Disclaimers: Star Trek was created by Gene Roddenberry and is owned by Paramount Pictures.
I make no monetary profits from my fanfic.
Summary: After Star Trek TNG wrapped up ...
Rating G
~~~~~~~
QUEST FOR A NEXT GENERATION
INT. ENTERPRISE BRIDGE: The crew of the Enterprise are on the bridge.
JEAN-LUC STEWART: Well, Number One, now that the series is finished and there are probably not going to be any more movies what do you suppose we do?
JONATHAN T. RIKER: To tell you the truth, Sir, I can't believe it's over. I mean after all we did for them. I mean the movies were great, but I can't just pack it all in.
J. L. STEWART: I know what you mean.
DATA SOONG SPINER: Look, I'm as p'd off as the rest of you. I finally get emotions after seven - actually 34 years and I hardly get a damn chance to show them! And then I get killed! (D. S. SPINER bashes the console and it shatters.)
J. T. RIKER: Careful, Data. They'll make you pay for that.
D. S. SPINER: I doubt they'd notice with all the busted stuff around here. By the way, Captain, what are we going to do?
J. L. STEWART: I don't know, and besides, I've had it with snooping around the lot, dressed like Dixon Hill.
D. S. SPINER: Inquiry...the word snoop?
J. L. STEWART: Data, how can you be programmed with a virtual dictionary of human language when you don't know a simple word like snoop.
D. S. SPINER: Possibility - They repossessed some of my memory chips. Luckily I pinched them back. I was just kidding, sir.
DEANNA DEMONA SIRTIS: Captain, I'm sensing a powerful mind....
J. L. STEWART: Somehow I'm getting a feeling of Deja vu.
A bright flash of light - then --
De La Q: Make that Deja Q, Mon Capitaine...
J. L. STEWART: Merde. Not Q again...
De La Q: I'll excuse your French ... I just dropped by to help.
J. L. STEWART: That'll be the day.
De La Q: I'll have to do it quickly before They repossess my powers.
J. L. STEWART: Don't tell me you're afraid of Them.
De La Q: Even the Q don't mess with The Powers That Be. Anyway - prepare for some excitement. (A bright flash and he is gone)
GEORDI LE BURTON: I'll believe that when I see it. And You'd better hurry. They said they'd repossess my VISOR tomorrow.
D. S. SPINER: Yes, this is getting quite out of hand. They repossessed my beloved Brandy Spot the other day, and as for Monster Spot, he reportedly attacked them when They offered him a cat food commercial. He decided he was too good for that, and he ran off and no one knows where he is now. Inquiry, if we do make another movie, could we entitle it 'The Search For Spot?'
All of a sudden, the bridge jolts as something hits.
J. L. STEWART: Shields!
MICHAEL KLINGON WORF: Sorry, sir they repossessed our shields, and most of out medical staff last Tuesday.
J. L. STEWART: We're really in the merde now. Fire phasers and photon torpedoes!
M. K. WORF: Sorry, they were also repossessed last Tuesday.
J. L. STEWART: Why the hell didn't we pick it up on our sensors? Don't tell me - Last Tuesday...
M. K. WORF growls.
J. L. STEWART: On screen - if it still works.
M. K. WORF: It's about the only thing that does, sir.
The ship appears on the viewscreen with weapons locked on the Enterprise Saucer.
GATES CRUSHER: My god ... We're sitting ducks!
G. L BURTON: Must be some vessel, able to penetrate atmosphere without being mangled.
A face appears on the viewscreen.
J. L. STEWART: My God .... but you ...
D. S. SPINER: (Eyes wide) But...
LORE SOONG SPINER: (Smirks) Well, well, well, well, well, well - It's my old *friends* ...
J. L. STEWART: (Jumps into J. T. RIKER'S arms) Oh my God!! We're all gonna die! We're all gonna die!!
L. S. SPINER: Relax, Captain. Fortunately for you, I've a new contract.
J. T. RIKER puts the Captain down.
J. L. STEWART: That's supposed to be *good* news?
L. S. SPINER: You see, my ... Contractor ... found my parts that you people left behind on the smashed Enterprise saucer section after 'Generations'. A good thing too. Do you know how stiff one can get being disassembled twice in one series? Sitting in the storage room waiting for the Writers to come up with a good script - Okay DataLore was good, apart form some of my scenes being cut - and then They leave me drifting around in the anti-grav room at NASA for two years! Actually it was more like three, because 'Brothers' was a fourth season episode, which I might add was quite good - at least I got to develop my character - and then it's like I totally don't exist for the next 3 years, and then out of the blue, or should I say black, They decide to bring me back as evil and as nasty as ever just for an excuse to get rid of me. It really sucked. Do you think it's fair? And I had to do the episode because it was in my contract - and you don't know this, but They actually disassembled me after 'Brothers' so I wouldn't run off.
J. L. STEWART: You could have refused to do "Descent."
L. S. SPINER (Winces) Ugh! Don't use that horrible word! Yeah, right. They turned my head on and showed me the script, Part Two really stank, and They said they'd fire me if I didn't do it.
D. S. SPINER: I find that hard to believe, Lore. It is unlike you, Brother to do anything someone else particularly a human asks you to. You would have more likely told them to take the script and shove it. You do not need money. It is my guess that you would rather have been fired than have done that episode.
L. S. SPINER: You're right, and I was in pieces, so there wasn't much I could do about it, and yeah, they said they'd fire me - with a blowtorch.
D. S. SPINER: Ah.
L. S. SPINER: Exactly. Well, I came to say goodbye to you all and this series. I could blow up the Enterprise E, but fortunately my new Contractor has allowed for more character development and to become a better person which They here denied me, and I rather like my new Contractor, and I don't really want to blow you guys up anyway.
G. CRUSHER: Good luck, Lore. I wish I could have helped you.
L. S. SPINER: (Grunts) Thanks, Doctor, by the way, where's the Troublesome Man Child?
G. CRUSHER: He's left Starfleet now and he's travelling the universe with his new agent - The Travelling Menuk.
L. S. SPINER: Oh, Worf, sorry about the turbolift. It was in my contract.
M. K. WORF: Do not mention it. I wear my scar with pride. I have always wanted to challenge you with my Holodeck Yellow Monster program.
L. S. SPINER: Hey, cool!
J. L. STEWART: Yes, Lore, we would have loved to help you, but it just wasn't in our contract, or rather the Writers never thought about it.
L. S. SPINER: Or cared ... Well C'est La Vie as they say. Suppose They did their best. I'm trying not be bear any grudges toward the bastards ...
D. S. SPINER: Is it working?
L. S. SPINER: I think so. My first thought was to get into their computer system where they stored the 'Crystalline Entity' special effect, which kept me company at NASA, by the way, and enlarge it so big that it ate every single bit of computer space, but I'd rather turn over a new leaf.
D. S. SPINER: Brother, there is something I have to ask you -the last thing you said to me in the last episode ...
L. S. SPINER: (Smiles gently) Yah, Data. I meant that. Who do you think wrote the bloody line? Snuck it in whilst They weren't lookin' :)
D. S. SPINER: I love you too, Brother.
L. S. SPINER looks very surprised.
D. S. SPINER: I installed the chip.
L. S. SPINER: There's a lot we have to sort out and talk about, Data - oh, by the way, I managed to get hold of 'Inheritance' and I met my mother and we sorted a lot of things out. (L. S Sees D. S smile and is happy) Look, Data perhaps I could get you all spots on the new show I'm starring in. Hang on a tick. I'll get my Mobile. (L. S. dials a number) Hi, Steve... Listen, have you got room for 7 more people on your show? ... You have? Great! (Whisper, whisper...) You'll take them all? Great! Love ya, Mate! (He looks at the Enterprise crew) You're all hired.
The Enterprise crew all look relieved and happy.
D. D. SIRTIS: (Smiles) I always sensed you had good in you, Lore.
L. S. SPINER: (Smiles) Shucks.
D. S. SPINER: And you are becoming more mature too.
L. S. SPINER: Oh no! (Smiles) Thanks, Bro, so are you, but can we talk about these things in private? Oh, and by the way, Data, I not only signed this contract because it would allow me to grow and develop, but because I'll never be disassembled again for as long as I live and neither will you. Well, c'mon, we got a lot to sort out and do.
D. S. SPINER: Indeed we do, Brother.
L. S. SPINER: Thanks. I like it when you call me Brother, Brother.
D. S. SPINER: That is my pleasure, Brother, and I am beginning to trust you.
J. L. STEWART: By the way, Lore just who *is* your new Contractor? You spoke to a Steve somebody.
L. S. SPINER: Well, this is a bit embarrassing for me, but when Steve put me back together he damaged one of my memory chips, you know the one that remembers names, but he assures me he'll have it fixed. Trust me, you'll love the new show, and don't worry, nobody's gonna die in it or anything. Oh, and by the way, Data, Monster Spot is safe with me. He came to me, because he knew he would count on me, and Brandy Spot has also put her paw on the contract.
D. S. SPINER: (Smiles) I am grateful my cats are safe. Thank you for taking care of them. I did not know you fancied cats.
L. S. SPINER: There's probably a lot you don't know about me, so we've a lot to learn about each other. Now, I'll tell you guys more about the show. Well, we're sort of merging two shows together and it's gonna be great.
J. L. STEWART: It sounds great, but can you remember the name? Steve who?
L. S. SPINER: I don't know - Spielberger or something.
NEXT: CONTINUING MISSION TO SEEK OUT NEW INTERESTING PEOPLE AND ADVENTURES EACH WEEK, TO PROTECT THE INNOCENT, MAKE A REALLY FAB SHOW SO WE GET THE RATINGS - TO BOLDLY GO WHERE NO DOLPHINS HAVE GONE BEFORE--
L. S. SPINER: (Sits with feet up on his desk and a wide smile) I know they'll love it and somehow I think everything's gonna work out just fine ... I hope ... Ahh this *is* the life ...
~~~~~~~