TREK

Chapter #1

2659

Space.  Maybe it really was the final frontier.  It was all Gabriel knew.  His entire life eight year old Gabriel Marcus lived, breathed and ate on this ship and during that time, all he ever saw, was space.  It was his home.  It was all that he ever knew.  He leaned against the view screen in front of him and stared.  Watching as the rings of the nearest planet passed by. 

As he watched and day-dreamed, a tall figure came up to him from behind.  "Gabriel, what are you doing out here?"  The voice was soft and soothing.  The voice of a mother.

Gabriel looked up and then back to the stars.  Simply staring for a moment, almost lost in the beauty of it all.  "Nothing momma.  I was just looking."

"You know, your father has been looking everywhere for you.  His shift is over and he wanted to see you."  Gabriel's mother put her hand on his shoulder and smiled as she watched the stars along with him.  "They really are something.  They never get old.  Come on sweetheart, lets go find your father."

As Gabriel was turning around to head back, a flash of light caught his eye.  Something streaked across the blackness of space.  Then suddenly the entire ship shuddered under his feet.  The alarm sounded.  People began scrambling about.  Gabriel looked back out the window as another flash nearly blinded him, followed by a streak and then suddenly an explosion against the hull of the ship. 

Gabriel's mother grabbed his hand and pulled him back through the corridors.  "Stay calm dear, maybe it's just pirates again.  It's not the first time!!!"  His mother attempted to calm him but each time there was an attack, his imagination raged.  What do they look like?  Where are they from?  All questions he hoped to have answered save that there wasn't an attack.

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The ship rocked again.  Gabriel fought hard to keep from being jolted to the floor.  All while holding tightly to his mother's hand. 

"This is Captain Harriman.  Get to your designated shuttles and escape pods as quickly as you..."  The com was disrupted as a blast struck the ship much closer to Gabriel and his mother this time.  They fell to the floor and scrambled back to their feet.

Gabriel's father ran out from one of the sampling and surveying station and grabbed his mother by the shoulder.  "Molly!!  We need to get Gabe to one of the escape pods.  I just got word that the shuttle bay was damaged and the doors won't open!!"

"Who are they?!  What do they want?!"  She teared up as they made their way towards the pods.  "I don't know, they don't register on our computer banks..but they're old and this is just a mining vessel!!  Alot of the historical data from it's previous ownership has become corrupted!!" 

The old ship buckled again from weapons fire but Gabriel's dad still managed to get the door open to the escape pods.  Henry, Gabriel's father, ran to the console and began running checks to see if any of the pods were still usable. 

Gabriel ran to the view port and held onto the wall but couldn't get a view from this angle.  He had to try.  His imagination was running wildly and all he wanted was a look. 

Molly tapped several buttons next to her husband on the console and then began sobbing as she looked up and towards the view port. 

The console read: Pods damaged: Diagnostic complete.  One pod remains, capacity, one.  Limited life support.

Henry looked over to his wife.  "You know what we have to do..."  A tear welled up in his eye and fist pounded the console.  "Gabriel!!  Come here!!  Quickly!!!"

Henry took Gabriel by the hand and led him to the pod.  With the press of a button, the hatch opened and inside was just room enough for one person.  Henry motioned for him to enter.  "Get in, this is for you."

A knot formed in his stomach.  Gabriel saw what was happening, but suddenly it had become very real.  Very serious. "You guys can fit too!!  We can all go!!"

Molly got down on her knees and placed a hand on her son's cheek.  "Gabriel....this one is for you.  I want you to get inside, and when this hatch closes...don't look back. 

Gabriel was sobbing now.  More alarms sounded now as the hull of the ship had been compromised.  Henry grabbed the latch and yelled out at Molly, "We have to close it now!!!  There's no time!!!"

Molly Marcus spoke out, "Mommy and daddy love you!!!"  Then the hatch closed and a thumping sound followed by a release of compressed air pushed the pod out of it's chamber and into space.  They watched as their son's pod grew smaller and smaller.  "Henry...I miss him."

"I know, love.  I miss him too.  At least now he has a chance."

Gabriel pounded his tiny fists against the glass and watched as the two ships exchanged fire.  The small mining vessel, gave it's last bit and with one final torpedo strike from the other ship, it gave in.  Lifeless and still for a moment, it took Gabriel only a split second to realize what was happening and with one spectacular finish...it flashed a bright and beautiful light and was gone.  Like a star that had exhausted it's last bit of fuel, the mining ship went up in a blaze. 

The escape pod floated off into space, unseen by the enemy.  The faceless and unknown enemy that right then and there, Gabriel Marcus vowed to destroy one day. 


Chapter #2

2679
Twenty years later....

An alarm sounded.  It wasn't an emergency alarm.  Just simply a shift alarm signaling that all early shift miners prepare to head into the mines.  Gabriel sat up in his small cot and stretched feverishly.  Being cramped up in small quarters with an old Ferengi wasn't his idea of fun but it was work.  The Ferengi of course was after the riches and would go through whatever it took to find that wealth.  Gold, latinium...Gold pressed latinium if there was naturally a such thing down in these dark mines. 

Gabriel pulled himself out of his cot and walked over to his storage unit.  There he pulled out his mining helmet, his laser discharger and several other pieces of equipment including a safety harness.  His Ferengi roommate as it were was already ahead of him.  "Filthy human.  You don't deserve riches if you're going to be slow about it."

He was already out the door as Gabe was putting on his helmet.  He paused and smiled before he continued, "Just another day in Paradise."

He walked out and closed the door behind him.  Outside in the corridors, there were row upon row of miners either heading to, or heading from the mines.  It was a neutral occupation facility, not a prison colony.  So people worked and made a living semi peacefully. 

Pulling at his gear, he made his way through the breakfast line.  Stale rations weren't the best in the world, but they kept him going.  It felt natural for him though.  Ever since he could remember, he was involved in mining on some level.  Whether it be on a ship or a planet.  Mining was in his blood.  It seemed that was all he was destined for even. 

Section 5 was a vertical tunnel that stretched two miles down.  This was Gabe's favorite area to mine lately, not because of the ore that he pulled out. but because of the ancient trash that he found down in there.  Scrap pieces of metal of which he'd never seen before.  Pieces of machinery that were left by some alien race hundreds or maybe even thousands of years ago.

He snapped his harness onto the cables that ran down into the shaft and rappelled down slowly.  Flickering his light on he made his way down into the tunnel slowly, inch by inch occasionally picking at pieces of rock here or there.  He came down to one spot that interested him most, he had found a skull buried in the rock at this depth.  A skull very simular to that of a human.  He picked more and pulled out his discharger and shot a short burst into the rocks to break up the debris.  After the dust cleared a small light appeared.

Picking through the rubble, Gabe pulled out a small note pad shaped device.  It's screen lit up but he was unable to make out anything it said.  The screen was badly damaged and the lights kept flashing. 

That night, Gabriel played with his new found toy.  Cleaning and dusting it as much as he could.  It was banged up but in remarkably good shape for what he assumed was a very old artifact. 

The one thing that caught his eye however, was the light that kept flashing on it.  He pressed at it time and time again but never seemed to be able to stop it. 

His Ferengi roommate shuffled a bit as he slept and Gabriel tried to be as quiet as he could.  Pulling out his tool kit he began to tinker.  Looking for anything that held the mysterious object together.  Then finally after tried and failed attempts over and over, he sat it down.

"Maybe i'll tinker more with it tomorrow night.  For now, I need some rest."  He laid down on his cot and rolled over on his side to sleep.  Suddenly, the room filled with light.  Gabriel flipped back around and saw the holographic projection of a man who looked highly distinguished.  A very clean suit, bars and insignias all over which assumed must mean someone of a high rank.  It stood for a moment and then finally came to life.

"This is President Ojunera of the United Federation of Planet's.  This, I have made is the final declaration of our mighty cause and I beg all who listen, to listen well.  The year is 2348.  As a united agreement, Starfleet has declared that the Federation be disbanded for the safety of the entire galaxy.  Those alien races who have joined under the protectorate agreements of some three hundred years ago are now to be their own separate governments once more.  If the time comes, the beacon located within this tri-corder shall give the location for which the Federation can begin anew.  For now, we must bide our time.  Wait for when the Elders no longer consider us a threat.  Peace be to all and continue to explore the galaxy, boldly going where no one has gone before."

Gabriel sat there on his bunk, almost stunned at what he had seen.  Now the device that he had discovered was beeping, a second holographic image emerged into thin air.  A star map of the entire galaxy unfolded like a chess board.  Stars and bubbled areas of alien territories shift and molded into place and one particular star system began to flash.  The Sol System. 

A secondary location began flashing, the asteroid belt of Onesis IV.  He pondered for a moment, "That's where i'm at right now...the asteroid belt."

He hadn't noticed but the noise had stirred his roommate from his sleep.  The Ferengi was watching with quiet intent.  The look of fame in his eyes.  He looked over at Gabriel, "Do you know what this means, human?!  We're rich!!  Alien technology like this?!  It's bound to fetch top price!!!"

"I don't think it's such a good idea...maybe we shouldn't report this yet..."

The Ferengi ran over to his locker and pulled out his laser discharger.  He pointed it at Gabriel in a threatening motion then at the tri-corder.  "Pick it up human!!  We're going to report this now!!!"


Chapter #3

The door to Gabriel's quarters opened.  First, Gabriel himself exited.  Seconds later, the Ferengi came out as well, holding the Laser Discharger.  At first, Gabriel played along with this.  Trying to work out an idea in his mind on what to do.  Then it hit him, not an idea but instinct.  He acted.  Reflex if you will and he turned with lightning speed and grabbed for the discharger.  The two wrestled to the floor and a crowd was quickly growing around them.  Other miners gathered, watching, some cheering, some taunting, others just watching with a reasonable lack of interest.

Suddenly, the Ferengi knocked the discharger to the ground and seized it.  Turning to end the fight once and for all, he aimed the weapon at his roommate.  Suddenly a bolt of energy shot out, and shot right through the Ferengi.  It pierced his body and struck the rocks behind him along the corridor wall. 

Gabriel turned around and saw an old and weathered Vulcan standing behind him, with a laser discharger.  A slight bit of smoke came from the end and when his eyes met with Gabriel's, he dropped the tool and stood back a few steps. 

A guard ran onto the scene.  His Blaster Rifle in his hands, he looked from Gabriel to the body and back to the old Vulcan.  "You two, come with me...NOW!!!"

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Gabriel watched as the old Vulcan walked ahead of him.  They walked slowly, the guard close behind with his weapon.  Passing passageway after passageway until they came to an office far away from the mining. 

The main operator of the mine looked them both over and then sat down and sipped on a drink of his.  "So, who wants to tell me what happened?"

The Vulcan shifted his eyes towards the human, "The Ferengi attacked me.  I was merely attempting to protect myself.  The human has nothing to do with it."

Gabriel stared at the guard but in the back of his mind he thought, "That Vulcan just lied.  A Vulcan....lying...that's unheard of."

The Operator stood up and handed a tool to a co-worker of his.  "You're both getting locked up in a cell.  Whoever did what, we'll find out soon enough."

One of the guards pointed for the door, and the two walked out.

It was dark with few lights showing through the ceiling.  It wasn't electrical light, but natural light.  Sun-light.  The Vulcan was laying down on a cot, his hands folded in deep meditation.  Gabriel was sitting against a wall with his eyes closed.  Listening to the silence as he always seemed to do. 

The Vulcan finally broke silence after possibly having sensed the silence would be broken by the other party.  "Sivlok.  My name is Sivlok and im from Vulcan."

Gabriel lifted his head and looked over to the man laying down.  "Yeah, I figured you were Vulcan.  Seen your kind before.  The name is Gabriel Marcus.  I'm human."

Sivlok opened his eyes and turned his head to Gabriel, "Yes..you're from Earth."

Gabriel stood up and looked squarely over Sivlok, "What do you know of Earth?!"

Sivlok sat up on the cot and offered Gabriel a seat.  "Humans are from Earth.  That's all I know for sure.  It's rumored that once upon a time, humans brought all the races from two quadrants together in peace."

Gabriel sat there for a moment.  Then he stood up and walked over to the cell door.  "We have to get out of here."

Sivlok stood up as well and walked to the door along side him.  "Not we, you.  You must go to Earth and discover the secrets behind the projection."

Gabriel turned to look at Sivlok. "How...how did you know?"

Sivlok smiled and looked back out the window in the cell door. "I'm a Vulcan...I know."



Chapter #4

It had turned dark in their cell.  Gabriel and Sivlok sat on the cot, staring at the wall.  Having stopped speaking to each other hours earlier.  Now they seemed focused.  Focused on what laid out ahead of them.  Gabriel couldn't understand why a Vulcan was helping him, or why he seemed to know so much but he didn't care.  His mind filled with excitement and fascination. 

Sivlok stood up and walked over to the door.  He stood, with his head pressed lightly to it and then he paused.  Slowly he lifted his head and looked back at Gabriel, "I think someone is coming....be ready."

Footsteps led up to the door and then stopped.  They waited patiently and hid along the wall.  Chains rattled and then the door opened up slowly. 

For his age, Sivlok was as quick as a Laser hitting it's target.  With precise moves and lightning reflexes, he grabbed the guard and pinched his neck.  The guard went limp and Sivlok pulled him into the cell.  "Here, take this pulse pistol.  We need to go....quickly."

They walked out of the cell and closed the door behind them.  Sivlok locked the door and hid the keys under a rock.  "That should keep them guessing for a bit."

They continued down the corridor, keeping as quiet as they could.  Sivlok occasionally paused to listen for footsteps. Apparently this part of the facility wasn't heavily guarded.  The coast was clear, they moved on ahead.

Gabriel followed behind Sivlok as he moved from one corner to the next.  At one point, a guard came out into the corridor, but Gabriel was fast enough with the pistol to dispatch him without alerting anyone.  Years of handling a Laser Discharger would help that. 

At one point, they stopped behind a corridor and waited for a guard to pass.  As they waited, Gabriel whispered to Sivlok, "How are we going to get off this rock?"

"They keep shuttles here.  One is a long range shuttle."

Gabriel lifted up his pistol as he prepared to move, "How do you know this?"

Sivlok shifted his eyes and stepped out to continue, "Trust me, I know."

A large door came up ahead.  Sivlok put pressure against it and then looked up at a code box on the wall.  "Fascinating...do you still have the pulse pistol?"

"I do, yes?"

Sivlok pointed at the door panel.  Gabriel looked at the pistol and then back at Sivlok.  Then Sivlok said, "They're going to know we're here anyway."

Gabriel aimed the pistol and fired a pulse of energy into the code panel.  It exploded and sparked then the doors opened revealing several small shuttles inside a large bay.  That wasn't the only thing to change however, an alarm was sounding.  It wouldn't be long and the operators would be arriving. 

"Well, we might as well get in and get you on a shuttle."

They ran inside and headed for the closest shuttle.  Sivlok inspected it and then turned to Gabriel, "Not this one, it doesn't have warp drive."

Gabriel looked at him curiously, "What's...warp...drive?"

Sivlok was already headed for the next shuttle as he shouted, "You'll find out soon enough."

They headed for the second shuttle.  This one, seemed to measure up to the requirements.  Sivlok raced over to the control station and waved Gabriel to run towards the shuttle. 

Just then, several operators ran into the bay.  Energy pulses began zipping across the emptiness of the bay.  Glancing off of shuttles and walls and lighting the place up like crude fireworks.  Gabriel fired back and forced the operators behind some crates in a corner.  "Come on old man!!!  You can't stay here!!!"

Sivlok ducked behind the panel and waited for an opening.  Gabriel continued to fire off rounds at the crates trying to buy some time for the Vulcan. 

The operators stepped back out and began firing their weapons again.  Gabriel tried to hold them off but two against one wasn't the best of odds for an inexperienced weapons handler.  Sivlok ran for the shuttle but just as he was headed towards the doorway into the shuttle, a pulse round struck him in the leg. 

Gabriel fired off several more rounds that struck surprisingly close to the operators, causing them to drop and roll out of the way.  Then he grabbed Sivlok and drug him up the short platform and into the old rusty looking shuttle. 

Sivlok shouted and pointed up at the wall of the shuttle, "There!!  Hit that button!!!"

Gabriel quickly did as he was told and closed the shuttle doors.  Then helping the Vulcan into a seat, they strapped themselves in.

"Computer, activate weapons!!"

Sivloks aged voice rung through the shuttle and then he continued, "Fire!!!"

The shuttle jolted slightly and it's weapons shot out and struck the bay door.  Then two more volleys of energy reached out and struck the steel doors.  They exploded open and Sivlok guided the shuttle out of the bay...into space.

For a moment, Gabriel's eyes were glued to the view port.  Stars...beautiful and shining.  He hadn't seen them for almost two decades. 

Sivlok seemed a bit more preoccupied with other matters however.  The shuttle was being fired at by outer defenses in place by the asteroid mining colony.  It didn't seem to concern him too much and he reached for a button on the console, "Computer, set a course for these coordinates....maximum warp."

With that said, the ship began humming and in the blink of an eye from Gabriel the ship darted off faster than light.  Taking them to the first location.  Earth....


Chapter #5

Gabriel walked up to the view screen.  He recognized the lights, the colors...all the details as before.  The view screen where he watched the stars sometimes for hours.  He could see the rings of the planet the ship was coming up on now.  Before he had a chance to react however, the ship shuddered from a torpedo impact. 

He tried to react, but as he was turning around, a hand grabbed him by the shoulder.  He looked up and there, standing before him, was Sivlok.  A Vulcan, of all things...here? 

"Remember the past, live in the moment, and reach for the future."  Sivlok spoke those words and then began to walk away.  The ship shuddered again.  Gabriel fell to his knees and reached up for the Vulcan. 

"Wait!!! Come back!!!"

Sivlok came to a corner in the corridor and turned back, "There isn't much time...go home...."

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Gabriel woke up with a startle.  Sivlok was kneeling next to him with a hand on his shoulder.  "Wake up, Gabriel.  We're close now."

Sivlok stood up and walked into the cock-pit area.  Gabriel remained on the cot for a moment.  He rubbed his eyes, stretched a bit and tried to shake the dream that he had had.  Then, he leaned up, got to his feet and walked into the cock-pit area.  Taking the co-pilot seat next to Sivlok, he watched as the Vulcan skillfully tapped keys on the control pad and kept looking up at the view port.

"Computer, disable warp, slow to full impulse on approach for Grid Location #1 of Sol System."  Sivlok tapped a few more controls and then sat back in his seat as if to sigh in relief, "You'll see it in just a few moments."

The shuttle veered close to a small moon marked by many craters but made a short orbit around it, as if to miss it and go around.  Then, it came into view.  Vibrant colors of blue, green, brown and white appeared.  Pristine and majestic, it hung in space like a rare and beautiful jewel.  Earth.

Gabriel leaned forward and his jaw dropped slightly.  It was the most beautiful thing he'd ever seen.  "You mean...this is my home world?" 

The Vulcan grinned slightly and called to the computer again.  "Computer, bring up the chart on the view port.  "Chart our trajectory from this point."

"Models and calculations complete.  This is the path."

A line stretched straight out and towards the western coast of a large country.  Slipping down and reaching to an area next to an ocean where the land held a bay.  There it ended. 

"What is that place?"  Gabriel was full of curiosity now. 

"I don't know, but that's where the coordinates point us."  Sivlok sat back in his seat again and watched as the shuttle dipped down into the atmosphere and rumbled a bit as it broke through and into sky.  Most of the surface was desert like, however near the ocean it was forested and lush green. 

The shuttle continued until it reached an area of the forest that held several grassy knolls.  It sat down gently and powered down.  The hum of the engine quieting down till it was silent.  Then, the bay door of the shuttle opened, Gabriel and Sivlok walked down the ramp and onto grass. 

They both scanned the area over and over and finally, Gabriel pulled out the tri-corder he had found.  It was now emitting some intermittent noises, especially if he pointed it back into the forest. 

"Well, i'm no scientist but I think it's telling us to go that way."

"Who are we to argue with it after all it's done for us?"  Sivlok started first, heading for the forest.  Gabriel took a moment, looking up at the clear blue skies and the soft breezes that blew against him.  He smiled and sucked as much of it in as he could.  Then he began walking in the direction the old Vulcan was going.

The forest was dark and thick.  The trees towered above, but the foliage and brush made it difficult to walk.  Sivlok pushed aside brush as best as he could.  Gabriel tried to follow in his footsteps but the thickness made it difficult to move at all.  Through the undergrowth, they could see blue ocean and the remnants of something orange.

Finally, after what seemed like forever, they came out to open coastline.  Dark blue water crashed in waves against the land and it turned out that the orange object they saw was a portion of some orange structure that stuck out of the water.

They stopped for a moment and scanned the area with their eyes.  Then, Gabriel saw it.  Over in the distance, there stood part of some structure that had been built and crumpled, long ago. 

"Is that what we're looking for?"  Gabriel studied the ruins carefully.

Sivlok took a moment as he looked the area over himself before saying, "I don't know, that pad of yours seems to say so."

Whatever it was, it was Gabriel's destiny to go to the ruins. 


Chapter #6

The two walked down the grassy hill and headed towards the ruins.  While they did, Gabriel constantly glanced up in the air and watched as some sort of animals flew through the air making noises he'd never heard before.  It saddened him really.  To be from this world and have it feel so alien to him, made him feel like he was the alien instead.  Coming to a foreign world and calling it his own. 

Parts of the ruins still remained intact but a large portion was under the ground.  Gabriel came into a courtyard area.  Wild and overrun with plants and vines he could only imagine at how there used to be such a beautiful place here.  Birds sang and chirped all over the place and small animals ran here and there.

Sivlok followed him, and together they made it to a set of large doors that hinged closed.  Sivlok looked it over and studied it carefully.

Before he could get a word out however, the door came to life with voice, "Starfleet Code # 4565 specifies that only human life may enter.  Stand by for scans."

The door hummed for a moment and then a small beam emitting from a tiny laser in the left door shot out and touched Gabriel.  It remained motionless for a moment and then dissipated.

"Scan complete...preparing second scan."

This time the beam touched Sivlok.  It waited a moment and disappeared.  "Scan Complete, life form is of Vulcan Descent.  Life Form may not pass."

Gabriel turned around to Sivlok, "What now?  We've traveled so far, we can't just split up now."

Sivlok put a hand on his shoulder, "Gabriel, this is your quest, your journey.  I wasn't supposed to make it this far, but you saved my life.  Any debt you feel you had, has been paid.  Just remember, what lies ahead for you, is truly an amazing adventure."

Gabriel smiled and turned back to the doors, "I'm ready."

Then he turned to Sivlok once more to say goodbye and Sivlok replied, "Good luck and don't trust anyone."

Suddenly, Gabriel began to feel light, lines began to swirl around him and he vanished into thin air.  Everything went dark and when he finally realized he wasn't outside anymore, he materialized inside a dark facility. 

He looked around and tried to get a sense for where he was, when a soft female voice spoke.  "Welcome traveler.  I am an Automated Response System.  I am programmed to guide you.  Please, this way."

The floor lit up.  Panel by panel, as if leading Gabriel on a path.  He followed it for what seemed ages.  Turn after turn, corridor after corridor until the path led him to a large open chamber.

The chamber was truly massive in size.  It had a platform that led out to the middle and underneath...was bottomless.  The roof was dome shaped and around the sides were row upon row of seating. 

Gabriel slowly made his way up to the platform and stood.  Waiting in the dark.  He continued to look around more when suddenly...a holo - projection appeared before him.  The image projected was that of a star shaped insignia.  Then it changed to that of Earth with a design around it.  One signifying Starfleet...one signifying The United Federation of Planets...then...he appeared...the Federation President...


Chapter #7