STANDARD DISCLAIMER: All characters and
situations related to Star Trek are wholly owned by
THE
MAGNIFICENT Q
Part One
Billy Travis hated being a
child.
It was bad enough that he
was a Vulcan child because every time he had fun, other Vulcan children would
look at him as if he were some kind of misanthrope cast into their midst by the
quirk of fate that was co-existence. His mother had once been a proper Vulcan
wife with all the restraint and aloofness that seemed endemic to the breed. All
that had changed when his father had died. Billy was aware that his memories of
Syan of Vulcan were becoming vague. He remembered specific things like stories
at bedtime, of struggling to always maintain a stiff upper lip no matter what
the situation and then realizing that his father truly cared and was able to
show it despite the constraints of the non-emotive lifestyle required of all
Vulcans.
Chris Larabee’s entry into
his life and more specifically, into his mother’s, meant that suddenly being
Vulcan was not an absolute for him and Billy liked being able to express his
feelings. He even liked being called Billy instead of William; a practice
initiated by the Captain and now so ingrained with everyone that even his
mother called him that. His mother was not entirely certain she should abandon
Billy’s upbringing as a Vulcan although she was a little more vocal about
allowing him to find his own way, that the path of his life should be one of
his choosing and not of the expectation of class and creed. No doubt, his
paternal grandparents may have reason to object.
In being given this freedom,
Billy had chosen to have fun like other children his age and soon found that
being Vulcan was something of a stumbling block. He was already half-Vulcan and
that made him something of a curiosity among the others who claimed he could
never truly be Vulcan. Unfortunately, displaying human tendencies seemed to
cement that fact and Billy soon became excluded from things, though never
outright. However, he could see the disapproval in their eyes as he approach
them and Billy had recognized the look in adult Vulcans whenever Vin Tanner
happened to be in the vicinity.
Deciding that if he could
not join the Vulcan children, he would try to mingle with the human children.
After all, if he was more like them, should he not find companionship with
them? Unfortunately other than Lilith King, the human children did not appear
to be any more accepting of him than the Vulcans before them. While the Vulcan
children had branded him an outcast because he could not behave Vulcan,
the human variety had based their disassociation on the fact that he looked
Vulcan. Billy did not tell his mother about the situation, perfectly aware that
it would sadden her to learn that her son was being treated in such a manner.
As it was she was happy for the first time since his father had passed away and
Billy suspected much of this had to do with the captain. He did not want her to
become sad again because of him and thus he remained silent and suffered his
plight alone.
Lilith on her part tried to
be there for him all the time. Lilith, who was something of an outcast herself
because she was terribly serious for one as young as she, did not think him
either Vulcan or human. She treated him like Billy, a fact that he was
eternally grateful for. She was his best friend in the world, no the universe.
Unfortunately, today the
young lady in question was at home in bed with Rigellian small pox, a malady
that required quarantine and other than a quick visit to wish her well during
her convalescence, he could not see her until she was completely recovered.
Billy had not realized what a big part of his life she had become until this
enforced absence. Suddenly, his day had become longer and lonelier and though
he tried hard not to miss her, he found that he could not. Worse yet, he found
himself wishing he were not the blending of two worlds, wanting to be one or
the other because it was too hard being apart of neither.
To occupy himself, he
decided to spend some time with the senior staff that were always happy to see
him and did not have any difficulty seeing him as either Vulcan or human. To
them, he was simply Billy Travis, young son of their protocol officer and thus
not subject to the scrutiny that he was plagued upon by his peers.
Unfortunately, he was soon to learn that adults tended to be just as
restrictive with their time as children and almost everyone was either too busy
or had little patience to deal with a young boy for very long.
With the Maverick on its
way to the Antaria System where the indigenous race awaited the captain and his
protocol officer to mediate a dispute that had lasted twenty-two years, his
mother was busily readying herself for the task ahead. Billy had found her in
front of a mountain of data pads for the last week as she endeavored to study
every treatise and text in regard to the long running war. The Antarians who
had been embroiled in their civil war for over two decades and whose world was
poised on the verge of deploying doomsday weapons that would make life extinct
whatever its political affiliations had pulled back from this suicide course.
Both factions had wisely agreed that a third party was required to mediate the
situation before it was too late.
The stakes were of course
high. The Antarians had made the necessary first step by agreeing to abide by
whatever decision was afforded by the mediators. However, the mediators on
their part had to forge a treaty that would meet the satisfaction of both
warring sides or else, they would be the only ones who would remember the
Antarians because after the final solution was implemented the race, as a
species would no longer exist. His mother who would aid the captain from
preventing this outcome had been almost totally engrossed her preparations so
he did not bother to even ask if she would spend some time with him.
He decided to try Vin
because next to his mother and Lilith, was the only other person who understood
what it was he went through on a daily basis. However the helmsman was still on
the bridge and would not be liberated from duty for some hours yet so Billy
took to following the first officer Buck Wilmington for the rest of the
morning. Buck did not seemed to mind his company except that Billy soon got
bored of stopping and talking to every woman that happened along. Alexandra
Styles was a little easier to approach and for a good hour or so, she showed
him what she was doing in stellar cartography when they played the game of
‘classify that planet.’
JD Dunne took away another
hour of his day when the two sat down to play computer games in JD’s quarters
before the young ensign had to go back to his lengthy duty on the bridge. Julia
Pemberton allowed him to remain in the bridge long enough to show Billy what a
routine maintenance sweep of the warp core entailed before she was required to
repair and EPS relay in one of the conduits that ran along the hull of the
ship. Unfortunately, it was a task she deemed inappropriate for him to
accompany her and he was soon ushered out again with nowhere to go. Ezra
Standish was not exactly rude but Billy noticed that he was surlier than usual
and though Ezra was normally happy to spend some time with him, it did not
appear to be the case today. Thus he found himself making a brief visit with
Josiah who had ten minutes between patients and Nathan who allowed him to hang
around
Chris was on the bridge so
Billy did not even try. Besides, Billy thought with a smile, the captain has to
be on the bridge. He has the most important job of all.
He had been wandering down
the halls of Maverick looking bored indeed and rather disconsolate even though
it had not occurred to him that he appeared a picture of melancholy when a
friendly hand rested on his shoulder.
"Hello Billy."
Billy looked up and saw the
lovely features of Transporter Chief Rain staring down at him with a smile on
her lips. Billy liked Rain for she knew things that most of the others did not
and there was something about her that looked a lot older than she really was.
He knew that she was Trill and that Trills lived a very long time and made the
people who carried them, know just as much as well.
"Hi Lieutenant
Rain." He answered, responding to her smile a little but not much.
It did not take a genius to
know that the boy was missing his best friend and with Mary involved in their
preparations to mediate for the Antarians, Rain guessed the child was feeling a
little lonely, as if the sad expression on his face was not a telling enough.
In the lifetime of a symbiote, she had been a mother twice and a father three times
and it gave her something of an insight about children, even ones as
dispassionate at Billy Travis.
"Just call me Rain,
sweetie." She said warmly. "What’s the matter?"
"Nothing." He
remarked quietly, not meeting her gaze.
"Nothing huh?"
Rain remarked, hiding her scientism. "Well, I suppose we all have one of
those days when nothing is the matter but we still look like hell anyway."
She joked and noted that had engendered a response, since he looked up at her
curiously.
"I’m just bored."
He confessed after they had walked a little more. Billy always liked speaking
to her because she did not talk down to him like he was a child. In fact,
sometimes, she sounded as if she understood him as well.
Rain was not surprised. The
boy was half Vulcan and half human and if there was one thing that children
from either race had in common, was the fact that they could both be equally
cruel as each other. There were some problems she could not fix but others that
were within her reach and while the question of acceptance among his peers fell
beyond her capabilities, occupying his time certainly did not. "I tell you
what," she looked at him. "I’ve got some things to do but how about
you come find me in an hour or so at Holodeck 2 and I’ll teach you how
surf."
"Surf?" He asked,
brightening up immediately. He had no idea what she was talking about but the
idea that she was willing to spend the day with him to show him how to do it
was cause enough for his spirits to lift.
"Yeah," she
grinned, pleased to see that the suggestion had struck a chord. "It’s this
quaint Earther sport I discovered a few weeks ago. You ride a board on a wave.
Its lots of fun. You want me to show you?"
Billy nodded happily,
staring at the bronzed skinned beauty with a hint of adoration. He liked how
she looked when she smiled at him and decided that he would like her to do it
again more often.
"Alright then,"
Rain ruffled his hair, pleased that she was able to bring a smile to that
almost cherubic face which had no business looking as sad as it had when she
had first come across him. "I’ll see you in an hour at Holodeck 2."
"Okay Rain."
Billy replied as the turbo lift doors where they had paused, slid open and Rain
stepped inside. She gave him a little wink before stepping inside the capsule
that would take her to another part of the ship. As the doors slid close,
sealing her inside to begin her journey, Billy guessed that he could understand
why Nathan liked her so much.
She was fun.
**********
One hour never seemed so long
and finally, Billy decided to do one of his favorite things since coming on
board the Maverick to live. He went to the quiet space of the Observation Deck
and climbed onto the ledge that ran along the pexiglass. The space was wide
enough to fit him easily and Billy leaned against the glass and watched the
stars whiz past them as the ship traveled at high warp. Even though he was
little more than six years old, he enjoyed living in space. It was so much more
fun than living on Jupiter Station, where the view outside the window was
nothing more than powerful swirls of gas, propelled by winds that swept across
the unseen landscape at 250 miles an hour. On Jupiter, it was just not possible
to see anything through those incredible winds and clouds of gas. no horizon in
the distance and certainly no sky up above. While he did not know what
claustrophobia was, Billy certainly felt it.
In space it was different.
When he looked out into the
stars that traveled past the ship at incredible speeds thanks to the warp field
that surrounded it, Billy did not feel like a hybrid Vulcan or that his life
was not as perfect as he wanted to be. All that seemed insignificant when one
looked outside the ship. It was impossible not to feel tiny, to feel one’s
problems equally minuscule when faced with the majesty of the cosmos. Some
people believed that everyone was apart of the universe, of existence actually.
When Billy stared in the wide expanse of the galaxy like this, he could well
believe it too.
"Hello."
The voice came out of
nowhere so abruptly, the young boy almost jumped out of his skin. Turning
around, he looked at the intruder into his thoughts and found himself staring
at young boy his age, with dark hair and inquiring hazel colored eyes. He was
dressed plainly in a jumpsuit worn by most children on board although Billy
confessed that he did not recognize him.
"Hello." Billy
answered uncertainly, wondering why a human boy would seek him out. They
usually did not like to mix with him because in their games, he was smarter,
faster and stronger than any of them. That had been reason enough to make him
feel like a freak but the fact that he was Vulcan too, gave them all the
justification to make him an outcast as well.
"You’re a
Vulcan." The boy stated.
Billy nodded. "I haven’t
seen you before, are you new to the ship?" The Vulcan asked in turned,
deciding with each passing second that he had never seen this boy before. The
boy was his age and even if they did not socialize, he would have nonetheless
been aware of him from school at the very least.
"Yes," the new
arrival answered. "I just arrived."
"From where?"
Billy inquired.
"Far away." Was
all he was prepared to say.
The boy studied Billy with
his eyes. For a moment, Billy felt what Chris Larabee usually called gut instinct,
surfacing inside him. Unfortunately it appeared in such a vague form that Billy
did not know how to define it and so he let it pass, feeling the uneasiness
dissolve inside his mind after a second of rumination on the matter. Besides,
this boy was talking to him and Billy was somewhat curious to know what he
wanted. Billy also wondered when he could have come on board, since it had been
three weeks since the Maverick had been any place where passengers could be
picked up and this boy would have missed a lot of school if he had been on
board since then.
"What’s your
name?" Billy asked this time round, hoping to be met with a little more
success than something of a monosyllabic response at every question.
For a moment, he did not
answer and appeared as if he were deliberating whether or not he should impart
that information upon his new acquaintance. However, noting that his pause was
giving rise to further suspicion from the Vulcan child before him, he decided
he had better speak.
"Quinn." He
answered after a moment with a smile of satisfaction on his face that Billy
could not fathom but felt it impolite to inquire after anyway.
"I’m Billy." The
young Vulcan introduced himself accordingly since he had made the first
overtures of inquiry.
"I know." Quinn
replied. He seemed to be watching Billy as if waiting to take his cue to speak
or respond from the Vulcan and Billy wondered if there was not perhaps
something wrong with Quinn that made him a little slow.
"How do you
know?" Billy asked once more, wishing his new friend would be a little
forthcoming and not require information to be pried from his lips with a
multitude of questions.
"I know things."
Quinn responded and then looked outside the pexiglass window. Starlight filled
his hazel eyes as he stared into the expanse of space moving past the ship. He
was a little strange, Billy thought silently
"I’m not
strange." The boy returned.
Billy’s eyes widened in
realisation that the boy was telepathic. "Are you Betazoid?" Billy
inquired. He knew that there were a few Betazoids on board the Maverick.
The boy looked at him with
some hint of confusion and uttered, "Betazoid, inhabitants of the planet
Betazed, sometimes called Haven, located in Quadrant 23 of Gamma Ceti 5. They
are telepathic."
"Yes," Billy found
this entire situation becoming stranger by the minute. He nodded dumbfounded as
he heard Quinn recite a wealth of information about Betazed, which he did not
even know. The boy looked human and while Betazoids could be mistaken for such
as well, Billy did not believe Quinn was from either species but he was
terribly smart.
"I am not Betazoid. I
am Quinn." He reaffirmed after his recital.
"What do you
want?" Billy finally asked, starting to feel a little anxious because
something about Quinn was making him nervous and once again that sensation that
Chris Larabee coined so accurately, surfaced inside his stomach.
"You don’t have to be
afraid of me." Quinn stated with just a little bit of hurt in his voice. It
was the first hint of feeling Billy had seen in his eyes other than curiosity.
"I won’t hurt you. I’m just bored."
Now that was something
Billy could understand very well and the young Vulcan smiled at Quinn, a
gesture that did much to alleviate the apprehension both of them felt. Billy
began to empathize at how it must be for Quinn to feel boredom and not have
anyone to share that with. It was obvious Quinn was also very different from
other children his age and Billy could identify with his need to belong.
"I am sorry,"
Billy apologized. "Other children do not like me much either, except
Lilith but she is sick today and that is why I am alone."
"Lilith?" Once
again that curiosity emerged.
"Yes," Billy
nodded. "She’s my best friend."
"Am I your
friend?" Quinn followed the question with another.
This time, Billy had to
think about his answer. In truth, he had not known Quinn enough to say that
they were friends but he could sympathize with Quinn’s need to have a friend.
After all, the insecurities Quinn felt were not new to him and Billy realized
that he was in a position to treat Quinn with a lot more sympathy than was
shown to him since his arrival on board the Maverick. He had always told
himself that he would not be malicious and cruel like those other children and
now was the opportunity to prove that he was true to his word. Hadn’t Chris
always said that when man had nothing left, didn’t he still have his word?
"Yes," Billy
offered Quinn a smile. "You’re my friend too."
This seemed most agreeable to Quinn and once again he lapsed into silence as he
waited for Billy to say something further. Billy in turn, realized that he
would get no where with Quinn unless he took the initiative. Besides, Quinn had
said he was bored and there was still a good hour to kill before he had to meet
Rain to learn how to surf. Perhaps the transporter chief would be accommodating
enough to teach them both.
"Want to play?"
Billy suggested.
"Okay." Quinn
nodded. "Where?"
Billy thought quickly and
suddenly, felt himself struck with inspiration. He climbed off the ledge he had
been sitting on and landed on the space next to Quinn. "Come on." He
urged eagerly and both boys were soon hurrying down the corridor towards the
turbo lift.
************
Their travels when it came
to a close brought them to Holodeck 2 where Billy was to meet Rain in an hour.
Fortune was with them for the room was unoccupied and thus they were able to
spend the next half hour running through a series of programs stored inside the
vast memory banks of the ship’s computer. They began with fun locales such as
Buck Wilmington’s
Using one of Nathan’s
programs, they went to
There was not enough time
for Billy to show all his favorite programs but he could not resist showing
Quinn the one that ranked as his most favored in the selection. As the alien
world of Borath dissolved around them, the dry, dusty surrounds of town from
the old west replaced the Klingon city. Billy had been here on numerous
occasions with his mother and Chris Larabee and he always enjoyed the thrill of
watching his captain and his personal hero, taking on the persona of the
hardened gunslinger whenever he stepped into this place.
"What is this
place?" Quinn asked with fascination as he studied the buildings made of
wood and mortar, their shutters and doors clattering with every gust of hot
wind. There seemed to be dust on everything and it existed like a sedentary
layer to entire place, including the people in the rugged terrain. Above head,
he could feel the hot sun and see the inhabitants in their impractical clothes,
impractical because of the weather, moving up and down the boardwalk going
about their business.
"It is called
"The Old West,"
Quinn mused for a moment and then replied. "Earth, the continental
Billy supposed that was a
good an answer as any. "Yes," he nodded. "They’re all cowboys
but don’t let Chris hear you say that because he doesn’t like being called a
cowboy." Billy informed dutifully before continuing with his explanation.
"Sometimes Alex, my mother and Julia, they join too and they let me
play."
"There’s nothing
happening." Quinn pointed out as he surveyed the place unable to deny he
was being caught up with Billy’s enthusiasm and wanted to see what the full
applications of the program was like but not in this limited fashion.
"There will not be," Billy explained, "at least not until Chris
and the others get here."
"But I want to see
them now." Quinn insisted.
"You cannot,"
Billy retorted, wondering if Quinn knew anything about life on a starship at
all. "They’re all on duty."
Quinn frowned and cast his
eyes across the expanse of the town, wanting to see the place livelier because
it had well and truly sparked his interest. He had never come across anything
like this in his short life and wanted to share the moment with his newfound
friend.
"That doesn’t matter.
I’ll make them come and then we can play." He said with a smile and
snapped his fingers.
***********
At that instant, Alexandra
Styles who was in the process of a classifying a gaseous nebula containing
thousands of stars, suddenly disappeared from the floor of stellar cartography.
The officers around her merely gapped in astonishment as she vanished in a
flash of light, leaving behind only the data pad she had been holding in her
hand before it was free falling in the air. The device landed on the floor with
a loud clatter and immediately sparked the excited conversation of those left
behind as they tried to discern what had happened to the science officer.
Ezra Standish was standing
over the replicator in his office, deciding that red roses were going to be the
first step in repairing his fractured relationship with Julia Pemberton
following the invasion of the ship by the aliens of
Buck Wilmington was going
over his reports, wondering how being first officer could be so thrilling and
so mind numbingly dull at the same time. He hated writing crew evaluation
reports and wished something would come up to take him away from all this.
He got his wish.
Josiah Sanchez was in the
middle of explaining to Inez Recillos that it was all right to feel the
emotions of grief even though her fiancée’s death was now some time in the
past. The grieving process had no deadline and she would continue to feel badly
until she stopped. Inez was about to question the validity of that when he
dissolved before her like smoke, without even having the chance to hear that
she was starting to wonder whether or not she had ever really loved Raphael as
much as the idea of being in love.
JD Dunne who had just ended
an exhausting shift because he had been reconfiguring the communications array
of the Maverick had only two things in mind when he stumbled into his quarters
for the day. One was to shower and clean the day’s dirt off his skin. The other
was to spend a few blissful hours asleep in his bed. Well one out of two was
not bad.
Julia Pemberton was
presently at EPS relay 32 on Deck 34, attempting to replace a burnt out coil.
After much wrestling with a hydro-spanner to fit the fixings that needed to be
loosened, she managed to pry the damaged coil out of its place. That success
was short lived for she vanished soon after dropping the spanner and allowing fluid
to pump out forth from the loosened relay and bleed onto the deck, creating a
neon colored pool in her wake
Nathan Jackson who was
poised to sever the umbilical chord on a new born infant dropped the surgical
instrument he had in his hand for the task and disappeared in front of the
startled new mother and the equally astonished nursing staff that was attending
him during the birth. Fortunately, one of his junior physicians was able to
step in to finish off the delivery by performing the final step of the birthing
process and welcoming the child, one James Nathaniel Watson, the newest (and
youngest) member of the crew to the Maverick.
Mary Travis had made an
interesting discovery in one of Antaria’s older texts that could offer an
arguing point for the case of compromise between the two warring factions. She
immediately jotted down the quote into her voluminous data pad and hoped that
this was the key she needed to hammering out some kind of peace accord when she
was carried away in a flash of light like so many others across the ship at
this moment.
Vin Tanner was at helm
control ruminating silently about Billy Travis and trying to think up of some
activity they could do together to take the boy’s mind off his troubles. Vin
who knew intimately what it meant to be an outcast among one’s own people, felt
Billy’s plight most empathetically and was pleased that for once, his
experiences could benefit someone else. He had no time to ponder this further
because he soon disappeared off the bridge.
Chris Larabee saw the flash
of light in front of him as his helm officer disappeared off the bridge. The
captain stood up instantly from his command chair, in readiness to respond to
whatever force had taken his best friend, when suddenly he too vanished, not
even hearing it when the intruder alert alarms began screaming all across his
ship.
Part
Two
All it had taken was a
blink of an eye and Chris Larabee was no longer on his bridge.
Though his eyes recognized
his surroundings, his brain had trouble registering it for an instant. The
setting was familiar of course, even if how he had suddenly arrived here eluded
him when a moment, he had been on his bridge. Letting his gaze sweep across the
room, Chris was more than acquainted with his new environment. He had visited
this place on numerous occasions as Chris Larabee, gunslinger, as opposed to
Captain Larabee. Clad entirely in black, from the sepulcher colored hat on his
brow, to the jet duster covered in just a hint of dust and the pearl handled
guns that hung around his hips, he looked every bit the part.
At present, he was in the
saloon of the fictional town of
Fortunately, he was not
alone in his confusion.
Standing next to him at the
bar, appearing just as bewildered by their change in circumstance was Vin
Tanner. The helmsman was also wearing the clothes he normally did when engaging
in this program. Vin’s costume was most prolifically a coat made of hide.
According to the times, Chris had deduced long ago that it was meant to be
buffalo. In this universe, Vin was not his officer of the con but rather his
trusted second and a formidable tracker. Vin was wearing a slouch hat, the kind
that were meant to be popular with army scouts back in the days when combating
Indians was a national pursuit. Vin always seemed to be wearing a different
shirt and a multitude of colorful scarves against his hide pants.
"Chris." Vin
found his voice to speak. "What the hell just happened?"
"I don’t know,"
Chris answered automatically, his eyes fixed on the people in the saloon,
wondering if they were what they seemed, holodeck recreations or the ones
responsible for bringing Chris and Vin here. "We were on the
bridge."
Suddenly footsteps were
heard walking rapidly towards the batwing doors that served at the entrance to
this place. The footsteps were short and not very loud but there was no doubt
the person approaching was making great haste to reach the doors. A few eyes
shifted towards the batwing doors in anticipation of the new arrival and
instinctively, Chris dropped his hand to the pearl handled weapon at his hip.
In this environment, it was a natural instinct and his mind though slow at
first to accept where he was soon adapted his psyche to survive in this new
environment.
The instinct was mirrored
in Vin Tanner as well for the helmsman made similar motions towards the sawn
off rifle he had sitting in the makeshift holster fashioned to hold that
weapon, slung around his lean hips. Both men were reluctant to shoot,
especially when this could all turn out to be some elaborate joke by one of
their comrades, however, were it not, they wished to be ready for any
unexpected danger. Although holodeck safety protocols would ensure that they
would not be harmed, the mystery about this situation warranted the
precaution.
The shadow of the new arrival
proceeded the actual entry itself and when the figure did move into their line
of sight, Chris found himself growing more and more convinced that this had to
be someone’s idea of a joke. Someone, he thought silently, who was going to be
spending the next month, cleaning EPS conduits with a toothbrush. If he were a
betting man, Chris would have placed all his money on the odds of that someone
being Buck Wilmington.
Mary Travis stepped into
the saloon and immediately found him with her gaze. Her blond hair was forced
into a tight bun at the back of her head and she was dressed for the period in
a dress with floral that covered her modesty appropriate for the era. She
walked toward him, oblivious to the disapproving stares being sent in her
direction by the patrons who felt it was not proper for a good Christian woman
such as herself since they saw her as the character she played, to be in a
saloon. Whenever Mary accompanied Chris to the program, she normally played the
part of the feisty newspaper reporter.
"What the hell is
going on?" She demanded upon reaching them, her cheeks flushed as she
unashamedly revealed her displeasure. "Is this one your guys idea of a
joke? I just got through sorting out more religious dogma then I care to wade
through in my entire life and found the perfect point that will sort this
Antarian situation out and I get beamed out of my quarters into my newspaper
office!"
"Hold on Mary,"
Chris said quickly, trying to calm her down. She was rarely moved to this level
of irritation but when she was, even the Captain of the Maverick was smart
enough to take cover. "I didn’t do this. In fact, me and Vin are just as
pissed off since we were on duty on the bridge, when we were brought
here."
"So you didn’t
deactivate the archway?" She looked at him, puzzlement and worry starting
to seep into her skin and she suddenly felt very uneasy.
"Deactivate the
arch?" Chris’ eyes widened ever so slightly but in truth he was just as
shocked as she was. "Vin." He said simply, still meeting her gaze.
The helmsman nodded and
looked around, not wishing to be seen but decided what did it matter since they
were being viewed by a bunch of images produced by light and magnetic and that
the minute they stepped out of here, everything in this world would cease to
exist anyway. "Computer, arch." He called out, waiting for the doors
to slid open so that they could step out of this holodeck fantasy. However,
seconds tumbled past with no evidence of an arch or anything remotely resembling
a door appeared before them and eyes continued to stare at them in
curiosity.
Vin glanced at Chris and
then tried again. "Computer, exit." He spoke up.
Once again, the same
inactivity followed and this time, Chris decided to take a turn.
"Computer, command override, authorization, Captain Larabee."
"I think you had
enough," the bartender behind the counter remarked as she walked past the
three of them. Buck had programmed the simulation so that she would look like
Inez Recillos, much to the woman’s chagrin. Despite Inez’ insistence though,
Buck could not bring himself to change the lovely countenance as he put it of
the bartender "Your drinks are getting to your head." She gave them a
look of disapproval that did not look unlike the original.
Chris frowned and looked at
the two officers with him. "Let’s take this outside." He
ordered.
Without looking behind him
to see if they were following, Chris strode out of the saloon. Eyes followed
him as he moved across the floor and he wondered how much of this had to do
with their peculiar behavior a moment ago, or the imposing persona he was meant
to have in this holodeck town. He supposed it was probably the latter since the
reaction he garnered every time he made eye contact with someone other than
Mary and Vin was met with quick about face. Chris put these concerns aside for
the moment, more interested in learning for certain that the exit protocols for
the holodeck was not as disabled as they appeared. While this had all the
trappings of one of Buck's pranks, even the first officer knew better than to
lock out the captain's access without a monumental death wish.
They stepped outside into
the open air and immediately blinked as the noonday sun shone brightly in their
eyes after the dim lighting inside the saloon. No one was watching them as they
emerged even though everyone noticed their arrival. Chris Larabee was not
someone whose gaze you held unless you had good reason for it. He could see
that look in their faces as they turned away and went about their business.
"Chris!" Buck
Wilmington called out as he hurried down the steps from one of the rickety
structures that passed for buildings in this place. From the window, a brunette
with wild tousled hair and not much on, waved after him.
"Come on back
Buck!" She wailed. "You don't have to be in such a hurry
now."
Chris, Mary and Vin could
only watch as Buck Wilmington descended down the steps, one hand pulling up his
britches, the other keeping a firm hold on the rest of his clothing . The
expression on his face was not one of mischief as he was normally prone to
displaying on occasions like this for the man had no concept of shame or
embarrassment, but rather concern as marked by the frown he was wearing. Some
of the townsfolk had started to laugh in amusement, with women bowing their
heads and tittering to themselves while the men did not bother with such
subtlety and openly guffawed. They were shaking their heads and laughing,
telling themselves that this was just another Buck Wilmington moment.
"Chris," Buck
fairly growled when he reached them. "I know you got a strange sense of
humor but you mind warning me the next time you decide to pull one of your
tricks?"
Chris, Vin and Mary
exchanged glances before looking at Buck. "You didn't do this?" Chris
asked, certain that this was Buck's ruse.
"No I didn't do
this!" Buck retorted sharply, looking somewhat hurt that they would even
consider that he would do something so stupid. "I was working on reports
and the next time I knew, I was lying in bed next to that." He shifted his
gaze at the window the brunette had retreated into after she had made her
impassioned plea for his return.
"And this is bad how?" Mary replied with a completely straight face.
"I was under the impression that finding yourself in the bed of a strange
woman is not exactly a unique experience."
Despite the growing
seriousness of the situation, Vin could not help but remark. "She got you
there Buck."
"How would you like to
be monitoring for gaseous anomalies for the next month, lieutenant."
Buck returned irately.
Vin shrugged off the
threat, knowing that it was just Buck's way of venting but having done so, he
started to feel a little anxious realizing that the list of perpetrators who
could carry out this ruse were starting to become uncomfortably short. JD
simply did not have the nerve to transport them all here and program the
computer to disregard Chris' authority. Aside from the fact that Chris would
mostly likely resume the practice of keelhauling, JD had too much adoration for
his captain to pull a prank like this.
Ezra on the other hand did
have the expertise, not only in bypassing command recognition but also in
transporting them here through the Maverick's formidable internal alarms to
prevent such a that prevented an enemy ship from simply beaming crew away.
However, Ezra had neither the disposition nor the emotional frame of mind for
such mischief these days. The security chief was still nursing a broken heart
following his splintered relationship with Julia Pemberton.
It could be transporter
chief Rain, who Vin was getting along with famously because she had his own
absurd sense of humor but once again, it came down to the obstacle of removing
Chris' authorization. Only a command level officer could get away with it and
although Alex was quite capable, she did not have the patience for tricks and
would have selected another simulation because she did not like this one and
tolerated it only for his sake. Josiah and Nathan were too sensible for such
nonsense and Julia Pemberton fell under the same category as Ezra, too wounded
to be in the mood for jokes.
"Okay," Mary
spoke up. "This is starting to get creepy. Buck, we can't get
out."
Buck stared at Chris.
"What do you mean we can get out?"
"Like she says,"
Chris' scowl became deeper and his let his eyes move across the town and
wondered who among the townsfolk was responsible for the situation he and his
crew found themselves. "The arch doesn't respond to voice
commands."
"Even your
override?" Buck's eyes widened the more he was told.
"Even mine."
Chris nodded unhappily.
"Are we the only ones
here?" Buck asked once more.
"Its a safe bet that
we aren't." Vin replied before Chris could. "Chris and I got taken at
the same time and I'm pretty sure the same goes for Mary too. I think we all
got swept out of where we were at the same time."
"Okay," Chris
started to think about this a little more deeply. "Mary, where did you
appear?" He turned to the blond and noted secretly to himself that he was
issuing a standard order when they got out of here that she was never to wear
her hair up whilst on his bridge.
"In my newspaper
office." Mary remarked. "Remember, I play the intrepid news editor
who tries to set the town on the road to lawlessness."
"That's right."
Vin nodded. "Buck, was with a lady which is usually is in character, since
he's the scoundrel remember?"
"And since we're
always in the saloon together," Chris added in full agreement with Vin's
hypothesizing. "That's where we appeared."
"So Josiah who is something of a preacher, will be in his church?"
Mary ventured a guess.
"I think so."
Chris nodded, becoming more and more confident that all his comrades were here,
particularly those who indulged in the Magnificent Seven holodeck program.
"Nathan ought to be at his infirmary, JD at his jailhouse since his the
greenhorn sheriff and Ezra should be at one of the hotels, trying to con the
locals out of their money."
"What about Alex and
Julia?" Mary asked. "They're not the seven but their apart of the
literature."
"True," Buck
remarked and then pointed. "But remember, they were add in characters that
came in later. They were not apart of the original literature that was created
by the seven."
"Does it matter?"
Vin looked at the first officer. "Besides, I've only got Alex to come to
this program once time."
"Hell nobody forgot
that." Buck rolled his eyes in sarcasm, remembering how much fun that
had been. The science officer had made it clear that the only reason she was
participating was because she had allowed herself to be talked into it by Vin
and spent most of the time, complaining about the clothes and the backseat
women were forced to take during this time.
"It wasn't that
bad." Vin retorted but could not deny that even he had difficulty
tolerating Alex's annoyance and he had learnt his lesson well and truly by
then. She simply did not have the patience to be treated an anything less than
an equal and thus whenever she joined him in this program, it was normally just
the two of them and they spent it riding. In the end, Vin had to admit he liked
it better that way.
"Yes it was."
Both Mary and Chris said in unison. Vin gave them a look only to be met with a
triumphant smirk on Buck's face.
"Alright," Chris
spoke up a moment later, reminding everyone that jokes aside, they were still
in very strange and tense situation. "Assuming that Alex and Julia are
here, where would they be?" He asked.
"Julia is the emporium
owner," Mary answered automatically.
"And Alex was supposed
to be the new doctor." Vin offered.
"Alright then,"
Chris nodded, having something of a plan of action for the short term. At the
moment, he was more concerned with making sure that all their number was
complete before they attempted to figure out how they had come to be here and
for that matter, how they were going to extricate themselves from their present
situation. "Mary, you and Buck go find Alex and Julia. Vin and I will find
Josiah, Nathan and JD. It shouldn't be that hard since this isn't a bustling metropolis
and chances are, they will just as determined to find us as we are."
"Good idea," Buck
replied, pleased that they had some kind of plan in motion, since his confusion
over their entire situation was mounting. "If we get Julia here, she
should be able to find out how we can access the holo-deck controls and get the
exit back up."
"That's true,"
Mary said glancing at Chris before remembering something else. "Chris, we
have to get out here, we're expected by the Antarians in a day. If we do not
get there in time, we could be the reason for the genocide of their
species."
Chris had not forgotten
that at all. In fact, it was one of the primary reasons why he was so intent on
getting them out of here. The Antarian crisis was sitting at razor's edge at
the moment, with either side poised to take decisive action if mediation did
not provide results. As it was, factions on either side, were pressing for any
reason to justify abandoning the peace process and the absence of the mediating
team required to bring that peace would serve their purpose well enough.
"I'm well aware of
that Mary." Chris said with just a hint of tension in his voice for her to
realize that despite their surroundings, he was still captain and their
relationship had boundaries she could never cross for it to work.
"I'm sorry
Chris," she responded, feeling a little ashamed to think that she
considered he might forget about the Antarians when they were relying on both
of them to prevent planetary mass destruction.
"Its alright," he
answered, hand on her cheek as a gesture of forgiveness. "I'm worried
about what's going to happen to them too."
Buck and Vin pulled back a
moment, allowing the couple a quiet instant alone. Like most of the ship, Vin
and Buck heartily approved of the relationship between Chris and Mary even if
it was differing reasons. For Buck, he was happy to see that Chris was starting
to let go of Sarah and Adam. It had taken him a long time to put the past
behind him and start living his life without them. Mary with her own losses in
her life seemed perfect because Chris had met someone who knew what it was like
to a lose someone and he could in his own way could help her deal with her
grief as Buck had once helped with his.
Vin had more simplistic
reasons being that he liked Mary and Chris and seeing two people who meant so
much to him, salve the wounds within each other gave Vin his own sense of
pleasure. Chris Larabee was his best friend and he could read the captain's
moods better than anyone, even Buck Wilmington could see the sadness that
pervaded his eyes at times. Vin had more idea of how much weight Chris carried
on his shoulders as captain and was happy that Mary could make that burden
somewhat easier to bear.
When the tender interlude
had passed, Chris turned back to the others in his party with the expression on
his face that said clearly that he was ready to get back to working on their
situation. "Alright, people, let's move like we got a purpose."
***********
Transporter Chief
Rain was unimpressed that she was forced to be late for her appointment with
Billy Travis at Holo-deck 2. Although she had been running errands for the last
hour, she had been more than confident that she would be able to keep her
promise to Billy about teaching him how to surf. Unfortunately, at the 11th
hour for these things only seemed to make their appearance then, she was called
down to Transporter 3 which had been experiencing some strange power
fluctuations. Since the nature of transporter travel was disassembling human
atoms and reassembling them again, safety was of the utmost importance and a
power fluctuation, though minor in its appearance was not acceptable in any
shape of form.
Thus she had spent the last
half an hour beneath the transporter console, checking every wire, relay and
diode required to find the problem, which in the end turned out to be a damaged
coil that took no more than a second to repair, once discovered. Rain had
barely enough time to replace the damage section with a new part, dash back to
her quarters in order to change before hurrying out again in order to reach
Holo-deck 2. By the time she arrived at the place, she was out of breath and
panting. On top of all the other problems that Billy must be experiencing being
a Vulcan Human hybrid that made him the object of derision by other children
his age, she did not mean to add her inability to keep a promise as
another.
Rain cared genuinely and
deeply for Billy Travis because he seemed so fragile, like something that ought
to be put on a shelf and kept away from the ills of the world. She supposed she
always had a soft spot for things left abandoned and although Billy had people
in his life and a mother that adored him, Rain could see his loneliness still
existed. She knew this gesture of holo-deck time together was a stopgap measure
but she could think of no other that would suffice for the moment.
She was about to reach for
the panel that activated the holodeck doors when suddenly; she heard red alert
signals erupting all throughout the ship. Her heart leapt into her throat for a
moment but the sudden burst of noise and was startled into jumping a little.
"All hands," the
computerized voice echoed through the ship as Rain collected herself. "We
have unauthorized transport. Repeat, we have unauthorized transport."
Rain's mind struggled to
cope with the enormity of the statement. Someone had evidently bypassed all
their security measures in place to keep just such a happenstance from
occurring to spirit members of their crew away. She wondered who had been taken
and found herself selfishly hoping that it was not Nathan, even though she
admonished herself for such thinking a split second later. Unfortunately, the
emergence of this crisis meant that she was going to have to break her promise
to Billy after all, although he had lived on the Maverick long enough to know
that red alert was nothing to be taken lightly. Pushing the button on the
access panel, the doors to the holodeck slid open and she stepped inside the
room, expecting to find Billy.
She did not find Billy or
anyone else because Holo-deck 2 was empty.
Part Three
Despite the fact that he
was convinced that everything in front of him was an illusion, Ezra Standish
could not help but feel the reality of it even more potently than usual. He had
been in holodeck programs before and he knew that their ability to seem real
was unquestionable but even if he could not distinguish this place as being
something conjured up by the make believe abilities of the ship’s computer and
reality. As a security officer, he knew the extent of holographic programming.
He could have focused on that field of expertise as a career choice in
Starfleet if he had felt more comfortable specializing in security. Thus, it
was not with the eye of a casual observer that he marveled at the superior
programming that had fashioned this world around him. Whoever had been
responsible for his presence here was no novice but rather someone with an
inordinate amount of skill.
The last thing he
remembered was preparing to replicate a dozen roses in order to present them to
Julia Pemberton whom he had intended seeing immediately after their
manufacture. For the past few weeks since the Accran invasion of the Maverick,
his relationship with the Chief Engineer had almost ground to a complete halt.
At first, he had endured it, out of guilt and of understanding that what had
transpired between them needed time to resolve. However, the more time passed,
the more evident it began that nothing was being resolved and if anything their
problem had placed such a sizeable gap between them that if he did not do
something soon, he would lose her forever.
Ezra was too much in love
with the titian hair beauty to let that happen. He had known from the minute
that he had laid eyes on her, Julia was the one for him. Such clarity regarding
matters of the heart was rare for him so he recognized the significance when
visited by an epiphany as seeing her the first time had been. The Accrans, who
were disembodied alien entities, had inhabited the bodies of the female members
of the Maverick’s crew when the receptacle of their consciousness had been
brought on board the ship. In order to return to their home world, they were
forced to take the ship and the creature inhabiting Julia’s body was chosen to
deal with the security officer. She seduced him into believing that he was
making love to the woman who meant everything to him now when in truth, she was
an alien entity assigned to keep him busy while the others of her kind invaded
his ship.
After she had been freed of
her captivity, Julia saw what he did as an act of betrayal even though she did
not come out and say it. Although she assured him that she did not blame him
for he could not have possibly known, Ezra was certain that she did blame him.
After weeks of hoping the time apart would mend the broken bridges between
them, Ezra decided enough was enough. He refused to let their relationship end
this way and had come to the conclusion that decisive action was required. Ezra
had planned to confront her because he could not stand being away from Julia
any more. The void she left in his existence was more than he could stand and
Ezra was determined to make her understand that he had not betrayed her.
However, as luck would have it, the moment he had summed up courage enough to
act on that decision, he had been spirited away from his quarters to find
himself in this place.
Ezra knew where he was of
course.
He had visited the
fictional town of
As a security officer
trained in covert operations and tactical response, Ezra’s lapse was brief and
his ability to settle into character was equally swift. Even though he was
taken by surprise, the nature of his work and his role on the Maverick made him
recover faster than most. As he dealt the cards wearing an expression on his
face that appeared to be perfect calm, no one would have guessed the flurry of
thoughts moving through his head as he tried to understand how this had come to
pass.
Ezra looked around the
room, letting his eyes sweep across the hotel saloon where his character, the
gambler who made up one of the Magnificent Seven was presently fleecing
tourists to the town with games of chance. Although Ezra enjoyed the simulation
as did the captain and all the other members of the senior staff who joined him
in these escapes from reality, he was not happy at being placed here with no
idea of how it had happened. He continued the charade as he continuing playing
the game of poker with his opponents, all the while noticing everything. Those
at the felt covered table took no offense at this since in his fancy clothes of
fine tailored burgundy coat and crisp white shirt, there was no doubt that he
was a professional gambler and noticing everything was a tool of the trade.
It did not take long for
Ezra to realize that this program was not the program that he and the senior
staff enjoyed themselves in on so many occasions. It was a copy but there were
textures and details in this version that claimed it to be the far superior of
the two. From the old men across the street, taking shade underneath the awning
of Gloria Potter’s store to the dog that was following a group of children down
the street, the attention to the tiniest aspect of this town had not been
ignored. He could see red ribbons in the braided hair of one of the young girls
in the party. Even the scents were as realistic as the images before him. The
smell of tobacco and whiskey, the dry heat against his cheek and even the way
the wind blew outside, all looked so real.
"Computer," Ezra
spoke out. "Halt program."
Nothing happened except the
fact that his companions were staring at him as if he had said something in
Swahili.
"What are you talking
about Standish?" A particularly grizzled prospector type demanded in
question.
Ezra ignored him and tried
again, refusing to give up without another try. "Computer, arch."
"What’s a
computer?" Another opponent inquired, looking at his companions in
bewilderment before facing Ezra again.
Once again, Ezra’s
expression revealed that he felt nothing odd about his statement even though
inwardly, the security officer’s worst fears were confirmed. He was trapped in
this simulation and could not escape. "I am merely thinking out
loud," he responded clearing his throat. He knew that as an excuse, it was
rather weak but had no time or explanation for something more elaborate or
plausible. "I apologize for the distraction."
"Well," the
prospector rumbled, stroking his graying beard as he answered. "You gotta
try better than that to distract us into losing."
"I assure you,"
Ezra offered him a little smile. "Should I resort to those kinds of
tactics in order to secure my victory, you would not be able to resist."
A small ripple of laughter
swept through the table and Ezra maintained the persona that was required for
the program even though silently, he was thinking fast and hard about the
rising urgency of this situation. If the exit protocols were down, did that
also mean the safety protocols were disabled? As entertaining as the
Magnificent Seven program was, it was also extremely dangerous and not
something that ought to be visited without safety protocols in place. Ezra knew
the story of the seven men who defended a small town in the West during the
1800’s as well as the rest of his comrades who indulged in this program. The
seven faced dangerous enemies and if the safety protocols were disengaged then
Ezra would be facing those villains on equal footing. Simulation or not, they
could die in here.
That was not a prospect he was looking forward to.
Fortunately, he did not
have to face that uncomfortable possibility alone for no sooner than the
realisation had crossed his mind, he saw the captain and Vin Tanner making
their appearance in the establishment. At least, he hoped it was them. In this
make believe world, it was not beyond the realm of possibility that they could
be holographic projections like everyone else in this place. Upon seeing Chris
and Vin appear, Ezra found the perfect excuse to deal himself out of the game.
Making a polite apologies that was met with indifference because his opponents
could not care less what he did, as long as it had nothing to do with their
money, Ezra left the table to join the captain and Vin who had taken up
position next to the bar.
"What is going
on?" Ezra asked gingerly as he took his place at their side. He was still
uncertain whom he was dealing with an allowed Chris to speak first about their
situation.
"I don’t know,"
Chris shook his head and answered. "But its not just you. Mary’s here and
so is Buck. Vin and I were on the bridge when we got taken."
"I see." Ezra let
out a sigh of relief, not simply because he was not alone in his captivity but
because Chris’ mention of the bridge indicated that he was talking to the captain
of the Maverick and not the gunslinger that was native to this program.
"Do we have any idea how?"
"If it’s a transporter
beam, it’s the fastest one I’ve ever seen." Vin remarked. "There was
nothing to let us know it was coming, not even a hum or any shimmer. We blinked
and we were here."
"That’s extremely
disconcerting," Ezra remarked. "I had hoped it was one of our crewmen
with a strange sense of humor and a monumental desire to spend some time in the
brig."
"No, it wasn’t
Buck." Chris deadpanned. "We’re operating under the assumption that
the primary cast of characters have been brought to the holodeck to take part
in the program."
"That means, the
entire cast of the seven." Ezra nodded in understanding. "I believe
the newspaper editor was also a part of the original literature, which may
explain why Lieutenant Travis is here as well."
"We’re not sure
whether or not Julia and Alex are here," Vin volunteered. "Buck and
Mary’s has gone to look for them."
At the mention of Julia’s
name, Ezra stiffened a little even though his professionalism forced him to
maintain his neutral expression. Ezra and Julia had not been in the same room
for longer than a few minutes since things had gone wrong between them. Ezra
found himself praying that she was not here as well because this was not the
setting he wanted to make things right between them again. If Chris and Vin
noticed Ezra’s discomfiture, neither said anything about it, perfectly aware of
the situation between the security chief and the chief engineer as well.
"We should get to the
rest of our number and assume that whatever brought us here chooses not to make
its move until then."
"Whatever brought us
here?" Chris raised a brow at that idea. He had assumed that it was
someone who had transported them to the holodeck not a something and yet he had
come across species with extraordinary powers of teleportation before to know
that what Ezra’s suggestion was not implausible. In fact, the truth was, Ezra
was quite astute in assuming that this entire situation could have been
precipitated by something entirely unknown.
"I have a bad feeling
gentlemen," Ezra swept his gaze across the room and before turning back to
the captain. "I do not believe that this is our program."
"If not ours,
whose?" Vin inquired quizzically, feeling a knot in his stomach when he
thought that they might be in deeper trouble rather than simply being trapped
in a holodeck program with no visible means of escape.
"I do not know,"
Ezra shook his head. "However, since the exit commands do not work, I fear
the same may apply for the safety protocols as well."
"Aw hell…." Chris
started to groan. He had forgotten all about that.
As the possibility of what
all that might entail quickly sinking in, a new voice suddenly entered the mix
of his thoughts and was immediately identified as some one he did not know.
"It's been a long time
Larabee." The man’s voice was a growl and Chris turned around to find
himself facing a rather rotund behemoth with an eye patch and beaten and worn
top hat, like the kind favored with formal fashions of four hundred years ago.
He approached with a cadre of similarly disgruntled companions who took
flanking position next to him as they filed into the room. As they did, the
patrons of the saloon chose to so the exact opposite and following the
stampede, the Maverick officers found themselves facing the new arrivals in
what was almost classic stand off pose.
"Who is this
guy?" Vin whispered in Chris’ ear as the three stared at the group. There
was no doubt in this mind that the situation was about to go from worrying to
downright ugly in a matter of seconds.
"Beats me." Chris
responded with a slight shrug.
"Well he certainly
remembers you," Ezra retorted, wishing he had a phaser but had to be
content with the weapon of his choice for his character, the six shooter
resting comfortably in its holster and the small derringer beneath his sleeve.
"Can I do something
for you?" Chris asked coolly, even though the man’s glare left no
mistaking what he wanted.
"You can die
Larabee." The man answered, almost spitting out the words when they left
his lips. "I’ve waited for this day for a long time and now I aim to have
my revenge."
"Mister, I don’t even
have a clue." Chris returned, not really in the mood for this. He was more
interested in getting his people out of this holodeck simulation, not become
actively involved in it programming.
"You say you don’t
even remember Top Hat Bob?" He hissed, almost outraged by the notion that
the object of his hatred and vengeance did not even have the courtesy to
remember who he was or how he had been wronged.
"Top Hat," Ezra
nodded in understanding. "I see that is why you wear that…." He
gestured to the man’s hat. "Very clever."
His sarcasm was obvious.
"Top Hat, is it?"
Chris looked at the man with clear disinterest. "I don’t know who you and
if I did anything to you, I’m sorry but I don’t want to fight you."
"That ain’t what I
heard," Top Hat seemed to smile, his lips pulled back to show rotten teeth
beneath his moustache. "I heard you’re a killer and after all these years,
I ain’t about to fade away now that I got you in my sights. So whether you
remember me or not is really your problem cause I’m aiming to get my pound of
flesh one way or another."
"I am quite
amazed," Ezra spoke up and everyone turned to him for a moment. The
tension, following those sharp and intense words dwindled somewhat as Top Hat
regarded the southerner in his fancy clothes. "That you would even be able
to quote Shylock."
Vin rolled his eyes and
gave Ezra a look, which was about the only thing he could do because no more
than a second later, Top Hat Bob went for his gun. All three men dove for cover
behind the bar as a hail of bullets exploded from the discharge of several
weapons at once. The projectiles lodged themselves into the wood of the counter
and shattered the glasses stack neatly on the shelves behind it. Bottles
shattered under the onslaught, sending glass shards in all directions and rain
liquor around their ears.
"Smooth Ezra!"
Vin shouted as he reached for his
"What the hell!"
He swore.
"You have to prime
that thing first!" The security chief shouted with exasperation.
"It’s a lever action
"But it always worked
before!" Vin returned just as vehemently and hat to drop back under the
cover of the bar when another bullet whizzed past his ear with such close
proximity, he was certain he felt its heat singe his hair.
"Just get down!"
Chris barked and unsheathed his own weapon, glad that he was not using anything
as complicated as a rifle and prepared to return fire. The peacemaker felt good
in his hand and fitted easily into his palm as if he had used it all his life.
Bullets were exploding in all directions, the lamps overhead had been
obliterated by stray fire and Chris wondered momentarily which idiot was trying
to shoot them by aiming at the ceiling. The floor was covered with fragments of
glass, some having been shot at while others broken when Top Hat Bob’s gang had
upended tables in order to use them for cover.
He pulled the trigger of
his gun, spinning the chamber around in order to achieve some sort of rapid
firing action when suddenly, instead of discharging, the entire mechanism
dropped onto the bar counter and rolled across its length before falling down
on the floor and disappearing amongst the debris. From behind the bar where
Ezra was presently showing Vin how to prime his weapon, Chris heard a litany of
words from the chief of security that was enough to make him blush.
He did not think that Ezra
knew how to swear like that.
"Get your rear end
back down here, Sir." Ezra grumbled and yanked Chris back to safety
behind their hiding place.
"What just
happened?" Chris said mystified, staring at the gun in a mixture of
embarrassment and disbelief.
"Give me that!"
Ezra snatched the gun away from his captain and pushed his own weapon into the
man’s hand. "You do not spin the chamber of these weapons like a spinning
wheel captain, they had a tendency to fall out!"
"It always worked in
the program!" Chris returned, feeling even more foolish because he felt
like a grandstanding teenager. This was the kind of thing that JD was caught
doing not him!
"This isn’t the
program!" Ezra returned. "This is real……."
Even as he said those
words, the anger in his voice disconnected and it drifted into revelation.
Inadvertently in his anger, the security chief had stumbled upon the
unbelievable truth. For a moment, all three men stared at each other because
they knew he was right. They knew the reason they were unable to call up the
exit in order to escape the program, or why the computer did not respond to
anything, not even an authorization code from the commander of the ship, the
one person whose voice it could deny nothing. It explained quite clearly why
their weapons were behaving as they were and why the safety protocols had been
disengaged.
Knowing what they faced
made things simpler to deal with as far Chris was concerned. They had to get
out of here and regroup. Somehow, they needed to understand how this could have
happened. Chris stopped thinking of this situation as annoying because it was
not that at all, anyone of them could die in this place if he did not start
remembering that he was a starship captain. Chris looked around and decided
that he was not going to waste their time shooting this out with Top Hat Bob,
not at least until he understood why they had been brought here.
"Vin get me that
bottle!" He ordered the helmsman.
The bottle in question was
one of the few that had not been damaged during the shooting. The Vulcan
scrambled across the floor, trying to avoid cutting his hands to ribbons over
the spray of glass from the resulting damage to the shelves and the liquor
bottles housed on them. Vin grabbed the bottle, removing his hand just as a
bullet slammed into the place where his arm would have been. Wishing he could
go over there and tear Top Hat Bob a new one, Vin reminded himself that he had
been given an order by the Captain.
Handing the bottle to
Chris, the captain reached into his pocket and found a handkerchief, wondering
momentarily what a gunslinger was doing with such a piece of linen but shook
the thought out of his head because he was grateful for it presence. Stuffing
the length of material through the mouth of the long necked bottle, Chris then
retrieved the matches he knew was inside his coat because in his holodeck guise
he always carried a cheroot with him.
"Captain," Ezra
said with a smile. "I had no idea that you were so well versed with
ancient weaponry, with the exception of six shooters."
If looks could kill, the
glare Chris gave the security officer would have turned the man to dust.
Once the Molotov Cocktail
that Chris had concocted was well and truly on its way to becoming their only
means of escaping this place without killing anyone, Chris flung it over the
counter and heard it crash with a piercing explosion of sound.
"Now!" Chris
ordered as they emerged from their hiding place and saw that the cocktail had
done its word, spreading fire across the floor, finding fuel in the debris and
giving Top Hat and his cohorts something else to occupy their time as the three
men made for the display window. They did not stop for one moment, barely ahead
of the bullets that Top Hat and his comrades managed to sent at them despite
the fire that was keeping them from doing more. Ezra allowed the derringer
escape from his sleeve and using it as if he had been born to it, fired one
bullet into the centre of the glass pane. It shattered spectacularly and
immediately came down with a deafening roar as Chris, Vin and Ezra smashed
through whatever minor fragments that still remained after the small bullet
from the derringer was done with it.
Their sudden appearance
caused a cry of surprise and shock from those outside and deciding that he was
in no mood for facing Top Hat Bob again, at least for the moment, Chris thought
that it was probably best if they made themselves scarce for the moment. The
villain was probably right behind them and that did not leave much time for
decision making.
"Get to the
jailhouse!" He ordered.
No one argued and
immediately made strides towards the centre of local constabulary for the town
of
Ezra glanced back long
enough to see what effect their gunfight with Top Hat Bob and his gang had upon
the saloon. The place was ablaze and almost every piece of furniture was
destroyed. Everything glass was broken and what liquor bottles had remained
intact would not do so when the fire reached them. Ezra let out a sigh as they
made their way to the jailhouse, praying that they could escape this place.
Or else they were never
letting him back in there again.
Part Four
It did not take Mary or Buck very long to find Alexandra Styles.
The simulation had provided
Alex’s character with a clinic on the far side of town on the rare instances
she chose to take part in the program. Alex had made it abundantly clear on
numerous occasions that she was an unwilling participant and mostly found
herself here because Vin Tanner was the one person she did not have the ability
to say no to. Mary smiled inwardly as she thought about the abrasive science
officer attempting to blend in this environment. Even though Alex was more than
capable of surviving in the rough and tumble existence of the Old West, she was
incapable of doing so while constrained in the protocols of behavior expected
of women during the period.
Corsets and women with
Klingon upbringings did not mix well, Mary thought with another little
smile.
They continued across town,
marveling at the amount of detail in the program, so absent from the one they
visited in the holodeck during their recreation hours. At first, they had
assumed they were in the same program that Chris loved so much but as they
moved through the town, it became increasingly clear that this was not the
same. There was definition in what they were seeing that seemed far superior to
anything that was capable of being produced in their holodeck and yet it was
impossible that it could not be anything but a product of a simulation. Mary
found her senses being bombarded with smells and textures, of dry wind against
her skin and the unmistakable feel of hot air that came with summer heat.
As she and Buck walked down
the boardwalk, it felt odd to have so many different characters waving and
saying hello to them as if they were truly apart of the town. Although Mary had
seen some of the faces before, there was more to it now. Holodeck simulations
were enhanced to such a point that its characters were amazingly real but Mary
was getting a sense of them that was absent before and though she knew it was
impossible, it was disconcerting. The possibility that she could be wrong
lingered in her mind because her psychic ability was weak at best. While she
had impressions, there was nothing decisive she could place her finger on to
allege that there was some mischief at foot, other than the obvious of course.
Mary resolved herself to ask Vin if he could confirm what she suspected when
they met at the rendezvous pint. As a full Vulcan, Vin's telepathic abilities
would be able to detect abnormalities if he were to attempt a meld with any one
of the characters in the simulation.
"Is it me or is this
program a lot bigger than we remember?" Buck asked as they neared the
outskirts of town. The collection of dusty buildings had thinned out the
further out they went and in the near horizon, they could see the onset of the
dry New Mexican terrain of which
"Its a lot
bigger." Mary confirmed. "I don't remember seeing a blacksmith or a
school house and the Emporium looks way bigger than what was in our
program."
"Yeah," Buck
nodded in agreement as he looked at the building in question. Their Emporium
was no larger than Gloria Potter's store, but the structure that was erected in
its place was two to three stories high with bright red awnings and looked like
something one would find in the big city not in a small town. " I
noticed." He frowned deeply because Buck was getting one of those feelings
that made him suspected that they had grossly underestimated the urgency of
their situation.
"Maybe we can figure
this out when we put all our heads together." Mary remarked. After all,
did not the old adage say that there was strength in numbers? Mary could not
remember for certain but she hated the fact that they were at the mercy of this
program with no discernible way to escape it. What was happening to the world
outside while they were languishing here?
"Maybe," Buck
sighed as the clinic came into sight. He was not so certain that their combined
efforts would yield an answer to the situation they now found themselves
embroiled. Like the one in the original Magnificent Seven program, Alexandra
Style's clinic was a dual storied building with the practice of the new doctor
located on the lower floor and her residence above.
They were about to approach
the clinic when suddenly; the front door swung open and Alexandra Styles strode
through the passage before stopping short at the sight of them. Mary and Buck
had to pause and look too because Alex did not at all look like her medical
counterpart on this program was meant to. Unlike Mary who was dressed in more
clothes than she could tolerate in this hot, stifling environment, Alex was
clad in a blouse that could have been of the period and a pair of figure
hugging dark pants. Judging by the cut of them, it appeared to be a garment
that had been made for a man but it fitted Alex anyway and the boots she wore
were the kind of work worn by farmers, male and female alike.
"Just couldn't stand
looking so pretty huh?" Buck said with a smirk as she reached them.
"Very funny," she
retorted. "What the hell is going on here? Is this some kind of a joke!
I'm in the middle of cataloging a month's work in stellar cartography and the
next thing I know, I'm beamed into this holodeck and trapped in this program of
all things, unable to get out!"
Mary and Buck exchanged a
look before Mary remarked. "Didn't we do this already?" She asked
with a little smile.
Buck grinned and turned back
to Alex, "Alex, we're struck too and we don't know what's going on any
more than you do. The captain is here and so is Vin. We're operating under the
assumption that every one of the senior bridge staff in on the holodeck at the
moment. The computer won't even acknowledge the captain's authorization
code."
"That's
impossible," Alex said calming down immediately once she realized that
this was not just someone's twisted idea of a joke but a rather serious
problem. "Do you know the kind of programming expertise that is required
to lock out the Captain's codes?"
"Yeah," Buck
nodded. "We're talking about a Class 1- Advance here."
"You have a Class 1
don't you?" Mary said staring at Alex.
"Ezra and I are the
only ones on board who do." The science officer nodded. "However, to
reprogram the computer to let us out of here, we'd have to reach it and we
can't while the program is still running."
"Alright," Buck
spoke up deciding nothing could be done for the moment and the most prudent
course of action was to find the others and meet at the rendezvous point.
Whoever had brought them here must have a reason and Buck would prefer to have
everyone in their line of sight when their abductors chose to escalate the
parameters of their captivity. "Let's go find the others and get back to
the Captain. I don't like the idea of us being separated like this."
"I don't blame
you," Alex agreed as they started moving towards the Emporium which would
be their next port of call. Undoubtedly, they were placed in the natural settings
of the characters they were playing and thus they would find Julia Pemberton,
the owner of only Emporium in
Mary looked at the duo
sharply. "You mean we could die in here?"
"Yes," Buck said
grimly. "If the safety protocols have been disabled and there is no reason
to assume that they haven't been, if we get hurt, we're going to feel
it."
"Oh wonderful,"
the protocol officer grumbled, becoming less impressed by this whole situation
by the minute. "In that case when we get to the Emporium, I'm getting out
of these stupid clothes. This dress is to restricting. If trouble comes I'm
going to have to move quickly without being hindered by what I'm wearing.
Honestly, I have no idea how women in this time survive under all these layers,
in this heat."
"Tell me about
it," Alex agreed, glancing instinctively at the pants she was wearing.
"I can't even imagine how they moved."
"Oh come now,"
Buck found himself unable to keep from teasing just a little. "I think you
ladies look mighty lovely in dresses." He gave Mary a long appreciating
look before turning to Alex and offering the same innuendo filled
gesture.
"Spoken like a
man," Mary rolled her eyes while Alex smirked in his direction.
"Spoken like a
chauvinist pig, more like it." Alex added after a second.
Buck started to chuckle,
enjoying their annoyance and feeling a little bit of the devil surfacing inside
of him. Slipping his arms around both their waists and pulling them close for a
moment, he gave them both a satisfied smile and remarked, "you girls know
that you're just loving this!"
"Oh give me a
break!"
"Drop dead!"
Came two simultaneous
replies as they broke free and swatted him across the head and jabbed him in
the ribs in the same spirit of mischief he was having at their expense. Buck
could not help himself and started to guffaw as they shook their heads,
descending into the same mire of laughter after a few seconds because sometimes
the only way to look at a bad situation was with a good dose of humor. The
momentary bout of playfulness passed with the trio feeling a little more at
ease with things as they stood.
However, it was not a
moment to last.
The man was big and he was
rotund but the cruelty in his eyes and the leer he gave Alex and Mary when he
and his cronies appeared out of nowhere (literally) in front of them and
blocking their forward was unmistakable. He had a beard and moustache and had a
stink about him that could have been whiskey and tobacco. There were rings on
his fingers, the kind that left marks against the skin when employed in the
action of battery and as he and his men stood before them, Buck knew
instinctively that they were in trouble.
"Hello
"Do I know you?"
Buck asked, even though he was certain that this creature before him believed
so because of his programming.
"You trying to be
funny boy?" The man took a step forward in his long tuxedo coat, dust
covering the dark fabric, even the tails that hung behind him. His eyes widened
and he stared at Buck with something that could only be described as half
crazed mania.
"Listen pard..." Buck felt himself starting to lose patience with all
this posturing. They had more important things to do than to attempt to play
along with the fantasies of this world and in particular this odious man that
he was quickly losing patience with.
"That's Mister Wickes
to you!" He roared and lashed out, his hand flying towards Buck who
stopped it easily by catching the approaching fist in his own and halting its
progress any further, not even allowing to connect with skin.
"I don't have time for
this." Buck warned in a low voice. "Go away."
Wickes started to laugh and
pull back his fist. "I didn't think you had that much balls
"What debt?" Alex
found her impatience escalating as much as Buck's, despite the man standing
behind her with a gun.
"He took some whores
from me, made ‘em think they were real women who had a right to go where they
pleased. Don't worry," he looked at Buck once again. "I found where
you sent them and had my men take care of it. Don't look like anyone will be
getting two bits worth from them again."
Buck's jaw clenched,
reminding himself that this was a holodeck program. No matter how repulsive
this creature might be, none of the words he spoke had any true weight because
the characters of the Magnificent Seven program were fictional. Even if it were
not, the events he was describing were four hundred years in the past and
beyond Buck's ability to change no matter how loathsome Mr. Wickes might be and
how provocative his words were to the first office of the Maverick.
"Well in that
case," Buck retorted preparing to walk past. "I guess we're
even."
"You cost me four
whores," Wickes returned sharply, taking another step towards Mary. The
protocol officer held her ground not prepared to be frightened by this
repulsive specimen and prayed that he was merely a caricature of villains in
the Old West. She hated to think that this animal actually had human shape in the
past.
"I'm taking this one
here," he gave Mary a menacing smile. "And your nigger." He said
glancing at Alex. "With both of them on their backs, I might get my money
back."
"Go to hell."
Mary hissed in response before Buck could.
Wickes reacted swiftly with
more speed than either Mary or Buck gave him credit and his ring-laden fist
connected with her cheek with hard impact. Mary tumbled to the dirt, feeling
her face flare in pain she tasted blood in her mouth where she had
involuntarily bitten the inside of her cheek. The side of her face stung and
she was half-aware of Buck moving forward before someone jammed a gun in his
back and kept him from moving any further.
"You bastard!"
Buck swore angrily, finding nothing that affronted him more than seeing a woman
hit.
"Buck!" Mary
managed to say before he did something they would all regret. "I'm
okay!" She said quickly, aware that he would act and in doing so would get
himself killed. Wickes was waiting for an excuse to kill him but at this moment,
seemed content with posturing and toying with his victims first. She had seen
men who craved power with such bloodthirsty delight during her years as a
protocol officer in the diplomatic corps to know that Wickes was a sadistic
brute. He wanted to torture Buck, not just physically but emotionally and
hurting her and Alex was the way to do it.
"Listen to the
gal," Wickes chuckled, exultant in his power at the subjugation of the
enemy. "You're a smart one ain't ya honey?" He took another step
towards Mary, who pulled back this time. "I'm looking forward to getting
to know you a whole lot better." The glint in his eyes left no mistaking
what were his intentions towards Mary if he was allowed to work his twisted
will upon her.
Alex who had been quietly
watching everything that was transpiring in the last few minutes felt herself
revisited with images from her own past that were simply too close to home.
Like Buck, Alex kept telling herself that this was simply an illusion of light
and magnetic containment, that as repulsive as Mr. Wickes might appear, he was
not real. He was a figment of their imaginations given life by the holodeck and
thus hating him would be an expenditure of emotion that was pointless for he
was not alive to appreciate it.
However, as she stood there
watching Mary's face cut and bleeding from where he had struck her, watched his
eyes take on that sinister expression Alex recognized all too well, she knew
that none of what was logical mattered at the moment. The blood that Mary had
on her face was real. The memory of what this animal intended to do to her
would be real and the agony she would endure for the rest of her life despite
the fact that Mr. Wickes was a hologram would also be real and that was all
that truly mattered to Alex. She knew personally what it was like to go through
that kind of hell and now that the effects upon her psyche were starting to
dissipate, she would spare herself reliving that nightmare by seeing Mary
endure it.
"Okay," Alex let
out a deep sigh. "I've just about had as much of this shit as I'm going to
take."
Wickes started to turn
towards her when Alex spun around so quickly that the cohort holding a gun to
her did not pull the trigger, stunned that a woman could move that fast. He
raised his hand to fire and when he did, Alex caught his arm and aimed it in
the direction of the man closest to them. Without missing a beat, she forced
him to pull the trigger and a single bullet escaped the barrel to slam hard
into his companion's sternum. The man let out a short scream as he went down
but Alex was far from done. Without pausing to catch a breath, she repeated the
maneuver twice in a flurry of movement no one had expected.
Realizing his comrades were
in danger, the man holding a gun on Buck became momentarily distracted and gave
Buck the opening he needed. The first officer turned around and threw his fist
into the man's face, while his other hand snatched the gun away. His would be
killer staggered to the ground and Buck dropped onto his knee to shove the
weapon into the man's throat as he struggled to shake off the disorientation of
Buck's punch. The feel of cold metal against his skin did that more effectively
than any disjointed effort on his part.
Meanwhile Alex had downed
two of Wickes' men and was contending with the one she had been using as a
shield and her shooter. He was struggling to break out of her grip when she
slammed an elbow into the crook of his arm. A loud sickening crack ripped
through the air as the sound of breaking bone sent shudders through those who
heard it. The gun in his hand fell to the ground and the breakage was followed
by a high piercing scream, cut short when Alex sent her palm into his throat
and brought him down like a sack of potatoes.
Realizing that he would
soon be in a position of weakness, Wickes immediately went for Mary but while
he had caught the protocol officer unawares earlier, this time he had no such
advantage. Although Mary was not a combat specialist like Alex, Vulcan tenets
required all members of their race even by marriage, to learn how to protect
themselves. Her husband, a former starship captain, absolutely insisted on it.
She had more than enough skill to stop his advance.
Kicking out her leg, she
connected first with his knee and took pleasure in the howl of pain he emitted
when he was brought down. Mary got to her feet quickly enough and threw a high
kick that connected with his chin and sent him sprawling. She could see a trail
of blood in mid air as he fell backwards and was certain that some teeth had
been loosened. Mary did not intend to let him recover and let him remain in the
dirt long enough for her to press the heel of her boot in the hard rise of his
Adam's apple. Wickes started to choke as Mary glared down at him and the man's
eyes widened as he stared back at the protocol officer, trying to swallow when
he realized he had seen killers with kinder eyes.
"Nothing to say Mr.
Wickes?" Mary wiped the blood from her lips and her cheek, pushing her
heel down harder against the man's throat and elicited a raspy cough when she
asked her question. "I guess its not so easy when we can fight back is
it?"
"Fuck you!" He
gasped hoarsely. "I'll....kill...you!"
Mary pushed down her heel
even further until his ability to speak dwindled to more bouts of gasping and
choking.
"Mary...." Buck
wondered whether she would kill him. It was not after all inconceivable,
because Wickes was not really alive to begin with but her committing the act
was another thing entirely.
"For the duration of
our stay in this place," Mary ignored the first officer and let the
pressure of her heel so Mr. Wickes would be in the mind to pay attention to her
words. "Stay away from us Mr. Wickes. Do not assume that we are as
helpless as we look because I assure you we are not. Come after us again and
you'll wish you had died at birth." She punctuated the seriousness of that
threat by pushing down sharply, making him scream before pulling her foot away
as he was reduced to a violent fit of coughing. He was too engaged in trying to
regain his breath that he did not notice Buck motioning to the two women under
his command that it was time they vacated the area.
Behind them, two of Wickes'
men lay dead in the dirt. Their blood oozing into the streets and creating
saturated puddles in the ground as they lay there motionlessly. The forth was
clutching his injured arm and scrambling towards his employers, having no wish
to face the three on his own and unprepared to leave his master who was in a
state himself. Wickes was trying to sit up, his round face red from the lack of
air, had tears rolling down his cheeks as he gasped loudly. For the moment at
least, he was neither in the position or the health to be of inconvenience to
them.
"That looks bad."
Buck winced as he looked at Mary's bruised face. Chris was going to have a fit
when he saw this, the first officer thought to himself.
"Its okay," she
grumbled, flinching a little when she attempted to examine the injury herself.
The side of her face where she had been hit was still tender and instinctively,
she looked over her shoulder and saw Wickes still where he was and felt a
certain amount of satisfaction knowing that she was responsible for his present
state. "I'll live."
"I guess that answers
our question about the holodeck's safety protocols." Buck said unhappily,
knowing that Wickes would be back. The hatred that Buck had seen in his eyes,
even though was programmed by a computer, was real and no less dangerous. Buck
had no doubt that Wickes would have killed them all if Alex had not acted when
she had. He supposed he was not surprised that she would, considering her past
dealt with men like Wickes and his treatment of Mary would have undoubtedly
opened up a number of old wounds.
"Yes," Alex
replied. "Mary, take this." She handed the protocol officer one of
the guns she had retrieved from Wickes' man in the aftermath of their
confrontation.
Mary took the weapon
without question as Alex tucked hers into her pants since she did not possess a
holster as Buck did. "Thanks." She studied the weapon closely.
"I have a feeling that son of a bitch isn't done with us yet." She
replied as they neared the steps of the Emporium.
She had seen enough men
like Wickes in her time to know that he would not let the matter rest and
injury to his pride was a crime he would not forgive unless those responsible
were dead. "He'll be back, one way or another."
Unfortunately, neither Alex
nor Buck could disagree with her on that point.
Part Five
Josiah Sanchez was very
confused.
The last thing he
remembered was trying to deal with Lieutenant Anderson's issues with
insecurity, particularly her concerns about not being able to draw the
attention of those who mattered to her work. Josiah grimaced at how her
therapist disappearing before her eyes while she was unburdening herself to him
was going to play with her treatment. When he appeared in the walls of the
church that was the natural environment of the preacher he played in the
Magnificent Seven program, Josiah had thought that this was someone's idea of a
joke. Although he loved spontaneity like the next man, the Counselor did not
appreciate it when he was in session with a patient.
He had materialized before
the pulpit and stood there for a few moments, trying to come to grips with the
change in his situation, not at all happy by the fact that he had been removed
from his patient and placed in this holodeck simulation without consent. At
first Josiah had to admit that he attributed this bout of mischief making to
the first office, since practical jokes seemed his habit. However, Josiah knew
that despite the considered opinions of most, Buck did have limits and
spiriting someone away without their consent would seem to fall under that
category. Josiah had elected to postpone the debate at who had been responsible
for his presence here for the moment, since he was eager to get back to
Lieutenant Anderson who was probably deciding never to trust a Counselor
again.
Unfortunately, when he
asked the computer to produce the door way that would allow him escape from
this world of shadow and light, held together by magnetic containment, nothing
had happened. Outside he could still hear the sound of hoofs against gravel
surfaces, people talking and going about their business and all the sounds and
smells that cam with existence in a town in the Old West. Josiah tried several
times to coax the uncooperative computer into letting him out of here before he
realized that he was going nowhere. For a few minutes, he sat down on one of
the pews inside the holy sanctuary to consider his thoughts.
There was no way he was
getting out of here on his own. He was a Counselor and the science behind
holographic projections was so beyond him that Josiah could not even put it
into words. Yet, he was painfully aware that if he did not understand it, he
would be going nowhere. He also considered whether he was alone here because if
he was sent to the place occupied by the character he played in the simulation
it would be logical to assume the others would have been subject to the same
placements. If that were the case, then Julia Pemberton would also be here
because she was also played one of the characters in the Magnificent Seven
myth. Josiah knew if anyone could themselves from this fantasy world, it was
the Chief Engineer of the Maverick and decided that he ought to go find
her.
The Emporium her character
owned was not far from his church and Josiah knew that Julia was probably as
disorientated as he was and looking to find her way out of this simulated
world, so he had better find her quickly. He did not want her to leave without
him. Josiah stood up to leave when suddenly he saw a man standing at the main
doors of the church. The man's sudden appearance made him jump a little and
Josiah wondered how long he had been standing there.
"May I help you?"
Josiah asked, wishing that the computer were recognizing commands so he could
make the character disappear without his requiring to interact with hit.
"Mr. Sanchez."
The man said slowly. He was a young man, not much older than Vin Josiah
estimated. He was handsome but there was something in his face that was
inherently unappealing to look at for any length of time. His eyes, which were
the most telling thing about him, were uncertain, yet calculating. Josiah knew
that he was only a holographic recreation but whoever had designed the
character had been a genius for Josiah could see a dozen neuroses simmering
under those watery colored eyes.
"Yes." Josiah
nodded, studying him closely now, tendrils of caution sneaking up his spine.
His visitor was dressed in
a suit that was tweed and cut in the style of the day. He appeared neatly
dressed despite the dust that seemed to coat everything in this place with a
perennial layer of dust. He watched Josiah closely; placing him under almost as
deep scrutiny as Josiah was observing him. For a moment, they appeared like two
lions circling each other, waiting for the optimum moment to attack. "My
name is Silas Poplar. I am a Pinkerton detective."
Josiah thought quickly,
trying to remember what that name was supposed to mean. "What can I do for
a Pinkerton detective?" Josiah answered evasively, hiding the fact that he
had no idea what Poplar meant by that introduction.
"You travel to
Josiah supposed that Poplar
must have been referring to the exploits of his character. "I
did."
"May I inquire what
you were doing there?" Poplar asked once again and suddenly a flash of
insight told Josiah that he was being interrogated. He took on the tone that
Ezra Standish did when the good natured personality of the happy go lucky
gambler was wiped away with the needed point acuity of his security officer
mindset.
"Nothing that is any
of your concern unless you wish to tell me what this is all about." Josiah
countered, suddenly realizing that he ought to be careful of what he said
around this man. Until he could escape the program, Josiah was at the mercy of
the scenario and the characters within it.
Poplar smiled but it was
not one that indicated any humor or pleasure but rather the expression of an
animal bearing its teeth before it lunged in for the kill. "Of
course." Poplar replied politely. "There were two murders in
Josiah showed no reaction.
"Really?"
"You seemed
unsurprised by that accusation," Poplar declared, his eyes narrowing in
calculation. "How is that Mr. Sanchez? Most men would react on some
level."
"Are you a student of
psycho analytical behavior?" Josiah looked at him with equal intensity.
"I cannot say that I
am." The man gave him a look that showed his surprise that Josiah would
even know what field of study meant to be able to ask him such a question.
"Than you are in no
position to interpret human response are you?" The counselor returned.
"I fortunately am an interested observer of human responses and my
reaction is usually indicative of someone who has not committed the crime or on
any level attached to him. That would explain my detachment would it
not."
"It could mean that
you could also be a good actor." Poplar returned, unprepared to be outdone
by this preacher in this forgotten town, collecting dust with each breath of
wind that happened by.
"And the same could be
said of you." Josiah answered, in perfect control of the game they were
playing and it was a game that they were currently engaged in, there was no
doubt in his mind of that. Poplar was man who got by on intimidation and Josiah
had been in the business of psychoanalysis far too long to not recognize the
classic pattern of behavior the man was displaying.
"You've played a lot
of games in your life have you not Mr. Poplar?" The counselor asked
softly, using the voice that lulled many patients into complacency. He began to
circle Poplar as the man held still, somewhat trapped by the consistency of his
words like all those who were supremely arrogant and felt some insular need to
hear themselves spoken about as an object under glass. "I wager that you
are very good at games that involved power and subjugation. You enjoy using
your authority as a way to keep those you wish to dominate pinned down and
unable to fight, perhaps fulfilling some inner need to be strong when once you
were once not so and were the one trapped in amber, unable to move or
scream."
Poplar's eyes flew open and
he glared at Josiah with nothing less than hatred as the words bounced off his
skin like rain. His breathing had become shallow and when he finally spoke, it
was soft and uncertain, not at all like the strong, clear voice that had
accused Josiah of murder a few minutes ago. "You're very good at
fabrication Mr. Sanchez," Poplar replied. "Perhaps that is how you
lured your victims to you."
"Do you have any proof
that I killed those women?" Josiah stared at him pointedly.
Poplar's bobbing Adam's
apple answered for him before the words escaped his lips. "I will find
some."
"Then until you
do," the counselor started walking towards the door, "I'll be on my
way."
He left Poplar in his
church without waiting for a response. The man said nothing as Josiah made his
departure even though the Counselor was certain that as long as he remained in
this simulation in its present scenario with no means to alter its programming,
his troubles with Mr. Poplar was just beginning.
************
Josiah did not get
very far towards the Emporium when he found himself pausing to join a crowd of
people who were gathered in a side alley, rumbling with discontent as they
stared at something he could not see. Although he knew he had no time for such
lingering, Josiah could not keep himself from investigating. Whatever was
happening, this fantasy world seemed to be the epicenter of it and he ought to
be aware of everything if he was to navigate it safely. His approach
immediately caused a swell of relief from the townsfolk who saw him not as the
counselor he was but rather as one of the seven peacekeepers charged to protect
their community.
He was met part way by Mr.
Wallis, owner of the hardware store and one of Four Corner's town leaders. The
man's expression was grim and appeared as if his last meal had left a bad taste
in his mouth. As Josiah and Wallis approached the thick of the crowd, they
stepped away for him. Josiah knew immediately that whatever they saw had left
its mark upon them and braced himself for the worst. Unfortunately, as they
parted away and revealed what it was they had been gawking at so intensely,
Josiah realized that he was wise to take such precautions.
Nathan Jackson was leaning
over her and when Nathan looked over his shoulder at the his fellow crew mate,
Josiah knew immediately it did not matter whether or not the creature before
him was a hologram or flesh and blood, the doctor felt the death just as
deeply. The woman over whom Nathan was kneeling was young and pretty, with
light strands of blond hair that were splayed gently around her head as if the
killer who had placed her in this resting place, had not wished her to appear disheveled.
She was no more than
thirty, Josiah estimated, wearing a red dress with dainty white flowers printed
upon its crimson backdrop. There were ribbons in her hair and Josiah ached
wondering if they were holding those lovely locks in place for expediency or
because she wanted to look becoming for someone. However, his observation of
her appearance was soon forgotten when he saw how she had been placed in the
middle of the street. Laid to rest by someone, who seemed almost reverent in
his actions, she looked more like she was sleeping rather than dead. Where her
eyes should have been staring lifelessly back at him, were two silver dollars,
gleaming under the sun. Josiah swallowed thickly and searched for the cause of
death.
It was soon made obvious by
the ligature marks he spied around her throat.
"How long
Nathan?" Josiah asked maintaining the charade before the onlookers, to
whom she was someone they knew, someone they saw everyday. Holograms or not,
their grief deserved to be respected.
"I can't say,"
Nathan shook his head. "A few hours."
The doctor made a few more
quick examinations of the young woman before pushing himself to his feet. His
postures was hunched and disturbed. It was the same manner he had when he had
to inform someone that a loved one had died in his
"You've got to catch
this man." Wallis turned to Josiah. "You've got to catch him! Our
women won't feel safe until you do!"
Josiah cast a gaze at the
ladies in the crowd who had seen the body, who knew the girl by the sorrow and
fear in their eyes. Yes, they would indeed feel that way and rightly so.
Everything Josiah could see about this crime indicated that this was not the
action of someone who had just learnt to murder but rather someone that had
honed his craft, probably through a process of trial and error and would hunt
his fellow man like a hunter on safari. This would happen again and again until
the perpetrator was stopped. For it was an obsession that could end no other
way.
"We'll do what we
can." Josiah assured him and then cast his gaze to the people around them.
"Come on now, you've all seen enough. Let these good men here do what's
proper for her." He gestured towards the undertaken who were trying to
make their way through the bystanders to take the young woman away.
The crowd withdrew further
as the undertaker prepared to remove the body. Some stayed a little longer,
wishing to see the entire drama of the body being placed on the stretcher and
being removed while others started to go shortly after Josiah had finished his
speech, realizing that he was right. The sideshow was over. Josiah and Nathan
looked at each other and waited until Wallis and everyone else had gone from
the street before they would discuss the other matter at hand. Wallis returned
to his hardware store while the undertakers, solemn in their duty and practiced
after so many years of doing the same task over and over again, ferried the
young woman away from the street where she had been left so heedlessly cast
after her premature death.
Nathan's expression was
particularly grey and Josiah wondered what reason was there for such hollowness
in the man's eyes. As much as he hated seeing that girl dead, the truth of the
matter was simply that she was not alive to begin with. She was a creation of
the holodeck and if she died here, there would be no soul lost, just the
termination of one character from the program.
"What the hell is
going on here?" Nathan asked venomously once they were completely alone
and could not be heard. "Who thinks it funny to drag me out of a delivery
to be placed here, looking over that poor child."
"I don't know,"
Josiah retorted. "I had the same problem. One minute I was talking to
Lieutenant Anderson, the next minute I'm here and the holodeck controls aren't
working. I was on my way to find Julia when I saw you."
"Yeah," Nathan
nodded having the same idea himself although he had not managed to act on his
desire since he had materialized in front of a dead body. "Josiah,"
Nathan paused a moment trying to speak of something that had bothered him every
since he examined the dead girl. "Do you remember much about the Magnificent
Seven legend?"
"No," Josiah
shook his head and answered. "Not really. I knew that they were seven
gunfighters protecting a small frontier town and that there were varying
characters, you know obligatory love interests of the day, that sort of thing
but not the specifics."
"Oh." Nathan
frowned as they resumed walking towards the Emporium since there was nothing to
be done now that the young lady had been removed. "Its just that I do know
something of the legend and I don't remember this story being apart of it."
"What about a
Pinkerton detective named Poplar?" Josiah inquired, remembering his
encounter with the odious man a short time ago that had given him some form of
warnings about these murders. Josiah supposed that the discovery of a body in
Nathan thought for a
moment, seeking for the name in his memory and shook his head when he could
not. "I've never heard of him, why?"
"Well," Josiah
frowned as he let his gaze sweep across the town. He noticed that the summer's
day had disappeared behind thick grey clouds and in the distance, the wind was
being stirred into frenzy as a dust storm appeared on the horizon preparing to
put Four Corners in its path. "I had a visit from him when I showed up
here and let me tell you he thinks I did the murders."
"What?" Nathan
looked at him with astonishment, unable to even imagine such a thing. Josiah
was one of the kindest men he knew, not only in deeds but also in nature. Even
though Josiah appeared burly and rather formidable if taken at face value, the
truth was, the counselor was a gentle giant who only engendered trust and
respect from every person he had ever met. "That's crazy!" Nathan
exclaimed in nothing less than outrage and disgust.
"I know that but I
also think that he is something to be worried about." Josiah commented
recalling quite clearly what he had seen in Poplar's eyes. Josiah had been a
counselor for a long time and he had seen enough patients in his career to
recognize the seeds or aberrant behavior. Poplar had all the symptoms of such
dangerous "He thinks he's on a crusade and such men have to be watched
carefully. No doubt Torquemada probably thought that he was really acting on
god's word when he tortured all those people, interpreting the voices in his
head which were probably his neuroses as a the Almighty speaking to him.
"You think he'll come
after you even if he can't prove it?" Nathan looked at Josiah with growing
concern.
"He looks like the
kind that's about to slip over the edge. I believe that he has sociopath
tendencies and if we are trapped in this simulation with no way out, then we
have to deal with him in this environment."
"God." The doctor
groaned realizing at that point how people of his racial distinction were
regarded in this day and age. The idea of a doctor being black was almost
unheard of and there were people and factions who were prepared to kill to make
that a reality. "We better find Julia, quickly."
No sooner than Nathan had
made that statement; Julia Pemberton appeared out of the front door of the
Pemberton Emporium. The lady was dressed in lavender and looked every much the
beauty that she was meant to be. Wearing the most expensive clothes in the
fashion of the day, Julia breezed down the door and widened her emerald colored
eyes with relief when she saw the two men before her. Raising her skirts in
order to descend the steps, Julia took dainty steps down the painted wooden
steps before stepping onto the street with them. She was clearly glad to see
them by the smile on her face.
"Thank god, you guys
are here!" Julia gushed. "I thought I was going crazy!"
"You got taken from
where you were too?" Josiah asked, his theory that all the members of the
bridge crew undergoing this same experience having been confirmed even more
assuredly by the presence of Julia as well.
"Yes," she
nodded. "I was in a maintenance shaft fixing a relay when I came
here!"
"Have you also noticed
that we can't access the holodeck controls?" Nathan remarked, hoping that
the reason for her concern and relief at seeing them did not mean it was
because she could find no way to escape their prison.
"Yes," Julia
nodded with a frown. "I can't get anything to work. The computer won't
accept any kind of voice command at all."
"So how do we get out?" Josiah asked gingerly, suddenly having this
very bad feeling that the reason for Julia's anxiety was because she had not
found the solution to the predicament and was just as hopelessly caught in this
simulation as they were.
"If I can't access the
computer to give me manual control, we'll have to rely on the outside getting
us out." Julia gave them both an apologetic expression, wishing she could
offer them better news.
"You mean we're stuck
here until someone from the outside discovers we're stuck in here!" Nathan
cried out with annoyance. "I can't be trapped in here indefinitely! I've
got people to tend to! An entire ship who needs my help!"
"Hey," Julia
retorted just as sharply, disliking the fact that she was as helpless as he was
in this situation. Understanding the technology of this place was something she
was a master at and yet she could do nothing to aid their situation. "I am
not thrilled about this either. The Maverick is as much your ship as it is mind
and while you save guard the crew, I do the same for the ship and I'm telling
you we can't leave. The holodeck is a matter of perception and at the moment
for me to find the manual control panel is impossible if the computer is
compensating for my visual perception of the simulation. We could be standing
right next to the thing but the computer will never let us near it because as
far as its concerned, it has to maintain the illusion of
"You know,"
Nathan threw his hand up in exasperation. "You hear about this stupid
holodeck accidents and you think that its exaggeration but its not! This is
dangerous! Do we even know that the safety protocols are on?"
Julia shrugged her
shoulders in an answer and shook her head.
"Oh great!" The
healer swore. "We could die in here!"
"Alright," Josiah
spoke up before tempers became any more frayed. "Let's just calm down.
Nathan, Julia," he gave them both the 'Josiah Sanchez special' coined by
Chris Larabee to be the expression of disapproval that made even the captain
embarrassed when he was being a pain in the ass to those around him.
"You're friends. We need to work together to get out of here and we are
not going to do this by climbing up the walls, am I right?"
"Yes Josiah."
They both said in unison.
"Alright," Josiah
sighed, using the same voice he used to use on his children when they were
misbehaving. "Now, let's think about how we're going to get out of
here."
*********
From a distance,
Silas Poplar watched.
He did not know the content
of Josiah's conversation with the tall, black man and in truth he really did
not care however; he did pay attention when she arrived. She was the
most beautiful creature he had ever seen but then all the women he had ever
graced with his touch were spectacular in their own way. Poplar watched the
lovely woman with the fiery colored hair and the glittering emerald eyes with
growing certainty that he simply had to have her. And it made it all the more
convenient that Josiah knew her too for when the deed was done, Poplar would be
able to make use of the relationship to his own ends.
He turned away, not wishing
to be seen by them and slipped his hand into his pocket, where he felt the
comforting cool sensation against his fingertips of a shiny, silver
dollar.
Part Six
JD Dunne still had difficulty believing that this was any more than
someone's idea of a practical joke. When he had materialized here from inside
the confines of his room, he was certain that this was probably something
cooked up by the first officer since only Buck would have the audacity and to a
certain degree, the no how to perpetrate such an act of kidnapping. Not that JD
minded of course. In truth, JD enjoyed the Magnificent Seven program. As a form
of recreation, he could think of nothing more exciting than playing one of the
seven gunfighters whom protected the town of
Besides, the added bonus of the story meant that he got to be sheriff.
Still despite his lack of
concern at being brought here so abruptly, he wished Buck could have at least
asked him or given him some warning before transporting him out of his
quarters. Although JD did not mind being here, he did not intend to stay for
more than an hour because he was tired and wanted his sleep. However, he was
somewhat confused that he had been materialized in the jailhouse which how to
be devoid of the others. For a few minutes, he waited, assuming that the
silence was due to the scenario that Buck was playing out. However, when almost
twenty ticked by with nothing happening inside or out, JD decided that perhaps
it was time to investigate.
The office in which he was
presently occupied was atypical of jailhouses scattered throughout the west in
this period of Earth history. There was the standard collection of jail cells,
which at this time were vacant; each furnished with a bunk and little else. The
sheriff did not fare much either, his bastion being merely his chair and his
desk upon which were the obligatory wanted posters that needed hanging up on
every surface that permitted. JD pushed himself from behind the desk where he
had materialized and headed towards the door, hoping to locate Buck in order to
see what the first officer had planned.
He pulled open the door to
the premises and found Vin Tanner about to knock. Behind him were Chris Larabee
and Ezra Standish, keeping a cautious eye on their surroundings. Their demeanor
immediately put the young man on guard, even though he did not know why at the
time. Still, if there was some kind of peril at foot, he could not deny that he
was grateful to be in their company before it found him. For their part, the
three senior officers seemed just as relieved to see that the young man was
safe and sound before any of the insanity that had found them in the saloon
earlier, did the same to him.
"Captain," JD
said with a nervous smile, hoping he was wrong about the danger and that they
were simply caught up in the drama of the simulation. "Buck brought you
here too?"
"Buck didn't bring us
here JD," Vin grumbled as Chris shut the door behind him and Ezra
immediately took point at the window so he could have a clear and unobstructed
view of the street.
"He didn't?" JD
swallowed anxiously. Until now, it had never occurred to him that their being
here could be anything more than Buck Wilmington's attempts to amuse himself at
their expense. The first officer did have a very peculiar sense of humor but
now that JD considered things more deeply, he supposed even Buck had his
limits, especially if it meant involving the Captain. While Chris was very
accommodating as far as commanding officers went, JD did not think that even
his good natured manner would tolerate being spirited off his bridge without
permission, even if it were his oldest friend committed the act.
"I'm guessing you
haven't tried getting out." Vin looked at JD in question as Chris sat down
in the chair he previously occupied behind the sheriff's desk, examining the
weapon that Ezra had given him in the saloon. The captain was trying to figure
out exactly how the thing worked, having no wish to enter another round with
Top Hat Bob so disadvantaged.
"No." JD shook
his head. "I just figured Buck brought me here and everything that was
going on was part of the simulation. I only started to think that maybe I ought
to find him when it was quiet for so long and nobody was turning up. But then I
opened the door and there you were."
"For once, Mr.
Wilmington is not responsible for this little jaunt into wonderland." Ezra
drawled from where he was.
"No kidding," Vin
remarked, recalling how annoyed Buck had been when they had last seen the man.
" He was just as pissed off as we was at being taken off the bridge and
sent here."
"I'm sorry
Captain," JD started to apologize, feeling immensely foolish at not having
realized that the situation was this serious. "I should have realized that
something was wrong."
"It's alright
JD," Chris answered and gave him a little smile to think nothing of it.
"None of us were any surer of things ourselves, even with the benefit of
experience." Chris was not at all annoyed that JD had not suspected that
there was more to this than simply Buck's idea of a joke. Had not Chris though
the same thing when he had first materialized here? JD was younger and still
unfamiliar enough with Buck's antics for them to expect him to entirely sure
that Buck would not behave like a juvenile.
Hell, half the time Chris
was not even sure.
Vin and Ezra exchanged a
brief glimpse and a smile as they saw JD immediately swelling with pleasure at
the Captain's kind words. Both men did not say what they were thinking, even
though their eye contact spoke volumes at the admiration felt for the captain.
Part of the reason that Chris engendered the loyalty he did from his crew, not
simply from the senior staff, was his ability to make every single member of
the Maverick feel like they mattered. No matter how small their contribution to
the ship was, not matter how seemingly insignificant it might seem to them, it
was not to the captain. He treated every member of his crew, from the first
officer to the stewards in the lower decks, that they were a vital component in
the machinery that was the Maverick.
"So we’re trapped in
here?" JD asked, unable to hide his apprehension at the notion that they
could not escape from this simulated reality. Coming here for recreational
purposes was one thing but to be trapped in here indefinitely was not a
prospect that he was particularly looking forward to. He was not afraid to
admit that he was a product of his time and did not crave for the nostalgic
days of old.
"More or less,"
Ezra Standish responded, peeking out the window, ensuring that they did not
have a repeat of the incident with the individual called Top Hat Bob. At this
time, Bob did not appear to be anywhere in the immediate vicinity of the
jailhouse and the security chief decided that it was more or less safe for them
to attempt their rendezvous with the others. "Unfortunately, it also
appears that the safety protocols have been disabled."
"Disabled?" JD
exclaimed. "Oh this just gets better!" The young man retorted,
forgetting that he was an ensign surrounded by three command officers. However,
it was very hard to remember that when they were in this place where the
scenario had them playing equals.
"Not to mention,"
Vin added. "We’re seeing some pretty interesting villains."
"How?" JD asked
quizzically.
When he had first been invited
to join this program, he had studied everything available on the mythology of
the Magnificent Seven. JD had been honored at being invited to join the
captain's private recreation world and he had not wanted to make a fool of
himself by appearing unprepared. Even though they treated him with respect and
friendship, JD could not help feeling a little insecure at being an ensign
surrounded by veteran officers who were all exceptional in one way or another.
He could not deny that he felt a little ordinary in their company and often
strove twice as hard in order to be just as good. He took the Magnificent Seven
program just as seriously, ensuring that he was completely prepared to face
anything that the simulation had to throw at him, memorizing every legend and
every villain that the lawmen had faced during their amazing tenure in the town
of
"We were accosted by a
particularly odious specimen called Top Hat Bob." Ezra answered before Vin
could. "The man seemed to be under the impression that the captain had
wronged him in some way."
"Top Hat Bob," JD
mused, aware that the name sounded familiar and thought about it for a moment
before he looked up again. "Does he have an eye patch?"
All three men raised their
eyes to the youth but it was Chris who answered. "He had an eye
patch."
"Well that's Top Hat
Bob!" JD exclaimed, pleased because he knew whom their adversary had been
with that one bit of revelation.
"I thought we covered
that already." Vin said impatiently.
"Sorry," JD gave the tracker an embarrassed smile and then continued.
"Top Hat Bob is one an Magnificent Seven villain but not a very big
important one. He's mostly a hired gun but he does have a personnel grudge
against the gunfighter."
"Because?" Chris
asked. While he enjoyed the program ever since Buck had presented it to him as
a birthday present shortly after coming on board the Maverick, Chris had to
confess not knowing every aspects of the lore regarding the seven legendary
gunmen.
"Something about a
wood splitting contest or something." JD answered with a little bit of a
frown because the facts were rather vague on the exact details of the
character's vendetta. "I do know that it was a contest he lost and
apparently got into a brawl with the gunfighter about, where he lost his
eye."
"Terrific," Chris
grumbled. "I wonder how many others are going to come out of the
woodwork." The captain led out a sigh before pushing himself to his feet
once again.
"Others?" Vin
looked at him.
"There is no reason to
assume that there will not be," Ezra responded, in complete agreement with
the captain's foresight in this matter. "Someone is playing games with us
and if you're a pawn in someone else's amusement, there is no doubt they will
want to make the games as entertaining as possible."
Chris stared at Ezra for a
moment, feeling something spark in his memory at the security chief's words.
For a moment, he search his mind for why he would have been overcome with such
a feeling of familiarity but it was gone before he could grasp it wholly.
"Chris?" Vin who
knew his expressions with almost intimate knowledge, saw the uncertainty in his
eyes even for that briefest of seconds. "What is it?" The helmsman
asked.
Chris did not answer for a
second as he tried to understand why Ezra's words had struck him so. However,
after seconds of rumination, it was obvious that no such answer was coming.
"Nothing," Chris shook his head. "Come on," he raised his
gaze to those with him. "Let's get to the rendezvous point."
However, the uneasiness
still would not go away.
********
Less than ten minutes after
they had collected JD at the jailhouse, Chris and the entire senior staff of
the Maverick found themselves gathered around what was normally their table
inside the tavern owned by the gambler/ con man who Ezra took such delight in
playing. Although it was not at all the practice of the day that they ought to
be joined by the ladies of their group in such an establishment and appeared to
arouse more than a few strange looks and disapproving glances, Chris decided
that decorum be damned. They had larger concerns on their hands at the moment.
Judging by the experiences related by the rest of the Maverick's senior staff,
it appeared that the mysterious culprit who had placed them in this recreation
of their holodeck fantasy was taking pleasure in pitting them against a full
array of Magnificent Seven's villains.
"It's like a Batman
movie." Mary declared.
Chris stared at her.
"A what?"
"Nevermind," Mary
shrugged in response, not about to reveal her predilection for 20th
century comic books. "What are we going to do? The Antarians are less than
a day away, we have to get out of here."
"One disaster at a
time," Buck retorted, certain that Chris was just as tired as he was about
being reminded about this deadline. "At the moment, we need to figure out
how we are going to get out of here."
"Alright, lets examine
our situation," Chris said firmly, speaking with just enough authority to
remind those present that they were not in a holodeck fantasy despite their
present situation. They were Starfleet officers in an alien and hostile
environment and it was time they started behaving like it. "We were
brought here to what I am fairly certain is not our holodeck program by persons
unknown who seem to have programmed every conceivable villain to throw at us
for whatever reason."
"Chris," Mary
spoke up. "I'm not so sure that this is a holographic
illusion."
"What else could it
be?" Josiah inquired. "This can't exist anywhere in
reality."
"Why do you think that
Lieutenant?" Ezra asked, keeping his gaze fixed at one point and fighting
the urge to let his eyes wander. Although he was mindful of their situation, he
could not help being faced with his personal problems, especially when Julia
was right across the table from him. She too, avoided meeting his eyes and Ezra
wondered if she was just as uncomfortable about things between as he was. Once
again, Ezra cursed the circumstances that had brought them to this and wished
he had the chance to apologize to her as he had intended before they were
brought to this alien place.
Mary glanced at Chris,
always feeling uncomfortable when discussing this particular subject, rare as
it was. She was human and thus her psi ability was weak at best and what she
felt to be extra sensory powers did not manifest themselves as any more than a
strong intuition most of the time. "I get a sense of these people,"
she looked around the room at the barmaid that looked like Inez, the patrons at
the tables, downing drinks and carousing with saloon girls before facing her
friends again. "My mind tells me they're not real, that they're
projections of light and magnetic containment but they feel real to
me."
"I know what you
mean," Nathan frowned, remembering the young woman that he had stood over
a short time ago. She with the ribbons in her hair, staring at him with silver
coins in her eyes, she did not seem like a fake but rather flesh and blood.
"They feel like real people."
"Look," Julia
spoke up. "That's programming." The engineer in her refused to let
her belief in something as intangible as a feeling. She dealt in numbers and
facts she could see, in laws of physic and proven theorem. "They are
supposed to look and feel real."
"But you don't know
that it is." Vin countered. "We're all energy is some way, who knows
what makes one thing alive and another an object. We live in a universe with
android officers and holographic programs that have gained sentience. We don't
know how to classify life, not really."
"Spoken like a true
Starfleet officer." Buck grinned; remembering a dozen Starfleet lecturer's
making the same point at the Academy.
"Thanks." Vin
returned after Buck's comment.
What Mary had said seemed
to make a certain amount of sense. Chris knew that her latent telepathic
abilities were nothing to ignore or underestimate. On the C'Kaia ship, she had
used those powers to save both their lives and he was not about to disregard it
because there was no irrefutable proof to back up her insights. "Mary,
when you say that you get some sense of them, what do you mean?"
"I don't know,"
she exclaimed with a hint of exasperation in her voice. "I feel them but
not quite. Normally when I'm in the holodeck, the people we see don't register
at all. They're not alive and it's like seeing a chair or any inanimate object.
It doesn't register to me. But this is different," her expression melted
into full-blown concern and Chris knew instantly she was more passionate about
her belief than her declaration before them. "They're like shadows. Alive
but not alive, I can't explain it."
"Maybe Mr.
Tanner...." Ezra suddenly suggested.
"Me?" Vin stared
back at the Security Chief perplexed.
Alex understood
immediately. "Vin, you need to do a meld."
"A meld?" He
almost shouted before a stern look from his captain reminded him to lower his
voice. As it was they were bringing enough attention to themselves by having
the girls in here without causing any further undue fanfare.
"Why?"
"You're Vulcan."
Alex gave Ezra a brief glance that told him to let her handle this.
"Tell me something I
don't know," he bit back impatiently. "I wasn't sure with the
ears."
Alex bristled and was about
to respond when Chris decided to intervene before they both said something they
would regret later. If there was one thing that could make Vin lose his temper,
even with Alex, it was bringing up the Vulcan part of himself that he felt
uncomfortable discussing with anyone, especially Alex in light of his feelings
for her.
"Vin," Chris
responded, placing a gentle hand on Alex's arm.
The science officer took
the hint and immediately withdrew in favor of the captain. In truth, Alex hated
discussing this subject with Vin as much as he hated talking about it in her
presence. Mostly because he was so sensitive about his Vulcan background and
usually reacted heatedly and because inspiring Vin's temper would also inspire
hers and since she could not have her way with him, it was a passion she rather
not have ignited.
Completely unaware of what
was running through her mind, though he would have been most grateful had he
known, Chris continued where she had left off. "You're telepathic and far
more capable of telling us if these people in here are more than what they
seem. Now we need to know for sure that these people are what they appear to
be, holograms that is, before we can figure out what to do next."
"Its insane."
Julia interjected. "It's a program, I'm telling you!"
"We cannot make that
determination simply because appears to look like a hologram." Ezra retorted.
"Something appearing
to be something else did not seem to bother you before." She returned
caustically.
"What is that supposed
to mean?" He met her gaze sharply.
"I think you
know," she declared.
"I think I don't give
a goddamn hell what either of you know!" Chris hissed with low snarl and
immediately silenced both of them immediately. Julia's cheek flushed red and
Ezra could not brave a glance in Chris' direction, able to feel the Larabee
glare burning into him from where he was seated. The others found it the
perfect time to clear their throats, avert their gaze or generally do anything
that kept them from making eye contact with each other.
Chris stared at both of
them and said firmly. "Now you listen to me Commander Standish and
Lieutenant Pemberton," his temper though vast was not infinite and the
bickering and snide remarks that had been traded between these two since the
incidents with the Accrans was just plain pissing him off. He had waited for
the duo to settle this like adults but if they were not going to do that, it
was their business. However, the minute it started to interfere with their duty
as officers, it became his. "We are in a life and death situation here and
I don't care if you are having relationship troubles and can barely stomach the
sight of each other but while you are under my command, you will behave
accordingly."
"I apologize
Sir," the security chief said properly mortified by his lack of
professionalism.
"Like wise
Captain." Julia answered a second later, just as equally
embarrassed.
"Don't
apologize," Chris said abruptly. "Just get over it. For our sake and
your own."
A silence fell over the
room for a few seconds as everyone tried to regain their train of thought
immediately preceding Ezra and Julia's spat. Vin considered what the others had
said about his meld abilities and decided that the captain was right. They did
need to know the truth and as he let his gaze sweep across the room to the
people that frequented the tavern, he had to admit he wanted to know as well.
Besides, this was something no one else could do.
Taking a deep breath, Vin
rose to his feet.
"Vin?" Alex
asked.
"Its okay," he
met Chris' eyes and the captain immediately understood. Chris nodded slightly
in his direction and Vin knew that was enough. Chris had given his permission
in that one look. "Its time to bite the bullet."
"I wish you would use
another vernacular." Ezra frowned. "In this place...."
"Shut up Ezra,"
Alex groaned and turned to Vin with a smile of encouragement. "You can do
it."
Vin returned her smile with
one of his own, hoping it allowed her appreciate that he had not meant to snap
at her. The helmsman went to the bar, where the barmaid was pouring drinks for
more waiting customers. Buck had programmed her to look like Inez and Vin had
to confess the likeness was amazing. He was rather surprised that Inez had not
been offended at her image being used but then these days, Inez did not waste
her time on such thoughts when she still had to contend with her grief at losing
her fiancée.
"How about drink
darling?" Vin asked silkily.
"Of course
Senor." She smiled radiantly and suddenly Vin had an idea what Buck found
so alluring. She really was pretty and the real Inez was even lovelier.
She poured him whiskey,
straight up in a little shot glass and slid the receptacle towards him when Vin
caught her hand in his and lingered just enough to run his fingers over the
smooth skin. The woman became somewhat offended when he did not let go and his
expression became odd, almost as if he was deriving some kind of strange
pleasure from the contact. Barmaid or not, such behavior was not to be
tolerated and she pulled her hand away, almost knocking over the shot glass in
her grip.
"I think that is enough
Senor." She retorted, more than a little ire in her voice as she glared at
him angrily.
"I'm sorry
ma'am," Vin quickly apologized but those who knew him could see that he
was unsettled. He barely noticed her gaze burning into his back as he turned away
and returned to the table where the rest of the senior staff was waiting for
him.
"Jesus Vin," Buck
declared immediately, seeing the expression on his face that soon struck alarm
into all of theirs. "You look like you've seen a ghost."
"Not a ghost," Vin
shook his head, glancing over his shoulder at the bar maid once more.
"Ghosts are dead." He stated when he turned his attention to his
comrades once again. "That woman was alive."