Mission 3 - "Time and Time Again"

[Amanda Rose]

On January 1, 2296, the Andorians announced that they would be seceding from the Federation. Admiral Moore charged Captain O'Connor with a secret mission to travel back into the past with historians to monitor American Civil War of 1861-1865 and come up with a way to save the Federation with or without the Andorians. The America left Starbase 1 on January 1, 2296 with the three-person Secession Task Force aboard.

The ship slingshot back to December 20, 1860. Two away teams were sent to the surface. One (the Northern team)--comprised of Commander Young, Historian Blake and Ensigns Sinclair, Soban and Kropoviev--was sent to Washington, DC to determine the Federal response to South Carolina's secession. The other (the Southern team)--comprised of Captain O'Connor (forcing her into heals and a hoop dress to her disdain), LtCmdr Kirk, Historian Hamilton and Ensigns Pendragon and Solar--was sent to Columbia, South Carolina to watch the unfoldings as they happen. The Northern team managed to miss the reaction to the South Carolinian congressman's resignation by a bit of bad timing. The Southern team managed to hear the announcement and fallout from the Confederate contingent of South Carolina. In addition to the sought-after information, the Southern team picked up a new passenger aboard the America--Mary 'Connel' McConnel. This little Irish orphan posed quite the problem during the rest of the America's mission as she became privvy to the fact that the America was a starship. A search of historical databases revealed no references to the child and she was permitted to stay on America.

The ship continued its mission by slingshotting forward two years. The crew found itself orbiting Earth on the early morning of September 17, 1862. The Battle of Antietam was preparing to rage beneath the America. O'Connor ordered Engineering to create personal forcefields, disguised weapons, and a disguised Huanni. Pendragon was able to do all of these things. His revolver was hollowed out with a phaser inside. Keth was dressed as a woman with long hair.

Again, two away teams were sent down to the surface to make sure that history has not been changed because of Connel's disappearance. History had not been altered. However, security officer Ensign Sinclair was shot by a rifle as his away team (consisting of himself, Commander Young and Historian Hamilton) was making their way toward Dunker Church at the beginning of the battle. Sinclair was rushed back into the North Woods so that the America could beam them back out. Materializing in Sickbay, Young and Hamilton made their way back to report their findings. While in Sickbay, after recovering from surgery by Junior Grade Lieutenant Tegau Delaney, Sinclair was promoted to Lieutenant Junior Grade. Also receiving promotions to Lieutenant Junior Grade were Ensigns Soban and Pendragon.

The ship has now continued through its mission into the future with a new intermix formula. The ship found itself on May 1, 1863, orbiting Earth miles above the battlefield of Chancellorsville that would take place the following day. Junior Grade Lieutenant Laura Wells remained on board the America to monitor the intermix formula while most of the rest of the party went down to the battle. Delaney went down to the Southern front with O'Connor and one of the historians who posed as O'Connor's husband. Delaney was sickened by the ancient medical techniques and O'Connor was thrown out of the medical tent by the resident nurse. Unfortunately, she wandered outside and headed towards Stonewall Jackson's position. The historian warned Jackson's troops he was coming and averted the shot that historically killed Jackson. Instead, the bullet headed towards O'Connor and penetrated the personal force field. Pendragon believed that this potentially made him responsible for O'Connor's assault and/or murder.

Meanwhile, Young's wife unborn child was starting to mutate. Delaney determined that the child developed two extra legs. And Crewman Goking started a rumor on the Ticker Tape that O'Connor and Keth were intimately involved. The child eventually developed into twins.

America then time traveled slightly later to the Battle of Gettysburg to make sure nothing in time had changed as a result of O'Connor being shot rather than Stonewall Jackson. Young was instructed to hold a briefing but O'Connor started to take over. This resulted in a large argument between Young and O'Connor. Young held Delaney back from going to the surface to take care of his wife but took Pendragon down. O'Connor decided to go to the battle with Lieutenant Wells so she could "see her Virginia roots." Everything appeared to be in order as O'Connor recalled all parties to America due to a spatial rift opening up.

America time traveled back to January 1, 2296 where O'Connor was greeted by an Andorian dreadnaught that hailed it. The Commander of the dreadnaught, Andorian General Thoph, said that America was expected on the Vulcan front and asked to explain why it was back at Earth instead. He also revealed that the Captain was either his lover or concubine and that O'Connor had some questionable relationships with Soban. Thoph, knowing that O'Connor liked furry things, beamed a gift to her: a tribble.

Commander Young and Captain Jackson's souls during transport, had apparently been switched. Jackson in Young's body listened to O'Connor's briefing on returning to the past while Young trapped in Jackson's body led troops in Civil War battles. However, with Stonewall alive, the South won the Battle of Gettysburg and eventually won the Civil War.

America traveled back to when Stonewall was supposed to be killed, transported Young and Jackson through the rift, enabling the soul transfer. Once on board, the rift closed and America was able to travel back to January 1, 2296. Upon determining that everything was right, O'Connor ordered 48 hours of shore leave.