Options and Favors
“Well, that was entertaining,” Q noted with a smirk as the closing credits began to roll.
“Yes.” His compatriot replied. “It’s too bad that they’ll never come to pass now.”
“Oh! That would be horrible to let them simply vanish from all reality after they’ve managed such a spectacular triumph!”
“Well, it's a done deal, Q.”
“Not quite. I have until Spock finishes watching the movie.” Q replied and snapped his fingers.
Behind the starship Enterprise, the former Romulan mining ship Narada was being consumed as singularities spawned by the eruption of Red Matter grew and merged with one another, their pull also growing, threatening to drag the Enterprise in as well.
“Scotty! Why aren’t we at warp?” Kirk called into the intercom.
“I’m givin’ her all she’s got, Captain!”
“That’s not good enough! What else you got?”
Down in engineering, Montgomery Scott’s mind went into frantic overdrive as he tried to think of a solution before the Enterprise was torn apart. “If we eject and detonate the warp core, the shockwave might push us out of the way!”
“Do it! Do it! Do it!” He heard Kirk call over the com circuit. Scotty rushed to eject the core. He pushed the button…
Nothing happened.
“Ejection failure! I can’t eject the core!
On the bridge, Kirk swallowed. This was it. Then from the other Spock’s memories, he saw a chance. “The Narada originally passed through an event like this when it entered our history. Maybe we can do the same thing.”
“Even if that theory were correct, we have no idea where or when we might emerge. We might not be able to return to our reality.” Spock warned.
“Maybe, Mister Spock but we’re all out of ideas,” Kirk told him.
Spock nodded. “Logical.’
“Mister Sulu. Take us in. Maximum Warp.”
Enterprise arced around and plunged into the event...
… Finally, she emerged and the shaking subsided.
“We’re through,” Sulu reported in relief, looking over at Chekov and smiling.
“Bring the Stellar Inertial Navigation System online. Let’s see if we can figure out where we are. Uhura, monitor Starfleet channels. Time is a variable too. This could get interesting.”
“Picking up the automated beacon from Starbase 7,” Uhura announced. “Stardate 6017.08. That’s nearly twelve years into the future…”
“Inputting time adjustments into SINS,” Chekov reported. “Adjusting for stellar drift, I can confirm we are now near the boundaries of the Klingon Neutral Zone.”
“Are we on our side at least?”
“Yes, Keptin.”
“Captain,” Uhura called. “We’re picking up a Star Fleet hail.”
“Put it on the screen.” The viewscreen brightened to reveal a bridge considerably more compact than that of Enterprise. In the center sat a man with pepper gray hair and the cuff insignia of a Commodore.
“This is Commodore Robert Wesley of the Starship Lexington. Please identify yourself and state your intentions.”
Kirk leaned forward in the command seat. “This is James T. Kirk, acting Captain of the USS Enterprise. We have suffered damage and casualties in combat with renegade Romulan forces. We would appreciate any assistance you could provide sir.”
“The Enterprise… From an… alternate reality?” Captain Kirk questioned a short time later.
On screen, Commodore Wesley shrugged. “What can I say, Jim? I’ve gone aboard and spoken with Captain Pike and seen their records and logs. They’ve got a very interesting ship, 1100 crew along with survivors from several other Federation ships and members of the Vulcan High Council. The ship is about seven hundred meters long. She’s going to be a beast once we’ve upgraded her to current technology.”
“Anyway Jim, The Lexington has been ordered to Altair VI. We'll be rendezvousing with you in six hours. The other Enterprise will accompany you home to Earth. Along the way, you can take some time to help them adjust.” Bob grinned, “Think of it as a chance to get to know yourself better.”
Raven studied the tall biped standing in Princess Celestia’s flower garden. Beside her, Sergeant Iron Helm and Private Swift Edge watched the being warily. Physically, it resembled the off-worlders that Her Highness had been meeting with, a mare if she judged correctly, it seemed confused more than anything else. Its attire was much drabber and covered even more than the garb of the other bi-peds. It turned toward them, noting the guards’ weaponry with a tinge of concern but not responding in either threat or panic, merely caution. Raven noted that Swift Edge had raised his spear in a more defensive stance. The Royal Aide’s horn glowed for a moment as she gently pushed the Private’s weapon down.
“I don’t see any need for that. We pride ourselves on our hospitality after all.” She addressed the stranger directly. “All are welcome in Equestria as long as they come in the spirit of amity. Of course, we prefer our visitors not simply appear out of thin air in Her Highness’s private garden but as Celestia would note, simply being is hardly a crime. Perhaps if we started with a name? It’s much easier to hold a conversation when one knows whom one is addressing. Mine is Raven, aide to Princess Celestia.”
The human, Raven was now fairly confident about that, looked at her curiously and then spoke.
“My name is Amanda Grayson, wife of Sarek of Vulcan.” She glanced around once more. “This isn’t exactly what I pictured the hereafter to look like.”
Raven laughed. “Well, the garden is quite lovely this time of year, but It’s hardly the Fields of Elysia... So Amanda Grayson, do you know how you ended up here?”
Amanda smiled ruefully shaking her head. “That would have been my question also.”
A smug and unapologetic voice from behind Raven spoke. “That would have been my doing.”
Raven and Amanda turned to see a tall Earth Pony in a red colored uniform of some sort. Raven noted that the insignia on it greatly resembled that worn by the Federation people.
The pony made an exaggerated bow with an added flourish of the right forehoof. “Admiral Q at your service, ladies.” His expression turned more serious as he looked at Amanda. “Let’s just say that at some point in the past future… Future past? Well, at some point I did and will owe your son a favor and so I’m taking the opportunity to settle that now. I’m certain your sons will be delighted to see you.”
“But I only have one son.”
“Yes, and they’re both unbelievably stubborn.” Q groused then straightened himself. “Well! I must be going! While you may be welcome here, my dear,” he told Amanda. “I fear that Celestia would be less than pleased to see me. I won’t get into details. Anyway, there’s a Dax problem I need to fix and the perfect time to get on it.” With that, Q stamped his right hoof into the ground and vanished in a blinding flare of light.
“Aren’t you forgetting something Q?” A voice queried in his head.
“And what might that be?”
“The girls?”
“Oh! Them! Oh, no, they are quite safe. A little Japanese Cherry Blossom and a Georgia Peach in a land of Apples!”
And the others?
I left them with a bunch of Centaur Corsairs from Calvaria.
That was rather cruel, Q!
No, they won't hurt the pirates too badly...
After all the excitement over the past week, the CMC was actually ready for things to go back to normal in Ponyville. Although Scootaloo was anxious to hear Rainbow Dash tell about her trip to the giant starship, it was time to get back to crusading.
They climbed up to their clubhouse when they all heard a voice coming from inside:
"I don't know where this is but while my momma might not care, I'll just bet your folks are worried sick! I'd better find some food for us first. after that, I'll figure something out. I hope..."
Applebloom shoved open the door to the clubhouse.
"We got aliens!" Scootaloo exclaimed as they saw the two humans inside. The larger one frowning at them as she rocked the baby in her arms.
"Dang it! I'm a McCoy! Not an alien!"
Sulu and Bones' kids? With the CMC? Oh, my...
So now there are two Spocks, two Amandas and Two Sareks in this universe? Glad we have two McCoys as well!
I'm guessing Q did this as the Kelvin timeline wouldn't come to pass once Spock knew about it?
The tech upgrades those ships will be able to share will be amazing. The Romulan and Klingons governments will not be happy either.
This much change is going to make most of the shows and movies worthless! So good job Q?
9110437
Odd thing is that while the 2009 Enterprise looks slicker when compared to the Classic series Constitution class, she's actually less advanced overall in my opinion. She was under construction in 2252, 19 years after the destruction of the USS Kelvin. Even assuming that accelerated research programs advanced Federation tech an additional ten years in that period, that would make her equal to early 2260's tech but scaled up so that her overall power is greater than the TOS Enterprise . The tech about to be put into the rebuilt Prime universe ship will certainly benefit her Kelvin timeline counterpart but aside from some cosmetic changes, the reverse is not necessarily true. So not a significant tech boon to Star Fleet but still an impressive ship. The Romulans will still be unhappy but the Klingons may get a boost from Engineer Kellet studying the model of the Vor 'cha class.
9110675
Her weapon systems and some internal controls are better overall than the prime Conni. Her warp core, as shown in the movie is horribly lagging behind.
Nearly everything about the Kelvin timeline is shaped by their being a Romulan super ship out there somewhere. So, you are correct, for the most part the 2009 Enterprise is behind the TOS version. But there is just enough they gleaned from 24th century tech to bring parts of it to a slightly higher standard.
I want to see how Pine-Kirk and Shatner-Kirk get along. Pine's Kirk is fun, but shaped by the lack of George in his life.
If the original Enterprise is no longer destined for destruction at Genesis, would that mean that in the new timeline the Enterprise-A would be the Kelvin timeline Enterprise?
9111200
It's an interesting thought. At this point, I neither confirm nor deny.
Oh Gods the meta puns
So I had to give the new crew a chance in this new timeline.
NO YOU DIDN'T
also that JJprise is NOT 700 meters long, that JJ being an idiot.
9113622
YMMV. As to the size of the ship, my wife (Whom I rightly respect and fear more than others on this site) witnessed me involved in a 300-page debate on this subject back in 2009 and will kill me if I restart it here.
While I feel that the scripting problematic (Chekov born six years earlier than his Prime counterpart as just a small example) and fully recognize these characters are not the same and cannot replace the Classic crew, Some of them were IMO exceptional: Karl Urban was great and Bruce Greenwood's Pike was much warmer than Jeffrey Hunter's character. frankly, I think it is clear that Greenwood enjoyed his role while I don't think Hunter did. Anton Yelchin's Chekov was allowed to breathe much more than Walter Koenig was ever permitted. Sarek was well done too.
Don't get me wrong. I did not like the changes to 'Khan' but I liked Benedict Cumberbatch's acting. Had he been one of Khan's followers, I could have accepted him easier. Admiral Marcus... Ugh! and I really have issues with Into Darkness as a whole.
All that said, I regret you did not enjoy but it is what it is.
9111200
If I'm not mistaken, wasn't the Enterprise-A originally called USS Yorktown? She would be renamed after the original's destruction at Genesis.
9114399
Roddenberry suggested this but he wasn't making the calls at this time (For the movies anyway). Since we actually SEE Yorktown going down at the start of ST IV, I find it unlikely to be that ship. I know the argument is that they could not have built a whole new ship for Kirk so quickly but there was probably already a Constitution-Enterprise class already in an advanced state of construction when Admiral Morrow announced the original ship would be decommissioned.
Also, I don't like the renaming of an existing ship in service. Sailors believe this is a bad omen.
9114500
True, but it would have been a nice little nod to the 3 Yorktown-Class Aircraft carriers of World War 2.
Yorktown, Hornet and Enterprise.
Not sure if USS Saratoga was a Yorktown-Class as well, I think she was a Ranger-Class.
9114877
Saratoga in WW2 was a Lexington class carrier converted from an unfinished battlecruiser. Ranger was a much smaller and frankly less successful ship built purpose as a carrier. Ranger's flaws from her limited size and Saratoga's limitations from being a conversion were rectified in the Yorktowns but Saratoga was still quite successful and still holds the record as fastest carrier in the US Navy (At least officially) The NEXT Saratoga and Ranger were both Forrestal class supercarriers.
Now, STARSHIP Yorktown, at least the one in service during TOS is believed to be the Constitution Class ship in the fleet museum in the late 24th Century.
I've been into Star Trek since my dad showed it to me on TV and then surprised me with the Colombian House VHS collection. One new tape every couple weeks I think it was.
While there was a few things I didn't like about the reboot, it was far out paced by what I did like. After all, Star Trek has been rife with alternative time lines, parallel universes and the like. Once I put the new movies into that prospective I got into them a lot more.
And BTW nice little extras your adding to the original story.
9113665
TBH, I think Into Darkness' Khan was actually close to canon with TOS Trek. Some points to remember: TOS Khan stated he was five times Kirk's strength; TOS Spock was far stronger than Kirk in Paradise Syndrome that Kirk had to use a pipe to fight him (and still lost); Gary Seven was able to resist TOS Spock's nerve pinch and break away in the brief struggle before Kirk stunned him with a phaser (the novelization of the Eugenics War depicted Gary Seven as equal strength to Khan).
So, Spock going toe-to-toe with Khan as they did in Into Darkness is arguably valid. The only questionable thing about it all was how ID Khan was able to shake off getting stunned... but with many of your same points about the lower rating in tech Abram's Trek was to TOS would point to lower quality of the phaser, too.
However, that his blood could heal diseases and resurrect the dead was very questionable. Besides, that was no reason Khan needed to be taken alive--all they needed was to get his corpse back intact and soon enough where they'd be able to collect enough of his blood to resurrect Kirk. His heart didn't need to still be beating for that to happen.
Given this is a typical timey-whimey Qism, the quote should have been "Yes, and he's both unbelievably stubborn."