What Wars Wrought

A Star Trek The Next Generation Fan Fiction

C.J. Tan

I. Triage

Jean-Luc Picard never smelled more fresh in his life. If there were flies on the Enterprise, he would have been swarmed the moment he materialized in the transporter room.

"Welcome back, captain," William T. Riker said with a playful glint in his eyes. Albeit, it was difficult to tell through the thick black goggles on the gas mask. "You're down there a long time, sir. I assume the Legarans believed you are an acceptable replacement for Ambassador Sarek?"

"Successor, Number One, successor," Picard said, stepping down the transporter pad. He gladly took the towel offered to him by the first officer and continued, "One does not replace legends."

Sarek of Vulcan was the most distinguished diplomats of his generation. He was instrumental in strengthening the ties among the one hundred fifty founding worlds of the young United Federation of Planets two hundred years ago, the architect of peace between the three major powers of the Alpha Quadrant over the last eight years, and the person directly responsible for patiently nurturing a personal relationship with the xenophobic Legarans for the last seventy-odd years.

Not to mention, Picard thought, they were sticklers for protocols. That was what brought the Enterprise to Legara. They were there to reaffirm their oath of friendship, which had to be renewed every five to ten years by the progenitors of friendship or their protégés. And with Ambassador Spock preoccupied on Romulus, Picard was the next best thing. Especially, since he had a mind meld with Sarek once and still possessed his katra.

"Courtesy of the crew, sir," Riker said, handing over a small red and gold rectangular box topped with a ribbon. "A gift to mark the success of your ten thousandth successful diplomatic mission on behalf of the Federation."

"Really? Ten thousandth! My! How time flies!" Picard opened the box and beamed. "Coco Chanel Number Five! Manufactured; not replicated too! Why, Number One, it's what I always wanted! Thank the crew for me, commander!"

"Uh… Um… I will pass the word along, sir."

"Excellent," the captain said, exiting the transporter room. "Any excitement while I was gone?"

"Holodeck Three malfunctioned again," Riker said. "A tyrannosaurus rex tried to eat Mr. Barclay."

"I trust Mr. Barclay is fine?"

"Yes, sir. Aside from developing a bad case of herpetophobia, Dr. Crusher assures me he will make a full recovery. In the meantime, Commander La Forge assured me that Holodeck Three will be repaired in three hours. But there's no guarantee it won't malfunction again."

"Anything else?"

"We detected two Farpoint entities in the area earlier," Riker said, referring to the giant jellyfish-like creatures they encountered on the maiden voyage of the Enterprise-D years ago. "They appeared to be mating. We, of course, observed the ritual at a respectable distance."

Picard nodded and noted the commander was still wearing the stupid mask.

"Oh, Data discovered The Terminator franchise. He has watched all forty-seven films, including the ten television spin-off series. And he has been trying out red contact lenses for Guinan's Halloween Party all day."

"Sounds like a perfectly average day, commander," Picard said, stepping inside the turbolift. "I envy you. There's nothing, but excitement on Legara. Did you know that you have to throw a mud ball at a Legaran to demonstrate disagreement?"

"No, sir."

"It's a mud fight every time there is an argument. Very exhausting. Bridge."

"Uh… Bridge, sir?"

"Don't I want to shower and change first?" Picard grinned. "Oh, I do! I just need to pick up my copy of The Death of Buddha in my ready room. It's the newest Dixon Hill novel, if you're curious, Number One. It's the first in a trilogy set in the Pacific Theatre of the Second World War and juxtaposes early American adventurism in Asia with Federation adventurism in the Gamma Quadrant. All the critics are raving about it!"

"Can't I…?"

"Can't I replicate a new copy in my quarters? Of course, I can. But why waste ship resources on something I have already replicated?"

"Um… I was just about to suggest if I may deliver the book to you instead? Considering how exhausting the mud fights on the planet must be?"

"That won't be necessary. I still have…"

"Commander, I am picking up a distress call from Dorvan V," Picard and Riker heard Horton Daniels said as soon as the turbolift doors slid open.

"On screen," Data said, nodding at the new arrivals. "Captain on the bridge!"

"Sir, I am also picking up a distress call from Volon II," Daniels said, suddenly growing paler by the second. "Correction, captain! I am picking up multiple distress calls from the Demilitarized Zone. There are… There are thousands of them."

"What?" Riker said, taking off the gas mask.

"Multiple distress calls confirmed, captain," Data said. "Orders, sir?"

"Pardon the smell, lieutenant," Picard said to Daniels, taking a look at the readouts on the tactical station for himself. If he regretted playing along with the joke and taking his part further than anyone expected, he did not show it. "Ensign Perim, set course for the nearest ship or planet in distress," he ordered. "Counselor Troi, inform Sickbay to prepare to receive casualties. Mr. Daniels, I want every crewmember armed and prepared for close quarter combat. Mr. Data, advise all nearby Federation ships to rendezvous with us at the Demilitarized Zone. If this is a Klingon invasion, we need strength in numbers. And Number One, advise Starfleet Command of the situation."

"Course set and laid in for Dorvan V, sir."

"Warp nine. Engage."

"Do you really think the Klingons are behind this, sir?" Riker said. "Considering what happened at Ty'Gokor?"

"I hope not, Number One. But…"

The Bridge rocked to the tune of multiple weapons fire as soon as the Enterprise dropped out of warp in the Dorvan system. Three purple ships shaped like scarab beetles swooped down on them with disruptors blazing.

"Shields down to eighty-seven percent," Daniels said.

"Evasive maneuvers!" Riker ordered. "Charge weapons! Prepare to return fire!"

"Captain, the computer has identified the six unidentified hostile vessels to be Jem'Hadar fighters," Data said, cocking his head to the left with a resounding click. That familiar noise meant he had switched off his emotion chip. "The Jem'Hadar are the foot soldiers of…"

"Thank you, Mr. Data. But we all know who the Jem'Hadar are by now," Picard said, enviously. "Open hailing frequencies."

"Hailing frequencies open!"

"Attention, Dominion vessels! This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Federation starship, Enterprise. You are in violation of Federation space. Stand down or be fired upon."

The Bridge rocked again.

"Very well. We'll do it your way," Picard said. "Mr. Daniels, target the lead ship…"

"Captain! The Jem'Hadar fighters are on collateral run with Dorvan V!"

"What?" Picard looked at the screen. "Mr. Daniels! Quantum torpedoes! Fire!"

"Too late, sir," Data said.

"Life signs?"

"None, captain."

Picard shrugged. "Helm, set course for the next nearest ship or planet in distress. Maximum warp. Engage when ready."

"Captain, shouldn't we send an away team to Dorvan V?" Riker said. "Try to look for survivors?"

"Triage, Number One," Picard said. "We go where we can do the most good first."

"We have arrived on Behr's Planet, sir," Data said. "Sensors have detected seven Maquis raiders, nine Jem'Hadar fighters and two Jem'Hadar warships in the vicinity, captain."

"Concentrate fire on the warships," Picard said. "Try to lure them away from the raiders."

"Aye, sir."

"Captain, the Maquis raider, Achilles, has lost its engines. Life support has failed…"

"Get us within transporter ranger," Riker said. "Lower shields and beam the survivors aboard on my command."

Picard drew his phaser, set it to maximum stun and nodded.

"Now, Ms. Perim!"

As soon as the shields were dropped, ten Jem'Hadar soldiers materialized on the Bridge with axes and disruptor rifles. They were about to charge when they dropped their weapons and collapsed to the floor, coughing and struggling for air.

"What happened?" Riker said, baffled.

"I believe the captain happened, sir," Data said, studying the readouts on his tricorder. "I believe the Jem'Hadar is having a severe allergic reaction to your… Um… Aroma, sir."

"My aroma?"

"Well, sir, you do stink," Data said. "According to my tricorder, you are emitting…"

"Thank you, Mr. Data. We'll investigate your interesting hypothesis later," Picard said with a shrug. "Mr. Daniels, please beam our guests to the brig."

"Aye, sir."

"What are you smiling about, Number One?"

"Luck, sir. It comes when you least expect it and most need it."

"Maybe, Number One. Right now, I'd settle for a hot bath and some idea for what the hell is going on here," Picard said, glancing at the long list of distress calls popping in and out of the tactical station. He wished he could respond to them all, but the Enterprise was only one ship and there was only so much one ship could do in a monumental crisis like this.