TIME TREK
(A Star Trek/Time Tunnel Crossover)
Two American scientists are lost in the swirling maze of past and future ages, during the first experiments on America's greatest and most secret project - THE TIME TUNNEL.
Tony Newman and Doug Phillips now tumble helplessly toward a new fantastic adventure; somewhere along the infinite corridors of time.
Once again they travelled through the time corridor, caught in the vortex of past, present and future. They did not know where or when they would land - if they would get the chance to sleep, eat or deal with personal hygiene - or as usual, get involved in a fight to the death with some historical figure - be captured and tortured - escape - lose one another - one of them be captured again, only to be rescued by the other - have several more fights along the way - then be shifted to another time - never home... even though Time Tunnel Control had often moved others by mistake, anyone but the Time Travellers themselves.
Doug sighed deeply as he reflected on the injustice of it all. If only he had not followed the impetuous Tony Newman into the Tunnel! Even now he could be romancing the lovely Dr. Ann McGregor, a scientist who worked at the control centre and followed his adventures along with General Heywood Kirk, Dr. Raymond Swain and everyone else on duty at the complex.
Tony shivered as he always did when travelling through the freezing corridor. His one regret was the lack of anything warmer to wear than the green polo-necked sweater and light slacks he was clothed in when he had entered the Tunnel that first fateful day. For no matter what he wore in any time-period, it dissolved and reformed into his original outfit as soon as the transfer beam caught him. He was envious of Doug's warm tweed suit, even though it was a trifle old-fashioned.
A blaze of red flashing lights, and a loud klaxon assaulted their stunned senses as they left the Tunnel's influence to tumble helplessly around in unfamiliar space. To his shock, Doug landed upright for once, on a comfortable black chair with strange switches and buttons on its arm.
Tony crashed onto the ground, his head coming into contact with a soft, warm leg, engagingly encased in dark tights and black boots. The face which stared at him in surprise was that of the most gorgeous woman he had ever seen.
"What the... !" A soft, but commanding male voice drew their attention. "Security."
"Captain," a rich, deep voice added, "the Klingons may have beamed them over, perhaps using a new undetectable transporter technique."
"Agreed," said the first man. "Take them to the Brig."
Doug and Tony, quickly over their initial shock through their past experiences, assessed the situation. They were on some type of spaceship, and they certainly understood the words - 'Security' and 'Brig'. In a moment they were on their feet, confidently swinging punches at men wearing red shirts, black trousers and boots.
Vaguely, they were aware of the voice of the ship's captain. "Commander Kor, you will not get away with such flagrant violations of the rules. Your men will not be returned unless you retreat behind the neutral zone at once."
"What men?" a harsh, masculine voice responded. "You do not have any of my men."
Doug and Tony fought with cold fury, and with practised ease dispatched the hapless security men. Breathlessly, they stood back to back awaiting the next assault and were not surprised to see others approaching them.
A young muscular man of medium height, wearing a gold shirt with braid on the sleeves, held out his arm to them. "Don't be foolish," he said. "The odds against you are too great."
"You won't capture us," Doug stated, protecting Tony from the oncoming menace by shielding him with his body.
Tony was unconcerned. He only had eyes for the beautiful, dark-skinned, ebony-eyed knockout at whose feet he had so unceremoniously landed.
Doug stiffened with tension as a tall, thin, pointy-eared, green-tinged alien closed in on them. Aliens! There had been so many unfortunate experiences with aliens during their time-travelling. He braced himself for the death-rays, the mind-control devices, the invaders from the stars - but only found himself touched at the junction of his neck and shoulder by hard fingers. He stared into the mild dark eyes and helplessly fell into oblivion. A moment later, the unsuspecting Tony slumped down beside him.
TIME TUNNEL COMPLEX: EARTH 1968
"We must get them out of there!" Dr. Ann McGregor exclaimed. "Did you see what that alien did to Doug and Tony?"
Dr. Raymond Swain stared at the controls and shook his head. "Not enough power, Ann. It'll take a few hours to build up enough to transfer them."
General Heywood Kirk paced up and down. "What time period is it? Where are they?"
Ann studied her console, expertly moving dials and gauges until she finally found the answer. "I can't be completely accurate, but I think they're somewhere in the late 23rd century."
"Yes," Swain confirmed, "and they're in space, somewhere near the Canopus system." He stared up at the General. "Woody, they are on a giant spacecraft. Maybe we can get a picture of the outside hull. It would be wonderful to know what a 23rd century spaceship looks like."
The scientists bent to their task, and soon the Tunnel spewed out puffs of smoke until their persistence paid off, and they received a momentary glimpse of a giant, elegant, silver vessel, with a saucer-shaped disc at the top and words emblazoned in enormous letters across her.
U.S.S. ENTERPRISE NCC 1701
"Enterprise!" General Kirk exclaimed as the image disappeared. "How is that possible?"
"Coincidence," Ann replied. "You saw that alien."
"We saw, but there were humans on that ship and they were hostile also," Kirk said. He clasped his hands behind his back and resumed his pacing. "What kind of future is it where humans and aliens are together on a spaceship?"
"Does it matter?" asked Dr. Swain. "They put our boys in the Brig. We must help them escape. We have a fix on them. It's just a matter of building up enough power to bring them out."
"Yes," Ann agreed, "and this time we'll bring them home."
Ann thought of her last date with Doug. He had mentioned marriage and she had almost agreed to it; then he had been lost in time and their future together had been wrecked. She often despaired of ever seeing him home again. A sigh escaped her lovely lips as the image of the very handsome, gold-shirted Captain swept into her mind, to be replaced with a shudder as she recalled the satanic, grim features of the alien. She bravely ignored her fear, straightened her slim frame, and continued with her monitoring of the console readouts.
***
Doug paced his cell, whilst Tony lounged dreamily against the wall. "It's no good, Tony," Doug said after he was knocked to the ground by the force-field. "We can't escape from here."
"Yes," agreed the younger man. "So what's the point in trying? Doug, did you see that gorgeous woman in the short red dress, black panty-hose and boots?" He grinned widely. "What legs!"
Doug cast a disapproving look at Tony, but made no comment. He was used to his friend's appreciation of women. He had no time for that. As senior member of the team, he had to keep the wayward Tony on the right track. "Tony, listen. Going by the level of technology I've seen, I believe we're somewhere in the 23rd century. The language is English. There's an alien aboard. Those facts point to only one thing."
"What's that?" Tony leaned forward, his interest caught.
"Earth was subjugated by those pointy-eared people, who now have allowed humans some degree of freedom. The presence of one of the aliens on this ship smacks of a keeper, or perhaps a spy, someone to report to the High Command if the humans misbehave."
"It's possible, Doug," Tony conceded, "but that was a human in command." He shook his head. "Maybe there's another explanation."
He suddenly became aware of being watched, and looked over to see a man in his forties, with dark hair and kindly blue eyes, at the other side of the force-field. This person was dressed slightly differently from the others; his tunic was short sleeved and suggested its wearer belonged to the medical profession.
"Who are you?" Tony asked.
"Dr. Leonard McCoy, Chief Medical Officer," answered the man. "Well you sure ain't Klingons." He studied the small device he held in his hand. "These are human readings."
Doug and Tony exchanged confused glances. "Klingons!" Doug exclaimed. "We're Americans. I am Dr. Douglas Phillips and this is Dr. Anthony Newman."
McCoy chuckled. "Americans, huh! So am I. Was born in Georgia." He grinned at the prisoners. "Hey, have y'all tasted a real Georgia-style mint julep?"
"Dr. McCoy, you seem a reasonable man," Doug said impatiently. "We are not your enemies. We are time travellers from the year 1968."
McCoy raised an eyebrow. "I think you better speak to the Captain and Mr. Spock."
Doug blinked. "Spock! The alien is called Spock?"
Tony laughed. " Doug, he can't possibly be related to Dr. Benjamin Spock."
"You know a Dr. Spock?" McCoy asked in astonishment. "How is that possible? First contact with the Vulcans was not until the 21st century."
"Is that what his species is called? Vulcans?" Doug asked in disbelief. "But Vulcan was a Roman god!"
"Yeah, I know," the doctor replied patiently. "That is what we call them. I don't think humans can pronounce their true name, so they permit us to use the closest approximation we can manage. But please explain. Who is this Dr. Spock?"
"Oh, he's a childcare expert in our era. His book is very popular," Doug replied.
"McCoy started to laugh. "I doubt he is any ancestor of our Vulcan then. Babies and Spock are not compatible."
Doug and Tony rubbed at their shoulders and exchanged another look. "I'm not surprised," the younger man remarked.
In a surprisingly short time, the young blond Captain, followed by the dark alien, arrived at the Brig. They entered with McCoy, but the two American scientists noted that the force-field was immediately snapped back on, effectively destroying any hope of escape they might have held.
"All right, who are you?" the Captain asked.
Tony stepped forward, somehow trusting the man before him. He had the strangest feeling of having met him before, perhaps in some other life. He had a sudden vision of them both dressed in a dark uniform, not unlike that of a police officer. He shook his head to disperse the vivid... daydream? "Sir, I am Dr. Anthony Newman and this is Dr. Douglas Phillips. We are part of the most secret project in the history of the world - THE TIME TUNNEL."
The Vulcan raised an elegant, slanted brow. "It is possible, Captain. There was a secret project during the 1960's - old Earth calendar - in the area known then as the United States. I believe the experiment was aborted."
"Aborted!" Tony exclaimed as he stepped forward, forgetting his fear of the alien being.
"Indeed, it was a most impractical method. There was no control over the location the time-travellers were sent to."
"Don't we know it," Doug said wearily. "Buffeted here and there, back and forth, never eating or sleeping... "
"Or going to the john," Tony added.
"Captain, what is...?" Spock asked, staring down into the amused face of his commander.
"Later, Spock, later," the Captain murmured. "Listen, this is quite amazing. I know of the project. One of my ancestors was in charge of it. His journals have been handed down in my family for generations."
"Captain Kirk, the odds against such... "
"Kirk!" Doug exclaimed. "Your name is Kirk?"
"Captain James T Kirk, commanding the U.S.S. Enterprise. This is my First Officer, Commander Spock." The Captain moved closer to the men; shadowed by the tall alien. "You mean to tell me that you are the time-travellers from that long-ago project? You are the Doug and Tony that old Woody keeps referring to?"
"Yes!" exclaimed the two Americans in unison. At last someone understood their situation; at last they could speak to people who might be able to help them return to their own time.
"Amazing!" Kirk exclaimed. "But we've also travelled in time, so we do know it's possible."
"How did it end?" Tony asked eagerly. "Do you know what happened to us?"
Kirk shook his head. "I'm sorry, but he was not specific. His words hinted that the end result was so astonishing that he dared not reveal it, even in the privacy of his personal journal."
"Fascinating," Spock said. "Are there no clues, sir?"
The Captain frowned, trying to recall his ancestor's words. "He mentioned a satisfactory conclusion, then goes on to talk about his delight in being godfather to Ann's baby, who incidentally was named Kirk."
"Ann's baby!" Doug exclaimed. His Ann had a baby! "But who was the father?"
"He didn't say, but he was very proud of the child being named after him," Kirk replied. A frown crossed the handsome features of the Captain of the Enterprise. "Who is Ann?"
Jealousy tore at Doug's innards, rendering him unable to answer the question. Ann was going to have a child and if he did not return to her then someone else would be the father. That disturbing thought gave him the courage to make his demand. "Captain Kirk, you must assist us in returning to our own time."
Kirk looked at his First Officer who said, "Captain, I will have to consult the history computers. We cannot take the risk of changing the future by returning Dr. Phillips and Dr. Newman."
"Yes, you are quite correct, Mr. Spock," Kirk replied.
"But, Captain!" Doug, in his alarm reached out to grab Kirk's shoulder. "You must help us."
"Doug," Tony warned, gripping his friend's arm to pull him back as he saw the Vulcan stiffen, then move to protect his Captain.
A sudden shimmering effect encased the body of James T Kirk, and a moment later he was gone, leaving Spock grasping at empty space.
"Jim!" the Vulcan called.
"Jim!" McCoy echoed.
"Oh no, they got the wrong one again!" Tony moaned.
Doug's comment was not for delicate ears.
"What have you done with my Captain?" asked the quiet, menacing voice of the First Officer.
Doug and Tony shrank against the wall, not caring to get into a fight with this powerful alien who only needed to touch their necks in order to knock them out. "It was the Time Tunnel," Tony finally managed. "They were trying to retrieve us, but somehow locked onto your Captain instead. It happens all the time!"
Spock's eyes flashed ominously, but McCoy caught at his arm. "Maybe they are telling the truth, Spock," he said gently.
Spock relaxed slightly. "There is only one way to ascertain the truth, Doctor - the Vulcan mind-probe."
"The w... w... what?" Tony stammered.
"Vulcans have modest telepathic powers. If you are telling the truth there is nothing to fear. Which one of you will submit to the probe?"
Tony's bravery came to the fore. "I will," he said valiantly
"Very well, we shall proceed," Spock said.
"No, Tony - don't," Doug protested. "He's an alien. You know the trouble we've had with aliens before. Don't trust him." He vividly remembered the many silver-skinned aliens they had met during their travels through time, who had only been interested in taking over the Earth. This one - the Vulcan - at least was not silvery in colour, but the green hue on his angular cheeks and the weird pointed ears made him look very unusual indeed.
McCoy smiled. "Spock is unlike any alien you've ever met. I guarantee it." His eyes sparkled with genuine amusement. "He's the gentlest being in the galaxy - except when someone harms his Captain - so I suggest you let him get on with it. He won't hurt you."
Doug and Tony stared at one another for a long moment, but finally realising there was no choice, they nodded in agreement.
TIME TUNNEL COMPLEX: EARTH 1968
"The coordinates jumped," Ann said. "We are transferring somebody else." Her fingers flew over the console as she checked and re-checked the readings.
General Kirk flung himself into action. "Security - on the double. Be prepared, men."
The burly Security Chief and his platoon ringed the Tunnel, waiting for the smoke and mist to clear. Their rifles were aimed at the centre; they would not be taken by surprise this time, as had often happened before.
Ann's heart pounded. Whom had they brought? Could it be that attractive, pointy-eared Mr. Spock? Her eyes were fixed upon the slight movement from the depths of the Tunnel, and before any of the men, she had recognised the muscular figure of the handsome, hazel-eyed Captain Kirk. Shivers ran up and down her spine.
General Kirk stepped forward. "It's all right," he said, waving the security team away. He smiled at the sight of the younger man emerging from the fog. He had heard all of the conversation in the starship Brig. This namesake was one of his great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-great-grandchildren. His heir - the inheritor of his journals.
Captain Kirk frowned for a moment at the armed men standing by the side of the Tunnel, but he smiled warmly, held out his hands in the universal gesture of friendship and spoke in a quiet, melodic tone. "I assume this is the Time Tunnel Complex."
"Indeed it is, sir," the General replied, staring at the younger man with complete fascination. Could this descendant of his have any family traits? Could he have inherited the Kirk grit and charm, the Kirk attraction to women, the Kirk recklessness, the charisma, the mole on the... ?
"General Kirk?" the Captain asked, a puzzled expression on his features.
The General gave a guilty start and concentrated on their visitor's words. "I am General Heywood Kirk," he replied.
The Captain's stare was intense. "You remind me of someone I've met before, a man called Lurry." He hesitated. "There aren't any tribbles around here, are there?"
"Tribbles!" the General sounded the unfamiliar word out carefully.
Kirk smiled widely. "Excuse me, sir. I must be disorientated. It is an honour to meet you. It's not every day that one meets one's ancestor."
The General laughed with delight. This scion of his family had all the charm of the Kirk clan, a heritage which could be traced all the way back to one Angus T Kirk, who emigrated to the United States during the 17th century, from the old country - Scotland. "Nor one's descendant," he replied.
"Indeed," replied the Captain.
General Kirk introduced the Captain to his staff. He noted how the man from the future stared at Ann and held her hand a little longer than was strictly necessary. Ann, the cool efficient scientist, flushed under the penetrating gaze of the young, and admittedly handsome Captain.
"I apologise for bringing you here, Captain," Dr. Swain said. "We miscalculated the time-lock and coordinate fix, and now due to the immense power we used in reaching so far into the future, it will take days to recharge the batteries enough to return you."
Kirk shrugged unconcernedly. "We have similar problems in my time also." He smiled at Ann. "If you have difficulties with sending me back... well Mr. Spock will find a way to retrieve me."
"That alien?" Ann asked, shivering a little as she remembered his lithe, feline movements on the Bridge of the starship.
Kirk's charm almost bowled her over as he replied, "He is half-human, and my closest friend."
His smile was stunning; she had never experienced such charisma, nor seen such a gorgeous hunk of masculinity in her life. "W... we thought he was on the ship to keep you under control."
His laughter was infectious, and her knees grew steadily weaker under the bombardment of his magnetic personality. "He does - in his own way," the Captain finally managed to reply, his flashing grin playing havoc with Ann's pulse rate.
It was with much difficulty that she prevented herself from swooning at his feet.
***
"We will travel back in time," Spock said as they sat in the Briefing Room after a highly successful mind-probe, during which he had discovered all he needed to know about the workings of the primitive Time Tunnel.
Tony had been amazed at what he could comprehend of the Vulcan's highly logical mind. He was awed by the knowledge of the First Officer, and his restraint on using his alien skills, but he had learned one thing from the meld which gave him hope for the future. These people from the 23rd century knew how to bend time to their will; they could take the whole ship to the exact period they wanted, and Tony knew that Spock would be accurate in his calculations. He had glimpsed something in the alien mind which had warmed him: a friendship for the Captain which was extremely important to the Vulcan.
"Can you explain the physics of it?" Doug asked. "After all, Tony and I are physicists."
Spock raised a slanted brow, steepled his fingertips and for five minutes the Americans were assailed by scientific and technical terms they had never heard of before, never mind understood.
"You are a physicist, Mr. Spock?" Doug asked, swallowing convulsively as he fought to control the embarrassment which assaulted him in intense waves.
"I am Science Officer of this ship, Dr. Phillips. I am trained in all scientific fields."
Tony grinned a little at Doug's discomfiture. "Well, Mr. Spock, you're way beyond our primitive physics."
Spock stared at the younger time-traveller. "Dr. Newman, you are very much like my Captain. Impetuous, brave, resourceful and loyal."
McCoy chuckled. "You've just received a singular compliment, Dr. Newman."
"I am honoured," Tony replied with an embarrassed laugh.
"You should be," McCoy remarked.
Doug stared at them all, not sure that he liked being left out; after all, he was Senior Time Traveller. He attempted to recover some authority. "When will we be starting, Mr. Spock?"
"In one hour," Spock replied. "Gentlemen, if you would like to come to the Bridge, you have my permission."
"Thank you, Mr. Spock," Tony answered as he saw the annoyed look on his friend's face. He knew Doug too well by now. All the signs of a bruised ego were manifesting themselves. Doug did not like being under the authority of another.
As the two Americans followed the Vulcan, Tony leaned towards his friend. "Doug, don't sulk just because he knows more than you do."
Doug flushed slightly, then grinned shamefacedly. "Do you realise that this is our chance to finally return home and stay there, Tony?"
"Yeah, I know," Tony replied, laying a hand on his friend's arm. "I can scarcely believe it."
"Neither can I," Doug murmured, his mind full of the reunion with Ann and the baby they would have; the baby named Kirk. It had a certain ring to it. Kirk Phillips...
TIME TUNNEL COMPLEX: EARTH 1968
Ann McGregor was very aware of the Captain's attentiveness as she showed him around the control centre. His expressive hazel eyes sparkled, his mobile features were alive with interest and he stayed close to her as she explained the workings of the computers.
"Nothing compared to your technology," she said apologetically.
He flashed his devastating smile at her, causing her knees to tremble. "It is very impressive, Ann. May I call you Ann?"
A flush crept through her body as she noted how he gazed at her through half-closed lashes. Her eyes darted away, only to return to him as if drawn by a magnet. "Of course, Captain."
"Jim," he said, softly.
"Jim," she repeated, her voice low and husky.
"You know, Ann - you remind me of someone I once met. Her hair was different, her clothes too. She came from an alien world far away, yet she was much like you."
Ann cleared her throat, and discreetly wiped the beads of sweat from her forehead. He thinks me beautiful! she mused. This gorgeous man from the future in his gold shirt which shows his biceps to perfection, his tight black pants which show his... She buried the erotic thought, flushing deeply. He thinks me beautiful... Here am I, cooped up with all these old scientists and military personnel, worried about Doug and Tony all the time, and there is not even a free moment to indulge in romance and passion and love.
"Would you care for some coffee?" she asked, her voice a harsh croak.
"Real coffee!" he exclaimed, his large, hazel eyes widening.
"Certainly," she replied brusquely to hide her emotions. "Don't you have real coffee in the 23rd century?"
The skin around his eyes crinkled in amusement. "It's called coffee, but I doubt it's ever seen a coffee bean."
Ann took him to her quarters and prepared the coffee in the percolator. She sensed his presence behind her, and her skin prickled pleasantly as his warmth and scent reached her heightened perception. She swallowed as she drew in the maleness, the aroma of his cologne to her nostrils. It made her giddy; she suddenly felt faint and staggered.
Strong hands caught her. "Are you all right?" he asked, concernedly.
"Y... yes," she stammered. "I'm just tired. Never seem to sleep anymore, always at my post."
"You mustn't overtax yourself, Ann. It will all work out." He pulled her close, and she just wanted to lean on his broad shoulders and feel his strength around her, protecting her . As if he knew exactly what she was thinking, he drew her into a hug. "Mr. Spock will find me. He'll bring Doug and Tony with him, and if it's safe he will return them to you."
"But how will he know what to do? How can he take the risk of changing time?" Ann looked up at him with puzzlement.
Kirk treated her to a charming smile. "Oh, my Mr. Spock is very experienced in such matters. I would trust him with my life... or the safety of the galaxy."
His lips were so inviting, and his eyes were hooded and full of need. Before she realised what was happening, she was being gently but thoroughly kissed. Her senses reeled as his warm mouth pressed hers; never had she been kissed like this - not even by Doug...
***
Doug and Tony stood marvelling at the coolness of the starship crew as they performed the miracle of the slingshot manoeuvre around the Sun. As Mr. Spock had computed, they arrived at the year 1968, close to the time Captain Kirk had been drawn to. The Vulcan left the command chair and moved over to the young Russian officer at the science station.
"Have you located the Time Tunnel Complex, Mr. Chekov?"
"Aye, sir. Exactly where Dr. Phillips told us."
"Very well," Spock replied. "Gentlemen, if you will accompany me to the Transporter Room, we will beam down to the coordinates of the control centre."
"Are they accurate?" Tony asked, turning to Doug.
He received a dirty look from his fellow traveller. "Of course they are. I am a physicist."
"I don't think we can call ourselves that around Mr. Spock. Compared to him we are like children."
"Children must learn," the Vulcan said, startling the two men who thought they had been conferring in low tones. "Even human children."
Doug and Tony could barely restrain their excitement as they stood on the transporter pads. This was it! They were going home! They would be safe at last! No more gallivanting through time, fighting and suffering without a break.
"Time travel is unpredictable," Mr. Spock said as he stepped onto the dais beside them. "There are always variables which cause anomalies that cannot be rectified. By my most recent calculations, I have ascertained that Captain Kirk has been here for forty two point three nine minutes."
"That's accurate enough," Tony remarked as their molecules dispersed then reformed in Dr. Ann McGregor's quarters.
Ann and Jim sat entwined upon the couch, kissing passionately. As the Captain became aware of the transporter whine, he quickly and guiltily sprang back, fumbling to straighten his clothes.
"Captain!" Spock exclaimed.
"Ann!" Doug yelled, taking in her dishevelled hair and unfastened clothing. Furious at having seen her in the arms of another, he sprung forward, tackling Kirk, pounding at the smaller man.
"Doug!" Tony called, throwing himself at his friend in an attempt to pull him away from the startled Captain.
"Jim!" Spock groaned as he too was immersed in the fray, trying to free his commanding officer from the jealous Dr. Phillips.
"Spock!" Kirk gasped as his heavier attacker knocked the breath from him with sheer weight.
"Tony!" Doug cried as he determinedly continued to flatten the one who had dared to touch his Ann. "Leave me alone."
"Doug! Tony! Jim! Spock!" Ann shouted. "Stop it at once!" She shrank back against the wall in an attempt to avoid the flailing fists.
Spock and Tony eventually managed to restrain their respective charges and glanced at one another in satisfaction. "I must depart now," Spock said.
Tony nodded understandingly. "Yes, perhaps it would be better. Thank you for bringing us home."
Spock bowed his head slightly, then turned to his highly embarrassed Captain now held in an unbreakable Vulcan grip. "With your permission, sir."
The slightly flushed Kirk grinned under his First Officer's disapproving stare. "Very well, Mr. Spock," he replied.
As the transporter beam took the Enterprise officers, Doug, Tony and Ann heard the comment from Kirk which would puzzle them all of their lives. "She looks so like Losira, don't you think, Spock?"
***
EPILOGUE
TIME TUNNEL COMPLEX: EARTH 1968
The three scientists looked at one another, wondering for a moment if they had dreamed it all. Suddenly they realised that the nightmare was actually over; that these descendants of theirs had returned two weary time-travellers home at last. They laughed out loud and danced around the room, hugging one another enthusiastically.
"They'll close down the project," Tony said at last, and the other two sobered quickly at this astute observation.
"Time-travel is too dangerous, Tony. We're not yet ready for it," Doug answered.
Ann slipped her arm under Doug's. "Perhaps you're right, Doug, but I feel... I know that someone, perhaps within the next thirty years will follow in our footsteps and travel through time, putting right what once went wrong. Who knows, perhaps he has even been born." She fondly thought of her favourite nephew, her sister's son Sam Beckett, a brilliant teenager who wanted to study quantum physics.
That reference recalled Doug's attention to a very important matter. "Will you marry me, Ann?" he asked, after they had indulged in a long, passionate kiss.
"Yes, Doug," she replied with a smile.
"Congratulations to both of you," Tony said happily.
Doug grinned. "You know, Ann, our first baby will be called Kirk. The General will be his godfather."
Ann smiled secretly to herself and thought what a perfect name that would be for her son. She hoped he would be handsome, with mischievous, hazel eyes, tanned skin, a muscular body, and a devastating smile.
"Let's get married right away, Doug," she said. "We've waited too long already."