Story:Star Trek: Conflict/Destiny's Path

Shield relives 2344 in a parallel universe where Rachel Garrett did not die, but controls the Enterprise-C in its fight against Admiral Sanders, which ends sooner but at a higher cost.

Chapter One
Edward Shield is exhausted. It seems that, once again, he is on the run from the entire galaxy. The crew is irritable, and even K'hallA's aggressive behavior does nothing for him. After he collapses from sheer exhaustion, Dr. Boreas orders him to take some time off to sleep. Part of him wants to accept, but another part of him wants to stay at his post for one more hour. When Dr. Boreas flaunts his medical authority, Shield chooses to submit himself and goes to his quarters.

After replicating himself a cup of oolong tea and playing Vivaldi, Shield finally begins to be able to relax. His back killing him, he lays down on his bed. Almost instantly, sleep overtakes him.

When he wakes up, he finds himself in a crew bunk-bed. The red alert klaxons are blaring. He reaches for his uniform, but finds that it is different: his insignia reads ensign. He runs to the Bridge to find out what has happened, but when he makes it, he finds someone else sitting in his seat...

Rachel Garrett.

Chapter Two
The captain asks him what he's doing off his post, but Shield is just as confused. He asks her what the date is: her answer shocks him; 2344. She then tells him that if he's not feeling well, he should report to Sick Bay. He says that he'll do so, and leaves for Sick Bay, still unsure as to what is going on.

When he reaches Sick Bay, he finds Dr. Stern instead of Dr. Boreas. She informs him that both Dr. Aristide and RN Boreas were killed at Narendra III, just a week ago. After checking him out, she says that he's fine. But before she lets him return to his post, he asks her what has happened since Narendra III. Dr. Stern says that she doesn't know much, since she only was reposted here two days ago. But what she does tell him is that the Enterprise-C survived Narendra III (naturally) and was declared an enemy of the Federation by Admiral Sanders. However Dr. Stern says that, due to Captain Garrett's experience, they have been able to engage the Federation with minimal casualties.

As he is returning to find the duty officer, he runs into Darya Bat-Levi, the Second Officer. He is stunned, since the last second officer he had was Gradl. Bat-Levi tells him that Lieutenant (JG) Gradl killed himself after a fight he had with Castillo regarding him: Bat-Levi says that he should know, since no one could have forgotten when Gradl turned into that black monster thing.

Meanwhile, on the Bridge, Garrett is facing off against the USS Pericles. Admiral Sanders once again reiterates Order 865 to them. When Garrett refuses, he says that "Aryans don't lose, especially to women" (since the Brotherood at the time was sexist, all of its members believed themselves to be superior to women). Garrett proves him wrong by engaging in battle with the much larger USS Pericles. The battle goes very well, and the Pericles is destroyed.

Chapter Three
The entire crew is happy to be returning home once again, this time for good. Garrett sets a course for Earth, where they will make a peaceful take-over of the Federation Council, thereby ending the conflict.

Shield is especially happy, most so when he finds T'Mar alive and well. Even her Vulcan-reserve doesn't unnerve him. Just the fact that she's still alive brings a smile to his face. He finds everything to be just as it had been before Narendra III, with all of the crew he grew up with still alive. He is extremely happy about this, but is concerned as to why there has been no mention of the USS Admonitor.

Later in his bunk, Shield, sulking about this lack of knowledge of the Admonitor, is met with by Richard Castillo, his old friend. He asks him if he will speak with the captain about the Admonitor, and Castillo, like the friend he always was, gets Shield a personal audience with the captain.

Upon arriving at Earth, Captain Garrett leaves to meet with the Federation Council about the end of the corruption. At that time, Castillo and Shield arrive at the Bridge. Shield suddenly realizes that nothing is the same: neither Loghri nor Rookwood are here, not to mention K'hallA or Werner. Shield begins to panic.

Castillo and Shield beam down to Earth, where Captain Garrett has finished negotiations. Shield asks her about the USS Admonitor. At this, a sad and puzzled look appears on her face. She asks him how he could have forgotten: the USS Admonitor was destroyed.

Chapter Four
She explains that, after Typhon III, where they placed Foreman Repps under house arrest and let the slaves run free, the two ships began the return journey to Earth. While on their way, they encountered the USS Cochrane, commanded by Arcturus Black. The two captains worked together to defend themselves as best they could, but the USS Admonitor's captain, Lianna Young, had killed off her Tactical Officer and the ship had no replacement. It, and all of its crew, was destroyed.

Later, Edward Shield, alone, begins to weep. All of his dreams of living a peaceful life came true, yet he never got what he most liked. As he is thus, a young "Alexander" Nechayev pushes him off of the high railing on which he is standing and he falls to his death.

Chapter Five
He wakes up on the Bridge of the Enterprise-C. Rachel Garrett is standing before him. She asks him the same question she had asked him in the nebula: if he had the chance to go back and change what had happened, would he? He says that he's tired of running, of fighting, of being the outcast. Deep down inside, he wants the family he never had.

Garrett slaps him. She says that this is not the man she hand-picked at Starfleet Academy in 2332. He asks her what he can do, since his life seems so pointless. She tells him that he, a mere ensign, was given command of a vessel bearing the name of the greatest ship in the history of the Federation for a reason. As before, she gives him the choice: shoulder the burden or take the easy road.

And once again, Edward Shield chooses to endure the hardships. Rachel Garrett tells him that he reminds her of her own son Jason in so many ways. He admits that she was like the mother he never knew. Having made his choice, Edward Shield then embraces Rachel Garrett one last time. They slowly part, one hand reached out to the other as if to make them stay.

Edward Shield wakes up back in the captain's cabin. Upon returning to the Bridge, he finds it just as he left it. When K'hallA asks him what Dr. Boreas will think about this breach in his orders, Shield says that he feels quite refreshed and that Dr. Boreas should try to take some time off instead.