Chapter Seventeen.

WE ARE ALL GOING TO DIE, Picard thought calmly. The mysterious force that Riker claimed watched over ships called Enterprise had failed at last. And no one would ever know why. Someday a Federation starship would come out to Tantamon IV to investigate Enterprise's disappearance. They would find wreckage, evidence of an antimatter breech, and absolutely no clue as to why this had happened. Nothing they found on the planet would help them. Picard could not even send a helpful message without contaminating every computer in the Federation.

That was all right. The Federation did not need warning-though the mystery of the lost Enterprise would probably be the subject of c.o.c.ktail party talk for months. It was unlikely such a tragedy would occur again. Without the unhappy coincidental meeting of the d'Ort'd, Baldwin's desire to disappear, and Wesley's Boogeymen, this tragedy would not have happened even once. So much for Riker's mysterious force.

"Twenty seconds to emergency jettison."

Picard's people were taking it well. Perhaps they could not comprehend the enormity of the tragedy. One could imagine the death of loved ones, perhaps even one's own death. But it was more difficult to believe the death of one's entire universe.

"Ten seconds to emergency jettison."

"Abort sequence," Picard said. Wesley repeated the command.

"Sequence aborted," said the normal computer voice.

At first Picard thought he'd heard wrong. Then he thought this must be another Boogeyman trick: give the dullards hope, then s.n.a.t.c.h it away from them.

But the Klaxon had stopped. Gravity was normal. Temperature seemed to be returning to normal. The only sounds he heard were the hiss of the air recyclers and the small movements of the people around him.

"Is it over?" Ensign Perry said.

Picard said, "Apparently so."

Perry started to cry with relief, and Troi comforted her. They all comforted one another. With some embarra.s.sment, Picard found himself hugging Dr. Crusher. He patted her on the back and pulled away. She smiled at him. He gave her back a quick professional smile and turned to watch La Forge and Data study the schematic and point things out to each other. Then La Forge sat down at one of the terminals and began to type.

While watching the schematic, Data said, "Interlocks now in place and functioning normally."

"Technology," said La Forge. "I love it."

Picard said, "Thank you, Mr. Data, Mr. La Forge, Mr. Crusher. Thank you all. Every one of you contributed to our success."

Wesley said, "I guess the Boogeymen didn't win after all."

"You needn't sound so smug, Mr. Crusher," Picard said. "It was a very near thing for us."

"Yes, sir."

Riker said, "How does it look, La Forge?"

"All systems apparently nominal, sir."

"Apparently?"

"According to the instruments," La Forge said.

Riker did not appear pleased with this answer, but he said no more.

"What about the d'Ort'd?" Baldwin said.

La Forge said, "Computer, what is the condition of Pilgrim, the d'Ort'd persona on holodeck three?"

"Program running."

"Continue program," Picard said. "Let's find out if systems are nominal in reality as well as in appearance. All bridge personnel please join me on the bridge."

"We're going to take the turbolift, aren't we, sir?" Wesley said, sounding a little worried.

"Have you another suggestion?"

"Uh, no, sir."

Picard said, "The rest of you wait here till we contact you."

"Aye, Captain," La Forge said.

They walked to the turbolift and the doors opened. All seemed normal, but Riker said, "I suggest that you and I take separate cars."

"If you insist, Number One. Wesley, Mr. Worf."

The three of them got into the car. The doors shushed closed, and Picard said, "Bridge."

The car began to move immediately. The sound and smooth ride seemed normal to Picard. He smiled at Worf and Wesley. They nodded back, but without confidence. The car slowed and stopped, and the doors opened onto the bridge. On the viewscreen, Tantamon IV turned placidly. Worf and Wesley seemed surprised they had arrived at the right place, and the truth was, Picard was surprised himself, though pleased.

Picard found Ensign Winston-Smyth pacing. "Sir!" she cried when she saw Picard and Worf and Wesley, and ran toward them. Her joy at seeing Picard again was obviously real, but he was certain her feelings were more professional than personal. An ensign could be no more comfortable commanding the bridge-even if the Boogeymen made the job largely honorary-than Picard had been asking her to do it.

"Anything to report, Ensign?" Picard said.

"The life craft are all gone, sir, but we still have our airlocks in place."

"That's the spirit," Picard said. "Ensign, you are relieved."

"Thank you, sir." Winston-Smyth walked quickly to the turbolift. The doors opened and Riker got out with Data and Troi. The ensign ducked into the turbolift and was gone.

"No adventures I trust, Number One?"

"None, sir."

Picard raised his voice and said, "Mr. La Forge?"

"Here, sir."

"Please escort Professor Baldwin to holodeck three and wait for me there."

"Aye, sir."

"Dr. Crusher, it is safe for you to return to sickbay. Ensign Perry, return to your post."

Perry and Dr. Crusher acknowledged, and Picard said to Riker, "Much more convenient than running messages through the gangway."

"Yes, sir."

"Lieutenant Shubunkin," Picard called.

"Is that you, Captain?" Shubunkin said over the comlink.

"Indeed it is, Lieutenant. Please meet me on holodeck three."

"Is that possible, sir?"

"It is. Please comply."

"Aye, sir."

"Number One, you have the bridge."

"Aye, sir."

"Ensign Crusher, please join me."

Wesley beamed as the two of them got onto the turbolift. He said, "Sir, I'd like to try the Boogeyman program mark two."

"You do not astonish me, Ensign."

"Yes, sir. Do I have your permission?"

Picard knew he could not deny Wesley permission to experiment with the holodeck any more than he could deny an experiment to someone in his science section. Besides, it was not the young man's fault that he had timed his first Boogeyman experiment to coincide with the arrival of Professor Baldwin's doctored alien program. Picard said, "Permission granted."

Wesley smiled and said, "Thank you, sir."

They rode without incident to deck eleven. Air temperature and gravity seemed normal. Inside holodeck three Picard and Wesley found the same four overstuffed chairs along with Baldwin, La Forge, and a G.o.dlike being dressed in a pirate outfit. The being was tall and bronze and handsome. He had the n.o.ble bearing of someone who knew he had nothing to prove. Picard approached the being and said, "Pilgrim?"

"Yes."

"You look different."

"The Boogeymen are gone."

"Yes. We can send you back to your ship aboard the infowafer."

"We cannot leave. We have no pusher."

Picard turned to Baldwin. "Eric," he said, "you asked me to erase your name from Federation records. I can't do that. But I am not without sympathy for your situation. For this reason, I make you a counter-proposal. The d'Ort'd need a pusher-a crew member to accelerate their teardrop ship to warp speed. They cannot return home without one."

"You suggest I go with them?"

Picard said, "Is that such a dreadful alternative? Why did you go to the transporter room when you were running, if not to escape?"

After a moment of consideration Baldwin admitted, "Maybe you're right."

Picard said, "Realize, Eric, that I make this proposal not entirely for your benefit. I hope you will return to Federation s.p.a.ce someday and teach us to train our own pushers."

While Baldwin considered, Picard went on. "You are also the perfect choice to be our goodwill amba.s.sador to the d'Ort'd."

"You can't make me an amba.s.sador, Jean-Luc."

"Not officially, no. But I can strongly suggest it."

Baldwin didn't say anything.

"I know what it is, Eric. You don't like running out in the middle of a fight."

"That," Baldwin admitted, "and also, I'm only human. If I go with the d'Ort'd, it'll be a long time before I see another one of my own kind."

"Don't go, then."

"The d'Ort'd can't get home without me."

"Another moral dilemma," Picard said.

"Baldwin must come," Pilgrim said.

While they waited to see what Baldwin's decision would be, Shubunkin arrived, a little breathless. "Everything works," he said with some surprise.

Baldwin said, "Shubunkin, how would you like to take my place on Memory Alpha?"

"It would make my career."

"Jean-Luc, call Starfleet and see if they'll go for it. Why shouldn't Shubunkin make some enemies of his own?"

Shubunkin blanched, but Baldwin smiled broadly.

"You've decided to go?" Picard said.

"Talk about moral dilemmas. After causing everybody so much trouble I guess I have to go."

"You have to go," Pilgrim said.

Picard said, "Computer, discontinue and save d'Ort'd program."

The computer gave its auditory twinkle, and Pilgrim and his chairs disappeared. Except for living beings, the holodeck was now empty. Shubunkin stared at the s.p.a.ce where Pilgrim had stood. "That was a d'Ort'd?"

Baldwin put a hand on Shubunkin's shoulder and said, "Lieutenant, it's a lot more complicated than that."

Picard said, "Mr. La Forge, record the d'Ort'd on two infowafers. We will beam one of them down to Tantamon Four with Professor Baldwin; the other is for Lieutenant Shubunkin to study on Memory Alpha."