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 (FO*) are entirely my own.

Requested Story by T-Rex-1000

Part Two:

AU/Multiple Star Trek Shows/Carrie: Having become part of 24th century, Carrie White is enlisted in the clandestine organization Section 31 to help protect the Federation from a looming threat that has the power to change Starfleet's future forever.

Chapter 14

Captain Picard and Dr. Crusher arrived last. The Captain was obviously not very comfortable attending parties but with Beverly by his side it seemed easier. Ella noticed them at once and called them to her.

Data and Carrie were not with her. They decided to mingle and observe the reactions of people to Data's appearance. Data believed this will help in his ever continuing studies of biological interactions.

"Ms. Brigham,"

"Captain," Ella greeted. "Please sit."

"Wonderful party, dear." Beverly said.

"Thanks,"

"Why all the secrecy?"

"Secrecy?"

"Yes, you sounded mysterious."

"Oh, you will see. It is a special surprise."

Commander William Riker was at the center of attention as he got his trombone and was moving center stage. He got many requests and got on with it. The crew enjoyed his performances.

As he was playing he noticed Carrie. She was with someone. He was a bit stiff on the moves and he tilted his head, Riker stopped playing stunned. He could recognize that tilt anywhere but it was not possible because the person next to Carrie looked nothing like the one he was thinking of. He left the band and moved to them.

"Commander Riker," Carrie greeted.

"What's up man?" The person next to her said.

Riker was even more stunned of the accent. Perhaps he was wrong but that tilt he could never mistake.

Looking under the hair and into the eyes he got his answer. He was so shocked his mouth remained ajar.

"Are you alright, Commander?" Ella asked amusement growing on her face.

"Ah, yeah, I think so." Riker said. He stepped back to take in the whole picture: Old jeans with holes and worn out, chains on the hips, black shirt depicting some band, leather jacket with chains around the sleeves, and the hair, oh good god, the hair – straight long dyed with purple at places, and long black boots.

If he had not see the tilt of the head, he would not have guessed, not a in a million years, that the person before him was no other than Commander Data. How he had come with the idea of dressing like that was beyond him. He was a student of humanity but this was so extreme.

Looking at Carrie and how proud she appeared he got his answer. Apparently there was more to the story than met the eye. But what amused him or would amuse him would be the captain's reaction. He had often pushed Data to explore more of humanity and yet in a single day, Carrie had managed to achieve what the captain had not in years.

"This seems to suit you, Mr. Data." Riker said at last.

"Thank you, Commander."

"But the ultimate test remains,"

"How did you know it was him?" Carrie asked curious.

"I have my ways." Riker replied with a smile.

"Right on, man! Let's dance, baby!"

Riker stood in awe. Apparently, Carrie had managed to teach him some moves as clumsy as they were but that somehow fitted his new persona. Riker doubted he would keep this persona but it would be an experience to remember.

"Yeah, dance, baby, dance! It seemed surreal to hear Data speak in this manner.

As the music faded, Carrie took him away heading to the table where Riker did see the ultimate test. He joined them as he wanted to witness that. And it would have been quite the sight but the universe had slightly different plans.

A sudden jolt sent everyone on the floor. The ship shook.

"Bridge, report!" Captain Picard shouted.

"Sensors have picked a gravitational wave bearing 319, mark 262."

"Raise shields," Commander Riker ordered.

"Senior officers to the bridge,"

"You can come too." Riker said to Carrie. He still wanted to see the captain's reaction.

They moved to the bridge. Everyone assumed their position. As it was the heat of the moment, the captain did not notice the weird figure of Data right away. As he did not have the time to change he had remained in his punk clothing.

"Origin?" Picard asked.

"One parsec away,"

"A planet,"

"Negative," Data had replied. "Sensors identify large neutrino emissions."

"A black hole?"

"It is a blast wave expulsing material outwards."

"Reroute additional power to the shields,"

"Shutting down all non essential systems,"

"This is the captain speaking," Picard announced around the ship. "Prepare for a massive gravimetric shock wave. Secure all stations. Mr. Data…" Here the captain trailed as he had finally looked properly in his direction. His mouth opened and closed. He was at a loss of words.

"Intruder on the bridge," Commander Worf exclaimed and got his phaser out.

"Relax, Mr. Worf," Riker said amused. "It is not an intruder. I will explain later."

Captain Picard examined the outfit and appearance of Data and shock was still very much depicted on his face. If he had seen him in Ten Forward he may not have recognized him but as he was sitting on his console that was somewhat self evident. Still it was a shocking sight.

Shock was present also on Councilor Troi's face. She had spent so many hours with Data and he had never displayed the need to change his appearance or outfit so drastically. Something had prompted him to do so.

The shock from Data's appearance however had slowed their response to the incoming gravimetric wave. The ship shook hard and everyone was on the floor, again. Carrie regained her balance but was knocked again into the wall and then the floor.

Some cables stuck out loose from the ceiling and onto her. As she was not seeing right away what hit her and seeing the red color panic overwhelmed her sensors. That panic was almost immediately replaced by uncontrollable anger. That had happened only once before when her so-called friends dropped a bucket of pig's blood on her.

The effect was immediate. The bulkheads started to buckle under the pressure of her uncontrollable rage. Worf noticed that and attempted to knock her out with his phaser but did not get the change as she threw him like a doll into the opposite wall.

"Ms. White, control yourself, now is not the moment to lose it." Captain Picard tried to reason with her but because of her panic attack she did not hear a word. Instead the Captain started to lose color as an invisible grip got around his neck and squeezed.

Data did not lose anytime. He turned the ship into the direction of the incoming wave so to minimize its effects on the ship. He then stood up and moved to Carrie.

"Ms. White," She did not hear him. He needed to change strategy. He reached her and put a hand on her shoulder placing them face to face. "Baby, it is alright. It is just cables. See." And he removed them from her head and showed them to her.

"They can't harm you. They have no current in them." Actually for the first time Data was hoping that was true. "Focus on me. Take a deep breath…"

"Not now, Commander Data. Someone sedate her…."

"Let him try, Jean-Luc," Riker said earning a shocked look from the captain.

"… and exhale. Here, I will do it with you."

Carrie's panic attack subdued a bit. "You do not breathe."

"No, but I am here for you. Take a deep breath, hold it, and exhale. My air is stale when inhaled as it goes down the pipes but it is close to taking a breath as possible."

Carrie followed the advice. The comic side of the situation was helping her calm down. The punk Data repeated the exercise with her until she managed to regain control of her abilities and reduced the stress on the bulkheads.

"Do not leave me." Carrie started to panic when he decided it's time to return to his console.

"I won't." He said and took her in his arms. He carried her to the seat next to him gesturing the other crew member to go away. "There, I am right beside you."

His fingers danced on the console keeping the ship from sustaining too much damage. He threw every now and then a look of encouragement. Carrie remained calm. Well, she was stressed because of the situation they were in but other that she was calm.

As things calmed down she reflected on her actions and felt guilt. The command crew was dealing with a crisis when her panic attack almost undid everything. She put everyone in terrible danger.

"It is not your fault." Data said as she shared what was bothering her.

"But I feel like it is."

"It would seem you are looking for a way to place the blame on yourself. Why? You could not have predicted what was to happen. Besides, it is not the first time the wires break loose on the bridge and I doubt it would be the last."

"Thank you, Councilor! I could not have put it better." Data nodded at Deanna Troi for the assistance. He was an android not a councilor.

Deanna sensed that there was more to this but did not press. She felt like Carrie needed to share this on her own.

"Can we go now?" Carrie asked turning to Data.

"First, we will go to the Infirmary. Dr. Crusher needs to check if you are alright."

"I am not hurt."

"You were hurled into the wall several times. We just want to be sure." Deanna assisted.

"How is he?" Carrie pointed at Worf.

"He will be fine. I think only his pride might be a little bit hurt." Deanna smiled.

Dr. Crusher did a few scans on her but she checked out alright. "She's fine but I think a few sessions with you Deanna won't hurt."

"Perhaps later, she needs to rest." Ella said when she joined them in the Infirmary.

"Of course,"

Data took her in his arms again and carried her to her quarters. He remained for the rest of the day with her and in his punk outfit. He thought that perhaps something familiar might keep her under control. Control – that was something they had to work on.

Her outburst could have been very unpleasant especially combined with the raging storm outside the ship. She needed to learn to control her emotions and powers. Speaking of powers, Data checked the database and was shocked to find out that although there were races with telekinesis and telepathy they were never this strong.

He had been hoping to find some reference to help him help her but she was unique in that aspect, like him in his. It was one of the others things he found common with her. This experience has been very educational for him but it was over. He needed to resume his previous outlook as it was more him than the punk one.

Carrie spent the next days with Data. He had devoted his spare time to find a way to help her control her outbursts. He knew now her trigger. As he studied Earth's culture he understood better why being sprayed with pig's blood felt so humiliating. As he figured it was not so much the pig's blood the trigger but rather the fact that it came from people she genuinely believed to be her friends. The betrayal hurt a lot more.

With the Captain's help however he was able to devise ways to negate the effect and the trigger. Jean-Luc explained to Carrie that any situation that would induce fear could bring back the panic attack. It was a defense mechanism of the body that was unavoidable. But with their lessons, she was now more prepared to maintain control over it.

And that is what Carrie remembered and used when the grounds of the Academy were ablaze with red and green bolts of phaser fire. Her focus returned. She was surprised though that the fear did not trigger earlier when she first saw them.

"The body and the mind are full of surprises, some pleasant and others not so much." Deanna and Beverly had told her once.

She was certain to agree with them now. Still she wondered whether to remain here where she was relatively safe or go elsewhere. Still being in the eye of the storm had its benefits. She was practically invisible to warring parties.

She sat tight and waited. The battle continued for long hours. It was not certain who would win. She had begun to lose hope again when a wave of such come over her. She saw a shuttle flying overhead. From it four figures dropped in the middle of the skirmish and opened fire in the direction of the intruders. Their aim was so devastatingly perfect that this forced the intruders to retreat.

What surprised her was that the newcomers did not use phasers. They were using guns. It was a sound she recognized. It was loud and surprisingly effective. The four moved in unison with such precision that she was reminded of some the spy movies she had managed to sneak in to watch back at her home when her mother was not paying attention to her that much.

Soon the battle was over and she could relax. Still she remained in her hiding spot. She did not want to move let alone explain what she was doing in a secret tunnel. Several hours later, she peeked outside and seeing the cost was clear moved out.

Of course, Boothby did see her. "Young lady, keep off the flower bed."

"Sorry,"

"Where were you hiding?"

"Under the tree, there." It was fortunate that there was a tree there, near the exit of the tunnel.

"It is all over. You can return to campus."

"What happened?"

"I do not know exactly."

"Mr. Boothby, you know everything that happens on Academy grounds, or so say everyone else."

"Is that what they say?" He said with his grumpy voice but she could sense that he felt appreciated. "What is your name?"

"Cadet Carrie White,"

"Ah, the prodigy,"

It was now her turn to feel appreciated. She did not exactly approve of being called that but felt proud nevertheless.

"Come, I will show you a shortcut."

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