Authors: Mercedes [mercedes_jovi@yahoo.com ], Pia [pp_writer@yahoo.com], Rising Sun [jagrslc@yahoo.com] and Laura Michaels
The FF of Pia is archived at: http://www.geocities.com/sneill_pp/
The FF of Rising Sun is archived at: http://www.geocities.com/jagrslc
The FF of Laura Michaels is archived at: http://www.distasis.com
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Rated: PG-13
Summary: Sam leaps into the hot seat.
TNG Spoiler: Future Imperfect, Force of Nature, The Enterprise Incident, Force of Nature
QL Spoiler: A Leap for Lisa, The Leap Back and Revenge
Enterprise: Season 1
Classification: Cross Over: Quantum Leap/Star Trek: The Next Generation
Disclaimer: These characters are not ours. No copyright infringement intended. All other characters depicted are purely fictional and any similarities to actual people are purely coincidental.
Feedback: Send it.
Permission to archive: Ask first!
Story started: 2001
By Mercedes
After more than eight months of leaping across time, from person to person, Dr. Sam Beckett had pretty much grown accustomed to the sensation unique to his experiment: Project Quantum Leap. This time, however, the sensation was different, and he found himself hoping against hope, that maybe, just maybe he was going home. The last remnants of that misconception dissipated abruptly as the transportation process faded and his eyes again became able to focus on reality, as it materialized cruelly around him.
A voice broke through the intense melancholy that was already starting to overwhelm him, "I am picking up eight life signs behind that door, Commander."
Sam spun around towards the direction of the voice; it took a Herculean effort on Beckett's part to stop himself from gaping once he noticed its origin. 'Commander? Commander of what?' Sam wondered as his eyes took in the deathly pale 'man' looking over at him with cat like eyes that were almost hypnotic. The dim light that was illuminating off the walls, slightly altered the man's complexion, but it was still obvious that he couldn't possibly be human.
Sam nodded. Starting to overcome the initial shock of finding himself in this unnerving situation, he decided to improvise until Al showed up and explained just what was going on and how he managed to end up here, wherever or whenever here was. Walking over to the door he noticed that there were no handles. So assuming the large, imposing green door was automatic, he continued towards it, and stopped short of bumping his nose on the stubbornly closed entrance.
"It won't open," he remarked to no one in particular.
Because he wasn't really expecting an answer he was mildly surprised when the pale person responded, "my tricorder readings indicate that it is being jammed by a level one security lock."
Sam wasn't sure what that meant but it didn't sound too encouraging, "so how do we get in?" he asked.
In response, the pale man tilted his head to the left slightly, "Sir?"
Beckett cleared his throat, "Well, if it's locked and there's no way we can force it open, then we'd need a security key or a clearance password or something similar."
"Commander Riker." Sam turned and found himself looking into the eyes of another unusual person, although on the surface this one appeared to be completely human. The only odd thing about him was that the irises in his eyes were a combination of aqua and various different kinds of grays. "Are you okay?"
Sam didn't know what he'd said to make them think otherwise, but he was beginning to feel as if these 'people' were starting to suspect something. Although what that was, he could only speculate. "Fine," he answered a little too defensively he thought. Even if he didn't know how this could have happened he was starting to store up a plethora of questions for Al when he finally decided to show up. The two officers exchanged quick glances with one another before finally the pale one walked over to Beckett and the huge door and asked, "Shall I, sir?"
"Shall you what?" Sam questioned having no idea what the pale man had in mind.
"Open the door."
"Um… yeah." Sam nodded, still unsure of how the ridiculous looking man would manage to accomplish this, 'perhaps the device he'd referred to as a tricorder earlier had some built in access to the obdurate door's controls.'
"There is a high degree of probability that our adversaries on the other side of that door will be armed. I suggest that both you and Geordi stand well clear of the door way," he stated calmly.
Geordi nodded, "Okay, Data," he said moving out of the way, "but be careful. You're not exactly indestructible yourself, you know."
"To date, you have reminded me of that fact two hundred and thirty-three times since we first met," the android pointed out before smiling a reassuring, 'I will' in his friends direction.
Sam moved over to Geordi as Data folded his tricorder back to its compact size and returned it to his utility belt, while at the same time removing what looked to Sam to be some form of weapon and pointing it towards the closed green doors, before placing the palm of his left hand on the smooth surface of the locked door that stood blocking the entrance. At first, Sam wasn't sure what was going on or what Data was doing. Soon after though he began to hear screeching, a sound like metal clamps being forced apart against their will. Data was obviously forcing open the locked door with some latent kind of physical strength that seemed impossible for anyone, especially given the fact that Data appeared to be the average size and physique for an average human male. The screeching stopped as Data finished opening the door fully with a modicum of effort before stepping inside. Sam looked over at Geordi before following Data into the darkened room. Geordi brought up the rear a few more steps behind Sam.
"Ambush!" Geordi's voice broke through the eerie silence that surrounded them as his implants detected the thermal heat from the powering up weapons of the hidden Romulans.
Before Sam could utter a 'what', Data's strong arm pushed him behind the nearest crate in the war bird's cargo bay, and out of the way of a bright green beam of phaser energy that had obviously been intended to decapitate him, or whatever the hell it would do. Sam couldn't even begin to guess as to how such a weapon could come into existence, let alone speculate what kind of effect it would have had had it hit him. The shot from the Romulan weapon missed, barely, but the beam hit one of the containers in the large room and seared a dark mark along the side of it. Sam was surprised at the level of damage from the weapon.
Both Data and Geordi looked at him, waiting for orders.
Clearly he was in charge. He sighed heavily, and leaned backwards against the crate, resting his head, he began to shake it from side to side, 'how in the hell did I get here?' he thought to himself. "Oh boy."
==========================================
by Laura Michaels
"What..." Geordi almost stood up in shock as he watched a figure walk casually across the bay. The discharge from one of the weapons went right through him and left another charred mark on the wall.
Sam held Geordi back when he saw Al. He knew his friend was in no danger. What he didn't know was why Geordi should react to seeing him. Might be something to do with his eyes. He wondered if his other companion could see Al as well. The tricky part would be to get Al alone to discuss the situation without blowing his cover or letting the others hear. Hard to do when you're pinned down.
"There you are, Sam." Sam shook his head, trying to let Al know he shouldn't talk to him here.
Too late.
Geordi was staring at Sam with a suspicious look. "You're not Commander Riker, are you?"
"What gave it away?" Sam asked.
"I don't know. Maybe the guy with the psychedelic clothes addressing you as Sam."
"Geordi, I appear to be missing something."
"Set your tricorder to around 4 to 8 cycles per second, theta wave frequency."
"Theta wave?" Data asked. That was associated with brainwaves.
"Al's transmission is via the connection between our neurons and mesons. ...Although we've never tested it while this far off in time." To the hologram, Sam said, "Al, what's going on?"
Data scanned Al while Sam talked.
"Plenty, although we had a heck of a time finding you.
Ziggy was convinced you'd be in the 22nd century."
"Where am I?" Sam asked amazed. Saying he'd never leaped this far before was an understatement.
"Twenty-fourth century," Geordi advised.
"I didn't think the Quantum Leap process could reach outside my own lifetime."
"...Except for the time you ended up in the Civil War," Al said.
"Dr. Beckett, I presume," Data said.
"How did...?" Sam began.
"Almost everyone in this century's heard of you, Dr. Beckett," Geordi explained. "You wrote the book on time travel. You were certainly ahead of your time. They're still trying to work out some of your quantum theories."
"Actually, now he is very much past his time," Data corrected, taking Geordi's comment a bit too literally. "A Romulan attack should not be so monumental, historically, that it would draw Dr. Beckett to this time nexus."
"Which is why we were expecting Sam in the 22nd century," Al said. "He has a well-known relative there, Captain Jonathan Archer."
"How do you know that?" Sam asked.
"Ziggy found out."
"Ziggy only has knowledge of the past. For that matter, all of our leaps have always been to the past, because we have the knowledge to influence it. We're working blind here."
"Not exactly," Al corrected. "We're working with the Federation. Ziggy was able to access the Star Fleet database through a Reginald Barclay and his knowledge of holograms and 24th century technology enabled me to make contact here and now."
"Our Reg Barclay?" Geordi asked. "What about the Prime Directive?"
"The what?" Al asked.
"Among other things, we do not give technology, knowledge, information to other civilizations," Data explained.
"...Or our own in the past, especially if it might change our history," Geordi added.
"Oh that. Sounded just like the Tolen. The Federation only gave us access to data related to the mission."
"What mission?" Sam asked.
"Ziggy's still working on that."
"Who did I leap into?"
"Commander Riker," Geordi explained. "Second in command of the Starship Enterprise."
"Is he a relative? Has Ziggy figured out why I leaped into him?"
"Enterprise! Right ship, wrong century." Al punched some buttons on his handheld device and slapped the side of it, a sure sign that Ziggy was not being too helpful. "All I get from Ziggy is something about the Roswell connection."
"Roswell?" Sam asked, shocked. "I don't believe in little green men."
"Actually, according to the Stargate Project, they're little grey men better known as the Asgard, but Ziggy has assured us they have nothing to do with this."
"You brought in the Stargate people?" Sam asked.
"Had to. It was the only way we could figure out how to make contact. They made some sort of deal with the Tolen, since we can't use their technology directly. However, they did get us in touch with Mr. Barclay, who helped us work out the communications details on our own. In other words, they gave us one free phone call."
"Good thing the Stargate personnel owed us a favor," Sam said.
Al nodded.
"That still doesn't tell us why I'm here."
"...Or how to get out of this mess," Geordi said. They were all still huddled behind cover as the Romulans continued to keep them pinned down with disruptor fire.
"One problem at a time," Al reassured Geordi.
"What do we know?" Sam asked.
"Ziggy is sure the major problem has something to do with the 22nd century, Captain Archer and some help some people are getting from the future which they shouldn't be getting. Ziggy mentioned the Suliban..." Al hit his handheld device again. "...Or something."
Geordi shook his head. "Never heard of them."
"Maybe because of something Sam is supposed to do," Al said.
"Only one problem. How am I supposed to interfere with history?"
"Must be interesting being able to change history any time you leap," Geordi said.
"...And being able to observe the results," Data added.
"It can be very disorienting," Sam said. "So now what, Al? We figure out how some race is cheating time two centuries ago byborrowing future technology? Why us?"
"Like they said," Al explained, "they can't change history. It's against their Prime Directive."
"...But we can. It's or future and it hasn't even happened yet." Sam was getting that glazed over look in his eyes Al often recognized when Dr. Beckett started calculating new and interesting physics possibilities.
"Theoretically you have a multitude of probable futures to choose from," Data said.
"So how about choosing how we're going to get out of this mess, 'Commander'." Geordi reminded Sam of their current dilemma.
==========================================
By Rising Sun
Counselor Deanna Troi and Dr. Beverly Crusher sat in Ten Forward enjoying the break from the hectic schedule associated with being officers on the Starship.
"Arsenic!" Beverly said. "In this day and age…" But Deanna had ceased to listen to her friend. Crusher spotted the horror on Troi. "What's wrong."
"I don't know." She tapped her com badge. "Computer. Locate Commander Riker."
"Commander Riker is not on board." The machine replied.
"Computer, where is the Commander?"
"Please rephrase." The Computer could not compute.
"When the Commander left the ship, what was his destination?" Deanna rephrased.
"That is classified."
"He's on an away mission." Beverly concluded.
Deanna grimaced “I’d forgotten.”
"What's wrong?" her friend asked.
"I don't know. I feel a void. I can't explain it." She took a deep breath. "It will have to wait till he returns." She projected a thought [Imzadi.]
+ + +
A word popped into Sam's brain. "What is … Imzadi?" He asked.
"Beats me." Geordie replied.
"Don't look at me." Al stated defensibly.
"It is a Betazed word meaning beloved or soul mate." Data enlightened the group.
"Betazed?" Sam was lost.
"Yes, Counselor Troi is a Betazed." Geordie confirmed.
"Counselor Troi?"
"Your wife." Data stated.
Sam blanched. "I'm married?"
"Yeah …" Al was tickled "…here it is, Counselor Deanna Troi half human half Betazed. Ship's Counselor and hellcat lover of Commander William T. Riker."
"Now that you did not get from Ziggy." Sam admonished.
"Hellcat?" Data asked.
"Later, Data." Geordie stopped the android.
All Al did was shrug as another phaser bolt went through him. Sam focused. "Why are we here?"
"We were sent to negotiate the release of a group of Federation Scientists taken hostage." Data informed him.
"So what happened?"
"Talks broke down." Geordie replied.
"Apparently." Sam said dryly. He pointed at the tricorder. "Can that thing tell life signs?"
"Yes, sir." Data said.
"Apart from us and them, are our people here?"
"Just a moment." Data scanned "No, sir. That would indicate that either they have been moved, they were never here or that they are dead."
"Hu huh." Sam absorbed the information. "How did we get here?"
"In a shuttle craft." Data answered.
"I mean how did we board this craft."
"Transported beam." Gerodie responded.
"So we transported in, can we transport out?" Sam demanded.
"Too much interference." Data double-checked his instruments.
Georgie had a suggestion "If we move back, we may find a sweet spot." So they did just that and got the hell out of that bobby trap.
Al looked around. "Hey, Sam, this place is nice!"
Sam glared at the hologram "Just find out why I'm supposed to be here!"
The shuttle was on the move and as Data and Gerodie checked in instruments Sam considered his fate. A negotiation gone to the dogs; God alone knew where the hostages were and their state. He was a Commander so there had to be a Captain. A Captain who would have his hide and to top it off he had a wife!!! He stood and moved forward.
"Show me the personal files complete with photo id of the Captain and Ship's Counselor." He just couldn't say wife.
In that order Data pulled up the files. First the Captain: Jean Luc Picard of Earth. Sam looked at the photo" He looks capable."
"He is." Georgie sounded proud.
Then the file of the Counselor, "She's beautiful." Sam was amazed.
"She is also a capable Ship's Counselor." Data reiterated.
"And hell in bed!" Al insisted.
Sam heard none of them; he continued to stare at the photo, and there on in the shuttlecraft he fell in love.
==========================================
Part 4
by Laura Michaels
Sam realized he was most likely feeling Riker's emotions towards Deanna not his
own, since he was married. He was married? "I'm married?"
Sam asked Al.
"To Deanna."
"No, not Riker! Me!"
"You're not supposed to remember that."
"Well I just did. Obviously whatever I'm here to do, I'm here to
make sure things work out okay between Riker and Deanna, not Deanna and
me."
"You remembered Doctor Elisie?" Al asked.
"Sort of."
"You're not supposed to remember her so it doesn't interfere with what you
have to do."
"Well what I have to do must not have anything to do with replacing Deanna
with my wife even though I do feel the way Riker does about her. Maybe
I'm supposed to protect her from something. Al, do you think she could
have anything to do with the missing scientists? I mean, she was able to
contact me over this distance telepathically. Maybe she can contact
them."
Al punched some information into Ziggy and then slapped the hand link for good
measure. Obviously he wasn't too thrilled with the response.
"Betazeds are empaths."
Sam looked through her onscreen file. "Says here she's
half-Betazed."
"Ziggy says she's not telepathic just empathic."
"...But she contacted me."
"Probably because of your close relations with her."
"Al, that's crazy. She has close relations with Riker. My mind
is nothing like his. I shouldn't even have been able to get the message
she sent to him."
"Obviously you took on more of Riker on this one than we thought."
"Any luck in figuring out if he's even related to me?"
"Ziggy and Barclay's people are still working on that. So what do we
do now?"
"When we get back to the ship, I'm going to have a talk with Deanna,"
Sam said. "I think she can help us locate the people we were sent here to
find."
"They were sent here to find. Don't you think you should have
a talk with Captain Picard first."
"That's one explanation I'm not looking forward to making."
"I know enough about the Navy to know you always keep the skipper
informed, Sam."
The shuttlecraft returned to the Enterprise. Their
first stop was a small room adjacent to the bridge where the Captain briefed
and debriefed his personnel. Picard joined Data, Geordi, Sam and
unbeknownst to him, Al, there.
"I take it things did not go well," Picard said to the assembled
group.
"They went better than expected, considering the scientists weren't
there," Data replied.
"Oh, and how do you calculate that, Data?"
"Sam Beckett of project Quantum Leap has temporarily replaced Commander
Riker in order to help us complete our mission."
Picard looked surprised, which Sam and Al instinctively knew wasn't an easy
thing to accomplish. "Well I guess he told him," Al said to
Sam.
Sam only nodded in response.
"Dr. Beckett, I presume?" Picard addressed Sam.
"Yes."
"Do you have any ideas on how we're going to get our missing scientists
back?"
"Oh boy. Al?"
=========================================
Part 5
By Mercedes
"Oh boy. Al?" Sam didn't know what to say or how to respond. He
didn't know what was going on and found himself still confused by his
situation. At least in the past when he'd traveled backward in time, he knew
the eras. Had lived through them and knew pretty much how to easily adjust.
This - this - what was happening to him now, was a completely different story.
Al shook his head briefly before bringing a hand up to scratch his the top of
his crown. "Sam, according to Ziggy." the small instrument in his
hands beeped softly, seeming to protest against his instructions.
The flamboyantly dressed hologram hit the side of it again, his customary half
smoked cigar wedged between two fingers. "The scientists were kidnapped from
a research station on Benari IV two days ago. Until recently Starfleet command,
that's Earth's primary military organisation," Al explained,
"believed that those responsible for the kidnapping were an alien race
known as the Romulans. They'd been lead to believe from a Romulan defector that
the seven scientists were being held on T'Por space station. A recent away
team, the one you leaped in on, found
nothing to support that."
"So where are they?"
"Ziggy doesn't know." Al admitted with his usual straightforwardness.
"Yet... Ziggy and Lieutenant Barclay are still trying to determine
that." The hologram's voice trailed off again as the small computer linkup
to Ziggy beeped again. He slammed it against his open palm, but this time to no
avail. "Sam, Ziggy's experiencing some problems with maintaining the link
with the theta wave transceiver." As Al spoke, his form shimmered
slightly. He tapped in a command and a brightly lit door opened up behind him.
Al had already disappeared. A nervous laugh escaped Sam and he told the
gathered officers what had happened, a little uncomfortable with what he had to
admit the others.
After all these years of leaping, he wasn't used to people already being
familiar with Project Quantum Leap. He finished with a couple of
questions of his own. "What were the scientists doing? Why were they
taken?"
"Mr. Data?" Picard prompted the android.
"Yes sir," Data stood, and moved to the front of the elongated
conference table. His hands played the controls of the main computer at the
front of the room like a virtuoso. He began…
==========================================
Part 6
By Pia
Sam watched in wonder as the android worked, the catlike
eyes shining with what could be misconstrued as concentration. It was
fascinating; the whole thing was pretty fascinating, in fact, even if it was
disconcerting. He couldn't get past the fact that he had remembered his wife.
He had a wife. He sighed, prompting Picard's questioning gaze.
"Dr. Beckett?"
"Sir, I'm fine, sir. I just..." he trailed off. "Sir, would it
be possible for me to speak to," he thought about how to phrase it,
"to the Counselor."
He still had trouble saying the word 'wife,' especially because his emotions
were still utterly confused. He knew that what he had felt upon seeing Deanna's
picture had been Commander's feelings towards the beautiful woman - of course
it had - and it was obvious that the two of them were very close. He watched
the Captain. "Alone," he finished.
Picard gave him a serious look, wondering how much of his XO was still there.
This situation was very unexpected to say the least. But it was clear to him
that the man in front was concerned for Troi, and he decided that it might help
if Beckett were to speak to the Counselor - if nothing else than to help him
sort out the confusion he was most likely experiencing. Therefore, Picard
nodded slightly, acknowledging the request.
"Very well. I will inform you when we are ready discuss the hostage
situation. It should not be long."
"Yes, sir," Sam said, suddenly undecided. Picard smiled slightly
despite himself.
"Try the Ten Forward Lounge, Dr. Beckett," he advised, and Sam
nodded, leaving the room while trying to figure out where said Lounge could be
located. Then he took a chance and called out his question. The computer's
directions were instantaneous, and moments later Sam was standing in the
doorway looking in.
The two women both turned their heads, looking at him. The redhead smiled at
him as he walked closer, and she placed a hand on his arm before leaving he and
Deanna alone.
"Hi." 'Good one, Sam,' he chided himself. He sat down and looked at
the remarkable woman in front of him. This Commander Riker was a very lucky
man, indeed. "I'm ..."
"Not Will." She smiled, taking the hand he offered her. "I'm Deanna
Troi. Nice to meet you."
"I'm Sam Beckett," he answered. She nodded. "You know who I
am?"
"Yes," she replied, looking closer. "He's still there, isn't he?
A part of him is still in there. I can feel it."
"Yes," Sam answered, wondering just how close the First Officer and
the Counselor were? Then remembered the two were married! He was here for a
reason, and part of it was to protect Deanna, some way he sure of it, but he
didn't want to get involved in something that was not his concern, at least if
it wasn't
entirely necessary.
Deanna found it a little disconcerting to say the least. But she kept her blanket over her emotions, brought about through years of learning tight control over not just her own feelings but, protecting her psyche from the at times overwhelming emotions of others. And Sam's emotions were powerful. He felt trapped, and she could feel the slight remnant of Will's own emotions still present.
"You're very confused," she observed. He couldn't help smiling. That
had to be pretty obvious - even to a non-empath.
"You can say that." There was a pause. This wasn't a conversation Sam
had anticipated, and he didn't know how to start it. In truth he wasn't even
what he wanted to say, only that he hoped to reassure the Counselor and to maybe
gain some information about this man who he was going to have to pass as - at
least until the scientists were safe. "Deanna," he started, and she
didn't seem to mind how he addressed her. "I'm not sure why I'm here, but
if I am to assist in the situation with the hostages, I have to appear to
everyone to in fact be Commander Riker, and that means that I need your
help." He looked at her, trying to convey his compassion and understanding
that this couldn't be easy for her.
"I know." She smiled. "I will be happy to tell you about Will,
it's just... I'm overwhelmed, Doctor. Your feelings coupled with those of my
husband's that I can still sense..." She trailed off. "I will
manage."
"I don't mean to pressure you." Sam found himself intrigued by the
dark-haired woman, and he was positive that she was indeed a very capable
ship's counselor.
"You aren't," she promised, and he was just about to let her know
that he had heard her thought cast earlier, when her communicator went off. She
gave him an apologizing look as she answered. "Troi here."
"Counselor, if Dr. Beckett is still with you."
"He is, Captain," she said, and Sam focused his attention on the
Captain's next words.
"Dr. Beckett, could you report to my Ready Room. We have some new
information on the scientists and I would like you to be present at the
briefing."
"I'm on my way, sir."
"Good. We'll be waiting. Picard out."
Sam rose quickly catching her troubled expression as he headed for the exit.
"It will be all right, Deanna," he found himself saying, happy to see
her slight smile.
"Yes," she said. Looking at the man who looked everything like the
man she loved but still wasn't, she went on. "Go see the Captain. We will
talk later."
"We will," he promised and slipped outside before attempting to clear
his mind as he returned to the Captain and the task at hand. That was the
priority.
==========================================
Part 7
By Rising Sun
Will Riker opened his eyes and groaned. It was not a dream he really was in some cell – a prisoner. In more ways than one; he had long discovered that he was occupying another body that meant no one was missing him. So there was no rescue being mounted. Freedom would have to be achieved by him and him alone.
He arose from the cot and examined the room again. White, padded no sign of the door, but there had to be one and the baby blue/white light.
“Hello!” He called but his voice just died on the padding. Where the hell was he!
Suddenly the door swung open and a man walked in with what looked like a tricorder in his hand. “Commander! My name is Al.”
Will just looked at him.
Al tapped and slapped the tricorder. Normally we don’t do a complete briefing but we have an unusual situation…”
Riker cut across him, he was about to ask who “we” was but changed the question to “What unusual situation?”
“AH.” Al paused. “First I must explain Project Quantum Leap. In the year 1995 in New Mexico a top-secret project called Quantum Leap was invented and constructed by my friend the brilliant quantum physicist Dr. Sam Beckett. He managed to build a time machine that enables a person to leap into different times within his own lifetime. While testing this machine Sam prematurely stepped into the project's accelerator and leaped into another time.”
“What does that have to …” He stopped and looked at his hands. “I’ve been… He leaped into my body!”
“Got it in one.” Al confessed, “The problem is that has leaped out of his time line.”
“I’ll say.’ Riker grumbled. “Now what.”
“Well” Al drawled, “We wait until Sam leaps again. He will soon.” All was confident of that fact. He turned to walk out the door. He never made it as Will landed a chop to the man’s neck. Will placed the now unconscious Al onto the cot he had just occupied.
“Sweet dreams.” He wished him as he headed out the door.
The first door he tried led him to a room of computers and a screen where he could monitor Al, who was still out cold.
Seeing the older man was not a threat, he turned his focus to the panel before him. He continued to glance first at the screen then the door he had just used Will continued to scan the panel.
Finally “Here goes nothing.” He prayed and hit a button. He was instantly engulfed in a bright white bluish light.
=========================================
Sam stepped into the turbo lift and was joined by Al.
“You look like hell.” Sam observed.
“We have a problem.” Al ignored the quip “Riker’s escaped.”
“How the hell that happen?!”
Al gesticulated wildly. “How he escaped is of no import. The point is he’s leaped!”
Sam gaped at Al in shock.
=========================================
The light eventually faded and William Riker stared at the missing scientists in confusion..
=========================================
Back at the cell where it all began Thomas Riker examined his prison and raged.
=========================================
Part 8
By Laura
"Let me think. You've leaped into yourself
before," Sam said to Al.
"Yes, but we've never had someone you've
leaped into leap into someone else." Al pointed out.
"What about when you leaped into the soldier in World
War II?" Sam accused the hologram.
"We simultaneously leaped. You leaped home to
your own body and I leaped into the World War II vet." Al defended.
"I also remembered Dr. Elisie when that happened."
Sam declared.
"Sam, that has nothing to do with it. You
remembered her here before Riker leaped. Can we concentrate on
Riker?" Al slapped his PDA as the instrument beeped and blinked.
"We need a location. We need to find out where
Riker is." Sam tried to focus.
"Not so easy. He doesn't have a neural link like
we do." Al stated the obvious.
"Is it safe to assume that whatever's wrong here, I
was drawn to the heart of it and he would be too?" Sam was getting into
the analysis.
"You're asking me, Sam? You're the quantum
physicist." Again he slapped the PDA.
"This has more to do with order in the universe or
higher powers guiding us than physics." Sam was becoming frustrated.
"We can't just ignore the problem and hope once you've
fixed whatever you've been sent to fix, you'll both leap back." Al
charged.
"No, we can't.” Sam agreed, “Al, go talk with whoever
he's leaped into. I don't care what you have to tell him, but convince him to
give us his background and history so we'll have an idea where Riker is.
Deanna didn't mention anything about Riker being impulsive."
"You're on a first name basis with the
Counselor?" Al observed conveniently ignoring the order.
"Al!"
"I'm on it." The door to the imaging
chamber opened and Al disappeared.
Sam joined Captain Picard, Data and Geordie in the Captain's ready room.
How much should he tell them about the situation quickly growing worse at
Stallion's Gate, New Mexico. He could have preferred talking it over with
the Counselor before disclosing it to them. "What have you found
out?"
Data took on a lecturing tone. "The whole
project was highly classified, but I was able to ascertain some information on
it based on the scientists specialties and previous papers written
by them. It is our belief that they were working on a personal cloaking
device."
"Like the Stargate project mentioned?" Sam found
himself questioning.
"The Stargate project?" Captain Picard asked,
confused. Oops, guess they don't know everything about classified information from
our century.
"You had a cloaking device in the 1990s?" Geordie
asked curiously.
"No. We'd just heard about such a device,"
Sam quickly explained.
"Well, don't get me wrong. There have been new
and improved cloaking devices for a few centuries. The original
Enterprise NCC 1701 was sent on a mission where Lt. Commander Spock originally
stole the cloaking device technology from the Romulans."
"There's our Romulan connection," Sam said.
"Correct," Geordie continued. "Now
from what we've theorized about this new device, it will allow someone to go
anywhere, even carefully guarded installations, without anyone knowing you were
ever there."
"We theorize the Romulans want this new
technology," said Data.
"Enough to kidnap scientists and risk a war?" Sam
asked.
"With this equipment, they could win a war without a
contest. We wouldn't even know when they've invaded our facilities,"
Geordie said.
"Why were the scientists working on a device like this
in the first place?" Sam asked. "It sounds like it could too
easily be misused for inappropriate military actions."
"Couldn't the same thing be said of Project Quantum
Leap?" Captain Picard replied.
"I don't see how..." Sam began.
"Your mysterious leaper, Alia," Geordie
elaborated.
"You know about that? You know who she is?"
Sam was shocked.
"It was a rival government at the time, attempting to
copy your experiment," Data explained.
"It went very wrong," Geordie added and had to be
dismantled.
"Was Alia all right?" Sam asked, concerned.
"According to our records, she mysteriously
disappeared and was no longer connected with the project," Data replied.
"She's fine," Geordie added. "It's
believed she went underground to lie low as she didn't want to be involved with
the experiment any further."
"I don't suppose you can contact Starfleet to confirm
your hypothesis about the cloaking device or to get any more details on the
project?" Sam asked.
"There lack of response on the subject leads me to
believe we are most certainly on the right track," Captain Picard replied.
"Let me check a few things on our end out with
Ziggy...and Barclay and I'll get back to you on this. In the meantime,
I'll be in Ten Forward finishing my conversation with Counselor Troi."
"Data and I'll do some further investigation on the
scientists cloaking device research. Some of their earlier works weren't
classified. We'll see how far we can get in duplicating their
efforts."
Sam was once again in the turbo lift, this time headed for
Ten Forward, when Al appeared.
"You have anything?" Sam demanded
immediately.
"I have a name. You're not going to
like this Sam, but it all makes sense." Al warned.
"What does?" Sam asked.
"Who Riker leaped into. Remember
how you can't leap into anyone in the future unless there's a genetic
relation?" Al was playing for time.
"Does that mean I'm related to Riker?" Sam was
confused.
"Maybe he's a descendant of Captain
Archer." Al shook his head. "That's not the point,
Sam. Riker's leaped into… get this… his duplicate. Same exact
genetic structure."
"What?" That was not a scenario that Sam had ever
considered.
"There was a transporter accident that split Riker
into two people.” Al elaborated, “Barclay tells me ordinarily people can't
survive like that, like when Captain Kirk was split..."
"Get to the point, Al." Sam hurried the hologram.
"Well somehow, two complete copies of
Riker were created by the transporter." Al finished the story.
"Where's the copy of Riker?" Sam wanted to know.
"Thomas Riker, he goes by William Thomas Riker's
middle name, was last seen in a Cardassian prison. He had joined the
Maquis..." Al rattled from the PDA that Ziggy was feeding the info into.
"The French resistance?" Sam interrupted.
"They took their name from them.” Al replied, “Back to
Thomas Riker. He was caught during a battle with the Cardassians."
"Who are the Cardassians?" There was too much
information for Sam to assimilate.
"Nasty race, as bad as the Romulans, but
Barclay says they were working for another more advanced race called the
Founders." Again Al explained.
"Wait a minute, Al. All this
politics is getting very confusing." Sam could feel a headache coming on
from the information overload.
"We can't help that. The Federation
has a lot of enemies." Al was unrepentant.
"Let's cut to the point.
Riker...Thomas Riker was imprisoned for war crimes, right? How did he get
involved with the scientists?" Sam struggled to follow the story.
"He must have escaped." Al
suggested.
"...Or the scientists tested out their personal
cloaking device and helped him escape.” Sam countered. “ Maybe he has some kind
of information Starfleet needs from him. Data on the Cardassians next
move or on the Founders. Al, you have to go back and find out if knows
something Starfleet needs to know."
"Wait, 'personal cloaking device'?"
Now it was Al’s turn to seek clarification.
"Data and Geordie seem to think that's what the
scientists were working on. Talk to Thomas Riker and he can confirm
it." Sam replied.
"I'll do that, but what are you going to
do?" Al inquired.
"Discuss this double leap situation with
Counselor Troi. Maybe she'll be able to help me sort out how to fix this,"
Sam said.
"Shouldn't you be discussing this with
Geordie or someone with a more technical background?" Al recommended.
"I need to clear my head, Al. This
Swiss-cheesed memory is affecting my ability to deal with the situation. Maybe
they'll even have a cure for it in this century. Besides, Deanna knows
both William and Thomas. I need to know what they'll do next. I
don't want any more surprises and Al..." Sam warned.
"Yes?" Al put on his innocent look.
"We can't afford any more escapes or anyone else
leaping out of New Mexico." Sam cautioned.
"I guess we're just lucky Dr. Elisie
didn't end up leaping into Deanna. Then we'd really have a mess." Al
chuckled.
"Al!" Sam did not find the thought
funny in the least.
"I'm going. I'm going." Al feigned
surrender.
"Let me know when you get anything further from Thomas
Riker," Sam yelled after Al as the hologram was disappearing through the
imaging chamber door.
Sam got out of the turbo lift and
continued to his Ten Forward destination. He noticed Deanna still sitting
at the same table, waiting for him. Before he could make his way over,
Guinan stopped him. "Dr. Beckett," she said.
=========================================
Part 9
By Mercedes
Sam regarded the woman with at first, a casual curiosity
that was automatically heightened when he realized the relaxing aura the dark
bartender seemed to ooze. Of course it was just a feeling, Sam
realized the probability that he was still adjusting to finding himself in the
twenty forth century. So naturally his instincts were slightly off.
"Yes?" At that moment it was the only response he could give
her. The more he studied her, the more he experienced the feeling
that he'd seen this woman before. But that was impossible. If true
it would put her age at... He shook his head dismissing the notion
immediately. Sam turned slightly so that he was now fully facing
her. Who was she?
"My name is Guinan," she told him, seeming to sense his unasked
question. "I tend the bar - and I listen."
"Listen? To what?" he questioned her, only half serious.
"Oh." she smiled, "lots of things. You'd be surprised what
people feel comfortable telling their bartender."
"Have we met before? I have this feeling I know you, or I've seen
you."
Guinan's smile broadened. She neither confirmed, nor denied his
questions. "I believe the Counselor has been waiting for
you." With a sweep of her purple gown the strange woman turned and
left Sam to his pondering.
With a heavy sigh Beckett made his way over to Deanna's table.
"Hi," he greeted her, slipping into the seat opposite her.
=================================================
In engineering, Geordi Laforge continued the tedious task of sifting through
Starfleet’s records. It was becoming more and more difficult to
find any information pertaining to the more advanced cloaking suits.
A brief glance over at Data confirmed that his android friend wasn't having
much more success with their search. It brought new meaning to the term
classified. Seeing Data's usually passive face express his frustration
was something Laforge was still getting used to.
The deck rumbled beneath their feet. Geordi found himself thrown into
Data with the ship's unexpected jolting. Had it not been for the
android's quick reflexes, he had a feeling that slamming into Data's hard
artificial body would be akin to being thrown into a bulkhead. And just
as painful.
Data gently caught the chief engineer's arm and saved him from being injured in
this instance. Laforge straightened up, "Thanks Data."
The android nodded but any other response he could offer was cut short with the
sudden wailing of the alert klaxons as the Enterprise went to full red alert
status...
=========================================
Part 10
By Laura Michaels
Geordi
and Data were still in engineering when the attack came. Lizard-like beings
appeared from nowhere and put most of the staff unconscious before anyone
realized they were even there.
Data's lightning reflexes reacted to a shot fired in his and Geordi's
direction. He pulled Geordi behind some sensitive equipment to avoid the
weapons. Before either could get off a shot of their own, the aliens had
the ship out of warp and a device attached to their warp engine. They
disappeared as quickly as they had appeared.
"That red alert obviously wasn't a false alarm. We'd better inform
the Captain," Geordi told Data. Geordi headed for the nearest
control and communications console, but it was fried in the fire fight.
"Seems someone has already created those personal cloaking devices we were
investigating."
Geordi activated his personal communications equipment since the panel was down
and contacted the Captain. He studied the object the lizards had left
behind as he spoke. "Engineering was attacked. They've locked
some device onto our warp drive equipment. It's going to be tricky to get
it off without exploding it."
"What type of device?" the captain asked.
"I'm not sure. Could be a timer and detonator or it could just be
something to keep us from going back to warp. Whatever it is, someone
wants to keep us from going anywhere and investigating
anything."
"All right, do what you can with it. I'll send Wesley Crusher and
Dr. Beckett to engineering to assist you."
"… and a med team. We have injured," Geordi added.
"They're on their way," Data informed him. He'd made a call of
his own to Doctor Crusher while Geordi had been examining the device.
As soon as Geordi finished talking to the Captain, he contacted Reg Barclay and
some of his other off-duty staff to help out.
*
* *
Al found Sam in the turbo-lift. He noticed his friend's serious
look. "What's up?"
"A false alarm turned out to be a little more serious than a false
alarm. Engineering was attacked by 'lizards' with personal stealth
shields like the ones we were discussing.
"Did you say lizards?"
"Yes, that's how the captain described them when he asked me to go down to
engineering to lend a hand. Seems they've attached some type of device to
the warp engine. I feel so out-of-date, Al. How can I possibly help
them if I know nothing about this type of technology?"
"But we do know something about this technology."
"We do?"
"Lizards, or more accurately Suliban, were the enemies your descendant
Captain Archer faced a hundred years ago. Most likely this is Suliban
technology or rather a group of the Suliban called the Kabal. They didn't
develop personal stealth shields, although their ships had extensive cloaking
technology. That stealth mechanism is a genetic alteration. They
sort of fit into the background like a chameleon."
"So the Enterprise personnel are familiar with this type of
technology?"
"Yes and no. The Suliban were getting some assistance from a faction
in the future. That would be this Enterprise's future as well."
"Maybe Captain Archer could somehow help us out with the Suliban on his
end. Can things get any more complicated? We have missing
scientists, personal stealth devices, Romulans, Suliban and unknown enemy
factions from the future."
"Who may very well still be Romulans. The Federation still doesn't
know exactly who that faction helping the Suliban is."
"A missing Riker and someone in his place who refuses to answer
questions. Any luck from questioning him?"
Al didn't answer.
"Al?"
"He wouldn't exactly listen to reason."
"You did tell him how serious the situation was."
"Yes, I explained everything. National security got involved and
they're questioning him now."
"Al, how could you let that happen?"
"They know how serious this situation is. I couldn't keep them out
of it."
"From what've I run across here, they'd have more luck putting a full
Betazed on him and letting her or him try to empath the answer out of
him."
"I don't think sending him back to the future for questioning is an
option."
"We could always call Doctor Brown on that one," Sam teased. They
exited the turbolift and walked on towards engineering. "I'll ask Dr.
Crusher if they've come up with some better, more humane interrogation methods
in three hundreds. One more thing, Al."
"What? Don't tell me something else can go wrong?"
"Run a background check on the bartender here, name of Guinan. I'll pull
up a visual reference for you and Ziggy at the nearest computer station."
"Why? You suspect her...?"
"No. She does seems so familiar and I can't place her."
"You should see the picture of Captain Archer."
They entered engineering. "Hey Barclay," Al greeted.
"He can't hear you, Al."
"Uh...I'm Reg, not uh... Al?"
"Oh, no. I was talking to my holographic observer, Al."
"Holographic observer? That sounds fascinating."
"We're going to become better acquainted in your near future," Al
said to Barclay, who couldn't hear him.
"Al says he'll talk to you in the future. Can I borrow a computer
terminal?"
"Sure, this way."
"Thanks."
"Dr. Beckett, your Ziggy artificial intelligence was absolutely
brilliant. A spectacular breakthrough in computers... You'd expect
something more like that from a computer scientist than a physics expert.
...But Ziggy was totally incredible. I mean, she/he's the groundwork
for..."
"Thanks Barclay, but I really need to see if I can get some research done
here to help save the future or none of this may ever happen."
"Oh...I didn't mean to bother you. It's just that..."
"Tell him we'll have plenty of time to get acquainted later," Al said
to Sam.
"Barclay, I know for a fact that you and Ziggy and Al will have lots of
time to discuss ... everything, sometime in your future. We'll just have to
postpone the getting to know each other better phase 'til then. Thanks
for your assistance with the terminal."
"...And everything else," Al added.
"Right, well I'll be right here if you need anything. Anything at
all."
"Thanks Reg. Al told me your help was invaluable."
Sam brought up a picture of Guinan as soon as Barclay returned to his
work. "See what you can find out, will you? I'll go ask Doctor
Crusher about information gathering for our new guest."
"I'll be back soon," Al said.
"I'm counting on it, Al."