The Sentinel
It stood on a raised piece of crystalline rock carefully monitoring the equipment that the ancients had left behind, the only thing capable of sending out a message far enough to possibly be heard by the 'others'. It had heard the stories and the history of its race, how they had developed from beings confined to a physical form into almost pure energy.
That had been a mistake – and a costly one, the energy released when the people had left their bodies had caused problems for the planet, knocked it of its path around the primary sun. Over the last 200 revolutions, they had used their skills of manipulating energy to try and stablise the planet to no avail. Their home was doomed and time was running out.
At the last meeting it had been shocked to see how few energies were left, staggered to hear that many had become so depleted they could not renew themselves. Without renewal their race would become extinct in a very short time. They needed help, but they were far on the edge of the galaxy and had kept themselves hidden away.
It had been asked to send the message – not because it was the strongest, youngest or oldest, but because it could keep the tightest focus of its people, and that was needed for long distance communication. Carefully it scanned the skies making sure the message was clear.
It paused. An echo had just come through the equipment, very faint, but definitely an echo – was it a ship of the others, or a reflection from a distant planet? It returned the beam to the location of the echo and boosted the power slightly. The echo returned once more, yet it was still nebulous, though stronger.
The Sentinel paused in its work, contemplating the possibilities. Finally it made a decision, using the equipment to boost its own power, it sent the distress call once more and used the message as an anchor for its own thought energy.
When the echo returned, the strength had been magnified and with it came a whisper of thought…
&&
Ehliena stirred, something had impinged on her consciousness, as she tried to focus her thought to make a contact, the energy withdrew. No, she cancelled the thought, the energy did not withdraw, it faded… For a moment she was torn, should she report what she had felt to the Captain?
Ehliena sighed, she had only recently come aboard the Enterprise and was still settling in. She knew some of the crew from assignments that she had had elsewhere in the Federation for Starfleet, and knew that her cousin Deanna had pulled a few strings to get her the temporary posting to the flagship.
Will Riker she knew well, he was almost like a big brother to her due to his relationship with her cousin, but when she arrived he had dropped a few teasing comments which made her realize that she would have to stand on her own two feet. Deanna had tried to help her relax during the couple of days before she left for Betazed, but Ehliena had felt much happier finding her own way around.
Initially awed by the Enterprise and its crew, she now felt herself much closer to this group of people and part of the crew, the exception was the Captain himself. She had expected him to have a strong mental shield, to hide his thoughts from her – though she could sense his emotions more easily, she was ¾ Betazoid after all.
As she was trying to make up her mind, she heard her name being called over the shipboard transmitter, Counsellor Troi to the bridge. She responded immediately, knowing that from her reply, the Captain would realize that she had caught something. Is that why they need me? Has something come through?
While she was thinking, she had thrown off her bed cover, now wide awake and dressed quickly; if there was something she had learnt rapidly, it was that an official summons from the Captain was always important…
&&
If the Sentinel could have smiled, it would have, from the direction of the echo, it had received a faint, but distinct query. At first it was puzzled, the same message had been repeated over and over again, with so many different inflections and intonations that had been confusing. A word from its race's past came back to it Language. Sifting through the message again, it was able to note the differences and analyse each one carefully, identifying the differences, that would be important. When its people returned to a physical form, the language would have to fit.
As it continued analysis, it was startled when once again it detected a thought energy, though very faint. It was confused for a moment, why would the 'others' use language if they were able to commune by thought energy? It was a puzzle it had no answer to… yet…
Changing the direction of the equipment, The Sentinel sent a message to its people, contact made.
&&&
Ehliena walked onto the bridge, her appearance acknowledged by both the Captain and First Officer with quick nods. From the expressions on their faces and the curiosity on their minds, she knew that the reason for her summons was not necessarily a hostile threat. Both men were listening to a report from Commander Data, the android with whom she had had some contact – and found intriguing.
"The signal is emanating from a planet in the Phi system of the Psi galaxy, on the very edge of explored space. No other contact has ever been recorded in this area, though the Federation had considered exploration of this zone for colonization purposes"
Riker raised a query, "What was the reason for the lack of exploration?"
Data paused for a moment, allowing the request to be processed, "The Federation felt that exploration was not feasible at the time due to the distance of the system from the nearest colony. Also, early scans indicated that although several suitable M-class planets are present within the system, fluctuations in the magnetic energy surrounding the planets may cause problems in the early stages of colonization."
Captain Jean-Luc Picard became thoughtful, "Is it possible that the message we have been getting is distorted energy?"
"No."
The Captain turned and gave his counsellor a piercing look, "No?"
Ehliena swallowed and took a deep breath, she hadn't meant to be quite so sharp with her answer and Riker's raised eyebrow indicated that she had better come up with an explanation – fast.
Trying to control her own emotions, she explained what she had felt… something coming through with the last message received from the planet. "It was just a whisper of a thought, I could detect nothing more than a sense of… 'being'. I can't quite explain it."
"Hmmm." The Captain leant back in his chair thinking about his counsellor's words. Ehliena had replaced Deanna while his usual counsellor took her turn giving some guest lectures at Starfleet Academy. Ehliena had only been on the Enterprise for a couple of weeks, but her presence was already being felt. Deanna had admitted privately to him that her younger cousin was considered 'very talented' among her own people, even though Ehliena was not full Betazed – and her empathic ability was far stronger than Deanna's own.
Deanna had gone on to explain that her cousin suffered from a great deal of insecurity in using her talent – feeling it an invasion of another's privacy if she tried to 'read' their mind. Such thinking was unique on Betazed, where most general communication was conducted telepathically. Deanna thought that getting Ehliena away from Betazed would give her cousin the much needed professional confidence boost that she needed.
"Counsellor, could you possibly reach out and try to make contact with this… 'being' you sensed?"
Ehliena considered the Captain's request and gave a short nod, "I can try, it's a little far for me to send, but if I just…" she relaxed back in her chair and closed her eyes. The bridge became quiet as each member watched their new counsellor attempt a long distance reading.
Suddenly Ehliena sat up, her eyes open wide, stunned speechless for a moment. Riker looked at her thoughtfully before speaking quietly, "Ehliena, what happened? Are you ok?"
A shy smile crossed her face at his concern, "I'm fine… It's like nothing I've ever encountered before."
The Captain pressed her gently for more information and Ehliena continued, "I sensed a lot of power, no, not power, energy… Yes, that's it, energy – at first I thought I had directed my thoughts to the wrong place, but then I sensed curiosity – and relief."
She turned quickly towards her superior officer a look of consternation on her face, "I was just withdrawing my thought when…"
Riker interrupted, "When what…? Did you sense something dangerous?"
Ehliena chuckled and shook her head, "No. not at all… I sensed relief more than anything else, then it said… Hello…"
&&
"Hello?" Will Riker stared at Ehliena who simply nodded back with a soft smile on her face. "Just like that? 'Hello'…? Not any other kind of greeting in any other language?"
Ehliena chuckled, "No…just Hello. It's quite possible that it could have picked up our language from my mind."
The Commander and his Captain exchanged glances, not sure if they liked the idea of an entity that could read minds quite so easily. "Counsellor, I'd like you to be a part of the team that greets this… Entity… We don't want to get caught out."
Ehliena nodded her acceptance of the task placed before her. She had not expected to have such an important duty placed upon her at any time, thinking that her role on the Enterprise would be the same as it had been elsewhere in the Federation. Excusing herself from the bridge – she was supposed to be off duty after all – she made her way back to her quarters. Halfway there, she paused, she no longer felt sleepy, the adrenaline moving through her body made sure of that, smiling to herself, she headed for the holodeck.
&&
Relaxing back on the 'beach' Ehliena's mind began to roam trying to sort out what she had felt from the entity that had contacted the ship. That it was distressed she was certain, the relief in its thoughts was not mistaken, the more she thought about it, the more Ehliena realised that that the entity offered no threat to the Enterprise and her crew.
The thought surprised her and she began to analyse her own feelings – why did she think the entity offered no threat? Because it was surprised to receive a message from you… She sat up straight for a moment, in the first seconds of the contact, the entity's 'mind' had been completely open to her thoughts and she had managed to read its… emotions...?
Smiling to herself, she began to look forwards to the contact and relaxed a little further. Glancing around her, she decided to continue running the program that she had paused. Not only did the 21st century South Beach, Miami help her to relax, but her fascination with the TV shows of that era kept her mind alert as she analysed the characters of each show.
The crime shows were her favourites, maybe because they appealed to her Betazed background – though she knew if any of her people had been on old Earth at the time, crime would have been so much easier to solve. Though she knew that the characters were just played by actors, some of the scenes – especially where suspects and witnesses were being interviewed – intrigued her and she had found herself using the same techniques herself, fascinated by the results she achieved.
Will Riker teased her incessantly about her 'addiction' to the genre and the music of the time, especially to one particular show based in Miami itself. Ehliena sighed, Will was a competitive, physical person who did not really understand the emotional and psychological aspects of the old TV show.
Pushing the lounger to the side of the holodeck, she decided to watch the program purely for relaxation. Occasionally she took the part of one of the characters for fun – although the psyche involved in 'becoming' another person helped her understand how someone else was feeling as part of her work.
She smiled as the episode she had selected flowed around her, the petite but feisty, blonde Calleigh was one of her favourite characters from the show, as was Alexx – the ME from the first six seasons. As the 'crime' was unravelled, she once again felt drawn to the red-headed character, Lieutenant Horatio Caine. Ehliena could never quite work out what attracted her to this 'person' – his sense of justice, or personal right and wrong? Certainly he had a charisma that appealed to her, along with a sensitivity that she felt was sadly lacking in many modern men.
Out of curiosity she had researched the actors that had played the characters and chuckled to herself wondering how they would have felt if they had known that sometime in the future long after they had passed away, they would have a fan in a person from another planet…
As the episode finished she checked the time – she had half an hour before her working day began – and returned to her quarters for a quick shower, pushing thoughts of a mysterious entity and charismatic red-head to the back of her mind – for the time being at least.
During her lunch break at 10 forward, Ehliena felt that she was being watched, turning slightly she saw Guinan making her way through the bar to her table. Suppressing a smile, she reached to one side and pulled out a chair for Guinan to sit down.
"I can never sneak up on you can I?" Guinan's comment did make Ehliena smile; it was a game she had played with her family on Betazed – at the insistence of her father.
"Dad always said that I should be aware of my surroundings – so I would never get caught out. He warned me that many places were not as safe as Betazed or Earth and that my empathic ability would help me to protect myself."
Guinan nodded her head; she knew exactly what Ehliena was talking about though she hoped that the young empath would not experience the same situations in her life that she had. "He's right – but the galaxy is a lot safer nowadays than it was many years ago." She paused for a moment recalling old memories, but, giving a little shake of her head, continued the original topic of conversation.
"How do you know who is coming?"
Ehliena smiled, "Everyone I know has a different character and it is their character I sense tied in with their emotions – almost like shades of different colour."
Guinan smiled, "So what colour am I?"
Ehliena chuckled, "Blue-green – with a hint of mint… Calming, soothing, but also with an air of authority…"
Guinan chuckled a response, "Hmmm… Sounds about right… and what about our entity?"
The empath gave a startled gasp, "How do you know…?" She recovered a little, remembering that Deanna had informed her that Guinan and the Captain had a close relationship and respected each other a great deal. She sighed a little testily, "Is the Captain asking you to baby-sit me again?"
Guinan shook her head, "No… But quite a few people know about the contact – and I sense nothing at all of the people…" She placed a hand on Ehliena's, "One thing I do sense is anticipation – and it is getting stronger, the closer we get to that planet."
"The other thing I sense is that you are going to be more deeply involved than possibly anyone else on this ship and that this event could quite possibly change your life forever."
Ehliena gave Guinan a concerned look, "Having premonitions now Guinan? I always knew you had some unique gifts."
Guinan chuckled quietly, "Any gifts I have are nebulous, coming and going as they please, I have no control over them, all I know is – I need to say just one thing – Patience will see you through…" She stood slowly and giving Ehliena a broad encouraging smile returned to her place behind the bar.
&&
The Sentinel paused in its work, tracking the star ship was beginning to deplete its energy, but now that the Enterprise was within reach of the mid-range sensors, it could relax and rest a little. The next couple of days would tax its energy to the limit.
Those of its race that remained on the home planet were already preparing to leave, The Historian and Librarian working together to collect all its 'people's' archives to give to the others for information. The Manager striving to arrange a suitable evacuation protocol…
The Sentinel paused in its thoughts. There were those that had volunteered to remain behind, using their last energy to hold the planet stable while others escaped. They had been resting for some time, unable to renew themselves, offering to make the final sacrifice, because they would not have enough energy to leave. It resolved there and then never to forget them and hoped that there would be a way in which its 'people' could celebrate the lives of those that would be lost forever.
&&
"Hailing frequencies open Mr Worf"
Captain Jean Luc Picard relaxed back in his chair staring at the view screen in front of him, the planet they were orbiting was a mass of blue and white clouds, completely obstructing any kind of view – and sensors. The clouds made the planet look incredibly beautiful, yet he knew how deceptive things could be.
"Hailing frequencies open Captain."
Ehliena entered the bridge as the Captain made initial contact with the Entity on the planet, smiling at the emotions she could feel around her. Most of the crew were intrigued by encountering a completely new race – but some of the more experienced officers showed a little concern. The mechanical response from the planet below did much to calm the situation.
"Enterprise, welcome to the Psi system – as I understand you call it through your transmissions – I am known as The Sentinel. My race resides on the planet at the far side of the galaxy and is running out of time. I was asked to live here to try and contact anyone who could give us assistance and to place myself at your disposal."
Will Riker became thoughtful, "And to be a hostage in case something goes wrong?"
A sound similar to that of a chuckle emanated through the speakers, "If necessary Commander, though I assure you, we are a peaceful race, we have seen what can happen through war and strife – it is why we left our home planet many millennia ago."
"May we send a team to your planet to help you join us?"
An alarmed negative issued from the speakers, "Please Captain do not, this planet's air would be highly toxic to your people, I am capable of joining you under my own energy, I merely await your permission to come aboard."
Jean Luc glanced around at his bridge crew receiving a slight nod from Lieutenant Worf, indicating that his security team were ready. His eyes settled on Ehliena who was sitting in her chair, a soft smile on her face.
"Counsellor?"
"I can sense no threat Captain, in fact, quite the opposite – the Sentinel is completely open to me – I can read its thoughts and feelings more easily than I can read your own."
The Captain gave a slight smile, "Permission granted Sentinel, please transport yourself directly to the bridge."
"Thank you captain, I'll be with you shortly."
Will Riker raised his eyebrow slightly, "Well if nothing else, this race is extremely polite." As he spoke, a small point of light appeared in front of the forward view screen, prism like, the rainbow colours growing more intense until the crew members had to turn away slightly.
Slowly and steadily the size of the light source grew larger, to an approximate size of a human being, though the form changed as the colours shifted position constantly. Ehliena likened the texture initially as that of candy floss, but soon it solidified and the colours dimmed slightly.
The form glided toward the captain who stood up slowly, a slight smile on his face, "Welcome aboard the Enterprise Sentinel, I now understand why you said you would be able to join us under your own energy. May I introduce you to my bridge crew."
Ehliena stood as she was introduced last, almost in awe of what stood in front of her and felt the delicate whisper of a touch that she had sensed a few days before.
"The Counsellor has been tasked along with Lieutenant Commander Data to see that you and your people are cared for to the best of our abilities."
"Thank you Captain, you are most gracious and now I also understand why I was confused by your original messages – your own race is not telepathic, yet I sense that Counsellor Troi is…"
Ehliena chuckled, "You would be correct in your assumption, I am in fact part human, but from the planet of Betazed where all citizens have various degrees of telepathic abilities. I am still a little confused as to how you are communicating with us though."
The Sentinel replied, giving Ehliena an image in her mind of dark forest green, solid and earthy. "To my people, thought waves are just another form of energy for us to manipulate – so technically we are telepathic I suppose. I am able to put ideas into your minds which your own thought processes are able to translate into language."
The Captain was stunned, "So the same idea could be given to several different races all of whom speak a different language – and they would understand what is being said?"
"Correct Captain, from our records, we believe our ancestors were able to translate language and syntax into basic ideas which could be understood telepathically by all."
Will Riker chuckled, "Well then Sentinel – we may have a job for your people – there are many races who find it difficult to communicate with each other, with your assistance, that may now be a problem of the past."
&&
Ehliena escorted the Sentinel to guest quarters on the Enterprise, finding it difficult to hide her amusement at this race of energy beings needing any type of home comforts. The ship was speeding to its destination at Warp 7 in order to effect the evacuation as soon as possible.
For a moment, the Sentinel paused, hovering slightly above the ground. "Will your people help us Ehliena?"
She was surprised by its use of her first name in such a friendly manner, "Of course – as much as we are able – we will find you a suitable planet on which to live, help you to set up an infrastructure as much as we can…"
"That is not what we require… Not our primary wish anyway." The tone of its voice in her mind made Ehliena feel suddenly helpless it was so sad.
Indicating that they should continue, her curiosity got the better of her, "What is it you need? I am sure we will try to help."
She felt the sigh in her mind, "There are less than 500 of us left, many of whom can no longer renew themselves, the only hope for our race is to combine with another species. There are those that abhor the thought of losing the purity of our race – but it is either that, or lose the possibility to survive."
Ehliena was stunned by the Sentinel's frankness, "Your people are dying?"
"Yes. We estimate that we have maybe 150 of your years left to us, unless we can join with another life force to preserve our heritage."
Ehliena was in a quandary – there were several life forms that existed as energy of some kind, "I will talk to Lt Cdr Data – he can research the energy life forms that we know of – maybe one of them would be suitable…."
"No."
The abrupt tone made Ehliena falter in her step, though the entity kept moving. "At least let us try."
The rainbow colours pulsed slightly, "It is too dangerous, when my people evolved into what you see now, a great deal of energy was released – it is ultimately what caused our planet to deviate from its orbit. We are afraid that it will happen again. In the last meeting held on my planet, it was decided that our race should return to a physical form."
"By doing that, even those with only small amounts of energy will be able to survive and have a chance of reproducing themselves. We have a great deal to offer the races of the Federation, but many are afraid. We have been apart from others for so long we do not know if our return will be welcomed."
Ehliena gave a soft smile, "How long have your race been apart from others?"
"We are not sure, we think maybe between 5 or 10 Millenia, it is difficult to say. The Historian and Librarian are bringing our archives. Maybe Lt Cdr Data can help us find out where we came from."
The Counsellor looked at the Entity, "I'm sure he can, who knows, maybe we can find out if your people still exist in their physical forms and then you can rejoin them." She felt a tinge of hesitation and the colours stopped pulsing, instead moving in soft whirls.
"Maybe, but many of us feel no connection to our ancestors, myself included. We don't know if we would be able to return to the old ways, having left them behind on purpose. We would prefer to have a separate identity – accepting a 'familial' link of course, but remaining independent; similar to those of your people on Betazed and Earth."
Ehliena nodded, understanding what the Sentinel was trying to express, walking into the first of many guest quarters that had been set aside for the Entity and its race. "Well whatever path awaits you, please be assured that we will do all we can to help."
"Thank you."
The words whispered quietly in her mind made tears come to her eyes as she sensed the hope and relief that travelled with them. Understanding that this was also a request to be left alone, Ehliena left the room, informing the Sentinel that she was at its disposal. Stepping into the turbo lift she returned to the bridge.
&&
Guinan sat at the end of the bar, her thoughts wandering, her people were known to themselves as 'The Listeners' but at the moment, she felt the need to be listened to. However, until she could concentrate her thoughts on what was bugging her she would not move to speak to anyone.
The sense of anticipation and relief that she could feel inside confused her – she was not an empath like Ehliena, but the feelings were certainly not hers. She knew they had started at the same time the first call was received from the Sentinel, but could not understand why the feelings were getting stronger or growing inside of her.
Now that they were orbiting the planet Symehk, the feelings were even stronger than before and they un-nerved her slightly. Guinan was good at understanding feelings and knew that hers were not screaming a warning – in fact they were more welcoming than that. More like the anticipation of a meeting with an old friend, but she could not work out why it would be so.
&&
Ehliena was busy, the final preparations had been made for the evacuation of the Sentinel's people and they were beginning to use the transporter rooms to beam aboard. The Captain had refused to leave anyone behind on the planet – even those that had volunteered when Data had discovered that the transporter frequencies could be matched to the Entity's people – even giving them a 'power boost'.
Ehliena noticed that the stronger the Entity, the more fluid and brighter the colours of its persona. The Sentinel was one of the strongest – but also had the greatest variety of colour. Others were more blue, red or green, some were purple. Smiling to herself, she wondered if people would be amused to see her walking around the decks of the Enterprise accompanied by an ever changing group of rainbows. It certainly made her feel happy.
The Historian had been one of the first to transport aboard, using its own energy and the transporter room for maximum efficiency bringing with it the oldest of the records its race had. It had instantly joined Data in the search for details of the Ancestors.
A few days later, as the last of Symehk race arrived on board, Ehliena heard an announcement on the ship wide transmitter, welcoming the newcomers on board, and a request for her to join the Captain and others in the observation lounge.
&&
Walking in, she expected to find Will Riker, Data, Geordi and Worf present, and The Sentinel and another Symehk in attendance, who was introduced as 'The Manager'. She was not quite prepared however to see Guinan. Her friend had a look of trepidation on her face, emotions in turmoil. Ehliena walked over and sat next to her curious as to what could cause the usually unflappable Guinan to be so perturbed.
"It seems that Mr Data has found out something rather interesting from the archives that the Symehk have brought with them. I have asked Guinan to join us as the matter may also affect her and her people."
Turning to the android, the Captain indicated that Data should begin his presentation. Data took up his usual stance and began, his initial words causing consternation around the room. "From what I have been able to ascertain, the ancestors of the Symehk are related to the El-Aurian race."
Guinan gave a startled gasp. "How? I don't understand…"
Data lifted his hand slightly, causing Guinan to pause in her words, "If you would let me continue my friend, I will tell you how I have come to this hypothesis."
Guinan settled in her seat, calmer now than earlier – her mind turning over, trying to recall any old stories from the history of her people.
"The oldest of the archives is written in a language that I was at first unable to translate, so to decode it I set the computer a task to match the characters to those of any race that could provide a logical translation. The closest first language was modern El-Aurian, yet there were still some problems, so I went for older more obscure forms – dialects. Finally I found a copy of a language I could use, an obscure script used by only one of the El-Aurian colonies, which has – unfortunately – been completely destroyed."
"The language itself is very formal, as would seemingly be used in a clerical society…"
Guinan gasped, "Are you talking about the 'Scholars'? I remember stories my Grandmother used to tell me, of a highly educated, advanced group of our people. A 'gifted' child could receive a scholarship and be sent to their planet for extra study. They were said to be the most gracious of our people – yet, they too at some point succumbed to the problems many races encounter – how to best use their gifts."
Data nodded, "I think we are Guinan, from the records I have been able to establish that many of the Scholars, as you call them, wished to share their gifts with the rest of their people – but a small group were afraid - afraid that their gifts would not be used for good endeavours. Their fears were realized when a civil war began on one of the nearby colonies."
"At that point the group left the colony, not wishing to be forced to take sides – they travelled for a long time, honing their skills – and became the Symehk when they found the planet which we are now leaving behind us. That was nearly 8 millennia ago."
Guinan stared at the table, "The Civil War spread to all the colonies, when it was finally resolved, many Scholars had given their lives in the search for peace and withdrew from society, horrified at what they had done, blaming themselves for starting the war, becoming almost reclusive."
"When my grandmother was born, she had some unique gifts – along with being slightly telepathic, but the Scholars had all but died out and many were not as strong as their ancestors had been, there was nowhere for her to train so she grew up to a normal existence."
The Captain quietly interrupted, "Guinan, these… Scholars… Are there any left?"
Dropping her head, Guinan replied in the negative, "No… I only knew of two – both were into their 9th century when I was a child. The planet where they lived was completely destroyed by the Borg. A couple may have moved into the Nexus – but they will never return."
The room became quiet as the people gathered there felt Guinan's quiet grief for the loss of the most talented of her people.
&&
"Guinan?"
The El-Aurian woman was pulled out of her quiet contemplation by a soft thought inside her mind and sighed, not surprised to see the Sentinel before her. "Hello Sentinel, I thought one of your people would come looking for me after what happened this morning, though I am surprised that it is you."
The Sentinel's colours whirled slightly, "My people feel a little uncomfortable around the ship – we are after all, a little… distinctive." Guinan gave a wry smile; the energy form was beginning to develop a dry sense of humour, probably a product of its meetings with the ship's first officer. "I and the Manager will be representing their interests, until we find a more… suitable form."
Guinan nodded, "And it is your character, the Scholars were always regarded as being as the most reclusive of our people, though sociable amongst themselves."
A sigh echoed in her mind, "Yes, but it is something that we will have to redress if we are to be welcomed back into society. Mr Data tells me that the El-Aurian's have scattered throughout the galaxy – is that true?"
Guinan nodded, "When the Borg destroyed our planets, we ran in all directions, trying to find those that could help us. Many have never been heard of again, but a few of us found the Federation who have been most resourceful in the fight against that race of…" She paused, "Why do you ask?"
The Sentinel paused, "It had been the hope of the Symehk people that we could find a home together – on a planet where we could work closely with others. Obviously, now we know our ancestry, El-Auria would have been the perfect place, but from what you have told me, that will not be possible."
Guinan sighed, "The El-Aurian's have always been fond of travel, but due to the Borg we have become nomads, moving from place to place. I am lucky to have found a home here on the Enterprise which moves around, satisfying my wanderlust, whilst giving me a firm base."
The Sentinel said nothing for a moment, absorbing and interpreting the information it had received. "That is not the wish of the Symehk. For us to share ourselves, become one with another race, we must remain in one place – yes, possibly travelling around as needs require, but having somewhere we can call home."
"Does that pose a problem?"
"I am not sure; I think it will mean that we would not adopt El-Aurian form and traditions – would that pose a problem for you and others like you?"
Guinan was puzzled for a moment then realized what the Sentinel meant. "You mean would modern El-Aurians be upset if you did not become the Scholars of old? People whom many think are legend – and are secretly afraid of?"
The Sentinel's silence made her smile softly, "I think you are finding the right way – you cannot become your ancestors – you have evolved beyond that. The El-Aurian's that still live will accept you as part of us – like cousins – but we have evolved in different ways. Going back to the past could stir up old troubles, old stories that may not help you to re-integrate in modern society."
"So you feel we should find a new identity?"
Guinan nodded, "There are many humanoid forms, which speak many different languages and have many traditions – you have plenty of choice from which to choose a new identity."
A soft chuckle came to her mind, "So – you have already felt our decision to become humanoid…"
Guinan laughed, "Of course – what else could you be, the greatest chance of survival for your race is with the humans, you just need to find an identity that works for you – much as the officers of Starfleet wear a uniform, you need to find a shape and form that identifies you as descendents of an ancient race, without making you too different."
The Sentinel gave a startled exclamation, "Guinan, I knew coming to you would help – you have just given me an idea… I must discuss this with my people immediately."
Watching the energy form leave 10 Forward, Guinan smiled, her race would have been afraid of the re-emergence of the scholars, she herself knew there was nothing to be concerned about, but she was one of the most open minded of her people.
If the Symehk regained Human form, they could work closely with the Federation and Starfleet especially – a place where their gifts would be most respected and needed. She wondered what humanoid form the Sentinel would recommend to its people.
&&
Ehliena had been engaged in a discussion with the Manager for several hours, learning more about the customs that the Symehk had built up over many years. "So none of you have names? You just adopt that of your position?"
The Manager chuckled, "It is far simpler is it not? You have your position – Counsellor and rank – Lieutenant, and then your birthname - Ehliena and your family name – Troi. Don't you find that confusing?"
Ehliena laughed, "When you put everything together, then yes I guess it does sound confusing to an outsider, but each 'name' means something. For example, your people are great linguists and translators – that would be your position – some of them may become Counsellors, like myself. It is a name associated with the work that we perform for our society."
"For example – you are known as the Manager – to me that says that you co-ordinate the work of the people around you. It is however a name associated with work – and is very formal."
The Manager considered the information Ehliena had given him, "and what about your rank? Lieutenant? That confuses me greatly."
Ehliena smiled, "My rank shows how much experience I have in my job and as a result how much responsibility I can be expected to hold. My cousin Deanna is also a Counsellor, but holds the rank of Lieutenant Commander."
"So she is higher in rank than you – and therefore expected to make less mistakes?"
The empath chuckled, "Well… yes, but she has greater experience than I do and would make less mistakes anyway. Are you the only Manager within your society?"
"Yes – but it was not always so – different districts would have managers – reporting to the Planetary Manager."
"Ehliena grinned, "So there you have your rank structure – all be it in a simpler format. Again, these are associated with work. My birth and family name are associated with me as an individual, by family and friends."
"I see – so Troi, your family name is passed down through the generations to show the line you are descended from and Ehliena is…"
"The name my parents chose for me."
The Manager pulsed slightly, "Your people choose their own names? How unusual."
Ehliena laughed, "Well – our parents choose our names, sometimes we are named after an important or influential person – or a beloved family member who may have passed on. Other parents choose names simply because they like the sound – as in the case of my own parents."
"So – we could choose our own names?"
"Of course. There are many to choose from – the computer will be able to help you there. You could even choose names with similar meanings – or from the same ancestral background – it will help to distinguish your people."
The Manager chuckled in Ehliena's mind, "My people will have fun choosing names I think – and we have to remember the gender division of course."
Ehliena smiled, "Do they understand why?"
"Yes, though many are intrigued by how the process actually works; though that will have to be a discussion for another day. I need to get back for our daily meeting."
The Manager left the room slowly, leaving Ehliena sighing with relief – she wasn't sure if she was ready for that conversation just yet.
****
Will Riker smiled, the Symehk had been on board the Enterprise for several weeks while the ship was making its way back to Earth for the race to be formally accepted by the Federation. Many had still not found their way around, choosing to remain in their quarters until full 'transformation' was achieved.
Some of the 'younger' Symehk, whose energy was strong had chosen to try out various humanoid forms to the amusement of the crew on the Enterprise. They did not know what to expect next, the Vulcans had come and gone, as had a small group of mischievous Ferengi children who had caused havoc on one of the holodecks.
Lieutenant Worf had not been impressed and insisted that the group of culprits clean up before returning to their quarters. The following morning, he had been escorted to the bridge by a troop of Klingon teenagers, who had also requested training.
Within moments of accessing an introductory program on the holodeck, they had all left; Worf with a slight glint in his eye had spoken seriously to his friends. "I think they realized that being Klingon is not something that their race is prepared for."
Will had chuckled at the Lieutenant's statement and was currently relaxing in 10 Forward watching a few Symehk youngsters learning how to play chess. Each was a carbon copy of their teacher – Lt Cdr Data.
"Well they certainly have gained a sense of humour while they've been on board." Geordi LeForge sat down next to his commander, "They'll fit in just fine with teenagers back home, what I don't understand is why they're trying out all these different forms when the Symehk have chosen to become human."
Will chuckled, "Ehliena told me that the Symehk have equated age with experience when it comes to their race, so there will be a variety of ages when they make the final change. It will help them to become assimilated when we get to Earth."
"The 'oldest' Symehk only have enough energy to change once, so they are currently relaxing in their quarters – using our systems to re-energise themselves. The youngsters are just having fun I guess."
Geordi nodded, "A couple of the older Symehk have been helping me in engineering – their ability to manipulate energy is amazing, some maintenance work that would normally be done only at a star base due to safety controls, can now be done on board ship. The engines are running more efficiently than ever. If any of the Symehk decide to join the academy – we have to try and get one posted to the Enterprise."
The commander laughed, "You too? Beverley says that they have helped her in medical – and their diplomatic skills will be second to none…"
Geordi became quiet for a moment, "are they too good to be true? Is this just a front that they are hiding behind to find a weakness in us?"
Will placed a hand on his friends shoulder. "We had considered that, but Ehliena confirms that it would be impossible. They have been isolated for so long that they would not know how to deceive us; even the weakest empath would be able to sense it."
"As she has worked with them, she has found out that the concepts of jealousy and hatred, envy and love are alien to them. They are like a group of young children, learning as they grow older."
Geordi frowned, "That will cause problems for them until they learn to become 'streetwise' as it were. There are some very manipulative people around."
Riker chuckled, "Oh don't worry, Ehliena's made sure that will be very unlikely – anyone who offers to assist with the assimilation of the Symehk will have to undergo a rigorous testing program and be interviewed several times by a very select group of people. One of whom can sense anyone with an agenda a mile away."
Geordi gave Riker a curious look and then began to chuckle, "Oh my… Does that mean the Betazed Ambassador will be joining us for a short time?" Seeing the glint in the commander's eye and the amusement on his face Geordi gave a wry smile, "Well then, we'd better warn the Captain… She might start pursuing him again…"
&&
Ehliena relaxed back on her lounger, enjoying the Miami sun, she hadn't had the chance to escape to her little paradise for quite a while, but now she had a couple of hours of free time, she was going to make the most of it, especially as her Aunt was due later that day.
Lwaxana Troi was a formidable woman, but at least Ehliena did not dread her visits as her cousin Deanna had. Admittedly, being in her Aunt's presence was a test in its own right and she had heard several stories with regards to her Aunt's fixation on Captain Picard, but an encounter with Dr Timicin of Kaelon II had slightly mellowed the exuberant Ambassador for a short time.
She was debating whether to run a program or just to stay with the 20th century music she had been listening to when a polite query impinged on her conscious. "Ehliena, may I join you for a moment?"
She sighed and welcomed the Sentinel onto the holodeck, smiling at the latest change to the entity's shape. All of the Symehk had now adopted a human 'form' – that is, their outline was that of a human, and they now walked – or in the case of the juniors, ran – everywhere. Their colourful energy still pulsed within the confines of the outline. "The Commander said I would probably find you here – and the computer confirmed it."
Ehliena sat up from her reclining position a little startled by the Sentinel's tone which seemed a little sad. "Is there something wrong?"
A sigh echoed in her mind, "No… not really. I have been asked to tell you that my people will begin the final transformation tomorrow and to invite you to the ceremony."
"Ceremony?"
"Mr Data suggested that we mark this day with a ceremony so that it can be remembered by our descendents; a day where we found new purpose and new form in our life, but also to remember those that could not be with us."
"Is that what makes you sad?"
"A little. I do wish that more of us had been able to make it. We have discovered that we have so much to offer – and a great deal to receive in return."
Ehliena gave a soft smile, "You will be welcomed into the Federation Sentinel – as you say you have a great deal to offer – not only your skills, but as a people. I am sure you will be happy on Earth."
"No… I am not going to join my people."
The empath was almost at a loss for words, "Why?"
The soft tone came back to her, "I have been alone for such a long time in my duty as Sentinel that I have always felt separated from them, I would find it difficult to live among a large population. My skills are varied – I never specialized – unlike the Historian and Librarian who are both linguists of a high degree."
"What will you do? Where will you go?"
Ehliena could almost feel the smile in the Sentinel's voice, "I have asked if I may remain on the Enterprise, as a liaison officer for my people with others. The Captain is considering my request." The Sentinel paused for a moment. "Ehliena, if I am permitted to join the Enterprise, do you think I will have friends here?"
Ehliena returned the smile, "Of course you will… Data certainly will be a friend and Geordi after the help you have given them in engineering, and most likely Commander Riker. The Captain will also value your assistance if he has a mission of a diplomatic nature, and as time passes, you will make more friends as you get to know more people."
"Will you be my friend too Ehliena?"
For a moment Ehliena was puzzled by the request – the tone soft but seeming a little hesitant. Putting her thoughts to one side, she nodded her head, "Of course, I will always be your friend."
"Thank you and you will join us tomorrow won't you?"
Ehliena grinned, "I wouldn't miss it for the world…" The Sentinel turned slowly and excused itself, leaving her to relax, although she pondered for a short time on the strange nature of the Sentinel's conversation.
&&
Ehliena walked onto holodeck two, stunned to see the number of people gathered in such a space, though she had to admit that the greatest percentage were of the Symehk. Quickly she joined Beverly and Geordi, who were talking quietly to The Manager and The Librarian.
Captain Picard was joined by Cdr Riker, who were discussing something quietly with The Sentinel, the looks on their faces encouraging.
"Ladies and gentlemen, your attention please." Lwaxana Troi was in her element, The Manager had inadvertently asked her to host proceedings, which meant a simple affair had become something much larger.
Aunt, please… These people are not like you – they do not need to be the centre of attention…Ehliena heard a slight chuckle in her mind in response to her comment.
"As Ambassador of Betazed, with all titles associated therewith…" Ehliena raised an eyebrow slightly, knowing how long that list could be… "I would like to formally welcome you all to today's ceremony."
"Today, our guests from the planet of Symehk will assume human form, to enable their race to join with those of us of the Federation. They bring with them gifts and knowledge that we are only now beginning to understand, in return, we offer friendship and hope for the future."
"Today will be known as 'Transition Day' and be remembered for two reasons, one a celebration of new life and a new beginning and secondly as a Commemoration and Memorial Day for those that were unable to join us. They will not be forgotten."
"The first transition stages have already taken place and each Symehk has the template of human form. They will now complete their journey each adopting a specific persona. Ladies and gentlemen, I give you – The Manager."
Ehliena was stunned by her Aunt's movement to a more supportive position, rather than trying to control the proceedings – moving to one side, catching her eye, she was surprised when her Aunt gave her a wink. There are going to be a few surprises, so be ready...
The Manager's blue aura filled the room, and it began to speak quietly, "It was our decision that our people should become humanoid from the beginning – our ancestors were human and we felt it was that form that we should return to. Hearing that our race has evolved into nomads, while we have – essentially – remained home bound assured us that we would have to search for a slightly different identity."
"Through discussion with various members of the crew, we felt that it would be most appropriate to choose a form and identity that would fit in most easily with our new home – our new friends."
Ehliena felt the room take a deep breath as Guinan stepped closer to her. Although the two of them had worked closely with the Symehk when they first arrived on the Enterprise, the last few weeks had seen their meetings with them diminish, as her Aunt and other liaison officers had taken over. Ehliena had been quite relieved to get back to her normal duties.
The Manager continued, "We have therefore chosen the style and identities of the people of Earth from the late 20th and early 21st centuries."
Stepping to one side, the Manager, and those of his council made space for their people. Slowly, the colours began to fade and the Symehk began to assemble themselves into two groups. One group slowly began to assume female features, the other male. Just as the situation could be deemed possibly embarrassing, the Symehk added clothing to their forms. The 'older' members being slightly more formal in their dress than younger members, teenagers adopting the 'denim' look of various generations. When all were complete, Ehliena could see smiles in all directions.
Captain Picard stepped forwards for a moment, "Welcome to all of the Symehk people, I just hope I will be able to learn your chosen names before you leave us." He turned to the Symehk council. "and what of you my friends? We have not seen you change."
The Manager chuckled, "We have chosen to be a little more… Identifiable… We hope that by adopting the persona and identity of more well known people from your past, it will help us become more quickly integrated on your world."
"Each of us have noted people of great respect by individuals from your crew and have selected personas based on that respect. Ambassador Troi, you have shown great respect and admiration for an Earth leader and as you and I will be working together closely, I have chosen to adopt that identity, though we will keep our positions to hopefully avoid confusion"
Slowly the Manager changed form, several crew members gasping at the final result. Ehliena smiled, her Aunt would certainly have a challenge matching wits with the legendary Nelson Mandela… She chuckled as the Librarian became writer JRR Tolkien and openly roared with laughter at Geordi's consternation as a council member known as the Teacher became Einstein.
All the changes were slow but smooth, until only the Sentinel was left. Manager Mandela stepped forwards once more.
"For a long time, the Sentinel has scanned the galaxy looking for help for our people; it was the first to receive contact from the Enterprise and has done much to help our people settle in to our new life. Recently it came to us with a request – that it would be allowed to travel with the Enterprise, using its skill and knowledge to say thank you for all that this ship and her crew have done for us. We, the Symehk Council, have agreed to this request. Captain Picard, the request was also made to you, we await your decision."
Jean-Luc Picard stepped forward, "Manager Mandela, we have considered your request and would be delighted to have the Sentinel join us on board."
At his words, the Sentinel began to change as smoothly as its people, but much more quickly, Ehliena watched, intrigued by what she saw. The Sentinel spoke softly, "I too have chosen a person who seems to generate great respect in a member of this crew. Did I get it right Ehliena?"
An amused chuckle from the direction of Will Riker was quickly muffled and cut short as Ehliena froze in her place, unable to say anything to the figure standing in front of her. There was no mistaking the stance, the blue eyes and red hair; even the voice sounded the same. Ehliena stared at the personification of Lieutenant Horatio Caine…
&&&
Ehliena relaxed in her chair, flexing her neck and back muscles trying to relieve the slight ache and stiffness that usually occurred after a couple of hours of appointments. Feeling her throat a little dry, she stood up and walked to the replicator, initially requesting water, but changing her mind to orange juice, wanting something with a little more flavour.
Sitting back down she sighed, the Enterprise was returning to its standard mission of exploration and had left Earth orbit only three days ago, but it seemed as if years had passed in her mind. Checking the chronometer on the wall, she noticed that she had about 20 minutes before her next appointment and decided to move to the couch and relax her body even more, though her mind was completely the opposite, recalling the events of the last few days.
She had been so stunned at the Sentinel's transformation that she had at first been unable to say anything beyond a welcoming comment. Shortly after, both she had Beverley had been called to a minor incident involving some of the children at the school – to which she had attended with some relief.
A few evenings before, she had been in 10 Forward, talking quietly to Guinan, Geordi and Worf when Will Riker had joined them and begun to tease her about the Sentinel's new persona. "So, it seems that your very own historical mentor has decided to join us Ehliena. Are you looking forward to working with him?"
After a comment that Will had made about whether the Sentinel had also adopted Lieutenant Caine's character as well has his physical attributes, Ehliena had almost exploded and responded with a sharp verbal attack on how the Sentinel should be allowed to build its own character without any influence from others.
She had then stormed out of 10 forward, back to her own quarters, refusing to speak to any of her confused friends about the subject. Since then, she had kept her distance from the Sentinel, being polite when they met, but nothing more.
Hearing the door chimes, she sighed – her next appointment was early. "Enter."
"Ehliena, may I speak with you? I know you have an appointment soon, I won't keep you long."
Guinan walked slowly into the room, carefully observing Ehliena's reaction to her presence as the young empath moved to a sitting position. "Of course Guinan, how can I help?"
"Actually I was wondering how I could help you."
Ehliena was confused, "Help me? Why? I'm fine."
Guinan smiled, "Well you have several of your friends confused, including me, about what happened in 10 forward the other night…"
Ehliena gave an exasperated sigh, "Oh – its nothing, Will just caught me in an off moment – I'm fine, seriously…"
"So why are you avoiding Ambassador Caine?"
"Who? Oh, you mean the Sentinel." Ehliena became a little quiet, recalling the information that had been circulated around the crew, the Sentinel had been granted full Ambassadorial status on board the ship. "I'm not avoiding it – I have my duties and it has a very full schedule, working with Geordi in Engineering and with Data to learn more about us and us to learn about its people."
"Ehliena…" Guinan spoke softly, "No-one refers to… him… by his past role anymore. We have all accepted his new identity – why can't you…?"
Ehliena dropped her head, "I guess it just gave me a bit of a fright Guinan – I wasn't exactly prepared for the change – though it seems that you and Will already knew…" Her voice became a little bitter. "You could have told me."
Guinan shook her head, "He asked us not to, though I see now that maybe that was a mistake. He is a little surprised though, he feels that you are one of his closest friends on the Enterprise and cannot understand why you are pushing him away."
Ehliena sighed, "I don't mean to do it Guinan… It's just…" She paused for a moment, "I just need to get used to the idea of a fictional character running around on board as a real live person. I'll be ok in a day or two."
Hearing the door chimes, Guinan got up to leave, allowing Ehliena to carry on with her work, knowing that the young empath would rectify the situation soon. However, she also sensed that Ehliena was not giving her the complete truth.
&&
"So?"
Guinan looked at the concerned look on Will's face and smiled, "We should have told her as I said – the situation has completely thrown her, but she'll be ok. Now I've confronted her with the circumstances – she'll deal with it. By the way – she never told Horatio about 'Lieutenant Caine'… He pulled it from her mind."
"Oh hell… How does she feel about that? She hates any kind of invasion of privacy – and that would count as one…"
Guinan smiled, "Actually, she's accepted it quite well – probably because Horatio doesn't know what the rules are about telepathic contact. However she seems a little annoyed with you."
The two of them were in the turbo lift, Will had asked for Guinan's help sensing somehow that Ehliena was more than a little angry with him. Being with Deanna had made him realize that it would be best if he did not antagonize her cousin any further. Betazed women controlled their emotions well – but Ehliena was more sensitive than most and could get very defensive and upset.
"That I'm not surprised about, she realised I knew that the Sentinel was going to change into Horatio Caine… But I get the feeling there's something you're not telling me."
"She's hiding something."
Will sighed, realizing that his long running private joke about her attraction to a certain red-headed Lieutenant with Ehliena had backfired, he said nothing to Guinan knowing that he would have some explaining to do. Ehliena's reaction confirmed something he had thought for a while, but now there was a real-life Horatio Caine running around, he was more concerned than amused. As the turbo lift stopped at the bridge, he thanked Guinan for her help and returned to his station.
&&
Ehliena was making her way to the bridge a few days later when a soft voice caught her attention and she sensed the deep green aura that she associated with the Sentinel. She took a deep breath and paused, smiling as she turned to speak to the ambassador.
"Ambassador, good morning, how are you?"
The red-head returned the smile, "A lot better now that I can finally speak to you."
Ehliena began to blush slightly at the compliment, "I'm sorry if it seems I've been avoiding you, it's just…"
"No, I should be the one that is sorry; I had no idea that my choice of identity would upset you so much. If I had realized, I would have chosen something else…"
Ehliena shook her head, "No, its ok, really, it was just a bit of a shock seeing a fictional character from the past come to life before my very eyes. I didn't know quite what to do… Though I will need to adjust my thinking slightly."
The Ambassador chuckled, "Not much call for a side-arm and police badge on the Enterprise – though I daresay I could ask Lt Worf for some training in the security branch."
Ehliena raised her eyebrows a little amused by the comment, noting that he had picked up a little on Will's sense of humour. "I heard you were working with Geordi and Data – now Worf too?"
"I want to work with each of the sections – learning as much as I can about your people Ehliena and those within the Federation, then I can see where my abilities can be best put to use. The Captain feels that I would be a great diplomat – Data a great teacher – Geordi an Engineer…"
Ehliena gave him a sympathetic smile, "and what do you think?"
The Ambassador sighed, "I don't know yet, but I do know that I have a lot of new friends that care for my future… That is taking a little getting used to. I find I need some time to myself."
The empath nodded, "I know what you mean, I need to escape to the tranquillity of the holodeck from time to time too… There is something to be said for spending sometime alone. For someone like you who was alone for such a long time… This must be a little overpowering."
"Occasionally – I certainly don't think I would have been able to cope if I had stayed on Earth with the rest of my people." The Ambassador paused, "Ehliena, you said that you would be my friend – will you help me?"
Ehliena became concerned, "Of course – what's wrong?"
The red-head smiled, "Nothing serious, but I still haven't found a suitable program on the holodeck that will help me to relax and I feel uncomfortable with people calling me Ambassador all the time. I think maybe accepting that role was a slight mistake."
The empath chuckled, "Well it does define who you are, but as for people using it, give them time to get to know you better and then ask them to call you by name as you build up a friendship with them. I think you'll find that the title of Ambassador will soon disappear."
As the turbo lift opened on the Engineering deck the Ambassador paused for a moment, "Then will you use my first name Ehliena? I count you as one of my closest friends…"
Swallowing a little Ehliena nodded, "If it is what you wish, then I will… Horatio."
The returning smile that followed Ehliena's words made her blush slightly once more, as the doors on the lift closed behind him she took a deep breath and leant against the wall, this was not going to be easy, thank goodness her cousin would be back to resume her tour of duty within the next couple of weeks.
&&
"What do you mean, you're not coming back?" Will Riker's voice betrayed his slight annoyance at the news he had just received from Counsellor Deanna Troi as she unpacked the few clothes she had with her.
"Will, I didn't say I wasn't coming back, I said that I wouldn't be back yet… There is a distinction you know."
The commander pulled a face, "Does the Captain know?"
Deanna turned her eyes heavenward and walked over to the man she also knew as imzadi. "Yes, I told him a few minutes ago. Will, it's only for a year and six months, and I'd be a fool to pass up this chance at the academy. You always told me that I should grab whatever opportunities came my way."
"Now, tell me what has been going on – I know about the Symehk, I got the full story from my mother, and was able to meet Historian Martin Luther King… The whole sequence of events is fascinating."
Will chuckled softly, "I think you'd better meet our resident Symehk, Horatio, he's certainly got your cousin in a twist."
Deanna gave him an amused look, "Oh? Has he chosen an attractive look for himself?"
Will roared with laughter, "Come on – everyone will be in 10 Forward, you can see for yourself."
Seeing the glint in his eye, Deanna sighed, "Oh Will, you haven't been teasing her again have you. One day you'll really upset her – she's so sensitive she'll go crying off to her room – and then what will you do?"
"Your cousin has toughened up Deanna – which is what she needed as you well know, but I have to admit – I'll be interested how she deals with this situation now that she's staying with us."
Chuckling at the curious look on Deanna's face he refused to say anymore, but led her out of the room, their destination, 10 Forward.
&&
Ehliena sighed, she had just heard that Deanna would not be returning to the Enterprise and had mixed feelings about the situation. The two of them were catching up – mainly on business, Deanna wanting to know how her cousin was getting on with 'her' clients. From what she had heard, Ehliena's sensitivity had helped a great many people and all on board respected and admired her cousin's work.
"So… Has the Captain been working you hard?"
Ehliena chuckled, "Not too much, though it did get a little hectic with the Symehk on board. That was an interesting couple of weeks."
Deanna smiled, "So I heard from Mother, so, what's the Symehk Ambassador like? I can't wait to meet him." She was surprised to see Ehliena blush and glanced at her curiously before smiling, "Ah… He's made an impression I see."
Ehliena's face dropped, "Deanna please, don't… I get enough hassle from Will."
Deanna was puzzled and was about to push for a little more from her cousin when the look on Ehliena's face changed, becoming wary, almost guarded. The next moment, Geordi, Data and a third man walked into the bar. A man she vaguely recognized.
"Is that the Ambassador?"
Ehliena nodded, afraid to say anything. After joining Will at the bar, who was getting drinks, the men walked across the room to the girls. After exchanging greetings with her old friends, Will introduced Deanna to the Ambassador.
"Pleased to meet you Counsellor, would you mind if I called you Deanna? I don't want to get my Troi's confused, especially now I've met three of you"
Deanna chuckled, "Of course not, we are all friends here, please, take a seat." After a few moments, she realized that Ehliena had become a little quiet, joining in the conversation, but not as much as she expected. Looking closely at the Ambassador's features, she suddenly remembered why he looked so familiar and realized why her cousin was feeling uncomfortable.
Deanna disliked sending telepathic messages when she was part of a group, but this was certainly an exception. Ehliena – is he who I think he is? The look on her cousin's face answered that question and she felt sorry for the younger counsellor. Look, we'll talk later ok? Just try and get a bit more involved in the conversation – the others will notice.
Surprised that her cousin did not answer her apart from the slightest of nods, Deanna returned her attention to the table, for a moment she joined in the conversation before she realized that the Ambassador had a soft smile on his face and was watching her intently. As he caught her attention, Horatio's eyes flicked towards Ehliena and nodded slightly.
For the rest of the evening the group laughed and joked together, Ehliena coming out of her shell a little more. However, Deanna could not get the exchange with Horatio out of her mind and knew that the next day she would need some answers to several very puzzling questions.
&&
Deanna was becoming a little exasperated; she had tried the bridge, office and her cousin's quarters with no luck. Moving to a corridor interface, she asked the ship's computer for Ehliena's location.
'Counsellor Ehliena Troi is on holodeck 3.'
Deanna sighed, she should have known better. Her cousin was one of the few Betazeds that liked her own company. Catching the turbo lift, she sent a polite query to her cousin. May I join you?
A soft chuckle came back to her, Of course – but don't forget your bikini…
Deanna laughed and promptly sent the turbo lift to a different level, collecting her bikini and other suitable items before returning to her original destination.
&&
"Ambassador Caine… What can I get for you?"
Horatio looked up with a smile for his 'cousin'. Guinan had insisted that he think of her that way ever since he had returned to the Enterprise, and certainly his relationship with her was a lot different to any others he had.
"Orange Juice."
Guinan chuckled, "Hmm… Ehliena has influenced more than just your choice of personality I think."
Horatio laughed, but then became quiet. "Did I make a mistake? Should I have chosen something else?"
Guinan sighed, she knew that the former Sentinel was having difficulty adjusting to many aspects of human life, but this particular situation seemed to trouble him more than most. "I don't think so and I am sure that there are several other women on board that agree with me."
"The men don't seem to have any problems accepting my choice of personality and I get the feeling that anything I had chosen would have been suitable."
Guinan poured a small drink for herself and joined him, "You know, there are a couple of personalities that would have caused a similar problem – you saw how Geordi reacted to the Teacher becoming Albert Einstein."
Horatio nodded, "True, but Ehliena's reaction was so much stronger. Have I hurt or upset her in some way?"
Guinan smiled, "No, I don't think so, but I have to ask why you chose this particular identity – those of us who know about Lt Horatio Caine were quite surprised."
"Ehliena's mind was the first I touched from this crew, her initial query at the request of the Captain was cautious. Now I understand why – she was protecting the Enterprise and her crew – that is why I sent her back a 'Hello'. I thought it would help to remove her fears."
"The next contact was so much stronger, a delicate touch still – almost with an apology for the invasion of privacy. Through her I became aware of other members of the crew – the Captain, Will, Geordi, Data and Worf. I also became aware of other important people in her life – family and friends – including yourself."
"She would send me these 'thought pictures' as she called them, so I would recognize people when I came on board. There are several pictures that I now realize she hadn't really meant to send. They were characters from Earth's past, many seemed real to me even those that were also fictional, but they were so alive in her mind. The image of Lieutenant Caine was one of the strongest and I found I liked the appearance and personality, so I chose to adopt the identity."
Guinan nodded, "and brought to life a character that she thought she would never meet. Ehliena is trying to separate the two images she has in her mind – the fictional Horatio Caine – and you, the 'real' Horatio Caine. It is not easy for her."
"But the fictional Lt Caine can never be real, I don't understand, why can she not separate us?"
Guinan sighed, "It's difficult for me to explain, but I know someone who can help you."
"Oh? Who?"
Guinan chuckled, "Ask Commander Riker to introduce you to some friends of his on the holodeck – and ask him about Minuet." With a slight nod, she moved away to serve another customer, leaving behind a very curious Ambassador.
&&
Deanna relaxed back on the sunbed, adjusting her sunglasses slightly, "I have to admit cousin, you do know the best places to unwind."
Ehliena chuckled, "I've found that most people like 21st century South Beach, I do have other places, the Mountains of Gallian IV for example, but nothing quite compares to relaxing in the sun."
"Especially if a handsome red-head happens to be in the vicinity."
Ehliena flushed, "I've stopped those programs for the moment… It's not exactly the time right now…"
Deanna sat up, "Agreed, but there's nothing wrong with a holodeck fantasy Ehliena – you won't be the first or last person to combat loneliness that way. I know of a certain First Officer who met a very charming lady on the holodeck before he realized who he should be with…"
Ehliena was astounded, "Will! Oh now I know you're teasing me…"
Deanna laughed, "No, I'm not – next time he's giving you hell, just mention Minuet… I think you'll find he'll leave you alone."
Ehliena sighed, "I guess, but that's just the problem… Minuet didn't come to life did she…?"
Deanna chuckled, "So… I was right… and so was Will – your interest in Lieutenant Caine of the MDPD was a little more than just… entertainment…" Seeing Ehliena turn a deep red in colour, she was about to tease a little more when she felt her cousin becoming a little upset and drawing back slightly, so she changed her mind.
"Ehliena, I've been there too. I had this wonderful boyfriend while I was studying at the Academy – I only saw him when I wanted to. Any relationships we make in here are fine – as long as they stay here and don't affect us in our real lives."
Ehliena looked at her cousin and spoke bitterly, "Stop counselling me Deanna – don't you think I know that… and for the record – I never built a fantasy relationship with Lt Caine… I'm attracted to the person yes, but nothing more, I'd rather have someone real, someone I can hold on to."
The older woman gave her a soft look, "That's it isn't it… You have kept the line between fiction and reality quite clear – but now that line has blurred and you don't quite know what to do about it."
"Yes I do – I'm doing nothing about it, leaving well alone."
Deanna sighed, "Ehliena, to deny how you feel to yourself is not going to help the situation – in fact it could make it worse… You will push the Ambassador away, dissolve your friendship… Is that what you want?"
At first her cousin did not answer, "No, but I don't want to try and mould his character into the person I see as Horatio Caine either and that scares me – that I might influence who he becomes. He has to find himself… Find his own character …"
Deanna smiled, "We are all influenced by those around us Ehliena – the Ambassador has already developed a dry sense of humour that is almost like Will's – he has taken the personality of Horatio Caine and will main true to that – with some very slight differences. I don't think that your influence will be to the detriment of the character."
She paused for a moment, "You know, in the flesh he is very attractive… If I didn't have Will…"
Ehliena stared at her cousin, "Are you serious! Oh come on Deanna please…"
Deanna chuckled, "So… you are attracted to him…" Seeing her cousin beginning to flush once more she continued, "I think you're right to be careful Ehliena, but don't shut his friendship out of your life. Who knows, six months from now, you'll realize that you have nothing in common and then you'll regret losing a friend."
"And if we do have something in common?"
Deanna winked, "Then you'll have to go out and catch your man… Though it could take a while… Heaven knows how long it took me to get Will…"
Ehliena chuckled softly, the more she thought about her cousin and the Commander, the more she laughed, Deanna was right, she should wait to see what happened – not build obstacles for the sake of it – though she absolutely no intention of forming more than a friendship with Horatio.
&&
Will Riker sighed, the Ambassador's request for a 'friendly' chat had not turned out to be as innocent as it seemed. When they had first walked onto the holodeck, Horatio had asked what the Commander chose when he wanted to relax.
Will had shown him several programs of sports –or landscapes, but Horatio had shaken his head, "It's not quite what I had in mind – I want something more… personal."
Will thought for a moment, "Well in that case, you can build your own program, just tell the computer what you want, and then, when it is to your liking, save it."
Horatio considered for a moment and nodded slightly, "I see, can you show me something? Just to give me an idea."
Inadvertently, Will chose the Jazz club which had become his favourite program over the last few years. He was just about to halt it, when Horatio stopped him. "This is wonderful Will; this is exactly what I was thinking of, though it is a little empty…"
Will had chuckled, "You fancy a little company Horatio?"
The red-head returned the chuckle, "I understand you always came here for… company…"
The Commander closed his eyes and sighed, "Who told you about Minuet?"
"Guinan, though Counsellor Troi confirmed it."
Will was confused, "Ehliena? I had no idea she…"
"No… Deanna, she agreed with Guinan that it would help me to understand why Ehliena is… uncomfortable around me."
Directing the Ambassador to a chair and asking the waiter to get drinks, Will smiled softly. "Minuet was part of a program that was written by the Bynars to get my attention and to help the Captain and I solve a puzzle. She, quite literally, took my breath away."
"She was so… real… I could never quite get her out of my head – for ages afterwards, I would come in here and try to recreate her, but I never managed. It was probably just as well, I could have lost myself in here – instead of making a real relationship outside."
Horatio was surprised, "But no-one in here is real. I don't quite understand."
Will sighed, "That's just it, in reality, no-one here is real apart from us. But to me Minuet was real – very much so…"
The Ambassador smiled his understanding, "Ah… Now I see… In Ehliena's eyes, though she knows Lt Caine is just a character in a 21st century TV show; in here he is as real to her as any crew member." He sighed, "and I came along and made Horatio come to life. It was a mistake."
Will stepped in quickly, "No. You didn't make a mistake – that was my fault. I wanted to see Ehliena's face when you changed; I've been teasing her about her fondness for the 20th and 21st century shows – especially the Miami one - for years."
"Guinan said we should warn her about your choice of personality, but I didn't want to. If we had told her – she would have been prepared, and none of this would have happened."
"Is that why Guinan suggested that I speak with you?"
Will grinned, "Of course – it's her way of saying 'I told you so'…" A thought came to his mind and he chuckled, "Have you met your namesake yet?"
The Ambassador shook his head, "Do you think I should?"
Will nodded, "It's just a thought – then you'll have an idea of what Ehliena sees when you're together."
"Hmm, I see your point, ok, let's give it a try."
Will stopped the program, "Computer, load… 21st century TV program CSI Miami, Season… 3, Episode 7."
Horatio gave him a questioning look, "Why are you being so specific? You could just run them from the beginning couldn't you?"
The Commander laughed and gave him a wink, "because I happen to know that it's one of Ehliena's favourites." Pulling out a couple of recliners, he invited Horatio to sit down. "Computer, Run program."
*&&
Ehliena chuckled softly, a few of them had gathered in the bar for some down-time, and Will had been teaching Horatio how to play chess over the previous couple of weeks. The Ambassador had proven to be a quick learner and was developing into a very good player and was currently giving the Commander a run for his money.
Checking the time, Ehliena stood up and made her excuses, she had an early start the next day, mainly through choice as she wanted to say goodbye to Deanna who was leaving early. As she stood up, she heard Will cursing and began to laugh, noticing that the Ambassador had neatly trapped Will into making a bad move. Horatio was sure to win in the next few moves.
Turning his king on the side, Will surrendered, "For someone who had never seen a chess board until a month ago Ambassador, you are a very quick study."
Horatio nodded, "That's what happens when you have a good teacher." He turned to Ehliena, "Counsellor, would you mind if I walked part of the way with you, I have a question to ask."
Ehliena nodded, "Of course, what do you want to know?"
Horatio indicated that she should leave 10 Forward in front of him, "To be honest, I feel a little… Nervous?"
Ehliena smiled, slowly but surely Horatio was getting used to his human emotions and was now able to express himself a little better, though he was just as quietly spoken as his 21st century namesake. Ehliena realized that as well as the identity, he had also absorbed quite a lot of Lt Caine's character too.
"Nervous about what?"
"The meeting with the Vulcans; I know they are Earth's longest and strongest friends and allies and the treaty I have to sign with them is just a formality, but…"
"You don't want to make any mistakes. Don't worry, this is just a formality as you have said, it just strengthens the ties between your people and the Federation."
The Ambassador sighed, "I just don't want to let anyone down."
Ehliena stopped, "Horatio, when you were the Sentinel, your people's very existence depended on you finding help. You didn't let them down then, and you won't now. It's not in your nature."
"How can you say that? I have a different identity now."
Ehliena sighed, "Not to me you don't, at first I found it difficult to separate you from the fictional Lt Caine, then suddenly I realized that your telepathic aura had not changed – in my mind I see you the same now as I did then. It's just the outside that has changed, inside you are still that same person that safeguarded your people's future."
"Admittedly, there are some aspects to your character that have come to the fore and others that have decreased – but that is only natural, and certainly not to your detriment."
Horatio paused for a moment, "Ehliena, did I make a mistake becoming Horatio? I never meant to upset you."
Ehliena gave a shy smile, "No Horatio, there was no mistake, the persona of Lt Caine was just the last thing I expected. It took a little getting used to, I'm sorry if I made you feel uncomfortable. Just remember if there's anything I can do…"
Horatio chuckled, "Now I know why you are a Counsellor, and I'm glad that I also now understand the situation a little more. I don't wish there to be any misunderstanding between us, nor too high an expectation."
Arriving at her floor, Ehliena bade the Ambassador good night and went into her quarters heaving a sigh of relief. Being in Horatio's presence was getting easier, but she could not let her guard down for a moment, she deliberately blocked his thoughts from her mind – though he was broadcasting telepathically less and less.
One thing was sure, she was not going to try and influence him in any way – Horatio had to find himself – she was not going to make the mistake of pushing him to become her idea of Horatio Caine. It wouldn't be fair on him.
&&
Ehliena gave her cousin a hug and chuckled at her whispered comment, "Yes, thanks to you I feel a lot better and more comfortable when he's around, but I still have to be careful."
Deanna was confused, "Why? Has he done something that still makes you feel uncomfortable?"
Ehliena stared at her cousin, "I have to watch my thoughts and feelings Deanna – he can read me – just as easily as you can. I don't want to influence him in any way – you know that."
The older woman was startled, "Are you sure? I don't read anything from him at all." She paused for a moment a thoughtful look crossing her face. "Maybe it's because yours was the first mind he touched – that happens a lot. You get a very strong connection with the first minds you are exposed to; goodness knows how much I could hear my mother when I was younger."
Ehliena laughed at the look on Deanna's face, "and your mother is louder than most… Maybe that's what it is – but it is why I have to be careful."
Deanna nodded, "I agree, but it will get easier as he gets more accustomed to being human and listens to his mind less – and it's a good exercise for you – trains your telepathic control – I already feel that you are much much stronger than you used to be."
Stepping onto the transporter platform she gave Ehliena a wink, "Make sure you keep me updated… Chief O'Brien…"
As the Chief engaged the transporter, Ehliena gave her cousin a soft smile and shook her head. Her cousin had tried to match her up with dates ever since she had become a teenager and was not above trying to be a matchmaker.
Leaving the transporter room she sighed, she wasn't ready for that close a relationship at the moment; neither was she the type to have a casual affair these days. She had approached the time of her life when she wanted something long-term and fulfilling – and she didn't think it would happen on the Enterprise.
&&
"So when your people decided to give up their physical form, the energy reaction knocked the whole planet out of its orbit?" Geordi couldn't quite grasp how the situation had happened.
Horatio sighed, "Not quite, though that's how most people interpret it. To make the change, my ancestors decided to hold a great celebration – and gathered everyone together on a large plateau in the mountains. They forgot about the tectonic plates that were underneath."
"They had become so used to manipulating everything around them it was second nature, but they forgot one of the principle laws of Physics – that every reaction has an equal and opposing reaction. The energy that was used in the change also affected the tectonic plates, causing several subterranean chain reactions – changing the sub atomic structure of the area."
Data nodded, "It changed the magnetic field of the planet – causing it to move off course. Those magnetic fields are what persuaded the Federation not to investigate the galaxy for colonization purposes. If they had decided to stay – we would have met your people so much sooner."
Horatio dropped his head, "It's probably just as well you didn't. The Federation's initial probing of our system was met with a little annoyance. At that time, the Symehk hadn't quite realized that we were in serious trouble – and any contact with races termed as the 'others' was not wanted. Any request for communication would have been instantly rejected. About five hundred Earth years passed before our people realized what was happening."
"We had rejected space travel – and the initial ships had been cannibalized to create homes for the early settlers, all that was left was a small shuttle – that was what we used to fly between the two planets."
Geordi was puzzled, "Couldn't you use your own energy for that? You managed to transport to the ship pretty well."
Horatio shook his head – "We were afraid – we didn't know if our energy could get us that far, so it was decided that one person would work with the old scanning equipment – and that everyone would take it in turns."
Data gave him a curious look, "How many Sentinels have there been?"
"Altogether? Just over 300 I think, each one serving approximately a generation. I am – and would have been - the last." Horatio fell silent, Geordi and Data exchanged glances, but said nothing further. Neither had known how close the Symehk were to complete destruction.
'Captain Picard to Ambassador Caine'
Horatio moved to a nearby communications link and acknowledged the Captain's call, "Please join me in my ready-room Ambassador. I have some information for you with regards to our visit to the Klingon Empire."
Horatio sighed and replied that he was on his way. His designation as 'Ambassador' had been a double edged sword, out of respect for his position it did keep many away – allowing him some space for himself which he valued intensely – but it also meant that he had to meet several of the Federations many allies over the last few months. The visit to the Klingon Empire thankfully, was the fifth and last 'official' meeting he would make. Other meetings would take place as and when the Enterprise was in the appropriate star system.
As he was heading for the turbo lift, he encountered Lieutenant Worf who was also heading to the bridge. The Klingon officer had been making one of his random security inspections of the Enterprise and was very pleased with the results.
"Your security team are in excellent shape Lieutenant – a credit to you and the Enterprise."
Worf straightened a little more in pride, "Many are new to the crew, but they have coped well with the tasks I have placed before them. They take their jobs very seriously."
Horatio hid a slight smile, "I only wish I was in such good shape – not having had to 'eat' on Symehk, I did not realize that the consumption of food could alter my physical appearance."
Worf nodded, "It is a problem we Klingons suffer from greatly. We are a very passionate people, we love our battles, love our way of life, love our food. As we get older, retired warriors gain weight quickly as they are unable to exercise as fully as they did when they were young."
"Dr Crusher has given me a breakdown of what my body needs, but she suggested that I undertake some form of exercise to remove a little of the excess that I have gained. I have tried some light work outs, but I thought maybe you could help me?"
Worf looked at the Ambassador carefully, "Many Klingon exercise plans are strenuous for humans, but you would be in excellent physical shape if you follow a good plan. I can offer some suggestions if you wish."
Horatio nodded, "I would appreciate it, maybe at a low level at first – I'm sure I would just be able to cope with an exercise plan Klingon children would use?"
If Worf heard the note of amusement in Horatio's voice, he did not react to it, merely nodding his head slightly. "You do yourself a disservice Ambassador, I think you would be able to manage a teenager's program fairly well. I will let you have a copy of my schedule and we can arrange a time to build a program for you on the holodeck."
As the turbo lift doors opened, Horatio thanked Worf for his time and made his way to the Captain's ready room.
