Picard sat in his ready room, a now chilled cup of early grey held in his hand as he stared out the window, with the 21st century composer Ludovico Einaudi's Primavera booming through the room. He was so lost in thought, that the sound of the chime at his door nearly caused him to jump out of his own skin.
"Computer end music. Come in." He set his cup down as Deanna walked into the room. "Yes, counsellor?"
"I just spoke to commander Riker, and he said to have us ready to meet in ten minutes." Picard nodded and smiled.
"You didn't have to come here to tell me that." Deanna blushed lightly at being caught.
"I just wanted to see how you are feeling before we started. After your experience at Celtris 3, this must be hard for you to handle." Picard had learned a long time ago that lying to his counsellor was never fruitful. Even when she didn't say anything, he knew she knew that he was lying.
"I have to admit it certainly opens old wounds." She moved to sit in front of the captain's desk as Picard leaned against the side of his desk. "I realise we really didn't discuss the details of that mission, and I appreciate you not pushing the topic." Picard smiled as the com system activated.
"Worf to captain Picard."
"Go ahead Mr . Worf."
"Sir, commanders Riker and Data and I are ready in the observation lounge."
"Thank you lieutenant. Counsellor Troi and I will be there shortly." He returned his look back to Deanna as she stood to leave the room. "Thank you Deanna. I appreciate your concern."
"Damn it!" Beverly slammed her palms against the console at the head of the bio-bed. The male Cardassian had died. She and her team did everything they could, but nothing worked.
"Doctor, we're losing her over here." Alyssa Ogawa called. Shaking her head, Beverly moved to the opposite bed.
"I don't understand. He was suffering from simple smoke inhalation. Selar perform an autopsy right away. Find out what killed him!
"Yes doctor." Nurse Ogawa gently removed the blood soaked cloth from around the gaping head wound.
"We need to slow this bleeding before we try the dermal regenerator. Get fresh bandages, and prepare for a bronchoscopy." Beverly was always proud of her team; they were well trained, and she could count on them to be ready and perform on command.
"Dr. Crusher, I believe you need to see this." Beverly turned to Dr. Selar.
"You're done the autopsy already?" Selar looked from the consol of the wall to Beverly.
"I did not have to look long before discovering the cause of death." Beverly removed herself from the procedure.
"What is it?"
"We were attempting to replace his destroyed lung cells with regenerated lung tissue. When I took a sample of lung cells from the deceased Cardassian male and discovered," she tapped a button on the screen, and a double helix appeared. "this is not the DNA structure of a Cardassian." Beverly quickly turned to the table.
"He wasn't Cardassian?" Selar shook her head.
"My assumption is that the physical characteristics that are unique to a Cardassian, were surgically implanted."
"Why?" Selar went to reply but Beverly cut her off. "Never mind. Complete the autopsy, and leave the report in my office."
"There were only four bodies on the bridge: the female human, two male humans, and the male Cardassian." Riker indicated to the screen on the wall of the observation room. "I had Mr Data do a more detailed scan of the ship, and he found that throughout the ship, what bodies were located, were mostly human. There were also bodies from three humanoid species we have never seen before."
"When we compared their DNA to the Federation computer, we were unable to locate a species that would closely resemble those we found." Picard nodded.
"Our mission has us chartering a new quadrant. We are bound to come across a species we have never seen before. Finding Cardassians is not to be unexpected. The quadrant is located beyond their space. But to find humans, Cardassians, and unknown species working together is odd."
"Doctor Crusher to Captain Picard."
"Go ahead doctor."
"Sir, I need you to come to sick bay immediately."
"We're on our way." The five officers left the room and walked toward the turbo lift.
In sickbay, Beverly ran her tricorder over the female body before her. The bronchoscopy was successful; however the laceration on her head and the resulting concussion had her more concerned. They were able to heal most of the wound, but she would not know the extent of the symptoms until she woke. When she finished her scans, she handed the tricorder off to the male nurse assisting her, and took a few steps back, just in time. The young woman lying on the table grabbed the nurse behind the neck, and in one quick motion, sat up and slammed his head into the side of the console. Before Beverly could respond, the woman somehow managed to wrap her legs around her mid section, pulling her hard to the floor knocking the wind out of her. The woman held Beverly down as she pressed a sharp implement against the side of her neck.
"Where the hell am I?" Just then, Picard, Riker, Worf, and Dianna walked into the room to see Beverly on her back with the female survivor under her, holding a weapon to her neck. Worf, being the only one armed, drew the phaser and aimed it.
"Release Dr. Crusher immediately!" Picard boomed as Worf stepped in front.
"You won't shoot me." The female replied.
"What makes you think I won't?" Worf retaliated.
"And risk hitting the good doctor." Pain washed over her face but she just tightened her grip around Beverly.
"Captain she's in remarkable pain." Dianna whispered.
"Let her go, and we can help you."
"You've all bee a big help so far!" Picard noticed the sheet covered body on one of the bio-beds.
"I'm sure Dr. Crusher and her team did everything they could to help your companion." Picard tried. Before she could reply, her eyes squeezed shut and she gasped for air. With a quick movement, Beverly managed to free one of her arms, and elbow the woman in the face, knocking her unconscious. Picard reached for Beverly's arm and helped her up, and Worf moved and disarmed the unconscious figure. Riker and Dianna helped the injured nurse onto a bio-bed, clutching his bleeding head wound.
"Mr Worf, put her back on a bio-bed and restrain her." Worf proceeded to do so, and Picard too a look at Beverly's throat. "Beverly, you're bleeding." She raised her hand to her neck, and shook her head.
"It's superficial, nothing to be concerned about."
"What the hell happened?" Beverly took the fallen tricorder from Riker's hand, and dropped it in her jacket pocket.
"You would not believe me if I told you." She took the PADD from the opposite bio-bed, and opened a file. "This is a sample of Cardassian DNA we have had on file for a little over a year. Now these are the DNA sample taken from the deceased. They are completely different." Riker moved around the bio-bed to see the results.
"Different? But his face had the same crests as every other Cardassian we have come across." Beverly nodded, and turned off the screen as nurse Ogawa came over with the dermal regenerator.
"Dr. Selar discovered that those crests were alterations done with plastic surgery. Any more answers will have to wait until she wakes up." Picard turned to look at the unconscious woman and nodded.
"Have Dr. Selar continue to monitor the patient, and have her inform me the moment she regains consciousness. Counsellor I would like you to stay with her."
"Yes sir."
"Captain I can remain here to observe."
"No, Dr. Crusher, you are off until 0900 tomorrow." She was about to interject when he turned to Riker and Worf. "Number one, I believe you have the bridge this evening. I will relieve you at 2300, and Mr Worf, I would like you and Commander LeForge to figure out a way to repair enough of that ship. There may be some questions we can answer in the mean time." They all nodded and went to carry out their duties. All except Beverly.
"Jean Luc, I am fine. I don't understand why-"
"You almost had your throat cut, and you were taken down rather hard. I also know for a fact that your sickbay has not been busy of late, and I'm sure your staff would like the opportunity to do their jobs." He smiled lightly as Beverly sighed heavily in defeat.
"There's no point in arguing is there?" When the nurse finished healing her throat, Jean Luc smiled and started to lead the doctor out of sickbay. "Well in that case, since you've pretty much banished me from my sickbay, the least you can do is join me for dinner."
"Sounds perfect." He replied smirking.