Captain Jean Luc Picard sat in his ready room and tasted the tea slowly. Replicaters never could get it quite right, not like home. Leaning back in his chair he closed his eyes and let his thoughts drift back through the year's, back to when he was a child running through his father's vineyards. It would be good to go back and see his brother. The last visit had been hard. There had been a rift between them for quite some time. But now those feelings had been dealt with and no more did he have to feel as though he were unwelcome. He looked forward to seeing Renee, his nephew, the thought made him smile. Renee wanted to be like his uncle and explore, and feel the deck of a ship beneath his feet, his father however had other ideas. He wanted Renee to follow in his footsteps, to create for another generation the fine wines that the Picard family had been producing for years. But what father did not have that dream? To create a legacy to leave behind to his own son? And what would he, Jean Luc Picard, leave behind? Ah! The age old question! He had no son, no one to continue on after he was gone.
The chirping of the communicator interrupted his thoughts.
"Captain Picard?"
"Go ahead number one." Picard responded.
"Our long-range sensors have picked up a small vessel, it seems to be adrift sir."
"I am on my way." Picard said as he rose from his chair. For the better, he thought, it always left him a little down hearted to think about that.
Captain Picard stepped out on to the bridge.
"Captain." Worf explained. "We have not been able to raise the pilot, but the vessel is coming into visual range."
"On screen." Picard ordered.
"Has it been identified? Picard asked.
"No sir." Riker responded.
"Magnify Mr. Worf." Picard ordered. As he squinted at the screen.
The Klingon obeyed and brought the image in to view. A long and slender ship appeared on the screen. It had four wings at the rear of the vessel that formed an X right behind the cockpit. "Only one person aboard sir, a male humanoid." Worf reported.
"Life signs Mr. Worf? Picard asked.
"Yes sir, but faint." The Klingon answered.
"Open a hailing frequency, all channels." Picard ordered.
"Channel open sir."
"Unidentified vessel, this is Captain Jean Luc Picard of the federation starship Enterprise. Are you in need of assistance?"
"No answer sir."
"Sir." Data interrupted. " The occupant seems to be unconscious."
"Injured?" Riker asked.
"I am not able to tell sir. He appears to be comatose." Data answered.
Riker responded with a raised eyebrow at the Captain.
"Captain I have scanned the vessel, it is of unknown origin. But it poses no threat to the Enterprise." Worf volunteered.
"We can't just leave him out there drifting sir." Riker said.
"No we can not number one. Mr. Data put us on an intercept course with the vessel. When you are in range lock on the tractor beam and bring the ship in to shuttle bay three. Mr. Worf alert Dr. Crusher, have her meet your security team in the shuttle bay as soon as its docked." Picard ordered.
"Yes sir." The Lieutenant answered and disappeared into the turbo lift.
"I hope this won't interfere with our shore leave, Captain." Riker commented.
"Let's hope not number one. I plan to make no detours along the way. Star base 129 is along the way and I plan to leave our guest there. Besides I am very much looking forward to this little get away number one."
"You'll be seeing your brother then?" Riker asked.
"Yes Will, but the animosity we held towards one another is no longer an issue, so this should be very enjoyable indeed, Besides I am very interested to see how my nephew is coming along in the matter of convincing his father to allow him to join star fleet." Picard said with a smile.
The turbo lift doors opened, at the sound both men turned and watched as counselor Deanna Troi Walked on to the bridge.
"Counselor Troi! is everything alright?" Picard asked.
"I am not sure Captain. I was in my quarters and a strange feeling came over me." She said
"Explain counselor."
"I'm not sure I can, it's a feeling I have never felt before. It's like an all-encompassing peace. A feeling of well being. But it has been disturbed some how. And at the same time a feeling of absolute evil that is controlled by fear and hate. At first I couldn't figure out its source, but now I believe it is coming from inside the ship."
Captain Picard turned to Data who was sitting at the helm.
"Mr. Data what is the status of the vessel ? Picard asked.
"It is just coming in to shuttle bay three now Captain."
"Counselor A few moments ago we encountered a one man vessel that was adrift, the passenger seemed to be unconscious and he could not answer our hails, so we have brought him and his vessel aboard. Do you think this might be the source of the feelings you're describing?" Picard asked.
"I don't know Captain." Troi answered.
"Number one you take the bridge. The counselor and I will be in shuttle bay three. Counselor if you will join me maybe we can get to the bottom of this little mystery."
"Yes sir." She replied.
Captain Picard and Counselor Troi stepped on to the turbo lift and turned to face the door.
"Shuttle bay three" the Captain ordered.
A minute later they stepped out in to the corridor and walked quickly to the shuttle bay. Lieutenant Worf and his security team as well Dr. Crusher had already arrived as they walked through the hissing doors.
Standing on the deck was a thin young man with sandy colored hair in an orange flight suit. Next to him was a barrel shaped robot supported on two legs that chirped and beeped as the Captain entered with Counselor Troi.
"He was already awake when I got here Captain, but he seems to be in perfect health, other than the mechanical hand." Dr Crusher said
Picard approached the young man.
Welcome aboard, I am Captain Jean Luc Picard of the federation star ship Enterprise."
"Thank you Captain, I am Commander Luke Skywalker of the rebel alliance, and this is my droid R2D2"
Picard continued.
"This is our ships Counselor Deanna Troi, and our Doctor, Beverly Crusher. And lieutenant Worf our chief of security."
Luke Skywalker looked At the Klingon curiously.
"May I ask what species you are? I don't believe I have ever come across one of your kind before." He asked.
Worf threw an irritated glance at the Captain.
"I am Klingon!" He said impatiently.
"You had us a little worried Commander. We came across your vessel adrift and you seemed to be unconscious. Can you tell us what may have brought you to this point?" Picard asked.
"I am not sure Captain. I was on my way to Tatooine and had gone into what you may call a deep meditative sleep and when I awoke I was being pulled in to your docking bay. At first I thought it may have been an imperial cruiser, but this is like nothing I have ever seen before." He said as he motioned to the interior of the shuttle bay.
"Tatooine?" Picard asked.
"Yes it is my home planet." Skywalker answered. "You have never heard of it? He asked.
"No I am afraid I haven't. Nor of your Imperial cruisers" Picard added.
"I don't understand captain, What's going on? Skywalker asked.
" I am not sure Commander Skywalker, I am sure we both will have a lot of questions. But for now let's get you settled and we can talk later. Mr. Worf escort the Commander to his quarters and see that he is comfortable."
"I will send for you in about an hour, Commander." Picard added.
"This way sir." Worf said motioning to the doors.
Luke Skywalker followed the Klingon to the corridor, followed by R2D2 who had produced a third leg and rolled easily behind.
As the door closed behind them, Picard asked; "Impressions Counselor?"
"He is definitely the source of the feelings Captain. But there was something else. I felt as though he could sense our emotions too."
"He's an empath?" Picard asked.
"No, maybe, I am not sure. It wasn't as if he could sense it of his own ability, but as if something were giving him the power to do so." Troi answered.
"Also, There was a presence. I am not sure I can explain. It seemed to be everywhere, but primarily focused on the Commander. But Captain the most disturbing thing was the sense of not belonging, like he was out of place or time."
"This indeed is quite a mystery Counselor. I am interested to hear about these planets. And imperial cruisers!" Picard said.
In the conference room Captain Picard stood at the window looking blankly in to the endless blackness of space. They had only charted eleven percent of their own galaxy, he thought, so where was this man from? Where was Tatooine? His ship, his uniform and the droid were all foreign to him. And what of the feelings counselor Troi has been trying to understand since his arrival?
Captain Picard set his thoughts aside as Worf escorted Commander Skywalker and the R2 droid into the room. They were followed by Commander Riker, Data, LaForge and Counselor Troi. After taking their seats Captain Picard brought the meeting to order.
"I am sure Commander you have as many questions as I, But before we get started I believe lieutenant Data has information I believe to be pertinent to your situation. Go ahead Data." Picard said.
"Captain, you asked me to go over the sensor logs to see if there was anything out of the ordinary that might explain the sudden appearance of Commander Skywalker's ship. I scanned the logs for any spacial anomalies or sub space rifts. I came up with this."
Data tapped a button on the viewer and a brilliance of color flashed on the screen and disappeared.
"What is it Data?" Picard asked.
"I do not know. I can say for a certainty that it is not a wormhole. A sub space funnel perhaps. Because it had more of a burst of energy and it only lasted less than one millionth of a second, undetectable to the human eye. That is why we did not see it. It occurred too fast for even my senses to pick it up, I slowed it down considerably for the purpose of this demonstration, and even than it lasted only half a second."
Data tapped another button and Skywalker's ship came into view, drifting as they had found it.
"As you can see Commander Skywalker's ship appeared just milliseconds later." Data added.
"That is all we have, I believe, however, if Commander Skywalker would give Geordi and I permission to look at his ships sensor logs and navigational records we may be able to answer your question, Captain."
"Actually Captain my R2 unit has the navigational logs here." Luke said" R2, download the nav computer files." Luke stopped and looked around. "I'm sorry Captain I am not familiar with your technology, can we download here?" Luke asked.
"Yes. Data." Picard motioned to the android.
Data produced a tricorder and began scanning the droid, R2D2 beeped and chirped in protest as Data downloaded the files into the palm-sized computer.
" Quit complaining R2, these people are only trying to help." Luke scolded the little droid.
Data quickly walked over to the terminal and inputted the downloaded information in to the ships computer.
A few seconds later a star chart appeared on the screen, and Data quickly enlarged it for the benefit of the others.
"I don't recognize any of those star systems." Riker said as he stared at the screen.
" Neither do I number one." Picard agreed.
Suddenly there was a brilliant flash of light and far off in the distance the Enterprise could be seen approaching.
"It happened that fast?" Luke asked.
"Yes Commander. I believe what has happened here Is that you some how found some kind of portal thru space." Data explained
LaForge got up from his chair and studied the screen.
"Data? Look at this. There seems to be a rift right here." (LaForge was playing the record of the energy burst from R2's nav logs.) LaForge said as he pointed at the screen.
"See Data? It looks as though something triggered the energy burst, and this rift acted as sort of a primer for the explosion." LaForge explained.
Data studied the screen.
"Computer?" Data ordered.
The computer acknowledged with a chirp.
"Run the logs from Commander Skywalker's ship in time with our sensor logs." Data said.
"I am trying to get a complete account of the burst from start to finish." He explained, as he turned to the faces gathered around the conference table.
"Computer, when ready play one frame a second." Data ordered.
The screen came to life and played the logs, slowly. They watched in slow motion as a bright funnel opened before the small fighter and enveloped it, depositing it on the other side, adrift. It took four seconds for the computer to play back the entire log.
"What triggered it, Data?" Geordi asked.
"According to these logs, this is where Commander Skywalker engaged his engines. Commander can you tell me what type of drive system you have on your ship?" Data asked looking at Luke.
"A block 1 hyper drive, It was modified several months ago, the X-wing fighters normally come with a smaller drive unit. It allows us to travel at light speed." Luke answered.
"With out further evidence I can only offer this explanation as theory, but, I believe there was a rift in the space time continuum, a temporal rift, but this is like one I have never observed before. I believe when you engaged your hyper drive motors it, as Geordi pointed out, acted as a primer, like a fuse, if you will, that caused the rift to explode, and pulled Commander Skywalker thru to our Galaxy and our time." Data said.
"Are you trying to say that he not only traveled thru the portal to our galaxy but also traveled thru time?" Picard asked.
"That's my theory, Captain. I believe he has come significantly forward in time, possibly hundreds of years, judging by the size of the portal. Also I believe, based on the star charts in Commander Skywalker's logs, that his galaxy is millions of light years away." Data explained.
"Data I want you to investigate the possibility of this happening again, the last thing we want is to engage our warp drive and end up in the same situation as Commander Skywalker."
"Also, with your permission Commander Skywalker, I would like my people to go over your ship, maybe they will be able to turn up some clue that will help us get to the bottom of this." Picard added.
"Sure Captain, I believe R2 will be of some help there, I would like him to be involved." Luke said.
"Captain Picard." A tense voice came over the intercom. "We have picked up a Borg vessel heading this way at warp six, it will be here in less than ten minutes."
"Red alert, all hands to battle stations." Picard ordered.
I am sorry Commander but this conversation will have to wait." Picard added.
Commander Luke Skywalker followed the senior officers out on to the bridge, and watched as the bridge crew brought the Enterprise around and readied it for battle. He watched as the view screen came to life and brought the image of the Borg cube in to view. He shuddered as he felt the terror of thousands of beings being held in bodies that were no longer their own. He could feel the faint glimmer of light that still existed in their hearts, not reached by the Borg probes, or snuffed by their forced assimilation. A thousand voices cried out, a thousand flames flickered in the darkness, but there was no savior. My god what are these things, a voice screamed in his head, that could cause such cruelty?
"They are the Borg" Troi answered "They live to conquer, to destroy, and move on. If you do not surrender, you will be killed if they can't assimilate you."
"You heard my thoughts?" Luke asked.
"Yes, I am empathic. Normally I just sense emotions, but with you for some reason I hear thoughts, and words." Troi answered.
"Captain they are hailing us." Worf reported.
Captain Picard turned to Luke.
"Brace yourself Commander, your about to meet the Borg." He said.
"On screen Mr. Worf." Picard ordered.
Captain Picard and commander Riker stood up in front of the screen as it came to life and brought the image of the Borg face in to view,
"We are the Borg, resistance is futile." The voice said mechanically.
"It's the same thing over and over again, You'd think they'd get tired of it after awhile." Riker said.
"I am Captain Jean Luc Pi....."
"You are Lokutus" The Borg interrupted.
"Regardless of what you want to call me, You are trespassing in federation space. You will stand down and alter your course and leave Federation space, Immediately." Picard demanded.
"Surrender or be destroyed." The Borg said.
"Captain they are powering their weapons!" Worf exclaimed.
Captain Picard turned toward his command chair.
"Mr. Worf lock on photon torpedo's, Fire at my command."
"Captain!" Troi exclaimed as she pointed at the screen.
The captain turned to see the Borg staring at Luke Skywalker, Who moved up behind Data at the helm control. Skywalker's gaze was locked with the Borg's.
"Captain, the Borg are powering down their weapons and disengaging." Worf reported.
"Not to say I am not relieved, but why the hell are they leaving? The Borg just don't leave in the middle of a dance." Riker said.
"Quite right number one." Picard said.
"It was him, Captain." Troi said as she pointed at Luke.
"He told them to stand down, to leave. And they did." She added.
"How?" Picard asked as he walked up to Luke.
"It's complicated, Captain." Luke said.
"That will not do, Commander, I get a little nervous when someone on my ship can communicate telepathically with the Borg." Picard said impatiently.
"Captain, He did not communicate with them, he planted the thought in the Borg collective." Troi said
"I also believe they knew he had implanted the thought. I sensed that they were compelled to go by his suggestion, but also to rethink. I believe they want Commander Skywalker, Captain. What ever this power is he has control of, I believe they wish to use." Troi added
"You mean they will be back?" Picard asked.
"Yes."