Time Asunder Pt. 1

Posted on Thu Aug 15th, 2024 @ 12:05pm by Captain Shran dh'Klar & Commander Jonathan Grayson & Lieutenant Imik S'Niohun & Lieutenant Inara Senn

Mission: The Andromeda Strain
Location: USS Washington

The Washington moved cautiously towards its target, the largest of the anomalies in this system. As they did, the Ojnas vessel moved to their target. Sachzny had informed them of new information regarding the plan and Deanna had confirmed it and made the adjustments to the battle plan. Shran had ordered the armor deployed to pair with the use of the transphasic torpedoes. It was an added defensive measure if nothing else. Based on what Deanna and Inara had suggested, he was waiting for something unexpected to happen. It seemed likely to happen, considering the increased temporal energy they were dealing with as they moved ever closer. And then they had to consider the alien intruders. They'd likely try to stop them in some way.

Imik scanned the area around the Washington, then almost imperceptibly a large return began to take shape within the anomaly. "Captain, there is movement within the anomaly. A large vessel is attempting to exit it and enter our universe, the smaller alien vessels are beginning to form up in a protective screen."

On the Ojnas ship similar movement was detected with their anomaly, Calmaxus turned to face Sachzny. "Do we proceed Sinkahue? Or take up a defensive position along side the Federation vessel?"

Shaking her head, Sachzny responded to the question, "Prepare to fire as ordered, I will not allow these invaders to attack or destroy anything else. We lost our home once before in the past, I will defend it to my last breath this time."

Calmaxus now faced the viewscreen, "Open fire with torpedo's at designated target, security close up and prepare for boarders." He turned back to his CO, "They will respond Sinkahue, better ready for them than fall before them."

Sachzny nodded, "As the Humans say, better to die on ones feet than live on ones knees."

"All due respect, gentlemen, I would prefer to think about living that dying." Inara noted. "Because I've met the gods. They are all vague, hypocritical, condescending, self-righteous, entitled, egotistical, assholes." Inara noted. "Okay I guess some are not all bad, but they are vague, and I'd rather not be dead so I could hear an essay on 'mortal fallibility'. An excruciating philosophical essay, if I ever heard one. Just like most philosophy schools trying to wedge themselves into the Daystrom Institute with essays that I listen to when I cannot sleep at night."

Jon shook his head at Inara's statement. "The perfect remedy for when you can't sleep. Listen to a philosophical essay. You may be onto something Inara."

"Perhaps we should focus on the task at hand and discuss insomnia remedies later" Deanna quipped.

"Point well taken" Shran replied. "Continue forward, ready weapons."

"Spoken like a true Andorian" said a voice from the rear of the bridge.

Shran stood and looked back to see who had spoken and was stunned when he saw an Andorian standing there, one he knew to be dead centuries ago. "It can't be. You are Thy'lek Shran. You are my ancestor."

The Andorian looked around. "This appears a fine ship, despite all the pink skins."

Imik now drew her knife and slowly approached the stranger, "I am not a pink skin, I am Ojnas, and you will surrender to me or face the consequences." She stood waiting and cast a quick glance towards her Captain, the situation was too finely poised to let an alien interfere now.

The Andorian's antennae rose to a full point. "You dare point a weapon at a member of the Imperial Guard?" he said incredulously.

"Imik, that is my ancestor. I am named for him" Shran said proudly.

"I dare apparition, I am Ojnas and my duty is to defend my Sinkahue and my vessel." Shran's voice now reached Imik and with a swift flick of her wrist the blade was turned and returned to its sheath, "By your command Sinkhue, I listen and obey." She stepped back behind her console but kept her eyes drilled on the strange Andorian, should he make one wrong move she would react.

"A strange but proud guardsman" the Andorian spoke as he watched Imik sheath her blade. "And this ship, it has the look of the pink skin designs."

"This is the Federation Starship Washington. What year is it from your vantage point?" Shran questioned.

"From the pink skin calendar, it is August 13, 2161" the Andorian replied. "You said Federation. That was what Archer was speaking about at the conference."

"August 13, 2131..." Shran mumbled. Suddenly his eyes widened, and his antennae stood straight, "The day after the Federation charter was signed. You had rescued Talla with the help of Archer and you were rendezvousing with Jhamel, returning to Andoria."

The Andorian looked stunned. "How do you know all of that?"

"That tale has been passed down for many generations in my family" Shran replied as he looked at this Andorian. He looked back at Deanna, "Why is he here? And what happens if we don't get him back to his point in time?"

Deanna was a bit perplexed. "I can't give you a definitive answer. My best guess would be he was brought through the time rift somehow. Because he is from what we would consider the past, we'll have to send him back somehow or risk our entire timeline."

A voice whispered to Inara, "One is about to appear for you as well."

Suddenly the doors to the rear turbolift opened and a woman stepped out wearing what looked like a StarFleet uniform, but it wasn't from this period either. The woman looked around, confusion upon her face, and then she stopped and stared at Inara. "Inara?" she questioned as a tear ran down her cheek.

Time slowed for Inara as she walked over to Josie. "Josie..." As far as Inara could tell, there was muffled talking in the room, including another Andorian. All she could do was look at her. "Josie...."

Jon looked at both Deanna and Imik as now Inara was visited by a visitor from her past. "Deanna, what's going on? People known to the crew but not just people but one's that have an importance to them."

"The temporal energy is continuing to increase as we move closer to the anomalies. Temporal incursions are occurring throughout the ship. Time is literally being torn asunder" Deanna replied. "We have to close these rifts before they irreparably damage spacetime in our universe."

Josie approached Inara and hugged her. "You disappeared. I thought I had lost you. I looked everywhere for you, but I couldn't find a trace of you. Why are we on an old Sovereign class vessel?"

Inara bowed her head. "I made mistakes, Josie, and you may not forgive me. I am in this time because I'm paying for it. I don't remember it all. But what I do know... I'll tell you about it later. Right now. we need to end this. And if you're still here afterwards then they have forgiven me. If not, then I am still on trial. Whatever happens, I love you." Inara noted. "Josie, we need someone on science two. You've had experience with time. We are dealing with an extra-dimensional invasion, and they are pushing this anomaly open by any means necessary. It exists in multiple realities and if we don't close it., We're all doomed." Inara noted. "Josie.. I need your help."

Josie smiled, "No need to apologize. Let's just be happy that we are together again." She sat down at the science station and activated it, looking over the information. "It seems that you are on course to close these anomalies using transphasic torpedoes. You even have a firing pattern outlined here that seems to be in order. Did you come up with this solution, or was it someone else? Whoever it was, it is a brilliant solution. The only issue you may have is keeping yourself safe from the massive amount of temporal energy that will be emitted when the anomalies are closed, or in this case, imploded. Whoever is creating these rifts, they must be harnessing the energy from multiple stars to create them, but if you look here, they are unstable, which is why the transphasic torpedoes will be able to collapse them. I think you'll find that anything that is outside its proper time will revert back to its proper time frame once the anomalies are closed, unless they are somehow anchored here."

Inara paused a moment then looked at Inara. She stared at her... She wanted to be with her forever, they had endured too much to be seperated again. She then thought.. These upstarts were causing the destruction of billions. Her happiness, or billions. She spoke to her. "I love you...."

Josie looked to Inara and in a hushed sincere tone replied, "I know."

Inara turned to her console. "Captain, I'm beginning to get a readout on the locations we will... need to fire the transphasic torpedoes."

Jon looked around the bridge, so far he, Deanna and Imik had been spared any visitors from their respective pasts. "Deanna, how long before we are in optimal firing for the transphasic torpedoes?"

"Optimum firing range in 20 seconds..."Deanna began to reply, before she stopped speaking and looked to her console. "Detecting another vessel, Federation signature. Excelsior class. I believe it is the Enterprise...NCC 1701-B."

Imik now checked her readouts, "Confirmed Sinkahue, and the range is closing."

On 32251 a slow approach and careful manoeuvring, had placed it in the ideal firing spot. But now Calmaxus picked up a contact closing on them, "Sinkahue, we have an Ojnas vessel astern of us. It reads as 4391, your orders?"

Sachzny nodded, "Contact and warn it away, do not ask for any names of the bridge crew."

Her XO paused and looked at his CO, but them carried out her orders. "They wish to talk to you Sinkahue."

"Close communication." The Ojnas CO turned to her XO, "That is my first vessel, I am on that bridge as a Security Officer. We must not pollute the timeline, prepare to fire and end this madness."

Imik now picked up a psychic contact, but it was one which confused her. Simply put, she had two of the same contact. But one was young while the other older and more mature, shutting her mind she glanced around and gripped the console hard. Somehow Imik knew she had to continue, and this confusion could disable her badly if it wasn't ended soon.


TBC