A Critical Point in History

Posted on Mon May 18th, 2020 @ 10:43am by Commodore Phoenix Lalor-Richardson & Commander Arrianna Salannis an Vantar & Lieutenant JG Miraj Derani

Mission: Season 3: Episode 4: Cause and Effect
Location: Arri's Lab
Timeline: Before Senior Staff Meeting
1469 words - 2.9 OF Standard Post Measure

Arri had summoned both Phoenix and Varis to meet with her after reviewing much of the ship's historical databases. The time they were in was vitally critical to the development of Earth's future.

Phoenix entered, she was a bit warn out, and had not yet had time to even check on her sister. She looked at Arri as she entered the science lab with Varis on her heals. "Commander."

Varis stepped into the lab with his trademark portfolio open as he jotted notes. "Morning and what a morning it is. It seems Captain that you have a penchant for traipsing through time." He spoke sardonically, he had no like for the Captain and her blatant disregard of temporal directives. The edge left his voice as he turned toward Arrianna. "What do you have Commander? When are we?"

"1664" Phoenix said with a roll of her eyes. "And I had nothing to do with this." she added icily.

Arri turned. "Good. You're here. I've finished my review of the time we find ourselves in."

"We are in an absolutely critical time of the development of Earth's history and culture." Arri mentioned. "Human Civilization is undergoing an scientific and culturual enlightenment in this time. Neo-Classical ideas of self-government and representative assemblies are gaining traction during this time. The Artistic and Cultrual fruits of this period are inspiring a new generation of thinkers that are pioneering fields such as medicine, physics, math, chemistry. Even the great Astronomer Galileo Galilei proposed a heliocentric universe that formed the cornerstone of humanity's space exploratiion for the next five centuies." Arri noted and continued. "These enlightenment scholars would inspire settlers heading to the American Continent and other areas of Earth to form representative assemblies an end to hereditary and aristocratic rule. These ideas would continue on Earth until Humanity championed them when the Federation was formed." The Computer outlined sentence fragments that were transposed from many different documents from the Magna Carta, the English Bill of Rights, The US Constitution, and finally the Articles of the United Federation of Planets.

Arri looked concerned. "This time is the very seedlings of humanity's future. If cultural contamination happens here, it may not be repairable."

"Not to mention a number of political factions are in flux." Miraj added. "Piracy is up in the South China Sea, because of the transition btween Ming And Qing dynasties is taking away Chinese sea power. The English and the Dutch are fighting over spices in the South Pacific, which leads to the Dutch surrendering their New Amsterdam colony in this year. And piracy is so rife amongst the spice islands that the nationality "Malay" became synonymous with the word "pirate"." Miraj shrugged.

"And thats just one ocean. In the Atlantic, the slave trade is ramping up and there's rich pickings along the african and american coasts. The Dutch and English are at it again, over the carribean islands and the African colonies, and the English and the Spanish are still fighting over gold in the carribean and mezoamerican coast. THere's pirates and privateers everywhere as a result. Its so bad that this period is known as the Golden Age of Piracy.

"And all these strangers coming, decimating populations in the case of america, or taking huge chunks of the population for slaves, or various heads of europe being paranoid about revolution and spies and smugglers and riots in the streets, its not really a safe time to be a foreigner."

Miraj looked at her thumbs realising she'd talked forever and promptly found something interesting to look at on the floor.

"So no shopping trips in old London town is what you are saying." Phoenix said. "Temporal Prime Directive hinders us anyway."

"The Enlightenment is the birth of the modern world Phoenix, if we have to go down to earth, we have to be exceptionally careful. Talk of Aliens would trigger paranoia the central Enlightenment scholars are trying to do away with." Arri mentioned. "For Reason."

"I recommend that no one leave the ship. There is no justifiable reason to go down to the surface. I see no reason that we cannot repair our situation with what we have at our disposal. However, if things get dire and there is need to go to the surface then..." Varis' voice trailed off and he exhaled sharply through his nose. What he had to say next did not come easily to him. "...Then I recommend that I lead the away team. My expertise would provide the best protection for the timeline, and I can make sure that the temporal prime directive is followed."

"Well I was not planning on us getting close to Earth." Phoenix said softly. "Once repairs are done, I was going to get us underway for the Void in this time to see if we can reverse the situation."

"I have an idea about that, Phoenix." Arrianna noted. "In 2373 the Borg attempted to use a temporal rift to travel back in time to destroy Earth's first warp flight. I think I can reproduce this type of temporal rift to arrive here at Earth in the time we vanished." Arri noted. "My studies of the Void are not forthcoming. I do not think it's stable enough to enter again. We may get sent back to our time, we may be sent a million years into the future. I cannot dismiss the possibility of a pre-destination paradox in which our presence is necessary." Arri explained. "Of all places and timelines, we arrive here. Mr. Varis is correct, if there are any away missions, he must lead them. I also ask to accompany Mr. Varis and his team, as I will be able to assist him to minimize any potential alternate timelines."

"We're also going to have to move the ship," Miraj added. "Some time this year, they discover the big red spot. They could see us any minute, if they haven't already. It might be worth going to hide behind Saturn."

Phoenix looked at Varis. "Any Objection to moving to hide behind another planet while we assess the situation?" She asked.

Varis nodded in agreement with the suggestion. "No Captain, the suggestion is most prudent. The Ensign is right the telescopes of the age can see out this far. It is also possible to mine the moons of Saturn and Uranus for materials to fix the ship. That is if you cannot replicate the materials."

"Good. Arri, extend the range of our scanners, lets not alert the Vulcans hundred years before they are meant to meet the Humans, and I agree that Mr Varis and yourself will lead any away team, but I do not see it as being needed as yet."

Miraj felt glum at the idea of not being able to sneak down and take a look. A trip out Jamaica to see Port Royal would have been awesome. Or meeting Henry Morgan, or see the French beat off the English at Tortuga. It was just a shame they were about a hundred and fifty years to early for Chang Shih, she was awesome. But she was just an ensign, and this was not a sightseeing tour.

"Understood, Captain. I think we need to concentrate our efforts on getting the ship's systems back online so I can coordinate the creation of the temporal vortex with engineering. The more we're here, the greater the chance we could be discovered." Arri mentioned. "Furthermore it would not be advisable to make contact with any space faring race at this point. The Vulcan High Command is not what it is in our time. Before the discovery of the Kir'shara, the Vulcans tended to imposed their own ideologies on their neighbors. Emotions and passions from their neighbors were frowned upon. It was only Captain Archer's inquisitive nature that allowed the Vulcans to study the true writings of Surak." Arri noted. "The same can be said for the Andorians and the Tellarites. Without humanity to form a diplomatic buffer between the Vulcans, Andorians, and the Tellarites. All three races wouldn't have resolved centuries of grievances and formed the Federation." Arri mentioned.

"Agreed, and furthermore there should be no trace left of our presence. I mean absolutely none. As of now I suggest that computer use be restricted. The temptation to warn people of what is to come is too large. We are indeed the thing dreams are made of as of right this minute." Varis added cryptically. Despite is demeanor he meant every word that he said. Varis knew that he would be watching the Captain closely in the next few hours and if needed he would assume command until they returned to their proper time. This was something that he did not want to do, and he knew it would not go over well with the crew.