Warhammer: The Time Traveler

Chapter 302 Friendly Exchange (Fifth Update)
General Kirk's gaze lingered for a moment between the well-equipped Mann squad and Valerie's composed demeanor.

As an experienced commander, he quickly weighed the pros and cons.

The group of people in front of us, who call themselves "Dimension Explorers," possess teleportation technology that far surpasses the Federation's current technological level, and there is clearly an unknown and powerful force behind them.

Given the urgent need to capture the Khan, making such a formidable enemy is by no means a wise move.

Detaining or expelling them could not only trigger unpredictable conflicts, but also miss an opportunity to learn about cutting-edge technology.

He took a deep breath, made his decision, and spoke in a gentle but firm tone: "I understand your situation. But this is, after all, a highly classified federal research facility, and according to regulations, unauthorized personnel are not allowed to stay for an extended period. And we," he glanced at McCoy and Carroll beside him, "have an urgent mission that must be completed immediately and cannot stay here any longer."

He offered a compromise: "If you wish, you can temporarily come with us and leave this facility."

This suggestion made Mann frown slightly; their mission was not to integrate into the local forces.

Valerie immediately understood her captain's concerns. She took a half step forward and responded in a clear but slightly helpless tone, while reiterating the unique nature of their side: "Thank you for your kindness, General Kirk. However, our dimensional teleportation mechanism is fixed-point anchored; the starting point and the return point must be the same."

We must remain here and wait for the 'Sage' to recalibrate and open the portal before we can safely return to our dimension.

Moreover, according to the mission agreement, even if further exploration of this dimension is conducted in the future, this initial coordinate point will most likely remain the primary teleportation landing point.

This explanation put Kirk in a new predicament.

He couldn't leave a group of armed, unknown personnel in the classified facility, but forcibly taking them away might trigger the security mechanisms behind it or cause unnecessary trouble.

His gaze unconsciously fell on Dr. Carroll, who had been silently observing.

This is the core testing ground for the "Genesis Project," and she is the person in charge of this project, possessing the highest management authority over it.

“Carol…” Kirk’s voice carried a hint of inquiry and barely perceptible worry.

Carol's eyes lit up at that moment. As a top scientist, an unprecedented research opportunity was right in front of her—to communicate directly with intelligent life from other dimensions who had mastered hyperspace teleportation technology!

This excited her far more than any astrophysical phenomenon or gene sequence.

She spoke almost without hesitation, her tone urgent and firm: "Jim, let them stay! David and I can stay and take charge of communicating with them. This is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity! We can't just leave like this."

A complex expression crossed Kirk's face as he tried to dissuade her: "Carol, this is too risky. We know almost nothing about them..."

“It is precisely because we know nothing that we need to communicate!” Carroll interrupted him, the scientist’s persistence outweighing his fear of potential danger. “They showed a willingness to communicate and explained why they came.”

I believe that rational dialogue can resolve misunderstandings and bring immeasurable knowledge gains.

As the person in charge of the 'Genesis Project,' I have granted them permission to remain here temporarily until the portal reopens. Kirk looked at the familiar yet stubborn light in his ex-wife's eyes, knowing full well that once she made a decision concerning scientific exploration, she was difficult to persuade.

He remained silent for a few seconds, then finally sighed in resignation.

He could not linger here; the mission to capture the Khan was urgent, but he also had to ensure the safety of Carol and David.

“Alright.” His voice carried a hint of helplessness, then he turned to the Vulcan officer beside him who had been calmly observing. “Lieutenant Savik, you stay. You’ll be responsible for protecting Dr. Carol and David, and also… assisting with the initial contact assessment.”

He emphasized the word "protection," his eyes conveying a clear instruction—to monitor and assess the true intentions and potential threats of these "visitors from another world."

Savik remained expressionless, merely nodding slightly, and replied succinctly in her flat tone, "Understood, General."

She stepped forward and stood beside Carol, her sharp eyes beginning to observe and analyze each member of Mann's squad more carefully.

Kirk gave Mann and Valerie one last, deep look, his eyes filled with warning and reminder: "I expect you to keep your promise and not do anything that could harm this facility or its personnel. Savik will stay here." He then looked at Carol and whispered, "Stay alert and keep in touch via communicator."

After saying that, he didn't hesitate any longer, turned around and waved to McCoy: "Let's go, old bones. Take Chekhov with you. We need to get back to the Enterprise first."

The two left the cave, where a research facility was located outside, where the injured Chekhov lay.

After they picked him up, they contacted Enterprise via communicator and then teleported away.

With General Kirk's departure, the atmosphere inside the cave changed.

The tense atmosphere of confrontation quickly subsided, replaced by a subtle ambiance that blended curiosity, caution, and a desire to explore.

Almost the instant Kirk and the others disappeared, Carol eagerly took a few steps forward, her face beaming with the enthusiasm and curiosity characteristic of a scientist. She first looked at Mann, who was in the lead, and Valerie, who was in charge of communication: "So... can we formally introduce ourselves now? I am Carol, PhD in Astrogenetics, and the chief scientist of the 'Genesis Project'. This is my son, David."

She pulled over a young man who was equally curious.

Young David looked at the imposing plasma cannon on Rebecca's back and couldn't help but exclaim in a low voice, "Wow, your equipment... this is incredible."

Valerie, as the primary external liaison, also took the opportunity to reintroduce their core members: "Valerie, explore squad tactics and information coordination. This is our captain, Mann. The rest of the team are on guard duty."

She did not provide details about each member, maintaining necessary confidentiality.

Savik, who had been calmly observing, spoke up at this moment. Her question was direct and to the point, with the typical logic of a Vulcan: "Ms. Valerie, what is the theoretical basis of the 'interdimensional teleportation' you mentioned?"
Is it a variant based on the warp drive principle, or does it involve subspace penetration? How did you locate and stabilize such precise cross-dimensional coordinates?

The tri-recorder in her hand was always pointed at the members of Mann's team, especially the cybernetic modifications and energy weapons on their bodies that clearly did not belong to the Federation's technology system, and it continued to record data.

(End of this chapter)