Chapter VII
Captain's Log: Stardate 51347.1 – We have – (laughter) – Computer, delete last entry.
Captain's Log: Stardate 51349.3 – We have arrived at Starbase 629 and removed Admiral Nechayev to Admiral T'Valla's command. I must admit a slight trace of – No, not a hangover! Computer, delete last entry.
Captain's Log: Stardate 51351.9 – I have relocated to my quarters at last. We have arrived at Starbase 629 and removed Admiral Nechayev to Admiral T'Valla's command. Our security team has escorted the prisoner, and we shall retrieve them when we return from Earth. On a personal note, I have been given permission from Starfleet Command to return to Earth a month ahead of schedule to plan my upcoming wedding. Note for file: don't try to record a log entry while in bed with Rosanna.
The Enterprise orbited Earth, in the grip of the jaws of the McKinley Repair Station. On the surface, Riker had gone to visit his relatives in Alaska, whilst Beverly had gone with Deanna to visit Deanna's human relatives. Picard and Thames were introducing each other to their families, and Data had gone with Geordi to stay with Geordi's parents.
They knew the location of the wedding, however, to be held in LaBarre, France, on 4 April.
Federation press were to be allowed limited access to the event, which was hailed as one of the events of the year. In a time of cold war and tension, it did people good to know that life somewhere was going on as normal.
Captain Ben Sisko glanced up as the viewer bleeped. 'Sisko here.'
Jadzia Dax's face appeared on the screen. 'Captain, we've got a call coming from Captain Picard from Earth.'
Sisko raised an eyebrow. 'What's he doing on Earth?'
Dax shrugged. 'Don't ask me. Shall I put him through?'
'Do so then.' Dax vanished, to be replaced with the Starfleet chevron. A moment later, Picard's face appeared.
'Captain,' greeted Sisko cautiously.
Picard smiled. 'Just a quick call, Ben. I know you're busy. I'm getting married in a couple of months. I'd like to invite you to the wedding.'
Sisko stared at the screen in shock. 'Married?'
Picard frowned, and then smiled, comprehending. 'I guess it's a bit of a shock. It's still surprising to me.'
Sisko nodded, his face still blankly astonished. 'Invite?'
Picard nodded. 'Yes. In five weeks in LaBarre, France. I hope you can make it.' He took Sisko's blank nod as confirmation. 'Excellent. Your son's been invited as a trainee correspondent, I understand.'
Sisko's mind returned from whatever invisible rollercoaster it had been riding. 'I would certainly like to be there, Captain,' he said at last. 'Would you like me to convey your request to Mr. Worf and Chief O'Brien?'
Picard shook his head. 'I'll do that. Thank you for the offer.'
'May I ask who the lucky lady is?'
Picard smiled mysteriously. 'You'll just have to wait to find out. Can you put me through to Mr. Worf?'
Sisko smiled, accepting the inevitable. 'By all means. And, Captain Picard?'
'Yes?'
'Congratulations.'
Picard smiled. 'Thank you. Earth out.'
Worf was sat in his quarters, going over some reports, when his comm bleeped. 'Worf here.' To his surprise, Sisko answered.
'Worf, you have an incoming call from Earth. It's Captain Picard.'
Worf brightened up, pleased at the prospect of speaking with his old mentor. 'Put him through. Did he give any indication as to why he called?'
Sisko sounded amused. 'He did indeed. You're going to love this.'
The viewer flashed, and Picard appeared on it. 'Mr. Worf!'
'Captain Picard, it is good to see you,' said the Klingon in his usual restrained way. Picard's eyes flicked down to the pile of padds.
'I hope I didn't interrupt you.'
Worf glanced at the pile, and then cast them from the desk with one broad sweep of his arm. 'Nothing that can't be paused.'
Picard visibly forced down a smile. 'I just called to let you know that I would like to invite you to my wedding.'
Worf's eyes widened. 'Married?'
'Yes. April 4, LaBarre, France. I would hope you and Jadzia could come.'
'Invite?'
Picard nodded again, possibly getting worried about Deep Space Nine's command staff's reversion to disyllabic words. 'The actual invite will come through the subspace messaging packages in due course.'
To his credit, Worf recovered from the shock quicker than Sisko had done. 'I would be delighted to be there, Captain! I'm sure Jadzia would be as pleased to go as well. Who is the lucky lady?'
'I'm not answering that question,' said Picard. 'You'll have to wait and see.'
'Will you be needing a guide on Kal'Hyah?'
Picard's eyes widened in surprised horror. 'No chance.'
Worf laughed. 'Would you like me to tell Chief O'Brien?'
Picard realised that Worf had been joking. 'No, thank you. I'll do it myself. Can you put me through?'
'The Chief is on duty at the moment. If you like I can put you through to Ops.'
'No, I think if you put me through to Keiko, that will be satisfactory.'
'Aye, sir,' said Worf with a smile. 'Congratulations.'
'Thank you. Picard out.'
Miles O'Brien walked through the door of his quarters, and dropped into a chair. 'I'm home, Keiko,' he called. His wife almost ran through and stood before him.
'We've been invited to a wedding!' she said excitedly.
Miles tried to muster a smile, but couldn't. 'Whose?'
Keiko's face was playful. 'Guess.'
'Well, Worf and Jadzia have already invited us to theirs, and Julian's not getting married. Neither is Captain Sisko, or Kira. Nog and Leeta have only just got together and Quark's happily single.' He looked up. 'It's not Odo, is it?'
'You're weird,' said Keiko. 'Think the Enterprise.'
'Commander Riker?'
'No.'
'Counsellor Troi?'
'You know who it is. You're just trying to annoy me.'
O'Brien paused, slightly shocked by the enormity of the suggestion. 'Not Captain Picard?'
Keiko smiled. 'It's wonderful news! We've been invited. Captain Sisko, Worf and Jadzia are all going.'
O'Brien's eyes widened. 'Married?'
'Yes!'
'Invite?'
'Yes!'
'Bloody hell!'
'I've just got an invitation to Rosanna's wedding!' said Leanne Sturgess as she burst into Regitz's quarters on Starbase 629, joy written across her face.
Regitz coughed into his glass, spraying water across the room. Sturgess watched him unsympathetically as he spluttered and snorted. 'What the hell are you doing?' said Regitz eventually, his uniform stained.
'Telling you,' said Sturgess, thrusting a small gold-edged envelope under his nose, 'that I've been invited to Rosanna's wedding!'
'Yeah? So have I?' Regitz waved a hand at a similar envelope on the table next to him.
'That's great. We can go together –'
'I'm not going.' Regitz's tone was flat and final. Sturgess gazed at him, concerned.
'Why not?'
'I've got a job to do. I can't just go swanning off to some flash wedding back on Earth. I've got –'
'A prisoner, secure in the brig. Nothing to do except stand around, controlling your bladder all day.' Regitz stared at her for a moment, and Sturgess finally saw the pain and anger that was in his eyes.
'Michael,' she said softly, 'what's wrong?'
Regitz turned away. 'Nothing.'
Sturgess sat down beside him and put an arm around him. 'Come on. I've known you too long. What's bothering you?'
Regitz laughed slightly , his tone bitter, and glanced at her. Sturgess was amazed to see tears in his eyes. 'You wouldn't understand.'
'Try me,' said Sturgess.
'I was reading this old history book the other day,' said Regitz. 'It said that in the twentieth century, men and women weren't able to form friendships because of sexual tensions. Each side always thought that the other was going to take advantage of the situation.'
'Go on,' encouraged Sturgess, not really understanding what Regitz was telling her, but glad that he was finally talking about it.
'Well, it's still the same in the twenty-fourth century,' said Regitz. 'I've been a friend to you and Rosanna ever since the Academy. We were assigned to the same ship and I was really comfortable with being friends with you both. Then I found out that she was engaged to Captain Picard and something inside me... just gave out suddenly.'
'How do you mean?' Sturgess fought to keep her voice level.
'I just felt so angry.' Regitz leapt to his feet, and began to pace the room, anger and bitterness in his every move. The words began to spill out, almost without control. 'I went to the party, and I saw everyone there laughing, and having a good time and enjoying themselves for the captain and Rosanna and I just had to get out and it was just too much and I hate it all!' The last words, a hoarse bitter yell of fury, were accompanied by a wide sweep of the arms that crashed a small vase from the table to the floor.
Sturgess watched this all in alarm. She had not realised that Regitz had been capable of burying his feelings so deep. 'Maybe you should speak to the Counsellor –'
'The Counsellor?! How the hell is she supposed to understand me?' Regitz beat a fist against his chest. 'I have these feelings for Rosanna, and they're wrong, but I've got them anyway! Can you imagine what it's like?!' With that, he turned, and stormed from the room, leaving Sturgess watching in stunned silence.
Regitz rushed blindly through the corridors of the Starbase, pushing aside people who did not get out of his way. As he did so, his mind ran over and over, back through his words, his anger, his jealousy.
Bitter hatred ran through his mind, as he headed for a destination that he did not know.
Thus it was that he found himself in the brig.
As he stepped through the door, for the first time he seemed to realise where he was. But now it was too late. Something had told him to come here. A feeling, perhaps. Maybe a hunch.
But something.
Nechayev smiled.
She spoke to him. Or, more accurately, she did not. Instead, her mind spoke directly to his. She couldn't do this with everyone, but one of the skills she had developed was the ability to reach in and manipulate the emotions of this race.
Ever since she had realised her opportunity, she had been to him at nights, been into his mind while his defences were down, and carefully intensified the anger, the rage, the jealousy, until it became to much to bear.
Without assistance, these useful emotions would have burnt themselves out much too soon, she had realised. She had been able to act quickly. Her plan was nearly complete.
She told him that she was the last of her race, a survivor of a war that had exterminated her kind from the universe.
To her surprise, he believed her. She had not realised that Picard had not told everyone exactly what they were dealing with.
Good.
That would make it far easier for her. She reached into his mind, felt the anger and bitterness there; she knew it would be soon. He was near breaking point.
Regitz felt even angrier as he watched Nechayev, as he heard her voice in his mind. Of course, he did not know exactly what had happened to her. He had been knocked unconscious by the anesthezine gas whilst the captain had been hunting her on Galorndon Core.
'What are you?' he asked. 'Why are you speaking to me?'
Why not you?
'Why am I so important?'
Why not you?
Regitz glared at her. 'Is that all you have to say?'
No. I have a lot to say. Nechayev's mouth smiled. I do not think you will want to listen.
'I'm here. I'm listening.'
No, you are talking. There is a difference.
'Talk then.'
Why not you? Do you ask yourself that question?
'No.'
Yes, you do. It is there. At the top of your mind.
Regitz smiled slightly. 'What would I ask it about?'
That is obvious as well. The next word was hissed, sibilant, soft, sensuous. Rosanna.
Of course, the name meant nothing to the Aralla. They were all vermin. But it was bothering the human before it. It could use that.
Regitz had stiffened slightly. 'That is not your concern.'
Nechayev moved closer to the forcefield separating them. Why not?
'That's a private matter.'
If it is a private matter, why is it at the top of your mind, where all can see it?
Regitz paused. 'I don't think I should be talking to you.'
You are probably right.
Regitz, without saying a word further, turned on his heel and left. Nechayev watched him go with a predatory gaze, and then turned and sat back on the bench calmly. It had learnt the virtue of patience. It had all the time in the world.
If it had pushed too hard, too soon, Regitz would have become suspicious. However, it knew that there was a weakness there. It would give way soon.
Regitz had been one of those rendered unconscious by the anesthezine during the hunt through the corridors of the Enterprise. He had not been made aware of the peculiar mind-link between Thames and Picard. Indeed, he had not known anything about the parasite inside Nechayev's body.
All he knew was the devouring anger.
All he felt was bitterness.
All he wanted was revenge.
'This is the USS Enterprise on final docking approach.'
'Acknowledged. Welcome to Deep Space Nine, Enterprise.'
'Thank you, Ops.'
The Enterprise settled next to one of the large upper docking pylons on the station. Ensign Truper guided it in perfectly. One of the docking tubes reached out and attached itself to one of the Enterprise's docking hatches.
A moment later, Commander Riker stepped from the airlock to be greeted by Kira Nerys. 'It's good to see you, Commander,' she said warmly.
'You too, Major,' replied Riker.
She nodded, and then said, sotto voce, 'This is the first time I've seen the flagship of Starfleet relegated to passenger duty.'
'This is the first time that the captain of the aforementioned starship has been getting married, and inviting just about everyone in the quadrant as well,' replied Riker levelly.
Kira smiled. 'True. How long will you be staying?'
'Just long enough to pick up Miles, Keiko, Captain Sisko and Worf,' said Riker, glancing down the corridor. 'We've got to be at Vulcan in four days.
'Quark will be disappointed then,' said Kira wryly. 'He said that he had his Dabo tables all ready for you.'
'Tell him: next time.'
At that moment, Sisko came around the corner, carrying a small case. Behind him was Jake, his son. The captain and Riker shook hands warmly, and Sisko looked into the corridor beyond Riker. 'Special transportation,' he remarked.
'Captain Picard insisted that the Enterprise be used to ferry the off-world guests,' said Riker. 'I was only too happy to oblige. Would you like to come aboard?'
'Certainly,' said Sisko, smiling. He walked past Riker, and then stopped allowing Jake to go past. He turned to face Kira. 'Look after the station for me, Major,' he said with a grin.
Kira nodded with a smile. 'I'll try, sir.'
Sisko nodded to her, and then vanished into the Enterprise. As he did so, Miles and Keiko O'Brien came rushing around the corner as well, followed by Worf and Jadzia. They were all hurriedly greeted by Riker, and then, after they had said their goodbyes to Nerys, they all boarded the Enterprise.
As the airlock slid shut, Kira watched the huge starship detach from the station, and recede into the distance.
Riker watched as the Enterprise moved away from Deep Space Nine, and headed into deep space. He was flanked by Sisko, Worf, Jadzia Dax and Miles O'Brien. Riker turned to Sisko. 'Like the ship?'
'She's a beauty,' replied Sisko. O'Brien was still gazing around the bridge, looking amazed by what he saw, he and Dax the only two there who had not yet been onboard the Enterprise-E, in this universe or another.
'As the ranking officer,' said Riker with a grin, 'you have the authority to take the ship out, Captain Sisko.'
Sisko smiled. 'Thank you, commander.' He took the centre seat, and looked at Ensign Truper. 'Ensign, set course for Vulcan, warp eight.'
'Course plotted and laid in, Captain.'
'Engage.'
The Enterprise paused a moment, and then, gathering itself, it leapt forward into warp speed.
Sturgess turned at the airlock, and looked sadly at Michael Regitz. 'Are you sure you're not coming, Michael?' she asked one last time.
And again, as he had all the other times she had asked, Regitz shook his head. 'No, Leanne. You go and enjoy yourself.'
Sturgess nodded sadly, and then, surprising both herself and Regitz, she leaned forward and kissed him gently. 'I love you,' she whispered, and then she was gone, leaving Regitz, stunned beyond anger and distress, staring at the closing airlock.
Nechayev had seen it all. She smiled, knowing that the weakness, the flaw, had just become a gaping breach.
Regitz was hers.
That evening, Regitz was on duty. He sat at the console, reading a report, but not taking it in. Every so often, he would glance at Nechayev, who was sat quietly on the bench in her cell.
Sturgess' announcement had shocked him. All this time he had been concentrating on Rosanna Thames and in truth, Leanne Sturgess had always been waiting for him.
He felt like a fool.
A fool.
His head jerked up and he stared right at Nechayev, who was stood staring at him from behind the forcefield. 'Have you been reading my mind?'
Yes. You broadcast your thoughts. Anyone could pick them up.
Regitz stood slowly, and approached the forcefield. 'What do you want?'
A chance. Nechayev stepped closer to the forcefield. Just the chance to save my race. But also the chance to help you.
As Nechayev had known it would, this piqued his interest, although he tried hard not to show it. 'Help me? How?'
I can give you what you want. I can give you a way out.
'A way out from what?'
The problems you have. I can free you.
Regitz, battered mentally by years of indecision, and also reeling from two huge recent shocks to his mind, did not have the mental will to resist her any longer. Her persistent awakening and stimulating of his darker emotions, his anger, jealousy and bitterness, had allowed her to reshape his psychological makeup somewhat.
Although she did not directly control his mind, she knew all the correct buttons to press in order for her to be able to suggest things to him. He could not resist her any longer.
Free me.
Regitz, as if hypnotised, went around the console, and deactivated the forcefield.
Nechayev walked free.
He watched her step over the threshold and come towards him. Thank you.
'You said you could –'
Free you. You have freed me. I will free you. Nechayev stepped closer to him, and took his head in her cool grip.
Close your eyes. He did.
The creature knew how. She moved forward, and gently planted her lips on his.
As he shuddered at the touch, she gripped the back of his neck in one hand, planted her other hand on his forehead, and gently, almost lovingly, broke his neck.
The life passed out of him quickly, with barely a sound. Feeling only the pleasure of a job well-done, Nechayev slowly lowered him to the deck. Your reward.
Leaning down, she took his phaser from his holster, and set it to kill.
At that moment, another security guard walked through the door. Spotting instantly that the forcefield was down and Nechayev was free, he went for his phaser.
Coolly, Nechayev shot him, sending his body flying back into the bulkhead.
Stepping around the security console and over his dead body, Nechayev went to the weapons locker. Taking out a phaser rifle and another phaser, she wrapped a utility belt around her midriff and holstered the two smaller weapons. She hefted the rifle, and then, almost as an afterthought, set it to maximum.
She stepped out of the holding area, leaving only the two dead guards behind as proof that she had ever been there.
And outside, in the corridor, screams started. Followed by phaser fire.
The USS Agamemnon came out of warp outside Mar's defence perimeter. Making her way quickly through it, the starship entered Earth's orbit ten minutes later.
Leanne Sturgess beamed down to Starfleet Headquarters soon after, still worried about Regitz. Her worries dissipated somewhat when Rosanna met her outside of the transport centre.
The two friends walked through Headquarters quickly, and caught an air tram to the Atlantic coast. Rosanna seemed even more excited and happy with her life. Sturgess really could not blame her. She was genuinely pleased for her friend, and told her so.
'Thanks, Leanne,' said Thames, smiling. 'I really appreciate you coming here for me.'
'Least I could do,' said Sturgess. Yeah, you haven't seen the wedding present yet!
Then came the question that Sturgess had feared might come. 'Where's Michael?'
Sturgess stalled desperately. 'Michael?'
'Yes, Michael Regitz. Number One on the "Leanne Sturgess Hit List"?'
Sturgess nearly blushed. Nearly, but not quite. She glanced down at the floor of the tram. 'He decided he couldn't come.'
Thames' expression changed to that of dismay. 'Why not?'
'He was very busy,' lied Sturgess ashamedly. 'He said that he would have loved to have come, but he couldn't take time out from his duties.'
'Oh,' said Thames, her voice crestfallen. 'I understand.'
Not the half of it, thought Sturgess, ashamed. Aloud, she said, 'I think he sends his best thoughts, Rosanna.'
Thames had half-turned away. 'Yes, I think so too.'
Picard turned as the door to his small house swung open. His face split in a broad smile. 'Marie!'
His sister-in-law smiled as he reached out and embraced her. 'I've come to see how you're settling in,' she said, as they stepped away again.
'I'm not used to spending much time planetside,' admitted Picard with a smile. 'But this is going to be mine and Rosanna's home.'
Marie nodded as she stepped forward into the small anteroom, and looked about approvingly. 'Very nice. Was it a bachelor pad?'
'No,' said Picard. 'It was a place that I had built after...'
'After Robert and René died,' supplied Marie, when she realised that Picard had stopped. 'Did you never think of coming and staying with me?'
Picard shrugged, and sat down. 'I always thought it would be inappropriate.'
Marie sat opposite him, legs crossed, her green eyes studying him. 'Robert always said that you would never get married. "That Jean-Luc; always got his head in the stars when the best things are right back here." Sound familiar?'
'That sounds very much like Robert,' said Picard quietly.
Marie leant forward slightly and her voice became intense. 'I haven't seen you since the funeral, Jean-Luc.' Picard looked away. 'Robert always said that you'd be there. Where the hell were you?'
'Busy,' said Picard shortly, unable to meet her eyes.
'Too busy to come back to Earth just once in three years?'
'It was hard!' exclaimed Picard angrily. 'Robert and René were extremely close to me.'
'Yeah,' said Marie. 'They were pretty damn close to me as well.' Her voice was low and bitter, surprising even herself in its intensity.
Picard stared at her for a moment, and then bowed his head. 'I'm sorry, Marie,' he said quietly, his voice full of pain. 'I just couldn't...'
His voice trailed off, and his shoulders slumped. Marie stopped herself from going to him, knowing what Jean-Luc was going through, but also knowing that he would have to solve this on his own.
'I never fully came to terms with Robert or René dying,' said Picard at last, still not looking at her. 'Especially not René. He was like a son to me. I could not face the prospect of coming back here and facing that.' He raised his head and Marie could see, with some astonishment, tears in his eyes. 'I would have done, of course, but there was always an excuse not to. The Borg, the Dominion –' He wiped his eyes. '- and then I met Rosanna. It was as if a great weight had been lifted from my shoulders.'
Marie forced a smile. In her sadness, she reflected, she had forgotten that others grieved for Robert and his son also. Jean-Luc had known Robert far longer than she had, and René had always been so excited to see his favourite uncle. It was not difficult to see why Jean-Luc had thought of René as his son.
Jean-Luc had fallen silent, shoulders slumped with the weight of the grief on them. Marie stood and knelt before him, trying to look into his eyes. 'Jean-Luc, I don't blame you. Hell, none of us could have been as shocked or hurt as you, Jean-Luc. I just wanted to know why...'
'And now you know,' whispered Picard.
Marie nodded slowly. 'I didn't come here to crucify you, Jean-Luc.'
'Funny. Seems that way to me,' said a voice. Marie turned to see Rosanna Thames stood in the doorway. 'What are you doing here?' Her voice was cold; she had never met Marie.
'I'm Jean-Luc's sister-in-law,' said Marie. At Thames' expression, she glanced at Picard and said, 'I'm sorry; I should leave.'
No,' said Picard, standing. Thames fixed a stare upon him, worry and concern evident in her gaze. 'It's okay,' he added. 'She's not doing anything wrong.' Picard forced a smile. 'In fact, it's probably the other way around.'
Marie and Thames both turned frowns upon him. Ignoring them, Picard turned to Marie. 'I would appreciate it if you stayed for dinner, Marie; if that's all right by you,' he hastily added, glancing at Thames.
'Well....' hedged Marie.
Thames turned her gaze onto Marie and nodded. 'I would appreciate an explanation, though,' she added.
Marie smiled gratefully. 'I would be happy to oblige.'
Now that the tension in the atmosphere had drained away, Picard looked at Thames. 'I thought you were meeting Lieutenant Sturgess,' he said, his tone questioning.
'She wanted to go and see her parents,' replied Thames. 'I decided to come back here.' She approached Picard and kissed him quickly.
'We have a meal to prepare.'
The Enterprise slid into orbit of Earth silently, majestically. From Vulcan, it had visited Betazed to pick up Ambassador Troi and then made the relatively short trip to Earth.
Stood just behind Data, Will Riker watched as the blue globe they orbited turned slowly in the viewscreen and then turned to Hedly. 'Begin preparations for shore leave for all personnel. Make sure that they all know when the wedding is.'
Hedly nodded, smiling. 'Aye, sir.'
'I'm going to beam down with the first party to go,' said Riker. 'I want to visit the captain.'
'I think I'll go with you,' said Troi. 'I want to see if his mind's cleared up any further.'
'Purely for that reason?' asked Riker in mock incredulity.
'Absolutely,' said Troi defensively.
Riker favoured her with a sceptical look for a moment longer and then nodded. 'I'll see if Beverly wants to come as well –'
Troi cut him off. 'That's probably not a good idea, Will.'
Riker nodded slowly, not comprehending – and unwilling to get involved. 'Very well,' he said, making sure that his tone included a "Tell Me Later" cadence. Deanna picked it up, as she nodded slightly.
'We'll see you later,' said Riker to Data as he and the Counsellor headed for the turbolift. 'You have the bridge.'
The comm-unit buzzed. Picard answered the call. 'Will!'
Riker's face grinned at him. Behind him, Picard could tell that his first officer was in the transporter room of the Enterprise. 'What can I do for you?' said the captain of the Enterprise.
'We've just entered Earth orbit. Deanna and I were going to beam down and visit – unless that's an inconvenience.'
'No, Will,' said Picard amiably. 'We're just about to have supper. I'd be delighted for you to join us.'
'On our way,' said Will. 'Riker out.'
Picard switched off the comm-unit and walked into the kitchen. Thames was putting the finishing touches to a beautifully made lasagne. 'Where did you learn to cook like that?' asked Picard wonderingly. 'I barely know how to boil an egg.'
'My father taught me all the techniques. Being able to cook is always considered very important in my family.'
'You'll like Ben Sisko then. He's a chef as well. You can swap recipes.'
Thames threw a cloth at him. 'Get the table ready. It's nearly finished.'
Picard mock-saluted. 'Yes, sir.' He ducked through the door as Thames turned. On the way out he heard her light laughter. Outside he heard the transporter beam spring into life, announcing Riker and Deanna's arrival at the house.
All in all, he thought, life could not get any better.
The last flicker of phaser fire died away and Nechayev straightened from her crouch. Surveying the blackened and twisted bodies surrounding her, she nodded, satisfied, and holstered her phaser.
Security had responded quickly to the fighting that had begun in the Promenade section of the Starbase, but even they had been helpless against the parasite's onslaught. Nechayev had secured control very quickly and had proceeded to methodically and cruelly kill everyone there.
The base's commanders had swiftly locked down all of the computer systems in the section and sealed the airlocks, obviously intending to blow the airlocks out as soon as they were sure that was the final option.
That suited Nechayev fine.
Stepping into the main security office, she pulled the three corpses from the desk and dumped them on the ground. Unslinging the phaser rifle from her back, she laid it on the desk and sat down. The dark, locked down face of the computer stared mutely at her. A moment passed as she accessed the memories of the dead Admiral Nechayev, and then she punched in a sequence of commands. The computer bleeped for a moment and then the voice of the machine said, 'Access codes rejected.'
'Admiral Nechayev?' The voice of the base's commander, Admiral T'Valla, resounded through the Promenade. Nechayev remained silent. 'If you can hear me, your access codes have been revoked and your authorisation rescinded. Surrender now and you will not be harmed. You have five minutes to answer.'
Nechayev assimilated this information and then nodded as she decided what to do. She stepped around the desk towards the three bodies she had removed from the desk.
Nechayev stared for a moment at the body of one of the officers. Then she raised her hand and stretched it out before her. Her other hand gripped the skin around the wrist area and pulled sharply. With barely a sound, the skin tore away. Swiftly, she removed the skin covering the appendage to reveal a scaly, dark purple hand within.
The parasite was fully grown. There was nothing left of Admiral Alynna Nechayev except a wrapping of skin covering the body of the Aralla. The body of the host dictated somewhat the final shape of the Aralla parasite. Most Aralla, due to the size of the host body, would grow to seven or eight feet in height. This one, on the other hand, was a good deal shorter, fitting snugly within the skin of the Admiral.
It reached down and picked up the body of the officer and put her hand against his head. For a moment, it allowed the darkening thoughts of the dying mind to wash over it, the terror and the pain, sampling them and enjoying them for the brief entertainment they provided. Then, it sifted quickly through the emotions and feelings until it reached the memory portion of the brain.
This part of the brain, a huge storage area for the accumulated sights, sounds and smells of a human life, died last of all and what Nechayev was looking for was contained within this space.
Aralla telepathic invasion burned out the neurons and synapses of the brain in any race other than the Aralla, and as the creature searched hurriedly through the long-term storage, the brain's death accelerated behind it's passage.
Then, Nechayev found what it was looking for. The override codes for the main computer. Swiftly it memorised them and pulled free from the disintegrating brain.
Then, as the dead officer dropped to the floor, it stalked over to the dark computer console and punched in the codes. Swiftly, the computer authorised them and Nechayev brought the system on line. It knew that it had only brief moments to carry out its plan.
'Commander! The prisoner has broken into the main system from one of the security consoles on the Promenade!' The call made T'Valla, a Vulcan, turn to face one of the younger officers sat at the main computer terminal.
'Lock her out. She's obviously stolen the codes.'
The younger officer nodded and turned. Suddenly his face went pale. But, before he could turn and speak, everybody heard the dreaded words. The computer said, 'Airlocks opening.'
With a hiss of escaping air, the airlocks on either side of the room were running through their disengaging procedure. As everybody present realised his or her doom, the huge doors swung slowly open and a sudden gale swept through the room, buffeting them all violently.
As the young man clung on desperately, knowing it was already too late, he watched as, one by one, the command crew were swept out into space. With a last stabbing gesture, he activated the computer lock-outs – and lost his grip.
Tumbling along the floor, he heard one last sound: the computer's voice saying, 'Computer lock-out in progress.'
And then, with a scream, he fell from the door and into the vastness of space.
Nechayev watched silently, expressionlessly, as the personnel of the entire station tumbled from the airlocks, twisting and writhing through the inky blackness. It had not opened the airlocks on its own level, but only all others on every other level. She estimated that the entire crew of the Starbase would be dead in a matter of minutes.
Abruptly, the screen upon which her hand rested went black. Nechayev frowned down at it, but then it shrugged dismissively. It did not matter. Soon, the Enterprise would come. Soon, she would have that ship in her grasp.
But more than that, she would have the key to Picard and his defeat.
Although the mission to bring the Aralla back through the gate was still the main priority, the Aralla now wanted blood and revenge. Picard was the first target, but to get to Picard, it had to first get to the thing that he needed.
The Aralla had sensed immediately the bond between Rosanna Thames and Jean-Luc Picard, and that, it knew, was the way it would destroy Picard, slowly and painfully. And then, there would be nothing to stop the Aralla.
Thames was the key to Picard's defeat.
The Aralla sat down. It had a long wait ahead.