NEW: The Ketlekal 1/2 [PG] TNG P&C
Singing Violin
Title: The Ketlekal
Author: Singing Violin
Series: TNG
Part: 1/2
Rating: PG-13
Summary: A lost episode from Season 5. Doctor Crusher is tormented
by a polygamist telepath and a mysterious illness. Meanwhile, Captain
Picard attempts to negotiate a peace treaty. Is there a connection?
Keywords: P & C
Disclaimer: Characters not owned by me.
Archiving: Anywhere.
***
Captain's Log, Star Date 45291.3
Twelve years ago, the Knebutussians were denied Federation membership
due to an ongoing civil war. They have finally reached a truce, which
has tenuously held for over a year, so the Federation has sent me in
my capacity as negotiator to mediate a final peace accord which will
pave the way towards their entrance into the Federation. As we
approached the solar system, we encountered what appeared to be a
derelict ship of unknown origin, with working shields using a
technology unknown to either the Knebutussians or the Federation. As
the negotiations do not begin until tomorrow, we are investigating.
***
The bridge crew was tense. Captain Picard paced nervously while
Commander Riker sent a concerned glance towards Deanna Troi, who
looked as if she might cry. Worf quietly growled.
"Geordi, what is the status of the derelict?" the Captain asked his
communicator.
"We're still trying to read it, Captain. The shields aren't like
anything I've seen before, and they're modulating..."
The Captain cut him off. "Keep trying, Geordi."
Suddenly, Deanna spoke. "Captain, I think there's someone on that
ship...and they're in trouble!"
"Merde," Picard muttered under his breath.
"What was that, Captain?" Riker asked.
"Senior staff meeting. Conference Room Two. Now. Tell Geordi he should
keep working on penetrating the shields, but keep the video screen
on."
***
Picard stood in front of the conference table. Seated next to Deanna,
Will Riker silently stroked the counselor's arm. Doctor Crusher bit
her lip, obviously trying not to burst out with some objection or
other.
Geordi still couldn't sense any life signs through the modulating
shields, but Picard trusted Deanna's instincts, especially when they
affected her so. Except that she had just admitted that she no longer
felt the presence of the aforementioned lives in danger.
Data, busily working on a pad, chimed in. "Sir, if I may."
Picard nodded.
"I believe it may be possible to synch with the modulating shields and
send someone through the transporter. However, the time period will
be brief and I believe there will only be a chance to send one person
through. The period of the shields appears to be about six hours long,
and only one half-second part of the cycle is in a pattern we can
match. We will be able to send someone through, but we will not be
able to retrieve them for six hours."
Picard tapped his communicator. "Geordi, do you concur?"
Geordi sounded amazed. "Data, what did you do? I think it'll actually
work."
"I'll go," said Picard.
Will shook his head. "No way, Sir. It might be dangerous, and we can't
afford being out of communication with you for six hours, especially
with the negotiations beginning tomorrow. Nobody else here has the
expertise to take over as mediator. Besides, if there are people in
need of help..."
Crusher looked up. "Will's right, Captain. I should go. If there are
people dying..." Her voice trailed off.
Picard shook his head. "Counselor, do you still sense life?"
Deanna's voice wavered. "I'm not sure, Captain. I'm sure it was
there...and then nothing. I can't sense anything anymore."
"Do you think they're dead?" the captain asked.
The counselor thought for a moment. "I don't know."
"Is it possible you were mistaken?"
Deanna nodded hesitantly. "It's possible...but I know what I felt."
The captain seemed resigned. "All right. The doctor will go. Data,
make sure the doctor is equipped with full life support for at least
twelve hours - in case we miss the first window to bring her back."
"Aye, Sir."
"And Doctor...be careful."
Beverly nodded.
***
Data was working the transporter, as the captain and the Chief
Engineer looked on nervously. Doctor Crusher stood on the transporter
pad, covered from head to toe in a life support suit, and carrying a
medical bag slung over her shoulder. In the other hand was a
tricorder, and on her belt was a phaser.
They waited for the signal. It had been an hour since the staff
meeting had ended, and the transport was scheduled in less than two
minutes. They'd been waiting in that position for barely a minute, and
it seemed like an eternity. The doctor momentarily wondered whether
she'd forgotten anything, even though there wasn't time to get it if
she had.
Doctor Crusher, feeling bulky and anxious in the suit, also wondered
why everyone seemed so upset. The situation alone didn't warrant it.
There hadn't been shore leave in a while, and the last few missions
had taken some lives, but that wasn't entirely out of the ordinary.
She hesitated to postulate, but she had to conclude there was some
sort of psychic negative energy associated with this mission, as if a
collective consciousness of the crew sensed something was very wrong.
She almost laughed at herself for thinking this, and made a mental
note to talk to Deanna about it later.
In the meantime, she waited.
Finally, when it seemed like she'd die of old age before she got
transported, Data spoke up, "Doctor Crusher, prepare for transport."
She nodded, and threw a glance towards Captain Picard. Was that a tear
in his eye? There was no time for a double-take as she materialized on
the derelict ship.
And for what she saw, she was distinctly not prepared.
***
The room was dark and cold, and littered with barrels and piles of
what looked like scrap metal and food cans. However, Doctor Crusher
barely took notice of the dirty walls and floor, because of what was
between them.
Everywhere she looked, there were Knebutussian girls. All were dressed
in dirty rags, and the oldest, which looked to be late adolescents,
were pregnant. Most of them were bruised, and one small girl lay
motionless, curled in a ball in the corner of the room.
When the doctor moved, the girls scattered into the shadows, clearly
frightened.
Beverly rushed to the side of the last, whipping out the tricorder,
only to determine that this girl had been dead for hours, possibly
days.
She blinked back tears and looked back to the tricorder, which also
told her that the air was breathable and there were no known viruses
or toxins, so it was safe to take off the life support suit, which she
quickly did, both to conserve its resources and because she believed
she might have more luck treating the girls while not hidden inside
the inhuman-looking suit.
One very small girl peeked around a corner curiously at her. The
doctor approached slowly, attempting not to scare the girl away.
However, she didn't get very far, as she was rendered unconscious by
the blow of a heavy object to her head, administered from behind.
***
Doctor Crusher came to strapped to the floor. A mean-looking teenager
was pointing the doctor's own phaser at her. The girl looked to be in
her second trimester of pregnancy.
Despite the headache and grogginess - the doctor had either been
drugged, or had a concussion, or both, and she couldn't investigate
without her tricorder, which was nowhere to be seen - she attempted to
reason with the girl.
"I'm not going to hurt you. My name is - "
--Beverly, we know.--
The doctor gasped and squiggled, trying to look around to see where
the voice was coming from.
--It's no use, Beverly. I am quite well hidden, and speaking to you
inside your mind. And don't attempt to escape; Shirak has been
instructed to shoot you with your weapon if I give her the signal -
and since I know what you're thinking, you so much as plan to get out
of those bonds, and you are dead.--
"If you kill me, more will come."
--We are well aware of that too, but I know your weakness. If more
come, we will kill them too. And you wouldn't want any of your friends
to get hurt, would you?--
"I didn't think the Knebutussians had telepaths..."
--Enough. This is not your concern.--
"Are these girls your wives?"
--Also not your concern.--
"What do you want from me?"
--Aha! Now that is your concern, dear Beverly. Doctor Beverly...--
"Don't call me that."
--As you wish. It is no concern to me.--
"Tell me what you want from me. They are going to beam me back soon."
--Yes. Approximately...twenty of your minutes from now.--
"Just tell me what you want."
--You will return to your ship. You will tell them there was nothing
here.--
"They will see that I am hurt and ask questions."
--Your wounds you will hide. If necessary, tell them this ship is
booby trapped...yes, that will be your excuse for telling them not to
come back. It is unsafe. As for your empath, I have already taken care
of her.--
"No!"
--Don't worry, she is unhurt...for now. But she cannot sense you.--
"How?"
--Not your concern!--
At this, Beverly felt a shock course through her body, and groaned.
--Ah, yes! I forgot to tell you. I have installed...a device inside of
you. It is equipped to self-destruct if necessary, operated by remote
control, or, if removed from your body. I will not tell you where it
is, and you will not find out. If you seek it, I will kill you. If it
explodes, you will - most likely - not be the only victim.--
"How do I know you won't detonate it anytime?"
--You must trust me.--
"You've given me no reason to trust you!"
--You have no choice. Oh, and if I don't like what you are thinking,
or saying...and I don't feel like killing you yet, I will kill one of
these girls. Yes, that would make you very unhappy!--
"You're a monster!"
--I prefer to think of myself as...a superbeing. Special. But enough
about me. We shall put you back in your suit and reequip you with your
belongings...even the weapon...but just in time for your departure.
Remember, I am listening to your thoughts. You shall not stray. For
a small infraction, a girl dies. For a large infraction you...and
perhaps some people near you. It is a powerful explosive.--
"Why are you doing this?"
--How many times must I tell you? NOT YOUR CONCERN!--
Another shock.
--We must hurry. Remember, there is no one here. Your son...yes, I
know he is dear to you...is not ready to be an orphan, so you know
what you must do.--
At that, Beverly was held at phaserpoint and dressed back into her
suit. Her phaser was hooked to her belt a moment before the girls
attending her scattered, and she rematerialized in Transporter Room
Three.
***
Captain Picard, flanked by Data and Worf, was waiting for her when she
returned. More than anything else in the world, she wanted to run to
him and hug him and never let go. Unfortunately, this was not an
option.
She took off the head piece of her suit.
"Report, Doctor," commanded her captain.
"Sir. There is very little to report. There were no life forms present
on the ship."
"Hrmph." The captain frowned. If he didn't know better, he'd think
he was being lied to. "Did you find the controls for the shields?"
"No, Sir," she answered matter-of-factly, expending all her effort not
to let her voice waver.
"Perhaps we should send someone else next cycle," the captain
threatened. Boy, did he hate this. He was so relieved to have Beverly
back alive, he just wanted to grab her and hug her and never let her
go. But unfortunately, that was not an option. And now, he was almost
sure she was lying to him. But why?
"That would not be prudent, Sir."
Had she ever "sirred" him this many times in a row? Jean-Luc didn't
think so. There was definitely something wrong. "Oh?" he asked.
"It is extremely unsafe, Captain." Now if anything she said was the
truth, that was. The captain didn't like letting her get away with
this, but he trusted her not to put anyone in danger. She simply
couldn't, and it went way beyond the Hippocratic Oath. He nodded.
"You are dismissed, Doctor."
Beverly nodded and nearly ran to the door and down the hall. She had
to escape before he could...
"Beverly, wait," he called to her back. She turned around. At least it
was just him now.
He trotted over to her and put his hand on her shoulder. "Is something
wrong?"
She made her best smile and said, "why would you think that?" She
quickly stepped back slightly and his hand fell down to his side.
"Just a feeling I have," he said, "Beverly, if something is wrong, you
can tell me."
She summoned all her concentration to reply without breaking down. "I
know. I'm very tired - if you will please excuse me, I'd like to get
out of this suit."
Picard nodded. She did look fatigued. He supposed six hours with
nothing to do on an abandoned ship with no communication could do
that. Still, he was worried, and made a mental note to watch her
closely. Starting with noticing how she practically ran down the hall
to the cargo bay.
***
Nearly as soon as the doors to the cargo bay shut, Doctor Crusher
collapsed against the wall.
--That was close,-- taunted the voice of her captor.
"Go away," she whispered, pleading to the voice inside her head. She
squeezed her eyes shut, and a single tear escaped from her closed lid.
--I will be with you as long as it takes, Beverly.--
--Takes for what--? she thought. Another tear.
--Not your concern!-- A shock.
"Ow! Please stop that!" --Don't give him what he wants, Beverly, he's
enjoying torturing you.--
--That's true, but not my primary purpose.--
"And you won't tell me what that primary purpose is," she stated.
--No, but suffice it to say, I do want you alive, at least, for a
while.--
--I will find a way to beat you.--
--Beverly, I am laughing so hard right now...well, I'll just say it's
a shame you can't see my face. In any case, I have other matters to
attend to, but I will be listening to you.--
At that, Beverly sought to rid her mind of thoughts and get out of her
life support suit. She would not give him the satisfaction of
seeing...hearing...feeling her miserable. If she remained strong,
perhaps there would be a way she could beat him. --He can't be
listening to my thoughts all the time...can he?--
No answer.
***
Beverly hadn't shown up for breakfast, and it was already 0730.
Jean-Luc was worried, and didn't have a lot of time. Beam-down for the
start of the negotiations was in twenty minutes. As such, the captain
was on his way to the doctor's quarters, where the computer had
located her.
He rang the doorbell, and she didn't answer.
"Computer, override," he commanded. The doors swished open, and there,
on a chair, holding a PADD, was Beverly, fast asleep.
Despite himself, the captain chuckled. She must have been so exhausted
last night that she forgot to set an alarm, especially as she seemed
to have stayed up late reading...he wondered what.
Jean-Luc thought about peeking at what she was reading, but decided
he'd better not. What if it were her diary, or a romance novel? She
wouldn't want him to know about that. He took a moment to treasure the
sight of her so peaceful, and then headed off for beam-down.
If he had bothered to check, he would have known that what she had
been reading was a treatise on Vulcan mind-control techniques.
***
Picard was seated ceremoniously at the apex of a triangular table,
while the representatives of Knebu and Tussa glared accusingly at each
other from the adjacent sides.
They had discussed land allotments, tariffs and commerce, and even
some sort of disagreement about marriage laws which the captain didn't
quite understand.
And they were no closer to a treaty.
Picard sighed with frustration.
"President Nasser of Tussa," he asked, "are there any other
impediments we have not discussed? Is there some wrong that you feel
Knebut has propogated against your country?"
At that, the two Heads of State glanced at each other, as if to ask
whether to share with the third party some very well-hidden dark
secret. Apparently the answer was no, for Nasser replied negatively.
"What about you, Prime Minister Aklam of Knebu?"
Apparently, Aklam was braver than his counterpart. "There is the
Ketlekal..."
At that, one of the Tussan aides rushed to the other side of the table
and pounced upon the Prime Minister, who grabbed his chest and fell
from his chair.
The Knebut guards quickly restrained the aide, but the damage was
done.
Picard rushed to the Prime Minister, whose guards were looking
hopefully at him. Picard tapped his communicator. "Two to beam
directly to Sickbay. Medical emergency!"
***
Doctor Crusher was awake and ready when they materialized. She began
barking orders at once. It was not long before she made it known that
the captain was, in fact, in the way and not welcome. The Prime
Minister had had a heart attack, and needed surgery.
The captain left Sickbay slightly less worried about his most
treasured officer. She certainly knew how to do her job, and she would
doubtless save the Prime Minister's life.
Unfortunately, his confidence was sorely misplaced.
The doctor hadn't been feeling well since she woke up, realizing, with
regret and a bit of relief, that she had missed breakfast with
Jean-Luc. She supposed it was the result of the concussion and drugs
from the day before, but a nagging feeling inside of her, somewhere in
between anxiety and nausea, told her it was something more.
Nevertheless, she declined to examine herself for fear she would
discover the explosive and, realizing it had been revealed, her captor
would detonate it. This was a risk she could not take. Instead, she
treated her symptoms with a hypospray drug cocktail and distracted
herself with work. However, she hadn't anticipated the effects the
stress of surgery would have, combined with the hangover, concussion,
and drugs.
She was cutting into the Prime Minister when the room began to spin.
For the first time in her life, Beverly Crusher fainted at the sight
of blood.
***
After exiting Sickbay, the captain headed to his quarters for some
much needed rest and relaxation. It had been a hectic few days, and
nothing much could be done until the Prime Minister recovered enough
to resume negotiations, or at least appoint a delegate to represent
him.
The captain was reclining on a chair, blissfully listening to "La
Traviata" with his eyes closed, when he was paged.
"Communication from the planet, secure channel," offered the computer.
"I'll take it in my quarters."
The face of a Knebut senator popped up on the screen. A middle-aged
woman with sad eyes, the senator began with an apology. "Captain
Picard, I regret to disturb you."
"That's quite all right," the captain replied. "What is the news?"
"Captain, the word of the attack on our Prime Minister spread quickly,
and there have been several skirmishes at the border. Forty-seven
Knebut and approximately sixty Tussan civilians have been killed, with
many more injured. Do you have any word on the Prime Minister's
condition?"
"I can ask," replied the captain, tapping his communicator. "Picard to
Sickbay, what is the condition of the Prime Minister?"
"This is Doctor Selar, Captain. The Prime Minister has been
stabilized."
"Thank you, Doctor. Can I speak with him?"
"Perhaps for a moment, Captain. He is conscious, but resting, and
cannot endure much stress at this time."
"I'll be there momentarily, then," he promised. He wondered where
Doctor Crusher was, but while the senator was on screen was not the
time to ask.
"Senator, I shall be speaking with him personally and I will ask him
how he would like to handle the situation."
The senator nodded assent. "You have my gratitude, Captain."
Then Picard thought of something, "Senator, would you mind answering a
question for me?"
"Indeed, Captain."
"What can you tell me about Ketlekal?"
The senator looked slightly alarmed, and appeared to whisper something
to someone next to her, slightly off the screen to her right. She
turned back to the captain and replied, "I know nothing of this. Would
you like me to do some research for you?"
The captain nodded. "That would be much appreciated, Senator. I shall
speak with you shortly."
***
When Picard arrived in Sickbay, Doctor Crusher was indeed absent. He
located Doctor Selar and pulled her aside. "Doctor Selar, where is
Doctor Crusher?"
Doctor Selar raised an eyebrow. "Indeed, Captain, we were wondering
this ourselves. She collapsed during surgery, and by the time we
had stabilized the Prime Minister and could attend to her, she'd
disappeared. We assumed she was called out on your orders."
"Hrmph," the captain grumbled. "Computer, location of Doctor Crusher."
"Doctor Crusher is in her quarters."
"Thank you, Doctor Selar. I shall investigate this. And
congratulations for saving the Prime Minister's life, especially given
the...circumstances."
Selar nodded. "Thank you, Captain."
***
Captain Picard had chimed the door to Doctor Crusher's quarters twice,
with no answer. He was about to override the door when he heard a
voice from inside.
"Go away."
"Beverly, it's me. Please let me in..."
"I said, go away!" she repeated.
"Doctor, I need to speak with you. Don't make me make it an order."
At that, the door swished open, revealing a very annoyed doctor.
The captain walked in and the doors shut behind him.
"Doctor, you will tell me right now what is going on. I heard you were
not well...but that you escaped Sickbay before the other doctors could
treat you."
Beverly sighed and sat down on a chair.
--Don't you dare tell him anything.--
--Please, go away.--
--I am listening. I shall not allow you to betray me.--
"Doctor?" the captain queried.
"I'm sorry, Jean-Luc...I must have picked up a bug from one of my
patients. I haven't been myself, but I'm sure I'll be fine in a few
days." The woodenness with which she delivered this line was appalling
to Jean-Luc. Why did she continue to lie to him, and what was really
wrong with her? He was very worried, but he was also angry.
"Why didn't you stay in Sickbay where they could treat you? God,
Beverly, you collapsed during *surgery*!
"I fainted. It happens."
"Not to *you*, Beverly! You put yourself *and* your patient in
jeopardy! What were you thinking?"
--Don't you dare.--
Beverly brought her hand to her head, mussing her hair nervously.
"I...don't know. Please leave me alone."
"Doctor, I order you to go to Sickbay and get examined."
At this, Beverly started, obviously alarmed. "I...I can't. Please,
I'm a doctor, I can take care of myself."
"Apparently not."
--If you go to the other doctors, they will find the explosive, and
either detonate it, or I will.--
--I know. I'll take care of it.--
"I'm sorry, Captain. I can't." She sighed, offering no explanation.
"In that case, Doctor, I must relieve you of duty until further
notice." Jean-Luc hated doing this to his best friend, but she was
disobeying a direct order, and he had no choice. Besides, he was angry
at her for not confiding in him, and for not letting him help her.
"Aye, Sir. I understand." No complaint, no argument. Just an
acknowledgement.
This behavior was so uncharacteristic that the captain momentarily
wondered whether his CMO had been replaced by an impostor.
However, the look in her eyes as she looked up at him briefly told him
it was definitely Beverly. And the way she quickly looked down told
him that his Beverly needed his help. He just didn't know what to do.
And there were other worries to attend to. His communicator beeped,
reminding him that there was a senator awaiting his reply, and he
still hadn't conversed with the Prime Minister to find out what to
tell her.
"I must go. When you're ready to talk, let me know."
He quickly exited her quarters, not waiting for a reply.
***
TO BE CONTINUED...
--
Posted by Moderator Stephen Ratliff
Contact: asca-...@trekiverse.us
Submit: asca-...@trekiverse.us
Benjamin Prater
on to my hard drive?
"Singing Violin" <per...@alum.mit.edu> wrote in message
news:ho2f8296b08crlu9u...@4ax.com...