Author: Lady Fighter
Story name: Mixed up
Summery: Commander Riker begins to change his way of thinking and finds what he was truly looking for.
Contain: Slash and the chance of lemon later on.
The bridge was quit for the night shift as Data sat watch. It had been the first time in weeks that nothing happened on his shift. He almost wished for something to happen just as he thought that, Commander Riker popped into his mind. Riker had been having the worst luck with women lately. He had tried he really did but to many women were just not seeming to be susceptible. Not even Deanna was not giving him an inch. He was falling almost into a depression as it were and he had tried to give whatever comfort as a friend her could. It was helping somewhat but only a little.
His shift ended as Dr. Crusher came onto the bridge and took his place. Data then went to Ten Forward and saw Deanna Troi sitting with Geordi eating chocolate. Walking over to them he saw they were small almost tear like shapes bits of near black peace. Deanna was enjoying them with a grin. Just as he sat down she offered him one. Taking one from the plate he tasted one. The taste was easily filtered threw his neural net.
Deanna was half way threw a neither peace when Commander Riker walked in, looking depressed and clearly non-social. Data then looked to Deanna and polightly asked, "What are there called?" motioning to the delouse peace of food before them.
Deanna then smiled and answered, "Kiss's. They are made from six different kinds of chocolate." She said finishing the peace she had and then gingerly reaching for a neither. Geordi was taking his time threw his peace, his face clearly showing his enjoyment. Data then found a neither plate near by it and picked it up, walking over to Commander Riker he smiled. Trying to seem nice enough to give the depressed commander a moral boost, "Hello Commander." he said with his normal tone. Commander Riker looked up at Data his face showing his mood.
"Good evening Mr. Data and how are we?" Riker said, his tones nearly empty of feeling. Data then lifted the plate and asked, "Would you like a Kiss? Deanna said they would be good for you."
Commander Riker looked shocked and his mouth dropped open with shock. He then was about to say something when Data lifted the plate higher. Riker then sighed and closed his eyes, "Yes I will try one Mr. Data." He said with a slight change of tone. Then smiled softly at the sweet taste.
"I don't know what I did or if it's me. But I swear off the whole LOT of them!" Riker said with a sound of whole honesty. Data then pondered the words just said, "You swear off the whole lot of what?" Data asked finding a list to large tot truly find the true answer to.
"Women, the whole of them I don't care anymore. Three mouths of this and I am sick of it!" He said then looked at Data and for a split second then almost seemed to bolt from Data's presence.
"Deanna I don't know what happening to me. It was freaky almost pure frightening!" Commander Riker said nearly frantic to an almost perfectly calm Deanna Troi. She looked at him as he sat in the chair next to her. She had answered his call and designated to try and help him. He came in and all she felt from him was panic and confusion.
"What do you think brought this on?" She asked and tried to sound calm for him. He was a nerves wreck with emotions.
"I don't know. I just looked at him and had to run . . .it was like I was going to do something really . . . really not right. More then likely with my luck I would have gotten my ass kicked or . . .he would have just stared at me like I deactivated him or something." Riker was continually running his fingers threw his hair nerves that he was going nuts or something. Deanna then felt a wave of regret hit him hard. Confused as to what would have truly brought this on. She walked closer, "Will? How long has it been like this?"
"Its been coming gradually for the last few mouths, every time I see him there's just something . . . I don't know something about him. Its like I can't stop thinking about it, yet I try despite it. I feel like absolute crap in less he is around and, when he IS around my heart gets all fluttery or something." Riker answered almost ashamed of what he was saying. Deanna felt for him. She could not make heads or tails of what he was saying. It sounded familiar but she just could not put her finger on it.
Just then, Captain Picard called them to the observation lunge. They rushed and found Dr. Crusher and Captain Picard waiting with a neither man. Dressed as an admiral with short gray hair and pail tanned skin.
"Oho number one, I would like you to meet Admiral Grandson. She is here to tell us our latest mission." Picard's voice rang out. Riker smiled bast he could, but as soon as he spotted Data, he almost went weak at the knees. Managing the ability to hide it he walked over and sat in his normal seat.
Deanna was still worried about Commander Riker when she went to chat with Dr. Crusher. They sat in the empty room and practiced the lesson that Worf had given the previous day. The room was devoid of anything that could really spy on them so they were completely relaxed.
"Bev I can't make heads or tails of what's wrong with Will. He came into my office frantic, it was a side of him I have never seen before. He was so confused and frightened, it was almost as if he did not trust himself." Deanna said her voice showing her trust worry about Will. Beverly had seen many sides of Riker but she almost did not believe what Deanna was saying.
"What did he come in about?" She asked sounding interested. Deanna then explained what Will had to her, "He said he had to run out of Ten Forward in fear of hurting Data. I do not know what to do. No ones ever had this kind of problem, he was such a wreck coming in to my office it was almost frightening. I just wish I knew what do to help him."
Beverly then cracked a smile, "You said his heart flutters when he sees Data right? Well maybe we should arrange it was we just get the two together and see if spending time with Data fixes the problem? Captain Picard said they need two volunteers for the away team and it would only be a two-member team. Commander Riker and Data could do it in half the time and it would make sense cues they need people just like him to check out the plant."
Deanna looked at Beverly threw her eyes, "You are trying to play match maker almost Bev . . . I like it. Data could keep his attention . . . I mean how could he not? Data's personally loyalty's just adds as a plus. Yea let's hook them up . . . just don't tell anyone else that we are ok?" The dark hair said. The lighter nodded and then smiled contacting Picard to knowtify of their idea.
Riker felt confidant after he found himself volunteered for the mission to the plant. They would stop the ship long enough to transport them onto it then jump back into warp to get to the Admirals gathering. The Captain had tried everything to get out of it. But somehow this year they made shirr, he was there.
The plant was a class M and had the landscape that captured Commander Riker's attention more then anything, it was the most beautiful he had ever seen in his life. Walking around the found a sight for camping and then set to getting tri-corder readings on everything as well as making notes of the landscape. Commander Riker was ready for anything before he had stepped into the transporter room. The second he saw Data was his team mate, his knees threatened to turn into jelly and his brain didn't want to work for a second.
"I wonder what animal life well find." Riker said as they walked away from camp, making a dulled note of its location and marking it with brightly colored markers. Data merle stated the sensor readings from the ship told of animal life a few yards from the location they had chosen as a camp. They would be on the plant for a whole two weeks and, the plant had no other inhabitance other then animals.
Commander Riker smiled softly at that, a whole two weeks of normal every day things not that much technology, not computers to really speck of. It was him and Data Vs Mother Natcher. A fight he always loved, the clean air and the fresh smell of the forest after a rain was perfect.
They had walked for about an hour when they saw the first animal. It was a bird type animal. It stood six feet tall and had four long hoarse like legs, its head was that of a small deer and it had large shimmering white wings along with a spiraling horn on its head. Its body was the shape of a small hoarse and there was thick with a lion like tail that could literally drag on the ground. The animal captivated Commander Riker. Walking closer reviled that it had a small amount of leopard like spots along its head and down its neck, which was a soft silver. Its head came up and looked around spotting Commander Riker it slowly walked over to him.
Riker standing perfectly still allowed it to some closer to him; its stride was graceful and smooth. As it walked its long mane waved with its white and silver like brilliance. As it drew near commander Riker was surprised to hear soft notices in his head. Almost as if Deanna were trying to reach him. Clearing him mind he allowed it. The animals thoughts were gentle to him mind and the feel of the animals presence was pleasant enough.
Within a moment he could feel the animal's mind leaving his, but was shocked when the animal reared and, let out an almost unbelievable sound. The land for a moment shock as more of the animals came from hiding and, walked to the two. Commander Riker was so captivated by this he froze in almost fear. Data was at his side within a moment's time.
But surpassingly they then gave a soft whinny and their horns shimmered creating a soft mist that flowed around the two of them. For a moment, he felt all of them in his mind, as he had felt the single best before him. Their presence made him relax at the feel. They were so very gently with his mind, showing him their thoughts and even their memories. Their trust in him was astounding, they then looked threw his memories and found the more resent ones. They looked from him to Data, one then walked up to him. Touching his forehead with it's horn, Riker felt full of a warmth and gentle light.
"You are like us I see William Riker. You yearn for something your expectations tell you is wrong." The animal said with perfect clarity. Data was shocked for a second, "How is it you can speck our language?" Data inquired. The animal merle walked to him and repeated the action on Data.
"I like you can in a way download things from others minds. I merle read it and then used their memories and exspearances to understand it. The people that used to live here never understood it either, so they left us long ago." The animal said walking away, it stopped momentarily then stated, "Your prim directive has nothing agents talking to animals of other plants do not fear us and please let us show you around."
The two of them then stood walking behind the animal and were in awe over what it lead them to. Their base camp was nothing compared to the ancient ruins they were shown. The buildings were made of an odd type of wood. It had the smell of seeder yet was thick like oak. The shin was magnificent. Yet when they entered the ruins dust covered everything. There were ancient makings everywhere. The walls were covered in them as the floors were decorated with paints of the animals of the plant. It reminded him of the old mythology on Earth.
The unicorns and other animals of make believe. They took readings on everything, the ruins looked new but the readings told of thousands of year in age. The marble like floors were a material they never even heard of. The paint was the most unknown. It looked almost like DNA but it did not run on anything.
"Captain Picard, how nice to see you this ear. I trust our method of acquiring you this year was welcomed well enough?" Said a short male with gray hair cut to his ears. The banquet was a nightmare and there was not way of getting out of it. He half wished he were on Hinoreya with Data and Commander Riker. Dr. Crusher had told him they needed to work out a few things and having them teamed together would help.
The ship was under the command of Dr. Crusher for the time he was away. She would share with Deanna and Lt. Worf. He knew it would be hours before anything really taxing would happen. The eating was one thing and he already ruled out eating himself sick. They had him up and walking to often for that to work. He also thought about spending the larger amount of time in the bathroom. NO go there to many of them followed him into the bathroom and talked the WHOLE time. He was truly trapped in the stupid party with no way out. So Captain Picard, the man who had fought the Borge before the Fleet even heard there name was surrendering. His boredom was his only hope of surviving the party placed on him.
To be continued . . .
Yep I get to play a cliffhanger. Oho and yea, there WILL be Yoai/Slash in this fic so be sharp. So, let us recap? Picard is trapped in an endlessly boring party. Dr. Crusher and the others on the ship are happily safe from it. Data and Commander Riker are on a plant that has mythical animals on it and OHO dose Riker feel for Data? Will our favorite Captain survive the party with his sanity?