"Sorry, Elle, no PE today, we're on yellow alert," Giotto said tersely, as she entered the Security department. "The colony on Triacus sent out a distress call, and we don't know what we're going to find."
"Copy that," Elle said, skedaddling with alacrity back out the door. She filled her hour by playing Virtual Reality shadowboxing on the Rec Deck. She worked up a healthy sweat, showered, had lunch, and went to her next class.
"Sorry, Elle, I'm taking the Nav shift as we make planetfall," Chekov said. "But you can study with Ensign Singh today, okay?"
"Okay."
Ensign Singh helped her work through the problems and taught her how to solve a Rubik's Cube in five minutes.
Elle took the Rubik's cube with her to Engineering, and encountered Scotty coming out of his domain. He didn't look happy. "What's wrong?" Elle asked.
Scotty sighed. "The security team found only five survivors on Triacus. All children. I'm mindin' the store till the captain's done burying the poor bairns' parents."
Elle stopped fidgeting with the Rubik's cube, her stomach going twisted and heavy. "All the adults?" she asked. "They killed themselves?"
Scotty's eyes narrowed. "How'd you know that? Is this an episode?"
Elle swallowed hard. "I think so."
Scotty frowned. "I think ye need to inform the captain. Come along, lass."
"Captain's in the middle of the memorial," Uhura told them when they went up. "You have to wait."
Elle chewed on her lip anxiously. Did they have time to wait?
"It's gonna be okay, baby," Uhura said, giving Elle a comforting hug.
Elle sighed. "Yeah."
Five eternal minutes later, Uhura was able to comm the captain.
"What is it, lieutenant?" he asked. He sounded incredibly stressed. The sound of giggling children filtered through the comm and he sighed. "We're kind of in the middle of something here."
Elle leaned forward into the mic pickup. "This is an episode, captain."
He sighed again. "What can you give me over comm?"
"Those kids are being influenced by an energy being that feeds off of chaos and fear," Elle said. "The adults were all driven crazy and killed themselves to stop the being from getting a ship. I think that thing made them bring the Enterprise here so it could go other places."
"How does it get onboard the Enterprise?" Kirk asked sharply.
Elle grimaced. "Uhhh, the kids summon it with a weird chant."
"What?"
"I don't know, this episode was weird and they're all possessed."
"What?"
Elle winced as the sound of kids laughing came through the channel. "Can't you hear them? They don't even realize everyone's dead."
Kirk sighed. "Understood. How did your episodes resolve this?"
"Um, you accepted your greatest fear and dealt with it, and got the kids to realize the evil alien was actually evil." Elle tapped the Rubik's cube against her forehead. "I don't actually know how that works, because I only watched this episode once, because creepy kids are creepy."
"True," Scotty said, unhelpfully.
"Fine. We'll try and figure something out here, on the surface. Kirk out."
Elle and Uhura shared a glance. "Is it just me or are there quite a few energy beings floating around?" Uhura asked.
"We are in a sixteen billion-year-old universe," Elle said. "There's a lot of old people out there. Old-people civilizations, I mean."
Scotty snorted. "Aye, and if less o' them liked tormentin' people, we'd all rest a mite easier," he said. "We'll not cancel the yellow alert until this is all dealt with."
"I'll get out of your hair," Elle said. She went to her quarters and hugged Simba for a while, silently hoping that the captain would be able to stop the Triacus-being from following the kids to the ship.
-/\-
"All hands, this is the captain."
Elle lifted her head from her book, every nerve on tenterhooks.
"We have returned from the colony with the five survivors," Kirk said. "Unfortunately, they are also being influenced by-"
Elle groaned. "Noooooooooo, whhyyyyyyyy." She fell face-forward into the pillow. "Whyyyyy."
"-an energy being of unknown origin, who makes a person's greatest fear rise to the surface. For many of us, that will be the safety of the ship and crew. I ask all of you to keep a calm mind, and remember that we have the greatest ship and the greatest crew in the Fleet. If you find yourself becoming overcome by fear or anxiety, report to Medical immediately. Hopefully, the problem can be dealt with sooner rather than later. Thank you all."
Elle groaned again.
The comm whistled. "Elle, report to Medical."
"No," she told the comm, but she got up and hit the button. "On my way."
She got to medical and was greeted by Kirk, Bones, Chapel, two security guards, and the five children from Triacus. "Hello," she said uncertainly, giving them a wave.
"Hello!" the little girl, Mary, chirped enthusiastically. "Play with us?"
Elle turned mutely to the captain.
"Give us just a minute to talk to Elle and she can play with you," Kirk agreed, and grabbed Bones and Elle by the elbows. "'Scuse us." He dragged them to McCoy's office.
"What are they doing here?" Elle hissed, as soon as the door closed. "I thought you were going to break through to them on the surface!"
"We tried," Kirk said, lifting his hands in a gesture of defeat. "Whatever alien's got them under the influence, it's too strong on the planet."
"And, I don't want to cause an actual psychiatric breakdown when they finally realize the truth," McCoy said. "Keeping 'em on the planet is inhumane."
Elle sighed. "Okay, yeah, that's a good point. What do you need me to do? I don't remember anything else."
Kirk gave her a Look. "Well," he started.
Elle knew exactly what he was going to say. "Nooooooooo," Elle said, stepping backwards and waving frantically, "No, no, please don't say designated babysitter," she begged. "I'm really bad with kids and they're being mind-controlled, and my greatest fear is losing this universe and I don't wanna go through that again-" whoops. That wasn't supposed to come out. She clapped a hand over her mouth.
The two men exchanged a glance. "But you're already aware of that," Kirk said gently. "And because you'll seem to be on their side, we're hoping they won't try and influence you. We need you to try and reason with them from the viewpoint of a fellow child, try and get them to see what's actually going on."
"You don't need me," Elle protested weakly. "In the episode, you and Chapel handled it."
"But we're grown-ups," Kirk said. "Elle, you know I wouldn't ask this of you if we had another option, but-"
"But I'm the only kid on the Enterprise," she finished with a sigh.
"You don't have to do this," McCoy said. "You know your own mind, and you know your own mental capabilities, so if you know you can't do it, that's it."
Elle chewed on her lip, trying not to let her own fear of being afraid cloud her judgement. "I can do it," she said finally. "I don't think I'm a very good actor but I think I can do it. But if I get nightmares after this, you gotta override my hot chocolate limits."
McCoy gave her a hug. "Deal."
"You won't be alone with them at any point," Kirk said, putting an arm around her shoulders. "Nurse Chapel and Security officers Mai and Trewitt will be with you at all times, and I'll be there as much as possible. We're not letting the children off of decks five and six, and we are definitely not letting them out of our sight. I've put Spock in auxiliary control in case they do get through to the bridge crew somehow."
"Sounds like a plan," Elle said reluctantly.
"Ready?" Kirk asked.
Elle took a deep breath and released it slowly, imagining that all her fear regarding the Triacus-being was being exhaled with her breath. "Ready," she said, feeling more stable.
They went back out to the main ward. "Who's hungry?" Chapel asked, as they came up to the group of children.
"Me!" they all chorused.
"All right, let's go to the mess hall and get something to eat," Chapel said. "Elle, are you coming with us?"
Elle nodded. "Uh-huh."
Kirk gave her a reassuring smile and let her go.
"Everyone, this is Elle, she lives on the ship with us," Chapel said. "Elle, this is Tommy, Mary, Steve, Ray, and Don."
"Hi," Elle said, passably cheerful.
Mary took Elle's hand. "Come on!"
The kids chattered and giggled amongst themselves as Elle and Chapel led the way to the mess hall. "What do we want to eat?" Chapel asked.
"Grilled cheese," Don said.
"With milkshakes!" Ray chimed in.
"If you have juice with your meals, you can have ice cream later as a snack," Chapel compromised.
"Okay!"
Elle got her own meal and sat next to Chapel, across from the kids. They stared at her as she ate her burrito. "What?" she asked.
"How come you live on the ship?" Tommy asked.
"My parents are really far away and the Enterprise agreed to take care of me," Elle said, glossing over any potential traumas.
"You're lucky," Tommy said. "Our parents decided to take us with them to that crappy ol' planet."
Elle gaped at him and covered it by stuffing the burrito in her mouth. "You didn't like Triacus?" she said, after a second.
"No."
"That yucky old planet," Mary agreed, wrinkling her nose.
"They were busy, all the time," Don added. "We're glad our parents aren't here, aren't you?"
"I miss my parents a lot," Elle said. "I wish they were here."
"You shouldn't. They'd just mess everything up."
Elle glanced at Chapel for help.
"Well," Chapel said, "who wants ice cream?"
That distracted them well enough for about twenty minutes. "What are we goin to do now?" Stevie asked.
"Now, we're going to go check out your new quarters," Chapel said. "Elle, would you like to come?"
"You have to come," Don said, grabbing Elle's hand.
"Uh, okay." Elle took the dishes to the recycling slot and took a deep breath. This was unnerving. She pulled herself together and went back to the group of kids.
The guest quarters were half a deck away from Elle's own quarters. Hopefully that was far enough away. Elle showed the kids how to use the sonic showers, and helped them make a blanket fort out of the pillows and sheets from the three beds. Chapel and the security officers supervised from the living room.
"Okay," Elle said, faking a yawn, "it's been a big day, and we all had busy days, so I'm going to go to bed-"
"You should stay and have a sleepover!" Mary chirped, and the other kids cheered.
Elle silently groaned. "Well, you see," she started slowly.
"Please?" Mary begged, grabbing Elle's hands.
"Please?" chorused the boys.
Elle glanced over at Chapel.
Chapel raised an eyebrow Spock-style. It's your call, that look said.
The Enterprise and the galaxy. Elle was doing this for the Enterprise and the galaxy. "Sure," Elle said, giving them a weak smile.
"Yay!"
Chapel replicated sonic toothbrushes for everybody and helped them get pajamas, and then said goodnight. The two security officers would be posted outside the doors to let the kids sleep.
Elle sat on the edge of the bed and watched the kids jump on the beds after they brushed their teeth. After a few minutes, they settled down and gathered in a circle.
"Come play with us," Tommy invited.
"What are you playing?" Elle asked.
In response they started their creepy little chant.
Elle shivered as something happened, and a green glowing humanoid appeared in the room. "Oh, I do not like this," she whispered to herself.
"You have done very well, my friends. You have done what must be done. You have come aboard the Enterprise. Now our destination is a Federation settlement. Captain Kirk will undoubtedly choose a closer station. Do not let that deter you. Marcos Twelve has millions of people on it. Nearly a million will join us as our friends. The rest will be our enemies. Together with our other friends who will join us, we will defeat our enemies as we defeated them on Triacus. A million friends on Marcos will make us invincible. No one will tell us where to go, when to sleep, where to eat. The universe will be mine to command, yours to play in. To accomplish this great mission, we must first control the Enterprise. To control the ship, we first must control the crew. You know how to do that. That is your next task."
"We have made a friend already," Tommy said, and pointed at Elle.
The green being turned to look at Elle. "Another friend to join us," he said, sounding as pleased as an energy being composed of negative emotions could sound. "Are you tired of your parents always telling you what to do?"
It sounded like the start of an infomercial. Elle wanted to laugh so badly but she replied, "No?"
The being looked surprised.
"I lost my parents," Elle added, before the being could get any ideas.
The being looked sympathetic. "You don't need them. No one will tell us where to go, when to sleep, where to eat. The universe will be mine to command, yours to play in."
Elle wanted to ask it if it knew about things like puberty and critical thinking development in the brain. "Sounds fun," she said.
"To accomplish this great mission, we must first control the Enterprise. To control the ship, we first must control the crew. Your new friends know how to do that. They will teach you, and together you will control the Enterprise. That is your next task."
Elle bit her lip and decided to go for it. "What does god need with a starship?" she asked. "If you can command the universe, why don't you just go?"
He glowed brighter and an almost physical wave of anger rolled through the small room. "I cannot leave my faithful followers behind," he said, gesturing to the kids. He looked at Tommy and the others. "Remember your next task. And as you believe, so shall you do, so shall you do. As you believe, so shall you do, so shall you do. As you believe, so shall you do, so shall you do..." he faded away.
Elle shivered again.
"You heard the Gorgon," Tommy said. "We need to control the Enterprise."
"How?" Elle asked.
"First we ask nice. We'll ask tomorrow, but I'm sleepy now. Let's go to bed, guys."
They doubled up, and Mary curled up next to Elle in the bed closest to the door. Elle lay on her back and contemplated the softly glowing ceiling. This is going to be the worst, she decided silently, and in spite of her own whining, managed to fall asleep.