Title: Star Trek-Infinity: Traveling in Time Speeder [PG] (MISC)

Author: Charles Rando (trando@worldnet.att.net)

Series: MISC

Rating: [PG]

Part: NEW 4/4

Disclaimer: Paramount owns the characters in The Next Generation and Deep
Space Nine, and Peter David owns the Selelvian race (see his book, Strike
Zone). "Time Speeder" and the original characters within are the property of
Stephen Ratliff, and I extend my sincere thanks to him for allowing me to
use his story. I'd like to think that the characters I've invented and the
story are mine. :-)

Summary: The Infinity gets sucked into a strange universe... where a teenage
girl named Marissa commands a starship! When time travelers threaten the
present of this universe, can the crew of the Infinity help Marissa save the
timeline? And can they do it fast enough, considering that every second they
spend in the other universe, they become more like the people in it?

Author's note: This story is my attempt at writing a "Trials and
Tribble-ations" type story, using the work of Mr. Stephen Ratliff. You can
find a link to his webpage on my page of links if you're interested in
reading more of his stories.

CHAPTER FIVE

"Remley to Witherell. Come in, Commander."

The only response Lieutenant Remley received was static. It was the only
thing he had heard on each of his attempts... and he realized that he was
gonna need some help.

"Lieutenant Remley to Neddek. Can you come to the bridge, sir? I need your
help."

"Aye, ah'll be there in a few minutes," Neddek replied... although his voice
was distinctly... Scottish. Remley shook his head. Maybe the internal
communications systems were failing as well.

When Neddek arrived on the bridge, Remley found that it wasn't just his
voice that had changed.

"Ah'm doin' everythin' I can, Evan, but ah canna seem to clear up the
signal. Ah suggest we move the ship closer and try it again there," Neddek
said after he had tried unsuccessfully to contact Commander Witherell and
the away team.

"With the ship out of phase with this universe, we won't have to worry about
being seen," Remley replied. "Ensign Marit, move us into a lower orbit."

"Lower orbit, aye," Marit said.

"Let's try it again." Remley opened the communications channel again.
"Remley to Witherell. Can you hear me, Commander?"

There was a brief burst of static, and then, "Witherell here."

"Ah knew it'd work!" Neddek exclaimed. Remley glanced at the Vulcan. He
certainly was acting strange.

"Commander, there's been a change of plans," Remley reported. "Is the rest
of the away team there?"

"Negative," Witherell replied. "We had to split up when Marissa's team did."

Remley sighed. Why couldn't things be easier? "We need to get you all back
on the ship. Can you gather them up, sir?"

"Can do, Lieutenant. I'll contact you when we're together. Witherell out."

"Ah'm gonna go back to Engineering," Neddek announced. "Ah gotta problem
with the warp flux capicitators... they're overloadin' and fallin' apart at
the seams!" As he entered the turbolift, Rando stepped out.

"What was that all about?" Rando asked.

"I think Neddek was merging with Admiral Scott," Remley explained. "So much
for his attempted return to logic."

"I'm certain everything will work out when we get back to our universe,"
Rando said smugly, sitting in his command chair. "it always does when I'm in
command."

Marit turned to look questionly at Remley. Remley could only shrug.

"Rando, I'm not sure I want to be stuck in this computer any more," J.W.
spoke up. "I want to go down to Earth and see Chelsea."

"Hurry up, Commander," Remley begged. "Please hurry."

As if on cue, Remley noticed a comm. signal. "Witherell to Infinity. I've
gathered the away team."

"Prepare to beam up, sir," Remley told him. "The faster we act, the sooner
we get to go home."

******************************************************

"According to the end of the story, Marissa and her team locate the
terrorists in room 104 of the 'Quality Inn' in Washington," Bayreuther
reported. "By this point in the timeline, they know what Marissa and her
team are doing, so they're probably ready to start plan B."

"But how do we stop them?" Williams asked. "We're still too out of phase to
effect this universe in anyway."

"And we're almost too in phase with this universe to do anything either,"
Remley added, looking at Captain Rando. He definitely did not look right.

"I say we lock phasers on this 'Quality Inn' and blow it off the face of the
Earth," he suggested, sipping his strawberry juice. No one really paid
attention.

"If only one of us could become completely in phase with this universe, and
have enough control to actually effect events here," V'gel said, "we might
be able to do something."

"But from what I've seen over the last few hours, it would have to be
someone with extreme mental control," Counselor Kassal interjected. "Even
Commander Neddek has fallen victim to the synchronization."

"Ach, there's nothin' wrong with me, lassie," Neddek told her.

"Extreme mental control, eh?" Commander Witherell repeated. "Well, not to
brag or anything, but I think that would be me."

"It could be dangerous, sir," Williams protested. "I mean, you're linked
with the leader of the terrorists. What if you can't maintain control?"

Witherell sighed. "I don't know, Phil. But I have to try. Otherwise, not
only will the Infinity be lost, but also the future of this timeline. We
simply cannot allow these terrorists to murder Cochrane's parents. Either of
them."

Remley turned to Rando. "Sir, the decision is yours. What do you say?"

"We could inscribe 'We were beaten by a bunch of kids' into their starship,"
Rando suggested.

Remley looked to Calabretta. "I'm sorry, sir," the Doctor said, moving
behind the captain, "but I'm afraid you've become unfit for duty. If you'd
come with me to sickbay?"

"Unfit for duty? Me?" Rando demanded. "Just because I'm fifteen doesn't mean
I'm unfit for duty! I got the highest score on the Kobayashi Maru!" He
jumped out of his chair, poured his strawberry juice on Calabretta's head,
and attempted to escape from the room. A phaser shot from Remley stopped him
from getting too far.

"Take him to sickbay, Doctor," Witherell ordered. "Let's hope he feels
better when he wakes up. Now, we need something that will bring me into
synch with this universe completely. Any ideas?"

Silence immediately followed Witherell's question, but then Lieutenant
Williams suddenly exclaimed, "A subspace bubble!"

Witherell shook his head. "I'm not sure I follow," he said.

"If we were able to create a small subspace bubble, just large enough to fit
around the Commander, he could adjust its quantum flux from the inside...
enough to bring himself into synch with this universe."

"What about the device itself?" Remley asked. "What will happen to it?"

Williams shook his head, indicating he had no clear answer. "It could either
fade out of existence, become something else entirely... or, if we're lucky,
it will maintain it's quantum integrity. We'll be able to use it to bring
Commander Witherell back."

"Don't talk about me like I'm already gone, Phil," Witherell said with a
smile. "If I'm not mistaken, it sounds like there is a good chance I might
not come back."

Williams nodded. "Unfortunately, sir," he replied.

"Then, worse comes to worse, you all get to say a lot of kind words about me
at my funeral," Witherell remarked. "Let's do it."

******************************************************

"We've run into a stumbling block," Lyam said to his companion. "Senator
Kennedy is filibustering."

"I'll see if I can arrange for it to be broken then," the companion said.

"Go, and while you're at it, get rid of the Spock tie," Lyam said.

"Why? It's a good cover," the companion responded. "No one would ever
suspect someone with a Spock tie of hating Starfleet."

Lyam groaned.

After about ten minutes of waiting alone, Lyam received a visitor...
although it was one he couldn't see. Commander Witherell beamed down just a
few meters away from him, still too out of phase to be noticed. On his
wrist, he wore a small device that Lieutenant Williams and Commander Neddek
had developed... a device to create the subspace bubble Witherell would need
to complete his mission.

The Infinity had tracked both men from their hotel room this morning, the
third morning Marissa and her crew had been working to save NASA. If only
they had thought to cover all their bases, he wouldn't need to be risking
himself like this... but that's what Starfleet was all about. And even
though he was linked to a Starfleet-hating terrorist, he didn't mind one
bit. This was the best opportunity for Witherell to complete the
synchronization, now that the two men were apart. Witherell knew that his
companion would come back soon... thanks to Marissa and her crew's efforts,
there wouldn't be enough votes in the Senate to end the filibuster... and so
he had to act fast. He turned on the device, activating the small subspace
bubble and began adjusting the controls on the device. As he became more in
synch with the other universe... with Lyam... he could hear Lyam's thoughts
becoming more and more clear, more and more compelling. He felt every atom
in his body moving towards Lyam... and then he disappeared.

"It worked," Witherell thought from inside Lyam's body. Even though Lyam was
originally from this universe, Witherell had the stronger mind. There would
be no problem controlling the terrorist, but there might be a problem... he
checked his wrist. The device was still there, and Witherell noticed that he
hadn't brought himself completely in phase with this universe. And because
of that, the chances of his survival increased tremendously.

"It's no use," Lyam's companion in the Spock tie said. The man obviously
looked dejected, fearing that he had failed his leader.

"Then we'll have to switch to the back-up plan," Witherell said, hoping that
they had been right in assuming these terrorists HAD a back-up plan. Then he
realized, he was saying what Lyam would have said.

The other man nodded. "Cochrane's father lives in a small town in Virginia.
It won't take us long to get there."

"I'll go down there myself," Witherell said. "I want you to stay here and
keep an eye on our friends. Remember, the bill only failed by one vote in
the original history... and that was a tie-breaker from the Vice-President.
If you can get just one Senator to change his or her mind... there'll be no
tie breaker... and we'll win."

"But, Lyam, I've already talked to the Senators who would be most likely to
support us but aren't! It's hopeless!"

"You know our way is the right way, John," Witherell said. "We will
succeed." He held out his hand. "Now, give me the keys." John complied, and
Witherell told him, "Good luck."

John nodded and walked off again, leaving Witherell alone one more time. Now
all Witherell had to do was keep himself hidden for a day, return to the
hotel room reporting success, and then he'd be able to return to his ship...
and hopefully return home.

CHAPTER SEVEN

Captain's Log

August 3, 1996

Lieutenant Marrissa Picard recording

The vote to cancel the funding of NASA failed today by the narrowest of
margins. However, the votes against were all cast at the end of the
balloting, after the 51 votes necessary to guarantee its failure were
recorded. It is my belief that those votes against NASA was what lead to
those senators losing re-election in 1998 and 2000. In other news, I believe
we have found where the time travelers from the Eagle are hiding to await
their ship's return. I believe that they checked into the Quality Inn,
Capital Hill, under the names James T. Kirk, and Jean-Luc Picard. My opinion
concerning the two is based on the fact we have traced the signal of a
subspace transceiver originating in their room. I'm afraid 'Jean-Luc Picard'
is about to get a visit from his daughter.

Getting them onboard should be easy... President Clinton has had his
Attorney General issue warrants for their arrests for bribing a member of
Congress. (You really shouldn't pass money to a Senator in front of a C-Span
camera.) My security team has been empowered to serve those warrants with
the understanding that they will be tried for the charge when we return to
the 24th century, although such a charge is the least of their worries.

Lieutenant Ross Lochard was readying his away team. "Remember gentlemen, our
job is to apprehend the suspects and return them to the Stargazer," he
began. "We must avoid all potential of temporal interference. We will be
beaming down a block away behind a trash bin. Upon our capture of the
suspects, we will get in a van which the President is providing and be
beamed up. Any questions?"

As no questions were evident, Ross and his six security men, all that were
aboard at the time, were beamed down. They materialized behind the dumpster
beside a building on New Jersey Avenue. The security team in their FBI
uniforms proceeded orderly to the Quality Inn, Capital Hill. At the Desk in
the lobby, Ross said, "Lieutenant Ross Lochard, FBI. I was wondering if
misters James T. Kirk, and Jean-Luc Picard are in?"

"Mister Picard just picked up his mail, I believe Mister Kirk was with him,"
the manager replied. "Is he in some sort of trouble?"

"Actually, yes," Ross replied. "I'm here to arrest them for bribing a
Congressman. Could you take me to their room?"

"Room 104 is this way, gentlemen," the manager said.

They approached the room and knocked on the door, "Open up. FBI." Ross said.
The door opened. Lyam Sympton was sitting on the bed. His companion, had
opened the door and backed up to lean against the wall. "Misters Kirk and
Picard I presume?"

"That's our names, don't wear them out," Lyam, also known as Picard, said.

"You both are under arrest for bribing a member of Congress," Ross began,
"You have the right to remain silent, anything you say, can and will be used
against you. You have the right to an attorney, if you can not afford one,
one will be provided for you ..."

After finishing the reading of the prisoner's rights, Ross and his team
brought the two handcuffed prisoners to the van parked outside. The five
other security officers crowded into the back of the ten-person van, and
Ross joined the driver in the front.

Lyam's companion said as the van began moving, "I can't believe we got
caught."

"At least it's not Starfleet," Lyam said.

"Don't be so sure 'Mister Picard,'" Ross said. "You are about to be beamed
aboard the Stargazer to meet your 'daughter.'"

"Ross, I hate to inform you but there's been a change of plans," the driver,
Wesley Crusher, said as the van turned down Constitution Avenue.

"What changed?" Ross asked.

"Marrissa thinks we need to cover our tracks more," Wesley said. "So
President Clinton just donated this van to Starfleet."

"How?"

As Wes turned and entered the Theodore Roosevelt Bridge, he explained, "We
are about to go overboard." The van sped up and shot through a gap in the
rail which had been removed for repair earlier in the morning. The van fell
into the Potomac and began sinking. Fortunately, the inside was waterproof
and when they landed on the bottom of the river, one of the Stargazer's
cargo transporters engaged and brought the whole van aboard.

When they had fully materialized, they discovered that Marrissa was waiting
for them. "Lyam Sympton... or should I call you father?" she began. "As a
representative of Starfleet, which is charged with preventing temporal
violations, I am hereby charging you with such a violation. In addition, you
are charged with stealing a Starfleet vessel and, if you are the Captain of
that vessel, a speeding ticket has also been issued.

"Who are you to charge me?" Lyam asked. "You are just a little girl."

"I'm Lieutenant Commander Marrissa Amber Picard, acting Captain of the USS
Stargazer," Marrissa said. "Lieutenant, take them to the brig and report to
the bridge."

After Lyam and his companion were dropped off in the brig, John turned
angrily to his companion. "I thought you said you were successful?" he
demanded. "It certainly doesn't look that way!"

Lyam, still under the control of Witherell, laughed. "Of course I was
successful! Which makes our victory even sweeter! They think they've won!
But when we get back to the twenty-fourth century... they'll see how wrong
they were! On second thought, since Starfleet never existed, they won't see
how wrong they were!"

John appeared to relax slightly. "You had me worried there for a while. I
thought you were lying."

"I would never betray our cause," Witherell said, activating the device on
his wrist. The small subspace bubble formed around him again, even though
John didn't notice. As he brought himself back into synch with his own
universe, he said, "I would never betray Starfleet."

"What?!" John shouted, lunging at Lyam. The now out-of-phase Witherell
stepped out of the way and tapped his comm. badge.

"Witherell to Infinity . Mission is a success. One to beam up."

And as the brig faded from his view, Witherell saw John attempting to enact
revenge from Lyam for the failed mission.

******************************************************

"Report," Witherell ordered as he stepped onto the bridge.

"The plot loophole has opened in front of us, sir," Williams reported.
"J.W., er, Wesley, says that we can use it to get home."

"The Traveller said so," J.W. announced.

"Ensign Marit, set course for that distortion, full impulse," Witherell
ordered. "From what I've seen, we don't want a Wesley Crusher on our ship.
Engage!"

"Sir," Lieutenant Remley started, "I was monitoring your... 'arrest' through
the Stargazer's communications channels. Why would a man from four hundred
years in the future want to check his mail?"

"The hotel manager told me I had something in my mailbox, so I took it,"
Witherell explained. "I don't know what exactly it was. All it said was,
'You may have already won one million dollars.'"

"I really can't wait to get back to our own universe and our own time,"
Remley mused, as the ship entered the subspace rift. "Although the music
wasn't bad."

******************************************************

Captain Rando stepped onto the bridge. Everything looked normal...
everything felt normal... but he couldn't be sure. "What's our status,
Commander?" he asked.

"We've returned to our universe, just a few seconds after we were removed
from it," Witherell said. "Doctor Calabretta reports that everyone is
returning to normal, even J.W., although Commander Neddek still has a bit of
a Scottish twang. How do you feel, sir?"

"Much better," Rando replied, sitting in his command chair. "Marissa Picard
is a very self-assured young lady... at times a bit too self-assured. I'm
sure she's an effective commander in her own universe... but I'd rather just
be me." He sighed. "It's really interesting, when you think about it. For
all that time, we were somehow involved in just a work of fiction, written
by someone in the twentieth century... but it was a universe as real as this
one."

"Makes you wonder what our true nature is, doesn't it?" Witherell asked.
"Are we actually real or just a figment of someone's imagination?"

Rando nodded. "The thought that we could be fiction too. It's ironic, don't
you think?"

"A little too ironic," Witherell replied. "Yeah, I really do think."

"It's like raaaiiin, on your wedding day! It's a free riiide... when you've
already paid!" Lieutenant Remley sang from his tactical station.

"It's the good adviiiice... that you just didn't take!" Ensign Marit added.

And then Remley joined her. "And who would have thought it figuures?"

Rando blinked twice, rubbed his temples, and walked over to the bridge
replicator. "Strawberry juice," he ordered. When he realized the bridge crew
was staring at him, he turned to face them with a smile. "Just kidding," he
said. He disposed of the juice and left for his ready room, where he ordered
a tall, cold glass of water and sipped it at his desk.

"I will say one thing about this whole incident," J.W.'s voice boomed
through the comm. system. "It's given me a much better outlook on human
existence."

Rando leaned back in his chair slightly. "So, J.W., what do you think of us
now?" he asked.

There was a slight pause before J.W. replied, "I never want to encounter
Wesley Crusher again for as long as I exist. Or Marissa."

And somewhere across the Quadrant, Marissa Flores came home after another
day at school.