Danny Amor's Online Library/Danny Amor's Online Library - Volume 1.iso/html/startrek/old-incomplete/realitycheck.p1-3

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Date: Thu, 14 Oct 1993 11:11:57 -0400 (EDT)

   Hello everyone!

   Below is the first part of a novel that I'm trying to write.  This is my

first attempt at doing anything like this, so please send comments.  Note:

This story(unfortunately), is familar to the TNG show "Phantasms."


                                                     Enjoy,

                                                     Christopher Walck
                                                     [e-mail]



                    Star Trek: The Next Generation
                          Reality Check
                           Chapter I

     "The Enterprise is in the area where several decades ago, the failed

Genisis device was used as an attempt to create a new planet.  We are en route

to Starbase 54 to receive supplies and a rotation of the crew."

     The ready room was empty except for a man sitting behind his desk.  He had

a cup of tea and reading a book. He was content to just read.  As he continued

to read, Captain Jean-Luc Picard felt a small shudder in the floor.  This

immediately brought him back to the present.  He got up and walked to the ready

room door.  The door wouldn't open for him.  He stepped back, and tried again.

This time it worked.

     The bridge was alive with activity.  Data and an ensign who Picard didn't

know were manning the foward stations.  Riker was sitting in the command chair

and Worf was manning the tactical station.  Everything seemed to be in order.

    "Commander, status report."

    Riker looked at him as if he didn't know who he was.  "Excuse me, who are

you?"

    Picard was spell struck.  He stuttered, "what do you mean, who am I?  I'm

your Captain."

    Riker looked at him and then the rest of the bridge crew looked at him.

There was no recognition in any of their faces.  "No you're not.  Captain

Jack Crusher is."

    Picard couldn't believe what he was hearing.  ^Jack Crusher,^ he thought,

^is dead.  He is dead.^

    Picard took a breath and began again.  "Jack Crusher is dead.  He's been

dead over ten years.  I brought his body back.  I know he is dead.  I am your

captain, Jean-Luc Picard.  Riker, what is a matter with you?"

    Now Data spoke.  "You are not Jean-Juc Picard.  He was killed while captain

of the Stargazer.  Captain Crusher brought HIS body back.  He is buried in the

family plot near Paris, France."

    Picard felt as if he just became the nobody of the galaxy.  He knew he was

alive, Jack Crusher was dead, and that everything here was wrong.

    Riker spoke into the air.  "Captain Crusher to the bridge."

    "On my way,"  spoke an all too familar voice.

    Riker walked over to Picard and said, "Sit down until the captain arrives.

Then we'll see who is lying."

    Picard reluctantly made his way to one of the chairs next to the command

chair.  He thought he would never have to sit there again.  He didn't like the

feeling of it.  He started to take a closer look at everything and it seemed in

order.  The only problem was that Picard had no idea who the ensign was.

    Just then he heard the turbolift doors open.  He stood up and turned.  He

looked straight into the eyes of, for him, a ghost out of his past.  Jack

Crusher, muscles and all, stood there in a Captain's uniform.  Picard knew

that couldn't be Jack, but what if it was?

    "Status, Number One."

    Riker took a breath and told Captain Crusher all that had occured and about

the man who supposedly is captain of the Enterprise.  Crusher took all of this

in stride but knew that the man before him is dead and no one could take his

place anywhere.

    Then he turned to face Picard.  "You look like Picard, but my mind tells me

that you're not.  You should be dead.  I have one question before I assign you

to quarters until we reach starbase 53.  If you are Picard, who tried to save

you on the Stargazer but failed?"

    Picard looked at his old friend and began to say something, but it never

came out.  The red alert klaxons began blaring and everybody looked twoard the

screen and stared at a Romulan warbird.

    "Lt. Worf. Status of the warbird."

    Worf took a moment to scan the vessel.  "They have shields up but weapons

are not charged."

    "Raise shields and open a hailing frequency."

    "Aye, sir."


    After a moment the interior of the Romulan warbird came on the screen.  The

face of the Romulan on the screen shocked Picard to the core.  The face did

belong to another person who was dead, it was true.  Tasha Yar looked back

at them from the bridge.

     Picard couldn't believe what was happening.  First, he is not in

command of anything, even his mind.  Second, Jack Crusher, who should be dead

is now commander in his place.  Lastly, Tasha Yar, not Sela, was on board a

Romulan Warbird. ^This just isn't my day,^ Picard thought.

      Crusher was talking to Tasha as though she was a bitter enemy.  "What is

the meaning of this intrusion!  You are well inside Federation space and you

are a tratior to the Federation and all of the galaxy.  You inconsiderate,

two-timing, slutty bitch."

      Picard couldn't stand for this.  "Captain, that is no way to talk to a

woman.  Have respect for her."

      Crusher looked at Picard.  There was ice in them.  "Will you please stay

out of this.  I don't care about ethics, whoever you are.  I don't need them.

And besides, she was my wife after I took command of this vessel."

      ^I am losing my mind.  Why is this happening to me?^ Picard thought.

      On the screen, Yar was looking on with amusement.  "You stil can't

control anyone, can you, Jack?  Anyway, are you ready to defect to the Romulans

or what, huh?  I haven' got all day."

      Everyone slowly nodded their heads.  They were all jumping off the deep

end, with Picard along for the ride.

      "Picard..."

      Transporter beams began to materlize on the bridge.  A few seconds later,

Romulan soldiers popped into existance.

      "CAPTAIN..."

      Picard woke up with a start.  Dr. Beverly Crusher was standing over him.

She had a look of concern on her face.

      "Captain, are you all right?"

      Picard looked up and saw that he wasn't in his quarters.  He was in

sickbay.  He didn't remeber how he got there, but he was there.  He felt that

everything was back to normal, at least he hoped it was.



     "Captain's Log.  Stardate 46665.1.  We have just returned from our mission

to Deep Space Nine.  Our entire crew has grown from the experience, especcislly

Data.  His ability to dream is a step twoards to humanity.  What he has strived

for all his life."


     Captain Picard walked on to the bridge with his nightmare behind him.  He

was a person of confidence that no one could break through.  He stood before

the main viewscreen and looked as the stars hurled by.  Picard knew that it

would be several days before they would reach their next assignment.

     "I relieve you, Commander."

     Commander William T. Riker looked up at the captain and looked at him for

a moment.  Picard thought that he was going to say that he didn't know him but

Riker said "yes, sir."

     Picard took the command chair while Riker walked twoards the turbolift.

Riker had a long and boring day.  He was looking foward to the poker game later

that night.  Actually, most of the bridge crew was looking foward to the game

because it had been a very long time since they had a chance to play poker.


                            *   *   *


     "I'll see you ten and raise you 20."

     "Commander, you are definately bluffing."

     Riker looked across the table at Data who had his special visor on.  Worf

and Doctor Crusher were alos present at the game tonight.  All of them knew

that there was several bets on who would win tonight in the ship's gambling

pool, eventhough no one would admit there was a pool.

      Riker, for once, was not bluffing.  He was holding a rare straight flush.

He was figuring that Data would stay in, but the other two would drop out and

he could take all of Data's chips away from him.  He always liked to win and

noone would ever say that Riker liked to let someone else win for once,

especially when he had bet on himself to win tonight.

     Dr. Crusher looked at her cards and decided that she needed to win a hand

badly and therefore she put 30 chips in plus 100 more.  This got some looks

from the rest of the people around the table.  Riker looked on with renewed

interest.

     "Beverly, you know you can't beat my hand. So why, don't you take you

chips back and fold?"  Riker said this with a tone of confidence.

     Beverly gave Will a look that silently said,'I know you are bluffing and

I will prove it.'

     The only person who actually thought that Riker might not be bluffing

looked at his cards before slapping them against the table and emitted a low

growl.  Worf had a look of disgust on his face.

     Worf didn't have that look on his face for very long.  Within a few

seconds, his face hit the table hard.  The others were shocked

to see that Worf was either asleep or crying because he had lost at a stuipid

game of poker.  Very quickly they realized that he wasn't sleeping, he was

unconsious.

     Dr. Crusher leaned over to Worf to check his vital signs.  The tricorder

didn't make Dr. Crusher feel any better.  There was no sign of Worf reawaking.

She checked Worf to see if there was a pulse, but there was none.

     She looked up to Riker and had tears in her eyes.  "He's dead, Will.  I

can't bring him back either."

     Lt.  Worf was dead.

                               CHAPTER II

      "Stardate: Supplemental.  We are stunned by the death of Lt. Worf.  This

death is very unusual because there was no signs of trouble.  Dr. Crusher has

just finished an autopsy and she will report at the staff meeting in a few

moments."

      The observation lounge was empty.  Then the doors opened and the bridge

crew along with Alexander, Worf's son, walked in.  Alexander felt as though he

wanted to kill himself because he had no ties to his Klingon heritage.  Deanna

was next to him, holding his hand, as though it would help him in his time of

deep mourning.



     They took their chairs and sat there quietly for a few moments, then

Picard began.

     "I know this is a very hard time for all of us especially Alexander here.

I feel as much of a loss over the death of Worf..."  His short speech was

inturuptted by Alexander starting to cry agian.  "..but I need all of you

aware of what Dr. Crusher's report entails.  Dr. Crusher..."

     Beverly took a breath before beginning.  "This death is very, very

unusual.  First of all, I don't think Worf should be dead at all.  he was

healthy as a horse and there was no disease what so ever in his body that I

could find.  The thing that I found mysterious was this..."

     Beverly got up from the table and went to the screen and activated it.

what was on the screen looked to be an overall map of the brain of a Klingon.

"I don't know how, but Worf's dreaming functions were thrown completely out of

wack.  It was as though Worf's dreams took over his body and killed him.  That

is the only explination that I can give to you.  nothing else fits the facts."

     Alexander was taken aback by Beverely speech.  "You can't be telling the

truth!  My father's mind was sound and he didn't kill himself!"  With this

Alexander ran out the door and into the hallway behind.  Counselor Troi looked

at Picard and then went after Alexander.

     After they left , Picard told the crew of their next mission.  "Our new

mission is to explore the Mytoria nebula.  It will only take us a few days to

get thre and we will be in the area for about three days.  Lt. Worf's position

as head of security will remain vacant until we return to starbase for R and R.

That's all gentlemen and ladies.  Dismissed."

    Everyone got up rather slowly and walked out into the hallway.  Since it

was rather late in the evening, the crew dicided that they needed a good night

sleep.  They needed it after all what had happened that day.

                              *   *   *

    Fister officer Riker walked into his room and completely collapsed on his

bed.  Within a few moments, he was fast asleep...

    Riker was sitting in the command chair on the Battle Bridge.  He didn't

remember how he got there, but he knew that he was in trouble.  He looked

at the viewscreen and saw the picture of Locutus staring back at him.

    "You shall be assimilated.  You shall become one with the Borg."

    Riker felt sick at the sight of Picard as a Borg.  "We do not want to be

assimilated.  We will defeat you. Terminate communication."  The viewscreen

reverted back to the Borg ship hanging in space.  "Commander Shelby, proceed

with the plan."

    On the saucer section, Shelby ordered full phasers and photon torpedos.

"Commander, " the tactical officer from behind her reported, "the Borg ship

is heading twoards us!"

    "Initiate..."  Before she could finish her order, the bridge shook and

Borg began to transport on to the saucer section.  Since there were only a few

people left on board, the fight was quick and resulted in the deaths of Shelby

and most of the bridge crew.

    Back on the stardrive section, Riker was shocked to see that the saucer

section was first held in place and then destroyed by the Borg ship.  "Ensign,

fire full weapons, including antimatter spread.  If we can't win. we'll slow

them down."

    The weaponry lashed out but it didn't hurt the Borg at all.  The Borg

responded by firing their shield sucking device against the Enterprise.  It

took only one hit before they became defenseless.  The Borg transporters were

activating again.  Four Borg materalized on the bridge.  The security officer

fired his phaser once before he was hit by the Borg weaponry.  A Borg ran to

Riker, placed a hypospray against his neck, and demateralized with their new

catch of the day.

    The Borg then systematically dismantelled what was left of the flagship

of the Federation, not caring about who was alive and who wasn't.  Riker was

a witness to all this as he was being assimilated into the Borg collective...

    Riker woke up as stiff as a board.  He didn't know where he was.  There

were no other voices in his mind.  He heard an unfamilair sound. almost

beautiful, but beauty was irrelevent.  "Will, are you there?"

    Riker thought that another of the Borg was outside.  Riker walked as though

he was a robot to the door.  It opened for him, revealing not a Borg, but

a woman who was a Beatzoid.  "Race: Betazoid.  You are inferior.  You shall

be assimilated."  Deanna was shocked.

    Riker had been Borged.


                            Chapter III


   "Captain's Log. Supplemental.  The strange circumstances that have killed

Lt. Worf has now spread to almost half of my crew including First Officer Riker.  I

I am appalled at the thought that the Borg have learned a way to assimilate

a person half way across the galaxy.  We have been ordered to return to Earth

for evaluations of the ship compliment."

   "Personal Log.  What is going on?  I feel as thogugh I' ve lost all control

over the crew.  People are either going insane, dying or any other number of

things.  We are no closer to finding a solution.  I hope we do find the elusive

solution quickly otherwise our ship will not be able to function."

    Dr. Crusher had a look of exhaustion her face.  She had been examining

people for almost the entire night and most of the next day.  The last person

who she was to examine was the one that hurt her the most.  Riker hadn't

improved since Deanna brought him in almost fourty hours ago.

    Beverly went into the isolation room where Riker was being held.  He still

had that haunting emptiness in his face as if his mind had been blanked.

Beverly walked slowly twoards him and began to scan him to see if she could

find a problem.

    "Will, are you ok?"  Beverly expected William to say that he was alright.

Instead he answered, "Will is irrelevent.  Ok is irrelevent.  We are Borg."

Will spoke this with no inflection in his voice whatsoever.  He actually

thought he was a Borg.

     "Will, you are not Borg.  You are William T. Riker, first officer of the

Enterprise."

     "Enterprise is irrelevent.  Riker is irrelevent.  You will be

assimilated."

     Beverely was getting very frustrated.  The scan had picked up nothing

unusual, but Riker still believed that he was a Borg.  ^This is very scary,^

Beverly thoought, ^Riker is a fine officer.  To be turned into a Borg with

a flick of a switch...^  It made Beverly shutter.

     Beverely finished her examination and left Riker in the isolation room.

When she rechecked the tricorder readings, she found that Riker had the same

tell-tale signs of dream control that Worf had.  She reread the other scans on

the other patients that were brought in.  They had all the same problem.

     She decdided that she needed a good night's rest before she continued with

her examinations.  She knew that Dr. Selar would be able to take over for

her so she could get some rest.  The last few days have been especially

strenuous and she hadn' had any time to sleep.

     Dr. Crusher walked out of her office not before yawning.  She went to the

turbolift, got in, and proceeded to her room and her awaiting bed.  She didn't

even get undressed or even looked at her flowers.  beverly collapsed onto her

bed and fell asleep almost immediately...

     The doctor was in the shuttle bay prepping the shuttle that had been

used in the first metaphasic shileding test in which one of the scientists

were killed.  Beverly knew that she would be able to leave the ship because

the bridge wasn't expecting a shuttle launch.

     She launched the shuttle and head for the sun. The Enterprise almost

immediately signaled to her to return to the ship.  "I can't do that," she said

,"I need to prove that the project works.  I'm sorry, Captain."  Beverly

terminated the communication.

     She was close enough to the sun that she needed to initiate the program.

As she got closer, it seemed that the shielding was working fine.  Then the

klaxon went off.  "Hull tempurature critical.  Meltdown in five seconds."

Beverly couldn't maneuver the shuttle out of the sun within those precious

seconds.  The shuttle melted and Dr. Beverly Crusher was burned to a crisp.

                         *   *   *

     "Doctor Crusher report to the bridge."

     Usually there would be a response to Picard's call but there was none this

time.  "Doctor Crusher.  Please come to the bridge."  No response.  "Computer

locate Doctor Crusher."  The computer told him that she was in her quarters.

^Could what have happened to Riker have happened to her.^

     "Picard to sickbay.  Medical team to Doctor Crusher's room."

     Over the intercom, Dr. Selar acknowledged.  Picard ran to the turbolift

and got off at Doctor Crusher's deck.  When he reached the cabin, Dr. Selar's

team was waiting outside.  "Computer, override door lock.  Authorization:

Picard Alpha-3."

     The doors opened to reveal Dr. Crusher laying prone on her bed.  Dr.

Selar's team rushed to the bed but it was too late to help her.  Selar had

to only look at her tricorder once and then check to see if there was a pulse.

She looked up at Picard and said, "She's dead, captain."

                               Chapter IV

     "Captain's Log: Supplemental.  We now only have 100 crew members that

have not been affected by this infection.  The ship is still over twenty

hours away from Earth.  I am afraid that if we reach Earth, this infection

will spread to the planet and our civilization will die."

     Captain Picard was walking into Sickbay when he saw another person rushed

into Sickbay.  He thought that this couldn't go on much longer or they would

all die.  Picard knew where the people who were Borg were being kept but he

didn't want to see Riker in his state of mind.

      Picard walked to where Selar was working on another dead body.  He felt

sick at the sight of a perfect body dead without any cause except this

'dream control' that Dr. Crusher talked about before she died.  Selar turned

around at the sound of Picard's footsteps.

      "Captain Picard."

      "Can I see you alone for a moment, Doctor?"

      Selar nodded, and she walked with Picard into Dr. Crusher's former

office.

      "What can i do for you, captain?"

      Picard felt cold in this office.  "Have you had any success in

determining the cause of this dream problem we're all having?"

      "No, I don't.  We have tried several different techniques but it has only

made the problem worse.  We now have over 950 dead or insane people.  I can't

take care of many more, Captain."

      "I know, Selar.  I'm afraid that when we reach Earth, it will spread

to Earth."

      Selar knew what that could mean.  Death of over 2 billion people from

across the galaxy.  "I'll try to create something that will work, I hope.  I

know that hope is illogical, so don't correct me."

      Picard walked out of the office feeling strange.  ^Did Selar just show

signs of sarcasm?^ he thought.  He left sickbay and head back twoards the

turbolift.  Before he took three steps, Picard saw what he knew was a ghost.

A young Jack Crusher was running twoards him and he had a joyful look on his

face.  When he got close enough to touch him, Jack disappeared.

      Picard simply ignored it.  He was tried and he wanted to go to sleep.

He entered the turbolift and next to him stood Lieutenant Tasha Yar smiling

at him.  ^I need a long vaction.^  Suddenly, Tasha pulled out a long knife

and tried to stab Picard.  He ducked and hit Tasha in the stomach.  She laughed

and struck Picard in his chest with the knife.  It didn't penetrate.  She

disappeared and Picard was left in a state of complete and utter insanity.


                             TO BE CONTINUED....


Next installment:

Data learns from someone what is going on, but in order to save the crew,

he is forced to make the ultimate sacrifice.



From [e-mail]  Tue Oct 26 07:45:36 1993
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Subject: Reality Check Part II of ?
Date: Tue, 26 Oct 1993 08:41:51 -0400 (EDT)

Last time on ST:TNG:

Picard and the crew have gone completely bonkers and Data is the only one who

is alive or fuctioning.

                               Chapter V

    "Second Officer's Log.  Stardate 46701.2.  I am the only person left

alive on the Enterprise.  Therefore I am forced to destroy the Enterprise in

order to make sure that the disease does not spread beyond this vessel.  I note

in my log that the crew died bravely and that they should all receive

commendations."

       Data stood before the engineering station on the bridge.  he placed his

hand on the wall where Captain Picard's hand would be placed.  In Picard's

voice, Data said "Computer, recognize Picard, Jean-Luc."

       The computer almost immediately responded, "Picard,Jean-Luc recognized."

       Now in Riker's voice, "Computer recognize Riker, William T."

       The computer's voice spoke back, "Recognized Riker, William T."

       "Computer, set auto destruct sequence."

       "Does the first office concur?"

       "I do. Set auto destruct sequence."

       A voice spoke to Data from behind, "Well Data, destroying the ship to

save the universe.  How touching."

       Data turned around and Lore was standing over him. "Lore..."

       Lore smiled that sarcastic smile, "Good you remmeber my name.  I should

feel so proud.  Data, you are really stupid.  Can't you see that you are the

cause of all the problems that have occured on board your precious Enterprise.

I can't tell you how, but let's just say that our father knows..."

       With that Lore disappeared and Data was left alone on the bridge.

       Data sat there for a moment and then continued as if Lore had never

appeared.  "Computer set auto destruct sequence: one minute."

       "Destruct in 59 seconds... 58... 57..."

       Data got up from the chair and walked slowly down to the command chair.

       "Destruct in 45 seconds... 44... 43... 42..."

       He looked around the bridge once and sat down waiting for the explosion

that would end his existance.  "Destruct in 31 seconds... 30... 29... 28..."

Data felt a shudder in the bridge floor but Data ignored it.  The computer

continued to count down and another shudder went through the bridge.

"Destruct in 10... 9... 8... 7... 6... 5... 4... 3... 2... 1."

       Suddenly the countdown ended and Q now appeared before Data in a flash

of light.  "Well, can't take a hint from your brother.  Maybe I can persuade

you.  Data, you're sacrificing the chance to save your crew.  I will help set

everything straight, for a price."

       Data knew that Q had something up his sleeve, but he didn't know what.

He thought that Q would be the only chance to set things straight even without

the price envolved.  "I ask for your help, Q."

       "Good.  Remember Lore saying about your father knowing.  In order to

save the crew, you must go back in time and learn from your father what has

gone wrong, without changing history mind you, and return to the present with

that knowledge."

       Q took a breath before continuing.  "And now the price.  You must kill

one of your friends.  I don't care who, but you must kill someone.  After your

mission is done, I will reappear and you will carry out the killing then.

Enjoy yourself, Data.  You're in for one hell of a ride."

       With that, Q disappeared in a flash of light and Data went along for the

ride, whereever it went.

                      Chapter VI

       "Stardate: Supplimental.  I have made a deal with Q.  He is helping me

to solve the mystery of my dreaming problem.  In order to do this, I am being

transported back in time to before the Crystaline Entity destroyed the colony

where I was created by Dr. Noonian Soong."

       Data was standing on top of the bluff overlooking the colony.  He

remembered the last time he was here. There was nothing on the planet except

for a laboaratory when the Enterprise crew, with then the still alive Tasha

Yar, and his brother Lore.  Now it was bustiling with activity. Data needed

a plan in order to get into the town.

       Data waited until dark and then entered the village.  He quickly walked

through the colony and went to the lab of his creator, Dr. Noonian Soong.

Data tapped the access code on the wall so that he could get in.  Data had

a strange feeling when he entered the lab.  Something was either out of place

or something had changed, but couldn't figurer out what.

       Data walked to the cabinet where the younger Data was stored.  He opened

the lock and picked the insesinate form out of the container and took him to

one of the back rooms to store until he completed his mission.  Data now

knew what had changed.  Dr. Soong always changed the a little bit each year.

The lab now had the configuration when the Crystaline Entity had attacked and

destroyed the colony.

       Data walked back into the lab, got into the container, locked the door

and waited until Dr. Soong came to him to activate him.

                            *    *    *

       A few hours later, footsteps were heard outside the cabinet where Data

stood.  The cabinet opened and ther stood Dr, Noonian Soong.  He looked a lot

younger than the last time Data had saw him.  He also had a remarkable

resemblance to Data.  His facial features were almost exactly the same.

       "All right, Data.  Time to come out again."

       Dr. Soong placed him in a chair and turned him on, using the switch

that was placed on Data's back.  Data woke up with a start and stared at

Dr. Soong as he began to work on a new mechanism for Data's brain.

       "This conversation is again locked and you can't access it without

my access code.  Data, in you , you have a chip which enables you to dream.

Unfortunately, it causes other people to live their dreams.  Therefore,

this chip will help you impair your ability to dream, but you won't notice the

difference."

       Suddenly, the lab shook and many instruments fell off the shelves.  The

colony was being attacked, by the Entity.  Dr. Soong fell and dropped the chip

that he was working on and became unconcious.  Data picked Dr. Soong up and

exited the lab as fast as he could.

       When they were out, Data saw that the Entity had already scooped the

colony up and destroyed it.  Now it was coming to attack the lab.  It shot a

white beam out at Data.  He couldn't get out of the way fast enough and Data

and his father were insinerated.  The lab was then completely destroyed.

Interlude:  What is going on here?

A good question.  I don't know.  All I know is that this story is becoming

as weird as The movie The Nightmare Before Christmas (coming out Friday).

This interlude is to warn you that this story will get very unusual and very,

very confusing.



                              Chapter VII

      "Captain's Log. Stardate 46753.2.  Captain Deanna Riker commanding.

I have just been informed that my husband, Admiral William T. Riker will be

coming on board for negotiations with the Romulan-Vulcan empire.  I feel

uneasy for the simple reason that the Romulans have already entrenched on

Vulcan for over 65 years ever since Spock of Vulcan turned traitor."

      The bridge of the Enterprise was filled with tension.  When an Admiral

came on board, besides being the Captain's husband, everyone was trying their

hardest to impress Admiral Riker.

      In the captain's chair, Deanna was waiting impatiently for the signal

that her husband was ready to beam up.  It had been nearly four months since

she had seen him.  He had been hammering out an agreement with their allies

from the Q Continum.  She heard that they were ready to enter Starfleet and

were prepared to actually earn their rank.

      "There's a transmission coming in fron starbase," Lt. Commander Quark

spoke from above her.  "The Admiral is ready to beam aboard."

      "Transfer cooridnates to Transporter Room 2 and prepare to beam him

aboard."

      "Aye, maam."

      Deanna entered the turbolift and proceeded to transporter room 2.  She{

walked in the door and it was pitch black. ^Not another lighting problem^

she thought.  Suddenly two hands covered her eyes and a voice whispered

"Guess who?"

      She knew immediately who it was.  He was always trying to pull jokes on

her.  The voice spoke again, "Lights up."  Deanna turned around and kissed

Admiral Riker long and good.  When they had to take a breath, Deanna noticed

something had changed about Will.  Deanna remembered that Will use to wear a

beard but he wasn't wearing one now.

      "Will, what happened to your beard?"

      Will looked at her.  "Honey, I never had a beard.  Are you all right?"

      Deanna could have sworn that he did have one.  "I'm fine.  Must be tired."

      "Well, you won't get any sleep tonight!"  With that, they both laughed

and walked out holding hands.

      As they walked down the hall, Deanna asked a question about their

mission.  Riker explained that it would be all explained at the briefing that

they were going to shortly.

                                  *    *    *


     They entered the briefing room with the bridge crew assembled.  Nearest

to Deanna sat Commander Bishara, the first officer.  Next to him was Lt.

Commander Quark, tactical officer.  After that sat Commander Katheren Riker,

foremrly Katheren Pulaski, who was married to Will Riker's father before he passed away.

     "Admiral, I think you know everyone here.  I think you should start the

briefing."

     "Thank you, Captain.  As you know, the Romulans are getting tired of

controling Vulcan's people.  They are ready to negotiate a peace treaty. On

arrival to Vulcan, we will begin negotiations with the Romulan Commander,

Sela."  With this, a picture of Tasha Yar appeared.

     Quietly, Deanna whispered, "Tasha?  But she's dead."

     Her husband looked at her.  "Deanna, what did you say?  I thought you said

that someone was dead."

     Deanna looked up at her husband.  "Admiral, something is terribly wrong

here.  She's supposed to be dead..."

     Over the intercom came, "RED ALERT! I REPEAT RED ALERT!"

     Immedately Deanna was out of the chair.  The crew exited onto the bridge

and immedately took their places. Deanna walked to the command chair.  "Quark

report."

     "A vessel has decloaked off our bow.  Registration does not recognize it."

     "Put the vessel on the screen."

     The star field was replaced by a ship.  The ship was about half the size

of the Enterprise.  But Deanna recognized it immediately.  "It's the

Stargazer."

     Riker began to notice something wrong with his wife.  "Deanna, we don't

have a ship named the Stargazer."

     "Captain, the vessel is hailing us."

     "On screen."

     On the screen, a picture of Captain Jean-Luc Picard came on.  But he had

changed.  He had brown hair and a beard.

      "Unidentified ship.  This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard.  Prepare to beam me

aboard."

      With that the signal ended.  ^This is really strange.  I know all these

people, but why do I get the feeling that this isn't right?^  Deanna thought.

"Will, did you recognize him?" she asked of her husband.

      The admiral didn't know what to say.  "That was... Jean-Luc... Picard...

No, it couldn't be.  He was the mass murderer on Belaga 3.  If he escaped..."

      Everyone knew who Jean-Luc Picard was.  Ten years before, Picard was

a Fleet Admiral.  Then he went to Belaga 3 and he snapped.  He thought that

Hitler was good and everyone else was bad.  He began to try to institute

martial law and a return to the Third Reich.  It didn't work.  He was captured

and sent to an insane aslyum.

      "Captain, an intruder alert has been set off at Transporter Room 2.

Sensor readings indicate that Picard has beamed aboard using a new system."

      "Quark, send security teams to Transporter Room 2.  Incapacitate Picard.

Use force if neccessary."

      Behind her, Quark immedately entered the turbolift.  Deanna knew that

Quark would do the job.  She wasn't expecting what was going to happen next.

      "Captain, the engines have gone off line!  Shields are down!"

      Deanna had a bad feeling about this.  "Take all transporters off line."

      "Too late, Captain.  Transporters are beening activated."

      On the bridge, several forms began to solidfy.  When the transportation

was completed, four forms appeared.  Each of them Deanna knew from Starfleet

communications.  "Sisko, Kira, Worf and Ro.  Good to see you again."

      The four people looked at her as though she was completely out of her

mind.  They looked at each other for a split second.  Then they turned back to

Deanna and fired their phasers at her.  She was vaporized in an instant.

Nothing was left of her.  Then the invasion force beamed out and left the crew

stunned at the loss of their Captain.

                             Chapter VIII

      "Stardate: Supplemental.  Admiral Riker in command.  The brutal death of

my wife has left me in a state of shock.  The attack was directed at Deanna.  I

feel sadden at the loss of her.  I have found no explination of why Picard

attacked.  However, I do know that Picard did escape the penal colony that

he was assigned to with help."

      "Personal Log.  My god.  I have never felt this empty in my entire life.

I was looking foward to the time that we would spend together.  The memorial

sevice is scheduled in less than three hours.  I will deliver the eulogy for

my darling..."

      Admiral Riker was sitting in his quaters staring at the wall.  He felt

a prescence behind him.  He turned around and Deanna was standing, looking at

him.  She was a ghost but Will was happy to see her.  "Deanna..." he whispered.

      "Will, I don't have much time.  I've learn something that is very

important.  Have you ever heard of a fuctional android?"

      "Deanna, it's impossible.  We can't even get close to it."

      "Will, I met someone.  His name is Data.  He is an android, created by

Dr. Noonian Soong.  He was also in Starfleet for over 23 years."

      Will couldn't belive what he was hearing, or seeing for that matter.

"Deanna, there are no androids.  Dr. Soong died when the Entity attacked the

colony."

      "Will, listen to me.  The time line is wrong.  Data tells me that in

order to set it straight, you must make sure that Dr. Soong and Data are not

killed.  You must straighten the time line, Imzadi..."

      Deanna faded away into nothing.  Will looked into the empty room and then

started crying.

                                  *   *   *

      "This is Admiral Riker, temporary commander of the Enterprise.  I am

placing this ship on temporary assignment.  Another ship will do the

negotiations with Sela.  The next few days will be tough, but I know that I can

depend on all of you.  Riker out."

       Admiral Riker was sitting in the chair that belonged to his wife.  He

was afraid that his love for her was clouding his judgement but he believed

that he had to do this for the universe.

       "Lieutenat, set course for the Gateway planet.  Maximum warp."

       This took the crew a few minutes to get used to.  They heard about the

Gaurdian of Forever.  They heard of the mystery behind its construction and how

it could be a window into the past.  They also heard that it was dangerous to

try to go into the past.

        Less than three hours later, the Enterprise slipped into orbit around

the planet.  Riker trasnsported down to where the Gateway was.

        Riker walked up to the stone monolith and said, "Gateway.."

        "YES?"

        "Has time been altered?"

        "YES."

        "Show me the old time line and the new time line and where it begins

to deviate."

        The window began to show glimpses of time forgetten.

        "Gateway, I am prepared to jump through the Gateway when time splits."

        "I AM READY TO RECEIVE YOU."

        With that, Riker jumped into the Gaurdian and into the past.

                        TO BE CONTINUED...

Recap:  Data goes back in time to learn of his father what the hell is going

        on.  Instead of learning, he is killed.

        Back in the altered future, Deanna is killed and tells Riker what has

        gone wrong with the time line.

        Riker jumps through the Gateway to save Data.

Next Time:  Riker tries to fix things.

            Data is forced to make an impossible descion.(but that's an

            another story.)





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Last time:  Lots of things happened which I won't get into.

WARNING!  WARNING!  STORY GETS MORE CONFUSING EVERY PART!

                              Chapter IX

     William Riker approached the lab where in a few moments, Data and his

creator will run out and be killed by the Crystaline Entity.  Will knew that

if he was quick enough, he could save Data without killing himself.  He knew

that in the other time line, Riker would live on.

     Suddenly the ground shook.  The entity, Will thought.  Over the hill, he

could see the entity destroying the colony.  Within a few moments, the entity

finished with the colony and was moving twoards the lab.

     Data was carrying Dr. Soong out of the lab.  Riker startred running.  Data

looked at the entity and stopped.  Riker was ever so close to Data.  The entity

fired.  Riker jumped.  He knocked Data and Dr. Soong out of the way of the

beam.  Unfortunately, Will was incinerated.  Time stopped and Data disppeared.

                                   *  *  *

     Data reappeared on the Enterprise.  The rest of the crew was around him,

in a look of disbelief on their faces.  They wondered what the hell had

happened.  So Data told the whole story, except for the part with the deal with

Q.  He thought that it would make them angry that he made a deal with Q.

     "Mr. Data.  Please take your station we will be leaving the vicinty of

Earth shortly."

     "Not so fast, mon capitaine."  In front of Picard Q appeared.

     "What the hell do you want?"

     "Oh, what language.  Anyway I don't want to talk to you.  I want to talk

to Data."  He turned twoards Data.  "My friend, now is the second part of my

deal with you.  Who are you going to kill?"

      Picard couldn't believe what he was hearing.  ^Data can't kill.  It isn't

in his program.^

     "Picard, can't you get it through your bald head?  I can do anything,

including Data beening able to kill."

     "Q, you are more obnoxious tha ever."

     "I'll take that as a compliment.  Now Data, who will it be?  Will it

be..."

     Q changed into Vanna White and smiled.  "Your captain Picard, Mr. Chubby,

also known as Riker, Miss know it all Troi or Microbrain."  This last remark

was to Mr. Worf who was getting thorughly infuriated by Q.  Q really enjoyed

being a pain in the butt.

    "Now Data, make your choice."

    Data saud firmly, "I choose myself."

    Q looked at him and laughed.  "You can't choose yourself.  That is illegal.

You must choose someone else.  If you don't, I'll make the choice for you."

    After a few seconds, Q said, "Time's up.  Therefore, I'll create a game

in which at least one of your friends will die."

    With that, Q snapped his fingers.  Time froze and Q disappeared.

                            Chapter X

    "Stardate 6601.1.  Mr. Spock has reported that a disturbance in the

space-time continuum has appeared in a nearby star system.  We have been

ordered to investigate."

    Captain James T. Kirk sat in the command chair.  All around him, the bridge

was alive with activity.  kirk knew that they were heading into a dangerous

situation, but he knew that he could depend on his crew to serve him well.

    "Captain," Mr. Sulu spoke, "we have reached the system.  Disturbance

one thousand kilometers ahead."

    "Reduce to one half-impulse."  Kirk turned to Spock.  "Readings, Mr. Spock?"

    "Conflicting information, sir.  I read matter, but the shields say there

is no matter.  Also, there is energy on the sensors, but the shields doesn't

register anything."


    Suddenly, the ship buckled.  Kirk knew that a tractor beam had locked on.

Mr. Spock  reported, "Captain. A tractor beam has locked onto us.  Five

hundered kilometers to the disturbance."

    "Sulu, full reverse.  Break us out of it."

    The engines strained to break free.  "Captain!  The engines cannot handle

anymore!  Overload in five seconds."

    "Mr. Sulu.  Reduce power.  Let it take us where it wants to."

    Sulu decreased power to the engines.

    "Contact in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1..."

    The ride got bumpy.  The crew was flung foward.  Noone was prepared for it.

Kirk hit his head against the foward station with a sound Crack!  Mr. Spock was

flung backward over the railing and fell to the deck below.  Sulu and Checkov

was flattened against the main viewscreen.

    The ship bursted back into real space.  The ship began to list.  With no

power and the crew unconsious, the Enterprise was useless.

                              *  *  *

    The crew unfroze.  Then they began normal operations.  They didn't remember

what had just happened to them.  They thought that the Enterprise had just

ended their mission successfully and they were heading on to their next

assignment.

    "Commander, set course for Alpha Delta 3."

    "Aye, sir."

    A few moments later, Worf looked at his board and frowned.  "Captain,"  he

spoke, "I have received a signal from a neighboring star system."

    "Source of the signal, Data?"

    "An older type of communications beacon.  Well used during the Constitution

class era."

    Picard got up from his chair and walked foward twoards Data.  "There hasn't

been one around for years.  Could one have suvived this long?"

    Data thought for a moment.  "It is possible, but highly unprobable.  All

ships accounted for in the las inventory."

    "Thank you, Data.  Number One, any suggestions?"

    "Wouldn't hurt us any if we actually check it out."

    "My thought exactly, Will.  Data change course to intercept."

    "Aye, sir. Arrival in three minutes."

    Barely a few minutes later, that shudder was back.  "Data, report."

    "Some sort of tractor beam.  Whereever it is coming from, we cannot break

away from it."

    "Picard to LaForge."

    Down in engineering, Lieutenant Commander Geordi LaForge was wondering

where the tractor beam had come from.  "LaForge here.  Captain, what is

happening?"

    "I was about to ask you the same question.  Can we break free of this

tractor beam?"

    Geordi checked his instruments.  "No sir, we can't.  I don't know why, but

we lose power instead of gaining power when we try to move."

    "Thanks anyway.  Picard out."

    Back on the bridge, Picard was getting frustrated very quickly.

    "Suggestions, anyone?"

    A series of "No, sirs" and "None" echoed through the bridge.

    Data spoke from the command station.  "Captain, contact with the beacon in

a minute.  Visual contact."

    Picard watached the screen get magnified.  What filled the screen was

amazing.  A wormhole twice the size of the stable wormhole around Bajor.

The colors surronding were a beautiful mixtue of every color of the rainbow.

The crew looked at the wormhole as they drew ever closer.

    "Contact in 5... 4... 3... 2... 1..."

    Their world was turned upside down.  The ship buckled and the crew was

completely flattened, except Data.  Deanna, Will and Picard were thrown from

their seats foward.  The helm officer hit the view screen and Worf somehow

landed up laying across the command chair.  They became unconcious.

     Q appeared on the bridge.  "Well, for once, I have the bridge for myself.

Now let's see, what can I do to them now?"

     Q spent a few minutes looking through the literature file and fell upon

one story that caught his eye.  "Huh.  Star Wars, by George Lucas.  This should

be very interesting."

     With that Q disappeared and the ship lurched into real space.

                                    *   *   *

Interlude:

I like these.  Anyway, yes this idea has some resemblance to Q's bargin with

Data, except I don't know how yet.

We will return after these commercial messages.

Next Week on Star Trek: The Last Generation:

The crew encontres the nursing home ship.

Picara is kidnapped and Riker has to go a diet to save the U.S.S. Old Man's
Home.



And now back to the show.

                          Chapter XI

     Aborad the NCC-1701, the crew was just beginning to become conscious

again.  They defenitely had a rough ride.  Kirk felt as though a train had

run him over and he didn't want to move.  Kirk looked straight at the screen

and saw Sulu and Checkov on facing each other on the floor near the viewscreen.

^Wait till they wake up^ Kirk thought.

     Kirk got up very slowly.  The rest of the crew got up to, slowly.

     "Is everybody all right!"

     "AHHH!"

     ^They're up.^  Kirk thought.

     Checkov and Sulu jumped off the floor and got to their stations quickly.

They did look embarassed.  Kirk walked foward. "You OK?"

     Sulu and Chekov said quickly together, "Yes, sir..."

     Lt. Uhura reported, "Damage reports coming in.  Warp engines damaged, but

repairable.  Life support functioning again."

     Kirk sta back in his command chair.  "Kirk to engineering."

     "Mr. Scott here."

     "Your evaluation of the situation."

     "Well, I can't gaurantee anything, but the engines will be up in less

than an hour."

     "Thank you, Mr. Scott."  Kirk turned twoards Mr. Spock.  "Spock, where

are we?"

     Spock checked his library computer to get confirmation, then he turned to

the captain.  "Sir, I have checked all star systems in the library banks.  We

are not in any known system and we are outside our own galaxy."

     "Captain!"  Sulu said from the counsle.

     Kirk turned twoards the screen.  The wormhole was forming again.  But

this time another ship was spit out.  A more advanced class of starship

appeared.  Kirk didn't recognize it.  It had the same general shape of the

Enterprise, but it was completely different otherwise.

     "Uhura, get on the com system.  Ship to ship."

     "You're on sir."

     "Unidentified ship.  this is the U.S.S. Enterprise.  Are you in need of

assitance?"

     On board the Enterprise-D, Picard was about to fall in disbelief.  After

what had happened just a few moments before, it couldn't get much wierder.  But

he wasn't expecting a historic ship from the past.

     "This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of a... Federation starship.  We don't

need help.  But do you?"

     Kirk looked at the viewscreen.  He knew that was no Federation starship.

Noone could have built that advance of a ship without him knowing about it.

He was one of the most important captains in Starfleet.  "No we don't need

help.  Do you know whaw happened?"

     On the screen, Picard began to look uncomftable.  "Our science officer is

looking into the problem as we speak."

     "Captain..."  Mr. Spock spoke from his station.

     "Uhura, cut transmission."

     The viewscreen returned to the starfield except for the other ship in the

center of the screen.  "Now, Mr. Spock.  What do you have for us."

     "I have run senso sweeps over the othe vessel.  It is rather intriguing

that we are on the Enterprise, but the registy of the other ship is NCC-1701-D,

U. S. S. Enterprise."

     "What?  That isn't possible.  There is only one Enterprise that we know

of.  Could it be possibly from the future?"

     "Anything is possible, Captain."

     Kirk looked twoards the screen again.  He knew that something was wrong

and Spock proved it.  He didn't have time to test his theory about it.  The

klaxons went off.

                                 *   *   *

     "Captain! Ship on an intercept course!"

     Picard bolted out of his chair.  "Red Alert!  RAise shields!  Worf, put it

on the screen."

     The viewscreen blanked and showed a vessel more than three times the size

of the Enterprise.  Picard noticed that it was triangular in shape and bigger

than the Borg.  "Open hailing frequencies."

     "Open, sir."

     "This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the United Federation of Planets.  We

come on apeaceful mission.  Respond please."

     Worf looked at his comm panel.  "No response sir."

     "Data, give me a sensor sweep."

     Data enered the command and almost immedately information was beening feed

into the ship's computer at an alarming rate.  "Captain, there are over 150,000

humaniods on that ship.  Several weapons arrays weaker than our own and also

several ships for transport and protection."

     "Thank you, Data.  Picard to Captain Kirk."

     "Kirk here."

     "I suggest that we do not force the issue with these people.  Do not fire

unless fired upon."

     "I got you. Kirk out."

     "Captain.  There is a message coming in from the other ship."

     "On screen."

     "Audio only."

     A voice boomed out from the emptiness of the bridge.  "This is the

Imperial Star Destroyer Executor.  State your business or prepare to be

boarded."

     "This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the United Federation of planets.

We are on a peaceful mission to contact new civilizations.  We are here because

of an accident.  Please do not fire on us."

     The voice returned.  "This is the Executor.  Prepare to be boarded."

                                 *   *  *

     On the bridge of Executor, the Grand Moff was eager for a confrination.

He had never heard of a Federation or the United whatever.  He heard the

breath of his commander behind him.  Darth Vader approached the Grand Moff.  He

was more machine than man.  His whole body was encased in a pitch black casing.

No one ever knew who he actually was.

     "They have surrendered?"  He hissed.

     "No, sir.  They mutter things about being from a Federation and they are

on a peaceful mission."

     "Hum.  I have never heard of a Federation either.  Proceed with the

boarding of the vessel."

     "Aye, my lord."

     Under the Executor the hanger bay doors opened and out spewed TIE fighters

and drop ships filled with stormtroppers.

     On the E-D, Picard opened a communication to Kirk.  "I don't think that

they care what we are here for or how we came to be here."

     "I agree.  I suggest that we split in two different directions and escape

using our warp enginees."

     "Good plan.  Implement in five..."

     "Captain!"  Worf screamed from the tactical station, "another ship has

entered into sensor range."

     "Damn!  Follow the plan, Kirk.  Good Luck."

     With that Picard terminated the communication.  "All right.  Change

heading to 243 mark 5.  Ahead warp 1.'

     "Aye, sir."

     The ship buckled.  Down in the engineering room, Scott was cursing long

and hard.  "Scott to Kirk.  The engines have just broken down.  No warp speed.

Limited impulse."

     "The gods don't like me.  Best possible speed then, Sulu."

     A few moments went by.  "The other ship is following us.  They have

powered up their weapons."

     "Evasive maneuvers, Sulu!  Full power to shields."

     A shutter went through the bridge.

     "They have locked on with a tractor beam."  Spock seemed very calm.

     "Brek us out, Sulu."

     "I can't.  The beam is too strong for us to handle."

     ^Damn.^  On the viewscreen, the ship got bigger.  As the Enterprise drew

closer, Kirk felt helpless and sick.  Within three minutes, the Enterprise was

pulled inside and it was docked.

                             TO BE CONTINUED...

Next Time:

Kirk and crew forced to change their way of thinking.

Picard and crew face Darth Vader.