The Silence Death Leaves

Enterprise had had five incarnations to think about death. She didn't fear it but it wasn't exactly on her top priority list. To encounter another being though who seemed obsessed about it though was a new experience.

The "hole in space" was intriguing the instant she spotted it. "I never thought I'd say this but I don't know what this is." She said. "I don't like approaching it." She halted close by, launching one probe, then 2. When both disappeared she reluctantly approached the outer borders. Suddenly "it" completely surrounded her and when she tried to move out, first on impulse then on warp, she still remained within the void.

Her sensors detected another ship entering the void. A cloaked ship. "Romulan!" She growled. The warbird decloaked and fired. One torpedo hit finished them. Then, a second ship appeared. NCC-13705-E, her sister Yamato.

"Yamato, what are you doing here?" Yamato stared at her blankly. IT was like she didn't notice Enterprise was there. The flagship groaned as all her systems shut down, then came back on. "Ngh..." She moaned.

Starfix after starfix appeared and disappeared. Enterprise had had enough.

"Whoever is playing this game, I demand that you show yourself!" She roared.

"Who are you to make such demands?" A voice asked.

"I am USS Enterprise, NCC-1701-D. Flagship of Starfleet. Representative of the United Federation of Planets!" She replied.

"I am Nagil." A face appeared from the could.

"Curious, you carry many beings inside you."

"Yes, and I care for them very much." Enterprise replied.

"They and you have a limited existence." Nagil said.

"I'm afraid I do not understand."

"You exist and you cease to exist." He replied. "You call it, Death."

Suddenly her helmsman convulsed and fell back. He died soon after.

"No..." She whispered. "Murderer!" She shrieked, lashing out. She stumbled when she struck nothing.

"How intriguing death is." Nagil mused. "I will need more specimens to have a proper understanding. Perhaps a 3rd of your crew captain."

"Never!" Enterprise roared, answering for Picard. "Take me instead! Kill me!"

"Enterprise, no!" Picard cried.

"Better than you all dying." She replied.

"No, if we go, we go together." Picard said.

Enterprise knew what he was talking about. "Together." She agreed.

...

"Initiate Auto-destruct sequence." Picard ordered.

"Does Riker, William T, conquer?" Enterprise asked.

"Affirmative. Initiate auto destruct sequence. Preferred time interval." She asked.

"In this case, be it ladies choice." Picard replied.

Enterprise thought for a moment. "Auto destruct in 20 minutes." She said as it was the best amount of time she could give her crew.

"20 minutes to live." Picard murmured.

"Captain, as we are out of time as they say, there is something I must tell you." Enterprise began. It was now or never.

"Go on." Picard prompted.

"Captain I..."

"Captain." Data interrupted. "We are clear of the void."

Enterprise breathed a sigh of relief.

"Warp 6, any heading La Force." Picard ordered.

The auto-destruct continued. "Captain!" Enterprise cried.

With one second remaining, the self-destruct was disengaged.

"Now Enterprise what was it you wanted to tell me?" Picard asked.

"N-nothing sir." The starship stammered. Troi hid her smile as Enterprise flew to her next assignment.