The door to the shuttle opened, and out stepped Thomas Riker. He looked as if he hadn’t eaten in days, and he was pleased to see Hudson again, although he wanted to see another.
“What are you doing here Tom?” Hudson asked.
“I guess you haven’t heard the news.” Riker replied. “The Lohengrin has defected. By now they should be at the Time of Legends. I didn’t want to go with them. I wanted to stay here. I have some information regarding President Servalan that could help us. I must tell Chakotay.”
“Chakotay isn’t here.”
“Where is he?”
“We don’t know. He and his crew went on a scouting mission a few days ago. The last we heard a Cardassian warship had forced them into the Badlands. We haven’t heard anything since.”
“This information is vital. It could give us the edge we need.”
“Come, you must eat, and you can give me the information.”
At his science station Data sat, reading “Lord of the Rings” for the tenth time. His logic circuits had been working overtime, trying to crack the code of Magus. Still, he was no nearer to a solution.
A short time alter Picard joined him. He could hardly make out the words as they flashed before his eyes at a rate of nearly a thousand per second.
“How are you getting on?” Picard asked.
“I still do not see what this has to do with Doctor Magus’ transmission Captain.” Data replied. “I have read this story ten times and I can find no reference to it.”
“Well, I’ve read it once, and I think I’ve found the answer. Computer, display the transmission from the U.S.S. Flying Scotsman.”
Only one sentence appeared on the screen before them – “Speak friend and read on.”
“Let’s see if this works.” said Picard. “Mechlon!”
The screen went blank, and a second later information appeared before them.
“This is a ship’s manifest.” said Data. “Dated just before the time of the Frankenstein incident in Babylon 5. It shows that over a period of time all of the equipment that Doctor Frankenstein needed was transported to Babylon 5. If all of these items had been transported at the same time it would have been obvious what Doctor Frankenstein was planning.”
“And he would have been arrested because such experiments are illegal.” said Picard. “Tell me Data, how is your history concerning former President Watt?”
“Perfect as always Captain.”
“There were only a few things that could have killed him. Name them.”
“The cavourite mineral, a weapon powered by cavourite, dismemberment…”
“The strength of the original Frankenstein creature was meant to have rivalled that of Watt’s, wasn’t it?”
“Such a creature would have been able to pull him apart limb from limb.”
“Which means that a creature created using our technology would have been able to create a stronger creature, capable of killing him.”
“Theoretically, yes.”
“Who authorised the cargo shipments?”
Data looked at the screen and studied the code.
“The code is used by members of the Federation senate. The last three numbers of the code indicate the senator. These numbers show that the shipments were authorised by…Senator Servalan.”
“So Senator Servalan planned to kill President Watt with this creature. Instead she had to come up with another plan, blow him up in Starfleet One. Then implicate Thomas Leacock with his death and take power. Now when I come to think of it it’s a simple and very deadly plan.”
“But what about the explosion Captain? The files state that President Watt survived near death, a ten megaton nuclear explosion, the vacuum of space, and the effects of the Bajoran wormhole, something we witnessed ourselves. The explosion that killed him would have had to be a powerful one.”
“If he died at all. You heard James Watt’s testimony at Leacock’s trial. The Soul Hunter could not find President Watt’s soul. Perhaps he isn’t dead after all!”
“Then where is he Captain?”
“I have no idea. But at the moment we have a more pressing engagement.”
Picard then turned to Riker.
“Number one, increase out speed to warp nine. We have to get to Nimbus III as soon as possible.”
While walking through the highlands of Scotland one thought passed through Duncan McCloud’s mind – he had been away for far too long.
With transporter technology being what it is he could have returned to his homeland every day if he wanted to. But somehow he had not gone home. Instead he had been carrying out his duties as Starfleet Commander-in-Chief, travelling through the stars, making sure Starfleet’s house was in order. In the past few months however Starfleet’s house had been out of order, thanks to Servalan.
Then he came upon the place he was looking for. Ince, almost eight hundred years again, a small castle stood on this lad until it was destroyed by the evil Kurgen. Now a simple cottage stood in it’s place. It was the simplest of buildings, simple by 24th century standards that is.
McCloud walked up to the door and noticed it was slightly ajar. Stepping inside he looked around. The place seemed homely to him. It was something he had not seen in a long while.
“Is there anyone home?” he called out.
There was no reply. Stepping further into the cottage McCloud was suddenly aware of a clanging noise. His ears guided him to a door which looked out of place in this old-style cottage. To him it resembled a holodeck door. Pressing the computer panel the door opened to reveal a woodland scene. It was indeed a holodeck behind the door.
Walking into the holodeck McCloud soon found where the noise was coming from and discovered that it was originating from a sword fight. Before his eyes he could see Connor McCloud, his fellow clansman, his boyhood hero, fighting some holodeck warrior. Suddenly the battle came to an end when the elder McCloud decapitated his holographic opponent.
“Computer – end program.”
Connor was surprised when he heard clapping. He looked up and saw Duncan smiling at him.
“How long have you been standing there?” Connor asked.
“Long enough to see that you’ve lost none of your skill.”
The woodland scene phased until it was replaced by the usual holodeck surroundings.
“I take it you’ve come to see me about the transmission.” said Connor.
“How did you know?”
“I got a call as well, telling me to go to Nimbus III. Are you thinking what I’m thinking?”
“It’s from Phineas, isn’t it?”
“That’s what I think/ So tell me Duncan, when are you leaving?”
“I’ve only managed to book passage as far as Babylon 5. I’m hoping to arrange something when I get there.”
“Then count me in. I’m already packed, and I’ve got a few contacts on that station who can get us to Nimbus III.”
“Who?”
“I’d rather not say. Let’s just say I can get us to Nimbus III.”
Klaxons rang out throughout the entire Terra Nostra vessel as the anti-matter containment field was about to breach. The commander was cursing himself that he had not gone to Orsine requesting funds to carry out repairs. Now he was about to meet his maker.
As explosions rocked the ship, causing a hull breach, blowing out ten crew members. One of the passengers, Ro Laren, was only just able to avoid the explosion.
Another explosion emanated from the engineering section. A voice rang out throughout the ship, telling all alive that an anti-matter containment breach was now less than two minutes away.
Suddenly, by luck more than anything, Ro found the small transporter room. Racing into the room she locked the door, knowing the sort of crew that was on this ship. She looked at the transporter panel, she noticed that they were withing transporter range of an M-class planet. She had no idea what sort of life was on that planet, but she had to take a chance if she was going to live.
The computer announced that an explosion was now less than sixty seconds away. Ro had to work quickly. She set the transporter on automatic and ran onto the transporter pad. The transporter beam energised, and three seconds later the Terra Nostra ship exploded.
Ro thanked the Prophets when she beamed to the planet’s surface safely. Whatever world it was it was barren, and it was cold, because night had just fallen. She began to look around. She couldn’t see anything in the darkness. She then heard footsteps behind her. She turned to see two robed figures standing before her. One was large and had a bushy beard.
“So! They were right! There was a fire in the sky! And the fire brought us a new follower! Take her to the Place of Novices!”
“Places of Novices?” said Ro. “What are you taking about?”
“You will see! By the way, welcome to Cygnus Alpha!”
The next thing Ro knew she was hit on the base of the skull from behind. She slumped to the ground into a deep sleep.
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