There are times when the universe throws you a curveball, and you’re left stunned and bewildered, wondering, “what the heck just happened?” Well, that’s what it was like aboard the Enterprise today. The impossible -- and the unlikely -- actually happened, and we’re all still trying to process what we witnessed.
Here’s the recap:
Yesterday, the Enterprise arrived at our third star system. Unlike the last two star systems, however, none of these seven planets were deemed habitable by Federation standards. There were no ancient ruins, no sentient life, nothing of biological value. A future geological expedition might be intrigued by the crystalline deposits on the third planet, however, for us, there was nothing to keep us within the system’s habitable zone.
Today, with our primary planetary survey complete, Captain Picard expressed interest in a look at the outer-system asteroid belt. The asteroids registered a slight shimmer effect, which isn’t normal for a standard-class belt. As we moved closer to the outer edge of the star system, we discovered something that left us dumbfounded. There, facing each other, were two starships – a severely damaged Galaxy-class starship (with a flickering port nacelle) that bore the markings, “USS Enterprise, NCC-1701-D”, and what appeared to be a simplified, retro version, of an old Constitution-class starship that bore the name, “USS Enterprise, NCC-1701”.
A more thorough sensor scan indicated that the Galaxy-class ship was an identical copy to our own Enterprise-D (although, with damage and hull scarring). The retro Constitution-class ship was of a style we had never seen, and was less technically advanced than the Constitutions that had served in Starfleet’s past.
Curious for some answers, Captain Picard hailed the Galaxy-copy Enterprise, and was greeted by a copy of William Riker, although, this Riker was wearing a Kirk-era gold Starfleet uniform, and referred to himself as the captain of that vessel. The rest of the Galaxy-copy bridge crew were also wearing the outdated Kirk-era uniforms. Riker-copy insisted that we not interfere with their operation, and then abruptly (and suspiciously) closed the channel.
Captain Picard then hailed the Constitution-copy vessel, and was met with the image of himself wearing a Kirk-era captain’s uniform, sitting in the command chair giving orders. Picard-copy claimed to be the captain of the Constitution-like vessel, and seemed as surprised to see us, as we were to see him. His demeanor was one of focus and suspicion, and he insisted that we not take any actions to stop either vessel in completing their mission. He stated that it was his responsibility “to get both ships home”, although, he refused to explain what that meant. He cautioned us, again, to not interfere, and then closed the channel.
A few minutes later, the Galaxy-copy vessel’s damaged nacelle flickered to life, and its warp systems came back online. At about the same time, a small stationary probe nearby powered up, and created a glass-like portal. The Constitution-copy vessel maneuvered into the portal, and disappeared, followed by the Galaxy-copy vessel. The portal then vanished, and the nearby probe self-destructed. Both ships were gone.
Subsequent scans determined that both vessels had, indeed, been present, and they had not been a mass hallucination. The portal had been real as well, and was likely generated, in some way, by the stationary probe. What we saw – as outrageous as it may seem – DID happen.
After the ships disappeared, we discovered a severely damaged copy of our USS Liberty Danube-class runabout. It appeared to be empty of crew, and abandoned by the other Galaxy-copy vessel. After assessing the situation, Captain Picard ordered a security team to breach the abandoned runabout, and see if the ship’s computer contained any data to explain what we had just witnessed.
According to the mission files recovered, the Galaxy-copy vessel (henceforth referred to as “Enterprise-copy”) had the same experiences upon discovering the “Black Nebula” as we did. In fact, further investigation showed that their ship logs – up until the nebula -- were the same exact logs as our own. Their Picard-copy offered to help rescue the trapped Kraxxos ship, as our Captain Picard did. They went into the nebula, as we did, and they pulled the empty Kraxxos vessel to safety, just as well did. But it was, at this point, that the Enterprise-copy logs diverged from our own….
They claim to have made it out of the nebula with the Kraxxos ship in tow, and the smaller Kraxxos ship was waiting for them. Both crews coordinated an investigation of the rescued ship, and then the smaller Kraxxos vessel chose to destroy the rescued ship, in memorial to the missing crew. The Kraxxos crew then warned the Enterprise-copy of the dangerous effects of “Black Nebula”, and both ships parted ways, leaving the nebula and vessel debris behind.
The Enterprise-copy crew studied the nebula for a bit, as we did, and then continued on to the same three-star-system survey mission that we just completed. Their discoveries were much the same as our own, only they didn’t find the underground ruins on the moon, as we did. They also chose to take a look at the unique asteroid belt, as we did, and it was here that they discovered the Constitution-copy vessel.
Reports from the runabout computer are rather fragmented at this point, but it appears as though anyone who went over to investigate the Consitution-copy vessel, began to see themselves as the rightful crew of that ship. They switched uniforms, assumed duty stations, and believed that they had orders to make sure the Constitution-copy vessel “returned home”. Apparently this belief was taken back to the Enterprise-D-copy vessel, and they soon viewed it to be their orders to assist in this endeavor as well.
We arrived just in time to see both ships succeed in their attempt.
Our Lieutenant Commander Data has since offered a theory to all of this that seems to be the presiding view. He believes that we – the USS Enterprise-D and her crew, as well as the Kraxxos ship we were rescuing – were somehow duplicated within the “Black Nebula”. Our duplicate Enterprise made it out of the Nebula before us, and then continued on with our mutual Starfleet survey mission, as ordered, unaware that they were a copy of us. They then met their fate via the mass delusion that sent them “home” through the generated portal.
We then emerged from the “Black Nebula”, on a delayed schedule, discovered the Kraxxos ship debris, and proceeded with our ordered survey mission, where we eventually witnessed the strange disappearance of our copy.
Of course, Mr. Data did also suggest the possibility that, perhaps WE are the copy vessel, and it was the real Enterprise that met an odd fate. To be honest, at this point, I really don’t know what to believe. How were we duplicated? Why were we duplicated? What was that Constitution-like ship, portal, and the whole “going home” thing all about? And where did that other USS Enterprise-D and her crew disappear to? Are they somewhere else in the galaxy? Did they disappear into an alternate reality?
I don’t have any answers. I just know that it DID happen. The universe threw us a curveball, and we’re left standing at the plate wondering, “what the heck just happened?”
-Lieutenant Sam Archer
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(Attached Image: Picard-copy on the bridge of the retro Constitution-like starship. Photo obtained from the computer files of the damaged runabout.)
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December 28, 2364 -- (Original Devron Timeline)