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Chapter Three:
When the Enterprise arrived at Earth to drop off the colonists from Apollo IX, Riker decided to grant his crew three days shore leave time. He needed it as well. He entertained thoughts of visiting family. His father was living in their old house in Alaska. Or he could go for a long stroll across the Atlantic coast and visit famous monuments in Washington D.C. Picard this would have enjoyed the latter. After he delivered news of shore leave to the
crew, he received an unexpected message from an old friend and knew how his time on Earth would begin.
"Will, I think it would be a good idea if you, Worf, and Deanna came to visit me at my new homestead. We need to discuss what has happened....what will happen."
"You're always talking in circles," Riker said with a chuckle. "We'll be there, of course. Curiosity couldn't
keep us away." Severing the link, he exited his Ready Room, heading for Worf and Deanna's quarters.
"What did she mean by that?" Deanna asked of Riker as he, she, and Worf were en route to the transporter room. " Why can't she ever be direct?"
"That's an answer we have to be patient about receiving." Deep inside, Riker knew how difficult it was to follow his own advise.
"If we ever do," Worf said sardonically. "She is not exactly a forthcoming woman."
Entering the transporter room, they quickly stepped onto the pad and Riker ordered the transporter chief to beam them down to a location about twenty kilometers south of San Francisco. Seconds later, they appeared in the front yard of a stately three-story house. It was only a decade old, but had been built to resemble a plantation-style home of the eighteenth century. The captain whistled at the beauty of it, and led the way down the long brick driveway toward the front door. Before he had the chance to ring the door chime, a tall, thin figure opened the door. Riker chuckled quietly to himself, though Deanna glanced his way with a smile. The timing did not surprise him.
"Come, this way," he said to them and took them to a winding stairs.
"Stairs?" Worf questioned, grasping the railing as though it were an offending creature.
Pausing mid-stride several steps up, the servant glanced back at his Klingon guest. "The master prefers a simple construct."
"She would," Riker said with a big grin.
"I think it's rather nice," Deanna commented and followed the servant up the stairs first.
The tall figure led them to the end of the second-floor hallway and into a rather large office lined with shelves of books. "Your guests are here, Madam," he said and walked away.
The person sitting at the desk swivelled around in her chair. "I'm glad you decided to see me before disembarking on your next mission," Guinan said. She was wearing a long frilly dress and a hat twice the size of her head; classic Guinan. Standing, she approached Deanna and placed her hands gently on the younger woman's shoulders. She tilted her head to one side and then the other, fixing Deanna with a knowing smile. What did she know? Turning toward the men, she gestured toward a reading table at the center of the room. "Let's get comfortable first. Shall we? Would either of you like something to drink?"
Once they were all seated along with cups of coffee, Riker asked, "So Guinan, what pressing urgency has you concerned about our future?"
"Captain Picard recently discovered an unusual wormhole. Now he and his crew are missing and Starfleet is wondering if it actually was a wormhole."
Had Guinan read through the portions of the Enterprise ship's log that were public record or did she *just know* as so many times before? Riker knew which, he decided. "Yes, it is still classified as being of unknown origin."
Guinan brought her hands up to her face and tilted her head. " I assure you it was a wormhole--a manmade one. You will discover more like it soon, and they will affect you in a very personal way."
"Can you elaborate on that?"
"Not you, Will. Deanna."
"Me?" Deanna questioned, but as she leaned forward, she did not appear completely surprised. Had she already experienced the beginning of whatever Guinan was referring to?
Riker studied Worf's reaction. The Klingon appeared to be sweating, though the room temperature was at a comfortable level. How much more was going on than they'd told him?
"Do you know what she has been sensing?" Worf asked. "What has kept her from sleeping at night?"
"What I do know is that the next several months will be a time of awakening both for Deanna and your unborn child. I know how much this must frighten you and it will be difficult to adjust at first. But it is important for all of you--for all of us to keep our minds and our eyes open." Riker knew that she was speaking of something much bigger than just the four of them. "We will persevere."
"How did you know I'm pregnant?" Deanna questioned. "I'm only two and a half months along and not showing."
Reaching a hand out, Guinan patted Deanna's. "There are some things that are written in the stars. You can discover them if you know how to look." She shrugged. "You have that glow." She paused, removing her hand. "The Federation has never had any contact with the species that built these wormholes. Approaching the creators may prove difficult, but I do know that it is imperative that you make contact with them. The Federation will go on no matter, but if we are to expand beyond our current existence, we need this contact to happen ever so much as Zephram Cochrine's first contact with the Vulcans."
Riker reflected on this for a moment, wondering how they were supposed to make a passage through one of the wormholes. And if they were created rather than a natural phenomenon, why were they too small for a shuttle to maneuver through? He wished Picard were here now to share what he knew. Together, they had seemed a triumphant force. "You and Captain Picard have a strong connection," he said to Guinan. "Are you sensing anything from him? Is he
still alive?"
"I wish I could answer you. Federation interaction with the wormholes has somehow placed the cosmos out of alignment. This was inevitable; meant to be and yet somehow, not meant to be. I am seeing two futures. It's as though these wormholes are tunnels between two universes. In one reality, the Stargazer crew are unharmed and in the other--I only wish I knew which reality belongs to us. No matter which though, it's your duty to see that everything is brought back into alignment. You owe that much to Jean-Luc."
Riker agreed. But was it a debt he could ever pay? " You know I won't feel right until this matter is put to rest." Instantly, he wished he could rephrase himself. It sounded too much like he was giving up all hope on Picard's survival.
" That's what Jean-Luc would have wanted."
"Would have?" Did Guinan hold as little hope as he did?
She nodded in acknowledgment of her chosen words, but even still remained ambiguous. "Gentlemen, if you don't mind, I would like to speak with Deanna alone for a minute."
Worf fixed their old friend questioningly, but did not protest. No one was more trustworthy than Guinan. With a nod, he followed Riker out the door.
Smiling sweetly, Guinan took a long moment to begin, and Deanna played nervously with her coffee cup while she waited. "I understand that the past couple of weeks have been more difficult for you than anyone," the El Aurian finally said. "I wish I could tell you that everything will be perfectly all right and that you've seen the worst of it. You have a difficult mission ahead of you."
"What I'm sensing from the wormholes, I'm somehow connected to the people who created them, aren't I?"
Guinan nodded and as Deanna often did with her own patients waited for her to continue and sort out the possibilities for herself. "I don't think they meant for this to happen. In fact, I doubt they wanted to initiate any contact with the Federation in the near future."
"And do you have a guess as to why?"
"Maybe it has something to do with their first contact principle. Maybe they think we're not advanced enough yet."
Guinan raised a hand to her chin. "Could be. Or it could be you're more ready than they realize."
"If I'm so ready, then why am I so frightened? " Silently, Deanna wondered if her changing hormones had anything to do with her Heightened fear. This train of thought only led to concerns for the baby's emotional state. Was he or she sensing whatever was out there? "How will this affect my baby? Locking gazes with the older woman, Deanna saw centuries of pain in the El Aurian's eyes. Guinan had mentioned some of her children from time to time, but was there one she grieved for?
"Some answers must endure the test of time."
