INTRODUCTION

In [#118 Relativity], a temporal disruptor is discovered to have been planted on board USS Voyager in the year 2372. The temporal disruptor fractures space-time into ever expanding rifts within Voyager. This results in temporal anomalies being discovered throughout the ship by the crew in the year 2375, as well as disruption to ship's systems with the replicators and turbolifts as examples of systems that fail. Ultimately this culminates in the ship's hull demolecularising. The starship explodes and is destroyed shortly afterwards. However, the destruction of Voyager is not part of the timeline, and is caused by a major incursion into time by a saboteur with a grudge against ship, captain and crew.

the mission: to find the temporal disruptor (bomb) (shown left) in order to prevent Voyager's destruction (shown right), [Relativity]

Braxton, captain of the USS Relativity, [Relativity]

In order to restore the timeline, the crew of the 29th century Federation Timeship USS Relativity manage eventually, with the aid of Seven whom they extract from 2375 a microsecond before the explosion, to identify the saboteur and apprehend him before he plants the weapon. The saboteur turns out to be none other than Captain Braxton, the commander of the Timeship Relativity!

SPECIFICATION OF THE TEMPORAL DISRUPTOR

above: 29th century Force 3 Temporal Disruptor

above 5 screenshots: the Relativity's main viewscreen displays an animated schematic of the temporal disruptor, [Relativity]

The temporal disruptor Braxton uses to destroy Voyager is type Force 3. It is designed to fracture space-time within a radius of 150 metres. Once those occur, the effect expands until the structure containing the device demolecularises and is destroyed, as with USS Voyager when the fractures affects ship's systems and irretrievably compromises the warp core matter-antimatter reaction in the warp engines to cause a warp core explosion. Due to the originating temporal influence, the resulting explosion is coloured blue: In physical design the weapon consists of three sections - a primary unit with a cylindrical rectangular section bisected by a flat polished metallic plate which curves upward and downward to termin in raised attachment nodes, supporting two translucent circular discs of equal size on the left and right extremities. The disruptor is relatively small and flat, being no more than two centimetres deep at its thickest point on the upper and lower side supports, and is light in weight to make it easily portable. The weapon is armed or disarmed by pressing a button on the top of the unit which can be done by a humanoid with a simple thumb movement. This initates a series of illuminated red rotating diodes on a darker red-coloured background within the circular elements accompanied by the audio alert of an electronic ascending tone. Once armed, the temporal disruptor can be programmed to detonate at a specific point in the future, or else it can be activated manually although that would also destroy the operator.

THE ROLE OF 29TH CENTURY STARFLEET

In the 29th century, the United Federation of Planets devotes substantial resources toward the monitoring of events within the timeline. Federation Starfleet is tasked with policing the timeline, investigating the accidental or deliberate instigation of temporal paradoxes, and its duties require the service to intervene whenever and wherever necessary in order to restore the timeline as much as possible. This policy is enforced by dedicated Starfleet personnel who are equipped with a wide range of sophisticated and advanced technology. The Federation Timeships Aeon and the much larger U.S.S. Relativity registry number NCV-474439-G are part of the force deployed which are equipped with such technology, which includes temporal scanners and temporal transporters.

exterior view, the Timeship Relativity, [Relativity]

interior view, Lieutenant Ducane in the command centre of the Timeship Relativity, in the background in the main viewscreen displaying temporal scans, [Relativity]

Because of the nature of their work, personnel employed in this area of Starfleet's remit are particularly susceptible to the highly unpredictable effects of the illness called 'temporal psychosis'. It can be caused by a mental inability to cope with the paradoxes and even just the stresses of temporal scanning and time travel. Time travel itself can also be a cause of temporal psychosis, as it can cause susceptible individuals to suffer sensory aphasia resulting in nausea, dizziness and disorientation.