A brief history of Flynn

Posted on Tue Oct 8th, 2024 @ 9:57am by Lieutenant Commander Alex Flynn & The Commander

1,704 words; about a 9 minute read

Mission: DownTime [1]
Location: ??
Timeline: After 'I'm with Cupid'

Alex became suddenly aware of herself again, though she was in total darkness. She was suspended, weightless, still, and not uncomfortable other than one would be when surrounded by a dark, silent void in existence. She could not move but did not feel restrained, it was more as though she could, facing forward, see all there was to see.

Light appeared before Alex’s eyes. The image of a man, tall and thin with styled red hair and heterochromic blue-green eyes. A Starfleet Commander from the 23rd century, by the look of his gold uniform shirt’s sleeves.

“If you can hear me, I am the Commander of this vessel. This message is to let you know that I cannot interfere with what comes next, and that you need to take it seriously. It is not a simulation or simulacrum; the consequences will be as real as any other time in your life.”

His voice was finely tuned and sturdy, he had a fey, almost Vulcan look to him, but there was no sign he was anything but human. From what Flynn could see, he was the only other thing in the universe, and a source of light.

“Eventually, I will be able to retrieve you from it, and it will be up to you whether or not you wish to leave. If you do not join me, I will not stay, and there will be no further return to your point of origin possible. When you are ready to begin, press the button.”

In the space that appeared to be within arm’s reach for Alex, a large red holographic button appeared in the shape of her palm and fingers.

Alex pressed it, and once again seemed to fade into unconsciousness.

A moment later, she stirred, having heard herself snoring. She was aboard a starship. In a bed that was not hers, wearing a t-shirt that was not hers. She turned over, to see the rear of a nude man doing something at a desk terminal on the other side of the room that turned him into a silhouette.

She’d know that arse anywhere, it was her former colleague, one of the Federation’s foremost scientists. This was the night before he left, before he went to Elaas and learned all about his father for the first time in his life, explaining both his phenomenal brilliance and abrasive, hubristic personality.

For four years they’d served together, and despite his advances made at just about anything with warm blood and a subjectively appealing aesthetic, she’d resisted his charms. She’d even developed a close friendship, despite his grating nature.

She didn’t remember his shoulders being so hairy. What had happened? What finally brought them together against both of their better judgements? He’d seen her negatives, and together they had encouraged each other’s bad habits.

“Hlogun?” She asked.

“Did I wake you, luv? Apologies. Sounds like you might be getting a cold. You know I’d never have kissed you if I knew you had a cold.” The scientist said without turning around.

That response confused her. Then she remembered he was still going by Logan, as his mother had called him. It wasn’t until he discovered his Elasian ancestry in the 90's that he became Hlogun Sutulhar. It was what, 2388? 89? He was still just Lieutenant Junior Grade Logan Sutler.

“No, I.. never mind. Listen, I think I’ve just come unstuck in time.” Alex told him honestly, feeling no need to preserve the fidelity to the timeline.

“I had fun too luv, but me ego doesn’t need any more stroking.” She’d forgotten how thick his Irish brogue used to be, before he spent all that time on Elaas.

“No, I mean, I’m not the Alex Flynn of your time. Last I checked it was 2402. I just woke up from falling down an infinite hallway.”

“Oh. Should I be offended by that or honoured?” He finally turned away from his terminal and sat down on the edge of the bed.

“I don’t know yet. I was trapped in some sort of transitory void-space between the hallway and here, there was a message from some 23rd century commander I didn’t recognise. I had to press a button to start.. this.” She explained. Who better to help with temporal tomfoolery than a self-described modern super-genius?

“Tell me more about the hallway. How’d you get there?”

“We found an old constitution-class ship. We’re in the Dreizhen system, spatial grid MH-723. The system has an anomaly within that bridges our universe with others at random.”

Logan’s eyes widened as he considered it. He hadn’t made most of his truly great discoveries yet, he was better known for his prodigious intellect and to those with the clearance, work on the slipstream project. “That certainly increases the possibilities.” He moved to the other side of the room and threw a robe on, then returned to sit on his side of the bed.

“And you’ve been dropped back here? Why?” He asked.

“I don’t know. The Commander told me he couldn’t interfere, but eventually he’d be able to retrieve me. He said it would be real.” Alex explained.

“Feels real to me.” Logan responded. “So what happened the first time you did this?”

“I don’t really remember. I think I slept for another six hours. What were we doing before we came here?” Alex asked.

“Making out in the jeffries tubes.” Logan answered.

“Before that.” Alex asked, annoyed at his obtuseness in a way that felt very familiar.

“Dr D’s wake.” Logan said sullenly. Alex remembered now, Cassandra Dvorak, the ship’s CMO. She and Logan were engaged. She'd felt conflicted about that later, but eventually rationalised it, dismissing any guilt. He had already been married three times before the late Doctor.

“Oh. Yeah. Sorry. Again.” Alex said.

“I got over it pretty quick, as you can tell.”

“Could that be why I’m here?”

“Maybe. Although if it were up to me I’d have you arrive 48 hours earlier so you could tell Cassie about the nanocites in her cerebrum.” Logan said, his mood souring at the topic, though he did not resist its discussion.

“I mean, is this a test? Is this a prank? Is this a trap? I don’t get what’s supposed to be happening here. It’s a weird, emotionally messy time, but not significant. Why not send me back to the Dominion War so I can warn my dad not to go into that nebula?"

"Weren't you six? Not like he'd have taken command advice from you." Logan countered.

"Well then why not the attack on the Vice President before I left diplomatic security? Romulus hasn’t been destroyed yet. Has it?”

“No. Science Council thinks they’re going to stop the nova. I don’t like their chances personally.”

“They don’t stop it. Romulus is destroyed, along with dozens of other worlds.” Alex told him.

“Jay-zus. Even with Spock in charge?”

“He’s lost when they finally do stop it, after it takes out Romulus.”

“Bloody hell. Well, that sounds like as good a reason as any to send someone through time. Stop Romulus getting exploded. Save Spock.” Logan summarised.

“What can I do about it? All the Federation’s best minds and resources are already on it.” Alex said. Suddenly she remembered one of the more sinister details of the era. “Oh.”

“Oh?” Logan mimicked her.

“Commodore Oh. The head of Starfleet Security. She’s a Romulan spy. Part of a fanatical anti-synthetic cabal called the Zhat Vash.”

“Oh.” Logan said without affect. “Are you sure this isn’t all just you making fun of me?”

“I would make fun of you in much less obscure and more public ways.” Alex told him.

“Right. Well, we’ll be back on Earth in sixteen hours. So, I guess you can either assume your purpose here is to thwart galactic catastrophe and do everything in your power from this second on to keep the future from coming to pass. Or, you can stay here until we get to Earth, at which time we can both do everything we can to keep the things you said from happening, with the support of everyone on Earth.” Logn suggested.

“Why wait?” Alex asked.

“So we can test the theory I’ve developed that you came unstuck in time as a result of overwhelming carnal sensory stimulation.” Logan suggested, sounding quite serious and scientific.

“That’s a possibility.” Alex said, accepting that if she was going to be given the chance to re-explore her own past, she might as well make the most of it. "We shouldn't ignore it." She discarded the shirt.

A few hours later both were sweaty and exhausted, Alex was on the edge of sleep even with Logan snoring loudly beside her.

Suddenly the Commander’s voice filled the air, a repeating message.

“If you can hear me, I can now retrieve you if you press the button in front of you. If you do not come, you will remain here for the rest of your natural existence. This message repeats five more times before discontinuing.”

She let the holographic shape of her palm and fingers before her remain there for a moment, looking at the glistening scientist next to her. This wasn’t what happened. Would this be better? It didn’t matter.

“If you can hear me, I can now retrieve you…” the Commander’s message repeated again.

She’d done this already. Life worked out the way it did. Logan became Hlogun and became even more insufferable, but also significantly more successful after getting kicked out of Starfleet. She started moving into command. Some part of her would always care for him and want them to be together, but the stars just didn't align that way, and maybe it was for the best.

“Thanks for the memories, Sutler.” Alex said, smacking him gently but loudly on the exposed behind, before pressing her palm into the button.

Around her, everything once again dispersed into darkness, and consciousness drifted from her.

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