CHAPTER THREE

 

 

                "Captain, the communications between the starship and the space station are on recognizable, albeit advanced, Federation hails."

                "The code signatures from the vessels and the station fall within Starfleet parameters. There is a 92 percent probability  they are Federation crafts."

                The Captain spun in his chair to look at the center viewscreen. "But of a much advanced design." He got up and walked over to his science officer. The Starship Enterprise was just returning from the Khitomer Conference en route to decommissioning when the ship began to shake apart.

                "So, Spock," Captain James T. Kirk said to his Vulcan First Officer, "Could the buffeting we just experienced have been a time warp?"

                Spock raised an eyebrow. "All evidence supports the conclusion."

                "And," Kirk said, rubbing his hands together, "From what we've just heard, it seems Captain Picard of Enterprise ...D, knows Commander Sisko of DS9."

                "It would seem so."

                "So perhaps we are in their time period. Uhura," Kirk said to his communications officer. "Get me Captain Picard ... of the Starship Enterprise."

                "Yes, Sir."

 

                "Who?" Picard asked incredulously.

                "Captain James T. Kirk," Worf repeated.

                "I guess I should have expected this," Picard commented. He stood up, as did Riker and Troi.

                Picard glanced toward his Number One.

                "Well, Sir. It's not every day you get to address a legend," Riker said.

                Picard put his hands up in front of him, as if he were pushing something away. "Now, everyone. I know how important James Kirk and his crew were to Federation history, but we must remember they are apparently here from the past. We can not let them know more about their future than is absolutely necessary. Or else we risk altering our history."

                "I'm afraid it's much too late for that, Jean-Luc," said a familiar voice from behind him.

                Picard spun on his heel to face... "Q!"

 

                "Of course," Picard fumed as he took two steps toward the entity. "This little affair has your trademark of chaos all over it."

                Q took two steps back. "Normally, I'd agree with you, Picard. But this time its something far worse than a common prank."

                "Q!"

                "Picard, this is serious, not only to you but to me."

                "Oh come now, Q. What could possibly harm an omnipotent entity?," the Captain said rolling his eyes. "Now deliver those starships back to..."

                "That's just it Picard. Unbelievably, something has affected me and all Q. We're immobilized."

                Data stood up, "Immobilized? As I understood it, the Q Continuum was omnipotent and, to the extent of the known physical universe, all-powerful."

                "A nice thought," Q said. "But, alas, no longer true. There's a new bully in the neighborhood."

                Picard brow furrowed. "Indeed, and just what is this bully's intentions."

                Q plopped down onto the nearest chair. "To conquer ... everything. And they've started by neutralizing the

continuum and eliminating... something else."

                "And what is that?," Worf asked.

                "Believe me, Microbrain, you don't want to know."

                "Q," Picard yelled. "Stop this evasiveness and..."

                "Earth, Picard. They eliminated the Planet Earth. It never existed."

                No one said anything. There was no movement on the bridge.

                "Speechless," Q said. "I would never had believed it. I guess these new guys are more powerful."

                "Come ...now..., Q." Picard said slowly. "If what you say were true than how could any of us be here."

                "At the last moment before your beloved home was vanquished, I used all the remaining power of the Q to ... save you."

                "Why?" Data asked.

                "Because, my dear Data, you and your crew were all that I could think of... off the top of my head... that could help me banish these bullies."

                "Really?" Picard said. "And... the other Enterprises."

                "An aftereffect, I suppose, Jean-Luc. I only had a mali-second to act, and my powers were unfocused due to the

invaders. So when I thought Starship Enterprise, we got more than we bargained for."

                "...And DS9?"

                "Simply the last place I visited in your universe before the invasion."

                "Wonderful." Picard said.

                Riker stepped up next to his Captain. "It looks as if we have a problem, Sir."

                "Always the master of understatement, Riker," Q said. "Well, at least you've got me along to help for the duration."

                "Marvelous," Worf said.

 

                "No response, Sir," Uhura said.

                "Hmmm. Are our hailing frequencies compatible with theirs?"

                Uhura shrugged, "Assuming they are from our future they should be able to read us. After all, I can read old-style radio waves."

                "Good point," Kirk said. "Well..."

                He was interrupted by a beeping from Uhura's station.

 

                "Is it Picard?" Kirk asked.

                "No, Sir. It's from the previous Enterprise. NCC-1701."

                Kirk looked at Spock then turned slowly to the viewscreen. "Visual."

                The screen wavered and a familiar visage filled it, a ruggedly handsome man, who Kirk noted with sadness, was

doomed to spend his older years crippled by Delta Ray exposure. "This is Captain Christopher Pike of the Starship Enterprise. Come in, please."

                Kirk swallowed. "This is Captain James T. Kirk ... of a future Starship Enterprise."

                Pike nodded, "Our sensors confirm all the starships orbiting the station are future versions of my ship."

                "Yes," Kirk said. "We have come to the same conclusion."

                "Mr. Spock, my science officer," Pike said, "has suggested  we have as little exposure as possible so as not to further disrupt the course of future events. I just needed to confirm our findings."

                "I ... understand," Kirk replied. "For now, we should limit communications to emergencies."

                "Agreed, Pike out."

                The viewscreen wavered and resumed the image of the Enterprises orbiting Deep Space Nine.

                Kirk turned to Spock, "Do you remember ever giving that suggestion to Captain Pike."

                "Negative, Captain. I have no recollection of these events ever occurring on the other Enterprise. I will scan the library computer records."

                "Curiouser and curiouser," Kirk said as he sat in his chair.

 

                "You saved us?," Riker shook his head in bewilderment.

                Q shrugged, "I admit to a touch of temporary insanity."

                Picard walked to the main viewscreen. Four Starship Enterprises -- a legacy spanning the history of the United Federation of Planets. From Captain April to Captain Garrett, NCC-1701 has defined the eras of their service. Now, if Q could be believed -- and Picard admitted he had no reason not to believe -- Earth had been eliminated, had never existed.

                And through a fluke of undefinable cosmic powers, these historic ships and crews have come together to face their greatest challenge: To restore humanity.

                And to defeat a force more powerful than the most powerful entity Picard had ever encountered.

                "Mind-boggling, eh, Mon Capitan," Q said, coming up behind him.

                Picard turned and marched past him up the ramp to Worf's security station. He turned and faced the entity, who still stood front and center. "Let's say you’re right, Q, and Earth is gone."

                "I AM right, Picard.  I checked. It's not just gone, it was never there. Eight planets, not nine. Mercury, Venus, Mars. Earth is an asteroid belt."

                "Which leaves me two immediate questions." Picard said gripping the security station. "One: why did these

aggressors spare you? And two: what has this done to galactic history?"

                Q shook his head and walked toward the command chair. "Good questions. One: to taunt me, I suppose. The great taunter of the Universe, being taunted himself. They probably are having a laugh riot -- biding their time before they play out their game.

                "And two: I said before humans were not important. However, you have had a large impact on this sector of space -- in another reality. Now it's open season."

                "Who controls this space?," Worf asked.

                "I'm not sure really," Q responded. "But, I'll bet we find out soon enough."

                Data turned in his chair, "If I may, one can extrapolate, using known history as a referent, that this sector of space is probably controlled by the Cardassian Alliance. Assuming there was no Federation to help excise them from Bajoran Space."

                "Assuming the Klingon Empire has not staked claim to this space long ago," Worf said with a bit of pride.

                Picard looked at him with surprise. "Mr. Worf?"

                "The Klingons had a strong military presence in this sector long before the Cardassians were a power. If there was no Federation..."

                "You would have all died after Praxis or been conquered by the Romulans at Khitomer. Power, indeed." Q said.

                Worf growled.

                Q laughed.

                Picard clapped his hands, "Gentlemen, this speculation is foolhardy and useless. Mr. Data. Mr. Worf. Start long range sensor sweeps. See if we can get some answers."

                "Deep Space Nine may be of some assistance, Sir," Data added.

                "Indeed," Picard agreed. "Get me Commander Sisko. And send a general hail to the other Enterprises telling them to stand by for more information."

 

                "Can we confirm these are friendly vessels?," Odo asked seconds after arriving at Ops.

                Sisko shrugged, "It is the Enterprise out there --our Enterprise from our time period, Constable. I have no reason to believe the others are anything but what they seem."

                "Never-the-less," Odo countered, "It might be wise if we take more defensive measures."

                O'Brien stood from behind his station, slightly annoyed.

                "Odo, the Enterprise would never take any action against this station."

                "Just the same, Chief, caution is warranted. This is a highly unusual situation..."

                The security chief was interrupted by a signal from O'Brien's station. "Its Captain Picard, Sir."

                Sisko moved to center of Ops and then thought twice, "In my office, please, Chief."

 

                Sisko sat behind his desk turning his baseball over and over in his hand, tossing it between the two. He was trying to absorb the information Picard just gave him.

                No Earth. Never an Earth.

                Blast Q. Sisko could not believe Q wasn't behind this, and was frankly surprised at how easily Picard seems to have excepted his word. As far as Sisko could tell, Q couldn't be trusted as far as an infant could toss his baseball.

                However, if there were entities more powerful than Q out to conquer the Universe, than what the hell could Sisko, could any of them do, to stand in its way?

                Picard had suggested a meeting of all the captains on DS9. Sisko agreed and left the Enterprise Captain to deal with his counterparts. He had to deal with getting the station ready for the historic event and ready to deal with whatever came next.

                He would need to call a meeting of his senior staff. If Picard was right and history had reset itself sans an Earth and human race, then they would inevitably encounter the political forces of the sector very soon.

 

                Rom had rarely heard his brother laugh so excitedly.

                Quark came up from behind and slapped him on the back so hard it almost knocked him over. "Don't be some glum, Rom. This is the profit-making event of the month... at least. All the Captains of the Enterprises. We'll have them all here, at Quark's Place. Who in their right mind would pass up the opportunity to meet so many heroes at one time? Everyone on the station ...on the ships ... on Bajor... will be here. Buying, gambling, drinking ...losing their money... to us."

                Rom coughed. "But brother, what if the rumor is true, that Earth has been erased from existence, and that the Federation doesn't exist either?"

                Quark laughed louder, "Then, finally, Sisko has no authority to check my books." And the Ferengi howled with pleasure all the way to the holo-suites.