The Devil's Doorknob BBS Capture (1996-2003)/devilsdoorknobbbscapture1996-2003.iso/Dloads/TEXTFILE/STDUNE.ZIP/DUNE5.TXT

Text File | 1992-02-07 | 25KB | 702 lines

Item    7087492                 92/02/06        23:16

From:   J.HYCHE                         Jeff Hyche

To:     M.ALLEGRETTO                    M Allegretto

Sub: Dune/Star Trek 5 of 5


Data:  Wesley discovered a species of worm on the surface of Cey-4.  Not
unlike the ones we see here.

Picard:  On the surface?

Lexis:  We know these worms.  They measure in length up to four hundred meters.
Yet, we do not recall having given our blessing to any observation of the
planet's surface.  Had you asked, it would have been given.  You did not ask.

Picard:  I assure you, Colonel Lexis, this observation was not made with my
permission.

Lexis:  What, then, is the punishment for acting without the permission of one's
Captain?

Picard:  That depends on the seriousness...

Lexis:  This is very serious Captain.

Picard:  I understand.

Lexis:  I am in a position to demand immediate action.

Riker:  Demand is a strong word.

Lexis:  I am a woman who speaks what she means and knows what she speaks.
Demand is the right word.

Troi:  Commander Riker?

Riker:  Yes, Troi.  I remember your concerns.  Yours as well, Data.

Picard:  Concerns?  About?  Wesley?

Riker:  Yes, Captain.  About Wesley...

Picard:  Why were not these concerns brought to my attention.

Riker:  They were about to be, Sir.  This has forced the issue somewhat.

Picard:  Somewhat?  Somewhat!?  What were these concerns, Counselor?

Troi:  Perhaps Commander...

Picard:  Perhaps this ship's Counselor would be better suited at explaining her
own concerns about a fellow member of this ship's crew to this ship's
Captain!

Troi:  Yes, Sir.  Wesley does not appear to be entirely himself...


>From cpsc.ucalgary.ca!alberta!ubc-cs!van-bc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!
public!btr.btr.com!mcmelmon Mon Aug 12 16:18:26
MDT 1991


[Detention Cell 5 (the brig).  Wesley in a cell.  Glowing pane between him and
rest of room.  Single security guard present.]

Sergeant:  Never thought I'd see you down here.

Wesley:  There are worse places to be.

Sergeant:  Like?

Wesley:  In bed with a Vulcan's wife the one day out of seven years he comes
home and wants some action.

[Enterprise bridge.  Riker Commanding]

Data:  Excuse me, Sir.  I am detecting anomolies in some of the main computer's
executing code segments.

Riker:  Anomolies?

Data:  Yes, Commander.  The manufacturer uses that term to refer to 'bugs.'  It
means a failure of the system to operate as specified...

Riker:  What kind of anomoly, Data?

Data:  Actually, there are two.  One appears to be blatant tampering.  As for
the other, I am not sure.  It is very subtle.

Riker:  Tampering?  Where?

Data:  Both pertain to automatic procedures in Detention Cell 5.

Riker:  Worf!

Worf:  At once, Commander.

[Detention Cell 5.  Troi enters]

Troi:  I could here you laughing all the way down the hall, Sergeant.  I'm
glad one of you is enjoying himself.

Sergeant:  Oh.  Oh.  Sorry.  Sorry, Counselor.  It's just...

Wesley:  No harm in a little fun, eh Troi?

Troi:  No.  There is not...

[Wesley appears to push through the shimmering field.  It stretches out with
him for a ways, and then he is clear.  With a single blow, he knocks the
sergeant senseless, tossing him across the room.  At the same time, Troi
raises a phaser.  It fires, striking the wall behind where both Wesley and
the sergeant used to be.  Wesley rolls across the floor.  He kicks up with his
foot, disarming Troi.  In an instant, he is on his feet behind her, an arm
around her neck.  An instant after that, she collapses.]

[Enterprise Bridge]

Riker:  Determine the nature of these 'anomolies' immediately, Commander Data.

Data:  I am trying.

Riker:  Do it.

Data:  The first is obvious.  It bypasses the internal visual monitoring
systems in Detention Cell 5.

Riker:  Fix it.

Data:  Fixed.

Riker:  Show me Detention Cell 5.

[The detention cell appears, main screen.  Both the sergeant and Troi lay
motionless on the floor.  Wesley is nowhere to be seen.  Worf enters abruptly.
Riker watches him alert Medical]

Data:  Fascinating.

Riker:  What, Data?

Data:  I have determined the nature of the second anomoly.  All detention cell
restraining fields have been set such that they will deactivate once a given
level of force is exerted...

Riker:  Fascinating, Data.  Just fascinating...

Data:  But there is more...

Riker:  Captain [striking his com link]  Wesley has escaped.  He seems to have
been one step ahead of us.

Data:  That would fit his personality profile well.

Riker:  Thank you, Data.  Red alert.

[Picard enters]

Picard:  Brief me, Number One.

Riker:  Wesley sabotaged our computer system, enabling him to escape.  Counselor
Troi and a security sergeant have been wounded.  Status pending.  Worf has
deployed security throughout the ship.

Data:  It is a big ship, Captain.  And Wesley knows it as well as anyone.

Picard:  Better, perhaps.  Analysis, Commander Data.

Data:  There have been two modifications to the main computer, Captain.  One
occured approximately twenty three hours and seventeen minutes prior to this
moment.  Very sophisticated and subtle, it automatically shuts down the
restraining fields in the detention cells after a given level of force has
been applied.  That level of force, however, is quite high...

Picard:  To prevent some drunk from accidentally revealing the modification?

Data:  I don't understand, Captain.  But it could have been to prevent
detection.  In any event, I would not have thought it possible for Wesley to
exert the level of force required.  And the pain would have been well beyond
the typical threshold, perhaps even for a Klingon...

Picard:  It's becoming increasingly clear that Wesley is not Wesley.

Data:  The other modification occured much more recently.  Within an hour.
More crude, it edited video flow through the monitoring system responsible for
Cell 5.

Picard:  An hour?  Wesley couldn't have done it, then...

Data:  It would be possible for an automatic routine to querry the main
computer regularly, waiting until it could determine where Wesley was being
held.  Once established, it could then execute another routine, implementing
the editing.  Both routines could terminate themselves, making it difficult to
detect them.

Picard:  Could Wesley have done that?

Data:  Almost certainly, Captain.

Picard:  How was the video feed modified?

Data:  Fifteen thousand half-second samples were taken of the Detention Cell.
These were then fed repeatedly into the display.  An attempt was made to
'average' the sequences.  A dubious scheme at best, but it appears to have
worked.

Picard:  Indeed.  Engineering [hitting com link] eliminate power to all
transporter platforms.

Riker:  You think he might try and get off the ship?

Picard:  That's what I would do, Number One.

Data:  But where would you go, Captain?


There is a part 20.  And 21.  And 22, which is the final chapter.  Here's
part 20.  Let me know if you need the last two.


[Battle bridge.  Wesley alone.  All screen are active.  While he types
furiously at a console, he gives vocal instructions to the computer.  Odrade
appears]

Computer:  I am sorry.  Access to those systems strictly prohibited...  One
moment...  Accessing...

Odrade:  You appear at home with these machines.

Wesley:  They do what I tell them. A pleasant change.

Odrade:  You read the signs very well.

Wesley:  With Troi?  By keeping her hand so close to her side, she betrayed
her concealed weapon.  I suspect it was the Baron's intent to kill the
sergeant, fake my escape, and kill me.  A foolish plan.  To think he would be
a match.

Odrade:  The Baron does not understand the full scope of our abilities.  He
probably assumed I could only teach you, and not transfer my skills to you
directly.  He will not make the same mistake again.

Wesley:  He will not get the chance.

Computer:  I am sorry.  Access to those systems strictly prohibited...

[Enterprise bridge.  Picard commanding]

Data:  Captain, the cargo bay transporter platform has become active.

Picard [hitting com]:  Command La Forge, it was my explicit order that power
to all transporter platforms be cut.  Make it so at once!

Geordi:  I did, Captain!  I don't understand...

Picard:  Make yourself understand, Mr. La Forge.

Geordi:  Yes, Captain.

Data:  Shuttle Craft number 4 has initiated warm-up sequence.  Hangar deck
automatic systems preparing for it's departure.

Riker:  Escape in a shuttle craft?  That would be foolish...

Picard:  Indeed, Number One.

Data:  Perhaps not, Captain.  All phaser and torpedo systems, deactivated.
Tractor beam, inoperable.

Riker:  Wesley!  He's taken over the ship!

Troi [entering]:  I sensed that was his intent, Captain.  That is why I went
to the Detention Cell.  Had I realized how much he could do...

Picard:  Twice now, Counselor, you have refrained from informing me of you
'feelings.'  Do not let it happen again.  Understood?

Troi:  Yes, Captain.

Picard:  Data, this is your sphere.  Regain control of the ship immediately.


[Nadia bridge]

Tactical:  Captain, the Enterprise is attempting to take control of our ship
via remote link.

Kilpatrick:  What!?  Stop them!  Wait.  Wait.  Don't stop them.

Tactical:  Sir?

Kilpatrick:  They think we're stupid?  They think we won't notice something
like that!?  Let 'em think it.  Are her shields up?

Tactical:  Negative, Captain.

Kilpatrick:  Let 'em think everything's just peachy with their plan.  Let 'em
think they've got the thick headed grunts right where they want them...

First Officer:  But sir.  They will have control of our ship.

Kilpatrick:  They'll have our computer.  We'll have their bridge.

First Officer:  Sir?

Kilpatrick:  Form a boarding party.  Twenty men.  Take Commander Akhruk and
his special forces boys.  They've been whining for a week.  Bored?  They won't
be bored for long.  Well, move man!  I can play games, too.  Let me tell you,
I can play games!


[Enterprise corridor.  Wesley moves quickly.  He pauses for an instant, but
does not stop.  A security officer leaps at him from a side corridor.  Not
surprised, Wesley dodges the man easily, grabbing him by the neck and throwing
him to the floor.  Another leaps out, but approaches Wesley more cautiously.
Wesley sends him flying backwards with a lightning kick just as two more
appear.  Wesley drops into a ready stance as they charge him.  Just as they
are about to reach him, he spins around, raising his arms.  Worf descends on
him after a flying leap.  Wesley grabs Worf and rolls to the ground, crashing
into the security officers in front.  There are several loud cracking sounds.
Wesley continues to roll.  A last officer steps out with a phaser.  He fires a
stun blast.  It hits Wesley, but does not seem to affect him.  The man does not
get a second shot.  Worf pulls himself painfully to his feet.  Wesley's back
is to him.  Worf raises a phaser.]

Worf:  I am sorry, Wesley Crusher.

Wesley [voice very strange and rythmic]:  No, Worf.  You are not going to
shoot me...


>From cpsc.ucalgary.ca!alberta!brazeau.ucs.ualberta.ca!unixg.ubc.ca!ubc-cs!
van-bc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!mips!public!btr
btr.com!mcmelmon Mon Aug 12 16:19:21 MDT 1991


We're in the home stretch.  Two more installments, I think.  Some of you
familiar with Dune may be able to guess where we're headed.  Here's a big
hint:  Muad'Dib.

[Enterprise bridge.]

Data:  Captain, scanners indicate tell-tale energy patterns presaging an
imminent transporter manifestation...

Riker:  What was that, Data?

[The bridge fills with several energy fields, indicating the arrival of the
Nadia's boarding party.  Twenty men (actually, roughly half are Klingon),
including the Nadia's First Officer appear.]

Picard:  What is the meaning of this?

Kilpatrick [appearing on main screen]:  With the authority of Starfleet Central
Command, I am placing you and your ship under military arrest, Captain Jean-Luc
Picard, for tampering with the failsafe remote mechanisms and the baseless
seizing of control of the USS Nadia.

Data:  Seven Tev bombers dropping cloak protection.  Weapons armed and ready.

Lexis [pushing forward]:  I am not amused by this, Captains.  I will remind you
that Al-Mossad is not a part of Starfleet, and that a colonel of that
organization is not one to be held hostage lightly.  It is, in fact, our
forte.  If this is an elaborate ploy on Starfleet's part to keep Wesley
Crusher from me - and past profiles of certain Starfleet officers give me
reason to think such might be the case - be warned.

Kilpatrick:  Calm down, Colonel.  This has nothing to do with you, and I don't
have a clue in hell who Wesley Crusher is, and I sure as hell wouldn't allow
my ship to be taken over in some 'elaborate ploy.'

Picard:  And I sure as hell would not take it over, Captain.

Data:  Actually, Sir, Captain Kilpatrick is correct.  The Enterprise has taken
control of the Nadia via Starfleets failsafe devices...

Kilpatrick:  Number One, disengage the remote.

[The Nadia's First Officer moves to Data's station.  Data does not interfere.
Dr. Crusher enters.  A klingon near the door lowers his heavy phaser.  He
steps behind her, preventing her from backing into the lift.]

Dr. Crusher:  What is this?

Picard:  Beverly...

Dr. Crusher:  Wesley?

[The access tube Wesley first went with Odrade.  She appears just within the
data-station's blue glow.  He types on a small keyboard extended from the wall.]

Odrade:  You have access to the ship from this small device.

Wesley:  Not to all of it.  Only to the propulsion systems.

Odrade:  Sufficient, yes?

Wesley:  I sense remorse.

Odrade:  Once separated from Mother Superior by the No Sphere, I will not be
able to come to you as I know can.  I shall miss you, Wesley Crusher.

Wesley:  The knowledge you have given me will remain.  Including knowledge of
the Spice formulas which will trigger Other Memories.  We shall meet again.

Odrade:  I know this.  Yet, having 'lived' for even this short time, I shall
still miss you, as a mother may miss her children who have gone off to
school.

Wesley:  Or she may not.

Odrade [laughter]:  Or she may not.  Thoughts of Mother Superior also make me
sad.

Wesley:  How so?

Odrade:  She has spent all her existence - from conception to the present -
within the confines of the No Ship.

Wesley:  To escape the Atreides prescient visions?

Odrade:  She is far more sensitive than any Atreides before her.  More so, even
than the God Emperor.  She is not, in fact, prescient.  She is omniscient
within a confined period of space-time.  The longer she concentrates, the
greater the extent of her omniscience.  She feared - and rightly so - becoming
as the God Emperor.  An all-pervasive force.

Wesley:  Captain Picard likened the No Sphere to a magic circle imprisoning
a demon.  Ironic that the demon should have wished to be confined.

Odrade:  Ironic also that while fearing she may become the God Emperor, she has
in fact been forced to live as he did.  Alone.

Wesley:  The strength of her presence would be overbearing to any but a
Reverend Mother.  And even for them, I imagine standing near her would be
painful.

Odrade:  In the same room, an ordinary man would be lost.  Even the Reverend
Mothers who spoke with her had to guard constantly against Abomination.  Your
Troi has experienced what it would be like.

Wesley:  An experience soon to be behind her.

[Enterprise bridge.  Things have calmed down somewhat.  The boarding party no
longer brandishes their weapons.  Lexis finishes communicating with the Al-
Mossad ships.  They return to a cloaked state.  Worf enters.  His face is
badly bruised.  He shows signs of great pain.  And of confusion at the state
of affairs.  Dr. Crusher immediately moves to examine him.]

Beverly:  You've got at least three broken ribs.  One of them could have
punctured a lung - or your heart - by your moving...

Riker:  What the hell happened?

Worf:  Captain.  Perhaps I should speak with you in private?  And Dr. Crusher.

Beverly:  Wesley!  What have you done to Wesley!

Worf:  Captain?

Picard:  What has happened, Worf.

Worf:  I came upon Wesley.  En route to Engineering.  Myself and five members
of security.  He overcame us easily...

Riker:  Overcame you...

Worf:  Easily.  He is why I am as you see me.  This despite our advantages
in strength and numbers.  He fought like...

Picard:  Like?

Worf:  Like a demon, Captain.

Beverly:  And!?

Worf:  One of my men hit him with a phaser.  On full stun.  He was not even
slowed...

Beverly:  And!?

Worf:  And I killed him.

Beverly:  Wesley is dead?  No.  He can't be dead.  I would have felt it, damn
you!  I would have felt it if he were dead!

Picard:  Beverly...

Worf:  A maximum strength phaser discharge, leaving no...

Picard:  Worf.

Beverly:  I would have felt it...


>From cpsc.ucalgary.ca!alberta!ubc-cs!van-bc!zaphod.mps.ohio-state.edu!sdd.hp.
com!decwrl!public!btr.btr.com!mcmelmon Mon Au
 12 16:21:19 MDT 1991



Well, this is it.  Now, some of you - those unfamiliar with Dune - will be
totally hanging, so I'll provide an Epilogue.  But this is the 'official' end
of the story (actually, it's the beginning of a whole new one that I'm not
going to actually write - i.e. no Children of Dune- The Next Generation.)  It's
an artsy ending that probably will make some of you scream 'No Fair!  No Fair!'
And the Epilogue will be brief - but as we are implying the end of the
Federation, it's probably best we leave it all rather vague.

Now, it's my turn to scream 'No Fair!'
I had wanted to do something with Wesley and the Kobayashi dealie-bop at
Starfleet, but someone's beaten me to the punch.

Roll film [10] [9] [8] [7] ...
[Enterprise bridge.  Dr. Crusher led away by Riker to Picard's Ready Room.
Colonel Lexis steps before Picard.]

Lexis:  Convenient, I am thinking, Starfleet phasers leave no trace.  No, do
not speak.  I am also thinking perhaps Starfleet intelligence is not the
oxymoron we joke about, and perhaps you are familiar with my psychological
profile.  Indeed, you have your Counselor there...  Perhaps you know how
distasteful I would find it to press into the death of a child while in the
presence of his mother.  Indeed, I will not.  No, do not speak.  I am also
thinking:  this scenario we have witnessed, it is most implausible.  Yet, if
your purpose was deception, an implausible scenario would be an unlikely means
by which to deceive.  Unless you are so devious as to have already ventured
this far down the line of reasoning, which I doubt.  I shall, therefore, assume
that despite it's implausibility, what you say has happened has happened. I
shall inform Al-Mossad the prisoner will not be transfered.  Reason:  death.
We shall consider the issue closed.  Should the future prove my judgement
wrong, I shall personally pursue every officer aboard this ship, no matter
where in space they may hide.  And I shall kill them.

Worf:  You will not find us wanting...

Lexis:  But I will find you.

Picard:  Enough.  Starfleet does not play such games.  I do not play such
games.  My crew does not play such games.

Lexis:  I trust you, Captain Picard.  Once lost, however, my trust can never
be regained.  [hitting com] Remove me from this ship.

[Lexis and the major with her are transported away]

Kilpatrick [on main screen]:  Well, what's good enough for that she-devil sure
as hell's good enough for a simple old man like me.  I shall notify Starfleet
I am satisfied the infiltration was the result of sabotage aboard the
Enterprise.

Picard:  Thank you, Captain.

Kilpatrick:  No hard feelings?

Picard:  Had the tables been turned, my actions would have been similar.

Kilpatrick:  Good, then.  Come on home, boys.

[The Nadia marines vanish.  Riker returns.  He starts to ask a question.  Data
interrupts.]

Data:  Impulse engines coming on line, Captain.

Picard [via come]:  Mr. La Forge, what's going on?

Geordi:  Nothing unusual, Captain...

Picard:  The impulse engines are coming online.

Geordi:  Is that unusual?  We're getting standard feed from Navigation...

Picard:  You most certainly are not...

Troi:  The Voice!  He used the Voice!  You fool, you didn't kill anyone!

Picard:  Counselor!  Explain yourself at once!

Troi:  Bitches!

Picard:  Counselor!

Troi [laughter]:  Counselor!  Counselor!  How sad, a Captain without a mind.
You have your Counselor.  You have your thinking mechanical man.  What need
have you for a mind...

Picard:  Worf...

Troi [more laughter]:  Oh, don't bother, Captain.  I'll be finished soon
enough.  Your precious Wesley will see to that.  Precarious.  My existence
here has always been somewhat precarious.

Worf:  Wesley is dead...

Riker:  And it looks like we've found another demon.

Troi:  Wesley is not dead and I am not a demon.  Well, maybe I am.  Actually,
I like the sound of that.  The Demon Harkonen.  Yes.  It resonates nicely in
my mind.

[The Enterprise starts to move]

Picard:  Mr. La Forge, stop this ship!

Troi:  Yes, yes.  Stop it, Mr. La Forge.  Do make it stop.  Oh, please, Mr.
La Forge, make it stop.  How helpless you must feel, Captain.

Geordi:  Captain!  The automatic systems aren't responding.

Troi:  Helpless.  I tried to save you.  Really, I did.  Oh, I'm sure you and
I wouldn't always see eye to eye, Johnny.  But we'd understand each other.  The
Witches, though...  There's no understanding the Witches.  You have no idea
what's gotten loose in your pathetic little backwater.  In all the vastness
of the Empire, a single Gesserit Witch almost faded into the background.  But
almost is such a meaningless word.  Here...  Oh, I pity you.  The slightest
smidgen.  That's what you've seen.  The most itsy-bitsy, teensie-weensie
smidgen, of what your precious little jewel of a boy can do.  Here we go...

[The Enterprise has turned around and is moving away from the Behemoth]

Picard:  Pull the plug, Mr. La Forge...

Troi:  Oh, I like that.

[Engineering.  Geordi races through the gridwork of mecha.  T'Selar steps out
in front ofA#him.]

Geordi:  T'Selar!  What are you doing here?

T'Selar:  It is correct for the ship to pass out of the sphere.  You should not
stop it.

Geordi:  Orders are orders.  No time to chat...

[He pushes forward.  T'Selar casually reaches out and administers the
infamous nerve crunch.  Back on the bridge, Picard waits impatiently.]

Picard:  Mr. La Forge.  Mr. La Forge!

Troi:  Well, that's that.  Don't feel too bad, Captain.  I had everything I'd
worked for, everything I'd slaved for and compromised for and tortured myself
for... everything, runied by the Witches and a teenage brat.  Destroyed.  Poof!
All gone.  Everything.  And he was such a darling little boy.  Such beautiful
eyes...  Ah, such beautiful eyes.  I wonder if I'll get to see what this
darling lad has in store for you?  Him and his Witches.  [laughter]  Of course
I will!  How willy of me!  Of course I will!

[The Enterprise passes through the No Sphere.  Troi stumbles forward a bit,
then shakes her head as if in a daze.  She looks up.]

Troi:  Captain?  I feel very strange, Captain.

[Wesley and Odrade in the maintenance tube.]

Odrade:  Have you thought on the quandry?

Wesley:  I have.

Odrade:  And?

Wesley:  I have the beginning of a solution.  Taken, in part, from the
memories you have given me.

Odrade:  It involves the No Ship?

Wesley:  Provided Mother Superior does not have other plans, yes.

Odrade:  She well may.  Is it your intent to use the No Ship as a weapon?

Wesley:  And the Fremen.

Odrade:  Dear child, my memories and the facts of this universe are not one in
the same.  The Fremen...

Wesley:  The Fremen exist.  We even have one aboard.

Odrade [laugh]:  Can you here me, Jessica?  Does he not remind you of your
own son?

Wesley:  You speak to another Memory?

Odrade:  She is very deep.  The older memories sleep more soundly...

[Odrade vanishes]

Wesley:  Odrade?  Odrade?  Reverend Mother...?  Ah, the Sphere.

[Wesley drops down onto the floor, in the middle of the pool of light]

Wesley:  I'm frightened, Odrade.








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