Dream 275

The starship Enterprise (D) was called to a distant planet to investigate reports that the populace was "going missing."  Once we arrived, we received word from the planet that the report was incorrect, that everything was normal.  Suspicious, we scanned the planet and saw that the population was present, but not registering as life forms.  Photographic evidence showed people, walking about in normal routines, but they were clearly artificial--their faces were crude and indistinct, and some of them were clearly malformed--they had wrenches and other tools embedded in their heads.  They would not have fooled any normal observer.

We beamed down in an investigating party to determine what had happened.  The "people" we met were polite and welcoming but seemed incapable of providing anything other than pleasantries.

All at once, an old man in a floating wheelchair-like device appeared and urged us to follow us to his underground laboratory.  We followed, with the civilians offering no resistance in their pleasant, polite way.

Once in his laboratory, the old man told us that he was working on a plan to replace colonists with replicant robots, to ensure the safety of humans on hostile planets and at the same time, breed a race of humans capable of surviving in adverse conditions that would destroy ordinary humans.  But he needed more genetic material--"Ideal genetic material" was how he phrased it.

With that, he pressed a switch on his machine and he and Captain Picard were suddenly transported elsewhere.  Activating an emergency protocol, we immediately transported back to the ship.

Adjusting the scanners, we searched the planet for any signs of humanoid life.  We were able to filter out the androids and quickly found Captain Picard.  We transported him directly to the bridge.

"Get us out of here, navigator, warp nine!" he yelled, and we quickly left orbit, issuing a warning to Star Fleet Command to quarantine the planet.

Later, in my quarters, I couldn't help wondering what had happened to the original colonists.  Were they still alive?

Captain Picard probably knew, but I was afraid to ask him.  I remembered all those terrible fake faces, and I shuddered.