Strange New Worlds 8
Page 35
“Eventually the Suliban too were crushed, and we were able to learn a great deal from technology we recovered. We began experimenting. We began to think we could not just protect against invaders, but perhaps undo so much of what had befallen us.
“Not long after our experiments began, we encountered a temporal parasite that affected a number of our researchers. It was a terrible affliction—freezing them in time, in a way, by preventing them from forming any long-term memory.
“In searching for a cure, we came across the notes of a Denobulan physician from the earliest days of the diaspora. They showed promise, and eventually we devised a way to eradicate the creatures.
“The Denobulan had been researching a cure for his captain—the captain of that first Enterprise . He’d been infected in the Expanse, a few months before Earth was lost. It gave us an idea.
“For our first attempt at a temporal correction, we wanted to start with something small. Something minor, to let us monitor its effects and learn for our next attempt. So we decided on that Denobulan physician. He was brilliant, really. We just—nudged him—in the right direction. To replicate the cure we’d found.”
Vargas continued his work. “The key to this was remaining aware of what we’d done. That is where this vessel comes in.
“Don’t be ashamed that you couldn’t decipher it in a day. This ship, this—Genesis device—is adapted from captured technologies that won’t be invented for another three hundred years. Doctor Marcus and his Klingon team worked half their lives to build it. It is a temporal insulator of sorts—it allows me to weather the effects of our tampering without being affected myself. It lets me observe what we have done—and undo it if need be.”
Realization dawned on Picard. “Shut off the beam,” he said. “Now.”
“Captain?”
“Do it.”
Vargas smiled. “Thank you, Captain. I’m glad you understand.”
“You took a tremendous risk.”
“Yes, Captain. And it was incredible hubris on our part, I know. But look at what we have wrought.”
“Captain,” Daniels said. “What is he talking about?”
“You were right, Mister Daniels,” Vargas said. “The events that I’ve described…never happened. Now . And thanks to us.”
“Us?”
“Myself and many others who never were. The reality that you know, Mister Daniels, is not the reality that was. It is not the one that was meant to be. It is one that we have made. And that we must be allowed to finish.”
“You can’t be serious. The eruptions—”
“I am a product of that—first draft—of history,” Vargas said. “I am connected to it. My presence here—my very existence—is a paradox. It is anathema to Nature herself. I cannot be. And yet I am. That is why existence is reacting as it is, and why these eruptions are centered here.
“We knew this could happen—and we knew I would have little time. But we had to know. If we had done something worthy, and deserving of life, or if we should direct our efforts elsewhere. I am, frankly—overwhelmed—by what I’ve found.”
“Captain,” Geordi said. “There’s a tremendous buildup of energy over there….”
“Back us away.” The two ships began to part.
“My presence, though necessary, has caused enough disruption here,” Vargas said. “Allowing you to take me to yet another time, Mister Daniels, would have been disastrous.”
A sensor chimed on Worf’s board. “He’s building to some kind of overload.”
“The reality you know is not what was,” Vargas said. “It is not what was meant to be. It is a gift. From us. Use it well. And—remember us.”
His image disappeared from the screen. They watched in silence as his ship appeared to gather a tremendous energy and then silently collapsed in upon itself. There was a brilliant flash of light—and he was gone. The trembling in the deck that had become ever-present quietly subsided, and the storm itself faded from view.
The bridge was silent. Picard finally spoke. “ ‘And he looked upon his works, and saw that they were good.’ ”
Geordi came up to the rail behind them. “You mean—we owe our entire existence…what? To Khan?”
“No,” Picard said quietly. “But perhaps to the man he might have been.” He gazed for a moment at the stars.
“Helm—take us home.”
Strange New Worlds
Contest Rules
1) ENTRY REQUIREMENTS:
No purchase necessary to enter. Purchase does not increase your chances of winning. To enter, send an original story based on the established Star Trek universe and/or characters as specified below. All entries must be received between June 1, 2005, and October 1, 2005. Entries received after October 1, 2005, will not be accepted.
2) CONTEST ELIGIBILITY:
This contest is open to nonprofessional writers who are legal residents of the United States (excluding Puerto Rico) and Canada (excluding Quebec) over the age of 18 at time of entry. Entrant must not have published any more than two short stories on a professional basis or in paid professional venues. Employees (or relatives of employees living in the same household) of Simon & Schuster, Nickelodeon and VIACOM, or any of their affiliates are not eligible. This contest is void in Puerto Rico, Quebec, and wherever prohibited by law. Entrants agree to be bound by the Official Contest Rules.
3) FORMAT:
Entries should be no more than 7,500 words long, must not have been previously published, and must not have been entered into any other contest or won any other awards. Entries must be typed or printed by word processor, double-spaced, on one side of noncorrasable paper. Do not justify right-side margins. The author’s name, address, email address, and phone number must appear on the first page of the entry. The author’s name, the story title, and the page number should appear on every page. No electronic or disk submissions will be accepted. Submissions must be in English. All entries must be the original and sole work of the Entrant and the sole property of the Entrant. Entries must not be subject to the rights of any third parties. Entrants not complying with these requirements will be subject to disqualification. By submitting an entry, Entrant warrants that the entry is the Entrant’s original and sole work and Entrant’s sole property.
4) ADDRESS:
Each entry must be mailed to:
STRANGE NEW WORLDS 9
Star Trek Department
Pocket Books
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
Each story may be submitted only once. Multiple copies of the same story or a slightly altered story (based on the sole discretion of the judges) will not be accepted. No facsimile, mechanically reproduced, altered, forged, incomplete, or illegible entries will be accepted. Please retain a copy of your submission. Entrant may submit more than one story, but each submission must be mailed separately. Sponsor is not responsible for lost, late, stolen, postage-due, damaged, or misdirected mail. Entries are the property of the Sponsor and will not be acknowledged or returned.
5) PRIZES:
One (1) Grand Prize winner will receive:
Simon & Schuster’s Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 9 Publishing Contract for Publication of Winning Entry in our Strange New Worlds 9 Anthology with a bonus advance of One Thousand Dollars ($1,000.00) above the Anthology word rate of 10 cents a word.
One (1) Second Prize winner will receive:
Simon & Schuster’s Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 9 Publishing Contract for Publication of Winning Entry in our Strange New Worlds 9 Anthology with a bonus advance of Six Hundred Dollars ($600.00) above the Anthology word rate of 10 cents a word.
One (1) Third Prize winner will receive:
Simon & Schuster’s Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 9 Publishing Contract for Publication of Winning Entry in our Strange New Worlds 9 Anthology with a bonus advance of Four Hundred Dollars ($400.00) above the Anthology word rate of 10 cents a word.
All Honorable Mention winners will r
eceive:
Simon & Schuster’s Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 9 Publishing Contract for Publication of Winning Entry in the Strange New Worlds 9 Anthology and payment at the Anthology word rate of 10 cents a word. Approximate retail value of prizes will depend on the number of words published for all winning entries included in the Anthology.
There will be no more than twenty (20) Honorable Mention winners. No contestant can win more than one prize. One prize per household.
Each prize winner will also be entitled to a share of royalties on the Strange New Worlds 9 Anthology as specified in Simon & Schuster’s Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 9 Publishing Contract.
6) JUDGING:
Submissions will be judged on the basis of a) writing ability and b) the originality of the story, which can be set in any of the Star Trek time frames and may feature any one or more of the Star Trek characters. Each factor will be applied equally. The judges shall include the editor of the Anthology, one employee of Pocket Books, and one employee of Nickelodeon and VIACOM Consumer Products. The decisions of the judges shall be final on all matters. Sponsor reserves the right not to award prizes in the event that an insufficient number of entries meeting the criteria established by the judges is received.
7) NOTIFICATION:
The winners will be notified by mail or phone on or about December 23, 2005. The winners may be required to execute and return an Affidavit of Eligibility/Release/Prize Acceptance Form. The winners will receive a publishing contract. Winners must sign the publishing contract in order to be awarded the prize. Noncompliance with these requirements or noncompliance within the specified time frame may result in disqualification and the selection of an alternate winner. Return of Prize Notification or publishing contract as undeliverable will result in disqualification and an alternate winner will be selected. Prize is not transferable. No substitution or cash redemption of prize except by Sponsor, who reserves the right to substitute a prize of greater or equal value in the event that a prize is unavailable. All federal, local, and state taxes are the responsibility of the winners. A list of the winners will be available after January 3, 2006, on the Pocket Books Star Trek Books website,
http://www.simonsays.com/startrek/
or the names of the winners can be obtained after January 3, 2006, by sending a self-addressed, stamped envelope and a request for the list of winners to:
WINNERS’ LIST
STRANGE NEW WORLDS 9
Star Trek Department
Pocket Books
1230 Avenue of the Americas
New York, NY 10020
8) STORY DISQUALIFICATIONS:
Certain types of stories will be disqualified from consideration:
a) Any story focusing on explicit sexual activity or graphic depictions of violence or sadism.
b) Any story that focuses on characters that are not past or present Star Trek regulars or familiar Star Trek guest characters.
c) Stories that deal with the previously unestablished death of a Star Trek character, or that establish major facts about or make major changes in the life of a major character—for instance, a story that establishes a long-lost sibling or reveals the hidden passion two characters feel for each other.
d) Stories that are based around common clichés, such as “hurt/comfort” stories, in which a character is injured and lovingly cared for, or “Mary Sue” stories, in which a new character comes on the ship and outdoes the crew.
9) PUBLICITY:
Acceptance of prize constitutes permission by winner to use his or her name, photograph, likeness, and/or entry for any advertising, promotion, and publicity purposes without further compensation to or permission from such winner, except where prohibited by law.
10) RIGHTS IN ENTRIES:
By mailing in your submission, Entrant grants Sponsor all right, title, and interest in entry, including any copyrights therein. All entries will become the property of Pocket Books and of Paramount Pictures, the sole and exclusive owner of the Star Trek property and elements thereof. Contest void where prohibited by law.
11) GENERAL:
Sponsor and its agents are not responsible for incomplete, late, lost, stolen, damaged, mutilated, illegible, returned, postage-due, or misdirected entries or mail. By participating in this Contest, Entrants agree to be bound by these Official Rules and agree to release and hold harmless Sponsor and Paramount Pictures and their respective advertising and promotion agencies, partners, representatives, agents, parent companies successors, assigns, employees, officers, and directors from any and all liability for loss, harm, damage, injury, cost, or expense whatsoever, including without limitation property damage, personal injury, or death that may occur in connection with, preparation for, or participation in the Contest or any Contest-related activity, or with the acceptance, possession and/or misuse of prize, and for any claims of publicity rights, defamation, or invasion of privacy. Sponsor is not responsible if the Star Trek: Strange New Worlds 9 Anthology does not get published.
12) SPONSOR:
Pocket Books, an imprint of Simon & Schuster, Inc., 1230 Avenue of the Americas, New York, NY 10020.
TM, ®, and © 2005 Paramount Pictures. All Rights Reserved.
About the Contributors
Lorraine Anderson (“Hero”) lives in Three Rivers, Michigan, and works two jobs. Finding time to write is a challenge! She is ruled by her two cats, Cocoa and Zen (who is anything but peaceful). This is her first professional publication, and she is still in total shock. While she would love to name all her friends and family who have supported her, she would especially like to thank Sherry “Sherlock” Watson. Adventures, old friend!
Derek Tyler Attico (“A & ” [Alpha and Omega]) is a native New Yorker actively pursuing writing. His other passions include feudal Japan, reading everything from Dante to Dumas, and photography; his work can be seen at DerekAttico.com. Since a story is written alone but never completed unaided, he’d like to thank Gene Roddenberry and the writers of Star Trek for creating and cultivating such a rich mythos, the WritersRoom for giving him a place of solitude to write, and Dean, Elisa, and Paula for allowing his voice to be heard here. This marks his first entry and appearance in SNW.
David DeLee (“Promises Made”) is a native New Yorker who now resides in central Ohio with his wonderful wife, Anne, his two terrific daughters, Grace and Sarah, and four cats (a prerequisite for writers, he’s been told). He’d like to thank his family for their support, even when they didn’t completely understand (“A writer? Where’d that come from?”); Dean, Elisa, and Paula for making it possible; the OCPFWW Class of ’03, for everything—and C.G. for critiques of his earlier work with a gentle but firm red pen. “Promises Made” is his first professional sale.
M. C. DeMarco (“This Drone”) caught the Star Trek bug from her father, L. L. DeMarco, at an impressionable age. Today she works for a small software company in Cambridge, Massachusetts. In 2004, she attended the Odyssey Fantasy Writing Workshop; any adverbs that remain in her prose are entirely her own. This is her first professional sale.
Dan C. Duval (“Trek”) marks his first professional sale in SNW8. After spending the last twenty-five years working in high tech, he, his cat, and his horses are taking a stab at the writing lifestyle, hoping to avoid the day job as long as possible. He lives in Oregon, between the volcanoes and the tsunamis. He thanks all the people who made this possible and they know who they are. So does the FBI.
Alan James Garbers (“Shanghaied”) is a master electrician and Assistant Scoutmaster in BSA Troop 219. He lives on a small farm in central Indiana with his singer/songwriter wife, Dianna, his Eagle Scout son, Dustin, and his honor-roll daughter, Erica. “Shanghaied” is Alan’s third and last appearance in the SNW anthologies. Alan thanks Dean, John, Paula, and Elisa for the encouragement and opportunities. He also thanks his coworkers at Diamond Chain Company, and his friends in the Morgan County Writers group for their support. Alan hopes to continue a career in writing Star Trek novels.
> Kevin Andrew Hosey (“Demon”) is a forty-five-year-old marketing communications professional who lives in Dallas, Texas, with his wife, Terrelia, and two children, Christian and Kimberly. This is his second SNW story. His first, “Seven & Seven,” appeared in SNW VI. Besides the Trek stories, he’s had cartoons printed in several publications, including Starlog. He recently finished two movie scripts, one horror and one science fiction, and also plans to convert them to novels. When not locked in his home studio writing, he spends his days creating advertising, videos, websites, and more. Like writing, it’s hard work—but lots of fun.
Paul J. Kaplan (“Dawn”) is an evil big-firm lawyer in Atlanta. Others know him as the slightly daft husband of a much smarter lawyer and doting dad of The Cutest Toddler Ever™. “Dawn” marks Paul’s third appearance in Strange New Worlds, and he is stunned to learn that this allegedly makes him a “professional” writer. That noise you just heard was the sound of every real author out there having a collective stroke. Heartfelt thanks to Dean, John, Elisa, and Paula for letting the fans contribute a few corny words to the near forty-year tapestry of Trek.
A. Rhea King (“Insanity”) is a native Coloradoan. She currently attends Aims Community College studying TV Production and after graduation will attend UCLA to earn her master’s. She has won awards and recognition for her one-hour drama scripts (all science-fiction-based, of course) and looks forward to a career as an episodic-TV writer and producer. “Insanity” is her first professional publication, but certainly not her last writing success!
Kevin Lauderdale (“Assignment: One”) has been on the cutting edge of history all his life. He was born and raised in Los Angeles during Hollywood’s Silver Age, lived in Silicon Valley during the Internet boom, and moved to the Washington, D.C., area (specifically, northern Virginia) two weeks before 9/11. His story “A Test of Character” was in SNW VII.