Danny Amor's Online Library/Danny Amor's Online Library - Volume 1.iso/html/startrek/story/tng/doug_geiger/qanda.trekbook

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 Page 1


Q and A : The new Star Trek : The Next Generation Novel by Doug Geiger


              Chapter 1


        Captain's Log - Stardate 42765.5
             After the Enterprise's latest encoun-
        ter with Q, which resulted in 18 deaths
        and some structural damage to the saucer
        section, we are enroute to Starbase 197.
        Our encounter with the Borg will be added
        to Starfleet records for future reference.
        Starfleet Command has given extended shore
        leave to the entire Enterprise crew while
        repairs are made to the saucer section.



        "Mister Data, ETA at Starbase 197," asked

    Captain Picard, an imposing, bald man who sat in the

    center seat of the Bridge.



        "At our present speed of Warp 6 we will

    arrive in 6.43321 hours, sir," reported Lieutenant

    Commander Data from the navigator's station at the

    front of the Bridge.  Data's gold eyes and pale

    skin told everyone that he was an android.



        "6.4 hours would have sufficed, Lieutenant,

    thank you.  Status report, Mister Worf."



        "All departments report maximum efficiency.

    Hull sensors indicate that the damage to the saucer

    section will not be structurally dangerous unless

    we exceed Warp 8," replied the Klingon communica-

    tions officer and Security chief from the Upper

    Bridge.
 Page 2





        "Thank you, Mister Worf.  Keep me informed

    of any changes."

        "Picard to Engineering," said Picard, tap-

    ping his combadge, "Mister LaForge, any problems

    to report?"



        "Nothing new to report, Captain," said the

    blind Chief Engineer, the pulsating light from the

    Warp engines glinting off the VISOR that allows

    him to "see."



        "Will the damage caused by Q effect our

    phasers in any way?" asked the Captain.



        "When Q removed the cylinder from the

    Enterprise some major systems were disrupted,

    including weapons, but we've been able to reroute

    most of them.  I have the Engineering staff pulling

    double shifts running diagnostics on each system.

    So far nothing's been encountered to prevent us

    from restoring all systems to their original paths.

    I just want to be sure so that nothing happens to

    damage the saucer section even more.

        "But to answer your question, Captain,

    since we'll be at Starbase 197 soon, I've taken

    the phasers off-line until full scale repairs can

    be made.  Q didn't touch the phaser rings but he
 Page 3



    came awfully close," reported Geordi.



        "In that case, I sincerely hope the phasers

    won't be needed, Lieutenant.  Picard out.

        "Counselor, what is the crew's mood?" asked

    Picard as he turned to his left to consult Deanna

    Troi, the empathic Ship's Counselor.



        "They are tired, both mentally and

    physically, but that is understandable.  They are

    also saddened by the deaths of the crewmembers.

    All in all, Captain, I don't think the crew could

    stand the stress of another mission.  You should

    request a shore leave for the entire crew, yourself

    included," said the beautiful Betazoid.



        "Deanna, you know how I hate to be away

    from the Enterprise, even for a short time.  But

    I have a surprise for you.

        "Mister Worf, open a shipwide channel,"

    requested Picard.



        "Channel open, sir."



        "This is Captain Picard.  Due to the

    stresses placed upon both ship and crew by the time

    vortex and our encounter with Q, Starfleet Command

    has granted shore leave to all crewmembers upon
 Page 4



    our arrival at Starbase 197.  Please refer to the

    schedules posted by the department heads as to your

    beam-down time.  Enjoy yourselves.  As the best

    crew in Starfleet, you deserve this vacation.

    Picard out."



        From throughout the ship, cheers could be

    heard.  Smiles even broke out among the Bridge

    Crew, except for Worf and Data.  Data because he

    was an android and the purpose of some human

    expressions eluded him.  Worf because he was a

    Klingon and they just don't do that kind of thing.



        "That's great news, Captain, but why'd

    you keep it a secret?" asked William Riker, the

    bearded First Officer seated on Picard's right.



        "Well, Number One, the message came through

    just before I came on the Bridge.  How are you

    going to spend shore leave, Will?"



        "There are some new holodeck simulations

    I've been wanting to try out," said Riker.



        "Ah, you mean the survival games," said

    Worf with appreciation.  "I too want to see those."



        "No, Worf, I meant the historic recreations.
 Page 5



    I've heard they're extremely detailed."

        "What about you, Captain?"



        "Oh, I don't know.  I have some reading to

    catch up on.  I'd also like to work on my painting,"

    said Picard.



        For awhile, they flew on in silence.  Fin-

    ally Picard said, "Mister Crusher, steady on course.

    I'll be in my Ready Room.  You have the Bridge,

    Number One."  And Picard left the Bridge.



        "Was that not unusual?"  asked Data.



        "I'm not sure, Data.  The Captain has been

    pretty angry about our inability to deal effectively

    with Q and the Borg," said Riker.



        "There is that, but I sense something else.

    He doubts his ability to command.  I've talked with

    him and his mental condition has improved somewhat.

    He just needs time.  The deaths of the crew aren't

    helping either.  He feels personally responsible.

    Combined with the stress of informing their

    families, it all adds up to a great deal of strain.

    He will get through it because he is strong.  He

    just has to understand that it's not his fault,"

    analyzed Deanna.
 Page 6





        Suddenly, the Enterprise shook violently.

    The shocked exclamations of the Bridge Crew were

    lost amid the red alert klaxons.



        "Data, shields up.  Ensign Crusher, take

    us out of warp.  Worf, damage report," ordered

    Riker.



        Picard emerged from his Ready Room looking

    shaken, blood from a large cut on his forehead

    flowing down his face.  "Wh-what hit us?"



        "We're working on it, sir.  Worf, where is

    that damage report?" asked Riker.



        "Communications throughout the ship were

    damaged.  In addition, the damaged section of the

    saucer has been stressed to the limit.  Any more

    shocks like that and the hull could rupture,"

    reported Worf.



        "Mister Data, why didn't our sensors

    register anything?" asked Picard.  "And shut off

    that damn noise!"  The red alert klaxons fell

    silent.



        "Unknown ,sir, but an unidentified ship
 Page 7



    has just come within sensor range."



        "On visual."




        The viewscreen changed from an empty star-

    field to a crystalline ship approaching quickly.

    It was the shape and color of a huge, multifaceted

    diamond.  Spires and antennae projected from

    numerous points on the hull.  A huge weapons pod

    was slung on its underside.



        "Intruder slowing to sublight," reported

    Data.



        "Mister LaForge, why didn't sensors register

    the intruder?" inquired Riker, tapping his combadge.



        "We were in the process of restoring the

    sensors to their original paths."



        "Mister Worf, open hailing frequencies,

    universal translator on," ordered Picard.



        "Hailing frequencies open."



        "This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard commanding

    the Federation starship Enterprise.  You are

 Page 8


    intruding into Federation space.  Please state your

    business peacefully or we will be forced to take

    action against you."



        "Captain Picard," sneered a hissing voice

    as an insectoid appeared on the viewscreen, "why

    should we fear you?  This one vessel could

    obliterate any ten of your Federation vessels.  I am

    Skon of the Xin and I question your right to exist,

    just as you question my right to be here."



        A low growl emanated from Worf and Picard

    shot him a warning glance.



        "Now see here, Skon.  We want no trouble.

    Our mission is to explore the galaxy and make

    peaceful contact with new races.  We have no quarrel

    with the Xin.  In fact, we've never heard of you

    before."



        "What!  The Xin control seven galaxies.

    Our technology is far more advanced over yours.

    We are superior in every way."



        "It would appear not, as the Enterprise

    still exists," retorted Picard.



        "Ha!  That was merely our weapons system

 Page 9


    on its lowest setting.  What you would call a

    warning shot.  I assure you, at their highest

    setting, they are capable of shattering planets.

    Do not anger me, Picard," warned Skon.



        "I wouldn't dream of it, Skon.  I just want

    to know what you're doing in Federation space."



        "I don't have to answer to you, Captain.

    But if you must know, my orders are to collect

    specimens from the various galactic powers in order

    for the Xin to formulate a plan for Universal

    domination.  You, Captain, have the honor of being

    the first Federation starship captured on the Xin

    road to glory.  Prepare to be boarded and relinquish

    command to me."



        The screen reverted to a view of the Xin

    ship.



        "We're not caught yet.  Worf, send a

    distress call to all Federation ships."



        "All frequencies are being jammed, Captain."



        "Damn.  Mister Crusher, lay in an escape

    course away from Federation space and engage at

    Warp 3," ordered Picard.  "Mister Data, scan the

 Page 10


    computer banks for any reference to the Xin."

    The blood from his wound still flowed freely,

    staining his uniform a darker red.


        "Aye, sir," Data acknowledged, walking aft

    to the science station as the Enterprise leapt into

    Warp.  Worf moved forward to take Data's place at

    the Ops station.  The stars on the viewscreen

    lengthened into streaks as the Enterprise broke the

    lightspeed barrier.



        "Captain, should I call Dr. Pulaski to look

    at your injury?  It looks serious," said Riker, the

    concern in his voice was evident.



        "Not now, Number One.  I don't have time

    to get my head examined.  I'm fine," grumbled the

    Captain, his eyes locked on the viewscreen.



        "Captain, the Xin ship is closing on us at

    Warp 3.5," the Klingon reported.



        "Mister Crusher, Warp 5," ordered the

    Captain.  The stars on the viewscreen grew into

    even longer streaks as the Enterprise accelerated.



        "Reverse angle on the viewscreen.  Let's

    see the Xin ship," said Riker.  The view changed

    from one of stars accelerating towards them to one
 Page 11



    of stars accelerating away from them.  In the center,

    a white speck slowly increased in size.



        "The Xin ship has increased to Warp 4.....

    Warp 5.....Warp 6," said Worf, astonished.



        "Mister Crusher, increase speed to Warp 8."



        "Sir the hull cannot take the stress caused

    by such high speeds.  We must slow down."



        "I am aware of that, Worf.  As Captain of

    this vessel, I take full responsibility."



        The vibration of the deck, nearly

    imperceptible before, had become quite evident.

    The red alert klaxons went off again and the

    computer's voice warned "Due to extreme speed, hull

    rupture imminent."



        "Mister Worf, raise maximum strength

    deflector screens around the damaged portion of

    the saucer section.  As close to the hull as

    possible."



        "Aye, sir.  Deflector screens up."



        On the screen, the white speck had begun
 Page 12



    to grow in size again.



        "Sir, Xin ship gaining on us again.  It's

    speed is Warp 9.5," Worf nearly yelled.



        "Picard to Engineering.  Mister LaForge,

    can we accelerate to maximum Warp with the ship in

    its present condition?"



        "Possibly, but I wouldn't advise it.  The

    hull could go at any moment.  I have a team working

    on reinforcing the damaged section of the saucer,

    but we're talking about nearly every deck of the

    primary hull," reported the Chief Engineer.



        "So noted, Lieutenant.  Picard out.  Worf,

    raise shields around the damaged section.  Mister

    Crusher, increase speed to maximum.  Warp 10."



        "Sir, are you serious?  You heard what

    LaForge said.  Warp 10 could destroy the Enterprise!"

    objected Riker.



        "Number One, if that was just a warning

    shot, we will need help.  Since frequencies are

    jammed we must try to find it ourselves.  Mister

    Crusher, our speed."


 Page 13



        "Warp 9.3, 9.4, 9.5, 9.6, 9.7, 9.8, 9.85,

    9.9," Wes read off the speed in ten second

    intervals.  "Holding at Warp 9.9."



        "Picard to Engineering.  Why are we holding

    at Warp 9.9?"



        "Because of the energy being diverted to

    the shields and deflector screens.  We can't go any

    faster unless we lower them.  But if we do that,

    the ship will tear itself apart."  In the

    background could be heard the pulsing throb of the

    Warp engines.  They sounded like a human heartbeat

    accelerated to the bursting point.  "Also, there's

    a slight flaw in the matter/antimatter containment

    field.  Maximum Warp would destroy the field totally

    and the Enterprise would be obliterated, along with

    most of the rest of this sector of space."



        "Very well.  Thank you, Lieutenant.  Picard

    out.  Worf, what is the Xin's speed?"



        "Warp 12, sir.  It is gaining rapidly."



        Worf was right.  The image on the viewscreen

    had almost blotted out the rest of the starfield.



        "We have no choice then, unless you've
 Page 14



    found something, Mister Data?"



        "I am sorry, Captain, but there is no

    information regarding the Xin in either my own or the

    ship's memory banks," replied Data apologetically.



        Worf relinquished the Ops station to Data

    and went back to his Communications console.



        "Worf, try to call for help again."



        "Sorry, Captain.  We are still being

    jammed," reported the Klingon irritably.  He did

    not like feeling useless.  So far his advice had

    gone unheeded and his attempts to send any message

    at all had been ineffectual.  On top of that, the

    Enterprise, Starfleet's best ship, was running away.

    Finally he said, "Captain, I recommend that we turn

    and fight.  We will soon be overtaken and will be

    forced to fight anyway."



        "Mister Worf, as much as I value your

    recommendations, this is my Bridge and I will not

    have people telling me how to run my ship!"



        Before Worf could reply, however, the

    Enterprise was hit by a blast from the Xin ship.

    The stars on the screen shortened.
 Page 15





        "Mister Crusher, why are we slowing?"



        "They hit our Warp nacelles, Captain.

    Warp drive is nearly destroyed."



        "Captain, the Xin ship is slowing to match

    our speed," reported Data.



        "Mister Worf, scan the Xin ship for some

    vulnerable location.  It appears we'll have to make

    a fight of it after all."



        "Captain, unable to scan the Xin ship.

    Sensors do not register anything."



        "It's an awfully powerful nothing then,"

    said Riker.



        "Let's give them a taste of their own

    medicine, shall we.  Slow to impulse power, Mister

    Crusher."



        The Xin ship also slowed to match the speed

    of Enterprise.



        "Shields at maximum," ordered Picard.

    "Mister LaForge, I need those phasers now!"
 Page 16





        "Way ahead of you, Captain.  Phasers will

    be on-line in 45 seconds."



        "Mister Crusher, evasive maneuvers.  Mister

    Worf, try sending a distress message on all channels

    again."



        "Aye, Captain," Ensign Crusher and

    Lieutenant Worf replied in unison.



        After a few seconds, Worf said, "Captain,

    communications are still being jammed.  Unable to

    send the distress message."



        "Damn.  Well, we'll just have to do the best

    we can.  Mister Data, have Weapons load the Bridge

    logs into a disarmed photon torpedo and launch it

    in the direction of Starbase 197.  Include a

    warning about the Xin."



        "Torpedo away, sir," replied Data after

    a brief pause.  "You do of course realize that it

    will not arrive at Starbase 197 for over eight

    months."



        "It's the best we can do with no

    Communications.  How long until we have full phaser
 Page 17



    power?" asked Picard.



        Data's board beeped and he reported, "We

    now have full phaser power."



        "Mister Data, arm all photon torpedoes and

    prepare to fire all phaser banks simultaneously on

    my command."



        But before the order could be given, the

    Enterprise rocked under another barrage from the

    Xin ship.  Warning lights began flashing at all

    Bridge stations and the Bridge lights flickered.



        "Captain, our shields are down to 38%.

    We cannot withstand another hit of such strength,"

    reported Data.



        "Thank you, Mister Data.  Damage report,

    Mister Worf."



        "Minor damage to most systems.  Warp drive

    is irreparable.  Shield control damaged.  The hull

    has begun to rupture along the edges of the damage

    that Q caused.  There are four dead and twenty

    people injured," reported Worf.  "Doctor Pulaski

    is on her way with a medical team.  More technicians

    are enroute to repair the damage."
 Page 18





        "Let's give the Xin something to think

    about.  Fire phasers and ten rapid fire photon

    torpedoes.  Geordi, what shape are the engines in?"



        "I'm afraid the Warp engines are gone and

    impulse power is in nearly the same shape.  Our

    maximum speed now is one half impulse power and

    that's pushing it."



        The viewscreen lit up with the combined

    flare of phasers striking home and the detonation

    of ten photon torpedoes.  When the pyrotechnics

    dissipated, the Xin ship was still there, unharmed.



        "Captain, they are preparing to fire

    again," warned Data.



        "Divert all power to shields.  Mister

    LaForge, prepare to drop the containment field on

    the matter/antimatter intermix chamber.  Commander,

    get down to the battle bridge in the stardrive

    section and set a course that will take it directly

    into the Xin ship.  Mister Worf, advise all personnel

    in the secondary hull to evacuate to the saucer

    section immediately."



        As everyone went about their assigned
 Page 19



    duties, the Enterprise shook again.



        "Our shields are gone, Captain.  We are

    now defenseless," reported Data.



        "Picard to Riker.  You'd better hurry,

    Number One.  We are out of options."



        "Almost finished.  Separate the ship and

    beam me over on my signal."



        "Did you hear that, Chief O'Brien?"



        "Aye, Captain.  Transporters are ready.

    When you give the word, I'll lock on to all life-

    signs in the engineering hull and beam them over."



        "Do it.  Use the cargo transporters if you

    have to,  I don't want to lose any more of my crew.

    Energize!  Mister Data, disengage locking clamps

    and power up the impulse engines on the rear of

    the saucer," and tapping his combadge he said,

    "Number One, you're out of time."



        "Done, Captain.  Ready to beam over."



        "Mister O'Brien, how many people left in

    the secondary hull?"
 Page 20





        "Only Commander Riker.  I'll beam him

    directly to the Bridge."



        "Thank you, Mister O'Brien.  Picard out."



        With a high whine, a tall blue column of

    light appeared and slowly coalesced into the form

    of Commander Riker.



        "Captain, the Xin captain again orders us

    to surrender," reported Worf.



        "Ignore him, Lieutenant.  Mister Data,

    secure for saucer separation.  Activate the

    secondary hull's course programming once the

    saucer is free," ordered Picard.



        Slowly, majestically, the Enterprise's

    saucer section lifted up and away from the neck of

    the engineering hull.  The impulse engines activated

    and the saucer section began to move away from the

    Xin ship.  The secondary hull turned and headed

    directly for it.



        By this time, Geordi LaForge had rushed

    out of the Turbolift to the Engineering station

    on the Bridge.  "Transferring Engineering to the
 Page 21



    Bridge.  Ready to drop matter/antimatter shielding

    on your command."



        "Much as I hate to say this, detonate,

    Mister LaForge, for the sake of the Federation,"

    ordered Picard.



        As the engineering hull neared the Xin

    ship, Picard said, "Damn that Q.  If we were at

    full strength we might have had a chance!"



        The engineering hull blossomed into a

    gigantic explosion as the full fury of a matter/anti-matter

    explosion was vented on the Xin ship.


 Page 22



            Chapter 2


        The blast from the Engineering hull bloomed

    yellow and orange against the blackness of the

    surrounding space.  Blossomed and -- stopped.  The explosion

    just hung there in space.



        "Captain, I cannot explain it, but all

    chronometers have stopped," reported Data.



        "Captain, I sense a presence," said Deanna

    Troi, who had been silent during the entire encounter

    with the Xin.  "It is not so much malevolent as

    mischievous."



        "No, it couldn't be...Not so soon after

    last time.  It's just not possible," said Picard.



        "And why not, Jean-Luc?  I've grown quite

    accustomed to bailing you out of trouble," said

    a man in Vulcan religious robes.  He had just

    appeared between Wesley Crusher's and Lieutenant

    Commander Data's control consoles.



        All of the Bridge Crew recognized him

    instantly and groaned in unison "Q!"  Everyone

    except Worf, who just growled fiercely.

        "What, you're not happy to see me?"

 Page 23




        "Why should we be, Q.  You've done nothing

    but taunt us since we first encountered you!"

    shouted Picard.  By now, it was all Picard could

    do to sit up straight in his chair.



        "Yeah, why don't you get lost?" added

    Riker.



        Worf's growl turned into a roar as he

    launched himself from the Bridge's upper level.

    A phaser appeared in his hand.  He landed in a

    crouch between Picard and Q and raised his phaser

    to fire.  An incandescent blue light erupted from

    the phaser's muzzle and struck Q.  The beam hit Q

    full in the chest, causing his body to be enveloped

    in a brilliant halo.



        "Really, Worf, haven't you learned anything

    from our past encounters?  You know that won't work.

    In fact, I'm insulted that I don't rate higher than

    heavy stun."  With a flick of his finger, more for

    effect than because it was required, Q sent Worf's

    phaser blast arcing back to its source.  The

    phaser couldn't handle the added energy so it

    overloaded, sending Worf flying across the Bridge

    to smash into the wall next to the Turbolift,

    unconscious.

 Page 24




        "Really, mon capitan, I expected anger

    from Worf, but not from you.  And you, Will.  I'm

    omnipotent, I can't get lost."



        From behind him, Q could sense rapid

    movement from Data's station.



        "And just what do you think you're doing,

    android?  You of all peop-, uh, beings should know

    that nothing you do can effect me," said Q.



        "I was merely summoning Dr. Pulaski from

    Sickbay to attend to Lieutenant Worf," replied

    Data.



        "Come now, Data, I find you and your

    friends too amusing to allow you to be seriously

    injured.  Worf will be all right, but you'd better

    summon the good doctor anyway.  Your captain looks

    ill.  Probably overexcitement at seeing me or else

    the accumulated nausea of seeing Worf everyday for

    the past two years.  Take your pick."



        Picard had by now lost a lot of blood from

    his head wound and was looking paler.  He had been

    trying not to show how weak he felt but it wasn't

    working very well.  He rose shakily to his feet

 Page 25


    and confronted Q.



        "I have had about enough of you and your

    insults, Q," Picard said in a low, dangerous

    whisper.  "Surely, you in your INFINITE wisdom can

    find something better to do than annoy me and my

    crew."



        "Okay, Picard, have it your way.  I'll

    just go blow up some stars or something.  I'm sure

    the inhabitants of the orbiting planets won't

    mind.  I'll tell them Jean-Luc Picard sent me."

    And Q started to disappear in a column of rainbow

    sparkles, an obvious exaggeration of the Enterprise

    transporters.



        "Wait!  Stop, Q!  I already have twenty

    two deaths on my conscience because of you, I

    don't need any more," Picard yelled.



        "Oh, how quaint.  I do believe that you're

    jealous.  You don't want me to play with anyone

    else but you."



        "It's not that, Q.  Obviously you're here

    for some reason and I'd like to know what it is."



        "Very well.  I've come to stop you from

 Page 26


    making a terrible mistake.  If you look at the

    viewscreen very carefully, you'll see that the Xin

    ship was not destroyed.  All the pyrotechnics

    you've been throwing around have just made them

    mad," explained Q.  "And one of you science types,

    especially the android or the boy," he said

    indicating Data and Wesley Crusher, "should have

    realized that since the ship is crystalline in

    nature,  any energy you expend on it is magnified

    and stored until it is needed.  The Xin captain

    lied, Picard.  This is no mere specimen collecting

    mission, but an advanced raiding scout.  Even now,

    a fleet of over five hundred Xin ships is massing

    at the edge of Federation space.  This brings me

    to the reason for my visit.  I will help you

    defeat the Xin."



        "Why?  Why help us?  Every time you appear,

    you torment us," said Riker.



        "Because, if the Xin take over the galaxy,

    most of Starfleet will be destroyed in the battle.

    That includes the Enterprise.  I've grown quite

    fond of you.  I like visiting with you.  Besides,

    I, too, hate to see the Enterprise in pieces.  It

    just doesn't seem right somehow.  I will restore

    the Enterprise if you promise to allow me to help

    you defeat the Xin."

 Page 27




        At this point, Captain Picard, who had

    been looking worse by the second, collapsed into

    a heap on the floor at Troi's feet.  All of the

    Bridge Crew, those who were still conscious at

    least, rushed to the Captain's side.



        "Look's like you're finally first in

    command, Number One," laughed Q.  "I've disabled

    the Turbolift carrying Dr. Pulaski and cut the

    Bridge off from the rest of the ship.  Your

    captain will die soon.  Agree to my terms and I'll

    let the doctor save the Captain and I'll tell you

    how to defeat the Xin.  Do we have a deal, Riker?"



        "Yes, though I'll probably regret this,

    damn it, but yes, I agree," said Riker, reluctantly.



        "I knew you'd see it my way.  Okay, I'm a

    being of my word.  Zap!"  With a flash, all the

    Bridge personnel except Worf and Picard were

    returned instantaneously to their proper stations.

    In addition, Dr. Pulaski appeared in the center

    of the Bridge, fists raised as if pounding on

    something.  "Let me out--What?  Not you again, Q?"



        "Just attend to your Captain, if you

    please, Doctor, so that we may get on with our

 Page 28


    business."



        "Excuse me, Commander, but my control

    panel indicates that we have warp power available

    to us, even though the secondary hull was

    destroyed," reported Data.



        "How is that possible, Data?" asked

    Wesley.



        "Simple, I undestroyed it.  Matter is so

    easy to manipulate if you know how.  Don't worry,

    the Enterprise is now fully repaired.  No hull

    stress, nothing," explained Q.



        "Q, we must get the Captain to Sickbay

    immediately.  If we don't act now, he will die,"

    said Pulaski urgently.



        "Oh, I don't think so, Doctor.  I have

    faith in you.  But if you insist."  With a wave

    of his hand, Q made Picard and Pulaski disappear.



        "What have you done with them, Q?" asked

    Deanna.



        "Yes, where are they, and what about

    Worf?" Riker queried.

 Page 29




        "Why, they're in Sickbay, of course.  And

    as for Worf, he's thick skulled.  He'll survive.

    Besides, I like him better this way.  The mighty

    warrior, reduced to a helpless pile of flesh.

    Still, to earn your trust, I guess I'll have to

    remove him to Sickbay, as well."



        Worf vanished.



        "There.  Satisfied?"



        "No, but I guess I'll have to live with

    it," said Riker.



        "Yes, you do, don't you," said Q.



        "Alright, Q, what do we have to do now?

    You've humiliated all of us on many occasions.

    Just tell us what comes next."



        By this time Riker was standing toe-to-toe

    with Q and staring him straight in the face.



        "Patience, my son," said Q, now dressed

    in the raiments of a priest from Old Earth.  "All

    shall be revealed in the Good Lord's (mine

    actually) own time."

 Page 30




        In a flash, Q was clothed in the garb of a

    big game hunter from Ancient Earth's African

    continent.



        "I propose a great hunt for a rare,

    magnificent beast.  One the Universe has not seen

    the likes of for over half a century."



        "Enough with the fashion show, Q.  Out

    with it!  What do we have to do to save the

    Federation?" Riker shouted.



        "Temper, temper.  All right, since you

    insist on the truth, here it is.  Fifty three

    years ago, the last of a race of giant energy

    absorbing creatures died.  They were similar in

    nature to the probe that nearly destroyed Earth

    around Stardate 8000.  I'm sure you have a record

    of it in your memory banks.  You must capture one

    of these creatures and use it to attack the Xin

    ships.  It's really not so hard, now is it?"



        "Hold it, Q.  If these creatures have been

    extinct for fifty three years, how are we supposed

    to capture one?" asked Riker.



        "Obviously, you must go back in time and

 Page 31


    bring one back to the present.  Come on, Will,

    use the brain all non-Klingon Starfleet officers

    are supposed to have."



        "Q, I admit that on rare occasions, time

    travel has been successfully achieved, but never

    with a ship the size of the Enterprise.  Our

    chance of success is only one in six million,

    three hundred forty five thousand, eight hundred

    sixty three," analyzed Data.



        "I know of no way, short of a miracle,

    that we could even have a hope of success,"

    protested Wes.



        "That's where I come in," said Q.  "Just

    as with the Borg, you need me.  I will handle all

    time travel.  You need only concern yourselves with

    hunting down and capturing the creature.  That seems

    a fair division of labor.  Very equitable, I think,"

    said Q.



        "If I agree, will you give us time to

    prepare?" asked Riker.



        "Of course, as much time as you need.

    Just remember, time is stopped only locally.  The

    Xin fleet is still gathering.  Your time is running

 Page 32


    out.  Decide, Riker!"



        "Alright, Q.  I agree, God help me, but I

    must agree," declared Riker.



        "Fine.  Call me when you're ready and we

    can get to work," said Q, fading away.



        "You heard him.  Let's get to work," said

    Riker.



        Behind him, on the viewscreen, the explosion

    had disappeared when the Enterprise was reconstituted

    and the Xin ship could be seen clearly.  Slowly,

    imperceptibly, and unnoticed by the crew, it moved.

    Just a meter, but it moved nonetheless.


 Page 33



            CHAPTER 3

        Captain's Log - Stardate 8051.2

        The Enterprise has just completed a mission
    taking her dangerously deep into Klingon space.
    Due to the delicacy of the mission, the details
    must remain classified.  Commendations to all crew
    members, especially Commanders Sulu, Chekov, and
    Scott, Captain Spock, and Doctor McCoy for bravery
    in the face of life-threatening danger during a
    beam-down mission.  These commendations will be
    forwarded to Starfleet Command upon our arrival at
    Starbase 43 for debriefing.



        "Captain, nearing the edge of Federation

    space," reported Commander Sulu.



        "Mister Chekov, any pursuers?"



        "No, Keptin.  Sensors detect no wessels

    following us out of Klingon space," reported the

    Russian navigator.



        "Kirk to Engineering.  Scotty, are you

    there?" asked Kirk, depressing the intraship

    communications switch on the arm of his command

    chair.



        "Aye, I'm here," replied the burly Scotsman.

    In the background, Kirk could hear the deep,

    rhythmic pulsations of the Warp engines.



        "What shape are the engines in, Scotty?

 Page 34


    Did they sustain much damage?  They did take a

    lot of punishment."



        "Don't ye worry, sir.  Between you and the

    Klingons, they've been takin' quite a poundin'

    lately, but they're a lot tougher than I make out.

    They'll work at their usual 110%, just like always."



        "That's good to hear, Mr. Scott.  Kirk out.

    Anyone have anything to report?"  Kirk asked the

    Bridge Crew.  When no one answered, he said

    "I'll be down in Sickbay if you need me.  You have

    the Bridge, Spock."



        Kirk entered the Turbolift as Spock left

    his Science Station and sat in the center seat.



        "Sickbay," Kirk said as the Turbolift doors

    closed behind him.  The Turbolift moved both

    horizontally and vertically in order to reach

    Sickbay.  At one point, his Turbolift car had to

    pause for a few seconds in order to avoid a

    collision with another car.



        When he finally left the Turbolift, he

    walked slowly to Sickbay.  As the doors slid open,

    he heard Doctor Leonard "Bones" McCoy say

    "Dammit!  Every time things calm down and I try to

 Page 35


    get my equipment operating properly, Jim goes and

    tries to get us killed!"



        "Problems, Doctor?" Kirk asked.



        "Hell yes, Jim!  We're none of us getting

    any younger, of course we won't get any older if

    you don't calm down!  You're not a Captain any more.

    Go back to your job with Starfleet Intelligence.

    As your doctor and your friend,  I'm telling you

    to --"



        "Bones, calm down.  What's this all

    about?"



        "I'm sorry, Jim.  It's just that I lost

    five patients,  all of them fresh out of the

    Academy."



        "Bones, it's not your fault.  They were in

    pretty rough shape to begin with.  They never

    should have tried to complete the mission on their

    own.  We were too busy to notice their departure.

    Next thing I knew, they were in a crossfire between

    us and the Klingons.  We were lucky to beam them

    aboard just before the shuttlecraft exploded.

    They were pretty far gone when they were brought

    back.  Don't blame yourself," said Kirk

 Page 36


    sympathetically.



        "I just can't believe that, Jim.  I'm a

    doctor.  I should have been able to save them."



        "Bones, listen to yourself.  You've never

    been like this before.  Remember, like you would

    say, you're a doctor, not a miracle worker.  Have

    a drink to calm down.  My job is harder.  I have

    to tell their families why their sons and daughters

    aren't coming home."



        "Jim, a drink won't change anything.  And

    you think your job's tough?  I have to live with

    the fact that they might have been saved if I

    could have begun treating them 30 seconds sooner.

    If you don't mind, Jim, I'd like to work through

    this by myself."



        "Of course, Bones.  I'll be in my

    quarters."



        "Jim, before you go -- I'm sorry I snapped

    at you.  It wasn't really anyone's fault.  I just

    need time to convince myself of that fact."



        "I understand, Bones," said Kirk, who left

    Sickbay feeling very depressed.  He entered the

 Page 37


    Turbolift at the end of the corridor and said,

    "Captain's quarters."



        The Turbolift went up and over from G deck

    to E deck.  As Kirk entered his quarters, the ship

    shook violently.  Kirk ran to the communications

    panel on the wall and anxiously asked, "Kirk to

    Bridge.  Spock, what's going on?"



        "My apologies, Captain, but our navigational

    deflector was damaged.  A small meteor came too

    close to ensure that we would miss it.  I ordered

    Commander Chekov to destroy it with a photon

    torpedo as it was too close to use the phasers.

    Fortunately, the shields came up in time to absorb

    the majority of the blast.  No damage to the

    Enterprise occurred," reported the Vulcan First

    Officer in his typically emotionless voice.



        "Be careful, Spock.  McCoy's on the

    warpath.  Any more incidents like this and he's

    liable to lead a mutiny and force us all to walk

    the plank," Kirk said, laughter in his voice.



        "Captain, could you please explain your

    last remark.  I do not think such a revolution

    would be successful and I see no significance in

    Doctor McCoy's forcing us to walk along narrow

 Page 38


    pieces of wood," Spock said in a tone approaching

    confusion.



        "Never mind, Spock, never mind.  Kirk

    out," said Jim, closing the channel.

        "I've got to find a way to make him loosen

    up.  A project I'll give Bones when he's feeling

    up to it," he thought to himself.



        Kirk took off his red uniform shirt and

    slung it over a chair.  He sat down on his bed,

    rubbing both hands over his eyes.  Jim Kirk

    realized that he was more tired than he had

    thought.  He lay down and after awhile fell into

    a troubled sleep, haunted by the faces of the

    five dead cadets.  He felt guilty over their loss,

    too.  For an hour he tossed and turned then settled

    down into a peaceful slumber.






        "Bridge to Captain Kirk.  Bridge to Captain

    Kirk."  Uhura's voice woke him from a deep sleep.



        "Kirk here," he answered groggily.  "What

    is it, Uhura?"



        "Sorry to wake you, Captain, but I have a

    message for you from Starfleet Command."
 Page 39





        Kirk walked over to his personal viewscreen

    and was welcomed by the words "Starfleet Command -

    Highest Priority" superimposed over the United

    Federation of Planets insignia.



        "Computer, this is Kirk, Admiral James T."



        "Voice pattern match.  Prepare for retina

    scan," said the female voice of the ship's computer.

    A circle of white light lit up Kirk's right eye.

    After a few seconds the computer said "Identity

    confirmed."



        The computer terminal's viewscreen changed

    to show Admiral Nogura, supreme head of Starfleet.

    "Admiral Kirk, I have some good news for you.

    Please sit down, as this may come as a shock to you.

        "Firstly, the Enterprise is to return to

    Earth immediately, where she will repaired and

    become a training vessel for Academy cadets.

        "Secondly, you will be reinstated as head

    of Starfleet Intelligence with the same powers and

    responsibilities you had before the V'GER incident.

        "Thirdly, inform Commander Pavel Chekov

    that he has been assigned to the Reliant, where he

    will be the Science/First Officer.

        "Lastly, the rest of your Bridge staff will
 Page 40



    become instructors at the Academy because of their

    wealth of experiences under your command.

        "Please inform your crew.   Congratulations,

    Admiral.  Nogura out."



        The viewscreen went blank, but Kirk sat

    there.  He stared, disbelieving, at the viewscreen.

    Kirk was unable to accept the reality of Nogura's

    orders, even though they came from a man second

    only to God as far as most people were concerned.



        It was thirty minutes later that he

    arrived on the Bridge.  Spock vacated the command

    chair and reported "All systems running normally."



        "Thank you, Spock," Kirk said flatly as he

    sat down heavily in the center seat.



        "Is something troubling you, Captain?"

    Spock asked.



        "That obvious is it?  I had hoped to tell

    you this later, but as long as you're all here...

    That message was from Admiral Nogura.  This will

    be our last mission together."



        Everyone on the Bridge was startled and

    showed it.  Most by gasping, but Spock very
 Page 41



    eloquently raised an eyebrow sharply.



        "Let me explain.  I am resuming my post

    as head of Starfleet Intelligence.  The rest of

    you, including Mr. Scott and Dr.McCoy will be

    instructors at Starfleet Academy.  The Enterprise

    herself will be used as a training ship for

    Starfleet cadets," explained Kirk.



        Kirk rose from his chair and walked

    around in front of Chekov's control station.

    "Congratulations, Pavel.  You are the new science

    officer and second-in-command on the Reliant.

    You'll be serving under Captain Terrell."



        "You mean it, Keptin?"



        "Yes, Chekov, I mean it."  Returning to

    his command chair, he said, "These orders take

    effect immediately upon our return to Earth.

    Uhura, please inform Scotty.  I'll talk to the

    good doctor myself."



        Everyone waited until the end of the duty

    shift to congratulate each other.  Once off-duty,

    Kirk went down to Sickbay to talk to McCoy.  As he

    walked through the doors, Kirk called, "Bones,

    it's Jim.  Where are you?"
 Page 42





        "I'm in my office, Jim.  Come on in."



        Jim stood in the threshold and asked "Is

    it okay to come in or do I need to call Security

    for a bodyguard?"



        "Everything's fine.  Sit down and have a

    drink."


        As McCoy poured himself a glass of blue

    Romulan ale, illegal in the Federation, Kirk said,

    "You certainly sound better, Bones."



        "All it took was a look through my records,

    Jim."



        "I don't follow you."



        "I saw the list of all the people I'd

    saved while on the Enterprise.  The list was so

    long, I lost count.  Then I looked at the list of

    people who died under my care.  It didn't even fill

    up one screen on the computer.  I must be doing

    something right, Jim."



        "I'm glad you have high spirits.  You'll

    need them once I've told you our new orders."

 Page 43


    And Kirk told him.



        McCoy was outraged.  "They can't do that,

    Jim.  You're the best damn captain in Starfleet.

    Reinstating your command of the Enterprise was the

    best thing they ever did."



        "But you said--"



        "I know what I said, but I didn't really

    mean it.  I was 'letting my human emotions get the

    best of me.'"  He said the last sentence in a

    toneless voice, one eyebrow raised.  This brought

    a smile to Kirk's face.



        "I hope you're going to fight this, Jim.

    I'll make a recommendation in my Medical Log if

    you think it'll help.  I can say that a desk job

    would be detrimental to your physical and mental

    health."



        "Thanks, Bones, but there's no way to

    fight Nogura and win.  He IS Starfleet, after

    all."



        "I guess you're right, Jim.  I don't

    like it, that's all."



 Page 44


        "You're still mad at him for forcing you

    out of retirement."  By now, Kirk had finished

    his drink so he bid McCoy good night and went back

    to his quarters.  He cleaned up his breakfast

    dishes and ate dinner.  When he was done, he

    worked on some of the paperwork involved with

    commanding a starship.  Funny, he thought, that in

    this day and age of computer tablets, it's still

    called paperwork, even though no paper is involved.



        Kirk worked for a couple of hours, until

    his vision started to blur.  He noticed that he

    was only about half done.



        "Maybe Bones was right," he said to

    himself.  "Maybe I am getting old.  Used to be,

    I could get through a pile of paperwork this size

    in one night.  Oh well, there's always tomorrow."



        He rose slowly and began getting ready for

    bed.  Then he sat on the edge of his bed and

    thought about his experiences aboard the Enterprise.

    Countless battles with the Klingons and Romulans.

    The discovery of Khan after centuries adrift in

    space.  First peaceful contact with the Horta and

    the Fifth Empire.  Redjac.  The salt vampire.

    Harcourt Fenton Mudd.  The Gorn.  Tribbles.  V'Ger.



 Page 45


        He'd had a full career, boldly going

    where no man had gone before, but it was all over

    now.



        He called up to the Bridge but nothing had

    changed, so he went to bed.  For the second night,

    his sleep was troubled, this time by a nightmare.

    Admiral Nogura was laughing at him.  Then he

    dissipated and coalesced into Redjac and enveloped

    Kirk in a bright red mist.  Kirk collapsed to the

    ground and Redjac became a single tribble which

    fell on his chest and began reproducing.  Soon he

    was buried under an infinite number of tribbles,

    their ever increasing weight pushing him deeper

    into the ground, suffocating.



        Kirk awoke in a cold sweat to find himself

    tangled tightly in his blankets.  He unwrapped

    himself and went over to his mirror.  He looked

    terrible, his face pale and covered in sweat.  He

    knew immediately that retirement from the command

    of a starship would not agree with him.



        Kirk went back and lay down, staring at the

    ceiling above his bed.  Other than his vast

    experience, he could see no reason that he should

    remain in command of the Enterprise.  Besides,

    Nogura would say that that experience was why he

 Page 46


    should head Starfleet Intelligence.  Eventually

    he fell into a half-sleep.



        The red alert klaxon brought him abruptly

    awake.  He hurriedly dressed and ran for the

    Turbolift.  He burst onto the Bridge and Spock

    immediately filled him in.



        "Captain, Starfleet has picked up an

    intruder well within Federation space, headed

    for Klingon territory.  Starships of the

    Enterprise and Reliant classes are giving chase.

    We, also, have been ordered to intercept.  Our

    course is laid in and we are awaiting your command

    to initiate pursuit," reported the Vulcan.



        "By all means.  Mister Sulu, maximum warp.

    Make any necessary course changes to intercept the

    intruder."



        "Aye, sir.  Accelerating to Warp 12,"

    replied Sulu.



        "Kirk to Engineering.  Scotty, can the

    engines maintain Warp 12 for any length of time?"



        "Scott here.  Yes, sir.  The engines will

    be able to take it."

 Page 47




        "Thanks, Scotty.  Kirk out."



        For hours the Enterprise gave chase, Uhura

    relaying sensor readings from the other pursuit

    ships to Sulu, who made the appropriate course

    changes.  Finally Uhura reported, "Captain, the

    other ships report that they have lost track of

    the intruder."



        "Do not be alarmed, Captain," spoke up

    Spock.  "The intruder is now within our sensor

    range.  The vessel has slowed to a stop.

    Scanning.  There are over 1,000 lifesigns aboard,

    predominately human, but many Vulcans.

    Fascinating."



        "What is it, Spock?"



        "There is at least one Klingon aboard."



        "Not Klingons again.  We just got through

    dealing with the Klingons.  Scan their energy

    levels and weapons systems."



        "Jim, their power levels are so high that

    they don't register on my scanners.  As for

    weapons systems, they outgun us nearly thirty to

 Page 48


    one.  In addition, their ship is of a design

    similar to ours, but eight times our mass.  A

    confrontation would not be advisable."



        "Thank you, Spock.  Recommendation noted.

    Mister Sulu, bring us out of Warp when we're in

    visual range.  Mister Chekov, as soon as we drop

    out of Warp put out shields and deflectors at

    maximum."



        "Aye, sir," both helmsman and weapons

    officer acknowledged in unison.



        As the Enterprise dropped out of Warp,

    the stars on the viewscreen shortened from streaks

    to pinpoints of light.  In the center of the

    viewscreen sat an alien vessel that bore an uncanny

    resemblance to the Enterprise.  It looked as if

    someone had taken Kirk's ship, enlarged it to

    four times the height and twice the length and

    then squished the saucer, engeneering section, and

    engine nacelles flat.



        "Commander Uhura, open hailing frequencies,

    visual communication."



        "Frequencies open, Captain."



 Page 49


        "This is Admiral James T. Kirk commanding

    the United Starship Enterprise.  Intruder, please

    identify yourself within five minutes or we will

    open fire with all weapons."


 Page 50



            Chapter 4

    Captain's Log - Stardate 42767.3
        First Officer William T. Riker reporting

        Since Q's departure, all crew member's in
    all departments have been working around the clock,
    checking all Enterprise systems for any defects
    left when Q reintegrated the secondary hull.  So
    far, none have been found.  The checks must be
    completed soon.  The Xin ship we've confronted
    has moved over forty meters since Q left and is
    picking up speed.  Lieutenant Commander Data has
    been researching the probe Q spoke of and has
    nothing to report as yet.
        Captain Picard has slipped into a coma.
    But there is good news.  Lieutenant Worf has
    recovered and is back on duty.



        "Commander, I have completed the research

    you ordered.  Details concerning the probe itself

    are sketchy, as the probe rendered all technology

    within range powerless.  Upon reaching Earth, the

    probe sent powerful signals into the oceans, trying

    to communicate with Earth's whale population.  As

    the whales had been hunted to extinction two

    centuries earlier, the officers of the original

    Enterprise went back in time to the late 20th

    century.  Two whales were brought back to the 23rd

    century.  The probe communicated with the whales

    and left Earth, restoring power to all stations and

    vehicles it had rendered powerless.  No subsequent

    contact with the probe or its creators has occurred.

        "I hope this information is sufficient,

    sir," said Data.



 Page 51


        "More than sufficient, Data.  Thank you.

    Mister Worf, have all stations reported ready yet?"

    asked Riker.



        "Yes, Commander.  There is no measurable

    effect of the Enterprise's destruction and

    reassembly."



        "Then we're almost ready.  Riker to

    Sickbay," he said, tapping his combadge.  "Has the

    Captain's condition changed?"



        "Pulaski here.  I'm sorry, Commander.  His

    lifesigns remain strong but he's still comatose.

    I will notify you of any changes, though."



        "Thank you, Doctor.  Riker out.

        "Bridge to LaForge.  We're ready to go,

    Geordi.  Can you transfer Engineering control to

    the Bridge and join us up here?"



        "I'm on my way.  I don't trust Q with the

    Enterprise and I'd like to be where I can see him,

    not that it matters with someone of his raw power,"

    said Geordi.



        "I'm sure everyone shares your sentiments,

    Geordi.   Riker out.

 Page 52


        "Mister Crusher, what's the problem?" asked

    Riker.



        Wes had been involved in a whispered

    discussion with Data for several minutes.



        "It's nothing, Commander.  I'm just nervous

    about letting Q try something as tricky as time

    travel with the Enterprise," said Wesley.



        "There's nothing we could do about it even

    if we didn't want Q to send us back through time.

    He's just too strong.  Besides we have no choice.

    The survival of the Federation rests with us.  The

    outcome of this mission determines the future of

    the galaxy," explained Riker.

        "Deanna, what feelings do you get from the

    crew?  How do they feel about this mission?"

    Riker had told the crew what they were doing and

    why and now wondered if he had made the right

    decision.



        "The crew are fearful of such a great

    undertaking, but that is understandable.  They have

    confidence in the Bridge personnel and in them-

    selves," said the ship's counselor.



        "In that case, I guess we can call --"

 Page 53




        There was a flash of light and everyone

    on the Bridge finished Riker's sentence for him:

    "Q!"



        "Always punctual, at least when it suits

    me.  Now, shall we begin?  Very well.  I have

    modified the warp nacelles to facilitate time

    travel.

        "Don't worry, Mr. LaForge," said Q,

    anticipating the Chief Engineer's protest, "they

    will function normally as long as you follow my

    instructions.  Listen carefully."



        With a flash, a large toggle switch

    appeared in the center of Worf's control board.



        "I'll explain it so that even you can

    understand it, Klingon."  A growl emanated from

    deep within Worf's throat.  "In order to travel

    through time, the Enterprise must achieve Warp 8.8.

    Then simply pull the switch back to travel back-

    wards through time.  You will automatically stop

    somewhere near the middle of the 23rd century.

    Once you have captured the creature in a tractor

    beam, simply accelerate to Warp 8.8 and push the

    switch forward to return to the present.

        "And now I bid you adieu."  So saying, Q

 Page 54


    vanished.



        "Let's get started, people.  Geordi, Data,

    gradually bring our speed up to Warp 8.8.  Worf,

    pull the switch on my signal.  Mister Crusher,

    plot a course to the creatures' most probable

    location, using 23rd century starcharts."

        "Mister Worf, shipwide communications.

    This is First Officer William T. Riker speaking

    for Captain Jean-Luc Picard.  We are about to

    attempt time travel.  Hang on, I don't have to tell

    you how dangerous this is.  Riker out."

        "Mister Data, what's our speed?" asked

    Riker.



        "Warp 4.5 and increasing."



        "Commander, I don't know if the tractor

    beam can handle the stress of moving something at

    Warp 8.8.  It could overload or rip the Enterprise

    apart," worried Geordi.



        "We'll worry about that when we get that

    far.  Mister Data, our speed?"



        "Warp 7 and accelerating," replied Data.



        "Keep me informed in one-tenth Warp

 Page 55


    intervals once we reach Warp 8," said Riker.



        "Warp 8 ... Warp 8.1 ... Warp 8.2 ...

    Warp 8.3 ... 8.4 ... 8.5 ... 8.6 ... 8.7 ...

    Warp 8.8"



        "Worf, the switch!" shouted Riker.



        Worf slammed the switch to the rear position

    and nothing happened, at least on board the

    Enterprise.  Outside, however, the Enterprise

    shimmered amid a ball of coruscating blue

    lightning streaks and vanished.  All Enterprise

    systems continued to function normally except for

    the chronometers, which ran backwards.



        "Mister Data, what's going on?  I sense no

    change in our movement," said Riker.



        "Unknown, sir, but the chronometers are

    running backwards.  Stardate 20000 and decreasing.

    Our velocity is constant at Warp 8.8."



        "Any damage to report, Mister Worf?"



        "None, Commander.  It would appear that Q

    knows what he's doing.  But why use technology to

    send us back?  Why not just wave his hand or snap

 Page 56


    his fingers?  I do not trust him."



        "I don't know, Worf.  Maybe he just wants

    to show us how 'inferior' our technology is.

    Perhaps he's not truly omnipotent.  Q is an enigma,

    we'll probably never know for sure," said Riker.



        "Commander Riker?"



        "Yes, Data, what is it?"



        "We are at Stardate 8053.1, traveling at

    one-half impulse power."



        "Thank you, Mister Data.  Now what?  Where

    do we go to find the creature?"



        "Q fed a course into the navcomp before he

    left.  It will take us to the Vexis Corinhi

    system," spoke up Wes.



        "The star went supernova on Stardate 33071,

    destroying all planets in the system," added Data.



        "Well, unless someone has a better idea,

    engage course at Warp 5.  Mister Data, ETA to the

    Corinhi system?" asked Riker.



 Page 57


        "16.7 hours at present speed."



        "Mister Worf, any transmissions?"



        "I'm picking up various subspace messages.

    It appears that we are nearing the edge of 23rd

    century Federation space.  Many of the trans-

    missions concern an energy surge at the location

    where we entered this time zone.  All available

    ships have been sent to investigate."



        "Specifically, what are their orders?" asked

    Riker.



        "They are under orders to investigate and

    return to their assigned patrol areas.  It appears

    that tensions are escalating between the Federation

    and the ... Klingons?!"  He shouted the last word

    in disbelief.



        "Lieutenant Worf, the peace treaty between

    the Federation and the Klingon Empire was not

    signed until 20 years before we left, or over 50

    years into the future, using this time as a

    referent," explained Data.



        "I'm sorry, I had forgotten," rumbled the

    Klingon by way of apology.

 Page 58




        "Don't worry about it.  How many ships,

    Worf?  What classes do they represent?" asked Riker.



        "There are 10 ships, maybe more.  Some are

    still beyond sensor range.  Most of the ships in

    range are from the original Enterprise class.

    There are a few Reliant class vessels as well,"

    reported Worf.



        "Mister Crusher, evasive action.  We most

    avoid contact with those ships at all costs or

    risk changing the future."

        "Mister Data, call up the schematics on the

    main viewer.  Let's see what we're up against,"

    said Riker.



        The first schematic appeared on the main

    viewscreen almost immediately after Data reached

    Science Station 1 at the rear of the raised Bridge.

    It showed the standard top, front, and side views,

    with important areas marked.  This particular

    schematic was of an Enterprise class vessel.  It

    showed a large saucer section connected to the

    Engineering hull by a thin neck.  The two warp

    engine struts jutted out at a 45 degree angle

    from amidships.  The long warp nacelles themselves

    sat higher than the exposed bridge in the center

 Page 59


    of the saucer section.  The nacelles seemed

    extremely vulnerable compared to the design of the

    Galaxy class starships, whose short warp nacelles

    were slung lower to the Engineering hull, tucked

    away beneath the saucer.



        "As you can see, Commander, these ships

    are vulnerable compared to us.  The shields are not

    strong enough to defend against a sustained attack.

    Despite the fact that these ships have what was for

    this time state-of-the-art Leeding FWG-1 engines,

    their maximum sake speed is equivalent to our Warp

    1.65," explained Data.



        The Enterprise class starship was replaced

    by a Reliant class vessel.  It consisted of a

    saucer section with Warp nacelles slung under-

    neath on very short engine struts.  The Bridge

    was on top of the saucer section.



        "The design is more compact.  As with the

    Enterprise class, the impulse engines on the rear

    of the saucer are only slightly less vulnerable

    than the Bridge and Warp nacelles.  Also, the

    photon torpedo array on the top rear of the saucer

    is always open to attack.  As with the Enterprise

    class, this design has a top speed of Warp 1.65, in

    terms of our UltraWarp capabilities."

 Page 60


        "Avoiding these ships should not be

    difficult," finished Data.



        "Thank you, Lieutenant.  Worf, are there

    any ships following us?"



        "Yes, Commander," Worf answered as Data

    returned to his station.  "Two of the ships have

    remained at the point of our arrival, leaving

    eight to trail us and more are closing on opposite

    headings."



        "You mean there are ships coming out of

    Klingon territory?"



        "At least one.  Others are closing on

    courses tangential to the Klingon-Federation

    Neutral Zone."



        "Mister Crusher, initiate a spiral

    course.  Evasion is our top priority.  Mister

    Data, what is our present speed?"



        "Warp 2, sir, due to the stresses involved

    in our tight spiral course."



        After a while, Riker said, "Ensign Crusher,

    change course.  Come up through the center of our

 Page 61


    spiral.  Warp 6.  Mister Worf, are any ships

    persisting?"



        "Yes, Commander.  The ships are relaying

    information between themselves.  As long as one

    ship knows where we are, they will all continue to

    follow us."



        "All right then.  Geordi, can the engines

    handle a full 180' turn at Warp 6?"



        "Based on the tests we've run, the

    Enterprise is in peak operating condition.  No

    faults in any systems, including Warp drive.

    Reduce speed to Warp 3, just in case there's some

    hidden defects we haven't discovered yet."



        "Got it, Geordi.  You heard him, Mister

    Crusher, reduce speed to Warp 3 and initiate a

    180' turn.  Bring our speed up to Warp 6 again as

    soon as possible.  Mister Data, where will our

    pursuers expect to meet us?"



        "Logic would indicate that we should alter

    course mid-way down the spiral.  They will converge

    there."



        "When we reach 25% of the way down the

 Page 62


    spiral, put us back on our original course to the

    Corinhi system, Mister Crusher."



        "Aye, Commander."



        The Enterprise lurched slightly as the

    inertial dampers strove to absorb the shock of a

    90' turn at Warp 6.



        "Mister Worf, any pursuers now?"



        "Not exactly.  No pursuers but there is

    still a ship coming in our general direction from

    out of Klingon space."



        "Can you identify whose side it's on,

    Klingon or Federation?  Any name you can put to it?"

    asked Riker.



        "It's undoubtedly Federation, an Enterprise

    class vessel.  Still waiting for the computer to

    decode identification beacon."  After a pause, Worf

    continued, "Commander, I now have the name and

    registry of the approaching vessel.  Registry:

    NCC - 1701.  It is the ... Enterprise."



        Expressions of surprise circulated around

    the Bridge.

 Page 63




        "Mister Data, how long until they are in

    visual range if we drop out of Warp now?"



        "Forty-five minutes, Commander."

    Uncharacteristically, Data kept it at that,

    fighting his urge to be more precise.  For some

    reason the humans seemed to prefer the inaccuracy

    of round numbers.



        "Ensign Crusher, one-quarter impulse.

    Data, I want all pertinent details concerning the

    original Enterprise and her present complement of

    officers."



        "Aye, Commander.  I will begin immediately."

    Data left his station at Ops to walk to the Research

    station at the rear of the Bridge.  He was

    intrigued at the possibility of meeting the crew

    of the Enterprise.  The ship was the most famous

    in Starfleet history and had spawned a whole series

    of ships with her name.  Something must have made

    the original Enterprise special and he was

    determined to find out what it was.



        After Commander Riker informed the crew

    of the situation, a silence fell over the Bridge

    as each member of the Bridge crew contemplated

 Page 64


    their upcoming contact with the Enterprise.  After

    thirty minutes had expired, Data reported that he

    had finished his research and was ready to report

    his findings.



        "Proceed, Mister Data," said Riker.



        "This Enterprise was refit circa Stardate

    7500.  All her systems were updated and her hull

    redesigned.  She successfully dealt with V'GER's

    attack on Earth and was assigned to another 5-year

    mission.  Afterwards, she became a training vessel

    for Starfleet Academy cadets.  On one such training

    voyage, the Enterprise was forced to battle the

    evil 20th century madman, Khan Noonian Singh.  Khan

    threatened Starfleet with the Genesis device, the

    details of which are still classified.  During this

    mission, the Vulcan First Officer, Spock, was killed

    saving the Enterprise from the detonation of the

    Genesis device, but not before passing his katra

    on to the ship's doctor.  When trying to rescue the

    First Officer's body, the captain of the Enterprise

    was forced to initiate the self-destruct sequence

    to keep her from being captured by the Klingons."

    This brought a low growl from Worf.  "We are

    currently within the time period of the

    Enterprise's 5-year mission, immediately preceding

    their encounter with Khan."

 Page 65




        "What's the Captain's name, Data?" inquired

    Riker.



        "Jean-Luc Picard," answered the android,

    giving Riker a quizzical look.



        This seemed to lighten the mood on the

    Bridge, eliciting smiles and chuckles from nearly

    everyone.



        "No, Data," said Geordi.  "Who was the

    Captain of this eras Enterprise?"



        "Ah ... James Tiberius Kirk."



        "Kirk ... Kirk ... That name sounds

    familiar," said Riker.  "I remember now.  He beat

    the Kobayashi Maru simulation at the Academy.

    Wasn't it also his distinctive style of leading

    away teams that caused Starfleet to dissuade all

    starship captains from leading away teams into

    dangerous or questionable situations?  Something

    about a risk to the chain of command and a loss

    of Starfleet security if anything happened to

    him."



        "Affirmative, Commander.  Although I must

 Page 66


    say that it still takes a considerable amount of

    persuasion for captains to adhere to Starfleet's

    directive.  Many of them prefer to be on-site

    during away team missions," added Data.



        "Mister Data, I thank you for your insights.

    Lieutenant Worf, range of the Enterprise."



        "Still beyond visual range but closing

    rapidly," replied the Klingon.



        "Thank you, Worf."

        "Due to the state of Federation/Klingon

    relations, when we communicate with the Enterprise

    from this time, you shouldn't be on the Bridge,

    Worf.  I'm sorry," said Riker.



        "I understand, Commander.  I wouldn't want

    to jeopardize the mission," said Worf.



        "Worf, take Mister Data with you.  The 23rd

    century isn't ready for an android on a starship.

    Call for replacements before you go.  Best personnel

    in your department.  You, too, Worf," ordered Riker.



        "Aye, Commander.  Ensign Gawron is on his

    way."



 Page 67


        "My replacement is coming, as well, sir.

    Ensign Harris is the most promising member of the

    Ops department," reported Data.



        "Riker to Sickbay.  How is the Captain?"



        "Pulaski here.  He has come out of his coma

    but he's still unconscious."



        "That's good to news.  At least his

    condition has improved somewhat.  Keep us informed.

    Bridge out."



        As the Turbolift doors opened to admit Worf

    and Data, out walked Ensign Christopher Gawron.

    He was tall, a little over six feet in height, and

    had average length, wavy brown hair.  He had the

    light complexion of the Northeastern United States

    of Old Earth.  He went immediately to Worf's station

    and stood at attention, awaiting his orders.



        "Ensign Gawron, have you been briefed on

    the details of this mission?" asked Riker.



        "Yes, sir. And I must say that it is a

    dream come true.  I am something of an expert on

    the exploits of the original Enterprise.  But to

    finally meet Captain James T. Kirk --"

 Page 68




        "Try to curb your enthusiasm, Ensign.  We'll

    try to keep all communications to a minimum.  Just

    try to prove that we are no harm to the Federation

    and complete our mission."



        "Aye, sir.  Commander, the Enterprise has

    dropped out of Warp and is closing on impulse power,

    shields raised," reported Gawron.



        "Raise our shields, too, and go to yellow

    alert.  Geordi, better get down to Engineering,

    just in case."



        "Aye, sir."  And Geordi LaForge started

    toward the Turbolift just as the doors opened to

    allow Ensign Margaret Harris onto the Bridge.



        "Sir," started Ensign Gawron.  Riker

    acknowledged him and he continued, "The Enterprise

    is within visual range."



        "On screen," said Riker.



        As Ensign Harris took her seat, the view-

    screen lit up to show the cutting edge of Starfleet

    technology at that time: A flat saucer section with

    a raised Bridge on top, two Warp nacelles rising

 Page 69


    above the saucer, held up by engine struts projecting

    from the top of the Engineering hull at 75 degrees

    above the horizontal.  The Enterprise gleamed a

    brilliant white, reflecting the light from distant

    stars.  The navigational deflector glowed a bright,

    light blue.  It truly looked the part of the flagship

    of Starfleet.



        "Ensign Harris, I assume that you know what

    this is all about," said Riker.



        "Yes, sir.  We have gone into the Federation's

    past to capture a creature that will allow us to

    stop the Xin warships.  After trying to avoid all

    contact with vessels from this era, we are slowing

    to confront the original Enterprise, in order to

    show our non-hostility."  As she spoke, she

    unconsciously played with her long, curly brown

    hair.  She was of average height for an Earth woman

    and looked like she came from the same area of

    Earth as Ensign Gawron.



        "Very good.  I think Data made a good choice.

    Mister Gawron, any communications from the Enterprise?"



        "None yet, Commander Riker," he replied.



        "Sickbay to Bridge. Pulaski here."

 Page 70




        "Riker here.  Go ahead, Doctor."



        "Commander, the Captain has just regained

    consciousness and wants to know why we're under a

    yellow alert.  Shall I tell him? He's very

    insistent," queried the ship's Chief Medical Officer.



        "Do you think it's wise?  One of his dreams

    has been to speak with the crew of the original

    Enterprise and it could come as a shock that we

    are in a situation where that is required," replied

    the First Officer.



        "You're right, Will.  He's in no shape for

    such a shock.  I'll give him a sedative, just to

    force him to get his rest.  Pulaski out."



        "Sir, the Enterprise is hailing us,"

    reported Ensign Gawron.



        "On screen."



        On the viewscreen appeared a boyish face,

    made older by deep lines of stress, topped by close-

    cropped brown hair.  He was dressed in the old style

    uniform of a Starfleet admiral.

        "This is Admiral James T. Kirk commanding

 Page 71


    the United Starship Enterprise.  Intruder, please

    identify yourself within five minutes or we will

    open fire with all weapons."


 Page 72



            Chapter 5

        Amused expressions made the rounds of the

    Bridge as Riker ordered "Screen off."



        "Is he serious?  Our shields can absorb

    all the power he's got and still operate at peak

    efficiency," said Ensign Harris.



        "I don't know, Ensign.  Deanna, any

    impressions?"



        "Commander, I sense that he is serious.

    Admiral Kirk sees us as a threat that he must deal

    with," replied the Counselor.



        "Excuse me, sir, may I say something?"



        "Is it relevant, Mister Gawron?"



        "I think so, Commander.  About this time,

    the Federation experienced a series of border raids.

    Many people blamed the Klingons and Romulans but

    nothing was ever proven.  Starfleet's main computer

    was even broken into once and some information

    about Starship design stolen.  Captain Kirk may

    think that we are actually a Klingon or Romulan

    attempt at a Federation Starship."


 Page 73



        "Thank you, Ensign.  Now all we have to do

    is prove that we are members of the Federation.

    Hmm ... Ensign Gawron, I've got a job for you.

    Get down to Holodeck 3 and program it for a 23rd

    century Starship Bridge.  Better make it one grade

    higher than this time's Enterprise, just to be

    convincing."



        "Aye, sir, I'm on my way," said Gawron,

    running to the Turbolift.



        "Not so fast, Chris.  Ensign Harris, you

    go with him.  Use the replicators to make appropriate

    uniforms for all members of the Bridge Crew.

    Hurry or Kirk may call for reinforcements."



        "Yes, sir.  I'll model them after Admiral

    Kirk's," she said, swinging her Ops console out of

    the way.  She walked up the ramp and left the

    Bridge with Ensign Gawron.



        "Mister Crusher, have you had any luck in

    your experiments to export Holodeck matter into

    the external environment?"



        "Uh, yeah.  Well, sort of.  I can produce

    holograms outside of the Holodeck, but they have

    no substance," answered the Helmsman hesitantly.
 Page 74





        "Could you channel the images through

    shield control and use them as a sort of cloaking

    device?"



        "Probably, Commander," said Wes.



        "Get on it now.  Use Holodeck 1 and get

    Geordi to help you.  Move it."  Wes left the

    Bridge.



        "Ensign Ferrar, summon the replacement

    Bridge Crew up here.  You remain here as well,"

    Riker ordered Ensign Gawron's replacement.



        "Okay, Deanna, down to Holodeck 3."



        The Counselor and First Officer entered

    the Turbolift and went down to Holodeck 3, where

    they joined the rest of the Bridge Crew, already

    in their 23rd century uniforms.  Riker and Deanna

    accepted their uniforms from Ensign Harris and

    entered the changing room.  They soon emerged,

    Riker as a Captain and Deanna as a Science

    Officer.

        Riker ran down the corridor to where Wes

    and Geordi were working at the wall panel outside

    Holodeck 1.
 Page 75





        "Commander, I was just about to contact

    you," said Geordi.  "We need to know what design

    to use for our shields.  What should we turn the

    Enterprise into?"



        "Change us into the same configuration as

    the Hood from our time, hull registry NQ - 3000.

    Make sure you center the 'Bridge' on Holodeck 3."



        "Aye, sir.  But NQ?" asked Geordi with a

    puzzled frown.



        "He is the reason that we're here, after

    all," Riker said as he turned and jogged back to

    Holodeck 3.



        "Well, now we just need a name," said Geordi.



        "I have an idea, Geordi, from my Ancient

    Earth history class," said Wes.



        They set to work.

        In the meantime, the others had taken their

    places.



        Riker turned his chair in Ensign Gawron's

    direction.  "Good job, Chris.  Only one thing left
 Page 76



    to do.  Link Communications from here to the real

    Bridge.  It must appear that this is a fully

    functioning Bridge."



        "Way ahead of you, Commander, uh, I mean

    Captain.  The computer will mirror the main view-

    screen on this viewscreen.  All communications will

    appear to originate from here.  In addition, there

    is a hole in your armrest to accommodate your combadge

    so that you can talk intraship normally."



        "I hope you're right because we're out of

    time.  Mister Crusher, Geordi, are you ready?"

    Riker asked, tapping the combadge in his chair arm.



        "Yes, Commander, just finished," they

    answered.



        "Will your illusion interfere with the

    transporters in any way?" asked Riker.



        "No, sir," answered Wes, "it's just a

    sophisticated light show."



        "Then on my signal: 'Lower shields', be

    ready with your illusion.  Riker out."



        "Aye, sir."
 Page 77





        "Captain, we are being hailed again,"

    reported Ensign Gawron.



        "On screen."



        "Please identify yourself.  This is your

    last chance," warned Admiral Kirk from the screen.



        "Mister Gawron, visual channels open.

    Admiral Kirk, this is Captain William Riker of

    the experimental vessel NQ-3000.  Welcome back to

    Federation space."

        "I know this is somewhat unusual, but we're

    the good guys.  Allow me to explain our presence."



        "By all means, proceed," allowed Kirk.



        "This vessel was built in secrecy because

    of recent security breaches.  We were on a testing

    mission when we were ordered to meet you in case

    you were chased across the Neutral Zone by the

    Klingons.  My orders are to ensure that you reach

    Earth in one piece, so you can begin your next

    assignment."



        "They don't look like any Federation ship

    I've ever seen," said a grouchy voice somewhere
 Page 78



    behind Kirk.



        "Quiet, Bones!" Kirk whispered over his

    shoulder.  Turning back to the screen he said,

    "I'll need some proof, Captain Riker."



        "Certainly, Admiral.  This ship utilizes

    a cloaking device which both shields and disguises

    the ship at the same time.  I will now put an end

    to this illusion.  Lower shields," Riker ordered,

    leaning toward his armrest.



        In the hall, Wesley Crusher tapped a touch

    sensitive wall panel.






        On the Enterprise, Kirk's Enterprise, the

    viewscreen shifted from a picture of Riker to a

    view of the other Enterprise, which shimmered and

    appeared to disintegrate.  It then reformed into

    a 23rd century vessel of advanced design: NQ-3000,

    the USS Houdini.



        "Isn't that amazing, Doctor?  I had no

    idea that Starfleet technology had advanced that

    far."



 Page 79


        "Jim, I'm still not convinced that we were

    talking to a Federation starship.  There have been

    no clues as to where this ship has come from and no

    evidence that shields can be used as they suggest.

    Scotty could have done that already if it was

    possible.  And why did the markings on her hull

    read NCC-1701-D, USS ENTERPRISE?  I don't like

    this, Jim."



        "Doctor, we have been absent from Earth

    for quite awhile, in which time there may have been

    a great increase in the sophistication of Starfleet

    technology.  As to your question, however, I do not

    possess enough data to speculate," said Spock from

    his science station.



        "A ruse, perhaps, to scare off any foes

    it might encounter," spoke up Sulu.  "Many animals

    employ the same idea."



        "Hmm ... Maybe, but I think we'd better

    see for ourselves.  Uhura, get me Captain Riker."



        "Aye, sir.  On the screen."



        "Captain Riker, that display was impressive,

    but forgive me if I'm still doubtful of your

    authenticity.  May I beam over with a small party

 Page 80


    to tour the ship?"



        "Of course, Admiral Kirk," said Riker's

    image.  "I'll relay the coordinates of our Bridge

    to your Transporter Room.  Riker out."



        The viewscreen reverted to a dark star-

    field, at it's center hung the Enterprise, reflecting

    the light of a million stars.



        Ensign Harris looked up in horror.  "They

    can't beam through our shields.  We can't even do

    that.  They'll be scattered all over this sector

    of space!"



        "Calm down, Ensign.  Riker to LaForge.

    Geordi, monitor the other ship's power levels.

    When they're ready to beam over, drop our cloaking

    field momentarily, just enough for them to slip

    through.  Can you handle that?"



        "Got it, Commander," came Geordi's voice

    from the arm of Riker's chair.  "No trouble at

    all."






        "Jim, you're not seriously thinking about

    going over there, are you?" asked Doctor McCoy,
 Page 81



    incredulously.



        "We must be sure that they are non-hostile

    and that they really are members of the Federation,"

    Spock said impassively.



        "Are you out of your Vulcan mind, Spock.

    We're still here, aren't we.  If their power levels

    were as high as you said, they could have blasted

    us out of the sky by now.  Our continued existence

    is proof enough that they're non-hostile.  Why does

    it matter whether or not they're Federation?"

    asked McCoy irritably.



        "Because, Doctor, if they are non-Federation,

    they still occupy a Starfleet vessel.  Either they

    are from Starfleet, there is a security leak some-

    where from which they obtained starship plans, or

    they have stolen a Federation starship."

        "As none are reported missing, we can

    eliminate this last possibility."



        "But, Spock, --" began McCoy.



        "Gentlemen, gentlemen, please," interrupted

    Kirk.  "We can settle this later.  For now, let's

    get down to the Transporter Room.  Come on, Spock.

    Coming, Doctor?"
 Page 82





        "Of course, Captain.  I have to make sure

    you don't break your fool neck in some adolescent

    stunt while trying to save the universe singlehanded,"

    said the Doctor grumpily as he, Kirk, and Spock

    entered the lift.  The Doctor's grumblings could

    still be heard for a few seconds after he had left

    the Bridge.





        "Do you think that's such a good idea,

    Commander?  I mean, we can't let them out of here

    to see the rest of the Enterprise," objected Ensign

    Harris.



        "On the contrary, Ensign.  That's exactly

    what we're going to do."  Everyone on the 'Bridge'

    looked at Riker, shocked.  They awaited his

    explanation.

        "All the other Holodecks except Holodeck 1

    have been programmed to be various areas of the ship.

    We can use the intraship transporters to move

    from Holodeck to Holodeck.  There should be no problem

    as long as no one tries to enter the Holodeck that

    we're in at any given moment.  If we had refused

    to let them beam over, they would have become

    suspicious.  By giving them a guided tour, we'll

    allay those suspicions."
 Page 83



        "Mister Gawron, make sure you send the correct

    'Bridge' coordinates.  It wouldn't do for the most

    famous captain in Starfleet to end up in a wall or

    on the real Bridge," warned Riker.  "Better make

    sure that you drop our shields long enough to beam

    them over.  Cut it as close as possible to avoid any

    problems.  Better jam their sensors just in case."



        "I verified the coordinates by computer before

    I sent them.  They will arrive in the area in front

    of the command chair.  Our computer is tied in to

    their transporter and will drop shields for a

    split-second during transport and block their

    sensors," reassured Gawron.



        No sooner had he said that, than three

    columns of light appeared and coalesced into the

    forms of Kirk, Spock, and McCoy.



        "Welcome, Captain, Mister Spock, Doctor."

    Riker shook hands and gave the Vulcan salute where

    applicable.  "I'd like you to meet my Bridge Crew.

    Science Officer Deanna Troi, Communications Officer

    Lieutenant Christopher Gawron,  Helmsman Lieutenant

    Margaret Harris, and Navigator Lieutenant David

    Callari."  Riker pointed to each in turn.

    Fortunately, he had had the foresight to temporarily

    promote the members of the Bridge Crew.  Captain
 Page 84



    Kirk would have been skeptical of a Bridge full of

    ensigns.  David Callari was filling in for Wes, who

    was monitoring his cloaking device.



        Kirk and Spock were looking around the

    Bridge attentively, McCoy was looking bored.



        "Doctor McCoy, would you like to see our

    Sickbay?" asked Riker.



        "I'd rather see my own Sickbay right now,

    but as long as I'm here, why not?"



        Riker surreptitiously hit his combadge and

    said, "Doctor Pulaski, teleport to the Bridge

    immediately."



        "Aye, Captain, I'm on my way."  Doctor

    Pulaski shimmered into existence next to Riker's

    command chair.  "How may I be of assistance?"



        "Please beam over to Sickbay with Doctor

    McCoy and give him a guided tour," said Riker.



        "Sure thing, Captain.  Come along, Doctor.

    We're off to Sickbay," she said as McCoy moved to

    stand next to her.


 Page 85



        "What do you mean 'beam over to Sickbay?'

    What ever happened to walking?"  McCoy asked

    hesitantly.



        "We use transporters to travel throughout

    the ship.  It's much faster that way and cuts down

    on the need for turbolifts so we can have more room

    for equipment," answered Pulaski.



        McCoy had grown noticeably paler by the

    time the transporter took effect.  They both

    dematerialized into their component atoms, to be

    reconstituted in the bogus Sickbay located in

    Holodeck 4.



        By now, Kirk and Spock had completed their

    tour of the Bridge.



        "Well, gentlemen," said Riker, "are you

    ready to see the rest of my ship?"



        "By all means, Captain, lead the way," said

    Kirk, moving toward what appeared to be a Turbolift,

    but was actually the port side head.



        "Wait, Captain.  We don't use Turbolifts

    to get around any more.  As Doctor Pulaski said, we use

    intraship transporters.  It's much more efficient than walking.
 Page 86



    Mister Gawron, if you'd please send us to Engineering."



        "Aye, sir," said Gawron, his hands flying

    over his control panel.  Most of it was for show.

    All he did that mattered was to send a pre-recorded

    message to Transporter Chief O'Brien that told him

    what to do.



        Riker, Kirk, and Spock became columns of

    light and faded to nothingness as they were beamed

    to Holodeck 5 to see the fictional Warp Intermix

    Chamber.  After a thorough tour of 'Engineering,'

    they went to see the Rec Deck, Computer Center,

    Mess Hall, Conservatory, Gym, and Weapons Control

    Room.  Finally, they went to Sickbay to pick up

    Doctor McCoy.



        The four of them beamed back to the Bridge,

    leaving Doctor Pulaski in Sickbay.



        "Well, Captain, are you satisfied that we

    are who we say we are?"



        "Definitely, Captain Riker.  I'm sorry I

    ever doubted you," replied Kirk.  "Any problems,

    gentlemen?"



        "Yeah, Jim.  I'm a Doctor, not a ping-pong
 Page 87



    ball.  I'm tired of being bounced all over the place

    by that transporter beam.  Let's just get back to

    the Enterprise and go home."



        "As you wish, Doctor.  Well, it appears

    that we must bid you farewell, Captain Riker.  I

    hope we meet again soon."



        "Me too, Captain Kirk, me too.  Goodbye,

    Captain, Commander Spock, Doctor McCoy."



        The three Enterprise senior officers

    dematerialized on Kirk's command to Scotty: "Three

    to beam up."



        "Well, that's that.  Computer, discontinue

    programs in all Holodecks except Holodeck 1,"

    ordered Riker.



        The Bridge disappeared to be replaced by

    a small room with a yellow grid etched into the

    ebony walls.



        "Come on, everyone, back to the Bridge."



        All of the crewmembers left through the

    door in the far wall.  The Holodeck lights went

    out as the doors closed behind Riker, the last
 Page 88



    person to leave.  As everyone else went to the

    Turbolift, Riker walked the other way to congratulate

    Wes and Geordi who still stood outside Holodeck 1.



        "Good work, gentlemen.  Your illusion appeared to be

    very convincing.  May I ask just what this ship looked like?"



        "See for yourself, Commander," said Geordi.



        "What do you mean 'see for yourself'?  How can I see

    for myself?  Our cloaking device was just a computer generated

    image, wasn't it?"



        "Not exactly, sir.  We needed a physical model to

    project onto the outer hull of the Enterprise.  That's why

    I've been using the Holodeck as the basis for my experiments,"

    explained Wes.



        "What we've done is in effect to turn the Holodeck

    inside-out.  Rather than modeling something from the outside

    world in the Holodeck, we've projected something from the

    Holodeck into the outside world.  We still have the image in

    the Holodeck.  Come on in," urged Geordi.



        The doors slid open and Wes, Geordi, and Riker entered

    Holodeck 1.  They appeared to be walking on nothingness.  The

    walls, ceiling, and floor had become starfields, stretching

    away to infinity.  As the door slid closed behind them with
 Page 89



    a faint grinding sound, the illusion became complete, if a

    little disorienting.  Directly ahead of the trio hung a long,

    low starship.  It had an almost flat saucer with immense

    impulse engines at the rear.  A short neck connected the

    saucer to a long, graceful secondary hull.  The warp nacelles,

    almost double the length of the secondary hull, rose just

    above the top of the saucer.  They were connected to the top

    of the engineering section by narrow, right-angled warp

    engine struts.



        Riker walked around the ship and whistled

    appreciatively.  "I'm impressed.  I just have one question:

    What would have happened if we needed to fire phasers or

    photon torpedos?"



        "No problem, Commander," answered Wes.  "We lined up

    the forward torpedo tubes on the Houdini with those on the

    Enterprise.  We lined up the phaser banks on both ships as

    closely as possible, too.  Watch."

        "Computer," he said, raising his voice.  "Superimpose

    Galaxy class Enterprise onto existing image of the Houdini."



        The light blue image of the Enterprise shimmered into

    existence around the Houdini.  The Enterprise's saucer section

    dwarfed the Houdini's.  The bridge of the Houdini was located

    in the center of the Enterprise's saucer.  As Wes had said, the

    photon torpedo tubes lined up, as did many of the phaser banks.

    The ships were the same length, but the Enterprise was much
 Page 90



    wider, yet still the more graceful of the two.



        After studying the ships for awhile, Riker said,

    "Come on you two, we've got a job to do."



        As the doors shut behind them, the Holodeck went dark.


 Page 91



                Chapter 6

        "You don't mean to tell me that you actually

    believed that?"



        "Now, now, Doctor.  We have no reason to doubt them,"

    said Kirk.



        "Indeed, Doctor, your attitude is not logical.  They

    have shown us their ship and have not acted in any way

    hostile toward us."



        "But Spock, can your damn green-blooded Vulcan logic

    explain away the Klingon lifesign your sensors registered?"



        "Obviously the sensors had a malfunction or there is

    indeed a Klingon on the Houdini as a prisoner," said the

    Vulcan.



        "Alright Spock, what about their power levels?  You

    said that they didn't register on your scanners.  Don't you

    think that if Starfleet had come up with a ship like that

    that somehow we would have heard of it?"



        "Please, Doctor, even you must be familiar with the

    department of Starfleet entitled `Security.'  One of their

    main jobs would have been to keep this ship a secret.  Their

    energy levels may merely be a ruse to intimidate their

    enemies, just as their cloaking device is.  All the data on
 Page 92



    hand point to this conclusion," finished Spock.



        Chekov turned from his console long enough to whisper

    to Sulu, "I bet the technology was inwented by Russians."

    Sulu just rolled his eyes and concentrated on his own

    console.



        "Captain Kirk, the Houdini is hailing us," said Uhura.



        "On screen."



        "Audio only, sir," said Uhura apologetically.



        "Okay, let me hear it."



        "Captain Kirk, this is Captain Riker.  I regret to

    report that we must leave you now.  Starfleet has ordered

    us to investigate reports of a Klingon secret weapon in

    the Vexis Corinhi system.  The Enterprise is to return to

    Earth as per instructions.  Riker out."



        "You heard the man, Sulu.  Let's go home.  Warp

    factor 5."



        "Aye, Captain, warp 5."



        "The Enterprise slowly moved away from the Houdini

    and, trailing a bright rainbow of colors, accelerated to
 Page 93



    Warp 5 and was gone.






        "Mister Gawron, did your plan work?"



        "I think so, Commander.  The subliminal message that

    Lieutenant Commander Data and I worked on was broadcast with

    your farewell message.  Every time their communications system

    is used, it will be broadcast ship-wide.  Soon no one on their

    Enterprise will remember that they ever met us,"  answered

    Ensign Gawron.



        "And you say that it works like a computer virus,

    only in this case, the message will stop being transmitted

    after a few months?"



        "That is essentially correct, sir.  Like a

    computer virus, it will move onto any communication system

    that comes in contact with an infected one.  It will not only

    transmit a message erasing the memories of us from organic

    beings, but will also destroy any records of us in the ship's

    computer banks,"  answered Data, standing with Gawron and

    Riker at the Communications station.



        "Good work, Data."



        "On the contrary, Commander.  Ensign Gawron came up

 Page 94


    with the idea.  I merely wrote the software," corrected Data.



        "I'm sorry.  Ensign Gawron, good work."



        The Turbolift doors opened to allow Worf onto the

    Bridge.  He walked to the Communications station and relieved

    Gawron.



        "I yield to your experience and skill, Lieutenant

    Worf, and am honored to have been given the opportunity to

    serve in your place."



        Gawron entered the Turbolift after Riker dismissed

    him.  Data walked down the ramp to the lower Bridge.  He

    took the place of Ensign Harris, who entered the Turbolift

    with Gawron.  As an afterthought, Riker tapped his combadge

    and said, "Bridge to Ensigns Gawron and Harris.  Be ready,

    we may require your services again before we're done with

    this mission.  Bridge out."

        "Mister Data, status report."



        "All systems operating within acceptable limits.

    Shields are not yet functional because of our cloaking

    device.  Commander LaForge is working on it now and

    estimates full defensive capabilities within 10 minutes."



        "Alright, Mister Crusher, resume course and speed

    to the Corinhi system."

 Page 95


        "Riker to Sickbay.  Doctor Pulaski, how's the

    Captain doing?"



        "He's awake and asking questions again.  What should

    I do?"



        "If you think he's strong enough, fill him in on

    what's happened up to this point."



        "I think he can handle it, Will.  I'll take the

    chance.  Pulaski out."



        "Now entering Klingon space.  Sensors show no

    vessels within range," reported Data as the connection to

    Sickbay closed.



        For hours they flew on.  From time to time Riker

    asked for status reports from the various department heads

    including Geordi in Engineering and Pulaski in Sickbay.

    Everything was working normally on the Enterprise, all

    systems running at or near peak efficiency.  In addition,

    Captain Picard's condition was improving.

        In short, things where looking up for the Enterprise,

    when, true to form the ship was struck by a barrage of phaser

    fire.  Once again, the red alert klaxons filled the Bridge

    with their grating blare.



        Riker leapt into action immediately.  "Worf, damage

 Page 96


    report.  Data, shields up.  Full sensor sweep of the area.

    Mister Crusher, full stop."



        "All decks reporting in.  No damage, sir," reported

    Worf.



        "Full sensor scan reveals no ships in the area other

    than ourselves.  Shields at full strength," said Data.



        "Pulaski to Bridge.  Can you stop all that knocking

    around up there, Commander?  I have some patients in critical

    condition and your bouncing around is not improving their

    health!  Pulaski out!" snapped the Doctor.



        On the viewscreen, the empty starfield shimmered to

    reveal six Klingon Birds of Prey as they decloaked.  The

    Enterprise was surrounded.



        "Commander, the Captain of one of the Klingon vessels

    is hailing us," Worf rumbled from the rear of the Bridge.



        "One-way visual.  Don't let him see us," responded

    Riker.



        The viewscreen lit up to show the dark, mist filled

    Bridge of one of the Klingon ships.  In the center seat sat

    an imposing Klingon, heavily armored for battle as was the

    custom among Klingons.  His black hair fell about his

 Page 97


    shoulders, moving as if infested with vermin, which it

    probably was.



        "Federation vessel, if that is what you are, your

    ship is new to me, but I recognize the name Enterprise.  It

    shall be a pleasure to destroy our hated enemy, Captain

    James T. Kirk.  Respond, Kirk.  I will hear your pleas for

    mercy before I open fire," the Klingon commander said in a

    deep, rasping voice.



        "Worf, change into some Klingon battle armor.  Wesley,

    help Worf in programming the replicators for this era,"

    ordered Riker.



        As Worf and Wesley left, Deanna said, "Something

    doesn't feel right, Commander.  I did not feel any emotions

    from the Klingon commander.  No hate, no curiosity, nothing."




        Tapping his combadge, Riker urged, "Get a move on

    Worf, Wesley."  Then to Troi, "What do you mean, the Klingon

    Commander had no emotions?  He sounded excited enough."



        "It is as if nothing was there.  I can sense the

    emotions of the Enterprise personnel, but I get nothing from

    the Klingons.  At this range I should be able to sense

    something," insisted the Counselor.



        "Mister Data, scan the Klingon ships for lifesigns,
 Page 98



    power sources, anything," said Riker.



        After a momentary pause, the android reported,

    "Sensors do not register any ships other than the Enterprise

    in this sector.  As far as the computer is concerned, there

    are no Klingon ships."



        "In that case, lock phasers on the Klingon ship in

    front of us and fire when ready."



        "Phasers will not lock on target, Commander.  Firing

    phasers manually," informed Data.



        On the viewscreen, a bolt of searing red light shot

    out of the lower collimator ring of the Enterprise.  It

    lanced toward the nearest Klingon ship and passed through it.

    All six Klingon ships shrank to nothingness and disappeared.



        "Commander, sensors register an immense energy source

    approaching from behind us.  It is on an intercept course."



        "Thank you, Data.  Lieutenant Worf, Ensign Crusher,

    to the Bridge immediately," Riker said into the overhead

    Bridge speaker.  "Mister Data, reverse angle on the screen

    and magnify."



        The viewscreen changed to show a blue and orange

    sphere approaching rapidly.  All of the Bridge crew knew
 Page 99



    what this meant, so no one had to tell Worf and Wesley what

    was happening when they arrived on the Bridge.  Inevitably,

    the red mesh of a giant forcefield surrounded the Enterprise.



        In a flash of light, Q appeared on the Bridge, this

    time dressed in the ceremonial gown and mortarboard of a

    college professor from Old Earth.



        "You have done well, students.  You have passed two

    of the tests that I have set for you.  I must admit that you

    humans are very resourceful.  Especially you, Riker.  I didn't

    think you were capable of the level of deceit you used on

    Captain Kirk and were about to use on the Klingons.  I'm

    really very impressed," said Q, in a tone of voice that

    passed for sincerity.



        "Just what do you want, Q?  Why have you come back

    in time to bother us?" demanded Picard as he strode from the

    Turbolift.  The only sign of his injury was a small patch of

    synthoskin covering the wound on his temple.  He stopped

    directly in front of Q.



        "Ah, Jean-Luc.  I'm glad to see you again.  To tell

    you the truth, Riker is no where near as much fun to deal

    with as you are," said Q.



        "You mean humiliate and mock!" snapped Picard.


 Page 100



        "By no means.  I find humans fascinating, and since

    you've been one nearly twice as long as Riker, I find you

    twice as fascinating," explained Q smugly.



        "Enough, Q.  Why are you here?"



        "Patience, mon capitaine.  I'm here to tell you

    about the next phase of your quest, if you'll allow me a

    word in edge-wise," said Q sarcastically.

        "In order to complete your mission, one of you must

    go on a quest.  There will be many perils and great danger.

    I will choose the questor myself.  Let's see...your Tin Man

    and microbrain are too strong, Riker has too much experience,

    Picard is too old, and the boy and the Counsellor would never

    stand a chance."



        "Q, why not let Lieutenant LaForge go.  He is as

    close as any of us to average human physical condition,"

    suggested Picard.



        "No, Captain.  His blindness would be too great a

    handicap.  The questor must have a chance to complete the

    quest if this is to be a fair challenge," said Q.



        "A fair challenge?!?  You've eliminated all of the

    Bridge crew from contention.  Who's left?" asked Riker.



        "I never said it had to be an officer, did I?  You
 Page 101



    forget that there are over 1000 people on this ship to chose

    from, not just you seven.  My choice is Ensign Cristopher

    Gawron.  I like him for some reason.  He appears to be the

    least pretentious of the Bridge crew."



        With a flash, Ensign Gawron appeared on the Bridge,

    dressed in his gold uniform and fitted with a tricorder and

    hand phaser.  He looked disoriented until he realized where

    he was.



        "What happened?  How did I get here?  I was playing

    billiards on the Rec Deck and then ZAP..."  he asked,

    looking confused.



        "I am of the Q and you have been chosen to undertake

    a quest.  The rules are simple.  Usig only your phaser and

    your wits you must find the ships dilithium crystals."  The

    ship's entire supply of dilithium crystals suddenly appeared

    in a pile in the center of the Bridge.  "They will all be

    located in one spot.  Just touch them and you will be

    instantly transported back here and the crystals replaced.

        "There will be no pressure placed upon you to under-

    take this quest.  Just know that the lives of the Enterprise

    crew and consequently the future of the Federation depend

    upon you."



        "You can't be serious, Q.  This man is just an ensign.

    He has no experience in this type of thing and you have no
 Page 102



    right to subject him to it."



        "Alright, Picard, let me put it this way.  Would

    all the omnipotent beings present raise their right hand?

    There, see.  I only see one hand up, and oh look, it's mine.

    Can you beat that?  It looks like you've been outvoted."

        "Be careful, Picard, or I may just decide to leave

    you here in the past.  No one tells me what I can or can't

    do.  Are you ready, Ensign?"



        Before he could answer, both Gawron and Q vanished.

    Q's head reappeared a moment later to say: "I will allow you

    to watch Mister Gawron's progress on the viewscreen.  Good-

    bye, crew."  Q's head winked out of existence.



        "Captain, the Enterprise has been transported into

    orbit around a large planet," reported Data.



        As soon as Q had vanished, the energy field on the

    screen was replaced by a huge brown planet.



        "Sensors show what appears, at one time, to have been

    a small town or village.  Reading one human lifesign, and

    many large, primitive animals," reported Worf.



        "Thank you Worf, Data," Picard said.  "Now all we

    have to do is watch and wait."


 Page 103



        "LaForge to Bridge."



        "Go ahead, Geordi," acknowledged Riker.



        "Commander, I don't know how, but the dilithium

    crystals are missing.  Both Warp and impulse engines are

    down.  We have no maneuvering capabilities whatsoever,"

    warned the Chief Engineer.



        "Captain," interjected Data, "Our orbit is decaying.

    Estimate 8 hours until we enter the atmosphere, and an

    additional 3 hours until planetfall."



        "Can our shields handle the atmospheric friction,"

    asked Picard.



        "Captain, we have no shields.  If we enter the

    atmosphere, we'll most likely burn up,"  cam Geordi's voice

    over the intercom channel.



        "And if we don't burn up, we will be travelling at

    an estimated 200 meters per second upon planetfall.  The

    Enterprise will not survive," said Data somberly.



        The viewscreen changed yet again.  This time it

    showed Ensign Gawron at the edge of an old, tumbled down

    town.  He entered, cautiously.


 Page 104





 Page 105



            Chapter 7

        Slowly, Chris started toward the nearest building

    in the town.  Inside, it was dark.  As he crossed the threshold,

    he noticed a dank, mouldering smell.  Most of the furniture

    was rotted through with age and dampness.  A few of the pieces

    still appeared to be in good shape.  He rested his hand on

    the nearest chair and jumped back, startled, as it disintegrated

    into a pile of soft, rotten wood.  In the far corner, Chris

    noticed a pile of what he thought were tattered blankets.

    Upon closer inspection, though, it turned out to be the former

    occupant of the house.  The bones had yellowed and grown

    brittle over the years.



        Since there wasn't anything of use here, he moved

    on to the next building to find an almost identical scene.

    Chris moved on, finding each building as dilapidated as the

    last, until, finally, he came to what appeared to have been

    some kind of store.



        As he looked through the various shelves, Chris

    found little of use.  There were, however, a strong coil of

    rope and a long, sharp knife.  The rope was in surprisingly

    good condition, compared with its surroundings, and the knife

    showed some signs of corrosion but looked as if it could be

    used adequately as a cutting tool, and for defense if

    absolutely necessary.



        Slipping the knife into his belt and looping the
 Page 106



    rope over his shoulder, Ensign Gawron left the tumble-down

    shop to explore the rest of the town.  Other than the

    decaying bones of the natives and a few rusted through cooking

    utensils, there was nothing to see.



        By the time he had reached the last house, Chris had

    given up much hope of finding anything that could help him on

    his quest, particularly because he didn't know what his quest

    would entail.  As he entered the last building, he noticed

    that it was the only one to have any kind of floor covering,

    this in the form of an ancient rug.  The tattered cloth lay

    incongruously in the center of the room.  He tried to move

    it, but found that it was firmly secured to the ground and

    would not rip, despite its obvious age.  Gawron drew his

    phaser and fired.  The carpet burned away to reveal a

    weathered door, made of some metal he didn't recognize.  There

    didn't seem to be any way of lifting it, as the surface was

    completely featureless.



        "Oh well, time to get to work," Chris said to himself

    and inserted the knife into the nearly imperceptible seam

    between the door and the floor around it.  He pushed down with

    all his strength until the door was up just high enough for

    him to kick a rock into the gap.



        He returned the knife to his belt and sat down until

    he caught his breath.  He noticed that it took longer than

    usual and realized that Q hadn't warned him about this
 Page 107



    planets thin atmosphere.  Then, rising, Chris hefted the door

    back and it landed on the floor with a resounding thud.

    There was now a dark, gaping hole in the floor.  The rock

    that had been propping the door open now fell in and Chris

    counted the seconds before he heard the rock hit bottom.

    After an eternity, that was really only seven seconds, the

    small crack of rock on rock was heard.  He estimated that

    the pit was at least 250 meters deep.



        Ensign Gawron hurriedly grabbed some cloth scraps

    off of one of the corpses in the corner, but couldn't bring

    himself to wrench off a femur.  Instead he found a reasonably

    sound chair leg, tied the cloth scraps to it, and lit it with

    a low intensity burst from his phaser.  Tying a knot in one

    end of his rope, he lifted the door just enough to slide the

    rope under it, the knot preventing, he hoped, the rope from

    sliding down with him once he put his full weight on it.

    The other end of the rope was tossed into the pit.  Grabbing

    the torch with one hand, he started down the rope into the

    hole.  It took about fifteen minutes to reach the floor below.



        Slowly, Chris surveyed the situation.  He was in a large

    cavern with a vaulted ceiling.  Rocks and bones of various

    shapes and sizes littered the cave floor.  Three tunnels

    branched off in front of him.



        Since he couldn't think of anything better to do,

    Chris arbitrarily chose the rightmost tunnel and started to
 Page 108



    explore.  He had barely gone around the first bend when he

    was forced to stop abruptly at the edge of a yawning chasm.

    He tossed a rather large stone down into the darkness.  Soon

    it was lost from torchlight.  He waited five seconds for it

    to hit bottom ... ten seconds ... fifteen seconds ... twenty

    seconds passed and still he heard no sound from below.  A

    rocky outcropping projected out over the pit, about halfway

    across, well out of Chris' reach.



        Looking beside him, Ensign Gawron saw a broad-

    leafed plant.  Curious, he broke off a leaf and examined it.

    Some fluid, sap he assumed, ran out of the leaf onto his

    hands.  It was thick and extremely sticky.  Suddenly, he had

    an idea.



        Dropping the leaf, Chris ran back to the cavern and

    cut off as much of his rope as he could reach.  He estimated

    that he had twelve or thirteen feet, as the rope had been just

    two meters longer than the depth of the pit.  He scooped up a

    handful of rocks and ran back to the edge of the pit, careful

    not to get too close for fear of falling in.






        Back on the Enterprise, a confused look came over

    Riker's face as Chris, on the viewscreen, split one end of the

    rope lengthwise, coated the strands with sap, and then wrapped

    them around the stones he had picked up.

 Page 109




        "What the hell does he think he's doing?  This is no

    time for arts and crafts!" asked Riker.



        Data, sitting at Ops turned and said, "I believe his

    purpose will become clear in a moment, sir."



        On the screen, Chris dried the sap with flames from

    his torch, all the while, careful not to set the rope itself

    ablaze.  Then, swinging it in wide circles, he let it fly out

    over the pit.  The heavy end wrapped itself around the rocky

    outcropping a few times and Chris pulled on the rope to make

    sure it would hold.  Confident in its strength, he picked up

    his torch and swung out across the abyss.  The torchlight

    danced eerily on the walls, making Chris unsure where the

    other side of the pit really was.  He tossed the torch as

    far as he could toward the other side of the pit and it

    landed about 2 meters from the edge and bounced to a halt.

    The light steadied and Chris readied himself for his leap

    off the rope.  As his swing reached its greatest length

    toward the far side, he jumped off the rope.



        Troi gasped in horror as Chris mistimed his leap and

    slammed into the edge of the pit.






        His hands clawing furiously for some purchase on the

    hard ground, Chris slowly slid farther over the edge.  Finally,
 Page 110



    just as he was about to fall to his death, he found a handhold

    and he hoisted himself away from the edge and lay flat on his

    back, trying to regain the strength in his arms.  When they

    were no longer throbbing from the exertion, he got to his

    feet, retrieved his torch, and set off down the tunnel.

    Eventually, Chris came upon an underground lake.  It was the

    width of the tunnel and swallowed his torchlight, providing no

    view of the bottom, if indeed there was one.  Chris decided to

    swim out a little way to see how far he could proceed.  He walked

    in the cold water, torch held high above his head to prevent it

    from accidentally being extinguished.  Soon, when the water

    became to deep to wade any further, he began to swim.  For

    a few hundred meters, he swam along easily until the tunnel

    roof sloped down to meet the water, blocking his advance.



        He weighed his options.  He could return to the

    original junction and try a different tunnel or he could

    press on.  He decided to keep going, since the other two

    tunnels could be false leads and he'd end up back here anyway.

    Unfortunately, he'd have to give up his torch.  In order to

    provide as much light as possible, at least for awhile, he

    jammed the torch into a depression in the rocky wall before

    him.  Then, taking a few deep breaths to hyperoxygenate his

    blood, Ensign Gawron slipped below the obsidian surface of the

    lake.  Luckily, the water was clear, if a little dark, and the

    torch provided ample illumination.  Swimming quickly, looking

    everywhere for a tunnel or some other way to proceed, he went

    deeper and deeper.  Finally, as he approached the lake bottom,
 Page 111



    Gawron found what he was looking for: a tunnel, more than wide

    enough for him to swim through.  He was so excited about his

    find that he entered the tunnel without noticing the bones of

    various other explorers, half buried in the ooze.



        At the other end of the tunnel, he could see a dim

    light.  Eagerly Chris swam on.  Ahead, a dark shape separated

    itself from the tunnel floor.  There was some kind of

    phosphorescence in the tunnel walls which allowed Chris to see,

    barely.  Soon the shape revealed itself to be an alien fish,

    mouth open, teeth glinting in the dim light, headed directly

    towards him.  It had a long, muscular neck, stream-lined body,

    and powerful tail.  Its two forward flippers were spade shaped

    and propelled it along at at least ten knots.  On its head

    were two short, horn-shaped projections that Chris assumed

    were sense organs, the creature being nearly blind living in

    the shadowy depths as it did.



        All of these observations were made while Chris struggled

    to slip the knife out of his belt.  Too late he realized it

    was futile.  The creature was on him, twining its neck around

    him, trying to squeeze the life out of him.  Sharp teeth gnashed

    at him.



        Chris knew that he was running out of both time and

    options.  His lungs already ached for clean air and what oxygen

    was left was being slowly forced out by the creature's reptilian

    embrace.
 Page 112





        As darkness fought for control of his peripheral vision,

    he remembered his phaser.  The water would diffuse the beam,

    but that would work to his advantage if the creature had even

    rudimentary vision.  Slipping the phaser out of its holster

    on his belt, he set it for wide dispersal and fired it directly

    into the creature's eyes.  He noted with satisfaction that the

    creature's sensory horns suffered slight burns, as did most

    of the thing's face.  Shocked and in pain, the creature

    loosened its grip and Chris kicked free, swimming as hard as

    he could to the end of the tunnel.  He broke the surface of

    the water into the cool, sweet air just as the blackness which

    had battled for the periphery of his vision had won and was

    creeping inward.



        After catching his breath, he gave himself a quick

    once-over looking for any injuries.  The dull pain in his

    side told him that he had bruised some ribs, but that seemed

    the worst of his injuries.



        Gathering himself, he started off down the tunnel.

    Again he noted the phosphorescence in the walls and assumed

    that it was some kind of light emitting mineral indigenous

    to this planet.  As time was of the essence, he gave it only

    a cursory examination and continued off down the passage.



        Eventually, the tunnel widened and Chris found himself

    in a sort of room, carved out of the rock.  The floor was
 Page 113



    covered in a mosaic of different sized tiles, many of which

    were covered with soot and what looked like grease.  In the

    wall to his left he noticed several small holes surrounded by

    black, oily patches of rock.  Between the holes were larger,

    dark patches of soot and ash.  Curious, Chris looked across

    at the other wall.  Opposite the larger patches were holes,

    similar to those on the near wall.  In addition, the holes

    on the near wall were directly across from large, oily stains

    identical to those he had just examined.



        Moving forward to investigate, Chris tripped over

    a loose piece of tile and fell, his hand striking a piece of

    the mosaic floor.  The tile disappeared into the floor as

    flames shot from the apertures in both walls.  After a few

    seconds they extinguished themselves and Chris stood up.  He

    had felt the heat from the flames on his back.  He took out

    his knife and tossed it further across the floor.  Immediately

    flames shot forth.  Chris waited for them to die down and then

    ran as fast as he could, feet barely touching the ground.

    Fortunately, when he did touch the ground, he seemed to land

    only on safe tiles, because the flamethrowers remained inactive,

    at least until he was three quarters of the way across.  He

    felt rather than saw the flames spring forward to envelope

    him.  With a last, desperate burst of speed, Ensign Gawron

    launched himself through the far doorway.  He landed, slapping

    at his clothes, rolling to smother the flames.  He had been

    lucky, his wet clothes had protected him for the most part.

    Now his clothes were dry and he was ready to continue.  He
 Page 114



    thought about retrieving the knife, but when he saw how far

    into the room it was, he changed his mind.  He walked around

    a bend in the tunnel and came upon a blank wall.



        Just as he was about to give up and turn back, he

    noticed a button below a sign that read "PRESS ME."  Figuring

    he had nothing to lose, Chris reached toward the button and

    as his finger touched it...he felt his body slowly dissolve.







        On the Bridge, all was confusion.  Worf was fuming

    about what he perceived to be duplicity on Q's part.  Picard

    and Riker were talking anxiously among themselves, Troi

    occasionally interjecting a comment.  Wesley was scanning the

    planet's surface for any sign of human life readings.  Data

    was the only one who did not show any outward signs of emotion.

    Instead, he merely looked at the viewscreen, analyzing what

    had happened, occasionally glancing at his control panel, where

    the time left to them was counting down.



        "We have only seven hours, forty-three minutes, and

    fifteen seconds before we impact with the planet," read off

    Data.  Immediately silence reigned.



        "Let's hope that both Q and Gawron know what they're

    doing," said Riker hopefully.


 Page 115



        "Gawron has confidence in himself," said Troi.  "Q, as

    always, is an unknown.  We must treat him with caution."



        "Agreed.  I have no wish to spend the rest of my

    existence trapped in the past," said Picard.



        "Especially since we may cease to exist if we change

    the past sufficiently.  It would be a life of constant paranoia

    and dread that our actions may endanger our continued

    existence and that of our history as we know it," informed

    Data.



        On the viewscreen, Gawron had reappeared in the

    original junction.






        Assuming that it was Q's work, Chris wasted no time

    and set off down the middle tunnel.  As he did, he noticed

    that the knife had been replaced in his belt.  "I guess Q

    wants me to have some kind of a chance," he thought to

    himself.



        Soon, the tunnel narrowed and Ensign Gawron noticed

    that it was littered with thick, green tendrils.  Not paying

    them much mind, he forged ahead.  But as soon as his foot

    touched one of them, they all came to life, twisting around

    his legs.  Instantly, the phaser appeared in one hand, the

 Page 116


    knife in the other.  Simultaneously firing and slashing, he

    slowly forced his way ahead.  Soon the tunnel behind him was

    filled with burned or bleeding tentacles, many still writhing

    spasmodically.  The air was thick with the smell of charred

    plants.  Still Chris fought on, swinging away with the knife

    and firing left and right.  He had slipped into a fighting

    frenzy, firing and slashing wildly, when he noticed that the

    charge on his phaser was low.  Deciding to preserve as much

    as possible, he stopped firing and forced himself to calm

    down.  He cut his way through the remaining tendrils.



        Finally he was through and, looking ahead, Chris saw

    a shimmering pool and realized for the first time how thirsty

    he had become.  Slipping his weapons back into their storage

    areas on his belt, Chris ran forward and fell at the edge of

    the pool.  As he bent to take a drink, he noticed the skeleton

    of an alien warrior, half in and half out of the pool.  His

    lips were almost touching the surface of the pool when he

    sensed that something was wrong with the skeleton.  It simply

    wasn't there below the pool's surface.  Chris kicked the rest

    of the creature into the pool.  It sank slowly and then the

    corpse bubbled away.  Soon nothing remained of the alien but

    a greasy spot, which soon dispersed.



        "Acid," Gawron thought.  "I have to be more careful.

    Oh well, no sense killing myself over a drink."  Still thirsty,

    he continued on.  After walking for what he estimated to be

    an hour, he felt a slight breeze on his cheek and heard a low

 Page 117


    whirring sound, as if something was rushing past his ear.

    Drawing his knife, he held it up in front of him.  It was

    immediately snatched from his grasp and broken in two by a

    seemingly invisible force.  Upon closer examination, however,

    Chris saw a razor thin blade spinning at eye level, so thin

    as to be invisible in the dim light to any unsuspecting

    traveler.



        "Gives new meaning to the phrase `a little off the

    top,'" Chris thought out loud.  Ducking, he quickly moved

    past the blade.  Again he reached a dead end tunnel.  This

    time when he tried to move, he found he couldn't.  Looking

    down, he saw that he was trapped in some sort of sticky ooze.

    Just out of reach was the button that said "PRESS ME."  He

    dared not try to stretch further.  If he fell, Chris doubted

    that he could get back up off the floor.  Drawing his phaser,

    he tried to melt the glue to no avail.  Finding only one option

    open to him, Gawron threw the phaser as hard as he could at

    the "PRESS ME" button.



        As soon as the phaser made contact, he found himself

    at the familiar junction.  Directly ahead of him, the phaser

    clattered to the floor a short distance into the middle tunnel.

    Chris retrieved it, noticing that it was now his only weapon,

    as the knife had not been replaced this time.  Remarkably,

    the tricorder which hung over his should had survived unscathed

    so far.



 Page 118


        Returning to the junction, Ensign Gawron set off down

    the third, and he hoped final, tunnel.  Before he had gotten

    far, however, he heard a low rumbling and turned just in time

    to see the cavern roof collapse, blocking off any hopes of

    retreat.





 Page 119



            Chapter 8

        Chris dodged out of the way of the still falling

    ceiling and ran down the tunnel.  After the rumbling had

    finally ceased, he went back just far enough to pick up a

    piece of the rubble that exhibited the peculiar phosphorescence,

    intending to study it further after his return to the

    Enterprise.  "That is, if I return," he reminded himself.



        Continuing down the passage, Chris observed no

    remains of any kind.  He found this surprising, until he

    realized that Q probably constructed the whole labyrinth.

    If Q didn't want it to seem that others had gotten this far,

    it was up to him.



        Lost in thought, Chris panicked as the floor fell

    out from under him.  Although surprised, he still managed to

    leap onto more solid ground.  He rolled and came up facing

    the direction he had come, phaser in hand.  Where there had

    been ground moments before, was just a large hole.  Inside,

    Gawron could see the phosphorescence glinting off sharp

    sticks covered with liquid that tricorder analysis proved to

    be poison.



        "Maybe Q isn't as fond of the Enterprise crew as he

    says.  I don't think I was meant to survive."  Resigning

    himself to his fate, he ventured on.  Soon, the walls became

    less craggy and resolved themselves into a series of sharp

    outcroppings.  Chris's foot came down with a sharper click
 Page 120



    than his boots had been making.  Suspiciously he looked

    around and saw that the walls had begun to come together,

    narrowing the passage.  He could just make out the forward

    edge of the sliding walls.  He glanced behind him and saw

    that he had not quite come halfway.  Deciding quickly, he

    ran down the tunnel towards the far end, occasionally checking

    his progress.  When the passageway, not very wide to begin

    with, had shrunk to half its width, Chris put his head down

    in an all-out sprint toward the end of the passage.



        He emerged from the closing walls, panting, and

    turned in time to see them close to eighteen inches and slam

    shut.  By now, Gawron's uniform shirt was all but destroyed

    and his pants hung in tatters below his knees.



        Looking ahead, Chris noticed a strange glow, stronger

    than the walls' natural phosphorescence, emanating from around

    a bend in the cave wall.  Approaching warily, he rounded the

    bend and saw where the bluish light was coming from: the

    ceiling.





        "Captain, sensors indicate a source of hard radiation

    has just appeared on the planet," reported Data.



        "Location in relation to Mister Gawron."



        "The radiation is distorting the readings, but he
 Page 121



    appears to be standing within it."



        "Must be coming from the ceiling," said Riker.  "How

    long can he be safely exposed to it, Data?"



        "Any exposure to radiation is unsafe, Commander, but

    there will be no irreparable damage for at least forty-five

    minutes.  I cannot be more precise."



        "Great he has forty-five minutes, and we have two

    and a half hours," muttered Riker.



        "Engineering to Bridge, LaForge here."



        "What is it, Geordi?" asked Picard.



        "Captain, we've been in the planet's atmosphere for

    thirty-two minutes and the hull temperature has already

    reached 200 degrees Centigrade.  Without shields, we don't

    have as long as we normally would," came the voice from the

    intercom.



        "Acknowledged, Lieutenant.  Do what you can.  Bridge

    out," snapped Riker, upset at his inability to do anything

    useful.



        "Take it easy, Number One.  We have Q trying to kill

    us already.  We don't need anyone else's help to do it for
 Page 122



    him," said Picard warningly.



        "Aye, sir," said Riker, a little too loudly, a little

    too formally.






        Taking out his tricorder, Chris aimed it upwards.

    After scanning the tunnel roof for a few seconds, he read the

    results of the analysis.  The ceiling was coated with nearly

    pure, energized dilithium.  Prolonged exposure would result

    in a horrible death from radiation poisoning causing rapid

    decay and massive systems disfunctions.  As he put the tricorder

    away, his rock sample fell from his belt and bounced.  The

    stone leapt up to shoulder height, where Chris caught it,

    startled.  He put it back into his belt.



        "Reduced gravity.  Sure, why should Q make anything

    simple."



        Laying down on his stomach, Chris began a slow,

    relaxed crawl through the anti-grav field, careful not to

    make any sudden, violent movements which would result in his

    being thrown at least partly to the tunnel roof.



        After nearly thirty minutes, Ensign Gawron had made

    his way under the fifty foot stretch of dilithium.  Gratefully,

    he stood, his uniform shirt falling in shreds to the ground to

 Page 123


    reveal his chest, covered in lacerations, both large and small.

    His back was covered with bruises and burns.



        Deciding to talk to Captain Picard about combat pay

    upon his return to the ship, he proceeded around another bend

    and was confronted by a blank wall of rock.  He search

    exhaustively for the familiar button that would return him to

    the junction, but could not find it.



        Finally defeated, with no retreat possible, Chris

    slumped against the dead end wall -- and fell through it.

    He found himself in a large chamber.  There, on a stone

    pedestal, sat the pile of dilithium crystals.  Rising quickly,

    footsteps echoing loudly, he grabbed the dilithium crystals.

    In a flash, his rocky surroundings were replaced by the

    familiar environs of the Enterprise.



        Riker was talking to LaForge over the intercom.

    "... don't care what you have to do.  Get out and push if you

    have to.  We've been in the atmosphere for nearly an hour."



        "Commander, hull temperature is increasing.  Fifteen

    hundred degrees Celsius and rising.  Estimated survival time

    of the Enterprise, assuming temperature increase continues

    at this rate is one hour, thirty-eight minutes, fourteen point

    eight three five six ni--"



        "Commander Data," spoke up Chris from the back of the

 Page 124


    Bridge, no one having noticed him, "I've got the crystals.

    How long will it take to install them and power up the

    engines?"



        The channel to Engineering still open, Geordi

    answered: "Installation will take about ten minutes.  Restart

    will take an hour and a half."



        "Two minutes too long.  What happens if you bypass

    the safety checks?" asked Picard, anxiously.  While he waited

    for the answer he turned to Data and Gawron.  "Get down to

    Engineering as fast as possible."  Data and Chris left the

    Bridge.



        "Under present circumstances, I was going to bypass

    the safety sequence anyway.  That gains us about forty-five

    minutes," came the answer from the Bridge speaker.



        "Do it, Geordi.  As quickly as possible," ordered

    Picard.  "Bridge out."



        Picard noticed that he was sweating and turned to

    survey the Bridge.  Everyone there had a sheen of perspiration

    on their faces.  The humans were red-faced from the heat.

    Picard knew that the environmental controls were suffering

    from the heat of the atmospheric friction.

        He flicked on the intraship communicator.  "This

    is your captain speaking.  We have entered the atmosphere

 Page 125


    of an unknown world.  The increased heat is from the

    atmospheric friction.  Steps are being taken to remove the

    Enterprise from danger.  In the meantime, all non-duty

    personnel and civilians, remain in your quarters and keep

    your physical activity to a minimum.  Picard out."



        The Bridge was silent.  Periodically reports came in

    from Engineering.  There were no major problems and the restart

    process was nearly complete when the red-alert sirens blared.

    "Warning!  Maximum safe temperature exceeded!  Total systems

    failure imminent!" warned the computer.



        "Bridge to Engineering.  You better have some good

    news!" yelled Riker into the intercom.



        "I need more time, Commander," pleaded Geordi.  "The

    engines will be back on-line in three minutes.  You have

    shields now."



        "Not good enough, Geordi.  This ship can't hold

    together for much longer.  Bridge out."  Riker slapped the

    channel shut before Geordi could respond.



        Wesley turned quickly, an idea forming in his mind.

    "Worf, what's the minimum safe distance for the Enterprise

    to survive the detonation of a photon torpedo?"



        "Two kilometers.  Why?" growled the warrior, his bony

 Page 126


    brow wrinkling in confusion.



        "Captain, I recommend that we fire a photon torpedo

    and set it to detonate two kilometers in front of our predicted

    position."



        "Ensign Crusher, what purpose would it ser--"  Picard's

    expression changed as he saw where this was leading.  Turning

    to Lieutenant Aures at Ops, he said "Transfer all available

    power to forward shields."  As she moved to raise the shields,

    Picard turned to Worf and ordered him to "Fire two photon

    torpedos.  Set one to detonate two kilometers in front of

    us and the other to detonate two seconds after, same position."



        All eyes on the Bridge turned to Picard, wondering

    what he could be planning.  The whoosh of escaping air

    could be heard as the torpedos were launched.  As the first

    one detonated, the blast forced the Enterprise's bow up so

    that the lower hull was absorbing the friction of the

    atmosphere.



        "Now, Ensign, transfer all power to lower shields!"



        No sooner had her hands stopped moving, than Aures

    was thrown from her chair, as were most of the Bridge crew,

    by the second explosion.  The Enterprise was lifted up and

    pushed back, out of the planets atmosphere.  It settled into

    a high, loose orbit.  Seconds later, the warp nacelles lit

 Page 127


    up red and blue.



        "Warp power is now available, Captain," reported

    Wesley.



        "Resume course and speed," said Picard, and, tapping

    his combadge, "Ensign Gawron to Sickbay, then meet me in my

    Ready Room.  You have the Bridge, Number One."



        Picard left the Bridge through the portside doors

    into his Ready Room.






        As Chris entered Sickbay, Pulaski rushed over.

    "It's about time you got here.  Here, sit down," she said,

    indicating a diagnostic bed.  "What happened to you, have a

    disagreement with Worf?"



        "No, Q," replied Chris.  "I think I won."



        "I'm impressed.  Now lie down."


        Chris lay back slowly, trying not to aggravate his

    injuries, especially those on his back.  The scanners in the

    bed went to work automatically, displaying their results on

    the wall panel beside the bed.



        "Life signs appear to be normal.  Just surface

 Page 128


    injuries," diagnosed Pulaski.



        "You mean I'll live, Doc," inquired Chris, only half

    jokingly.



        "I'm afraid so."



        Pulaski wheeled over a healing ray: a low power laser

    used to graft synthiskin over wounds.  She set to work and

    after about twenty minutes, Chris looked, if not felt, as good

    as new.  Except for the burns on his back.  For these, and as

    a treatment for his cuts, Pulaski bathed him in a different

    ray, one that would help to regenerate his skin.



        "Unfortunately, this will have the side effect of

    making you tired and stiff.  I suggest you take it easy for

    twenty-four to thirty-six hours.  Consider yourself relieved

    of duty, Mister ..." she trailed off, not knowing his name.



        "Gawron.  Ensign Chris Gawron."



        "Pleased to meet you, Chris.  Anyone who can beat

    Q is certainly a good person to know.  I'm Doctor Katherine

    Pulaski," she said, reaching out to shake Chris' hand,

    careful not to reopen any of his injuries.







 Page 129


        The door to Picard's Ready Room chimed.  He switched

    off his desk terminal and said, "Come."



        The doors parted and Chris entered.



        "Tell me, Ensign, just what happened to you down

    there?"



        Slowly, carefully, not wanting to omit any details,

    Chris told Picard about his adventure.  When he finished,

    Picard went over to the food dispenser in the corner and

    ordered "Tea, Earl Grey, Hot."  As he returned to his chair,

    sipping his tea thoughtfully, he said, "Most impressive.

    You exhibit tremendous stamina and resilience."



        "I can't really take all the credit for it myself,

    sir.  I owe part of it to an old friend," Gawron admitted.



        "He trained you?"



        "No," Chris laughed.  "Putting up with him over the

    years convinced me I could do anything.  He was a little hard

    to take for an extended period of time.  Had a terrible sense

    of humor, too."



        "You mean he took everything seriously?" asked Picard.



        "Just the opposite.  There was nothing that he took

 Page 130


    seriously.  Nothing except his friends," he said wistfully.



        "What happened to him?  He sounds like an interesting

    personality," said Picard, curiously.



        "Had the wrong psych profile for Starfleet.  He had

    what some people call 'spontaneous genius;' brief, unexplained,

    unpredictable flashes of brilliance.  Jumped to too many

    conclusions, too many times.  Even though he was right the

    majority of the time, he was considered too much of a risk

    for Starfleet Sciences.  Wouldn't have lasted long, anyway.

    He had no use for authority of any kind," finished Chris.



        "I know the type.  As much as I'd like to continue

    reminiscing with you, we have a mission to complete.  You,

    however, are confined to the civilian areas of the Enterprise

    until Doctor Pulaski or myself tell you otherwise," said

    Picard, in a tone heavy with tension, but with relief evident.



        "I see no problem with those orders," replied Gawron.



        "Glad to hear it.  Dismissed."



        Chris exited, followed by Picard.  As Chris walked

    toward the Turbolift, Riker turned and said sternly, "Ensign,

    is that uniform regulation?"



        Chris stopped and looked down at the sorry state of

 Page 131


    what used to be his uniform.  His shirt was gone and not much

    was left of his pants.  His boots were ripped and scorched.

    "I think it used to be.  I wonder if this look will catch on."

    Almost as an after thought, Chris added, "Sorry, sir.  I didn't

    have time to change."



        "That's alright," said Riker, breaking into a wide

    grin.  "I just hope it doesn't catch on.  Carry on, Ensign."



        The Turbolift doors closed with a soft his behind

    Chris as he sped away from the Bridge.



        Picard took over the command chair from Commander

    Riker.



        "Status, Number One."



        "Still orbiting the planet, Captain.  Sensors

    register nothing down there.  No city, no lifesigns at all,"

    reported Riker.



        "Strange.  From what I understand of Ensign Gawron's

    story, there was a good-sized village and an extensive series

    of tunnels on the planet, as well as at least one species of

    large water lizard and a carnivorous plant.  I can see Q's

    hand in this.  I wish he'd stay in the Continuum or do

    something useful, rather than continually bothering us."



 Page 132


        Riker turned to look at Picard, eyes bright.

    "I know you won't believe this, but after being part of the

    Q for a few hours, I think I understand him.  At least a

    little.  Being omnipotent there's not much that challenges

    him.  Humans do because we are stubborn."



        "I agree, Captain," said Counselor Troi.  "He sees us

    as both superior and inferior at the same time.  He envies us

    our mortality and our ability to love others.  Because of the

    Q's immortality and their power, they must always be careful.

    We have no such responsibility."



        "Captain, if I may remind you, we have a mission to

    perform," reminded Worf from above.



        "Yes, quite right, Lieutenant.  Mister Crusher,

    compute and execute a new course to the Vexis Corinhi system."



        "Aye, Captain," acknowledged the Ensign.  "Course

    computed and laid in."



        "Warp 5, engage."



        "Warp 5, sir," replied Wes.



        "Mister Data, ETA to the Corinhi system."



        "Three hours, barring any further interruptions,"

 Page 133


    answered the android.



        "Counselor, how are the crew faring?" asked the

    Captain.



        "For a time they were nervous, but now that the

    Enterprise is no longer in immediate danger, they are again

    confident in our ability to succeed," reported the Betazoid.



        "I hope so, Deanna.  But where Q is involved, we're

    always in immediate danger," said Riker somberly.



        "I sincerely hope that you're wrong this time,

    Number One," said Picard grimly.  "I don't care about Q's

    assurances.  Neither the crew nor the ship can take much

    more."



        "I agree, Captain.  Mister Data, dig up any

    information you can on the Vexis Corinhi system.  We might

    as well know as much as possible about our destination,"

    ordered Riker.



        "Accessing, Commander."  Data cocked his head slightly

    to one side as he searched his internal memory banks for the

    requested information.



        "The Vexis Corinhi system contains fourteen planets

    orbiting a G class star.  The fourth and fifth planets are

 Page 134


    marginally class M.  The inner three planets revolve around

    the sun in very tight orbits and are little more than molten

    lava.  The sixth through ninth planets are solid, but

    inhospitable by human standards.  They are home to perpetual

    geothermal and electrical disturbances.  The remaining planets

    are lifeless pieces of rock, barely large enough to be

    classified as planets.  At this time, the Klingons have

    peripherally scanned the system but have not explored it or

    established any outposts.  In our time period, the fourth

    planet is known as --" Data stopped, unsure of whether to

    continue.



        "What is it, Data?  What do we call it in our time?"

    demanded Picard.



        "In our time period," continued Data, after a

    worried glance at Worf, "the fourth planet is known as

    Khitomer."



        Worf looked up, startled.  "Khitomer," he said

    under his breath, and more loudly, "My family!  Captain, we

    must warn the Klingon high command of the attack on Khitomer."



        "You know we can't, Worf.  If we were to change

    everything that we think went wrong with history, we may

    not continue to exist.  I can sympathize with you, though.

    With our knowledge we could prevent the destruction of the

    original Enterprise and the death of Tasha Yar, but we can't."

 Page 135


    Picard turned back to Data, obviously saddened at his

    inability to change things for the better.  "Where will we

    most likely find these creatures?"



        "If the creatures we are looking for energy to absorb

    as a nutrient, the sixth, seventh, eighth, and ninth planets

    would be the logical choice," answered Data.



        "Ensign Crusher, when we enter the Corinhi system,

    plot a course for the sixth planet at one-half impulse power."

        "Worf, a want a full sensor sweep of the area.  Check

    for any potential surprises," ordered Picard.



        As Wesley started his computations, Worf protested,

    "Captain, if Commander Data is correct, we will be unable to

    scan the planets because of the prescence of so much energy.

    I recommend a shuttlecraft survey of each planet."



        "Make it so, Lieutenant.  When we enter orbit around

    Vexis Corinhi VI, take ten shuttles and perform a routine

    search.  Once you find something, return to the Enterprise

    and we'll take it from there," said Picard.



        "Aye, sir.  I will select ten shuttle crews and make

    the necessary preparations," said the Klingon.  As he moved

    to the Turbolift his replacement moved to take his place.



        "Good luck, Worf."

 Page 136




        "Thank you, Commander Riker, but Klingons do not

    believe in luck."



        The Turbolift doors closed and he was gone.






 Page 137




                CHAPTER 9

        Chris entered the gym looking for something to do.

    Looking around, he saw a volleyball game in progress.  In

    other areas, people were lifting weights, jogging, and doing

    exercises, but most of the people there were gathered near

    the volleyball court.  Many because they were unfamiliar with

    the game, not being native to Earth.  Others because their

    friends were playing.  Still others stood there because they

    had nothing better to do.  Among the crowd, Chris recognized

    many familiar faces.



        As he entered, they elbowed their way out of the

    crowd to surround him.  They all began talking at once,

    asking him what had happened.



        Chris chose not to answer until they had all quieted

    down.  J'ff, a Tellarite male, bellowed happily, "I'm glad

    you're back, you rotten space scum."  Insults were the way

    Tellarites expressed friendship.



        "I'm glad, too, J'ff, you mangy hairball," Chris

    tried feebly.  He didn't sound it.



        "You should be happy.  Chris, you're a hero!" said

    someone from the back of the crowd.



        "No, I'm not.  I just did what anyone else would have

 Page 138


    done in the same situation," he protested.



        "Sure, anyone else would have done it, but you're the

    one who actually DID it.  You saved the ship and everyone

    owes you a debt of gratitude," J'ff said, trying to convince

    him.



        "Captain Picard already thanked me and Doctor Pulaski

    says she respects me for outwitting Q.  That's way more than I

    needed or expected."



        "Well, we're proud of you, if it means anything,"

    snorted J'ff, de facto spokesman for the group.



        "That's all I wanted to hear.  See, I'm happy now."

    True, Chris' mood had brightened alot since he first entered

    the Rec deck.



        Together, they walked over to the volleyball court.

    The game had broken up by now, but several people were

    playfully hitting the ball back and forth over the net.

    Chris and J'ff joined in, the others preferring to watch.

    Soon, ten people were on the court.  A game was soon

    organized.  Chris' team consisted of himself, J'ff, Sonya

    Gomez from Engineering, the Andorian Theltok, and Mark

    Bentley, a Rec deck attendant.  Their opponents were Bill

    and Ted Kelso, the twin maintenance cadets, Ray Smith, a

    civilian student, and Steve Bennett and Larry Howard,

 Page 139


    computer technicians.  Despite a valiant effort, one which

    left Chris in serious doubt about his decision to play, his

    team lost 19 - 17.  The teams shook hands and left the court

    to let others use it.  Chris headed off for 10-Forward for

    dinner.






        "Mister Data, what is our current ETA?" asked Picard.



        "1.75 hours, sir."



        "Mister Worf, status."



        Worf had returned from making the preparations for

    his shuttle mission.  "All ship's systems are functioning at

    normal levels.  Sensors detect no ships in our vicinity,"

    replied the Klingon.



        "I have serious doubts about my perception of normalcy,

    Mister Worf.  Keep me informed of any changes," ordered Picard.



        On the screen, three ships shimmered into existence

    and solidified.  Their green hulls and stylized markings were

    unmistakable.



        "Captain, three Klingon battlecruisers have just

    decloaked and are powering up their disruptors and photon

    torpedoes!  Point blank range," shouted Worf.
 Page 140





        "I think we can all see that, Worf," snapped Picard.

    "Red alert.  Shields up, Data.  Worf, ready phasers and load

    torpedo bays.  Wait for my order to fire."



        "Shields up, Captain."



        On the screen, a sparkling ball of red fire erupted

    from the nose of each battlecruiser and sped toward the

    Enterprise.  The ship rocked with each hit.



        "Shields holding at 54% efficiency.  Minor hull

    damage.  Shields rebuilding," reported Data.



        "Worf, fire phasers at their engine pods.  Disable

    them," ordered Picard..



        Worf hesitated for a moment, then stepped back from

    his station.  He stood looking straight ahead.  "I cannot,

    sir."



        "Lieutenant, I gave you a direct order," said Picard

    dangerously.



        "Captain, these are my people.  I will not fire on

    them," Worf said defiantly.



        On the screen, sizzling disruptor beams lanced out
 Page 141



    at the Enterprise.  Again the ship shook.  "Shields down to

    14%," reported Data.



        "Mister Worf, fire those phasers or get off my Bridge!"



        "I am sorry, sir.  But I will not fire."



        "Mister Worf, you are relieved from duty.  Report

    to the brig.  I'm sure you know the way."



        "Yes, Captain," said Worf sullenly as he left the

    Bridge.  Riker jumped over the railing part way up the aft

    ramp and took Worf's position at Tactical.  He immediately

    fired tight beam blasts at their attackers.  The Klingons'

    engine pods burst open amid the flash of vaporized metal,

    leaving behind the sparking arcs of fused electrical circuits.



        "The Klingons have been disabled, sir.  I read their

    power levels at 11% nominal.  They have only life support

    and limited subspace communications range," reported Data.



        "Thank you, Mister Data," said Picard.  "Damage

    report."



        "Minimal damage to forward saucer decks.  Shields at

    38% and holding.  Engineering crews are at work trying to

    increase power to the shields," stated Riker, reading the

    information off of Worf's console.
 Page 142





        "Open hailing fre--"  Picard was cut off as the

    ship rocked as a blinding light emanated from the viewscreen.

    The Enterprise pitched back and forth under the force of the

    colliding debris left from the exploding Klingon ships.



        "They must have done that deliberately.  In order to

    prevent us from capturing them," thought Riker out loud.



        "Perhaps they hoped to destroy us in the process,"

    hypothesized Data.  "They did succeed in rendering us

    defenseless.  Our shields are down."



        "You are both correct.  I sensed great fear and

    hatred from those three ships.  They were afraid of us and

    of what we might do to them should they be captured," spoke

    up Troi.



        "The Klingons used anti-Federation propaganda to

    make their people fear and loathe humans.  The Federation

    was made out to be a group of bloodthirsty monsters set on

    galactic domination.  In addition, they were trained to kill

    themselves, rather than be taken alive," informed Data.



        "That's all very well, Data, but we still have a

    mission to perform.  I have a feeling that the Federation's

    time is running out, if the information you gave me was

    correct, Number One," said Picard.
 Page 143





        "It was as correct as anything concerning Q can be,

    sir.  But the fact that Q can travel through time makes me

    nervous.  He could pop up at any time," worried Riker.



        "It's something we'll have to live with, Number One.

    Mister Crusher, resume course and speed to Vexis Corihni VI,"

    ordered Picard wearily, tired of having to repeat himself,

    tired of the interruptions, and, most of all, tired of Q.



        "Aye, sir.  Warp 5 to Vexis Corihni VI," answered

    Wesley.



        After an hour and forty-five minutes had passed,

    Wes reported, "Slowing to one-half impulse power."



        "Full range sensor sweep initiated," said Ensign

    Ferrar from Tactical.  "No sign of anything out of the

    ordinary."



        "Commander Data, launch a Class-1 probe to Vexis

    Corihni VI.  Full instrumentation.  I want as much information

    as is humanly possible to get," said Picard.



        "But, Captain, regrettably, I am not hu--"  One look

    at Picard silenced the android before he could finish his

    lament: "human."  "Probe launched, sir," he reported instead.


 Page 144



        "Ensign Ferrar, anything registering on your scans?"

    asked Riker.



        "Nothing, sir.  As far as I can tell, everything is

    as it should be," replied the tall Andorian in the sibilant

    whisper peculiar to his race.



        "Mister Crusher, assume a standard orbit.  Commander

    Riker, get a survey team together and use a shuttlecraft to

    search the planet for these creatures," said Picard.  "Just

    locate them, nothing else."



        "Aye, sir.  Data, come with me."  Tapping his combadge,

    Riker said, "Lieutenants LaForge, Rubino, and Aures, report

    to Shuttlebay 1 for a reconnaisance mission.  Riker out."



        Riker and Data left the Bridge together, planning the

    mission.  As they left, Ensign Harris arrived on the Bridge

    and slid into Data's chair, swinging the control panel into

    position in front of her.  After a few seconds, she reported

    to Picard.  "Information from the probe, sir:  Surface

    temperature sixty degrees Centigrade, wind speed ninety

    kilometers per hour, visibility five feet.  The planet is

    just like Earth in it's early history.  Numerous volcanic

    eruptions, seas of boiling mud, no lifesigns, immense

    electromagnetic storms."



        "Thank you, Ensign," acknowledged Picard.  "Maybe
 Page 145



    Commander Riker can find some of these non-existent creatures,"

    he said to himself thoughtfully.







        In Shuttle Bay 1, Riker's survey team was gathering.

    Data, of course, had come with Riker.  Lieutenant LaForge was

    waiting for them when they arrived, followed soon by Rubino

    and Aures.



        "I assume you all know what you're here for," stated

    Riker.  When no one said anything, he said, "Good, let's get

    started."



        As the five officers approached shuttlecraft 3, DaVinci,

    Lieutenant Phyllis Rubino, her black hair brushing the shoulders

    of her science uniform, asked, "Commander, if the sensor readings

    are correct, won't the electrical storms interfere with

    communications?"



        Riker looked at Data, signaling him to reply.  "Yes,

    Lieutenant, you are partially correct.  We will not be able to

    contact the Enterprise, but they will be able to contact us.

    The ship's communications equipment is much more powerful than

    any of our shuttlecrafts'."



        "In addition, we'll have to watch out for those volcanoes.

    Molten rock is shot nearly to the outer edge of the atmosphere
 Page 146



    and then falls back, superheating in the process," added Jill

    Aures.  The geophysicist was short by human standards.  She had

    a full head of jet black hair and a slim figure.



        "How dangerous are they to the shuttlecraft?" asked

    Riker.



        "On the way up, they could blast a hole through the

    hull.  On the way down, they're hot enough to melt through

    the exterior plates of the Enterprise like a laser through

    butter.  The small ones will only shake us up a bit.  I don't

    even want to think about what the large one's could do!"

    answered Geordi worriedly.



        "See that we don't find out, Geordi," said Riker.

    "You'll be our pilot, as well as using your VISOR to analyze

    the planet's atmosphere.  Data will assist you.  Rubino,

    you're our xenobiologist.  You'll be in charge of getting as

    much information as possible about these creatures, as well

    as trying to classify them.  Aures, this is our big chance

    to study a planet in its infancy.  See that we don't miss

    anything important."



        With that they boarded the DaVinci, Riker in the lead,

    and completed the pre-flight checks.  Riker signaled the Bridge,

    "Shuttle 3 ready for departure."



        Picard's voice came back "Acknowledged.  Bon voyage,
 Page 147



    Number One."



        "Thank you, sir.  DaVinci out.  Okay, Geordi, let's

    go."



        "Aye, Commander."  LaForge's hands moved over the

    control panel with grace and precision.  The shuttle slowly

    slid forward, picking up speed as the doors to Shuttle Bay 3

    parted and the warning signal sounded.  The DaVinci flew out

    of the neck of the Enterprise, between its hulking warp

    nacelles.  As the DaVinci passed, their blue light briefly

    illuminated the cockpit, glinting off Geordi's VISOR as they

    dipped down toward the planet's surface.



        "Hang on, folks.  Things get bumpy from here on in,"

    warned Geordi.  It proved to be something of an understatement,

    as the shuttlecraft lurched violently from side to side.

    "I'll try to find a more moderate climate," shouted Geordi

    through clenched teeth.



        All around them rocks leapt and fell.  Sending off

    sparks and trailing by streaks of flame, the were almost as

    bright as the lightning that burst everywhere, arcing across

    the dark sky.



        To Geordi, it appeared beautiful.  He could see the

    magnetic fields and thermal radiation of everything

    surrounding the shuttle.  It took all his effort to take in
 Page 148



    the sights around him while fighting to keep the shuttle airborn.

    Finally, after many tense minutes, the buffeting died down to a

    mild rocking.



        "Good work, Lieutenant.  Everyone alright back here?"

    Riker turned to look at Rubino and Aures.  Both were nearly as

    pale as Data, but nodded to indicate that they felt up to the

    task at hand.



        Geordi pilotted the shuttle as Data, Rubino, and Aures

    went about their tasks.  After awhile, Riker took over the

    controls from LaForge, so that he could join in the analysis.



        Suddenly, Rubino looked up.  "Commander, I think I've

    got something.  Come around to course 103 mark 330."



        The shuttle turned as it made the 30 degree dive below

    the horizontal.  A flash of lightning pierced the roiling clouds

    around them, allowing them to see the creature for the first time.



        "It resembles as Earth sea creature known as a jellyfish.

    Its tentacles absorb energy and channel it to the sac on top

    where it is converted into some form of nutrients," reported

    Rubino.



        "I don't know if you can see this, but there's more

    to that thing than just tentacles and a body/bag," cautioned

    LaForge.
 Page 149





        "What do you see, Geordi?" asked Data.



        "It looks like...I don't know exactly what it looks

    like.  It keeps changing shape and shifting up and down

    through the entire electromagnetic spectrum.  Everything except

    visible light."



        The creature drifted towards the DaVinci, as if

    curious about the strange intruder into its world.  A

    tentacle snaked out in the direction of the shuttle.  As it

    made contact with the DaVinci's outer skin, a brilliant flare

    of lightning struck the port engine nacelle.  A blinding

    flash lit up the inside of the shuttle, and the creature

    recoiled and fled in pain.  Inside alarms sounded and consoles

    sparked and sputtered.  Everyone except Geordi and Data had

    their hands tightly clasped over their eyes, moaning in pain.



        "Can anyone see?" Riker managed to gasp, voice weak

    with pain.



        "I can, Commander," answered Geordi.  "My VISOR

    protected me from the flare."



        "What about you, Data?"



        "Regrettably, my optic sensors were damaged in much

    the same way as yours.  My vision will return eventually, due
 Page 150



    to my self-repair functions, sir."



        "Geordi, can you get us back to the ship?"



        "I'll try, Commander.  The port nacelle took quite

    a hit.  No guarantees," answered the Chief Engineer, with

    unaccustomed pessimism.  The old saying about the blind

    leading the blind crossed his mind, but he didn't speak it.



        Slowly, ponderously, the shuttle spun on its

    horizontal axis.  It limped in the general direction of space,

    struggling to gain altitude and at the same time avoid the

    omnipresent showers and fountains of molten rock.  Just as

    it seemed they were safe, a rock the size of a man's fist

    rocketted upwards, through the port nacelle, sending the

    shuttle into a violent end over end tumble.  As Geordi's

    hands moved rapidly over his control board, trying to

    reestablish control of the shuttle, Aures screamed in alarm

    as her station exploded in a shower of sparks and plastic

    shrapnel.  Rubino and Riker felt their way over to her.

    Aures was unconscious and Rubino's hands encountered a warm,

    sticky wetness wherever she touched Aures.  Still unable to

    see, Riker felt his way down Aures' arm until he found her

    wrist.  He desperately felt for a pulse.  It was there, though

    barely perceptible.  Her breathing was so shallow as to be

    nearly unnoticeable.



        "LaForge!" Riker shouted through the acrid smoke that
 Page 151



    was rapidly filling the cabin.  "Get us back to the ship now!

    Aures is dying!"



        "I'm trying, sir, but we only have one functioning

    engine and everything that's not destroyed is barely

    functional."



        "Are the shields still up?" asked Data.



        "Shields 1, 2, and 4 are at 53%, 3 and 5 are down.

    Shield 6, in the rear, is at 89%.  Why?"  A look of puzzlement

    settled onto Geordi's face.



        "At what distance would an 89% effective deflector

    screen absorb and reflect the force of a small matter/anti-

    matter explosion?" inquired the android.



        "That depends on the size of the explosion.  If we

    detonate one of our engines..."  A look of understanding lit

    up LaForge's face.  "Yes, Data!  Of course!  If we jettison

    our port nacelle and drop it's containment field, we can bounce

    the force of the explosion off our aft deflector and launch

    ourselves out of here.  Brilliant!"



        Geordi set to work on the necessary calculations and

    then told Data, "If we channel all power to the aft deflector,

    we can survive the nacelle's explosion at a range of 3.738

    kilometers.  If it hits us squarely, that is."
 Page 152





        "What happens if we're too close or it doesn't hit

    us squarely?" Rubino asked anxiously.



        "You remember the story of Icarus?"



        "Yes, he flew too close to the sun and his wings of

    wax melted.  He --" she broke off dejectedly, face paling.



        "He fell to Earth.  That's us if this doesn't work,"

    finished Geordi.  "I've programmed the computer to drop the

    nacelle's containment field at .4 kilometers just in case.

    Before we get started, anyone who doesn't want to do this, I

    suggest you get off now."  No one moved or spoke.  "Here

    goes.  Ejecting port-side engine nacelle."  The shuttlecraft's

    tumble shifted slightly as its weight became uneven.  Geordi

    channeled all power except minimal life support to the aft

    shield.  Aures was strapped into a chair by Riker and Rubino

    before they belted themselves in.  Geordi made sure both he

    and Data were buckled in as he read off the nacelle's distance

    from the drifting shuttle.  "100 meters, 200 meters, 300

    meters, 350 meters, 390 meters, brace yourselves!  Four hun--"

    His words were knocked out of him by the force of the

    explosion.  Everyone was pressed back into their seats as they

    accelerated.  The last thing Geordi remembered seeing before

    he passed out was the Enterprise shining in the sky.  Then

    darkness closed in.


 Page 153






        "Captain!" shouted Maggie Harris.  "Sensors detect

    something approaching at Warp 1.2.  It's Commander Riker's

    shuttle and its heading straight for the lower surface of

    our saucer."



 Page 154




            Chapter 10


        "What the hell!  They can't go that fast.  Their

    shuttle was designed for impulse speeds only," pondered

    Picard.  "Ensign Ferrar, lock on tractor beam.  Grab them

    before they put a hole in my ship!"



        "Tractor beam locked on, sir.  The shuttle is

    slowing down," answered Ferrar.  "It's being pushed toward

    the outer edge of the saucer."



        "Speed down to Warp 1 and decreasing," reported

    Harris.



        "They're too close," warned Wesley.



        "A few more seconds and they'll be clear of the

    saucer, Captain," said Ferrar.



        "I hope so, Ensign.  Open hailing frequencies to

    the shuttle," ordered Picard.



        "Frequencies open."



        "Picard to shuttle.  What the hell is going on,

    Commander Riker?"  A pause.  "Riker, are you there?  Will,

    answer me!"  No response.


 Page 155



        "Ensign Harris, life readings on the shuttle."



        "I read four humans, one android.  The humans are

    all unconscious," she answered.



        "Speed and range of the shuttlecraft," asked Picard.



        ".05 impulse and closing from 500 meters," answered

    Wesley.



        "Sir, the shuttle has passed out of tractor beam range.

    The lower engineering hull is in the way," reported Ferrar

    anxiously.



        A slight jarring rang through the hull.  A red alert

    sounded as the computer calmly reported "Warning.  Hull breach

    on level 14.  Loss of atmosphere.  Isolating effected areas."

    At one of the rear science stations, a diagram of the Enterprise

    appeared, the damaged areas flashing a brilliant orange.



        Picard tapped his combadge.  "Damage control and

    repair teams to deck 14.  Chief O'Brien, beam all five shuttle

    occupants directly to Sickbay.  Doctor Pulaski, prepare for

    incoming wounded."






        In Sickbay, five shapes sparkled and materialized

 Page 156


    into Riker, Rubino, Data, LaForge, and Aures.  Pulaski and

    her staff went to work immediately.





        "Damage report, Mister Ferrar," said Picard.



        "Five compartments were opened to space, as well as

    many bulkheads being damaged.  There were no casualties."



        "Begin repairs immediately.  Picard to Sickbay.

    Doctor Pulaski, what is the condition of the survey team?"



        "Everyone is suffering from mild exposure to space.

    Commanders Riker and Data and Lieutenant Rubino are suffering

    from temporary blindness.  Lieutenant Aures caught the brunt of

    an exploding console.  She seems to have shielded the others

    from the blast.  She's lost a lot of blood and is chock full

    of plastic shards, but has a good chance of pulling through."



        "May I speak to Data, please, Doctor?"



        "Of course, Captain," Pulaski acquiesced.



        "Data here, sir.  What do you require?"



        "Please tell me what happened down there," said

    Picard.



 Page 157


        Data related their experiences in a condensed form.

    When he had finished, Picard asked, "How long until you'll

    be fully functional?"



        "My optical sensors are currently functioning at 38%

    efficiency.  I estimate one hour until I can safely return to

    duty."



        "While you're waiting, formulate a plan to capture

    one of these creatures with the tractor beam, keeping in mind

    the interference generated by the planet's atmosphere," said

    Picard.



        "Yes, sir.  Data out."  The channel to Sickbay closed.



        "Captain, sensors register a large object rising

    towards us from the planet," reported Ferrar.



        "Shields up.  Ensign Harris, analysis."



        "The entity is unscannable, sir.  It absorbs any

    sensor beams directed at it.  Range ten kilometers and closing,"

    she said.



        "Ensign Ferrar, lock on with a tractor beam as soon as

    the creature comes into range," ordered Picard.



        "Tractor lock established."

 Page 158




        "Sir, we're being pulled toward the creature and

    power to the tractor beam has increased," reported Wesley.



        "It's eating the tractor beam; forcing it to use

    more power," said Picard in wonder.  Then, remembering the

    situation, he ordered "Disengage tractor beam."



        "Sir, I sense intense curiosity and great longing,"

    spoke up Troi.



        "It's probably never encountered a starship before,

    and certainly nothing as powerful as the Enterprise," said

    Picard.



        "To a creature such as this, we represent a pure food

    source.  It must sense our great power and see it as a constant

    supply of nutrients," Troi analyzed.



        "No one treats me as lunch if I can help it," stated

    Picard emphatically.  "Mister Data, I trust you've been

    monitoring our situation on the Bridge."



        "Affirmative, Captain, but I require additional

    information in order to complete my plan."



        "You'll certainly get your additional data,

    Commander.  I intend to use all our resources against this

 Page 159


    thing to ensure we survive this misson.  Picard out."



        "Power drain on the forward shields," reported Harris.

    "Down eight percent."



        "Picard to Engineering."



        "Gomez here," came back Lieutenant Sonya Gomez's

    husky voice.



        "We have a power drain on the forward shields.  An

    alien being is siphoning off our power.  Is there anything

    you can do down there to limit the power drain?"



        "Nothing I can suggest offhand, other than shutting

    everything down, sir.  If there's no power, that creature

    won't have anything to absorb," she answered.



        "Captain, if we shut down everything except 10-Forward,

    the creature would be drawn to that," suggested Wesley.



        "Your point, Ensign," prompted Picard irritably.

    Annoyed that things were not going as planned.



        "If we then brought up shields and hit it with phasers,

    photon torpedos, sensor scans, and the tractor beam maybe we

    could knock it out, or at least keep it from stealing any more

    of our power."

 Page 160




        "Like when a human overeats," came Gomez's voice from

    the Bridge speaker.



        "Make it so," said Picard.



        "Aye, Captain.  Blocking power feeds to all ship areas

    except 10-Forward," reported Gomez.



        The Bridge stations' consoles went dark one by one.

    Finally, the viewscreen faded to black and the Bridge lights

    went out, only to be replaced after a brief delay by the red

    emergency lights.



        In Sickbay, Pulaski looked around franticly as Aures'

    life monitors winked out.  The hum of the stasis field which

    had been surrounding her open chest cavity faded and disappeared.

    As she was enveloped in near darkness, Pulaski tapped her

    combadge.  "Pulaski to Bridge.  What's going on up there?"



        Picard answered her call and told her what was

    happening.



        "I don't care, Captain!  I need power down here.  Aures

    has massive internal injuries that require immediate attention."



        "I sympathize with you, Doctor, but I must weigh the

    safety of the entire ship against the life of one crewman.

 Page 161


    Power will be restored momentarily.  Bridge out."



        'Damn that man,' she thought to herself, 'I'm just

    trying to do my job.'



        While this was happening, the Sickbay staff had been

    scrambling around Aures' diagnostic bed under the direction

    of the Vulcan doctor, Selar.  They set up portable stasis

    field generators and were running medical scanners up and down

    the comatose geophysicist.  As the stasis field came back up

    the medical scanners began to report life readings.  They were

    dangerously low, even nearer death than before.



        Pulaski came back to the bed.  She didn't like what

    she saw.  "Okay, Selar, prepare to operate.  We'll need

    to replace her heart and probably her lungs as well.  We

    haven't got time to match the replacements to her physiology

    so we'll use full prosthetics."



        The Vulcan turned to her with a subdued look of

    alarm.  "Doctor, is that wise under these conditions?"



        "I don't like these conditions any better than you,

    but we don't have much choice.  Aures has the same chances of

    dying, one way or the other.  Let's get to work."





        On the Bridge, things were going according to plan.

 Page 162


    Since the viewscreen was unpowered, Wesley had gone down to

    10-Forward to report the range of the creature.  Data, his

    vision nearly returned to normal,  was sitting in Riker's

    chair.  As none of the Bridge stations worked now, everyone

    was sitting back, tensely listening to Wesley's periodic

    reports.  "The creature's just coming into range now."



        "Ensign Ferrar, fire phasers, photon torpedos, and

    lock on with a tractor beam.  Ensign Harris, full sensor

    scan of the creature.  Raise shields."



        As Picard finished speaking, blue power lanced out

    from the Enterprise as the phasers hit and a tractor lock

    was established.  The whoosh of photon torpedos leaving their

    tubes could be heard on the Bridge.  When Ferrar had fired

    all available torpedos, he restored power to the viewscreen

    so that the Bridge crew could see what was transpiring.

    White light washed over the faces of the Bridge crew as the

    photon torpedos detonated, causing them to look ghostly in the

    subdued light.



        After several additional phaser beam followed the

    initial volley, the creature began to expand.  It's glow

    increased to a painful incandescence, accompanied by a high

    pitched whining that forced itself over the Bridge speakers.



        "Shut that off, Ensign!" shouted Picard as the entire

    Bridge crew, excluding Data, covered their ears.

 Page 163




        "I can't, sir.  This isn't coming over subspace

    radio or any intraship channels.  This is a real-time

    transmission from the alien."



        On the screen, the alien had stopped expanding and

    its tentacles were slowly being drawn against its underside.

    It was no longer moving, just drifting under its former

    momentum.



        "Troi, can you sense anything from it?  Is it dead?"

    asked Picard.



        "No, not dead.  It appears to have gone into

    hibernation.  It will remain in this state until threatened

    or it burns off all the energy it has just consumed," she

    replied.



        "Picard to Engineering.  Who's in charge down there?"



        "Scott here, Captain.  How did yer plan work?" came

    back the heavily accented voice.



        "All went as planned.  You can return power to the

    rest of the ship,"  replied Picard.  "And Scotty, I'm glad

    you're our Chief Engineer.  Otherwise, we might not have made

    it."



 Page 164


        "Och, 'twas nothing, sir.  Just doin' me job.  Scott

    out."



        The channel to Engineering closed.












 Page 165




            Chapter 11


        The cubic ship floated through space, slowly

    rotating.  The damage had been repaired and the light

    at its center pulsed blue-green.  Having no other purpose,

    it had continued on its course even after the inferior

    ship had vanished.  Trying to catch it, perhaps.  Even

    the cubic ships occupants didn't know for sure.  Connected

    together via subspace net as they were, they were presently

    trying to figure out how a ship of inferior design crewed

    by an inferior species could suddenly exceed all measure

    of velocities.  It had certainly gone faster than its

    engines were designed for.



        The current thread of contemplation across the

    subspace net was why the ship had allowed itself to be

    damaged, almost destroyed before escaping.  Was it to

    analyze the cubic ships capabilities, or was this species so

    superior that they can afford to play games with their lives.



        "Energy reading on course 115.54,320.41," echoed

    across the interior of the ship.  After a due nanosecond of

    consideration, the ship changed course.



        "Reading similar to last scan of Enterprise Warp

    envelope," came the eerie mechanical voice.



        As a red, gridlike forcefield surrounded the cube,
 Page 166



    a face appeared on the screen.  "I can take you to the

    Federation starship Enterprise," said the face without

    preamble.  "I was responsible for bringing them here in

    the first place.  Allow me to help you and I'll take you

    to a place where there are many lifeforms you can convert

    as well as technology you can absorb."



        "Identify yourself," they echoed in unison, after

    probing the forcefield for weakness and finding none.  Even

    they could not escape.



        "I am from the Q Continuum.  To me, you are

    insignificant.  You cannot escape.  Follow me or be

    destroyed."



        Never having been faced with their destruction

    before, the semi-organic beings on the cube echoed back

    "We accept your offer, you of the Q Continuum."



        "Not you, Q.  Oh well, never mind.  Prepare for

    time travel."  Q was gone, followed moments later by the

    disappearance of the cube.



        The Borg were again hunting the Enterprise.







        "Geordi, are you alright?"
 Page 167





        At the sound of the strange, but familiar voice

    Geordi opened his eyes.  Still unable to see, he felt to

    both sides of himself for his VISOR.



        "Here," said the voice again and Geordi could feel

    someone press the VISOR into his left hand.  He put it on

    and immediately wished he hadn't.  His head began to throb

    even more painfully than it had been for the past several

    seconds since waking.  After a great deal of concentration

    to tune out most of the extraneous information he turned to

    who he assumed was a doctor.



        "Where am I and who are you?" he questioned shakily.



        "You're in Sickbay on the Enterprise, Lieutenant.

    I'm not surprised you're having trouble remembering.  The way

    I hear it, you had a nasty fall out of a Jeffries tube.

    Something about an explosion in Engineering..." broke off the

    gruff voice as someone else, also familiar entered Sickbay.



        "How is he, Bones?  When will I get my Chief Engineer

    back?"  asked the newcomer.



        "How the hell should I know?  I'm a Doctor, not a

    prophet!  Lietenant LaForge here took a nasty fall and hit

    his head.  He's having difficulty remembering."  Then,

    looking thoughtful for a moment and examining the readouts
 Page 168



    on the diagnostic panel on the wall, "I'd say about 24 hours.

    IF he can get some rest.  You know.  No performing minor

    miracles for a day, doctor's orders."



        "Good enough, Doctor."  And to Geordi, "I'll check

    in on you later, okay Geordi?"



        "Fine.  Maybe I'll remember something by then,"

    LaForge said as he lay back on the diagnostic bed and closed

    his eyes.



        Both Kirk and McCoy left him to rest and entered McCoy's

    office.



        As the door closed behind them, Kirk asked anxiously,

    "What's really wrong with him, Bones?  A little fall like that

    shouldn't have put him in Sickbay."



        "I don't know, Jim.  This just doesn't feel right.

    I mean, ever since the two of us and Spock beamed aboard that

    other ship, something has just been out of synch," answered

    McCoy, taking a seat behind his desk.  He leaned back tiredly.



        "What do you mean: 'that other ship?'  We haven't

    been on another ship for at least two months.  I think you

    need a break, Bones.  You've been working too hard," said

    Kirk with concern.


 Page 169



        "Touche, Jim?  That sounds awfully like what I tell

    you all the time.  But I can't believe you don't remember

    the Houdini.  Your physical yesterday showed no mental

    abberations, other than a death wish," McCoy responded

    sarcastically.  "Are you sure you don't remember the Houdini?"



        "Positive, Bones.  Maybe you should talk to Spock,

    see what he has to say."



        "Thanks, Jim, I'll do that,"  said McCoy as Kirk got

    up to leave.  He called Spock on the Bridge, but he knew

    nothing of any Houdini except for 'a minor conjuror of little

    note from Earth's early 20th century.'



        McCoy began to doubt his own sanity when both the

    computer and Captain's Logs showed nothing of the Houdini.

    In fact, all they listed were routine patrol missions along

    the Federation-Klingon border.



        McCoy poured himself a large glass of Saurian

    brandy and vowed to find out what was going on.






        "Captain, who was that?"  Data had turned in his chair

    to stare inquiringly at Picard.



        "That was Chief Engineer Scott, Commander.  Who did

 Page 170


    you think it was," answered the Captain.



        Data considered for a moment, his gaze seeming to turn

    inward as he searched his internal memory banks.  "I know of

    no one calling themselves Scott who is also a Chief Engineer

    currently serving in Starfleet.  I thought that Geordi

    LaForge would be in Engineering, as he has always been."



        "Who?" asked Riker, entering the Bridge from the

    Turbolift.  "Computer...search records for any mention of a

    'Geordi LaForge' serving on this ship at any time."



        The computer beeped in acknowledgement and after a

    few seconds, its female voice answered: "No record of any

    person by the name of 'Geordi LaForge' known to have served

    on the Enterprise at any time."



        "Check for any reference to a 'Geordi LaForge'

    anywhere in the Enterprise memory banks," ordered Picard.



        Another pause, longer this time, as the computer

    sifted through every piece of information in its possession,

    working backwards from the most recent records.  "There is

    record of someone named 'Geordi LaForge.'  He served aboard

    the original Enterprise, NCC-1701, from stardate 1510.3 to

    stardate 8130.3 when it was destroyed.  He is listed as the

    ship's Chief Engineer."



 Page 171


        "Thank you, Computer," acknowledged Picard.  "There,

    you see Mister Data, I think that the stress of this situation

    has been too much for you.  Some of your positronic pathways

    may have been fused together so that you're confusing events

    from this time with events from our time."



        "Impossible, sir.  My brain is protected from surges

    of the magnitude required to cause the damage you suggest,"

    responded the android calmly.



        "Still, at least report to Sickbay and have Doctor

    Pulaski examine you," said Riker.



        "Aye, sir, but may I first stop in to see Worf in

    the Brig?" inquired Data.



        "Of course, Data.  Just be sure you have yourself

    checked out," said Picard.



        As Data left the Bridge, everyone left exchanged

    worried glances.  To think that someone with such strength,

    such knowledge, had for all intents and purposes lost their

    mind...The fact that Data was a construct made it no easier

    to accept.






        As Data entered the Brig, he noticed that the force

    field covering the doorway to Worf's cell was not in place.
 Page 172



    Yet Worf still sat in the cell.  He looked up upon Data's

    entrance.



        "What happened, sir?" he grumbled.



        "We have captured one of the creatures, mostly

    through the good work of Chief Engineer Scott.  The Captain

    is preparing to return to our own time with it," replied Data.



        "Who did you say?  What happened to Geordi?" asked

    Worf.  Data could see his curiosity straining alongside his

    concern for his friend.



        "You mean you never heard of anyone named 'Scott'

    serving aboard the Enterprise, either.  The Captain says

    that no one named Geordi LaForge has ever served on this

    ship."



        "We must DO something.  Geordi may be in danger.

    What does the computer say about Geordi?" queried the Klingon.



        "Computer records show a Geordi LaForge serving aboard

    the original Enterprise in this time period.  It is my belief

    that Q somehow caused Geordi and Scott to change places,

    modifying all computer records and people's memories.  I was

    not affected for some reason.  You were not either.  Perhaps

    it was Q's disdain for your race, or some peculiar physiological

    trait of the Klingons."
 Page 173





        "It does not matter 'why.'  What we must do is

    recover Geordi and return Scott to his proper place,"

    rumbled the warrior.



        "Do you have any plans for doing this, Lieutenant?"

    asked the android.



        "If we separated the Stardrive section and followed

    the other Enterprise, the saucer would have to follow us.

    Perhaps, when everyone is back in their proper place, every

    thing will return to normal," said Worf.



        "An interesting theory, but how could we get everyone

    except Scott out of the Stardrive section long enough for us

    to separate?"



        "Leave that to me," said the Klingon, coming as close

    to smiling as he ever had.  "You secure the Battle Bridge.

    I will signal you when I am ready to separate the saucer."



        "Agreed."  Worf and Data walked side-by-side to the

    Brig doors and then parted company, each going their own way.





        Data had gone to Sickbay, per the Captain's orders,

    but Pulaski had been unable to find anything physically

    wrong with the android.  She reported her findings, such as
 Page 174



    they were to the Captain.  Data had been on his way to the

    Battle Bridge on Deck 8 when Picard paged him.



        "You are hereby removed from duty until some solution

    to your problem presents itself" was all Picard had said.

    Data wondered if whoever or whatever had changed everyone's

    memories hadn't also put everyone's personalities ever so

    slightly off-kilter as well.



        By now, Data had entered the Battle Bridge and set

    about all possible preperations for saucer separation that

    wouldn't be readily detected on the Main Bridge.  All he

    had to do now was sit back and wait for Worf's signal.  Data

    sat in the command chair, with a slightly less than straight

    posture, his form of physical relaxation.






        Fortunately for Worf, it was near the middle of the

    night shift when he entered Engineering.  He waited until

    there was no one in sight, then he stealthily crept over to

    the main engineering console.  He punched in his special

    security codes in order to gain access to the collection

    of disaster simulations that were normally used to train

    his security force on the Holodeck.



        "Computer, run program 'Security8Alpha'," he whispered,

    just loud enough for the computer's audio pickup to hear.

 Page 175




        "Proper clearance provided.  Running program

    'Security8Alpha'," responded the computer, much too loudly

    for Worf's liking.






        On the Bridge, Wesley turned anxiously to Picard

    as the Red Alert klaxons went off yet again.  "Captain, the

    magnetic containment fields around the ship's matter/anti-

    matter core have begun to dissipate.  Approximately 45 seconds

    until uncontrolled matter/anti-matter collision."



        "Thank you, Ensign.  Picard to Engineering, is there

    any chance of you getting the problem under control?"



        "Scott here, Cap'n.  There IS no problem...well,

    at least no' a one I kin find, sir.  I recommend entering

    Warp and separating the saucer.  That way, if she does blow,

    most o' ye'll not be in any danger," reported the Chief

    Engineer.



        "Prepare for emergency saucer separation.  All hands

    to emergency stations," ordered Picard.  "Ensign, how long?"



        "Twenty seconds, Captain."



        "Warp 8, Ensign.  Any heading.  Engage!" shouted

    Picard.
 Page 176





        Wesley hurriedly punched in a course that would take

    the Enterprise into deep space, away from any possibly

    inhabited planets.



        "Moving to course 90 mark 136.  Speed currently Warp

    4 and increasing.  Fifteen seconds to detonation," said the

    Ensign, somehow finding enough self-control to remain calm.



        "Seperate saucer...NOW!" ordered Picard.



        On the Bridge viewscreen, the saucer appeared to lift

    up and away as the larger, faster Stardrive section shot out

    from under them.  Wesley counted down the time to detonation.



        "12 seconds...10...9...8...7...6...5 seconds...4...3

    ...2...1...detonation!"



        Everyone present covered their eyes in preparation

    for the blinding flash they knew would soon follow.  It never

    did.



        "Captain, I don't understand," began Troi.



        "The Stardrive section never was in any danger,

    fools."



        "Q, what do you have to do with this," asked Picard,
 Page 177



    rather more loudly than he would have liked.



        "Tut, tut, Jean-Luc.  I had nothing to do with the

    false alarm on the Stardrive section.  You owe that to

    Microbrain and the Incredible Toaster Man."  The voice

    came out of nowhere, Q not deigning himself to become solid.



        "Worf and Data?  Impossible," said Picard.

    "Computer, location of Lieutenant Worf and Commander Data."



        "Lieutenant Worf and Commander Data are not on the

    saucer at this time.  Last known positions were in Main

    Engineering and the Battle Bridge, respectively," answered

    the feminine voice.



        "You see, Jean-Luc.  If I was one to say 'I told you

    so'," he trailed off.



        "But you are, Q," muttered Riker, irritated with the

    whole situation.



        "Quite right, William.  Quite right.  So I'll say it.

    I told you so.  There much, much better," said Q smugly.



        "Get out of here, Q.  Unless you're going to help us."



        "An ultimatum, Picard.  So unbecoming.  I'm not going

    to help you.  Not yet, anyway.  There's nothing in it for me.
 Page 178



    Bye now."



        Since Q was not visible, there was no indication that

    he had left, other than a slight whoosh of air and the sound

    like someone snapping there fingers.



        "Ensign," said Picard.  "Trail the saucer at maximum

    impulse power.  I want to know what's going on."



        "But we'll never catch them," protested Wesley.



        "Just do it, Ensign!" Picard glowered at the boy.



        Meekly, Wesley obeyed.






        Worf entered the Battle Bridge, carrying an unconscious

    Montgomery Scott over his shoulder.  Data looked up as he

    entered.



        "Were you successful, Lieutenant?" asked the android.



        "Yes.  People began evacuating the Stardrive section

    as soon as I implemented my simulation.  Only Scott and a few

    others were present.  Everyone except us has been rendered

    unconscious by my phaser set on stun."



 Page 179


        "Good.  I have laid in a course that will parallel

    that of the original Enterprise's back to Earth.  We should

    catch up with them within the next forty-eight hours."






        On the saucer section, Pulaski was furious.  It seemed

    that whenever she really needed the ship to hold steady so

    that she could work on a patient, was the time that the Bridge

    Crew decided to run the ship as rough as possible.  The power

    drain, momentary though it was, when the ship separated,

    almost proved deadly to Aures.  The operation had been at a

    critical stage when the ship separated and Pulaski had almost

    lost her.  She wasted no time bringing this to the attention

    of the Bridge Crew.  Picard said, however, that if Aures was

    still alive to stop worrying about it and get back to work.

    This only made Pulaski madder.



         She was now in the process of removing the stasis

    field from Aures' body.  Most bodily functions had returned

    to normal, the only major problem being the heart, which

    beat almost tentatively in her chest.  Pulaski's prognosis

    was that she'd almost fully recover, if she ever regained

    consciousness.



        "Selar," she said, removing the last stasis field.

    "Watch her.  I'm going up to the Bridge to find out exactly

    what's going on.  I'll be back shortly."


 Page 180



        "Of course, Doctor," the Vulcan said to Pulaski's

    back as the physician left Sickbay.  'Humans,' Selar thought

    to herself.  'Sometimes I don't understand their desire to

    become involved in thing they can't change.'  The Vulcan

    continued on about her work, occasionally glancing up at

    Aures' readouts.






        "Alright, Captain," said Pulaski, stepping out of

    the Turbolift onto the Bridge.  "What's so important that

    you feel you must constantly endanger the safety of my

    patients?"



        It had taken her only a few seconds to realize that

    Picard was not at his customary place in the center of the

    Bridge activity, but that didn't stop her from asking the

    question.



        "He's in the Ready Room.  He doesn't want to be

    disturbed," answered Riker, turning in his seat to face her.



        "Well, that's too damn bad, because I'm going to

    disturb him," Pulaski said resolutely as she headed for the

    Ready Room door.



        The door chimed, but Picard just ignored it.  It

    chimed a few more times, but he didn't look up, concentrating

 Page 181


    on the information on his desk computer terminal.



        Finally, exasperated, Pulaski told the computer:

    "Emergency medical overide.  Authorization: Pulaski-Alpha."

    The door slid open immediately.



        "What the hell--," Picard started, but Pulaski cut

    him off.



        "Captain, what is going on up here?  I've got a lot

    of injured people in Sickbay, three of them critical.  Why

    do you keep knocking the ship around, cutting power to

    Sickbay, and otherwise trying to kill us?"



        "Please, Doctor.  This doesn't concern you," he

    answered.



        "Yes it does!  I'm the one who has to put everyone

    back together again," Pulaski said.



        "Very well.  Data and Worf are missing.  They took

    control of the Stardrive section after simulating a Warp

    core breech.  They took Scotty with them."



        "Who?" Pulaski asked.



        "Not you, too, Doctor," said Picard resignedly.



 Page 182


        "Data told me that he didn't know this Scotty, either.

    At the time, it seemed that he was wrong.  Now, though, I have

    no memory at all of this Scotty.  What happened to Geordi?"



        "I don't know what you're talking about, Doctor.

    Data was ranting about this Geordi, also.  Give yourself a

    psych exam.  Compare your brainwave profile now with the one

    on record.  Let's see if we can't get to the bottom of this."

    Picard turned back to his terminal screen, signaling that

    this meeting was at an end.



        Pulaski left, her mood hardly having improved since

    finding out the reason for the problems in Sickbay.






        On the rotating viewscreen, a white ship was just

    becoming visible.  It was traveling at Warp 1.  Slowly, its

    image increased in size.



        "Analysis of structure and registry indicate that

    this is the Enterprise," the mechanical voice echoed.



        "Error!  This ship is extremely primitive compared

    to the Enterprise," another voice echoed back.



        "Confirm that this is the Enterprise," echoed yet

    another voice.


 Page 183



        "Initiating individual Borg sub-processes," echoed

    the first voice.



        Slowly, the Borg stepped from their cubicles, full

    powered, with only one thought on their group mind.  The

    capture of the Enterprise.

 Page 184



            CHAPTER 12



        "How long until we rendezvous with the Enterprise?"

    rumbled Worf, from the chair beside Data.



        Data turned to him, looking away from the viewscreen

    for the first time in what Worf judged to be hours.  "I

    estimate, assuming they remained on their last known course

    and speed, that we will overtake them in 1.342 hours."  Data

    turned back to the screen, assuming their conversation over.



        Worf merely grunted, thinking how easy it would be to

    just draw his phaser and incapacitate the android.  The way

    would then be open to warn the Klingon Council of the attack

    on Khitomer.  To do so would, of course, impugn his honor as

    a warrior, but Worf felt it would nearly be worth it.  Instead

    of drawing his phaser, Worf turned back to Data and asked,

    "Is there any sign of the Saucer Section?"



        Data turned again from the Ops console and said,

    "They began to pursue us as soon as they realized out

    deception.  Their progress is hampered by the fact that they

    are towing the energy creature behind them.  We will have

    sufficient time to rescue Geordi before they can catch up."



        Worf decided, rather than prolong the conversation,

    to busy himself analyzing the warp engine traces left by the

    Enterprise.  It was these miniscule bits of matter/antimatter
 Page 185



    and microscopic dilithium shards that allowed them to be

    reasonably certain of the Enterprise's path.  As long as these

    short-lived clues were present, their lifetime measured in

    hours, they knew they were on the right track.



        In the corner Scott, who had been feigning

    unconsciousness for the last several minutes, began to stir.

    He knew that his chances against an android and a Klingon

    were slim at best.  But if he could only activate a

    communications beam without their knowledge...



        Slowly, Scott moved toward the communications panel.

    He took care not to make any sound whatsoever which might

    alert the android's sensitive hearing.  As he was about to

    press the Emergency Beacon control/cell on the comm board,

    Data turned around.



        "Ah, I am glad to see that you are awake, Engineer.

    You will be glad to know that you are being returned to your

    rightful place on the correct Enterprise."



        "Ah'll be wontin' none o' that.  My rightful place

    is servin' Cap'n Picard.  I don' know if he approves o' this,

    but I'll wager he doesn't.  Now turn this ship around or I'll

    alert every vessel wi' in range and ye'll probably be kicked

    out o' Starfleet," said Scotty bravely.  He was trying to

    bluff the android, as he knew Riker could from their many

    poker/drinking sessions.
 Page 186





        "You have no hold over us," said Worf, drawing his

    phaser and advancing on Scott.  He made sure that the

    Engineer saw him raise the setting on his phaser from light

    stun, up through heavy stun, and finally to kill.  Knowing

    that such a situation was possible, but not expecting it,

    Worf had nonetheless activate the Bridge safeguards that

    would not allow a phaser blast greater than heavy stun.  He

    hoped that Scott did not know this.



        Scott slowly backed away, toward the Turbolift.

    "Worf, me friend.  What d'you mean, holdin' me at phaser

    point?  Wha' have I done to deserve treatment like this from

    me two closest friends in th' universe?"



        By this time, Scotty was on the threshold of the

    Turbolift.  He dove inside before the doors had completely

    opened and shouted "Emergency close!"  The doors obediently

    snapped shut.  "Main Engineering, please, and hurry!"



        "All Turbolifts move at a constant speed" was all

    the Turbolift said by way of reply as it started its journey

    through the great starship.






        Back on the Battle Bridge, Worf was trying to open

    the doors to the Turbolift shift, without much success.  Data

 Page 187


    motioned him out of the way and easily slid the doors apart.

    Worf rushed forward, expecting a Turbolift car to be waiting.



        "Worf!" Data exclaimed as he grabbed the Klingons thick

    gold sash, the only thing keeping Worf from plunging to the

    bottom of the Turbolift shaft, some thirty decks below.



        After being returned to solid ground, Worf turned

    thankfully to Data and started to thank him before he realized

    that neither he nor the android expected or required such

    sentiments.  Instead, Worf went to the far wall of the Bridge,

    saying as he went, "He has shut down all Turbolift activity.

    We must climb down to Main Engineering.  He will soon

    activate the self-destruct mechanism."



        As Worf opened a recessed hatch revealing a narrow

    ladder, Data asked "How do you know he will activate the self-

    destruct mechanism?"



        "Because, it is what I would do in a similar situation."



        Worf started down the ladder, followed by Data.

    Unbeknownst to either of them, the security console had

    begun to register three lifesigns and one android aboard.

    Seconds later, another reading appeared, then another.  Soon,

    there were close to twenty lifeforms present aboard the

    Enterprise.  They were all moving to join the one life-reading

    located in Main Engineering.

 Page 188







        "Captain, sensors are picking up a ship approaching

    from behind us.  Their readings are like nothing I've seen

    before."  Spock's face was bathed in the blue/green light

    from the Science Station viewer.



        "Isn't that what you said about the Houdini, Spock?"

    asked McCoy.



        Spock gave McCoy a puzzled look.  "Doctor, if you

    persist in these childish delusions about a mystery ship

    which no one, including the computer, can remember, you will

    be declared unfit for duty."



        "That's enough, you two.  If Bones thinks he saw a

    ship, then he saw a ship."  Kirk tried to ease the tension

    on the Bridge.  "Mister Sulu, slow to Impulse power.  Uhura,

    hail that ship on all frequencies."



        McCoy looked hard at Kirk.  "Don't patronize me, Jim.

    I know what I saw."  Kirk didn't hear McCoy storm off the Bridge.

    He was too engrossed in the image on the viewscreen.  A gigantic

    ship, cubic in shape, slowly rotated as it followed them.

    Its surface was covered with a lattice work of pipes and

    conduits.



        "No response to our hails, Captain," reported Uhura.
 Page 189



    She turned back to her console, in order to keep trying, when

    a face appeared on the viewscreen.  It had a pale-white,

    deathly pallor to it.  The visible part of it, that is,

    because most of it was covered be glossy black implants and

    wiring.  One eye was gone, replaced by a camera-like appliance.

    What could be seen of the body looked to be covered by coal-

    black battle armor.



        The face spoke, and yet didn't speak.  The 'voice'

    seemed to be coming from all points on the alien ship.



        "Federation Starship Enterprise, prepare to be

    boarded.  All technology and personnel will be absorbed into

    the Borg."



        "Who, or what, are the Borg?" asked Kirk.



        "We are the Borg."



        "Fascinating.  A race of techno/biological beings."

    Spock had turned from his Science Station to stand next to

    Kirk.  The faint whirring of the automatic sensors could be

    heard from deep within it.



        "Where do you come from?  What do you want?"  Kirk

    hoped he could stall long enough to come up with a plan.



        "Many of your years ago, we evolved at the outer
 Page 190



    edge of this galaxy.  We were created.  Our creators were

    absorbed and we continue to absorb and evolve.  During

    a great catastrophe, many of the Borg were destroyed.

    Those remaining were left without purpose...Until the coming

    of Khan."



        Kirk was nearly speechless.  He managed to croak out

    "Khan?  As in Khan Noonian Singh?"



        "The Khan came to us badly damaged.  He told us of

    the Genesis device and of how it joined him with Reliant.

    They are both of the Borg now.  They have become one with

    us as you shall.  The past is irrelevant, damage is irrelevant,

    you are irrelevant.  Prepare to be assimilated."




        The screen went dark and there was a noticeable THUNK

    as the Borg tractor beam locked on.



        "Borg tractor beam locking on," reported Chekov.



        "Mister Sulu, get us out of here, Emergency Warp!"

    shouted Kirk.



        Spock, who had gone back to his console, was soon

    joined by Kirk.



        "Spock, have you got anything?"

 Page 191




        "I believe so, Captain.  The Borg ship seems to be

    sending out a signal.  It appears to be a combination of

    Khan's brainwaves and the U.S.S. Reliant's signaling beacon."



        "But, Spock, Khan's on Ceti Alpha V and the Reliant's

    only been out of drydock for a month," said Kirk.  If he had

    heard this from anyone else, he wouldn't believe it, but coming

    from Spock, he had no choice.



        "Engineering to Bridge."



        "Bridge here," answered Kirk.  "Go ahead, Geordi."



        "What's going on up there?  I read shield power at

    17% and Warp power at 12%."  LaForge's voice, still a little

    shaky from his ordeal, held a note of both curiosity and fear.



        "A race called the Borg have locked a tractor beam

    on us and are draining our power," answered Kirk.  After he

    got no response from below, he said, "Geordi, are you there?

    Geordi?"



        No response.  Kirk just assumed that Geordi had

    rushed away to get more power for the engines and shields.






        In Engineering, Geordi had blacked out as soon as
 Page 192



    Kirk mentioned the Borg.  He was only now regaining his

    senses as the channel to the Bridge closed.



        Geordi looked around at the unfamiliar setting.  He

    had seen engine rooms like this in his Academy classes, but

    had never really been in the Engineering Section of a

    Constitution Class Heavy Cruiser before.  He took it all

    in, his mind racing with the nostalgia, the sense of history.



        "Chief, what's wrong?" asked Ensign Sumners, new to

    Engineering himself, he had never seen anyone react to a

    comm conversation the way LaForge was.



        "Oh, uh, nothing.  Nothing.  I'll, uh, be right

    back."  Geordi headed for the nearest Turbolift at a run.

    He had to try to at least stall the Borg until the Enterprise,

    HIS Enterprise, got here.  He had no idea where he should even

    start.






        "Shields are down.  Warp drive is inoperable.  Jim,

    we are powerless," reported Spock from the rear of the Bridge.



        "Well, I guess we'll have to fight then.  Chekov, arm

    all phasers and load torpedo bays.  Sulu, bring us about.

    Uhura, contact Starfleet.  We need reinforcments!"  Kirk felt

    the adrenaline rushing through his system, heightening his

 Page 193


    perceptions.



        "Captain, communications are jammed.  Unable to send

    distress call," reported Uhura from her console.



        "Phasers armed, torpedoes loaded," said Chekov from

    the Weapons/Defense Station.  The red alert klaxons and tracer

    lights had started as soon as the computer noted the weapons'

    activation.



        "Direct heading for Borg ship.  They are still closing,"

    informed Sulu.



        "Chekov, fire when they are within 10 kilometers.

    Sulu, be prepared to get us out of here, maximum possible

    speed," ordered Kirk.



        Sulu and Chekov exchanged worried glances.  Ten

    kilometers did not leave much room for error, on either

    of their parts.  "Aye, sir," they answered in unison.



        His back turned, leaning over his science viewer,

    Spock read off the distance between the Enterprise and the

    Borg.  "10,000 kilometers,   8,500 kilometers,  5,000 kilo-

    meters,  1,000 kilometers...100 kilometers,  75 kilometers..."



        Everyone on the Bridge watched as the Borg got

    closer and closer.  Kirk hoped that his plan of playing

 Page 194


    possum would work.  Everyone else hoped he was right.



        "25 kilometers,  20 kilometers,  15 kilometers,

    12 kilometers.  Borg tractor beams and weaponry powering up,

    10 kilometers.  Borg tractor beam locking on."  The ship

    trembled as the tractor beam latched on directly to the hull,

    no shields intervening this time.



        The Borg cutting beam, fully energized, began slicing

    a swathe of destruction across the wide saucer of the Enterprise,

    just above her registry numbers.



        "Chekov, Sulu, what are you waiting for?  Fire, get

    us out of here!" shouted Kirk.


        Chekov looked worried.  "Sir, I vas about to fire,

    when control vas diwerted to somevhere else on the ship.

    The veapons cannot be fired from the Bridge."



        Sulu spoke up, "Same here, Captain.  The course and

    speed were laid in and then nothing."



        The ship shook again and damage reports started coming

    in from all areas of the ship, especially the saucer.  The

    Bridge lights flickered and went dark, as did the viewscreen.



        A Borg soldier appeared on the Bridge and started

    advancing toward Kirk, followed by another, and another.

    Soon, the entire Bridge crew was being advanced upon by a
 Page 195



    small army of Borg.  Then, they stopped.



        "We are under attack.  Return to Borg ship."

    They all seemed to echo it and at the same time none of

    them made a sound.  They vanished in that swirling pattern

    peculiar to the Borg transporters.



        The viewscreen had come back to life, albeit dimly,

    as had the Bridge lighting.  On the screen, they saw a strange

    looking ship attacking the Borg.  Then they saw their own

    phasers and photon torpedoes firing.  The other ship, closely

    resembling a duck, wove a complex, seemingly random, pattern

    around the Borg, firing as it went.  Both the Borg tractor

    beam and cutting beam lanced out, but to no effect.  The new

    ship just was not where the Borg had aimed, no matter how fast

    they retargeted the beams.



        Kirk and the rest of the Bridge crew just stood and

    watched the fight, powerless to do anything.  Just as it

    appeared the Borg were finished, the blue/green glow at their

    center pulsing feebly, two things happened in close succession.

    First, the new ship stopped moving and firing and hung dead in

    space.  This proved insignificant compared to what happened

    next.  The Borg ship split in two pieces, both smaller than

    the original, but no less deadly.



        As Kirk watched in horror, the Borg ship closest to

    the new ship oozed completely around it, absorbing it and its
 Page 196



    crew.  Then both Borg ships advanced on the Enterprise.






        On the Battle Bridge of the Stardrive Section,

    Data was instructing the computer as to how and where to

    fly the ship, while he, Worf, and Scotty, stood with their

    backs to each other, surrounded by an ever growing number

    of Borg.  Each of the Enterprise crewmen had a phaser in

    each hand, held at the ready.  As the Borg advanced, Scotty

    began firing wildly, while Data and Worf each fired controlled,

    accurate bursts into the advancing wall.



        "Lieutenant Commander Scott, you must be careful

    what you shoot.  You may hit something..."  Worf paused

    wearily as a console exploded in flames.  "...important,"

    he finished.



        "Och, sorry," the Scotsman replied sheepishly.

    He turned to fire at another advancing Borg, but it was too

    late.  The Borg were upon them.  They were dragged over to

    an Engineering monitor that had been hooked up to the Bridge

    viewscreen.



        The view was of the Borg ship, tractor beam firmly

    holding the gleaming white hull of the Enterprise.  As Data

    watched in fascination, and Worf and Scott in fear, the Borg

    ship split into two roughly equal sections, the nearer of the

 Page 197


    two advancing on the Enterprise.  It opened up, like a great,

    ragged maw, Borg soldiers in their cubicles clearly visible,

    and engulfed the Stardrive Section.  The viewscreen went

    blank as the Borg herded the three Starfleet officers to the

    nearest airlock, and away from the useless Starship.





 Page 198



                CHAPTER 13

    Captain's Log, Stardate: the past.
        We are in pursuit of the Stardrive section of the
    Enterprise, after it was commandeered by Lieutenant Commander
    Data, Lieutenant Worf, and Chief Engineer Scott.  To add to
    the problem, we are being slowed down by towing the energy
    creature behind us, but it is necessary.  Engineer's
    Assistant Gomez assures me that we will be able to make the
    time jump as soon as we reconnect the sections of the
    Enterprise.  On a more ominous note, more and more of my
    crew are either unable or unwilling to remember that Scott
    is Chief Engineer.  They remember someone named Geordi
    LaForge at that post.  I am going to look into the matter.



        Picard got up from behind the desk in his Ready

    Room.  He was disturbed by everyone's insistence that they

    had never heard of anyone by the name of Montgomery Scott.

    And now Pulaski was becoming more and more convinced that

    he was the head of a conspiracy to deceive everyone on this

    ship.  His supposed purpose for this conspiracy eluded

    him.  Wearily, he stepped out onto the Bridge.



        No one seemed to notice him enter.  All eyes were

    on the forward viewscreen.  On the screen, this era's

    Enterprise hung motionless in space, flanked by not one,

    but two Borg ships.  One ship was larger than the other by

    about a half.  Even from this distance, Borg were visible

    walking along the hull of the Enterprise, stopping every

    so often to remove a section of the hull for further

    analysis.



        'Not again,' thought Picard.  'Now I have to deal

    with the loss of the Stardrive, the Borg, and possibly the

 Page 199


    death of every lifeform from this era.'



        Riker was about to tap his combadge to signal Picard

    when he noticed the Captain standing just outside the Ready

    Room doors.  "Captain, the Borg just came into range.  Sensors

    indicate that the dilithium trail left by the Stardrive Section

    ends right where the large Borg ship is.  There are no traces

    of either the ships destruction, or damage to the Borg."



        "I sense Q's hand in this," said Picard gravely.

    "Is it possible, that he pulled a switch?"



        "'A switch.'  I don't understand."  Riker's

    puzzlement was evident, due to the lack of his ever present

    grin.  Picard sympathized with him.  He didn't quite

    understand either, it was just a dimly formed idea in the

    back of his mind.



        "What I mean is, do you think it possible that Q

    switched the Stardrive Section with the Borg ships, sending

    the Enterprise home to our time?"



        "Knowing Q, anything's possible.  I would say that it's

    probable, considering that the Saucer can't reach Warp speeds

    and we'd have no way to get back without his help," answered

    Riker.



        By now, the distance between the Enterprise and the

 Page 200


    Borg had decreased to less than 10,000 kilometers.  "Arm all

    weapons," ordered Picard, even though he knew that only

    phasers were available.  He also knew, as did most of the

    Bridge crew, that they would have to be extremely lucky with

    the few phaser shots available to them before the Borg fully

    adapted.  'Not the most promising of situations,' Picard

    thought to himself.






        Aboard the Enterprise, Geordi had already expended

    all photon torpedoes and drained all the phaser banks into

    the smaller Borg ship.  Nothing worthwhile had happened.

    Most of the firing had been due to a feeling of revenge

    over the fate of the Stardrive Section.  He knew that there

    was no hope left for any of its occupants.



        He just sat there, staring blankly ahead, not noticing

    when the Borg soldiers walked into view of the camera.  He

    couldn't help but think that it was all his fault, somehow.

    'If only I had been on the Enterprise...'  Then the more

    realistic part of him answered, 'You'd be a Borg by now.

    Besides, this is the Enterprise.'  The fact that it was an

    inferior design to the one he knew didn't matter.  The name

    meant something, and he had watched the most recent bearer

    of that name be destroyed.



        Slowly, in the back of his mind, an idea took shape.

    It was, admittedly, a long shot.  And, he'd need some help to
 Page 201



    pull it off, but at least it was something to do.  He only

    hoped that there was someone left alive on the Stardrive

    Section, and that it had not yet been incorporated into the

    Borg.






        On the Bridge of the Enterprise, Kirk stared at the

    viewscreen, speechless.  If a ship of that size could so

    easily be captured by the Borg, how could his ship, his crew,

    hope to do any better.



        If he was unprepared for the absorption of the

    Stardrive, he was definitely surprised by the face that

    appeared next on the viewscreen.  It stared out at him

    with the cold, steely malevolence that he remembered over

    fourteen long years.  The face was a computer reconstruction,

    he realized, by the way the image wavered and the mouth

    refused to move when it spoke.



        "Kirk.  I have waited nearly a century to defeat

    you, to punish you for what you did.  My crew are all gone,

    destroyed by your treachery, but I still have life, of a

    sort.  On two occasions have you sentenced me to death,

    but I have survived.  I now impose sentence on you."



        "Khan, what do you want.  And what do you mean, a

    century.  It's only been 14 years."

 Page 202




        "Jim, sensors indicate that the transmission is being

    broadcast from the Borg ship, but not from one specific

    location.  It is as if the entire ship were hailing us,"

    Spock reported.



        Kirk turned back to the screen as the voice spoke

    again.  "To you it has been years, but to me, to me it has

    been a century.  First Marla, my wife, then Joachim, then,

    nearly, myself, Kirk.  But no, I held on and now, you die."

    The transmission cut off and Kirk looked at Spock.



        "Clearly insane, Captain.  His years of isolation

    must have effected his mind."



        "I hope you're right, Spock.  I also hope that he's

    powerless to carry out his threat."



        Kirk's only answer was a shudder running through the

    ship, as two tractor beams locked onto the twin engine nacelles

    and began pulling them off.  The Borg did not engage their

    cutting beam, just pulling the engines closer and closer.

    Kirk at first wondered how only one ship could do that, without

    just pulling the Enterprise closer.  Then he realized that the

    larger ship had locked onto the Enterprise's forward hull while

    the other ship pulled at the rear.



        'Like an interstellar game of 'Tug-o'-War',' thought

 Page 203


    Sulu to himself, unable to do anything to prevent the

    destruction of the Enterprise which would ensue, should the

    hull rupture when the nacelles were removed.



        "Any suggestions," asked Kirk.



        No one said a word.





        Geordi ran along the corridors of the Enterprise,

    but everyone was concentrating on finding a solution to the

    Borg so no one noticed him.  He ran into the Transporter

    Room and began to reprogram the console.  The Transporter

    Operator turned from where he had been recalibrating one

    of the wall panels, but was phasered before he could raise

    the alarm.



        Finished, Geordi stepped onto the platform and

    prepared to beam out.  The console was locked and his would

    be the last normal beam-out.  Further, the console could only

    be reactivated by his voice command.  No one else would be

    able to get it to function correctly, anyway, after Geordi's

    reprogramming.



        The Transporter Room shimmered around him, and was

    replaced by the familiar confines of the Engineering Deck,

    deep within the Stardrive Section.  He cautiously checked

    to be sure that there were no Borg anywhere near Engineering

 Page 204


    before he set to work.



        He had accessed the ship's computer and set to work

    rerouting a myriad of control circuits before he heard it.

    At first he thought he had imagined it, but then he heard it

    again.  The dull thud of a footstep.  It echoed hollowly in

    the empty ship.



        'Empty except for me and who, or what?' wondered

    Geordi in the back of his mind, as he hurriedly tried to

    finish what he was doing and get into hiding.



        He was more than three quarters of the way done

    when the next footstep came, unnervingly close.  Geordi

    worked faster.



        He was about to press home the final modification

    when behind him, he heard the whisper of a movement, the

    soft padding of a footstep on carpeting, and a large

    shadow fell over Geordi's shoulder and across the panel

    where he was working.



        Without thinking, Geordi turned, drawing his phaser,

    and fired.






        Kirk's spirits had been buoyed somewhat by the

    arrival of the other ship, the one McCoy kept calling the
 Page 205



    Houdini.  Then he saw how ineffectual the other ship was

    against the Borg.  Its phaser bursts lit up space and its

    photon torpedoes created dazzling explosions, but did

    nothing to even slow the Borg down.  The Borg ship that had

    swallowed the first Starship had now begun to advance upon

    the disc-shaped newcomer.



        "Captain, sensors show what may be a power build-up

    on the larger Borg ship," reported Spock, looking into his

    viewer.



        "Can't you tell for sure, Spock?" asked Kirk.



        "Impossible at this time.  The Borg on our hull have

    damaged some of the primary sensor equipment and their

    individual readings are interfering with what sensors are

    still available to us."



        "We've GOT to DO something!" shouted Kirk.  He was

    used to fighting machine intelligences, having done so on

    many occasions in the past, but they had been nothing like

    the Borg.  If something did not conform to their purposes, it

    was either assimilated or termed 'irrelevant' and ignored.

    He had a feeling that most of his ship and crew, unfortunately,

    fell into the former category.



        "Keptin," Chekov spoke up, trying to get Kirk's

    attention.  "One of the transporters has just been actiwated.
 Page 206



    Internal scans also show that vun of the shuttlecraft has

    been transported somevhere else, not vithin current scanner

    range.  Vait!  There goes another vun."



        The lights on the Bridge began to dim.



        "Spock, what's going on?"



        "Captain, main power has been diverted to Transporter

    Room 3.  Also, life support and 75% of emergency power.

    Total Warp energy is now being beamed somewhere.  The power

    output is too high to register on my scans.  I would estimate

    that it is in the 1,000 to 2,000 GigaWatt range," reported

    Spock, calmly.



        "Spock, do you know what you're saying?"  McCoy's ice

    blue eyes seemed to pierce through the Vulcan.



        "Indeed I do, Doctor.  Someone in this vicinity is

    using 97% of ship's power for an unknown and presumably

    hostile purpose."



        Kirk was concentrating so hard on finding a solution

    to this latest threat, that he just let McCoy and Spock go on

    verbally sparring, barely registering in the back of his

    mind.




 Page 207




        Ensign Gawron dove out of the way of the phaser blast.

    Geordi, seeing who it was, had tryed to throw his aim off at

    the last second.  He succeeded in moving the phaser beam just

    above where Chris's head used to be.  By now, Chris was

    peering out from behind an Engineering console, phaser in

    hand.



        "Sorry, Chris.  Just a little jumpy I guess," said

    Geordi, trying to force a laugh.  "What are you doing here,

    anyway?  I thought the Borg would have rounded everybody up

    to make ready for the assimilation process."



        "They did.  I was hiding in the auxiliary dilithium

    store.  Between the radiation and the shielding in my rad

    suit, they couldn't detect me.  What are you doing here?"



        "I've come up with a plan to defeat the Borg, or

    at least the Borg ship that has us trapped."  Geordi went

    on to explain his plan to the young Ensign, who volunteered

    to do what he could to help.



        Geordi put him to work, rerouting the power couplings

    on the Warp Drive circuits, while he crawled into a Jeffries

    tube to check the actual power conduits.  After working for

    twenty minutes, the modifications were complete.



        They looked at each other in apprehension when Chris

 Page 208


    asked, "But will it work?"



        Geordi answered, "Cross your fingers, just in case,

    'cause here goes nothing."



        Geordi slammed home the button that would send out

    the pre-recorded signal to the original Enterprise and

    start siphoning off its power.  Behind them, as they studied

    the control readouts, the Warp Core began to grow brighter.

    Along with the brightness, came the high whine of power.

    Soon, the Warp Core was pulsing with the combined power of

    two Starships, the pulses coming so fast, that the eye could

    barely discern them from a solid, incandescent glow.



        The monitor screens began to change.






        On the Saucer, Picard was giving what may be his

    last order.  "All hands to stations.  Prepare for collision

    course!  All non-essential personnel to the escape pods.

    Disengage tractor beam from the creature and jettison the

    log buoy."



        Riker, like the rest of the Bridge Crew, looked at

    Picard in astonishment.  'He can't be giving up,' he thought

    in disbelief.  "Sir, are you sure?  I mean, couldn't the

    creature just eat the Borg's energy like it did to us,

    rendering them powerless?"
 Page 209





        "We could, Number One, if the creature was

    conscious.  It is not.  It appears to be hibernating now,

    while it 'digests' our energy,"  Picard said with resignation.



        "Course laid in, Captain," stated Wesley Crusher.

    "Maximum speed at an angle of 45 degrees to the closer Borg

    ship."  Picard had told him to lay in the course that would

    damage the Borg the most, giving no regard to the safety of

    what was left of the Enterprise-D.



        "Why 45 degrees, Wes?" asked Riker.



        "Because of the orientation of the Borg ships, a

    collision at 45 degrees with the nearer of the two, will send

    us directly into the other Borg ship, currently dissecting

    the original Enterprise," he answered matter-of-factly, as

    if it were apparent, or should be, to everyone.



        "Captain," said the Lieutenant at Ops.  "Reading a

    power surge from the closer Borg ship.  Its center is the

    exact geometric center of the Borg ship, and it radiates

    outward from there.  There is also a subspace link of some

    sort with the original Enterprise."



        On the viewscreen, the Borg ship had stopped moving.

    Impossibly, it was still growing larger, expanding as its

    surface began to split and tear.  Glimpses of bluish-grey
 Page 210



    metal could be seen fleetingly through the crackling of

    static and the flare of explosions.



        The disturbance on the screen was so bright, so

    violent, that the viewscreen shorted out, filling with

    static.






        On the Borg ship itself, all was in a well-order,

    cybernetic panic.  The loss of atmosphere did not concern

    the Borg, whose self-contained life support systems made

    the need for air unnecessary.  The major concern was the

    immense power being generated.  It wreaked havoc with the

    Borg subspace net, cutting off communications within the

    Borg mind itself.  Only the occasional, half-completed

    thought made it anywhere, usually not where it was intended,

    however.



        The three Enterprise crewmen were running through the

    Borg ship, Data directing them back along the path they had

    come while escorted by the Borg.  The Borg were paying no

    attention to them now, and they took full advantage of the

    fact.  Many times, their path back to the Enterprise was

    blocked by airless regions which had been sealed off.  The

    group lost valuable time by retracing their steps and going

    around the damaged areas.



 Page 211


        Occasionally, the local light dimmed, or flared

    brilliantly as an explosion blasted a section of the

    Borg ship, or a Borg soldier, into hundreds of component

    parts, not all of them inorganic.



        With the Enterprise in sight, however, their progress

    was halted by a wall of solid energy.  It advanced on them

    slowly, backing them up against a section of the Borg ship.

    Immediately, the wall started to flow around them, trying to

    assimilate them.  It had been the group-mind's last coherent

    order and the ship still tryed to obey.



        The trio could feel metallic probes plunging through

    their skin, examining their internal structure.  The wall

    released Data immediately, convinced by his robotic workings

    that he was already a Borg.



        Realizing that someone in the Stardrive Section was

    responsible for their predicament, he tapped his combadge,

    the only one the trio had left.



        "Data to Enterprise.  Do you read, Enterprise.

    Three to beam up immediately, these coordinates."



        Someone on the ship heard him, because just as the

    wall of energy began to singe the front of Data's uniform,

    the wall disappeared and a transporter beam yanked them

    aboard.  A split second later, the wall was back in place,

 Page 212


    advancing outward, forcing the ship to retreat before it.



        The Borg ship exploded.


 Page 213



                Chapter 14



        From out of the midst of the explosion, came the

    Enterprise's Stardrive hull, shields flaring brightly where

    debris from the Borg ship passed through them.  Even more

    surprising, the shields were clearly visible, pulsing with

    energy.



        On board the Stardrive module, Geordi was hurriedly

    explaining his plan to Data, Worf, and Scotty.  "...So I had

    the Enterprise transporters lock onto anything in the

    cargo bay or the raw material store for the replicator and

    beamed the energy directly into the Warp chamber, without

    materializing it into matter.  This energy was fed directly

    into the shields and used to push the Borg ship apart around

    us."



        Scott and Data were listening intently, but Worf was

    ready to fight.  "How much power is left for the weapons?" the

    Klingon asked.



        As they entered Engineering, Chris looked up and

    answered, "Enough for you to indulge yourself, Lieutenant."



        This brought a slow smile to Worf's face, and he

    turned to Data, "Permission to attack the Borg, sir."



        Data tilted his head to the side as he thought it
 Page 214



    over, gold eyes reflecting the energy surges in the Warp

    core.  "Granted, Lieutenant, but only until we reconnect the

    sections."



        "Aye, sir."  Worf turned and hurried to the Battle

    Bridge.



        "Data, I have a plan," said Gawron.  "And I'd like

    to see what you think of it."



        "Proceed, Ensign."



        "Since our shields are still at excess power levels,"

    he looked at Geordi, questioningly, who nodded, then continued,

    "why don't we execute a series of suicide runs at the Borg

    ship?"



        "Ensign, why should we wish to kill ourselves?" asked

    the android.



        "No, Data," said Geordi.  "What he means is to fly over

    the Borg ship so that the lower part of the shields is actually

    inside the Borg ship, ripping it away.  If Worf fires phasers

    simultaneously, we could do a lot of damage before they can

    adapt."



        "Very well, Geordi, implement this plan.  You also,

    Ensign."
 Page 215





        As they left, Scott turned to Data.  "An' what about

    me?  I dinna belong here."



        "You mean you remember where you belong, now?"



        "Yes, sir.  I belong on the Enterprise, but not

    this one.  At least not yet," he finished hopefully.



        "We will return you to your ship at the earliest

    possible convenience," replied Data.



        "Kin I at least have a look around, first?"



        "Of course, Commander," Data nodded.  "Be my guest."



        Scott gleefully ran from station to station, examining

    readouts.






        On the Bridge of the Saucer, Picard was thrown off

    his feet and everyone else was knocked off their feet by the

    force of the explosion.






        In Sickbay, Doctors Pulaski and Selar were just

    helping Aures out of her bed, to walk around Sickbay, when
 Page 216



    the explosion came.  The diagnostic panel above the bed

    ripped free from the wall and crashed down on Aures.  Sparks

    danced across the back of the unit, and the smell of burnt

    flesh and melted hair came from beneath the medical scanner.



        Because of the free electricity, neither Pulaski nor

    Selar could get near enough to check Aures' life signs.  Not

    that it would have mattered anyway.  If she had been at the

    best hospital in the Federation, with the best surgeons, it

    wouldn't have mattered.  Aures' body was little more than a

    piece of charcoal.



        As they both knew that Aures was done for, Pulaski

    and Selar left her where she was for the moment, and began

    making preparations for the wounded they knew would soon

    arrive.  Unseen by them, a brief flash of electricity arced

    up one of the electrical pathways that was still connected

    and disappeared into the wall.






        "Spock, what in the hell do they think they're

    doing," screamed Kirk, as the Stardrive roared low over the

    Borg, apparently headed directly for the Enterprise.



        As the Stardrive passed over the Borg, a layer twenty

    meters thick appeared to dissolve.  Large pits were created

    by the withering phaser fire, every one of which found its

 Page 217


    mark at such great power, that for now at least, the Borg's

    adaptational abilities were useless.



        "It would appear, Captain, that that ship is on our

    side, and making an attempt to free us from the Borg tractor

    beam," answered the Vulcan calmly.



        "Captain, Warp engines back online and under helm

    control," Sulu reported, surprised, as his console returned

    to life.



        "Veapons fully functional, as vell, Keptin," reported

    Chekov.



        "Whoever took control from the Bridge, must have set

    a time delay before he beamed out," mused Kirk, out loud.

    Then to Sulu, "Lay in course 90 mark 174, get us above the

    action as quickly as possible, Mister Sulu."



        "Aye, sir," the Asian replied.  "Course laid in,

    maximum speed."






        The Enterprise limped and struggled to rise.  Slowly

    it picked up speed, faltering because of the Borg damage.

    Although the Warp engines were online, the engine nacelles

    themselves were so damaged and out of alignment, that Warp

    speed would have been impossible.
 Page 218





        The Stardrive section turned to make another pass, but

    this time, the Borg erected a force field and the Enterprise

    shields dropped down to 50% of normal as the ship passed through

    it.  Worf's phaser barrage was now shrugged off, as well.






        On the Battle Bridge, Data was opening a channel to

    the Saucer Section.  "Data to Picard.  I suggest we reconnect

    the Enterprise."



        "Agreed," came Picard's voice over the comm-channel.

    "Rendezvous with the Saucer at 176 mark 265 in 60 seconds."



        "Aye, sir.  Data out."



        "Course 118 mark 53, speed .2 impulse," reported

    Ensign Gawron, anticipating Data's orders.



        "Lieutenant Worf, cease fire.  Damage report of

    Stardrive Section and Borg ship."



        "Aye, Commander.  Minor damage to lower four decks

    of Stardrive Section.  Shield power increasing to normal.

    Scanning the Borg now...  Energy levels down 15%, subspace

    activity 56% of normal," reported the Klingon calmly.  Then,

    with some surprise, "Sir, the Borg ship has been reduced in

 Page 219


    size by 12%.  Reading no atmosphere...wait, they are rebuilding.

    Reading minimal atmosphere."



        "Acknowledged, Lieutenant," said Data.  "Prepare to

    reconnect the Enterprise."  Data tapped out all his commands

    on the control pad mounted into the Command Chair's armrests.

    The Saucer grew larger as it seemed to drift across, then be

    centered in the forward viewscreen.



        "Distance 250 meters and closing," Data counted off.

    "200 meters...decreasing speed to 10 meters per second...100

    meters...50 meters...decreasing speed to 5 meters per sec--"



        The saucer spun crazily on the viewscreen, as the

    Borg ship pummeled it under a disastrous barrage.  All

    occupants of the Stardrive and Saucer had been so intent on

    reconnecting the Enterprise, that they forgot the Borg's

    ability to fight while they heal themselves.



        The Bridge exhaust fans began to clear the smoke

    from the sparking, smoldering consoles.  On the Enterprise

    schematic on the rear wall, large sections of the Stardrive

    section flashed read, damaged.



        "Warning!  Hull breached on decks 14 through 19, and

    decks 25 through 31!  Severe structural damage on decks 12

    through 33!"  The computer's voice could be heard over the

    red alert klaxons.

 Page 220




        "Computer, projected time until total structural

    failure," requested Data.



        "Five minutes and 14 seconds, if no further damage

    is incurred," the computer responded, matter-of-factly.



        "Chief Engineer," said Data, activating his combadge.



        "Yes," answered Geordi and Scott simultaneously from

    Engineering.



        "I require the Enterprise shields to be reconfigured

    to 'form-fit' the Enterprise.  Use all available power, except

    life support and weapons."



        "Aye, sir."  Again, they both answered in unison, as

    the link closed.



        "Ensign Gawron, plot a course to the nearest planet

    with an atmosphere within 10% of Earth's," ordered Data.



        "Yes, sir.  Wolf 359C is within 5 minutes of our

    present position at Warp 2," Gawron answered.



        "Lay in a course and engage.  Also contact the Saucer

    and have them follow us."



 Page 221


        "Aye, sir."






        The Stardrive section turned and entered Warp space,

    followed, on impulse power, by the Saucer and its burden.

    Seeing the Stardrive section as the main threat, the Borg

    decided to chase the Engineering hull and to destroy the

    Saucer later.  Soon all was quiet, except for the Enterprise's

    emergency beacon: "Help.  U.S.S. Enterprise, to any ships in

    range.  This is Captain James T. Kirk.  Need assistance.

    Hurry."






        "The shield is reinforcing the hull, but I still

    don't think it will withstand the strain of entering a planet's

    atmosphere," said Geordi concernedly over the intercom from

    Engineering.  He had heard what Data had in mind, and even

    though it would in all likelyhood destroy the Borg, it could

    do the same to the ship.



        "Understood, Geordi.  Your objection is noted.

    Proceed with modifications to the navigational deflector

    as per my specifications," answered the android from the

    Battle Bridge.



        Chris turned from the navigator's station, looking

    questioningly at Data.  He had never heard of the android

 Page 222


    so cavalierly disregarding such a strong warning as Geordi

    had first expressed.  Still, his was not to question, but for

    now, to fly the ship.



        Worf was once again manning tactical, even though he

    had nothing to do for the moment.  Data sat in the command

    chair, concentrating his thoughts on Captain Picard.  'Why

    hadn't he said anything about my freeing Worf and stealing

    the Stardrive Section?  Did he now remember who Geordi was?'

    He knew none of the answers for certain, which to Data was

    as good as not knowing the answers at all.



        "Now entering orbit around Wolf 359C," reported

    Gawron.  The planet on the viewscreen, third from the red

    star, was mostly brown mottled with a sickly grey/green.

    Small oceans or lakes of molten rock dotted the surface.

    What water there was, evaporated into the atmosphere as

    soon as it fell on the still boiling surface.  The planet

    may have had an Earth-like atmosphere, but it was the

    Earth of three and a half billion years ago.



        "Geordi," Data called down to Engineering.  "How

    long until we will be ready to implement?"



        "Give me one more minute to fine tune my adjustments,"

    the Engineer replied.  In the background, Scott could be heard

    cursing loudly.  Helping Geordi, he had reversed the polarity

    on the shield bypass circuit.  Final result, a set of scorched

 Page 223


    fingers and jangled nerves.



        "Mister Gawron, plot a course to insert us into the

    planet's atmosphere at 75 degrees to the surface."



        "Aye, Commander Data," the young man replied.



        "Mister Worf, status of Borg ship?"



        "Sensors show they will arrive in 35 seconds.

    Energy readings are 89% of normal.  No exterior damage

    evident," the Klingon said simply.  Of all the foes he

    had faced, the Borg scared him the most.  He did not like

    to admit it, but he was terrified by their emotionless

    natures.



        "Mister Gawron, is course laid in?" asked Data.  The

    android was nervous, if such a thing was possible.  He alone,

    after much analysis, knew the Borg's full potential for

    destruction.



        "Course computed and laid in.  Ready on your command."



        On the arm of Data's chair, a light flashed,

    indicating that Geordi, also, was ready.



        In a ripple of space, the Borg ship appeared, dropping

    out of Warp space less than 5 kilometers.  As it rotated,

 Page 224


    everyone saw the truth of Worf's sensor scans.  They could

    see no damage.  In fact, the Borg ship looked more powerful

    than before it was damaged.  Slowly, almost warily, it

    advanced on the Enterprise.



        The tractor beam lashed out, but the Enterprise was

    no longer there.  It had retreated into the planet's atmosphere.

    The Borg fired again, seemingly reluctant to follow the

    Stardrive Section.  Another clean miss.  This time, however,

    the Enterprise's tractor beam fired, locking on dead center

    to the face of the Borg cube nearest it.



        The Borg entered the atmosphere, having no choice

    other than to enter Warp again and risk losing the Enterprise.

    As the two ships moved deeper into the cloud of swirling

    gases, the glow of the Enterprise's tractor beam dimmed,

    atmospheric particles interfering with its intensity.






        On the Bridge, Data watched with satisfaction as the

    Borg were drawn ever deeper toward the planet.  Geordi's

    status report had not been encouraging and the computer

    kept reminding them that the Enterprise would experience

    fatal structural failure if they did not leave the planet's

    atmosphere.  Data thought back to his plan.  It seemed

    foolish now, but in theory it would work.



        Data had reasoned that if the Borg could adapt to
 Page 225



    a purely energy attack, then what was needed was a more

    physical approach.  Unfortunately, in space, such a physical

    assault would be impossible, short of colliding the Enterprise

    with the Borg.  No, instead he had opted for a different

    approach.  He theorized that if some kind of connector

    between the Borg and the Enterprise could be set up, and

    the correct vibrational frequency found, that the Borg

    could be destroyed.  The best connector he could think of

    that was nearby, was a planetary atmosphere.  And, because

    of it's content of water vapor, an Earth-like atmosphere was

    sufficiently thick to conduct the sound vibrations he intended

    to use.



        When Gawron reported that the Borg were fifteen

    kilometers from the surface, Data press the control studs on

    the right chair arm without looking, eyes intent on the

    viewscreen.  The image on the viewscreen, the Borg ship in

    pursuit, swung quickly sideways and had to be reoriented to

    face forward once the spinning had stopped.  The Enterprise

    was now facing the Borg at a range of one kilometer.



        "Mister Worf, fire," ordered Data.



        A deep, basso rumbling filled the Bridge, deafening

    all on it.  Data knew that it must be worse for those in

    Engineering, closer to the deflector.  The power continued

    to build up, threatening to tear the ship asunder.


 Page 226



        Geordi lost consciousness first, then Scott.  Gawron

    was next, followed quickly be Worf.  They just slumped over

    where they were sitting or standing, dead to the world.



        Data did not notice however.  He, too, was suffering

    under the onslaught from the sound waves.  Although more

    resilient than the others, his hearing, so much more

    sensitive, went first.  Then his optic and vocal circuits

    were interrupted.  Finally darkness closed in and Data's

    last thought to himself, trying to speak and failing,

    "So, this is death.  Intriguing."  Then Data slumped over

    sideways, too soon to hear the computer.



        "Warning, forward progress not abated.  Planetary

    collision imminent.  Five minutes to impact."



        These warnings joined the ones about structural

    failure, the computer talking to itself in stereo, yet

    with the same voice.



        The Enterprise continued its descent, followed by

    the Borg cube, until, sufficient power built up, a beam of

    solid sound erupted from the navigational deflector dish and

    slammed into the Borg ship.






        "Mister Callari, how long until we reach Wolf 359?"

 Page 227


    asked Picard.



        "About five minutes, sir," the young officer replied.



        "Preliminary sensor scans?" queried Riker.



        The young blond lieutenant at Ops spoke without

    turning, "Sensors show a massive energy discharge deep

    within Wolf 359C's atmosphere.  Sensors unable to detect

    any ships in the area."



        "None whatsoever?  That does not bode well, Number

    One.  Surely, after the saucer, we're next.  All hands to

    emergency battlestations.  Red Alert."



        The red tracer lights flashed and the klaxon

    sounded as Picard grimly sat down in the command chair,

    contemplating what was almost certainly to be a battle to

    the death, with his side coming up short.






        "Captain, life support falling below minimum,"

    Spock reported calmly, face neutral.  If Spock feared

    death, he did not show it.



        "Dammit, Spock, show some emotion for a change!"

    shouted McCoy from his customary position behind the

    Captain's chair.  He was perhaps a bit more irritable than
 Page 228



    usual because, now that Geordi LaForge was no longer on the

    Enterprise, McCoy was the only one who remembered him.  He

    knew Scotty belonged on the Enterprise, but he had vanished.



        "Calm down, you two," Kirk said wearily from where

    he had been pacing up and down in front of the viewscreen.

    Spock raised an eyebrow, not realizing he had shown any

    emotion, because he indeed had not.



        McCoy continued to bluster.  "But, Jim, if we don't

    do something soon --"



        Kirk interrupted, "I understand, Bones.  I've got

    Spock working on the Science angle and Kyle and Leslie

    working in Engineering to get us up and running."



        Kirk seemed pleased with himself, but McCoy would

    not be distracted and finished his proclamation, "We're

    dead, Jim.  Or as good as dead."



        "Thank you, Doctor."  Kirk realized, too late, his

    unintentional and exagerrated emphasis on the last word.



        McCoy turned on his heel and stormed off the Bridge.



        "The good Doctor's concern is overly emotional, but

    it is also logical, Jim," said Spock, for once siding with

    McCoy.  Spock felt fortunate that McCoy would never learn
 Page 229



    of it, or he would chide Spock about it for the rest of their

    days.  As they only had four hours left, however, it would be

    barely tolerable.



        "I know, Spock, but I had to get McCoy off the Bridge

    so that we could concentrate.  Uhura, have all off-duty personnel

    return to their quarters and tell them to take it easy, conserve

    as many resources as possible.  Also, have someone distribute

    the oxygen tanks from the space suits to all on-duty crewmen."



        "Aye, sir," Uhura answered and went to work at her

    console, giving the appropriate orders to the appropriate

    people.



        "Mister Sulu, get us as close as possible to an M class

    planet.  Mister Chekov, prepare to abandon ship."  Kirk turned

    to Spock.  "Spock, I'll need your help, when the time comes,

    with the self-destruct command."



        "Unwise, Captain, but I will assist."



        The crew set about their given assignments, trying

    to ignore the steadily decreasing readouts on the life support

    monitors.

 Page 230



            Chapter 15

        Captain's Log, Stardate 8062.5:
            We are towing the energy creature through
    space in pursuit of the Stardrive Section.  Commander Data
    has come up with a plan to defeat the Borg, and I have
    given him my permission to implement it.  For some reason,
    I find myself with an uneasy feeling concerning Data and
    Worf, and how they came to be on the Stardrive Section by
    themselves, but no one can remember how they got there.
    I am assuming Q's involvement.



        The Saucer dropped came to a slow stop just outside

    of the Wolf-359 star system, the tractor beam glowing brightly,

    connecting the Enterprise and the energy leech.



        "No contact with the Stardrive Section or the Borg,"

    reported Ensign Callari.  "Sensors do, however, register a

    tremendous power discharge well within the Wolf-359C's

    atmosphere."



        "Thank you, Ensign," acknowledged Picard.

    Picard turned to Riker.  "If there is no sign of the

    Stardrive hull soon, we must at least return to the future

    with the energy creature."



        "What about Geordi, Worf, and Data?" asked Troi,

    concerned.



        "We have no choice.  If we cannot contact Data, we

    must assume that they have been destroyed by the Borg."

    Then, speaking to the ceiling of the Bridge, "Picard to

    Engineering."
 Page 231





        "Gomez here, sir," came the reply.



        "Prepare impulse engines for the slingshot effect,

    using Wolf-359 as the center of the orbit," said Picard

    gravely.



        "But, sir--" Gomez began, and was cut off.



        "I don't like the idea any more than you do, Mister

    Gomez, but the safety of the Federation must take precedence

    over any three officers," the Captain almost whispered.



        "Understood, sir."



        The connection was broken.



        "One question, Captain."



        "Go ahead, Number One."



        "What if the Borg did destroy the Stardrive, but

    still survived?  What if, by traveling into the future,

    we condemn the Federation in the past?" Riker asked pointedly.



        Picard thought a moment.  "A chance I'm willing to

    take, Will.  We are here, we exist.  That, at least, makes

    me think that the Federation of this era does indeed survive.
 Page 232



    We have no such knowledge of the future."



        "Still, I would like my objections logged, sir,"

    Riker requested stiffly.



        "Of course, Number One.  But if we don't succeed,

    there will be no one to hear them.  Ensign Callari, lay in

    an elliptical course for Wolf-359.  Distance, 1 AU," Picard

    ordered.



        "You do realize how close we'll come to the star's

    surface, don't you sir?" asked Callari.



        "Affirmative.  Plot the course.  Our maximum speed

    with the creature in tow is three quarters the speed of light,

    so calculate distances accordingly."



        "Aye, sir."  Then, after a brief pause, "Course

    plotted and laid in."



        "Very good."  And, with a flick of the wrist, Picard

    ordered, "Engage."



        The Saucer moved off in its wide, but ever-decreasing

    orbit of Wolf-359.






 Page 233


        The beam of solid sound shook the Enterprise, which

    was shielded from the brunt of the force.  It was infinitely

    worse for the Borg.  The beam pummeled its way through the

    leading face of the cube, disintegrating the ship at the

    molecular level.  The beam continued through to the other

    side of the Borg ship, erupting out the far side of the

    cube and out into space, where the absence of an atmosphere

    soon rendered it powerless.



        The Borg, unable to adapt to the strength of the

    invisible onslaught, were helpless before it.  As the cube

    still continued to rotate, more and more of the ship was

    eaten away by the sonic disruption.  After being subjected

    to it for nearly three minutes, the Borg ship was sliced

    in half, the upper and lower forty meters floating freely

    in the planets atmosphere, the contents of the Borg ship

    falling out to land on the planet's surface or being

    dispersed by the Enterprise's weapon.



        Soon, the upper portion of the cube was gone,

    fallen into the deadly vibrations emitted by the Enterprise.

    The remaining pieces of the Borg ship landed in the liquid

    rock surface of Wolf-359C.






        Data regained consciousness just as the computer

    announced "Warning!  Imminent planetfall!  Altitude 100

    meters and decreasing!"
 Page 234





        Data hurriedly rose from the Captain's chair and

    rushed to the navigator's position, shoving Ensign Gawron's

    comatose form out of the way.  His hands played a surreal,

    staccato rhythm over the navigational console.



        The great warp engines once again became illuminated

    internally as the catastrophic power of the matter/antimatter

    anhilation once again powered the ship.



        The ship slowed its descent, stopping just as the

    downward facing end became embedded in the roiling surface.

    The warp engines throbbed and the Enterprise was torn free

    of the rocky embrace, sprinting for open space.



        Behind them, the few remaining Borg soldiers stirred,

    dragging themselves out of the magma slowly, painfully, and

    moving toward the remaining section of their ship, now

    scarcely visible.



        With what little conscious thought was left to them,

    the Borg communicated among themselves "Enterprise will be

    destroyed"  "Time"  "Patience"  "Patience is irrelevant"

    "Predicted time to repair: 80 Earth years"



        The Borg mind faded into silence, its many disparate

    parts employed in the long task of rebuilding the great ship

    from the exstant ores that could be extracted.
 Page 235







        "Computer, estimated time of repair," Data queried.



        "Three hours and twelve minutes," came the concise

    answer, the computer already devoting its energy to the

    automated repair systems.



        Gawron stirred, followed by Worf.  Each sat up

    groggily, head in hands.  Moaning softly, they returned to

    their stations and began running diagnostic programs.



        "Engineering to Bridge.  Is everyone alright up

    there?" came Geordi's voice over the comm channel.



        Data looked from one to the other, receiving curt

    nods of affirmation.  "Yes, Geordi, we are all functional.

    And yourself and Commander Scott?"



        "We're okay down here.  We've begun repairs to the

    Warp engines.  Should be completed in about an hour."



        "What is the top safe Warp speed we can use, Geordi?"

    asked the android.



        "Uh, Warp Four," the Engineer replied slowly.  "Why?"



        "We must return Commander Scott to his rightful
 Page 236



    place on board the Enterprise of this time."



        "Oh.  Yeah, forgot about that.  Engineering out."



        "Ensign Gawron, lay in a course for the Enterprise,

    Warp four," instructed Data.



        "Aye, sir.  Course laid in," Gawron replied shakily,

    still suffering from the sound blast.



        "Execute."



        Data sat back in his chair as the stars on the

    viewscreen elongated into streaks, flashing by.  Fifteen

    minutes later, the stars compressed to their normal size

    as the Enterprise dropped out of Warp.



        There before them lay what was left of the Enterprise.

    Its hull pierced, plating pealed back, it looked as if it

    were rotting.  Electrical arcs were visible through the

    gaping holes.



        The Enterprise moved slowly, its engine struts

    twisted, Warp nacelles mangled.  The glow of power in the

    engines was barely detectable, as was the light coming from

    the portholes in the ship's side.



        The Stardrive section moved in closely, sending as
 Page 237



    greeting the communications worm that had worked so well

    before.  An audio only signal was transmitted, telling

    Kirk that help was on the way.  Data also said that Scott

    was beaming over, fresh from monitoring the shakedown

    cruise of the new U.S.S. Excelsior.



        Memories of this shakedown cruise had been implanted

    into Scott's mind, obscuring any thought of the Stardrive

    Section and it's technological advancements.



        Reporting that "A maximum speed trial is yet required,"

    Data closed the connection and the Stardrive Section left the

    Enterprise behind.  Out of range, Data did not see the four

    Federation ships shimmer into existence, dropping out of Warp

    just as the Enterprise entered it.






        "Set course one one three mark two five, Ensign,"

    ordered Data.



        "Aye, sir.  Course laid in," responded the young

    officer.



        "Very well.  Engage, Warp 8.6."



        "Commander, Q told us that we must travel Warp 8.8

    to achieve time travel," argued Worf.

 Page 238




        "I have recomputed the necessary equations and have

    found that we need travel only Warp 8.6 because we now lack

    the mass of the Saucer Section," Data rattled on, talking

    about mass/density relationships in 4th dimensional space

    as opposed to 3rd and 5th dimensional space.  He had just

    started in on 6th dimensional space when Gawron reported:

    "Warp 8.6, sir."



        "Worf, pull the switch," ordered Data.



        When Q had 'installed' the first switch on the Bridge,

    he had also put one here, on the Battle Bridge.  Worf eyed

    it suspiciously, but pulled it as ordered.



        The Enterprise leapt forward, as with triple the

    acceleration, attaining relative speeds of Warp 19.  The

    Enterprise left it's present time continuum at Warp 10 and

    moved forward through time, faster and faster.



        When it finally dropped out of Warp, it was presented

    with a startling view.  On the viewscreen, they watched as

    the Enterprise, somehow whole again, separated, the Stardrive

    Section floating toward the Xin ship and detonating.  They

    watched as it was resurrected and propelled through time.



        As the Enterprise left this timestream, the Xin ship

    began moving.  In the three hours between the Enterprise's

 Page 239


    departure and the Saucer's reappearance, Data, Worf, LaForge,

    and Gawron watched as the Xin ship crept through space.



        It had traveled no more than 1000 kilometers when

    the Saucer appeared, dragging the energy leech behind it.



        On the Main Bridge of the Saucer, everyone had been

    knocked unconscious by the trip through the ages.  All that

    could be heard was the faint whisper of breathing and the

    computer's voice.



        "Re-entry into proper era established," it spoke

    mechanically.  "Disengaging tractor beam."



        The energy leech, already awakening from it's

    artificially induced hibernation, hovered confusedly in

    space.  Finally, rather than attacking the Xin ship, it

    advanced on the food source closest at hand, the Saucer.






        "Mister Worf, fire a single photon torpedo between

    the energy creature and the Xin ship.  Set it to detonate

    at one hundred kilometers from the creature," ordered Data.



        "Aye, sir," Worf responded reluctantly.  He would

    much rather have fired at the Xin himself, pointless as it

    was, than waste a photon torpedo as bait.


 Page 240



        As the photon torpedo flared to life, it's explosion

    illuminating the scene, the creature hesitated.  It sensed

    more power, more food, from the explosion.  But that was far

    away and this food source was close at hand.



        Finally, it opted for quantity over ease of access

    and moved off toward what radiation was left from the explosion.



        Worf fired eleven torpedoes in all to lure the creature

    after the Xin.  The Xin ship had never regained full temporal

    motion and, to the Xin, the action seemed to move at well over

    ten times it's normal rate.



        The energy leech sidled up to the Xin ship,

    investigating.  Then it began feeding, siphoning off all

    the Xin's energy.



        The crystal surface became cracked and dull, the

    soaring antennas crumbled away, interior lights dimming,

    as the Xin ship died.  Nothing the occupants did mattered.

    The weakened hull ruptured as the energy leech disengaged

    it's tentacles.  The Xin crewmembers were sucked out into

    space, along with any equipment that was not tightly

    fastened down.



        The Xin's bony carapaces helped to protect them from

    exposure to the hard vacuum of space, but could not prevent

    the rupturing of their internal structures.  They bled from
 Page 241



    joints and oozed crushed organs from orifices.



        Finally, the Xin ship disintegrated, it's molecules

    joining the vast population of interstellar matter.



        Still hungry, the energy leech now turned on the

    Stardrive Section.  Worf launched more torpedoes, but the

    creature was not fooled this time.  It continued it's

    advance.



        "Lock on tractor beam, Geordi," Data ordered into

    the intercom.



        "Tractor beam locked on.  The creature's leeching

    our energy again, Data.  Better make this fast."



        "Affirmative, Lieutenant.  Ensign Gawron, plot course

    two one six mark four seven," said Data, consulting a read out

    on the arm of the command chair.



        "But that'll take us into the heart of Star 452M5,"

    protested Gawron.



        "We will not be entering the star, but stopping

    just short of it, Ensign.  Engage course at Warp three."



        "Aye, sir.  Warp three," Chris replied dubiously.


 Page 242



        "Arrival at Star 452M5 in fifteen seconds," reported

    Worf, from his station at the rear of the Bridge.



        "Drop out of Warp .1 seconds before entering the heart

    of the star and release tractor beam," Data ordered.



        "Aye, sir.  Whatever you say."



        "Carefully, Ensign Gawron.  You must not overshoot,"

    warned Data.



        "Dropping out of Warp...NOW.  Tractor beam disengaging."

    Then with surprise, Gawron reported, "The creature is moving

    away, toward the sun.  Distance 123 meters and falling, 100

    meters...90...60...15...2...it has entered the sun.  No longer

    reading any lifesigns."



        With what could have been sadness, Data ordered,

    "Return to the Saucer and reconnect."  Then Data just sat

    there, neither responding to his friends, nor noticing that

    they were even there.


 Page 243



            CHAPTER 16

    Captain's Log, Supplemental:
        We have returned to our own time and Mister Data
    assures me that the Xin ship has been destroyed and also
    that we have had no noticeable impact on our own past.  I
    only hope that he is correct and that our interference has
    not caused some difficulty that will come back to haunt us
    in the future.
        As far as Commander LaForge's defeat of the Borg,
    he reports that such a weapon is not now, nor ever has
    been physically possible.  I feel that Q planted the idea
    in his head and then allowed the weapon to be implemented.
        Data and Worf have explained to me why they stole
    the Stardrive Section, and I believe them, even if no one
    except them has any memory of the events leading up to it.
    I have also dropped all charges against Worf for refusing
    to fire on the Klingon ships, citing as my reason that
    he was displaced in time, and as such, may have reverted
    to the behavior of Klingons at that time.
        We are currently proceeding to Starbase
    Andreievitch for repairs and debriefing.



        Picard looked up from his computer terminal, feeling

    a tingle at the base of his skull, as if he were being

    watched.



        "Come on out, Q.  I know you're here."



        "Indeed, Captain.  I'm everywhere," said Q, as he

    appeared, now wearing the uniform of a Starfleet Fleet

    Admiral.  "You've done remarkably well, Jean-Luc, but

    remember, I can always come back."



        "I think not, Q.  You see, the Borg know of you now.

    They know of the Continuum and your powers.  They'll find a

    way to adapt, Q.  Then they will come looking for you and

    maybe you will be absorbed into the Borg."

 Page 244




        Q, a look of terror on his face, pleaded, "No!  It

    can't be true.  I don't look at all good in plastic and steel.

    You've got to help me."



        "No, Q.  It is because of you that the Borg know of

    us.  It seems fitting that they know of you for the same

    reason."



        "Alright then, if you're not going to help, I'll just

    have to have my fellow Q help me."



        "If they don't kick you out before you get a chance

    to explain it to them," Picard retorted ominously.



        "What do you know, Picard?  Now it's my turn to give

    out bad news.  You remember that Borg ship at Wolf-359C.

    Well, it wasn't destroyed.  Heavily damaged, perhaps, but

    not destroyed.  It will be fully repaired in little more

    than a year, but don't think of warning anyone.  Your

    memory is now blocked.  You have the knowledge but are

    unable to give it to anyone in any form.

        "Ariva derci, Jean-Luc."  Q vanished from sight.






        In 10-Forward, Geordi and Data were discussing their

    experiences in the past.


 Page 245



        "Now I understand some of the things Admiral McCoy

    said to me when he was aboard.  We were in orbit over Farpoint

    Station, and he said that he had lobbied heavily for the

    construction of the Galaxy Class series of starships.  He

    also said that he had a vague memory of you and I, but did

    not know from where."



        Geordi turned to look intently at Data, the subdued

    light glinting off his VISOR.  "You don't mean--"



        "Yes, Geordi, the amnesia program did not work.  Out

    of all his shipmates, he is the only one who remembers us."




        "And he never said a word, keeping it to himself for

    over eighty years.  Unbelievable," whispered Geordi, in awe.



        "I shall have to meet with him again and discuss our

    experiences on the Enterprise and the," Data faltered,

    "Enterprise," he finished.



        Geordi turned back to his drink, thinking ahead to

    the shore leave that they had once again been promised and

    knowing that something would come up to keep them from

    getting it.






        And on Wolf-359C, the vague outline of a cube
 Page 246



    dragged itself free from the hardened rock encasing it.

    It was by no means repaired yet, but a signal had been

    received.  Another Borg ship was on it's way to Federation

    space, and this ship wanted to be ready.



        A year, perhaps, was a good estimate.  After 79 years

    of repairs, what was one more, when the heart of the

    Federation lay open to it?




                Appendix

            Author's Note: Explanations


    Some of you may be concerned about Worf's behavior, Re: Not attacking
the Klingons.  This behavioral change is not unprecedented in Star Trek and
is of the same form as Spock's abnormal behavior in "All Our Yesterdays," where
he reverts back to the behavior of Vulcans of that time period.  Klingons of
the time period Worf and crew were in would not, in my opinion, fight against
someone who they saw as doing their duty.

    McCoy's advocacy of the Galaxy class starships stems from his not
knowing what time period (stardate) the "Houdini" comes from.  He knew it was
really named the Enterprise and wanted to speed up development of it so that
it could go back in time to destroy the Borg.  (See below.)  This is the reason
for the lack of an extensive testing program.  (Captain of the "Yamato,"
"Contagion.")

    The Borg were included in the book to put an extension on Khan, add
something about the effect of the Genesis wave, and fix something I found
hard to believe about "Best of Both Worlds Part II."  I did not think that
one Borg ship alone could defeat 40 Federation starships.  It made sense to me
that their was another Borg ship somewhere.  This ship, stranded for many years
on Wolf-359C, beamed Locutus aboard just as the other Borg ship was destroyed,
finished off the Federation fleet, and then headed for Earth.  By this time,
Khan's personality had been purged by the Borg.

    And that's all I wrote, but before I go, thanks to friends and family
members for their support, and to everyone who consented to appear in this
work: Chris Gawron, Jill Aures, Maggie Harris, Dave Callari, Phyllis Rubino,
and any others I may have forgotten over the past year of writing.

    Hailing frequencies closed.  Live long and prosper, as we watch the
human adventure continue into the 23rd century and beyond.