Hi everyone- here's Nemesis! Usual disclaimer, blah blah, please R/R.


"Duty."

The crowd of people was silent, gazing intently at Captain Picard as he made his speech. It was hard not to keep looking at Deanna Troi- Riker now- in her beautiful pink gown, seated next to her husband. Nor could very many detect the waver beneath Picard's mock-stern voice.

"A starship captain's life is filled with solomn duty. I have commanded men in battle. I have negotiated peace treaties between implacable enemies. I have represented the Federation in first contact with twenty-seven alien species. But none of this compares to my solemn duty as…" he paused for effect. "Best man."

From their center seat at the table, Will and Deanna laughed along with the rest of the guests, as Picard continued to feign sternness. "Now, I know that on an occasion such as this it is expected that I be gracious and fulsome with praise on the wonders of this blessed union… But have you two considered what you're doing to me? Of course you're happy. But what about my needs?! This is all a damned inconvenience…" He continued despite the crowd's laughter. "While you're happily settling in on the Titan, I'll have to train my new first officer." A few from the captain's table glanced towards Data. "You all know him. He's a steely sort of fellow who knows every word of every paragraph of every regulation by heart; a stern martinet who with never, ever allow me to go on away missions."

Data looked up at him with particularly guileless eyes. "That is the regulation, sir," he said earnestly, "Starfleet Code section twelve, paragraph four-"

"Data," Picard countered in a more casual tone.

"Sir?"

"Shut up."

A few titters from the crowd. "Yes sir."

Picard's eyes twinkled. "Fifteen years I've be waiting to say that."

The laughter grew, and Data's mouth twitched up in a slight smile and decided to obey.

"No, seriously, Will, Deanna," Picard leaned forward and looked straight that happy couple. "There's still time to reconsider. Yes?"

The two of them looked at each and smiled. "No," they answer in unison.

"No. Very well then." Picard took his glass and smile affectionately to the two. "Will Riker, you have been my trusted right arm for fifteen years, you have helped keep my course true and steady." He paused to gaze at the bride. "Deanna Troi, you have been my guide and conscience, you have helped me recognise the better parts of myself." To both, he said, "You are my family. And in good maritime tradition, I wish you both clear horizons. My good friends, make it so." He raised his glass to those assembled. "To the bride and groom!"

"To the bride and groom," the audience echoed. Picard and everyone assembled upended their glasses.


As a band began to play and the guests to mingle, Charlotte smoothed the skirt of her purple dress and leaned back in her chair. "That's just about the best speech I've ever heard."

"The captain certainly has a way with words," agreed C2, eying her empty glass. "Do you want another drink?"

"Nah, I should go find out how the party was last night." She stood up and straightened her dress jacket, the only uniform that she was wearing and, she suspected, ever would wear. She had had it tailored especially for this occasion and it now looked better with her dress than it did the rest of the dress uniform. She glanced around, and her eyes widened at the sight of a face that she hadn't seen in a while. "Is that Wesley?"

"Looks like it. Who's gonna go say hi?"

"Both of us." Charlotte grabbed her double's arm. "Let's go."

Wes looked up from the girl he was talking to and stared. "Hi… Charlotte?" All of a sudden, he was being hugged by two identical girls. "What… What's going on?"

They both pulled back, and Charlotte raised her eyebrows. "Come on, Wes, are you telling me that you had no idea of the things that were going on? Even as a Traveller?"

"Well, I wasn't exactly omnipotent. I couldn't see everything."

"Um, excuse me? What's going on here?" interjected the girl he had been taking to before.

"Oh, sorry," Charlotte and C2 exclaimed at the same time, stepping back.

"Yeah, sorry," echoed Wes, gesturing to Charlotte. "This is my friend Charlotte… or maybe this one…" His forehead wrinkled in confusion. "Sorry, girls, but which one is which?"

"We're both Charlotte, but you can call me Charlie," said Charlotte, linking arms with her double. "She's the one you know, not me. I'm just a kind of permanent visitor." At his confusion, she shrugged. "I'll explain later."

Wesley shook his head, deciding to think no more about the confusing situation. "Ok, well, this is Marie Fraiser. We met at the Academy."

"Nice to meet you, Marie," C2 said, offering a hand. "Sorry for interrupting your conversation." She nudged Charlotte and gave her a stern look. "Hopefully, it won't happen again."

Charlotte rolled her eyes and offered her hand as well. "She's such a downer lately; I don't know what's gotten into her. It's nice to meet you. Is it okay if one of us steals a dance with Wes later?"

"Sure, go ahead," Marie answered, smiling at the girls.

"Cool, thanks. Well, we should go now, but it was great seeing you both." C2 pulled Charlotte away and headed for the bar. "That was rude, barging in on their conversation."

"Oh, they didn't really mind. Come on, what's with you today?"

"I have every reason to not be as bright and chipper as you, Charlie Hope. My medicine-"

"Aw heck, C, could you forget about your medicine for a second? This is Deanna's party and I won't have you ruining it for me."

"If you think I'm ruining the party for you, why don't you leave me be?"

"Because I know you don't mean it. How could I leave you all alone at a gathering like this? You're home, you're with your friends, Data's alive-"

"For now."

"Shut up, I'm working on it and I don't want to have this conversation at the moment. Hey, Geordie!" She waved at her friend and joined him at the bar. "How was last night?"

"You can see the evidence for yourself." He gestured to Worf, who was sitting at a nearby table by himself. The Klingon had his head in his hands and let out a groan every few seconds.

"Looks like you guys had fun. What did he drink?"

"Romulan Ale. A lot of it, too."

"Isn't that drink illegal?"

"You think that's gonna stop Worf?"

Charlotte raised her voice. "For someone who hates Romulans, you sure like their ale."

A groan was the only response.

"Do you want a drink?" asked Guinen, approaching them from behind the bar.

"Kava juice, please. C?"

"Could you manage Earth lemonade?"

"You're in luck." Guinen set out two glasses and filled them with the respective drinks. "Here you go."

"Thanks, Guinen." Charlotte passed C2 her drink and sat on the stool next to Geordie. "So apart from drinking, what else happened last night?"

"I can't remember much," admitted Geordie, "But I know there was real alcohol and singing. A lot of singing." He frowned. "How did you know about it, anyway?"

"Data told me he was going to a 'social gathering' the night before the wedding, so i figured it was Will's and that Deanna wouldn't be there."

"Well, Charlie, you're very observant."

"Thanks, I like to think so too. And it's good that someone can tell between us, hey, C?" She nudged C2, who was staring into space, silently sipping her lemonade. "Hey, C, are you ok?"

"What?" C2's gaze focused, and she turned to her double with a vacant look on her face. "Oh, I'm fine. What were you saying?"

Before Charlotte could reply, the band stopped playing; at the sound of Data's voice, all turned to face the bandstand.

"Ladies and gentlemen, and invited transgendered species… In my study of Terran and Betazoid conjugal rites I have discovered it is traditional to present the happy couple with a gift. Given Commander Riker's affection for archaic musical forms I have elected to present the following as my gift in honor of their conjugation." Charlotte shot C2 an amused glance at the choice of words, but the girl wasn't paying attention. Data began to recite a verse; gradually, the band joined in.

"Never saw the sun shining so bright
Never saw things going so right
Noticing the days hurrying by
When you're in love, my how they fly!"

The band launched into full voice into a style that Charlotte recognised from her music studies- twentieth-century Earth swing. Data began to sing:

"Blue skies
Smiling at me
Nothing but blue skies
Do I see

Bluebirds
Singing a song
Nothing but bluebirds
All day long."

The rhythm was irresistible, and Charlotte nudged C2. "Look, there's Wes. Why don't you dance a bit- it'll take your mind off whatever it's on."

C2 shook her head. "I don't feel-"

"He's beckoning."

And he was. C2 looked at her friend from across the room and sighed. "All right, I'll dance."

AS C2 left, Charlotte glanced at Worf, who had raised his head at Data's voice, identified the song, and dropped it again with a growl. "Worf, if you think its sissy to go to Sickbay and get that hangover fixed, maybe distraction is preferable?"

He raised his head once again and regarded her with unfocused eyes. "What?"

She jumped off her stool and held out a hand. "Dance with me."

He pulled an even more ferocious face than he had had on before. "I am unwell."

"And it's your own damn fault, too. Up you get." The young girl pulled the hefty Klingon to his feet. "You will dance with me." He staggered slightly as she drew him to the floor, and as he attempted to mimic her movements it was clear that he had little familiarity with the dance. Even so, he managed admirably, and Charlotte smiled as Worf's pained expression eased slightly. "See, it's not that bad."

They passed C2 and Wesley, who both nodded in their direction in-between earnest conversation. Charlotte could only assume that he was being filled in on everything that had happened to her… them. She was hit by a sudden feeling of nostalgia for the universe that she had left behind- back when she had her own function on the ship, had regular contact with a girl from a mirror universe, and spent quite a bit of time trying to avoid an android who reminded her of the one she had been too late to save. It was an unusual life, but it had been hers and hers alone. And now it was gone.

To distract herself, she decided to make conversation. "So, when are you going to give me that next martial arts lesson? I've been practicing."

Worf raised his eyebrows. "Do you believe you are ready for the next level?"

"What's involved?"

"To prove your strength, we will fight one on one in hand-to-hand combat."

Charlotte leaned forward. "Are you challenging me to a fight, Mr Worf?"

His eyes lit up. "Perhaps."

Charlotte pretended to think about it, then grinned, eyes twinkling. "I just might agree to that, if you can get through a challenge of your own."

"And what would that be?"

"Lead the dance."

And Worf gave her something that came as close to a smile as a Klingon with a hangover could get, and they redoubled their dancing efforts with gusto.


I've been trying to develop Worf and Charlotte's relationship and i think this came out pretty well. I love Worf, he's just a big softy at heart :)