From: v116r8ac@ubvmsd.cc.buffalo.edu (Chris Nasipak)
Newsgroups: rec.arts.drwho,alt.startrek.creative
Subject: Visit to a Strange Universe Revisited, chapter 3
Date: 12 Sep 92 17:26:00 GMT
Organization: United Nations Intelligence Taskforce
News-Software: VAX/VMS VNEWS 1.41

And now for chapter 3.  I'm going to try to get out at least a chapter or two 
a week from now on.  Sorry about the delay...

Visit to a Strange Universe Revisited, or
The TARDIS and the Enterprise-B.

Chapter 3 - Journeys


     Admiral James Kirk looked over the bridge of a starship for the first 
time in five years.  Since they'd mothballed the old Enterprise after the
Khitomer incedent, he'd been sitting at a desk in spacedock.  He'd planned
on retiring, then buying a small spacecraft out of his savings.  A little
solo exploration, and then he'd settle down at his home in the Farragut
Valley, on Centaurus.  When he'd announced his intentions to Admiral
Nogura, though, his old friend had asked him to stay on for a while longer.
     Now, he thought back on his `first' meeting with the officers of this
new ship.  He'd already met many of them.  Chekov and Saavik he knew already, 
from the old ship, of course.  He'd met the Science officer, Commander
Cora Oppenheimer, while she was serving on a ship Enterprise had shared
a patrol with.  Lia Burke, the chief Medical Officer, was an old friend,
too, having been asssigned to the Enterprise for a short time.  The
real surprise had come when he met her assistant CMO.  He remembered how
she'd welcomed him aboard....
     "Hi, Uncle Jim!", she'd cried, hugging him fiercely.  She'd known from
her father that he preferred an informal atmosphere among his officers, and
no one but Len McCoy could have taught her his style better.  Joanna McCoy
was one of the finest doctors in StarFleet, and had been trained by some 
more of the very best.
     The whistle of the intercom brought his thoughts back to the present.
"Scott ta Bridge," it called.  "Go ahead, Scotty," he replied.
     "We've managed ta solve thot little problem wi' the intermix chamber, 
sair.  These lads are vurra good at what they do.  We should be ready ta leave
in two hours."
     "Good, Mr. Scott.  Let me know when it's ready."
     "Aye, sair.  Will do."
     "Thank you, Scotty.  And good work.  Kirk out."

     The Doctor and Turlough had chatted for hours, reminiscing about their
past adventures, discussing what had happened to the since, and so on.  Ace
had grown bored with the conversation, and was examining a set of artifacts
he'd unpacked that looked vaugely familiar to her, for some reason.  Turlough
had said they were from somewhere called 'Starnos Beta', which she'd certainly
never heard of before.  So why were they so familiar?
     Just then, her attention wandered back to the conversation.  Turlough
was asking the Doctor if he'd like to come along on the next expedition, and
have a look-round.  "Do you mean, an expedition to Starnos-Beta?" she 
interjected.
     "Why, yes, actually.  Would you like to come?"
     "I dunno.  Professor, this stuff looks awfully familiar for stuff from 
the far side of the galaxy from Earth."
     "What do you mean?", the Doctor responded.
     "I mean I've seen it somewhere before.  On Earth, I think."
     "Well in that case, I think it would be a very good idea to check it
out, don't you, Turlough?"
     "Yes, indeed, Doctor.  I was planning on leaving in a couple of days,
after we've had a chance to unload the rest of the artifacts and get them
to the labs at the museum.  Will you be coming by TARDIS, or would you like to
ride with me?"
     The Doctor thought for a moment, then spoke: "We'll go by TARDIS, I think.
Or at least, I will.  Ace?  What's your preference?"
     "Seen one spaceship, you've seen 'em all."  Besides, there was something
about the young man she didn't like, especially since she'd found out how he
and the Doctor had first met.  Riding alone in a spaceship with someone who'd
served the Black Guardian (which reminded her very much of Fenric, from the
Doctor's description) and tried several times to kill the Doctor was not
something she really wanted to try.
     "All right, that's how we'll do it.  We'll meet you at the site, if you'll
just give me the co-ordinates."

     The _Enterprise_ was waiting and ready.  Scotty had finally found the
problem in the intermix chamber - a ham-handed ensign had crosswired the
engineering deck food processor into the control computer.  The ensign had
been given a stern tounge-lashing, then cleaned the coffee out of the
intermix chamber.
     Now, all was ready.  All that remained was for the order to be given.
The great new engines slumbered in their cradles, waiting.


------------------------------------------------------------------------------

For the curious, here's a sketch of the bridge:

USS Enterprise / NCC-1701-B
Captain Pavel Chekov, commanding.
Bridge familiarization sketch:

          _______________________________________________________
         /                    Main Viewer                        \
        /                                                         \
       /                                                           \
      |                                                             |
      |     __________________              __________________      |
      |     | Helm           |              |  Navigation    |      |
      |     ------------------              ------------------      |
      |         \____/                           \____/             |
      |                                                             |
      |                                                             |
      |\                                                           /|
      | \                                                         / |
      |  \_________                                 _____________/  |
      |   Science  \                               / Communications |
      |--------\   |                               |    /---------- |
      |        |   |                               |    | \         |
      |      / |   |                               |    | |         |
      |      | |   |                               |    | /         |
      |      \ |   |                               |    |           |
      |        \__/                                \___/            |
      |                                                             |
      \                                                            /_______
       \         \                                     /          /       /
        \         \___________________________________/          /       /
         \         \ Captain's Couch (as TNG )       /          /       /
          \         \_______________________________/          /-------/
          |        ___________________________________         |    ^
          |       / Security     \_/ Engineering      \        |    |
          |       |              | |                  |        |  Lift
          |       -------------------------------------        |
          \          \___/              \___/                  /
           \                                                  /
            \                                                /
             \______________________________________________/


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Do you really feel like   |         Not Croaker           |Somewhere else, the
arguing with a can of     |                               |tea is getting cold.
deoderant that registers  | v116r8ac@ubvms.cc.buffalo.edu |Come on - we've got
nine on the Richter Scale?|   nasipak@acsu.buffalo.edu    | work to do.
        --- Ace           |                               |  --- Doctor Who
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"I wasn't expecting the ReichsInspektor General."  -- General Strasser
"No One expects the Reichsinspektor General." -- Doctor Who, TimeWyrm:Exodus
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Disclaimer - If SUNY wants my opinions, they'll pay through the nose for 'em!
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