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 5
Captain's Quarters
43648.86 (25.08.2366 20:00)
"Admiral, this is unacceptable!" Jean-Luc scolded him. He was barely controlling his emotions that were suddenly put to the test. "I will not take part of this. This is a violation of the Temporal Prime Directive! This is wrong."
"Captain Picard!" The Admiral raised his voice to remind him whom he was addressing. "The stakes could not be higher, Captain! How many Federation lives do you want to lose in the process?"
"That is hardly fair, Admiral!"
"Life is not fair, Captain Picard. We all like to pretend that all is cozy and that we have defeated our nature and that we are better but the sad truth is we are not, the galaxy is not. And while we debate morals lives are lost in the most heinous way imaginable.
If it were on the battlefield then you could say they were fighting for the ideals of the Federation, for something bigger than themselves, for the future but what future do we have when we are attacked in this way – none!"
"I am sorry, Admiral, but one life is hardly the proof of a mass tactic to eliminate the Federation in the manner you are describing. Your granddaughter has been in this condition for years, years, not days!"
"Yes and that is the insidious part of it. How do you test such a weapon – in minutes, in hours, in days… no, captain, you test it in years!"
"You are asking the impossible of me, Admiral. You are asking me to betray the Federation, Starfleet and everything I believe in for one rumor…"
"Rumor!"The Admiral bellowed. "So my word suddenly turned into rumor."
"So why has Starfleet not appraised me or anyone of this crisis?"
"Because, like you they like to pretend the problem doesn't exist."
"The Temporal Prime Directive exists for a reason, Admiral!"
"I can find you hundreds of examples when it was broken. The most recent person to do that is Starfleet's most famous captain – James Tiberius Kirk! He holds the records – 17 separate violations of the Temporal Prime Directive and did Starfleet do – they promoted him to rear admiral…"
"And then they demoted him back to Captain." Jean- Luc recited.
"And he remained captain until he died in 2293." The admiral continued. "My point is this has been done before and it has not had any consequences for the Federation."
"But there is always a risk, Admiral. While our technology has advanced a lot it takes only one mistake on our part and the future to which we return will not be ours."
"Captain, if we thought that way we would still in our own solar system. Risk is part of the job. You and I have a chance to find a cure for something that countless doctors have told me doesn't exist. And when Ella dies, the enemy will know – we can't do shit to stop it because we are not even trying. We have given up!
If this is a test as you believe, Jean-Luc, then we have failed it with flying colors. The greatest scientific civilization of the Milky Way Galaxy can't solve one puzzle, one little disease of our own blood! And when the Federation disappears then they will know what to put on our gravestone – "Send in the Blood Disease and watch the Federation die for lack of trying to save its own skin, an Empire of cowards and illiterate morons who gave up when it became too hard."
Jean-Luc stopped his pacing that he's been doing ever since the Admiral dropped that bombshell just half an hour ago. He did not enjoy the storm of epithets the admiral used to describe his indecisiveness. But whether a test or a real threat, Jean-Luc could not turn his back on the one life he could save (by breaking the Temporal Prime Directive). Still the Directive existed for a reason. They could not start using it as precedent every time they ran into something that can't be found in their century.
"And one more thing, Captain, since we are venturing history, the same captain went back in time to San Francisco in the year 1986 to fetch a few humpback whales to save Earth in 2286 when their masters nearly destroyed Earth."
Jean-Luc was aware of history but that was an exception and it was approved by Starfleet and classified as extraordinary circumstance. They had subsequently to send teams to recover the technology left behind by Commander Pavel Chekov.
Of course the admiral could easily use this argument to state that the rules change depending on the situation. But he could not in good consciousness fit this situation within this parameter. He understood the admiral's desire to help his granddaughter. He also understood his reluctance to involve Starfleet in this decision but that put him in a very precarious position, one that cost him his command, his career.
"I need time to think this one over." Jean-Luc decided to bide his time. He really needed to process this.
"Time is not on our side, Captain. While Ella is a stasis pod the disease has not slowed its progress. She doesn't have long." The Admiral said accentuating on her condition. Actually she could stay in the pod for years but he did not want to lose momentum. "But of course, you can have some time."
"Thank you, Admiral! "Jean-Luc said indicating to the admiral that he had to leave. "I will let you know of my decision shortly."
Admiral Brigham left the captain's quarters. He did not expect Jean-Luc to be this stubborn. He thought he would jump at the opportunity to shove it in the face of Starfleet but apparently he had been wrong. Still he needed the Enterprise as his ship can't handle it. But hope has not abandoned him completely.
Earlier in the morning, the Enterprise's CMO Dr. Crusher took a whack at Ella and her condition. Apparently she had studied the problem during the night and had some insights that the admiral had to crush several times as he had seen these options before. And of course, she had reached the only conclusion that has led the admiral to his current course: Ella needed blood transfusion from a relative.
Of course he had to explain why his current family did not fit the bill for that (and truthfully they did not). They needed the blood of the bloodline's originator untainted by the changes of time and tragedies that had befallen his family. They needed Carrie White.
Of course, the Admiral had to omit a few things about her. Those details he had shared only with his first officer as they needed to find a way to counter them. Carrie White's blood will save his granddaughter but Carrie herself had to be contained. The best approach would be when she was on her way to the morgue.
The people at the time did not know that Carrie while visibly dead was not entirely dead and she could be resuscitated and brought back. He needed her back to life and then he would gladly put her back in the morgue van. It did not matter to him whether she would live or not as she had already created his family even without knowing. Her mother had been crueler than the punks that splashed pig's blood over her during that fatal night.
Jean-Luc was relieved when the admiral left his quarters. His crazy endeavor has placed him in a very difficult position as it was his duty to inform Starfleet of this development. But he was hesitant.
The last time there was a mass conspiracy (that nearly succeeded) it was mothballed so quickly that no one was allowed to talk about it ever again. It happened during his first year of his command. A race of weird worms had tried to seize control of the Federation and they nearly succeeded. And then Jean-Luc expected a full investigation as to how that came to be but there was none. Instead there was Special Order 48666 that stated that' Prohibited the dissemination of any knowledge of the Starfleet Command's exercise incident of the same year where cadets had seized control when the exercise had gotten out of control.'
Jean-Luc thrust head. Was he heading down the same path again? The last time he tried to argue the special order he was reprimanded though that did not appear on his record so he had to let it go. He wondered if this time it would be the same.
He needed fresh pair of heads to make this decision so he invited Dr. Crusher, Commanders Data and LaForge, Lt. Worf and Number One. He talked with each individually trying to get a grasp of their opinions. And they varied though adamant that Starfleet should be involved in the decision but Number One had one different argument given the possibility of Starfleet's reaction.
"If Starfleet's reaction is the same as before then perhaps we should not involve them."
"Then how do we do this?"
"We do it by the book. We examine all possible outcomes and form a plan. Then we will decide if we can do this without contaminating the timeline."
"And what will we tell Starfleet?"
"We don't have to tell them anything or we can always disguise it as some of disaster that forced us into the past."
"That would be perfect, Number One, if only I had not involved Commander Data into this discussion."
"Ah," Commander Riker exclaimed. "Well this complicates things. He's bound to tell the truth when and if they ask. But perhaps we can create a scenario that Commander Data will concur that this was our only option."
"It would have to be one hell of a deception, Number One. Commander Data is not easily fooled." Jean-Luc said. "And I am not particularly fond of the idea."
"But you want to help Ella Brigham?"
"I do and that is the problem. I have no legal way of doing that."
"There is one alternative."
"Such as?"
"Regulation 19, Section C!"
"But that would allow the admiral to take command until the threat is neutralized."
"True but under this regulation he can do what needs to be done and Commander Data even if asked of your conversation with him will have to admit that it applies."
"I am not fond of that idea either."
"True but should push come to shove, we will have an excuse."
"That regulation can be issued by Starfleet or the Federation council,"
"Well isn't that what the Admiral suggested without actually citing it?"
"Fair point, Number One." Jean-Luc admitted. Still there would be some confusion with this but it can be easily explained though it would be a hard sell. "Get the admiral here although…"
"We should proceed with care about this mission nevertheless. There is still a potential risk."
"That's right, Number One. Get him here."
"Yes, sir,"
"And enter with him but no one else,"
"Yes, Captain,"
Admiral Brigham was surprised of the quick development but followed Riker without hesitation.
"Captain Picard,"
"I have some conditions that are not negotiable."
"Of course,"
"The one problem I'm having with this mission is that we have no historical records of the whereabouts of Ms. Carrie White."
"I have them."
"Family history?"
"Not quite,"
"You will have to share."
"And I will when you decide we do this."
Jean-Luc did not like this answer. It seemed that the Admiral intended to use some other means to locate her and his unwillingness to share suggested it was not very legal either. This beckoned caution. But then seeing Number One's expression and his lips muttering the regulation Jean-Luc could relax on that front.
"Alright, you will share with us her location. We will examine all possible ways in and out to ensure that we do not find ourselves in violation of…Number One?"
"Regulation 157, Section 3 (Paragraph 18)," Commander Riker cited.
"Of course, "Admiral Brigham nodded in agreement. He did not intend to get anyone involved in historical events.
"Then, we will go and get Ms. White. Once the transfusion is done, she will be returned back to where we found her with no knowledge of what has happened and then we will return home."
"I agree."
"Now under normal circumstances, I cannot in good conscious condom this course of action and I have an obligation as Starfleet officer to report your request to Starfleet Command. I also do not agree with your tactics regardless of what is at stake for you however it is out of my hands."
Admiral Brigham frowned. What was Jean-Luc up to? He wondered.
"Number One", assemble the command staff in my ready room."
"Yes, Captain,"
"Follow me, Admiral,"
Admiral Brigham was on his toes. The Captain was definitely up to something and he was not sure he wanted to find out what. So far the two have been spot-on on every Starfleet regulation. So he wondered what they were up to, for the nth time.
They reached the ready room and sat down waiting for the others and they arrived shortly after looking expectantly at the captain.
He stood up and straightened his uniform. He looked into each person's eyes sitting around before making this decision. He knew he had one trick up his sleeve should this go wrong and that was Regulation 619 that stated that "The commanding officer must relieve themselves of command if their current mission leaves them emotionally compromised and unable to make rational decisions."
Thinking a bit he came up with another regulation that could serve him well should the admiral decide to be difficult and that was Regulation 208 (paragraph 2) that "Allows an active captain to override the orders of other officers."
And then there were one another that could serve him with Beverly's help and that were Starfleet Order 104 Section C: "Should it be proven with admissible evidence that the flag officer who had assumed command was medically or psychologically unfit for command, the starship's ranking officer could relieve them on that basis. However, such an action was required to be supported by an appropriate certification of unfitness by the ship's chief medical officer (requiring the CMO to also produce test results to that effect) or other clear evidence, such as an act of attempted suicide". And of course Beverly could easily use the medical protocols to that effect too - Regulation 121 (Section A).
He thought to himself – 'one can always find a relief in the bylaws of Starfleet.' He felt so as he was at unease of what he was about to do that went against all his instincts but the problem was he could not turn his back on Ella Brigham especially when he had the means to save her life even it involved some fancy maneuvering with the laws of the Federation and Starfleet.
"I thank you all for coming. As you all know Ella Brigham's life hangs in a balance because of a disease introduced by an alien species with the intent to harm the lives of Federation citizens and as such has been recognized as direct threat to Federation security by Admiral Brigham who as of this moment is in Command of the USS Enterprise under Regulation 19 Section C."
To be continued…
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Lordheaven