"Flight Of The Phoenix"

written by

Michael Gray

Kristen Bishop starred at the faces flashing past on the display panel across from her desk. Starfleet Commander-In-Chief James had given her three more days to come up with something, anything which offered even the slightest glimmer of hope for the engineering problem ailing the currently dead in the dock Chamberlain and her sister Oceana class starships. Desperate, Bishop had set the computer's search parameters to find anyone with a connection to esoteric warp theories. In addition, she had told the mechanical brain to flag any engineer's record who had a classified status attached.

It was a billion to one shot. If this didn't provide the miracle she sought, it probably wasn't meant to be.

Starfleet had poured every ounce of ambition it had into the Oceana class starships. Designed out of fear and pride, they were built with technology ten, twenty, or even more years beyond Federation understanding. With the thunderclap of the Dominion War resonating in the ears of those in power, the class, seen by some as the Federation's only salvation, was rammed into production fifteen years ahead of schedule. Some of that advanced technology had been set aside for more contemporary solutions. But the ship's engines weren't to benefit from that kind of retrofitting.

It was a matter of simple warp physics. The current warp core designs could only produce so much power, and the fields necessary to propel a giant like an Oceana at warp velocities, needed more energy than a single core could give. There had been no choice but to go with the multiple warp core design the ship had begun with.

However, synchronizing multiple warp cores, eight in the case of the Oceana class, turned out to be insurmountable. But they had lucked out. Starfleet had been given a fix by the enigmatic Vedala and everything had been fine.

That is until the Vedala vanished, presumed destroyed at the Battle of Nybiros. With them went the solution to the problem.

Now the four ships of the class were back where they'd started: nothing but comatose hulks resting in Starfleet dry-docks.

Kristy rubbed her eyes. After three more days of this, she wasn't sure she'd care anymore.

She'd already been offered to head a team at Utopia Planitia, working on a new, secret trans-warp project. She'd been told the offer had a very brief shelf life and that it was in her best interests to take it before it went stale.

Instead she pressed on. Chamberlain was Kristen Bishop's baby, and she wasn't going to give up on her yet.

Kristy walked to the window. Her office on the Spacedock always faced the gas giant planet they orbited. When they were on the night side, she'd sit and watch the lightning flashes in the heavy hydrogen soup below. For some reason, despite the destruction they likely caused in the atmosphere, they gave her a sense of peace she sorely needed these days.

In three days it would be over.

If the deadline passed without a solution, Starfleet intended to mothball the four large ships for at least the next decade, and perhaps beyond.

Kristy wondered who'd be the next chief engineer to board the Chamberlain, and who'd live in her quarters.

She meandered back to her desk and fell into the chair. "Maybe it is time to..."

The computer chimed.

Kristy didn't let herself get too excited just yet. She'd had a couple of false alarms already. The most notable had been a chief engineer whose record had been sealed after he'd gone insane during the war and slashed the throats of his entire department one night thinking they were all Dominion spies.

She'd been tempted to contact him on the off chance his madness had produced a similar departure from reality in his thinking on engine design. Unfortunately, his theoretical skills were mediocre at best.

"Odd," she said to herself as the display remained blank despite her having called up the record it had just brought to her attention. She frowned, but knew if the computer was giving her this kind of trouble, it must have found a good one. "I'm not letting this go."

Her fingers danced over the control panel in front of her, but still nothing on the display. This was starting to feel as frustrating as five months, two weeks, and four days without sex... which was exactly how long it had been for her. After this was all over, she was going to find a man and...

"Information Classified." the computer told her.

Kristy grinned. It was still fighting, but she'd gotten a response and that was always a sign she was getting close to breaking through.

Keep going, keep going...

Men often told her she was too persistent, that she pushed too hard. Too damn bad. She knew what she wanted and wasn't afraid to say so, nor afraid to make it happen. If certain men couldn't handle that, they probably weren't man enough to handle her either.

Come on baby...

The computer finally relented. A standard Starfleet profile appeared, but one thing caught her eye.

"Deceased?" At first she thought this might just be someone in Starfleet Intel's way of hiding an operative, but the date and place of this woman's death told her otherwise. "Hmmm, 2375, Glazyalan prison camp." That sounded familiar. Oh, Jack was there. She was a member of his crew from the Beaumont.

That couldn't be right. Kristy remembered seeing this woman last March on the Chamberlain.

She was an engineer, and somehow despite being declared dead, she looked very much alive ten months ago.

"This one sounds promising. Time to go deeper."

Kristy began using every data decryption trick she'd ever learned. Five hours later, she was almost sorry she had pursued it at all.

But only almost.

She got on a secure channel to Bartholomew James.

"Admiral, I believe I can get the Oceana class engine design functional again."

James face frowned on the display. "I do hope this isn't some fantasy, or a delaying tactic. I assume by the fact this is a secure transmission that it's a bit out of the ordinary."

"More than a bit, sir."

He smiled. "I'm listening."

"I'll need someone's help. Someone currently being held at a secure location by Temporal Investigations."

"I'm re-encoding this transmission." James leaned forward. "While I'm intensely curious about how you broke through their security, I think we can discuss that another time. But before I dance with those ghouls, I want to know this is worth it. How can you be so sure this person can help you?"

"Because she's worked in the engineering department of an Oceana class ship whose warp drive functioned perfectly without any help from the Vedala. In fact the ship was the Chamberlain."

***

Sydathus Pervalt sat across from her, his eyes hiding something she had not seen before. Either she had angered him in their last session more than she'd thought, or he was bringing frustrations from home to work. Whichever it was, it probably didn't bode very well for her.

"So, how are we?"

"We're floating on a raspberry cloud with whipped cream shooting out of our asses," Robin Nelson said with a grin.

"More colorful than usual." Pervalt checked his PADD for the eleventh time.

"Something wrong in totalitarian bastard land today?"

He forced a smile. "My dear, why do you needlessly attempt to annoy me when I have done everything I can to help you?"

"I don't know... maybe the restraints on my hands and feet have something to do with it." She used all her strength to test those bonds for the millionth time. "Maybe it has something to do with how that bitch Mei-Wan destroyed my universe and everyone I care about!"

"Have you ever considered that your universe only came into existence when Mei-Wan and Evans were at the center of a temporal event? Mei-Wan could very well be the reason you exist."

"Bullshit!"

"You're a Starfleet officer and a more than competent physicist. Consider the possibilities, Lieutenant."

"Thank you!” she shouted.

"For what?" he asked with wide eyes.

"For recognizing that I'm an officer. I'm glad to know that means something in this timeline."

He took note of some last detail on the small screen then switched his PADD off. He looked as if he were about to vomit. "Unfortunately, it means far more than I might wish it did."

Robin laughed. "It's good to see that at least occasionally you don't get your way."

"Actually..." His forced smile returned. "I've gotten far more from your stay here than I ever could have imagined."

He stood. "Goodbye... Lieutenant Commander."

What?

Maybe all of this had finally turned her mind inside out, but before she came to her senses, he was gone.

The moment the door closed, her restraints fell away.

"Lieutenant Commander?" she whispered to herself. "What the hell was that..."

Before she could finish that question, two men in drab brown coveralls burst into the room and each took an arm. They escorted her through the exit.

“Where are you taking me?!”

Neither spoke as they led her down a dizzying path from corridor to corridor, turning here and there with no rhyme or rationale... until she noticed a solid red line in the middle of the floor.

A red line? What can that mean?

Around another corner and another. She tested their grip on her arms--- solid as ice on a cold winter's day.

And I'm helpless, I can't put it right.

Robin's mind was near breaking. She couldn't stand anymore.

They arrived at a door with a single distinguishing characteristic. It had the number 101 at eye level.

The door swung open and a flood of light hit Robin, causing her eyes to shut. How long had it been since she'd seen sunlight? A lifetime.

In the middle of the 10 by 15 foot room was a chair which the two men placed her in. After a moment, she heard the door close.

She cautiously opened her eyes.

There was humanity here. A couch, curtains, and windows! Glorious windows! Beyond the window was a city of buildings, and small craft in the air. The sea blue sky had a few clouds, but otherwise it was pure.

She couldn't tell which city, but at least there were people nearby.

She took a long breath.

No, this is just another test. I can't get my hopes up, not after all I've...

The door opened again, but this time a dark skinned woman walked in and sat in the couch across from Robin.

"So are you the good cop to shithead's bad cop?"

"Nope."

"All you temporal investigations assholes are the same."

"I'm Kristen Bishop, Chief Engineer on the Chamberlain."

Robin finally noticed this woman wore a Starfleet uniform.

"That's nice, but unless you plan to take me out of here, I don't see the point in us talking."

"I have a couple of questions." Bishop smiled. "That is if you don't mind."

"What about?"

"The engineering system on your Chamberlain, did it use eight warp cores in tandem?"

"Yes, but..."

"Do you remember the synchronization configuration?" Bishop asked.

"Yeah, but what does this..."

"What would you say to helping me with the configuration on my Chamberlain?"

Robin smiled. This was just another Pervalt trick. It had to be. "Well, I'd love to, but seeing as how these goons won't let me leave, I'm afraid I can't help you."

Kristen Bishop stood. "You can leave with me right now. You'll be assigned to the Chamberlain as the Assistant Chief Engineer provided you agree to Starfleet's terms."

Robin could barely speak. She wanted to believe it, but too much had happened to her soul in this place. However, Bishop seemed sincere enough. "Let's hear them."

"You'll have to agree never to attempt to return to, or reinstate your timeline."

"I... don't know if..."

"This one isn't negotiable." Bishop said, a stern look on her face.

Robin sat back in her chair. She still worried this was only a new stage in her interrogation, but the look of desperation in Bishop's eyes said otherwise. She couldn't see any reason not to play along.

“How can you ask that of me?”

Bishop let out a long breath. “Because of all the conditions I was told were necessary, that is the one they're still insisting on.”

Robin laughed. “I guess I should consider myself lucky that's all they want.”

Kristen leaned forward. “Look, I don't know what you've been through, or what living in my timeline is going to be like for you, but at least it's better than staying here, isn't it? You've got a chance at a real life, one as close as to the one you used to have that you're likely to find.”

“Why do you need me so damn much?” Robin asked.

“The entire Oceana class is about to mothballed. You're my last hope.”

“Why should I help you? Any of you?!” Robin demanded, finally letting her rage boil over. “I was left to rot in this place!”

“I didn't know you were here until a few days ago,” Kristy said.

“Answer me this... if I didn't have the knowledge you needed would you even be here?”

Bishop sat silent for several moments. “No. I wouldn't be here.”

Robin stood. “Thank you.”

“For what?”

“For being honest with me.” Robin smiled. “So, we getting out of here?”

***

A few minutes later, the two women walked through a long hallway.

Pervalt leaned against the wall near the end of the corridor. “Before you go, Ms. Nelson...”

Robin stopped.

He continued, “You should understand you are not to mention anything which took place here, nor are you to reveal the fact you come from a different timeline. As far as anyone knows, you were rescued from an Orion attempting to trade you after you'd been sold to him by a Glazyalan military officer. Your memory, as a result of your injuries, has suffered substantial loss as far as names, events, etc. But for some reason, your engineering knowledge is completely intact."

"So everything here... none of it ever happened?" Robin asked with a grin.

"That's right." Pervalt said.

Robin smiled and walked up to this man who had made her life nothing but pain and suffering. "Even this?"

Her fist connected with Pervalt's jaw with enough force to send him spinning to the floor. Robin gave him a quick kick to the gut, leaving him barely conscious.

Bishop smiled. "According to what I've been told, even that never happened."

Robin smiled. "Then I'll accept the deal."

***

“So did you tell her she was free to go before Bishop arrived?”

Pervalt smiled. “Of course not.”

Belvedere turned his chair in the small meeting room. “So she doesn't know it was Mei-Wan who secured her release?”

“No.” Pervalt winced in pain. His hand rubbed his still sore jaw.

“Interesting choice,” Belvedere said. “Why?”

“Ms. Nelson is angry, understandably so, considering the circumstances of her life.” Pervalt turned a PADD end over end in his hand. “But it is far better to have that anger directed at Mei-Wan than allowing it to fester into thoughts of bringing her timeline back into existence.”

Belvedere grinned. “A very reasonable choice.”

“It has the added benefit of leaving Nelson with the impression that going to the Chamberlain was her only option,” Pervalt said. “Making the job of watching her much easier.”

“I think I would have preferred her being left to fester in an apartment somewhere in San Francisco,” Belvedere said with a frown.

“If the need arose, it is far less troubling to explain away an accident during starship duty than one while living on Earth.” Pervalt grinned. “Space is such a dangerous place.”

“We shall see.” Belvedere left his seat and walked to the door. “Do you think Nelson will act on her anger toward Mei-Wan?”

“We can only hope,” Pervalt said.

Belvedere smiled.

***

Robin Nelson looked out the window of her quarters on the spacedock. She smiled at her reflection in the transparent aluminum.

It was good to see herself back in uniform again.

And the promotion didn't hurt either.

Robin just hoped she'd be able to perform the miracle Kristy Bishop seemed to think she could.

She straighted her uniform one last time.

“Time to get to work.”

Robin left her quarters.

***

So far, the interior of this Chamberlain looked the same as hers had. The specs she'd studied during the week long transit from Earth to Delta Ophichus had, to her relief, indicated they were nearly identical.

But just as with her Mei-Wan and the woman who had destroyed her timeline, the differences while at first seemingly insignificant, made all the difference in the universe.

I've got to let my world go, she thought. I'm here now. This... is my world.

But no matter how many times she told herself that, it still wasn't easy to accept. She wanted to go home.

But being on this ship did feel right.

I belong here.

Robin rounded a corner and found Kristy Bishop.

“I was worried you'd gotten lost,” Kristy said.

Robin paused in her stride. “No, just taking my time, trying to get acquainted with the old girl.”

Kristy grinned as the two women headed off toward engineering. “Did you look over the synchronization system?”

“I had to find something to fill my time,” Robin said with a smirk.

“And?”

“Relax, Commander. We'll get her back on her feet in no time.”

Kristy frowned. “Do you know how many times I've heard that over the last two months?”

“No.”

“Well... it's been more than I can count.”

Robin stopped and smiled at Kristy. “Trust me. You won't hear it again.”

***

“Another couple of weeks to make some minor adjustments and conduct a few test cruises, and we'll start on the other three ships.”

Admiral James seemed far more relieved than Kristy expected.

“That's great news,” he said over the comm unit. “Wonderful news.”

“You know, if Nelson hadn't been thrown into that dungeon I found her in, we would have gotten the ship up and running again a long time ago.”

“Don't start with me, Kristy. You know how dangerous a temporal incursion can be.”

“Right,” Kristy said with a laugh. “From what I understand she was brought to our timeline against her will.”

“We really shouldn't be discussing this over a comm channel.”

Kristy took a sip of her whiskey. “Come on, Bart, don't you think I have this signal encoded?”

“We still shouldn't be talking about it.”

“Okay... suit yourself.”

Admiral James leaned forward. “Keep an eye on her, Kristy. I had to call in a lot of favors to get her back on a starship.”

“I didn't figure it was easy considering where she comes from.”

“You have no idea how difficult it was. And trust me, you don't want to know.” He seemed lost in thought a moment. “I don't want her becoming a problem.”

“You worry too much.”

“I have reason to. There are those who would love to see this blow up in my face.”

Kristy sat down in front of the comm unit. “So you going to make it out here before we leave?”

He smiled. “Considering you didn't see me while you were here, I'm not sure I should go to all that trouble.”

She placed a single finger on the screen. “You know I'm worth that much trouble.”

He laughed. “I'll see if I can fit it into my schedule.”

“See you in a couple of weeks,” she said reaching for the control.

“Now, I didn't say I would...”

The unit went blank.

“He'll be here,” Kristy said.

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Dark Horizon Story and Characters Copyright ©2009 Michael Gray

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