A 'Pocket' In Time(Book 2)

Answers.

          "The red scan Data and I encountered earlier, was, in fact, a Probe. You see, this pocket we are in, contains an intelligent life-form.
          The pocket was created by the Earth's magnetosphere and the Earth's dynamo crashing together, which is not unusual. We usually pass through, even travel in these pockets without us even realizing it...they cause no harm. However," Geordi held up his index finger. "...about three days ago, the pocket somehow dragged a star, containing microscopic lifeforms, inside of the pockets 'crash,' then, somehow, the stars lifeforms merged into one mind, if you will, and quickly advanced and became extremely intelligent. Almost like a key, the pocket unlocked an intelligent life-form because, without it, these forms wouldn't have developed intelligence so rapidly. Now...according to our scans, the creature should have exploded three days ago, but" Geordi paused, glancing between everyone's baffled faces. "...another star, also containing intelligent lifeforms, formed inside of the pocket at the same time, it conjoined into one, and now, the two stars lifeforms are procreating." Geordi scanned everyone, trying to be certain they understood. "Their offspring explode after three days because they feed off of their parent's magnetism. The offspring don't know when to stop eating, so they eventually blow up because they get so full." Geordi, with his right wrist resting on the edge of the table, flicked all his fingers at the same time, demonstrating the blow. "For the parents, they are going to live for approximately four more hours. According to our research, this pocket creature has been alive for approximately one week." Geordi explained, then looked at me to finish.
          I nodded and continued the briefing.
          "The life-form, as we know them, does not actually exist in our dimension, which explains the reason we can not see it, yet it affects our dimension. The life-form scanned us, recognized our magnetic shields as a food source, and pulled us into this pocket for its offspring to feed off of. The only way to keep us trapped here was to recreate Earth and fool us into thinking we were in Sector 001, therefore creating a 'pocket' in time, rather than a wrinkle in time." I joked, hoping someone would find it amusing. Everyone just stared at me. Raising my brows, I peeked at Geordi without moving my head. Shaking his head, he mouthed 'not now.' I furrowed my brows as I nodded and continued. "The pocket is hoping we would not notice until it ate away all of our shields," I reported and finished, filling in the blanks.
Captain Picard glanced at Geordi, Deanna, and I. "But now it has trapped Riker, Dr. Presley, Worf, and Wesley down on this 'Earth.' Counselor," He mumbled, then turned to Counselor Troi. "...are you sensing anything from the away team?"
Counselor Troi absently stared at the wall as she thought. "Yes..." she mumbled. "Yes. Commander Riker...he's feeling helpless, concerned...Worf feels alert, frustrated...Wesley is nervous, he feels hurried...and Amber feels annoyed, bored, trapped, ready for something." Deanna explained, shaking her head as she looked at the Captain.
          "Captain..." Geordi interjected, scooting closer to the table. "Since our shields are the only thing the creature is feasting on, I believe that if we let down the shields for," He shrugged with his hands. "...thirty minutes to an hour, the offspring will get hungry and spit us out of this pocket to find other food, eventually dying from starvation or just simply blowing up, whichever comes first. We should, and I repeat should, return right back to where we were, in battle with the Romulans. We would have to raise our shields right away, but even then, they wouldn't be of much help. In thirty minutes to an hour, when the offspring spits us out, our shields will be at about 8 percent. Our shields are at 51 percent right now. In roughly an hour and a half, the creature will blow up, the parents, the offspring, the whole pocket...including us. There is almost no other solution other than to lower our shields."
          "The thing is," Everone looked at Counselor Troi. "Romulans will still be there when we exit! Also, how do we get the Away Team back now that we've completely lost their signal?" She reminded, leaving her lips slightly parted as she stared at the Captain. Captain Picard narrowed his eyes as he thought for a minute. Taking in a deep breath, he turned to Geordi and me.
          "Geordi, Data, I need you two to go down to see what is going on. Proceed with caution. Your communicators will presumably be disabled once you beam down, since Commander Riker's team were, so be prepared to fix them right away. As for the Romulans, we will just have to be ready for battle. Any questions?" Picard ordered as he stood, tugging the bottom of his shirt down. The rest of us followed suit. Glancing at each other, we shook our heads. "Grand. Dismissed." He stated, leaving the room.
          I stared at Geordi through my yellow orbs.
          "All right Data...let's go." Geordi sighed after the Captain exited.
          Counselor Troi stepped in front of us as we rounded the table to leave. "Please...be careful. Bring them back boys."
          Nodding at her, Geordi and I marched to Transporter Room three.
          "O'Brien," Geordi asked as we entered and took our spots on the Transporter Pad. "what kind of place did Commander Rikers Away Team beam?"
          O'Brian inspected the last coordinates. "It seems like they materialized in a small room." He said in his thick Irish brogue as he looked back up at us.
          "Is there a small room nearby...maybe a closet or bathroom," he shrugged with his hands "...somewhere hidden so the people down there won't see us when we materialize? We have to assume these people are our enemies." Geordi explained, glancing at me.
          I nodded in agreement.
          "Well..." O'Brien muttered, searching for the requested. "There does seem to be a compact area nearby. It's probably a bathroom." He shrugged, glancing between us as he raised an eyebrow.
          Geordi smiled and nodded. "Let's hope no one is using it," He chuckled, setting his phaser to stun. I furrowed my brows and tilted my head to the right. Geordi froze, looking up at me. "A joke Data." He sighed as he stood up straight.
          "Ah!" I apprehended, nodding.
          Raising a brow, Geordi looked back at O'Brien. "Energize."

          We materialized in the predicted...a bathroom.
          "Geordi to Enterprise," Geordi whispered, checking to see if our communicators were working.
          "Picard here."
          "Hm! They work." I shrugged, glancing down at Geordi.
          Geordi nodded. "It seems like our communicators work, Captain. We will keep an open channel."
          "Acknowledged." The Captain replied.
           Pulling out a tricorder, I scanned the area.
          "If we exit, we will enter a long corridor," I confirmed looking up from the tricorder. "The tricorder registers no life-signs nearby. However..." I paused to recheck. "There are four faint readings, presumably humanoids, approximately 2 Kilometers east of this location," I informed Geordi, looking down at him from the corner of my eye.
          "All right...let's go." He muttered, roaming out of the bathroom. Right on his heels, I followed him out into the corridor. As Geordi turned left down another corridor, he froze, quickly backing up.
          Tilting my head to the side, I furrowed my Android brows as I hesitantly followed suit. "Geordi-"
          "Sh!" He shushed, placing his index finger over his lips. I pursed my lips as I raised my brows.
          "Data, Geordi bring the four prisoners to me." A recognizable voice drifted out into the corridor. Peeking around the corner, Geordi and I furrowed our eyebrows.
         "What in the-" Geordi whispered as we stared at...ourselves, alongside Captain Picard.
          "La Forge? Report. Who were those voices I heard?" Picard demanded over the communicator as the two of us slipped behind a black, random desk at the head of the T intersection of the corridor.
          "Sir, it was you," Geordi stated.
          Captain Picard didn't answer.
           We watched our clones discuss something as they inched down the corridor, closer to where we hid. "Data..." Geordi dragged off in a low voice, turning to look at me. "I've got an idea. That...clone of Captain Picard, he ordered 'Data and Geordi' to bring the four prisoners to him, right? He is most likely referring to the Away Team...correct?"
I raised a brow, realizing where he was going. "I understand Geordi." I nodded, tilting my head down in understanding as I eyed the mock-ups again.
          Suddenly, the fake Captain Picard and the fake us, split ways, Captain Picard turning right at the T to enter a room, and bogus Data and Geordi proceeding left.
          "Let's go Data," Geordi whispered and we abandoned our hiding spot. Creeping up behind our forged selves, we tapped on their shoulders. Quickly, they spun around, coming face-to-face with us...or themselves. Taking advantage of their confusion, the real Geordi and I swung at their profiles, knocking them out. Grabbing their arms and legs, we tied them with a rope we found.
          "I guess the only person to single-handedly defeat you...is yourself." Geordi chuckled as we dragged the counterfeits into the bathroom we beamed down in.