Star Trek - TNG - 63 - Maximum Warp, Book Two

by Dave Galanter

  "You're right," Picard said with a sigh. "I don't understand. At least not so much I can picture it, but I do grasp the theoretical concept." He looked to the for ward screen again and the clear view of the system across it. There, in the distance, was the Caltiskan sun, kept from being sucked into the black hole near it for uncounted millennia by an ancient science. Picard assumed that, had he ordered magnification, he would have seen Medric's ship, disabled and drifting.

  "Are you sure we're inside?" he asked.

  "We can say little with complete certainty," Spock said. "But it would seem that within this device is 'the eye of the storm' in a sense."

  Picard's headache pounded not very lightly behind his eyes. "What is this ... device supposed to do?"

  Coming from seemingly nowhere, a bright, intrusive light filled the bridge. Both Data and Spock turned to the sensors as the captain looked at Chamberlain and made sure the lieutenant was ready for a possible attack.

  "Captain, we are being scanned," Data reported. "Very active, very intrusive."

  "Intrusive?" Chamberlain asked, glaring at his tactical board. "It's like someone walked in on the ship while in the shower."

  Spock nodded. "This scan is occurring on all degrees, including sub-quantum levels."

  It was Folan's turn to look surprised. "Someone is scanning us below the quark plane?"

  "That is correct, Sub-Commander. Very sophisticated," Spock commented. "We are barely able to register it."

  "Where is it coming from?" Picard demanded, stalking the science station consoles.

  "From the sphere itself, I imagine," Spock replied. "I

  cannot get a fix. These sensors are primitive in comparison."

  Primitive. The word conjured ox carts and oil lamps, not isolinear sensors and deflective scanners.

  Picard asked again in frustration, chastising no one in particular, "What is this device supposed to do?"

  A klaxon sounded.

  "Intruder alert," Chamberlain said. "I think."

  "You think?" In a moment, Picard was at the tactical board next to the young lieutenant.

  "Something's breaking through our shields like they weren't there, sir."

  The captain motioned to Spock and Data. "Scan that. But I don't want to stop it."

  "Sir?" Chamberlain looked aghast. "You're going to let them--"

  "Whoever they are," Picard said, "assuming there's an intelligence here and not merely an automated process, could have destroyed us by now easily with the power at their discretion."

  Solidifying onto the bridge in a flash of light and slight buzz of energy, a computer console materialized between the conn and ops control boards.

  Picard approached the addition, which looked strikingly like any other Enterprise control kiosk. "Data?"

  The android was already running a tricorder over the console. Spock was likely scanning it as well from the science station.

  "It is not our equipment," Data commented.

  His lips pursed, Picard nodded. "I gathered that." I

  "No, sir, I mean to say, internally this is not our technology I cannot ascertain any standard technological references."

  "But it looks like one of your consoles," Folan said, approaching it cautiously.

  Data closed his tricorder and bolstered it. "As an interface, yes. I believe it has been put here for our convenience, designed to look and act as our own equipment."

  Nodding his agreement, but continuing to poke at the science station controls, Spock weighed in. "The sphere has apparently scanned us and created a console for our use."

  Picard motioned for Data to investigate it, and as he did, the captain watched anxiously over his shoulder. It did look and act like a normal control pad, but the information on it was flowing so quickly only Data, and perhaps Spock, could have understood it.

  "Sir," Data began cautiously, "I believe that this sphere is not attempting to disrupt the surrounding space. In my estimation, it is attempting to scan it."

  "Scan it?" Picard felt his brow furrow and he leaned down as if examining the console closer would help. "Are you sure, Data?"

  "I am sure," Spock replied, rising from his station and making his way to the lower deck of the bridge. "As Commander Data suggested, the dynamics of this console, while obviously made to fit into your ship's systems, are far more advanced than our technology. That said, its processes are clear. It is scanning the universe. A scan so strong, it exceeds the quantum level and touches the very fabric of reality itself. And in doing so, disrupts it."

  Picard would be fascinated if there were time. "But can you stop it from scanning and disrupting space?"

  Data shook his head. "Sir, I believe this console is only for information-gathering purposes and has no command interface. There is, however, evidence of a vocal link to whatever the console is connected to."

  Picard nodded, jumping on the chance to issue some orders. "Computer tie-in to alien console between conn and ops stations."

  A flurry of bleeps and beeps as the Enterprise computer tried to do so, melding its circuits with complex alien technology.

  "Link complete," the familiar Enterprise computer voice reported. And then the alien console spoke in a deeper tone: "DIMENSIONAL SCANS

  PROCEEDING."

  Hesitating only a moment, Picard cocked his head to one side and stared at the console as if it were a person standing before him. "What..." he began, and paused again, searching for the right question. He must start, he thought, at the beginning. "What are you?"

  "I AM A VEHICLE."

  "A vehicle?" Spock asked.

  "CORRECT."

  "It said dimensional scans," Folan whispered, then turned to Picard. "Perhaps it scans all dimensions, then is able to traverse them with ease?" "It has a very disruptive way of doing it," Picard said tightly.

  "Other dimensions?" Chamberlain asked. "As in subspace?"

  WE

  Spock turned to the tactical officer. "Not quite. The primary Unified Field Theory has suggested that the universe is ten-dimensional in nature."

  "Yes, yes, we studied that," Picard remembered. "With all ten dimensions stable at the time just before the Big Bang, when the universe was a mass of matter energy

  The Vulcan nodded. "Indeed. And the Big Bang itself was the collapse of that mono bloc

  Chamberlain was barely looking at Ms console now. He was caught up in the discussion, the predicament. "Don't you mean explosion?"

  "Yes, and no," Spock replied. "Dimensionally, it is believed to be the point at which the six higher space time dimensions collapsed, leaving the four in which we exist to be the most accessible."

  "But this sphere is accessing them," Picard said, making a gesture that included the device in which they rested.

  "So have we," Folan said, nodding to her own internal understanding. "At least to differing degrees of success --and at the expense of great power. And if nothing else, we know this sphere is controlling immense energies." She turned to Spock. "There are Romulan theories along these lines as well. They suggest that when the universe has expanded past a certain point, the force of gravity will pull all matter and energy together again, into the mono bloc of matter energy you spoke of. In that mono bloc the ten dimensions of space-time are again full, but unstable, creating another Big Bang, and another universe."

  "All fascinating," Picard interrupted, "but our galaxy--"

  "Universe, sir," Data corrected, still tapping commands into the alien kiosk to view information. "I believe the dimensional scans are being conducted universe-wide."

  Picard motioned widely, his hands tight fists. "Very well. All the more urgent. Our universe is dying. How do we stop it?"

  Data shook his head, softly shrugging. "There is no data on that from this console, sir."

  "Computer tie-in to the alien console," Picard ordered again, then spoke directly to the sphere. "Dimensional vehicle, can you discontinue the spatial disruptions in the universe outside?"

  "AFFIRMATIVE."


  "Then please do so," Picard asked, "immediately!"

  The alien computer was silent, but space outside was changed.

  Chapter Twenty

  "what's happening?" picard demanded.

  "I AM FOLLOWING THE ISSUED COMMAND,"

  replied the alien console, and Picard felt a small degree of panic rise in his chest. Something was wrong. Nothing good was this easy. He pivoted toward the rear of the bridge.

  "Spock?"

  The Vulcan and Data had transferred the alien kiosk's output to the science stations.

  After a moment, Spock turned back the captain, his face a Vulcan pale-green almost yellow ashen. "Spacetime, the universe, is now in a state of hyper contraction Spock said, his tone dire. "Uncounted times faster than the speed of light, and infinitely faster than space-time would in the normal life of the universe, all existence is collapsing in on itself. Galaxy after galaxy,

  empty void after empty void." What he said next made it Picard's unspoken fault. "The source of contraction is the sphere."

  "What?" Folan seemed to wince, her face crumpled, looking ill. "What is happening?"

  Spock flicked a switch on his console, and the forward viewscreen flashed with a magnified view of the dark side of the Caltiskan planet. Lights, the signs of civilization seen from orbit, went dark all over the planet.

  "A dead zone," Picard said, his voice sounding hollow.

  "I believe," Data explained, "the universe is quickly and prematurely returning to the state it would after billions and billions of years of life--the mono bloc of matter energy of which you recently spoke. The precursor to this is one final, massive dead zone."

  "Why is it not affecting us?" Picard asked. But the answer was obvious.

  "I surmise the sphere is immune."

  "You're saying," Picard said, "the sphere is not a part of the universe?"

  Spock swiveled easily around in his seat. "The universe, defined as all that which exists, necessitates that it is. However, it must exist on a level outside the impact of that which goes on around it."

  "How is that possible?" Folan asked the question Picard was thinking.

  The Vulcan shook his head. "We do not know."

  The words pinched at Picard, biting into him. "I'm hearing a lot of that. We need to understand this!"

  "Captain, the science at this level borders on magic to our understanding," Spock's voice was apologetic,

  smooth, but laced with just a hint of concern. If he and Data truly didn't know ... Heard rubbed the back of his neck and the knot that wouldn't go away. "Moses would have thought a light bulb was magic, Mr. Spock, but given enough time, I'm sure it could have been explained to him."

  "Of that I have no doubt," Spock replied. "But someone would need to be able to explain the technology. I cannot."

  "What can you explain?" he snapped.

  "Little. But I do now believe this device is an artifact from a Type IV civilization."

  Picard squinted at him, remembering yet another theory --this one taught in high school rather than the Academy. "I've heard of types one through three, I believe..."

  "I've not," Folan said, running a hand through her hair.

  Spock made sure to turn so he could address both her and Picard. "A long-standing theory of technological advancement, not as measured by specific inventions, but in use of energy. A Type I civilization would be able to control the energy of its own planet. Twenty first-century Earth was such a civilization."

  "Yes, I remember this," Picard said, nodding. "A Type II civilization would be like our own--a culture which can control the energy of entire solar systems."

  "Correct, and a Type I'll civilization controls the power and energy of an entire galaxy," Spock said.

  "As I remember, that's where the theory ended-with a Type IE civilization." Picard felt they shouldn't be discussing this so calmly, but he needed to understand the problem to form a solution, if there was one.

  "I believe it is time to revise that theory," Spock offered. "It is possible the sphere and its makers, were, or are, from a Type IV civilization--with the ability to harness and manipulate the power and energy of the universe itself."

  Data, still watching the torrent of information that flowed from the alien kiosk as it transferred to his science station, voiced his own hypothesis. "Captain, in my estimation, the purpose of this machine, this vessel, is for inter dimensional travel. It exists not only in the four dimensions in which we live, but the six higher dimensions that make up the complete fabric of the universe."

  "That would explain why there is more area inside than outside the sphere. Inside the sphere is higher-dimensional space," Picard suggested.

  Correcting that notion, Spock shook his head. " "Inside' may be as inaccurate a concept here as 'up' and 'down' are in the space we routinely traverse. But, if the race that created the sphere became a Type III civilization, and could travel time in this universe, then they had an infinite amount of time to bring themselves to Type IV."

  Struggling to sort the possibilities, Picard gnashed his teeth at the swirl of information that contradicted most physics he knew--and yet supported it as well. "So, the purpose of this vessel is to travel both time and space? The Enterprise can do that."

  "This object has survived from within a black hole," Spock said, "and is unaffected by the universe outside. Most likely it will be able to survive the mono bloc that will quickly follow the collapse of this universe."

  Picard marched down toward the alien console. "Is this correct?"

  "PARTIALLY."

  It was coming together in Picard's mind. He saw the path being laid. "You'll... use the energy from the end of the universe itself to propel yourself into the next universe?"

  "SIMPLISTIC, BUT NOT INACCURATE," replied the console's deep baritone.

  "Captain, if I may, this computer is not unlike the being-computer on the Guardian planet."

  Spock's comment made something click in the back of Picard's mind, and he remembered the Guardian planet and its portal across time and space.

  "Yes, we're familiar with that planet. Are you suggesting the same race created this?"

  The Vulcan shook his dark head. "The interface is different, so I would not venture a guess, but one would think they are at least similar in the level of their technology. Perhaps both Type F-V civilizations."

  "The 'next universe' ..." Picard whispered, his gaze intent on the alien computer monitor.

  "An interesting concept," Folan murmured, perhaps equally awed by the possibilities. "And a confusing one," she added.

  "Remember that existence is a constant that cannot be broken." Spock steepled his fingers and seemed to address all on the bridge. "Existence exists. It simply is. This is the base metaphysical axiom inherent in all facts of reality. While the nature and shape of the universe is perhaps cyclical--from mono bloc to Big

  Bang, to expansion, then collapse, and then mono bloc again, forever--the existence of the base matter energy is inescapable."

  "The oscillating universe theory." Picard nodded as he lowered himself into the command chair and gazed at the stars on the main viewer. "The universe changes, blanking out all matter every time it reverts to a mono bloc ... but existence remains, and the sphere can traverse the mono bloc using the power of the end of the universe itself as a boost."

  Spock raised a brow. "Yes, that is my supposition. Well stated. And apparently that is the operation now in effect."

  "Stop this process," Picard ordered.

  Neither defiant nor apologetic, the alien kiosk replied. "I CANNOT."

  "You must!" Picard pounded his fist on the arm of his chair.

  "Captain, it is a machine." Suddenly Spock was at his side. "As such, it can only act as it was programmed."

  "Pardon me, sir," Data interjected from the rear of the bridge, his voice just a touch insulted.

  "Present company excluded, Commander," Spock apologized.

  "Thank you, sir." "Of what use is a piece of te
chnology that can go to the next universe only by destroying the one it is in?" Picard demanded.

  The sphere itself answered: "I AM ABLE TO MOVE

  TO THE END OF THE UNIVERSE, OR BRING THE

  END ABOUT. EITHER METHOD IS AVAILABLE."

  A chill ran down Picard's spine. He'd done this. He'd given the sphere an order, and brought about the destruction of everything. In his haste to save lives, he'd ended them--all.

  What could they now do? "Spock, if the sphere can move forward to the end of the universe, then perhaps it could go back and allow us to stop this at the beginning?"

  "THAT METHOD OF TRAVEL IS UNAVAILABLE."

  Unfeeling, uncaring words.

  "Apparently not," Spock said.

  "Then ... we're all saved," Picard said heavily, "and everyone else is dead." "Captain, if nothing else, this is a fantastic opportunity for scientific discovery--the end of the universe." Data had not moved from his console in some time, nor had he looked up. "The sphere has enhanced our sensors. We can draw information on any star in any galaxy we're watching it happen."

  "We've caused it, Data!" Picard barked. "We need a way to stop it, not study it!"

  Hands clasped thoughtfully behind his back, Spock's soft voice seemed more for his own ears than for anyone else's. "We may not be able to stop it in this universe, but surely these events will take place again."

  Picard looked up at him. "Pardon?"

  Spock lowered himself into the seat next to the command chair. "Assuming that this cycle of existence is infinite, since matter energy cannot be destroyed, there is a statistical certainty that all that has happened in this incarnation of the universe will occur again, in a proceeding incarnation."

  Closing his eyes, the captain shook his weary head and tried to grasp what Spock was telling him. "Explain."

  "As far as we know matter and energy can neither be created nor destroyed--simply changed from one into the other. Matter/energy is what the universe is constructed of. With only a finite number of ways which it might form such constructs, and yet an infinite number of chances to attempt them... think of it like this. You have a pile of bricks. There are a limited number of ways you might stack them to build a house, and yet with unlimited attempts, you will at some point repeat the way in which you stack the bricks. Given that, these circumstances must happen again--as well as any other possible circumstances--an infinite number of times, in an infinite number of proceeding universe incarnations."