"Where is that music coming from?" Picard's gaze flickered past each member of the senior staff gathered in the conference room. They were assembled to discuss the upcoming delegation to Lhjano. The Federation were currently in talks with the Lhjani high assembly regarding a joint Federation-Ljhani colonizing of their ninth moon.
"I don't hear anything, sir." Riker shrugged. He took a sip of coffee before pushing his cup away. "Must be your imagination."
"Must be," Wesley muttered, biting his lip. He had been invited to the meeting because a good friend of his was Lhjani. None of the senior staff had ever had the pleasure of meeting one, so he was pressed into service as a "cultural advisor" of sorts.
"On the contrary, I myself am also detecting unusual sound waves that do not conform to that of ship's systems or a humanoid voice pattern." Data cocked his head to one side, his expression curious. "And they are increasing in volume. I therefore suggest that its proximity is increasing."
Nobody spoke. Worf blinked. Geordi drummed his fingers once on the table. Wesley glanced up at the corner of the room, before staring at his hands.
"It is getting closer."
"Ah."
"I hear it too." Dr. Crusher cupped her hand to her ear. "Is that….polka music?"
Deanna Troi spun around in her chair. "I believe it is." A quizzical expression played over her face.
The sound became louder. "Shall I see what's going on so we can get back to business?" Deanna offered, standing.
"By all means, Counselor," Picard waved his hand towards the door.
But before she could open the door and stick her head out, it whooshed open. Music filled the air as a man playing "Here Comes the Bride" on an accordion danced inside. "Am I late?"
Everyone's jaw hung open. For there stood Ensign Arbuckle in his birthday suit.
"Where's the happy couple?" He looked around at the shocked faces that beheld him. His face turned a deep shade of scarlet as he realized that something was wrong. "Ha, ha, ha….oh…." He lowered the accordion to cover himself, before slinking backwards out the door.
For a moment everyone sat in silence, the meeting completely forgotten. Everyone, that is, except for Wesley, who had turned his chair to the corner and was now laughing madly.
Picard stood, his face hardening. "Care to let us in on the joke, Mr. Crusher?" He crossed his arms over his chest.
Wesley stopped laughing, tears running down his cheeks, swallowing hard. "Sir?"
"I'm waiting," Picard frowned. Everybody was watching Wesley now except Deanna Troi. She appeared lost in thought.
"Of course….." She looked up at Picard. "Captain, remember when Ensign Eulee asked if you'd perform her wedding ceremony?"
"That was next week, was it not?"
"Yes, and she asked me to pass along an invitation to Wesley. Because they were in the Academy together." Deanna tapped her lip with her finger. "By any chance, did you alter your invitation and pass it on to Ensign Arbuckle?"
"Alter? How?"
"Oh, I don't know…..replaced your name with his, moved the date up a week and added a postscript asking him to play for the ceremony, maybe?"
Wesley gulped. "Per-perchance I m-may have had something to do with it…." He smiled guiltily. "When you told me she was Betazoid too,….well….."
Picard was not laughing. "My office. Now."
"Yes, sir," Wesley stood up and moved towards the door. An orange cat padded out from under the conference table, following. Wesley bent down and held out his right hand, palm up. The cat's paw touched it briefly before the door closed behind them.
Riker scrunched his brows together. He turned to look at all assembled. "Is it me, or did that cat just high five him?"
