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Part Seven
"What will become of my people?" Aolita asked, her voice dripping with the kind of strength and power that made her a natural leader. She was seated in Counselor Troi's office, her legs crossed and her fingers lightly tapping on her knee.
"Well," Deanna began slowly. "We'll most likely relocate you to another planet. Only temporarily, of course. We'll take your case to the Federation, and they will make the final decision about your future. I'm sure everyone will do whatever they can to help you and your people rebuild what you have lost."
"I'm sure they will," Aolita answered. She was about to get up and leave when a troubled look on Deanna's face stopped her. "Something wrong, Counselor?"
Deanna hesitated to bring up the subject of Kate and Wesley, half because she hadn't really been given leave to, and half because she was afraid of what Aolita might say. Her hesitation wavered, and she spoke. "I don't know if you've been told or not, but we've lost two of our crew members on the surface of your planet."
"Lost?" Aolita questioned, trying to grasp the true meaning of what Deanna had said.
"Yes, lost," she said firmly. Deanna wasn't about to give up her feelings to this woman, not yet. "We've lost contact with them, and because of the radiation, added with the dense atmosphere, we've had trouble reestablishing a connection."
"Do you have any idea where they might be?"
"We suspect that they might have fled into the woods after an explosion." Aolita's eyes widen at this statement, and her attempts to hide it were not successful. "What's the problem?" Deanna asked anxiously.
"It's just that, well, the wilderness around our city is not safe for travelers. Especially for those who do not know their way around. There are many predators that live there. I do not know if your crew members are armed, but even if, it might not be enough." Aolita spoke very carefully. She did not want to anger the Counselor, or her superiors. At the moment, she and her people were completely under their control. "Of course, if they made it to shelter, they might be safe," she added in afterthought.
Deanna locked her face in determination and said, "Then we'll just have to hope that they made it to shelter in time."
The rain continued to poor incessantly all around them, but Wesley and Kate never slowed down. Actually, Wesley never slowed down. Kate had lived through the beast's attack, but she was barely conscious. She could almost walk on her own power, and with Wesley's help, the two drudged through the rain. Wesley supported her weight with his arm around her waist, and kept talking in a vain attempt to keep her with him. More and more trees surrounded him and no matter where he looked, he could find nothing but leaves and dirt. It was almost thirty minutes before he could find a place to rest where they would be safe. He found shelter in a cave. He almost didn't see it. It was hidden by branches and moss covered, but his desperation had led him to see something that might not have really been there.
Wesley carried Kate into the cave and laid her down, with his jacket under her head. She mumbled something that he couldn't hear and shivered, or shuddered, Wesley couldn't tell which. He vaguely realized that they were both soaked to the bone, and if Kate was half as cold as he was, she would have been very miserable. He searched the cave for dry wood or leaves to try to start a fire. With what he found, he managed to start a very small fire with the aid of his phaser. He knew it would not last long, however.
Wesley sat down on the rather uncomfortable ground next to Kate. She seemed to fade in and out of consciousness, sometimes mumbling, shivering. Wesley continued to talk to her while he worked on stopping the blood flow from her wounds, but he wasn't sure if she could hear him. He wasn't even sure if she knew where she was. Her wounds were not as bad as he had feared originally, but it was all the blood that Kate had lost that might prove her downfall.
"Wesley?" Kate said softly, possibly only talking to herself.
"Yes, Kate?" He replied anxiously, gripping her hand, and leaning close to her face so that he could hear her. But she didn't speak again. Her breathing stuttered, and for a moment, Wesley thought he'd lost her forever. She hadn't died, she was too strong to give up that easily, but she'd slipped into unconsciousness. Nothing Wesley did could wake her up again.
"Just as well," Wesley said to himself. "I probably would have bored you to death." He tried to laugh at his own joke, but it was a weak effort. He continued to hold tightly to Kate's hand, and moved just a little closer. The whole thing was like Déjà Vu. It wasn't that long ago that Wesley was in this same position. Stuck in a cave in the middle of nowhere, watching someone he cared deeply about fade away before his eyes. Only this time it wasn't Captain Picard. It was Kate who lay before him dying.
Picard paced back and forth across the bridge of the Enterprise. It had been over twenty-four hours, and they still hadn't been able to contact Kate or Wesley. He knew that Data and Geordi were both working as hard as they could, both without sleep or even a break, but it was still very frustrating. Because he was Captain, he had to keep a strong face and a brave attitude, but as time continued to crawl by, he found little to hold on to for hope. Counselor Troi told him about what Aolita had said about the forests of Brasia. That information hadn't instilled any more confidence. He'd given up trying to help Beverly. He knew that by that point, anything he said would only make it worse.
In a vain attempt to settle his mind, he tried Geordi again. "Bridge to Com. La Forge."
"Yes, Captain?"
"Any more progress, Geordi?" In the moment of silence, he imagined what he hoped would be the reply.
"Actually, Sir, yes." Geordi's reply was like music to Picard's ear. "Give me just another hour or so, and I think I'll have a way to break through the interference."
"Very good, Com.," Picard said, barely containing his own joy. "Notify me the second you are ready."
"Yes, Sir."
Geordi returned to his consul after ending his conversation with Captain Picard. He and Data were finally making progress in trying to contact Kate and Wesley, and he wanted to get on with his work. He clicked a few numbers into the screen and cursed under his breath when the results didn't come out the way he had hoped that they would. He'd lost his train of thought when Picard called, and now he struggled to recapture it.
"Is something wrong, Geordi?" Data asked, pulling away from his own consul to inquire about his friend's worried face.
"No…Yes. Maybe not." Geordi started pacing across the floor, trying to get his mind to recall the ideas he'd lost. Data looked back at him confused, and Geordi tried to explain himself. "I'm just worrying myself sick about Kate…and Wes. I can't help but wonder if all our work is too late."
Data mused, or his equivalent of musing, and said, "Is there any reason you worry more about Kate? Is it because she is female?"
Geordi almost managed a laugh. "Not at all. Kate could probably outbox half the men on this ship. I can't explain why really." Data didn't look satisfied with his answer, so he continued. "Just a feeling in the pit of my stomach that I wish would go away."
Data nodded understandable. "I too have imagined what might have become of them. But as you said, Kate can take care of herself. I am sure she and Wesley are safe."
Geordi smiled at the optimism. "You know Data, I hope you're right. I really do."
Beverly Crusher sat alone at her desk in her office, drowning her mind in all the thoughts that she didn't want to think about. Dozens of scenarios flashed through her mind of what could have happened to her son since they lost contact with him. She would have dwelt on these thoughts for quite a long time, had not someone arrived to talk to her. Without looking up, she could guess that it was Counselor Troi.
"Sit down, Deanna," she said waving a hand in the general direction of some chairs. "Have you come to convince me that everything that I've been thinking is completely unfounded?"
"I'd like to, yes," Deanna said warmly, glad to finally be the bearer of good news. "But first I thought you'd like to know that Data and Geordi have made a breakthrough."
Beverly's head came out of her hands. "What? Can they get through to the surface?"
"Not yet," Deanna warned, "But they're almost ready. They said it would only take another hour, possible less, and they'd be able to cut through the interference."
Beverly sighed with relief, but part of her wouldn't rejoice until Wesley was standing in front of her, and she could touch him and hold him and be absolutely sure that she hadn't lost him. "I only hope it isn't too late."
Part Seven
"What will become of my people?" Aolita asked, her voice dripping with the kind of strength and power that made her a natural leader. She was seated in Counselor Troi's office, her legs crossed and her fingers lightly tapping on her knee.
"Well," Deanna began slowly. "We'll most likely relocate you to another planet. Only temporarily, of course. We'll take your case to the Federation, and they will make the final decision about your future. I'm sure everyone will do whatever they can to help you and your people rebuild what you have lost."
"I'm sure they will," Aolita answered. She was about to get up and leave when a troubled look on Deanna's face stopped her. "Something wrong, Counselor?"
Deanna hesitated to bring up the subject of Kate and Wesley, half because she hadn't really been given leave to, and half because she was afraid of what Aolita might say. Her hesitation wavered, and she spoke. "I don't know if you've been told or not, but we've lost two of our crew members on the surface of your planet."
"Lost?" Aolita questioned, trying to grasp the true meaning of what Deanna had said.
"Yes, lost," she said firmly. Deanna wasn't about to give up her feelings to this woman, not yet. "We've lost contact with them, and because of the radiation, added with the dense atmosphere, we've had trouble reestablishing a connection."
"Do you have any idea where they might be?"
"We suspect that they might have fled into the woods after an explosion." Aolita's eyes widen at this statement, and her attempts to hide it were not successful. "What's the problem?" Deanna asked anxiously.
"It's just that, well, the wilderness around our city is not safe for travelers. Especially for those who do not know their way around. There are many predators that live there. I do not know if your crew members are armed, but even if, it might not be enough." Aolita spoke very carefully. She did not want to anger the Counselor, or her superiors. At the moment, she and her people were completely under their control. "Of course, if they made it to shelter, they might be safe," she added in afterthought.
Deanna locked her face in determination and said, "Then we'll just have to hope that they made it to shelter in time."
The rain continued to poor incessantly all around them, but Wesley and Kate never slowed down. Actually, Wesley never slowed down. Kate had lived through the beast's attack, but she was barely conscious. She could almost walk on her own power, and with Wesley's help, the two drudged through the rain. Wesley supported her weight with his arm around her waist, and kept talking in a vain attempt to keep her with him. More and more trees surrounded him and no matter where he looked, he could find nothing but leaves and dirt. It was almost thirty minutes before he could find a place to rest where they would be safe. He found shelter in a cave. He almost didn't see it. It was hidden by branches and moss covered, but his desperation had led him to see something that might not have really been there.
Wesley carried Kate into the cave and laid her down, with his jacket under her head. She mumbled something that he couldn't hear and shivered, or shuddered, Wesley couldn't tell which. He vaguely realized that they were both soaked to the bone, and if Kate was half as cold as he was, she would have been very miserable. He searched the cave for dry wood or leaves to try to start a fire. With what he found, he managed to start a very small fire with the aid of his phaser. He knew it would not last long, however.
Wesley sat down on the rather uncomfortable ground next to Kate. She seemed to fade in and out of consciousness, sometimes mumbling, shivering. Wesley continued to talk to her while he worked on stopping the blood flow from her wounds, but he wasn't sure if she could hear him. He wasn't even sure if she knew where she was. Her wounds were not as bad as he had feared originally, but it was all the blood that Kate had lost that might prove her downfall.
"Wesley?" Kate said softly, possibly only talking to herself.
"Yes, Kate?" He replied anxiously, gripping her hand, and leaning close to her face so that he could hear her. But she didn't speak again. Her breathing stuttered, and for a moment, Wesley thought he'd lost her forever. She hadn't died, she was too strong to give up that easily, but she'd slipped into unconsciousness. Nothing Wesley did could wake her up again.
"Just as well," Wesley said to himself. "I probably would have bored you to death." He tried to laugh at his own joke, but it was a weak effort. He continued to hold tightly to Kate's hand, and moved just a little closer. The whole thing was like Déjà Vu. It wasn't that long ago that Wesley was in this same position. Stuck in a cave in the middle of nowhere, watching someone he cared deeply about fade away before his eyes. Only this time it wasn't Captain Picard. It was Kate who lay before him dying.
Picard paced back and forth across the bridge of the Enterprise. It had been over twenty-four hours, and they still hadn't been able to contact Kate or Wesley. He knew that Data and Geordi were both working as hard as they could, both without sleep or even a break, but it was still very frustrating. Because he was Captain, he had to keep a strong face and a brave attitude, but as time continued to crawl by, he found little to hold on to for hope. Counselor Troi told him about what Aolita had said about the forests of Brasia. That information hadn't instilled any more confidence. He'd given up trying to help Beverly. He knew that by that point, anything he said would only make it worse.
In a vain attempt to settle his mind, he tried Geordi again. "Bridge to Com. La Forge."
"Yes, Captain?"
"Any more progress, Geordi?" In the moment of silence, he imagined what he hoped would be the reply.
"Actually, Sir, yes." Geordi's reply was like music to Picard's ear. "Give me just another hour or so, and I think I'll have a way to break through the interference."
"Very good, Com.," Picard said, barely containing his own joy. "Notify me the second you are ready."
"Yes, Sir."
Geordi returned to his consul after ending his conversation with Captain Picard. He and Data were finally making progress in trying to contact Kate and Wesley, and he wanted to get on with his work. He clicked a few numbers into the screen and cursed under his breath when the results didn't come out the way he had hoped that they would. He'd lost his train of thought when Picard called, and now he struggled to recapture it.
"Is something wrong, Geordi?" Data asked, pulling away from his own consul to inquire about his friend's worried face.
"No…Yes. Maybe not." Geordi started pacing across the floor, trying to get his mind to recall the ideas he'd lost. Data looked back at him confused, and Geordi tried to explain himself. "I'm just worrying myself sick about Kate…and Wes. I can't help but wonder if all our work is too late."
Data mused, or his equivalent of musing, and said, "Is there any reason you worry more about Kate? Is it because she is female?"
Geordi almost managed a laugh. "Not at all. Kate could probably outbox half the men on this ship. I can't explain why really." Data didn't look satisfied with his answer, so he continued. "Just a feeling in the pit of my stomach that I wish would go away."
Data nodded understandable. "I too have imagined what might have become of them. But as you said, Kate can take care of herself. I am sure she and Wesley are safe."
Geordi smiled at the optimism. "You know Data, I hope you're right. I really do."
Beverly Crusher sat alone at her desk in her office, drowning her mind in all the thoughts that she didn't want to think about. Dozens of scenarios flashed through her mind of what could have happened to her son since they lost contact with him. She would have dwelt on these thoughts for quite a long time, had not someone arrived to talk to her. Without looking up, she could guess that it was Counselor Troi.
"Sit down, Deanna," she said waving a hand in the general direction of some chairs. "Have you come to convince me that everything that I've been thinking is completely unfounded?"
"I'd like to, yes," Deanna said warmly, glad to finally be the bearer of good news. "But first I thought you'd like to know that Data and Geordi have made a breakthrough."
Beverly's head came out of her hands. "What? Can they get through to the surface?"
"Not yet," Deanna warned, "But they're almost ready. They said it would only take another hour, possible less, and they'd be able to cut through the interference."
Beverly sighed with relief, but part of her wouldn't rejoice until Wesley was standing in front of her, and she could touch him and hold him and be absolutely sure that she hadn't lost him. "I only hope it isn't too late."