The grand finale- and the biggest storyline change ever. Time to say goodbye- but to who? Read on!

On the Enterprise, Picard and his remained officers watched as panels began to unfold from the flanks of the Scimitar. Charlotte peered out from her position under the tactical console, where she had ridden the battle, and continued working furiously on her device. If only she could get a stronger scan. Any minute now, Picard was going to beam over to the ship and attempt to take out the weapon. To do that, he would have to be right next to it. If she could locate the weapon and isolate the area around it, she might be able to get some kind of transporter lock. But her device was small, perhaps too small for the task. All she could do was keep trying…

"How long until he can fire?" Picard asked Geordie.

"The targeting sequence should take about four minutes."

"But how can he?" asked Deanna is disbelief. "He'll kill you!"

"This isn't about me anymore," Picard answered grimly. He strode to the weapons locker, took a phaser rifle, and order Geordie, "Prepare for a site-to-site transport."

Geordie did a split-second double take, caught himself, then said with concern, "Captain, I don't know if the transporter-"

"That's an order, Commander."

"Sir." Data stepped forward. "Allow me to go. You are needed here."

Charlotte shook her head, still working furiously. So are you, Data.

Picard didn't even look at him. "This is something I have to do." He pressed a control on the rifle and it whined softly as it powered up. "You have the bridge, Commander. Use all available power to move away from the Scimitar…" He glanced at Geordie. "Now, Mr LaForge."

"Aye, sir." Clearly nervous, Geordi worked some controls in the console, and Picard dematerialised in a shimmer of blue light. And at that moment, Charlotte got a lock on the weapon. She resisted the urge to punch the air and began to work on widening the lock. Just a little more time…

As Picard finally disappeared completely, the transporter panel suddenly sputtered, then exploded in a shower of sparks.

"That's it," Geordie said, hardly believing how calm his voice sounded, for he was in effect announcing the captain's doom. "Transporters are down."

A moment of terrible silence passed as he, Deanna and Data exchanged looks; then Data spoke, a hint of cheerfulness in his tone that amazed Charlotte.

"Counsellor Troi, please assume command," he said politely. "Geordie, if you will come with me." He headed for the Turbo-Lift, but paused and looked back at Charlotte just as the doors opened. She held his gaze, tears filling her eyes. Then he was gone, and she turned back to her device, determined to succeed.

As Deanna shakily ordered full reverse, the doors opened again and C2 appeared just as Charlotte secured the lock. She stood up triumphantly, but her expression changed when she saw her double.

"What are you doing?" C2 asked quietly, already knowing the answer.

"Please." Charlotte stepped back. "Don't make this harder for me."

C2 approached quickly, hand out. "Give me the device."

"No."

"Give it!"

"No!" Charlotte fought back the lump in her throat. "I'm doing this for you, C. You and Data. Don't try to stop me."

Deanna faced the two of them, fearing the worst. "Charlotte, what's going on? What are you going to do?"

C2 lunged forward and reached for it, but it was yanked away before she was able to grab it. "Don't do it!"

"You don't understand, C," Charlotte choked, tears spilling down her cheeks. "I can't go through it again. It would kill me-"

"This will kill you!" C2 shouted, shaking her by the shoulders. "Don't you get it? I don't want you to die!"

"I can't go through it again. I can't. I don't know what I'd do. Please, let me do it. For both of you."

"Let me go, Charlie."

Charlotte stared at her. "I can't." As C2 tried to grab the device, she tried to fend her off. "Stop it! Go away! Let me go!"

As the crew watched in astonishment, the two girls began to fight. C2 quickly gained the upper hand, and pinned Charlotte to a console. "Listen to me. My medicine is going to run out in a couple of days, and after that, what happens? Oh, you try to reassure me and say that they'll find the cure, that I can be sedated and the virus won't hurt me. But I know better. And I don't want to be sleeping or taking medicine for the rest of my life. The virus isn't curable, Charlie, and by the time it is, I'll be dead."

Charlotte shook her head. "You can't be sure-"

"Yes I can." C2 took a deep breath. "I'm going to die anyway, Charlie. I'd like to go out with a bang."

They held each other's gaze for what seemed like hours but were really only seconds, and then Charlotte, lips trembling, released her grip on the device. C2 eased it out of her hands and smiled sadly at her double.

"Be me, Charlotte Hope. And never let him go."

As her double and best friend disappeared from view, Charlotte looked around at the silent bridge crew, pulled herself from the console, and stumbled down the ramp to the area in front of the view screen, where she had a clear view of the Scimitar. As the sounds of the transporter rose and fell, she sank to her knees.

Data gazed for only an instant at the spot where Picard had stood. He already knew all of the things Picard had not been able to say, and he felt some sadness that he would not be able to see his commanding officer again. But unlike a human, he felt no fear. He knew that the others would miss him very much, and he regretted that. At the same time, he was extremely pleased to be able to save their lives. But fear of death? There was none.

As he took out his phaser and pointed it towards the weapon, he was distracted by a sound… and then Charlotte was next to him. Before he was able to express his shock, she pulled him close and kissed him hard. It only lasted a second, but Data was able to read the emotions in that kiss. Fear, despair, sadness… and a message. Taking a millisecond to delve into his databanks, he quickly discovered that message, and opened his mouth to protest.

C2 unplugged the pimped transporter unit from the PADD and pressed it onto his chest. And before he could utter a word, Data was dematerialising back onto the bridge. It was only when he watched the Scimitar explode in a blaze of white light that he realised she had taken his phaser. And as he ran the kiss's message over and over through his brain, a grief more powerful than anything he had every felt before threated to overpower him. Goodbye. We will never meet again. Goodbye. We will never meet again. Goodbye…

As the light subsided, Data looked around the bridge. Only Picard was astonished to see him. They looked at each other silently, then both turned to the view screen, where the debris was still flying about. And both saw Charlotte, still on her knees, still staring out at where the Scimitar had been.

Data approached her, and she looked up at him, her face blank, but her eyes filled with grief. Taking the hand offered, she rose to her feet and he held her close. And he knew that, no matter which girl had saved him, he had loved her. And he would love this one as well. For both their sakes.

It hurt to kill off one of my characters. I have nothing else to say. Please R/R.