"Head-bolts"
The wormhole was… very odd – as wormholes go.
"Data – bring us around the far side of the event horizon, if you please" commanded Picard.
"Aye, Sir… coming around the far end" replied the golden-hued android.
Picard turned to Riker, and then Counselor Troi. "What do you both make of that… the vibrant colors?"
Riker immediately piped up, after a peak at his chair info-input screen: "Strange… so unlike anything on register before – ever!"
Troi was equally mesmerized: "Captain, I am now picking up on a… weird sensation. There is some kind of intelligence inside… on the 'other side', if you will." She suddenly put a hand to one temple, and, tilting her head slightly… almost passed out.
"Deanna – are you alright?" asked a concerned Picard.
"Yes… I'll be fine, in a moment" she replied.
About 24 ship-time hours later, two probes had lost contact, soon after being sent into the shimmering edge of the wormhole… then, the Enterprise-D, went on 'in'. A kaleidoscope of colors… the wormhole's membrane like separation layer… seemed to go 'pop', as the ship had entered into another universe.
"Fascinating… is such an inadequate word… for this!" stated Jon Luc, to himself as much as to the whole bridge crew. Lt. Worf then made a loud but short grunt-like sound.
Just in the nick of time, Worf had put up the shields, as a strange ship soon appeared, and launched a missile at the Enterprise. The missile seemed quite slow, as Starfleet photon torpedoes go, but one could not take any chances. The missile might have a bite bigger than its 'bark'! The missile eventually bounced off of the shields, then gave a very un-impressive display of blue and white sparks. A small skyrocket from an old time, Earth-USA, '4th of July' would have made about as much of a 'show'…
"Mr. Worf – enlarge and scan over that ship, on the view screen, please" requested a curious Captain.
The close up of the other ship's hull structure, showed what appeared to be… rivets! And the rear engine exhaust ports seemed to be expelling gray and white… smoke – or steam? Apparently so! And two men, inside the command cabin windows… wore old-style uniforms. Like the Royal Navy of 1900.
"Data – try to hail that ship. Perhaps they're not using 2-cans-and-a-string to 'talk', I hope!"
Riker gave a short chuckle, when he got the inference/joke, made by Picard.
In the next few hours, the captain of the other ship, garbed in an all black uniform, had a 'heart-to-heart' talk with Picard, in his ready room, and with Riker, Lt. Worf, and Troi all present.
"I think that I do grasp the enormity of the situation… Master Pickard? But your suggestion, that you came from 'another universe'… well – that is outside my ken of understanding, my good sir!" This dandily dressed officer, also a member of the Black Queen's Royal Guard, currently took off his old French-style round military cap and scratched the top of his head, and quite bewildered 'noggin'.
"Perhaps, sir, you can accompany my vessel, the HMS Valiant, over to my planet, and then come meet with Her Majesty? Seems the best idea I can offer, at present, to resolve this… predicament?" said Commodore Stevenson, now putting his cap squarely back onto his head, with a quick straightening of his ample black mustache, hovering above his upper lip and accompanied by a sharp, black, pointed beard below.
A few hours later, following the Valiant at an extremely slow speed, far lower than normal 'sub-light', the Enterprise-D and the other ship finally arrived at Planet Arcadia. Then Picard took a shuttlecraft, following Commodore Stevenson down in his small landing craft, down to the main landing field, well within sight of the Black Queen's castle… What appeared to be a steam-powered iron carriage, sitting on many small wheels, took Picard and Stevenson up the smooth as glass, golden brick road, and up to the castle – crossing an impressive looking and very deep moat, just outside its perimeter.
After being ushered in, to Her Presence (The Queen), Commodore Stevenson whispered into the Her Majesty's Ear, and then took a seat at her side. As head of her Royal Guard, this was the protocol. Picard noticed right away, the line of what looked like metallic automaton-robots standing in line, to the sides and far in back, inside this large, well appointed room… the Queen's Throne Room, in fact.
After a brief silence, the Black Queen spoke…
"Master-Captain Picard… of the vessel Enterprise… why have you come? I do so hope that you are not in league with Arcadia's enemy… Planet Zebu – and its Red Queen… Xanthippe."
Over the next half-hour, as time flowed ahead, Picard did his best to explain to Queen Adora, how his ship and crew came upon the unusual glistening, colored 'hole' between his world-universe and the present surrounding one – and verily entered same… Picard, on his part, was soon surprised to learn from Adora that holes of every color of the rainbow existed in this universe. A universe seemingly like something created by the writings and wild imaginings of Lewis Carroll, L. Frank Baum, and Jules Verne, in equal measure doses!
Suddenly there was a loud, ringing alarm… an attack!
A slightly-rusted robot, with large bolts on the sides of its 'neck', brought a dispatch, sent from the orbiting HMS Valiant. Picard, who came alone down from the Enterprise, got a hail-beep on his golden communicator insignia badge. While Commodore Stevenson and Queen Adora 'held consul, in a small adjoining room nearby… Picard hurriedly answered Commander Riker's urgent hail.
"Yes, Number One – what is it?"
"Captain, the Enterprise and the nearby Valiant are both being fired upon, by one large and many smaller vessels. The 2nd in command of the Valiant has notified me that they are from Planet Zebu. Arcadia's one and long-standing… enemy!"
"Are the shields all up – and can you offer defensive assistance to the Valiant?" queried Picard.
"Affirmative on both counts… Captain" answered Riker.
As was often the case, in this mythic-like universe, the leader of the Zebu contingent soon offered a 'truce' – if the Black Queen would come up to the Ship Royale of the Red Queen… and confer in her shipboard chambers… AND, bring the Captain-Commodore of the visiting vessel of unusual design and colors. The Royal Guards of Adora and of 'Her Visitor' would also be allowed to attend…
Though the Captain of Her Guard, Stevenson, was all against the 'meeting'… it was soon agreed upon. Queen Adora and Stevenson, along with Picard and one of his officers – Data – would go by Arcadian shuttle, up to the ship of the 'bloody' Red Queen… Xanthippe. Data was requested by Adora, as she had been intrigued to meet him… after getting a brief description of him from Stevenson. This 'Data' was an obvious 'robot-man' – but one looking much like a real man, more than any Arcadian robot ever did, or could. Adora could 'well imagine' the several (many?) benefits… of a fully-articulated… robotic man!
Another hour later…
"Thank-You, Adora… for agreeing to attend me… on my Royal Flagship… HSS Xanthein" hissed as much as spoke, said the Red Queen… Xanthippe. Queen Adora, in her royal and glimmering black gown, and knee-length strawberry blonde hair done up in many showering ringlets, simply nodded, before a reply.
"To maintain a balance of our two worldly spheres… and for peace in my queen-land (kingdom)… I gladly risked all, in coming here" replied Adora.
Picard and Data sat on some red velvet-like upholstered chairs, next to Commodore Stevenson in his, just behind the chair reserved and occupied by Adora. All of them were well below the highly raised dais of the chair-throne of the Red Queen – who also had a deep red crown of waist-length hair, with golden highlights that sparkled in the exotic lighting here inside this throne, aboard this large spaceship. Many ruby-like gems on her red cloak-gown also added to her voluptuous, yet sinister… full bodied… frame.
After a brief exchange, of more slightly bland pleasantries between the two acting monarchs… a short break, for a toast – to a new 'collaboration of worlds' – was soon held. The tall glasses were filled with, what else, a deep red drink – much like an expensive wine from his brother's vineyard, thought Picard.
The small talk soon flowed… and Picard soon learned that the two Queens… were actually sisters. The same mother, but different fathers… hence, a breach formed as they grew up. In this universe, the rule of matriarchy was the norm… Women held The Power… for as long as anyone could remember. But as with any rulers, men or women – some are just and kindly – while others vain, wicked… and wickeder!
Just as it seemed all was going well, the Red Queen, Xanthippe, gave a slight, odd nod, to her Royal Guard. Suddenly, many robots, colored in hues or red and coppery metallic colors, rushed in, and seized Picard, Data, Commodore Stevenson… and even the lovely and regal Adora!
"What – have you gone mad, yet again… my sister?!" decried an upset Queen Adora.
The Red Queen now scoffed, ever so scornfully: "Oh, no! My always, so-easy-to-trust-anyone, Sister…"
Picard, expecting such a treachery might occur, gave a slight and subtle signal to Stevenson. In a few moments, Captain Picard would depress his insignia communicator badge, with the planned 'beam out' from this suddenly endangering… and sadly unfortunate… collapse of good will!
But before making his 'call' to his ship, for Geordi LaForge to engage the transporter, in ultra- fast 'Emergency Setting' beam out – the Red Queen 'gazed hungrily' at Data, for a long moment, before next giving an oddly, yet familiar, sounding command – to all her guardsmen close and about…
"Royal Guards… Off with their heads! That is, of certain bodily 'parts'… of Picard and Stevenson… "
Thankfully, Picard now made the call, for a quick beam out (knowing Geordi had long ago established and maintained a solid 'lock' – on all of their party's life-signs and coordinates).
The Red Queen flew into a rage... As her enemies and Sister soon were whisked away - evaporating into so many tiny lights, like a thousand vanishing jewels. She now realized too late, that, not knowing of the technology that Picard commanded (for in this 'Other Universe' many things operated by wish fulfillment – what some might call 'magic') – she had utterly… so utterly… failed!
And for his part, Data was later a bit sorry, that he would not learn if the Red Queen might be anything like he could imagine (as a lover?). He was, at the same time, much relieved… for he would have been so very embarrassed – to have it possibly 'come out' before Captain Picard… about Data's one, certain body-frame 'upgrade'… so to speak!
THE END