2:00 PM
"All decks this is the Captain speaking."
Every person onboard the Saratoga paused in the midst of what they were doing and listened.
The anomaly we've been studying is apparently some kind of quantum storm. We have learned
that there are many different realities existing in parallel; that anything that can happen, does
happen in a different reality. The anomaly is some kind of knot where all of those realities meet .
Its basically a doorway to countless other realities and apparently objects that come in contact
with it are able to pass from one reality to another."
Sickbay
Alyen's eyes widened. The mysterious anomaly that the Saratoga had been sent to study had been a lot more...
cosmic than anyone could have imagined. Not long after they'd first arrived, Dr McCoy had sent him down
to Engineering to deliver a PADD to Filars. Along the way he had taken a moment to peek out a window in
order to see the anomaly for himself.
The sight had left him feeling very uneasy. Once again he'd been glad that he wasn't in charge of the Saratoga
and that his Soul Brother was. He knew his Captain and there was no person that he trusted more with the safety
of his fellow crewmembers, as well as his lifemate and unborn son.
Botanic Bay
L'Naym's eyes widened. There were windows not far from the Botanic bay and in the hours since
they'd arrived, everyone in the Department had taken a moment to peek outside.
None of them had particularly enjoyed what they saw and she had enjoyed it even less. Who knew
what that…anomaly was, how it had formed or what it could do. To the ship. To the crew.
To her baby…
She had gently rubbed her hand over her stomach; reminding herself that her Soul Brother was on
the Bridge and would do everything in his power and beyond, to protect everyone on board.
And not only him- the Senior staff would too. She didn't have the close friendship with any of them that
she did with her Soul Brother, but in the two years that she had served under them she had gotten to
know them and trusted them completely.
She felt her lifemate reaching out to her. He had sensed her concern and wanted to give comfort.
During their lunch break the two had each other. Through their Bond, they'd silently communed their
fears and worries, as well as sending each other reassurance.
They weren't alone. Their Soul Brother was there, as was the Senior staff.
When the ship had abruptly lurched she had wondered why. Someone had told her that the anomaly
had suddenly started to expand and Lieutenant Akari had moved it further back.
Not long afterwards, two crewmembers from Engineering: Petty Officer George Martin and Crewmen Todd
Daniels had hurried past the labs. Rodriguez had asked them what was going on and Martin had breathlessly
told them that another ship had come out of the anomaly.
The Enterprise.
Both her hands had flown toward her mouth in shock.
"A USS Enterprise, under the command of…myself came in contact with this anomaly in its own reality
and was pulled into ours."
L'Naym closed her eyes. The anomaly was some sort of gateway to a parallel reality. And another
Enterprise had come though it. An Enterprise commanded by another James T. Kirk.
She didn't have time to think through all of the ramifications of parallel realities. She was far too
busy worrying over how all of this would effect her Soul Brother.
"Captain Kirk will soon be arriving by shuttlecraft with his Senior staff to discuss the situation
and hopefully come up with solutions as to how to return them home. Everyone is to extend to
both him and his staff full cooperation and courtesy.
"Kirk out."
"Captain Kirk will soon be arriving by shuttlecraft with his senior staff to continue the discussion
and hopefully come up with solutions as to how to return them home. Everyone is to extend to
both him and his staff full courtesy."
Dismay filled her. This other Kirk and his crew are coming over here? Oh, Jim. Jim.
Medical Bay
Alyen groaned internally.
The Enterprise. There was nothing that caused his Soul Brother more pain or opened more wounds
than any discussion of the Enterprise. And now it was here.
No, not the Enterprise that had betrayed him, that would have been bad enough. Instead it was another
Enterprise. An Enterprise under the command of…himself. An Enterprise that was a constant reminder
of what might have been.
And now that other Enterprise's Kirk was coming here to the Saratoga with his Senior staff.
Alyen's head was spinning and his heart was filled with foreboding.
He could only communicate with his Soul Brother when they were in physical contact, but he didn't need
to touch or even see him to know one simple fact:
His Soul Brother was hurting. Badly.
He could feel his lifemate reaching out to him.
*Beloved. Jim's going to need us.*
*I know, Beloved. I know.*