Truth Trek... page 2
Scene 3
"Star Trek is so popular because it portrays a dream, a dream that mankind can work together without prejudice, without regard to race, creed or gender."
Loud applause and cheers rose up from the jam-packed auditorium as the guest speaker, dressed in full garb like the medical officer he played on television, spoke with conviction and inspiration. The people were riveted to his every word.
"Hmph," Tess said to her colleagues. "If only people paid that much attention when God speaks, this world would be a different place." She didn't look amused.
"They look to these actors as role models, it seems," Monica said. "It must be an overwhelming feeling to have so many people watching you, looking up to you, following your example."
"They're being worshipped... and only God is worthy of that!" Tess carried on.
"Half the proceeds go to charity," Andrew interjected.
"I know," Tess replied. "And that's the one good thing that comes out of these things... but only one good thing!" She sounded adamant about it, so no one argued with her. "They shouldn't worship him!" she said again. Was she speaking to them or having an argument with herself?
"I still think he looks uncomfortable having such a big responsibility," Monica insisted. "He looks like a man that could use an encouraging word."
Tess' brow furrowed. "You just stick to your assignment, Angel Girl, and leave the rest alone! You'll have your hands full soon enough."
"Help! Someone help me! They've come for me! They've come..."
Hysteria. Commotion. Pushing, shoving, confusion. A disturbance interrupted the speech as the crowd tried to get out of the way of an obviously distraught person. Hotel security rushed in to restore order, but it was difficult to make their way through the hordes to the person causing the disruption.
Monica didn't want to look. She glanced sheepishly at Tess and Andrew, secretly wishing she was wrong.
"Oh Angus," she whispered as the security guards ushered the little man out of the auditorium. He was dragged kicking, screaming and terrified.
"There! There's an alien!" Angus yelled, pointing towards Monica, Tess and Andrew. "Help me!" He seemed to be directing that request at Monica. She felt real compassion for him and it was painful to watch him in this state.
"What should I do?" she asked her mentor.
"Be patient, Baby. You'll get your chance," Tess replied. "Sometimes you can't deal with a problem until it comes right out in the open, claws, teeth and all.
Scene 4
The exhibits at this convention were fascinating. Glass cases displayed the actual costumes from specific episodes. There were replicas of starships, Klingon warbirds and Deep Space Nine. A make-believe bridge with life-sized cardboard images of the crew hummed and beckoned visitors to sit in the captain's chair of the old Starship Enterprise, the new Starship Enterprise and the Defiant.
Monica couldn't resist. She plunked herself down in Captain Kirk's chair and leaned back. "Warp 8, Mr. Sulu," she said to no one in particular. "I want to boldly go where no one has gone before." She laughed. This was fun, though she hoped Tess wasn't watching. She might not share her enjoyment. "This is impressive," she thought, "but not as impressive as God's throne. Now that's a Captain's chair!"
"That's Captain Kirk's chair," said Angus, approaching her from across the exhibit hall.
"Angus!" Monica greeted him, her smile portraying how glad she was to see him. "I thought they threw you out of the convention. You're back."
Angus scratched his head nervously, his eyes darting back and forth in his usual suspicious way. "Well, they just told me to calm down and sent me to my hotel room for a while. I... I guess they thought I had been drinking."
"But, you weren't," Monica said, fishing.
"No," he said. "I don't drink alcohol, but I saw him. I saw the alien!"
Monica tried to reason with him. "Are you sure it was an alien? Maybe you just thought it was. There are a lot of people here dressed in costume..." She leaned in closer. "Alien costume."
Angus looked more agitated when she didn't believe him. "No... no, I'm telling you. I saw the same alien that took my mother!" He frowned. "I can't prove it, though. There's only one thing left to do. I've got to catch it... catch it and turn it in to the FBI or the CIA."
"And how will you do that?" Monica asked.
Angus began pacing. "Oh... what would Captain Picard do? What would Worf do? Mr. Spock, he would do the logical thing. Yes... the logical thing is..."
"What would God do?" Monica asked, throwing out the one question that could help Angus to see himself as more than a victim in some bogus alien abduction story.
He stopped pacing and looked straight at her. Her eyes glistened unusually brightly in this fluorescent pseudo-starship lighting. "What does God have to do with Captain Picard?"
Monica couldn't help feeling a little mischievous. "What does Captain Picard have to do with God?" she retorted.
Angus' brow furrowed. "You cut that out! Leave God out of this! What are you, some kind of religious nut?"
How could he say a thing like that with his pointy Romulan ears and his cheesy Romulan wig? Monica took her chance to reel in the fish just a little further towards the boat. "I'm not religious at all," she said. "Religion is just a set of rules that people follow to feel holy, but God wants to be known face to face, friend to friend, heart to heart. Maybe Captain Picard ran a starship, but God runs the universe. When Captain Picard says, "Make it so," the starship flies to wherever he sends it. When God says "Make it so," entire worlds come into being. Planets begin to orbit around newly created suns. Galaxies form when He speaks. And... when He speaks... all of creation says, "Aye, aye, Sir." All of creation... but man. Most of the time man ignores His Creator, thinking that will make Him go away, but He won't. He loves you, Angus McCloud. The Captain of your soul loves you more than you will ever know."
Monica's words emanated with a peace that Angus had never felt before. In fact, Angus never felt peaceful. He was always agitated, always fidgeting and fussing over something. His whole life was one big mass of nerves. Even his sleep was fitful. For the first time in his life, every part of his being was absolutely still and at rest. It was a strange and wonderful sensation.
"I wish it were true," he replied.
"It is true," Monica insisted, smiling.
He reached out with what little faith he had and almost grasped onto this rope that would pull him out of his pit of fear. Almost... almost only counts in horseshoes.
"Alien!" Angus shrieked suddenly, pointing off towards an obscure corner of the room. "Help! They're here! They're after me!"
"Angus!" Monica cried, hurrying to his side to calm him down. "Angus! It's not real! You're hallucinating!"
"No! No!" he screamed all the louder. "Save yourself, Monica... before it's too late!"
In a frenzy, Angus ran through the exhibit hall to... God knows where.
Monica let out an exasperated sigh, if an angel can be exasperated. "God," she prayed. "He was so close to meeting you. So close to freedom. What do I do now? I know nothing is impossible for you, but I don't know how you're going to help Angus."
Monica looked off into the distance, to the place where Angus saw the "alien". She wondered what it was that could turn an obviously precious man into such a wreck?
"Monica!" yelled Andrew, giving her a wave.
"Oh, Andrew," she said as he approached. "I'm so glad to see you."
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