Star Trek Coda

Chapter 5: Winding back the clock

ENTERPRISE NX-01, 2159

A moment later, Jack was in a metal corridor, much like the ruined starship. But it was different, it was vivid and alive. Lights flashed everywhere, and sirens wailed. People were running towards him. He was in shock, what had just happened? Where was he? Then he remembered the body he was desperately clinging to. Ethan was awake, but clutching his chest, barely breathing, Jack grabbed him, screaming "No! No! No!" Everything was a blur.

Remembering the people around him, he started yelling "Help! Help! Somebody please!" People in uniform rushed over. Someone grabbed him gently but firmly from behind and pulled him back from Ethan as he flailed his arms madly. He wouldn't let go of his lover, he had to fix him. Somehow!

"We're going to help him. You need to let us help him," the voice holding him said. Others came over and started scanning Ethan and one of them pulled out a device, yelling "Two to beam to sickbay! Emergency transport!" and they disappeared into a glistening vortex.

He looked at the empty space where Ethan had been, not sure what to do next. He was in shock. Anarchy had turned to silence. His heart was beating with adrenaline but he didn't know how to let it out. He needed to do something – to help him, but he didn't know how. Then it all went black.

*****

He woke up, dazed, everything was out of focus. Eventually lights came into view and slowly became clearer and clearer. The room was white, with lots of beds and equipment. An alien man stood over him, "you're going to be okay," he said, "you were in shock so we had to sedate you." He had an aura of calm.

Jack was still dazed and confused. Seeing the alien only made it worse. He knew of alien races, but he had never seen one in real life before. It was terrifying. He struggled to remember what had happened, then all of a sudden it flashed back in a whirlwind - phaser beams were flying. Ethan was on the ground in pain and they disappeared in a swirl of matter disintegrating. He grew panicked again and tried to get up. "It's okay, you're safe," the man said in a kind and reassuring voice.

Jack was still tense and hunched up in the bed, but slowly began to unscrunch his hands and relax slightly, despite the foreign environment. Even though the alien was new to him, his friendly manner helped calm him down, "where am I?" he asked, still dazed.

"You're on the Enterprise. The Captain will be by soon. I think he has as many questions as you do."

"This isn't the Enterprise. We came from the Enterprise. This is different." He looked around the room, surveying it deeply for the first time. The computers had knobs and dials. It was clunky, less smooth. But also more shiny - without decades of disrepair. The thought only then hit him - this ship was in service. Was he in outer space?

The man hid his confusion well, "I can promise you, as the ship's physician, this is the Starship Enterprise."

More flooded back into Jack's mind, they were travelling back in time. Of course it was less advanced, it had worked. He remembered the mission, why he had sacrificed so much, "what year is this?" he asked, "what year is this?!" His panic had returned.

The alien ruffled his long eyebrows, even more confused, but willing to entertain the boy, "it is 2159."

Ethan flashed into Jack's mind again, "Ethan!" He looked back to the man with panic, "there was someone with me. Where is he?!"

The man gently held back his flailing arms, and looked to another bed, "he's over there, he's okay."

"I need to see him!" replied Jack.

"You can see him, he'll be awake in a few minutes. His injuries were severe but he'll be okay in a few hours."

Jack breathed a sigh of relief. He wondered why it had taken him so long to question Ethan's welfare, but then he realised, deep down he always knew Ethan was okay. And even deeper he knew that if Ethan wasn't okay he'd know that too, no matter where he was.

His mind now switched back to the mission, it worked!" he exclaimed "we're in the 22nd century." Serious again, he asked, "I need to speak to the Captain. Now."

*****

A little while later, a tall rugged man, with short brown hair came in. He introduced himself as Jonathan Archer. He wore his age, and his fatigue, on his face. It was unmistakable. Jack had seen it before - on his Father. By this time Ethan was awake too, and Jack was standing next to his bed. "I think you might have some explaining to do," said Archer.

"I can't believe it," said Ethan, "It's really you. You're a hero. My Dad told me about you."

"I'm just a Starfleet Captain."

Ethan and Jack looked at each other, then Jack spoke, much more serious, "you're not going to believe what we have to say, but you have to help us, the future is at stake."

"That's a big burden," the Captain replied, "but I'm listening."

Jack took a deep breath and started his explanation, Ethan squeezing his hand for support, "We're from the future. We're from the year 2408, when the Federation has fallen and most life in the quadrant is barely scraping through, after the wars. We managed to activate a time travel device, but it only let us come back here to this time. Even though the war starts in two hundred years, we have to stop it. There's so much pain, so much suffering. We have to make sure it never happens."

"That's a lot to take in," Archer replied, "I'm intrigued though. I've heard of the Federation. Tell me more."

Jack was confused. Maybe Jonathan Archer knew more than he gave him credit for, "it's an alliance of hundreds of worlds, spanning the entire quadrant. It started with the coalition you founded. But then it became too powerful, and too arrogant. They started to believe they could do anything. They started to put power and dominion first, instead of peace and unity. They held a deep paranoia that peace couldn't last, the United Federation of Planets became the enemy of everything it once stood for. Maybe it was always doomed."

"If I were to believe you, what do you want from me?"

"We want you to help us change the course of history," Jack replied, "our history ... your future."

Ethan finally joined the conversation, "Jack, we still don't have to do this, we can just stay here. There is peace here. Imagine? We could live lives - real lives."

Jack looked at him, "I'm truly sorry you got pulled into this, but you said you'd let me see this through."

Ethan sighed, "I said I would let you see it through. But I am here, and I still think it's wrong. I know you're tempted ... you want a life as much as I do."

"I am ... I want nothing more. But I could never forgive myself. I am sorry. I just don't think I could live that life with the guilt."

Ethan sighed again and looked down, "you're right. I understand."

Archer observed the conversation, "I think you need to tell me everything."

Jack sighed, "My father was a Starfleet officer, he told me that they wanted to use the device, but the Captain decided it was wrong, so they didn't. But he regretted it. You have to believe me, the future, it's not worth living – for anyone. There are no winners. There is nobody that scraped through okay. It's just over."

Archer could see he genuinely believed what he was saying, "we've had our experiences with people who meddle with the past. It doesn't turn out well, and there are forces greater than us who monitor things like this. Why wouldn't they be here now?"

"Maybe they want us to succeed?" Jack replied.

"I don't know if I believe you boys, there's a lot to understand here. I'll have a think about things. In the meantime you'll be confined here."