Chapter 25
"Good as new, Jean-Luc," Beverly folded her tricorder and slipped it into her labcoat pocket. Picard stood and straightened his uniform top.
"Thank you, Doctor," Picard answered stiffly.
"Jean-Luc," Beverly followed him around to his side of his ready room desk and leaned against it, hands in her pockets. "What's wrong?"
"Wrong?"
Here we go again, Beverly thought. "Yes. Something's bothering you, and I'm afraid it was something the creature said while it was impersonating Jack."
"Hardly."
"Jean-Luc..."
"Beverly, I'm fine." He flattened his palms on his desktop and sank into his chair. "I should be asking you if you're all right."
"You already know the answer to that question. I'll be all right when Wesley's back aboard."
"As will I. Meantime, this creature is merely an annoyance."
"What did he say to you?"
"Well, he said very little," he was getting edgy. "He was far too busy trying to do away with me."
"In the form of Jack."
"That, Doctor, is purely incidental."
"You're right. It is. But are you sure you believe that?"
"Doctor. I'd really like to put this behind me and find your son and Ensign Wallace. We can hold group therapy later."
Beverly stood staring at him for a moment, then turned and left. Now was evidently not a good time to have a heart to heart with her captain about their feelings for the late Jack Crusher.
Picard sighed once he was alone. He would breathe ten times, then he would go out onto the bridge. He was certainly not going to discuss with Beverly how the creature had pinpointed his feelings toward his Chief Medical Officer. But how could he stop what he was certain he was beginning to feel? Right now, he would simply think of swimming in Alaska in February.
But trying not to think of something inevitably brings it to mind. So Picard concentrated on the ten deep, measured breaths he'd promised himself before entering the bridge. That would relax him a bit.
He was on breath number nine when his comm badge twinkled. It was a little like the feeling one gets when one is awakened five minutes before one's alarmclock is set to go off.
"Yes, Number One?"
"Captain, we've got them. I don't know how this is happening, but we are receiving a signal from the ship on a closed frequency."
The captain was on the bridge almost before the commander had finished speaking.
* * *
Briyen, Wesley and Robin crawled on hands and knees through the cramped Jefferies tubes towards the weapons systems main terminal. Some of the tubes had been mercifully vertical with ladders through them, but now they were stuck in the horizontal ones, and Robin was getting a bit claustrophobic.
"I feel like I'm escaping with the Lost Boys from Never-Never Land," Robin quipped as she crawled behind Wesley and Briyen.
Wesley pursed his lips. "Well, you are." Then he glanced back over his shoulder at her and added, "Wendy."
"Ha," she snorted. "Just don't expect me to tell you stories or sew pockets for you."
"Aw, man..." Wes tried to sound disappointed.
"Are you sure no one knows we're gone, Briyen?" she asked.
Briyen, who was up front, called back to her, "No, but we don't really have much choice. We'll just have to work fast."
"Right," she muttered.
Briyen clicked the PADD into place over one of the closed hatches. He punched a few buttons then removed the PADD. The hatch opened and they crawled through. Then Robin closed the tiny doors behind them. At least that would slow down anyone who might be following them.
Briyen stopped halfway down the next segment of tube.
"Here," he said, prying loose a panel with his fingers. Then he tossed the comm badge to Wesley. "See if you can get this thing working with your security code."
"No way, my code's probably erased from all computers and set with all kinds of alarms by now. I've used it to do too much damage."
"Use Robin's."
Wes was sitting in a slouch to avoid bumping his head on the top of the tube. "Do you have clearance for ship-to-ship communiqués?"
"Yes. It's Wallace Kappa 83 Magic. Can you really code that thing right here?"
"Yeah," Wes answered distractedly. He was already busy with the communicator wiring and Briyen's PADD. It would just take a few more seconds... "All set."
"Okay, hail the Enterprise while I try to get shields down," said Briyen. He took the PADD back from Wesley and started work on the weapons system.
Wes met Robin's eyes for a second. She crossed her fingers. Then he activated the communicator and it twinkled in readiness. "It worked!"
* * *
"Open the link, Mister Worf," Picard strode over to his captain's chair and slid into it.
"Only audio is available, sir. The link is now open."
"...is Ensign Wesley Crusher to the Enterprise. Again, please respond!"
The link was fuzzy, but the words were understandable. Beverly, standing at the bottom of the aft ramp, closed her eyes and exhaled for the first time in three days.
"We hear you, Ensign. Are you all right?"
"Captain!" Wesley's voice sounded overjoyed. "Sir! We're fine, sir, but we need to hurry. We're disabling their shields now -- three to beam up on my mark, please!"
"Three?" the captain asked.
"I'll explain in person, sir, we just got the shields down, ready to beam up when you are."
"All right, ensign. Transporter Room Three, prepare to transport three persons from the Neverland at the given location on my mark."
"Aye, sir," Chief O'Brien answered.
"Mister Data, transfer the coordinates and signatures to the Chief."
"Done, sir."
"Captain," Chief O'Brien warned, "the ship's shields are fluctuating, powering up and down. I can't properly locate them."
"Do what you can, Chief."
"Captain Picard," it was Wesley. "We're ready when-- Ah!"
Picard could hear three separate cries over the commlink, and they weren't ceasing.
"Chief, energize!" Picard yelled over the din.
Beverly Crusher was in the turbolift and on her way to the transporter room before anyone could tell her to go.
"The lock is fading in and out, Captain! I'm trying to clarify. I can't get them!"
The cries had degenerated into whimpers and groans. Picard didn't like the sound of this. "Data, can you clarify the lock for Transporter Room Three?"
"I am attempting that now, sir," Data was the picture of composure, except for a higher speaking volume to conquer the sounds of pain coming over the commlink.
"Chief!" Picard called.
"I've got them! I've got them, sir, they're here," O'Brien breathed. "They're all right."
* * *
O'Brien watched three crouched figures materialize on the transporter pad, then sink the rest of the way to the ground.
Beverly burst through the doors and raced over to the figures. She scanned them with a tricorder and found them all to be here, real, and in fairly stable condition. They had been hit with a mild jolt of electricity, a defense mechanism of the Neverland's to guard against tampering. All three were stirring. They would be fine.
Wes slowly sat up. Beverly was down on one knee next to him. She brushed the damp hair off his forehead with cool fingers. Wes was flushed and he felt warm, but he was fine. Just fine.
Two other nurses from Doctor Crusher's sickbay entered upon her earlier order and began to tend to Robin and... wasn't that the commander of the Neverland? They'd tend to injuries now and ask questions later.
"Am I r-really on th-the Enterp-p-prise?" he glanced around.
Beverly nodded, "If it's really you." Her voice broke over the words and she gave him a watery smile.
Wes smiled back and pulled himself up to his knees. He not so much hugged her as collapsed into her arms. She clung to him, no doubt in her mind that this really was her son.
"W-Wes?" it was Robin's voice. He turned to look at her. She was sitting up, her cheeks and the bridge of her nose were pink and her hair hung in damp strings around her face. "We m-made it?"
Wes smiled at her. "We made it."
"I f-forgot about th-th-that security m-measure," Briyen's teeth chattered, but he was up on his knees.
"What's he doing here?" Beverly whispered to her son.
"He got us back here. I'll explain later," Wes was on his feet. "You've got to get us to the bridge. We have to tell the captain what we know."
"I don't know about that, I should get you three to sickbay. You were jolted with some strong currents of electricity."
"I'm fine." Wes looked at Robin.
"I'm all right," she answered, standing up.
Briyen's teeth had stopped chattering under the ministrations of the nurse attending to him. He gently gestured him away and stood up. "I'm okay, too."
Beverly stood staring at the three of them, sweat-soaked, uniforms bearing traces of black burn spots from sparks, coated with dust and dirt, and Wes and Robin were a little bruised. She should absolutely not allow this. "All right."
They had just started down the corridor when the Enterprise was rocked violently. The four of them staggered and gripped the walls.
* * *
"Report!" Picard demanded.
"Captain, there is minor damage to the stardrive section. Starboard, sector coordinate eight," Data's hands flew over the Ops panel. Worf confirmed Data's report.
Riker stood and stepped up behind Picard. "Minor damage? They could destroy our ship with two shots and they're aiming with low power at a non- vital part of our ship?"
"Perhaps it was a warning shot, Number One. Mister Worf, hail the Neverland until they answer."
"Aye, captain."
* * *
Two minutes later, Doctor Beverly Crusher rushed onto the bridge followed by Ensign Wesley Crusher, Ensign Robin Wallace and Commander Briyen of the Neverland. Ensign Billy Nolan practically jumped out of the Conn seat and ran to Aft Engineering. Robin took Mission Ops on the aft and Briyen stood off to the side near the turbolift. Beverly took a place near Deanna.
Wesley slipped into the Helm seat he never thought he'd see again and spread his fingers over the familiar console, smiling at the comfortable feel of "home" he was getting from it.
"Good to have you back, Mister Crusher, Mister Wallace," Picard stared at Briyen for a long moment, then decided the time for questions was later.
"Thank you, sir," the two ensigns answered from their stations.
Picard then took his seat and began action in the same automaton movements that Wesley found thrilling just for today.
Worf rumbled, "The Neverland is responding, captain."
"On screen."
Kaelha appeared on the screen in a rage. "Jean-Luc, I thought your race professed the 'eye for an eye' laws to be harsh and unfair!"
"What are you talking about?"
"I had a very good reason for needing your officers. I fail to see why you took mine!"
Picard got it. "We did not take your first officer, Captain Kaelha. We are as surprised to see him here as you are."
"I find that very difficult to believe, Jean-Luc."
"Oh, shut up, Kaelha, you find everything difficult to believe!" it was Briyen. He stepped off the aft ramp and came into Kaelha's view.
"Commander! What are you doing on that ship of... of adults?"
"Watch it, I'm going to be an adult one day. So I quit. I resign my position on your ship."
"That's ridiculous, you can't quit! What will you do now? Where are you going to go?"
"I don't know yet, but I can go anywhere. I can do anything I want now, I'm free."
"You mean you're alone."
"Those two don't always go together, Kaelha."
"But what about me? I need you here. You're my first officer."
"You don't need me. What you need, Kaelha, I can't give you. No one can. You can't make someone else fill the emptiness in you. Having me with you can't make you feel like you have a purpose as a care-giver, just as having Wesley Crusher with you can't make you feel like you have dreams and desires again."
"What?" Riker whispered to Picard, who silenced him with a gesture.
Wes sank down a little in the Conn seat, humiliated.
"I needed his temporal abilities!" yelled Kaelha.
Briyen shouted back. "Oh, you and I both know he hasn't got any temporal abilities beyond what can be coaxed out of him by that Traveler guy! You're far too old to be acting like a teenager!"
"Too old?" Picard turned to Riker this time. Riker shrugged. "Captain Kae--"
"And in my years I've learned that hope should be rediscovered at any cost!" she ignored Captain Picard.
"Even if the cost is the hope and futures of two young Humans?"
"They would never have known it happened at all!"
"Only if it worked, and you know it wouldn't have worked!"
"It might have! If I could just get the boy to--"
"You're lying to yourself!" Briyen's anger was becoming fury. "What you did is wrong! Nothing can change that, qualify that or justify that! Just stop it! Stop talking! You can't talk yourself out of this one. And I have a feeling you know it."
Kaelha was quiet. When she spoke again, she spoke very softly. "I suppose you found your way out before we complete our original plan."
Briyen shook his head. "I don't want you to go through with--"
Kaelha severed the link.
Captain Picard was on his feet. "Mister Worf, get her back."
"The Neverland is not responding, sir," Worf answered.
"Keep trying."
A phaser blast rocked the Enterprise.
"They're firing on us, sir," the Klingon stated what everyone already knew.
"Red alert," Picard announced. The children were not attacking with their previous power, but they could power up at any moment and blow them into the next quadrant.
The soft white lighting of the bridge dimmed to an eerie red. Another blast. This time with slightly higher power.
"Report," Picard said stiffly.
"Shields holding at 78 percent," Worf answered.
As Picard had expected, the Neverland was going to power up slowly until the Enterprise had no choice but to fight back.
"Why are they firing so carefully when they have so much technology?" Riker scrunched up his eyebrows.
"Perhaps they are merely warning us, sir," Data answered.
"Or luring us," Worf growled. If anyone knew about battle, it was Worf, and Worf could tell a fishline when he saw one. The Neverland wanted a fight, and they would get one.
"Ready phasers, Mister Worf," Picard's soft voice cut through the mild din of the red alert klaxon and dweedling of computer reports coming in at all stations.
"Fire around them, Mister Worf. Let's see if we can't get them to listen to us."
Robin couldn't seem to stand still at Mission Ops. This is the station that works most closely with Tactical in alert situations. She was working literally back to back with Worf. She just wished that didn't include being back to back with the viewscreen. It would be nice to see what was going on.
"Helm, evasive maneuvers."
"Evasive maneuvers, aye," Wesley was glancing rapidly back and forth from his console to the screen, his hands flying over the board. The Enterprise lifted above the Neverland and dove down over it, then came around behind it.. The Neverland was having a difficult time keeping up. Since the Enterprise was smaller, it had a much greater maneuverability. The Enterprise had little difficulty outrunning most of the shots.
The Enterprise inflicted little damage to the Neverland. They hadn't been meaning to damage it, only to keep themselves from being damaged until they could establish a communications link again. Now, suddenly the Neverland was tired of being toyed with, and a phaser blast hit the Enterprise dead on the starboard nacelle.
"Whoa!" Wesley yanked his hands away from his console. Everything had just gone dark.
"Shields at 39 percent!" Worf's trigger finger was itchy.
"Engineering, report," Picard called, opening a commlink.
It was Geordi's voice which answered. "They hit secondary propulsion, starboard! We've got no impulse on that side!"
"Geordi!" Wes called, "Helm's out!"
"I'm on it," Geordi answered.
"Mister Wallace, take over evasive maneuvers from Mission Ops," Picard ordered.
"Aye, sir."
Robin pulled the Enterprise off to one side to avoid another shot from the Neverland.
"Wes, have you got your console back?" Geordi's voice called.
Wesley punched a few keys as the lights came back on in his board. "I'm up," he answered.
"Mister Wallace, transfer navigation back to Conn."
"Navigation commands from Flight Controller, aye, sir."
Wes lifted his head. He heard a faint twinkling sound and the buttons he was touching were responding to his command. It had only been out for a total of seventeen seconds, but that's a terribly long time when you're in battle. Not that his evasive maneuvers would be very good now that one side propulsion was down. He could always just turn left a lot.
"Mister Crusher, get us above them," he ordered, though he knew that would be difficult. The only way Picard knew to have full maneuverability would be to use warp one to jump from right next to them to right above them. But that was highly impractical, sucking far too much power away from shields and phasers. A possibility in case of emergency which he filed in his head for when, if, they needed it.
The Enterprise was listing to the right as it scudded up and above the Neverland. Literally, Wesley was trying to hide from the Neverland behind the Neverland. If he could get to just such a relative coordinate, the Neverland would have to fire through itself to get to the Enterprise. Before he made it to that spot, the Enterprise sustained one more shot.
"Shields are down! We're defenseless!" Worf was the Klingon equivalent of desperate. We wanted to shoot them and he wanted to shoot them now.
"Mister Worf," Picard conceded, "ready photon torpedoes. Mister Crusher, bearing 983 mark 23. Do the best you can."
"Aye, captain."
"Launch photon torpedoes."
Briyen closed his eyes. The people he had lived with for almost two years were all about to die. While he bore them little love, he didn't believe they deserved what they were about to get either. He knew this is what they wanted. Hope would not come back to them because they were not looking for it in the right ways, in the right places. So they'd given up. This was what they'd planned all along. He tried to concentrate on how lucky he was that he was on this ship and not that one at this very moment. He tried to think of the freedom rather than the loss.
Worf touched the control panel. Everyone on the bridge watched the torpedoes blaze through space towards the Neverland.
"Sir!" Worf was astounded. "They've dropped shields!"
I knew they were going to do that, Briyen thought, eyes still squeezed tightly shut. "To die would be an awfully big adventure," he recalled the printed words.
Picard stood slowly, staring at the viewscreen. The shot he had just ordered would not have destroyed the starcruiser, only crippled it. But with shields down...
The Neverland exploded. The particles of the ship collapsing in on themselves and the vacuum rushing into the unoccupied space was almost audible as the bridge crew of the Enterprise watched 273 living beings die.
"Good lord," Picard breathed. "Do you think they were about to hail us?"
"No, captain," it was Briyen. "They did exactly what they wanted."
Picard was about to address that when the viewscreen caught his attention. Almost all together, every crew member on the bridge stopped breathing when they saw what was on the screen. Robin and Billy turned to see and their jaws dropped. Sounds of surprise died in the throats which attempted to produce them.
There had been a smaller ship inside the Neverland. Although heavily damaged and certainly unable to support life, the saucer section (yes, saucer section) of the smaller ship bore the clearly visible serial number NCC-1701-B.
"Sir," Data was the only one not too astounded to speak. He was busy trying to identify the situation and the smaller ship. Then he stated what everyone already knew. "That is the third model of the Federation starship Enterprise."
Even the ever-prepared Captain Jean-Luc Picard was speechless for a moment. "What on earth are they doing with an Enterprise?"
"Sir?" Briyen's voice was soft and nervous. "I think I can explain."
Picard stared at him. His dark hair hung over icy eyes. His thin frame was slouched and posed in such a position as to seem out of the way. Picard sat down.
"In a moment, Commander Briyen. Mister Data, is there anyone... left on the Neverland?"
"No, sir," Data used a voice which was soft and approximated reverence for the lost lives. "There are no life signs at all from the ship that remains and no escape pods were launched."
The captain did not ask for a moment of silence, but he got one anyway. Everyone was mesmerized by the sight on the viewscreen.
"All right," Picard sighed. "Everyone knows something that should be shared, so we shall hold a briefing right here. First and foremost, I would like the conversation between Commander Briyen and Captain Kaelha explained."
Tentatively, Briyen corrected, "I'm not a commander anymore, captain, I'd prefer to just be Briyen."
"Of course." Picard had just spent over three days trying to make a young girl refer to him by his proper title. He wasn't about to deny Briyen the privilege of being addressed as he wished. "Briyen, please tell us what you can about the children."
"First of all," it seemed like all Briyen's confidence came back when being asked to speak, "they're not children. Each one of them was thirty- nine years older than they appeared to be."
"You speak of them as separate from yourself?" Deanna asked, sensing that this information was important.
"Well, yes. I am separate. I'm Human, and I really am fifteen. I only know about them from what Kaelha told me. They were all B'Safran. B'Safra's a planet like Earth, but it's way out there on the edge of what we know exists. They weren't real technologically advanced or anything, because they had traditions and religions that didn't expand with their discoveries. Everything was based on superstition and stories. Like... myths.
"There's this huge mountain range off their main continent that they called the Gaterran Mountains, after their god of returning to the soil or whatever. But nobody ever goes there 'cause they believe it's the place of the dead. People would travel there and never return -- probably because it was too treacherous, but they thought it was because ghosts got them or something," Briyen crinkled his nose at the silliness. "But almost seventy- five years ago, a huge star fell into the mountains and that only made their story more believable. Of course it wasn't a star, but it was that ship," he pointed at the viewscreen.
"But B'Safra is a very recent Federation discovery," Riker shook his head. "M class, yes, but totally barren and uninhabited. In fact, they've found no signs of life having existed there in thousands of years. We've been searching for the Enterprise B for years, no one knows what happened to it. It's an excelsior class. It did more discovering and mapping than any other Enterprise. We just assumed it went too far one time."
Briyen shrugged. "I guess so. I don't know why it crashed. I don't think anyone did. They all thought it was a sign from the gods or something. Anyway, thirty-eight years ago, these alien guys, the Ylaswa, attacked their planet. The B'Safrans didn't even know there was life on other planets, so they really weren't able to defend themselves against an alien attack. At the time, nobody really knew why they attacked, probably to terraform the planet into something useful for themselves, but if you say there was no life there... then I guess they succeeded in wiping almost everything out. Or maybe taking it? They released this toxin into the air and water that killed off all existing life. Well, it was supposed to kill off all life. But it didn't kill the B'Safrans on the Neverland, it just made them stop getting any older. So everyone on that ship was all adults. In their minds, anyway."
"But what about this ghost that's been haunting us?" Beverly asked.
"Oh yeah. Have you ever heard of the Q Continuum?"
"Heard?" Picard demanded. "Did Q have anything to do with this?"
Briyen looked alarmed. "Oh. No. Not the Q you're thinking of anyway. The logs of this Enterprise show a lot of stuff about a Q, but this isn't him."
Picard nodded once curtly. "This is another member of the Q?"
"Well, no. Not anymore. It didn't have total omnipotence. If it tried to do something difficult for too long, it'd flicker or disappear or something."
"Yes, we witnessed as much. Where is it now? Can it be located? Will he come to you?"
"No, sir, I don't think so. I wasn't one of his children. It... sort of became a guardian for the B'Safrans. And, well, I'm not B'Safran. Kaelha and all them first saw it when they found the Enterprise. I guess it was snooping around the old ship too."
"If no one ever ventured into the Getteran Mountains," Data questioned, "how was the ship found?"
"Well, when Kaelha found out that all the adults were gone, at least from her continent, and that she wasn't getting any older, she decided to abandon tradition and figure things out for herself." Briyen smiled slightly and glanced at the floor, "She was always like that. No one could tell her what to do. She had a mind of her own."
"Thank god," Billy added, surprising the bridge with his unexpected input. "Every race needs a free thinker, a leader who will bring them into the next age."
Briyen pointed at Billy. "Exactly."
Data looked up from his scanning on the Ops console. "As far as I am able to determine, whatever the creature was, it is now gone."
Briyen went on to describe how the children worked on the ship (with help from the creature) until it was spaceworthy, and how he came to be on the Neverland. He explained how the children were beginning to lose hope and direction, even with all they'd learned, they'd never truly grow, never perpetuate their race. "They hoped that they could lure you here with a distress call, pick a fight, and hopefully lose."
"Which is exactly what happened," Riker said.
"At length, yes," Deanna was studying Briyen, "but what happened over the past three days, Briyen?"
"She didn't plan on kidnapping anyone. She knew about you," he looked at Wes, "but she thought you would be at the Academy by now."
Wes huffed sarcastically. So had he.
"When she saw him, she figured he could go back in time, warn her people of what was coming, at least get some of them off the planet. Save her race. But he can't alter time. Not without the Traveler. Oh, and Robin, well... Kaelha brought her along to be strength for Wesley, but she was totally jealous of her." Then he gestured placatingly to Wesley and quickly added, "Not entirely because of how close Robin is with you, but because of Robin herself. Her personality. Robin is a lot like Kaelha used to be, before her spirit was beaten down by being hopeless for years and years. She wasn't willing to so quickly let go of the hope that Wes and Robin could save them. And completely save her."
Robin met Wesley's eyes with a sorrowful gaze. Wes's jaw was clenched tightly. Deanna made a mental note of the guilt emanating from the two of them and decided to talk to them later about it.
"But how did they know who we all are and so much about us?" Doctor Crusher asked.
"I think we can assume they learned all they could from the Enterprise B and hacked the rest from our computer system. Anything they couldn't find out, their telepath or the omniscient creature could tell them," Riker answered for her.
Briyen hung his head and said softly, "Pretty much."
Deanna sensed his holding something back and said, "And?"
"Well, the Q... the... creature... wasn't omniscient. So... well, we had to get some information from your... well, your personal logs."
Picard's eyebrow twitched. "I beg your pardon?"
Riker narrowed his eyes at the boy. "Whose personal logs?"
"Well, Wesley's, of course." Hearing Briyen's words, Wesley closed his eyes in mild embarrassment. Briyen continued, "Robin's, Doctor Crusher's--"
Beverly's eyebrows shot up. "What?"
"Um..." Briyen was getting less comfortable with listing his recent reading material. "Um... Geordi's and Worf's... and... um, well, yours, sir..." he looked at Riker.
"Is that all, young man?" Picard was still in the clear, but already irritated.
"Well, um, no sir, um... Counselor Troi's and Billy Nolan's and... and yours, captain, and... and even Lieutenant Commander Data's. Sir."
Data turned around in his chair to look at Briyen. Intriguing.
"Well," Picard let very little air escape with that word. "I suppose that's everything. By 1900 hours I want a full report from Ensigns Crusher and Wallace. Briyen, will you come with me to my ready room now?"
Briyen followed the captain off the bridge.
In Picard's ready room, Briyen gave his account of what had happened for the past three days, as well as the past two years, on the Neverland.
"You will be assigned quarters here on the Enterprise until we can locate a relative or a guardian, at which time it will be your decision where you'd like to go."
"Thank you, captain," Briyen sniffed.
* * *
Briyen walked empty-handed into the living quarters that had been given to him. He had no belongings and nothing to bring with him but himself. In a way, it was exhilarating, like just being born, but all over again. Now the universe was his to chose from. But on the other hand, it was terrifying.
Now what? He didn't know what he wanted to do with his life. He'd never really given it much thought. He had dreams, but dreams are just that. Dreams. And up until a few short hours ago, he'd had an occupation and a home, friends, someone who loved him. They may not have been ideal, but they were something. Now everything was gone. Everything.
He had not been truly happy there. There were things that made him happy, but the situation, taken for everything, was not a pleasant one for him. When he'd heard of the plans with the Enterprise and drawing its fire, he'd wanted out. But where to?
He sighed and sat down on a chair, looking around at the beautiful room. The lights were dim and there were windows which seemed to face back. He could see retreating stars and part of a nacelle through the windows which slanted outward toward the top.
Kaelha always used to talk about how she'd wanted her life to be like a comet, a gigantic blazing star that everyone could see and appreciate. She'd wanted to create something meaningful, lasting, helpful, to make an impression on life, to have a truly important existence. Now that her life was over, it remained only to look back and evaluate his opinion on whether she'd succeeded or failed. Or if it was even fair for him to inflict his own perception of her success or failure to her life, when a person's life can only truly be measured by their own expectations of themselves.
And what of his own life? Who would evaluate his success and failure when he was gone? Would they be satisfied? More importantly, would he? What will make his life mean something, make it important? Would he be satisfied with anything less than his dreams? What if he couldn't achieve his dreams?
He shook his head. He was too tired and worn out to think about things like this. There's always tomorrow, he thought, then realized the irony in that statement. Tomorrow, in fact, isn't always there to wait for. What about today? He'd inadvertently gone back to his baffling thoughts.
Today he was going to bed. He stood up and went into the bedroom. Just as he was turning down the blankets and about to crawl in, he noticed a star that seemed to sparkle. He squinted at it. Stars don't sparkle unless their light is distorted by a planet's atmosphere. His eyes must have been playing tricks on him. But he was suddenly reminded of the words to that song Kaelha was so fond of quoting, and it momentarily comforted him. "The second star to the right shines in the night for you, to tell you that the dreams you've planned really can come true."
* * *
Captain Jean-Luc Picard spoke to the tiny viewscreen on his ready room desk.
"Yes, Admiral, you were correct in hearing that we have discovered the Enterprise B."
"Congratulations, Captain," Admiral Thelasli said. "I presume I will have your complete report in the morning?"
"Of course, sir," Picard answered. "I've already sent the coordinates to Starbase 117. They will have the ship towed there."
"How fitting, Jean-Luc," Picard also allowed anyone who outranked him to call him whatever they wished, "that the fifth Enterprise should find the third."
"Fitting, indeed," Picard smiled. It was James T. Kirk, captain of the first Enterprise, who said that there was a certain type of luck that followed his ship wherever it went. And even in Kirk's retirement, when he followed closely the movements of the second model of his ship, he said it was also blessed with "the luck of the Enterprises". Picard knew that by this time tomorrow, the ancient excelsior-class ship would be teeming with Starfleet scientists attempting to discover the fate of the old ship. Too bad that, after so much time and alteration, there would be little chance of the discovery of a little black box.
Picard had the feeling that the luck of the Enterprises followed his ship as well.
He had just ended the communication with the admiral when the door chime trilled.
"Come," he called and Doctor Beverly Crusher entered. Picard rose and moved around his desk to join her in front of it. She had an odd look on her face. "Beverly. Are you all right?"
"Yes, and Wesley's fine, too." Beverly sighed nostalgically. "We've been through a lot together, you and I. Haven't we, Jean-Luc?"
"More than I'd care to remember," Picard answered, searching her deep, green eyes for her real motive.
"I could have lost my son, Jean-Luc, but you saved him."
"Please, Beverly, don't thank me for that. I don't think I could bear it." Picard was a man who did not look down or away from someone, so he closed his eyes and shook his head. How could he stand that she wanted to congratulate him for letting her son live, when he really had very little to do with the rescue?
"Jean-Luc," Beverly laid her hands on his shoulders, "you did not cause my husband to die, and you did not cause my son to live. But you were there, in command, whenever something happened, handling it with grace and unflinching composure." She smiled at him, "Just because you weren't with them fighting their way out doesn't mean you weren't here fighting their way back here. Understood?"
Beverly saw a tiny smile play across Jean-Luc's lips. "Understood, Doctor." He had the most gentle eyes she'd ever seen, and he was the most incredible man she'd ever met. How could any person be so gentle and Human, yet so rigid and commanding all at once? It was as if he had achieved within himself a perfect balance.
She suddenly embraced him, burying her head in his shoulder and exhaling for perhaps only the second time in three days. For just a moment, she wanted to feel the strength and serenity of the still waters within him that ran so deep.
Picard slowly lifted his arms around her waist and held her. He was captain, confidant, companion and best friend to this woman, but it never seemed to be enough.
"Good as new, Jean-Luc," Beverly folded her tricorder and slipped it into her labcoat pocket. Picard stood and straightened his uniform top.
"Thank you, Doctor," Picard answered stiffly.
"Jean-Luc," Beverly followed him around to his side of his ready room desk and leaned against it, hands in her pockets. "What's wrong?"
"Wrong?"
Here we go again, Beverly thought. "Yes. Something's bothering you, and I'm afraid it was something the creature said while it was impersonating Jack."
"Hardly."
"Jean-Luc..."
"Beverly, I'm fine." He flattened his palms on his desktop and sank into his chair. "I should be asking you if you're all right."
"You already know the answer to that question. I'll be all right when Wesley's back aboard."
"As will I. Meantime, this creature is merely an annoyance."
"What did he say to you?"
"Well, he said very little," he was getting edgy. "He was far too busy trying to do away with me."
"In the form of Jack."
"That, Doctor, is purely incidental."
"You're right. It is. But are you sure you believe that?"
"Doctor. I'd really like to put this behind me and find your son and Ensign Wallace. We can hold group therapy later."
Beverly stood staring at him for a moment, then turned and left. Now was evidently not a good time to have a heart to heart with her captain about their feelings for the late Jack Crusher.
Picard sighed once he was alone. He would breathe ten times, then he would go out onto the bridge. He was certainly not going to discuss with Beverly how the creature had pinpointed his feelings toward his Chief Medical Officer. But how could he stop what he was certain he was beginning to feel? Right now, he would simply think of swimming in Alaska in February.
But trying not to think of something inevitably brings it to mind. So Picard concentrated on the ten deep, measured breaths he'd promised himself before entering the bridge. That would relax him a bit.
He was on breath number nine when his comm badge twinkled. It was a little like the feeling one gets when one is awakened five minutes before one's alarmclock is set to go off.
"Yes, Number One?"
"Captain, we've got them. I don't know how this is happening, but we are receiving a signal from the ship on a closed frequency."
The captain was on the bridge almost before the commander had finished speaking.
* * *
Briyen, Wesley and Robin crawled on hands and knees through the cramped Jefferies tubes towards the weapons systems main terminal. Some of the tubes had been mercifully vertical with ladders through them, but now they were stuck in the horizontal ones, and Robin was getting a bit claustrophobic.
"I feel like I'm escaping with the Lost Boys from Never-Never Land," Robin quipped as she crawled behind Wesley and Briyen.
Wesley pursed his lips. "Well, you are." Then he glanced back over his shoulder at her and added, "Wendy."
"Ha," she snorted. "Just don't expect me to tell you stories or sew pockets for you."
"Aw, man..." Wes tried to sound disappointed.
"Are you sure no one knows we're gone, Briyen?" she asked.
Briyen, who was up front, called back to her, "No, but we don't really have much choice. We'll just have to work fast."
"Right," she muttered.
Briyen clicked the PADD into place over one of the closed hatches. He punched a few buttons then removed the PADD. The hatch opened and they crawled through. Then Robin closed the tiny doors behind them. At least that would slow down anyone who might be following them.
Briyen stopped halfway down the next segment of tube.
"Here," he said, prying loose a panel with his fingers. Then he tossed the comm badge to Wesley. "See if you can get this thing working with your security code."
"No way, my code's probably erased from all computers and set with all kinds of alarms by now. I've used it to do too much damage."
"Use Robin's."
Wes was sitting in a slouch to avoid bumping his head on the top of the tube. "Do you have clearance for ship-to-ship communiqués?"
"Yes. It's Wallace Kappa 83 Magic. Can you really code that thing right here?"
"Yeah," Wes answered distractedly. He was already busy with the communicator wiring and Briyen's PADD. It would just take a few more seconds... "All set."
"Okay, hail the Enterprise while I try to get shields down," said Briyen. He took the PADD back from Wesley and started work on the weapons system.
Wes met Robin's eyes for a second. She crossed her fingers. Then he activated the communicator and it twinkled in readiness. "It worked!"
* * *
"Open the link, Mister Worf," Picard strode over to his captain's chair and slid into it.
"Only audio is available, sir. The link is now open."
"...is Ensign Wesley Crusher to the Enterprise. Again, please respond!"
The link was fuzzy, but the words were understandable. Beverly, standing at the bottom of the aft ramp, closed her eyes and exhaled for the first time in three days.
"We hear you, Ensign. Are you all right?"
"Captain!" Wesley's voice sounded overjoyed. "Sir! We're fine, sir, but we need to hurry. We're disabling their shields now -- three to beam up on my mark, please!"
"Three?" the captain asked.
"I'll explain in person, sir, we just got the shields down, ready to beam up when you are."
"All right, ensign. Transporter Room Three, prepare to transport three persons from the Neverland at the given location on my mark."
"Aye, sir," Chief O'Brien answered.
"Mister Data, transfer the coordinates and signatures to the Chief."
"Done, sir."
"Captain," Chief O'Brien warned, "the ship's shields are fluctuating, powering up and down. I can't properly locate them."
"Do what you can, Chief."
"Captain Picard," it was Wesley. "We're ready when-- Ah!"
Picard could hear three separate cries over the commlink, and they weren't ceasing.
"Chief, energize!" Picard yelled over the din.
Beverly Crusher was in the turbolift and on her way to the transporter room before anyone could tell her to go.
"The lock is fading in and out, Captain! I'm trying to clarify. I can't get them!"
The cries had degenerated into whimpers and groans. Picard didn't like the sound of this. "Data, can you clarify the lock for Transporter Room Three?"
"I am attempting that now, sir," Data was the picture of composure, except for a higher speaking volume to conquer the sounds of pain coming over the commlink.
"Chief!" Picard called.
"I've got them! I've got them, sir, they're here," O'Brien breathed. "They're all right."
* * *
O'Brien watched three crouched figures materialize on the transporter pad, then sink the rest of the way to the ground.
Beverly burst through the doors and raced over to the figures. She scanned them with a tricorder and found them all to be here, real, and in fairly stable condition. They had been hit with a mild jolt of electricity, a defense mechanism of the Neverland's to guard against tampering. All three were stirring. They would be fine.
Wes slowly sat up. Beverly was down on one knee next to him. She brushed the damp hair off his forehead with cool fingers. Wes was flushed and he felt warm, but he was fine. Just fine.
Two other nurses from Doctor Crusher's sickbay entered upon her earlier order and began to tend to Robin and... wasn't that the commander of the Neverland? They'd tend to injuries now and ask questions later.
"Am I r-really on th-the Enterp-p-prise?" he glanced around.
Beverly nodded, "If it's really you." Her voice broke over the words and she gave him a watery smile.
Wes smiled back and pulled himself up to his knees. He not so much hugged her as collapsed into her arms. She clung to him, no doubt in her mind that this really was her son.
"W-Wes?" it was Robin's voice. He turned to look at her. She was sitting up, her cheeks and the bridge of her nose were pink and her hair hung in damp strings around her face. "We m-made it?"
Wes smiled at her. "We made it."
"I f-forgot about th-th-that security m-measure," Briyen's teeth chattered, but he was up on his knees.
"What's he doing here?" Beverly whispered to her son.
"He got us back here. I'll explain later," Wes was on his feet. "You've got to get us to the bridge. We have to tell the captain what we know."
"I don't know about that, I should get you three to sickbay. You were jolted with some strong currents of electricity."
"I'm fine." Wes looked at Robin.
"I'm all right," she answered, standing up.
Briyen's teeth had stopped chattering under the ministrations of the nurse attending to him. He gently gestured him away and stood up. "I'm okay, too."
Beverly stood staring at the three of them, sweat-soaked, uniforms bearing traces of black burn spots from sparks, coated with dust and dirt, and Wes and Robin were a little bruised. She should absolutely not allow this. "All right."
They had just started down the corridor when the Enterprise was rocked violently. The four of them staggered and gripped the walls.
* * *
"Report!" Picard demanded.
"Captain, there is minor damage to the stardrive section. Starboard, sector coordinate eight," Data's hands flew over the Ops panel. Worf confirmed Data's report.
Riker stood and stepped up behind Picard. "Minor damage? They could destroy our ship with two shots and they're aiming with low power at a non- vital part of our ship?"
"Perhaps it was a warning shot, Number One. Mister Worf, hail the Neverland until they answer."
"Aye, captain."
* * *
Two minutes later, Doctor Beverly Crusher rushed onto the bridge followed by Ensign Wesley Crusher, Ensign Robin Wallace and Commander Briyen of the Neverland. Ensign Billy Nolan practically jumped out of the Conn seat and ran to Aft Engineering. Robin took Mission Ops on the aft and Briyen stood off to the side near the turbolift. Beverly took a place near Deanna.
Wesley slipped into the Helm seat he never thought he'd see again and spread his fingers over the familiar console, smiling at the comfortable feel of "home" he was getting from it.
"Good to have you back, Mister Crusher, Mister Wallace," Picard stared at Briyen for a long moment, then decided the time for questions was later.
"Thank you, sir," the two ensigns answered from their stations.
Picard then took his seat and began action in the same automaton movements that Wesley found thrilling just for today.
Worf rumbled, "The Neverland is responding, captain."
"On screen."
Kaelha appeared on the screen in a rage. "Jean-Luc, I thought your race professed the 'eye for an eye' laws to be harsh and unfair!"
"What are you talking about?"
"I had a very good reason for needing your officers. I fail to see why you took mine!"
Picard got it. "We did not take your first officer, Captain Kaelha. We are as surprised to see him here as you are."
"I find that very difficult to believe, Jean-Luc."
"Oh, shut up, Kaelha, you find everything difficult to believe!" it was Briyen. He stepped off the aft ramp and came into Kaelha's view.
"Commander! What are you doing on that ship of... of adults?"
"Watch it, I'm going to be an adult one day. So I quit. I resign my position on your ship."
"That's ridiculous, you can't quit! What will you do now? Where are you going to go?"
"I don't know yet, but I can go anywhere. I can do anything I want now, I'm free."
"You mean you're alone."
"Those two don't always go together, Kaelha."
"But what about me? I need you here. You're my first officer."
"You don't need me. What you need, Kaelha, I can't give you. No one can. You can't make someone else fill the emptiness in you. Having me with you can't make you feel like you have a purpose as a care-giver, just as having Wesley Crusher with you can't make you feel like you have dreams and desires again."
"What?" Riker whispered to Picard, who silenced him with a gesture.
Wes sank down a little in the Conn seat, humiliated.
"I needed his temporal abilities!" yelled Kaelha.
Briyen shouted back. "Oh, you and I both know he hasn't got any temporal abilities beyond what can be coaxed out of him by that Traveler guy! You're far too old to be acting like a teenager!"
"Too old?" Picard turned to Riker this time. Riker shrugged. "Captain Kae--"
"And in my years I've learned that hope should be rediscovered at any cost!" she ignored Captain Picard.
"Even if the cost is the hope and futures of two young Humans?"
"They would never have known it happened at all!"
"Only if it worked, and you know it wouldn't have worked!"
"It might have! If I could just get the boy to--"
"You're lying to yourself!" Briyen's anger was becoming fury. "What you did is wrong! Nothing can change that, qualify that or justify that! Just stop it! Stop talking! You can't talk yourself out of this one. And I have a feeling you know it."
Kaelha was quiet. When she spoke again, she spoke very softly. "I suppose you found your way out before we complete our original plan."
Briyen shook his head. "I don't want you to go through with--"
Kaelha severed the link.
Captain Picard was on his feet. "Mister Worf, get her back."
"The Neverland is not responding, sir," Worf answered.
"Keep trying."
A phaser blast rocked the Enterprise.
"They're firing on us, sir," the Klingon stated what everyone already knew.
"Red alert," Picard announced. The children were not attacking with their previous power, but they could power up at any moment and blow them into the next quadrant.
The soft white lighting of the bridge dimmed to an eerie red. Another blast. This time with slightly higher power.
"Report," Picard said stiffly.
"Shields holding at 78 percent," Worf answered.
As Picard had expected, the Neverland was going to power up slowly until the Enterprise had no choice but to fight back.
"Why are they firing so carefully when they have so much technology?" Riker scrunched up his eyebrows.
"Perhaps they are merely warning us, sir," Data answered.
"Or luring us," Worf growled. If anyone knew about battle, it was Worf, and Worf could tell a fishline when he saw one. The Neverland wanted a fight, and they would get one.
"Ready phasers, Mister Worf," Picard's soft voice cut through the mild din of the red alert klaxon and dweedling of computer reports coming in at all stations.
"Fire around them, Mister Worf. Let's see if we can't get them to listen to us."
Robin couldn't seem to stand still at Mission Ops. This is the station that works most closely with Tactical in alert situations. She was working literally back to back with Worf. She just wished that didn't include being back to back with the viewscreen. It would be nice to see what was going on.
"Helm, evasive maneuvers."
"Evasive maneuvers, aye," Wesley was glancing rapidly back and forth from his console to the screen, his hands flying over the board. The Enterprise lifted above the Neverland and dove down over it, then came around behind it.. The Neverland was having a difficult time keeping up. Since the Enterprise was smaller, it had a much greater maneuverability. The Enterprise had little difficulty outrunning most of the shots.
The Enterprise inflicted little damage to the Neverland. They hadn't been meaning to damage it, only to keep themselves from being damaged until they could establish a communications link again. Now, suddenly the Neverland was tired of being toyed with, and a phaser blast hit the Enterprise dead on the starboard nacelle.
"Whoa!" Wesley yanked his hands away from his console. Everything had just gone dark.
"Shields at 39 percent!" Worf's trigger finger was itchy.
"Engineering, report," Picard called, opening a commlink.
It was Geordi's voice which answered. "They hit secondary propulsion, starboard! We've got no impulse on that side!"
"Geordi!" Wes called, "Helm's out!"
"I'm on it," Geordi answered.
"Mister Wallace, take over evasive maneuvers from Mission Ops," Picard ordered.
"Aye, sir."
Robin pulled the Enterprise off to one side to avoid another shot from the Neverland.
"Wes, have you got your console back?" Geordi's voice called.
Wesley punched a few keys as the lights came back on in his board. "I'm up," he answered.
"Mister Wallace, transfer navigation back to Conn."
"Navigation commands from Flight Controller, aye, sir."
Wes lifted his head. He heard a faint twinkling sound and the buttons he was touching were responding to his command. It had only been out for a total of seventeen seconds, but that's a terribly long time when you're in battle. Not that his evasive maneuvers would be very good now that one side propulsion was down. He could always just turn left a lot.
"Mister Crusher, get us above them," he ordered, though he knew that would be difficult. The only way Picard knew to have full maneuverability would be to use warp one to jump from right next to them to right above them. But that was highly impractical, sucking far too much power away from shields and phasers. A possibility in case of emergency which he filed in his head for when, if, they needed it.
The Enterprise was listing to the right as it scudded up and above the Neverland. Literally, Wesley was trying to hide from the Neverland behind the Neverland. If he could get to just such a relative coordinate, the Neverland would have to fire through itself to get to the Enterprise. Before he made it to that spot, the Enterprise sustained one more shot.
"Shields are down! We're defenseless!" Worf was the Klingon equivalent of desperate. We wanted to shoot them and he wanted to shoot them now.
"Mister Worf," Picard conceded, "ready photon torpedoes. Mister Crusher, bearing 983 mark 23. Do the best you can."
"Aye, captain."
"Launch photon torpedoes."
Briyen closed his eyes. The people he had lived with for almost two years were all about to die. While he bore them little love, he didn't believe they deserved what they were about to get either. He knew this is what they wanted. Hope would not come back to them because they were not looking for it in the right ways, in the right places. So they'd given up. This was what they'd planned all along. He tried to concentrate on how lucky he was that he was on this ship and not that one at this very moment. He tried to think of the freedom rather than the loss.
Worf touched the control panel. Everyone on the bridge watched the torpedoes blaze through space towards the Neverland.
"Sir!" Worf was astounded. "They've dropped shields!"
I knew they were going to do that, Briyen thought, eyes still squeezed tightly shut. "To die would be an awfully big adventure," he recalled the printed words.
Picard stood slowly, staring at the viewscreen. The shot he had just ordered would not have destroyed the starcruiser, only crippled it. But with shields down...
The Neverland exploded. The particles of the ship collapsing in on themselves and the vacuum rushing into the unoccupied space was almost audible as the bridge crew of the Enterprise watched 273 living beings die.
"Good lord," Picard breathed. "Do you think they were about to hail us?"
"No, captain," it was Briyen. "They did exactly what they wanted."
Picard was about to address that when the viewscreen caught his attention. Almost all together, every crew member on the bridge stopped breathing when they saw what was on the screen. Robin and Billy turned to see and their jaws dropped. Sounds of surprise died in the throats which attempted to produce them.
There had been a smaller ship inside the Neverland. Although heavily damaged and certainly unable to support life, the saucer section (yes, saucer section) of the smaller ship bore the clearly visible serial number NCC-1701-B.
"Sir," Data was the only one not too astounded to speak. He was busy trying to identify the situation and the smaller ship. Then he stated what everyone already knew. "That is the third model of the Federation starship Enterprise."
Even the ever-prepared Captain Jean-Luc Picard was speechless for a moment. "What on earth are they doing with an Enterprise?"
"Sir?" Briyen's voice was soft and nervous. "I think I can explain."
Picard stared at him. His dark hair hung over icy eyes. His thin frame was slouched and posed in such a position as to seem out of the way. Picard sat down.
"In a moment, Commander Briyen. Mister Data, is there anyone... left on the Neverland?"
"No, sir," Data used a voice which was soft and approximated reverence for the lost lives. "There are no life signs at all from the ship that remains and no escape pods were launched."
The captain did not ask for a moment of silence, but he got one anyway. Everyone was mesmerized by the sight on the viewscreen.
"All right," Picard sighed. "Everyone knows something that should be shared, so we shall hold a briefing right here. First and foremost, I would like the conversation between Commander Briyen and Captain Kaelha explained."
Tentatively, Briyen corrected, "I'm not a commander anymore, captain, I'd prefer to just be Briyen."
"Of course." Picard had just spent over three days trying to make a young girl refer to him by his proper title. He wasn't about to deny Briyen the privilege of being addressed as he wished. "Briyen, please tell us what you can about the children."
"First of all," it seemed like all Briyen's confidence came back when being asked to speak, "they're not children. Each one of them was thirty- nine years older than they appeared to be."
"You speak of them as separate from yourself?" Deanna asked, sensing that this information was important.
"Well, yes. I am separate. I'm Human, and I really am fifteen. I only know about them from what Kaelha told me. They were all B'Safran. B'Safra's a planet like Earth, but it's way out there on the edge of what we know exists. They weren't real technologically advanced or anything, because they had traditions and religions that didn't expand with their discoveries. Everything was based on superstition and stories. Like... myths.
"There's this huge mountain range off their main continent that they called the Gaterran Mountains, after their god of returning to the soil or whatever. But nobody ever goes there 'cause they believe it's the place of the dead. People would travel there and never return -- probably because it was too treacherous, but they thought it was because ghosts got them or something," Briyen crinkled his nose at the silliness. "But almost seventy- five years ago, a huge star fell into the mountains and that only made their story more believable. Of course it wasn't a star, but it was that ship," he pointed at the viewscreen.
"But B'Safra is a very recent Federation discovery," Riker shook his head. "M class, yes, but totally barren and uninhabited. In fact, they've found no signs of life having existed there in thousands of years. We've been searching for the Enterprise B for years, no one knows what happened to it. It's an excelsior class. It did more discovering and mapping than any other Enterprise. We just assumed it went too far one time."
Briyen shrugged. "I guess so. I don't know why it crashed. I don't think anyone did. They all thought it was a sign from the gods or something. Anyway, thirty-eight years ago, these alien guys, the Ylaswa, attacked their planet. The B'Safrans didn't even know there was life on other planets, so they really weren't able to defend themselves against an alien attack. At the time, nobody really knew why they attacked, probably to terraform the planet into something useful for themselves, but if you say there was no life there... then I guess they succeeded in wiping almost everything out. Or maybe taking it? They released this toxin into the air and water that killed off all existing life. Well, it was supposed to kill off all life. But it didn't kill the B'Safrans on the Neverland, it just made them stop getting any older. So everyone on that ship was all adults. In their minds, anyway."
"But what about this ghost that's been haunting us?" Beverly asked.
"Oh yeah. Have you ever heard of the Q Continuum?"
"Heard?" Picard demanded. "Did Q have anything to do with this?"
Briyen looked alarmed. "Oh. No. Not the Q you're thinking of anyway. The logs of this Enterprise show a lot of stuff about a Q, but this isn't him."
Picard nodded once curtly. "This is another member of the Q?"
"Well, no. Not anymore. It didn't have total omnipotence. If it tried to do something difficult for too long, it'd flicker or disappear or something."
"Yes, we witnessed as much. Where is it now? Can it be located? Will he come to you?"
"No, sir, I don't think so. I wasn't one of his children. It... sort of became a guardian for the B'Safrans. And, well, I'm not B'Safran. Kaelha and all them first saw it when they found the Enterprise. I guess it was snooping around the old ship too."
"If no one ever ventured into the Getteran Mountains," Data questioned, "how was the ship found?"
"Well, when Kaelha found out that all the adults were gone, at least from her continent, and that she wasn't getting any older, she decided to abandon tradition and figure things out for herself." Briyen smiled slightly and glanced at the floor, "She was always like that. No one could tell her what to do. She had a mind of her own."
"Thank god," Billy added, surprising the bridge with his unexpected input. "Every race needs a free thinker, a leader who will bring them into the next age."
Briyen pointed at Billy. "Exactly."
Data looked up from his scanning on the Ops console. "As far as I am able to determine, whatever the creature was, it is now gone."
Briyen went on to describe how the children worked on the ship (with help from the creature) until it was spaceworthy, and how he came to be on the Neverland. He explained how the children were beginning to lose hope and direction, even with all they'd learned, they'd never truly grow, never perpetuate their race. "They hoped that they could lure you here with a distress call, pick a fight, and hopefully lose."
"Which is exactly what happened," Riker said.
"At length, yes," Deanna was studying Briyen, "but what happened over the past three days, Briyen?"
"She didn't plan on kidnapping anyone. She knew about you," he looked at Wes, "but she thought you would be at the Academy by now."
Wes huffed sarcastically. So had he.
"When she saw him, she figured he could go back in time, warn her people of what was coming, at least get some of them off the planet. Save her race. But he can't alter time. Not without the Traveler. Oh, and Robin, well... Kaelha brought her along to be strength for Wesley, but she was totally jealous of her." Then he gestured placatingly to Wesley and quickly added, "Not entirely because of how close Robin is with you, but because of Robin herself. Her personality. Robin is a lot like Kaelha used to be, before her spirit was beaten down by being hopeless for years and years. She wasn't willing to so quickly let go of the hope that Wes and Robin could save them. And completely save her."
Robin met Wesley's eyes with a sorrowful gaze. Wes's jaw was clenched tightly. Deanna made a mental note of the guilt emanating from the two of them and decided to talk to them later about it.
"But how did they know who we all are and so much about us?" Doctor Crusher asked.
"I think we can assume they learned all they could from the Enterprise B and hacked the rest from our computer system. Anything they couldn't find out, their telepath or the omniscient creature could tell them," Riker answered for her.
Briyen hung his head and said softly, "Pretty much."
Deanna sensed his holding something back and said, "And?"
"Well, the Q... the... creature... wasn't omniscient. So... well, we had to get some information from your... well, your personal logs."
Picard's eyebrow twitched. "I beg your pardon?"
Riker narrowed his eyes at the boy. "Whose personal logs?"
"Well, Wesley's, of course." Hearing Briyen's words, Wesley closed his eyes in mild embarrassment. Briyen continued, "Robin's, Doctor Crusher's--"
Beverly's eyebrows shot up. "What?"
"Um..." Briyen was getting less comfortable with listing his recent reading material. "Um... Geordi's and Worf's... and... um, well, yours, sir..." he looked at Riker.
"Is that all, young man?" Picard was still in the clear, but already irritated.
"Well, um, no sir, um... Counselor Troi's and Billy Nolan's and... and yours, captain, and... and even Lieutenant Commander Data's. Sir."
Data turned around in his chair to look at Briyen. Intriguing.
"Well," Picard let very little air escape with that word. "I suppose that's everything. By 1900 hours I want a full report from Ensigns Crusher and Wallace. Briyen, will you come with me to my ready room now?"
Briyen followed the captain off the bridge.
In Picard's ready room, Briyen gave his account of what had happened for the past three days, as well as the past two years, on the Neverland.
"You will be assigned quarters here on the Enterprise until we can locate a relative or a guardian, at which time it will be your decision where you'd like to go."
"Thank you, captain," Briyen sniffed.
* * *
Briyen walked empty-handed into the living quarters that had been given to him. He had no belongings and nothing to bring with him but himself. In a way, it was exhilarating, like just being born, but all over again. Now the universe was his to chose from. But on the other hand, it was terrifying.
Now what? He didn't know what he wanted to do with his life. He'd never really given it much thought. He had dreams, but dreams are just that. Dreams. And up until a few short hours ago, he'd had an occupation and a home, friends, someone who loved him. They may not have been ideal, but they were something. Now everything was gone. Everything.
He had not been truly happy there. There were things that made him happy, but the situation, taken for everything, was not a pleasant one for him. When he'd heard of the plans with the Enterprise and drawing its fire, he'd wanted out. But where to?
He sighed and sat down on a chair, looking around at the beautiful room. The lights were dim and there were windows which seemed to face back. He could see retreating stars and part of a nacelle through the windows which slanted outward toward the top.
Kaelha always used to talk about how she'd wanted her life to be like a comet, a gigantic blazing star that everyone could see and appreciate. She'd wanted to create something meaningful, lasting, helpful, to make an impression on life, to have a truly important existence. Now that her life was over, it remained only to look back and evaluate his opinion on whether she'd succeeded or failed. Or if it was even fair for him to inflict his own perception of her success or failure to her life, when a person's life can only truly be measured by their own expectations of themselves.
And what of his own life? Who would evaluate his success and failure when he was gone? Would they be satisfied? More importantly, would he? What will make his life mean something, make it important? Would he be satisfied with anything less than his dreams? What if he couldn't achieve his dreams?
He shook his head. He was too tired and worn out to think about things like this. There's always tomorrow, he thought, then realized the irony in that statement. Tomorrow, in fact, isn't always there to wait for. What about today? He'd inadvertently gone back to his baffling thoughts.
Today he was going to bed. He stood up and went into the bedroom. Just as he was turning down the blankets and about to crawl in, he noticed a star that seemed to sparkle. He squinted at it. Stars don't sparkle unless their light is distorted by a planet's atmosphere. His eyes must have been playing tricks on him. But he was suddenly reminded of the words to that song Kaelha was so fond of quoting, and it momentarily comforted him. "The second star to the right shines in the night for you, to tell you that the dreams you've planned really can come true."
* * *
Captain Jean-Luc Picard spoke to the tiny viewscreen on his ready room desk.
"Yes, Admiral, you were correct in hearing that we have discovered the Enterprise B."
"Congratulations, Captain," Admiral Thelasli said. "I presume I will have your complete report in the morning?"
"Of course, sir," Picard answered. "I've already sent the coordinates to Starbase 117. They will have the ship towed there."
"How fitting, Jean-Luc," Picard also allowed anyone who outranked him to call him whatever they wished, "that the fifth Enterprise should find the third."
"Fitting, indeed," Picard smiled. It was James T. Kirk, captain of the first Enterprise, who said that there was a certain type of luck that followed his ship wherever it went. And even in Kirk's retirement, when he followed closely the movements of the second model of his ship, he said it was also blessed with "the luck of the Enterprises". Picard knew that by this time tomorrow, the ancient excelsior-class ship would be teeming with Starfleet scientists attempting to discover the fate of the old ship. Too bad that, after so much time and alteration, there would be little chance of the discovery of a little black box.
Picard had the feeling that the luck of the Enterprises followed his ship as well.
He had just ended the communication with the admiral when the door chime trilled.
"Come," he called and Doctor Beverly Crusher entered. Picard rose and moved around his desk to join her in front of it. She had an odd look on her face. "Beverly. Are you all right?"
"Yes, and Wesley's fine, too." Beverly sighed nostalgically. "We've been through a lot together, you and I. Haven't we, Jean-Luc?"
"More than I'd care to remember," Picard answered, searching her deep, green eyes for her real motive.
"I could have lost my son, Jean-Luc, but you saved him."
"Please, Beverly, don't thank me for that. I don't think I could bear it." Picard was a man who did not look down or away from someone, so he closed his eyes and shook his head. How could he stand that she wanted to congratulate him for letting her son live, when he really had very little to do with the rescue?
"Jean-Luc," Beverly laid her hands on his shoulders, "you did not cause my husband to die, and you did not cause my son to live. But you were there, in command, whenever something happened, handling it with grace and unflinching composure." She smiled at him, "Just because you weren't with them fighting their way out doesn't mean you weren't here fighting their way back here. Understood?"
Beverly saw a tiny smile play across Jean-Luc's lips. "Understood, Doctor." He had the most gentle eyes she'd ever seen, and he was the most incredible man she'd ever met. How could any person be so gentle and Human, yet so rigid and commanding all at once? It was as if he had achieved within himself a perfect balance.
She suddenly embraced him, burying her head in his shoulder and exhaling for perhaps only the second time in three days. For just a moment, she wanted to feel the strength and serenity of the still waters within him that ran so deep.
Picard slowly lifted his arms around her waist and held her. He was captain, confidant, companion and best friend to this woman, but it never seemed to be enough.