Star Trek: Metamorphosis
Westfall/Star Trek TNG Crossover Fanfiction #2
Scene 4
Beverly was shaking her head, eyes wide with a sort of disbelief. “Really?”
“One-hundred percent,” Giorgio Hayward grinned like a child. “And when the Andorians realized that’s what was making them blue–ah,” he stopped and straightened as two figures rounded the corner into Beverly’s office. Awestruck, the man’s bespectacled eyes immediately fell to the Aravasti Lieutenant as Beverly stepped around her desk to introduce them.
“May I introduce Lieutenant Gemini Inova and Petty Officer Hudson Rowlett.”
“Hello, sir,” Gemini reached out her hand to Giorgio first.
The doctor was practically shaking with excitement, and he was scarcely able to grasp her hand. ”Doctor Giorgio Hayward–it’s—it’s an honor, Lieutenant!”
“Thank you,” Gemini looked to Beverly with a harried smile when the man continued bobbing her hand up and down.
“As one who studies different races and peoples in our universe, Doctor Hayward is very excited to meet an Aravasti,” Beverly tried to explain when it was clear the visiting doctor would not, finally taking both hands within hers and coaxing them to separate.
“Yes–yes!” He at last regained somewhat of his composure. “It’s just... I thought I’d never get the chance!” He shook his head as he slowly stepped around her. “What power do you possess? Lux? Nox?”
”I’m an Igne; a fire-wielder.”
“An Igne... And your source,” he tapped his chest at the breastbone, “it is on your chest, is it not?”
“Um, yes,” Gemini’s head turned quickly to catch Giorgio as he came around her back. “You... seem to know a lot about the Aravasti.”
Giorgio was still too intently examining her to answer. “And a full crown of white; you must be exceedingly powerful.”
She shrugged almost sheepishly. “Well... wait, is that what that means?”
“Oh, it’s just a theory I’ve had.” He shook his head, raising his hands as if surrendering. “This is incredible, Ms. Gemini. Absolutely incredible. If we have time–I would love to see you use your power; how it fills and flows through your veins; how it unleashes, and how your body reacts...” Giorgio’s eyes continued their scanning, only to stop when Hudson eclipsed his view. He blinked and looked up as the tall man loomed over him. Without a word, the Aravasti’s fiance made it clear his examination was complete.
“Lieutenant Inova and Officer Rowlett both have first-hand experience with our Roshak, as well,” Beverly tried to move the meeting along. “In fact, Hudson was one of the ones Phenias copied.”
“Oh!” The mad was effectively distracted. “Did he touch you?”
“Touch? Uh–”
“No,” the doctor immediately waved his fingers. “You would have never known; he could have been quite literally anyone! Anyone could have bumped you and it could have been him.”
Hudson swallowed uncomfortably as Giorgio’s bespectacled eyes honed into his. “Umm...” He hummed again.
“See, part of the reason I invited Doctor Hayward aboard was because of his research and studies into the Roshak,” she gently took the doctor’s arm and returned him to a more polite distance from Hudson and Gemini. “I’ll admit I’ve been curious since our own Roshak incident, and Giorgio has a wealth of information–including how exactly they learn to shift.”
Gemini cocked her head. “You know how they shift?”
“Yes, ma’am. With just a touch,” his finger poked Hudson’s arm, “they can gather what they need to shift their appearance at the cellular level. It’s almost exclusively their outward appearance that changes–save from eyes, vocal chords, and minor tweaks of the skeletal structure–but this is all they need to become anyone else.”
“So, just by touchin’ me, he’d’ve known how to look like me?” Hudson paled somewhat.
Giorgio’s eyes narrowed to slits. “In Phenias’ case, he would have only need look at you.”
Hudson blinked. “Gosh...”
“Phenias was so skilled, he could look identical to the one he copied without a single touch! Very few Roshak have this advanced ability. Most have to have physical contact with the one they will shift to.”
Beverly’s fingers rested upon her lips. “Interesting; it’s no wonder he was able to blend so seamlessly into our crew.”
“And even more wonder that your crew could figure it out,” Giorgio’s brows raised as he leaned in closer to Gemini. “Perhaps the Aravasti are more in-tune to such things?”
Despite Giorgio’s closeness, Gemini remained steady. “He may have looked like Hudson, but he was not Hudson. I think anyone with a strong enough bond would be able to tell the difference.”
He took a step back, almost dismissively. “You say that–but you’d be surprised by some of the stories I’ve heard.”
The Aravasti, however, wasn’t convinced. “If they’re only changing on the outside, they don’t know what’s on the inside. In order for Phenias to mimick Hudson, he had to watch him long enough to catch his mannerisms, how he talks, and how he feels about things.” Gemini looked up at Hudson, who was smiling bemusedly. “And those differences were how I knew he wasn’t Hudson.”
“Well, differences aside,” Giorgio clasped his hands, “my most favorite piece of information that I can bring about the Roshak is that–in my studies–I have recreated their ability to shapeshift.”
Everyone in the room fell silent as eyes widened and breaths were held.
“You... recreated it?” Beverly attempted to speak by repeating his words.
The curious doctor had puffed up his attitude as much as his posture. “Through study, I have isolated the cellular technique the Roshak use to shift.”
Beverly’s mouth hung open as Gemini stepped in for her. “You mean, you can change yourself to look like someone else??”
Pride beamed from Giorgio Hayward’s eyes. “I can!”
“And you’ve done it?” Beverly managed to speak.
“Can you show us?” Gemini asked.
The proud doctor raised a finger in the air and went to the back of the room to retrieve his silver attache case. He opened it carefully, revealing hundreds of tiny vials neatly stored in cushioned rows. On the other side, he removed a small medical device. He called on Beverly to assist in gathering a container of water, and he then hung the device that hung on the edge. He extended a sensor from the device until it touched the water.
“The Roshak use a secondary nervous system within their body to transmit the changes to their genetic code–much like the veins of Ms. Gemini’s circulatory system assists in transmitting her power,” Doctor Hayward explained as he worked to set up his device. “As we do not have this system within us, I have discovered an exterior bath of water to be a suitable replacement medium. As long as you are submerged within the water when my ‘shapeshifting device’ is activated, you will be changed!”
“Amazing,” Doctor Crusher watched with wide blue eyes as Giorgio returned to his case.
Gemini and Hudson scooted closer to the tub. “Do you think this’ll work?” Hudson asked.
“Of course it works!” Giorgio answered over his shoulder.
Hudson, however, was still looking curiously into the water. “It’s just... that’s a mighty powerful thing–to be able to look like someone else. Imagine what you could do–I mean, we already witnessed what you can do.”
“If word gets out,” Gemini turned to Giorgio, who had lifted his glasses and was now squinting to read one of the tiny labels on one of the tiny vials. “There’s going to be a lot of people wanting to use this ‘ability’ for their own gain.”
“Oh, absolutely,” he let his glasses fall back to his nose and turned around. “That’s why word will not get out until I have determined a way to sanction it.”
Doctor Crusher nodded. “That would also explain you’ve kept such a discovery like this under wraps instead of letting this be the subject of your discussion at the conference today.”
“Indeed!” He chucked somewhat. ”Now, for demonstrative purposes, I have here the DNA of a young Andorian child.” He held up the vial as proof, then inserted the vial into the machine attached to the container of water. “When I turn this on, the water will tell every skin cell it touches to shift to become identical to this Andorian’s skin cells.” The man rolled up his sleeve to his elbow and thrust his wrinkled, peach-toned hand into the water.
With his other hand, he activated the machine. A small ripple emerged from the sensor, but otherwise, the appearance of the water remained unchanged.
Doctor Hayward’s hand, however, did not. Upon removing it from the water, his hand was as blue as a cerulean sky.
“Gosh!!” Hudson blurted through his fingers, while Beverly and Gemini remained too shocked to reply.
Giorgio beamed as he flexed his Andorian-skinned fingers. They were as smooth as a young boy’s, and a stark contrast to the tawny, wrinkled arm it was now attached to.
Beverly let out a short laugh through her parted lips. “Incredible. I can barely believe it, and I watched the entire process!”
Gemini reached for the water. “Can I?”
“Go ahead–it’s deactivated. Nothing will happen; it’s simply water now.”
The Aravasti ran her fingers through the water and removed them, rubbing her fingers together as the water drip away. Her hand still retained its pale hue. “That’s crazy,” she said more to herself.
“And, you can change back?” Hudson finally managed to speak again.
Without a word, Giorgio flipped a switch on the machine and reactivated it. He then dipped his hand inside the water to the same point on his wrist. When he removed it, it was again peach-toned and wrinkled with age–just as it had been before.
“Any other questions?” He smiled broadly.
“Would all senior officers please report to the bridge conference room.”
Captain Picard’s voice interrupted, draining the awe from the room.
Beverly released a long sigh. “I have to go–but I have an incredible amount of questions if you don’t mind waiting for me.
Giorgio’s head bobbed as Gemini and Hudson glanced at each other. ”Absolutely.”
Scene Notes
- I haven't decided if how much white hair = how much power in Aravasti, but it is an interesting theory.