Hacker Chronicles 2/HACKER2.BIN/501.SSN-9301.C8

Text File | 1993-03-28 | 34KB | 678 lines

                STAR TREK:  THE THIRD GENERATION
                       on Shadowlands BBS
              Created and Edited by Rebecca J. Anderson
                      Ver. 2.0  (93/01/01)

EPISODE #1:  "United We Stand"
--------------------------------------------------------------------
CHARACTERS:                                WRITTEN BY:
Captain Gabriele Lestat....................Lori Hewson
Commander Jacqueline Picard................Rebecca J. Anderson
Commander (Dr.) James N'Dok................Tim Ingram
Lt. Commander Barnabas Cole................Warren Postma
Lt. Commander Nikctalos D'pyrann...........Geza A. R. Reilly
Lt. Commander Mac Scott....................Dan McMillan
Counsellor T'Pryn..........................Rebecca J. Anderson
Centurion Salek............................Adam Gilchrist
Lt. Maverint Slike.........................Steve Mahler
--------------------------------------------------------------------

From:  Cmdr. Jacqueline Picard

     Jack sat in Ten-Forward nursing a cup of Earl Grey and a
tension headache that would have killed a healthy Klingon.  "You
can't have a headache," her mother would have said.  "We cured
headaches long ago."  Mind you, she'd said the same thing to Jack's
father just before that whole mess over the U.S.S. _Stargazer_ blew
up and Ferengi started popping out of the woodwork.
     Jack was pretty sure there weren't any Ferengi hanging around
this sector trying to mess with her mind, but that was small
comfort.  A battle with the Ferengi would be a welcome relief from
the strain she felt right now.
     The Captain was being impossible.  Again.  They hadn't told
Jack about this when she'd been promoted.  Or maybe they had, and
she'd been too wrapped up in the thrill of signing on with the
legendary _Enterprise_ to notice.
     "Can I sit down?"
     Jack looked up to see Guinan standing over her.  "What?  Oh,
yes, of course."  She liked the woman, but she found it distracting
that she had no eyebrows.  It always made her want to take out a
pencil and draw some on.
     Guinan looked back at her with coffee-coloured, startlingly
candid eyes.  "You're very like your mother, you know.  When I see
you, it's like watching her ghost.  Until you open your mouth, and
then I _know_ who your father is."
     "Was," corrected Jack automatically.
     Guinan shrugged.  "Do you see Wesley much?"
     Jack shook her head, staring into the steaming depths of her
tea.  "Hardly at all.  He's got a lot on his mind since he took the
chair."
     "I hear the _Victoria_'s a good ship."
     "Not as good as this one.  I told him he should have stuck it
out, but who am I?"
     "His sister."
     "Half-sister."
     "It doesn't make any difference to him.  He adores you, you
know that.  But he wasn't about to step on your toes.  From what I
hear, nobody, but _nobody_ wants to do that."  Guinan smiled.
"Wesley's a good Captain.  He was getting too old to be playing
First Officer anyway.  Someday this ship will come to him...but
until then, you're here.  There's a Crusher on the _Enterprise_, and
that's all that matters."
     "I wish it were," muttered Jack.
     "Jacqueline," said Guinan softly, leaning forward, "just let
it go.  You're new here.  It's hard, but it'll pass.  Soon you
won't be able to remember a time when you didn't love this ship and
everybody in it like your own breath and blood."
     "Even the Captain?"
     "Even," said Guinan with a half-smile, "the Captain."
     "You sound like a prophetess," said Jack.  "I hope you are."
     "Trust me."
     "Commander Jacqueline Picard," said the intercom, "report to
the bridge."
     "Responding," said Jack, getting up from her seat.  She looked
longingly back at her cup of tea (Earl Grey, hot), flickered a
smile at Guinan and headed out the door.
     Guinan picked up Jack's tea and sipped it thoughtfully.  She
made a face and put it down.  "Gods, Jean-Luc," she murmured to the
stars shooting by outside, "what did you ever see in this stuff?"


From:  Doctor James N'dok

Medical Log - Stardate 59801.2
------------------------------
     It has been 2 hours since the alien infection invaded Starbase
133.  Approximately 20% of the crew and 30% of the colonists have
been infected.  I am working on a solution in which to heal the
ailment:  however, all tries so far have been unsuccessful.  The
disease causes terrible rotting of the skin.  I have called the
disease "Annexia" and am looking for a cure.  It does not respond
to conventional treatment.  I only hope the cure comes soon...


From:  Cmdr. Jacqueline Picard

     "Hello, Dr. N'Dok," said Jack to the familiar face on the
council room monitor, "and how are we feeling today?"
     "Gads, you're just like your mother sometimes."
     Jack half-smiled at the rueful tone in James' voice.  "She was
pretty hard on you, as I recall."
     "But a good teacher."
     "I know.  I'm sure the folks at Starbase 133 will be sorry to
see you go."
     James' eyes went wide.  "Go?  You mean I've been accepted?"
     "Certainly.  You'll like Captain K'anrok, I hear the D'Ken's
a good ship--"
     "A Klingon ship?  I didn't even--Jack, you'd better be
kidding me."
     "We referred you," said Jack serenely.  "We'll be taking Dr.
Saalen on when we get to Starbase 68--you remember Dr. Saalen,
don't you?  I hear you and she were great friends back on Delta-
V..."
    "You've _got_ to be kidding me."
     N'Dok sounded so desperate that Jack couldn't help but laugh.
"Of course I am, James.  Congratulations, and I'll be the first one
to welcome you on board the _Enterprise_.  We'll be docking at
Starbase 133 at 0900 hours."
     "Jack," said James, "when I get on that ship, I'm going to
take you down to Ten Forward, and buy the biggest stein of
synthehol you ever did see--"
     "Yes?"
     "--and pour every last drop of it over your head."
     "Transmission ends," said Jack blithely, and reached over to
switch off the viewscreen.
     "No," said James.  "Not yet."
     Now he sounded serious.  Jack sat back in her chair and said
quietly, "What is it?"
     "There's disease here.  A bad one, Jack.  I've tried
everything I could think of, but it isn't enough.  I don't know how
long it'll take to bring it under control.  It may not even be safe
for the _Enterprise_ to dock at the Starbase until I can find the
cure."
     "That bad?" asked Jack.
     "Yeah.  That bad."
     "I'll notify the Captain.  Keep in touch, and if we can help
in any way, let us know."
     "Tell me," said James.  "Was there any...opposition to my
application for C.M.O.?"
     "Well, the Captain didn't know you very well," mused Jack,
"and I had to supply some background detail... but otherwise, no.
Not from me, if that's what you want to know."
     "The Captain didn't--"  James looked baffled.  "Jack, I
thought your half-brother was Captain of the _Enterprise_!"
     "Wesley?  No.  He's on the _Victoria_, for now at least."
     "So who's your Captain, then?"
     Jack took a deep breath.  "You'll meet her soon enough.  I've
got to go, James.  See you in a few hours."
     "I sure hope so," said James fervently, and the viewscreen
went black.


From:  Doctor James N'dok

     "Doctor!" said the voice over the intercom.
     "Yes, Commander?"
     "N'Dok!  The Annexia has become VERY, VERY serious...
casualties have risen to 500.  And James..."  The Commander sounded
very worried.  "The Admiral has it.  It's pretty serious."
     James got himself a stress injection.  His anxiety levels were
very high, and he felt frustrated beyond belief.
     "Understood, sir..."
     "N'Dok.  You're a GOOD doctor, an EXCELLENT doctor.  Remember?
You're going to be the new C.M.O on the _Enterprise_."
     "One disease. I was trained on Delta V!  How...?!"
     "Just keep trying... That's all we can expect."
     "Yes, Commander."
     After a brief conversation with the computer, he left the room
to visit Starbase 133's Counsellor.

     "James!" said the Counsellor as he entered her office.
     "Hello, Aliana.  How are you?"
     "Fine.  But you aren't... What's wrong?"
     James gazed speechlessly into the dark, warm eyes of
Starbase's 133's Counsellor.
     "Sit down," she commanded.
     "Huh?"
     "Sit!"  Aliana was a very aggressive woman.  Not many
disobeyed her.
     He sighed.  "All right.  I know you're going to drag it out of
me... So... I may as well tell you."
     "Go on."
     "You've seen the effects of Annexia, right?"
     Aliana paused for a moment. "Yes. I have."
     "I can't cure it.  I'm a Doctor, Aliana.  TRAINED on Delta V.
I can't cure it."
     "James.  Don't be so hard on yourself.  You know you're
trying.  We know.  Just do your best. That's all we can expect."
     James bolted up.
     "Yeah?  Well maybe my best just isn't good enough!"
     He stormed off out of the room.  Aliana's cry of "James!" was
never heard.


From:  Mac Scott

     Mac stared at his computer screen with horror.  "What the
blazes is that?  I must notify the Captain immediately!"
     "Engineering to bridge!"  Mac's voice was noticibly agitated.
     "Bridge acknowledged."  It was the voice of Jacqueline Picard.
What had happened to the Captain?  Mac had been on the _Enterprise_
now for over a week, and he had still to meet or see the Captain.
He was beginning to wonder if the _Enterprise_ had a Captain.
Although Commander Picard was more than efficient at filling in for
the Captain, whoever that was.
     "What's up, Mr. Scott?"
     "Well, there's some sort of field breaching the hull.  The
usual sensors don't seem to pick it up.  I wouldn't have noticed
except the field seems to be causing strange fluxuations in the
warp drive."
     "Okay, Mr. Scott.  Give us a full analysis and report in one
hour.  Bridge out."


From:  Captain Gabriele Lestat

     Captain Lestat was standing in the doorway of her Ready Room
and the Bridge.  She'd heard the conversation between Mr. Scott and
Commander Picard.  No one seemed to notice her, and that's the way
it seemed to have been ever since she arrived at her new command.
     She knew very well the capabilities of her First Officer, and
was comfortable enought to leave her the Comm. for the time being.
It took time for a crew to become used to a new Captain, and a new
ship.  Most of the _Enterprise_'s complement was made up of new but
competent crew members.  Captain Gabriele Lestat felt it best to
stand back and observe the workings of the new crew, and their
relationship with their new 'home', the proud flagship of the
Federation.  If the crew knew they were being observed, or even
aware that their new Captain was assessing them, they would be
stiff and possibly too eager to please, thus not show her a proper
sampling of their behavior.
     However, Gabriele was both impressed and disappointed with her
new First Officer.  True, her capabilities were outstanding--they
would have to be--yet the tension between them would be a source of
great stress for both of them, if not resolved soon.  Professional
respect was one thing, but the relationship between Captain and
First Officer would have to be one of total trust and an almost
single mind to be shared.  At least, that was her opinion.
     Gabriele had not gone through Starfleet through the
command channels, but the sciences.  For three years, she served
aboard the U.S.S. _Excalibur_ as C.M.O. before making the difficult
transfer from Blue to Red.  She had even had the honour of meeting
Dr. Crusher, her First Officer's mother.  Jacqueline was very much
like her mother, and much like Gabriele herself, perhaps that was
part of their problem.
     "Commander Picard," she said in an authoritative voice.  The
Commander turned to her, momentarily surprised at her presence.
     "Yes, sir?" she replied.
     "Can I see you in my Ready Room please?"  Gabriele gave the
Bridge to Lieutenant Berringer, and headed into the Ready Room.
Jack followed.


From:  Cmdr. Jacqueline Picard

     "How may I help you, Captain?" said Jack.  She stood before
Lestat's desk, head held high, legs braced and hands behind her
back in formal salute.
     Gabriele shook her head ruefully.  "At ease, Number One.  If
there's anyone on this whole ship who should be able to relax in
the presence of their Captain, it's you."
     Jack let her hands drop to her sides, and assumed a more
comfortable position.  "As you wish, sir."
     "Please, don't call me sir," said Gabriele.  "You make me
sound like a modern Major General."
     A ghost of a smile touched Jack's lips.  So the Captain had a
sense of humour after all.  Perhaps she had judged this woman too
harshly.  She wasn't ordinarily the type to jump to conclusions
about people, but something about this woman had rubbed her the
wrong way when they'd first met a week ago on Starbase 165.  Funny,
though, the more she thought about it the more she couldn't really
remember what it was.
     "Tell me, Commander," said Gabriele, getting up from her seat
and walking over to stand by Jack's side, "do you not feel that a
Captain and a First Officer should be able to work together?"
     "I do, yes."
     "But it seems to me that something is hindering us.  Neither
of us is foolish enough to think that in a mere seven days two
strangers can become the best of friends, but it would lift a great
burden from my mind if we could at least get to know each other a
little.  Do you know that half the ship doesn't seem to know I
exist?  You've been doing my work for me."
     Jack stiffened.  "I beg your pardon."
     "Don't mistake me," warned Gabriele.  "I am not criticizing
your performance in the least.  You show an almost alarming
competence.  I do know that before the _Enterprise_ picked me up at
Starbase 165, you were in command.  Only for a little while, of
course, but still it's not an easy thing to give up."
     "No," said Jack quietly.
     "However," Gabriele continued in a crisper voice, "we are all
called upon to make sacrifices.  No doubt you will indeed be a
Captain someday.  But at this point you are my First Officer, and
I would very much like to see you work in that capacity."
     Jack was silent.
     "Do you understand?" asked Captain Lestat.
     "It is required in stewards," said Jack unexpectedly, "that
one be found faithful.  She who is faithful in little will also be
faithful in much."  She smiled, and her eyes met Gabriele's for the
first time since the interview began.  "I have been under some
strain of late.  But I will be a good steward of the trust you have
placed in me, Captain."
     "I could wish for nothing more," said Gabriele.  "Now.  Shall
we conduct the interview with our Chief of Engineering?  I hear
that Lieutenant Commander Scott has discovered something
rather...unusual."
     "Certainly," said Jack.  "I'll call him in."


From:  Doctor James N'dok

     "The CURE!" exclaimed James, leaping up from his computer
console. "THIS COULD BE IT!"
     He pressed his communicator.
     "Commander?"
     "Yes?  James?  Is that you?"
     "Yes Commander!  I think I've found a cure!"
     "A cure?  Are you sure?"
     "Well, I'm not positive yet, but I'm going to try it with a
patient."
     "Do that."
     Silence.  The excitement grew in him.  JACK! he thought. I've
GOT TO tell Jack!


From:  Barnabas Cole

     Barnabas Cole lay in bed, long awake, waiting for the
inevitable.
     "Commander Cole?"
     The young female voice over the intercom held poorly concealed
traces of excitement.
     He twisted until his arms could reach the console.  He gave
his bed a fond look over his shoulder and stood up.
     "Barnabas here... What have you got Krystan?"
     "Yes, Sir.  The tests have all been finished. Half of the
samples have been contaminated, but the uncontaminated ones are
still alive and working.  From our first results I'd estimate that
with an air recycler built with these active cells, we can turn water
into air supplies."
     "Uhh.  What was in the contaminated specimens?"
     "Nicotine, sir."
     "These bacteria have a habit?  Fascinating.  We'll talk
later."
     His voice took on the tone of a father reproving a daughter.
There was a slight pause, a stifled laugh in the background.
     "If you say so, sir.  Krystan out."
     Starfleet was forever given Barnabas Cole the tasks that
nobody else wanted.  When it came to anything toxic or anything
that most teams were too scared to do, Barnabas Cole was given the
job.  Now, rather unexpectedly, he had been pulled away from the
mining planets which he had been assigned to and had been assigned
to the _Enterprise_, the proudest and the fastest, the flagship of
Starfleet's Nova class ships.
     Barnabas walked to the food dispenser.
     "Barnabas Cole.  Special diet C-7-A."
     The dispenser hummed to life.  A large glass mug filled with
a strong black liquid appeared.  He grabbed it and headed to the
back of his cabin.  The starscape visible through his viewport held
a planet in the lower left corner.  He saw his own face in the
window, and quickly turned away.  He ran his fingers through his
silver-gray hair, set down his coffee and set off with purposeful
strides towards the turbo-lifts.
     A younger self smiled from a picture on his commode; his hair
was black, his fair skinned features had been chiselled out
sharply, and his eyes were a shade of hazel.  As the door closed
behind him, he pushed down thoughts of the man who had been forever
lost, closed his silver eyes, and paused a moment.  His lips moved
in the silence, while the turbo-lift carried him to the bridge.
     His first day of duty on the Starship _Enterprise_ had begun.
     Jacqueline Picard was standing outside the turbolift as the
door opened.  He stood and looked fearfully at her, hoping perhaps
she wouldn't recognize him.  For the first time that day, Barnabas
Cole didn't know what to say.


From:  Cmdr. Jacqueline Picard

     Jack stared at the silver-haired, silver-eyed, pale-skinned
man in Starfleet gold as though seeing a ghost.  She had expected
to see Chief Engineer Scott in the turbolift; instead, there
was...him.
     "You?" she whispered.
     "Yes."
     "But you left Starfleet.  You said you were never coming back
after the--"
     "The incident.  Yes.  But I have the right to change my mind,
do I not?"
     "What are you doing here?"
     "Didn't they tell you?  I've been signed on as Science
Officer."
     "Science--"  Her voice was hoarse.  She cleared her throat and
went on, "That's quite a step up, isn't it?"
     "I haven't been idle these past two years, you know."
     "You never were."
     "Look who's talking," said the figure with a slightly nervous
laugh.  "Last time we talked, you were just a Lieutenant on the
Copernicus.  Now you're here--and First Officer, at that."
     "Yes, well... it was something I had to do."
     "And that's the way I feel about coming back."
     "Did anybody--recognize you?"
     He shook his head.  "Only you.  And I'm glad of it, really.
I got tired of being poked at by every doctor and scientist in
Starfleet... and after a few months I made sure they got pretty
tired of me too.  That part's over.  For now, anyway."
     "Good," said Jack.  She stepped aside, let him pass by on his
way to the Ops console.  The Lieutenant who'd been sitting in the
chair quietly got up and left as Barnabas approached, though not
without a curious glance at his superior's strange appearance.
     The glance would have been somewhat more than curious, thought
Jack ruefully, if the Lieutenant had only known how Barnabas Cole
had become that way.  Jack had been there when the incident
happened.  She'd seen it all.  But Barnabas had made her promise
not to tell anyone, and she wasn't about to break that promise now.
     She took a deep breath, composing herself, and turned back to
the Captain's ready room.  No doubt Lt. Cmdr. Scott would put in
his appearance there soon.


From:  Mac Scott

     "Captain Lestat, I'm Chief of Engineering Scott.  I've got a
report about a strange warp field oncoming from Starbase 133."
     "Yes, I know who you are Chief Scott.  Have a seat please.
You've met Commander Picard of course?"
     "Yes, Captain, I have."  He shifted uncomfortably in his
chair.  "Might I say it's a pleasure to finally meet you, Captain."
     "Oh...ah, yes.  Let's have that report, Chief."
     "Well there's not much to tell.  Except that the source seems
to have disappeared.  It was just a steady pulse, getting stronger
as we neared the Starbase, and then nothing.  But I managed to
locate the source.  It was coming from the medical section of the
Starbase."
     "Nothing else to report, Chief?"
     "No Captain, that's all I can tell you.  One minute it was
there, the next...gone!"
     "Thank you Chief Scott.  Dismissed."
     "Thank God for that!" whispered Mac to himself as he left the
room.  I guess I'll get to the bottom of it some other time, he
thought.  I don't think I want to stick around for a cat fight
either.  Commander Picard didn't say a word the whole time I was in
there.  Scary!
     With those thoughts slowly dwindling off, Chief Mac Scott
returned to engineering.


From:  Captain Lestat

     Captain Lestat watched the Chief Engineer nervously walk out of
the chambers.  She was rather pensive about the latest occurances
that were keeping the ship from gaining the remainder of its crew.
The doctor in her, that was still very consuming despite her new
position, made her wish she could aid the new C.M.O. in his search
for the cure.  But, her duties were now far more wide in scale and
she couldn't allow herself the luxury of delving yet again into the
world of complicated cell structures and electrical/chemical
reactions that made up the human body, no matter how tempting.
     The Captain now turned to the Commander who looked to be
concentrating on something.  Her eyebrows were closely knit
together.
     "Interesting man Number One," said Gabriele, her chair now
turned facing Jack.  The Commander, taken away from her thoughts,
looked at Gabriele as she continued, "Very nervous though, he
looked as if he expected one of us to bite him.  Perhaps he should
run a diagnostic on his own food replicator; his coffee may contain
too much caffeine."
     Jack smiled.  "You may very well be correct, sir..." then
paused and corrected herself, "Captain."  The thought that she had
been lucky to have such a First Officer as Jack crossed Gabriele's
mind.  Her impression had improved 100% now that they have spoken
more.
     "I tell you what Number One, when we are alone, why don't we
put ourselves on a first name basis.  It may be against tradition,
but I would think that things will be far more comfortable that
way."
     "Okay, Gabriele, that sounds reasonable.  Now what do you
think of the Engineer's report?"
     Gabriele was quiet for a moment, then sat back in her chair,
and ran a hand through her black, shoulder length hair.  "I think
that we should have a talk with our new C.M.O. and find out what he
is doing."


From:  Cmdr. Jacqueline Picard

     The _Enterprise_ glided in to dock at Starbase 133 only a few
hours later.  After receiving the all clear, Jack and Captain
Lestat entered the space station to find a flushed and exultant
N'Dok there to greet them.  All around them, the station's crew
bore livid scars, a sharp reminder of the disease that had gripped
the Starbase only hours before.  But even these marks were fading
fast.
     "I did it, Jack!" crowed James.
     "So I see.  Congratulations.  How did you do it?"
     "Well, I'd been looking for some sort of organic cure.  But
then I found that the bacteria could be killed by theta waves.  I
set up a steady pulse, and--"
     Jack held up a hand in sudden comprehension.  "Wait.  Those
theta waves would be pretty powerful, wouldn't they?  They'd extend
beyond the Starbase, perhaps?"
     "Oh, yeah.  Definitely."
     "Do theta waves have any documented effect on warp drives?"
     "Um, I'm not sure.  Why?"
     "Just a hunch I had.  We'll check it out when we get back to
the _Enterprise_; I have a feeling this may solve a mystery.  Well,
are you packed and ready to go?"
     "You bet.  My replacement just arrived, I've taken my leave--
oh, Captain Lestat, my apologies."  The young doctor reddened and
saluted the amused Gabriele.  "I'm so sorry, Captain.  I didn't see
you."
     "Being overlooked seems to be my lot in life," replied
Gabriele cheerfully.  "I'm getting used to it.  I welcome you to
the _Enterprise_, Doctor; shall we go on board?"

     "We are due in two days to pick up our new Security Officer at
Starbase 168.  Our Counsellor will be arriving soon afterward, and
then we will be ready to undertake our first mission."  Gabriele
folded her hands and gazed down the length of the council table at
her small contingent of officers.  Jack was at her right, beside
her the mysterious silver-eyed Science Officer Barnabas Cole;
across the table sat the curmudgeonly but loyal Chief of
Engineering, Mac Scott, and the new arrival James N'Dok, who
somehow managed to look rakish even in Starfleet medical green.
They were an odd group, and with two officers yet to come, would
likely just get odder.  But there was promise here, as well.
     Jack glanced over at Barnabas, but the chrome-coloured eyes
never wavered from their contemplation of the Captain as Gabriele
went on, "This is the newly outfitted flagship of the Federation.
You well know the glory associated with the name of _Enterprise_.
You also know the names of the many great men and women who have
served Starfleet aboard this ship over the past two centuries.  I
trust that each one of you will continue in that tradition,
upholding the honour of this ship and making for yourselves a place
in history fully equal to those who have gone so bravely before.
I do not ask this.  I _expect_ it of you, just as I demand it of
myself.  And from what I have learned of each of you over the past
few days I feel that you may very well be able to meet those high
but noble expectations."
     She paused, her eyes flickering to the viewport beside her and
the stars beyond, and a little smile touched her lips.  "Well," she
said.  "I've delivered the speech; very pretty, isn't it?  But what
It amounts to is this:  do your best, and try not to blow us all up
if you can possibly avoid it.  And if Dr. N'Dok drops any virulent
bacterial cultures I want to know immediately--"
     James leaped to his feet, eyes widening.  "I know you!  I had
you for first-year virology on Delta V!"
     "Well, so you did," said Gabriele pleasantly.  "I do hope
that's not your bedside manner, Doctor, or I can predict an
alarming increase in heart failure among your patients."
     Jack bent her head to hide her smile as N'Dok sank slowly back
into his chair.  Beside her, however, Barnabas' face remained
impassive.  Jack found herself wondering if, for this one, the old
wounds would ever heal...


From:  Cmdr. Jacqueline Picard

     Jack fell into step beside Barnabas as they left the council
room.  "So," she said, "How does it feel to be Science Officer?"
     "Strange," said Barnabas frankly.  He stepped onto the
turbolift; Jack followed.  "Bridge," he said, and the lift began to
hum its way up the shaft.
     "What do you mean, strange?" said Jack.
     "Just what I said.  For the last year I've been working on all
the most dangerous and dirty jobs in Starfleet.  Once the doctors
figured out what I could do, my superiors figured out how to
exploit those capabilities.  Nobody really asked me what I wanted.
Then, all of a sudden, this promotion to Science Officer on the
flagship of the Federation.  Are they trying to make it up to me,
or something?"
     The muscles of his face were rippling like liquid mercury, the
features sliding in and out of focus.  "You're shifting, Barnabas,"
said Jack in a tight voice.  "Stop it."
     His chrome-coloured eyes flashed to her, startled; then his
face eased into its usual shape.  "Sorry," he said.  "That doesn't
happen often."
     "No.  You're upset, and I can understand why.  But there's
nothing to worry about now.  Whatever the reasons, you've got the
Ops position now, and nobody's going to take that away from you.
Or they'll have to deal with me.  You deserve this, Barnabas.
You've worked for it.  And nobody in Starfleet could do the job
better.  I believe that."
     The doors hissed open.  They stepped out onto the bridge, to
find a nervous-looking ensign waiting for them.  "I was just about
to call you, Commander," he said to Jack.  "We've been receiving
sub-space transmissions from an unknown ship."
     "What kind of transmissions?" said Barnabas sharply.
     "We don't know, sir.  The computer doesn't recognize the
language, but we've got the universal translator working on it."
     "That's a good start."  Jack tapped her badge.  "Captain
Lestat?"
     "Acknowledged, Number One," said Gabriele's voice.  "What
seems to be the problem?"
     "I think you're needed on the bridge, Captain," said Jack.

     "And the translator is still unable to decipher these
transmissions?" said Gabriele, eyes narrowing as she scanned the
seemingly random waveforms undulating across the Tactical console.
     "We've tried modifying the range, and searching for repeating
patterns that might indicate common words, and we've sent greetings
in over a thousand languages, but...nothing."  Barnabas shrugged.
"It's got to be a message of some sort, but we can't do anything
until we know what it means."
     "Are you sure it's a message?" said Jack suddenly.  Barnabas
and Gabriele looked at her.  "I mean," she went on, "what if it's
a data transmission rather than an attempt at verbal
communication?"
     "The computer knows the difference," said Barnabas.
     "It would recognize known data formats, yes.  But what about
a protocol it couldn't recognize?  Something new.  Maybe it's not
meant for us at all.  It could be an exchange of data between two
alien ships, or stations, or planets, and we're simply getting in
the way."
     "What might they be transmitting?" asked Gabriele.
     "I don't know," admitted Jack.  "But it might be enlightening
to find out."


From:  Capt. Gabriele Lestat

     Gabriele was just as stumped at the rest of the bridge crew.
The eager Ensign had taken his place at the helm control a little
too quickly.  That was to be expected of a new crew.  Barnabas had
taken his place at Science Stn. 1. and was presently flashing his
hands about the board with a confidant adeptness that reassured
Gabriele.
     "Talk to me, Mr. Cole."  She was standing behind the Ensign's
chair but moved toward her chair when she noticed how nervous he
got.
     "I'm receiving the same information as before Captain, but now
I'm picking up some traces of radiation...curious.  That does not
indicate a ship."
     "On screen, Ensign."
     The crew gazed out at the stars.  There was not a ship in
sight.
     "Magnify 100 times."
     Now, a small dot appeared in the upper right side of the
screen.
     "Isolate and magnify 1000 times Sector 23.7, Ensign." said the
Commander.  There appeared a red planet, still quite far off.
     "What can you tell me of that planet, Mr. Leibowitz?" Gabriele
asked of the Ensign.
     "It is 3000.53 kilometers away.  It's called..."  He paused,
looking for its name on the sector chart.  "Mursatt 1."
     Barnabas picked it up from there.  "Mursatt 1 is a class D
planet.  Its thin atmosphere is mainly sulfur dioxide, and can
protect the planet from the intensely charged particles in the
nearby radiation belt.  So that's what the reading was."  His
silver eyes remained on the panel as he read off the vital
information.  "The planet maintains an enormous magnetic field most
likely caused by the highly charged electrocurrents in its liquid
metal core."
     Gabriele and Jack looked at each other and frowned.
     "I think I'm beginning to understand now," said Gabriele.
"Where is the nearest sun, Mr. Cole?"
     "The nearest sun to this planet went supernova three weeks
ago."
     "I see as well," said the Commander. "If the sun still
existed, Mursatt 1 would have captured the charged particles
ejected by it. As is now stands, the magnetic field is attracting
all interstellar gas and dust.  Mursatt 1 must be the largest
relative planet in this system?"
     "You're correct, Commander."
     "So, what we're saying is that it is very likely that the
matter in its core can undergo thermonuclear reactions.  Do you
recall that fact that was drilled into us in Planetary classes?
'The largest planet is a star that failed'.  Is it likely, Mr.
Cole, that we are picking up intermittent charges of dust, gas,
radio particles and electrocurrents travelling to the planet via
the radiation belt?"
     "Very likely, Captain."  He continued to look curiously at
her.
     "Ensign," said Gabriele, "set course for the next starbase.
Warp factor 6."
     "Aye, Captain."
     "Engage," said Gabriele as she crossed her legs and carelessly
tossed her hair behind her shoulders.

      <continued next chapter>