VSF Blessings: A Star Trek Fan Production
Episode 11: Deliverance
Started: August 18, 2025
Podcast Published: December 8, 2025
SCENE 1: ACTION PLAN
SOUNDS: Coming out of warp.
JEREMIAH 1
Why are we not in orbit around the planet?
MATTHIAS 2
These are the coordinates we were sent.
SOUNDS: Incoming message.
MATTHIAS 3
Incoming communication from the VSF St. Jude, Sir.
JEREMIAH 4
Put it on screen.
SOUNDS: Computer beeps
JEREMIAH 5
This is Captain Hollis of the VSF Blessings.
CAPTAIN BENEDICT (Telephony) 6
This is Captain Benedict. Thanks for meeting us out here. Let me bring you up to speed quickly. The peace agreement between the Jaqual and the Fendorians did not go as planned. Not long after the opening ceremonies started, four armed Jaqual ships came out of warp above the planet, beamed their envoy up, and opened fire on the planet.
JEREMIAH 7
I thought both sides had agreed to a ceasefire.
BENEDICT (Telephony) 8
It would appear that was only true one way. We were warned to back away or be caught in the crossfire. We are a diplomatic starship with limited weaponry. We had no choice but to comply.
JEREMIAH 9
And is the Vatican peace envoy onboard your ship?
BENEDICT (Telephony) 10
Unfortunately, no. They are still down on the planet’s surface. The Jaqual setup an interference field in the planet’s mesosphere, which is inhibiting transporters.
JERMIAH 11
And Archbishop Morgan?
BENEDICT (Telephony) 12
He’s with the envoy on the planet as well.
JEREMIAH 13
Do you know where he is? How many are in his party?
BENEDICT (Telephony) 14
The last we heard, he was in a hangar west of the capital city. Communications have been cut off, too. There were 7 people, including him.
JEREMIAH 15
Brother Matthias, do you know where that is?
MATTHIAS 16
Already working on it, Captain.
BENEDICT (Telephony) 17
You can’t go down there, Captain! You’ll be obliterated!
JEREMIAH 18
The VSF Blessings isn’t your regular Aerie Class ship, and we’ve faced worse…or at least just as bad. Do you have anything else helpful to share with us?
BENEDICT (Telephony) 19
We’ve noticed their weapons take time to re-energize between uses.
JEREMIAH 20
Then timing is everything. Blessings out.
SOUNDS: End communications.
MATTHIAS 21
I have found the hangar, Sir. It appears to have taken minimal damage. The orbiting ships blasted the center of the city first and are working their way out.
JEREMIAH 22
How much time do you think we have so we can get to them?
MATTHIAS 23
Not much. Measured in tens of minutes perhaps.
SOUNDS: Combadge chirp
JEREMIAH 24
Captain Hollis to all crew! We are about to embark on a risky mission to save Archbishop Morgan and his team from a planet-side bombardment. I’m open to ideas, but here is what I’m thinking. Brother Matthias, I’ve seen you do some wild practice simulations of planetary entries. They were at breakneck speeds. We’re about to put that to the test. I want to warp in as close to the planet as you dare risk and then dive into the atmosphere like a mad man, below the transporter interference in the mesosphere. Be ready to go deeper if necessary.
MATTHIAS 25
Aye, Sir! I’ll do my best!
JEREMIAH 26
Brother Patrick, keep us together, keep our shields strong, and give Brother Matthias the power he needs to maneuver.
PATRICK (Telephony) 27
Aye, Sir!
JEREMIAH 28
Brothers Ethan and Thomas, I want you two in the transporter room. Brother Ethan, you transport their party of 7 onboard as quickly as possible.
ETHAN (Telephony) 29
Yes, Sir!
JEREMIAH 30
Brother Thomas, you get them off the transporter pad swiftly for the next bunch to beam on board. Take care of any medical needs as well.
THOMAS (Telephony) 31
Absolutely, Sir!
JEREMIAH 32
May God steer us straight and sure to rescue our colleagues and help us navigate a path of peace for both these peoples.
Let’s do this, now!
SOUNDS: Computer beeps. Warp out. Segue music
INTRODUCTION
VSF Blessings. A Star Trek Fan Production.
We may live in a broken world. A broken universe. There is good and evil, right and wrong, light and dark, but we can be the good. We can do what’s right. We can be the light. And we can do it in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
SCENE 2: DIVING IN
SOUNDS: Coming out of warp.
MATTHIAS 33
Diving into the atmosphere at maximum speed now…
SOUNDS: Wind starting to woosh by.
JEREMIAH 34
Can we push any harder?
PATRICK (telephony) 35
Systems are holding. We can push maybe 10 percent more.
MATTHIAS 36
It’s going to get rough.
SOUNDS: Computer beeps. Wind wooshing by. Metal straining.
PATRICK (telephony) 37
Adjusting inertial dampeners to compensate…
JEREMIAH 38
The Jaqual ships have noticed! One is moving our way and trying to lock on weapons!
MATTHIAS 39
Almost passed the mesosphere.
SOUNDS: Beeps.
JEREMIAH 40
Still too much interference to detect the Archbishop and others.
MATTHIAS 41
Punching through now…
JEREMIAH 42
Searching for their comm signals…I think I’ve found them…that’s them!
SOUNDS: Combadge chirp.
JEREMIAH 43
Captain Hollis to Archbishop Morgan!
MORGAN (telephony) 44
Jeremiah?! It’s so good to hear your voice.
JEREMIAH 45
How many to beam up? We don’t have much time.
MORGAN (telephony) 46
There are twelve. We’re all here close together. Should be easy to identify.
ETHAN (telephony) 47
Captain, I’m locked onto them!
SOUNDS: Ship hit by enemy fire. Red Alert.
JEREMIAH 48
Captain Benedict said the Jaqual ships take time to recharge their weapons. Lower shields, Brother Matthias, so we can beam them aboard.
SOUNDS: Computer beeps.
ETHAN (telephony) 49
Commencing with first group now!
JEREMIAH 50
Brother Matthias, swing a wide arc around the area. Let’s monitor to see if they’re about to fire again. We cannot take a hit with shields down.
ETHAN (telephony) 51
Second group energizing now…
MATTHIAS 52
They’re firing on the hangar!
JEREMIAH 53
Get between them and the hangar! Raise…
ETHAN (telephony) 54
We’ve got the third group in the transporter buffer! That’s all of them!
JEREMIAH 55
Raise shields! GET US OUT OF HERE!
MATTHIAS 56
Aye, sir!
SOUNDS: Explosion.
JEREMIAH 57
The hangar was destroyed!
SOUNDS: Computer beep. Impulse engines ramping up. Wind.
MATTHIAS 58
A second ship is locking onto us!
JEREMIAH 59
They’re firing!
SOUNDS: Explosion.
JEREMIAH 60
How are we holding up, Brother Patrick?!
PATRICK (telephony) 61
We’ll make it, Captain. Our shields are still strong.
JEREMIAH 62
Good! Let’s keep them that way.
SOUNDS: Door wooshes open.
MORGAN 63
Captain Hollis, your timing is as impeccable as your approach is unorthodox. Can we outrun the Jaqual ships in the Blessings?
JEREMIAH 64
We have an open comm channel to all crew. Brother Patrick, did you hear Archbishop Morgan’s question?
PATRICK (telephony) 65
Yes, and yes, I believe so. Both on impulse and warp speed.
MORGAN 66
And can the St. Jude outrun them, too?
PATRICK (telephony) 67
Yes, that shouldn’t be a problem.
JEREMIAH 68
What are you thinking?
MORGAN 69
We need to distract some of these ships from bombarding the planet. If we can peel off just one or two, lives may be saved, and I have just the bait…
SOUNDS: Segue music
SCENE 3: NEW BEGINNINGS
MARIA 70
I have the computer extracting the temporal signatures from my transport pattern recorded in the lab on Mars.
DR. EGAN 71
Didn’t Archbishop Morgan’s team already do that, Dr. Hollis?
MARIA 72
Yes, they did. I tweaked the algorithm a bit based upon what I learned from their results.
EGAN 73
Living up to your reputation of being thorough, I see.
MARIA 74
I didn’t know I still had a reputation after twenty years.
EGAN 75
I’ve read your personnel files.
MARIA 76
Those are some thorough personnel files.
EGAN 77
Plus, I spoke to some of your old colleagues. I couldn’t let someone in my labs without a thorough review.
MARIA 78
I would expect no less. The work done here is fascinating and groundbreaking. I’m just happy to occupy my little corner to figure out what happened to me. Thank you.
EGAN 79
Figuring that out could have direct application to transporter technology.
MARIA 80
That’s what everyone is hoping.
EGAN 81
You know, your disappearance all those years ago had a major impact upon the temporal studies department. New, stricter safety protocols were implemented after the entire works were shut down and thoroughly reviewed.
MARIA 82
I’m sorry for that.
EGAN 83
You were the innocent victim, but when a prominent scientist goes missing after an accident at your lab, the higher ups notice.
MARIA 84
So, you were here 20 years ago?
EGAN 85
I’ve been here 25 years. Time flies at temporal studies, as they say.
MARIA 86
Would I be allowed to see what experiments were being run that day? Including the equipment used?
EGAN 87
That…might be possible. Let me see what’s available and can be cleared for you to see.
MARIA 88
Thank you, Dr. Egan. I would greatly appreciate that.
SOUNDS: Segue music.
SCENE 4: BAIT
SOUNDS: Bridge sounds.
MATTHIAS 89
Captain, the lead Jaqual starship is hailing us.
JEREMIAH 90
Good. On screen.
SOUNDS: Communication answered. View screen activated.
JEREMIAH 91
This is Captain Jer…
JAQUAL GENERAL WENDER (telephony) 92
What are you doing, Captain?! Are you mad?!
Streaking through the atmosphere in the middle of war?! What were you up to down on that planet?
JEREMIAH 93
No, I’m not mad, but I am angry. My people were on the surface when you opened fire upon the planet. I took the measures necessary to get them out of harm’s way!
WENDER (telephony) 94
Now that you’ve done that, leave. Now.
MORGAN 95
Gladly, but before we do, can you tell me why you broke your ceasefire? Your leaders seemed to make such earnest efforts.
WENDER (telephony) 96
The Fendorians have become such a stupid, gullible people. Our leaders smile, nod their heads, and say the right things, and the Fendorians believe it all. Such useful idiots. All while we plot their swift annihilation.
MORGAN 97
But you signed ceasefire agreements.
WENDER (telephony) 98
Which are not worth the paper they are printed on. There can be no legitimate agreement of any kind between the Jaqual and Fendorians.
MORGAN 99
So you rain destruction from above…killing men, women, and children…for revenge? Is that it?
WENDER (telephony) 100
You know what they did to my people for generations, human! You know they used us and stole so many of our precious resources. You know how they lied to us. So many starved and died as a result.
MORGAN 101
Sadly, yes, I know this. I also know in the last three generations they have striven to make amends the best they can. The Fendorians negotiated in earnest.
WENDER 102 (telephony)
As we knew they would, which was our greatest weapon against them. Now, they shall feel what we have felt. They will beg for our help, if any survive. They will receive the same help they gave us…none.
MORGAN 103
I’m truly sorry it has come to this, General Wender. It hurts me for both your peoples.
WENDER (telephony) 104
We don’t need nor want your pity.
MORGAN 105
What you have are our prayers.
WENDER (telephony) 106
It’s time for you to leave, Blessings.
MORGAN 107
Gladly. But before we do, I want to introduce you to the guests we’ll be taking with us. As you can see to my right here, we have Fendorian President Vascar and his Counsel behind me. We will be making our exit now.
WENDER (telephony) 108
NO! HAND THEM OVER NOW!
JEREMIAH 109
No. We most assuredly will not be doing that. You’ll have to take them if you want them. End communication.
SOUNDS
End communication.
JEREMIAH 110
Brother Matthias, get us out of here. Slow start as we discussed. We don’t have to let them know we can easily outrun them. That’s for them to figure out on their own.
MATTHIAS 111
Aye, Sir.
SOUNDS: Computer beeps.
PRESIDENT VASCAR 112
Thank you, gentlemen, for taking this responsibility upon your shoulders. I am sorry things have devolved so much.
MORGAN 113
The loss of life happening right this very moment is staggering, Mr. President.
MATTHIAS 114
General Wender’s ship is pursuing us.
SOUNDS: Alert indicating Gender Wender’s ship is following.
MORGAN 115
As we hoped. They can’t destroy the planet if they are trying to destroy us instead.
VASCAR 116
That still leaves three starships above the planet firing upon my people.
MORGAN 117
What we just learned will strengthen my call to Starfleet to intervene. That ceasefire was not as worthless as General Wender thought. So blatantly defying it with the Vatican Diplomatic Services in the middle largely counteracts the Prime Directive objections Starfleet may have. If I fail, which I don’t think I will, I have a Plan B. Mind if we use your Ready Room, Captain Hollis?
JEREMIAH 118
Not at all. Make yourself at home.
MORGAN 119
President Vascar, if you would join me please.
SOUNDS: Segue music.
SCENE 5: RESEARCH
SOUNDS: Temporal equipment humming
MARIA 120
Computer, start Research Log.
SOUNDS: Working and log started sound.
MARIA 121
This is Doctor Maria Hollis in the Daystrom Institute Temporal Studies Department laboratory. It is Stardate four-four-eight-five-five-point-four. I’ve been here for a while already studying…sorry…I almost forgot to record my activities log as promised.
The temporal equipment from twenty years ago has been set up. They pulled it all out of storage soon after I materialized so unexpectedly in my satellite lab on Mars. They repaired what was damaged during the event back then so they could analyze it fully.
I’m not allowed to do anything but observe and scan with my instruments. I am locked out of any controls. It would be a conflict of interest to have a castaway time traveler such as me directly accessing the equipment.
There are temporal signatures being generated, but the Temporal team has yet to figure out if they actually do anything.
I’m currently running a comparative analysis with the temporal signatures extracted from my transport signal.
SOUNDS: Completion beep.
MARIA 122
Oh, I guess it’s done.
Hmmm…now this is interesting. There’s an 89% match. That’s rather surprising. What about that remaining 11%, though.
Computer, visually represent the temporal signature of the equipment and overlay it onto a similar representation of my transporter signal’s temporal signature. Place it on the wall display, please.
SOUNDS: Processing. Display.
MARIA 123
Hmmm…the dissimilarities all lie within one quadrant of the temporal field. There must be a reason. A miscalibration? I wish I could access the controls. Not an option though. But something to ask Dr. Egan about.
Something is different about that quadrant though. When one has nothing else to go on, use your eyes. Let me see what that quadrant of emitters looks like.
SOUNDS: Footsteps.
MARIA 124
It looks like the other quadrants. This machine’s emitters are arranged with radial symmetry. It is labeled as Quadrant L.
Let’s take a look at each emitter. L1. L2. L3. L4. Scanning through each one visually.
Hold on…L14 looks different. It sticks out a little more…it’s not fully seated in its fitting.
Hmmm…I wonder if I gave it a little push…
SOUNDS: Emitter popping into place.
MARIA 125
There now. Computer, rerun the comparative analysis with the temporal signatures extracted from my transport signal.
SOUNDS: Computer processing.
MARIA 126
This shouldn’t take long since the baseline has already been processed.
SOUNDS: Completion beep.
COMPUTER 126a
100% match.
MARIA 127
100%? Such precision is surprising, too. One misaligned emitter, L14, had an 11% impact. Amazing.
SOUNDS: Door chime.
MARIA 128
Oh, bother. Come in!
SOUNDS: Door woosh.
BRENDA 129
I’m sorry, Doctor Hollis, but your time is up.
MARIA 130
No problem, Brenda. May I come back again tomorrow?
BRENDA 131
I can make that work once more. Same time?
MARIA 132
That will be perfect. Let me pack up my tricorder and a few other things.
SOUNDS: Rustling of gathering things. Old communicator activation sound.
BRENDA 133
What was that?
MARIA 134
I’m not sure. It sounds like…here it is. I think it was my old combadge from 20 years ago. Huh. I keep it with me as a connection to the past, I guess. A good luck charm, perhaps. It doesn’t work with today’s communications system, though.
BRENDA 135
I’ve seen one of those in the Daystrom Institute museum.
MARIA 136
Hahaha! Funny thing is, this one is only a few months old from my perspective. In the blink of an eye, it is suddenly an antique.
BRENDA 137
I’m sorry, Doctor Hollis. I didn’t mean to imply…
MARIA 138
Don’t worry about it, Brenda. My time-travel predicament makes it weird for us all. I understand.
BRENDA 139
Thanks for that. Are you ready?
MARIA 140
Yes. Wait…Computer, end Research Log.
SOUNDS: End log.
SCENE 6: BRINKSMANSHIP
SOUNDS: Bridge noises. Explosion
MATTHIAS 141
That one was a little close.
JEREMIAH 142
Maybe we shouldn’t let them think they can catch us quite so much, Brother Matthias.
MATTHIAS 143
Agreed. Increasing impulse power.
SOUNDS: Computer beeps and indicator sound.
MATTHIAS 144
And Phase Two just commenced. A second Jaqual ship has left orbit around Fendora and is joining the pursuit.
JEREMIAH 145
That’s one less starship attacking the planet’s surface and more lives saved. Things will get a little trickier with two on our tail. Make sure one doesn’t flank us.
MATTHIAS 146
Yes, sir. They aren’t as maneuverable as we are nor as fast as we can be. It shouldn’t be a problem.
JEREMIAH 147
Still, we wouldn’t want them to get in a lucky shot.
SOUNDS: Ready Room doors open.
JEREMIAH 148
Any luck in there, Your Grace?
MORGAN 149
It took some political brinksmanship and moral certitude, but we were successful.
VASCAR 150
The Archbishop was both masterful and a force to be reckoned with. We are forever in your debt.
MORGAN 151
I have done nothing but what is right…and so is Starfleet now. They are sending a starship to subdue the Jaqual ships. They’re closer than I thought and should be here shortly.
JEREMIAH 152
In the meantime, we continue our cat and mouse game until they figure us out.
MORGAN 153
Precisely. Every second of distraction saves lives.
JEREMIAH 154
If you don’t mind me asking, where are the Fendorian’s defensive starships?
VASCAR 155
We stood them down as part of the ceasefire in good faith. They were one of the first targets the Jaqual destroyed or severely damaged when they began attacking our planet. The ships were planet side and powered down. They never stood a chance.
MORGAN 156
The diplomatic envoy advised against it, but the Fendorians were determined to put their best face forward.
VASCAR 157
A decision that will regretfully go down in history as the cause of this planetary calamity.
MORGAN 158
Not the cause, Mr. President. Others are responsible for the cause with their dastardly decisions and choices. Your decision removed the prevention.
VASCAR 159
The end result is the same.
MORGAN 160
Perhaps, but endeavoring to do the right thing wasn’t wrong.
SOUNDS: Computer indicator.
MATTHIAS 161
I have a Starfleet vessel inbound, Captain.
JEREMIAH 162
And not a moment too soon.
SOUNDS: Segue music.
SCENE 7: HOME
MARIA 163
I’m not sure that I want to hear about ALL your adventures, Jeremiah. This mother’s heart may not be able to handle it. You could have been killed!
JEREMIAH (telephony) 164
Maybe I should edit them a bit. For your sake. I was used to being more unfiltered with Dad, I guess.
MARIA 165
I know. There are certainly things a father and son can share that even a loving mother can’t. I suspect the same is true of a mother and daughter relationship. Forget I said anything, though. I want to hear all your adventures, when you’re allowed to share, of course.
JEREMIAH (telephony) 166
I’m sure I’m overcompensating as well. I’m a grown man. I don’t need to be telling my mommy everything.
MARIA 167
Twenty years, remember. And not just twenty years of being gone. Twenty years of thinking I was dead.
JEREMIAH (telephony) 168
This isn’t easy.
MARIA 169
No one said it would be.
SOUNDS: Silence.
JEREMIAH (telephony) 170
How goes the research? Found anything interesting?
MARIA 171
It’s going well so far. I got to observe and scan the original temporal equipment that caused all this. It was even powered up.
JEREMIAH (telephony) 172
Powered up?
MARIA 173
Yes, they set it up right after my re-appearing act. I wonder if John had anything to do with that.
JEREMIAH (telephony) 174
I wouldn’t be surprised. He’s always a step ahead. I don’t know how he does it.
MARIA 175
With God on his side.
JEREMIAH (telephony) 176
I should have been the one to say that.
MARIA 177
You don’t have a monopoly on God, Father Jeremiah.
JEREMIAH (telephony) 178
Hahaha! I guess not.
MARIA 179
I’m going back tomorrow for one more session with the temporal equipment. Its signature matches what I extracted from my transport signal exactly. As if there were any doubt.
JEREMIAH (telephony) 180
An exact match sounds promising. I wonder what findings tomorrow holds.
MARIA 181
Who knows? How much longer will you be there?
JEREMIAH (telephony) 182
We’ll be breaking orbit and heading back tomorrow. Starfleet is here ensuring the safety of Fendora and helping formulate a recovery plan with their government. The Vatican is offering up aid as well.
MARIA 183
This interstellar diplomatic thing was still a new initiative for the Church before my incident. I remember John talking about it.
JEREMIAH (telephony) 184
He says it was by popular demand and not something the Church was necessarily pursuing. For the right parties, the Church is seen to bring the moral credibility and impartiality both sides want. It’s funny how close two warring parties can be without even seeing it.
MARIA 185
Too much time and energy is spent on the differences far too often.
JEREMIAH (telephony) 186
An astute observation, Mom.
MARIA 187
I have those sometimes. It’ll be good to have you home again, son.
JEREMIAH (telephony) 188
You make the word…“home”... sound so warm.
SOUNDS: Segue music
SCENE 8: GOING HOME
SOUNDS: Ship’s engines.
VASCAR (telephony) 189
I know you may tire of hearing this, but thank you once again for helping my people.
MORGAN 190
You are quite welcome, President Vascar. Between the Federation and the Vatican Diplomatic and charity functions, you are in good hands, I can assure you. I will continue to remember you in my prayers.
VASCAR (telephony) 191
And we will do the same.
SOUNDS: Communication end.
MORGAN 192
And with that, I think we are free to go, Captain.
JEREMIAH 193
Brother Matthias, set course to Earth and let’s get underway.
MATTHIAS 194
Aye, Sir. Setting course…
SOUNDS: Computer beeps
JEREMIAH 195
Well played this week, Your Grace.
SOUNDS: Warp out. Computer beeps.
MORGAN 196
I wish I could say the loss of life was incomprehensible, but there are too many examples in this universe of far worse. By God’s grace, we helped limit this one.
MATTHIAS 197
With the risk of sounding insubordinate, may I ask why we didn’t return fire on the Jaqual ships? We’ve been able to handle more advanced ships than theirs. Couldn’t we have saved more lives if we’d disabled more ships?
MORGAN 198
Brother Matthias, that is a very good question and an option that was weighed thoroughly, I assure you. First, the actions of the Jaqual were their choice. Their chosen sins. With that said, we do still have a moral obligation to help all those we can, which may have required the offensive measures you suggest.
JEREMIAH 199
The Blessings and her crew have unfortunately had to defend ourselves far too many times. Thankfully, with the grace of God, we’ve survived and even disabled the opponent at times. The Blessings is faster and has better shields, but the Jaqual ships do have more powerful weapons, even if slow to fire. If we had taken them on and failed…or been destroyed…nothing would have stopped their mass genocide. The VSF Saint Jude most certainly couldn’t have.
MATTHIAS 200
But what about the Federation and Starfleet? It turned out they were relatively nearby.
MORGAN 201
Yes, which is why it was more important than ever to NOT return fire. Their Prime Directive has noble intentions behind it for good reason, but it doesn’t always lead to the truly moral solution. Starfleet would not have wanted to interfere with these two non-Federation worlds’ development.
MATTHIAS 202
I’m not following. Why was it important not to return their attack?
MORGAN 203
Because the Jaqual had signed a ceasefire, with the Vatican Diplomatic Core in the middle, agreeing to third party intervention if one side broke the agreement. One side. If both sides, or even our side, engaged in battle, we could not call upon a third party for help.
MATTHIAS 204
And that is how you got Starfleet to help. It did not violate their Prime Directive because both sides had already agreed to it.
MORGAN 205
Yes, but it still took convincing, but what was right won in the end. It was a bloody math that I hope NEVER to have to repeat, but the only way we could stop a mass genocide was to diplomatically wait, distract, get more capable help, and pray like never before.
JEREMIAH 206
The entire crew was doing that last part.
MORGAN 207
As was I.
JEREMIAH 208
While you’re taking questions, Your Grace, how did you end up in the middle of this? You’re not part of the Church’s Diplomatic Core, anymore.
MORGAN 209
I was doing a favor for a colleague. The demand for their peace-making services is greater than they have resources to deploy. This particular case was supposed to be a matter of formality with no surprises. I was mainly a figurehead. It gave me a chance to stretch my space legs on the VSF Saint Jude, as well, which is within my purview.
JEREMIAH 210
“Pray to be ever ready for God’s will even when it takes you by surprise.”
MORGAN 211
A quote from Saint Mary MacKillop. You were listening to me all these years, Jeremiah.
JEREMIAH 212
I was, but I think you already knew that.
MORGAN 213
I do, my boy. I do.
JEREMIAH 214
And now for our journey back home. We’re not as roomy as the Saint Jude was.
MORGAN 215
I’m looking forward to it. We’ll have time to talk about some things.
JEREMIAH 216
What sort of things?
MORGAN 217
Well, when the Blessings swooped down and rescued us on Fendora, you and your crew had your hands full not just operating the ship but managing the people, too.
JEREMIAH 218
We certainly did, but each man had his assigned duty and performed it well.
MORGAN 219
Oh, absolutely, and don’t get the impression I’m saying anything different. You have a fine crew who work together and support each other very well, Captain. They’ve certainly proven that beyond doubt.
JEREMIAH 220
Thank you, Your Grace.
MORGAN 221
What would you think about having one more set of hands onboard?
JEREMIAH 222
Are you volunteering?
MORGAN 223
Hahaha! If only that were possible. I would gratefully follow your lead, but regretfully no. I was thinking about someone else.
JEREMIAH 224
Do you have someone in mind?
MORGAN 225
No one at the moment, but I could certainly draw up a list of options if you would like. You are free to suggest candidates as well.
JEREMIAH 226
Another monk?
MORGAN 227
Not necessarily. As you know, a large portion of the Vatican Space Fleet is made up of the laity. It is atypical to have a crew made up entirely of religious.
JEREMIAH 228
Let me think about it a bit, and how about we compare notes on candidates later? The person would have to fit in with and complement the crew.
MORGAN 229
I completely agree. Once you have figured out the skillsets you need, please let me know so I can start my search as well.
JEREMIAH 230
I certainly will.
SOUNDS: Segue music.
SCENE 9: CARPE DIEM
SOUNDS: Lab sounds
MARIA 231
Computer, start Research Log.
SOUNDS: Working and log started sound.
MARIA 232
This is Doctor Maria Hollis again at the Daystrom Institute Temporal Studies Department laboratory. It is Stardate four-four-eight-five-six-point-four. Doctor Brenda Addison just powered the temporal equipment back up. Now let’s see how the readings compare to yesterday.
SOUNDS: Tricorder scanning
MARIA 233
Exactly the same as before. This equipment is consistent, I’ll give it that. The big question is what else can I learn from it? It’s already been scanned with every relevant sensor available in this lab. I can’t introduce any variables to it because I’m locked out of the controls. I thought about this all night and came up blank. I was hoping inspiration would strike this morning. What am I missing…
SOUNDS: Old comm badge chimes.
MARIA 234
There goes that old comm badge again. What’s up with it I wonder? The same thing happened yesterday.
SOUNDS: Rummaging
MARIA 235
Here it is.
SOUNDS: Comm badge being placed on counter
MARIA 236
Hmmm…while I’m scanning things, let’s scan it too.
SOUNDS: Tricorder scanning
MARIA 237
Now this is interesting. It’s receiving a homing signal. I thought this unit was outdated and incompatible with the Daystrom’s latest communication protocols.
SOUNDS: Padd button sounds.
MARIA 238
Wait, this shouldn’t be happening. The time stamp of the comm badge is out of sync. It’s…no…it’s out of date by 20 years. The time stamp is the same day I disappeared those decades ago! Even curiouser is it is around an hour before it all happened!
How is this possible? There’s nothing in the scans to account for this. Comm badges function through…that’s it! Subspace! Subspace was not part of the temporal equations used for the experiment. No one’s thought of it! None of the scans run so far are looking for subspace.
Computer, is there a subspace signal emanating from the temporal equipment?
SOUNDS: Processing.
COMPUTER 239
Affirmative.
MARIA 240
Computer, what is the nature of the subspace signal?
COMPUTER 241
It is a standard communications protocol used by the Daystrom Institute prior to the latest upgrade.
MARIA 242
And how long ago was this communications protocol used?
COMPUTER 243
It was used between 11 and 35 standard Earth years ago.
MARIA 244
The timeframe is right. If a previously undetected subspace communications signal is coming through the temporal equipment, that explains why my old comm badge chirped both times it came near the equipment. The first time was after I fully seated emitter L14 and the readings matched my transport signal’s temporal signature 100%. The second time was after the equipment was powered on right before I started this analysis. The comm badge was initializing with its newly found signal.
This is big.
Computer, is the subspace signal one way or two way through the temporal equipment?
COMPUTER 245
It is currently one way.
MARIA 246
You said currently one way. Could it travel both ways?
COMPUTER 247
Affirmative.
MARIA 248
No one expected me to find this! Here is a potential window back in time right before my accident twenty years ago. The implications…the possibilities…what can be done with this? What should be done?
Computer, could a message be sent back twenty years ago through this comm badge?
COMPUTER 249
Affirmative.
MARIA 250
I could warn myself. Warn myself to stay away from the transporter equipment. I could prevent this all from happening in the first place!
Now get hold of yourself, Maria! There are ethical considerations. Time paradoxes. You would potentially be changing EVERYONE’s history for the past twenty years, including your son’s. What would the ripple effect be?
Oh bother! The clock is ticking down to when the accident occurs! This connection is to just about an hour before it all happened. Less now.
This could be my only chance. My only chance to do…something. My hands are shaking.
I am so desperately lonely here…in this time. Sure, I have Jeremiah, but he’s not the boy I left behind. My dear James is gone. Even our friend John is somewhat different…more mature…more…holy. My friends are still uneasy with my reappearance. Who could blame them? I’m uneasy with it, too.
I just wish it all never happened. That this was all a bad dream. What was it that Ebenezer Scrooge said, “...an undigested bit of beef, a blot of mustard, a crumb of cheese, a fragment of undone potato.” Jeremiah practiced that line so many times for the school play. That play wasn’t twenty years ago for me! It wasn’t even a year ago!
I’m so miserable. More miserable than words can convey. More miserable than I’ve wanted to admit before now. If I could turn back the hands of time, I would do it! But how?
Computer, how much time is left between the subspace comm signal and my transporter accident?
COMPUTER 251
49 minutes.
MARIA 252
If I’m going to act, I need to act NOW! I could contact myself, but how would I explain that? Why would the old me believe it? I would think it was some kind of gag. No, it needs to be simple and effective. What could get me to leave and go home at a moment’s notice…that’s it!
Where’s that PADD? I hope this works…
SOUNDS: PADD beeping.
MARIA 253
There, it is sent.
Computer, did the signal go back through?
COMPUTER 254
Affirmative.
SOUNDS: Alarms start going off
MARIA 255
What in the world? What’s happening?
SOUNDS: Door opens.
DR. EGAN 256
DOCTOR HOLLIS, WHAT HAVE YOU DONE?!!
SOUNDS: Segue music.
SCENE 10: CONFESSION
SOUNDS: Ships engines hum.
MORGAN 257
Maria, I understand you’ve been unceremoniously ejected from the Daystrom Institute’s Temporal Studies Department. That took a lot of negotiating to get you there in the first place. What happened?
MARIA (telephony) 258
I’ve made a mess of it all, John. I have no one but myself to blame.
JEREMIAH 259
Let us help be the judge of that, Mom. The last we spoke, you were so eager to learn more about the temporal equipment and the accident.
MARIA (telephony) 260
I WAS excited and hopeful. I’ve gone from an “accident” to an “incident” now, though.
MORGAN 261
Let’s step through this, shall we, Maria? Jeremiah said you were headed into the temporal laboratory this morning to see what else you could find.
MARIA (telephony) 262
Yes, and I found out more than I could handle.
JEREMIAH 263
I’m sorry, Mom. We’re here for you now and will be back on Earth soon. What did you find out?
MARIA (telephony) 264
Give me just a moment to collect my thoughts.
MORGAN 265
Take all the time you need, Maria.
MARIA (telephony) 266
Ok, yesterday, in the lab, the research equipment was powered up and running. By design, I was locked out of the controls, so all I could do was observe, scan, and measure what the machine was doing. I compared its temporal signature to that extracted from my transport beam on Mars. It was not a complete match with the deviation being isolated to a single quadrant. Upon visual inspection, I found one of the emitters was not fully seated…L14. I’ll never forget that designation.
JEREMIAH 267
Why, Mom? What’s the significance of L14?
MARIA (telephony) 268
I’m getting there. Before I could fully think it through, I reached out and gave L14 a little nudge. Not much of one, but enough to gently pop back into place. My followup readings showed a 100% match!
MORGAN 269
Oh my.
JEREMIAH 270
You had mentioned there was an exact match when we last spoke.
MARIA (telephony) 271
Shortly after that happened, my old comm badge from the Daystrom Institute chirped. I kept it in my carrying bag as a connection to where I came from, I guess, because I didn’t bring much else with me besides the clothes on my back. The chirp was interesting, but I didn’t think much about it beyond that. My time was up, but Brenda was nice enough to give me more time today.
MORGAN 272
I wonder what triggered the badge?
MARIA (telephony) 273
I should have asked that question sooner so I had more time to process it all, but I didn’t. During my visit this morning, the temporal equipment had been powered on and the signature was still a 100% match. Then my old comm badge chirped again. I discovered it was because it was initializing after connecting to a standard subspace communications protocol used by the Daystrom Institute prior to the last upgrade. This was the protocol used during my time period 20 years ago. It was coming through the temporal equipment.
MORGAN 274
Contact was made between two disparate points of time. A very touchy occurrence to ethically navigate in temporal studies. And that got you kicked out?
MARIA (telephony) 275
If only that was where it stopped. No one had thought to look into the effect of the machine on subspace because it was never factored into the equations governing its functions. Theoretically, it should not have had an impact, but as I accidentally discovered, it did. I also soon determined that it would work both ways. I could potentially send a signal back to 20 years ago.
MORGAN 276
Oh, Maria…
MARIA (telephony) 277
It gets better. Not only 20 years ago, but to less than an hour before my transporter accident.
MARIA (telephony) 279
I knew there were ethical conflicts. I reminded myself of that, but the temptation was SO STRONG. I love you, Jeremiah. You too, John. But I miss the life I had. The young son I had. The husband I had. And the clock was ticking down on the only opportunity I had to hopefully set it all straight. This was my chance, and I seized upon it.
MORGAN 280
You should never have been put in that situation in the first place, Maria. I am sorry for the role I played in getting you there.
MARIA (telephony) 281
This is all on me, John. I made my choices on my own.
JEREMIAH 282
What did you end up doing, Mom?
MARIA (telephony) 283
I sent a message back in time. Not just any message, because I knew the past me wouldn’t believe it if I just reached out bluntly and said, “Leave.” I sent back a simple entry on my calendar timed just a few seconds into the future that simply said, “Home.”
MORGAN 284
Home? What’s the significance of that?
MARIA (telephony) 285
I would often get lost in my research at the institute, but I was governed by my schedule. I would schedule reminders to go home so I wouldn’t overstay. I knew if the reminder popped up, there was a strong likelihood that I would end what I was doing and simply go home. Go home away from the reach of the transporters and temporal lab accident.
JEREMIAH 286
Sadly for you, it didn’t work.
MARIA (telephony) 287
No, and within seconds alarms started blaring, and Doctor Egan came running into the room asking what I had done. I had triggered some alarm with my actions. According to Doctor Egan, a similar alarm would have been triggered 20 years ago. My entry message never even made it to my calendar. Twenty years ago, emergency procedures were shutting down the temporal studies equipment, purging the data, and preparing to destroy the equipment to preserve the timeline. Doctor Egan spent the good part of almost an hour trying to prevent it from happening. It was not the ethical thing to do on his part, either, but his life’s work was about to be destroyed.
MORGAN 288
And his efforts triggered the explosion and subsequent power surge that caused your transporter accident…
MARIA (telephony) 289
Precisely, John. Ultimately, I am the cause of ALL OF THIS! If I hadn’t sent those four letters…”home”...back in time, none of this would have happened.
JEREMIAH 290
Oh, Mom…
MORGAN 291
Temporal loops are dastardly things. The way I see it, there is plenty of blame to go around. If Doctor Egan had behaved ethically and allowed the alarm protocols to play out, the explosion would never have occurred. If James hadn’t kept your lab on Mars in place all these years, you wouldn’t have had a destination. If I hadn’t arranged to get you into that lab, you never would have had the opportunity you just had.
JEREMIAH 292
And if we hadn’t powered on the transport pod in your lab, you wouldn’t have had a signal to lock onto through the temporal foam. We all share a little collective blame.
MARIA (telephony) 293
You guys are so wonderful. If only guilt were that easy to get over. In hindsight, what also bothers me is that during the entire event this morning, I never asked God for his help nor guidance even once. I took on His role by trying to change time and an entire universe all by myself. The Lord’s Prayer says, “Lead us not into temptation, but deliver us from evil.” I never even asked Him.
MORGAN 294
You have a lot to unwrap here, Maria. There will be an inquiry, I’m positive. As you already know, I am here for you and so is Jeremiah. The Confessional is always open as well.
MARIA (telephony) 295
I know. Thank you.
JEREMIAH 296
How is Doctor Egan handling this?
MARIA (telephony) 297
Before throwing me out of his lab for good, he asked what I had done. I told him I sent a message back to myself. Just four little letters. His face paled as he asked if those letters were H O M E. These letters were all he had been able to recover from the corrupted data after the incident. They had haunted him all these years wondering what they meant. Now he knows.
JEREMIAH 298
Wow.
MARIA (telephony) 299
And that emitter I popped back into place…L14? He had done the exact same thing twenty years ago. That’s when the two time periods synced up through his equipment in the first place.
SOUNDS: Segue music
END CREDITS
NARRATOR 300
You have been listening to VSF Blessings, a Star Trek fan production. Episode 11, “Deliverance.”
Created, written, produced, directed, and audio engineered by James McDonald. Story consultation provided by Noah McDonald. All character voices were generated using ElevenLabs AI voice generator. Sound effects from Pixabay.com under free-use content licenses and Trekcore.com.
Star Trek and all related marks, logos, and characters are solely owned by CBS Studios Inc. This fan production is not endorsed by, sponsored by, nor affiliated with CBS, Paramount Pictures, or any other Star Trek franchise, and is a non-commercial fan-made production intended for recreational use. No commercial exhibition or distribution is permitted. No alleged independent rights will be asserted against CBS or Paramount Pictures.
Until next time, be the good, do what’s right, and be the light.
SOUND: End Music