Subj: Reflections Pt. 4
Date: 12/19/98 11:28:07 PM Central Standard Time
From: marcos1

The solitary campfire was visible for miles around. The ocean was at low tide. It was a moonless night and the stars seemed close enough to touch. The two younger children listened to the boy with brown hair, their eyes wide. They relished every word. His stories were magical.

“His name was Captain Kirk. He was the only person ever to defeat the Kobayashi Maru no-win training simulation. When I was your age, he was my hero,” Jean-Luc said.

“Was he a Klingon?” young Nicholas asked. “Or a Romulan?” The young boy smiled, “I think those are my favorites.”

“No,” Jean-Luc replied. “He was from Earth, just like you and Angelique.”

Angelique stared at Jean-Luc wistfully. “I’m sure that you were a hero, better than any Klingon or Romulan...I’m certain.” She toyed with her long blonde tresses.

“No,” Jean-Luc replied, “I’ve never been a hero. I’m just a man that tried to do his best...or I was a man before Q changed me into a younger version of myself.”

“This Q sounds interesting,” Nicholas Blair said. “When can we meet him?”

Jean-Luc narrowed his eyes. “That is a good question. I haven’t seen him for several days. Hopefully, he doesn’t intend to leave me here. I just wanted to have a chance to tell you both about the future. There is no need to turn to the black arts; when such future wonders will be possible through science.”

“But how did this Captain Kirk defeat the Kobaya...or whatever you call it?” Nicholas asked.

Jean-Luc cleared his throat. “Well...actually he cheated and re-programed the simulation. Only...it wasn’t really cheating. He was being creative...”

“It’s dishonest to cheat,” Angelique said. “I don’t think that I’d like this Captain Kirk. My mother says that a witch must be careful to never invite in the darkness.”

“Your mother said that.” Jean-Luc said. “She sounds like a good person.”

“Solange is very special,” Angelique said. Her azure eyes seemed to shine reflecting back the light of the campfire.

Jean-Luc stood-up brushing the sand from his clothes. “Well, I had better be going. My employer expects me to rise at dawn.” He smiled. “I have a job now. I’m working as a tutor for the daughter of a wealthy planter. It provides me with room and board during my stay here.”

Angelique felt a wave of jealousy. “Oh, really, what is the name of this girl that you teach?”

“Her name is Josette,” Jean-Luc replied. “Josette duPres.”

~~~~

Commander Riker stood on the bridge. The viewscreen was filled with Borg cubes. The ships formed a circle around one very large cube, that seemed to be a mothership of some sort.

“Commander,” Mr.Data said, “we are being hailed.”

A loud droning voice echoed across the bridge, “Resistance is futile. You will be assimilated.”

The viewscreen showed the bridge of the Borg mothership; but the image wasn’t clear, because the picture was very dark. “Mr.Data, can we lighten the image?” Commander Riker asked. “I want to see what is going on, on their bridge.”

The image suddenly became very clear and a creature appeared standing at their helm. It was red colored, covered with thick hair and had hooves instead of legs. Mr.Data stared at it. “Commander, that is not a Borg,” he said.

Riker took a deep breath. “I realize that Mr.Data...but what is it?”

Several hours later in the meeting room; Mr.Data stood before a large computer viewscreen. A picture of the creature was cross-referenced with countless species from across the known universe—but there was not a match. “As you can see,” Mr.Data said, “this creature does not seem to match any known species in our data base.” He paused pushing in a different search. “But as you can see, when I make a search for cultural or religious references—I do get a match. This creature is very common in the folklore of the Earth.”

“What is it?” Tasha Yar asked.

“It was called Diabolos or the Devil,” Mr.Data replied calmly. There was no hint of emotion in his dark android eyes.

To be continued---