The Situation: To Sickbay and To A Possible Head....

But this looks like the Enterprise (for most of them recognise the clearly visible "NCC-1701" designation from having seen "Star Trek" videos).

Astra 9

"Something is definitely wrong here," I say softly.

Oh, I suppose that it is possible, in all the myriad universes out there, for a starship that looks like the Enterprise and have the same designation (NCC-1701), but be named "The New Woman".

It could be that our computer sensors (a bit shoddy after whatever happened had happened) could be in the wrong for identifying that ship being named the Enterprise. That or perhaps somehow the identification protocol could be different enough to account for such a discrepancy.

However, I have a suspicion our rescuers have something odd going on that could be an unwelcome situation. Given the rather.....trite attitude that sometimes men displayed towards women in those videos that Betty had shown me and my friends that one time, coupled with the rather feministic name of the approaching ship, I get the feeling while I and the other women might have a better time with our rescuers than the men.

However, antiquated as this Enterprise might be to my sensor's eyes, it is approaching swiftly.

Making a swift decision, I decide on a course of action. If wrong I can always apologize later for the deception. But if I am right....

"Jarlath!" I call out to my husband, "How quick can you cast a spell to make you and Synizn appear female?"

We already know that magic is present in this universe. The demifoxes, being magical in nature, were the first to feel it AND we had to use magic to save the pilot's life.

"Easy enough," Jarlath asks, "You're thinking something is amiss on that approaching ship, also?"

Synizn, not familiar with Star Trek: TOS, has his ears perked up as he listens in on this conversation. Lucky him. I had enjoyed a few of the episodes, but the person who played Captain Kirk struck me only as a mediocre actor and the story writing was rather poor in spots. Much preferred the Next Generation series myself. Seemed geared to a more mature audience. However, some of my sisters actually enjoyed the older series, feeling that the newer TV show had been too "politically correct" for their tastes.

Guess those attitudes colored how we felt about the "real life" versions of the people in the TV show. Lord knows that Betty and Ragan can't stand Janeway. Myself, I had rather enjoyed meeting the "real" James T. Kirk....and knocking him into the bulkhead when he'd hit on me!

Man's old enough now-a-day to be my father.....

Ah, but back to the task at hand!

"Maybe nothing," I say, "Or maybe the women aboard the ship finally got tired of that womanizing Kirk and rebelled. Whatever the case....."

"Rigth," Jarlath says in a voice that is an octave higher.

Looking back I see that he and Synizn (the only males conscious rigtht now aboard the runabout) have dawned a simple seeming. While not overly attractive (rather plain actually), they both now appear to be women.

"If they ask about our names I guess I can just will say that's just a common enough name for the planet I grew up on, "Rather doubt they'll do the research and find out 'Jarlath' is the name of a Catholic saint who'd been prone to prophetic visions."

The last part was said with a trace of irony. Poor soul had suffered so much after his teacher's mage tower burnt to the ground and he'd been prone to such strong visions of the future.....

A shudder running throughout the shuttlecraft signals that the Enterprise (or whatever) has a tractor beam on us and pulling us into the shuttlebay.

Don't see why they just don't beam us aboard, but maybe it's standard procedure.... Soon, we are aboard and a host of what appears to be a medical team approaches our ship.

"Stay alert and learn what you can," I warn them, getting ready to

Nurse Chapel

"This just can't be a Star Fleet shuttlecraft," I protest, looking over the rather sleek craft before me.

It carries the designation of one, however. But....then again it's not quiet right. The thing has a symbol of my starship on it, the delta.

And though I am trained as a medical person, I can almost swear that those nacelles on it.....are warp nacelles?!

What is this? Some kind of experimental spacecraft? One could swear with those nacelles the thing is....warp capable....

Whatever the case, the shuttlecraft is opening and a woman is stepping out. She has rather striking features, if I may say so.

"Here," she says, pointing to a prone man on some kind of floating stretcher (?).

I frown, torn between my medical oath and wanting just to throw the pig into the brig.

Medical oath wins out. First I'll heal him enough so.....we can throw him in the brig and.....

Wait, what are we going to do with the men? What are we going to do.....?

Standing confused for a moment, a voice seems to whisper reassuring words into my ear and I then smile, confident again.

We shall take care of them in good time, and give them what they all deserve!

Pausing again, I see that this is indeed an odd grouping of people. Especially the short aliens with.....I can almost swear those look like fox features...

No, let's get the injured man down to Sickbay and then go from there....

Tensely, our guests follow, insisting despite my assurances he'll be okay (and their presence isn't needed).

I somehow get the feeling that they'd force the issue if we push it. No matter, we have phasors....

We enter into Sickbay and I get some help as we prep for surgery. The man is going to need it.

My orderlies keep an eye on our "guests", so I figure things are well enough in hand.

Not like they are men...

Once again, I pause. This time with a feeling that I'm going to regret that....but then again that's what the orderlies are there for....

Jarlath

I note that a familiar face seems to be strapped down to a medical couch, with a look of frustration on her rather beautiful features.

What is Uhura doing down here, strapped secure?

Her eyes grow wide when she sees me....as if she sees through my disguise. That is possible enough for it is none too good due to the short time allotted me back in the shuttlecraft. However, that implied a basic knowledge of glamours....and some kind of family kinship....

"Charles?" she whispers.

Oh shit. What have we fallen into here? "Charles" is the name of many of my dead analogous brothers on various parallel Terras.

Maybe I'm being dangerously naive, but when I see the look of....shock and then something what could be called love flash over Uhura's face when she looks upon Joan.... That's the kind of look one tends to get when they meet their analog in a magical environment for the first time....and the dreaded doppelganger hatred fails to strike. I believe that Joan just gained another "sister" here.

There are questions needing answers here that can't be asked aloud. The "orderlies" are looking at us suspiciously enough as it is and those phasors on their belts seem real enough. Rather not get into a fight quiet yet (though we are armed ourselfs....albeit with "hidden" weapons and such).

Rather sloppy work these "guards" are doing....but then again I rather doubt even the regular "redshirts" would have thought to search us for weapons.

Ah, but enough dithering!

Don't react, I send to Uhura (or whatever) mentally, But I need to know....who are you and what's going on here?

1. That info could be deadly vital here shortly!
2. That info could be deadly vital here shortly! (Alternative version.)

Add New Option

Go Back

View Forward Story Tree
View Back Story Tree