Thursday, February 01, 2007

Picard In Prison (Part Three)

As I disappear in the Disintegrator on Talan IV after being accused of killing Divara, the Regent of the City, I get the feeling that this post could be a very short one indeed.

----------------

Then I reappear on one of the Transporters of the Enterprise. Data and Riker are there. Beverly is still weeping away, but this time with relief.

"What happened, Number One?" I ask him.

"As we were watching the incident, Captain." he replies, "We timed the beaming up to the precise time you were being disintegrated, so the Transporter could collect all your atoms. It was very close."

"What would you have done had it gone wrong, Mr Data?" I inquire.

"Fortunately that did not happen" he answers with a very calm voice, intimating that it's best not to think about that.

"Now that I am 'dead'" I tell them, "We can look for the real culprit. Have you any ideas?"

They look blank, like a private eye who has been paid an expensive retainer but not found anything.

"Negative, Captain." responds Data, "We considered whether there was anybody who wanted you dead, but the list was too long to check."

"Maybe they just wanted Divara dead." chips in Worf, "And you just happened to be conveniently around as someone to blame."

A very political answer.

"Let's look into that and see what we find." I tell them.

-----------------

A short time later, Data comes back.

"We have found that Sokana, the Deputy Regent of the City badly wanted the position Divara held." he tells us, "Sokana was seen in The Sleazy Talan, an inn of some dubiousness and some other less reputable places seeking out Dekon. He is a shapeshifter that was rumoured to be in this sector."

"A shapeshifter." comments Beverly, "That would explain a lot."

"Yes it would," I say, "You'll all have to look in the seedy establishments and seek him out."

The crew dress in slovenly outfits that make them all seem rather fearful. I must admit that Worf and Seven look fearful anyway.

I stay behind, as I am supposed to be dead.

--------------------

A few hours later, they return with a large bucket.

"Dekon is in here." Jadzia tells me, "Having known Constable Odo, I can tell how a shapeshifter operates. We can turn Dekon over to the authorities."

"He will try and get less time by implicating his conspirator Sokana." Riker comments, "I'm sure they will keep him in his bucket."

Let's hope no one uses it to clean any windows." Beverly adds drily.

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Two hours later, Sokana is apprehended, and the authorities are made aware of me still being alive.

"We considered penalising you for you attempted prison break and rescue from the Disintegrator." says the Mayor to me over the video screen, "But as you were innocent, we will overlook this and let you go."

That's good of them.

Another face then comes on the screen.



Jody Carrot, my cellmate who tried to escape with me.

"Hey Picard!" he says, "Glad to see you're on the outside! Before you go, you wouldn't mind beaming me outta the big house would ya? Ma says there is trouble brewin in my gang."

Time to switch the screen off!

27 comments:

Jon the Intergalactic Gladiator said...

Wow, another close call.

I bet you've been in more close shaves than the Starfleet Academy Barber.

A Army Of (Cl)One said...

*shakes fist in the air* Dang those pesky shapeshifters. Always pretending to be starfleet captians and killing people. There outta be a law!

Anonymous said...

I knew it would work out ok in the end, Capt Picard's innocence would result in a happy ending.

Ciera said...

whew that was close Jean-Luc!

But --- just to leave Jody in jail after he was so kind to let you escape with him? Imagine how handy he would come in on some of your future missions! :D

Anonymous said...

Hi Captain Picard...you have a neat blog!

merlyn said...

Good grief! I am so happy to hear you are alive. Shape shifters seem to be up to no good all over the place...

Ugh...

cheers for Data for saving your a**

Jaime said...

That was just a little too close, Captain!

I think you need a little r-n-r...maybe a nice holodeck vacation.

The Curmudgeon said...

You still haven't explained what you were doing in the Holodeck.

All alone.

Some new recreational programs come in, Captain?

Nepharia said...

Did you ever doubt your faithful crew?

dragonflyfilly said...

Yeah, i agree, i knew the crew would come through for you.

The Mistress of the Dark said...

Thank goodness! Have a great weekend captain!

Nic said...

YES! I was right, it WAS a shapeshifter!

Good to see you still alive and kicking my friend. :) Things online would get terribly lonely and boring without you around to fill us in on your life in the 24th century.

Lahdeedah said...

I so totally called it!

Well minus the shape shifter, and you didn't reemerge as a god after all, lost opportunity there if you ask me...

utenzi said...

Geeze. That picture looked like Frankenstein to me, Captain.

Michele sent me!

Jean-Luc Picard said...

Jon, that barber comment was a good one.

Ciera, letting a psychopath loose from jail would not do Federation diplomacy a lot of good.

Curmudgeon, just a recreational programme. Riker has all the x-rated ones.

Nic, well done on anticipating the end result!

Anonymous said...

This sounds worse than being in Celebrity Big Brother!

Tawnya Shields said...

All well that ends well. Glad to see you escaped an untimely demise. Keep you friends close and your enemies even closer.

rashbre said...

I hope all of your atoms are in the right place. Disintegration does not sound very pleasant.

Here today via Michele - Hiya!

rashbre

Anonymous said...

Hello, Michele sent me.

I think you'd get a kick out of my "Casting Call" post.

G. Nat Salpigga said...

You just can't trust those shapeshifters. Michele sent me.

Susan said...

Thanks Jean-Luc

SQT said...

Yep, it's good to have a handy-dandy transporter when you need one.

Glad it all worked out in the end.

Ciera said...

Oh my dear Captain --- it's not about just letting him loose to run amok.........you'd have to keep a tight reign on him and only let him lose on your enemies...:P

FRIDAY'S CHILD said...

Just popping in to see if you're still in jail (Lol). I see that you've escaped.

Jean-Luc Picard said...

Titania, I recognise that quote from 'Godfather Part 2'.

Ciera, you're right there.

Sqt, you're right. Transporters have caused a few problems, but they are useful.

Florence Forrest said...

a shapeshifter, of course! I liked your Dixon Hill style of not letting the case go unclosed. Well done.

xx

The Aunt said...

If those stupid Talanians had had half a brain they'd have realised the shapeshifter was not you. Nothing can quite duplicate our special, unique, Captain Picard.

The holodeck program - conducting the London Symphony Orchestra again, were we?