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Don't Fear the Reaper
PG-13
Chapters One through Two
Chapter One
The Reaper
Find this song on Sheet music, CD
All our times have come
Here but now they're gone
Seasons don't fear the reaper
Nor do the wind, the sun or the rain..we can be like they are
Come on baby...don't fear the reaper
Baby take my hand...don't fear the reaper
We'll be able to fly...don't fear the reaper
Baby I'm your man...
Valentine
is done
Here but now they're gone
Romeo and Juliet
Are together in eternity...Romeo and Juliet
40,000 men and women everyday...Like Romeo and Juliet
40,000 men and women everyday...Redefine happiness
Another 40,000 coming everyday...We can be like they are
Come on baby...don't fear the reaper
Baby take my hand...don't fear the reaper
We'll be able to fly...don't fear the reaper
Baby I'm your man...
Love of two is one
Here but now they're gone
Came the last night of sadness
And it was clear she couldn't go on
Then the door was open and the wind appeared
The candles blew then disappeared
The curtains flew then he appeared...saying don't be afraid
Come on baby...and she had no fear
And she ran to him...then they started to fly
They looked backward and said goodby...she had become like they are
She had taken his hand...she had become like they are
Come on baby...don't fear the reaper
The Enterprise drops out of warp speed as it flies up to the Titan. Picard, now an admiral, stands on the Bridge. As he stands, he begins to reminisce of old times, only to be drawn out of his world by the current captain of the Enterprise.
"Admiral, we are now port side of the Titan. Would you like to address them or shall I inform them you will be beaming over momentarily?"
"No, I'll address them first." Picard answered. "Enterprise to the U.S.S. Titan. This is Admiral Jean-Luc Picard of the Federation of Planets. Permission to come aboard?"
Will's face appeared on the screen and Deanna was sitting beside him. "Hello old friend." He grinned. "You don't need permission to come aboard. You're welcome anytime."
"Oh, well then. I'll beam over momentarily."
"Will Doctor Crusher be joining you?" Deanna asked.
"Oh, yes, Counselor. Only it's Mrs. Doctor Crusher-Picard." He said with a smile.
Deanna and Will looked surprised, but very happy. "Congratulations! Why didn't you tell us sooner?"
"Well, when one elopes they don't usually tell anyone." Picard grinned.
"Eloped?" Deanna said in surprise.
"Yes, we didn't want a big deal made of our marriage nor did we want to wait any longer at our ages."
"We'll have to fix that." Deanna said with a smile.
"Don't go to any trouble. That's one reason we eloped."
"Still, some sort of celebration should be made." Deanna insisted.
Will interrupted. "We can catch up on old times, once they beam over."
"Yes. We'll be over soon. Picard out."
"Well, that was certainly a surprise." Deanna stated.
"Yes, it was." Will replied. "ETA of the Valiant and the Krosis?
"Less than one hour, Sir." Replied the helmsman.
"Very well." Will replied. "Riker to Guinan."
*Guinan here.*
"How are preparations for our reunion coming?"
*Everything is going as scheduled, Captain.*
"Thank you, Guinan. Riker out." Will turned towards Deanna. "Tell me again how we got so lucky to acquire Guinan's services in our Ten-Forward?"
"She wanted to hang out with cohorts she knew. That way, she could take lessons from the best and console when the counselor was off duty." Deanna smiled.
"Really?" Will smiled back at her.
"Well, I could tell you she requested to transfer here, because she heard there was an opening for a bartender, but that wouldn't be quite as interesting. I rather like the running joke that she heard there was an opening for a counselor on the graveyard shift."
"So do I." Will agreed.
Later that evening, Will, Deanna, Geordi, Mriana, Beverly, Jean-Luc, and Worf were all sitting around talking about old times. It was fifteen years later and things had changed a lot.
Will begins to think to himself. "Where has the time gone? We sit here talking and remembering. I look around and see all the old faces, except one. We talk about the good and the bad. All of us are married now. I to Deanna. Geordi to Mriana. Worf is again married a third time to a woman I can't pronounce her name. A Klingon woman. Finally, Jean-Luc to Beverly. Ah, I remember the day he told me to call him Jean-Luc. I had just stepped onto my new ship as captain. He said we were equals now. It took a while to get use to calling him Jean-Luc. Now, it's as friends should be. Some of us have had children, even."
Jean-Luc also looks around and thinks similar thoughts as well as the others. They all still mourned one particular friend who was absent from the little group, but none of them said his name aloud at this point.
Will continues in thought. "Through bad times and good times, we all stayed friends. Each of us taking one another's hand. Some of us never letting go of at least one of those hands. I guess it enabled us to fly and become better people."
Laughter interrupts his thoughts.
"Yes! Yes! You're right, Geordi. He did try hard to make us laugh." Beverly acknowledged the first commit about their late friend. "What was it you said you called him the first time you met him, Will?"
"Pinocchio." Will grinned. "I still can't remember that song he was whistling. What was it?"
"He whistled many." Deanna chimed into the conversation.
"Yes, he did." Beverly confirmed. "He tried so very hard to be more Human like, didn't he?"
"OH! Yes! Pop Goes the Weasel! That's it!" Will exclaimed.
"Mother." One half of a set of twins called from the doorway of a side room, with a small Klingon like voice.
Deanna and Worf turned to see them. Mriana finally turned when sensed something was happening behind her.
"Yes, children." Deanna addressed them all.
"Why is it, Lydia is the only one who can sleep with all this noise?" Worf's child growled.
"Son, come here!" Worf ordered as Mriana and Deanna took care of the other three. "Lydia is Mriana's daughter. She is deaf."
"But Laura is her twin sister and she's not deaf."
"No, she's blind."
"Humans!"
"Why do you say that?"
"They keep their deformed."
"I have known their father for a very long time and he has performed his duties well even as a blind man. He is now captain himself." Worf informed his son.
"Why are Lydia and Laura the way they are, Father?"
"You'll have to ask Mriana, Geordi, or Doctor Crusher sometime."
"May I ask now?"
"No." Worf firmly said. "Now it is time to go back to sleep and be nice to the Human children. I swear, sometimes your mother teaches you things I wish she wouldn't."
"You hate Mother!"
"No, son. I love your mother, just not what she says about Humans."
"Mother says these Humans have weakened you."
"That is not true. If anything, they have made me stronger."
The boy thought for a moment, then moved onto another subject. "Will I get to see Alexander while we're here for this, what is it called?"
"A reunion. Possibly. If he decides to come. Now. Off to bed with you."
"OK. But why can't I stay up and taste some Klingon blood wine?"
"You're too young. Now, go to bed." Worf boomed sternly.
The children went off to the other room as Deanna and Mriana returned. "Still haven't changed, Worf." Mriana taunted. "I could feel your voice clear into the other room."
"Feel?"
"Yes. You bellowed as always and I felt it go through my body."
"I do not bellow!"
"She's right, Worf." Deanna agreed.
"You're body? You felt it go through your body?" Worf asked with confussion.
"Your voice does have a tendency to boom through a cabin." Deanna informed.
"Really?" Worf replied insulted.
"Even through Sickbay." Beverly included. "I remember one time. No, you had the flu then. Your sneeze was heard around the ship."
Everyone, but Worf, started laughing.
"I remember that!" Geordi exclaimed. "I was sitting beside him at the conn. More than half the ship knew he was sick."
"This is appauling!" Worf exclaimed and started to leave.
"Where are you going, Mr. Worf?" Jean-Luc inquired.
"To see someone who listens, instead of making noise." Worf said as he left.
"Too bad." Jean-Luc stated. "He'll miss all the fun. Anyone for more Chateau Picard 2269?"
*All our times have come
Here but now they're gone*
They all agreed to another round of drinks and as Picard poured he continued talking. "You know, I sometimes feel that my time has past."
"Why do you say that, Sir." Geordi asked.
"They put in this damn desk job, when I'd rather be out here. Traveling the stars." Picard informed. Everyone looked at him inquisitively. "Oh, don't get me wrong. This job has it's perks, but out here is where the excitement is."
"Yes, but Jean-Luc, you're no spring chicken anymore."
"Speak for yourself, Beverly." He said as he shot her a dirty look. He then sighs. "But I guess it's time I let her go and let someone else take care of her."
"Me or the ship?" Beverly asked indignantly.
"The Enterprise of course!" Picard exclaimed.
"I thought you did that when I became captain?" Will asked.
"Oh, no Will. You took over the Titan. I had to give her up to someone other than you."
"True."
"But I guess the time has come that I let the past go. I've served my time."
There was a pregnant pause in the group, as though they were mourning old memories of times gone past. After a moment, Picard perked up and changed the subject. He waved at Mriana to get her attention. When she looked at him, he continued. "So, how is Linda doing?"
She looked at Geordi for assistance and he signed what Picard asked. Then in a controlled nasalled voice she replied, "Almost the same. She's not having tantrums like she use to, but she still has to stay at the Betazed Institution."
"I'm sorry to hear that."
Mriana and Geordi appeared melancholy at the thought of their other daughter. Picard looked at them in sympathy. It was as though his granddaughter was suffering with some malady and there was not a thing he could do to help. He finally changed the subject.
"Well, how's life as a captain on the Titan, Will?"
"It has it's ups and downs. Run ins with the Cardassians. You name it."
"You must be proud." Beverly stated.
"I'm very happy." Will said as he smiled at Deanna and patted her on the leg.
"As well you should be." Picard stated. "They say you are the best damn captain in Starfleet."
"I wouldn't say that." Will replied. "No one can compare to you, Sir."
*Bridge to Riker.*
Suddenly, Picard had an uncomfortable look on his face. He stood and walked away from the group.
"Riker here."
Out of concern, Deanna began to approach him.
*Sir, it looks like we've got trouble.*
"Admiral?" Deanna asked out of concern. "Are you alright?"
"Explain." Will replied to the officer.
Jean-Luc had a look of pain, remorse, and regret on his face. "After all these years, I can still hear them. Whispering their thoughts in my mind."
*We have two enemy ships appoarching our starboard bow.*
"Who?" Deanna asked with even more concern as she sensed the chaos that was in Picard's mind and the Bridge crew.
As if one, Picard and the Bridge officer answered as one, "The Borg."
"The other?" Will asked.
*Unidentified, but its well armed and over powering the Borg!*
Picard started shaking and looked as though he was scared. "Terror!"
"I'm on my way. Riker out." Riker started to head for the door. "Deanna, you take care of things here."
Picard tried pulled himself together. "The Borg are scared."
"Scared?" Beverly asked her husband.
"Yes." Picard replied.
This time he was more in control of his emotions. "Of that other ship."
"I suggest we all go to the Bridge and help Captain Riker out." Geordi said. "He may need more experience hands on deck to deal with this, this. Whatever it is."
Chapter Two
Geordi walked down the corridor with the three women and Picard. Not an easy task since Picard was hearing every thought the Borg had and was feeling their fear of doom and dispair.
"What could bring the Borg to so much fear?" Geordi asked puzzled by the situation.
Mriana and Deanna suddenly held their ears as the Titan rocked from being attacked also. It was of little use. Not because they were being rocked about, but because of what they heard themselves. Voices no one else could hear.
"They can." Deanna replied.
"Who?" Geordi asked not knowing what Deanna meant.
"They are saying, 'Our galaxy is impure, our proximity is a threat to them and we will be purged.' " Mriana added to what Deanna was trying to say.
"Who?" This time it was Beverly who was just as confused.
In an ominous, but somewhat frightened Borg tone, Picard replied, "Species 8472."
Geordi was completely confused. "I'm not sure what he is talking about, but I do remember something about species classified by numbers after Voyager returned."
"I think I know." They turned towards the low growling voice.
"Worf?"
"We must get to the Bridge now." Worf informed. "We can access the files there."
They were shook again by another shockwave of attacks to the Titan. They all fell to the floor.
When they recovered enough to stand up, Picard was once again overcome with the fear from the Borg and he fought to gain control.
"Hate. So much hate." Mriana stated.
"I feel it too, Mriana." Deanna sent.
The two Betazoid women tried to ignore the telepathic messages that they were hearing repeatedly in their minds, so they could follow the rest of the crew to the Bridge. Picard also tried to ignore the fears of the Borg as they fought for their lives.
This time, it was clear to at least Picard, the Borg did not want to assimilate anyone. They just wanted to escape with their lives. Nothing more, but to survive another day.
No one knew that Borg could fear anyone, but this group of aliens they did fear with their lives. Picard heard the death screams of one Borg collective as their cube exploded near the Titan, leaving Borg escape pods in its wake. He almost collapsed from the painful loss of Borg lives as he was still somehow connect to their thoughts.
Meanwhile, Deanna and Mriana were dealing with their own demons as they approach the Bridge. The voices they heard in their minds were becoming more and more disturbing and seemingly closer in vacinity.
Deanna turned suddenly. She thought she felt someone's presence behind her, but saw no one. What she felt seemed like an ascentient being, but to her dismay there was nothing behind her.
"I sense it too." Mriana sent to her. "I'm not sure, but there seems to be a presence that is here, but yet not here. Like a shadow of a being."
"I'm asking, so the answer could possibly be no, but am I loosing my mind?" Deanna sent back to Mriana.
They all enter the Bridge and with Will's nod of his head they all took former places. Picard took his place beside Will, but was not about to take over like old times. He just stood in awe beside Will watching the ship that had over powered a Borg Cube.
Suddenly, Mriana and Deanna screamed. Everyone turned, but did not see what the two women were so fearful of.
Mriana began signing frantically as Deanna spoke. "It was here."
"What was?" Will asked very concerned at what was wrong with his wife. Geordi was trying to get Mriana to sign slower but to no avail.
"No one else saw it?" Deanna asked.
"Saw what?" Will asked getting a little frustrated at the lack of information.
"I don't know. It had three legs, a body and head that was almost like an insect's."
Mriana stopped signing to let Deanna tell everyone what the two of them had seen.
"Have we gotten any information on that ship and who owns it?" Will asked.
"Yes Sir." Geordi replied. "It seems that Voyager encounter what the Borg calls Species 8472. They can easily over power the Borg and the Borg can't seem to adapt to their technology. There's very little else here by way of information on them."
"That's it?" Will asked with surprise.
"Well, there's some medical and biological information here, but that's not much either." Geordi informed.
"May I?" Beverly asked Geordi just as she finished scanning Deanna and Mriana.
"Yes, Doctor." Geordi said and allowed her to view what was retrieved. Beverly read over the information and after a brief moment Picard asked, "Does any of the information look helpful?"
Beverly shook her head. "There's not a whole lot of information here."
"Any stratagies to combat them in case they come back?" Will asked.
"They're still here." Deanna informed. "They haven't left."
"Nanoprobes." Geordi replied.
"Contact Starfleet, tell them what's going on out here and that we need back up, keep looking for anything you can find, then report back to me." Will ordered. "I also want a repair team working on all damaged sections. Beverly, if you don't mind, can you help out in Sickbay? Hopefully, we can make repairs and find a way to at least defend ourselves against them before they attack again."
Beverly and Geordi nodded.
"Deanna, will you and Mriana be alright or do either of you need to go to Sickbay?" Will asked.
Deanna looked at Mriana. This was something Will had gotten use to from the illness that caused Mriana's deafness on the Enterprise. They were communicating telepathically. Mriana had gotten better at reading lips since she became deaf, but she still needed the aid of an interpreter of some sort.
After a very brief moment Deanna replied, "We're fine, but Mriana is not sure how she can help you."
Will looked directly at her. "You've worked on the Bridge before."
"Yes, but I mainly counsel people on the Valiant." She said aloud. "I rarely have Bridge duty anymore."
"You can do research at that station over there." Will pointed to an empty computer. "I want any information you can give me even if it is only what you can sense of them. Deanna, you can help her."
Suddenly, another bombardment of weapons hit the Titan. "Status!" Will yelled.
"Alien ship off our port bow." Worf reported. "Deck eleven, section eight has been damaged. Casuality reports coming in, Sir."
There was a brief pause and Worf again spoke. "Sir, there's been a breech on Deck eight."
"There's more!" Deanna said with alarm. "More of them are on the ship."
"Deanna, are you certain that one you two saw was one of them." Will asked.
She nodded. "It had to have been. We can still hear them even."
"Worf, take a security team down there and check it out."
"Aye, Sir." Worf exited the Bridge and gathered his away team.
*The weak will perish.*
"No!"Mriana thought back at whoever was talking to her.
*Your galaxy is impure.*
"I am not impure." Now it was Deanna's turn to fight off the thoughts of the unknown beings. "I am part Betazoid and part human, but I am not impure. I won't let what they are saying get to me."
"I hear them too, Deanna." Mriana sent to her. "If we work together, maybe we can shut them out of our minds."
*Its proximity is a threat to our genetic integrity. Your galaxy will be purged."*
"We are no threat to you!" Deanna had heard the words over and over again and she was about to cry. The words reminded her of something in her childhood. That something was her heritage as a Betazoid-Human. She knew she was just as good as everyone else even though her genes were of mixed raced. Even so, she could not refrain from speaking aloud.
"Deanna, are you alright?" Will asked.
"Maybe we should take a break and collect our thoughts." Deanna replied.
"Why don't you two check in with Doctor Crusher-Picard again and make sure you two are alright to be on duty." Will suggested.
"We'll be fine." Mriana said aloud.
"Don't make me make it an order." Will stated. "Now, you may be a relative Mriana and Deanna my wife, but I can still order you two to Sickbay if I have to."
"Will, we're fine." Deanna reassured him.
"Deanna!"
"OK." Deanna replied not to happy about Will demanding she go to Sickbay when she was fine other than hearing telepathic messages. "We'll go to Sickbay, but I'm telling you Will, we are fine."
"Deanna." Will said in a softer tone. "I just want to be sure you are alright. If Beverly says you two are fit for duty then I'll let you go back to duty, but for now, I need to be sure you are alright and Geordi would want the same for Mriana."
"I understand, but I think your concerns are unwarrented." Deanna informed him. "It's nothing more then hearing people on Betazed talk to us."
"You two don't act like it." Will stated.
"It's what they keep saying that is disturbing and I told you that already."
"I know you did, but I want to be sure everything is alright."
Deanna nodded and followed Mriana off the Bridge.
"Will, I know it's very difficult to deal with situations when family is on board." Picard told him.
"It can be." Will replied as he sat in his command chair.
"I think you did the best you could in this situation."
Will took what Picard said as a compliment, but before he could say thank you another volley of weapon fire came from an unknown cloacked ship. The Titan shook frantically again and people were tossed like ragdolls.
"REPORT!" Will yelled trying to crawl back up into his chair.
"Weapons fire from an unknown source." A lieutenant reported.
"Species 8472?" Picard asked.
"Unknown." The lieutenant replied.
Meanwhile, Worf and another security officer were fighting a three legged creature. The one thing Worf noted was its strength. It appeared to be stronger than what he remembered Data being and Data was the only person who could out man Worf on the Enterprise.
Suddenly, the creature grabbed a security officer and ripped the his head off as if he were nothing more than a toy. The move seemed effortless.
Worf was in shocked by the shear strength of the creature as he moved backed to get a good shot at the creature. He had his phasor set to kill this time. He was not going to take any chances that the phasor would be ineffective again.
Worf fired. This time it was very effective. The three legged creature let out a shrill scream and fell to the deck of the ship. Worf's back was against the wall. He was still in shock concerning the creatures strength. He slid down the wall to a seated position, not taking his eyes off the smoking creature.
He was amazed the creature was not completely descentigrated from the phasor blast. Instead, there was still something left for Beverly to do an autopsy.
Worf was not sure if he was glad there was still remains of the creature or not, but he alerted Sickbay of the body. They were on their way to gather the dead body.
When a crew from Sickbay arrived, Beverly was with them.
Worf looked terrible to her, so she scanned him. "Worf, you seem to be in shock."
"I am fine, Doctor."
"Not by my readings. I want you to come with us to Sickbay, so I can keep an eye on you for a while."
"I am fine."
"Worf, doctor's orders. You come to Sickbay for a few hours and we'll go from there."
Worf frowned as he slowly rose from his seated position. He was not at all happy about going to Sickbay, but he was not about to admit to not feeling so well either.
Deanna and Mriana were making their way to Sickbay. The creatures were still talking to them telepathically.
"They're here, Deanna. They are definitely here in this corridor." Mriana sent to Deanna.
Deanna turned around and there before her was a three legged creature. Mriana sensed her cousin's terror and turned only to scream in fright from what she saw.
The creature had grabbed Deanna and picked her off the ground. She was not sure if Deanna was in a trance or if Deanna was in shock, but Deanna was not moving. Mriana could not sense anything from her either, but Mriana could still sense the creature's thoughts.
*The weak shall perish! You are impure! You are a threat to us and you shall be purged!"*
Mriana shrieked in an uncontrolled voice. "We are no threat to you! Please put her down! Let her go!"
The shrieking got the creatures attention and he tossed Deanna aside and charged towards Mriana. Mriana tried to dodge the creature, but it was no use. He had her in his grasp and disappeared with her.
Deanna laid in a crumpled heap unconscious.