Chapter One
Commander Nicholas Hunter stood quietly in front of the big bay window at the front of the ship's bar. Not called 'Ten Forward', the 'Forge' had certainly gained in popularity, mostly among the junior officers, since its inception shortly after the launch of the Enterprise - E. The stars streaked past the window in their usual rainbow effect as Hunter stood there, seemingly contemplating the fate of the universe behind those dark, green eyes.
He had accepted the posting a Chief Tactical Officer to the Enterprise at the request of one of his oldest friends, Will Riker. The two had known each other for many years now, first making their acquaintance on Betazed some years ago, where they had both been stationed as young and raw lieutenants. Will hadn't changed much over the years and the beard did suit him, made him look like less of an ensign, Hunter thought. Nick had been especially surprised when he'd heard that Deanna was posted here on the Enterprise as well. Oh, he knew the ship's roster was common knowledge throughout the fleet, but he rarely kept up with such things. It seemed trivial to him to do so, when one's crew mates could end up dead without a moment's notice.
It was with these thoughts running through his head, that he pondered his new position here aboard the Federation flagship. Had he made the right choice, coming here? He had no problem serving under Picard and Riker, God only knew that for sure, but Will was a friend as, well as Deanna. And he had no desire to see either of them hurt...or worse. Hunter had made direct efforts, in fact, to avoid serving with people he knew or had relationships with. It was best that way, less clutter for the mind when it got nasty out here in the vastness of space. And he knew, above all else, how nasty it could get out here. He knew all too well.
"What's so interesting?" a voice said from behind the preoccupied commander. Nick turned slightly to see Deanna Troi standing behind him, hands clasped in front of her, an ever present smile on her face. Will was a lucky man indeed, to have found this woman.
Hunter's smile came more easily than he would have thought possible, but then, Deanna had always had a way of making him smile. Of the three of them, she had been the one to change the most in the intervening years between their first meeting. She was lovely as ever, but these days, she seemed to walk with an air of confidence about her and that was a far cry from the waifish girl that he and Riker had met so many years ago.
Indeed, Nick had often told Riker he was a fool not to have married the woman outright, but he supposed things worked out for the best in those matters, given enough time. Hunter himself, had been quite taken with Deanna, but it was her best friend at the time of their meeting that had captured his heart like nothing or no one else had ever done.
Hunter stood six feet, one inch tall and weighed in at a well muscled two hundred and fifty pounds. He kept his hair long and tied back in a pony tail, still within regulation and wore a beard in much the same style as Riker. The only thing different about him now, as opposed to then, was that he had a few more lines around his eyes that had shone so brightly in his youth. Lines and experience, that was. And loss.
As Will Riker was preparing to leave Betazed, Nicholas Hunter had been making other arrangements. He had been making wedding arrangements.
Alexandra Troi had been Deanna's cousin, from her father's side and had taken up residence on Betazed with the Trois, shortly after her parents had been killed in a border skirmish with Cardassian rogue elements several years before. From the start, Alex was completely different from Deanna. Where Deanna was uncertain, Alex had an unwaivering surety about her. Her blonde hair cascaded down her back in waves of pure golden fire and her eyes were the bluest Hunter had ever seen in his life. Will had understood in an instant, the attraction that his friend felt for Deanna's cousin. Riker had even commented that Nick had better watch himself or he'd end up married at a very young age. He hadn't known just how prophetic his words had been.
In the year that followed their meeting, he and Alex grew closer and closer, even as he watched Riker and Troi drift apart. He had never understood that, really. He knew Will's career was important to him, but was that all that had mattered to him? So, as Will prepared to leave Betazed and Deanna behind, Nick had signed up for another tour on the beautiful planet and married Alexandra on the one year anniversary of their meeting. Deanna had been Alex's maid of honor and they had both agreed to forgo the ritual of having a best man. Will had been the only one Nick would have considered for the position, but with his departure, it just wouldn't seem right having someone else standing there beside him.
Deanna, still hurt from Riker's leaving, tried to be as gracious as she could, but the pain was far too evident in her dark eyes. Lwaxana, Deanna's mother, was equally hurt but more anger showed in her eyes than anything else. After Hunter's tour had been served on Betazed, he and Alex had signed onto various starships together. Hunter had never been happier in his life. And then, their last assignment. The USS Melbourne.
It had been destroyed in the BORG invasion of 2367, only a handful of survivors made it to the escape pods. Alexandra hadn't been one of the lucky ones.
"Nothing," Hunter finally answered the Counselor, who had been standing there for more than a few moments now, concern etched on her face, "Nothing that I feel like discussing right now, Deanna. Where's Will?"
Hunter watched as Troi's features visibly softened at the mention of her 'Imzadi', "Waiting for you, I believe. He asked me to find you. There's been an...incident, and Starfleet is sending us in to investigate."
Hunter turned and faced Troi now, an eyebrow arching, "An incident? What sort?"
Troi shook her head as Hunter and she began walking toward the exit of the Forge, "He wasn't very clear on that, but both he and the Captain do not appear to be in a good humor over it. All Will would say, was that it involved the Guardian."
Hunter stopped them both short of the door, "As in, 'The Guardian of Forever'? The mechanism that James Kirk found?"
"Yes, the same," Troi answered, "Do you know of it?"
Hunter nodded as they resumed their walk and entered the corridor, "I know something about it, yes. It's still on Starfleet's classified lists, but I have seen the reports that Kirk submitted from the original Enterprise. I don't know how he stood it, really," Nicholas said as they walked.
Troi's brow furrowed slightly, she didn't have to be an empath to know what Hunter was thinking about at the moment, it was all too evident on his face. Alexandra.
Hunter seemd to come to himself after a moment and then smiled slightly, "I guess we'd better not keep the Captain and Will waiting then, should we?"
With that, they both entered the turbo lift that would take them to the Bridge and the briefing that would change their lives forever.
Commander Nicholas Hunter stood quietly in front of the big bay window at the front of the ship's bar. Not called 'Ten Forward', the 'Forge' had certainly gained in popularity, mostly among the junior officers, since its inception shortly after the launch of the Enterprise - E. The stars streaked past the window in their usual rainbow effect as Hunter stood there, seemingly contemplating the fate of the universe behind those dark, green eyes.
He had accepted the posting a Chief Tactical Officer to the Enterprise at the request of one of his oldest friends, Will Riker. The two had known each other for many years now, first making their acquaintance on Betazed some years ago, where they had both been stationed as young and raw lieutenants. Will hadn't changed much over the years and the beard did suit him, made him look like less of an ensign, Hunter thought. Nick had been especially surprised when he'd heard that Deanna was posted here on the Enterprise as well. Oh, he knew the ship's roster was common knowledge throughout the fleet, but he rarely kept up with such things. It seemed trivial to him to do so, when one's crew mates could end up dead without a moment's notice.
It was with these thoughts running through his head, that he pondered his new position here aboard the Federation flagship. Had he made the right choice, coming here? He had no problem serving under Picard and Riker, God only knew that for sure, but Will was a friend as, well as Deanna. And he had no desire to see either of them hurt...or worse. Hunter had made direct efforts, in fact, to avoid serving with people he knew or had relationships with. It was best that way, less clutter for the mind when it got nasty out here in the vastness of space. And he knew, above all else, how nasty it could get out here. He knew all too well.
"What's so interesting?" a voice said from behind the preoccupied commander. Nick turned slightly to see Deanna Troi standing behind him, hands clasped in front of her, an ever present smile on her face. Will was a lucky man indeed, to have found this woman.
Hunter's smile came more easily than he would have thought possible, but then, Deanna had always had a way of making him smile. Of the three of them, she had been the one to change the most in the intervening years between their first meeting. She was lovely as ever, but these days, she seemed to walk with an air of confidence about her and that was a far cry from the waifish girl that he and Riker had met so many years ago.
Indeed, Nick had often told Riker he was a fool not to have married the woman outright, but he supposed things worked out for the best in those matters, given enough time. Hunter himself, had been quite taken with Deanna, but it was her best friend at the time of their meeting that had captured his heart like nothing or no one else had ever done.
Hunter stood six feet, one inch tall and weighed in at a well muscled two hundred and fifty pounds. He kept his hair long and tied back in a pony tail, still within regulation and wore a beard in much the same style as Riker. The only thing different about him now, as opposed to then, was that he had a few more lines around his eyes that had shone so brightly in his youth. Lines and experience, that was. And loss.
As Will Riker was preparing to leave Betazed, Nicholas Hunter had been making other arrangements. He had been making wedding arrangements.
Alexandra Troi had been Deanna's cousin, from her father's side and had taken up residence on Betazed with the Trois, shortly after her parents had been killed in a border skirmish with Cardassian rogue elements several years before. From the start, Alex was completely different from Deanna. Where Deanna was uncertain, Alex had an unwaivering surety about her. Her blonde hair cascaded down her back in waves of pure golden fire and her eyes were the bluest Hunter had ever seen in his life. Will had understood in an instant, the attraction that his friend felt for Deanna's cousin. Riker had even commented that Nick had better watch himself or he'd end up married at a very young age. He hadn't known just how prophetic his words had been.
In the year that followed their meeting, he and Alex grew closer and closer, even as he watched Riker and Troi drift apart. He had never understood that, really. He knew Will's career was important to him, but was that all that had mattered to him? So, as Will prepared to leave Betazed and Deanna behind, Nick had signed up for another tour on the beautiful planet and married Alexandra on the one year anniversary of their meeting. Deanna had been Alex's maid of honor and they had both agreed to forgo the ritual of having a best man. Will had been the only one Nick would have considered for the position, but with his departure, it just wouldn't seem right having someone else standing there beside him.
Deanna, still hurt from Riker's leaving, tried to be as gracious as she could, but the pain was far too evident in her dark eyes. Lwaxana, Deanna's mother, was equally hurt but more anger showed in her eyes than anything else. After Hunter's tour had been served on Betazed, he and Alex had signed onto various starships together. Hunter had never been happier in his life. And then, their last assignment. The USS Melbourne.
It had been destroyed in the BORG invasion of 2367, only a handful of survivors made it to the escape pods. Alexandra hadn't been one of the lucky ones.
"Nothing," Hunter finally answered the Counselor, who had been standing there for more than a few moments now, concern etched on her face, "Nothing that I feel like discussing right now, Deanna. Where's Will?"
Hunter watched as Troi's features visibly softened at the mention of her 'Imzadi', "Waiting for you, I believe. He asked me to find you. There's been an...incident, and Starfleet is sending us in to investigate."
Hunter turned and faced Troi now, an eyebrow arching, "An incident? What sort?"
Troi shook her head as Hunter and she began walking toward the exit of the Forge, "He wasn't very clear on that, but both he and the Captain do not appear to be in a good humor over it. All Will would say, was that it involved the Guardian."
Hunter stopped them both short of the door, "As in, 'The Guardian of Forever'? The mechanism that James Kirk found?"
"Yes, the same," Troi answered, "Do you know of it?"
Hunter nodded as they resumed their walk and entered the corridor, "I know something about it, yes. It's still on Starfleet's classified lists, but I have seen the reports that Kirk submitted from the original Enterprise. I don't know how he stood it, really," Nicholas said as they walked.
Troi's brow furrowed slightly, she didn't have to be an empath to know what Hunter was thinking about at the moment, it was all too evident on his face. Alexandra.
Hunter seemd to come to himself after a moment and then smiled slightly, "I guess we'd better not keep the Captain and Will waiting then, should we?"
With that, they both entered the turbo lift that would take them to the Bridge and the briefing that would change their lives forever.