Fic: Observations, Ch 64
“This universe is different in ways we had not anticipated. Ask, and we shall answer.”
--
“All clear ahead, keptan.”
“Forward readings, Spock?”
“Gravimetric readings show no significant change, zero space density.”
“Great. Punch it at warp 3, Sulu. Colony Beta-6 just called, Uhura?”
“Yes, sir. They urgently need the supplies. What should I tell them for ETA, captain?”
“Tell ‘em we’ll be there at 1850. Right?” Jim looked over his shoulder at me.
I nodded in confirmation. Nyota turned back to her station to communicate with the colony government.
Dr. McCoy entered the bridge, walking with a slight limp.
“Oh, hey Bones. How’s PT going?”
“Damned Chapel’s got me sore on muscles that shouldn’t even exist,” McCoy grumbled. “Where’re we headed?”
“Just flying through the void, right now.”
“Don’t remind me, Jim. I might throw up. I’d hang a man for some nice sunny beach.”
The captain laughed. “Sunlight, palm trees, some surfing? We’re 900 lightyears away from anything remotely like that, Bones.”
“The precise definition of a ‘beach’ is ‘that part of the shore lying between high- and low-water-marks.’ I fail to understand your romantic nostalgia for such a place.”
“Doesn’t surprise me, Spock. I can’t imagine anything ever disturbing those mathematically perfect brainwaves of yours,” he scowled.
I raised one eyebrow. Jim remained silent, a smile of amusement on his face.
“Thank you, Dr. McCoy. It is good to see that you are making a steady recovery.”
McCoy comprehended my meaning. “And it’s not surprising that you’re still the same lizard blooded pointy eared walking talking robot,” he returned.
Jim was extremely entertained. I walked to Lt. Chekov’s terminal.
“Moving on schedule to Quadrant 904 Theta-4.”
“Wait, Mr. Spock,” Lt. Chekov pointed to a signal emerging on the forward sensor readings.
“What? There’s something?” the captain asked, immediately alert.
“Unusual, captain. We are now getting a sizeable space displacement reading.”
“Interference emerging on subspace radio, captain,” Nyota said from her station.
Jim leaned forward in his command chair. “Can you verify, Chekov?”
“Yes, sir. Forward sweeps were negative, but then appeared-I am not knowing what this is, keptan. It must be at light warp or we would have seen it earlier, in initial scans. But it is strange, very strange readings.”
“Give me a visual.”
“Iron, silicon body. Planet size magnitude 1E. Most certainly not Class M, Jim. We will be passing close.”
“Sulu, avoid smashing into that thing. Chekov, replot course after Sulu does some evasive maneuvering.”
“You got it, captain.”
“Don’t tell me,” the captain said looking at me. “There aren’t any records of it anywhere.”
“Affirmative. However, a body of this size, mass, and unusual characteristics-it is inconceivable that it has gone unnoticed in all the records.”
“And yet, here it is. We don’t have time to investigate. Get your scientists to gather as much data as they can for our computers. Uhura, how’s the interference?”
“Not good, sir, getting stronger. I’ve already tried to send several transmissions to notify Starfleet of the discovery of this planet, but nothing’s getting through. The source has to be the planet.”
“Sulu, are we out of range?”
“Uh, captain? The planet is following us? I’m executing every combo that I know, and it’s still right there.”
“Put everyone on yellow alert. Sulu, why don’t we try backtracking.”
“Putting everything in reverse, sir.” Lt. Sulu manipulated his controls and reached to enter the sequence when he disappeared from the bridge.
“Sulu!”
Jim ran to Sulu’s station. He then promptly vanished. I swiftly went to the captain’s chair.
“Lt. Uhura, red alert. As this planet clearly wishes to keep us in its orbit, we will not attempt escape. Ship wide, please, Nyota.”
“Already done, Spock.”
“Commander Spock speaking. The captain and Lt. Sulu have been removed by unknown means to an unknown location from the bridge. Science Department, employ high definition scans on the planet to locate the whereabouts of Captain Kirk and Lt. Sulu. All personnel will notify the command crew immediately if any individual is missing. This is a Class Four situation, conduct yourselves accordingly. Lt. Giotto, a search and rescue team is in order. Mr. Scott to the bridge please. Spock out.”
--
“Ship’s log, stardate 2124.5 First Officer Spock reporting for Captain James Kirk. We are orbiting a previously unnoted planet in the 906 quadrant. For four hours, we have made every instrument sweep, but Captain Kirk and Lt. Sulu remain unaccounted for. I have placed the ship on red alert.”
“We’ve searched again from stem to stern. If they’re not down on that planet, they’re nowhere.”
“I am agreeing with Scotty, sir. There are no signs of life on the planet below, but probability is indicating that disappearances are related to planet. Hotya, the environment below-prosto uzhas!”
“Why, what’s wrong with that rock down there, other than the small fact that the goddamn thing was following us?”
“Dr. Jaeger, please repeat your findings.”
“Yes, sir. There’s no detectable soil or vegetation, obviously, since it’s an extremely hot, toxic atmosphere. Readings indicate that there are frequent acid storms that sweep through. We have continuous volcanic eruptions, making this planet totally unsuitable for life as we know it. Even our best life support systems would melt in that heat.”
“I’m getting too damn old for this sort of thing,” Dr. McCoy groaned. “Whenever you put decide to send down a search party, put me on the list.”
“With your injury, it is not advisable that you beam down to the planet. The search may be long and exhausting, thereby overtaxing your system and damaging your natural course of recovery.”
“Spock, my natural course of recovery would’ve been a coffin not thirty years ago. Just let me go down there.”
I sighed internally. “Very well. Request granted, doctor.”
“Thanks.” He briefly clasped my shoulder with his hand. “I’ll get out of your way and get myself prepped in Sickbay.”
“Wait. Everyone, I think you should see this.” Nyota put a message up on the viewscreen.
There appeared a string of words: How are you gentlemen !!
“Is this some lad’s idea of a joke?”
Then: All your base are belong to us.
“Send this, Lt. Uhura. U.S.S. Enterprise to signaler on planet surface. Identify self.”
“’You haf no chance to survive make your time.’ What is that meaning, Mr. Spock? ‘Ha ha ha ha... Tallyho!’?”
“What in the name of Christ-?”
“I’ll entertain any theories, gentlemen, any at all.”
“Well, there’s got to be life down there!”
“Not necessarily, Mr. Scott. The message may be automatically generated by some device, or it may somehow originate from the planet itself.”
“But where there’s a signal, there’s some sort of sentience of civilization that built it. Request permission to go down there and investigate, Mr. Spock.”
Sending two of the most senior officers of the Enterprise down to a hostile planet surface would not, in most cases, be considered a wise decision. However, I considered the experience and expertise of both Dr. McCoy and Engineer Scott as well as their emotional needs. They wanted to do this out of loyalty to Jim. Montgomery Scott is not one to capriciously volunteer for such missions.
“Sir, there is appearing on sensors a small area, conditions wery different from planet. It is almost Earthlike.”
“What’re your coordinates, Chekov? I’ve locked onto the source of the signals-are they the same?”
Lt. Chekov ran to Nyota’s computer. “Da! Da da, it is matching!”
“Request granted, Mr. Scott. Lt. Giotto, send your rescue team to the transporter room for beam down to the planet. All landing party members are to be equipped with emergency life support systems and the new communicator models. Lt. Chekov, see to their transport personally and monitor their signals closely. We will beam them up at any sign of change in that region.”
Make your time Make your time Make your time flashed on the view screen.
“Dismissed.”
--
“Are the new communicators functional, Lt. Uhura?”
“Somewhat. I’m not able to make out what they’re transmitting, but we can keep track of their coordinates. I’m trying to reduce the signal/noise ratio, and I think I can pick up on some of the notes they’re transmitting up.”
“Put it on the view screen as a continuous feed. Lt. Chekov, are there any other anomalous signs?”
“No, sir. But area seems to be dark-like whole thing is under artificial darkness. I am not knowing of such a thing existing in the universe. The physics must be wery interesting to look at.”
“Undoubtedly the case. However, continue to monitor the area and probe for life forms.”
“Aye sir.”
“Lt. Uhura, I have assigned Dr. Fordheim to assist you in reducing the subspace interference noise. Dr. Balenchine will help in the decoding process.”
“Understood, sir.”
-successf-beam-eems like-ndon’d-get that, M-Sp-k?-can’t-signa-l-l-l-arehow-dark-unusua-a-vestigas-sh-will-try-comm-t’out-
-amn thing doesn-ork-Spock!-can-ou-hear?-dam-t-no-sign-n-z-t-xxx-jimsulu-night?-g-ahead-seems to be-uge-ssss-get that?-build-ng-hea-old-Coyout-
“Spock to Engineering Department.”
“Yeoman Mahlaleel here, sir.”
“Please notify Engineer Mingshen to report to the bridge immediately. His skills are required.”
“I’ll do that right away, sir.”
-dunno-work?-nyways-kkr-capt-tenant-ss-ss-ss-trpp-repeat, Captain Kirk an-ff-nn-duh-duh-tricor-inconclusiv-z-
“Nyota. Analysis.”
“I think the captain and Sulu are down there. Everyone seems to agree that it’s really dark and there’s some sort of building, and its proportions are huge. But wouldn’t something like that show up in a scan?”
“It would. However, it may have materialized at that moment. Lt. Chekov?”
“We are scanning, sir, and confirm large unnatural structure. It is like it came out of the ground.”
“What are your hypotheses as to the intelligence guiding these processes?”
“I have no idea. Matter-energy manipulation? Some sort of being with unheard of power and technology?”
“Indications of a power source at that location, Mr. Chekov?”
“Negative. I am thinking this is something we are never hafing seen before. Either technology is far beyond our detection-I think this is unlikely-or there is powerful life form.”
At the moment the lieutenant finished his statement, a being appeared, floating, in the middle of the bridge. His skin was olive and he has long green hair that flowed upwards. By all appearances, he was humanoid, but he had a robotic part covering the right side of his face. Both eyes were red. The creature was dressed in an elaborate uniform, meant to signify membership in some armed service, and over that he wore an enormous purple robe.
Everyone on the bridge gaped.
“Oh wonderful! Wonderful! Why, I don’t believe I’ve met you-you weren’t here the last time,” he said, looking at Lt. Chekov. “You all figured it out so much faster than the others! How delightful!”
With those words, the being transformed instantly into a Terran-like man, dressed in archaic blue officer robes, like those worn in the pre-Warp era European militaries.
“Well, of course you don’t remember me, how could you? I’m General Trelane, retired. I used to call myself a squire, but that goes according to the English, not the French tradition, I think. One must be consistent,” he chortled. “I’m so happy to see you again! I didn’t know if you would be here in this universe.”
Trelane looked at me. “Oh. You’re here too. I suppose you must be lurking near, if James Kirk is in the area. What did they call you then?” he pretended to ponder. “Ah yes, Kirk’s shadow.”
“What have you done with Captain Kirk and Lt. Sulu. Where are Leonard McCoy and Montgomery Scott, and the security team dispatched,” I demanded.
“Patience, Mr. Spock. You always were very ill mannered. Now, I won’t make the same mistake I did last time and let you all get away. I’m going to do this properly-“
The Enterprise vanished and was replaced with a great gilded hall lined with mirrors. The whole of the bridge command team found themselves in this hall, dressed in old and extremely restrictive Terran apparel. I found myself similarly attired in a garish suit covered in ruffles and lace.
“I did so much more research and didn’t make those silly errors like I had with the other James Kirk. Earth men are so very interesting, I must say you are still my favorite species. I’ve studied it all-the whole gamut of your history, but there’s no age I like better than under Louis XIV! The Sun King! Such power! Regality! That court of his, Versailles, it’s marvelous! Oh, it was a golden age in France. We shall all dance and drink and be merry.
“You will find the food a distinct improvement from before. I’ve imitated the molecular structure exactly, so it ought to taste like it really is. My matter manipulations has vastly improved-I don’t even need to use my machine anymore!
“Oh, but silly me, where are my manners. You are the Enterprise crew, you’ve never known any other reality. No matter, no matter. Festivities are in order!”
He clapped his hands and a passageway appeared, leading to a spacious and lavishly decorated room. Everything was gilded and glittering.
“I haven’t lost my taste for a good show, the theater, the theater! Moliere and the follies! And I still love the sound of the harpsichord. Let’s having a round of dancing, shall we?”
Trelane extravagantly waved his arms and a courtly waltz sounded through the room. No one danced.
“Oh, why aren’t you dancing?!” Trelane whined.
“Where is James T. Kirk.”
“I assure you, Mr. Spock, they are quite safe. I haven’t done anything to them at all,” he smiled. “But I suppose you want them back.”
The missing men materialized before us. It is a credit to the crew’s training that they immediately were wary and looked around for any signs of danger, and then began to assess their surroundings and take tricorder readings.
The crew instinctively gathered near the captain and faced Trelane.
“Spock?” the captain rubbed his eyes. “This has gotta be the weirdest dream I’ve ever had. Why are you dressed like that?”
“It is no dream, captain. You are similarly garbed.”
The captain looked down at the overwhelming number of frills, tassels, and medals covering his outer coat.
“Sulu, pinch me.” Jim yelped, then rubbed his arm. “Yup, definitely a nightmare.”
“If only I had kept the specimens from the other universe, it would have made such a fine collection! Why captain-“ Trelane exclaimed. “Your eyes are blue! I distinctly remember their color as gold.”
“Uh... sure?” Jim frowned. He briefly glanced behind him, as if he were doing a headcount. “Who are you? Why’ve you brought us here? Where’s my ship?”
“Remarkable! Such differences between you and your other self, even physiological. And among the crew! I could never have predicted it. But even there, some things never change,” Trelane chuckled. “You are a bit rough around the edges-the other Kirk had some more manners, but you are the same at heart. As is, I’m afraid, your ill-bred First Officer there.”
Jim processed all the information silently, his eyes blazing. They gave no insight as to his thoughts.
“That doesn’t answer any of my questions.”
“As I said to your alternate self,” Trelane continued obliviously, “my greetings and felicitations,” he bowed deeply. “You may call me General Trelane, retired. The first time I encountered you and your crew, Captain Kirk, was when I was making a study of Earth and its culture. You happened to come right in my path when I had finished putting all the detail into my new playroom.
“I didn’t know it then, but it was such an ideal opportunity for study. I had a script in mind before, you see. I thought we would all sit down and have a rousing talk about recent campaigns against the Spanish and the Holy Roman Empire, talk of the wholesale destruction of the Aztec and Mayan Empires. Or perhaps fighting the infidels of the Islamic Empire. But you would have none of it, and gave me something so much better and entertaining instead!
“And now, it is most fortuitous that we should meet again! My understanding of humans has improved by leaps and bounds, if I do say so myself. I brought your whole crew here, since the last time you could think of nothing but their safety. But as you can see, I’ve managed to create the Hall of Mirrors and one of the delightful chambers of Versailles. Have you ever seen such delicate gold leaf? I still haven’t been able to replicate the marvelous grounds around the palace, but in time, all in time.
“Do you like it, captain? I do think it’s much improved. I thought I would try another route this time, using that delightful phrase ‘all your base are belong to us.’ From a completely different period of Earth’s history, I know, but quite entertaining! Captain, won’t you dine with us? Do stay, I did so love your company the last time, though it was interrupted by your rather unfortunate First Officer. I had hoped that this universe find you without him, but c’est la vie, as they say. My home, is your home.”
The captain said nothing in return, eyes narrowed at Trelane. He seemed to reach the internal conclusion that nothing he said would matter to the madman Trelane, and so turned his attention to those gathered around him.
He looked pointedly at me, as if to ask why I was not at his side. I adjusted my position accordingly. The other crewmembers stepped forward, closing the gaps in the circle. Satisfied, the captain looked at Mr. Scott, a question in his eyes. The Chief Engineer shook his head.
“No way out, sir, except to get a signal and transport out. If our Silver Lady is still up there, that is.”
“Bones?”
“He’s not human, that’s for sure.”
“Specify.”
“He doesn’t even show up in tricorder readings as alive. It’s like he’s matter-energy salad, just there, blabbering on about stuffed fool’s gold French palaces.”
“How’re you feeling?”
“Not bad, Jim. I’ve been better, and I’ve been worse. It’ll be good to get back to the ship, and I can’t believe I’m sayin’ that.”
The captain smiled.
“Sulu?”
“I’m okay. Dr. McCoy checked me out already, nothing’s broken.” Lt. Sulu tugged at the lace bunched at his throat. “What’s up with this guy? Why all this ridiculous gold?”
Jim made a gesture to indicate that he considered Trelane to be mentally unstable. Light laughter rippled through the group and the tension eased slightly. Jim turned his attention to the security team.
“And you guys?”
“There’re no exits for leaving his building, sir. We checked the doors and windows, and they’re all fakes. They show an exterior, but it’s like painting. We’re sealed in, completely trapped here. There’s no security threat yet, but-“
“How wonderful! Plotting again, I see. Well, I shall be eager to see what you cook up this time, captain,” Trelane said, clearly unworried. “I will warn you that I have the absolute advantage in this game now. I’ve made the rules that way. You won’t be able to win like you did the last time.”
A harpsichord materialized and he began to play a grating repetitive tune. Everyone tensed again as they stared at Trelane’s juvenile antics.
“Ignore him. Focus on me. You know I don’t believe in no-win situations. So continue, Lt. Condor.”
The crew’s posture relaxed once more as the captain radiated confidence and authority, like the steady light of a galaxy.
“Like I was sayin’, we have no idea where another threat might come. This Trelane, he seems unstable and very powerful, sir. We’re all watching your back.”
“Thanks. Make sure you watch each others’ too, not just mine.”
“Yup, we’ve got it covered, cap’n.”
“Great. Chekov?”
“Definitely energy manipulator, like our transporter technologies, only wery wery stronger. He is hafing capability to just put atoms together and split them, or ewen at subatomic lewel, keptan. And this complexity and detail, I am nikogda ranshe seeing.”
Jim looked at Nyota.
“He might be all powerful, but he’s not all knowing.”
“He’s made mistakes.”
“Yes. And he’ll probably make mistakes again. He keeps alluding to an alternate reality where he’s met us before, and always comments on how things are different between the two of them. Clearly, he expects similar behavior. That can be useful to us in forcing him to make a miscalculation and giving us some sort of opening to get back to the ship.”
“Woah. Good point. Did you take a tactical analysis class?”
“No. I just picked up some tricks from watching you and Spock.”
“Nice. Any other recommendations?”
“Be yourself. That is, be unpredictable. If we keep him off balance there, we might find some other weakness.”
“I can do that. Spock?”
“Our prospects look bleak, captain. Though Trelane is fallible, that still does not provide us a means by which we may communicate with the ship and transport from this planet. I suggest that we have several teams, each with an objective. Those objectives include gathering data on this previously unknown life form, doing extensive analysis of our surroundings, and finding some way to get back to the Enterprise.”
“Maybe. Just out of curiosity, has anyone tried to shoot him with a phaser? Would it do any kind of damage, if he’s just a blob of discombobulated matter and energy?”
“Negative, captain. I would not advise it. Trelane’s moods are childish and very changeable.”
“You never know until you try.”
“I’ll do it, sir,” Lt. Friedlander volunteered.
“Put it on stun. And do it subtly, if you can. I don’t want you to get killed because of this.”
“Understood, sir.”
The last traces of the crew’s nervousness ebbed away. It was as though they took solace in Jim’s commands, and remembered the collective experience of their service on the Enterprise. He had never failed them, and he would not do so here. There are times when Jim has been defeated. But he has never been beaten.
He had the crew’s full attention and trust.
The captain looked critically at Trelane, who was happily tapping away some trifling melody.
“I don’t get it.”
Jim radiated feeling, like soft golden light. This is how it’s supposed to be, all of us, together. This is how it was. We finally got here. Built and fought and worked and earned. I won’t let anyone take that away from me. But-
“What does he want from us? Why’d he bring us here? For that game of his, whatever it is? Does he want us to just stick around in this gilded cage forever, so that he can play with us whenever he feels like it? Or is this some sort of giant experiment-is he taking measurements and comparing us to our alternate selves? And if he can jump between universes...” Jim did not finish his sentence.
He glanced at me. Uncertainty flickered through his eyes. This is how it’s supposed to be. You by my side. Has been and always will be. Order from chaos, reason in madness.
I nodded. The uncertainty vanished and the blazing light of his confidence reappeared.
“His objective is unclear, captain. It does seem that he views us as mere objects for his amusement rather than individuals with free will.”
“He’s a kid,” Dr. McCoy said. “And a smart one, with too much time and power on his hands, and no sense of responsibility. With this kind of power? Do you realize how many people you could help? How must needless suffering would be reduced?”
“Perhaps he is not helping people because he has never suffered,” Lt. Chekov said quietly. “If he is energy form, he is not liwing, not dying. There is no sorrow and no singing. This hall-I am knowing my Earth history, and Louis could haf used money and power for other things, but he is building a giant gold palace instead. It is serwing political purpose, da, and he is being remembered for it. But to me, it is empty gilded hall, gd’ye nyet lyubvi.”
“Don’t worry about it, captain,” Lt. Sulu said. “We’ll find a way out. We’re alive, breathing. You’re here, we’re all here. There’s nothin’ in the ‘verse that can stop us.”
Annotations
--
“All clear ahead, keptan.”
“Forward readings, Spock?”
“Gravimetric readings show no significant change, zero space density.”
“Great. Punch it at warp 3, Sulu. Colony Beta-6 just called, Uhura?”
“Yes, sir. They urgently need the supplies. What should I tell them for ETA, captain?”
“Tell ‘em we’ll be there at 1850. Right?” Jim looked over his shoulder at me.
I nodded in confirmation. Nyota turned back to her station to communicate with the colony government.
Dr. McCoy entered the bridge, walking with a slight limp.
“Oh, hey Bones. How’s PT going?”
“Damned Chapel’s got me sore on muscles that shouldn’t even exist,” McCoy grumbled. “Where’re we headed?”
“Just flying through the void, right now.”
“Don’t remind me, Jim. I might throw up. I’d hang a man for some nice sunny beach.”
The captain laughed. “Sunlight, palm trees, some surfing? We’re 900 lightyears away from anything remotely like that, Bones.”
“The precise definition of a ‘beach’ is ‘that part of the shore lying between high- and low-water-marks.’ I fail to understand your romantic nostalgia for such a place.”
“Doesn’t surprise me, Spock. I can’t imagine anything ever disturbing those mathematically perfect brainwaves of yours,” he scowled.
I raised one eyebrow. Jim remained silent, a smile of amusement on his face.
“Thank you, Dr. McCoy. It is good to see that you are making a steady recovery.”
McCoy comprehended my meaning. “And it’s not surprising that you’re still the same lizard blooded pointy eared walking talking robot,” he returned.
Jim was extremely entertained. I walked to Lt. Chekov’s terminal.
“Moving on schedule to Quadrant 904 Theta-4.”
“Wait, Mr. Spock,” Lt. Chekov pointed to a signal emerging on the forward sensor readings.
“What? There’s something?” the captain asked, immediately alert.
“Unusual, captain. We are now getting a sizeable space displacement reading.”
“Interference emerging on subspace radio, captain,” Nyota said from her station.
Jim leaned forward in his command chair. “Can you verify, Chekov?”
“Yes, sir. Forward sweeps were negative, but then appeared-I am not knowing what this is, keptan. It must be at light warp or we would have seen it earlier, in initial scans. But it is strange, very strange readings.”
“Give me a visual.”
“Iron, silicon body. Planet size magnitude 1E. Most certainly not Class M, Jim. We will be passing close.”
“Sulu, avoid smashing into that thing. Chekov, replot course after Sulu does some evasive maneuvering.”
“You got it, captain.”
“Don’t tell me,” the captain said looking at me. “There aren’t any records of it anywhere.”
“Affirmative. However, a body of this size, mass, and unusual characteristics-it is inconceivable that it has gone unnoticed in all the records.”
“And yet, here it is. We don’t have time to investigate. Get your scientists to gather as much data as they can for our computers. Uhura, how’s the interference?”
“Not good, sir, getting stronger. I’ve already tried to send several transmissions to notify Starfleet of the discovery of this planet, but nothing’s getting through. The source has to be the planet.”
“Sulu, are we out of range?”
“Uh, captain? The planet is following us? I’m executing every combo that I know, and it’s still right there.”
“Put everyone on yellow alert. Sulu, why don’t we try backtracking.”
“Putting everything in reverse, sir.” Lt. Sulu manipulated his controls and reached to enter the sequence when he disappeared from the bridge.
“Sulu!”
Jim ran to Sulu’s station. He then promptly vanished. I swiftly went to the captain’s chair.
“Lt. Uhura, red alert. As this planet clearly wishes to keep us in its orbit, we will not attempt escape. Ship wide, please, Nyota.”
“Already done, Spock.”
“Commander Spock speaking. The captain and Lt. Sulu have been removed by unknown means to an unknown location from the bridge. Science Department, employ high definition scans on the planet to locate the whereabouts of Captain Kirk and Lt. Sulu. All personnel will notify the command crew immediately if any individual is missing. This is a Class Four situation, conduct yourselves accordingly. Lt. Giotto, a search and rescue team is in order. Mr. Scott to the bridge please. Spock out.”
--
“Ship’s log, stardate 2124.5 First Officer Spock reporting for Captain James Kirk. We are orbiting a previously unnoted planet in the 906 quadrant. For four hours, we have made every instrument sweep, but Captain Kirk and Lt. Sulu remain unaccounted for. I have placed the ship on red alert.”
“We’ve searched again from stem to stern. If they’re not down on that planet, they’re nowhere.”
“I am agreeing with Scotty, sir. There are no signs of life on the planet below, but probability is indicating that disappearances are related to planet. Hotya, the environment below-prosto uzhas!”
“Why, what’s wrong with that rock down there, other than the small fact that the goddamn thing was following us?”
“Dr. Jaeger, please repeat your findings.”
“Yes, sir. There’s no detectable soil or vegetation, obviously, since it’s an extremely hot, toxic atmosphere. Readings indicate that there are frequent acid storms that sweep through. We have continuous volcanic eruptions, making this planet totally unsuitable for life as we know it. Even our best life support systems would melt in that heat.”
“I’m getting too damn old for this sort of thing,” Dr. McCoy groaned. “Whenever you put decide to send down a search party, put me on the list.”
“With your injury, it is not advisable that you beam down to the planet. The search may be long and exhausting, thereby overtaxing your system and damaging your natural course of recovery.”
“Spock, my natural course of recovery would’ve been a coffin not thirty years ago. Just let me go down there.”
I sighed internally. “Very well. Request granted, doctor.”
“Thanks.” He briefly clasped my shoulder with his hand. “I’ll get out of your way and get myself prepped in Sickbay.”
“Wait. Everyone, I think you should see this.” Nyota put a message up on the viewscreen.
There appeared a string of words: How are you gentlemen !!
“Is this some lad’s idea of a joke?”
Then: All your base are belong to us.
“Send this, Lt. Uhura. U.S.S. Enterprise to signaler on planet surface. Identify self.”
“’You haf no chance to survive make your time.’ What is that meaning, Mr. Spock? ‘Ha ha ha ha... Tallyho!’?”
“What in the name of Christ-?”
“I’ll entertain any theories, gentlemen, any at all.”
“Well, there’s got to be life down there!”
“Not necessarily, Mr. Scott. The message may be automatically generated by some device, or it may somehow originate from the planet itself.”
“But where there’s a signal, there’s some sort of sentience of civilization that built it. Request permission to go down there and investigate, Mr. Spock.”
Sending two of the most senior officers of the Enterprise down to a hostile planet surface would not, in most cases, be considered a wise decision. However, I considered the experience and expertise of both Dr. McCoy and Engineer Scott as well as their emotional needs. They wanted to do this out of loyalty to Jim. Montgomery Scott is not one to capriciously volunteer for such missions.
“Sir, there is appearing on sensors a small area, conditions wery different from planet. It is almost Earthlike.”
“What’re your coordinates, Chekov? I’ve locked onto the source of the signals-are they the same?”
Lt. Chekov ran to Nyota’s computer. “Da! Da da, it is matching!”
“Request granted, Mr. Scott. Lt. Giotto, send your rescue team to the transporter room for beam down to the planet. All landing party members are to be equipped with emergency life support systems and the new communicator models. Lt. Chekov, see to their transport personally and monitor their signals closely. We will beam them up at any sign of change in that region.”
Make your time Make your time Make your time flashed on the view screen.
“Dismissed.”
--
“Are the new communicators functional, Lt. Uhura?”
“Somewhat. I’m not able to make out what they’re transmitting, but we can keep track of their coordinates. I’m trying to reduce the signal/noise ratio, and I think I can pick up on some of the notes they’re transmitting up.”
“Put it on the view screen as a continuous feed. Lt. Chekov, are there any other anomalous signs?”
“No, sir. But area seems to be dark-like whole thing is under artificial darkness. I am not knowing of such a thing existing in the universe. The physics must be wery interesting to look at.”
“Undoubtedly the case. However, continue to monitor the area and probe for life forms.”
“Aye sir.”
“Lt. Uhura, I have assigned Dr. Fordheim to assist you in reducing the subspace interference noise. Dr. Balenchine will help in the decoding process.”
“Understood, sir.”
-successf-beam-eems like-ndon’d-get that, M-Sp-k?-can’t-signa-l-l-l-arehow-dark-unusua-a-vestigas-sh-will-try-comm-t’out-
-amn thing doesn-ork-Spock!-can-ou-hear?-dam-t-no-sign-n-z-t-xxx-jimsulu-night?-g-ahead-seems to be-uge-ssss-get that?-build-ng-hea-old-Coyout-
“Spock to Engineering Department.”
“Yeoman Mahlaleel here, sir.”
“Please notify Engineer Mingshen to report to the bridge immediately. His skills are required.”
“I’ll do that right away, sir.”
-dunno-work?-nyways-kkr-capt-tenant-ss-ss-ss-trpp-repeat, Captain Kirk an-ff-nn-duh-duh-tricor-inconclusiv-z-
“Nyota. Analysis.”
“I think the captain and Sulu are down there. Everyone seems to agree that it’s really dark and there’s some sort of building, and its proportions are huge. But wouldn’t something like that show up in a scan?”
“It would. However, it may have materialized at that moment. Lt. Chekov?”
“We are scanning, sir, and confirm large unnatural structure. It is like it came out of the ground.”
“What are your hypotheses as to the intelligence guiding these processes?”
“I have no idea. Matter-energy manipulation? Some sort of being with unheard of power and technology?”
“Indications of a power source at that location, Mr. Chekov?”
“Negative. I am thinking this is something we are never hafing seen before. Either technology is far beyond our detection-I think this is unlikely-or there is powerful life form.”
At the moment the lieutenant finished his statement, a being appeared, floating, in the middle of the bridge. His skin was olive and he has long green hair that flowed upwards. By all appearances, he was humanoid, but he had a robotic part covering the right side of his face. Both eyes were red. The creature was dressed in an elaborate uniform, meant to signify membership in some armed service, and over that he wore an enormous purple robe.
Everyone on the bridge gaped.
“Oh wonderful! Wonderful! Why, I don’t believe I’ve met you-you weren’t here the last time,” he said, looking at Lt. Chekov. “You all figured it out so much faster than the others! How delightful!”
With those words, the being transformed instantly into a Terran-like man, dressed in archaic blue officer robes, like those worn in the pre-Warp era European militaries.
“Well, of course you don’t remember me, how could you? I’m General Trelane, retired. I used to call myself a squire, but that goes according to the English, not the French tradition, I think. One must be consistent,” he chortled. “I’m so happy to see you again! I didn’t know if you would be here in this universe.”
Trelane looked at me. “Oh. You’re here too. I suppose you must be lurking near, if James Kirk is in the area. What did they call you then?” he pretended to ponder. “Ah yes, Kirk’s shadow.”
“What have you done with Captain Kirk and Lt. Sulu. Where are Leonard McCoy and Montgomery Scott, and the security team dispatched,” I demanded.
“Patience, Mr. Spock. You always were very ill mannered. Now, I won’t make the same mistake I did last time and let you all get away. I’m going to do this properly-“
The Enterprise vanished and was replaced with a great gilded hall lined with mirrors. The whole of the bridge command team found themselves in this hall, dressed in old and extremely restrictive Terran apparel. I found myself similarly attired in a garish suit covered in ruffles and lace.
“I did so much more research and didn’t make those silly errors like I had with the other James Kirk. Earth men are so very interesting, I must say you are still my favorite species. I’ve studied it all-the whole gamut of your history, but there’s no age I like better than under Louis XIV! The Sun King! Such power! Regality! That court of his, Versailles, it’s marvelous! Oh, it was a golden age in France. We shall all dance and drink and be merry.
“You will find the food a distinct improvement from before. I’ve imitated the molecular structure exactly, so it ought to taste like it really is. My matter manipulations has vastly improved-I don’t even need to use my machine anymore!
“Oh, but silly me, where are my manners. You are the Enterprise crew, you’ve never known any other reality. No matter, no matter. Festivities are in order!”
He clapped his hands and a passageway appeared, leading to a spacious and lavishly decorated room. Everything was gilded and glittering.
“I haven’t lost my taste for a good show, the theater, the theater! Moliere and the follies! And I still love the sound of the harpsichord. Let’s having a round of dancing, shall we?”
Trelane extravagantly waved his arms and a courtly waltz sounded through the room. No one danced.
“Oh, why aren’t you dancing?!” Trelane whined.
“Where is James T. Kirk.”
“I assure you, Mr. Spock, they are quite safe. I haven’t done anything to them at all,” he smiled. “But I suppose you want them back.”
The missing men materialized before us. It is a credit to the crew’s training that they immediately were wary and looked around for any signs of danger, and then began to assess their surroundings and take tricorder readings.
The crew instinctively gathered near the captain and faced Trelane.
“Spock?” the captain rubbed his eyes. “This has gotta be the weirdest dream I’ve ever had. Why are you dressed like that?”
“It is no dream, captain. You are similarly garbed.”
The captain looked down at the overwhelming number of frills, tassels, and medals covering his outer coat.
“Sulu, pinch me.” Jim yelped, then rubbed his arm. “Yup, definitely a nightmare.”
“If only I had kept the specimens from the other universe, it would have made such a fine collection! Why captain-“ Trelane exclaimed. “Your eyes are blue! I distinctly remember their color as gold.”
“Uh... sure?” Jim frowned. He briefly glanced behind him, as if he were doing a headcount. “Who are you? Why’ve you brought us here? Where’s my ship?”
“Remarkable! Such differences between you and your other self, even physiological. And among the crew! I could never have predicted it. But even there, some things never change,” Trelane chuckled. “You are a bit rough around the edges-the other Kirk had some more manners, but you are the same at heart. As is, I’m afraid, your ill-bred First Officer there.”
Jim processed all the information silently, his eyes blazing. They gave no insight as to his thoughts.
“That doesn’t answer any of my questions.”
“As I said to your alternate self,” Trelane continued obliviously, “my greetings and felicitations,” he bowed deeply. “You may call me General Trelane, retired. The first time I encountered you and your crew, Captain Kirk, was when I was making a study of Earth and its culture. You happened to come right in my path when I had finished putting all the detail into my new playroom.
“I didn’t know it then, but it was such an ideal opportunity for study. I had a script in mind before, you see. I thought we would all sit down and have a rousing talk about recent campaigns against the Spanish and the Holy Roman Empire, talk of the wholesale destruction of the Aztec and Mayan Empires. Or perhaps fighting the infidels of the Islamic Empire. But you would have none of it, and gave me something so much better and entertaining instead!
“And now, it is most fortuitous that we should meet again! My understanding of humans has improved by leaps and bounds, if I do say so myself. I brought your whole crew here, since the last time you could think of nothing but their safety. But as you can see, I’ve managed to create the Hall of Mirrors and one of the delightful chambers of Versailles. Have you ever seen such delicate gold leaf? I still haven’t been able to replicate the marvelous grounds around the palace, but in time, all in time.
“Do you like it, captain? I do think it’s much improved. I thought I would try another route this time, using that delightful phrase ‘all your base are belong to us.’ From a completely different period of Earth’s history, I know, but quite entertaining! Captain, won’t you dine with us? Do stay, I did so love your company the last time, though it was interrupted by your rather unfortunate First Officer. I had hoped that this universe find you without him, but c’est la vie, as they say. My home, is your home.”
The captain said nothing in return, eyes narrowed at Trelane. He seemed to reach the internal conclusion that nothing he said would matter to the madman Trelane, and so turned his attention to those gathered around him.
He looked pointedly at me, as if to ask why I was not at his side. I adjusted my position accordingly. The other crewmembers stepped forward, closing the gaps in the circle. Satisfied, the captain looked at Mr. Scott, a question in his eyes. The Chief Engineer shook his head.
“No way out, sir, except to get a signal and transport out. If our Silver Lady is still up there, that is.”
“Bones?”
“He’s not human, that’s for sure.”
“Specify.”
“He doesn’t even show up in tricorder readings as alive. It’s like he’s matter-energy salad, just there, blabbering on about stuffed fool’s gold French palaces.”
“How’re you feeling?”
“Not bad, Jim. I’ve been better, and I’ve been worse. It’ll be good to get back to the ship, and I can’t believe I’m sayin’ that.”
The captain smiled.
“Sulu?”
“I’m okay. Dr. McCoy checked me out already, nothing’s broken.” Lt. Sulu tugged at the lace bunched at his throat. “What’s up with this guy? Why all this ridiculous gold?”
Jim made a gesture to indicate that he considered Trelane to be mentally unstable. Light laughter rippled through the group and the tension eased slightly. Jim turned his attention to the security team.
“And you guys?”
“There’re no exits for leaving his building, sir. We checked the doors and windows, and they’re all fakes. They show an exterior, but it’s like painting. We’re sealed in, completely trapped here. There’s no security threat yet, but-“
“How wonderful! Plotting again, I see. Well, I shall be eager to see what you cook up this time, captain,” Trelane said, clearly unworried. “I will warn you that I have the absolute advantage in this game now. I’ve made the rules that way. You won’t be able to win like you did the last time.”
A harpsichord materialized and he began to play a grating repetitive tune. Everyone tensed again as they stared at Trelane’s juvenile antics.
“Ignore him. Focus on me. You know I don’t believe in no-win situations. So continue, Lt. Condor.”
The crew’s posture relaxed once more as the captain radiated confidence and authority, like the steady light of a galaxy.
“Like I was sayin’, we have no idea where another threat might come. This Trelane, he seems unstable and very powerful, sir. We’re all watching your back.”
“Thanks. Make sure you watch each others’ too, not just mine.”
“Yup, we’ve got it covered, cap’n.”
“Great. Chekov?”
“Definitely energy manipulator, like our transporter technologies, only wery wery stronger. He is hafing capability to just put atoms together and split them, or ewen at subatomic lewel, keptan. And this complexity and detail, I am nikogda ranshe seeing.”
Jim looked at Nyota.
“He might be all powerful, but he’s not all knowing.”
“He’s made mistakes.”
“Yes. And he’ll probably make mistakes again. He keeps alluding to an alternate reality where he’s met us before, and always comments on how things are different between the two of them. Clearly, he expects similar behavior. That can be useful to us in forcing him to make a miscalculation and giving us some sort of opening to get back to the ship.”
“Woah. Good point. Did you take a tactical analysis class?”
“No. I just picked up some tricks from watching you and Spock.”
“Nice. Any other recommendations?”
“Be yourself. That is, be unpredictable. If we keep him off balance there, we might find some other weakness.”
“I can do that. Spock?”
“Our prospects look bleak, captain. Though Trelane is fallible, that still does not provide us a means by which we may communicate with the ship and transport from this planet. I suggest that we have several teams, each with an objective. Those objectives include gathering data on this previously unknown life form, doing extensive analysis of our surroundings, and finding some way to get back to the Enterprise.”
“Maybe. Just out of curiosity, has anyone tried to shoot him with a phaser? Would it do any kind of damage, if he’s just a blob of discombobulated matter and energy?”
“Negative, captain. I would not advise it. Trelane’s moods are childish and very changeable.”
“You never know until you try.”
“I’ll do it, sir,” Lt. Friedlander volunteered.
“Put it on stun. And do it subtly, if you can. I don’t want you to get killed because of this.”
“Understood, sir.”
The last traces of the crew’s nervousness ebbed away. It was as though they took solace in Jim’s commands, and remembered the collective experience of their service on the Enterprise. He had never failed them, and he would not do so here. There are times when Jim has been defeated. But he has never been beaten.
He had the crew’s full attention and trust.
The captain looked critically at Trelane, who was happily tapping away some trifling melody.
“I don’t get it.”
Jim radiated feeling, like soft golden light. This is how it’s supposed to be, all of us, together. This is how it was. We finally got here. Built and fought and worked and earned. I won’t let anyone take that away from me. But-
“What does he want from us? Why’d he bring us here? For that game of his, whatever it is? Does he want us to just stick around in this gilded cage forever, so that he can play with us whenever he feels like it? Or is this some sort of giant experiment-is he taking measurements and comparing us to our alternate selves? And if he can jump between universes...” Jim did not finish his sentence.
He glanced at me. Uncertainty flickered through his eyes. This is how it’s supposed to be. You by my side. Has been and always will be. Order from chaos, reason in madness.
I nodded. The uncertainty vanished and the blazing light of his confidence reappeared.
“His objective is unclear, captain. It does seem that he views us as mere objects for his amusement rather than individuals with free will.”
“He’s a kid,” Dr. McCoy said. “And a smart one, with too much time and power on his hands, and no sense of responsibility. With this kind of power? Do you realize how many people you could help? How must needless suffering would be reduced?”
“Perhaps he is not helping people because he has never suffered,” Lt. Chekov said quietly. “If he is energy form, he is not liwing, not dying. There is no sorrow and no singing. This hall-I am knowing my Earth history, and Louis could haf used money and power for other things, but he is building a giant gold palace instead. It is serwing political purpose, da, and he is being remembered for it. But to me, it is empty gilded hall, gd’ye nyet lyubvi.”
“Don’t worry about it, captain,” Lt. Sulu said. “We’ll find a way out. We’re alive, breathing. You’re here, we’re all here. There’s nothin’ in the ‘verse that can stop us.”
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