First Officer's Log. The captain has tasked me with beaming down with Counselor Troi and Data to perform the inspection of Gregorovitch Station, the research station located on the uninhabited, but still highly idyllic, planet of Q-13. One would think that this planet would be ideal for colonization by the Federation; the rumors are that Gregorovitch made some kind of 'back room deals' with Federation higher-ups to receive this planet. Of course, a routine inspection of a research facility is not my primary concern on this mission; rather, to investigate any potential disasters that Q foretold to us.
William Riker looked out the small window in the reception area near the transporters of the station, wondering. A large, purple wasp of some kind flitted onto a brightly-orange colored flower just outside the glass. It perused the flower for a moment, before buzzing along its way.
The whole planet seemed to be one giant meadow; filled with mountains, valleys, and lakes and rivers of cool, spring water. Whatever 'Faustian bargains' Gregorovitch had to pull to swipe this planet out from under the colonizer's reach, it must have been one hell of a doozy.
He dimly heard Data talking to Counselor Troi, pointing out all the hitherto officially undiscovered species of animal and plant life outside the facility. He heard Deanna give small hums to Data's observations, telling Will that she was only half-listening. Ever since Troi had come down to the surface of the planet with them, she had taken on a more reserved, almost icy demeanor, almost as if she was trying her best to keep certain opinions in.
Data kept chattering on, quite oblivious to Deanna's lack of interest. Riker chuckled to himself; Data's emotion chip must not be on at the moment.
Deanna heard his chuckle, and gave him a tight smile. Something was definitely wrong. Considering the apparent severity of Q's warning, Riker moved to her, to try and find out what she had felt.
Before he could say anything, a voice rang out from the other side of the room. "The Enterprise-E has arrived, I see."
It was a small, dumpy man in Starfleet science officer uniform. He had blonde hair, blonde goatee, and bright, blue eyes. His voice was strangely high-pitched, almost as if he had taken a whiff of helium before walking into the room.
As the man strode over, Riker gave the smallest of glances to Deanna. She gave him a look that said plainly, "Later."
"First Officer William Riker of the Enterprise-E.", said the man, who Riker recognized as Simon Gregorovitch from pictures in his scientific publications. Gregorovitch shook his hand, showing off a surprisingly strong grip. "So good to see you."
"Simon Gregorovitch.", said Riker, smiling as casually and genially as he could. "You've got one heck of a planet here."
"Oh, don't tell me you believe those rumors that I stole this planet from those colonizers.", said Gregorovitch, mock offended. "All they wanted to do was build cities and streets. I, however, am delving into the infinite mysteries of the multiverse."
He said this last part with enough theatricality for the worse portrayal of Shakespeare's Hamlet, enough to make Riker smile fondly despite himself.
Gregorovitch turned to Data and Troi. "Lieutenant Data and Counselor Troi. Welcome to the station."
Troi gave her tight smile again. "Thank you, Doctor Gregorovitch."
"Always a pleasure to have a Betazoid on my obscure planet."
Troi smiled again, this time more warmly but no less false. "Half-Betazoid, actually. On my mother's side."
Data, who had done his funny little head tilt throughout the conversation, finally asked, "I'm sorry, Doctor Gregorovitch, have we met you previously?"
Gregorovitch waved a hand absently. "Never before. I always do preliminary research on my inspectors before they arrive, however. Can't help to know things to get on their good side, does it? Now, should we start with the tour?"
Riker nodded the affirmative. When Gregorovitch had turned, however, he widened his eyes at his fellow crew members. Keep your eyes peeled, was what he was trying to convey.
XXXXX
The tour seemed to go off without a hitch. Gregorovitch led them around his facility, past various scientists and technicians performing their duties, as well as giant mechanical contraptions that served some purpose to the study of the multiverse.
Riker listened attentively to Gregorovitch's explanations of how this and that worked and what each and every scientist under him was doing. Having just read some of Gregorovitch's complicated publication, even Riker was taken aback at the sheer technical jargon put to them by Gregorovitch.
That wasn't the only problem Riker was facing. Just like his reports to Starfleet over these past three years of his mission, Gregorovitch was very coy about what results he had actually produced from his research and experiments.
There was also something else about the facility, something that Riker couldn't put his finger on. The way the other scientists working would stop their work and glance at them when they were sure the away team wasn't looking. The way they would walk into hushed and hectic conversations, only for the technicians to disperse when the away team was noticed. The way the odd bead of sweat could be seen on a scientists forehead while he was slowly working.
Yep, something was going on here all right. Not that you'd know it from Gregorovitch, admittedly. He bounced from project to project, giddy as a school boy to show off the methods of study of the multiverse.
At least, that was what he thought at first. As Gregorovitch showed off a particular machine to Deanna, Data sidled up to Riker. "Commander, I have done an extensive study of Gregorovitch's published work on the multiverse. However, he has so far failed to show us anything that corresponds with his usual methods of research. Almost as if he has been 'making it up on the fly", as humans say."
Riker cast a glance to Gregorovitch and Deanna. Deanna had a face of polite attention when Gregorovitch was looking at her, only to gain a calculating, probing look when Gregorovitch's attention was elsewhere.
"Just keep it to yourself now, Data.", whispered Riker. "We'll discuss it back on the Enterprise."
Soon, the time to actually return to the Enterprise was upon them. They returned to the waiting area outside the transporter room, the outside wilderness now covered with the fading, orange glow of sunset.
"I must say, this is quite an interesting setup you have here, Doctor.", said Riker, as Gregorovitch saw them out, keeping up his false casualness. "I'll make sure Captain Picard sends a stellar inspection report to Starfleet."
"Of course, of course.", said Gregorovitch, absently herding them into the transporter room. "I do try to run a tight ship."
"I hope you make some major breakthroughs in your research. Who know? This time next year, I'll be vacationing in a parallel universe."
Riker gave a final handshake to the doctor, Troi gave a cut nod, and Data said, "Goodbye, Doctor Gregorovitch." The three then entered the transporter room.
Gregorovitch waited until he heard the shimmering sound of the transporter to drop his smile. He stared at the entrance of the room, almost as if he was waiting for Riker to jump back out and yell, "Gotcha!"
This didn't happen, of course, and Gregorovitch turned to walk back into the facility. Once he was in the largest laboratory, he came across almost his entire staff watching him, with baited breath.
"Well, what are you waiting for?", said Gregorovitch, in his odd, high voice. "They're gone."
The scientists and technicians started gathering their things and began heading out of the laboratory. Gregorovtich watched them go, on the balls of his feet, excitement starting to build in him.
He giggled manically before he could stop himself, then followed his staff.
They soon all filed into what looked like a disused storage facility. Small towers of boxes apparently filled with supplies littered the otherwise empty room. Gregorovitch now led the way to the very back of the room.
He placed his hand against the cool wall of the room, waiting. Nothing happened for a short time, before a small, muffled voice from behind the wall said, "Gregorovitch, Simon."
When Gregorovitch took his hand from the wall, it now briefly had a palm reader in blue lights on it. The palm reader soon dissolved into another holographic image, a keypad.
Gregorovitch used his slight body to block the keypad from view of his staff, before punching in the correct code.
An outline of a door in the wall appeared next to Gregorovitch. Next moment, the door opened with a woosh, and Gregorovitch and his staff entered.
They were now in a secret laboratory, in the bowels of the research facility. Rows and rows of computer equipment lined the room, but what truly dominated the room was a gigantic machine near the front, its back to the computer rows.
The machine had a large base holding up a giant, mechanical arm. At the end of the arm was a somewhat plain, black rod. It sort of resembled one of the robotic arms used in the pre-atomic horror earth that built automobiles in factories.
There were a few other technicians already in this room, though most weren't dressed in the new grey and black outfits of Starfleet. Most were dressed in civilian clothes.
Martin, one of these technicians, looked up as the scientists who followed Gregorovitch in took their places at their predetermined computer stations. "About time.", he muttered, darkly.
Gregorovitch frowned at him. "I had to keep the correct amount of staff pretending to work in the main facility, else that Enterprise away team would get suspicious. Not all of us were smuggled in here by storage crates."
Martin scowled at him, but said nothing, returning to his work. Gregorovtich walked over to the great machine, laying a hand on it solemnly.
It had taken years to get to this point. And so much trouble to get here, as well. Using promises and blackmail to get a planet all to his own. Collecting together the scientists willing to work with him on this daft experiment, most of whom had been drummed out of Starfleet, including Martin. Smuggling in the necessary equipment using that Ferengi, bit by bloody bit.
And if it worked, if they could reach a parallel universe and travel freely in between our world and their world, Starfleet would have no choice but to congratulate them, instead of court martialing them for all the illegal maneuvering they had used to get to this point.
Martin watched Gregorovitch cooly for a second, then broke into the latter's musings. "We're ready, Gregorovitch."
Gregorovitch shook himself, then turned decisively to Martin. "Begin the energy syphon.", he said.
XXXXX
Riker had often heard it said by those of the lower decks of the Enterprise-D that Picard frightened them. Being called to his ready room was tantamount to being called to judgement before the old Christian God.
Riker, who had only known Picard as a somewhat father figure, always felt at ease, almost comforted, whenever he walked into the office. After all, Picard usually knew what to do in most high-stakes situations.
The captain looked up when Riker, Troi, and Data entered his office. "Ah, what news?"
Riker gave a little half smile. At least Picard was doing a little better than this morning when Riker had woken him up.
"Something definitely is going on down there, captain.", said Riker, not bothering to beat around the bush. "Except for Gregorovtich, most of the other technicians and scientists looked liked they wanted nothing more than to see our backs to them as we left."
"Counselor, did you feel anything like that down there.", said Picard, turning to Troi.
"It was an almost omnipresent feeling, captain. Gregorovitch was a little different; he was a study of contradictions. He wanted us to get out of the facility, but he also didn't want us to exactly leave this system either. He was very good at hiding this physically."
"Data also told me that Gregorovitch's technical explanations of his research made no sense.", said Riker.
"Well, Q seems to have been telling the truth somewhat.", said Picard, which is as best an admission to Q's honesty as Picard would make. "The only problem is we're here; we've become part of events that Q specifically warned us against doing."
"Captain, recommend we pull out of this system as quickly as possible.", said Data, patiently. "We can report our findings and suspicions to Starfleet as expediently as possible, and they can take any course necessary to investigate Gregorovitch station."
"Agreed.", said Picard. However, before he could give out his orders, Geordi's voice came through the combadge.
"Captain?",. Said LaForge.
"Yes, what is it?"
"You'd better come out here."
As Picard, Riker, Troi, and Data left the ready room, they became slowly aware that the Enterprise-E was starting to tremble.
"What's going on?", Picard said, serious almost immediately.
Geordi looked up from his station, his now visor less, cybernetic eyes widened with terror. "Someone down at that station is syphoning off all our power."
"Raise shields, go to red alert.", said Picard. "Open up a channel to the planet."
"Shields have no effect.", Daniels. "They are now being drained to seventy percent."
"Well, shut them off!", yelled Riker, as the Enterprise began to shake more violently then ever, a low grinding sound occurring.
"I can't, something's keeping them open. Down to fifty percent."
"Gregorovitch Station, you are to cease syphoning off our power immediately.", yelled Picard over the din. No reply. Several console's sputtered and died in a shower of sparks, sending crewmen reeling backwards.
"Damn it, is anyone down there?", Picard yelled again through the channel.
Then, the universe exploded.
XXXXX
"Damage report…", said a weak voice in the cabin of the Enterprise-E. Picard realized that it was his own.
He had been lying on the ground near the captain's chair when he finally awoke. He had forced himself to his hands and knees, a not insubstantial pain in his forehead. He raised a hand unsteadily to it, and came back with fresh blood on it.
He supposed he must've said damage report at this point, but he was so dazed it had seemed like someone else had said it.
As Picard managed to shakily get to his feet, he said more clearly, "Would someone get me a bloody damage report?"
He studied the room. Nearly every crew member was on the ground, either unconscious or too dazed to properly register anything. The technical side of the bridge was a mess. Consoles were blank, fizzing out, or flat out destroyed. The viewer only showed static.
"Overall power down to sixty percent.", said Geordi. Picard spun around to see him trying to read a computer console that was on the fritz. "Shields down to forty-eight percent. Warp drive, phasers, photon torpedos… inoperable."
"Will?", said a weak voice. Picard turned to see Troi cradling Riker, who was just coming around.
Picard rushed to them. "Would someone get me a tricorder?", said Picard.
A figure rose up from the floor at a perfect angle, almost as if he was a machine. Which, Picard reminded himself as the figure was revealed to be Data, he was.
Data grabbed a tricorder from his uniform, and knelt before Riker. "My… my back.", said the latter, weakly.
"We need to get him to medical bay and Dr. Crusher.", said Picard.
"The explosion sent us hurtling through space.", said Hawk, who had gotten back to the helm. "According to this, we're millions of miles from the star system we were in."
"Can we get the viewscreen on?", said Picard.
"Already on it, Captain.", said Geordi, punching in commands to his still sputtering console.
Picard watched the viewscreen impatiently. Finally, the static disappeared, and light poured into the bridge.
Every conscious crew member on the bridge shielded their eyes, many who had head injuries cried out in pain.
Geordi was the first to lower his hand from his eyes, his cybernetic enhanced implants presumably studying what was out there.
"Wow.", was all he said.
Picard lowered his arm from his eyes. Once his eyes got used to it, he stood frozen.
Cracks, cracks like the ones you'd see in a damaged plane of window glass, spread out from some point in the distance. The cracks formed what looked like a spiderweb, issuing blue-white light.
For a time, everyone stared at the impossible cracks. Then, something chirped on Data's console. The android left Riker and rushed to the helm.
"The cracks seem to be openings to other places in space, perhaps even in time.", said Data, as he studied the information his console was giving him. "Something's coming through one of them."
"Something big.", said Geordi, looking at his own console.
"Enhance.", said Picard, and the image moved closer to a particular crack. After shielding and letting their eyes get used to the now enhanced light from this crack, everyone watched as a massive ship exited the crack.
It was a little bigger than the Enterprise and was wedge shaped, with a large tower at the back of it…
To Be Continued...