I Thought the Cake was Chocolate
Parallels - Season 7 Episode 11
I turned 38 two months back and leading up to my birthday I intended to write about one of my earliest TNG memories, and how the idea of alternate universes splintering off each other based on the choices we make, introduced to my young, already-depressed head by Brannon Braga’s “Parallels,” brought me a deep sense of comfort.
Today I’m 100% confident that we are, all of us, living in hell. But as a kid I was convinced my unhappy childhood and the horrors on the news meant we were living in, statistically speaking, one of the least good universes, if not one of the worst. It made my days lighter, believing that somewhere out there infinite Sam’s were having a much better time than This Sam was.
But despite the alternate universes and some blink-and-you’ll-miss-it time travel, the most sci-fi, most alien component of this episode is how willing everyone is to believe that something is happening to Worf.
When he fumbles the controls at work he isn’t issued a demerit. When he’s short with coworkers he’s not labeled toxic. When Worf is vulnerable, he is met with kindness. When uncertain, he is met with calm. When Geordi dies as a direct result of Worf’s ailment, no one even raises their voice.
More than the Argus Array or time-space fissures, on this mission the crew is investigating Worf, peppering him with questions and tricorders until they get to the bottom of it.
Because Worf wouldn’t choose to behave this way. He doesn’t think this is correct, or appropriate, and he’s right. But he needs help in order to change. And, because he lives in an alternate universe, in an imagined world, in science-fiction, when he extends his hand in need, one is already reaching back.
I Thought the Cake was Chocolate.
I.
Lieutenant, are you listening to me?
Hmm?
What's the matter with you?
I assumed.
A surprise?
I am...sorry.
Thank you.
Ah.
What are you doing?
Worf, are you alright?
Yes, yes. Dizzy.
Some cake?
I thought the cake was chocolate.
What is it?
You watch.
So. How old are you?
I told you not
How old are you?
Old enough.II.
What’s in that?
Uninhabited.
But there could be
III.
Do you have a moment?
Oh?
It has never been
I have always
So?
It is a risk I am willing to take.IV.
Lieutenant, are you all right?
I feel dizzy.
You don't look so good.
Perhaps.
Yes, yes.V.
Any nausea or blurred vision?
No, however I
Don't remember any of this?
No
Temporary memory loss.
Common for this kind of injury.
You hit your head.
That's why you lost.
I won.
I can prove it.VI.
What's wrong?
Someone is playing a trick on me.
Stay calm.
Memory loss can be
very
disorienting.VII.
Lieutenant?
Sir?
Have you it?
I do not remember
What are you saying?
It is as we saw in the imaging.
The imaging?
You saw yourself.
I haven't
Neither have I
Are you feeling alright?
Yes.VIII.
Are you saying
everyone has been altered
but you?
What's wrong?
Don't you see it?IX.
What are you waiting for?
This configuration has been altered.
I do not know how. Are they pursuing us? Mr. LaForge, what's your status? Commander LaForge has been taken to sickbay with plasma burns. What happened back there lieutenant? Another memory loss. What are you talking about? I do not feel well. Request to be relieved.
X.
Why'd you lock the door?
Why shouldn't I?
Are you alright?
I'm not sure.
Do you want to talk about it?
Is there something I can do for you?
If you can't talk to your wife
who can you talk to?
Wife?
What's wrong?
Things are changing.
What's changed?
It is as if events,
circumstances,
continue to change
from moment
to moment,
but I am
the only one
who seems to be
aware of it.
You don't remember?
You don't remember?
I do. But different. And no one believes me. </pre></div><p>XI.</p><div class="preformatted-block" data-component-name="PreformattedTextBlockToDOM"><label class="hide-text" contenteditable="false">Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published</label><pre class="text">Do you remember the first change?
I had a concussion.
Are you sure that was the very first change? At my birthday party, the cake was chocolate, then it was yellow. I thought the cake was chocolate. Where were the people? I was with, then came, present, near. There has to be a connection.
XII.
I thought the cake was chocolate.
XIII.
Doctor, is Geordi well enough to answer a few questions?
Geordi is dead.
I thought the cake was chocolate.
Are we still married?
XIV.
What?
Do you
you don't remember
any of this, do you?
I do, just differently
I thought the cake was chocolate.XV.
Is it dangerous?
XVI.
What realities?
How did this happen?
My original state,
return me to it
What about our children?
Children?
You didn't know?
We have Shannara and
Eric Christopher.
What about Alexander?
Alexander? XVII.
Can we disengage? What the hell is happening? Can we stop these incursions? How would that help? What then? How do we get back where they belong? Anything?
<em>I thought the cake was chocolate.</em></pre></div><p>XVIII.</p><div class="preformatted-block" data-component-name="PreformattedTextBlockToDOM"><label class="hide-text" contenteditable="false">Text within this block will maintain its original spacing when published</label><pre class="text"> Assuming it works,
will I find it myself?
No way to tell. Good luck.
XIX.
We won't go back.
you don't know what
it's like in our universe.
Gone.
Everywhere.
You've got to help us.
No.
We won't go backDirect hit. What happened?
XX.
Is everything alright?
Is there a problem?
No. But I will explain.XXI.
This fissure is
nothing that we
need to worry about? No. No. The inverse resealed it. Something wrong? I will not be surprised. Surprised?
XXII
So you do not live here?
What's that supposed to mean?
It is a long story.
You do not
have to leave.
Oh?
Dinner. Would you join me?
I'd love to.
Champagne. 
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