Out of Time - 2. Chapter 2

Port Nacelle Plasma Control

“Hey, watch what you’re doing!” Ens. Mirkenza swivelled around on her heel and shoved her colleague away from the control board.

“Keep your paws off me!”, barked Ens. Highvelt. He rounded on the offending co-worker and balled his fists. She wasn’t intimidated at all. He could barely evade a rapidly oncoming fist.

---

Hydroponics

“He did WHAT?”

Crewman Tarses cowered under his shift leader’s furious gaze. He shoved the trembling kid he’d caught in number two greenhouse behind his back a bit more. “Poltrik acc-accidentally the stem of an Amorphophallus Titanum.”

“Why, you little shit, I’ll-“ Ens. Ritzberg yanked the little boy from behind Tarses’ back and raised his other hand. When he next moved, he found Tarses holding his wrist. Hard.

“Insubordination! Tarses, I order you!”

“No, sir! Please calm down, this is not-“

---

Sickbay

Deanna lay on a hastily activated biobed, deathly pale and barely breathing. Doctors Selar and Crusher were now rapidly running out of options.

“Cortical stimulator now on highest safe setting as indicated for Humans,” spoke dr. Selar flatly. Beverly Crusher pressed another hypospray against Deanna’s neck. With every hiss of discharge, her hopes were high. Nothing worked, though. “Deanna is half Betazoid.”

“I am well aware of that fact, Doctor. The maximum level for Betazoids is thirteen percent lower.”

A medical technician came running up, holding a PADD. Both doctors read it. Selar patiently waited for her colleague to finish.

“Do you think these outbursts of violence are related? If we only could wake Deanna, she could perhaps tell us.”

Selar raised an eyebrow. “The likelihood of this correlation having one cause is incomputable without more information.

“Bah! You and your damned logic,” Dr. Crusher began, then held herself in check. Something was seriously wrong.

---

Ten Forward

Reese and Gavin watched two unconscious StarFleet officers being carried out of the lounge by stern-looking security guards.

“Well, I’ll be damned. Not much has changed after all.” Gavin took a swig of his drink.

“That’s where your wrong. I can’t even remember anyone fighting here in the last four years, nor on any other ship I served. I like to think we’ve grown beyo-“

“Red alert, attention all decks, red alert. Red alert. All crew to battle stations. This is not a drill. Red alert.”

“Whoa. This ain’t good.”

“You can say that again,” answered Reese, as he stood up. “Gotta run. Battle stations. You go to your quarters and wait for me.”

“No! I want to come with! Help out.” Gavin ran after his friend, intent on playing some useful role in whatever the crisis was.

---

Bridge

“Shields raised sir, modulating frequencies now.”

Captain Picard stepped onto the bridge. Tension dropped by a notch immediately. “Report!”, Picard ordered as he took his customary seat.

“Outbreaks of violence all over the ship. Kappa band radiation detected almost at the same time as the first reports. Now trying to block with the shields.”

“Should we move away sir,” Riker proposed.

“No, number one. We’d probably leave at least one ship of victims behind and..” Picard pounded the left arm rest with his fist. “I’ve had it! We talk and they attack. We obligingly set up a conference, do our best to mediate and they fight. I’ve had it! The line must be drawn *here*! This far and no further!”

“Sir?” Riker was on his feet, in front of his angry captain in a flash. “Sir, are you alright?”

“No, I am damn well not…” Picard paused. His features softened again. “I guess I am alright now.”

Ens. Tarquin reported from his duty station. “No more kappa band radiation measurable, sir.”

Picard rubbed his head. “I feel very weak all of a sudden, number one. Stand down from red alert, maintain yellow, and find out who and what. I’ll be in my Ready Room.

“I want you in Sickbay, captain. This is not right.”

“Doctor Crusher will be far too busy by now. She-“

Tweedlesquirge. “Crusher to bridge. What is going on there?!”

Picard spread his hands, smiled in resignation and sauntered off, leaving Riker in command of the bridge.

“Some sort of anger-inducing radiation, as far as I can tell, Doctor. Please stand by.”

“Alright. I’ll get you a full report as soon as. Crusher out.”

---

Barnett’s guest quarters

CRASH!

An entirely innocent flower vase ended its existence in a shower of lethally sharp fragments.

“Ow! Dammit!” Gavin sucked on his fingers.

On cool reflection, and that was the worst of the matter, Reese had been right. The man had a duty to do and he damn well did it. It just stung that he himself no longer had any duties to perform. Another thing, he had no idea how to clean the glassy mess from the carpet. No cleaning cupboard in sight.

Hm.

Gavin unconsciously came to parade rest. What was going on? Why was he so angry? No real reason why. Also not productive.

Hm.

He sat back on his ludicrously large and fluffy couch. No dice. A chair at the eating table then. Normal seat, straight back. Better. He spotted one of the PADDS that Reese had left behind. They were apparently used for anything written and basically acted like a netbook in that you could hold it easily and spared going over to a computer panel. Maybe a letter home? Counsellor Troi had recommended writing one during their first session. It was supposed to be therapeutic.

Gavin silently cursed whoever had thought up these horrid little blocks without labels that pervaded every machine on this ship. Eventually, he resorted to issuing his commands verbally, which worked wonderfully.

"Open a new text file."

Chirp.

"uh.. label? Oh, the label is Letter to buddies."

Chirp.

"Hey guys, it's me, Charger. You probably won't believe this but I'm writing from the future." Gavin was pleased to see the words appear on the screen as he spoke, although the spelling was pretty weird. "But is true, this is the future and I'm on some kind of super huge spaceship. It looks more like a cruise ship by the way, it is ever so luxurious. They gave me my own room and it is like a penthouse or something, like those hotel rooms you see in movies. The computer tells me it is 2369 now, which makes me .. more than 420 years old. It did really tell me, the computer here talks. It knows basically everything but can also be pretty damned stupid at times. A bit like you, Professor. Well, I'll tell you shitbricks what happened. I guess you think was killed and I think I was, at first. But after I took that hit a couple of minutes into the battle I woke up in a weird place that was all white. There was some weird guy there. I finally met someone more arrogant than our top in boot camp, haha. He wasn't very nice but he did me a big favour. He didn't send me back to die but sent me here. I don't really know what they did to me but when I woke up again there was no sign of any wound. Nothing! Not even a scar.. the doctor here must be a genius! They were real friendly like, except for the captain. He's a grand old geezer but I don't think he likes me very much. The woman doctor they have here was fantastic though. Also Reese, the guy they got to show me around at first. He is a lieutenant too but they're not very keen on protocol here. Maybe it is because I'm not part of their navy? Anyway, I had a great time with Reese..."

Gavin faltered, blushed slightly.

"Ah fuck, to hell with all that crap! I can tell you guys now, you're not gonna judge me anymore anyway. So to you all you motards out there who think it's wrong.. die painfully and slow. Send me an invite to your funerals so I can come spit on your fuckin' bodies." - deep breath - "I think I like Reese, a lot. He's a swell guy and kinda good-looking too, a real man but no stupid posturing and bad jokes. Real smart, he's something to do with star research, I keep forgetting the name they have for it here. He's shown me the star room where he does some of his work. It's great, a bit like one of those round theatres that are kinda like a globe. You're in the middle of the stars on a small platform and you can zoom in and out and do all kinds of weird things. He projected our course in relation to Earth and fuck, we're a long way out. Reese could tell you the number but I don't really listen anymore. Believe you me, that anyone can picture those humongous distances is a mystery to me. Anyway, Reese is an allround good guy on top of being Einstein. He took me to the bar here and we had a fantastic time. Even got myself an invite to come see his quarters but that.. was what happened: he showed me his quarters. Sending me some mixed signals here or maybe they do things differently now. That is a fact for sure, yessiree. I have no idea what I'll do-"

---

Captain’s quarters

Finally, Picard went to bed. What a day! Of all the stupid, stupid stupid..

Sacre bleu, he was still angry. No, furious. Furious! Stupid, dumb, benighted, lowbrow excuse-for-a-diplomat.. and the other one was even worse. So totally against their own best interests, and that of the Federation! Picard fumed, kicked the covers off himself and looked down in shock. Why was he lying on a leather couch?

- FLASH! –

Q appeared, now dressed as a 19th century gentleman, seated in a high chair next to the head rest of the new couch. Sofa, Picard realised, growning inwardly. He did not need this.

“Tell me about your vater,” Q drawled nasally.

“No! Go away.”

Q wrote something down on a paper notepad. “Hmm.. anti-cathexis. What is it you are repressing, mmh? Tell me, is your libido alright?”

Picard put his hands over his eyes.

“What iz it you are trying to zay, eh? Tunnel?”, Q asked helpfully. “Cave, grotto, opening, hole-“

“Shut UP!”

“Temper, temper, mon capitain,” the would-be psychiatrist protested.

“No! Nothing temper, temper. I’ve had it. This has gone on far too far.” He got out of bed.” Either you are part of the problem,” Picard took a deep breath, “and you will kindly solve it right now or you’re just here for a laugh, in which case you will…,” he thought for a moment. “sod,” Picard flicked on the lights with an air of finality, “off.”

“Interesting…wouldn’t you zay?”, Q continued unperturbed. He wasn’t to be dislodged by shouting at him, that much was clear. “What is it that irks you so much, captain?”

Picard didn’t know. He put on a robe. Even though the entity could see him naked even through a light-year of solid steel, if he so wanted, Picard didn’t feel entirely comfortable in his undies.

“They.. they just won’t understand! They go on running around in the same old circle, getting themselves worked up, killing another few thousands.. and on and on!”

“Isn’t that the way of the universe?”, Q countered. “Evolve or die?”

“No! I keep telling you, we’ve grown beyond that. We answer to a higher ideal, one of equal worth of all creatures.”

“Yet you would force these beings into the Federation straightjacket right away just so they behave according to your norms and don’t you deny it, Picard!” Q’s voice was no longer the pleasant baritone Picard was used to it. It was harsh, raw and more powerful than mere harmonics should be able to pull off.

---

Main Computer Control

Gavin had the weirdest feeling. His legs, which dangled below the big red line of the computer core shaft, felt tingly all over. One of the techs explained this was due to the FTL field in the core that allowed the computer to do most of its work at superluminal velocities. He had no idea what FTL was but it sure as hell was an impressive computer.

Chirp. 'Harper to Barnett.'

Gavin tapped his commbadge. "Hi Reese."

'I’m off duty again. Where are you now?

"Core 2 Management Access, deck.. 10 I think.”

'Meet me in my quarters afterwards?'

"No problem. Lookin' forward to it. Barnett out." Chirp.

Ten minutes later, Gavin walked into Reese's arms and allowed himself to be hugged fiercely. It sure was nice to feel Reese's body against him, head against his shoulder, strong arms around his back. "Reese, Reese, you can let go now, umphgh."

"I’m sorry for leaving you there like that."

"Why? You did your duty, nothing more. I’ll cry myself to sleep tonight no problem." Gav's smile spoke differently, though. Warmth and contentment were clearly visible on his face. "I like you too. A lot."

---

Captain's quarters

Q had vanished about an hour ago and had, after only just a bit of begging from Picard, reverted the leather psychiatrist’s couch back in a bed again. After reading all pertinent data for the third time, Picard made a decision. He switched his monitor off with an air of finality. Even more data would not solve his, and the Federation's problems. Spotting the Mintakan tapestry hanging from his chair, he ruefully thought back to yet another group of people expecting him to magically solve all their problems. It was hard, being the captain of StarFleet's flagship. People kept expecting you to somehow have answers to basically everything. Even the admiralty, maybe especially the admiralty had the tendency to just send him out with mission orders consisting of a load of waffle boiling down to 'Problem. Fix it.' Still, he wouldn't see it any other way. He could imagine no other life as fulfilling or as enrichting.

He sat back and allowed his thoughts to wander. It felt nice, relaxing. Not forcing anything, just letting it all happen, he curiously watched for what would turn up. Guinan's warning came back to him, rather vividly. He still didn't understand what she'd meant by it and, knowing Guinan, it wouldn't get any more clear. He relived parts of the diplomatic talks he'd held over the last day or so. So many voices, so many concerns, needs, viewpoints!

Then the Borg returned, half-mechanized face contorted in rage. It wasn't just angry.. in all its offensive aggression, it actually recoiled. With a shock, Picard realized at what its loathing was directed. At him, personally. It detested him, Jean-Luc Picard. He disgusted it. How could that be? And then he had it.

Suddenly refreshed, Picard tapped his chest. Nothing happened. Looking around, he found his commbadge and called his exec.

"Number one, get those ambassadors in here right now."

'You want to tell them off, sir?'

"If only." Picard grinned. "No, a new conference. I'm going to solve this once and for all."

'Right away, sir. Anything else?'

"Yes, double the guards. Picard out."

---