//------------------------------// // The Edge of the World // Story: Worlds Apart: The Chosen of the Prognosticus // by GMBlackjack //------------------------------// Captain’s Log, Stardate 47932.5 The Enterprise has successfully translated to the new world, which I am informed is called Narnia. From the limited reports I’ve been given, it seems the world operates more on the ideas of “magic” from fairy tales and the like than the science we are accustomed to. However, all systems report fully operational with only minor hiccups in some of the sensors, an effect we were prepared for from Data’s inspections and our reconnaissance probes. We have only been here a few minutes and it appears we already have a mission: go to the edge of the world and seek the aid of a being known as Aslan. He takes the form of a lion, but I am already fairly certain he is much more than that. Were it not for the assurance of his influence in recent history, I would be tempted to consider him no more than a legendary or religious figure. Tails and Knuckles have been granted the temporary ranks of Commander and Lieutenant while they remain on board. Surprisingly, Tails does not seem to take this as a demotion. I am scheduled to meet with the King of Narnia, Caspian the Tenth, prior to leaving on our mission to the edge of the world. I look forward to meeting the man who has recently been adapted into the band of “prophesied heroes.” ~~~ Picard sat in his ready room, reading a few reports on the physical nature of Narnia. Data had transmitted some of the information from his personal observations and there was some information from reconnaissance probes, but most of it was gathered by the Enterprise’s on-board sensors in the half-hour since they arrived. The world, quite simply, was flat and had a well-defined edge—the closest of which was over the eastern ocean, directly in the line of the Void. The stars were not large balls of gas, but rather specks of shimmering light that looked down from a dome-shaped arrangement. The world itself was filled with the “magic” or “viz” that had been identified around Twilight, except in much higher concentrations. “It’s like it came out of the pages of mythology,” Picard mused, a smile coming to his face. He understood that many of the crew were uneasy about the idea of “magic” existing and all sorts of legends of the past being real, but he found himself having quite the opposite reaction. In his free time, he was a bit of an archeologist and the myths of old had always fascinated him. Even though this world was comparatively young, it held within it the spirit of mankind’s legends. Picard was sure of it. He was mildly concerned about contaminating the world's culture—after all, they had no technology to speak of and were largely medieval in everything except their “magic”. However, the Prime Directive of the Federation that demanded non-interference had been suspended for the sake of saving all worlds from destruction. A reasonable declaration, to be sure, and one that was made remarkably quickly considering the politics involved. Still, it would no doubt have negative consequences. After this was all over, would Narnia be able to stand on its own with the other universes? Only time would tell. The beeper on Picard’s door rang, letting him know someone wished to see him. “Come.” Caspian the Tenth strode in, the door sliding shut behind him. Picard noted that he was in armor and carried a sword, but the King showed no hostility or even concern—merely wonder at what was around him. “You have an amazing ship, Captain,” Caspian said, grinning. “Think I could get one?” Picard smiled and shook his head. “While some of our laws about dealing with other cultures have been suspended due to the direness of the situation, I cannot just give you a ship to do with as you please. But for the time being, should you require transport, we will be glad to provide, Your Highness.” He made sure to stand up and bow to the King. “I’m sure I’ll take you up on that offer at some point. But for now, I will remain with the others, searching for the Hag. You, on the other hand…” Caspian shook his head and chuckled. “Are going to try to do the impossible. Cross over to Aslan’s Country.” “It will take a few minutes to reach the edge of your world.” Picard walked to the window and looked out. Usually, there were stars on the other side, but right now he could see the terrain and mountains of Narnia under a soft, blue sky. “As for what lies beyond, well, the Enterprise is capable of speeds even I can’t fully comprehend.” “It may not just be a matter of speed to reach Aslan’s Country, Captain.” “Then we shall prove our mettle and ingenuity in other ways, as we always have. This crew has stood against beings who could snap their fingers and destroy us, traps set by long-dead warriors, and even threats we never fully understood.” He turned to Caspian with a calm smile. “One way or another, we will forge on.” “Aslan is known to oppose the proud.” “I take little pride in myself,” Picard said. “I am an old, hard man too devoted to some questionable ideals. What I take pride in is this crew and their capacity to handle anything. The Federation has never backed down from a new horizon.” Caspian nodded. “Then I wish you luck.” He reached into his armor and pulled out a scroll of paper. “This is the map we have of the eastern sea, all the way to the edge of the world. I took my Dawn Treader all the way to the edge a few years back. It was a treacherous journey over the sea. Through the air, I do not know.” Picard examined the map, noting the personal notations of dangers. “Thank you, Your Highness.” “Now, I shall return to the others and search for the Hag. Enjoy your journey.” Picard nodded. “The transporters will place you back in your camp.” “Transporters…” Caspian laughed. “Are you sure your ship isn’t magic?” “Had you asked yesterday, I would have said no. Now we have a sparkling emerald larger than I am attached to the warp core. I no longer know.” Caspian smirked. “Maybe Aslan will be able to tell you.” He left Picard alone in the ready room, allowing him to peruse the Narnia scans once more. ~~~ Picard returned to the bridge. He noticed Tails was operating the helm, wearing a red Starfleet uniform. The sight filled Picard with a warm delight—Mobius would make an excellent addition to the Federation after all this was over. Though their entry might be delayed due to their lack of organized government… an issue to be dealt with at another time. As Picard sat down, Riker turned to him. “King Caspian is back on the surface. We can go whenever you’re ready.” “Helm?” Picard asked. “Yes, Captain?” Tails turned, a silly smile on his face. “Take us out. Maneuvering thrusters only, wait until we’re over the open ocean to engage impulse.” “Yes sir!” Tails plotted in the course and directed the ship forward. The main screen showed the rolling hills, forests, and villages of Narnia passing under them. A few times, Picard caught the sight of something large moving around on the ground. The third time, he frowned. “Mr. Worf?” “They appear to be large humanoids, some over thirty meters tall.” “Giants…” Picard smiled. “It really is right out of a storybook,” Riker said. “We should come here on holiday,” Troi suggested. “Incoming entity on the port bow!” Worf declared, tense. “Very large.” “Onscreen,” Picard ordered. A massive lizard with leathery wings, golden scales, and a brilliant emerald eye was flying alongside them, displaying a toothy grin. “A dragon…” Picard shook his head. “It shouldn’t be able to fly,” Riker said. “Honestly, Number One, I don’t care what it should or should not be able to do. It’s a beautiful creature.” “That is large enough to be a threat,” Worf pointed out. “Don’t raise shields unless it makes a move,” Picard ordered. “I believe it is just curious—let it have its look.” As the Enterprise rolled over Narnia the dragon followed them, all the way until the shore. Once they were over open water, the reptile broke off, circling back to wherever its lair was. Below them, there was now only water. After about a minute of this, Picard turned to Tails. “Helm, plot a course to the edge of the world that doesn’t intersect with any islands, and engage impulse engines.” “We’ll be on the other side of the ocean in a second,” Riker said. “Atmospheric drag will slow us down a bit,” Tails pointed out. “But yes, it won’t be long now.” He plotted in the course, tails beginning to twitch in excitement. “Course laid in!” “Engage,” Picard said, pointing forward. The impulse engine in the back of the Enterprise let out a burst of soft, reddish energy and the ship blasted forward, easily breaking the sound barrier. It rushed over miles and miles of ocean in the blink of an eye, the world below becoming nothing more than a blur of bluish colors. For a moment, everything was clear, then everything was white, and then they came to a stop. Picard stood up, striding to the viewscreen that showed them the edge of the world. Water from the ocean poured over the edge, not in massive torrents, but just a trickle no more powerful than a river that was so much more serene and beautiful than any violent cascade could be. In the waters near the edge, white flowers spread out in all directions, reflecting the light of the sun back into the sky. Beyond the edge was darkness, in the midst of which sat the Void. It was not very large in this world, for if it was the size it was in Hume, it would have devoured all of Narnia. It, however, was not their destination. Behind the Void and past the darkness, there were mountains. They were elevated far above that plane of Narnia itself, and each mountain was so tall Picard could not see the top. “Analysis,” Picard said. Riker pressed a few buttons on the arm of his chair. “Those mountains are taller than some planets, Captain. They shouldn’t be structurally possible.” “Many things about this world aren’t possible.” “Touche.” “Counselor?” Picard asked. Troi frowned. “There is a presence in those mountains. There is a mind… something large.” “Like Q?” “The feeling is similar, but in no way mistakable for one of his race.” Picard nodded. “Tails, take us out, slowly. Keep a fair distance from the Void and take a moment to scan the underside of Narnia.” The Enterprise dipped over the edge of the world, coming to rest just below the level of the earth. From underneath, Narnia took a largely cone-shaped structure, coming to a point many many miles below them. It would have been impossible to see, but their sensors were designed to pick things up light-years away, so they got a suitable image of Narnia itself. “Fascinating…” Picard said, watching the falling water at the edge of the world slowly curve back inward, raining down on the underground rock. “There is some kind of law of gravity here.” “Whatever it is, it is not the same as ours,” Worf reported. “Navigation is having a hard time orienting itself.” “Well, that’s what manual pilots are for. Tails?” “Yes?” the fox asked. “Take us to those mountains. Low impulse. Engage.” The Enterprise turned around, pointing directly at the distant mountains. It kept its distance from the Void, passing around it in a matter of seconds. Focusing on the mountains, the starship surged forward with the same speed it had over the ocean. It took all of ten seconds for everyone to realize the mountains weren’t getting any closer. Picard put a hand to his chin. “Tails, what is our position?” “We are getting further from Narnia and the Void,” Tails reported, pressing a few buttons. “But the mountains aren’t moving.” “Worf?” “The mountains read as normal mountains for this world,” Worf reported. “Counselor?” Troi shook her head. “The presence has not changed.” “Hmm…” Picard frowned. “Try full impulse.” Tails increased to full impulse, and there was no change. “Picard to Engineering, are we safe to go to warp?” LaForge’s voice came back. “You can try it, Captain. Not sure if it’ll work, but I’m not seeing any reason why not.” “Warp one,” Picard ordered. “Engage.” The Enterpise’s nacelles pulsed, launching the ship into warp speeds. Were it not for the sight of Narnia and the stars surrounding it rapidly shrinking to a pinprick behind them, there would have been no visual indication they were moving at all. “No change,” Tails reported. “Should I increase speed?” Picard nodded. “Gradually. Hold the moment anything changes.” “Warp two…” Tails waited a few seconds. “Three…” “Well this certainly seems familiar,” Riker said. “Four…” Picard shook his head. “I think it’s a little different this time, Number One.” “Five…” “Something that thinks itself ‘higher’ is messing with us,” Riker said. “Six…” Picard folded his hands together. “Or the laws of the universe are different. Or there’s something fundamental we don’t understand. We should keep our minds open.” “Seven…” Riker nodded in agreement but said nothing further. “Eight…” Tails pressed a few buttons. “Nine…” At this point they could hear the warp core humming, sending its noise throughout the ship. At warp nine, it wasn’t overtaxed, but it was going over a thousand times faster than the speed of light. “I’ve hit maximum cruising warp,” Tails reported. “Should we try to push it?” “Yes, but not yet,” Picard said. “This is Picard to Lieutenant Knuckles, come in.” “Huh? What?” came the gruff response. “We are engaging with a power we do not understand, possibly “arcane” in nature, if the scans of this world are anything to go by. Your Master Emerald is the only source of such power we have on board. I want to push the warp engines and the Master Emerald in unison in an attempt to break through this peculiarity.” “So you wanna go fast?” “...I am not certain speed is the answer.” “The Master Emerald will do its best regardless of what the answer is. Just say when.” “Commander LaForge, give us all the power you can and coordinate with Lieutenant Knuckles. We need it all at once.” “Aye, sir,” Laforge said. Picard tucked his shirt in, pressing a button on his chair’s arm. “All hands! We are going to push the ship to its limits. The inertial dampeners may not be as effective as normal, so prepare for turbulence.” Picard gave them a few minutes to arrange themselves before returning to address LaForge. “Ready?” “Yes, Captain.” “Engage.” The Enterprise increased its speed markedly, but at this distance from Narnia it was impossible to tell it was moving any faster visually—though the rumbling in the ship itself told them it was certainly being taxed. The Master Emerald began to shunt its energy through the ship, creating a green cone-shaped aura in front of the Enterprise, the tip of which rippled and tore at space itself, trying to push forward. There was a sharp lurch. “Report!” Picard demanded as the rumbling increased. Tails pressed several buttons. “The Master Emerald i—” There was another lurch. “—Is jumping us forward in bursts! It’s like the translation we used to get to Narnia, but faster!” Picard glanced at the screen. The mountains were no closer. “No effect?” “None.” Picard frowned. “Picard to Knuckles, does the Master Emerald have any other tricks?” “I’ll ask it. O, Master Emerald! What is within your powe—?” A massive ring of multi-layered greenish energy formed in front of the Enterprise, with seven bright focal points. A pulse of energy went out from the ring, spreading out through the universe. Whatever it was supposed to do, it didn’t work. The mountains were just as far as they had always been. Picard nodded slowly. “Well, it appears Caspian wasn’t kidding. Helm, reduce to warp eight and turn us around. Return to Narnia.” Riker frowned. “Are we giving up, sir?” “I was told Aslan opposes the proud. Perhaps admitting our inability to surpass this obstacle is exactly what we need to do.” Picard stood up, adjusting his uniform. “I’ll be in my ready room. Alert me when we approach Narnia. You have the bridge, Number One.” ~~~ Picard returned when they were less than a minute from the edge of Narnia. He sat back in his chair, a thoughtful expression on his face. “What do you make of this all, Number One?” “I feel toyed with,” Riker said. “Being ‘toyed with’ is what Q does. No, I don’t feel toyed with… nor do I feel part of an experiment. This is something else.” “Agree to disagree, sir.” Picard smiled. “Of course.” The Enterprise dropped out of warp to the side of the Void, coming in over the Narnian ocean once more. They drifted lazily on thrusters through the atmosphere, going back to the shore. “New heading?” Tails asked. Picard shook his head. “No, this is fine, for now.” “What do we do next?” Riker asked. “I have the sneaking suspicion we’re about to find out.” Riker raised an eyebrow but said nothing, leaning back into his chair. A few seconds later, Troi gasped. “Captain, run! Go to warp!” “Helm!” the Captain ordered. Tails didn’t even get to move his finger. All of a sudden, the view of Narnia was gone, replaced with utter darkness. Troi let out a scream and passed out onto the bridge floor. “Picard to sickbay!” Picard shouted. “Prepare to receive the Counselor!” He pressed her communicator for her, triggering the computer’s automatic systems. She was transported down to sickbay with a burst of blue sparkles. Picard stood back up, looking at the darkness on the main screen. “What happened?” “I do not know,” Worf said. “It was immediate.” “Sensors?” “There is water beneath us. We cannot see more than a kilometer in any direction. All communications beyond the ship are down.” Picard grimaced. “I don’t even have to order us to warp to know that we’re trapped… but try it anyway. Warp factor one.” They went to warp, skimming through the noxious darkness.