Chapter 6: "Back to the Black"
Picard sits on a sofa in his quarters; the lights are dim as he reads a book of Robert Frost poems. In spite of the book's popularity, in the 24th century there were new, countless new books of poems and millions of such from other alien worlds; finding time for a repeat of a classic wasn't always easy.
As he read, Picard found himself with thoughts of just how easily their own road could have been paved the way the one of the crew of Serenity traveled. He even felt a little empathy.
The comm. Sounds, "Data to captain Picard – it is time."
…
Picard closes the book and looks at it.
Riker looks over at Worf, "Wake them."
…
Everyone stands in the hall around Mal. Worf stands there as well.
"Where is the other one?" Worf asks.
Mal replies, "Must still be wakin'."
Worf grumbles, "Then I shall help her."
"Whoa – I got it, just let me in."
"Computer, override access to this quarter. Worf theta-six-one-nine."
It beeps in confirmation.
Mal points to his crew, "Just a sec," and enters. The doors shut.
He walks over to the bed; he gently shakes her.
"Kaylee, honey, rise and shine – time to go."
"Captain," still groggy. She stretches her arms out, almost bashing him in the crotch. "Do we have to go?"
"Sadly yes. But if you don't hurry up and get out of here, Simon is gonna leave without you."
"I don't suppose you could hog-tie him … just for a bit."
"There'll be time for kinky stuff later. For now I need you with the tinking stuff."
…
The crew of Serenity stands about in Transporter Room 3. Worf watches in the background as Picard approaches Mal. Kaylee stands on a pad, examining it.
"Well, Jean-Luc, is this farewell or good riddance?"
"Neither; let us just call it a parting of ways. A returning to your path, however poor it is."
"Never underestimate the poorness of my trail, captain. So … a nice manly handshake, or a hug? I'll pretend to not enjoy either."
Picard reaches over with his right hand, so does Mal and when Mal seizes his hand, Picard speaks, "No matter our differences, a firm, friendly handshake transverses any rift."
Mal shakes and eyes Picard with understanding.
"And what about Frick and Frak?" Mal asks.
"I cannot condemn your pursuers to death just because you don't like them, so they must return along with you. However, my engineer suspects their Verteron-based weapons won't survive the trip back through and will overload. The explosion will probably disrupt power to their engines, thus giving you plenty of opportunity to escape."
"Good news is my favorite kind of news. Bon voyage, Jean-Luc," says Mal.
"Bon voyage to you as well."
"Just step onto the circles there; one to a circle," says O'Brian.
They pile on one at a time. Wash reaches for one of Zoe's hands.
"Everyone relax; it'll be just like it was when you came aboard," says O'Brian.
Mal comments under his breath, "Unfortunately."
Picard takes one last look, than orders, "Energize."
And just as O'Brian runs his fingers up the pad and the beam engages, Inara reaches over and holds one of Mal's hands as well.
After the glitter fades away, Picard speaks, "Safe journeys, captain."
…
Mal looks around his cockpit and sees Wash at the helm.
"Right where I asked. Wash, feeling good to fly?"
"Yeah, but did I even have a choice?"
Mal laughs as he walks out, "Choice, heh," and walks down the steps out to the hallway. He knocks on Jayne's door, "Jayne, you okay?"
Jayne call back through the doors, "Be better if I had grenades!"
"Always with the gorram grenades," then shouts back, "read a book about grenades!"
He then knocks on Book's door, "Shepherd, you here with us or your merry maker?"
A few seconds pass and the doorway opens to reveal Book, "My stomach feels funny, but other than that I appear to be okay."
"Ha ha funny, or-"
"Sorry, I'm not familiar with any of the 'guy walks into a bar and gets beamed' regalements."
Slaps him on a shoulder, "The good Book," and calls out while walking, "Kaylee?!"
"Present!" she shouts back from the engine room.
"Good, keep up the being here," and makes his way through the ship. He pauses to see Simon holding River side-by-side as they talk, River particularly lucid.
As he leaves, Zoe bumps into him.
"Everything accounted for in the cargo hold, sir."
"Relax, Zoe – they weren't thieves. Go see your hubby and tell him once through that rift to tear a new hole in space."
Almost cracking a smile, "Yes, sir," and heads for the cockpit.
…
Inara looks around her shuttle and places the dress Riker had given her, in a dresser.
"You held me hand."
Without turning around, "And you forgot to knock."
"I'll get around to it one of these days. But, you're changing the subject."
"I think you have transporter delirium," says Inara.
"Yeah, and I suppose it was a little transporter monster that reached over."
"Maybe they love you," smiling at him with a bit of sarcasm.
"Well, at least their honest about it," with his hands on his dusty brown, tight pants.
They hear the ship burst; obviously, Mal thought, they had returned to their own reality.
"So, did you scratch up any business on that ship, or did you need computer authorization?"
"No," she walks away from the dresser, "nothing happened."
"Sorry about that. Alternate realities weren't part of Serenity's flight plan."
"Excuse me, I'm going to get something to eat," and she walks passed Mal, holding her head down – as he – and out into the ship.
Mal raises his head and looks out at her as she walks away, then looks down. Couple seconds go by and he says just barely aloud, "Who needs their greener grass," and looks back out, shouting, "Inara, wait up!" and jogs out after her.
…
Everyone on the Enterprise Bridge watches the view screen; they see the tractor beam push the pursuing vessel toward the rift, and disengage from the blue-gloved men's shuttle just before the rift's entrance. It disappears through it in tingly gold flashes.
"Data, how much longer until the rift closes?" asks Picard.
"Based on the current rate of decay, I estimate approximately seven minutes."
"Good. Launch a class four sensor probe to monitor it's closure," he turns about and walks to his seat. He sits, Riker at his side. "One of our more interesting run-ins, wouldn't you say number one?"
"Not really my cup-of-tea, sir."
"Hum," looking at him, realizing it must have been the brunette woman.
FATOOM, the probe sounds as it launches.
"Mr. Data, set a course for Centrala Six, warp five," commands Riker.
"Aye, sir, warp factor five."
And the Enterprise-D energizes up as it comes about quickly and with a bright flash of blue light from the nacelles, it warps off – vanishing into a white barrier of light.
-THE END-