Paramount Global owns the Star Trek franchise. This is a piece of fan fiction based on Star Trek the Next Generation.
Enter the Cardassians
Admiral Westerfield was sitting at the bar in Ten-Forward. The bartender was busy wiping the bar down. He abruptly stopped, “Hmmm, hmmm, hmmm,” he growled.
“Where has that vision been hiding?”
Ben rounded the corner of the bar. “Show some respect, man.”
Westerfield turned to watch Sher walk into the room, as did everyone else. He started to go greet her. However, Guinan appeared from behind the bartender.
Guinan and Sher greeted each other, embracing like old friends, then sat together at a table.
This peaked Westerfields curiosity.
“You look good. How do you feel?” Guinan asked.
“To be honest, I am tired. It will take along time for me to get to feeling normal again.” She looked around the room. “Why does everyone seem so on edge?”
“We are traveling through Cardassian space.”
“Oh yes, that bitter hatred between the two. Is the Good Admiral drunk yet?”
“No, not yet. It is a nightly ritual with him.”
“Nothing ever changes.”
“I thought several times about contacting your family. I am aware of how
unpredictable your father can be.”
“Don’t worry about it. I am sure he knows”
Cold chills danced down Sher’s body. “Oh, something isn’t right here.” The ship rocked. At that moment the red alert warning went off. Westerfield ran from Ten-Forward.
“I am shocked he can move that fast.” Sher voiced.
Riker’s voice came over the intercom. “Battle stations. This is not a drill.” The crew scattered.
“Let’s go stop a war.” Sher left.
The bridge turbo lift doors slid open. “Fire!” Picard shouted as the Enterprise rocked from another blast.
“Delay that order.” Sher announced. “Mr. Worf, open a channel.”
“Get the hell off my bridge.” Picard snapped.
“I forgive you Captain. You know not whom you are talking to. Mr. Worf.”
“Ambassador, I don’t think this is the time for diplomacy.” Westerfield blurted out.
“Nurse your hangover and let me deal with the Cardassians.” Worf stared at Picard. Sher nodded at Data.
Picard finally agreed. “Channel open,” Worf growled.
“Don’t growl at me Mr. Worf.” She let out a deep throaty growl. He stood up a little straighter.
She spoke to them in Cardassian. A Cardassian appeared on the screen. “What trick.” he stopped in mid sentence.
“No trick Governor only fact. Why have you fired upon the Enterprise?”
“Forgive us,” he bowed, “you are in our space.”
“You have scanned the Enterprise?” Sher walked beside Data with her arms folded behind her back.
“Yes.” Came the Governors reply.
“Tell me, what do you see?”
“Tricks.”
“What tricks?”
“The engines on the Enterprise are not working. There is no exhaust trail. Tricks.”
“Not tricks, Governor, truths.”
“Not possible.”
“Have you tried hailing the Enterprise to see why she is in your space?”
“There is no need.”
“Really?”
“It shouldn’t be here. We where attempting to remove it.” A shot was fired rocking the Enterprise. “Lieutenant can you split the screen so I can see the governor and all his men.”
“Yes.” Within a matter of seconds it was complete. Data held her left hand behind her back. “You know who I am.
“Yes,” the governor lowered his eyes to the floor.
“Then why would I lie?” The Enterprise was rocked by another shot from the same ship. She extended her right arm, pointing at the Cardassian ship that would not stand down. She snapped her fingers and it was gone. “And then there were eleven.” She sang.
The governor started screaming in Cardassian. He turned his attention to her,
“There were 100 men aboard that ship.”
“There will be some lonely women on Cardassia tonight.”
“All ships powering down their weapons.” Worf reported.
“Will you allow us safe passage through your space?”
“I would have to have council approval, my highness.”
She pointed at another ship, snapped her fingers, and it was gone. “And then there were ten,” Data never let go of her hand. Everyone noticed, especially Westerfield.
Deanna felt his anger building up.
“I will accompany you through our space.” The governor sighed. “I can’t promise you that you will not be fired upon.”
“Then we understand each other governor. I can’t promise you more
Cardassians will not die.” The screen went black.
Data let go of her hand. She started to fall. Data caught her on his lap. “Wasn’t that fun?” She hissed. “Stubborn Cardassians. Survey the damage, you have a little, there is a slight buckle in the shields between decks 11 and 13. Nothing major.”
Worf confirmed her statement.
Data escorted her off the bridge. Inside the turbo lift, he kept his arm around her waist. “Okay, say it.”
“If you know what I am thinking, there is no need to say it.”
“It just gets it out in the open.”
Data let go of her waist to face her. “Lift stop. What were you thinking?”
“Only stopping the destruction of your friends.”
“You are in no condition to stop the destruction of anything. You are not well.
You know it and I know it.”
“Are you scolding me? Could the Enterprise have stopped 12 Cardassian fighters? Where has your logic gone man?”
“Out the window into space along with 10 years of memories and emotions.”
She smiled. “I don’t have the energy left to fight with you.”
“You are unbelievable.”
“It is my right.”
“Lift start.” The turbo lift started to move again. “Your right.”
“Then why did you help me?”
“It was the logical thing to do.”
“Now logic comes into play?”
The turbo lift doors slid open, Dr. Crusher entered. “Deck 6. Data.”
“Dr. Crusher.”
Dr. Crusher was afraid to say anything to Sher. Sher knew it.
Sher stared at Data. “So this is what an angry face looks like? I’ve never seen you angry.” He never said a word. “The silent treatment. That’s rich.”
“Do I not have a right to be angry over this?”
“You do. It’s called free will. I fail to see the anger here.”
“I can not comprehend this.”
“Think about it DaTa. Why would I allow anything to happen here that I can control?”
“This is incomprehensible.”
“You know what, I am so sorry that I just stopped 12 angry Cardassian fighters from destroying the ship carrying the man Icare most about. I am so sorry that you find it necessary to question my actions. And I am so sorry that you find it so incomprehensible. You know what I am most sorry for? I am so sorry that there is something eating at you that you can’t put it into words and you have to find another outlet for whatever it is that is bothering you.”
The turbo lift stopped, she stepped out. He hissed, following her.
Beverly was left in shock.
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