They called their new home 'Gavalros Seven' and some nicknamed it Galileo Seven. Jean-Luc Picard and his ship, the silver lady, known as the Enterprise one day got lost on deep space and were attacked by a ship, then crash landed on a planet far from Federation space. At the beginning life on the planet was rather . . . horrible. They were not used to this. They had to adjust to the new environment. Namely those adjusted first were Worf and Alexander.
Data, on the other hand, had come to a rather sad solution.
The replicators had all but stopped functioning so his internal water cleaner couldn't be made.
He had Geordi deactivate him and put him into a stasis pod, until they were found.
Yet,the last time he spoke to Captain Picard a couple decades ago.
"Captain. . ." Data said.
"'Call me Picard, Mr Data," Jean-Luc said. "We are not in the Enterprise anymore."
"I am. . . Considering putting myself in deactivation mode." Data said.
"Why?" Jean-Luc asked.
"The replicators are not functioning." Data said.
Jean-Luc went silent.
"Data. . ." Jean-Luc said. "I see."
First, he lost Q, then he lost the Enterprise, and now his good friend Data.
"But, I will be activated when we are found," Data said. "I have calculated it will take accordingly one year, four months, and twenty-two days for Star Fleet to find us."
Jean-Luc smiled.
"Hopefully." Jean-Luc said.
"I came to tell you," Data said. "That just because we were displaced does not mean we are stuck here forever."
Jean-Luc nodded.
"Right," Jean-Luc said. "And I will see you in a year."
"Affirmative." Data said, then he started to head toward off beaten path from the garden Jean-Luc had started to grow.
"Mr Data. . ." Jean-Luc said.
"Yes?" Data asked, facing toward Jean-Luc.
"Goodbye." Jean-Luc said.
Data nodded his head then resumed in the direction he went.
That was seventy-three years ago.
Jean-Luc was sixty-four when they crash landed.
Now?
He is one hundred thirty-seven.
Three years aboard the Enterprise they were bothered by the second Q. Three years without the familiar Q. Now seventy-three years without Q and moving on was rather hard but Jean-Luc had a family. He had grandchildren. It was a miracle he lived this long. Beverly died a couple years ago. Most of what remained of the crew had married, had children, had grandchildren, and died. Some of them still lived because their technology had been compatible to make it similar to their home planet technology.
Jean-Luc had two sons; Robert and Jack.
Robert and Alexander had a tight best friend relationship, eventually deciding to make their own child using some science. A Klingon-human hybrid, a miracle that she came out alive from her surrogate mother being a former Ensign. This Klingon Hybrid? She was named Worfian, after Worf. Worf was killed by one of the natives fifty-four years ago. Deanna and Riker had a son named Thomas and a little girl named Ryanna. Geordi had one child by the name of Carlos with one of the crew members who happened to be half Vulcan. Carlos fell for Ryanna and they had little girl named Elizabeth Troi Riker.
Thomas Riker fell for another girl who was a Vulcan.
"You remind me a lot like your grandfather,Worfian." Jean-Luc said, rock climbing with Worfian.
Worfian laughed.
"Best climber in my class!" Worfian said, smugly.
Jean-Luc laughed.
"As you say so." Jean-Luc said.
Suddenly the entire planet trembled. The sky was moving fast like someone was spinning it. Jean-Luc's grip on the rocky surface went slack and he let go. Worfian caught Jean-Luc by the shirt collar with her free left hand keeping her grip into the ground. The planet eventually stopped flying. Eventually Jean-Luc caught his bearings grabbing hold onto the holes in the rocky crevice when Worfian had let go. He was trembling. Very visibly. He saw there wasn't a easily to see sliced in half moon floating in the sky.
There was no moon.
"What happened to the moon?" Jean-Luc asked.
"Usually we would see it in the day time," Worfian said, raising a brow. "That is certainly odd."
Jean-Luc climbed up the top following Worfian.
That took at least a good hour.
"Good job, Worfian," Jean-Luc said. "You finally got to the top."
"Two years, three months, and thirty days," Worfian said. "My boots are well-fit for climbing."
Then they saw a dark figure running to the mountain side holding what seems to be a directors megaphone made out of wood.
"Hey Mr Picard!" Carlos shouted. "We got a transmission coming through the screen on the Enterprise!"
Worfian and Jean-Luc both shared a look.
Hope.
"Carlos, awaken Mr Data please." Jean-Luc requested.
"Mr who?" Carlos shouted.
"Mr Data," Jean-Luc said. "Turn the computer on and ask for instructions for his quarters and how to activate him. He is in a stasis pod. Your grandfather was good friends with him."
"Yes,sir!" Carlos shouted.
. . . One hour and twenty minutes later . . .
. . . Enterprise. . .
Carlos listened to the computers instructions on how to reactivate the man. His little girl Elizabeth would be so excited to see something like this. A star ship! A mother load of history and everything their family had once worked on that shellcased numerous of stories. Carlos remembered the stories his father told him as a child about there being a friend of his who was unusual but the most loyal friend he ever knew. But he never told his name. Geordi promised to tell Carlos his name when the time came but it never did.
He pressed the button on the side of the stasis pod then stepped back.
The pod door opened to show a man.
A man with unusual skin, a strange uniform being black and yellow, and a unusual symbol.
"Come on Carlos," Carlos said. "You have to get the man out of there."
So that's what he did.
Carlos took the heavy android out of the pod and almost was squished by him if he hadn't ducked out of the way.
"Phew!" Carlos said, wiping a brow. "Close call."
He then pressed every lower part of the android's back.
He had to do it.
One more try but a little higher.
He turned the android over then pressed under the back and stepped aside.
". . . I will be fine." Were the first words out of Data.
Data sat up right, blinking.
"Hello," Data said. "I am Data. Who are you?"
"Uh. . . Carlos. . . Carlos La Forge." Carlos said.
"Where is Geordi?" Data asked.
Carlos sighed, sadly.
"Dead." Carlos said.
Data lowered his head.
"Geordi. . ." Data whispered. He seemed to be sad, really sad. Then Data looked up. "What about the captain?"
"Who again?" Carlos asked, confused as he tilted his head.
"Jean-Luc Picard." Data said.
Carlos's eyes lit to life.
"Oh, him, he is very alive!" Carlos said. "In fact he is coming to the great screen! There is a message. He told me to turn you on!"
Data got up.
"Thank you for turning me on,Carlos," Data said. "Are you a Vulcan by any chance?"
"No," Carlos shook his head. "But my mother was."
"You have very distinctive ears," Data said. "Almost curly and two eyebrows pointing up like a question mark."
"You are a funny guy," Carlos said. "Come on, lets hear what the caller has to say!"
. . . The Bridge. . .
. . . 25 minutes later . .
Jean-Luc, Worfian, a very old but otherwise fine William Riker, Data, and Carlos. Most of the other descendants were back in town waiting for the news. The screen was sizzling on and off. He had been waiting seventy-three years for this day. Deanna died when Ryanna was only twenty-two years old. Data was straightening out the connection staring at the screen. They were hopefully going to leave this planet with the many survivors they had left. The engines were beyond their repair, they didn't have the machines or the material to do it.
"This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the USS Enterprise, may we be of any help returning your home planet to its proper orbit?" Came his own voice.
Jean-Luc froze turning toward Data as Data was more shocked than anything.
Then he faced back toward the screen.
"Well, really Picard, there's not much help you can do when they were whipped out of their reality into ours. They could have war Klingons on that planet!" Came a voice he knew had died seventy-six years ago.
His whole world froze.
"Maybe they do not have the sorts," Came Worf's voice. "I do not detect Bird-of-prey on the planet surface."
"I sense. . .Confusion," Came Deanna's voice. "Sadness. . . Recognition. Strong emotions." Then she let out a cry. "Oh my god."
"What is it, counselor?" Picard asked.
"But. . . This is impossible, Will is right here," Deanna said, probably closing her eyes briefly. Young Riker is probably confused. "So much sadness."
Jean-Luc cleared his throat.
"Q?" Jean-Luc said.
"'Who is Q?" Came Carlos.
Riker turned pale facing toward Jean-Luc.
"You are not me." Came Picard's voice.
Riker put one hand on Jean-Luc's shoulder as Jean-Luc looked down feeling mixed emotions about this.
"I . . . " Jean-Luc said. "Am from a reality where Q died in 2366. It has been seventy-six years since that day." Riker took his hand off Jean-Luc's shoulder. "We spent the next three years being bothered by someone similar to Q . . . Who was part of a time-loop that was part of Q's death. Seventy-three years ago we were attacked, crash landed on Galileo Seven and started our own civilization far out of Star Fleet Space."
There was silence from their end.
"Q?" Picard asked, probably turned toward the entity's direction with a puzzled look and a 'explain, how is this possible?' kind of look in his eyes.
"I died because of a time loop? Preposterous!" Q said.
"Now that you say it, yes," Came older William Riker. "We would like to be returned to our reality and someone to contact Star Fleet!"
Jean-Luc felt as though his cardiac heart had stopped working.
Thump.
He fell back on the floor apparently out of it.
"Captain!" Data said,coming over to Jean-Luc's side.
"Riker out." Riker said.
The screen turned black.
"Worfian, get Jack," Riker said. "He needs his help."
. . . 2369. . .
. . . Captain's ready room. . .
"Q,why did you bring their reality here?" Picard asked.
"I didn't bring their planet out of reality, that was the other Q," Q said. "I didn't know there was a timeline where I died so sorry for not knowing," He had a attitude in that remark. "'But I am serious about what I am about to say: I can't return them to their reality. It is not my reality to mess with at the time because it is Q2's reality. I can not intervene."
Picard sighed.
"Perhaps we could help them." Picard said
"Go ahead," Q said. "But I . . ." He stopped. "Oh dear."
"What?" Picard asked.
"He needs a new heart." Q said.
"Who does?" Picard asked.
"The other you," Q said. "I understand now. . .Q2 is ending that timeline in the most painful way possible."
"Such as?" Picard asked.
"Picard. . . Imagine . . . While dying, someone else, instead of me coming into your mind keeping you alive," Q said. "This is his second time. The first was . ." He sighed. "Unexpected and was in his era but now . . .I think he is really going to be leaving the plane of the living and join into whatever plane is out there that is nothing like my continuum."
"What is death like?" Picard asked.
"Your soul can freely go anywhere," Q said. "Or join a higher conscious, be reincarnated, or go to the most warm place where all souls go."
"Where is that?" Picard asked.
"I don't know!" Q said, throwing his hands up in the air.
"You must surely know." Picard said.
"There are various planes to the realm of the dead . . ." Q said. "And you have to catch them on time before they are out of your reach. I don't dare do that kind of chase."
"What if it were me?" Picard asked.
Q gave Picard a long drawn out 'are you serious?' expression.
". . . Damn it, Picard, do you really want to know if I would put my own mortality aside to save your soul?" Q asked.
"Yes." Picard said.
Q had his serious look at the mortal man.
"I could take you on a trip of eternity but then you'll grow bored and want to go where all souls go," Q said, holding his hands up like he was balancing something. "So. . .no."
"I actually dread of dying because of what you told me." Picard said.
Q clapped his hands with a smile
"Well, you can look forward to death right now," Q said. "And for now on because after today this will be one of my last visits."
"Last." Picard repeated.
"Why yes, last. Last is the keyword. The continuum recently got annoyed with me poking holes with the Enterprises timeline so they forced me into a rather . . . troubling. . . but really not so troubling situation. I took the other deal over the first one," Q said. "Which is actually much worse than the second one. It is more of bothering Captain Archer and his prized beagle who likes cheese." He shudders. "It's like he and that dog can talk the same language!"
"Captain. . . Archer?" Picard said.
"Why yes, him." Q nodded.
"Q, I won't be surprised to see you after I die." Picard said.
Q had a serious look about his face.
"You won't, Picard." Q said, and then he vanished.
. . . Year . . . Unknown. . .
. . Enterprise . . . Sick Bay. . .43 minutes later . . .
Jean-Luc found himself in a dark place. His heart was failing and he was dying, apparently. All of a sudden there was light at the tunnel. He could feel some-one pulling that direction. It was almost like he had lost the ability to walk on his two feet. Jean-Luc saw his life rush past him until he came into the light. He could see all his former bridge officers there. Picard saw Deanna and her mother together along with her father. Geordi had eyes in this plane of souls. He saw Beverly smiling at him standing with Jack Crusher who was waving at Jean-Luc.
"Jack . . . " Jean-Luc said.
And there was a grown up Wesley with his parents. Wesley had a smile. Everyone looked so young. He could see the original crew of the Enterprise who were legendary in Star Fleet in the crowd. Jean-Luc saw his mother and father, too. Jean-Luc saw Worf with a Klingon who bore his resemblance rather strongly enough he could have mistake him for Worf, too. There was a third Klingon in between them with arms on their shoulders appearing to be rather happy. The two Klingons were sharing a conversation, then whatever grip this 'force' had on the captain let go. Jean-Luc turned his head in the direction that he had been pulled in.
"Hello, Jean-Luc." Came a familiar older voice.
Jean-Luc gasped seeing his old friend again.
Ooh the adventures they had without the crew ever knowing including Star Fleet.
"Q. . ." Jean-Luc said. Then he grabbed Q into a tight hug. "I missed you."
"I have always been there for you, mon captaine," Q said. "But you can't stay."
Jean-Luc's short hug ended.
"What do you mean?" Jean-Luc said.
"Don't you understand?" Q asked, baffled. "You have a crew to ensure makes it to the Federation."
"Q. . .We need new repairs and it can't come from their ship." Jean-Luc said.
"That is not what I meant . . . Jean-Luc," Q said, touching his hand. "Ever human being has two trails of evolution: organic or Q related beings," Jean-Luc looked down toward his hand. It was glowing a bright yellow. "You must tap into your will and heart. You may be dying but you can. . . and are capable of it. . . making a completely new heart taking over the cardiac heart. It is the stuff of science fiction of it happening. The answer is right in front of you. It doesn't have to be the help of a godly Q." Jean-Luc looked up toward Q. "We will meet again but . . . Now is not your time."
Then Q was getting further and further away from Jean-Luc.
"What do you mean?"
"It is not your time. Period." Q said, as his voice grew distant.
"Q!" Jean-Luc shouted.
"I am in the plane of the dead and you are in the plane of the living." Q said, his voice grew smaller.
"Q!" Jean-Luc shouted as he tried to run forward after Q's direction. He couldn't do any of that. "Don't leave me!"
"I never left." Q said.
Jean-Luc's eyes bolted open.
"Q!" Jean-Luc shouted, lunging forwards.
"Hold it there, father!" Jack said.
Jean-Luc leaned back on the biobed.
"I. . . I saw Q," Jean-Luc said. "I saw Beverly. . I saw. . . I saw Deanna. . . And Geordi."
"Father, you . . " Jack said, then glancing over to the screen and back to him. "You just came back from the dead."
Jean-Luc turned pale.
"How long?" Jean-Luc asked.
"Ten minutes." Jack said.
Jean-Luc looked up at the ceiling.
"Fine,Q," Jean-Luc said. "If this is my last mission I will get to the bottom of it!"
"Father?. . ." Jack asked, looking at Jean-Luc with concern.
"The natives," Jean-Luc said, he started to get up but he nearly fell if it wasn't for his son. "We must . . get to them."
"But father, they haven't developed warp capability." Jack said.
"Maybe they already have and are keeping their advancements to themselves." Jean-Luc said.
. . On the Enterprise on Gavalros Seven . . .
. . . One hour later . . .
When Q appeared once more, it was in the ready room except it was different.
There were photographs plastered on the wall. It was family pictures featuring the crew that grew larger and larger in terms of numbers. Q was transporting himself straight out of it. . . And now here he is. It was strange. He saw the strangely forested planet and what seemed to be buildings that had a neat design. He had a odd feeling someone was behind him so Q turned around to see a man in his forties standing at the entrance with thick eyebrows, hair that had recently began to turn gray, and he had a nice body statue. He had his arms folded.
"So you are Q," Jack said, then held his hand out. "Jack Picard."
Q looked down to Jack's hand then stepped back.
"You are Picard's son." Q said.
"Beverly and Picard's son," Jack said. "Why are you so surprised?"
"Because this is the first reality I have come across where Picard names one of his sons Jack," Q said. "You are very similar to Picard."
"I got the eyebrows," Jack jokingly said, pointing at the eyebrows. "And I got my mom's hair in the ensuing genetic fight."
Q laughed.
"How is . . . he. . . anyway?" Q asked.
Jack went silent.
"He is walking around with a dying heart," Jack said. "He worries me. He was dead for ten minutes. He was dead for ten minutes!" He paced back and forth. "My dad is a great man but . . . He needs a heart replacement." He stopped turning his head toward Q. "Now do you have any cardiac hearts laying around here?" Q shook his head. "Good. Then get off my father's ship or just go back to the original Enterprise! My father has told me so many stories about you, you know that? Now seeing you there, capable of restoring the Enterprise and my father and YET YOU ARE DOING NOTHING!" His hands had rolled up into fists. "When you died; it ruined him!"
Q acted flattered.
"Ah, really?" Q asked.
"Just imagine if you left him and never came back. He would have broken apart if it weren't for my mother!" Jack went on.
"Jack, you are romanticizing a friendship." Q said.
"It is nothing of romance but something my mother didn't have," Jack said. "It was a connection that was shared. He trusted you WITH HIS LIFE."
Q sighed.
"This is not a timeline I can interfere in." Q said.
Jack pushed Q to the floor.
"You are a lousy excuse for a Q saying that." Jack said, rubbing his fist.
Q got up with a snarl.
"Look, human, I cannot intervene!" Q said, using a chair to help him up.
"Then why the hell are you here?" Jack asked.
"I . . . don't . . . know." Q said.
Jack gets a furious expression on his face.
"You are omnipotent, you should KNOW." Jack stressed.
"I don't know and I don't like saying it, human!" Q said. "I see you are frustrated and angry but the stories that he has told you are a different me!"
"He told me the adventures you took him on." Jack said.
"I never took him on any adventures,boy," Q said. "And second of all, whatever you ask I can't give you it."
"Then I don't understand why the first name he said after coming alive was yours," Jack said as a stunned facial expression appeared on his face. "Yes, yours! I wish my father never met you."
That stunned look turned into fury.
"I will make you into a Romulan and you will apologize for that offense!" Q snapped his fingers making Jack into a Romulan in a white flash. "The offense of punching me and saying that . . .awful wish. . ." He had a sharp glare toward Jack. "Because if it weren't for the Q, he would be dead and you would ever have been born!"
"And by the way, we are technically in your timeline,you entity." Jack said, then he turned away and exited the room.
Q sulked into a chair.
"Damn you, Beverly, naming a son after your dead former husband," Q said, going through his hair. "He is a lot like you."
Q vanished.
. . . Gavalros Seven. . .
. . . Outside the Enterprise . . .30 minutes later.
Young Riker, Data 2, Geordi, and Worf were beamed to the planet along with supplies. In a white flash appeared Q who seemed to be not in a good mood. He groaned rubbing his forehead muttering, "Why am I stuck here?" It was quite annoying really.
"Q," Young Riker said. "Why are you here?"
"Let me give you an above view of the wreckage," Q said. "Least I can do."
From above on a invincible surface they could see two sections of the Enterprise apart by several kilometers. The lower half of the Enterprise had become part of the city below. Both halves of the Enterprise appeared as though they had been heavily damaged decades ago and were rusting away now polluted by forest life. Young Riker tilted his head at the construction site and so did Geordi. Geordi recognized the design that was mostly made of rock material that could be used make building material. It was a lot like brick. The two step back.
Q sighed.
"Quite the site, isn't it?" Q asked.
"Q, take us back." Young Riker said.
"Back where?" Q asked.
"On the ground!" Worf said.
"You are no fun," Q said. "I will take you down. . . Did you know your son had a baby with one of Picard's children using a petri dish and a surrogate mother?"
The group were transported down to the planet right outside a fight that was made by what seemed to be phasers. Data 2 stepped aside as did Geordi. Worf took out his phaser then joined in the firing seeing who were being shot at. It was a man who looked exactly like the captain except he lacked hair and beside him was a Klingon holding the aging body of a old Riker. Jean-Luc fired upon the Horseceons. They had horse like feet,horse like ears, color patters normally seen on horses, and they held strange weapons.
"I should have known you had warp power!" Jean-Luc shouted.
"Arrogant human being!" One of the Horseceons shouted back.
"Why don't you give up already!" The second Horseceon shouted.
Jean-Luc exchanged fire with the Horseceons.
Data 1 was on the other side of the rocky overpass.
Data 2 fired at some of the Horseceons body parts leaving them covered in phaser burns. More guards came to replenty the field. Data 1 shot from above right at the first group. Data 2 looked up in the direction of himself and there he saw the other him. His other self seemed to have an injury that was embedded into his right shoulder exposing his circuitry. Part of his face seemed to be missing. Data 2 ducked the blast of a Horseceon's phaser.
"I have a logical means to knock out the guards." Data 2 said.
"I am all ears,Data." Young Riker said.
"In theory, it works on horses," Data 2 said. "But I can change it and it will require me being immobilized."
Then Data 2 stopped, as did most of the Horseceon's on the planet surface. Most of them collapsed to the ground unconscious and some just clamped at their ears acting dizzy swaying from side to side. Jean-Luc looked over his shoulder with a shocked look on his face. He dropped the phaser at the sight of Worf and Geordi. It brought back memories. So many memories of Worf that he had surpressed. They all came crashing down Jean-Luc.
"Mr Worf?" Jean-Luc said.
Worfian looked in the direction that Jean-Luc and a sad expression came over her face.
"Grandpa?" Worfian asked.
"I am not your Worf," Worf said. "And. . I am not your grandpa."
"We must get to the Horseceons and force them to help us," Jean-Luc said. "I have spent seventy-three years believing this planet did not have warp power or anything to help us to get off." He had anger and hurt inside his voice. "They have star ships!"
Older Riker was out and had a bad phaser burn covering most of his head.
"You can't just barge in there," Young Riker said. "The captain I know wouldn't do that."
"If I didn't go the first time then my Worf would still be alive today," Jean-Luc said. "Worfian. . Go to the town."
"Yes, grandfather." Worfian said.
Worf's eyes grew large.
"GRANDFATHER?" Worf said.
"Yes, what is wrong with that?" Jean-Luc asked.
The look on Worf's read 'Some-one hinted to me that I have a grandchild created not by the natural ways'.
"What was wrong with the regular way of procreating?" Worf asked.
Jean-Luc laughed, slowly.
"They were both men." Jean-Luc said.
. . 54 years ago. . .
"Sir," Worf said. "The Horseceons are lying."
"Are you sure, Mr Worf?" Jean-Luc asked, unsure.
"I saw their starship with Alexander while hunting," Worf said. "They have lied to us since the beginning."
Jean-Luc put his hands on Worf's shoulders.
"That would mean they intended us to get stuck here," Jean-Luc said. "I don't see the point in getting us stuck here."
"Perhaps we saw something we shouldn't have seen in the bridge not just those ships," Worf said. "Maybe they are in arms with the Romulans. Maybe they have intercepted on our broadcast we sent those years ago to Star Fleet and prevented it from getting any further." Jean-Luc took his hands off Worf's shoulders. "I am very enraged about this. My son has been living under the false pretense we are stuck here without help when we are nearby help."
"Perhaps we should awaken Data and go after them," Jean-Luc said.
"No, I will like to be sure." Worf said.
Jean-Luc raised a eyebrow.
"Are you saying you are not sure?" Jean-Luc asked, skeptically.
"Yes, sir." Worf said.
Jean-Luc sighed, glancing over to Robert and Jack crawling on the floor. Robert was one year older than Jack so technically he was walking around playing with his toys that had been constructed. All of the crew had participated along with some help of the planet natives to create toys for their young and themselves. They grew crops. They grew plant life. They had certain ingredients to medicine that the computer in the battle sick bay section had to list.
"I would hate them if we all settled because they wanted us to." Jean-Luc said.
Worf nodded.
"If you like, you can come with me to face them." Worf said.
"No," Jean-Luc said. "You could go with . . ."
"I won't go with Data," Worf said. "I cannot allow him to put him in the way when he can be of more use when we are going home."
"Home . . . " Jean-Luc said. "It never seemed so far away."
"I will take Alexander with me," Worf said. "I will be back with word and proof of their treachery."
Worf left Jean-Luc.
. . . Present day . .
. . . Gavalros Seven. . . Four hours later. . .
The crew of the original Enterprise had been beamed back to the Enterprise still in orbit after meeting with Jack Picard. The planet had been moved back into orbit and correct reality. It all came into being when the small group managed to convince the Horseceons to help what remained of the Enterprise crew repair their ship. They would do the saucer rejoining shortly after the repairs. Geordi had some engineers be beamed back down to the lower Enterprise to help him get it done along with two Data's. Their conversation went like this:
Data with a exposed face looked at normal Data.
"What year is it to you?" Data with a exposed face asked.
"2369." Normal Data said.
"You are lucky." Data with a exposed face said.
"Why?" Normal Data said.
"Your best friend is still alive," Data with a exposed face lowered his head down.
"Geordi is technically still alive in the physical appearance of Carlos," Normal Data said. "He has Geordi's facial features, his cheeks, his hair, and nose."
"You are right. . . " Data with a exposed face said. "But it will take me awhile for my mental pathways to become accustomed to Carlos's sensory input patterns."
"What will you do when you get back?" Normal Data asked.
Data with a exposed face contemplated.
"Update my knowledge on Star Fleet regulation," Data with a exposed face said. "I will continue my career in Star Fleet even after my friends have become admirals, retire, or so on. I can become accustomed to other people's sensory input patterns."
"You miss your old friends."
"I do," Data with a exposed face said. "Mostly . . . Spot."
"Spot." Normal Data's voice became squeaky.
"I was told Spot started a family tree of a new feline cat called the Benglio Spot," Data with a exposed face said. "I befriended one on my climb. Spot second, come here!"
In came a large panther like cat.
"A-Achu!" Carlos sneezed.
Spot 2 looked at both Data's confused which one to nudge.
"We seem to confuse the cat." Normal Data said.
"Panther, really, and yes, we have." Data with a exposed face said.
"It is customary that one gives high fives." Normal Data said.
"High five!" Data with a exposed face said.
The two Data's shared a high five.
A-acho!
"Bless you." Both Data's and some of the engineers said.
"Thank you." Carlos said.
The two La Forges, on the other hand, had a short but interesting conversation.
"So . . ." Geordi said. "Who is your mother?"
"Telana," Carlos said. "The plant life and animal life had unusual properties. My dad said they aged much slower. . "
"How slow?" Geordi asked.
Carlos sneezed.
"My dad had the physiology of a thirty-two year old when I was born," Carlos said. "And it started to wear off."
"How long did that take?" Geordi asked.
Carlos sneezed.
"It ended fifty-three years ago," Carlos said. "I am sixty-three."
Geordi raised a brow.
"You sound like you are twenty-three not sixty." Geordi said.
"Technically he has the appearance of a thirty-three year old," Normal Data said. "Not a sixty year old. It seems the lack of aging affects certain groups and not everyone at once."
"That would explain how most of the crew members look like they are in their fifties and their children appear to be youthful," Data with a exposed face said, and then Carlos sneezed again. "Bless you."
"Data, can you please dismiss your pet?" Carlos asked.
"Spot, go." Both Data's said.
Spot 2 went out of the room and his sneezing stopped. Our scene switches to the ready room with photos plastered all over the place. There is Beverly standing in the room appearing to be rather fascinated but curious of the aging appearing in the photos. There is a beep followed by Beverly saying, "Come in." In walked Jack Picard who wanted to see his mother for himself. The last he ever saw her was when her hair had turned a nice shade of gray, she was dead, in a casket. A wooden casket.
"Hello." Jack said.
"It is rather curious how we had children, Jean-Luc," Beverly said. "I wonder what made us change our minds."
"You are getting any younger every day," Jack said. "Age has a factor for everything."
"Yes, it does." Beverly said, with a short laugh.
"I am not my father." Jack said.
Beverly turned around toward Jack who had the appearance of a Romulan.
"Romulan?. . ." Beverly said, puzzled. "You had Romulans aboard the ship?"
"No," Jack said, shaking his head. "They did not. Q turned me into a Romulan, your Q at least," his voice was lowered. "Because I offended him."
"Q is a lot of things, but offending him?" Beverly asked.
"Yes," Jack said. "He has nerves and I touched one of them."
Beverly smiled.
"That is impressive." Beverly noted.
"It is not impressive seeing a man who should be dead." Jack said, bitterly.
"What did Picard tell you about him?" Beverly asked, with a raised eyebrow.
"Q was a lot of things, but a torturer? No, not that, never that," Jack shook his hand with his head lowered. "On the day he died, or the days he died, I remember them. It has taken a long time to remember them but they are in my memories. He risked himself for my ship and my crew to save lives. I believe he figured that his presence here did more harm than good."
Beverly gasped.
"You are talking about the time loop." Beverly said.
"Yes." Jack said, with a nod.
"Jean-Luc told me about it, and I couldn't believe it." Beverly said.
"Believe it or not, some days my father had hallucinations about seeing Q. . . I believe he has Irumodic Syndrome . . " Jack cleared his throat. "And sometimes he talks to these hallucinations. Riker is the one who usually gets through those fantasys and takes Picard out reminding him that Q died long ago." He closed his eyes. "My father missed Q and he had something my mother didn't have with him."
"Don't be angry at him because he had a unique friendship," Beverly said. "Be angry at the ones who took your mothers live away."
Jack looked toward Beverly.
"She was just like you; telling me to let it go," Jack said. "But I am not letting it go. Because I don't trust the Q continuum."
"With that hate, nothing good is going to come out of it." Beverly said.
"Really? Is that a challenge?" Jack asked.
"No," Beverly said. "Not at all. I am just saying, if Picard and I had you then Q's relationship didn't have everything. . ."
Jack frown, skeptical.
"But the stories he told. . ." Jack said.
"The friendship I had with Picard meant more to him than anything. What happened when I died?" Beverly asked.
"He refused to remarry and went on trying to figure out how to make this planet industrialized. He grieved, and I fear that the grief of losing Q weighed on him that he started slipping away."
Now that made Beverly sad.
"Picard is a good man and grieves in his own way . . ." Beverly said, approaching Jack. "What is your name?"
Jack laughed.
"Jack Picard!" Jack said. "I was named after my dad's old friend."
Beverly hugged Jack and then she cried.
"Jack . . ." Beverly said. "Jack . . . He was my husband."
Jack closed his eyes, now understanding the incident his father referred to.
How sad Beverly and his younger brother were.
How they grieved.
"I understand now," Jack said, ending the hug. "I really do."
Beverly wiped off a tear.
"Understand what?" Beverly asked,
"My name. . ." Jack said. "Okay Q, you win! Fine, I am sorry for what I said!"
In a white flash Jack was human, again, and he had a fair resemblance to Beverly's father except . . he looked a lot like Picard with hair.
. . . Five months later. . .
. . .Enterprise. . .2442. . .
Jean-Luc awoke in his quarters.
The transition to his living quarters was rather easier than he thought. They had many quarters to spare to house their new crew members. Some of them wouldn't leave without their pets, historical documents, momento's, and belongings. Well, most of the population. They had 1,329 people aboard the Enterprise. They had merged into the ranks of Star Fleet. Jean-Luc felt it was right to make Worfian the security chief and the tactile officer because of how she had a little of both growing up. The civilization had vast knowledge of transporter, medicine using highly advanced technology,how to shoot phasers. They had studied and learned in case a day like this were to happen. The new transport chief was Hank O'Brien.
Jean-Luc got dressed into his uniform once having breakfast.
Jean-Luc stared down at a photograph of Beverly in his hand.
"Bev. . ." Jean-Luc said. "I wish you could see this day . . ."
Data had his face repaired.
In a white flash appeared Q2.
"You are finally back in the Enterprise heading home," Q2 said. "Fun fact, there is Earth 2 you can visit instead."
"You . . ." Jean-Luc said, his hand in fists. "You. . . Monster."
"Calling me a monster?" Q2 asked, insulted.
"That is because you are!" Jean-Luc said.
"I wanted you to see how long it would take you to realize what was going on under your nose. How the Enterprise was never intended to get back up into space." Q2 shook his hand. "You have a new living heart that has now engulfed the cardiac heart. I don't know how you did it but you have done the impossible. You have no idea how that is to the continuum, who did you talk to, anyway?"
"I talked to Q." Jean-Luc said.
"Oh, that kid." Q2 said, softly.
"He is not a kid, but a man," Jean-Luc said. "And there are no more games between you and I. ..Q," He shook his index finger. "I have had enough of it. So starting when we get back to the Federation I will accept their admiral position and allow you to bother some other captain of the Enterprise!"
Q2 had a shocked look on his face.
"You. . ." Q2 said.
"I am a Picard and you are a Q," Jean-Luc said. "You ruined lives, you broke that promise of never coming back,and I expect you to not bother me anymore. Is that clear?"
"Crystal clear." Q2 said.
Jean-Luc straightened his uniform.
"Get off my ship, Q." Jean-Luc said.
Q2 smiled.
"I will see you one of these days and you won't be able to do a thing about it." Q2 said.
Q2 vanished.
"Riker to Picard," Came Riker's voice. "We need you at the bridge."
"I am coming,Number One." Jean-Luc said.
"Riker out." Riker said.
Jean-Luc departed his quarters that had the label 3601 outside beside the door then headed to the turbo lift. The days had passed that was in his sixties along with his young crew. He wiped off a tear remembering watching those he had known but Guinan had not died. She had a great life span that allowed to live and she lived to hear new stories. Interesting stories, that is. In the months that passed this year, they had managed to upgrade the bridge by expanding the size but it seemed to have the design of the Galaxy Bridge model. Jean-Luc greeted the passing by crew-members with a short nod. He walked into the turbo lift then said, "Bridge." The Turbo lift went up and up. Today was the day they would be leaving Galileo Seven.
Then the turbo-lift opened.
Jean-Luc stepped out of the bridge to hear clapping.
The bridge lights grew dim and he saw everyone he knew of on the bridge. Why were they clapping for? That puzzled him. There was a red fabric tied at the center of the room that was halfway up and had a ribbon right in the dead center where everyone else lined the wall including a huge crowd standing in front of the upgraded view screen. Jean-Luc heard a whisper in his ear that could only be from Q, "They are clapping because you never gave up, mon capitaine." Jean-Luc wiped off a tear with a single thought being: Q. Riker handed Jean-Luc the scissors.
"You cut it, Captain," Riker said. "Before we rejoin the Enterprise. Our last voyage aboard the Enterprise."
Jean-Luc took the scissors from the graying Riker.
"The last voyage of the Enterprise. . . " Jean-Luc said. "Has a nice ring to it."
Riker smiled with a nod.
His son was on the battle bridge prepared for the rejoining. All the city remaining blocks were taken away by the Horseceons. The Romulans had wanted the Enterprise out of the way to shake up the foundation of unity the Klingons and Federation had so they made a little trick on the systems of the Enterprise using their best hackers to lead them into space that not one starship would bother to go. For the next seventy-three years they prevented any emergency message from getting out. Not until the day it ended. The day that two Enterprise crews worked together to topple down the power dividing them. Jean-Luc came to the middle of the room then looked around proudly thinking how much they went through. So much loss and so much miracles on the planet then opened the scissors and cut the ribbon in half.
They clapped for Jean-Luc.
Jean-Luc smiled.
He knew the old uniforms were replenished because of Q2's intervention.
"All right," Jean-Luc said. "That is enough. We will be doing saucer rejoining in a couple minutes and I expect everyone to be at their stations."
Those who were not assigned to the bridge left.
"Begin saucer rejoining," Jean-Luc said. "Picard to Jack, prepare to lift off Gavalros Seven."
"Preparing," Jack said. "Jack out."
We watch both sections of the Enterprise lift off into the atmosphere. The metal sides have been repaired as have the engineering sides. Jean-Luc stood in the middle of the room watching the view go up and up showing the various land marks he had known for so long. Their replicators have been repaired. Five minutes later the ship was together. There was a collective sigh of relief. Freely flying in the air was a experience that most people had forgotten but not Jean-Luc. There was a glint in his eye that indicated he missed exploring and meeting new civilizations. Too bad this was the last one.
"Mr Data," Jean-Luc said. "Set course for. . ." He sat down into the captain's chair. "Home."
And the Enterprise broke orbit out of the atmosphere into outer space.
Then it went into warp 8.
/
. . . 2405. . .
. . .Correct timeline. . .
Surrounded by his best and most loyal friends, Picard passed away.
He was scared of death. Would it be dark? Lonely? No one he knew? In fact he was scared but well when Q had made the claim he would make Picard be with him for eternity that honestly eased his worry. But when Q had last said that he was not being honest back then it seemed to shatter what hope of the afterlife being full of life and not so scary for Picard. His cardiac heart had started failing last month and there wasn't a new one in store for him. He did not have a new heart. He was dying of old age. The last time Picard ever saw Q was in 2370 that seemed like a life time ago. Here he was 100 years old.
Older than his father.
Picard felt like he was free falling in the darkness seeing his life passing by him.
The memories he had were great, even the last time he spoke with Ambassador Spock and shared a mind meld with him.
He heard voices.
"He is gone. . ." A nurse said.
"Goodbye, captain." Picard heard Data's voice.
Data still insisted calling Picard 'captain'.
Data. . .
The android made him laugh sometimes. Beverly had long gone to captain a Olympic class starship called the USS Apollo. Surprisingly Worf ended up with Deanna and oddly Riker ended up marrying another woman and had a child named Thomas. They still had the annual Enterprise reunion held on the date the Enterprise was set off into space. They had toast to all those lives they had touched and to those they will continue to touch then they drank.
Picard, in his most spirit form, could feel a soul inside Data.
Data wasn't just a machine but a person inside.
Then Picard was free falling what seemed to be planes with weird colors. He saw a white light freely flying after him. It was speeding after him, really, leaving what seemed to be a trail of light behind. There was gas seen in between the rays of light. It was odd, really: falling in general. Usually he wouldn't be the one falling at all! Picard had just passed away out of his human body in a hospice. He attended the last reunion of the Enterprise D departure before his health had turned for the worst. Picard turned his attention down to see a brighter light down below him in the shape of a tunnel. Was it heaven?
Hopefully, it wasn't just all white and empty.
Perhaps he did not need to be scared of the afterlife.
It will be all right.
Perhaps he will be in a state of nothingness.
Perhaps he will be born again.
He has heard of those instances.
Was it where the others he had known long ago had gone to? The countless lives he met and had seen perish before his eyes? Where all the great captains, admirals, commodores, and historical figures in Star Fleet went? Will he meet Vash? Janeway? James T Kirk? Spock, again? Picard was a admiral. Formerly, because he just died apparently due to old age. Picard closed his eye shielding his face expecting for imminent impact. Then he could feel a grip on his foot. Or what seemed to be his ankle. He had stopped his senseless fall. Picard looked up to see a completely rounded white ball right above him radiating of great power.
He could sense on who it is.
"I keep my promises, Picard!" Came Q's voice from the ball.
Picard saw the shape of a hand grabbed around his leg and he noticed he was in 2370's star fleet uniform.
Interesting.
"But. . ." Picard said.
"I lied!" Q said. "Just because I cannot visit your ship does not mean I can not visit you, Mon capitaine."
There Q flew in the opposite direction until they were somewhere else in outer space on a outer ring.
Picard landed on his back.
"Q, what did you do!" Picard asked, glaring at the entity's direction.
"You are a ghost, Jean-Luc, as of right now and today," Q said, materializing wearing ice skates. "If you want to roller skate around the planet just take my hand or I can let you fall again to the division of death. I can't chase after you there, Mon capitaine." Picard went silent. "I would have to die in order to do that." Q had a short laugh but then it stopped once he read Picard's face. "You are scared of dying." He had a pause. "I should have known."
"You know everything." Picard said.
"But not about how others feel," Q said, skating around Picard. "That is a rather tricky subject."
"Q. . ." Picard said. "Are you really a big ball of energy?"
Q had a wide big grin on his face.
"True that!" Q said, skating around in a circle then he made a skid making a spark out of the disk. "You have seen me in my purest form, Picard, and you can never ever unsee that."
Picard wondered, was he a professional skater once in his lifetime?
"No," Q said. "Not really."
Q came to a stop.
"Then how are you so good on those roller skates?" Picard asked, baffled.
Q smiled.
"Let me show you,Mon capitaine," Q said, holding his hand out. "I am all knowing. I am not called Q for nothing."
"Right you are,Q." Picard said, taking Q's hand.
And there they vanished in a white flash off on their time of eternity together.
The End.