Star Trek vs. Star Wars: Extreme I*** *** *** *** Tijdlijnen. Timelines.

Star Trek vs. Star Wars: Extreme II.


Chapter 1.

"Captain's Log, supplemental. The Enterprise is on patrol along the border of the Romulan Neutral Zone. Starfleet Intelligence believes that the Romulan Star Empire is about to test another, more improved, cloak. Based on the examination of the cloak captured by the Enterprise we may have come up with a method to improve our sensors to such a degree that we might see through any new cloaking field."
James Kirk switched his log recorder off and turned to his first officer. "Mister Spock, any unusual readings?" Spock answered: "No captain. However our improved sensors are able to scan our immediate vicinity to a much greater accuracy. Far greater than we expected. And even long range sensors have been boosted to a degree that will enable us to do astronomical observations in greater detail." Kirk nodded slowly. "Very well Mister Spock."
To the helm officer he said: "Mister Sulu, proceed to the next sector. Let's see what that has to show. Or has to hide." Sulu grinned and remarked: "Aye, aye captain, course laid in." To Chekov he whispered: "Chekov, with these new and improved sensors you might be out of a job." Chekov smirked. "The moment they are stupid enough to fly starships without navigators like me is the day they are stupid enough to put whole families on starships."
Kirk, overhearing this, smiled and thought about how things might be in another century. He assumed that exploring space would be as wonderful as it was now.

His smile was wiped of his face when he heard his science officer call out: "Captain! Sensors are detecting an unusual particle stream dead ahead. Extremely energetic." Kirk didn't waste a moment and commanded: "Shields up, evasive maneuvers!"
Mister Sulu clawed at the controls and the Enterprise veered of course at such a speed that the inertia dampening field had trouble keeping the pace. Everyone on the bridge had to hold on something in order to not get thrown about.
On the view screen Kirk saw a gigantic wave of blue energy coming towards them. Seconds later the Enterprise was in it. And seemingly in them as well…

Images filled Kirk's mind. Images of great horror. Images of massive destruction. He heard someone sob softly and to his shock he saw Spock's face distorted with grief. He turned to his captain and whispered: "Jim, all dead… They were all dead Jim. Vulcan was gone. And Earth. I felt it." Kirk stood up and ran over to his first officer. Grabbing his shoulders he whispered: "Spock…. What are you talking about? What's happening?"
Spock stood up and took a step backwards. After Kirk had let go of his shoulders he collected himself en said: "I'm al right now captain. What I experienced was similar to what I experienced because of the death of the USS Intrepid. Only on a more massive scale. I felt Vulcan die. I felt that it will die."
Kirk shook his head. "That makes no sense…"
He was interrupted by Doctor McCoy who came to the bridge shouting: "What the hell is going on Jim? First you tell me this will be a routine patrol and now we got swallowed up by the color blue." Looking at Spock he frowned and asked: "Spock, you look positively pale. Are you okay?" Spock nodded and said: "I'm fine doctor. Thank you."
Kirk wasn't sure about it. He wasn't sure about anything at this moment. "Bones, I want you to do check up on the crew starting here with the bridge crew. I don't know what we experienced just now, but what Spock experienced… I felt something similar." McCoy sighed and said: "I was afraid of that Jim. Everybody I spoke to experienced this great doom. As if they saw the end of everything." He walked of to the portside of the bridge and began a tricorder scan of Mister Lesley.

Chekov called out: "Captain, we've got more problems. We are no longer where we were." Kirk checked the view screen and saw a pattern that was totally unfamiliar to him. "Mister Chekov, how far have we moved?" Kirk asked. Chekov shrugged and said: "I don't know sir. I'm not familiar with this part of the galaxy."
Sulu shook his head and said: "Neither am I sir. Maybe the ship was transported like it was when she was in orbit around Losira's world?"
Spock frowned and said: "I do not believe that is the case lieutenant. At that time the Enterprise was transported via a molecular transporter over a distance of 990.7 light years. It is clear to me now that we have gone through some type of wormhole over an even greater distance. I shall endeavor to establish our present whereabouts."

After a couple of seconds of studying the readings his instruments provided his eye brow arched and when he reported his findings to his captain he couldn't filter out the awe he felt: "Captain, we indeed have gone through a worm hole. It took us to another galaxy altogether. And it took us through time as well." His tone grew more sober. "Jim, we are currently 20,000,000 light years from home and in the past."
Jim Kirk had to sit down at that. That distance… It would take decades to get home. And that time… How to overcome that? Time dilation? Another time warp travel by slinging around a star as he had done on several occasions in the past? How would they survive that great intergalactic void? Hardly any recourses there.
"Spock, how long would it take for us to get home at maximum warp?" he asked his friend. Spock's answer came quickly: "Under normal circumstances traveling at a speed of Warp factor 8.4 we would arrive at our last position in 26.11 years."
Kirk sighed. "Spock, you and I both know that the ship can't possibly maintain Warp 8.4 constantly for that many years. What about time travel? Could we slingshot ourselves 20,000,000 years into the future?" Spock shook his head and said: "That would take thousands of slingshots. Time dilatation isn't an option either. Our impuls engines would need to sustain near light speed for a duration of 516,354.74 years. This is also impossible. The best change we have is to encounter another worm hole to bring us back where and when we were." Kirk nodded grimly. "Speaking of which… Where did the worm hole go to Spock? It's obviously no longer here." Spock answered: "Unknown for the moment captain. I must analyze the data further: I can give you an answer in an hour."
"Very well Mister Spock. I'll convene a meeting in the conference room in an hour with all the department heads." Kirk turned to his communications officer. "Lieutenant Uhura, patch me through to the ships intercom." The beautiful elegant woman nodded and replied: "Aye, aye sir, patching through."

James Kirk cleared his throat and said out loud: "Attention all hands, this is the captain. Our ship has been transported over a great distance in time and space. Although things look grim, I'm confident that we will be able to get back home. We have a good ship and an experienced crew. Report all your experiences of the event to your department heads. Kirk out."

Doctor Leonard McCoy walked back to him and started to scan him with his medical tricorder and reported the results of the scan of the bridge crew: "Nothing out of the ordinary Jim. Sure everybody is under a lot of stress, but that's normal under the circumstances. I am worried though about long term effects of this ordeal. If we indeed are stuck here, or have to travel decades to get home…" Kirk cut him off: "No Doctor, I have no intention to do those things. It is my intention to get his home and I don't want our voyage to last any longer than the time it took us to get here. I won't accept anything else for an answer." McCoy grinned and retorted: "Beware o universe. Don't cross the great captain Kirk."

One hour later the department heads gathered in the main conference room of the great Constitution class starship.
Kirk nodded to Mister Spock: "Spock, what are your findings? Where's the worm hole?" Spock unfolded his hands and said: "The phenomenon that took us here is positioned between us and the centre of this galaxy at a distance of 300 light years. We can get there within 3.43 hours at Warp 8.4. Sooner if we can increase our speed." Kirk turned to his chief engineer. "Scotty?" The Scotsman smiled and said: "Aye captain, I think the ship might go Warp 9 and maybe a wee bit more. Whatever brought us here left our engines alone. In the past my poor bairns suffered a great deal more sir." Kirk grinned. "Just 300 light years…. What's in between Spock?" The first officer answered: "Several solar systems with class M planets sir. Some of them are inhabited and all belong to the major power that governs this galaxy. I would advice caution. The sub space communications we picked up indicate that it is an entity that maintains control by means of brute force. Long range scans also indicate the Empire, as the political entity calls itself, has a rather large fleet consisting of ships bigger and possibly more powerful than we are familiar with. The most unusual thing about them captain is that they are human." Kirk blinked. "Human Spock? This is another galaxy and another time… Parallel evolution?" Spock looked thoughtfully and replied: "Possibly captain. In our own galaxy and time several planets have humanoid, even human inhabitants. However, there is one more rather unusual aspect about them." Spock turned to Uhura and continued: "Lieutenant Uhura discovered that translating communications we intercepted wasn't all that difficult." Uhura continued where Spock stopped. "Captain, their language is something they call 'standard', and it's basically English."

Kirk asked another question, this time to Ensign Chekov: "Do the long range sensors indicate any ships movements in our direction? Have ships here noticed us?" Chekov shook his head empathically. "No sir, I mean ships move around all the time, including in our direction. But nothing indicates they have any interest in us. Traffic in this region is so heavy they might not even notice we're here." Kirk nodded slowly. "Excellent Ensign. We should maintain this status quo. We have the Prime Directive to consider and I don't think it's wise to draw the attention of an Empire that controls its space through brute force and might have ships that easily outmatch ours. Mister Scott, see if you can bring that Romulan cloak on line. We might need it to avoid unnecessary contact with the natives of this galaxy. But because we are explorers I suggest we learn as much as we can during our stay here. And speaking of learning… Ladies and gentlemen, when we came in contact with that worm hole, we all experienced some sort of flash back towards an event that strangely seemed to be in the distant future. That's at least how I perceived it. Do any of you have some explanation for this? Doctor?" McCoy shook his head: "No Jim, as I said earlier just about everybody experienced it. I conferred with Doctor Helen Noel about it and she's convinced that on a psychological level we are all right. Which means that the things we saw and felt was genuine information that somehow was transmitted to our brains. I'm sure our green blooded friend here could say something more about the information planted directly into our brains and what it all means."

Spock remained silent for a moment. "Indeed Doctor. Being able to bring myself into a state of higher concentration I have learned some things that are quite disturbing. I wasn't sure at first the information was actually valid, but what we have learned now about this galaxy validates what I, what we all know now. The worm hole that brought us here captain is sentient." Kirk held his breath. "Spock? Sentient? How?" Spock continued: "It's not just any ordinary worm hole, but something that was formed inside an alternate reality of sorts. A reality that was layered on top of our own or at least it was until things changed back to what is now. The layer became a small pocket universe inside the worm hole itself, and inside that pocket universe everything in both galaxies died. Except one entity of enormous power and hate. We met this entity before Jim."
Kirk looked at his friend and said: "The hate vampire that attacked us at Beta XIIA. Or at least the pocket universe version of it then." Spock nodded and said: "Yes. In this pocket universe it merged with a man born in this galaxy. For a moment, when somehow the layer over this reality was cast off and turned into that pocket universe inside that worm hole, the creature seemed dead, but it awoke again."
McCoy smiled awkwardly: "Are we sure we must go back to that thing? If it is all about power and hate we might have to stay away from it. Who knows what it could do to us next?"
Spock shook his head: "Doctor, I doubt we have any choice in the matter if we want to get home to our own galaxy and time. We must seek it out and communicate with it. It has brought us here for a reason."
Kirk asked sharply: "What reason Spock? And why us? That thing is from our future isn't it? Why didn't it go to that time?"

Spock shook his head: "I do not have the answers to that captain. We must ask the creature."
Scotty looked skeptical. "Sir, that's all possible of course, but why did that thing move 300 light years away?" Spock answered: "Unknown to me Mister Scott, as you are well aware since it planted the information I have in your mind as well."
Kirk stood up: "Gentlemen, we can argue about this until doomsday, but it seems that our only course of action is to go to that creature and ask it. Somehow make it take us home again." He added after a short pause: "And if it turns out the creature is out to destroy us for some reason or cause harm to others we must stop it at all costs. Even if it means we get to be stuck here or die. That was all ladies and gentlemen. Scotty, activate the Romulan cloaking device. Mister Chekov lay in a course for the worm hole creature." Chekov said: "Aye captain." All left the conference room and moved to their duty stations.

Hours later the Starship Enterprise came within 10,000 kilometers of the creature.
Kirk stared at the view screen and marveled at the complex storms that seemed to rage within it. He never knew there were so many shades of blue.
Then the creature moved in their direction and the alarm claxons were activated automatically.
"Captain Kirk!" Uhura shouted. "The transporter room. Mister Kyle reports the transporter has been activated." Kirk looked quickly at Spock and said to Uhura: "Contact security. Let them meet me at the transporter room." As he started towards the turbo lift Mister Spock followed him closely.
At the entrance of the transporter room security officers Giotto and Garrovick were already waiting. Kirk greeted them with a civil "Gentlemen" and the four entered the room.
Transporter chief Kyle was extremely nervous and said: "Sir, the transporter just came on line." Kirk nodded and gently pushed him aside. He studied the controls and tried to override the process that was taking place. Too late.
Over the intercom he could hear Uhura's voice: "Captain Kirk, the worm hole entity has changed size and has now entered the ship. Commander Scott says it's moving towards…" Static. Kirk knew where it had moved. It was here now.
He swallowed hard as he saw a form start to materialize on the transporter pad.
It was a tall man.
Black helmet.
Black cloak.
The sound of some sort of respiratory system filled the room.

All present in the transporter room felt an invisible hand close around their throat.


Chapter 2.

The tall man in the black cloak looked down on the five men in the transporter room. All were lying on the floor, their hands gripping their throats. All quite dead. Under his black helmet he smiled. He had enjoyed their fear and hatred for him. Delicious!

He walked out of the transporter room and was met by two more security guards. They drew their phasers and fired. It didn't matter. Their puny weapons could not harm him. With a wave of his hand the men flew backwards and were smashed against the wall. It was all too easy. It was time to make use of his other abilities. With a mere thought he made some changes to the weapons on board this ship called Enterprise.
The next group of security personal that came running towards him noticed their phasers had changed into something else. Awkwardly they stared at strange cylinders in their hands as the man in black approached them. The man took a cylinder himself in his hand and activated a switch. Some sort of energy beam grew out of the cylinder. It reminded the men of some sort of sword or sabre. Very politely the man in black said: "Like this, gentlemen."
The oldest of the guards switched his own cylinder on and accidentally wounded his companion. The man in black lost his patience and struck both men down with his light sabre.

Fifteen minutes later the man arrived on the bridge, leaving a trail of corpses.
Lieutenant Uhura jumped up from her seat and attacked the man in black with her bare hands. With a chuckle the stranger grabbed her throat and crushed it.
With a cry of anger Mister Sulu activated his light sabre and for a moment the stranger was impressed by the helmsman's duelling skills. Others of the bridge crew attacked as well but were suddenly held back by an invisible force. Sulu was able to hold a minute against the attacker before he was defeated.

In the mean while down in engineering Scotty had tried to reach the bridge on the ships intercom system but had failed. He called one of his engineering crew: "Johnson, I need your assistance. I assume the bridge crew is dead also, but the intruder is still there as far as I can tell. If we can cut of life support we might defeat…" He couldn't finish his line. Johnson, a tall, strong blond guy knocked him over with his fist and yelled: "You crazy Scotsman! You'll get us all killed. Maybe if we surrender that guy will let us live I…" His eyes glazed over and he fell. Ensign Smith stood over him. Knife in hand. Her eyes wild.
Scotty stood up and thanked the red head with a glance. Kneeling besides Johnson he checked his pulse. He was still alive but barely. He looked up to Smith and said: "Help me get him to sickbay lassie. Communications are still down."
Smith took a few steps back and yelled: "NO! I won't help him. He killed my parents and he… he…" Her eyes closed in shame. Angrily she continued: "The things he did to me last month. Doctor McCoy had to…" She didn't finish her sentence but ran away out of engineering. Scotty was stunned. Smith had only been on board for a fortnight and Johnson had been here for a year. They had never met before!
Suddenly Mister Scott remembered something that made him shiver. Had that hate creature returned? The last time it had been on board this ship it had been able to make people believe the strangest things. For instance Chekov had believed he had brother that was killed by Klingons, but in reality the young Russian was an only child.
He had to do something about Johnson… He ordered some of his other man to him: "Help me lads to get Mister Johnson to sickbay."

In sickbay Doctor McCoy and his staff were swamped by the wounded. When he saw Scotty arrive he asked: "Scotty, are you alright?" When he saw blood on the chief engineer he mumbled: "Stupid question. Okay put Johnson on the table. Who did this Scotty? His wounds are not consistent with the wounds inflicted by tall, dark and gruesome." Scotty shook his head. "I cannot understand it Doctor. This man suddenly turned on me and he in turn was attacked by another of my engineering staff. It is as if that bloody hate vampire is on board again." The men were interrupted when they heard Christine Chapel scream.
A group of crewmen brought in the bodies of the crewmen that were in the transporter room
Christine rushed to the body of Spock and cried softly.
McCoy stared at the still form of Kirk and whispered: "You're dead, Jim…"
Out loud he yelled: "Damn this all to hell, put him on the diagnostic table!"
Franticly he adjusted the settings. If this indeed was like when that creature had been on board… To his relieve it was indeed the case. Kirk's eyes flew open and he started to gasp for air. With his right hand he grabbed McCoy and yelled: "The intruder, we must kill him Bones, he must die, die, die, DIE!!" His face had turned red and distorted by hate. He literary fumed!
"Hold on Jim," McCoy said hoarsely. "You were dead for a moment. What exactly happened to you? Was it that hate vampire again?" Kirk shook his head angrily. "No Doctor, this was a man. A dead man. I'm going to kill him. Nobody can do this to me. Kill me; kill my crew, TAKE MY SHIP! Nobody! He must die Bones. I will kill him!"
Jim Kirk got up from the table like a drunken man, barely able to stand on his feet.
"I will go to him now!" Kirk yelled.

"No need for that dear captain," the man in black said as he strode majestically through sickbay. "I will come to you. Again."
Kirk wanted to charge him but was so weak he had to grab hold of the diagnostic table. Again Kirk shouted: "I will kill you, you bastard! Who are you?"
The man in black answered: "I am called Lord Vader Earth man. And from now on I'm master of this vessel. Thanks to this transporter of yours I was able to assume this form again and my non-corporal component chose this ship because it had a score to settle with you. You mocked him. You chased him of your ship while it gave you so much! It provided you with immortality and the chance to fight your enemy, and what did you do? You laughed in it's … my face. That's why it is you who must pay through eternal suffering. You and your crew!"

Vader looked around and grinned. "The Force allows me to for see a number of tactics you might deploy against me, or my 'hate vampire' component as you would put it. Drugs to lift your spirits so you would not feel hate or fare. The synthesis of kironide to give you telekinesis. All this I will destroy!" With a wave of his hand half of sickbay seemed to explode. Many crewmen present were wounded by flying debris.
Vader felt the hatred towards him grow and he enjoyed it beyond believe. The man in dark laughed softly and left sickbay.

James Kirk looked around him. What was going on? Something strange had happened. He grabbed McCoy's hand and asked: "Bones, what has happened? Is the Enterprise under attack?" The Doctor shook his head. "Don't know Jim. Something is clouding my mind. There are some things I should remember but… For the life of me Jim, I don't know what."
Kirk suddenly saw Spock on a bed on the other end of sickbay. Christine stood by him and looked worried at the diagnostic display above the bed. Without looking at them she remarked: "I wish Doctor M'Benga was able to help, but he was one of the first fallen. Now Mister Spock's in a coma." McCoy walked over to her and softly: "I know Christine, I know."
Kirk joined them and said: "Bring him to Bones. We need him. We need to figure out what's going on here." He stared to the ground and grunted: "Why can't I remember?"

Angry sounds broke his train of thoughts. He looked up and saw two security men, Swenson and Bartoli fight. Bartoli shouted: "You killed my cousin Paco you bastard! You were jealous of him because he made head of security on the Yorktown. You arranged the accident that destroyed that ship!"
Kirk ran towards them and pulled them apart. To Bartoli he said: "What are you talking about? The Yorktown wasn't destroyed and it's head of security wasn't your cousin! Snap out of it Bartoli!" Bartoli spat: "And you are in it Kirk!" The angry Italian grabbed his light sabre and activated it. Kirk grabbed his and was barely able to deflect the glowing energy blade. With a swift move he stabbed Bartoli in the heart and the man fell instantly to the ground.
Kirk turned around to see if Swenson would cause trouble, but the man had already fled.
Looking down on the body of Bartoli he grunted. "Damned Bones, what have I done? Can you do anything for him?" Doctor McCoy knelt by the man and examined him. "I'm sorry Jim. The wound is fatal, I…" Bartoli grabbed his arm and shouted: "No way Doctor! You're not going to fool me. I will take care of you before…." Bartoli slipped into unconsciousness when the Doctor administered a sedative.
"Help me out here Jim; we need to get Bartoli here on a bed. We can't keep him lying on the floor here." Kirk nodded and helped the Doctor.
After that he remarked: "This so much reminds me of the time the Enterprise was attacked by that hate vampire. We and the Klingons fought out this war on the ship and the bulk of my crew was trapped down below because we couldn't get through to them."
Startled he looked up and said: "Why am I getting this feeling I already knew this?"
Navigator Chekov, who walked in with a wounded Sulu, answered the question for him: "Déjà vu captain. A feeling first described by a very famous Russian psychologist."
Kirk almost smiled at that. The young ensign was so proud of his heritage. Kirk asked: "Do you remember ensign, what happened back then?" Chekov nodded proudly and said: "Of course captain. That creature made me believe I had a brother and us all that there was a Federation colony that was destroyed by the Klingons." His face fell when he remembered things he was not so very proud of. "I also remember I wanted to… hurt Mara."
Kirk bit his lower lip. "That must be the answer to it all. The creature is back and somehow every time we figure this out we seem to forget somehow. And look around you; this place looks as if some bomb went off here. Instruments, medication, chemicals… All destroyed. Things we might have used to develop a defence against it."
McCoy grabbed Kirk by the shoulders and shook him violently: "Now YOU snap out of it Jim! We'll figure this out. I want you to start thinking like a military man again. I want you to seek out the creature and kill it." The Doctor stopped when he suddenly realized something: "Damn it Jim, I think I used similar words back when the creature attacked us the first time. The thing makes us forget what's happening every time we figure things out. It tries to keep us out of balance. If we only…"
The doctor was interrupted by a powerful voice coming over the intercom. "I'm Lord Vader. I have restored your internal communications in order to convey to you that the Enterprise will rendezvous with an Imperial Star Destroyer within the hour. Until that time I will further amuse myself with you. Keep on fighting. Keep on hating. Hate brings me power! The power of the Dark Side!"
Kirk ran towards the nearest intercom system and contacted the bridge. "Uhura, patch me through on ship wide intercom. I need to speak to the crew." But in stead of Uhura he heard only Vader's mocking voice: "I must apologize, captain Kirk. I really can't allow you to order your crew to stop fighting like you did the last time. Your voice might counter act my efforts to raise their fighting spirits." The intercom went dead.
The silence was broken by the sounds of two young women fighting. Janice Rand and Tonia Barrows were strangling each other.
Kirk ordered: "Stop this at once!" The girls looked up at him in shame.
Jim Kirk looked at everyone in sickbay and said: "I'm sick and tired of this thing. I'm ordering you all to stop fighting. Let go of each other. We must control our emotions or else that Vader thing will feed of off it."
McCoy asked: "What if we loose our memories again? Everything will start from scratch!"
The answer came from Mister Spock: "Mental discipline doctor. Something you obviously lack." Kirk grinned and walked over to his first officer. "Spock, you're alive again."
Spock nodded: "Barely captain. We must find a way to get everybody on board peaceful. The intercoms are working, but I doubt Lord Vader will allow you to issue orders."
Kirk let out a sigh and said: "And we can't drug the crew. Vader made sure of that. Besides I think that this 'Lord' has some telepathic power of his own. The moment we think something up he might pick up on it…" Kirk's eyes widened and continued: "unless …"

The Vader creature sat in the centre seat of the bridge of the Enterprise and enjoyed the feelings of the bridge crew. They all hated him so much! Ah, their own hatred provided him with the power to control their minds. The hate vampire was the perfect ally for the Dark Side of the Force.
The lovely communications officer Uhura, helmsman Kevin Reilly and all the others…. Every time they thought Vader wasn't looking they shot him an angry glance. And there was nothing they could do.
Vader felt a tingling in the back of his neck. Something was afoot. That Federation captain was planning something. Vader stood up and strode towards the turbo lift doors.

Before he could board the turbo lift Kirk exited, his light sabre activated. With ease Vader dodged the first swing Kirk made at him, but he had to move a step back when Kirk swiftly changed the direction of the swing. Vader activated his own weapon and blocked Kirk's blow.
How was that possible? He should have been able to read Kirk like a book. Somehow the captain had mastered enough mental discipline to block Vader from reading his mind and his feelings.
Vader said mockingly: "I see that your Vulcan friend has taught you a few things captain. This will not help you of course. I still will defeat you, and I still will defeat him!" With these words Vader aggressively attacked Kirk who fell backwards in order not to get hit by Vader's light sabre. To his satisfaction Vader noticed a few small cracks in Kirk's mental shielding. "So, your Mister Spock is really up to something isn't he? I can feel it captain. Again, this will not help you captain Kirk. I will kill you all again, let you live and wipe your memories. There is no way you can defeat me!"

Suddenly a high pitched sound emerged from the intercom. Vader looked up and felt a sharp pain in his ears. No matter. To Kirk he shouted: "Do you really think that sound can defeat me?" Kirk grinned and said: "No, not directly. But you might get hungry any time now."
The sound itself seemed to obey him as the frequency shot up to levels no human could hear.
The bridge crew grabbed their ears and fell to the floor.
Vader grunted: "Very clever captain, you knocked out your own crew ship wide. But I will not allow this to happen a second time." With the Force Vader reached out and destroyed the intercom system. Vader said: "Within the hour your crew will awake again in time to see the Star Destroyer arrive and I will continue to draw on their hatred. In the mean while I'll amuse my self with you captain Kirk!"

Kirk felt how Vader Force yanked his ear plugs out.
Their light sabres met in small space between them and Kirk again had to fall back. Vader fought with a fury he had seldom seen. Within seconds Kirk was laying on the ground, his right arm heavily wounded. Vader was again preparing to deliver the killing blow the moment the turbo lift doors opened.

First officer Spock walked stepped on the bridge in a trance. Vader looked at him in surprise and he was awed by the mental discipline the Vulcan seemed to possess in order to approach him like this. Indeed it must have been him who had created the mental block in Kirk. This Mister Spock was a dangerous man. Vader cursed himself. He should have anticipated this. The Force gave one the ability to see the future to some extend. No, not the future per see, but possible futures. For the future was always in motion.
Ignoring Kirk Vader walked in Spock's direction with the intent to strike him down. Spock's mind reached out to him in an attempt to mind meld. Excellent, Vader thought. He'll grant me insight in the way he blocked me.

Spock's mind merged with the Vader creature. Great pain exploded in him. He fell on his knees and whispered in unison with Vader: "I am Vader, I am Spock, I am [*], we are one."
Jim Kirk saw his friend in pain and wanted to reach out, but something told him he'd better not interfere.
Vader knew enough. He would break contact with the Vulcan, leaving him a mindless husk, and finish off his captain permanently. Kirk was also too dangerous to let live.
The moment he tried to separate Vader felt as if he was hit by electricity. He felt intense pain and sorrow from Spock. Part of him revelled in it; part of him lived on it, part of him felt sorry… What was this?!?

Together they whispered again mirroring each others feelings and thoughts, knowing each others deepest secrets. "Our minds are one, we are one, we are Spock."
Darth Vader fell on his knees and whispered: "Father, why did you not accept my choice, my logic... No!!!" Vader stood up and shouted: "No, we are not… I'm not! O, my son."
The man in black collected himself. The body of Spock had fallen on the deck.
Time to break free. "We are Vader, we are Spock, we are [*]."

It was all clear now.

The man in black shook his head: "No, I'm not Spock. I am Anakin."


Chapter 3.

The ship that approached them looked menacing.
Spock monitored it from his science station and called out: "Arrow shaped; length 1,608 meters, high energy readings. Hull seems to have some trace elements of… neutronium." He turned to captain Kirk and said: "Even without it's shielding there is chance our phasers wouldn't be effective if we were to engage in battle."
Kirk shook his head: "Let's hope it won't come to that. I would hate to go up against that thing."
The man formerly known as Darth Vader said with sadness in his voice: "It might come to that if that ship's captain doesn't like the answers we give them."
Lieutenant Uhura, still in pain from her recent ordeal, said: "We are being hailed captain. It's captain Soobi of the Imperial Star Destroyer 'Claw'; he wants to know who called them here with an Emperor's code."
Kirk nodded. "On screen lieutenant. Mister Skywalker, you have the floor."

On the view screen a stocky man appeared. The moment he saw the tall man in black his jaw dropped and he said in total awe: "Lord Vader! I had no idea you were here. You can't possibly be here. Rumors said you were currently assigned to assist grand moff Tarkin on the…"
Anakin Skywalker shouted: "Captain, your lack of deductional skills astounds me. As you can see I'm clearly here. The reason I called you here is to provide escort for this new experimental starship." Soobi frowned and asked: "What kind of new ship Lord Vader? Surely you don't mean that ship you are on now? It's energy output is so low! I think this all very suspicious…"
Anakin turned to Kirk and whispered: "I feel that things will go wrong captain. We must destroy them before they can alert the fleet." Kirk shook his head: "That monster out there? How?" Anakin smiled under his mask. "The Force will guide us captain. And my knowledge of this type of ship. See that tower structure on the aft of the ISD with the large observation ports? It's a weak spot. Follow my lead captain."
To captain Soobi Anakin said with great intensity while he reached out with The Force: "There is nothing suspicious about this."
Captain Soobi repeated: "There is nothing suspicious about this. " His bridge crew looked up and wandered what was going on.
Anakin continued: "Everything is all right; lower the shields."
Captain Soobi now seemed in a trance and ordered: "Everything is all right; lower the shields."
Anakin said: "Deactivate weapon systems."
Soobi felt the temperature around him rise. Or was it just his imagination? He ordered: "Deactivate weapon systems."
Anakin Skywalker turned to Kirk and shouted: "Now captain!"
James Kirk wasted no time. "Mister Sulu, lock on to that bridge and fire. Full phasers!"
Anakin Skywalker closed his eyes and connected to the Living Force.
The Enterprise phasers struck out and penetrated the bridge of the Claw. Within a second equipment and bridge personal were vaporized and explosions ripped of the top of the aft tower.
The Enterprise went to full impulse and after a second changed course so that she looked down into the hole it had made.
Kirk ordered again: "Photon torpedoes. Fire!"
A volley of four photon torpedoes entered the wound on top of the Star Destroyer and ripped it's insides out. The main reactors were badly damaged and a chain reaction ripped through the entire ship. The Enterprise veered of at maximum impuls and behind them the mighty Claw exploded.

Kirk let out a sigh of relief. "We got really lucky this time. I doubt that the next time we'll be able to do the same thing."
Spock nodded and said: "Indeed captain. The odds were against us. If Mister Skywalker hadn't been here…"
Anakin looked down and shook his head: "No Mister Spock, if I hadn't been here, you would not be in this position. The best thing would be if you used your transporter device to return me to the state I was in before I came on board. That way I would be able to return you to your own time and galaxy."
Spock curiously asked: "Where did all that energy go that you had or were when you were pure energy?" Anakin smiled under his mask and answered: "I parked it in a dimensional pocket, just outside this reality. I doubt your ship could handle storing a pocket universe consisting of two dead galaxies and a super worm hole."
"Speaking of handling," Doctor McCoy said when he stepped on the bridge, "How are you? That feat must have cost you. Is the 'Hate Vampire' still kept in check?"
Anakin passively allowed the good Doctor to scan him and said: "Yes Doctor, it's completely under my control. When Mister Spock knocked out your crew it had to go cold turkey so fast it self lost consciousness. But I think that when I turned back from the Dark Side it to went through some interesting changes. I think it.…"
Anakin Skywalker collapsed.

Startled Kirk and Spock helped him to his feet again and McCoy did another scan. "What the blazes was that Anakin?"
Anakin Skywalker gestured he was alright again and said with awe in his voice: "I felt a disturbance in the Force. It was as if millions of voices cried out before they were, extinguished…" Kirk looked at his first officer: "Like what we felt when we first came into contact with the worm hole. Some horrible tragedy must have taken place."
Skywalker sighed: "Yes captain. The Empire must have deployed the Death Star against an inhabited planet. It is a gigantic mobile battle station with an enormous fire power. I wonder what planet…?"
Kirk turned to Uhura. "Lieutenant, see if you can pick something up." The communications officer acknowledged his command and started listing to any extraordinary messages. Or lack thereof.
In the mean time Spock was studying information provided by long range sensors.
Anakin walked up to him and said: "I suggest you confine your search to that sector Mister Spock."
"What's there?" Kirk asked.
"Alderaan," answered the former Jedi Knight. "Shortly before the Emperor ordered me to invade your 24th century galaxy I was preparing to capture a rebel ship. On board was the princess Leia Organa. She's from Alderaan. Certain imperial interrogation protocols sometimes call for the use of somewhat, drastic techniques."
Appalled McCoy grunted: "Blowing up a planet just to make a girl talk?"
Anakin bowed his head in shame: "Yes Doctor. And during my stay at the Dark Side I would have found it perfectly acceptable."
Spock's face grew slightly pale when he double checked his findings. "Captain, I've scanned the indicated sector. No M-class planet exists there. Only an expanding cloud of dust. The power must have been greater than the output of the planet killer you once destroyed."
Uhura softly concurred with Spock's findings: "Until a few minutes sir, there was a regular amount of broad casts from that world. Now there is only silence."
Kirk slumped in his centre seat. "This reminds me all too much of the tactics used by the Terran Empire in that mirror dimension we visited once Spock."
"Indeed captain." To Anakin Spock said: "I had the misfortune to meet the captain's counterpart. Not an agreeable experience."

Anakin Skywalker sighed. "I must do something about this… I can't allow this to continue. I have power and knowledge that could turn the tide for the rebellion. There's just one problem at the moment: Transport. My worm hole is very unstable and I think I will be able to only use it once. That one time will be for your benefit when I get you home to your own galaxy and time."
Kirk smirked and said: "I think we can provide some transportation here."
Spock frowned and said: "Captain, I believe you would be violating the prime directive if we were to interfere in the conflict in this galaxy." McCoy snorted and said: "Leave it to Spock to call blowing up planets just a 'conflict', and not a heinous crime."
"Doctor, I can assure you that I'm most appalled by the willful destruction of countless people in a senseless spree of violence. I merely pointed out that it might not be our place to interfere." McCoy mellowed somewhat and said: "I know Spock. It's just so damn frustrating. One planet has already been destroyed and Lord knows how many will follow."
Kirk shook his head: "I don't think this will violate the prime directive. We only provide some transportation for Anakin Skywalker and in the mean time we learn more about the universe. Do I have to remind you gentlemen that our five year mission is about exploration?"
Besides, is this Empire part of the natural development of this galaxy or is it an unnatural aberration? There once was a civilized republic here for a thousand generations and suddenly it was replaced by a galaxy spanning dictatorship. I would say that the natural development was already disturbed."
To Anakin he said: "I'll make you a deal Mister Skywalker. I get you where you want to go and afterwards you use that worm hole of yours to send us home."
Anakin Skywalker smiled and nodded. "Thank you captain. But how can you possibly help besides ferrying me around? The Enterprise is no match for the might of the Death Star. If you attack it you'll be dead in seconds."
Kirk smiled. "I'm not planning a direct assault, I'm not suicidal. I'll find a way to beat them."
"How?" Anakin asked. Kirk shrugged and answered: "I'll cheat."
McCoy rolled his eyes and Spock commented: "I think the captain is referring to a possible 'Kobiyashi Maru' type scenario. The way HE handled it anyway."
Anakin, now frustrated, asked: "What does that mean?"
McCoy grinned and said: "He's Jim."


Chapter 4.

"Captain's Log, supplemental. Using the time warp slingshot method, sometimes known as the light speed breakaway factor, the Enterprise has travelled back in time to obtain the plans for the Imperial Battle Station known as the Death Star. Anakin Skywalker is convinced that in the past access to the plans will be easier than it would be in the 'present'. Another positive side effect is that the Empire, which does not yet exist in this timeframe, will have a very hard time tracking us because to their sensors it will appear as if our warp trail suddenly disappeared. We have made sure that no debris from the Claw will give them a clue as to who we are. We are currently orbiting the planet Geonosis. Our Romulan cloak has been repaired and improved by Skywalker and I'm positive we'll remain undetected thanks to it, and to Mister Skywalker's ability to influence the minds and memories of the inhabitants of this world that might accidentally notice we are here.."
Jim Kirk switched of the log and stared at the planet below. If this worked out they would know how to deal with a monster capable of destroying whole worlds.
Anakin Skywalker had closed his eyes and concentrated on several tasks at once.
To lieutenant Uhura he said: "A channel is open. Connect directly to the library computer." She nodded solemnly and said: "Aye sir."
Data began to poor in. Spock and Scotty monitored the dataflow and sometimes made notes on certain aspects of the prototype.
Kirk asked: "We're decades in the past. What if the design is changed too much in the time we have to put this to use?" Anakin smiled and said: "Although I was not completely familiar with every aspect, I know that what can be gleamed here can be of great use. If you now will excuse me, I've to concentrate."
Suddenly Uhura looked startled: "Incoming transmission over a separate channel. An extra data stream." Anakin Skywalker grunted softly. The strain on him was almost visible.
Scotty grinned and said to Spock: "Someone there thinks he or she or it is talking to another technician down on the planet. The caller wants some answers."
Concerned Spock remarked: "Mister Scott, if you consider interacting with this person, I should remind you that as soon as the other party finds out we are not who we seem to be, the mission will fail." Scott nodded and said: "I'm well aware of this Mister Spock, but the question before us is fairly simple. They are planning to change the way they dispose of excess energy. At the moment they are considering a two meter wide heat exhaust .port in stead of a series of millimetre-wide heat dispersion ducts."
He turned to Uhura and said: "Relay to them the following message: 'the more you overtake the plumbing, the easier it is to stop up the drain' and disconnect after telling them we can't be bothered by this."
After a couple of seconds Uhura smiled and nodded. "Mister Scott, they are choosing the one exhaust port. And they thank you for your insight."
Spock's eyebrow arched and he said: "You might have just changed history Mister Scott. Or we are now in an alternate universe. I must verify this by analysis of the quantum frequency signature of our universe. If it has shifted…"
After a minute Spock reported: "No shift in quantum frequency signature captain." And sounding almost pleased he added: "And the full schematics of the battle station as it is in this timeframe are now downloaded into our computers. Analysis for weaknesses can begin. I suggest that in the mean time we travel back to the time where we were."
Kirk nodded: "Excellent work gentlemen. Mister Sulu, take us out of orbit. Mister Chekov, plot a course for the proper time warp slingshot trajectory."

In silence the Enterprise moved away from Geonosis and went to warp.
Minutes later she was light years away and in the time of the destruction of Alderaan.
"Where to now Mister Skywalker?" Kirk asked.
Anakin answered: "In my reality we found out the rebel base in this time was located on the moon Yavin IV. They might have the means to make good use of the knowledge we took from Geonosis. I will give your Mister Chekov the coordinates."

When the Enterprise arrived in the Yavin system a terrifying battle was in progress.
Kirk's mouth dropped when he saw the gigantic Death Star orbit the gas giant Yavin and to his dismay he noticed the thing was about to come in range of it's target.
"Mister Skywalker, it appears we are too late. We can't even use time travel to stop this because clearly we didn't." Anxiously he turned to Spock and asked: "Or can we?"
Before his first officer could answer however a great white flash seemed to explode of the view screen. Where there was once a mighty battle station, now only a cloud of rapidly expanding dust appeared.

Dryly Mister Spock remarked: "Clearly the rebel alliance has found a way to solve this problem. Captain, now that a major threat to this galaxy has been removed for this moment, I can't see what possible purpose our continued presence here could have. I suggest we now return to our own time and galaxy. From what we have learned just now the rebels seem to have a fighting chance to overthrow the regime."

Kirk bit his lip and said: "I guess you are right Mister Spock."
"Mister Skywalker, would you please take us back to where en when we belong?"
Anakin softly laughed and said: "Yes, I promised that didn't I. Very well captain. I will contact the worm hole stored in a pocket dimension. It has weakened considerably, but I'm sure it can be used one more time. This time to take you back where you belong."

In front of the Enterprise a wave of blue energy appeared.
Anakin Skywalker walked towards the turbo lift, accompanied by captain Kirk and Mister Spock.
In the transporter room Kirk took control of the transporter and gestured Anakin Skywalker towards the platform.
"Mister Skywalker, goodbye and good luck with the rebellion."
Spock spread out his hand in the traditional Vulcan salute and added to his captains' farewell: "Live long and prosper, Anakin Skywalker."
Anakin Skywalker smiled and simply said: "Farewell."
The transporter was activated and he was reunited with the energy he had come from.
Immediately the Federation starship was swallowed up and seconds later spit out near the Romulan Neutral Zone.
The moment Kirk and his first officer returned to the bridge they saw on the view screen the worm hole was gone.
Uhura said: "Captain, I'm receiving a message from Starfleet. They are wondering where we were. It seems we have been missing for several weeks."

Kirk smiled and said: "Lieutenant, please inform them that we have been to a galaxy a long time ago, and far far away."
Doctor McCoy, who had joined them on the bridge, grinned and said: "Do you think that's wise Jim? Head quarters might start to think you've lost your marbles."
"Not if we show them all those hundreds of light sabres lying around here Bones. I wonder what technology can be gained from those. Not to mention the plans of the Death Star. Our scientist will not be able to put it to good use overnight, but it might be of use someday in the future."

To his helm officer Kirk said: "Mister Sulu, we still have a mission to fulfil here. Proceed to the next sector."


Gracefully the Enterprise continued on her mission.


Epilogue

The Anakin Skywalker from the pocket universe, with two dead galaxies in it, reunited with the energy he had been merged with. The [*]-part of him awoke and took over his mind. [*] was angry and consumed Anakin completely. Nothing human remained. Again [*] had been cheated, humiliated! Feverishly it sought a way to have some sort of revenge. The entire multiverse had to pay! Then it noticed that only several dimensions away, on the border between universes, a horrible battle was taking place. Immediately [*] traveled to that spot and was astonished by the incredible amounts of energy that was fired between two gigantic fleets. It could use that energy. It could be added to the energy [*] already had! [*] did not hesitate and dove right in. It became more powerful that ever before. [*] was changed now. [*] was now almost all powerful. [*] now needed a new name. From now on, the combination of the energy of two dead galaxies, the hate vampire [*] and the man once known as Lord Vader, would be known as Zirkon!

1. Start me up.*** *** *** *** Tijdlijnen. Timelines.