Captain Zara Undine
CHAPTER 1
Zara Undine, Captain of the USS New Constitution, had been standing outside of the perimeter of the invisible Iconian Gateway that had opened up on the floor of Holodeck One when it swallowed a number of the crew. Iconian Gateways were two dimensional areas, usually attached to walls, and if you knew when and where they were you could literally push through the wall into another world. She kicked herself for having not considered that the floor could also be utilized, as the Gateways were not limited to the surface of a solid structure. They could be portals in midair, allowing people to come and go in a fashion much easier and faster than a transporter, in fact as easily as crossing from one room to the next. Floor placement of the portal had been unexpected, but the odd placement that was bothering her. The fact that she had trusted Paynays, the salt vampire that was reportedly in love with Garcia, enough to allow her access to their own Gateway’s controls was more disturbing. She should have trusted her instincts on the matter. Had the salt vampire manipulated her mentally? Maybe not directly. Undine had watched Garcia’s encounter with Paynays and had actually felt sympathetic to the creature’s plight and believed her to be loyal to Garcia. More likely, it had been Garcia who had influenced her, just in his sheer eagerness to integrate Paynays into the crew, despite Paynay’s admission she had been commissioned to assassinate him.
She suspected Garcia was experiencing a version of Stockholm’s Syndrome when it came to Paynays, which wasn’t too farfetched considering Paynays knew just how to play him. Undine forced herself to stop her internal dialogue, a negative self talk and question set that had her spinning in a non productive manner. It was a done deal. Providing an opportunity to someone to earn trust had value and that was the very thing Garcia had offered Paynays. The fact that she used that opportunity to escape was not unpredictable. It should have been a foregone conclusion. Paynays had been brought in to retrieve the code from Alexander’s mind to remote activate what they believed to be a temporal Inconian Gateway. They believed this because they knew Alexander, Worf’s son, was from the future and he had offered no other explanation for how he had traveled back through time. Were the two co-conspirators? If they were, they now had Garcia. Undine had gone full circle back to worrying and had to stop herself from going down a road that limited her functioning.
All in all, twelve people had fallen through the immediate opening of the gateway. Captain Weisberg and his team, guests on the New Constitution thanks to Admiral Pressman, a security officer, plus Jay and his team, guests of Garcia’s visiting from Iotia, plus Garcia carrying the twins were all inside the perimeter when the ‘floor’ gave way. Dryac, the only Medusan in Star Fleet, was also within the perimeter, inside her floating mobility device, and though it initially dipped with the subtle change in weight displacement, it didn’t pass through the floor until she actively fired the tiny directional thruster so as to follow Garcia on what would be her first Away mission. Paynays pushed Alexander into the circle, following him, as if diving into a pool of water. Kitara followed, without hesitation.
And Undine’s present point of internal contention: she hesitated. She knew
‘hesitation’ wasn’t completely accurate. She had considered diving into the unknown, but decided someone needed to stay and update the crew on the situation, and she was the last one standing on deck. She had hit her communicator badge and had called for security team to join her at the holodeck simultaneous with Kitara leaping into the unknown. She still wanted to jumped, to join Garcia in whatever adventure was underway, but she convinced herself that Garcia and the others were competent to handle any situation they were falling into, and if they weren’t, her presence might not change anything. She had the presence of mind, though, to push one of the supply crates that Weisberg had prepared into the perimeter. Only it didn’t fall through. The Gateway had already closed. A faint line describing the circumference of the circle remained on the floor. She touched her sleeve and a clock became visible. With a couple taps, she started a timer.
Security arrived. “Captain?”
“Don’t cross into the circle. Scan the room, focus on the floor, look for any residue energy signature that might tell us where the Gateway opened up to,” Undine instructed. “Lt. Bri, report to holodeck one. Bring a kit.”
Undine instructed the computer to generate a walking stick. One appeared, hovering. She took it up and walked the perimeter probing the floor with the stick. It felt solid enough, but even so, she suspected she would be walking more gently for a while. Bri, the ships engineer arrived with his kit, followed by his brother, Lt. Brel, her first officer. Brel had actually resisted the promotion, claiming others were more qualified to run a Star Fleet ship. Undine suspected he had resisted because he didn’t want to serve under a female Captain, or perhaps he had hoped to follow Garcia, but she had insisted because she couldn’t very well select the next qualified out of the crew, because that would put two pregnant females department heads. With all of those who were pregnant due to give birth around the same time, they couldn’t afford to inconvenience of major interruption in ship’s operation, as they were already running on a skeleton crew. “Check the deck plating for any integrity issues, then run a diagnostic on the hologrid systems in the floor to ensure there is no damage to the circuitry,” Undine instructed.
“Aye,” Bri said, and got to work.
Undine checked the elapsed time. Two minutes. She hated not knowing, but applauded the response time of her teams. She acknowledge Brel with a nod as he assessed the situation and intuited what had happened.
Brel pulled up alongside of her. “You made the right decision, Captain,” Brel said. “Your place is here on the ship.” Undine held her response. “There was nothing you could have done,” he continued.
“Stop treating me as if I am human,” Undine snapped. “Aren’t you supposed to be on the Bridge? I got this.”
“Aye,” Brel said, and departed quickly.
Losira arrived in her fashion, passing through several dimensions before solidifying into a three dimensional creature. She had a compelling look about her, that was not quite Egyptian, but reminiscent of something ancient, a present beauty that transcended time. Some of the humans compared her to the original Siri, but she was much more than just a holographic computer interface. She could make herself tangible. She could finely tune her frequency to harmonize with a person’s DNA, resonating at such a rate that would shatter a DNA lattice like an opera singer shattering a glass; a single touch would kill her target. There were rumors that she could tune her frequency to enrapture, not kill. It was further rumored only Garcia knew for sure, having given into this Siren. She would draw you in with her look, not a song; she was wearing the Pathfinder’s uniform, mostly silver with holographic gold overlays, miniskirt option with matching boots. She was not human, but she was so close and so stunning that human females had to suppress the innate insecurity that she provoked.
Losira quickly orientated herself, and then approached Undine and Brel. Undine was hopeful that Losira had something useful for her.
“I am aware of a temporal anomaly having occurred and though I believe I know how to proceed, I would like your advice,” Losira said. “What sort of anomaly?” Undine asked.
“Three people have arrived on the Path Finder unannounced,” Losira said.
“Specifically, they each arrived in their own cells in my Brig, security fields snapping on simultaneously with their arrivals, as if whoever placed them their didn’t want them wandering about on their own cognizance. I recognize each of them individually, but out of habit I accessed their continuity logs on their communicator badges and have evidence that each have been extracted from a future date.”
“Com badges. So, they’re Star Fleet?” Undine asked.
“Yes,” Undine said. “Sito Jaxa, Thomas Riker, and Data.”
“And you’re sure they are from the future?” Undine asked.
“Yes. I have been attempting to understand their personal stories to complete my understanding. Thomas is resisting, giving very little information, but I have sufficient data to know that he is a transporter clone of William T Riker. He reports being on the Bridge of the USS Ghandhi when he suddenly found himself in the Brig, in a fashion not consistent with a transporter. He is not happy and has been yelling at Q to stop playing games. Q has not appeared, or taken credit for the situation. Jaxa arrived with severe physical injuries. Doctor Jurak has treated her and she was able to convey that she was being tortured by Cardassians, on the verge of death when she found herself, gratefully, relocated. She is sleeping now. Data’s tale, is even more interesting. Apparently, he had just saved Captain Picard’s life, by giving away his personal emergency transporter transponder, and reports he would most certainly be dead had he not been brought back at the instant he was retrieved.” “From the future?” Undine said.
“The evidence is overwhelmingly ‘yes.’ Also, Data has been modified,” Losira said.
“How so?” Undine asked.
“Though he is reporting all diagnostics are coming back within operating parameters, his external appearance has definitely been modified. He has realistic skin, his hair has streaks of gray, and he appears older than the Data we know. His appearance is so radically different, I thought at first that he was Dr Sung, Data’s creator, and that he was human, but he is still an android, he is still Data.” “Why would anyone change his appearance?” Undine asked, rhetorically.
“Also, you should be aware that I have lost contact with the Pa Nun,” Losira informed her. “I am unable to access their Preserver Communication Crystal.”
At that moment, the doors to the holodeck slid open and retired Admiral McCoy stormed in, almost manic in his determination. His anger wasn’t the only obvious feature. What was most startling was that he no longer appeared to be a man well over a hundred, but a very young, and vibrant, forty-ish year old man.
“Where is Tammas!” McCoy demanded.
“Umm, Bones,” Undine said, trying to soften him a little.
“Don’t ‘umm bones’ me,” McCoy snapped. “Where is he? On the Path Finder?
Fire up that confounded portal contraption of yours and let me at him.” “Tam is indisposed,” Undine said.
“He did this to me! I know it,” McCoy said. “I told him I didn’t want this. By
God, a man shouldn’t be rejuvenated against his will and forced to live another hundred years or so! What was he thinking?”
“Admiral!” Undine interrupted. “We’re in a bit of a situation right now…” “When the hell aren’t you in the middle of a situation?!” McCoy ranted. “Admiral McCoy,” Undine said, touching his arm; a very purposeful, but manipulative act that shifted McCoy’s mood, bringing down the rant. McCoy’s mood shifted because the first thing he thought was that Tammas had been killed. “Garcia fell through a portal along with several other crew members. We don’t know their situation. He may or may not have anything to do with your condition, but for now, I want you to report to Sickbay and get yourself checked out. And I definitely need you to keep your wits about you because if Garcia is behind this, well, there is rarely just one change. I need you. Stay focused.”
McCoy forced himself to breathe. “Fine. I will go to Sickbay and get myself checked out, but mind you: I am not signing up for another five year mission just to accommodate Garcia’s wish to keep me near him, you got that?!” McCoy grumbled, heading towards the exit. “A man shouldn’t live forever. I’m a Doctor, not a Highlander.” There was a moment of silence after the storm of McCoy passed.
“Interesting,” Losira commented.
“What?” Undine asked.
“Another anomaly,” Losira said. “Highlander is a reference to an 80’s movie that only Garcia would likely know.”
“You think McCoy’s mind has been tampered with?” Undine asked. Losira shrugged. Her eyes tracked up to the right. “Garcia and the others have arrived on the Path Finder. Garcia is in sickbay, unconscious.”
Undine activated her Comm. Badge. “Number One, the ship is yours, I’m crossing over to the Path Finder,” Undine she explained.
“I understand. We will maintain course and heading,” Brel responded.
Losira opened their gateway so Undine could cross where as she simply dematerialized. After all, she was already there…
♫♪►
Kitara, Losira, and Simone were near as Jurak continued to examine Garcia. Kitara acknowledge Undine as she entered a conversation already in progress. If she was reading Garcia’s brain scan correctly, he was moving from an REM sleep into N1, a light delta wave that is the typical boundary between sleep and waking.
“We should notify Starfleet that we have visitors from the future on board,” Simone was saying.
“Absolutely not,” Kitara said, looking at Simone as if she were an idiot. “Clearly they were brought here by Garcia for a reason and Starfleet would simply isolate them.”
“They should be isolated,” Simone said. “Their presence could alter the future.” “A thing that Garcia is interested in doing, if you recall,” Kitara said.
“It could be a random act of kindness,” Undine said. “These are people Garcia has affection for.”
“If he hadn’t brought back Riker, I would concur,” Kitara said. “But he hates
Riker. There’s a blood feud there.”
“I don’t think it’s a blood feud,” Simone said.
As Garcia’s brain began to wake up, corresponding lights on the monitor began to illuminate and the interface sounds altered their rhythms. Auditory regions reflected the conversation and ambient sounds in the room. Oddly enough, his visual cortex was fully illuminated, as if he was viewing something, but his eyes remained closed. There was no indication from the scans that he had slipped into REM, and his eyes didn’t move behind the eyelids, but there was activity suggesting he was engaged in the world. They all gathered around. According to the scans, he should be full awake, but he continued to lay there, slow respiration, gentle and steady heartbeat, as if he had simply roused and had intentions of returning to a dream.
“Tam?” Losira asked. She touched him when he didn’t respond.
“I hear you,” he said.
“Are you ok?” Losira asked.
With eyes closed, his face seemed to be contemplating the question. Then it had an answer. A flash of sadness crossed his face.
“The Pa Nun was destroyed, all hands lost,” Garcia announced.
The Captains exchanged glances. Losira had only recently notified them that she had lost contact with the Pa Nun and she hadn’t done so in front of Garcia. “I only recently became aware of that. How did you know?” Losira asked. Garcia opened his eyes. They were glowing. “I’ve seen it,” Garcia said.
“Doctor,” Simone said, drawing his attention from away from his scanner.
The Doctor looked up from his tricorder to Simone, followed her gaze back to Garcia, and hardly seemed phased. He brought a scanner closer.
“Interesting,” Jurak said. “That might explain some of the anomalous readings.”
“Is it radiation?” Kitara asked.
“McCoy will know about it, ask him,” Garcia said, referring to the condition. His voice was deeper, more resonant than usual. His eyes met Kitara’s eyes. “I’ve projected a timeline for us to finish some goals before you must kill me. The clock is ticking.” “What are you talking about?” Kitara asked.
Garcia’s eyes returned to normal. The transition that crossed his face was that of an all knowing presence to a limited, uncertain presence as if he had just woke up. He clearly orientated on the faces and relaxed. He smiled as he realized where he was. “Hey. When did we get back? How did we get back?” “You teleported us from the fountain. You don’t remember?” Kitara asked.
“Do you remember what you were just saying?” Simone asked.
“I was speaking?” Garcia asked.
“What do you remember?” Undine asked.
“I had just accessed the portal. I saw Kelinda approaching and I activated a shield… Oh, you know what. I think I left the self defense system on. No one will be able to use that fountain for time travel again,” Garcia said. He mused. “I hope people can access the water. It was really good water.” “Tam, are you ok?” Losira asked.
“I feel great, why?” He was smiling as if he hadn’t a care in the world.
“We lost contact with the Pa Nun and you just said it was destroyed,” Undine said.
“I don’t remember that,” Garcia said. He wasn’t happy, but he didn’t appear devastated. “Kitara, take the Tempest and assess the situation...” Garcia paused as if mulling it over after speaking and decided that was the right thing to do. He nodded, as if reassuring her that he was confident in that. His hand slid to the belly pack he was wearing as he assessed the status of the babies. They were good. Jurak confirmed it without being asked.
“I will,” Kitara said, with a tone that could wait. “But first, what do you want us to do with the guest you put in the Brig?”
“Guest?” Garcia asked. He nearly asked why guest were in the ‘Brig’ but decided they would get around to telling him things. He felt like there were a dozen things he needed to chase through his mind, but each thread he focused slipped away before he could get a good grasp.
“Maybe it would be better just to show him,” Undine said. “Do you feel like walking?”
“Sure. I feel great,” Garcia said, happy to get up.
“Doctor?’ Undine asked.
Jurak shrugged. “He feels great,” he said.
Garcia stood, unsteady on his feet at first, but instead of worried he sort of laughed, as if he had just learned to walk. He paused as he recovered balanced, waving off help from the Losira. He consciously put two hands on the belly pack that contained the twins. After assuring his Captains that he and the babies were well, they proceeded to the Brig. McKnight was in the corridor and Garcia maneuvered to intercept her, even greeted her with a hug.
“You doing ok?” he asked her, genuinely focused on her.
McKnight didn’t know what to make of this, but nodded. “Aye, Admiral. And you?”
“Couldn’t be better. Thank you. Keep up the good work,” he said, and as she passed on, Garcia interrupted Tuer, embracing him with the signature ‘brotherhood’ greeting, laughing a Klingon laugh, brazen and loud. “It’s good to see you, Brother!” “Admiral!” Tuer said.
“Tam, we have business to conduct,” Simone said.
“Can the schedule permit a moment to celebrate friendship?” he asked. Then
Rivan was in front of him. He greeted her enthusiastically, hugging her, kissing her first on the forehead and then, on thinking better of it, kissing her on the lips.
Rivan was pleasantly surprised by the attention. Their bellies touched, as she was merely weeks due to deliver, and he was carrying twins.
“Want to come with?” he asked her.
“Your group looks officious,” Rivan said, noticing that the Captains didn’t seem pleased by the distraction.
“This isn’t classified, is it?” Garcia asked the Captains.
“We haven’t decided yet,” Simone answered.
“Well, then, come along Rivan,” Garcia said, drawing her arm into his and proceeding onwards. He didn’t seem to mind the Captain’s speaking behind his back, as if they were concerned he was drugged. “It seems like forever since we’ve had any time together, Rivan.”
“It has been a minute,” Rivan said.
“We’ll have to fix this,” he said, as the door to the Brig opened and they walked in together. Garcia was not only elated to see the inmates in the brig, he gasped with joy.
“Jito! Rivan, you remember Jito, don’t you?”
Jito stood up, surprised but relieved to see Garcia. She tried speaking to him, but
Garcia spoke over her. “And Data! Lal will be so happy to see you.”
“I should have known you were behind this,” said the third inmate. Riker, older than the one he had most recently encountered, was clearly not happy. He also appeared to have gained significant weight. And, he was wearing night clothes, sweat pants and oversized flannel shirt.
“Why are they locked up?” Garcia asked.
“We assumed that’s the way you wanted it, since they were placed there. We assumed this was you. We can make an argument it was Q,” Undine said.
“Brought them back from where?” Garcia asked.
“The future,” Simone said.
Data clarified. “You appear to have pulled each of us out of the timeline at the exact moment of our demise,” Data said.
“Really?” Garcia asked, trying to put it all together. A profound sense of sadness fell over him.
“Why do you look sad?” Jito asked.
“I don’t know. I’m suddenly thinking about my sister and I’m missing her,” Garcia said, the lines on his forehead becoming complex as he struggled to recall. Tears dropped from his eyes. Rivan touched his face. As if on cue, his face smoothed over as if he had an understanding, and suddenly his eyes shimmered with a glow. Rivan stepped back. The other Garcia, the ‘enlightened one’ had returned. “Each of you will be instrumental in preserving, restoring this timeline which I’m going to destroy. Without your help, both time lines will be lost. If you interact with anyone outside of my crew, you will risk the most important missions of your lives. That’s all I can tell you, for now.”
The glow faded, leaving Garcia’s eyes a lighter shade of hazel, green. Garcia staggered, but Rivan re-engaged him, overcoming her surprise of the change.
“Tam?” Rivan asked.
He patted her arm, nodding. “I’m okay. I’m okay. Please, let them out of their cells. And get Will a uniform, he looks uncomfortable.” “I prefer Thomas,” Riker said.