Star Trek

ENTERPRISE
Dark Other

Captain’s Log: October 22nd 2198. Sensors have detected an area of what we can only interpret as unstable space near one of the Tholian sectors. We are going to investigate.

“Sir aren’t these Tholians a bit too mysterious to go near?”
“Well, I’ve decided to take a chance, Tripp. The Tholians have sciences that may be way ahead of us. Maybe we could learn something from them.”
“I don’t know if they’d be willing to teach us, sir.”
Archer stepped down from the door of the bridge and sat in his chair.
“There is something out there, sir,” reported Mayweather, responding to a flashing light on his panel.
“Shuttlepod, sir,” reported Reed from behind the Captain. “Badly damaged. Life support failing.”
“One of ours or Tholian?” asked Archer
“Unsure, sir,” responded Mayweather.
“All stop,” said Archer. “Any sign of the Tholians?
Reed shook his head.
“Can you reach it with a towing cable?” asked T’pal.
“Got it, sir,” said Mayweather.

Doctor Phlox watched as Reed and Archer wheeled the patient in. It was a woman. She was in a battered spacesuit and unconscious.
“Her readings are stable but I’ll need you to remove the suit,” explained Phlox after they got her on the table and gazed at her readings on the screen.
“It’s fused together from the damage,” said Reed. “I can’t even get the helmet off.”
Archer went to the communicator and told Tripp of the situation.
A few moments later with the help of some tools, the helmet was coming off.

T’pal was at her station on the bridge. “Did the shuttlepod come from the unstable space?”
Mayweather hit a few switches. “That is probable.”
The communicator came on and Archer called Tpal down to the sickbay.

As she walked in she saw Archer, Reed, Tripp and Phlox all standing around the medical bed.
“Prepare yourself,” quipped Reed as T’pal approached the bed.
There on the bed and to her astonishment, T’pal gazed upon a replica of herself. The replica’s hair was longer and her uniform was unfamiliar. There was a healing cut on one cheek. She was not conscience.

They were now looking at a panel in the sickbay. It displayed a large diagram of the patient.
“A clone?” asked Archer.
Phlox shook his head. “Not possible. The similarities aren’t close enough for that. Neither internally nor her EEG.”
Phlox pressed a button and an image of the patient’s brain appeared with a wave pattern across it.
“Now the brainwaves are almost identical. The experiences are different but it, strangely enough, is almost like the both of them are Commander T’pal.”
“Go check out the shuttlepod she came in, Malcolm. …And we should contact Starfleet.”

Archer was now at the panel talking to Admiral Forrest in his quarters.
“We don’t know much about the Tholians. They could be trying to spy on us by replacing Starfleet personnel with replicas,” suggested Archer.
“That is doubtful,” said Forrest. “I will contact Savall and the High Counsel. Meanwhile do what you can to investigate this.”
His doorbell rang and Malcolm walked in with an emblem in his hand. “Sir, have you ever seen anything like this?”
Archer held the emblem and his forehead wrinkled a bit.
It was an insignia of the Earth with a sword piercing through it from top to bottom.
Archer shook his head.
The communicator came on. Phlox coolly informed them that their patient was awake. In the background there was yelling and struggling.

“Who are you?” asked Archer.
The patient pleaded, “Please Captain. You have to let me go. I just want to help my people.” She was strapped to the bed.
“I said who are you?”
“ I don’t know what you mean. I’m your First Officer.”
“No. That is my first officer,” he pointed to T’pal.
Seeing T’pal stunned the patient and she was silent for a moment. She then looked at Phlox. “You’re not going to torture me, are you?”
Phlox looked around at his shipmates then back at her. “Why would I do such a thing?”
“Wait,” she said. “This—this is the Federation, isn’t it?”
Archer nodded.
“I’m here. I made it.”
“So where exactly are you from?” asked Tripp.
“I’m from a different reality.”
“Sure is a nasty scar on your cheek, miss,” said Tripp.
“Excuse me but there are no alternate realities. It is illogical, quipped T’pal.
The other T’pal looked at Archer. “I desire asylum. Will you grant it to me?”
“I will have to make that judgement when I’m sure of what’s going on. But I assure you if what you’re saying is true, I will grant you safety here.”
“I will need her here for at least a few more hours for observation,” said Phlox.
Archer nodded and walked out.

Tripp, T’pal and Archer now were in the briefing room.
“Could what she is saying be true?” Asked Tripp.
“There are no such things as parallel universes,” said T’pal almost interrupting.
“The almighty Vulcans said the same thing about time travel but the Sulibans proved them wrong, didn’t they?” asked Tripp with irritation.
“She may be telling the truth, T’pal. We can’t discount that,” said Archer.

Reed walked in with a recording device. He looked at the pad in his hand while sitting down. He looked at the Captain. “It’s all true, sir.”
“What?” asked Tripp.
“Another existence. Looking much like our own. Each of us has a counterpart. No Federation. There is what they call The Terran Empire. Racism, torture, slavery, and many more terrors. It’s all here.”
“The only thing left to do would be to turn her over to the Vulcan High Counsel,” said Acher.

They were in sickbay again.
“Is it true that my people are considered equals?” asked the other T’pal.
“Yes, “ answered Archer. “Of course. There is no discrimination in the Federation.”
“Then I am equal in your eyes.”
“Very equal. We want to introduce you to the Vulcans in our reality. Would you like that?”
“Yes sir.”


Captain’s Log: October 24th 2198. We are headed to the closest starbase to rendezvous with Savall’s ship and turn our passenger over to him. We feel that the best we can do for her is to give her a life with her own people in this universe.

T’pal walked onto the bridge and gave orders to Mayweather. “We have been ordered to Tholian space again to investigate the vortex in which the shuttlepod came through before we head to the starbase. The Captain will be in a long subspace briefing with Starfleet and the Vulcan High Counsel. Turn the ship around, Mister Mayweather.”
Travis looked a bit surprised but obeyed her order.

Tripp was getting ready for bed. He had his bedclothes on and was about to turn out the light.
The doorbell rang. It was T’pal.
“Uh,” said Tripp, “I don’t think this is our night, miss.” He laughed nervously.”
“Oh but it is,” said T’pal. “I felt it was wise to revamp our schedule.”
She sat in the chair and awaited him.
He shrugged and grinned slightly. “If you say so, Commander.”
As soon as he became comfortable she began to kiss him. She was coming on very strongly.
He laughed nervously. “What is going on? Jeez!”
Suddenly she pressed her hand against the side of his face, positioning her fingers just right.
He noticed the scar on her cheek right before he went under, and into her complete control.
“You, Commander Tucker, will aid me in avenging and then saving my people.”


Travis could see a spatial distortion at the bottom right of the viewing screen.
T’pal walked in and sat in the captain’s chair. She then stood and walked up beside Mayweather. “That’s it. Set a course.”
Reed looked at Tucker. “What is going on, Tripp?”
“We’re going in, “said Tucker.
Reed looked around the bridge and then said, “I want to talk to the Captain.”
“Captain Archer cannot be disturbed,” said T’pal.
“And why is that?” asked Reed.
“He’s in subspace briefing, “ said Tripp.
Malcolm began to walk toward the turbolift.
T’pal ordered Malcolm to stay on the bridge.
Just then the ship shimmied and then was still.
“Bearing?” asked T’pal.
“The computer is still gathering data. The stars are different, “ said Mayweather.
Reed left.

Malcolm walked up the Captain’s Quarters with two security officers and knocked. “Captain!”
He then took the liberty ordering the door opened by force.
The three walked into the room to find the real T’pal and Captain Archer tied up in the corner in the dark.
“Set them loose!” ordered Reed while switching on the lights.
He ran to the comm panel on the wall while the security officers untied the Captain and First Officer.
On the bridge there was a sudden voice through the communicator.
“Bridge crew! Do NOT obey her orders! She is an imposter! Come about and reverse course! Do you hear me Mayweather?”

Mayweather looked back at T’pal.
“I am the Second-in-Command of this vessel. Follow my orders.
Mayweather looked at his panel. “Three ships approaching, Commander.”
“Identify.”
“Strange. They look like sister ships to our own!” said Travis.
“Identify them.”
“The transponders read, ‘ The Invader, The…Ascender, and The Black Dawn.”
“Exactly!” exclaimed T’pal. Prepare to fire phase cannons.”

In the black of space one ship led while the other two flanked it. They were headed straight toward what now seemed to be a single featureless ship of the same configuration as their own. The insignias matched that of the emblem that Reed found in the shuttlepod the day before. There were threatening markings centered on a picture of the Earth with a sword passing through it from top to bottom placed on the center of the upper hull.

Captain Archer burst onto the bridge with the other T’pal. “Stand down, ensign!”
“Sir?” asked Mayweather. He looked back to see the other T’pal. They were now identical in every way. The mirror T’pal had disguised herself.
“Turn the ship! A hundred eighty degrees starboard! Hardabout!”
The Enterprise turned in a great U turn while all aboard stumbled a few feet.
“Security! Get her off the bridge!” yelled the correct T’pal.
The T’pal in the captain’s chair stood and raved. “My people will be avenged! You have to help me destroy them! No! You have to…!”
She passed out and fell into the other T’pal’s arms after she’d given her the Vulcan neck pinch.
The security officers carried her limply off the bridge.
The Captain sat in his chair. “Malcolm, get down to engineering and give her all she’s got. Warp five. We do not belong in this universe.”
“Sir, the ships are pursuing us!” yelled Travis.
There was a phaser blast to the hull and the ship shook. Then another heavy blast. Sparks flew from one of the panels.
Tripp stood there calmly and stared.
“Commander! Do you hear me?” asked Archer.
There was another blast.
“Galvanize hull plating!” yelled Archer.
T’pal walked up to Tripp. “Tripp. Listen to me. Do what the Captain says.”
Commander Tucker walked off the bridge.
Another blast sent Mayweather from his chair and onto the floor. He quickly got up and returned to his panel.
Hoshi spoke,”Comm from one of the ships, sir.”
Archer nodded.
“This is Captain Atwell of the ISS Black Dawn. We know that you are a rebel ship disguised as one of our own. Stand down and prepare to be boarded.”
“Warp four point one, sir,” said Travis.
“This is a mistake. We are leaving!” said Archer to the other captain.
Suddenly the Enterprise reached Warp Five and outran the pursuing vessels.
They were now in their own universe.

The mirror T’pal’s eyes opened. She immediately began to calculate her next move. She removed the rifle from the security officer’s side and hit him in the temple with it, knocking him against the wall. Her superior Vulcan strength would now pay off. As the second security officer reached for his weapon she held his gun hand in place and then kicked his feet out from under him. She quickly set the rifle to stun and shot both of them.
She then headed for the shuttle bay.

“What is going on with Tripp?” asked Archer.
“My counterpart must have given him a suggestion through a mind meld.”
Reed looked at his panel. “Someone is launching a shuttlepod.”
“We’re at Warp Five!” said Travis. “Someone is going to get themselves killed.”
The Captain pressed the comm switch. “Security, intruder alert. Get to the shuttle bay and do not let the intruder leave the ship!”
“Drop out of warp, Travis.”
“Yes sir. Dropping to impulse.”
“The Shuttlepod is out, sir,” said Reed.
“Hoshi, open a channel.”
Hoshi nodded.
“T’pal, this is Archer. You can have a good life here. With us. Your craving for revenge will be the death of you. Come back to the ship. Let us help you. You cannot reach the vortex in a shuttlepod.”
“Sir,” said Mayweather, “She’s coming about!”
Archer nodded. “Good.”
“I don’t think she’s returning to the shuttlebay, sir. She is at top speed.”
“T’pal, listen to me. Please!” said Archer.
Reed looked up from his panel. “She’s headed for the warp core.”
Archer tried one more time. “T’pal! Can you hear me!”
“Sir, we have no choice!” said Malcolm.”
“Travis, phase cannons. Lock on and fire.”
Travis nodded. “Firing, sir.”
There was a pause.
“Shuttle pod has been destroyed, sir,” said Reed.
Captain Archer stood for a moment, then he left the bridge.

Three hours later Tripp sat in his quarters with T’pal behind him giving him therapy on his shoulders. They were quiet for a while.
Then T’pal spoke. “So how did you know?”
“What?----Oh!----well at first I didn’t.”
“And?”
“Well she, you know, hypnotized me.”
“No, Commander. She initiated a mindmeld suggestion.”
“Yeah, that’s what I meant.”
“I suppose you’re being facetious,” said T’pal.
“Not at all. But I do think there was a difference, well, .. I think that she was more attracted to me than you are.”
“That is absurd.”
Tripp laughed.
There was more silence.
“In all seriousness. When she melded with me I got a glimpse of her history. It doesn’t surprise me that she wanted revenge. I saw all our counterparts. Even me. It wasn’t pretty.”


Archer and Reed sat and ate in the galley.
“I am still surprised and awed by what we discover out here. It never gets dull,” said Reed.
“You’re not kidding, Malcolm,” said Archer. Then he took a drink.
“Another reality. Right here. Parallel to our own. Similar in every way,” said Reed.
Archer sighed and looked out the porthole. “My fear is that we don’t know if this could happen again. Or what the consequences may be.”
“Good thinking, sir.”