Star Trek The Next Generation The Gift: A Star Trek SI

[DarkDestroyer]

Paramount and SkyDance Own Star Trek. For Entertainment Purposes Only. Non-Profit.

Author's Note: Short and Sweet because we have other things to get to.

I recall why the Parvenium System rang a bell. The Enterprise is assigned to conduct a magnetic wave survey of the system...I guess why astrometrics was so excited about this...why? I've no bloody clue. However after about a week here we encounter the Ressikan probe which scans Picard and sends him into his coma. I am recalled from sleep, I've been sleeping pretty heavily after the 16 hours days, I've barely had time to see Laren. I am not moved into junior officer's quarters as per usual, which causes a bit of a scuff with the Lower Decks, but I smooth things out with them by creating a weekly poker game with a bunch of them. I have chosen to socialize with my fellow Ensigns. I am an Ensign now!!! I am a Ensign. I get called to the bridge...and find...

Picard laying on the deck of the bridge, and Beverly there running a scan over him. Before Will fills me in I cut him off.

"I knew this bit of space was familiar...the Captain's been scanned by an ancient probe belonging to a race of beings called the Ressikian's...he'll be in this state for about twenty five minutes. He'll be okay. He's uh---he's having an experience of a life time."

I am a little envious to be honest, but there's no way this could have happened to me. I'm not on shift here.

I JUST WOKE UP! I rub my eyes.

"What kind of experience?" Riker demands

"I'll let him be the one to explain when he emerges from the scan...he's okay though. I promise. If anything...sudden happens other than what I have said is going to happen, call me immediately. I'm going back to bed with your permission sir."

Riker nods and I go back to bed.

Picard lives Kamin's life as he does in the show and emerges from the scan---25 minutes later. The next evening as I am about to go onto my shift I beep the Captain's quarters. I hear the Flute playing. I try and compose myself.

"Come." I hear.

"I thought it might be you." he says gentle and with a bit of a sparkle , it's dimly lit and he's sitting at his couch---the flute is out. I can tell he's been playing it for hours. He can't get the tune out of his head. It means that much to him.

"I wanted to check on you after your...experience sir. What was it.. like?" I ask and he motions to sit down beside him

"You've seen the episode, you know what I...what I went through....but it was...unlike anything I've ever experienced before in my life." he says quietly

"A profound experience." I nod.

"Is that his---your flute?" I gesture at the silver instrument, almost in awe. To a Star Trek Fan the Resskian Flute is akin to a holy relic. I force myself not to reach out and touch it. Like reaching out and touching a lightsaber from Star Wars.

"Yes, do you play?" he asks

"No. I tried when I was younger...in school. I love flutes and clarinets. Just before my arrival here...my nephew was learning to play. He was actually pretty good."

"You must miss them, your family."

"Every day sir, but I like to think that I've gained a new one here." Allowing a smile he nods, understanding.

"I would love to hear you play it sir. That particular tune you play...it means a lot to me." I say trying not to be cringe.

He smiles, he's been waiting for me to ask him. He puts his lips to it and plays "The Inner Light" theme, and I can't help it, I cry while listening to it.

 

[commanderjoe]

Great chapter and many thanks, hope space Lincoln randomly finds you

 

[DarkDestroyer]

Paramount-SkyDance Own Star Trek. For Entertainment Purposes Only. Non-Profit.

December 2368 begins. It is nearing both Christmas and my birthday, and with the latter the second anniversary of my assimilation into Locutus. Deanna's renewed sessions have been extremely beneficial. My guilt is something I had thought I had seriously dealt with, but the fact of the matter is that I will never forgive myself. Maybe the Borg Queen was right. Maybe I WANTED this to happen. We've dealt with those issues as well. Deanna agrees that some part of me wanted to become Locutus, but not for the reasons the Queen stated to me. It wasn't out of some ego driven thing. Maybe there was some kind of fucked up subconscious desire to become Locutus, but it certainly wasn't some kind of hidden desire, and nor do I think it was some cool thing. It still surprised the fuck out of me that it even happened. A bold strategy for the Borg, and I'm still wrapping my head around the fact that at some point in the future I encounter Young Guinan, and Dr. Agnes Jurarti, and Jurarti invertedly gives me away to the Borg Queen triggering the events that happened. Talk about a temporal causality loop...

Tactical/Security shift duty is interesting when nothing is happening. It is mostly mundane work, which is I suppose kind of great in a way. It means I don't have to do much. Worf runs drills every five days on random times of the day, something he says he learned from Tasha. I'm getting better at them, but slower than the others, who have years more experience and training than I do, including the other fresh crop of Ensigns we have taken on in the next couple of months. Training with Laren has helped me, especially with Tactical, but I find the actual security work boring. I've kept that largely to myself though. I know expressing my concerns to Worf or Morani would make my life---harder than it has already been the last several months.

I lay with Laren during the day time--when the door chime goes off. I get out of bed and put on my robe. Grumble about having sleep disrupted and begrudgingly answer the door. I'm surprised when it is Guinan.

"Guinan. I'm not missing one of our phaser sessions or anything am I?"

She is wearing a crimson out.

"I apologize for waking you..."

"But you wouldn't have if it weren't important. Come in. Computer lights, 35 percent. Care for anything? Tea? Coffee?" I ask as I head to the replicator for a cup of Earl Grey.

"No thank you. I won't take up much of your time." she says as I order my tea and head over to couch. I hear Laren stirring in the bed.

"What's up?" I ask taking a careful sip of tea

"Data's head." she says deadpan and my eyes grow wide.

"Time's Arrow...damn, we're here already." I mutter

"You know what must be done?" she asks

"Yes. You need to go to Jean-Luc. I'll make sure the rest happens." I reply

Guinan nods, that's all she was here for. I then put my tea cup down and take off my robe and slide into bed next to Laren.

"Who was that?" she asks half asleep

"Guinan." I reply

"What'd she want?"

"You'll find out about it in a few hours time." I said---unintentional puns which I silently laugh too. I kiss her cheek and tell her to go back to sleep.

The Enterprise is suddenly recalled to Earth where Captain Picard, Data, and myself are requested to see a cavern near San Francisco...and I know what we're going to find. Data's head. It's Time's' Arrow time.

"Work crews were down here installing seismic regulators when they found some remarkable artefacts." the archeologist begins as Picard and I walk side by side in the old mining cavern. It's been cordoned off and Starfleet Security have been posted outside.

"And it's been determined that they date back to the late nineteenth century?" Picard responds

"Yes" replies the archeologist

I watch as he takes off a sheet from a packing case to reveal the items.

"The bifocal vision aid is typical of the era. The weapon is a forty five calibre double-action cavalry pistol invented by Colt Firearms in 1873." Data explains as I fight an exhale.

"Here, look inside the watch." he states

"To To S.L.C., with love. 30 November, 1889" reads the engraving

It's Twain's pocket watch. Picard turns to look at me.

"Ensign?"

"Yes sir it is Mark Twain's pocket watch, and pistol, sir." I Turn to look at the archeologist

"You mentioned that you were concerned with possible alien involvement?" I ask already knowing the answer

"The crew was having a problem with the regulators. Something inside the cavern was interfering with the phase conditioners. It turned out to be the cavern itself."

Data takes out his tricorder and begins scanning. He's going to pick up the trilolic waves. Picard and I wait for the results of his scans.

"The composition of the exposed rock face has been altered by exposure to triolic waves." Data announces right on cue

"Which you're not going to find on Earth during the 19th century." The scientist replies I look at the Captain again

"Trilolic waves The by-product of an energy source employed by very few species because of its deleterious effect on living tissue." I beat Data to his answer and he does an unintentionally humorous double take at me.

"That is correct sir." Data answers

"Mr. Young?"

"Just a moment sir...Doctor, you recalled the Enterprise for a specific purpose. We'd like to see your discovery." I say getting to the point of the matter

He nods and leads us to....the spot where Data's 500 year old head is resting half in the sand. I crouch down...and take out my tricorder. The positronic signature is an exact match to Data's.

"Confirmed sir. It is...Data's...head..." as Data joins me mimicking wonder. I can not help but feel true wonder as goosebumps form on my arms....

After discovering the cavern I brief the senior staff on what is going on with Data's head...it's complicated so it takes me a good half hour to explain everything and how it's related to the Deviadans. I explain that this is a fixed point in time, and Picard wants to know why.

"Captain, do you remember how you met Guinan?" Picard blinks.

"Yes, of course I do."

"Are you sure?" I ask and he frowns

We're dismissed as Ro sets a course for Devida II as Picard and Guinan have their conversation about how they first met.

Everything proceeds as it did in the episode proper and Data disappears. The crew prepare to go get him back. Worf is left in command and I observe on the bridge from the Tactical station.

"If all goes well...I'll see you back in a few minutes." He nods as they beam down to the planet


I head back to the bridge, and resume my position at Tactical, while Worf is in the Captain's chair. As expected the crew vanish into the portal after the Deviadans. Ro turns in her seat to look at me.

"So what do we do now? Just wait for them?" she asks

I nod.

"Yep. For them it's gonna be a few days or something like that...for us...a few hours or so. Maybe less. I don't remember exactly."

It's actually a few hours before we suddenly hear Riker's voice, they're back, but without Captain Picard and Data, and with...a very expected visitor. I head down to the transporter room to welcome them back and to see Mark Twain...Samuel Clemons himself.

Riker reports what happen and I nod my head...he then introduces me to Clemons.

"Mr. Clemons, it's an honor to meet you. Welcome aboard."

"Ahhh. This-this starship of yours is---remarkable."

"Would you like a tour sir?" I ask and both Will and Worf look at me

"I can assure both of you sirs, that Mr. Clemons is not a security threat. I would be more than happy to give him a tour of the ship."

"And I would be more than happy to take that tour...if..ah...this lovely lady here accompanies us." I laugh to Deanna in her head

"It would be my pleasure." he takes her arm under his

As Twain and Deanna leave , Will stops me for a second.

"The Captain..."


"The Captain will be okay sir. He's with Guinan. We'll get him back shortly." Riker nods and I head to meet them at Deanna's quarters where Twain is waiting outside for her.

"How did you know I would be here?" he asks in that voice of his

"I am...well....it's a little complicated."

"Try me sonny." It is Sam Clemons.

"Okay...but promise me you won't use this as an idea for any of your books." I half joke. He gets that twinkle in his eye and nods eager to hear what I have to say.

"I'm from another...reality, one in which, this reality....the people in it, and the events, are characters in an ever evolving story." I put it in a way that he would understand. His eyes light up.

"Ahhhh a dimensional traveler!! You know up until I met your Mister Data, I would have dismissed this notion as poppycock, but I also can tell truth in a man's eyes. I assume that they know this?"

"Oh yes. I took a gamble and told them right away."

"And it has paid off for you."

"In spades." that gets him to laugh.

"I saw your look when you saw me in that confounded, transporter room...do I take it that you have read my books?"

"A few of them, yes sir. Huckleberry Finn was the first book I read, my mom used to ground me by making me read books."

"A sensible woman, your mother."

"Yes, yes she is. My mother is the one who instilled in me my love of literature, and writing...and science fiction."

"A woman with great taste too I see."

"Yes. I have long admired you sir...you mean so much to so many."

"Thank you son, that means a lot."

Deanna emerges from her quarters and smiles at both of us.

"And what were you two gentlemen talking about?"

"Mothers, and their influence on their sons." Clemons says with that twinkle still and I smile

We give Twain the tour of the ship and end up back in Data's lab as Geordi has him hooked up. Twain laments about Data.

"I believe I sorely misjudged your Mr. Data...as well as a great many things." I smile

"We all have our lapses in judgement, Mr. Clemons." I reply

"You seem to have a good insight into that." he says and I laugh.

"Oh yes."

"It has been a honor meeting you sir, I wish you Good Journey back home." we shake hands

Picard returns, and Data is restored as Picard and Guinan have their conversation in Ten Forward.

 

[Kahalah]

This was good. Yes MC didn't really do anything but wait however this was just as good to have a conversation with Mark.

 

[DarkDestroyer]

This was good. Yes MC didn't really do anything but wait however this was just as good to have a conversation with Mark.

Click to shrink...

Heh. I REALLY wanted to go with them into the past, but couldn't really justify it, and honestly there was nothing for SI Adam to do there. Besides which I REALLY wanted to have that conversation with Twain anyways.