Chapter 15
Picard boarded the turbolift that would take him, at length, to the bridge. He had not traveled two decks when the turbolift stopped and the doors opened. Guinan was standing outside them. Picard smiled.
"Jean-Luc," she nodded to him, but she was obviously a little distracted. "I'm glad I caught up with you."
"Well, I'm on somewhat of a deadline, Guinan," Picard paused to tell the turbolift to continue to the bridge, "so you'll have to come to my stop first."
Guinan made no clever remark, no effort to smile at him. She just nodded and boarded the lift. Picard began to really worry. "Captain," she very rarely called him that, "whenever Q comes aboard this ship, I can feel it. It's a sort of sensation, or reaction, like an allergy."
Picard almost laughed at that. Almost.
"And now, I'm feeling something similar. It's not Q. I would know him. But for the past forty-eight hours, I've felt it at least six times. Something has entered and left this ship. But I don't know what."
"Guinan," Picard sensed a possible clue, "on at least six occasions, there has been a creature aboard this ship which can take on the forms of both living and deceased persons. When was the most recent time you sensed this presence?"
"I sense it now."
"Yes, well, our creature seems to have chosen myself for its most recent subject, and I must get to the bridge before it gives orders to my crew." The turbolift opened onto the bridge. "Please let me know immediately if you sense any change, any presence, departure, any disturbance, anything you think to be out of the ordinary." He stepped out of the lift.
"Yes, Captain." Guinan was a civilian. A bartender. A Listener. She did not have to take orders from the captain, but she had done in the past, and she would do again, for the good of the ship.
* * *
The creature had tried this stunt before as deceased beings, but never as ones who live. Apparently, becoming living beings was taking its toll on the creature. However, he now had no other course. He had become too many people, and now, the Humans wanted to bring together two of the people he'd imitated: Jaan and Picard. Mercifully, at least one of them was dead.
Jaan, Geordi, Robin and Wes all stood in Transporter Room Three waiting for Captain Picard. The three Humans were so busy conversing that they did not notice the slight strain on Jaan's face. Jaan's forehead creased and he closed his eyes. He appeared close to fainting when he suddenly opened his eyes and recovered.
Picard entered the room. The creature fought off a strong feeling of self-satisfaction.
"Mister Crusher, Mister LaForge, Mister Wallace," Picard addressed the two young men and one young woman in Starfleet uniforms, "and Jaan," the creature smiled as warmly as he suspected Picard could manage. "It is very good to see you again."
"Thank you, sir," the creature smiled back at itself.
"I must warn you all, the creature has made another appearance. However, it is my belief that once it realizes we are acceding it its wishes, it will stop haunting us. Mister Wallace, I trust you've been briefed on the situation?"
"Yes, sir," the young woman answered. She was a little more solemn than usual and Wes noticed that.
Wes was looking his team over. He was feeling very young again. He was eighteen and knew that was an age the children considered acceptable for a delegate. Robin was a bit too old at twenty-one, but could probably get away with it. Geordi was pushing it at twenty-five. Jaan was in his early forties, but that was adolescence for a Selelvian.
The creature already planned how he would do away with the Human wearing the prosthetic device over his eyes. But Kaelha had found a use for both younger Humans. And of course, Jaan would disappear right after transport. An explanation for that would not be necessary, Kaelha would tell the two young Humans the truth once she had them aboard her ship. There was no reason not to. They couldn't escape. And there would be security to fire a phaser at the older Human male as soon as they materialized aboard the Neverland.
"It appears the creature now has the ability to imitate living persons, and is masquerading about as myself," the creature knew full well that he was directly quoting the real captain, "so we must work quickly before it confuses things even more. Lieutenant?"
"Aye, sir," the transporter operator began punching in all the necessary information for transport.
* * *
The turbolift door opened onto the bridge and Picard strode out, leaving Guinan to travel the rest of her trip alone. Riker was a little apprehensive about this Picard.
"It's me, Number One," Picard sensed it right away, "Did another me appear yet?"
"Just you, sir," Riker was still a little unsure. He decided to reassure himself. "Computer, locate Captain Jean-Luc Picard."
"Captain Picard is on the bridge."
Riker sighed with relief.
"Sir," Worf rumbled, "Ensign Wallace reports having seen Doctor Crusher disappear from a corridor. It could have been the creature."
"Indeed. It could be running about the entire ship, giving out orders to God knows who--" the captain's eyes seemed to turn inward for a moment, "--like Ensign Crusher," he said softly.
"Computer," he practically shouted in contrast to his whispered thought, "locate Ensign Wesley Crusher."
"Ensign Wesley Crusher is in Transporter Room Three."
Oh no. This was exactly what Picard had feared. Wesley thought he was getting direct orders from his captain.
"Mister Worf, shut down all transporter functions."
"Not responding, sir, they're locked out by your voice command."
"This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard," he called, "access transporter functions."
The computer voice replied, "Access denied. Captain Jean-Luc Picard has denied access to all transporter functions for a designated time."
"Damn! Transporter Room Three," he shouted into the air, "you do not have permission to transport! Repeat, you do not have permission to transport!" Although if another Picard was in the transporter room with them, he doubted the order he just gave would be followed.
Then Picard turned to the aft section of the bridge, "Mister Worf, take a security team and get down there."
The Klingon did not take the time to respond, but was off the bridge before the captain could give his next order.
"He'll never make it in time," Riker intoned to Picard. Picard appeared to disregard that.
"Transporter Room Two, report," Picard called.
"No problems, no activity, Captain," Chief O'Brien answered from his post in Transporter Room Two.
"Chief O'Brien, this is an emergency. Do you have full access to transporter functions?"
This was a very strange question to ask of the Transporter Chief. "Wh-- of course I do, sir."
"Test them, please, Mister O'Brien. They have been tampered with."
There was a momentary pause as Chief O'Brien ran a quick diagnostic. "Aye, Captain, I have full access, but it looks as if you don't ha--"
The captain interrupted, "I need you to locate the coordinates to which Transporter Room Three is about to transport. Then I need you to direct-beam Commander Riker and myself from our current location on the bridge to Transporter Room Three's destination at exactly the same time as the away team in Three transports. Understood?"
"Aye, sir," came the light Irish brogue in response. "Destination found... entered. Ready when you are, Captain."
"Good. Lock onto Commander Riker's and my coordinates."
Riker strode over to stand next to Picard in the center of the bridge. He didn't have time to argue with Picard about how a captain should never go along on a dangerous away team mission. Besides, he didn't know what the captain was planning except to assume that bringing together the real Picard and the impostor would clear any doubt in Wes's, Geordi's and Robin's minds.
"Locked, sir."
"Energize when they do, Chief."
"Aye, sir. They're sequencing, and... Energize!"
The two highest ranking officers on the ship disappeared in a sparkling blur of light.
* * *
Wesley, Geordi, Robin and Jaan stood on the platform trying to decipher the strange message they had just heard over the commlink that sounded like it had come from Captain Picard. A voice just like that of the man standing before them had told them they did not have permission to transport.
"No time to lose, Lieutenant," the false Picard walked over to the transporter console, "prepare to transport before the creature can disrupt us."
"Aye, sir." The transporter operator pressed a few spaces on the console, then looked up, "Ready, sir."
"Energize."
The transporter operator touched the thumb and index finger of his right hand to the sequence initiators and slid them up. Just as the beams of the transporter began surrounding the three young Humans on the platform, the form of Jaan disappeared completely. The operator looked surprised.
"Captain, what just happ--" he turned to the "captain", but he was gone as well. "What the--?"
And the transporter operator was alone.
Just then, Worf and three security officers burst through the transporter room doors to find the operator alone.
"What happened?" Worf asked. The operator looked like he'd just seen a ghost... which, in essence, he had.
"That's what I'd like to know, sir. The captain was here. He ordered an away team to transport over to the Neverland. Lieutenant LaForge, Ensigns Crusher and Wallace, and a Selelvian. Now they're all gone, the captain disappeared from standing right next to me!"
"The captain was on the bridge with me," Worf began.
The commlink interrupted with Data's voice, "Mister Worf, those transported to the Neverland will be returning in Transporter Room Two."
"Yes, sir," Worf answered and ran from the room, leaving the transporter lieutenant in complete confusion.
* * *
Chief O'Brien had successfully transported two officers to the place where three officers and a civilian were to be transported on the Neverland. However, his console showed that only three persons had been transported from Room Three. There should have been four from Room Three and two from the bridge, a total of six. Only five ended up on the Neverland. What had happened? They couldn't have lost one. That almost never happens at all, and had certainly never happened to him.
Chief O'Brien felt a cold chill of dread as he considered the possibility that they may have just killed a person.
Picard boarded the turbolift that would take him, at length, to the bridge. He had not traveled two decks when the turbolift stopped and the doors opened. Guinan was standing outside them. Picard smiled.
"Jean-Luc," she nodded to him, but she was obviously a little distracted. "I'm glad I caught up with you."
"Well, I'm on somewhat of a deadline, Guinan," Picard paused to tell the turbolift to continue to the bridge, "so you'll have to come to my stop first."
Guinan made no clever remark, no effort to smile at him. She just nodded and boarded the lift. Picard began to really worry. "Captain," she very rarely called him that, "whenever Q comes aboard this ship, I can feel it. It's a sort of sensation, or reaction, like an allergy."
Picard almost laughed at that. Almost.
"And now, I'm feeling something similar. It's not Q. I would know him. But for the past forty-eight hours, I've felt it at least six times. Something has entered and left this ship. But I don't know what."
"Guinan," Picard sensed a possible clue, "on at least six occasions, there has been a creature aboard this ship which can take on the forms of both living and deceased persons. When was the most recent time you sensed this presence?"
"I sense it now."
"Yes, well, our creature seems to have chosen myself for its most recent subject, and I must get to the bridge before it gives orders to my crew." The turbolift opened onto the bridge. "Please let me know immediately if you sense any change, any presence, departure, any disturbance, anything you think to be out of the ordinary." He stepped out of the lift.
"Yes, Captain." Guinan was a civilian. A bartender. A Listener. She did not have to take orders from the captain, but she had done in the past, and she would do again, for the good of the ship.
* * *
The creature had tried this stunt before as deceased beings, but never as ones who live. Apparently, becoming living beings was taking its toll on the creature. However, he now had no other course. He had become too many people, and now, the Humans wanted to bring together two of the people he'd imitated: Jaan and Picard. Mercifully, at least one of them was dead.
Jaan, Geordi, Robin and Wes all stood in Transporter Room Three waiting for Captain Picard. The three Humans were so busy conversing that they did not notice the slight strain on Jaan's face. Jaan's forehead creased and he closed his eyes. He appeared close to fainting when he suddenly opened his eyes and recovered.
Picard entered the room. The creature fought off a strong feeling of self-satisfaction.
"Mister Crusher, Mister LaForge, Mister Wallace," Picard addressed the two young men and one young woman in Starfleet uniforms, "and Jaan," the creature smiled as warmly as he suspected Picard could manage. "It is very good to see you again."
"Thank you, sir," the creature smiled back at itself.
"I must warn you all, the creature has made another appearance. However, it is my belief that once it realizes we are acceding it its wishes, it will stop haunting us. Mister Wallace, I trust you've been briefed on the situation?"
"Yes, sir," the young woman answered. She was a little more solemn than usual and Wes noticed that.
Wes was looking his team over. He was feeling very young again. He was eighteen and knew that was an age the children considered acceptable for a delegate. Robin was a bit too old at twenty-one, but could probably get away with it. Geordi was pushing it at twenty-five. Jaan was in his early forties, but that was adolescence for a Selelvian.
The creature already planned how he would do away with the Human wearing the prosthetic device over his eyes. But Kaelha had found a use for both younger Humans. And of course, Jaan would disappear right after transport. An explanation for that would not be necessary, Kaelha would tell the two young Humans the truth once she had them aboard her ship. There was no reason not to. They couldn't escape. And there would be security to fire a phaser at the older Human male as soon as they materialized aboard the Neverland.
"It appears the creature now has the ability to imitate living persons, and is masquerading about as myself," the creature knew full well that he was directly quoting the real captain, "so we must work quickly before it confuses things even more. Lieutenant?"
"Aye, sir," the transporter operator began punching in all the necessary information for transport.
* * *
The turbolift door opened onto the bridge and Picard strode out, leaving Guinan to travel the rest of her trip alone. Riker was a little apprehensive about this Picard.
"It's me, Number One," Picard sensed it right away, "Did another me appear yet?"
"Just you, sir," Riker was still a little unsure. He decided to reassure himself. "Computer, locate Captain Jean-Luc Picard."
"Captain Picard is on the bridge."
Riker sighed with relief.
"Sir," Worf rumbled, "Ensign Wallace reports having seen Doctor Crusher disappear from a corridor. It could have been the creature."
"Indeed. It could be running about the entire ship, giving out orders to God knows who--" the captain's eyes seemed to turn inward for a moment, "--like Ensign Crusher," he said softly.
"Computer," he practically shouted in contrast to his whispered thought, "locate Ensign Wesley Crusher."
"Ensign Wesley Crusher is in Transporter Room Three."
Oh no. This was exactly what Picard had feared. Wesley thought he was getting direct orders from his captain.
"Mister Worf, shut down all transporter functions."
"Not responding, sir, they're locked out by your voice command."
"This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard," he called, "access transporter functions."
The computer voice replied, "Access denied. Captain Jean-Luc Picard has denied access to all transporter functions for a designated time."
"Damn! Transporter Room Three," he shouted into the air, "you do not have permission to transport! Repeat, you do not have permission to transport!" Although if another Picard was in the transporter room with them, he doubted the order he just gave would be followed.
Then Picard turned to the aft section of the bridge, "Mister Worf, take a security team and get down there."
The Klingon did not take the time to respond, but was off the bridge before the captain could give his next order.
"He'll never make it in time," Riker intoned to Picard. Picard appeared to disregard that.
"Transporter Room Two, report," Picard called.
"No problems, no activity, Captain," Chief O'Brien answered from his post in Transporter Room Two.
"Chief O'Brien, this is an emergency. Do you have full access to transporter functions?"
This was a very strange question to ask of the Transporter Chief. "Wh-- of course I do, sir."
"Test them, please, Mister O'Brien. They have been tampered with."
There was a momentary pause as Chief O'Brien ran a quick diagnostic. "Aye, Captain, I have full access, but it looks as if you don't ha--"
The captain interrupted, "I need you to locate the coordinates to which Transporter Room Three is about to transport. Then I need you to direct-beam Commander Riker and myself from our current location on the bridge to Transporter Room Three's destination at exactly the same time as the away team in Three transports. Understood?"
"Aye, sir," came the light Irish brogue in response. "Destination found... entered. Ready when you are, Captain."
"Good. Lock onto Commander Riker's and my coordinates."
Riker strode over to stand next to Picard in the center of the bridge. He didn't have time to argue with Picard about how a captain should never go along on a dangerous away team mission. Besides, he didn't know what the captain was planning except to assume that bringing together the real Picard and the impostor would clear any doubt in Wes's, Geordi's and Robin's minds.
"Locked, sir."
"Energize when they do, Chief."
"Aye, sir. They're sequencing, and... Energize!"
The two highest ranking officers on the ship disappeared in a sparkling blur of light.
* * *
Wesley, Geordi, Robin and Jaan stood on the platform trying to decipher the strange message they had just heard over the commlink that sounded like it had come from Captain Picard. A voice just like that of the man standing before them had told them they did not have permission to transport.
"No time to lose, Lieutenant," the false Picard walked over to the transporter console, "prepare to transport before the creature can disrupt us."
"Aye, sir." The transporter operator pressed a few spaces on the console, then looked up, "Ready, sir."
"Energize."
The transporter operator touched the thumb and index finger of his right hand to the sequence initiators and slid them up. Just as the beams of the transporter began surrounding the three young Humans on the platform, the form of Jaan disappeared completely. The operator looked surprised.
"Captain, what just happ--" he turned to the "captain", but he was gone as well. "What the--?"
And the transporter operator was alone.
Just then, Worf and three security officers burst through the transporter room doors to find the operator alone.
"What happened?" Worf asked. The operator looked like he'd just seen a ghost... which, in essence, he had.
"That's what I'd like to know, sir. The captain was here. He ordered an away team to transport over to the Neverland. Lieutenant LaForge, Ensigns Crusher and Wallace, and a Selelvian. Now they're all gone, the captain disappeared from standing right next to me!"
"The captain was on the bridge with me," Worf began.
The commlink interrupted with Data's voice, "Mister Worf, those transported to the Neverland will be returning in Transporter Room Two."
"Yes, sir," Worf answered and ran from the room, leaving the transporter lieutenant in complete confusion.
* * *
Chief O'Brien had successfully transported two officers to the place where three officers and a civilian were to be transported on the Neverland. However, his console showed that only three persons had been transported from Room Three. There should have been four from Room Three and two from the bridge, a total of six. Only five ended up on the Neverland. What had happened? They couldn't have lost one. That almost never happens at all, and had certainly never happened to him.
Chief O'Brien felt a cold chill of dread as he considered the possibility that they may have just killed a person.