The Luna-class starship held fast in the orbit of the sun as it died. There was a light glow around it as the shields absorbed the solar radiation, as it fired a probe toward the sun which disappeared from visual range quickly enough swallowed by the ball of fiery gasses. 

—- USS Luna, Bridge —-

“How long will this sun be dying?” Captain Cruz asked generally as the bridge crew watched the sun on the viewscreen. Solar flares seemed to lick at the edge of the shield. 

“The astronomy department told me it could be in the range of 100,000 Earth years,” said Chief Science Officer Gabriella Miller. 

It was a long time, but then nothing happened quickly in terms of astrological phenomena. There was a lot that could be learned, and the Romulans could potentially turn the outpouring of energy as the sun expanded into something useable. That was why Miller was on the bridge, as a botanist she had no more than a layman’s idea about the galactic realities of a sun dying but she did head up the science department and was helping to coordinate the various departments that were collecting data.

“Not a rush job then,” said First Officer Klar from his seat. The Klingon was not pleased to be doing chores for the Romulan Free State, and would rather have been doing almost anything else. He looked uncomfortable in his seat and kept shifting around in a way that was setting almost everyone else on the bridge on edge.

”We’re updating star charts,” Lieutenant Sone said, though most of Romulan space was not mapped, this would allow non-Starfleet vessels to avoid the solar event as it was not safe with inferior shielding. Sone was on the bridge because it had been eventually decided that Lieutenant Scchhttt’aaakkk was better left in his pool so his Assistant Chief would handle bridge stuff.

“Are we safe at this distance?” Cruz asked.

”Shields are holding up fine,” said Chief Security Officer Claudia Jara at tactical, “We’re blocking the radiation.”

As if to prove the point a solar flar collided with the shield but was blocked. This time though the ship shook and Cruz glanced at Jara to confirm they were still protected. She received a nod of confirmation in return. 

“Back us up about five hundred kilometers,” Cruz said to Pr’Nor the Chief Navigation Officer who was the main on to control the ship’s movements. 

The Vulcan woman nodded, “Moving back 500 kilometers.”

Another solar flare hit the shielding and Jara said, “We’re getting some radiation coming through, non-lethal but it’s an odd frequency. I’m adjusting shields.”

Cruz nodded as the ship began to move under the power of its impulse engines. She glanced at her crew who were diligently doing their jobs as another solar flare hit the shields and then she felt herself falling into darkness.

Chaos errupted on the bridge as the Captain, First Officer Klar, Lieutenant Akane Sone, and Lieutenant Commander Tashai at operations all collapsed and seemed unresponsive. Taking the initiative Pr’Nor backed the ship up and additional two thousand kilometers as Lieutenant Jara who was on the lookout for attackers tapped her comm badge, “Bridge of Doctor Va’Tok, we need you and a team, the Captain is down.”

“We have reports of people down throughout the ship. However I will be up as soon as I can,” came the measured Vulcan reply. 

Another tap and Lieutenant Yuhiro Kolem was reached, “Kolem to the bridge, we have a situation.”

”On my way,” came the brisk reply of a Chief Counseling Officer that had just have her assistant collapse in the middle of a meeting, and become unresponsive. As the Second Officer she did not yet know that with both the Captain and the First Officer down she had to command the ship, a fate that she had long dreaded when she took on the role, but one that was part of the job.

She made her way to the bridge where they had more news. Few of the crew had been affected, but given that it was most of the senior Command staff it left the Luna in a pickle, add to that that a wellness check had been conducted and Sublieutenant Navan of the Romulan Free State who was their chaperone in Romulan space had also been affected they were in a potentially serious situation. 

”Well let’s hope we can figure this out before the Romulans want to hear from their officer,” Kolem said as medical staff carted away the injured. She glanced at Lieutenant Commander Miller who would have to be heading up the investigation.

—- Vancouver, 2024 —-

Captain Adriana Cruz sat up in bed. Which was not where she had been, she had been on the deck of the USS Luna observing a solar event. Her hurt as she stood and realized she was dressed in jeans and a t-shirt, and not her Starfleet Uniform. Beside her sat an old style plug-in electric alarm clock with digits glowing in red. A familiar yelling was emitting from the walls.

Exiting the room via the door she went next door where Klar had seemingly fallen from a nearly identical bed and then knocked over a nearly identical alarm clock. She helped the Klingon First Officer to his feet, and asked, “Do you know where we are?”

”We have been captured,” Klar said, “By our enemies, this is a Romulan trick.”

Cruz shook her head, if the Romulans could snatch Starfleet officers from the bridge of a shielded ship, why transport them to where ever they were and why leave them unguarded? To counter that question Sublieutenant Navan appeared in the door way.

”I heard yelling, where are we?” she asked.

Klar glared at her, “As if you don’t know.”

Navan shrugged, “I am here too Klingon. I know you think us Romulans have magical powers because your people can barley handle fire after all these years.”

Klar bared his teeth at the Romulan.

”Stop it, for now let’s assume none of us kidnapped the others,” snapped Cruz. She let go of Klar and went to the small window opening the blinds and looking out. It was raining. She studied it for a minute and said, “I think this is twentieth-first century Seattle. On Earth.”

“So it’s a human trick?” Klar said narrowing his eyes as if Cruz might have done this.

”Shut up Klingon,” Navan said tucking her ears behind her hair, “Let us go and see what’s beyond these walls.”

The idea of introducing a Klingon to the pas seemed like a bad idea, but Cruz could hardly tell him to remain in the room. Luckily it seemed that nobody noticed him, and even those that interacted with them, such as the man behind the front desk of the hotel they’d woken up in treated him as if he were a human.

”It’s holodeck rules,” Cruz said mostly for herself, “People don’t notice Klar is unusual because they’re not meant to. It’s how we do ahistorical things on the holodeck, for example having a woman captain the Titantic.”

Navan nodded, “So the simulation parameters allow a Andorian to work in an earth saloon, without all conversation being about why they are blue. Computer display arch. Arch. Computer Arch.”

Nothing happened.

”Your holodeck is broken,” Klar said.

”But we weren’t on the holodeck,“ Cruz said, “We were on the bridge.”

”I was in the lounge, and I was not wearing these human clothing items,” Navan said, gesturing toward the jeans and shoes with distaste.

It was a mystery that for now, remained unsolved.