Chapter 50
USS Enterprise
Main Shuttle Bay
Riker shouted into the nearest comlink in the shuttle bay. "Ensign McKnight, I need you to get a lock on Captain Picard-"
"Sir, the computer is reading Captain Picard as being on board. He came in on the shuttle."
"No, no, that wasn't him! Now, scan the Terran ship again, and try and get a lock on him!"
There was a long pause and the sound of anxious voices on the bridge. McKnight's voice was filled with restrained frustration. "Sir, the Terran ship just left the sector traveling at approximately warp 8."
Riker slammed his hand into the wall, picturing the smug smile on the Terran Admiral Crusher's face. "Damn it! Geordi, what's the status on that starboard nacelle repair?"
"Warp power is back online...I can get you warp 6 tops...in addition I'm trying to resolve a situation with the ship's computer."
Great. "A situation? What do you mean?"
"The computer isn't responding to normal commands on a consistent basis. For lack of a better way to explain it, we've got some kind of virus."
"Could it be at all related to our encounter with the Borg?"
"Possibly, sir."
Will clenched his fist tightly, and turned his head to look at Beverly Crusher, who was crouching on the deck with a nurse, earnestly working to stabilize Worf. His security forces were currently in pursuit of Captain Picard and Tasha Yar's Terran counterparts, who were for unknown reasons launching a two man invasion of this ship. He would never forget the look of delight on the face of Picard's counterpart when he shot Worf point blank with a Terran disruptor.
Beverly didn't look up at him, but the grave concentration on her face was enough to focus his attention.
"Geordi, I need you to focus everything you have on getting maximum warp back, virus or no." He glanced over at Beverly again and lowered his voice. "It's the only way we're going to be able to catch them."
"I'm on it, Commander."
Riker had turned to see that Beverly was now on her feet and speaking into her communicator. "Dr. Selar, Lieutenant Worf was shot in the chest at close range by a very powerful disruptor sidearm. Thankfully, it was on some kind of heavy stun setting, and he's been stabilized. I'm transmitting his coordinates to you now."
"Understood, Doctor."
"Selar..."
"Yes, Doctor?"
"Jeanette is still with Carmen in sickbay, right?"
"Yes, doctor. She is safe."
Will watched as Beverly brought a trembling hand to her chin briefly then nodded. "Thank you, Crusher out."
If he expected her to look for solace, he was mistaken. As Worf and the medic disappeared in a transporter beam, she advanced on him, angrily waving her tricorder. "What kind of animal does that? Who is this person?"
Riker paused and watched her carefully. "Beverly, we're in the Terran's universe," he reminded her gently. "He's Jean-Luc Picard. From this universe."
She shook her head vehemently. "No. I refuse to accept that. He is nothing like Captain Picard." She raised her index finger as though prepared to start lecturing him, but instead she began to walk away. "I need to find Wesley."
He put a hand on her shoulder and she stopped, looking up at him with tense features. "Wes should be fine," he reassured her. "I had the officers' quarters on deck 10 evacuated."
She shook her head in confusion. "Why?"
"If I had to bet, I'd guess our intruder is going to try and make his way to the Captain's quarters. The way he just sauntered in here like he owned the place...well I have a feeling he's going to try and set up camp. Once he's in there, we'll try and shut him down and keep him contained. At least we have the numbers on our side..."
"Yes. But what the hell does he want?"
Riker scratched the side of his beard worriedly. "We'll see."
Corridor 10C
When Picard and Yar rounded the corner on deck 10, the security personnel were not far behind.
"Sir," Yar said, checking the tricorder. "The captain's quarters are this way. We're almost there!"
Picard threw one of the discs from the android's stolen bag in the middle of the corridor, as the group of officers caught up. The charge went off, blasting the lead man back into the others. Picard noted with dismay that the charge had done little but stun them all leaving them in a smoking heap on the deck.
"The weapons these humans use are useless...nearly," he complained before turning back to resume his jog alongside his security chief.
Yar nodded, but was studying the tricorder. "This area's pretty desolate. Looks like they evacuated before we got here."
"This Riker is clever," said the captain. "And he is attempting to read my next move. Oh, I love a good game." He slowed and tapped at his temple smiling devilishly. "But we shall see, Natasha...who is smarter."
"You are sir," Yar said without hesitation, tapping the still unfamiliar instrument in her palm. Down at the far end of the hallway, they observed a slender figure kneeling outside a door.
"That's it," said Tasha, pointing the way. "Those are the captain's quarters. But who's that?"
Picard smiled, and trained his weapon on the crouching figure. As they approached, the person seemed to be fiddling with some kind of contraption, before jumping up to run in the opposite direction. Without comment, Yar raced after the stranger, tackling him to the deck within a few seconds. Meanwhile, Picard sauntered closer to the door to his counterpart's quarters. There was a device of some kind sitting there.
Yar got to her feet, pulling the person she had just jumped up with her by the collar. She grinned. "Look who it is, sir..."
Picard approached with a thoughtful expression, folding his arms over his chest. "Young Wesley Crusher...how fortuitous! For me, not you, of course..."
The young man looked fearfully from Yar to the Captain and back again, and swung his arms wildly, in an attempt to pull free.
Picard nodded at Yar, who let the boy go, turning her disruptor his way.
Wesley back up against the wall, wide-eyed and clearly trying to think himself a way out of this.
"Now, lad, do tell," prompted Picard. "Were you trying to lay out a booby trap for us?"
Wesley stammered. "Uh...uh-"
Yar knelt down. "It's not an explosive device...looks like he was trying to set up a homemade force field, sir."
Picard laughed heartily. "Trying to keep us out, lad? That's the spirit!" His smile exited abruptly, as he scratched his beard pensively. "I give him high marks for effort, but what would you say about his execution, Natasha?"
"Fail," she said seriously, before firing her weapon and incinerating the small generator.
Picard nodded, and grabbed Wesley by the shoulder, guiding him toward the door. He tapped at the security panel.
Voice print Identification, said the computer.
"Jean-Luc Picard," said the captain easily. The doors swished open, and he pushed Wesley inside ahead of him.
Picard marched inside confidently, waving at Yar. "Sit him down in the center of the room. He's my bargaining chip."
Wesley gritted his teeth as Yar shoved him again, not too gently. He sat down cross-legged on the floor, not taking his eyes off the man who looked so eerily like Captain Picard, and yet was not. He'd heard the order to evacuate, that two intruders from the Terran ship were on the loose, and he somehow knew who it had to be. It was his fault that the captain-the real captain had been kidnapped, and he didn't intend to let the Terrans steal vital information or belongings from the captain's cabin. So he'd stayed behind, hoping that an old classroom experiment could be quickly modified to serve as a barrier to the captain's quarters. But he hadn't been fast enough. And once again, he'd blown it. All of a sudden his anger spilled over. "I don't know what you plan to do, but you won't get away with it," he shouted.
Picard had moved to a control panel and was typing quickly. "If he speaks again, stun him. I don't need the distraction."
"Aye sir," Yar said leaning over Wesley. "Go ahead and test me, kid," she whispered in his ear. "I've nearly died a dozen times in 24 hours and I haven't had a proper meal in three days. The slightest thing is going to set me off."
"Shh!" said Picard, still typing. "Computer, access all propulsion and weapons controls."
"Security code required."
He thought of the most obvious code possible. "Picard Alpha 1."
Palm print identification required, said the computer.
"Fine, fine," Picard grumbled, putting his hand against the panel.
The panel chattered. Access denied.
He placed his palm on the panel again, but the same thing occurred. Damn it. "Computer, show all access override codes available, Captain's eyes only."
Access denied. Captain Picard has been reported missing in action. All command codes are now accessible only to Commander William T. Riker and Lieutenant Commander Geordi LaForge.
Picard raised his disruptor and slammed it onto the panel with a crash. The panel sputtered, and sparked. He stood there for a moment, collecting his thoughts, and calming his fury. The mere mention of LaForge still sent him into a rage. He blinked. He had to stay calm. Riker meant to trap him, get him off of his game. "Natasha, try the door. If I'm right, we're locked in." But not for long.
He didn't turn around, but heard her swift footsteps cross the floor, then a characteristic curse. "We're locked in sir. Should I shoot the door?"
These humans were different. They weren't treacherous backstabbing traitors like his Terran colleagues, which meant they could be subjugated and bent to his will.
He rubbed the back of his neck where the Borg implant was stinging him again. It was then that he decided to try his back-up plan. Of course, he might as well go all the way. It was risky, but his risky moves had all paid off for him in the past, hadn't they?
"Prove to me you should have been an engineer, Natasha...find me an access cable. There should be one behind that panel over there."
She raised her disruptor, but he shouted at her. "No! Really, Tasha, you must learn to curb your instinct to shoot everything. We're among gentle people now...right Mr. Crusher?"
Wesley tightened his jaw and did his best to stare the man down. However, this seemed only to prompt amusement in Picard's Terran twin.
Yar had removed the access panel, and was pulling out wires. Finally, the lights flickered as she yanked one end of a larger cable from the wall. "Found one, Captain," she breathed, turning to him questioningly. Finally it dawned on her what he intended on doing. "Sir...it's too risky."
"The biggest risks bring even bigger rewards, Tasha," he said, stepping closer. Grabbing the free end of the cable, he turned with his back to the wall and closed his eyes tightly, before plunging the wire into the back of his neck. The searing pain was overwhelming, and he thought he smelled the skin on the back of his neck searing before he slumped back into the wall and blacked out.
Elsewhere on the bridge...
Warning, life support systems compromised.
"Code blue," Riker shouted, getting to his feet. "LaForge, report, is this the computer virus?"
"All systems are offline! Commander, someone has just tapped into our main computer system," replied LaForge. "And whoever he is, he's not letting go."
"It's the Terrans, Geordi, get control back. Now!"
