Tempus Fugit

Posted on Wed Apr 13th, 2016 @ 8:33pm by Lieutenant Riley Sukotav & Ensign Ian Bren
Edited on on Wed Apr 13th, 2016 @ 9:22pm

Mission: Further Challenges
Location: Starbase 900 - 2391

Nevros had departed Java and taken a tour of most of the Promenade decks. The station, at first look, seemed deceptively open and easy to penetrate but he suspected that anyone operating under that assumption would find out the hard way that it was only an illusion. He realized as he strolled the decks that he was seeing more gold uniforms than anything. According to his information, that was the security staff and there seemed to be plenty of them.

A brief stop at a public computer terminal had given him access to a station map. Most areas were labelled but a few were greyed out and had no label attached. It didn’t matter, he had found what he needed. He waited by the bank of turbolifts until the crowd cleared and then stepped into one alone. Once the doors closed, he gave the order: Galileo Science Center.

Galileo Science Center *

“- and then the bartender looked at the two neutrons and said, ‘For you two, no charge’.” He looked at Ian and laughed as they stepped into the staff lounge. They’d been at the readouts on the sphere for several hours and it was time to take a break.

Ian eyed him, not laughing at the old - very old - joke. “Man is that lame,” then he laughed. He went immediately for a tea, two sugars, and found a seat.

Riley opted for black coffee and then sat down across from Ian. “I swear to you, Ian, I think my eyes are about to fall out of my head. If I see one more number….I am going to eat this coffee mug.”

“I hear you,” Ian agreed. “Maybe we should knock off for a bit? Take a break longer than ten minutes. If we keep going like this, we’re liable to make a mistake.”

“You have a good point there,” Riley agreed. “Get something to eat while you’re here. I’ll be glad to go tell Tess we’re knocking off for a bit. I want to make sure he gets that last simulation, though, about the decay rate. That’s concerning. Your project can be picked back up when you return. It’s important but the world won’t end if you take a few hours to recharge.”

“Thanks, LT,” Ian smiled and started visibly relaxing. “Have you heard from Reva lately?”

“Yesterday,” Riley answered. “They stopped off at the colony for a little R&R and she says it’s gorgeous there.” He didn’t mention that he’d seen it briefly under other, less enjoyable, circumstances. “The colony commander has a dog and I have a feeling she will want one when she gets back.”

“A dog? I thought she wanted a cat? I don’t think either of them would play well with the spiders,” Ian said. “I suppose a dog could be taught that the spiders aren’t toys, if it’s smart enough. A cat, though, might find itself wrapped in silk and presented as a meal.” He winced, queasy about his own comment. “Bleh... I shouldn’t have said that.”

Riley laughed out loud. “Yeah, I try not to think about that part and focus on the sentience aspect. They can eat however they please as long as I don’t have to watch.” He dipped his coffee, then lowered the mug. “So, with a few hours off, what are you going to do with yourself? I was thinking about a movie at the theatre. You’re welcome to join me.”

“I’m thinking sleep. I haven’t seen my bed in far too long. It misses me,” Ian joked.

“Mine misses Reva,” Riley replied, then his cheeks turned flame red. “Er...never mind.” He turned his attention to his coffee, suddenly finding it immensely interesting.

Laughing hard at that, Ian sipped his tea. “Okay, you’ll cover us with Tess? If so, I’m heading home. Three hours okay?”

“Take four. I’ll go see Tess. He needs some time off too before he drops.” Riley rose and carried his mug to the recycler. “See you back here later.” He clapped Ian on the shoulder and departed for the labs.

“Yup,” Ian nodded as Riley left. A moment later, he, too, left the lounge and headed for the turbolift.

Out in the corridor, Nevros pressed himself back against the bulkhead as Ian passed by in the corridor to his right. He was the one they had pinpointed before he left his own time, the one whose work would prove essential to Starfleet and thus must be circumvented. Finding him alone this early was extremely fortunate. Nevros waited a few seconds, then stepped out, moving along the corridor behind Ian. As the young officer stepped into the lift he called out.

“Can you hold the lift please?”

“Ah, yeah,” Ian put a hand out to hold the door. “Where are you going?”

“The Promenade,” Nevros answered. “I’ve heard Lao’s is a place I must go while I am here.”

“Yeah, it is a great place. Good dumplings,” Ian said, smiling. He had a fleeting thought about going there, too, but decided he wanted some sleep. “Okay, Promenade first.”

The lift began to move and Nevros stood silent for several seconds. He was watching the deck numbers on the wall panel and decided it was now or never. Casually, he turned to Ian and rested his hand on the young man’s arm. “A shame I won’t get those dumplings, at least not this trip.” He touched a device strapped to his wrist and he and Ian vanished from the lift.

* Starbase 900 - 2391 *

Ian blinked several times and it slowly dawned on him that he was seeing the lift from a vastly different perspective than he had been just a minute ago. He was on the floor, staring up at the ceiling of it - or where the ceiling should have been. Instead, there was a large hole with blackened edges. He blinked again, certain that doing so would make everything go back to normal. When he reopened his eyes, though, he saw the exact same thing. Bren quaked in Ian’s belly and made him wake up completely. He sat up and asked, “What the hell happened?”

Nevros stood, looking down at Ian with his arms crossed. “We’ll get to that. How do you feel? The trip often causes nausea, especially for one of your kind.”

“Like I’m going to throw up, so, yeah nauseated,” Ian held his belly and took several deep breaths. After a moment, he nodded, “Ah... okay, I think I’m going to keep my lunch. Not that I had lunch. Who are you and what did you do?”

“It will pass in a few minutes. I am Nevros. What I did is bring you to Starbase 900 - three years from your time. It’s 2391 here. Granted, it’s not exactly a Starfleet stronghold now, thanks to you. Your help has been most valuable.”

“My help?” Ian was so confused, as was Bren. “2391....,” he looked around the turbolift and the hallways that it opened onto; the lift was stuck between floors. “How did I help destroy the station? Does the fleet still hold the station?” He had a ton of other questions, but he’d hold the others for the moment.

“No it does not. It is now the property of the Krenim empire. As to your other question, think about what was happening right before I whisked you away. What was it your friend said?” Nevros asked. The device on his wrist beeped but he silenced it, not wanting to be disturbed.

“My friend? Riley? Um... the decay rate. I’m close to figuring out how to stop it. Oh shit...,” he trailed off. The implication of being three years in the future and having just been working on the sphere hit him. “You just stopped me from doing so, didn’t you?”

A slow smile spread over Nevros’ face and he nodded. “Now you’re catching up. We knew that those two men who stole the sphere from the Devore, who stole it from us by the way, would come to 900. They are both dead now, at least here.” He shrugged as if it was no big thing. “As is your friend Riley. I’m sorry you missed it, he was at ground zero when it blew.”

“Riley is...,” Ian was devastated. “Where’s Reva? What about...,” he decided not to ask about anyone else, though he found himself wishing for Darwin. “Okay... so we’re here in the future. Now what?”

“You stay here and the past will work itself out as you see here. If you’re curious, that sphere just exploded two days ago. As for Riley? Would you like to see him? Before he exists no longer?” Nevros asked. “He has about another hour.”

“What?” Ian’s brain wasn’t processing this well. “Two days ago....” He grimaced, knowing that the sphere would have undone Riley - and anyone else caught in the explosion - slowly. “Ah... I can do without that, thanks. Are we just going to stay here in this turbolift?”

“No, I am going to get some sleep. These jumps are tiring. But first, I’ll take you to the Promenade, such as it is. A few places are still in operation in case you’re hungry. As long as I keep you here, everything will work out just as we intend for it to.” Nevros climbed to the exposed deck, then reached down to offer Ian a hand.

Ian looked at the hand and got up without help. “Promenade, then. Are any of Starfleet’s people here?”

“A few but they know their place,” Nevros answered. He motioned down a side corridor. “The lift down there still works. Let’s go.”

“Uh-huh,” Ian followed along, wondering how ubiquitous the Krenim’s time shifting devices were.

* Promenade *

They reached the Promenade and while it had suffered some damage, it seemed minor compared to the areas closer to Science. A few people moved about, civilians it seemed, though they looked dazed. Some shops were closed but most were open and there were plenty of Krenim moving about.

“Here we are. I believe you and I were discussing Lao’s just before we left 2388. Feel free to indulge.” Nevros motioned to the restaurant’s familiar red door.

“Ah... yeah, sure,” Ian could understand the dazed looks on the people’s faces. He had the feeling he was looking just as dazed; he felt it. “Dumplings, okay. Yeah. Are you coming back for me?” He felt ridiculously attached. “What’s your name, anyway?”

“Nevros.” He looked back at Ian a moment, obviously amused. “First you don’t care for me, now you want my company. Interesting. Don’t worry, I’ll find you but fair warning: the science decks are sealed. In case you get any bright ideas about going home. Later.” Nevros turned and strolled off towards the lift.

“Nevros,” Ian repeated and internally asked Bren to remember that face (since Bren was awfully good at recalling faces - to this day, the symbiot could recall the face of the woman who’d tried to kill it when it was Natalie Bren; Ian knew this because he often had dreams with her in them), then hurried into Laos’. The place looked nearly the same, though the edges were starting to turn grey and filthy. He glanced around at the place and the people - mostly Krenim soldiers - before heading to the back of the place. He hoped Laos was still there.

Lao’s son appeared a few minutes later and he did a double take, seeing Ian. “Ensign Bren! I was sure you were caught in the explosion down in science.” He grabbed Ian’s hand tight in his. “I am glad to see you are safe!” He glanced around, then leaned in close, keeping his voice low. “I will get you something but be careful. Everywhere is monitored.”

“Thanks,” Ian spoke equally low. “Who is still here? Zeferino? The Admiral? Li Hawke? What about Rutheridge?”

“Tess I do not know. The command staff, and Oz, almost all the officers were herded up yesterday and put on a ship. I will return.” He turned and hurried off. Within a few minutes he returned with a plate of dumplings and a folded paper napkin, which he tucked in beside the plate. “Enjoy.” He glanced at the napkin, then hurried away.

Command staff rounded up and herded off? Ian fretted about that as he took a bite of one of the dumplings. He nearly spit it out - it didn’t taste anything like Laos’ dumplings should taste. He was leery of drawing attention so he simply swallowed it then, trying to be casual about it, opened the napkin. Inside, written in a language most people couldn’t read, Reed had written “Kitchen”. Ian stared at that a moment before wiping his hands and mouth on it and leaving it facedown in the soy sauce dipping bowl.

He got up and carried the plate, with the soy sauce and napkin on it, towards the kitchen. No one stopped him. Crossing into the behind-the-scenes area of Lao’s, he was surprised to see a large spider hanging from the ceiling. “Iggy?”, he immediately blurted out, but as the spider slowly turned on her anchor line, he realized his mistake. “Oh, Ariadne..., I’m glad to see you!”

She was still and silent; it took Ian a moment to realize she was dead. The anchor line wasn’t an anchor line; it was a hook through her pedicel. His world tilted a little. He leaned on a wall to hold himself up.

“Easy there, Ian.” Reed had appeared at his side. “The other two survived.” He nodded to one of the waiters, who opened a cabinet. Inside was Gilroy, looking out.

Ian… There was a long pause. You smell different.

“Why... why is Ari hanging like that?” He was happy - thrilled - to see Gilroy Jr.

Some of the Krenim allies have a taste for ‘exotic’ items, Gilroy answered.

“They’re sentient beings,” Ian looked at Reed. “Gods...,” his mind raced before he could gather himself. “I smell different? Different from what?”

The other station people, was her answer. You look different to me too.

“Oh... that’s because I was just yanked through time. Forward three years,” he glanced at Reed. “And I need to find some Starfleet people - preferably engineer-types and scientists. I need to get back to where - when - I was.”

Reed nodded to Gilroy, who edged closer to the cabinet opening. “She can take you, there is one close by.”

“Great!” He crossed to the cabinet and pulled Gilroy out, noticing that she’d grown substantially since he’d last seen her... three years ago. “Yeah, three years.” He helped her settle on his shoulders then followed her directions out the back of the kitchen.

*************
Lt. Riley Sukotav
Ensign Ian Bren
Reed
Nevros
Gilroy, Jr.