Lost Past; A Star Trek Story

Another new wrinkle

    Picard was enjoying the most restful night he had since this mission began. His wonderful sleep was interrupted by Wil’s voice. “Captain to the bridge.” He clamored out of bed. Once he stepped onto the bridge he noticed a ship on the view screen. It was gold and looked like an egg floating in space. “Report!” He ordered.

    “We know nothing sir.” Wil reported.

    “Nothing!” He looked around in amazement.

    “Sensors are working. However, they are having difficulty reading.” Data reported.

    “Let’s correct that shall we.”

    “Sir, we are being hailed,” Worf growled.

    “On screen.”

    “Can’t sir,” Data replied.

    “Great.” Jean-Luc took a deep breath. “This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard aboard the Federation Starship Enterprise.”

     For a time, there was no reply. Then static poured over the bridge in waves. Again there was silence. “I am Captain Exec Dom aboard the Sheno cruiser Vio.” 

    “How may we be of service Captain?”

    Westerfield stepped onto the bridge.

    “We are looking for one of our ships. Have you passed it in your travels?” 

    “What did it look like?”

    The mail voice talking to Picard was much like there’s, human in tone. “It would have been a smaller version of this one.”

    “No, we have not.”

    There was silence. “May we meet?”

    “Sure, send us your coordinates and we will transport you over.” Picard turned around, “Worf, you’re with me. Number one, you have the bridge.”

    In the transporter room, they watched as Captain Dom materialized on the transporter pad. 

    “That was interesting. It,” he thought for a moment, “tickled.” He looked around at his new surroundings. His skin was brown with frills where his ears should have been. He had no visible hair. His hands and feet both had five appendages but were webbed. His eyes were very small, round, and black. His nose didn’t stick out like a human nose; it was just two holes in his skin. His mouth looked like a human mouth. The uniform he wore was green and highly decorated. 

    “Welcome Captain Dom aboard the Enterprise.”

    “Thank you Captain Picard.” He stepped off the pad to shake Picard’s extended hand.

    “This is my security chief Lieutenant Commander Worf.”

    They shook hands, “Lieutenant.”

    “Please,” they lead Captain Dom to Picard’s office. “Captain, we didn’t pass a ship in our travels that looks like yours; however, we did pass a debris field four days back.” Picard volunteered.

    “A debris field?” 

    “I didn’t mention it because if your bridge is like mine, all your bridge crew can hear our conversation. There were no pieces left big enough for us to gather. We did take measurements of the elements that made up the field. Perhaps our data can help you in determining if it was your ship.”

    “You have a ship in tow Captain. A ship that looks like one that was reported to us from the Addo; before he lost contact with the fleet.” 

    “We found the Jormungand drifting in space. It isn’t in tow. It is following us.”

    “We will accept any help you can give us in locating our brothers.”

    “Very good. Worf please ask Data to join us. You are dismissed.”

    “Yes sir.” Worf departed. After several minutes Data entered. He took one look at Captain Dom and froze in his tracks. He saw a creature much like Don appear before him. The room was full of people. This creature was being questioned. All he could see were hands and arms. Could hear voices. “Who paid you?” Boomed in his ears. He realized the voice he heard was Thor. The creature gave no reply. The longest piece of bone from this frill was pulled out. He gritted his teeth but never uttered a word. “Who hired you to harm my daughter?” Still no answer, the same bone was taken from his other frill. “I want answers.” The voice demanded. One by one very tooth in his mouth was removed. Every bone from his frills. The teeth were shaped into marbles and placed on the bones from the frills. “Who hired you?” Rang out again. After several minutes of silence, a hand was thrust into the creature’s chest. His heart was pulled out and shown to him. “Who hired you?” The creature screamed as the heart beat a couple times then stopped. It was shaped into a jewel and placed with the marbled teeth and frill bones. The hands Data saw shaped the bones into a necklace. 

    “Data.” Captain Picard reprimanded.

    “My apologies Captain.” He looked at Captain Dom. “Sir.”

    “I want you to assist Captain Dom in analyzing our data from the debris field.”

    “Yes sir.” Data and Captain Dom left Captain Picard.