Chapter Text
The hangar was filled with voices. This noise drove M’Ress crazy. Thankfully Jake was near. He was surprisingly calm and cold headed. He led the way through the little labyrinth of containers to get closer to the exit. There they both finely appeared to the public’s eyes. The public though didn’t really care. M’Ress and Jake entered the crowd and quickly exited the hangar without being noticed by two ensigns near the entrance.
As soon as they entered the station’s promenade they found an information post where they stopped trying to find the way to Inter-Federation Grand Museum.
“Why are you helping me?” M’Ress asked while Jake was searching through the map.
“Because I wish to learn your story.” Jake said. “I’m a writer and just like many others I base my stories on real life. This life for everyone is different and depends on peoples experiences. Many people have a quite sad life, but others-” Jake turned to her turning off the map. “-like you, have so interesting life that it can be seen from the first look.”
As Jake finished his sentence he began their way to the Grand Museum.
“An what in my look indicates, that I have such an interesting life?”
“Well first of all it is clear you appreciate history.” He began. “These cloths you’re wearing are stylized like…” He looked up and down M’Ress. “I would say mid 23 century.
A clause one. M’Ress thought.
“Second of all you’re quite strange. The stuff you know and don’t know is quite… random. Third — starfleet looks for you.”
“What’s with the third point? Shouldn’t it be a red flag?” Asked M’Ress.
“It should. But it’s only starfleet that looks for you and not the law enforcement. Therefore you have something to do with starfleet but not the Federation so… Kinda fine.”
“‘Kinda fine’? If I were you I would already hand myself over.” She said then immediately added. “Not that I’m against what you are doing. Just… Just a thought…”
They walked for some time quiet. The promenade here was something M’Ress looked at in disbelieve. Only t months prior she visited the station on her shore-leave and now nothing she saw was preserved. Neon signs were replaced with holograms. Worm pink, brown and yellow colors were changed to gray, blue and wight. The concrete like base was swapped with metal and glass. Reflections and glares of bright wight and blueish light were blinding. No emblems or posters of shops were seen. And the shops that you could hardly find on the station before now filled the whole promenade. Nothing was left untouched.
“Now that I answered your questions, could you answer mine?” Jake suddenly asked, tired of the quietness between him and Shiboline.
“Of course…” M’Ress responded with some dread in her voice.
“What have you done to make starfleet ran for you?” He asked, quickly taking out his device to write down the notes.
“I don’t know.” M’Ress partially honest as she was sure she didn’t do anything unlawful. “I found out that they were following me only when you told me.”
“You previously told me you were a science officer which implies you are from starfleet.” Jake said writing something down. “Could that have something to do with all that?”
“No, not really.” M’Ress said.
“I’m starting to think you are not telling me the full truth. What happened to you before we met?”
“I’m telling the truth. I am a science officer and I truly don’t know why they are searching for me.”
It actually was true except for the last part. She knew why starfleet looked for her. She didn’t know how they found it out so fast.
“Are we close to the museum?” M’Ress asked trying to get away from answering Jake’s new question.
“Yes, very close.” Said Jake and waited a second for M’Ress to answer. “You didn’t answer my question.” He calmly reminded her.
“Ah… That’s a long story.” M’Ress said, trying to find the museum as fast as possible.
“Well, we have some time.” Jake said.
“It’s too long.” M’Ress said still trying to get out from that question.
“Alright, if you don’t won’t to tell it now. You could tell it later.” Jake said. He had his own plan in mind.
He knew there was something interesting in this woman’s past, and he wanted to find out what it was. When he returned to Earth, after his father’s disappearance, his life became too dull. No encounters with the dominion anymore, no new anomalies. A simple and quiet life with interesting stories only on the other side of a screen. He was growing tired of this life, so when a strange Caitian In some old cloths appeared again near the shuttle-station and had starfleet officers following her. He couldn’t just give up this opportunity to be a part of something interesting. Was he on the right side of this story though? That was another question.
“Here.” Jake said and stopped before the big arch that led to the Grand Museum.
Behind the arch was a really long and big room with a second floor. There were many more smaller arches mounted in the walls. Each of them had a name of a civilization. Every arch was also decorated in the civilization’s manner. M’Ress quickly found her own ‘arch’ with a some classic Caitian ornament on it. She also found the arch that she needed. In the center of the furthest wall was a the biggest arch with the classic arrowhead above it and word StarFleet written under the arrowhead.
Both M’Ress and Jake entered this central arch together along with many other people. Before them opened a really big gallery. Big models of ships were flying though space above the crowd. All of them were from different times. Some M’Ress could easley identify. Like the California class and the Miranda class or the Constellation class, which was only about to leave dry dock. M’Ress hoped to see the ship’s first fly as she believed it had its own beauty, even if Scotty believed it to be one of the ugliest.
In the middle was a holographic map of the museum and it was grandiose to say the least. The scented was taken by starfleet with several floors forming a long cylinder. Every floor was given for one of starfleet’s periods. There were floors for 21st, 22nd, and 23ed centuries. There were several floors for the many big event that happened, like the war with the Dominion. There was also a floor dedicated to Enterprise, which was odd. Very odd for M’Ress. Around all see floors were many tunnels that were like snakes or springs circling around the central cylinder. Those many tunnels would somehow go around each other and returned to the same place they started. Sometimes branches appeared from those long corridors
M’Ress looked through the map and quickly found a floor named “Time-incidents.”
“Okey.” Jake said from behind. “Now we will have to separate. you go wherever you need. I’m gonna go to the Enterprise’s floor.”
“Okey, I’ll see you there.” Said M’Ress and quickly walked to one of the turbo-lift with a sign “Time-incidents” above it.
She entered the turbo-lift along with several other people. Some of them glanced at her with a strange look, but said nothing. Some people talked to each other but lift was quick to upend again and everyone inside quickly entered the floor.
The room was just as big as any other. Apparently the amount of time-incidents didn’t increase that much. There were several M’Ress already knew about but also many she didn’t. With a deal breath she started from the beginning.
The first was the NX-01 and all her stories with time traveling. It all went to junk as Jonathan Archer was simply lucky to be the one who changes history. All the time travel was caused by the temporal agents and their technology. Just like she knew all the technology had disappeared after all this temporal stuff ended. And even if there was anything left it surely was send to the Daystrom Institute. So it was absolutely useless to M’Ress
There were many events that included her Enterprise. In non of those events she participated herself, but she herd the stories from her crew mates. All those events were a simple luck and coincidence. Non of them M’Ress could repeat without a ship. And even with a ship the odds of her repeating the same events were very low. Therefore it was useless to her. There was also the time-travel of Captain Kirk on a Klingon warbird, but just like the others is was impossible to recreate.
Then the new stuff began. Someone by the name of Jean-Luc Picard has used something called Nexus to get Captain Kirk in to his time and stop a mad scientist from destroying a young civilization. That’s why Captain Kirk, who could leave a couple more decades has ‘disappeared’ in 2293. That immediately made a bad impression of Picard in M’Ress’s eyes. She had to restrain her emotions a little before going on. Nexus was too rare to be any help for her.
Then there was a civilization that could use time-travel. It could be a great way for her, but the same Picard destroyed it without a second thought. Now M’Ress felt actual enter to him as he had not only lead to Captain Kirk death now, but also took a possible way for her to return.
Next was the accident that happened near Earth. Someone called Benjamin Sisko…
M’Ress stopped. Her eyes read one word over and over. The strange second name “Sisko” which she herd not so long ago. The young man Jake Sisko who have been traveling with her. The coincidence was massive, but it could still be a coincidence. After all who knows how popular that name is. It could also be some far relative of Jake. But he surly wasn’t a father… though the visual similarities were… very noticeable.
Shiboline shook her head to return back to her goal - finding a way back. That event was nothing but luck, an absolute one. Therefore a useless one. So she went on to the next event. In which some guy named O’Brien was able to go back and forth in time. It was useless to M’ress as the teleportation was only temporary and also required a Romulan ship. The ship that was using a fricking black hole as a source of energy.
If they are using black holes as a source of energy… The Romulan Empire is more dangerous then ever. Well, I’m sure Starfleet had already built the military fleet. I remember voting for it’s creation… it went quite well.
She continued reading past the next event which was a simple luck once again. The next story actually included herself. Kind of. She was on the Enterprise at the time. The fact that some people from the future just roamed around the ship and no one even noticed was… humiliating. And again behind all that was Captain Sisko. Shiboline even made a note to see those six time-travelers. Also the Orb of time… this thing actually caught her. This thing was capable of transporting in time. It was located on Bajor and was in hands of some religious organization… It was maybe the easiest way to get back, possibly the only one. And the creators of Orbs… they were creature out of time. They could actually send her in to the past and if all that was said was true it wasn’t that hard to convince them. It surly wasn’t impossible.
“Found what you looked for?” A sudden, familiar voice asked right beside her.
M’Ress almost jumped and screamed from surprise.
“God! Don’t scare me like that!” She said in frustration.
“Sorry, I just though you herd me.” He honestly said.
“I would!” M’Ress almost began screaming at him, but stopped in time. “I’m just a little ill. Why are you here?” She asked calmed down.
“Oh, I just found everything I wanted.” Jake said like usual. “Lieutenant Shiboline M’Ress the communication officer on Enterprise and science officer on Enterprise-A.” Jake singled out the letter. “The caitian that was announced to be lost in the way of duty, along with lieutenants Jonson and Vetrov on the 2nd moon of Tiquoy” Jake finished with a little not siriosness in his voice.
Suddenly caitian’s throat became dry. The little secret she had was revealed by the only person that helped her. The only person she talked to in this time.
“So, you know…” She quietly said.
“Yes.”
“…” It took M’Ress a small pause before she could ask the next question. “What are you gonna do?”
“I don’t know…” Jake honestly said. “Do you know how to return back to your time?” He asked. As the two of them sadly stood aside from the people in the room.
“Maybe? These things in the wormhole near the Deep Space 9 could help or the Orb of time.” She said.
“It’s hard to get to them.” Jake noticed.
“I know. But what else can I do?” She asked Jake. She looked him in the eyes and she saw that there was something he was fighting with inside.
“Stay?” He asked instead of suggesting.
“Stay? Here? No. I have to find a way back. This time is… too different. All my friends are there. I have to come back.”
“I know but… I would be fully on your side if you were from the future, but you are from past. The things you know will effect this time no matter how hard you will try not to.” Jake said. “But, if it makes you feel better. I can be here for you. Help with whatever you decide to do.” He said trying to lighten up the dark situation. “And you will tell me about your adventures on the Enterprise in exchange.”
There was a second of quietness. M’Ress thought about what he said. The question of staying in this time period was already answered. She will try to return no matter what. But having a friend from this timeline would be good too.
“Who’s Benjamin Sisko to you?” She finely asked.
“He’s my father.” Jake said with Little bit more hope.
“That explains it. You said just like a starfleet officer would.” She said with a little smile an her face.
“Maybe. but the second part is more likely from Quark, my ferengi friend’s uncle.” Jake said.
“Ferengi? Some new species right?” Shiboline asked.
“Yep.” Jake said.
Again the pause appeared. M’Ress again was in her own thoughts. There were new ships, new events, new heroes, and even new species. She did need someone from this time to help her.
“We were studying some strange reading coming from that moon. A landing party was dispatched to investigate. I, Mr. Vetrov and Mr. Jonson transported on the surface. We soon enough found the source of the reading in some cave. It was room with some sort of gate in the center. I was the only one able to get in that room. I tacked something and activated that thing. Maybe underground was some facility that was activated or something, but the cave began collapsing. Somehow I activated the gate and it turned out to be a transporter and also a Time Machine. And so I found myself in that side street.” M’Ress finished her short backstory. “That’s what happened before I meat you.” M’Ress said.
“Thanks.” Jake said taking out his devise.
They were standing near the wall for the next couple of minutes, while Jake was writing down the little story she gave him. Standing there they didn’t notice how the doors of one of the turbo-lift’s opened and 5 people in starfleet uniforms entered the room. It took officers only a moment to find their target as there was only one caitian in the room. Their orders were clear - capture the female caitian by the name Shiboline M’Ress and a male human by the name Jake Sisko.
Shiboline noticed approaching officers and moved to try to run, but was quickly stopped by the only officer in red aiming her phaser. M’Ress thought about jumping behind some exhibition, but she quickly realized it was a dumb idea.
“Stay where you are Shiboline. We don’t want to harm you.” The woman in red uniform said. Her three pimps on the collar shining in the light.
You didn’t even call me right. I don’t trust you in the slightest. She thought, but kept those thoughts inside.
“I know what you’re feeling. You got in to this new time, a new world. You are scared. But we can help you. We are from the Department of Temporal Investigations. We want to help you.”
All she said was wrong for M’Ress. She wasn’t scared, more then that she was annoyed by the failed attempts of making a trust connection between them. M’Ress didn’t need the help of some department. She had a helper by her side and she didn’t believe the woman actually wanted to help her. She remembered the phrase Jake said “I would be fully on your side if you were from the future but…” She knew what it meant. She already knew a lot of stuff someone from her time shouldn’t. The officers found her in the museum of all places. They clearly didn’t have that much wish to help her.
“Why should I trust you?” M’Ress asked. Just to delay the moment she would have to fallow the officers.
“Because just like you we are serving to the Federation. And even after all that time Federation’s ideals didn’t change.” The officer said. “Plus, if we really wanted to course any harm we would already do that, don’t you think?”
“Well, I see the logic is still a thing.” M’Ress said. “Alright, we surrender.” She raised her hands along with Jake doing the same.
The woman in red singed her team to get the pair. When one of the men in yellow took the phaser from Jake’s pocket, she lowered her phaser. The men around kept their hands on their weapons, ready to take them at any point.
“Please, follow us.” The woman said and the whole group began moving to the turbo-lift.
M’Ress already forgot how it felt to be escorted out. She have been in a couple of bar fights from which she was led to the brig. She also risked her career that one time when she scrambled communications of Excelsior when it tried to catch the Enterprise. She was almost thorn out os star fleet that one time.
But what a career or a job to a friend. She thought, walking through the promenade with officers to her right and left.
People looked at her. Some with fear, some with interest, some with disgust. She didn’t really carte at this point. Her fight was over, for now… She was captured.
Jake walked in front of her. He turned one time And surprised M’Ress by an honest smile. He seemed sure that everything was going to be alright. Shiboline didn’t show it, but that one smile did fill her with some hope. She might loose some time right now, but the Orb of Time won’t go anywhere.