From: matthew.steenberg@infoboard.be (Matthew C. Steenberg) Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative Subject: NEW: "The December Story" [TNG/Q] (1/3). Date: Sat, 06 Jan 1996 23:37:56 GMT Organization: Infoboard Telematics, Belgium Lines: 335 Message-ID: <4cn1ck$apn@ibbr.ib.be> Reply-To: matthew.steenberg@inforboard.be NNTP-Posting-Host: dialbr004.ib.be X-Newsreader: Forte Free Agent 1.0.82 THE DECEMBER STORY A collective work by Matthew C. Steenberg, Joan Testin, Mike Jackson, Felix Clauss, Melissa Walker, Diavolessa, Keri L. Prior, Monica Patitucci, Beth Meenaghan, Cindy Neidt, Beryl Dahl, Melissa Wilson, Alexandra Pirotte, Fred L. Miller Jr, Toby Preminger, and J.B.Larkins. Standard Disclaimer. Paramount Pictures owns Startrek and all the Startrek characters. Only the use of these characters in this story is Copyright - (c) - 1996 by the authors. It may be distributed freely so long as it is not changed in anyway, and all disclaimers are left attached. Comments and Critique may be posted to the alt.startrek.creative newsgroup. ============================================================== "The December Story" c1996 Jean-Luc Picard sat pensively in his ready-room, drinking a cup of hot tea and staring vacantly out at the stars as they seemed to float by in the window. It was Christmas, or nearly so at least. He had rather hoped he would be able to return to Earth for the holiday to spend some time with his family and friends in France, but alas it was not to be; Starfleet command had been more than final on that subject. Instead he was to spend the joyous season of Noel investigating a reported intruder situation on the Federation's Romulan front. What could be more festive? He suddenly stood, determined to stop thinking in such a manner and to get back to work. With a quick tug he straightened his uniform and walked out onto the bridge. William Riker was seated in the captain's chair, but quickly moved to his own upon seeing Picard arrive. "Anything new to report?" the captain asked him. "No sir," Will responded, "we're due to arrive in the Armagron System in just over three minutes." The commander looked at Picard, trying to hide the small level of fear inside. Riker didn't like the Romulans, and going this close to their borders wasn't his idea of a merry Christmas. That aside, the Armagron system was well inside the Neutral-Zone, which meant the Enterprise was breaking an innumerable number of treaties and protocols just be being here. And yet Starfleet had allowed it... that was what puzzled him. The captain sat back in his chair and looked over his bridge-crew; that ever present feeling of pride creeping back into his veins. Troi smiled as she sensed Picard's emotions, and he quickly reverted to thinking about the conflict they might face within the next few minutes. Evidently a small Romulan craft had left the Empire's territory and voyaged not only into the Neutral-Zone, but also on a brief excursion into Federation space. The ship's espionage efforts had hardly been impressive, as Starfleet Command had picked up their presence long before they ever entered friendly space, but had allowed them to continue in order to track them and possibly discover what their purpose was. The Enterprise had then been sent to investigate. Why would the Romulans be so unusually daring as to make a run into foreign space without notification? Picard was unable to come up with an explanation, nor were any of the senior staff. The Romulans and the Federation had never been friendly, but they had adopted a generalized "hands off" attitude; so this incursion was a definite change. And not a change for the better. "Captain, we've arrived at the Armagron System," said the helm officer. Picard nodded and the ensign brought the Galaxy-class giant out of warp and into a full stop. "I am picking up nothing on sensors," said Worf, sounding disappointed at not having found a fight. Riker sat in his chair and stroked his half-beard nervously. There was usually "something" - no matter what the sensors showed. He was soon proven right. "Captain, three ships decloaking directly in front of us," said Lieutenant Commander Data suddenly. "Three?!" responded the startled Picard, "On viewer." Data entered a quick series of commands into his console and the image on the viewscreen changed to reveal three ships de-cloaking. Only they were not Romulan ships; there was one Cardassian vessel, one Ferrengi ship, and a third, which appeared to be... Federation. The moment the vessels appeared, Riker called for red alert. "Ready all weapons systems, Mr. Worf" With a small gesture Captain Picard approved the actions taken by his second in command. As a senior Starfleet officer trained to experience and expect the worst, it took him only a fraction of a minute to overcome his surprise. "Mr. Data, identify the ships. Mr. Worf, can you tell me anything about their weapons status?" "The Cardassian ship is a Kelvin class cruiser. The navigational code identifies it as the 'Machuk', a ship of the Cardassian 11th order. There is no identification signal from the Ferrengi marauder. The third ship is an unknown freighter of Federation origin. Sir, the sensors are not detecting any life sign readings," reported Lieutenant Commander Data in his usual matter-of-fact voice. The Klingon bridge officer, however, appeared everything but 'matter-of-fact' when he retorted "All ships raised their shields the moment they dropped out of cloak. There have to be crews aboard. It could be a trap." Looking up from his chair's console the first officer inquired "An outdated Federation freighter with a cloaking device in Romulan space? Accompanied by a Cardassian warship and a Ferengi marauder? If it is a trap, why didn't they attack yet?" "Agreed," Picard stated with authority, "they don't seem to pose a threat to us at this time. Let's find out more about the situation we are in. Mr. Data scan the hull of the freighter for any markings." A confrontation with this odd assortment of ships while searching for a Romulan intruder was certainly not what the crew would see as the best way to begin the Christmas season. Nevertheless, thought Picard, he could rely on this crew as on none other in the fleet. "Sir, you were correct. I was able to locate an 0.5 meter wide name marking on the upper hull. Magnifying now." "Put it on the main viewer," the Captain ordered, not a split-second before the letters appeared in front of the bridge crew. Picard found himself surprised for the second time within a few minutes. "That is impossible." "Why, Captain? Do you know this ship?" asked Comdr. Riker as Mr. Data read out the name aloud: "USS K-o-b-a-y-a-s-h-i M-a-r-u". "If I may?" asked the android and continued as the captain nodded, "The Kobayashi Maru was a part of a command level test program used at Starfleet Academy until 61 years ago." "A Federation computer simulation coming to life in the Romulan Neutral Zone ?" "And why not, Number Two. Your dreary little galaxy could use some life," answered a well known voice followed by an even better known flash of light. "Bonjour, Jean-Luc," said Q. "Q, what are you doing here!" said Captain Picard. Only Q could evoke that level of exasperation in the Captain's voice. "Mon Capitaine, is that any way to greet an old friend?" replied Q. "Especially one who has come to give you an opportunity to stop what humanity would probably consider a major catastrophe." Worf began a low growl from his position on the upper level of the bridge. Picard's glance was enough to quiet the Security Chief. Q suddenly spoke. "Captain, Number One and Data, you're with me," he raised his hand and the four flashed into the Captain's Ready Room. The Captain immediately tapped his comm badge, "Mr. Worf, the three of us are in the Ready Room with Q. Please continue to monitor our signals." "Mon Capitaine, I'm hurt. Don't you trust me?" asked Q. He sounded almost wounded. "Not in the least, Q. What do you want?" said the Captain in his best no-nonsense voice. "Oh, I see we are going to be all business today. Well I'll get right to the point. The three ships off the port were found by another Q in a place they didn't belong." "Where were they found?" asked Riker. "The concept is beyond your tiny brain, Riker. But you people need to find out what happened to these ships. Then you need to take the necessary steps to ensure it never happens again." "And if we can't find out what happened?" asked Data with his usual curiosity. "Then a large part of your universe will not exist by the start of the new year," replied Q in a matter of fact tone. Picard crossed the few paces separating him from Q. "No," he said. "Not Again. We've had enough. Our last encounter was supposed to be just that, our last. I took your word and that of the entire Q continuum that you would bother us no more. Can it be possible that the word of the entire Q can't be trusted?" A hint of a frown creased Picard's face as he moved away from Q to stare at the ships hovering in front of them. Suddenly, the door sounded. "Come" called Picard, as the lift door slid open and Guinan entered in haste. "I knew it, I just knew it!" Guinan said to no one in particular as she advanced towards Q. "Even in 10 Foreword I could smell your rotten presence." "No need to be nasty," Q retorted. "After all I just dropped in to wish you all Happy Holidays . . . Happy Last Holidays," he sneered. Ignoring his remark, Guinan continued to advance towards Q. "And, I'll bet you have something to do with those ships de-cloaked off our port side. What twisted, perverted, self-serving scheme have you devised this time Q?" she demanded. Riker, watching Guinan's advance on Q with a combination of admiration and satisfaction, replied "It's another 'humanity-will-end' scare. Only this time, the Cardassians and Ferengi appear to be facing the abyss along with us." Turning to Q, Riker continued . . "Can't you come up with something a bit more inventive? I thought the Q had more of an imagination." "Come, Come" called Q as he clapped his hands and skipped a slow circle around the room. "You've had your fun, now it's my turn." In an instant, he was gone. "Finally," grumbled Riker. "I heard that" replied the voice of Q, who was no where to be seen. The officers returned to the bridge. "Look", cried Guinan. "Outside." Turning towards the view screen, Picard, Riker, Worf, and Data stared in amazement. "What is it", asked Data. "Snow," replied Riker. "Snow," echoed Jean-Luc. "It's not possible" Worf said as the as the white piles began to cover the viewer. "Of course it's possible," offered the voice of Q, reappearing in a red suit, flowing white hair and beard. "And, just who or what are you supposed to be?" asked Guinan. "Why Santy Clause, of course," he replied, adding "Ho, Ho, Ho." "Captain, something is happening out there," the voice of the bridge Ensign interrupted Q's merriment. "Go ahead, Ensign" Picard replied. "Sir, the Cardassian, Ferengi and Federation vessels are powering up," the Ensign's voice seemed higher pitched than usual. "On screen . . . what are their weapons status?" Picard cut in. "They don't appear to be arming themselves, Sir. In fact, they seem to be about to change course." "Change course to where, Ensign," Picard asked with growing sharpness. "Well, Sir, you really should see it. A beam of some sort . . . out of no where. And, well, Sir, ... the ships are following it." Even as the Ensign finished speaking, the three ships swung about. Their image on the viewscreen shimmered as they began to cloak. Before they fully vanished the ships jumped to warp and were gone. All that could be seen was a glittering beam hanging in space. Picard turned to his Con officer. "Analysis, Mr. Data." Data's hands worked furiously on the keypad. "The ships are following the beam at warp 3. The beam is apparently a very diffuse laser, of unknown origin." Riker stood up. "Where is the beam coming from? Where does it lead?" Data shook his head. "I cannot determine its source or destination." Picard turned around and faced Q. "Q, what's going on? What game are you playing here?" With a flash of light Q's costume vanished, replaced with a familiar admiral's uniform. He stepped close to Picard and hissed in his ear. "It's no game, Jean-Luc. No simple trick, no little test of your feeble intellects. This is a full blown universal crisis, and you are going to help me solve it. I need you to keep track of those ships for now. I'll be in touch." With that, Q vanished. Picard sighed, and turned to the bridge crew. "Suggestions? Do we dance to Q's tune?" Riker started to answer, when he was interrupted by Q's voice. "I heard that as well, Jean-Luc." Music began to echo through the bridge. "Interesting," Data began. "That appears to be an old Earth tune, known as 'Frosty the Sn...'" "We don't have time for this." Guinan's voice startled them all. "Whatever's going on, its got Q worried. I can feel it. He's serious about that end of the universe bit." Picard nodded, and turned to the helmsman. "Helm, set a course to follow that beam, in the same direction that our three mystery ships went." "Course laid in, Sir." "Engage at Warp 4." The Enterprise swung around, and leapt gracefully into warp. "Does anyone have any thoughts? Any suggestions?" Captain Picard looked around the observation lounge at his senior officers. After a pause, Geordi spoke. "Well, Captain, I've been examining the laser beam. It seems to have minute fluctuating temperatures. It could be a code or communication of some sort." "How long will it take before you have something?" Captain Picard asked. "Well, Sir, the changes in temperature are so small that we've had to reinitialize the scanners, but I think we've almost got it. We'll have something for you in three hours." Captain Picard nodded. "Good. Ok. How is it possible for us to have detected no life signs aboard those ships?" He frowned. "Assuming that Q wasn't up to his usual tricks." He didn't believe it for a minute. Q was always up to his 'usual tricks'. The observation lounge was silent as the officers tried to imagine Q being serious... about anything. "Captain," Data said "the apparent lack of life signs aboard the three ships could be attributed to a cloaking device inside the ship." "Why would they use two cloaking devices?!" Riker asked. Data's eyebrows lifted as he said "There could be a number of rea--" "Captain" Everyone looked up as an ensign interrupted from the bridge. "We are picking up a distress call." "On our way." Captain Picard said as he stood and the senior officers quickly left the Observation Lounge. "On screen, ensign" he said moments later as everyone moved smoothly from the turbolift to their places on the bridge. "Audio only, Sir." "Understood." A moment of quiet was followed by static and a faint "Please, Please.. no.. We don't... I mean... Please help us! Help us!" "Worf, where is that coming from?" Captain Picard asked sharply. "One moment, Sir." On the viewscreen a small ship appeared. "Magnify" The ship that sprang into focus was a Romulan Warbird. It appeared powerless. Captain Picard turned slightly. "Lt. Worf?" "No shields, no weapons, no life signs. It appears to be ... dead, Captain." Worf's voice indicated his doubt on the possibility of this ship being vacant. "All stop, ensign," said Commander Riker as Picard faced the viewscreen. "Mr. Data is there any sign of a fight?" the Captain asked. "No, Sir. No outward sign of any struggle." Captain Picard turned slightly and looked at Riker. Their eyes met and the commander spoke. "Data, Worf, you're with me." And the three headed up the ramp to the turbolift. The world shimmered around him and disappeared. Riker floundered in the sudden darkness, his hand automatically reaching out and brushing against something solid. Data's arm. "What ... " He heard a click, and a palm light came to life in Data's hand, momentarily blinding him. The light moved over what had once been the Bridge of the Warbird. Chairs sat empty, as if waiting for someone to sit in them. By one chair, a small cup sat half-drank. Riker placed his hand against the ship's siding. Stone cold. Although not a speck of dust touched the consoles, he was suddenly filled with a sense of age and decay that did not fit in with the apparent youth of the ship. Worf's nostrils flared, as he said in a low voice: "This is wrong." For an instant, Riker recalled another away mission, when Worf had nearly been driven mad by the machinations of a different omnipotent being, and he worried. There was a sound. Riker spun, seeing only the door to the turbolift. It opened a crack. He readied his phaser, just in case. "Please," said a very small voice. "Please don't hurt me." Worf kept his phaser trained on the door, as Data looked to Riker for a signal. "Come out where we can see you," said Riker, trying to put the proper mix of authority and trustworthiness in his tone. The door slid open a little more, and a face, pale and frightened, peered out. Whoever it was saw Worf, squealed, and closed the door again. Riker sighed. "We won't hurt you. We picked up your distress signal. I'm Commander William Riker from the Federation starship Enterprise." Suddenly struck with an insight as to who he might be addressing, he said in a quieter, friendlier tone, "What's your name?" "Reynaad." "Reynaad, we're here to help." "Promise?" "I promise." The door opened again. Huddled behind it was a child of about five Earth years. Riker nodded to Worf. The Security Chief lowered his phaser, keeping a close eye on the child. "Where is everyone else?" Riker asked. The child looked around the Bridge, and her shoulders began shaking. Riker had the uncomfortable feeling she was about to cry. "They left. They didn't take me with them." "Is there anyone else on the ship?" "No. They all left. 'Cause of the light." "Commander," said Worf, "we are in a dangerous position. Whatever took the Romulans could return - may come back for the child." "Don't leave me!" wailed Reynaad. "The seizing of a Romulan national could be construed as an act of war," Worf continued. "So could abandoning a child to die. We can hand her over to the Romulan authorities later." Assuming the universe hasn't come to an end by that point, he added silently. "Would you like to come back to our ship with us for now?" The child nodded. "I'll introduce you to two friends of mine. One is a doctor, and the other talks to people. Maybe you can remember more of what happened." "Are they nice?" He offered his more reassuring smile. "Very." And hopefully, they'll be able to get some clue from you as to what happened here. ******************** [Continued!!] <=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=> Matthew C. Steenberg matthew.steenberg@infoboard.be Alt.StarTrek.Creative http://users.aol.com/msteenberg/ "To Hell with the Prime Directive, Let's KILL Something!" <=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=> From: matthew.steenberg@infoboard.be (Matthew C. Steenberg) Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative Subject: NEW: "The December Story" [TNG/Q] (2/3). Date: Sat, 06 Jan 1996 23:38:06 GMT Organization: Infoboard Telematics, Belgium Lines: 482 Message-ID: <4cn1d8$apn@ibbr.ib.be> Reply-To: matthew.steenberg@inforboard.be NNTP-Posting-Host: dialbr004.ib.be X-Newsreader: Forte Free Agent 1.0.82 All Standard Disclaimers Still Apply. "The December Story" - 2/3 c1996 "What did you say her name was?" asked Deanna, "Newt?" Riker looked at her strangely, "I said it was Reynaad. Are you all right?" "I'm fine," she said, "I've just been feeling a little strange since she came aboard. Almost like there's... love... all around me..." her dazed demeanor suddenly disappeared and she returned to the business at hand. "I'd like to speak with her as soon as possible." "Of course," said Riker, "The captain would prefer it if you spoke with her in her quarters. He feels she would be less threatened that way and it is urgent that we find out what is going on." "I understand," said Troi, "I'll report back to you as soon as I discover anything." Riker understood that to mean that she was on her way to see Reynaad and with a nod of his head he turned around to return to the bridge. Worf was there, but the captain was nowhere to be seen. Worf cleared his throat loudly, "Captain Picard would like to speak with you in his ready room at your earliest convenience." "No doubt to ask me what the hell is going on around here," muttered Riker. "Thank you, Mr. Worf." With a deep breath he entered the most intimidating room on the ship. "Will," said Jean-Luc, standing up behind his desk, "what can you tell me about the situation? This has gone far beyond a simple anomaly..." "I believe that the girl is the key to solving this mystery, Captain. Dr. Crusher has examined her and found nothing to be abnormal. Counselor Troi is in with her now. Our biggest question is, if everyone else disappeared, why was she left behind? What makes her different?" "That is precisely what we have to find out, Number One, and I do believe that we are running out of time. The beam is increasing in both size and intensity." "Increasing? But I thought..." "It could well be that we are nearing our destination. Then again, I'm not ruling out the role of Q in this matter. He appeared once already and we know from experience that he is not that easy to get rid of." "That's true, Captain, but how can we do anything about that?" "We can't. That's always been a part of Q's game. He makes us sit and wait for him to make his next move." Riker stood silent for a moment, with a grimace on his face. "That is all, Number Once. Report to me as soon as you have any new information regarding our current situation." "Yes, Captain." He nodded his head in acquiescence and left the ready room. Riker busied himself around the bridge, but three hours later he had still not heard back from Deanna. He was loathe to check up on her, but... "Computer, give me the current location of Counselor Deanna Troi." The computer beeped. "Counselor Troi is no longer aboard the Enterprise." Riker's mind raced at this latest piece of news. 'Where in space are we supposed to go from here?' he wondered to himself with some irritation as he reviewed the events since entering the Neutral Zone. Outwardly, his doubts about how exactly to handle this latest situation were not apparent. "Captain Picard to the bridge, please." There was no answer. Riker was certain he had not seen Picard leave his ready room. "Computer, what is the current location of Captain Picard?" Riker dreaded the reply. "Captain Picard is no longer aboard the Enterprise." "Mr. Worf, summon the senior officers to the briefing room. What's left of us anyway." "Aye, sir." The officers gathered in the briefing room. Further investigation had revealed that Troi, Picard, and the child Reynaad were the only people missing from the ship. As Riker briefed the other officers about their current situation, Guinan entered the room. "They're gone, aren't they!" she exclaimed, not a question. "Of whom are you speaking, Guinan?" Data asked. "The Captain and Counselor Troi." "Guinan, how did you know?" Riker found Guinan somewhat irritating at times like this. She generally provided them with plenty of questions but few answers. "I don't know! Something's wrong. The events that have occurred since entering the Neutral Zone don't make any sense! It's as if . . . instead of experiencing a continuous flow of events, we're experiencing . . . ," she paused, searching for words, ". . . snapshots in time." "Are you saying," queried Data, "that perhaps we are experiencing a series of discontinuities in our current time stream?" "Yes, I guess you could put it like that!" Riker looked at Data. "What do you think, Mr. Data?" "It is possible. It is true that many of the events we have experienced do not seem to be related in any way. The only constant has been the beam of light. Other events, such as the discovery of the three ships, followed by the appearance of Q, then the distress call followed by the discovery of the abandoned Romulan ship with the sole occupant a Romulan child, hardly seem to be related." "Just because these events seem unrelated doesn't in itself mean they *are* unrelated," noted Beverly. "Maybe we just don't have all the pieces to the puzzle." "You're right. However, Guinan does have a time sense that we lack, and her feeling that something is temporally wrong causes me to believe that this is something we should focus on. Besides, something just felt wrong about that Romulan ship. It just seemed so . . . impossibly old. " Riker sighed. " It's a start anyway. Data, I want you to find out if you can discover any distortions in the space-time continuum, local or otherwise. Guinan, I'd like you to accompany me back to that Romulan ship to see what kind of sense you get about it. Geordi, we need more information on that beam. Mr. Worf, I want the computer to automatically signal security the instant anyone else disappears from the ship - then we can look at all of our sensor data at that particular instant and find out if there are any type of anomalies that may be occurring at the same time. Let's also review our sensor data over the last 3 hours to find out if anything strange happened that may have coincided with Picard's and Troi's disappearance. Find out if the computer can pinpoint exactly when they left the ship." He looked over his officers. "All right, everybody. We've got work to do. Let's get on it." Picard awoke in stages, his senses functioning long before he was fully conscious. It was dark, and he was cold, lying on some sort of metallic surface; the air was breathable, though dank and stale. But what stirred his curiosity most was the absolute silence: no thrum of an engine, no murmured conversations among unseen crew, no sounds to indicate that there was activity of any kind going on about him. Gingerly he sat up to let his head clear and take better stock of his situation. Apparently he was on a ship --there was a small round window through which the ambient light from the stars shone dimly-- but what ship? How had he been brought here, and why? "Q!" he barked, wincing as his resonant voice reverberated around the cramped chamber. "What sort of sophomoric, irresponsible game are you playing now? Return me to my ship at once!" "That's very rude, you know," came a soft admonishment from a corner of the room. Picard spun around and peered into the darkness until he could make out the outline of a small female...child. The Romulan girl, what was her name --Reynaad?-- that Riker had found on the deserted Warbird. "What is?" he asked shortly, annoyed at himself for being so easily startled and, as always, uncomfortable in the presence of children. "Shouting like that, when you're not hurt and no one's doing anything to you." She came closer to him so that he could see her more clearly. The girl was wearing a simple tunic that was much too large for her; she had bunched it about her waist and fastened it there with a piece of cable. It made her look even more frail than she was, but there was a solemn gravity in her face that spoke of a maturity far beyond her years. Despite his discomfort, Picard found himself drawn to her. He squatted before her so that they were at eye level with one another. "You're quite right. I just thought perhaps that a...a friend of mine had played a trick on me. Do you know where we are?" "They never hurt anyone," said the girl. "I've been here lots of times." She hadn't answered his question --had, in fact, raised even more questions-- but he sensed no deliberate evasion in her. The black eyes underneath the severe fringe of hair regarded him steadily, frankly. Very well; he would have to go about this carefully. "Are there others here as well?" "Sometimes there's a little man with big ears. I don't like him because all he does is sit on the floor making a horrible squealing noise. Sometimes the big ugly man with scaly skin is here." Ferengi and Cardassian, Picard realized, recalling the ships that had looked dead in space until they had disappeared. "Where are they now?" "The other places," she shrugged, then cocked her head to the side. "You're a human, aren't you?" "Yes. My name is Jean-Luc Picard. Commander Riker brought you on board my ship, the Enterprise." He was puzzled by her suddenly alarmed expression. "You met Dr. Crusher and Counselor Troi, don't you remember?" "No," she said slowly, retreating. Why was she so frightened? Beverly and Deanna had both said that she appeared perfectly normal and healthy, neither physically nor psychologically traumatized as far as they could tell. But then why had she been abandoned on a centuries-old ship, and what was the significance of the mysterious beam of light, and what in the name of heaven did any of this have to do with the "major catastrophe" to which Q had so darkly alluded? His head hurt, buzzing like a hive of bees with ever more questions. There weren't many times he wished he had stayed at home to work the vineyards with Robert, but this was starting to be one of them. "You said you've been here before," asked Picard in the most gentle, reassuring voice he could produce. "How do you leave?" The child raised a finger, indicating the wall with the small window. Picard followed her gaze and found himself staring at the light; its quality had changed from what was the cold glow of the stars to what seemed now a welcoming yellow warmth. Jean-Luc walked cautiously toward it. "One of them likes me. The others... they just act silly;" commented Reynaad as Picard walked into the light, feeling a tingling sensation not unlike a transporter taking hold of his body. He was briefly overwhelmed by fear as he experienced his body being dematerialized and rushed forward at the speed of light. He landed hard on the ground, scraping both hands and knees in the process. Wincing a little, he forced himself to stand up and took a first glance at his new surroundings; Vineyards that seemed to stretch on and on as far as he could see. "Not again!" he muttered, but closer examination of the location calmed his momentary fear of having returned to his 'future life' on Earth. Squinting his eyes, he could see some kind of temple in the distance. A small hand took his. "Come," Reynaad said insistently, "it's time to meet my friend." Terrible boredom, resentment, pain, loneliness ... folly. Counselor Troi was assaulted by the feelings surrounding her. She could sense that the beings here were incredibly ancient. Some were hovering by a pool, others were simply spread on the floor of the temple, listless. They looked like soft clouds, and Deanna's previous experiences told her that they must be some sort of energy beings. She walked toward the small, rounded pool and sat down between two of the creatures; one the color of jade, the other a dull fading gray. "Hello," she said tentatively, trying to maintain her calm, "can you understand me?" The dull gray being replied telepathically. *Of course we can.* The mind-voice reverberated like an explosion in Deanna's head and she winced, which made the being snicker. Then Deanna felt something soft grace her shoulder. The jade being had taken on the form of a human female and was standing beside her, a warm hand held out in greeting. "You must excuse my father. He is being forgotten faster than any of us." One didn't need an empathic gift to see the hopelessness in the woman's eyes. Placing a comforting hand on the creature's arm, Deanna spoke. "Is there anything I can do?" Deanna immediately wished she hadn't posed the question, as at her words the demeanor of the other woman quickly changed. She grew cold; her face taking on the resolute expression of the insane. "Your mind will do nicely." With that, the creature's human-like body began to expand, the fabric of her being ripping itself apart at a molecular level, finally disappearing in an explosion of tiny specs of light; like grains tossed into the winds. In the silence Deanna couldn't help thinking that it was far more spectacular and beautiful than Q's cheap light effects. She was left staring blankly at the surface of the pool, an image of the Enterprise rippling slightly on the surface. Reynaad ran toward the stranger sitting on the temple steps. The young man escaped from his reverie in time to see the ten-year-old happily lunging at him. He dodged skillfully, grabbing her by the waist and tickling her energetically. She burst into a fit of laughter. Picard was aware of a special bond between the two and waited, unwilling to interrupt the moment. Finally he moved forward. "I am Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Starship Enterprise. Would you mind telling me what is going on around here?" The stranger looked Picard over from head to toe. "The Enterprise? Well, what goes around comes around I suppose. At least you look much fitter than that Kirk fellow." He complemented the last remark by a suggestive wink. Picard turned deep red; half in embarrassment, half in confusion. "Who are you? How do you know Kirk? And where am I!?" The stranger, looking bored already, replied. "I met Kirk on your stardate 3468.1, and this is a place for the forgotten ones to fade away in peace. But we must hurry, Picard. Some of us have decided not to let go of our essence." The stranger was already climbing the stairs when the memory of one of Kirk's logs he had studied at the Academy struck Picard. "Apollo!" he cried aloud. The stranger turned around. "Of course, it is I: the God of Light." Picard ran to Apollo and yanked him hard by the arm. "You're using this girl keep yourself alive, aren't you? Just like you used the others back in Kirk's day." The god-creature turned to Picard, his eyes now a blazing red. Jean-Luc understood that it wouldn't be long before his new acquaintance succumbed to the insanity which was already quite evident in his character. ******************** On the bridge of the seemingly deserted Romulan ship, Guinan slowly turned to Riker and shook her head. "What is it, Guinan?" he asked. "I'm not sure what it means, but Q was here not too long ago," she replied, the bartender's keen sixth sense more than enough to convince the commander of her words. "After he left the Enterprise, he must have come here. Someone was with him and there was a confrontation - I can't tell you with whom, though." Her head was cocked as though she were straining to hear some faint echo of such a confrontation. "Why would Q have come here? Does he have something to do with that child we found?" mused Riker. "And what kind of being could have a 'confrontation' with a Q?" Guinan began a deliberate circumnavigation of the ship's bridge, pausing here and there to touch a console or peruse a display panel. "It wasn't a physical fight," she replied absently, "it was a mental battle, and it was probably a surprise to him too; he's not accustomed to being . . .controlled. . by another mind." She turned sharply. "Riker, this ship isn't what it seems to be, the displays are all wrong. Someone wants us to believe this is a Romulan Warbird, but they didn't count on us taking this close a look." "Riker to Enterprise. LaForge, we need you over here right away." Riker peered intently at the panel Guinan had been examining. "Let's see what Geordi can make of it." "LaForge here," came the response, "I'm beaming over now, and I've got company." At the center of the warbird's bridge, the shimmer of the transporter cleared to reveal a worried LaForge accompanied by a distinctly displeased Gul Dukat. ". . . and would someone please tell me what is going on here. I was sent out on a highly sensitive emergency mission at the express request of Captain Jean-Luc Picard, who told my government that a Cardassian ship had been captured by Romulans along with a Federation vessel. Now I find that Picard is nowhere to be found, and the ship in question may or may not have been captured by Romulans, but it is certainly NOT Cardassian! Who is playing games with me?" "We don't know that either, Dukat" Riker interrupted the angry Cardassian stalking angrily across the bridge toward him. "Geordi," he continued, "Guinan thinks this ship isn't actually Romulan; see if you can find any clues as to who we're actually dealing with." LaForge didn't bother to respond, but immediately got to work at the ship's bridge-engineering console. Guinan moved over to the fuming Gul Dukat. "Who are you?" she asked solemnly, the tone of her voice indicating that she didn't for one second believe he was who he said he was. "Why Gul Dukat, of course!" sneered the furious Cardassian. "Don't pretend not to know me, my reputation is well known, even in your Federation." "Where did you work before assuming active command?" Guinan continued, moving ever closer to the Gul. "On a Deep Space station." "Which station, Dukat?" Guinan stood inches away from the towering alien, her inquisitive demeanor demanding a response. The Cardassian stood silent. "Which station?" repeated the bartender. Suddenly the image of Gul Dukat vanished from the vessel's bridge, leaving Guinan staring into thin air. "Riker to the Enterprise, beam us back immediately... straight to the bridge," Riker ordered without hesitation, and the officers were quickly transported back to their ship. "What the hell was that?" Geordi asked as he came out of transport. "I have no idea," Riker answered hurriedly. He turned to the ops officer. "Data, give me the latest report on the status of things." "Sensors have shown nothing new in the status of the Romulan ship," the android responded. "We have, however, been able to decode the signal contained within the beam." Riker's head popped up at the news. "And?" "It seems to be a series of communications from various officers of different races to their fleets. There is one from a Ferrengi to the Alliance, one from a Cardassian Gul to their fleet, and one from... Captain Picard, to the head of Starfleet Command." "From the Captain?" Riker questioned. "Yes," Data responded, "and all the messages are basically the same: they are requesting that the flagships from each respective race arrive to greet someone. Someone named Apollo." Jean-Luc Picard stood firmly in place in front of the young man claiming to be the God of Light. Raynaad stood at the man's side, hugging his leg. "What do you want, Apollo? Why have I been brought here?" He glared into the 'god's' eyes. "You have been brought here to remember. To help us be remembered. We are being forgotten, Captain Picard, and we no longer desire to fade away from the memories of those who knew us." Apollo looked at him gravely. "You will help us be remembered, and so will your friends." Picard took a deep breath and tried to remember all that he could about Kirk's encounter with Apollo so many years ago. It had taken place on Pollux IV when a strange alien being claiming to be the ancient Greek God of Light had tried to capture the Enterprise crew. He had migrated to the distant planet with his fellow 'gods' after Earth culture had progressed to a point where mythology was no longer believable. There they had remained to be "forgotten." However, Apollo had become bored with his lack of worship, and had tried to keep the crew of Kirk's Enterprise with him, instructing them to remain on the planet and worship him as a god. Kirk had escaped, though, and Apollo had changed into a being of pure energy to live with his other gods for the rest of time... until they were forgotten and slipped away into nothingness. Why had he reappeared now? And how did this young girl, Raynaad, know him? The captain turned again to the god. "Apollo, I will talk to you only if you release the girl to me." "And why should I do that?" came his questioning reply. "She does not know you, or your people." "Of course she does!" Picard exclaimed. "We rescued her off of a deserted Romulan ship. We saved her life!" At these remarks the young Raynaad looked up at Jean-Luc, her face a questioning expression. Apollo spoke. "I think you must be mistaken, Captain, this girl has never meet you before." Picard did not understand. He turned to the Raynaad. "What? Don't you remember? You came aboard my ship... spoke with my crew." The girl's head shook in argument and her eyes began to fill with tears. "You don't remember *any* of that?" asked the exasperated captain. Suddenly the entire scene froze, and Picard looked around him as if inside a holodeck which had been put on pause. With the customary flash of light, Q appeared at his side. "My good captain," he started impatiently, "have you learned nothing in the past seven years? Has all my teaching been completely ignored?" His words were rhetorical and annoyed, but there was a tinge of worry in his voice. "I don't understand," Picard answered. "Why doesn't she recognize me? Why doesn't she remember the Enterprise?" "Captain captain captain," Q sighed, pushing his face directly in front of Picard's. "This girl has never met you before in her life." "But she was on my shi--" "CAPTAIN!" Q shouted, "this girl has ... never.... met you before." He stared deeply into Jean-Luc's eyes. "So, what can this mean?" Picard pondered the thought to himself, his mind racing to find a solution. Suddenly he spoke, his voice full of resolution. "I've... I've gone back in time, haven't I Q?" He looked at the alien; always his enemy, yet always his mentor of sorts. "Why have I been brought here?" "Like he said," Q responded, motioning towards the frozen image of Apollo, "you've been brought here so that he won't be forgotten. Or his people." "But how can I do anything about that?" Picard asked. "Oh, come now," Q spoke impatiently. "How do you keep something from being forgotten?" "By putting it into the memory of other people..." "And if you can't go to those 'other people'?" Q continued. "Then you..." Picard's face tightened as the answer came to him. "...You bring the other people to you." Everything was starting to make sense now; the ships mysteriously appearing, the beam of light which guided them. But there were still questions. "What about the child?" Picard asked, "...And how were the ships called?" "My good captain," Q answered, "the ship's are not yet on their way... *you* haven't called them yet. And as for the girl... she's not who you think she is." Q gave Picard a stern look of worry, and vanished from the scene. Will frowned, digesting Data's analysis of the message contained within the laser beam. "Mr. Data, what is the exact wording of that transmission?" The android touched a control on his console, and the Enterprise computer began to speak, an exact duplicate of Picard's voice. "Captain Jean-Luc Picard to Starfleet Command. Request for standard diplomatic envoy, to be deployed to the following coordinates at once. Standard communications not possible at this time. This is a Priority One request. Apollo, the God of Knowledge and Light, awaits." Coordinates followed. Perplexed, Riker met the android's citrine gaze. "That is all, Commander," Data said in a tone which might have been construed as apologetic. "The message repeats." "The God of Knowledge and Light," Will repeated, almost to himself. "That doesn't sound like the Captain." "The signal is prefaced by Captain Picard's personal authorization codes," Data offered. "We must assume it is genuine." The comm signal went off with its usual bleep. "Crusher to Bridge." "Riker here. Go ahead, Doctor." "I've got something on the girl, Reynaad. I don't know if it will help, but it certainly is...extraordinary." "On my way," Riker said, relieved to have something useful to do. In the silence which followed Q's disappearance, Picard heard someone speak his name. He turned. "Counselor!" he exclaimed, though nothing should have surprised him after the events of this day. She was coming up the hill from the direction of a village in the distance, and she looked as if she had been running. Picard registered the resumption of the light evening breeze on his skin, confirming that time had begun to flow forward once again. Deanna reached his side. "Captain, I have to talk to you--" "Ah, the lovely Deanna of Troi," the god exclaimed, beaming at her from his now formidable height of four meters or so. Reynaad was gazing at them serenely from her perch on Apollo's left shoulder, as if her earlier distress had been completely forgotten. Deanna turned at the sound of her name; she took in the golden figure of Apollo without noticeable surprise. Her gaze shifted to include the girl, and she frowned slightly. The last time she had seen Reynaad, she had been about five earth years of age. Now she looked closer to eleven or twelve. Apollo's voice boomed out, echoing from the stones of the temple. "Now you are all here, and the vengeance of my father shall begin, as it was written in antiquity!" The stones vibrated in response to the power of the god's voice, and alarmed, Picard traded glances with Troi. Deanna spoke in a low voice, not looking at him. "Captain, what's going on here? Who is that creature, and what vengeance is he talking about?" Picard had begun to back slowly away from the dais, his hand on Troi's arm pulling her along with him. "It's a long story, Counselor, and I'm not sure you'll believe me, but that happens to be the God of Knowledge and Light, and he is also quite mad." Apollo had grown even taller, towering now above the ten-meter columns. He held his hands before him, and the adolescent girl sat, quite unruffled, in the hollow of his palms. A brilliant, golden light had begun to radiate from her skin and hair. "It's coming back to me," Picard said under his breath, as they continued to retreat. "If this is, in fact, Apollo, then his father would be Zeus, the first of the Olympians. There is a very old legend about the beginning of the world, and the creation of humanity. It says that one day, when many generations have passed and humanity has succumbed to its evil nature, Zeus will unmake his creations and destroy them in a bitter rage." Deanna blinked. Something about the phrase 'bitter rage' reverberated in her mind, and she thought of the gray being she had encountered beside the fountain. "And so he shall, if you two don't do something about it," Q said, from his vantage point behind a statue of Prometheus. Jean-Luc spared an instant to appreciate the ironic parallels before giving the capricious super-being a piece of his mind. "Why don't *you* do something about it, Q? Surely the continuum can't be testing us *again*!" Picard snapped. But Q looked genuinely worried. "I'm afraid not, mon Capitaine. The power here is not mine--it's *hers*," he said urgently, pointing toward the young woman now standing in a halo of light between Apollo's upraised hands. "And if I or any of the Q interfere, the backlash of power could destroy the very fabric of the universe. You're on your own this time, Jean-Luc." "BEHOLD!" Apollo's voice rang out. "The last of the Titans...Rhea, mother of my father, bride of Time and bringer of the new dawn!" The place between his hands had become too bright to look at. Picard's head came up. Reynaad... Rhea... something about that made alarm bells go off. Q's words came back to him. She's not who you think she is. Bride of Time... in Greek mythology, even time itself had its own god -- Chronos, father of Zeus, husband of Rhea, and creator of the world... Troi's hand locked on his arm. "Captain--it's us! Somehow, she's pulling power from *us* and focusing it--" she grimaced, as if in pain "--almost as if she's a tuning fork and *our* minds are supplying the music." Even as she spoke, a beam of light, like a laser, shot upward from Apollo's cupped hands toward space. It was the same beam they had seen from the bridge of the Enterprise. ******************** [Continued!!!] <=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=> Matthew C. Steenberg matthew.steenberg@infoboard.be Alt.StarTrek.Creative http://users.aol.com/msteenberg/ "To Hell with the Prime Directive, Let's KILL Something!" <=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=> From: matthew.steenberg@infoboard.be (Matthew C. Steenberg) Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative Subject: NEW: "The December Story" [TNG/Q] (3/3). Date: Sat, 06 Jan 1996 23:38:26 GMT Organization: Infoboard Telematics, Belgium Lines: 302 Message-ID: <4cn1dh$apn@ibbr.ib.be> Reply-To: matthew.steenberg@inforboard.be NNTP-Posting-Host: dialbr004.ib.be X-Newsreader: Forte Free Agent 1.0.82 All Standard Disclaimers Still Apply. "The December Story" - 3/3 c1996 Picard looked over at Troi, who was nearly doubled over in pain. He was also feeling the effects of this girl's power, but what frightened him more was that he had no idea what to do. He turned to Q, who had a look on his face that the Captain had never seen before. Fear? "Q, what do I do?" The omnipotent being shot back, "I don't know, Picard! I just don't know. If I did," he added gravely, "I would the first to tell you." Jean-Luc swallowed. If Q didn't know, then who did? Suddenly he heard Troi's strained voice from beside him. "Captain, they're like the Borg. They plan to consume the minds of every being in the universe, race by race." The counselor's empathic readings were not what she would have liked. "Their power is staggering." "Do you have any suggestions on how to stop them?" Troi paused, thinking, then answered. "They seem to only be able to concentrate their power on a certain number of people at once, and only one species at a time. More than that and their effect is weakened." This was good to know, but not good enough. Picard's mind raced. He couldn't allow these so called 'gods' to destroy the universe in their rage... not after all he'd been through to save it. And besides, he kind of liked the universe the way it was. The captain looked back at Q, who was still standing off to his side. "Q, I need to record a message. Can you send it to the Enterprise?" For the first time during this ordeal, Q smiled. "Of course, mon Capitaine." Picard proceeded to recite a subspace message requesting the presence of ships from all the major races in the galaxy, asking them to come to this spot. "Tell Commander Riker to send it on all channels to the Romulans, the Klingons, the Ferengi, and anyone who will listen." Q nodded his head and disappeared in his customary flash of light. Jean-Luc took a deep breath. Apollo was not going to get away with this. Not if he could help it. Riker was on his way to Sickbay when the energy beam struck the Enterprise. With reckless abandon it shook the entire vessel, knocking Will to his knees before he had a chance to brace himself. He slammed the comm badge on his chest. "LaForge, report!" The incoming voice of Geordi LaForge was loud and rushed, a clear sign that things in Engineering were getting difficult. "The Enterprise is being hit with some kind of high intensity laser beam, stronger than the one we encountered before." Riker sighed at the news. This was turning out to be the worst Christmas he'd ever had. "Is it breaching the hull?" "No, not yet, but it's draining the shields. We only have a couple of hours before the shields collapse. I don't know what will happen then, Commander." "And I would rather not find out." Riker's voice was firm. "Find a way to disengage that beam, Mr. LaForge." "Yes sir," said the harrowed engineer. LaForge didn't sound confident at the moment, but Riker had every faith in him. If Geordi couldn't do it, then nobody could. Getting himself up, Will continued on to sickbay, where Dr. Crusher would be waiting with her report. But as he approached the doors to the medical unit, Q appeared with a flash. "What is it now, Q?" Riker was not entirely successful at keeping the disdain out of his voice. "I'm here at the request of Captain Picard." Riker was surprised. If he didn't know better, he'd swear Q sounded almost as weary as LaForge had. Little did he know that Q was not only weary, he was pissed off. He was tired of the aggravation he got on a constant basis from this minor carbon based species. They would never know how much time he'd spent convincing the continuum not to wipe them from existence, and did they ever appreciate his intervention? No, of course not. He momentarily put aside his irritation to deliver his message Commander Riker. "Captain Picard would like you to send a message on all frequencies to any race who can receive it." Will jumped on this -- the first good news in awhile. "Then you've spoken to the Captain! Are he and Deanna all right?" "No, he's not all right, you imbecile. He's about to be destroyed along with the rest of the universe." Q's eyes fixed on Riker's face. "But I know what you meant, and no, he and the Counselor are unharmed, for the moment. Here, his message is on this chip." Q lifted the chip for Riker to take, but the commander shook his head. "I have to speak to Dr. Crusher. Take it to Data on the bridge and tell him what you just told me. Tell him I gave you permission to send it." Q pulled a face. He did not like taking orders from humans, and he was doing far too much of that lately. But then again, in this instance, he didn't have much of a choice. He shrugged his shoulders and gave Riker a mock salute before disappearing from sight. As he left, Will turned to the sickbay doors and entered, just in time to have Dr. Crusher push a PADD in his face. "It's about time you got here. I was just about to call you again." Riker grabbed the PADD and walked towards the center of the room. "I was interrupted, Doctor. Now, what have you got?" Beverly looked at him with that smug 'I-know- something-you-don't-know' look that five year olds often get. Will ignored her looked at the display in front of him. As he read, his eyebrows achieved a height that would have put a Vulcan to shame. "She's human?" Riker looked at the readings in disbelief. "Well, at least part of her is," Crusher replied. "I can't get anything out of these other readings at all -- I've never seen anything like them before." "And why didn't this come out in your first examination of her? At that point, you told us her readings were perfectly normal ...." "...and they were, for a Romulan female aged 5 of our years," Beverly finished for him. "But when I went back and ran a level 2 neutrino scan, I found this. I think that, whatever her other race is, she has the ability to mimic readings on a basic level. Normally, that would be enough to allow her to pass for any race she chose." Riker thought for a moment, than hit his comm badge. "Mr. Data, have you sent that message from Captain Picard?" "Affirmative Commander, Q was most insistent that it be sent. It was very like the message we intercepted on the beam, except that the Captain stated that 'the Enterprise has once again met Apollo'. I took the liberty of accessing the library files and I believe I have come up with something that may shed some light on our present situation." "Well, it's about time something made sense -- please have all senior officers meet in the briefing room and you can tell all of us at once." "...so the Enterprise left orbit believing that the 'god' Apollo had resigned himself to his fate and left to join the others of his kind." Data finished a summary of the encounter of the first Enterprise with the entity calling itself Apollo. Those in the conference room, Beverly, Riker, and Worf had listened intently to the tale. "That's an incredible story, Mr. Data. But I'm not sure I see ...." Data interrupted Beverly to say, "If you run additional scans on Reynaad, I think you will find that the girl has one human parent." Both Beverly and Riker looked at him in some astonishment. "I take it that I am correct?" At their nods, he continued. "There was an archeologist on the Enterprise, a Carolyn Palamas. She became Apollo's consort during the encounter with the Enterprise, and it was due to her that the crew was able to convince Apollo that his time of being worshipped by humans was over. What was not put in the records of the event, was that Palamas had a child some nine months after -- a child that the doctor referred to in his logs as a "baby God." "So, Reynaad is ..." Data interrupted Beverly again, "... the daughter of Apollo." "LaForge to Riker," Riker's comm badge broke the moment of silence. "Riker here." "Sorry to miss the briefing, Commander, but I've been trying to disengage this beam. We have tried everything I can think of and I can't budge it. The only chance that I can see is to move in the direction of the beam, and see if we can disable it at the source." "Lay in a course then - I think it's time for us to go find the gods." Q reappeared at Picard's side. "Message delivered, Mon Capitaine. I hung around after its delivery and eavesdropped on a most interesting briefing. It seems that our young power source up there," he motioned toward Raynaad's glowing body suspended within the immense being's grasp, "is actually Apollo's daughter -- by one of the women on the Enterprise that originally encountered him. No Romulan blood at all ..." Picard spun and glared at him, "And you expect me to believe that this *fact* was not known to you until this minute?" Q's face, equally furious, glared back. "No, but I expect you to believe that there were reasons why you had to make the connection for yourself. Damn it, Picard .... even I have to play by my own "prime directive," and I can't break it on a whim any more than you can break yours." Picard, somewhat mollified by Q's sincerity, retorted, "And is the solution to this little dilemma something you know as well, or is the answer evading even the omnipotent Q?" "I told you before, I ... do... not... know... how... to... solve... this... problem. My hope is that, since the girl is half-human, you are in a better position than I to discover a way of stopping her." Just then, Picard's comm badge chirped, "Riker to Picard." "Here Number One. What is your status?" "Sir, the ship is in the grip of an energy beam which seems to be originating about 10 meters from your location. We followed it to its source hoping to find a way to disable it." Picard turned to Q. "Is there a way that you can convey us back to the ship -- without alerting Apollo and Reynaad?" Q looked at the god and his daughter, both of whom had their complete concentration centered on the energy beam she was emitting. "I can create a facsimile of your bodies here while sending you back. But I must warn you, they will not bear close scrutiny. If you are going to come up with a plan, it had better be fast. I can give you 15 of your minutes, but no more." Back on the Enterprise, Picard gave a hurried summary of the situation as described by Q. "I had you send a message to the other ships, Will, in the hopes that the divergence of brain patterns would weaken Apollo and the others and we would have a chance to contain them. But now that I know that his focus is Reynaad ..." Deanna Troi broke in. "Captain, I have an idea. It's risky, but it fits with what I've been sensing since Reynaad first came aboard. I think that the girl that we first located is the healthy part of Reynaad -- my first impressions of her were of overwhelming love and concern. She is a very powerful being, but I think she has been partly drawn into her father's insanity. But if she is strong enough to project herself into the future and contact us, she is strong enough to help us contain him ... if she is given a distraction." "That sounds possible, Counselor -- do you have something in mind?" Deanna turned and smiled at Beverly. "Actually Captain, I do." Picard and Troi materialized once again on the planet's surface. "Any change, Q?" "Actually, there has been. The other beings on the planet have converged on this spot -- as though they are also drawn to whatever is happening here." He looked pleadingly at the Captain. "Have you come up with a miracle?" "Actually Q, we may have hit upon something. In about 3 minutes, someone will be beaming down from our ship. If we've judged the situation correctly, all hell should break loose." Q gave a start. "This is a *good* thing?" Picard ignored him and continued on at full speed. "If there ever was a time for you to demonstrate your omnipotence, Q, it will be then. Reynaad will need your help." In a few terse sentences, Picard outlined the plan, and Q's part in it. Q didn't even have a chance to express his skepticism before the telltale shimmer of the transporter beam set the plan in motion. The woman who materialized on the planet was dressed in the styles of ancient Greece, and she was absolutely stunning. Her copper-gold hair curled luxuriantly across a shoulder left bare by the filmy gown. Her gray eyes flew to the visage of Apollo, and with a smooth gliding motion, she moved to the temple and fell to her knees. Raising her arms in a plea she called out a name. "Apollo!" The god's eyes opened and fell upon her kneeling form. "Carolyn," he breathed and Reynaad, concentration broken, opened her own eyes, the beam of light vanishing instantaneously. "Mother?" she queried, and as Apollo took one step towards the kneeling woman, Reynaad flashed a look of gratitude straight at Picard, and the world exploded in light and sound. The Enterprise orbited the planet, now so heavily shielded that nothing from the surface could be detected. The senior officers, including Guinan, were meeting in the conference room -- struggling to make sense of all they had seen and heard. The door chimed, and Q entered. "Well Mon Capitaine, it looks as though you have saved the universe again." "Q," Jean-Luc looked almost astonished, "You used the door!" Q smiled mockingly. "Consider it a Christmas gift, Jean-Luc." Just then, they were hailed by the bridge. "Captain, we have an incoming message. It's from the planet below." "Patch it through to here!" Picard ordered energetically, and the viewscreen filled with the visage of Reynaad, now appearing as a young human woman. "Captain Picard, I wanted to thank you for your aid. I had searched many years for my father and his people -- hoping that they still existed. When I found them in this place, I was too caught up in my own joy to realize how mad he was ... until it was almost too late. He saw me as their hope for a new life, and their ultimate vindication against those who had rejected them. My only chance was to seek out someone who could help me break through his psychic bonds and then contain him. Your choice of methods was ... unique ... but most effective." Her gaze fell upon Beverly Crusher. "I take it that you took the part of my mother?" Beverly nodded. For a moment, Raynaad's eyes were full of sadness. "I had forgotten just how beautiful she was. She truly did love my father, and never forgave herself for abandoning him. Once she died, I searched for him myself." "What will you do now?" Picard asked. "I will stay here, with them. The force field that Q helped me generate will contain us for millennia. I hope that, given time, my father and the others may be persuaded back to sanity. In any event, they will pose no further threat to you." Deanna looked at the woman with compassion. "You have chosen a lonely life for yourself. Are you sure that this is what you must do?" Reynaad smiled knowingly. "My life has always been a lonely one, at least in this I have a purpose. It is not, in the end, the easiest thing to be a god." And the transmission ended, leaving a great silence on those in the conference room. Several minutes passed before Q leaned foreword in his seat and posed the one question burning in his mind. "Picard, I don't understand. How did that girl's mother stop the universe from ending?" Picard smiled at the alien who so often interfered with his life, omnipotent and all-mighty, but still unable to grasp a concept so simple as that of family and companionship. "Humanity, Q, is a complex thing. We may just be a group of carbon-based lifeforms, as you so routinely point out, but there is something beyond our chemical composition that makes us who we are. We need to love, and we need to be loved. It is our relationships and bonds with others that keep us together... give us a reason to exist. "Raynaad -- Rhea, I suppose I should say-- was feeling lost. The one thing that she needed more than anything; companionship by those she cared for, was that which was missing from her life. She was in need of that friendship, and was willing to do whatever it took to get it. When she met up with her father, he gave her that love, and she was so enrapt in her emotions that she was blinded to the fact that Apollo was using her weakness to work out a much higher plan. "By beaming Doctor Crusher to the surface in the guise of Rhea's mother, we were able to reassure her that there were others out there who could offer her friendship and support as well. We opened her eyes, Q, and when those eyes were opened, she saw what Apollo was doing, and put a stop to it. "There are a thousand emotions felt by Klingons, Romulans, Farengi, and Humanity alike, but none stronger than friendship and companionship. It is something to live for, and something to die for if it is being with-held. It can turn the sanest of men into the most raving of lunatics, but can also turn the most insane man into one pure and rational. It is a great gift." Satisfied with his explanation, and equally satisfied that Q would never understand it, the Captain leaned back in his seat to reflect. Finally, quietly, the officers dispersed - Guinan with one last glare at Q. Picard looked at his nemesis and raised his brows. "Well, Q, will *this* be the last time we are bothered by your presence?" Q smirked, than grabbed Picard in a mocking bear hug. "Oh, Jean-Luc, your life would be so dull without me. Admit it, you rather like having me around!" And before the Captain could react, Q departed with a flash of light, and the soft sound of sleigh bells. The End <=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=> Matthew C. Steenberg matthew.steenberg@infoboard.be Alt.StarTrek.Creative http://users.aol.com/msteenberg/ "To Hell with the Prime Directive, Let's KILL Something!" <=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>-<=>