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By Root 968 0

The congruence of field-shift densities in two universes so closely neighboring combined with the field-effect shifts caused by the ion storm and the “troubled” nature of the star in question to produce what the chief engineer later referred to in his paper on the subject as an “inverlap,” direct one-to-one matchings of field state, Dirac jumps, even shell frequencies, between the two transporting parties. The people from the Enterprise of our universe even arrived inside the uniforms of their simultaneously transporting counterparts.” Geordi shook his head like a man who has just seen a pig fly and is still dealing with the unexpected reality. “But then, only a parallel-universe transfer could have caused something like that. And theory says that congruences between closely associated universes can run much, much closer—which could have had unfortunate effects for the Enterprise’s command crew, especially if the universe then running most congruent had been one that looked and felt no different from their own. They might have seen and felt nothing wrong or different and proceeded about their next mission … thus marooning themselves there forever. And marooning their counterparts here.”

Picard put his eyebrows up. “I wonder,” he said. “Korzybski would ask whether a difference that makes no difference is no difference.”

“But the differences in that other universe might have been perceptible only later, Captain. Imagine, for example, making such an exchange yourself—but later finding that the “not different” universe you’ve beamed into doesn’t contain, for example, some member of your family … or the place where you grew up.”

“It’s a frightening thought,” Picard said. “However, it would seem that the Enterprise crew found differences enough.”

“Yes, sir, they did. They report that they all felt the abnormal transport during its duration—and that’s unusual, too. When transport was finished, they found themselves in an equivalent transporter room, but in an I-SS 1701—an Imperial starship.” Geordi made a face. “You’ll want to review the debriefs yourself, Captain. The descriptions that Captain Kirk left, the details—they’re very unpleasant.”

“In what way?”

Data looked thoughtful again. “There seemed to have been—it is perhaps imprecise to call it a “moral inversion,” but what was clear was that this Empire, which still contained a Starfleet, was run along much different ethical guidelines, with different moral values, from those which our group of humanoid species take for granted. The captain describes the crewmen as “savage, brutal, unprincipled.” The command structure of the ship seemed to be run, not on a rank or merit system, but by a system of the strong preying on the weak—”survival of the fittest,” or at least of the cleverest and least principled. Assassination was considered an acceptable way to move up through the ranks. Uniforms had changed, become barbaric, flamboyant. Numerous higher officers had personal guards. There were other changes. Access to many ship’s functions had to be cleared by a security officer, whose main function seemed to be ensuring the crew’s loyalty and obedience to the Empire and to the present command—however long it might last. This officer seemed to play somewhat the same role as did the “political officers” on warships of the larger totalitarian regimes in Earth’s late twentieth century. Such a security officer might be required, according to Captain Kirk’s report, to kill a senior officer who did not carry out Imperial orders correctly —even to move into that officer’s position.”

Picard felt like shuddering. “I’ll look into those records in full,” he said. “Meanwhile

“Meanwhile,” said Data, “the Enterprise crew from our universe quickly understood what had happened to them, but also quickly found themselves in an increasingly untenable position. Captain Kirk’s counterpart was under orders to destroy the Halkan civilization if they refused to comply with the demand of the Empire that they be allowed to mine dilithium crystals there. Captain Kirk was forced to stall for time—and the