"I can't believe I'm actually here!" Steve kept saying. "I'd always dreamed of going into space, but I never thought I'd do it. And like this--not some measly Space Shuttle or Soyuz capsule, but a real, live starship!"
Almost as excited was young Jordan Stressman. Between Steve and Johnny it was a job in itself to keep Jordan from exploring every nook, cranny, and access panel along the corridor to Stellar Cartography. Finally, Steve took Jordan aside.
"Jordan, I know you're excited. I'm excited, too! But there are a lot of things here we don't know about that can be dangerous. You're going to have to listen to Colonel Chee and his friends when they say not to go somewhere," Steve said kindly but very firmly.
"Okay," Jordan said. Almost nothing could be heard from him after that.
"Is he okay?" Johnny asked, a little disturbed at the sudden and drastic change.
Out of Jordan's range of hearing, Steve explained. "His father tends to be a bit heavy-handed with discipline. Not abusive--at least not by this time's standards--but more forceful than he needs to be. We're still working with him."
"I hope I'll be as patient with Adrianna as you are with him!"
"Believe me, I've got a lot to learn!" Steve replied. "Too much, it seems like. But I'm more than willing."
They arrived at Stellar Cartography. "I'm not an expert on this system by any means," Johnny said. "My job is to give the other guy maximum opportunity to die for his homeworld--not find it for him. But then, you knew that!" he laughed. "This panel will allow you to adjust the stellar globe relative to your perspective, or any perspective in the charted galaxy. Our coordinate system is based upon a 360-degree circle with the galactic core at zero degrees. Another circle, its diameter perpendicular to the diameter of the first, allows you to operate in three dimensions, like so. In your coordinate system, the first circle is equivalent to right ascension and the second circle corresponds to declination." Johnny hoped he got that right--after learning of Steve's interest in astronomy and space sciences he took extra care to research the Stellar Cartography station.
Steve manipulated the controls, finding a star in the constellation Monoceros, just south of Orion. He zoomed in on the star, a fairly common main sequence blue star. "What can you tell me about this one?" Steve asked, still amazed at what he was seeing, and with whom he was seeing things. A man who was the composite of every idol and hero he'd ever had, and a boy he'd come to regard as his own son.
"Ah--the Nelock system. It's under the control of the Orion Syndicate. There's a sentient race native to that world, but they're only just starting to come out of the late Neolithic in Earth terms. Culturally they're similar to the Aborigines of Australia," Johnny explained. "This button will zoom you in on the planetary system and display all known information. Why, if I may ask, are you interested in such an obscure system?"
Steve tapped the button. "Amazing," was all he could say. "It's foolish, really. My parents bought a certificate for me on my fourteenth birthday proclaiming this star as named for me. I thought I'd find out whether or not it lived up to my expectations," he smiled. Still, he remembered Jordan waiting patiently away from the two of them. "Jordan, would you like to try this?"
Jordan immediately rushed to the control panel. Steve showed him how to use it. Jordan immediately zoomed in on the planet Mars. "Whoa!!!!!!" he said, overwhelmed by the information displayed on the extensive colony on Federation-era Mars. Something caught his attention. "I want to see that again!" he said urgently.
Johnny helped Jordan scroll back--all the way back--to an entry in the early 21st century. "That's my name!"
Oh, great! Already we've got Prime Directive problems! Johnny thought as he looked over the entry. Sure enough, a person wearing a NASA uniform who looked a lot like a middle-aged version of Jordan was listed as a Mission Specialist in the Second Mars Expedition in 2036. He tapped on a screen off to the side of the chamber. "Computer, display biographical information on Mission Specialist Jordan Stressman of the Second Mars Expedition," he said discreetly.
The data scrolled up on the screen. Lieutenant Colonel Jordan Stressman, US Space Defense Force, 1991-2076. Undergraduate work in space sciences/engineering at University of California at San Diego; graduate work in fusion physics at Stanford University with Ph.D. earned 2019. Commissioned in Space Defense Force 2021 and served with distinction in Eugenics Wars. Third in command of the Second Mars Expedition and one of the first permanent colonists on Mars. Johnny remembered seeing Jordan's name on a monument to the first colonists when he was on Mars for boot camp.
"Steve, do you think you have things under control here?" Johnny asked. "Something's come up and I need to speak with the Captain."
"Of course! You've got much better things to do than squire us around all the time!" Steve said.
"I'll send someone to assist you should you have any difficulties," Johnny said. He already had in mind just whom he would send. From photographs Steve had shown Johnny, Johnny learned that Barek bore a very uncanny resemblance to Steve's father. Psychologically that would help everyone involved.
"I see your concern," Captain Stephen Maruu said. "Young Master Stressman has already learned a little bit about his future---his name is connected to Mars. How much do you think he knows?"
"Probably not much," Johnny said. "From what Steve and Krystina have told me, he does have some learning difficulties. These are being handled via pharmaceuticals and aggressive counseling. Jordan can't read very well even for children of his age in this century."
"A tragedy," Maruu said, looking at an expanded biography of Jordan Stressman. "Which begs the question: how could a learning-challenged child with the primitive treatments available on 21st-century Earth grow up to become significant in Earth's early space exploration efforts? It says here that he was one of the major players in establishing formal ties with Vulcan and in formulating tactical doctrine used later in the first conflicts with the Romulans in 2156."
"Perhaps Earth's medical science advanced enough in the interim to help him?"
"Not likely," Lieutenant Skywon replied. "Earth medical science won't develop appropriate treatments for ADHD until the 2020's. By that point Jordan should have a doctorate from Stanford and a military commission."
"Then some other intervention?" Johnny asked.
"Entirely possible. It seems his mother managed to capture and kill a Kullinari without even knowing it. Remarkable people, our creators." Maruu replied. "If the Kullinari were staking out their residence, perhaps they have a purpose in mind for Jordan."
"I've seen what the Kullinari are like," Johnny replied. "They wouldn't build up Jordan like that unless they intended for him to spearhead an invasion, which very clearly didn't happen."
Maruu thought for a moment. "Computer, display biographical information for Cassandra Stressman."
Cassie, it turned out, would become a very prominent politician--governor of California in 2044 and US Senator for the next two decades after that before her appointment as UN Ambassador. "Very impressive," Maruu said. "But she shows no signs of a learning disability, and no indication that her public service career was ever less than impeccable."
"We can rule out the Kullinari then," Johnny said. "And the Vulcans showed up too late to do anything for either of them. Which means..."
"You can't be serious!" Maruu stammered.
"Recall the events surrounding the invention of transparent aluminum," Johnny said. "To quote the immortal Montgomery Scott, 'how do we know he dinna invent th' thing'?"
"Perhaps the will of the Prophets dictates our intervention in this matter. Mr. Skywon, can we treat Jordan Stressman for his learning disabilities?"
"Absolutely," Skywon replied. "The treatment would take a matter of minutes. Improvement would be noticeable within weeks. By Jordan's eleventh birthday he will meet or exceed the standards for children of his age group in our century. He should do rather well for himself in the 21st century."
"Johnny, I'll leave it to you to talk to Krystina and Steve. There is one more party we should probably consult as well."
"You rang?" Kalmar said as he appeared in the briefing room.
"I hate when you do that!" Maruu exclaimed. He outlined the situation to Kalmar.
"If you have the ability to help, and do not help, then you have failed to fulfill your duty to the universe," Kalmar said simply. "If you do not treat the young man, not only his life but a substantial amount of Earth history well after his death could be affected. Consider his contributions to Earth's space tactical doctrine. If Jordan were unable to develop these doctrines, the Romulans could well win the conflict in 2156. The Romulans would control Earth, and the Federation would collapse."
"That settles the matter," Maruu said. "Johnny, talk to Krystina and Steve--they're the responsible parties and you're closest to them. I'm sure Jordan's natural father could hardly object to the treatment under the circumstances." Not that we'd inform him in any case, Maruu thought. From all indications, the man was not exactly Vedek material; it turned out that a good many of the malefactors the Virgo had encountered, including Sector Commander Krax of the T'rais, were patterned after him in one way or another.
Moments later, Johnny had gathered Krystina and Steve in his office, where they sat together on the sofa facing his desk. He explained the situation to them with the help of Skywon, who filled in the medical details. "Having said this, I must ask you if you consent to the procedure."
"Absolutely!" Krystina said without hesitation. "If you can help him, do it!"
"It appears you have some work to do, Mr. Skywon."
"I'll prep Sickbay for the procedure. If you will excuse me," Skywon said as he left.
"With all this information about the kids," Steve asked, "were you able to find out anything about us?"
"Our data on the two of you is incomplete largely because of the destruction wrought during the Eugenics Wars in the 21st century," Johnny said, lying through his teeth for their benefit. Not that their future wasn't bright--Steve would go on to become a highly-regarded college professor and Krystina a best-selling author--but it wasn't a good idea for anyone to know their future in too much detail. The children, at least, were too young to really comprehend or even read the data. "But consider this: the children you raise together are evidence enough of the bright things that await you both. I wish you luck, Steve."
Steve tightened his grip on Krystina's hand. She squeezed back. Both at that point were hoping for free moment and an empty compartment someplace...