SECTION 2

Some abandoned lab experiment that probably doesn’t do anything, or, if it does, will likely end in your death does not sound like the way to go under the circumstances. You need a surer thing, and the slingshot maneuver has been done many times before. People have accomplished it in starships, a Klingon Bird of Prey, and even a runabout, if your memory serves.

The tricky part, besides getting the trajectory part correct, is making sure that you have enough time to get to Vulcan once you finish the slingshot.

Wait. You’re thinking about this in the wrong order. This Reginald won’t be happy about it, but you two could beam to Vulcan through the Section 31 transporter network, steal a ship, and then slingshot! That’s a much better plan.

Fortunately, Reginald agrees, even though at first he is not pleased to be leaving his ship behind. But once he realizes he won’t have it in the new timeline anyway, he’s completely on board.

You and Reginald beam to the smallest and oldest of the four docking facilities in orbit over Vulcan in hopes that the security there will be a bit more lax than in any of its newer counterparts.

The next trick is to find a ship that’s up to performing a slingshot maneuver. You just hope that the Warpin’ 26 software in your Section 31 uniform is up to the task. You’ve already got it working on the preliminary calculations. It just needs to know the details of the ship involved.

And then you find it. An Andorian courier ship. Like all Andorian vessels, it’s over-armored, but this one is small and fast too. Reginald must have come to the same conclusion because he’s already jogging over to its hatch.

“I can get us inside,” you say, joining up.

“Capital. Then I’ll handle the booby traps.”

You pull two hidden leads out of your sleeve and connect them to the hatch’s access console. Seconds later, the hatch obediently lowers. Reginald is inside in a flash. Several clangs, a couple of grunts, a few zaps, and one good smash later, he pokes his head out. “Your chariot awaits, my lady.”

You step inside the Andorian ship to find the deck of the craft’s living area strewn with various blades, bits of energy weapons, wires, chains, and other debris that you can’t begin to identify. Overall, it looks trashed…or like an enemy ship that has been paid a visit by your timeline’s Reginald Bain.

Speaking of Reginald, this one looks absolutely thrilled.

“That was invigorating!” he exclaims.

“I glad you had a good time,” you say, stepping past him and into the ship’s cockpit, which has fortunately been unmolested by the chaos from the other room.

“I don’t know if any of that ruckus alerted the ship’s owner,” Reginald says, taking the copilot’s chair as you slide into the pilot’s seat. “But we should depart quickly.”

“I’m in full agreement,” you said, bringing the engines online. You send a request for permission to depart to docking control. Hopefully they don’t care to speak to you directly. Odds are that they won’t. This is Vulcan. There’s no logic in wasting time debating such a simple request, and it’s not like people go around stealing ships.

Except you two.

Docking control approves your departure, and while Reginald handles flying the craft to the spacedoors, you tie your Section 31 uniform into the ship’s computer. By the time you are in open space, Warpin’ 26 is doing its thing and running the final calculations for a slingshot maneuver around Vulcan’s sun with a trajectory that will take you back to the right point in 2387 to stop Hobus and bring this whole nightmare to an end.

“Ready?” you ask.

“Very much so!” Reginald says.

You take control of the ship and launch it into warp speed toward the sun, at which point you let the software take over. It’s a good thing, too, since you and Reginald are overwhelmed by the stress of the time warp (It’s astounding. Believe me.) and lose consciousness.

You regain consciousness a short time later. Were you dreaming? What the hell was that with the giant white heads and bits of dialogue?

Anyway, you’re awake again and quickly check the ship’s readouts as Reginald stirs beside you. Based on the sensors, you’re right where you’re supposed to be.

“We did it!” you exclaim happily.

You suddenly feel a searing pain as a phaser blast burns into your side.

“This is where we part ways, my dear,” Reginald says, slipping a small phaser back into his pocket.

“Reg…”

“That man you described, he’s not me. But there’s so much I can do in this time. So many wrongs I can right even before they happen. Hobus. The deforestation of Delcax. Maybe I can even stop them from putting that golf course on Eminar Seven. I can’t do any of that with you around, though. I’m so sorry, but you and your timeline have to go.”

Your world goes dark as your breathing becomes shallow. The last thing you see is Reginald steering the ship toward Vulcan.

He doesn’t know anything about stopping the Hobus supernova. He’s just going to make a hash of things.

Or maybe, despite the odds, he’ll get it done. Reginald Bain usually does find a way.

But whatever that way is, it won’t include you.

THE END

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