Star Trek: The Next Generation – Souvenirs
Written By: Commander Cody CC-2224
Brief notes:
I do not own Star Trek: The Next Generation series, or American Girl. This fanfic is written for the purposes of serious, dramatic entertainment, as I just had the idea of seeing colonial children in the 24th century. After all, how often do you get to see or read something like this?
This chapter is one of many chapters of the story to come, under the title "Star Trek: The Next Generation – Souvenirs" (or "Felicity Encounters the Enterprise"). This story is intended to be a Star Trek TNG fanfic and an American Girl fanfic morphed into one.
The story takes place at Stardate 48766.6 (after Stardate 47988.1, when Picard encountered the alternate Enterprise). It starts out with the U.S.S Enterprise (NCC-1701-D) making its way back to the Alpha Quadrant at maximum warp. On the way Captain Jean-Luc Picard and his crew encounter a stray vessel of unknown origin carrying 5 passengers belonging to America's colonial period (I won't spoil the details). After this chapter another chapter will arrive that discusses the names of these passengers and how they were taken from their original timeline.
In the next chapter Felicity's story will take place around the month of April of 1776 A.D., after the events in the book Changes for Felicity, though this plot will be discussed in the next chapter (and it will take a while to come up with it). For the most part I have decided to let the story's surroundings retain consistency with the Felicity's Story Collection II, as well as the Felicity: An American Girl Adventure movie. For example, you will notice that Felicity's best friend Elizabeth Cole is described with blond hair, rather than brown (or black, if I so accurately recall). This is because in 2003 A.D. (real history), Felicity's Story Collection book was revised such that the illustrations and text refer to Elizabeth having blond hair, thus retiring the original Story Collection with Elizabeth having brown or black hair (c.f. Complete Guide to American Girl Doll Collecting). So for those who are used to seeing Elizabeth in brown or black hair, please don't feel too disappointed.
So sit back and enjoy the movie-like fanfic. I anticipate that after you read this chapter your mind is going to start racing as to who the characters are and how they were taken from their timeline. As I said, this chapter will take a while to develop, but hang in there.
CHAPTER 1
U.S.S. Enterprise (NCC-1701-D)
Stardate 48766.1 - Viridian Sector
April 11, 2370 A.D.
Captain's Log: Stardate 48766.6. Nearly ten years after exploring the galaxy we are now heading back to the Alpha Quadrant, and to Earth.
The U.S.S. Enterprise-D was throttling at maximum warp. She was a Galaxy Class starship, one of the largest vessels in Starfleet. Over the dorsal area of the saucer section gleamed the letters that comprised of her identification: NCC-1701-D.
The bridge was located on the central peak of the saucer section. The interior of the bridge looked extra spiffy, and it was buzzing with all sorts of activity, with the guys in yellow shirts monitoring the screens, with the two helm personnel focusing on the screen and enjoying an occasional pep talk with each other, and with the starship captain locked in incessant discussion with this and that situation with his first officer and tactical officer. For the time being, the ship's counselor was seated at the seat next to the right side of the captain's chair.
Near the front of the bridge, Chief Miles O'Brien, one of the helmsmen situated at the port console, was staring nearly aimlessly at the screen, with the stars and white dash lines zipping past. Next to him Lt. Commander Data, Picard's favorite android, on the starboard console, who was always energetic and alert, whether or not he was on duty. He, along with O'Brien, was incessantly busy as a bee.
Captain Jean-Luc Picard was locked in discussion with his First Office William Riker and his Tactical Officer Worf about the situation of getting home. For nearly ten years Picard and his crew explored the galaxy, covering vast areas of the Alpha, Beta, and Gamma Quadrants. After his encounter with the Q entity and the rendezvous with a starship similar to the one he was commanding that came from an era forward in time, Picard formally announced to the crew that they were heading back to the Alpha Quadrant, and back to Starfleet. He was itching to get home that at times he would make a fairly regular inquiry to one of the helmsmen about the ETA (Estimated Time of Arrival) to Earth. Data, as usual would be the first to answer, often leaving his helms-mate with a puzzled look.
"How long until we reach earth?" inquired Picard.
"Approximately seventy-five hours and thirty-eight minutes, sir," was Data's usual reply, except the ETA stats would be altered as time went by.
Picard then turned to Worf. "How go the warp engines, Worf?"
"The engines are at one hundred percent peak efficiency, sir. If you wish, I can ask Commander LaForge to account for the engine status." Commander LaForge was the ship's Chief Engineer, who spent most of his time monitoring the vessel's engine room and coordinated various scientific operations in the Engineering section.
"Very well," was Picard's usual reply. Then, for want of something better to do, he announced in a moderate tone of voice, "I'll be taking my tea in the Ready Room. Would you like to join me, Counselor?"
Counselor Deanna Troi, who for most of the time was seated in a ladylike fashion on her usual seat at the left hand side of the captain's chair, perked her head up and looked at Picard. "Of course, Captain," she replied with her usual charming smile. Counselor Troi was Picard's favorite advisor, who was half-human, half-Betazoid. Given her Betazoid traits, she had the capability of keenly detecting emotions in people, as well as sense a variety of disturbances, whether mild or strong. She got up from her seat daintily and followed Picard to the captain's Ready Room.
Troi was standing near the Ready Room entrance as Picard sauntered to his personal replicator.
"Tea. Earl Gray. Hot. Two cups," he requested promptly. Two sets of a white cup and saucer materialized in the replicator's niche.
"Tea as well, Counselor?" Picard asked genially.
"Yes, thank you," replied Troi.
"Cream and sugar?"
"Yes, please."
"I don't particularly sweeten my tea," Picard muttered slightly as he reached languorously in his desk drawer for a pack of cream and sugar and placed them on Troi's teacup and saucer, in case Troi changed her mind. Both of them took their usual seat area in the visitor's Ready Room seat. Picard usually struck up conversations during that time, but his itching to go home was beyond mere words. Pretty much all he could think of talking about was getting back to Earth and discuss the burgeoning relationship affair between Troi and Riker.
"This calls for celebration," declared Picard in a brisk manner.
"I'll say," replied Troi in a matter-of-fact way.
"So, after nearly ten years of exploring the Alpha, Beta, and Gamma Quadrants, we finally get to go home. Back to earth."
"I'll have to admit, it's a relief," replied Troi. "After nearly ten years, you say, of being cooped up on the Enterprise everyone will get to breath the real fresh air when we step back on familiar ground."
"But we have the holographic rooms for that purpose. Doesn't that suit everyone for the time being?"
"I suppose, but it'll still not be the same thing with actually stepping outside and enjoying the atmosphere of the earth."
"Hmm."
There was a brief moment of uninterrupted silence, perhaps on the order thirty seconds, wherein Picard was the first to resume his conversation with Troi on another subject matter.
"You and Commander Riker seem to be in love with each other, if you don't mind me putting it bluntly," said Picard, trying to sound diplomatic, at best. Most of the time he had in himself the penchant to mince words. "What do you and Riker actually do during your spare time?"
Troi giggled slightly at the thought of this statement. "At the moment, we go to the holodeck and traverse across the 18th century English countryside. And at times, we would change the holodeck surroundings to a luxurious stay at the Hilton Hotel." Troi was beginning to feel hesitant to continue this discussion.
"I see," replied Picard. "Well, I suppose there must be some details that are too embarrassing to divulge." Picard got up from the seat and placed the teacup on his desk. "I'll sure be looking forward to enjoying a generous amount of leave-taking back on earth."
"Perhaps you'll get to visit the place of your childhood, back in France?" inquired Troi.
"LaBarre?"
"Mm-hmm. And actually trying to relive them."
Picard chuckled slightly. "Counselor, really, I'm afraid I've outgrown childish things."
"But it wouldn't hurt to try," Troi reassured.
"I suppose not."
Seconds later an audible beep was generated from Picard's personal computer. Immediately Picard approached it promptly and gave a slight glance at the LCD. The computer indicated an incoming transmission from Starfleet Headquarters. He switched on the screen.
Immediately the face of Vice-Admiral Alynna Nechayev was on display, crystal clear. There was no static interference. Nechayev had slight middle-age features and blond hair.
Nechayev was the first to send greetings. "Good day, Captain," she announced with gusto.
"Admiral!" Picard exclaimed slightly. He was considerably surprised.
Nechayev was itching to get to her point. "We received the update that you're heading back to the Alpha Quadrant."
"Yes. We're making our heading back to Earth."
"You mean to say that you're through exploring the galaxy?"
"For the most part."
"There's something I need to inform you about. The Temporal Investigators informed me of a slight change in America's colonial history. The message was flagged 'Priority One'. I was going to ask you to investigate the matter, but since you are about forty-eight hours away from the Alpha Quadrant, I'm going to suggest being on the lookout for any space vessels that you encounter on the way."
"Are these temporal changes minor?" Picard queried seriously, hoping he would receive a no for an answer.
"I shouldn't worry too much about it, Captain," Nechayev reassured with a light but fairly forced smile. "I think it's just a slight change in the colonial historical records, specifically the ones belonging to Colonial Williamsburg. We're fortunate that there's no indication of tampering with the history of the most influential people of that era."
"Does the Temporal Bureau have the original document files?"
"I should strongly think so. Don't worry, Captain, they have the technology to track any changes in the timeline. They'll be transmitting them to me in about 10 minutes; so I'll be uploading them to your computer within the hour."
"I'll check now and then."
"Very well. For the time being, I suggest being on the lookout for any space vessels you encounter on the way."
"Very well. Picard out."
Nechayev's face disappeared, followed by the communiqué's ID tag. Picard switched off his personal computer.
"Another bloody temporal affair to deal with. First, the Enterprise C, then the Enterprise of the alternate universe, thanks to Q." Since his encounter with the Enterprise C from a temporal rift, his encounter with America's 19th century literary author Samuel Langhorne Clemens passing through a temporal portal on Devidia II, as his interesting encounter with the Enterprise of the alternate future that the Q entity let him experience, the one equipped with three nacelles instead of two, Picard dearly wished that this affair regarding another interference in the timeline would be his last, because he didn't particularly like having to deal with temporal affairs. However, the idea having a face-to-face encounter with some individuals from America's colonial era would prove to be fascinating, so he was determined to give this assignment a try with partial gusto.
"I'll have to inform the bridge," Picard told Troi. "Um, if you want, you can stay in the Ready Room for a while." Troi nodded, and Picard left the Ready Room.
Picard paced in a hurry to Riker and Worf, who were at the monitoring station on the bridge. "What's up Captain," inquired Riker.
"I've received a message from Starfleet Headquarters that there's been a slight change in America's 18th century colonial history."
"Really?" Riker asked incredulously. "I'd better check my Britannica."
"I'm ordering the bridge to be on the lookout for any spacecraft that we encounter."
"Captain, what do the starships have to do with all of these…historical changes?"
"I don't know. Perhaps the admiral thinks that some people are being taken out of their original time."
"Temporal kidnapping?"
"Again, a possibility. Vice-Admiral Nechayev will send me the files on the timeline changes. Have the bridge be on the lookout for any starships encountered. I'll be in the Ready Room."
"We're at maximum warp, Captain. However, we can adjust our long-range sensors to pick up incoming craft. I'll let you know."
"Thanks, Number One." Picard promptly left the bridge and stepped back into the Ready Room.
Picard sat down and checked his personal computer. A message file was flagged on his desktop area. Picard opened the file and the file appeared in a prompt fashion. Strangely enough, it pertained to a detailed 1776 census of the inhabitants of Colonial Williamsburg. Picard clicked the "Names" link, and two charts containing a long list of the names of those who were in Colonial Williamsburg around the year 1776 were displayed.
The file displayed two charts; one side indicated the original, the other indicated the altered. Picard mulled over the charts as he attempted to make mental comparisons on the timeline. Individuals who originally were present in the timeline have disappeared, as indicated by a red highlight on the list's altered side.
Picard glanced closer. The altered side indicated five people who were originally existent in the time frame that disappeared, for no apparent reason, from Picard's point of view. He read the names, hoping it wasn't some individual who played a major role in the American War for Independence, such as one of America's Founding Fathers. To his relief, it wasn't. Rather, the list showed five different names that were highlighted in red to indicate their disappearance from the timeline. Their names registered as Felicity Merriman, Nan Merriman, William Merriman, Benjamin Davidson, and Elizabeth Cole. Picard was partially relieved by the fact that these weren't individuals who played a major role in the American War for Independence; however, he was slightly disturbed by their disappearance because even minor changes in the historical timeline could seriously alter events that were to occur in American history during and after the War. He was aware of the fact that even minor people and events could make a significant impact on history itself. So Picard was half-determined to investigate the matter. But what could he do, given that the Enterprise hadn't spotted any starships yet? Picard opened the front desk drawer, pulled out a tricorder, attached it to his personal computer, and downloaded the files. Then he waited for the opportunity as he detached the tricorder from the computer.
After nearly half an hour of deep personal meditation in the captain's Ready Room, Picard heard a fairly loud "beep!" emitting from his combadge.
"Riker to Picard." It was Riker's voice.
"Go ahead, Number One," Picard promptly replied.
"Long range sensors have picked up a vessel bearing 114 mark 119."
"On my way."
Picard grabbed the tricorder and immediately left the Ready Room where he entered the bridge.
"How close are we to the vessel?" inquired Picard, as he approached the captain's chair.
"We're about two minutes twenty-five seconds away from it," replied Data.
"Drop out of warp. Switch to full impulse."
"Yes, sir."
The Enterprise dropped out of warp and moved at full impulse power.
"Status, Data?"
"We are now approximately ten thousand kilometers away from the vessel. We should be approaching it in approximately ninety seconds."
"Very well. Continue at present course and speed until we reach the vessel."
Nearly thirty seconds later a tiny floating speck showed up on the view screen."
"I see something, Captain," informed O'Brien. It was a while since O'Brien ever announced anything of any significance.
"Magnify," commanded Picard.
The view screen magnified the speck using fancy digital effects. Sure enough, it was a vessel, and it was drifting aimlessly towards the Enterprise.
"The vessel appears to be drifting aimlessly towards us," said Data.
"Status?" inquired Picard.
"Hull integrity is one hundred percent intact. Engines register as fully functional."
"Life signs?"
"Positive, sir. Sensors indicate a total of five passengers on board with active life signs."
"Five passengers?"
"That is correct, sir."
"Get a lock on that vessel. Don't let it drift away from us."
"You've got it, sir."
Picard went to the monitoring station on the bridge, attached the tricorder to one of the ports, and downloaded the file from the Temporal Bureau. He then called for Riker as he opened the file.
The file was opened by the time Riker approached the area where Picard was standing on the monitoring station.
"A file from the Temporal Bureau?" asked Riker incredulously.
"Precisely," replied Picard, as he scrolled to the highlighted part on the altered section of the Colonial Williamsburg census.
"See the highlighted names? This chart mentions five individuals taken from the 1776 timeline."
Riker, with a skeptical look on his face, peered closely to take a look at the highlighted names.
"Felicity Merriman, Nan Merriman, William Merriman, Benjamin Davidson, and Elizabeth Cole?" Riker muttered. "You sure those are not individuals who played major roles in the American War for Independence?"
"I should hope not. Unless I have details about these individuals, I cannot be too sure. This census only registers the names of the people who inhabited Colonial Williamsburg around the year of 1776."
"I'm dying to know how they were taken."
"What? The census records?"
"No, them. The people whose names are highlighted in red." Riker muttered, "How and why would they be taken from their timeline?"
"If Vice-Admiral Nechayev wanted us to be on the lookout for starships because of this predicament, I think she would want us to investigate whatever starship we encounter," informed Riker.
"Make it so. Ask Dr. Crusher to accompany you in case the passengers are wanting in medical attention, as well as Commander La Forge, in case you experience technical difficulties evacuating the passengers off the vessel." Dr. Beverly Crusher was the ship's chief medical doctor.
"Yes, sir. Data, you're with me." Both Riker and Data left the bridge and stepped into the turbolift.
On board the stray space vessel…
The interior of the vessel was dimly lighted, and there were red lights across the wall panels blinking steadily. Two individuals lay dead near the helm; one was a humanoid-looking species, and the other had mechanical parts. Five people materialized on board: Riker, Data, La Forge, and Dr. Crusher. Each of them were armed with banana-shaped hand-held phasers (Phaser Type 2) and scanning the surroundings with their tricorders. La Forge was carrying a black satchel filled with tools.
"I thought there were five life signs" remarked Riker. "Why do we see two dead people?"
"One is Borg, the other is of unknown origin," said Dr. Crusher. "They are dead, then."
"If one of these individuals are Borg, then what would the Borg be doing here?" inquired Riker. "Geordi, see if you can find the ship's sensor logs."
"Right away, sir." La Forge immediately set to work.
"Doctor, let's find the life forms."
"As soon as I've briefly examined the cadavers, Will."
"This ship shouldn't be too big. You mind if Data and I look around?"
"Not at all."
As Riker and Data advanced to the rear, they came across a section in the vessel's aft cargo hold. Popping into the hold, they beheld five partly cloudy cylindrical glass tubes that each held a person inside. All of them were completely sealed and they were stacked neatly in a single row, the ends strapped to each other and bolted to the floor. Riker and Data surveyed each one of them with a profound sense of awe and used his tricorder to glean whatever information they could yield from inside the tubes. Each of the tubes had no external labeling, nor did the individuals inside, who were in a state of complete torpor, with their bodies positioned like a deceased person properly positioned in a coffin box.
"It appears that these life-forms are sealed in some kind of cryo-tube," remarked Data.
"I'll be damned," replied Riker, with a look of slight astonishment.
Approaching the first tube, Riker's tricorder indicated a young man of seventeen years of age. His clothing seemed to originate from the colonial era, for it was the standard style of the 18th century. His skin was nearly pale, and his light-brown hair was positioned fairly well.
The second tube registered a young girl at age eleven. She was wearing a pale yellow cream-colored colonial gown. Her feet stuck out of the dress, which was covered with the slightly high-heeled buckle shoes pertaining to the colonial era. Her head was covered with a mobcap, with the remaining of her natural ginger red hair being exposed, and her skin was slightly pale, like a Caucasian.
The third life form in the tube was another young Caucasian girl with blond hair that registered at age eleven, the same age as the red-headed girl. The gown she was wearing was of a more finer material than the other girl, and was a silky light blue. Her hair was partially covered with a mobcap.
The fourth tube contained a little Caucasian girl registered at age eight. Her auburn ginger hair was partially covered with a lace mobcap, as if she was stuffed into the tube in a hurry. She was wearing a pale goldenrod colonial gown overlapping with olive-green vertical stripes. The fifth tube contained a little Caucasian boy at age 5, with a hair color similar to that of the red-headed girl. His clothing was colonial style, with a flat black overvest worn over his plain white shift.
Riker could not believe his eyes. The highlighted names of the Colonial Williamsburg census records swam in his head. As far as he could remember, three were girls' names and two were boys' names. He was anxious to make a conclusion that these could possibly be the individuals whose names were listed on the Temporal Bureau's list of the disappeared. But there was no way to be sure that was the case unless he asked what their names were.
Meanwhile Dr. Crusher had found out that the alien life-form was partially assimilated into a Borg. There were no signs of lacerations or phaser or disruptor beam burns across the body. Both of the cadavers were 100 percent intact on the exterior. But how did they die? she wondered.
"Geordi, have you retrieved the sensor logs yet?" Dr. Crusher asked Commander La Forge.
"Almost finished here, Doc," replied La Forge. A few seconds later La Forge announced, "There. We have them."
"Let's see."
On one of the panel screens on the starboard area of the shuttlecraft, the video was playing. The logs showed a brief tussle between the two life forms. One was Borg, the other was a humanoid-like alien. The struggle was brief, with the result being that by the looks of it the Borg managed to assimilate his victim by protruding his needles and made physical contact in the neck area. The victim was writhing in agony as the veins of his skin turned into an eerie black, and his entire skin color a darkish purple. Two seconds later a thick cloud of gas was released into the confines of the shuttlecraft. The Borg suffocated and died as a result.
Both La Forge and Dr. Crusher were mesmerized in the horror film when Riker stepped back into the passenger area. "Doctor, I think we found our life-forms," he announced.
"Where are they?" asked Dr. Crusher automatically.
"They're located in the cargo bay. Come on."
Riker, Crusher, and La Forge hurried to the cargo hold. They found Data busying himself with clicking buttons on his tricorder. Each of them gave a slightly long glance at each of the tubes.
"My God," remarked Dr. Crusher.
A/N (1): Here are a few things I wish to note, in case you were wondering about some details pertaining to the story:
- Picard's encounter with the Enterprise C (U.S.S. Enterprise, NCC-1701-C) was derived from the ST-TNG episode Yesterday's Enterprise.
- Picard's encounter with Samuel Langhorne Clemens was derived from the ST-TNG episode Time's Arrow, Parts I and II.
- Picard's encounter with the starship Enterprise shown with 3 warp nacelles from an alternate future was derived from the ST-TNG episode All Good Things….
A/N (2): For the time being I hold exact date of this chapter's occurrence in question. Any suggestions on Starfleet's historical accuracy will be greatly appreciated.
A/N (3): I attempted to elaborate on Data's characteristic of pointing out stats in an exact fashion ("We are approximately 90 seconds away from the vessel"). I tried to keep the stats fairly mathematically accurate, but any suggestions on accuracy will be greatly appreciated.
A/N (4): The overall descriptions of the colonial clothes were largely based from the Felicity: An American Girl Adventure movie. (The costumes of Ben, Felicity, and Elizabeth are seen in around the beginning to middle part of the movie, and the costumes of Nan and William are seen at the very end of the movie.)