Star Trek: Constellations
Westfall/Star Trek TNG Crossover Fanfiction #1
Scene 8
Captain’s Log, Stardate 45248.7:
The former residents of Braecia have settled aboard our ship and await their transfer to Starbase 203, which we will reach within three weeks. In the time they have been aboard, I have received nothing but good reports from members of my crew in their regard. In addition, their leader has had nothing but good reports of my crew—especially in regard to Lieutenant Inova and her diligence in attending to their needs. With more travel to go, I am beginning to wonder just how accustomed we will become to their presence—and vice-versa.
The only oddity present is sporadic reports of members of my crew being in places in which they were not assigned; however, I don’t believe these happenings warrant concern at this time.
Geordi stepped through the automatic doors of Ten Forward, only to meet the inquisitive eyes of both Data and Guinan. The first regarded him in a friendly manner, while Guinan’s usual smile held the smallest portion of amusement when she turned her eyes back to Data.
“Hey, Data,” Geordi also tried turning his attention to his friend—only for his expression to fade as he discovered a certain white-haired officer seated across from a dark-haired man at a table near the back of the room. “Whoa,” he slid his elbow onto the bar beside Data. “Who’s that sitting with Gemini?”
“That is Hudson Rowlett, one of the Westfall refugees,” Data replied casually, both hands firmly upon the bar top. “Gemini has been spending a considerable amount of time with Mr. Rowlett over the last week.”
“Mr. Rowlett, huh,” a smirk tugged at Geordi’s lips. “I suppose this’ll be as good a time as any to find out if you’ve got any jealousy in those circuits of yours.”
Data’s brows furrowed. “I do not?” He posed more as a question.
“Well, I mean,” Geordi caught Guinan chuckling under her breath before turning to visit the other end of the bar. “Most folks around here know how close you and Gemini are.”
“Despite being in different locations of the room, we are presently in relative proximity to one another,” Data agreed.
“No,” Geordi rubbed his forehead, lowering the volume of his voice. “Let’s just say a human man isn’t exactly happy when he finds a woman he cares about spending time with another man.”
The android’s eyes focused elsewhere as his head nodded backward. “Ah; I see,” he said simply. “It is true that Lieutenant Inova holds a great deal of significance to me, and I enjoy spending time with her. However, you know as much as she does that I am incapable of emotion in a romantic sense, so our relationship can be construed as simply platonic.” He gestured to the couple across the room. “If this man is able to provide a more emotional bond with her, then I can only be happy she has found someone to fulfill that role.”
Geordi’s eyebrows arched high over his visor. “Well, then,” his smile grew more genuine. “If you’re happy, then I suppose I can be too.”
Data’s expression lightened, and he gave another curt nod before turning back to the bar.
“So, what are you doing over here?” The engineer leaned more heavily on his elbow. “I doubt you’d be spying if you have no trouble with anything they could be doing.”
Data turned his head toward Geordi. “This is generally the day and time I meet with Lieutenant Inova in Ten Forward. Today, however, she was already present with Mr. Rowlett. I do not wish to interrupt them, and so I sat here instead.”
“Data! Geordi!”
The two turned to find Gemini on her feet, waving her hand at them. The dark-haired man at the table with her had also turned to look over his shoulder with a light-hearted, albeit curious, expression on his face. He was in a turquoise button-down shirt and dark slacks, while Gemini was still in uniform. Worf was now standing beside the table as well, appearing stiff, yet content all at once.
“Well, you won’t have to interrupt now,” Geordi patted Data’s back as he passed him, and Data promptly stood up and followed him to the table.
Gemini was smiling wide as her friends approached, and Hudson got to his feet as well. “I think it’s about time you both officially meet Hudson,” she gestured toward the dark-haired man. “Hudson, these my good friends, Data and Geordi.”
The chief engineer’s hand shot toward Hudson before anyone could make another move. “Geordi La Forge,” his hand grasped Hudson’s more timid extension.
“Hudson Rowlett,” the man nodded with a smile.
“It’s a pleasure, Hudson,” Geordi finished, glancing at the tall Klingon beside them. “Prune juice, Worf?”
Worf swallowed and lowered his glass. “It is the drink of a warrior.”
“And I am Lieutenant Commander Data,” the android offered as Geordi grimaced at Worf’s choice of beverage. “We have spoken, but we have not yet become acquainted.”
“I do remember you, and it’s good to finally meet you, sir,” Hudson shook his hand, glancing at the contrast between his own tan skin and Data’s desaturated hue before they returned their hands to themselves. “Gemini’s told me a lot about all three of you.”
“Good things, I hope,” Geordi smirked.
“Always,” Gemini returned the expression.
Hudson’s dark eyes focused on Geordi. “She mentioned that the visor is how you see—kinda like her glasses.”
“Yes,” Geordi tapped his finger on the side of his visor. “Gemini’s glasses are an older method of vision correction, but since I’m quite literally blind, I wear this to be able to see anything at all.”
“Along with some enhancements,” Gemini added, to which the engineer nodded.
“Mr. Worf comes from a race of warriors—but he was rescued by Starfleet,” Hudson continued, glancing at the Klingon beside him, “just like Gemini, and just like me.”
Worf said nothing in reply, but he almost appeared to smile.
“And you,” Hudson turned to Data, “you’re an android?”
“That is correct.”
“Gosh,” Hudson shook his head. “I’m not sure I’d have ever known you were any different; you seem human enough to me.”
Data appeared surprised. “Interesting. Most of the time I am met with the opposite reaction. In human terms, I tend to ‘stick out like a sore thumb.’“ He paused with a befuddled expression. “I have never understood how such an extremity can exhibit a physical difference when it is merely internally painful—”
“Things like that are when he usually gives himself away,” Geordi interrupted Data’s monologue by clamping his hands on his shoulders.
“If you get a sore thumb from hittin’ it with a hammer, it’s gonna look a little different.” Hudson mused, causing Gemini to squash a grin.
Data’s eyes narrowed in thought. “Indeed; perhaps this is what the colloquialism refers to.”
Geordi and Gemini gave each other a glance before both broke into light laughter. “Seems like the two of you are gonna get along just fine,” Geordi grinned before scooting closer to Gemini. “And I assume you and Hudson are too?”
The Aravasti immediately blushed before she could slap a hand across her face. “Ah—I mean, yeah...?”
“Don’t worry about it, Gemini,” his smile was wide beneath his visor. “You’re allowed to have other ‘friends,’“ he emphasized cheekily.
Gemini’s rosy face scrunched as she cleared her throat. “Yeah, thanks.” She diverted her eyes to Hudson and Data, who had continued a discussion without them.
“...but before all that, I would work on tractors and other farmin’ equipment, keepin’ ‘em running for the harvest.” Hudson was explaining.
“Wait a sec—are you a mechanic?” Geordi rapidly rejoined the conversation.
“Yes, sir,” he nodded.
Geordi’s face lit up with a toothy smile. “Has Ms. Gemini brought you down to engineering yet?”
“Oh!” Gemini, too, was growing excited. “I can’t believe I haven’t thought of that!”
Hudson glanced between the two of them. “Engineering?”
“Think of what you do for a tractor—only it’s for this whole ship.” The chief engineer pointed upward.
“Oh, I can’t even imagine!” Hudson exclaimed. “That’s gotta be incredible; all the different parts that’ve gotta work together...”
Geordi had his hands out long before Hudson had finished talking. “Then you have got to come take a look! See the inner workings of this ol’ girl! The warp drive, the engine coils, the schematics—”
“To quote Geordi,” Data glanced at Gemini before returning to the engineer and the mechanic, “‘Seems like the two of you are gonna get along just fine.’“
Gemini broke into a laugh as Geordi shot Data an exaggerated grin. Worf found a smirk and set down his empty glass, and Hudson simply smiled through it all.
The group, however, was quickly distracted when Worf’s badge chirped.
“Doctor Crusher to Lieutenant Worf.”
“Worf here,” he replied. His concern grew when the ship’s doctor did not immediately answer.
“Well, I may not need you after all,” Beverly’s voice, at last, returned. “We had a security breach in sick bay, but I think it’s been settled.”
“A breach?” The security officer stiffened. Beside him, Geordi and Gemini’s faces had also fallen with worry.
“One of my nurses found an ensign engineer picking through a box of hyposprays. He gave a very vague explanation as to why he was there, and by the time she reported the incident to me and we returned, he was gone.”
Geordi scooted closer. “Doctor, do you know who it was?”
“I never saw him, and my nurse didn’t recognize him.”
“Is anything missing?” Worf picked up.
“No, sir.”
The Klingon’s unease was little changed. “I will still come to survey the situation. Worf out.”
Geordi started shaking his head. “You know, just yesterday the same thing happened down in engineering—as I was passing through one of the bays, I saw Ensign Vasquez at the food replicator controls. When I asked why she was there, she said she was checking something, and then she walked off just as quickly.”
Worf had been in the process of leaving when he froze and twisted back to face them. “Yesterday, Gemini’s food replicator caught fire,” he said with conviction.
“Wait, what??” Geordi grimaced.
“Security was alerted when the fire suppression system activated in her quarters,” Worf explained. “Although the diagnostic showed no malfunction, there is no reason for me to believe Gemini set it on fire of her own accord.”
“Hudson is my witness,” the Aravasti added with her hands raised in surrender. “And if I hadn’t been a few feet away talking to him, I would have been caught in the suppression bubble along with it.”
Data blinked. “That would have been considerably more dangerous trapped in an oxygen-free space with fire you did not create.”
“Exactly,” Gemini crossed her arms as Hudson offered a frown.
The android’s eyes drifted aside. “Intriguing,” was all he could mutter.
Worf exhaled. “I will be in sick bay if I am needed.”
“Thanks, Worf,” Geordi nodded as he left the table. “I should probably probe my team to see who may have gone up there. And, in the process,” he glanced back at Hudson, “we can give you a tour of the place.”
The mechanic managed a smile. “Sounds good to me.”
With that, Data, Geordi, Hudson, and Gemini set aside the oddities of the moment and left Ten Forward through the automatic doors.
Scene Notes
- Intriguing...