Ok, here goes, this is fairly long so far so I'm posting it in stages (so that my beta reader doesn't get brain freeze, she's not a big Star Trek fan.) Hope you enjoy, please R&R so that I can make corrections etc, c x
She looked out at the expanse of sea before her. It shimmered in shades of purple as the sun set on her home world. A movement alerted her, belatedly considering her talent, to the presence of another behind her. She turned to find Deanna Troi regarding her.
'Are you ready?' She asked, her full lips not moving.
'Yes, mother, I am.' The girl glanced at the sea once more, feeling a slight pang. A touch on her shoulder reminded her. "Computer, end programme." The image around her dissolved and she was left in the harsh grey and yellow grid of the Holodeck. She was unsure if her mother would disappear with her home world, but seeing her still standing there made her quickly recall which ship she had now been assigned to.
'You were homesick?' A mix of statement and question came into her mind from her mother.
'For Betazed? Yes. Always.' She replied. Since a Starship was no place for a child to grow up, her mother had sent her to their home planet to live with her grandmother. It was only after the death of the indomitable Lwaxana that Deanna had decided to bring her daughter aboard the ship she had then been serving upon. Deanna nodded and turned away from her daughter to the door.
"I remember when I first came aboard a Star Fleet ship." She spoke aloud now, her voice echoing in the empty room. "It was so… alien, and I felt so alone. A young Lieutenant took pity upon me, and helped me create that programme. it has travelled with me ever since. "
"Counsellor Troi, report to the bridge." A voice cracked over the Comm. System, seconds before the hall began flashing red and the ship's Computer's emotionless voice joined the whirring klaxon. "All hands battle stations. Red Alert. All hands battle stations."
"That means me as well then." The girl sighed. Deanna looked at her daughter and nodded, inwardly wishing that she hadn't been assigned to the same ship.
"On my way, Captain." She touched her Combadge and made for the Turbolift, her daughter shadowing her. "Bridge." Lieutenant Troi had been appointed to join them as temporary Tactical Officer, until their official one joined them at the Starbase; Deanna was still undecided as to whether she wanted her daughter onboard or not. This was a Federation Starship, it faced more dangers than one could possibly imagine, and she thought wryly, she should know. She'd been serving aboard them for more than 35 years now, and now all those she cared for most were on board the same ship. The Turbolift doors fssshed open and Deanna moved swiftly to her chair next to the Captain, stumbling once as a torpedo just missed them.
"It exploded off the port bow, Captain, no damage." The ensign manning her daughter's console called out, as his fingers slid across its surface to bring up the information. He glanced towards Lieutenant Troi, standing in the doorway. She always paused there, she couldn't help it, it hadn't sunk in yet that she was really on this ship. It was 16 years since she had first stood on this bridge, a slight four year old with masses of black curly hair and wide oval eyes, clinging to her mother's hand and presence as the gruff captain had smiled down upon his namesake. All had changed now and Jeanne hurried to take her place behind the Captain's chair, smiling briefly at the Ensign as he made space for her.
"Jeanne, report!" the Captain barked. She glanced at the screen.
"The two Borg ships are 20 Kilometres off our Port Nacelle. Firing three photon torpedoes in one shot. No hits." The ship rocked as one made contact, the others flying into space. "Minimal damage, aft shields at 95, all others holding." She read off quickly and succinctly in the clipped tones she had inherited from her father. "Engineering…" she clutched the console as the ship was smashed again, and felt the weight of the young Ensign crash into her back. She stuck an arm out for him to steady himself on and continued. "Engineering reports Warp engines are back online. New damage reports, minor damage to the Starboard Nacelle, shields at 65, minor injuries reported across the ship." Her console flashed as the Ensign pulled himself up to stand beside her. "We're being hailed."
"By the Borg?"
"No, it's a Federation ship, Excelsior Class. I can't read which, the sensors are still malfunctioning." The captain nodded to himself.
"On screen."
"Captain Troi, sensors detect two Borg ships in your vicinity. Do you require assistance?" the familiar face of the Captain of the newly recommissioned Defiant stared down at them. Jeanne smiled slightly at the first Klingon to be awarded Captaincy in Star Fleet.
"Any and all gladly appreciated, we're under attack. It's good to see you, Worf." The captain grinned.
"Just like old times Captain, not so little a ship now though." The Klingon said with a straight face. Jeanne fought down a giggle, remembering a conversation she had been told had happened during the last Borg uprising.
"Worf, you made a joke." A third torpedo hit made the screen crackle.
"Captain, aft shields at 5..." Interrupting her father, she stared at the number; sure it had to be a mistake. Shaking off her shock she continued. "Hull breach on decks 4, 5 and 6. Force fields holding."
"Seal off the areas and divert power to the shields. Worf, your presence is greatly required."
"On my way, with the Valiant and Reliant." Will Troi nodded.
"Enterprise out." He motioned for Jeanne to terminate the video link. "Helm, take us about, lets show these Borg what we're made of. Jeanne, full phaser fire, set them to random, attack plan Riker 20." Deanna glanced at her husband. He looked back. "Deanna, take the helm." Jeanne gaped as her mother rose and took the place of Ensign T'Beg, then turned back to her console.
"Phasers ready, sir." Will looked at his daughter and grinned like a schoolboy in a candy shop.
"Lieutenant, fire at will."
The rest of the attack passed in a blur of several hours. By the time both Borg ships had, somehow, been destroyed, the Federation ships had fared almost as badly. The Enterprise had suffered severe damage, the Reliant was crippled and the Valiant destroyed. Jeanne was too weary to stand, leaning against her Con as she organised rescue shuttles from the Defiant and the Enterprise to collect survivors from the Valiant and the Reliant as the Reliant's life support failed. Finally the only person left aboard the Reliant was her Captain.
"Reliant, this is Lt. Troi of the Enterprise, please prepare for tractor beam and immediate transport."
"Acknowledged Enterprise." The weary voice came across the distance.
"Troi to Transporter Room One."
"Deneuve here, Lieutenant."
"Lock onto the signal from the Reliant and beam him aboard."
"Aye, ma'am." Lieutenant Deneuve replied. Jeanne touched her Combadge again.
"Troi to the Captain."
"Go ahead."
"We are receiving the final survivors now, the Reliant is undertow and her Captain is beaming aboard."
"On my way." The communicator blipped and Jeanne continued to run diagnostics. Will Troi came out of his Ready Room with his First Officer. "Jeanne, you're with me. Commander, you have the bridge." Commander Hall nodded and took his place in the Captain's chair. As the blurry eyed Ensign she had relieved hours before relieved her, Jeanne fell in behind her father and stepped into the Turbolift. "Transporter Room One." They stood silently, until he spoke. "You did well, I'm proud of you."
"Thank you sir." She said, unused to the peculiar position they'd been put in by Starfleet. "I was surprised that you asked Counsellor, mother, to take the helm."
"She knows that manoeuvre best, she was at the helm when it was first used." He smiled, slipping back to his days as Number One aboard the Enterprise. "I thought you'd like to greet the Reliant's Captain yourself." He smiled again, this time at her puzzled look. The doors opened and they walked down the hall to the Transporter Room. "Don't you remember who's been appointed Captain?" the door opened and they entered the Transporter Room as the Captain materialised.
"Captain Troi, permission to come aboard." The lanky dark haired man on the pad requested, a tired look in his eyes.
"Permission granted Captain Cru…" he was interrupted as his daughter gasped, then flew past to hug the man she now recognised.
"Wesley!" She cried to the man she knew so well he was almost a part of her family.
"So this is the infamous Lieutenant Troi." He grinned, kissing her cheek. "You're in trouble young lady." She looked down sheepishly, a slight grin on her face, because she knew what was coming. "You beat my record. Youngest Lieutenant on the Enterprise, quickest through Starfleet Academy, highest in your class. And that was some first rate firing. How are you?" Jeanne grinned and started babbling to him even as her father shook his hand. Will stopped listening as the tired Lieutenant Deneuve attracted his attention.
"Captain Worf requests permission to beam aboard with the Captain of the Valiant." He nodded grimly.
"Wesley, the catch ups will have to wait I'm afraid, Worf is bringing Captain Davies aboard." Jeanne let Wesley go, and glanced at her padd.
"I'm expected in Engineering, see you at the briefing Uncle Wesley. Nat, are we still on for a drink when this shift ends?" she directed the last at Deneuve as she triangulated the incoming signal from the Defiant.
"Of course Jeanne. I'll see you in Ten Forward at 0100 hours." She replied, not taking her eyes off her controls or the Transporter Pad.
No sooner had Jeanne stepped out of the Turbolift onto the Engineering Deck, than Hall hailed her Combadge.
"Lieutenant Troi to the Bridge."
"Acknowledged." She said wearily, stepping back into the Lift. "Bridge."