Chapter Six

Doctor Katherine Pulaski glanced up at the readouts on the biobed that Deanna Riker was occupying.

"Now for this to work, I have to induce sleep. All of your telepathic abilities, as well as brain functions will be closely monitored. After my scans have been completed… I will wake you up. Any questions?"

"No, lets just get this over with." Deanna forced a smile up at the doctor.

"Ok. Here it goes." Doctor Pulaski pressed a hypospray up to Deannas neck, which immediately sent her into a deep sleep. Before she could pick up her own tricorder, the bed scanners started to beep. Katherine Pulaski looked up at the monitor and gasped.

--

Picard walked out of the Stargate. Deanna looked around, and realized she was back on the planet in her original dream. Everything was exactly as it had been last time, except this time it seemed she was resuming where she had left off before.

The four security officers stepped off the platform, and consulted their tricorders. Jean-Luc scanned the horizon with his eyes, and descended from the platform as well. Two ensigns emerged from the Stargate. She recognized them from the Titan, Ensigns Walker and McKinney.

Suddenly, a face she had not seen in quite a while stepped out of the Stargate. Lieutenant Commander Data.

This cant be right. She thought. Data is dead. B-4 then?

"Captain, this planet seems to be the one the Unekran described to us."

"I would say your right, Data." Picard turned to him and smiled. "Its good to have you back."

It is Data! Deanna thought. Suddenly, something started to worry her. Why can't they see me? I have to be experiencing this through someone else's eyes.

Suddenly, she saw herself step out of the Stargate. That Deanna Riker seemed to see her, and point right at her.

"Captain, there! That's it!" She yelled. The four security officers turned and fired.

--

Deanna Riker jumped straight up, knocking Doctor Pulaskis tricorder out of her hand.

"Deanna to Captain Riker! I need to see you, now!"

--

"Earl Grey tea, hot." Picard said to his ready room replicator.

-Unable to comply, replicator systems are offline.

"Damnit! Picard to LaForge, I can't even order tea! What the devil is the hold up on the retrofits? Geordi, I couldn't take a shower this morning because the acoustic inverter in my shower was offline! This really is getting annoying."

"Sorry Captain… I know everything is broken down."

"I thought we were just going to upgrade the LCARS interface… why is everything affected?"

"That's was the original plan… but it seems Starfleet had other things in mind. Almost everything is being upgraded."

"Well just try to make the necessities work, please. Picard out." He crossed his arms, and stared at the replicator for a moment. Suddenly he had an idea. "Picard to Madden."

"Madden here."

"Commander, I am leaving the ship for the afternoon. The Enterprise is yours until my return."

"Understood."

"Thanks Commander. Picard out." He looked around the ready room. "Computer, are the Enterprise transporters online?"

-Negative.

"Figures. Picard to drydock command, beam me to Starfleet Medical."

--

Commander Martin Madden was standing in the holodeck, staring at a recreation of the Stargate. Something about it was familiar to him. He stood there, staring and thinking. Suddenly, his communicator activated.

"Picard to Madden."

"Madden here." He replied, half paying attention.

"Commander, I am leaving the ship for the afternoon. The Enterprise is yours until my return."

"Understood." Martin replied.

"Thanks Commander. Picard out."

Martin stared at the Stargate for a few more minutes. "I will unlock your secrets." He whispered. "Computer, save and end program."