What is all this?

“Captain, what is all this?” Scott’s voice came from behind, Uhura had also begun speaking “How did we get in these?” Kirk held his hand up and returned a salute to two passing security officers “Not now”

They carried onto sickbay the Captain returning the salute to passing crew but other than that they weren’t bothered. As they were passed people kept their eyes to the floor in submission almost like trying to keep attention away from themselves.

They entered the medical bay Kirk checked round to make sure they were alone and then motioned to the Doctors office.

The minute the door was locked McCoy spoke “What is this? Everything's all messed up and changed around, out of place.” He turned round then noticed something on his desk “No, not everything. That spot, I spilt acid there a year ago. Jim, what in blazes is this?”

Kirk held up his hands to stop him “I don't know. It's our Enterprise but it isn't. Maybe…”

Uhura lent forward “Maybe what, Captain?” Kirk rubbed his forehead his headache from earlier was coming back in full force “Any of you feel dizzy when we were in the transporter beam?”

There were affirmative responses from all of them. Kirk frowned “When we first materialised. I was sure I saw our own transporter room, then it faded, and when we finally materialised, we were here. Wherever this is.”

Scotty nodded seemingly knowing where this was going “Captain, the transporter chief mentioned a surge of power. The transporter lock might have been affected by the ion storm and we just materialised somewhere else.”

Kirk carried on the thought “Yes, here. Not our universe, not our ship. Something parallel. A parallel universe co-existing with ours on another dimensional plane. Everything's duplicated, almost. Another Enterprise…and Gary”

Scotty leant towards him “I gotta admit Captain, I was a might bit surprised the see him”

McCoy looked puzzled, “Who is he Jim?” He saw Kirk’s face fall slightly “You don’t have to tell me, you just acted like you had seen a ghost”

Kirk smiled sadly “you could say that, he was my friend we were at the academy together, on one of our first missions he was infected by…something…it changed him. I had to stop him…” He trailed off. McCoy put his hand on Kirks shoulder “Hey, I didn’t mean…” Kirk smiled “I know Bones.” He moved away from McCoy’s grip as Uhura gasped “Sir, if we’re here and they recognised us then…” Kirk nodded “Then our counterparts must have been transporting up at the exact same time. Similar storms on both universes disrupted the circuits. We're here, and they are on our Enterprise. Probably asking the same questions. Are we in another universe, and if so, how do we get back to our own? Maybe the computer can help us.” He moved to the console on the desk, McCoy interrupted him “What about the Halkans? We can't let them be destroyed.” Kirk ran a hand through his hair in thought before turning to Scotty “Can you buy me some time. Get below and short out the main phaser couplings. They'll think the storm blew the stand-by circuits.” Scotty nodded “Aye Sir”

Kirk smiled at the eager answer “Then get on it. The intercom may be monitored. Use your communicators for private messages. Choose a sub frequency and scramble it.” Scotty nodded “Aye Sir” before leaving for engineering.

Kirk looked to Uhura next “Get to your post. Run today's communication from Starfleet Command. I want to know my exact orders and options, if any.” She nodded but paused looking a little unsure “Sir…I’m scared” Kirk smiled and put a comforting hand on her arm “Uhura, you're the only one who can do it. I'll be there shortly.” She nodded decisively and left for the bridge.

Kirk turned to McCoy last “We should check the computer library…” but that was as far as he got “Jim do you remember what Gary said?” Kirk sighed “Which part?” McCoy rolled his eyes “Which part…the part about the half breed and calculations…It could mean that Spock…” Kirk stood up from the desk “I know what it could mean but you have seen how different everything is, it may not even be him and if it is…he might not even be the same person we know.” He sat back down “Let’s look through this and see what we’re dealing with”