Picard responded with, "The Krenim? I've never of them."
Kathryn Janeway stated, "I'm not surprised. They are a race from the Delta
Quadrant.... where we've been stuck for almost three years."
--Anonymous
As Capt Janeway said that Picard's jaw hit the floor and said, "three years! I can't believe that."
Janeway then said, "yes it has been three long years! Some time when I get the time I'll tell you about the Delta Quadrent and its lifeforms."
"I hope to hear about soon Captain." Picard replied
--Cindy K. Krouse
"Unfortunately, Captain Picard, I'm afraid we won't have time until much later in the future." said Janeway.
"And why is that?"asked Captain Picard.
"Because..." Janeway never finished her answer.
BOOM
"What was that!"they both exclaimed.
--Ceri (FCBB89C@hotmail.com)
Everyone turned toward the sound, and saw what appeared to be a dark hole that had opened in the surrounding white space. Through it stepped a stocky humanoid in drab brown attire. He approached Picard and, with a hesitant tone indicating deep shame he said, "Captain, I regret the inconvenience of bringing you here, but with your help I can repair damage caused years ago."
Grim recognition turned Picard's expression sour. "You're ambassador Nytsnye. I can't say I'm pleased to see you. The last time we met you helped the Aurens kidnap three of my officers, one of whom was never heard from again."
"Until now," came the voice of a woman as she followed Nytsnye through the opening. To Picard's astonishment, he realized it was Beverly Crusher, who he had not seen since her Auren abduction years earlier. Picard was speechless with joy. "Don't blame Nytsnye, Captain," Crusher said. "The Aurens were simply using him, and he's here to help."
Damar yelled, "Can anyone here explain what is going on?"
In a flash of light even whiter than their surroundings, Q appeared. "I would be happy to." Turning to Picard, Q said, "You will remember that after the good doctor's abduction, the Aurens replaced your Counselor and First Officer with impostors from the future. It seems that the Aurens were not as skilled at time travel as they believed. When Troi's and Riker's replacements were brought back, it damaged the space-time continuum and created an alternate timeline which should never have existed. I've visited the correct timeline and I can testify that you would prefer it. There, the Federation was never overpowered by the Aurens or the Borg. There you had only one other run-in with the Borg in which you traveled back to the 21st Century to prevent them from destroying Zephram Cochrane's warp ship."
"I'm still confused," Damar grumbled.
"I've wanted for awhile to help restore the timeline for you," Q continued. "But the Q Continuum won't allow me to fix everything by myself. Therefore I went to Nytsnye, who has been imprisoned for the past five years with Doctor Crusher on an Auren penal colony world, and worked with him in creating device which can move objects from any point in time or space to any other. He used it to bring you all here and to create this opening through which he has brought Doctor Crusher. I believe that with your help the device can also be altered to correct the timeline."
Janeway glanced at Kirk, Spock, and Damar before asking Q, "Why are the rest of us here?"
"All four of you have knowledge which can help. I should mention that you, Kirk, and Spock are also from incorrect timelines."
--Argus Skyhawk
Q said, "And just to get you a little extra help, I have a gift." Q snapped his fingers and in a flash, Captain Benjamin Sisko was standing there, in one of the old mostly black colored Starfleet jumpsuits. He was apparently frozen in place.
"Benny here has been stuck in subspace for almost 70 years at this point...," Q told the captains. Picard looked like he was going to demand that Q explain himself.
Q stated, "And no, he will not remember any of this when you are done. In fact, this will have never even happened, aside from the fact one timeline, if you are successful, we be avoided. None of you will remember this. To quote an archaic human 'blessing', 'Are you ready to ruumbblleee?'"
With that, Q disappeared in a flash and Ben Sisko came to life.
--Anonymous
For seconds Ben just stared at the crowd around him, wondering what they were about to say and do with him. Thinking "Oh no, not another one of thier phycological games. I'm not in the mood for a silly puzzle right now. I just want to see, Jake. I want him to be here." refering to the prophets.
"Why have you brought me here. Why didn't you just let me go with my son, my crew my..family?"
"We are not responsible for your abduction." Janeway said
"You should know by now that you can't snowball me. This is the setting, YOU ARE THE PROPHETS! What mission, what game do you have for me to play?"
"There are no games. We are, who we really are. Some slightly more parallel than others. But never the less, we are who we are." Picard said.
"Well someone has to be behind this, unless you've beamed me onto some sort of holodeck as a sick joke! I've never liked you much, Picard! And this sick prank isn't doing anything to score any points!"
"This is not a simulation. It's Q." Janeway said. "He brought you here. He saved your life."
"Why didn't he save, Jake? Odo?..Dax?"
"Because they obviously hold no purpose here. We are all jokes. Victims of a screwed up timeline. It is our job to mend it. Once it's fixed, everything will be back the way it was. Jake will be once more. But we have to get through this." Picard said.
"I just hope you're right, Captain. I just hope you're right.
"I'd hate to tell you this, but Captain Sisko is right. This is a holodeck. We are on board a timeship called The Navarone. A timeship personally handcrafted by the Q continuum. You are not the only ones we've brought here. Our device only allows us to abduct a few people at a time. This is our transporter room so to speak. We have a large diverse crew all ready forming on this ship. Many from parallel times, universes etc. All on the same mission. To save time from the Krenam and the Aurens. All though you may not of thought it from your last encounter, Captain." Refering to Janeway. "The Aurens and the Krenam are in kahoots. They will stop at nothing until time has been completely been re-written. Your small crisis is only the beggining."
"Oh my God" said Picard.
"You said it. And you'll be totally shocked at who the Captain of this vessel is."
--T.W.Foley
''Captain Braxton?'' Picard said ''I'm afraid I've never met him.''
Janweway explained ''He's a time machine pilot from the 29th Century. During our travels through the Delta Quadrant we had a little, well, encounter with Braxton. I won't go into the details. Suffice to say, we parted on good terms.
Q suddenly reappeared. ''Captain Braxton was something of an uninvited guest aboard the Navarone. He was sent on board it when 29th century Starfleet detected us moving through the space/time continuum. Still, he has the best grasp of temporal mechanics of any human I've encountered, and he's determined to restore the timeline to it's original state.''
Sisko broke in. ''I think it's time we met the gentleman in question.''
''Agreed'' said Q. He snapped his fingers, and Captain Braxton appeared, wearing an unusual, but vaguely Starfleet-like uniform. He smiled when he saw the gathered contingent.
''So,'' he said. ''We've finally managed to get you all together.''
His eyes moved from Kirk, to Spock, then Picard, Sisko, Damar and finally Janeway.
Q spoke again. ''Well, I'll leave you to it!'' he said with a smirk, sanpped his fingers and disappeared once again.
Braxton beckoned them towards an opening that had gradually formed in the sheer whiteness of the place. ''Come'' he said. ''We have a lot of work to do.''
Several 'days' later...
Captain Braxton, personal log, Stardate... um, stardate unknown. With the help of the personell the Q have plucked from the timeline, I am almost ready to reconstruct the timeline to it's original state using the Navarane's technology. This is a day I have been looking forward to for... a... a very long time. End log entry.
Captain Braxton worked furiously at the Navarane's main temporal systems control console. The console, and indeed the entire bridge, were a mock-up created by the Q, so as Braxton and the others could interface with the Navarane's incomprehensible technology. Finally, it was ready. Braxton was now prepared for the final temporal reconstruction. ''Gentlemen,'' he said beckoning to the Humans, the Cardasssian and the Vulcan with him on the bridge. ''It is time.''
They stood, proud and ready.
Kirk, always ready to do his bit to save the Galaxy. Spock, who, despite his best efforts, deep inside felt sorrow and grief for the trillions who had died in the alternate timeline. He also felt a great satisfaction that logical action had been taken and the chaos could be ended, so that logic and order would prevail. Picard, his ship destroyed at the mouth of the Bajoran wormhole. He was grim and stone-faced, not letting the others see his utter joy at knowing that the indescribeable horrors he had witnessed over the past few years while fighting the Borg and the Aurens would now be forever erased from history. And that he would not remember any of it. Sisko, always one to see the lighter side, smirked to himself at how petty the Dominion War was compared to this. He almost laughed when he realised that when the timeline was restored, the war would once again become the dominating factor in his life. Janeway, determined to get back to Voyager and continue her journey home. And Damar, still a little confused, but knowing he would soon be serving Cardassia again.
Captain Braxton moved his finger and touched the control.
It began and ended within a millisecond.
-End of Chapter Four-
''Captain's Log, Stardate 8879.5
The Enterpise has delivered the Klingon Mara, the wife of Kang, back to the
Klingon Empire, after
we rescued her on the surface of Pluto's moon, Charon. It appears she was
abducted and stranded
there by an old adversary of Kang's. Kang has vowed revenge, but I personally
hope to forget this
matter, as the Enterprise is now heading for Starbase 5, where I and the rest of
the crew will get
some well deserved rest. End log entry''
''Captains Log, Stardate 51296.3
The Enterprise has docked at Deep Space Nine, to become the new flagship of the
Fourth Fleet.
I have received a temporary promotion to Rear Admiral, for the duration of the
war. A war which
I hope that, and am confident, will soon be over. End log entry''
''Station Log, Stardate 51296.3
The new flagship of the Fourth Fleet, the Enterprise has arrived at Deep Space
Nine. The Federation/Klingon alliance is beginning
to gain the upper hand in this war, and I, for one,
hope that it will conclude soon. End log entry''
''Captain's Log, Stardate 51296.3
After completing a trading mission with the friendly Zoldurians, Voyager has
resumed a course
back to the Alpha Quadrant. Neelix has arranged a talent night tonight, so I
have a lot of practicing
to do if my performance is going to be appreciated. End log entry''
--Stephen Errity
The picture above was obtained with permission from The USS Enterprise BBS Internet Site.
