A
Star Trek: The Next Generation/V Cross-Over
By Deb Gramlich
Rated PG
Disclaimers
and Forward
"Star
Trek: The Next Generation" and it's characters belong to Paramount and
Viacom respectively. A special thanks to Jonathan Frakes and Marina Sirtis for
making Will Riker and Deanna Troi so entertaining and intriguing at the same
time. =)
"V"
and its characters belong to Kenneth Johnson, Warner Bros. And NBC respectively.
A special thanks to Marc Singer and My Goddess Faye Grant for allowing me to
love Mike and Julie for so long. =)
Most
of the situations in this story belong to me. Who else has a mind crazy enough
to come up with this scenario? LOL
When
I was nine years old, I was forced to sit and watch this little miniseries
coming on to NBC called "V". I whined and complained about it, but
reluctantly I sat in front of my TV and began watching this "stupid movies
about aliens" as I think I called it.
Well,
after 20 minutes, I was completely hooked. I watched the first part of the
miniseries not quite understanding the parallels that were being portrayed. The
next day before Part 2 of the movie aired, my grandfather sat me on his lap and
told me about Nazi Germany and World War II. Later that night, the movie took an
even bigger meaning.
Not
only did I become enraptured by the story; the characters themselves took on a
new meaning. Of course, there were your typical bad guys, and the dashing male
action hero. But, for an impressionable young girl, Juliet Parrish was the one
who really caught my attention.
Young,
beautiful, smart, and tough, she showed me that women didn't have to be demure
and hide in the background. They could be tough and still retain their
femininity. In the 1980s, this was SEVERELY lacking on television.
America
went into a "V" frenzy. The movie was so popular that a year later,
"V: The Final Battle" hit the airwaves. Again, I was glued to my
television. All of my favorite characters were back, played by the same actors.
This was my first foray into the land of Sci Fi, and it was a journey I was glad
I had taken.
"V"
again proved to be so popular, it became a TV series. Okay, I still clutched to
my love of the story, despite what the new writers did to the storyline and
characters. "V: The Series" didn't last an entire season, nor was it
ever given any closure. It just sort of… stopped midstory.
Two
years later, Star Trek: The Next Generation hit the airwaves. Although I didn't
become a fan of the show until the third season, I knew deep down it was
"V" that allowed me to open my mind enough to give Star Trek a try.
So,
for those of you who are "V" fans, I hope you don't mind me tweaking
the storyline a bit here and there to work my beloved TNG characters in.
For
you TNG fans, I hope this will strike your interest enough to let you go out and
watch "V" for yourself. It's readily available fairly cheaply in
stores and online, and is really worth the money. =)
This
story will be presented as Books, each with individual chapters.
Book
One takes place on board the USS Enterprise-D, set between "First
Contact" and "Insurrection". We will assume that the incidents in
both of Peter David's "Imzadi" novels did indeed happen.
Now,
enough of my yammering and on with the story!
~Deb
G, November 2001~
"The History of the Future"
Book I: To The Future
Chapter One
By Deb Gramlich
Previous
Disclaimers Apply
Chapter One
Captain
Jean-Luc Picard sat at the head of the conference table on the newly rebuilt
Enterprise. They had barely been out of spacedock for six months after having
the Enterprise E repaired from being ripped apart by the Borg.
His Senior
staff began to file in for their morning meeting and Picard wondered exactly how
he would break the news to them about their expected visitor. No one was happy
to hear the news of a visit from Admiral Necheyev, especially the staff of the
Enterprise.
Unfortunately,
they had to deal with the Admiral quite often. Despite attempts on Picard's part
to get along with Necheyev better, it never seemed to help. Still, she and
Picard had learned to tolerate each other. That was as much as he could ask.
As his
fellow officers settled and turned their attention to him, he took a moment to
absorb the camaraderie they enjoyed.
"I've
received a communiqué from Admiral Necheyev. The Crazy Horse will be
rendezvousing with us shortly. The Admiral wishes to conduct this staff meeting
today." Picard announced to them.
Will
immediately shifted uncomfortably in his chair, an understandable reaction to
hearing Necheyev's name. "Did something happen Captain?" He asked.
Picard
shrugged. "I'm not sure Number One. The Admiral didn't wish to discuss it
over an open commlink."
"It
must be something big." Beverly commented. Before anyone else could
comment, the Bridge interrupted.
"Bridge
to Captain Picard. The Crazy Horse is in orbit. Admiral Necheyev wishes to beam
directly to your location."
Picard
raised his eyebrows is surprise. 'She's definitely not wasting any time.'
"So be it." Picard ordered.
The shimmer
of the transporter brought all of the officers to their feet. Admiral Natalia
Necheyev appeared in the conference room. Nodding brusquely to the others
present in the room, she stuck her hand out to Picard.
"Captain,
I appreciate your promptness to my request."
Picard
shook her proffered hand and offered his chair for her to sit. Necheyev wasted
no time taking her seat and beginning her briefing.
"Again,
I'm sorry to arrive so quickly, but this matter is of the utmost importance to
Starfleet Security."
Picard took
a seat next to Deanna Troi and settled in to listen to the tale Necheyev was
about to weave.
"Starfleet
Intelligence agents stationed on Sirius IV have reported some disturbing news.
What do you know about the Sirian invasion of Earth Captain?"
Picard
reached into his mind to remember his lessons of Earth history. "From what
I remember, the Sirians arrived on Earth in the late twentieth century under the
guise of friendship. In actuality, their mission was to strip Earth of its water
resources and harvest human beings for food."
Riker, Troi
and Crusher moved uncomfortable in their seats. The thoughts of harvesting
anyone for food seemed particularly barbaric let alone a planet that was facing
its first contact with an alien race.
Necheyev
nodded her head. "What information do you have Commander Data?"
The android
took a split second to search his memory banks. "Most of the official
records from that time was sealed once the Sirians were driven from Earth for
the final time. From what I understand, many of Earth's prominent politicians,
Doctors, and scientists were either dead or had been brainwashed by a Sirian
technique they called 'conversion'."
Nechayev
nodded her head. "It wasn't a pretty time in Earth's history. Thousands of
people were dead or missing, cities were destroyed. Earth was totally unprepared
for the Sirians to arrive, let alone the chaos that followed" She took a
deep breath as if contemplating the ramifications of what had happened.
"Apparently,
humans completely believed the Sirians claims of friendship. It wasn't until a
few lone people, later called the resistance, began raising questions. The
resistance movement continued to grow. The resistance group in Los Angeles was
the largest and most prominent in the struggle for Earth freedom. Mike Donovon
and Juliet Parrish led that group, though no information is known about either
one."
Captain
Picard sat forward. "Admiral, this is all fascinating, but what does this
have to do with what is currently happening on Sirius?"
Nechayev
sighed deeply before continuing. "Once the Sirians left Earth, they
returned to their homeworld to 'lick their wounds' so to speak. We have heard
very little from them in the years since. We know that they returned home to
rebuild their planet, but aside from that, not much else has been shared."
"Until
now." Deanna noted.
Nechayev
nodded. "Our intelligence officers found documentation proving that a small
group of Sirian extremists have taken a ship to The Forever World."
The mere
mention of the planet that was home to the time portal known as The Guardian of
Forever caused everyone's eyebrows to raise.
Nechayev
expected this exact response. "From what we can ascertain, they launched a
full assault on the scientific complex. All Starfleet personnel were killed, and
the terrorists entered The Guardian."
Nechayev
paused a moment to allow the information to absorb. Picard finally raised the
question on everyone's mind. "Why Admiral? After all this time."
Nechayev
shook her head. "The Sirian Leader can only speculate that they wish to
bring Sirius to the power that it had once been. The scientific team sent to The
Forever World to replace the murdered team has ascertained that the terrorists
traveled back to the Twentieth Century. Their goal seems to be to rearrange
history. If the Sirians conquer Earth, the entire universe as we know it won't
exist. Earth will have been long gone, and the human race no longer exist."
"They
have to be stopped." Riker stated, causing Necheyev to nod in agreement.
"That's
why I'm here. We decided that the Enterprise was the best ship for this mission.
Not only are you all extremely gifted officers, but you've dealt with time
travel several times before. Starfleet trusts that you can give this mission the
discretion it needs."
Picard
pursed his lips before asking the next question. "What would you have us do
Admiral?"
"Starfleet
is prepared to send Commander Riker, Counselor Troi and Doctor Crusher through
the Guardian of Forever. Your job there is simple; make sure that Earth wins the
battle against the Sirians, no matter what it takes. Captain Picard, it's quite
possible that this mission will take several months to complete. The original
Sirian occupation lasted for approximately eighteen months. This could take that
long… or longer. In the meantime, you'll be supplied with replacement officers
until your senior staff is able to return to active duty. Commander Data will be
temporarily promoted to first officer."
Necheyev
paused to allow the information to be processed. "Captain, if this mission
is to last for an extended period of time, we may need to send the Enterprise
elsewhere. Once the mission is completed, the Guardian will return your officers
to The Forever World. I'd like to have a meeting with the three of you before we
arrive there."
Picard felt
as if he had a million questions to ask. But, he also understood the need for
immediate action. Tapping his commbadge, he called; "Picard to
Bridge."
"Bridge
here Sir." Came the immediate response.
"Set
course for The Forever World Ensign Martellio, warp 5." He ordered.
"Warp
5, aye sir." Necheyev stood. "I'll settle into quarters to prepare my
briefing. Might I suggest that the three of you acquaint yourselves with as much
Twentieth Century history as you possibly can in the two days it will take us to
arrive at The Forever World. The Los Angeles Resistance was instrumental in
ending the war. That seems to be the best place for you to start."
As she
began to leave, Necheyev turned quickly as if she had suddenly remembered
something. "The briefing will be at 1600 hours sharp." Handing
Crusher, Troi and Riker a data PADD, she walked briskly from the room.
As the door
slid shut everyone seemed to let go of the collective breath they had been
holding. Will looked at Deanna and Beverly and remarked; "It looks like we
have some studying to do."
Picard sat
back in his customary chair at the head of the table and nodded. "It's too
bad so many records were lost or sealed from the time of the occupation. I don't
like the idea of sending the three of you back in time with little or no
knowledge of what to expect."
Deanna sat
forward. "It would seem that the Los Angeles resistance would be where we
should head to. Somehow I don't think the Sirians will welcome us into their
midst."
Will had
been silently skimming the PADD Necheyev has provided. "It seems that
Starfleet Intelligence isn't exactly sure that this isn't a plot on Sirius' part
to take over Earth. Their leader may be calling this small group terrorists, but
the Sirian government isn't exactly bending over backwards to provide
information."
"I'm
sure Starfleet Intelligence will provide you with as much information as
possible. And of course, the Enterprise will remain in orbit for as long as
possible. Until then, you're dismissed."
To Be
Continued
"The History of the Future"
Chapter Two
Previous
disclaimers apply
Chapter Two
Deanna Troi
reached towards her cooling cup of hot chocolate without lifting her eyes from
the data PADD she was studying. Feeling the rim at her fingertips, she wrapped
her hand around it and brought the cup to her lips.
'Yuck!' She
thought as the now cold liquid slid down her throat. Shrugging her shoulders to
no one in particular, she held her breath and downed the rest of the cup. She
planned on enjoying as much chocolate as she could before she left for The
Forever World. Once they arrived on Earth, no one knew what to expect, and
Deanna knew that she just might have to go a long time without her favorite
confection.
Turning
back to the report, the same two names caught her attention again; Michael Sean
Donavon and Juliet Lynn Parrish. These two seemed to be the heart of the entire
Los Angeles resistance movement. But, all biographical information had been
classified in the year 1985.
"Computer"
Deanna called. "Search all files for any visual records of Michael Donovan
or Juliet Parrish."
"Acknowledged."
The computer said as it began the requested search.
Deanna rose
to head to the replicator again as her door chime sounded. "Come in."
She answered automatically already knowing who was behind the door.
Deanna
smiled as Will entered her office. "Hey." She said in greeting. Will
smiled when he realized where she was heading.
"Wearing
out the replicator?" He asked with a glint in his eyes.
Deanna mock
glared at him. "I don't know what the situation is in the 1980s. I plan on
having enough chocolate in my system to last until the end of the mission."
She announced.
Will
laughed as he sat in one of the chairs in the room. "This whole mission is
going to be strange. Los Angeles doesn't even exist anymore, and now we're going
to be living there." He said.
Deanna
nodded. "Not only that, but in essence, we're going to be heading into the
middle of a war zone. These people are centuries behind us in technology, but
we're going to have to try to blend in."
Will
sighed. "I don't even know how to start contacting the resistance."
Deanna
brought her cup back to the sofa and flopped down unceremoniously. Before she
could say anything the computer interrupted.
"Search
complete. There are no visual records available for Michael Donovan or Juliet
Parrish."
"Damn."
Deanna swore. "How are we supposed to find these people when we don't know
a thing about them, not even what they look like?"
Will shook
his head. "Once the war starts, I'm sure finding the resistance won't be
too hard. We'll be one step ahead of them just by knowing what the Sirians are
actually plotting."
Deanna
nodded. "I sent a communiqué home to Betazed. Mother should be really
pleased to hear that I'll be unavailable for an unknown amount of time."
Deanna joked.
Will
smiled. "Just tell her that you and I decided to take a trip for the next
several weeks. That should make her happy."
"Make
her happy? She'll start sending out wedding invitations!" Deanna laughed.
Will smiled
never once doubting the truth behind Deanna's statement regarding her Mother.
Despite their rocky relationship when Will had first met Lwaxana Troi, she
seemed to have genuinely cooled to the idea of Will being part of Deanna's life.
Even if it was just on the basis of friendship.
"Captain
Picard just informed me that he has Whelon and his team working on replicating
clothing and such for us to take. Admiral Necheyev thinks it'll be best if we
live in Los Angeles as regular citizens until we contact the resistance."
Will informed her.
Deanna
nodded. "Do you really think this mission will take a long time?"
Will sat
back and stroked his beard thoughtfully. "The original Sirian occupation
lasted for a little over eighteen months, from mid 1983 until early 1985.
Whatever these terrorists have planned, I certainly hope it won't take us that
long to uncover their plans."
Deanna
nodded. "Well, an eighteen month break from my Mother might not be so
bad." Deanna thought with a grin.
Will smiled
back at Deanna, amazed that after all these years, her smile had remained as one
of her most beautiful features. When they'd first met, it wasn't her smile that
caught his eye, but now that they'd known each other for so many years, he
couldn't imagine a day without seeing it.
However,
he's learned to quell such thoughts of Deanna many years ago. They would lead to
nothing but confused and awkward moments, and they certainly didn't need any of
that, especially heading into a mission like this one.
"Admiral
Necheyev's briefing is in an hour, so I thought maybe you'd want to grab a bite
with me in Ten Forward beforehand." He offered.
"Mmm,
that sounds like a great idea." She enthused.
As they
left her office and headed towards the closest turbolift, Will heard a small
sigh escape from Deanna.
As they
entered the turbolift he looked at her thoughtfully. "Is something
wrong?"
Deanna
attempted to force a small reassuring smile, but quickly abandoned the idea.
"A little I guess. I just can't help but wonder why we were chosen for this
particular mission."
"What
do you mean?" He asked genuinely concerned.
"Well,
you're an obvious choice. With your training and experience, this mission is
perfect for you. But Beverly is a Doctor, despite her command training. She's
not at all trained for twentieth century medicine. And me… I'm a psychologist
trained in alien psychology. What can I possibly do? Write a dissertation titled
'Why the Sirians Did What They Did'? I just don't understand Necheyev's
choice."
Will
refrained from commenting until they were settled at their table in Ten Forward.
"Admiral Necheyev never does anything without a reason. I'm sure she'll
explain it at the briefing."
Deanna
nodded, but Will knew her well enough to know that something was still bothering
her. After they gave their orders to the waiter Will decided to probe Deanna's
thoughts further.
"Maybe
Necheyev wants you on the mission for your empathic abilities?" Will
suggested, and then immediately wished he hadn't.
Deanna's
head had shot up and her look immediately turned to a glare. She huffed a deep
breath before setting her jaw. "Is that all the good I do around
here?" She shot back.
Will put
his hands in front of himself as an offer of surrender. "Where did that
come from?" He asked.
Deanna
sighed but didn't say anything as their waiter placed their food in front of
them. Once he was out of earshot Deanna looked to Will apologetically. "I'm
sorry. I didn't mean to snap at you."
"Deanna-
I've known you for a long time. In actuality, I probably know you better than
you know yourself. Something is bothering you."
She nodded.
"I'm just feeling sorry for myself I guess. I got a communiqué last night
from a friend of mine from the academy. He was just promoted to Captain."
Will sat
back in his chair to study her. "Are you regretting having waited so long
to take your Bridge test?"
She shook
her head, but then admitted; "Maybe, a little. But it's more than that.
We've been serving with Captain Picard for ten years, how many times has he
followed up on my suggestion?"
Will looked
up from his plate. "I've heard him ask your opinion many times."
"Yes,
he's asked it. But, how many times has he followed my suggestion? Usually, he
nods his head and never gives my suggestion a second thought. In a way, it's
made me feel useless as an officer. But, when he wants to know what someone's
feeling… or if something is being truthful or not, he values my opinion. I
wonder-"
Will had
stopped eating completely and simply watched her in amazement. She never once
had spoken of harboring any of these thoughts, but sadly enough Will could see
her point. "You wonder what?" He asked.
"I
wonder what would have happened if I never did regain my empathic sense back
when we encountered those two dimensional aliens."
"Well,
with you leaving on this mission, I guess we're going to find out. They're
sending a temporary replacement for you as well."
"I
know. Speaking of which, once this meeting with Necheyev is complete, I have to
get all my current patient files ready for the new counselor. I'm busier now
than I've ever been considering what we went through with the Borg."
"That's
understandable. I think I questioned a few choices in my own life when I found
out what happened here."
Something
about the tone of his voice caused Deanna to look deeply into his eyes. What she
saw there was all too familiar… and frightening at the same time. 'Don't do
that to me Imzadi, please.' She begged him in her own mind.
Their gaze
held for several moments before the clink of silverware across the room
shattered the moment. The quickly diverted their gaze, Will unceremoniously
clearing his throat and Deanna blushing slightly.
They spent
the rest of their meal in relatively "safe" territory; discussing
normal ship's business. Deep on their minds, neither of them could help but be
anxious about the unknowns that lie ahead.
To Be
Continued
"The History of the Future"
Book I: To The Future
Chapter
Three
As Will and
Deanna waited for the turbolift after quickly finishing their lunch, they
couldn't help but contemplate the current situation. It was hard for them to
accept that they would be sent into the middle of Earth's first alien war with
little or no information. However, after comparing notes with what they had been
able to find in the computer's record banks, it seemed as if that was exactly
what was happening.
Not only
were they unable to even find a picture of the leaders of the Los Angeles
resistance, but aside from finding their names listed as being part of the
resistance movement, nothing else was available. According to computer records,
Michael Sean Donovan and Juliet Lynn Parrish never was born, worked, married or
died.
When the
turbolift opened, they were surprised to find Beverly Crusher already inside,
obviously on her way to the meeting. The contemplative look on her face lead
Will and Deanna to believe that she had come up with exactly what they had…
nothing.
The
longtime friends didn't need to say a word. They simply exchanged a knowing
look. "You both came up with a big zero too, huh?"
"Yeah,
it'll be interesting to see what information Admiral Necheyev has to
share." Will said uneasily.
"If
any." Beverly added.
The rode
the rest of the way in silence, all three anxiously awaiting the briefing.
Trepidation weighed heavily on their minds, but excitement also lingered.
Exploring the unknown was part of what brought them to Starfleet in the first
place, and this situation was definitely an unknown.
Still, this
was an opportunity that a number of officers would have loved to have. Failure
of the mission would result in dire consequences for Earth and Starfleet as a
whole. Failure definitely wasn't an option.
Entering
the briefing room, they were surprised to see Admiral Necheyev already waiting
for them. She was engrossed in a data PADD, and didn't seem to notice their
arrival.
Finally
glancing up, she nodded at the three of them. "I appreciate your
expediency. I know that this mission is throwing everyone into a lurch, so I
thought it be best if I give you what information we have, and give you a little
time to work out the details before we arrive at the Forever World."
Gesturing
at three chairs before her, she began typing into three data PADDs in front of
her. "We've sent a small team of Starfleet Security officers through the
Guardian to establish your identities. Unfortunately, because of what little
information is known, we don't know exactly where to tell you to begin your
search for the resistance. The Guardian won't even share with us exactly 'where'
or 'when' you'll arrive."
The
Enterprise officers shifted nervously in their seats. "I understand your
reactions. Starfleet isn't happy with sending three of its most prized officers
into a war zone, but there isn't much else we can do." Necheyev assured.
"Admiral,
exactly what happened when the Sirians arrived?" Deanna asked.
Necheyev
smiled. "Yes, let me start at the beginning. In 1983, fifty large
spacecrafts appeared in the skies over Earth. They took position over major
cities all around the planet and just waited. Forty nine of the ships measured
approximately 4828 meter in width, one measured 8047 meters."
"The
one over Los Angeles?" Will asked.
"Yes."
Necheyev confirmed.
"People
must have been terrified." Deanna pointed out.
Necheyev
sadly nodded. "People began evacuating all of the major cities, although
there really wasn't anywhere for them to go. Thousands of people committed
suicide. The longer the ships sat silently the worse it got. Earth ships that
approached the Sirian ships were merely pushed aside, any torpedoes they shot
were detonated before reaching their targets."
"The
Sirians had that kind of shield technology five hundred years ago?" Will
asked, obviously impressed.
"Apparently.
Although again, most of this information is subjective. Finally, after
approximately seventy-two hours, the Sirians contacted an organization known as
'The United Nations'. They were able to convince Earth that they were merely
visiting on a peaceful mission. Slowly the Sirians were integrated into Earth's
society."
"But
that changed." Beverly commented.
"Small
groups of what the Sirians called terrorists began popping up all across the
planet. These groups, later to be known as the resistance, grew stronger and
stronger until they were able to drive the Sirians from Earth."
"That's
an impressive feat considering the Sirians advanced technology." Will
stated.
"The
group in Los Angeles was even able to capture the Los Angeles ship. Exactly how
they did that was classified and lost over the centuries." Necheyev said.
"This
is the group that Michael Donovan and Juliet Parrish lead?" Deanna asked.
Necheyev
shook her head. "Of that we're not sure. We're not even sure they ever
existed. From what historians have uncovered, the leaders of the Los Angeles
group used the code names Romeo and Juliet. What their actual identities were
was classified to allow them to live their lives in peace after the war. So,
Michael and Juliet may have never existed. Most historians tend to believe that
Michael and Juliet were simply two names made up by the resistance groups to
cover up the names of their actual leaders."
"The
ship in Los Angeles seemed to be the most important." Necheyev continued.
"It was the main base of operation of the Sirians Supreme commander John,
and the fleet commander Diana."
"John
and Diana?" Beverly asked incredulously.
Necheyev
smiled. "The Sirians chose human names to make it easier to integrate into
society."
Necheyev
punched a few buttons on the computer pad in front of her and brought up two
photos. One was of a strikingly older man with a kind face and pleasant smile.
The other photo was of a beautiful woman with long, dark brown hair and piercing
eyes.
"Is
this our mysterious 'Michael and Juliet'?" Deanna asked.
Necheyev
pursed her lips and shook her head. "No, this is John and Diana."
The three
officers all were stunned as Necheyev merely nodded her head.
"Yes,
exactly. There was a lot the Sirians kept from humans."
She
continued her briefing. "Once the resistance continued to grow and cause
problems to the Sirians objective, their leader decided to speed up their
operation. He sent his squadron commander, Pamela, to light a fire to the
operation. Apparently she was assassinated onboard the Los Angeles ship shortly
before the Sirians were driven from Earth. John was killed during that
particular battle."
"Weren't
the Sirians driven from Earth but then returned?" Deanna recalled, vaguely
remembering her academy classes on Earth history.
"Yes,
barely a year after the left, they returned and immediately attacked the planet.
Cities fell and the entire planet became a war zone. Everywhere, except Los
Angeles that is."
"Why
not Los Angeles?" Will asked.
Necheyev
sighed. "We don't know, those records are missing. From what we can tell,
Los Angeles was established as a safe zone, even with Diana's ship floating in
the sky above. But apparently, the resistance was still a thorn in the Sirians
backside."
"This
is the weird thing. Just as Earth seemed ready to fall, the war ended. The
Sirian leader recalled his troops and all of their ships left Earth never to
return. Earth slowly began to rebuild, but too many political leaders were
fighting for power. It eventually led to the Third World War."
"As I
stated earlier, we're unable to ascertain where the Guardian will deposit you.
It could be during the first occupation or the second. However, we've set up the
following identities for you; Commander Riker, you'll attempt to get a job at
the Los Angeles Medical Center in the maintenance department. This will give you
ample opportunity to move around the hospital. Counselor, you'll attempt to
secure a receptionist position for the same purpose. You'll be able to move
around the hospital and meet people as they come through. Hopefully, with your
empathic sense and psychological training, you'll be able to ascertain those who
may be with the resistance. The sooner you can get established with them the
better. Doctor Crusher, you'll be a visiting physician looking to transfer to
the Los Angeles area."
"Why
are we all being sent to the Los Angeles Medical Center?" Will asked.
"Apparently,
the resistance had several contacts deep within the hospital. Not only did they
steal medical supplies from the building, but also they were able to pull off
some sort of raid that proved quite costly to the Sirians. There were references
to the raid found in an obscure Sirian report, but the details were of course,
lost."
Clasping
her hands together, Necheyev looked solemnly to the three of them.
"Unfortunately, that's all we have. These PADDs contain all of the
information I just gave you, as well as information on your particular
identities and jobs. I can't begin to stress the importance of this mission. All
of you understand this of course. Please, do what you can to uncover the Sirian
terrorists and put an end to their plans as quickly as you can. The sooner the
three of you return safely, the sooner this nasty business will be over."
Necheyev
distributed the intended PADDs to their recipients. "Your ship historian,
Lieutenant Whelon will be conducting a briefing for you tomorrow at 1400 hours.
You'll be given your historical information then. Until that time, feel free to
contact me if you have any questions at all. Dismissed."
To Be
Continued
"The History of the Future"
Book I: To The Future
Chapter Four
Previous
disclaimers apply
Chapter Four
The
following day, Deanna and Beverly followed Will to his quarters. They entered
quietly and simply collapsed on to the nearest sofa.
The
previous twenty-four hours had been filled with briefings, studying, reports and
meetings. It seemed the closer to The Forever World they traveled, the more work
there was to do.
Their
historical overview briefing with ship's historian Lieutenant Whelon had been
the newest on that list. Although Whelon did provide valuable information about
1983's technological development, popular culture, clothing, and whatever other
basic information he could think of, the three potential 'time-travelers' were
too inundated with information. They felt as if their minds were completely
fried and feared they would miss vital information if they continued.
So, they
had adjourned for the evening after four hours with Whelon and Admiral Necheyev.
Before they left, Whelon provided them with bags full of clothing he promised
would fit them based on their latest uniform sizes in the ship's computer.
Secretly, all three officers were looking forward to the potential fashion show
they could have.
"Anyone
want anything to drink? We'll arrive at the Forever World tomorrow at 1600
hours. This may be the last replicated dinner we get for a while."
"I'd
love something to eat… but first I have to look." Deanna said, grinning
as she gestured to the clothing Whelon provided her.
The three
of them smiled before opening their perspective bags and pulling out various
items. One in particular caught Beverly's eye.
"These
must be those 'blue jeans' Whelon talked about." She said staring at the
strange material in her hands. Will in turn pulled several out of his bags as
well.
"I
have quite a bit of them. They must have been quite popular." He said as he
examined the strange looking pants.
Deanna
wrinkled her nose. "They certainly don't look very comfortable. I think
I'll stick to wearing the other pants and skirts I have."
Will shook
his head. "These are the only clothes we're going to have until we can get
a job and start making money. Until then we'll have to make do with what we
have. You might not have a choice but to wear blue jeans."
Deanna
looked at him cocking her eyebrow, almost as if in challenge. "Well
Commander, care to model them for us?"
Will sighed
but stood and moved into the bathroom area. "Oh, this ought to be
good." Beverly commented as she moved to the replicator to get a hot mug of
coffee.
After a
couple of minutes they heard Will call from the other room. "I don't think
Whelon have these measurements right."
"Why
do you say that?" Deanna asked.
"Well…
these are awfully tight." Will said walking stiffly into the living area.
Beverly snickered and covered her mouth with her hand, leaving Deanna to just
stare at the man in front of them.
"Well…
Commander. They certainly don't leave anything to the imagination."
Standing, she walked around a suddenly blushing Will. "I don't know Will,
they seem to fit your form just right."
Will
sighed. "That's just it, my form is on display for everyone to see!"
He protested. At this, Beverly broke into raucous laughter that earned her a
glare from Will.
"Yeah,
wait until I see you in these so called 'tank tops'." He grumbled.
As she
continued to examine Will's jeans, Deanna suggested, "It's not really that
bad Commander." Glancing briefly at the denim hugging his groin area she
added, "You might want to keep your more basic thoughts under control
though."
Both women
broke into a fit of giggles as Will stomped back towards the bathroom. As they
settled down onto the sofa again, their eyebrows raised as they heard Will yell
from the bathroom. "Oww, dammit!"
"Are
you okay in there Will?" Deanna called. He didn't respond but they could
hear him continuing to move around.
Shrugging,
they continued to relax. "Can I just tell you how much work I have to do
before Dr. Selar takes over for me tomorrow?" Beverly said sighing.
Deanna
nodded. "My replacement isn't even onboard yet. I need to summarize all my
current files and leave them for him to read when he gets here. I feel bad
leaving my patients suddenly like this."
Beverly
shook her head slightly. "Don't forget to come by sickbay in the morning so
we can fit you with contacts."
Deanna
nodded. "Can I at least pick my own color?" She asked causing Beverly
to smile.
"Of
course, anything that covers your Betazoid heritage." She said.
Both women
turned as Will came back into the room dressed in loose fitting pants and a
shirt. Seeing the expression on his face, the two women looked at him
sympathetically.
"What's
wrong now?" Beverly asked.
"Whelon
didn't warn us about the zippers on those jeans." He said as he sat down
gingerly. Deanna avoided looking at Beverly who was snickering again next to
her.
"Admiral
Necheyev to Commander Riker, Counselor Troi and Doctor Crusher." The COMM
system mercifully broke in.
"Yes
Admiral. We're all together." Will answered.
"Please
report to the Bridge. We've received a communiqué from government of Sirius. I
think you three should see this."
"We're
on our way." Will said.
Sighing as
she stood up, Deanna said, "Guess our break's over." Their dinner
again put on hold, they headed to Deck One.
To be
continued
"The History of the Future"
Book I: To The Future
Chapter Five
Previous
disclaimers apply
Chapter Five
As Will,
Beverly and Deanna entered the Bridge, they immediately noticed the absence of
Captain Picard and Admiral Necheyev. Data turned to them from the Captain's
chair and motioned towards the Ready Room.
"They
are awaiting your arrival." He said.
Nodding,
the three officers quickly made their way to the room, signaling to enter. Once
the door opened, Deanna couldn't help but take a small breath before actually
walking in.
The stark
difference to the Captain's private office between this ship and the
Enterprise-D was remarkable. In a way, Deanna missed the 'homey' feeling of the
old Enterprise. Even though their newer ship was more advanced technologically,
there always seemed to be something missing from the E. She'd always believed it
to be her imagination, but at times like this, she truly felt as if she lost a
piece of her when the Enterprise-D had crashed on Veridia III.
Picard and
Necheyev acknowledged their entrance with a nod of their heads. "We're
receiving a message from Sirius, apparently from their Great Leader. They've
been holding until our entire staff was present at their request."
Will's
eyebrow rose. "It must be pretty important if their willing to wait."
Necheyev
shrugged. "There's been so little contact with Sirius that no one quite
knows what to expect from them."
Will Deanna
and Beverly moved to stand behind Admiral Necheyev as she typed into the
computer console that they were ready. Captain Picard exchanged a brief,
contemplative look with his three officers before leaning forward to watch the
communication as well.
The
computer beeped its acknowledgement of Necheyev's readiness and the screen
changed to a bright red background with a strange black symbol across it. The
symbol appeared to be a miswritten 'S' with two dots lining each side. None of
the Starfleet personnel had ever seen such a symbol before, but they immediately
assumed it was the logo of the Sirians, perhaps like the official logo of the
United Federation of Planets.
After
several seconds, a young girl appeared. Everyone in the room reacted slightly at
seeing the girl. She appeared human, with shoulder length blonde hair and
striking blue eyes, maybe twenty years old at the most. She nodded slightly at
the five Starfleet officers assembled on the screen in front of her.
"How
do you do? My name is Elizabeth, and I speak for Our Great Leader."
Necheyev
couldn't help but speak the obvious. "But you're human…"
Elizabeth
merely smiled enigmatically and answered. "Somewhat."
Deanna
immediately picked up the emotional current of the girl. She sensed nothing but
kindness, and goodwill from her, although her emotions didn't match her
appearance of such a young girl. Most young people tended to be in emotional
conflict almost all the time, but Elizabeth didn't portray that at all.
Quite the
opposite, she was the picture of calm and serenity. Deanna again focused on the
girl in front of them.
"Our
Great Leader has asked me to contact you to ask for your help. You are aware of
the renegades who have traveled into the past to alter history."
"Yes,
we received a small piece of information about the situation." Necheyev
said curtly.
Elizabeth's
face suddenly changed to look downtrodden and sad. "Well, we know that you
are planning to send a team to stop the terrorists. I can't even begin to
explain to you how important it is for you to succeed in your mission."
At
Elizabeth's subtle plea, the Starfleet officer's couldn't help but react to this
new piece of information. They had always been under the impression that the
terrorists were acting under orders from the Sirian leader. Apparently, the
situation is quite the opposite.
"Can
you provide any information at all about these 'terrorists'?" Necheyev
asked.
Elizabeth's
face again changed. "I'm sorry, but no. We have laws that forbid us from
polluting any timelines, and any information we might provide could alter the
past even more. I really wish I could help."
For some
reason, Deanna believed that Elizabeth knew a lot more than she was letting on.
She really, truly wanted to help, but something was holding her back.
Necheyev
decided to play coy. "Well, we don't know how we will begin to stop these
people when we don't know anything about them."
Elizabeth
smiled slightly. "I'm sure sending your three officers through the Guardian
of Forever will prove to be successful."
'She knows
everything we're planning.' Deanna though. 'Who IS this girl?'
Elizabeth
turned to look directly at Crusher, Riker and Troi. "Please be careful. The
Sirian occupation of Earth was an extremely dangerous and trying time to live
in. I'd hate to see anyone else get hurt."
Necheyev
commented. "You sound as if you know exactly what it was like."
Suddenly,
the though flashed in Deanna's mind. Before she could react, it slipped from her
lips. "She does know; she was there."
All four
sets of eyes in the room as well as Elizabeth's focused on Troi. Deanna was
staring intently at Elizabeth who watched her with an interested eye. "I
know something about it. I must go now, please, heed what I said. Please be
careful."
Necheyev
tried to stop the girl. "Wait, is there a way to contact you if the need
arises?"
Elizabeth
shook her head. "Not directly, but I'll be around."
The screen
returned to the Sirian logo leaving five perplexed people in its wake. Turning
to Deanna, Will asked her; "How did you know that about her?"
Deanna
shook her head. "I'm not sure. There's something about her… something
familiar yet strange. I'm sorry if I spoke out of line Admiral."
Necheyev
shook her head. "Well, you certainly provided a lot more information than
she did." She said, gesturing to the now blank screen.
"Why
would there be a human living on Sirius, acting as the spokesperson for their
Leader?" Beverly asked.
Necheyev
sighed and began to massage her temples, as if rubbing away a headache.
"Just add it to the growing list of mysteries." She said sighing.
Looking at the people assembled before her she said, "We'll be at the
Forever World shortly. I suggest the three of you finish up your transfer work
as soon as possible. I'll begin to scour the computer banks with Commander
Data's help to see if we can find any more information on our mystery
girl."
As everyone
left the ready room, Will spoke softly to Deanna. "Are you okay? It seemed
as if you zoned out on us a bit in there."
She smiled
brightly at him. "I'm fine. I think she may have been partially telepathic,
that's why I was able to read her mind."
Will smiled
gently, but didn't seem completely convinced. He decided to keep a very close
eye on Deanna, just in case the mysterious Elizabeth came into their lives
again.
To be
continued
"The History of the Future"
Book I: To The Future
Chapter Six
Previous
disclaimers apply
Chapter Six
After
clearing up their respective calendars, there was nothing for Troi, Crusher and
Riker to do but beam down to The Forever World and begin their mission.
The
Enterprise was approaching the planet quickly. Knowing that there was a
Starfleet Scientific Team already stationed there made the matter of entering
The Guardian a bit easier, although the time portal at times proved to be
difficult.
Deanna felt
the Enterprise drop out of warp. Glancing through the portal window she saw a
large planet approaching and knew that the time had come.
Signing off
her office computer for the last time in what could be a very long time, she
looked nostalgically around the room one last time before heading to her
quarters.
Looking
through the bags of clothing Whelon had provided, she chose what seemed a simple
outfit: loose fitting blue cotton pants and an ivory button down shirt. There
was what appeared to be a jacket made out of the same material as the 'blue
jeans'. Deanna doubted the jacket would be comfortable at all. Surprisingly, it
felt wonderful.
'Maybe
those blue jeans aren't so bad after all.' She thought.
Sitting on
her couch, she chose a pair of ankle high brown boots to finish off her
ensemble. Taking a moment to tie the laces, she stole a glance in the full-
length mirror. The unfamiliar stare of green eyes surprised her a bit; although
Beverly assured her that she would adjust to the ocular implants she had
received just that morning to cover to Betazoid eyes.
'Not too
bad I guess'. Unsure of what to do about her long hair, she simply pulled it
back in a ponytail, something she never did.
The COMM
system opened, hailing the away team to transporter room 2. 'Well, I guess this
is it.'
Picking up
the bags of clothing and sliding them on to her shoulder, she ordered;
"Computer, turn off the lights."
As the room
darkened, Deanna exited, hoping that it wouldn't be for the last time.
The
turbolift took her quickly to the corridor that lead to transporter room 2. She
could see Beverly entering from the opposite end of the hall and couldn't help
but laugh. "You decided to take the risk, huh?" Deanna said gesturing
to the jeans Beverly wore.
Crusher
smiled. "They're actually not that bad once you get them on. I don't
understand what Will's problem was."
Deanna
shrugged. "Maybe because his jeans were a lot tighter than yours. And of
course, there was that problem with the zipper-" Deanna blushed as she
smiled causing Beverly to laugh.
"Well,
apparently, in 1983, men wore tight jeans. He'll just have to get used to it.
Speaking of adjusting, have you had any problems with the implants?"
Deanna
shook her head. "None, I can't even tell I have them unless I look in a
mirror."
Beverly
nodded her approval. Entering the transporter room both women stepped up to
Admiral Necheyev and Commander Data. Deanna couldn't help but notice that they
were both armed.
Necheyev
nodded approvingly at the women's dress. "Excellent, you should blend right
in. You did remember not to take any technology with you at all, correct? No
phasers, tricorders, communicators, nothing of the sort."
Both women
nodded. Necheyev walked to the back of the transporter room and retrieved two,
smaller looking pouch like object with long straps. She handed one each to Troi
and Crusher.
"These
are called purses I believe. They contain all your important documents,
including something called a 'driver's license', although Whelon begged that
neither of you attempt to operate a car until you actually learn how."
Necheyev shrugged as if she had no idea what she had just said.
Commander
Riker entered the transporter room next prompting Necheyev to grab a small brown
object from her hiding spot. "And this is for you Commander. A wallet,
containing your identification and such. You should have already received birth
certificates and such during Whelon's initial briefing."
The away
team nodded as they anxiously examined their new toys. "Okay, if there is
nothing else, we'll get under way."
The door to
the transporter room opened again to admit entrance to Captain Picard. He
gestured to the transporter chief to wait for a moment while he spoke to his
crewmembers.
"Good
luck to all of you. We'll stay in orbit as long as we can in case we're
needed." He told them.
The away
team said their goodbyes and stepped up onto the transporter pad next to
Commander Data and Admiral Necheyev. Captain Picard stepped behind the controls
and looked to them one more time before reaching down and activating the control
panel.
The warm,
gray color of the Enterprise sparkled away only to be replaced by the howling
wind and sand blown surface of The Forever World.
The
officers shielded their eyes save for Data who was unbothered by the timeless
whistle of the moaning wind.
Will and
Deanna couldn't help but stop and stare in awe at the portal through time that
had been nicknamed The Guardian of Forever. It was as far as anyone knew, the
only one of its kind; a door that could lead you to any point in any time.
Seeing that
Necheyev had started heading towards the structure, the away team battled the
fierce windstorm to follow. As soon as they approached, an automatic door
allowed them entry. Upon its immediate closure, the hiss of an automated system
restoring the normal atmosphere to the room was a welcome sound.
Once a
comfortable level had been established, a door opposite the one they had entered
opened allowing them access to the scientific station.
A harried
looking women dressed in a standard gray jumpsuit was rushing towards them,
mumbling to herself.
"Admiral,
we were expecting you to contact us from orbit before you beamed down." She
stated sharply in greeting to Necheyev and the rest of the team.
"Time
is of the essence Dr. MacGruder as you can well imagine." Necheyev
responded.
Deanna
sensed something strange from the harried scientist before them. She seemed put
off by the away teams arrival… but there was more. Something hidden beneath
the surface of her mind.
"Admiral,
I really think it would be best if your mission was postponed for a few days.
We've only been here a short time to replace the murdered team; we haven't even
finished reading through all of their notes yet-" MacGruder was saying to
Necheyev.
Necheeyv
stopped midstep and glared at the Doctor. "We discussed this at length
before you even arrived here. You agreed with me that this breech in the
timeline had to be rectified immediately."
Deanna
sensed panic arise in MacGruder before it suddenly disappeared. "Of course
Admiral. I just think we've been under a lot of stress lately. I'm sure you're
right."
Deanna
lightly touched Will's arm to gain his attention. He looked at her and nodded
slightly. One didn't need to be empathic to know something was amiss.
Apparently,
Necheyev sensed it too. "I think it would be best if we got the team to the
Guardian, don't you?"
Necheyev
didn't wait for MacGruder's answer before she turned and began heading back
through the door they had just entered through. The door immediately opened
forcing them back into the howling winds.
Forcing
their way to The Guardian, Necheyev stopped and looked through shielded eyes at
the large portal. Various images depicted hundreds of points in the past and
future flashed at a blinding rate before it. No one had the ability to see
exactly what point of time was being shown because of the speed at which the
points changed. Necheyev was hoping that Commander Data would be able to pick
the correct focal point.
Unsure of
what to say to the large portal, Necheyev started with the obvious. "I am
Admiral Natalia Necheyev." She told it, feeling slightly foolish for
talking to what appeared to be a large rock.
Until, the
rock answered her. "I am the Guardian of Forever. I have been expecting you
Admiral Natalia Necheyev."
"You
knew I was coming?" She asked.
"I
know of all things in all times." It answered cryptically.
"Then
you know why we're here?" Necheyev asked.
"To
set things as they were."
"Then
you will help us?" Necheyev asked, not expecting the Guardian to decline
her offer.
"All
will occur." It said peacefully.
Necheyev
shrugged and turned back towards her away team. "I guess that's a
'yes'."
She looked
at MacGruder surprisingly. "I thought you were suppose to record all
interaction with the Guardian?" She asked, noticing that MacGruder hadn't
bothered to even pull out a tricorder.
Before she
could answer a team of scientists exited the complex and began moving up behind
MacGruder.
Deanna
immediately sensed what was about to happen. But before she could react,
MacGruder drew an odd looking phaser from her jumpsuit, as did the other ten
scientists.
"Yes
Admiral, if that was what I was doing here, I'd love to sit and chat with the
Guardian all day long. But, I have a mission to accomplish, and you're in my
way."
Will and
Deanna moved slowly towards the Guardian, but before Beverly could begin to move
MacGruder reached out and grabbed her by the arm.
"Oh no
you don't. You're all staying right here." She warned them.
"Why
are you doing this?" Necheyev demanded to know.
"They
have to be stopped, one way or another. You have no idea… NO idea, what Sirius
is like! We have the ability to change that."
MacGruder's
statement did nothing but confuse the away team even more. Before they could
futility attempt to find any more information, a swarm of red uniformed beings
entered from the west side of the complex.
Their
uniforms were red bearing the Sirian "logo" on the chest. They wore
gold helmets with shielded visors on them. All were holding dangerous looking
rifles and trained them directly on MacGruder's team.
"You
can't do this!" She screamed in protest. Sensing that the moment was right,
Data lunged for MacGruder's phaser as Beverly turned and clawed the woman in the
face.
Beverly's
nails dug into her skin, which for any human would draw blood. Only this time,
the skin simply peeled away revealing a dark green skinned reptile beneath.
"Oh my
God, they're Sirian!" Beverly yelled over the ensuing raucous.
Data's
lunge was able to knock "MacGruder" off balance, but as she fell she
drug Beverly down with her. Unarmed, Will and Deanna took refuge behind a large
rock near the Guardian. Necheyev had ducked behind a large boulder on the other
side and was using her phaser to expertly pick off members of MacGruder's
fleeing team.
Oddly
enough, the Sirian soldiers had not entered the firefight; they remain poised on
the west side, ready for action but not advancing on the opportunity.
The small
band of fake scientists realized that they had been tricked and turned to defend
themselves against Data and Necheyev's fire.
Will stood
and began to go help Beverly in her struggle with MacGruder. But before he could
get to them, MacGruder's reptilian tongue lashed out and spat venom directly in
Crusher's eyes.
Beverly
screamed in agony as she grabbed for her eyes, completely blinded by the venom.
Will attempted to aid her but an unfamiliar shout of his name drew his attention
away.
"Will
no! Get to the Guardian!"
Will's eye
snapped to where the Sirian soldiers still waited. Running in his direction was
the young girl they had spoken to earlier, Elizabeth.
"Get
to the Guardian Will please!" She yelled to him again. By this time,
MacGruder stood and finished ripping the pseudoskin from her reptilian face.
Seeing Elizabeth entering the scene, she screamed to her people, "Hold your
fire!"
Elizabeth
ran and stood in front of Will. All of MacGruder's people stood with their
weapons trained on them, but none firing.
MacGruder
stepped forward. "Elizabeth please, this must be done. The suffering has to
end!"
Elizabeth
shook her head. "Not like this." She answered calmly.
"We
thought you of all people would understand. But, you tricked us, you're no
better than Diana ever was." MacGruder spat at her feet.
Elizabeth's
gaze turned down at the ground for a moment before looking back at MacGruder.
"I'm truly sorry that you feel that way. Nothing you do here will change
what has happened. The suffering will go on, one way or another."
Elizabeth's
head turned towards the 'fake' army she had appeared from. Amazingly enough,
they disappeared into thin air.
Bending
down to Beverly who lay in pain on the ground, Elizabeth gently placed a hand on
her shoulder. "It's okay Doctor. We'll get you help now."
"No!!"
The scream emanated from the scientist closest to MacGruder. He raised his
weapon and fired directly at Elizabeth.
She jumped
back quickly knocking Will backwards into Deanna. His large frame smashing into
her was too much to handle and they both tumbled backwards… through The
Guardian of Forever.
Necheyev
reached forward attempting the grab them before they fell but was a split second
too late. They disappeared completely into the ever-changing images of the
portal.
Spinning to
Elizabeth, she saw the girl pick herself up off the ground, and fix her gaze on
MacGruder. Elizabeth began to shake slightly. Flipping her head to the right
side, Necheyev was amazed when all of MacGruder's team flew in that very
direction.
Seizing the
opportunity, Necheyev and Data ran forward drawing their phasers on the
renegades. Realizing that they were now in custody, Necheyev turned to
Elizabeth.
She was
gone… vanished without a trace. Necheyev looked at Data, who raised an
eyebrow.
"Necheyev
to Enterprise, we need a Security detail and medical team down here on the
double."
Looking at
Data she informed him; "I've got a new mission for you now Data. Now we
have to find out exactly WHERE and WHEN Commander Riker and Counselor Troi
are."
Data's
first thought was to simply ask the Guardian. Unfortunately, they were presented
with a completely new problem…
The
Guardian was now completely silent and still.
END BOOK I