Star Trek: Ascension -Chapter 14

Chapter Fourteen

La Forge watches the transporter monitor where three biological signals appear. "We've got them! There are three signals so they must have gotten Alden."

*

Adlen crashes into the empty black expanse above screaming in rage. The radiance of his contorted face turns fiery red as he sends fire and lightning in every direction. His encompassing cloud of power heaves in his defeat. He quickly collects himself and conjures a vortex in the energy enveloping him. Leaning towards the churning energy, it opens like a lens and he gazes into a representation of the biological archive. Passing over row after row of catalogued aliens he finds Picard, Riker, and Moriarty and brings their images to the foreground.

"I am master of all I survey, captain," Alden reviles, stretching his hand out towards the image. The Dominion symbols above the three men falter and fade to gray. The forms of the three men become rigid, as their patterns strain against the withering of their biological properties.

*

A light on the transporter controls begins to flash and La Forge 's fingers fly over the keys, "I'm losing their signal! Data, is there anything you can do? "

Troi moves anxiously to Worf and take his arm.

B4 sits expressionless and speaks again in Data's voice. "Their patterns are being erased. Engaging pending protocols."

*

Standing at the holographic console on the glowing platform within the device, Data reaches into the alien controls and physically interfaces with the machine’s protocols.

*

The Dominion symbols above Picard, Riker, and Moriarty brighten and turn red. Alden presses his power deeper into the representation, cutting the command protocols from the archive by reach of his will.

*

Data is thrown from the console and off of the platform into the black void below.

*

"Transport now, commander," Data directs through B4, a human earnestness in his tenor.

Commander La Forge begins the transporter sequence.

*

Within the biological archive the holographic images of Picard, Riker, and Moriarty turn from gray to blue before Alden's very eyes and vanish. With both hands he blasts the vortex window, screaming and thrashing his power throughout his new universe.

*

Three shimmering forms appear on the transporter deck and materialize into Captains Picard and Riker, and, to everyone's amazement, Professor Moriarty. Troi breaks from Worf and runs to her husband's arms with a sob and Picard looks around the familiar setting at his friends with a sigh of relief. With an unabashed wide smile he turns to a bewildered Moriarty.

"Welcome to reality, professor," he says extending his hand .

Moriarty looks around the transporter room with wary eyes, then a probing gaze on Picard. "You'll pardon my needing to press the issue, Captain. How can I be assured this is actually the real world?"

At the transporter site next to him Captain Riker squeezes his wife and closes his eyes, savoring their embrace. "This is as real as it gets."

"How did you do it?" La Forge blurts, finally breaking the stupefied silence of everyone in the room. "How did you get Professor Moriarty… here?"

Picard steps down and turns to Moriarty, gesturing him to follow before answering. "Lieutenant Alden forfeited his biological pattern to stay in the matrix. There was nothing I could do for him. However, that sacrifice left a biological pattern available. Due to the nature of the dominion technology I was able to provide that pattern to the professor."

"So, they both got what they wanted," Dr. Bashir states in wonderment.

Moriarty stands on the steps of the transporter deck in disbelief. He takes the final step onto the transporter room floor and grabs Picard's hand shaking it vigorously. "Captain Picard, I owe you more than I could ever repay. Not the least of which are my gratitude and sincerest apologies."

Picard maintains the handshake long enough to emphasize his reply. "Your tenacity paid off, professor. But I must warn you against taking matters into your own hands in this world. It is much less forgiving."

Moriarty laughs heartily as if upon a joke, "I assure you captain, the past is indeed behind me. No longer an instrument of someone else's hand, I am a new creation. I am my own creation, and I look forward to writing my own life anew in this brave new world. If only I knew where to begin."

Dr. Polaski steps forward and he recognizes her immediately, taking her hand happily as she greets him. "I think I can help you with that."

"My dear doctor," Moriarty trumpets with a curious look at Picard and his officers. "It seems only right that a friend such as yourself be here to greet me… almost too right."

With her husband's hand in hers Deanna steps off the platform to the professor.

"It may be a difficult transition trusting that all of this is real," the counselor says with tear-stained eyes, "but I can assure you that all of us will be here to help you."

Moriarty examines her face, and then the officers around him. His hesitancy relents and he looks again to Dr. Polaski. "Where shall we begin?"

Commander La Forge moves to B4 and begins to disconnect him with a heavy heart. As he does all remnants of Data vanish and the android B4 returns to his own nature. Picard walks over to him, gently laying his hand on his shoulder.

"It was like having him back," Geordi whispers somberly.

The captain squeezes Geordi's shoulder and moves to between he and the android, placing his other hand on B4's shoulder. "Geordi, our friend here has a request, and I would be very pleased if you could help him with that request."

*

Dr. Polaski sits across a table of tea and crumpets with Moriarty in a bustling and cheerful Eleven Forward. They, with the rest of the ship's compliment, bask in the almost tangible tranquility felt after a great struggle.

"I must admit that your hospitality is overwhelming, doctor. I do wonder what I will do without you once I leave this ship," the professor says with a genuine smile.

"I've already seen to that," the doctor announces. "I've been granted a leave of absence to act as your escort and ambassador to your new world."

The expression of surprise, gratitude, and affection that suddenly share Moriarty's face are genuine as well, and he lowers his hand to his teacup next to her hand. "Your generosity is overwhelming, my good doctor."

She returns his smile and takes his hand, " It would be my honor, professor. "

He sets his hand over hers and his smile softens. "The honor would be entirely mine -but please, you must call me James."

She perks and looks at him insistently, " Then you must call me Katherine."