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Is this the end of the road for Number One?

Summary

The Enterprise arrives at Starbase 45 for repairs following a battle with the Chakuun, the Tholian’s shock troops. Engineer Grace, standing on the ship’s saucer section reports that although the damage is significant (requiring much more than a standard overhaul) the vessel can be repaired. Pike, after discussing casualty reports and shore leave with Dr Boyce, is informed by Boyce that Number One has been summoned to the planet by Commodore Strickland, the base comander.

Number One is offered command of the Nelson, but hesitates citing that she is still “learning.” She agrees to have her answer by nightfall.

While on shore leave, Colt and Tyler explore the ten thousand year ruins of the City of Ithanulan…which, according to myth, once held the “Well of Tomorrows,” an oracle of sorts. After some minor flirting, Tyler finds a sphere which Colt identifies as a “keepsake.” According to a guidebook, a keepsake was said to contain some of the mystical waters that allowed persons to glimpse their future. As the two scoff at the idea, Tyler sees an aged image of himself, dressed as a Captain in the uniforms worn in the late-2270s and early 2280s sitting in a command chair on a bridge from that time. Visibly shaken, Colt questions Tyler about seeing visions…Tyler dismisses it as an overactive imagination. Colt attempts produce a vision, but fails. Tyler jokes that she “has no future,” the two walk off into the sunset.

Back shipside Lt Mohindas and Nano continue repairs. Nano mentions that he heard Spock say that Number One had been offered command of a starship, which prompts Mohindas to bang her head on the panel. Nano states that it would bring benefits to Mohindas since the ship would require a first officer and she would be ideal. Number One asks Dr Boyce for his advice; he states that Starfleet needs more female Captains, which she agrees. She confides in Boyce her trepidations on taking command; filling “dead men’s shoes,” betraying Capt Pike and breaking up a close-knit family. Boyce indicates she will make the correct decision and the two toast a drink to “the future.”

In a severely damaged engineering, Pike and Grace discuss Number One’s future until Grace notices an unfamiliar face among his staff. The fellow, who had been working on an overloading backup system, identifies himself as Shane Samson, former assistant chief engineer on the Achilles who has now been transferred by Commodore Strickland to the Enterprise to serve the same role. Grace seems less than happy with this decision.

Pike receives encrypted priority orders and, after viewing them in his quarters, calls for Spock and Boyce.

Number One arrives on the bridge seeking Capt Pike, Mohindas informs her that he is in transporter room three and congratulates Number One on her recent promotion and command. Somewhat irritated by the rumors, she informs a stunned Mohindas that she will be staying and proceeds to the transport room. There she informs Pike that she will be staying. Pike approves in light of the fact that he will be on an away mission and wants to leave the Enterprise in capable hands. Pike also indicates that Starfleet wants a Senior Officer aboard the Enterprise to supervise the operations; however Number One will be in command of the Enterprise.

Just then, Admiral Robert April arrives, he will serve as the Supervisor.

Colt and Tyler study the artifact that Colt took from the ruins, Tyler jokes that the act was less than ethical...having basically taken it from an archeological site. Colt continues to examine it noting it is registering a faint tachyon emission. Tyler speculates that Colt is wasting her time, however, she goes forth citing that it “creeped her out” that he saw something and she did not. Colt agitates the particles with an amplified active scan and the keepsake begins to glow. Colt is then thrown into the future, disappearing and prompting Tyler to sound an emergency alert to the bridge.

Colt, unconscious, comes to only to find her room darkened. She is hailed by security men clad in the red duty tunics of the 2280s holding pistol phasers of that era who inform her that she is in a restrictive area and is subsequently under arrest.

Background Information

  • The "future" vision Jose Tyler has while looking at the "keepsake" suggests that Tyler may command a starship in this future, holding the rank of Captain, as seen by the shoulder insignia on his uniform. Crew members of this ship are shown to be a dark skinned Vulcan as the navigator, a female Human as the helmsman and a bald Andorian manning a station behind him.
  • The two security guards that place Colt under arrest are wearing officer's duty tunics of the TOS movie era, however, they have no rank on their shoulder strap. Also, they are holding the type of phaser seen in Star Trek III: The Search for Spock.
  • Colt and Tyler wear the field jackets seen in "The Cage". Additionally, all engineering personnel are shown wearing the "jump suits" with the "United Earth Emblem" similar to those worn by Dr. Boyce during "The Cage".

Creators

Characters

Canon characters listed below are linked to the main article about them. Non-canon characters are not linked, but those that recurred, appearing or being mentioned in more than one story, are defined further in Early Voyages characters.
Christopher Pike
Enterprise captain.
Number One
Enterprise exec.
Spock
Enterprise science officer.
Philip Boyce
Enterprise CMO.
Moves-With-Burning-Grace
Enterprise chief engineer.
Sita Mohindas
Enterprise helmsman.
Nano
Enterprise communications officer.
José Tyler
Enterprise navigator.
Mia Colt
Enterprise captain's yeoman.
Gabrielle Carlotti
Enterprise nurse.
Robert April
Starfleet admiral.
Strickland
Starfleet commodore.
Shane Samson
USS Achilles engineer reassigned to Enterprise.
Van Hansen
Deceased Enterprise second engineer.
Chakuun cohort general
Tuvok
In an alternate timelineviewed through one of the Algol keepsakes, Tuvok appears serving on the bridge of Captain Tyler.
2290s security officers

References

USS Achilles
Federation starship destroyed at Theta Kalyb.
Algol
Star system in the Perseus constellation, home of Starbase 45.
USS Brazzaville
Federation starship destroyed at Theta Kalyb.
Chakuun
Chakuun ghostships
Ithahulan
keepsake
USS Nelson
Four-nacelled Federation starship.
USS Providence
Federation starship destroyed at Theta Kalyb.
Starbase 45
Federation starbase.
Theta Kalyb
Tholian Assembly


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