Survival Of The Fittest.
DISCLAIMER: Usual... I own nothing of the Star Trek™ Universe I am borrowing it, I only own the characters that are not cannon.
Feed back loved and welcome!
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PROLOGUE:
THREE MONTHS BEFORE:
"Mother! It's none of your concern!"
"None of my concern! Deanna, I am your Mother and its high time you listened to me!"
After the Enterprise-E had left the Briar Patch and the Ba'Ku people, Deanna had left for shoreleave, much to the dismay of Will Riker, but She had much to think about. She had been on Betazed for a month and she had two months left. Her mother had not stopped. Every time she spoke to Deanna, her choice of topic was always the same- marriage and her relationship with William Riker.
"Mother, Will and I are simply friends. There's nothing more to it!"
"Deanna, I have stood patiently by, but now I must intervene!"
"No, Mother, no! I have had enough of your intervention; this is no longer up to you. This is about me and my life, I will decide when the time is right not you!"
For the first time in her life Deanna Troi turned her back on her mother and she knew it had an impact on the proud Betazoid who was her Mother.
"I would have sooner died than speak to my mother like that!" Lwaxanna exclaimed, her purple dress shimmering and crinkling as she walked to face her daughter. "If you will not take my counsel, then I have no choice Deanna."
"Mother, don't even think that!" Deanna Troi knew exactly what her mother was about to say. "I forbid it!"
"You will prepare for `Men-Tarras'."
"I will not, you know how it will affect…"
"You have no choice, I demand it!" the older Betazoid interrupted.
"Then I refuse to co operate!"
"And I have no daughter!" Lwaxanna stormed out of the room they stood in.
Deanna breathed deeply to calm herself, as she had done many times in the past, but still the anger and fury would not stop.
An hour later she was already on her way off Betazed and back to her `Home' on the Enterprise-E. Captain Picard had seemed surprised when she had told him that she was returning early from her shore leave, but she explained that she wanted to get back to work and that she had felt recovered enough to return. Deanna looked out of the window of the small shuttle and could see her mother's house even from this height. It looked lonely and cold, a strange sight for the house to have. It had always seemed warm and welcoming.
`Snap out of it, Deanna! It's over!' She silently scolded herself.
Her mother probably wouldn't even notice she was gone.
In the Troi Mansion, Lwaxanna Troi, had indeed felt her daughter go. Tradition commanded her to make the drastic threat, but though she didn't want to hurt her daughter like that, she had an obligation to do as tradition demanded. She began the preparations.
The small craft landed in the Shuttle Bay of the Enterprise-E. As Deanna Troi stepped off the platform she was surprised to find Will Riker waiting for her. It was nice to see him again, but knowing what her mother was planning, she felt so unsure of him.
"Hello stranger." He said smiling.
She smiled back at him as the feelings of strength and friendship flowed from him to her. Will handed her a bunch of flame-coloured roses.
"What's this in aid of?" She asked suspiciously, knowing exactly why he had given them to her and also knowing she could not allow their relationship to go any further than it had.
"Nothing much, just to say `Welcome back'."
"I've only been gone a month."
"I know, but I missed you."
Deanna smiled, again, and hugged him tightly. She kissed him lightly on his cheek.
"Thank you, it's very thoughtful of you, Imzadi."
He smiled back at her in his usual charming way as they left the Shuttle Bay.
TWO MONTHS LATER:
The ships exploded not one by one, as before, but in groups of three or more. The Federation fleet, patrolling the outskirts of the Betazoid system, was shrinking by the second. He channelled his ship's communicator to Starfleet Command.
"This is Captain Jack Spencer of the Starship `California'. The fleet at Betazed is lost. Repeat we are the last ship… heavy casualties…Betazed under attack…PDS offline…from planet surface…"
Then there was nothing, but silence.
"Counsellor?"
"Yes, Commander?" Deanna answered as the tall First Officer strode up the corridor behind her.
"You do remember that we're supposed to finish the Crew Evaluation reports tonight, don't you?"
"I'm afraid it will have to be some other time, Commander. One of my patients has booked an emergency sessions." She began to walk away, but Will placed a hand on her arm to stop her. She continued to walk, as did he.
"Deanna…" she looked up into his blue eyes, trying to ignore the hurt and urgency in them. "Why are you ignoring me?"
"Ignoring you?" she repeated. "I'm not ignoring you. I've had a lot of work to catch up on since I got back. You know that."
By now they had entered the turbolift and were surprised to find that, for once, they were both heading for the same place- the Main Bridge. The short ride seemed to drag on forever, as Riker and Troi stood in an uncomfortable silence, each of them lost in their own contemplations. The turbolift finally came to a halt and the doors slid open with a hiss to reveal the Bridge of the Enterprise-E. Deanna Troi and Will Riker took their customary seats to the left and right of Captain Jean-Luc Picard.
This Bridge, thought Troi, was not as welcoming as the one on the Enterprise-D had been; though this one was considerably larger. Everything on the Bridge was a dark metallic grey colour and the lights were low. The Enterprise-E was, in every aspect, a war ship.
It had been very quiet for the Enterprise crew ever since the Ba'Ku mission. The most `fun' they had had was when they had been called away from their fifth mapping mission, in order to track down a stolen cargo ship. Today was no different. They had been assigned, yet another, mapping mission and, as usual, nothing of remote interest had occurred or was expected.
For a while nothing was said, except for a few murmured reports from Engineering crews and the like. Jean-Luc Picard turned to his left.
"Counsellor, how's my crew?"
"To be honest, Captain, the only major report I've had is that people are bored with these missions. However, I believe that is a general feeling." Commented the petite Betazoid with a smile.
"Very true, Counsellor. So, no other problems? No plans of mutiny?"
"No, Sir. Though, perhaps that might be more interesting."
"Number One, perhaps, you would care to suggest a mutiny to the crew?" said Picard, as he turned to his right.
The younger man flashed his famous smile.
As the Captain and First Officer spoke, Deanna Troi began to feel the familiar pangs of guilt. This hadn't been the first time she'd felt this, but they never got easier to ignore. It certainly wasn't easy when Will Riker smiled like that. She could feel his concern for her, but what could she do? She had to stay away from him as much as possible, if she was going to make this easier for him, and for her.
Her thoughts were interrupted by Data's voice.
"Captain, I am receiving a communiqué from Starfleet Command. It is classified as `Captain's eyes only', sir." Reported the gold-skinned android.
"Very well. Transfer it to my Ready Room, Mr Data." Commanded Picard, as he made his way across the Bridge.
"Aye, sir."
An hour later, Picard emerged from his Ready Room looking haggard. Troi felt the familiar, guarded emotional turmoil within her Captain, but she did not probe any deeper to discover its cause. He took his seat, and staring straight ahead, spoke to Riker and Troi.
"I want the two of you to learn everything you can about the Dominion and the Dominion-Cardassian Treaty."
"Is there a new threat, Captain?" asked Riker, silently pleased to have been ordered to work with Deanna.
"I'm not at liberty to discuss much with you, Number One, but I can tell you that there is a threat and it's a little too close to home for Starfleet's liking, or mine."
Will nodded and moved over to a computer console on the far side of the Bridge. Picard turned to his left and noticed that Deanna still stood at her post, looking hesitant. Did she sense what he knew? Did she know the Dominion's next target, like he did?
"Problem, Counsellor?" he queried.
She opened her mouth, as if to speak, but she quickly closed it again, shacking her head and unwillingly made her way across the Bridge.
It was two hours later and Will Riker was still working. Captain Picard had disappeared into his Ready Room. Deanna hadn't said a word. Will looked at her beside him. As she read from the screen in front of her, he noticed how the green light of the computer screen reflected onto her and highlighted her eyes.
"Deanna?" she continued to read, so he decided to use a different approach. "Counsellor?"
"Yes, Commander?" she answered still not looking at him.
"You okay?"
"Of course. Why wouldn't I be?"
"I don't know. You're just very quiet."
"That's because we've been given a job to do and I'm doing it." She said, through clenched teeth, still reading from the screen.
She could sense his dissatisfaction at her answer, but he went back to his work. Again, the pangs of guilt returned.
For a while she continued to read, but after half an hour something changed. Something began to push its way into her mind. She couldn't place the emotion or its source. She looked around the Bridge for the source. Data? No, his emotion chip was still deactivated. Lieutenant Springer at the Tactical station? No, he was bored. Will? No, all his concentration was on his task. Picard entered the Bridge from his Ready Room. Deanna quickly probed him, but, no, her Captain was not the source of the emotion either. She turned back to her task. Soon the emotion became stronger, like a buzzing noise in her mind gradually becoming louder and louder. At first the emotions were just uncomfortable and she could quickly rid herself of them by rubbing her temples with the tips of her fingers, but soon that no longer worked. She stood to leave the Bridge, so as to compose herself further, but Will saw her getting up.
"Where are you going? We're not finished here." He whispered, concern etched in his voice.
He watched as her eyes pleaded with him not to make a scene of this. Something, Will knew, was definitely wrong with her.
For a moment the unidentifiable feelings subsided and she visibly relaxed.
"It's nothing. I'm…" her voice failed, as an even larger, more forceful wave of emotion hit her. Hundreds of minds cried out to her at once. It had the effect of having her body slammed against a brick wall. Her mind was unable to cope with the amount of telepathic input. Her eyes rolled to the back of her head, as she fell to the Bridge floor. Will Riker and Jean-Luc Picard leant over the unconscious Counsellor. It had happened so fast that neither of them had been prepared.
"Sickbay, medical emergency on the Bridge!" shouted Picard into his commbadge.
`Doctor Crusher has been informed.' Came the computer's flat voice.
Suddenly Deanna Troi began to shout, scream and cry all at once.
"Deanna, Imzadi, it's alright. I'm here." Cried Will, as he took her hand in his own and touched her forehead to calm her. It had no affect.
She began to scream absurdities in English and Betazoid at some unseen assailant. She began crying to be left alone, for her children, spouse, brothers and sisters to be released. Sometimes she
would cry in the earth tongue, but most of the time she would speak in her native Betazoid tongue.
"Oh, Gods, please! Let them take me, but please save my children!" her voice sounded with voices of many.
At first Will thought she was being over run by Borg, but gradually he realised that she was being taken over by hundreds of separate minds.
"I can't calm her, sir. I don't know what happened, she was fine and then she fainted."
"It's alright, Will. Beverley will find out."
As if that was her cue from a play, Beverley Crusher entered the Bridge. The small Betazoid suddenly and eerily fell silent. The blonde haired Doctor scanned the unconscious Betazoid and injected something into her with a hypospray. Beverley and Will lifted Deanna into the seat beside them.
"Report, Doctor?" Jean-Luc Picard ordered.
"There's not much to report on, Sir. I can't explain exactly what happened, but I do know that she was simultaneously receiving thousands of telepathic messages. My theory is that her mind could not cope with that much input and that's why she lost consciousness." She glanced quickly at the stirring Betazoid and then looked back at her Captain and First Officer. "I've given her something that will help her control these links until they subside, but as you can see she's already beginning to wake up."
Picard and Crusher walked back to the Command Centre as Riker knelt down to be nearer to Deanna.
"Deanna, can you hear me?" she nodded slightly. "Open your eyes, Imzadi." She did so and Will breathed a sigh of relief. "Are you okay? What happened?"
"My people, for some reason, are in a state of great terror and panic. Their minds reached out to me even at this distance. Will, something is terribly wrong on Betazed!"
Their conversation was broken by Data's voice.
"Captain, I am receiving another communiqué from Starfleet Command. It requests that all senior staff be present to hear it."
"Very well, Mr Data. Contact Commander LaForge and get him up here."
"Aye, sir."
"Captain Picard, this is Admiral Osan."
"Yes, you spoke to me a few hours ago." The Admiral nodded at Picard.
"I need to inform you and your senior staff that the fleet at Betazed was lost. Another small fleet has been sent, but Betazed is now under Dominion and Cardassian occupation. You should remain on your present mission. However, I will be transmitting a message to you, which I would like your crew to decode. It was sent to us before communications with Betazed was lost. We believe it is from our people." The Admiral quickly glanced around the Bridge and spotted Deanna. " My condolences go out to you, Commander Troi. Osan out."
"No!" Troi exclaimed in a whisper.
Riker draped his arm over her shoulders.
"Is that what you felt, Deanna?"
"It must have been." Her professionalism quickly took over, not allowing her to dwell on the news. "Captain, I am confused. What Fleet was the Admiral talking about?"
Jean-Luc Picard thought for a second, suppose there was no need to hide it from her now.
"Starfleet Command suspected, and rightly so, that Betazed was the next target for the Dominion-Cardassian threat. Command placed a Fleet of our ships at the Boarder of the Betazoid system.
"But how could they have gotten past the Planetary Defence shields?"
"According to reports, the Planetary Defence System was taken offline from the planet's surface." Said Data.
"But that's impossible." She interrupted. "The codes are only known by the heads of council." Said Troi. "Why aren't we being sent as part of the fleet?"
"I'm sure the Federation Council has good reasons for not sending us, Counsellor."
"But, sir…"
"Deanna, they don't need us on the front line all the time." Riker said.
Deanna didn't reply at first. She looked down and then quietly said,
"Captain, may I be excused?"
"Of course, Counsellor."
"Deanna, do you want me to go with you?" Asked Will. Deanna carried on walking. "Deanna?" still she ignored him.
She had wrapped her arms around herself, as if cold. The turbolift doors closed and Will saw her wipe away the tears that had started to fall. Will began to walk towards the turbolift, but a hand touched him gently on his arm, stopping him in his tracks. He turned to see Beverley Crusher staring intensely at him.
"Don't, Will. She needs time to think." Said Beverley.
"How long… do you think she'll be alright?" he asked, correcting his usual impatience.
"I don't know." She answered…
ONE WEEK LATER:
PERSONAL LOG: Counsellor Deanna Troi.
"It has been one week since the news of my home world's occupation by the Dominion and I am still in shock. I fear for the lives of my Mother and those who are known to me and, in a way, have feelings of guilt for not being with them. If I had stayed for the full duration of my Shore leave I would have been with them when the Dominion took over. I fear that I will be unable to make amends with my Mother with whom I had a disagreement, before I left Betazed. I am constantly having feelings of joy…no, joy is the wrong word…of relief that my Mother has been caught in this Occupation, as it will prevent her from carrying out the ritual of `Men-Tarras', an ancient ritual of my people. These feelings have to be wrong, how can I wish so badly of my own Mother?
I have begun some personal research into the occupations of other Dominion controlled planets; the news is not good. My attempts at decoding a federation message have also failed. I don't seem to be able to do anything right at the moment. I've diagnosed six crew members wrongly and I know Captain Picard and the senior staff are becoming more and more agitated with me, but I don't know what to do about it!
The first half of the plan had been completed, now the three friends sat discussing the next step. A Cardassian soldier entered the room with a bow,
"I apologise for the intrusion, Gul Du'Rek, Captain, Commander." He said, respectively bowing to each one of the men. "But I thought you should know that all the Betazoids under guard have been successfully administered with the Anti-telepathy treatment by Doctor Del Grent."
"Excellent, thank you, Lieutenant. Now," The old Gul turned to his Comrades. "Back to business…"
As the lieutenant left, he watched the three friends, two Cardassians and a Human, huddle back together to create mischief.
