Illusions Lost

"At the time," Spock answered, "it was considered a genuine possibility."

The two crewwomen were gone, and the staff noticed that Vina's appearance was changing. Her blond hair was now a tangled mop of gray, and dark facial wrinkles appeared, with a horrible scar running down her cheek. Her nose was forced to the right, obviously broken in the middle, and a grotesque hump of skin tissue on her shoulder forced her to lean.

"So, in a way, I was right," Beverly exclaimed, "she was an illusion." The explanation came next.

"They found me in the wreckage," said Vina, her voice ragged, "a dying lump of flesh. They rebuilt me; everything works, but they had never seen a human. They had no guide in putting me back together." Pike just stared at her, puzzled, and turned to the Talosian for the explanation.

"It was necessary to prove to you that her desire to stay is an honest one."

"This whole thing had something to do with Pike, didn't it?" Deanna commented, "I mean the one in the med-chair." A certain look was on the ambassador's face as he nodded. She wasn't sure but, to her, the look said 'regret'.

The Talosian was back on Kirk's viewscreen, not as a thought-recording, but actually 'speaking' to him. "...Captain Pike is welcome to spend the rest of his natural life with us, unfettered by his physical body. The choice is yours... and his." With that, Kirk leaned over to Pike.

"Chris, do you want to go back there?"

A single beep from his chair answered it all.

Yes.

"What you have just seen is an edited version of what transpired 107 years ago," Spock punched a new code into his padd while he spoke, "By agreement with Starfleet Command, Captain Pike was allowed to beam down to Talos IV and remain there for the rest of his life."

He directed their attention back to the viewer. It showed a gray-purple object: a hexagonal cylinder with controls on one side and a small thruster at the base.

"The starship Bey recovered this object near the Epsilon Cephei system. Their sensors found the thruster's ionization trail, and traced it back to its relative point of origin." Holographic space materialized on the table again, and a blue line traced a path from Epsilon Cephei to the red shaded quarantined zone. Spock continued, "After scanning the object, it was found to have properties in its structure that did not conform to any construction techniques used anywhere within the Alpha Quadrant. However, after reviewing certain records, its origin was revealed." He touched a few padd keys, and the picture changed from the cylinder to a ship: dark gray-purple hull, ovoid in shape with two warp nacelles glowing lavender.

A Jem'Hadar vessel.

"Starfleet believes the Dominion was in the Talos sector, but when they were there, or for how long, is unknown. Our mission is to establish the presence of the Jem'Hadar within the quarantine zone, and the reason why."

"Could the Talosians have sent it by scanning the thoughts of someone who knew of the Dominion?" asked Troi.

"I doubt it, Counselor," answered LaForge, "Their whole technological way of life atrophied, so there's no way they could even build such a thing."

"Even so," Picard interjected, "the Talosians know Starfleet cut them off from the rest of the Federation. Why bother contacting us if they know we won't answer," He then turned to the ambassador, "Part of the transcript said that their thought transmissions reached into deep space."

"Indeed, however Starfleet believes their transmissions are unable to reach the Bajoran system or the Gamma Quadrant, and would have no knowledge of the Jem'Hadar."

"Maybe they thought-scanned a ship that was involved in the Dominion War," said Crusher.

"Perhaps their ability is stronger than Starfleet believes," added T'Vel.

"Or maybe..." Picard stopped Riker in mid-sentence with a raised hand, halting all the speculation.

"Right now, we're just guessing. I believe there's only one option. Ambassador?"

"Agreed, Captain; we must proceed... to Talos IV." The finality in voice told them there was nothing more to say, and Picard tapped his comm badge.

"Picard to bridge."

"Bridge, Lt. Kai."

"Set course to these coordinates: -119.4 by -43.7 by -24, and engage at warp eight."

A pause, then, "Begging your pardon, sir, but that course..."

"I know where it takes us, Lieutenant; carry out your orders. Picard out." Then he addressed his officers, "That concludes the briefing. You are not to discuss this with any personnel." All nodding in agreement, they left the conference room. Escorted back to his stateroom, Spock turned to Picard.

"Captain, may I make a request?"

"Of course, sir."

"When our mission is complete, and if circumstances permit, would it be possible to..." he paused, finding it difficult to ask such a large request, but Picard knew the rest.

"...visit the Talosian community? That could be considered as "conflicting with orders", Ambassador. However... I see nothing wrong with investigating in the most thorough manner possible."

"Thank you, Captain. I would be concerned, however, if this... request puts you in a difficult position with Starfleet."

"Not to worry, Ambassador." It won't be the first time, he thought. When they reached the stateroom, Picard added, "We should be there in nine hours. I'll contact you when we arrive."

And with that, the legendary Vulcan entered his quarters, and when the doors closed, Picard straightened his uniform and headed for the bridge.

* * *

After he was paged eight hours and fifty-three minutes later, Spock entered the bridge. Old and fond memories came back to him, as if destiny would always find him on the bridge of the Enterprise, even this one. With the grace of a swan, the ship slid into orbit.

Talos IV was a desolate world made up of light and dark browns, with a sparse cloud cover tinted a sickly ocher. It looked barren, cold... alone.

Picard hit the 'all call' button on his chair. "Attention, all hands; this is the captain. We've entered orbit around, what you all probably know by now, Talos IV. I'm sure that feelings are running high about our being here, but rest assured our mission, though classified, has been authorized by Starfleet Command. There will be no reprisals for violating General Order 7. However, it is my order that no one speak of our visit to anyone, and there will be no log entry made mentioning our presence in this area. For the record: we were never here." He closed the comm and turned to Spock, "Ambassador, would care to take the conn for our initial contact?"

The bridge personnel stood at attention as the ambassador made his way to the command chair.

"I would consider it an honor, Captain." He eased himself into the seat and for the first time in decades, albeit temporarily, Mr. Spock was in command of the Enterprise. "Commander T'Vel, open communications." Once done, he straightened his posture and addressed the screen. "Greetings. This is Ambassador Spock of Vulcan, aboard the Federation starship Enterprise-E, Captain Jean-Luc Picard commanding. I wish to speak to the head of your community, known as the Magistrate, or his successor. Please respond."

Silence.

Picard turned to T'Vel for his unasked question, and she assured him the frequency was open.

"This is Captain Picard. For the duration of our mission, our government has suspended the order that quarantines your world. We need to speak with you regarding another vessel that may have entered your space. Please reply."

Again, silence.

"Captain," interrupted T'Vel, "sensors are picking up a metallic mass on the surface. Readings indicate the composition of the material is consistent with the object found by the Bey."

"Pinpoint coordinates. Picard to Transporter Room Two. Stand by to beam down an away team in five minutes."

"Acknowledged, sir." was the response.

"Will, Deanna, T'Vel with me. Data, you have the bridge. Have LaForge and Dr. Crusher join us in Transporter Room Two."

"Aye, sir."

"And you, sir," he continued, now facing Spock, "will be joining us later, if the situation permits."

"Understood, Captain."

* * *

After the tingling on his skin faded, Picard found himself standing near low hills and rock formations, with five of his officers. Getting their bearings, they gazed at the world the Federation deemed "forbidden".

Talos IV was a bleak wasteland as far as they could see. Dirty and boulder strewn, and spotted with a strange type of harmonic vegetation, the barren world was still trying to heal itself after its cataclysmic war.

"Commander?" The captain addressed T'Vel.

Adjusting her tricorder, she replied, "Seventy-two meters, over that rise, sir." T'Vel pointed behind them, and they started climbing the gradual terrain. And when the away team reached the top, there was their conformation.

One third of the hull was buried under the rubble it kicked up when it crashed. One warp nacelle was obscured; the other was gone completely. Pieces of metal were scattered everywhere, in various sizes and in no particular order. Despite it all, they recognized the gigantic 'insect' lying dead at their feet.

A ship of the Jem'Hadar. The away team was on it like bees on pollen, while Picard called the ship.

"Enterprise, Data here."

"The vessel appears to be a scoutship. We'll see if we can find a way in," Picking his way through the debris, Picard found himself near LaForge, "Stand by."

"It's under here, sir," Geordi lifted a section of hull insulation material to reveal a half-open airlock hatch.

"Data," Picard said to his comm badge, "maintain a transporter lock on us; we're going in." then to the away team, "Geordi, Beverly, with me. The rest of you, continue your survey."

Squeezing between the door panels and through the airlock anteroom, they found themselves in an ordinary corridor, except for the pieces of struts and bulkheads littering the deck.

And the body, or rather what was left of it, sprawled out in front of them.

Tricorder in hand, Crusher reported, "Scans of the remains show he died almost seventy years ago." The 'being' was just bones and flaking skin tissue, but the uniform was unmistakable: A Jem'Hadar warrior. Stepping around debris and seven more bodies, they had found the vessel's bridge, and in the center, the command chair with another corpse in it.

"No power to any systems," said Geordi, waving his tricorder around, but that was plain enough to see, "but basically still intact." He set down his port-a-generator in front of an access panel and, positioning it, switched on a tight beam of blue light, connecting it with a power terminal. The console above it flickered and steadied to a dim pulse as the controls came alive.

"I have access, sir," Geordi's fingers tapped across the dusty panel. "A small percentage of their computer core is still functioning." Picard and Crusher joined him as the screen above the console burst into static and formed the face of a Jem'Hadar soldier.

"My name is not important. I am from a species known as the Jem'Hadar, soldiers who serve our leaders, called the Founders, in defense of our realm, the Dominion. While scouting a region of unknown space, our ship encountered an anomaly, and was thrown almost 90,000 light-years from where we were."

The Bajoran wormhole, Picard thought.

"We were rendered unconscious and our overseer, a Vorta, was killed. We lost our bearings, but our ship was still shrouded. We wandered for months before an asteroid collided with our shields and shorted out half our systems. We crashed on this planet with a loss of all hands, save one... me. My injuries are not too severe, but I will be dead soon enough, for my supply of the White is dwindling... (static) ...power is almost gone."

"I warn whoever is listening to... (crackle) ...beings on this world that can alter your thoughts; beware of them... (static) ...my final entry. For the Founders, for the Domin... (crack, static) ...ictory is life..."

The screen winked out.

"Geordi, gather what information you can and send it up to Enterprise. Let's finish this, quickly," Picard and Crusher made their way back outside the doomed vessel and met up with Riker.

"We're just about finished, sir."

"Good. Geordi's collecting what's left of their computer information. Beverly and I are going back up. This place doesn't feel right, Will, so don't dawdle; get it done and get back to the ship."

"Understood, sir."

Picard called the ship, "Enterprise, Picard; two to beam up."

The cold sparkling light deposited the pair in the transporter alcove, with Data waiting for them.

"Captain, Geordi is ready to transfer his findings," Data looked at Beverly, "and send the readings of the corpses onto Sickbay. Commander Riker should be finished in a few minutes."

Picard heard the 'and' in his voice, and said so.

"And," Data said, compliant, "Ambassador Spock is waiting in your ready room."

"Thank you, Data. I thought he might be."

* * *

Twenty minutes later, Picard and four of his senior staff beamed back down to the surface. After securing the area, he had the Enterprise transport Counselor Troi and Ambassador Spock. A sense of déjà vu overwhelmed the ambassador as he looked at a place he thought he'd never see again.

The knoll had changed. Where once stood an incline path of rock leading to a squared shaft of stone, concealing the underground access, now stood a pile of rubble. Only a disguised door panel remained lying atop a boulder, and the rest was slabs of rock and soil, with a few musical plant sprouts peeking out.

"This has the look of being sealed off," Picard said, "on purpose. Picard to Enterprise."

"Data here. We were about to contact you, sir. We have reviewed the Jem'Hadar computer logs. It seems the commander went out exploring the area and found the underground entrance. He was met by a human and the commander attacked him."

Picard questioned Spock, "Pike?"

"More likely, an image of Pike."

Data continued, "The human vanished, and the commander saw another being on the hidden lift. He fired his weapon repeatedly, then escaped back to his ship. He stayed sealed in, and managed to launch a rescue beacon."

"Data, stand by to beam us to the coordinates provided by the ambassador."

"Aye, sir; standing by."

Picard asked Spock, "Are you sure about those coordinates, sir?"

"As well as I can recollect, Captain."

Picard then asked what was on everyone's mind, "What if this is really an illusion?"

Spock pondered this for a moment, then answered, "The Talosians have no need to continue their experiments, and if they know I am here, they would have no reason to deceive us." But then he added, "However, I must point out that if our readings are indeed illusions, one could find oneself materialized inside solid rock."

That got everyone's attention instantly.

"Nothing will be said if anyone changes their mind," said Picard.

No one said a word. He called back to the ship.

"Transporter Room. Coordinates are set; ready to transport, sir."

"Energize."

The bleak landscape faded out, and replaced with almost total darkness. Their hands immediately went for their wrist lights, and saw they were next to an open lift filled with rocks and dirt. Both Geordi and Crusher scanned it.

"The debris shows miniscule traces of organic tissue," said the doctor, "There was a body under here."

"Doesn't look like he survived the ride," commented Riker, "Where to next, Amba... Ambassador?" He and the others found him across the hallway, staring at a dark, empty cubicle.

Captain Pike's cage.

Their lights revealed a raised sleeping pad covered with a thin, metallic blanket and a layer of dust. In the corner, a lime encrusted fountain, and on the rear wall, the secret cage access, open. Scans showed there were no remains inside, but Spock knew there wouldn't be any. Since Pike and Vina chose to remain there voluntarily, there would be no reason to keep them caged.

A signal from LaForge's tricorder sounded, "Captain, picking up a faint energy source; 24.6 meters."

Spock stole one last glance at Pike's, and again, felt regret.

The away team followed the weak signal down the dim and cobweb draped corridor, passing other cages. Picard peered into one cage and saw the skeleton of a big creature, its eyeless skull gaping at him with open, fanged jaws. The ape-thing from the transcript, he deduced. Suddenly, Geordi stopped and pointed his tricorder at a door, marked with a three-pronged circle of gold and a dark jewel set in the hub.

"In here, sir." He and Riker gripped the door panels and forced them open, producing a shriek of grinding metal. They swept the room with lights and tricorders and found a paltry furnished area, full of stale air and the faint scent of something everyone recognized: the smell of a dead body.

Dr. Crusher found the source in the far corner, and the body took form under her light. It was thin and frail from decomposition, and wore a long metallic tunic. The mummified face was half-skeletal and what skin remained looked leathery. Its cranium was almost three times the size of an average humanoid, and Beverly's light caught a dark jeweled, circle of gold just above its folded arms.

They had found the Magistrate.

"According to these readings," started the doctor, "he's been dead for about sixty years, and there's some type of viral infection residue in the remains. It looks like a mutated strain of some form of enzyme," She hit a few controls on her tricorder, waited, then said, "An isogenic enzyme."

"The Jem'Hadars' ketracel white." said Riker.

"Captain," this from T'Vel, "the energy reading is emanating from the next room." Her light played on another set of doors, also marked with the gold emblem. Again, the doors were forced, and Spock recognized the chamber, now expose to wrist lights. The thought viewing/monitoring room, where Pike was kept under surveillance. T'Vel's light caught the main viewer, blank and unused for years.

"This is the source of the energy read..." She didn't finish her sentence, for the ancient screen flickered and came to life. "I must have inadvertently triggered the activation..." Picard stopped her explanation with an "it's all right" raised hand, and he and the others gathered around the screen.

It showed the Magistrate, with two other Talosians standing behind him. The protruding veins on his bloated head pulsed when he spoke, even though his mouth never moved. But, to Spock, he looked tired and weak, as if he were... dying? The recording began:

"What you now seem to see and hear are my thought transmissions, stored here in the great thought records of our world. To whatever life form that finds this message, this will be my final recorded thought."

"I am known as the Magistrate to the inhabitants of this planet. Our world was almost destroyed by a war long ago, and our minds developed the power of hypnotic illusion as the result of limiting, underground existence. Our technology fell into atrophy and our mental power became an addiction. We sought others to use in rebuilding our society and, by chance, a vessel crashed on our world with a single human survivor. We thought this species to be ideal for our purpose, but later learned of their unique hatred of captivity. Fearing those of their kind would learn our ability and destroy themselves as we have, their governing body, known as the Federation, quarantined our entire star system. The two humans who chose to remain on our world were in need of our illusionary ability because of their physical deformities."

"But our quiet isolation was shattered with the arrival of an unwelcome visitor. Aggressive beings found their way to our planet, and crashed on the surface. These creatures exposed us to a disease that we have no immunity against, and the end came swiftly."