When the USS Enterprise dropped out of warp near the Hekaras Sector to adjust their approach to enter the restrictive Hekaras Corridor to navigate across the dangerous space, Worf's tactical console lit up like a Christmas tree.
“Captain!” Worf gasped as his hands typed several commands and he stared at the results. “These sensor readings are not making sense.”
“Explain.” Picard ordered.
“The tetryon radiation levels are not registering with the computer and our long range sensors are detecting a massive mechanical structure near the sole populated planet near the Hekaras Corridor.” Worf explained.
“Mr. Data? Can you figure out what it is?” Commander Riker asked.
Data copied the readings from tactical and referenced the ship's technological database. “According to the readings, it has a similar structure to a fully capable internal space dock type space station.”
“It's only similar?” Deanna asked.
“Yes, Councillor. All of the superstructure is there, as is the mushroom shaped docking platform at the top. However, the rest is lacking the protective hull plating it should have.” Data answered her. “It usually takes about a year for one to be built, so it is clearly in the midst of construction that has been ongoing for many months.”
“How is that possible?” Commander Riker asked. “We should have heard about a new federation starbase being built.”
“Checking, sir.” Data said and his fingers blurred over his console and he looked at the results. “According to official Starfleet records, there should not be a starbase anywhere near such a dangerous interstellar hazard. The energies such a large structure produces, as well as the ships that would come here for maintenance and refits, would all be subjected to the dangers that travelling the Hekaras Corridor would give them.”
“No one ordered one to be built?” Picard asked. “Where did they obtain the resources?”
“Unknown, captain.” Data said and typed a little more. “There have been no shipments of any kind coming into this sector for months.”
Picard sat back in his chair and thought about it. “Is there any sign of the USS Retaliation?”
Worf typed something on his console. “No, sir. Our sensors can not detect any other ships in the area.”
“That doesn't meant they aren't here somewhere.” Commander Riker groused.
Deanna held back her own reaction to that statement. She had spent the last five days suffering under the teasing of her mother and she wondered when the woman would be sending for another ship to pick her up. Then again, she could ask Captain Picard to drop her mother off somewhere and then Lwaxana could call for someone else to ferry her to another planet.
“Sitting here discussing it, isn't going to get us any more answers.” Picard said and nodded to himself. “Helm, bring us in at half Impulse. We'll approach the station first to hail them. If that doesn't work, we'll hail the planet.”
“Aye, sir.” The man at the helm responded and the Enterprise turned slightly and approached was used to be the mouth of the Hekaras Corridor. The navigation beacons were still there and he used them to guide the ship along the safe passage towards the large mechanical structure.
When the ship was about halfway to the space station, Worf's console beeped at him. “Captain, the starbase's main cargo bay doors are opening.”
“Mr. Data, put it on the main viewscreen.” Picard ordered.
The viewscreen showed a very far away view, where the planet was only a small ball and the starbase barely a dot near it, and changed again to show a zoomed in view that only showed the mushroom top of the starbase. The large doors finished opening and they watched a very familiar ship slowly creep out through them.
“Red alert!” Picard ordered and the ship and crew went into battle mode. “Helm, full Impulse! I want us on them before they can leave the restricted airspace around the starbase!”
“Yessir!” The man at the helm exclaimed and increase speed.
The zoomed in image increased significantly and distorted, so Data switched it back to the normal view and everyone could see the little ship wasn't reacting to them being there or approaching at such a fast speed.
“Hail them, Mr. Worf.” Picard said. “Order them to come to a full stop. Starfleet has many questions for its captain and we will detain them long enough to contact Starfleet about whatever is going on here.”
Worf almost growled as he composed the hail, then he sent it. After a few moments, he grunted. “No response, captain.”
“Increase the priority and send it along all bandwidths. They will heave to or we will consider it an act of aggression to refuse a lawfully given order.” Picard said, not realizing he was digging the hole he was in even deeper with his actions. In his mind, he had to stop them before they got away again.
Worf did so and his console beeped a moment later. “They acknowledged the hail.”
“Good.” Picard said and felt satisfaction. He would have the answers to his questions as soon as they had Thomas Riker in custody and he could also apologize to Beverly for the things he said. He would need a lot of time to make things up to her, however. Forgiveness was a long road to travel and he was going to walk it for as long as he needed to.
They all saw the small ship slow down and come to a stop and a few of them relaxed as they complied with Captain Picard's order to stand down. They shouldn't have, because the little ship almost pivoted on the spot and shot towards them at full Impulse, which was somehow much faster than their own Impulse engines could achieve.
“Sir! They're charging weapons!” Worf shouted.
“Evasive manoeuvres. All available power to shields.” Picard ordered as the helm followed the first order and the ship tilted to the left to avoid a head on collision. “Auxiliary power to phasers. Fire as soon as they are within range. Priority target their weapons and engines.”
Worf typed up a few commands and his blood started pumping. He had been waiting for a chance to use his practised skills and was ready to open fire as soon as possible. Just as the little ship was about to reach the maximum distance a phaser could fire accurately, the entire bridge went dark as all power was diverted to the shields. Emergency lights came on and everyone stood to look around.
“What just happened?” Commander Riker asked as a seat at a science console at the back of the bridge was pushed out.
Everyone turned to look and saw Lwaxana Troi climb out of the Jeffries Tube access that was behind the science console. Then to everyone's surprise, another Lwaxana wearing a Starfleet uniform climbed out behind her.
“What happened is that Mister Picard needs to be careful of the orders he issues.” The first Lwaxana answered and both women walked down the ramp and over to Data.
“All power to the shields? Really?” Chappel asked and shook her head before she turned and gave a sad smile to Data. “I'm sorry you had to choose between the spirit of his order or to follow his order to the letter.”
“I'm sorry, too.” Data said and everyone stared at him, because he had done something none of them had heard before. He had used a contraction. “I've already filed the paperwork for 14 years of stored up leave and medical sick leave, as every member of Starfleet is entitled to have during their normal careers.”
Both Captain Picard and Commander Riker grimaced at the android figuring out that loophole.
“However, since I do not sleep and only take the occasional shift off for personal reasons, I have accumulated nearly three full career's worth of leave.” Data informed everyone.
Picard sighed loudly at that, because Data's reasoning was both true and detrimental to Starfleet Personnel. If he actually filed the paperwork for all of his working hours, and Picard had no doubt that Data knew exactly how many hours of time he had actually worked since he joined Starfleet, he was going to be off for quite some time with 3 times 14 years of work, or about 42 years worth.
“Thank you for the medical leave idea, Lwaxana. Taking time off to rest and relax after working for so long with no reprieve, will give me the time I need to dedicate to researching the things Chappel has shown me.” Data said with a small smile.
“You're welcome, Data.” Lwaxana said and reached over to tap Chappel's comm badge. “Admiral? We're ready to be picked up.”
“Are you sure? There's a day left to your scheduled visit with Deanna.” Thomas Riker's voice responded.
Lwaxana looked over at her daughter and smirked at her. “I've made her suffer long enough about her decisions. She can go on about her life without me having to worry about her anymore.”
Deanna caught her breath. “Mother!” Mother!
“I'm going to do the same, little one.” Lwaxana said and her smirk changed to a warm smile. Have fun with what you've chosen and don't let anyone else tell you that you can't be happy for settling.
Deanna felt her mother's sad amusement after giving her that thought.
“Fire and Energize.” Chappel said.
A moment later, a phaser hit the overpowered shields, causing many of the emitters to spark and overload from the strain, then the diverted power was shunted back into the ship's main systems as the shields dropped. Chappel, Data, and Lwaxana disappeared from the bridge as the normal lighting came back online and the ship was still in Red Alert mode.
Commander Riker went to the navigation console and typed several commands to bring the viewscreen back up. The USS Retaliation was shown as it did an about face and flew off to the left, passed by the Hekaras Corridor beacons, and right into the massive tetryon field there. Well, it should have been there.
To everyone on the bridge's surprise, the little ship jumped to warp and there was no reaction whatsoever. No vibrations, energy waves, or fractures in space.
“What just happened?” Riker asked, repeating the same question he asked before.
“It seems we've been outmanoeuvred again.” Picard answered as he held in his sigh.
Worf's console beeped at him. “Sir, we're being hailed by the Hekaras.” He said and checked the signal. “It's coming from the partially built starbase.”
“Onscreen.” Picard said as everyone but him sat down. “I am Captain Picard of the USS Enter...”
“I don't care who you are.” The man on the screen cut him off. “Who gave you the right to make demands of other ships in our territorial space?”
Deanna sucked in a sharp breath and tried to tell Picard with her eyes to act diplomatically or things could go very badly for them.
Picard wasn't a complete idiot and did his best to reduce the tension. “The captain of that illegally registered ship is wanted by Starfleet.”
“Is that why you demanded our people's benefactor stand down after seeing them leave our starbase?” The man asked.
Picard's eyes widened slightly. “Your starbase?”
The man gave him a hungry smile. “Yes, captain. Our starbase. It's too bad you hadn't arrived earlier during the transfer of authority ceremony we had. It was quite a nice event.”
“We can send them a copy!” Someone offered offscreen.
The man chuckled. “No, I think we'll send it to Starfleet, along with the sensor recordings and the open hails Mister Picard sent on all frequencies.”
Picard let out the sigh he was holding. He was sure it would be included in his inquiry as well. That reminded him that he had to send along several reports of what they had experienced with Thomas Riker during the last time they had encountered him. It was unfortunate that those reports would be used against him and highlight his unjust behavior where Thomas Riker was concerned.
*
Data didn't visibly let himself react to having access to the 'Chappel Network' when he appeared inside the transporter room. However, his positronic brain would have squealed like a little girl with excitement if it could have.
“I know. My data processors missed it, too.” Chappel said and patted his shoulder.
The Chappel at the teleporter's controls nodded as well as she put it into standby mode.
Lwaxana smiled at Data. “I have a very important reunion to get to myself.” She said and gave Chappel a quick hug, did the same to Data, and waved at Chappel at the console as she strutted towards the door. “Mr. Homn, grab the luggage and unpack us. We're staying for a while.”
“Hmm.” Mr. Homn agreed and easily gathered them all as if they weighed nothing and followed his mistress.
“What do I do now?” Data asked Chappel.
“First thing's first, I can show you to your quarters and we can get you settled in. We should report to the captain after that.” Chappel said and picked up Data's small suitcase with his personal things inside.
Data picked up the cat carrier and the cat inside gave a little meow. “Yes, Spot. We'll be staying in a new place for a while. Don't worry, I'll always take good care of you, just as I promised.”
Chappel nodded at Chappel and walked with Data out of the transporter room to show him the combination lab and living area they had put aside for him. They knew he would be tempted to continue Noonian Soong's research to ignore another android showing up with new things for him to experience.
*
Lwaxana didn't have to wait long before Wesley's shift on the bridge ended and she greeted him like a long lost lover. Wesley almost wallowed in her greeting and felt several other hands on him as he and Lwaxana were led over to the bedroom.
“I'm so glad this isn't just a dream.” Wesley said and kissed Lwaxana deeply, then turned and kissed Chappel just as deeply, then turned the other way and kissed Chappel deeply, yoo.
“It's a dream come true, you mean?” Lwaxana asked as she pulled her dress off and laid down on the bed, her nubile younger body that matched Chappel's was damp and quite ready for him.
“Good god, yes.” Wesley said as the Chappels pulled off is uniform and he climbed on top of Lwaxana. “I never thought...” He glanced to the right as Chappel joined them on the bed and then to the left as Chappel joined them as well. “...you all are definitely a dream come true for me.”
The three of them smiled warmly at him and gave him kisses, then Wesley proceeded to have as much fun as he could with the three of them. Well, three of them right now. He knew there were more waiting and he didn't feel daunted by the prospect.
After he had talked with Tom Riker a few times, and given a few clues about his own nature as he was briefed on Tom's abilities, he knew he would have no trouble staying around for as long as he was needed. He might have gotten a few physical tweaks from Tom as well, just in case. He didn't want to leave his women disappointed, after all.
*
The reaction back at Starfleet Command was exactly how Captain Picard predicted it was going to be. His inquiry was rushed through, he was removed from the advancement track and his upcoming promotion to Commodore was cancelled and would set his career back by several years, if not longer.
Although, to everyone's surprise, Picard was not relieved of his command. He was grateful for that, because losing the Enterprise would have been a huge blow to his ego and his reputation. As it was, another black mark was added to his permanent record and he would carry it for the rest of his time in Starfleet.