A/N: I wrote this story when I was maybe 16... so that was almost 10 years
ago now. I used to be a very big Start Trek:TNG fan and then Voyager and
Deep Space Nine. I still like them but am now an avid Harry Potter fan. I
now write Harry Potter fan fictions of the HG/SS ship variety. So my
writing style has improved much since I wrote this TNG fiction... although I
still think I did a good job with this.
This fic was inspired by the story by Diane Duane entitled Dark Mirror. It involves the mirror universe.
I am making no money from any of my fics and own nothing at all to do with the Star Trek universe... I just had fun writing a fic. Please leave a review and enjoy my work.
Chapter One
Captain's Personal Log Stardate 45686.4.
We have been dispatched to an area of space in the Beta Quadrant to investigate a spatial rift that has appeared within the last few hours. I do not anticipate any problems with this mission but if there are any, we will have cause to test a new weapon that Counsellor Troi has been working on. A weapon that is supposed to be so powerful, she claims that it is capable of destroying a whole planet from a distance of ten thousand kilometers away. We shall see.
Commander Riker has made another assassination attempt on my life, this time I was forced to put an end to his miserable existence, which leaves me temporarily without a first officer. I may take Counsellor Troi up on her offer but that means that Beverly will also have to be disposed of. I don't know whether that will be a good or a bad thing but when I do decide, I am determined to make Troi's plan work.
I thought it quite ridiculous the way Riker's attempt on my life was played but then what can you expect from someone like him, good at some things but seriously lacking in others. It is a bit of a relief to have him gone though, and I certainly have no regrets with regards to killing him.
*****
Jean-Luc Picard tapped one of the buttons on the desk in front of him, signaling the end of his log entry. He had various pent up emotions raking through his mind at present about the way things had gone over the last few days, and now he was without a first officer, most of the running of the ship had been left to him. He needed some sort of relief and stability in his life at the moment because his personal relationships were not working out as he had planned either. The last mission had been a success and his debriefing with Starfleet Command had left him with two commendations but he needed more. The challenge was almost gone now and he felt he needed to captain a better ship and crew. He was becoming tired of the same monotonous thing day in and day out. Maybe he could find a way to destroy the Enterprise or leave her beyond repair. Starfleet was almost finished with a new starship design- Sovereign class, and he had to be the one who captained it- no matter what. First and foremost though he had to appoint a new first officer so that he could deal with what he had to do instead of having to do the menial jobs of his subordinates. He made himself comfortable and thought about the offer that Troi had made to him a few weeks ago.
After a few minutes Picard looked up towards the ceiling where the intercom grid was situated and spoke aloud- to activate it. "Counsellor Troi, report to my ready room on the double." Troi did not respond but then he hadn't expected her to, instead she got up out of the command chair on the bridge and sauntered into the ready room at a somewhat leisurely pace. Picard motioned her to take a seat opposite from him at his desk, and stared at her for a long moment, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly before speaking.
"When I say on the double, I mean it, Counsellor." She did not even bat an eyelid at his disapproved tone but simply stared at him, tentative. Troi new why she was here after recent events with Commander Riker but she did not say anything, instead she waited for him to say it. "I have been thinking of the offer you made to me a few weeks ago, and I think that now may be the time to make a few changes on this ship and put your plan into motion." Picard continued. He felt the familiar brush against his mind from the counsellor and disregarded the anger that he felt from the violation.
"And?" Was all Troi said with the somewhat dismissive tone that was beginning to annoy Picard easily these days, especially when used with him. Anger flashed across his face as he went on. Counsellor Troi's face changed to a sinister smile as she stared back at him, knowing that he was becoming angrier by the second.
"I do not condone your belligerent attitude toward me, Counsellor and I think you had better change your ways when around me if we are going to put your plan into motion." Picard looked at her for any change in her emotions or posture, he found that her smile became slightly more tolerable to look at and not half as menacing. He smiled back. "That's better. Now, have you discarded of Commander Riker's body and sent a message to Command to say what has happened?"
"Yes, the message will be received within thirty-nine hours and his body is in the morgue." She replied, more seriously than she had intended. It had been no secret about the affair between Troi and Riker after the way they had carried on. Now that Riker was gone out of Troi's life she felt like something was missing; she needed something to focus on now and she was going to aim higher this time around.
"Good. How is that new weapon coming along?"
"It's not actually a new weapon, Captain. It's more like a modification on a weapon that we already have. I have transformed the forward phaser cannons and added pure energy converters. The phasers have been strengthened by seventy-three percent." She said with pride.
"That is remarkable, Counsellor. Where is the power being taken from in order for this to work though?" Picard asked suspiciously.
"I have re-routed power through the redundant energy conduits in engineering. That is usually our backup power for the impulse engines incase of emergency but if we destroy our enemy first, we won't need that power where it is at the moment." She told him matter-of-factly.
"I would have liked to have been informed of this energy transfer before you set it up, with power gone from backup if our primary engines should fail for any reason we would be left adrift in space..." He was abruptly interrupted by Troi.
"But not defenseless, Captain, surely that is our main concern, and it was a matter for security anyway; it need not have concerned you." She said cutting him off to his annoyance again.
"I would like to be informed of anything like this in the future, Counsellor, whether it be a security matter or not. This is my ship after all and I will not have you telling me how it should function." Picard went on. "Now, as you know I need a new first officer and as your plan goes, you are to be it. However, I still need you as head of security for the time being, just until I can find a suitable replacement. If you are to also be the captain's woman, it is your job to get rid of the old one. Is that clear?" He stared at her, holding her focus for a long moment and waiting for a reply.
"Yes, quite clear, Captain. How would you like it to be done?" She asked, her smile widening at the thought of what punishments she could give out especially to Beverly Crusher whom she had loathed for quite a while now. The inability to have been able to punish Crusher for anything made Troi's blood boil, she had been under the protection of the captain for far too long now and it was time that affiliation ended.
"As quickly and efficiently as possible. Wesley must not know of any of this and he is to be dealt with in time as well. I want to make him suffer a bit first though." He laughed slightly at that last remark and to his surprise so did the counsellor.
"As you say, Captain... he will suffer, a great deal. Will you want to cause that suffering yourself though or..."
"Of course for a short time, but you may have the pleasure of giving him a slow, painful, meaningless death."
"Most generous, Captain, thank you." Then she added, "I knew you would start to see things my way eventually, and I am pleased you have. This ship will run much more smoothly with I as the ears and you as the brains, working together as a team for a change."
"I agree, Counsellor. I assure you I have never wanted anything more than that."
"That's not what I sense. You have opposed my position at every available opportunity, Captain. You can't stand the fact that I don't have to answer to you but that you have to answer to me." Troi said trying to provoke Picard a bit more.
Picard pursed his lips seeing red but not wanting to start yet another argument. "Are there anymore question?" He said quickly. There was a silence between them as Troi closed her eyes for a second and listened.
"The challenge is gone?" She said to him out of the blue, and knowing that her perception of his thoughts was accurate due to the response she got from him.
"What?" He asked with the sinking feeling that he always got when he knew that she could read him like a book.
"You think that the challenge has gone with the implementation of the new weapon don't you?" Troi said with confidence.
"There's no point in destroying your enemy from ten thousand kilometers away, not having seen your enemy's faces or threatening them in any way, Counsellor." Picard responded blandly.
"It's not just the weapon though, it's this ship. You want to destroy it don't you?" She said with conviction in her voice, she was making him uncomfortable and she liked it.
"That would be a court martial offence. I may think it, Counsellor but that doesn't mean to say that I'd act upon that thought." Picard stated forcefully.
"Of course not, Captain," she paused, still smiling wickedly at him. "Commanding the new Sovereign class flagship would be an enormous career move filled with more prestige than you could imagine though." Picard just looked at her.
"It would, Counsellor." He said in agreement. "Now, is there anything else?" He asked, putting an end to that part of the conversation, which actually felt more like an interrogation.
"When do you want Dr. Crusher to be disposed of?" She asked, getting back to the more pressing matter at hand.
"Do it at your convenience but don't spend too long on it. You're dismissed." She began to stand up but Picard spoke again, halting her movement. "Deanna, I know we can make this work." They both looked at each other and there was a flicker of emotion between them.
"So do I... Jean-Luc." She said as she got up, turned and went back out onto the bridge.
Captain Picard followed closely behind Deanna Troi and made his way to the command chair. Everyone on the bridge rose and saluted the captain; he returned the gesture half-heartedly. His chief bodyguard, Lieutenant Detaith walked behind him and up the ramp. He took up a stance behind Lieutenant Worf at tactical and watched for any provocative move against the captain.
Worf had been given a commission after the Enterprise had encountered the mirror universe's Enterprise nearly a year ago. It had been found that he had acted honorably in trying to stop the alternate captain and his colleagues from leaving the ship, and getting injured in the process. Worf had let them believe that this was what had happened, rather than telling them that he had actually helped them get away. His life had been made a lot easier since then and he liked it better that way.
"Captain Picard. Sir, I am picking up the energy disturbance on long range sensors at bearing zero-one-nine mark three-one-four at a distance of about two thousand kilometers away." Worf's voice boomed over the silence on the bridge as he reported to the captain.
"On screen." Picard snapped. "Ensign Crusher plot a course and engage at warp three." He commanded as the view screen flickered to show a cloud- like mass.
"Aye, sir. Engaging at warp three." Crusher responded.
As they approached, the energy disturbance, Picard could see the size of the rift. It just seemed to hang in space, like a rainbow of cloud with swirling wisps and a small, black starry center. Worf reported that short- range sensors were fixed on the anomaly and that it appeared to be some sort of a doorway to another universe- perhaps. Picard suddenly felt expectant, as he realized that it might be the same universe that they had tried to infiltrate nearly a year ago. If it was, he might have another opportunity to complete the mission they failed the first time; and that would prove to be a real challenge.
"Ensign Crusher. Take us in a little closer. Counsellor, try to get a better sensor scan, see if you can find out what is on the other side of that anomaly." Picard said, rising from his seat and stepping closer to the view screen.
"Aye, Captain." The counsellor said as she stood up and headed for Worf's post. Worf moved out of the way to one of the engineering stations as she approached so as not to provoke an attack. Troi began to use the sensors on a low bandwidth to try to penetrate the anomaly. She finally got a reading and smiled so enormously that the bridge crew turned and looked at her with the change in the atmosphere.
"Something good to report, Counsellor?" Picard asked as he turned himself and started to move closer to her.
"Yes, Captain," she smiled affectionately at him, "but would you rather hear this in private?"
"No, here will do fine." Picard said impatiently.
"Well as our sensors report we have found a doorway into a different universe: probably the same one we encountered a year ago." She tapped a few buttons on her console, bringing up the results of another sensor sweep that had been completed. "On the other side of the anomaly, I am detecting some sort of probe. No ships seem to be in that area of space but the information has to be going somewhere.
"I suggest that we destroy the probe and try to complete the mission from the last time we saw this universe. Captain." Troi suggested.
"My thoughts exactly, Counsellor but we don't know if this is that same universe, I want to make sure before we proceed." Picard paused, thinking for a second. "Cross-reference information on the make up of this universe to the information we have from the last time when we used the inclusion apparatus. I want your report in half an hour. Get La Forge up here to assist you, try to figure this out with him, after all, he is the one who built the inclusion apparatus, and if anyone knows if this is that same universe, it's him. I'll be in my ready room and Counsellor; I want that report in half an hour no longer. Have you got that?" Picard warned her with a raised finger.
"Yes, Captain, half an hour." She said with a mischievous look on her face. Picard walked down the ramp to his ready room and Detaith positioned himself outside of the door.
Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge was summoned from engineering to go to the bridge by Counsellor Troi, on the double and when the counsellor says 'on the double,' no one dared to defy her for fear of the consequences. So, when La Forge stepped out of the turbolift and onto the bridge a minute later he was understandably slightly out of breath. "Commander La Forge reporting, Counsellor." Geordi said as he stood to attention and saluted. Troi stepped closer to him very slowly; staring into his VISOR and letting fear creep into Geordi's spine so he almost shivered.
"There was no need to run, Mr. La Forge." She said forlornly and in a condescending voice, Geordi just stood, not laughing at her annoying joke. "And that's Lieutenant Commander La Forge reporting, Commander in future. Got it?" Troi said trying to emphasize that she now had a higher rank to him.
"Yes of course, Commander. Sorry."
Troi turned slowly and headed back towards the engineering console behind tactical. "The captain has ordered us to find out if the anomaly out there is a doorway to the alternate universe we discovered a year ago. Get to it, I want your report in half an hour. If not, we shall have to find a suitable punishment for you, Mr. La Forge." Troi sauntered down towards the command chair while Worf took over again at tactical.
Geordi quickly got to work at the engineering console because he did not care to find out what the punishment would be this time. Once before he had been subjected to Troi's attention, and once was enough for anybody to bear.
Within half an hour, Geordi's report was ready and he walked down the ramp towards the command area to give it to Troi. Troi looked up at him and he knew that she was about to take pleasure in his discomfort. He grimaced as she reached out to touch the metal pin badge, with a dagger going through it, that all Starfleet personnel were subjected to wear- even if those of the highest-ranking officers didn't work, as they should. Geordi folded in half with crippling pain and writhed on the floor as she casually informed him. "You're late, Mr. La Forge."
After the pain had subsided he got to his feet and stared at Troi and her pleasant attitude. She snatched the report from Geordi and began skimming over it as Captain Picard exited from his ready room. Picard took one look at Troi and ordered her to follow him back in, he did not look patient at all. The counsellor glared at La Forge and informed him that she would be paying him a little visit later, before she turned to follow Picard.
"Counsellor. I told you I wanted that report in half an hour and you're already ten minutes late. Why?" Picard snapped at Troi as he stood face to face with her in the ready room. There was a short silence and it looked like a face off between them from the old Wild West on Earth. Something flashed behind Troi's eyes and Picard didn't know if she was going to challenge him or say sorry- if the woman that stood before him now could actually say that particular word.
"But, Captain, it was Mr. La Forge that was late with the report, not I, and as you saw I was expressing my displeasure as you stepped onto the bridge." She informed the captain as pleasantly as she could, continuing, "I do have the report now if you would like to hear it."
"I would, Counsellor. Proceed." He told her a little surprised that she hadn't challenged him.
"Well according to Mr. La Forge after cross referencing what information we had to what we have just collected, we have now been able to ascertain that this is in fact the same universe as we tried to infiltrate nearly a year ago." Troi stepped around Picard and wandered over to his couch, taking a seat and making herself comfortable she looked back up at Picard- who had remained standing, and continued with the report. "La Forge has also suggested that this anomaly may be a permanent way in which to get through to it."
"Well done, Counsellor." Picard said, "we will go with what you suggested earlier. You will take an away team over to the probe on the other side, go via shuttlecraft and sabotage it. If I'm right the Enterprise of that universe will be sent, since it is probably the closest ship to the anomaly as is the case in this universe. We will then continue the mission from the last time we encountered them." Picard moved behind his desk and switched on his computer console. "I will send a communiqué to Command and tell them what has happened. Dismissed."
Picard called Troi back as she stood up and headed for the door. "Oh, Number One. I think this may be a good time to get rid of Wesley Crusher. Take him on your away team and dispose of him as you see fit. We will tell Beverly that it was an accident and the body had to be left there." They both smiled and Counsellor Troi strode out of the ready room.
Troi emerged from the ready room back out onto the bridge, she noticed that La Forge was still there. He quickly stood to attention and gave her the customary salute. Troi pointed at him and then ordered him to go to engineering and tell Lieutenant Hessan to report to the main shuttle bay, and to bring a diagnostic unit with her. La Forge saluted again and with a start left for engineering.
In the turbolift, La Forge ordered it to proceed to engineering while letting out a long sigh. It felt good to be off the bridge and away from the pressure filled atmosphere. He hated to be in close proximity to Counsellor Troi for too long, as he always seemed to get the worst of what she had to offer. Geordi was pleased that he was a chief engineer and he didn't have to accompany her on any away missions. Thankfully, that was Hessan's unlovely job now, he mused and besides, he was considered far too important an officer. He was the only one on board that knew the Enterprise inside and out after all. Geordi remembered that the counsellor would be paying him a visit later on- something not to be looked forward to, but he had to grin and bear it. There was no escape.
The turbolift halted at engineering and La Forge stepped out. He walked over to where Hessan was working at a console. She stood to attention and saluted.
"Everything okay, Commander?" She said with a disappointed look on her face- as if she somehow expected him to be in a worse condition than he was.
"Yes." La Forge said a bit testily. "You are to report to the main shuttle bay for an away mission- and take a diagnostic unit with you. On the double." He ordered her and she responded quickly enough for his liking.
Troi spoke over the intercom system for two security officers Lieutenant's White and Ryder to report to the main shuttle bay. As she was leaving the bridge for the turbolift, she ordered Ensign Crusher and Lieutenant Worf to accompany her.
The away team boarded the shuttlecraft Fearless and soon they were on their way through the spatial rift.
The journey didn't take long and soon all were aboard the space probe, which was located about one thousand kilometers away from the rift, inside the alternate universe. They all beamed over to the probe. Troi ordered Hessan to get to work wiping the memory in the probe's computer banks, while the two security officers and Worf, tried to figure out a way to sabotage it without blowing themselves all sky high in the process. Ensign Crusher was assigned to collect information on the probe's layout and Troi was there for obvious reasons.
Wesley walked away from the others and down a corridor into another room, which essentially looked like the one he had just been in, except that the functions of the controls in this room were to provide the energy source that the probe needed in order to work. Ensign Crusher heard footsteps behind him and even before he turned around, he knew who it was.
"So nice it must be for someone as young as you are to be serving on such a wonderful ship as an imperial starship, Mr. Crusher." It wasn't meant as a question so much as a statement but he decided to answer the counsellor anyway.
"Yes, yes it is, Counsellor. But you don't get to be doing this without a little blackmail, treachery or pulling of a few strings. I have had such wonderful role models with regards to that now haven't I?" He spat back at her with vehemence. He knew that his life was probably about to end or he wouldn't have dreamt of talking to Troi in this way.
"You ought to watch your tone boy, remember to whom you are speaking." Troi warned him but he wasn't going to let her intimidate him- easily anyway.
"Oh, how could I forget?" He said with a nasty snarl.
"Well. Do you remember about a year ago when you were allowed to leave the bridge to carry out our little assassination attempt on the captain? The one that you failed to do?"
He nodded his head as way of a reply.
"Well since you failed, the time has come for me to- how can I put it- to put an end to your sad little attempt at life." With that she unholstered a phaser from her side and pointed it at him. He looked slightly taken aback as she fired at point blank range and he fell to the floor with an expression of relief on his face. Troi turned on her heel and went back to where the others were, carrying on as if nothing had happened.
"Mr. Crusher seems to have had an unfortunate accident." She said, simply. "There's no need to worry though, just another problem off our hands." The others just looked at her and listened, not wanting anything to happen to them. They all got on with their work quickly and efficiently.
This fic was inspired by the story by Diane Duane entitled Dark Mirror. It involves the mirror universe.
I am making no money from any of my fics and own nothing at all to do with the Star Trek universe... I just had fun writing a fic. Please leave a review and enjoy my work.
Chapter One
Captain's Personal Log Stardate 45686.4.
We have been dispatched to an area of space in the Beta Quadrant to investigate a spatial rift that has appeared within the last few hours. I do not anticipate any problems with this mission but if there are any, we will have cause to test a new weapon that Counsellor Troi has been working on. A weapon that is supposed to be so powerful, she claims that it is capable of destroying a whole planet from a distance of ten thousand kilometers away. We shall see.
Commander Riker has made another assassination attempt on my life, this time I was forced to put an end to his miserable existence, which leaves me temporarily without a first officer. I may take Counsellor Troi up on her offer but that means that Beverly will also have to be disposed of. I don't know whether that will be a good or a bad thing but when I do decide, I am determined to make Troi's plan work.
I thought it quite ridiculous the way Riker's attempt on my life was played but then what can you expect from someone like him, good at some things but seriously lacking in others. It is a bit of a relief to have him gone though, and I certainly have no regrets with regards to killing him.
*****
Jean-Luc Picard tapped one of the buttons on the desk in front of him, signaling the end of his log entry. He had various pent up emotions raking through his mind at present about the way things had gone over the last few days, and now he was without a first officer, most of the running of the ship had been left to him. He needed some sort of relief and stability in his life at the moment because his personal relationships were not working out as he had planned either. The last mission had been a success and his debriefing with Starfleet Command had left him with two commendations but he needed more. The challenge was almost gone now and he felt he needed to captain a better ship and crew. He was becoming tired of the same monotonous thing day in and day out. Maybe he could find a way to destroy the Enterprise or leave her beyond repair. Starfleet was almost finished with a new starship design- Sovereign class, and he had to be the one who captained it- no matter what. First and foremost though he had to appoint a new first officer so that he could deal with what he had to do instead of having to do the menial jobs of his subordinates. He made himself comfortable and thought about the offer that Troi had made to him a few weeks ago.
After a few minutes Picard looked up towards the ceiling where the intercom grid was situated and spoke aloud- to activate it. "Counsellor Troi, report to my ready room on the double." Troi did not respond but then he hadn't expected her to, instead she got up out of the command chair on the bridge and sauntered into the ready room at a somewhat leisurely pace. Picard motioned her to take a seat opposite from him at his desk, and stared at her for a long moment, taking a deep breath and letting it out slowly before speaking.
"When I say on the double, I mean it, Counsellor." She did not even bat an eyelid at his disapproved tone but simply stared at him, tentative. Troi new why she was here after recent events with Commander Riker but she did not say anything, instead she waited for him to say it. "I have been thinking of the offer you made to me a few weeks ago, and I think that now may be the time to make a few changes on this ship and put your plan into motion." Picard continued. He felt the familiar brush against his mind from the counsellor and disregarded the anger that he felt from the violation.
"And?" Was all Troi said with the somewhat dismissive tone that was beginning to annoy Picard easily these days, especially when used with him. Anger flashed across his face as he went on. Counsellor Troi's face changed to a sinister smile as she stared back at him, knowing that he was becoming angrier by the second.
"I do not condone your belligerent attitude toward me, Counsellor and I think you had better change your ways when around me if we are going to put your plan into motion." Picard looked at her for any change in her emotions or posture, he found that her smile became slightly more tolerable to look at and not half as menacing. He smiled back. "That's better. Now, have you discarded of Commander Riker's body and sent a message to Command to say what has happened?"
"Yes, the message will be received within thirty-nine hours and his body is in the morgue." She replied, more seriously than she had intended. It had been no secret about the affair between Troi and Riker after the way they had carried on. Now that Riker was gone out of Troi's life she felt like something was missing; she needed something to focus on now and she was going to aim higher this time around.
"Good. How is that new weapon coming along?"
"It's not actually a new weapon, Captain. It's more like a modification on a weapon that we already have. I have transformed the forward phaser cannons and added pure energy converters. The phasers have been strengthened by seventy-three percent." She said with pride.
"That is remarkable, Counsellor. Where is the power being taken from in order for this to work though?" Picard asked suspiciously.
"I have re-routed power through the redundant energy conduits in engineering. That is usually our backup power for the impulse engines incase of emergency but if we destroy our enemy first, we won't need that power where it is at the moment." She told him matter-of-factly.
"I would have liked to have been informed of this energy transfer before you set it up, with power gone from backup if our primary engines should fail for any reason we would be left adrift in space..." He was abruptly interrupted by Troi.
"But not defenseless, Captain, surely that is our main concern, and it was a matter for security anyway; it need not have concerned you." She said cutting him off to his annoyance again.
"I would like to be informed of anything like this in the future, Counsellor, whether it be a security matter or not. This is my ship after all and I will not have you telling me how it should function." Picard went on. "Now, as you know I need a new first officer and as your plan goes, you are to be it. However, I still need you as head of security for the time being, just until I can find a suitable replacement. If you are to also be the captain's woman, it is your job to get rid of the old one. Is that clear?" He stared at her, holding her focus for a long moment and waiting for a reply.
"Yes, quite clear, Captain. How would you like it to be done?" She asked, her smile widening at the thought of what punishments she could give out especially to Beverly Crusher whom she had loathed for quite a while now. The inability to have been able to punish Crusher for anything made Troi's blood boil, she had been under the protection of the captain for far too long now and it was time that affiliation ended.
"As quickly and efficiently as possible. Wesley must not know of any of this and he is to be dealt with in time as well. I want to make him suffer a bit first though." He laughed slightly at that last remark and to his surprise so did the counsellor.
"As you say, Captain... he will suffer, a great deal. Will you want to cause that suffering yourself though or..."
"Of course for a short time, but you may have the pleasure of giving him a slow, painful, meaningless death."
"Most generous, Captain, thank you." Then she added, "I knew you would start to see things my way eventually, and I am pleased you have. This ship will run much more smoothly with I as the ears and you as the brains, working together as a team for a change."
"I agree, Counsellor. I assure you I have never wanted anything more than that."
"That's not what I sense. You have opposed my position at every available opportunity, Captain. You can't stand the fact that I don't have to answer to you but that you have to answer to me." Troi said trying to provoke Picard a bit more.
Picard pursed his lips seeing red but not wanting to start yet another argument. "Are there anymore question?" He said quickly. There was a silence between them as Troi closed her eyes for a second and listened.
"The challenge is gone?" She said to him out of the blue, and knowing that her perception of his thoughts was accurate due to the response she got from him.
"What?" He asked with the sinking feeling that he always got when he knew that she could read him like a book.
"You think that the challenge has gone with the implementation of the new weapon don't you?" Troi said with confidence.
"There's no point in destroying your enemy from ten thousand kilometers away, not having seen your enemy's faces or threatening them in any way, Counsellor." Picard responded blandly.
"It's not just the weapon though, it's this ship. You want to destroy it don't you?" She said with conviction in her voice, she was making him uncomfortable and she liked it.
"That would be a court martial offence. I may think it, Counsellor but that doesn't mean to say that I'd act upon that thought." Picard stated forcefully.
"Of course not, Captain," she paused, still smiling wickedly at him. "Commanding the new Sovereign class flagship would be an enormous career move filled with more prestige than you could imagine though." Picard just looked at her.
"It would, Counsellor." He said in agreement. "Now, is there anything else?" He asked, putting an end to that part of the conversation, which actually felt more like an interrogation.
"When do you want Dr. Crusher to be disposed of?" She asked, getting back to the more pressing matter at hand.
"Do it at your convenience but don't spend too long on it. You're dismissed." She began to stand up but Picard spoke again, halting her movement. "Deanna, I know we can make this work." They both looked at each other and there was a flicker of emotion between them.
"So do I... Jean-Luc." She said as she got up, turned and went back out onto the bridge.
Captain Picard followed closely behind Deanna Troi and made his way to the command chair. Everyone on the bridge rose and saluted the captain; he returned the gesture half-heartedly. His chief bodyguard, Lieutenant Detaith walked behind him and up the ramp. He took up a stance behind Lieutenant Worf at tactical and watched for any provocative move against the captain.
Worf had been given a commission after the Enterprise had encountered the mirror universe's Enterprise nearly a year ago. It had been found that he had acted honorably in trying to stop the alternate captain and his colleagues from leaving the ship, and getting injured in the process. Worf had let them believe that this was what had happened, rather than telling them that he had actually helped them get away. His life had been made a lot easier since then and he liked it better that way.
"Captain Picard. Sir, I am picking up the energy disturbance on long range sensors at bearing zero-one-nine mark three-one-four at a distance of about two thousand kilometers away." Worf's voice boomed over the silence on the bridge as he reported to the captain.
"On screen." Picard snapped. "Ensign Crusher plot a course and engage at warp three." He commanded as the view screen flickered to show a cloud- like mass.
"Aye, sir. Engaging at warp three." Crusher responded.
As they approached, the energy disturbance, Picard could see the size of the rift. It just seemed to hang in space, like a rainbow of cloud with swirling wisps and a small, black starry center. Worf reported that short- range sensors were fixed on the anomaly and that it appeared to be some sort of a doorway to another universe- perhaps. Picard suddenly felt expectant, as he realized that it might be the same universe that they had tried to infiltrate nearly a year ago. If it was, he might have another opportunity to complete the mission they failed the first time; and that would prove to be a real challenge.
"Ensign Crusher. Take us in a little closer. Counsellor, try to get a better sensor scan, see if you can find out what is on the other side of that anomaly." Picard said, rising from his seat and stepping closer to the view screen.
"Aye, Captain." The counsellor said as she stood up and headed for Worf's post. Worf moved out of the way to one of the engineering stations as she approached so as not to provoke an attack. Troi began to use the sensors on a low bandwidth to try to penetrate the anomaly. She finally got a reading and smiled so enormously that the bridge crew turned and looked at her with the change in the atmosphere.
"Something good to report, Counsellor?" Picard asked as he turned himself and started to move closer to her.
"Yes, Captain," she smiled affectionately at him, "but would you rather hear this in private?"
"No, here will do fine." Picard said impatiently.
"Well as our sensors report we have found a doorway into a different universe: probably the same one we encountered a year ago." She tapped a few buttons on her console, bringing up the results of another sensor sweep that had been completed. "On the other side of the anomaly, I am detecting some sort of probe. No ships seem to be in that area of space but the information has to be going somewhere.
"I suggest that we destroy the probe and try to complete the mission from the last time we saw this universe. Captain." Troi suggested.
"My thoughts exactly, Counsellor but we don't know if this is that same universe, I want to make sure before we proceed." Picard paused, thinking for a second. "Cross-reference information on the make up of this universe to the information we have from the last time when we used the inclusion apparatus. I want your report in half an hour. Get La Forge up here to assist you, try to figure this out with him, after all, he is the one who built the inclusion apparatus, and if anyone knows if this is that same universe, it's him. I'll be in my ready room and Counsellor; I want that report in half an hour no longer. Have you got that?" Picard warned her with a raised finger.
"Yes, Captain, half an hour." She said with a mischievous look on her face. Picard walked down the ramp to his ready room and Detaith positioned himself outside of the door.
Lieutenant Commander Geordi La Forge was summoned from engineering to go to the bridge by Counsellor Troi, on the double and when the counsellor says 'on the double,' no one dared to defy her for fear of the consequences. So, when La Forge stepped out of the turbolift and onto the bridge a minute later he was understandably slightly out of breath. "Commander La Forge reporting, Counsellor." Geordi said as he stood to attention and saluted. Troi stepped closer to him very slowly; staring into his VISOR and letting fear creep into Geordi's spine so he almost shivered.
"There was no need to run, Mr. La Forge." She said forlornly and in a condescending voice, Geordi just stood, not laughing at her annoying joke. "And that's Lieutenant Commander La Forge reporting, Commander in future. Got it?" Troi said trying to emphasize that she now had a higher rank to him.
"Yes of course, Commander. Sorry."
Troi turned slowly and headed back towards the engineering console behind tactical. "The captain has ordered us to find out if the anomaly out there is a doorway to the alternate universe we discovered a year ago. Get to it, I want your report in half an hour. If not, we shall have to find a suitable punishment for you, Mr. La Forge." Troi sauntered down towards the command chair while Worf took over again at tactical.
Geordi quickly got to work at the engineering console because he did not care to find out what the punishment would be this time. Once before he had been subjected to Troi's attention, and once was enough for anybody to bear.
Within half an hour, Geordi's report was ready and he walked down the ramp towards the command area to give it to Troi. Troi looked up at him and he knew that she was about to take pleasure in his discomfort. He grimaced as she reached out to touch the metal pin badge, with a dagger going through it, that all Starfleet personnel were subjected to wear- even if those of the highest-ranking officers didn't work, as they should. Geordi folded in half with crippling pain and writhed on the floor as she casually informed him. "You're late, Mr. La Forge."
After the pain had subsided he got to his feet and stared at Troi and her pleasant attitude. She snatched the report from Geordi and began skimming over it as Captain Picard exited from his ready room. Picard took one look at Troi and ordered her to follow him back in, he did not look patient at all. The counsellor glared at La Forge and informed him that she would be paying him a little visit later, before she turned to follow Picard.
"Counsellor. I told you I wanted that report in half an hour and you're already ten minutes late. Why?" Picard snapped at Troi as he stood face to face with her in the ready room. There was a short silence and it looked like a face off between them from the old Wild West on Earth. Something flashed behind Troi's eyes and Picard didn't know if she was going to challenge him or say sorry- if the woman that stood before him now could actually say that particular word.
"But, Captain, it was Mr. La Forge that was late with the report, not I, and as you saw I was expressing my displeasure as you stepped onto the bridge." She informed the captain as pleasantly as she could, continuing, "I do have the report now if you would like to hear it."
"I would, Counsellor. Proceed." He told her a little surprised that she hadn't challenged him.
"Well according to Mr. La Forge after cross referencing what information we had to what we have just collected, we have now been able to ascertain that this is in fact the same universe as we tried to infiltrate nearly a year ago." Troi stepped around Picard and wandered over to his couch, taking a seat and making herself comfortable she looked back up at Picard- who had remained standing, and continued with the report. "La Forge has also suggested that this anomaly may be a permanent way in which to get through to it."
"Well done, Counsellor." Picard said, "we will go with what you suggested earlier. You will take an away team over to the probe on the other side, go via shuttlecraft and sabotage it. If I'm right the Enterprise of that universe will be sent, since it is probably the closest ship to the anomaly as is the case in this universe. We will then continue the mission from the last time we encountered them." Picard moved behind his desk and switched on his computer console. "I will send a communiqué to Command and tell them what has happened. Dismissed."
Picard called Troi back as she stood up and headed for the door. "Oh, Number One. I think this may be a good time to get rid of Wesley Crusher. Take him on your away team and dispose of him as you see fit. We will tell Beverly that it was an accident and the body had to be left there." They both smiled and Counsellor Troi strode out of the ready room.
Troi emerged from the ready room back out onto the bridge, she noticed that La Forge was still there. He quickly stood to attention and gave her the customary salute. Troi pointed at him and then ordered him to go to engineering and tell Lieutenant Hessan to report to the main shuttle bay, and to bring a diagnostic unit with her. La Forge saluted again and with a start left for engineering.
In the turbolift, La Forge ordered it to proceed to engineering while letting out a long sigh. It felt good to be off the bridge and away from the pressure filled atmosphere. He hated to be in close proximity to Counsellor Troi for too long, as he always seemed to get the worst of what she had to offer. Geordi was pleased that he was a chief engineer and he didn't have to accompany her on any away missions. Thankfully, that was Hessan's unlovely job now, he mused and besides, he was considered far too important an officer. He was the only one on board that knew the Enterprise inside and out after all. Geordi remembered that the counsellor would be paying him a visit later on- something not to be looked forward to, but he had to grin and bear it. There was no escape.
The turbolift halted at engineering and La Forge stepped out. He walked over to where Hessan was working at a console. She stood to attention and saluted.
"Everything okay, Commander?" She said with a disappointed look on her face- as if she somehow expected him to be in a worse condition than he was.
"Yes." La Forge said a bit testily. "You are to report to the main shuttle bay for an away mission- and take a diagnostic unit with you. On the double." He ordered her and she responded quickly enough for his liking.
Troi spoke over the intercom system for two security officers Lieutenant's White and Ryder to report to the main shuttle bay. As she was leaving the bridge for the turbolift, she ordered Ensign Crusher and Lieutenant Worf to accompany her.
The away team boarded the shuttlecraft Fearless and soon they were on their way through the spatial rift.
The journey didn't take long and soon all were aboard the space probe, which was located about one thousand kilometers away from the rift, inside the alternate universe. They all beamed over to the probe. Troi ordered Hessan to get to work wiping the memory in the probe's computer banks, while the two security officers and Worf, tried to figure out a way to sabotage it without blowing themselves all sky high in the process. Ensign Crusher was assigned to collect information on the probe's layout and Troi was there for obvious reasons.
Wesley walked away from the others and down a corridor into another room, which essentially looked like the one he had just been in, except that the functions of the controls in this room were to provide the energy source that the probe needed in order to work. Ensign Crusher heard footsteps behind him and even before he turned around, he knew who it was.
"So nice it must be for someone as young as you are to be serving on such a wonderful ship as an imperial starship, Mr. Crusher." It wasn't meant as a question so much as a statement but he decided to answer the counsellor anyway.
"Yes, yes it is, Counsellor. But you don't get to be doing this without a little blackmail, treachery or pulling of a few strings. I have had such wonderful role models with regards to that now haven't I?" He spat back at her with vehemence. He knew that his life was probably about to end or he wouldn't have dreamt of talking to Troi in this way.
"You ought to watch your tone boy, remember to whom you are speaking." Troi warned him but he wasn't going to let her intimidate him- easily anyway.
"Oh, how could I forget?" He said with a nasty snarl.
"Well. Do you remember about a year ago when you were allowed to leave the bridge to carry out our little assassination attempt on the captain? The one that you failed to do?"
He nodded his head as way of a reply.
"Well since you failed, the time has come for me to- how can I put it- to put an end to your sad little attempt at life." With that she unholstered a phaser from her side and pointed it at him. He looked slightly taken aback as she fired at point blank range and he fell to the floor with an expression of relief on his face. Troi turned on her heel and went back to where the others were, carrying on as if nothing had happened.
"Mr. Crusher seems to have had an unfortunate accident." She said, simply. "There's no need to worry though, just another problem off our hands." The others just looked at her and listened, not wanting anything to happen to them. They all got on with their work quickly and efficiently.
