+1 Displaced Starfleet Captain

[decker_unit]

This... wasn't right.

The last thing Captain Willard Decker remembers was standing in front of Voyager 6... No, standing in front of V'Ger, inputting the final sequence. Was this what happened when he joined with V'ger? If that's the case...

He looks around, confused, as though searching for something, scanning the crowd.

Nothing.

A frown crosses Decker's face, and he looks around once more, before shifting, and approaching someone.

"Excuse me, sorry for interrupting, but... Where am I?"

Comments

[bob_fraser_rcmp]

"Hello, son," he smiled, as if nothing was astray and he was the tour director. "This is the Enterprise. Where were you supposed to be?"

[decker_unit]

"...The Enterprise. Or, rather, outside it." He looks around. "This isn't the Enterprise."

His tone isn't rude, but it's with a confidant air.

[bob_fraser_rcmp]

"Outside it?" he asked. "Doesn't seem healthy, son." He's heard things about the vacuum of space. "And I'm afraid that's what they're calling it."

[decker_unit]

"Well, it's definitely not the Enterprise I just left." Decker comments, folding his arms. "Is this a Federation vessel?"

[bob_fraser_rcmp]

"Well, I would conclude that would mean it's another one," he replied, with a shrug. "But I'm dead, so what do I know. And yes, son. so they say."

[decker_unit]

"Alright. Stranger things have happened." He admits, shrugging. Stranger things involving the Enterprise, certainly.

This other one requires further investigation. The lounge doesn't look like the interior of any Federation vessel he's been on, but the technology seems somewhat familiar, if more advanced. Same for the uniforms some of the people are wearing.

Similar, but not the same.

"What's the current stardate?" He asks, believing that'll answer some questions.

[bob_fraser_rcmp]

Bob would argue, but... well, his life wasn't normal and his afterlife is less so.

He answers him quickly, hoping to help.

[decker_unit]

And when the Stardate is given, Decker's expression drains once more.

"No. That's impossible." Because that would mean... "That stardate... It means I'm nearly 100 years into the future."

Could it be possible he's been merged with V'Ger for that long? How? And why couldn't he remember it? No. This was something else. It had to be.

"Are you positive about the stardate, sir?"

[bob_fraser_rcmp]

"Son, I'd be sympathetic to your 'impossible', but I'm pretty sure that I have you beat," he replied, rolling his eyes. "I was born in the 1940s."

[decker_unit]

"1940's?" There's an incredulous tone, there, but it's more to the time difference than not believing him.

"This is..." Interesting? Peculiar? Worrying? All of the above? Yes. He shakes his head. "Do you know how this happened? I mean, time travel is possible, but none of the conditions were present where I..." A pause. "When I was."

This seems... either random, or planned.

[bob_fraser_rcmp]

"A being known as 'Q'," he replied. "Seems to think it's a good idea to bring us all here. Not terribly keen on telling anyone why." He shrugged. "Most of the crew seems to think he's trying to be ornery, but there are a hell of lot of more efficient ways to be ornery."

[decker_unit]

"I see." Will looks thoughtful for a moment. "And this... Q. He has the power to pull people across space and time?"

That's quite powerful.

"I assume there's no immediate way back?"

[bob_fraser_rcmp]

"You can ask him, I suppose," he said. "He turns up in Ten Forward from time to time. And he'll definitely be there by Halloween, if I have his measure."

[decker_unit]

"Halloween?" That's not something he's familiar with. Some kind of old Earth holiday, maybe?

"And none of the crew have any ideas?"

[bob_fraser_rcmp]

"End of the month," he replied. "Not that they've told me, no."

[decker_unit]

"Well..." He looks around, spotting a monitor nearby. "There may be a way to find out." It's a long shot. For all he knows, Starfleet considers him dead.

[bob_fraser_rcmp]

As a policeman, he's interested in finding more. And well, he's not aware of any laws against old officers looking something up.

So he gives his silent consent to Decker's notion.

[decker_unit]

"This way."

He's not that bothered if the man follows him or not, but he walks over to the screen and activates it, frowing at the display.

"The interface is very different than from what I'm used to." He remarks, before clearing his throat. If all else fails, voice commands should work.

"Computer, initiate command override. Authorisation: Decker, Willard Captain. Juliet-Delta-4-Tango-Tango."

An acknowledging beep.

"Command code accepted. Security lockouts bypassed."

"...Seems Starfleet don't disable the codes of dead officers any more." He remarks, idly, starting to slowly browse through the unfamiliar interfaces.

[bob_fraser_rcmp]

He followed him. "I manage," he said, slightly unimpressed. "And I'm dead."

He waited for the acknowledging beep. "Maybe, with all that's happened, they've chosen not to," he suggested. Certainly wouldn't make sense otherwise. At least to him. Maybe they've gotten so good at telling these things are from the actual people.

[decker_unit]

"Perhaps." He responds, distractedly, starting to access files. "And dead, you say?" He glances over to Bob, frowning slightly. "This Q has the power to bring back the dead?"

And that question gets interrupted as the interface gets locked out. Will smiles slightly. "Ah, it seems someone on the bridge is paying attention after all."

[bob_fraser_rcmp]

He rolled his eyes. "I'm not back from the dead, son," he grumbles. "I am dead. You make me sound like a zombie." Or Jesus Christ, which was worse.

[decker_unit]

"So you're...?" And there's a slight look of realisation on Decker's face. "Well... I'm going to have to deal with Security, or a very angry command officer on the Bridge in a few minutes... Would you mind if we came back to this subject? I'd be very interested in learning more."

[bob_fraser_rcmp]

He gives him an 'are you serious?' look but shrugged. "All right, son," and he's gone.