It feels-
like a pebble in your shoe.
A morning without the dew.
Sand between your toes.
A dull ache that forever grows.
Loneliness that burns brighter than the sun.
Heart, mind and soul eternally a pawn.
Each thing of beauty, a constant reminder
that we are not a skillful finder.
The moon, stars, a flower that grows in spring;
constant reminder of the pain life duth bring.
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.
New planet
Picard was relaxing in Ten-Forward. His mind was back on Earth thinking about Robert and Rene.
“May I interrupt?” Guinan asked.
“Yes, please.” Picard sat up straight as she sat down.
“How is Data doing?”
“He hasn’t had any reported episodes in a week now. Why do you ask?”
“Crew members talk, Captain. Some are scared. Some are angry. Some don’t have a clue of the danger we are in.”
“Danger?” This got Picard’s full attention.
“So you are one of the ones that doesn’t have a clue.”
“I assume so.”
“We are in grave danger Captain. Every little ripple in the pond is a disturbance that should be considered carefully.” She left Picard to his thoughts. At this point, he was more confused than ever.
“Captain to the bridge.” He heard Wil’s voice over the ships intercom. Picard entered the bridge to a large planet on the view screen. The forward motion of the Enterprise had stopped.
“We are here.” Westerfield exclaimed like a child at Christmas.
“Here where?” Picard snapped. “Talk to me Data.” Picard sat in his chair.
“We are being scanned. This planet is 2/3rds the size of Earth. It has a population of 6 million individuals with a variety of plant and animal life. No visible infrastructure. The atmosphere is 42.2% oxygen and 57.8 % nitrogen.” Data was silent for a moment. “Interesting.”
“What?” Picard asked.
“This planets primary mineral is gold.”
A planet made out of gold.” Wil remarked. “Imagine the possibilities,” his voice dripping with disgust.
“We are really being hailed this time.” Worf growled.
“On screen.” Picard spoke.
A HaBlich dressed in gold appeared on the screen. “I am Minister Urent, how may we assist you?”
Picard glared at Westerfield, “Minister, I am Admiral Charles Westerfield from the United Federation of Planets.”
“Hello Admiral. I will let the Emperor know you are here.” He bowed.
“Thank you.”
The image disappeared, “he will let the emperor know you are here.” Deanna commented. “That doesn’t make sense. It is almost like they know who you are and are expecting you.”
The view screen came back on. A very round HaBlich appeared on the screen, he was dressed in black and royal blue. “Charlie, how are you?”
“Doing fine your majesty.” He bowed again.
“Data, Counselor, Worf, we are going to accompany the good Admiral.” Picard ordered. “Number One, you have the bridge.”
“Yes, sir.”
“Let’s go, Charlie.” Picard mocked.
Have you ever?
Has anyone participated in this? And if so, how did it go?
I get these from Goodreads as a means of prompting my work. But participating makes me a little nervous. I’d love to hear your feedback if you have.
Thanks
God’s House
Haggai 1 – 2-7 ESV
2024 had 103 errors. His stomach burned as he sent the report to the pastor. Should he peek? Yes, he did. The first report he opened was about a house. Church funds had been used to build a house. From the ground up. The program was asking questions and pointing out that hundreds, yes, hundreds of receipts were missing.
God’s House
No more. He closed the file and started on 2023.
What had he gotten himself into? Instead of eating his sandwich, he walked around the outside perimeter of the fence with his mind and heart heavy. Cheering and grunting filled his ears. Then a scream, followed by more cheering. He ran toward the noise. A group of teenage boys were kicking a homeless man.
“Stop! Stop! Please stop!” Daniel shouted out of breath. It never occurred to him that the boys might turn on him. When they saw him running toward them, they scattered. He helped the man move away from the fence. Across a little creek. Gave the man his lunch. Before leaving.
After work, he took a trash bag back to the spot and gathered up what had been left behind. He jumped out of his skin when a burley voice said, “filthy homeless. Whur’d that sum bitch go?”
This man was a cop. Daniel paused. He couldn’t lie to a cop. “I helped him move across the creek, sir. There were a group of boys beating him up.”
“Should-ah kicked the shit out of him.”
Suddenly Daniel was mad. “If I encounter someone homeless, is there someplace I can direct them to? Or take them?”
“Not in this town. Not welcomed.” He pointed a fat finger at Daniel. “If I had my druthers, the graveyard.” He swaggered off.
Daniel sat in his car and cried.
Sunday, Daniel came face to face with that cop. His wife and 2 children. The cop enthusiastically shook hands with 2 teenagers Daniel thought had been involved in beating up the homeless man. The pastor walked over and put his arms around the boys.
Daniel stole glances at the cop. He nodded and smiled as the preacher spoke of love thy neighbor. Wasn’t that homeless man his neighbor? He was more than willing to let a group of teens beat up another human being just because he was down on his luck.
Baby box
In my story Sunshine Valley, I talk about a baby box. In the story, it is just a non-descript box on a wall.
Over the weekend, I got to see a real baby box. It was at a hospital and was still in the testing phase.
Please read link for details about Safe Haven baby boxes.
Church
I know nothing about this church. Just thought it was pretty.
Look what you made me do?!
Woke up late! You wouldn’t let me sleep.
Talk, talk, talk all night long.
Look what you made me do!
I jumped to the ceiling, spilling coffee on my favorite shirt.
What’s got you in such a great mood?
Look what you made me do!
Men don’t hum.
What is wrong with you?
Look what you made me do!
If you would’ve have just let me sleep last night;
I wouldn’t be late nor stuck in traffic, cussing my brains out.
Look what you made me do!
Forgot my lunch. Snapped at my boss.
Have to stop on the way home for gas.
Look what you made me do?
What’s for dinner?
Ever screaming child from 40 counties was at the grocery.
Look what you made me do!
You know what?
Screw it!
Look what you made me do!
I’m going to bed!
Clawing at heaven
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.
Doorway
“Good morning, Mr. Data.” Picard welcomed Data back to the bridge and his duties. Picard had given Data as much time as he needed to recover. He only took one day.
“How do you feel?” Deanna asked.
He had the most bewildered look on his face as he stared at her. “Incredibly empty. Thanks for bringing it up.” He took his seat.
Worf growled from behind Picard, “we are being hailed.”
“On screen,” the only thing that appeared on the screen was the vastness of space. “Hailed by what?”
Data worked at his console. “It was not a hail. It was a ping.”
“A ping?” Worf questioned.
“Wasn’t a ping a noise used by ships and submarines to verify a distance from one object to another?” Wil asked.
“Yes it was.” Data confirmed.
“So where did that ping come from.” Picard asked.
Data changed the image on the view screen to include the position where the Enterprise was when it was hit by the ping. “The Enterprise was hit by two sound waves systematically. It was strong enough to make the sensors think we were being hailed. By bouncing the signal back, we can confirm that the waves came from these two small planetary bodies.” Data highlighted the two bodies as he talked. “Port side, the body is 2,001 km in diameter. It was 5 light years from the Enterprise. Starboard side, the body is 1,902 km in diameter. It was 6 light years from the Enterprise.”
“Are they outposts?” Worf asked.
“It is my guess they are not.”
“Your guess?” Westerfield questioned. During all the excitement, no one heard him enter the bridge.
“There are no freestanding structures. The atmosphere is too thin to support any type of surface life. There is nothing on the surface to suggest that a station is hiddenunderground.”
“What sent the signal?” Picard asked.
“Sensors picked up two large objects that could be boulders. It is possible that a sensor could be buried within.” Data returned the view screen back to its normal state.
“It is like we passed through a doorway. The sensors act like motion detectors to alert the occupants that someone went through the door.” Worf analyzed.
“I suppose onward to find out who lives here.” Wil remarked.
“I think we have a clue who they might be.” Data voiced.
“Those creatures that where on the Jormungad when we found her?” Picard questioned.
“The HaBlich.” Data replied.
Poetry & More 