COVID, Captivating Captains, and Quantum Physics ( a Star Trek Fic)

A Tear In The Sky

The evening was quiet, save for the sound of chirping crickets and a couple of birds in the bushes outside my house that hadn't yet gone to sleep.  So, how exactly it could go from that to booming thunder and lightning crackling across the newly darkened sky in a matter of seconds was lost on me.  I was up immediately, the sound of the thunder wrenching me out of my half-asleep state.  I clambered out of bed, shaking hard from the suddenness of it all, and stumbled into the guest bedroom to look out the window.  I had to slap myself to make sure I wasn't hallucinating.  There, a ways above my backyard, was a swirling vortex. Powerful winds ripped up branches from the bushes lining my backyard and leaves and debris flew through the air all around.  As the hole torn in the sky opened up farther I noticed what looked to be stars and planets, as if I was looking through a portal to space.  All at once, vortex grew three times its original size and a giant space craft fell through and went careening to the ground into my yard. The whole house shook with the impact, throwing me backwards into my closet.  I yelled out in pain as I felt the impact and the door broke underneath me.  I cursed through gritted teeth, wondering how I was going to explain that to my parents.  I heaved myself back up, going to look out the window again and I was met with the sight of a heavily damaged yard and what looked to be a life size replica of the U.S.S. Enterprise.  It even had the logo printed on the top.  I rubbed my eyes, feeling extremely disoriented as I was once again met with the same bizarre image.  On second thought, I was going to have a way bigger problem than just a broken closet on my hands. 

I ran down my ridiculously narrow stairs ( I say ran but it was more of an awkward speed hobble so as not to face-plant) and busted out the back entrance.  I was in awe.  The U.S.S. Enterprise was in my backyard.  THE U.S.S. ENTERPRISE WAS IN MY BACKYARD.  HOW WAS THIS HAPPENING?! I had to be dreaming.  Had to be.  So I could just do whatever I wanted until the dream was over.  But, what to do first? I stepped onto the deck and out towards the giant starship in my yard, feeling the cool wood beneath my bare feet.  I shivered as a breeze flitted through the grass and blew my hair in my face, feeling way too many sensations for a dream.  I heard a sound of some sort of machinery, perhaps a door opening, and saw Captain Kirk, Spock, and several red shirts come out the back of the ship where I remembered the shuttle port to be.  That's right, the ship doesn't have a pedestrian exit, and the transporter probably doesn't work after that impact.   Why am I using logic?  This is only a dream.  I ignored the nagging  voice at the back of my brain saying this wasn't a dream, because I really didn't want to face that I might have gone insane and would have to spend the rest of my days in the mental hospital.  This couldn't be real, so it had to be either of those options.  I sure hoped it wasn't the latter.  I stood still as Kirk turned to face me.  Spock was wandering around in the act of what I guessed was taking tricorder readings, while the two red shirts stood ramrod straight behind Kirk, their expressions giving away only slight bewilderment.  "Who are you?"  Kirk demanded, catching me with a piercing gaze.  "What is this place?"  

"Why are you asking me who I am?"  I said, slightly hysterical. "This is a dream, you shouldn't care who I am, because asking me who I am and where you are would make sense and my dreams don't make sense."  Spock looked up at me from where he was, and walked over to stand next to Kirk.  

"Miss, from what I have deducted, this is not a dream.  We are in a real, physical world."

"Then I must be insane."  

"No, no,  you're not insane."   Kirk said impatiently.  "Now, answer my questions."

"I-"  was all I could get out.  Kirk stepped forward and grabbed my shoulders tightly, shaking me. 

"Pull yourself together!  I need to know where I am so we can get out of here!"

"W-well-"  I said, my voice cracking.  "I'm Ann, and this is Earth, year 2020, in what I believe is a completely different dimension from yours."  Kirk kept his hands on my shoulders, only loosening his grip on me slightly.