[Glenn]

As promised, here begins the feature-length spinoff that continues the adventures of Star Trek: Discovery.

First, some groundrules.

Now, I know that post-Nemesis and post-"Endgame" (VGR) novels have filled the shelves of all good bookstores for a while now. I know that many people consider them to be canon and I respect that, but having never read any of them myself, I'll warn you now: this story is completely original and does not respect the literary timeline. To prepare for writing this, I watched Star Trek Nemesis and watched "Endgame" (VGR) and that was it. As far as I'm concerned, everything afterwards is a blank slate. Everything that happens in Discovery Afterburn: A Star Trek Story is entirely my own creation, based on a few assumptions and several facts I got from that film and that episode. Of course, they'll be room for a few nods towards the excellent fan fiction work of some (you'll know when it happens). This'll disappoint some of you, I know, but hopefully it'll be a fun and fresh spin on the future of the Federation.

To that end, and with that in mind, I really hope you all enjoy this story. One chapter per day (with possible acceleration or pausing as always).

***

GLENN SCULLY
presents



Starring
PIERCE BROSNAN as JOSIAH GRAVES
PATRICK STEWART as JEAN-LUC PICARD
and featuring
KATE MULGREW as KATHRYN JANEWAY


With several exceptions, the following takes place in 2382, three years after the events of Star Trek Nemesis and six years after the final episode of Star Trek: Discovery...

***


PROLOGUE
MODEL OFFICER


System V-47, Spatial Grid 993
Deep within the unexplored reaches of the Beta Quadrant
Stardate: 58422.8
2381 AD

She had come to dread sleep.
Coffee... it was her ally in the fight against her physical limitations. So many times she felt her eyelids try to surrender. Sometimes they drifted down, light as a feather. Other times they crashed down as though tethered with dark matter. So many times... and each time, a quick word to the replicator and another cup of coffee kept the nightmares at bay. It just reinforced her view that it was the finest organic suspension ever devised.
Sipping at her third fresh mug, the steel rim quickly awash with black liquid caffeine, she absent-mindedly tapped at the flashing buttons just inside arms’ reach. They seemed to be vibrating in her field of vision. Her senses were literally buzzing with the forced state of constant alert. The headache that started so long ago had become such a part of everyday life that she barely even registered it anymore. How much longer could she go on like this? How many more star systems could she explore? How many more interstellar rocks could she lift? When would this search come to an end?
Some of the buttons made an ugly noise. She recoiled in frustration.
“Play nice now...”
It was a warning to the shuttle, even though it couldn’t really hear. Forming a personal bond with the vessels upon which she travelled seemed to be a bad habit of hers, aside from the coffee addiction. Inwardly she managed a self-reflective chuckle. Speaking to inanimate objects and constantly wired, well... she was hardly the model officer!
Then again, her actions alone sealed that description pretty tight. It was times like these, ends of particularly long days that yielded no results, which made her question herself. She could have easily requisitioned a starship. Calling in a few old favours would have worked wonders. There were enough of her old crew left in Starfleet; she could have cobbled them together quite nicely. They’d have understood. They’d have helped. They’d have kept her from doing this alone, and most likely would have found a few more answers by now! Why hadn’t she done that?
Ah, of course... because this was personal. This was her quest.
It always had been. There was no denying that.
Besides, somebody she’d encountered once did something very similar. That person had succeeded, after a fashion. If they could do it, so could she... because, after all, that person had been her. She’d even used the very same shuttlecraft with the very same weapons and armour and sensors and resources.
Downing the last of her coffee, Admiral Kathryn Janeway recalculated her scan.
She’d find them.
She’d find them and make them pay.


***

The first main chapter might be up later today, just to get things kick-started, but otherwise one chapter per day. Very much less to read than your average nine-page episode of Star Trek: Discovery, each chapter is no longer than two pages of Microsoft Word. Thusfar, I've written the first twelve chapters. Hopefully I can write a chapter per day as this moves along, giving me a buffer to avoid large breaks in posting.

Much thanks and I do hope you enjoy!

This post has been edited by Glenn: 26 June 2009 - 01:26 PM

[Cheile]

OMG OMG OMG OMG OMG OMGGGGGGGGGGG!

GLENN OMG!!!!

you have me hooked already!! :squeeage:

ohh poor Kathryn, what has happened to you??

:gets out sleeping bag and crawls in to wait for what's next!:

[Mrs.Picard]

*RUNS IN AS WELL*

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Glenn you started it! *squee* What the hell is Janeway up to??? Oh my!

[Glenn]

Thanks guys! Glad you're on board!

Janeway's quest is basically the driving force behind the whole plot, but alas, I don't reveal everything at once!

Hope you'll stay tuned nevertheless!

[Cheile]

Captain Archer, on Apr 20 2009, 03:51 AM, said:

Thanks guys! Glad you're on board!

Janeway's quest is basically the driving force behind the whole plot, but alas, I don't reveal everything at once!

Hope you'll stay tuned nevertheless!

uh no.....

a chance to see Kathryn alive and treated better than she's been treated lately by the f-ing stupid novel writers??

OF COURSE I WILL!!

:returns to sleeping bag:

[Happy Russia]

Cheile, on Apr 20 2009, 05:44 AM, said:

ohh poor Kathryn, what has happened to you??

She's got cabin fever, I think! Yeesh, talk about hitting rock bottom. Other people become alcoholics, others get addicted to drugs. Kathryn Janeway? She becomes addicted to caffeine. I know what Jean-Luc can do.... Provide Earl Grey as a weaning alternative to coffee. Soon enough, she'll be off the stuff for good!

[Glenn]

Happy Russia, on Apr 20 2009, 01:57 PM, said:

She's got cabin fever, I think! Yeesh, talk about hitting rock bottom. Other people become alcoholics, others get addicted to drugs. Kathryn Janeway? She becomes addicted to caffeine. I know what Jean-Luc can do.... Provide Earl Grey as a weaning alternative to coffee. Soon enough, she'll be off the stuff for good!

*takes notes*

Discovery Afterburn - A Star Trek Story, brought to you by Gary and Twinings Earl Grey.

[DaxFanDS9]

Captain Archer, on Apr 20 2009, 04:04 PM, said:

*takes notes*

Discovery Afterburn - A Star Trek Story, brought to you by Gary and Twinings Earl Grey.

complete with Stephen Fry as an Admiral?

[Glenn]

Sure, why not?

Here comes the first full-length chapter. After the prologue, please note the gap of one year. This is the main body of the story now. Enjoy!

***


CHAPTER ONE
BACK DOWN TO EARTH


Allenbach Family Farm
Inner Bluegrass Region, Northern Kentucky
Tuesday, 21st September (PM)
2382 AD

With a sigh, he pushed the fedora back from his brow and just watched.
Sunset was his favourite part of the day... well, apart from sunrise, just maybe.
The songs of exhausted birds filled the warm countryside air as Jason Allenbach chewed on the straw that ran between his lips. He’d always belonged here, in the rolling Kentuckian nature, leaning against the very same fencepost he’d conquered as a small child. Many of the local folk had told him, but he already knew it. Deep down inside, despite all his fantastic travels and explorations through the stars, he always found himself drawn back to the fields, to the lifestyle... to the fencepost. His nostalgia had even demanded he travel into Lexington and have his leather jacket made to exactly replicate the scuffs and weathering from his boyhood adventures. Knee-high riding boots and stonewashed blue jeans completed the traditional cowboy image, an image Jason wore extremely well.
At least, Samuel Hunter thought so. He was less the eternal nature-lover, a childhood spent entirely within the concrete jungle of San Francisco seeing to that. Nevertheless, over the past three years, he’d learned to adapt. While his outfit wasn’t even close to the authenticity of his partner, it was close enough. In fact, the only aspect of life on the Allenbach Family Farm that Sam had expressed genuine difficulty with was the hats. For some reason, his thick dark hair just didn’t want to be covered. It also made him squint at the sunset. Logic told him to look away but it was simply too beautiful to miss.
Jason, leaning over to drape his arm around Sam’s shoulder, noticed the squint.
“We can go back if you like...?”
“Jay, it took you three years to get me out here for this,” the dark-skinned man pointed out with a grin. “The journey back is one hour on foot, too, and something tells me you’re not ready to leave yet. I don’t want to be walking alone.”
“So you do wanna go back,” Jason chuckled.
“I didn’t say that. You were right, it is absolutely breathtaking.”
Everything shone with a golden hue. Barely visible on the horizon were the various buildings and structures that made up the Allenbach Family Farm, most prominent of which was the old farmhouse... and, at this distance, it was merely a big speck amongst smaller specks, dwarfed by the mercifully-preserved landscape. Hills cascaded effortlessly into one another, all coated in lush and fertile varieties of crops, some even home to livestock. Indeed, for the walk back, Jason planned to rustle up a few trusty steeds and go for a quick ride. Sam had made learning about horses his top priority and was now almost as competent as his boyfriend... almost. Was this evening a good time for their first race? The river was low this time of year and sunset would surely last long enough.
“Did you get that letter from your parents?” Sam asked, interrupting the race plans.
“Huh? Oh, yeah, thanks.”
“Are they well?”
“As well as can be expected,” Jason had to smile. “Dad loves the place, but Mom gets all antsy, says she wants to be cleanin’ and cookin’ herself and all. One of these days it’ll finally snap that they’re retired now. Half the letter was still given over to reminders about the farm systems, an’ half of them were reminders I’d gotten before!”
“Parents can’t quit being parents,” Sam noted with a cheeky nod.
“You got that right.”
“I don’t know, though. I think maybe they can’t quit this place. I mean, you were always telling me how your family had crafted this farm since anybody can remember! We may be the next generation, but we’re not them. They’re still with us and still want to be part of the legacy, and standing here alongside you... this sunset... these vast hills, all this beauty... yeah, I think I can understand that.”
Jason leaned into his partner, fedora cast aside as he nuzzled his dirty blonde hair against the warmth of Sam’s neck. To finally hear him speak about this place in such terms was beyond rewarding. It made his heart skip a beat. It made him love Sam even more, if such a feat was even possible. It made him confident in their shared future together, a feeling he’d not always had. He still remembered their days of Starfleet service. In particular, he remembered the agonising moment when he’d received word of Sam’s apparent death, and quickly alongside it remembered the moment of his return. All of it had simply become parts of the past. It had been a joint decision to move on.
This evening, the much smaller decision to move along home was Jason’s.
“Come on, we’ve seen enough,” he whispered, “and I’m starving.”
“I wasn’t until you mentioned it,” Sam agreed, hearing his stomach rumble.
“Pinch you an apple on the way?”
“But whatever will the farm manager say?”
“Lemmie check,” Jason laughed, dripping with sarcasm as he tilted his head to one side and pulled a face. After a second’s thought, he returned to gazing at his partner. “Yeah, farm manager says we’re a-okay for that!”
“Damn, that’s good news. I’d hate to break the... rules...”
Sam trailed off. The twinkle in his dark eyes had disappeared. They were now fixed on something over Jason’s shoulder, something that filled them with horror. Turning to follow the line of sight, the Kentuckian barely had time to react. Lucky for him that Sam had the head-start, and suddenly an arm was grabbing his waist and pulling him safely and sharply down into the dirt.
Both men were missed by inches. The shockwave that preceded and followed the near-death experience tore their clothing to shreds. A mutual yell of pain was mercilessly drowned out by a thundering roar as... well, what the hell was it? As their immediate vicinity settled, an earth-shattering explosion broke the evening calm.
Something had just crash-landed.
Jason went to move but Sam continued to hold him down. A large, pointed chunk of debris fell seconds later, justifying the caution. Blinking through a mixture of dust and confusion, Jason made out a few words of writing scrawled across it and gasped.
“Holy cow...!”
“What is it,” Sam asked after a cough, “meteor or something?”
“Not unless meteors are made of duranium alloy... and belong to Starfleet Command!”


***

Ladies, gentlemen, we have ourselves a plot.

Any and all comments welcome.

[Happy Russia]

It's a Starfleet satellite--er, I mean, it's a...weather balloon! Yeah, that's it. Section 31 comes in and says, "You didn't see anything!"

Terrific start, and it's great to see Sam and Jason again. Like coming back to old friends....

[Glenn]

Happy Russia, on Apr 20 2009, 10:35 PM, said:

It's a Starfleet satellite--er, I mean, it's a...weather balloon! Yeah, that's it. Section 31 comes in and says, "You didn't see anything!"

Terrific start, and it's great to see Sam and Jason again. Like coming back to old friends....

Thanks buddy!

Y'know, your feedback was a shock: I thought I specified what the object was, but obviously that comes later... until then, "weather balloon" does me fine!

Cue Dawkins... no, no I'm kidding, really! No! Boo, hiss, no Dawkins...!

Very kind words, much appreciated!

[DaxFanDS9]

Happy Russia, on Apr 20 2009, 10:35 PM, said:

Terrific start, and it's great to see Sam and Jason again. Like coming back to old friends....

Indeed. This sorta reminded me of the vineyard scene with Geordi and Jean-Luc from All Good Things... in all the best ways of course. Nice start and I think the shorter chapters will make even easier reading.

[Glenn]

DaxFanDS9, on Apr 20 2009, 10:54 PM, said:

Indeed. This sorta reminded me of the vineyard scene with Geordi and Picard from All Good Things... in all the best ways of course. Nice start and I think the shorter chapters will make even easier reading.

Very big thanks, but in particular reference to the bit I highlighted there, great to hear. The plot gets somewhat more complicated than your average episode. Hopefully a bit more to think about, but in smaller doses, will strike a nice balance. Fingers are crossed my end. I've never written anything this big before, not when you consider this is technically Episode #63 of Star Trek: Discovery... my God, what have I done...?!

[Mrs.Picard]

Weeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeeee Sam and Jason!!!! I got all Brokeback Mountain-ish somehow. LOL. (Minus the forbidden!relationship-angst, of course.) Awwww. They're so cute together... glad to see that they're running the farm now and all!

And whoa, a crash! I hope it isn't Chakotay, crashing yet another Voyager shuttle...

[DaxFanDS9]

Mrs.Picard, on Apr 20 2009, 11:20 PM, said:

And whoa, a crash! I hope it isn't Chakotay, crashing yet another Voyager shuttle...

Well you're right there... It's blatently Harry

[Mackenzie Calhoun]

It's a good start to what I'm sure will be a cracker story.

[Glenn]

The Brokeback Mountain feel was semi-deliberate, Mrs.P, but I just mostly wanted to show what they've been up to lately! Glad you approve!

As for the crash, well... all will (eventually) be revealed...!

Thanks to Raven there too: "cracker" is something aimed for, whether I deliver or not, well... we'll see. Very kind, sir!

[Happy Russia]

I was starting to wonder if Raven was racist against white people for a minute there.

[DaxFanDS9]

Happy Russia, on Apr 20 2009, 11:58 PM, said:

I was starting to wonder if Raven was racist against white people for a minute there.

Maybe he was pretending to be racist to get out of Jury Duty?

[Happy Russia]

DaxFanDS9, on Apr 20 2009, 06:08 PM, said:

Maybe he was pretending to be racist to get out of Jury Duty?

Actually, I have to get out of Jury Duty, myself....