Chapter Text
“Captain. I’m reading two life signs onboard. One human, one Vulcan. Life support is critical."
“Lock on transporter room, hold for my signal. Hail them, Mr. Worf.”
“They are responding, sir."
“On Screen."
“Cannot establish visual, Captain. The shuttle’s onboard computer is severely damaged."
“Audio channel, then—"
“Open, sir."
“This is Captain Jean-Luc Picard of the USS Enterprise. We are prepared to offer assistance. Please identify yourselves and your point of origin."
“This is Lieutenant Commander Data of the… USS Enterprise, sir,” the android’s voice was unmistakable.
Picard could not stop himself. “—Data! I… can’t believe this!”
“I know, sir. There is much to discuss. I have with me Lieutenant T'var and Ensign Jake Kern. Our systems are critical, we no navigation control. Our shuttlecraft has just passed through a temporal anomaly and appears to be displaced in an alternate timeline."
“That is our initial assessment as well, Commander. We will retrieve your shuttle with the tractor beam. We have the transporter locked onto your signals and we would like to bring you aboard immediately."
"Aye, sir. We are standing by."
"O'Brien, beam them directly to the bridge— energize.”
Riker looked at Picard significantly. “I'll find Geordi. Now." He strode to the turbo lift, doors closing just as the three displaced crewmen began to materialize on the bridge.
Data was unable to shake the impression that the faces of the Bridge crew on the alternative Enterprise displayed an extremely varied range of suppressed emotion. He could not account for it. Lieutenant T'var was greeted with warmth by the senior officers who appeared to be acquainted with her in this timeline.
They did not appear to know Ensign Kern at all; this was understandable, as he had only recently transferred to the Enterprise and was not a Bridge officer. Friendly introductions were made.
All of the other Bridge officers Data knew were present, except Commander Riker whom he'd observed leaving, Lieutenant Commander La Forge, and himself. Perhaps the absence of the alternative Data in this welcoming party was deliberate choice, meant to avoid the temptation to exchange details of the two timelines. This theory didn’t satisfy him, however, since their arrival was completely without warning, leaving little time to deliberate over subtle matters.
Data had come a long way in his study of human emotion, especially in recent weeks, and the situation presented a remarkable opportunity to further his study.
Some of the officers Data knew openly stared at him, while others avoided his gaze. The Counselor’s face held an elusive combination of joy, trepidation, and sadness at once. Worf looked uncomfortable, perhaps suspicious, distrustful. Theory: the Klingon recognize him, but was perhaps not ready to accept Data as his friend and crewman. Captain Picard appeared distant, as if distracted by an unpleasant thought. The Captain forced a smile nonetheless and, hesitantly, placed a paternal-seeming hand on Data’s shoulder. “Welcome onboard, Mister Data."
“Thank you, Captain.”
“Will you brief us on your impression of this incident?"
“Yes, sir—"
“—And do try to avoid unnecessary detail regarding people and events in your timeline. We will do the same, in an attempt to minimize disruption of your timeline, and ours."
“Agreed, sir,” he looked with significance around the room. Whatever was bothering everyone was unlikely to be considered ‘necessary detail’ and so Data was going to have to operate without the answers he so desired. Still, the matter was not easily set aside.
“We’ll convene in the Conference Room immediately. Commander Uteri, you have the Bridge,” Picard addressed a Bridge officer Data did not know, a humanoid species he recognized as Denobulan.
“Aye, sir.” Uteri displayed no discernible emotion.
Before Data had taken a step, Counselor Troi inhaled sharply without apparent cause. A moment later the turbo lift doors opened, and the others seemed immediately to share in Troi's concerned expression as they observed Lieutenant Commander La Forge enter with Commander Riker close behind.
“—Data?” Geordi’s voice sounded very strange to Data. Tentative, but hopeful. Contorted with more emotion than Data could process so quickly.
“My God, Data, is it really you?"
“Yes and no, Geordi... in a manner of speaking—"
The Captain sounded extremely displeased. “La Forge, I trust Commander Riker briefed you on your way?"
"Yes, Captain."
"Well, then?"
“Sir—"
“—I will see you in my Ready Room, La Forge."
Geordi pulled himself together with difficulty, and sighed in resignation. “Yes, Captain."
Data knew something was wrong, that it very much concerned himself in this timeline, and that Geordi was somehow involved. But that was all that he could make of the puzzle for the moment.
Geordi avoided Data’s concerned gaze as he passed, leaving Data with a familiar pang of regret. The three time travelers were directed to the Conference Room without a word.
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Picard turned and looked hard at La Forge as the Ready Room doors closed. He was no longer trying very hard to conceal his pique.
“Mister La Forge, the alternative timeline is likely quite different from our own. We must discuss as little as possible if we are to successfully return these persons to their own timeline, unaltered."
“I understand, sir—"
"—T'var and her partner have agreed to stay clear of our guests from the other timeline. I see your situation as no different from that."
"With all due respect sir, it seems different to me—"
"La Forge."
"I know, it’s just that…” La Forge was unable to finish.
“Out with it, Geordi."
La Forge straightened. “I just never expected to see him again. Surely you can understand how that makes me feel.”
“This is why we asked that you to avoid contact—"
“—Sir, you can’t honestly believe that I could stay away, could you?”
Picard stiffened visibly. The fire left La Forge's nerves. He had been lost in the moment, not behaving at all like himself. The last twenty minutes had been almost too much for him to take.
“I’m sorry, sir. I will pull it together, I assure you. I'm just so shocked! It—it hasn't sunk in. That it isn't really him, that it is someone else in a way," La Forge shuddered and looked at the floor. "If you order me to avoid contact, I will do as you say. I simply can’t… volunteer for it, sir. Besides, I think you may need my help with this problem."
Picard tried to remain severe, but knew full well that something gentle broke through in his eyes. After all, this was a shock to every one of his senior officers—everyone who considered Data a friend. "Be careful, La Forge.”
“Yes, Captain.”
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