Episode 7x17 deleted scene: "Ten Forward Food Poisoned?"
Taken from the episode "Masks"
Stardate: 47615.2, Year 2370
Author's note: This is a brief scene from Season 7's seventeenth episode "Masks" that was either missing from the episode or is just a deleted scene that was cut out for time... which was disappointing, considering that in my opinion, this could've made an interesting scene. This is set after the opener, after the scene with Bevery and Troi in her quarters. Enjoy!
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Ten Forward
Riker, Geordi, and Troi were seated at a table. Deanna was dressed in her standard blue science uniform, with three gold insignia pips proud on her collar to show her newly-earned rank as Commander. Geordi had a PADD in front of him with a tricorder in front of it. Commander Riker idly reached for the bowl of small bar-like snacks.
"We've been getting some pretty strange readings from that comet," said Geordi, with Troi and Riker listening intently. "Now, it looks like some kind of energy pulse coming from its core."
Troi gave LaForge a look, blended with confusion and curiosity. "And that's unsual?"
"I think it is!" replied Geordi with a light shrug. "The core is normally just a chunk of rock! It should be completely inert."
"Maybe we've discovered a new kind of comet," Riker concluded.
Deanna was slightly discomforted, looking for a way out of the conversation as she was filled with such uneasiness. "I don't know why, but I feel the need to stay away from chocolate for a while," said she as she went for a nut-like object in the bowl. She scowed at its bitter, rotten, and extremely-unpleasant taste.
"Why is that?" asked Riker.
"I promised Beverly I'd meet her in the gym for Mak'bara class today," she replied, taking another fateful bite at the nut, nearly vomiting at its dreadful taste. She looked at the nut with a "just what the hell is this?" look striken across her narrow face.
"There something wrong with the fruit, Deanna?" asked Riker.
"I'm not sure!" she replied. "Are they changing the snacks around here?"
From the bowl, Geordi took one of what Troi was trying to eat, studying it carefully through his VISOR.
"I don't think I recognize it, counselor," said he.
"Don't eat it!" Troi warned Geordi. "I'm worried I'm getting ill from that."
"No worries," Riker affirmed. "The drinks should wash it down."
Speak of the devil. The waiter approached the three with a plate of three different drinks and set them down on the table himself.
"Thank you," said Geordi.
The waiter gave them a friendly grin before walking off. Troi, Geordi, and Riker picked up their glasses of drinks and joined them together for a "cheers" tip. Riker took a sip and nearly sprayed the liquid from his mouth, it tasted so nasty.
"What the hell is this?" were the words of shock out of Riker's mouth.
It was dark and vicious, and even looked unedible. It's colorization was deep, deep, crimson, darker than blood with shades of purple filling it. Troi took it and took a sip. To her surprise, it didn't taste as bad to her. Her taste buds seemed to accept it. To Troi, it wasn't the best thing she had ever tasted but she'd rather have this than the nut she littered her stomach with.
"It's alright... to me," said Troi.
"Really?" said Riker in surprise as he rose from his seat. How could she like something like that? "Well, if your taste buds accept it, then you can have it, but I'm getting another drink. That's not what I ordered."
Geordi opened his tricorder and aimed it at the glass Troi and Riker sipped from.
"Let's see what they're trying to poison us with," said the engineer, a bit playfully. His face had changed when reading the readouts. "Hey! Wait a minute! This stuff is bio-organic! There are oxygenated cells... serum electrolytes, and if I didn't know any better... I'd say this stuff could be"-he closed the tricorder before the last and dreadful word exited his mouth-"blood!"
Riker and Troi reacted, both of their faces striken with terror.
"Good God! You're kidding me!" was all Troi could say.
"I wish I was, counselor!" said Geordi, frankly.
"Well, if that's the case, I don't know about either of you, but I think I'm gonna have a little talk with Guinan."
"It might not be her fault, Will," suggested Troi.
"She might be right," added Geordi. "It could be something in the replicators. She might not have been aware of it, at all."
With final grimaces at the glass, Geordi, Troi, and Riker all exchanged agreeing looks and left the table to go to the bar, leaving the bowl of questionable food, Geordi's tricorder, and the PADD at the table.