Apologies for the delay...
Chapter 28
"Lunar Colony is gone, no response from orbital systems." Taryn reported as the green glow abated and the shuddering stopped.
"There are two ships in orbit, a Defiant-class Federation vessel designated the Bastion and a Jem'Hadar fighter." The officer at tactical reported.
"The Federation ship is under attack." Worf reported. "She's taking damage."
"Bastion is a 'he'." Data responded instinctively. "Slow to impulse, standard orbit." Data ordered. "Commander La Forge and I will beam down to the surface while you render assistance. The Bridge is yours, Mr Worf." He rose and went to leave the bridge.
"With all due respect sir, you shouldn't go." Taryn stated.
"I am aware of the regulations Lieutenant."
"She's right but not because you're the Captain." Counsellor Troi added, "You're both already there, if you should meet..."
"I am also well aware of the theories regarding paradoxes." He nearly stumbled as the ship rocked and braced himself against the doorframe to the turbolift.
"The Jem'Hadar ship is attacking us." The Tactical officer reported.
"We just lost the port nacelle. It's gone sir." reported an Ensign at the Engineering console.
"Return fire at will. What's the status of the Bastion?" Data asked.
"Weapons and propulsion are disabled but they still have life support." Taryn reported.
"Incoming signal from the Bastion. It's the ships computer." the Tactical officer reported with surprise. "Not from a duty station." Data nodded for him to patch the channel to the bridge.
"USS Enterprise D this is Bastion. The Jem'Hadar are using phased torpedoes to pass through our shields. I have been unable to devise an effective means of defence but I am transmitting all sensor data on the weapon to you now." Bastion's calm, gentle intonation surprised the Bridge crew of the Enterprise, used to the clipped female tones of their computer.
"Thank you Bastion." Data replied as the ship rocked again.
"It's good to hear from you Father. I've been trying to contact you on the surface."
"I am there as well." Data advised him. "I have been in hiding from the Jem'Hadar with Mr and Mrs Matthews
"Am I to assume you failed and are from an alternate timeline?"
"Unfortunately yes. Agent Andrews intervened and Commander LaForge and I have been attempting to resolve the damage done in a number of timelines."
"If we create a multiphasic resonance field…" Taryn suggested looking at the data from the Jem'Hadar weapon.
"We have now theorised that a multiphasic resonance field between the hull and the shields reduces the magnitude of damage inflicted by the weapon." Bastion stated in his gentle voice.
"Make it so." Data advised her, not needing to ask who had suggested it on the Bastion and relieved she was still alive.
"You have a son?" Taryn asked him softly.
"He adopted me as his father. Bastion is a sentient ship." Data advised her and she looked up wide eyed. "You created him. You are his mother."
…
"COOLANT LEAK!" someone shouted in main Engineering.
"Okay, everyone out." Barclay ordered. "You too Ashby." He added as he saw the Ensign grab a breathing mask and return to his station.
"Sir, look at these readings, I think there's a phased torpedo imbedded in the core and automatic ejection is offline." Dan reported. "When it deploys…" Reg looked at the screen and nodded.
"Geordi, get everyone out and bring down the blast door." Reg said grabbing a mask.
"What? No I'll stay and do the manual eject." Geordi argued.
"If you wanted that privilege you shouldn't have let them kick you upstairs." Reg stated. "If I…. Tell Taryn… I'll see her in the other timeline."
"I'll tell her." Geordi promised him as Reg pulled on the mask and ran into the toxic cloud that was forming around the warp core.
…
"Bridge, we have a phased torpedo inside our warp core. Ensign Ashby and I are attempting a manual eject. Please put in his record that he volunteered and I recommend him for a citation."
Taryn blanched at his words and the fact his voice was muffled by a breathing mask. "Sir, there's a coolant leak…" Data placed his hand on her shoulder.
"Do you recommend we separate the Saucer Commander?" Data asked.
"I don't know if we have time. I don't know why the torpedo hasn't rephased or armed before now. I have a tricorder on scan so with luck you'll get some useful readings…. Ejecting now…"
"The core has ejected." Taryn reported.
"Move us out, best possible speed." Data ordered the conn.
There was a shearing metallic sound over Barclays open communicator. "Oh boy…" The transmission broke off and Taryn looked up at Data with alarm as the core exploded seconds later, the Enterprise rocked violently in the blast.
"Sir the Jem'Hadar ship was damaged in the explosion, they are retreating." Worf reported. "Ensign Ashby and Commander Barclay have been beamed directly to sickbay."
"Counsellor Troi, please report to sickbay immediately." Dr Crusher requested.
Deanna stood and walked to Taryn's side. She grasped her wrist. "Come on."
"No, I mean you're still his wife, his next of kin…the protocol…" Taryn argued.
"You're the one he needs to be there." Deanna replied and the two women left the Bridge together.
"I know you don't like me." Taryn stated on the turbolift. "He explained about the painting so at least I know why now."
"I've been unfair to you." Deanna replied. "I distrusted you because I couldn't read your motives and because you look so Orion. I was prejudiced and the fact Reg thought the sun shone out of your behind only made matters worse."
"I only saw him as a friend until Data started telling me about the other timeline. He didn't betray you."
"I wish I could say the same." Deanna stated. "I do love him, but as a friend and I never should have let it go further than that."
"I saw the readings from Engineering." Taryn stated softly. "I know what we're going to Sickbay to do." Troi nodded and placed her arm around the Green Woman.
…
"Something hit me and smashed my breather. I came to and he was lying there choking." Dan explained. "He must have given me his mask and dragged me out of the compartment." Nurse Ogawa was treating his head wound and trying to calm the blond officer, the tricorder in pieces in his hands,
"Easy," Taryn whispered and kissed Reg's temple tenderly as he struggled to speak, his hand clutching hers, "we didn't leave anything unsaid did we?" She smiled gently. He shook his head and wiped a tear from her cheek. His breathing was uneven, lungs and airway damaged beyond repair by the toxic coolant.
"He wants you to hold him." Deanna told her with tears in her eyes as she stood at his other side. Taryn slid her arm under him and sat him up, climbed up behind him and held him cradled in her arms.
"Better?" she whispered and he nodded, gazing up at her. She rubbed his chest to comfort him, her hand inside his open collar as he began to gasp, struggling to breathe. "Remember what Data said. You go on ahead and when my time comes, I'll find you. You'd better keep an eye out for me okay?" She rocked him gently, singing softly and pressing tender kisses to his face and he reached out and grasped Deanna's hand. Taryn began to cry as his breathing changed to a desperate, plaintive rasp from the back of his throat and he lost his grip on her arm and Deanna's hand. She'd heard it before when her grandfather died in Miffy's arms, they used to call it the Death Rattle, a noise once heard, never forgotten.
Finally, he was still.
Deanna placed his hand on his chest as Dr Crusher stepped in and checked his neck for a pulse. "I'm sorry, both of you. There was just nothing to be done." the auburn haired doctor told them.
"He should have left me." Dan stated. "Saved the damn tricorder at least."
"He'd never have done that." Taryn stated through her tears. "It's not your fault Ashby." She slid from the biobed and gently laid Reg down then pressed a soft kiss to his lips. "Take care of him." she told Dr Crusher, wiping her eyes with her hand then walked out of Sickbay calmly.
"You're going to kill them." Deanna stated, following her out into the corridor. "You're going to kill them all and you don't care if you die in the process."
"I don't know what you're talking about." Taryn stated coldly, outwardly showing no indication of what she was being accused of. "I may look Orion but I don't believe in vengeance."
"No, you believe in justice and you're going to go and get it." Deanna looked at her earnestly. "It's as clear as day in your mind."
"Brain damaged remember." Taryn stated. "Unreadable."
"It's not coming from you." Deanna frowned and looked back towards Sickbay. "It's coming from Reg."
"I hate to break it to you but he's dead." Taryn stated coldly and turned away.
"It's fading, he must still have residual neural activity and…you have a mating bond with him."
"I can't have. I have no idea how to initiate a mating bond." she protested.
"You mustn't do what you're planning, you're pregnant." Troi argued.
"No, I'm not. I'm potentially pregnant maybe…" she reasoned.
"He believes you're pregnant." Deanna argued.
"That doesn't make it so." Taryn stated, "Besides. I'm not going to do anything. It's his anxiety you're picking up. Do you really think I'm going to go on a killing spree?"
"Cluros." Deanna stated as she walked away. "He's saying that word as though it's an accusation. The veil of calm to hide your intentions. I should relieve you of duty." she added as Taryn resumed walking.
"We both know you won't." Taryn said over her shoulder and turned to face her. "Empathy isn't the only way to read someone's intentions."
"We should have been friends, not rivals." Deanna stated.
"Allies at the very least." Taryn smiled. "Perhaps in another life we are?"
"Perhaps." Deanna smiled. "Be careful." she warned earnestly.
"Be good, and if you can't be good…" Taryn quoted.
"…be careful. My Human grandfather used to say that." Deanna stated.
"So did mine." Taryn responded. "I'm always careful…" she stated with a wolfish smile and entered the turbolift.
…
"I thought Taryn dying first was a Universal Constant?" Geordi asked Data they prepared for their away mission.
"Apparently Andrews was wrong. Hopefully he is wrong about other things." They turned as the door opened. "No." Data stated as Taryn entered the transporter room dressed in a body suit with long sleeves that covered her wrists and hands to the knuckle with her thumbs emerging. "You are bereaved and this is not your fight."
"Try to stop me." she replied in a voice that brooked no argument. She picked up a semi-automatic pistol with a torch fitted to the barrel and cocked it. "Nice, but not exactly a period weapon."
"It is loaded with these." Data held up a bullet.
"Even nicer." she said looking at it closely. "Self-activating transporter rounds. Where do you propose to transport the targets to?"
"We have a holding cell set up in a shuttlecraft." Geordi stated.
"The plan is to question them about their mysterious benefactor from the future. Find out as much as we can about their plans." Data explained.
"Clever. Can I have two?" she asked.
"To begin with, you're staying here." Geordi told her. "And why would you need two guns?"
She shrugged. "It's a Tomb Raider thing."
"You are not appropriately dressed for the 19th century or to pose as Lara Croft." Data argued.
"Reg and I have been working on this, it's only a prototype, a variation on the camouflage isolation suits used in surveying pre-warp cultures. She pressed a button on the sleeve and her complexion changed to peaches and cream and she was in period dress. "We didn't finish testing it so I don't know how stable it is but seeing as we have Jem'Hadar slashing their throats in broad daylight on the platform of Waterloo Station and a blood bath in Trafalgar Square temporal contamination is the least of our worries." Geordi tilted his head and nodded in agreement as she deactivated the suit.
Data grabbed her arm and marched her out of the transporter room. "You are right," he said to silence her protests, "but you are not beaming down to the surface until you have been fully inoculated."
"Bridge to Captain Data." Worf intoned.
"Go ahead." Data responded.
"Commander Barclay, the other Commander Barclay on the Bastion has sent something over. He hopes it will be of use to you."
"Please ensure she is protected from streptococcus pyogenes Doctor?" Data added as he waited for her in Sickbay while examining his new toy.
"Of course." Dr Crusher nodded.
"Isn't that covered with standard inoculations?" Taryn asked.
"No need, it's been extinct for centuries but it was prevalent in the 19th century." Dr Crusher stated. "It was the primary cause of Scarlet Fever. The number of deaths caused by that and the secondary conditions it caused is incalculable."
"I don't know why you're worrying Data. I never get ill." Taryn protested.
"There is a first time for everything and we have no way of knowing how 19th century bacteria will interact with your Orion and Vulcan DNA." Data stated.
"What is it?" Taryn asked Data while Dr Crusher gave her the extensive series of shots.
"I believe it is a Temporal Observatory." Data replied.
"A very small observatory." Taryn added. Her eyes widened as he activated it and the images encompassed them.
"Dear Lord." Beverly breathed as she looked around.
Taryn reached out and touched a severed strand that lead to an image of a bearded man with blue eyes, he was in a Starfleet uniform but he was a stranger to her.
"Captain Riker." Data stated and touched the strand at the point it was severed. "Waterloo Station." he intoned and saw the bodies of Elizabeth and Willliam Matthews on the platform. "The target was their unborn child. She is pregnant." he said as he studied the information. "I was not aware of that."
"There's another broken thread." Taryn said and pointed. "There."
"We have two targets to protect." Data realised with surprise. "I know this boy. He was under attack at Trafalgar Square." he said as he examined the readout. "They made a second attempt on his life and succeeded."
"He's supposed to become the husband of baby Matthews if I'm reading this right." Beverly stated. "They're wiping out a bloodline."
"Simon Pelham, the boy's name." Taryn looked at Data. "They name their son William Pelham." He followed the broken strand. "And as Geordi suspected their descendent should be Transporter Chief on the Potemkin."
"Riker was supposed to survive the transporter accident." Taryn followed his strand, "No, two of them survived. A duplicate?"
Data nodded. "Thomas Riker. But it is not what either them will accomplish that the Humanoid wishes to disrupt. The Jem'Hadar have created a ripple effect that disrupts the life you are supposed to have with Commander Barclay. He is supposed to teach at Starfleet academy and your children…" he shut down the display leaving them in Sickbay once more.
"What? What about our children? What's wrong?" Taryn asked.
"It is unwise to know too much about one's future even if it is an alternate timeline." Data argued and took her hands as she protested. "You must trust me in this matter."
She nodded reluctantly. "The other timeline, the one you're from… Is that the only hope for the Federation?"
"No, I saw another but it is not within our reach from this temporal location."
"Just…tell me that somewhere in the universe there's a Reg and Taryn who live happily ever after?" she begged with tears in her eyes.
"I have seen three timelines personally where you are very happy together, far into the future, I am certain there are more." he assured her. She smiled through her tears and rested her head on his shoulder for a moment.
"So what's the plan sir?" She sniffed and wiped her face on her sleeve."
"As soon as Dr Crusher is finished with you we will beam down to the surface and engage the Jem'Hadar. The secondary target complicates matters somewhat."
"Okay, from what you've said the enemy focus is on Waterloo Station, you and Geordi have foreknowledge of at least some of their attack so you go there while I protect Simon Pelham." Taryn assured him.
"Bastion is mobilising ground forces towards Waterloo. I will ask him to send you support also."
"That would be appreciated." Taryn smiled and hopped down from the Biobed.
"Taryn?" Dr Crusher interjected.
"I'll come and see you later about the other matter." Taryn promised as she and Data left sickbay together.
"Is there a problem?" Data asked with a frown as they entered the corridor.
"Nothing that impacts on the mission sir." Taryn replied as they headed for the transporter room.
…
Taryn tucked out of sight in the alleyway beside the Pelham family home and activated the controls on her holographic suit. She adopted the form of a policeman and set the voice oscillator to a soft baritone.
"Lieutenant, this is Bastion." she heard over her communicator as she pulled out her pistol and ejected the clip. "The E.T.A. on your backup is twenty-two minutes and my scans show eight Jem'Hadar converging on your location rapidly."
"Thank you, I'll be in position in sixty-seconds." she replied as she slid in another clip from a hidden pouch and repeated the action with her other weapon. She rounded the corner at a run and climbed the steps to the front door. "Mr Pelham?"
"Yes?" the man replied as he opened the door, still visibly shaken by earlier events.
"We've had a report there will be another attack. Where is your wife and son?" She turned at the sound of a shot that whistled past her ear and raised her semi-automatic pistol instinctively in the direction of the sound. She fired, hitting the gnarled warrior between the eyes and he fell to the cobbled street, blood pooling around him. "Inside! Now!" she grabbed Pelham's sleeve and bundled him into the hallway, slamming the door behind her and flinching as bullets peppered it.
"That's not a police pistol!" Pelham exclaimed as his wife and son joined him in the hall, Mrs Pelham clutching the boy to her skirt protectively. "You're shorter than my wife! You're no policeman!" he protested. "Pale men, dark men and lizards… what the hell is going on?"
"I'm here to protect you, that's all you need to know. DOWN NOW!" she bellowed and took aim at an assailant that burst in via the kitchen, hitting him in the chest before she walked over and dispassionately took the head shot to finish him. "Do you have a cellar? Somewhere secure?" The family shook their heads. "Do you have any weapons in the house?"
"A pair of old duelling pistols, but they haven't been cleaned in decades let alone fired." Pelham replied as he held his family and Taryn checked the ground floor.
"Any military experience? Weapons?"
"I'm a book-keeper, I work in a bank." the man stated by way of an explanation.
"Keep close to me. Help is on its way." Taryn assured them as she headed upstairs, keeping vigilant. "You'll be taken to a place of safety soon. Until then we have to dig in." She found the bathroom was easiest to secure, told the family to squeeze into the bath and grabbed a mattress from a nearby room to cover them. She took position facing two doors that opened onto a corridors and a bedroom and waited, controlling her breathing as she trained a weapon on each doorway. "Six more?" she whispered.
"Further enemy forces have transported into your area." Bastion replied.
"Great." she replied sarcastically. She fired as a warrior came into view.
"I have noticed you are not using transporter rounds as ordered."
"They're malfunctioning." Taryn lied as she returned fire, killing two more Jem'Hadar with a satisfied smile playing on her lips.
…
Emlyn let out a shriek as he turned and saw Data and Geordi. "Why aren't you on the train?" he thought and signed for Data's benefit. Surprise spread over his face as he looked more closely at Data, realising he looked much older.
"We are on the train." Data replied and signed.
"Never mind, got it all from Geordi." Emlyn replied as Data began to speak. "I'll pass it on."
Haydn appeared at a run a half-eaten sandwich in his hand and a security officer in tow. "Fuckin' 'ell we just 'eard…. What are we going to do?" he blurted, spraying food everywhere.
"I can't sense anything from here." Emlyn reported. "I need to be closer."
"Let's head for the platform." Geordi suggested. Haydn tossed his sandwich into a nearby bin and followed them.
…
Taryn raised her pistols as voices called for her to hold fire. Hands appeared waving combadges before the officers clambered over the slew of corpses in the hallway. "The area's clear Lieutenant, we're here to relieve you." one of them said. She pulled away the mattress and began helping the family out of the bath. They appeared terrified, ruffled but unharmed.
"This is Mr and Mrs Pelham and this is Simon…. Oh bugger…" Taryn muttered as her holographic disguise winked a few times, blinked and left her standing dressed in figure hugging black with green skin, her hair tied in a knot. She tapped at the controls and the image flickered but wouldn't come back on line."
"You're green." Pelham said, looking even paler.
"Yes but…" she replied.
"And you're a…a…"
"Girl yes, but I promise you these men are actually… You are men aren't you?" she asked realising she didn't really know either of them.
"Last time I looked Lieutenant." one of them winked at her. "My names Moran, this is Penn." they shook Mr Pelham's hand. "If you'll come with us? We have a carriage waiting."
"Thank you." Mrs Penn gushed to Taryn as they picked their way out of their home, Mr Pelham carrying Simon nodding as he passed her.
"Prior to Enterprise." Taryn stated and waited for a response. "Enterprise please respond?" she frowned.
"This is Mission Ops." came a distracted reply.
"Request transport to Waterloo Station."
"Can't help you Prior, we're under attack and down to emergency power."
"Bastion?"
"All of my transport systems are currently offline."
"In that case can I trouble someone for some directions?" she asked hopefully.
"Our Taryn practices free-running and gymnastics… Are you similarly skilled?" Bastion asked.
"I don't know, I practice both." she shrugged.
"In that case, please exit the building via the bathroom window."
She reached up to the small high window, aided with a foot on a pipe and wriggled through before dropping out of sight onto a roof.
…
"They're here." Emlyn froze, his features etched with concentration. Data looked around and what he suspected was horror shivered through every servo in his body at what he saw. A phalanx of Jem'Hadar twenty strong strode through, dodging the crowd towards the platform. They shimmered, just barely causing a ripple in their shrouds as they moved.
"Uh oh." Geordi swallowed hard. "Their mysterious friend gave them a genetic upgrade." he whispered as he watched them.
"Mr Rickman." Data reached out, lifted the man's lapel and touched his communicator. "Captain Data to all Federation personnel. The Jem'Hadar can now move while shrouded. I repeat, Jem'Hadar can move while invisible.
…
Taryn grasped the guttering and pulled herself up, praying it would hold her weight. It creaked and strained but held firm as she took off again, up a valley in the roof and over the ridge. She'd told Reg the soles on the feet of the suit needed additional padding and traction. He'd balked at the idea and she was glad she'd pressed the point as she sprinted full pelt across the rooftops. She heard a report and pain shot through her upper arm. It was a glancing blow, painful but it hadn't even damaged the robust fabric of her suit. She dropped below the roofline, rolling down the other side of the roof, landing on her back against a low parapet wall and drawing her phaser. She counted the foot-falls and fired as the shimmering figure sprang over the eaves. He unshrouded as he fell past her into an ally below.
She stood for a second peering down at the body. Her hair had fallen loose and was blowing around in the breeze, her breath quickened but by no means breathless, nostrils flaring. No, using a phaser wasn't as satisfying as spraying their brains all over the place with a pistol. She hoped to get the chance to kill one with a blade, or her bare hands. Yes, that would truly make her Orion blood sing Reg's name into the Dark Place, a song that would echo for all eternity in vengeance for his death.
A sound distracted her, a clipping of hooves. A smile spread over her face as she lithely climbed down to the alley below, pumping out pheromones with all her might.
The mounted policeman lifted his whistle to his lips on seeing the body but paused as Taryn sauntered towards him, a flush rising to his cheeks.
Author's note.
I do not own Lara Croft or Tomb Raider