From: Anton_Sanderfoot@qms1.life.uiuc.edu (Anton Sanderfoot)
Subject: STORY: Wisdom of the Ancients 7
Followup-To: alt.startrek.creative
Organization: University of Illinois at Urbana
Date: Wed, 29 Jul 1992 00:52:56 GMT

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Wisdom of the Ancients: part 7

Open on bridge of Gregarious. Usual compliment is present. Qiti is sitting
on the ramp to the lift, slumped over in pain. Wesley is near Qiti checking
his condition. On screen is the visual message from the Zenrabi vessel. A
humanoid male in his late 40s, who Qiti has just identified as Malqi, is
shown on the screen.

Riker: Who in the hell is this?

Qiti: [still in pain] It is Malqi! Gods help us all, he is still alive!

Malqi: [from screen] Though you send no signal, I know you are receiving
me. There is no reason for you to hide...

Riker: Send our signal. [pause] Zenrabi Vessel, this is Capt. William Riker
of the Federation Starship U.S.S. Gregarious. Explain the reason for your
destroying three Federation planets.

Malqi: [very condescending] Well, "Capt. William Riker of the Federation
Starship U.S.S. Gregarious," the answer is quite simple: I am here on a
mission of conquest. [pausing] Perhaps, you are wondering about my
appearance? To make your race more amenable to the conquest, I have taken
on your appearance...[turning towards Qiti] As I see you have also, Qiti.

Qiti suddenly grasps his head and falls unconscious.

Wesley: [hitting communicator] Medical Emergency. Medical Team to the
Bridge.

Malqi: Silly fool. He probably told you that the Zenrabi were coming to get
him. I suppose he was planning to nobly go to his death for the sake of
your people. I don't want to kill him...yet. I want him to be around to
witness my empire -- the empire he refused to be a part of. You see, when
he took away my personal army, I had to find a new one. Fortunately, the
Zenrabi were willing to help me out.

Riker: I think you may find the conquest of this galaxy more difficult than
you believe.

Malqi: On the contrary, I think stopping me will be more difficult than you
believe. In fact, I welcome you to try. I will be traveling to your next
little world in 24 hours. Meet me there. I welcome you to stop me...

The transmission ends. Medics come onto the bridge to collect Qiti. Riker
is standing with teeth gritted and barely contained fury.

Mirok: The Zenrabi vessel is heading for the Sulkare system.

Riker: Set course for the Sulkare system, warp 9. Staff meeting in 60
minutes. Give me some options people. I'll be in my Ready Room. Mr. Mirok,
get me a secure channel to Star Fleet.

Cut to Sickbay. Qiti, still unconscious, has been put on a scanning table.
Dr. Murphy Salverson, the CMO, is examining Qiti as other medics mill
about.

Salverson: [looking at the scan results] My God! What is this thing on my
table?

Wesley: So much for medical detachment...

Salverson: Watch yourself, Mr. Crusher. [pause] He looks humanoid, but
nothing inside is even vaguely like it's supposed to!

Wesley: Is he dying?

Salverson: I don't even know if he's living. The readings are all over the
scale...Neural reading (I think they're neural readings) are arcing
wildly....[medical alarms sound] What! Were loosing him! No activity
anywhere! Get me 10 units cordrazine!

Cut to exterior. The Gregarious is traveling in warp. Ahead of the ship, a
diaphanous outline of a huge vessel appears. The Gregarious passes through
the outline of the vessel. Cut to bridge, Worf is at command, Rild and
Mirok are at their stations. The red alert klaxons are sounding.

Riker: [vo] Riker to bridge. Why are we at red alert?

Worf: Sensor malfunction. For a moment, it appeared that a vessel was in
our path. Proximity detectors set off red alert automatically. I was about
to cancel red alert.

Riker: Proceed. Let's stay at yellow alert. Inform Ms. Thomas about our
malfunction.

Cut to sickbay. Focus behind the medics working on Qiti in the empty area
near the door. A flash of light, followed by a thunderclap reveals a
glowing form. The form moves slowly towards the medics. No one in the room
reacts to the sound, and appears not to see the form. Salverson and the
medics stop working.

Salverson: It's no use, nothing is working. He's gone.

The medics leave, Salverson and Wesley remain. The form moves over to Qiti
and puts a "hand" across Qitis head. After lingering for a few minutes,
the form removes its arm. Salverson begins to turn away. Wesley, continuing
to look at Qiti, notices him move.

Wesley: Doctor, he moved!

Salverson turns back in time to see Qiti's eyes open. But, instead of the
usual green eyes, the whole of the eye is a deep orange.

Salverson: What in the hell!!

Meanwhile, the form has returned to where it first arrived. As it is about
to leave, its "head" turns to see Guinan looking directly at it. In a blast
of light and thunder, it disappears. Back on the table, Qiti's eyes close,
then reopen with their normal appearance.

Wesley: Is he alright?

Salverson: I have NO idea!

Qiti: [grogilly] Yes, I am alright.

He looks over to see Guinan staring at him with a hard look. Cut to the
exterior. The Gregarious passes out of the diaphanous vessel, which then
disappears.

Salverson: What in the hell are you!

Qiti: You're right, Mr. Crusher. He could use some lessons in bedside
manners.

Salverson is fuming as Guinan approaches from behind, she puts a hand on
Salversons shoulder and defuses him with a look.

Guinan: Could I have a minute. I need to speak to him, alone.

Wesley and Salverson exchange looks and walk away discussing bedside
manners.

Guinan: So, who was our visitor.

Qiti: [pausing, surprised] There are forces at work here, who wish to be
[pause] anonymous. Malqi cannot be allowed to destroy another galaxy.

Guinan: Another galaxy?

Qiti: Yes. He has already destroyed two others. He will not destroy a
third.

Guinan: How do you plan to stop him. You said yourself that the combined
power of the Federation wouldn't scratch the paint on that vessel.

Qiti: I have some ideas, though I was hoping for a little Federation
ingenuity.

Guinan: You'll have your chance to ask for it. Riker has called a meeting
for 20 minutes from now.

Cut to Riker's Ready Room. He is speaking to Admiral duJour over subspace.
The conversation is ongoing.

Riker: I firmly believe that negotiations will not be possible. He has
already destroyed three worlds and has dared me to stop him from destroying
a fourth.

duJour: I understand your point, Captain. My only question is: Just what do
you plan on doing against this vessel?

Riker: Hopefully, nothing. We will arrive at Sulkare 2 shortly. I plan to
evacuate as many colonists as I can, and then get them out of there. I
don't plan on getting anywhere in range of the vessels weapons unless
absolutely necessary.

duJour: I understand your caution. I'm afraid I can't spare any vessels to
back you up. The Cardassians are at the table, but they refuse to sign a
cease-fire. I know it may not seem this way to you, but the Cardassians are
a greater threat at this time. At the speeds you quote, it will be over a
week before the vessel can bear arms upon any essential bases. Your orders
will be to stall this Malqi as long as possible, until we can mount a force
against him. I hate to say it, but you're alone out there. Keep your head.
Don't do anything stupid. duJour out.

Riker leans back in his chair contemplating duJour's message. His door
chimes, Qiti walks in.

Riker: So, Qiti, what trouble do you have for me.

Qiti: I have some ideas...I'd like to share them with you...Nothing stupid,
I assure you....

END PART 7