Allison tried not to look or feel nervous as she stepped onto the bridge for the first time. Everything was just as she remembered: light gray walls in a circular room, with a large viewscreen on the "forward" wall. There was a "lower level" , where the helm/navigation console and the command chair were located. Uhura was at the communications station to the right of the 'lift doors, and Scott was at the engineering station on the left.
The night shift navigator, a young blond man, got out of his seat as Allison walked up. "She's all yours," he said, and she nodded politely. As the 'lift doors shut behind him, Allison sat down in the black chair next to Sulu.
"So you're the new Vulcan ensign, aren't you?" Sulu asked quietly, startling her.
"What? Oh yes, that's me. I'm Allison."
"I'm Hikaru Sulu."
She gave him an odd smile. "I know."
Before he could ask what she meant by that, the turbolift doors hissed open and Spock stepped onto the bridge. Surveying the officers with a practiced eye, the older Vulcan took his station at the science console.
"If I didn't know any better, I'd think you were Terran ," Sulu said in a lower voice.
Allison sighed. "I'm not Dvel'nahr , Hikaru." Seeing his puzzled look at the Vulcan word, she translated. "I'm not Vulcan by choice. And I certainly wasn't born this way." Suddenly self-conscious, she touched an eartip. "It's a long story, one that I hope I get the chance to tell."
Sulu nodded and turned back to his console, looking at the readings to make sure everything was okay. Taking advantage of the silence, Allison studied her console. Phasers on left, photon torpedoes on right, targeting on middle right. Computed course tie-in located in the center left. Minor sensors on top. Easy enough to use, and she was already familiar with its operation.
She checked their ETA for the asteroid. About one more day before they reached the Preserver Planet. And then...what? She had this odd feeling about the planet, something that had failed to affect her whenever she watched the episode "The Paradise Syndrome." She felt as if she didn't belong on the ship with Spock and her friends. No, something was drawing her to the planet. Something important.
But she couldn't pin down what it was.
~~~~~~~
During the mid-shift break, the alpha shift was in the mess hall, getting lunch. Allison got a bowl of Fori-kol, a type of Vulcan vegetable stew, and took a seat at an empty table. She was almost halfway done when Jessie came in, and it wasn't long before the Klingon girl was seated across the table from her friend, munching on an apple.
"So, what's the news from the bridge?" Jessie asked.
"Veh gad abi' lashan," Allison replied sadly. "Khart-lan Kirk dungi pupak-tor yi."
Jessie blinked. "Er...say what?"
Allison didn't bother to translate. "This seems so...wrong, somehow. I feel like I shouldn't be here, on the Enterprise."
"None of us do," Jessie said, not understanding. "We've only been here about a week. I don't feel like I belong in this time either, because we don't."
Allison glanced up. "No, that's not what I meant. Something's drawing me to the Preserver Planet. I'm not sure what it is, but I feel almost like I HAVE to be there."
Jessie frowned. "Allison, you can't change the future. You weren't in an episode, and you have to keep it that way. Only Spock, Kirk, and McCoy are going to beam down."
Allison sighed. "Jessie...Ki'nam-tor nash-veh heh kwon-sum dungau nam-tor t'hai'la t'du. But even so, I cannot explain it to you. Kaidiith ."
Jessie looked at her friend oddly. "Don't go crazy on me now, girl. Speak English."
"No thanks." Standing up, Allison put her bowl in the recycler and strode out the doors toward the nearest turbolift.
~~~~~~~
As Allison turned down the corridor to her quarters several hours later, Michael came up behind her. "Allison, can I talk to you for a sec?" he asked.
Allison glanced at him quizzically. "Sure. Come on in." The doors swooshed open as she came close, and they silently slid shut behind them. She turned down the heat a little and turned to face the unusually serious redshirt. "Now, what's this all about?"
"Do you believe in visions?" he asked, and Allison was abruptly reminded of his barely-contained telepathic powers.
"In your case, I should say yes. Why?"
"This morning, I had a really weird dream. I was in a forest, dressed as an Indian. And there was a talking deer, and a girl with pointed ears. We were all discussing something about getting in trouble for leaving someplace. I don't know what to make of it, and since you were in the dream..."
"Hmm. Very odd...I talked to Jessie about something similar today. I've got this strange feeling, as if I should beam down to that Preserver Planet when we get there tomorrow. I can't explain it, but it seems that SOMETHING wants me there. And evidently you and Lia, as well."
"Lia?" Michael sounded surprised.
"What other talking deer would there be?"
"Touché," he admitted. "Should we go find her?"
"No. She's taking science lessons from Spock right now. She should be done in about an hour." Her face brightened slightly. "In the meantime, do you want to go down to the Rec Room with me? Maybe play some cards?"
Michael grinned. "Sure, as long as you don't cheat."
"Cheat? Me? Hah! You make me laugh." Grabbing a deck of playing cards off her shelf, the two headed down to the Recreation Room.