Picard " captains log: we are doing a survey though to tomalus system. The easy mission is give the crew a chance to relax
Troi and crusher walk down hall
Crusher " what do you think of lieutenant Ramage "
Troi " I haven't spent much time with her, but I was planing on checking up on her. I was told she refused counseling after the tragedy on the tropics."
Crusher " maybe by you second tragedy you figure out how to deal with them"
Troi " second?"
Crusher " mmhm she told me that he parents both died when she was vary young"
Troi " she must do something to cope, maybe we should invite her to lunch"
Crusher " sound like a good idea"
Same two outside quarters ring bell
Nick from inside " who is it ?"
Troi " it's me and doctor crusher"
Nick " come in"
They walk into the messy quarters clothes laying around empty coffee cups and glasses. Several book cases with books stacked messily a pyramid of solved rubrics cubes and several photos in frames. Nick is sitting upside down in a couch reading
Nick " ello"
Crusher " you've been here a week how is your room so filthy?"
Nick "it's an art form."
Cruch "so we wanted to see-"
Nick " first let me Finnish this book"
Troi " you have like 50 pages left"
Nick quickly flips through the book then shuts it and sits up right
Nick " if you put a twist ending on everything than it's not a twist anymore"
Crusher " did you rely read it that fast? "
Nick " sure did"
Crusher "am I to assume you're hand is better "
Nick " thanks yep you patched it up well" she sits up and puts the book down " what did you guys want"
Troi " Beverly and I were wondering if you'd like to go to lunch with us"
Nick " I suppose"
As they leave nick drinks the contents of a glass by the color of whiskey. The others don't notice
They get in the turbo lift
Crusher " ten forward"
Troi " so how are you lieutenant?"
Nick " pleas call me nick"
Troi " nick?"
Nick " yah it's short for Nicole "
Troi " oh so how are you nick."
Nick " I'm fine"
Crusher " are you sure"
Nick " yes..."
Troi " we just want to find out more about you"
Nick "Kay..."
Doors open the walk in to ten forward and sit down
Waiter " can I get you ladies some drinks "
Crusher " tea pleas"
Trio " hot chocolate"
Nick " just a pop"
Waiter " what's a pop?"
Nick " hmm oh right sorry I'd like a soda"
Waiter " what kind"
Nick " voltage"
Waiter " I'll be right back with that"
Crusher " so nick where are you from"
Nick " I lived in Michigan till I was six then I got moved around a lot lets see Iv lived in Britten Texas Canada Maryland Washington and Florida oh and California ."
Troi " wow"
Troi " what did your parents do"
Nick " they were starfleet officers"
Riker sits down
Riker "hello ladies"
Troi " what are you up to will"
Riker " I have been asked to mc the kids talent show it'll be here in a week"
Crusher " that sounds like fun"
Riker " it'll be grate you know Nikki it's open to ages 0-18 you could join"
Nick " I don't have a talent people like to watch"
Riker "everyone has a talent, but you should any way come it'll be fun"
Bridge
Data " sir, you might want to look at this"
Picard " what is it data ?"
Data " that sun it has signs of life "
Picard " life how can there be life on a star "
Data " I do not know"
Picard " are the sensors malfunctioning "
Data " I ran several diagnostics and every thing came up fine"
Picard " well let's take a look take us in ensign "
Riker " we can't just look at a sun we'll go blind"
Picard " right, mr data send in a probe"
Data " sir at that temperature a probe would melt"
Riker " a torpedo wouldn't "
Picard " data could we modify a torpedo to work as a probe"
Data "yes we could"
Picard " make it so"
Engineer room thingy
Riker enters lieutenant Ramage under the torpedo is singing
Nick " delta dawn what's that flower you have on, could it be a faded rose from days gone by, and did I hear you say he was a meting you here today to take you to his mansion in the sky."
Riker " that was lovely "
Nick jumps at the sound of his voice and hits her head
Nick " son of a bitch! Dammit that hurt"
Riker " that was less lovely "
Nick crawls out from under the torpedo
Nick " what?"
Riker " your singing was very good, I knew you had a talent"
Nick " did you have a reason for being here"
Riker " I am singing you up for the talent show"
Nick " sighs fine. Did you have something you needed"
Riker " I was wondering if the modifications are done"
Nick " yes it got the monitoring system the camera and class 4 probe. I also took out the explosives"
Riker " good, that will be perfect"
Nick " what are you doing with it "
Riker " just some special monitoring"
Nick " are you spying on something"
Riker " just some special observations"
Nick " what ever"
Riker " see you at the show"
Ten forward a stage is set a lot of people gatherd
Back stage nick and riker talk
Riker " I'm sorry something's come up you'll have to do it till I get here. It won't be to long I'm sure"
Nick " you can't find any one els really"
Riker " I have to go it'll be fine just go "
Riker walks away
Nick " dammit"
She pulls a flask from her boot and takes a drink. Places it back in her boot
She walks on stage
Into mic
Nick " welcome to the kids show, unfortunately commander riker is going to be late it's a ships business. So mostly because I'm bad at stalling.I'll be you mc for now. Remember I'm making everything up on the spot so if it's not funny... I don't care."
Shouts back in audibly
Nick " so ah let's get started. First up is" looks at sheet of paper " Allie Johnson she is 9 and will be playing the flute"
Bridge
Picard " is the modified torpedo ready"
Riker " yes sir"
Picard " let's find out what's there "
Data " torpedo lunched sir"
Picard " on screen mr worf"
Riker "amazing"
Ten forward
Nick walk on stage past a young boy
Nick " that's not what I was expecting when it said counting cards, but whatever. Here a tip if your going to really count card don't do it with angry people, I was this close to losing a finger." Makes small distance with fingers
Crowd laughs
Nick " you laugh now but when the only thing between you and an angry cardsassin is a poker table it won't be funny, "
Silence
Nick " see? Well next up is animal noises from jimmy-"
Kid comes up and whispered in her ear
Nick " Iv just been informed that jimmy can't make it because he's grounded so wile our manic act gets ready ill do some animal noises for you "
Whistles sharply
" bird"
Ribbit ribbit frog
" hello how are you . That's a person yah were animals too"
Shouts from back stage " ready"
Nick " o thank god, here is the magnificent Maddie and her assistant lieutenant Rossi"
Bridge
On the screen is the suns surface small blob creatures move around
Picard " so the sensors were correct"
Riker " that's what it looks like "
Data " according to the sensors they have little intelligence"
Picard " what do you mean little intelligence"
Data " like that of a rodent "
Riker " how are they surviving in such temperatures"
Data " unknown "
Riker " let's let starfleet know and they can send a research ship. We really can't do much here"
Picard " your right data send a massage to starfleet and let them know "
Data "aye sir"
Ten forward
Nick " next up Maggie jones"
A young girl with blond pigtail walks up she is about four nick try's to lower mic but it won't go that low
Nick " sorry technical difficulties " " oh I got it"
She jumps of stage a grabs a chair bringing it on stage
Nick " there you go sweet heart" lifts Maggie onto the chair
Maggie " will you hold my hand I'm scared "
Nick " well I ..."
Maggie " pleas"
Nick " sighs okay"
Maggie begins to sing I'm a little teapot
Bridge
Data " sir, starfleet has dispatched a research vessel to this sector"
Picard " good I will be very interested to see their reasoning behind this"
Riker " captain permission to leave the bridge. I'm soposed to be at a talent show"
Picard " granted matter of fact I think I'll join you "
Data " may I sir "
Picard " of corse mr data"
Ten forward
The three walk in as an act leaves stage
Nick " that was Lacey singing the abc's. This next kid has the talent of being annoying. I Have that but I don't think any ones ever called it a talent"
Crowd laughs
Nick " so here is jake Duran "
Riker to troi
Riker " how'd she do"
Troi " she's done very well"
Riker " alright I'm heading back stage"
He gets backstage
Riker " hey Nikki "
Nick " you made it just in time to announce the last one "
Riker " perfect "
Kid walks back stage
Riker "Good job jake "
Runs on stage
Riker " hey sorry I'm late"
Crowd laughs
Riker " but I'm exited to present you last performer lieutenant Nicole Ramage, now be nice she didn't want to do this"
Behind curtain nick takes another drink of her flask before coming out
Nick walks out with acoustic guitar
She sings and plays Kellie picklers " tough"
I wanted lace, I wanted pearls, to be a princess like
The other girls.
But life came hard, to my front door.
And I grew up trying
To even out the score.
Tough, I ain't never been nothing but tough, all my edges have
Always been rough.
But Jesus loves me anyway.
Oh backbone, there ain't nothing wrong with a woman that
Got a little backbone.
You just wait 'til you taste her kind of love.
You want a shy little thing, a pretty little high heel thing,
Gonna cry if I don't polish up.
Tough.
The way I see it, the hand of fate, did me a favor, with
The cards he dealt my way.
Found out real fast, life is a game.
You're out real quick if you don't know how to play, tough.
I ain't never been nothing but tough,
all my edges have always been rough.
But Jesus loves me anyway.
Oh backbone, there ain't nothing wrong with a woman that
Got a little backbone.
You just wait 'til you taste her kind of love.
You want a shy little thing, a pretty little high heel thing,
Gonna cry if I don't polish up.
Are you serious? You ain't fooled me much.
You justa hanging round
So you can try your luck.
Well tough, I ain't never been nothing but tough,
all my edges has always been rough.
You want a shy little thing, a pretty little high heel thing,
gonna cry if I don't polish up.
You know what I got to say about that is tough
The crowd claps
Out side nicks door
Riker rings bell
Nick opens door
Nick " what can I do you for"
Riker " I just wanted to thank you for filling in for me"
Nick "no problem just a bit of a warning next Time would be nice"
Riker " can do. You know I don't know how you do it"
Nick " do what"
Riker " all the problems and tragedies you've been through and you still manage to smile make others happy and try your hardest how do you do it"
Nick " I have my ways of cooping. "
Riker " well keep at it . Good night Nikki "
Nick " good night riker"
Door shuts and she sits on the table with a drink
Nick " the saddest people try to make others the happiest so they don't go through what they have"
End