A 'Pocket' In Time(Book 2)

Science Lesson!

Wesley's POV:

As the Commander, Worf, Doctor and I walked around Earth, we noticed something anomalous. Many of the people who passed us, almost seemed...familiar, in a way.
"It's been almost a year since I've been on Earth, yet I recognize these people as if I see them every day." Commander Riker muttered, furrowing his brows.
Worf nodded.
"I have not been on Earth in two years, yet I recognize these people..." He concurred, narrowing his eyes as he scanned the area.
"Commander..." I gasped, stopping and staring straight ahead. "Look! It's...it's my mom!"
The three looked to where I was pointing. Furrowing his brows even further, Riker signaled that I approach her.
"Mom? What are you doing here on Earth? Aren't you supposed to be on Starbase 79?!" I exclaimed, smiling down at her.
"I'm sorry...who are you? I...I don't believe I know you." She said cautiously as she squinted her eyes, walking away. My mouth dropped open as I turned to the Away Team. They shared my expression.
"What...?" Amber dragged off, at a loss for words.
I looked down at her and slowly shook my head, confusion written across my face. "I don't know..."
"Come on. Let's go to the Starfleet Headquarters. They will surely know what is going on." Riker decided, fed up with all the confusion and lead the way through the crowd. Hesitantly, I followed everyone, staring at the ground, searching for answers. What is going on here? I thought as Amber fell in to step with me.
"Ouch!" The Doctor hissed, bending over to grab her knee. I halted and squatted down beside her.
"Amber! What's wrong?" I questioned, staring at her wide-eyed. She shook her head in confusion as she took her hand off of her knee, blood oozing out of it. We glanced at each other, furrowing our brows.
"Doctor Presley to Chief O'Brien...could you beam down a Dermal Regenerator to my coordinates, please? I seem to need one..." Amber asked after she tapped her communicator, staring at her cut.
"No problem Doc," Miles replied, beaming one down a few seconds later. Amber grabbed the tool and immediately healed her injury. Shoving it into her hip holster, she stood up as I did. Nudging my arm, she motioned with her head for us to continue forward. "That was weird...let's go catch up with the others."
I nodded as I searched my brain, thinking of any possible explanation for this as we caught up with the away team.
"What if...what if this is some sort of Holodeck? Like none of this is actually real?" I suggested, snapping my fingers as I made contact with Ambers chocolate orbs.
Overhearing me, Commander Riker turned towards around. "That could be true, but we need evidence. Let's keep on to the Headquarters."
I nodded in agreement.
"I'll scan to see if these people are real." Dr. Amber offered, pulling out a tricorder.
"Data to Commander Riker."
Everyone paused what they were doing. "Please prepare to beam up. We have partially found out what has happened. We are beaming you directly to the Observation Lounge." Data instructed, and Riker sighed. Tapping his communicator, he nodded.
"Understood."
Looking at me, Amber shrugged.

Data's POV:

Everyone took the same places as before in the Observation Lounge. Captain Picard glanced between Geordi and me.
"Okay, so this is going to sound confusing, so stay with me." Geordi prepared, studying everyone before continuing. "The Enterprise was pulled into a pocket that formed in the Earth's magnetosphere." Geordi began, but Deanna cut him off.
"Hold on, what is the Earth's...magnetosphere?"
Raising a brow, Geordi looked at me for help.
"A magnetosphere, as we know, is a region of space surrounding a planetary system, in which charged particles are manipulated or affected by that systems' magnetic field." I began, looking around at everyone. "A magnetic field pulls on magnetic materials, such as iron, and attracts or repels other magnets. A magnetosphere is created by a planet having an active interior dynamo. In physics, the dynamo theory proposes a mechanism by which a celestial body, such as Earth, generates a magnetic field. The dynamo theory can maintain a magnetic field over astronomical timescales." I paused so everyone could register the information. In my study of humans, I have realized some humans have a difficult time processing a lot of information at one time. After what seemed an adequate time, I resumed my lecture. "A dynamo is the source of the Earth's magnetic field and the magnetic fields of other planets. In the year 2008, Cosmos Magazine reported on research creating an artificial replica of Earth's magnetic field around a spacecraft to protect the astronauts from health threats from cosmic rays. Earth's British and Portuguese scientists used a mathematical simulation to prove that it would be possible to create a 'mini-magnetosphere' bubble several hundred meters wide, possibly generated by a small unmanned vessel that could accompany a future NASA mission to Mars. Many years later, humans figured it all out and that is what we use for our shields, a 'mini-magnetosphere.'" I finished, sitting back in my chair and allowing Geordi to take over.
Geordi sat up straight, resuming his speech. "The Enterprise was pulled into a pocket that formed in the Earth's magnetosphere. As already stated, a magnetic field pulls on magnetic material. Our once known 'mini-magnetosphere,' our shields... attracted us into the dynamo, causing us to be trapped in this unheard-of, tiny pocket of the universe. We mistook the magnetic reading the sensor was picking up for the Romulan Warbird recloaking. Apparently, weird and random 'pockets' appear sporadically. These pockets are like a wormhole, kind of like traveling out of our universe. Also, our sensors show that this pocket we are trapped in gradually expands, which will, in turn, blow up, destroying us. We haven't determined that if, or how, we go back through if we will return to the correct universe. We don't know much about the pocket. All we know is how we were pulled in." Geordi summarized, relaxing back into his seat.
Captain Picard relaxed into his chair, processing the information.
"Which will help us to get out. Let us meet again in five hours. Data, Geordi, continue learning more about this pocket but focus more on how we can get out. We have a mission to complete and we need to get to Earth. Pull any staff that will be helpful. Number One, I want you and Worf to go back down to the surface. Dr. Presley and Wesley believe the humans down there aren't real but do not have sufficient evidence. I would like for you to look into that. Counselor, you're with me. Dismissed." The Captain ordered and exited, Deanna trailing behind him.
Standing up, Geordi sighed. "Come on Data. We better figure this thing out. I don't want to be in this pocket when it blows. I've always wanted to be buried back in my hometown Mogadishu, Somalia, not floating in a trillion pieces in space. Come on." Geordi explained, starting for the door.
"Ha ha." I 'laughed' as best as my program allowed, nodding my head at each 'ha.' Geordi furrowed his brows and turned to stare at me.
I tilted my head to the right. "Was that not the correct time to laugh?" I inquired.
Geordi shook his head. "Usually people agree to my dry humor, not laugh...but then again, your not human are you?" Geordi chuckled and shook his head. I furrowed my brows and followed him.
"Dry humor? Accessing..." I froze, causing Geordi to turn around and stare at me. "Ah!" I perked up, smiling at Geordi. "Deadpan, dry humor or dry wit is the deliberate display of a lack of or no emotion, commonly as a form of comedic delivery to contrast with the ridiculousness of the subject matter. The delivery is meant to be blunt, ironic, laconic, or unintentional. I understand." The corners of my mouth tilted up as we exited the Observation Lounge.

Dr. Presley POV:

Giggling at Data as he left the room, I followed the Commander, Lieutenant, and Ensign to Transporter room three.
"Transport us straight to Starfleet Headquarters Chief." Commander Riker ordered as we took our places on the Transporter.
"Aye Sir." Chief O'Brien obeyed and set the coordinates.
"Energize."

We rematerialized in a little, darkened, room. Riker, Wesley, and Worf pulled out their phasers while we examined the room.
"Where are we...?" Wesley mumbled, glancing down at me. Shrugging, I pulled out my phaser and set it to stun.
Fifteen feet before us stood a large, long, and rectangular mahogany desk on a slightly elevated platform. Five maroon chairs sat behind it, their backs turned towards us. There was a person in each chair, talking in hushed voices, but I couldn't make out their faces. Silently pulling out my tricorder, I scanned the room.
I gasped.
Suddenly, lights from above us flickered on, and the five chairs spun around revealing the people. My brows disappeared into my hairline. Worf, Riker, Wesley and I froze.
"Commander... that's us," Wesley muttered.