Star Trek: Ranma's Chronicles 28– by DS Wynne
Disclaimer: Ranma ½ and other genres belong to their respective owners.
Note: This is a multi-genre story.
Special note: The "Cast of Characters Saga" takes a look at the events of "DS9" from the POV of Ranma and Usagi's friends and family. Enjoy!
Part 28: "Cast of Characters: Amanda, Final Act".
Location: DS9.
"I'm going to die!" Usagi lamented. "Wah!"
"Calm down, Counselor," Amanda said, as she kept her secured on her bio-bed in Sickbay. "You should be fine…I hope."
"Nurse!" Dr. Bashir yelled. "I will need your assistance!"
"Coming, Doctor," Amanda replied, as she gathers her instruments for the birth of Kirayoshi O'Brien.
The day started normal enough.
That morning, Kira, who has been living with the Saotome clan (which usually includes, Miles, Keiko, Molly, Ranma, Usagi and Aikiko…though there is extra-space for their frequent guests) for sometime now, began her contractions. Thankfully, the unfortunate affair involving a disfigured Cardassian seeking vengeance against Kira's old resistance cell did not hurt the baby.
At the same time, something else was happening to family…
FLASHBACK!
"QUARK!" Usagi yelled, as she stepped into the storage bay. She was angry that her latest shipment of Romulan Ale was of a dubious quality. So she went searching got Quark.
"Not now!" Quark said, as he tried to deal with one of Odo's men.
"You sold me a case of crappy Romulan Ale. I wanted that case for a party I was going to thrown in celebration of the birth of Kirayoshi."
Odo turns to the Counselor.
"You know that having Romulan Ale is illegal, Counselor," Odo said.
"I'm entitled to one CASE per year, as prescribed to my compact with the Federation as a former diplomat, Constable," Usagi said, as she whipped out her PADD. "See?"
Odo took a look at the e-notepad. As he read the document, his expression changed.
"I see," Odo said, as he handed the device back to Usagi. "I'll have to verify this, of course."
"Of course. Now, Quark…"
"Look, just take what you want until later," Quark said. "We'll talk later, okay?"
"Right," Usagi said. She looked around and saw a strange looking vial. "I'll take THIS."
"Yeah, whatever, just go."
"I'll need to have that examined," Odo says.
"Find, I'll run it by Jadzia. Later."
Later…
"Come on, honey!" Ranma said, as he was running around like a chicken without its head. "We don't want to miss anything."
"Alright," Usagi replied. "I just need to finish this report up first."
"Fine," Ranma said, as he went to another room. "Maybe that holo-cam is in the living room…"
"Let's see. If I modulate the sound with the phonetic alphabet of the Rigellians…"
Usagi was working on upgrading the universal translator, while drinking her mug of soup. However, she was so busy, that instead of reaching for her mug, she picked up the container that contained the green goo. She had yet to take it over to Jadzia's lab.
"Yumm-SPORGH!"
END FLASHBACK!
"I'm gonna die…"
"See what your impulsiveness always gets you," Jadzia chided.
"Don't worry, Counselor," Dr. Bashir says, as he took his medical readings. "We managed to pump out much of the substance out of you, but I would like for you to stay here for observation."
"Sure thing, doctor…if Dax keeps me company."
"Not on your life, Usagi. Besides…your HUSBAND is here."
"Hey, it was worth trying."
Amanda was focusing on helping Kira give birth. Ranma wanted to be there, but a flare up in the Cardassian DMZ forced him to take the Valiant out. She hoped that Ranma gets back soon-
"Usagi? Usagi!"
Amanda heard Dax's screams.
"Doctor…?"
"Go see what has happened," Bashir said. "I'll be behind you as soon as Nerys' vital signs are stabilized."
Amanda went to see what was going on…only to see, instead of Usagi, a pile of golden goo.
"Doctor!" Amanda yelled. "We have an emergency!"
It turned out that the stuff that Usagi had accidentally ingested was a baby Changeling; it was found amongst the junk that Quark had bought. Somehow, Usagi's already adaptive alien DNA had absorbed the properties of the Changeling. Upon seeing this, Bashir had only one thing to say:
"Oh, my!"
Location: Somewhere in the Cardassian DMZ.
"You can't do this!" Eddington yelled.
Ranma leaned back in his command chair.
"Oh, yes, I can, Mr. Eddington. You broke the agreement, therefore you HAVE to come in."
Ever since Eddington's "defection" to the Maquis, Captain Sisko and Starfleet Command were out to hunt for the Canadian and his Maquis cell. And in this regard, Ranma ran interference as much as possible. No one knew that Ranma was an active member of the Federation clandestine group "Section 31", which rivaled other such groups like the now-defunct Obsidian Order (as far as everyone knew) and the Tal Shiar in sheer mystery. In essence, Ranma's role was like that of the British MI6 of old…which gives him much leeway in implementing Federation policy.
However, Eddington had taken an unauthorized action by disabling a Starfleet vessel, when he sabotaged the USS Defiant. In this regard, Eddington, who did what he did only to prove a point, had cost Starfleet an important asset. That was a "no-no". So, Ranma was authorized to bring Eddington in.
On the bridge of the Valiant, Ranma was using a holographic generator to have a face-to-face conversation with Eddington, with his crew on the Bridge present. Ranma had purposely poisoned the biospheres of the Federation colonies that were supporting Eddington's Maquis cell…poisonous only to humans. Luckily for the humans on the infected planets, they had time to leave safely.
"Wasn't that a bit extreme?" Amanda asked.
"No," Ranma said, as he returned his attention to Eddington.
"You can't make me," Eddington says. "I know things."
Ranma merely squinted his eyes.
"Yes, yes you do, Mr. Eddington. But you forget one thing: I know MORE. And you forget one other thing: YOU know what I am capable of."
Suddenly, Eddington looked very nervous.
"Fine. You win."
Later, in Ranma's room, as the Valiant returned to Federation space.
CHIRP-CHIRP!
"Come in," Ranma said, as he finished up his "official" report.
Amanda enters the room.
"Hey," Amanda says.
"Hey," Ranma replies, as he sits his data-pad. "What's up?"
"There was something bothering me about your entire exchange with Michael," Amanda said, referring to Eddington's first name.
"What is it?"
"It seems as if there is something going on between you and Michael that shouldn't be."
Ranma sighs, as he leans back.
"Amanda, I've been involve in so many things, it's hard to keep track of, and it's all in the name of protecting the Federation from enemies who see nothing but an opportunity to plunder it. And you know what? I used to counter people who did the exact same thing that I'm doing now. I don't know if I'm a hypocrite or a realist."
The irony of Ranma's words is most profound. In the year 2293 CE, Ranma, Usagi, Captain James Kirk and the rest of the out-going crew of the USS Enterprise-A had stopped operatives of Section-31 from preventing the signing of the Khitomer Accords. And yet, Ranma has been a member of said organization for the past sixty-plus years, and only Ranma knew the reasons why this is the case.
Amanda nods her head, as she places a hand on his thigh. She decided to not press the issue at this time.
"If you ever need a talk, let me know."
Ranma nods his head in the affirmative, as Amanda gets up to leave. When she is gone, Ranma takes out a picture of himself, Usagi, a very young Hoshiko and the Hansen family, taken on the eve of the doomed Hansen Expedition, which introduced them to…The Borg.
Location: Somewhere in the Gamma Quadrant.
"Doctor Bashir?" Amanda exclaimed. She, Worf and Garak were searching for Garak's "father" Tain, in the Gamma Quadrant, when they were captured by the Dominion, and were now in an internment camp. Worf had asked Amanda's help, since there was one particular "technique" she did well. At any rate, the Founders, the leaders of the Dominion, were very interested in seeing if they could do something useful with Amanda, since she is a member of the omnipotent species, the Q.
Bashir, who looked ragged, breathes a sigh of relief. He must have been taken a few months before, since he was wearing the older uniform.
"It's good to see you, Amanda," Bashir says. "How are things back on the station?"
"Well…they are fine, I suppose," Amanda replied. "Kira gave birth to another of Ranma's brood."
"That's good to hear."
"Doctor," Garak says, after speaking to his father. "How much time does Tain have?"
"He could die in a matter of hours," Bashir says. "Especially under these circumstances."
"Our priority should be to get back to the Alpha Quadrant," said the Worf.
"I agree," said the REAL General Martok, who had lost an eye during a fight with the Jem'Hadar. "We have to warn the Federation and the Klingon Empire of the impending invasion by the Dominion."
Worf turns to Amanda.
"Can you…?"
"I'll try," Amanda said. Even though she was forbidden to use her powers as a "Q", there was nothing that said that she could not use a martial arts technique…like the "Instant Transmission". Worf surmised correctly that Amanda had enough of a potential to teleport more than one person. In fact, an entire group of people could be teleported.
"Everyone, get ready," Amanda said, as she placed her index and middle finger to her forehead. "Now!"
ZAP!
When Amanda refocused her thoughts, she found herself not on DS9, but in the…
"Welcome the home," said Q with a smirk. "It seemed as if you failed to keep your powers in check."
Amanda looked around. She was on the porch of a cottage, which was situated in the middle of an open field.
"What are you talking about?"
"I'm talking about failing to not use your powers."
FLASH!
Q suddenly looked like a barrister
"Ahem," Q said, as he unrolled a parchment. "It is the jurisdiction of the Q that states that ANY use of powers by the Q designated as 'Amanda Rogers', will be seen as a violation of the edict of the Q. I believe that we of the Q were not specific in this regard."
"That's not fair!" Amanda said. "I used a standard martial arts technique that anyone can use. In fact, that technique comes from the Yardrat."
"Perhaps, but like I said, ANY use of powers is a violation."
"Then, it's a good thing I got here," said a voice.
Q and Amanda turn to see the arrival of-
"Nabiki!"
"Ms. Tendo, you have no place here!" Q fumed. "Go back to the mortal world, where you can engage in your avarice behavior."
Nabiki, who was dressed in a simple business suit, crosses her arms.
"Amanda is my sister, as far as I am concerned, so I won't. Besides…you DO know that I possess the Anti-Life Equation, right? Lord Darkseid and the Miracle Man may be obliged not to use it on another sentient being…but I'm not."
The Anti-Life Equation has many mysterious functions, depending upon the user. One of the key functions that it has is the ability of its user to control sentient life in the universe. And since "control" is anathema to chaos, and life is chaotic…
"You wouldn't DARE, Tendo!" Q said, as he realized that as a creature of chaos, sometimes called the "god of lies" on some worlds, he is particularly susceptible to the equation.
"I would, where my sister is concerned. You may be safe from the equation's use in your own realm, Q, but I doubt you want to remain in hiding…from ME."
Q sighs.
"Fine, just GO. But remember this: I will be waiting."
FLASH!
Amanda found herself back home on Earth.
"Why are we here?" asked Amanda, as she realized that she was at the Tendo Compound.
"I figure that you could visit Kasumi and kids before going back to DS9," Nabiki replied. "After all, we ARE family."
Amanda nods approvingly.
"You know, you seem so…"
"Congenial?"
"I was about to say 'less cold-hearted', but that works."
"Gee, thanks," Nabiki said sarcastically.
Amanda merely giggles.
Next time: "Cast of Characters: Ryouga, Act One".
