STAR TREK: THE CROUTON GENERATION
			  SEASON THREE
			   Episode #37

----------------------------------------------------------------------
Date: Mon, 1 Apr 91 18:19:07 edt
From: "U.S.S. Chivalier (Yee, Eugene)" 
Subject: ST:TCG "Heroes" Promo

     Next time on an ALL NEW...

                      STAAAAAR TREK: The CROUTON GENERATION

     Commander Carter brings shocking news to the _Chivalier_'s crew ["I'm
resigning from Starfleet."] while the ship comes under attack by a deadly
adversary [Daemon:  "Holy hannahs!"].  What will Commander Carter do now with
his life... go on a personal quest ["Have you seen Elvis lately?"]?  Will
Admiral Avenger's plan on how to stop the deadly adversary work ["Of course.
I just haven't figured out what it is yet."]?  Will Euge let Lt. Fields take
the con for a change [Fields:  "Boy, are the guys at shuttle maintenance going
to be p.o.'d at me again."]?

     Find out next time on STAAAAAR TREK: The CROUTON GENERATION.

-----------------
Date: Mon, 1 Apr 91 18:48:54 edt
From: "U.S.S. Chivalier (Yee, Eugene)" 
Subject: ST:TCG "Heroes" (*LONG*)

[A passing ventral shot and then from the rear of the U.S.S. _Chivalier_,
 moving at impulse power towards a large spherical and metallic object.]

[Captain Chow's voice-over.]

Captain's log, stardate 102500.4:
     We've arrived in sector 127 of the LMC Nimon quadrant to investigate the
sudden disappearance of the U.S.S. _Nakatomi_ one week ago.  The only clue to
its whereabouts is a mysterious orb.  Admirals Avenger and T'Lilith have come
on board to personally oversee this mission.

[Cut to the bridge, where its crew is at their respective positions.  Admiral
 Avenger is sitting beside Commander Larkin; Admiral T'Lilith beside Counselor
 Tracy.]

Larkin:  Full stop, Mr. Yee.
Yee:  Aye, sir.  [presses a couple of buttons at his console]  Full stop.
Larkin:  Maintain distance as safety permits.
Yee:  Aye, sir.
Avenger:  Janson?
Janson:  [looks up from tactical]  No detected life-signs within the orb.
Chow:  What *is* that?  Has the Borg or the Lucky Charms decided that it's
   come time for a change in exterior decoration?
T'Lilith:  Needs a woman's touch, I'd say.
Fields:  [reading from his console]  Remote structural analysis... inorganic
   element, alloy and atomic number... unknown.  There's no match to any of
   the recognizable designs Federation ships have encountered and/or recorded.
   [pauses, then turns to Chow]  As far as we can tell, it's neither the Borg
   nor the Lucky Charms.
Tracy:  [closing one eye, bringing his thumb and index finger to his other
   eye, looking at Chow, "positioning Chow's head in between his fingers"]  I'm
   squooshing your head!  [pinches his fingers together twice]  Squoosh!
   Squoosh!
Chow:  [ignores Tracy]  Hmm...
Avenger:  Well, we won't get any answers unless we get closer to that thing.
   [gets up from his chair]  T'Lilith and I will take a shuttlecraft and lead
   an away-team.
Chow:  But Admiral--
Avenger:  Don't worry, friend.  We'll be fine.  Larkin and Fields.
Yee:  [dumbfounded that his name wasn't called too]  What--?
Fields:  [to Euge, as he leaves ops]  Looks like you'll be sitting around
   pushing buttons while we're having fun.  [grins]
Yee:  Take off, eh!  [sulks]
Tracy:  ["positions T'Lilith's head in between his fingers"]  I'm squooshing
   your head!  [pinches his fingers together twice]  Squoosh!  Squoosh!
T'Lilith:  [notices and is annoyed by what Tracy is doing]  GRRRR... *your*
   head will be squooshed between *my* fingers if you keep that up!
Tracy:  gulp.  [whelping like a puppy, he runs for the secondary turbolift and
   nearly into Commander Carter, who steps out of there]

[Avenger, T'Lilith, Larkin and Fields head for the primary turbolift.]

Avenger:  [turns around]  Oops.  I forgot... Euge?  I want you to come too.
Yee:  [smiles]  Oh boy!  [quickly gets up and leaves with the assembled
   away-team]
Chow:  [to Janson]  Go to yellow alert.
Janson:  Aye, sir.
Carter:  [walks to the center of the bridge]  Captain?
Chow:  Yes, Commander?  [notices the depressed look on Carter's face]  Er,
   what's wrong?
Carter:  I... [pauses] I just want to inform you that I'm resigning from
   Starfleet.

                                  *  *  *  *  *

     Intergalactic space, the final frontier.  These are the voyages of the
starship--er, _Chivalier_.  Its long-term mission, to explore the Large
Magellanic Cloud, to seek out new life forms and new civilizations, to boldly
go where no one has gone before...

                        STAR TREK: The CROUTON GENERATION

                                    "Heroes"

                                    Starring
                        Admiral Avenger
                        Captain Chi An Steven "Roy" Chow
                        Commander Tim Larkin

                        Lieutenant Paula Abdul
                        Commander Bill Carter
                        Lt. Commander Runaway Daemon
                        Lieutenant Janson
                        Lieutenant Justin Fields
                        Ensign Raksha
                        Admiral T'Lilith
                        Counselor John L. Tracy III
                        Doctor Clare Voyant
                        Lieutenant Euge Yee

                                 Guest Starring
                        Charlie Korsmo          Wallace
                        Macaulay Culkins        Randy
                        James Woods             Mr. West
                        Harley Jane Kozak       Mrs. West

                               Special Guest Star
                        John De Lancie          Q

                        Written by Eugene "Euge" Yee
                                and Justin Fields

                        Edited by Justin Fields

                        Directed by Steven Spielberg

                        Music performed by
                                Orchestre symphonique de Montreal

                        "The Rite of Spring" (1921 version) excerpts
                                composed by Igor Stravinksy

                        "Requiem" composed by Wolfgang Amadeus Mozart

                                  *  *  *  *  *

[Dr. Voyant's voice-over.]

Chief medical officer's log, stardate 102500.41:
     Dr. Clare Voyant reporting... [cut to sickbay, specifically Voyant's
office, in which she is sitting at her desk and is continuing her log entry]
Name of deceased:  West, Wallace J.  Age:  10.  Height:  4 feet 10 inches.
Weight:  87 lbs.  Sex:  Male.  Cause of death:  Phaser wound.

Voyant:  [angrily]  No.  Computer... erase entry.  [sighs]  That's too easy.
   [Chow enters]  And if there's one thing this case isn't, it's easy.
Chow:  I guess you didn't finish up that report yet, huh?
Voyant:  [looks up]  Hm?  Oh.  Yes.  Sorry, Captain.  I *will* have it done in
   a half-hour.  Or... better make that forty-five minutes.
Chow:  I understand.  Take as much time as you need, Doctor.  [exits]

                                  *  *  *  *  *

[The shuttlecraft _Kevin Costner_ slowly approaches the orb.  Aboard, Fields
 is at the con this time; Euge is at ops.  Avenger and T'Lilith are standing
 behind them.  Larkin is in the passenger section.]

Yee:  Now be careful, Justin.  This is the *only* good shuttle we've got left.
Fields:  Hey, it wasn't my fault that the others almost got trashed, Euge!
Yee:  Weren't you the guy who flew one through the shuttlebay?
Fields:  Euge, all shuttlecrafts land in the shuttlebay!
Yee:  Yup, but not into the shuttlebay *walls* themselves too!
Fields:  You just told me to land the shuttle in the bay; you didn't say how.
   I thought that landing upside-down would be sort of... novel.
Larkin:  [ic]  oooogh.  Lt. Fields' driving isn't agreeing with me.  Anybody
   got some pepto-bismol?
Avenger:  We'd better go in expecting the worst.
Larkin:  [ic]  I'll settle for an alka-seltzer!
T'Lilith:  Cut the clowning, Commander!
Larkin:  [ic]  Who's clowning?  I mean it, guys.  I'm *really* sick!
T'Lilith:  Is he serious?
Larkin:  [ic]  GAAAAAAAK
T'Lilith:  He *is* serious.
Avenger:  Things don't look too good around here.
Fields:  "It was the best of times, it was the worst of times."
Yee:  Groan.
Fields:  Hey, I'm reading "A Tale of Two Cities".  Give me a break.
Avenger:  You'll have a lot worse times if you don't keep your eyes on the
   controls!  And Tim, clean that mess up!

                                  *  *  *  *  *

[Ten Foward.  Cmdr. Carter, with a drink in his hands, is sitting alone and
 staring down at his table.  A squeaky feminine voice suddenly breaks the
 silence.  Bill looks up and sees Lt. Paula Abdul standing over him.]

Abdul:  Commander?
Carter:  Whuh--?
Abdul:  Commander, what's the matter?  [takes a seat next to him]  You look
   like Death.
Carter:  [chuckles upon hearing what she said]  Good choice of words, Paula.
   Why shouldn't I look like Death?  [becomes irritated]  That's what I am!
   Death on two legs.  Death, the adventurous commanding hero!  [brings his
   hand to his eyes to cover and wipe the tears]
Abdul:  [takes his other hand]  C'mon, Bill.  Tell me what happened.
Carter:  [puts his hand down and takes a deep breath]  What's happened?  Sure.
   Sure, I'll tell you.  A kid died today, Paula.  Died because of me.
   Because I never stopped to consider what Commander Bill Carter might mean,
   out in the *real* world.
Abdul:  I... don't understand, Bill.
Carter:  Don't you?  No, I suppose you don't.  It's not easy to understand.
   This kid... Wallace West was his name.  He was a fan of mine.  A big
   fan.  Maybe the biggest fan I ever had.  And yesterday he accidentally shot
   himself with a phaser.  Because he pretended... wanted to *be* me!  [tries
   again to hold back the tears]  You see now, Paula?  You see what's
   happened?  While we've all been running around playing at heroes, chasing
   all over the galaxy, fighting menaces most of the world never even heard
   of.  Kids... people... like Wallace West have been dreaming about us,
   like we were bloody film stars!  Dreaming about us, about *me*, wanting to
   be like me... wanting to *be* me.  And that's why... [pauses] why I can't
   be me anymore.  I can't risk it happening again, Paula.  From now on there
   is no Commander Bill Carter... Commander Bill Carter has resigned!
   [quickly finishes his drink, gets up and leaves Ten Forward]

                                  *  *  *  *  *

Yee:  [looking at his console]  Hang on a sec!  I'm picking something up!
Fields:  I didn't know you *dropped* anything.
Yee:  Some kind of energy surge from the orb.  And now the scanners--
Avenger:  [realizing what is about to happen, he quickly taps his communicator
   pin]  _Chivalier_!  Roy!  Evasive maneuvers!  NOW!
Fields:  Toto!  Auntie Em!

[The orb slowly rotates on its horizontal axis, aligning a circular opening
 directly at the _Chivalier_.  From it, a broad crimson laserbeam streaks
 across and strikes the ship.]

                                  *  *  *  *  *

[The bridge crew screams and "acts" like they're thrown around.  Lt. Cdr.
 Runaway Daemon falls over on top of Tracy.]

Harry:  [a la Dr. Zachary Smith from "Lost in Space"]  Oh the pain!  The pain!
Daemon:  Counselor, do you really think Admiral Avenger and the others can stop
   that thing?
Tracy:  You want an honest answer?
Daemon:  [wrinkles his nose]  Not especially.
Tracy:  It'll be a piece of cake.
Chow:  Pipe down over there!  [to the helmsmen]  Evasive maneuvers!
Tracy:  [putting his finger to his mouth]  shhh...
Con officer:  Captain, evasive maneuvers aren't working!  No matter where we
   move, the beam keeps hitting us!

[Again, the crew are thrown all over the bridge.]

Harry:  OOK!  EEK!  OUCH!
Chow:  Mr. Janson, status report!
Janson:  You sure you want it?
Chow:  Yes, I'm sure!
Janson:  Are you *really* sure?
Chow:  GIVE IT TO ME, DAMN IT!
Janson:  It's not that good.
Chow:  What do you mean?
Janson:  Despite our shields, the beam is rapidly decreasing our power base
   every minute by two percent.  In twenty minutes, we'll be without shields,
   without power, and at the mercy of that thing.
Chow:  Oh.  That's not good.  So, in the meantime, we can't fire our weapons
   without dropping our shields, and we can't bring back the away-team.
Ops officer:  The orb appears to have no interest in the _Kevin Costner_.  So
   they should be safe... for the moment.
Chow:  This is definitely not good.
Janson:  Don't say that I didn't waaarn ya.

[Chow gives Janson a look (like he's going to kill him), and Janson flashes a
 grin.]

                                  *  *  *  *  *

[Carter passes a few crewmen hurrying down a corridor.  Another sudden impact
 sends him against the wall.  When the impact subsided, he continues ahead and
 walks past a window to a room full of children.  He couldn't help but notice
 one particular child, a boy... light brown hair, 4 feet 10 inches in height,
 weighs 87 pounds, thin... who's standing off to one side away from the other
 groups of children.  He is approached by two boys... one, with a bullyish
 manner, holding a small disc; the other, just following along.]

Boy #1:  [tauntingly]  Hey, West.  Didja ever see this video-disc?  Oh,
   it's only got this huge-o interview with Commander Carter about his
   "Fellowship" adventure, is all.
Wallace:  Omigosh!  I've never even heard of that one!  [reaches to take the
   disc from his hand]  Lemme see it, Randy...
Randy:  [pushes Wallace back]  Not so fast.  You wanna even breathe on it,
   it's gonna cost ya.
Wallace:  Anything!  Anything!  What do you want?
Randy:  Well... lessee... I pretty much *got* everything I need.  Y'know,
   maybe I'll just disintegrate it!
Wallace:  Oh no!  No!  Please!  I'll... I'll give you my lunch... for a week!
Randy:  For a *month*!  And you'll do my math homework an' all my book reports
   'til school ends!
Wallace:  Yes!  Yes!  Now, please, can I have the disc?  Please???
Randy:  [as he turns to walk away with his friend, he tosses the disc in the
   air which Wallace eagerly catches]  Here ya go, turkey.  See, Vin?  I
   toldja it'd be a snap!  [They laugh]

[Wallace looks at the disc with joy until he hears a bell that means class
 time.  At which, he and the other students run to their desks.]

                                  *  *  *  *  *

[Carter finds himself, all of a sudden, standing *in* the back of the
 classroom.  Everyone else in the room is oblivious to his presence.]

Carter:  What the?!?

[He heads for the door, but the door won't open.  He steps back and tries
 again, but with the same result.  Then, he turns and sees Ensign Raksha
 walking between a row of desks, observing the students.]

Raksha:  "Show me a hero, and I'll write you a tragedy."  [comes to Wallace's
   desk and glances over at his desk monitor to find that he's watching the
   video-disc instead]  This doesn't look very much like the collected works of
   F. Scott Fitzgerald, Wallace.  [takes out the disc from the drive]
Carter:  NO!  [he reaches forward to stop her, but his hand went right through
   hers]  Huh?  [he reaches forward to touch Raksha again and Wallace too;
   both times, his hand went right through them]  What's going on here?
Wallace:  N-no, Ms. Raksha.
Raksha:  I think you'd better come see me after class today, Wallace.  We need
   to talk about this.  [keeps the disc]
Wallace:  [sheds a tear]  Yes, Ms. Raksha.

[Randy, who's sitting at the desk diagonally adjacent to Wallace's, snickers
 uncontrollably at what had just transpired.]

                                  *  *  *  *  *

T'Lilith:  How much longer can the _Chivalier_ withstand that beam's power?
Yee:  According to Janson's projections, 17 minutes and counting.
Avenger:  [to Euge]  Are your modifications to the shuttlecraft's weapon's
   systems complete?
Yee:  Yup.
Avenger:  Then let's see if we can knock that thing out of space.
Yee:  If we can't, I'll eat my boots.

                                  *  *  *  *  *

[The shuttlecraft fires a couple of crouton torpedoes at the orb (shoom
 shoom).  From the direct hit, a brilliant explosion occurs (SKA-DOOM!).  But
 as it subsides, the members on board the shuttlecraft are amazed to find that
 the orb is still there intact.]

                                  *  *  *  *  *

Avenger:  How would you like them cooked?
Yee:  [grins]  Medium rare... with a mild cheese sauce.  So now what?
Avenger:  We go *out* there!

                                  *  *  *  *  *

Raksha:  Now then, Wallace, I think it's high time you told me what the problem
   is.  This isn't the first time I've seen this happen.  And it's not always
   in one of my classes, either.  Look... I can understand a little, Wallace.
   Teachers are human, too, you know.  When I was ten years old I had the most
   gigantic crush on the actor Mel Gibson.  But by the time I was your age
   I was starting to understand reality a little bit better.  I knew I was
   never going to meet him, or marry him, or anything like that.  [sighs]  I
   know it's different for boys.  You don't have a crush on Commander Carter,
   but it's still time to face up to the real world, Wallace.
Carter:  [who's been pacing back and forth, trying to find a way out of the
   room]  This has got to be someone's idea of a sick joke, even making it
   into a holodeck program!  Yeah, that's what it is... a holodeck program.
   Computer, freeze and erase program!  [nothing]  Computer?  Damn it!
Wallace:  But... but he *is* the real world, Ms. Raksha.  Commander Carter is
   the greatest hero ever!  Better 'n Lt. Cmdr. Crossfire, or Captain Crouton,
   or Admiral Avenger, or... or anyone!  He's... [starts to cry] he's just the
   greatest hero ever!!
Raksha:  [kneels down and puts her arm around him]  Shhh.  Calm down now,
   Wallace.  No one is saying Commander Carter isn't a great hero.  He and his
   fellow officers have done too much good for me to doubt that.  It's only the
   intensity of your admiration I find troubling.  I think it would be a good
   idea if I had a few words with your parents about it.  When would be a good
   time for me to talk with them?
Wallace:  [wipes his runny nose]  I dunno.  Dad's always busy at his
   security post and mom's got her medical patients to look after.  They're
   not home most of the time.
Raksha:  I... see.  All right, Wallace, you can run along now.
Wallace:  Yes, Ms. Raksha.  [He gets up and heads for the door.  Then, he
   pauses and turns around to Raksha]  I... do you think I could maybe have my
   disc back...?
Raksha:  [hesitantly]  No, Wallace.  You know the school rules.

[Wallace exits.  As he disappears around the doorway, the door is still opened.
 Carter looks at it, then at a frozen figure of Raksha, and storms out the
 room.  Soon, when he rounds a corner, he sees Randy trip Wallace further down
 the corridor.]

Randy:  Haw haw haw haw!  Boy, West, you get dumber every day.  An' remember,
   you still gotta give me your lunch an' do my homework 'til school ends!  Haw
   haw haw!  [walks away from Wallace and past Carter]

                                  *  *  *  *  *

[Outside the shuttlecraft on an EVA; Avenger, Fields, and Euge make their way
 toward the circular opening of the orb.]

Fields:  Kirk to Spock.  Kirk to Spock.  Come in, Spock.
Avenger:  Cut that out, Fields.  I want you all on your toes.
Fields:  Pretty difficult, considering we're weightless at the moment.
Avenger:  Justin!
Fields:  Okay okay!  I assume you have some plan of attack, Admiral?
Yee:  Of course, the Admiral does!  He isn't the Admiral for nothing, y'know?
   [to Avenger]  Uh, I assume you do have some plan of attack, Admiral?
Avenger:  Of course.  I just haven't figured out what it is yet.
Yee:  Oh.
Avenger:  But I have faith in you.  All of you.  We're going to beat this.
   Now let's see.  No defensive mechanisms visible.  But just because we can't
   see them--

[Suddenly the orb begins firing photon torpedoes too at the _Chivalier_.  And
 the trio just happens to be in their flight path.]

Avenger:  Doesn't mean they're not there!  Move, people!!
Yee:  YOW!  [manages to dodge a close one]  One rip in these suits and we're
   dead!
Fields:  Gee, Euge, how observant!

                                  *  *  *  *  *

[Cut to the bridge.]

Daemon:  [sees the group of missiles on the main viewscreen]  Holy hannahs!
Tracy:  Funny, they look like torpedos to me.
Chow:  Hang on, people!

[Another direct hit sends the bridge crew shaking, rattling, and rolling.]

                                  *  *  *  *  *

Yee:  We've got to nullify these things, but there are so many of them!
Avenger:  I believe I can deal with that problem... [puts on a Cubs cap and a
   baseball glove, and catches one of the torpedoes]  like... [with his other
   hand, he "curveballs" it back at the orb]  this!  [The missile explodes on
   impact with the orb]
Yee:  WOW!  [he and Fields do the "wave"]
Fields:  Admiral, am I a potato-head or is that a camera?  [points to an
   object protruding from above the circular opening]
Avenger:  A camera?  [takes a closer look]  Yup, it is.  But you're still a
   potato-head.
Fields:  Say what?!?
Yee:  There's something familiar about all this.  Now that I think about it,
   the design of the orb almost reminds me of... of what?  [suddenly realizes]
   Of course!  [flies toward the beam]
Fields:  Euge!
Avenger:  What does he think he's doing?  Euge, are you out of your mind?!?
   Come back here before--
Yee:  Don't worry about me, Admiral!  I've got the situation well in hand!
   [mutters]  I hope.  Ah, well, too late to turn back now...  [disappears
   into the beam itself]
Avenger & Fields:  Euge!

                                  *  *  *  *  *

[The door opens to a dark room.  Wallace enters; Carter following behind.  He
 watches Wallace put his bag and books down on a nearby table and move across
 the room and press a flashing green button on a panel.  A beep is heard.]

Voice of Mrs. West:  Wally, it's mother.  I'll be home around eleven-thirty.
   Your dinner should be in the food dispenser.  Good boy.

[The message ends with another beep.  There is then a brief period of silence.
 Next, Wallace presses another button on the panel.]

Janson:  [ic]  Bridge.  Lt. Janson speaking.
Wallace:  H-hello?  Is Commander Carter still on board?  Is he there on the
   bridge?  [pauses]  He's not?  Oh.  No.  I guess not.  Just tell him that
   Wallace West called.  That's right.  W-A-L-L-A-C-E.  No, sir, he doesn't
   know me.  I... just wanted him to know my name.
Carter:  Yeah, well, I know it now... all too well.

[Then, he notices and follows Wallace into an adjacent room.  There, Wallace
 looks through a closet and drawers, in which he finds and picks up a phaser.]

Carter:  [sees Wallace begin toying around with it]  No, wait, Wallace!  Put
   that phaser down!  [runs to grab the weapon out of his hand, but fails.
   Wallace hears someone at the door and carelessly drops the phaser, which
   happens to go off and hits the boy when it struck the floor.]  NOO!

[All of a sudden, Carter finds himself on the bridge with Captain Chow and
 Doctor Voyant seated.]

Carter:  Ho Captain... Doc, am I glad to see you two!  You wouldn't believe
   what--

[He's interrupted by a very familiar voice.  He looks up and sees *himself*
 exiting the primary turbolift .]

Carter:  WHAT IS GOING HERE?!
Carter #2:  Hi-ho, fearless leader!  How goes it?
Chow:  Bill!  Good to see you that you've decided to stay a little longer,
   Commander!
Carter #2:  Activity on the _Melbourne_ is still pretty slow.  [to Voyant]
   Ehh, what's up, Doc?  What brings you here from the _Comatose_?
Voyant:  Well, I've been assigned to the _Chivalier_ temporarily, until the
   chief medical officer returns from shore leave.  But I'm here to see you.
Carter #2:  Sure, Doctor.  Say... I've always been meaning to ask, do you take
   a lot of kidding about your name?  Y'know, "Clare Voyant"?  Have you seen
   Elvis around lately?  heh heh.
Harry:  Elvis has left the ship.
Voyant:  [seriously]  Not really.  We don't do a great deal of kidding around
   in sickbay.
Carter #2:  Er, yeah.  Sorry, Doc.  How can I help you?  Some kind of safety
   lecture?
Voyant:  No.  I've had a young boy in my care since yesterday... about your
   biggest fan in the whole world, as I understand it.  I was wondering if we
   could arrange for you to visit him?
Carter #2:  Why, sure, Doc, when?
Voyant:  Well, I'm afraid it'll have to be very soon.  You see, he's dying.  I
   doubt that he has more than a week.
Carter #2:  Omigosh.  Yeah.  Yeah, I'll come right now, in fact.

                                  *  *  *  *  *

[Sickbay]

Voyant:  [to an intern]  Jacoby, I've brought Commander Carter.  How's Wally?
Jacoby:  Not good, Doctor.  He regained consciousness a little while ago, but
   I'm afraid he's very near the end.
Carter #2:  Wh-where is he?  Is it gonna be okay for me to see him?
Jacoby:  Well, I don't mean to sound glib, but it can't hurt.  Just understand
   we aren't able to give him any more drugs at this point.  He's in a great
   deal of pain.

[They walk over to a bed, where a couple, obviously Wallace's parents, stand
 over their son.  The lifesigns monitor above is beeping slowly, but softly.]

Voyant:  Mr. and Mrs. West, this is Commander Bill Carter.  He's come to see
   your son.
Wallace:  ...commander carter...?
Mrs. West:  [surprised]  He... he spoke.
Carter #2:  [kneels down beside Wallace]  Yeah, it's me.  I... hear you got
   yourself in some trouble, Wally.  How... er, how are you feeling?

[Wallace mumbles something.]

Carter #2:  What?  What did you say, Wally?
Wallace:  [weakily] i only did it to be like you...

[The monitor begins to show readings dropping and the beeping noise slowly
 coming to a silent stop.]

Voyant:  He's... gone.  [pulls the blanket over Wallace's face]  What did he
   say, Commander?
Carter #2:  He... he said... he said he did it to be like me!?!
Mrs. West:  NO!  My Wally!  And you...!  [slaps Carter hard across the face
   and begins to cry]
Carter #2:  OW!  Hey, now listen...
Mr. West:  [shoves Carter away]  No, *you* listen, punk!  My son is dead!  And
   it's *your fault* !  Going around, showing off.  How many other children
   have you murdered, Carter?  How many we don't know about?
Voyant:  Bill, I think you'd better go now.  [leads Carter out of sickbay]
   I'll be in touch with you later.
Mr. West:  Yeah, get out of here, killer!  But don't think you've heard the
   last of this!  I'm not without influence!  You're finished in Starfleet,
   monster!

[Cut to the real Commander Carter, who's been sitting outside the door to
 sickbay with his head hung low.]

                                  *  *  *  *  *

[Inside an area of the orb.]

Yee:  I'm alive!  I think.  Sure I'm alive!  I can still hear my knees
   knocking.  But that means I was right about the origin of this orb.  But,
   if I am--!  [stops]  Later, Euge.  Right now you've got to disarm this baby
   before the _Chivalier_ ends up like the _Nakatomi_ in less than ten minutes.
   There we are.  [sees an enormous spheroid surrounded by electrical rods,
   which spark with electricity every now and then]  The generator!  And a
   familiar matrix configuration at that!  And at the center of it is another
   one of those cameras!  We're being watched, but by who... and why?!  Well,
   it hardly matters now...

                                  *  *  *  *  *

[Outside sickbay, a brilliant flash of light appears beside Carter...
 .]

Q:  Had enough?
Carter:  Who?  [looks and quickly assumes a defensive kendo position]  You?!?
   Q!
Q:  I have sensed your distress.  It [pauses] interests me.
Carter:  Yeah, well I didn't want some cosmic snoop sticking his nose into
   this.  You've been a lot more trouble than you're possibly worth, pal.
   This is where you get off!  [throws a punch, which didn't faze Q at all]
Q:  How sad.
Carter:  Er... you can fall down any time now, Q!

[.  The two of them disappear and reappears in the Wests' quarters.
 .]

Carter:  Hey, what gives?  Where have you taken me again?!
Q:  Another time, another place.  Look about you, Commander.  There is another
   lesson for you here.
Carter:  A lesson?!?  Oh fine!  That's just about all I need today!  Some geek
   who isn't even human is gonna teach me a lesson!  Well, no thanks, dude!
   Why don't you just go back to the Continuum and leave us miserable humans
   alone?  Or snap us all out of existence, if that's what you're really here
   to do!  Just quit jerkin' us around!
Q:  [leads him to another adjacent room]  Behold.

[The walls have been plastered with pictures and artworks of Commander Carter.
 And there on a bed is Wallace, who's watching his video monitor with glee.]

Carter:  Wallace.  What am I about to see now, Q?!
Q:  Wallace West's own reality, Commander.  And this is the final lesson of
   the past which you must learn today.  Look into the private dwelling area of
   this young human.  The place he calls "my room."
Carter:  Ohmigosh...
Q:  He is a quiet boy, introspective, without any true friends, except those he
   finds in those video images.  Each month he gathers his small harvest and
   hurries back here, to his private inner sanctum, to live vicariously the
   lives of his heroes.  And one hero in particular.  You, Commander.
Carter:  Wh-why do you keep doing this to me, Q?!  Didn't I feel awful enough
   before?!  You've gotta rub my nose in it?!
Q:  You still do not understand, do you?  Look at this lad, Commander!  Look at
   the joy in his eyes as he consumes each detail of your exploits!  Look at
   his room!  Contained within these four walls is a virtual shrine, in your
   honor!  His was a small, sad life, Commander!  Without friends.  Without
   true parental love and guidance.  The death of this boy is not a burden for
   you to bear.  He did not die because of you.  It was *through you* that
   Wallace *lived*!

[focus shot on Commander Carter]

                                  *  *  *  *  *

[At an opened panel to the generator, Euge, with wires and cables in hand,
 attempts to crosswire the orb's circuitry.]

Yee:  Slow, Euge... slow!  You've got the lives of every man, woman, and child
   on board the _Chivalier_ in your hands.
Avenger:  Not to mention ours.
Yee:  [turns to see Avenger]  Admiral?!?  I--
Avenger:  No time for an explanation, Euge.  We've only got less than two
   minutes!
Yee:  But Admiral--
Avenger:  Why do you keep interrup--
Yee:  BEHIND YOU!
Avenger:  Huh?  What are you talking about?  [turns around to see a mechanical
   construct]

[Euge pushes Avenger out of the way and takes a painful punch from the
 construct.]

Yee:  [woozily on the floor]  Hey... how'd I end up on the floor?
Avenger:  A left turn at that thing's fist.
Construct:  The Monitor cannot be so easily stopped!
Yee:  You can say that again.
Construct:  The Monitor cannot be so easily stopped!
Yee:  No sense of humor.
Construct:  We'll destroy you all!
Avenger:  [motions Euge to go back]  We've heard threats like that before, pal.
   And they don't scare us one bit.  [Suddenly, the construct jumps at Avenger]
   Hey!  It's just a joke.
Yee:  [goes back to the opened panel]  Now while the Admiral's buying me some
   time, such as it is...

                                  *  *  *  *  *

Harry:  [sings]  _Chivalier_'s bridge is falling down, falling down, falling
   down...
Chow:  Admiral T'Lilith, this little plan Admiral Avenger mentioned about
   doesn't seem to be working out the way I want it to!
T'Lilith:  [ic]  Give him a minute!
Chow:  The ship's only got another thirty seconds!

                                  *  *  *  *  *

Larkins:  Thirty seconds?!?
T'Lilith:  [to Fields]  Ram the orb.
Fields:  Say what?!?
T'Lilith:  Ram the orb!  NOW!
Fields:  Okay okay!  Boy, are the guys at shuttle maintenance going to be
   p.o.'d at me again.

[Just as Fields is about to press a control on the con terminal, the beam
 stops.]

Fields:  THEY DID IT! Darn, I kinda like the idea of kamikaze shuttlecrafts.
T'Lilith:  And sacrificed their life in the bargain.  Rest well, you two.  Oh
   Boh'WI!  You shall not be forgotten.
Avenger:  [ic]  I should hope not!
Yee:  [ic]  Hi, fellas.  Nice night for a celebration, don't you think?
Fields:  Pipe down, you two.  We're eulogizing you!

[T'Lilith, Fields, and Larkin all look out the window and see Avenger and Euge
 waving to them.]

                                  *  *  *  *  *

[A shot of the _Chivalier_ speeding away at jolt-warp speed, from the orb,
 which explodes in the far background.]

[Captain Chow's voice-over.]

Captain's log, stardate 102500.9:
     Before Lt. Commander Daemon can complete downloading the data from the
orb into Harry's system, the orb self-destructed.  Apparently, this "Monitor"
doesn't want us to know as much about him as he does about us.

[The conference room.  Avenger, T'Lilith, Chow, Larkin, Fields, and Euge are
 seated around the table.]

Tracy:  [does the "sqooshing your head" routine with Avenger again]  I'm
   squooshing your head!  Squoosh!  Squoosh!
Chow:  Counselor, will you be quiet and let Euge talk?
Tracy:  [pouts]  Why do I feel like I'm in the first grade again?
T'Lilith:  Maybe because you're acting like a six year old.
Tracy:  ouch.
Chow:  Now, Lieutenant, you were saying?
Yee:  It took me a while to realize that I had seen it before, actually the
   designs, in Dr. Brahm's office.
Avenger:  Dr. Leah Brahm?
Yee:  But it was only in the drawing stages at that time.  That orb was to be
   a device used for gathering data.  It would throw all manner of threats at
   you, and as you work your tail off to avoid them, it analyzes you... your
   tactics, strategies, and other various abilities.  The device would never
   "hurt" you until it either finds you as a threat or feel it has collected
   all the information it needed.  When Justin pointed out that camera,
   everything clicked.  And I knew I could pass through that death-beam
   unharmed.
Larkin:  But there was no guarantee that it wouldn't have disintegrated you.
Yee:  Uh, yeah, I guess it would have.  heh heh.
Fields:  Euge... you cabbage-head!
Chow:  Well, if that's all, then meeting is adjourned.

                                  *  *  *  *  *

[Ten Foward.  Euge enters and sees Carter seated at the bar having a drink.
 He walks over and takes the seat next to him.]

Yee:  Hi Commander.  Mind if I join you?
Carter:  Hey, Euge, whassup?
Yee:  Not much.  Just came down here to look for one of Starfleet's best.
Carter:  Oh.  [pauses]  Heard you were responsible for saving the ship today.
Yee:  [to the bartender]  Coke classic please.  [turns to Carter]  Nah, not
   really.  [to the bartender, who returns and sets the drink down]  Thanks.
   [back to Carter]  Ah, Admiral Avenger deserves the credit.  I mean, he was
   the one who bought me time to sabotage the orb's power generator, while
   risking his life with that mechanical construct.  If it weren't for the
   Admiral, we all wouldn't be sitting here right now.
Carter:  [chuckles]  There you go again.
Yee:  [raises his eyebrows]  What?  I don't understand.
Carter:  [assertively]  You do.  [pauses]  You really look up to him, the
   Admiral, don't ya?
Yee:  [grins]  Yup.

[They both take a sip of their drinks.]

Yee:  Uh, Commander, I heard that you were resigning from Starfleet.  You're
   not leaving us, are you?
Carter:  To tell you the truth, I don't know if I'm cut out to play hero in
   Starfleet anymore.  I just don't know.  But we'll see what happens.
Yee:  I really enjoy your staying here with us on the _Chivalier_.
Carter:  Yeah, well, I had a good time too.  [sees Admirals Avenger and
   T'Lilith enter and having a seat at a window booth]  There's Admiral
   Avenger, with Admiral T'Lilith.
Yee:  Hm?  [turns his head and looks]  Yeah, I know.
Carter:  Well?  I thought it was he you came here to meet.
Yee:  Nope.  I've already found him... been talking to him for the past few
   minutes.

[Carter smiles.]

                                        END