Title: "Gateway" 8/45
Author: Quills
Contact:the_quill_pen@yahoo.com
Series: ENT
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Paramount owns Startrek and I derive no financial
gain from this story.
Codes: A, T/Tu, Ma, S, R, P angst, drama, romance, humor,
action/adventure
Summary: Captain Archer is relieved of command for a secret mission
into the 24th Century . To find and stop the Suliban renegade Silik.
While he is gone, a Vulcan Starfleet Captain from the future is given
temporary command of the Enterprise NX-01 with his own orders to to
investigate the 'Temporal Cold War'.
Chapter 8
The planet's surface was dry and practically barren, with the
exception of the few remnants of what was evidently the artificial
constructions from a long dead civilization. Nothing else rose from
the now silent world...nothing save a lone monument to a technology
far in advance of anything the Federation could conceive of. They
had studied it; asked it questions and came away with more questions
than answers. One thing was certain though...'The Guardian of Forever'
could be perverted into the most formidable weapon the Federation might
ever face.
A low hum began to emanate some twenty meters from the towering
obelisk. The hum grew louder and was accompanied by five clusters
of sparkling light that appeared from thin air. When the light
shafts faded, five Starfleet officers stood before the 'Guardian'.
"There it is." said Soma pointing to the lone monument.
"It…It looks so plain." said Travis, not seeing how this 'stone'
looking archway could send people through time.
"Indeed it does." came a voice from the other side of the archway.
Travis jerked his head back in the direction of the archway and
saw a short middle aged man in a tan jumpsuit. The man walked
through the archway towards the away team. For a moment, Travis
wondered if this man was from some long forgotten past and had
traveled through the 'Guardian'. But then he remembered what
Captain Soma had told him on their way to the transporter room.
Gateway had a permanent scientific team stationed on it to study
the Guardian. They maintained contact with The Kirk in orbit.
The head of the project was Dr. Pietr Morovitch. A brilliant if
somewhat eccentic specialist in temporal mechanics.
"The Guardian appears to be nothing more than an archway until
it is addressed with a question." explained the man "Then the
archway becomes a conduit of swirling fog in which visual images
move rapidly by."
Clearly, the thing wasn't 'active' so this was not a man from
another place and time...but who was he?
"Dr. Morovitch?" Captain Soma called out
"Quite right." the man answered extending a hand to the Captain
"You must be Captain Soma.
A very great pleasure sir."
Soma shook the Doctor's hand "Likewise Doctor." replied the Captain
"My officers, Lt. Vendi, Ensigns Rodriguez and Washington...and this
is Captain Travis Mayweather. A former Starfleet officer and a good
friend of mine."
"A pleasure." said the Doctor beaming a great smile "Now come this
way. I know your in a bit of a hurry so I'll just give you fifty
cent tour before you 'step through the looking glass'."
Travis looked at Captain Soma and gave him a smile. The away team
followed the enthusiastic Doctor to the 'Guardian'. As they approached
they could see a small semi-permanent encampment set just off to the
side of the 'Guardian'. Several men and woman dressed in similar garb
to Doctor Morovitch were busy calibrating equipment and running tests.
Several of the 'GPS' (Guardian Project Survey) personnel nodded and
smiled to the away team as they approached.
"Well, here it is gentlemen and lady." said Morovitch deferring to the
female security guard Ensign Washington.
"Remarkable" said Soma "After over fifty years and we still know almost
nothing about it."
"Quite true Captain." agreed the Doctor "We still know very little about
the civilization which created the Guardian. Some theorize that is might
have been a portal used by the Preservers. That ancient race that may
very well have seeded the planets of our Galaxy. While others believe
it may be a conduit for traveling to not only other time periods, but
other dimensions."
"Great, now we have to worry about extra dimensional threats." said
Vendi
Soma and Travis looked at one another and smiled. The Lieutenant reminded
them both of a mutual acquaintance. Another Starfleet security officer
with a propensity for seeing the worst case scenario in things.
"Well Doctor, I think it would be a good idea if you 'woke the sleeping
dragon'. " said Soma
"Oh, I say, that is very good." said Morovitch with a chuckle
Vendi smiled at his Captain as he shook his head.
"Guardian?" called the Doctor "Guardian, we seek answers."
After a long pause a booming voice answered "I am the keeper of what
was. Through me many worlds may be seen."
"These people have come a long way to travel to the past." said Morovitch
"All may be seen through me." the obelisk said as its voice reverberated
off the crumbling artifacts that surrounded it..
The Doctor nodded to Soma "Tell him the date and place."
Soma stepped closer to the 'Guardian' "We wish to see…old Earth Calendar...November 7, 2151...this planet." said Soma
An ethereal vibration seem to emanate from the Guardian as its archway
seemed to come alive with a glowing mist. Images began to form within
the arch. Most were unrecognizable to the away team while others were
more familiar. They saw images of Earth...Vulcan...Andor...and many
other worlds of the Federation flit by like whispers. Images of people...places...events…
"It's incredible." said Travis "Look! Did you see that? It was the
Enterprise NX-01. I wonder when that was."
"Who knows." said Morovitch "The Guardian shows many images from
many places at once. We have seen life forms that the Federation
has not even encountered yet. I remember seeing images of creatures
that are living planets and on another occasion we viewed images of
an as yet unnamed species of technologically advanced cybernetic
life forms which travel in cubed space vessels. What we could
learn from meeting that species!"
"Captain" interrupted Lt. Vendi "My tricorder shows the time line
is coalescing. It's approaching the moment you need."
"How long?" asked Soma
"Sixty seconds...mark." replied the Security officer.
"When it's down to 20 seconds let me know." said Soma "Then
give me a 10 second count down."
"Understood, sir." replied Vendi
"Alright Travis." said Soma turning to his friend "It's time
for me to step through. I'm counting on you to help Captain
Archer. He's our best hope of stopping Silik."
"Don't worry Jonathan." said Travis reassuringly "I owe him.
He made me the Starfleet officer I was. It'll be good to see
him again. I...I didn't get a chance to say goodbye...before
the accident."
Soma smiled at his friend and clapped him on the shoulder.
"Good luck Jonathan." said Travis
"Captain..." interrupted Vendi again "Twenty seconds."
Captain Soma readied himself in front of the archway. Time moved
past his eyes in the mercurial fog that emanated from the Guardian.
"Ten seconds Captain..." said Verd counting downi "9...8...7...6...5 seconds...4...3...2...1!"
The Captain jumped into the aperture and into time where everything
and nothing met. His 'quantum leap' would take him to the past...where hopefully... he could help to save the future.
TBC...
Author: Quills
Contact:the_quill_pen@yahoo.com
Series: ENT
Rating: PG-13
Disclaimer: Paramount owns Startrek and I derive no financial
gain from this story.
Codes: A, T/Tu, Ma, S, R, P angst, drama, romance, humor,
action/adventure
Summary: Captain Archer is relieved of command for a secret mission
into the 24th Century . To find and stop the Suliban renegade Silik.
While he is gone, a Vulcan Starfleet Captain from the future is given
temporary command of the Enterprise NX-01 with his own orders to to
investigate the 'Temporal Cold War'.
Chapter 8
The planet's surface was dry and practically barren, with the
exception of the few remnants of what was evidently the artificial
constructions from a long dead civilization. Nothing else rose from
the now silent world...nothing save a lone monument to a technology
far in advance of anything the Federation could conceive of. They
had studied it; asked it questions and came away with more questions
than answers. One thing was certain though...'The Guardian of Forever'
could be perverted into the most formidable weapon the Federation might
ever face.
A low hum began to emanate some twenty meters from the towering
obelisk. The hum grew louder and was accompanied by five clusters
of sparkling light that appeared from thin air. When the light
shafts faded, five Starfleet officers stood before the 'Guardian'.
"There it is." said Soma pointing to the lone monument.
"It…It looks so plain." said Travis, not seeing how this 'stone'
looking archway could send people through time.
"Indeed it does." came a voice from the other side of the archway.
Travis jerked his head back in the direction of the archway and
saw a short middle aged man in a tan jumpsuit. The man walked
through the archway towards the away team. For a moment, Travis
wondered if this man was from some long forgotten past and had
traveled through the 'Guardian'. But then he remembered what
Captain Soma had told him on their way to the transporter room.
Gateway had a permanent scientific team stationed on it to study
the Guardian. They maintained contact with The Kirk in orbit.
The head of the project was Dr. Pietr Morovitch. A brilliant if
somewhat eccentic specialist in temporal mechanics.
"The Guardian appears to be nothing more than an archway until
it is addressed with a question." explained the man "Then the
archway becomes a conduit of swirling fog in which visual images
move rapidly by."
Clearly, the thing wasn't 'active' so this was not a man from
another place and time...but who was he?
"Dr. Morovitch?" Captain Soma called out
"Quite right." the man answered extending a hand to the Captain
"You must be Captain Soma.
A very great pleasure sir."
Soma shook the Doctor's hand "Likewise Doctor." replied the Captain
"My officers, Lt. Vendi, Ensigns Rodriguez and Washington...and this
is Captain Travis Mayweather. A former Starfleet officer and a good
friend of mine."
"A pleasure." said the Doctor beaming a great smile "Now come this
way. I know your in a bit of a hurry so I'll just give you fifty
cent tour before you 'step through the looking glass'."
Travis looked at Captain Soma and gave him a smile. The away team
followed the enthusiastic Doctor to the 'Guardian'. As they approached
they could see a small semi-permanent encampment set just off to the
side of the 'Guardian'. Several men and woman dressed in similar garb
to Doctor Morovitch were busy calibrating equipment and running tests.
Several of the 'GPS' (Guardian Project Survey) personnel nodded and
smiled to the away team as they approached.
"Well, here it is gentlemen and lady." said Morovitch deferring to the
female security guard Ensign Washington.
"Remarkable" said Soma "After over fifty years and we still know almost
nothing about it."
"Quite true Captain." agreed the Doctor "We still know very little about
the civilization which created the Guardian. Some theorize that is might
have been a portal used by the Preservers. That ancient race that may
very well have seeded the planets of our Galaxy. While others believe
it may be a conduit for traveling to not only other time periods, but
other dimensions."
"Great, now we have to worry about extra dimensional threats." said
Vendi
Soma and Travis looked at one another and smiled. The Lieutenant reminded
them both of a mutual acquaintance. Another Starfleet security officer
with a propensity for seeing the worst case scenario in things.
"Well Doctor, I think it would be a good idea if you 'woke the sleeping
dragon'. " said Soma
"Oh, I say, that is very good." said Morovitch with a chuckle
Vendi smiled at his Captain as he shook his head.
"Guardian?" called the Doctor "Guardian, we seek answers."
After a long pause a booming voice answered "I am the keeper of what
was. Through me many worlds may be seen."
"These people have come a long way to travel to the past." said Morovitch
"All may be seen through me." the obelisk said as its voice reverberated
off the crumbling artifacts that surrounded it..
The Doctor nodded to Soma "Tell him the date and place."
Soma stepped closer to the 'Guardian' "We wish to see…old Earth Calendar...November 7, 2151...this planet." said Soma
An ethereal vibration seem to emanate from the Guardian as its archway
seemed to come alive with a glowing mist. Images began to form within
the arch. Most were unrecognizable to the away team while others were
more familiar. They saw images of Earth...Vulcan...Andor...and many
other worlds of the Federation flit by like whispers. Images of people...places...events…
"It's incredible." said Travis "Look! Did you see that? It was the
Enterprise NX-01. I wonder when that was."
"Who knows." said Morovitch "The Guardian shows many images from
many places at once. We have seen life forms that the Federation
has not even encountered yet. I remember seeing images of creatures
that are living planets and on another occasion we viewed images of
an as yet unnamed species of technologically advanced cybernetic
life forms which travel in cubed space vessels. What we could
learn from meeting that species!"
"Captain" interrupted Lt. Vendi "My tricorder shows the time line
is coalescing. It's approaching the moment you need."
"How long?" asked Soma
"Sixty seconds...mark." replied the Security officer.
"When it's down to 20 seconds let me know." said Soma "Then
give me a 10 second count down."
"Understood, sir." replied Vendi
"Alright Travis." said Soma turning to his friend "It's time
for me to step through. I'm counting on you to help Captain
Archer. He's our best hope of stopping Silik."
"Don't worry Jonathan." said Travis reassuringly "I owe him.
He made me the Starfleet officer I was. It'll be good to see
him again. I...I didn't get a chance to say goodbye...before
the accident."
Soma smiled at his friend and clapped him on the shoulder.
"Good luck Jonathan." said Travis
"Captain..." interrupted Vendi again "Twenty seconds."
Captain Soma readied himself in front of the archway. Time moved
past his eyes in the mercurial fog that emanated from the Guardian.
"Ten seconds Captain..." said Verd counting downi "9...8...7...6...5 seconds...4...3...2...1!"
The Captain jumped into the aperture and into time where everything
and nothing met. His 'quantum leap' would take him to the past...where hopefully... he could help to save the future.
TBC...