Chapter 4 - Point of No Return (Version 3B Revised and Complete)
Acknowledgement: Thanks Skeet aka 'AlbertG' for having a read through and catching my mistakes.
Chapter 4
In the transporter room, Captain Styles and Commander Garret awaited the arrival of the party from Enterprise.
Glancing at the transporter tech, Styles ordered. "Energize."
A moment later, three columns of light appeared on the transporter platform, the visible light reflecting off the pane of transparent aluminium that covered the front of the transporter operator's cubicle, before fading to show the forms of Captain Picard and two others. The one with the golden skin and eyes, Styles recognized from earlier. But, the other he didn't. He was dark skinned, with disconcerting artificial looking blue eyes.
"Welcome aboard, Captain," Styles said. Stepping forward and gesturing for Picard's party to step off the pads and formally come aboard.
Stepping off, Picard shook Styles hand, "Captain, Commander," Picard said. "May I present Lieutenant Commanders Data, Chief of Operations and Geordi LaForge, my Chief Engineer."
"Commander, Captain." Both said shaking Styles' and Garret's hands
"If you'll follow me," Styles was saying turning to the doors. "The rest of my command staff is waiting in the observation lounge on deck two."
O-O-O
Captain John Sheridan was not pleased. He held in his hand, the single most aggravating piece of paper he had ever seen. It was the executive order to declare martial law. He knew it was going to be coming. But, he hadn't wanted it to come.
"Captain," Commander Susan Ivanova asked. "Are you all right?"
He couldn't answer her immediately. Instead, he held the order out for her to see. After a moment, he muttered. "The order came in." He couldn't look at her. He didn't want to see the expression on her face. "Tell the others," he said, "martial law, effective immediately…"
O-O-O
Entering the observation lounge, Picard glanced round, familiarizing himself with the surroundings. The room was about the same size as his lounge, although the layout was different. The conference table, large enough to seat about twelve, was centrally placed, with five of the seats occupied after Styles and Garret had sat down. The fore wall was dominated by a large screen, mirroring the one on the bridge, sandwiched between two entrances. The rear wall contained four room height windows, while two smaller screens were located on each wall. Before taking his seat to the left of Commander Garret, Picard took the opportunity to take a hard look out into space admiring the beautiful lines of his own starship visible astern.
"Gentlemen," Styles said formally bringing the meeting to order, "if I can have your attention." As Styles said this, the quiet murmuring that had been taking place, muted and his and Picard's crew looked towards him. "Before we begin, there is the matter of the chain of command and who has seniority. I think that before we discuss our current situation, we need to sort out who should be in overall command. Should Picard or I take command?"
Though Picard covered his surprise quickly, it was clear that Picard hadn't expected this to come up yet. But, he thought. All things, considered. I suppose we should get this out the way now. That way it won't crop up later during a crisis situation. "You raise a valid point." Picard said. "Data," there were a few curious glances at the android, as those on Styles crew realized, that he was a sentient machine. "What do the regulations say about the chain of command in such a situation?"
"Captains," Data said "Regulation 191 (Article 14): 'In a combat situation involving more than one ship, command falls to the vessel with tactical superiority.' However, our position here is unique, in that we are no longer in a known combat situation. But, instead in a position where we do not know what the tactical situation is. In the-"
"Data!" Picard said.
"Yes, Captain?"
"Shut up."
"Actually," Styles said with a relieved expression. "I agree with that. If the Enterprise hadn't provided additional firepower during our little skirmish with the Klingons, I serious doubt we'd have survived."
"Captain," Ferrer said from further down the table. "You're not actually agreeing to hand over command."
"No, Lieutenant Ferrer." Styles explained. "I'm not handing over command to him. What I'm saying is that while we both retain command of our vessels. Command of this 'unit', that is Challenger and Enterprise, will come under Captain Picard. That's what Article 14 of Regulation 191 means. It also means that any other vessels that should make it here would fall under his jurisdiction as well." He looked round the table, making sure he got everyone's eyes. "Are, there any further objections. If not, I now hand this meeting over to Captain Picard."
"All right," Picard said. "We know that we are not where we are supposed to be. Does anyone know how this transference took place? "
Beside him, Data folded his hands, looking thoughtful as he went into lecture mode. "I have accessed all Federation data regarding parallel universes. Most of the information is apocryphal or purely theoretical. However, there is one recorded instance of a Starfleet crew having experienced a parallel universe."
"When and where?
"Captain," Styles said. "I think, Lieutenant Commander Kyle can answer the when."
Leaning forward, the white-haired, bearded chief engineer began to speak. "There where is actually rather difficult to explain. But, the when is September 7th 2267; the personnel being members of the command crew of NCC-1701."
"Kirk's Enterprise." Picard murmured.
"Yes," Kyle answered. "At the time, I was a chief warrant officer, aboard that vessel assigned as a transporter supervisor.
"How come this event isn't in your service jacket?
"One word: Classified." Kyle told Commander Garret. "By rights, I should not even be telling you."
Garret smiled. "Don't worry. We won't tell the admiralty."
"Please continue." Picard told him.
"The transference," Kyle said, "began as a transporter mishap."
"A transporter mishap?" Geordi said. "Don't you people have safety measures built into your transporters?" Geordi was thinking he might have some work to do on them. But, his fears were unfounded.
"At the time of the mishap, transporters simply didn't have the fail safes that the ones on this ship and yours have. In fact, it was on my recommendation and that of Scotty's, that some of them were added." Kyle went on with his story. "The Enterprise was in orbit of Omicron Indi III, a planet called Halka. The ship was to negotiate with the planetary government to start mining for dilithium crystals. Unfortunately, they did not go well. Out of fear that the crystals might be used for warlike purpose, the Halkans refused.
"I was tasked, at that point, with beaming Kirk's party back on board. The process started normally. But, space in the area was experiencing a level nine ion storm. Captain Kirk had wanted to wait till the storm calmed down. Unfortunately, the local government wanted them off the planet. So, we didn't wait."
"You transported during a level nine storm." Picard said, stunned at the thought of doing such a dangerous thing.
"It was during the re-materialization process, that the crew realized something was 'off' you might say. In their reports, they described the feeling, as likening to 'running off a cliff, and suddenly realizing that there's only air beneath your feat.'"
"When the process was complete," Kyle said. "They found themselves in an equivalent transporter room. But an ISS-1701 – an Imperial starship, the flagship of a brutal, savage and undisciplined 'Terran Empire.'"
"I take it a way was found to bring them back?"
"Yes, sir." Crewman Samno said. He was representing Challenger's science department. "Unfortunately, that solution won't work here. The solution developed by the NCC-1701's chief engineer, was dependent on the ion storm - in our case, the anomaly - being present in the both universes at the same spatial location. And that's not the case here."
"Furthermore," Data said speaking up, "that solution only worked, because it involved only the transporters, not entire starships."
O-O-O
"Lieutenant," Petty Officer T'Jen announced.
Foster turned to the crewman. "Yes, T'Jen."
She was a young dark haired half Human, half Vulcan, which if rumour was to be believed, was a descendant of T'Pol the first Vulcan to work with a human crew. "We're receiving data from the probe we sent into the star system ahead. Telemetry confirms that it is Ross 614 B, also known as Orion VIII. No subspace activity." She paused as she read some new information just coming up on her screen. "Curious. The probe has just…"
Foster didn't wait to hear the rest of her report. He was already reaching for the intercom control on the side of the command chair.
O-O-O
"Bridge to Captain Styles." The voice of Lieutenant Foster said. "We're starting to receive data from the probe we sent in system."
Touching a control, built into the table where Styles sat, the Challenger captain asked. "Report."
"The nearby system," Foster said after a moment, during which he had probably moved from the command chair to the science station. "Has been identified as Orion VII or Ross 614 B. It is near identical to the star system we are familiar with in our own universe. With the exception of an unidentified structure in it's outer region. Furthermore, we have not been able to detect any subspace transceiver activity."
"That's strange," Styles said. "There should be a lot of activity. No activity at all?"
"Hold on." Foster said. "I am detecting a lot of tachyon activity. It seems to be artificially generated! I'm detecting modulations in the emissions."
"Captains," Garret said. "It is possible it could be communications. Lieutenant, tie your readings into my station."
"Aye, Sir. One moment." There was a pause, as he worked. In the background, much too quiet to make out properly, was another voice. Eventually, Foster came back on the line. "Sir," he began. "It appears to be an audio-visual news broadcast. I'm patching it through to you now. I think you'll find you want to see this."
"On screen."
The main screen flickered, changing from a computer generated image of the ship's port side, to a scene that had clearly been intercepted from a military broadcast by the news network. At the bottom right of the screen, were the letters 'ISN.'
Everyone, around the table, could see that the broadcast was showing a running battle between like designed warships. The warships, Picard thought, looked bulky and cumbersome with a large rotating centre section. He wondered if it was meant to generate centrifugal gravity. The newsreader, was giving a running account of what was happening. Picard listened.
"Repeating this special bulletin." A female voice said. "We have just received this raw footage of a firefight between EarthForce ships, taking place even now at the transfer point on Io. The main vessel has been positively identified as the Alexander…" the screen changed mid-sentence to a view of the newsreader, a human woman dressed in a black long-sleeved blouse. "…under the command of General William Hague. The Alexander and her two companion vessels have been surrounded by EarthForce cruisers and ordered to surrender. The Alexander has refused to surrender and is calling other EarthForce divisions to oppose President Clark. For the first time since the Mars Rebellion, Earth vessels are fighting one another." The image changed back, to show the running battle. "The Excalibur and the Schwatzkopf have been hit,in a delaying tacticallowing the Alexander and her companions to escape into hyperspace." The screen now showed three ships escaping into yellowish energy vortexes. A second later, the screen changed again to the newsreader. "It is widely believed, that General Hague's revolt was in response to President Clark's dissolution of the Earth Alliance Senate and the declaration of martial law, which as we speak, has been extended to Babylon 5. When asked about the declaration, representatives of President Clark have stated that it was in response to the continuing accusations of a conspiracy against the government and that it will remain in force until the crisis is resolved. In other news-"
As the reader informed her audience of the last part, there were mutterings of 'lies,' and a few shaking their heads. Both crews' expressions were dark. They didn't like what they were hearing.
"Screen off," Styles said, looking disgusted. The screen reverted to its previous view. "Thomas, I want this broadcast continually monitored. Let us know if anything else comes up in it."
"Aye, Sir. Foster out."
"Well." Styles said, trying to get his expression back under control. "It would seem that this Earth has just had a quiet coup de tat. I think we're witnessing the change of a democracy into a totalitarian state."
"Indeed," Data said agreeing.
As Picard had been issuing his orders, Styles and Garret had been issuing their own. A few minutes later, Styles crew and Commander LaForge filed out to carry out their own orders. Data though waited behind for Picard.
But, as Picard was getting ready to get up, he noted that Styles had hung back. "Captain," Picard said. "Something else?"
"Yes, Captain," Styles said. "Since it seems that we are going to be stuck here a while. I we should carry on with my ships' upgrades."
Picard nodded. He could see Styles' point of view. "Go on."
"Mr. Samno, the chief warrant officer I have running my science department, was thinking that we could upgrade our computer core. It would allow us to have quicker response times and enable us to better support you."
"I don't see a problem with that," Picard said. "Before we were diverted to the anomaly, we were on route to Starbase 105 to deliver a new core to the USS Lakota. I don't see why we couldn't install it aboard your ship. It would only take about twelve hours."
O-O-O
In the Command and Control facility of Babylon 5, Ivanova glanced back from where she stood at the observation dome towards the entrance at the rear when she heard the door open and heavy foot steps enter the room. It was Citizen G'kar, former Ambassador of the Narn Regime. Knowing that it wasn't safe for him, she quickly approached him. "G'kar," she asked. "What are you doing here?"
"Saving all of us," G'kar said. "I've had-" he paused as an officer passed behind him. He wasn't entirely sure who could be trusted. "-an idea."
O-O-O
"Where you been, Zack?" The Night Watch representative said. He was a tall man in his thirties with blond hair, that was just starting to thin at the front. He had a very malicious grin on his face. "You missed all the fun."
Too malicious, Sergeant Zack Allen thought. My God. The Captain was right. "I was in a meeting," he told his supervisor. Playing his part. "With the captain, the chief and G'kar. At 0300, a ship's going to dock in bay nine. It will be carrying a couple hundred Narns from one of their colonies. They're being brought in to replace us. They wanted me to help them, but I can't. I just can't do it." What he had said to his supervisor was the truth, mostly. Some of it was a lie. He could, and would help them. There was no ship. The Narns in question were already here.
"We'll be there when the ship come in…" the supervisor was saying, falling for the lie."…and we'll catch them in the act of sedition, before they can organize." The supervisor put his hand reassuringly on Zach's shoulder, making Zack feel like he needed a shower. "You did the right thing, Zack. You did the right thing."
Well, the trap is set. Zack thought.
O-O-O
"Hey. Hey," Security Chief Michael Garibaldi asked, "you all right?
"Yeah, yeah." Zack said, as Garibaldi helped him up, from where he had dived under the rapidly closing pressure door.
"Okay," Garibaldi said, "you did the right thing."
"You know, Zack said. "Everyone keeps saying that. I don't know who means it anymore. But, yeah. Maybe this time I did."
Approaching, Captain Sheridan, Zack informed him. They're all yours, Captain." As he said that, he pulled off the Night Watch armband he wore tossing it at the ground. It reminded him too much of the Geheime Staatspolizei, or the old Nazi state secret police.
"Thanks, Zack." Sheridan turned to Garibaldi, telling him, "Bring them in."
Garibaldi spoke into the link affixed to the back of his hand, ordering the security personnel that were still loyal to come in and help with the arrest.
As Garibaldi did this, Sheridan activated his own link. "Activate PA."
O-O-O
Sealed in the bay, the Night Watch personnel were quickly degrading from an organized force into a rabble. They were climbing the walls and each other, trying to find a way out. While many more called out for each other to find some kind of exit. They were worried that they might just be spaced. They knew that if they failed in their attempting to arrest the command crew, they could be spaced for committing mutiny.
Then the Public Address system activated, stunning them into silence. "This is the captain. If I can have your attention." The Night Watch supervisor was stunned. He had been led into a trap by his own second. "As of this time, 0315 Earth Standard Time…"
O-O-O
Behind Sheridan, many of Babylon 5's security force was not pleased at what Night Watch had attempted. In fact, Sheridan thought as he continued speaking. Some of them look ready to ram heads into the bulkhead. "…I am placing you under arrest for conspiracy to mutiny and failure to obey the chain of command." As Sheridan said this, Ivanova and Garibaldi shared a glance.
O-O-O
As Sheridan said this, many of the Night Watch, began to look worried. Had they followed an incorrect procedure? It was beginning to look like they had. The public address continued. The entire station's population heard it. Night Watch was being shut down. "The order for Night Watch to take over Babylon 5 security came from the Political Office. The Political Office, despite its connection to the president is a civilian agency outside the direct chain of command."
O-O-O
"Orders affecting military personnel must come from within the military hierarchy…" Sheridan stated, looking at each of his command staff. Zack Allan, Michael Garibaldi, Doctor Stephen Franklin, the chief medical officer, and Susan Ivanova, his executive officer; this part was for them also. They needed to know why he was placing Night Watch personnel under arrest. "…starting from the president, through the joint chiefs of staff to your immediate superior officers. A senator cannot give you a direct order. A governor cannot give you a direct order and neither can the Political Office. Make no mistake, this is an illegal order…"
O-O-O
"…Now, we've contacted Earth Dome and requested confirmation of this order through proper channels. But, since we seem to be having trouble with communications this may take several days. Until then, you have two choices: You can stay where you are," at this Sheridan's voice became almost pleased. "Or you can leave, one at a time."
O-O-O
Smiling now, Sheridan added. "On your way out, you'll turn in your link, identicard and weapons. You'll be restricted to quarters until the revised orders come in. When that happens, anyone who wants to file a complaint against me can do so. Otherwise, have a pleasant stay."
O-O-O
"I don't believe this," the Night Watch supervisor grumbled. The others simply looked at one another and the speakers hidden high above.
"Oh, and one other thing. If I were you, I wouldn't use my weapons on the air locks." From the look on some faces, it was clear that many had thought of doing just that. "They're a solid beryllium alloy. The ricochet is a killer."
O-O-O
Activating his link again, Sheridan said, "PA off." He turned to his dark skinned CMO. "Doc," Sheridan said. "I'm going to need you to stay around for a while in case anyone ignores my warning and tries to burn his way through."
"You got it." Franklin said.
"You do realize," Ivanova told him, "this is a temporary solution. As soon as Clark finds out about this, he'll reissue the order personally. Then we'll be right back to square one."
"Not if they straighten things out back home, or Hague pulls off another coup," Sheridan answered. "We need to buy time for that to happen."
"One thing I'm not clear on," Franklin asked. "Keeping everyone in there is going to cut our security patrols in half. Doesn't that worry anybody?"
"Not really." Garibaldi said. He turned to call down the corridor. "We've got some help for a change. "
A second later, twenty to thirty Narns came down the corridor with Citizen G'kar at the lead. He came to halt before Sheridan and Ivanova, saluting in the Narn style. A placing of hands together in a fist.
You're kidding," Franklin said, before amending his statement. "You're not kidding?" Franklin could just see the number of Centauri and Narn running to his med-lab after incidents.
"Always," Sheridan said. "Plant a lie inside a truth. It makes it easier to swallow."
"Oh boy," Franklin said. "Londo is gonna to love this."
"Hell, yeah." Sheridan agreed.
O-O-O
Inside the bay, Private Halley Sanders, a short petite young woman with short dark hair, looked at her supervisor pulling her armband off. She wanted nothing more to do with Night Watch.
"Ah," the NightWatch supervisor said in a malicious voice. "Another traitor."
O-O-O
Entering Sheridan's office, Susan Ivanova headed towards the captain, where he stood at the window looking out onto the Garden of Babylon 5. He looked worried. Well, she thought. If he's worried, I should be too. Ivanova was a pessimist. After all, with our removal of Night Watch, it'll only be a matter of time before we've got an EarthForce fleet is breathing down our necks. "Ambassador Delenn just got back," she told him "She wants to know everything that's happened."
"Good, good." Sheridan said back, turning to her.
She looked down. Oh no. She thought. Now I'll have to tell him.
"Was there anything else?"
"I just saw a report on ISN." Somehow, Sheridan thought. Ivanova managed to leek even more pessimistic. "Four of the five cruisers that defected with General Hague have been shot down. They say, he's on the run and they expect to capture him the next time he exits hyperspace."
Knowing he had to lift not just his own mood up. But, that of Commander Ivanova's as well, he sad. "Well, he won't go down without a fight."
Looking up, she added. "No, sir. No he won't."
"They," he said, "will be coming for us next, you know."
"I know," Ivanova replied. "I never
thought it would end like this."
"Me
either."
O-O-O
Five days later, the senior officers were once again in conference, this time aboard the Enterprise. Present were Styles, Picard, Riker, Garret, Kyle, LaForge, Data, Yar and Crewman Samno.
"Can I have your attention?" Picard began, bringing the meeting to order. "It's time to decide our future. Over the past few days, we have been picking up news broadcasts and military communiqués from Earth. All indicating that it is now in the control of a totalitarian regime under a President Morgan William Clark." He paused and looked around the table, making sure he had their gazes. "It is clear, that we cannot go there for help. Given the stance the government, known as the 'Earth Alliance,' has taken against 'aliens.' And with the four hundred non–humans in our crews, that door is closed." Picard continued. "Though the Earth Alliance has declared martial law, the Earth colonies of Mars, Proxima III and Orion VII have refused it and are threatening to break away."
"You can bet," Riker said from where he sat beside Picard. "That Clark will do everything he can to avoid losing them. He'll probably try to blockade the planets."
"From the intercepted communiqués we've picked up," Garret said. "It's clear that he's threatened to bomb dissenting colonies into submission."
"The probe," Data said. "That we sent to Sector 001 has picked up fleet of vessels, similar to the ones we saw on the news broadcast the other day, gathering in Earth orbit. So, it would seem that is President Clark's intention."
"Captain," LaForge asked. "How does the Prime-"
He was cut off, by the sound of the yellow alert going off.
O-O-O
To be continued….
Authors Note: -This is the revised and complete Chapter 4. I did have the chapter largely written yesterday. However, I felt the reactions of the Challenger and Enterprise crew to the news broadcast needed to be darker.
So I rewrote the chapter, adding additional scenes and altering others. Then I brought the chapter into line with the end of the B5 episode 'Point of No Return.'
I have given this chapter the same title. I think it is appropriate for all three crews. B5/Challenger and Enterprise. The B5 crew because they take the steps that will lead them to break away from Earth and in the case of Challenger and Enterprise, the realisation that they can't go home.
Chapter 3 had originally been called 'Point of No Return.' However, I changed it when I realised, that this chapter better suited the title.
