Christmas on an Alternate Past Earth
The Baffin entered into orbit over the far side of the Moon. Lieutenant Daniela Hernandez sighed in relief. The ship would not have been detected by anyone on Earth. The approach from warp was from behind the Moon. She knew that observing a mid to late 20th Century Earth wouldn't help them in their dilemma, but the crew had to do something.
“Prepare to launch the probes,” Commander Emmerson ordered.
“Aye, Commander,” Hernandez said.
The Baffin launched the probes, disguised as sattelites typical of the era.
Three probes stayed in orbit around the Moon, to act as relay stations.
“Report,” Commander Emmerson said an hour later.
“So far, Earth seems to be identical. We would have do a deeper scan,” Hernandez reported.
“Then you know what to do.”
“Aye commander.”
Half an hour later. “It's not identical. Many of the suburban layouts are different in the United Kingdom and the rest of the Commonwealth. Some settlements in the United States are in slightly different locations.”
“But nothing else unusual?” Emmerson asked.
“Nothing,” Hernandez said. But then an alert came up. “Wait! A strange energy signature, somewhere in Oxford.”
“That is something to investigate, wouldn't you think?” Emmerson asked.
“Commanders Log, supplemental. Indications of anachronistic technology have been detected in the United Kingdom. An Away Team has been sent in a shuttle to investigate.”
“We're clearing the Moon now, Lieutenant,” Albert reported.
Hernandez looked at Earth as it rose above the Lunar limb. “A sight for sore eyes,” she breathed.
“Absolutely,” Lawson said.
“It is nearly sunset in the United Kingdom,” Albert reported. An image of the North Sea and the surrounding land areas appeared on the monitor. The terminator was approaching East Anglia.
“Right,” Hernandez decided. “Set us down near the Thames to the south of Oxford, just after sunset. Keep out of the flightpaths of any airliners that may be going to and from Heathrow.”
“Aye,” Albert said.
The Toronto landed on a deserted stretch of river bank. Hernandez emerged first and began to scan. “The energy reading is located at the University.”
“It's going to be difficult to get in there at this hour,” Lawson stated.
“We're going to try anyway,” Hernandez said.
They grabbed their supplies and headed towards the University. “You're from Oxford, right?” Albert asked.
“Windsor actually,” Hernandez clarified. “But I did do a degree at Oxford before going to Starfleet Academy.”
“So, Oxford will be familiar?” Lawson asked.
“In some ways,” Hernadez answered. “But there would be a lot of differences between the 20th and 24th Century versions. Exactly four hundred years...”
“Exactly?” Albert asked.
“Yes. I graduated in 2375, and was in the Academy's Class of 2379.”
“Post War...” Lawson murmured.
“I wanted to do a degree before joining Starfleet. The War didn't influence my choice to delay going to the Academy.”
“I didn't say that,” Lawson said.
Back on the Baffin, Emmerson looked over the sensor data from the probes. More minor differences in settlement patterns were picked up in Europe, the Middle East, India and China. “Where are we on the broadcasts?” he asked.
“So far the broadcasts are 95% identical to those at this time in our universe,” Lu reported. “For example, there are advertisements for airings of It's a Wonderful Life on either Christmas Eve or Christmas Day, in the United States, Canada, Ireland, the United Kingdom, Australia and New Zealand.”
“What about the 5%?”
“Of those, 4/5ths have no equivalent in our universe. The remaining 1/5th is anachronistic by comparison, having been developed up to 25 years early,” Lu answered.
“That's an interesting divergence,” Emmerson mused.
“However, the news reports are identical,” Lu added.
“So far,” Emmerson said.
Forty minutes after they landed, the Away Team approached the southernmost of the University's buildings.
“We're within the University as it exists at home,” Hernandez said.
“Of course,” Albert said.
“The reading is still further north,” Lawson reported.
Hernandez consulted her Tricorder. “Strange...” she commented.
“Another strange thing?” Lawson asked.
“It seems to be below the Bodelian. But that would mean there are differences in the development of the University.”
“Another difference between universes?” Albert asked.
“Yes,” Hernandez answered.
In another fifteen minutes they approached the Bodelian Library. The old building looked as it would during Hernandez's studies at an alternate Oxford nearly four hundred years in the future.
“The main door is locked, but there may be another way in,” Hernandez said, after scanning it with her tricorder. She widened the scan radius again. “Strange...” she commented.
“What's strange?” Albert asked.
“There's a secret entrance on the western side, that leads to the first basement level,” Hernandez answered.
“Wouldn't that be locked?” Lawson asked.
“Someone may have been remise,” Hernandez pointed out.
“Not that likely,” Albert pointed out.
A few minutes later, they came to that entrance. “It looks like someone may have forced their way in,” Hernandez said. The door was intact, but the door jamb wasn't.
“We probably need to report in first,” Lawson said. “In case we interuppt a crime in progress.”
“And that may constitute a violation of the Prime Directive.” Hernandez pointed out. “Good point.”
“We're receiving a message from the Away Team,” Lu reported.
“Put it through,” Emmerson ordered.
“Hernandez here, Sir. The energy reading is coming from beneath the Bodelian Library. There is also evidence of a very recent break and enter. We may not be alone there.”
“Procede with caution, Lieutenant,” Emmerson ordered.
“Aye, sir.”
The trio entered the subterranian passageway. It was dimly lit with naked incandescent bulbs placed every four meters along the ceiling. Whoever had entered before them hadn't switched them off. Hernandez lead point with Lawson bringing up the rear. Half a minute later, they came to the end of the passageway. The door was closed, but Hernandez could see that it didn't have a lock. She gave a shush motion with her finger over her lips before placing her ear on the door. 'Nothing,' she thought as she backed up and turned the handle.
There was another passageway, perpendicular to the one they had just come along. She looked in both directions and then back at her tricorder. “The energy reading is coming from the north, and down another level,” she said.
“I'm reading three lifesigns on this level, and two on the lower level,” Lawson reported.
“Then we'll continue slowly,” Hernandez said as she drew her phaser.
Both Lawson and Albert nodded. They then turned left and walked slowly up the corridor. They found stairs leading down to the lower level. The door to the stairwell had evidence of its lock being picked. Hernandez glanced down the stairs, and saw that there were at least three levels below the one they were going down to. 'That makes five levels below the Bodelian,' she thought. She was certain the Bodelian in their universe didn't have such modifications. 'What has made this Oxford this different to ours?' she wondered.
She gestured down the stairway, telling the others to come slowly.
Lawson followed Hernandez and Albert into the lower level. The corridor looked the same as the one on the level above. “The energy reading is in a room 10 meters ahead,” Hernandez reported.
Suddenly, they heard the sounds of a scuffle, followed by the sharp report of a gun.
“That came from that room,” Hernandez said.
Lawson looked around and found another room closer to the stairwell. “Here,” he said.
“Good idea,” Hernandez whispered.
They entered the side room, which contained many old books, and closed the door. Hernandez looked at her tricorder again. “Great!” she whisphered.
“Huh?” Albert asked.
“Whoever the shooter is; they have got whatever is putting out that energy,” she explained.
“So, we'll have follow whoever it is?” Lawson asked rehetorically.
Hernandez nodded.
40 seconds later, Hernandez said. “They've gone back up the stairs, the way we came. Now to follow!”
They followed slowly, until they came back out of the doorway they entered. “There!” Hernandez said. The man turned around, and they ducked back into the passageway.
“I know you're there!” he said.
Hernandez tapped her comm badge. “Hernandez to Toronto. Emergency beam out!”
They materialised back on the Toronto. “Wouldn't he have heard the transporter?” Lawson asked.
“Maybe,” Hernandez answered. “But he wouldn't know what to make of the sound. We'll wait five minutes and beam back.”
Five minutes later, they did beam back. “He's moved off,” Hernandez said after looking at her tricorder. “He's in one of the car parks.”
“It's likely he's going to drive off,” Lawson stated.
“Almost certainly,” Hernandez said. “But Oxford is farely compact. We'll be able to walk to where-ever he goes to.”
“I knew you would say that.”
“And we can use the Toronto to follow him if he leaves town.”
“It would be risky,” Albert pointed out.
“Of course,” Hernandez said.
They followed the car through the passageways of the University. It seemed that people were shopping and going out late this evening. The University may have been deserted, but Oxford wasn't. 'One thing doesn't change through time and alternative univeses,” Hernandez mused. 'The propensity for some people to leave the business of obtaining Christmas gifts to the last minute.' One thing was certain however. The Man was taking the energy source in an easterly direction. Was he heading towards London?
She directed the PADD to load the map of London for 1974, alongside the scan of the city the Toronto took from orbit. '5% missmatch,' she thought. Most of the mismatch was in the outer areas.
10 minutes later. “He's left Oxford on the A40,” Hernandez reported.
“I'll call the Toronto then?” Albert asked.
“Yes. Call the shuttle,” Hernandez ordered.
Given the early evening traffic, it was difficult to find a spot where the shuttle wouldn't be seen. But they did find an isolated spot where it was able to land. Soon they were flying low over the Oxford rooftops. “We have forty minutes before he reaches the outskirts of London,” Hernandez said.
“Plenty of time,” Lawson said.
“But he may stop off somewhere on the way,” Hernandez said. She turned to Albert who was getting into the pilot's seat. “Close in on him, less than 50 meters behind, and just high enough to avoid any trees and power cables.”
“Aye, Lieutenant,” Albert said.
Less than a two minutes later, they had closed in on the person's car. “Scanning that vehicle,” Lawson said.
“Right,” Hernandez said, looking over at his screen.
“It's an Aston Martin DB5,” Lawson reported, seeing it match with the Baffin's database on the 20th Century. “But, there seem to be a large number of aftermarket modifications, including integrated weapons and an ejector system built into the passenger seat.”
“So, he may be a government agent,” Hernandez surmised. “Figures. That makes it more difficult, but not impossible.”
“A direct confrontation would be difficult,” Lawson said.
“Grab his DB5 in a tractor beam?” Albert asked.
“That would be risky, as would trying to hold him in the transporter buffer be,” Hernandez answered. “Scan that DB5 again. Maybe we can find some weaknesses.”
“We can probably beat the DB5's modifications, but we don't know how well trained the operator is,” Lawson said.
“We could explain that Britain shouldn't have whatever he has got? Pretend to be Americans?”
“I don't think that would work,” Hernandez considered. “He would see through that ruse quite quickly.” She then showed the other two officers her PADD. “But here is what we can do. Replicate a modified motorcycle and use that to try to obain the object.”
Lawson rechecked the sensors. “It seems the object is on the floor in front of the passenger seat.”
“It would be difficult to get, we may need to trigger the ejection system before we try to grab the object,” Hernandez said.
Lawson checked the scan again. “And still, even at this close range, the energy still interferes with the transporter. I doubt a pattern enhancer will work.”
“Yes. The old fashioned way,” Hernandez said. “The design for the motorcycle is nearly complete. Is there any more traffic?”
“A few scattered cars, and lorries,” Albert answered.
“That won't be a problem.” Hernandez then pressed a command and the Toronto began replicating a modified Ducati Supersport.
“Done,” Hernandez said as she finished fueling the Supersport. “How close are we to the outskirts of London?”
“Twelve minutes to Beaconsfeild. Twenty to London,” Albert reported.
“That's pushing it,” Hernandezs said as she scanned the motorcycle with her tricorder. Everything was ready. “Ready.”
“Are you sure you want to do this?” Lawson asked.
“I'm the only one who has experience with motorcycles, so yes,” Hernandez answered. She put on the helmet and mounted the Ducati.
The Toronto lowered itself to just above the roadway and turned around so that it was going backwards. Hernandez then rode the motorcycle out of the rear hatch. She was behind the DB5 within seconds.
“Toronto to Hernandez,” Albert said fifteen seconds later.
“Report,” Hernandez said.
“Two other vehicles with modifications are approaching ahead of the DB5. Be aware that they aren't British makes.”
“So, they could be Warsaw Pact agents,” Hernandez surmised. “I'm on it. Maybe we could gain the British agent's trust first.”
She consulted the tricorder she had placed just below the bike's headlamp. The information came up in the helmet's HUD. The two other vehicles had just driven off the the other side of the motorway. She also could see the DB5 take evasive action. She breathed deeply, and then rode into the fray...
Avoiding the live fire from the three cars, Hernandez targeted the engines of the two newcomers with the missiles she had designed. The engines exploded...
The DB5 came to a stop about 100 meters down the road from the wreckages.
Having got off the bike, Hernandez warily approached the driver's side of the DB5, torch in hand. The agent emerged. She couldn't help but notice the Walther PPK he held in his right hand.
“Thanks for the intervention,” he said. “But I would like to know who you are.”
Hernandez took off the helmet, letting her hair fall loose. “Daniela Hernandez.”
“Bond. James Bond.”
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