Chapter 7
The turbolift doors opened and Will Parry and Lyra Belacqua stepped onto the bridge of the USS Enterprise. Dr. McCoy stood behind them, a reassuring hand on each of their shoulders, being mindful not to touch Pantalaimon, who still held the form of a white ermine.
"We can't stay here long, children," said Dr. McCoy. "We'll be leaving soon for our own time and universe, and a 'slingshot maneuver' is very rough. Captain Kirk and I want the two of you," Pantalaimon shot the doctor a 'what-about-me?' look, and McCoy smiled at his mistake. "I mean, three of you, safely strapped down in sickbay when we leave for home."
Home, thought Will. When he had left his home less than a week ago, it was 1996. Will had left his sick mother in the care of his old piano teacher, Mrs. Cooper, telling them that he would be back soon. Now it seemed that 'soon' would mean 2269.
Captain Kirk, Dr. McCoy and Mr. Spock had explained to Will that even though time travel was possible, it was not something that Starfleet and the United Federation of Planets did promiscuously. Serious damage could be done to the space-time continuum and history itself could be changed if the proper care was not taken. Because of this, it would not be possible for them to allow Will to return to Cittagazze and from there, his own world with knowledge of the 23rd century. Will would have to go back with them.
At first, Will protested. His mother was sick and needed him with her. Fighting back tears, Will pleaded with Captain Kirk to be allowed to return home to care for his mother and find his father. Will swore on his honor that he would not tell anyone in his time about 23rd century Earth.
But before Captain Kirk could say anything more, Lyra took out her Alethiometer, adjusted the knobs, looked at Will, and slipped into her Alethiometric trance. A moment later, she opened her eyes and told Will and they both had to return with the others on the Enterprise to the 23rd century. There was nothing more that Will could do for his mother and father.
Will looked over his shoulder at the man behind him and Lyra, and Dr. McCoy smiled at him. Here was a kind man. Earlier, Dr. McCoy had said that he intended to resign his commission with Starfleet when they returned to 23rd century Earth, and that Will, Lyra and Pan could live with him for as long as they wanted.
It would not be easy at first. Surely Starfleet, an organization whose stated purpose was to '. . . seek out new life-forms, and new civilizations,' would want to question Will and Lyra at length about their travels. Also inevitable, Will imagined, would be the swarm of Starfleet medical boffins who would want to scan, poke and prod Lyra (and Pan,) as much as she would let them.
Will looked at the bridge of the Enterprise with some interest. This was the real thing. But years of watching Dr. Who, Blake's 7, and that American import, Galaxy Quest, had blunted some of the impact of being on an actual 23rd century starship. As a result, Will felt neither awed or amazed. What he did feel, however, for the first time in his life, was safe. These were good people, and Will knew that they would not harm him or Lyra.
At the raised center seat, Captain Kirk swiveled to face Will and Lyra, reflecting that they were the first children to set foot on the bridge of his ship since the orphans from the ill-fated Starnes Mission.
"Welcome to the bridge of the Enterprise, kids," said Kirk. "You may look around a few moments; just stay out of everyone's way."
Lyra was so amazed by the sights before her that Pan had to nip her ear to get her attention and remind her to thank Captain Kirk. Like the control rooms at Bolvangar on her world, the Enterprise bridge was lined with anbaric instruments whose function Lyra cold only guess at. But unlike Bolvangar, the bridge of the Enterprise radiated a feeling of good will and protection.
Lyra stepped to her right, towards a control station where a beautiful African woman was working. Lyra smiled at her and when she smiled back, Pantalaimon changed from an ermine into a small parakeet. Like all the other people on the Enterprise, this woman had no daemon, yet appeared perfectly hale and hearty. As the woman worked, Lyra could hear her singing softly to herself, and Lyra longed to hear her actually speak.
As it turned out, Lyra did not have long to wait. After smiling at Lyra again, she turned her chair to face Captain Kirk. "Captain, the transporter room has just reported that Mrs. Coulter has finally beamed-off of the Enterprise."
"Thank you, Uhura," said Kirk. "And that, as they say, is that!"
Dr. McCoy went over to the captain's chair. He and Kirk looked over at the boy from the 20th century, who was still standing to the side of the turbolift, and then over at the girl from the alternate version of Earth, where people's souls walked beside them in animal-spirit form. She was now at the science station, talking with Mr. Spock.
"Again, I must offer my apologies, Lyra," said Spock. "Had I known that Pantalaimon was your katra; I would never have attempted physical contact."
"Go on, then," said Lyra, smiling. "I reckon if you hadn't tried to save Pan from Ozymandias and saw my thoughts; I might have been sent back with my . . . mother."
Lyra shivered at the thought, and Pan changed from the parakeet into a mouse at the mere thought of Mrs. Coulter.
"Fascinating," said Spock, raising his eyebrows.
"You know, Jim," said McCoy in a conspiratorial whisper. "I never thought that I would live to see the day when James Tiberius Kirk would meet a beautiful, exotic woman and want nothing whatsoever to do with her!"
"I would be lying if I said that I wasn't . . . interested . . . in Mrs. Coulter, Bones," said Kirk. "But to be frank, that monkey of hers really gave me the creeps!"
Lyra stepped to the front of the bridge, standing to the side of the main viewer. The blue-green world of Cittagazze spun below them. Off to the side, Lyra could barely make out the Specter-infested USS Volynov, as it continued on its own endless fall around the planet. She turned to face Captain Kirk, and he nodded to her, indicating that she had this attention.
"What are you gonna do about your other ship?" said Lyra. "You en't just gonna let it sail around Cittagazze forever, are you?"
"Starfleet will send another ship to recover her," said Kirk. "One with a special First Contact team; probably Betazoids. If the Specters are intelligent, we may be able to communicate with them and persuade them to leave the Volynov in peace."
"Good luck with that," said Will, speaking for the first time since he and Lyra arrived on the bridge. "The best thing to do with Specters is to find a way to kill 'em!" Any adult so much as comes within three meters of one of them will get sucked dry; Lyra and me seen it happen!"
Though Captain Kirk could understand Will's fear and anger, he told Will that for Starfleet, force was always the last resort. He told Will and Lyra about a being native to Janus IV that he had encountered not long ago called the 'Horta,' who at first seemed just as malevolent and inscrutable as the Specters now appeared to be. But that now, the Horta are part of the hundreds of species that make up the United Federation of Planets. And maybe someday, the Specters will be members as well.
In the end, all Will could do was sigh and shrug. Frankly, he was too worn out to argue the point. Who were these people that he and Lyra were going to live with for the rest of their lives? Apparently, Earth people had advanced a great deal since his time; and not just technologically. According to Dr. McCoy, 23rd century Earth was peaceful. There was no crime, racism, religious intolerance, poverty or any of the other ills that plagued Will's 20th century world. But how could these people be so naïve and oblivious to the clear danger posed by the Specters of Cittagazze? How many more Starfleet crewpersons would have to fall to the Specters before they 'got it?'
Now Spock informed Captain Kirk that the Enterprise was ready to return home, and all 'non-essential' personnel were asked to leave the bridge.
The door to the turbolift closed behind Dr. McCoy and the children as they left for sickbay, the safest place in all Federation starships, to ride out the Light-Speed Breakaway Factor maneuver that would, hopefully, take them home.
Captain Kirk shook his head. "It's a shame that we are not able to just let Will go home through the window on Cittagazze to his own world and time."
"Aside from all Prime Directive considerations," said Spock. "Will Parry and Lyra Belacqua will be safer returning to the 23rd century with us. According to my study of Earth history; your world is about to enter a most interesting and traumatic period. Though Will seems to have survived Kahn Noonien Singh and the Eugenics Wars; there is much worse yet to come."
"Osama bin Laden," said Sulu, nodding soberly. "The Terror Wars started soon after Kahn and his minions left Earth."
"Colonel Philip Green," added Chekov. "The Third World War."
"Well unfortunately," said Uhura, rolling her eyes. "Will has already been exposed to Madonna. But it looks like we got here just in time to save him from Britney Spears."
"Who were they?" said Kirk.
"Trust me, captain," said Uhura. "You really don't want to know!"
Kirk sighed. It was true that Will and Lyra would be better off coming back (forward?) with them to the 23rd century. There was no point putting this off any longer.
"All stations, report," said Captain Kirk.
"Course laid in, sir," said Chekov.
"Helm at ready, captain," added Sulu.
"Uhura, notify all decks for immediate departure . . . ."
Dr. McCoy adjusted the restraints holding Will Parry to the medical diagnostic bed as Nurse Chapel made sure Lyra and Pantalaimon, (who assumed the form of a turtle,) were secure also. Then, both Starfleet officers strapped themselves into acceleration couches that folded down from the bulkhead.
Will looked over at Lyra and smiled reassuringly. He would be with her; that was true. But he could not help but feel that he had let his mother down. The Enterprise was about to depart from 1996; and when they arrived at their destination, it would be 2269. His mother would have been dead for more than 250 years.
As if reading his mind, Lyra smiled back, and said. "Look on the bright side, Will. When we get to where and when we are going; my mother will have been dead for centuries. She en't gonna be able to hurt us, or any other child, ever again!"
Now, Lt. Uhura's voice came over the intercom system ship wide. "Attention all hands: secure for Light-Speed Breakaway Factor maneuver to be initiated in ten; nine; eight . . . ."
Will looked over at Lyra. "Right. See you and Pan in 273 years!"
"Five; four; three . . . ." said Uhura over the intercom.
"Not if Pan and I see you first, Will," replied Lyra smiling.
"Remember, kids," said Dr. McCoy. "Steady, even breaths!"
Turtle-formed Pan closed himself inside his shell.
"One; Zero. Initiating."
Chocks away! Thought Will. And he felt the Enterprise accelerating into the future.