Danny Amor's Online Library/Danny Amor's Online Library - Volume 1.iso/html/startrek/old-incomplete/choices.p1

Text File | 1995-08-20 | 15KB | 358 lines

Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative
Path: newserv.ksu.ksu.edu!moe.ksu.ksu.edu!vixen.cso.uiuc.edu!howland.reston.ans.net!usenet.ins.cwru.edu!eff!news.kei.com!ub!galileo.cc.rochester.edu!rochester!rit!isc-newsserver!ritvax.isc.rit.edu!CSW2589
From: [e-mail]
Subject: Choices Part I of V
Message-ID: <[e-mail]>
Sender: [e-mail] (USENET News System)
Nntp-Posting-Host: vaxd-eth.isc.rit.edu
Reply-To: [e-mail]
Organization: Rochester Institute of Technology
Date: Thu, 28 Apr 1994 00:07:26 GMT
Lines: 344

This is a story I'm currently working on.  This is set after the seventh
season.  I hope this doesn't interfer with the movie.  Your comments will
determine if I continue.

Christopher Walck
[e-mail]




                                Part I

                  "Choices"
                      by
                  Christopher
                 Walck

    "Captain's Log 52348.6.  We have entered the Kildorian sector.  We are
in search of the USS Northampton which had disappeared in this sector over
three weeks ago.  Hopefully, this mission will take only a few days so that we
can get back to Starbase 24 in time for the Starfleet Poker tournement."

    In his quarters, Captain Picard sat on his couch.  Across from him was
Dr. Beverly Crusher.  They were having their morning ritual of meeting for
breakfast.  Ever since the mission on which they learned that each of them had
been in love with the other this ritual seemed different.

    Crusher sipped her tea and smiled.  "You know this is quite good."  She
stopped for a moment.  "Jean-Luc?  What's wrong?"

    Picard broke out of the trance that he seemed to be in.  "Huh?  Oh...
Nothing.  I'm just thinking about something."

    Crusher leaned forward.  "And would you share this with me?"

    Picard got up.  "I'm sorry, Beverly.  I'm not in the mood today."

    Crusher took the hint and got up.  "Well, I'll see you tonight.  We
have Data's concert to attend."

    "I know...  I'll see you later."

    Crusher walked out the door.  Picard sighed and looked around his
quarters.  They were Spartan in nature.  Even though Picard's interests were
Jeffersonian in nature, he still seemed internal. He walked over to the table
where his flute had been placed.

    He picked up and held.  He remembered the time on that planet which
doesn't exist anymore.  He remembered the family that he had, the friends that
he knew and the life that he hadn't had in reality.  He walked over the to the
window and stared out into space.

    He began to play...

                **************

    Beverly walked into her quarters.  She had been baffled by Picard's
mood earlier.  It didn't make sense.  He never became moody unless something
was really bothering him.

    She knew the tea that she was drinking was one of Commander Darren's
special blends.  After they had become involved, Picard always drank it at
breakfest.  Picard was so lonely.  She never really was told what had happened
when Picard was controlled by the probe over five years before.

    Beverly walked over to her dresser and picked up the picture of her
husband.  She looked around the room and memories began to come back to her.
As she thought about her lonelyness, she realized that Picard was felling the
same way.

    Then she thought about her son, Wesley.  After the incident with the
Traveller, he had come back once to talk to her.  When he talhed, he seemed
lonely and afraid.  Then he disappeared never to be seen again.  First Picard,
then her. Who would be next?

                ***************

    In his quarters, Data sat.  In his hands, Data held a small box.  This
box contained Lore's head, or what was left of it.  Data looked at it and began
to feel remorse.  He was sorry for what he did to his brother, but he had to do
it.

    As he looked around the room, Data smiled.  He had a concert in a few
hours.  He enjoyed playing for the crew.  They enjoyed listening to him.  He
had become more apprecative of his music after he had gained emotions.  They
opened a completely new area of exploration for the andriod.

    But Lore was still there.  He had been, after all, his brother.  Even
though he was evil, Data still held some sort of feelings for him.  He tried to
understand him, but it didn't work.  Instead, Lore became threatning and almost
killed Data and his comrades.  He was forced to kill Lore.  But what if he
didn't?  That was the question...

                ******************

    That evening, the concert was held in Ten-Forward.  Data played several
pieces of music, including Bach and Strauss.  They were his favorites.  As Data
played, the audience was drawn into the pieces.  Each of the selections had a
different tone to them which the audience picked up.  Data was looking forward
to the people's reaction to the choice of music, just as his reaction to
choosing the music.

    As the notes filled Ten-Forward, Captain Picard looked on.  He still
had the feeling of sadness from earlier in the day.  He didn't realize how much
he missed the family and the commander.  A few years ago, they seemed just
people he knew and loved.

    But now, there was something deeper.  Something said in the back of his
mind that he could have made the other choice.  Ever since the incident
involving the Borg, he continually asked himself what if he made the other
choice.  What if he had a family?  What if he never went into Starfleet?  Those
question would be left unresolved for a long time.

    In the next row, Commander William T. Riker listened.  He had learned
earlier that day that his twin, Lieutenant Tom Riker had been killed while on
the Ganghis.  They had run into a disturbance and the ship self destructed for
no apparant reason.

    The music didn't help his mood any.  He thought back to the year that
he became aware of a twin.  He loathed it at first, but he came to understand
that his twin had as much the right to live than he did.  Deanna had consuled
him afterward on his dilema.  She helped by telling him what she felt about
Tom.  He could tell that she was more torn between them than he was.  She
wouldn't be healing that wound for a while.

    The music ended the crowd applauded.  Data, after taking a few bows,
and congratulating the other players, walked over to COunselor Troi.  She was
having a chocalate sundae and was looking out the window at the stars.

    "Counselor?"  Data asked.  "I need some advice."

    Troi looked up and smiled.  "Take the Aldorian chocolate surprise.
It's wonderful.'

    Data kept a straight face.  "Counselor, I have to ask about something I
did."

    "Of course, Data.  Anything to help."  After Data sat down, Deanna
asked, "What's wrong?  I can sense your anxiety over something."

    "I have been feeling, how would you say, down in the dumps.  I've been
thinking about what I did to my brother.  Since I gained emotions, I haven't
really thought about my decision.  But now, I have to deal with what I did."
Data grimaced.

    "I understand what you're going through.  I felt the same way when I
decided not to go with Tom Riker.  He was a chance to have the life will him
that I could have, but now I question should I have gone with him.  Data, no
one knows any advice to your question.  All I can say is that you will, over
time, learn that some things you have to do are things you don't want to do.
But you have to."

    Data looked at Deanna.  "Thank you, Deanna.  You have been most
helpful."

    A signal came from the bridge.  "All senior officers report to the
bridge."

                *********

    A few minutes later, the senior staff was assembled on the bridge.  On
the screen, a ship was floating.  It had several scars across its hull and
one of the warp engines was completely blown away.

    Riker whistled softly.  "Whatever happened to that ship, it wasn't
pretty."

    Picard agrred completely.  "Data?  Can you get a sensor scan of the
ship.  How much damage did it take and from what."

    Data concentrated over his controls for a moment.  Then a look of
surprise was on his face.  "Sir, there has been heavy damage to the ship. Deks
13,14,15,16,17, and 18 are open to space.  Sensors indicate that the damage was
caused by a temporal distortion on the magnitude of 10 to 26th power."

    Deanna, who was sitting next to Picard, was shocked. "My god.." she
whispered.

    Picard took a deep breath and looked at Riker.  "I think we've found
what happened to the Northampton.  But the question is why?"




    Picard got up and walked towards the forward station.  "Data, can we
beam an away team over to their bridge?"

    "It would be risky sir, but it should be possible."  Data looked at
Picard.

    Picard turned and Riker got up immediately.  "Data, Worf you're with
me.  Dr. Crusher report to Transporter Room 2."

    The three of them left the bridge.

                ***************

    A few moments later four figures reassembled on the bridge of the
Northampton.  Their first glance at the bridge told them all they needed to
know.  The ship had been attacked, boarded and then left for dead.  The four of
them spread out.

    Worf walked over to the tactical station.  A young woman laid over the
console covered with blood.  One of her arms was severed and a large gash had
ripped open her face.  Worf gently set her on the floor and looked over the
console.

    "Commander.  There is still power to this console."  Worf said.

    Riker walked over and looked at the console.  "See what you can access
and then proceed from there."  He turned.  "Data?"

    Data stood near where he had first been beamed on to this vessel.  His
face showed one of disgust.  If Data was human, Riker thought, he wouls be
getting sick right about now.  Will walked over and put a hand on his shoulder.
"Data?  I know this is tough, but you need to snap out of it.  We all have the
same feeling..."

    Quickly Data straightened.  He closed his eyes and took a breath.  "I
am fine, Commander.  I just need to be left alone for a moment."

    Riker turned away and looked at Dr. Crusher.  She was digging through
the bodies near navigation.  He walked over to her, or at least tried.
"Doctor?  Do you know what they died of?  What type of weapon?"

    Beverly looked up a brushed some hair out of her face.  "Will, I
haven't got a clue.  All that I can tell is that they went down with a fight.
I won't know more until I do an autopsy."

    "Commander!  Come take a look at this!"  Will turned to see Worf at one
of the stations against the back of the bridge with Data next to him.

    "What is it?" Will said as he walked up from behind.

    On the screen was the last log of the captain before the destruction of
the Northampton.  Captain Telia Dire looked into the face of Riker.  My god, he
whispered.  Not her.... Not her...  He broke out of his momentary trance and
asked fro the log to be played.

    "Captain's Log:  The Horoasha have given us 2 hours.  If we do not
surrender by then, we will be killed.  My God!!!!"  Static filled the screen as
the rest of the log was gone.

    "See what else you can get.  Five minutes and then we're out of here."

    Those five minutes passed slowly for William.  He hadn't seen that face
since he had been 17.  He had almost married her then and he would have married
her now if he had seen her.  At last they were up.  "all right, it's time to
leave."

    The four of them gathered into a group.  Will whispered something as
they were beamed home.  Will could almost feel Telia next to him in transport.
But then the feeling was gone.

            ************************

    The senior officers assembled in the observation lounge.  Picard sat at
the head of the table.  Something was bothering him and everyone knew it.  He
took a deep breath and began the meeting.

    "What have we found out?  Will, your report."

    RIker took a deep breath.  "The bridge was completely in shambles.  It
probably will collapse in the next few hours.  We were able to find some logs
from the captain.  But otherwise, there is nothing else that we could get out
of the computer.  It was wiped clean."

    Picard turned to Dr. Crusher.  "Your report?"

    Beverly got up and went to the viewscreen.  She pushed a button and a
picture of the bridge came up.  "This is what the tricorder recorded while we
were there.  he crew all died from various weapons fire.  I can't tell yet what
type but their were rather powerful in nature."

    "Thank you.  LaForge?  Can we tow the vessel?"

    LaForge grimaced.  "We can't even touch it.  The amount of decks open
to space and the amount of damage that the ship is inflicted with, we won't
stand of chance of moving it.  We'll have to destroy it..."

        "Beam all the bodies into the morgue and then we'll destroy the vessel.
I don't want to, but we'll be forced to do it.  Anything else?"  The room was
ilent.  "Then dismissed."

                **********

    In his quarters, Riker looked at the picture that he had of Telia.  His
eyes were swolen from the tears that he had shed.  He remembered how he had
loved her, and then abruptly she left him.  For no reason, she left him.  The
last night he saw her was one of the saddest days of his life...

    Alaska was magnificent at night.  As the light glanced off the glaciers
and the ice cap that formed most of this wilderness, a young Will Riker and his
girlfriend Telia were sitting on one of the mountains of snow looking at the
northern lights.

    They had walked there to enjoy each other's company.  Telia cuddled
next to Will.  Will loved Telia and what she meant to him.  He whispered, "I
love you..."

    Telia smiled and kissed him.  Will wanted to enjoy himself so he made
the first move.  The next few hours quickly passed as Will and Telia enjoyed
themselves.  When the moved apart, Telia looked away from William.   "I'm
sorry, Will.  I can't go on. This wasn't meant to happen.  I'm sorry...."

    And she walked out of his life forever...

    "RED ALERT! RED ALERT! BATTLESTATIONS!"

    Will ran for the door to get to the bridge.

            ****************************

    When Wil got to the bridge, the screen had been filled with a
kelidascope of colors.  Picard was looking at it as though he was dumbfounded.
"Data?  What do you make of it?"

    Data worked for a moment.  "It's size is twenty times the Enterprise
and a hundred deep.  It is impossible to go around it."

    Picard thought for a moment.  "Helm, back us off.  Nice and slow."

    The helmsman tried to move the ship but it was stuck.  Data spoke up.
"Sir, we are trapped in some sort of tractor beam.  It is pulling us towards
the disturbance."

    Riker looked at Picard.  "Mr. LaForge, full braking power.  Everything
you have."

    At the Engineering station, LaForge worked. The ship slowly began to
shake.  "50%... 60%..." The shaking rose.  "80%... 90%...  That's all I can
give you."

    Suddenly the helm console exploded killing the ensign stationed there.
"Medical to the bridge!"  Riker said as he ran to the ensign.

    "Power down, Geordi."  The shuddering began to subside.  They were only
a few minutes away from the disturbance now.

    "Contact in three minutes... Two minutes..."  The count was like a
countdown to death.  "One minute... contact."

    Then everything went white.