December 23

Science Fiction

TNG-Quantum Leap X-over - Sam/Picard, Picard/Q implied

NEW: STAR Trek: The Next Generation/Quantum Leap Crossover

“PASSION’S LEAP” by Pet Leopard

K/S, S/P, P/Q Suggested

Rating: NC-17

Time Period: After the events of “STAR TREK: GENERATIONS”, but before “STAR TREK: FIRST CONTACT”.

DISCLAIMER: I acknowledge that “Star Trek”, with all its associated copyrights, patents, trademarks and associated items, is the property of Paramount/Viacom. “Quantum Leap” is recognized as the property of Bellisarius Productions and its affiliates. This story is a work of fiction, printed and circulated for the purpose of fan enjoyment, and will not be sold for profit at any time.

Part 1

It was a quiet, midsummer afternoon. The forest leaves rustled in the mountain air. The sun had risen above the trees and its light shone brightly. It was completely peaceful, except for the sounds of laughter that resonated in the air. The two boys moved around mischievously, carefully looking behind them to make sure that they were not being followed. The 15-year-old boy who was taking the lead had long, shoulder length, light brown hair. His friend, a year younger, was slightly taller and had short, bright red hair. When they reached the tent in the clearing, they ducked inside; the sounds of laughter escalated and then gradually evolved into quiet moans. Their shadows cast a reflection against the tent cloth.

All of a sudden, the tent flap was torn aside and a black figure with sharp, tearing claws entered the tent. The boys screamed as the claws dug into the back of the longhaired boy. He was thrown aside and got lost in a disheveled pile of leaves, cloth and wood outside the tent. When he pulled himself up, he ran back inside to find out what happened to his friend. The black monster had disappeared, but his friend lay unconscious in the middle of a pool of blood.

“Lynd! LYND!” he shouted, but there was no answer. The longhaired boy screamed pitifully as tears came down from his hazel eyes.

“LYND! LYND!”

**********

The combadge chirped. “Worf to Captain Picard.”

A disoriented Jean-Luc Picard awoke from his dream and stared about him, looking for his combadge. He found it and answered the hail.

“Picard here.”

“Sorry to disturb you, sir. But a shuttlecraft from Starfleet Special Operations has just arrived. Its passenger requests to see you. Actually, it was more like an order.”

“An order, Mr. Worf?”

“Yes, sir. My reaction was similar to yours, but I checked her credentials thoroughly and everything seems to be in order. May I send you the data?”

“Yes, please do. Thank you, Mr. Worf. Please stand by.” A flow of data came across on the computer screen, which Jean-Luc examined carefully. “Oh, for Heaven’s sake! Not now…” he said to himself. “Guess I have no choice.” He sighed as he tapped his combadge.

“Mr. Worf? Thanks for holding on. Please escort our “guest” to my Ready Room and tell her I will see her shortly.”

“Aye, sir. Worf out.”

Jean-Luc quickly put on his uniform and pips, but did not bother to shave or groom himself beyond the most basic necessities. As he walked down the corridor to the lift, he was all business. He did not take the time to greet anyone, beyond a nod of acknowledgement to passing crewmembers on the night shift, as he wanted to dispense with this unpleasant business as quickly as possible.

He arrived at his Ready Room, sighed again, punched in his security code and entered as the doors swished open. A dark-haired woman dressed in a camouflage outfit and black boots rose from her seat, ran over and hugged him.

“Jean-Luc! It’s so nice to see you! It’s been so long!”

The captain was not impressed by this show of affection. “What do you want, Vash?”

“My, my, my, aren’t we all business? It’s been two years, for heaven’s sake! Is that all you can say to me?”

“You deceived me. You deceived Q. I don’t even want to know who you deceived to get this pain-in-the-arse, paper-pushing position with Starfleet that you manipulated yourself into.”

“Very well, Jean-Luc, if that’s the way you want it, then we’ll talk business. Though I must say, I’m profoundly hurt that you think so little of me.”

“Get to the point, Vash!”

“Okay, here’s the scoop.” Vash stood up straight, put her hands on her hips and addressed him brusquely. “Starfleet Intelligence has just found out from our sources that Ambassador Spock has stolen a shuttle from the fleet shipyards. Apparently, he somehow engineered some type of time travel device and has disappeared into a timeline some time in the past. He was careful to cover his tracks, so that his warp signature remained undetectable. We need as much information as we can get about Spock in order to find him and bring him to justice.”

Jean-Luc appeared to be visibly shaken. He almost fell forward, but supported himself on his desk.

“So what does this have to do with me?”

“Oh, come on, Jean-Luc! It’s common knowledge that you and Ambassador Spock are old friends. After all, you and he meet for tea at least once a month. He must have told you something of relevance…hmm…?”

“Your little spy organization has nothing better to do than to watch Ambassador Spock and I during our shore leave?”

“Jean-Luc, my dear, the eyes of Section 31 are everywhere.”

“Be that as it may, I am under no obligation to reveal any personal information to you.”

“Listen, Captain,” Vash told him, with sarcastic emphasis on his title, “we have operatives everywhere. What you don’t tell us, we will find out from other sources. However, we never forget those who don’t cooperate with us. We know everything about you, Jean-Luc, your family, your friends. I can tear you down. I can ruin you. Everything and everyone that you hold of value can be taken away from you, faster than the blink of an eye!”

Jean-Luc’s knees trembled, but he remained standing. She looked into his eyes as she threatened him. He stared back at her defiantly. She grabbed his shoulders and shook him roughly.

“Are you aware of all that you can lose, you stubborn old man!!!”

A flash of white light came into the room.

“Are you aware of all that you can lose, young lady?” Jean-Luc and Vash turned around to address the source of the voice. He walked slowly towards them, conveying the appearance of a tall, dark-haired human male in his late fifties, dressed in a Starfleet captain’s uniform. But this man was by no means a Starfleet officer. He was not even human, for that matter. He was Q.

Part 2

The omnipotent being walked up to Jean-Luc and Vash slowly. When he reached them, he gave a polite bow. “Jean-Luc, always a pleasure. Agent Vash, much less of the same.”

“Q, this is a private conference,” said Vash. “So unless you have something useful to add--”

“Oh, but indeed I do. May I proceed, Jean-Luc?”

Jean-Luc looked toward the ceiling, rolled his eyes and sighed. “Oh, very well! Say what you must.”

“Well, it turns out that our young tomb raider friend here has been a very naughty girl. It’s all here on this videodisk.” Q snapped his fingers and the disc appeared in his right hand.

“What are you talking about?” she said defensively. “Everything that I’ve done has been in accordance with Section 31 rules and regulations.”

“Well, not everything,” said Q. “You, of course, remember that little visit that you paid to the Duras sisters two years ago? I must say, Agent Vash, that I am impressed. Pleasuring two Klingon women at the same time! Even I, in my omnipotence, wouldn’t even attempt something like that! Klingon women have such high expectations, but you seemed pretty much up to the task. You know, Jean-Luc, I’ve been around since before the dawn of time in this galaxy, but I must give credit where it’s due, this young lady here showed me positions that even I didn’t know existed.”

Jean-Luc laughed. “You don’t say?”

Vash pushed him aside and confronted Q face to face. “Listen, Q, what a woman does in privacy is nobody’s business but her own!”

“Well, young lady, unfortunately your colleagues in Section 31 may have a little something to say about this type of deviant and indiscreet behavior. Not to mention Chancellor Gowron might be a wee bit peeved as well. Ever since the Duras family was discommended, a full investigation was ordered as to who associated with them. Anyone who even had casual contact with those women was taken into custody and questioned. Your quality of contact with them was, how can I say this, several steps beyond the most liberal definition of casual. If the good chancellor sees this videodisc, be prepared to spend a really long time in those cold dilithium mines on Rura Penthe. I must say, not a very pretty picture.”

Jean-Luc stepped forward. “Q, in all fairness to our guest here, perhaps we need some varied opinions of the videodisc in question.” He tapped his combadge. “Picard to Data. Mr. Data, would you please clear all video display screens throughout the ship. Q has an important videodisc, which I would like the entire crew to evaluate. In addition, would you set up extra screens in--”

Vash stomped her feet angrily and screamed. “Enough! Enough! You win! I’ll leave you alone!”

Jean-Luc tapped his combadge again. “Picard to Data. Belay that order, Mr. Data.”

Vash addressed them both and shook her head angrily. “You two are lower than pond scum!” She turned her back to them and took out a miniature communication device. “Vash to Eddington. I’m done here. Have the ship pick me up outside of Shuttlebay Three.”

Jean-Luc was still laughing when he tapped his combadge and gave his own order. “Mr. Worf, please escort our guest to the nearest airlock. Excuse me, I mean shuttlebay.” He laughed even harder.

Vash turned to face him. “I must say, Jean-Luc, I’m really disappointed in you!”

Jean-Luc’s door chime sounded. “Come,” said the captain.

The doors opened and Worf entered the Ready Room. Jean-Luc faced Vash and looked at her sadly, all trace of humor gone. “I’m sorry to say that the feeling is mutual, Vash.”

Q couldn’t resist the temptation to put in his own parting words. “Happy landings, Vash. Oh, by the way, don’t forget to exercise those long legs of yours. I mean, with those acrobatics that you like to do and all…”

She gave Q a cold and angry stare, then walked out of the room with Worf. She held his arm as she cooed up at him, “My, my, Mr. Worf, a powerful man like you, with such a muscular body, could really go places.” He growled at her in response as the doors closed behind them.

Jean-Luc and Q were now alone. Jean-Luc was the first to speak. “Thank you, Q, for getting me out of that mess. Tell me something; was what she was saying about Spock at all accurate? Did he really steal a shuttle and travel back in time?”

“Spock did travel back in time, but he did not steal a shuttle to do it. Nor did he use a mechanical time travel device to do so. You see, a certain friendly omnipotent entity scrambled their data to throw them off track. Those idiots will be going around in circles for the next half a century before they find out the real truth.”

“So, what is the real truth, Q?”

“Be careful what you wish for, Jean-Luc. A certain historically significant governor asked the same question of someone whom he regarded as little more than a harmless political prisoner. Do you know who I’m referring to?”

“Yes, Q, I am familiar with the history of Christianity. Are you saying, in effect, that I am not ready to handle the truth?”

“Right now, you are not ready, but in time you will be. I cannot prepare you for what you are about to encounter. Only experience can be your teacher.” With that, Q snapped his fingers and disappeared.

Jean-Luc did not have time to make any sense out of this confusing encounter. His combadge chirped. “Data to Picard,” came the android officer’s voice.

“Picard here. Go ahead, Mr. Data.”

“Sir, we are being hailed by a ship from the Department of Temporal Investigations. There are two agents aboard with a prisoner in custody. They wish to speak with you.”

“Did you check out their ID numbers, Mr. Data?”

“Yes, sir. I did a thorough background investigation and everything does check out. They do indeed represent the Department of Temporal Investigations.”

“Very well, Mr. Data. Have them beam aboard and I will meet them in Transporter Room One.”

Jean-Luc took his time walking to the transporter room. What could it be that was at the core of this mystery? Q’s words of warning echoed through his mind. He was actually afraid of what he was about to encounter. He put on a brave face as he entered Transporter Room One. Worf had gotten there ahead of him and stood by the door with his muscular arms folded over his massive chest. He braced himself as the three figures materialized on the transporter platform. But nothing could prepare him for what he saw. After the two agents materialized, the prisoner’s form took its full shape. The man that was in custody was Captain Montgomery Scott!

Part 3

Jean-Luc could hardly believe his eyes. Standing in front of him was Captain Montgomery Scott, escorted by two Temporal Investigation agents. Scott was still wearing the same old Starfleet uniform from a century past that he was wearing when the ENTERPRISE crew first encountered him two years ago. The difference was the fact that now his clothes were wrinkled, his gray hair was messed up, and he had an expression on his lined face that betrayed fear and anxiety. His two escorts, on the other hand, were dressed quite neatly in black suits with high-collared black shirts, and tight, white pinstriped black vests worn crisscrossed over their chests, the 24th Century equivalent of men’s office wear. The older of the two was a dark-haired, Caucasian male in his fifties. His partner was a young man of African descent, approximately twenty years younger. They were both wearing dark sunglasses. The younger man spoke first.

“I’m Agent J and this is my partner Agent K. We’re here on matters of official business. A few hours ago, Captain Scott here aided and abetted Ambassador Spock in an effort to use the Guardian of Forever for the purpose of performing an act of unauthorized time travel. We were not able to catch Ambassador Spock. He disappeared into the Guardian’s time vortex before we were able to stop him.”

Agent K continued. “We were able to detain Captain Scott, but he refuses to answer any questions. He insisted on being brought here and he wants you to defend him, Captain Picard. In addition, we will need statements from your crew as to what they know about Captain Scott’s return from the JENOLEN’s transporter system two years ago. We will also need a statement from you as to why you entrusted him with the care of one of Starfleet’s best shuttlecraft.”

Jean-Luc held his hands up to request a moment of silence. “Wait a minute, please! Captain Scott, is everything that they are saying about you true? Did you really do the things that you are being accused of doing?”

“Aye, Captain Picard. ‘Tis true. But ye don’t understand--”

“Yes, I’m sure there’s more to this than what I’m aware of. Agents J and K, you mentioned that you wanted to speak to my senior staff in regard to Captain Scott’s behavior two years ago, when he first returned to us. I’ll have them ready to be interviewed by you within the next half hour. In the meantime, please be our guests in the Ten-Forward Lounge. Guinan will see to your needs until the crew is ready to be questioned. Now, if you don’t mind, I need some time to speak to Mr. Scott personally, so that I can ascertain what’s going on here. I will speak with you gentlemen soon after. Mr. Worf, please escort our guests to Ten-Forward and arrange a briefing session with the senior staff.”

“Aye, sir.” Worf and the two agents left Jean-Luc and Scotty alone. Jean-Luc promptly escorted his fellow captain to the Ready Room. When they got there, he did not even have to ask if Scotty wanted a drink. He poured him a glass of straight scotch from his private stock, which Scotty downed in one gulp.

“Thank ye, Captain. That really hit the spot.”

“I would thank you, Captain Scott, if you told me the truth about this whole twisted mess concerning you and Spock.”

“Aye. I came here because I knew you would understand. You knew them both, better than anyone else of your time, most likely. ‘Twas the most logical thing to do to come to you first.”

“Both of them? Who else are we talking about here?”

“Why, Jim Kirk, of course! After all, you were with him when he died. You were the last person to have any contact with him. And ye were close friends with Spock as well. I take it that ye knew …how can I say this…the…er, nature of their relationship?”

“Yes, Captain Scott, I knew that they were bondmates.”

“So, anyway, when poor old Spock found out that Jim was really alive for those 78 years that he was lost in the Nexus, there was no stopping him. He was determined to do what he could to get Jim back.”

“You mean that he attempted to go back in time to stop Jim from going into the Nexus?”

“Aye, he told me about his plan to use the Guardian of Forever. I repeatedly told him that it was foolishness, but the lad wouldn’t listen. Finally, I realized that he was going to try to do this with or without me, so I figured that I’d give him a hand for old times’ sake. It was the only way he would have stood half a chance!”

Jean-Luc sighed. “Your actions were quite noble, Captain Scott, but I am not yet convinced that they were justified. You see, as you well know, everything in the universe affects everything else and--”

“I don’t need to hear any bloody lectures, Picard! I was studying engineering while yer grandparents were in their wee diapers! Nobody knows the laws of physics and cause and effect better than me. But try to understand, this is Jim and Spock that we’re talking about here. They were meant to be together. There is just no other bloody way. Will ye consider helping me, Picard?”

Jean-Luc paused for a long moment before speaking. “All right, I will help you, but we need to figure out some way to stall for time. I’ll do the best that I can. I can make no promises beyond that.”

“Thank ye, Captain. I knew that I did the right thing in coming to you.”

Jean-Luc sighed as he tapped his combadge. “Picard to Worf.”

“Worf here, sir.”

“Send in agents J and K. I am ready to speak with them.”

A few minutes later, the two agents arrived, escorted by Worf. Jean-Luc indicated two chairs next to his desk, on the opposite side of where Scotty sat.

“Please have a seat, gentlemen.” They sat down next to each other. It was then that Jean-Luc noticed something about them. Their hands brushed together as they sat down. They maintained physical contact for a fraction of a second too long. The way that they looked at each other and smiled briefly, before resuming their serious expressions--he and Lynd used to look at each other in the same way, so many years ago. It all came together at that moment. The relationship between agents J and K went much further than just being good friends and co-workers. There was an intensely strong bond between them. Jean-Luc took note of these facts as he started to speak.

“Gentlemen, I have decided to act as Mr. Scott’s legal counsel. I will be representing him. However, I will need some time to gather evidence, and you will therefore place him in my custody until his trial.”

J was the first to protest. “Hey, wait a moment! According to our rules, we’re not allowed to release custody of a prisoner to anyone, even on a temporary basis, until the case is brought to trial.”

K put his arm around his young partner. “Lighten up, Slick. We should give the old man some breathing space here.” He regarded the imposing figure of the Klingon Chief of Security as he stood scowling down at Scotty. “I mean, it’s not like he’s going anywhere or anything like that…”

“But K, what about the report that we have to file with Z down at headquarters?”
Jean-Luc intervened. “When do you have to file your report?”

“The beginning of next week,” K answered.

“Well, you know how slow sub-space transmissions can be. Even if you filed the report now, there’s no guarantee that it wouldn’t get there late. As soon as I affix my name and official date stamp to the document, I will have assumed responsibility from that time forward. What’s the most time that you can give me to put my defense together?”

The two agents conferred in whispers for a few minutes before J asked, “May we use your video communicator, Captain? We need to talk to our boss.”

“Yes, there’s a video comm monitor right here.” Jean-Luc pointed to the computer on his desk. “Take all the time you need.”

Jean-Luc rolled his chair out of the way, closer to Scotty’s, as the agents walked toward the monitor. Their hands touched ever so briefly as they stood in front of it. Jean-Luc noticed this and it brought a tear to his eye. He saw an image appear on the screen of an angry-looking man in his mid-forties with long, black hair and a beard. He didn’t listen to the words exchanged, but there was a lot of yelling.

In the meantime, Jean-Luc noticed that Scotty was still shaking. He put his arm around him to comfort the old man. The scotch must have been getting to him, since he soon fell asleep with his head on Jean-Luc’s shoulder--probably the first sleep he had gotten in days.

Ten minutes later, the agents ended their transmission and turned to Jean-Luc and Scotty. K was the first to speak. “It was difficult, but we were able to secure another two days. However, if anything happens to the prisoner during this time, all three of us are going down. J and I are willing to accept that burden. We trust you will as well, Captain Picard.”

“Thank you,” Jean-Luc said solemnly. “I promise I will not let you down.”

J spoke up. “Well, that certainly ruins our shore leave. We were planning on going to the Orion sector. But I suppose that will have to wait. Damn, sometimes I hate this job.”

The captain gently removed Scotty’s head from his shoulder, leaving him slumped in his seat, snoring, as he stood up. “There is a planet within 30 parsecs of this area that is similar to the one that you are referring to,” he told the younger man. “I’ll have Mr. Barclay generate the coordinates for the fastest way of reaching that destination. I also have some credits for food and lodging on that world that I never quite found the time to use. You’re certainly welcome to use them.” He took a credit chip out of his desk’s top drawer and offered it to Agent J. “In the meantime, you have my word that this ship will not leave orbit until your return, two days from now.”

The young black man stared at him incredulously through his dark glasses. “Captain Picard, are you offering us a bribe? Frankly, sir, I’m shocked, shocked that a distinguished Starfleet officer like yourself would stoop so low!”

K put his arm around him again and whispered in his ear. “Relax, Kid, we’ve been off-duty since we finished our call to Z. In the meantime, what he doesn’t know won’t hurt him.”

“Oh, really? Well, in that case--“ J practically snatched the credit chip from Jean-Luc‘s hand. “Thank you, Captain,” he said, his eagerness to be alone with his partner apparently overriding his sense of duty.

K obviously felt the same way; he shook hands with Jean-Luc, saying, “You are a man of honor and compassion, Captain. We will see you in two days.”

Jean-Luc nodded respectfully towards them as Worf escorted them to the transporter room. As soon as he was alone with Scotty, he tapped his combadge. “Picard to senior staff. Please join me in my Ready Room as soon as possible.”

Minutes later, Jean-Luc was joined by Riker, La Forge, Data, Troi and Crusher. Worf was the last to arrive.

Jean-Luc began. “First of all, I’m sure that our Temporal Investigation agents informed you of the situation with Captain Scott. Speaking of which, Mr. Worf, would you escort our guest to the luxury suite on Deck 8?”

“With all due respect, sir,” the Klingon rumbled, “shouldn’t the prisoner be taken to the brig?”

“I appreciate your attention to protocol, Mr. Worf, but this situation is far from ordinary. Please trust my judgment.”

“Aye, sir.”

Jean-Luc gently shook the old man awake. He woke up as Jean-Luc whispered some reassuring words to him. With a measure of reluctance, Scotty allowed himself to be escorted to his quarters by the Klingon.

Riker was the first to speak. “So, where do we go from here, Captain?”

“I wish I knew, Number One,” Jean-Luc sighed. “I wish I knew.”

Data spoke up. “The chances of finding Spock are 1 in 500,000, unless we ourselves choose to use the Guardian of Forever.”

La Forge chimed in. “Under these circumstances, it would be difficult to get clearance.”

There was a short pause before Jean-Luc spoke up. “I was thinking in terms of providing a sound defense for Mr. Scott. As far as Spock is concerned, let him be. After all the man has done for Starfleet, he does deserve a little happiness.”

A flash of light entered the room. In another moment, Q was among them. He wasn’t wearing his usual Starfleet uniform. He was dressed in black from head to toe.

“You can’t do that, Jean-Luc…”

Part 4

Riker stared at the ceiling in exasperation. “Q, we have no time for your games now!”

Q did not answer Riker directly, but addressed Counselor Troi instead.

“Counselor, would you please tell Willy boy to keep his pants on?”

Her face turned red. “Q!!”

La Forge and Data knew better than to even try to say a word.

Worf, who had just walked in at that moment, growled at the sight of the entity. Beverly shook her head at him as if in warning, silently telling him that it was not wise to mess with an omnipotent being. However, Worf couldn’t resist expressing himself.

“Captain, I know that we learned tolerance of other species, but this creature here is worse than a tribble! You just can’t get rid of him.”

“And a pleasure to see you too, Mr. Worf. Now that you’re promoted, maybe we could teach you to respect those of us who are of a superior nature, hmmm?”

“Enough! Jean-Luc yelled. “This bickering is getting us nowhere!! Q, is there something that you would like to share with us?”

Q paused and then sighed. “Jean-Luc, forgive me, this situation is far more complex than I anticipated. When I last spoke with you, I myself did not realize how serious this thing could get. If there was a way that this thing with Spock traveling back in time could have one of those touchy-feely, happily ever after endings, I would be all for it. But…but….”

“Get to the point, Q!” Riker yelled.

“Let’s all try to keep a cool head here!” Jean-Luc ordered and nodded towards Q.

“Thank you Jean-Luc. Now as I was saying, I did some research on what would happen at the point when Kirk and Spock would meet when Spock emerges from the Guardian.” He took out a diskette from his jacket pocket. “It’s all here.” He handed the diskette to Jean-Luc. “According to temporal calculations, Spock will reach the former Enterprise-B in 36 hours from now. This diskette records events from that time forward. If you doubt its’ authenticity, have Mr. Tin Man here check it out for any inconsistencies.”

Jean-Luc handed the diskette to Data and nodded at him. He ran it through a thorough computer check, as his hands and eyes worked in perfect coordination.

“Oh, my,” Data said, as a small tear came to the android’s eye, leaving no doubt that his emotion chip was in fine working order.

“Is everything, OK, Data?”

“I…I…spoke to him…myself…not too long ago. I…I will truly miss him.”

Riker, ignoring Data’s display of emotion asked, “Data, was this disc an authentic presentation of a future event?”

Data looked at him solemnly and replied: “Such perfection and attention to detail is impossible to be duplicated, sir. This is indeed a real portrayal of future events.”

“Thank you, Mr. Data.” Jean-Luc said as he inserted the chip into the computer’s video base.

“I must warn you,” Q said. “What you are about to see, you may find to be quite shocking. Be prepared.”

“Thank you. Your concern is noted. Please dim the lights and let’s watch this video.”

The lights grew dimmer and the video monitor hummed. A moment later, there was the image of the ENTERPRISE B as it was flying out of space dock on its’ maiden voyage. Fragments of a bottle of champagne, vintage year 2265, floated by, crashed against the hull moments earlier to commence a smooth launching. Captain Harriman, a well-known and reputable commanding officer, was not the center of attention, however. All of the attention was focused on a middle-aged, graying hero from the past named James T. Kirk. On either side of Kirk were officers Pavel Chekov and Montgomery Scott. In the lower decks were some rescued passengers. Among them were a young woman named Guinan and a scientist named Tolian Soran. They were rescued from some kind of time distortion that nobody was able to classify in the past data banks records.

All of a sudden, the ship was hit by an energy wave that cut into the base of the ship’s hull. Someone had to go down there to repair the damage. Jim Kirk volunteered. In the next scene, Jim was down at the base of the hull. He quickly assessed the damage and sealed up the life support functions and the main engineering templates. At least now, the ship would be safe until they reached the nearest docking port. All of a sudden, the Nexus Wave hit the hull. Jim backed away a moment too late and he was drawn into the energy wave. Another moment longer and he would disappear. Just before that happened, Jim saw a blurry matter depiction that materialized quickly. Spock jumped out of it.
“Spock?”

“T’hy’la, take my hand.”

“But Spock, I…feel so…strange.”

“Jim, listen to me, take my hand! It is the only way that we can be together!”

Jim grabbed Spock’s hand at that moment, but a sharp wave of electric current generated through Spock’s body. His flesh was burning up. Spock screamed. Jim let go and the Nexus Wave overtook him. “SPOCK!!!“ he cried. That was his last word before Jim disappeared.

A moment later, a concerned Scott and Chekov arrived, accompanied by two security guards. They looked on anxiously as the guards tried to revive Spock, wondering aloud how he had gotten here. The first man turned away from the Vulcan’s burnt body to fight back tears. The second, who was more composed, said to them, “I’m sorry, sirs, he is dead.”

The disc ended and the lights went on. There was a long period of silence in the Ready Room.

Q was the first to speak. “You may be wondering why Spock died. Well, it turned out that the nanites in his body that were absorbed from his Genesis Revival were still present when the wave hit him. Mr. La Forge could tell you what a bad reaction would occur if nanite particles were hit by high voltage radiation. Spock‘s body was burned to a crisp. He never had a chance. . Had he not been so impulsive, he could have figured this out for himself. I know what you’re thinking, Mr. Riker. You’re wondering if Spock’s actions caused any damage to the time-line. You can just see for yourselves. Programmed in the disc is a ten-minute window to see into this future’s timeline. So by logging in right now, you’ll have a bird’s eye view of what will happen with the Klingons, Romulans and all your other good friends from that point forward to ten years in the future. Mr. Tin Man, if you please.“

Data gave Jean-Luc a questioning look. Jean-Luc, still not quite recovered from viewing the videodisc, nodded to Data.

Data did his usual eye-hand calculations and information processing quickly, efficiently and gracefully. Everybody waited in expectation of the results.

“Oh, dear,“ Data said. Everyone looked at the android with expectation. “It turns out that Spock’s trip to the past had a great influence on present history. The Romulans entered a state of civil war. There are two factions that are at contention with each other. Some believe that Romulans should unite with Vulcan. Others want them to remain isolated. This division made them ripe for takeover. The Klingons took advantage of the fact and broke their treaty with the Federation. They invaded Romulus and overthrew their unstable government. This action prompted a war with the Federation, where thousands of people died. Need I go on, Sir?”

“No, Data, I get the point. Thank you. “ Jean-Luc paused. For a moment, he didn’t know what to say.

Riker was the first to speak. “As much damage as was done, we can’t go gallivanting around the universe trying to stop every bad thing that may or may not happen.”

Q continued where Riker left off: “So, using your reasoning, Commander Riker, why should anybody care about what happens to anybody else anyway? I mean, we’re all going to die someday and we must protect our precious timeline. That same heartless directive which you humans are sworn to live and die by will some day destroy all of us; even my species in due time. What exactly are we protecting ourselves from? . What do you think, Jean-Luc?”

All eyes were on the captain, but he was silent. His only noticeable gesture was a single tear that fell from his left eye.

Chapter 5

“ I…I need some time to sort this whole thing out. When I reach a decision, I will inform you. Please return to your duties. Number One, you have the bridge.” The senior staff left in silence, but Q remained. When the captain returned to his seat, he noticed a big pot of Earl Grey tea and two cups in front of him. Q filled Jean-Luc’s cup.

“Thank you.” They sat in silence for a while, as they both sipped their tea.

Jean-Luc was the first to speak. “Something must be done to stop Spock from going back in time. The future of Romulus, Qo’nos and the entire Federation hangs in the balance.”

Q shook his head from side to side. “Jean-Luc, that excuse may work with your crew and your Federation temporal muckity-mucks, but it holds no water with me. I know you better than anyone else. There is another reason. I saw that look in your eyes when you viewed that point in the video that showed how Spock died. Your reasons are personal.”

Jean-Luc nodded. “I could have prevented this from happening. If I would have shared with Spock what Jim told me on that last day when we were together, then Spock would not have attempted this trip in the first place.”

“Jean-Luc, you were in no condition to address the issue when you returned from Veridian III. Do you remember the state of mind that you were in, how upset you were? Doctor Crusher put you into psychological seclusion for a month afterwards, so that you would have time to recover. You needed that time. You needed time to heal and to mourn for all that you had lost--your ship, your estate, your brother and …your nephew. He meant a lot to you, didn‘t he, Jean-Luc?”

A tear came to Jean-Luc’s eye. “Yes. Not a day goes by where I don’t think of him, Q. I needed a chance to say good-bye.”

“Jean-Luc, I need to prove to you that there was nothing that you could have done for Spock when he visited you at the seclusion facility. Would you mind very much if we view the events of that day?”

‘ “Q, is that really necessary?

”Trust me, Jean-Luc. It may be painful, but you need to face the truth about what happened on that day.” Q snapped his fingers.



************

The video monitor lit up. Jean-Luc immediately recognized the location. It was a holographic version of the Picard estate. The holodeck was located on the 2nd Floor of the Federation Psychiatric Facility.

It was snowing outside. There was a Christmas wreath on the door. Jean-Luc sat in his favorite rocking chair by the French windows, wearing his favorite blue cardigan sweater. Rene was sitting beside him in an easy chair. Jean-Luc had a storybook in his hand and was reading to the boy.

“So, what happens after Marley’s ghost visits Scrooge, Uncle Jean?”

“Well, Rene, let’s go back to Chapter 3 to find out.”

Jean-Luc was so occupied thumbing through the pages of the book that he didn’t notice the figure clothed in black that was approaching him, walking through the snow outside the French windows. He looked up for a minute and then turned a shade of pale white, as he noticed the sullen figure of Spock standing outside.

“Spock?”

“Indeed. You appear surprised to see me.”

Jean-Luc gestured to Rene. “Rene, go to the dining room and tell your mother to set another place for dinner.” The boy bowed courteously to the Vulcan and then left.

“It is of no matter,” Spock replied. “I will not be staying long.”

“Please come inside, out of the snow.”

Jean-Luc opened the French windows and let Spock come in. They were standing in a comfortable living room, which contained beautiful furniture and a warm fireplace. Jean-Luc motioned for him to sit down.

Spock was the first to speak. “I find it odd that a man who could stand up to the Klingons, the Cardassians and the Romulans, without showing a trace of fear, now lives in a world of shadows and fantasies.”

Jean-Luc straightened his sweater. “I believe that you have heard about my condition, which necessitates my being here.”

Spock seemed unmoved. He looked at him accusingly and said, “You knew what happened. You were there with him, yet you never told me. I had to find out through Federation Channels. You knew how much he meant to me.”

“Spock, I was going to tell you. I just needed some time. In my condition, talking about it now would not do justice to what I experienced when I was there. Please give me some time. When I am well enough to return to duty, we could talk about this. Now is not a good time. Please understand.”

Spock got up and walked toward the door. “Sorry, Jean-Luc. The time for action is now. I know what must be done. Good day, Captain.”

“Spock, wait!” The door slammed behind him as he left.

****************

Jean-Luc and Q sat in silence for a moment. Q was the first to speak.

“I think that you agree with me that you were in no condition to discuss the events of Veridian III with Spock when he visited you at the facility.”

“Yes, You’re right, Q. But I still feel responsible. I should have anticipated that he’d try something like this. If only I was able to tell him what Jim told me on that last day before he died…”

“You might still have a chance, Jean-Luc.”

“How? It’s too late. The damage has already been done.”

“There may a way of undoing it. But you must promise me that you will keep in utmost secrecy what I am about to tell you.”

“Agreed.”

“Very well. Have you ever heard of Doctor Samuel Beckett and the experiment that made him famous, the Quantum Leap Accelerator?”


Chapter 6

Jean-Luc scratched his head as he paced back and forth. “Sam Beckett…Doctor Samuel Beckett…Yes, I remember now. He was the pioneer of time travel. Some type of experiment in 1999, where it was possible for a time traveler to take the identity of someone else for a limited amount of time “

“Yes, the ideas were sound, but he was too ahead of his time for his own good. The technology wasn’t up to the standards of his highly advanced theories. As a result, he got lost in his own experiment and was condemned to wander through time for the rest of his life.”

“How sad.”

“Yes, what’s even sadder is that in one time leap, he was actually able to return home. However, he found out that his friend Al was in trouble and he had to leap back in time to save him. Sam has been lost ever since. Anyway, during his short time home, he fathered a son. One of the 4th generation descendants of this boy is taking up where his ancestor left off. He built his own Quantum Leap Accelerator, which is generations ahead of the original model. The retrieval program was perfected and is fully operational now.”

“How does this relate to the problem at hand?”

“As we both know, the best chance of trying to convince Spock of anything is through the persuasion of Jim Kirk. If you could theoretically leap into the presence of James T. Kirk at a time in history before he disappeared into the Nexus, you could repeat to Spock the same words that Jim told you regarding his beliefs about death.”

“I don’t know, Q, I will need more information before I could consider such a procedure as an option.”‘

“Likewise, Sam would need to speak to you first to consider whether he could accept you as a candidate for this experiment.”

“You seem to know a lot about Doctor Beckett. Is he a personal friend of yours?”

“Yes, aside from you, he’s one of the few humans that I really like. He has experienced some hard times, which I have tried to help him through. Likewise, his companionship was pleasurable to me as well. Anyway, if I could set up a meeting between you and Sam, would you be willing to speak to him?”

“Fair enough. I can’t make any promises at this point, but we must consider all options.”

“Very good. I’ll speak to Sam and I’ll see you in the morning. Try to get some sleep, Jean-Luc.” Q snapped his fingers and disappeared.

That night, Jean-Luc twisted and turned in bed. He couldn’t sleep. Images of the past rushed into his subconscious at a rapid pace: Spock‘s sorrowful brown eyes, full of anger and hurt on the last day that he saw him…the image of Kirk as he lay dying in the wreckage of the fallen bridge...Q in his judge‘s robe the first time he met him, putting humanity on trial… Rene sitting beside him in his parents‘ sitting room, listening eagerly to every word his uncle said as he talked about his adventures in space…Captain Scott with that awestruck look on his face as he materialized out of the JENOLEN’s transporter two years ago…J and K secretly holding hands beneath a table, so in love, but so afraid of being discovered…Lynd, lying in a pool of blood…the crowing rooster…. Wait a minute!! What was a rooster doing in the Captain’s quarters?! Jean-Luc, now wide-awake, chased the bird all around the room. It ran under the captain’s desk and Jean-Luc bumped his head trying to reach it.

“Q! Get your arse over here, now!!!

A flash of light appeared and the omnipotent being appeared in a jogging suit, with a cup of coffee in his hand.

“Q, why can’t you wake me up in a normal way?”

“But normal is so-o-o boring.”

“Q!!!!”

“Oh, very well.” He put the coffee cup down, snapped his fingers and the rooster disappeared. He picked the cup up again and offered it to Jean-Luc.

“Here, taste this. It will wake you up.”

Jean-Luc took a sip and then spit out the distasteful brew. “Q, this stuff is terrible! What is it?”

“It is the finest black coffee, and I strongly suggest that you learn to like it because it is the favorite beverage of Captain James T. Kirk.”

Jean-Luc’s hazel eyes widened. “Have you spoken to Doctor Beckett?”

“Yes. He will see you, but there are some conditions. You see, there are bad people out there who are looking to destroy his experiment, so he needs to work in secret. His laboratory is located in a faraway undisclosed planet--its’ exact location, a secret which I cannot tell anyone. You need to pass a testing and interview process before you are accepted as a candidate for this experiment.”

“Understood.”

“Also, if you are chosen as a candidate to participate, there may be a small possibility of a risk factor involved. Doctor Beckett recommends that you prepare your crew for this possibility.”

“Understood.” Jean-Luc tapped his com badge. “Picard to senior staff. Meet me in the Captain’s briefing room at 0800 hours.”

**********

One hour later, Riker, Worf, Data, La Forge, Crusher and Troi were assembled in the large room, each wondering as to why they were summoned so early in the morning. Jean-Luc and Q entered a few moments later. Jean-Luc was wearing his dress uniform.

“Good morning, everyone. Thank you for coming. The reason why I called you over was to inform you of my decision to travel back in time and try to prevent Captain Spock’s death. I am using a method which is somewhat unconventional, the specifics of which I am not at liberty to elaborate.” Jean-Luc took out a data disk from his pocket and handed it to Riker.

“Mr. Riker, on this disk is an explanation to Starfleet about my actions. Justifiable reasons would include the continuity of the timeline and the lack of time involved in getting this approved through proper channels. It was made clear that I take full responsibility for what I’ve chosen to do and that all of you were acting under my orders. “

There was a pause of silence as Riker accepted the disk. “Take care of my ship, Number One, you’re in charge until I get back. Should I not return within the next two days, forward this disk to Starfleet Operations. I have no doubt that in the event of my demise, you will be the next captain of this ship. Watch over her, Will. Take care of her.” Riker nodded, too choked up to speak.

Jean-Luc turned to Data and the rest of the crew. ”Mr. Data, your fine judgment and attention to detail have made you a fine Starfleet officer. Keep up the good work.”

“Thank you, sir,” Data said calmly, having switched off his emotion chip so he wouldn’t disrupt the proceedings with an unseemly demonstration of emotion.

“Mr. Worf, you have a lot to be proud of. You have served our ship with the highest standard of honor. I have faith in you, Mr. Worf, to continue to protect this ship and her crew.” The proud Klingon warrior stood at attention, his eyes shining with gratitude at his captain’s words.

“Deanna, your good advice has been helpful to me, both as a counselor and as a friend.” The pretty counselor nodded, her soulful brown eyes filled with tears.

“Beverly, …” He gently stroked her cheek. ”I wish that things could have been different. You and Wesley only deserve the very best. Jack would have been so proud of you both if he were here now.” The red-haired doctor smiled at him as a tear escaped from the corner of her right eye, running slowly down her cheek.

. “Mr. La Forge, your engineering skills have taken our ship to new heights of exploration. You will be fondly remembered among the best and brightest engineers in Starfleet history. In addition, I have a special favor to ask of you. Since you and Captain Scott are such good friends, I’m appointing you as the defensive counsel for Captain Scott, should I not return in the next two days. If you need any assistance with legal protocol, please feel free to access “Cogley’s Guide to Law and Order” on the ship’s library database. The late Samuel Cogley was one of the most competent lawyers of his time. I‘m sure that Mr. Scott’s defense will be in good hands.“

“Not as good as yours, sir,” La Forge responded.

He turned to view the entire crew. “I have never been prouder of any crew that I have served with. I have faith in all of you, carry on with grace and honor, my friends…” A tear came to Jean-Luc’s eye. Q gently comforted him.

“We really should be going now, Jean-Luc.”

Q snapped his fingers. A doorway with a big black door materialized from out of nowhere. Jean-Luc gave one final nod to his crew and then walked through the door. Q followed and then the doorway disappeared.

Chapter 7

Jean-Luc found himself in the middle of a huge maze-like set of walls, indicating separate pathways with each twist and turn. Q directed him, telling his friend which turn to take and which direction to travel next. They seemed to be walking for a long time. At last, they approached the back of a huge door, which resembled the first door that they walked through. Q turned to face his friend.

“Well, Jean-Luc, here’s where we part company, at least for now anyway.”

“I don’t quite understand…”

“Sam was very much insistent that you be alone when you come to speak to him. Just go through that door and what you need to do will be explained in due time.”

“Q…what’s going to happen next?”

“That depends on you, Jean-Luc. Don’t be afraid. I will be watching over you.” He gave his friend a hug. Jean-Luc gave Q a nod and then walked through the door. The doorway disappeared behind him as soon as Jean-Luc walked through.

He found himself in the midst of some type of temporal re-creation of 1920’s Chicago. It slightly resembled the Iotian home world that Kirk’s ENTERPRISE had visited a hundred years ago. Jean-Luc looked at his reflection in an old store mirror. His clothes had changed. He was now wearing the same hat and trench coat that he wore in his Dixon Hill holodeck simulations. The next question was where to go from here. An overweight woman bumped into him and nearly knocked him down.

“Watch where you’re going!!” she said in a rough tone of voice. Jean-Luc recovered his balance, but then noticed that the woman had dropped a matchbook on the ground. He bent over to pick it up. The inscription on the cover read: “The Blue Goose, 30 Hester Street”. Jean-Luc looked around him and noticed a street sign above him that read “Hester Street.” He walked down the street and watched for the numbers. Several impressive-looking office buildings were on this block. Buildings 28 and 32 were made of the finest architecture, with finely rounded stairs. But where was 30? He soon got his answer, as a smoke-filled door opened and a drunken man and woman emerged from the tavern. Sure enough, the sign on the door read “The Blue Goose.” Jean-Luc held his breath as he entered. The door closed behind him and he found himself in a room that was completely filled with cigarette and cigar smoke. The unpleasant aromas made his sinuses ache. He collapsed into a chair at the bar.

“What’ll it be?” The roly-poly, mustached bartender asked.

“I’m looking for a Doctor Samuel Beckett. My name is Jean-Luc Picard. I’m a friend of Q.”

“A friend of Q, eh? Very well, speak to Mr. Jimmy, over there.” He knows everyone in town. The bartender nodded to a man who was sitting in the back of the bar. Jean-Luc thanked the bartender and then made his way through the crowd. He passed several scantily clad taxi dance girls, who asked him if he wanted a dance, which he politely refused. Then he had to walk through a group of smelly, drunken, unshaven men who shouted vulgar obscenities at him as he passed by. At last, he reached the back of the room where the man who the bartender indicated to be Mr. Jimmy was sitting.

Jean-Luc became nauseated when he beheld the horrible sight. The man was about thirty years old, about six feet tall, and very muscular. He had long, black hair, which reached well below his shoulders. He was wearing a torn undershirt, dirty blue jeans and one boot, which was stained with mud from top to bottom. There was a patch on his left eye. His right leg was missing and was replaced by a wooden peg. He drank his whiskey straight from the bottle and worst of all, he smelled like he hadn’t taken a bath in at least a year.
Jean-Luc held his breath as he approached this wild man. “Excuse me sir, are you Mr. Jimmy?”

“Yeah, what’s it to you?”

“I was told that you would be able to help me find Doctor Samuel Beckett. You see I’m a friend of Q’s?”

“A friend of Q’s, .eh? All right, what will you have to drink?“

“Oh, nothing for me, thank you.”

Mr. Jimmy got up on his crutch, leaned over the table and breathed whiskey-stink into Jean-Luc’s face.

“I said, what will you have to drink, little man?”

Jean-Luc moved away from the stinking man and said, “Very well, may I have a cup of Earl Grey tea, please?”

Mr. Jimmy broke into a bellyful of laughter. “Earl Grey Tea!!! Earl Grey TEA!!! You wouldn’t be some kind of girly-man, would you now?”

“Please…leave me alone…”

“You didn’t answer my question, boy!!!!”

“Who or what I am is of no consequence. I’m here to find Doctor Samuel Beckett.”

“The pansy man is talking back to me!!!” He shouted to the other men in the bar. “Hey fellows, we have a Tinkerbell here! He wants a cup of Earl Grey Tea!” The whole bar broke out in laughter. “This is your last chance, boy, do you care to change your order?”

Jean-Luc stood up to the bully, although he was shaking; he looked him straight in the eye and said to him, ”No, I do not.”

Mr. Jimmy addressed all the other lowlifes in the bar who were now descending on Jean-Luc like a pack of wild dogs. “Hey everyone! Let’s show Tinkerbell here how we feel about his type coming into our bar!”

The gang drew nearer to him, but he got away from them quickly. He jumped over the table and disappeared into the crowd. The angry men chased after him. Jean-Luc approached a door at the end of the hall. He opened it quickly and locked it after he entered. The room was completely dark and quiet. Jean-Luc thought it odd that the men stopped chasing him when he entered this room. What could be in this room that was so terrible and scary that it could turn back an angry mob? Jean-Luc found out the answer all too soon. He heard giggling in the darkness. It wasn’t male giggling, though. It sounded like a group of women. All of a sudden the lights went on and Jean-Luc found himself surrounded by a group of tall, muscular, scantily clad women, a blonde, a brunette, and a redhead. The tallest of them, a buxom blonde, approached him and slapped him in the face. The force of the blow knocked him down. The heel tip of her high black boot held Jean-Luc to the ground.

“So--here we are.” She spoke to him in a French accent, but not the high-class dialect that his mother used to speak. It was the lower-class accent of a woman who made a living on the streets. Jean-Luc struggled to get up but she only applied more pressure from her boot tip to keep him down. The girls drew closer to him. “You know what we do to girly-men here, now, do you sir?”

One of the other girls took off her bra and exposed a pair of huge breasts, which she shoved into Jean-Luc’s face. Jean-Luc moved his head aside in disgust and screamed: “Stop it! Don’t do that! Get off of me!!!

Another one of the girls reached for his zipper. She forcefully pulled it down and tore off his pants. “Stop it!! Please…Stop!!”

The third girl forcefully pulled down his underwear and started to aggressively stroke his manhood. “Please…enough!!! Stop!!!! I can’t take it!!! You’re violating me!!! Please….STOP!!!! Jean-Luc was in tears now. He was beside himself with pain, fear and terror. He was so absorbed in these feelings that he didn’t see that everything around him was slowly starting to disappear. It took him awhile to notice how quiet it was in the room. For a moment, he thought that he was alone. He quickly pulled up his underwear and his pants and wrapped his trench coat around him. He was now shivering. Gradually, he noticed the sound of footsteps limping towards him. He was too weak to resist anymore. He just sat in the corner shivering. In another moment, he was face to face with Mr. Jimmy.

Terror filled Jean-Luc’s heart as Mr. Jimmy reached into his jacket. Jean-Luc was prepared for the worst. He was sure that his enemy was about to pull out a switchblade to finish him off. He closed his eyes, but instead of feeling the cold steel of a knife, he felt the warmth of a teacup in his hand.

“Your order is ready, sir. “ Mr. Jimmy said. But his voice sounded different. It was more refined and smooth. Jean-Luc sipped the tea carefully as he regarded the strange man in front of him. Mr. Jimmy took off his hat and his eye patch. He removed a thick black wig from on top of his head and revealed a head of short, well cut and styled sandy brown hair. He removed his peg leg and revealed that such was unnecessary. His real leg was hidden behind the false appendage. He took out a set of false teeth from his mouth, revealing a true set of pearly white, well-polished teeth. He took off the dirty pants and shirt and the muddy boot. Standing in front of Jean-Luc now was a neat, clean and refined young man dressed in the lab coat of a scientist.

“Welcome to my home, Jean-Luc Picard. I’m Doctor Samuel James Beckett.”

Chapter 8

The young scientist helped Jean-Luc to his feet. As Jean-Luc looked at his features, he couldn’t help but think about how much this man resembled Captain Jonathan Archer, the first commanding officer of the ENTERPRISE. Doctor Beckett was the first to speak. “I am truly sorry that I had to put you through that “holy terror” of an initiation rite. You see, Captain Picard, there are a lot of cruel people out there who must not find out where I am or what I am doing. If they do, they will--” a tear came to the doctor’s eye, as if he couldn’t finish his sentence. Jean-Luc finished tried to finish it for him.

“Would they try to kill you, Doctor Beckett?“

“Worse. They will try to destroy my experiment and and to change me. I would sooner die than allow them to do this!!”

“Change you? I don‘t quite understand, Doctor.”

“All questions will be answered in due time. In the meantime, you need a change of clothing and a nice hot dinner.”

“Really, Doctor, I don’t want to be a bother.”

“No, Captain, I insist. After what I put you through, you deserve to be taken care of.”

Doctor Beckett opened a black door and they emerged from the holodeck into a beautiful, luxurious room with high ceilings, fine carpeting, easy chairs and video screens. “This room is the parlor.”

“You have good taste in furniture, Doctor.”

“Thank you. Wait until later, when I give you the grand tour. For now, your needs come first.” He rang a chime. A well-dressed android female appeared. She resembled a sophisticated version of Data’s daughter Lol.

“Leanna, escort Captain Picard to the dressing room. Show him the armoire where I keep my dinner clothes. When the captain finishes dressing, please escort him to the dining room.”

“Very good, sir.”

“Oh, and Leanna, while the captain is dressing, please wait outside to give him necessary privacy.”

“Very good, sir.”

Jean-Luc laughed out loud. “You think of everything, Doctor.”

Doctor Beckett shook the captain’s hand. “Be sure to give your own clothes to the chambermaid. I’ll make sure that they are cleaned and pressed with the finest care. I look forward to seeing you at dinner.”

Jean-Luc nodded respectfully to the doctor and then turned to walk with the android. The captain turned around for a moment to regard the doctor for one final moment. Doctor Beckett’s back was turned toward him. He was starring at a large portrait on the wall. The subject of this portrait was a young man, a little older than Doctor Beckett. He was slightly overweight and had curly black hair. He was wearing a brightly colored dinner jacket. That portrait already answered many questions, before even a word was spoken. Jean-Luc turned to leave the doctor to his private thoughts.

The android walked the captain from room to room, each more beautiful than the previous one. At last, they approached a large bedroom. The android turned to face the captain.

“This is the dressing room, sir. I will wait outside until you pick out your wardrobe.”

“Thank you.” Jean-Luc turned to enter the bedroom. He had never seen such a beautiful bedroom before. The bed was huge, with black satin sheets. The carpeting was a tasteful dark blue. The armoires were made of the finest wood. He opened them up and beheld the most stylish, tasteful and beautiful arrangement of clothes that he had ever seen. It took about fifteen minutes for Jean-Luc to pick out a set of black pants, a white silk shirt and a fine black pin-stripped dinner jacket. When Jean-Luc finished dressing, the android escorted him to an elaborate dining room. The table was made of beautifully designed black marble with sturdy, wrought iron legs. The chairs were made of fine wood; the seats were embroidered golden yellow cushions. He sat himself down and waited for the doctor to arrive. Doctor Beckett arrived soon afterwards. He was wearing a blue leisure suit with black silken loafers.

“Welcome, Captain Picard. I like the clothes that you picked out. They compliment you quite well.”

“Thank you. I must say, Doctor Beckett, you have quite an impressive home here.”

“After dinner, I’ll show you around. Speaking of dinner…” He rang a chime and another android appeared. This android was male and of Oriental appearance. “Chang, please bring out the bread and wine.

“Very good, sir.” The android disappeared. Jean-Luc was the first to speak.

“Doctor Beckett, are all of your servants androids?“

“Captain, not only all of my servants, but all of my assistants and technicians are androids as well. You and I are the only humans here.”

“You must be very lonely, then. It’s hard to understand why such a large mansion was built to accommodate the needs of just one person.”

“I bought this mansion years ago, for my lover and myself. It was our private little fortress, away from the rest of the world. That was when I was a part of the world as you know it. After the tragedy happened, Q transported me over here, along with the mansion. He saved my life by bringing me here.”

“Where exactly is here, may I ask?”

“I’m sorry. I can’t tell you that. My secret must be protected.”

“Understood. But I do have questions. I guess the first one on my list is why all the secrecy and isolation?“

They paused for a moment, as the android Chang brought out the wine and the breadbasket. Doctor Beckett invited Jean-Luc to pour his wine first. It was red in color. Jean-Luc sniffed it, sipped it, then nodded approvingly. Doctor Beckett took a sip of his wine and in turn nodded to the android, who disappeared into the kitchen. Doctor Beckett was the first to speak. “Captain, I’m sure that you are familiar with my great ancestor, the first scientist who fathered the idea of time travel back in 1999.”

“Indeed, I am.”

“I believe that you know the nature of his experiment and why he had to travel back a second time after returning home to retrieve his best friend, Albert Calavicci. Anyway, it turned out that the second time that he traveled back, it was impossible to retrieve him. My ancestor’s lab assistants tried time and again to find a retrieval program, but nothing worked. In time, they just gave up.
“Meanwhile, my ancestor’s wife died at a very young age in a most unpleasant way, as the result of a nervous breakdown brought about by grief. Her son was only ten years old when she died. Al tried to comfort him, but he wanted no part of him or any of the Calavicci family. It turned out that he blamed Al for the fact that his father got lost in time and that his mother died at such a young age. “

There was a slight pause as Chang brought out dinner; two large platters of New England roast beef, with hearty helpings of mashed potatoes and green beans on the side, were set in front of Jean-Luc and Doctor Beckett. The doctor nodded to Chang, who then disappeared into the kitchen.

Sam continued. “Such was the beginning of a feud between the Becketts and the Calaviccis that lasted for several generations, from so many years ago to our present day. The two families went their own separate ways. Our family went into the import-export business. The Calaviccis went into men’s wear. These occupations serviced both families down to this day. So I was sent to a private school and “strongly encouraged” to pursue a degree in accounting. When I expressed an interest in science-oriented courses instead, I was locked in a closet for three days and not allowed to come out until I promised to go into the family business. However, that didn’t stop me from my natural interests and curiosities. I was sent to New York to attend Columbia University’s School of Business. After my classes, I would tell my family that I was going to see the video pictures at the theater, while in reality I was visiting the library. I would go into the secluded basement where nobody was watching and I would read volume after volume of science books, encyclopedias and magazines. It was there that I met my lover.

Sam sighed in sweet remembrance. “ I remember the night as if it happened yesterday. It was raining outside. It was the type of rain that was completely unexpected. The skies were clear one minute and pouring rain the next. I had no umbrella with me, so by the time I got to the library, I was soaked from head to toe. I went into my usual private booth in the basement, but as hard as I tried, I could not repress that inevitable sneeze. Then I heard a voice with a Brooklyn accent say, “Bless you.” I turned around to notice the source of the voice. It was a young man, slightly overweight, with brownish black hair and the most beautiful smile I ever saw….”

There was a slight pause as the servant came in to clear the plates. Another android came in and put down a setting of scones, crumpets, little assorted cakes and cookies and a giant teapot, filled with Earl Grey tea. The servants left. Jean-Luc got up and poured Sam a cup of tea. He looked like he could use the special attention.

“Thank you, Captain. As I was saying, as soon as I saw this man, I fell in love with him. We spent the rest of the evening talking about sciences. He was not only good-looking, but brilliant also. He seemed to know everything that I knew about chemistry and physics. He told me that one of his great ancestors was an assistant to one of the greatest scientists of all time. He then told me his name…Albert Francis Xavier Calavicci--a direct descendant of the original Al Calavicci!! I didn’t care about who he was or what family that he came from. I knew that I loved this man.” Tears started to come from his eyes. Jean-Luc handed him a handkerchief and put his arm around him.

“Samuel, if this is too difficult for you, I’ll understand if you’d rather not continue.”

“No. I must talk about it. I’ve kept it inside myself for too long.” Sam wiped his eyes and sniffled a little, then got a hold of himself. “ As I was saying, on that first night, we left the library together. Al had the good sense to bring an umbrella with him and he absolutely insisted on walking me to the nearest transport station, so that I wouldn’t get wet. We shared the umbrella as the rains poured down over us. When we reached the station, we stared into each other’s eyes. We stood immobile for a split second, not aware of the traffic around us. We did not see the oncoming shuttle until the last moment. I pulled Al out of the way just in time, but because the ground was slippery, we both lost our balance and we fell into each other’s arms for the first time. We shared a passionate kiss--one that lasted for a very long time. It had been so long for both of us. We needed each other. Al had his own tailor shop in the neighborhood. He rented a small room nearby. That first night that we spent together was--was beyond definition--it was pure magic. For the first time in my life, I felt the freedom to just be who I was, without being ashamed.

“Needless to say, for obvious reasons, I needed to hide my new found love from my family. Not only was I a homosexual, but to complicate matters, the man whom I had chosen as my partner was a sworn enemy of the family. Al was more or less on his own--he didn’t have family connections of any kind. He was so uninhibited, so spontaneous. I guess that’s what I loved the most about him. Anyway, we made an arrangement that worked out for years. Al would attend a local picture show during his time off from work. He would bring the review with him and take notes on what happened in the movie. We would meet several times a week at his apartment, but I dare not sleep over, lest my family should suspect what was going on. I took the review and the notes with me, so in case my family would ask where I was and what I was doing, I would have a perfect alibi.

“However, in time, our relationship expanded. Neither of us gave up our love of the sciences. During the weekends, when both of us had time off, we would go to the library basement and pore over volume after volume of texts on quantum physics and chemistry. However, when we reached a point in our studies where we were reading about my great ancestor’s Quantum Leap Accelerator experiment, I noticed that a tear came into my lover’s eye. I gently brushed off the drop of water from his eyelid and asked what was wrong. He said that he and his family had always regretted the fact that the first Samuel Beckett got irretrievably lost in time because of a voluntary leap that he made to save the life of the original Al Calavicci. It was a curse that his family had to bear for endless generations. We talked about this for a while and then we came up with a plan. We would rebuild the Quantum Leap Accelerator with all the necessary modifications, to make sure that the retrieval program was in good working order. We would also add a tracking device to the machine, so that we would be able to locate the original Samuel Beckett, my ancestor. When we found him, we would send an experienced scientist to go back in time and retrieve him. In that way, when the original Sam Beckett was returned and saved, all hostilities between our two families would be ended. This would be the first step toward both our families accepting each other and growing closer.

“The plan seemed flawless. A couple of weeks later, it was my 21st birthday. I was now legally an adult. I no longer had to account to my family for anywhere I went or anything that I did. Instead of coming to work at the family firm, I told them that I would be away overseas for a month or two. The plan was that after we had successfully retrieved my ancestor, my family would be so grateful that I would be able to come out with the truth about my love for the sciences. I was hoping that such would be the first step for my “coming out” with other things as well.

I had some money saved, so we went to France and bought this house in Le Bordelais, by the Garonne River, which we are residing in right now. The only thing was, the place didn’t look like this when I first bought it. It was a cobweb and dust collector that was one step away from being torn down and condemned. But to my lover and myself, it was a palace. We cleaned up the place and set up our laboratory in the basement. We hired some lab assistants whom we thought we could trust. There were three in all--Barbara Walsh, Casey Robinson and Brent Lore--some very prominent scientists and experts in their field. We did thorough background checks before hiring them. I honestly thought that we could trust them. Unfortunately, I was wrong, at least where one was concerned anyway.

“The five of us built the machine in a period of a little more than two weeks. When we were finished, we had everything that we needed. The Quantum Leap Accelerator was finally ready for its’ first run. We spent a few days on the tracking system, before we were able to find my ancestor. We found him back in 1981. It was a couple of weeks after Ronald Reagan’s inauguration. History would tell us that an assassination attempt was made in that year, which the president survived. Who do you think intervened to make sure that the president was not killed? It was another successful leap for my great ancestor. This was where we last saw him. Now it was time for me to pick someone to go back and get Sam.

“Casey was my first choice, but as I was about to select him, Al gently tapped me on my shoulder. He asked to speak to me privately. When we were alone, he asked if I would select him to do the leap. My first instinct told me that I shouldn’t. It was too great a risk for someone who I loved so dearly. But Al, as persuasive as he was, asked me to prove my love for him by allowing him to do this one thing that could bring our families together once and for all. I could never resist his charm. So, reluctantly I consented and the experiment was set up. As Al entered the chamber, I promised that I would be waiting for him when he got back. We kissed passionately and thus the experiment began. I vowed that I would watch the video monitor every second of the experiment, while my well-trained assistants did the rest of the work. That was my first mistake. I was so absorbed with the video monitor that I was not watching all that was going on around me. Casey was assigned to watch the time travel functions. Barbara was given the task to supply power to the relay emitters and Brent had the most important job of all; check to make sure that the retrieval reuptake program was functional at all times.

So, there I was, giving my undivided attention to the video screen. I saw Al emerge in the year 1981 as a hologram. He stayed in the background for a while, while Sam did what he was sent to do. The president survived the assassination attempt. Press Secretary James Brady was critically injured but was still alive. Sam was dressed as a secret service agent. I saw Al approach Sam and the two talked for a while. Unfortunately, we were not able to set up a sound monitor, so I could not hear anything that they were saying. I saw them laughing together, as Al was explaining the process in brief to my ancestor. I watched the time clock, since there was a time limit on when I could bring them back. Everything was going according to schedule. Just at the right moment, Al turned to the video monitor and gave the thumbs up sign. He also ….he also…. he also mouthed the words to me…“I love you….” At that moment, Samuel James Beckett broke down and cried.

Jean-Luc got up to comfort his friend. He put his arm around him and held him for a moment. “Samuel…if this is too painful, you needn’t talk about it anymore. Really I’ll understand.” He poured his friend a fresh cup of Earl Grey tea, which Sam gratefully accepted.

“Thank you, Jean-Luc. But I must tell my story. Aside from Q, you’re the only one I can talk to.” He wiped his eyes and blew his nose on the captain’s hankie. “So, as I was saying, everything seemed to be going according to plan. Just as I was about to activate the retrieval program, I heard an explosion in the central control room. The screen went blank. Frantically, I tried pressing buttons, but nothing was happening. I tried to contact my assistants. The communication links were down. I quickly abandoned my post and ran to the program retrieval room. Brent and Casey were lying face down in a pool of blood, while Barbara held a loaded gun on me. Needless to say, I didn’t know what to think. She told me that she was a special agent who was hired by my family to eliminate the “problem” of fagdom in the family. My secret was out--that was it. They knew all along. They were watching me. I stalled for time as I thought of a way to escape. I asked her how she got past our background check to so closely resemble the real Barbara Walsh. She said that it was no problem to get skin implants and false fingerprint duplication. As she was talking, I backed slowly towards the machine and pressed the cable release button. A moment later, the electric cables came crashing down on top of her.

“She didn’t live very long afterwards. The electricity surged through her and regrettably it was soon over. I really didn’t intend to kill her; I just wanted to disable her. Apparently her own sabotage inadvertently activated those cables. Sad…so sad. Now I was all alone. I faced the truth that I was responsible for at least three deaths and the loss of the man whom I loved more than life itself. Because of my family’s prejudice, they all died, Jean-Luc. They weren’t all innocent, but it was my fault that they died…all my fault.”

“Samuel, listen to me. It was not your fault. In my lifetime, I have fought the Borg, the Romulans and the Cardassians. But one enemy that I was not able to overcome was the poison of prejudiced thinking. We have yet to conquer that undiscovered country, my friend.”

“You speak so eloquently, Jean-Luc. I wish that you were here when the tragedy first happened. As it turned out, I was all alone. So what did I do? I tried to end my life. I ran out of the mansion and I ran to the border of the river‘s end.”

“The river‘s end?” Jean-Luc asked, with a tear in his eye.

“Yes, does that have significance to you?”

“Yes, it does. But right now, I just can‘t seem to remember why. .Please continue, Samuel.”

“I ran to the river’s end and was about to throw myself in, to end my pathetic existence. Just as I was about to leap in, I felt a firm hand holding me back. I turned around quickly and I found myself looking into the face of my only friend in the world, Q. This was how we first met. He saved my life, Jean-Luc. He told me that I must keep on going. He showed me the future, all the good things that would become of my work--the legacy that I would pass on to the sciences, all of which would not be possible if I threw myself into that river. I was not convinced. He yelled at me and said: ’If you won’t do it for yourself, do it for Al!!’ I then asked if I would ever see Al again. He said that Al’s future was in my hands. It was then that I knew that there was still hope. That maybe someday, if I continued with my experiments, I would find a way to bring my beloved back home to me.

“Q was very helpful. He created duplicates of Al and myself with bullet holes in their backs, and started a fire in the lab that spread through the whole house, destroying everything in it. When the authorities finally arrived, they found five bodies in the remains and assumed that we had all perished as a result of an experiment that had been violently interrupted by a rival scientist. We can assume that my family stopped looking for me after that. Q then transported me here--to a location very far away from the reaches of explored space--a place where I would be able to work in peace and not have to worry about my experiment being sabotaged. He also provided me with an exact duplicate of the mansion and ten androids to assist in my work, knowing full well my feelings about not being able to trust humans.”

“I never knew that side of Q before. I didn’t know he was capable of being so kind. . Now that you mention it, though, I did notice that ever since my quasi after-life experience, he seemed to be acting exceptionally nice to me.”

“There’s more to Q than what’s on the surface, Jean-Luc. Our friendship binds me to secrecy about certain things, but perhaps someday he’ll tell you the real truth himself. One thing for sure--He is a fine judge of character. He did the right thing by bringing you here to me. I want to help you, Jean-Luc.”

“Did Q tell you the depths of my dilemma?”

“He said that you were mentally torturing yourself about the death of Ambassador Spock. You believe that if you had the chance to share with him what Jim Kirk told you on Veridian III, you could have prevented Spock’s death. Is that true?”

“Yes.”

“OK. Let’s go to the laboratory and I’ll show you how I might be able to help you.”

They walked through a door, down a flight of stairs. They approached a vault-like door with a computerized lock. Sam punched in a secret code and the door opened. Jean-Luc was awe-struck by what he saw next. There was highly sophisticated machinery at all ends of the room. Five androids were there, operating different parts of the experiment. The density and the detail of this experiment was beyond comparison or definition to anything that Jean-Luc had seen in the past.

“Samuel, this is positively wonderful! I started out as a science technician, but I have never seen anything like this. If you wished to join Starfleet, I know that the scientists there could really benefit from this level of advanced technology.”

“No, Jean-Luc. My purpose here at this time is to find my lover. Once that is done, I want nothing to do with quantum leap technology anymore. I’ll hand over my research diskettes to Q and I will trust him to see that my work does not fall into the wrong hands. After doing this, I will dismantle this experiment once and for all. Then my lover and I can live in peace and seclusion. This is all that I want Jean-Luc. I’m sorry if I keep rambling on like this. I have to attend to your needs here.”

“Quite all right. Highly understandable, under the circumstances.”

“Getting back to what I can do for you, the Quantum Leap Accelerator could put you into the body of James T. Kirk on a temporary basis. Ziggy 2400, the mainframe computer here, has calculated the precise time in the past where interacting with Ambassador Spock would have the best chances of accomplishing your objective. I must be honest with you--there may be a small risk factor present. Given your age and the fact that you have an artificial heart, I tried to make adjustments for such, but I can’t lie to you, there is a 2% chance that I may not be able to bring you back. I’ll do my best. I’ll monitor you at all times, but I can make no guarantees. Are you willing to take the risk?”

Jean-Luc did not hesitate. He looked into Sam’s honest brown eyes with a determined expression on his face and said, “Yes.“

Chapter 9

Sam paced back and forth as he explained the final preparations for the experiment. “The Quantum Leap Accelerator produces an effect where the participant is literally in the body of the subject. The subject’s consciousness is temporarily put into a guarded chamber known as the “Waiting Room.” After you emerge in Jim Kirk’s body, the consciousness of Jim Kirk will be up here with me, inhabiting your body. While you are in the past, doing what must be done, I will inform the real Jim Kirk as to the nature of what we’re doing to insure a smooth transition when he re-emerges into his own body.

“Ziggy did all the calculations and figured that to insure our best chances of success, you should “leap” into Jim Kirk, at the time when the ENTERPRISE-A is one day away from space dock, on its’ final mission, after the Klingon peace treaty. While you are on the ENTERPRISE-A, you will look like Jim Kirk, you will act like Jim Kirk, you will feel like Jim Kirk, so to a very large extent, you will be Jim Kirk.”

“Will I retain any part of my own consciousness?”

“You will be aware of the presence of Jean-Luc Picard, but will not fully be able to think like yourself. Actually, your stream of consciousness, your memories and your personality will be a blend of who you both are. In the dressing room, I prepared a jumpsuit for you to wear. This will enable you to move about smoothly through the duration of the experiment. I’ll recheck the calibration devices, while you’re dressing. “

Jean-Luc went into the dressing room and found the white jumpsuit on a hanger in back of the door. His hands were shaking as he changed his clothes. He was wondering whether the experiment would be successful, of what would happen if anything went wrong, afraid that if he made a mistake, he would do some irreparable damage to the relationship between Kirk and Spock. He felt like the weight of the world was on his shoulders. But proceed he must, and so he emerged from the dressing room.

Sam was adjusting some dials on the machine, when he noticed Jean-Luc approaching. “Perfect fit. I have a talent for always picking out the right size. Are you ready, Jean-Luc?”

“Yes.”

“OK. It will take about an hour for you to reach the exact point in time and space that we are aiming for. In that time, I want you to wear this earpiece. This is a recording about the life of James T. Kirk. It goes into full detail about every aspect of what he had done in both his professional and personal life. So, when you arrive on Kirk’s ENTERPRISE, you will be well prepared.”

“How should I expect to feel during the experiment?”

“You may find yourself feeling a little bit disoriented, but if you relax and allow the photon waves to envelop your mind and body, the experience should produce a mental imagery which is similar to that of a pleasant dream. The only thing that concerns me a little bit is the re-entry procedure.”

“Re-entry?”

“Yes. At the conclusion of the experiment, when I need to return you to your own body. I tried to iron out all the ’rough edges,’ but I’m still a little worried. To that end, I will monitor you at all times and will bring you back immediately at the first sign of anything going wrong. Well, I guess that we’ve covered just about everything. Do you have any questions?”

“No, but I just want to say what a pleasure it has been meeting you, Samuel. I’m sorry that we didn’t have time to get better acquainted. You know, of course, that you’re always welcome on my ship.”

“Jean-Luc, the time that we’ve spent together has meant so much to me. I hope that when we meet again, it will be under more pleasant circumstances.”

“As do I. I hope that your efforts in finding your lost lover prove successful. You only deserve the best.”
They hugged. Tears were in the eyes of both men. When they separated, Sam led the way to the machine.

“Now, all you have to do is lie down and relax. Ziggy will do the rest.”

Jean-Luc entered the chamber and lay down on the small bed inside.

“Are you ready, Jean-Luc?”

He nodded. Sam pressed a few buttons. Jean-Luc was aware of the photon energy beams surrounding his body. The memory implant in his ear started its’ recording as Jean-Luc closed his eyes: “James Tiberius Kirk was born on planet Earth in the small farm state of Iowa in the year….” The recording continued as the machine continued to work. Different colors of energy and light transfigured themselves before him. They seemed like unidentifiable shadows. He felt himself constantly moving. For several moments, his memory completely faded and he felt like he was a bodiless entity just floating through space. The recording droned on...

Gradually, he regained some sense of substantiation and woke up just as the recording finished. “Captain Kirk died on Veridian III, after successfully defeating the plans of the evil Doctor Tolian Soran. His body was buried by the man who was by his side at the time of his last battle--ironically, the man who would take command of his ship 71 years later--Captain Jean- Luc Picard.”

Chapter 10

Jean-Luc awoke in the captain’s quarters aboard the ENTERPRISE -A. He felt remarkably well rested. He took the implant out of his ear and put it in his trouser pocket. He got out of bed and straightened his shirt. The first thing that he did was look in the mirror. He stared into the face of Jim Kirk, the way that he looked at the end of the ship’s last voyage. He looked at his surroundings. Everything was remarkably well arranged. He remembered his way around the ship from blue prints of the ENTERPRISE-A, which were outlined in his command training classes. In the mirror, he noticed a new discovery atop his head that he hadn’t seen in over 40 years--HAIR!! His old style uniform seemed to fit well, although it was getting a little snug around the middle. For many years, he had tried to imagine how it would feel if he were Jim Kirk, the hero of so many interstellar missions--a man for all women, as well as a man for all men. Most of all, he couldn’t help but feel a little curious about how it felt to wake up next to the beautiful form of Spock. He felt his manhood reach a state of involuntary hardness as he thought of the Vulcan. His state of excitement was immediately reduced when he heard the hail at his door.

“Come.”

The door swished open and Doctor Leonard McCoy entered. Jean-Luc marveled at how young the doctor looked. The last time that he saw Doctor McCoy, he was at least a hundred years older and hardly able to walk. The man beside him was a spirited man in his mid fifties, who looked nothing like the old man that he had encountered during his first mission on the ENTERPRISE-D.

“Well, it’s about time! I’ve been hailing you for the past half hour now. Someone sure sleeps like a log!”

“Sorry…ah…Doctor…I mean Bones. I was just a little tired.”

“Are you OK, Jim? When you first opened the door, you looked as pale as a ghost.”

“Yeah, sure. I’m just a little out of sorts, trying to imagine how I was going to spend my retirement.”

“I know, it’s a little strange for all of us. Scotty, Chekov, Uhura, Sulu, myself included, we’ve spent so much time on this space-bound tin can that it’s hard to imagine a life away from all of this…I can’t think of a word to define it. I can’t call this a job; it’s more than that. Do you know what I’m saying, Jim?”

“All too well, Bones.” Shadows of his memories of his last days on the STARGAZER resurfaced. “Do you know when they’re decommissioning the old girl?”

“Scotty told you last night. For god’s sakes’ Jim, are you suffering from Alzheimer’s too? The ship will be put into mothballs immediately after we reach space dock. They’re gonna turn it into some kind of a museum. I hope that when I grow old that they won’t put me into mothballs too, for heaven’s sakes!!”

Jean-Luc laughed aloud. “I can practically guarantee that won’t happen, Bones. I can see you hobbling around a hundred years from now, still complaining about having your molecules scrambled by the transporter.”

“That may very well be the case. What did I come here to say? Oh yeah, Spock asked me to tell you that he wants you to stop by his quarters when you get a chance. Anyway, I better get going now. See you at the party tonight. Bye, Jim.”

The doctor left and now Jean-Luc was alone in his quarters. His heartbeat quickened as he thought of what needed to be done next. He straightened his shirt and exited his quarters. Walking through the corridors of this remarkable ship was a unique experience. He wished that he had time to explore every deck in fine detail, but he had a mission to accomplish. He was glad that he memorized the location of Spock’s quarters. He nearly collided with Commander Scott as he turned the corner.

“Captain! .So sorry, Aye didn’t see ye. Aye was in such a rush. I got some good news. Chekov and I were asked to accompany you to the ceremony for the launching of the new ship. Not only that, I just got an assignment to work aboard the JENOLEN. Aye’m so busy, aye’m walking around like a chicken without a head.”

“Just try to be careful, Scotty.”

“Aye? Careful of what?”

“Never mind. I’m sure that everything will turn out OK.”

“Right ye are! See ye later, Captain.”

Commander Scott rushed down the corridor as Jean-Luc found his way to Spock’s quarters. He took a deep breath, as he rang the chime. The Vulcan answered immediately. Jean-Luc was taken aback by the fine, muscular man that stood before him in a short, white robe. He was wearing the scent of fine, aromatic Vulcan herbs. The scent was so seductive…so inviting.

“T’hy’la, you need not ring the chime. You know that you are always welcome here.”

Jean-Luc walked in to the Vulcan’s quarters and hugged Spock affectionately. He felt a certain hardness emerging below his waist, as they hugged tightly. As they hugged, the Vulcan caressed his buttocks lightly. Jean-Luc felt quite aroused. He had to concentrate to clear his mind. Lightly, he pulled away from Spock.

“I’m sorry that I couldn’t be here sooner. I overslept last night.”

“Indeed. You said that you needed a little nap and would join me later that evening. I waited for you. Is everything all right, my love?”

“Spock, we need to talk about something. I know that you are going into the ambassadorial program when the ship ends this voyage. I’m going to the christening ceremony for the new ship. So, we won’t be seeing each other for a while. I need to bring up something that I’ve been putting off for some time now.”

“Do you have…someone else? “

“No! Nothing like that. We are soul mates, Spock and we will always be. Nothing can change that, my love. Always remember that. What I mean to say is this: you and I have been through many dangerous missions together and sooner or later, one of us is not going to return. Since after this mission, we will be facing our longest period of physical separation, I want to make my wishes known in the event of something happening to me. In case I should die unexpectedly.”

“Do not speak that way!!”

“Spock, nobody lives forever. Let’s face it. You discussed with me what your wishes were in the event of your death. I have never talked about my own death, but we both need to be prepared. Do you agree that this is logical?”

“Yes. I will abide by your wishes.”

“Thank you. As I was saying, I have considered the thought of what happens to us after we die. I believe that all that we do is predetermined, everything from the time we’re born till the time that we die. I think that our journey in this body ends when we die. What happens afterwards to the soul is not in our hands, but is subject to the will of higher beings. You see, Spock, humans are not like Vulcans. We have no katra that needs preservation. We are limited in what we can perceive of a spiritual existence after life. Here’s where individual beliefs differ. I believe that whatever physical existence that the body has ends at the moment of death, at least from a human standpoint anyway.”

“What are you trying to say, Jim?”

“To put it simply, Spock, if I should die unexpectedly, while we are physically separated, I don’t want you to attempt to bring me back to life.”

“But T’hy’la, I must try to save you. You brought me back to Vulcan so I could be brought back to life, after the destruction of the Genesis Planet.”

“Circumstances were different, then, my love. You have to admit that Doctor McCoy was not the ideal vessel for your katra. Also, the fact that your body was naturally regenerating itself on Genesis. These were rare circumstances which would probably not repeat themselves in the event of my death.”

“So, you want me to do nothing to try to bring you back to life?”

“To put this into perspective, are you familiar with the human fable of “The Monkey‘s Paw?”

“Yes, it has to do with a certain charm with magic powers. A young man dies in a tragic accident and his mother wishes him back alive. The mangled corpse re-animates itself and comes back to them. The father, just wanting the boy to rest in peace, wishes that the body would return to where it came from. Yes, I think that I do understand your point of view.’

“You see, Spock, if something should happen to me, I want you to be able to remember me how I am now and how we were in the past, all the things that we had together. I don’t want you to see me as some kind of creature with tubes and wires hanging out of him, just to keep his body alive. So please don’t try to revive me after I die. Will you respect my feelings, T’hy’la?“

“Yes, I will, providing that we live in the present for now and not grieve for future possibilities that have not materialized yet.”

Jean-Luc hugged Spock tightly. Spock held him even closer than before. They looked into each other’s eyes affectionately and their lips locked in a passionate kiss. Spock felt his lover’s hardness and co-mingled it with his own. They held each other tightly. Jean-Luc felt the firm Vulcan hands caressing his ass. He moaned in pleasure. As their lips were still locked in passion, they moved towards the bed. They both fell in at the same time.

Spock disengaged his lover’s zipper and gradually worked his hand in through the pants and the underwear, until he found the “prize” that he wanted so badly. Spock fingered the erection with such skill, gently applying pressure in the most erotic way. Jean-Luc moaned with pleasure. Spock worked his way from top to bottom. He massaged the top of his lover’s cock and gradually worked his way down. A light fluid started to emit. Spock squeezed his lover’s penis and whispered. “No, not yet, my love.”

Jean-Luc moaned. “Oh, Spock, suck me dry. Please. I want your tongue.” Spock responded by gently removing his lover’s trousers and underwear. Jean-Luc’s erection was now in its’ full glory. Spock closed his eyes and gently sucked on the long and hard penis, which longed for his inviting lips. Spock wrapped his tongue around the rock solid cock and started to gently lick the crown. Jean-Luc moaned with pleasure. Spock started to lick more intensely and then he moved further downward. He was now at the shaft of his lover’s erection. His full mouth was now on the penis. He licked and sucked more forcefully. Each lick and suck brought more intense moans of pleasure from his lover. When Spock reached the bottom of the shaft, he sucked with more intensity than before. Jean-Luc’s cock felt like it was about to explode. He cried out with pleasure, as the white semen ejaculated from his engorged cock into Spock’s mouth.

“Oh, Spock, suck me dry…please…”

Spock obliged his partner and playfully licked up every drop of cum from
his lover’s penis. They rested for a few minutes. Jean-Luc was the first to speak.
“Oh, Spock. Give it to me, please. I want it now.”

“Are you sure, T’hy’la? The way that I am feeling, the experience could be quite…intense.”

“Yes! Yes! I want it! I need it!”

Spock gently turned his lover over, so that his ass was facing upward. Spock removed his robe. His own engorged cock protruded. He reached into his bedside drawer and removed a jar of lubricant and untwisted the cap. He rubbed the ointment between his fingers to warm it and then gradually eased it into the crack of his lover’s ass. Jean-Luc moaned with pleasure. Spock closed his eyes as he gradually moved his long and hard cock to the buttocks of his lover. He gently opened the crack of his ass and inserted the tip of his erection. He gently thrust up and down. Jean-Luc felt pain at first, but he opened his ass further so that he could receive the inviting Vulcan cock inside of him.

“Oh, yes, Spock, deeper!! Deeper!!” Spock was only too willing to oblige. Gradually he put the cock in deeper. In a moment, his cock was completely inside of his lover. Jean-Luc moved so that Spock could penetrate even deeper. Spock then started thrusting up and down, first gently and then increasing in intensity. Then Spock started to moan in Vulcan as the speed and intensity of his thrusts reached the point of climax. Spock screamed as the fluid forcefully came out of him and filled the ass of his lover. The intensity of Spock’s excitement caused Jean-Luc to come a second time.

They stayed in this position for a few minutes. Finally, Spock’s erection deflated, as he gently withdrew his cock from his lover’s ass. They relaxed into each other’s arms. Jean-Luc held his lover tightly, as he was filled with a feeling of intense contentment and fulfillment. Spock was now asleep beside him.

Jean-Luc heard a gentle hum. The hum grew louder as he now felt his skin vibrating. No…not now, please…not now, he thought. But he could do nothing to stop it. In another moment, Jean-Luc was completely enveloped by the retrieval wave.


Chapter 11

Jean-Luc awoke in a sweat. He was now in the sickbay of the ENTERPRISE-E. Doctor Crusher held a medical tricorder over him. As he regained consciousness, she injected him with a hypospray.

“Stay right where you are, Jean-Luc. You’ve been unconscious for the past two days. You need to rest now.”

“Beverly, where am I? What happened with J and K, Vash, and Doctor Beckett?”

“Jean-Luc, you’re talking nonsense! You’re in sickbay now. Q brought you here two days ago. He was worried about you. He said something about something going wrong with the retrieval program. When I asked him for details, he refused to elaborate. I admit that he was acting rather strangely, even for Q.”

“You mean to tell me that you don’t know what’s been going on around this ship for the past two days?

“We met for dinner three nights ago, and the next morning Q pops in here with your unconscious body, looking as pale as a ghost. He was almost in tears, for goodness’ sake’! He wouldn’t leave your side until I promised that I would give you the very best care. I don’t understand this whole thing. What have you two been up to?”

“I’m afraid I can’t explain that, Beverly. I was sworn to secrecy.”

Beverly was about to reprimand him, but at that moment, Worf entered sickbay. “Excuse me, Sir, I am sorry to interrupt you, but you do have a visitor. Two, as a matter of fact. It is Captain Scott.”

“MON DIEU!!!”

Beverly intervened. “Jean-Luc, calm down! Why should you be so upset about Captain Scott wanting to see you?”

“Don’t you see, Beverly? It’s starting all over again!!”

“Calm down, Jean-Luc!!!“

Worf cleared his throat. “Sir, apparently I did not make myself clear. Captain Scott was not here to see you; he just wanted to renew his acquaintance with Commander La Forge. He provided transportation for a certain ambassador who would like to see you. His name is Spock. I hope you are not angry, sir.”

Jean-Luc broke into laughter. “Angry, Mr. Worf? I couldn‘t be happier.”

Beverly intervened. “Jean-Luc, you are in no shape to receive visitors. I order you to get back to bed now!”

Jean-Luc was already off the examining table and fixing himself up.

“I will do that, Doctor, as soon as I finish my conference with Ambassador Spock. Mr. Worf, please escort the ambassador to my Ready Room. I will meet him there as soon as I make myself presentable.”

Worf nodded and left sickbay. Before Beverly could protest, Jean-Luc was out the door, also.

Jean-Luc rushed to his quarters and showered and shaved. He put on his finest dress uniform and was on his way to his Ready Room ten minutes later. Spock was there waiting for him. He was wearing a white robe and sandals. There was a content look on his face as the captain beheld his presence. Jean-Luc, forgetting about all rules regarding direct physical contact with Vulcans, hugged Spock tightly.

“Spock!! I am so glad that you are all right!”

“Indeed, Captain? We just saw each other for tea last month. You were not so happy to see me back then. Curious…indeed…”

“Oh, what I mean is that I know how dangerous those ambassadorial missions could be. I mean, you never know what species of aliens you may encounter…”

“Indeed…”

“So, how has the reunification project been coming along?”

“Progressing smoothly, Captain. As I hope was true of your quantum leap.”

Jean-Luc collapsed in the nearest chair. “Oh, my! You mean that you know about the Quantum Leap project and how it effected the last day of history aboard the ENTERPRISE-A?”

“Jean-Luc, I know everything. I knew that something was different about Jim on the last night that we made love. The following morning when Jim was back in his own body, he explained everything to me.”

“You mean that you are not angry?”

“No, not at all. You did what was necessary to save my life.”

“But I feel so embarrassed about what happened that night. I feel so ashamed. Please believe me when I tell you that I did not intend for that to happen.”

“Jean-Luc, remember that you were inhabiting Jim’s body--a body that was trained to respond to certain types of stimulation from me. Please do not be ashamed of yourself.”

“Was Jim angry?”

“Hardly so. He understood that what was done was necessary to save my life. He even found some odd humor in the situation.“

“Then we are still friends?”

“Yes, of course. Although I feel a need to bring something up. Jean-Luc, that last night on the ENTERPRISE- A was very special to me. I will always cherish the experience and hold it in my memory for all time to come. Indeed, if circumstances were different, I would ask if you wanted to explore the depths of this relationship further. However, Jim and I were bonded for life and I cannot imagine myself being with anybody else. I am asking you, at this time, considering the experience that we shared, could you be content with just being friends?”

Jean-Luc smiled. “Yes, of course, Spock. Are we still on for our regular lunch date in two weeks?”

“Indeed. I am looking forward to it. I hate having to leave so abruptly, but I need to be moving along. I have a meeting that I must attend. That is, of course, if I can separate Commander La Forge and Captain Scott. You know how it is when engineers get together.”

Jean-Luc laughed. “Yes, Spock. I’ll walk you to the turbo lift that will take you up to Engineering.” He sprang to his feet. Moments later, his feet buckled under him and he nearly collapsed. Spock caught him just in time and led him to the couch.

“Are you all right? Should I call Doctor Crusher?”

“No, really--I’ll be fine. It’s just--the exhaustion--from this time traveling-- is starting to catch up to me.”

“I’ll find my own way to Engineering. We will meet in two weeks time, Captain.” Then Spock did something very uncharacteristic for him. He hugged his friend tightly. “Live long and prosper, Jean-Luc.”

“Long life and happiness, Spock.”

Spock left the Ready Room and Jean-Luc collapsed on the couch. It took him a full five minutes before he could get up the strength to walk back to his quarters.

When he arrived there, he collapsed on the bed. The intensity of everything that had happened hit him all at once. Tears filled his eyes, as he lay down on his stomach. He felt a blanket cover him. He looked up and noticed where it came from. It was Q.

“Jean-Luc, I’m so glad that you’re all right. I was so worried.”

“Q, would you answer me one question? Why didn’t you stop things on the ENTERPRISE-A before they got too far with Spock? What I mean to say is that in theory, I accomplished what I was sent there to do before Spock and I slept together. Why wasn’t I sent back before Spock and I made love?”

“I tried to, Jean-Luc. I was right beside Sam and we were both watching you carefully from the moment that you leaped into Kirk’s body. Sam tried to activate the retrieval program when Spock promised to respect Jim’s feelings regarding his death. Sam pressed the right buttons but nothing happened. That’s when I stepped in. I tried to work my own magic as well, but I was powerless. Nothing happened! Sam and I were both puzzled. I guess the closest explanation that I can give is that the same force that affected the original Sam Beckett...affected you. An unexplained power which takes over the experiment, doing whatever it will, whenever it will.”

Jean-Luc sighed. “Be that as it may, that was one of the most intense sexual experiences that I ever had.”

“You enjoyed it, didn’t you?”

“Yes, very much so.”

“Jean-Luc, could I ask you something? “Why don’t you just come out about being gay? I mean, it would save you a lot of internal grief if you would just be who you are, for goodness sakes!!
”
“Q, do you realize how much responsibility is in the hands of a Starfleet captain? The captain himself should be a symbol to be respected in his own right. Do you realize how much prejudice still exists even in our century?”

“Well, there’s one advantage to coming out. At least you won’t have to worry about being chased around the ship by Lwaxana Troi.”

Jean-Luc laughed heartily, laughing so hard that he was practically in tears. “You just might have a point there, actually.”

“It’s nice to see you being able to laugh, Jean-Luc. Tell me, when was the last time that you were really happy?”

“It was a while back, in summer camp actually. I met this friend of mine who I was very close to. His name was Lynd. He was about a year younger than myself, but also a little taller. A beautiful young man. As we were playing together day by day, we started to become closer. It soon became evident to both of us that we were more than just friends. I remember that afternoon as if it were yesterday. The scoutmaster ended the afternoon drills early on that day. Well anyway, Lynd and I went back to my tent. We were sure that nobody was watching us and that it was safe. Anyway, we just started to explore each other. Q, the experience was wonderful. “

“So, what happened?”

“Funny. I get nightmares about this, several times a week. Lynd and I are together and we are touching, caressing, exploring and then …and then….I just black out. I’ve been getting these nightmares where some kind of a ferocious monster enters my tent, throws me aside and attacks Lynd. The nightmares keep coming back to haunt me.”

“Jean-Luc, what really happened?”

“I don’t know…I keep blanking out every time I think about it.”

“You do know. It would just keep haunting you unless you bring it out into the open.”

“It’s painful…”

“Jean-Luc, I am here. I won‘t let anything hurt you. Please tell me.”

“Lynd and I are together in the tent and we are …pleasuring each other. Both of us are so happy in each other’s arms. And then all of a sudden, the tent door gets ripped open and we stare into the furious eyes of my father. He decided to pay me a surprise visit to see how I was getting along. Anyway, when he saw Lynd and I together, he grabbed me by the hair and threw me aside. Then he tried to go after Lynd. I held him back and Lynd had time to run out of the tent. My father then gave me the soundest thrashing of my life. I still remember those bruises till this day.”

“What happened to Lynd?”

“When I escaped my father’s grasp, I ran to look for him. I went to our favorite place…by the river’s edge…I had a plan that we would run away together and be away from all the horrors of prejudice. I found his notebook there, on the riverbank. But he was gone. There was a letter in his notebook, written to me. He knew that I would look for him there. The letter said that it was better this way, that he never live to be something that he wasn’t. Perhaps some other place, some other time…They found his body the next morning, floating down the river, miles from where he had jumped in…”

Jean-Luc broke down and cried. Q comforted him. When Jean-Luc recovered his voice, he said, “And you ask me, why don’t I come out about being a homosexual? Oh, why am I talking to you, you’ll never understand. Mr. Omnipotent, Mr. Perfect…You’ll never know how I feel. You look upon humanity as just another noble experiment…just another log entry in your book of travels and curiosities.”

Q moved away from Jean-Luc. “Oh, really? Is that what you think of me, Jean-Luc? Don’t all our years of friendship and all I’ve done for you mean anything at all? I am hurt, Jean-Luc, truly hurt. Well, if that doesn’t mean anything, perhaps this does.” He ripped off the sleeve of his shirt and exposed a double arrowed tattoo with two circles branded into his arm. “The Continuum branded me with this symbol when they found out my own dirty little secret. Unlike human tattoos Jean-Luc, the Continuum uses real branding irons to leave the indicated labels of shame.”

Jean-Luc did not have to look twice to recognize the twin male symbols that homosexuals were given, when their true sexual preferences were discovered. “Oh, my…Q… I’m so sorry.”

“Well, you should be!”

“I just never knew.”

“Don’t talk to me anymore, Jean-Luc.” Q snapped his fingers and disappeared.

Jean-Luc banged his head against the wall…”Q…please come back…I’m sorry…You know how limited we humans are…Sometimes it’s possible for a man to be so self-absorbed that he is ignorant of what‘s going on around him, even who his best friends are. “ Still Q did not reappear. “Thanks for the blanket. I remember from that day at camp. It was the last blanket that Lynd and I slept together with, before that painful visit from Papa. You know Papa burned this blanket after he caught us together. Thanks for bringing this back to me, Q. “ Still Q did not reappear. “Very well, Q. If you don’t come back to me, then I’ll just have to track down Doctor Beckett again, go back into the Quantum Leap accelerator and completely reverse the events of this past half hours’ conversation. “

Q reappeared, with an angry look on his face. “Oh no, you don’t!! I’m not going to allow you to put me through that again!!!”

Jean-Luc hugged Q. “Q, thanks for giving me a second chance.”

“Well, someone has to look after you.” They hugged once again. Q continued: “Since we‘re sharing coming out stories, I might as well tell you mine as well. His name was Quint. Well, at least that’s what they called him in this dimension. He was one of the greatest philosophers among us. From the moment, I met him, I was in love with him. Quint never exactly fit into the Continuum. His problem was that his intellectual abilities caused him to ponder the nature of continuous existence. He wanted to kill himself. He wanted to leave the Continuum.

“Now at this time, I had not come out about my feelings towards him. I just wanted to keep him alive. I volunteered my services to the Continuum as an advocate at his trial. I wanted him close to me so that I could admire him for all eternity. One of your own Starfleet captains acted as a judge in this trial. Anyway to make a long story short, she ruled in his favor and Quint’s powers were taken away from him, so he was now mortal. Since I knew that my beloved’s time was short, I knew that I had to confess my true feelings for him. So, I told him one night how much I loved him and that since his time of existence was now limited, I wanted to spend every moment with him. At this point in time, he was tired of life, tired of living and angry with me for trying to take away his right to die. So he told me that if I truly loved him…I would…I would…Oh, I just can’t say it!”

“Q, remember what you told me about holding things in.”

“You’re right. He needed access to a certain poison so that he would be able to end his life. He told me that if I truly loved him, I would bring him this poison, so of course, I outright refused to do so. Then he called me a hypocrite because I would not do the one thing for him that would once and for all prove my love. So…I….I…”

“You brought him the poison.”

“Oh, I hate myself so much!!! Jean-Luc, why did I do it? I’m so lonely. I miss him so much!! It was all my fault!!!”

Q started to cry uncontrollably. Jean-Luc comforted him and put his arms around him. He guided him to the bed where he covered him with his favorite blanket. He then went over to the replicator and ordered two cups of Earl Grey tea. But by the time Jean-Luc got back to the bed, Q was already asleep. Jean-Luc quietly slipped under the covers next to his friend. He whispered into his ear: “You know, Quie, this could be the beginning of a beautiful friendship.” He kissed him lightly on the cheek and they both went to sleep.



Chapter 12

On a different world, in a galaxy far, far away, Doctor Samuel James Beckett sat slumped over his computer console fast asleep. In the background, the lovely sounds of Italian opera music were playing. Chang and Leanna entered the computer room and observed their sleeping master.

“Chang, do you think we should carry him to the bedroom?”

“No, Leanna. I have observed that he has not been sleeping well for the past two nights. Ever since the Starfleet captain left here, it seems that he’s been working harder than ever on his experiment.“

“Indeed, but humans are not like us. They need a sufficient amount of rest time in order to replenish their faculties.”

“However, if we put him back into bed, he would not get the rest time that he needs anyway. So the logical course of action would be to leave him where he is.”

“He needs just one thing.” Leanna walked out of the room and returned with an old blanket and covered her master with it.

“Leanna, Master has so many new blankets. Why do you insist on covering him with that old thing?”

“This one is Master’s favorite. He said that Al gave it to him before he left.“

“Al is very special to Master, is he not?”

“Indeed. Perhaps some day, we may find out why. For now, I recommend that we shut down for the night.”

The androids dimmed the lights for their master’s comfort and then left the room. The opera music played on. Sam was still asleep when a few minutes later, a flash of light appeared in the imaging chamber. He was still asleep when the dark-haired, slightly overweight image of a man appeared in the chamber. He was still asleep when the man banged on the chamber door to try to get out. Finally, the traveler remembered the palm print code. He pressed his right palm to the door and it opened automatically.

The man was dirty, wet, tired and his clothes were ripped. Sam was still asleep when the traveler emerged from the chamber and walked towards him. The traveler’s first concern before anything else was clearly evident. He took an old cigar out of his pocket, removing layers of dust, dirt and seaweed. He then searched in his pocket for a lighter. Not being able to find one, he slapped his forehead with the palm of his hand in frustration, and then remembered something. He walked to the console desk next to Sam’s. Everything was in the exact same order as he left it so many years ago, when he disappeared. He opened the top drawer and the lighter was right there--in the exact same place where he left it. He lit the cigar and inhaled deeply.

It was the scent of the cigar that stirred Sam awake. He sleepily opened his eyes and beheld the figure before him. Tears filled his eyes as he immediately recognized the visitor.

“Al?”

“I’m home, Sam.“

THE END