Wild Card Entry

By Deona Lindholm

South Carolina

It was mid afternoon when a yellow bus arrived in front of a home and opened the doors. One young woman got off of it, lunchbox and purse in tow and went towards the house. On the way she checked the mailbox, as she always did.

In the mailbox was the usual mail: bills, magazines, a newsletter from EpilepsyAdvocates, another one from PROParents (the disability advocacy group, not the one involving pregnancy), the newest game from GameFly...

Wha--? What's this thing? She thought and looked closely at the writing. It's addressed to me.

The woman opened the envelope. Inside was a letter and and a little pin. The letter had only two lines written on it.

Miss Lindholm, your presence is required for a matter regarding the literary arts and your writing work thus far. Expect a call soon.

She picked up the pin and looked at the design. "Cute," she commented as she felt the design, "It looks just like a Star Trek comb--"

That was when she was frozen in place, saw sparkles in front of her eyes, then blackness.

00000

"Well? How did it go?"

"Worked like a charm. She's in the hallway now, waiting for court to resume."

"Good. This plan--"

"It'll work. The newest ones always turn out to be weak links. We get a success from her and this case'll be blown wide open. The writers won't have a chance."

"It had better work. Setting that up wasn't easy."

Court, New York

Harry groaned as he entered the courtroom. The Fanfic trial was still going on and it was now in its fourth day. Everything that he could try to think of had happened, including one of the authors pulling a disappearing act and taking one of the prosecutors, Riker, with her, another who had let loose a horde of bunnies into the courtroom and caused mayhem and yet another one had tore apart all of said prosecutor's arguments until he looked like a blithering idiot.

Harry shook his head at the memory of that. He had little doubt that Jordre would be cleared.

"All right, let's get this circus act on its way again," Stone said, "Prosecutor, call your next witness."

Even Fielding had to say the name of the next person a bit slowly, "Prosecution calls Deona Lindholm to the stand." He then grumbled, "Swedes."

Swedish...don't tell me she's one of those illegal immigrants, Stone thought with an inward groan.

For a moment, the young woman, Deona, widened her hazel eyes as she heard her name being called. What in the--? Don't tell me I got shanghaied into here, she thought, then sighed. Figures. Well, let's see what they're gonna try to pull. Good thing I read the HH section regularly.

Before she could be called to again, she quickly got up and started walking to the stand. For someone as short as she was, big-boned structure and all, she took her place rather quickly.

Hogan took a look at her and said, "Look at that. Doesn't she seem more like a German?"

Newkirk replied, "Right-o. She could pass for a Kraut in a flash."

One of the court officials brought the book and had her put her hand on it. "Do you hereby swear to tell the truth, the whole truth and nothing but the truth, so help you God?"

"I affirm," she answered immediately. To the surprise of Stone and Fielding, she spoke with a decided lack of accent.

The official looked at her for a moment, thinking, Doesn't believe in swearing, apparently. Why is it we get that sort here?

Dan's eyes widened for a moment and he said, "She's not Swedish."

Deona turned to him and replied, "Of course I'm not Swedish. I'm as American as the judge. Sheeze, marry a Swedish guy and everyone jumps to conclusions..."

Stone quickly said, "Let's get back on track here."

"Of course, Your Honor," was the reply.

Fielding stood and ordered, "Give your real name, for the record."

"Deona Lindholm."

"I said your real name, not your pen name."

"It is my real name. Deona Marie Lindholm. I'm not the only writer that uses her name as the pen name."

Other writers made sounds of agreement to that.

"Miss Lindholm, how long have you been writing fanfiction?"

"Just barely over 10 years."

"And how long ago did you start writing for Hogan's Heroes?"

"One month."

"And how many fanfics have you written for it?"

"Just one, called Light From Darkness."

"I see. Which of these people is the focus on this fanfic?"

"Colonel Wilhelm Klink."

That made Klink pay closer attention to this woman's testimony. About me?

Hogan spoke up, "You've got to be kiddin' me. She decided to write about Klink?"

"Well she could have done much worse, Hogan. Obviously she has very good taste," the Kommandant replied, smiling and preening.

"They decided to rope in the new talent?" could be heard from the gallery, "Talk about low."

Stone banged the gavel. "Order in the court!"

Almost without thinking, Deona answered, "I'll take a triple Whopper, extra cheese, hold the tomato and onion. Oh, make that a King sized meal with a Coke Zero."

That made all the writers laugh. Bull said, "Now I'm getting hungry. I'll have a nice, meatless salad--"

Again, Stone banged the gavel, "Case first, food second, if you don't mind. Prosecutor, your witness."

"Miss Lindholm," Fielding continued, "Is it true that Klink's life ends by the story's conclusion?"

"Yes. However--"

He tried to interrupt her by saying, "So we--"

She cut right in with, "However, it is also true that when it happened, it was of natural causes. Specifically, old age, and not by torture, murder or execution, so don't even try that angle."

He blinked for a moment and asked, "You're already familiar with this case?"

"Yes, I am. I have my ways of reading about stuff like this regularly."

"She's seen every word we've said?" one writer asked, "and everything that's been done?"

"Sure looks like it. Wonder how she did it?"

Klink looked relieved to hear that his death would be from old age. Thank Gott for that.

Stone sighed and started to pick the gavel up again. This time, though, the room went quiet without him going through with the motion.

Dan continued, "Now, is it true that there was a deity present when Klink dies in the story?"

"If you want to call her a deity, then yes."

Riker, who was listening in, raised an eyebrow at that.

"And who was this deity mentioned?"

"Millennia, Governess of Time. Known to Germans as Der Zeit-Shultz and to the French as--"

LeBeau spoke up, surprised, "Madame de garder le temps."

"Yes, that's correct."

That made Riker groan and rub at the bridge of his nose, suddenly getting a headache. "Damn. Even here, the Chronosa, or Guardians, have a hand in things."

"Referring back to the topic of your fanfiction. If you say that you did not inflict torture, murder or execution, why is it that Klink is put through a large amount of grief and humiliation?"

She narrowed her eyes and replied, "Now hold it right there, buster. Yeah, the story's mine, but if you're trying to pin that as being my doings, you're barking up the wrong tree. Light from Darkness is my story, but it's also a companion fic to In Name Only, written by another writer. Some of the material in my fic was already covered in it. I just went into more detail."

"Oh? How about some proof? Who was it if it's not you?"

"Objection! Counsel is badgering the witness!"

"Sustained," Stone replied.

"I'll answer it," Deona said, "It was Bryan Hutchins."

"Miss Lindholm, you have a second story in the works, called Circles of Chance, is that correct?"

"Yes. By the way, Mr. Fielding, we haven't had any police officers at my home, and I had not been writing for the fandom when the accounts of the writers were stolen, so that would leave one other option as to how your side gained that information about the second story. Didn't anyone tell you that hacking is illegal? And where was the search warrant during all of this? Also, I'd like to know just how a working Starfleet combadge, triggered to transport upon touch, was placed in my mailbox along with an ambiguous letter."

Dan's mouth opened and closed continuously at this, while Riker's eyes narrowed at her in a dangerous way.

Stone looked at the prosecutor and said, "We're going to have a little talk at the next recess, Fielding."

"Yes, Your Honor," he said and gave her a venomous look.

"You too, Commander Riker."

"Aye, sir."

The writers snickered at both prosecutors apparently being put in the doghouse.

"For now, though, let's get on with this."

"Miss Lindholm, according to several reviews, it is claimed that you know the people that you write about very well, as well as you know yourself. Mind informing the court about this?"

"All I will say about it is that I have abilities of my own, and they involve looking at all aspects to the people, all the different sides to them. Then I put them all together to form the true personalities, or personas as I call them, and write from that. Any more detailed than that and I do believe Mr. Fielding will make the comment about being cuckoo."

There was quite an uproar of laughter from the writers and other members of the audience.

"Cor blimey," Newkirk said, "She's dangerous, that bird is."

"Tell me about it," Kinch agreed.

"So with this 'method' of yours, would you say that it is part of their true personas to endure torture or mental/emotional abuse inflicted by you and your fellow writers?"

"Objection! Counsel has not proven that Miss Lindholm inflicted abuse of any sort! I request that it be stricken from the record."

"Sustained. Janet, strike the statement from the record. Fielding, one more time and I will find you in contempt of court!"

"Yes, Your Honor. No further questions." This is not my day.

The defense attorney stood and asked, "Miss Lindholm, in all your writing in 10 years, have you ever gone off character in your stories?"

"No, I haven't."

"So are you saying you wouldn't do anything like put the Germans or Hogan and his men through anything, including situations, that they haven't already been through?"

"That's correct."

"What was the reason for you writing Light From Darkness in the first place?"

"After I read In Name Only, I found myself thinking, over and over, 'That's just not right!' After what Klink had to endure in order to keep himself and his brother alive, if he was going to have to live out the rest of his life, ostracized and seen as a total outcast, it was only fitting that he receive mercy at the end."

Klink stared at her for a moment, then said, "I have got to read both her story and this In Name Only."

He nodded and said, "No further questions."

"Miss Lindholm, you may step down now."

"Thank you, Your Honor."

"Court is adjourned for one hour for lunch," Stone announced, "Mr. Fielding, Commander Riker...my chambers. Now," then banged the gavel.

Deona stepped down and walked around, wondering if she could find one of the writers that could give her a ride to the closest Burger King.

If I'm gonna be stuck in here, I may as well chow down, my way.

* * * * * *

Notes: Yes, this is my real personality, and the appearance is my real one, with short blonde hair. Yes, I'm also part German. I have watched not only ST:TNG, but also Night Court regularly when I was growing up. It may become apparent, but the reason why I chose "Wild Card Entry" is because while the prosecution team did decide to involve me, regardless of being very new talent, they had no idea that it'd backfire. Oh, and why do I ride a yellow bus to and from work? I work in a sheltered workshop RL.