From rob4654@webtv.net Wed Sep 29 17:56:06 1999
Title : Ensign Stephens
Author : Rob Morris
Series : Voy
Type : Crossover
Rating : G
Summary : Is Janeway dealing with an incompetent crewman---or a victim
of circumstance?
Ensign Stephens
by Rob Morris
The Starship Voyager was under the kind of attack that the Starship
Voyager often found itself under. They had crossed an invisble line on
an unseen star chart, and unwittingly offended an unknown race using
unfamiliar weaponry.
This time, though, one of Captain Janeway's crew was not responding
properly. In fact, he was not responding at all. He just stared dumbly
at his console.
"Dammit, I said fire, Mister!"
With honest pleading, the man looked up at Captain Janeway.
"Lady, how exactly would you have me do that? There's no button marked
'fire' on this mishmash Lite-Brite."
Contemptuously, Janeway fired for him.
"Consider yourself on report, Ensign...... who the hell are you? And
where's Tom Paris?"
Just then, a thin gray alien appeared on the Bridge. What looked an
awful lot like a bomb was in his hands.
"These Treaties Hath Be Violented. Our foeship must be destroyered."
This time, Ensign Stephens was of a bit more use. He held up a finger,
and spoke.
"Let Time Be Slowed Down; Give Up This Fight; Let All Around Believe
Your Borders Alright!"
He then made a fist and pulled back his hand, and the alien vanished,
as did the attacking ship. Stephens sighed, and looked at his hand,
somewhat disgustedly.
"Hated to do it, but score one for you, Sam, honey."
A bit calmer, Janeway asked a question.
"How did you just do that?"
It was Chakotay who answered, though.
"Captain, he used some form of magic. Our guest here is a warlock--a
male magic user."
The man stood up, hackles obviously raised by Chakotay's statement.
"Hey, pal! I AM No Warlock! Never have been, never wanted to be. That
magic I used I keep for emergencies, and that's only because my wife
insisted. Now I demand to know where I am!"
Janeway took this one.
"One : Aboard My Ship, You Demand Exactly--Nothing. Two : Drop That
Tone Of Voice, Or I'll Have You In The Brig So Quickly, It'll Seem Like
'Magic'. Three : You Are Aboard The Federation Starship USS Voyager,
Currently In The Delta Quadrant Of Our Galaxy. I am Kathryn Janeway, But
You May Call Me 'Captain'. Do We Have An Understanding?"
The man looked as whipped by the overall situation as by Janeway's
tough talk. He sat down.
"For whatever its worth, I'm sorry, Captain. But you have to understand
my life. I love my wife with all my heart, but being married to a witch
can be pre-tty trying, at times."
"So your wife sent you here, Mister..."
"Stephens. Darrin Stephens. No, Samantha wouldn't do this, even at her
angriest. And I've gotten her plenty angry, trust me. No. This started
in the usual way. I got into an argument with my Mother-In-Law."
Janeway nodded, with some things finally becoming clear.
"And she is a 'witch' as well?"
Stephens smiled quite sarcastically.
"Ohhhhh.......Yes. Endora....Is A Real Witch!"
The Captain sensed in this a backstory she did not wish to pursue.
"Mister Stephens, our EM....our Doctor is going to take a look at your
health, and you will be given quarters for the duration of your stay.
Are you from Earth?"
Darrin's eyes went wide.
"You mean I'm not on Earth now? Isn't this some kind of underground
military base? Sayyy---are you people Russians?"
Now, Janeway's eyes went wide.
"Mister Stephens, what year is it?"
"1971, of course. Why, what year do you think it is? No...ohhh, no.
What year IS it?"
Janeway sighed.
"We....can't say. We have to protect the present as we know it. Suffice
it to say...You're In The Future."
Neelix's face appeared on screen.
"Hi, Voyager! This Is The Neelix Report for April 19, 2376! No news to
report today. Bye!"
Stephens put his hands between his legs, and Janeway mentally strangled
Neelix.
"Wellllllll......"
----------------------------------
WESTPORT, CONNECTICUT, 1971
Tabitha Stephens was questioning her visitor mercilessly.
"So what'd you do after you blew up the underwater base, Tom?"
Tom Paris was having the time of his life, despite it all.
"Well, I got in BIG trouble, kind of like you did with your Mom, for
not cleaning your room--OK?"
The six-year-old nodded.
"Ok. I like you, Tom. But I miss my Daddy."
"Well, I'm sure we'll get him back soon, Tabitha. Hey, who's this guy
in the picture with your Mom?"
"Oh, that's Uncle Hawkeye. He and Aunt Margaret work in a MASH in
Vietnam, but they don't kill any babies. They're doctors."
Tom almost couldn't breathe.
"My God...These are The Pierces! Hawkeye and Hot Lips. Two of the
greatest heroes in the history...I shouldn't say any more. Shhh, kiddo."
Tabitha puzzled.
"Is this about Deep Space Nine?"
Now, Tom could not breathe at all.
"How....How do you know..about...Terok Nor hasn't even..."
Samantha Stephens came out of the kitchen, having again failed to
contact her mother.
"Tabitha....we don't discuss Uncle Hawkeye's trip to DS9, now do we? Go
check on Adam's nap, Ok?"
"Ok, Mommy."
The little girl stood up and kissed Tom on the cheek.
"I Love You, Tom. Do You Have A Girlfriend?"
Tom chuckled.
"Sure Do. She's A Klingon. Really Jealous, too. Let's keep that our
secret, Ok?"
"A Klingon? You mean like Mister Worf?"
"Um---half-Klingon."
"Ohhh. A hybrid, like Mister Spo---"
Sam intervened.
"Tabitha!"
"Yes, Mommy. I'm going."
A door lightly slammed upstairs, but Samantha let it pass without
comment.
"Sorry, Tom. You see, my brother, Hawkeye Pierce, and his wife Margaret
and a few friends, welllll...it gets complicated. But we know a lot
about the 24th Century."
"Hawkeye Pierce is your brother?"
"Step-brother, really. You see, his father, Dan, and my----VERY
ARROGANT-- mother...."
Sam stopped when Larry Tate burst in, and made a beeline for Tom.
"Look, I know you are merely someone who appeared in Darrin's
office---but if you could just give me some help on The Sheuster
Account, It'd be a real shot in the arm for MacMahon and Tate."
Sam gestured, and caused Larry to backtrack out, forgetting about them
all.
"Hmm..I should really do that more often. He can be quite pushy."
Paris shook his head.
"Pushy? I've met less aggressive Ferengi."
"For the moment, I better concentrate on getting mother here. You can
watch TV, you know."
"I...know. No offense, Sam, but I was kind of avoiding it."
"None taken. But while its not interactive, its all we've got, and with
a nosy neighbor, I'm reluctant to use magic in the house."
"Ahh. I'll give it a chance."
Tom turned on the set.
"Now, On Sci-Fi Marathon, That Serial Movie Classic, 'The Adventures Of
Captain Proton!"
He smiled.
"Mmmm. TV."
--------------------------------------
USS VOYAGER
Kim and Tuvok concurred.
"Captain, we've isolated the chronal energy signature that brought
Darrin here."
"Indeed. Mister Kim and I both feel that by inverting it, we should be
able to cancel this so-called magic, negating its effects."
Darrin raised his hand.
"Uh...guys. As much as I appreciate this, we should wait for Endora to
calm down. I mean, messing with magic can be, well...messy."
But Tuvok disagreed.
"This 'magic' is simply another form of directed energy. Logic dictates
that we, with our advanced knowledge of temporal mechanics, should be
able to re-direct it."
"The man is trying to use logic against Endora."
Janeway smiled.
"Don't worry, Darrin. We've dealt with her type, before. We've done
alright."
Seven Of Nine and Be'lanna stood at their posts.
"Initiating Inversion........."
------------------------------
WESTPORT, CONNECTICUT, 1971
Gladys Kravitz wondered what the humming noise above her house was.
She looked up.
She shouldn't have.
"ABNERRRRRRRR!!!!!!!!!!!"
Tom looked out across the street at Voyager, floating above The Kravitz
house. He gulped---hard.
"Samantha---My Ride's Here."
To Be Concluded..........
No obligation : Short Stories :
http://www.southroad.com/brightfame/
Ancient Destroyer :
http://www.telepath.com/kkuhlman/fanindex.html
From rob4654@webtv.net Fri Oct 01 02:16:34 1999
Ensign Stephens
by Rob Morris
Summary : Endora sent Darrin Stephens ahead 400 years, and caused Tom
Paris to go back to 1971, with Samantha and Tabitha Stephens. Tuvok and
Kim incorrectly assumed they could negate Endora's spell. Instead, they
caused Voyager to be drawn back to 1971, hovering over no less than The
Kravitzes' household.
--------------------------------
Samantha looked out the window.
"Tom, that's a fine-looking ship!"
Paris briefly glared at his host. Sam shrugged.
"Welllll...."
"Oh, we are so very dead. The Temporal disaster this creates.....then
again, maybe not."
Inspired, Tom hit his combadge.
"Paris to Captain Janeway."
"Tom...how bad are things?"
"Well, Ma'am, using my underwater expedition as a 10, I'd say we're at
about a 15. Suggest you use a disguising hologram. Like...."
He saw one of Tabitha's toys, a model of a dirigible.
"A balloon. A float. But one that looks like Voyager, preferably."
"Superior thinking, Mister Paris. But first lets beam our guest home."
Darrin reappeared, and again Sam was glared at. But she held her
ground.
"Look, Darrin, you must have gotten Mother pretty upset to do something
like this. Now, give. Tell me."
Outside, Voyager The Starship now looked like Voyager The Float.
Needless to say, this occurred just as Gladys Kravitz dragged her
husband Abner out to see The 'UFO'.
"You see? You See?"
Abner shrugged, as was his wont.
"Yeah, I see. And if they keep that blimp up there too long, I'll call
the cops. But its probably just passing overhead."
Gladys shook her fist at Voyager.
"You did it to me again, Samantha Stephens! But I'll get you yet!"
"Gladys, Honey? You want I should buy the Stephens' a little dog, so
you can get him, too?"
Gladys walked into their house, and slammed the door. Leaflets in hand,
a young 'hippie' approached Abner.
"Sir, would you like to leave this materialistic narcissistic world
behind forever?"
Abner stared at the young man.
"When Do We Leave?"
Inside the Stephens' house, Darrin also shrugged.
"I'm darned if I know, Sam. Your mother just waltzed into my office, I
asked her to leave, and she shouted how it was for my own good. She
looked...older."
Tom shook his head.
"Pal...that kind of comment is not going to help your case."
"It wasn't a crack. Honest, Sam. It was like she was older than Aunt
Clara. More..she called me Darrin."
"Isn't that your name?"
"Are You Tom Paris?"
"The One And Only."
"Well, pleased to meet you Tom. Now BUTT OUT!"
"Darling, Mother has called you Darrin...once or twice. Okay, this is
odd."
While Samantha pondered, Tom contacted his Ship again.
"Hey, guys--Now would be a good time to beam me up. Mister Stephens is
back, and our work is done here--isn't it?"
The voice that responded was not one of Tom's crewmates. But it was
familiar.
"Paris, This Is Captain Braxton. Your ship has been seized by the
authority vested in me by TimeFleet Command."
"Braxton? But aren't you...."
"I was re-merged with several more stable temporal counterparts. Now,
remand yourself over to answer for numerous violations of...well, you
name it."
Sam spoke up.
"Listen...Captain? This mess is hardly their fault. My Mother started
all this. They just tried to correct things."
Janeway's voice broke through on the other end.
"And we had no intention of travelling anywhere in time."
"Captain Janeway, did you or did you not ignore Mister Stephens' advice
regarding his mother-in-law's magic?"
"I...suppose we did. But we had every reason to believe it would work."
"I see. Mister Stephens, how many spells have you had cast upon you in
the last seven years, your time?"
Darrin nodded grimly.
"About three-hundred."
Sam winced.
"That many?"
Janeway spoke up again.
"Your point, Captain Braxton?"
"I think it would be obvious. Mister Stephens' experience in these
matters, including Time Travel, is many times your own. You should have
deferred to it."
Darrin inserted his foot into his mouth.
"Well, that's what you get for having a woman Captain."
Braxton caused the Voyager's senior staff to materialize in The
Stephens' living room. He chuckled as Janeway walked up to Darrin.
"Oh, I was not going to miss this."
Janeway laid down the law.
"Listen up, you mealy-mouthed, sexist, bigoted, two-bit dictator! As we
prepared for our attempt to put you back where you belong, all I heard
about was how in your house, you forbid this, and your wife broke this
rule, and you like meals prepared only by hand. My God, You Are More Of
A Dinosaur Than Some Dinosaurs I've Met!"
Darrin laid down the law.
"I take it back, Captain Janeway. A woman makes a perfectly good CO.
But you'd make an even better DI! Everyone on your ship has probably
heard you demean them or threaten them with the brig! You asked your
XO's advice exactly once and then acted like he never even gave it.
Kathryn Bligh is more like it."
"Do you deny that you are a dinosaur?"
"I am a dinosaur. But I can evolve--and when I'm done----YOU'LL STILL
BE A DICTATOR!"
While the Dinosaur and The Dictator argued, the children chatted.
"Hi, I'm Tabitha. What's Your Name?"
"I'm Naomi. This house is great. You're so lucky to live on Earth. I
might want to see the Earth in my time, someday."
"But you live on a spaceship! Thats so neat! Just like The Robinsons."
"Who?"
"The people from TV. The ones who are Lost In Space."
"What's TV?"
Tabitha guided Naomi into her father's study, and created a television.
"Wow. Its like the holodeck--only the computer decides everything. Are
these people the Robinsons?"
"Nope. They're The Bradys."
"Really? What's Their Story?"
Tabitha shook her head.
"Lets not go there, kay' Naomi?"
"Alright. But they really should not have been playing ball in the
house. Wait--can you do anything with your power?"
"Cept cancel somebody else's spell."
Naomi smiled.
"Seven Of Nine....Come Here!"
Meanwhile, Braxton had had enough.
"Look. I don't care about who started it. We're one and all for the
29th Century, where this matter will be adjudicated and the appropriate
timelines erased. Now, I've locked onto Mrs. Stephens' Mother,
Endora...soooo..."
Endora, looking pretty much as she always had, appeared in a huff.
"What Is The Meaning Of This Outrage? I was listening to Bach play
Beethoven when this Chronal Copper grabbed me up through time and place!
Derrwood--is this your doing?"
Darrin stared dumbly.
"No, Endora. And It Isn't Yours, Either. Sam--everyone--this is not The
Endora who cast me onto Voyager."
Tuvok ran a scanner over Endora, which she batted away.
"One would think that you Elves would have better manners!"
"Madam--I am a Vulcan. And Mister Stephens is incorrect--this is the
individual who cast him into the future. The chronal signatures match
almost precisely."
Braxton gestured.
"I'll have a look at that. Yessss...almost precisely. But not quite.
Just let me recalibrate my beam to compensate."
To everyone's shock--especially Endora's--the much older Endora of
Darrin's description appeared. She bent over and kissed Darrin on the
cheek.
"My boy--so good to see you again."
Janeway thought of something.
"Seven--get over here, and check out these two with your temporal
trans---"
Kathryn stopped as a fetching six-year old blond girl walked up. But it
was not Tabitha Stevens. Rather it was Annika Hansen. She smiled.
"Captain--isn't it wonderful? Tabitha made me a child again. Now, my
poor socialization skills can be corrected."
While Janeway took this in, the older Endora hissed at her younger
counterpart.
"Vicious hag--unable to know how much you loved this boy until it was
too late. Didn't losing Daniel teach you how precious mortals are?"
Endora and Darrin stared at each other and spoke as one.
"Samantha, a martini---Make It A Double!!"
Janeway nodded.
"Mrs. Stephens--make that all around."
To Be Concluded---This Time For Sure!
No obligation : Short Stories :
http://www.southroad.com/brightfame/
Ancient Destroyer :
http://www.telepath.com/kkuhlman/fanindex.html
From rob4654@webtv.net Sat Oct 02 09:59:56 1999
Ensign Stephens
by Rob Morris
Janeway stared numbly at the transformed Seven Of Nine. Upset by all
the chaos, she barked out an order.
"Tabitha--change her back this instant!"
But Seven--now once again six-year old Annika Hansen, disagreed.
"Captain! I'm myself again.=A0Aren't you happy for me? I've gotten a
second chance. The childhood the Borg took away from me."
Janeway wasn't hearing her.
"Naomi? Was this your idea?"
Naomi shifted nervously.
"I just wanted Seven to be happy. Doesn't she deserve this?"
The Captain shook her head.
"In this life, we take the cards that we are dealt. We go forward--we
don't go back. Now Tabitha--change her back, and that's an order!"
Samantha stepped up to Kathryn, and folded her arms.
"Captain--I give my daughter orders. My husband gives our daughter
orders. You--do not give our daughter orders. Do we have an
understanding?"
"Then I suggest you order her to undo the spell she placed on
Seven--immediately."
Darrin cut in.
"Watch it, Sam. She'll put you in the brig."
"That is quite enough out of the both of you. I won't have a member of
my crew played with by some out of control Q wannabes!"
Darrin knew well the look on Sam's face. He prayed to never see that
look again directed at him. She held up one finger, and recited a verse.
"A leader who shouts is no leader at all; Watch, this time, as you take
the fall."
Janeway saw Sam's nose twitch. Then, she saw Tom Paris and Belanna
Torres standing outside the brig--with her inside of it. Tom had a grim
look on his face--and more pips on his collar.
"You forced this, Kathy. You deliberately disobeyed my orders and The
Prime Directive. The one I can punish at my discretion. The other--I
have to draw the line on. This crew must learn--we are Starfleet, even
here. You'll spend the next thirty days in solitary--Ensign. Reflect in
here about why you caused this to happen."
"Captain, this may be going a bit---"
"Commander Torres--This Matter Is Not Open For Discussion, And
Certainly Not Here."
"What Matter Ever Is?"
"You want to join her, then pull up a chair."
Kathy protested.
"Captain, they were nudging themselves into extinction!"
Paris stared back, his eyes showing not a hint of mercy.
"That's their decision. Kathy, its not called The Prime Suggestion."
Then he left her alone.
A visitor came on the 20th day. It was Samantha Wildman.
"Had enough?"
"He wouldn't even listen to--You?"
She gestured, and the illusion ended.
"To see ourselves as others see us, Captain. Think about it."
But now Ensign Paris got into it.
"How dare you? Samantha, I may not care for what happened, but she is
and remains the Captain. Good or bad, like it or lump it, she makes the
calls. And did you have to pull me into it?"
Sam was not expecting this.
"Tom, she humiliated you after letting the others off scot-free. You
said so yourself."
"No--what I said was, I didn't completely understand the decision. But,
again, she is the Captain. If drawing the line on me keeps order on the
ship---well, then, make it so. I do have to thank you for this. Until
you did that, I never understood Captain Janeway's rage. Its so easy to
skirt policy when you think you're on the fringes."
Janeway smiled at her defender.
"Tom--you agree with my punishment?"
"No, Maam. I want my pip back, and maybe another to boot. But The
Captain makes that choice. Not me."
"Samantha--I'm sorry I shouted. But Seven, or Annika, will not find
what she's looking for as a child. I'm asking you to ask Tabitha to
change her back."
Just then, Annika keeled over, in pain.
"Noooo---it hurts."
Tabitha was alarmed.
"Seven--what's wrong?"
The Doctor scanned the little girl.
"Its her nanoprobes. They're fighting against the magic."
Naomi shook her head.
"But Tabitha magicked those away, too."
"Unfortunately, Naomi, the magic and the nanoprobes both work on the
same basic invasive level. They're trying to cancel each other out, and
tearing poor Annika apart as they do."
Sam nodded to Tabitha.
"Honey--you better change her back."
"Yes, Mommy."
In a flash, Annika was gone, and Seven Of Nine returned. A tearful
Tabitha apologized.
"I'm sorry, Seven. I couldn't make the Borg stuff go away."
But Seven smiled lightly, and picked Tabitha up.
"To offer apology after giving me so extraordinary a gift is not
rational, Tabitha Stephens. Like a box of fine confections, I was able
to enjoy it while it lasted. I owe you a great debt."
"No you don't. Friends just do that for each other."
"So Naomi Wildman has informed me."
Chakotay nodded.
"We have love and new understanding. Should we try for peace in this
time-chaos?"
Darrin shook his head.
"Lotsa Luck there, Commander. I still don't understand who the other
Endora is."
Braxton emerged from the kitchen with both Endoras in tow.
"I tried to re-merge them, but I can't. Mrs. Stephens, this woman is
also your mother--from the year 2372."
The current Endora added more. She was blank-eyed.
"Just shortly before---My Death."
The older one sat down next to Darrin.
"And I am here, my sweet boy--to prevent your premature death before my
own time runs out."
Darrin nervously gulped his martini. If Braxton had any objections to
all this, he was keeping them to himself.
"Endora--how do I die?"
A bit addled, the older woman wiped away a tear.
"Darrin, my son---your drinking kills you."
Suddenly, Darrin turned and looked nervously at his always well-stocked
liquor cabinet.
"Is that true?"
The Doctor walked over, and saw that Braxton was not stopping him from
speaking freely.
"Mister Stephens--I'm afraid it is. My exam showed you are suffering
from the initial stages of cirhossis of the liver."
Janeway caught on. She looked gently at the older Endora, and got down
in front of her.
"That's why you involved my ship, isn't it? Darrin could dispute a 20th
Century Doctor, but not mine."
The woman nodded.
"Yes. Also, I had hoped that the Time Authority wouldn't notice, since
you've already been on so many time trips. Oh, young lady, I am so very
sorry. I meant no harm."
Janeway hugged her.
"No apologies neccesary. A great man once said that his logic was
imperfect when it concerned his son's life. Family is like that."
Smiling, the older Endora suddenly got a distant look. Braxton was
alarmed.
"We have to get her back to the 24th Century--Now!"
The two dissappeared. A moment later, Braxton returned alone.
"She's gone."
The younger Endora began to shake, and magicked herself away, unable to
deal with all she had seen.
Darrin stared at the cabinet that had been his solution for many years.
"Captain Janeway--do you know anyone who would like a soon-to-be unused
piece of furniture?"
Samantha cried, as did Tabitha, at the heart-shaking events of the past
few minutes. But Darrin's choice made them proud and happy. A tough road
lay ahead, but they would see it through.
Braxton stared hard at the family, but started suddenly when little
Adam Stephens came downstairs.
"Captain Janeway--we have to go."
Belanna put her hands down.
"My Dad had a cabinet like this. I'll take it."
Braxton shook his head.
"Ms. Torres--I kind of need that cabinet. I'll tell you why aboard
Voyager."
Janeway shook the hands of The Stephenses.
"It was a pleasure meeting you. Sorry if I seemed brusque, but I'm just
as protective of my family--as you are of yours."
"Then, I say, there's no apology neccesary."
Samantha nodded in agreement.
"But Kathryn, please watch your temper. You can, at times, be a real
witch!"
Naomi and Tabitha hugged.
"Thanks for everything, Tabitha. You've got it good, here. I wish I had
a little brother."
"Naomi---sometimes I wish I didn't. But he's mostly okay."
Braxton seemed oddly taken with Little Adam.
"Remember, big guy. No matter what happens, they all love you.
Understand?"
The little boy nodded and smiled.
"What was that about?"
"You'll understand, Da---Mister Stephens."
With that, the time travelers all vanished, along with Darrin's liquor
cabinet.
"Anything, Darling?"
"Yeah. Sam, make me a Screwdriver--But Hold The Vodka."
------------------------------------------
USS VOYAGER, 24TH CENTURY
Braxton prepared to leave.
"Captain, Endora's spell left you no choice, so this won't be held
against you. Since our business is done---"
Torres shook her head.
"What about the cabinet?"
Kim added his two cents.
"And how did you know so much about the Stephenses? Even with their
relation to The Pierces, you knew an awful lot."
"Time has its secrets, people. So do I."
Dismissively, he vanished.
Janeway expected no better.
"People--I may have my moments. But if I ever get like him, I hereby
order you to mutiny!"
The 'Ayes' that immediately followed gave The Captain food for thought.
Tuvok stared at his terminal.
"Fascinating."
"What is fascinating, Mister Tuvok?"
"Captain--Endora was succcessful--and yet she was not. Darrin Stephens
did not die from Cirhossis Of The Liver."
"That's great."
"He died in 2005--of Liver Cancer."
Janeway looked sad. Chakotay considered.
"It could have been unrelated. Or perhaps the earlier drinking weakened
his liver. Either way--he was mortal, like all of us."
Tom tried to lighten the mood.
"Speak for yourself, Sir. I plan to live forever."
Janeway shot one off.
"Maybe by then you'll make Lieutanant again."
Tom let it go, as well he might.
------------------------------------
KOREA, 2372
Braxton appeared in front of the Wiejanbou home of Margaret and Hawkeye
Pierce. Samantha greeted and hugged him, her hair mostly gray now.
"Get in there. She's been asking for you."
"I know."
When Braxton entered, Hawkeye squeezed his dying stepmother's hand
gently, hugged the visitor, and left.
"Who--Who Is There?"
The man called Braxton kissed this woman on the cheek, and began to
cry.
"Its me, Grandma. Its Adam."
"I know. I knew even then. You could never fool me, boy. I love you
so."
"I Love You, Too."
Later that same day, Endora Pierce rejoined the Universe. In the 29th
Century, her sometimes-uptight grandson poured himself a double, and
saluted his family's memory. They were almost all good ones.
In the 24th Century, The Starship Voyager continued on its journey
home.
------------------------------------
EARTH, 1973
"Look, Endora--thanks for watching the kids. I don't want to get
maudlin. But I'm glad we have a working truce."
"Well, Der--Darrin. We have this truce only so long as you, Benjamin,
Margaret, and my daughter relax while in Florida. Do not let your job
follow you, as it has before."
"No problem. I didn't give Larry the slightest clue where I was going,
and this time, Sam is zapping us down."
But Tom Paris's comparison of Larry Tate to a Ferengi was not an unfair
one. As before, he came bursting in.
"Darrin, I'm glad I caught you!"
"I'll bet you are. The answer's no, Larry."
"C'mon--this account---"
"Is Important. It'll save the company, or your job, or mine.
Larry--please at least don't insult my intelligence. Try a new line once
in a while."
"Endora--speak to him. This vacation can wait. He has to provide for
your daughter and grandchildren."
"Laurence--much as it pains me to say it, I am quite firmly on Darrin's
side. My son Benjamin and his wife are newly returned from Vietnam, and
need family to help them cope."
Larry shrugged.
"He'll do it or he's fired."
Darrin called the bluff.
"He won't do it, and he quits. I warned you, Larry. But you don't
listen. Sam has--money saved up. We'll get by more than nicely. We both
need this to be a real vacation."
"Hmmph. And here, I thought you were an officer on this corporate ship.
Officers stay with the ship, even if its going down."
Endora grinned.
"Laurence---you are correct. Officers should go down with the ship."
Endora gestured, and Larry dissapeared. In his place was a pale-skinned
man wearing a mostly mustard-colored tunic. He looked about.
"Have I experienced a Trans-Temporal Displacement?"
Darrin decided he would calmly ask Endora to bring Larry back, rather
than yelling as he felt like. He really needed this vacation. He spoke
to the odd visitor.
"If by that you mean have you traveled in time, then the answer is yes.
Mister---"
The man nodded.
"Data. Lieutanant Commander Data. Tell me, is this Veridian Three?"
--------------------------------------
USS ENTERPRISE-D, 2371
La Forge yelled over the intercom.
"Warp core breach--Now!"
The saucer section could not get away fast enough, and was thrown
toward the planet below. Riker yelled out.
"All Hands, Brace For Impact!"
At the helm sat a very confused Larry Tate. He saw Veridian Three grow
ever-larger onscreen.
"Oh.....Shit."
THE END
---------------------------------
Find another Bewitched Story at
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".....Bothered, and Bewildered" is a MASH crossover, set from 1959-1964,
and features DS9 and X-Files Cameos.
-----Rob Morris
No obligation : Short Stories :
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Ancient Destroyer :
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(
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