Stranded In 2006 (Part One)

Starfleet are doing a bold experiment. They want to try and see if time travel can be perfected.

I'm more than a little worried, as the Enterprise senior staff have been chosen to operate the machinery.

Starfleet chiefs are watching behind screens from above.

Well away from danger.

We are all in the Timewarp Chamber at Starfleet Headquarters in San Francisco. Each of the staff has a role to play; Geordi is monitoring engine flow, Worf is checking for overheating, Beverly is on hand for any medical emergencies, Data is looking at the computers, Riker is checking the temporal flow, Deanna on standby for extra resources, and I'm err..... supervising it all.

"Switch on the time portal" I say with authority, as if I what I going on.

A few electrical sparks seem to flash, like they do in the 'Frankenstein' movies.

"Status?" I ask everyone.

"Optimum capacity" shouts Geordi over the loud machine.

"Heating level" declares Worf.

"Computers operating correctly." states Worf.

"Temporal flow working." says Riker.

"Medical Kit full." declares Beverly.

"Full resources still available." adds Deanna limply.

Then Riker starts to look a little worried. The sweat is showing.

"Temporal flow starting to exceed parameters" he says alarmingly, "Starting to head towards danger level."

I notice that the Starfleet officials have already ran away out of the building. They have left us here."

"Engine overheating, temporal flow in danger level, computers overloading." Data tells me, "Captain, I seriously suggest we evacuat..."

There is a blinding blue flash and I can feel all my atoms coming apart.

Suddenly we all wake up; we are no longer in the Timewarp Chamber, but a dusty old building.

"Where are we." I ask.

"Actually, Captain." states Data, "The correct question should be when are we, which according to my chronometer is 29th January 2006."

I open the door and see a busy 21st street of San Francisco. Old petrol-driven cars are crawling along in traffic hold-ups. The Golden Gate Bridge is there, but no Starfleet Headquarters.

As Jim Lovell said, "Houston, we have a problem."

"What are we going to do?" wails Deanna, "We can't stay in this time period. I'm not capable of surviving here. The don't have the sort of shops we have in the 24th Century."

"I don't know yet , Counselor." I honestly tell her.

A scruffy man walks past, looks at our uniforms and drawls, "Wow! Cool threads, man!". he then sees Worf and starts running away.

We close the doors and have an Emergency Conference.

We've got to face the fact that we may be here for some time, perhaps for the rest of our lives." I tell them, "It's essential that we lead very low key lives so that we do not upset the timeline."

All of them agree, and try to decide what their future careers will be.

"I shall be a doctor in a hospital" decides Beverly.

"I shall be a psychiatrist." declares Deanna.

"I'll be a trombone player in a jazz band." says Riker.

"I will be a teacher in a school" Data decides.

"I'll be a cool DJ in a nightclub." states Geordi, "It could be quite cool."

"I will be a wrestler," says Worf, "I'll let then think my Klingon face is a mask."

"What about you, Captain?" asks Deanna, "What will you be doing in your new life?"

"I intend to be a Shakespearen actor," I loftily tell them all, "Yes, I shall tread the boards of the local theatre. The 21st Century will have the privilege of seeing me playing 'Hamlet."'

Deanna suddenly has a fit of giggles for no apparent reason."

"We still have our Com badges" I tell them all, "If we need to locate one of us in the city, you will be able to. Good luck!"

We all depart out of the building, about to face the 21st Century and our new careers.