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When we arrive at Stellar Cartography, Data, Commander LaForge and another officer are waiting for us. Data introduces her to me as Lieutenant Commander Marie Dekanter, Chief of Stellar Cartography.
“Hello,” I say to her. “I hope you don’t mind my being here. I promise not to be a burdon.”
“Not at all,” she responds with a polite smile. “If what Commander Data tells me is even half true, you should prove to be quite an asset to Stellar Cartography.”
“Data’s incapable of lying.”
This receives chuckles from the adults and I feel myself growing flush.
“Worf will not be too angry, I hope,” Data says to Mother.
“I will handle my husband,” she responds. She steps aside and gestures for me to move closer to the controls. “You just get Shannara back on the route of discovery.”
Data nods. “Understood. You will not regret this course of action.” He glides his fingers across the console and a star map appears on the surround viewscreen. Though it is incredibly breathtaking, I can’t help glancing back at Mother as she retreats from the room. She is a far braver woman than I ever realized, to challenge Father’s orders..
Data gently grabs me by the shoulders and turns me around. Nodding toward Dekanter, he gives her the order to takeover the controls. "We will be spending the next several weeks studying the layout of the Akodian wormholes and mapping out routes to sectors in the outskirts of the galaxy," the android tells me. “Further advancement of this technology may soon make it possible for us to explore other galaxies.”
“Imagine traveling hundreds of times faster than warp speed,” LaForge says excitedly. “The Federation hasn’t advanced this much since the Vulcans made first contact with Earth. Not to mention pocket travel will be a hell of a lot easier on my warp engines.”
I watch as DeKanter slides through a serious of star maps throughout the galaxy. “Over the past decade,” she begins, “the Akodians have established pocket wormholes throughout all four quadrants and have collected immense date from many regions previously unkown to the Federation. Their generosity will advance Starfleet by decades.” She stops the slideshow on a system with seven planets. “Do you know where this is?”
The question seems ridiculous. How am I supposed to recognize a system inside a quadrant I’ve never studied? “I don’t have a clue. I haven’t yet reviewed any of the information the Akodians gave us.”
“It is the last known location of USS Voyager,” Data informs me. “On Stardate 54836. Commander Barclay created a microscopic quantum singularity and for eighty-nine seconds made contact with Captain Janeway. They have been inside the Delta Quadrant for nearly nine years attempting to return home.”
“Wow! Wouldn’t it be something if we could rescue them?” Could this be the greatness Q told me I was destined for? I imagine my name appearing in the media and my receiving invitations to be a guest speaker at numerous conferences.
“A minor miracle,” Dekanter says, “but one already brought the Stargazer crew back to us years ago thanks to the Akodians.”
“Weren’t the Akodians directly responsible for the Stargazer’s destruction in the first place?” I ask.
“True, but not Voyager’s predicament. The Akodians proved their wormhole technology safe long ago.”
“Yes. I’m not afraid, sir. I’ve already traveled through a couple Akodian wormholes.”
“And you shall travel through more,” LaForge says. I sense he is anxious to end this diversion and continue our plotting of the star chart.
“Of course,” Dekanter agrees. “And it is our task now to decide which areas of the Delta Quadrant we will venture into first.”
“Where Voyager is most likely to be found,” I extrapolate.
“Are you up for the task?” LaForge jokes.
I smile, bearing my front teeth. “We will find Voyager and return her safely home.
At first, Father is quite angry that Mother made this decision without his consent. For days, I sense anger as they both speak very little in front of Eric or I. I don't know what eventually calms him down, but several days into the project, he begins to take an interest in my accomplishments. Am I wrong to feel triumphant? I wonder this as I think about Mother and hope she has not used ultimatum to win Father over. I show Father the star maps I’ve downloaded to my data padd and discuss where I think we will most likely find Voyager with him.
“Captain Janeway would be grateful to finally have her crew home,” Father says. “However, you must not allow yourself to become overly optimistic. There are many variables which could have greatly altered Voyager’s course. They could be thousands of light years away from your estimates.”
“We cannot give up hope before we’ve begun the search. It may take days or even weeks to locate them, but thanks to the Akodians, we now have technology to travel thousands of light years in a moment.”
“This is an interesting project. You require others as well to receive a full education. Perhaps that is something we should discuss with Data and Mrs. Dewberry. Is this your only assignment?”
I am taken aback by the change in subject, but quickly recover. “No, of course not.” I bring up another file on my data padd and hold it up to him. “Data still teaches me a wide variety of subjects.”
“You are learning to write Klingonese!” he says with amazement. “Someday, when you visit the homeworld, you will honor yourself by speaking the language.”
I smile broadly. It has not been self-pride that has worred me. After that conversation, Father never speaks of returning me to regular school again.
*****
The Akodians supplied us with gigabytes of information on civilizations in both the Delta and Gamma Quadrants. My responsibility lies in deciding which areas of to the Delta Quadrant Voyager is least likely to be in and eliminate them from our current rescue mission. An overwhelming task, I assure you! With literally thousands of light years still between us and Voyager, I spend days studying them and with Data and Dekanter’s help make some final selections.
The most fascinating part about this assignment is the free access inside Stellar Cartography granted to me. I spend literally hours inside the room, zooming in and out of sectors on the huge room-sized starchart. As I eliminate anything I find undesirable, I simply input that information into the computer, using my own personal access, and it warns me whenever I attempt to revisit any such area on the map. Commander Dekanter is overseeing my efforts, evaluating my list and discussing any pertinent information that will appear on the official report turned into Captain Riker.
"How's it going?" Commander LaForge asks.
I did not even hear him enter! Rubbing my eyes, I turn toward him. Although I feel weird maintaining eye contact with someone who has bionic eyes, I force myself not to look away. "It's been a slow process. I never realized how much work is involved in planning a mission."
LaForge chuckles. "With some missions, there's very little time for planning. We often have to make decisions as we go. Consider yourself lucky."
"Hmm," I muse. "I guess you don't normally have detailed information handed to you from people like the Akodians."
"No." The Commander pauses as if remembering something. "Anyway, the reason I stopped by was to let you know that Captain Riker expects our final report on the wormholes tomorrow morning, and since you've worked as hard as the rest of us, I thought you might like to sit in on the meeting."
"Really!?" Are they inviting me, because they value my input? Or are they simply trying to humor me? "I've got to tell my Mother and Father about this." I stand and take a step away before realizing I have not concluded my session with the Delta Quadrant. "Computer, save program Shannara-Delta-3 and exit." The stars around us fade away and a plane white wall replaces them. I run to the exit, then pause in the open doorway. "Thank you, sir!" I tell LaForge.
*****
As I step into our quarters, I'm attacked by a couple of monsters. "You have to know the password to enter our fortress," Eric says, blocking my path. He is dressed in a gaudy uniform, wearing a huge hat and a belt weighted down by his fake weaponry. I roll my eyes at my brother.
His friend comes up from behind me and jabs me in the back of the neck with his toy phaser rifle. "I think we have ourselves a trespasser," he says. "What should we do with her?"
"Oh please," I groan and whip around to so easily pull the weapon from Brett LaForge's grip. "Just remember, I'm older, bigger, and wiser." Throwing the weapon on the floor, I push my brother out of the way and walk toward our parent's room. Just because we reached an understanding the other day, doesn’t mean that I shouldn’t reassert my superiority over him now and again.
"You won't always be bigger! You'll be sorry!"
I shake my head and scoff at him. Pressing the annunciator, I wait for Mother to answer.
"What is it, dear?" She answers. She steps up to the door and lets me in. "Oh Shannara, I didn't think you'd be finished with Stellar Cartography this soon, considering the meeting tomorrow."
"You know about it already?" I had wanted to deliver the news myself, but that honor has been ripped from me.
"Of course, Data and Commander LaForge discussed it with your Father and I this morning. They wanted to be sure that we approve of your attending."
Frustration wells within me, although I try desperately to stop it. Have they allowed me to participate in this project, because I could actually make a worthwhile contribution? Or do they have another motive? I want to ask Mother how she convinced Father not to force me to remain in regular school. I want to ask her why no one has even mentioned Q to me since we returned to the Enterprise. So many questions that I need the answers to, but instead I stare at Mother, dry-mouthed and unsure how to respond to her gentle empathic prodding.
"Shannara?"
"I'm sorry....can I be excused?" I barely wait for her nod before heading toward my room. I glance back to gauge Mother's bewildered expression. I don't know why I suddenly feel so sick to my stomach. I feel manipulated! This is all a ploy to keep me from being persuaded by Q's antics!
As my door slides closed behind me, I crash onto my bed. I am strong; I have Klingon blood flowing through me. Yet the tears wetting my pillow do not shame me. Rolling onto my back, I glance out the viewwindow. "Q," I say, not expecting him to answer.
And he doesn't.
*****
My parents are eager to talk about the meeting over dinner, though I sense mother is still bewildered by my behavior.
“What do people do at meetings?” Eric asks, interrupting our mother mid-sentence. He’s so mettlesome. Why couldn’t they have fed him early and sent him to his room? While mother answer his question, I avoid the conversation as much as possible, eating more than I should. I try to remember the excitement I felt earlier when Commander LaForge told me I would be attending the meeting. Why can I not share that with my family? I'm unable to overlook that no one is acknowledging Q's initial involvement here. Perhaps, they do not believe I was serious about mentioning Q in the alliance. I wonder how I might access a copy and even as I eagerly plan to praise Q, I wonder why I feel such a need. He hasn’t been around to support or appreciate me since.
"She needs a uniform for such an honorable occasion," Father says.
"Definitely," Mother replies with a grin. "But what color?"
"Can I have a uniform, too?" Eric asks.
“No!” I snap. “Uniforms are not for babies.”
“Shannara!” Mother exclaims. “Eric has the right to be curious. You should learn better manners. Now apologize.”
“I’m sorry,” I say without making eye contact.
“This is Shannara’s time, Eric. Maybe one day if you decide to join Starfleet, you will have your own uniform.”
“But Shannara doesn’t belong to Starfleet.”
“I guess that makes me a VIP,” I say with a smirk.
“Enough!” Father bellows. “This is accomplishing nothing. Eric, you have finished your meal. Return your plate to the replicator and go to your room.”
My brother does not argue, though I sense disappointment in him. As he walks to his room, I am pleased that despite getting into trouble, I am getting exactly what I want.
“Before you join the meeting, you must understand protocol.”
“I have already attended a meeting at Starfleet Headquarters.” I remind him. “The admirals seemed to think I did all right.”
“That is true. However, you will not be merely recounting an experience here. You will be presenting research and offering suggestions. You must remember that while your findings are very important to our upcoming mission, you must allow the captain to direct the meeting. Wait for him to address you before you speak. Be polite, always respond with ‘captain’ or ‘sir’ to show your respect.”
“Of course, I will Father.”
“Now there’s still the question of what you’ll wear,” Mother says. “We can’t have you attending an important meeting in civilian’s clothes.”
“I didn’t wear a uniform to Starfleet Headquarters. Why is this more important?”
Mother and Father look toward one another as if each expecting the other to answer. Suddenly, I sense that there’s something they’re not telling me. Why? “You should want to present a respectable image,” Mother says.
“I don’t want a uniform,” I say. “I’m not joining Starfleet, because I don’t want to spend the rest of my life on a starship.”
Father balls his hands into fists, trying to contain himself. “You would be wise not to use that tone during the meeting.”
“I have to live here until I’m an adult, because you both have chosen to remain in Starfleet. You can’t force me to become a member of this crew. I *will* leave one day.”
“When you reach adulthood that will be your choice,” Mother says. “But you don’t have to be so condescending about it. You should feel honored that Captain Riker has agreed to include you.”
“I am. I just don’t want anyone to get the impression that I’m planning a career in Starfleet. People should not assume that children will follow in their parents’ footsteps.”
Again Mother and Father look toward one another. This time, Father speaks. “You may choose whatever career you wish, but you will present yourself appropriately. Understood?”
I stare fiercely at him, refusing to answer. I don’t even know why I must be so stubborn.
“You may be excused to your room.”
Without a word; with a maelstrom of emotions, I step away from the table and dash off to my room. What is happening to me? I wonder as I crash onto my bed, sobbing. I feel as though some unknown force has control over me. I should not be suspicious of my parents, or Commander LaForge, or anyone else aboard the Enterprise. If only Q would show up again to help me sort this out. Suddenly, I wonder if maybe he can't. He did tell me that The Q were not jealous of the Akodians....did he mean to imply that they're threatened by me?
Wiping away tears, I step out of bed and walk over to Sam and Al. As I stand above them, I'm acutely aware of how much bigger than them I am. I *am* Q, I think. You shall do as I will it! The mice stare at me with their beady little eyes, squeaking in fright. "No!" I exclaim and bring my hands to my head to temper whatever power is running rampant inside my mind. Scurrying on top of one another, Sam and Al hide in the far corner of their cage. "I'm sorry....I'm so sorry."
I have to regain control!
Without giving my actions any further thought, I exit my room and walk up to Mother, who is now recycling tonight's dishes. "I'm sorry, Mother," I tell her. “I will wear a uniform to the meeting.”
“Good. I’m glad you came to your senses.
*****
The following morning, I find a purple uniform on top of my dresser. "Oh, it's beautiful!" I exclaim as I run my hand across the fabric. Eagerly, I change into it and am pleased at how well it fits. I will be proud to join the meeting in this attire.
Stepping outside my room, I hear the familiar voice of someone I haven't seen for a while. "Really Deanna, you can't expect an eight-year old girl to work so much without any play time."
"She enjoys her schooling," Mother replies. “Nobody can force her to do much of anything. Like someone else I know.”
"Have you asked her if she’d like a break? Perhaps, she would enjoy a vacation. I could take her to Betazed for a couple of months."
“That is a very long vacation,” Father says. “Who would educate her while she is gone?”
“She’s a resourceful girl. She cd educate herself. Betazed is rife with materials suitable for independent study. It would do her good to get out of this stifling environment.”
“Are you insinuating that we do not provide a suitable environment for our daughter?”
“I’m saying, what’s good for the goose isn’t always good for the gander.”
They are not going to settle this argument without my interjection, I realize. "Grandma Lwaxana!" I exclaim and rush into her arms. "I'm so glad you came."
"I'm happy to see you too, dear," Grandma says. "How would you like to play hooky from school today?"
"Mother!"
I glance nervously back and forth between the adults. How can I choose a side?
"Grandma, I have a meeting today." Hopefully, she will understand my desire to attend and not be too upset. "I would be disrespectful if I neglected to attend." Mother is beaming. Father is nodding with pride. "There will be time for games later."
"All right," Grandma says. She raises her eyebrows at her daughter as if to let her know this is only the first battle. *But I still believe you'd enjoy Betazed* she sends telepathically to me.
Grandma stays for breakfast and decides, since I am not available for the day, to take Eric to the holodeck. He is only four and still has several months before he will begin school. My parents don't argue with her this time. I am a bit jealous that Eric will be spending more time with her, but do not give in to the urge to abandon my responsibilities. Tonight will come soon enough.
After Mother tells me that it is time for the meeting, I quickly retrieve my data padd from atop my dresser. On the way to the briefing room, I study my notes. I cannot be too prepared. All the senior officers of the Enterprise will be present at this meeting. How can I impress someone as important as the captain?
"Shannara," Mother says just outside the briefing room, "whatever happens during this meeting, I want you to know that your Father and I are very proud of you." What does she expect will happen? I wonder. Sometimes, during moments like this, I wish I'd been the average child, destined to live a mundane existence balanced only by public schooling and family ties. I cannot live up to this idol both the humans and the Akodians wish to make me, nor the superior being Q claims is inside me.
"And you look good in that uniform," Father adds.
“Thank you,” I tell him.
As we step inside the room, I glance nervously at each person in the room. Captain Riker, LaForge, Data, Dekanter, and Berlitz, are all staring expectantly at me. Will I deliver what they want? My parents take seats to Data's left and wait for the captain to open the meeting.
"Please, sit down, Shannara," the captain says, pointing at a chair crossways from him. As I sit down. The padd clutched in my right hand clicks against the table. "Thank you for joining us." He then addresses the group. "We have much to discuss today and what we decide will determine our mission for the next several months. First on our agenda is to attempt to locate the USS Voyager, lost in the Delta Quadrant nine years ago. Lieutenant Dekanter, would you begin by showing us the closest wormhole?"
"Aye, Captain," she says and stands to activate the star map. "There are three pocket wormholes within five light years of here." She fingers each point. “The closest one leads to the far reaches of the Gamma Quadrant. The other two lead to points in the Delta Quadrant about five hundred light years apart.”
"Speculation: which of the Delta Quadrant locations would most likely bring us closest to Voyager?”
I stand, ready to approach the map, before realizing my faux pas. Father warned me about interrupting the meeting without being addressed. “May I?” I ask of the ct. He nods his consent. Walking up to the viewscreen, I point at a location on the map. ‘Voyager was here two years ago. When Commander Barclay made contact with them. If we assume they’ve been traveling at normal speed since, the farthest of the three wormholes will bring us closer to their present coordinates.”
“I concur,” Dekanter says. “From that point, there is a series of wormholes which will enable us to pinpoint Voyager’s whereabouts with the aid of long range scanners. We will fidn them and bring them home.”
“Good,” Riker says. “After which, Starfleet has authorized the Enterprise a twelve-month exploration inside the Delta Quadrant with periodic returns tot he Alpha Quadrant for updates. Dekanter, From your review of the Akodian files, what coruse do you propose?”
As I stand awkwardly beside the lieutenant, I wonder how many of my suggestions she will offer up to the ct. To my amazement, she presents nearly every aspect of my research, pointing out known populated regions.
“We must consider the further threat of the Borg,” Father interjects. “We do not know the exact location of their homeworld, but past encounters would indicate that it is located somewhere within the Delta Quadrant.”
“We are all aware of that.”
“Then do you not believe it prudent that we strategically prepare ourselves for a potential strike? If we do not go fully prepared, we will be like a bug buzzing around a spider’s web.”
“Worf, you’re the chief tactical officer. What do you suggest?” “Additional security personnel, increased modulation of the phaser banks and shields and clearance to install a cloaking device.”
The room falls silent for a beat before LaForge responds. “The Romulans have permitted a cloaking device on one Federation ship, the USS Defiant, but that was in exchange for classified information regarding the Dominion. What price are we willing to pay here?”
“No price,” Riker says. “We cannot allow the Romulans access tot he wormholes. Their involvement would jeopardize our alliance with the Akodians.”
“Excuse me, Captain, sir,” I say, hoping it is appropriate for me to interject. “If we run in to the Borg, why don’t we just travel back through the wormhole? Sicne they gain knowledge only by assimilation, they will have no way of knowing how to follow us.”
“She is correct, sir,” Data says. “As long as no one with knowledge of the pocket technology has been assimilated, Shannara’s suggestion will remain our best course of action.”
“Good.”
“I’ve memorized the location of nearly every pocket,” I say. “If we do encounter the Borg, chances are we won’t have to travel far to reach one.”
"That's amazing!” Riker exclaims. “There must be a few thousand of them."
"Nine thousand one hundred and fifty-three to be exact, sir," Data interjects. "Shannara, we have computers to keep track of that information for us. Why did you go to the trouble of memorizing their locations?"
Trouble. "Well, it wasn't exactly any trouble." Biting at my lip, I hope Captain Riker doesn't think I am being flippant with him. "I didn't really try to memorize them. It's just that the map...well....it stuck in my head."
"She has shown a remarkable capacity for remembering nearly everything she has seen, heard or felt," my android mentor says, pride in his voice. "Although I cannot take any credit for this discipline." He turns toward my parents. "Nor do I believe either of you can. She has only been demonstrating this ability since her return from the Akodian homeworld. It is my belief that her I.Q. has since doubled."
"Doubled," Mother echos.
Looking from face to face, I try to discern what they are thinking. Are the Akodians responsible for this change? Or is Q? This is embarrassing! “Are we here to discuss my intelligence or plan out the mission?” I snap. I lower my head. “Sorry, Captain.”
"That's okay," Riker replies. "Proceed."
Dekanter backs away to again allow me access to the starmap. No longer feeling nervous, I run my finger across the surface of the screen, drawing an invisible route. "This is how I believe we should travel.....Beginning as Dekanter suggested, from here....to here....to there. We would encounter the most M-class planets with minimal lifeforms. That is what we want, right? To establish colonies?"
Looking a bit stunned, the captain turns toward Data. "That particular aspect of the mission was never explained to Shannara," the android tells everyone. "As per Starfleet motto, she was instructed on our desire to *explore* new worlds."
"But our intension is to colonize," Father says. "That is no secret."
And it is no secret that I have always felt a strong desire to do more than just explore these new worlds. One day, when I am older, maybe I will be permitted to join one of these future colonies. Who knows what lies in wait?
"Berlitz," the captain says, "lay in a course to the third closest wormhole. We have a sister ship to discover. Dismissed.”
As we step out of the conference room, Father takes his post at tactical, relieving a junior officer. Mother and I step onto the aft turbolift. “Shannara,” she says after instructing the computer to take us to deck 8. “When Q joined you on Aki, what did he do with you?” “He helped me to not be afraid,” I answer, wishing she would not pry. I really don’t want to discuss Q with her.
“Has he ever taken you inside the Continuum?”
“No, but he wants to.”
The turbolift door opens and I step out and without looking back to see how closely she’s following me, I swiftly walk to our quarters.
“Shannara,” Mother says, stepping in front of me before I can enter my bedroom. “Tell Q to take this gift back.”
“You’d rather I were an average kid struggling to understand algebra and basic science?”
“No, but I’d rather you not become corrupted by the ethics of the Q.. If they can even refer to themselves as ethical.”
“You do not understand the beliefs and foundations of the Continuum how can you be certain that they have no moral purpose?” I’m not sure how convincing I sound to Mother, but I have my doubts. I’ve only met the one Q who professes to be my guardian angel. I cannot judge an entire race on one individual and yet I want to believe that along with their superior intellect, they have a higher purpose.
“You don’t understand them as well as you’re pretending to. Shannara, your intelligence may have increased, but you’re allowing Q to fool you. Denounce the power while you still can.”
As I catch my breath, I can feel the blood pumping through my ridges. While I still can? Am I nearing the point of no return?
