Paramount Global owns the Star Trek franchise. This is a piece of fan fiction based on Star Trek the Next Generation.
Where have we been?
Picard was walking through Engineering. Data was going over the last 12 hours of star charts. “Anything new?” Picard asked.
“Everything, this is all new space to us.”
“How are you doing?”
Data took his tablet as they began to walk out of Engineering. “I am confused. I have so many emotions boiling inside of me that I am finding it difficult to focus on one.”
“I can’t imagine how you feel.”
“Is it normal to take your feelings out on someone that does not deserve that
treatment?”
“Yes, we tend to hurt the ones we love. Where are you headed?”
“Stellarcartography, I can not trace where we are going. I can trace where we have been.”
“What type of pattern are we traveling?”
“It is chaotic almost to the point of having order.”
“Out of chaos comes order.”
“Friedrich Nietzsche,” came Data’s reply. He loaded the new information into the stellacartography database. Images of space appeared on the walls, “the blue line is our journey through Cardassian space.”
“What do the markers mean?”
“They are the ships that we encountered.”
“I see.”
“The yellow line represents space we know nothing about.” The yellow line looped around planets then cut across open space. It has no direct path from point A to point B. Data looked up at Picard, “Chaos. If there is method in the madness, we are unaware of it.”
“If someone would not spend all their energy being angry with me, he might get some information out of one that knows.” Data and Jean-Luc turned around to find Sher standing three feet behind Data.
Picard didn’t know if it was his eyes playing tricks on him or if she really was glowing. She was an angel. He couldn’t understand why Data was upset with her.
“I am not angry at you.”
“Yes you are.” Data started to get up. “That is okay. You need to type.” She smiled.
“How are you feeling?” Picard asked.
“I can’t seem to shake the chills.” She smiled, looking at the stars in front of them, “The reason we made a loop around Crima, it is an outpost. We made the loop so that the beacon could pick up the Enterprises presence.”
“Sensors did not pick up any type of energy.”
“They wouldn’t. Your sensors tend to overlook the faint. To make an analogy, a flea could destroy the Enterprise because she is looking for a spider.”
“We’ll correct that oversight.”
“You would learn a lot more if you would.”
Picard interrupted, “why the chaos in the line patterns?”
“Four inches from Crima zig to the left.” Data highlighted the zig for her. “A sun went supernova three years ago. A slight magnetic disturbance still exists. The S pattern,” Data highlighted the area she was talking about. “There is a temporal disturbance in that area. It is easier to go through it than it is to go around it. The U pattern toward the top, “again Data highlighted the area she was referring to. “That is a worm hole.”
“There was method to the madness,” Picard smiled.
“If you get to spend any amount of time around my people good Captain, you will learn we never do anything without a reason.” She looked at Data who was still working on the map. “Like the little display on the bridge.”
“I was not going to say anything.”
“You don’t have to.”
“Thank you for that.” Picard interjected. “I know I was hostile towards you.”
“That is quiet alright. Please inform your Lieutenant about that philanthropic
deed.”
Data spun around, jumping out of his chair, “I don’t….” He paused.
“You just said a contraction.” Picard smiled.
“How?”
“Perhaps it required a level of emotion Soong thought you would never achieve? And all because you are mad at me.” She smiled, leaving the room.
“Why are you angry at her?” Picard asked.
“I do not know.” Data went after her. “Stop, please.” She stopped, turning around to face him. “May we talk?”
“We may.”
“Please meet me at Holodeck 3 in 4 hours. I am off duty.”
She gave a slight bow. “As you wish, my Prince.”
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