Garm Bel Iblis
Commodore
Captain’s log, Stardate 2364.08 Our destination is Planet Deneb IV, beyond which lies the great unexplored mass of the galaxy. My orders are to take on the remainder of my senior crew, most not notably my first officer, a highly experienced man, one Commander William T. Riker will be waiting to join the ship at our Deneb IV destination. Meanwhile I’m becoming better acquainted with my new command – this Galaxy-class USS Enterprise.
Jean-Luc Picard smiled faintly to himself as the turbolift made its quiet journey from Deck Thirty Six to Deck One. The doors parted and he stepped onto the massive bridge. The aft stations were manned by security and science personnel, the horseshoe-shaped tactical station was manned by a fierce looking Lieutenant Worf, the only Klingon in Starfleet. He rounded tactical and strode to the lower section of the command deck. The forward conn and ops stations were manned by specialists in their field. Cadet Wesley Crusher and Lieutenant Commander Data respectively. Picard still marveled at young Wesley’s drive and accomplishments. At the age of fifteen he was a sophomore in Starfleet Academy and had been assigned to Enterprise for field studies. Picard had only been too happy to grant the post to the child of his two dearest friends, Jack and Beverly Crusher, who were serving together to this day as Jack commanded Picard’s old ship, the Stargazer.
He turned back and took his seat in the captain’s chair. To his left, ship’s counselor Lieutenant Commander Deanna Troi smiled at him as he sat. The young Betazoid therapist and contact specialist, looking serene in her blue Starfleet uniform, swiveled the data screen away that she had been studying and gave him a welcoming smile.
He returned the smile and address the forward section of the bridge.. “Mister Data, you will agree that our mission to Farpoint Station is rather routine.”
The android pushed the ops panel away on its swivel with a hiss of air and turned around to face Picard. “Yes sir. Twelve years ago the Starship Malinche uncovered an alien life form that had been captured by the Bandi, the natives of Deneb IV. It had been forced to use its shape changing and replicator technology to simulate a starbase. Captain Sanders freed the creature when another of its race came to the planet in search of its lost comrade. Since that time, the Starfleet Corps of Engineers has been working in tandem with the Bandi, constructing a new base to Federation standards.”
Picard took in the information, all of which had been in the mission briefing, and nodded. “Excellent. So no complications are expected from our mission?”
“Nothing more than the usual risks involved in deep space exploration. When we depart the planet and our actual mission begins, we will be traveling into sectors of the galaxy that no Federation vessel has visited before.”
“Which, I believe,” Picard said with a smirk, “is the primary goal of this vessel.”
Data nodded and returned to his position.
“It’s quite an undertaking, regardless,” Deanna Troi said. “This ship is provisioned for a twenty year mission. Once we depart the Alpha Cygni sector, we’re going to be out of range of Headquarters and the rest of the fleet, putting more and more distance between us each day. It’s a good thing we have families aboard.”
“Oh, I agree,” Picard said. “One thing I’ve learned over the years is the value of having your children with you. The experience they can accumulate living aboard a starship is almost without limits.”
“Yes, well,” Troi said. “All of us have strong ties to our families. I’m just glad my mother isn’t aboard.” She turned over her right shoulder. “What about you, Mister Worf? The idea of a completely new sector of the galaxy must seem exciting to a Klingon warrior.”
The security chief crossed his arms over his gold uniform. “Each unknown system presents itself as a challenge for me. I find it… stimulating.” His reverie was interrupted by a series of tones from his board. “Captain, sensors are detecting a wave of energy approaching, bearing three one mark two eight zero.”
Troi shook her head. “I don’t sense anything.”
“It is a grid... some sort of lattice,” Worf said. “Forming all around us!”
“Red alert,” Picard said, “full stop, and raise the shields.” He stood and took a few steps forward.
At the rear section of the bridge near the entrance to the conference lounge there was a bright white flash of light and a man appeared, dapped out in Starfleet uniform; an admiral’s uniform to be precise. “Mon capitane! I’d thought you’d never get here!”
“I’m Jean-Luc Picard, captain of the USS Enterprise, and who might you be?”
“Q at your service,” the man said with a bow. “Of the Q Continuum. We’re a group of beings that guard this galaxy against trouble. And my, what bits of trouble you humans have caused.”
He marched around the tactical station under the watchful eyes of Worf, who never took his attention off the intruder. “Sir,” Worf said. “respectfully request to remove the uninvited guest.”
“Such a macro head,” Q scoffed. “With a microbrain. Your little centuries go by so rapidly, Captain. Perhaps you'll understand this better.” He snapped his fingers; in a blinding white flash his Starfleet uniform became a pale green costume of centuries past. “Actually, the issue at stake is patriotism. You must return to your world and put an end to the communists. All it takes is a few good men.”
Picard shook his head. “That nonsense is centuries behind us!”
“But you can’t deny that you’re still a dangerous savage child-race,” Q retorted.
“I most certainly deny it,” Picard said. “I agree that we still were when humans wore costumes like that four hundred years ago...”
“At which time you slaughtered millions in silly arguments about how to divide the resources of your little world. And four hundred years before that you were
murdering each other in quarrels over tribal god-images. And since there have been no indications that humans will ever change.”
“But even as far back as four centuries ago, humans had begun to make rapid progress!”
“Rapid progress?” Q asked. He snapped his fingers again. His Marine uniform was changed to that of the black uniform of the Eastern Coalition and a true follower of Colonel Green. “Rapid progress. Where humans learned to control their military with drugs, destroying your cities and killing hundreds of millions by lobbing crude nuclear reactors at each other.”
He flashed again and was attired in an old uniform, a blue jumpsuit from pre-Federation Starfleet. “Then later, on finally reaching deep space, humans of course found enemies to fight out there too.” He nodded to Worf. “You again found allies to permit still more murdering and all over again the same old story.”
Picard grabbed vainly at his temper. “No! The 'same old story' is the one we're meeting now! Self-righteous life forms who are eager not to learn but to prosecute, to judge anything they don't understand or can't tolerate.”
“Oh contraire,” Q said reverting back to a standard issue Starfleet uniform. “I’ve known beings through the eons. Some grotesque, some merely immature. But we’ve all come to the conclusion that humanity poses the greatest threat to galactic stability for the next five thousand years.”
“You mean to say,” Picard said, “that we’re a THREAT to the galaxy? We’ve created one of the most peaceful unions of inter-planetary cooperation this region of space has ever seen.”
“Tell that to the Vulcans,” Q said.
Picard winced. “Vulcan was destroyed by a rogue element from the Romulan Empire. That atrocity led to the Unification of the remnants of Vulcan with their Romulan descendants. They’re a valuable ally along with the Klingons. We’ve put aside petty disputes for the greater good.”
“I’m sure Spock is so proud,” Q muttered under his breath. “Regardless, you’re moving farther and faster into deep space. You’ve no ideas the terrors that await you.”
“Whatever challenges face us,” Picard said, “our primary mission to explore new life. We will face it directly, not cower in fear back on Earth.”
“You’re a stubborn man, Jean-Luc,” Q said. “Fine. Continue on your little adventure. This will not be the last time we meet.” He snapped his finger and in a white flash was gone as quickly as he came.
Jean-Luc Picard smiled faintly to himself as the turbolift made its quiet journey from Deck Thirty Six to Deck One. The doors parted and he stepped onto the massive bridge. The aft stations were manned by security and science personnel, the horseshoe-shaped tactical station was manned by a fierce looking Lieutenant Worf, the only Klingon in Starfleet. He rounded tactical and strode to the lower section of the command deck. The forward conn and ops stations were manned by specialists in their field. Cadet Wesley Crusher and Lieutenant Commander Data respectively. Picard still marveled at young Wesley’s drive and accomplishments. At the age of fifteen he was a sophomore in Starfleet Academy and had been assigned to Enterprise for field studies. Picard had only been too happy to grant the post to the child of his two dearest friends, Jack and Beverly Crusher, who were serving together to this day as Jack commanded Picard’s old ship, the Stargazer.
He turned back and took his seat in the captain’s chair. To his left, ship’s counselor Lieutenant Commander Deanna Troi smiled at him as he sat. The young Betazoid therapist and contact specialist, looking serene in her blue Starfleet uniform, swiveled the data screen away that she had been studying and gave him a welcoming smile.
He returned the smile and address the forward section of the bridge.. “Mister Data, you will agree that our mission to Farpoint Station is rather routine.”
The android pushed the ops panel away on its swivel with a hiss of air and turned around to face Picard. “Yes sir. Twelve years ago the Starship Malinche uncovered an alien life form that had been captured by the Bandi, the natives of Deneb IV. It had been forced to use its shape changing and replicator technology to simulate a starbase. Captain Sanders freed the creature when another of its race came to the planet in search of its lost comrade. Since that time, the Starfleet Corps of Engineers has been working in tandem with the Bandi, constructing a new base to Federation standards.”
Picard took in the information, all of which had been in the mission briefing, and nodded. “Excellent. So no complications are expected from our mission?”
“Nothing more than the usual risks involved in deep space exploration. When we depart the planet and our actual mission begins, we will be traveling into sectors of the galaxy that no Federation vessel has visited before.”
“Which, I believe,” Picard said with a smirk, “is the primary goal of this vessel.”
Data nodded and returned to his position.
“It’s quite an undertaking, regardless,” Deanna Troi said. “This ship is provisioned for a twenty year mission. Once we depart the Alpha Cygni sector, we’re going to be out of range of Headquarters and the rest of the fleet, putting more and more distance between us each day. It’s a good thing we have families aboard.”
“Oh, I agree,” Picard said. “One thing I’ve learned over the years is the value of having your children with you. The experience they can accumulate living aboard a starship is almost without limits.”
“Yes, well,” Troi said. “All of us have strong ties to our families. I’m just glad my mother isn’t aboard.” She turned over her right shoulder. “What about you, Mister Worf? The idea of a completely new sector of the galaxy must seem exciting to a Klingon warrior.”
The security chief crossed his arms over his gold uniform. “Each unknown system presents itself as a challenge for me. I find it… stimulating.” His reverie was interrupted by a series of tones from his board. “Captain, sensors are detecting a wave of energy approaching, bearing three one mark two eight zero.”
Troi shook her head. “I don’t sense anything.”
“It is a grid... some sort of lattice,” Worf said. “Forming all around us!”
“Red alert,” Picard said, “full stop, and raise the shields.” He stood and took a few steps forward.
At the rear section of the bridge near the entrance to the conference lounge there was a bright white flash of light and a man appeared, dapped out in Starfleet uniform; an admiral’s uniform to be precise. “Mon capitane! I’d thought you’d never get here!”
“I’m Jean-Luc Picard, captain of the USS Enterprise, and who might you be?”
“Q at your service,” the man said with a bow. “Of the Q Continuum. We’re a group of beings that guard this galaxy against trouble. And my, what bits of trouble you humans have caused.”
He marched around the tactical station under the watchful eyes of Worf, who never took his attention off the intruder. “Sir,” Worf said. “respectfully request to remove the uninvited guest.”
“Such a macro head,” Q scoffed. “With a microbrain. Your little centuries go by so rapidly, Captain. Perhaps you'll understand this better.” He snapped his fingers; in a blinding white flash his Starfleet uniform became a pale green costume of centuries past. “Actually, the issue at stake is patriotism. You must return to your world and put an end to the communists. All it takes is a few good men.”
Picard shook his head. “That nonsense is centuries behind us!”
“But you can’t deny that you’re still a dangerous savage child-race,” Q retorted.
“I most certainly deny it,” Picard said. “I agree that we still were when humans wore costumes like that four hundred years ago...”
“At which time you slaughtered millions in silly arguments about how to divide the resources of your little world. And four hundred years before that you were
murdering each other in quarrels over tribal god-images. And since there have been no indications that humans will ever change.”
“But even as far back as four centuries ago, humans had begun to make rapid progress!”
“Rapid progress?” Q asked. He snapped his fingers again. His Marine uniform was changed to that of the black uniform of the Eastern Coalition and a true follower of Colonel Green. “Rapid progress. Where humans learned to control their military with drugs, destroying your cities and killing hundreds of millions by lobbing crude nuclear reactors at each other.”
He flashed again and was attired in an old uniform, a blue jumpsuit from pre-Federation Starfleet. “Then later, on finally reaching deep space, humans of course found enemies to fight out there too.” He nodded to Worf. “You again found allies to permit still more murdering and all over again the same old story.”
Picard grabbed vainly at his temper. “No! The 'same old story' is the one we're meeting now! Self-righteous life forms who are eager not to learn but to prosecute, to judge anything they don't understand or can't tolerate.”
“Oh contraire,” Q said reverting back to a standard issue Starfleet uniform. “I’ve known beings through the eons. Some grotesque, some merely immature. But we’ve all come to the conclusion that humanity poses the greatest threat to galactic stability for the next five thousand years.”
“You mean to say,” Picard said, “that we’re a THREAT to the galaxy? We’ve created one of the most peaceful unions of inter-planetary cooperation this region of space has ever seen.”
“Tell that to the Vulcans,” Q said.
Picard winced. “Vulcan was destroyed by a rogue element from the Romulan Empire. That atrocity led to the Unification of the remnants of Vulcan with their Romulan descendants. They’re a valuable ally along with the Klingons. We’ve put aside petty disputes for the greater good.”
“I’m sure Spock is so proud,” Q muttered under his breath. “Regardless, you’re moving farther and faster into deep space. You’ve no ideas the terrors that await you.”
“Whatever challenges face us,” Picard said, “our primary mission to explore new life. We will face it directly, not cower in fear back on Earth.”
“You’re a stubborn man, Jean-Luc,” Q said. “Fine. Continue on your little adventure. This will not be the last time we meet.” He snapped his finger and in a white flash was gone as quickly as he came.
This is definitely something that could be explored in fanfic or TrekLit. I'd really like to see Garm Bel Iblis write more.
