Summary: Wanting to right a past wrong, Ron makes a choice… that'll lead him into the twilight zone.
Serling: This is a door. The key is one of imagination. One of sound, one of sight, one of mind, and one of that we do not understand. It is the unknown that leads us here and it is that which keeps us in this mysterious dimension sealed only by this door. Readers, you have just opened this door and, by doing such, have returned to… the Twilight Zone.
…
Ron looked up in awe at the newest flagship of the Federation fleet and looked down at his secret orders.
'Captain Ron Stoppable, by orders of Starfleet, you are given command of the USS Yeager as thanks to your service and many acts of courage in the battlefield.'
"So what do you think, Captain?" Wade asked, approaching him.
"She's beautiful. If only…" Ron said, looking up at the constitution class starship deep in thought.
"Ron?" Wade asked, waving a hand in front of his face.
"It's nothing, Wade." Ron replied.
(the camera turns to Serling as he holds a lite cigarette in his hand)
Serling: This here is Ron Stoppable, war hero for the Federation. But behind the flash and propaganda, Ron holds a deep secret, to see his deceased wife again. In just a moment, Ron will be given the chance to obtain that which he badly desires. But the cost is a one way trip… to the twilight zone.
…
With the ship leaving Earth's orbit, Ron was in his quarters with Felix, having rescued him from an adrift space pod.
"How are you holding up?" Felix asked.
"Funny you're asking me that. From what you told me, you and the pod were sent thru time." Ron answered.
"I know. When we last met, you were a young kid. How's Kim doing? Where is she?" Felix asked.
"She's dead. Died 10 years ago in my arms." Ron curtly answered.
Felix looked at Ron's stern face for a second. Ron was busy looking at a photo of Kim before he put it down.
"It's never enough." he muttered to himself.
Felix looked at the many medals and decorations that Ron had acquired over the years. One question was on his mind.
"I can only wonder how your younger self would react to seeing you right now. In command of the newest flagship, all these medals." Felix said.
Ron gave a cynical laugh.
"He'd probably be scared of me." Ron answered.
"Maybe. At least you're still alive." Felix.
Ron gave Felix a cold stare.
"You don't know how many times i wished i died with Kim. After her death, i spent the next 10 years rising thru the ranks, fighting on multiple battlefields. And now i'm in charge of the flagship." Ron answered.
Felix looked at the very bitter and very cynical Ron. It was clear that time wasn't nice to his mental state.
"Captain, we're ready to test the new drive." the helmsmen said over the comms.
"Good. Felix, i could use your help with it." Ron.
"Can't wait to take a look at it." Felix happily said.
Watching Felix leave the room, Ron rubbed his head as a headache occurred.
Entering the bridge, Ron watched as they entered slipspace. The hum of the engine was soothing, able to lull one to a calm sleep.
But sleep was the last thing on his mind as the ship suddenly exited entered real space.
"What the hell happened?" Ron asked.
Ron's question was answered as a distress signal was picked up. His stomach fell into a black hole as bitter memories came back.
'This is Ron Stoppable of the Federation! Multiple casualties, request assistance!'
Ron gulped as he realized his ship and crew were tossed back into time. But not into any random part of the past.
"No. Impossible." Ron muttered to himself.
"Ron, what's going on?" Tara asked.
Ron headed to the tactical station and looked at the scans as they picked up over 20 enemy warships. Despite being heavily armed to the teeth, Ron knew the Yeager could easily crush the alien fleet in the blink of an eye.
"Wait a minute. This planet… this time." he muttered to himself, realizing a rare opportunity had presented itself.
"Set the ship for battlestations. And prepare me a drop pod." Ron said, heading to the armory.
As the space battle commenced, Ron grabbed a sniper rifle and an assault rifle and dropped from high orbit. A thousand thoughts raced thru his head. How was he supposed to save Kim without revealing himself? How would she, and his younger self, react to seeing his older self?
"No time like the present." Ron muttered to himself as the drop pod slammed into the ground. Kicking the door open, Ron leveled the sniper rifle in front of him and jogged down the mountain towards… towards the source of his nightmares.
Kim and Ron were busy in a fighting retreat, gunning down as many of the aliens as possible, trying to escape with their lives.
"Ron, any chance of reinforcements?" Kim asked.
"Not a damn thing!" Ron snarled back. The two had managed to find some cover and began to cut down their enemies, but it would only be a matter of time.
"Behind us!" Ron shouted, seeing a few enemy soldiers appear out of nowhere.
Looking thru the scope, Captain Ron picked off the enemy troops behind his younger self and Kim, making each shot count.
"Come on. Get inside the damn bunker." Ron muttered to himself as he cleared the path for the duo.
Cycling the bolt, Ron was caught off guard as he saw an enemy rush towards Kim, intent on killing her. Taking a quick breath, Ron put the crosshairs in front of his enemy and pulled the trigger.
"Kim!" Ron shouted, seeing his girlfriend fall onto the ground holding her stomach in shock.
"They got me, Ron." was all that Kim could say.
The older Ron looked thru the scope in shock. There was no way he shot his girlfriend!
"No. It can't be. This isn't supposed to happen." he muttered to himself. The sounds of battle covered his approach as he went closer to the scene of the crime. His younger self could only wail in agony, clutching Kim's lifeless body.
Ron was thankful he was covered head to toe in the futuristic battle armor, unrecognizable by anyone at this time. Now brandishing his assault rifle, he proceeded to gun down any of the alien soldiers that came in close to the duo.
Ron watched as his younger self looked in shock at his future self, unable to see him beneath the armor.
"Sorry i came late." he said, the voice filter in the helmet distorting his voice.
"Who are you? What are you?" Ron asked, pulling out a pistol and shakingly aimed it towards this new person. Was it friend or foe?
"My identity is not important. There's a ship coming to evacuate the survivors to the nearest base. I suggest you get moving. And take her with you. She deserves a proper send off." Ron said, walking away from his younger self.
Back on the Yeager, Ron watched as they sailed thru the remains of the enemy fleet.
"Was your mission a success?" Felix asked.
"It wasn't. Take us home." Ron replied.
Serling: Ron realized the hard way that his attempt to change the past, had only ensured it. He has no choice but to move on forward. Such as things are, in the twilight zone.