Stardate: 70903:1859 
Title: Second Guesses
Author: Captain Deadilus 
Time: Current
Scene: USS Horizon, Observation Lounge 


With the arrival of the future Horizon had come news of it a Federation-less future, but it had caused a stir in this Horizon's crew for other reasons, re-awakening that very human desire to know what the future held.

Given that a civil war, resulting in billions of deaths according to Lily, had torn through the Federation, Scott found himself wondering who would live and who would die. How many would die from his commands? How many others would die by his hands? But, ultimately, everyone's time in this existence was finite. It had an end, and maybe some of those ends were destined to occur in war...

Scott turned back to look at Autumn. Discussing the next away team had again brought to the surface that they knew (in the original timeline) nothing disastrous would happen, although they both acknowledged that their actions so far could very well have already changed the future.

Given that the protocol of the Rennas called for the Captain to once again attend, Autumn realised that she could not go along and see the sights they had discussed. And so, when the Captain specifically called for her to join the away team, she looked perplexed.

"I realise that all the other Senior Officers look at you as the next in command. A pseudo-XO, one could say," Scott began. "So I figure that I wouldn't have included you in the original away team line-up."

Autumn still looked puzzled, and so Scott explained his rationale.

"We still don't know what one event really kicks off the civil war, but we do know that the Rennas are responsible for it. We can't declare war on them for something they MIGHT do in the future, and we cannot ignore our duties as explorers, but we can try to manipulate the present to our advantage." He smiled a cheeky smile. "Besides, Ensign Ross is more than competent enough to handle things during your absence, and Lily tells me that you were asking about the planet below. Now you can see it for yourself."

Autumn hesitated before she spoke up. "You seem overly trusting of the other Captain, Captain. Is there something you aren't telling me?" She watched Scott's face closely, looking for any signs of a 'tell'.

He paused for a moment, unsure what to tell her, deciding that nothing might be best. "There's lots I'm not telling you, Autumn. And for good reason."

Nodding her understanding, they continued to pick the rest of the away team...

~

A few deck below in Science Lab 1, Lieutenant Kehn and Ensign Garrett continued to analysis the data they had retrieved from the planet's surface, but even the Horizon's advanced sensor arrays had trouble scanning the crystalline structures. Perhaps it was a natural effect from the complex crystalline structure, perhaps it was artifical and induced into the structures, but the two continued to puzzle over this and other data as the ship continued its orbit.

Meanwhile, Ensign Sparky continued to maintain and focus the scans from the Tactical station from the station on the Bridge, his own long range scans keeping an eye on the other Horizon. So far nothing had been revealed that was surprising, but he continued to maintain watch. The Borg part of him had no knowledge of this species, and his own natural curiosity was piqued.

~

Lily sat in the VIP quarters when the chime sounded at the door. Framed by the doorway, her father looked in at her.

"You been crying?" He asked. He might not yet be her father, and he might now never be, but still she was his daughter.

"No. Please, come in." Scott couldn't tell if she was lying or not, but he wanted her advice.

Handing her the padd, she looked at it, scrolling through the few names she didn't recognise.

"You've changed the away team. You hope to change the future with small steps?"

"Yes. Part of me wants to read this," Scott said, holding up the padd she had given him previously, detailing many events in the future and including his own reports, "but I can only bring myself to read part of it. Too much knowledge of the future could jeopardise everything, even your very existence."

"You're right." Lily looked him squarely in the eyes. "But we all took a risk simply coming here, and I know I speak for all that crew when I say we'd willingly give our lives to save the billions of deaths caused by the Rennas and that damned war. You should read the padd."

Lily was shocked by the Captain's next words, putting into motion an event that could never have happened before.

"Join us on the away team..."


=================
Captain Scott Deadilus
Commanding Officer
USS Horizon
NCC-72400
=================