Ad Aspera ed Astra
"At ease," Commodore Data stated as he entered the briefing room "The last few days have been... unusual... to say the least." at this the android paused and looked at Admiral Riker.
"I don't regret what I did," the Admiral said looking at the Commodore without flinching. "All is ... as it was, didn't the Guardian of Forever stated itself?"
"I want you to understand, Admiral," Data said slowly as he sat down, " That we are going to face a new and different universe, Admiral. Are you not at all afraid?"
"For Imzadi? It was worth it."
Data nodded, he had no more to say about that issue. "While we are on this system, Admiral, in the heart of the temporal vortex... we are untouched by whatever changes might have been made by your reparations. When the timeline was modified for the first time, we -and our memories- were simply altered with it." at this the Commodore looked at the nearby windows and took a glance at the Forever World. "We had no awareness that anything was different. Now, however, we were at the center of the change, the actual changes were made without us being a part of them in the here and now. When we leave this place... there is no certainty as to what will happen to us."
"Data," he said quietly. "Everything is going to work out just fine."
"All is as it was."
"She wouldn't have wanted this, Admiral! You're risking everything!"
"Don't you remember, Data?" called back Riker. "The name of James Kirk's autobiography?"
Data needed only a moment to recall it. "It was entitled Risk Is Our Business."
"Damn right! I owe Deanna nothing less than to try everything' You hear me, Data? Nothing less!"
"Admiral, if you do not come out of there immediately, I shall order the Enterprise to open fire and use ship's phasers to penetrate the force field! You may very well be destroyed if that happens!"
"And the Guardian might be as well!" shouted back Riker. He took a step toward the time gate. Seconds before, a Saturn V rocket had been lifting off. Now Zephram Cochrane was about to activate the first warp drive unit. "Would you do that, Data? Would you risk destroying the Guardian? Don't you see, Data? You've longed to understand humanity! You've longed for a soul! Well, Mr. Data--the Guardian is the resting place of all the souls, throughout all time! It's God's window on eternity! Who are you to destroy it?"
And with icy calm, Data replied, "I have already contacted Starfleet, Admiral. Their orders were very specific. Protect the time stream, no matter what. Deanna Troi must die... and if it takes the destruction of God's window, then who better, Admiral, to assume that responsibility? After all... I am not one of God's creatures." And Data angled his head upward and said, "Enterprise... target the shielding directly in front of me. On my command... fire."
"Don't do it, Mr. Data!" called Riker with genuine pleading in his voice. "Don't kill Deanna!"
"I did not kill her, Admiral. But if maintaining the integrity of the space-time continuum were at stake, I would take her life with my own hands. I would derive no satisfaction from it. Indeed, the counselor was as dear to me in my own way as she is to you in yours. But I am prepared to accept that her death is a requirement in the natural order of things, and to preserve that order, I will do whatever I have to do."
Data had spoken with certainty and a sense of implacable decision. And Riker knew that lines had been drawn. "So will I, Mr. Data."
"Enterprise," said Data tonelessly. "Fire."
From orbit, the mighty phasers of the Enterprise cut loose. They struck the force field directly above Riker's head. The force field sparked and shimmered under the barrage, resisting the power of the weapons.
It was the strongest force field that Federation technology had to offer... Furthermore, the Forever World had been equipped with its own heavy-duty defense array, protected by similar shields. If a hostile vessel had shown up, the system below could very easily have given a very formidable accounting --in all likelihood, blowing the attacking ship out of orbit.
But this was not just any hostile, this was the Enterprise.
Data watched, stone faced, as the Enterprise pitted her phasers against the force field. That they would eventually penetrate, he had no doubt whatsoever. The question was whether they would break through in time.
Riker took a step back, watching the phasers with a sense of grim desperation. There was nothing he could do. He was trapped inside, and besides, getting out would simply put him farther from the Guardian.
The field began to buckle. He could see the power reserves straining, the field integrity collapsing. How incredibly ironic that here he was at the gateway to all time, and time was the one thing he did not have.
He spun and charged at the gateway. The sand crunched beneath his hoots. On the display face of the Guardian, he saw a brief image of Q dancing with Lwaxana Troi, and then Locutus threatening the ship, and it was all merging and blending together...
"Admiral, we will stop you!" came Data's voice, rising above the wind and the screaming of the Enterprise phasers.
No time! No time!
Riker leaped.
Data Followed.
Moments Later, Mary Mac -The Guardian watcher- observed in astonishment as three people emerged from the swirling vortex of the Guardian of Forever: Admiral Riker, Commodore Data, and one more form that tumbled forward, clearly unconscious.
And then the Guardian spoke, in that vast and all-encompassing way that it had: "All is... as it was."
Data turned to face the Guardian. "You mean that Admiral Riker did indeed restore the time line to its original form?"
"All is as it should be," repeated the portal.
Ant his Riker shouted, "if you knew that time had been tampered with in the first place, and you knew that my actions were correct... then why in hell didn't you tell us that?!"
With utter serenity, the Guardian replied, "You did not ask."
There was dead silence, except for the howling of the wind, for about ten seconds. And then Data managed to get out, "We didn't ask?"
Riker started to laugh.
[*This section is a short and modified paraphrasing of part of the plot from the Star Trek Novel Imzadi. It contains copy/pasted dialogue.]
"But now, gentlebeings, we have a problem in our hands." Data said as he looked at the assembled crew. "After our return from the past, The Guardian spawned a being of unknown origin at the same time we arrived. When queried about this, it's answers were inconclusive and cryptic. What we could gather so far was that due to Admiral Riker's, and my own actions, we created it." at this Data looked at a grey haired vulcan in blue. "Doctor Hauman, what can you tell us about this being The Guardian has spawned for us?"
The Vulcan cleared his throat before bringing up an holographic image on the middle of the room's table. It showed a humanoid creature. Almost human like most Preserver seeded races, yet there were differences. "We are making history." he simply stated, leaving the room in silence for a few seconds before continuing. "I'm not an expert in Xenobiology, but what we are observing here is no more, and no less than a step in the evolution of Anaphasic beings."
"What do you mean Doctor?" Admiral Riker interrupted with a frown in his face "Aren't anaphasic lifeforms extremely unstable and incapable of maintaining molecular cohesion or a corporal form on their own?"
A vulcan eyebrow was raised by this accompanied by a simple "Yes."
"He does not looks like an anaphasic being Doctor, is it taking that body as a host?" An andorian in red added.
"No Margolin. But zhen and everybody should just let me finish." waiting for a moment to see if anyone was going to add anything else, the Vulcan continued "This being is an anaphasic lifeform, yes. But it
is the next step on their evolution. I can't even begin to understand how a living being can contain so much energy -as even the Enterprise sensors are unable to get an exact reading- but it's physical form is no less than massive amounts of anaphasic energy that coalesced into a physical form."
"That should be impossible." Commodore Data couldn't help to say.
"Quite." The Doctor replied. "But it is happening, here, right in front of our eyes. And isn't that magnificent?" a moment passed in silence before the Vulcan continued "Anyway, continuing my report: It's physical physiology resembles almost exactly the Human one albeit, existing both as matter and energy at the same time. The most glaring difference being the existence of a pair of protuberances on the top of his head, the existence of a pair of vestigial eyeballs on their common location, and a third eye on it's forehead characterised by a ripple-like pattern which spreads over the eyeball, with red sclerae and ten irides. From my analysis that eyeball is also the focal point for the most massive amounts of anaphasic energy." Moments passed as everyone processed what was said.
"Is there anything else you would like to inform us?" Data queried as he saw that no one else was planning on talking.
"Yes, sir. I ran it twice to confirm it. But this being physical form is based out of Commander Riker's biometric data."
"What." the Admiral said in deadpan.
"Congratulations, sir. You have a son." the Vulcan replied in monotone.
Admiral Riker merely sighed "Well, I guess it was time." he muttered in jest. "Still, son or no son of mine. This being is my," glancing at Data he continued "our responsibility. We can't leave this system without asking him if he wants to come with us or stay at Forever World. For all we know we will disappear along the Enterprise once we do!"
"I agree," Data said as he started interfacing with the computer to access some information. "The Guardian has implied that it is to stay with us, but the very least we can do is give him the choice." taking a few seconds to access the required data he continued "From what I can gather, we aren't expected anywhere for the following two weeks, and even then our Quantum Slipstream Drive will allow us to reach our destination in a matter of minutes." looking back at the old Vulcan he asked "Doctor, do you know when is he going to wake up?"
The answer was a simple:
"I have no Idea."
I felt like I was nowhere.
This wasn't the all-white "afterlife." I felt myself floating, unfettered by gravity or by much of anything. There was nothing to see, no point of reference to mark my position, no ground to stand on, nothing.
Is this death? I wondered.
This…this nothingness I felt had to be death. If only I could stand,or move,or speak,or do something...
Anything. I wondered how this happened, I don't remember dying after all, but I guess no one expects to die after all.
I existed, for a lack of better term, like this for a while. I had no concept of time, I had no idea how much or how little time passed. I couldn't hear, couldn't speak, until suddenly I heard voices from all around me, speaking in gibberish.
"͠Is͢ ̢[͡T͟he̕ ̀end̡] ͟t̢his (͜I͏s̷ ̨{҉A̵ņơt͜h̕e̸r ch̷a͏nce} h҉e?̧) ͢th҉e ͝[̀is̴ ̸h̴e̸re͠.] one͟? ҉(̢H͢e is.) Ẁi͘ll [A͞t ̸{fór̨ ̸sa̧lvati̡on͝}̷ ̀la̷st] ̴h̷e ͢(́Is ͞he͘ ̴capa̕bl̀e͟?̶"̸
The voices clawed into my mind, letting me understand their eldritch gibberish. That was the last thing I heard before the void turned into
something. I felt my being, my soul shifting, changing. Transforming into something that was not me. It was a burning pain, I felt as if molten steel was poured into me, until the only thing I could feel was aching pains of my body -I had a body!- clamoring for attention.
That's when my consciousness faded.
"Hello, little godling." was the first thing I heard when I came back. I wondered for a second what he was talk - "I meant you, and what a curiosity you are. I didn't believed
They would meddle again. Especially so soon!"
"They? What? What is going on? Who are you?" I tried to say, but my throat felt parched and only rasping sounds came out. Thankfully the being seemed to understand me.
"Open your eyes." he said, and I could
feel the mirth on his voice.
That was new.
Still, I proceeded to do so. What greeted me was the face of John de Lancie.
I blinked.
"No, no, no. Open your other eye!" Other eye, Wha-
"Yes, I can read your mind. Comes with the omnipotent package. Now open the third eye in your forehead. and look beyond your mortal flesh!" the man exclaimed as I felt it. The muscles I've never used before, that were never there. And so I moved them.
Colors, energy, sounds, everything became accented to a impossible degree. And not a single moment nor detail was forgotten from my mind. It took me a few seconds to adjust, before I looked at the man -No, that was no man. At the Q before me.
"Yes, little godling! Look at me, Look at reality and don't be constrained by your mortal roots for am I just as you are. It may take you countless eons for you to even get close to the Q as you are -you are not even 4th dimensional yet- but you are not a mere mortal anymore!" Q said exuberantly, confetti and music literally appeared out of nowhere. And I
understood, knew, exactly how it was done. But after a few seconds everything disappeared, and the mood became sombre. "But it wasn't your fate was it?
They meddled, and ascended you for some reason."
My mind was barely processing what was happening, the Star Trek, like room I was in, the fact Q was talking to me. It was numbing, and I had no idea why I was not panicking. But there was one thing that came forth in my mind. "They?" I asked.
"
They." he replied, before looking at me. "
They are beings beyond our compression. Even beyond the Q." he shaked his head before continuing. "
They, became bored. So They attempted to let the universe die, hoping the next one would be more interesting. They have done it, and possibly do it constantly, yet we were lucky that they enjoyed this Universe so to this day, we continue to exist."
"How is that possible?"
"Anything is possible, the Universe, you see, is like a giant tapestry." He smirked, even as the Universe suddenly appeared before us, in the form of a tapestry, woven out of stars and space and gases and nebulae. It was the whole Universe, in the hands of Q. I simply knew it, and I saw every single detail of it.
I was mesmerized, unable to look away from it. This was a memory I would never forget, and it was beautiful. Yet it showed me the power of Q, and
They intimidated him. "I can weave it, distort it, change it. Even move to other tapestries." Q said, as he made the Universe into a ball, then a duck, then a sombrero, and then made it disappear. "Yet, to
Them, we are no more than insects under a microscope."
"But then, why are you here?" I asked.
"To warn you, for you see: I'm quite fond of my existence.
They make things happen for entertainment, and when they get bored they destroy Universes because they can." disappearing in a white flash of energy his last words reverberated through the chambers. "May you live in interesting times."
I took several moments to breath deeply before I started hyperventilating. I had no idea what the fuck was going on. And my current situation wasn't helping. I remember yesterday, I was going to school, I think...? What was I doing? I think I was petting my cat. Or something.
My memories were blurred, I could not recall anything beyond living, and then experiencing the void.
It was disconcerting to say the least. But no more than being on Star Trek and meeting Q. And even if I was ignoring my pale white skin, I could not ignore somehow having a third freaking eye. But there was one thing that actually made me feel good, and stay calm.
There was... energy... is the only word I can think of. My whole being was composed of it, just like Q, existing both as matter and as something more. It made me feel peaceful.
And... should I do it?
Recalling without a problem what I saw moments ago, I manipulated my being. Streams of energy mixed together to form new types, before being shaped and formed just at the same time it was expulsed out of my body.
"
~ ♪♫♬"
'Mi, mi, fa, sol, sol, fa, mi...' the very simple melody of the
Ode to Joy started playing out of nowhere. It was not as complex as the version Q had done of course. But I had powers, and I could use them!
I started giggling like a little kid. I had powers, and I was in Star Trek.
As real as this felt like, I must be dreaming, there was no other explanation.
"Commodore, our guest has woken up." I heard a voice calmly said. I could not believe I had not noticed him entering as I turned. I was greeted by a elf. A old space elf.
"Welcome to the Enterprise," the Vulcan said "Can you understand me? We mean you no harm, all we want is to help you."
