If I Only Had a Brain
| Star Traks: Boldly Gone | |
| Episode name | If I Only Had a Brain |
|---|---|
| Season | 1 |
| Episode number | 1 |
| Writer(s) | Alan Decker, Anthony Butler |
| Year | 2500 |
| Stardate | 175014 |
| Chronology | |
| Previous in series | |
| Next in series | One Track Mind [BG] |
| Previous in timeline | Please Hold For Oblivion [TRK] |
| Next in timeline | One Track Mind [BG] |
2380ish...the USS Secondprize and USS Explorer discover seemingly unrelated pieces of technology. One hundred twenty years later, a Starfleet engineer is testing a hybrid Federation-Romulan engine in a prototype starship named Hermes. The prototype ships, which have an annoying way of exploding, seem impossible to operate...that is until the engineer comes across some of that technology. Soon, the finished prototype is commissioned for duty. One problem--the only thing keeping her operational is that oddball alien technology. The ship's designer, Shelly Marsden, could live with that, but she soon discovers that her unauthorized addition to the ship's systems has attracted some unwanted attention. Boldly Go to the Series Premiere of Star Traks: Boldly Gone... "If I Only Had a Brain."
Summary
In the 24th Century, the USS Secondprize encounters a piece of debris from a destroyed ship. The debris, which is filled with highly charged plasma and advanced technology, looks a bit like a massive piece of lasagna. Captain Alexander Rydell orders it to be put in the Secondprize's cargo hold for later study. Some time later, the USS Explorer under the command of Captain Andrew Baxter is passed at warp nine by a lifeform encased in a sphere approximately two meters in diameter.
One hundred nineteen years later, Lieutenant Shelly Marsden and Ensign Hector Arroyo of Starfleet Special Projects are out testing the Hermes-6, a vessel containing a prototype anti-singularity drive containing elements of Federation and Romulan technology. Upon activating the drive, the Hermes-6, like the five other prototypes before it, explodes.
One month later, Marsden and Arroyo take out the Hermes-7, into which Marsden has secretly installed the debris that the USS Secondprize found. As far as Marsden can tell, the debris is some sort of alien power transference and remodulation node, which she hopes will stabilize the anti-sing reaction. This time when Arroyo activates the anti-sing drive, it works, sending the ship 105 light years in a matter of seconds, then burns out. On their way back home, the Hermes-7 is intercepted by a metallic sphere two-meters in diameter, which phases through the hull and heads straight for Science Lab Four where the alien device is located. The sphere settles into the rounded depression on top of the device, connects itself to the device and the ship's systems, then launches the ship toward Breen space at high warp. Marsden scans the sphere with her quadcorder and realizes that it is sentient. She tells Arroyo that she knows someone who might be able to help them and has him send a distress call.
Admiral Kristen Larkin orders Captain Reginald Bain to intercept the Hermes-7 in the USS Navigator. He is joined by his tactical officer and adopted son Tovar, Commander Prosak, and a neuroscientist, Dr. Natalia Kasyov. En route, Bain dubs the ship the Anomaly, based on seeing the word in Marsden's report on the situation. They catch up with the ship just outside of Breen space and go aboard, at which point Kasyov is able to establish contact with Cabral, the disembodied brain residing inside the sphere. Cabral took over the Anomaly in order to get to Jacinda for a date that he's over a century late for. He takes the ship into Breen space, but allows the crew to have control of the ship's systems back so that they can fight off a Breen scythe ship commanded by Thot-Phul. Marsden is able to get the anti-sing drive back online, allowing them to escape the Breen and reach their destination, an asteroid field on the other side of Breen space. Another sphere, Jacinda is there embedded in an asteroid. The Anomaly crew helps Cabral take Jacinda on their date, at the end of which Jacinda tells him that she is now seeing another of their species whose sphere is embedded in a comet.
Cabral returns to the Anomaly depressed, and Kasyov consoles him as the ship returns to Earth at anti-sing speeds. Starfleet and the Romulans are pleased with the Anomaly's performance and decide to send the ship out under Bain's command with Prosak as first officer, Tovar as tactical officer, Marsden serving as chief engineer, and Arroyo manning the helm. Cabral decides to stay aboard as well, leaving Kasyov to decide whether she will go back to the research station or remain on the Anomaly to study Cabral.
Featuring
- Captain Reginald Bain
- Commander Prosak
- Lieutenant Commander Tovar
- Lieutenant Shelly Marsden
- Dr. Natalia Kasyov
- Ensign Hector Arroyo
- Cabral
- Jacinda
- Thot-Phul
Author's Comments
The first draft of this story was literally written in a day. After months of developing the series over email and AOL Instant Messenger, Anthony and I were finally able to be in the same place when he came to visit me in Louisiana during the Summer of 1999. We took turns at the computer keyboard and barreled our way through it. While not ideal in some ways, it was absolutely a lot of fun and extremely productive. We were able to finish most (possibly all. My memory is fuzzy after almost 25 years.) of the next story as well.
Looking back, I wonder if perhaps we could have made the story a bit bigger or upped the stakes a bit. As it stands, though, it gives a solid introduction to the characters and situation. And there’s a small scuffle with the Breen to add a bit of action.