Stardate: 80225:1719
Title: "The Jackal's Smile"
Author: Ravien Lox
Time: Current
Scene: Observers' Estate
Moments after completing the information transfer to engineering, Lox was
continuing to peruse the Caretaker data when he blinked his eyes - and found
himself staring into the pages of a book of all things, with traditional
drawings and captions of the same images he'd been reading off the computer.
"What the?" Lieutenant Jenna exclaimed across from him where they sat at a table
in a huge library. She wore a green dress with a plain but stately white blouse
buttoned to the neck in a way that undoubtedly made breathing difficult, given
her poor posture. Her hazel eyes looked out in abhorred amazement from a set of
antique eyeglasses. In her hands was a copy of lady Shelley's 'Frankenstein',
whatever that was.
Lox himself, having no hair to speak of, looked down to find his Federation
labcoat transformed into black pants and a likewise black vest. His hands were
gloved - like a butler's in fact. And all around them both, a spectacular domed
library rising up into a hollow tower whose walls were nothing but books, books,
and more books, of astonishing color and age.
"Newton!" A voice exclaimed from one of the balconies above. It was Ensign
Perry, one of the junior science officers assigned to the deflector array. He
cradled the tome in his arms like it was the holy grail. "I'm reading Newton's
optics!"
"I've got Francis Bacon's original text!" Another crewman shouted. "This book
looks brand new!"
One of the girls staggered out of an aisle on the bottom floor, just a few feet
from Jenna and Lox's table. She wailed like a banshee and lifted a book high in
both hands.
"Oh Copernicus!" She cried, collapsing in her skirt. "How could you have been so
wrong?!"
At this Maxine jumped to her feet and yelled so hard that her voice echoed off
the walls.
"Get a hold of yourselves, for Hawkins' sake! We're scientists, not librarians!"
At this the excited voices fell silent, and a kind of tranquil fell in the room.
Everyone cleared embarrassed throats and waited for the Lieutenant's orders. Lox
himself, being unfamiliar with all these Earth references, resolved to look them
up later at the earliest opportunity.
[Forgive me, Madam,] a voice said as a stranger emerged from the shelves behind
Lox. [That is NOT how a lady of your stature should speak, begging your pardon.
A person of your rank should be sensible to the effects of her words on others,
be they highborn or no. The proprieties of nobility must be upheld by all, lest
they be cheapened by rough minds.]
This elegant speech emanated from a man in dark, gentleman's clothes with a tall
black hat. He had a small, pointed beard on his chin and a flecked mustache
above his lips, but his eyes shone at them with an intense focus that was
anything but human. They looked more like those of a hound eyeing its prey.
"Who are you? An Observer?"
The man bowed low in apology. "How rude of me to chastise you Madam, when I have
forgotten to introduce myself. I am Caretaker Duo. One of the four in this noble
house. And like them I have many faces, but this one you see is my favorite."
Lox leapt to his feet. "A Caretaker! Isn't this where you said the Observers
were?"
"Indeed," the Caretaker said simply. The other scientists were gathering around
them, forming an audience.
"A Caretaker," the Lieutenant muttered softly. "And you care for this place?"
This Duo... smiled like a jackal. "Why yes! We care for the Observers and their
guests, rare as they are. Luckily this encompasses all of you. The Observers
themselves are constantly consumed with matters of state, and as such do not
want to be disturbed by just anyone. Making it here unfortunately marks all of
you as more than mere prisoners."
Lox stepped forward. "If you were the one who led us here, then why did you do
it?"
Lieutenant Jenna forestalled him, adding, "And what is it you want to tell us,
now that we're here?"
The Caretaker raised his hands with palms upward as he answered. "All will be
revealed tonight, at the ball. Until then, the Observers have other matters to
attend to, so you are free to make yourselves at home and prepare for the games.
I hear that there will be a duel as well. Please, rest, and gather your strength
for the evening ahead."
With that the Caretaker named Duo dissolved into mist, and vanished from the
library.
===============
Ensign Ravien Lox
Science Officer
NCC-11966
USS Relentless
===============
