Chapter 15
"What is our position, Lieutenant Chekov?" Captain Kirk held his breath.
"Approaching Earth orbit, sir," replied Chekov. "This is the correct year, based on the position of the planets and stars relative to our own position. In addition, I am detecting normal space traffic."
"Captain," said Lt. Uhura. "I am detecting normal transmissions on all subspace channels."
Kirk nodded. "So far; so good. Mr. Spock, is the warning buoy ready to be launched?"
"Affirmative, captain," said Spock. "However, the spatial interphasic rift joining our universe with the universe of Cittagazze appears to have vanished."
"Could it have been moved into a different orbit as the result of our passing through?"
"Negative, captain. Sensors do not indicate any leakage of dark matter anywhere in the Sol system, though I am unable to ascertain the reason for the rift's disappearance."
"Captain," said Uhura. "I am receiving a message from Starfleet Command. They say we are clear to enter spacedock and they are requesting an immediate update on our mission."
"Inform them that . . . the USS Volynov was located but could not be recovered and was lost with all hands. We were only able to recover five bodies," said Kirk. "I will submit my full report in person as soon as we are safely in spacedock."
The Enterprise rested in spacedock. Her warp and impulse drives were shut down cold in preparation for the most extensive refit of a starship in Starfleet history. Her systems now operated from power supplied by umbilical conduits from spacedock.
Most of her crew had disembarked, even Captain Kirk, whose debriefing at Starfleet Headquarters in San Francisco was still underway with Starfleet and Federation officials, including representatives of the Federation's Department of Temporal Investigations. Rumor had it that Kirk would be promoted to Admiral in the near future.
Dr. McCoy left sickbay, his home for the past five years, for what he hoped would be the last time. Even though he would not be needed as a guardian for Will and Lyra, there were still things he wanted to do, and he had absolutely no intention of ever returning to Starfleet. Surprisingly, Starfleet approved his resignation immediately, under the stipulation that he be available for his debriefing scheduled for early next week. After a brief side trip to engineering, where he said goodbye to Scotty, who would be staying aboard Enterprise for a little while longer to supervise the refit, McCoy set out for the transporter room at a brisk pace.
Normally, McCoy shunned the transporter whenever possible, but all shuttlecraft on the Enterprise, even the Judith Resnik from the Volynov, were flown to Starfleet Headquarters on Earth for overhaul and re-assignment. (Rumor had it that the Galileo II would be decommissioned and stand as a 'gate guardian' at the entrance to Starfleet Academy.) In any event, Dr. Leonard McCoy was anxious to be back home to Georgia in North America in time for a good lunch, so the transporter was his only choice. Either way, he thought, it will be over in seconds, good or bad.
When McCoy arrived at the transporter room, Lt. Kyle was still at his station and would remain there until the refit technicians arrived in three hours with a transporter chief to relive him. Mr. Spock was there as well, preparing two containers to be beamed to Earth. He held a communicator in each hand, shifting his gaze from one to the other.
"Fascinating," said Spock.
"If you are trying to decide, Spock, I think the one in your right hand is prettier."
"Your sarcasm is most illogical, doctor," said Spock. He then went over to the transporter platform and placed one communicator in a case resting on one disk, and the other communicator in a similar case on a disk nearby. He then latched both cases and went over to McCoy. "These communicators are absolutely identical."
"I know that, Spock," said McCoy.
"No, doctor, I do not believe that you do," said Spock. "The equipment in the case to your right was brought aboard the Enterprise by Marisa Coulter. The case on your left contains the identical pieces of equipment that were beamed aboard with the recovered bodies from the Volynov, immediately after Will Parry and Lyra Belacqua were returned to their proper place and time.
"Each case contains five communicators, five type-2 phasers, one type-3 phaser rifle, and three tricorders. Each item has a counterpart in the other case; absolutely identical, from the scratches on the casings to the charge level in the power cells. They are identical down to the molecular level.
"I am preparing to beam down to Oxford University on Earth, where I shall hand deliver these containers to a team of researchers who are attempting to perfect pattern replication technology. I believe they will find these artifacts most useful."
"Oxford? In England?" Then, Dr. McCoy had a thought. "Mind if I tag along, Spock? I can take an air tram to Georgia from there."
"While I do not mind your company, doctor, your decision is most illogical. Starfleet will not reimburse you for your travel expenses once you disembark from the Enterprise, now that you have resigned. An air tram from Heathrow to Atlanta will be expensive."
"Well, Spock," said McCoy bitterly. "I suddenly find myself with a great deal of disposable income, now that I won't be buying any back-to-school supplies for a couple of kids."
McCoy joined Spock on the transporter platform and soon found himself at Oxford University on Earth. Not really knowing what he expected to find, he strolled around the grounds, eventually ending up in the Botanical Garden. By that time, he had been walking for hours, and looked around for a place to sit. A few moments later, Dr. McCoy saw a bench under a tree, though it was already occupied by what appeared to be an elderly gentleman with a cat on his lap. Surely, this gentleman would not mind sharing his bench with a Starfleet veteran, if only for a few moments.
As McCoy came closer, he could see the bench's occupant was not a man at all, but rather, a life-size bronze statue of a man. And he looked very familiar. The intensity of the man's stare. The jutting jaw. Then, McCoy noticed the statue's left hand, stroking the cat. The two small fingers were missing!
Frantically, McCoy read the dedication plaque bolted to the empty side of the bench:
DEDICATED TO DR. WILLIAM PARRY, MD
1984 – 2070
DIAGNOSTICIAN ROYAL
DONATED BY LYRA AND JOHN PARRY
MIDSUMMERS DAY 2075
Dr. McCoy breathed a sigh of relief. He still had his communicator with him, and immediately contacted the Enterprise.
"Scott here, doctor. Is everything alright?"
"Perfectly, Scotty. I got some great news! Will and Lyra made it! The kids turned out alright!"
"Did they, now? Well, that is great news! Why don't I just beam ye up and ye can tell me all about it? Dinna worry, I'll square it wi' Starfleet!"
McCoy smiled. Why not? "Tell Mr. Kyle I'm ready!"
"Well, doctor, Lt. Kyle beamed down ter Sheffield half an hour ago when the refit crew arrived. The new transporter operator's name is Lt. Philip Pullman. Should I have him report ter the transporter room and bring ye aboard?"
"Lt. Pullman, huh?" said McCoy. "Never heard of him! If my molecules are going to be sliced and diced, I'd rather have someone I know and trust at the controls."
"Well, doctor, I could be in the transporter room in a few minutes. Would I do?"
"Perfectly!" said Dr. McCoy, smiling from ear to ear. "Beam me up, Scotty!"
Epilogue: In The Land of the Dead
"Of course, at the time, I assumed that the 'Lyra' on the dedication plaque was Lyra Belacqua, and that she had married Will," said Dr. McCoy. "The 'John,' I guessed, was their son, named for Will's father."
Gracious Wings nodded knowingly.
"When we did more research," said Kirk. "We learned that the Lyra and John on the plaque were Will's children. We found out some time later that he had married a woman named Karen Norrington, who was a science-fiction author by trade."
"And how did that make you feel, James Kirk?" said gracious Wings.
"Sad, at first," said Kirk, his voice hushed. "Will and Lyra were so much in love. You could tell, just by looking at them."
"It was a pure, first love," added McCoy, smiling warmly. "Uncomplicated by lust of any kind. I mean, they were children, right? If hormones were anti-matter, they would not have had enough between them to blow their noses!"
"But, that was changing," said Kirk. "They seemed to have aged a great deal from the moment they came aboard the Enterprise to the moment they were beamed back to their proper timeline. Children who were no longer children, if that makes any sense."
"Yes," said Gracious Wings. "It does. And now, gentlemen, we harpies thank you for your story. Are you prepared to leave the Land of the Dead?"
James Kirk nodded, and the door opened. Kirk shook hands with McCoy one final time. "Farewell, Bones. It's time to explore the true Final Frontier!" And James Kirk stepped through, his Dust scattering.
"Now, wait just one dawgone minute, here, Gracious Wings!" said McCoy. "I can live, if you will pardon the expression, without wings and harps. I can also accept fire and brimstone. But no one ever said anything about having my atoms scattered! I had my fill of that in life!"
"Don't worry, Dr. Leonard McCoy," said Gracious Wings. "You will live on in birds and flowers and dragonflies and pine trees. You will live on in clouds and little specks of light you see floating in sunbeams. Your atoms will be used to make new lives."
"Still sounds like 'transporter failure,' to me," said McCoy.
"No, not at all,' replied Gracious Wings. "That is the nature of Dust. Where do you think the atoms that made up your consciousness came from? From those who have lived before you. And I will let you in on a little secret: there are two very special atoms that are a part of you, Leonard McCoy. You are among a privileged few to have these atoms as part of your makeup.
"You see, doctor, when Will and Lyra left the Land of the Dead for the second, and final time, they clung together so tightly that their atoms became entangled. And when your atoms scatter, they will still be clinging together so tightly that nothing may separate them."
So with this knowledge, Leonard McCoy left the Land of the Dead, his atoms scattering for one final time, with two atoms, once belonging to two young lovers, tightly bound for all eternity, seeking out new life.
The End
Author's Afterthoughts
This is the first work of fanfiction that I have actually completed. I have had many other ideas for stories in the past, even going as far as jotting down notes or writing a chapter or two; but this is the first story that I have ever completed and placed on line to be read by others.
And I have a confession to make: Writing fan fiction is not as easy as I first thought it would be. Thank God for the 'Memory Alpha' and 'Srafopedia' websites. I must have referred to them hundreds of times each! Also, the '' website provided inspiration, especially the "Fan Art" section, which helped me to visualize the characters and worlds created by Philip Pullman. (The drawings by the artist Fulyasi, are the closest to how I imagined Mrs. Coulter's appearance – sort of a Joan Collins-y or Jane Badler-ish look. And "Proficy Fulfilled," by artist Chelsea Cleveland-Hurley, was exactly how I envisioned Will and Lyra as they are being beamed back to Cittagazze.)
Because "crossover" stories are my all-time favorites, I knew that I wanted to write one for my first effort. Since I am very familiar with the Star Trek universe, I knew I wanted to set my first story there. And since I had just finished reading the 'His Dark Materials' books, including 'Lyra's Oxford,' I thought it would be fun to beam Will and Lyra (and Pantalaimon, too, of course,) aboard the USS Enterprise for an adventure.
Due to numerous practical issues (and not all of them legal,) many of these crossover stories could never actually be filmed. However, thanks to the magic of fanfic, these stories may be told. But to tell them means asking and answering numerous questions before anything may be written. How would a person's 'daemon' register on a tricorder? Would phasers be effective against the Specters of Indifference? And so on.
Many Star Trek Original Series episodes were referenced in this story, especially 'Assignment: Earth,' and 'Tomorrow is Yesterday,' (which make use of the Light-Speed Breakaway Factor time-travel maneuver.) 'Space Seed,' (for the references to Kahn Noonian Singh and the Eugenics Wars.) 'The Enterprise Incident,' and 'The Paradise Syndrome,' (for Lyra's Alethiometry demonstration.) And a host of others. For example, 'Patterns of Force,' provided the little tidbit about Dr. McCoy's problems with obtaining properly-sized boots from the Wardrobe Section, and 'Plato's Stepchildren' provided the kironide reference.
The Star Trek Animated Series also provided details, such as a cameo appearance of the felinoid Communications Officer Lieutenant M'Ress, and the sehlat (mentioned in passing in TOS episode, 'Journey to Babel,' as a 'fat teddy bear . . . with six-inch fangs,') and the le-matya, appearing as the daemons (or katras) of Vulcans from Lyra's universe.
Star Trek: The Next Generation gets a nod with passing references to the Bajorans and the Betazoids. (The Betazoids were the main reason why I did not write my fanfic as a 'Next Generation' story. The moment Counselor Deanna Troi or her mother, Lwaxana, met Lyra; the "Pantalaimon mystery" would have been instantly solved!) The reference to Scotty's use of the USS Jenolen's transporter as an emergency shelter for 75 years when his transport crashed on the surface of a Dyson Sphere is from the Next Generation episode, 'Relics.'
The Star Trek 'First Contact' movie provided the details of (our) Earth's first successful attempt to break the "light barrier," leading to contact with the Vulcans.
Most of the ships used by Dame Marisa Coulter's Magisterial Celestial Navy were reverse-engineered copies of (our) Earth's 22nd century NX-Class starships as seen in the Star Trek: Enterprise television series.
In addition, students of Star Trek lore will know immediately why Captain Kirk (William Shatner) would "roll his eyes" when offered fruit salad.
And if only Marisa Coulter knew of Captain James T. Kirk's reputation as a "ladies man,' she would have been even more enraged when he turned her down. (Serves her right, in my opinion!)
Oddly, the one Star Trek Original Series episode that didn't get a referral in this story was 'Mirror, Mirror;' the only episode where the crew of the USS Enterprise had to deal with an alternate, parallel universe which was inhabited by their evil doubles.
I realize that some hard-core HDM fans will not like my story for writing that Will and Lyra get married to people in their own worlds, have children and get on with their lives. But I found the ending of 'The Amber Spyglass' to be very depressing and I felt that, after all that Will and Lyra have been through, they deserved a little happiness. They certainly earned it. They saved the multiverse, after all!
In conclusion, I would like to thank Gene Roddenberry and Philip Pullman for the wonderfully thought-provoking universes and characters that they created.
I would like to thank my 'beta-readers,' Matt, Lisa, and Stacy.
And a special thanks to my son, Joshua, whose computer skills were invaluable to this project.