Return to Epsilon - Chapter Four

The view screen in the holodeck went blank. Commodore Throne sat at the head table. He was not a happy man.
    “How long is this going to go on for Commander Sutek?” he snapped. “We have sat here for hours watching these events unfold on the screen. We all know what happened the last time the Valkyrie came here. Why do we need to see the events again? I’m going to move for a mistrial.”

    Throne picked up his gavel and was about to bang it on the table. Before he could, however, Watt stopped his hand.
    “If my memory serves me correctly you can only move for a mistrial if the two other senior officers are in total agreement with you. I am not.”
    “Captain McCloud?” Throne queried.
    McCloud indicated that he was not in favour of a mistrial.
    “I believe we should give Commander Sutek his chance. I believe he will explain himself very soon.”
    Throne put his gavel back on the table.
    “Very well.” he said. “But I will not tolerate much more of this.”
    The view screen activated again. The scene was again of the planet’s surface. Pendragon and Amarus could be seen standing outside the metal door.
    “Would it be possible for us to blast through with the ship’s phasers?” Pendragon asked.
    “Not a good idea.” said Amarus. “The blast would probably cause a cave-in inside the cavern. Captain McCloud and Counsellor Trospheo would be trapped inside.”
    “What about photon torpedoes?”
    “The same result.”
    “Is there anything we could do to break through this door?”
    Amarus paused for a moment.
    “A low intensity proton beam could work, and I could make the adjustments to the cannon, but it would take some time.”
    “Time is one thing we may not have. Work as fast as you can.”
    The scene returned to that of the cave. The next events shown happened a few hours after those which had just been shown. In this scene McCloud, Trospheo and Capria had fallen asleep. Then McCloud began to stir. His eyes half open he heard a noise, as if some sort of hatchway was being opened. He then noticed that on the brick-like section of the wall a small hatchway opened and a hand reached into the cave and tried to grab the phaser. McCloud leapt up, grabbed the arm, and pulled it out. It was the female telepath. He held her from behind and put his arm around her throat, and with his other hand pointed the phaser at her head. The struggle awoke Trospheo and Capria, and also brought two other telepaths to the window.
    “Any move from you and she dies.” cried McCloud. “Now I want some answers. What is this place? Why do you want us?”
    The telepaths on the outside looked intrigued by the situation.
    “We only wish to study you and others like you.” the telepath gasped. “We seek to keep you here, to let you live in any world you wish.”
    “I don’t take kindly to being confined.” said McCloud.
    “Let her go!” cried Capria. “They’ll only hurt us more!”
    “If they’ve got any sense they’ll stop this whole charade here and now.” McCloud said. “You heard me, stop this now, of your friend here will learn more about death!”
    “Do…what he says.” gasped the telepath.
    One of the telepaths outside the window nodded. The scene began to shimmer again, but this time the scene did not change. Suddenly a huge hold with phaser burns around the edge appeared in the window. McCloud let go of the telepath.
    “So this was an illusion too.” said McCloud. “The phaser was working.”
    For a final time the scene changed, going back to the planet’s surface. It showed the away team looking amazedly at the metal doors. It had appeared that they had cause some damage with their phaser cannon. The away team moved towards the ledge. As they did McCloud, Trospheo and Capria appeared at the exit. The three telepaths were not far behind them. McCloud turned to the female telepath.
    “Why did you do it?” he asked. “Why did you keep us prisoner?”
    “We only wished to study you, to examine you in certain situations. We had no idea that your species did not take to confinement easily. For that we apologise. You and your companions are free to go.”
    McCloud turned to Capria.
    “You must come with us. You can’t stay here.”
    “But I can’t go with you. I must remain here.”
    “Why?”
    The telepath nodded once again. Slowly Capria began to change. She began to stoop, a hump began to form on her back. Her face began to show horrible scars. McCloud looked shocked.
    “It was like I said. My ship crashed here seven years ago. We were way off course and we sustained some damage to our dilithium crystals. When the ship crashed the telepaths pulled my body from the wreckage. I was the only survivor. I was badly injured. The telepaths tried to repair my body but I was the first human they had seen, and they had nothing to go on. No one can repair this damage. This is why I must stay here.”
    McCloud again turned to the telepath.
    “Is this why you brought me here? You wanted to give her a companion?”
    “Yes Captain. We wanted to make her happy.”
    “But you can still make her happy. Will you return her illusion of beauty?”
    The telepath nodded.
    “We will do anything in our power to keep her content. We will provide her with any illusion she desires. As for you, you are free to go. Again we apologise for any harm that has befallen you.”
    McCloud walked over to Pendragon.
    “It’s good to see you again Captain.”
    “Likewise Commander. Get us out of here.”
    Pendragon activated his communicator.
    “Pendragon to transporter room. Six to beam up.”
    A few seconds later the screen went blank and the lights came on.
    “Thus concludes the case for the defence.” said Sutek.
    “I am still confused Commander.” said Throne. “Where do those pictures come from, and why did you show them to us?”
    “I wanted to detail Captain McCloud’s connection with those who inhabit Epsilon-Beta.” Sutek replied. “Starfleet Command deemed this world off limits because of the inhabitant’s illusionary abilities. I brought the Valkyrie here because I hoped they would be able to ease Captain McCloud’s pain and suffering. With their illusionary abilities they can make Captain McCloud whole once more.”
    “But what about those pictures?” asked Throne.
    “I can explain that.” said Watt. “Two hours ago we started detecting encrypted signals from the surface of the planet. It took a while but Lt. Amarus managed to decode them. They were the same pictures we were watching in here. The telepaths were helping Commander Sutek put forward his case.”
    “But you still committed a crime Commander Sutek.” said Throne. “For that you must pay.”
    “Commodore, you said a few hours ago that you wanted to move for a mistrial.” said Watt. “I am now willing to agree with such a move.”
    “The circumstances are now different.”
    “I don’t think they are.” said Watt. “I’m sure Captain McCloud would now be in agreement with you. I hereby move for a mistrial. I believe Commander Sutek was acting with good intentions and for the welfare of Captain McCloud.”
    “Are you saying that we should let McCloud beam down to the planet?” said Throne. “That’s impossible! He has to get to the Morgan Medical Facility.”
    “Captain McCloud’s cure is on the planet below.” said Watt. “But why don’t we ask the most important one the question?”
    Watt got up from his seat and walked over to McCloud in his wheelchair. He then kneeled down in front of him.
    “Connor, I know that this is a difficult decision to make, but there is only one person who cane make it, and that’s you. As far as I can see you have two choices. We can go to the Morgan Medical Facility and see if they can do anything for you, or you can beam down to the planet’s surface where all of your pain and suffering will be gone, and you can live like a normal man for the rest of your life. As I said, the decision is yours. Do you want to go to the surface?”
    There was a pause before McCloud gave his answer. The light on his panel flashed just once, which meant that yes, McCloud did want to beam down. Watt then got to his feet.
    “Commodore Throne, I again move for a mistrial, and I move that all charges against Lt. Commander Sutek be dropped. Does the prosecution have any objections?”
    Magus leaned back in his chair and smiled.
    “The prosecution does not!”
    Throne stroked his chin.
    “Motion for a mistrial is carried, reluctantly.”
    A huge sigh of relief seemed t go through the holodeck. Watt turned to Sutek and shook him by the hand.
    “Congratulations, Commander. Now perhaps you would like to escort Captain McCloud to the transporter room.”
    “Yes Captain.”
    Sutek and McCloud left the holodeck. They went in the direction of the transporter room. Not a word was said during the journey along the corridors. A few minutes later they entered the transporter room. Sutek turned to the young transporter technician.
    “You are relieved.” said Sutek.
    The young ensign left the transporter room. While McCloud moved onto the transporter pad Sutek walked over to the controls. McCloud turned his chair around. Still nothing was said. Sutek energised the transporter beam and McCloud was beamed down to the planet.
    A few minutes later Sutek entered the bridge.
    “A message is coming in from the planet’s surface.” said Amarus.
    “On screen.” said Watt.
    The image of a healthy-looking Connor McCloud appeared on the view screen. With him the young woman they had seen in the transmission, Capria.
    “It’s good to be able to speak to you again James.” said McCloud. “I can’t speak long. I have just one thing to say to you. Thank you.”
    On hearing McCloud’s voice Sutek walked over to Watt.
    “I must end this transmission now James.” said McCloud. “Again, thank you  for everything, and especially to you Commander Sutek.”
    The screen went blank. It appeared that a slight smile formed on Sutek’s face. He could also be heard whispering something.
    “Live long and prosper, Captain McCloud!”