SEASON THREE

EPISODE 2: ASSIMILATION
PART THREE

By:Elektra

SPACE: THE FINAL FRONTIER. THESE ARE THE VOYAGES OF THE WWF TITANPRIZE. IT'S MISSION: TO EXPLORE AND ENTERTAIN NEW SOCIETIES AND NEW CIVILIZATIONS.  TO BOLDLY GO WHERE NO WRESTLER HAS GONE BEFORE!

TITANPRIZE CREW:
Captain Vincent K. McMahon
First Officer, Commander Shane McMahon
Chief Engineer, Commander Stephanie McMahon
Chief of Chiefs, Commander Linda McMahon
Chief of Security, Commander Kane
Chief Medical Officer, Dr. Taker
Communications Officer, Lieutenant Rock
Counselor Al Snow (assisted by H.E.A.D.)
Diagnostics Officer, Ensign Jericho
Tactical Officer, Lieutenant Commander Austin
Transporter Chief, Lieutenant Commander Debra McMichael
... And many more!

STARSHIP TITANPRIZE - CAPTAIN'S READY ROOM

  "The People's Captain's log, stardate 07986.098. The Rock has taken over command of this roody poo ship, since it seems no one else can! We still haven't heard from the candy asses on Planet Beital. We have opened all communication frequencies for any sign. In other news, the McMahons seem to be coming along well in Nurse Bearer's care. End log."

     With that, Acting Captain Rock headed onto the people's bridge.

     "People's Captain on the bridge," Ensign Matt announced.

     "At ease..." Rock commanded. "Anything new to report?"

     "Yes sir!" Ensign Jeff began, "We seem to be getting a transmission from the surface of Planet Beital!"

     "Is it a communication?"

     "One moment..." Ensign Jeff started, and pressed a few buttons, then read the screen before him, "Yes sir! It is! It seems the dampening field has been deactivated! We're receiving a distress call sent on all WrestleFleet frequencies about ten minutes ago..." Jeff continued.

     "Well, play it!"

     "It's a bit choppy sir. I trying to clean it up..." Ensign Jeff said. He made some modifications, and finally played the message.

     "This is Ensign Chris Jericho **fzzz**  to any WrestleFleet ship in orbit of Planet Beital **fzzzz** We are **fzzz** currently on the surface **fzzz** ...was able to lower the dampening field **fzzz** but **fzz** cloaked PTC ship in orbit around the planet, **fzzz** inhabitants of Beital **fzzz** ...assimilated.  **fzzz** captured fellow crewmen **fzzz** Jericho out!"

     "It's about damn TIME the Rock got an update! Mr. Jeff, can you locate Ensign Jericho?"

     "I'm still receiving static, sir."

     "Well do something about that, before the Rock kicks your roody poo candy ass!"

     "Yes sir!"

     Before Ensign Jeff had a chance to hail their lost crewman, the WWF TITANPRIZE was attacked with a barrage of weapons from the cloaked PTC ship the Y2J Unit had mentioned in his communication.

     "Mr. Kane, Report!" Rock commanded.

     "PTC attack..." Commander Kane spoke in his monosyllabic smoke-damaged voice.

     "You think?" Rock replied sarcastically, "DO something about it!! Raise shields! Fire photon torpedoes!"

     The ship shook again, "Shields failing..." Kane replied.

     "Well what the HELL is The Rock supposed to do NOW?!"

     Jericho allowed the PTC drones to capture him. They began to lead him through the complex. Jericho took in his surroundings, creating blueprints and making note of where a quick exit could be made in comparison to where his crewmates were currently in stasis.

     He was getting closer to the signal his wall had detected earlier.

     After what seemed like an hour (but Y2J's inner clock told him it was only 10 minutes), he was taken to a large door. The drones opened the door, and shoved him through.

     Unit Y2J's eyes went wide as he saw the room before him. It was like walking into a large computer. Wires hung from the ceiling, and computer consoles lined the walls.  Various drones milled about doing various jobs... and then he saw the source of the signal.

     One large PTC automaton walked up to him, his metallic golden body shining in the unnatural light. The automaton scanned him. Jericho returned the scan, "What the hell are YOU?" he asked.

    The golden automaton spoke, "We are the PTC..." it said.

   Jericho got the feeling the automaton was speaking of ITSELF even as it said WE. Was this the  leader? Did the PTC even HAVE such a thing?

     "We know your thoughts..." it said.  "We can read your positronic matrix. The PTC have no leader... but WE..." the automaton pointed to himself, "are The Controller! YOU, Unit Y2J, will be assimilated."

     Ensign Jericho understood now. He was speaking to the embodiment of PTC. The collective itself... or... HIMself, "And what will you do if I resist?" Jericho asked.

     "Resistance is futile..."

     "Is it now?" Y2J asked, "Well, it seems our past efforts were NOT futile! Myself and my fellow crewmembers resisted you when your boarded our ship. We resisted you when you assimilated our Captain... and we will resist you now!"

     "Resistance is futile..."The Controller repeated.

    "And what will you do if I DO resist?"

     "You will suffer for your evil..." The Controller replied.

     "You would make us suffer?? But... isn't that somewhat EVIL of you yourself?" Jericho asked.

     The Controller twitched, then spoke again, "It is for the greater good..."

    "And who decides this greater good?"

    "The PTC decide!"

     "So... you are going to make us SUFFER and force us to follow what YOU believe?" Jericho nodded, "Definitely EVIL!"

   The Controller twitched again, "The PTC is not evil..." he said.

     "You say that... but causing others pain and suffering is the embodiment of EVIL! Threats are the embodiment of EVIL...!"

    The Controller twitched a bit more this time. He seemed to be having a problem computing Y2J's words, "We are not EVIL..." he repeated.

     "No? Then tell me... what is it that you DO consider evil?" Unit Y2J asked.

     "Violence is evil---" The controller began.

     Unit Y2J interrupted, "Yet here YOU are... threatening my ship with VIOLENCE..."

     A spark flew out of the wire attached to the Controller’s head, and he continued, "Stealing is evil..."

     "Yet here you are trying to STEAL our individuality..."

     Another spark, and the sound of a wire short-circuiting, "The WWF is evil..." the Controller continued.

     "And yet, here your collective has been watching the WWF closely..."

     Twitch. "We... **fzz** watch to **fzzz** condemn..."

     "Condemning others is evil..." Ensign Jericho pointed out.  By now, The Controller and his drones were not looking very healthy. They all seemed to be showing signs of malfunction, "See... you are more evil then WE are. What we do, we do to entertain. What YOU do, you do to dominate. Cruelly dominating others weaker then you is... in a word... evil..."

     The Controller was confused. Unit Y2J's words did not compute!

    The Controller collapsed to the ground, and his drones quickly followed.

WWF TITANPRIZE - BRIDGE

     As quickly as it had started, the PTC attack stopped.

     "What..?" Rock began, then turned towards Ensign Christian, who was currently taking over Ensign Jericho's duties (after all, they both looked the same... what difference did it make?) "What the hell happened, Ensign?" Rock asked.

     "It seems the PTC have stopped their attack. I'm reading a major malfunction in their central computer," Ensign Christian replied.

     Rock looked towards the planet on the viewscreen, and saw the PTC ship begin to uncloak, "FIRE, you big red retard! Fire on those roody poo candy asses!!" he snapped. Commander Kane did so, and the PTC ship -- already severely damaged from whatever had attacked the collective on the planet, exploded in a ball of fire.

PLANET BEITAL - PTC BUILDING

     The controller and his drones began to smoke, wires short-circuiting as their collective mind was cut off from their destroyed ship.  The Controller crawled to his knees, and tried to speak again, "We are not evil..." he repeated, "We are not--"

     Suddenly, the controller’s words were interrupted by a wide phaser stream that not only disintegrated The Controller... but most of his now dysfunctional drones.

     Ensign Jericho spun around... to see Dr. Taker holding a discharged phaser in his hands, "What the...?? I thought you were in stasis!" Ensign Jericho started.

     "I was playing dead..." Dr. Taker replied.

     Ensign Jericho looked at the dark doctor, "Well.. you do a damn good job of it!!"

     Dr. Taker stared at him, his cold grey eyes unreadable, "The PTC cannot control one as powerful as myself..." he spoke.

     Unit Y2J frowned, "Oh really?? Well if you're so powerful, why are you only a chief medical officer instead of in command then?"

     "As chief medical officer, I hold life and death in my hands, boy!! THAT is the ultimate power! A power that cannot  be matched by a mere command position!"

     Ensign Jericho blinked, "What the...?" Then just shook his head, "With a doctor like YOU on board, it's a good thing I can't die!!" he replied.

     "Everything dies, boy. EVERYTHING."

    Unit Y2J paled, if that was possible, and cleared his throat, "Uh... yes.. .well... umm... on THAT happy note.... let's find our crewmen!" he said, and quickly headed off, not bothering to see if Dr. Taker followed.

     "Sir... transmission coming in from Planet Beital!" Mr. Jeff announced.

     "On screen!" The people's Captain replied.

     The Titanscreen showed a fuzzy picture of Ensign Jericho, Dr. Taker, a groggy Ensign Angle and Lt. Commander Austin... and a nervous-looking Counselor Snow. "Rock?!" Jericho began, "Where is Captain McMahon?

     "It doesn't MATTER where McMahon is! What does your candy ass have to report? What the hell happened down there?"

     "We had a little... problem... with the PTC... but it's all taken care of now. I'll give the Captain my report. Just beam us up!"

     "Rock to Lt. Commander McMichael! Beam the away team up."

     "Yes, sir!" came the reply, and the away team shimmered out of existence on the Titanscreen.

     Ensign Jericho walked into the ready room, and sat across from Captain McMahon, who was back in command after finally being released from Sickbay. "Mr. Jericho, I've read your report on the incident on Planet Beital. I've also read Dr. Taker's report. I want to congratulate you on a job well done!"

     "Thank you, sir..." Unit Y2J replied.

     "According to Dr. Taker, if you had not disabled The Controller, then there would have been no hope for Angle or Austin... or the TITANPRIZE."

     "Well, Dr. Taker is the one who killed The Controller..." Unit Y2J spoke.

     "According to Dr. Taker's report, he didn't have to. You had already rendered The Controller, the drones, and the PTC ship useless. Killing him would not have made a difference..."

     "Then, why DID Dr. Taker kill him?"

     "Because... Dr. Taker is a sadistic bastard..." Captain McMahon replied.

     "And.... he's your Chief Medical Officer...??" Unit Y2J asked.

     "Yes... well... " McMahon cleared his throat, "My crew choices are besides the point. I called you in here for a reason..."

     "Yes, sir...?"

     "Due to your exemplary performance during the crisis on Planet Beital, and for single-handedly saving the WWF TITANPRIZE from the PTC attack, I hearby grant you the rank of Lieutenant!" The Captain then handed Jericho a Lieutenant badge.

     Ensign... no... LIEUTENANT Jericho nodded as he pinned the badge to the collar of his WrestleFleet uniform, "Well... I DO recall saying I would save the WWF when I had first come on board!" he started, then stood up, arms crossed triumphantly, "And I will CONTINUE to save this floundering ship as long as I am functional!"  Lieutenant Jericho turned to Captain McMahon, and held a hand out, "Thank you, sir."

     Captain McMahon stood up, and shook Unit Y2J's hand.

     Y2J left the Captain's ready room, and headed to The Smackdown.

     It was time to celebrate his promotion.