Path: moe.ksu.ksu.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uwm.edu!psuvax1!psuvm!kja102 Organization: Penn State University Date: Tue, 7 Jul 1992 11:21:18 EDT From: Message-ID: <92189.112119KJA102@psuvm.psu.edu> Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative Subject: Repost: The Witness, Parts 1-5 Lines: 1826 I have received a number of requests to repost my story, The Witness. I am posting the entire thing in two sections, Parts 1-5 and Parts 6-10. Hopefully this will give everyone a chance to read it. I will still try to honor e-mail requests for the story. Enjoy! ---Kit Comments, criticisms, kudos and flames to kja102@psuvm.psu.edu ----------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- The Witness ---- ----- Parts 1-5 ----- By Kathryn J. Aikin copyright 1992 ================ Captain's Log, Stardate 46147.2. "We are en-route to meet the U.S.S Newton, where we will pick up Admiral Godon and transport him to Starbase 133. While at Starbase the computer logs from our last mapping mission will be transferred for analysis." Jean-Luc Picard punched the log button on his console as he finished the entry. "I feel like I'm running a taxi service," he muttered to himself as he walked over to the replicator. "Tea. Earl Grey, hot." he spoke to the computer. The door to his ready room chimed as he picked up the beverage. "Come!" The doors to his ready room slid back to reveal the tall form of Picard's second-in-command, Will Riker. "I have the shore leave schedule, as you requested." Riker said, stepping into the room. "Fine, thank you." said Picard, taking the board from Riker's outstretched hand. "I assume you've included yourself in this list?" "Yes sir, as per your 'advice'," Riker answered. The Captain hadn't advised him, he'd practically ordered Riker to take some time off. "Good. About time, too." said Picard, setting the computer board down on his desk. "So tell me, Number One," he said, sitting on the couch, "what are you planning to do with your vacation?" "Well, I've heard that there's a great bar on the starbase. Deanna owes me a cheap dinner." he said. "She lost a bet." he added, flashing the Riker smile. "Indeed. What was the nature of this wager?" asked Picard. "It was, um, rather personal." "I see. And what was your bet, had you lost?" Jean-Luc enjoyed putting his self-confident officer on the spot from time to time. Me and my big mouth, Will thought. "I would have had to sing." "Sing?" "Yes Sir. A public serenade, in 10-Forward, with the song of her choice." Picard chuckled and sipped his tea. Troi was exceedingly creative when it came to wagers. "I gather that you are relieved that you did not lose?" "Yes Sir. Very relieved." "Thank you, Commander, that will be all." Riker nodded and left the room. Picard smiled again and picked up a book from his side table. Perhaps I should play more poker, he thought, opening the book. ---------- Deanna Troi was listening to a subspace communication from her mother, Luaxanna Troi. "And you know," continued the older Betazoid, "that you aren't getting any younger. You need to get out more. Have a little fun!" "Yes, Mother." answered Deanna patiently. She was used to her mother attempting to run her love life. Not that she'd had one recently. "What about that lovely Will Riker? Are you two ever going to get back together?" "We're just friends, Mother." "Hmm. If you say so. He still has feelings for you, you know." said Luaxanna, coyly. "Mother, please." Deanna loved her mother, but at times, she just wanted to strangle the woman. You can be so single-minded at times, she thought. So can you, replied Luaxanna mentally. I think you get it from your father. No, I take that back, you get your hopeless love of rules from him. Be more spontaneous! Deanna sighed. It was impossible to argue with the woman. "Was there anything else you wanted, Mother?" "No, Little One, I'll let you go. I love you, Dearest!" "I love you too. Goodbye!" Deanna closed the connection and leaned back in her chair, relieved that the conversation was over. Talking with her mother took a lot out of her, she realized. The bell on her door sounded. "Come in," she called, grateful for the distraction. Will Riker stepped inside. "So, have you decided where you're going to take me out to dinner yet?" Troi sat up. "You're not gloating, are you?" "Who, me? Of course not." said Riker, grinning broadly. "Well, maybe just a little." Deanna stood up and placed her hands on her hips. "I let you win, you know." "You did not. I won fair and square." replied Riker, standing over her. "I knew you were bluffing. I chose to fold." she answered, unintimidated by the taller officer. "Really, Counsellor, you're becoming a sore loser," he teased. "I'm a sore loser? Me? Who was it that threatened to put Worf on nursery duty just because he had three eights?" she retorted. She knew Riker had been kidding the Klingon, but Worf had looked positively horrified at the prospect. Riker opened his mouth to reply when the red alert siren screamed into action. Both officers snapped back into their starfleet training as they headed for the bridge. ============ "Report, Mr. Data," said Picard as the android relinquished the command chair. "An unidentified vessel is approaching at warp nine, bearing 113 mark 47. Automatic deflector shields have been activated." replied the android Commander. "Configuration?" "Ferengi." growled Lt. Worf. "It is the Bashk-Na." The Ferengi made his warrior skin crawl. They reminded him of the trolls from his childhood stories. "Lieutenant, hail the Ferengi vessel." said Picard, yanking down his shirt unconsciously. He had just reached a particularly interesting point in his book and was in no mood to deal with Ferengi. Worf's communications panel buzzed. "They are ignoring our hail, Captain." Good, he thought. "Captain, the Ferengi vessel has passed us. They are continuing to accelerate." said Data from his position at the conn. Riker and Troi entered the bridge from the turbolift. Picard frowned. "Have they changed course?" "Negative. At this rate they will enter the Romulan Neutral Zone in seven minutes." "They're either running away or in a hurry to get somewhere." speculated Riker. Undoubtedly running away, thought Worf. "Counsellor, can you sense anything from the ship?" asked Picard. Troi looked uncomfortable. "I'm sorry Captain, I can't read Ferengi. It's impossible for me to tell what they're thinking. They may be afraid to respond, or they may just be ignoring us." "Mr. Data, can we intercept the Ferengi vessel before it reaches the Neutral Zone?" Data pressed a few buttons on his station. "No sir. The Bashk- Na has too great a lead." Damn, thought Jean-Luc, I have no authority to stop them, but this bears investigation. "Data, plot a course back along the Bashk-Na's path. Let's see where they came from." "Reciprocal course plotted, Sir. There are nine planetary systems along the Ferengi's path." "Any of strategic interest?" asked Riker. Data studied the panel. "Negative. Only two systems are inhabited." "Captain, we are receiving a priority one distress call from Zeta IV." said Worf. Data turned. "Zeta IV is along the path that the Ferengi came from." Aha, thought Picard. "On screen, Mr. Worf." "It is audio only," answered Worf, touching the communciations panel in front of him. "...extensive fire damage. We have many casualties...medical assistance...equatorial mine. This is a priority one distress..." The transmission faded into static. "I'm sorry sir, the transmission is of very poor quality." Riker shifted in his seat. "Zeta IV? I'm not familiar with that planet." Data turned to face the Commander. "Zeta IV is a small planetoid in the Doga Minor system. It is home to a small mining colony engaged primarily in the production of Dyilite." "Dyilite?" said Riker. "That's dangerous stuff. I though Dyilite was only begin mined by automated stations." "Zeta IV has not yet been upgraded. It is scheduled to be fully automated in the next five years." said Data. "It appears that the upgrades did not arrive in time," said Picard. He stood and walked over to the conn. "Mr. Data, how far to Zeta IV from our present position?" Data quickly punched in the coordinates. "One hour, twenty- six minutes. However, a detour will delay our rendevous with the Newton." "Understood, Mr. Data." answered Picard. "Set course for Zeta IV, warp eight. Engage." "Course plotted and laid in sir," repeated Data, "warp eight." Picard touched his communicator. "Picard to Dr. Crusher." "Go ahead Captain," came the doctor's voice from the intercom. "Doctor, we are responding to a distress call from a Dyilite mine. I expect we will have casualties to deal with." "Captain, Dyilite is extrememly volitile. I'll have to set up a quarantine field in shuttle bay 4. The survivors will be contaminated, but they'll have to be evacuated from the surface." "Make it so," said Picard as the doors to his ready room slid open. "I'll alert you when we reach Zeta IV. Mr. Worf, signal the Newton that we will be slightly late for our rendevous. Number One, you have the bridge." "Aye, Captain." answered Riker. --------------- "Sir," came Worf's voice over the intercom, "we are in orbit above Zeta IV." "I'm on my way,"replied Picard, touching his communicator. The doors to his ready room slid open as he walked onto the bridge. "Have you been able to hail the colony? "No Sir. I am receiving only an automated distress signal." Picard sat in his bridge chair, automatically straightening his tunic. "Try to hail them again." Worf moved his hands over his station. A blinking light in the lower left of the console caught his eye. "Captain we are receiving a message. However..." his voice trailed off. Picard turned in his seat to look at the Klingon. "Yes?" Worf scowled at the panel. "The message is being transmitted at 2 giga hertz. Radio waves." Picard raised his eyebrows in surprise. "Radio?" "Yes Sir." "On audio, Mr. Worf." "This is Zeta IV," came a woman's voice through static, "please respond." "This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the Federation starship Enterprise. We picked up your distress signal. We are prepared..." At that moment, Deanna Troi clasped both her hands to either side of her head. "Oh, no," she moaned, rocking slightly forward in her chair. "Counselor? Are you alright?" asked Picard. "It's horrible," answered Troi. "I'm getting images from someone on the planet. It's sorrow mostly, and..." she breathed in sharply, "...and pain. It's a Horta, Captain." "Enterprise, come in." "Yes, Zeta IV, we're still reading you. We can have you beamed on board for medical treatment immediately. Tell me," he asked, "does your colony include Hortas?" Jean-Luc had never met a member of the legendary species. The thought of meeting a centures-old Horta sent a shiver of excitement through him. "Yes, they assist in the drilling." came the reply. "Two were lost in the explosion. Captain, we've been seriously contaminated with Dyilite crystals. We can't ask you to expose your crew to this." "Our ship is equipped with an adequate quarantine field. I assure you, we are in no danger." "Very well Captain," came the hesitant reply, "we await your signal." Riker tapped his communicator. "Bridge to transporter room three." "O'Brien here." "Is the quarantine field in shuttlebay four ready yet?" said Riker. There was a slight pause. "Yes, Dr. Crusher has just confirmed." "Beam the miners directly to the shuttle bay." "Understood." answered the transporter chief. Picard turned to Riker. "I want you to oversee the operation, Number One. Counselor, I'd like you to go as well." Riker nodded and rose from his chair. "And I'd like to speak to the colony's administrator as soon as possible. I want to know what happened down there." ----------------- Beverly Crusher moved among the injured in shuttle bay 4, checking on the work of her technicians. She came across a woman seated on a medi-bed, looking slightly uncomfortable. "How are you feeling?" the doctor asked, running the medical tricorder over the woman's body. "Not too bad. I guess I missed most of the excitement." the woman answered, turning slightly away from the instrument. "You don't have any major injuries, just some superficial chemical burns." The tricorder flashed. Beverly stared at the reading. "Are you originally from Zeta IV?" she asked. "No one's from Zeta IV. I was born on Earth." "Really? What are you doing out here?" The doctor pressed a few buttons on the instrument and continued to scan the woman. "Oh, the challenge." She regarded the doctor intently. "Will I live?" "Of course, you'll be fine. It's just that..." Crusher was interrupted by a call from one of her staff at the end of the shuttle bay. "You'll be fine." she smiled at the woman, walking away from the table. The woman watched her go, rubbing her burned arm as another technician approached the table. Riker and Troi entered the shuttle bay. Deanna had been mentally readying herself for the Hortas as they had walked down the hall, but she found herself overwhelmed when the doors to the shuttle bay slid open. She swayed and grabbed the door frame as she attempted to organize the telepathic load she was receiving. Riker put an arm around her shoulders to support her. "No, please, I'll be fine," she said, straightening up. "It was just a little overwhelming at first. The Hortas are in emotional shock, which they are transmitting telepathically." "Can you speak with them?" asked the Commander. "No. I can only read their emotional state. I can feel the emotions behind their thoughts, but I cannot read the thoughts themselves." "Is there any way we can speak with them?" "All operations involving Horta Pods automatically include a telepathic translator, who acts as a 'go-between' for the Hortas and the people who work with them. I'm sure that one was assigned to this colony." answered Troi. "I'm afraid he won't be of any help," said Dr. Crusher as she approached the pair. "He was down in the mine when the explosion occurred. He and two Hortas were killed instantly. Only three Hortas made it back to the dome ahead of the fire, and I think I'm going to lose one of those. I feel like I'm working in the dark. I can't even ask it where it hurts." Her voice carried her frustration. She looked back across the shuttle bay at the severely damaged Horta laying on the floor. Two other smaller Hortas sat nearby, pulsing intermittently. A large Horta moved around the severly damaged being, nudging it now and then with its bulk. The injured Horta shook violently as technicians applied a paste to its wounds. Riker crossed his arms. "Those Hortas are our only link to the cause of this explosion. You've got to keep them alive until we can find some way to talk to them." The doctor looked at him exasperated. "I'll do my best, Commander, but I'm trying to repair what is basically solid rock." "Of course, I'm sorry. I'll let you get back to your work. Do you know where I can find the colony administrator?" "Under that sheet over there," said Crusher grimly. "The last one out. She refused to beam up until the Hortas and all other personnel were safe. The Dyilite crystallization was fatal." Riker walked over to the draped shape and lifted the cover. Starfleet had trained him to accept and understand death, but this made even him cringe. In contact with Dyilite, the woman's carbon-based structure had been re-formed and transformed into silicon, crystallizing her entire body. The clothes had burned away, leaving a transparent, human-shaped shell. He could see her internal organs through the crystal flesh. "What a way to die," he said, as he dropped the cover back over the woman's body. "Claudia knew what she was doing. She saved many lives in giving her own." Riker looked up. The voice came from a woman sitting on the bed next to the covered administrator. "And you are?" "Mackie, Ayla S. Assistant engineer, archeology team leader." The woman straightened painfully, brushing a strand of auburn hair away from her eyes. "Relax, please. Are you second in command?" The woman smiled. "There is no real chain of command on a mining colony of twenty-four people and six Hortas. Claudia was the chief administrator and part-time communications expert, I was the assistant engineer and archeologist. On a small station, we're all expected to command ourselves." She rubbed her reddened arm. "You have to be able to rely on everyone for your survival." The Commander moved around the bed to stand next to the engineer. "Your arm looks painful." he said. "Is this the informed opinion of a trained medical professional?" Ayla replied wryly, looking up at him. "Commander William T. Riker, at your service." he said, standing at attention. "And Counselor Deanna Troi," came Deanna's slightly amused voice from behind him. "Can you tell us what happened on the planet?" Ayla sighed. "The Hortas are in the best position to say what happened down there. The explosion occurred in one of their tunnels. With the loss of Brynn, though, I don't know how to get through to them." "Brynn?" asked Troi. "Brynn Kale, our Betazoid telepath. Because the Hortas communicate telepathically, he was responsible for translating between the colony and the Horta pod." Ayla looked over at the technicians hovering around the dying Horta. "They can hear and understand your thoughts, Counselor, but we can't hear their response. They want to tell us what happened. We simply need to find a way to hear them." She looked back at Troi. "Counsellor, aren't you Betazoid?" "Unfortunately, I'm only half Betazoid. I'm more of an empath than a telepath. I wish I could communicate with the Hortas. Perhaps then we could help them." The hum of a transporter beam signalled the transfer of the injured Horta to sickbay. ------ After the most seriously injured miners had been transferred to sickbay, Dr. Crusher went back to her lab to begin her report of the incident. As she was going over the medical tricorder logs of her staff, she paused for a moment. Pressing her communciator, she spoke "Crusher to Data." "Data here," answered the android, after a moment. "Data, I have some questions about the modifications you've been doing on the medical equipment. I've been getting some odd readings from the latest scans. Can you come down to my lab when you have a moment?" "Yes, Doctor, I will be there momentarily. Data out." Data ducked a flying chair. "Computer! Freeze program!." The manufactured image of a drunken cowboy froze in his midair flight across the saloon. "Discontinue. Save program, Data seventeen. Exit!" The computer tweedled in reply, replacing the bar scene with the black and orange grid of the holodeck. ---- "Data, I've been getting some odd readings on my tricorder and I was wondering if they might be caused by your adjustments." said Beverly, rising from her chair. She looked at the android and stifled a laugh. Data had not changed since coming from the holodeck. Data looked at the preliminary report. "The modifications I performed were designed to increase the range of the device, not the scanning capabilities. I intended the upgrades to enable the tricorder to scan without being in close proximity to the patient, much like the external scanners of the ship." Data pressed a few buttons on the display station. "According to the readings, the tricorder is functioning within acceptible limits." Beverly sighed. She was tiring of that phrase. Data glanced up at her, recognizing her reaction to his answer as one of discomfort. He rephrased. "What I mean to say is, the tricorder appears to be working as it was designed to. I do not think that my modifications have been the cause of the reading you received. "Okay, thanks Data." Data nodded and got up to leave. "Oh, and Data?" called out Dr. Crusher as he walked toward the door. "You might want to get a five-gallon hat instead of a ten- gallon. That one's a little big." Data narrowed his eyes and cocked a finger at her. "Thanks, little lady," he said, in a John Wayne drawl. Beverly giggled as the doors slid shut behind him. ------ [A staff meeting] "Most of the miners from Zeta IV suffered severe Dyilite exposure, radiation poisoning, and chemical burns. Since the Hortas were doing the actual tunneling, they got the worst of it. I don't have the facilities to properly treat the Hortas, so I recommend that we put into a starbase as soon as possible." Picard nodded as the Doctor finished her report. "Number One, have you been able to ascertain the cause of the explosion on the planet?" "No sir, the administrator and the colony's telepath died of Dyilite exposure. It appears that only the Hortas can give us a clear view of the incident." "Captain, I suggest beaming down an away team to survey the site." said Worf. "I wouldn't recommend it Captain." said LaForge, "The entire infrastructure of the planet's crust has been compromised. The planet is in danger of collapse." Data took up the flow. "The Dyilite crystals are re-forming as they combust. The new crystal lattice is not the problem; the bonds are weakest where the Dyilite has transformed the existing mineral into silicon. If we can stop the Dyilite combustion, the remaining structure should hold." "How long before the crust collapses, Mr. Data?" "At the present rate of expansion, I would estimate three hours, thirteen minutes." Picard sat back in his chair and exhaled. "How do you propose we stop it?" "Dyilite is a crystalline element, similar to dilithium, except in the fact that is it highly reactive with carbon dioxide. However, Dyilite burns at a relatively low temperature, 150 degrees Celsius. If heated above 300 degrees Kelvin, the Dyilite will fuse to become a flexible, plastic-like substance, which, unlike its crystalline form, is stable." "We think and extended phaser blast into the Dyilite lattice in front of the fire will fuse the lattice, creating a sort of fire wall. This should stop the combustion." finished Geordi. "Risks?" "We still do not know what caused the Dyilite to ignite in the first place. There is always the chance that our attempts to stop the fire will cause another chain reaction." Picard rubbed his upper lip with his right index finger. "Mr. Data, I want a complete analysis of the original explosion and a working hypothesis as to its cause before that planet collapses. I have no wish to inadvertently make the same mistake twice. Number One, I want you and Counselor Troi to speak with the survivors again. Perhaps they have some clue as to how this disaster got started. And find out if the Bashk-Na visited Zeta IV recently. This may have been what the Ferengi were running from. Dismissed." ------ "How are the Hortas?" asked Crusher as she entered the sickbay. "The most severly damaged Horta is stablized. The treatment is of a temporary nature. The creature will not survive without specialized care." answered Dr. Selar. The Vulcan doctor's matter-of-fact tone made every diagnosis sound like a proclimation. She was, however, unconcerned with her perceived beside manner. "And the other three?" "Undamaged. They are no longer in need of medical assistance." "Good. Dr. Selar, may I speak with you?" "Of course." answered Selar. Crusher walked into the rear of the sickbay. "I have been going over some of the scans we took as the miners were brought in. Most are normal, or as normal as can be expected with this kind of a situation." she paused, considering. The other doctor waited impassively for her to continue. "I recorded some interesting readings from one of the miners. I thought at first it might be a tricorder malfuntion, but Commander Data assured me it was not." "The most recent level 1 diagnostic scan of the tricorders did not show any malfunction," said Selar. "Please continue." The doctor folded her arms. "The point is, I don't think it was a malfunction. It could be nothing, but it was odd, nonetheless. I picked up traces of fluoride in one of the miners." Dr. Selar raised one Vulcan eyebrow. "Fluoride has not been in use for quite some time. What is the patient's origin?" "She says she's from Earth, but I haven't received a response from the Starbase carrying the records of the colony, so I can't be sure." "If fluoride was indeed recorded, it is unlikely that the patient is of Earth origin. It has not been used there since the early twenty-second century, 2113, to be exact. Fluoride is still used in some more remote colonies. The colonies on Tau Ceti Nine and Pendrog's World still use it as a tooth decay prevention. It is logical to assume that the patient is not from Earth, but an isolated Earth colony." Dr. Selar said evenly. "It is possible that the Dyilite could have interfered with the patient's molecular structure." Dr. Crusher walked over the the lab's table terminal. "Not likely. They were all decontaminated. You'd have to be in close proximity to Dyilite for an extended length of time to get change on the molecular level, and the person would have been long dead by that time. This one showed only first and second degree burns, indicating that she'd been exposed for only a few minutes." She paused, tapping her long fingers on the table. "It just doesn't make sense!" "Then either the tricorder report or the story is at fault." replied the Vulcan. "Exactly. But which one?" asked Beverly, staring at the monitor. --------- [end part 2] ======== The door chime on Ayla Mackie's guest quarters sounded. "Who is it?" she called. "Commander Riker." Ayla turned off the technical display she had been studying. "Come in." Riker stepped just inside the threshold. "I was wondering if you'd like to join me for a drink in 10-Forward. That is, if you're feeling up to it." Mackie stood up and smiled. "I am fully recovered, thank you, and I would be pleased to accompany you." Will noted with pleasure that the miner did indeed look fully recovered. She had changed into a loose fitting olive-colored tunic and pants that suited her slim frame. Her arms bore no trace of the burns she had received on the planet. Riker moved aside and let the engineer precede him out. As she passed him, he realized that she was quite tall, almost 2 meters. Riker smiled to himself. "I wonder if she knows how to wrestle," he thought. ----------------- [10-Forward. Ayla and Will are sitting at a table near one of the tall windows of the bar. A starfield and the edge of Zeta IV can be seen.] "Tell me about what happened down there." asked Riker. Mackie took a deep breath. "For all intents and purposes, it was a normal day. I was looking over some core samples with Brynn. The Hortas had been digging in a new area with a particularly strong Dyilite seam. They had also brought back some interesting pieces." "Pieces? Of what?" "Possible archeological pieces. Shards of styrite, aluminum, glass. Could have been left there by a passing asteroid or a crashed ship, but I didn't think so. Neither did Brynn." The woman smiled wistfully. "He was so enthusiastic. He was sure that these were indications that something had lived on the planet. So when the Horta point pod called him, he went immediately." "Did he say what the Hortas had said to him?" "No, only that they'd 'found something'. Brynn wanted to be the first to see it. It's against procedure to go alone into the mine, but he was into his enviro-suit and out the door before I could stop him. Damn fool," she growled, "he knew I was angry. Betazoids can be extremely stubborn." Will grinned. "Yes, I know." Ayla grinned back. "Yes, I think you do," she said. "Anyway, I got on communications and tried to make contact with him. He was too far into the mine for the signal to get through. Then came the explosion." She paused, placing her hand over her eyes. "The whole planet shook. I saw the Pod Mother go racing into the shaft through the air-lock. And then the fire, spreading through the rock around the dome. It was like...like...San Francisco, or Tel Aviv. People screaming orders, the radiation from the fire seeping into the dome. World War Three." she whispered. "I'm sorry to make you talk about this," said Riker, squeezing her arm reassuringly, "but we have to know what happened." The miner sat silent for a minute. "I really wish I knew. The only thing I can think of is that maybe Brynn had a leak in his enviro-suit. Why he wouldn't have set off the sensors in the air lock, though, I don't know." She fell back into thoughtful silence. Riker decided to change the subject. "You seem to know quite a bit about Earth history." "I hold advanced degrees in history and archeology." she answered, glad for the reprieve. "If that's true, then why are you in a mining colony? Why aren't you doing research or teaching on Earth?" Ayla smiled the smile of one who's been asked the same question hundreds of times before. "Because, Commander, there is always the chance that you'll come across archeological finds in a mining operation. On a colony I'm a big fish in a little pond. On Earth I'd just be another historian. Besides," she added, "life is much more exciting on the edge of disaster. Isn't that why you're in Starfleet?" "Partly. There are other reasons too." Riker said, leaning his arms on the table and cradling his drink. "But I'd rather talk about you. I'm still curious as to how..." "Hello Will, hello Ayla." came the voice of Deanna Troi. "May I join you?" "Of course, please do." answered Ayla, motioning to the adjoining chair. Deanna set her drink on the table and sat down. "Don't let me interrupt." "Commander Riker was just telling me why he chose Starfleet," said Ayla, sipping on her syntha-Ale. "It was a fascinating tale." "Oh please, do continue, Will," said Deanna. "Uh, well actually, I was interested in how Ayla came to be stationed in a mining colony." said Riker, looking slightly confused. "Which is a short and boring story," said Ayla quickly. Deanna frowned slightly at the abruptness of the woman's response. There was something not quite right in the attitude that was emanating from her. She opened her empathic senses to the woman to locate the source of the inconsistency... HATEHATEHATEFEARHATEFEARCANSHESEEMUSTNOTKNOWHATEFEARSORROW Deanna winced with the immediacy of the response and shuddered slightly as she pulled her mind back. Ayla pretended not to notice the Counsellor's reaction and sipped on her drink. "How did you manage to get an assignment such as the _Enterprise_?" she asked Riker. "Hard work, good grades, and a few well-placed bribes." he joked." The two women smiled in amusement. "That's a lovely brooch you're wearing Ayla. May I see it?" asked Deanna. "Of course." Ayla removed the pin and handed it to her. Troi turned the piece over in her hand. The design was reminiscent of a coiled serpent. "I've never seen anything quite like this. It reminds me of ancient Bjorran workmanship. Where is it from?" "It's Celtic. I have a fondness for old Earth antiques." "I guess being an archeologist has its advantages. You must have access to all sorts of interesting objects." said Troi, handing the brooch back. "If I'm lucky. Archeology is an intermittently rewarding career." "Kind of like prospecting." said Riker. "Exactly. Ninety-nine percent mud, one percent gold." Riker suddenly realized he was gazing into the miner's green eyes. Troi realized it too, and yawned. "Well, I must be tireder than I thought. I'll leave you two to your storytelling. Goodnight." "Goodnight, Counselor." said Ayla. Will rose from his seat and watched her leave 10-Forward. "Can I get you another drink, Ms. Mackie?" "Please, not so formal. Call me Ayla. And yes, I would like another." He picked up their glasses and walked to the bar. "Another round please, Guinan." he said to the hostess. Guinan began to refill the glasses. "Who's your friend, Commander?" "One of the miners from Zeta IV. A fascinating woman." "Really. From Zeta IV you say. Funny, she looks like someone I once knew." She finished pouring the drinks. "But that was a long time ago. Probably just a coincidence." "Probably," answered Riker absentmindedly, taking the drinks off the bar and carrying them back to the table. Yes. Probably. repeated Guinan to herself. ------------ [Sickbay] Deanna Troi was sitting next to the injured Horta in sickbay, trying to get some sense of what the creature was thinking. I'm here, she projected. No response. Beverly Crusher stood a little away from the pair, watching the scene. "Anything, Deanna?" Troi shook her head. "No. I can't be sure if the Horta can even hear me. It's as if I'm reaching into space." The doors to the sickbay slid open to reveal Captain Picard. He stepped in and walked over to the Doctor. "How is your patient, Doctor?" he asked. "Not good, I'm afraid. It's vital signs are stabilized, for now." "Have you been able to make contact with it?" "Counselor Troi has been attempting to reach the Horta without success." She paused briefly and continued in a lower voice. "What I'm afraid of, Captain, is that the Horta has been damaged psychologically. There may not be anything in there to reach." A hint of sadness passed over Picard's face. "What about the other three?" "Troi has had more success there. Apparently, even though they can't talk directly, they've been able to communicate that they don't know the cause of the explosion." "She can speak with them directly?" asked Picard, surprised. "No, I think it's more of an exchange of feelings. Deanna asks the question, and the Hortas respond in a positive or negative manner. Sort of like twenty questions." "Captain, may I make a suggestion?" said Doctor Selar. Picard jumped slightly. He had not noticed the Vulcan standing in the shadows, and Vulcans could be extremely quiet when they so chose. He nodded to Selar. "I propose a mind-meld." "Are you sure, Selar? The Horta has been badly injured. We don't know how it will react to a mind-meld." said Crusher. "This Horta has information about the explosion that we require. We have been unable to contact it by other means. Therefore, a mind-meld is the logical alternative. Besides," added the doctor, "we will then know 'where it hurts'." Beverly smiled at the Vulcan's use of the term. She was right, of course. Even if the Horta had not known the cause of the disaster, simply knowing what medical assistance it needed was important enough. "Captain?" asked Selar. "Permission granted." responded Picard. The Vulcan moved to the table where the Horta lay. Deanna relinquished her seat and stood next to the Doctor. Selar stood silent for a moment, her hands pressed together in meditation. Then, slowly, she reached out to the Horta, pressing her fingers into the hard flesh of the creature. "Your mind to my mind," she whispered, "your thoughts to my thoughts..." Her voice trailed off. --* ---* darkness.... ---* Selar's consciousness moved through the Horta's mind. She marveled at the organization of the creature's neural pathways, much like the tunnels they dug. But these tunnels were empty, abandoned. She moved deeper into the Horta's mind, looking for some indication of the intelligence that had once been there. Then, a blink in the dark. An echo. She moved toward the source. A pinpoint of light. A door. Selar opened the door.... didyouseethatlookovertherewaitgettheBrynn............. A brief thought. The side of a tunnel. She could see a seam of Dyilite glistening in the darkness. thedoorthedoorthedoorgettheBrynn....... Selar probed deeper into the Horta. These were impressions and thoughts from the mine, before the explosion? She was not sure. She turned a corner in the Horta's mind.... -------------************************--------------- White hot pain seared through Selar. RUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUNRUN!!!!!!!!!!!!!! The Horta was screaming at her, at herself (it is a she! Selar realized), at her companions.....................Pain enveloped Selar, pain from the burning of the Dyilite around her. Her mind, shocked, slid out of the Horta into unconsciouness. Deanna caught the Vulcan as she slumped to the floor. "Beverly!" she said, frightened. Crusher was already on the floor next to the other doctor, running a diagnostic tool over the Vulcan. "She's gone into shock. Help me get her on the table." Picard backed up as Dr. Crusher took control of the situation. She pressed a hypospray into the Vulcan's neck, anxiously surveying the medical readouts above her patient's head. "Damnit, Selar, don't you go out on me." she muttered, grabbing another hypo from the lieutenant who had come to assist. Crusher administered the second hypo and focused on the medical readouts again. There was silence in the sickbay. "Well, Doctor?" said Picard. "She is, for all intents and purposes, in a coma." said Crusher, her eyes never leaving the screen. "However, I don't know if that's good or bad. Vulcans occasionally go into a meditative state resembling a coma after a mental strain. I can't tell if she's in a meditative coma or a real coma. I can tell you one thing," she continued, "if it's meditation, she'll come out of it in about two hours." "And if it's not?" said Picard, voicing the other half of the statement. "We'll just have to wait and see." [tweedle] "Data to Captain Picard." He touched his communicator. "Picard here." "Captain, Commander LaForge and I believe we may have some indication as to the cause of the mine fire on Zeta IV." came Data's voice over the intercom. "Excellent. Picard to Commander Riker." "This is Riker, go ahead." The Commander sounded slightly annoyed. "Commander, will you join me in my ready room? Mr. Data believes he may have found a possible explanation for the Dyilite explosion." "I'm on my way." came the reply. Picard turned back to Crusher. "Doctor, please keep me informed as to the condition of your patients. Both of them. Counselor, I would appreciate it if you could stay here. You may be the first to know if either one of them approaches consciousness." He walked over to the chief medical officer. "She knew what she was doing, Beverly." he said, trying to comfort the Doctor. Beverly smiled grimly in reply. Yes, but I still feel responsible, she said to herself, as she watched Picard leave the sickbay. -------------- Riker walked over to his dresser and opened the first drawer. "I thought you might be interested in this, being a student of history." He lifted a small wooden box out of the drawer. "This belonged to my mother. It's one of the only things I have from her side of the family." Will cradled the box in his hands, stroking the lid. Ayla moved next to him and gently took the box from his grasp. Running her fingers along the side, she carefully opened th lid. Inside was a round shape wrapped in blue cloth which she lifted out. As she unwrapped the cloth a smile appeared on her face. "Oh, how beautiful," she whispered, "a glass snowdome. I'm amazed it's survived in such fine shape." She flicked over the globe, sending the sparkling crystals inside swirling. "Not the multiple colors in the 'snow', and the woodland scene," she said, holding the globe up to the light, "that, and the hallmark on the base suggest that this was produced on Earth by the Boyd glass company in, I'd say, the early twentieth century." Ayla lowered the globe and look at Riker. "A handsome specimen." she said. Will looked down at her. "You certainly know your antiques," he said softly. She set the globe down on the dresser. "I know many things," she answered, pulling his lips toward her own. Riker returned the embrace. After a minute he pulled slightly away. "Ayla," he said, brushing his mouth against her ear, "would you like..." "Yes, Will, very much," she answered, kissing him again. [tweedle] "Picard to Commander Riker," came the captain's voice over the intercom. Damn, not now, Will thought to himself. "This is Riker, go ahead," he answered. "Commander, will you join me in my ready room? Mr. Data believes he may have found a possible explanation for the Dyilite explosion." He sighed. "I'm on my way." Smiling at Ayla, Riker said "I think he does that on purpose." She returned his smile. "Of course. It's the captain's job to keep the crew off its back on on their toes." Will chuckled and hugged her. "I'd love to continue this later. Where can I find you?" "I'll probably be in my quarters." "I'll stop by. Duty calls." He planted a brief kiss on her forehead and left the room. -------------- [Picard's Ready Room. Data, Geordi and Picard are seated. Riker enters.] "Ah, Number One. Sit down." said Picard. "Continue, Mr. Data." "The expansion of the Dyilite has increased. Apparently, there is more of the element on the planet than was previously thought. Our window until planetary crust collapse has narrowed to twenty- two minutes, eighteen seconds." "And the cause of the original explosion?" "That's the strange thing. Dyilite is completely stable in its crystalline form unless it comes into contact with carbon dioxide. For that reason, it's not found on class M planets. However, when we scanned the area around the colony, we found traces of Ultrecium and CO2." said Geordi. "Ultrecium? The Romulans use that in explosive devices." said Riker, sitting up. "Are you suggesting that the Dyilite could have been set off deliberately?" said Picard, his face serious. "All that's required is a small container designed to release CO2 at the appropriate moment. The evidence would be destroyed in the resulting explosion, along with whoever was unlucky enough to discover the device." answered Geordi. "The Hortas must have found something." said Riker. "They called for the telepath translator." "Who was killed in the blast. Destroy the evidence, then take out the only means of communicating with the Hortas." said Picard. "But why? If the Romulans wanted the Dyilite, why would they choose a method that might destroy the very thing they were looking for?" said LaForge. "Perhaps," said Picard, "there is something more to this planet than meets the eye." "Captain," came Worf's voice over the intercom, "large rifts have appeared on the planet's surface along the Dyilite seam strata. We are reading tremors of 8.6." "On my way," replied Picard. "First things first, gentlemen. Let's stabilize that planet." The four officers walked onto the bridge, taking their usual stations. "Mr. Worf, are phasers ready?" asked Picard. "Phasers ready and standing by," answered the Klingon. Though not in battle, Worf still got a certain pleasure from firing the weapons of the great ship. "Mr. LaForge?" "Weapons targetted on the fire front, Captain." replied the chief engineer. "It's going to be close." "Fire phasers." Worf pressed the control panel, relishing the hum of the weapons through the ship. "Phasers fired, Sir." The light beams sliced through the planet's surface, sending debris into the thin atmosphere. The area directly around the phaser drilling caved in, forming a large crater. "Captain, the crust is collapsing directly around the phasers." said LaForge tensely, watching the display at his station. "How long until lattice fusion?" said Picard. "Ten seconds." answered Data. "Captain," said Geordi, "we've got a crater approximately 300 meters across on the surface." "Steady, LaForge." "Dyilite lattice has fused. There is no combustion in front of the phaser wall." Data said, looking up from his station at the planet's image on the screen. "Cease fire!" Worf turned off the phasers. "Phasers have ceased firing. Tremors on the surface are beginning to reduce." "Excellent. Mr. LaForge, what is the condition of the planet?" The engineer looked at his station sadly. "Captain, the expansion of the fire has been stopped. However, the crater caused by the phasers collapsed the crust in the area around the colony." He turned to face Picard. "Whatever evidence was down there is buried under meters of rock." Riker looked at the Captain. "You did save the planet." "Yes, Number One. But now we may never know what caused it to be in danger in the first place." mused Picard. [end part 3] ------------- Ayla paced the floor of her quarters. This isn't possible, she fumed silently, he's no different from anyone else. She paused, catching her reflection in the mirror. It showed a healthy woman in her early thirties, but to Ayla, the image was not comforting. Cyveraeth, when will you call for me? she thought. The door chime brought her out of her reverie. "Come in," she said. The figure of Guinan stood silhouetted in the doorway. Ayla turned and slowly walked toward the hostess. Guinan stood motionless, her dark eyes never leaving the miner's face. "I am pleased to see you again, Guinan." "As am I," answered Guinan. "May I come in?" The miner nodded and motioned her inside. Guinan entered and moved to one of the room's windows. "I thought you died on Rigil." "Officially, I did." "Who are you these days?" "I am as you see me now, Ayla Mackie, Engineer and Archeologist." Ayla said, coming toward the hostess. Guinan turned back toward the window. "And does Commander Riker know this?" "He does not." There was silence between the two women as they gazed out onto the starfield. "These people are my friends. I care for them." said Guinan finally. "This is not Rigil." She paused, glancing at Ayla. "Is it?" Ayla continued to regard the stars. "No," she said softly, "it is not." Guinan placed her hand on Ayla's shoulder. A small smile crept onto her lips as she crossed the floor. Only the mechanical swish of the doors marked her exit. Ayla waited a few more minutes. Then she walked over to her bed. Reaching underneath, she pulled out a long, cylindrical bag. She laid the bag across her knees, considering whether or not she should open it. With a slight shake of her head, she stood up and walked to the display terminal in her room, throwing the bag over her right shoulder. "Computer," Ayla said, "display technical schematics for _Enterprise_, specifically, tactical, intruder defense, and emergency evacuation systems." The computer beeped in acknowledgement. She studied the output, shut off the display, and walked to the door. Looking both directions, she slipped down the corridor. ------------- Riker stood outside Ayla's quarters and pressed the door chime. No response. Riker rang the chime again, rocking slightly forward onto the balls of his feet. Puzzled, he stepped into the electromagnetic sensor that controlled the door. "Ayla?" he said, peering into the darkened room. Will walked in and hit the light control. "Ayla, are you in here?" he asked, taking a quick tour around the room. Must have gone to 10-Forward, he said to himself as he walked back out into the corridor. On the way to the lounge he passed Geordi LaForge standing in front of holodeck 3. The engineer was attempting to adjust a holster belt around his hips. "Costume party?" asked Riker, pausing. "Uh, no, not exactly," replied LaForge, adjusting his belt buckle one notch tighter. "Data's been studying the 'wild west' period of Earth's United States. He asked me to join him, so I thought I should dress appropriately. Though I can't imagine how they managed to colonize a country wearing this kind of a get-up." he muttered. "Would you care to join us?" he asked, opening the holodeck doors. "Well, actually, I was just on my way to..." Will looked into the holodeck, his voice trailing off. "Wow, Data, you really do go for detail! he thought. The holodeck had been transformed into a smoky saloon. Rough frontier types stood at the bar, throwing back drinks in unwashed glasses. The plank floor was covered with dirt, spit, and more than a few spent gun cartridges. Data sat at one of the three unbroken tables, shuffling a deck of cards. A balding piano player was struggling through what sounded like a cross between a Brahms waltz and 'The Girl in the Red Velvet Swing'. "On second thought," he said to LaForge, "perhaps I will stop in for a drink." They made their way over to Data's table. "Ah, Geordi, Commander Riker, how nice to see you." said the android, looking up from the cards. "Shaddup an' deal!" growled one of the other occupants of the table. Data had obviously set up a card game with a few of the unsavories in the bar. LaForge and Riker pulled up some chairs. Riker's chair creaked dangerously under him as he sat down. "Who's your decorator?" he asked Data. Data did not have emotions, but he had mastered the art of looking confused. "To my knowledge, the holodeck is self- sufficient in that regard. All decor is programmed by the computer to match the specifications of the user." Riker opened his mouth to reply, then thought better of it. "Never mind, Data." he answered, running a hand through his dark hair. "Are ya gonna deal or talk?" asked the same player. "Would you like to play?" he asked the two officers. "Count me in!" said LaForge. A stack of chips was generated for him by the computer. "Sure, why not." added Riker. He gave the other players a hardened poker face. Data shuffled the cards one last time and placed them in front of Geordi. The engineer cut the cards. "The game, gentlemen, is five card draw. One-eyed jacks are wild. Ante up!" He dealt the cards with amazing speed and accuracy as the players' chips clinked on the table. "You better not be cheatin', you hear?" said the other cowpoke at the table. "Arveid an' I don't take lightly to cheatin'." "I assure you, the cards are sufficiently randomized." replied Data, picking up his hand. Riker winced. Data had said that very thing when the _Enterprise_ had been caught in a time loop for seventeen days. "Sorry Sir." Data apologized. Riker waved him off and concentrated on his hand. "What'll you boys have?" said a female voice from behind his chair. "Gimme a whiskey," said the player who had been identified as Arveid. "Yeah, make it two." added LaForge. "What the hell, it's a saloon, right?" he said when Riker looked at him in surprise. "Well, I'll have a..." Riker's jaw dropped open when he turned to give the barmaid his order. It was the same angular face, the same shoulder-length auburn hair. The voice was slightly higher and the eyes dark brown instead of green, but he was looking at the image of Ayla Mackie. He turned back to the android. "Data, it is considered a breach of protocall to recreate ship personnel or guests on the holodeck." Data looked up quizzically. "Sir?" "Computer, freeze program!" said Riker. He got up from his chair and moved over to the woman's image. "This," he said pointing to the hologram, "is one of the miners we rescued from Zeta IV." Data put his cards down. "Commander, I did not intentionally create this image. I merely programmed the computer to deliver an authentic western scene from Earth. It would not help my studies to 'stack the deck', as it were, with current personalities." "This is someone you know?" asked Geordi. "Yes." replied Will. "It's not exactly her, but it's pretty damn close." "Wow," said Geordi, "the odds against this sort of thing happening must be enormous!" "There are a finite number of human facial combinations, Geordi." said Data. "Your species does believe that there is an exact double for each one of you. Given this finite set of variables, it is theoretically possible for the holodeck to create a random composite of physical features that match those of an actual living person. However,the odds against such a creation resembling a person on this particular ship at this particular point in time are..." "Thank you Data." Will continued to regard the image. "What if it's not random?" said Geordi. "Explain." said Riker. "I mean, the holodeck creates images that match the requested specifications. But the computer draws the images from known parameters. In an historic scene like Data's, those known paramenters might include records from that period, in addition to the computer's own projections." offered Geordi. "Such as?" "Such as written texts of the time, or...photographs!" Geordi said, snapping his fingers. "So you're saying this image could have been either randomly generated by the computer or pulled directly from a photograph taken over six hundred years ago?" asked Riker, looking somewhat skeptical. "There's one way to find out. Computer, isolate image directly in front of Commander Riker." LaForge said to the computer. [The rest of the holographic scene disappears] "Compare image with parameters of program. What is the origin of this image?" [tweedle] "The image was created from photographic records." "Display records." [A large projection of a black and white photograph appeared in the holodeck. The photo was grainy, but showed three men standing in front of a store. The name I. WRIGLEYS DRY GOODS is painted in large letters above the store front. It is clearly a scene from the old American west.] "It don't see how the computer could have pulled the image from this photo. The main subjects are three men." said Riker, folding his arms. Data stepped closer to the projection. "Computer, magnify section B-4." [Behind the three men, two figures can be seen in the store's window.] "Magnify." Data repeated. [The image becomes larger. It is too grainy to see clearly, but one of the figures is a woman.] "Computer, enhance section B-4." [The computer fills in the grainy photo. The image becomes clearer. It is the face of the woman in the holodeck.] The three officers were silent. "Computer, what is the date of this photograph?" said Riker finally. He was beginning to get the creeps. "The photograph dates from between 1840 and 1870, old Earth time." "Location and photographer?" "The photograph was taken at Mormon's Crossroads, in the Nevada Territory. The photographer is unknown." "Can you identify the woman in the photograph?" "Negative." "Computer," said Data, "access all visual records. Does this image correspond with any others in memory?" The computer chirped as it accessed its vast storage banks. Riker realized he was pacing. "There is one additional match for this image." "Display, please." said Data. The computer created a second projection next to the first. It was a market square. To one side was a cafe, to the other what appeared to be an office building. Geordi stepped up to the projection. "There, Commander, in the cafe." he said, pointing to one of the tables. "Enhance that area," said Riker to the computer. The computer enlarged the area around Geordi's finger. They all gasped. "That's Guinan!" exclaimed Geordi. "And it appears that she is sitting with a woman that resembles the image in the holodeck very closely." commented Data. "Location of this projection?" asked Riker. "Rigil 2, stardate 11763.3." Data looked at the Commander. "Sir, that is three days before Rigil 2 was destroyed by an antimatter containment accident." "Destroyed? The entire planet?" asked Geordi, incredulous. "Yes. Rigil 2 was a scientific station. Apparently there was an uncontrolled antimatter reaction in one of the warp test laboratories. The resulting explosion blew away the planet's atmosphere and two-thirds of its mass." "What do you mean, 'apparently'?" asked Riker. "From accounts of the survivors and surveys conducted after the incident, it was concluded that the antimatter containment field on one of the warp test coils had failed. However, the direct cause of the explosion was never ascertained." said Data. "Sound familiar?" said Geordi. "Yeah." answered Riker. "Too much of a coincidence. Computer, locate Guinan." "Guinan is in 10-Forward." "I'm going to see just how much of a coincidence this is. Exit!" he said, striding out of the holodeck. -------------------------------- [end part 4] -------------------------------- --------------------- Will walked straight over to the bar in 10-Forward. "Guinan, I need to speak with you." he said. "Of course, Commander." Guinan answered. She whispered something to her assistant before following Riker to a vacant table. "You want to know about Ayla Mackie?" she asked settling into a chair. "Yes, how did you know?" answered Riker, surprised. "Oh, I figured the question would come sooner or later." said Guinan, enigmatic as usual. "What would you like to know?" "Is she the same woman you knew on Rigil 2?" "Yes. I wasn't sure at first, but now I am." Kudos on your sleuthing skills Will, Guinan said to herself. "How well do you know her?" Guinan pursed her lips. "I knew her on Rigil. People can be different at different places. I can't say that I know her now." "Who is she? Do you know where she's from?" persisted Riker. Guinan folded her hand in her lap. "She told me she was from Earth, and I had no reason to question her. As far as I know, she's a human like yourself. Though there always seemed to be a cloud following her, like a personal sense of impending doom she carried around." "Guinan, Rigil 2 exploded more than a hundred years ago. If she's the same person you knew, there's no way she could be human." Riker rubbed his beard. "Could she had been physically altered to pass for human?" "Like I said," repeated the hostess, "as far as I know." "In your estimation, did she possess the opportunity or the skills necessary to cause the Rigil 2 explosion?" Guinan regarded the commander carefully. "She was employed as a technician at the station. She was one of the few who were not transferred." "Transferred? What do you mean?" asked Riker. "Most of the people on Rigil had been transferred to other posts or were on leave. At the time of the accident, the station was nearly deserted." "Except for Ayla." finished Riker. Guinan nodded. Riker hit his communicator pin. "Riker to security." "Worf here." "Worf, I'd like you to form a security team. Locate and detain one of the miners, Ayla Mackie. Contact me when you find her." "Acknowledged." came the reply. "Is that really necessary?" asked Guinan. Riker stood up. "If it's at all possible that she's connected to these two incidents, I can't have her running around this ship." He stepped around the table and walked to the door. Why did you let him go? said a voice in Guinan's mind. Perhaps it is time for her to reveal herself. It is a large burden to carry. I have faith that they will understand, Guinan answered. -------------------------- [sickbay] "Subspace message coming in for you from Starbase Barton, Dr. Crusher." said Ensign Runninghorse. "Thank you. I'll take it in my office." replied the doctor. She sat down at the terminal on her desk and pressed the RECEIVE pad. The blue and white Starfleet logo was replaced with a worded screen. Ah, finally, the medical records from Zeta IV, she thought as she paged through the information. Suddenly, she frowned. Picking up her computer board, she pushed a few numbers. "Crusher to O'Brien," she said, touching her communicator. "O'Brien here," came the reply. "Chief, how many miners did we beam up from Zeta IV?" There was a slight pause. "Twenty-one alive, three dead. Twenty-four in all." "Thank you, Chief." And with one body unrecoverable on the planet, that makes twenty-five, she computed mentally. "Crusher to Captain Picard." "Picard here." "Captain, I've just received the records of the colony from Starbase Barton. There were twenty-four miners officially stationed on Zeta IV." "Yes?" "We've accounted for twenty-five." "Twenty-five? Are you sure?" "Yes. It seems that someone on Zeta IV was not supposed to be there." continued Crusher. "Can you tell me who this extra person is, Doctor?" "I'm cross-checking the colony's records with our medical treatment records now," she said, moving her fingers back and forth on the keypad. "The colony has no records concerning a woman named Ayla Mackie." There was a slight pause. "Did you find anything unusual when you treated her?" "Yes, actually. She had second-degree radiation burns, which weren't serious, but her tissues showed traces of fluoride. That's very unusual, unless you've been living on an isolated outpost somewhere." "Anything to indicate whether or not she is as she appears to be?" Picard said. "The bioscans showed nothing abnormal, but I'd have to do a DNA analysis to be sure." she answered. "From the preliminary physical, she appears to be a human female." ----------------[switch to Picard's ready room]---- "Thank you Doctor." replied Picard. He turned to look at Riker across the snythesized wood table in his ready room. "It seems, Number One, that you may be on to something here. Let me know when you find this Ayla Mackie." "Worf to Commander Riker." "Go ahead," said Riker, touching his communicator. "Sir, we have an unauthorized launch sequence for one of the shuttles in shuttle bay three." "Shut it down!" said Picard. "I cannot. Bridge controls have been overridden." came Worf's frustrated reply. "Can you reset the launch sequence long enough to get someone down there?" Picard said, entering the bridge with Riker. "I'm on my way." said Riker, sprinting for the turbolift. Worf pressed a few buttons on his station. "Yes. The launch sequence has been reset to two minutes." "Launch delay has been overridden," said Data from his station at the conn. "Resetting." said Worf. Picard looked expectantly at Data as the android watched the conn display. "Launch delay is holding at two minutes." "Worf, go." said Picard, motioning for the Klingon to follow Riker to the shuttle bay. -------------------------------- Riker entered the shuttle bay warily, his small phaser drawn. The shuttlecraft's engines hummed, waiting for the go-ahead to leave the ship. Crouching, he ran to the back door of the shuttle where the hatch was located. Pressing the hatch control, he jumped inside the door as it opened. "Freeze!" he yelled, pointing his phaser at the empty command chair. Puzzled, he moved up to the shuttle's controls and shut down the engines. Getting up to leave, he stopped short. Ayla was standing in the open back hatch, looking at him. "I take it you've come to arrest me?" she said, regarding him impassively. He took a step toward her, keeping his phaser hidden in his hand. "The Captain would like to have a word with you." "I see." She continued to watch his eyes. "Why?" "We think there may be some connection between the incident here and the one on Rigil 2, and that you may be that connection." He took another step toward her. "And what makes you think I've ever been to Rigil 2?" she answered. "We found a visual record of you and Guinan on Rigil 2, three days before the science station on that planet was destroyed." Ayla recognized the acusatory tone of his voice and chose to ignore it. "Do you think the station on Rigil 2 was deliberately destroyed?" "Do you?" Riker was standing within a meter of her now. "Yes, I do." "Did you do it?" Mackie took a quick step backward out of the shuttle's doorway as Riker drew his phaser. "Let's go," he said, motioning to her with the weapon. Ayla did not move, but instead slowly dropped the bag she had been carrying to the floor. "Perhaps you didn't hear me," Will said, stepping out of the shuttle and taking hold of her arm, "the Captain would like to have a word with you." Riker was not prepared for Ayla's reflexes, or her strength. She snapped her arm out of his grasp, knocking the phaser away. Taking two handfuls of his shirt, she slammed his back against the side of the shuttlecraft. "Listen to me!" she hissed, "Starfleet is not so inviolate as you would like to think. There are many enemies who prefer a lower profile than the Romulans! Did it ever occur to you that I might be doing my best to look out for you people?" "Who are you?" Will asked in a whisper. "Let him go!" came Worf's basso voice from the door of the shuttle bay. He had his phaser out and pointed at Ayla. Ayla's hands gripped Riker's tunic reflexively in surprise, then slowly released as she backed away from him. Riker smoothed down the wrinkles in the shirt. "Captain, we have located Ms. Mackie." he said, pressing his communicator. "Excellent, Number One. Will you and Mr. Worf escort our guest to my ready room?" came Picard's reply. "Shall we go now?" said Riker to the woman. Ayla picked up her bag and walked toward the door, placing the strap in Worf's outstretched hand. The Klingon glowered at her as she passed him. She returned his gaze without flinching and stepped into the corridor. The trio walked on to the turbolift in silence. "Bridge!" said Riker, staring at a spot just above the turbolift archway. After a few minutes, the turbolift doors opened. Escorting Ayla between them, the two officers went to the Captain's ready room on the left side of the bridge. "Come!" said Picard, as the door chime sounded. "Ah, Ms. Mackie. Do sit down." he said, pointing to the chair on the other side of his desk. "Perhaps now we can get some answers." The miner sat down gracefully and regarded the captain. Riker joined Counselor Troi on the couch. Worf remained standing behind Mackie and began to search through the bag she had given him. "Now, would you care to tell me what's been going on?" said Picard in a soft, authoritative voice. ---------------------------------------- "Selar, you must concentrate. Logic can find no place in an undisciplined mind." Selar looked up into the face of her instructor patel and then back at the equations on her computer learning board. At four years of age, the emotional control that characterized all Vulcans was tenuous, and she could feed frustration welling up inside herself, like a cascade of hatching Pika moths. "Is it logical to continue to work at a problem with no solution?" she said, struggling to keep control of her voice. A shadow that could have been a smile passed over Patel's face. "If the problem were indeed without solution. However, many solutions that are otherwise elusive may be achieved through persistence." The instructor moved on to another student. Selar stared at the equations again, turning them over in her mind. Start with the summation operator, she thought. Suddenly, the solution struck her. She entered the appropriate numbers and the board beeped in acknowledgement. Selar opened her eyes. The neutral shade of the sickbay ceiling greeted her vision, lights dimmed for the night shift. Rolling her head to one side, she could see the Horta with whom she had attempted to mind-meld. Rising from her bed, she walked over to the Horta and seated herself on the chair that had been left by Deanna. Many solutions may be achieved through persistence, she repeated mentally as she pressed her fingers against the silent Horta. --------------------------------- [end part 5] --------------------------------- ================================================================= Characters in Star Trek and Star Trek: The Next Generation are copyrighted by Paramount Pictures, Inc. Text and story, _The Witness_ by Kathryn J. Aikin, copyright 1992. Path: moe.ksu.ksu.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!uwm.edu!psuvax1!psuvm!kja102 Organization: Penn State University Date: Tue, 7 Jul 1992 11:26:48 EDT From: Message-ID: <92189.112649KJA102@psuvm.psu.edu> Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative Subject: Repost: The Witness, Parts 6-10 Lines: 1067 As always, comments, criticisms, kudos and flames to kja102@psuvm.psu.edu ------------------------------------------------------------------------- ---- The Witness ---- ----- Parts 6-10 ----- By Kathryn J. Aikin copyright 1992 ================ --------------------------------- "Well?" asked Picard, picking up one of the objects Worf had removed from Ayla's bag. "Be careful, Captain," she said, "that's sharp." Picard slid the meter-long blade out of its sheath and studied its intricate markings. "Why are you carrying a weapon, Ms. Mackie?" "Nostalgia." she answered, lacing her fingers together. He frowned and continued to study the sword. "Why were you attempting to steal a shuttlecraft?" "I wanted to do a little sightseeing." "I sincerely doubt that." Picard fixed her with his best Captain's stare. "We have received the colony's records from Starbase Barton." he continued. "There is no record of you having joined the colony. It seems we can also place you on Rigil 2. Just how did you manage to be in both places just before they were destroyed in 'accidents'?" "Bad timing." she quipped. The captain tossed the weapon down on his desk. "Enough of this! I want to know who you are and why you were on Zeta IV." Ayla set her mouth in a stubborn line and sat unmoving. "The Captain asked you a question." growled Worf from behind Ayla's chair. "Perhaps your hearing is faulty." Picard raised his hand to quiet the Klingon. "We only want to get to the bottom of this, Ms. Mackie. Your refusal to cooperate could be interpreted as an admission of guilt or at the very least, complicity." "Why is this important to you?" asked Ayla. "What will you do with the knowledge?" Jean-Luc was slightly taken aback by the question. "What do you mean?" "I mean," she said, "what will it gain you? Will it change anything that has happened? Will it bring anyone back? Death is the completion of the circle, Captain, the mate of life." "That's true, but not when death is premature or deliberately caused." "Agreed. I believe we want the same thing, Captain." "And what is that?" he asked. "To preserve life." "How does the death of four colonists preserve life?" "It was an unfortunate accident." she replied. Troi kept her face impassive. What are you afraid of? she asked herself. "Did you have something to do with this accident or the one on Rigil?" "Would an admission of guilt make you happy?" "The truth would make me happy." he countered. Ayla did not reply. Jean-Luc sighed. "Right. Mr. Worf, will you and Commander Riker escort Ms. Mackie to sickbay? I believe Dr. Crusher is waiting to give our guest an examination." Ayla's eyes narrowed slightly at the word, but she did not resist as Worf motioned for her to precede him and Riker out of the ready room. Deanna looked at Riker as he stood up. His face betrayed no emotion, but she could feel his conflict. As the trio left the room, she turned to Picard. "Captain, I sense...great deception here." "If you mean that you think she's hiding something Counselor, I can see for myself that..." "Not exactly." interrupted Troi. "It's deeper than that. I realize now that I couldn't get a clear sense of it before because she was blocking me." "Blocking you?" asked Picard quizzically. "How? Telepathically?" "It is sometimes possible to prevent telepathic or empathic scanning by focusing one's mind on a particularly strong emotion, such as fear, or hate. On Betazed, the technique is called Nasht. However, when you started questioning her, her concentration shifted toward you." said Troi. "Were you able to discern the nature of this deception?" he asked. Deanna sat still for a moment, considering how to put what she had felt into words. "It's almost as though she's built her entire personality around a falsehood. She's like a house of cards, Captain. Pull out the center, the base, and the whole house will come crashing down." Picard stood up and yanked down his shirt. "Will you accompany me to sickbay, Counselor? Perhaps we can find that lynchpin without actually having to pull it." ------------------------ ---* ----* Selar moved through the smooth pathways of the Horta's mind. She was determined to go deeper into the being's consciousness, and deeply she was going. The Horta had pulled herself up tight inside and her mind was farther away than before. Selar could feel the memories she sought ahead of her and began to experience trepidation. Fear is an emotion, she said to herself, emotions cannot exist within logic. I am logical, therefore, I cannot fear. Nevertheless, she found herself slowing as she approached the point where she had touched the Horta's mind last. The corner, as before, and mentally braced herself... Selar felt the mind-touch of another being within the Horta's mind. As the floodgates of the Horta's memories opened, she was protected from the onslaught of the Horta's pain, anguish and sorrow. Selar reached out to the Horta, searching for the shining brightness of the consciousness that made the Horta an intelligent being. And it was there, finally. And we are one. Selar opened her eyes to see Guinan standing beside her. The two other Hortas were also in the room. Selar's eyes surveyed the sickbay silently, coming again to rest on Guinan. "We thank you, my sister." said the Vulcan, resting her hand on the hostess' shoulder. "You must speak with Picard." said Guinan. "Yes." agreed Selar. "There is much to atone for." "Selar?" asked Dr. Crusher, uncertainly. "Are you alright? Guinan? What's going on?" She began running a tricorder over the Vulcan without waiting for an answer. "We must speak with Picard." said Selar. "We?" asked Crusher, looking up. "The mind-meld was successful, Doctor. I have reached the Horta." she said. "Crusher to Picard." said the doctor, touching her communicator. "Yes Doctor?" came the reply. "Captain, Dr. Selar has successfully contacted the injured Horta and wishes to speak with you." "I was just on my way now," said the Captain. "I've sent Ayla Mackie down to sickbay. I'd like you to do a complete physical on her. See what you can find out." "Yes sir." said Crusher. ------------------------------- [end part 6] ------------------------------- Crusher turned her head as the door to the sickbay slid back. Riker, Mackie and Worf entered and paused as the door slid closed behind them. Ayla's face had settled into a mask of calm resignation, which was disturbed only slightly by Guinan's presence. "Please, come in." said Beverly. "Would you sit over here?" she said, pointing to the central medi-bed. "Thank you, Worf, but I don't need a chaperone." said the doctor, stepping in front of Worf as he moved to follow the woman. "But Doctor, the Captain..." he began. "The Captain undoubtedly ordered you to bring her to sickbay, which is what you have done. Now if you don't mind, I would like to get on with my work. I will call you if I need help." The Klingon grumbled. He knew it was hopeless to try to argue with the woman. "I will wait over here." "Thank you." She looked at Riker expectantly until he joined Worf on the other side of the room. Crusher walked over to Ayla. "Please sit here," she said, turning on the overhead medical sensor array. "I'm going to give you a physical and take some small tissue samples from you for analysis. It isn't painful, so don't worry." Beverly smiled, but it faded as she realized the woman was not looking at her, but at Guinan, who had come to stand beside her. Beverly watched the tricorder as she ran diagnostic tests on Ayla. There it is again. What the hell is going on? she thought. "All right, I've done the preliminaries," she said. "I'm going to run the DNA tests now." She took Ayla's hand and pressed a small device against the fourth finger. "This is for the tissue sample," she explained, releasing Ayla's hand. "I'll be back in a moment." At that moment, Picard and Troi walked into the sickbay. Guinan turned to face them as they came over to the pair. "Guinan, what are you doing here?" Picard asked. "I was visiting an old friend." she replied. "Old friend?" he repeated. "Then perhaps you can shed some light on this whole thing?" "Captain, I would speak with you." He turned to see Dr. Selar standing in the doorway. "Dr. Selar?" asked Picard, uncertainly. "She is here. We are also Ch!narr, Elder Mother of the Pod. We come to offer testimony and atonement for the destruction." Dr. Selar walked up to where Ayla Mackie was sitting. She placed her hand on Ayla's shoulder and looked back at the Captain. "We know the suffering of our ageless sister. The Pod Mother must also see the death of her bretheren every sixty-thousand years. We know her loneliness, for we have shared it." "Ageless sister?" said Picard. Ayla sighed. "Captain, I am Eithear Tucharba, an Earth Steward. I have been sworn to protect Terra." Picard raised his eyebrows in surprise and waited for her to continue. "Captain, what I am about to tell you is...well, fantastic. I do not expect you to believe me, although I've been told that you are a remarkably understanding man." She shot a glance at Guinan, who nodded. "I began my training three hundred years before Cassivellannus capitulated with Caesar. My duty is to watch over the Earth, and those on it. I have followed humanity out to the stars, to play witness to its survival. " Picard's eyes widened slightly as he did the mental arithmatic. "Do you mean to say that you're three thousand years old? I find that difficult to believe." "How very reassuring," she murmured. "It's entirely possible, Captain." said Crusher. "Explain." he said, turning to her. "When I did the medical scan, she showed traces of fluoride and chlorine in her tissues. Neither compound has been used on Earth since the late 22nd century. Now it's very possible that she could have these things stored in her tissues if she'd been on an Earth colony, perhaps one of the more remote ones. However, given Commander Riker's concerns that she might have been genetically altered to appear human, I did a genome analysis. She's human, with one important difference. This woman lacks the gene related to aging." A tinge of wonderment came into the doctor's voice. "Once her body reached maturity, it ceased to age. She could be thirty or thirty-thousand years old." "You wouldn't believe what you people used to put in your water," said Ayla. "This still doesn't explain what you were doing on Zeta IV." said Picard, regaining his composure. "As I said, I am sworn to protect the Earth. However, that is also the duty of your Starfleet. Therefore, it is now my purpose to protect Starfleet." "You said that before," broke in Riker. "Protect us? From what?" Mackie smiled. "From invasion or conspiracy, from yourselves if necessary. To assess the strength of internal and external threats. This is why I was on Zeta IV. I believe the Ferengi are involved in a dyilite smuggling ring. About a week ago, the colony was offered a large monetary incentive to 'lose' a dyilite shipment." "The Bashk-Na." said Riker. "They sent a small cruiser to pick up the shipment two days ago. Their Damon was very displeased that we had refused to give them what they desired." "A small quantity of unprotected dyilite, beamed on board, or into a planet's atmosphere..." started Picard. "Would have devastating consequences." she finished. "Then it was the Ferengi who were the cause of the explosion." said Worf, matter-of-factly. "No, alas, though we wish it, so great is our sorrow." said Selar, folding her hands together. "There was a great civilization on Zeta IV. Its people were numerous and its buildings many. Some of these buildings survive yet under the surface of the planet. We knew the interest of the archeological team in the remains, so when T!yyn and T!uun found an undisturbed chamber, they called for Brynn Kale to come. He did. But when he opened the door to the chamber, atmosphere trapped from the surface was released. The original inhabitants of this planet breathed as you do. The air that gave them life gave him death." "The carbon dioxide in the air pocket must have ignited the dyilite seam the Hortas were mining." said Picard. "We are sorry for your loss, and for ours," said Selar/Ch!narr. "I understand, my sister. I rejoice to hear your thoughts at last." said Ayla. "Remember that you are not alone. I will wait for you when the Zn!k comes." Selar clasped hands with the miner. "Why didn't you come directly to Starfleet with the information about the Ferengi?" asked Picard. Ayla chuckled. "Because their reaction would have been the same as yours, Captain. Doubt and suspicion. Starfleet is not prepared to believe in 'guardian angels'. More important, though," she said, her face sober, "is the possibility that someone in Starfleet is involved in the smuggling. Zeta IV is a remote outpost, but it was not widely known that it was still populated. An automated station cannot be bribed. Someone had to have provided the Ferengi with that information. Perhaps that someone is in Starfleet. I have been difficult to kill thus far, but I have no wish to push my luck." "And Rigil 2? What were you doing there?" asked Picard. "A beautiful place, Rigil." she said with a faraway look. "I failed there. I misjudged the seriousness of the threat. The station was the target of an Orion, who believed that it was a weapons arsenal. I thought I would have more time to deal with him, to disable the plan." Her eyes moved to Guinan. "I was wrong, and I carry those souls." Troi put a hand on Ayla's arm and smiled. "Bridge to Captain." came a voice over the intercom. "Picard here," he said, touching his communicator. "Sir, you are receiving a subspace message from Admiral Godon." "Thank you. I'll take it in my ready room." He looked at Mackie, considering her story. "If I let you go back to your quarters, will you promise not to try to steal another shuttlecraft?" She grinned. "Scout's honor." ------------------------------ [end part 7] ------------------------------ Picard seated himself in his ready-room chair and touched the communciations panel on his desk. The screen changed to show the slender-boned face of a human male in admiral rank uniform. What had obviously been jet-black hair was now streaked with white, but the oval eyes of the visage showed no sign of age. "Yes Admiral, what can I do for you?" asked Picard. "I believe we were scheduled for a rendevous, Captain. What's the delay?" said Godon. "We detoured to answer a distress call from Zeta IV. We should be underway shortly." "A distress call? From Zeta IV?" the Admiral snorted derisively. "What are those miners whining about now?" Picard frowned. "There was an explosion in one of the tunnels. A dyilite seam was ignited by a trapped pocket of air." "That's unfortunate." came the reply. "Survivors?" "Approximately twenty-three. My full report will be forthcoming." "Of course, of course," Godon answered, waving his hand. "What is your E.T.A.?" Picard sat back and touched his communicator. "Mr. Mbuto, what is our time to rendevous with the Newton at warp 2?" "Five hours, nineteen minutes, Sir." came the quick reply from the bridge. "Fine. I'll expect you." said the Admiral. "Godon out." The screen blanked to reveal the blue and white starfleet logo. Picard gazed silently at it, considering. ------------------------------------------- Beverly Crusher was hovering in front of the main medical sensor array output from Ayla Mackie's bioscan. "Incredible," she muttered, pressing some numbers into her hand tricorder. She turned to Deanna and Ayla. "All of your body's resources have been adapted to regrowth and repair." she said to the miner. "Your body has amazing recuperative powers. You show no trace of the burns you received on the planet. Have you ever had any sort of illness?" "No." answered the woman. Crusher shook her head. "Incredible." she said again. "What a wonderful adaptation." The corners of Ayla's mouth curled into a wry smile. "Thank you, Doctor. However, if you don't mind, I'd like to go back to my quarters. I am not accustomed to being a laboratory specimen." "Well, I'd really like to do a few more tests, but I suppose they can wait." Beverly answered. Ayla slid off the examining table. "Counselor, would you care to accompany me?" "Yes, I'd like that." Deanna replied, smiling. The two women walked toward the door of the sickbay. Worf, who had been stading near the back wall of the room, moved to follow them. "It's alright, Worf," said Deanna, "I'll walk her down." "Counselor," he said, "the Captain has not yet released me from duty. Until then, I am in charge of security. I will accompany you." Ayla turned towards him. "You do not approve of me." she said. The tall security chief looked at her with disdain. "Starfleet does not require the services of a ... nursemaid." Guinan hid a smile behind her right index finger. Mackie moved closer to the Klingon and looked him in the eye. He smelled slightly musky, like sandalwood incense. "Tell me Warrior," she said, "what disturbs you?" "I am not disturbed!" he said in an annoyed voice. "Indeed. And yet you do not believe the truth of my existence. Or, rather, you resist it." Deanna's eyebrows raised in surprise. The woman was empathic! she realized. No wonder she was able to block my probing. Worf set his jaw stubbornly. "So long as you serve Starfleet, I am not your enemy, Warrior." Ayla continued. "We shall see." he rumbled. The trio left the sickbay and started down the corridor. Just before the doors closed, Deanna paused to look back at Will Riker. Oh, dammnit, he thought and quickly began mentally reviewing the duty roster for the next shift, anything to chase away the thoughts in his head. He saw a frown crease her smooth forhead as the doors slid shut. "She did not intend to deceive you." said Selar's voice from behind him. The voice broke his train of thought. "What?" he said. "She did not intend to deceive you. Do not judge her harshly." "Look, what I think is irrelevant here. If you'll excuse me, I have duties to attend to." He stalked out of the sickbay. "What you think is not irrelevant to her." said Selar softly. She became aware that Dr. Crusher was running a tricorder over her. "Yes?" she asked. "Your blood pressure is rising rapidly, Selar. How long can you hold the link? I need to know what additional treatment the Horta requires." said Crusher. Selar closed her eyes for a moment. "We can hold, Doctor, but be brief. It must be dissolved soon." Beverly nodded and moved over to the table where the Horta was laying. Selar followed. ------------------------------------- Picard sat thoughtfully for a moment then hit his communicator. "Mr. Data, would you join me in my ready room at your convenience?" he said. "Acknowledged." came the android's reply. Sounds of a scuffle and a gunshot came through the intercom. "Mr. Data! Are you alright? What is going on?" said Picard in an alarmed voice. "I am fine, Sir. (a muffled "Caught the lousy varmit cheatin'! could be heard) I am running a program on the holodeck. In order to more fully understand the nuances of human interaction, I am studying an Earth historical period known as 'The Wild West'. At this moment, one of my partners in a poker game has attempted to pull a firearm on me, mistakenly believing that I had stacked the deck of cards against him. (sound of breaking glass) I have effectively disarmed him and I am endeavoring to explain that the randomization of the cards is sufficient..." "Thank you, Data. I will expect you." interrupted Picard with a sigh. Five minutes later, the door chime on the ready room sounded. "Come!" said Picard. Data walked into the room and stood at attention. "You wished to see me, Sir?" "Yes. Sit down." The android complied. "Data, I have a research job for you. I need to know all the ports of call for the Ferengi ship Bashk-Na in the last six months. In addition, and this is to remain confidential, chart the assignments of Admiral Kazuo Godon over these same six months." "Of course." said Data. "Dismissed." said Picard, his eyes following the officer as he left the room. Please let me be wrong, he thought. ---------------------------------- [end part 8] ------------------------------------- "Sir, we have reached the rendevous point with the Newton," said Ensign Mbuto from ops. "Admiral Godon and aide are standing by to beam on board." said Worf. "Excellent. I'll meet them in transporter room three." Picard walked to the turbolift. In transporter room three, the figures of Admiral Godon and his aide materialized on the pad. "Welcome to the Enterprise, Admiral." said Jean-Luc as the pair stepped down. "Greetings, Picard. This is my personal aide, Lt. Commander Desmond Vinar." The ebony-skinned human inclined his head toward the Captain, who nodded back. "May I show you to your quarters?" asked Picard. "Yes, that would be fine. How soon until we reach starbase?" asked the Admiral. "We are thirty-one hours from Starbase 133." "Fine." he answered, preceeding Picard out of the transporter room and down the corridor. After walking a short way in silence, the Admiral said "Nice ship you have here, Picard. Would you mind if we took a stroll around?" "Of course, Admiral. I'll arrange a guide." "No, that won't be necessary," said Godon before Picard could hit his communicator. "Just an informal tour. I mainly want to see the bridge." "By all means, Admiral. At your convenience." answered Picard. The hair on the back of his neck was standing up. They stopped before a door that slid back at his touch on the keypanel. "I hope these quarters will be satisfactory." Godon peered inside. "Oh yes, they'll do nicely. Thank you Captain. I look forward to seeing your bridge." Picard smiled tightly and turned to walk toward the turbolift. He did not see Vinar's large dark eyes watch him until he disappeared around a bend. Once he entered the turbolift he hit his communicator. "Picard to Data." "Data here." "Data, how are you coming on your 'research'?" "I am almost finished, Sir." "Good. I'll join you in your quarters." "Yes Sir." answered the android. A few minutes later Picard was surveying Data's terminal display. "The Bashk-Na is a Ferengi freighter, register number FC-335. It has been commanded by Damon Hast for the last seven years. In the last six months it has made numerous stops within Federation territory, mainly to pick up and deliver raw materials to Ferengi and Harradin outposts." Data paused to press a key. The screen showed a star map, orange lines highlighting flight paths. "None of the recorded stops of the Bashk-Na correlated with the command of Admiral Godon. Except one." Data pressed another key. "Zeta IV." said Picard. "Yes Sir. However, Godon visited the last two ports-of-call of the Bashk-Na approximately one week prior to their arrival." "Hardly enough to justify an official inquiry." he sighed, both relieved and disappointed. "Thank you Data. That will be all." "Of course Sir." The android was ever-solicitous. ------------------------------ Guinan stood behind the bar, surveying her territory. 10-forward was busy, but not unusually so. She looked up as Will Riker entered the lounge. He sat down in front of her, hands clasped in front of his chin. She paused, waiting for him to speak. After a moment or two she started to wipe the bar. "Can I get you something, Commander?" she asked. "Hm. Zytherian whiskey." Guinan poured the drink and set it in front of him. Riker picked it up and took a big swallow. "Anything you want to talk about?" she asked. "Not really." She took another swipe at the bar with her cloth. "You know, I've found that people who drink alone are actually looking for someone to talk to, but don't know it." Riker sighed. "Thank you for your attempt at psychoanalysis, Guinan, but I really don't need..." "In fact, I've found that people who drink Zytherian whiskey are particularly likely to deny the possibility that something is bothering them." she continued. He looked down at his drink and smiled. "Have you ever thought about becoming a ship's counselor?" he asked. "What, and leave all this?" she said, waving her hand in an arc. "Now tell me, what bothers you about her?" "I never said it was a 'her'." answered Riker over his glass. "Okay, okay, it's Ayla." he said, seeing Guinan's knowing stare. "I just feel...sort of powerless around her. Like she knows what's going to happen but won't tell me." "And that disturbs you." "Well, yes actually. I don't like the thought of someone watching over me." "You rely on people every day. We all watch out for each other on this ship." "Yeah, but we're more open about it," he muttered into his glass. Aha, thought Guinan. "Commander, do you know how old I am?" "No, not exactly." he said. "Do you know anything about what I did before I came to the _Enterprise_?" "No." "Does your not knowing interfere with your appreciation of my... bartending skills?" She said the word with irony. "Well, no, but..." "I see. I take it you've never withheld anything from anyone." she said. Will didn't answer. He was thinking about Deanna and the reason she had left him. Guinan put her cloth away. "Then perhaps you should rethink your position." "Mackie to Guinan." came Ayla's voice over the intercom. "This is Guinan," she answered. "Guinan, I need to speak with you." Guinan got a faraway look in her eyes. "I know. I'm on my way." She glanced at Riker briefly. He met her gaze unsmiling, then stared back down into his diminishing drink as she left 10- forward. --------------------------- Ayla sat in front of the computer terminal in her quarters where Deanna and Worf had left her. "Computer," she said, "access all Federation data on the Borg." "Request security clearance." came the smooth voice from the terminal. "Recognize Salis, Yvonne, alpha-alpha-seven-victor-daniel-two." The computer chirped. "Clearance approved. Proceed." "Display technical schematics on Borg implants." The screen flickered imperceptibly as it accessed the required information. Ayla watched the output for several minutes. "Stop!" she said suddenly. "Reverse." The screen scrolled slowly backward. "Hold!" She peered closer at the information. Oh, Captain, my Captain, she quoted to herself. You know more about them than I would have guessed. "Mackie to Guinan," she said to the computer. "This is Guinan." came the reply. "Guinan, I need to speak with you." "I know. I'm on my way." A few minutes later the chime on Ayla's room sounded. "Come in." she said, looking up from her terminal. Guinan moved into the room towards her. "What have you found?" asked the hostess. Ayla turned the computer screen towards her. "Does this look familiar to you?" Guinan stood absolutely still. "It is a Borg." "Yes. It is a technical schematic for Borg implants similar to those taken from Captain Picard. Now," she said, pressing another key, "do you recognize this?" Guinan peered at the output. "It also looks like Borg technology..." she said. "Almost. This came from the archeological digs on Mytos, forty years ago. And, coincidentally, Admiral Godon's first command." Guinan looked at her in surprise. "I've been following Commander Data's investigation. A most dilligent being. I should like to take the time to know him someday." She looked at Guinan. "I need to speak with Picard. I must know what he knows about the Borg." ------------------------- [end part 9] ------------------------- "Come!" said Picard as the door chime sounded in his ready room. He had arrived on the bridge to see Admiral Godon occupying Commander Riker's chair, his aide hovering nearby. It had not put him in a good mood. "Guinan, this is a surprise," he said as the robed hostess entered. "Captain, there's someone here who wishes to see you." she said as Ayla Mackie entered the room behind her. "Guinan, this is really not a good time. I am not in the mood..." "Captain," said Ayla stepping from behind Guinan, "I need to speak to you." "It's going to have to wait." he said, returning to the computer board he was studying. "Now if you don't mind..." "I need to talk to you about the Borg." Picard's stomach sank at the word. He looked up at Ayla, and then at Guinan, who nodded. "Please sit down," he said. "I'll be in 10-forward." said the hostess. Ayla took the seat directly across from Picard as the doors hissed shut. "Captain, I understand that you were...absorbed by the Borg." He winced at the word. "Hardly." he said, tossing the computer board down on his desk. "I was forcibly taken into their collective." "What did you learn about their origins?" Picard let out a sigh and rubbed his forhead. "Only that they were once a humanoid race. Their 'triumph' was the integration of machinery into their cellular structure." And, of course, the absolute certainty of their superiority as a species, he added to himself. "Any indication of where they got the idea of cellular integration?" "No. You think that they may not have come up with the idea on their own?" he asked. Ayla narrowed her eyes in concentration. "The Borg are known for their 'assimilation' of other cultures. I cannot believe this practice started only _after_ they were a humanoid-machine hybrid race. I think they took the idea from somewhere." "Two separate Borg-like races?" The thought made him slightly ill. "Sir! Ship approaching from the Neutral Zone!" came Worf's voice over the intercom. Picard walked quickly on the bridge from his ready room with Ayla close behind. "Identify." he said, taking the command chair. "Ferengi. It is the Bashk-Na." So you've come back, eh? Picard thought. "Lieutenant, place us directly in their path. Let's make them take notice of us." "Captain, may I remind you that we are expected at Starbase 133?" said Godon. "The Bashk-Na has slowed to one-half impulse." "Open a hailing frequency." snapped Picard, ignoring the Admiral. "Open." "On visual. This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the U.S.S. Enterprise." The face of a decorated Ferengi appeared on the screen. "I am Damon Hast. What do you want, _human_?" The word came out as a sneer. "I understand that you have been smuggling dyilite out of this sector." The Ferengi rolled his eyes. "Merely a cargo run, for which we made only a modest profit. I was not aware that carrying dyilite was a crime, _human_." "No, but murder is." "Murder? I have committed no murder!" exclaimed Hast. "I carry the rocks. Ask him about murder!" he said, pointing in the direction of Godon and Vinar. Godon jumped out of his chair. Worf pulled his hand phaser and aimed it at the Admiral. Riker stepped on to the bridge from the turbolift. "What the hell is going on?" he said. "Hast!" shouted Godon furiously. "Sir, a ship is decloaking next to the Ferengi." said Data. "Romulan?" asked Picard. "Negative. It does not conform to any known Federation or Romulan design." answered Data. "Red Alert! Shields at maximum." said Riker. "On screen." The face of the sneering Ferengi was replaced by a starfield. Shimmering into view was a ship. Picard stood up and moved closer to the screen. "My God," he whispered. The ship was golden in hue. One corner filled the viewscreen. "Reduce magnification, factor 10." he said. The Bashk-Na was dwarfed in comparison. Four spiky arms projected from the rear of a pentagon-shaped hull. "Mr. Worf, can you hail the alien vessel?" "Trying. No response." Ayla moved slowly along the wall toward tactical. "Drop your shields, Captain." said Godon. "They wish only to meet you." "Who? Who are they?" demanded Picard. Suddenly, Worf looked down at his panel. "Sir, the alien vessel is emitting an energy pulse...tight band...possibly a transmission of some kind." "Direction?" asked Picard. "The bridge! Ooof!" Worf felt the air go out of his lungs as Ayla hit him from behind, knocking him to the floor. A phaser blast passed overhead, gouging deep into the computer boards behind his station. Ayla rolled to her knees and leaped over the railing separating tactical from ops. Vinar fired again, hitting Godon. The man vaporized with a whine. She turned her body in mid-flight, impacting with the full force of her right shoulder. Vinar's shot at Picard went wide, scoring a smoking line along the wall. Though knocked to the ground, Vinar continued to hold onto his phaser. Rolling to his stomach, he aimed at the woman, who was standing in a half-crouch. There was a glitter of light in her hand as he fired. The pulse of energey reflected back towards him, making a loud "pop!" as it hit him squarely in the chest. The impact threw Vinar on to his back, where he lay still. Ayla straightened and moved cautiously toward the Admiral's aide. There was a gaping hole in his midsection. Pulling back part of his uniform, she peered inside. What should have been internal organs was instead a mass of fused circuits and wiring. "Android?" asked Riker from over her shoulder. She shook her head. "Cyborg." "Cyborgs were outlawed hundreds of years ago. How could..." Riker was interrupted by a bright burst of light from the viewscreen. "Sir! The alien vessel has fired on the Bashk-Na. It has been destroyed!" Worf had regained his post. "Evasive manouver Gamma Hydra, warp 2!" shouted Picard. The ship rocked dangerously. And again. "The alien ship has fired on us. Shields down!" "Fire phasers!" said Riker. Lines of light streaked out from the saucer of the Enterprise. They disappeared into the hull of the monstrous alien ship. "No effect. The energy appears to have been absorbed." said Worf. "Get us out of here Mr. Data." said Picard. Data complied. "No sign of pursuit," he said after a minute. "However, with their cloaking technology, it may not be possible to detect pursuit." "Thank you, Data." replied Picard. He turned toward Mackie, who was still kneeling on the floor next to the aide. "How did you know?" he asked. "It is as I told you, Captain," she said, reaching into the cyborg's chest cavity. "I believe the Borg borrowed their implant idea from another race. This one." Ayla pulled a crystal out of the aide and held it up to the light. "However, unlike the Borg, this race chose to put its implants on the inside. So instead of having a humanoid encased in a mechanized shell..." "You have a machine encased in a humanoid shell." Picard shivered at the thought. "Impossible to detect." "Well, almost." Ayla said in an wry voice. "If she'd been here, Counselor Troi could have told you. They 'feel' wrong. To you, it would have been like getting the 'creeps'." She rotated the crystal in her fingers. "What's that?" asked Riker. "Might be a memory chip." She handed the crystal to Riker. "I think Godon first encountered the remains of the cyborgs' technology on Mytos. How he managed to contact them, I don't know. But I suspect Godon and the Ferengi had no idea who they were dealing with." "To their demise." Jean-Luc sat down in his chair. "Mr. Data, reset course for Starbase 133. Engage." --------------------------- Ayla Mackie sat and gazed out into the warped starfield receeding from the window. She heard the doors to the observation lounge hiss open and shut. "Am I disturbing you?" came Will Riker's tenative voice in the darkness. His voice caused a spot in her stomach to tingle. "Please come in, Commander." Riker crossed the carpeted floor to the window. He stood silent for a moment, then became aware of a low, resonating melody. It sounded vaguely familiar, like a forgotten childhood nursery rhyme. As it echoed in his head, he tried in vain to identify it. Will felt his muscles relax as the song enveloped him. Then, suddenly, the music stopped. He swayed slightly, as if a supporting hand had just released him. "What was that?" he asked. "Sapienestra. It is the life-song of your race." she said. "Every species has its own life-song, a melody that represents and binds them to their home world. The Earth was filled with these songs. So many are silent now." she added in a sad voice. Riker looked down at her. He had expected her to be changed; smaller, or more vulnerable perhaps. But she appeared more composed, more at peace with herself. "What will you do now?" he asked, changing the subject. She placed the tips of her long fingers together. "I believe I will enter the Academy." "Starfleet Academy?" Will said in a surprised voice. A smile crossed Ayla's lips. "Is there another Academy with which I am not familiar?" "Well, yes, there's the Vulcan Science Academy, but surely you can't mean..." he stammered. Ayla turned her green eyes on him. "Will, Starfleet knows of my existence now. I can no longer do my work from the outside. I must work from inside." "It will take you years to get through." he continued, taking the seat next to her. "Couldn't you stay and work from here?" The words tumbled out of his mouth before he could stop them. "Think about what you are asking." she said. "I am." he lied. "I want you to stay." The words made him nervous, as if he was revealing a weakness. Ayla reached up and stroked his cheek, feeling the roughness of his beard beneath her hand. "Oh Will," she said, "it has been so long since I have rested, so long since..." she paused, seeing hope leap up in his eyes. "I must go. It is my duty, as your commission is yours. Who knows," she added, her eyes twinkling, "we may meet again out here. Perhaps I will have the good fortune to serve with you." Riker smiled. "It would be fortunate indeed." She returned the smile. "So tell me, Commander," she teased, "are all the men in Starfleet Academy as attractive as yourself?" "No," he growled and pulled her into an embrace. ================================================================= The End ================================================================= Characters in Star Trek and Star Trek: The Next Generation are copyrighted by Paramount Pictures, Inc. Text and story, _The Witness_ by Kathryn J. Aikin, copyright 1992.