The Adventures of Jean-Luc Picard
Kappa Alpha Prime
by Jasjit Singh
(jasjit@uranium.dashmail.net)

Kappa Alpha Prime

Picard leaned into the kiss just as he began to tear himself away from her. She grinned in self-satisfaction and draped herself over him once again, wrapping her arms around his shoulders and sliding her body towards his. Picard broke himself free of her embrace, and when she moved towards him again he raised a finger in warning.

"I'm going to be late," he said, backing towards the doors even as she inched forward towards him.

"Let them wait," she cooed, her voice like dripping honey, a mischievious smile upon her lips. Picard grinned, shook his head, and slipped out the door.

On the bridge, Captain Walker Keel and Jack Crusher stood watching the viewscreen intently. The faint outline of a planet was coming into view as the USS Stargazer made its approach. Keel turned to glance at Picard as he stepped out of the turbolift.

"Ah, Jean-Luc," said Keel, turning back to the viewscreen. "Kappa Alpha Prime. It's a desolate world, isn't it?"

"Indeed," concurred Picard, taking his station next to Keel. Jack offered the briefest of glances to Picard, a sly smile playing upon his lips. Picard pretended to ignore it, and turned to his work.

"Scanning...."

Minutes later they had several reports to sift through. Picard concentrated on making sure that the planet's atmosphere was breathable, and that there was nothing on the surface that might put an away team in danger. Keel, meanwhile, focused on the ancient ruins that were determined by the sensors. Picard ran his eye quickly over the reports, anxious to learn about the ruins. Archaeology was one of his favorite hobbies, and these ruins appeared to be most interesting.

Five more pages of data to go through. Picard sighed and continued reading, while Keel's conversation with Jack grew more animated. Three more pages. Keel was talking about sending an away team to investigate further. One more page. And Picard was done. Just as he turned around Keel was walking towards him, in mid-sentence to Jack.

"...and I want a complete survey of the area, document everything. This civilization might go back thousands of years. I want you to be on the away team Jack, if everything checks out?" -- and he turned in question to Picard.

"Well, it's an M-class planet. Oxygen Nitrogen atmosphere. Breathable air. No toxicity detected in the air or soil. Mean surface temperature is a mild two hundred and ninety seven kelvins. Vegetation and shrubbery abound on the planet. There are no detected sentient lifeforms on the planet."

Keel nodded in approval of Picards thoroughness. "As soon as you're ready, Jean-Luc," he said, starting to make his way towards his ready room. "Assemble an away team. Keep me informed of your progress."

"Aye sir!"

It was apparent that this was going to be a mere fact-finding mission. But Picards eyes were alight with excitement. He was going to get the first crack at an archaeological site. He smiled to himself as Jack chuckled and patted him on the back.

* * *

Janette's long fingers played sensuously over the bowl containing the ice cream sundae that she had ordered. Picard sat opposite her, distracted. They were in the mess hall at a late hour, and only a few other officers were present, most lost in reports or catching up in hushed tones with loved ones. The lighting had been turned down so that the room was now dimly lit.

"So, are you going to tell me what it is?" she asked, taking her spoon and dipping it suggestively into the ice cream.

"Hmm?" Picard, his train of thought broken, looked up from his padd at her, as if realizing her presence for the first time. "Oh, it's a ... ah ... a site that our sensors picked up. Ruins. On the planet below."

"Do you know who lived there before?" she asked, taking a spoonful of the ice cream and relishing its taste.

Picard shook his head. "No, there are no records in Starfleet databases about Kappa Alpha Prime, or this region of Space, for that matter. Although it has been largely explored, this particular area seemed to have been left out, as it were. Quite curious, in fact. But, because we have access to the combined resources of the Vulcan Information Repositories, and the Klingon War Councils Advisory papers, I have been able to glean some information regarding this planet."

Janette pouted. Picard was so thoroughly lost in his new discovery that he had not even noticed her sleek new dress, and the way it draped in long curves over her lithe body. She leaned forward, putting her elbows on the table, and attacked her ice cream with renewed vigor. Sensing her disquiet, Picard looked up from his padd. He thought for a moment, and then put the padd on the table, aside.

"The ruins on Kappa Alpha Prime can wait," he said, forcing an artificial smile.

Janette looked up at him from her ice cream and smiled back at him. "You know why I love ice cream?" she asked, waving the spoon in mid-air.

"Why?" replied Picard, looking at her with some interest.

"Because," and she lowered her voice to a whisper, "it melts in your mouth."

Picard blinked, and then burst out laughing. "Indeed!" he said, shaking his head, "indeed!"

* * *

It was four hundred hours. The away team assembled in the transporter room while a groggy transporter chief entered the coordinates for transport. Picard had left Janette sleeping soundly in his quarters. Not wanting to disrupt her sleep, he had quietly slipped out of bed, dressed, and made his way to the transporter room.

The rest of the away team consisted of Jack Crusher, Eddy Hastings, and Lieutenant Andy Davison. They were all quiet at this early hour. But their silence did not prevent them from being prepared. All stood at the ready, alert, with phasers ready. Picard nodded to the transporter chief. "Energize," he said.

After a brief disorientation, they found themselves on the planets surface. It was midday here, as the planet's rotation had not completed the full cycle to be facing away from the Sun. It was a strange sensation for the Federation officers to be suddenly thrust into the middle of a day, with the Sun directly overhead, and the birds chirping in the trees.

After their vision had adjusted to the brightness of the planets landscape, the away team set out in the direction where their tricorders indicated that the ruins would be.

A short walk brought them to their destination. It was a wide area of ancient structures, possibly buildings or storage houses of some sort. All were now in a state of abandon, crumbling to the ground. The ancient deep grey stone that was used to construct the buildings seemed strangely out of place here on this bright, colored world.

Picard stopped at the first wall that came in his path. It was now barely knee-high, the seasons of rain and constant wind having taken their toll on it. But once, it had been as tall as forty feet. The entrance to this city.

While Picard knelt beside the wall and examined it, touching it reverently, Eddy, Jack, and Andy moved on further into the interior of the ancient city, taking scans and digitally holographing the entire landscape. Digital holography allowed a person to take several images of a particular area of a landscape, and then recreate them in minute detail on a holodeck. This technique had been used since the technology had first became available, to instruct Starfleet cadets in combat maneuvers and military strategy. Now, though, the away team was using it merely for preservation of an ancient ruin. All the information gathered would be transferred into the general Starfleet databanks when the Stargazer next docked at a Space Station.

The digital holographing device was a bit clumsy to carry. It was not a hand-held device like a tricorder. It stood on a tripod of sorts, and required a set-up before any holographing could begin. Andy had been burdened by this task while Eddy secured the perimeter, and Jack took a closer look inside some of the enclosed spaces.

Some of the architecture was very elaborate, as Jack soon discovered. Taking one turn inside a short building he soon found himself faced with a choice of two passageways that ended in blackness. Turning on his flashlight, he picked the right entrance, and descended a flight of stairs. The steps were long and broad, hewn out of rock, and were several degrees cooler than the stone outside.

Jack descended the staircase warily, his phaser held at the ready, set on stun. The circle of light from his flashlight illuminated a small area directly before him. He swung his light from left to right but there was little more to see than the rough rock wall. Eventually, he reached the bottom. The air was chilly here. He shivered, and hugged himself.

Swinging the light around, he could see that he was in a large chamber of sorts, which had a very low ceiling. His head almost reached the ceiling. Jack hunched over and walked forward. Most of the chamber was empty. The air was cold and stale. He could make out a shape directly ahead, in the darkness, just beyond the reach of his light, which was now growing dim.

"I'll have to recharge this thing soon," he thought, walking towards the shape.

As he stepped closer, the light flickered and dimmed. Jack frowned and adjusted the setting, and then looked at what now appeared to be a box or container, sitting in the center of the chamber, covered in fine dust. It was solid in appearance, constructed of a rough metal, perhaps ferrous in nature.

Jack pulled his tricorder out and performed a preliminary scan. Energy readings. Faint at first. But as he scanned, they rose, almost instantly and exponentially. Until his tricorder was beeping at him alarmingly. He backed a few steps. The box seemed to tremble. The tricorder was sending him readings that must be erroneous. The amount of power that it reported as emanating from the box was more than a Starships warp core when at warp nine. Jack ended his scans and pocketed the tricorder. He turned around and looked for the way back out.

He was met at the top of the stairs by Picard, who had found the building and taken the left entrance to an empty tomb, which might once have housed the corpses of the deceased inhabitants of this world. But now, it lay empty and deserted,

"I was not so lucky as to find an empty room," grinned Jack. "Theres something down there, Jean-Luc. When I tried to scan it, it began to output energy. Massive amounts of energy."

"Any reaction? Indication of sentience?" Picard was cautious.

Jack shook his head. "The box seemed dormant, it might have been a supply crate or something similar. Until I began my scans. It seemed to come alive almost in response to the scans."

"Tricorders generate septon particles whenever a scan is performed. It is possible that the septon particles are triggering some sort of reaction in this device. Perhaps it is some sort of automated machine."

Jack nodded. "I agree. We should study it further. But we must be careful. A preliminary scan with my tricorder caused an energy output equivalent to a warp-core."

Picard raised his eyebrows. That was significant indeed. And then, the boyish curiousity and excitement was back again, as Picard trudged down the stairs with Jack in tow.

"Let's see it," he said exultantly as he made his way down into the dark chamber.

This time it was glowing.

"Whatever you did caused a change in it," said Picard in a hushed voice, cautiously walking towards it. "We should use a non-particle based scanner. Get more information."

"Agreed," said Jack. "But it might take a while to replicate that type of scanner. Non-particle scanners have not been used for well over forty years."

Picard nodded absently. "We'll have Khalid pull the schematics from the Starfleet database. He'll be able to provide us with one. In the meanwhile, I suggest we return to the Stargazer."

* * *

Janette found her way among the many hallways of the Stargazer and eventually stopped in front of one door. She tapped on the panel at the side, and stood back. A few moments later, the door slid open and a weary looking Picard stood in the doorway, his uniform half-off.

"Ah, Janette," he said in a contrite tone. "I was meaning to inform you about cancelling tonight's rendezvous."

"Should I be angry?" she asked calmly, pointing a finger at his chest and stepping inside his quarters.

"Well, you have every right to be," Picard seemed obviously caught off guard, and was grinning foolishly.

Janette reserved her opinion. She turned her head and peered into the bedroom. The light was off and it was dark. The main room had one lamp on, above a reading table, which was populated by several padd's and a terminal.

"More work?" she asked in a casual tone. Picard sighed as he nodded.

She took a few steps towards the bedroom, looking behind her at Picard, offering him a silent message. Picard blinked.

She disappeared inside the darkness of the bedroom. And then her voice floated out towards him.

"You missed dinner, Commander. Do you really wish to pass up on dessert?"

"Computer," said Picard, already heading towards the bedroom, "lights off."

* * *

Khalid's replicated scanner worked. During their second trip to the planets surface, the away team was able to make a determinite scan on the box. Eddy Hastings concentrated on the security as usual. Picard scouted the rest of the ruins with the digital holographer, while Jack and Andy Davison completed the scans on the mysterious box. When they returned to the Stargazer, they were able to look at the results of the scans in detail.

"It's a weapon," Khalid was adamant. He sat down in his seat after displaying the scan results on the overhead screen. Keel and the senior staff was silent for a few moments. Finally Michiko Hatta asked:

"Is it active?"

"It is not yet completely active. It appears to use a natural learning algorithm and a highly defined set of artifical intelligences. Moreover, it draws power automatically from any energy source. Apparently, the tricorders were all that were needed to set it going again."

"Can we return it to it's dormant stage?" asked Keel.

"Perhaps," Khalid shrugged. "There was a reason why they hid it down in that dark chamber. Perhaps to protect their ruins. Or maybe they simply wanted to hide it away. It could be the type of weapon that cannot be destroyed. Simply turned off."

"Is it possible," Do'reth Sainor, who had been silent, spoke quietly, "for us to harness the energy released by this weapon and use it in a controlled way?"

Khalid selected one of the many padds lying on the table before him, and studied it intently for a few seconds. He let out a long, slow sigh. "I can't say," he finally answered. "It might be a possibility, but without knowing anything about the weapons internal workings, I'd be very reluctant to bring it aboard and hook it up to say, our warp drive. This thing was built by an ancient civilization, forw what exact purpose we don't know. It may not be possible to contain it if the energy output is too high."

"Can we destroy it?" asked Picard.

"Commander, you saw what mere septon particles did do it. I think that firing a phaser at it would be giving it all the energy it needs."

"We cannot simply leave it down there...at least not in it's current state," said Keel, looking at his officers. "We need a plan, people. Suggestions."

"Could we risk beaming it aboard one of the cargo bays, keeping it in a level one containment field, until we reached Starbase?" asked Michiko.

"What if we target photon torpedoes? I doubt if it would withstand that, even if it does absorb energy," ventured Eddy Hastings.

"And destroy the entire site, along with the ruins? Certainly not!" Picard's voice was stern. And then, realizing his outburst, he continued in a calmer voice. "We can find an alternative to that, I am sure. We could limit the exposure that the weapon gets, to any kind of energy particles. We can hold it in a statis field, of sorts."

"And perhaps transport it off the planet to a more secure environment," continued Do'reth Sainor. "Starbase will be a good starting point. They have a science team that is equipped with the proper instrumentation to handle this type of black box device."

Keel looked at Khalid and Andy. "You haven't offered me your suggestions, gentlemen," he said. "What do you think, Khalid."

Khalid winced. "I don't like bringing that thing aboard the Stargazer, especially when we don't know it's capable of. But..." - he shrugged - "it seems to be the best choice, given the alternatives."

"Andy?" asked Keel.

"Let's do it," said Andy with a smiled.

"Alright. We'll contain the weapon within a statis field, and transport it aboard the Stargazer. Then we continue to Starbase. Michiko, send a message informing Admiral Jensen of our cargo and estimated time of arrival. Eddy, I want you to take any away team down to the surface, and get that box up here in one piece. Dismissed."

* * *

The box hummed and throbbed with a budding energy, like a child waiting to be born. The faint green glow had now become brighter, and produced enough light to illuminate the entire chamber. Warmth also emanated from the box, so that the stone that was once cold now felt hot. Two men worked in the chamber around the box, setting up pattern enhancement beacons. Eddy Hastings and Andy Davison, both looked eerie to each other as they working in the strange green glow of the box. "What do you think is in there?" asked Hastings, as he set up the last of the four pattern enhancers and turned it on.

Andy looked up from where he was squatting down and working on a portable statis field generator, and shrugged. "Whatever it is, it's mighty powerful," he said casually.

"Yeah," Hastings replied in a distant voice, "whoever built it must have been one mighty race. And now look at them. Whispers and ruins."

He looked around him. "Nothing left," he commented, "a forgotten civilization."

Hastings was lost in his reverie, and he barely heard Andy say "The statis field generator is online. We are ready to proceed."

Hastings sighed and returned his gaze to the box before him. Andy stood in between him and the box. Hastings was surprised. He caught himself and then grinned.

"Don't sneak up like that--" he began to say, but then stopped when he noticed the phaser in Andy's hand, and the wicked grin on his face.

"I'm sorry Eddy," said Andy, "It's been nice working with you. Really, it has. But we must part company now. Do not attempt to reach for your phaser. I do not wish to kill you."

Andy seemed even more menacing in the flickering green light from the box. "Please step back three paces," he said. Hastings nodded and complied.

Andy bent down, keeping the phaser levelled at Hastings, and activated the statis field. And then he tapped at an active tricorder that was hanging from his waist.

"What are you doing?" asked Hastings.

"I am taking this weapon away from you," replied Andy, as he dematerialized with the weapon.

"Damn!" cried Hastings, and tapped his communicator impatiently: "Hastings to Stargazer!" he called, "we have a problem!"

* * *

Aboard the Stargazer, the bridge crew watched as the shuttlecraft emerged from behind the planet's third moon and began it's run for the outer rim of the system.

"Open a channel," ordered Keel, and then to the shuttle, "Shuttlecraft one, this is Captain Keel. Cease your trajectory and return to the Stargazer."

No response.

Keel turned to T'Pau with a question in his eyes. "Can we use the tractor beam to bring the shuttle in?"

T'Pau shook her head: "It is out of range."

"Shuttlecraft one, this is Stargazer. Cease your trajectory immediately or we shall be forced to take extreme measures."

No response.

Keel grunted. "I don't like being played with," he growled.

"We cannot risk an attempt at firing on the shuttle," said Picard. "We do not know what effect that might have on the weapon."

Keel nodded. He tried on more time. "Stargazer to Shuttlecraft one. Andy, this is Keel. Stop what you are doing, and let's talk about this. We don't want the weapon to fall into the wrong hands."

This time, the hail was answered.

The viewscreen blurred and all of a sudden a maniacal looking Andy was staring at them all. With wild eyes he looked to Keel. "You're so right, Captain!" he cried. "But the thing you don't know is that, you're the wrong hands!"

"We will determine the safest course of action to take with the weapon," replied Keel, nodding slightly to Picard. "When we take it to the Starbase--"

"That's it, you see!" cried Andy, interrupting him. "You can't take it to Starbase! You'll have no control! You will lose it. You must destroy it now! Or else they will get it!"

"Who are you talking about, Andy? Who are 'they'?" asked Keel.

Andy ignored Keel's question and began tapping at his controls. "Sir, he's changing course!" reported T'Pau. "New heading, one one seven mark two. He is heading into the Sun!"

Keel turned back to the viewscreen, a renewed urgency in his voice. "Andy, think about what you're doing. You don't want to do anything rash."

While Keel was talking to Andy, Picard had made his way to the shuttlebay. He quickly boarded Shuttlecraft two, and performed an emergency launch. He knew as well as Keel, at the first glimpse of Andy on the viewscreen, that the man had become delusional. He was dangerous. And with the weapon aboard the shuttlecraft, he was a danger to them all. It was Picard's duty to take whatever steps were necessary to neutralize the threat. But hopefully Keel would be able to talk Andy down. Hopefully.

"Don't you know who they are?" Andy cried. "They are all around you! They are part of your crew! They're everywhere! Thats why we have to destroy the weapon!"

Khalid had arrived on the bridge from engineering. He stepped forward. "Andy," he said, "we have no idea what the resultant reaction might be if you take that weapon into the Sun's corona! We saw at what rate it absorbs energy!"

Andy glanced behind himself once towards the weapon contained in the statis field in the rear of the tiny shuttlecraft. He seemed to consider for a moment. But then the madness in his eyes returned. "No!" he blurted out, "I can't let it fall into their hands!"

"Into whose hands?" asked Keel, trying to remain calm.

"They answer to no one, " said Andy, "they can get away with anything. They are after this weapon. If they get their hands on it, there will be no stopping them! We must stop them! I will stop them!"

And he cut off transmission abruptly.

Keel grit his teeth. "Get me Picard," he rumbled.

Seconds later the image of Picard appeard on the viewscreen. "Jean-Luc, he's heading into the Sun," said Keel. Picard nodded.

"Understood," he replied, and ended the transmission. Keel returned to his seat and said sourly: "Helm, back us off at one half impulse. Shields on full. I want to be prepared if that weapon does throw some sort of energy discharge."

Picard could see the tiny shuttlecraft directly beneath him. Beyond the shuttlecraft lay a looming, blazing orange Sun. Picard stood and tapped the control panel. The familiar sound of the emegency transporter came to his ears . . .

. . . and then he was aboard Shuttlecraft one, standing behind Andy Davison, with a phaser at the ready. Only it was not Andy.

Picard's mouth dropped open and he saw the slumped body of Andy in the pilots chair. He was either unconscious or dead. Another man stood piloting the shuttle. His back was to Picard, so that he would not see his face. But he wore all black. He was tall, and broad-shouldered.

"Identify yourself," said Picard, raising his phaser. The man turned around casually, and looked at Picard as an old friend might.

"Ah, Mr. Picard," he said, smiling. "Glad you could make it."

Picard nodded to Andy. The man in black glanced at Andy and then smiled. "He is only sedated. The effects will wear off in a few hours. Do not worry, he has not been harmed."

"Who are you? And how did you get aboard this vessel?"

"Well, that is an interesting question. I think, at this point, suffice it to say that I am a representative of the United Federation of Planets. Of Starfleet, as you are also a representative of Starfleet."

The cabin inside the shuttlecraft was beginning to get hot as the shuttle approached the Sun, which now filled the entire view. Picard felt his breath becoming shallow, and beads of sweat beginning to pour down his face.

"We must change the flight path of the shuttle," said Picard.

"Done," replied the stranger, and pressed a button on the control panel. The shuttle swung sideway and the view of the Sun was replaced by the black matte of Space and shining stars. Picard nodded. He had a feeling that his next request was not be so easily granted.

"We must return to the Stargazer," he said.

The man took a breath and smiled. "I'm afraid I can't do that," he said.

"You're here for the weapon," said Picard, suddenly realizing. "Andy was correct. You belong to some sort of organization."

The man nodded. "I belong to an organzation called Section Thirty-One. My name is Harold Sloan."

"Such an organization does not exist within Starfleet."

"Do not dismiss the possibility so readily, Commander. After all, the Romulans have the Tal Shiar, the Cardassians the Obsidian Order. And Starfleet has Section Thirty-One. The only difference is, Starfleet's secret service succeeded at remaining secret, as evidenced by your response just now."

Picard shook his head. "I reject your claims. And I hereby remand you to custody until such time as you may be brought to charges on attempted theft. Surrender control of this vessel."

"I'm sorry Commander. But I cannot do that."

"Need I remind you who is holding the phaser."

Sloan tapped a button and a force-field went up in front of Picard. Sloan shook his head, and an expression came across his face, as if it had pained him to take the action.

Sloans next moves were quick and calculated. Turning back to the control panel, he swiftly transported the weapon and Andy off the shuttlecraft. Then, he turned to Picard.

"There is one space-suit alongside the wall next to you. Use it, and step onto the transporter pad. I have programmed it to energize in forty five seconds to a region in Space directly astern this shuttle. I have already tranmitted the coordinates to the Stargazer. They will be able to retrieve you safely. I have taken environmental controls offline. Within sixty seconds, the hatch will blow. Everything inside this shuttle will be destroyed. I strongly recommend you follow the instructions I have laid out."

And then he stepped back and smiled. "Good day, Commander."

And he dematerialized.

Picard cursed. He looked around for a way to circumvent the force-field, but it was too narrow, and there was nothing close to a control panel near him. He glanced at the space-suit, determined not to be beaten. He looked around again.

An alarm began to sound.

Picard changed the setting on his phaser to low-intensity wide beam, and fired at the side of the shuttle wall. The metal began to buckle, but the force-field held. He kicked at the wall, but to no effect.

A countdown had begun. He had twenty eight seconds left. He looked at the space-suit again. He stood lost in contemplation for a few silent moments. And then he hurried into the space-suit, and stepped onto the transporter pad. He looked down at his feet as he was transported into Space.

It was black outside. As he looked out of his visor, he knew there was a cloaked ship out there somewhere, even now making away with one of the most ancient, and perhaps one of the most powerful weapons they had ever encountered. He cursed again.

* * *

Keel had grunted and grit his teeth as he had read Picards report. Finally, when he was done, he put the padd down on his table and looked up at Picard.

"We are down one man," he said. "Andy Davison has been abducted."

"Aye sir," replied Picard. "But I don't believe he will be killed."

Keel nodded. "Yes, Sloan seems to have taken care not to harm any Federation officer. He sedated Andy, and he sent us your exact coordinates before your transport into Space."

Keel stood and walked around his desk. "I wonder why that was," he asked.

"He could have done it simply to confuse us," offered Picard. Keel nodded, but seemed lost in thought.

"It is possible, " he said, "but it actually cost him time and it risked his operation. He did say to you that he was a member of Starfleet."

"Yes, of an organization called 'Section Thirty-One'. I do not believe such an organization exists."

"At least officially," Keel mused. "In either case, they have the weapon, whoever they are. And they have Andy. He might have been part of their organization, before he suffered the attack of delirium. But I suspect we shall not be able to find him now. And there may be others on this ship who work for them. We must be ever vigilant, Jean-Luc. Such is the price we pay."

Picard nodded, and turned to leave. And then he stopped, and turned back to Keel. "What makes you so sure," he asked. "About Sloan."

"I would be inclined not to believe a thing he said," replied Keel wanly, "but for the fact that when Sloan transmitted your coordinates to us, he used a coded frequency and transmission algorithm. This was encrypted at seventh level delta, and had a class one security clearance. Only Captain's and Admirals have that clearance. And I would not expect anyone outside of Starfleet to possess it."

The End

"Kappa Alpha Prime"
---------------------
© Jasjit Singh, September 1999