Chapter 4

Ten Forward

Guinan leaned over the bar, as the newcomer wasn't exactly at eye level. "Hello," she said simply.

Seth put his right index finger in his mouth and stared up at the strange woman in the large hat. He winced, biting down. Sometimes his hands and fingers twitched following Beverly's removal of the implants from his arms. Jean-Luc had yelled at him a few times for this habit, telling him not to bite his hand, so he just did it when Jean-Luc wasn't around. His hand stopped twitching, so he removed it from his teeth and shook it out, before dropping it to his knee.

Guinan gestured for him to sit down at the bar. No one else was ordering anything adult, as it was still breakfast time. "Does it still hurt?" she asked, pouring him a glass of chocolate milk.

He shrugged and picked up the glass, taking a big drink before setting it back down with a refreshed "aahh," sound. "Thank you," he said and then wiped his mouth with the back of his hand continuing to stare at her curiously.

"I could ask you why you're not in school right now, Seth," said Guinan slowly. "But in truth I was hoping you would stop by soon."

"Why?"

"You remind me of someone I used to know. She had the same eyes as you. And nose."

He didn't look as surprised as he should have been-if he had been completely human that is-which only confirmed her intuition. "Oh," he said. "You're friends with Jean-Luc, right?" he asked.

"Yes," she said. "As are you…." She smiled at him and he smiled back, showing his first genuine emotion.

"Are you an alien?" he asked growing serious again.

She frowned. "Hmm…that depends. "If you're as much like me as I think you are, I'm not sure I'm an alien when it comes to you. People like you and me…well there aren't too many of us left. So we've got to stick together."

He looked into his empty glass and then back at her. "You knew my mother?"

She nodded and took his hand. "A long time ago before you were born. I can tell you all about her if you want. Somehow I bet you're a good listener, aren't you?"

He nodded. "Yeah."

On board the Eureka in Orion territory

The room was bathed in a warm yellowish glow, as Riker came to out of a fog and slowly opened his eyes. Had he been drugged? He tensed his back feeling a stretch coming on, and for the first time realized that he was hungry when his stomach growled.

"I hope you like your new room."

Riker's head snapped around to find Marco sitting about five feet away in a plush red armchair. Riker glanced down and saw he was sitting in the softest chair made of a material that felt like satin.
Marco was smoking a thin cigar that for some reason smelled spicy and wonderful. "Want a smoke?" he asked.

Riker merely stared back at him.

"Or maybe you have a different kind of vice," Marco said gesturing at the table in front of Riker where a glass of beer sat. Condensation dribbled down the side of the glass. Riker licked his dry lips, but then turned his attention back to Marco.

"No thanks."

Marco smiled and took a drag on his delicious smelling cigarette. "Suit yourself," he said lounging back. "You're on board my ship now, and there's nowhere to go but out an airlock. But…I think someday soon you'll grow to like it here, Riker."

Riker looked around the room, being careful not to appear too interested in the decorative surroundings.

"Not too friendly this evening are you?" remarked Marco.

Evening? How long had he even been here? Already it seemed he was losing track of time. Marco got to his feet and strolled casually over to the table in front of Riker. He stooped down and picked up the glass from the table, examining it with studied interest. Suddenly he turned quickly and hurled it against the wall. Riker watched as the glass shattered and beer streamed down the wall.

Marco turned back and fixed him with the gold toothed smile again, but his eyes flashed with something less friendly. "You prefer violence, do you? Does that better fit your image of who I should be?"

Riker remained silent as Marco sat down on the now empty table and looked closely at Riker's face. "What do you believe in?" He took a puff from the cigar and smiled. "Starfleet? The Federation?"

Riker turned his stony gaze to Marco and lifted his chin.

Marco looked up at the ceiling and exhaled a puff of purple smoke. "Ah yes...I remember when those things were enough for me too."

"Are you saying you used to be a Starfleet Officer?"

Marco grinned. "Hard to believe isn't it? I didn't fit the mold Riker...do you? Maybe not as much as you thought you did…."

"What is this? Are you trying to make friends?"

"And what would be wrong with that?" asked Marco with a sly grin.

"I already have friends," said Riker. "And they're looking for me right now. With high powered energy weapons. So I suggest you bring me the hell back to where I came from before your smug ass gets blown out of the sky."

"I have plenty of friends too, and a few business partners, if you know what I mean. And some of them are Orion. Good friends to have where we're headed." Marco laughed and pushed himself to his feet. "You have a lot of confidence for a guy whose luck is quickly running out. Once I don't need you anymore, Riker, we'll either be friends by then…or I'll kill you. Which would you prefer?"

Riker leaned forward with his elbows on his knees. "Okay, I'll play along, Marco; what is it that you believe in now—if Starfleet's not enough for you anymore?"

Marco broke into a slow smile, and took the cigar out of his mouth. "Eternity, Riker—I believe in eternity. And eternity is where we are headed."

The Enterprise

"Energizing," Chief O'Brien said coolly.
Picard wasn't sure how he would react until that very moment when he saw her. He hadn't expected panic. As she materialized in transporter room one, he could not help but recall that the last time he had come face to face with the adult version of Natasha Yar, she was plunging her hand into his chest to retrieve the Power of the Q while he lay dying on an abandoned bridge on the Borg home world.

Strangely, this thought corresponded with a sudden chill in the same area near his heart, as though the Power was warning him, "Don't let her get too close to me." Of course, the Power did not speak, but as his partnership with it grew, he was learning it didn't need to speak his language in order to communicate very clearly. So he thought back, "please do not be afraid, and do not show yourself. We'll both be fine," he assured it. An easing of the tense feeling in his chest indicated it was listening. "As you saved the Q, I will keep you safe, my friend," it seemed to say. Suddenly feeling wonderful and strong again, he stepped forward with his hand outstretched to greet the young woman as she stepped quickly down from the transporter pad.

Yar was slim yet athletic, with an attractive confidence he had seen before in another time and place—from a different Yar, he reminded himself. Unlike the Yar from his prior experience, who had longer hair usually pulled into a pony tail, this Yar's hair was cut in a no-nonsense short hairdo. To his surprise, she straightened and stood stiffly at attention instead of shaking his hand. "Lieutenant Natasha Yar reporting for duty, Captain. Permission to come aboard."

Picard dropped his hand. "Permission granted, Lieutenant." He took a step back, still regarding her warily. He noted she carried a very small suitcase in one hand. She continued to stare at a point just above his left shoulder. Was she nervous to meet him? "At ease," he said softly, still studying her face. As far as he could tell there was no recognition in her expression—she did not know him. And he silently scolded his own subconscious, telling it that this was the first time he'd met her as well.

After he had introduced her to Chief O'Brien and they had stepped out into the corridor together, he glanced sideways at her. "Lieutenant," he said as they walked along. "You come highly recommended."

Yar nodded with seemingly real modestly. "Thank you Captain. It's an honor to be here…truly." She finally made eye contact with him as they halted at the turbo lift and came face to face. "You're familiar with my record, sir?" she asked sounding skeptical that such an important person would ever read her personnel profile.

"Oh, you could say that," he said allowing her a small smile.

Betazed…

About an hour after meeting Yar, Picard was already transporting down to Betazed. Yar had insisted on accompanying him in case there was still danger, but the reality was probably that Riker and his captors were off world by now. So to her obvious consternation, he ordered her to instead familiarize herself with her security teams, as re-capturing Riker could likely require force.

He had expected to be lambasted by Walker Keel as soon as he arrived, but instead was overjoyed to find Beverly, Deanna, and an elegant but ostentatiously dressed woman he assumed was Deanna's mother, upon materializing.

As they walked toward him he struggled to keep his emotions in check. He was getting better at it—returning to the old self-control. But sometimes, at times like this, it was difficult. As a Q he had gone without sexual intimacy for eleven years, and being a Q, he hadn't missed it. But now being human again it was sometimes all he thought about, however inappropriate that was. Like right now for instance.

Oh shame on you, Deanna, you didn't tell me your Captain was so captivating. Why he reminds me of a man I made love to on occasion after your father died…now that was an experience I will never forget—

Mother, we are in a crisis mode and you are more concerned about your libido than Will disappearing!

Oh of course not, Little One, you know I love Will and want him back as much as you do. Beside, your Captain is the one thinking about his libido instead of his missing friend, Deanna. I'm simply picking up on his blatantly lustful feelings for me—

He hasn't even met you yet, Mother. And those thoughts may be lustful but they're not intended for you…

Oh nonsense! Who else would they be for?

"Doctor," Picard said, halting before the three women.

"Captain," replied Beverly.

Oh good lord, get a room….

I told you Mother….