AOH :: CHAIN3.TXT
ST:TNG - "Chain of Command" 3/4
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Article #127 (134 is last):
From: jfy@cis.ksu.edu (Joseph F. Young)
Newsgroups: alt.startrek.creative
Subject: FROM THE ARCHIVES: story/tng/ChainOfCommand.zip (part 03/04)
Date: Thu Oct 28 04:30:13 1993
This is an automated reposting of fiction from the alt.startrek.creative
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addressed to jfy@cis.ksu.edu.
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when we arrive at Starbase 2-0-9.
If your actions hamper the function
of this ship in any way, I will have
you confined to quarters.
BRYAN
Getting rid of me won't change the
situation, Captain. This is a
movement. There are hundreds of
people like us, all over the ship.
Picard looks surprised.
BRYAN (CONT'D)
Never underestimate the power of
ideas, Captain. Freedom of
information, freedom of choice,
freedom to know just what's going on
in our lives. That's what we want.
PICARD
Good-bye, Mr. Jennings.
He turns to leave, but stops suddenly, just short of
stepping on someone.
BRYAN
Good-bye, Captain. See you soon.
INT. CORRIDOR
Long shot down hall as Picard carefully picks his way
though a dozen or so people laying across the floor.
INT. BRIDGE
Picard enters from the AFT TURBOLIFT. The bridge is at
yellow alert, and the crew has shifted accordingly.
Geordi is working at the engineering station, Riker has
relieved Data of command, Data has moved to Ops, Worf
has replaced Garrison at Tactical, and Susan is
stationed at Conn. There is an urgency in everybody's
actions. Nobody wants to hang around long.
RIKER
Captain?
PICARD
I was delayed, Number One. Mr.
LaForge, the situation?
GEORDI
We've isolated the problem. It
looks like we collided with a fairly
large meteor. Normally the
deflectors would have had no problem
with the stress, but because we re-
routed warp power through them...
PICARD
How long until repairs are complete?
Geordi finishes working at the keyboard and stands up.
GEORDI
About five minutes. Some power
feeds in Engineering need to be
changed.
PICARD
Make it so.
Geordi heads for the Aft Turbolift and exits.
PICARD (CONT'D)
Mr. Worf?
WORF
We have not been scanned, sir.
Phasers and photon torpedoes are
standing by.
PICARD
Very well.
(beat)
Data, is there a way to determine
the number of people lying in
corridors?
RIKER
(surprised)
Sir?
PICARD
In a moment, Number One.
Data types a bit.
DATA
Yes, sir. There are 120 people in
corridors at the moment, 68 of whom
are lying down.
Picard is lost in thought. Riker snaps him out of it.
RIKER
Lying down, sir?
PICARD
Outside my quarters, I was
confronted by Mr. Jennings. Lying
across my doorway.
RIKER
Protests.
PICARD
So it would appear.
(to ceiling)
Picard to Engineering. Mr. LaForge,
your progress?
(beat)
Mr. LaForge?
INT. ENGINEERING
DUFFY
Uh, Captain, this is Lieutenant
Duffy. Mr. LaForge isn't here.
INT. BRIDGE
Picard and Riker exchanged surprised looks.
PICARD
Thank you, Mr. Duffy. Computer,
locate Mr. LaForge.
COMPUTER (V.O.)
Lieutenant Commander LaForge is in
Aft Access Hallway 42.
PICARD
Data?
Data types a bit.
DATA
No one is lying down, sir, but a
large group of people is assembled
in one area.
PICARD
Picard to LaForge. Geordi, what's
your situation?
INT. CORRIDOR
Geordi is surrounded by about a dozen people, a
different group than outside Picard's quarters. He is
unsuccessfully attempting to push his way through
clasped arms. There are angry shouts.
PROTESTOR #1
Fascist!
PROTESTOR #2
Killer!
GEORDI
Not good, Captain. I'm trying to
work my way through a crowd...
Geordi is hit, probably accidentally.
GEORDI (CONT'D)
Oof!
INT. BRIDGE
PICARD
Worf, send a security detail. Get
LaForge to Engineering. Stun the
protesters if need be.
WORF
Aye, sir.
Worf begins tapping keys, then suddenly reacts to a
display.
WORF (CONT'D)
Sir! We have just been scanned!
Riker reacts, Picard stands.
PICARD
Data?
DATA
Confirmed. A wormhole is forming to
starboard.
PICARD
Shields up.
WORF
Aye, sir.
PICARD
Status of the security team?
WORF
(beat, shamed)
Delayed.
EXT. SPACE
A Tholian ship rams through the wormhole and steers
towards the Enterprise.
INT. BRIDGE
DATA
The Tholian ship has cleared the
wormhole.
PICARD
Defensive fire only.
DATA
Another wormhole is forming to port.
PICARD
The security team?
WORF
Still delayed.
Picard makes a quick decision.
PICARD
Picard to Transporter Room. Beam
LaForge directly to Engineering.
Now!
INT. CORRIDOR
Considerably battered, Geordi continues to push his way
through.
GEORDI
Let me _throu--_
He beams out.
INT. ENGINEERING
Geordi beams in, finishing his push against nothing.
He regains his balance and heads for a console.
GEORDI
Engineering to Bridge. LaForge
here, Captain. Give me five
minutes.
EXT. SPACE
The second Tholian ship has just emerged from the
wormhole and both turn towards the Enterprise.
The Tholians fire, but their shots are absorbed by the
shields.
INT. BRIDGE
The ships shakes slightly.
PICARD
Pericles Evasion. Worf, a photon
torpedo between them.
WORF
Aye, sir.
EXT. SPACE
The Enterprise launches a photon torpedo directly
between the Tholian ships, and it explodes as both
ships veer off in opposite directions.
INT. BRIDGE
PICARD
LaForge!
GEORDI'S COM VOICE
Almost!
WORF
Sir! The Tholians are forming a
Web!
EXT. SPACE
The two Tholian ships have moved next to each other,
directly in front of the Enterprise. Suddenly, they
begin moving away from each other, the space between
them growing murky and distorted. The ships begin to
arc around the Enterprise, intending to surround it.
INT. BRIDGE
PICARD
LaForge!
INT. ENGINEERING
Geordi finishes his work.
GEORDI
Done!
INT. BRIDGE
PICARD
Warp one, any heading!
EXT. SPACE
The Enterprise stretches out and disappears.
The Web being formed collapses and the two Tholian ships
warp out after the Enterprise.
INT. BRIDGE
WORF
The Tholians are in pursuit.
PICARD
Continual fire of aft photon
torpedoes, random dispersal.
WORF
Aye, sir.
EXT. SPACE
Photons jet out of the back of the Enterprise.
The Tholian ships attempt to dodge the explosions, but
eventually give up and drop pursuit.
INT. BRIDGE
WORF
They have dropped out of warp,
Captain.
Picard is very, very stern.
PICARD
(to Susan)
Continue evasive course, Ensign.
Riker approaches Picard.
RIKER
Shall I have Jennings arrested?
Picard thinks for a moment.
PICARD
No...
RIKER
Something has to be done, sir.
PICARD
Something will be done, Number One.
EXT. ENTERPRISE
The ship is in warp, the port nacelle still dark.
Several hours have gone by.
INT. CORRIDOR
PICARD'S COM VOICE
Picard to Mr. Bryan Jennings.
Report to the Bridge.
People erupt in a cheer, clapping and whistling. Bryan
smiles. He stands and walks to a comm panel.
BRYAN
Ride got a little bumpy there,
Captain.
PICARD'S COM VOICE
(stern)
Report to the Bridge, Mr. Jennings.
BRYAN
That sounded like an order.
INT. BRIDGE
The Bridge personnel have changed. Worf is gone,
replaced by JEFFERSON at Tactical. A SUPERNUMERARY
works at Conn and Data fills Ops. Riker and Picard
stand.
Picard grits his teeth.
PICARD
(overemphasized)
Please come to the Bridge.
BRYAN'S COM VOICE
I won't be alone, Captain. The
Citizens' Committee will be with me.
PICARD
So be it.
INT. CORRIDOR
The members of the Citizens' Committee stand to join
Bryan.
BRYAN
This, my friends, is the first day
of the future.
He and the Committee exit.
INT. BRIDGE
The Aft Turbolift opens and Bryan and the Committee step
out.
BRYAN
Captain.
Picard whirls on Bryan.
PICARD
Mr. Jennings, you have made running
this ship an impossibility. Your
"passive resistance" very nearly
cost everybody aboard their lives.
Bryan is a little taken aback, but recovers quickly.
BRYAN
Come now, Captain. That's being a
little dramatic, isn't it?
(beat)
But then I wouldn't know. Civilians
aren't allowed to know when their
lives are in danger.
Picard fumes.
BRYAN (CONT'D)
You know what we want, Captain. I
don't see that there's anything
wrong with wanting to have the power
to control our own lives.
Picard nods.
PICARD
Indeed. And you shall have it. You
have made the situation completely
intolerable. I forfeit control of
the Enterprise to you.
Bryan really didn't expect this. He's taken completely
by surprise. Riker appears to be.
BRYAN
You what?
RIKER
Sir?
Picard ignores both Bryan and Riker.
PICARD
Number One, brief the... Citizens'
Committee. Good-bye, Mr. Jennings.
Picard walks stiffly to the Aft Turbolift and exits.
Jennings stares at Riker, stunned.
FADE OUT.
END OF ACT FOUR
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
STAR TREK: THE NEXT GENERATION
"Chain of Command"
ACT FIVE
INT. BRIDGE
Bryan and the Citizens' Committee are all staggered.
Riker glowers.
BRYAN
Well... Uh... Riker, does this
mean I... I mean we, are in charge?
Officially?
Riker looks at Bryan with contempt.
RIKER
It means, Mr. Jennings, that you and
your Citizens' Committee are now in
command of this ship.
BRYAN
But... But if Picard resigns,
shouldn't command fall to you?
RIKER
Data.
Data is puzzled.
DATA
Sir?
RIKER
The regulation regarding a captain's
abdication.
DATA
Yes, sir.
(turns to Bryan)
Within certain restrictions, a
captain may temporarily relinquish
command to whomever he wishes.
BRYAN
Temporarily?
DATA
Yes, sir. The decision can only be
made in crisis situations, and can
be countermanded by any Starfleet
officer who outranks the captain.
RIKER
Until we re-enter Federation
territory and establish sub-space
communication... you are in charge.
Bryan begins to recover -- he's won.
BRYAN
(to himself)
I had no idea that it would be so
simple. I mean, I'd read about it,
but it actually happened...
(beat, to Riker)
Re-enter Federation territory?
RIKER
The Enterprise is currently in
Tholian space. The odds are that
there are Tholian ships out there,
right now, trying to find us. Shall
I call the Captain?
BRYAN
What? No. Of course not. The
citizens are in charge, now. We'll
do things my way.
(barks out an order)
Fill us in on the details of this
mission, Mr. Riker.
Riker sets his jaw.
RIKER
We're on a rescue mission. The
Tholians surprised us while we were
retrieving the crew of a damaged
ship.
BRYAN
That's--
RIKER
--what happened to the civilians.
BRYAN
Why are we still here?
RIKER
Our warp drive was damaged during
the battle. We can barely hold warp
one.
Bryan understands now.
BRYAN
If you had just told us...
RIKER
It's a Starfleet secret.
Bryan explodes.
BRYAN
Don't give me that! All of this
could have been avoided if--
JEFFERSON
Sir! We have just been scanned!
RIKER
Damn.
BRYAN
What?
RIKER
They've found us again. Data, begin
defensive postu--
BRYAN
Hey! I'm in charge here.
(he indicates Council)
We're in charge.
RIKER
You're kidding.
BRYAN
No, I'm not. We fought hard for
this.
RIKER
You don't know what you're doing!
BRYAN
One more outburst from you, Riker,
and I'll have you removed from the
Bridge! If I need your advice, I'll
ask. Otherwise, keep your mouth
shut.
RIKER
Jennings...
A warning sound begins.
DATA
Readings show a wormhole has opened
in our path.
BRYAN
(to Riker)
Wormhole?
RIKER
It's how the Tholians travel!
Bryan looks a little nervous.
BRYAN
OK. Uh, prepare to fire.
Riker steps quickly toward Bryan.
RIKER
You can't do that!
BRYAN
Why not?
DATA
Sensors indicate a Tholian ship has
emerged from the wormhole.
RIKER
Right now, all we've done is angered
the Tholians by trespassing into
their space. But destroying a
Tholian ship would lead to war. You
_can't_.
BRYAN
Uh...
JEFFERSON
The Tholians are firing!
Bryan's eyes go wide.
BRYAN
Uh...
A photon torpedo comes blazing straight toward the
viewscreen. It hits. Some lights go out, others blink
on and off, alert sounds are heard, and a few fuses blow
-- the ship, however, does not shake.
DATA
Readings show we have dropped out of
warp.
JEFFERSON
Moderate damage to secondary hull,
sir. Casualty reports coming in.
Bryan is stunned.
BRYAN
There were casualties?
On the viewscreen, the Tholian ship loops towards the
Enterprise.
JEFFERSON
The Tholians are firing again!
Phasers lash at the ship. More lights go out. Sparks
fly. A low rumble begins and builds.
BRYAN
What's going on?
The rumble gets louder, followed by a horrible
explosion. The ship still does not shake.
BRYAN
What was _that_?
RIKER
Computer, reverse angle on the
viewscreen!
The viewscreen changes to a view back over the spine of
the Enterprise. The remains of a warp nacelle can be
seen spiraling off into space as fires and small
explosions run up and down along the strut.
There is stunned silence for a moment.
BRYAN
Oh, my God...
DATA
Readings show complete destruction
of all propulsion systems and a
primary hull breach in Engineering.
RIKER
Bridge to Engineering! Geordi!
Static plays for a moment.
JEFFERSON
The Tholians are requesting
communication.
Bryan still stares horrified at the viewscreen.
JEFFERSON
Sir?
BRYAN
What? Oh! Yes. Yes!
The viewscreen switches to the face of the Tholian
captain.
THOLIAN
Federation ship, this space is
claimed by the Tholian Assembly.
You will surrender immediately or be
destroyed.
BRYAN
Uh... Look, can't we talk about
this? This whole thing has been a
mistake.
THOLIAN
Surrender immediately.
BRYAN
Listen to me. We apologize. If you
would just let us go, we promise--
The communications channel closes.
JEFFERSON
They've cut communications, sir.
Their phasers are powering up.
Again, Bryan panics.
BRYAN
Get them back! Get them back!
JEFFERSON
Channel open.
BRYAN
We surrender!
Riker jumps up out of his chair.
RIKER
You can't do that!
JEFFERSON
(to Bryan)
No response, sir.
BRYAN
(to Riker, almost
pleading)
Riker, there's got to be a way to
let them know that we'll surrender.
RIKER
We can't surrender.
BRYAN
Why not?
RIKER
You say you're representing the
people of this starship. Does that
mean that when you say you're
willing to taken prisoner, you're
speaking for everyone?
BRYAN
I don't... Of course not.
(turns to Committee)
Should we surrender?
The Committee collectively takes a step back. They're
more overwhelmed by all this than Bryan is.
QUAN
We, uh... We can't speak for the
whole ship. It wouldn't be fair.
BRYAN
You're right. We need to have a
vote.
A warning sound turns Bryan's attention back to Ops.
DATA
Readings show another Tholian ship
is entering scanner range.
BRYAN
What does that mean?
RIKER
They know we're wrecked. They're
probably planning on towing us back
home, taking us all prisoner and
stripping the Enterprise for its
technology.
BRYAN
So what do we do?
Riker stares at Bryan.
RIKER
You're asking my advice?
BRYAN
Dammit, Riker! What?
RIKER
I recommend self-destruction.
BRYAN
What?
RIKER
Self-destruction. It's the only
option left.
BRYAN
No. Uh-uh. That's ridiculous. I
can't order the death of everyone on
board!
(beat)
Mr. Data, do you have a
recommendation?
Data looks at Riker quickly, then back at Bryan.
DATA
No, sir, I do not.
Bryan starts to speak several times, pulling up short.
He knows he's out of options and begins to try to
justify himself.
BRYAN
The only reason I started this whole
thing was to get control of our
lives! It was for Richard! It
wasn't supposed to happen like this!
The only reason we tried to... _do_
any of this was to know what was
going on. We just wanted to know...
Riker is bitter and ironic.
RIKER
Was it worth it?
There is another warning sound. Data turns around to
look at Bryan and Riker.
DATA
Readings indicate that the Tholians
have locked on tractor beams and are
towing us.
(to Bryan)
Your orders, sir?
Bryan is dazed, confused, and lost.
BRYAN
I... uh...
DATA
Sir?
Bryan sits heavily into the captain's chair, his head
held in his hands. He is completely miserable.
BRYAN
Self-destruct.
(beat)
Self-destruct.
INT. BATTLE BRIDGE
A tight shot of Picard's face pulls back to reveal Worf
at Tactical, a supernumerary at Ops, and Susan at Conn.
Picard has been running the ship during the duration and
the events on the Main Bridge were viewscreen graphics,
rigged panels and rehearsed officers -- for Bryan's
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