"The Shadow Over Z'ha'dum"

Sulu and Tuvok materialized several kilometers underground on Z'ha'dum.  They were in a small, dimly lit room, sparsely decorated with non-ornate furnishings mostly made of stone.  Its dark, dank features gave the impression of a dungeon, and it came complete with a moldy, foul, odor in the air of that something like rotten eggs, or decomposing fish.

  Instantly, Sulu’s instincts told him something was wrong.  A quick glance at the tricorder confirmed it.

  The chronometer was running backwards!

  Tuvok confirmed the readings on his own tricorder and then pointed in the direction of a small dark passageway. 

  “The two lifeform readings are emanating from the adjoining room.”

  They would have to crawl on hands and knees. 

  Quietly they crawled through the darkness without their flashlights to help them navigate.  When they reached the end of the tunnel they wanted to observe the two lifesigns before making Contact.  Sulu noted his hand seemed to be moving through some sort of moss as he felt his way along the walls and floor in front of him.

  At last they came to the end, and as much as Sulu had became a real diplomat at first contact, he wasn’t prepared for what he saw. 

  An elf, a dwarf, and some other kind of furry alien he had never scene before.

  “Not the one….nu nu nu nu….  not the one….nunu nu..”

  From their small hole in the far corner of the room, Sulu could make out several familiar faces.

  It was Legolas and Gimli!  And they seemed to be interrogating the alien.

  “Zathras waits yes…. Zathras does what he is told….Nu nu nu nu...  Zathras…does not get told why… Zathras Dooooo!

  “This isn’t getting anywhere Gim…. I wonder if Gandalf knows he’s even supposed to be here.” Legolas turned from Zathras shaking his head.

  “Tuvok,” Sulu Whispered in the Darkness, “this is strange…I swear that I know that Elf and Dwarf, but how many lifesigns is your tricorder picking up?”

  “Two.  Interesting…. The alien’s biofield is not registering.”

  “Well let's go see if my old friends can clue us in to what’s going on here.”

  But as Sulu made a motion to leave the tunnel there was a blinding white flash.

  “Well let’s take him back with us anyway,” Gimli said while holding the amulet.

  A glowing white sphere encompassed them, and all 3 were gone!

  “Damn!  What were they doing here, and where did they go?  I should have been faster!” Sulu cursed himself as he and Tuvok left the confines of the tunnel, and meandered towards the area where the Middle Earthers had disappeared.

  “I am picking up trace amounts of tachyon emissions Commander.” Tuvok looked to Sulu who’s head dropped as his hand went to his forehead.

  “I would surmise the party has just ventured either forward or backward in time.”

  “That’s what I was afraid of Mr. Tuvok.  Let’s continue our search, and see what else we can find…”

  For the TimeBeing™, Sulu retired to his quarters aboard Excelsior once again in an attempt to gather his thoughts. 

  No more traces of lifesigns were found amongst the underground caverns on Z'ha'dum.  But, as they did go from room to room searching for other points of interest they seemed to notice some of the stone pots, cups and other artifacts to be mysteriously out of place.  They shrugged it off as being a trick of their minds.  Tuvok also had no explanation for the displacement of time the tricorders recorded, but speculated it was possibly due to the tachyon particles found.  All in all the ship's sensors seemed to pick up a strange aura about the entire planet as if something was being hidden, or out of phase.  Tuvok was studying the phenomena in greater depth whist taking the ship into a polar orbit.  Sulu wished he could be there, however there seemed a great weight depressing him, and right now he needed to be alone, and to think.

  With the entire mystic content of the forbidden Necronomicon, and the writings of its mad author, the book of G’Quan, the dreams of lands aeons past, and of forthcoming darkness, Sulu yearned for an answer to it all. 

  Going back to basics was a good place to start.  He thought to reference an age-old ancient scroll given to him by the Kirk as a present upon his promotion to Captain.  It now seemed so long ago.  He had never read it, but Kirk said it contained conventional methods for waging war written thousands of years ago, but still had merit given certain circumstances present day.  Perhaps he would find a clue with which to outwit the inexplicably unwholesome feeling which continuously over shadowed his every thought.

He searched through his archives...a very old scroll indeed, and of course, there were many different translations available in the library computer, but for this purpose, he chose his trusty hardbound copy. 

  “Computer,” Sulu spoke to the replicator in his quarters.

  It chirped.

  “Tea.... Earl Grey.”

  He sat back in his favorite reading chair, and tried to open the book.  He was having trouble concentrating, and looking around his spacious quarters he thought something looked amiss.  Necronomicon, and the mad Arab?  How did these thoughts come into my head just a minute ago? Sulu asked himself starry eyed in amazement.  Was the madness truly getting to him?  Something very peculiar was going on, and he hadn’t the faintest clue as to what it was.  He opened the text and began to read; striving for that small morsel of hope to combat the ever-pressing feeling of despair and helplessness he was experiencing now at its peak.

  All in all, his thoughts came down to one question.  Why was he and the Enterprise crew the focal point during lucid dreams of oceanic depths and octopoid sea creatures?  He wished Captain Kirk, Spock, or someone from the old days were here to help guide him.

  He scanned though the text....Sun Tsu’s, The Art of War...making written notes on a pad next to him...

  ...Time Marched On…

  After several pages of notes he stopped and put the pen down.  He wasn’t getting anywhere.  His thoughts were erratic; the moment he had something, he lost it again…it was like grasping at gusts of wind.  The arcane horror of this unfathomable situation lambasted his sub-conscious hastening a fear of the unknown in which further rationalization was mummified and rendered useless.

  Suddenly, as if some psychic faucet had been turned on, he glanced at the unique astronomical drawings and symbols he managed to unknowingly etch along the notepad’s margins, and to the alien letters and script which had no doubt come from his own hand..."man has not always been the master of Earth...or of the universe...many ages ago flourished an eldritch race...the most vile and loathsome of this race of creatures will soon be among us once more...there are portals through which these malign beings might enter...they are at once far away and very near....there names are Dagon...Yog-Sothoth...Nyarlathotep...Cthulhu.......there are many others.....................the Apex of their evil............Z’ha’dum..."

  Sulu jumped in his seat, startled.

  The door chime rang again.

  “Come.”

  The door slid open to reveal a ravishing redhead.  He had scene her B4 on B5.  In the midst of people and aliens on the commerce decks in Brown Sector.  She was always eyeing him in some way, or so he thought.  He wondered at how she got aboard Excelsior as he stood up. 

  “Bridge to Captain Sulu!!“ The ship rocked and Sulu lost his balance as the Red Alert klaxon started blaring...

  “We’re under attack sir!  Shields have almost failed.  They are down 88% These incredible energy beams are coming from nowhere… out of the Shadows!  One more barrage and they threaten to cut the ship in half!!”

  “Look, I don’t know who you are lady, or how you got on my ship, but I don’t have time for you!”

  Sulu ran past her and down the Corridor towards the turbolift wanting to be on the bridge.

  But as he ran, he could hear the women’s voice.

  "Commander Sulu…  Lyta Alexander.  I think I have some answers to your questions.”

  Sulu eyed the empty lift around him as she continued.

  "All the universes are connected at some point.  Those from Outside inhabit these connections, seeking a way in.  Their senses are not our senses, and they do not live as we do.  Some of them have no substance at all, but still wield great effect.  Some have substance that is mutable, and some control this phenomenon as part of their behavior.  One of them is the All-In-One, the One-In-All, and he is named Yog-Sothoth, for he is the keeper of the Key and the Guardian of the Gate.  He employs his Messenger, the crawling chaos that is Nyarlathotep, to deliver his cryptic messages to the spheres of his influence. For Yog-Sothoth is beyond the veil, and cannot directly affect events.  He knows where the veil has been broken, and when it will be again, and he waits Outside.  It is for this reason that the efforts of their followers to recall them are unceasing, and at times they are somewhat successful.  For the hunger of the Ones is great, and they do not suffer willingly efforts to dispel them.  Many accounts of these attempts have been written, and the legend grows daily.

  "How...how do you know this...who...what are you?" Sulu looked about the turbolift terribly confused.

  "You see...I'm a telepath....."

  Kirk lifted himself off the street and took in his surroundings.  One thing was certain, he stuck out like a sore thumb.  Quickly, he dashed up a small fire escape to snatch some clothes which hung over semi-rusted railings.  In the alley he changed into something less conspicuous. 

  All the while his head pounded with confusing memories, as he tried to remember his last moments before being transported to this strange place. 

  He remembered Spock’s sorrowful last words and his bleeding mouth.   “I have been, and always shall be...your friend.” 

  McCoy wasn’t on the bridge, but he could hear the words, like a murmur, a Shadow out of Time….”Climb the steps Jim…Climb the steps of Mt.  Kadath…”

  “Admiral behind you!”

  Hunter reeled and blew away another of the frog-like mutants with the laser rifle...many of the shots richoshaying into consoles across the far side of the bridge...sending sparks flying and gashs diving, writhing, and crying unto the bloody messed floor.  He continued pouring rounds into the scaly covered machine enhanced creature until most of it had burned away leaving huge scorch marks across the decking.

  The SDF-3 dropped out of hyperspace and Hunter looked for an unbroken monitor to show the ship's status.

  “This can’t be right...We seem to be right back where we started!”

  “Admiral...  Vindicator dead ahead!” a gash called out viewing a cracked vidscreen.

  “All that weapons damage seems to have altered our course...the ship has gone though a time/fold, and not the random space/fold we projected.  We're stuck in a branched loop anomaly!”

  “We’re not going through this again!” Yelled Hunter to a tearing gash.  “Set a new jump course, we’re getting outta here.”

  “Sorry Admiral reflex engines will have to charge for several hours...looks like we have to do this all over...”

  Pow, ----- Bang...//  Zam, \\\\\ < Wack! >

  Reese fired the last of the rounds into the Deep One and as it slumped to the floor, Mulder kicked at its heavy fishead in an attempt to force it away from the doorway, and back down the stairs.  In the darkness of the old farmhouse the stairs creaked, and they could see their ghastly shapes, clumsily groping and hoping their way up to the second level.  One was robed wearing a high tiara and it glistened from the in-directional beam of the flashlight.  Their filth and vile stench was completely overwhelming and Reese began dry heaving. 

  The baying and calling of the fish frogs was becoming blasphemously ominous, yet Reese finally gave one final heave and the vulgar thing was thrown down the stairs, all 3 of its legs whipping end over end as it bashed into the others knocking them to the ground floor.  Their heads were still bobbing, and arms flailing, and one looked up at them giving what sounded like a loud, deep croak, “Bauk-Ruk!” 

  The sound was muffled out as the door was shut.  Mulder tried to rouse Scully as Reese crashed the window.  A trellis loomed against the house, and was within reach.  A horrid moan came from the bed as the fleshless body moved and twisted.  Scully awoke in a frenzied state and immediately vomited all over Mulder's pressed suit. 

  Reese flipped the mattress over on it, and the trio filed out the window cutting their hands upon the glass leaving a bloodied trail of their escape.

  The gibbous moon was rising and full, and the lonely stars had past their righteous time, for the babbling, inhuman fish creatures were already flopping and floundering ashore..............

  “I’m not goin back there!!”  Kirk yelled at Q.  “Gandalf, there’s got to be another way then going back into that chaotic space battle!” 

  Kirk was absolutely baffled to his presence on the barren world, and felt all together out of place.  He held a bewildered look as he gazed over at Hyuj.

  “Before we do anything, I want to know what’s so important about that box.  What’s in it?”

  Hyuj lumbered up and spoke in a powerful, authoritative voice, “The KEY to life, the universe and everything.”

  Indy sat at his desk, the lights of the room very dim.  Mail was beginning to pile up in front of him, as his daily life was becoming almost too cumbersome to deal with anymore.  The visions from Luke were indeed more disturbing than he cared to believe.  The Cthulhu mythos, that dark mania which sought to overcome him...  It was as if all he was, all he knew, all the laws of earth were second to a spectral nature on a higher plane.  An existence, beyond the moon and stars and all that is ether.  What is life anyway?  Is it true reality, or is all humanity simply a refuge from dreams?  Were dreams actually the true reality, and all of life an illusion, an escape from the infinite abyss of our minds...is it all just an experiment in insanity?

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