Investigations - A TNG Fic

[Dingo]

Disclaimer: I obviously do not own Star Trek: The Next Generation or any crossovers that may appear in this fanfic. The story takes place sometime during the 7th Season before All Good Things...

Author's Note: Sorry this installment's short but I've got an early day tommorrow. I'll try and post more tommorrow night.

---

Captain's Log, Stardate 48327.73: The Enterprise is currently rendezvousing with a shuttlecraft from Starbase 321 carrying Agents Dulmer and Lucsley of the Department of Temporal Investigations...

Captain Jean-Luc Picard sat at his desk in his ready room as his comm badge. Worf's barritone voice echoed into the chamber, "Sir, Agents Dulmer and Lucsley are onboard and requesting to see you. Shall I send them to your ready room."

Might as well get the pain over with, as associated with a familiar yet painful song and dance. Picard thought to himself as he sipped a cup of Earl Grey, hot. Of course.

The door to the ready room opened and the two gray suited DTI agents walked into the room and seated themselves directly across from him.

"Captain Jean-Luc Picard." Dulmer began without preamble, "You have nine separate temporal violations on your file, five of them directly attributable to you and four of them you had at least partial involvement in."

"Captain. Do you know why we're here? Your tenth." Lucsley replied.

"Begin by explaining to us the events beginning on Stardate 48316.78." Dulmer replied.

Picard rubbed the bridge of his nose before replying, "It began around the time that we were celebrating the promotion of Lieutenant Junior Grade Robin Lefler..."

---

Ten Forward, Four Days Earlier: "Congratulations Lieutenant Lefler. Your promotion to the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade carries increased responsibility as well as respect." Picard said as he pinned the second pip onto Lefler's collar.

Applause echoed throughout Ten Forward as Picard continued. "Let me be first to congratulate you Lieutenant."

He offered Lefler a firm handshake which she returned. Shortly afterward Commander Riker came up to her and said: "Congratulations Robin. You've earned it."

Data approached and said, "Congratulations Lieutenant. I note that there seems to be a higher than usual flow of blood to the epidermal layer of your face."

"Data. It's called a blush." Geordi replied before adding, "Best wishes Robin."

"Thank you sir." Lefler replied with another handshake.

It was then that the Enterprise-D shook violently, tossing crewmembers and any items not secured all over the place. Lefler narrowly avoided being hit in the face by a punch bowl from a nearby table that flew into the nearest bulkhead and shattered.

She didn't avoid a collision with Commander Riker and in a tangle of limbs and bodies the two of them rolled down the deck out of the door of Ten Forward and right into the nearest bulkhead. It was around then that Lefler promptly lost consciousness.

She awoke sometime later to find herself pinned under Riker who was also regaining consciousness. She could see and hear Captain Picard standing up by the doorway of Ten Forward and tapping his commbadge.

"Report." Picard ordered.

Worf's voice echoed over the comm badge, "We appear to have been hit by a shockwave of unknown origin. Sensors are still down as is the main computer. We are receiving reports of minor injuries throughout the ship but no deaths or serious injuries received."

---

Picard's Ready Room, Four Days Later: "So after that shockwave hit when did you realize that you were in proximity of the Earth in the year 1943?" Lucsley asked...

To Be Continued...

 

[RobertScorpio]

Disclaimer: I obviously do not own Star Trek: The Next Generation or any crossovers that may appear in this fanfic. The story takes place sometime during the 7th Season before All Good Things...

Author's Note: Sorry this installment's short but I've got an early day tommorrow. I'll try and post more tommorrow night.

---

Captain's Log, Stardate 48327.73: The Enterprise is currently rendezvousing with a shuttlecraft from Starbase 321 carrying Agents Dulmer and Lucsley of the Department of Temporal Investigations...

Captain Jean-Luc Picard sat at his desk in his ready room as his comm badge. Worf's barritone voice echoed into the chamber, "Sir, Agents Dulmer and Lucsley are onboard and requesting to see you. Shall I send them to your ready room."

Might as well get the pain over with, as associated with a familiar yet painful song and dance. Picard thought to himself as he sipped a cup of Earl Grey, hot. Of course.

The door to the ready room opened and the two gray suited DTI agents walked into the room and seated themselves directly across from him.

"Captain Jean-Luc Picard." Dulmer began without preamble, "You have nine separate temporal violations on your file, five of them directly attributable to you and four of them you had at least partial involvement in."

"Captain. Do you know why we're here? Your tenth." Lucsley replied.

"Begin by explaining to us the events beginning on Stardate 48316.78." Dulmer replied.

Picard rubbed the bridge of his nose before replying, "It began around the time that we were celebrating the promotion of Lieutenant Junior Grade Robin Lefler..."

---

Ten Forward, Four Days Earlier: "Congratulations Lieutenant Lefler. Your promotion to the rank of Lieutenant Junior Grade carries increased responsibility as well as respect." Picard said as he pinned the second pip onto Lefler's collar.

Applause echoed throughout Ten Forward as Picard continued. "Let me be first to congratulate you Lieutenant."

He offered Lefler a firm handshake which she returned. Shortly afterward Commander Riker came up to her and said: "Congratulations Robin. You've earned it."

Data approached and said, "Congratulations Lieutenant. I note that there seems to be a higher than usual flow of blood to the epidermal layer of your face."

"Data. It's called a blush." Geordi replied before adding, "Best wishes Robin."

"Thank you sir." Lefler replied with another handshake.

It was then that the Enterprise-D shook violently, tossing crewmembers and any items not secured all over the place. Lefler narrowly avoided being hit in the face by a punch bowl from a nearby table that flew into the nearest bulkhead and shattered.

She didn't avoid a collision with Commander Riker and in a tangle of limbs and bodies the two of them rolled down the deck out of the door of Ten Forward and right into the nearest bulkhead. It was around then that Lefler promptly lost consciousness.

She awoke sometime later to find herself pinned under Riker who was also regaining consciousness. She could see and hear Captain Picard standing up by the doorway of Ten Forward and tapping his commbadge.

"Report." Picard ordered.

Worf's voice echoed over the comm badge, "We appear to have been hit by a shockwave of unknown origin. Sensors are still down as is the main computer. We are receiving reports of minor injuries throughout the ship but no deaths or serious injuries received."

---

Picard's Ready Room, Four Days Later: "So after that shockwave hit when did you realize that you were in proximity of the Earth in the year 1943?" Lucsley asked...

To Be Continued...

Off to a good start...keep it going. I like how you dove write into the story; made me want more!

rob

 

[adm_gold]

Good start. I'll be back for more!

 

[Dingo]

Author's Note: The Alternate Universe World War II the Enterprise-D finds itself in is an alternate universe I created for a series of Charmed/Kingdom Hearts Fics I wrote about three years ago on fanfiction.net. There's no need to read any of these fics to get the gist of this story but I felt I owed readers an explanation of the origin of this AU WWII I came up with.

---

Picard's Ready Room: "We realized we were in the year 1943 when we attempted to open a channel to Starfleet Command." Picard replied.

"Please continue." Dulmer replied.

---

Bridge, Four Days Earlier: "Report." Picard said as he squeezed through the now opening turbolift door.
Worf replied, "We were pulled into a rift in the space-time continuum. Our position seems to have been vastly altered."

"Where are we?" Picard asked.

"We are approximately 20,000 kilometers from Earth's orbit." Worf replied.

"How can that be?" Picard asked.

"The rift that we were pulled into must have displaced us in space towards Earth." Worf replied.

"Open a channel to Starfleet Command." Picard ordered.

"No response." Worf replied.

"Run a diagnostic on the communication's array. Let's not rule out the possibility that the rift didn't damage it." Picard replied.

"Yes sir." Worf replied as the red alert klaxons still blared. A few moments later the report from Engineering came back and Worf replied: "No damage to communication systems."

"Do you think the problem is at their end?" Picard asked.

"Sir," Lieutenant Junior Grade Darien Wallace replied from the Conn: "Sensors indicate nothing in orbit around Earth. No sattelites. No starships. Nothing. There's nothing out there when we should be seeing a lot of space traffic."

"This is curious." Picard said.

---

Engineering: "I don't understand." Robin Lefler said as she scanned her instruments at her console.

"Understand what Lefler?" LaForge asked.

"According to our instruments the year is 1943. But that's over four hundred years into the past." Lefler replied: "I've asked Astrometrics and Stellar Cartography to verify."

"Computer. What year is it?" LaForge asked.

"The year is 1943." the computer replied.

Around then Lefler received a message on her console from Astrometrics.

"Sir. Astrometrics agrees." Lefler said.

"Pass your data to the bridge." LaForge said: "I'm heading up there."

"Yes sir." Lefler replied.

---

Bridge: "1943?" Picard said.

"Yes sir." Wallace replied from the console.

"Recommendations?" Picard said.

"We've already started a full spectrum scan for the anamoly that brought us to this time period." Riker began: "So far no signs of it."

---

Picard's Ready Room, Four Days Later: "So you realized that you were in the year 1943." Lucsley replied, "And that was after the realization that there was no space traffic or electromagnetic emissions."

"Correct." Picard said with another sip of tea.

"Well. Your report indicates that it was around this time period that you realized that this was an alternate reality. Could you elaborate." Dulmer replied.

"We realized that we were in an alternate reality when we heard references to a creature known as a 'Heartless'." Picard replied.

---

Engineering, Four Days Earlier: "Commander?" Lefler said as she stood up from her station as LaForge was about to walk onto the turbolift.

"Yes Lieutenant." Geordi replied.

"It just occured to me that there's another way we can verify where, excuse me, when we are." Lefler replied. Those time travel prepositions could be confusing at times.

"Let's hear it." Geordi replied as he walked back over towards her.

"In the 1940s radio was a major means of communication. If we analyze radio waves emanating from Earth we can verify the exact date." Lefler replied.

"Go ahead and see what you can find." Geordi replied.

Lefler went with LaForge and headed into the turbolift. As soon as they were inside LaForge said, "Bridge."

As soon as the turbolift door opened Geordi and Lefler stepped out to the bridge.

"Report Mr. LaForge." Picard said.

"Sir. Lieutenant Lefler informs me that she has another way to verify the time period we're in." LaForge said, "If we are in the 1940s we should be able to listen in on any radio traffic on the EM spectrum."

It was a few minutes before LCDR Data interjected, "Captain. I have begun to follow Lieutenant Lefler's suggestion."

"Play it." Picard said.

"The US Sixth Army has forced a Japanese and Heartless retreat from New Guinea..." the report began.

"Heartless?" Picard asked, "Mr. Data?"

"It is not an isolated occurance. On all the radio bands I have been monitoring I have seen over one hundred references to the term Heartless in the context of a noun." Data replied.

---

Picard's Ready Room, Four Days Later: "So when you encountered references to this term Heartless was when you realized you were in an alternate reality." Dulmer replied.

"What we find to be really of interest is the decision you made to head down to this alternate version of Earth in the middle of this alternate version of World War II." Lucsley replied.

"He does have a habit of questionable temporal practices." Dulmer replied, "He did bring a 19th Century historical figure onboard the Enterprise two years ago."

"His actions from two years ago aren't the issue here." Lucsley replied, "We're more interested to find out exactly why you chose to send away teams into very risky circumstances and possibly altering history for that particular reality."

"So the question, Captain, is why you chose to send away teams to the planet?" Dulmer replied.

"It was the only lead on how we were able to get home. We found sources of unusual chroniton emissions on two sites on that alternate Earth. One of them was in New Guinea. The other was in Italy." Picard replied.

---

"In New Guinea the Japs and Heartless dug their heels into the jungle muck on the various islands and dared Allied forces to come after them. So we did. Only to be met with month after month of tropical diseases, fearsome close quarter engagements and other sights that haunt me to this day." - Anonymous American Soldier, 32nd Infantry Division.

New Guinea, 1943: 1st Lieutenant Danny Carlton of San Diego, California put his right hand on the sling of his M1 Thompson Sub Machingun as he walked towards command post of Charlie Company, 2nd Battalion of the 35th Regimental Combat Team.

His olive drab jungle fatigues were soaked with sweat and water from patrolling into the jungle silently with his seven man reconaissance team from the 6th Army's Alamo Scouts, an elite reconaissance element.

He stuck his sweat soaked patrol cap into a pocket of his trousers.

A hulking, snowy white haired fellow with the twin silver bars of a US Army captain stood at a table with a map.

"Sir. Lieutenant Carlton, Alamo Scouts. My patrol just returned with some fresh intel for you."

"Alright. What do you have." Captain Michael V. Lansor from San Francisco, California, Charlie Company Commander, replied.

"Well sir. For starters we've counted several Jap positions on this ridgeline here and here, they extend in a line oriented roughly east to west with overlapping fields of fire into the valley below." Carlton said.

The large built college professor turned infantry officer by the draft eyed the map thoughtfully as Carlton pointed out more data.

"Behind that line of bunkers I counted at least two mortar pits. We believe they're the chief cause of what chewed Baker Company apart last week in the attempt to take the ridge." Carlton added.

"Defenders?" Lansor asked.

"I estimate a company sized element or larger with a platoon sized formation in reserve in the valley to the north of the old ruins in the valley." Carlton replied: "I assess that they seem to want to hold this particular piece of ground."

"Why is my question. Is there some sort of significance we're missing?" Lansor said.

"Other than those old ruins? I can't think of a single reason as to why." Carlton replied.

"I'll see what I can find out from intel about that. Thank you lieutenant." Lansor replied before dismissing him.

Carlton walked out towards the bivouac area, passing the battalion aid station. Several groaning wounded from Baker Company were still being brought back from the ridgeline where the Japanese had badly mauled Baker Company.

"LT." a Southern accented voice echoed.

Carlton turned to see Sergeant Mitch McKee heading for him.

"What's going on Sarge?"

"Told Vecchio to see the medic. He just came back and the docs told him it was only a minor injury." McKee replied.

"The guys resting up?" Carlton asked.

"Yeah. I told 'em refit and rearm and catch some rest." McKee said.

"Not yet been confirmed but I get the feeling that we're going back over for some more scouting." Carlton replied.

"I don't get it sir. The Japs have been steadily retreating for weeks and now they decide to turn around and hold." McKee said.

"I think it's got something to do with those ruins, Sarge. But the question is what is so damn valuable in there?" Carlton replied.

"Well. That's why we're recon...we'll ferret that info out." McKee replied.

---

To Be Continued...

 

[Mistral]

This is different-and mighty cool. Please don't let it lapse-finish it, by all means.

 

[Dingo]

Conference Room, Four Days Earlier: "According to our sensor logs there was a massive buildup of ionized chroniton particles just before we were displaced to our present location." Data began.

"We believe it was some sort of ripple in the space time continuum but whatever the anomaly was we haven't seen a sign of it through the full spectrum scans we've been running." Geordi replied.

"What about these slight chroniton counts here and here?" Riker asked as he pointed to a site in central Italy and somewhere in New Guinea.

"Nothing conclusive has been seen there yet." Geordi replied.

"Strangely enough none of our scans have been effective at penetrating any further into those sites." Data replied: "Some sort of electromagnetic interference."

"I wasn't aware that electronic jamming methods of the mid-twentieth century were that advanced." Riker replied.

"I do not believe the natives of this alternate version of Earth are responsible. However we cannot rule out that possibility." Data replied.

"What about sending a probe. It's the safest option." Riker replied.

"If the interference manages to disable the probe we could risk it falling into the natives' hands and substantially alter the history of this world." Picard replied: "If we do investigate we'll have to do so from the ground."

"Preliminary scans or at least what we were able to scan before the interference signatures came up revealed signs of developing battles in the area." Geordi replied.

---

New Guinea: "Think we'll catch an air raid?" Private Tony Mazzi, a tall New York Italian machine gunner with slicked back black hair asked.

"How in the hell should I know?" Private Andy Tills, Atlanta, Georgia, replied with a thick Southern twang: "All's I know is that those Baker Company guys didn't catch no air raid last time. On the other hand two weeks ago they nearly got blown up. What do you want me to tell you?"

"You're a big help Tills." Mazzi said sarcastically as he adjusted the heavy load of his .30 caliber machinegun and the sling of his carbine: "Nothing. Tell me nothing."

"Well shit. Baker Company got pretty badly chewed up these last couple days. The Japs are dug in pretty good on that ridgeline up north." Tills replied.

"I never bargained for nothing like this when I signed up for this man's Army back in the Bronx before the war. How was I supposed to know there was gonna be a ****ing war, hanh? Answer me that?" Mazzi replied.

Danny Carlton walked by and overheard the two privates talking. There was no way those guys couldn't know what they were in for on that ridge. The one that had chewed up Baker Company.

He headed over to another corner of the bivouac where Sergeant McKee had pretty much gathered the rest of the team. The men were either eating, sleeping or cleaning weapons.

"Hey LT. Any new marching orders?" McKee said.

"Let's see what that eastern flank looks like. We couldn't get too close because of too many Jap patrols but it looked like a potential area Charlie Company can exploit." Danny replied, "We'll move out at first light. We'll do another recon and head back over here. I've already cleared it with Charlie Company's CO. He's agreed to hold back the attack twenty-four hours before."

"Good thing he was able to convince the Battalion Commander to do that."

"Sarge. I do think Baker Company getting chewed to bits would have something to do with it." Danny replied.

"No arguement here. I agree. Let the boys sleep another few hours and then we move out." McKee said.

---

Picard's Ready Room, Four Days Earlier: "So it was around that time that you decided to send not one but two Away Teams down to Earth in the middle of two developing battles." Dulmer said.

"The chroniton emissions looked like our only option to find out way back to our time." Picard argued.

"Your report seems to suggest that sentiment." Lucsley said.

"It had its risks but they were neccessary risks." Picard replied.

"Neccessary risks but they exposed your crewmembers on both away teams to very fearsome battles that lead to several severe injuries and at least three crewmembers, to include yourself, being detained by hostile natives." Dulmer replied: "Now walk us through that part of your report."

---

To Be Continued...

 

[Mistral]

Oh, yes, please, i can't wait to hear this!

 

[Dingo]

Conference Room, Four Days Earlier: As the senior officers of the USS Enterprise (NCC-1701D) filed out of the conference room Riker stayed behind.

"Yes Number One." Picard said.

"Sir, with all due respect I believe the plan to beam away teams onto this version of Earth in the middle of one of its most destructive conflicts is a bad idea. The risks to our crewmembers..."

"Is acceptable Number One. If we send a probe down and it falls onto the planet's surface we run the risk of having to risk crewmembers at both sites anyway." Picard replied, "Either way it's a bad risk which is why I will lead the Italy away team. Can I count on you to lead the New Guinea team?"

"Yes sir." Riker said, "Always. But as First Officer I had to bring up my concerns over this decision."

"Understood Number One." Picard replied.

---

Picard's Ready Room, Four Days Later: "So despite the objections of your First Officer you went ahead with your plan anyway." Dulmer stated, "Perhaps Commander Riker's actions in New Guinea were the result of his misgivings turning into a self-fulfilling prophesy..."

"Commander Riker performed his duties in an exemplary fashion in New Guinea. He couldn't have lead his away team any better even after the Japanese surprise attack shortly after their beam in." Picard countered.

"Perhaps we should interview members of Riker's away team later." Lucsley said, "Starting with Lieutenant Lefler. She was separated from the away team for several hours before she was able to reunite with them."

---

Engineering, Four Days Earlier: "Lieutenant Barclay, I'm assigning you to the Italy away team." Geordi LaForge began, "Lieutenant Lefler, you're with Commander Riker's away team. I've already got the kits you'll need to scan the chroniton areas. Sickbay is preparing the neccesary innoculations to protect you from any chroniton contamination."

Robin Lefler felt her heart jump in her chest for the first time since Commander LaForge came out of that meeting and Picard decided to send two away teams to the two sites. Riker's team was going to the Pacific. The site of the more savage battles of World War II.

She remembered a history class at Starfleet Academy. Seeing old black and white photographs of the war. They seemed so primitive and backwards. And now she was about to be put in the middle of all of it.

As the meeting broke up Lefler stepped into the turbolift with Reginald Barclay behind her.

"I-I can't help but be a bit nervous." Barclay began.

"Nervous? I'm just about terrified." Lefler replied.

"I'm not the biggest fan of transporter operations." Barclay said.

Lefler was speechless for a good while when Barclay mentioned that. She knew he wasn't a big fan of being beamed anywhere but there was so much more terrifying stuff waiting for them at their destination and...

"It's just so ironic, going down to Earth. Normally it's a place of peace and practically non-existant conflict. It's almost easy to forget that peace is a relatively new phenomenon as far as the history of Earth is concerned." Barclay replied.

"I know. Isn't it." Lefler replied before adding, "Law 19: Away missions can always be a surprise."

"Funny thing about you and all these laws you keep coming up with. I wonder what laws you'll come up as a result of this mission." Barclay replied.

"Maybe something about time travel and temporal anomalies?" Lefler said with a touch of gallow's humor.

"Maybe you should have one about transporter operations?" Barclay said with a nervous chuckle.

"Actually that's Law Number 47: 'always trust your transporter chief'." Lefler replied.

"Compared to being molecularly dismembered and then reassembled I'm sure the Italian peninsula will be a picnic by comparison." Barclay replied again.

---

Italian Peninsula: Captain Anthony Carlyle, 1st Special Service Force, stood in the staff meeting with several British, Canadian, and American officers and NCOs were clustered around a map table.

"Command has compiled together all the information we have been able to ascertain on German positions to the North of us." Captain Alexander Baines, a British officer from the 54th East Anglian Division, began as he indicated a ridgeline north of their position: "However reconaissance information is sketchy at best."

"We've noticed a good amount of German activity over the last few days." Carlyle added, the Canadian officer pointed to a valley in the shadow of the ridge: "Over the past week we fought off two German probing attacks and our recon patrols had quite a few contacts. We managed to keep the Germans from extending into the valley but have had little success driving them off the ridge."

"Reconaissance overflights by my RP-38 reconaissance aircraft have revealed several German troop movements. A lot of construction efforts were noticed." Major Jacob Fitzer of the 191st Photo Reconaissance Squadron replied.

"Additionally we've had quite a few skirmishes with members of the 3rd SS Division in the area." Carlyle added.

"Waffen SS? Definitely signs that the Krauts are really interested in the valley behind that northern ridge. Anything of significance back there?" Major Kyle Kristensen, Operations Officer of the First Special Service Force, replied.

"Other than the old ruins in that valley I can't think for the life of me what is keeping the Krauts interested." Fitzer replied.

"We've got an attack scheduled within the next forty-eight hours. Carlyle. I want you to keep the press on the Germans." Kristensen replied: "The 54th East Anglians are going to press for the ridge but they need time to marshall their forces."

"Roger sir." Carlyle replied and as the meeting broke he headed towards where 2nd Company was bivouaced. Kristensen followed him. The big Montana native was surprisingly fast on his feet and Carlyle turned to face his boss: "Sir?"

"Listen Tony. I know your guys have taken a few casualties over the last week. I've gotten some fresh supplies and ammo for them. But we absolutely must keep the Germans supressed. I've tried seeing if I can't get 3rd Company to give you guys a hand but unfortunately they've got business of their own to the East in the form of a huge German counterattack." Kristensen replied.

"We'll do our job sir." Carlyle replied: "As soon as my guys get some rest we'll move out again."

---

To Be Continued...I'll post more later today.

 

[Dingo]

Conference Room: Robin Lefler sat in the conference room as the agents of the Department of Temporal Investigations walked in.

"Thank you for taking the time to speak with us Lieutenant Lefler." Dulmer began.

As if I had a choice. Lefler thought as she stifled commenting on the mandatory nature of her chat with the DTI agents. After all it was a professional obligation to have to talk to these men.

"So tell us about your role in the away mission." Lucsley replied.

"I was assigned to Commander Riker's away mission as the engineering specialist. I was going to scan for the chroniton emissions and relay my data to the Enterprise." Lefler replied.

---

Transporter Room 2, Four Days Earlier: Robin Lefler stood on the transporter pad. She lightly pulled at the strange fabric of the civilian clothing she was wearing. They were a pair of slacks and civilian boots. She was wearing a light cotton blouse as well.

Everyone was in period specific clothing to blend in better with the locals. Commander Riker was wearing the uniform of an American Army officer. Counselor Troi was also wearing civilian garb.

The two security personnel were also wearing the uniforms of US Army soldiers from the 32nd Infantry Division which was known to be operating in the area.

"Remember Type One phasers only and keep them at stun. We don't want to inadvertently alter this reality by killing someone." Riker reminded everyone.

Lefler felt the familiar feeling of the transporter shimmer before the team was rematerialized onto the planet...

---

New Guinea: The air was thick almost liquid. The humidity was high. The two security men went to take positions for security as Riker went to contact the Enterprise.

Lefler began to scan the area when the first grenade exploded.

Another grenade was thrown closer to their positions. Lefler ducked as she saw the spherical shape. But unfortunately where they had beamed was onto a slope and when she ducked her footing had been lost and she barreled down the hill clawing randomly at things desperately trying to break her fall. She could hear the sound of bullets smacking into the ground beside her and the sounds of shouts and phaser shots of both Riker's team and the Japanese squad that had ambushed them.

It was when Lefler hit the bottom of the hill that the dark veil passed over her eyes.

---

Picard's Conference Room, Four Days Later: "So that was when you fell into the hands of the Japanese Army?" Dulmer asked.

Lefler blinked her eyes remembering the moment of her capture. The interrogation. Of being carted off into the jungle.

"Lieutenant. Please tell us everything you remember about what happened." Lucsley replied.

Lefler nodded as she felt a lump in her throat.

"Was it not around the time of your capture that you were rescued by American forces from the 'Alamo Scouts' formation according to your debrief?" Dulmer added.

Lefler nodded.

---

New Guinea: Robin Lefler could see the sun poking through the occasional gaps in the jungle canopy but even those began to get obscured by darker shadows. As her vision began to sharpen the shadows resolved themselves into faces. Four human faces. Four human faces connected to bodies in Japanese Army uniforms.

Before she could react. Before she could do anything she found herself being turned face down on the ground. She spat out leaves and dirt that found themselves into her mouth as the Japanese soldiers began binding her wrists behind her back before they lead her away.

A cloth bag was forced over her head in the middle of their movement. Moving her far away from rescue if Riker and the others were even still alive.

Robin Lefler blinked back a few tears. Adrenaline surged through her veins. She knew full well how savage the Imperial Japanese Army soldiers could be towards prisoners. Thinking about memories of home. Her parents. And even Wesley Crusher, her ex-boyfriend. Her crewmates. None of them would ever know. Her fate would be forever a mystery while her body rotted in some shallow grave in a tropical jungle.

Meanwhile a patrol file of seven very silently moving men crept through the jungle.

The pointman, PFC Clyde Berg raised a hand from the foregrip of his M1A1 carbine. "LT. I've got movment."

Carlton gestured for the patrol to find cover in the jungle brush. Four Japanese soldiers were leading a civilian woman with her hands bound behind her back with a burlap bag over her head.

Shooting them down wouldn't be the best option. But there was no way he was going to let the Japanese kill an innocent person.

Carlton gestured to Pvt. Manetti and Cpl. Galindez and made a slashing gesture across his throat before pointing at the two rearmost guards.

"Sarge. You, Dietrich and Apone keep an eye on perimeter. If anything goes fishy cover us." Carlton said as both he and Berg crept closer to the front of the patrol.

"Horyo-da!" one of the Japanese soldiers called out.

Aiming towards the another direction Pvt. Dietrich said: "Shit Sarge. That's Jap for Prisoner. That probably means there are more Japs somewhere else up the trail."

PFC Apone turned his Thompson towards the direction the Japanese soldier had shouted towards.

Lefler heard the shout. Thanks to the Universal Translator she knew that the Japanese soldier was shouting the word prisoner.

She felt herself being lead towards a trail of some kind and then she heard another Japanese shout.

Shit. Compromised. Danny Carlton thought. No choice now.

"No choice guys. Engage 'em." Danny shouted before he and Berg jumped out of the way. Both Galindez and Manetti opened up with their M1A1 carbines and instantly felled all four Japanese soldiers with well aimed shots.

Berg ran forward and grabbed Lefler by one arm as several more Japanese soldiers came to investigate the shots. Danny let fly with his Thompson sub machinegun as Manetti half dragged and half carried Lefler into the treeline.

"Galindez. Base of fire. Manetti you and Berg get the package back to Sarge. We'll be right behind you!" Carlton shouted as his Thompson ran dry. He picked up and ran to behind a tree that was behind Galindez's position as he reloaded another thirty round magazine into the weapon. He yanked back the bolt and then fired as Galindez hauled ass behind him.

Several Japanese soldiers were pursuing firing their Arisaka rifles and throwing the occasional grenade. Several Heartless charged ahead of the the Japanese soldiers taking the brunt of both Carlton and Galindez's fire.

Meanwhile the Japanese troops were moving around the right flank of the maneuvering team only to take fire from Sarge, Apone, and Dietrich.

The Japanese were only surprised for a few seconds however before they maneuvered their forces to try and flank Sarge's element.

"Rally point! ASAP!" Carlton shouted as he bypassed Sarge's position.

As they ran Carlton's team found some cover before taking positions and firing.

Lefler could barely discern what was happening. Between snatching her from the hands of her captors and now fighting for their lives (if the volume of fire was any indication) her rescuers hadn't had time to pull the bag off her head or untie her wrists.

Carlton lead them towards Charlie Company's forward positions. As soon as he was within earshot he shouted the running password: "Thunder! Thunder! Thunder!"

"Flash!" The sentry shouted: "Come on in."

The squad ran past the forward positions prepared by Charlie Company at its patrol base. As they ran inside the perimeter the sound of Charlie Company's guns opening up could be heard.

The sound of the recon team running into the Japanese patrol had alerted the sentries. As soon as the sound of the contact had been heard Lansor called his entire company on line.

The Japanese pursuit element turned back when it ran into the company's line leaving a few dead and wounded behind them.

Robin Lefler could feel a knife between her bound wrists cutting the rope away and the bag being lifted from her head. She blinked her eyes just in time to see the face of an American infantry officer looking at her.

"Are you alright?" the soldier asked.

---

Conference Room, Four Days Later: "So what did you tell your rescuers exactly?" Dulmer asked.

"I didn't tell them anything about being from a different time if that's what you want to know." Lefler replied.

"That's exactly what we want to know." Lucsley replied.

"I told them nothing about Starfleet or anything else. I did have to come up with a cover story on the spot however..." Lefler replied.

"Please elaborate." Dulmer replied.

---

To Be Continued...Up next: the status of Riker's away team and Picard's away team finds itself in the middle of a battle on the Italian front.

 

[Mistral]

30 round Thompson? their Ariskas? Somebody been playing WAW? So what are the Heartless? You gonna give a description?

 

[Dingo]

Italy: As Picard's away team beamed down onto the planet. Almost as soon as Picard materialized onto the Italian peninsula he could see, hear and smell the battle all around him.

"First squad's pinned down!" a Canadian soldier shouted. "Kraut position. MG42. 400 meters. 12 o'clock!"

"Third squad! Put down a base of fire! Second you're with me!" The Canadian lieutenant shouted as he reloaded another magazine into his Thompson.

Almost as soon as the Canadian team with the Bren gun got into position and fired on the machine gun nest the second squad ran right into a group of humanoids about a meter high with black skin with glowing yellow eyes.

"Heartless!" the Canadian lieutenant shouted and opened fire with his Thompson.

Grenades were thrown. Rifles fired. But the Heartless were too close. Two of them jumped onto a Canadian soldier and clawed at his face and torso savagely. The one clinging to his chest jammed the clawed hand into the man's chest.

The lieutenant fired a magazine from his Thompson right into the two Heartless.

"What the devil are those things?" Picard asked indicating the strange aliens fighting the Canadian squad.

"They're nothing known to Federation science Jean-Luc." Beverly Crusher observed as she scanned with her tricorder.

"I can barely detect anything from those creatures Captain. I only feel a vague sense of...for lack of a better term darkness..." Deanna replied.

A phaser blast sounded to the right as one of the security men fired. "Captain! Looks like we're engaged!" The security man shouted.

A German grenade was thrown at the team. Picard kicked it out of the way just long enough for the grenade to burst.

Picard and the rest of the away team ran from the German advance team that had crept up to their position. Firing phasers on stun.

A fusilade of shots followed by a phaser blast sounded and Deanna cried out in pain and clutched at the area just above her left hip. A German NCO with a Schmeisser MP-40 sub machinegun hit the ground shot by a phaser blast.

Picard turned to grab Troi's hand and helped her along. More bullets came from the Canadians who heard the German advance team. There was a tunnel of some sort in the hillside and Picard directed the away team inside it.

Beverly scanned the injury: "One bullet entered from behind just above the right hip and exited cleanly out on the other side. No internal organs damaged luckily."

Beverly went to treat Deanna's injuries as more shooting sounded outside.

---

New Guinea: "I'm fine." Robin Lefler replied, "Thanks."

"What's your name?" the soldier asked.

"Robin Lefler."

"Danny Carlton." The soldier replied: "And just what were you doing out there in the middle of the jungle?"

"I was on an away...a scientific expedition." Lefler replied.

"What the hell are they doing sending scientists out here? Don't they know we haven't pacified New Guinea yet? The Japs are still all over the damned place." Carlton replied.

"We had some military members. Colonel Riker was the expedition leader." Lefler replied. Not too big of a lie. After all Riker was wearing an Army uniform.

Lefler could see that the gears were turning in Carlton's head. Some kind of military operation. Has to do with those ruins up by the ridge. Must be some clandestine thing that the Office of Strategic Services has planned. That would explain the dame.

"What is that?" Lefler asked as two soldiers tipped the corpse of a strange black alien into a pit. It looked to be just under a meter and a half tall with antennae and clawed hands.

"That's a Heartless." Carlton replied.

"A what?" Lefler asked.

"An unknown species. We don't know where they originate from or what exactly their purpose is but when I was a history student before the war I've encountered vague references to demons that devour human souls. I'm not certain if that's what these things are. They are quite soulless beings." Carlton replied as he walked towards the camp's ammo point to get some more .45 caliber rounds for his Thompson.

"Robin, whoever your friends are they're in a lot of danger out there by themselves." Danny replied as he began to reload the magazines for his Thompson.

"I'm sure they can take care of themselves. But I have to go find them." Lefler replied.

"Not by yourself you're not." Danny replied: "I'll do what I can to help you but if the Japs haven't already gotten them or the Heartless haven't already killed them they're liable to be caught in the middle of the attack."

Danny indicated several soldiers passing a helmet filled with eight round .30-06 clips for the M1 Garand rifles they carried. Other soldiers put bayonets on their weapons.

"Let me round up my team. I'll sneak us out of the camp and see if we can't find your friends..." Danny replied.

"Thank you." Robin replied.

---

To Be Continued...

 

[Mistral]

OK, ask and ye shall receive. Danny seems nice. Real nice, for a soldier in combat...

 

[Dingo]

New Guinea: "Sarge get the guys together, we're moving out fifteen." Danny replied.

"Hey LT just to remind you Captain Lansor's guys are preparing to move out." Sergeant McKee replied, "We could easily get caught in the crossfire."

"Well aware of that Sarge. Saw them passing clips out to the boys." Danny replied.

"Getting out there in between all that might mean we're caught between the Japs and Captain Lansor's attack." Sarge replied.

"We've got intel that there's a US team out there. An intel element of some kind. The woman we rescued from the Japs was part of that team." Danny replied.

"LT may I remind you that she might be its only survivor." Sarge replied.

"I'm aware of that Sarge. But to say the least we're obligated to find them." Danny replied: "We don't want to leave other American personnel to fall into Japanese hands. I needn't remind you how Japs treat prisoners."

"I'll let the boys know to move out in fifteen." Sarge replied.

---

New Guinea: The harsh sounds of Japanese voices could be heard echoing through the jungle.

Riker climbed inside the moss strewn cave where Deanna Troi and the two security men had rendezvoused after the Japanese attack on the away team.

He noticed Lefler was missing: "Has anyone seen Lefler?"

"No." one of the two security men replied.

"Will there is a possibility she's still alive out there." Deanna replied: "Possibly in Japanese hands."

"This means this away mission's turned into a rescue mission." Riker replied.

---

Conference Room, Four Days Later: "So how much about our timeline did you tell this Danny Carlton fellow about?" Lucsly asked.

"Nothing." Lefler replied.

"Are you certain." Dulmer added.

At this Lefler replied, "I had to tell him a little bit. Not a lot but enough to let him know I wasn't from his time period."

"And how much stock do you think he put in what you told him?" Lucsley asked.

"Not a lot." Lefler replied.

"Just why did you tell Carlton about our timeline?" Dulmer asked.

Lefler winced: "That's a long story..."

"We've got time to hear it Lieutenant." Lucsley replied.

 

[Mistral]

ah, a bridging segment...