Star Trek: What If... Rain Robinson Left the 20 th Century?
By William "Blissey" Raymer
Based on the CBS Media Ventures television series
Star Trek: Voyager
Created by Rick Berman, Michael Piller and Jeri Taylor
Based on Star Trek Created by Gene Roddenberry
Prologue inspired by
and Containing selected dialogue passages from
the Star Trek: Voyager episode
"Future's End, Part II"
Written by Brannon Braga and Joe Menosky
Series inspired by the Marvel Comics magazine series
What If
and the Marvel Animation for Disney Plus television series
What If...
Created for Television by A.C. Bradley
PROLOGUE
From the Journals of Q (Junior) the Watcher
In the Earth year 2373, midway through the third year of the USS Voyager's journey through the Delta Quadrant, they were caught up in a temporal incident involving a 29th-century Federation timeship (the Aeon), whose pilot accused Voyager of initiating a temporal explosion that destroyed the Sol System of the 29th century.
After a brief confrontation, which led to both the Aeon and Voyager being sent through time—the Aeon to 1967, Voyager to 1996— Voyager discovered that a businessman named Henry Starling had been cannibalizing the Aeon's technology to advance late 20th century computer technology far beyond the level it should have been at.
Through a series of misadventures which culminated in an attempt to destroy the Aeon before it could be relaunched (which failed, as Starling had set a transponder to broadcast false readings which distracted the Voyager crew), members of the crew were preparing to leave the planet and return to the ship in a final attempt to destroy the Aeon and preserve what was left of history.
In the Federation's recorded history, an astronomer from the famed Griffith Observatory who had helped the Voyager crew—Rain Robinson—stayed behind on the Earth of the late 20th and early 21st centuries while Voyager returned to their own time after destroying the Aeon.
But, what changes to history would have unfolded if Robinson had left with Voyager?
Please join us now as we find out—in the process, further examining the multiverse's ultimate question: "What if..."
For the purposes of this chronicle, let us set the stage: it is a desert road outside the city of Los Angeles, California. Members of the Voyager's crew have discovered the temporal transponder Starling had placed in the truck that was supposedly carrying the Aeon to its launch site.
As the actual launch of the Aeon from the headquarters building of Henry Starling's company is occurring, Voyager chief engineer B'Elanna Torres is about to report that the shuttlecraft they had been using in the attempt to destroy the Aeon had been repaired.
As helmsman Tom Paris is about to say his goodbyes to Rain, Rain decides that a change of her destiny...is in order...
The Desert outside Los Angeles, California
13 November 1996
"Mr. Paris, stand by. We're bringing you aboard," the voice of Commander Chakotay said on the mobile phone in Tom Paris' hand.
"Acknowledged," Paris said before closing the phone.
As he did, the woman standing in front of Paris frowned. "Your spaceship's waiting," Rain Robinson said.
"I've never met anyone quite like you...and I don't think I ever will," Paris said.
"Same here," Rain said. "Say 'hi' to Saturn for me."
"I will," Paris said before kissing Rain.
But just as the transporter beam began to claim Paris, Rain thought "to hell with it" and leaped into his arms. The two resolved on the shuttlecraft to the perplexed looks of Chakotay, Tuvok, B'Elanna and The Doctor.
"What the hell?" Paris said when he saw that Rain was in the shuttle cabin with them. "Chakotay, get Rain back down there."
"Hell no, Tom," Rain said. "In the last few days I have spent with you and that freakasaurus friend of yours, I realized that I do not belong down there."
"We don't have time for this," Chakotay said. "We've got to get back to Voyager. Tom, Miss, take a seat. We'll take care of you once we get rid of Starling!"
Tom and Rain took a seat on the passenger bench as Chakotay angled the shuttlecraft back towards Voyager.
Aboard Federation Starship USS Voyager NCC-74656
Main Bridge
"Mr. Kim, Commander Chakotay's shuttle is back on board...with an extra passenger," the former Maquis officer at Operations said.
Ensign Harry Kim shook his head, then tapped a control on the monitor next to the command chair he sat in. "Bridge to Janeway. The shuttle is back on board," he said.
" Good. I'm nearly there," the voice of Captain Kathryn Janeway said from the ship's torpedo bay, where she was attempting to manually reprogram a photon torpedo to take out the Aeon .
Moments later, the Aeon leaped into warp. "Captain, the timeship has jumped to Warp 1," Kim said.
" Go to warp. We can't lose him now," Janeway said.
The officer at the helm did as Janeway ordered.
The doors onto the Bridge hissed open. Kim turned to see Tuvok exit first, making his way to his Tactical console. Next came Chakotay, B'Elanna, The Doctor, Paris...and a woman Kim did not recognize.
"Welcome to the Bridge, Doctor," Kim said.
"Thank you," The Doctor said. "It's a pleasure to be here."
Paris gestured for the woman to make her way to stand at the console behind the command chair as he made his way to the Helm.
"Status?" Chakotay said as he made his way to relieve Kim.
"The Captain's in Torpedo Tube 1," Kim said. "She's preparing for a manual launch."
Chakotay looked at The Doctor. "Doctor, get down there," he said.
The Doctor nodded, then realized something. "How do I get to Torpedo Tube 1?" he said.
"Ensign Kaplan, go with him," Chakotay ordered.
"Aye, sir," the officer said. The Doctor followed Kaplan into the turbolift.
Rain watched as Tuvok reported, "The timeship is powering its temporal field generator. Starling will be able to open a rift within seconds."
From Operations, Kim responded, "Commander, the field he's creating—it's unstable." B'Elanna added, "If he enters the rift like this, that timeship will create a temporal explosion."
Tuvok responded, "Events are occurring just as Captain Braxton predicted. The disaster may well be inevitable."
"Fate, Tuvok? I won't accept that," Chakotay said to Tuvok. Then, to Tom, he ordered, "Close to within ten kilometers. We'll ram him if we have to."
"Aye, sir," Tom said before setting to work.
" Janeway to Bridge," Janeway said. " I've reconfigured for manual launch. Arm the torpedo."
Tuvok tapped a few controls. "Torpedo armed," he declared.
" Lock on target," Janeway said. "Locked on," Tuvok confirmed.
"Hail Starling," Chakotay ordered.
On the viewscreen, Harry Starling appeared from the cockpit of the Aeon. "This is Voyager," Chakotay said. "Pull away from the rift."
" Or what?" Starling responded. " Your weapons are down, friend. See you...sometime."
As Starling disappeared from the viewscreen, Chakotay shook his head. "Chakotay to Janeway. Captain, we have no other choice," he said.
"He's entering the rift," Kim reported.
"Fire!" Chakotay ordered.
A single torpedo lanced from Voyager 's launchers and struck the Aeon, destroying it and the temporal rift seconds before the Aeon had completely entered the rift.
A few minutes later, Janeway and The Doctor walked onto the Bridge. "The Bridge is yours, Captain," Chakotay said.
"Is there a chance in hell we can reopen that rift?" Janeway asked.
"Captain, the rift is opening," Kim reported. "There's something coming out. It's the timeship."
"Let's see it," Janeway said just as Tuvok reported, "We're being hailed."
"On screen, " Janeway commanded.
The face of Captain Braxton appeared on Voyager 's viewscreen. "Captain Braxton?!" Janeway said.
" Do you know me?" Braxton responded.
"Yes, unfortunately," Chakotay said.
"You tried to destroy our ship in the 24th century," Janeway said. "And the next time we saw you, you were a old man, homeless in 1996."
" I never experienced that timeline," Braxton said.
"Then what are you doing here?" Paris said.
" In my century, we can scan time—much as you use sensors to scan space," Braxton said. " The Temporal Integrity Commission detected your vessel over 20th century Earth. I was sent to correct that anomaly. Prepare to follow me back into the rift. I'm returning you to your own time and to your previous coordinates in the Delta Quadrant."
"Captain...we've been trying to get home to Earth for the last two years," Janeway said. "Can you return us to our century but keep us here in the Alpha Quadrant?"
" I'm sorry," Braxton said. " Temporal Prime Directive. I'm afraid you're on your own. However, your new passenger must stay aboard Voyager with you, as she and you have things to accomplish. Braxton, out."
Janeway was confused at the reference Braxton made to a "new passenger" and turned to where Braxton was gesturing. It was then that she realized Rain was standing there.
Paris saw what Janeway was looking at, and said "I'll explain later, Captain."
"The timeship is reentering the rift," Kim reported.
"Mr. Paris, I will be looking forward to that explanation. But for now..." she started before moving to sit down in the command chair. "...follow him in," she finished.
"Aye, Captain," Paris said.
Captain's Log, Stardate 50312.5. We are again in the Delta Quadrant at the exact time and place where we first encountered the timeship. I've resumed a course for Earth. And I've ordered the crew...and our newest passenger...to the Mess Hall for a toast.
Aboard Federation Starship USS Voyager NCC-74656
Mess Hall
"Cheers," the senior officers said. Rain watched as Janeway turned to The Doctor. "How long will you be out and about, Doctor?"
"If you're referring to my newfound mobility, that is entirely up to me," The Doctor said.
"I'm still trying to figure out exactly how The Doctor's autonomous emitter works, but it looks like downloading him back into the ship's computer isn't going to be much of a problem," B'Elanna said.
Rain didn't pay much attention to the conversation between the senior officers regarding The Doctor's mobile holographic emitter.
She then turned to see Tom, Chakotay, Tuvok and one of Voyager 's alien crewmembers discussing something that happened to her, Tuvok and Tom.
"You should have seen it when the parking enforcement officer came over to the van," Tom said. "Tuvok tried to use pure Vulcan logic to talk her out of giving us a citation."
"Did it work?" Chakotay asked.
"Of course not," Tom said.
"Given Mr. Paris' alleged familiarity with 20th century America, it is a wonder we survived the experience at all," Tuvok remarked.
Rain chuckled then made her way over to stand next to and kiss Tom on the cheek. "Mr. Tuvok, I said it before and I'll say it again...you're a real freakasaurus," she said.
:TBC: