Will shielded his eyes and looked behind him, making sure all the scientists had evacuated the station. He stood with the rest of the away team, waiting to be beamed back to the Potemkin. Because of the storms, only one person could be beamed at a time. One by one, his crewmates disappeared in blue flashes of light until only he remained. He braced himself for the beam to lock on to his signal, and sure enough, it did.
Being inside the transporter felt like nothing. It was like falling asleep in an instant. Materially, he didn't exist. He were in stasis, his life in someone else's hands. And then… he was back.
On Nervala IV.
Will opened his eyes and realized in horror that the winds were still sweeping around him, the dust still flying in his face. He was all alone. He looked up through the gathering clouds at the Potemkin, sure that the transporter chief would see her mistake and beam him back up. But nothing happened. In desperation, he pressed his combadge. "Riker to Potemkin. Beam me up. Now!" Nothing.
Will's stomach lurched when he noticed that the Potemkin was flying away. The window to use the transporters had closed. He was stuck here for the next eight years.
Will Riker watched helplessly as the Potemkin flew out of sight.