THE EDGE OF NEVER: restoring the timeline

The Spectre dropped out of warp near a trinary star system quite familiar to most Starfleet crews, but most of all to Captain Syntron. The primary star of the system was a main sequence dwarf, at sisxteen point five light years distance easily visible to the naked eye from Earth, in the constellation Eridanus. The second was a faint ninth magnitude white dwarf, the first white dwarf discovered by Earth astronomers. There were no habitable planets around the B star having been destroyed by its evolution into a white dwarf, not even leaving an asteroid field of any magnitude. The third one was an eleventh magnitude red dwarf flare star which caused large momentary increases in the emission of X-rays as well as visible light, lethal to any form of life on the planet in its own habitable zone. 

On Starfleet starcharts, it was recorded as 40 Eridani A. Previous earth astronomers had called it Omicron 2 Eridani, ancient Arabic ones naming it Keid, from the word qayd, egg shells. The natives of this star system had always called it Nevasa in their own language.

But to the rest of the galaxy, it was known by one well-celebrated name.

"Approaching Vulcan," Philter confirmed from his helm station.

There was silence on the bridge, no one wanting to lose this most important moment as they all looked at the main viewer and the pale gold world shining before their eyes like it never had before. In the prime timeline, this world had been one of the pivotal points from which the future of over one hundred and fifty worlds had been built upon. In the altered timeline, the destruction of this world and the death of most of it's billions of inhabitants had destroyed the future.

And now, it was back and whole again.

"Standard orbit," ordered Syntron.

"No hail incoming," said Elliago from his CMO command chair.

"Our DYCEP is completely fooling Vulcan Central Command's sensor grid," confirmed Livingstone after a moment. "No reaction from planetary defenses. Interpalnetary and orbital traffic undisturbed by our arrrival. Transporter target located and transfered to transporter control."

"Welcome home, Ambassador," Syntron said to the tall, dignified robed man standing besdide his command chair.

Spock nodded gravely, his eyes never leaving the image of their homeworld.

No one but Elliago saw the tear that almost left the left eye of the Half-Vulcan.

Syntron stood up.

"It would be my honor, Ambassador, to accompany you as you disembark."

"Captain Syntron; the honor is all mine. If I may, I would request that your crew also do me the honor of coming down with you on the planet. My entire people owes you all their very existence and their future... as much as I owe you everything that is of consequence." 

"The ship has been fully automated for this mission," stated the Vulcan captain; "and Lieutenant Livingstone's brain implants can stay in contact with the ship's computer even planetside. I am sure these officers will all feel as priviledged as I am to accompany you."

Standing up first Riker nodded to Ambassador Spock before turning to face the rest of the bridge crew.

"You heard the Captain. All hands put your stations on standby and fall out."

They all nodded in unison in answer to the head salute of the ambassador. Syntron guided him to the turbolift while all the others worked for a few minutes at checking and putting their stations on standby.

Aron'Son followed the orders of the captain though he did have reservations about leaving the ship completely unattended. He said nothing, however, and set the ship's computer to notify him if any of the weapons or defense systems deviated from their expected power levels or status and then locked down the tactical station.  When he was finished he checked the phaser on his belt and verified its charge before reporting to the turbolift. 

"The ambassador is returning to Vulcan? In this timeline?" wondered Livingstone, feathers cresting in obvious surprise.

Elliago finished adjusting the ship's biomonitors to link with the transporters to beam back anyone suddenly afflicted physiologically or if any other biosign but their own registered on board.

"He is dying,"

"Dying?"

The Deltan looked at the X'ell but spoke to everyone on the bridge.

"The disruptive nature of the spacetime fracture he went through has scarred his brain with irreperable damage. Being a Vulcan, he has managed with my help to shift his main cognitive processes to the still unaffected parts of his brain... but this is fatally compromising his physiological functions. Combined with his age and the effects of having being previously affected by such cosmic disturbances during the twenty-third century Tholian incident, he is left with, at best, three years to live."

"But why going on the planet? Now?"

"He wishes to end his life on his saved homeworld... with his family."

Redding nodded in agreement.

"This was the time in his life that he was at his best, The Enterprise, Captain Kirk and the rest on their 5 year mission, his Mother and Father still alive.."

He looked wistfully into the future. "I think he's deserved this.. retirement."

"Can't argue with that." Riker chimed in.

"And there will be no further contamination of the timeline," assured the X'ell scientist. "The Spock from this era will go to Vulcan only twice within those five years; the first time will be when his father , ambassador Sarek, will be ferried to the babel conference about the status of Korridan and young Spock will not go planetside. The second time will be during his first Pon Farr episode; young Spock will be to overwhelmed by his Pon Farr to notice anything and old Spock will not be attending. Neither will Sarek and his wife Amanda Grayson of Earth either, as they will be at his deathbed, ensuring that he will go away peacefully, with his family near him, knowing that he had ensured the safety of the universe one last time."

"You are referring to his disposal of the red matter?" Elisha Leône said as she closed her ops station to blue mode status.

"He did give us the solution to best dispose of this most dangerous substance," Jonathan agreed. "Sending it into a natural black hole utterly destroyed it down to the last subatomic particle. And he left us with a message for the Vulcan researchers that came up with the substance to deliver upon our return, so that they will stop further work on it and destroy all research and material regarding it, classifying it under a so-called Omega Directive. Whatever that is, he ensured Captain Syntron that it would be secured away from being ever made or used again and captain Syntron seemed completely convinced of it."

Of course, Livingstone, being a mere lieutenant, had no clue about what the Omega Directive was; in fact, only Syntron and Riker among them knew about it, as the directive was highly classified to captains and above only; so highly classified that even just knowing about it without proper clearance was ground for immediate lifetime sentence in a Federation Penal Colony without reprieve or parole. Only General Order 7 carried a higher penalty and such an instantaneous sentencing.

But even that he and most of the others did not know. So they were all satisfied that their commanding officer and his strategic ops officer were satisfied and that their mission was about to end... and not reality as they knew it.

"Ops secured," the orion woman announced.

"All medical and sensor systems secured," Nasaro-Myth said next. "I have flooded the brig with anesthezine gas to make sure our prisonners will not have any opportunity to start any kind of trouble."
 

 Rogers deftly placed his engineering station into station-keeping, thus ensuring that the Spectre would hold its current status. Not specifically in grey mode, wherein all systems were powered down, but one level above. But not specifically in condition blue, which signaled docking maneuvers. Rising from the station David contemplated the discussion taking place around him. The red matter problem had decidedly unnerved him. As an engineer, his teachings had brought him into numerous contacts with destructive forces in nature, but the red matter was the most powerful force he had ever run across. Its very existence denoted mass destruction, on a level far surpassing old Earth's cold war era. He was pleased to hear of Ambassador Spocks solution.

 Walking toward the turbolift to accompany the crew, David also noted Lieutenant Livingstone's comments regarding the red matters classification. As captain of the Phoenix, Syntron was aware of David's status regarding the Diamond Star theft and subsequent rationalization undertaken by Star Fleet command. When David had commandeered the Lotus class vessel testbed from Utopia Planitia, he had effectively been placed as Captain within the logical mind of the ships computer. As such Rogers was one of a very few people outside of Captain rank and above that were aware of the Omega Directive, and what it represented. This knowledge had caused him considerable distress during his self-imposed mission to retrieve his long lost sister from the clutches of the Orion Syndicate. When star fleet had imposed his punishment for the Diamond Star theft; a lifetime ban on starship command, they had also, albeit reluctantly, required his co-operation to never admit to knowing of, or discuss, the Omega Directive. His current situation was no exception either. With a glance toward Livingstone, David entered the lift and awaited the rest of the crew.

Livingstone was last to complete his station's preparedness for their absence. His brain implants flashed for a few seconds.

"Commander, I am now in direct contact with our ship's computer. I will be able to access, monitor and control any system from planetside. Our emergency holographic officers will be on duty at every station on the ship."

And as he said so, a nondescript human ensign appeared at every station all accross the Spectre, from bridge to brig, from engineering to sickbay, from hangar decks to cargo holds, assuming standard duties. Even the barman was recreated in the lounge.

"Guess we're ready to go down and say goodbye," Elisha said with a sad smile on her lovely green-skinned face.

Gesturing for everyone to exit the bridge Captain Riker, as first officer, was the last to leave. Turning to the bridge filled with holographic ensigns and still seeing Vulcan in all its glory on the main view screen he smiled.

"This is going to make one hell of a story."

*     *     *

T'Kuth, the immense, uninhabitable sister planet, filled most of the reddish sky above their head, framed by the light of Nevasa, the main star of the trinary system, the other two looking like bright stars on the lower edge of the shadowing planet. The orange light made the blowing sands glitter around the tall stone archway that led to the black glassy stone plateau encircled by monoliths almost as old as the desert itself. In the center of this circle of raised stones polished and carved with curvaceous runes etched in metal was a large circular firepit surmonted by a huge hexagonal gong. It was before this old ceremonial place that all their forms shimmered and coalesced.

Syntron and Spock were in the forefront while the rest of the crew, lead by Redding and Riker, moved to one side of the area. The Vulcans waited alone, in silence, looking at the western part of the plateau, where the immense sotne arch provided the onlt access to this ancient place. No one but then heard in the, hot, dry, thin atmosphere the others coming until they came into view between the two entrance monoliths.

One was a tall, dignified Vulcan in white robes, his greying hair stating that he was well over a century old, which was the prime of life for this long-lived species. The other was smaller, rounder and also with gray hair, thick and long around a suntanned, pale skinned face; she was obviously a Human woman in her late fifties, walking one step behind the Vulcan in a strangely demured fashion, as her bright blue eyes were leveled straight at Spock, moist with barely repressed tears.

Syntron stepped back two steps and, like Spock, lifted his right hand in the well known v-shaped hand salute of his people.

"Father... Mother..." Spock said.

"Welcome home, my son," the elder said.

As the woman went with dignity but obvious feelings to stand and look at her son, now older than his own parents, her husband faced Syntron.

"Peace and long life, Captain Syntron."

"Ambassador Sarek... we come to serve," answered the younger, bearded Vulcan.

"Your service honors us," Sarek replied, looking now not only at Syntron but at each and every one of his crew, addressing his words to each and all of them. "I have read your report. You have all saved not only our world but all of our futures.  And you have reunited a father and a mother with their son, so that he may live his few remaining years in peace with them, knowing that, in the end, he did what was right, thanks to your help and dedication to duty and life. The debt my people and all of yours and more, is a debt that can never be repaid, or even acknowledged openly. but know this; when the time comes for each of our katras, our living spirits, to join with those of our ancestors, the truth of what you did will be preserved with uys. And it will be known... and revered... in time."

Spock and his mother were already moving away together, mother and son supporting one another with a unique mix of stoic dignity and discreet affection.

"Ambassador; Is there anything else we can do for you and Mister Spock?" Syntron asked as they were all about to part.

"What you have done already is beyond what could have been asked of anyone. Do not worry for us or Spock; he will remain in our home under the identity of a long lost relative and will dedicate his remaining days in solitary study and research, has he ahd always enjoyed to do most. No one will know who he is, not even his younger self. The timeline will be preserved... and so will he."

As Sarek left them with a last salute to return to his son, the human woman, his wife and mother to Spock, came to each one of them. her eyes were still glistening with tears; but now, they were tears of joy. She offered a perfect Vulcan salute to Syntron, and then a soft handshake and warm hug to each one of them; even to the strange X'Ell that goggled with confusion, beak open and feathers up at this most mammalian behavior; even the stoic, hard-looking Jem'Hadar.

Riker had never been quite able to manipulate his fingers into the Vulcan salute, and the woman before him let out a soft smile as his initial attempt failed. Attempting again Riker lifted his hand in a forming the most famous of hand gestures. The woman before him was not Vulcan, but her family had deep ties to them and Riker knew better than most how family and blood are often not the same thing. Nodding at his success she smiled and nodded. Then, she left them all a warm smile before rejoining Sarek and Spock at the plateau's entrance.

There, they turned and waited for their visitors from the stars to beam back to their ship and return to their own time, their own lives and face their own future.

Tapping his combadge Riker glanced at his crewmates and spoke.

"Away team to Transporter Room. Nine to beam up."

As the crew smiled, knowing their long and arduous journey was coming to an end, Riker looked at Vulcan and chuckled to himself.

"Like I said before... This is going to make one hell of a story."