Tarin
found herself standing at the Well of Urd and the feeling of insignificance at
the face of powers beyond her comprehension was just as strong as she remembered
it.
'No.'
She paid closer attention to the scenery and realized that the emotional impact
wasn't as strong as it had been when she first saw the original Well. At least
part of the impression this place made on her was a memory of what she had felt
that day, no too long ago, when she had discovered the truth about the Aesir and
their eons-old conflict with Loki and his allies. What she saw now was very
close to the true Well of Urd and the tree Yggdrasill, and yet it was no more
than an echo of the real place.
"What
is it you need to talk to me about? You made it sound quite urgent."
It
sounded like Rishana's voice, but the lack of worry she exhibited told Tarin
that here was someone who felt so secure she couldn't be truly concerned by
anything Tarin had to say.
She
studied the woman who had just appeared from behind the tree and while she
looked just like Rishana Hagen, she looked just as much like Skuld. Not that
there had ever been much of a difference in their appearances to begin with, but
something about her reminded Tarin more of the youngest Norn than her Helmsman.
"Who
are you?"
The
young woman laughed softly. "As inquisitive as always." She walked
around the tree and stopped a few meters away from Tarin. "For a while I
thought I was Rishana Hagen, but that's not entirely true. I am a memory,
embedded in Rishana's genes, that has been awakened by her experiences at the
Well of Urd."
"So
that is what caused Rishana's visions and prophetic dreams to continue even
after the barriers to the Aesir dimension had been sealed again. You have been
dormant for generations, but what happened during the war awakened you, or
rather the precognitive abilities Rishana inherited from Skuld." It was a
rhetorical question, as slowly everything started to make a little sense to
Tarin.
"Yes,
but now I have fully awakened and for that I have to thank you." Noticing
how Tarin's brows furrowed she continued her explanation. "The massive
chroniton burst you caused has triggered the final stage of my awakening and
before you ask, yes, I am fully aware of everything you have done. As I said I
have to thank you for it, however unintentional your help might have been."
Tarin drew a sharp breath. "You are dying. That's hardly reason to be thankful."
For
a few seconds the other woman concentrated, looking inward. "Ah yes, it
seems you are right about that, but it's only a small problem that can be easily
corrected." When she smiled it was just a movement of her lips, nothing
more. "There are enough people around who can lend me their strength, now
that they are linked to my mind. That should be more than enough to sustain me
until my powers have fully awakened and my body has adjusted to the change."
"You
want to draw on the life-force of our crew to keep yourself alive?!"
"Yes,
and why not? Theirs is but a small sacrifice, hardly significant compared to
what good I will do with their aid."
"What
good you will do? You want to kill my crew, my friends, our
friends! There can be no justification for that!"
"Oh,
please, there is not much difference between us. You have sent your crew into
harm's way over and over again, risking their lives because you believed that
there were things worth dying for, so don't take the moral high ground with me.
The only difference is that - unlike you - I know precisely what their sacrifice
will accomplish."
"You can't be certain of that, however convinced you are of it."
"Ah,
but I can be certain and I am. Thanks to what you have done I can see the
future, every future, more clearly than you could ever hope to imagine. If I
were to tell you that by sacrificing 600 people I can save the lives of 600
millions, would my actions still look so despicable to you?"
* * * * *
"Holy
shit!"
"What
is it Doctor?" Catherine
jumped to his side, startled by the shock and urgency in the Malinche's
CMO's voice.
"I
can't believe it!" The doctor grabbed a tricorder and raced towards the
Valkyrie's sickbay. "Lieutenant Hagen's condition is stabilizing, but
everyone else is getting weaker by the minute. It's like she is drawing on their
life-force to stabilize her own body."
He
rounded the corner and raced to the doors to the Valkyrie's
intensive-care ward.
When
the doctor tried to enter the sickbay a flash of light threw him back across the
corridor and Catherine arrived just in time to help the human stand up again,
watching a greenish sheet of pure energy springing up to block the entrance to
the Valkyrie's sickbay.
* * * * *
"Even
if you could be certain of that, you can't just change the future."
"I
can and I will." She shook her head and waved a finger at Tarin in a
disapproving gesture. "Don't try to lecture me about things you know next
to nothing about."
"As
I can see that you don't believe me I will tell you a few things about the
nature of time they don't teach at the Temporal Mechanics course at Starfleet
Academy." Rishana – if she could be called that – took a few steps back
and leaned against the gigantic ash, looking more relaxed and self-confident
than ever.
"There
is almost no way to change the flow of time in any significant way, but it can
be done if you know how."
"Time
advances into the future like a river running downhill – it takes the path of
least resistance and you couldn't change that as much as you could make a river
run uphill by just willing it. But," Rishana coolly stated, an index finger
swiftly raised in an attention-gathering gesture, "there are things that
can be done to change the river's course."
"If
we continue the analogy you could take a stick and poke it into the river, but
that wouldn't change much, if anything. That is what every person does each and
every day – their actions create small ripples, but they don't change the flow
of time in any perceptible way and still it's the best an average person can do
to do change the course of events, but I am not an average person any more."
"On
the other hand, once in a while time runs into a place that doesn't allow for
major variations; the river flows down a ravine or around a boulder, so to speak,
and that is where things can be changed. If you know these turning points you
can stand ready and divert the river and I can see all these opportunities and I
know how to take advantage of each and every one."
"I
can see the whole future as it will unfold if I don't change it and believe me,
you wouldn't like it more than I do, so I will change it. It's as simple as that,
but it seems you are not yet willing to accept my guidance."
"Very
well," the woman - who Tarin was now certain was anyone but the Rishana
Hagen she had known - declared, "as I doubt very much that you are ready to
believe me I will show you what will happen if I don't do something about
it."
A
bolt of light shot from her hand and engulfed Tarin.
*
* * * *
"I
can't believe it," the Malinche's
CMO exclaimed.
"Well,
Doctor, that's not the answer I expect," Captain Sanders calmly stated,
even if calm was the least of what he felt. "There is an energy field here
that shouldn't be there and I need an explanation for it."
The medical officer strongly shook his head. "I have no idea what this forcefield is, but I can tell you one thing." He paused for breath and stared at his Captain, his expression a mask of grieve and anger.
"We
need to bring this forcefield down or the Valkyrie
will be a ghost-ship in half an hour."
*
* * * *
When
the flood of images subsided Tarin found herself on her knees, tears streaking
down her cheeks. Already the visions started to vanish from her memory like snow
melting in the sun, but a few glimpses of the future remained inside her mind.
Was this her destiny?
Earth, San Francisco – Tarin ducked for cover and raised her phaser rifle, sweeping it around for potential targets. Around her the away team did the same, firing at the few security guards that came into their field of fire. When Lieutenant Alvarez gave the 'go ahead' signal Tarin raced across the plaza towards the main entrance to Starfleet Headquarters.
She
couldn't remember any more of the vision, but Tarin Veal knew why she would come
to Starfleet Headquarters – to take a life in cold blood.
The bridge of the Valkyrie – The viewscreen was filled with starships; Excelsior, Miranda, Ambassador, Akira, all kinds of Starfleet ships. The holographic display in front of her showed wings of attack fighters swooping through the massive formation as she gave her orders: "Destroyer wings, come about to protect our flanks. Fighter Wings One to Six, stand ready to engage enemy escorts. Wings Seven to Twelve stay close to our cruisers until we have engaged the enemy, then break off to attack targets of opportunity at your discretion!"
She
couldn't tell how many people would die carrying out her orders, but it would be
hundreds, if not thousands, of that Tarin was certain.
Oreas, Alpha Centauri, the Plaza of Worlds – The suns were setting and their last rays bathed the plaza in a red glow, illuminating the flags of all Federation member worlds in a crimson blaze. Tarin's hand reached out and M'rroah and Edward Blake placed their hands on hers. "For the future," Tarin exclaimed and her two friends answered her simultaneously: "For the future!"
How
many of the flags had been – or would be – at half-mast Tarin couldn't
recall, but it had been way too many.
The
bridge of the Valkyrie - Tarin wanted to weep, but suddenly her tears had dried
up. There was nothing left to her, only death and destruction. She raised her
hand to give her final orders that she knew would destroy her ship and kill
hundreds of people and a single thought raced through her mind:
'Now
I have become Death, destroyer of worlds.'
"Is
this the future you want to live through?" Rishana asked.
* * * * *
"Everyone,
phasers to maximum." Kyle Sanders drew his own sidearm and adjusted the
power-setting. He pointed the weapon at the greenish forcefield blocking access
to the Valkyrie's sickbay. When
everyone of his crewmembers acknowledged his orders he pointed his phaser at the
doorway and gave his orders, just as he depressed the firing-stud on his weapon.
"Fire!"
As
the orange beams of energy stabbed at the forcefield and rebounded into the Valkyrie's
corridor, Kyle Sanders, like everyone else still awake on board the Valkyrie,
failed to realize that the forcefield only existed in his mind and that he never
fired his phaser.
Nothing
blocked their way into the sickbay except their own imagination and the woman
who called herself Rishana Hagen rejoiced, secure in the knowledge that no one
could harm her until it was too late.
*
* * * *
Slowly
Tarin stood up and faced the woman who claimed she could change the future. She
threw back her head, tears still running down her face, and the chamber echoed
with the sound of her wild laughter.
"Do
you really think you can scare me with your visions!?!" Rishana wanted to
retort something, but Tarin cut her off. "Shut the hell up and listen to me!"
She knew she would not be able to talk Rishana, or Skuld, or whatever her name
was, out of what she was doing and without her cooperation Tarin would probably
not be able to return to her body, yet all she could feel was anger at the
arrogance of her opposite and for a moment her self-control gave way to her fury.
"If
what you have shown me is the future or not doesn't matter. It's so fucking
unimportant you can't begin to understand." Her voice turned cold and she
placed an emphasis on each word as she continued. "If you want to change
things, then do it in the real world. I will not
let you kill anyone just to continue your madness and I will not allow you to
deprive anyone of their free will, however sure you are about your predictions."
Her
opposite stiffened and for a moment the woman who wore Rishana Hagen's face
looked stunned, but she was too convinced of what she was doing to be silenced
for long. Slowly she shook her head, her pity as clear on her face as the
defiance was obvious in Tarin's expression.
"That
is too bad, but it seems you leave me with no choice but to save you from
yourself."
As
a globe of light sprang to life in the woman's hand Tarin knew she had failed.
There was no use trying to assault her with physical force, as now she was at
the very heart of the dreamscape Rishana controlled. Just willing herself away
wouldn't be enough, but as the lightning ball shot forward and engulfed her
Tarin tried just that and something changed. Someone reached out to her and
pulled her away, the instant the globe of light impacted her body.
* * * * *
"Captain,
is that really you?"
Tarin's
vision was blurred and her head wouldn't stop spinning, but she recognized the
voice. "Rishana?"
"Yes,
it's me," the young Betazoid replied as she leaned down and took her
captain's arm. "Let me help you up."
Tarin
hadn't even been aware that she was sitting on the floor and when she tried to
stand she almost lost her balance. Quickly Rishana helped her to the sofa and
Tarin was relieved to sit down again. "Thanks. I am not sure what happened,
but it feels like the grandmother of all hangovers and I don't see too clearly."
"I
am sorry. When she tried to kill you I brought you here, but I may have been a
bit too slow. Still, I think the aftereffects will only be temporary."
"You
think so? Well that's a relief."
She realized how caustic she sounded and took a slow breath. "I am sorry."
Rishana
shook her head before she remembered that Tarin's vision was somewhat impaired.
"No. If anyone should be sorry it's me. I allowed all this to happen and
now I am trapped here. And," she swiftly added, "here
is my quarters, or rather a place that looks like it, down to the last
detail."
"What
happened to you Rishana?" Tarin was quite perplexed. While she couldn't see
her very well the voice sounded a lot more like the Rishana she knew than the
woman by the well, and yet, this was Rishana's mind. How could she be a prisoner
here herself?
"After
I passed out in Ten Forward it was like a dream and I remember little of it, but
I had a lot of visions about the future and the present. Sometimes it was like I
was a ghost appearing in various places; unseen, unnoticed and with no way to
influence my surroundings." She lightly touched Tarin's shoulder. "I
can still recall a few of those moments and I know that you and the Counselor
have been taking a peak at my personal logs, but that's okay." While she
couldn't see Rishana's shy smile Tarin was glad about the sincerity she heard,
but Rishana went on before she could reply.
"You
did it only to find a way to help me and part of me is glad you found about my
prophetic dreams. At least now I don't have to make up my mind if I should tell
you about it or not. Not that it matters anymore," she added bitterly.
"Yes,
the other you, if that's who or what she is." Tarin sighed. While the
vertigo and headaches remained her vision had started to clear a bit, but
Rishana was maybe right about how little it would matter soon.
"Yes."
Rishana groaned and leaned back in the sofa, starring down at her clenched hands.
"When it all happened - that chroniton burst I mean – every one of my
visions suddenly came into focus and for a second I could see a hundred
different things at the same time." Her shoulders sagged as she looked back
at that brief moment and her voice turned to a whisper.
"It
was too much for me to take and I reached out for any help I could find. That
was the moment I created the link with the rest of the crew and forced my
visions on them. Not that I was aware of what I was doing to them, but when I
realized what had happened I was no longer in control."
"When
the images vanished I found myself at the Well of Urd and she
was already there, waiting for me. She just told me that I shouldn't worry,
waved her hands, and I found myself here. Once in a while I get a glimpse of
what she is doing or seeing, but that's all."
Tarin's
vision had cleared enough that she could take Rishana's hand without appearing
too clumsy and she shook her head, trying to ignore the searing pain it caused
her. "There must be something you can do. This is your mind, not hers."
Rishana
withdrew her hand and stood, taking a few steps away from the sofa, her back
turned on Tarin.
"No
it's not. She is as much Rishana Hagen as I am and the worst thing is that I
don't want to stop her, no matter what she is doing to you, me, or the rest of
the crew." She spun around on her heels, her face a mask of grief and agony.
"I
want her to succeed, whatever the cost."
Prologue Chapter 1 Chapter 2 Chapter 3
Chapter 4 Chapter 5 Chapter 6 Chapter 7