Chapter 12

2367 Earth

They had been at this for an hour and Picard was losing his patience. He and Worf stood on top of the shuttle's ramp while a crowd of about three hundred scraggly looking people looked on. It was clear that the crowd was growing restless, and murmurs of confusion and low-level desperation carried through it like a slow moving wave.

"Look," he said, "we have the shuttle up and running. As I said, I promise that Worf and I will return for the rest of you. For any of you that want to come."

"Why should we believe you'll even come back?" someone called out.

"What gives you the right to take that ship anyway?" said another man.

"They're gonna leave without us!" a disheveled young woman shouted, holding her crying baby.

The murmurs in the crowd grew louder.

Picard took a deep breath and raised his voice. "Look…I don't know how I can convince all of you to trust me. But if one of you wants to come along for the ride, with Worf and me, to keep an eye on us…well you are welcome to."

The crowd quieted down again; but still appeared collectively suspicious.

"I'll come."

Picard focused into the crowd as an old woman stepped forward. It was Mary. He smiled down at her. "Very well." He reached down and grabbed her hands, helping her up.


2367 The USS Aldrin

When Beverly and the others energized in the middle of the Aldrin's sickbay they were still engaged the same tense, abbreviated conversations that had been interrupted while on the runabout. Beverly still gripped Wesley's hand tightly. Wesley let out a loud exhale once he saw they were off of the runabout. Deanna, whose eyes had been shut, opened them slowly, and then hugged herself as though making sure that she was still alive. Geordi and Wesley exchanged glances and then began to laugh with exuberant relief. Even Data seemed surprised at this positive turn of events.

"We're in a sick bay," Beverly said confidently. "But on which ship?" They all looked around them, taking in the surroundings. Beverly's attention turned to the entrance of the sickbay as Will Riker and a handsome officer in command red and black walked swiftly in.

There were of course hand-shakes, hugs and kisses all around, and Riker introduced Commander Obi to the former Enterprise crew. Riker put an arm around Troi's shoulders and looked around at his friends. "Is everyone alright? Do any of you need medical attention?"

"We're fine," said Beverly. "Thanks to Geordi's flying and your good timing."

"Yes, wonderful timing, Will," Troi agreed, looking up at him affectionately. He grinned down at her as she hugged his forearm encircling her shoulders.

Riker's smile faded as his communicator beeped. He slapped it. "Riker here."

"Captain, the Ferengi ship is signaling us again," Lt. Commander Meeta reported. "They have indicated a revision to their previous offer to hand Daimon Bok over for two million bars of latinum…he's gone missing—"

"Missing?" Riker exchanged alarmed glances with Beverly Crusher.

"Yes, sir. The Ferengi report that he was last seen entering his quarters ten minutes ago. Now he's nowhere to be found. A Ferengi named Kad appears to have assumed command. He says we can now have Bok for one million bars of gold-pressed latinum provided that we find him ourselves."

"Kad?" Beverly was suddenly furious. "That little weasel-he sold us out! I should have known…."

"The odds did highly favor such an occurrence," Data observed.

Beverly shot him a slightly dangerous look.

Riker nodded at Obi. "Prepare a boarding party. Let's find Bok and bring him back. Arrest him under Security Directive 33, and use caution and force if necessary."

Obi nodded and had already turned to leave the room when there was a strange warping sensation in the room as though a ripple of water passed through everything and everyone in the sick bay. Obi stopped in his tracks.

The Traveler floated in the center of the room, and slowly drifted down to land gracefully on the deck among the officers. "I am afraid that finding Daimon Bok on will not be such an easy task, Captain Riker. But I do know how such a task can be accomplished," said the Traveler.

"Where is he?" Beverly demanded. Riker put a restraining hand on her shoulder.

"He has traveled into the past," said the Traveler. "To murder Captain Picard."