Chapter Title: Tempus Fugit

Chapter Synapses: Part One of Three. A ship from the 29th Century returns to the height of the Krenim War to repair critical damage to the timeline. The captain of the timeship takes command of Hyperion.

Written by: Seraph Koji

A woman stood on the bridge of a 29th century vessel wearing a blue and gray uniform, "Lieutenant Mayborne." She called to a Ktarian male in a uniform consisting or two shades of gray, "The alteration focal point?"

"Out of place technology late in the year 2380." Mayborne replied, "The plan, Captain?"

"To stabilize the timeline, I'm going to take command of the ship." The captain responded.

He looked shocked, "Temporal Prime Directive, Captain. We can't-"

"For all you know, I should be there. The record mentions an unnamed Captain taking command, does it not?" She rose, moving toward the incursion display, "Tempus Fugit, Lieutenant."

Mayborne sighed, "Aye, ma'am." He moved more toward the center of the bridge, "Raise shields. Time frame: stardate 57955.192. Alpha Quadrant. Spatial coordinates: 17-Epsilon by 275. Target: USS Hyperion."

"YES!" Phral cheered. "Captain Collins! I've finally got it. Remember how our Temporal Shielding was 54 effective in the Gamma Orianis conflict a few weeks ago? I've narrowed the chronometrical variance!"

Collins looked behind her at the Denobulin. "Meaning?"

"Meaning our shields will be 73 effective next time. If I can just isolate the phase variance we could bump that even higher." Phral explained.

"Good work, Chief. With those torpedoes out of phase, I can't shoot 'em down." VonBach informed.

Lights fell red around the bridge and sirens blared. Collins stood, "Report?"

"Reading a temporal distortion off the port bow. There's a ship emerging." Talara, wearing colors indicating her first officer status, "Federation signature, but it's nothing I've ever seen."

"Open a channel." Collins ordered, "This is Captain Dorian Collins of the Federation starship Hyperion to unidentified vessel. Please respond."

"My name is Captain Samantha Flint of the Federation timeship Eidolon." The Timeship captain responded, "And in the interest of the timeline, I'll be taking command of your vessel."

"You'll what?" Collins asked.

Flint stood at the head of the conference table beside Collins' chair. "In a few hours, there will be a battle involving this ship. However, a ship we can't identify is going to use technology that Starfleet shouldn't have to disrupt the timeline."

"Isn't this contaminating the timeline?" Winters asked.

Flint shook her head, "We have reason to believe that this is in accordance with the timeline. However, I am not to be mentioned by name in any log entries. You must refer to me as 'the Acting Captain'."

"I don't see a problem with that." Collins shrugged.

Flint continued, "There are several important things that our records show 'the Acting Captain' did. I fully intend to do these things. So, Talara, Collins, hail any ships in range and put together a fleet. VonBach, bring us to Yellow Alert. Ivano, once our fleet is assembled, set a course for the Alphonsa system."

"Alphonsa? Alphonsa's a Krenim beachhead." Ivano pointed out.

"Yes it is. Phral, have you got your temporal shields functioning?" She asked.

Phral nodded, "It works. Its effectiveness against the Chronoton Torpedo is closer to 73 now."

"Captain Collins, any new information on the time-space Tesseract?" Flint asked.

Collins was a bit puzzled as to how Captain Flint knew of this, but answered, "We know that just prior to Admiral Judge's orders that the Beaumont rendezvous with Hyperion, there was an energy spike with a Chronoton flux matching the Captain's comm. badge, but it doesn't prove anything."

"Great. Fantastic." Flint nodded, "Keep monitoring for that situation."

"Acting Captain's Log, stardate 57960.2. We are still on a course to rendezvous with destiny, if you will. Our mission is to destroy a Krenim base of operations in the Alphonsa System on the Klingon border. It may take as long as a month to arrive, but other ships are ordered to meet us on our way."

"Incoming hail from Starfleet Command." Talara, again dressed as an Operations officer, reported to the 'acting Captain', who was in a period uniform.

Flint nodded at the information and stood up, "On screen."

"Is that wise?" Collins asked, concerned for the timeline.

"It's fine, Dorian." Flint walked to the front of the bridge, "I'm Captain Samantha Flint of the Federation… starship Eidolon."

"Captain Collins, why is Hyperion so far off schedule?" Admiral Nechiev asked.

Flint cleared her throat, "Starfleet regulation 191 article 19; In a combat situation involving more than one ship, command falls to the ship of tactical superiority." Flint said in a commanding tone, "Any questions about our mission or the resources I've been massing fall to me, not to Captain Collins."

"Tactical superiority?" Nechiev asked, "We have no record of a USS Eidolon in service, so what is the nature of this 'superiority'?"

"I can't say." Flint shook her head, "Temporal Prime Directive."

"I vouch for her vessel's superiority, Admiral." Collins said, seated at the First Officer position.

Nevhiev sighed, frustrated by the Temporal Prime Directive, "Am I allowed to know this mission of yours?"

"We are en route to destroy the Krenim outpost in the Alphonsa system." Flint reported, ignoring the contempt in the Admiral's voice, "There's a Vodwar subspace corridor just outside that system. We'll mine it once the Krenim outpost in neutralized."

"If you get anyone killed…" Nechiev said, clearly not liking Flint, "Starfleet out."

"Acting Captain's Log, stardate 57970.4. The crew seems to have assimilated to my command. I really wish there were better circumstances, but this is to prevent the disastrous escalation the war may take if the out-of-place technology should fall into the hands of the already temporally savvy Krenim. My greatest fear, of course, is that we might arrive too late. But soon, we will arrive at Alphonsa. Today, if we're on schedule."

"Status of the fleet?" Flint asked, walking onto the bridge and around to the central chair.

Talara looked up from her console, "The fleet all reports ready. Seventeen ships in total, counting Hyperion. Ships include Concorde, Stragger, Nixon…"

"Thank you, Talara. Weapons status?" She glanced at VonBach, the single crewmember who hadn't adapted to her command.

VonBach was silent.

Winters answered the Captain's question. "They're online, ma'am. Point-Defense won't work, though."

"Mister VonBach, will you follow my orders? Or do you need to spend this battle in the brig?" Flint said, her tone very authoritatively.

"He'll behave." Winters promised.

"See that he does." Flint became calmer, "Bridge to Sen, prepare for casualties. We're going in."

"I'm reading something… another temporal distortion in the atmosphere of Alphonsa III." Talara reported.

"Your ship?" Collins glanced at Flint.

Flint dismissed that theory instantly, "Doubtful." She said with concern, "Someone is making their move." She stood up, "Hail the distortion, Lieutenant."

"We're hailing a distortion?" Ivano tilted his head, "Well, whatever the distortion is, it's breaking atmo."

Talara shot the Captain an odd look, "Channel open."

"This is Captain Samantha Flint of the Federation timeship Eidolon." Her voice carried a tone of force ant authority, "Identify yourself and what you're doing in this timeline."

"No response." Talara responded after a moment of silence.

"We're coming out of warp. Whatever that distortion is, it's distracting the Krenim." Ivano said with a smile.

"Red alert." Flint turned to glance at VonBach, who silently did as ordered.

Talara chuckled, "Someone's able to shut the pinkskin up. It's amazing."

"They've noticed us." Ivano reported, "Krenim ships have been diverted to intercept."

"The distortion?" Flint looked back to Talara.

Talara shook her head, "Nothing new."

"The Krenim are opening fire!" Winters held tightly on to her console, bracing for impact.

The bridge rocked lightly.

Phral smiled, "Shields are functioning, minimal damage."

Talara. looked a bit confused at first, "Captain, the distortion… a ship is emerging. Federation in design, Nautilus class."

"Delphinous." VonBach sounded a bit angry, "Great timing, Admiral Blue."

Talara, now more shocked than confused, nodded slowly, "Pinky is right, it's Admiral Shran's ship."

Collins looked to Flint, "Well, what enemy do we fight?"

"This is Hyperion to the fleet, target the Krenim warships and return fire!" Flint ordered.

To be continued…