Stuck Trek

The Crew

It was almost midnight, but I had to watch one more episode of Star Trek: The Next Generation. I usually never disobeyed my parents, but I wanted to watch them. I was only on season two, I had been watching all day instead of reading like I normally do. Popcorn stuck between my small body and the couch cushion annoyed me. It was stuck in my dark brown hair too.

Just then, the clock struck midnight, just when Commander William Riker was about to say something important. The power went out too. All of a sudden, the couch seemed harder, like I was sitting on thinly carpeted floor instead of my home. Red lights flashed all around me, I felt so panicked. A figure ran by me, and I screamed, startling the figure. The figure was male, I could tell, and tall, but not Will Riker tall. I stood up, ready to fight.

The lights flashed on, shining their fluorescent light brightly into my eyes. I covered my face. I thought the man in front of me was an intruder, and I remembered training in martial arts. 

My fist rocketed into his stomach, a loud cry came from him. I know that cry. 

Opening my eyes slowly, I saw that it was Captain Jean-Luc Picard from Start Trek. No not him,  Sir Patrick Stewart, the guy who plays him, in my house, in the Captain's uniform. Then I looked around, this was not my house. It was the corridor on the Enterprise. My face was wide with shock.

"Sorry Captain Jean-Luc Picard, or  Sir Patrick Stewart, er, Sir Stewart sir!" I screamed too loud, my surprise overwhelmed me. This was only a dream.

"Oh that hurt. It's fine. Please go back to your quarters," he said, his face trying to ignore the pain from my astonishingly hard punch. "And who is Sir Stewart?"

My eyes grew wide. He was Captain Picard, not the actor. "I don't have any," I said.

"Well you must, don't you have a family? And why are you in those ridiculous clothes?" he practically shouted. I realized that I was still in my pajamas.

"I just kinda poofed here sir," I said, remembering that Captain Picard didn't like children very much, not until later, if this was in season two.

"Poof?"

"Sir may I see Beverly?"

"What?"

"Oops, sorry. Dr. Crusher?"

"You don't have to ask me," he said smiling, or trying to.

I ran down the corridor, stopping and asking the computer to direct me to Sick Bay. It showed me, and I ran to Beverly, er, Dr. Crusher's office.

On the way, I ran into a large body. I was forced to the ground by artificial gravity, and looked up to see who I ran into this time. It was Worf, the security officer. He stood there, his Klingon forehead over his eyes. He looked almost as stunned as I was. My face went pale, I really didn't feel well. I tried to stand up, but collapsed to the ground and lost consciousness. 

Two strong hands held me as they were moving with a body. It was Worf, I hadn't dreamed anything. I tried to struggle my way out of his arms as he took me into Sick Bay. He laid me onto a table, the invisible restrains taking hold. I couldn't move as Beverly stood over me, injecting me with something. I immediately felt better.

"How are you feeling, and, where do you come from?" Dr. Crusher asked me, her eyes warm with kindness.

"I feel fine, and I come from the 21st century Earth," I said slowly, watching their surprised reactions.

"Oh," said Dr. Crusher. "Worf, take her to Deanna."

"Yes doctor," said Worf.

"Why Deanna Troi?" I asked.

Worf somewhat glared at me and walked me to her office. On the way there, he never looked at me and never said anything. 

Deanna was sitting in her chair and reading. Maybe she was reading up on a client. I was not one of them.

"Deanna, this is," he looked at me.

"Janie Gorton," I said stiffly, I was not going to cooperate with the crew.

"Hi Janie, have a seat," she said as she set down her tablet thing, I saw that Beverly had sent her something on me. 

I stood there, looking at her blankly.

"How about a walk in the arboretum?" she said, not asking me. Why did this happen to me? I loved Star Trek, but I did not want to be in it. So far I'd met pretty much all of the senior officers, but I wanted to meet Geordi, Data, and Riker. No I don't. I want to leave. To go home.

Deanna took my hand, but I ripped it out of hers. We walked to the arboretum. On the way, we passed a Holodeck, and I knew what I wanted to do. I turned into the Holodeck and called to the computer to display my address and the year. 

The scene changed around me, I was home. I collapsed on the asphalt outside my house, sobbing, I wanted to go home. I knew that this was all not real, just 3-D and particles formed to make matter.

A hand was placed on my shoulder, it was Deanna's. She pulled me away and erased the program. There was only one thing I wanted to really do, was be on the Bridge. I hoped Wesley Crusher wasn't there, and he was at the academy. I admit, I had had a crush on Wesley Crusher since I started watching the show, so if I see him, I'm surely to blush something fierce. He was around my age when he got assigned as Ensign before he went to the academy. 

I ran to a Turbolift and ducked inside, Deanna, hadn't noticed.

"Bridge," I said, remembering how you have to call out where you want to go. It felt like an elevator, but faster. Much faster.

The Turbolift stopped, and the doors opened, revealing Data, Geordi, Riker, and to my surprise, Wesley, sitting in the Ensign chair. I couldn't help it, I blushed. He wasn't Ensign yet though, this must be the scene when he first tries it out.

"Hey! You're not supposed to be on the Bridge!" yelled Commander Riker. I cried, I didn't know he was going to yell at me. I mean, I was fourteen, but it still hurt. I saw his face soften in confusion through my tears.

I collapsed again, sobbing. Okay, I saw all of the senior officers, but I wanted to go home. A bigger hand rested on my shoulder. I whirled around, it was Geordi. I tried to speak, he was a great person, no, character. I threw up, I had cried so much.

Data came over to me, he was my favorite besides Wesley. He picked me up like an infant, I sure was crying like one. He took me to Sick Bay, placing me on a different table. Dr. Crusher came over again, and she smiled. 

"You'll tell us all about it in the morning," she said. "In the mean time, you can stay with Wesley Crusher and I. Do you know him? He's a charming boy, you'll like him."

I smiled, I knew all of the crew so well! I could stay with them my entire life, grow up into Star Fleet, serve as a captain. My fantasy ended when Dr. Crusher injected me again, and I fell asleep.