FUTURE'S PAST

Sam Beckett woke up at the start of another quantum adventure feeling that something wasn't right. He always had the fuzzy feelies until his consciousness integrated into the person and his time period, but this time so many things did not feel right. The chair underneath him hit him at strange places that felt unusual. The clothing on his body had a distinct unusual feel to it like some brand new material. And even the air had an antiseptic smell to it, not like a hospital but more like inside a pressure vessel or an elevator that was quickly ascending. In front of him was control panel that looked like a mid-twentieth century moog synthesizer that had been designed by Peter Max.

"Lieutenant. What's our status?" Sam was asked from behind him in a friendly confident voice.

Sam looked left and right at switches and dials that had no understandable markings. With no claxons sounding and no red lights flashing he took a quantum leap of faith and reported. "Everything is A.O.K!"

"A.O.K?" Lieutenant Reed, you have to get your nose out of those early NASA historical novels. Though thank you for the update," the same voice replied.

Sam turned around and replied, "Yes, sir," as he looked into the face of his superior officer who had the familiar face of Doctor Samuel Beckett. "Oh boy!"

Waking up looking at oneself in another is much more disconcerting than all the mirrors I'd looked in at the hundreds of people I had been over the last several years. Seeing me in an environment where nothing seemed the least bit familiar was number two on my things to get used to list. And that environment consisted of the inside of what I could only describe as a spaceship plummeting through some place far from earth. Unless astro-science had progressed back on earth far beyond my own wildest expectations, I was now at some time in my own future.

"Lieutenant Reed? Lieutenant Reed?" the leader of the space vessel inquired. I could not find a nametag on my jumpsuit so Sam turned around squinted a bit and looked directly at him. "Lieutenant Reed, you appear to be a bit distracted. Do you need to be relieved?"

"Relieved?" Sam asked repeating the last work as a confused leaper often does.

"Perhaps the Lieutenant is overcome by that ion blast from the Andorians during our previous encounter," said a monotone female voice.

Looking around Sam saw a dark woman with dark hair; bangs, wearing a tight bodysuit and sporting POINTED ears. As Sam gasped, a message came over the loud speaker.

"Captain, Lieutenant Reed is way overdue for his check-up. Please have him report to sickbay as soon as possible," said an articulate voice.

"Archer here. Doctor, normally I don't want my officers to neglect their assigned duties, but since Lieutenant Reed is appears to near a change of climate, he will report to you very shortly," the Captain said. "Archer, out. Lieutenant, you heard the doctor. I want a full report back from him."

Sam got up, acknowledged the order and walked away from the console as another officer immediately took over. Sam's walk was a bit unsteady as he saw the stars passing quickly on the view screen in front of him. His legs felt like last week's Jell-O though the only apparent motion was from the view screen. He slowly walked to the elevator doors

grabbing tightly to the wall next to the door.

"Malcolm," the Captain said. "Stay put till the doctor releases you. You don't look so good. I need you back at the helm with all you faculties intact."

Sam nodded at the Captain as the doors opened up in front of him. Inside there were no buttons for the various floors or decks as Sam surmised. On the back wall was an outline of a large ship with two torpedo-like engines pointing behind the two main sections. One looked like a sausage while the other section looked like a pancake giving the entire impression of a flying breakfast. On deck 4 it indicated sickbay though no way was provided oh how to initiate his journey

"Um, deck 4?" asked Sam hesitantly. The elevator began to move to Sam's surprise and relief. A slight hum could be heard with almost no discernible motion. The elevator opened almost immediately in of two doors marked Sickbay. Sam walked through the two doors that also opened in front of him. Inside what appeared to be more of a laboratory than an examination room was a short fellow with no hair, but with ridges in his hair and strange colors across his cranium. Sam stood there in shock for he was much more unusual that the woman on the bridge with the pixie ears.

"Come in, come in, Lieutenant Reed. We have much to go over and much to discuss. Please. Take a seat. Take a seat!" he said in that same friendly articulate voice.

Sam sat on the closest thing that looked like an examination table. The unfamiliarity of the hospital surroundings made Sam very nervous since he was a practicing physician

himself.

"Phlox is the name, Lieutenant Reed though it will all become perfectly clear in a minute," the doctor said hobbling over to Sam. He picked up a strange small instrument and scanned Sam. "No residual problems from your recent arrival I see. Your life signs are quite strong, Samuel," he said with a twinkle in his eye.

"Wh-what did you call me?" asked Sam tilting his had a bit and looking at the strange doctor a bit cross eyed.

Doctor Phlox reached over and touched Sam on the shoulder. Beginning at his fingertips and then spreading over his entire body the image of the alien melted away revealing a human that seemed to remind Sam of his father.

"Dad? " asked Sam squinting at him.

"I do suppose that that is an appropriate response. It's been so long I don't really know what I look like now, Samuel. I've been leaping for so very long, my friend," he said rubbing his hand on his face. From what Sam could see, the gentleman appeared to be about eighty years old and have many of the same features or his father or his brother Tom.

"I have you all stumped there, Samuel. You should see that look on your face. Ha-ha, I know it well," he said chuckling just a bit. "No, I'm not your father or your brother Tom."

"You can't know what I'm thinking," exclaimed Sam. He seemed to read his thoughts only from the expression on his face.

The doctor shook his head. "No, I don't read minds, but I do remember very well what I thought the first time I met my older self. That's right Samuel. I'm you. And I remember the same experience from your viewpoint many years before."

Sam looked very harder through the wrinkled time had placed on this face before him. "I've seen too many strange things just to dismiss this. So you're me after I.."

"..after you've been leaping for what appears to you to be decades. Four of them if I count them right. Awfully hard when you only live life a few days at a time and then leap to the next few days. You see Samuel, what you haven't found out is that you are living and aging at a much slower rate than those back at the old Quantum Leap complex. So as they spent sometimes weeks tracking you down in your reality you only aged the few days you experienced during your leap. I figure I have been again only a quarter of the time compared to the rest of the world. Technically you aren't even alive while crossing the space-time continuum in between leaps," explained the older doctor who sounded more like a retired elementary school teacher the way he was explaining it.

"I'm living forever?" asked Sam. "and I'm never going home?"

The elder Beckett raised one eyebrow and replied, "No and yes, Samuel. Think. Your leaps were always random and they never seemed to get you toward home. That's why we finally figured out I was never going home. As to living forever, a-ha. Look at me Samuel. I'm not living forever, just seeing a lot more of my world way beyond my normal lifespan. But to me, I haven't lived a full life yet. Knock on wood or dichromate flourostein as this material is."

"You are familiar with all of this?" asked Sam pointing to the gadgetry, materials and life of another century.

"Yes sir. As the decades progressed I bounced around further and further ahead through history. This time is really ten years in my own past," explained the older Dr. Beckett.

"My current leap team has kept up with me too. I work with the Beckett Institute of Temporal Studies in Phoenix. I have an observer and the successor of Ziggy helping me out. And then there's you. For the last fifty years or so, their time, you've been showing up to help this old geezer out. Once you've been leaping this long, you require a little help, Samuel," he chuckled. "Can you imagine me leaping into some youthful fellow having to win the decathlon in the 2104 Olympics? Ha-ha. That'll be a good leap. The Boss knows I can't and doesn't force it on me."

Sam shook his head, "I'm confused. The Boss?"

"Um, you used to call it God, time or fate. You'll learn more about him eventually. But for now this is the first time I or rather you showed up in the future. And I do remember it a bit since my quantum remembering has improved over years. You do finally work through all this Swiss-cheesery, my dear Samuel," he said a bit comforting. "Excuse an old codger, while I sit down. Performing all this medical activities is old hat for me."

"And Al?" asked Sam looking up wondering whether he wants to face his future or not.

"Al." the older Beckett looked down mouthing the world Al a couple of times. His eyes appeared to get a bit moist, but no tears formed. "Al. Gone to Flanders's Fields. Or do those Navy guys go to Davy Jones' locker?" he said looking at himself. "My good friend followed me around through time for twenty-five years and then he passed away. Samuel, you are 160 plus years since you first leap, son. Everyone you ever knew has gone before you. Though take heart for there is a whole galaxy out there to explore. Welcome to the FUTURE!"

"Oh, boy!" Sam explained as he lay down on the examination table.

"You can say that again. Let be bring you up to date. This here is the U.S.S. Enterprise, of the Starfleet Space Command. And you probably recognized the Captain. Jonathan Archer is one of our descendants through Sammy Jo Fuller. He certainly is a genetic throwback. We're out on the first true interstellar exploration of the galaxy. Quite exciting. This vessel can travel faster than the speed of light. Captain Archer and his crew have met aliens from many other worlds," explained the elder Beckett.

"Whoosh-whoosh," went the sound of the Imaging Chamber door as Al walked in looking at his hand link and shaking his head. "Ziggy has burned out a neural net circuit or something. You know he insists that you're in the year 2161? And that's why it took us so long to f.." Al looked around at the sickbay and the alien, and dropped his cigar and his hand link. "What in the name of Beth's Great-Aunt Matilda is going on here?"

"Ziggy's right," said Sam. "And if you don't believe me, ask me other guy there," said Sam smiling like the cat that ate the mouse.

"You mean the guy with the purple glow paint on his head?" asked Al picking up his cigar. "He's your character witness? You finally lost it Sam."

"Good morning, Al," the alien said to Al. "It's been a long time!"

"Not long enough. What are you, from one of my childhood nightmares? Ziggy what's going on here," Al called into his hand link.

"Admiral, from my physiological analysis you are speaking to Dr. Beckett," replied Ziggy quite flatly.

"Then whose that?" he asked very sarcastically pointing to the younger gentleman.

"Dr. Samuel Beckett," replied Ziggy.

"Al, somehow I've started a whole new phase in my leaping. I started helping myself during my own future leaps. This gentleman is my older self, decades from now. Doctor Samuel Beckett, age eighty something. And this is a spaceship run by a descendent of mine falling flying through space light years from earth," explained Sam starting to get use to the situation.

"Don't believe it for a nanosecond. Sounds like one hell of a coincidence to me," said Al scoffing at the whole scenario.

"That the way the Boss likes things," replied the older Beckett thinking back long ago to a bar named Al's.

A small light appeared behind the elder Beckett and a young guy with dark hair formed from the white light. "Wow. We're on the NX-1 Enterprise on it's first voyage of exploration. Ain't that a kick in the old impulse engines? This is like real history in the making!"

"Settle down, Steven. We have company," the old Beckett said to calm down his observer. "I find some excitement in being here, but I've been a part of history for such a long time it's just not the same anymore.

"Oh, right. Dr. Beckett, Admiral Calavicci. It's good to see you again!" he said giving them half a salute. "Live long and prosper as these Vulcans say"

"Steven, check your data," said the elder Beckett very slightly shaking his head. He appeared to be instructing him more than vice versa as Al did for the younger Sam.

"Yes," Steven said fingering the air in front of him and a display appeared. "Excuse me gentlemen. This is your first visit to our time period. Welcome to the twenty-third century since you appear to us entirely out of sequence to our adventures. We um have to keep track of that. The old time keeper wants to keep us guessing."

"So you're.." asked Sam the younger.

"Not going to tell you. You did figure it out eventually. But since you're from the past, all information is on a purely need to know basis," Steven said as he continued to play in the air with his transparent view screen.

"So how come I can see you?" asked Al.

"Dr. Beckett's retina patterns haven't changed since he was sixteen. Since you can see him in 2002, you can see him now. I have to be on the same wavelengths as you. You were his observer and now I am. Understand-o?" he asked looking quite superior.

"And just who are you, Mr. Know-It-All?" asked Al who screwed up his face sarcastically.

"Steven Hartman. Let's leave it that we are related and this ain't the first time we met. You're just along for the ride grandpa and I'm the guy with the map. So fasten your seatbelt Admiral cause we're taking off. Swoosh!" he exclaimed watching a pretend spaceship take off.

Al began to turn a bit reddish. "You little punk. I was shooting down MIGs before.."

"Settle down Al. The only point I agree with is that they know what went wrong this leap and we don't. You just keep your ear to Ziggy. This trip is wacky enough I want it watched closely. Getting struck in my future is not the trip I signed up for," said an exasperated Sam.

The older Sam chuckled a bit. "Don't worry. I still returned to bopping around the twentieth and twenty-first centuries. Don't sound so downtrodden, Samuel. You get to experience more of history than any man since time began."

Sam bit his lip for a minute for that was quite a mouthful to swallow. "Oh boy," he said quietly. "That's quite a responsibility. I just hope I'm …um up to it. Thanks for the 411. Now what can you tell me about this time and mission?"

"Now we're cooking! I like that! Ahead warp factor five. Steven, what does Venus have for us today?" he said more like he was announcing a baseball game.

"Venus?" asked Al looking sick to his stomach.

Hartman replied, "The subsequent successor to your ancient abacus Ziggy. Ziggy. Yentl. Xena. Winnie. Venus."

"I can't wait till you hit U," quipped Al while throwing some ash onto the floor.

"To continue Gramps! This twenty-second century space group called Starfleet has a major setback with their new pioneering into space. The culprit is Mera Seras." He makes a gesture in the air and a picture is projected in front of him of a beautiful young woman with long flowing red hair, wearing a red jumpsuit and had strange webbed ears that lay back flat against her head. "None of that pre-contact surprise. Like the humanoid the good Doctor Beckett leaped into, we in our time have come across a variety of life in the nearby neighborhood of star systems. She's a Delurian. Very beautiful, very charming, very talented and very deadly. In her encountered with Captain Jonathan Archer she tricks him causing the death of thousands of Kerlots, the Delurians mortal enemy. During her visit she appropriates some Starfleet weapon's technology that is more advanced than either Delurians or the Kerlot technology. Afterwards the Vulcans, like the cheeky T'Pel you met on the bridge, do a traffic cop thing and don't allow us out of our cradle. That was ten years ago. It all has something to do with us interfering in the affairs of other planets especially those who don't have a deep space travel capability yet. The Enterprise, that this beautiful piece of astro-engineering and its two sister ships end up hauling Terramite between Io and Alpha Centauri."

"This one alien woman changes the history of man's conquest of space?' asked Sam the younger.

Mr. Hartman's eyes opened wide. "Yea, but what a woman. If I could find someone who could satisfy me and strip down a Mark 23 Solarlex Torpedo, I'd settle down in an instant though that's not very likely."

Al rolls his cigar between his fingers mumbling to himself, "There is something very familiar about that hologram."

"Samuel. The Vulcans do not feel that humanity is ready to venture into space. Captain Archer is inexperienced with dealing with other worlds and other species. He made a mistake, but we know that humans learned the most when they make mistakes. The Boss must feel that we deserve another chance. And we're here to make sure that Captain Archer, our future son, is shown the right way. You and me," said the older Beckett pointing at each of them.

"You mean 'me' in both cases," said Sam smiling just a bit while correcting his elder self.

"Exactly," exclaimed the older Beckett smiling back.

"Well, both of you better get up to the bridge, Buck Rogers. Right now!" exclaimed Steven reading off his own data machine.

Up on the bridge, both of the Becketts saw nothing amiss as they exited the turbo lift.

The Captain turned around. "Lieutenant Reed. Back so soon?" he asked with a pixyish smile.

"I have certified him for duty, Captain," lied the older Beckett. He knew that his younger self couldn't sail a sailboat in a straight line let alone pilot a starship.

Captain Archer replied, "Very good then…"

"Ahhh-shaaaa," yelled someone yelled from the front of the bridge.

"Lieutenant Sato," exclaimed the Captain as he whipped his chair around to face front.

"My apologies, sir. I was monitoring five different frequencies and the same sound came over all five frequencies. Um, very loud!" she said covering her ear. "My ears are still ringing that sound was so piercing."

"The transmission was a class II broad band message intended to obtain our attention," said the one identified as T'Pel in a very monotone voice while looking through a rectangular eyepiece.

"They have my attention. I'm attempting to translate it now," Lieutenant Sato said replacing her earpiece and playing with the switches and dials. "It keeps repeating itself, but I can not understand it."

"Patch it through the universal translator," asked the Captain as he put his hand on his chin concentrating intently.

Lieutenant Sato shook her head. "Nothing. Nothing. Wait! Just a couple of words. It's a distress call!"

"Heading?" asked the Captain.

"Four point seven mark 4. Sensors read no contacts along that course, Captain," announced Commander Tucker.

"We seem to be the only ones in the neighborhood. Ahead on that course, warp factor five. Mr. Reed?" Captain Archer he asked Sam.

Sam was mesmerized by coordinated work of these well-trained crewmen. After being offered his seat at the helm as Sam reluctantly sat down.

"Now I'm going to make you look like a class I space jockey," said a voice behind him. It was the older Beckett's observer Steven Hartman who appeared without a sound. "Push that up three quarters. Turn that to 7.2. Inch the counter up to four point seven. Tell the Captain the course is laid in."

Sam did as he was told and confidently turned to his double ganger. "Course laid in, Captain."

"Engage, " he said with all the authority of a captain of a star ship.

"Ok, cowboy. That one," the other observer said pointing to the big red button on the left. Sam pushed it as the stars moving by slowly on the front view screen started flying by much faster and then dissolved into long strings of rainbows that seemed to fly right toward him, but always bent around the ship. Sam just leaned back in his seat feeling the increased acceleration that was really only in his head.

Several minutes later Commander Tucker interrupted the hushed tension. "Captain. A small scout class ship traveling quite erratically. Short bursts of ion exhaust. Course six point two mark six. Velocity point one impulse. Extensive hull damage, erratic life signs."

"Confirm, Captain. That is the source of the emergency message," piped in Lieutenant Sato.

"Pull up along side them, Mr. Reed," said a relieved Captain Archer.

"Aye, sir," replied Sam with the help of Steven Hartman. The elder Sam Beckett looked on from the back of the bridge with approval. The Enterprise kept station two hundred meters from a small ship that reminded Sam of a piano with several black marks from some type of energy weapon on the front of the vessel.

"Hail them, Lieutenant Sato!" requested the Captain turning to his communications officer.

"I am still receiving audio," explained Lieutenant Sato as she turned on the sound.

Crackling over the speakers the crew head a very agitated, "Tura fleka rurma bura hartra noba towa bura toal! Bura toal! Bura toal! Bura toal gurank!"

The captain motioned that it be turned off. "Can you help me with that, Lieutenant Sato?"

"I don't recognize it and the universal translator is completely nonsense," she said sounding very frustrated as she frantically banged on the keys in front of her.

"Captain. This dialect sounds like Doramite. The message is a warning of some kind," said the Vulcan.

"I'd be scared too if I was a wounded shrimp and a whale pulled up next to me. Tell them we came in response to their distress call and ask them what type of assistance they require, T'Pel," requested the Captain.

"Our response capability is limited. I will attempt to respond with a general help message and request for their language database. Herak norah floew doera seare. Norah bers. Norah bers. Herak norah floew doera seare. Norah bers. Norah bers. Herak norah floew doera seare. Norah bers. Norah bers."

Lieutenant Sato put her hand on her earpiece. "Captain, a large amount of data is being transmitted on the same wide ban frequency emanating from that ship."

"Run it through the universal translator," replied Captain Archer quite as-a-matter of factly. Sato complained as the captain asked T'Pel to repeat the requested for information on their condition.

The speaker began to crackle again. "Norah doera herak. Nema gora bec no know. Not you ship so. Help so much appreciated. I did not think there were any ships in this vicinity. Our quantum flame work working at a ten percent capacity. I have one dead and five injured crew members."

"Sound pretty good to me. Good work, Hyoshi. This is Captain Archer of the S. S. Enterprise from the planet Earth. A doctor and engineer are on their way. Archer out,"

replied the Captain.

"Many thanks, Archer," the alien replied.

Commander Tucker looked up worried. "Captain, we haven't used quantum drive since the mid twentieth century.'

The elder Beckett motioned to Mr. Hartman who spoke to Sam. "You're on kid. Hands up, it's show an tell time. That's how you earn you're keep this trip."

"Captain. I have some experience with quantum things!" said the reluctant volunteer.

Captain Archer swung his chair toward Sam. "Fine. Our away time will be young Reed, the Doctor, the chief engineer and myself. T'Pel you have the bridge," said Archer as they all headed toward the turbo lift. Others officers took over T'Pel and Sam's stations.

"Affirmative," replied T'Pel as took the command seat at the heart of ship activities.

Sam follows the assembled away team as he is handed a small cell phone type device, some kind of weapon and a pack filled with tools. Sam looked through it wondering where the hammer and screwdrivers were. He was ushered to a small ladder where he climbed into a small craft and found a seat in the back. Shortly the hatch was closed and he felt them fall down through the bottom of their space ship. Looking up the Enterprise appeared as huge as a battleship with one long cylinder underneath and a big one on top.

Having never been in space, Sam found a great deal of beauty in the stars around him. In less than five minutes they reached the alien piano that looked small from a distance, but dwarf the size of the Enterprise shuttle. Running on top of it were two hologram observers who were both reveling in the trip through airless space. Docking with the other ship, four web-eared aliens greeted them while speaking through their portable universal translators. Sam recognized the female leader who offered a strange over the shoulder salute to each of us.

"Greetings, alien friends. My name is Mera, number one of the ship Miracle. My crew had almost given up for we are quite out of the usual ship lines and Duluria home, is too far to travel at the top speed of our engine now."

"Glad to be of assistance. Dr. Phlox here can attend to your people and my other two officers came to look at your engine," explained the Captain introducing his crewmembers.

"Wonderful. My engineer is in his cabin unconscious. His life signs are weak," she said sorrowfully.

"I will attend to him first," said the older Beckett.

"And I'm here to assist the quantum physics prof, " Mr. Hartman said to Sam as Al stood next to him. And followed them toward the engine room.

Mera and Captain Archer walked through the ship as they walked through the ship to the small enclosed room too small to be called a bridge and barely bigger than the shuttle insides.

"Only the captain, my navigator and engineer sit in here.

"Definitely a sub-compact model," chuckled Captain Archer looking over the confide area.

Mera looked confused as an untranslatable Delurian word, "Swara."

"Oh, that's an old Earth term for a very small form of ground transportation. We called them automobiles. Let's just saw your have a very efficient use of space,"

"You're space is very efficient, too," she said standing very closely to him.

"No, we don't usually call describe our people like that. They can be compact or muscular or well toned. Efficiency usually applies to the way they do things. We say his or her work is very efficient," explained the Captain.

"And do I look well toned? Do I do things with efficiency?" she asked in low round tones.

"Yes to both questions. Oh boy. OK, so how did you get into your current predicament?"

asked the Captain to quickly change the subject and learn more about her people.

"There are others in our star system, the Kerlots. They try to get and kill us. We only want peace. We were on an emergency medical flight to our colony on our outermost planet. From nowhere they fire on us. We have little to defend ourselves. Barely do we even get out. I am so grateful to you Captain Archer. So very grateful," she seemed to purr.

"Please call me, John," he said much gentler.

"John. This is so new, being with an earther. Could we go see this ship of yours?" she asked. "Mine is very little and you are so ..big," she asked staring almost into his soul and beyond.

"That would be nice," Captain Archer said quietly and then after snapping back a bit. "This cockpit looks like it could use a good going over. We could fly back to the Enterprise and then a few good technicians could come back over here. And I have just the ones."

Mera followed the Captain back to the shuttle, climbed into the cockpit, snuggled up against him and headed back to the Enterprise.

Back in the narrow caverns of the engine room of the Miracle Sam busied himself with these strange tools and the strange engine contraction. Between the repair advice he got from Ziggy and Al and the tool instruction he got from the strange Mr. Hartman, he was about to blow a quantum fuse.

"Now turn that flamo-torch to the right. Just a quarter turn. That's it," exclaimed Mr. Hartman.

"Sam that's getting too hot. Ziggy says that that other doodad won't take the heat. You still have to get the couplet thingy off," yelled Al throwing his hands al over the place.

Mr. Hartman started pointing wildly. "Use the magnetic splicer. If you rotate it just right that might loosen its hold, Dr. Beckett."

"Hold it Sam. Dropping that ring into the harmonic chamber could blow the whole thing up. Watch it." Al even louder.

"Don't listen to that old man. Together we know what we're doing, Doc," said Mr. Hartman.

"No, Sam," screamed Al pointing to his hand link. "Ziggy has specific instructions here.

This has to be just so, it's a very exact highly toned instrument. And don't listen to the kid. He so wet behind the ears ita dry up Niagara Falls."

"Who you calling kid?" Mr. Hartman yelled to Al.

"Yea, well I'm hardly your Gramps," he shot back.

"You aren't my grandfather. You're my great- great- great- great- great- grandfather. Now I told you,

"What? Well, you probably didn't listen to my great- great- great- great- grandson either. Why if I wasn't a hologram I'd.." yelled Al pointing accusingly at him with his fine Prince Albert hand-rolled special.

"Now stop it you two. I'll ask the questions! I'm the guy doing the work here! This seems familiar, but I need Ziggy to tell me what to do and I need your ancestor here to tell me how to do it. So if we can throw out the Calavicci …

"Hartman!" exclaimed the man of the same name.

"CALAVICCI!" returned the present day Al.

".. the FAMILY temperament, then we can get this thing fixed and on their way!"

"OK," said Hartman begrudgingly giving up.

"Just for you. I'm just glad I never really run into this nozzle," said Al.

"Oh, you well. Many times, Grandpa," he retorted as Sam and Al both looked at him with a bit of surprise.

"I must object to your illogical actions," said T'Pel to Captain Archer with a slight urgency in her otherwise emotionless voice. "We know nothing about the Delurians. They are a pre-warp race with unknown intentions. Their politics, lifestyle, culture, customs are completely unknown to us. Escorting an unattached female into your house on Denarian Prime requires the male to stay with the female through seven mating cycles or eighteen earth-years. Conumount study must be given to a society prior to first contact. The Vulcans had been observing your world since your own seventeenth century."

"Certainly took their good time about it," replied Captain Archer.

"Captain, those that landed to greet Professor Cochrane were quite aware of most of your culture," said T'Pel with a bit of strained patience.

The captain paused for a moment. "I'm sure they had use compiled, analyzed, plotted, graphed, and wrapped for Christmas. You still don't really understand what it means to be human. An emotional being full of drives and passions. Sometimes we falter and fail, but that makes us all the more determined to get up and succeed."

"Captain. We know exactly what emotions can to a race. It nearly destroyed us five thousand years ago. And as long as you act with them they will also be your own undoing. This vessel is far more advanced than the Delurian vessel. That combined with the knowledge of the existence of others could giver these people an unfair advantage or could completely destroy them. I strongly urge you consider the consequences of your next action. Captain," she said with just a hint of superiority.

"I will take that under advisement, Sub-Commander," returned the Captain. "You have the bridge while I entertain a guest."

The elder Beckett leaned in the close quarters of the Miracle's engine room he called into the younger Beckett. "Samuel, is everything satisfactory?" His voice echoed down the log egg shaped room.

"Just about done!" Sam called back as he punched a couple of button on the multicolored overhead panel. Several various wavering tones started producing noise and formed a single harmonious sine wave a very pleasant sound.

Mr. Hartman double checked his visible out and said, "Hot damn. All the outputs are synchronized. That's muzak to my ears. Back everything up, prof!"

"Thanks for all the help. After I got my bearings with all this alien and futuristic technology, it wasn't so hard. This whole thing wasn't that far from the energy producing system we using in the Acceleration Chamber. And now here is in space moving along some alien spacecraft. I'm flabbergasted!" said Sam with a hint of pride.

"Your ideas didn't just send yourself flying through time. Applications. Everything can be used by someone else for something else. In this case, it was more efficient than those old nuclear powered engines and a lot safer. Quantum drive. Not a bad start to our exploration of the cosmos. Though our current warp engines can leave these antiques at the starting gate. Hooah!" exclaimed a very excited Mt. Hartman.

Sam stretched his sore muscles as she stood up next to his older self looking quite satisfied with himself. "Oh. So now I leap?"

"Ziggy doesn't see any problem with that," replied Al looking over his hand link looking a little pleased himself.

An alarm sounded in the vicinity of Mr. Hartman as he tapped the air in front of him and a colorful display appeared. "Problem. The good captain has been making with the whoopee with the lovely Mera. Originally this all happened at the Delurian space station, but now all the hanky and panky takes place here thanks to our little repair job."

"So I'll just wreck this engine and then.." started Sam.

"Nope. Venus just says that time will return to its original course. We have to convince the stud running this battlewagon to give Cleopatra his walking papers," said Mr. Hartman shaking his head.

"Then let us proceed back to the U.S.S. Enterprise," said a very weary sounding older Dr. Beckett.

After faring the trip back Sam was ushered back to the bridge by the older Beckett to stand in front of the Vulcan T'Pel.

"Report," she said in a commanding voice.

The elder Beckett replied. "The crewmen of the Miracle are on their way to recovery or at a minimum stabilized. Their engine appears to be in full functioning order thank to Mr. Reed."

"Then they may proceed on their journey. I will contact the Captain," replied T'Pel as she reached for the intercom.

"I would not advise that yet," said the elder Beckett.

"Yea, they're bouncing around that cabin as if love making was an Olympic event!" quipped Al who was quickly shushed by the other observer.

"Is there a problem, doctor?" replied the emotionless Vulcan.

"My afraid I heard things from the delirium of some of my patients. The do not appear to be as they seem. There latest missions have been more of a commando type rather than peaceful medical jaunts. I don't think you'll find them equipped in such a fashion either, Sub-commander."

"Commander Tucker, scan the entire ship immediately, " she said standing up quickly and waking over to his console.

Playing with his controls he furled his brow. "Nothing we did not detect on our earlier scans though the unknown material in their cargo hull seems to play havoc with our sensors."

"Hm. Epelic shielding to block our sensors. Crude but initially effective. Remodulating the upper frequency range of our sensors should increase their efficiency. Scan the cargo haul again, Mr. Tucker."

"Several alien explosive mines and at least two ionic cannons. Numerous handheld weapons. Quite an arsenal, I'd say," commented Commander Tucker.

"Lieutenant Sato. Inform the Captain to join us on the bridge," commanded T'Pel.

"I think the Captain will need an admission from the pirate captain herself. He still might believe any contrived explanation that she might have," said the older Beckett.

"Our Captain would never betray us!" yelled Mr. Tucker as he abruptly stood up at his console.

The older Beckett shook his head. "Not with his mind, but maybe with his heart."

"What do you suggest, Doctor?" asked the Vulcan while raising one eyebrow.

"I am somewhat familiar with the Vulcan mind disciplines. You have ways to obtain knowledge with those who are less than cooperative," said the other Beckett slightly delicately.

"A mind meld? The subject must be at a minimum level of cooperation and not mentally fight the joining of the minds. The Delurian captain could prove to be very adversarial," explained Sub-commander T'Pel.

"I do not think so. For her to keep the good Captain's trust, she can not appear to be against it if she has nothing to hide," suggested the older Beckett.

"I will try to apply myself. Lieutenant Sato. Request that the Captain and the Delurian captain meet us in Sickbay. Top priority. Mr. Tucker, the bridge is yours," T'Pel said briskly walking to the turbo lift doors with the two Becketts immediately behind her.

In walked Captain Archer and Mera standing quite close together. "What's the emergency, Doc?" he said smiling broadly. Mera came up and stood directly behind him.

Looking down the doctor said, "I believe that Sub-commander T'Pel can better describe the problem."

"Our sensor indicate extensive weaponry on the Delurian ship that is not consistent with the mission of a medical scout class vessel," explained T'Pel.

He lowered his eyebrows. "Is this true?"

"This system is very dangerous with our disputes with the Kerlots. We have to defend ourselves Jonathan," she said defensively with still a touch of sensuality. "You know nothing of us."

Captain Archer stepped away. "This is true. Tell me more about your last encounter with the Kerlots, Mera."

"Of course. We were thirty-two out form our home world to deliver medical supply and administer regular physicals to the research colony on Louvana Six. Approaching the planet from behind one of the moons, the Kelrot assault vessel flew out from behind the moon firing across our bow and ordering us to surrender. This was after an attack on our research colony. They destroy our bases, kidnap and kill our people and steal our supplies. We were just an open store for them ready for plundering. As they approached us we opened up our cargo bay and got one lucky shot at them disabling their engines. They still severely damaged our ship. We barley got away with our lives. Thanks to your doctor we had no fatalities and I thank you very much for that!" she said looking very appreciative.

"Any questions?" Captain Archer asked his staff.

T'Pel stepped forward. "Yes." She went over to a view screen and brought up a live picture of the Miracle.

Sam looked closely at the damage. "All the black marks. They are on the FRONT of the ship."

"Indicating damage during a frontal assault not an escape as you stated," said T'Pel while also raising one of her eyebrows.

"Mera! You lied to us," gasped Captain Archer.

"And several of the wounds I treated were not the results of injuries suffered from inside the ship. Some were direct contact with some type of heat generating weapon," explained the older Beckett.

The Captain's whole attitude changed, as he looked very serious at her. "Captain, you will be returned to your vessel. We must be on our way. I will not become involved in your own affairs nor will I exact punishment on you for I have no jurisdiction here."

"Jonathan!" she said very hurt and yet very inviting.

He held up his hand. "No, this ends our association and any other attempts at contact at this time. Mr. Reed, please escort the captain to the shuttle. Lieutenant Henshaw, report to the shuttle launching site and return the Captain to her ship." T'Pel stood next to him looking as please as a Vulcan could look at the Captain's acceptance of her earlier warnings.

Boom! The ship rocked violently as the lights blinked off momentarily.

"Archer to bridge. What's our status?" he called up on the intercom.

"We've been hit by a magnetic burst from the biggest ship I've ever seen. Three times the length of the Enterprise and it reminds me of a Large-mouth Bass, sir," Mr. Tucker reported with a little embarrassment.

"The Kerlots have found us, Captain," said a very menacing sounding Delurain.

"Mr. Tucker, I'm on my way. Archer out!" he screamed into the intercom as he marched quickly from sickbay.

Twice as the turbo lift made its way to the bridge the three four real passengers were thrown to the floor and twice they got up again. The doors slid open as a very determined Captain Archer almost ran for his seat.

"REPORT!" he said loudly.

Commander Tucker jumped from the Captain's chair. "Our shield plating is holding. They look fierce, but their weaponry is very antiqued compared to what we saw in the haul of the Miracle. Damage crews report our starboard maneuvering thrusters have shortened out, but impulse drive and warp engines are online for a hasty exit."

"I have no intension of leaving those men on the Delurian ship. Lieutenant open hailing frequencies. "

Lieutenant Sato quickly complied. "Hailing frequencies opened, sir."

"I am Captain Jonathan Archer of the U.S.S. Enterprise. Cease your attack or I will be forced to return fire," the Captain said in a strong commanding tone.

On the main view screen a picture of a good size bridge occupied by fairly good looking humanoids with a slight yellowish tint to their skin appeared.

With the universal translator working perfectly he the speaker spoke. "Kekle Kroctin, First Fellow of the Defender Kwentock. Your ship configuration is not familiar to the Kerlot."

"The U.S.S. Enterprise is from the planet earth, twenty-six light years from you star system. Why do you fire upon us?" replied Captain Archer.

"Such a long way from home to be a ally for an insignificant band of Delurian terrorists," Krochtin said shaking his head.

"What more haven't you told us?" Archer said turning to the lovely Mera.

Screwing up her face in a look of total disgust she spat out, "They are nothing but barbarians and murderers. We only want peace and they destroy our homes and our people! Dura klrea varcaric!"

"Such language from such a lovely kikpit. Captain, we insist that this criminal be turned over to us immediately or we will resume firing on your little ship," he said in a very strangely pleasant fashion.

"Being strangers we are not familiar with your political situation here. Some disagreement obviously exists between your two peoples. Join us as our guests and we can help mediate a solution," the Captain said very cordially.

"I refuse to be in the same room as these liars and mermats," the lovely Mera seemed to curse.

"The Delurians refuse? Then we will be happy to accept your invitation. It sounds quite amusing," quickly replied the other Captain.

"If you don't accept this offer, we will leave you and your crew on your ship without a single thought of leaving, Mera," said Archer quietly.

"Very Jonathan. Only do to your force will I do it.

"Please, join us. He said. Archer out."

At the starboard docking port, archer, T'Pel, Mera and Sam's contingent stood waiting.

"Your experience is very limited in the field of intergalactic diplomacy, Captain," said T'Pel very stoically.

"That's why you are here. To lend us the larger picture and a little Vulcan logic and pragmatism," said Archer with a smile.

"I am a scientist, not a diplomat, Captain," replied the Vulcan.

"Then an good judicious application of the scientific method is warranted my dear, Sub-commander for I believe our guests have arrived," he said stepping up to the door.

With a sudden hiss the inner door of the airlock slid open and in walked the ships Captain and two others.

"Captain Archer," started Kekle Kroctin, "Kylic Kurnok, Second Fellow and Karnak, my First Recorder."

"Greetings to you," said Captain Archer. "Sub-commander T'Pel, my second in command, Dr. Phlox, our ship's physician, Lieutenant Reed, and you seem to know Captain Mera Seras."

"Very charmed," replied the alien Captain looking deep into the eyes of the Delurian captain.

"Please join us in our situation room," said the captain ushering them to a small low ceiling room with a dozen chairs that take up most of the room. Joining them with some sort of recording device that resembled a well-lit breadbox was the Enterprise's language specialist Lieutenant Hyoski Sato.

"Captain Archer. Since you do not know us, it suffices to say that ever since the Delurians first moved out into space a hundred and fifty years they have ignores the claims our peoples made and made our joint planetary system a dangerous place to live."

"We've had the same claims from the Delurians."

"Then we may an lying to their long list of crimes. We were a peaceful people until then, Captain. You must believe me!" said Kekle Kroctin putting out is a hands palm

"These warmongers are the liars and dogs and other things," sneered Mera.

"Please, Mera. Captain Kroctin. You appeared quite aggressive. What is it you want?"

asked Captain Archer.

"Directness. This is much appreciated. The renegade crew of this vessel visited our Kurmal settlement on the moon of Ja-ra, attack the small force and stole the most sacred of artifact. The Kegis Stone of Kermon. The stone that we first found in space and helped us into space. Many of our people pilgrim to see it, and its support holds our entire society together," he said pleading.

"So if it is so valuable, why does it seem to be so unguarded," asked the captain

"The stone was found in our early days of exploration during a mining operation on the second base we established. Our beliefs would not allow it being removed from the moon so we established a sanctuary and an order to guard it. But they are not warriors. It is a place for peaceful contemplation and reflection.

"A den of warmongers and heretics!" hissed Mera.

"Mera, please. I have to work this out. And what could the Delurians gain from the thief of your sacred object?" asked the captain of the Enterprise.

"Factualism. A giant rift in our society allowing them to take over many of our wealthy settlements.

"You appear to be the bigger guy, Captain

"That is why they resort to attacking us like a small animal trying to bring down a big one. They do wish to explore and develop, they only want to take. It is the easier way. The coward's way," he said quite calmly.

"Cowards? We will kill you all. You dogs of war. Our mission was peaceful. You attacked our settlement and us! Dura klrea varcaric!" she said standing up and cursing him again.

"That little junkyard full of pirates and raiders? Nothing there is not from things stolen from us. We never saw any use for that remote planetoid. If the Delurians want it they have it. Just one big lousy rock in space."

"Mera?" asked the Captain.

"Lies and more lies. We do not know where his stupid little wirak is. Ever since our people moved into space, this klrea has stifled every effort. The do not want us here. We have but a few small outposts that they have attacked and kept at small levels. We spend too much time rebuilding our posts to move further into space.

He turned to Mera. "Our people welcomes you when you first ventured into our territory. The system is big enough that we could live together as partners, but you ancestors would have nothing to do with it."

"Last year you attacked and eliminated our observation post on Galso Five. Do you deny that?" she said seething and pointing at him.

"We deny nothing. It was only a defensive maneuver. That post was raiding our biggest line of supply to the three biggest posts we have. And it was your people who actually blew it up, not our raiders!" he said.

"Lies! We should have r killed you

"Do you or do you not know where this Kegis Stone of Kermon is?" the Captain asked Mera point blank.

"No, Jonathan?" she said tenderly with some anger. "Surely you believe me."

"So I see we can get nowhere, here. If you'll excuse us Captain. Said the other Captain trying to get up.

"Captain, we do have a solution with the Sub-commander here." Said the older Sam.

T'Pel looked slightly irradiated and then replied, "There is an ancient Vulcan practice that can examine what is in her mind. With a good deal of certainty I can determine if se knows. If you will permit me."

"Sounds fascinating. Mera, if you have nothing to hide, then you should have no objections.

"Yes, anything to get us on our way.

"Is this acceptable? He asked the Kerlot.

"Who knows but go ahead and proceed. Anything to recover our precious thingy is worth it.

"Let's get this stupid thing over with. Precede one with the ears,"

"Sit down and relax," said T'Pel. She placed her right hand, fingers spread apart on Mera forehead. "One to one. Our minds get closer together. Mind to mind. One to one. Closer and closer. We are one." T'Pel began to speak in a dreamy voice. She took on Mera's voice, mannerisms and attitude. "Deep. Deep, I go. Pain. Pain," T'Pel screamed. "Pain. My brothers, my sister. Weep for them. Weep for them. Weep for the souls of Galso Five. Weep for my family. Weep for all Delurians," T'Pel moaned staring to cry a bit.

Captain Archer tried to go to help the weakened Science Officer, but Dr. Phlox/The elder Sam waved him off not to disturb the Vulcan ritual.

Both of T'Pel's eyebrows uncharacteristically sprang up as she work her way around the head of Mera. "Pay. The Krlot must pay. Vengeance. Hate. All consuming. Make them pay. Make them pay. Kerlots are demons. All must pay. Council. Volunteer for the Delurian Planetary Council. Yes. Yes, my Council. Mission. The final mission. Victory for the Delurians. Yes. Much victory. Destroy Kerlot unity. Destroy Kerlots. Vengeance complete." T'Pel began looking positively devilish. "Vengeance. Steal the Kegis Stone/. Faith will be destroyed. Kerlot will be destroyed. Peace. Finally peace. Peace to weep. Peace to moan." T'Pel's hand slipped from Mera's face as she slumped to the floor.

Her hair was matted and perspiration ran down his face.

Archer came up to her and called her name. "T'Pel!"

T'Pel's head rocked from side to side. "Peace!" she mumbled "peace…"

"Dr. Phlox!" Archer than called out.

The elder Beckett took her wrist and felt a faint pulse. Leading over he raised his hand back and slapped T'Pel hard causing her fall onto the floor.

"Doctor!" screamed Archer grabbing his hand.

"Boy, I sure don't like your bed side manner!" commented Lieutenant Sato.

"Captain, this is a Vulcan thing. Please let me continue," said the older Beckett.

He raised his hand again slapped her hard enough to knock her on her opposite side and then did it again returning her to her first position. Pausing a moment she opened her eyes and sat up very stiffly.

"Your knowledge of Vulcan physiology is impressive, Dr. Phlox. Your actions were quite appropriate," she said standing up straight still looking a bit weak. "The feeling of vengeance Captain seras had were quite emotional and distasteful. My apologies for showing my weaknesses."

"But why the two rounds with the good Doctor?" asked Captain Archer still looking worried at his first officer.

"In physical and mental battles within Vulcans use the pain, and focus it to come back or out of a coma as you put it. I am quite recovered," replied T'Pel.

"I'm glad. I hate t loose a good officer. But from your comments I gather you do not know where the stone was kept," he said reluctantly.

"On the contrary. My narrative was merely a general exploration of her mind. I probed it quite thoroughly. The Kegis Stone is quite close in the rear of his ship."

"Oh, is it sort of lime green, about this big with a large clear oval brace on it?" asked a very excited Sam Beckett the younger.

"Why yes!" exclaimed Captain Kroctin. "You have seen it?"

Sam shook his head. "Seen it? It was jammed next to one of the filtration units causing the graduals to clump up. That was one of many problems that quantum drive was having. It's now in the starboard engineering storage locker. With most of her crew on the injury list, we didn't discard a thing even if looked like a child's kindergarten project.

I would be happy to retrieve it for you," said Sam Beckett

"That will be fine Lieutenant. Your and Tuck go with captain Seras and prepare her ship for departure."

"This is outrageous. We want that crew placed in our custody for ransacking a national treasure hiss!

"Please Captain. I will not be party to more than we have to interference in the affairs of your two peoples. I'm beginning to see the wisdom of my second officer. We should not meddle too much in cultures that do not have a warp capability. When your cultures are ready, we'd be proud to have us as your friends. '

"You infinite infidels!"

"Mera, please. You will have you trophy with minimal blood shed. We will escort the Miracle to its home planet and then depart. But we will defend it if you try and attack it.

"Dogs of war!""

"This does not end things between us Delurain! Just another score we will have to settle between us!"

"Exactly. Your affairs settled between your peoples. That's the way it should be. That 's the way it should be.

Every station on the bridge was full as the Enterprise orbited Deliria, the home world of Captain Mara Sears and her ship Miracle. A strange calm hovered over all on the bridge, as something seemed to be ending. Behind their charges stood the two holographic observers. The view screen lit up as a very distinguished gentleman with the same webbed ears wearing a formal something stood with a head shoulders shot. Behind him was a more suspicious looking guy with a goatee and something.

"Captain Archer. A pleasure to finally see you. Sera Oppus my Security Chief," he said very cautiously.

"Rera gora. Greetings to all the Delurian people, Executrix Zeris from the people of the planet Earth." replied Captain Archer standing very straight at attention.

"May I express our gratitude in the return of our people. You have great wisdom to get our peoples to reach a compromise. Thank you," he said bowing slightly.

"May we continue our dialogues to further our interchanges? We could both benefit from mutual exchange," suggested Jonathan archer.

"I feel we are not ready for that. Our people are ignorant of the universe beyond our little star system. My Security Chief has great concern with other people mixing in our tenuous affairs. You're presence here will be contained. "

"Understood. Then may our peoples peacefully meet at some point in the future? Archer out! Since our presence here is a bit premature, Lieutenant Reed take us out!" he said with a big Beckett grin.

"The course is all set in. Do you have it ready to do?

Sam mumbled an affirmative.

"This has been our weirdest leap yet," said Al smoking on his stogie.

"And they get even weirder, my fine greater gramps," replied Al Hartman.

"But we make a better world from it too," mumbled the older Beckett.

"Heading out, sir!" replied Sam to his descendant.

"Something," replied Captain Archer as blue light filled the bridge and the two twin leapers went on each on their own path and back to planet earth.