342 lines
20 KiB
Plaintext
342 lines
20 KiB
Plaintext
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Organization: Freshman, Mathematics, Carnegie Mellon, Pittsburgh, PA
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Path: moe.ksu.ksu.edu!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!darwin.sura.net!udel!rochester!cantaloupe.srv.cs.cmu.edu!crabapple.srv.cs.cmu.edu!andrew.cmu.edu!sm76+
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Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative
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Message-ID: <ody63JK00UhWA60l1H@andrew.cmu.edu>
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Date: Fri, 24 Apr 1992 15:26:13 -0400
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From: Sachin Anand Mhaskar <sm76+@andrew.cmu.edu>
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Subject: Aliens vs TNG
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Lines: 331
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Well, after reading the Galactica meets Enterprise by Jeff Standish,
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I decided to write something myself, based on this "vs." idea that origi-
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nated in the rec.arts.startrek newsgroup. I have in mind to make this a
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3 or 4 part story, but if there is no response to it, then the story will
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end here. This story is not for the squeamish (hah, that's a joke. My
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writing is nowhere near Steven King's nor Clive Barker's, so you don't
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have to worry!). I reserve the right to use an SPD (Stupid Plot Device)
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whenever I feel it is necessary (such as explaining loose ends :^) ), and
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please forgive any spelling or grammatical errors. Anyway, enjoy, and
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please let me know what you think!
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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The Aliens meet The Next Generation
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by
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Chet "Cheesehead" Cuaresma
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Captain's Log: StarDate 43451.2. By traveling through the Xenophobic
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star system, an unexplored section of the Federation, our sensors have lo-
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cated what appears to be another starship, drifting ever so slowly through
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space. We are dropping out of warp to intercept and make possible contact
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with the ship.
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Picard looked up to see the streaking stars on the viewscreen come to
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a halt as he completed his log entry. In the center of the screen was a
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ship, growing steadily larger as the Enterprise moved closer to greet the
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vessel.
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"Open hailing frequencies, Mr. Worf," said Captain Picard, a twinge of
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curiosity in his voice.
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The tall Klingon silently depressed a key to comply with the Captain's
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orders. It was less than a second when his low, baritone voice replied
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tersely, "Open."
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"Unknown starship, this is Captain Jean-Luc Picard commanding the Fe-
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deration starship Enterprise. Our intentions are of a peaceful nature.
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Please, respond." Picard just stood there for a few moments, waiting for
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a response. When none came, he tried to contact them a second time, again
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resulting in silence.
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"Data, any life form readings?"
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Data looked at his console quickly, then replied to the Captain. "Our
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sensors do detect humanoid life form readings from the ship, sir. The ship
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appears to be equipped with some sort of fusion drive, which is supplying
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only enough power to maintain normal life support conditions and a few other
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sub-systems. The ship's design is similar to that of Earth vessels used in
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the 21st Century where..."
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"Thank you, Mr. Data," said Picard, realizing that Data was about to
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go off on another tangent other than the question he had asked. He turned
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around to face Troi, who was already concentrating on the ship. "Counselor,
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what do you sense over there?"
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Troi stared intently at the viewscreen, a look of puzzlement appearing
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across her face. "I sense...despair, fear, and...death. Sir, these people
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want to die...they embrace it openly...no hope..." Deanna Troi looked as
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if she was going to faint. Picard quickly reached over and held her in
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place. Troi looked up at him and smiled. "Its okay, sir. I'm fine, now.
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Their emotions were so overwhelming..." Troi shook her head.
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"Why do they feel this way?" Commander Riker asked, turning in his
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chair to face the Counselor.
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They know that they are going to die, and they feel that nothing
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can change that. I just don't know what..." Troi looked back at the
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ship.
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Picard followed the Counselor's gaze, returning to face the view-
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screen. Beside him, Riker appeared, getting up from his seat to also
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stare at the ship. It has a hypnotic quality about it, Riker thought.
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Everybody on the bridge just stood there, looking at the object that
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was transfixed on the viewscreen. Seconds passed.
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"Ensign Crusher," Picard said, quickly cutting through the silence
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that was beginning to spread throughout the bridge. "Bring us within
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transporter range of the vessel." The young lad simply replied, "Aye",
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as Picard turned to face his First Officer. "Number One, I do believe
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this incident warrants an investigation."
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"Agreed. Permission to assemble an away team?"
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"Granted." Picard began to walk over to his seat.
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Commander Riker nodded, then started to select his away team members.
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"Worf, Data, come with me. Doctor Crusher, your presence is requested for
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away team duty."
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From out of nowhere came a voice, a voice that was distinctly familiar
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to all the bridge crew. "Understood."
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The doors to the turbolift closed slowly, concealing the members of
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the away team as they were being wisked away to the transporter room. Pi-
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card returned to looking at the viewscreen, staring inquisitively at the
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vessel as the Enterprise continued to close the gap that was between them.
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"Picard to transporter room."
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"Transporter room, O'Brien here." Good, our best transporter opera-
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tor, Picard thought.
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"Prepare to transport the away team over to the ship. And O'Brien?"
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"Sir?"
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"Beam them out of there at the first sign of trouble."
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"Acknowledged." The communication channel closed.
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Picard sat back in his chair, his eyes trying to pry loose whatever
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secrets the ship was hiding. Why did he get the feeling that Riker and
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his away team were walking into a death trap?
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Five glimmers of light appeared in a darkened corridor, shedding light
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to an otherwise dead ship. As the light grew in intensity, five figures
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began to form, slowly evolving as Riker, Data, Worf, Dr. Crusher and her
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assistant, Ensign Ripley, began to look around. The corridor was barely
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lighted, but lighted enough so that the away team could make out the cor-
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ridor's many twists and turns. Riker surveyed the area slowly, taking in
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everything he could see, and boy, was it a mess. Metal grating was seen
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dangling from various points along the corridor wall, as were pipes and
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a variety of other objects. Poor maintenance? Riker quickly threw that
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idea out of his head as he ventured forward to survey the rest of the cor-
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ridor.
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Worf moved ever so slowly, looking intently for any hidden weapons or
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surprises that may endanger the away team. Indeed, it looked as if a
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battle had waged itself throughout this whole corridor, Worf thought. He
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wondered if the rest of the ship was like this, when something caught his
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eye. "Commander."
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Riker turned from his current position, and walked over to where Lieu-
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tenant Worf stood. "What is it, Lieutenant?"
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"Take a look at this." Riker knelt down to examine the hole that Worf
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was pointing his flashlight through. Besides this hole, there were other
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holes, directly below the one he was looking at. Each of these holes seemed
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to go through many levels of the ship, Riker thought. He then looked up, and
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saw more holes directly above his position. What did this?
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"Commander." Beverly was studying her tricorder rather seriously,
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as if hoping the thing would give her more information. "Life signs,
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in that direction." She pointed opposite of where Lt. Commander Data
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stood. Data was looking at what appeared to be some sticky substance
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that was on the floor.
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"Alright, let's go," said Riker, who was gesturing everyone to walk
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towards his direction. "Doctor, you lead the way."
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Beverly nodded, as she and the rest of the team adventured forward.
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In what seemed an eternity, they traversed endless corridors until they
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reached a door which the Doctor's tricorder did indicate was in the
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direction of the life signs. As they were going to open the door,
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Riker's combadge chirped.
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"Riker here," he said, motioning everybody to stop what they were
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doing.
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"You had us worried, Number One," Picard said. "We were expecting you
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to contact us quickly, but I guess this expedition is turning out to be a
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real puzzle." Picard's tone of voice was filled with concern.
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"You're right about that, sir," Riker replied, slowly surveying the
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area around him. "The ship is a real mess, akin to Mr. Worf's descrip-
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tion, as if a battle was waged throughout it's interior." Riker looked
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at Worf, who was now examining the door. "We are just about to check
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out the life signs on the ship."
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"Do you require any assistance?" Picard said, who sounded relieved
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that nothing had happened to the away team.
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"Not yet, sir, but I'll let you know."
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"Be careful, Number One. Keep me posted. Picard out."
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Riker centered his attention on the door. Data was hovering over
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some panel to the side of the door, examining it with his tricorder.
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"Will it open the door?" Riker asked Data, who folded up his tri-
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corder and turned to face the First Officer.
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"It should, sir. I could detect nothing wrong with its circuitry as
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I scanned it with my tricorder." Data again looked at the panel.
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"Proceed then, Data." Riker stepped back from the door, motioning
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Dr. Crusher and Ensign Ripley behind him, while Worf took out his phaser,
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and stood just a few feet from the left side of the door. Data depressed
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something on the panel. The doors slid open.
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What appeared before them was something of a shock. Beyond the door
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was another corridor, but one that was very different than the ones they
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were traversing before. Along either side of the corridor was a material
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that Riker couldn't make out; it looked organic in nature, and standing
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from the door and looking ahead, it seemed as if the corridor was alive.
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The material seemed to glisten as Worf's flashlight shone itself alongside
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the walls of the corridor.
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"The life signs are indicated in that direction?" said Ensign Ripley,
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a hint of fear in her voice as she pointed her finger in the direction of
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the corridor.
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"Uh-huh," Beverly said. "That's what the tricorder indicates."
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"Okay, everybody, let's go in," Riker said, his stern voice of com-
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mand seemingly bringing everybody out of a trance. "I'll take the lead,
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followed by Data, the Doctor and the Ensign. Worf, you take the rear."
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Riker took out his phaser, and stepped forward into the corridor.
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They moved slowly, taking in everything as they walked closer and
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closer to the life signs mentioned by the Doctor's tricorder. The corridor
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seemed to expand wider as they continued their journey through the ship.
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Riker began to wonder whether this was all a dream, when Data got his atten-
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tion. Riker stopped moving forward, and turned to face Data, who was
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fingering some substance he took from the walls. "What is it, Data?"
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"Sir, this is the same substance I found on the floor when we first
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arrived on the ship." Data continued to examine the substance, which
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looked like a collection of transparent fibers. It was similar to what
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Data had seen earlier on the ship.
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"A connection?" Riker asked.
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"Possibly. But the connection eludes me." Data dropped the sub-
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stance to the floor.
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Before they could even move, a sound erupted from somewhere ahead.
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It sounded unearthly, similar to the shriek of a wounded animal, but as
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to what the animal was, that was uncertain. It echoed throughout the
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corridor for what was an eternity, then faded into nothingness. A shiver
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ran down Riker's spine, as he thought of beaming back to the ship. Star-
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fleet training quickly took over, however, and Riker was soon motioning
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the rest of the group forward.
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The corridor deposited them into a large chamber that was just a
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bit wider than the Enterprise's main bridge. The ceiling, however, was
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much higher than Federation starship designers would ever allow. Perhaps
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the most shocking thing in the chamber were the bodies found decorating
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the walls. Some were decaying bodies, with large gaps found in their
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chest region. Others appeared to be alive, but in some sort of comatose
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state. They appeared to be encased in that same organic substance that
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decorated the corridor they had just traveled through. Those same fibers
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that Data had picked up before seemed to intertwine with their bodies.
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Riker began to wonder what could have caused those gaps.
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"Please, help me." It was a soft voice, behind where Dr. Crusher
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stood. Immediately, she turned around.
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"God in heaven," she said, as she ran toward the wall where a little
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boy was hanging from, the transparent fibers seemingly holding him in place.
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Data got to the boy before the Doctor did, and began to tear away the organic
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substance that covered most of his body. Riker and Worf ran over to assist
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Data in his endeavor. As Dr. Crusher ran a diagnostic wand over the boy's
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body, he passed out.
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"How is he, Doctor?" Riker asked.
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"From the looks of things, the boy hasn't had anything to eat in
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weeks. He'll be fine, but I'll have to get him back to the Enterprise.
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I just don't...WHAT is THAT!?"
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Riker turned around. The object that caught the good Doctor's atten-
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tion was oval-shaped, and looked just like an egg, except that it had a flat
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base.
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"Data," he said simply, motioning the android to where he was stand-
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ing. "Come take a look at this."
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Data moved over to the First Officer's position, and began to ana-
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lyze it with his tricorder.
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"Well?" Riker was just as curious as the Lt. Commander in de-
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termining what the object before them was. "What do you make of it?"
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Before Data could even reply, the egg opened up slowly, hiding
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something that appeared to be moving around in its interior. Data moved
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his head slightly forward to see what is was.
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"Careful, Data," Riker cautioned, "we don't know it..."
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Something jumped.
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It was lightening fast, whatever it was, and all Riker could see
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was a blur. He was going to shove Data aside...when he saw that Data
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had grabbed the thing in midair before it hit the android in the face.
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Great reflexes, Riker thought.
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The creature appeared to resemble a spider, which still wasn't an
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accurate description of the life form. It's legs were moving about
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furiously, as if trying to grab hold of something other than Data's
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hands. The tail of the creature was lashing about, trying to wrap
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itself around anything for support.
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"Most intriguing, Commander," Data said, his child-like curiousity
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taking over the features of his face. "Notice the tubular projection
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from the base of the creature. I believe it is trying to attach itself
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to my face, for reasons I do not know. The creature is remarkable si-
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milar..."
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"Save it, Data," Riker cut in, in a tone of voice that found the
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creature unappealing. He pointed over to a corner of the chamber.
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"Throw it in that corner over there, and I'll stun it."
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Data complied, throwing the creature in the corner that Riker men-
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tioned. As it hit the ground, RIker fired his phaser and hit it dead
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on. The creature remained still, and Riker thought about putting his
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phaser away, when it started to move toward them. He tried again, hit-
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ting the creature. The creature seemed to shrug it off as it continued
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to advance toward the group with increased speed. It was ready to jump
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when, from another direction, a beam of light hit the creature. It slowly
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faded away into nothingness.
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Riker turned in the direction of the shot. Worf was standing there,
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next to Ensign Ripley, and was looking at where the creature once stood. He
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then looked up at Commander Riker.
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"I thought you could use a little help," he simply stated, as he put
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away his phaser.
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"Thanks."
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"Over here." It was Ensign Ripley, motioning Dr. Crusher over to
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join her. Ripley was already removing the organic material from some-
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one who was still alive when Doctor Crusher arrived.
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"It's alright. We're here to help you." Beverly smiled.
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What he said next was something the good Doctor was not expecting to
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hear. "Please, kill me."
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Beverly looked into the eyes of the man, whose eyes did not betray
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his true feelings, or the words he had just said. He really wanted to
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die, Beverly thought. She wondered why when his body started to con-
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vulse. He was in agony, thrashing wildly about, almost knocking Ripley
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and Dr. Crusher over. Beverly was about to reach for her hypo, when
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something happened.
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His body arced upward as blood started to erupt outward from his
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chest region. It seemed to fall apart, as if something was smashing up-
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ward through his chest, and a large gaping hole began to form.
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Worf shoved the Doctor and the Ensign out of the way as something
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came forward through the hole. It shrieked loudly, the same shriek
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that the away team had heard in the corridor, struggling to free itself
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from the confines of its host. It looked like a worm, but when the Klingon
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saw its hands and feet, he quickly dismissed it. The alien thrashed wildly
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about, reveling in the blood that splashed all around it, when it sensed the
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security officer. The alien flashed it's teeth at Worf, as if proud of what
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it had just done. Worf could have sworn that it was smiling.
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The alien hissed at him as Worf pulled out his phaser. His mind was
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racing in a variety of directions, bringing him to memories he once remembered
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as a child that told of a similar creature, a creature that ate the flesh of
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living beings, a destroyer of worlds. It was...evil.
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His eyes focused upon the alien in full detail. It looked as it it
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were laughing.
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"Die," he said, as the creature and its host vanished from sight.
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Riker had seen all this as it had transpired around him, when he
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realized the purpose of the chamber. He felt like hitting himself,
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thinking that he should have figured out this whole mess a lot sooner.
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"Worf, Data, everybody. Stand by for immediate transport." Riker hit
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his combadge, which chirped in acknowledgement. "Enterprise, this is Com-
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mander Riker. Six..."
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Suddenly, all hell broke loose.
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"Away team, come in!" Picard immediately bolted up from his chair,
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eyes staring keenly on the ship that the Enterprise was investigating.
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"Transporter room, beam them up, now!"
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O'Brien's voice came through the bridge speakers, his voice filled
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with worry. "Sir, I can't get a transporter lock on them. They're
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moving!"
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Picard's mind began to fill up with feelings of despair, feeling utter-
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ly helpless as the situation on the ship out there was deterioating rapidly.
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What the devil is going on, he thought. He turned to face Counselor Troi.
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Troi obviously sensed what question the Captain was going to ask,
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for she replied with the answer. "They are very afraid, sir, and in dan-
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ger. As to what the danger is that they feel, I'm afraid I couldn't say."
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Troi's eyes revealed the exact same feelings that Picard felt, and seemed
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to reach into his soul, searching for that inner fire and strength that all
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starship Captains carried with them, hoping to gain support from it, and
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finding none there. Picard felt ashamed.
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Turning around to face the viewscreen, Picard quickly did an about
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face with his emotions; feelings of despair were replaced by shining
|
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|
examples of hope, and Picard knew that he would get the away team safely
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out of danger, and home.
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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Does the away team stand a chance against the Aliens? Will Captain
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Picard rescue his comrades in time? Is Wesley Crusher a dork, or the key
|
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to this whole story? Or will I use the SPD to get them out to safety?
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HECK, WHO THE HELL KNOWS!! :^)
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-------------------------------------------------------------------------------
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