Lost Past; A Star Trek Story

Paramount Global owns the Star Trek franchise. This is a piece of fan fiction based on Star Trek the Next Generation characters.

The Game

Later that night Beverly, Deanna, Worf, Wil, and Geordi gathered in Commander Riker’s quarters for the poker game.

“It’s been an hour commander, should we start without him?” Geordi asked with a flavor of distaste in his voice.

At that moment the door beeped.

Good,” Worf growled. “Data is here.”

“Come,” Wil shouted.

Jean-Luc entered the room. “No need to shout Number One. I hope I am not interrupting.”

“No, not at all; Please come in and have a seat.” Wil extended the invitation to the Captain.

“Where’s Data?” He asked.

“We don’t know,” Geordi was even more annoyed that their newest arrival was the captain and not Data. “I think that emotion chip was a bad idea. I have helped him run three diagnostics in the past two weeks. He is convinced there is something wrong with him. We haven’t found a thing.”

“A hypochondriac android is a bad thing,” Beverly remarked.

Wil grinned at the thought.

“Most species spend all their lives learning how to interpret and control their emotions. Data has only had two years. Emotionally speaking he is a child. We must learn to be patient with him.” Counselor Troi gave her thoughts on the matter.

Beverly cleared her throat, “Wes was telling me about something that happened this afternoon on the bridge. He noticed Data twinge. In his hand,” she recreated what Wes had shown her for the poker group.

“Computer,” Jean-Luc said, “locate Lieutenant Commander Data.”

The very feminine voice of the computer responded, “Lieutenant Commander Data is on Holodeck 3.”

“Perhaps we should pay Mr. Data a visit?” Captain Picard suggested.

They all marched from the poker game to Holodeck 3. At the door, it refused to open. “Access denied.” The computer reported.

“Override Picard, Captain, Jean-Luc, Delta Omega 3.” The door slid open, before them lay a luscious rolling meadow, full of tall green grass, wild flowers of every shape and color reached for a brilliant blue sky. They heard birds singing. As they began to walk through the program, the sound of water compelled them to keep moving. Butterflies clung to the flowers, just slightly fluttering their wings as the group walked past.

“I have this sudden urge to go running naked through this meadow,” Beverly commented; and instantly blushed realizing that she said her thought out loud.

“I smell lavender,” Deanna voiced.

A gentle breeze brushed at their backs. They walked on finding the source of the rolling water. A stream cut through the landscape. On the other bank, a forest stood mighty and tall, ripples developed across the calm pond feeding the stream.

“I have a sudden urge to go swimming,” Wil said. “I haven’t been swimming in years.”

“Seems like this place can bring out emotions in us,” Deanna analyzed.

“Desires,” Beverly added.

To their left, was a weeping willow tree; sitting under the trees weeping tassels extended a long pair of legs dressed in black pants and polished black shoes.

“Data are you okay?” Picard asked.

“It seems fantastic Data. Is this a real place?” Deanna asked.

Data got up, facing them. “This was a real place.” He seemed kind of sad. “Something is missing and I cannot determine what it is.”

A cracking noise directed their attention across the pond. A twelve-point buck had emerged from the forest to drink. It stared at them for a moment before leaving.

“What is missing?” Data folded his arms across his chest. He glanced at Commander Riker, “the poker game?” Suddenly realizing.

“You missed it.”

A rabbit hopped onto Data’s shiny black shoe. “Where did you come from?”

The rabbit twitched its little pink nose.

“Data, what do you mean, ‘where did it come from’?” Picard asked in a shocked voice.

“I did not create any rabbits for this program.”

It hopped away. After 10 feet of distance between it and the crew, it turned its head back toward Data. As if it was playing, it shook its white cotton ball tail at him before scampering off.

“It seems to have a playful personality,” Beverly commented.

Deanna shivered, “oooooo; that was strange.”

“What?” Wil asked. Concern filled his voice.

“A feeling. I’m not sure what.”

“Look!” Wil exclaimed pointing at the top of a hill at the back of the meadow. There stood a Vodoc, a dog like animal that was indigenous to Omicron Theta. It started to howl. “Spooky.”

They followed it. At the top of the hill, Data froze. There at the bottom of this hill, tucked in the back of another meadow were three round cylinders standing upright. “Computer end program.” He hissed.

Everyone stared at him in amazement.

Without another word, Data left the holodeck and his friends behind, confused.

William T. Riker