Headlong Flight

by Dayton Ward

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  Dedicated to the memory of longtime Star Trek reader and fan

  Eric Cone

  June 29, 1966–September 19, 2016

  HISTORIAN’S NOTE

  This story takes place in mid-2386, seven years after the U.S.S. Enterprise-E’s confrontation with the Romulan praetor Shinzon (Star Trek: Nemesis) and approximately two months after the events involving the Federation, the Klingon Empire, and the renegade Klingon cult known as the Unsung (Star Trek: The Next Generation–Prey).

  PROLOGUE

  U.S.S. Enterprise, NCC-1701-D

  Stardate 44853.6, Earth Year 2367

  Geordi La Forge was feeling lucky.

  From the storage container he had brought with him, he extracted two decks of playing cards and a set of poker chips. He placed the items atop the green felt surface that now covered the table in the sitting area of Commander Data’s quarters. The chips went to the center of the table, whereas La Forge positioned the cards before the chair in the room’s corner, which was Data’s preferred seat.

  “Tonight’s the night,” La Forge said, stepping back from the table and adjusting his uniform tunic. “Payback for the beating I took from you last week.”

  Sitting behind the expansive console that served as his desk, Data swiveled in his high-backed chair. Still dressed in his Starfleet uniform, he now also wore a green eyeshade. Despite a notable lack of emotions, the android still managed to affect a range of facial expressions that seemed to simulate human reactions. In this case, he frowned as though attempting to display confusion or doubt.

  “I administered no physical punishment during our last poker session.”

  La Forge smiled. “Data, I swear there are times when I can’t tell if you’re being dead serious, or trying to joke with me.”

  “This would be one of those times.”

  “Now you’re just putting me on.”

  “Putting you on what?”

  Realizing this could go on all evening if he allowed it, La Forge held up his hands. “I surrender.” He looked at the table and for the first time realized that there were seven chairs, instead of the usual six. “We’ve got an extra player tonight?”

  Nodding, Data said, “Lieutenant Worf, Counselor Troi, Wesley, and the doctor will be joining us as usual. The captain made a point to mention that he may perhaps ‘drop in.’ I thought it prudent to reserve a seat for him.”

  “Really? That’s surprising.” La Forge pondered the possibility. “How long’s it been since he last sat in for a game? Seven or eight months?”

  “Nine months, twenty-one days, seven hours, and thirty-seven minutes.”

  La Forge shrugged. “Like I said.” He nodded in satisfaction. “It’ll be nice to have him back, though I can’t say I’ve missed not getting my scalp handed to me the way he does it.” Seeing Data adopt a quizzical expression, he raised a hand. “Never mind.”

  Moving away from the table, the chief engineer crossed to where Data had returned his attention to the screens set into his desk. From where La Forge stood, he could see that his friend was poring over what obviously were columns of sensor data scrolling past three different screens at a pace too fast for him to follow. “What are you looking at?”

  Data replied, “Sensor readings from our survey mission to the Hecuba star cluster. This is my first opportunity to review the information we collected, both from our own scans as well as the survey probes we launched into the region. Now that we have completed our studies of the area, I am preparing my final reports for the captain and for transmission to Starfleet Command.”

  “That sounds exciting. There wasn’t much to write home about, after all.”

  La Forge made no attempt to hide his sarcasm, even though he knew Data likely would not pick up on it. The Hecuba star cluster had been first cataloged more than a century earlier by automated deep-space survey probes, and now it along with the surrounding sector was the Enterprise’s current focus of exploration. After nearly two weeks of being subjected to intensive sensor scans, the cluster appeared to harbor nothing of any real interest. Still, the engineer was sure astronomers and other scientists would find much to enthrall them once the first detailed sensor data was transmitted back to Starfleet Command.

  “While we encountered no unusual stellar phenomena,” said Data, “one planet in the Polydorus system shows remarkable parallels to Earth during its Paleoproterozoic Era. The evidence of eukaryotic organisms is very much like what evolved on Earth approximately one point eight billion years ago. There may be other similarities, as well, but such discoveries likely will require a dedicated science team over an extended period.”

  “At that rate,” said La Forge, “I’m thinking we have plenty of time to get someone out here.”

  “Agreed.”

  “Besides, we’re overdue for a rendezvous at Starbase 198. The captain promised me we’d put in after we took on this last survey mission, and I’ve been wanting to put the ship through a baryon sweep before we’re sent out on anything long-term.” The procedure to rid the ship of baryon particles—residual elements that accumulated on and within a starship as a result of extended travel at warp speeds—was routine in most respects, though it did require travel to a starbase with the specialized equipment to carry out the process. Further, it necessitated the crew disembarking the ship for the duration of the sweep. Vessels normally were not required to undergo this procedure at such an early point in their life spans, but the Enterprise, during its rather short period of active service, had logged many more hours at warp than other ships of similar tenure. Based on the projections he had formulated, and taking into account the ship’s atypical operational tempo, La Forge predicted the Enterprise requiring a baryon sweep at approximate intervals of three years.

  The challenge, conceded La Forge, was figuring out what to do with the shore leave that came with being a crew displaced by such a sweep.

  Who am I kidding? Starbase 198 has at least one working holodeck, right?

  Even as he decided to take himself to task for the errant thought, La Forge’s reverie was broken by the sound of a yellow alert klaxon. A moment later, the ship’s intraship activated, followed by the voice of Lieutenant Worf.

  “Attention, all personnel. Sensors have detected an unexplained stellar anomaly. We are changing course to investigate. All on-duty personnel are ordered to their stations. All other duty shifts remain on standby until further notice. Senior staff, report to the bridge.”

  As Data removed his eyeshade and rose from his chair, La Forge tapped his communicator badge. “La Forge to bridge. Data and I are on our way.”

  Over the open frequency, Worf replied, “Acknowledged.”

  Eyeing his friend, La Forge said, “Any idea what it might be?”

  The android shook his head. “Without information, it is difficult to form a hypothesis.”

  “I’m betting it’s not a nebula.”

  “That would seem to be a logical assumption, as I do not believe the captain would upgrade the ship’s alert status and order the senior staff to the bridge for something of that nature.”

  La Forge shook his head as the pair exited Data’s quarters and proceeded to the nearest turbolift. “You’re putting me on again, aren’t you?”

  “Putting y
ou on what?”

  1

  HERE

  U.S.S. Enterprise, NCC-1701-E

  Earth Year 2386

  Roused from slumber, Jean-Luc Picard was still rubbing the last remnants of sleep from his eyes as the turbolift began decelerating, heralding his arrival at the bridge. He had but a moment to adjust his uniform jacket and compose himself before the doors parted and the sounds of the starship’s nerve center filled the lift compartment.

  “Captain on the bridge,” said Commander Worf, who was the first to notice Picard emerging from the lift. Pushing himself from the command chair at the center of the bridge, the Enterprise’s first officer rose to his full, imposing height at Picard’s approach. Seated to Worf’s right, the gamma shift watch officer, Commander Aiden Lynley, also stood.

  “Number One,” said Picard by way of greeting, stifling a sudden urge to yawn.

  The Klingon nodded. “I apologize for disturbing you, sir, but given what our sensors have detected, I felt this was something you would want to see for yourself.”

  Picard had figured that much upon hearing the alert siren that had awakened him even before Worf’s summons. The odds of his second-in-command calling for him in the middle of the night for a routine matter were nonexistent. Indeed, the Klingon likely had been called by Commander Lynley, leaving it to Worf to determine whether Picard should be alerted.

  “No apologies needed.” He noted the blinking status indicators around the bridge. “We’ll maintain yellow alert for the time being. What have you found?”

  Worf nodded to Lynley, who said, “We’ve been continuing our sensor sweeps of NGC 8541 as ordered. There was nothing out of the ordinary for the first several hours after gamma shift started, but then we got a change in the sensor readings.” He looked over his shoulder toward the starboard bridge stations. “Lieutenant Elfiki, let’s see it.”

  Seated at one of the bridge stations positioned along the bulkhead and facing away from the command well, Dina Elfiki turned in her chair even as the fingers of her right hand played across her console. “Aye, sir.”

  The image on the main viewscreen shifted from a view of open space to the enormous, swirling mass of ionized gases and interstellar dust designated as object number 8541 in the New General Catalogue. It was the seventh stellar phenomenon of this type the Enterprise had encountered since beginning its exploration of the Odyssean Pass several months earlier. Like the previous six nebulae, this one seemed to Picard to be rather unremarkable, though the Enterprise had, of course, followed through with a full sensor scan of the area and the cataloging of that data for transmission to Starfleet Command. Based on the last report submitted from the astrometrics department heads, the captain had been prepared to order a course set for their next scheduled point of interest.

  Such thoughts vanished as Picard beheld the planet centered on the viewscreen.

  “It wasn’t there until about fifty-two minutes ago, sir,” said Elfiki. Rising from her seat, the young science officer moved to the edge of the command well, and Picard briefly wondered how long ago she had been called to the bridge after doubtless being awakened by Commander Lynley. “Based on a review of our sensor scans, it literally just appeared out of nowhere.”

  His gaze locked on the dull gray, seemingly lifeless body now hanging amid the nebula’s swirling cloud of violet gases, Picard crossed his arms. “And you’re certain this can’t be explained by a sensor anomaly or other interference?”

  Elfiki shook her head. “No, sir. Given the problems we’ve already been having, I triple-checked everything.”

  “I’ve had a level-three diagnostic run, Captain,” added Lynley, “just to make sure we’re not being fooled by a sensor echo or something else in here.” He pointed to the screen. “That planet just wasn’t here an hour ago, sir.”

  Stepping closer to the viewscreen, Picard pondered the pale, dead world. Since the Enterprise’s arrival at NGC 8541, the nebula had been causing no small amount of trouble for the starship’s sensors. The ionization levels either blocked scans or else muddied the readings to an extent that the engineering and science staffs had been required to make continuous adjustments to the equipment to compensate for the interference. The background ionization also hindered the deflector shields and long-range communications while the ship remained within its boundaries. In an attempt to combat these difficulties, Lieutenant Elfiki also had gone to painstaking lengths to devise a course through the nebula that would either avoid or mitigate disruptions to the affected systems. While that effort had been somewhat successful, continuing to scan the nebula often required a choice between clarity of sensor data or risking an interruption of the ship’s deflector shields and perhaps its protection against the region’s inherent instability. Upon arriving at the nebula and learning to what extent surveying it would hamper his ship’s systems, Picard was reminded of the Briar Patch, a volatile area in Federation space that had given him and the Enterprise so much grief years earlier. At least here, the ship’s propulsion systems did not appear to be suffering adverse effects.

  “Could it have been cloaked?” asked Lynley. Along with Worf, the commander had moved to stand behind and just to the left of Picard.

  “I’ll recheck the sensor logs, Commander,” replied Elfiki before returning to her station. “But I didn’t notice indications of energy readings consistent with any cloaking technology with which we’re familiar.” Turning back to her instruments, the science officer set once more to work.

  “The power requirements to cloak an entire planet would be staggering,” said Picard. “I’d hope they’d also be detectable. Lieutenant Elfiki, what can you tell us about the planet itself?”

  Elfiki looked away from her console. “It doesn’t have an atmosphere, sir, but our scans have detected artificial structures at a single location on the surface. There’s also a significant energy reading coming from an underground location. Scans indicate it’s a subterranean nuclear fusion reactor. Pretty decent size, too, a lot larger than you’d think they’d need to power the complex on the surface.” She paused, and Picard saw a fleeting expression of nervousness before she schooled her features. “The readings we’re getting would be better if we could get closer, sir.”

  Picard considered the lieutenant’s request as he continued to study the planet, before looking to his first officer. “Number One?”

  “We could move closer, sir,” said Worf. “We are currently maintaining position five hundred thousand kilometers from the nebula’s outer boundary. With the reconfigurations we have made to compensate for the region’s effects on sensors and shields, we may be able to cut that distance in half, though it would still expose the ship to increased risk.”

  Lynley added, “We’d probably have to move even closer, Captain.” He gestured to the viewscreen. “The soup in there is enough that our scans would still be pretty muddied at that distance.”

  “Let’s keep things simple for the moment,” said Picard. “Mister Worf, cut our distance from the outer boundary by half. We’ll take it from there.”

  The Klingon nodded. “Aye, sir.”

  With Commander Lynley moving to take over the bridge’s tactical station, Picard settled into his command chair as Worf oversaw the efforts of the gamma shift flight control officer, Lieutenant Gary Weinrib.

  “Shields are reacting to the nebula,” reported Lynley after a moment. “Compensating for the increased effects.”

  Picard replied, “Very well.”

  Casting a glance over his shoulder, Weinrib said, “Now holding station at two hundred fifty thousand ­kilometers from the nebula’s outer boundary, sir.”

  Shifting in his seat, Picard looked to Elfiki. “Lieutenant?”

  The science officer was splitting her attention between her console and the main viewscreen. “Readings are better, sir, but still somewhat distorted. I’m instructing the main computer to scrub the scan
imagery we’re receiving.” She frowned. “These readings are odd. It’s like the sensors are out of alignment, but that’s impossible. I’m not sure . . .” When she paused, Picard watched her lean closer to one of the station’s display screens. “I’ll be damned.”

  “What is it?” asked Picard. Rising from his chair, he crossed to Elfiki’s station and moved to stand behind her. “What are you seeing?”

  Pointing to the screen that had captured her interest, the science officer replied, “Sensors are picking up quantum fluctuations, sir. The nebula’s masking most of it, but we’re close enough now that we can see some of the effects. I’ve just rechecked the readings to be sure, Captain. They’re definitely coming from the planet.”

  Picard studied the telemetry feed, as translated by the Enterprise’s computer from the raw sensor data to a format understood by mere living beings. Something about the information seemed off to him. “Can you identify a point of origin?”

  “That’s just it, sir.” Elfiki turned in her seat. “It’s not coming from a single location on the planet.” She shook her head. “I mean, they’re being generated from the structures we’ve already detected, but they’re expanding outward to encompass the whole planet.”

  Worf had moved to stand next to the captain. “You’re saying the entire planet has possibly shifted from another dimension?”

  “I’m saying that’s what the sensors are indicating, Commander.” The science officer pointed once more to the readings. “These readings are consistent with what we know about interdimensional rifts, as well as shifts between dimensions made through artificial means.”

  “You’re certain?” asked Picard.

  Elfiki paused, as though weighing the impact of her answer, before replying, “Yes, sir. I am.”

  Turning from the science station, Picard again took in the sight of the mysterious world before them, its ashen surface contrasting with the nebula’s brilliant indigo hues. Was it possible that the planet itself had come from some other realm of existence? If so, what had brought it here? To what unexplained cosmic forces had it been subjected prior to its arrival here? For what purpose might it have been sent from one reality to another?