universe, but that was not to be her fate. Earth, a past Earth that had still not even dreamed of her existence, was waiting to receive her. The Wells coasted into an elliptical orbit around old Earth, her automatic systems compensating for the error in the arrival window.
Captain Erica Reordan moaned softly as she began to regain consciousness. The first thing she saw when she opened her eyes was the shapely backside of her executive officer, Commander Kellin Frazier. She was confused for a moment. Why is Kell’s butt in my face? Even more important, what was she doing lying on the floor of the control room? Resisting the urge to ask stupid questions, she rolled over and propped herself up on one elbow.
The Wells’ control room was a disaster area. Bodies lay thrown about in various states of disarray. Everyone seemed to be alive, but no one was where they were supposed to be. Kellin drew a deep breath and rolled over suddenly, his legs knocking her elbow out from under her, causing her to fall across his knees.
“ Oof! Watch it, Kell. Move slowly for a few minutes.”
“Captain? What happened, Ma’am?” Kellin sat up, looking down into her eyes for a moment before looking around. “Rough trip.”
“Mr. Frazier, you have an absolutely astounding talent for understatement.” Captain Reordan struggled to a sitting position, then hauled herself up into her chair. Thumbing her microphone to life, she punched up the shipwide announcing system.
“Attention all hands! Attention all hands! Damage control parties begin assessing the ship’s condition. Chief Engineer, establish propulsion capabilities and the status of the temporal drive.” Closing the circuit, she paused to rub her forehead, her fingers coming away with a smear of blood.
Commander Frazier handed her a wet gauze, and she unthinkingly slapped it to her forehead. “ HAAH! Damn, what was that!” she snarled as she threw the gauze on the floor.
“Alcohol,” Commander Frazier replied levelly before sitting heavily into his own chair and accessing his computer. “Nav says that we have reached old Earth, but the temporal circuits are down. I have no idea when we are.”
The rest of the control room staff was beginning to function again, retaking their stations amid soft curses and groans. Captain Reordan shook her head and ordered, “Sensors, I want an evaluation of that planet. Verify that it is Earth, then see if you can establish the era. Use atmospheric sampling and mapping.”
“Aye, Ma’am,” the tech answered softly, not looking up from his panel. “Preliminary readings are pre-industrial. Very low levels of hydrocarbons. Limited sulfur dioxide, apparently from natural sources. Mapping shows a few large European cities, none in North, Central, or South America, with the exception of some population centers on the Yucatan Peninsula and in the high Andes Mountains. Waiting for our orbit to bring Asia into range.”
“Pre-Columbian, or earlier.” The captain sighed. A crackle of static drew her attention to the intercom. “Report.”
“Control, Engineering. We have normal space drive only. Hyperspace and Temporal drives are off line. Temporal drive is completely dead.” The engineer, Lieutenant Commander Williamson, paused for a moment. “We have indications that we took a micrometeoroid strike at the instant of our transit. We could be anywhen.”
Captain Reordan caught her lower lip in her teeth for a moment, then nodded. “Very well. Continue with repairs. Control out.” Turning her chair to face her command crew, she sighed. “You heard him. Until Mister Williamson establishes the true extent of the damage, we continue with the mission. There is a whole planet to survey for the historians. Until proven otherwise, we will assume that Mister Williamson and his people will be able to make repairs and return us home.”
The crew gave her a few dubious looks, then began the survey. They had arrived north of the solar ecliptic so
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