Star Trek: Ascension - Chapter 7

Chapter Seven

Geordi's shadowed figure emerges from a Jeffries tube access in a dark alcove just off main engineering. Drawing his phaser, he moves onto the deck with the hyper-vigilance of an experienced cat-burglar. His targeting arm, however, drops to his side with the phaser in hand as he stands stunned at the site before him. All around him, bodies lay on the floor. Shaken to action by training and experience, he moves quickly to kneel over the closest body and checks for a pulse. He sighs deeply, looking up at the device that rests like a monolithic boulder in the center of the deck. He rises and approaches it cautiously but takes pause at the abandoned interface helmet at his feet. He stoops down and picks up, examining it with the superior technology of his cybernetic eyes. Fingerprints, microscopic scuffing of the alloy, and residual traces of an energy pattern he has never seen before.

La Forge returns the helmet to its resting place then follows the three cords on the helmet to the holographic matrix box and visually inspects the makeshift interface connecting it to the alien device. Moving to the other side of the machine he is startled by a shout from the cross corridor behind him and he spins about quickly with his phaser drawn and poised to fire.

"Hold it!"

La Forge spins on his heels with a start.

"Captain!" he exclaims. Relieved, he lowers his phaser quickly.

Riker motions to McDowell to lower his phaser and walks toward La Forge. "Stand down lieutenant. Geordi, how the hell did you get over here?"

Geordi throws his friend a whimsical expression. "It's an interesting story. I'll tell you about it sometime but first, come have a look at this."

Deep within the device something watches through the lens of the targeting array as Riker and McDowell follow Geordi to the machine. Troi and Polaski enter the lens' scope of vision as they step onto the engineering deck from the cross corridor behind the men.

Appalled by the sight of bodies strewn across the deck, her Dr. Polaski rushes to the nearest crewmen with the counselor on her heels with a stab of fear and urgency.

A wave of relief washes over the doctor's face, "He's alive."

"She is too," Troi reports, meeting the doctor's gaze.

Dr. Polaski opens her medical tricorder and begins scanning the crewman sprawled before her as Troi moves from person to person checking for pulses and injuries.

"McDowell," Dr. Polaski addresses, "the counselor and I are going to need your help seeing to these people quickly. Let me know if you find any who need immediate medical attention."

*

On the Enterprise bridge the command crew is busy at their stations as Picard watches the Defiant cloak behind the Titan on the view screen.

"Sir," Lt. Torak reports from the tactical station, "I am picking up the radio frequency from the Titan."

"Looks like he made it," Lt. Commander Levelle interjects.

"Put the signal on audio," the captain orders, stepping quickly to the Vulcan's side.

Within seconds Geordi's voice is calling from the com system, "acknowledge. Enterprise this is La Forge, acknowledge."

"This is the Enterprise. Are you reading us, number one? "

"Yes, sir, loud and clear," the commander's voice replies, "We've got a big problem over here captain."

"Explain."

"Professor Moriarty, sir," La Forge replies simply, his words seeming to linger ominously in the air.

Picard is motionless, taking in the name and situation with new understanding. Turning abruptly, he starts for the turbo lift. "Lt. Torak, relay the coordinates of the radio frequency to transporter room one and to Ambassador Worf on the Defiant."

Levelle rises from ops and hurries to follow his captain, gesturing to the other officers. "Buathier, Diaz, you're with me."

"Belay that order, commander," Picard counters catching Levelle off guard.

He stops in his tracks looking at Picard with a puzzled expression. "Sir?"

"This is my responsibility," Picard replies cryptically. The turbolift opens and he steps in stridently. "You have the bridge, commander."

The doors close on Picard and Levelle makes his way back to his station, sharing an unsettled glance with Torak.

*

The consciousness within the device observes four pattern enhancers creating a glowing square on the floor at the intersection of the cross corridor of the Titan's main engineering deck. They pulse suddenly and four sparkling silhouettes appear and solidify into Picard, Crusher, Worf, and Bashir.

Worf scans main engineering with a swift and burning glare while Crusher and Bashir rush to Polaski's side as she kneels over an unconscious crewman. With a fixed countenance Picard strides across the deck to meet Riker and La Forge halfway to the device.

Riker inhales deeply as he looks at Picard. "It's good to see you, especially under the circumstances."

Worf follows Picard with a stolid gate as Troi rises from Bashir's side to join them.

"Just like old times, hm?" Picard replies with a hint of whimsy, but his expression is far from light.

"I'd prefer a friendly game of poker," Riker quips.

"How did this happen again?" Picard presses sharply, casting his gaze from Riker to La Forge.

"Lt. Alden, one of our engineers, has been aiding Moriarty," Riker replies.

"I've been treating him for holo-addiction," Troi clarifies. "Part of my therapy included his working with Commander Barclay. I thought if Reg shared his experience, it might help Lt. Alden."

"Apparently it turned out quite differently."

"But how did this Lt. Alden gain access to Moriarty?" Worf continues insistently.

"Reg discovered a degradation in the matrix of Moriarty's holodeck world," La Forge begins.

"He was using an interface unit to work on the holo-matrix," Troi continues. "I thought if Lt. Alden assisted him, it would help him open up to Reg."

"And this Lt. Alden entered the holo-matrix where he met Moriarty," Picard surmises.

"We came to engineering hoping to find Alden with the device," Riker adds as La Forge ushers them closer to the machine, pointing out the components.

Several cables run from the matrix casing to the back of the device. Below the makeshift interface cables spill onto the floor and run to main engineering's control table.

"I'm assuming these cables here give Moriarty control of the device," La Forge explains, giving them a short of tour of the machine. "These other cables run directly into the ship's auxiliary control, enabling Moriarty to use the device to interface with the Titan's command protocols. We should be able to regain control of the Titan, but it'll take time."

"Obviously we should remove the cables from the ship’s systems but leave everything else the way it is -with your approval, captain" Picard begins, looking to Riker diplomatically. "I would rather not risk further damage to the device before it reaches the Daestrom Institute."

"I agree," Riker returns. "What about Alden?"

Picard is thoughtful, looking around at his friends. "He's gotten what he wants for the time being. Let the Daestrom Institute determine whether or not to excise him. Our priority is to make repairs and continue our mission before our vulnerability is exploited.”

La Forge looks from Picard to the machine and then to Riker. "I could really use Reg's help. He knows the Titan better than anybody."

Riker nods and turns to Polaski across the deck without thinking, "Doctor."

The three doctors in unison as they turn to face the captains, "Yes?"

The humor in the moment is not lost among them and they exchange much needed grins as Captain Riker focuses on his own ship's physician. "Dr. Polaski, can you get Commander Barclay on his feet? We could use his help."

"I'd like to get him to sickbay before recalling him to duty," Polaski counters in her quintessential tone.

"We don't have time," Riker retorts, his humor dissolving quickly with the urgency of their task weighing on his mind.

"Take care of your crew, doctor," Crusher interjects in her own disarming tone. "I'll be here to monitor him."

Polaski realys her reservations with a look, but relents with a sigh, "Very well."

She puts a hypo spray to Barclay's neck and within seconds he is blinking to consciousness as Dr. Crusher moves to his side. "Easy Reg."

The doctors help Barclay to his feet where he is met by Picard, Riker, and Worf.

*

Within his Edwardian drawing room Moriarty sits silently in the replica of the Titan's command chair watching Picard and his team on the view screen. Both pieces of the 24th century are ill-fitting and striking against the 19th century décor. But Moriarty has become a man of many times and sits comfortably in the contrast. The view screen before him shows the activity in engineering from the eye of the device as Barclay and La Forge slowly approach it. Geordi examines the device while Barclay moves around it with the tricorder. Troi's image moves towards the center of the view screen, becoming larger as she moves closer. She peers into the lens with more than her eyes and shudders.

Picard recognizes the reaction and joins her beside the device. "What are your impressions?"

Riker joins him at her side as Worf moves to the corridor intersection to direct the incoming Titan's medical staff.

"Order," she answers distantly, "Cold, utilitarian order."

"Do you have a sense of Professor Moriarty?" her husband asks gently.

Troi nods slowly, her gaze remaining fixed on the device. "Yes. Lt. Alden as well. And others."

Moriarty drops his icy stare from the view screen's projection of Troi, Riker, and Picard to the control panel on the armrest of the command chair. As he manipulates the pad a red alien symbol appears on the chest of the view screen's image of Picard.

"You are cordially invited to hell, Captain Picard."

The tiny targeting sensors on the business end of the device flash.

In one great sweep, Riker pushes his wife and clear and lunges toward Picard shouting, "Get down!"

Beams erupt from the device.

Riker collides with Picard.

The beams reach Picard at the same instant.

They both vanish.