Episode 116. Breaking the Time Loop
Context
- Coordinated Universal Time
- Thursday, July 15, 1954 - 9:59 p.m.
- Location
-
- Beta Quadrant
- Solar System
- Near Earth
- VSS Schak'Irra
- Holding Cell
- Timeline
- Prime Timeline
- Previously on Trek Outta Time
-
The battle of 1954 reached its climax. The Tarantula, a gigantic Tholian warship, destroyed the Enterprise's shields and broke its warp nacelles. With Tal'Kyr's help, Agnes and Angie kept fighting, but the outcome was inevitable. VSS Schak'Irra then appeared from the future, confirming the presence of a temporal crossroads between the Prime and Schak'Irra lines. Aware that there was no escape left, Agnes Rodriguez ordered her crew to evacuate before launching the Enterprise into a ramming maneuver against the Tarantula. The explosion sealed the fate of the ship and its two commanding officers, but it also restored the Prime timeline. As T'Met and Tarsi join Schak'Irra, Captain T'Met's younger double has them locked up for violating the Temporal Prime Directive.
Characters
| Name | Affiliation / Branch | Title / Rank | Species | Original Timeline |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Vexoriana-Lyss'ra Tarsi | Starfleet / Temporal Division | Commander | Andorian | Prime Timeline |
| T'Met | Starfleet / Temporal Division | Captain | Vulcan | Prime Timeline |
| Young T'Met | Starfleet / Temporal Division | Captain | Vulcan | Prime Timeline |
| Zaneth-Myra Lysana | Starfleet / Temporal Division | Commander | Andorian | Prime Timeline |
| T'Killa | Starfleet / Temporal Division | Lieutenant | Vulcan | Prime Timeline |
| T'Less-Cop | Starfleet / Temporal Division | Lieutenant | Vulcan | Prime Timeline |
| Lingua (Initial Version) | Starfleet / Temporal Division | N/A | Artificial Intelligence | Prime Timeline |
| Vladimir Joseph Putin | Russian Empire | The Grand Tsar | Human | Schak'Irra Timeline |
Manifests
| USS Enterprise Destroyed in 1954 Last known manifest | VSS Schak'Irra | |
|---|---|---|
| Affiliation | NATO | Starfleet / Ni'Var |
| Location | 1954, near Earth | 1954, near Earth |
| Captain | T'Met (Young) | |
| First Officer | Zaneth-Myra Lysana | |
| Artificial Intelligence | Lingua (Initial Version) | |
| Pilot | Eric Corda | N/A |
| Communications | Emilie Flores | T'Killa |
| Operations | Charlene Savea | T'Less-Cop |
| Tactical | N/A | |
| Science | Manu | N/A |
| Engineering | Gornok (Unofficial) | N/A |
| Advanced Weaponry | Eros Vitos | N/A |
| Security | Robert Gomard (Unofficial) | N/A |
| Sickbay | Victor S. Calpel K'hoka Khol'a (assistant) |
N/A |
| Counselor/Consultant | Manu | N/A |
| Custodian | Manu | N/A |
| Passengers | N/A |
Eric Corda Emilie Flores Charlene Savea Robert Gomard and his squad Eros Vitos Manu 4 Vulcan survivors from Schak'Irra Emmanuel Macron Gornok and his Tellarite workers Victor S. Calpel K'hoka Khol'a |
| Detainees | N/A |
Vladimir Joseph Putin and his bodyguards T'Met Vexoriana-Lyss'ra Tarsi |
TL;DR
In a holding cell, Tarsi discovers that Commander Zaneth-Myra Lysana, young T'Met's right hand, is none other than a century-old version of herself. This revelation confirms that restoring the Prime line has not erased every fracture: several realities still coexist. While the three women debate paradoxes and causality effects, The Grand Tsar Putin resurfaces, alive, provocative, and mysteriously calm. On the bridge, young T'Met prepares Schak'Irra's jump back to the future, but just before entering the vortex, a distress call echoes from inside the wormhole itself, signed by Tal'Kyr.
Story
In the detention area of VSS Schak'Irra, Tarsi and T'Met are brought under guard. They are escorted by a respectable-aged Andorian, Commander Zaneth-Myra Lysana, who succeeded Tarsi as the ship's first officer one year earlier.
Cmdr. Vexoriana-Lyss'ra Tarsi
I see you are taking wicked pleasure in occupying my former post.
Cmdr. Zaneth-Myra Lysana (Number One VSS Schak'Irra)
I regret that this bothers you, Commander Tarsi. Please know that I never sought to replace you.
Cmdr. Vexoriana-Lyss'ra Tarsi
Hard to believe. Enjoy it while you can, because I will do everything I can to take my place back.
Cmdr. Zaneth-Myra Lysana (Number One VSS Schak'Irra)
For now, you are not in a position to do anything. Please enter.
Tarsi casts one last look around the cell before stepping inside.
Cmdr. Vexoriana-Lyss'ra Tarsi
This is the first time I have ever ended up in detention aboard a ship on which I served.
Capt. T'Met
Stay positive, Vexoriana-Lyss'ra. Schak'Irra's cells are far more functional than 20th-century Soviet dungeons.
Cmdr. Zaneth-Myra Lysana (Number One VSS Schak'Irra)
For my part, I am delighted to see you both again, despite the circumstances. I hope you will not hold it against me that I must lock you up.
Cmdr. Vexoriana-Lyss'ra Tarsi
You are only following orders. But you talk as if we had disappeared for centuries. For you, only a few minutes have passed.
Cmdr. Zaneth-Myra Lysana (Number One VSS Schak'Irra)
I am sorry. Captain T'Met's age clearly shows that you were absent for a long period.
Capt. T'Met
Correct. Precisely 70 years, Commander Zaneth-Myra Lysana. Or should I rather say... Agent Vexoriana-Lyss'ra Tarsi of Section 31?
Cmdr. Vexoriana-Lyss'ra Tarsi
Huh? What?!
Cmdr. Zaneth-Myra Lysana (Number One VSS Schak'Irra)
Lingua, activate level 1 confidentiality protocol.
Lingua (VSS Schak'Irra)
[beep] Protocol activated, Commander Lysana.
Cmdr. Zaneth-Myra Lysana (Number One VSS Schak'Irra)
You unmasked me, Captain T'Met. Yes, I am indeed Tarsi. It has been a very long time since anyone called me that.
Cmdr. Vexoriana-Lyss'ra Tarsi
How is that possible? You are... me???
Cmdr. Zaneth-Myra Lysana (Number One VSS Schak'Irra)
Indeed, I am you, but older. I celebrated my hundredth birthday this year. How did you discover my true identity, Captain T'Met? I have been extremely meticulous all these years.
Capt. T'Met
You told me yourself, on the day of your death, when we were captives in the U.S.S.R.
Cmdr. Zaneth-Myra Lysana (Number One VSS Schak'Irra)
I have no knowledge of those events.
Capt. T'Met
Logical, since we prevented Schak'Irra from crashing on Earth, thereby avoiding your capture by the Soviets. Unlike me, you did not live through those events.
Cmdr. Vexoriana-Lyss'ra Tarsi
All this is very nice, but why is there a century-old double of me? The Prime temporality has been restored; everything should be back in order!
Cmdr. Zaneth-Myra Lysana (Number One VSS Schak'Irra)
When I stole Tal'Kyr on stardate 231729.0 to investigate Schak'Irra's disappearance in 1954, I found myself on stardate 161541.7, that is, 70 years before this mission began.
Cmdr. Vexoriana-Lyss'ra Tarsi
Strange. Yet I reached 1954 without incident and was able to free T'Met from the Russians in 2024. We are missing a piece of the puzzle.
Capt. T'Met
This is the first consequence of restoring the Prime temporality. Commander Lysana traveled back in time from the Prime temporality to the Prime temporality, while Commander Tarsi passed from the Prime temporality to the Schak'Irra temporality.
Cmdr. Zaneth-Myra Lysana (Number One VSS Schak'Irra)
Your theory is fascinating, but we will have every opportunity to discuss it later. For now, I must return to the bridge to prepare Schak'Irra's return to the 26th century.
Zaneth-Myra Lysana leaves the cell. Suddenly, a cough emerges from a neighboring cell. Tarsi and T'Met turn their heads, stunned to see The Grand Tsar Putin in the adjacent cell.
Cmdr. Vexoriana-Lyss'ra Tarsi
YOU?! You should have died like a rat on the Enterprise! What are you doing here?!
Vladimir Joseph Putin (Grand Tsar of Russia)
I too am delighted to see you again, little alpha alien. My dear T'Met, I missed you as well.
The Grand Tsar readjusts the folds of his prison uniform, then tilts his head slightly toward T'Met, a discreet greeting. Their eyes exchange far more than words. Tarsi, observing this silent interaction, abruptly intervenes.
Cmdr. Vexoriana-Lyss'ra Tarsi
By the hairs in the great Minorian's ears! Stop staring at each other like targs in a display window, you are creeping me out!
Vladimir Joseph Putin (Grand Tsar of Russia)
I appreciate the irony of the situation. You are terrorists, and you are going to pay a heavy price.
Cmdr. Vexoriana-Lyss'ra Tarsi
Blah blah blah, and I bet you will come kill me even in the toilets if you have to! We know your record by heart! Lingua, deactivate our cells' force field so I can settle his account once and for all!
Lingua (VSS Schak'Irra)
[beep] Request denied, Commander Tarsi.
Meanwhile, Zaneth-Myra Lysana is back on the bridge, where operations are almost complete.
Lt. T'Less-Cop (Operations VSS Schak'Irra)
Captain, all survival pods and shuttles from the 21st-century human ship have been recovered. Its crew is in confinement.
Young Capt. T'Met (VSS Schak'Irra)
Perfect. What is the status of the combat-zone analyses?
Lt. T'Less-Cop (Operations VSS Schak'Irra)
The D.O.T.-21s collected the data and are back aboard. It seems the anomaly Starfleet asked us to investigate is the event created by the 21st-century humans, Commander Tarsi, and your double, Captain.
Young Capt. T'Met (VSS Schak'Irra)
Have all potential elements that could cause future contamination been removed?
Lt. T'Less-Cop (Operations VSS Schak'Irra)
Yes, Captain. The area is located in a region humans will not observe for several centuries.
Young Capt. T'Met (VSS Schak'Irra)
Excellent work, Lieutenant. Number One, prepare to create the wormhole for our return to our era.
Cmdr. Zaneth-Myra Lysana (Number One VSS Schak'Irra)
The calculations are complete, Captain. I am awaiting your order to launch the procedure.
Young Capt. T'Met (VSS Schak'Irra)
Proceed, Number One.
Zaneth-Myra Lysana starts the procedure. Gradually, a wormhole forms in front of Schak'Irra, but suddenly Lieutenant T'Killa picks up a communication from inside the vortex.
Lt. T'Killa (Communications VSS Schak'Irra)
Captain, an audio signal is being emitted from inside our vortex. It is Starfleet's emergency channel!
Young Capt. T'Met (VSS Schak'Irra)
Audio, Lieutenant.
Cmdr. Vexoriana-Lyss'ra Tarsi
VSS Schak'Irra, this is Tal'Kyr. Do you read me?
Young Capt. T'Met (VSS Schak'Irra)
This is VSS Schak'Irra, we hear you, Tal'Kyr. Please confirm your identity!
Cmdr. Vexoriana-Lyss'ra Tarsi
...[static]...
Young Capt. T'Met (VSS Schak'Irra)
Stabilize the communication, Lieutenant T'Killa!
Lt. T'Killa (Communications VSS Schak'Irra)
Sorry, Captain. The signal has been interrupted.
Cmdr. Zaneth-Myra Lysana (Number One VSS Schak'Irra)
My God! That is me!
Young Capt. T'Met (VSS Schak'Irra)
What are you saying, Number One?
Cmdr. Zaneth-Myra Lysana (Number One VSS Schak'Irra)
Uh, nothing, Captain. I find it strange that Starfleet would communicate this way without following procedures.
Young Capt. T'Met (VSS Schak'Irra)
Indeed strange, especially since Tal'Kyr is docked with Schak'Irra. Number One, record this event in the logbook. Pilot, take us back to our departure date without delay.
The pilot engages Schak'Irra's engines. Slowly, the ship approaches the vortex and lets itself be pulled in.