The Ten Forward lounge of the Galaxy-Class Starship USS Enterprise was the place to go to relax and get one's mind off their duties for a while. It was also the place Ensign Cassandra Duncan liked to go to try to be alone in a crowd. Ever since she was assigned to the Federation's flagship, she tried to fit in, made herself available for all types of duties, even those that a seasoned veteran wouldn't touch with a ten-meter isolinear chip. But, it seemed that no matter what she did or how hard she applied herself, no one seemed to appreciate her efforts. It also seemed that everyone knew about her unfortunate incident at Starfleet Academy, causing her to be stuck with the "cursed" nickname of "Duckie". She tried to laugh it off, but deep inside, the teasing had hurt her feelings. She'd complain to her roommate, Ensign Nicole Ali, about how all the superior officers were all against her, and how everyone on the ship "just knew about what happened to me at the Academy!"

Staring at her drink in the Ten Forward Lounge, she thought about her duties of the day, and how she was looking forward to the end of her tour on this ship...it couldn't come soon enough. Other officers and civilians were engaged in idle conversation, some playing games, others making small talk, a few obvious lovers...

"Ensign, can I get you something else?"

Cassie jumped. She wasn't expecting anyone tonight...Nikki had a date with some bridge officer, literally leaving her to face the onslaught. She looked toward the source of the voice.

"Whoa, take it easy, Ensign...it's Cassandra Duncan, right?" the dark-skinned El Aurean asked.

Cassie drew in a deep breath, her hand on her chest. "I'm sorry...I wasn't expecting anyone," she said, addressing the woman who had approached her table.

"I'm sorry...I should have introduced myself. My name's Guinan," the woman said. "Mind if I join you?"

Guinan? Cassie thought. What could she want with me?

"You know, there's always a favorite spot for everyone in this room. I've noticed you like to sit by yourself, never once having anyone join you. Why is that?" Guinan asked.

Oh, geez, Cassie thought. "Well...Guinan...it's not something I like to talk about."

"Well, if you need someone to talk to, I'm sure Counselor Troi could make a house call, or..."

"No, no," Cassie interrupted. She shook her head. "I'm sorry...maybe tonight wasn't such a good...well, what I'm trying to say is...um...well," she stammered.

"Hm!" Guinan chuckled, a small grin escaping. "I'd call that a start." She sat down, opposite Cassie. "Are you sure you don't want to talk about that incident at the Academy?"

"How do you know?" Cassie said, a shocked look on her face.

"I hear things around the ship, listen to people's conversations. I also know a good person when I see one, and when something is bothering them."

Cassie exhaled. Apparently, Guinan wasn't going to leave her alone, nor would she until she heard Cassie's story.

"Well," she began, "it was a practical joke that got out of hand."

Guinan looked surprised. "Is that all?"

"No," Cassie continued. "One of the upperclassmen assigned me to grounds maintenance with Mr. Boothby. I was supposed to remove some waterfowl from one of the ponds, but how was I supposed to know they were Admiral Moran's personal pets?"

Guinan looked amused. "You fell for that old trick?" she asked.

"Apparently so. After I had captured them, I found out that I had been made the butt of an elaborate prank. Ever since then, everyone I have seen has been calling me 'Duckie'." Cassie said that last word as if she were eating gagh. "Even on Deep Space Nine, that incident caught up with me, and I have tried to put it behind me ever since."

"You said 'everyone' calls you that, right?"

"Yes, everyone...no one seems to know, or cares to know, my name or rank. I can't seem to kill that demon, or even put it out of my misery!" Cassie sighed.

"Well, Cassandra, if you've noticed, I addressed you by your name and rank when I first came over," Guinan pointed out.

Cassie stopped, a surprised looked crossing her face.

"And not once did I ever use that horrible nickname you hate so much."

Cassie felt a small smile crease her lips.

"As I said, I know a good person when I see one. Jean-Luc would say that I'm very selective about whom I choose as my friends. I'd sure like to count you as one," Guinan said. "Now, can I get you something else to drink?"

Cassie looked at the small glass of liquid. "Well, it is green...and I like the color."

"And Aldebaran Whiskey will give you a terrible hangover in the morning. How about something with a little less kick to it?"

Cassie though for a moment, then chuckled. "It's rather silly, but I feel like having a cup of hot cocoa."

"One of Counselor Troi's favorite beverages is Betazed Cocoa...would you like to try it?" Guinan suggested.

Cassie nodded. Maybe her life on the Enterprise wasn't going to hell in a handbasket after all...

===================================================================================

"TO: Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Commanding Officer, USS Enterprise, NCC-1701-D.

FROM: Admiral Paulette Agee, Starbase 609.

You are instructed to take the Enterprise into Sector 2069 to investigate a series of anomalies that have been plaguing the area. The Running Brook reported an area of unstable space that could threaten nearby star systems. Hostile spacecraft have also been reported in this area. Yellow Alert is recommended upon entry. Due to the unstable nature of the area, compounded by hostile spacecraft, the Enterprise will, essentially, be the only Starship in the sector. Use your best judgment, and if the situation warrants a retreat, do so immediately. DO NOT risk a confrontation with unfriendly powers. Should your mission be successful, a full report is expected upon completion of this assignment."

Capt. Jean-Luc Picard studied the PADD for a few moments. "What do you make of this, Number One?" he asked, handing the PADD to his first officer.

Cdr. William Riker took the PADD and studied it. "It could be the Borg."

Picard stood, straightening his tunic. He went to the window and looked out into normal space. The Enterprise was traveling at impulse speed. "Or something else we aren't prepared for." He let out a short breath. "Whatever the situation, I want to be fully aware of what we may be up against. Have Commanders Data and LaForge finished their spectral analysis of Sector 2069?"

"Not yet, sir. Geordi has encountered a problem in one of the service conduits to the lateral sensor array," Riker said. "He said he has his best officer working on it right now."

"I do hope so, Number One. I simply will not risk this ship and it's crew if we happen to stumble across a number of Borg vessels," Picard speculated, as he crossed the Ready Room toward the exit.

Riker was silent. If they were heading into a Borg ambush, it would be Wolf 359 all over again, and the Enterprise would be the first ship destroyed. He followed Picard out to the bridge.

In Engineering, Data and Geordi were reconfiguring the lateral sensor array, trying to get around a problem area that simply refused to co-operate. The display showed a disconnected junction at one of the critical points along the way.

"It would appear that Ensign Duncan has not completed her task, Geordi," the android officer commented. "She has been working on the junction for 12 minutes and 37 seconds."

"Give her a little more time, Data. That particular junction takes a steady hand and cool head to work on," Geordi said. But, he was getting concerned, and Data was correct (as always) about his time analysis. Even a green cadet could replace the junction in under 10 minutes, and she was nearing 15. He checked the display again.

"LaForge to Duncan...what's the holdup there?"

In the Jefferies Tube, Cassie, lying near an open section of grating, struggled with the unyielding module. "I'm having...uhnn...a bit of...nngggg...trouble getting this...ahhh...junction to come loose," she said, her voice straining.

"Do you need some help up there, Ensign?" Geordi asked.

Do I need some help up here? Whatever gives you that notion? Cassie thought. She struggled with the junction again...and it loosened slightly. "Um...uggg...no, sir. I think I've just about got it...there!"

Geordi checked the display, which showed the junction disconnected. "Good work, Cassie. Now get that replacement module in right away."

Gee, why didn't I think about that? Cassie thought. "Yes, sir," she said, biting her lip. Maybe volunteering for this duty wasn't one of her better ventures, but at least it showed that she had...what was the old Earth word? Gumption? It was something her great-grandfather had said one time, right before she signed up for the Academy.

Cassie lifted the defective module onto the grating of the Jefferies Tube, and turned to retrieve the new one...

On the bridge, Worf noticed a vessel approaching the Enterprise at full impulse. "Captain. There is a vessel approaching...of unknown origin." The Klingon's jaw muscles tensed a bit, in anticipation of a sudden attack.

"On screen," Picard ordered.

The viewscreen shifted to an image of the alien vessel, which has suddenly dropped to a tenth of it's previous speed. A bright blue light emitted from the alien vessel.

"We are being scanned," Worf reported.

"As long as they're not looking to pick a fight," Riker commented.

"That may be, Number One. Maintain Yellow Alert, and full stop," Picard ordered.

The blue light ceased, as the Enterprise and the alien ship came to a full stop.

"Hailing frequencies," Picard ordered.

The familiar chime echoed across the bridge. "Open," Worf said.

"Alien vessel, this is the USS Enterprise. State your purpose here," Picard said.

A few seconds passed. "No response," Worf said.

"Counselor, do you sense anything from the vessel?" Picard asked the young Betaziod woman.

Deanna Troi was pensive for a few moments. "No, Captain. It could mean they are shielding their thoughts, or the ship is unmanned," she said.

The alien vessel glowed a bright yellow-green hue.

"They appear to be powering weapons," Worf said.

Picard repeated his call. "Alien vessel, state your purpose here, or we will be forced to take measures to defend this ship."

In the Jefferies Tube, Cassie had the replacement module nearly into place...

Instantly, the alien vessel exploded to full impulse, on a collision course with the Starship.

"Shields up!" Riker shouted.

The alien vessel was inside the shield perimeter of the Starship before Worf could put his finger on the button. It began firing with all it's weapons, still on a direct course toward the Enterprise's stardrive section. The ship rocked from the initial assault...

EPS power taps began exploding around Cassie. She shielded herself as best she could from the flying sparks and smoke. She had a duty to perform, and something like this wasn't going to stop her. She had to get this module into place, if it was the last thing she ever did. Gramps was right...she had the gumption! She seated the module just as another impact rocked the ship...

"Evasive maneuvers! Fire phasers!" Picard ordered.

Worf's fingers flew over the panel, hurriedly bringing the starship's main phasers online. He barely got a lock on the alien vessel as the Enterprise evaded the headlong assault, firing as they turned.

The alien vessel got off one final shot as it met the collimated energy of the phaser beam, instantly exploding into billions of glowing particles.

The alien energy bolt struck the starship...

Lights and consoles powered down and flickered all over the Enterprise. Small fires were quickly extinguished. Damage control parties began scrambling to all sections of the ship.

Cassie felt something like billions of fire ants all over her body. She tried to scream, but the pain was overwhelming. She passed out...

===================================================================================

"I'm at a loss to explain this, Captain. It's as if she's here, but not completely phased out."

Cassie awoke a few hours later, the tingling effect still coursing through her body. She recognized her surroundings as Sickbay. How the hell did I get here, she thought. The voice was that of the Enterprise's chief medical officer Beverly Crusher. Cassie could barely move her arms or legs from the intense pain, which she recognized as plasma burns...but the overall tingling was something else entirely.

"How is that possible, Doctor?" That was the Captain's voice. Cassie had always wanted to meet the great Jean-Luc Picard, but in Sickbay? She must have really gotten messed up. Maybe she should have gotten out of the Jefferies Tube after that first impact...

"I don't know, Jean-Luc. At least, not until I finish my tests. Ensign Duncan is perfectly normal otherwise, except for the plasma burns, which I treated as best as I could, under the circumstances."

Cassie wondered what that meant...until she saw her uniform. There was a large burn on her side, where the most intense burn pain was...but something odd. She could see right through the hole to the backside of her uniform. This struck her as curious...then she lifted one of her arms, slowly, at first...

"OH MY GOD!" she screamed. The life signs panel began chiming intently as Cassie's heart rate and blood pressure climbed dangerously high. Dr. Crusher walked quickly into the room as Cassie screamed again.

"MY HANDS! WHERE ARE MY HANDS!?!" she screamed.

"Calm down, Ensign," Dr. Crusher said. Capt. Picard stood just behind the doctor as she readied a hypospray of tranquilizer and physically restrained the animated uniform lying on the exam table.

Cassie stopped struggling, the pain of the plasma burn overcoming her. She began to cry. "Doctor," she said between sobs," please...tell me what happened to my hands?"

Dr. Crusher looked at, what she hoped, was Ensign Duncan's face. "It's not just your hands, Ensign. It's your entire body."

Cassie wiped away her tears, which kept flowing. "What do you mean, my entire body?"

Dr. Crusher drew in a breath. "Well, Ensign. It's not so easy to explain..." She held up a small mirror.

What Cassie saw nearly sent her into a full-blown panic attack. She saw her uniform, dirty and burned from the EPS taps exploding around her...and that was it. Where she should be, her physical presence, was gone. Vanished. Disappeared. Invisible. Phased out.

"Oh...my...God." She could barely get the words out. She was still crying as she took the mirror, which looked strange, floating in the air near the cuff of her sleeve.

"Ensign, do you feel all right?" Captain Picard asked.

Cassie tried to contain her sobbing. "Just incredibly...oh, Captain Picard...I don't know how I feel!" she exclaimed, her sobbing becoming more prevalent.

Dr. Crusher administered the tranquilizer. "You'll have to remain here for a few days, Ensign, while we run some more tests on you."

Cassie sniffled a bit. The tranquilizer was working. "If you say so, Doctor. Do you think this is permanent?"

"Commander Data is working on this right now, Ensign. We will know more in a few hours," Captain Picard said.

The captain's voice had a reassuring effect on Cassie...or was it the tranquilizer? Whatever the case, she knew Captain Picard wouldn't lie to her.

===================================================================================

"So, how's my favorite patient today?"

Cassie had been awake for several hours now. She had been having horrible nightmares the past few days, reliving her accident in the Jefferies Tube. Counselor Troi had visited several times, reassuring her that Data and Geordi were working nonstop to reverse her condition.

"As well as can be expected, Dr. Crusher...for an invisible woman." The patient's tunic floated in midair near where Dr. Crusher was standing. The sleeve rolled itself up, in anticipation of the next blood sample.

"No, Cassie, no blood today. You need what you have left," Dr. Crusher said, breaking into a smile.

Cassie couldn't help but smile. She had come to terms with her condition, and if it meant she had to remain this way for the rest of her life, then so be it. There were several races in the Federation that were naturally transparent, so she could probably fit right in there.

"By the way, you have a visitor," Dr. Crusher announced.

"Hey, Duckie, long time, no see," Ensign Nicole Ali said.

Suddenly, the 'cursed' nickname didn't seem important. "Well, Nikki, what do you think? I've always said I needed to lose weight, but..." Cassie said, turning around.

"Yeah, right. I can literally see right through you...always trying your damnedest to get out of work!" Nikki teased.

Cassie didn't appreciate the remark, but let it pass. "Hey, remember what they told us the first day of the Academy, Nikki. I may be the one who just might save your life someday."

"Probably so. I just wanted to drop by and say hi...it's been awfully quiet in our quarters. When will you be coming home?"

"As soon as Dr. Crusher says it's okay. I don't know about going back to work...that'll take some doing."

"Well, I'll talk to Kim...maybe there's something she can do about...umm...well..." Nikki stammered.

"My condition?" Cassie said.

"Um...yeah!" Nikki said quickly, but slightly embarrassed. "Well, it's good to see you, anyway. I gotta get back to work. I'll stop by later," she said as she walked toward the exit.

"Thanks, Nikki," Cassie said as the door slid shut. Her words literally dripped icicles as she began to cry.

"Are you okay, Ensign?" Dr. Crusher asked.

Cassie sniffled a bit. "Not really, Doctor. Nikki's remarks..."

"Were totally uncalled for," Dr. Crusher finished

"Still, though. She didn't have to say the things she did. Counsellor Troi said everyone would react differently to me, as a defense mechanism. Nikki's probably forgotten all about it by now, and is off with that gorgeous bridge officer she's been seeing lately."

Dr. Crusher pulled out her tricorder and Feinberger and scanned Cassie, for the umpteenth time this week. "Well, one thing is certain...I'd try to find a different roommate, if I were you."

"Easier said than done, Doctor." Cassie stopped crying. "Nikki and I have been together ever since before the Academy. Her sister Kim is one of Mr. Mot's assistants, and helped us get assigned here."

Dr. Crusher put the Feinberger away. "Well, there's no change in your physical status right now. I'd say you're ready to go back to your quarters. But, until we hear from Geordi and Data, I can't release you for duty. You will be placed on extended sick leave until then."

"But, Doctor, what if they never find what caused this, or a way to return me to normal?" Cassie said. The panic was starting to grow inside her.

"Cassie, calm down. This is the 24th Century...we will find out what happened, why it happened, and how to fix it," Dr. Crusher said.

"So, in the meantime, I'm supposed to be like a Sorablegen, is that it?"

"Well, if you want to be that transparent, I suppose. What I would do, if I were you, Cassie, is have a little fun. Maybe you could get back at Ensign Ali..."

Cassie reacted to the suggestion. "Dr. Crusher! I could never..."

"You have a unique advantage over the rest of the crew. Sorablegens are not as transparent as you are right now. Maybe you could sneak in to where Ensign Ali is and have a little fun with her." The doctor was smiling.

Cassie couldn't help but do the same, even if Dr. Crusher couldn't see her.

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