Episode 3: Strange Visitors

USS Enterprise

Captain's Log, USS Enterprise. We have arrived at Deep Space Nine to say goodbye to some old friends and assist in a series of scientific experiments taking place on the station. After our conflict with the Romulans, the crew could use the break DS9 can offer.

Captain William Riker is scheduled to rendezvous with his new command, the USS Titan in three days. Although I am saddened to lose such a fine First Officer, it is Starfleet's benefit that it gains such a fine new Captain. Councillor Troi will be joining him on board his command. Additionally, Mr. Worf is planning on returning to his duties with Chancellor Martok as soon as the Klingon cruiser Pa'h arrives.

In the meantime Mr. LaForge continues to integrate Data's previous memory algorithms into the android body we discovered and assembled. He assures me that in no time Data will be back to his old self.

Turbolift

Captain Picard looked over the datapad, reading his last entry into the ship's log. Nodding to himself in satisfaction, he stepped off the turbolift as the doors opened. Riker was there to greet him with a smile.

"Captain," Riker said.

"Captain," Picard answered, returning the smile.

"I'm not sure when I'll get used to hearing that."

"There will come a time Wil, when you'll learn to dread hearing it."

"Hopefully that won't come for a long time yet," Riker said, laughing.

"Any word on the Titan?" Picard asked as the two men wandered down the corridor.

"Apparently they are still having trouble with their warp coils, so they'll be delayed a another day."

"We'll get you on board that ship yet."

"Has Dr. Ondari been pestering you any more?"

"Oh yes. He sends at least four messages an hour wanting to know when he can start experimenting with the transporters. Geordi informed him it would take some time to transfer the appropriate power needed."

"I still think it is a mistake to experiment with the transporters like that. Dr. Ondari's work in interesting, but Starfleet outlawed using the transporters to cross parallel universes after those DS9 incidents."

"Ondari needed the records from DS9, Wil. And besides, he says he is not going to transfer to another dimension, just using a similar technology to boost the range of the transporter."

"I still say it is a mistake."

"You don't mind if I hope you're wrong, do you?"

"Not at all," Riker said laughing.

The two Captain's had reached the end of the corridor when LaForge stepped out of another turbolift and called to the men. Picard and Riker turned, inviting the engineer to the new Ten Forward.

"Sorry, Captains. But I thought you might want an update on Data."

"Yes?" Picard asked, somewhat anxious.

"See for yourself," LaForge said, smiling brilliantly. He reached into the turbolift and pulled the android into the corridor.

"Captain," Data said to Picard. He then turned to Riker, "Captain."

"Data," Riker said, somewhat taken aback, "how do you feel?"

"Mr. LaForge assures me that the upgrades to my neural network he and Dr. Crusher reconstructed is performing perfectly."

"This new Data is virtually indistinguishable from the old Data. The memory algorithms and personality matrix we had on file in the computer core mapped to the neural interface we built with no errors. Data, as we knew him, was fully intact. It's a good thing we found that other android body."

"Indeed," Picard said.

"Yes. What were the chances that the Romulans would find a useable android body that looked just like Data when we knew there were no models floating around, and practically hand it over to us? Just when the old Data sacrifices himself?"

"Approximately 1.4 million to one, Captain Riker," Data replied.

They all laughed and reflected on their good fortune for a moment. An usual turn of events to say the least. Almost unbelievable, really.

Picard turned to LaForge and asked, "When can he return to duty?"

"Starfleet will want to examine him, of course. Make sure that he really is the old Data before they allow him to be First Officer."

"Of course. Once we are done here we'll head for Starfleet Command," Picard said. The four crewmen began to head for the renovated Ten Forward to unwind from their duty shifts.

"I for one plan on hitting Quark's for some Dabo."

"They'll still let you in, Captain Riker?" LaForge asked laughing.

"Things have changed for Ferengi's with their new Grand Nagus."

"So I've heard," LaForge began just as the lights around them dimmed for a moment, "that looks like a power drain. LaForge to Engineering. What's going on down there? "

"Power drain is right, sir. Someone transferred power to Transporter Room 3."

"Dr. Ondari," Picard said, frowning. He tapped his comm. badge, "Picard to Dr. Ondari. Would you mind explaining what you are doing, Doctor?"

"I don't have tome to wait, Picard," a irritated voice replied, "Starfleet gave me permission to run my experiments and I'll do just that."

"Doctor," LaForge interjected, "we haven't had time to test the modifications from the DS9 files yet. You should not be powering up the transporters."

"Let me make this clear, Doctor," Picard asked, "shut down the transporters now. Mr. LaForge will advise you when you can commence with the experiments and not before. Is that understood?"

"Yes, Captain," Ondari said rather reluctantly.

"Very good, Doctor. Picard out. Well, now that is taken care of, shall we proceed gentlemen? I must say I am rather thirsty right about now."

The four officers had not taken another step when the ship shuddered underneath them. Picard and Riker grabbed the wall, as Data took LaForge's arm before he fell. The comm. channel erupted in traffic.

"Captain Picard to the Bridge."

"Report," Picard said into his chest.

"Minor explosions detected in Transporter Room 3. Internal sensors detected a massive power surge. Looks like some EPS conduits blew out."

"Damn you, Doctor. Bridge, I'm on my way."

"Captain," the Bridge said, "The Transporters were being shut down. We can't tell where the power surge originated. It's nothing on our end."

"Mr. LaForge, head down to the Transporter Room. Captain Riker, would you care to join me?"

"Never a dull moment, eh?"

"It seems so."

"Data, why don't you come with me? I could probably use your assistance," LaForge said as he jogged down the corridor.

Outside Transport Room 3

LaForge and Data stepped out of the turbolift and made their way to the Transporter Room door. Ahead they could hear the doors swish open and smoke bellowed into the hallway.

"The EPS conduits blew out all right. I hope no one was injured."

"I am detecting unusual readings, Geordi," Data said, working his tricorder, "energy fluctuations and temporal variations."

"Yeah, I see the energy currents all around this section. I've never encountered this before. The smoke is getting thick too. Dr. Ondari! Can you hear me?"

The floor under the android and engineer shuddered under their feet several times, as though something large was walking across it. LaForge and Data looked at each other for a moment, perplexed.

"That sounds like a Bolian cave bear in the transporter room."

"I am detecting no life signs, Commander."

"Then what…"Geordi began when a metal construct stepped into the hall, smoke swirling around it. The engineer's jaw dropped.

The construct turned and swivelled towards the officers, unwinding its arms from its torso; the doors had been too narrow for it to pass through. The legs bent upwards somewhat, but the construct was obviously unable to attain its full height. The legs were bent backwards at the knee, a segmented tail extending out from its back. The arms were thick and coated in bright blue metal, the torso heavy looking. Atop a revolving neck sat what appeared to be a head, the only decoration twin glowing blue eyes. A metallic voice emanated from it.

"CONDUIT 1101 COMPLETE. HUMANS PRESENT. TECHNOLOGY CONSISTENT WITH TWENTY-FOURTH CENTURY TIMEFRAME. THREAT ASSESSMENT: MODERATE. ALERT STATUS. ANDROID DETECTED."

The construct paused a moment and then seemed to focus in on Data. "THE ABOMINATION WILL BE DESTROYED."

"Data, Laforge," the comm. channel chirped, "what is going on down there?"

"Data here, sir. Intruder alert. A mechanical construct has somehow transported aboard."

"Mechanical construct?"

"Yes, sir. My tricorder detects no life readings. It is a robot."

"It has accessed our computer system. Security is on their way but we're locked out from up here. Our security protocols have been bypassed and our databanks are being downloaded."

"Understood sir," Data said just as the turbolift doors opened. Security teams made there way towards the construct. Data and Laforge stepped into an adjoining hallway, LaForge beginning to work on a terminal and Data continuing with his readings.

"I can't access anything from here, Data."

"The construct's outer shell is made from a material I have never seen before, nor can the tricorder penetrate it."

"What's it doing?"

"It appears to be assessing the situation. I am detecting a low-level sensor grid originating from within the robot. Security, be extremely careful."

"Aye, sir."

"ENERGY BASED WEAPONS DETECTED. DEPLOYING COUNTERMEASURES."

The construct's arm swivelled forward, a glowing tube emerging from its container. It aimed it at the assembled security team. One of the Ensigns raised his weapon and warned the construct to lower the device.

"Ensign, get your men out of there," Data said, studying his tricorder.

The construct fired three quick shots, hitting the humans each time. One by one they vanished in a plume of burning energy, their clothes and weapons dropping to the floor, acrid smoke drifting towards the ceiling. The remaining security team opened fire, their phasers lashing out at the robot. The impacts glowed a moment, spreading out around the torso and then vanishing.

"It is able to absorb the phaser energy," Data observed. Behind the robot more security arrived, some carrying phaser rifles. "Set phasers to maximum," Data yelled at them. The robot's torso turned a full 180 degrees and began to fire on the newly arrived humans. Those that survived moved back down the corridor, taking cover and returning fire.

"Data, we have to get out of here," Laforge said.

"That would seem most prudent, Geordi. However, I have a suggestion."

"What?" Laforge yelled over the din of energy fire.

"I believe if we connect my neural net to the computer interface, I may be able to access the robot data core. If the two are indeed connected."

"Or it may overwhelm you!"

"Perhaps. However, my neural net is more complicated than the ship's computer. I believe it would have more difficulty in disabling me. And I fear our security teams may not be sufficient to stop it."

"All right. Hold on." Laforge rose and removed the computer panel, quickly unwinding cables and holding them up to Data. "Are you ready for this?"

"Yes. Access my data port now."

Laforge flipped open the top of Data's head and connected the cable, watching as the lights around Data's cranium speed up for a moment.

"Fascinating," Data said, "I have accessed the robotic data core. It is…vast. They are attempting to override my protocols. Accessing….accessing."

In the passageway the robot turned and began to lurch up the corridor, hampered by the narrow confines of the hallway. The security team moved forward, firing their rifles.

"ALERT STATUS. INTRUSION DETECTED INTO INFORMATION SYSTEM. FEDERATION DATABANKS DOWNLOADED. DEFENSIVE SYSTEMS APPROACHING TOLERENCE."

The robot returned to the Transporter Room, stepping onto the pad and then sending a hail of energy blasts back into the corridor, driving the Starfleet officers back. One of them hailed the Bridge, advising them of the robot's return and asking for the transporter system to shut down.

"We're still locked out of our own systems. Engineering is trying to manually cut power."

With a flash of red energy, the robot was gone, dissolving in a shower of red energy crystals, swiftly fading from view. The security team hurried into the room, the Lieutenant ordering his men to shut down the consoles.

"Data, are you all right?" Laforge asked.

"I believe so, Commander. I have been disconnected from their system, but I have some valuable information that I need to process."

"Really? Anything you can tell me now?"

"Only that they are from another universe, and this is not the first incursion they have made into another realm. Also, I believe I have information on the last successful incursion they have made."

"We'd better see the Captain, Data."