30 Worlds: Megaforce, Episode XVIII: "Golden Voyagers"
CHAPTER TWO
Historian's Note: This chapter will follow the refit USS Enterprise NCC-1701. The Enterprise will have arrived in the Kelvin Timeline during its delayed post-refit shakedown cruise just after the events of Star Trek: The Motion Picture.
Aboard USS Enterprise NCC-1701 (Prime Timeline)
Stardate 2263.035 (March 5th, 2263—Kelvin Timeline)
On the Bridge of the refit Prime Timeline Enterprise, Captain Kirk turned to Spock, who was seated at his Science station. "Spock, are your picking up anything on your sensors yet?" Kirk asked.
"Not yet, sir," Spock said. "We are not yet within clear scanning range, and will not be for another 2 hours and 17 minutes at present speed."
Kirk looked over at the helm and navigation consoles. The Prime Timeline Lieutenant Sulu and Lieutenant Suzanne DiFalco were busy quietly chattering about the recent V'Ger incident and how they had wound up in the mysterious "Kelvin Timeline," as Prince William had called it.
"Jim, I am noticing that you are still thinking about the losses of Commander Decker and Lieutenant Ilia," Spock said.
Kirk nodded. "I am indeed, Spock," he said. "While I did not have the chance to get to know Lieutenant Ilia, I watched Will mature so much ever since his father died fighting the Doomsday Machine."
"When the five-year mission ended and the refit began, it was only logical, so to speak, that I chose Will to be my successor," Kirk continued as he turned back to face the viewscreen. "So that's why I was saddened when Will chose to merge with V'Ger and the Ilia-probe." "Do not be, Jim," Spock said. "Commander Decker chose the only way he felt we could save humanity from destruction by V'Ger."
Kirk smiled at his long-time friend. "You know, Spock, you've really changed since you melded with that sensor," he said. "I find that highly unlikely," Spock said. "No, but thank you anyway," Kirk said.
"I'll be in my quarters," Kirk said. "You have the Bridge." Spock nodded at Kirk before he entered the turbolift.
A couple of hours later, Kirk had dozed off on the couch in his quarters when Spock's voice came on the comm. "Bridge to Captain Kirk," he said. "Viewer on," Kirk said as he rose to a seated position. The huge wall-mounted viewscreen activated, showing Spock at his Science station.
"Captain, we're approaching the coordinates that Prince William assigned us to scan," Spock said. "Very well. I'm on my way, Spock," Kirk said before exiting his quarters.
On the Bridge, Spock stood from the command chair as Kirk walked back onto the Bridge. "Take us out of warp, Mr. Sulu," Kirk said as he sat in the command chair. "Aye, sir," Sulu said. On the viewscreen, the subspace tunnel reverted to normal space as the refit Enterprise came out of warp.
"Begin a full 360-degree sweep of this area," Kirk said. "Acknowledged," Spock said. "Remember, Spock: you are looking for anything that might be what the A.I.C. may be using to cause our being here and the anomaly that is destroying this world," Kirk said.
Spock nodded, then turned to his scanner. "I am picking up an unknown energy signal from a planetoid a million kilometers from our present position," he said. "The coordinates have already been fed to Mr. Sulu's station." "Proceed at half-impulse power, Mr. Sulu," Kirk said. "Mr. Chekov, take us to yellow alert."
"Aye, Keptin," Lieutenant Commander Pavel Chekov said from his tactical station. "Defense fields energized. Defensive screens and weapons ready for activation on your order."
"Captain, a ship of unknown configuration is taking off from the planetoid," Spock said. "On screen," Kirk said. The ship appeared from a base on the surface of the planetoid.
"Shall I lay in an intercept course, Captain?" DiFalco said. "Negative," Kirk said. "We have our orders from Prince William. We're only to track any A.I.C. traffic in our assigned search vector. Mr. Spock, track the ship for as long as you can, then transmit the data to the Amidala."
Spock nodded, then set his Science console to record the data that they needed. Kirk watched on the viewscreen as the mysterious ship left orbit of the planetoid and entered warp. "Chief DiFalco, are you able to track the A.I.C. ship?" Kirk asked.
"Yes, sir," DiFalco said. "Then follow it," Kirk said. "Match them move for move. Make them think we're merely a sensor echo." "Aye, sir," DiFalco said. On the viewscreen, the Bridge crew could see the A.I.C. ship approach a blue planet that had a round structure orbiting it.
"Captain, part of the mysterious energy signature that we were shown in Commodore Paris' office appears to be emanating from that structure," Spock said. Kirk thought for a moment, then turned back to the helm.
"Mr. Sulu, take us out of this sector. Spock, transmit the data we've gathered to Prince William. Uhura, open a channel to the Amidala as soon as we're clear of any sensors that planet or orbiting structure may have," Kirk ordered.
"We're clear, Captain," Sulu said. "I have Prince William on line," Uhura said. "On screen," Kirk said.
Prince William and Princess Sofia appeared on the Bridge of the Amidala. "Jim, what's going on?" Prince William asked. "We've found part of the energy signature you showed us," Kirk said. "You should be receiving our data momentarily."
A red-haired woman turned from her console to face Prince William. "We've received the data packet from the Enterprise," she said. "On screen, Clara," Princess Sofia said. A second window opened on the viewscreen, allowing Kirk to see the data packet as the crew of the Amidala had received it.
"That looks like Deep Space Nine," Sofia said. "Captain Sisko's station?" Kirk said. "Yes, but look," William said. "It's orbiting Bajor. We must be looking at Terok Nor." "What is Terok Nor?" Kirk asked.
"Terok Nor is the original Cardassian designation for the facility now known as Deep Space Nine," the red-haired woman said. "We could be looking at a version of the station either from before the handover from the Cardassians to the Bajoran Provisional Government and Starfleet...or from the mirror universe."
Kirk shot a surprised glance at Uhura and at the Prime Scotty, who had come on the Bridge as the channel to the Amidala had opened. "Jim, I am sending you a file on Cardassian life-sign readings," Prince William said. "If you cannot find them, then the third possibility is likely: that this version of Terok Nor comes from a time in the mirror universe where the Terran Rebellion took the station from the Klingon-Cardassian Alliance."
"I have received the data, Captain. Commencing scan," Spock said. "I am reading a mixture of Klingon and Cardassian life-signs." "So this Klingon-Cardassian Alliance is in league with the A.I.C.," Kirk said.
"It seems so," the woman Princess Sofia had identified as "Clara" said. "Mr. Sulu, set course back for Starbase Yorktown," Kirk said. "Aye, sir," Sulu said.
"You did well, Jim," Prince William said. Kirk nodded, then said, "It's up to the other ships now."
::TBC::
Next time, the Enterprise-D takes center stage.
