SMST 6A: A Thanksgiving Carol! – By DS Wynne
Disclaimer: SM, R1/2, ST and other genres belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a multi-genre story.
Special note: This chapter is inspired by the Fan Film series "Star Trek: New Voyages" (specifically, Episode 1: "In Harm's Way").
Author's note: This chapter is dedicated to Majel Barrett Roddenberry ("Number One", "Nurse Chapel"/"Doctor Chapel", computer voice), who recently passed away in her Bel Aire, California, home from complications due to leukemia. Condolences to her colleagues, friends and family; she will be surely missed.
Part 5
CHOOM!
As the USS Farragut circles the nearest star, it's warp factors increases exponentially.
"600 days to go!" Kargh calls out. "500! 400! 300! 200!"
The Klingon then turns to Navigation.
"Mister DeSalle-!"
"I see it," DeSalle says.
"Compensating-!" Usagi calls out.
CHOOM!
Using both temporal and spatial vectors from Mister Kargh's calculations, the Farragut arrives at the approximate place and time of the Doomsday Machine's arrival. However-
"Pike?" Kirk exclaimed. "How did you manage to find us?"
"Find you?" Pike replied. He appeared to have a Starfleet Command emblem on his uniform, and possessed the rank of "Fleet Captain" on his sleeve.
"I wasn't even looking for you!"
"I believe that my calculations are correct, sir," Kargh says. "However, I must add that the temporal distortions that are emitting from the Doomsday Machine-"
"Is also centered around the people who first encountered the weapon," Kirk says. He then turns to Usagi.
"What is our position, Commander?"
"Checking," Usagi says quickly. "Sir, we are several light-years from the nearest inhabitable sector."
"Then we need to make sure that the Doomsday Machine does not harm any other worlds," Kirk says, as he turns to Chief Engineer Montgomery "Scotty" Scott. "Scotty, take the main engines off-line, and crank-up the warp nacelles' energy output. I want to make sure that we attract the attention of that weapon."
"Aye, sir."
"Fleet Captain Pike, what is your status?"
"I'm afraid that my ship is a training vessel for cadets, Kirk," Pike says. "However, we are more that prepared to help you stop that machine for good."
"Good. Hopefully, that will be the end result. Kirk: out."
Once preparations were made, including the unloading of the Farragut's shuttles and spare antimatter containers, in order to create a booby-trap, which was the same tactic used during the last encounter with the space weapon.
"Sir, I'm picking up a temporal disturbance," Kargh says, as he looks at his sensors through his station. He then stands up and faces Kirk.
"The Doomsday Machine has arrived."
"CHOOM!
The funnel-like weapon of galactic destruction appears.
"Scotty?" Kirk asked.
"Ringing the dinner bell down," Scotty says, as he amps the warp drive's power signature.
WHOOOOOOOM…
Sure enough, the Doomsday Machine adjusts course. Heading: a planetoid in a neighboring sector.
"Hopefully, Captain Pike will lure the weapon into our surprise," DeSalle says.
"Usagi, stand-by for evasive maneuvers," Kirk says.
"Yes, sir," Usagi says, as she keeps her targeting computer locked on the disposed shuttles. Like last time, the trick is to maneuver the Doomsday Machine into a trap, this time using the USS Daedalus as the bait.
"Interception at mark," Kargh says, as Pike's ship veers past the Farragut. "Five…four…three…two…one…ZERO."
Nothing.
"Sir, energy readings from the planetoid below are increasing exponentially."
"On screen," Kirk says.
"My goodness," Usagi says, as she sees volcanic activity on the dark surface of the planetoid. "The machine-!"
"Usagi, evasive maneuvers-!"
CHOOM!
The planetoid exploded, as the Doomsday Machine emerged. The shockwave alone caused massive damage to both ships.
"Ship's primary systems are failing, switching to auxiliary," Scotty yells.
"Sir, auxiliary power will not be enough," Kargh says.
"Then we have no choice," Kirk says. "Usagi?"
"Aye, sir?"
"We have to run interference."
Usagi swallowed.
"Yes, sir," Usagi says, as she maneuver the Farragut into the path of the energy discharge.
"Captain-!" DeSalle says.
"Sir, it's Fleet Captain Pike, on line," Uhura says.
"On screen."
"Kirk, what the devil are you doing?" Pike says.
"Saving the future," Kirk says. "The machine has to be stopped here and now."
Pike nods his head. He then gives an order to Helm.
"You are not alone," Pike says.
With that, both ships were buffeted by massive energy discharges. And, there was one more ace to play…
"Computer," Kirk yells. "This is Captain James T. Kirk! Begin self-destruct sequence-"
"Captain, I'm picking up another temporal distortion!" Karagh says.
"Another Doomsday Machine?"
A spatial distortion increases in intensity, and out spills…the USS Enterprise-A and USS Enterprise-E.
CHIRP!
"This is Admiral Kirk, calling the Farragut and the Daedalus," Admiral Kirk says. "Breakaway now."
The Farragut and the Daedalus maneuver out of the way, as the Enterprise-A and Enterprise-E maneuver into position.
On board the Enterprise-A…
"Usagi, are ready?" Kirk says during a secured comlink.
On board the Enterprise-B…
"Standing by," says Fleet Captain Usagi Tsukino. She then turns to her weapons officer.
"Link?"
"Deflector dish at ready, ma'am," says the Hylian.
The Enterprise-A delivers a spread of Quantum torpedoes into the maw of the Doomsday Machine.
BOOM!
The torpedoes manage to disable the weapon.
"We did it!" DeSalle says. "It destroyed!"
"It's not destroyed, only knocked out," Admiral Kirk says.
"Confirmed," Kargh interjects. "Its temporal signature can only be reversed when anti-protons are neutralized."
"We'll get a chance soon enough," Kirk says. "In the meantime, get your ship's repaired…"
On board the Enterprise-E, the older Usagi think back on this day. From classified records, Fleet Captain Pike would encounter a Doomsday Machine, along with three time-traveling Federation starships. It was only because of Ambassador Spock, now on board the newly refurbished Enterprise-A, who insisted that she and Kirk go back in time to fight the Doomsday Machine, and prevent it from altering the timeline. Thankfully, her husband, Admiral Ranma Saotome, had connections with the Bajoran "Prophets", and thus was able to provide a means to travel back into the past…
"It's unfortunate that we couldn't save Fleet Captain Pike, Usagi," Counselor Elizabeth Dehner says.
"I know," Usagi says with a sigh. "OUR Spock wants to try, but-"
CHIRP!
"We're…ready to proceed," Admiral Kirk says, sadly.
"Understood, Admiral," Usagi says, as she nods her head. From Kirk's mannerism
Usagi then turns to her First Officer, Commander Zelda Hylia.
"Number One?"
"Yes, ma'am," Zelda says. "Mister Ness, maneuver us into position. Link, prepare to fire…"
Using the combined energies of all four starships, the Doomsday Machine returns to being in a temporal state of flux, where Sailor Pluto originally put it. Unfortunately, one of Usagi's ancient enemies, Alti the Amazon Witch, would bring it back to normal space, in order to plague others in the Pegasus Galaxy, circa 21st century. But for now, the crisis is over.
"Well, it looks like we did it," Zelda says.
"We did, Number One," Usagi says. "We did…"
With the removal of the Doomsday Machine, the timeline is automatically restored, though with some interesting provisos…
CHOOM!
"Sir, we appear to be nowhere near our intended destination," Usagi says, as she rechecked her readings.
"Confirmed," DeSalle says. "We're in…the Delta Quadrant?"
Kirk turns to Kargh.
"Mister Kargh?"
"I do not understand this," Kargh says. "We are nearly 100 years into the future."
CHIRP!
Just then, a man with shoulder-length curly hair, and who was wearing vintage clothes, appears on the screen.
"Hello," the man says. "You must be James T. Kirk, Captain of the USS Farragut?"
"Yes, we are," says Kirk. "Who are you?"
"Good question," says the Eighth Incarnation of the Time Lord known simply as "The Doctor". "I am the Doctor, I am recruiting you to fight a war of Time…"
Meanwhile, back in the past…
CHOOM!
The USS Enterprise emerges from the edifice of the Guardian, as the ship returns to space.
"Good piloting, Saotome," Kirk says.
"Thank you, sir," Lt. Commander Ranma Saotome says, as he maneuvered the Enterprise into a stationary orbit high above Planet Gateway. Once established, Mister Spock
Kirk then turns around to face his crew.
"And good job all around."
"Thank, sir," says Lt. Commander Usagi Tsukino, who worked her console as the Operations Officer. However, in Spock's absence, she was the acting Science Officer. As Usagi looks at everyone, her view faded…
FLASH!
"What have you learned from this outing?" Obi-Wan asked his former student.
Usagi considered her words carefully…
"Usagi?"
"One's 'bounty' is the connections we hold deal, which includes the ability to trust the unknown in some undiscovered country."
"Exactly. You were not sure if you were to succeed or not, but you did based upon your experiences, the things you learned and the people you knew. THOSE are the riches that far surpass material good."
"I see now."
Silence.
"Now, Usagi, it is time to meet the final ghost."
"But I learned my lesson."
"Perhaps, but you have to re-examine the totality of your life, not just this one…"
Obi-Wan begins to fade.
"May the Force…be with you, always…"
And then, he was gone.
Usagi sighed, as she realized that she was back in front of her hut.
DONG! DONG! DONG!
For a moment, Usagi waited outside her hut in her pocket dimension.
"Hmmm," Usagi mused. "I guess that's it. I doubt it, but still…"
As soon as Usagi enters her hut, she felt a sense of dread. In the center of her room, a large chair stood. However, she was facing the back of the swivel chair.
"You've come at last, my apprentice," says a crackling voice.
"Who the heck are you?" Usagi demanded.
"Come, my child…am I that forgettable?" the person in the chair says, as the swivel chair begins to turn.
"YOU," Usagi says.
Palpatine, also known as Darth Sidious, smiled, as his yellowish eyes bore into soul.
"You DO remember your old master," Palpatine says. "Goooood…"
"I don't understand why you of ALL people are here," Usagi says.
"There is much that you do not understand, Darth Lune," Palpatine says. "And I am here to correct that oversight."
Tbc.