bowl of cereal and ate it. 7 AM, now it's time to get to the bridge, he thought.
As Robert was leaving his quarters his comm. badge went off. He clicked it and said, "Kirk here". For some reason that always had a funny affect, as if people were thinking that somehow they had contacted the past.
"Rob," said the voice of Commander Watkins, "The captain's asking for all senior officers to report to the briefing room".
"I'll be right there," he said, "Kirk out". Robert briskly walked to the turbolift that would take him to the right deck.
***
Thaddeus Debbing waited in the briefing room for his senior officers, well at least senior officer, everyone but Robert was there. Debbing didn't know where the boy got it from, James T. Kirk didn't ever seem to be late for briefings, but then again James Kirk was a captain. But, just as Debbing was thinking about that Robert walked through the door.
"Sorry, I kind of got lost," he said, "This is an awfully big ship".
"Big indeed," said Jpak, who had also been late with the same excuse.
"Well, let's get down to business people," said Debbing as Robert took his seat. "About six months ago we got this message from a Federation temporal research facility". He played the same message with the man at the facility. When the message was over all the officers, except for Watkins and himself since they had already seen it, seemed to be taken aghast. "Not too long after I talked with Admiral Hawthorne about it. He gave me these orders," said Debbing, he activated a text on the viewscreen. He read what it basically said, "When I sent the blueprints there was an encryption that required a password from the admiral. It contained blueprints to build a temporal vortex to any point we want. Basically, we could go back and fix just about anything. Admiral Hawthorne sent me this message three days ago; he says that no matter what, we cannot use it to change the past."
"That's crazy, if we can go back and change history then let's do it," said Robert.
"Remember Starfleet's regulations on changing the past?" Debbing asked him.
"Oh," Robert simply replied.
"In three days we are to join with all the fleets and try to capture a Borg Transwarp Gate and use it to go to what the Borg call Unimatrix Zero One. Unimatrix Zero One is the Borg's main control center. If we can destroy that then we can destroy the Borg. We are need because of our temporal freezing capabilities," said Debbing. "I'm sorry, but this may be one battle we may not survive. Spend these last days talking with loved ones, you may never see their faces or hear their voices again".
***
As Robert left the briefing room he caught up with Jpak. "So you thought about my question?" he asked.
"I need to get to the sickbay, but I'll see you at seven at the mess hall," said Jpak.
"I guess I'll take that as a yes," said Robert.
Yes, he thought, even if these will be my last three days of life I might as well my this work while. He walked on to the bridge and immediately was ordered to set a course for the rendezvous point, which he did. From then to the end of his shift and up until seven, all he could think about was his upcoming date.
***
Jpak wasn't sure if she should go through with having a date that night. What if the captain was right about the mission? And what if she ended up like this man? That would be a very short relationship.
***
Robert Kirk checked his chronometer, 6:50 PM, time to head to the mess hall. Is there anything I'm forgetting, he asked himself. He picked up the flowers he was going to give Jpak and popped in a breath mint and hoped for the best.
The young boy was once again in a bad situation, but this time he was younger than before. A man was walking up to his front door, he was dressed in black. For some reason the young boy's mother was crying, he didn't know why, but she seemed to know what the man was there about. Once the man got up to there door he took off his hat and rang the doorbell. The boy's mother was crying even harder now, she answered the door. "Please don't tell me what I think you are going to tell me," she said.
"Then I wish tell you that your husband his unharmed and doing his duties," said the man, "But I can't".
Once again Jack Watkins woke up from one of his reoccurring nightmares. The news of his father's death was hard on him, but seeing his mother die was harder though. He looked at his chronometer, 3 AM. He got out of his bed and walked over to the bathroom. "Sonic shower, cold," he told the computer. He shed his clothes and walked in to feel a blast of cold, cleansing air. He wouldn't be going to sleep again tonight.
***
The alarm on Robert's chronometer went off, that meant it was 6 AM, time to get ready and report for duty. He told the computer is usual, warm sonic shower, and washed himself off. He had been sweating all night anticipating Jpak's answer to his question. He got out of the shower and put on his uniform, carefully putting on each command pip and making sure the uniform was straight. 6:30 AM now, better eat something, he thought. He put on his watch; he always found it funny that no one ever wore them anymore. He replicated a bowl of cereal and ate it. 7 AM, now it's time to get to the bridge, he thought.
As Robert was leaving his quarters his comm. badge went off. He clicked it and said, "Kirk here". For some reason that always had a funny affect, as if people were thinking that somehow they had contacted the past.
"Rob," said the voice of Commander Watkins, "The captain's asking for all senior officers to report to the briefing room".
"I'll be right there," he said, "Kirk out". Robert briskly walked to the turbolift that would take him to the right deck.
***
Thaddeus Debbing waited in the briefing room for his senior officers, well at least senior officer, everyone but Robert was there. Debbing didn't know where the boy got it from, James T. Kirk didn't ever seem to be late for briefings, but then again James Kirk was a captain. But, just as Debbing was thinking about that Robert walked through the door.
"Sorry, I kind of got lost," he said, "This is an awfully big ship".
"Big indeed," said Jpak, who had also been late with the same excuse.
"Well, let's get down to business people," said Debbing as Robert took his seat. "About six months ago we got this message from a Federation temporal research facility". He played the same message with the man at the facility. When the message was over all the officers, except for Watkins and himself since they had already seen it, seemed to be taken aghast. "Not too long after I talked with Admiral Hawthorne about it. He gave me these orders," said Debbing, he activated a text on the viewscreen. He read what it basically said, "When I sent the blueprints there was an encryption that required a password from the admiral. It contained blueprints to build a temporal vortex to any point we want. Basically, we could go back and fix just about anything. Admiral Hawthorne sent me this message three days ago; he says that no matter what, we cannot use it to change the past."
"That's crazy, if we can go back and change history then let's do it," said Robert.
"Remember Starfleet's regulations on changing the past?" Debbing asked him.
"Oh," Robert simply replied.
"In three days we are to join with all the fleets and try to capture a Borg Transwarp Gate and use it to go to what the Borg call Unimatrix Zero One. Unimatrix Zero One is the Borg's main control center. If we can destroy that then we can destroy the Borg. We are need because of our temporal freezing capabilities," said Debbing. "I'm sorry, but this may be one battle we may not survive. Spend these last days talking with loved ones, you may never see their faces or hear their voices again".
***
As Robert left the briefing room he caught up with Jpak. "So you thought about my question?" he asked.
"I need to get to the sickbay, but I'll see you at seven at the mess hall," said Jpak.
"I guess I'll take that as a yes," said Robert.
Yes, he thought, even if these will be my last three days of life I might as well my this work while. He walked on to the bridge and immediately was ordered to set a course for the rendezvous point, which he did. From then to the end of his shift and up until seven, all he could think about was his upcoming date.
***
Jpak wasn't sure if she should go through with having a date that night. What if the captain was right about the mission? And what if she ended up like this man? That would be a very short relationship.
***
Robert Kirk checked his chronometer, 6:50 PM, time to head to the mess hall. Is there anything I'm forgetting, he asked himself. He picked up the flowers he was going to give Jpak and popped in a breath mint and hoped for the best.
