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Rip In Time
Chapters Ten through Twelve
Chapter Ten
Deanna tried to go about her duties, but it was hard not to think about her home. It was about to be destroyed by a vicious weapon and there was no way to tell how long they had until the Planet Killer reached Betazed.
Her orders were to keep all the visiting Betazoids on board calm, but she did not know how to do that when she, herself was worried and afraid. The others would sense her thoughts and feelings. Then they would know everything was not alright. They would know almost instantly everything she knew, especially her mother.
She approached her mother, bother, and cousin's quarters and stood at the door briefly. She was trying to put her mental blocks up so her family could not read what was on her mind. It was so hard to put the blocks up with how she was feeling, but she knew she had to put them in place.
Suddenly, the door to the quarters opened. "Little One, don't just stand there. Come on in."
"I suppose you know we have a problem." Deanna asked as she entered.
"I sense there is a montrosity heading to our planet! It's horrible!" Lwaxana cried.
"Really, Mother. It's going to be fine. We are doing everything we can to stop this thing."
"Don't lie to me! You know it's not going to be fine. So far there's nothing to stop it!"
"We are trying though."
"Now that's the first thing you've said that's accurate."
"Aunt Lwaxana, I'm tired of this place and I want to go home."
"We can't dear. It's about to be destroyed."
"No, I mean to where we belong."
"We're working on that, Breana." Deanna said sympathetically. "We will get back to our time. I just don't know when."
"Mother." Came Baron's little voice. "I'm scared."
Deanna heared her little brother's fearful voice and it tore her up inside. Her walls came tumbling down as her heart ripped in two. She tried hard to hold back the tears, but she just could not hold them back.
Deanna turned to leave the visitor's quarters.
"Deanna!" Lwaxana said and Deanna paused, but did not face her. "It's true? Isn't it? Betazed really is going to be non-existant."
Deanna still did not turn back around. She just rushed out and ran to her own quarters. She could not take this uncertainty about what was going to happen next. The fear grew with in her and she fell to her knees inside her quarters and cried.
The pictures of the planet killer were all to graphic and left horror within her. The knowledge that her planet was going to be nothing but dust soon, terrorified her. She could only hope her fellow crew members came up with something to save her beloved planet.
She sensed the feelings of every Betazoid on board. The word had past among them quickly thanks to Lwaxana and those feelings hit Deanna hard. She was not only dealing with her own feelings now, but those of the other Betazoids as well.
Will was with Worf, trying to figure out other tactical manuvers in case their nanite theory did not work when he felt sudden fear and dispair. He realized it was not his feelings, but rather that of his Imzadi's. He wanted to take a break and go to her, but he did not see how he could at the moment.
He would be off in an hour and decided he would see her then. He returned his attention to what Worf was saying.
"Unfortunately, I do not see how our phasers and torpedos can work against this cloud like weapon."
"I hate to say it, Worf, but I agree with you."
"At this point, another rift would be nice and move us all back to where we were."
"You're right, but that doesn't look like it's going to happen either. Unless." Will tapped his communicator. "Riker to LaForge."
*LaForge here.*
"Geordi, have you come up with any more possiblities for getting that rift to open up again?"
*Not at the moment, Sir. We're just trying to figure out how our nanites can fight this thing.*
"Is it possible to figure out how to open the rift we came through, if it's still there, as a way to escape. That way, regardless if our nanites succeed or not, we can get out of here."
*Interesting idea.* Geordi replied. *It is possible to cause it to reopen if I were to modify the warp drive slightly. The problem is, it could be highly dangerous to the ship, us, and Betazed. Can't guarantee we'll survive it.*
Riker pondered the idea for a few moments. He knew the consequences of what Geordi was suggesting, but they had to try and get home some way. The odds of dealing with the rift seemed better than that of the Planet Killer.
"It's worth a try. The captain is in his Ready Room, I'll contact him." Will tapped his combadge again before Geordi could reply. "Riker to Picard."
*Picard here.*
"We came up with an idea, but it's very dangerous."
*At this point, Number One, I'm open to suggestions.*
"Geordi is still working on the nanites, but we also thought we could modify the warp drive enough that it would cause the rift to reopen. Thus, we could escape with Betazed in tow, while our nanites distract them at least."
*Are you suggesting we take a chance of not making it back home alive?*
"At this point, Sir, we could return with sixty billion less people if we don't."
Picard did not like the odds of what Will was suggesting. If they did not make it back through, they would all be dead. However, if they did not try, there could be no more Betazed. The odds of recreating the rift were better than facing the Planet Killer. He knew that much.
Picard sighed. *Do it.*
"Aye, Sir. Riker to LaForge."
*LaForge here.*
"Modify the warp drive to cause the rift to reopen when we're ready to let loose the nanites."
*I can create the exact conditions we had before we were sucked in, but I can't guarantee our survival.*
"Understood." Riker said with frustration at Geordi's reluctance. "Do it."
*Aye, Sir.*
"Riker out."
"Well, this maybe a good day to die, after all." Worf said in his deep booming voice.
"Let's hope we don't, Mr. Worf." Will replied. "I have another situation to take care of, is there anything else we need to go over before I leave?"
Worf thought for a moment. "No, Sir. I have no other ideas at the moment. It seems causing the rift to reopen is our only option at this point."
Will nodded his head. He did not like the odds, but he could not think of any other options at this point, either. It was a risk they would have to take.
"Then I guess I'll see you at 0800, if not before."
"Aye, Sir."
Will left Worf to finish at tactical. He could feel Deanna was very upset and he had to go to her. He just did not have any idea how to relieve her fears, for he was also concerned about Betazed and their situation as well.
He arrived at Deanna's door and used his pass code to enter. She was now sitting on the couch staring out into space with a hopeless look on her face.
"Deanna?"
Deanna continue staring straight ahead as she spoke to him. "Will, how can I help my family stay calm when I know our home will be completely and irrevocably destroyed!"
He walked over to where she was sitting. As he sat down he put an arm around her and pulled her close to him. Deanna put her arms around him and buried her face into his chest. Her tears flowed, again, freely.
"I'm so scared, Will! Everyone I know is going to be unmercifully killed and for what reason! We did nothing to them!"
"I know." He said softly and kissed her forehead. "I have some news that may give you some hope though."
"Yes." She sobbed.
"We think we've come up with a way to get back through the rift and back home, while the nanites at least distract the Planet Killer."
Deanna's tears stopped briefly and hopefulness started to return to her features. "Really?"
"It'll be risky, but it's better than losing Betazed. Our chances with the rift again are better than dealing with that formidable weapon of destruction."
Deanna pulled away from him. "You mean we could still loose Betazed?"
Will nodded. "And the ship too, but as I said, the odds are better than dealing with that weapon."
Deanna sighed. "Well, at least there's hope. A small hope, but at least it's hope."
"True." Will affirmed. "You think you can go back to your family and let them know we have a plan that may work?"
Deanna nodded. "I may not be able to use the skills of bluffing you taught me with my mother, but she will sense the hope I have and that may help. Then, if I know her, she'll tell the others aboard and maybe the feelings of dread and hopelessness will turn into hope. I feel their feelings and it's hard to deal with."
"I know." Will sympathized. "I'll go with you, if you like."
Deanna smiled. "I'd like that."
They rose and went to visit Deanna's family again. Once there, Lwaxana greeted them at the door.
"Oh, Will! I sense you have a plan that may work?" Her telepathy ceased to amaze Will. "Oh, when are you going to stop being surprised at my abilities. I can read you like a book."
"Mother." Deanna tried to draw her attention away from Will. "We do have a plan, but it's risky. However, the odds are more favourable than with the Planet Killer."
"We're going back through that awful rift!"
Deanna wished her mother would stop reading their minds before they had a chance to say what was on their minds. It was getting terribly annoying.
"Yes."
"There's no other way?"
Deanna shook her head. "Not that we can find."
"Well, I guess if you're stuck somewhere, the only way out is the way you came." Lwaxana stated in her arrogant way.
"Well, we'll be on our way to tell the others." Will said.
"Oh, don't bother." Lwaxana said waving her hand. "They already know and they're happy to not have to worry about that gods awful weapon of annialation."
Will did not know whether to laugh or be shocked about how quickly news travelled among Betazoids. He had known Betazoids for years and was still amazed of their great communication skills.
"Will, why don't we go get something to eat, since our job is done here." Deanna sent to him.
"Oh, Little One, I can hear you talking to him. I don't know why you try and have a private conversation with him."
"Mother!" Deanna glared at her.
"Go on. You two need some time to yourselves. You've been busy all day and need to take some time off. After all, you are suppose to be off duty now, aren't you?"
"Yes." Will said with a smile. "But when we have to deal with that Planet Killer all Senior staff is to report to the Bridge. So, it's only temparary."
"Well, then go now, while you still can." Lwaxana encouraged. Then thought, "and still in one piece."
Will chuckled. "Yes, ma'am." Then he took Deanna's hand and escorted her to Ten-Forward.
Chapter Eleven
Jean-Luc was on the Bridge talking to John Sheridan, by way of the view screen, about the plan the Enterprise crew had come up with. Sheridan was intrigued and surprised.
"You have nano-technology on your ship?"
"Well, yes." Picard re-affirmed, but did not want to get into details on how and why they had such technology. He was still concerned with the Prime Directive.
"How did you acquire such technology?"
"I really can't say. It's one of those things that you have to trust me on. That we do have such technology, but I can't go into details on how we got it in our time."
"I understand." Sheridan acknowledge. "You do realize your plan is very risky. Not only could the Planet Killer disable all your major systems, but the rift itself could be of great danger to you."
"We are very well aware of that." Picard stated. "Let's just hope they don't shut us down right before we enter the rift."
Sheridan nodded. "That would definitely be a problem. No guidance system, no warp drive or anything. You'd be flying completely blinded with no engines."
"Yes. The list goes on I'm sure."
"Worse case senerio, would be to come out on the other side with an enemy from your time waiting for you and you have no weapons or engines." Sheridan continued.
Picard was begining to think Sheridan had a flare for coming up with all the worse possibilities. Then he reminded himself, that is what makes a good captain, also. Thinking of all the possibilities.
"However, you are right." Sheridan finally agreed. "You stand better chance with that rift, than your planet has with the Shadow's weapon. If nothing goes wrong, other than the enviromental stress from the rift, your ship and your planet have a much better chance of survival."
Picard was glad Sheridan was stating the upside to this situation. "So, we have your support and understanding that our nanites, against the Shadows nano-technology, could start the first nanite war in history or in this case your history."
"Yes and I agree that it is the best option."
Picard was wondering just how many rules of the Prime Directive this could be breaking, but he had one thing on his side. The fact that a Federation Planet had to be save from distruction by another group of people not part of the Federation. Not even of the planet's own time.
Betazed was one of the most influentual planets in the Federation. He could not let it go without a fight and fight he was determine to do. They did not let it go before now and he had no intentions of being the captain that let it go now.
"I'm glad to have your support, Captain Sheridan."
"My pleasure. I'll send the White Star out to assist you in any means necessary."
"I appreciate that, but you don't need to put yourselves in danger for us."
"No, we owe you one." Sheridan reminded. "You helped us once, now it's our turn. Plus, the Membari insist on returning favours, so you can't talk anyone out of sending the White Star to assist you."
"I'm not sure what we did for them."
"You got their ambassador back alive. That is a big thing for them."
"Yes." Picard agreed. "We will be grateful for the assistance."
"You're very welcome." Sheridan smiled.
"Picard out." The view screen returned to a view of space and the Babylon Station. "Mr. Data, you have the Bridge. I'm going to see how preparations are going in Sickbay."
"Aye, Sir." Data rose from his seat to take the command chair as Picard departed.
Jean-Luc always hoped when he checked on Beverly the crew bought his story. In reality, he was worried about Beverly and sometimes, he thought his crew knew the truth of the matter. Things like this never set too well with her. She was alway worried about others and this time was no different.
He finally arrived at Sickbay and saw the staff there hurriedly getting things together to be ready for anything that came along in the rift. He looked for Beverly as people passed in front of him. He finally spotted her and aheaded towards her.
Beverly was also rushing, but was upset about the whole thing. "Jean-Luc, isn't there another way? So, many people could be hurt."
"Beverly." She continued her task at hand, walking past him with a tricorder that needed be recharged. He reached out and grabbed her arm this time. "Beverly."
She turned to face him in his grasp. He looked into her sky blue eyes and admired her beauty for a brief moment. Then he began speaking.
"If there were another way, that we could think of, we'd do it." Jean-Luc told her, sounding more forceful than he really meant to be. "We've been through this many times now. Our chances with dealing with that rift is far better than Betazed dealing with that weapon of mass distruction."
Beverly looked like she was about to break down and cry. Jean-Luc rarely seen her so vulnerable and now was one of those moments. He wanted to pull her close, hug her, and take away all the stress that was simmering deep inside her. She knew the casualties they could have from this adventure, but she also knew there was not many options either. Even so, he could see worry and fear pooling in her radiant eyes that now looked like the sky had clouded over with a dark cloud.
Beverly made the decision for him and hugged him tightly. Burying her face into his chest and crying. "I hate to admit this, but I am really scared we won't make it, Jean-Luc."
He slowly raised his hand and placed it on her back to comfort her. "It will be OK, Beverly. I promise you."
She looked up at him. The tears in her eyes turning to fire. "You can't make that promise Jean-Luc! You don't know for sure that it will be alright! You know the dangers of a ship going into a rift, especially one caused by the warp drive being off just a hair! You can't say we will survive!"
"Beverly, I don't understand. You're a Starfleet Medical Officer. You knew the risks when you joined."
She pulled away from him and threw down the tricorder she had been holding all this time in a fit of anger. "Oo! Jean-Luc! You just don't get it, do you?"
"Get what?"
"Have you had your eyes closed ever since we became unattached years back? Have you really been blind all this time!"
"Beverly, what are you talking about?"
"You, Jean-Luc! I love you and you could be the very person whose life I'm trying to save! I don't want that to be!"
"What did you say?" Jean-Luc said in shock.
"I don't want you to be one of the people I'm trying to save."
"No, no. Before that."
She realized what she had said and this time she did not care she let it slip out in front of her staff. None of them seemed to have heard or if they did, they were continuing to prepare for the casualties they would have when they went through the rift. Trying their best to ignore her little outburst.
"I love you, Jean-Luc." She said softly, with more compassion and love than she did before.
"That's what I thought you said." Jean-Luc pulled her into her office. "Beverly, I care very deeply about you too. No, that's wrong. I do love you too, but we have a whole Federation planet to think about, also. We can't stand by and let it be destroyed because we are afraid we could loose our loved ones."
Beverly's tears flowed down her face again and she touched the side of his face with the palm of her hand. "I just hope I don't loose you in the process. I don't know if I could go on with life if I lost you."
She started to turn to leave and was wiping the tears away. Jean-Luc stopped her by grabbing her hand this time. She turned back around to face him. "Beverly, in case you haven't thought about it, I could loose you too. It's not something I choose to think about. I would rather think about all of us making it through that rift alive and I still have you to have breakfast with the next morning."
She wrapped her arms around him, her face felling onto his chest again and sobbed. "Oh, Jean-Luc, I'm so scared. I envy how you can try to think about all of us making it through the rift, but I can't. I have to be here in Sickbay and be prepared for anything that happens. All you have to do is concentrate on getting the ship and planet through in one piece. I have to be ready for wounded and prepare death certificates for the dead. You don't see the side that I do or at least not as often as I do. I know what could happen and I can't just look at the positives and forget the negatives."
"Beverly." He put both arms around her this time. "I'm sorry. I wasn't thinking about your view of things. What you have to deal with. Beverly, I promise you, I and everyone on that Bridge will get us through as safely as possible, but I can't guarantee you that we won't have any casualities or loss of life."
"I know." She sobbed.
"I can say this though. I will not die without a fight. You will not loose me that easily. Not if I can help it. I've been through fights that I've lost my heart and lived. I'm a fighter and you know this."
She pulled back a little and smiled as she looked at him. "Yes you are, Jean-Luc. Yes, you are."
"So, are we OK now?"
"No, but I will be. As soon as we are through that thing, alive and in one piece."
Picard nodded. "I'll do the best I can to get us through safely. Now, we need to get back to work."
Beverly nodded her agreement and released him from her embrace. Then they walked out of her office.
"Well, Doctor." Picard began. "Glad to see you have everything well under control here."
"Yes." Beverly agreed, looking directly at him. "Let's hope all goes well."
"Agreed." He stared into her eyes loving one last time, then cleared his throat. "Well, I guess I need to get back to the bridge. I'll see you at breakfast."
He wanted to kiss her so badly, but he avoided the temptation and turned to leave instead.
Beverly knew he wanted to kiss her and she would not have minded a bit, but he was so concerned about protocal. She let him go without another word though and returned to her duties.
Chapter Twelve
"Take us out, Mr. Data, one quarter impulse." The captain ordered.
"Aye, Sir."
The Enterprise was finally ready to fight the weapon of mass distruction. The repairs to the ship were as complete as they could make them under the circumstances and luckily Geordi LaForge manage to find some dilithium for the warp engines, thanks to Marcus's vast resources.
"We are clear of the Babylon Five station, Sir." Data informed a few minutes later.
"Thank you, Mr. Data." Picard said. "How are our friends coming along?"
"They are behind us, Sir, and appear to be ready for almost anything."
"Good. Take us to warp three."
They travel back towards Betazed, but it was not very long before they ran into the Planet Killer. It was now six planets away from the Federation planet. A situation Picard abhorred.
Picard tapped his combadge. "Mr. LaForge, are the nanites ready to be released?"
*Yes, Sir.* Came Geordi's voice. Then with some doubt in his voice, *I sure do hope this works, Sir.*
"You have doubts that it might not, Mr. LaForge?"
*I'm not too sure about a theory we can't test before we use it.*
"I understand. That's why we are also going to get out of this time, if we can."
*I'm curtainly glad of that, Sir." Geordi replied. "Cross your fingers that the nanites work."
Picard was not into superstitions, but he agreed they needed all the help they could get. "Agreed, stand by for my orders."
*Aye, Sir.*
The Planet Killer started it's attack on the planet they were observing. As they were told it first struck with it's smoothering cloud, which according to sensors, devoured everything on the planet surface. Then came the horrindous missles by the thousands. Plummeting on to the planet's surface. Within minutes it exploded into dust.
Picard spoke again. "Mr. LaForge, release the nanites."
"Aye, Sir." With in seconds the nanites were beamed off the ship and out into space exactly where they wanted them to be. Right beside the monsterous weapon.
The crew watched the view screen for what seemed like an eternity. There was no movement between the Planet Killer and the nanites. Then, suddenly the nanites that were released moved rapidly into the Planet Killer cloud.
"Data, what are sensors telling us about our nanites?" Will asked.
"The sensors are not picking up anything from the Planet Killer."
Will let out an audible sigh of disappointment as the Captain turned towards Deanna.
"Counselor?"
Deanna shook her head. "There's nothing to sense."
Now Picard sighed loudly and pulled down his shirt. He wondered if they should sit and wait or try to pass and get to Betazed.
Suddenly, the Planet Killer shook violently. The crew could not see what was going on inside the cloud. Picard decided not to stick around to find out what would happen next. "Data, take us out of here, Warp eight."
"Aye, Sir."
*Sheridan to Picard.*
"Picard here."
*We're watching your back and wish you luck on getting back home safely.*
"Thank you, Captain and good luck to you."
*Thank you, friends.*
Picard was glad to hear they were consider friends. He wished they could stay and get to know their new friends better, but they had to get back to their time.
Suddenly, the Planet Killer started to follow the Enterprise and the White Star attacked the cloud, diverting it's attention to them. The cloud shook violently again and Data began to process the action of the cloud.
The cloud started to descend on the White Star, but then it shook backwards away from the White Star.
"Sir." Data said turning in his chair towards the command area. "Given the Planet Killer's current behaviour, I am guessing our plan is working. Though not as fast as we had hoped."
Picard watched the view screen with fascination as the cloud shook harder. "Yes, Mr. Data. I do believe you're right."
The attack on the White Star was being adverted as the cloud appeared to be having a battle within itself. It shook more and more violently. It's cloud like colouring seemed to be fading into a fog like colour and then back to it's regular colour. This went on until the cloud shrank from view completely.
"Approaching Betazed." Data announced.
"Mr. LaForge, compensate the warp drive."
*Compensating, Sir.*
They were now close to Betazed's orbit. "Mr. Data, take us in orbit around Betazed, but don't slow down the engines."
Picard knew this was dangerous, but he had to get the rift to open and take Betazed with them, somehow. As was predicted, the imbalance in the warp drive was enough to disturb the temporal field around them and Betazoid.
Suddenly, just as they had came, they were being sucked into the rift. Only this time they did not fight it.
The ship shook more and more violently the closer they got to the rift's grasp. "Betazed is being pulled into the rift also." Data announced.
"Thank you, Data." Picard said.
Finally, the planet and the ship now drawfed by the size of the rift, were sucked inside of the rift. It tossed the planet and the ship around inside of it.
"Data! Cut the warp engines now!" Riker shouted as the red alert sounded and the ship shook violently. Tossing people from their posts.
Just then, Worf was tossed over his console and the railing in front of him, barely missing Riker this time. He landed with a hard thud, but his strong Klingon body was still ready to fight as he did his best to find something to grab on to tightly.
Data complied to Riker's order without an answer, just as Deanna was thrown out of her chair and slammed against a bulkhead with a loud thump. Her body slouched to the floor limply and laid unconscious.
"Deanna!" Will cried as he was tossed about while he tried to crawl towards her. Deanna's body kept sliding about unrestrained. Riker tried to grab onto her as she slid past him, but the ship tumbled and he lost sight of her.
Data was violently thrown over his console and landed with a thud against the view screen. His systems were now shut down completely and he laid their completely lifeless.
The ship continue to rock and tumble violently. It's trajectory completely off course and no one, who was conscious, had a clue which direction they were going. They only hoped it was where they wanted to be.
As the ship furiously rolled over, Picard went slamming harshly onto the end of the ramp railing. He laid face down on the railing, not moving, as though the life had been knocked out of him.
Riker did his best to hold onto anything he could. He was tossed and thrown in every direction as he despartly tried to cling to the key panel of what was once Deanna's chair.
Meanwhile, in the visitors' quarters, the three Betazoids, clung to anything they could for dear life. Suddenly, Lwaxana felt her daughter's sudden pain and then silent mind on the Bridge. Panic stricken she screamed loudly and cried with fear of the worst possible thing, forgetting the pain she was feeling from being tossed about in her quarters.
Breana also sensed her cousin's state of being and cried as she was tossed about, while gripping onto a bolted down peice of furniture.
Suddenly, Barin lost his grip on the couch beside Breana and his mother. Breana tried to hold onto the couch with one hand and grab her younger cousin, but he was tossed to the other side of the room like a rag doll before she could grab him. "Mother!" He screamed just before his tiny body slammed against the bulkhead on the opposite side of the room. He cried tears of pain as he fell back to the other side, again.
There was nothing Lwaxana or Breana could do for the little boy. Lwaxana's heart was being torn apart just like the Enterprise was. She could not sense her daughter and her baby was being thrown viciously everywhere within the room.
Sparks flew from com panels and control panels. Every electrical system aboard the Enterprise was being shorted out. Geordi, in engineering was unable to clear everyone out of the area as the ship propelled everyone in different directions unmercifully.
Geordi had no idea who was capable of anything anymore. He could not see for he had lost his visor long ago. All he could hear were the screams and cries of pain from other crew members.
Finally, Geordi hit the doors that exited out of engineering and he tried to blindly grasp one side in the crack of the door. He pulled with his arms as he levered his feet to the other side of the door. Pushing with his feet did not give him anymore strength to pry the door open and he could not reach the over ride command button, either. He could feel he was sideways to the doors and was sure his fingers were in the crack of the door, but he could not budge the door open even a crack.
He smelled and heard fire braking out where stations once were and he realized there was no chance of restabilizing the warp drive. He had to figure out how to shut the power off to the warp drive without causing further problems. His only problem was getting to the warp drive controls in his blinded condition.
On Betazed, the violent storms and hurricanes were reoccuring again with even more force. Quakes shook the planet with a fearous force and tidal waves pulmetted the lands violently.
Numerous level five tornados scattered the planet's surface. No one was immune from the effects of the rift.
The Xerx's did not know how or where to take cover, for their city experienced both trimmers and tornados. They could not stay below, but they could not stay out in the open either. They had to find cover somewhere.
People were running in panic and stumbling to the ground everywhere. Fear and panic from each other over took some of the Betazoids. Some were paralyzed with fear coming from themselves and others. They could not move to save their lives.
People were being sucked up into tornadoes or were being crushed inside of buildings. There was no where safe anyone could go.
Xerx dragged and directed as many people as he could to a near by ditch, hoping it was enough to protect his family and friends. He prayed to the gods above that everyone he knew and loved made it through this alive.
The wind and rain hit Xerx's family and friends hard in the ditch. The wind gave an ominous howl as a building fell to the ground and debris settled onto the people in the ditch.
The children who were in the ditch with the Xerx's cried loudly. They shook with fear and screamed in pain as hail and debris bore down on them.
The planet rocked them again and they worried the ditch could be their doom. As the ditch shook, one person panic and jump up out of the ditch and ran as fast as he could. Stumbling and falling as he tried to find other shelter.
Suddenly, as fast as everything started it stopped. There was an eerie silence that hung in the air. Those on the planet that were still alive and able to move started slowly moving out of their hiding places.
Xerx signalled everyone who was with him to cautiously get up and out of the ditch. He feared it was just the eye of the storms, but it made no sense to him for all the various storms to have the eye arrive at the same time in this case. He shrugged and hope just being a psychologist did not turn out to be their doom.
Devistation was all around them. Buildings had collasped. Trees had fallen. Nothing was left standing in what was once a large Betazoid city.
Some walked around in shock. Others walked around still crying from the fear of what they had been through. Still others looked for family and friends. Hoping they were still alive.
The Enterprise floated in space, as people who were still mobile, started to stand. Their bodies ached from the abuse they had taken.
Will moved as quickly as his battered body would allow him. He tried desparately to get to Deanna's unmoving body. Once he reached her, he embraced and held her in his arms. He cried one word. "Imzadi."
Picard was still draped over the railing and was still lifeless. Blood poured down towards the floor from his chest.
In the visitor's Quarters, Lwaxana crawled over to her crying son, who had bruises and bloody wounds all over him. She hugged him and thank the gods he was still alive. Then she cried for Deanna, who she still could not sense. Breana tried her best, even with her sore body to comfort her aunt.
Sickbay was in shambles as Beverly looked around. She reached up to her foreheand with her hand as she felt a trickle of blood running down her face. Her staff was either dead, badly injured or moving to assists others while they themselves were in pain.
"Doctor, allow me." She heard Dr. Selar's voice and tried to smile through her own pain. "It needs a dermo-regenerator, but you should be able to treat people as they come into Sickbay."
"Yes, I have few contussions and cuts, besides that one on my head, but I'll be fine." She told Selar.
"Logic tells me, you need to be treated first so that you can treat others, Doctor."
She conceeded and allowed Dr. Selar to treat her. "Do you have any idea where we are?" Crusher asked Selar as she grabbed a working dermo-regenerator.
"No, I do not." She said flatly.
"Let's hope we are back where we are suppose to be."
"I agree, Doctor."
*Worf to Dr. Crusher.*
"Crusher here." She sighed. It hurt to reach up and tap her combadge even.
*We have injured on the Bridge. Two which should not be moved without medical assistance.*
"Understood. A medical team will be there soon."
*Thank you, Dr. Crusher. Worf out.*
Beverly was oblivious to the possibilities of who may have been so badly injured. Her first thought was Jean-Luc, but she tried hard to repress the thought from her mind. She knew she could not work efficiently if she worried about him and tried to think positively.
"You're ready to go back to duty, Dr. Crusher." Dr. Selar informed her.
"Thank you, Dr." Then she returned to treating in coming patients.