Star Traks 2: Difference between revisions
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==Summary== | ==Summary== | ||
The book begins with [[Dr. Robert Tulson]] explaining the destruction of the [[Transference Ray]] to Fleet Admiral Jean-Luc Picard and the Federation Council. Unbeknownst to the Council, their session is being observed by [[Zero]], who decides that if he wants information on the Transference Ray, he will have to get it from Captain [[Alexander Rydell]]. Meanwhile, on route to its next destination, the [[USS Secondprize]] has begun experiencing time distortions. [[Jaroch]] is able to determine the source as the planet [[Lorikel]]. When Commander [[Travis Dillon]] tries to inform Captain Rydell of this, the crew discovers that Rydell is missing. | |||
Rydell awakens in what appears to be his ready room, but there's sunshine coming in through the window. He soon learns that he has been transported to [[The Suburb]], a resort-like prison run by Zero. Despite the fact that no one else is there, Zero insists on calling Rydell [[Number 38.2]]. Zero demands to know everything Rydell knows about the Transference Ray and refuses to accept that what Rydell knows amounts to pretty much nothing. | |||
Jaroch and Lieutenant [[Patricia Hawkins]] investigate the captain's disappearance, but soon after determining that Rydell was beamed away by an immensely-powerful transporter, Jaroch decides that the temporal distortions are the bigger concern. As Dillon orders the Secondprize to Lorikel to look into the source of the time distortions, Hawkins enlists Lieutenant [[Monica Vaughn]] to help her find Rydell. Dillon, Jaroch, Ensign [[Emily Sullivan]], and Commander [[Scott Baird]] beam down to a structure detected on Lorikel and meet [[Dr. Derrick Azar]], a temporal physicist who enlists Dillon, Jaroch, and Sullivan to test out his latest invention, the time tube. After Azar misses a decimal point, what is supposed to be a quick trip to 25 years in the future ends up being a trip 25 billion years into the future. The Secondprize officers go past the end of this universe and into the next one, which is exactly identical except everyone's gender has been switched. Since this same event has been happening in each universe, Baird and Dr. Azar find themselves with a male Sullivan and female Dillon and Jaroch, who have just arrived from the previous universe. Unfortunately, this extreme trip shorts out the time tube, effectively stranding the time travellers. | |||
Back in The Suburb, Rydell has had run-ins with [[Fido]], The Suburb's automated security system, and no luck escaping. He sees another ship crash nearby after being shot down by Zero for coming too close to the planet. Rydell is able to get to the crash site first and meets [[Karina Durham]] briefly before they are both captured by Fido. Zero has had enough of Rydell and orders Fido to kill him. Rydell is able to escape and free Durham, then the two of them return to her ship and send a distress call to the Secondprize. Hawkins and Vaughn had been able to determined the general direction of the transporter that grabbed Rydell and had increased the sensitivity of the sensors and subspace transceivers aimed in that direction. They receive Rydell's message and determine his location. The female Dillon in command orders the ship to go after Rydell. The Secondprize arrives before Zero can take another crack at killing Rydell, Rydell and Durham are rescued, and Zero is taken into custody. | |||
The Secondprize returns to Lorikel, the time tube is repaired, and everyone is put back in their rightful place. Zero is shipped off to [[Tantalus V]], and, as the Secondprize continues onward, Rydell considers buying The Suburb with the thought of turning it into a resort. | |||
==Featuring== | ==Featuring== | ||
Revision as of 16:20, 25 March 2008
| Star Traks: The Original Series | |
| Episode name | Star Traks 2: Sorry, Wrong Number |
|---|---|
| Season | |
| Episode number | |
| Writer(s) | Alan Decker |
| Year | 2372 |
| Stardate | 49818 |
| Chronology | |
| Previous in series | Belch-O-Rama [TRK] |
| Next in series | Star Traks 3 [TRK] |
| Previous in timeline | Belch-O-Rama [TRK] |
| Next in timeline | Star Traks 3 [TRK] |
After Captain Alexander Rydell mysteriously vanishes from the USS Secondprize, Commander Travis Dillon and the rest of the Secondprize crew must find him and deal with temporal distortions that are ripping apart time and space. This one's got psychopaths, gender-swapping, and a homage to a cult 60's TV series other than Star Trek.
Summary
The book begins with Dr. Robert Tulson explaining the destruction of the Transference Ray to Fleet Admiral Jean-Luc Picard and the Federation Council. Unbeknownst to the Council, their session is being observed by Zero, who decides that if he wants information on the Transference Ray, he will have to get it from Captain Alexander Rydell. Meanwhile, on route to its next destination, the USS Secondprize has begun experiencing time distortions. Jaroch is able to determine the source as the planet Lorikel. When Commander Travis Dillon tries to inform Captain Rydell of this, the crew discovers that Rydell is missing.
Rydell awakens in what appears to be his ready room, but there's sunshine coming in through the window. He soon learns that he has been transported to The Suburb, a resort-like prison run by Zero. Despite the fact that no one else is there, Zero insists on calling Rydell Number 38.2. Zero demands to know everything Rydell knows about the Transference Ray and refuses to accept that what Rydell knows amounts to pretty much nothing.
Jaroch and Lieutenant Patricia Hawkins investigate the captain's disappearance, but soon after determining that Rydell was beamed away by an immensely-powerful transporter, Jaroch decides that the temporal distortions are the bigger concern. As Dillon orders the Secondprize to Lorikel to look into the source of the time distortions, Hawkins enlists Lieutenant Monica Vaughn to help her find Rydell. Dillon, Jaroch, Ensign Emily Sullivan, and Commander Scott Baird beam down to a structure detected on Lorikel and meet Dr. Derrick Azar, a temporal physicist who enlists Dillon, Jaroch, and Sullivan to test out his latest invention, the time tube. After Azar misses a decimal point, what is supposed to be a quick trip to 25 years in the future ends up being a trip 25 billion years into the future. The Secondprize officers go past the end of this universe and into the next one, which is exactly identical except everyone's gender has been switched. Since this same event has been happening in each universe, Baird and Dr. Azar find themselves with a male Sullivan and female Dillon and Jaroch, who have just arrived from the previous universe. Unfortunately, this extreme trip shorts out the time tube, effectively stranding the time travellers.
Back in The Suburb, Rydell has had run-ins with Fido, The Suburb's automated security system, and no luck escaping. He sees another ship crash nearby after being shot down by Zero for coming too close to the planet. Rydell is able to get to the crash site first and meets Karina Durham briefly before they are both captured by Fido. Zero has had enough of Rydell and orders Fido to kill him. Rydell is able to escape and free Durham, then the two of them return to her ship and send a distress call to the Secondprize. Hawkins and Vaughn had been able to determined the general direction of the transporter that grabbed Rydell and had increased the sensitivity of the sensors and subspace transceivers aimed in that direction. They receive Rydell's message and determine his location. The female Dillon in command orders the ship to go after Rydell. The Secondprize arrives before Zero can take another crack at killing Rydell, Rydell and Durham are rescued, and Zero is taken into custody.
The Secondprize returns to Lorikel, the time tube is repaired, and everyone is put back in their rightful place. Zero is shipped off to Tantalus V, and, as the Secondprize continues onward, Rydell considers buying The Suburb with the thought of turning it into a resort.
Featuring
- Captain Alexander Rydell
- Commander Travis Dillon
- Lieutenant Commander Jaroch
- Commander Scott Baird
- Lieutenant Patricia Hawkins
- Ensign Emily Sullivan
- Dr. Rebecca Singer
- Lieutenant Lisa Beck
- Ensign Kristen Larkin
- Counselor Claire Webber
- Lieutenant Monica Vaughn
- Trinian
Also Featuring
Author's Comments
The universe hopping part of this story was inspired by the film version of "A Brief History of Time." I saw the movie at the Naro theater in Norfolk, Virginia as an assignment for a physics class I was taking at Old Dominion University. I believe I started writing the book in late November of 1992.
When I was writing this, Star Trek: The Next Generation was still on the air. I purposely set Traks a few years ahead of TNG so that I wouldn't clash with anything they were doing. That didn't work out so well as evidenced by this story. In it, Jean-Luc Picard is serving as Fleet Admiral. Now, fortunately for me, the TNG movies have a nice gap between Generations and First Contact, so there's no reason why Picard couldn't have been Fleet Admiral during that time and then decided to give up the promotion and return to the captaincy. I like to think that the Secondprize drove him to it.
The Suburb, Zero, Fido, and Zero's insistance on giving Rydell a number are all references to "The Prisoner," a 1960's British TV series about a secret agent who retires and finds himself imprisoned in a place called "The Village." Once there, he is dubbed Number Six, and the facility is run by Number Two.