A/N: Well, it's been a bit of a while since I've updated, and I do
apologize for that, things have been quite hectic in my life, but all for
the best, so no worries. Hopefully I haven't lost the few but hearty
followers ;) I will attempt to put up a chapter at least every other day
in future.
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Chapter 11
The alien watched all this with intense interest. The young man had a long way to go. The B'Safrans would be very disappointed if they tried to make him control warp fields. Not yet. He had easily become confused between the moment and the past. A very Human quality, but easily overcome. In order to abandon being chained to the present, one must first be unshakably rooted in it. Otherwise, one could become wildly entangled in "when".
It would come. The alien smiled. He knew it would come. It already had.
* * *
Beverly and Wesley entered Picard's ready room together. He was sitting behind his desk and gestured for them to sit in the chairs in front of it. Normally, there were only two chairs in front of his desk, but Picard moved a third chair from the far corner of his office to his desk. Wes wondered momentarily who it was for.
"Are both of you all right?" Picard asked when they had sat down.
Beverly nodded.
"Yes, sir," Wes answered.
"I wanted to make sure that you realize that no matter how much that looked and sounded like Jack Crusher, it was not. Somehow, something can conjure up the images of our friends who are gone and use them to confuse us. No doubt it will not stop trying.
"Whatever it is, it apparently learns quickly. We can presume that it will be even more real the next time. We will have to keep finding new ways to be rid of it. I've spoken with Geordi. What he saw through his VISOR when he looked at Tasha was not Human. Most life forms are contained within a material body. Apparently, this one is not. Its composition is solely energy. It can assume any form it wishes."
"Like a holodeck image," Wes volunteered.
"Somewhat, Mister Crusher, only this... life form can travel through space, through walls, with no aid. The only creature we've encountered with those capabilities is Q, and I do not believe this is Q. It does not seem like his usual... mischeif. And while both seem to be malicious, Q is usually malicious by accident, through curiosity, or because he's unaware of the consequences of his behavior - or by intent to confound me, personally. This creature possesses intent."
The door chime twinkled.
"Come," Picard called. Counselor Deanna Troi entered. "I've asked Counselor Troi to join us. She has been receiving some strange feelings from the children. She believes that this ghost creature could be working in conjunction with the crew of the Neverland in an attempt to abduct Mister Crusher."
Wes realized he hadn't been breathing in a while, so drew a long, deep breath and held it for a moment.
Deanna sat in the third chair. "Both times that I was near the creature, when it took the form Tasha and then of Jack Crusher, I sensed extreme impatience and urgency, even though it did not show on the face. The longer it took to convince Wesley to come with it, the angrier it became. It is an extremely powerful entity and I have found it difficult to block or suppress the emotions it emanated. It became difficult to separate them from my own feelings. The creature never felt anything that the person whose shape it assumed would not feel in relation to the people with whom it interacted, especially Wes, until its identity was questioned. Then, I sensed anger, impatience, frustration. I am not sure if it can appear only as people who are deceased or if it can assume other forms.
"I suggest that if we encounter any crew members who are acting strangely, ask the computer to locate that crew member. If the computer replies that the crew member is anywhere else besides standing in front of you, call security."
At that particular moment, no one remembered that Doctor Crusher couldn't get her communicator to work in the creature's presence. Both Beverly and Wesley were still so disoriented that they were only half- listening. Both nodded in consent.
"I also suggest that Wesley should not be left alone for extended periods of time." Then Deanna turned to Wes. "Make certain that if anyone contacts you whom you are certain is no longer living, no matter how they plead with you, explain themselves, play on your emotions, Wesley, do not listen to them."
Wes nodded solemnly. This was going to be incredibly difficult. What if all of a sudden all his dead friends and relatives started haunting him? Wes stared at the floor.
"Beverly," Deanna continued, "are you all right?"
She nodded and smiled unconvincingly. "Just got to keep it straight in my head that it wasn't Jack out there with my son," she laid a hand on Wes's arm. Wes didn't acknowledge it, his gaze trained on the floor.
"And you have not seen anyone else who has passed away?"
Beverly shook her head.
Up until this point, Picard had been silent. Emotions were not his specialty. That's why he'd asked Troi to come. He had been looking back and forth between Troi and the Crushers like a spectator at a tennis match.
"And Captain," Troi studied the stone face, "how about you?"
"Me what?" the captain seemed mildly surprised to be asked and his eyebrows went up innocently.
"You do realize that was not Jack, don't you?"
"Of course." Picard looked at his hands folded on his desk. Troi was not convinced, but did not presently pursue the subject.
Deanna had sensed it, though. Picard had been wounded by the creature's pleading with him not to take him away from his son again. 'Don't take me away from him again,' it had said. As if Picard was the one who had taken Jack from his son and wife forever.
But Picard had sent Jack on his final mission. Picard had sentenced his friend to death, albeit unwittingly. Picard had brought home the body of his friend to the wife and child he would never be with again. Picard now sat across from the remainder of the Crushers, a woman robbed of her husband, a boy of his father, and Picard had stolen him. And the feeling of guilt that was supposed to fade had still not disappeared. He had begun to wonder if it ever would.
And on top of all that, Picard was starting to imagine that what he said to make the creature disappear was true.
But right now, he had a ship to run, a meeting to head, a boy to save, and over a thousand lives to preserve. His own feelings could most certainly wait.
* * *
"Captain?" Wesley spoke for the first time during the meeting around the large oval conference table. There was really no need for him to speak before this. He had told his story to the captain before the meeting, and the meeting was really just a briefing to all the senior officers and involved parties of exactly what had happened and what they had learned. Now, however, Wesley remembered a detail.
"Yes, ensign?"
"I just remembered something we overlooked. When Mom and I were in the corridor with the creature, she tried to use her communicator, and a wall comm panel. Nothing happened."
Picard looked at Beverly Crusher.
Beverly blinked, attempting to recall something her mind had decided was too scary to remember. "Yes, Captain."
The captain looked a little aggravated. That blew the whole idea of simply calling for security when the creature showed up.
"That is a rather large oversight, Doctor. Which comm panel did you use?"
"The one outside the bridge in the corridor where we found Wes."
"That's number 27-A," Geordi added.
"Computer, open a channel to public communicator 27-A," Picard said.
The computer twinkled and beeped. Then, when no communication was forthcoming, it stated, "Ready."
"Cancel," Picard said. "It appears to be working now. Doctor, please try your badge."
She tapped it and the computer went through the same routine, ceasing when Beverly canceled the operation. Wes's also complied to the ensign's commands.
"Captain," Geordi sat forward in his chair and folded his arms on the shiny table, "I've got an alarm that goes off when public communication wall units are inoperative. Nothing notified me."
Beverly became defensive. "I promise you I tried everything to make that panel work!"
"I believe you, doctor. If the creature can disable our communications, it can doubtless disable our notification alarms."
"Lieutenant Worf, post a guard outside the Crushers' quarters tonight. Doctor, Ensign, don't go anywhere alone."
Picard glanced around at the rest assembled. "You've been told everything we know about this creature, including our theories on how to defeat it, even if only temporarily. I expect you all to be alert and keep me informed of anything, anything, that may relate. If there's nothing else?" Picard met eyes with each of his officers one by one. "Dismissed."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Responses to Reviews:
April: Thanks again for the review! Well, Karen's 13 and Wes is 18, so. no, I didn't write anything between them, she's below the age of consent! Your brother says that a Royal Flush is not the highest hand in poker?!? Tell him to come and play with me, and bring his paycheck! (He's mistaken, it is the best hand you can get - I'm a poker player m'self.) ;)
DB: Thanks again! You are quite the flatterer ;)
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Chapter 11
The alien watched all this with intense interest. The young man had a long way to go. The B'Safrans would be very disappointed if they tried to make him control warp fields. Not yet. He had easily become confused between the moment and the past. A very Human quality, but easily overcome. In order to abandon being chained to the present, one must first be unshakably rooted in it. Otherwise, one could become wildly entangled in "when".
It would come. The alien smiled. He knew it would come. It already had.
* * *
Beverly and Wesley entered Picard's ready room together. He was sitting behind his desk and gestured for them to sit in the chairs in front of it. Normally, there were only two chairs in front of his desk, but Picard moved a third chair from the far corner of his office to his desk. Wes wondered momentarily who it was for.
"Are both of you all right?" Picard asked when they had sat down.
Beverly nodded.
"Yes, sir," Wes answered.
"I wanted to make sure that you realize that no matter how much that looked and sounded like Jack Crusher, it was not. Somehow, something can conjure up the images of our friends who are gone and use them to confuse us. No doubt it will not stop trying.
"Whatever it is, it apparently learns quickly. We can presume that it will be even more real the next time. We will have to keep finding new ways to be rid of it. I've spoken with Geordi. What he saw through his VISOR when he looked at Tasha was not Human. Most life forms are contained within a material body. Apparently, this one is not. Its composition is solely energy. It can assume any form it wishes."
"Like a holodeck image," Wes volunteered.
"Somewhat, Mister Crusher, only this... life form can travel through space, through walls, with no aid. The only creature we've encountered with those capabilities is Q, and I do not believe this is Q. It does not seem like his usual... mischeif. And while both seem to be malicious, Q is usually malicious by accident, through curiosity, or because he's unaware of the consequences of his behavior - or by intent to confound me, personally. This creature possesses intent."
The door chime twinkled.
"Come," Picard called. Counselor Deanna Troi entered. "I've asked Counselor Troi to join us. She has been receiving some strange feelings from the children. She believes that this ghost creature could be working in conjunction with the crew of the Neverland in an attempt to abduct Mister Crusher."
Wes realized he hadn't been breathing in a while, so drew a long, deep breath and held it for a moment.
Deanna sat in the third chair. "Both times that I was near the creature, when it took the form Tasha and then of Jack Crusher, I sensed extreme impatience and urgency, even though it did not show on the face. The longer it took to convince Wesley to come with it, the angrier it became. It is an extremely powerful entity and I have found it difficult to block or suppress the emotions it emanated. It became difficult to separate them from my own feelings. The creature never felt anything that the person whose shape it assumed would not feel in relation to the people with whom it interacted, especially Wes, until its identity was questioned. Then, I sensed anger, impatience, frustration. I am not sure if it can appear only as people who are deceased or if it can assume other forms.
"I suggest that if we encounter any crew members who are acting strangely, ask the computer to locate that crew member. If the computer replies that the crew member is anywhere else besides standing in front of you, call security."
At that particular moment, no one remembered that Doctor Crusher couldn't get her communicator to work in the creature's presence. Both Beverly and Wesley were still so disoriented that they were only half- listening. Both nodded in consent.
"I also suggest that Wesley should not be left alone for extended periods of time." Then Deanna turned to Wes. "Make certain that if anyone contacts you whom you are certain is no longer living, no matter how they plead with you, explain themselves, play on your emotions, Wesley, do not listen to them."
Wes nodded solemnly. This was going to be incredibly difficult. What if all of a sudden all his dead friends and relatives started haunting him? Wes stared at the floor.
"Beverly," Deanna continued, "are you all right?"
She nodded and smiled unconvincingly. "Just got to keep it straight in my head that it wasn't Jack out there with my son," she laid a hand on Wes's arm. Wes didn't acknowledge it, his gaze trained on the floor.
"And you have not seen anyone else who has passed away?"
Beverly shook her head.
Up until this point, Picard had been silent. Emotions were not his specialty. That's why he'd asked Troi to come. He had been looking back and forth between Troi and the Crushers like a spectator at a tennis match.
"And Captain," Troi studied the stone face, "how about you?"
"Me what?" the captain seemed mildly surprised to be asked and his eyebrows went up innocently.
"You do realize that was not Jack, don't you?"
"Of course." Picard looked at his hands folded on his desk. Troi was not convinced, but did not presently pursue the subject.
Deanna had sensed it, though. Picard had been wounded by the creature's pleading with him not to take him away from his son again. 'Don't take me away from him again,' it had said. As if Picard was the one who had taken Jack from his son and wife forever.
But Picard had sent Jack on his final mission. Picard had sentenced his friend to death, albeit unwittingly. Picard had brought home the body of his friend to the wife and child he would never be with again. Picard now sat across from the remainder of the Crushers, a woman robbed of her husband, a boy of his father, and Picard had stolen him. And the feeling of guilt that was supposed to fade had still not disappeared. He had begun to wonder if it ever would.
And on top of all that, Picard was starting to imagine that what he said to make the creature disappear was true.
But right now, he had a ship to run, a meeting to head, a boy to save, and over a thousand lives to preserve. His own feelings could most certainly wait.
* * *
"Captain?" Wesley spoke for the first time during the meeting around the large oval conference table. There was really no need for him to speak before this. He had told his story to the captain before the meeting, and the meeting was really just a briefing to all the senior officers and involved parties of exactly what had happened and what they had learned. Now, however, Wesley remembered a detail.
"Yes, ensign?"
"I just remembered something we overlooked. When Mom and I were in the corridor with the creature, she tried to use her communicator, and a wall comm panel. Nothing happened."
Picard looked at Beverly Crusher.
Beverly blinked, attempting to recall something her mind had decided was too scary to remember. "Yes, Captain."
The captain looked a little aggravated. That blew the whole idea of simply calling for security when the creature showed up.
"That is a rather large oversight, Doctor. Which comm panel did you use?"
"The one outside the bridge in the corridor where we found Wes."
"That's number 27-A," Geordi added.
"Computer, open a channel to public communicator 27-A," Picard said.
The computer twinkled and beeped. Then, when no communication was forthcoming, it stated, "Ready."
"Cancel," Picard said. "It appears to be working now. Doctor, please try your badge."
She tapped it and the computer went through the same routine, ceasing when Beverly canceled the operation. Wes's also complied to the ensign's commands.
"Captain," Geordi sat forward in his chair and folded his arms on the shiny table, "I've got an alarm that goes off when public communication wall units are inoperative. Nothing notified me."
Beverly became defensive. "I promise you I tried everything to make that panel work!"
"I believe you, doctor. If the creature can disable our communications, it can doubtless disable our notification alarms."
"Lieutenant Worf, post a guard outside the Crushers' quarters tonight. Doctor, Ensign, don't go anywhere alone."
Picard glanced around at the rest assembled. "You've been told everything we know about this creature, including our theories on how to defeat it, even if only temporarily. I expect you all to be alert and keep me informed of anything, anything, that may relate. If there's nothing else?" Picard met eyes with each of his officers one by one. "Dismissed."
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ Responses to Reviews:
April: Thanks again for the review! Well, Karen's 13 and Wes is 18, so. no, I didn't write anything between them, she's below the age of consent! Your brother says that a Royal Flush is not the highest hand in poker?!? Tell him to come and play with me, and bring his paycheck! (He's mistaken, it is the best hand you can get - I'm a poker player m'self.) ;)
DB: Thanks again! You are quite the flatterer ;)