STAR TREK SHUFFLE THE DECK--#95 DEEP SPACE NINE
STAR TREK: Shuffle the Deck
DS9—Essians—Federation Earth—Balboa—Riker
#95
Admiral Picard stepped into the turbolift near the Promenade on Deep Space Nine. It was early in the ‘morning’, and he had just finished a small breakfast at Quark’s new breakfast café. The Feringi had bought out one of the other merchants and then remodeled the space and turned it into a breakfast only café. Picard was actually impressed with the quality of the food, and the fact there was no gambling or drinking going on. It was just a simple café with surprisingly good food.
As the turbolift made its way towards ops, it suddenly came to a complete stop. Picard had been around Q long enough to know what this meant. There was a bright flash of light, and Picard was gone.
--
Commander Tuvok had managed to get permission from Doctor Bashir to administer a mind-meld with Locutus. Bashir had agreed with Tuvok’s assertion that Locutus was a wildcard in any future Borg entanglements. So under the thin guise of medical therapy, to know whether or not Locutus was in any actual pain from his implants, Tuvok was given permission by the ships Chief Surgeon, Bashir, to carry out the mind meld.
Tuvok assured Smiley that the mind-meld would not be painful for Mirror Locutus in anyway. Smiley agreed, and told Tuvok that he trusted him. The Tuvok from Smiley’s universe had died years ago, but was a good ally during the rebellion against the Alliance.
So, Tuvok reported on time, at 0800 hours, and entered the cell, under the watchful eyes of Bashir and Boraj, the station’s head of security, Tuvok prepared for the meld.
Boraj looked to Bashir.
“Doctor,” Boraj said, “How confident are you that Locutus will be unable to overcome Tuvok’s mind during the meld?”
Bashir smiled back at Boraj.
“Actually,” Bashir said, “I can’t. But with this Tricorder,” Bashir held it up for Boraj to see, “I should be able to detect any stress that might be put on Tukov’s mind.”
Tuvok walked slowly over to the exact duplicate of Admiral Picard. This version of Picard had lived a much different life that Picard, and was still a Borg. Tuvok knew the story of the Borg from this universe, having played an important part in that story for many years while returning from the Delta-Quadrant.
But what life had this Locutus lived? What made Smiley trust this Locutus with his life? Hopefully those answers would come during the mind-meld.
“My name is Tuvok,” Tuvok said as Locutus stood up and faced Tuvok.
The Vulcan walked around completely around the Borg, and then to the front of him again.
“I will attempt a Vulcan mind-meld,” Tuvok said. “Do you know the meaning of that?”
“Affirmative,” Locutus said. “The Collective has lost many drones to this form of torture.”
“That’s because,” Smiley said from outside the energy barrier of the cell, “the Vulcans in our universe are one of the most sadistic powers of the galaxy.”
“That is not the case, here,” Tuvok said to Locutus. “I will not injure you in any way. But I must probe your mind, will you allow this?”
“Affirmative.” Locutus stated.
Tuvok nodded and then he placed his fingers on the left side of Locutus’s face and head. The mind-meld had begun.
--
Inside Admiral Picard’s quarters aboard DS9:
Devina had spent the entire past week inside of Picard’s quarters. Being a flag officer, Picard had one of the larger suits on the space station. So, in the past week, she had settled into one of the two large rooms. Earlier she had shared a kettle of tea with Picard before he had departed for his duties. But, for the rest of her day, she would spend it. Like all the other days in the past week, isolated in the boring quarters of a Starfleet Admiral. There was practically no entertainment in the room, and definitely no children her age. But, on this day, she had planned something.
Two armored guards were ‘secretly’ posted in the rooms on either side of Picard’s room. The hallway was packed full of surveillance equipment. It was like being trapped in a castle, with no way out. But, no cage could contain her. She knew of a way out, she knew one indeed. It was a trick her mother, Ro Laren, had taught her years ago, and now it was time to put it to use.
--
Quark and Bak’nor sat in the back room of Quark’s diner. It was where Quark kept special computers and communication equipment that he used to order special products through an illegal underground supply chain. He also used it to hack into secret messages that were encoded, but with Quark’s exclusive equipment, were easily deciphered for his eyes. Bak’nor read through all the messages from the past month. Quark was surprised that the massive Nausican could even read, much less talk.
“See?” Quark said. “There is nothing on the com channels, as best as I can tell, that indicates a contract out on this Devina girl.”
Bak’nor shook his head. “There is,” Bak’nor said to Quark. “They have come three times, and three times I have killed them.”
“Maybe it was local clients on Bajor.” Quark suggested.
Bak’nor grunted. “No,” he said to Quark. “Cardassians are involved, I can smell them!”
Quark thought for a moment before continuing.
“There are rumors,” Quark said, “that the Obsidian Order has been reorganized. In fact,” Quark said, “a past acquaintance of mine, Garak, maybe the one coordinating those efforts.”
“I know of this Garak,” Bak’nor said.
“If you want,” Quark said, “I can put you in touch with him.”
“I want this.” Bak’nor said.
Quark smiled, scratched his left lobe, and continued. “I can do the uplink, and live feed, for two bars of Gold Pressed Latinum.” His smile gave away his greed.
“Or, I let you live.” Bak’nor said, as a counter offer.
“You know how to press a hard bargain,” Quark replied. “I agree to your terms.”
Quark stood up from the table they were sitting at, and began reconnecting different devices and different panels. He had only spoken with Garak once since the Cardassian tailor had left the station at the end of the Dominion War. It would be interesting to see what Garak was up to, and how much Quark could get from Colonel Kira for such information.
--
Picard stood inside the all white universe he had become accustomed to, having visited this place before. It was a subspace bubble, no doubt, created by either Q or the wormhole aliens. In every direction he looked, all Picard could see was a simple white void, and in the distance, he could hear the faint thumping of his heart.
At that instant, Q, Sisko, and Odo stepped out of the whiteness.
“It is good to see you again, Admiral Picard.” Odo said.
“I assume you have some news,” Picard said to them all.
“Gee, aren’t you such the smart bugger.” Q said in his usual manner.
“Take him,” Sisko said softly to Q.
Q looked to Sisko.
“Wait a second,” Q said, “This better not be some attempt to kick me out of the Temple. I have been behaving myself.”
Sisko leered over at Q. “Just take him. I promise to let you back in.” Sisko said.
“Where are you taking me?” Picard demanded.
Sisko looked to Picard. “I am sorry we have to do this Jean-Luc,” Sisko said, “but we have no other choice. The Wave will return with in two weeks,” Sisko said, “and the Borg are just hours away from being able to jump into the Alpha-Quadrant, and will arrive just outside the Bajoran star system, when they do.”
“That is not good news at all,” Picard said somberly.
“And so,” Q said, “I am taking you to the Borg fleet. Hopefully you can use some of your big words, and talk the Borg/Founders out of this insane plan of theirs.”
“And just how will I do that?” Picard asked. “What do I have to bargain with?”
“Laas,” Odo said, “can be reasoned with. He may seem standoffish toward solids, and with good reason I might add, but he should be able to see the fallacy of this plan of his. You must convince him, Picard.”
“Why can’t you,” Picard said to Odo, “Or you?” Picard said to Q.
“Laas will not listen to me,” Odo said. “I saw him nearly three years ago when he visited the Great Link and first spoke about bringing order to the galaxy. Suffice to say, our meeting did not end on good terms.”
Picard looked to Q. “What about you Q?” Picard asked. “Why don’t you just snap your fingers and do something about this?”
“I told you before, didn’t you hear me?” Q said, “Riker has been tapping into the Continuum powerbase. He has weakened us. It will take years to get back to the level we were at before this Wave business started. I can only act as a glorified taxi-cab. Don’t worry; we will be protected in a force field. But taking you there, to the Borg/Founder fleet, and back, is about all I can do right now.”
“Speaking of Captain Riker,” Picard said, “Where is he?”
Q thought for a moment.
“Unknown to Riker, he is on a world, the seventh planet of a star system, located deep in the Delta-Quadrant.” Q said. “You might say that the outcome of what happens on that world may very well decide all of our fates. And if Riker survives, just wait until he realizes that the little girl in your quarters belongs too..”
“Enough, Q!” Sisko snapped suddenly. “There is no time for this.”
“So, the Essians can’t help, and the Q can’t help Riker: Marvelous.” Picard said in a sardonic tone aimed at Q.
“No one can,” Sisko added. “But, if he succeeds, life will go on. And right now, Admiral, the Borg/Founder alliance is a direct threat to Bajor, and the rest of the Alpha-Quadrant. Our hope is that you can talk Laas, or even the Borg queen, out of the mad plans of theirs. But if you can not, we do have a fall back position.”
“Which is?” Picard asked the former commander of DS9.
Sisko shook his head. “We will reveal that to you at some other time. But go now,” Sisko said to Q and Picard, “Meet with Laas, and the Queen. Try your hardest, Picard, try any method you can to stop their invasion.”
And with that Q and Picard vanished.
Odo turned to Sisko once Q and Picard were gone. “I must ask; why didn’t you tell Picard about the so called fall back position?” Odo asked. “Of all people, he has right to know.”
Sisko thought for a moment. “I would rather he not know about his fate, should it come to pass. The Locutus from the other reality has given us this miracle, and I don’t want to reveal Picard’s path should it present itself to him. Not yet, at least.”
“But that other Locutus will not work, or so Q said.” Odo reminded Sisko. “Q has warned us that the Collective would instantly know that this new Locutus was not the same one that was once part of their hive mind mentality in this universe.”
“Which is why,” Sisko said to Odo, “if Picard fails at this diplomatic solution, he will have to become Locutus again. Q has assured me that he has enough power to reconfigure the other Picard’s implants to work with Picard’s mind, just as before. And it is for that reason I can not tell Picard that his future destiny may be to become the demon from his past.”
CONTINUED
STAR TREK SHUFFLE THE DECK
