A/N

As you have surely already realized my story is based on the TNG episode "Schisms". I've always believed those strange aliens deserved to be more explored.

Thank you for reading. I know I'm very far from perfect but I hope you enjoy my story anyway.

Also many thanks for your reviwes and to all who put an alert on my story or added it to their favourite stories list.

Daniela

14. THE ALIENS

"Lt. Ris, report" Admiral Picard said with an animated tone of voice.

The Bajoran at Ops checked the readouts of the external sensors. "Sir" the woman replied eventually in a sad tone "the tetryon emissions inside the cave are now at a lethal level. I'm sorry".

But Picard did not look disposal to surrender. "Mr. La Forge" he said, rising from his chair "we must try immediately!"

"Sir" the engineer replied "we must wait at least for a few more minutes to collect enough energy".

"Our companions don't have anymore minutes left, Geordi. Maybe neither a few seconds!" Picard objected.

Unexpectedly, Lt. Ris' startled voice interrupted their discussion. "Admiral, the away team is no longer inside the cave. I can't detect their comm. signals".

Picard paced rapidly to the Ops station to verify personally. "It's not possible" he murmured. Then he activated the ship's communication system. "Bridge to Transporter room. Did you beam the away team?"

"Negative, sir" Kelso answered.

"Admiral" La Forge said abruptly. "Maybe I have an explanation".

Picard headed to the Aft Science station to listen to his Chief engineer.

"Perhaps they entered the spatial rupture" Geordi went on.

"The rupture?" Picard replied, astonished.

"Yes" La Forge confirmed. "Had they remained in the cave they would have died and there was no other way out. In my opinion they attempted to escape through the rupture. At least, that's what I would have tried to do".

Picard pondered it for awhile. "But can they survive in there?" he eventually asked.

"We learnt from our previous experience that the aliens use a particular pocket of space between the two dimensions in which both species can survive. We can only hope this is a standard procedure" La Forge explained.

"If so, Riker and the others are surely trying to contact us" Picard said.

Geordi's face brightened. "Of course! Data has certainly had their tricorders modified to produce some signal we can detect. If we were able to locate their position, we could direct the graviton pulse directly to the second rupture and seal it. A passageway will be created for a few seconds and the away team could use it to escape" La Forge explained.

"And what about the tetryon particles in the cave?" Picard asked.

"Their levels are supposed to lower as soon as the rupture is safely closed" Lt. Ris answered.

"Very well" Picard said, assessing the whole situation. "Commander La Forge, locate the away team in the subspace".

"Yes, sir" Geordi acknowledged, beginning immediately to work at his console.

"Dr. Ender, how long for the generators to be completely charged?" Picard asked again.

"In five minutes they will be at full power. The particles emitter of the deflector dish is ready to generate the graviton pulse" the colonist reported.

Picard nodded, satisfied.

Some dark figures, slightly shorter than an average human man, approached the position of the spatial rupture. They wore hoods and kept producing that rhythmic sound that was probably a form of communication. The aliens accompanied other four hooded figures, less tall than them. The sound grew in intensity for a few moments, as if the aliens were discussing. Then, abruptly, they caught one of the shorter figures and threw it through the rupture.

Riker and the others jumped in surprise.

"The hybrids, sir" Data suggested. "They are sending them to the other side".

"How cynic they are" Beverly commented. "Those beings are their own children too, but the aliens are ready to get rid of them to succeed in their purpose".

"Captain, we must stop them" Data urged in a pleading tone.

"We can't, Data" Riker replied. "We must wait here until the Nimitz locates us".

"But sir, if we let them do it, when the ship closes the rupture the hybrids inside the cave will certainly die" Data insisted.

"He's right, Will" Troi interjected. "We can't just sit here and look".

"Not interfering in this case would be unethical" Denise agreed. "We should also consider that once the hybrids are gone it's highly likely that the aliens will eliminate this artificial pocket. And we'll die".

"Shit" Riker murmured tightly.

While they were arguing, the second hybrid was thrown through the rupture.

"Will!" Dr. Crusher urged him.

Finally Riker took the decision. "Phasers on heavy stun. Aim at the ground and try to make them retreat" he ordered.

The others looked more than happy to carry out that order. Bright rays came out of their weapons and hit the ground at less than a meter from the aliens. The subspace beings looked startled and seemed unable to organize a counter measure. Apparently they did not expect any interference with their plans. As expected they withdrew a few meters, taking the three remaining hybrids with them.

Suddenly a noise much higher than the phaser blasts propagated throughout the rupture, which began to pulse irregularly. It was like in a stormy night with lightnings and thunderbolts in the sky.

The away team held its fire while the subspace beings jumped off, probably to try and organize a defense.

"The Nimitz must have found us" Data said. "We need to hurry or will get stuck in here!"

Rapidly, the officers picked up the four unconscious colonists and without hesitation they dove in the rupture again. There was a last powerful energy blast. Then, a few seconds later, the rupture sealed off.

Riker and the others found themselves lying on the floor inside the alien lab, below the cave. They had returned exactly where they were before traveling to the other dimension. Data pulled out his tricorder from the holster and analyzed the environment. "Tetryon emissions ceased. Residual levels are rapidly decreasing" he announced with relief.

His companions were just recovering. Riker and Carson helped Troi and Crusher to their feet, while B'rent went to check on Denise. Fortunately everybody looked unharmed.

"The colonists are fine" Beverly said, right after having analyzed the four still unconscious humans.

"The funny thing" Denise interjected, massaging her right shoulder " is that they didn't notice anything that happened".

Riker smiled at her. "We'll bring them up to date" he joked.

In that moment, Admiral Picard's voice reached the away team. "Picard to Riker. Are you all right?"

William was glad to speak to Picard again. "Yes, sir. Everybody's okay now".

Relief was evident in the captain's tone of voice.

"Captain?" Data called from the nearby room. Riker thought that maybe he had presumed too soon that everything was over. Using his last bit of energy, he joined his First Officer, followed closely by the rest of the group. Once they were there, they witnessed to a disarming show. Two beings of a very strange appearance were before them, staring around with terrified expressions on their faces. Absolutely unusual faces, to say the least. Rounder than that of a human, colored of light olive green, with slightly bulging eyes and slim lips. Their body was also strange, green as well and very similar to that of a human child of about six – seven years.

"My God" Denise whispered, looking at them.

The two hybrids looked frightened and in pain.

"They're terrified" said Deanna, who looked like she was sharing their feelings completely. Riker put a reassuring hand on her shoulder.

Instinctively, Denise began to approach the two beings, but B'rent stopped her. "No, Denise. You'd only scare them even more".

"They can't survive here" Data warned, urgently.

"They're dying" Beverly confirmed. "Their metabolism is rapidly destabilizing".

"Is there anything we can do for them?" Picard asked from the ship.

"I hope so, sir" Data answered. "I need Lt. Ris, two engineers and a portable force field emitter beamed down immediately. Geordi, reactivate our duplicated tetryon field on my mark".

"Acknowledged, Data" La Forge confirmed.

"We must hurry or we're going to lose them" B'rent underlined.

"I'll beam down too" Admiral Picard's voice said. "I want to see them".