Title: Proof of Existence: Chapter Four

Disclaimer: Weren't mine before, aren't yet.

Authors note: Sorry this chapter's taken a bit longer to get up than the preceding ones, I ran into a bit of writers block at the beginning that made the whole thing take longer. Again, thanks to the people who have taken the time to review. And if you have read, and enjoyed… please review and say so! It's so good for the ego!

Thanks again to my husband and to Paper Parcel for reading and listening.

"Mr. Kyle, please report to Captain Kirk in the briefing room."

Kyle was surprised, but not worried. Unlike some of his fellow young officers, the flamboyant Sulu for instance, or the impulsive Riley, he knew he was not likely to be in trouble, so he assumed this had something to do with the Enterprise's visitors from the past.

"Lt. Kyle reporting, sir." he said as he entered, finding the captain and Mr. Spock inside.

"Ah, Mr. Kyle. Good." the captain said. "Mr. Spock and I have decided that it would be a good idea if you were to act as a guide for Captain Ash and the sergeant for as long as they're with us."

"Me, sir?" Kyle exclaimed, a bubble of joyous wonder blossoming inside him.

"Yes, Mr. Kyle." Spock said. "You are eminently suited. You have obvious historical knowledge of their time period, and you share a nationality and cultural background."

"Also" Kirk added, "You handled yourself very well when you were in charge of the American NCO we accidentally beamed on board from the Air Force base in 1968, when we had Captain Christopher with us. You didn't tell him anything he shouldn't know, and that will be an issue of great concern with these visitors as well. Mr. Spock?"

"The most important thing is not to give them any specific dates for historical events. We still do not know from when in 1944 they come, but if it was prior to D-day, it is imperative that they not learn the date nor place of the invasion. In all probability they either have or will guess, based on their observations of us, that they will win their war, but they should not know the dates of the surrenders, nor the terms. Nor should they know anything specific about the course of the war, especially the development of the atomic bomb, or any other weapons. For events after the war, use your discretion. Obviously it's more important that they not know about events that will occur during their probable life-spans than about things afterwards."

"Yes sir, I understand".

"All right then, Lieutenant." Kirk said. "It's about time for you to bring our guests to the briefing."

"Yes sir. And thank you." Kyle smiled brilliantly as he left.

"That was a supremely logical idea, Captain." Spock said after Kyle had left.

"Why thank you Mr. Spock, but I have to admit my decision was not totally logical."

"Indeed, Captain?"

"I saw the look in his eyes when he was talking during the briefing. That was hero worship, or I've never seen it. Kyle is a good officer, he deserves to have this time with his heroes."

"It is eminently logical to maximize the performance of an exemplary officer by rewarding him with something that increases his emotional satisfaction, Captain." Spock paused, then added "If one is dealing with a crew of humans, that is, of course."

"Of course." Kirk had the feeling his leg was being gently pulled. " Why, thank you, Mr. Spock." He grinned. Spock nodded gravely.

Ash and James had finished breakfast, and tidied themselves up while waiting for someone to summon them.

Nurse Chapel came into the room with a young blond man in a red uniform top. "Captain Ash? Sergeant James? This is Lt. Kyle, he's come to take you to the briefing room."

"I've been looking forward to meeting you both since you came on board." The young lieutenant said, reaching forward to shake Ash's hand enthusiastically. Ash realized from the familiar accent that this must have been the man James had seen and heard when they came on board. "Captain Kirk thought you might appreciate the sound of home, too." Kyle added.

Ash smiled in response. "I think the sergeant and I have you to thank for our breakfast as well."

"The captain said I should let Dr. McCoy know if there was anything I thought you would need. I'm glad you like it. I didn't think an English breakfast had changed too much, even in 300 years."

"Three hundred years." Ash sighed. "I'm amazed anyone even remembers."

" 'There will always be an England', sir." Kyle quoted.

Ash snorted, amused. "I suppose that means we won the war."

Kyle nodded. "Yes. I can't tell you much about it. If we're going to be able to send you back, there's things you shouldn't know in advance. But Mr. Spock said you would probably guess that much. What was the date when you were taken? We're pretty sure it was 1944, but that's all we know."

"The end of April." He looked at the sergeant. "The 24th wasn't it?"

"Aye, sir."

"Before the invasion, then." Kyle mused.

"Yes, though we all know it's coming." Ash's eyes lit up. "You must know when it's going to be."

"Sorry sir, that was one of the things the captain and Mr. Spock were most specific about, that I can't tell you anything about the time or the place. But yes, it's soon." Kyle indicated the door. "This way gentlemen. We don't want to be late."

They walked through the white halls, Kyle in the lead, then Ash, with the sergeant taking his comfortingly familiar spot behind and slightly to the side.

"How do you know so much about a war 300 years in your past, Lieutenant? It was you who recognized our uniforms when we came on board, wasn't it?"

Kyle blushed a little. "Well, sir, military history is a particular interest of mine, especially your war."

"Good heavens, why?"

"There were wars before, and there's been wars since, but the Second World War, your war, was different. There's not usually such clearly defined good and evil sides. You don't even know it all yet. By the time it ends, you will. When they start liberating the camps…" He stopped. "I don't think I should tell you about that."

"There's going to be a lot you can't tell us, I suppose." Ash said dryly.

Kyle nodded. "I'm sorry, sir. But" he brightened. "You can tell us so much! I've always been interested in the home front, and the Blitz, and how people survived, and, well, all of it."

Ash sighed. He'd seen that light in the eyes of people in the streets after he'd finished defusing a bomb, and it was being taken away. It was hero worship, or he'd never seen it.

"Don't get the wrong idea, Lt. Kyle. Mostly my work is hot, dirty, and despite what I idiotically managed to do to myself, nowhere near as dangerous as you've heard."

It was his standard disclaimer, and as he said it, he could feel the sergeant's look on the back of his neck, without needing to see it. Sergeant James would never publicly contradict his commanding officer, but Ash knew exactly what he was thinking, and it had something to do with Ash blaming himself for the mine explosion that had maimed him. In deference to the sergeant's feelings, he fell back enough to catch his eye, and gave him an apologetic look. The sergeant simply returned one of exasperation, and fell back a step himself.

The corridors were filled with hurrying men and women of all races. They politely moved aside to let the threesome pass. Ash noticed them pointing and whispering among themselves, and some of them smiled or even waved. He could make out occasional comments like "That must be them", and "Kyle got lucky with an assignment this time."

"I gather that out presence here isn't exactly a secret."

"No sir" Kyle admitted. "Captain Kirk thought that given our current circumstances the input of any of the crew could be potentially helpful."

"And just what are the current circumstances, anyway? Your captain said it wasn't you people who brought us here, so who did? And what are we doing here?"

"I think I'd better let the captain explain that, sir." Kyle said regretfully. "It's complicated, and all tied in with whether we can send you home or not."

Ash sighed. "Very well." He was getting tired of not getting a straight answer, but there was nothing to be gained by trying to bully a junior officer. Especially one who was going out of his way to be friendly and helpful.

"We're here" Kyle said, stopping before one of the strange sliding doors.

Kirk rose as Lt. Kyle entered with Ash and James. "Ah. Our guests. Captain Ash, Sergeant James, welcome. Have a seat." He indicated two empty chairs next to him. "Thank you Mr. Kyle." Kyle nodded and took a seat on the other side of the table, next to Uhura.

Kirk quickly ran through introductions. The composition of this briefing was somewhat different than the previous ones, he had left Sulu in charge of the bridge, and brought Mr. Scott down on the assumption they might need to discuss issues involved with time travel and the ship.

After the introductions were through, Captain Ash took a deep breath. "Look, I'm very pleased to meet you all, but right now what I'd really like are some explanations. How did Sergeant James and I get here, what are we doing here, and can you send us back?"

Kirk sighed. "That sums it up quite succinctly, yes. We don't know why you were brought here, except to be a puzzle for us. Who brought you here, that's… a long story."

"Apparently we have time." Ash said dryly.

"Yes. Well. As the human race moved out into space, we've found that not all alien races were what we expected. We expected something like Mr. Spock, here, people, just different from us." Spock nodded an acknowledgment. "Mostly, that was what we found. But not always. We found that life, and even intelligence, can exist without bodies. Some races have apparently evolved beyond the need for physical form. Some may never have had bodies, we don't know."

"Are you telling me that some bodiless alien bogeyman snatched us up from our time and dropped us here? How? Why? Why us?"

"Essentially, that is exactly what the captain is saying." Spock broke in. Ash gave him a look of slight bemusement, as though the sight of Spock's inhumanity still disturbed him. "And the question of why he chose you two specifically is one of the things we are here to investigate."

"Why who chose us?" Ash snapped.

"His name is apparently Grylock, or at least that's what he calls himself. He is, or seems to be, a juvenile member of a race of non-corporeal energy life-forms."

"Juvenile? You mean a child brought us here?"

"Yes. But a child of vast and unknown powers. Furthermore, a child who's actions and statements put us in grave doubt of his psychological normality."

"You're saying he's insane?" Ash said skeptically.

"So it seems." Kirk agreed. "Several years ago we had an encounter with Trelane, another child of Grylock's race, who played with us as…" Kirk searched for the proper word. "Pets for some time. We were eventually rescued by the intervention of Trelane's parents. Judging from what Grylock says, they blamehim for being a bad influence on their child, and have forbidden them to see each other."

"With some justification, apparently" McCoy broke in. "Grylock seemed pretty proud of leading Trelane astray."

"Grylock blames us for some reason. Lt. Uhura, please play back the log recording ofhis first communication with us."

"Yes, sir." Uhura pressed the appropriate controls, and Grylock's unpleasant voice filled the briefing room.

Ash and James listened impassively.

"What he doesn't say, that we found out on our own, is that he's pocketed us in a tiny fold of thespace-time continuum, so that time isn't passing outside. We have those 10 days he gave us, of which six are left, and then time restarts and we have to face the consequences of what we've done or haven't done. Or we break out early, if we can…"

"Oh, we can break out, never fear." Mr. Scott broke in.

"Thank you Mr. Scott for your vote of confidence. If we break out early, time restarts at that point."

"Was that the only time this Grylock made himself known?" Ash asked.

"No. After we found the two of you, he visited us again. Lieutenant?" Uhura touched the controls again.

Afterwards Ash and James exchanged looks. "So we're the 'present' he left for you." Ash said finally. "But… why us?"

"That is the question." Spock agreed. Out of all the people in human history, what made Grylock pick you two in particular? At first we were unable to find any historical records on either of you at all. It was actually Mr. Kyle who gave me the clue of where to look eventually."

"Me, sir?" Kyle said, his voice puzzled.

"Yes. The obvious depth of your interest in the subject of our visitor's duties made me consider that others in the past might have felt similarly. I switched from searching official historical records to sociological records of archival material. In a database of collected scrapbooks, I found this." He touched a control on the terminal.

A black and white picture appeared, apparently cut from a magazine. It showed a group of men in uniform. The two central ones were obviously Ash and James, but it was a younger, unscarred, Ash. Most of the men were standing around a metal framework from which the ominous shape of a bomb hung. In the lower right corner of the picture, two men sat. One sat in a chair, bending over, another, appallingly young, Kirk thought, knelt on the ground. Oddly enough a small shaggy dog was running across the front of the picture. The sergeant had been caught in the act of turning towards it, disapproval in his face.

"This was taken some time in 1940." Spock said. "It comes from a magazine apparently called Picture Post. The caption reads…"

Ash cut him off. "The caption reads 'The men who did the job. Another bomb is successfully dug out from under a London…' oh, I forget now. Residence, was it? Good Lord, can't I get away from that damn article even 300 years in the future? Is that all there is left of my life?"

Kirk had to chuckle at his outraged tone. "I gather, Captain Ash, that the article was something of a sore spot?"

Ash laughed bitterly. "I got strongly reprimanded because my men and I looked like, oh, what was it? Scarecrows, I think Captain Francis called us." He snorted. "I was told to make it look real. Then Wilkins got the idea it would be cute to have that damn dog in the picture. Sergeant James, whatever possessed me to agree to it?"

The sergeant looked straight ahead. "I couldn't say sir." He paused. "The photographer thought it was a good idea."

Ash snorted. "I know you didn't think so, Sergeant. It taught me a lesson in taking your advice."

The sergeants face remained absolutely impassive, only for the briefest moment a gratified expression flickered over his eyes.

"Everything would have been fine if only Wilkins had kept hold of the bloody little beast." Ash added sourly.

The barest hint of a smile might have possibly touched the sergeant's lips. "I will say, sir, that it did capture some of the occasionally disorganized nature of the work. They did say they wanted it real."

Ash sighed. "Group wanted it real. Francis had other ideas. Of course it was Hitler who got the final laugh. After a few articles like that, we started getting bombs with fuses deliberately designed to kill defusers." His eyes darkened with pain.

"All this is… fascinating, to coin a phrase." Kirk said with a sideways glance at Spock. "But it does nothing to settle our problem. Captain Ash, what were you and the sergeant doing when you were taken?"

"Defusing a bomb, of course. On 24 April, 1944. Its an unusual situation, though. An old 250 Kg, from the beginning of the war, hadn't been found before. In a disused warehouse." Ash laughed dryly. "Or actually, we have reason to believe that the building had been used by black marketers, and that's why the bomb hadn't been reported. A type 17 fuse, which means it has a clockwork timer. Obviously that was jammed or it would have blown up years ago. I had just told Sergeant James to get the clockstopper, in case moving the bomb unjammed the mechanism, when there was a flash of light, and then we were in that damn desert. Have I forgotten anything, Sergeant James?"

"That sums it up, sir."

"Do you think the bomb exploded, Captain?"

"It was our first thought when we woke up. What else were we to think? It was possible. No matter how long it had been sitting there, moving it to get at the fuse could have started the clock again, and there's no way to tell how much time it had on it. Days, or seconds. That's why the rest of the section was outside, back at the safety point."

"And if it had exploded?"

Ash shrugged. "Standing where we were? In an enclosed area to contain the blast? We wouldn't be here to be a problem for you."

"I hate to put it like this, Captain" Kirk pressed, "But would the bodies have been identifiable?"

Ash just looked at him for a moment. "There wouldn't be bodies." he said finally.

"Well that's a relief." Dr McCoy broke in. "That way if you're supposed to be dead, we can just let you stay here."

"That's a tactless way to put it." Mr. Scott chided.

"Mmmm? Oh yes, sorry. But it was something I was worried about."

"Look" broke in Ash "I thought the only question was could you send us back. What's this about 'supposed to be dead' and staying here? Can you or can't you send us back?"

"It's not that simple" Spock explained. "Our first priority has to be maintaining the integrity of the time line. If you and Sergeant James are meant to live past April 24th , then we must find a way to return you. If on the other hand, historically you did not live past that date, then our only choices become either to keep you here in our time, or to return you to certain death. If it wasn't for the intervention of Grylock, we could simply return you to the moment from which you left and let history take it's course. However, we have no way of knowing what else Grylock may have interfered with. He may have somehow caused the bomb to explode, when it would otherwise have been safely defused. Alternately, he may have himself defused a bomb that otherwise would have exploded, therefore leaving you alive when you should not be."

A look of shock passed over Ash's face. He swallowed. "That's bloody cold." He snapped. "That's our lives you're talking about."

"It would be regrettable, if your deaths are required. As Dr. McCoy has said, though, in that instance we do have the alternative of allowing you to stay here in our time."

"Captain Ash" Kirk broke in. "You and Sergeant James have, obviously, faced dying doing your duty before. This is no different. Besides, we don't know yet. We may end up turning all our efforts to determining how to keep you alive. And without more evidence, we just don't know which."

"Captain" Lt. Uhura spoke for the first time. "I have an idea. It's something Grylock said, twice in fact. Wait, let me find it." She pressed controls. "Here. This is from the first time."

The unpleasant voice of Grylock came through the speaker. "…there's a little present for you. Better find it before it's to late. 'Cause if you don't, you'll really be sorry. Some of you just won't be here any more. I lost my friend, so now you'll lose friends too."

"Then this, from the second time." Uhura worked the controls again.

"…told you. You made me lose my friend so you're going to lose friends too."

"It sounds to me like he means something specific. Not just disruption to history, but specific people who won't be here on the Enterprise. Maybe because they won't be born. Sir, what if he knows someone in the crew is descended from either Captain Ash or Sergeant James?"

"Brilliant, Lieutenant! Yes." Kirk said thoughtfully. "If either of them has descendents here on the Enterprise, it means they lived long enough to have children."

"I can do a DNA scan and compare them to everyone on the ship" McCoy broke in. "All I need is a blood sample from the two of them. The crew's are already on record. Wouldn't even take that long. I can have a full report by tomorrow morning."

"Of course, that would only be proof if the line of descent comes from a child engendered after April 24, 1944." Spock pointed out. "Captain Ash, do either you or the sergeant have children?"

"Neither of us is married." Ash replied.

"McCoy broke in. "In or out of marriage, it doesn't matter. Captain, is there any chance you have a child?"

"Ash sputtered, "No! I…"

McCoy cut him off again "What about you, Sergeant? Any chance of children at all? Even from temporary relationships?"

The sergeant looked uncomfortable, a slow flush mounting to his cheekbones. "I…"

"It's important that we know" McCoy pressed.

A trapped look came into the sergeant's eyes.

"Don't answer that, Sergeant James." Ash's voice cut like a knife.

"Sir." James muttered.

Ash turned on Kirk. His voice was perfectly level but there was a cold rage in his eyes.

"Captain Kirk. I need to speak privately with my sergeant. Where can we go for a few moments?"

Kirk took a breath. "Of course. There's a smaller briefing room off this one. That door there." He pointed.

"Very good. Sergeant, wait there for me. I'll join you in a moment."

The sergeant nodded. "Sir". There was silence as he walked to the door.

As soon as it closed behind him, Ash turned to Kirk again.

"Captain Kirk. Sergeant James is under my command. If you or any of your people have any further questions for him about his personal life you will relay them through me, as his commanding officer. Is that clear?" His voice rose a notch as some of his anger leaked through his control. "My God! How can you expect him to answer questions like that in front of total strangers, including women?"

"I'm sorry Captain Ash." Kirk said quietly. "Please relay my apologies to Sergeant James." He shot a look at McCoy. "It won't happen again."

Ash nodded. "Thank you. Excuse me."

All eyes were on him as he limped his way to the door. After the door slid shut behind him all eyes shifted to the doctor.

"I believe there is a human saying, Doctor" Spock said. " 'Open mouth, insert foot.' Even a Vulcan would have known better."

"What would Vulcans know about it? They have no emotions." McCoy snapped.

"No, Doctor, but Vulcans have impecable manners." Spock said, calmly.

"Well" said Dr. Noel wryly. "This answers my concern about the Captain's loyalty to the sergeant. Though not in a way I'm happy to have seen. Dr. McCoy, I did mention the differences between their time and ours."

Kirk took a breath. "Dr. McCoy, can Nurse Chapel or one of the other doctors handle taking the blood samples you need?" If they're willing to give them after this, Kirk thought unhappily. He had the feeling that Uhura had hit on the answer, and that it was going to be vitally important to do those tests.

"Yes, of course."

"Good. Please arrange for that, and after the briefing, I'd like you and Mr. Spock to stay behind."

"Yes, Captain" McCoy muttered.

When Ash entered the smaller briefing room, James was waiting for him. Ash's rage at the doctor was only slightly abated. Sergeant James was a man in his 40s who had been in the army all his adult life. Of course there had to have been women, prostitutes if nothing else. However, to question a man as intensely reserved and private as Sergeant James about such things in front of a roomful of strangers was completely out of bounds.

"I'm sorry sergeant. I shouldn't have let that go so far. Kirk asked me to relay his apologies as well."

"Thank you, sir."

Ash rubbed his face. "What do you make of all this, Sergeant? It all sounds crazed. Insane energy creature-children snatching us away. History changing depending on if we live or die."

"I don't know, sir. It sounds barmy, sure enough. But what alternative is there to it being true?"

Ash sighed. "None that I can think of. So I suppose our only chance of getting home is to go along with them and answer their questions, and let them do their tests. I know I don't have any children lurking about." He laughed wryly. "Not much chance, there's only ever been three women, and one of them is Susan."

James shook his head. "I've been thinking. I've always tried to be careful. I didn't want to be leaving any fatherless bairns around, nor pick up anything nasty, either." He drew a deep breath. "I think it's a 'no' for me as well, sir."

"All right then. Are you ready to go back in there and let them take some blood?"

"Aye, sir. Away."

The room fell silent again as the two men reentered and took their seats.

"Captain Kirk" Ash said formally. "Neither Sergeant James nor I have any children at this point in our lives. When do you want to do this blood test?"

Kirk sighed in relief. "Immediately, I think, Captain Ash. Lt. Kyle, can you take them back to sickbay please? And then to their quarters. I think the Ambassadorial suite would be the best place, it has room for both of them. Dr. McCoy, you'll have the results by 0900 tomorrow?"

McCoy nodded.

"Then we'll continue this then. Mr. Kyle?"

"Yes sir" Kyle said. "This way, gentlemen."

"Doctor, Mr. Spock, stay please. Everyone else, dismissed."

They watched the rest of the crew file out, then Kirk turned to McCoy.

"I know that when an interesting problem comes up you can become involved in it to the exclusion of all else, Doctor. But please try to not to alienate the people who may be our only solution."

"Sorry, Jim" McCoy said. "It won't happen again. And I can try to make it up to them when I fix that boy's leg."

Kirk and Spock exchanged glances. Kirk had had a suspicion that McCoy would bring this up.

"You can't do that, Doctor. Not if we are to return them to their own time. We can't have him suddenly cured with no cause." Spock pointed out.

"Well then… I think he's in pretty much constant pain. I can at least end that."

Kirk shook his head. "Not even that, Bones. I'm sorry, but we have no idea what could upset the time line."

McCoy snorted. "How could ending his pain change history?"

"Dr. McCoy" Spock said gravely. "You of all people should remember how small an event, as little as deciding when to cross a street, can change world events."

McCoy winced at the reference to Edith Keeler's death. Spock went on, "In July of this year, London is going to be attacked again, with V1 rockets this time. The V2 rockets will follow in the fall. The V2s fly faster than the speed of sound, and the attacks occur at all times during the day, with no warning or time to get to shelter. Not many will penetrate Britain's defenses, but the only thing that will determine who will be killed by the ones that do is sheer luck, being in the right place at the right time, or the wrong place at the wrong time. And the difference of a few steps that being in constant pain or not being in constant pain make, could make the difference between life and death."

"Yes, but…" McCoy tried to interject.

Spock interrupted him. "That's only one possible example. Over the course of the Captain's potential life, the difference between being in pain or not could make changes that snowball beyond our imagining. You know we must do as little as possible to interfere with what must happen."

"If it turns out that they do have to stay here, then you can take care of it, Bones." Kirk said sympathetically. He knew how much McCoy hated seeinga hurt that he couldn't fix. "But for now, don't even mention the possibility to him."

"Yes Captain." McCoy muttered.

"All right then. Dismissed."

Author's footnote: If you want to see what the picture of Ash and his men was supposed to look like, before Wilkins let go of the dog, you can find it at the episode guide for Danger: UXB at epguides. com