Disclaimer: Paramount owns Star Trek, and all of the characters, who were
first created out of the minds of the talented directors, producers and
writers working there, basing everything, as I do, on an idea from the
genius of Gene Roddenberry.
Captain's Log Stardate 55026.3
Although the Romulans have done nothing so far, I have felt that we are walking into a trap. Ever since the ambassador pointed out the possibility, I've had an uneasy feeling in the back of my mind.
"Data, What is the status of the warbirds?" Picard asked, sitting down in his chair.
"They don't appear to have taken any notice of us, sir."
"I don't understand. What are they up to?" Riker asked.
"Number One, I'm afraid none of us know any more than you." Picard stood up. "I'll be in my ready room."
Just then an explosion blasted through his ready room doors. The room had been hit by a very precise torpedo that was very well aimed. Luckily, that also meant it wasn't all that strong, and it didn't envelop the entire bridge. Both Data and Worf at their stations were just out of its reach, and Riker just barely managed to get out of the way.
*Riker to Crusher, Medical Emergency!* Beverly heard Will shout through her commbadge. Her heart leaped. *No use sending a medical team, we're on our way. Just have three bio-beds ready and waiting.*
A moment later, he came bursting through the sickbay doors, carrying Deanna. Behind him were Data and a crewman supporting the ensign who had been on Comm duty and a lieutenant and another crewman carrying between them Jean-Luc Picard.
"Jean-Luc!" she exclaimed, tears welling up in her eyes and her throat choking up so that she couldn't speak for a few minutes.
That didn't stop her from acting though. All of the on-duty medical personnel were busily aiding the three injured crewmen. Beverly helped get the captain onto the bio-bed.
"What happened?" she asked Commander Riker, as soon as she managed to speak, simultaneously scanning Picard.
"Something detonated right in his ready-room. Dammit, he was just getting up and walking in there. If it had exploded 15 seconds later, it would have killed him!" he replied, the fact just dawning on him.
Beverly paled. "He has three fractured vertebrae and a broken femur, as well as a shattered patella, and it looks like...."
"In English, Beverly?" Riker replied.
"Sorry, He is severely burned and basically broken the entire left side of his body."
"Oh." he replied, and walked back to Deanna's side.
Captain Picard moaned. At Beverly's signal, one of the nurses anesthetized him with a hypospray. He blinked, and took a deep breath as the pain receded.
"What happened?" he asked.
"You were caught in a blast from a torpedo that hit your ready room." she replied.
"I suppose that would be why I'm in about thirty pieces now." he joked, reaching for her hand. She took his.
"Yeah, you scared me there for a minute," she smiled.
"I promise I'll never do it again." he responded, looking straight into her eyes.
She bit her lip, as if considering something. Finally she leaned over and kissed him. Naturally he kissed her back.
"Doctor?" Riker asked, looking around for her, "Doctor?" he caught sight of them. "Beverly Crusher! If you would mind ungluing your face from the Captain's, you have other patients to treat here!" Riker scolded.
She looked up at him, sheepishly, "Right," she said, clearing her throat.
"Thank you..." he began, then stopped. "Wait a minute, What the hell is going on here?" he asked.
She just looked at him, innocently, and began scanning Deanna with her tricorder. Riker rolled his eyes and walked over to Picard.
"How long has that been going on?" he asked, obviously confused.
"Either 22 years or about ten minutes, I'm not exactly sure." Picard replied, smiling cryptically.
Riker rolled his eyes again and said in defeat, "I'm going back to the bridge."
As soon as the Red-Alert sounded, Ianna naturally made her way to the bridge. Stepping out of the turbo-lift, she saw Data in command.
"What the hell is going on?" she asked, seeing the gaping hole straight through the ready room. The atmosphere of the bridge was only contained by an emergency forcefield. "Khestvex thath! was anyone killed?"
"No. There were only three injuries. Counselor Troi, Captain Picard and Ensign Thomas were injured, and are now in sickbay. Commander Riker...."
"Thank you, Data." Riker said, stepping onto the bridge.
"The bridge is yours Commander." Data replied, moving back to his station.
"Hellfires! Would someone mind telling me what happened to the damn bridge? There's a g'daya taHqeq hole there where Picard's ready-room should be!" Ianna exclaimed, her patience wearing thin. "What the bloody hell happened here?" Riker blinked, speechless. "A very precise torpedo." Data supplied.
"I see." Ianna replied, "Where are the Romulans?"
"Sensors show they moved out of the region as soon as we dropped out of Warp." Worf replied.
"Shouldn't there be a repair team up here by now, then?" she asked, slightly exasperated.
"I suppose so. I'll contact Geordi. It wasn't exactly my first priority." Riker replied, testily.
"Of course," she replied neutrally, "Naturally your Imzadi was, I'm sorry. I should've remembered." Ianna also decided to ignore Riker's glare. She seemed to be collecting them on this ship. "I suppose I'll be in my quarters, unless anyone needs me." she said, and made to leave the bridge, but just before she stepped onto the Turbo lift she thought better of it. She turned around and waved her hand in a gesture that bade them to sleep. It was a journeyman spell, and it didn't take her long to finish. First the crewmen working at the stations near the Turbo lift, then Worf, Riker, and finally Data, they all drifted to sleep without noticing. Then she turned her attentions to the ready room. The debris was actually all still contained within the forcefield, so it wouldn't be that hard to repair. She pulled each fragment back to its original location, and knitted them together with mage energy. It was safe to do this, because she was sure that neither Romulans nor any other anti-federation group had mages, for to a someone with mage-sight, this section would glow like a Terran firefly. She had everything done except a small portion of the outside wall, when she realized her energy was starting to fail her. As an Adept, all she usually needed to do was tap into a planet's naturally occurring nodes or ley lines of mage power to regain that strength, but here in space, there were none. She grimly continued working, hoping her strength wouldn't fail her. Finally she had to revoke the spell on the sleeping crewmembers, to use her last bit of strength to fix the last hole in the wall before she collapsed.
Both Riker and Worf awoke with a start, and did a double take. Where the hole had been a second ago, the ready room was complete, as if nothing had happened. Worf drew his phaser as Riker nodded for him to follow. The two men cautiously peeked in. They saw nothing amiss but the prone form of the Ambassador lying in the center of the room.
"Riker to Crusher, Medical Emergency."
"What happened to her again?" Beverly asked, as she put away her tricorder.
"I don't know. One moment she was leaving the bridge, and the next, I woke up and all of the damage to the bridge had been repaired. Worf and I found her on the floor of the ready room." Riker replied.
"There's nothing physically wrong with her, she just seems to be asleep, but I can't wake her." Beverly said.
"Counselor, do you sense anything?" Picard asked, from his own biobed.
"She seems to simply be drained. It's as if she used up too much energy, and she needs rest. Her body is healing itself."
"I hope so, because I seriously doubt there's anything we can do." the Doctor replied. She scanned Counselor Troi. "You've recovered well enough to return to your quarters." she said.
"Thank you," Deanna replied.
"You I'd like to keep overnight...." Beverly told Picard, winking at him. "for observation, to make sure your fractures heal properly," she quickly amended.
"Not ready to get rid of me, are you?" Picard grinned.
"Don't worry, I'll tell you when I am," the Doctor smiled back.
The Counselor barely suppressed a giggle. Riker rolled his eyes. "This has been the most eventful shift I've ever had." he moaned. "I'm going back to the bridge, again!"
"I think I'll go too." Deanna added, and followed him out the door. "What was that?" she asked, laughing, as soon as the turbo lift doors shut.
"Deck one" Riker told the computer, "I don't know, but they've been like that all day."
"What do you mean?" she asked, incredulously.
Just then the turbolift doors opened, and Will strode onto the bridge, grinning impishly back at his Imzadi.
"Will! tell me!" Deanna begged, "Please?"
He grinned, "Come here," he beckoned. She did and he whispered it into her ear.
"What!?" she shrieked, like a teenager, threatening to burst into a fit of giggles. She caught disapproving looks from Worf and the rest of the bridge crew. "Sorry." she blushed. "Will, you aren't serious!"
"Oh, God Deanna, I'm dead serious."
Personal Log' Counselor Deanna Troi Stardate 55027.8
I haven't had a chance to talk to Beverly since she told me about her conversation with the Ambassador, but something is definitely going on between her and the Captain. I can't say I know first hand, I was present, but unconscious through part of it, but it seems to be the first positive development of this mission. I can't help but wonder exactly how much Ianna's lecture has to do with this.
"Hello, Beverly, mind if I join you?" Deanna asked her friend, in the mess hall.
"No, of course not." the Doctor replied.
Deanna sat down. "Just wanted to make sure you weren't waiting for someone." she grinned.
"Why would I be.... Why are you looking at me like that?" Beverly replied.
"Will told me."
"Oh, God!" she blushed, looking away, "He didn't."
Deanna nodded, "So?" she asked, drawing it out, expectantly.
"So, what?" Dr. Crusher said, innocently.
"Come on! you know what I mean. What took you so long?" Deanna replied, exasperatedly.
"Took me so long? What are you talking about?"
"Beverly, the entire crew knows you and the Captain have had a thing for each other, practically since Farpoint."
"You're joking." Beverly replied, mortified, "How many people know?"
"Know what? that you kissed the Captain in Sickbay? Probably the entire crew by now, Emergency situations usually make people more observant, not less." Deanna replied, devilishly.
"Dammit! Gossip is the only thing that travels faster than Warp 10."
Her friend laughed. Don't we all know it."
Captain's Log Stardate 55026.3
Although the Romulans have done nothing so far, I have felt that we are walking into a trap. Ever since the ambassador pointed out the possibility, I've had an uneasy feeling in the back of my mind.
"Data, What is the status of the warbirds?" Picard asked, sitting down in his chair.
"They don't appear to have taken any notice of us, sir."
"I don't understand. What are they up to?" Riker asked.
"Number One, I'm afraid none of us know any more than you." Picard stood up. "I'll be in my ready room."
Just then an explosion blasted through his ready room doors. The room had been hit by a very precise torpedo that was very well aimed. Luckily, that also meant it wasn't all that strong, and it didn't envelop the entire bridge. Both Data and Worf at their stations were just out of its reach, and Riker just barely managed to get out of the way.
*Riker to Crusher, Medical Emergency!* Beverly heard Will shout through her commbadge. Her heart leaped. *No use sending a medical team, we're on our way. Just have three bio-beds ready and waiting.*
A moment later, he came bursting through the sickbay doors, carrying Deanna. Behind him were Data and a crewman supporting the ensign who had been on Comm duty and a lieutenant and another crewman carrying between them Jean-Luc Picard.
"Jean-Luc!" she exclaimed, tears welling up in her eyes and her throat choking up so that she couldn't speak for a few minutes.
That didn't stop her from acting though. All of the on-duty medical personnel were busily aiding the three injured crewmen. Beverly helped get the captain onto the bio-bed.
"What happened?" she asked Commander Riker, as soon as she managed to speak, simultaneously scanning Picard.
"Something detonated right in his ready-room. Dammit, he was just getting up and walking in there. If it had exploded 15 seconds later, it would have killed him!" he replied, the fact just dawning on him.
Beverly paled. "He has three fractured vertebrae and a broken femur, as well as a shattered patella, and it looks like...."
"In English, Beverly?" Riker replied.
"Sorry, He is severely burned and basically broken the entire left side of his body."
"Oh." he replied, and walked back to Deanna's side.
Captain Picard moaned. At Beverly's signal, one of the nurses anesthetized him with a hypospray. He blinked, and took a deep breath as the pain receded.
"What happened?" he asked.
"You were caught in a blast from a torpedo that hit your ready room." she replied.
"I suppose that would be why I'm in about thirty pieces now." he joked, reaching for her hand. She took his.
"Yeah, you scared me there for a minute," she smiled.
"I promise I'll never do it again." he responded, looking straight into her eyes.
She bit her lip, as if considering something. Finally she leaned over and kissed him. Naturally he kissed her back.
"Doctor?" Riker asked, looking around for her, "Doctor?" he caught sight of them. "Beverly Crusher! If you would mind ungluing your face from the Captain's, you have other patients to treat here!" Riker scolded.
She looked up at him, sheepishly, "Right," she said, clearing her throat.
"Thank you..." he began, then stopped. "Wait a minute, What the hell is going on here?" he asked.
She just looked at him, innocently, and began scanning Deanna with her tricorder. Riker rolled his eyes and walked over to Picard.
"How long has that been going on?" he asked, obviously confused.
"Either 22 years or about ten minutes, I'm not exactly sure." Picard replied, smiling cryptically.
Riker rolled his eyes again and said in defeat, "I'm going back to the bridge."
As soon as the Red-Alert sounded, Ianna naturally made her way to the bridge. Stepping out of the turbo-lift, she saw Data in command.
"What the hell is going on?" she asked, seeing the gaping hole straight through the ready room. The atmosphere of the bridge was only contained by an emergency forcefield. "Khestvex thath! was anyone killed?"
"No. There were only three injuries. Counselor Troi, Captain Picard and Ensign Thomas were injured, and are now in sickbay. Commander Riker...."
"Thank you, Data." Riker said, stepping onto the bridge.
"The bridge is yours Commander." Data replied, moving back to his station.
"Hellfires! Would someone mind telling me what happened to the damn bridge? There's a g'daya taHqeq hole there where Picard's ready-room should be!" Ianna exclaimed, her patience wearing thin. "What the bloody hell happened here?" Riker blinked, speechless. "A very precise torpedo." Data supplied.
"I see." Ianna replied, "Where are the Romulans?"
"Sensors show they moved out of the region as soon as we dropped out of Warp." Worf replied.
"Shouldn't there be a repair team up here by now, then?" she asked, slightly exasperated.
"I suppose so. I'll contact Geordi. It wasn't exactly my first priority." Riker replied, testily.
"Of course," she replied neutrally, "Naturally your Imzadi was, I'm sorry. I should've remembered." Ianna also decided to ignore Riker's glare. She seemed to be collecting them on this ship. "I suppose I'll be in my quarters, unless anyone needs me." she said, and made to leave the bridge, but just before she stepped onto the Turbo lift she thought better of it. She turned around and waved her hand in a gesture that bade them to sleep. It was a journeyman spell, and it didn't take her long to finish. First the crewmen working at the stations near the Turbo lift, then Worf, Riker, and finally Data, they all drifted to sleep without noticing. Then she turned her attentions to the ready room. The debris was actually all still contained within the forcefield, so it wouldn't be that hard to repair. She pulled each fragment back to its original location, and knitted them together with mage energy. It was safe to do this, because she was sure that neither Romulans nor any other anti-federation group had mages, for to a someone with mage-sight, this section would glow like a Terran firefly. She had everything done except a small portion of the outside wall, when she realized her energy was starting to fail her. As an Adept, all she usually needed to do was tap into a planet's naturally occurring nodes or ley lines of mage power to regain that strength, but here in space, there were none. She grimly continued working, hoping her strength wouldn't fail her. Finally she had to revoke the spell on the sleeping crewmembers, to use her last bit of strength to fix the last hole in the wall before she collapsed.
Both Riker and Worf awoke with a start, and did a double take. Where the hole had been a second ago, the ready room was complete, as if nothing had happened. Worf drew his phaser as Riker nodded for him to follow. The two men cautiously peeked in. They saw nothing amiss but the prone form of the Ambassador lying in the center of the room.
"Riker to Crusher, Medical Emergency."
"What happened to her again?" Beverly asked, as she put away her tricorder.
"I don't know. One moment she was leaving the bridge, and the next, I woke up and all of the damage to the bridge had been repaired. Worf and I found her on the floor of the ready room." Riker replied.
"There's nothing physically wrong with her, she just seems to be asleep, but I can't wake her." Beverly said.
"Counselor, do you sense anything?" Picard asked, from his own biobed.
"She seems to simply be drained. It's as if she used up too much energy, and she needs rest. Her body is healing itself."
"I hope so, because I seriously doubt there's anything we can do." the Doctor replied. She scanned Counselor Troi. "You've recovered well enough to return to your quarters." she said.
"Thank you," Deanna replied.
"You I'd like to keep overnight...." Beverly told Picard, winking at him. "for observation, to make sure your fractures heal properly," she quickly amended.
"Not ready to get rid of me, are you?" Picard grinned.
"Don't worry, I'll tell you when I am," the Doctor smiled back.
The Counselor barely suppressed a giggle. Riker rolled his eyes. "This has been the most eventful shift I've ever had." he moaned. "I'm going back to the bridge, again!"
"I think I'll go too." Deanna added, and followed him out the door. "What was that?" she asked, laughing, as soon as the turbo lift doors shut.
"Deck one" Riker told the computer, "I don't know, but they've been like that all day."
"What do you mean?" she asked, incredulously.
Just then the turbolift doors opened, and Will strode onto the bridge, grinning impishly back at his Imzadi.
"Will! tell me!" Deanna begged, "Please?"
He grinned, "Come here," he beckoned. She did and he whispered it into her ear.
"What!?" she shrieked, like a teenager, threatening to burst into a fit of giggles. She caught disapproving looks from Worf and the rest of the bridge crew. "Sorry." she blushed. "Will, you aren't serious!"
"Oh, God Deanna, I'm dead serious."
Personal Log' Counselor Deanna Troi Stardate 55027.8
I haven't had a chance to talk to Beverly since she told me about her conversation with the Ambassador, but something is definitely going on between her and the Captain. I can't say I know first hand, I was present, but unconscious through part of it, but it seems to be the first positive development of this mission. I can't help but wonder exactly how much Ianna's lecture has to do with this.
"Hello, Beverly, mind if I join you?" Deanna asked her friend, in the mess hall.
"No, of course not." the Doctor replied.
Deanna sat down. "Just wanted to make sure you weren't waiting for someone." she grinned.
"Why would I be.... Why are you looking at me like that?" Beverly replied.
"Will told me."
"Oh, God!" she blushed, looking away, "He didn't."
Deanna nodded, "So?" she asked, drawing it out, expectantly.
"So, what?" Dr. Crusher said, innocently.
"Come on! you know what I mean. What took you so long?" Deanna replied, exasperatedly.
"Took me so long? What are you talking about?"
"Beverly, the entire crew knows you and the Captain have had a thing for each other, practically since Farpoint."
"You're joking." Beverly replied, mortified, "How many people know?"
"Know what? that you kissed the Captain in Sickbay? Probably the entire crew by now, Emergency situations usually make people more observant, not less." Deanna replied, devilishly.
"Dammit! Gossip is the only thing that travels faster than Warp 10."
Her friend laughed. Don't we all know it."