Kirk and Spock were inclined to agree. The threesome left the briefing room and took the turbo-lift to the bridge. Captain Kirk took his customary seat in the command chair and spoke to Mr. Sulu who looked no worse for the wear after Gary Mitchell's psychic attack:

"Mr. Sulu, set course for the planet of the Guardian of Forever. Charlie Evans is ready to do some time travel!"                                  

Mr. Spock gave Kirk his accurate estimation of the length of the Enterprise' next voyage, at warp-4 running while cloaked and if there were no delays, they would arrive at their next destination in one week, two days, 6 hours and 52 minutes.

*****

Charlie Evans went to Janice Rand's quarters, but he found she wasn't there. It occurred to him Janice might have been injured during Gary Mitchell's psychic attack so he went to sickbay to look for her, dreading the idea she may have been among those who died in the attack. Fortunately, Charlie found Janice recovering from nervous system shock in sick bay. Dr. McCoy found Charlie Evans at Janice's bedside holding a bouquet of fresh cut flowers.  The good doctor guessed Charlie materialized when utilizing his powers for sympathy and good will.

When Charlie saw the doctor, he knew what to say to him:

"Dr. McCoy? I think I know what's wrong with Janice and all these other injured people and I think I can use my powers to fix all of them in just a minute if you'll agree to let me try that."

McCoy would be glad for Charlie to try anything he thought might help, since he was still trying to figure out exactly what was wrong with them:

"Anything you can try that might help all these injured people, Charlie, is welcomed by me!"

McCoy and Janice watched Charlie begin to concentrate as his eyes rolled back in his head showing their whites. A few seconds later he relaxed:

"There, that's better. I am sure I fixed all of them Dr. McCoy."

McCoy noticed after what Charlie did must have been effective almost immediately because the droning of moans and groans ceased and everyone in the sickbay beds sat up and got to their feet including Janice who threw her arms around Charlie's neck as she hugged and kissed him, which Dr. McCoy was pleased to see! After a quick medical scan for Janice, Dr. McCoy discharged her. Charlie took Janice by the hand and escorted her back to her quarters. Charlie had something important on his mind to discuss with his new girlfriend.

In Janice's quarters, she went behind a dressing screen temporarily to get out of her sweat soaked dirty uniform and to take a much needed hot shower. In a short time, Janice dressed herself in civilian clothing in the form of a colorful gown and slippers. Charlie had waited patiently for Janice to compose herself. Now that she was seated on her couch next to him, Charlie spoke:

"Janice this is important for you to know. I guess you already figured out I am not powerful enough to stop Gary Mitchell presently. But Captain Kirk knows of a planet where an ancient device known as the Guardian of Forever is located. Maybe you were onboard the Enterprise during that mission?"

Janice's curiosity was piqued because indeed she was onboard the Enterprise during that mission and afterwards she had heard all about it as a matter of ship's logs from those the mission concerned:

"Yes, Charlie, I know about the Guardian. What about it?"

 

Captain Kirk is taking the Enterprise there because it is my intention to use the Guardian to travel into the past some 20 years ago to stop Kirk from taking the Enterprise into the galactic energy barrier which we know resulted in Gary Mitchell being granted his godlike powers. It's the only solution we could arrive at that might actually work since I can't stop Gary Mitchell in the present with my powers that are weaker than his.

"There's something else I need to discuss with you about this mission. Mr. Spock thinks there is a 98 % chance if I go back to the past I won't be able to return to the present and I'll be stuck in the past onboard the Enterprise over 20 years ago. Only the Guardian itself can tell us if that's what will happen to me if I use it to travel into the past to fix what's already happened in the present."

Janice frowned:

"Why do you have to be the one who travels into the past specifically? Can't anybody else go back to that day to speak to Captain Kirk to convince him otherwise?"

Charlie shook his head "No:"

On to Next Page>