Disclaimer: Star Trek and all its characters belong to Paramount Pictures. Carrie belongs to author Stephen King but the words are mine. The characters of the Four Orders are entirely my own.

Requested Story by T-Rex-1000

AU/ST/Carrie/FO: Admiral Brigham enacts a desperate plan to save the life of his granddaughter, enlisting the help of Starfleet captain: Jean-Luc Picard and the crew of the Enterprise under false pretense and no matter the cost. But the price comes too high…

Chapter 4

Previously:

"What was stored in that cargo bay?" The lieutenant asked. "What did you see?"

"It looked like life support components."

"For a ship?"

"No, I don't think so. There were just a few crates."

"And the rest?"

Ensign Carrington focused his thoughts on what he saw. At the time he did not pay much attention to it as the admiral came quickly. "From what I was able to glance - there were crates marked FXC 32B and something that resembled MXV C24, and I am not sure for the rest."

The lieutenant remained pensive. This was most unusual.

"What is it lieutenant?"

"FXC 32B and MXV C24, are you sure?" He asked.

"Yes, sir, I'm positive. Why, what is it?"

"FXC 32B?" The lieutenant repeated slowly as though trying to remember something and then he added. "Authenticator 32 Beta for built of flux energy," He remained pensive again for a moment then continued. "MXV C24 – that probably is TMXV – Timex Vortex Component 24 Alpha"

"I don't understand."

"These are components for a …." The lieutenant paused and then resumed his trail of thought. "…for a theoretical time tracker…."

"What? What is that?"

"What the hell is that admiral up to?" The lieutenant flared up. "There is no way his mission is sanctioned by Starfleet…"

And now

The two remained silent for some time.

"Of course, I could be wrong." The lieutenant said. "The two components can be used for other projects. 32B could help with subspace studies augmenting the current sensors. C24A could be used with the deflector dish for any number of spatial projects."

Silence overtook the small storage room again.

"But it could be for that time tracker thing too?" Ensign Carrington voiced out his concern as he had rarely seen his commanding officer lose control of his emotions.

"Yes, it could." The lieutenant nodded. "But let's hope I am wrong. Still keep your eyes and ears open, and report to me anything out of the ordinary."

"Yes, sir,"

"Return to your duties then, ensign."

"Yes, sir,"

The lieutenant remained in the storage room. Something about this bothered him and the tip of the iceberg was Guinan leaving the ship. The El-Aurian never did anything without a reason, without a motive. She must have sensed something and that is what he thought when she left.

Nah, the lieutenant thrust head. 'It could be anything or not at all related to this.' Making assumptions with little to none information was always a bad idea. Still the timing was a bit coincidental.

The only thing to do was to keep one's eyes and ears open and wait for the universe to unfold its plans. He sighed deeply and left the small storage room returning to his duties.

Sick Bay

Dr. Beverly Crusher was alone at present in the sick bay. Today was a slow day. She barely had anything to do all day other than routine tests and treat some joint inflammations from two crew-members that have employed their free time playing tennis.

There was a chime on the door. She looked up and noticed the time. It made her smile. It was 19:00 and like clockwork, she knew who it was.

"Come in!" She said aloud.

The doors opened and Commander Data entered.

"Good evening, Doctor."

"Commander Data," She acknowledged his presence with a nod. "Your usual station?"

"Yes, Doctor,"

Beverley shook head and led him to a small medic station. "There, you have it. If you need anything, please, let me know."

"I will. Thank you, Doctor,"

She shook head and returned to her office. Commander Data came to her several weeks ago with a very peculiar request. She asked him why not simply download the data he needed at his station in his room but the android apparently wanted to stay in contact with her in case he had questions.

Questions! He had many. They included various topics of the human physiology and its interactions with currents (yes, currents, if you could believe it). Of course the weirdest part was that he wanted to study everything the normal way. He did not want to take any shortcuts that his physiology allowed him. This elevated him even more in Beverley's eyes.

Of course she knew that he studied in Starfleet academy and she doubted he used a cable to download all pertinent data into his mind but still it was a feat worthy of praise. And unlike humans he did not require any sleep or stimulating agents to keep one's eyes open.

Speaking of which, she had forgotten as usual lunch and was getting hungry. She informed him of leaving for it at which point Data nodded and replied with the usual 'Of course, Doctor,' and she left him.

ESS Relentless NX1091, Hangar Bay

Lieutenant Frex used the time the admiral was on the Enterprise to get their project started. He went there as soon as the admiral left.

"Get the crates and let's get to work." He ordered.

"Yes, sir," The crewmen and crewwomen replied. They got the FXB 32B and TMVX 24A and other smaller crates and opened them. The components contained inside were taken out and placed on the floor.

Lt. Frex got out the blueprints of what they had to build. It was a delicate job mostly because the device was theoretical and while it has been assembled before it has never been used or tested properly. He only hoped that it does what it is supposed to do otherwise this mission would be pointless.

He was also hoping their mission will go according to plan although he was prepared for the worst as plans tend never to get done the way you plan them. There were so many variables and so many things that could go wrong so he needed a backup but that was provided this device does what…nah...it will do it. The admiral rarely gets excited by scientific projects.

The one true dread he had was the Section 31 operatives, the ones with the unknown agendum. He did not feel at ease knowing that they are currently aboard the flagship of Starfleet. Of course they knew nothing of this mission otherwise they wouldn't have left space dock. But still he had to remain vigilant.

His informant was afraid when he spoke of the others. He was truly scared of them. Starfleet officers were never truly at ease with Section 31 even when they operated in the open.

"NO!" Lt. Frex exclaimed when he noticed one of the crewmen trying to place a component in the wrong section. "This goes there and that one goes here." He showed him.

"Yes, sir, sorry, sir"

"It is alright." Lt. Frex said and visibly relaxed. As he had told them in the beginning it was a delicate job. All they needed was to be calm and everything will go well otherwise the Enterprise might need to investigate a mystery of their own whose results will not be in the admiral's favor.

Speaking of the admiral, Lt. Frex remembered that he had to check the granddaughter's stasis pod but he could not do it until the device is built. He did not trust the crew to do it right. It was a delicate job and they were all in his opinion grease monkeys told to build a star-ship.

The building of the device took longer than anticipated as it was indeed a very delicate job. It was important not to make it wrong otherwise when activating the described side effects could easily kick in and then the Enterprise will have to study one heck of a mystery revolving around their starboard side.

Lt. Frex checked and rechecked the blueprints to ensure they got it right. He then took a very deep breath and crossing his fingers activated it. He sighed with relief when none of the described side effects appeared (as it was written that they should at the moment of activation if it were incorrectly assembled).

Still Frex wondered why this simple device might produce such effects. All it did was accumulate flux energy and some form of subspace radiation that then through the main interface can be used to pinpoint the whereabouts, the exact whereabouts of anyone in the past or the future with as little information about them as available. It did not need precise historical reference. It needed just something – a facsimile of what you want found. And then it scans the continuum and finds it.

'I need to inform the admiral that the time tracker is ready.' and again remembering the admiral he left the hangar bay and headed to where they kept the granddaughter. He still needed to check her stasis pod.

Ella Brigham, the granddaughter, was in her twenties and she was beautiful, at least in Frex's eyes and perhaps everyone else's. She was no model of course but still close. She had jet black eyes and brittle hair, which was now in complete disarray. It happened when they were moving her in the stasis pod. It gave her a very weird look (or something out of the horror movies of the past).

Yet Frex panted over her. His lust was aroused every single time he saw her. And he was not to blame much as she was very well endowed (nature has been very giving). And being in her medic gown was not helping either as it was very thin.

Lt. Frex sighed and focused on the task at hand which was to check the pod for any variations or unexpected side effects. Everything was in order. The onboard instruments registered everything is tiptop and so did his tricorder. He threw her one last look and left heading for the bridge.

"Lt. Frex," Lt. Mathilda greeted and moved off the command chair.

He promptly sat. "Has the admiral made contact?"

"Not yet, sir."

"Are there any unusual activities in and around us?"

"No, sir, or at least as far as these sensors can tell us,"

Lt. Frex grunted in agreement. The sensors on this ship were not merely as advanced as the lowest class of ships in the Starfleet armada. They were perhaps excellent for their time but in the 24th they were barely sufficient for anything. Still they had their rudimentary use. The ship itself was built essentially for hit-and-run situations. It was small but it packed a lot of firepower.

"Actually there is something although with these sensors…"

"What is it, Ensign Cure?"

"Every now and then we are picking up a spike in the interlacing subspace eddies and it always emanates from the Enterprise or at least so far."

"So like it is a crack in the dimensional wall?"

"Well without more sophisticated sensors, I can only speculate and say – probably yes."

"What could be the cause of such occurrence?"

"I don't know, sir, without…"

"Yes, yes, without the sensors, I got it." Lt. Frex frowned. It was an interesting something though what without more advanced sensors it was foolish to speculate. Of course as the usual the timing of things was not something to overlook. The logical course of action would have been to alert the Enterprise so they can run a full scan but he did not want to do that given that they might pick up the time tracker's signature and it was not time for that yet.

Still they needed to be vigilant about anything out of the ordinary. "Ensign Cure, keep an eye on this anomaly and try to see if you can get a more accurate reading of what it is or at the very least its location on the Enterprise (in or out)."

"Yes, sir,"

USS Enterprise NCC1701 D, Captain's Quarters

Dinner was served in the captain's quarters. Admiral Brigham wanted a private chat with the captain that Jean-Luc understood perfectly. And while they ate in silence or just exchanging gossip from in and around Starfleet and the Federation, Brigham was preparing the bombshell announcement with which he intended to hook the captain in his net.

"I heard about your granddaughter." Jean-Luc said.

Admiral Brigham was slightly surprised as this caught him a bit off guard.

"I understand she suffers from some form of blood disease." Jean-Luc continued. "Perhaps, my Chief Medical Officer can take a look."

"I appreciate the offer, Jean-Luc, but the best and brightest in the Federation took a crack at it and nothing. I even tried some of the weird neighbors we got and still nothing. It is a very rare form of blood disease."

"So what – you just give up trying?" Jean-Luc arched an eyebrow. "Beverly, Dr. Crusher has perhaps seen more things than most of the Federation doctors aboard the Enterprise."

"Giving up?" The admiral raised his voice slightly in order to sound slightly offended by this idea. "No, never!"

"My apologies, Admiral, I did not mean to sound…"

"It is alright, Jean-Luc. I just don't want to give way to the idea that it is incurable." The admiral sighed burying his fingers into his hair and then pulled them away. "I have seen many doctors and they all say the same – it can't be cured. But you and I, we don't believe in a no-win scenario."

"True, we don't."

Admiral Brigham smiled. "I still have hope but I see your point too, Jean-Luc. I will give her the opportunity to try."

"How's that?"

"She's aboard my ship. I couldn't get myself to let her stay in the hospitals anymore."

Jean-Luc frowned. "Why would you take such a risk? If something goes wrong how you would deal with it?"

"Relax, Jean-Luc, she is in a stasis pod."

"Oh,"

"Oh come on, Jean-Luc, do you believe that I would be that reckless with my own flesh and blood?"

"No, of course not, I did not mean to…"

"It is alright." The admiral was actually ecstatic that the conversion turned in this direction. He was so close now but he had to do this step by step. "I can have her brought here after we finish our dinner."

"Of course, I will alert Dr. Crusher…"

"But first let's finish our dinner, there is no rush."

"Of course, more wine?"

"Yes, please…" The admiral replied. He could taste victory soon…

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