Companions of a Kind – Starfleet
Jean-Luc Picard considered himself to be a man with an opened mind. His experiences all over the galaxy required it. He once again reminded himself of this as he read over the orders from the Federation. Some thing had been detected smack in the middle of the neutral zone... an area that he knew very well and that defiantly did not have any thing like this in it.
A passing ship had picked up signs of everything needed to be a galaxy – sun, planets and a gravitational pull between them all that seemed un affected by the pulls around it. This, according to physics, was impossible.
The doorbell equivalent on his ready room door squiggled as it was pressed to alert him that some one wanted his attention.
"Come in," Picard stated.
"Sir, I think you should see this," Riker stated. Picard looked up at his second in command, William T. Riker. The man was not as young as he used to be but still young in comparison to Picard whose head was balding and muscles were just starting to sag. His voice was uncharacteristically serious, especially for the orders that they had been assuming were a joke.
"I'll be there in a moment #1," Picard said as he closed down the computer on his desk and stood. This ready room was plain but the same as it had been for years. Mini models of the Enterprise, the ship which held them, stood in their glass case while the window behind him showed the stars that were speeding by.
"Report," Picard stated once he was on the bridge, only a doorway from his ready room. The ships bridge was big and it took nine people to run it, although the ships councilor, Deanna Troi, also had an appointed seat – her telepathic abilities were invaluable.
"You're not going to believe this," Lt. Commander Geordi LaForge said as he beckoned Picard over. Picard and Ricker made there way to the top of the bridge, where the four officers that worked with engineering were stationed. Geordi ran all of engineering and only came up from his engines when the situation called for it. Picard leaned down to look at the screen, the scan of what looked like a small galaxy was turning in a circle, its data running off to the left.
"The ship's scans are not wrong. There is now an extremely small, but present galaxy in the middle of the neutral zone. We will be approaching it in less than 10 minutes," Geordi offered in explanation. Picard stood up from looking at the map.
"I guess I haven't seen it all. Keep scanning and keep me informed as new information becomes available," Picard ordered. He looked into Geordi's visor and then looked toward the screen that was currently opened to the outside. Stars were streaking by as the ship flew at warp speed toward it destination. Picard walked past his security officer, Commander Worf's station, which was currently unoccupied before he turned to take his own chair. Riker sat on his right and councilor Troi's empty chair was on his left.
"Data, slow us down as we approach. I don't want to scare anyone that might be around," Picard ordered. Data - who was also an engineer but his fast reaction time (he was an android after all) had quickly put him on the bridge - turned and acknowledged Picard's orders before turning his cushioned chair back to his terminal in the very front of the bridge. Of the two terminals Data's was the right most one.
Picard crossed his legs and tapped the badge on his left breast. "Commander Worf and Councilor Troi, report to the bridge," he calmly stated. The badge was issued to all Starfleet personal and as long as the person was wearing it they could be accessed at any time or access others.
"Were close enough to read for life signs now," Geordi announced. "These reading have to be wrong. There is life on all five of the planets... human life. I'm also picking up a ship directly in front of us. I'm getting some weird readings from it."
"What kind of readings?" Riker asked. Picard glanced at his first officer before looking once again at the screen. The small galaxy was now close enough to be seen, its planets making the shape of a star with a burning sun in the middle.
"Well, a lot of different ones. I'm getting all kinds of metals, from Romulan types to Federation types to Gundanium, sir. Their not sending a signal of any sort and I'm only reading five life signs, which is hard to believe for the ship's size," Geordi explained. "I'm also getting some readings that even the computer can't compute. And I can't explain that one any more than I just did."
"Could it be a White Fang vessel?" Worf questioned as he made his way to his station. Troi walked in a moment later and took her seat.
"Negative, it doesn't match any part of their profile. Although it is armed, and just from the initial scans it's enough to blow this entire area," Geordi stated. The ship smoothly dropped out of warp and the glow of the nearest planet lit up part of the screen, glinting off the black surface of the ship in front of them. It caught the light and the word 'Companion' seemed to be in graffiti on the side.
"Hail the ship," Picard order. A few tense moments passed until Worf spoke again. "The ship is opening a channel."
"On screen," Picard stated. He stood to address the strange ship and then froze.
"Genies ship of love, you want it we'll get it or give it... which ever you prefer," a voice said sleazily, little husky at the end. It wasn't just the words that had frozen the entire bridge of the Enterprise it was what they were looking at.
The youth couldn't be described as anything other than sexy. His thin but muscled legs were covered in tight black leather, hugging his hips so low that it was almost indecent. The glint of a golden chain hung just beneath his belly button, which was bare. A dark red tube top hugged his chest leaving his shoulders and arms bare, the muscled tan lengths moved with grace as they came to his side from the control panel. Another gold chain hung from his neck which held up an opened, human, face. Big purple eyes looked out from under a chestnut bangs that attached to a braid that went down to the youths waist.
"Hey, I'm gona start charging you to look," the youth stated as he put his hands on his hips.
"I'm sorry," Picard said, snapping out of his stair. "My name is Jean-Luc Picard; I'm the caption of the Enterprise. We explorers searching for new life and civilization, we were hoping you knew something about the area," Picard stated diplomatically.
"Well, I do. My name is Duo and this is the Companion... sweet baby aint she... anyway..." Duo started to explain, his hands talking with him.
"Duo stop talking to your self, you really make us worried when you do that," a sweet voice suddenly said as another youth appeared on the screen.
"But I'm not Q-ball!" Duo said indignantly. "Just look at the screen and the scanners. It's a ship and it's called the Enterprise..."
"Shit, Duo you were supposed to notify us if..." the screen suddenly went blank as the connection was lost. It took a moment for everything to sink in, finally Picard turned to the ships councilor.
"What do you make of the situation?" Picard asked his voice surprised and confused.
"Duo was extremely sexy," Troi started. "But I think if you get over his looks and coarse words he was talking in trading terms. I sense no ill intent. Duo seemed honest and, well, playful. The other seemed surprised and worried but not angry."
"Caption, we are being hailed by the Companion," Worf stated. Picard nodded, his thoughts coming together.
"On screen," He stated, a moment later Picard looked into the face of the blond boy that had switched off the screen earlier. He was dressed nicely, if a little famine, and had an opened and trusting face.
"I am Quatre, caption of the Companion," the boy, Quatre, started. Picard hoped his face stayed neutral at the title of Caption. The boy didn't look like he was even in his twenties yet. "I must apologize for my friend and hope that you will accept it for the sake of friend ship. According to our scans your ship is the Enterprise from the Federation, a human and earth based organization. Is this correct?" Quatre's voice was kind but firm. Picard was having trouble believing that it was coming out of the boy's body in front of him.
"That is correct," Picard managed to respond. His eyes had just noticed the dimly lit tidied walls that surrounded Quatre's figure.
"You owe me five buck Wufei... I said they would find us first!" Duo's voice yelled in the back ground. The blond continued unfazed, as if his bridge was silent.
"Our galaxy has just come back into time space, but its people are not united... in fact they refused to speak to each other. Sense we are in the neutral zone, can we remain neutral?" Quatre asked.
"I don't know; the neutral zone has never had a race living in it before. I would be very interested in meeting you and would like to extend an invitation to you and your crew to come aboard," Picard asked kindly. He needed more time; these people seemed to know quiet a bit and he needed to know more about them before offering an alliance of protection. Quatre had been blunt in saying that they probably would need help it if the neutral zone couldn't provide protection.
"I don't see why that wouldn't work," Quatre stated. He paused as if waiting for objection but his bridge was quiet. "Please transmit the area that we are to beam to and we will arrive in an hour," Quatre stated.
"I look forward to your company," Picard stated.
"As do I, Caption," Quatre stated before he went off the screen.
"Worf, send them the information that they need. Councilor Troi I need you with me on this one, you and #1 meet me in my ready room. Worf bring a small security team to transporter room 1 in 0100 hours. Data keep an eye on the ship," Picard ordered.
"What did you get from Quatre?" Pinard asked once Troi and Riker were seated.
"He is kind but determined. Like Duo he held no malice or evil intent," Troi stated. Picard leaned back in his chair and listened as Riker gave his impressions. The next hour seemed to last forever as he waited and went over information on those that were to arrive all too soon.
Picard watched the transporters slowly materialize five young men, the two he had already met included. They were all dressed and looked different; the only similarity being the staff's latched onto their backs. But on closer inspection even those were different. Picard felt Troi stir next to him but couldn't turn to ask because the five were already in front of him.
"Welcome to the enterprise," Picard began. "Would you like to look around before we speak?"
"That would be interesting," Quatre did not answer. Picard's head was drawn to a very Chinese looking youth in an off white Chinese fighting gei of some kind.
"Sound's like a plan," Duo suddenly stuck in. "That's Wufei who just talked; the two over there who are trying to look like the wall are Heero and Trowa. Trowa sometimes cracks... I'm still working on Heero. Oh and don't try to touch Heero and you have been warned if you do," Duo introduced excitedly. "So can we see the ship now?"
"Yes I think that would be fine," Picard said, unable to hide the humor from his voice. "Deanna Troi is our ships councilor, she will show you around. If you have any questions fell free to ask anyone on board."
"Thank you caption," Quatre said politely. Picard left with a polite good by; making sure the security officers accompanied Troi as she led the young men off.
mtc