Another Favor
Star Trek: The Next Generation, all characters and ideas there associated are the sole ownership of someone that's not me.
All original ideas and characters contained in the following story are the sole property of J.L. Scott.
Jean-Luc's crew were forced to transport themselves over, as their sister ship's transporters were still down. Raylyn and Will were waiting for them.
"Papa" Raylyn greeted Jean-Luc with a kiss on each cheek. Will shook his hand.
"Welcome aboard, Captain" he said. It was only then Jean-Luc noticed the new pip on the man's uniform.
"Thank you, Captain" Jean-Luc replied, "I see you've been promoted" Will and Raylyn exchanged a look. Jean-Luc was about to ask, but Raylyn smiled at the rest of his command crew.
"It's nice to meet you all" she said, "If you'll follow us, we'll join the others" As everyone filed out of the transporter room, Will and Riker were giving each other appraising looks.
"I see Q was right" Will finally said. Riker tilted his head, ready to fight.
"I look better in red" Will finished. Both men grinned.
/Are you telepathic?/ Troi was quite surprised by the voice in her head.
/Yes/ she replied. Raylyn was ahead of her, next to the Captain.
/Do you miss speaking telepathically?/ she asked.
/Not really/ Troi answered.
/I would!/ Raylyn admitted, /I would probably go crazy without Deanna around/
/You're Imzadi!/ Troi exclaimed, hearing it in Raylyn's thoughts.
/Yes/ the other woman replied, /Papa didn't tell you?/
/No. He told us very little, actually/ Troi responded.
/I suppose no one should know too much about the different outcomes of their lives/ Raylyn noted, /Still I wonder if you shouldn't be informed about the relationships between our command crew/
/What do you mean?/ Troi asked, but just then they arrived at one of the larger conference rooms and they were all ushered inside. Thus they came face to face with their counterparts.
There was a stunned moment while everyone tried to get used to seeing themselves.
"I believe everyone knows each other" Raylyn said, pulling a seat out and sitting. The two groups took opposing sides of the table, while Jean- Luc took the head. The doors slid open to admit a new comer.
"Wesley!" Jean-Luc greeted him loudly.
"Dad!" the young man made to give his step father a hug, but the sound of his mother's voice stopped him.
"Dad?!" The two groups exchanged glances. This was indeed going to be odd.
"Personal issues can be sorted out later" Jean-Luc said, "For now, let's discuss the problem at hand"
"The problem is the Borg" Geordi piped up.
"Well, that's nothing new" LaForge added.
"It is for us" Will told him.
"Will, perhaps you had better start at the beginning" Jean-Luc suggested.
"We only just encountered the Borg a few years ago" Will started, "When Q decided to introduce us"
"He seems fond of doing that" Riker said.
"You too?" Will asked. His counterpart nodded.
"Since then, we've had almost no contact with them" Raylyn went on.
"It is our belief that they were on their way to this sector when they encountered the Dominion" Data reported.
"Who are the Dominion?" Crusher asked.
"It's a long story, Doctor, Data, please continue" Jean-Luc answered.
"That is all, sir" Data told him.
"That's all you know about the Borg" LaForge asked. Data nodded. LaForge whistled.
"Boy, you guys do need help"
"I take it you've had a lot more contact with them" Will said.
"You could say that" Riker replied. This brought attention, at least for one side of the table, to a noticeable absence.
"Where is my counter part?" Jean-Luc asked. Raylyn gave both Deanna and Will a look.
"Papa died six months ago in our first battle with the Borg" Raylyn told them quietly.
"He crashed a small ship with an overloading core into one of their ships" Will expounded.
"So, he was never assimilated" Riker surmised.
"Assimilated" Will repeated, "By the Borg?"
"No" Beverly seemed to shutter at the idea. Her counterpart wondered at that.
"Why do you ask?" Deanna asked slowly. Something of the sort had obviously happened in their world, but here was their Captain, sitting with them, and he was not Borg.
"Because I was" Jean-Luc said quietly.
"You were assimilated?" Wesley cried, the disbelief very evident in his tone.
"I don't understand" Raylyn admitted. Jean-Luc prepared himself to face the memories.
"I was captured and assimilated by the Borg. I led, as Locutus, an attack on a Federation outpost which resulted in heavy losses"
"But.you're.here" Geordi pointed out.
"We were able to recapture him and remove the Borg implants" Crusher explained.
"Well, I guess old Q was right. It certainly provides a new point of view" Wyatt said from his seat. His cousin gave him an annoyed look.
"Well, that is what you said we needed, sis" Wesley pointed out.
"Sis?" Crusher repeated. Tensions in the room were rising.
"Wes is right" Will said, hoping to stave.whatever was coming.off, "We needed information and you seem to have it"
"How long will it take to make repairs to your ship?" Jean-Luc asked.
"I have estimated 8 days, sir" DataA replied.
"I estimated nearly 2 weeks, sir" the other Data reported. The two androids considered each other for a second.
"You have no doubt not accounted for Wesley's presence" DataA said.
"What does Wesley have to do with it?" Riker asked.
"Wesley's help improves repair time, usually quite drastically" DataA answered. Data lifted his brows and made the "Hrm" sound he made when he found something interesting.
"All right. Will" Jean-Luc turned to 'his' son-in-law, "I have a suggestion. While you make your repairs, we'll teach you everything we know about the Borg"
"Giving you a five year head start" Riker told them.
"That's certainly an advantage we could use" Will replied, "Maybe in the process we can give you something"
"I think the best thing would be for each person to work in their own expertise" Jean-Luc added, "That means that you'll each have to be working with your counterparts" Nobody argued but he got a lot of grim looks.
"Mr. LaForge, perhaps you can help with repairs as well?" LaForge nodded, "Doctor, I expect the Data you collected from Hugh will be immensely valuable. Mr. Worf, I'd like you to work with the Data's on their weaponry systems. Also, I want you to heighten security." Jean-Luc added and then turned to Raylyn and Will, "I think it best if the fewest possible people are forced to encounter their other selves"
"I agree" Raylyn said and her husband nodded. Then she stood with a smile.
"For now, I think we should all get a good night's rest" she said, "We can start fresh in the morning" Everybody agreed with that and all rose. Wesley offered to take them back to the transporter room, though they could've found it on their own.
"Jean-Luc!" Will called the Captain back. Troi and Riker decided to hang back and wait for him.
"We wondered if you would come to dinner" they heard Raylyn say.
"Oh, I don't know."
"Just Will and the kids and I" she said quickly.
"You'd be surprised at how much J.W. has grown" Will added, "And you've never met the girls"
Jean-Luc tugged on the bottom of his uniform. He would indeed love to see his grandson again, and get the chance to meet his granddaughters. His more recent experiences with children and grandchildren had had such a great impact on him, that he could not pass up the chance to resume the role, if only for a night.
"Yes, all right" he agreed with a grin, already brimming in anticipation.
Behind him, Troi and Riker exchanged looks and headed off to the transporter without him.
Star Trek: The Next Generation, all characters and ideas there associated are the sole ownership of someone that's not me.
All original ideas and characters contained in the following story are the sole property of J.L. Scott.
Jean-Luc's crew were forced to transport themselves over, as their sister ship's transporters were still down. Raylyn and Will were waiting for them.
"Papa" Raylyn greeted Jean-Luc with a kiss on each cheek. Will shook his hand.
"Welcome aboard, Captain" he said. It was only then Jean-Luc noticed the new pip on the man's uniform.
"Thank you, Captain" Jean-Luc replied, "I see you've been promoted" Will and Raylyn exchanged a look. Jean-Luc was about to ask, but Raylyn smiled at the rest of his command crew.
"It's nice to meet you all" she said, "If you'll follow us, we'll join the others" As everyone filed out of the transporter room, Will and Riker were giving each other appraising looks.
"I see Q was right" Will finally said. Riker tilted his head, ready to fight.
"I look better in red" Will finished. Both men grinned.
/Are you telepathic?/ Troi was quite surprised by the voice in her head.
/Yes/ she replied. Raylyn was ahead of her, next to the Captain.
/Do you miss speaking telepathically?/ she asked.
/Not really/ Troi answered.
/I would!/ Raylyn admitted, /I would probably go crazy without Deanna around/
/You're Imzadi!/ Troi exclaimed, hearing it in Raylyn's thoughts.
/Yes/ the other woman replied, /Papa didn't tell you?/
/No. He told us very little, actually/ Troi responded.
/I suppose no one should know too much about the different outcomes of their lives/ Raylyn noted, /Still I wonder if you shouldn't be informed about the relationships between our command crew/
/What do you mean?/ Troi asked, but just then they arrived at one of the larger conference rooms and they were all ushered inside. Thus they came face to face with their counterparts.
There was a stunned moment while everyone tried to get used to seeing themselves.
"I believe everyone knows each other" Raylyn said, pulling a seat out and sitting. The two groups took opposing sides of the table, while Jean- Luc took the head. The doors slid open to admit a new comer.
"Wesley!" Jean-Luc greeted him loudly.
"Dad!" the young man made to give his step father a hug, but the sound of his mother's voice stopped him.
"Dad?!" The two groups exchanged glances. This was indeed going to be odd.
"Personal issues can be sorted out later" Jean-Luc said, "For now, let's discuss the problem at hand"
"The problem is the Borg" Geordi piped up.
"Well, that's nothing new" LaForge added.
"It is for us" Will told him.
"Will, perhaps you had better start at the beginning" Jean-Luc suggested.
"We only just encountered the Borg a few years ago" Will started, "When Q decided to introduce us"
"He seems fond of doing that" Riker said.
"You too?" Will asked. His counterpart nodded.
"Since then, we've had almost no contact with them" Raylyn went on.
"It is our belief that they were on their way to this sector when they encountered the Dominion" Data reported.
"Who are the Dominion?" Crusher asked.
"It's a long story, Doctor, Data, please continue" Jean-Luc answered.
"That is all, sir" Data told him.
"That's all you know about the Borg" LaForge asked. Data nodded. LaForge whistled.
"Boy, you guys do need help"
"I take it you've had a lot more contact with them" Will said.
"You could say that" Riker replied. This brought attention, at least for one side of the table, to a noticeable absence.
"Where is my counter part?" Jean-Luc asked. Raylyn gave both Deanna and Will a look.
"Papa died six months ago in our first battle with the Borg" Raylyn told them quietly.
"He crashed a small ship with an overloading core into one of their ships" Will expounded.
"So, he was never assimilated" Riker surmised.
"Assimilated" Will repeated, "By the Borg?"
"No" Beverly seemed to shutter at the idea. Her counterpart wondered at that.
"Why do you ask?" Deanna asked slowly. Something of the sort had obviously happened in their world, but here was their Captain, sitting with them, and he was not Borg.
"Because I was" Jean-Luc said quietly.
"You were assimilated?" Wesley cried, the disbelief very evident in his tone.
"I don't understand" Raylyn admitted. Jean-Luc prepared himself to face the memories.
"I was captured and assimilated by the Borg. I led, as Locutus, an attack on a Federation outpost which resulted in heavy losses"
"But.you're.here" Geordi pointed out.
"We were able to recapture him and remove the Borg implants" Crusher explained.
"Well, I guess old Q was right. It certainly provides a new point of view" Wyatt said from his seat. His cousin gave him an annoyed look.
"Well, that is what you said we needed, sis" Wesley pointed out.
"Sis?" Crusher repeated. Tensions in the room were rising.
"Wes is right" Will said, hoping to stave.whatever was coming.off, "We needed information and you seem to have it"
"How long will it take to make repairs to your ship?" Jean-Luc asked.
"I have estimated 8 days, sir" DataA replied.
"I estimated nearly 2 weeks, sir" the other Data reported. The two androids considered each other for a second.
"You have no doubt not accounted for Wesley's presence" DataA said.
"What does Wesley have to do with it?" Riker asked.
"Wesley's help improves repair time, usually quite drastically" DataA answered. Data lifted his brows and made the "Hrm" sound he made when he found something interesting.
"All right. Will" Jean-Luc turned to 'his' son-in-law, "I have a suggestion. While you make your repairs, we'll teach you everything we know about the Borg"
"Giving you a five year head start" Riker told them.
"That's certainly an advantage we could use" Will replied, "Maybe in the process we can give you something"
"I think the best thing would be for each person to work in their own expertise" Jean-Luc added, "That means that you'll each have to be working with your counterparts" Nobody argued but he got a lot of grim looks.
"Mr. LaForge, perhaps you can help with repairs as well?" LaForge nodded, "Doctor, I expect the Data you collected from Hugh will be immensely valuable. Mr. Worf, I'd like you to work with the Data's on their weaponry systems. Also, I want you to heighten security." Jean-Luc added and then turned to Raylyn and Will, "I think it best if the fewest possible people are forced to encounter their other selves"
"I agree" Raylyn said and her husband nodded. Then she stood with a smile.
"For now, I think we should all get a good night's rest" she said, "We can start fresh in the morning" Everybody agreed with that and all rose. Wesley offered to take them back to the transporter room, though they could've found it on their own.
"Jean-Luc!" Will called the Captain back. Troi and Riker decided to hang back and wait for him.
"We wondered if you would come to dinner" they heard Raylyn say.
"Oh, I don't know."
"Just Will and the kids and I" she said quickly.
"You'd be surprised at how much J.W. has grown" Will added, "And you've never met the girls"
Jean-Luc tugged on the bottom of his uniform. He would indeed love to see his grandson again, and get the chance to meet his granddaughters. His more recent experiences with children and grandchildren had had such a great impact on him, that he could not pass up the chance to resume the role, if only for a night.
"Yes, all right" he agreed with a grin, already brimming in anticipation.
Behind him, Troi and Riker exchanged looks and headed off to the transporter without him.
