"Return to Dimension Prime"

[Cptn Elias Moore 0]

"It is good to be back in Dimension Prime." Kinton noted, glancing at his superior officer in the command chair of the Rubikon. "Don't you agree, sir?"

 

Rubik's eyes dropped and bounced back up, a nod of agreement in the traditional Tholian way. They both knew the truth of the matter. Their mission had seen a potential space-time catastrophe narrowly avoided. Not Rubik's first such mission; as a young Tholian, many years ago, he had been part of a crew that had cleaned up an inverse continuum echo. This more recent mission had been more severe, however, and he had been in command of it; the feeling of importance that accompanied this thought was pleasing, and he was sure that Kinton, as first officer, felt it as well. They would be welcomed back as heroes, by the populace at large as well as the Directorate. But, indeed, the pleasure of simply returning home was the proverbial twinkle on the gemstone.

 

"We have arrived in the Sol system." Frene reported at the control console. "Powering down the slipstream drive and proceeding at light four."

 

"Let us see the homeworld." Rubik ordered.

 

The crystalline viewscreen at the top of the Bridge came to life. A human could identify the planet displayed as Earth... but a mutation of the familiar Earth so altered as to be nearly unrecognizable. The shapes of the landmasses were the same. But the land was partly obscured by a shifting red mist that enveloped the entire planet--vapors of the boiling oceans that were colored by light reflected off the great crystal spires of the Tholian cities. It was a magnificant sight for Rubik's crew to behold. It was Homeworld. It was Earth... conquered by the Tholian Assembly three hundred years prior.

 

Rubik looked down at his second in command. "I must admit. There was a certain charm to working with the Humans of Dimension 42."

 

"I know what you mean." Kinton replied. "Humans in our Dimension have become such a rarity these days. Only a few colonies out on the fringes, struggling to survive hostile environments, harassed continually by the Romulans. You almost have to feel sorry for them... but they brought it upon themselves by invading Old Tholia. The projections show that it will be the same way for the Dimension 13 Humans... they will become slaves of the very 'sub-Humans' they now conquer. Always paying for their intrusive ways, the Humans."

 

Rubik's eyes shook from side to side. "Not the Dimension 42 Humans... if the early projections are accurate, at least. They look to have a bright future ahead of them. They are already building it, in fact--working with other species rather than bullying them around. Long way to go before they can call themselves our equals... but not bad for Humans. Perhaps we should have simply asked for their help before we sent them to Dimension 13."

 

"Too risky." Kinton argued. He tapped the panel beside Rubik's chair. "All crews of Directorate Fleet Prime, this is the command ship Rubikon. We have arrived at New Tholia. Prepare to disembark for four cycles of hard-earned shore leave."