Skinner: Captain’s log, stardate 79366.2. After a complete search of the edge of Borg space for the lost science vessel, we have declared it missing and left the sector. One interesting mystery remains, however. Three days ago, Starfleet dispatched four research ships and the flagship Enterprise to the Garon Nebula. Since we have completed here, I think we should pay a visit to the group of vessels.
Nemo: May I remind the captain that there are ships in the Garon Nebula conducting an investigation for Starfleet, sir.
Skinner: Noted, lay in course and engage.
Delf: Sir, as first officer, it is my duty to give you suggestions and point out possible flaws in your captaining. I feel this one of those times.
Skinner: And may I remind you I am the captain, and my orders are followed. Lay in a course, Nemo.
Nemo: Aye, sir.
Skinner: I know what I am doing is against Starfleet regulations, and I will understand if anyone wishes to have no part in this, but I cannot tell you my reasons. All I can say is I know something that nobody else knows, not even Starfleet intelligence knows. But it is for the greater good of a ship and it’s crew.
Dal: Sir, we are entering the Garon Sector.
Skinner: On screen.
(5 ships come into view)
Laurie: Sir, we’re being hailed by the Enterprise.
Skinner: Open a channel.
Laurie: open.
Skinner: This is Captain Skinner of the USS Lexington. Do not be alarmed, we are merle here to observe.
"Picard: This is Captain Picard, you are not authorized to be here. Depart immediately."
Dal: Sir, putting sector Gamma 115 into view. Massive fluctuations coming from what appears to be an unstable wormhole.
Nemo: My god...
Delf: Sir, there is a ship emerging!
(a ship fly’s out of the wormhole, and the hole disappears)
Skinner: What ship is that? Scan it.
Nemo: Umm... It’s the USS Saratoga, sir.
Skinner: Sindbad’s ship... hail them.
"Sindbad: Ahh, Skinner. Good to see you again my friend!"
Skinner: Sindbad! I thought the Saratoga was lost in the Yridian system?
"Sindbad: That’s a long story which can be told in the sequel. Now, I need to talk with you in private. Your ship or mine?"
Skinner: We will be honored to have you on our ship. Bridge to transporter room 2, lock on to Mr. Sindbad and beam him over. Delf, will you meet our guest and have him meet me in the observation lounge?
Delf: Aye, sir.
Sindbad: Skinner, it’s been way to long.
Skinner: Greetings will have to wait, Picard is getting quite angry with us.
Sindbad: Well, I know what you want to know, so here it is. One week ago, I was transporting a bunch of settlers from Kajus nine to Starbase 217 when we received a distress call from the Garon Nebula. The distress call was from the Voyager.
Skinner: Voyager? The ship that was said lost when investigating that Marquis incident?
Sindbad: The one and only. We found the distress call coming through the wormhole, so we went in looking for them. Unfortunately, the ship could not be found on the other side.
Skinner: How did you get back here?
Sindbad: We couldn’t. All of the sudden we were here, no questions asked. But, what is interesting is that the other side of the wormhole is the Delta Quadrant.
Skinner: What about the Voyager?
Sindbad: Well, since it has been a great amount of time between when the ship disappeared and when we found the wormhole, it probably flew back towards home.
Skinner: What we have to find out is how far the Voyager got and find them.
Sindbad: Exactly.
Skinner: Hail the Enterprise.
Laurie: Channel open.
"Picard: I hope you have a very good explanation, Mr. Skinner."
Skinner: Well, captain, I’d love to give you one, but I can’t.
"Picard: Capt..."
Skinner: Sorry, no time to talk now, I must depart. Give my regards to Starfleet. Close channel.
Sindbad: Well, wasn’t that courteous.
Skinner: Always. Laurie, contact the Saratoga and let them know that Captain Sindbad is staying with us, and to follow us.
Laurie: Follow us where, sir?
Skinner: Into the wormhole, of course. Nemo, lay in a course.
Nemo: Aye, sir.
Sindbad: You’re nuts.
Skinner: I know. Engage, Nemo.
(Lexington fly’s into the wormhole, the Saratoga following)
Dal: Well, that was fun.
Skinner: Delf?
Delf: All decks report no casualties, no damages. Our coordinates confirm we are in the Gamma Quadrant.
Laurie: Saratoga confirms the same, sir.
Skinner: Excellent. Dal, scan for ion trails, approximately 4 months old.
Dal: Confirmed. I am also picking up unusual activity coming from the closest planet.
Skinner: We don’t have time for that now. Transport Sindbad to his ship and plot in a course to intercept the owner of those ion trails, warp 16.
(Sindbad beams away)
Skinner: Engage.
Delf: Sir, presuming the Voyager has the same type of engines that were made on it, and it has been flying for Alpha Quadrant continuously at maximum warp, I estimate we will reach them in approximately 5 days, 9 hours.
Skinner: Well, you didn’t take into account repairs they’d need to make, civilizations they may have met and studied, or planetary charting.
Delf: No, I did not.
(suddenly, the communications console explodes)
Skinner: Sickbay to the bridge!
(1 minute later, Tyberius appears)
Tyberius: She has 2nd degree burns and a concussion, I’ll need to take her to sickbay.
Skinner: Hmm, need a new communications officer.
Dal: What about that Vulcan that has been meditating in his room for the past month?
Skinner: That Spock guy? Well, I guess. Mr. Spock, report to the bridge.
Nemo: Sir, I’m picking up what appears to be debris of a ship.
Skinner: Can you get a reading of what it is, Dal?
Dal: Negative, sir. It does match that of a Ferengi vessel.
Skinner: Ferengi? Way out here?
Nemo: Also picking up traces of an opening and closing wormhole. 8 day intervals.
Skinner: Well, that solves that mystery.
Nemo: Federation weapons scanned, sir.
Skinner: Voyager.
Delf: It would appear so.
Nemo: Sir, ion trails lead to a different direction, heading 213 mark 275.
Dal: Sir, that goes right into Borg space.
Skinner: Set course, maximum warp.
Nemo: Approaching Borg space, sir.
Skinner: Shields up, yellow alert. Ready phasers and quantum torpedoes.
Dain: Aye, sir.
Skinner: Hail the nearest Borg ship.
Spock: Yes sir.
"Borg: We are Borg. We will take your species and assimilate them into our collective. Resistance is futile."
Skinner: My name is Captain Skinner of the federation ship Lexin...
"Borg: The federation has no need for understanding. The one you call Janeway saved sector 7336. You are, as was her ship, free to pass through our space."
Skinner: Uhh, thank you. Could you point us in the right direction?
Nemo: Sir, coordinates being transmitted.
Skinner: Well, then let’s go. Engage at warp 18.
Nemo: Aye.
Dal: Sir, sensors picking up a federation vessel directly ahead. It’s the Voyager.
Skinner: On screen, on screen! Let’s see it!
(a picture of Voyager on the screen)
Skinner: Magnificent.
Delf: Amazing.
Nemo: Cool!
Skinner: Well, what are you waiting for Spock? Hail them.
Spock: I have sir, 5 times. No response.
Sindbad: Well, it appears the ship is deserted. No life signs, no power, nothing.
Skinner: What I think is that their ship was so badly damaged from the long trip across the Gamma Quadrant that they couldn’t go on, so they took refuge on a nearby planet.
Dal: Yes, the only thing is which planet? There are 6 class - M planets in the area.
Garrick: 3 of the planets are already inhabited by a species called the Lataries. Their development is equal to 16th century Earth. No knowledge of space at all and very primitive. How they got to three planets is unknown.
Buckwheat: I believe the 4th planet would be their choice. No species on it except for the plantlife and local wildlife, no dangerous predators, and the terrain is ideal for protection from weather.
Delf: We have also scanned each planet for human traces, but only 4 of then could be scanned, leaving the 4th and 6th unable to because of a natural barrier in the atmosphere.
Skinner: Well, looks like we’re going to have to go down there ourselves. Sindbad, take an away party and explore the 6th planet, we’ll check the 4th. Keep in constant communication at all times with your ship.
Sindbad: Right.
Skinner: Then, my friend, good luck. Skinner to Lexington, 3 to beam back.
Skinner: Scan the area, don’t want anything sneaking up on us.
Dal: I am not reading any life signs, but there is a set of caverns due east that cannot be scanned from this distance.
Delf: I suggest we split up, sir.
Skinner: Agreed. Doctor, you will come with me and Dal. Nemo, Delf, and Spock, you head north over those cliffs. They may have wanted to go near the water. Meet back on the ship in an hour.
(The two groups split up)
Dal: I suggest we come in from over behind those rocks as not to attract any unwelcome visitors.
Skinner: OK. Tyberius, you and Dal go behind the rocks, I’ll ring the bell.
(Skinner walks into the cave to find lots of dead bodies wearing Starfleet uniforms)
Skinner: You guys should come see this.
Delf: Come-on, let’s hurry over this ridge. Maybe they’re on the other side.
(phaser shots come out from the distance and stun the team)
Skinner: Where’s Mr. Delf’s group?
Cerebus: Not back yet, sir. Haven’t checked in either.
Skinner: We were a half hour late, where could they be?
Tyberius: Sickbay to bridge. Captain, you’d better get down here.
Skinner: On my way.
Tyberius: This body. It’s Captain Janeway’s.
Skinner: Damn. What in the world could kill an entire crew? And where is the rest? The crew compliment was 430.
Tyberius: Something you might find of interest. None of the killed crew are Marquis.
Skinner: Maybe Voyager never saved the Marquis ship.
Tyberius: No, we gathered information from the distress beacon that Janeway made them part of the crew.
Skinner: You think there was a revolt?
Tyberius: I think that it is not a coincidence.
Skinner: Skinner to bridge, have Dain and a security crew meet me and the doctor in transporter room 4.
Dal: Aye, sir.
Skinner: OK, they went over the ridge. Cerebus, take the security team around the ridge and come up underneath. The rest of us will go up and over.
Cerebus: Aye, sir.
Skinner: Let’s go.
Dain: Phasers ready, set to stun.
(phaser shots shoot out at them)
Skinner: Take cover!
Tyberius: I don’t think they saw how many of us there were, we could use that to our advantage.
Skinner: You’re right.
(Skinner pushes Tyberius out of the bushes)
Skinner: Come-on, let’s get out of here.
(Dain and Skinner run around to where the shots were coming from as two figures walk up to Tyberius)
Chakotay: Pick him up, take him back to the base.
Torres: Yes, sir.
Skinner: I knew it. Let’s follow them back to their base.
Dain: Good idea. Then what?
Skinner: Not a clue. Let’s go.
Chakotay: Put him with the others.
Paris: Chakotay, don’t you think with Starfleet people here, we could have a ship to get out off this planet?
Chakotay: Exactly. We could sneak aboard their ship, or just use these officers as trade.
Paris: I seriously doubt they will give up a starship for a bunch of crew members.
Torres: I count nine of them.
Chakotay: Good, I’ll give the captain the good news.
Paris: This captain guy. How come none of us have seen him but you?
Chakotay: Because he wants to remain anonymous.
Torres: Anonymous nothing. I want to see him. What is he anyway? Some type of god or just a slum?
Voice: If you really must know.
(a figure walks into view and can be seen as Benjamin Sisko)
Paris: Captain Sisko? What are you doing here?
Sisko: In due time. In due time.
Dain: My god, Ben Sisko? Way out here?
Skinner: Come-on, we have to get back to the ship.
Skinner: Get a lock on Tyberius’ signal and prepare to beam 2 down there. Laurie, hail the Saratoga and have Sindbad beamed over here and to meet me in transporter room 2.
Dain: You’re not seriously going down there, are you?
Dal: Yeah, and what’s this about Sisko?
Skinner: No time to explain. Dal, keep things together until I get back.
Dal: I always do.
Sindbad: Sindbad to Skinner, coming?
Skinner: Yes, I’m here. Let’s get down there. Phasers on stun, keep a permanent lock on us.
Sindbad: Energize.
Skinner: Hey, my ship, my line...
Skinner: OK, here’s what we do. You tell Chakotay to freeze, I’ll jump out behind them and start blasting.
Sindbad: Nice plan.
Sindbad: OK, Marquis scum, freeze!
Sisko: Now!
(All the Lexington captives jump out and grab the Marquis, some holding them at gun point)
Skinner: Good job, Ben. I told you it would work.
Cerebus: You 5 go and gather up the rest of the Marquis.
Some Guy: Aye, sir.
Sindbad: What the hell?
Skinner: Don’t you know anything? I have secret tabs with everyone. When I heard about a planned investigation of the Garon Nebula from my pals at Starfleet, I remembered about Voyager. So, I asked Sisko to go check it out and kept in constant communication with him over secured channels.
Chakotay: And I would have gotten away with it too if it wasn’t for you dang kids. I’ll get you next time Skinner, next time.
Skinner: Enough with the stereotypes. Skinner to Lexington, beam all the Marquis down here directly to the bridge.
Sindbad: Well, I’ll be getting back to my ship. I’ll follow you back home, Skinner.
Skinner: No, you’d better lead so I can take Voyager in tow.
Sindbad: Hoping for some cozy admiral promotion when we get back?
Skinner: No, actually I’m hoping to get command of Voyager. She’s a fine ship.
Sindbad: That she is. Sindbad to Saratoga, 1 to beam up.
Skinner: Skinner to Lexington, beam up the away team except for me.
Tyberius: And me.
Skinner: You know, I never thought that something could fling a ship as far as the Caretaker did to Voyager.
Tyberius: Well you know, the universe is a very big place. There’s thousands of planets, species, and space that have never been seen. Anything can happen.
Skinner: That it is, doctor. That it is. Skinner to Lexington, two to beam up.
Nemo: Voyager locked on with a tractor beam, course laid in for the wormhole near the Ferengi ship we found.
Laurie: Saratoga reports ready to go.
Skinner: You know Delf, I think this may be just the first of many exciting missions that will be laid on our laps.
Delf: I, for one, am hope you’re right, sir. Nemo, maximum warp.
Nemo: Aye, sir.
Skinner: Mr. Nemo, take us home.
Nemo: Gladly, sir.
