No Infringement on any level is intended. I do not presume to own anything related to Star Trek, Paramount,etc.
Darvos II was marvel or archaeological delight. The Enterprise had stumbled across the jewel of the planet whilst conducting a routine mapping mission of the Moncari sector. Starfleet had ordered the Galaxy Class Ship to this sector for a preliminary scan to assess it's worth to the Federation. Deep in neutral space Darvos had no known claims and the planets surrounding it were not inhabited. Sensors had detected the presence of dilithium on Darvos II so a search team was dispatched. When Picard had read the report of ancient ruins he had not only contacted Starfleet but gave command over to Riker so he could spend some quality time in the dirt. The Commander reluctantly agreed since many of the archaeologists on the ship had been thinned out at Starbase 124 to make room for the stellar cartographers who would be mapping the Moncari sector. Picard had enlisted Ensign Ro to be his personal pilot. She had been all but ordered to take time off by Dr. Crusher and Picard knew that if she stayed on board ship she would find someway to do something. Having her with him made sense also it appeased Lt. Worf. Ensign Ro was a formidable presence almost as intimidating as the Klingon. After two days Picard and another lone archaeologist had uncovered a chamber that seemed to contain a computer relic. Picard's engineering knowledge told him that he needed an engineer to examine them.
He tapped the badge on his chest, "Picard to Enterprise."
Enterprise here
"Commander, we've found something interesting and need and engineer. Do you think you can talk Geordi into loaning us one?""
See what we can do most are tied up fixing sensors for the science crews. I'll get back to you.
"Thank you, Picard out."
"Something wrong Captain?" Ensign Ro's voice carried from the chambers entrance.
"Yes, well no. Need an engineer to look at this."
Ro nodded, "Is the Enterprise in orbit or will we they be sending another shuttle?"
"unknown as of yet…hungry?"
Ro nodded as did Moval the Vulcan archaeologist
Sometime later the question was answered in column of shimmering light and the form of Lt. Reginald Barclay.
"Lieutenant" Picard greeted warmly.
Barclay spun nervously to face the captain; the tall man carried a tool assortment and large pack. "Captain, I was told you needed and engineer. I'm also to tell you that the Enterprise has moved off for more detailed scans of the sector."
"When will the Enterprise be back in orbit?" Picard asked a hint of excitement in his voice.
"Eleven days" The lieutenant answered.
"Excellent!" Exclaimed Picard, "Ensign, would you please show the Lieutenant our camp?"
Ro resisted the urge to roll her eyes, she had heard the stories about Barclay and the prospect of spending over a week with him was not pleasing to think about. Nonetheless, she pushed those feelings aside and led the way towards the shuttle. Barclay took in the little tent city surrounding the shuttle and smiled weakly.
"You can sleep in the shuttle if you'd like" Ro stated.
"Oh, no a tent will be fine" he swung his pack up, "I brought one."
Ro was taken aback; she had heard that he was a certified hypochondriac. Surely he would sleep in a tritanium force-fielded shelter. She watched as he placed his pack on the ground and picked up his tool kit. "Where…" he asked accenting his statement with a wave of his finger.
Ro used her own finger to point and the two wandered back to the ruins.
"Mr. Barclay, this is what I wanted you to see." The Captain said directing the engineer to the corner of the chamber.
The audible twinkle of a tricorder soon filled the space, "Have you recorded all you need? I can wait if you need to document-"
"All images of this chamber were recorded approximately .5 hours ago" Moval informed."
Barclay nodded frantically in agreement before turning to kneel on the floor. He quickly opened his tool kit
Picard was standing over the mans shoulder, "I would like a full analysis and extraction of the information if any."
"Of course sir." Barclay replied and then withdrew an instrument that Picard didn't recognize and connected it to his tricorder. Picard watched for a few moments as Barclay begin his diagnostic of ancient computer terminal. With the engineer toiling away he left the chamber to join Moval in another area that was bearing exceptional artifacts.
Ro was on the hunt for stones, not just any stones but ones she could etch easily. Preferably round and smooth. After the incident with La Forge and the phase inverter she had experienced a spiritual awakening of sorts. She had slowly begun reading the texts written by the Vedek Assembly about the Prophets. She had decided that she would etch the Bajoran symbol of the Prophets onto a stone to mark her journey towards a more spiritual life. Before she left she went to the shuttle to check the sensors. As with previous checks there were no life forms to worry about. Nonetheless she secured her phasor and tricorder and set out.
Picard and Moval were in the Eastern Chamber and the space had been yielding treasures all day. Moval was busy cataloguing the finds the Captain was freeing from the soil and clay. The Vulcan was meticulous in recording the details in the PADD.
A clearing of the throat drew their attention.
"Mr. Barclay, what have you discovered?" The Captain asked.
"Ah, Sir the device in th- the chamber is a power source. The conduits are still functional and a crude form of dilithium powers the device. I believe that I can have it up and running within a day."
"You're certain?"
"Yes the clay deposits have kept the conduits from corroding and the dilithium while unrefined can power the system. The assembly that you uncovered has what appears to be the first generation of isolinear chips as it were." Barcaly opened his fist and inside was a round cut cloudy crystal, "I can reroute the damaged areas using our own isolinear chips m-m-m modified first."
Picard reached out and swiped the ancient crystal from the engineers palm, "Any idea what it powers?"
"No, no. I would like to use the sensors on the shuttle to map the conduits to see where they lead." Barclay managed to say without stuttering.
"That would also provide useful to our endeavors Captain a more detailed analysis would reduce the use of tricorders and digging." Moval added.
"Spoil the fun…Use whatever you feel you need and have Ensign Ro assist you if need be," Picard ordered.
"Aye sir" Barclay replied before shuffling off.
It was on the tip of his tongue to correct the Lieutenant to call him Mr. Picard but he thought better of it. Barclay was such a tender soul, he had come such a long way since his holo-addiction especially appearing in Beverly's play. It would probably be damaging for Barclay to use a less formal system with him.
Later that night the four were seated around a fire, the planet had subtropical climate the fire was not needed for heat yet it gave a pleasing light. Everyone was engrossed in their own worlds. Picard was reading an old tome of something, Moval was working on a PADD, Barclay was sitting amongst a pile of isolinear chips while Ro was contemplating the fire drawing patterns in the loose soil with a twig. After awhile she threw the twig into the flames before standing. "Well Gentlemen have a nice night."
Moval nodded deeply while Picard merely looked up and said, "Good night Ro." Barclay hastily stood to acknowledge her leaving his abrupt movement scattered the isolinear chips everywhere. Ro chuckled internally at his stumbling before going into her tent.
Come morning the group had woken and went about their business. Barclay had seen scans of the area and knew there was a small body of water. He wanted to wash before heading to the chamber. However, someone was already occupying the water—Ensign Ro.
The Bajoran was aware of his presence and proceeded to whirl around, mindful to cover vital area, and state, "Are you coming in as well?"
It was too much for Barclay and he scrambled back up the embankment back to camp. At this Ro openly chuckled and got back to her hygiene yet the encounter had her thinking. She finally had the opportunity midday to voice her thoughts to Captain Picard. The two were in side the shuttle using one of the LCARS panels to analyze an artifact. She was still giggling about Barclay.
"Something funny Ensign?" Picard asked.
Ro proceeded to tell the Captain about the meeting at the stream before asking, "How did that man serve tours on mixed gender crews aboard starships or for that matter survive the Academy?"
Picard looked thoughtful, "Well Mr. Barclay isn't a graduate of the Academy."
Ro's eyebrows climbed to her forehead in surprise, "H-How did he get into Starfleet?"
"Mr. Barclay is graduate of the Daystrom Research Institute." Picard let his sentence stand.
Ro exclaimed again, "Daystrom? As in Richard Daystrom—inventor…
"Of the duotronic computer" finished Picard. "Yes, Starfleet needs good minds and the Daystrom institute has a wealth of good minds so Starfleet offered graduates a full commission. As soon as he graduated he became a Lieutenant Junior Grade."
"He's that good?" Ro asked somewhat in awe.
"He's that good that I overlook some of his peculiarities, I think you might want to as well." Picard lilted.
Ro nodded the Captain was the only man beside her Father that could make her feel like a little girl and her Father was long dead. As the Captain exited the Shuttle Ro stayed behind when she was certain the Captain was gone she addressed the shuttle.
"Computer, Starfleet records search for Reginald Barclay"
The panel before her began spewing forth information Ro had the ability to process information almost as quickly as the computer could display it. "The third?" She exclaimed out loud. His Starfleet record also contained papers he had authored while at the Daystrom Institute, Ro looked through a couple and knew they were well beyond her scope of knowledge. With this information she knew that she would have to apologize. Ro spent the next few hours mulling about how to do it. During her gleaning she had discovered some suitable material for etching. On the way to the chamber she tossed it into her tent. She lingered in the entrance and watched the man before her. Barclay was up to his elbows in the power source, she cleared her throat softly hoping to get his attention and not scare him and it worked.
Barclay turned to see Ensign Ro in the entryway he was perturbed by her actions this morning but knew he couldn't really do anything. Nonetheless he drew himself up to his full height the only intimidating resource he had. Working all morning to modify the isolinear chips he had brought with him hadn't been successful. His anger at the device gave him courage, "If you're here to rip out my heart and show it to me before I die I just as soon you didn't." He swiped at his forehead unknowingly smearing dirt across it, "The Captain wants this up and running so unless you want to do it I suggest you just leave me alone."
Ro's ominous upbringing had made her an expert in body language; she saw his posturing and knew he was angry. "I'm here to apologize for this morning. You've been nothing but nice to me here and on board the Enterprise and I treated you badly. I'm sorry." And with that Ro turned and strode out of the chamber. Barclay stood dumbfounded it was rare that someone apologized to him. He didn't know if he should go after her. His brain rallied that if he were to go after her he would have nothing to say. He turned back to the device.
That evening the four officers were once again around a fire. Moval and Picard were discussing the discovery of statue probably representing a deity of the planet. Barclay was trying to understand why the isolinear chips weren't compatible. Ro was busy shaping a piece of material that she had found. The rhythmic tapping caught Barclay's attention and he looked up. The stone in her hand made his heart leap and then his body.
Picard and Moval were both startled to see the tall large framed officer spring up from the ground and damn near leap over the fire in a move that would have made Dr. Crusher jealous. Ro too was in a similar state but recovered just as the Lieutenants gigantic hand closed round her wrist.
"Can I have this? Where did you get it? Is there more?" He shot out at a rapid rate.
"Yes, you can have a piece. There is a vein over two kilometers from here of which I think there is plenty." Ro answered.
"Oh" said Barclay surprised. He was still holding her wrist gently manipulating it to turn so he could see the piece in her hand. Ro was about to bark at him to let her go but thought better of it. This was the closest the man had dared to get to her and after the fiasco of this morning she decided to follow the Captains lead and give Barclay a wide berth with his peculiarities.
"What is going on?" Picard shouted. The lieutenant spun and moved over towards the Captain all the while towing the Ensign. When he reached the superior officer he released Ro and began talking in disjointed sentences and gesticulating wildly.
"Captain, I thought that the isolinear chips could replace the damaged crystals but the modification isn't working and I can't replicate the crystal didn't think to run a geological scan of the planet though it makes sense but that doesn't matter since Ensign Ro," He waved expansively at the Bajoran before using both hands to point to the object in her hand.
Barclay was still talking about everything causing Picard to look up at catch Ro's eye he cocked his eyebrow in a move that would make a Vulcan jealous before drawing a breath in through his nose, "So Lieutenant, what do we do now?"
"Oh! Well I would need to cut these pieces down to ah" He dug into his pocket and withdrew the cloudy crystals that he had removed from the device "match these."
Now it was Ro's turn stare appreciatively. She picked up the damaged crystals and turned them in her fingers, her keen eyes taking in the design, shape and the flaws. "I can do that." She said confidently.
Barclay beamed, "You can do that?"
Ro nodded.
Desperate to keep the conversation going Barclay plouged on, "Did you take sculpting at the Academy?"
"No Jaros II" She answered back.
Picard hid his snort of amusement by sticking his face in his Starfleet issue cup.