by Dalton S. Spence
Part X - Decision Time
"Do you think it worked?" Vash asked Picard as they waited for the committee from it's deliberations. Rather than leave the committee chamber and possibly risk missing the committee's return, Picard had opted to use the room's replicator to order a light dinner for himself, his command crew, and Vash.
"I have no idea," he replied, sipping his Earl Grey, "but at least we gave them something to think about. Hopefully it will be enough to delay a final decision until we can find evidence of the mission."
"I hope so," returned Vash, "since if they don't, you won't be able to fulfil your part of the bargain. And I know how much that would distress you."
The two stood apart from the rest of the group, who were quietly discussing this latest development. Dr. Bennett had excused herself earlier, ostensibly to return to New York to continue the investigation, but more accurately to avoid a confrontation with their star witness. Dr. Crusher wished she could do the same. "I wonder what she wants this time?", she asked Will Riker, who was finishing off his "Kirk Special", a chicken sandwich and coffee.
"More important, what did the Captain promise her for her help?" Will responded, watching the animated conversation between the two of them. "I find it very hard to trust someone who would willingly choose to follow Q." Beverly nodded her agreement, although her distrust of the lovely archeaologist stemmed from far more personal reasons.
Geordi wished he could discuss what was going on with Data, but unfortunately his friend was required to remain with the ship while the two senior officers were planetside. Ordinarily Riker would assume this duty, but Data had volunteered with the logical reason that he would be better able to coordinate the research effort from the ship. Worf had stayed for a while, but had finally returned to the ship, disgusted with the committee's inability to take action. Geordi was considering returning to the ship himself, when a hiss from the doors announced the return of the committee.
The light of the setting sun filled the room as the members of the committee took their seats, and the Enterprise officer's (and Vash) disposed of the remains of their dinner. Picard's apprehension grew as he noted that only the head of the committee himself would meet his eyes. "After due consideration of the evidence placed before it," Dr. Devereaux began, "this committee finds that the first prerequisite for the authorization of a time travel mission has been fulfilled. However, unless new evidence has been uncovered during the committee's deliberations, there is no reason to believe that the mission is a part of known history. Has anything new been discovered during our absense, Captain Picard?"
The captain was about to speak, when he was interrupted by the sound of a transporter. The committee watched in astonishment as a man materialized before them, holding an isolinear optical chip. "Sorry about the theatrics," apologized the Professor, "but from what Data monitored about the state of this hearing, we couldn't afford the time for explanations. Here, Mr. Chairman, is the new evidence you were asking for," he said, presenting the chip.
Dr. Devereaux was livid. "Who do think you are," he yelled, "to interrupt a meeting of this committee! Captain Picard, just who is this person?"
Captain Picard calmly said, "Sir, allow me to introduce Professor Nicholas Brabant, of the University of Toronto. He is Earth's foremost expert on computer archaeology, and the one who originally uncovered the information that led to the discovery of the tunnel community. His specialty is reconstructing government databases from the twentieth century; in particular, those of law enforcement and intelligence agencies."
"Well, " chuckled the Admiral, "you certainly have managed to get our attention. Suppose you explain to us what this new evidence is, and how you came by it."
"If I may?" the Professor asked Dr. Devereaux, who nodded a somewhat grudging assent. "I was trying to discover to what extent the government of the time was aware of the tunnel community, when I found an anachronism in the records of one Catherine Chandler. Her medical records showed several entries dated years after her death certificate was signed. Further investigation revealed that her death was faked, while she remained comatose in a secret government hospital. Shortly after her miraculous recovery (which oddly enough occurred during the period in question), she disappeared under mysterious circumstances. I was able to find audiovisual recordings of this event. These recordings contain irrefutable proof that the proposed mission is a part of the historical matrix." He looked straight at the committee as he spoke, as if trying to convince them of this by sheer force of will.
Jason Devereaux stared at the chip as if it were a photon grenade, primed and ready to go off. In a sense, to him and his career, it was. He remembered the day he had received his appointment to the committee, when it's true agenda had been clearly (but deniably, of course) explained to him. His predecessor had "retired" after the Devidian incident, when he had been forced by undeniable evidence to give Picard a blanket authorization. Now it looked like it was going to be his turn. And it was his own fault, too. If only he hadn't cleared all other obstacles, trusting that the final one would (as it always had before) hold, he could have delayed a ruling until his term was over. As it was, the best he could hope for was to insist that someone representing the committee be present on the mission. He didn't doubt that the evidence was irrefutable. Professor Brabant wouldn't have presented it otherwise.
"The committee," he said, with a resigned sigh, "will recess to examine the evidence in private." Seeing a suspicious look on Capt. Picard's face, he added, "This is soley to prevent recursive causal loops, which might occur if you deliberately tried to duplicate the historical actions documented here. I may be stubborn, but I'm not suicidal. Professor Brabant, would you please join us to explain exactly what we are about to see?" The Professor turned, and smiled at the confused starship commander. "Better prepare your ship and crew, captain. It looks like you'll be going on a trip."
"Captain's Log: Stardate 46335.21
It took only two hours for the committee to render its ruling, and two days to prepare the ship for time travel. In order to minimize the risks, it was decided to leave the saucer section behind, and procede with only a skeleton crew in the Battle section. As an extra security measure, Mr. Data will handle all of the navigational and engineering programming required to turn my ship into a time machine. The committee insisted on planning the mission down to slightest detail, including the presence of a representa- tive. I was very surprised at their choice."
"Well, well, look who's crawled out of the woodwork!" A startled Professor Brabant turned from his watching of the Ten Forward crowd, and looked straight into a pair of watchful eyes he had never expected to see again. When Commander Riker had recommended that he come here to relax for a few minutes before the mission got underway, he had be curious what such a place might look like on a starship. He certainly had never expected to encounter someone from his past here.
"I suppose you'll want the usual," Guinan lightly grumbled, satisfied with the effect of her appearance on her apparently dumbfounded guest. "I'm sorry, but I don't keep ..."
"That's quite alright," the Professor hurriedly interrupted, "the synthetic will do just fine. Doctor's orders, you know." Guinan nodded approvingly, and the Professor breathed a sigh of relief. His own secrets would remain safe, at least for now.
As she handed him his drink (in an opaque vessel, he was pleased to note), Guinan asked him, "I don't suppose your friends will be be dropping by? I doubt very much they would settle for synthetics."
The Professor shook his head. "One has been gone for a very long time, and the other, well, I lost track of her simply ages ago." He paused for a moment, remembering. "You know, he never quite figured you out. Oh, he had some theories, but we laughed, and he never brought them up again." He looked at Guinan with a wry smile. "I guess he was right, after all."
They were interrupted by Worf, who had come to tell the Professor it was time to leave. The Professor quickly finished his drink, and hurried to the door, impatient for his part in this adventure to begin. Worf turned to follow, then turned back, detecting a scent that is familiar to all Klingons almost from birth. But Guinan had already placed the glass back in the replicator. Worf looked at her a moment, then left, believing that he must have imagined it.
The final briefing was almost informal, since most of the ground work had been done already. It was held in the battle section ready room. "Will, you will remain here in charge of the saucer section." the captain began.
"But, sir.."
"No buts, Number One. There was apparently no evidence you were part of this mission, and someone of command rank has to stay with the saucer section. The committee has specified the Mr. Data be in charge of the actual time travel procedure, so I'm afraid that means you stay here. I'm sorry."
Riker looked like he wanted to argue, but didn't. "If that's all, sir, may I be excused? I would like to double check the undocking preparations." Picard nodded, and his First Officer went to leave. At the door he stopped, and looked at his commander. "Sir?"
Picard acknowledged his unspoken question. "We'll bring her back, Will." Satisfied, Riker left.
Picard turned to his remaining senior officers. "The presence of the rest of you was either observed or inferred by the presence of the Enterprise. The Professor will outline the mission parameters. Professor?"
As the Professor move to the main display, the sound of the doors moment- arily diverted everyones attention. The silence suddenly became profound. Framed in the doorway was Vash, dressed in twentieth century clothing, and carrying a small knapsack. "Sorry I'm late, but I wanted to double check the wardrobe. I hope I didn't miss anything."
To everyone's astonishment (including her's), the Professor only smiled. "Not at all," he replied, "we couldn't have started without you."
AUTHOR'S NOTE: Some of you have probably already recognized Professor Nicholas Brabant as Nick Knight, vampire and former homicide detective with the Toronto P.D. in the early 1990s from the series Forever Knight. He met Guinan in San Francisco in the late 1800s shortly before the events in "Time's Arrow".