Spock placed his phaser out on the kitchen counter and began to unpack his groceries.
As he did, he suddenly sensed a presence. Turning about swiftly, Spock grabbed the phaser and pointed it at....
Himself.
The presence was someone who looked exactly like him, and he held both hands up.
“There is no need for your weapon,” the other Spock said calmly. “If I meant to harm you, I would have already done so.”
Relaxing his posture, Spock nodded. “That is logical. Nevertheless, I shall exercise some caution.” The Vulcan casually crossed his arms, the phaser still in his hand.
Other-Spock nodded. “Most prudent.” Lowering his eyebrows slightly, this other Spock looked intently serious. “I wish to offer you an opportunity.”
Spock raised one eyebrow. “What might this 'opportunity' consist of?”
The other Spock slowly lowered his arms. “I have the ability to take you back in time to 'that moment.'”
Spock showed some surprise, just as he had when he encountered a being who looked and acted exactly like Surak, the greatest of all Vulcans. Spock knew exactly what “that moment” was. It referred to the moment when Edith Keeler—now Edie Kirk—was saved from a traffic accident. The one who saved her was the mysterious Clark Kent,.
“That moment” was the reason Spock, along with Captain Kirk and Doctor McCoy, were living in an altered timeline.
Spock knew the phrase “that moment” was used by only three people: himself, Captain Kirk, and Doctor McCoy. Had their conversations been monitored by this invader?
Quickly regaining his Vulcan composure. Spock also matched his counterpart's serious look. “And suppose you can, as you say, take me back to 'that moment?' What then?”
The other-invader-Spock stood with his hands behind his back. “All you would have to do is end the life of Edith Keeler through whatever gentle quick painless efficient method you might choose.”
Spock looked stricken. “That I will not do,” he said solemnly.
The other Spock frowned. “Regrettable. I was hoping that, unlike your captain, you would do what was necessary..”
“I will do what is necessary. But it will not be that.” The Vulcan's sharp look was almost a glare. “Who or what are you?”
Before the other Spock could answer, a brief series of beeps followed. Slowly pulling a tricorder from his side, other-Spock consulted it. Briefly his face betrayed alarm.
“I have other business to attend to,” he said with a most un-Vulcan-like peevishness. “We shall discuss this at greater length later.”
A bright red flash followed.
Spock blinked his eyes. He had the strange sense he had been thinking something very important.
It was gone now. How odd. His disciplined mind did not usually wander like that. Maybe a more intense session of “kel'no'reem” would be helpful.
Frowning slightly, Spock continued putting away his groceries.
Soon he must be on his way to Smallville. There was the staff meeting with Captain Kirk and Doctor McCoy at the Beanery.
Hopefully it would go well. But the doctor could be so argumentative.
SPOCK, PERRY WHITE, THE CAVES, AND THE VISITOR
A SMALLVILLE/STAR TREK/STARGATE STORY
By SuperBear
Captain's Log.
Stardate: October 7, 1954
Spock, McCoy and I continue to be trapped in Earth's past years after the mysterious Clark Kent intervened to save the life of my Edie, who is now my wife.
We have chosen to live our lives in and around Smallville. Bones works at the Smallville Medical Center trying to cope with what he calls “barbaric medical practices.” Spock is a factory worker in Metropolis, trying to minimize his impact on the timeline.
Spock continues to call me “Captain.” This is not unusual. The United Nations insists anyone in authority be called “Captain.” This apparently includes even me as a low-level football coach and health instructor at Smallville High.
Although McCoy has joked that Spock may have a Vulcan mind disease, I think there's another reason Spock calls me “Captain.” I believe it expresses his hope that somehow things will go back to the way they were.
I know that's the reason I write these log entries.
If we can't find a way to switch the timeline back, maybe someone somewhere can help us.
My friends can I are meeting at the Beanery for what Bones calls our semi-annual reunion. Spock calls it a staff meeting.
Hopefully, we can avoid another argument about polluting the timeline.
SMALLVILLE IN THE ALTERED TIMELINE
October 7, 1954
“Have a good day, Bones.”
Jim Kirk paused at the front entrance of Smallville Medical Center. He was, as always, dressed in his black pants and gold sweater with the U-N- approved silver insignia. Borrowed from the movie “Let Me Help,” the insignia looked exactly like the ones worn in Starfleet.
Leonard “Bones” McCoy frowned as he shook his head. “Can you believe it? They open and sew people like garments. What I wouldn't give for a good hypospray or a pill to grow a kidney.”
“You have made that complaint frequently, doctor,” Spock said with slightly irritated eyebrows.
“Well, it sure would help. Even a little cordrazene some days.” McCoy looked forlorn, his face weary and wrinkled. “Or Nurse Chapel. Christine.”
“Yeoman Rand,” Kirk said as if talking about a lost love. “Janice.” He smiled. “Even though I am a married man, she wanted me to notice her legs, you know..”
“I know,” McCoy said.
“And now she's gone,” Kirk said wistfully.
Hands in his red jacket pockets as he wore his blue shirt, the tall dark-haired Vulcan nodded. “Sulu. Chekov. Lieutenant Uhura. Mister Scott.” With a slight bow of his head, Spock wore a grim look. “We have all done our mourning, gentlemen. But there may yet be hope.”
“Yes,” Kirk said. “Maybe someday somehow.”
McCoy's slight smile twitched as he pointed to Spock's head. “I like the hair over the ears.”
With a look of slight confusion, Spock gingerly patted his bowl haircut. “I have been doing that for some years, doctor.”
“I'm just saying, keep it,” McCoy said with a grin. “You look like Moe of 'The Three Stooges.'”
Spock made a face. Ironically, it made him look even more like Moe.
A grinning Kirk used his thumb to gesture toward the hair. “He sort of had to resort to that thanks to little Perry White.”
Kirk referred to an incident in the Beanery where a little boy climbed up on a stool and pulled off Spock's black woolen cap. Although Spock quickly recovered and pulled the cap back on, the boy drew the attention of some diners with his shouting.
“Hey!” he exclaimed. “Why are your ears all pointed? You some kind of overgrown elf?”
Kirk quickly intervened. As others in the diner laughed and mumbled, Kirk offered a hearty laugh. “Pointed ears! That's some imagination you've got there, young fellow!” Kirk tussled Perry's hair; the boy scowled. “Maybe you should track down freaks and monsters and write stories for the school newspaper.”
“I sell newspapers,” the boy protested.
“Better get back to it then,” Kirk muttered harshly.
Kirk knew the boy was Perry White, the same boy who delivered the paper each day to his house. As little Perry walked away that day in the Beanery, he mumbled something about how being a reporter would be stupid.
“Yeah, be a reporter,” he grumbled. “If you want a job that doesn't matter.”
With McCoy departed, Kirk and Spock walked through the parking lot of Smallville Medical Center. As they did, three young women approached, all in one-piece dresses with black “V's” at the neck. Each dress had a black band at the wait and a black purse attached at the side. Each woman wore black pantyhose and black boots that went to the knees. One woman wore gold, another light blue. The third, a blonde, wore bright red.
Like Janice Rand, Kirk thought with a brief pang of pain.
“Hello, gentlemen,” the blonde said with a cheerful white smile.
“Live long and prosper,” the brunette said as she gave the Vulcan hand salute. Though he returned the salute, Spock looked chagrined..
“Hello, Captain Kirk. Mister Spock.”
The two men nodded cordially at the woman with auburn hair. Kirk and Spock were minor celebrities in Smallville because of their association with Edie Kirk and Cassie Carver, the authors of “Let Me Help.”
Kirk thought how the auburn-haired woman reminded him of Yeoman Barrows. Barrows was with McCoy on the “shore leave” planet where the two saw a white rabbit wearing a suit. On that same planet, a tiger chased Kirk and Spock along with others in the landing party.
“Can't believe they're still wearing the uniforms,” Kirk muttered quietly. “And doing the Vulcan greeting.” Kirk imitated the hand salute.
“It was inevitable,” Spock said in a low whisper. “The sequel to 'Let Me Help' was enormously popular.”
Kirk thought how “Let Me Help” was about a world where fictional characters were real and they all wore Starfleet uniforms and did the Vulcan hand salute while eating at the Beanery and drinking at the Wild Coyote.
In the first novel (later a movie), the world of fictional characters was in danger from powerful evil forces. Fortunately, everyone was saved by a patient factory worker and an obscure scientist with bad manners. In the sequel, the Three Stooges saved the world. Or at least characters very much like the Three Stooges without violating copyright infringement.
Spock continued to speak quietly. “As both books were based on things you said in your sleep, I suggest we retreat to the Kawatche caves where we are unlikely to be overheard. We cannot risk polluting the timeline further.”
Kirk's smile was almost a smirk as he pictured Bones rolling his eyes. He could just imagine what his doctor friend would say: “Oh, brother. And here I thought I'd get through the whole day without hearing about that topic.”
As Kirk and Spock stood in the caves, the captain examined the paintings on the walls.
“Interesting symbols,” he noted.
“Yes, Captain,” Spock said as his tricorder whirred. “My readings also indicate hidden chambers behind this wall.”
Kirk waved his hand at the wall. “You could just use a phaser to remove the wall.”
“But,” Spock said, “it may be someone else is meant to discover it.”
Kirk grinned. “Ah, yes. We don't want to pollute the timeline.” He briefly pictured the students of Smallville High in their Starfleet uniforms.
Spock switched the tricorder off. “Besides, I have no way to access the other hidden chamber beyond.”
Kirk carefully walked around. “What else have you learned, Spock?”
Crossing his arms, Spock looked studious. “I have consulted with a young graduate student Abner Ravenwood. According to the stories passed down by his tribe, the Kawatche people had visitors from the stars.”
Kirk was briefly reminded of his short marriage to Meronomee. While suffering from memory loss, he was mistaken for a god and lived among her people. Maybe the Kawatche people, he thought, were similar to Meronomee's people.
Rubbing his hand against his chin, Kirk considered Spock's words. “Could they still be here? Could they help us?”
“Unknown, Captain. As far as the Stones of Power, they do not seem to exist on Earth. At least not yet.”
“What do you mean, Spock?”
Spock pursed his lips slightly. '”It would seem someone or something has yet to create them. For some as yet unknown purpose.”
“That's not much to go on.”
“Unfortunately so, Captain.” Spock looked contemplative. “If residents of Smallville have been in touch with visitors from the stars or beings from beyond, this alien race would seem to be quite secretive. Which is only logical.”
“Explain, Spock.” As Spock stood still, Kirk moved around in the dim light of the cave, glancing at the cave paintings as he did.
“Should someone from Earth have access to their knowledge or their technology, they could use it for personal gain. Murder. Genocide. Even global destruction.”
“We wouldn't want that,” Kirk agreed solemnly. “But their secrecy is not so good for us. Not so helpful.”
:”Quite true, Captain.” Spock pointed to a wall. “The hidden chamber contains alien technology that might be helpful to us. But at present I have no means to enter the chamber..”
Kirk's smile showed some sadness. “It'd be simple if we had the Enterprise to just beam us in.” He could almost hear McCoy complaining about having his molecules scattered in space.
Smiling while he thought about this, Kirk also found something while touching the walls.
“Spock, what do you make of this? An octagonal-shaped hole in the cave wall.”
Spock nodded as he stood next to him. With his sharp eyebrows and pointed ears he looked eerie in the cave's dim light, almost like a devil in the dark. “It was not there previously,” he said, sounding almost mystified. “Almost as if it only recently appeared.”
“Could it actually be moving around the cave walls?” Kirk wondered aloud.
Spock nodded. “It could be related to the alien technology in the cave. With the appropriate device, we could access that technology..”
“If not for all the secrecy,” Kirk said. “Perhaps these visitors from the stars will return in some form.”
“Perhaps.” Spock looked thoughtful. “In some ways Smallville is an ideal place for us to be. If there is an extraterrestrial solution to our problem, it is most likely to be found here.”
“Then there's still hope,” Kirk said quietly.
They walked in silence for a short time.
“Captain,” Spock said in a low voice. “I believe previously I was in error.”
“You, Spock?” Kirk said with a grin. “That's unusual.”
“I talked about how we may encounter Clark Kent in this timeline. It may not be so.”
“How so, Spock?”
Looking yet another shade of serious and authoritative, Spock furrowed his eyebrows and crossed his arms. “The Clark Kent born into this timeline would not be the same one we encountered. That Clark Kent has either vanished as a result of a time paradox, exists outside the timeline or lives here in the past with us.”
“Hmm,” Kirk said. “If he does, if only we could find him.”
“It may not matter. Even if we find Clark Kent or some version of him, he may not have the power to restore the timeline.”
“Or get us home.”
Eyebrows raised slightly, Spock stood with his hands behind his back. “Even if we cannot find him or the Stones of Power, there are always alternatives, Captain.”
“Yes, of course. But what do you think caused this error, Spock?”
“If find it unlikely it was a simple breakdown in Vulcan mental discipline.”
“Oh?” Kirk said. “We are, after all, all of us only human, Mister Spock.”
The Vulcan made a face--”the Spock look,” as Kirk's wife called it. “I see no reason for insults, Captain.”
Kirk smirk-smiled. “My apologies, Spock. Go on.”
“I believe someone or something may be interfering in my mental processes, in all our minds, trying to keep us from turning the timeline back.”
“Or prevent us from having any positive influence.” Kirk recalled a nightmare in which members of something called the “Krypton High Council” had him harshly interrogated by a “Jor-El” and a hooded figure called “the Emperor” encouraged Kirk to give up. Just before someone called “Darth Vader” tried to kill him.
“It is only conjecture, Captain, but there may be much more at stake than the timeline, Earth, or even this one universe.”
“All the more reason to keep trying then.” After Kirk patted his friend on the arm, they walked along in silence for a while.
“Spock, I want to ask you something. I want you to be completely honest with me.”
With a slight lift of his eyebrows, Spock crossed his arms and nodded. “That is only logical. A relationship built on lies and deceit is doomed to fail.”
“That's true,” Kirk said then he looked annoyed. At least mildly annoyed. “Are you talking about me and Edie?” he asked sharply.
Briefly Spock's face betrayed mild surprise, then he shook his head.
“Not so, Jim. You have been as honest with her as you could be. You have been vague about some details, changed the specific details in other cases.”
“I know,” Kirk said. “I'm not sure how she would react if she knew my secret. But,” he said as he stepped forward, wringing his hands. “I have been honest in the way I feel about her.”
“I cannot speak to affairs of the human heart.”
Kirk smiled. Ironic, he thought as he considered all the women Spock had loved. A Romulan. Zarabeth. Nurse Chapel. To name just a few.
“What was your original query, Captain?”
“Yes,” Kirk said absently. “You've been looking into various forms of time travel: wormholes, rifts, portals, black holes.”
Spock nodded. “Even reports of a Stargate found in Giza. Unfortunately, none offer a precise way to travel through time to a specific point in time. We could be thrown further into the past or hurled forward into the distant future.”
Kirk nodded even as he grimaced. Where were they? Uhura, Scotty, and the others they left at the Guardian of Forever. Back in ancient Greece? The Civil War South? A post-apocalyptic world after World War Three?
That was assuming they went through the Guardian of Forever at all. Maybe someone or something stopped them.
No, Kirk thought. I have to hope they're all right. Maybe years from now they'll show up somewhere.
But it was so hard not knowing.
At the same time, Kirk was, as always, amazed by Spock's ability and skill. Back in 1939, Spock had built a mnemonic memory circuit from the equivalent of, as he described it, “bearskins and stone knives.” Even now he was able to acquire, without computers, elusive information about this “Stargate.”
“Spock, you should be working for the Daily Planet,'” Kirk said.
Spock made a face. “That would be most unwise, Captain. The timeline,” he said pointedly.
“Of course,” Kirk said with a grin. But Spock did have the making of an on-the-go action-oriented intrepid reporter. Kirk briefly recalled their adventure in South America after they explored a Mayan temple. Chased by tribesmen hurling their spears, Spock managed to swim to Kirk's pontoon plane while it was taking off.
Later when McCoy saw the photos of their trip, he said, “I like the fedoras. Even better than the gangster hats and suits you brought back from that one planet.”
Even with advice and information from Professor Henry “Indiana” Jones Junior. they still had not found the Stones.
But now there were other matters to concentrate on. Down to business, Kirk decided.
“The subject was time travel,” Spock said.
“Yes,” Kirk said. “Suppose,” he began. “Suppose you found a way to go back? Suppose the only way to undo all this was to kill Edie. Would you do it? Would you kill Edie?”
It was a rare moment: the Vulcan actually flinched. “Ideally, I would prefer events play out as before: a simple traffic accident.”
Kirk blanched as a horrible image flashed before his eyes: Edie holding her hands up just before a truck struck her. As he bristled, the captain went on.
“What if you can't keep this Clark Kent from intervening, this man who appears out of nowhere in a flash? Who swoops in to save the day. He may be too powerful even for someone like you, Spock.”
Spock nodded. “Like other lifeforms we have encountered, Clark Kent seems to have powers and abilities far beyond those of mere mortal men.” Spock's voice sounded slightly raspy, perhaps from the cold air in the cave.
Kirk recalled a being named Apollo and pictured the tear rolling down his cheek. “I would have cherished you,” Apollo said. “I would have loved you like a father loves his children.” As he remembered Apollo, Kirk felt a sense of pity for him. But at the same time Kirk felt he and his crew could no more be waited on by Apollo any more than they could be by the androids on Mudd's planet.
Kirk felt that humans needed to strive. And the current situation in Smallville certainly required some striving.
Shrugging his shoulders slightly, Kirk held out cupped palms. “But, Spock, what if it was the only way?”
“We have already discussed this, Jim,” Spock said quietly. “As you know, shortly after 'that moment'--”
Kirk started. “That moment” was a phrase they used to describe the moment when Edie failed to die in the traffic accident. The moment when everything changed. Because Clark Kent saved her.
“--we discussed whether or not to kill Edie. You and Doctor McCoy both argued that taking Edie's life would change us all in terrible ways.” In the cave, with its dim light, half of Spock's face was in shadow. “Though there was no evidence for your belief, what you said seemed sound. I decided we must not kill Edie. And now, today, we still must not. It would make no difference.”
Kirk offered a twisted little uncertain smile. “Very fortunate for Edie.” Kirk put his thumb on his chin as he gave Spock an inquiring look. “But you wouldn't be tempted?”
“No, Jim, I would not,” Spock said in a gravelly voice. “Although I am not pleased with the way the timeline has been polluted, at least I can directly observe the changes.”
While Kirk nodded thoughtfully, Spock looked somber as he spoke. “If some other-world entity were to transport down to Smallville with the means to take me back to 'that moment,' I still would not take Edie's life. To do so might unleash even greater consequences that I can only guess at.”
Kirk grinned. “Your logic is, as always, impeccable, Spock.” Silently, he wondered what form this “other-world entity” might take. “Do you really believe some friends from outer space might drop in?”
“What I believe, captain, is irrelevant. I am only stating that we may not be able to solve this problem on our own.” Spock lifted an eyebrow. “We may require assistance from, shall we say, 'ascended beings?'”
“If any have taken notice of our plight,” Kirk said as he rubbed the back of his hands again.
“That seems unlikely. Else why leave us stranded here?” Spock placed his hands behind his back. “We must continue to do whatever we can.”
Kirk looked up at the dark ceiling. “If only the Enterprise was up there to take us away. But she's not,” Kirk said sadly with a slight bow of his head.
“Along with all of Starfleet presumably.”
Kirk nodded. “But at least Germany isn't ruling the world.”
“That has been prevented,” Spock agreed. They walked along for a while. Then: “Captain, as I recall I initially opposed your marriage to Edie. It is possible that judgment was in error.”
“How so, Spock?”
As he lowered his eyebrows, Spock also crossed his arms. “In a situation where so much is beyond our control, all we can do is take whatever course seems right.” He put on a slightly different “Spock look,” one where he looked slightly surprised. Kirk thought how it always made Edie laugh.
Wearing that look, Spock made his pronouncement. “To paraphrase Shakespeare, we must be true to our own selves.”
With his face shining even in the dim light, Jim Kirk grinned as he patted Spock on the arm. “Quite right, my friend,” he said.
A sound. A rumbling. Both men produced their phasers.
The cave wall came tumbling down, bright white light poured out, and a shadowy figure stepped into the center of that light.
“Who are you?” Kirk demanded.
The figure stepped forward. As his facial features became visible, he looked both confused and amused.
“I'm Clark Kent,” he said. “Who are you guys?”
While Spock lowered his phaser, Kirk continued to aim his.
“We've met before,” Kirk said with a sharp nod. “I'm Captain James T. Kirk of the starship Enterprise. This is my science officer Mister Spock.” The Vulcan quickly activated his tricorder.
“Oh,” Clark said. “Oh, yeah. You guys.”
Kirk gave him a look. “You've got a lot of explaining to do, mister.”
“Yes,” Spock said. “Who or what sent you to alter the timeline?” His tricorder whirred.
Wrinkling his eyebrows, Clark glanced from one to the other. “What are you guys talking about?”
“We're talking about the timeline,” Kirk said. “What have you---?”
But Clark was gone, the white light with him, the cave wall restored to normal.
Kirk felt the wall and found it solid. “Was it an illusion, Spock?”
“Negative, Captain. My tricorder picked up a definite life sign.”
“What do you make of it, Spock?”
As he switched off his tricorder, the Vulcan looked grim. “This is a sign of a serious disruption in the very fabric of space-time. We cannot ascertain what may happen next.” In that dark place, Spock lifted an eyebrow. “Now we cannot be certain who-or what-may appear next in Smallville.”
“Clark, you all right?” Daniel Jackson asked.
“Yeah, Clark, where'd you go?” Colonel Jack O'Niell asked.
Groaning slightly while bent over, Clark felt the hot thin atmosphere of Vulcan as he held one hand to his head.
“Clark. You okay?” Daniel leaned over as he talked to him.
“Yeah, you all right there, buddy?” O'Neill asked. “You look like you're going to hurl.”
“What happened?” Clark whispered weakly.
“You left us there for a moment, Dorothy.”
“Yeah, Clark, you completely vanished.” Though not a medical doctor, Daniel did a basic examination of Clark's pupils and facial skin color. “Where were you?”
“Yeah, where's you go?” O'Neill asked. He glanced around cautiously, weapon always at the ready.
As he struggled to think, Clark looked tired and groggy. “I was in the Kawatche caves. Those two guys from the Download were there. The captain guy, Kirk and the one with the pointy ears. You know, those guys from that 'Star Trek' TV show on your world.”
“Wait,” O'Neill said. “You mean Captain Kirk and Spock?”
“That doesn't sound good,” Daniel said. “Why would Captain Kirk and Spock be in Smallville?”
Waving his hand, O'Neill made a face. “Who knows, Daniel? Maybe they had to go back in time and stop Aunt Nell from taking over the world.”
“We've seen stranger things,” Daniel said quietly as he crossed his arms. “But this sounds like a serious altered timeline. This could be big, Jack. Real big.”
“Great,” O'Neill sighed. “So now You-Know-Who can become even more powerful. Unfortunately, the thing about altered timelines is we can't actually stop them. We can only fix them afterwards.”
“Yeah, if we can.” Daniel helped Clark sit down on a stone bench.
“I told Kirk and Spock to stay away from the Guardian,” O'Neill said.
“Which you shouldn't have,” Daniel said in a kind of sing-song voice. Arms still crossed, Daniel squint-frowned as he made his solemn pronouncement. “We need to keep a careful eye on the situation, guys..”
“Yeah?” Clark said.
“Oh, yeah,” O'Neill said. “We will.”
Posted: 28 Apr 2012 07:03
Registered User Currently Offline
Posts: 379
Join Date: May 2006
TO: New Arrivals
FROM: Cosmic Daniel Jackson
cc: Cosmic Chloe Sullivan
Hey, gang. Welcome aboard. We need all the help we can get.
Sometimes new arrivals need a little Background.
They ask questions like: “Who comes up with these names?” (As a matter of fact, I do.)
“Why call it Prime Earth?” they ask. “That sounds like Grade A beef or something. Wouldn't Earth Prime be a better name?”
Guys, it's called Prime Earth to distinguish it from Earth Prime.
Prime Earth is where characters in books and TV shows actually live.
Earth Prime is where people write about those characters: C.S., Lewis with Narnia, Stan Lee with the Marvel Heroes, and Al Gough and Miles Millar with “Smallville,” to name just a few.
We've even got Superbear on the Smallville Message Board writing stories about alternate worlds and alternate timelines.
(By the way, Smallville is kind of a cosmic focal point on Prime Earth. Or as Chloe Sullivan once called it, a “celestial bull's eye.” A lot of aliens and Heroes pass through Clark's hometown. It attracts all types, the good and the bad. The Earth-bound and the visitors from above.)
Sometimes new arrivals also have questions about altered timelines. For example, in the Mirror Universe, decades after Mirror Kirk was captain of the Enterprise and then ruled as Emperor Tiberius, there was a Kathryn Janeway.
It's an understandable question: If a timeline has been drastically altered, why would some of the same people be born?
When a timeline has been altered, people in that altered timeline feel a sense of what's been lost. Consequently, they seek out the same relationships to have the same children.
People in an altered timeline try to create what's missing. Captain Kirk didn't just “happen” to talk about Starfleet in his sleep. When Starfleet ceased to exist, talking about Starfleet in his sleep was, subconsciously, Captain Kirk's way of making Starfleet materialize in some form.
The people of Prime Earth have cooperated not only by putting on Starfleet uniforms but by encouraging genuine respect, not the kind forced by tin-plated dictators in the U-N or elsewhere.
It's much like when Captain Picard's Enterprise was caught in a time loop. Data found a way to subconsciously communicate to himself in the next time loop.
In the same way, a kind of subconscious communication takes place between alternate timelines. For example, sometimes people in one timeline act to prevent someone from being born.
A simple example is Howard and Marian Cunningham in Milwaukee, Wisconsin. Originally they had three children: Chuck, Richie, and Joanie. But one night they abandoned plans for a romantic evening. Consequently, only Richie and Joanie were born.
Which is fortunate because Chuck formed a worldwide student protest movement that increased the power of dictators all over the world. (Yeah, I know. What is it with the people of Earth—the Tauri—and dictators?)
Ironically, Chuck's radical political views formed when Howard tried to build a bomb shelter in the backyard.
The writers of the TV show “Happy Days” tuned in to this altered timeline when Chuck Cunningham disappeared from the show without explanation.
But mainly people in an altered timeline try to bring back what's lost.
It shouldn't be surprising that when something is missing, people work to create it or bring it back.
Consider Smallville. (Before it was altered, I mean.) They had no Superman. But they would use phrases that describe Superman: “strange visitor from another planet with powers and abilities far beyond those of mere mortal men.” And they'd cause the colors red, blue, and yellow to appear. A lot.
Because they felt a need for Superman. So they would, in a sense, bring him into being with their words and their colors and even the “double-L” names for their children (Lana Lang, Lex Luthor, Lois Lane, etc.)
With Superman missing, they still, in a way, created him. Much like with Data and his subconscious time loop message.
People on Earth Prime have had Superman since 1939. On Prime Earth, the guy who created Warrior Angel got a vision in 1939 of a caped man running while lifting a car and dumping out the passengers. That's because the creator was a “sensitive,” someone who sees into other worlds.
He brought a Superman substitute into his timeline until the real thing appeared in 2011 and ushered in the Age of Heroes.
Of course in the altered timeline the Warrior Angel creator actually saw Clark do that car thing with some bank robbers on October 7, 1939.
On that same theme, guys:
When Kirk, Spock, and McCoy spend time in the Beanery talking about Starfleet, some may find that odd.
I mean, after all, they're talking, in detail, about events on Vulcan that happened years ago. And they're doing it in a public place.
It isn't just that they're missing their old lives. It's just another way to bring Starfleet back by leaking word of it out to the public.
That may help. If the timeline becomes permanent—because Clark and SG-1 miss the deadline (and they are kind of busy right now)--there's hope Starfleet might still materialize in some form in the future. Even though obviously the Luthors aren't exactly big fans of intergalactic peace.
We can only hope, guys. You-Know-Who has already wiped out Starfleet. Let's hope Clark, and Superman, aren't next.
Just as the Prime Universe stabilizes all other universes, Starfleet and Superman stabilize the Prime Universe and its people.
Once they're both gone, it's all over, gang.
So let's just hope Kirk and Spock, while they're in Smallville in the past, don't accidentally wipe out Clark and Superman. After all, Doctor McCoy was only joking about wiping out his ex-wife.
I'd hate to think of McCoy kneeling over Jonathan Kent and announcing, “He's dead, Jim.”
If something like that happens, it's definitely all over, gang.
Posted: 07 May 2012 05:00
Registered User Currently Offline
Posts: 379
Join Date: May 2006
In the story, Spock says he consulted with a young graduate student named Abner Ravenwood.
The name should actually be Joseph Willowbrook.
Abner Ravenwood was a mentor to Indiana Jones, mentioned but not seen in "Raiders of the Lost Ark."
Joseph Willowbrook is an expert on the caves that Clark consults with when he first discovers the caves and the hidden chamber.
OBVIOUSLY SPOCK SAID THIS BECAUSE OF MENTAL INTERFERENCE FROM THE JOKER!
Or maybe the author relied on his memory and got really mixed up.
WHEN WRITING FAN FICTION, ALWAYS WATCH EPISODES OVER AGAIN AND TAKE CAREFUL NOTES! DO NOT RELY ON YOUR MEMORY!
Again, it's Joseph Willowbrook, not Abener Ravenwood.
