This took Andrew by surprise. He had already been surprised by the
fact that these aliens had called him by his name, but he was even more
surprised because that alien was talking to him casually! It was as if that
alien and he had been friends for a long time. He got out of his chair, and
walked toward the screen.
"Andrew? Are you alright?" the alien asked.
"Forgive me, but I'm afraid I don't know you," Andrew replied honestly.
"What do you mean, you don't know me? Don't you remember me, William?" said the alien calling himself William.
"I'm sorry, no," said Andrew.
"How come! I finally remembered the day you told me the Odyssey was going to be commissioned, and I came...then you don't remember me!!" William shouted.
"Please calm down. You may have met someone else of that name," said Andrew.
"Was the last commander of the Odyssey Andrew Ringer?" inquired the alien.
"No, this is the first time I ever commanded the Odyssey."
"Then I can't be mistaken. You did tell me that you were the present commander of the Odyssey, and that you commanded USS Lombard NCC-98479 in the past."
"How do you know the Lombard?" asked Andrew.
"You told me," the alien William replied.
Andrew thought hard. How could this William know who he was, and what he commanded so well? He didn't remember saying all these.
"Oh...I guess I know now," said William suddenly.
"What do you know?" asked Andrew.
"You don't know me now, but...you will know me later."
"How do you know that?"
"I can't say that. Doesn't Starfleet forbid the foretelling of the future in the Temporal Prime Directive?"
This was true. Starfleet did not allow any Federation officer to tell about the future in the past. This, however, only applied to the Federation and Starfleet.
"Alright, I understand you were looking for me, but you did come at the wrong time. I have guests aboard. May I take them back? If you would stay here, we'll come back in no time," said Andrew.
"If you have guests, go ahead," said William.
"Thank you. I'll be back in about fifteen hours. You have my word for it," said Andrew.
The Alien nodded, and turned his communication off. The screen once again showed the smooth, powerful alien ship. Andrew stared at it for some time, recalling all that had happened here. He finally returned to his chair.
"Ensign, lay in a course for Sector 001," ordered Andrew. "Maximum Impulse."
"Yes, captain," said the ensign.
The Odyssey turned around, and headed straight for earth. The alien ship stayed where it was, watching the Federation starship leave.
"So he is telling the truth?" said Andrew. He had gathered the senior crewmembers for a discussion in the observation lounge.
"Definitely," said Alicia. "I don't know about you, but I know when people, aliens or humans, lie. He was saying the truth."
"Even if he is saying the truth, the problem is how," said Doctor Jones.
"I've been on the Lombard," said Lt. Commander Nelson. "I don't recall any first contacts during my duty there."
"Neither do I, Commander," said Andrew. "However, the fact is that he did meet me somehow, somewhere."
"Captain, he said that you were going to help him," said Dobson. "If that is true, then you do have the responsibility to help him."
"I'm aware of that, Lieutenant," said Andrew. "If he really does need help from me or the Federation, I will comply. But, that won't affect my decision yet. The main thing we have to do now is get the guests back...and talk to that alien again. Dismissed."
The crew stood up and left the observation lounge. Only Alicia stayed behind. She knew that the captain was really troubled by this latest encounter.
"Andrew," said she. "Don't get depressed. This could be a start."
"I can't understand. If I told him that I will help, then I have the responsibility to carry it out. How can I do it? Starfleet won't accept until I have enough information and reason," said Andrew.
"Well, Andrew, this is one of those times when you have to make hard decisions. Just one thing: don't listen to me, or the opinions of the other crewmembers or Starfleet officers. This is not what they think, it's what you think."
Andrew thought about this, then said, "I guess it's about time I 'boldly go'."
Alicia smiled, and walked out of the lounge, leaving Andrew behind. He was now determined to negotiate with the aliens.
After transporting the class off the Odyssey, Andrew ordered the ship to go back to the outside of the solar system. The alien ship was still there, when they arrived.
"Hail them," said Andrew to Dobson.
The screen showed the alien again. He looked pleased to see Andrew's face again.
"I'm ready to negotiate about helping you," said Andrew.
"Great! My ship is always open, go ahead and come aboard. I also have...one or two things to show you," said William.
"Would you mind if my security officer comes along? Starfleet regulation requires this when the captain goes on an away mission."
"Of course not. They're welcome. I'll be expecting you in two hours," said William, and turned the communications off.
"Andrew, are you sure...," Alicia began, but was stopped by Andrew.
"I'm sure about this. You have the bridge, Alice," said Andrew, and said to Dobson, "Lieutenant, take two of your best men and meet me at Transporter room two."
"Aye, sir," said Dobson, and headed for the turbolift.
"To boldly go where no man has gone before...now you have the chance," whispered Alicia.
"I sure do. Take good care of my ship while I'm away," said Andrew, then left for another turbolift.
"Andrew? Are you alright?" the alien asked.
"Forgive me, but I'm afraid I don't know you," Andrew replied honestly.
"What do you mean, you don't know me? Don't you remember me, William?" said the alien calling himself William.
"I'm sorry, no," said Andrew.
"How come! I finally remembered the day you told me the Odyssey was going to be commissioned, and I came...then you don't remember me!!" William shouted.
"Please calm down. You may have met someone else of that name," said Andrew.
"Was the last commander of the Odyssey Andrew Ringer?" inquired the alien.
"No, this is the first time I ever commanded the Odyssey."
"Then I can't be mistaken. You did tell me that you were the present commander of the Odyssey, and that you commanded USS Lombard NCC-98479 in the past."
"How do you know the Lombard?" asked Andrew.
"You told me," the alien William replied.
Andrew thought hard. How could this William know who he was, and what he commanded so well? He didn't remember saying all these.
"Oh...I guess I know now," said William suddenly.
"What do you know?" asked Andrew.
"You don't know me now, but...you will know me later."
"How do you know that?"
"I can't say that. Doesn't Starfleet forbid the foretelling of the future in the Temporal Prime Directive?"
This was true. Starfleet did not allow any Federation officer to tell about the future in the past. This, however, only applied to the Federation and Starfleet.
"Alright, I understand you were looking for me, but you did come at the wrong time. I have guests aboard. May I take them back? If you would stay here, we'll come back in no time," said Andrew.
"If you have guests, go ahead," said William.
"Thank you. I'll be back in about fifteen hours. You have my word for it," said Andrew.
The Alien nodded, and turned his communication off. The screen once again showed the smooth, powerful alien ship. Andrew stared at it for some time, recalling all that had happened here. He finally returned to his chair.
"Ensign, lay in a course for Sector 001," ordered Andrew. "Maximum Impulse."
"Yes, captain," said the ensign.
The Odyssey turned around, and headed straight for earth. The alien ship stayed where it was, watching the Federation starship leave.
"So he is telling the truth?" said Andrew. He had gathered the senior crewmembers for a discussion in the observation lounge.
"Definitely," said Alicia. "I don't know about you, but I know when people, aliens or humans, lie. He was saying the truth."
"Even if he is saying the truth, the problem is how," said Doctor Jones.
"I've been on the Lombard," said Lt. Commander Nelson. "I don't recall any first contacts during my duty there."
"Neither do I, Commander," said Andrew. "However, the fact is that he did meet me somehow, somewhere."
"Captain, he said that you were going to help him," said Dobson. "If that is true, then you do have the responsibility to help him."
"I'm aware of that, Lieutenant," said Andrew. "If he really does need help from me or the Federation, I will comply. But, that won't affect my decision yet. The main thing we have to do now is get the guests back...and talk to that alien again. Dismissed."
The crew stood up and left the observation lounge. Only Alicia stayed behind. She knew that the captain was really troubled by this latest encounter.
"Andrew," said she. "Don't get depressed. This could be a start."
"I can't understand. If I told him that I will help, then I have the responsibility to carry it out. How can I do it? Starfleet won't accept until I have enough information and reason," said Andrew.
"Well, Andrew, this is one of those times when you have to make hard decisions. Just one thing: don't listen to me, or the opinions of the other crewmembers or Starfleet officers. This is not what they think, it's what you think."
Andrew thought about this, then said, "I guess it's about time I 'boldly go'."
Alicia smiled, and walked out of the lounge, leaving Andrew behind. He was now determined to negotiate with the aliens.
After transporting the class off the Odyssey, Andrew ordered the ship to go back to the outside of the solar system. The alien ship was still there, when they arrived.
"Hail them," said Andrew to Dobson.
The screen showed the alien again. He looked pleased to see Andrew's face again.
"I'm ready to negotiate about helping you," said Andrew.
"Great! My ship is always open, go ahead and come aboard. I also have...one or two things to show you," said William.
"Would you mind if my security officer comes along? Starfleet regulation requires this when the captain goes on an away mission."
"Of course not. They're welcome. I'll be expecting you in two hours," said William, and turned the communications off.
"Andrew, are you sure...," Alicia began, but was stopped by Andrew.
"I'm sure about this. You have the bridge, Alice," said Andrew, and said to Dobson, "Lieutenant, take two of your best men and meet me at Transporter room two."
"Aye, sir," said Dobson, and headed for the turbolift.
"To boldly go where no man has gone before...now you have the chance," whispered Alicia.
"I sure do. Take good care of my ship while I'm away," said Andrew, then left for another turbolift.