Star Trek: Ranma's Story 26– By DS Wynne

Disclaimer: "Ranma ½:", "Sailor Moon", "Star Trek" and other genres belong to their respective owners.

Note: This is BOOK THREE of the Ranma ½ saga, set in the world of "Star Trek".

Special note: I will be working on different Star Trek eras. However, depending on the repsonses, I might release the different eras (all parts will be numbered according, since I do have an outline on how many parts per era there should be; example: TOS series...12 parts...post TOS series/movies...12 parts, and so on). I really need feedback on how to pull this off. Thanks in advance.

Part 26

Spring, 2366: McKinley Station, Earth Sector (STU).

"'Enterprise', this is Lt. Ranma Saotome, coming in for the approach, over."

"This is 'Enterprise'. We hear you loud and clear, and we are ready to receive special 'cargo'. Welcome to the 'Enterprise', Captain Picard."

Captain Jean-Luc Picard smiled, as he closed his book. He had been reading "The Tempest" while being shuttled from Earth to his new post, the U.S.S Enterprise (NCC 1701-D). It was a big assignment for the bald, Earth Frenchman, something that could redeem his somewhat tarnish career.

"We will be docking shortly, Captain Picard," Lt. Tasha Yar says, as she looked back from the co-pilot's position. As the new Security Chief, it was customary for her to escort her new captain.

"Thank you, Lt.," Picard respond.

"Captain," Ranma began. "I believe that McKinley station should be coming into view, right about…now."

Picard leans forward to take a look at his new ship. The Enterprise was perhaps the biggest ship in Starfleet, capable of multiple functions. One function was to allow civilian families a chance to spend time with career Starfleet personnel, something that will take getting use to.

"She's beautiful," Picard said.

"Aye, Captain," Ranma replies. "And don't worry about its space worthiness. As a test pilot for Utopia Planetia on Mars, I put her through the paces."

"Well, 'sensei', I should hope so."

Ranma winced slightly at the comment. As one of Starfleet's finest tactical instructors, Ranma Saotome had developed the reputation of having grueling physical training seminars, resulting in Starfleet personnel being one of the finest combatants in the Alpha Quadrant. Even the Klingons and the Romulans, no friends to the United Federation of Planets, respect this man, even so far as to authorize their soldiers in learning Ranma's authorized textbook, "The Tao of 'Anything Goes Martial Arts'", as part of their training seminars.

"Captain, we're about to dock," Ranma said. "Please have your seat in the up-right position, and thank you for flying 'Air Ranma'. Have a nice day."

Yar rolls her eyes.

A short time later, one of the ship's crewmembers pipes Picard in.

TWEET!

"Welcome aboard, Captain Picard," said Yeoman Worf, one of the Enterprise's "Bridge Officers". Worf, a Klingon orphan who was adopted by a Starfleet crew member, was seen as the defining point of Klingon-Federation relations, by the more politically astute. That is why Worf was made yeoman, since the position of the Captain's assistant is considered a "fast track" within Starfleet's "command branch".

Ranma was the last to leave his shuttle, since he had to manually power down the on-board systems. He saw some of the bridge crew in the docking bay, as part of the Captain's welcoming party. Besides Worf, there was Lt. Geordi LaForge, the ship's Chief Engineer; beside LaForge was Chief Petty Officer Miles O'Brien, the transporter chief; then there was Counselor Deanna Troi of Betazed, an empathic psychologist; and then there was Lt. Commander Data, a unique android; and finally, there was Lt. Usagi Tsukino, the ship's chief science officer. Save for Usagi, Ranma and Picard, the command crew was young. They would have to pick the rest of their crew mates at an outpost called "Farpoint Station", which was the gateway into Beta Quadrant territory.

"Thank you for the kind welcome, Yeoman," Picard said. "As to the rest of you, I look forward in making my acquaintance. Dismiss."

As the crowd filed out, Ranma went up to Usagi.

"Do you think Captain Picard has what it takes to lead this ship?" Ranma said, as he spoke "enochan", the language of Creation. Years ago, Ranma and Usagi had accidentally went to Earth's ancient past, and wound up fighting alongside a ranger, a wizard, a warrior, an elfin archer, a dwarf, and four little people called "hobbits" against the very face of evil. This evil almost caused his and Usagi's death on more than one occasion before it was soundly defeated. At any rate, the result of the adventure was the acquirement of a few skills, including learning to speak enochan, elven and dragonese. Nowadays, Ranma would speak either languages if he needed to circumvent the so-called "universal translator", especially since both languages were more "mystical" than not.

"Well, you were his instructor at one point in time," Usagi replied likewise, as she picked up a cargo, from the shuttle. Had anyone was paying attention, they would have realized that the cargo in question weighed more than a slip of a girl should be able to carry. "What do you think?"

Ranma looked at Picard.

"He'll do okay, considering the fact that Starfleet frowns upon people like us."

"Ranma, stop being so melodramatic," Usagi said, as she began walking out the docking bay. "The era where we learned how to be Starfleet officers has long since past. It's a new era, and people like us has long since been put out to pasture."

"Feh, if that's the case, why are WE still here?"

Usagi turned to look at her former husband. Inwardly, she sighed at how thick-headed he could be when it comes to Federation politics.

"Why do you think?"

Ranma scratched his chin.

"To find ourselves while stewarding the next generation, I guess."

"Good one. Now, help me with this thing. It weighs a ton."

"Usagi, lifting a ton is easy for you."

"I know, but I still wanted to ask."

"…"

About a few weeks later, the U.S.S. Enterprise ran into an entity known as "Q". Point of fact, however, it was the second time that Picard and crew had met him. Proclaiming himself to be an omnipotent being, Q was an arrogant fop with the flair of the dramatics. The first time the two parties met was en route to Farpoint, when the entity threatened to destroy the ship due to humankind's savage past. It was the first time that the Q made its existence known, and had used one of their own to stand in judgment of humankind. Usagi found it strange that this being wanted to even bother to make his proclamation; Ranma, on the other hand, dealt with the situation in his usual fashion.

"Feh. He ain't so tough," Ranma whispered into Yar's ear. A moment earlier, Ranma had to remind his former student to remain frosty, which is ironic considering what happened next.

"I heard that," Q said, as he "flashed" to Ranma's position. "Well, it looks like we have a ram amongst the sheep."

"And you teleport, too," Ranma smirked. "Big deal."

Now, Q, if he was so inclined, would have meted out punishment right then and there. However, upon a moment of reflection, Q realized who he was speaking to.

"So…you must be the great 'Ranma Saotome'. Your infamy proceeds you."

"Really?"

"Really. They say that even as far away as the Gamma and Delta Quadrants, your name has been translated to mean either 'Chaos Bringer' or 'Warrior Borne". Mostly, it means, as it is originally intended, 'Wild Horse'. However-"

Q snapped his fingers.

FLASH!

Ranma suddenly felt himself change into his female form, which surprised her.

"Your female side is also legendary, I recall."

Ranma would have been angry for being forced to become female. In the old days, he would have been embarrassed for changing in front of his peers. However, ever since he learned how to shape-shift, from his old friend Admiral Gartheighty years ago, Ranma was more annoyed than angry. Besides, he has long since accepted his female form as "natural".

"Your point?"

"My point is that you fascinate me. However, my business TODAY is with your captain."

"Q, or whoever you are," Picard said with annoyance. "What do you want?"

"I want to challenge you. If you can solve a little mystery at your destination, then I will deem you fit for expansion."

And thus the challenge was made.

The crew of the Enterprise prevailed, and was allowed to continue their exploration of the galaxy. It should be noted that "the mystery" at station Farpoint involved an alien being used by the planet's native, and that it took teamwork to free it.

And Captain Picard had to remind Ranma that there were certain protocols that needed to maintain, experienced officer or not. So Ranma had to reign in his tendencies in getting into trouble…like he usually does.

And now…

"I'm back," Q said, as he appeared in a Starfleet uniform. "And this time, I have good news."

"That you won't be bothering us ever again?" Picard smirked.

"Au contraire, my captain. I am here to reward Commander Riker with membership within the Q Continuum!"

"What? What did I ever do to deserve this?" Riker pleaded.

Q then turned to Ranma.

"I haven't forgotten about YOU, fem-child."

"Alright, lay it on me. I don't got all day, you know."

"Think of this as a…blast from your past."

Q snaps his fingers.

FLASH!

With that, Q, Riker, Usagi Tsukino, Wesley Crusher, Worf, Geordi LaForge, and O'Brien (who was reconfiguring the bridge over-ride systems for transporter operations at the time) disappeared. However, in their place was something Ranma had never thought could happen.

"RANMA!"

"A…Akane?!" Ranma gasped.

Akane Tendo, a Japanese teen tomboy marched up to Ranma.

"Where have you been? And why are you wearing pajamas?"

"Uh…"

"Akane, you should take a look around, first," said another girl.

"Nabiki?"

"Nothing gets by you, Saotome," Nabiki Tendo smirked. "By the way, nice clothes."

"Oh, my," said a matronly girl. "Where do you think we are, Father?"

"Don't worry, Kasumi," the man with a mustache said, as he went to comfort the girl. "Daddy will protect you."

"Kasumi? Mr. Tendo?"

"Boy, where have you been?"

"Pop?"

"At last…I have finally found you," said a Bandanna-wearing youth. "Prepare to die, Ranma!"

"Ryouga, this is not the place for this!" Ranma said, as he casually dodges the thrust of his opponent's heavy umbrella.

"Stay still, Ranma. Take your punishment like a- ulp!"

"Now, Ranma, my son," said a traditional Japanese woman, who had just unsheathed he "Saotome blade on the Lost Boy". "Tell us what is going on."

"Thanks, Mom," Ranma said. He wasn't sure if these people were real or not, thanks to Q being, well, a Q, so he didn't show any outward emotion of happiness. "First, I believe that you will be shocked as to where and when you are here."

"What do you mean?"

Thirty minutes later, in the bridge conference room…

"WHAT?!" the guests yelled.

"As his commanding officer, I can vouch for his sincerity," Picard said. "Mrs. Saotome, your son is one of the finest men I have ever had the pleasure of serving with."

"Wow, Saotome," Nabiki smirked. "You really made it big."

"Yeah, well no thanks to you!" Ranma responded.

"My, Ranma, you have done a lot," Kasumi said.

"It's nothing."

"So what did you do, boy?" Genma said.

"I really rather not say."

"I knew…I KNEW IT!"

Everyone turned to Akane, who made a loud outburst.

"Akane?" Soun Tendo asked.

Akane glared at Ranma, thinking the worse possible scnearios could have happened, as far as SHE was concerned.

"Alright, did you…did you get married?"

"Where did that come from?"

"Simple, my son," Nodoka Saotome said. "I was about to ask the question myself, but Akane dear beat me to the punch. Did you get married, and do I have any grand-children?"

"Um, I really have to go-"

"Ranma, please."

Ranma looked into his mother's eyes. Bad enough for one to think that one's child was trapped in a strange dimension. For Nodoka, it would be even worse if the child in question did not start a family of their own.

"I…I did meet someone. And we…had a child."

Stunned silence.

"You…you…"

"Go ahead, say it. I was kinda expect you to blow up at me anyway."

"Oh, no! The families will never join!" wailed Soun.

"Wait, let's hear the boy out first," said Genma, Ranma's father.

"Son, where are they?" asked Nodoka.

"My wife…Miranamee died a long time ago. Our son Ranmak is the head of his mother's tribe on a planet far different from Earth. And that's all I have to say on the subject...for obvious reasons."

"Oh," Akane said simply. Then she got up.

"I have to go."

"Akane, wait!"

"Don't bother, Ranma," Ryouga said, as he got up to go after Akane. "You've hurt enough people as it is."

"In light of certain circumstances, I would ask you to be escorted to your guest quarters," Picard says, as he motions Lt. Yar and her security team.

"Boy, we need to talk to you-" Genma began.

"And Lt. Saotome has duties to attend to. Dismiss."

"Ranma, please talk to us as soon as possible," Nodoka said.

When everyone but Ranma was gone, he looked out into space. He wasn't sure if these people were real or not, but it didn't change how he is feeling.

Tbc.

Author's note: I will be skipping about a bit. However, each "chapter" will be numbered, so that the numbering order will make sense.

Next time: Things goes from "bad"…to WORSE! Be here for "Part 27". Later!