A 'Pocket' In Time(Book 2)

Learning When To, and When Not To

"Data, how much time do we have until this pocket explodes?" Captain Picard asked, standing up out of his chair. Commander Riker stood beside him, waiting for my answer.
"Accessing..." I said as I scanned my brain for the proper time. I returned eye contact with Captain Picard once I found it. "Approximately fifty-nine minutes, thirty-one seconds, Sir."
The Captain nodded and turned to Geordi. "How long have our shields been down?"
Geordi sighed. "About thirty minutes Sir. As soon as the creature realizes there are no more shields to feed on and spits us out, we will have about three minutes to get to a safe distance, just before the pocket explodes." He explained, shrugging with his hands.
I looked back at Captain Picard. "We will go straight back into battle with the Romulans, Sir." I reminded as the Captain pursed his lips, then nodded. He turned around, sat down in his chair, and gripped the armrests.
"All hands..." He glanced us, then stared straight ahead at the viewscreen. "Battle Stations."
The siren for Red Alert automatically blared as we took our places.
Geordi transferred Engineering to Bridge as Captain Picard stopped Amber from leaving.
"Doctor, I would like you to stay here on the Bridge." Amber glanced at me, then nodded at the Captain.
"Aye, Sir." She obeyed, sitting to Counselor Troi's left.
I adjusted into my seat at ops, waiting for the Captain's instructions.
"Mr. La Forge, how far away must we be to not be pulled back in, or to be affected by the explosion?" The Captain asked, turning around and looking under the wooden 'horseshoe' behind him at Geordi.
Geordi spun around in his chair and raised his brows. "I'd say at least 335 kilometers away." He sighed, shrugging with his hands.
Captain Picard turned back around to face the viewscreen. "Ensign Crusher, be prepared to take us 350 kilometers away once we exit this creature. Worf, as soon as we reach 335 kilometers away, raise the shields immediately and prepare a full spread of phaser and photon torpedoes. Geordi, if it is possible, scan this pocket before it explodes. I want to learn as much as we can about it before it dies. It could provide us with very valuable information. Data, I want you to pinpoint the Warbird as soon as possible. That will help Worf fire on it precisely. Doctor, Data, you two need to have a Hypospray in hand, ready to help everyone right after we get spit out since the two of you were the only ones who didn't pass out last time we traveled into this...pocket. But, if no one makes it through, whoever awakes first, immediately wake everyone else, starting with the Doctor so she can help you. Understood?" He explained, studying at each of us as he gave his instructions. I glanced at Data, then back at the Captain.
"Aye Sir." We all chorused, preparing ourselves.
Pulling a Hypospray out of my Medical case, I walked up to Data.
"Here," I said, tapping on his shoulder as I held out the Hypospray with my right hand.
Data peeked up at me from the corner of his eye, then took the instrument with his right hand, shoving it into his hip holster. "Thank you, Doctor."
Nodding, I took my seat, gripping my Hypospray in my left hand.
"Okay, Sir," Geordi sighed, spinning around to look down at the Captain from his place behind Worf. "we should be spat out any minute now. Our shields have been down for approximately one hour and thirty minutes."
I glanced at Deanna, who was occupied with everyone's strong and scared emotions. I gently touched her arm and smiled up at her. Shifting in her seat, the corners of her mouth tilted up, though I knew it was troublesome for her to hold all the emotions inside.
Suddenly, it began. The ship began shaking, so I gripped onto the chair's armrest. Everything beneath me vibrated as me and two others were shot out of our chairs, Deanna and Riker landing on top of me. I grunted, but with the ships, violent vibrations, they quickly slid off. I tried standing up but to no avail. I fell flat on my back as the shaking continued to grow graver. I watched, almost like in slow motion, the Captain fly out of his chair and land on my left hand.
"Ouch!" I screamed, trying to push him off or pull my wrist out. Abruptly, I felt a crack in it.
With wide eyes, I ripped my arm out from underneath him, letting go of the Hypospray and sitting up as I held my left wrist with my right hand. Tears brimmed the edges of my eyes, but I quickly blinked them away, dropping my left hand onto my lap as the shaking ceased.
I glanced around the quiet Bridge, noticing everyone spread across the floor. Looking over at ops, Data lay face down beside his chair.
"Data!" I gasped, scooting over to him. Suddenly, before I could reach him, he pushed his body up into a push-up position, then jumped up, glancing around the Bridge until his eyes landed down on me.
"Doctor, are you all right?" He asked, squatting down to inspect my wrist.
Rolling my eyes, I pushed him away as I attempted to stand up. Failing, I looked up at Data as he grabbed my right arm, helping me up.
"Thanks..." I mumbled. "Go. I can get help later. Hurry, you take the top of the Bridge and I'll help everyone down here. Hurry!" I scurried, pushing Riker over on his back then placing the Hypospray on his neck. I injected him with the medicine, then moved on to the Captain, Wes, and Deanna.
"Thanks, Data." I heard Geordi mutter as I injected my last patient, Deanna.
"Sir, I moved the Enterprise 350 kilometers away from the pocket," Wesley confirmed as I helped Deanna into her chair with my right hand.
"Thank you," She smiled, and I nodded at her.
"Sir," Data said, checking his screen at ops as he sat down. "The Warbird is arming their plasma disruptors."
"On screen! Worf?!" Captain yelled, turning around and looking up at him.
"Sir! I cannot get a lock on them! I do not know where to fire." Worf growled, checking and rechecking his screen. I glanced at the Captain, his face stern and hard.
"Ensign! Evasive maneuvers, pattern: Delta! Engage!" He ordered, glaring at Wesley as he gripped the armrest until his knuckles turned white.
"Aye, Sir!" Welsey yelled, entering the pattern into the conn. The Enterprise ripped to the left as the first fire from the Warbird discharged, then flew to the right as the Warbird shot, once again, missing us.
"Sir, the Pocket is blowing!" Geordi yelled, jumping up and standing beside Worf to look down at us.
"Sir, I have a lock on the Warbird!" Worf affirmed, looking down at the Captain for orders.
"Fire!" Picard ordered nodding his head.
The photon torpedoes and phasers left the Enterprise and headed to the Warbird when suddenly, it vanished.
"Did they engage their cloaking devise?" Captain Picard asked, furrowing his brows.
Data checked his screen. Spinning around, Data furrowed his brows.
          "Sir, usually, when the Romulans cloak themselves, the sensors pick up odd magnetic readings." Data paused to glance at Geordi. "I am picking up nothing."
          Geordi 'hmphed,' pacing back and forth behind Worf. Snapping his fingers, he spun around and faced Data. "Data, tell me the exact time the Warbird disappeared." He asked as he dashed to Engineering behind Worf. With furrowed brows, the rest of us watched Data as he spun back around to check.
          "Exactly 2339 Geordi." He said, spinning back around. Tilting his head to look around Worf, Data furrowed his brows. "Why?" He asked, his eyes following Geordi as he marched down the side and stood before the Captain.
          "Sir, the Pocket and the WarBird disappeared, exploded...at the exact, same, time." He explained, emphasizing 'exact' and 'same.' "Now I don't believe that is a coincidence. What if this 'Pocket' in time created the WarBird to lure us here, to get us close enough to it, so it could pull us in and, do it in a way to where we wouldn't notice?" Geordi hypothesized, glancing between the Captain, Commander, Counselor, and Doctor. Rising, I strode over to stand beside my best friend.
          "I believe that to be an accurate theory. The Pocket lead us to believe that the magnetic readings we picked up before we were swept in were the Warbirds." I backed Geordi up, staring at the Captain.
          Captain Picard flattened his lips and narrowed his eyes as he nodded. "Interesting..." He dragged off, raising his hand and placing it over his chin and lips. "I think we unintentionally found the reason for the miniature explosions happening around Sector 001 and Starbase 74. It was this Pockets offspring dying off." Picard hypothesized, glancing around at all of us to see if we agreed.
          I raised my brows. "It is conceivable, Sir." I 'hmphed,' puckering my lips down in thought.
"This Pocket is intriguing indeed. Data, Geordi, Worf, Wesley you four will accompany Commander Riker, Doctor Presley, Nurse Alfaro and I down to Earth to discuss this theory." Captain Picard ordered, his eyes shining from his discovery.
"Mm. Aye, Sir." I nodded, then spun back around, peeking at Wesley from the corner of my eye.

Dr. Presley's POV:

"Sir..." Data dragged off, checking the ops screen before him. I glanced at his back, studying him. "Sir, I am picking up weird magnetic reads off the starboard bow..." He dragged off as the Captain and First Officer worriedly glanced at each other. "Joking Sir." Data added.
My head whipped in his direction.
"Data!?!" I hissed, glaring at him. Riker, Deanna, Wesley and I stared at each other, all of us raising our brows.
"Mr. Data!" Captain Picard scoffed, glaring at him.
Data spun around in his chair, a look of pure confusion plastered across his face. "Sir?" He asked, staring at the Captain. Captain Picard pinched the bridge of his nose. "Was that not funny?" Data asked, genuinely confused as he glanced at everyone.
"NO!" Riker, Deanna, Wesley, the Captain, Worf and I yelled simultaneously. Tilting his head to the right, he 'hmphed.'
"I apparently have much to learn..." He sighed, shaking his head as he spun back around.
Abruptly, Wesley spun back to face the viewscreen, stifling a laugh. Shaking a bit, Deanna also tried not to laugh, shoving her face into her sleeve. With an amused laugh on his face, I could tell Commander Riker wanted to burst out laughing. Smiling, I bit my lip, but I couldn't contain it. Doubling over, I giggled aloud as everyone else, including the Captain, let it out. Agitated, Worf stood above us, flexing the muscle in his jaw as he stared down at us.
Spinning back around, Data furrowed his brows as he stared at us. Peeking at Worf, Data tilted his head to the right.
Worf seemed equally confused, but stared straight ahead, waiting for orders.
Shaking his head, Captain Picard sat up straight, smiling at Data. "Ensign Crusher, please resume our course to Earth, warp four. Eng-" He paused to let out his last laugh.
Setting a small smirk on his face, Data spun back around to man ops. Shaking my head, I looked at Captain Picard as he thrust his hand forward.
"Engage."