Pangaea Regained (Part III)

Posted on Fri Jul 25, 2025 @ 5:48am by Commodore T'mpest Michaels & Lieutenant Commander Alanna Wells & Lieutenant JG Brianthe Oaxaca & Commander Cara Letsul & Lieutenant Liam Blackwood

1,460 words; about a 7 minute read

Mission: Time After Time
Location: Pangaea

[PREVIOUSLY]

"I agree, and this is so much better when it comes to gardening." Cara having a wistful look in her eyes. She was already feeling the stress that she had earlier begin to fade away.

"It does have its benefits," Bri admitted. "And it's problems. On the station, I control the weather. Here, the weather does whatever it pleases."

[CONTINUED]

Alanna caught Cara's odd reaction to Bri, but chose to say nothing. "Bri, would you like to show Cara and Liam your plans for the garden here while I show the commodore the attic?"

Bri turned to Cara and Liam. "Whatever you'd like."

Cara was torn between wanting to see where Alanna was going to take T'mpest but, just being out here in nature, it was making her feel better. "I-I would like to see your plans for the gardens, if you don't mind."

"Of course," Bri said, leading them to a workroom where she had a three-dimensional holographic rendering of the garden she was creating nearby.

Cara was mesmerized by the design, a glistening of tears in her eyes. "That is very beautiful." her voice soft and low.

Meanwhile, Alanna led T'mpest upstairs to her personal living area, then past it to the hidden attic. "This is where I've been doing most of my covert operations. There's a roof garden, but I don't use it right now in case the shields fail. From the outside, Bag end looks and scans like a rocky hill. I use some of the technology Starfleet developed to monitor primitive cultures and added some shielding and force fields."

The room had several computers and screens, plus an old-fashioned communications system and multiple recording devices. Alanna showed T'mpest how she'd been eavesdropping on Cardassian communications and scrambling signals. "I back everything up to computers in the storage area, on my shuttle and to a receiver in the forest. It's small, but I was able to jam communications just before and during the battle. As I told you before, I have a dozen relays around the planet to bounce off. It's been more effective than I anticipated. The Marines were also scrambling signals, which helped when the Cardassians tried to punch through to the station."

"This is an impressive setup. Do you plan to keep it going now that the war is over," T'mpest asked.

"Yes. At least for a while. The portals still need to be protected, and they're within range."

After a few more minutes, the two went back down to the main floor.

Cara looked towards the others when they rejoined Brianthe and herself. "This is amazing!"

"It is. Did she tell you the leaves from the white trees are edible?" Alanna asked.

Cara gave a little bit of a wry chuckle, "I kept Brianthe busy about her ideas it hadn't come up as of yet. Edible leaves fascinating!"

Brianthe's grin turned impish. "We actually harvested the seeds from a land at the top of a beanstalk."

"It's true," Alanna added. "The gardener was happy to let us take some of the seeds to plant. They, and everything else in Bri's garden is native to Pangaea."

Liam’s eyes moved from the holographic garden to the others, clearly intrigued by the talk of edible leaves and seeds from a beanstalk. “I didn’t exactly pack for a run in with fee-fi-fo-fum...” He said with a grin. He looked at Bri “This is incredible work. I’d love to hear more when you’ve got a moment to spare.”

Bri smiled. "I'm still the station's botanist. I'm happy to show you what I have here and on there. But yes, it is like the folktale, but there were no giants and no treasure. Just a man who tended trees."

She turned to Alanna. "Or was there a giant? It's funny I can't remember all the details, apart from the trees."

Alanna paused. I think there was a giant, but we never saw him."

"Were you not warned about a giant?" A Vulcan in a pair of dark brown slacks and a tan Vulcan tunic walked in. When she saw the new arrivals she bowed. "Commodore Michaels and Commander Letsul, I presume." She paused as she looked at Liam for a moment to recall his name. "And Lieutenant Blackwood. I am T'gan, temporal scientist on Deep Space 5. Greetings."

"I think so. It's all a bit fuzzy...except for the trees." Bri grinned. "What brings you down here?"

"I am meeting R'gelis and Tannis to compare temporal readings."

"I have the ones from the portals and here," Alanna said. "I'll give you those as well."

"That will be much appreciated," the Vulcan replied.

The arrival of another Vulcan, female, caused Cara's heartrate rise, then it settled as a famous quote from a journalist, Henry Morton Stanley, back in 1871 came to her mind. "Doctor Livingstone, I presume?" A small smile appeared, as Cara answered with one word, much like Doctor Livingstone had answered the journalist. "Yes."

There was something about T'gan which didn't make Cara want to run. Perhaps it was due to her vocation, Temporal Science. Or for the matter not being in a uniform. Or maybe it was the fact they were near natural surroundings. Her thoughts drifted back to T'Lul then wrenched her mind back to the present. T'Lul wasn't here, T'gan wasn't T'Lul.

"A pleasure to meet you," T'mpest said, returning the bow. "Have the fluctuations returned to normal?"

"No. The portal complex is...quiet. However, the temporal fluctuations between the sun and planet have returned to normal readings. I can only assume the portal swill eventually return to normal as well."

"Thank you."

"I can show you the readings when you return to the station. Now, if you will excuse me." T'gan turned to Alanna. "May I compare my readings to yours?"

Alanna waved her off. "Go right ahead. My computer is in my room upstairs. I was looking at them yesterday."

T'gan bowed again, then went upstairs.

When she was gone, Alanna addressed her guests. "Would you like to see the gardens now?"

"Yes please." Cara uttered quietly, gazing curiously towards where T'gan had gone. She tucked in the back of her mind as to the discussion of things temporal. Still, she said not a word concerning that. She was but a stranger in a strange land. And in some fashion, she felt something she'd not felt in years, perhaps she has lost her ability to adapt. Or maybe it will be slow in coming. She didn't know. She was ready, though, to go see the gardens, and enjoy the wonders.

Brianthe nodded. The gardens were here domain. "This way." She led them out the side door and through the woods, bypassing the ruins Alanna was studying--when she had the time.

The woods opened onto a large meadow filled with plants. At the far end, mostly hidden by taller trees, was a grove of white trees with white leaves that seemed to move in a non-existent breeze. Even under the trees the white trees glowed under natural sunlight.

The garden was section off in a grid pattern for compatibility. "Everything here is native. Some, I admit, are based on the type of planet, the distance from the sun, weather patterns, and soil composition. But I've done the best I can to make sure they're compatible with what is here or what we believe may have grown here."

There was just something about this place that spoke to Cara on a rather deep level. In fact, she took off her shoes, one of each occupying one of her pants pockets. The feel of the earth beneath her feet, coolness along the path. She felt as if she had been starving just for the natural feel of a planet's surface. "It is wonderful" she breathed out, feeling in awe.

Brianthe grinned. "I think it's because everything here has a touch of the Fae about it."

" A touch of fae--" Cara mused, "No wonder things feel different upon this planet." her voice soft, filled with wonder. It did feel different. Different than when she had stepped in the arboretum. Different than when she was on that other planet. "I feel... the difference here."

Liam watched Cara for a moment, her reaction so raw and genuine it gave him pause. He glanced down at the path beneath them, then back up at the canopy of trees overhead. “There’s definitely something in the air here.” He said quietly.

(To be continued...)

Commodore T'mpest Michaels
Commander
Deep Space 5

Lieutenant Commander Alanna Wells
Director, Pangaea Science and Exploration
Pangaea

Lieutenant JG Brianthe Oaxaca
Botanist
Deep Space 5 and Pangaea

Commander Cara Letsul
Executive Officer
Deep Space 5

Lieutenant Liam Blackwood
Chief Science Officer
Deep Space Five

 

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