Chapter 3


2367 San Francisco

"Humans!" A voice speaking through some kind of amplification device boomed through the air. There was some delay as the Malkatan's words were translated through the same device. Picard and Worf slipped out through the hatch of the shuttle as quietly as possible. Dropping down into the dirt, they crouched underneath the overturned craft and peered out from behind cover. Worf powered up his phaser and Picard carefully pulled the Malkatan rifle from over his shoulder, laying it down in front of him.

"Humans of Earth will gather around me," the voice ordered again. The crowd of people who had been waiting for the communications console, shrank back, and Picard could now see the Malkatan in the center of the crowd. He must have used his singularity vessel to travel here. They had already learned that the Malkatan's main mode of travel was nearly instantaneous, so there was no telling where he had transported from. "Your immediate deaths have been ordered by the Grand General Unh, the Supreme Ruler of Malkata, and new Chancellor of Earth," said the Malkatan.

Picard rolled to his side and tucked the butt of the rifle underneath his armpit. He nodded to Worf.

"You may kneel, or you may stand," threatened the Malkatan. "But either way your lives will end, to make way for the flood of Malkatans who will take your place as the rulers of this planet." He activated a device he held in his palm, the center of which began to spin in a fist sized black orb of energy. "Prepare for your afterlife," shouted the Malkatan.

"Shoot for the device on stun, and I'll take my chances with hitting him," Picard murmured. "You have better aim…." he admitted.

"I know," said Worf.

The Malkatan held up the singularity device over his head. "Who will be the first—" The weapons discharged almost at once, and the singularity device shot out of the Malkatan's hand just as the plasma projectile burst through his chest. Staring into the sky in silent shock, he dropped to the ground instantly lifeless.

Picard scrambled forward on all fours. "Don't touch it!" he shouted into the frantic crowd. He jumped to his feet as the Malkatan's weapon continued to roll through the dirt for a few more second before it apparently deactivated itself. Worf bent down and grabbed the singularity device and picked it up.

Picard looked around. "It's high time we all started working together," he called out. "Now let's split into groups and search for something to eat. We'll meet back here in 20 minutes."

"Who are you to give us orders? What if they come back here in 20 minutes to kill us all?" a young man challenged.

"The Malkatans are arrogant," said Worf. "They have confidence in their singularity weapons and only sent one executioner. Most likely they will not send reinforcements until they realize he is dead."

"I'm not going to scrounge around for food in the trash while they come back here and hunt us down," the man shouted.

Picard slung the rifle back over his shoulder. "Suit yourself, I'm hungry," he said, turning to walk away. Worf was not at all surprised to find that nearly the entire crowd followed behind him.


2367 South Pacific Ocean, Earth

As the spinning Singularity Ring continued skimming over the expanse of the grey-blue ocean, the Malkatan navigator announced something new. "Sensors show there are creatures in this part of the world living underneath the water. Shall I deploy plasma charges and destroy them?"

General Unh limped forward to look at the sensor diagram. "No, they are a potential food source. Leave them alone for now."

"We are approaching another body of land in two trams, General," said the navigator.

"Prepare the graviton weapon," General Unh ordered and then leaned on the central tactical station table. A large map of the Earth glowed beneath his gaze. He pointed to various points on the map as his second in command joined him. "These cities have already been conquered, Razul. While the Humans are weak and still in the process of re-grouping we must return and wipe them out. They will not expect it, and we must be merciless if we are to prepare the way for the rest of our people. And the Humans must not interfere with our relocation efforts."

"I will notify the other units," said Major Razul. He looked at the General, and was disturbed to see that his commanding officer was clutching at his neck suddenly. "General!"

General Unh dropped to his knees, clutching at some invisible force that was cutting off his airway. Razul stared wide-eyed as the General's stumpy legs began to fade and then re-appeared again before Razul's squinty eyes. He choked, and slapped at his throat desperately. Razul bent down to hear better what the General was trying to say, but made no move to help him. The General took in a shuddering breath. "Pi…card!"


2367 On Board the Runabout Somewhere near Maxia

Beverly stretched her arms up over her head, and then put her feet up on the couch, leaning her elbow on the table next to her. She was tired, but didn't want to sleep. After a call to Jean-Luc, and then the way that had ended…with an explosion outside of his shuttle; she had no idea how her nerves would ever settle down again. "Deanna...do you think that this condition he is talking about is similar to what was happening to him before he disappeared in Hawaii that day?"

"It is possible Beverly, but if that is the case, wouldn't that mean that he was again phasing back to another time, or in between time periods? And why would he have returned to us if something went wrong after you left him on the base?"

"Well…you said yourself that you checked the data banks again this morning, and the computer still believes he disappeared in 2355," said Beverly.

"Yes but...the time shift last time wasn't immediate. Perhaps it takes time for recorded history to readjust to the new events," Troi suggested hopefully.

"But let's just say that something is still off-something I did perhaps in the past-"

"Beverly! Why does it have to be something that you did? You are being much too hard on yourself," Troi scolded her gently. "Now I want you to remember that you are not the one who caused this horrible situation. Bok did this."

She stared at an invisible point over Deanna's shoulder as if she didn't quite hear her friend. "If the same thing is happening to him that happened before…why didn't he tell me?"

Deanna sighed, reluctant to go down this road, and upset her friend further, but she had to admit there was some validity to Beverly's concerns. "Assuming for the sake of argument that you are right and the timeline has yet to be corrected, perhaps the effect is not as strong as it was. And you said the Captain doesn't remember his capture by the Malkatans in the past. If he was experiencing the trauma of those events while still trying to exist in our time, he must have been quite literally tortured and confused. And…perhaps the invasion of Earth, along with the sudden realization of fatherhood has changed him already. It is natural that he would want to share really everything with you at this point, with the stakes being so high. Although I am unable to sense his emotions from so far away, I know that he desperately wants to stay alive to reunite with you."

Beverly rubbed her weary eyes. "I'm worried about him," she said simply.

Deanna tapped her fingertips on the table lightly. "I know." She brightened a bit. "At least he and Worf are together."

Beverly nodded, but didn't say anything. They both looked up as Wesley walked toward the small lounge area. He twisted his hands together in front of him, as though conflicted, before approaching.

"Um...how are you, Mom?" Wesley put his hand on his mother's shoulder before sitting down next to her.

"Alright, Wes. And how are you?"

He looked down at his hands.

Deanna started to get up from her seat. "I should go," she said.

"No, it's alright," Wesley said quickly. "You don't have to leave, Counselor."

Beverly leaned back against the small couch, still watching her son.

"I know I should probably feel weird about the baby and everything," said Wesley after a moment. "But I don't. I'm really glad...as long as it's what you want Mom," he said, looking up at her.

She nodded. "It is," she said, offering him a small smile.

"How did-how did the Captain take it, when you told him Mom?"

"He was shocked...under the circumstances I couldn't blame him. But then he let me know-in his own way, that he was happy."

Wesley raised his eyebrows. "Even though…I mean you know how he is about kids."

Beverly smiled slowly. "Wes, his feelings about children probably come mostly from inexperience. And I believe he had some issues with his own father while growing up. We're all formed by our relationships with our parents, whether they are present in our lives or not. I know I was; and so were you," she said taking his hand in hers.

He shrugged but then nodded. "I know it sounds strange," he said slowly, "but maybe this was meant to happen this way."

"You mean the baby?"

He nodded.

"I don't know, Wes," she said softly. "It's hard for me to feel that way when Jean-Luc is so far away and I have no way of knowing if he's alright."

"Then…are we going back to Earth to join the fight?" Wesley seemed almost hopeful in a way that concerned her.

"I don't know Wesley...as much as I want to fly back to Earth, I think it's best if we wait for Commander Riker and the Aldrin to arrive, and then decide from there."

Wesley looked disappointed, but nodded. "Okay," he said, getting up from his seat. "I'm going to help Data with the replicated neutralizer. We're still trying to break down its main functions, so we can figure out how to use it against the Malkatans."

Beverly nodded and continued to watch her son as he walked away. She could tell that Deanna was about to say something, when almost as soon as Wesley left, Geordi entered.

He hesitated in the doorway. "Uh…."

Beverly laughed and waved him in. He was holding a cup in his hands, and he walked with careful concentration so as not to spill it. Stopping abruptly, he held it out to her with an oddly nervous grin.

Beverly reached up tentatively to take the steaming cup from Geordi's outstretched hands. "My mother used to make this for my Aunt Lizzy when she was pregnant," he said. "I was young at the time, but she showed me how," he said. "Only thing is, I'm not so sure the replicator had all the right ingredients. And, um, I'm also not sure what exactly it's supposed to help you with..."

Beverly sniffed in the aroma and smiled up at him. "Thank you, Geordi, it smells lovely. Actually it reminds me of something my grandmother taught me to make...a long time ago."

"Well good," he said awkwardly. He wiped his hands on his pants and backed up. "Okay, bye," he said awkwardly, before exiting the room.

Beverly and Deanna shared a look before they both broke into laughter, only to be interrupted by the appearance of Data. They turned to look at him in surprise.

Now what? "Data?" Beverly watched as the android walked with swift efficiency to the table and sat down across from the two women.

"Doctor…after your return from the Malkatan base, I noticed something concerning about your medical readings."

Beverly crossed her arms over her chest and glanced at Troi who looked just as puzzled. "Oh?"

Data nodded. "Yes. Upon learning of your sudden pregnancy, I attempted to calculate the fetal age of the embryo, by approximating the time of fertilization, and implantation. Given the limited approximately five hour period you were with Captain Picard on the base, I was able to estimate as close as possible the time of conception. And based on the finite number of opportunities for copulation—"

"Data!" Deanna shouted.

Beverly dropped her face into the palm of her hand briefly. "Honestly, Data…."

Data tilted his head and looked from one woman to the other. "I am being honest, Doctor, in fact—"

"Data," said Beverly, closing her eyes. "I know. I am a doctor after all."

Deanna frowned. "Know what?"

"And you are not concerned?" Data asked.

"Concerned about what?" Deanna demanded, now sounding concerned herself.

Beverly took a deep breath in. "My baby…the pregnancy is somewhat accelerated." Deanna stared at her in shocked silence. "I'm two weeks further along than I should be," she admitted. "I don't know why," she said. "I can only assume it's because of the time shifting. I came twelve years back and then forward in time within five hours. That's a lot of traveling."

"But…."

"But the baby's okay," Beverly reassured Troi. "Perfectly healthy."


2355 Malkatan Base

"Come on, Jean-Luc," he said out loud to himself over and over. "You can do it." His hands fumbled clumsily with the hypos. He shut the med kit. She's gone, he told himself. But I have proof in my hands that she was here, he thought. He shook his head, trying to clear his muddy thoughts. Go.

He grabbed a pistol from the hip of one of the unconscious guards and slipped out into the hallway without looking back. What he was leaving was captivity…torture. Where he was headed was to freedom. She had told him she would be waiting for him, and he believed her. She had never, ever lied to him. In fact, she was the only thing that was true to him anymore.

She had left him the tiny map of the base on a very advanced looking tricorder. Probably a new medical version. He jogged in the direction of the immense room, which according to the map held his crew. Some of the controls on the tricorder puzzled him, but he found the room. Swiping a guard's key, he opened the door and stepped in.


The room was freezing—literally. He was dizzy immediately, because even the cold did not mask the smell. He stared around the room as if in a nightmare. He gagged and knelt down to get a closer look. Averting his eyes he felt for a pulse. Nothing. Standing up again he walked slowly through the maze of bodies. Most had holes in their skulls or chests where they had been shot. His crew. He recognized them all.

He stopped in the center of the room. All of his people, dead. Oh, Beverly, they murdered my crew. He bent over retching again, and fought as a wave of dizziness rolled over him.

Gripping the pistol, he ran from the room and raced down the hall, now working from the memory of having been dragged down it by his arms just days before. The door to the room he was looking for was already open.

General Unh lay on the floor, unconscious. Picard pulled out the hypo and put it to the Malkatan's neck. "Wake up," shouted Picard. "Wake up!" Slowly the Malkatan opened his narrow eyes, and looked at Picard. His eyes widened just slightly before Picard wrapped his hands around the General's neck, squeezing with all of his might. The alien began to choke and wheeze, pounding Picard with his powerful arms. "Pi-card," General Unh gasped, but Picard just gripped him harder.

Sweat poured over his forehead from the effort, and he let go with one hand to wipe his eyes. That was when he saw them, curled up on the floor, bound with restraints. They were the last two members of his crew; Zev and Vigo. He looked down at the Malkatan in his grip and decided then that he had to let go for his crew. They were only three left alive, but they still deserved to escape. He staggered to his feet, breathing heavily. They would take the Stargazer, find reinforcements, come back and destroy this base. Yes, he would outlast the Malkatans.