Doctor Beverly Crusher wore neither communicator nor uniform. She sat on a stool at the open sided bar, watching the deep purple sea as the waves lapped ever forward on the lavender sand. The lime green sun was setting, becoming deeper in shade as it slowly dipped to the horizon. It was a deep kelly nearest the water. The lemon sherbet sky was beginning to take on shades of sapphire and periwinkle as sunset approached.

She sipped appreciatively at the light, fruity beverage she held and let out a sigh. If the exhalation felt more like grief than appreciation, she determined not to notice. She would finish the cool, soothing beverage, and walk along the soft beach. It was her third-no, it couldn't be her fourth-smooth tangy-sweet drink. She could not remember the last time she had allowed herself more than one or two glasses of real alcohol. But there couldn't be much in these. They were delightfully thirst quenching in the humid ocean air.

Across the bar she saw the same trio she had spotted last night, her first on Navaal. A Nausicaan, an Orion and a Ferengi. There was a punch line there somewhere. As it had the previous night, the hair on the back of her neck prickled at the sight of them. Her training was as much a part of her as her red hair. While she was making every effort to put duty and work and all things StarFleet behind her for at least a week, her subconscious kept track of the three, steering well clear.

It had been some time since she had been the recipient of salacious looks; perhaps that was the root of her discomfort. She worked at keeping her body toned, and the recent time on Ba'ku had left her as fit and healthy on the outside as she had felt in years. She wore a breezy, almost translucent simple cover-up over her bathing suit. The one-piece teal suit was neither daring nor matronly, but somewhere in between, with high cut thighs and a cross-wrapped halter-top that bared the majority of her back. The filmy, slightly iridescent blue dress she wore over it was one of the shades the sky was morphing into. Her eyes reflected back the deep violet blue of the sea where it met the heavens, dark with the inner turmoil Ba'ku had triggered.

Another heavy sigh escaped, this time she recognized it. Resolutely she finished her drink, setting the empty glass on the bar. Obviously her purposeful swimming all afternoon had not exhausted her enough. She set out to walk the beach near the tide line,

The first few steps reminded her just how long it had been since she had more than a couple glasses of real wine. Whatever was in the lovely punch she'd been imbibing all afternoon was potent. But it was a pleasant sort of disjointedness she felt; a lightness in her brain, even while her limbs didn't quite seem to be cooperating.

The welcome numbness that an overabundance of exercise failed to achieve.

While the cover-up she wore went down past her knees, there were slits front and back and each side to just below her hips. The gentle ocean breeze blew the silky fabric against her skin. She felt deliciously decadent, and definitely buzzed. She walked down to the waterline, then took a path parallel to the warm waves, which frothed just over her feet and ankles.

The sunset sky began to practically glow with rich jewel tones. Navaal IV was trying it's best to rival Risa as a premier holiday destination. She could see why. Will had advised her though, not to stray too far from the resort areas, saying that the less populated areas were quite tribal in nature, each sect having their own rules or lack thereof. She had seen some of the huge ancient stone structures pushing up out of the jungle canopy as she circled her shuttle waiting for landing clearance. Jean-Luc would love that…

She shook her head at the shaft of sadness. What did she know about what he would love? After all these years, she felt like he was a stranger again.

She stood, turning into the sea breeze, facing the sunset. The sun was a deep glowing emerald ball, elongating as it settled into the horizon. The sky was bright rich gold around it, fading to deep green, then shade after shade of blue, until the darkest blue met the darkest purple sea at the side edges away from the sun. Tears burned at her eyes.

"Damn him." She gritted her teeth against the tears. "Damn her… " She stared, sightlessly at the brilliant sunset before her. Her head ached slightly. Too much sun, too much alcohol, she supposed. Her braid had tightened as it dried after swimming. She reached up and released the band holding it, then scrubbed her fingers against her scalp. Maybe she would cut it. She kept it long because she knew he liked it that way. Maybe it was time for a change…

So lost was she in her unacknowledged grief, she did not notice the Nausicaan and the Orion from the bar had followed her at a distance. The alcohol had dulled her senses, her subconscious did not notice them drawing nearer to where she stood, letting the waves rush nearer her now, a meter or so down the beach.