I own nothing, so should Paramount sue me they'd get sod all, but all the same I wish to state I do not own any characters from Star Trek be they the original series, The Next Generation, Deep Space Nine, Voyager or Enterprise. I am merely borrowing them for a while and promise to give them a wash in warm soapy water before I return them. I am not making any financial gain from this story.

However, Taryn Prior is mine along with the many other original characters in this story.

This story is an AU tangent based on my series A Most Unlikely Hero. One of the possible universes from Volume 3 Tempus Fugit. It features characters created by me for my Barclay universe, but is a stand alone story.

It's a WIP, but around 2 thirds complete so far. This story (and others it spawns) will feature shorter, titled chapters (because I feel like it.) I hope to post twice a week, although this may slow as a lot is going on for me at the moment.

Pastures new

Stardate 44005.6

2366 AD

Barclay sighed as he packed his things, it barely seemed a day ago he unpacked when he transferred from the Zhukov. He paused as the door chimed, sorely tempted to pretend he was out but he knew it wouldn't wash. He could see the irony. No one ever visited him in his quarters since the day he enlisted. He finally had… perhaps not friends, not yet but Geordi had been kind to him as had… He drove the thought of her out of his mind. It was pointless, hopeless. He'd always known that deep down but despite Counsellor Troi knowing about his holodeck habit and her role in it she had been nothing but supportive and fought his corner. Despite the fact it put her offside with the First Officer, rumoured to be her ex-boyfriend. Riker had showed himself to be the pretty mannequin in a fancy uniform he had always suspected he was. Word of Barclay's sawn off version of him had spread throughout the ship, although not by Barclay's doing. Someone managed to undelete Barclay's programs and the Midget Musketeer was spread through every program like a virus. He popped up on the beach at Risa, the P'Jem monastery, even a battle simulation. The re-engineered dwarf turned out to be a parting gift form a pretty Engineering tech the libidinous Commander had wined, dined, more than likely sixty-nined, pumped, dumped and unceremoniously rotated from the Enterprise crew. For a man famed for his sense of humour Riker turned out to be an extremely poor sport. His first act as Captain was to levy charges against Barclay with Starfleet Command while Picard's seat was barely cold and nanoprobes were still colonising his body.

Never mind the fact Reg solved the mystery of the malfunctions plaguing the Enterprise and saved the ship.

Never mind the fact his conduct had been nothing short of exemplary since.

Never mind he'd held his nerve against the Borg.

"Come in." he replied tiredly and didn't even look up to see who it was.

"I nearly didn't recognise you without your clothes on." Beverly commented.

He choked and looked up. "Excuse me?" he blushed.

"You're out of uniform. It's an old joke." Dr Crusher quirked her lip. "You make a handsome civilian Mr Barclay." She winced perceptibly as he flinched at the word civilian and he scratched at the collar of his cotton shirt. He knew she didn't mean to strike a nerve but wearing civilian clothing did make him feel naked. He missed his uniform, he missed his combadge and he even missed his issued sidearm, despite the fact he loathed the phaser and had never even fired it. "I came to remind you I need to see you in sickbay before you disembark."

"W…why?" Reg asked incredulously. "That's n…not standard p…procedure."

"We've got an outbreak of Arethian Flu in the Nursery. Starbase 64 want everyone leaving the ship to be screened." Beverly explained. "It's a precaution Mr Barclay."

"I…I don't g…go anywhere near the Nursery. People don't exactly like the idea of their k…kid's being around the Holof…f…fu.." Beverly touched his arm to calm him. Alongside the official campaign to oust him from his commission there had been an unofficial and far more sinister movement. Whispers and name-calling was the least of it, none of which could be linked back to the First Officer of course and many of the crew believed he was some kind of sex-offender. Dogs, cats, tribbles, children, no one was safe in his howling holographic sexual rampages if the scuttlebutt was to be believed. Even if he hadn't been dishonourably discharged his place on the ship was becoming untenable. Since his discharge no one cared about the real reasons, it was a guilty verdict with no trial. To think he thought he couldn't feel worse when everyone behaved as though he didn't exist.

"I don't object to you being around my kid." she told him gently. "You've worked alongside people with children in the nursery. As I said, it's procedure." She eyed him appraisingly and quirked her lip. "It's also an order from the only person on board that can still give you an order. Medical grounds." She prodded his chest and smiled. "It won't take long, I promise."

…

"No you don't." Geordi said as Reg turned to leave on seeing the group gathered in Sickbay. He grabbed his arm and dragged him in, taking his bag from him.

"Y…you d…don't have to do this." Barclay protested. "I r…really d…don't want any hoopla."

"We know, we just wanted the opportunity to say good bye." Counsellor Troi smiled and led him towards Beverly's office.

"Yeah, not everyone is happy you're leaving." Wesley added.

"It seems unfair given the effort you have made to improve your conduct." Data added.

Geordi handed him a padd. "It's not much, but we've all written personal letters of reference for you. We can't as officers but… maybe it will help."

Reg was genuinely touched. "Thank you." he whispered. "I really appreciate it."

"What will you do?" Beverly asked.

"I'm going to visit with my Dad for a while. I've no idea after that." he said sadly.

"Give yourself time to adjust." Deanna advised.

"I'll have plenty of that I suppose." He forced a smile.

…

"I feel awful Data." Wesley whispered as Barclay opened a gift Guinan had handed him. "I started the whole Broccoli thing."

"You are not responsible." Data assured him. "You have not been party to the other rumours that have been circulating. In fact, I have heard you defend him at every opportunity."

"I just… It's not how I ever saw Starfleet. I always thought it was fair and noble. This has all been…" Wesley trailed off lost for words. "Barclay's just different. He doesn't deserve to be driven out."

"I am inclined to agree." Data stated, both of them acutely aware that what hung unspoken was that they were both different. Could they be next?

The group of officers and crew accompanied him as he walked towards the air lock. Suddenly they froze as a group of crewmen stood in the way menacingly.

"Look, it's the Holofucker, and he doesn't have his uniform to protect him anymore." One of them grinned.

"Stand down." Data stated as he stepped forward. "That is an order Mr Preston." he added as the group did not disperse and Preston shaped up to him.

"What are you going to do about it?" the man sneered. "Call security?" He snorted. "Worf's on our side and so's the Captain."

"I thought you wanted him off the ship?" Wesley stated, "So get out of the way and let him leave, you moron."

"Oh, we'll make sure he leaves." Preston grinned and reached out to grab Barclay. Preston screamed and fell to his knees, his finger gripped by Data's thumb and forefinger.

"Assaulting a civilian is a serious offence. You have two options. Either I release you and you and your associates return to your quarters. Or I release you and should you impede Mr Barclay's progress further I shall drag you directly to the Judge Advocate General's office on this Starbase for them to hear his complaint and our witness statements. Unfortunately, I cannot guarantee which of your appendages I will be able to obtain a secure grip on. Do I make myself clear?" he stated calmly.

"We have shore leave. You can't send us to our quarters." one of the other's protested.

"Thank you for clarifying the situation Mr Hargrove." Data stated, ignoring the wriggling crewman in his grasp. "Your leave is cancelled. You and your accomplices are confined to quarters for the duration of our stay at Starbase 63 for defying a direct order."

"We'll go, we'll go." Preston pleaded. He backed away as Data released him, clutching his finger. "Wait till Riker hears about this. You'll be sorry android."

Data graciously waved his friends through.

"Did he just say what I think he said?" Geordi grinned as he fell into step with Data who raised a brow at his friend.

…

There was another group at the entrance to the airlock. This time Riker and Worf were among them, they remained silent as they approached, their expressions grim.

"Good luck Mr Barclay." Data said as he shook Reg's hand followed by each of them in turn apart from Beverly and Guinan who both gave him a hug causing him to blush scarlet, leaving Deanna.

"Be sure and write to let me know how you are?" the Counsellor smiled and kissed his cheek.

"I will." he assured her with a smile.

"Clear this airlock." Riker ordered tersely. The bastard had got what he wanted and he still couldn't leave it alone.

Barclay grabbed the Counsellor and dipped her, kissing her passionately. He had no idea at all where he got the courage, bloody mindedness he suspected. To be honest he didn't care. This was his last opportunity for a smooch with the woman of his dreams and he was damn well taking it.

"I said clear this airlock." Riker bellowed.

"Sorry, it was that or punch him in the face." Reg whispered as he stroked her cheek tenderly and she looked at him with a shocked expression.

"I understand." she replied with a smile and kissed him softly on the lips, realising he hadn't kissed her out of transference, unrequited love or passion. It was simply revenge. Barclay shifted his bag on his shoulder noticing the scowl on Riker's face as he muttered in the ear of Lieutenant Barrymore, an officer from Stella Cartography that Barclay barely knew. She followed him onto the Starbase as he left the Enterprise D forever.