Chapter 14
Deanna Troi emerged from the turbolift onto the bridge. The bridge was occupied by only Picard, Riker, Worf, Data, and an ensign or two floating around engineering and helm. Deanna strode up to Picard, slight distress on her face.
"Captain," she gasped, "are you needed on the bridge at the moment?"
Picard and Riker exchanged slightly worried glances, then Picard turned back to Troi.
"Not urgently. What's wrong, Counselor?"
"I was just walking past the meeting room in the hall near my quarters, and I sensed something from inside, but I couldn't sense it strongly enough, so I went inside. I entered a field."
"Entered a field?"
"Some kind of field of presence, sir, just inside the meeting room. As soon as I leave it, the sensation stops. It was as if... it was like..." she let all her air out in frustration. "I can't explain it unless it's happening to me. Would you come with me and I'll show you?"
"Certainly, Counselor," Picard stood and straightened the top of his uniform. With a glance to Riker that said wordlessly, You have the bridge, Number One, he was on the turbolift with Deanna Troi.
* * *
"Computer," Wesley Crusher tapped his insignia, "locate Captain Jean- Luc Picard."
"Captain Picard is in Meeting Room 12," the monotone female voice answered.
"Is there a meeting going on?" Wesley thought twice about disturbing the Captain during an important meeting with a suggestion he'd already refused.
"Negative."
Well, all right then. Wesley strode down the corridors towards the conference room, wondering offhand why the captain was using the meeting room farthest from the bridge.
* * *
"All right, Counselor. I'm ready when you are," the captain glanced surreptitiously around the room, then at Deanna. They stood in the center of the tiny meeting room that had no furniture whatsoever.
Then, Deanna startled Picard by saying in a voice entirely not her own, "My purpose, Jean-Luc, is to get you just far enough from the bridge so that I can get back there faster than you to give my orders." And to get you in the meeting room so the computer would locate you as here when the Human boy requested it. Then get you out of here so I can take your place.
With the words "give my orders," the voice and likeness of Troi became Picard just opposite the real captain, then vanished completely. With a little quick thinking, Picard touched his communicator and called Commander Riker.
"Riker here."
"Number One, I am in Meeting Room 12 and beginning to walk back to the bridge now. If I appear in less time than it would take me to walk from here to there, disregard any orders I give."
"Sir?"
"It appears our creature has learned to imitate living persons."
"Understood, sir."
"I'm on my way, now. Picard out." Captain Picard strode purposefully from the room, not rushing so that should he appear too quickly on the bridge his own orders would be disregarded. As soon as he had left the room, the creature reappeared as Picard in the meeting room. Not a moment later, the hapless Wesley Crusher strode in.
"Captain."
"Ensign. What can I do for you, Mister Crusher?" the creature said without even the hint of a smile, a perfect imitation of the real Captain Picard.
"Sir," Wesley hesitated slightly. "I have a plan about going to the Neverland."
"I will not send you over there, Mister Crusher, and I believe we have discussed this before."
"Yes, sir. But, do you remember Jaan, the Selelvian?"
"Yes, I do. Have you seen the creature impersonate him as well?"
"No, sir. You see, sir, ...he's not dead, sir."
"I beg your pardon?"
Wes proceeded to explain "Jaan's" entire supposed situation to "Picard", not knowing he was explaining the story to the same person who told it to him. Picard nodded and nodded, seeming to mull over every detail.
"What if we were to send also Geordi and Ensign Wallace?" Picard hypothesized. "They are young persons as well, older than you, but young nonetheless. Perhaps we could get away with that."
"Yes, sir!" Wesley was so excited to hear Picard considering his plan that he didn't bother to question his captain's sudden change of heart. Then Wes paused. "Does it absolutely have to be Ensign Wallace as the other member of my away team?"
"She is in Security. I would like to have someone trained in defense there with you."
"Isn't there someone else, sir?"
"She is the youngest commissioned officer in Security presently, and one of the best. Do you have a personal problem with her, ensign?"
"No, sir. It's just... I don't want her to get hurt, sir."
"I don't want any of you to get hurt, Mister Crusher. This is the safest way I can imagine to prevent that."
"Aye, sir."
"Assemble the other members of your away team and meet me in Transporter Room Three in exactly twenty minutes. I will brief everyone then, and I will have documents for you to bring that will instruct you as to what you are to offer and what means you should not exceed. We must arrange for a constant communications link between yourselves and the bridge of this ship. Your PADDs will also contain contingency plans in case cooperation is not given. Try to stall them a few days, when we can have the other four starships here to assist."
"Aye, sir."
"You're dismissed, ensign," Picard nodded and Wesley left. Wes hadn't intended to endanger anyone else, but Picard had given orders and orders are not requests.
"This was easier than I thought," the creature said, still in Picard's accent, once Wesley was out of sight. Then Picard disappeared and Beverly Crusher appeared in his place.
"Now," it sighed in Beverly's voice, placing her hands on her hips, "to make sure he hurries." The creature faded away, a little more slowly than usual.
* * *
As Wesley was barreling down the corridor towards Engineering to gather Geordi LaForge, "Beverly Crusher" rounded a corner from the other direction and almost crashed into her son.
"Whoa!" she smiled. "Where are you headed so quickly?"
"Captain Picard ordered me, Geordi, Robin and Jaan over to the Neverland to negotiate. I've got fifteen minutes to transport. Gotta dash!"
"Wait a minute!" she grabbed Wes by the elbow, carefully, so as not to crush him, as usual. "He's sending you over there? And did you say Jaan?"
"Yes, and yes, but it's a long story."
"I've got time."
"I don't! I have to get going, and quickly! I'm on a schedule, here!"
"Wesley Richard Crusher, you are not going anywhere until I find out exactly what's going on!"
"Mom! What's with you? I'm a Starfleet officer and I have orders! You want a briefing? Read my report when I get back. Right now, I've got fifteen minutes to assemble my team, gather all the information, brief them all, learn to be a diplomat, and beam over." Wes broke away from her, more than a little annoyed.
"I'll talk to the Captain. Maybe I can talk him out of this madness," Beverly rushed off down the corridor away from Engineering.
Wes didn't dignify that with a response. What the hell was wrong with his mother? She'd never been so overprotective and stubborn! She's always understood these situations! He turned and headed down towards Engineering.
As soon as Wes was out of sight, Beverly stopped walking and leaned against a wall. Overdid that a little, it thought. But that Human child is so damned annoying, and I'm so damned tired...
Robin Wallace chose that moment to come around the corner.
"Doctor Crusher!" she raced to her side and took her arm. "Are you all right?"
The creature did not say a word, but collapsed against Robin. Robin staggered but managed to support the swooning surgeon. Robin shifted the doctor a little in her arms and stretched a finger towards her comm badge to call for a med team. But before she could call, the figure and form of Beverly Crusher flickered and disappeared. Much alarmed, Robin almost fell forward with the sudden lack of weight to support. She blinked in disbelief.
"Computer, has anyone been transported from my location within the last ten seconds?"
"Negative."
Now she punched her badge. "Computer, locate Doctor Beverly Crusher."
"Doctor Beverly Crusher is in sickbay."
"Ensign Wallace to Doctor Crusher."
"Go ahead, ensign," Beverly's voice responded.
"Are you all right?"
There was a pause. "Well, I'm fine. Why do you ask?"
"How long have you been in sickbay?"
"I've been here all morning. Are you all right?"
"Yes, Doctor, thank you, but I'm afraid I don't have time to explain. Wallace out. Wallace to Lieutenant Worf."
"Lieutenant Worf is on the bridge," the computer voice warned. Robin had programmed her badge to signal her when she called someone who might not be in a convenient situation to be disturbed. "Proceed?"
"Yes!" Robin was a little agitated, "Wallace to Lieutenant Worf."
"Worf here. What's wrong, ensign?" Worf knew right away that there was a major problem. Robin never disturbed him on the bridge unless there was.
"Sir, I am in Corridor F outside Engineering. Doctor Crusher was here, but she fainted, then disappeared. The computer shows no record or anyone being transported from this location, and Doctor Crusher has been in sickbay all morning. I don't know what happened, sir."
"We have been in contact with a creature that can take on the form of other living or deceased persons. I must ask you. What was the creature doing when you encountered it?"
"Leaning against a wall, sir."
"That is all?"
"Yes, sir."
"Was Wesley Crusher anywhere near?"
Robin thought this a strange question. "No, sir."
"Thank you, ensign. Keep me apprised of any other incidents you see which may relate."
"Aye, sir," she replied, still much confused. Robin had not yet been contacted by Wes and told of her impending mission to the Neverland.
* * *
Geordi was on his way to Transporter Room Three and Wes was headed for the holodecks. Rather than page everyone, Wes had decided to gather them one at a time, explaining their part in the mission as he went.
"Computer, locate Ensign Robin Wallace."
"Ensign Robin Wallace is in Corridor H, Deck 18."
That was not far from where Wesley was, so he decided to head her off. When he saw her, she was ahead of him in the corridor, walking away from him. He called to her and she stopped to let him catch up.
"I've got orders," he began, "from Captain Picard to head an away team to the Neverland--"
"That ship we've been rendezvoused with for almost two days now?"
Wes blinked. He'd never heard anyone try to use English verb conjugation on a French noun. "Yeah. They're hostile and I'm ordered to go over and negotiate."
"You? Negotiate with a hostile enemy?" Her tone of voice was infused with deep concern. "But-- why?"
"They are all children and they want to deal with people as close to their own age as possible. The captain has requested an away team consisting of myself, Geordi LaForge, a Selelvian named Jaan, and... And you."
"Me?" Wes nodded and Robin continued. "They want to negotiate with a lieutenant, two ensigns, one of which is non-commissioned, and a civilian?" Wes nodded again. Robin's voice softened. "Am I ordered or requested?"
"Uh... well, ordered. But I tried to talk him out of it."
"Why?" Robin looked a little hurt.
"Well, I didn't want to drag anyone else into this with me -- this could be anything from negotiations to a death trap."
"Death trap?" Now Robin started to look worried about the orders.
"We don't know what their intentions are. It seems unlikely that they really want to negotiate with me, they've got to have some kind of ulterior motive. We're really left with no other options at this point, we either comply, or they turn the Enterprise into space dust. I doubt they'd want to kill me over there, but that is a definite possibility..."
"Wes, if there was even a slight possibility they'd kill you, I doubt Captain Picard would--"
"I'll explain everything when I meet you in Transporter Room Three in five minutes. I just have to go pick up Jaan."
"Wes, I think you should know," Robin stopped walking and put a hand on his arm to stop him. "This creature thing, the one that's been impersonating people--"
"How did you know about that?"
"I just encountered it, not fifteen minutes ago."
"Who did it look like?"
"Well... Doctor Crusher."
"My mom? But I thought it could only imitate dead people. Oh my god..." Wes smacked his comm badge, "Computer, locate Doc--"
"I did that, Wes. She's fine and in sickbay."
Wes sighed with tremendous relief. "Cancel," he said into the air. "Then I guess it can imitate living people too."
"I guess so."
"Where did you see her?"
"Just outside Engineering, in the corridor. She fainted and I caught her. Then she just... disappeared."
"That's where I saw her. Then, it wasn't her I was talking to, it was the creature."
"I just thought you should know, in case it would change anything important."
"Well, now I'm not mad at her anymore. She was being really unreasonable about not wanting me to go. Which-- which is strange, considering the creature does want me to go."
"Reverse psychology?"
"Yeah, maybe. But why would it feel that was necessary when Captain Picard has already ordered me to go over there?"
Robin shrugged. "Maybe it doesn't understand what Starfleet orders mean."
Wes was completely puzzled. But he didn't have time to think about it. He had seven minutes left to get his away team to the transporter room.
Deanna Troi emerged from the turbolift onto the bridge. The bridge was occupied by only Picard, Riker, Worf, Data, and an ensign or two floating around engineering and helm. Deanna strode up to Picard, slight distress on her face.
"Captain," she gasped, "are you needed on the bridge at the moment?"
Picard and Riker exchanged slightly worried glances, then Picard turned back to Troi.
"Not urgently. What's wrong, Counselor?"
"I was just walking past the meeting room in the hall near my quarters, and I sensed something from inside, but I couldn't sense it strongly enough, so I went inside. I entered a field."
"Entered a field?"
"Some kind of field of presence, sir, just inside the meeting room. As soon as I leave it, the sensation stops. It was as if... it was like..." she let all her air out in frustration. "I can't explain it unless it's happening to me. Would you come with me and I'll show you?"
"Certainly, Counselor," Picard stood and straightened the top of his uniform. With a glance to Riker that said wordlessly, You have the bridge, Number One, he was on the turbolift with Deanna Troi.
* * *
"Computer," Wesley Crusher tapped his insignia, "locate Captain Jean- Luc Picard."
"Captain Picard is in Meeting Room 12," the monotone female voice answered.
"Is there a meeting going on?" Wesley thought twice about disturbing the Captain during an important meeting with a suggestion he'd already refused.
"Negative."
Well, all right then. Wesley strode down the corridors towards the conference room, wondering offhand why the captain was using the meeting room farthest from the bridge.
* * *
"All right, Counselor. I'm ready when you are," the captain glanced surreptitiously around the room, then at Deanna. They stood in the center of the tiny meeting room that had no furniture whatsoever.
Then, Deanna startled Picard by saying in a voice entirely not her own, "My purpose, Jean-Luc, is to get you just far enough from the bridge so that I can get back there faster than you to give my orders." And to get you in the meeting room so the computer would locate you as here when the Human boy requested it. Then get you out of here so I can take your place.
With the words "give my orders," the voice and likeness of Troi became Picard just opposite the real captain, then vanished completely. With a little quick thinking, Picard touched his communicator and called Commander Riker.
"Riker here."
"Number One, I am in Meeting Room 12 and beginning to walk back to the bridge now. If I appear in less time than it would take me to walk from here to there, disregard any orders I give."
"Sir?"
"It appears our creature has learned to imitate living persons."
"Understood, sir."
"I'm on my way, now. Picard out." Captain Picard strode purposefully from the room, not rushing so that should he appear too quickly on the bridge his own orders would be disregarded. As soon as he had left the room, the creature reappeared as Picard in the meeting room. Not a moment later, the hapless Wesley Crusher strode in.
"Captain."
"Ensign. What can I do for you, Mister Crusher?" the creature said without even the hint of a smile, a perfect imitation of the real Captain Picard.
"Sir," Wesley hesitated slightly. "I have a plan about going to the Neverland."
"I will not send you over there, Mister Crusher, and I believe we have discussed this before."
"Yes, sir. But, do you remember Jaan, the Selelvian?"
"Yes, I do. Have you seen the creature impersonate him as well?"
"No, sir. You see, sir, ...he's not dead, sir."
"I beg your pardon?"
Wes proceeded to explain "Jaan's" entire supposed situation to "Picard", not knowing he was explaining the story to the same person who told it to him. Picard nodded and nodded, seeming to mull over every detail.
"What if we were to send also Geordi and Ensign Wallace?" Picard hypothesized. "They are young persons as well, older than you, but young nonetheless. Perhaps we could get away with that."
"Yes, sir!" Wesley was so excited to hear Picard considering his plan that he didn't bother to question his captain's sudden change of heart. Then Wes paused. "Does it absolutely have to be Ensign Wallace as the other member of my away team?"
"She is in Security. I would like to have someone trained in defense there with you."
"Isn't there someone else, sir?"
"She is the youngest commissioned officer in Security presently, and one of the best. Do you have a personal problem with her, ensign?"
"No, sir. It's just... I don't want her to get hurt, sir."
"I don't want any of you to get hurt, Mister Crusher. This is the safest way I can imagine to prevent that."
"Aye, sir."
"Assemble the other members of your away team and meet me in Transporter Room Three in exactly twenty minutes. I will brief everyone then, and I will have documents for you to bring that will instruct you as to what you are to offer and what means you should not exceed. We must arrange for a constant communications link between yourselves and the bridge of this ship. Your PADDs will also contain contingency plans in case cooperation is not given. Try to stall them a few days, when we can have the other four starships here to assist."
"Aye, sir."
"You're dismissed, ensign," Picard nodded and Wesley left. Wes hadn't intended to endanger anyone else, but Picard had given orders and orders are not requests.
"This was easier than I thought," the creature said, still in Picard's accent, once Wesley was out of sight. Then Picard disappeared and Beverly Crusher appeared in his place.
"Now," it sighed in Beverly's voice, placing her hands on her hips, "to make sure he hurries." The creature faded away, a little more slowly than usual.
* * *
As Wesley was barreling down the corridor towards Engineering to gather Geordi LaForge, "Beverly Crusher" rounded a corner from the other direction and almost crashed into her son.
"Whoa!" she smiled. "Where are you headed so quickly?"
"Captain Picard ordered me, Geordi, Robin and Jaan over to the Neverland to negotiate. I've got fifteen minutes to transport. Gotta dash!"
"Wait a minute!" she grabbed Wes by the elbow, carefully, so as not to crush him, as usual. "He's sending you over there? And did you say Jaan?"
"Yes, and yes, but it's a long story."
"I've got time."
"I don't! I have to get going, and quickly! I'm on a schedule, here!"
"Wesley Richard Crusher, you are not going anywhere until I find out exactly what's going on!"
"Mom! What's with you? I'm a Starfleet officer and I have orders! You want a briefing? Read my report when I get back. Right now, I've got fifteen minutes to assemble my team, gather all the information, brief them all, learn to be a diplomat, and beam over." Wes broke away from her, more than a little annoyed.
"I'll talk to the Captain. Maybe I can talk him out of this madness," Beverly rushed off down the corridor away from Engineering.
Wes didn't dignify that with a response. What the hell was wrong with his mother? She'd never been so overprotective and stubborn! She's always understood these situations! He turned and headed down towards Engineering.
As soon as Wes was out of sight, Beverly stopped walking and leaned against a wall. Overdid that a little, it thought. But that Human child is so damned annoying, and I'm so damned tired...
Robin Wallace chose that moment to come around the corner.
"Doctor Crusher!" she raced to her side and took her arm. "Are you all right?"
The creature did not say a word, but collapsed against Robin. Robin staggered but managed to support the swooning surgeon. Robin shifted the doctor a little in her arms and stretched a finger towards her comm badge to call for a med team. But before she could call, the figure and form of Beverly Crusher flickered and disappeared. Much alarmed, Robin almost fell forward with the sudden lack of weight to support. She blinked in disbelief.
"Computer, has anyone been transported from my location within the last ten seconds?"
"Negative."
Now she punched her badge. "Computer, locate Doctor Beverly Crusher."
"Doctor Beverly Crusher is in sickbay."
"Ensign Wallace to Doctor Crusher."
"Go ahead, ensign," Beverly's voice responded.
"Are you all right?"
There was a pause. "Well, I'm fine. Why do you ask?"
"How long have you been in sickbay?"
"I've been here all morning. Are you all right?"
"Yes, Doctor, thank you, but I'm afraid I don't have time to explain. Wallace out. Wallace to Lieutenant Worf."
"Lieutenant Worf is on the bridge," the computer voice warned. Robin had programmed her badge to signal her when she called someone who might not be in a convenient situation to be disturbed. "Proceed?"
"Yes!" Robin was a little agitated, "Wallace to Lieutenant Worf."
"Worf here. What's wrong, ensign?" Worf knew right away that there was a major problem. Robin never disturbed him on the bridge unless there was.
"Sir, I am in Corridor F outside Engineering. Doctor Crusher was here, but she fainted, then disappeared. The computer shows no record or anyone being transported from this location, and Doctor Crusher has been in sickbay all morning. I don't know what happened, sir."
"We have been in contact with a creature that can take on the form of other living or deceased persons. I must ask you. What was the creature doing when you encountered it?"
"Leaning against a wall, sir."
"That is all?"
"Yes, sir."
"Was Wesley Crusher anywhere near?"
Robin thought this a strange question. "No, sir."
"Thank you, ensign. Keep me apprised of any other incidents you see which may relate."
"Aye, sir," she replied, still much confused. Robin had not yet been contacted by Wes and told of her impending mission to the Neverland.
* * *
Geordi was on his way to Transporter Room Three and Wes was headed for the holodecks. Rather than page everyone, Wes had decided to gather them one at a time, explaining their part in the mission as he went.
"Computer, locate Ensign Robin Wallace."
"Ensign Robin Wallace is in Corridor H, Deck 18."
That was not far from where Wesley was, so he decided to head her off. When he saw her, she was ahead of him in the corridor, walking away from him. He called to her and she stopped to let him catch up.
"I've got orders," he began, "from Captain Picard to head an away team to the Neverland--"
"That ship we've been rendezvoused with for almost two days now?"
Wes blinked. He'd never heard anyone try to use English verb conjugation on a French noun. "Yeah. They're hostile and I'm ordered to go over and negotiate."
"You? Negotiate with a hostile enemy?" Her tone of voice was infused with deep concern. "But-- why?"
"They are all children and they want to deal with people as close to their own age as possible. The captain has requested an away team consisting of myself, Geordi LaForge, a Selelvian named Jaan, and... And you."
"Me?" Wes nodded and Robin continued. "They want to negotiate with a lieutenant, two ensigns, one of which is non-commissioned, and a civilian?" Wes nodded again. Robin's voice softened. "Am I ordered or requested?"
"Uh... well, ordered. But I tried to talk him out of it."
"Why?" Robin looked a little hurt.
"Well, I didn't want to drag anyone else into this with me -- this could be anything from negotiations to a death trap."
"Death trap?" Now Robin started to look worried about the orders.
"We don't know what their intentions are. It seems unlikely that they really want to negotiate with me, they've got to have some kind of ulterior motive. We're really left with no other options at this point, we either comply, or they turn the Enterprise into space dust. I doubt they'd want to kill me over there, but that is a definite possibility..."
"Wes, if there was even a slight possibility they'd kill you, I doubt Captain Picard would--"
"I'll explain everything when I meet you in Transporter Room Three in five minutes. I just have to go pick up Jaan."
"Wes, I think you should know," Robin stopped walking and put a hand on his arm to stop him. "This creature thing, the one that's been impersonating people--"
"How did you know about that?"
"I just encountered it, not fifteen minutes ago."
"Who did it look like?"
"Well... Doctor Crusher."
"My mom? But I thought it could only imitate dead people. Oh my god..." Wes smacked his comm badge, "Computer, locate Doc--"
"I did that, Wes. She's fine and in sickbay."
Wes sighed with tremendous relief. "Cancel," he said into the air. "Then I guess it can imitate living people too."
"I guess so."
"Where did you see her?"
"Just outside Engineering, in the corridor. She fainted and I caught her. Then she just... disappeared."
"That's where I saw her. Then, it wasn't her I was talking to, it was the creature."
"I just thought you should know, in case it would change anything important."
"Well, now I'm not mad at her anymore. She was being really unreasonable about not wanting me to go. Which-- which is strange, considering the creature does want me to go."
"Reverse psychology?"
"Yeah, maybe. But why would it feel that was necessary when Captain Picard has already ordered me to go over there?"
Robin shrugged. "Maybe it doesn't understand what Starfleet orders mean."
Wes was completely puzzled. But he didn't have time to think about it. He had seven minutes left to get his away team to the transporter room.