Story:Star Trek - Infinity/Chapter 12



I stood beside Nicky; both of us had our heads bowed in respect.

Captain William Riker stood beside the casket that held the body of Captain Picard. “Jean Luc Picard was, and always will be like a second father to me. For the fifteen years I served with him, I constantly looked to him with respect and admiration. And while he may no longer be with us, his spirit will live on in Wesley, his unborn son, and in all of our hearts.”

I looked over at Beverly. It hadn’t been quite so obvious before, but now that I looked more closely, she was very clearly with child.

All around me I saw Picard’s family and friends. There were at least a hundred of them; Beverly, Wesley, Dorian, Daniels, Barclay, and Perim, among others. Although it was sad to see him gone, there was a small shimmer of happiness in seeing how many people had been loyal to him.

As the funeral service ended, Nicky spoke up. “Computer, fast forward nine months; chapter 34, time index 12.”

The scenery changed, and I found myself standing on a space station, surrounded by Starfleet officers dressed in formal uniforms. At the front of the group stood two men and two women.

Nicky smiled. “This is my parents’ wedding.” She pointed towards the older of the two women. “There’s Grandma Beverly. After Captain Picard died, she decided to leave Starfleet. Her assistant medical officer, Dr. Ogawa took over her position as Chief Medical Officer after that.” She pointed to the older man. “That’s Grandpa Andrew, my mother’s father.”

I replied, “They sure look happy.”

Nicky let out a deep sigh.

‘Seeing her parents must be making her home sick.’

She quickly perked up again. “Computer, fast forward fifteen months; chapter 37, time index 17.”

The terrain changed once more, and I felt my feet rest on the firm titanium floor of a starship. At first I thought we were on the bridge of the Enterprise-E again, but after doing a double-take I realized that was not the case.

Nicky turned to me. “Welcome to the USS Enterprise-F, Odyssey class.”

I watched the bridge crew exit the turbolifts. I saw many familiar faces; Kell Perim, now a full Lieutenant, and Lt. Cmdr. Padraig Daniels. At the front of the group stood Worf, with Wesley on one side, and a person I didn’t recognize on his other.

I turned to Nicky. “Who’s the alien with the big ears?”

Nicky grinned. “After the death of Captain Picard, Worf was promoted to captain, and my father was made commander and First Officer of the Enterprise. When he was promoted, another person was sent to take over his duties as Chief Science Officer.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">I cut in, “Of course, Commander Nog!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">Nicky nodded. “Lieutenant Commander Nog; he won’t receive his promotion to First Officer for another fifteen years. He was assigned to the Enterprise because of one of his greatest scientific inventions: the temporal torpedo. Its creation was commissioned after the Romulans attacked the Enterprise-E.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">I turned to Nicky. “Is that what Worf and Wesley’s first mission was?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">Nicky shook her head. “Although Worf would’ve liked nothing more than to take revenge on the Romulan Shadow Faction, they didn’t meet them again for another thirteen years, when the Enterprise-F was lost.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">I replied, “I suppose that means the temporal torpedoes didn’t work?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">She shook her head. “On the contrary, they worked too well. During their first use, they ripped a hole in space that sucked both the Romulan Shadow Warbird and the Enterprise-F inside.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">I replied, “Was Captain Worf killed?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">Nicky shook her head again. “Worf would’ve liked nothing better than to die that day, but my dad transported him off the ship against his will. After losing the Enterprise, Worf chose to resign from Starfleet, claiming that he’d disgraced himself and his people by not going down with his ship. Additionally, due to the terrible consequences of using the temporal torpedoes, the further use and development of them was banned. Computer, fast forward fifteen years; epilogue, time index 1.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">The scenery changed, and I found myself standing near a window overlooking a massive starship.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">Nicky pointed towards it. “That’s the Enterprise-G, my father’s flagship.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">I turned as I heard laughter behind me, and a girl who looked to be in her early teens came ripping around the corner at top speed, followed soon after by a boy in his late teens.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">As they passed us, Nicky said, “That’s me and my older brother Dylan.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">I replied, “Is he in Starfleet?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">She shook her head. “He was always the quieter child. He ended up becoming a journalist and eventually an author. But me on the other hand, I always had a heart of science, and a spirit of adventure. I suppose I tend to take after my father in that way.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">I felt the station shake, and a moment later half a dozen figures materialized in front of us; they were Romulans!

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">Nicky and I rushed back down the hallway, and although I knew there was no real danger in the holodeck, I still felt my heart race with excitement.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">We slowed to a stop as we came to a large round room, and I soon noticed a familiar figure standing in the middle of it. It was Nicky-or rather-her younger self. A Romulan officer stood in front of her.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">He let out a laugh. “What do we have here?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">She screamed. “Get away from me!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">The Romulan took a step forward and raised his disrupter, but he suddenly leaped back and let out a howl of pain.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">“Leave her alone you creep!” It was Dylan, with a lit plasma torch in his hand.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">As the Romulan turned back to look at him, I saw a fresh burn running down his face. He growled and raised his disrupter, but stopped as a squad of Starfleet security officers entered the room. I watched the Romulan disappear in a flash of red energy as he was transported away.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">As his body faded, he hissed, “This isn’t over yet, humans.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">A moment later, a pair of Romulan Shadow Warbirds decloaked beside the Enterprise-G.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">The face of the Romulan who had been wounded by Dylan appeared on the station’s monitors. “Attention Starfleet, this is High Commander Sentar, of the Romulan Shadow Empire. As of this moment, I claim earth and all its resources as property of our empire. If you surrender now, we will allow you to live as slaves of the empire. If, on the other hand, you choose to retaliate, we will annihilate your planet and all its inhabitants. Choose wisely.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">A voice replied across the open channel, “It would be better to die valiantly here and now than to die as a slave in the dilithium mines.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">The docking clamps on the Enterprise-G released, and its shields energized, forming a large translucent blue bubble around the entire ship. It shot forward out of the shipyard at full impulse.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">The Romulan laughed coldly. “You can’t win!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">I turned to Nicky. “How can they possibly win? The Romulans temporal shields make them untouchable.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">Nicky replied, “Just wait. Computer, transfer position to the bridge of the Enterprise-G.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">The terrain changed, and I felt my feet resting on the hard titanium of a starship once more.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">I turned to see Wesley sitting in the captain’s chair and Nog standing at the science station. “Captain, trust me; the temporal torpedoes will work! I’ve perfected the design!

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">I turned to Nicky. “I thought you said the use or continued development of temporal torpedoes had been banned?”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">Nicky replied, “They were, but Commander Nog risked his career and continued working on them in secret.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">Wesley closed his eyes for a moment, then they snapped back open. “Alright. The worst that can happen is that we’ll be killed by the explosion and not live to see the court-martial. Commander Daniels, arm six temporal torpedoes.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">The Cmdr. tapped his console. “Armed and ready, sir.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">Wesley turned to Nog. “Commander Nog, this is your creation, I believe you should have the honor of giving the order.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">Nog smiled. “With pleasure, captain.” He stretched an arm out and pointed at the Romulan vessels. “Commander, aim for the lead ship’s engineering section.” He flashed a toothy smile. “Fire!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">A volley of torpedoes hurled out of the forward launcher. The first pair struck the leading warbird and Daniels let out a cheer. “Sir, they’re shields are completely gone!”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">The last four torpedoes struck the warbird’s supports, tearing it in two. Moments later both halves exploded in a flurry of blue plasma fire.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">The voice of High Commander Sentar came over the speaker, “This isn’t over yet, humans.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">The second ship shot to warp and the Enterprise’s bridge crew cheered.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">Nicky glanced at me. “Wesley and Nog were court martialed for the use of temporal torpedoes, but they won against the charges due to the positive results the torpedoes achieved.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">The terrain changed back to the black and white gridded floor and walls of the holodeck.

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">The robotic female voice of the ship’s computer came over the speaker. “Program Ended: 24th Century Captains of the Enterprise Starships.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">As we exited the holodeck, I turned to Nicky. “You’ve got a pretty cool dad.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">She replied, “Yeah, I just hope I’ll get to see him again soon.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">I smiled. “I’m sure you will.”

<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent: .5in">But as we headed back towards our quarters, I wondered if that was true…