TITLE: Asahi's Dreams
AUTHOR: UsagiRyu
FANDOM: Star Trek: The Next Generation
RATING: T
AUTHOR'S NOTES: I originally wrote this story in Spanish for a class; I lost the original so I recreated it in English.
SUMMARY: The Traveler asks Wesley Chrusher to go back in Time to retrieve a book.
Here is a translation and/or an explanation of some of the
non-Trek terms in this story:
(1.) CIEN ANOS DE SOLIDAD= 100 YEARS OF SOLITUDE. A LATIN AMERICAN NOVEL THAT WAS MADE INTO A MOVIE CALLED ERENDIA ABOUT A GIRL WHO LIVES WITH HER GRANDMOTHER, ACCIDENTLY BURNS THE HOUSE DOWN AND HAS TO BECOME A PROSTITUTE TO PAY BACK THE GRANDMOTHER.
(2.) THE SONG THAT WESLEY SINGS TO TSUKI IS CALLED "VENID PASTORES", A PUERTO RICAN LULLABY ABOUT A MAN CALLING ALL OF THE SHEPHERDS TO BETHLEHEM TO WORSHIP THE BABY JESUS. I MUST APOLOGIZE FOR ANY SPELLING ERRORS I MADE. I COULDN'T FIND MY ONLY WRITTEN COPY OF THE SONG AND HAD TO DO IT FROM MEMORY.
(3.) ASAHI MEANS MORNING SUN IN JAPANESE.
(4.) TSUKI MEANS MOON IN JAPANESE.
(5.) SUZAKI DOESN'T MEAN ANYTHING. I JUST LIKED THE WAY THAT IT SOUNDED TOGETHER;)
Asahi's Dreams" A ST:TNG Story By: UsagiRyu
Wesley Crusher laid on his back, watching the stars from an unknown galaxy. His wide, brown eyes were half closed and his mind wondered far from his body. An unfinished book from a forgotten time was lying across his chest. An observer watched the peaceful boy from a distance.
"Ahem." The observer coughed.
Wesley let out a squawk and jumped. "Oh, Traveler!" He sighed. "How long have you been there?"
"Only for a little bit." The Traveler replied airily. "May I inquire as to what you are reading?"
"Oh, just something I picked up the last time I Traveled. I bought it in an open air market." Wesley handed his book to his friend and mentor.
"*Cien Anos de Solidad*" The Traveler read out loud. "Is it good?"
"Yeah, kinda depressing and really strange though." Wesley paused. "What do you want me to do?"
"Excuse me?"
"C'mon, something's wrong, right? Something you can't correct and you want me to do it." Wesley's words might have been harsh, but his tone wasn't.
The Traveler skimmed the book before answering. "Can you Change into a boy, about sixteen years of age, from the 1980's?"
Wesley closed his eyes. He shuddered as he Changed. When he opened them, he was a skinny boy with long blue hair, ripped blue jeans, a red muscle shirt, and various parts of his body pierced or tattooed. Only his eyes didn't change.
"Very good. Have you ever been to San Francisco in California in the 20th Century?"
"No."
"Excellent. I want you to get a tablet from a girl named Asahi Suzaki. It's red and has the title *A Diary of Dreams* on it."
"What's the importance of this tablet?" Wesley asked.
"I can't tell you that. You'll find out when you get there. Good luck." With that the Traveler vanished.
Wesley closed his eyes again and focused.
When Wesley materialized, he was in a bedroom. An Asian girl of about sixteen years was throwing books at him.
"Help! Get the hell out of here, pervert!" She screamed as a thick volume bounced off of Wes's head.
"Ow! Hey! Stop it!" Wesley yelped. He almost didn't have enough time to duck before *War & Peace* was hurled at him. "I'm not a pervert! Honest! Stop, please!" He tried to look non-threatening. Blood was oozing out of a cut where *Gone with the Wind* had clipped him.
The girl stopped her barrage. She glared at Wesley. "Who are you?"
"Wes,uh, Smith." He paused. He had almost broken the first law of Traveling: Never give away your real name.
"Smith?" The girl echoed. "Is that your first name?"
"Um, yeah, I'm Smith, uh, Jones. Pleased to meet you." He held out his hand.
"Asahi Suzaki." She peered closer. "How did you get here? Were you kidnapped by aliens or somethin'?"
Wesley almost laughed. He had to remember that in the 20th century, the farthest that Humanity had ventured out into space was the moon. They still had the tendency to believe in little green men from Mars and that they were the only intelligent life in the universe. "I, uh, don't remember. Where am I?"
"Shit! You were kidnapped by aliens! You're back on Planet Earth, in San Francisco, California."
"What date it is?" Wesley asked.
"Um, Friday, the 13th of October, 1985." This was the time and place that the Traveler had wanted Wesley to return to. "Are you alright? You look kinda sick."
"Fine, just fine." Wes ran his hand through his blue hair and pulled out a hand full of blood. "And then again, maybe not."
Asahi jumped up. "Hold on, I'll find where my foster father hid the band aids."
Wes looked at himself in the mirror. A deep gash ran across his forehead. In the 24th century, a cut like that would be healed in a few hours with no scar. However, he was not in his time. He was four centuries into Earth's past and dependent on their technology. He could always go to his mother on the U.S.S ENTERPRISE after this was over. She'd have a way to get rid of the scar before anyone else saw it. He'd die if he heard any Frankenstein jokes.
"Here you go, Smith." Asahi poured peroxide onto a towel and pressed it on the cut. Wesley hissed in pain and tried to pull away. "Don't be such a baby, Smith!" Asahi scolded. Then, she placed several band aids over the gash. "There, all better."
"Thanks." At that time, he noticed a red tablet laying on Asahi's night stand. "What's that?"
"Oh, just a story. You can read it if you want." She handed it to him. On the cover, in Asahi's neat handwriting, was *A Diary of Dreams*. Suddenly, the wail of a baby interrupted Wesley's thoughts. "Oh, drat! Excuse me, Smith."
"Sure." Wesley flipped through the tablet. It was mainly the story of a "people from the stars." Interspersed throughout it were excellent black and white ink drawings. As the story progressed, Wesley started noticing familiar people and events. Pictures of the ENTERPRISE crew were common, including ones of Wesley Crusher himself at varying stages of growth. The next to last page was a picture of Wesley Crusher and "Smith Jones" blended together. How could have Asahi known these things? Was this the reason that the Traveler wanted it? What was the problem?
Just then, Asahi walked in the room with a tiny baby suckling at her breast. Wesley could see a silver star necklace around her neck. "Smith, this is Tsuki, my son."
"Son?" Wesley gasped. Tsuki was a pretty, dark-skinned little boy with black fluff for hair. "He's cute. So, um, do you have a boyfriend or husband?"
Asahi sat down with a sigh. "No. Tsuki's father was a youth leader in the orphanage where I lived most of my life. I didn't know that I was pregnant until after Nathan was killed in a motorcycle accident and I had gone to live with my foster father. He was angry to learn that I had dated and slept with a black person and was now carrying his baby. He almost sent me back. I wish that he had."
"I'm sorry." Wesley didn't know what else to say. Tsuki had finished his meal and was now intently listening to his mother's voice. "I think he's finished. Can I hold him?"
"Sure. Here." Asahi handed Wesley her baby. Then, she buttoned up her blouse. Tsuki's bright eyes lit up as Wesley began to rock him. Soon he was singing a lullaby that he had picked up on one of the Klingon Empire's outposts. The baby listened, even though he couldn't possibly know the words or language. Tsuki tugged on Wesley's long hair when he was finished with the song.
"Hey, no no." Wesley gently scolded.
"Oh, Smith, he just wants to hear another one. Do you know anymore lullabies?" Asahi patted her baby's plump cheek.
"Um, I'm not sure." Wesley thought for a moment. In a burst of inspiration, he remembered a song he had heard a mother singing to her baby in Puerto Rico the last time he had Traveled to Earth.
"*Venid pastores,
Venid oh venid a Belen,
Oh, venid al portal.
Yo no me voy de Belen,
Sin al Nino Jesus,
Un momento adorar.
Y, la Estrella de Belen,
Nos guira con su luz.
Hasta un humilde portal
Dedonde nacido, Jesus.*"
Mother and baby were quiet when Wesley was finished. Tsuki yawned and snuggled down into Wesley's arms. He was soon asleep.
"Well, I think that you were a great success, Smith." Asahi smiled and took Tsuki out of Wesley's arms. "Want to come with me and help me put him to bed?"
"Sure."
Together, Wesley and Asahi managed to put Tsuki to bed with little trouble. Then, they returned to her room. Asahi picked up her tablet. "Would you feel more comfortable if you Changed into your normal form?" Asahi asked suddenly.
"What?" Wesley was shocked.
"I know from my dreams. This is not your true shape. Please, Change if you want."
"Would it make you more comfortable if I Changed?" Wesley asked. Asahi shrugged her shoulders. Wesley took a deep breath and relaxed. With a shudder, the disguise of "Smith Jones" vanished. "Happy?"
"Yes. I definitely like this better than "Smith Jones"." Asahi smiled. "What a name!" She chuckled.
"Hey, it was a spur of the moment!" Wes was on the defensive. "Since you seem to know so much, what's my name?"
"Wesley Crusher. My dreams told me that also." She was smug. The smugness faded, replaced by a worried look. "Wesley, please you must help me."
"What?"
"Take Tsuki away from this place. I don't want him raised around my foster father. The man is nuts. Please. Find him a good family in your time. Someone who will love him as much as I do." Asahi pleaded.
"Asahi," Wes kneeled. "I'll try. But, there are certain rules that I have to follow as a Traveler."
"I understand. I know that there's no chance for me, but Tsuki must have a chance!"
Asahi broke down in tears. Wesley sat beside her and hugged her. She laid her head on his shoulder and sobbed. He held her and let her cry. "I'll try, Asahi, I promise." He whispered.
Suddenly, a middle aged Caucasian male burst into the room. He saw Wesley and Asahi on the bed and immediately jumped to conclusions.
"You slut!" The man roared. He grabbed Asahi by her long hair and yanked her off the bed. Before Wesley could Freeze time, the man punched him in the face, knocking him out. The last thing that Wesley heard was Asahi's agonized screams and a small explosion.
"Ohh." Wesley moaned and sat up. How long had he been out? "Asahi?" He called out softly. "Asahi?" He stood up and found Asahi laying on the floor with a gaping hole in her midsection. "NO!" Wesley yelled and Froze time. The blood stopped flowing from Asahi's wound. Wesley gathered his thoughts. He had to get the tablet, Asahi, and her son and then get out of this time and into his time.
The noise had not awakened Tsuki. Wes scooped up the small baby and placed him in a seat with handles. Then, he made his way back into Asahi's room. He found the tablet and placed it under Tsuki's rear. "Hold that for me, Tsuki." Wes muttered. Then, he cradled Asahi in his other arm. He unFroze time and focused his mind on the ENTERPRISE in the 24th century.
"Wesley!" Beverly Crusher gasped as her son materialized out of nowhere.
"Mom, this is Asahi Suzaki. Please help her. I'll be right back." Wesley laid the unconscious girl on a table. Before Beverly could answer her son, Wesley winked out of existence.
Wesley materialized in the home of a Mr. and Mrs. Girii, sixteen years in the past. He Froze time and placed Tsuki beside the young, childless couple. When he winked back out, time unFroze.
"How is she, Mom?" Wesley demanded when he reappeared in the ENTERPRISE's sickbay.
"I'm sorry, Wes." Beverly put away her tricorder. "I think that she was dead before you brought her here."
"No." Wesley shook his head.
"Wesley..."
"NO!" Wesley Froze time and in his grief, Traveled out of the sick bay, not knowing and not caring where he ended up. He landed in the ENTERPRISE's observation lounge. As usual, it was deserted.
Wesley curled up in a ball. In one hand, he still had the tablet. He opened it up to the last drawing. He could faintly see writing on the next page. "*A boy from the future shall come and bury me in the stars.*" Wesley read out loud. "She knew. All that time, she knew."
"Of course she did, Wesley." The Traveler appeared behind Wesley. "You did the right thing, placing Tsuki with that family."
"I have the powers of the universe in my hands and I couldn't even save an innocent girl. A girl who died because she had the tenacity to dream." Wesley's voice was shaky.
Suddenly, he felt the Traveler place something cold and metallic around his neck. It was Asahi's necklace. "For the Dreamer, Wes. For the Dreamer." And then, the Traveler was gone.
THE END