ALPHA FLYER, IN THE LATE 23RD CENTURY.....
Ken knew straight away the significance of the date. It seemed almost like yesterday that he was present at Utopia Planitia, amongst living legends, and part of one of the biggest Starfleet projects of the latter half of the 23rd century. Craig whizzed over the console, scanning the area, and whistled; “Man, the traffic in this area is even busier than it is in our time. It’s as if some kind of preparation for an event is underway, particularly with some of the ships that are docked here. Wait a minute; i’m picking up a major warp reading. Whatever ship it is, it’s big, and about to exit warp....practically on top of us....!” Powering up the engines, Ken began distributing power where it was needed as Duco programmed manoeuvres into the computer, to shift the vessel out of harms way. With an almighty bang, the flagship of the Federation exited warp, and prepared for docking with the main hub of the station. The three colleagues all moved from their stations to peer out of the front window as the gigantic starship passed slowly overhead. “O....my....god.......N..C..C..1..7..0..1.....that’s...” Duco was cut off as Ken gazed in awe & quietly uttered the words of the majestic ship, as the stern finally moved by; “...the U.S.S. Enterprise.” As the Enterprise continued approach to dock, the clamshell shuttlebay doors opened, as a ship exited. The ship was silver & cylindrical from nose to stern, with triple fins at the rear, whilst midships the vessel sported wings with a nacelle at the end of each. Craig activated the com channel to see if he could pick up any activity. “NX Delta you are now free to navigate towards the initiation point. Commence pre flight countdown for thirty minutes.....mark!” “Enterprise, this is Lieutenant Gulliver, acknowledged & understood.” Ken was in a daze, as this was all too familiar to him, and as the memories came flooding back, he knew the dialogue very well & what would be spoken next. “NX Delta. Lieutenant Mumford & Gulliver, this is Admiral Kirk. Good luck & best of wishes from the whole crew. Good hunting. Kirk out.” With expressions of total incredulity, Craig & Duco turned to face Ken, as if telepathically requesting answers. They didn’t notice the bright light that appeared that formed into a humanoid form, with his feet up perched on the engineer’s console. “You do know that you boys aren’t supposed to be here?!”
COUNSELLOR WALKER’S OFFICE.
Rez was pacing up & down, whilst Kirsty had to admit that it wasn’t one of her more recommended therapeutic postures. Also, there was a danger that the carpet that she had specially made out of Tholian silk would be worn out with his constant pacing. “So, let me get this straight, there is an old Vulcan who seemed real to you when you exchanged pleasantries on Vulcan, yet now haunts the ship?! Have you tried searching through the Vulcan database, or approached Sodak to see if he knows who this Valik is?!” Rez finished his pacing & lay down on the couch, whilst controlling his breathing down to a more normal rate; a rate which wouldn’t risk hyperventilation. “As i expected, when i approached Sodak on the subject, he wasn’t forthcoming. Vulcans can be so secretive, and i had noticed that when i mentioned Valik’s name, it looked like he had seen a ghost also!” Kirsty accessed the Vulcan database, and smiled triumphantly as she read out loud the information that she had retrieved.
Valik was a Vulcan priest, part of the Order Of Seleya. He was killed not long after the Vulcan Time Of Awakening. He believed that for the race to truly achieve enlightenment, their way of life could not only be dictated by logic alone. He felt that logic needed slight balance by emotion, and also felt that emotion could be controlled by logic. He felt that the two could work in tandem, yet with logic being the dominating force. Surak & his followers were disgusted by this, and felt the only way to avoid destruction between the people on a global scale, was to invoke total logic. Therefore, he was outcast, and because the passionate tribes were abhorred by his logical stance, he was mobbed, and left for dead. Many nationals & off worlders have reported sightings of him, and clerics believe that although a katra is always laid to rest, his katra cannot rest as it is troubled.
“Well, it seems like you have a troubled spirit that has latched on to you. If ancient Earth myths are anything to go by, troubled spirits tend to latch on to those who they feel can help them, or an equally troubled person, sometimes leading to peace found on both parts.” Rez rolled his eyes; “Great, i have my very own shamen following my every move.” Kirsty smiled, and offered up her professional response; “I believe that the resurfacing of the Prometheus incident & the spirit attachment is no coincidence. It is a sign perhaps that it is time to try the Vulcan techniques you have been avoiding such as neuropressure, meditation, or perhaps even a mind meld. It is time i feel, that as your Counsellor, you need to reckon with the memories of the events that plague you, before they consume you, and cost you your career.”
ALPHA FLYER.
Q, as smug as ever, removed his feet from resting on the engineering station, stood up, and joined the officers. Adjusting his uniform and brushing away imaginary flecks of dust, he requested their opinion. “So boys, what do you think of the uniform? This is definitely one of the best of the classic designs Starfleet employed, and that was proven by how long it was kept in service. Who’d have thought that James T. Kirk and I would be of the same build?! I wonder if he is enjoying his new uniform?” As Q explained, the three officers exchanged glances that changed from puzzlement at Q’s cryptic comments, to humorous understanding. (Whilst on the Enterprise, a rather embarrassed James T. Kirk headed off the bridge & towards his quarters at speed, sans uniform). Eager to get to the bottom of the situation, Ken demanded answers. “What do you want Q? If we are not meant to be here, why don’t you just snap your fingers & send us back to our time?” “But what’s the rush? You have only just got here. Don’t you miss being in your own time Ken? The time you were accidentally removed from?” Before Ken could answer, Q snapped his fingers, and they all found themselves in a cinema, with a bucket of warm popcorn in their laps, whilst wearing 3d glasses. The curtains went back revealing a 5 second countdown on the screen. “Hush up boys, we don’t want to be thrown out of the cinema by the ushers! This is a good film….o look….it’s starting! You may know the main stars. Firstly, the pilot is played by Ken Mumford, strangely playing himself, yet Lieutenant Gulliver is played by.....well....i won’t spoil the surprise just yet.” Infuriated by the silly games & mockery courtesy of the omnipotent being, Ken stood up and placed his box of popcorn over Q’s head, emptying the contents. He then made his way down the stairs heading to what he deemed was a corridor to the way out, and hopefully back to their vessel. Duco & Craig followed suit, whilst Q finished removing the last remaining bits. “Ohhhh, boys, we were just getting to the good part!” As Ken got to the bottom of the stairs of the cinema screen, an usher blocked his way. Craig & Duco halted behind him, still wearing their 3d glasses & carrying their popcorn. The usher was no ordinary cinema employee, as he was all 6 foot, 5 inches of Klingon. “Federation! You are not welcome here! You are my prisoners!” A puzzled Craig responded; “Prisoners?! We are allies!” The warrior approached Craig, and whilst laughing maniacally, grabbed his box of popcorn and helped himself to the goodies inside. However, what he lifted out wasn’t a fistful of popcorn, but a fistful of gagh, as he stuffed the writhing worms into his mouth with urgency. Horrified, Craig & Duco dropped their boxes, and as they tumbled to the floor, gagh spilled everywhere in writhing masses. Bearing his teeth with bits of gagh between them, the warrior laughed as he unsheathed his personal blade. Even the near dark of the cinema, it seemed to have an eerie glow of finality about it. The glow heightened to an almost piercing brightness as the warrior lifted it above his head, laughing whilst preparing for a killing blow. Then the light encompassed them all as they found themselves back on the Alpha Flyer.
BRIDGE, U.S.S. PHOENIX.
The bridge was a hive of activity as it the lighting bathed the area in a red hue, as it warped towards its destination, under priority orders from Admiral Janeway.
Captain’s Log April 30th 2380. I have had to abandon the search fleet in our futile attempt to locate the missing Alpha Flyer. We have been ordered to the planet Athena Sirius to negotiate for the release of Federation ambassadors. At the same time i am collecting sooner than anticipated, my new Science Officer, the half human, half Deltan Lieutenant Sharon Miller, whom has been stationed on Athena Sirius for twelve months. Across the quadrant, remnants of Klix’s race, have been found in different forms, with many technological finds coming alive. Archaeologists from many races have managed to decipher some of the language, thanks to Klix’s involvement, with the extinct civilisation loosely translated as named ‘The Firstborn.’ For millennia, an ancient space station has orbited the planet, and up until recently has remained dormant. The sun has been showing unusual solar activity, indicating the sun increasing in mass. If this is to be true, the flares will ravage all planets in the star system making them uninhabitable. However, the station has come alive and some kind of dish like array has been siphoning off the power, keeping the sun from increasing in mass & within normal parameters. It has then been directing the energy at the planet’s core, giving the planet’s low energy core a new lease of life. Athena Sirius is fast becoming a garden spot with increased vegetation, and more temperate climate. However, the planet is home to two cultures who claim territory to exactly half the planet each. The Kelnar are spiritualists, follow faith, and believe that if the planet & their star system are reaching the end of its natural life, then no technology should prevent that, nor should they be evacuated. The Gavvadar have a more advanced civilisation, and involve technology as part of their everyday culture, akin to Earth, Vulcan, & other Federation cultures. They believe that the station is a gift given to them for protection & salvation, and if it ultimately stops the sun from expanding, then they believe the orbiting station should be left to carry out the programming of its ancestors. Because the Gavvadar will not use their vessels to destroy the station, nor the ambassadors order any Starfleet vessels the same, the diplomats have been taken hostage as bargaining tools.
Tapping out commands on his armrest, and obtaining the required information, Commander Davenport relayed the updates to the Captain. “If we continue at warp nine, we should be at our destination in one standard Federation hour. Do you have a plan, Simon, if standard negotiations fail?” Shaking his head, knowing full well that he had no plan b to hand, Simon sighed. “As of this moment, a backup plan doesn’t spring to mind, apart from sending in a security team to take the hostages by force.” Smiling, Andy promptly responded; “Perhaps that could be a plan c?!” Realisation dawned on the Captain’s face; “What plan b did you have in mind?”
COUNSELLOR WALKER’S OFFICE.
As Sodak entered Kirsty’s office, he froze on the spot, coming to the conclusion that he had interrupted a counselling session. “It’s ok Sodak, you are not interrupting anything. I summoned you as i require your telepathic skills.” Raising an eyebrow, Sodak responded; “Using my skills for whatever therapeutic technique you wish to include them in, could possibly have an element of danger. Not just on the recipient, but on me also.” Kirsty laughed, recalling the bonding they had experienced, and the out of body experience that the anomalous heightened sensation had caused. If it wasn’t for the ceremony on Vulcan, they would have stayed in the existence that Sodak could only describe as a possible next stage of humanoid evolution. “Sodak, the danger is minimal compared to the experience we shared. Studying the practices of the Kohlinahr, should make you a more confident user of your mental capacities, where this time, you will be in control, and not them.” As Sodak paced, deliberating his decision, Rez hoped that he could finally be purged of what haunted him. The pacing was starting to irritate Kirsty, who didn’t have all of eternity for the now cautious Vulcan to make a decision. “Sodak, will you sit down.” Gesturing to an empty chair, he stopped, followed her pointing hand, looked at the chair, and continued to pace. “I could make it an order, Ensign, considering i outrank you.” Raising an eyebrow again, Sodak sat down on the offered seat, and steepled his fingers, whilst attempting to make a decision. “Sodak. Your colleague, Rez, has been haunted recently by surfacing memories from his days on the U.S.S. Prometheus.” Sodak maintained the same position of thought, as if he hadn’t heard a word Kirsty had said. “He has also been haunted by visions of a Vulcan monk named Valik.” Suddenly snapping bolt upright in his seat, from his crouching, thinking position, Sodak looked wide eyed at Rez, and raised his eyebrow yet again. “Fascinating.”
ALPHA FLYER.
The three officers appeared on the super shuttle, at their seated stations, albeit wearing school uniforms, rather than standard issue. Q was adorned in a mortar board, long black gown, and waving a wooden cane in his hand. “Twenty fourth century officers, what do you know about the transwarp trials?” Craig & Duco looked at each other, whilst bursting into laughter at how ridiculous each of them looked in their cap, shirt, tie, and shorts. Q, now nose to nose with Craig, repeated the question, but this time in slow motion. “There is no information available apart from what was & is available on the Excelsior;” replied Craig. Ken put his head in his hands as he shook it with despair, as he knew the real answer to the question, whilst the com channel filled the cabin in the background with communication from the test craft & operations at Utopia Planitia. “Transwarp information was & still is deemed classified, apart from The Great Experiment files.” In a flash of light the three officers appeared behind a panel with buzzers on, with a clapping audience watching, whilst Q, (adorning a cheesy, glittery jacket, and even cheesier smile), appeared in front of a giant digital screen, flashing the word in big letters, ‘WIN.’ Another flash of light, and they were back as they were previously, attired in their standard uniform. Ken continued, as the officers listened to the comm traffic, whilst occasionally looking out of the window as the test vessel came into view. “Everything was going so well, and we were about to make history, when Gulliver reported a feedback cascade in the engines. As he tried to rectify it.....” “He started to phase in & out of the space time continuum, as if the cascade from the transwarp drive was affecting him somehow;” Q rudely interrupted. “Correct, replied Ken, which we made history of another kind.....ourselves.” Pacing with his usual swagger, Q pointed them in the direction of the cockpit window, and the speakers. “I believe history is about to be made again.”
COUNSELLOR WALKER’S OFFICE.
Sodak had prepared an incredibly elaborate mind meld ritual, to be held in the utmost tradition of his respected Vulcan forefathers. All participants wore traditional robes of black silk, whilst candles filled the air with an ever so slight fragrance of spice. An ancestral rug was laid on the floor, woven with a tapestry displaying events in his culture and family history. As Rez kneeled to face Sodak, a table was between displaying a teapot and two cups. Sodak filled the cup, and passed it to Rez. “All journeys have a beginning and end. Those journeys must not be taken on an empty stomach, without adequate nutritional or hydrating needs fulfilled.” Rez tentatively sipped at the warm, colourless liquid, and found it surprisingly good, as he finished the tea in earnest. Sodak did not need to motion to the Counsellor as she moved the table away. Placing his fingers at specific channelling points on Rez’s face, Sodak closed his eyes whilst Rez followed suit. “My mind to your mind.....my thoughts to your thoughts.....see your mind working back through the mists of time....back.....further back.....halting at the birthplace of our respective forefathers....see them impart on us the gift of knowledge....then the gift of memory.....see the essential tool that memory is......reminding ourselves of pivotal moments in our lives that nothing could ever reproduce with such clarity......see the gift that is memory.....then bring yourself forward......forward....to a point where memory was a tool used for a dark purpose.....to unwittingly memorise a dark chapter of life......” Rez’s heart rate increased as he found himself no longer in the familiar surroundings of Sodak’s quarters, but on the U.S.S. Prometheus.
Ken knew straight away the significance of the date. It seemed almost like yesterday that he was present at Utopia Planitia, amongst living legends, and part of one of the biggest Starfleet projects of the latter half of the 23rd century. Craig whizzed over the console, scanning the area, and whistled; “Man, the traffic in this area is even busier than it is in our time. It’s as if some kind of preparation for an event is underway, particularly with some of the ships that are docked here. Wait a minute; i’m picking up a major warp reading. Whatever ship it is, it’s big, and about to exit warp....practically on top of us....!” Powering up the engines, Ken began distributing power where it was needed as Duco programmed manoeuvres into the computer, to shift the vessel out of harms way. With an almighty bang, the flagship of the Federation exited warp, and prepared for docking with the main hub of the station. The three colleagues all moved from their stations to peer out of the front window as the gigantic starship passed slowly overhead. “O....my....god.......N..C..C..1..7..0..1.....that’s...” Duco was cut off as Ken gazed in awe & quietly uttered the words of the majestic ship, as the stern finally moved by; “...the U.S.S. Enterprise.” As the Enterprise continued approach to dock, the clamshell shuttlebay doors opened, as a ship exited. The ship was silver & cylindrical from nose to stern, with triple fins at the rear, whilst midships the vessel sported wings with a nacelle at the end of each. Craig activated the com channel to see if he could pick up any activity. “NX Delta you are now free to navigate towards the initiation point. Commence pre flight countdown for thirty minutes.....mark!” “Enterprise, this is Lieutenant Gulliver, acknowledged & understood.” Ken was in a daze, as this was all too familiar to him, and as the memories came flooding back, he knew the dialogue very well & what would be spoken next. “NX Delta. Lieutenant Mumford & Gulliver, this is Admiral Kirk. Good luck & best of wishes from the whole crew. Good hunting. Kirk out.” With expressions of total incredulity, Craig & Duco turned to face Ken, as if telepathically requesting answers. They didn’t notice the bright light that appeared that formed into a humanoid form, with his feet up perched on the engineer’s console. “You do know that you boys aren’t supposed to be here?!”
COUNSELLOR WALKER’S OFFICE.
Rez was pacing up & down, whilst Kirsty had to admit that it wasn’t one of her more recommended therapeutic postures. Also, there was a danger that the carpet that she had specially made out of Tholian silk would be worn out with his constant pacing. “So, let me get this straight, there is an old Vulcan who seemed real to you when you exchanged pleasantries on Vulcan, yet now haunts the ship?! Have you tried searching through the Vulcan database, or approached Sodak to see if he knows who this Valik is?!” Rez finished his pacing & lay down on the couch, whilst controlling his breathing down to a more normal rate; a rate which wouldn’t risk hyperventilation. “As i expected, when i approached Sodak on the subject, he wasn’t forthcoming. Vulcans can be so secretive, and i had noticed that when i mentioned Valik’s name, it looked like he had seen a ghost also!” Kirsty accessed the Vulcan database, and smiled triumphantly as she read out loud the information that she had retrieved.
Valik was a Vulcan priest, part of the Order Of Seleya. He was killed not long after the Vulcan Time Of Awakening. He believed that for the race to truly achieve enlightenment, their way of life could not only be dictated by logic alone. He felt that logic needed slight balance by emotion, and also felt that emotion could be controlled by logic. He felt that the two could work in tandem, yet with logic being the dominating force. Surak & his followers were disgusted by this, and felt the only way to avoid destruction between the people on a global scale, was to invoke total logic. Therefore, he was outcast, and because the passionate tribes were abhorred by his logical stance, he was mobbed, and left for dead. Many nationals & off worlders have reported sightings of him, and clerics believe that although a katra is always laid to rest, his katra cannot rest as it is troubled.
“Well, it seems like you have a troubled spirit that has latched on to you. If ancient Earth myths are anything to go by, troubled spirits tend to latch on to those who they feel can help them, or an equally troubled person, sometimes leading to peace found on both parts.” Rez rolled his eyes; “Great, i have my very own shamen following my every move.” Kirsty smiled, and offered up her professional response; “I believe that the resurfacing of the Prometheus incident & the spirit attachment is no coincidence. It is a sign perhaps that it is time to try the Vulcan techniques you have been avoiding such as neuropressure, meditation, or perhaps even a mind meld. It is time i feel, that as your Counsellor, you need to reckon with the memories of the events that plague you, before they consume you, and cost you your career.”
ALPHA FLYER.
Q, as smug as ever, removed his feet from resting on the engineering station, stood up, and joined the officers. Adjusting his uniform and brushing away imaginary flecks of dust, he requested their opinion. “So boys, what do you think of the uniform? This is definitely one of the best of the classic designs Starfleet employed, and that was proven by how long it was kept in service. Who’d have thought that James T. Kirk and I would be of the same build?! I wonder if he is enjoying his new uniform?” As Q explained, the three officers exchanged glances that changed from puzzlement at Q’s cryptic comments, to humorous understanding. (Whilst on the Enterprise, a rather embarrassed James T. Kirk headed off the bridge & towards his quarters at speed, sans uniform). Eager to get to the bottom of the situation, Ken demanded answers. “What do you want Q? If we are not meant to be here, why don’t you just snap your fingers & send us back to our time?” “But what’s the rush? You have only just got here. Don’t you miss being in your own time Ken? The time you were accidentally removed from?” Before Ken could answer, Q snapped his fingers, and they all found themselves in a cinema, with a bucket of warm popcorn in their laps, whilst wearing 3d glasses. The curtains went back revealing a 5 second countdown on the screen. “Hush up boys, we don’t want to be thrown out of the cinema by the ushers! This is a good film….o look….it’s starting! You may know the main stars. Firstly, the pilot is played by Ken Mumford, strangely playing himself, yet Lieutenant Gulliver is played by.....well....i won’t spoil the surprise just yet.” Infuriated by the silly games & mockery courtesy of the omnipotent being, Ken stood up and placed his box of popcorn over Q’s head, emptying the contents. He then made his way down the stairs heading to what he deemed was a corridor to the way out, and hopefully back to their vessel. Duco & Craig followed suit, whilst Q finished removing the last remaining bits. “Ohhhh, boys, we were just getting to the good part!” As Ken got to the bottom of the stairs of the cinema screen, an usher blocked his way. Craig & Duco halted behind him, still wearing their 3d glasses & carrying their popcorn. The usher was no ordinary cinema employee, as he was all 6 foot, 5 inches of Klingon. “Federation! You are not welcome here! You are my prisoners!” A puzzled Craig responded; “Prisoners?! We are allies!” The warrior approached Craig, and whilst laughing maniacally, grabbed his box of popcorn and helped himself to the goodies inside. However, what he lifted out wasn’t a fistful of popcorn, but a fistful of gagh, as he stuffed the writhing worms into his mouth with urgency. Horrified, Craig & Duco dropped their boxes, and as they tumbled to the floor, gagh spilled everywhere in writhing masses. Bearing his teeth with bits of gagh between them, the warrior laughed as he unsheathed his personal blade. Even the near dark of the cinema, it seemed to have an eerie glow of finality about it. The glow heightened to an almost piercing brightness as the warrior lifted it above his head, laughing whilst preparing for a killing blow. Then the light encompassed them all as they found themselves back on the Alpha Flyer.
BRIDGE, U.S.S. PHOENIX.
The bridge was a hive of activity as it the lighting bathed the area in a red hue, as it warped towards its destination, under priority orders from Admiral Janeway.
Captain’s Log April 30th 2380. I have had to abandon the search fleet in our futile attempt to locate the missing Alpha Flyer. We have been ordered to the planet Athena Sirius to negotiate for the release of Federation ambassadors. At the same time i am collecting sooner than anticipated, my new Science Officer, the half human, half Deltan Lieutenant Sharon Miller, whom has been stationed on Athena Sirius for twelve months. Across the quadrant, remnants of Klix’s race, have been found in different forms, with many technological finds coming alive. Archaeologists from many races have managed to decipher some of the language, thanks to Klix’s involvement, with the extinct civilisation loosely translated as named ‘The Firstborn.’ For millennia, an ancient space station has orbited the planet, and up until recently has remained dormant. The sun has been showing unusual solar activity, indicating the sun increasing in mass. If this is to be true, the flares will ravage all planets in the star system making them uninhabitable. However, the station has come alive and some kind of dish like array has been siphoning off the power, keeping the sun from increasing in mass & within normal parameters. It has then been directing the energy at the planet’s core, giving the planet’s low energy core a new lease of life. Athena Sirius is fast becoming a garden spot with increased vegetation, and more temperate climate. However, the planet is home to two cultures who claim territory to exactly half the planet each. The Kelnar are spiritualists, follow faith, and believe that if the planet & their star system are reaching the end of its natural life, then no technology should prevent that, nor should they be evacuated. The Gavvadar have a more advanced civilisation, and involve technology as part of their everyday culture, akin to Earth, Vulcan, & other Federation cultures. They believe that the station is a gift given to them for protection & salvation, and if it ultimately stops the sun from expanding, then they believe the orbiting station should be left to carry out the programming of its ancestors. Because the Gavvadar will not use their vessels to destroy the station, nor the ambassadors order any Starfleet vessels the same, the diplomats have been taken hostage as bargaining tools.
Tapping out commands on his armrest, and obtaining the required information, Commander Davenport relayed the updates to the Captain. “If we continue at warp nine, we should be at our destination in one standard Federation hour. Do you have a plan, Simon, if standard negotiations fail?” Shaking his head, knowing full well that he had no plan b to hand, Simon sighed. “As of this moment, a backup plan doesn’t spring to mind, apart from sending in a security team to take the hostages by force.” Smiling, Andy promptly responded; “Perhaps that could be a plan c?!” Realisation dawned on the Captain’s face; “What plan b did you have in mind?”
COUNSELLOR WALKER’S OFFICE.
As Sodak entered Kirsty’s office, he froze on the spot, coming to the conclusion that he had interrupted a counselling session. “It’s ok Sodak, you are not interrupting anything. I summoned you as i require your telepathic skills.” Raising an eyebrow, Sodak responded; “Using my skills for whatever therapeutic technique you wish to include them in, could possibly have an element of danger. Not just on the recipient, but on me also.” Kirsty laughed, recalling the bonding they had experienced, and the out of body experience that the anomalous heightened sensation had caused. If it wasn’t for the ceremony on Vulcan, they would have stayed in the existence that Sodak could only describe as a possible next stage of humanoid evolution. “Sodak, the danger is minimal compared to the experience we shared. Studying the practices of the Kohlinahr, should make you a more confident user of your mental capacities, where this time, you will be in control, and not them.” As Sodak paced, deliberating his decision, Rez hoped that he could finally be purged of what haunted him. The pacing was starting to irritate Kirsty, who didn’t have all of eternity for the now cautious Vulcan to make a decision. “Sodak, will you sit down.” Gesturing to an empty chair, he stopped, followed her pointing hand, looked at the chair, and continued to pace. “I could make it an order, Ensign, considering i outrank you.” Raising an eyebrow again, Sodak sat down on the offered seat, and steepled his fingers, whilst attempting to make a decision. “Sodak. Your colleague, Rez, has been haunted recently by surfacing memories from his days on the U.S.S. Prometheus.” Sodak maintained the same position of thought, as if he hadn’t heard a word Kirsty had said. “He has also been haunted by visions of a Vulcan monk named Valik.” Suddenly snapping bolt upright in his seat, from his crouching, thinking position, Sodak looked wide eyed at Rez, and raised his eyebrow yet again. “Fascinating.”
ALPHA FLYER.
The three officers appeared on the super shuttle, at their seated stations, albeit wearing school uniforms, rather than standard issue. Q was adorned in a mortar board, long black gown, and waving a wooden cane in his hand. “Twenty fourth century officers, what do you know about the transwarp trials?” Craig & Duco looked at each other, whilst bursting into laughter at how ridiculous each of them looked in their cap, shirt, tie, and shorts. Q, now nose to nose with Craig, repeated the question, but this time in slow motion. “There is no information available apart from what was & is available on the Excelsior;” replied Craig. Ken put his head in his hands as he shook it with despair, as he knew the real answer to the question, whilst the com channel filled the cabin in the background with communication from the test craft & operations at Utopia Planitia. “Transwarp information was & still is deemed classified, apart from The Great Experiment files.” In a flash of light the three officers appeared behind a panel with buzzers on, with a clapping audience watching, whilst Q, (adorning a cheesy, glittery jacket, and even cheesier smile), appeared in front of a giant digital screen, flashing the word in big letters, ‘WIN.’ Another flash of light, and they were back as they were previously, attired in their standard uniform. Ken continued, as the officers listened to the comm traffic, whilst occasionally looking out of the window as the test vessel came into view. “Everything was going so well, and we were about to make history, when Gulliver reported a feedback cascade in the engines. As he tried to rectify it.....” “He started to phase in & out of the space time continuum, as if the cascade from the transwarp drive was affecting him somehow;” Q rudely interrupted. “Correct, replied Ken, which we made history of another kind.....ourselves.” Pacing with his usual swagger, Q pointed them in the direction of the cockpit window, and the speakers. “I believe history is about to be made again.”
COUNSELLOR WALKER’S OFFICE.
Sodak had prepared an incredibly elaborate mind meld ritual, to be held in the utmost tradition of his respected Vulcan forefathers. All participants wore traditional robes of black silk, whilst candles filled the air with an ever so slight fragrance of spice. An ancestral rug was laid on the floor, woven with a tapestry displaying events in his culture and family history. As Rez kneeled to face Sodak, a table was between displaying a teapot and two cups. Sodak filled the cup, and passed it to Rez. “All journeys have a beginning and end. Those journeys must not be taken on an empty stomach, without adequate nutritional or hydrating needs fulfilled.” Rez tentatively sipped at the warm, colourless liquid, and found it surprisingly good, as he finished the tea in earnest. Sodak did not need to motion to the Counsellor as she moved the table away. Placing his fingers at specific channelling points on Rez’s face, Sodak closed his eyes whilst Rez followed suit. “My mind to your mind.....my thoughts to your thoughts.....see your mind working back through the mists of time....back.....further back.....halting at the birthplace of our respective forefathers....see them impart on us the gift of knowledge....then the gift of memory.....see the essential tool that memory is......reminding ourselves of pivotal moments in our lives that nothing could ever reproduce with such clarity......see the gift that is memory.....then bring yourself forward......forward....to a point where memory was a tool used for a dark purpose.....to unwittingly memorise a dark chapter of life......” Rez’s heart rate increased as he found himself no longer in the familiar surroundings of Sodak’s quarters, but on the U.S.S. Prometheus.
