Q & A - Keith R. A. DeCandido [66]
But this is impossible! Picard thought, and not just about the quantum realities. He had a crew, not this…this Borg-like setup. He had been on two other Enterprises, and before that, he was with Q.
What the hell is—
Jean-Luc Picard sat on the bridge of the U. S. Enterprise.
To his left was the captain to whom he proudly served as first officer. True, Captain Wesley Crusher was much younger than his first officer, but Picard’s lengthy career in the sciences had meant a slow promotion track for him—he’d gone into command only when his work on the survey of Selcundi Drema brought him to the attention of Captain Jellico, who eventually made him second officer. After Data’s death at the hands of the Reman usurper Vkruk, Picard became first officer—serving under the newest captain of the Enterprise and the son of his best friend.
Jack would be proud of what Wes has accomplished.
“Analysis, Miranda,” Captain Crusher said to Lieutenant Kadohata at ops.
“Each of those ships is reading as a Sovereign-class ship—or as close as makes no never mind.” She turned around. “Captain, some of these are IDing as the Enterprise.”
Without even thinking about it, Picard ordered, “Commander, scan each of the other ships for its quantum signature.”
Crusher turned to his first officer. “What are you thinking, Jean-Luc?”
For some reason, even though the captain always referred to his officers by first name, hearing Wesley Crusher say “Jean-Luc” sounded strange. Still and all, Picard explained himself. “I believe that these vessels are all from different quantum realities, that the phenomenon we’re seeing in the center of all this is a quantum fissure.”
An enthusiastic smile lit Crusher’s face. “Parallel universe theory? That sure takes me back.” He ordered Kadohata, “Do it, Miranda.”
But Lieutenant Commander Jean-Luc Picard knew something was wrong. He knew about this from what he had learned on the Enterprise. Or, rather, the other Enterprises—which didn’t make any sense. And what about Q?
What the hell is going—
Jean-Luc Picard sat on the bridge of the I. S. S. Enterprise.
To his right was his first officer. Lore had served efficiently, if not always faithfully, in the role ever since the ambitious android assassinated Riker. They had been on their way back to Earth to bring tribute to the empress when they came across this strange phenomenon.
From behind him, Chief Engineer Miles O’Brien said, “There’s an odd quantum signature in all the matter around us, sir.”
“Analysis, Mister O’Brien,” Lore said.
“I don’t know what to make of it, sir. Everything in the universe should have the same quantum signature. There’s no way this could be happening.”
Lore stood up to face the engineer at his aft console. “Oh, you’d better find a way, O’Brien. Otherwise, we’ll just have to see how Mister Barclay likes being chief engineer.” And then the android touched a control on his belt.
“Auuuuuuggggggghhhhh!” O’Brien collapsed to his knees as the agonizer that was implanted in the base of his skull activated. Picard had implanted the devices in all of his officers’ skulls—except for Lore, who didn’t have a nervous system. But Picard had other methods of dealing with Lore if the android ever got delusions of grandeur.
O’Brien slowly clambered to his feet when Lore was finished. “Of…of course, sir. I’ll…I’ll figure it out.”
The captain said nothing—he left personnel items to Lore—however, he was expecting to see Geordi La Forge as chief engineer. No, La Forge was born blind—he’d have been killed in this universe.
“This” universe—that was not a construction he should have been using.
But he was. This was only the latest Enterprise he’d visited—and by far the least pleasant. Q had to have been doing this to him.
What the hell is going on?
Jean-Luc Picard sat on the bridge of the U. S. S. Enterprise.
It had taken many years of effort, but he’d finally worked his way up to bridge duty. As a parting gift before taking command of the U. S. S. Titan, Riker had granted him the promotion, both to that position and to the rank of lieutenant commander.