Chapter 11:
Will Riker stormed into the Brig and looked at the security guard.
"Wait outside."
The guard was about to protest, but with a disapproving look obeyed his senior officer and left his post. When the door hissed shut behind the other officer, Riker moved over to the console and pressed a few buttons, deactivating the force field in front of one of the cells. He walked into the cell and looked down at the man lying on top of the bunk with his eyes closed.
"Get up." He ordered, his teeth gritted in anger and pure hatred.
The man smirked, still not opening his eyes.
"Now, now, Riker; Patience. Going against protocol coming here without security officers, aren't we? We must be more alike than you thought."
He opened his eyes and looked directly at the tall bearded man above him.
"Must be why she couldn't get enough of me!"
It was too much for Will to take. He grabbed Karn by the collar, dragging him up from the bunk and slammed him into the wall.
"I'll kill you!" He screamed as he began to pummel the still smirking man with his fists.
Sickbay was relatively quiet when Jean-Luc Picard entered looking for Dr Crusher. He found her checking over his sleeping Counsellor.
"How is she, Beverley?" He asked in a hushed tone.
"Physically she's fine, Jean Luc. Psychologically, well that's another matter entirely. I'm keeping her in for observation because her panic attacks are so severe."
"They really did a number on her, didn't they, Bev."
"That's putting it lightly."
Without warning the petite Betazoid suddenly sat up on the biobed, tears streaming down her face.
"Will! Oh, Will, no! Imzadi, why?"
"Deanna?" Came Picard's voice as he and Beverley approached the stricken Betazoid, "What is it?"
"Will, he… I don't know… he…"
Her explanation was interrupted by the sounds of shouting and equipment crashing to the floor in the Main Sickbay. Both Crusher and Picard left the Counsellor to find out what was going on, but neither of them were prepared to see their First Officer, bloodied and being restrained by their own security, accompanied by Tam-Ren Karn, who was equally blooded and being restrained by more security guards.
"What the Devil…" was all Picard could say. "Commander, would you care to explain yourself."
Riker, seemed not to be able to hear his Captain, he was too busy trying to release himself from the security guards' grasp and get back to fighting with Karn.
"Imazdi?" Came a small, frightened voice.
That got through to him; he stopped struggling and turned to look at Deanna.
"Why? Why would you do this?"
Her eyes were tearing up once more and Will could feel what felt like grief emanating from her to him.
"Dee. I'm sorry, I couldn't control myself. I had to…"
"Had to what?"
He looked to the security guard next to him and he was released, he moved towards the tiny Betazoid and reached out to her, but she flinched from his grasp. That stung him more than words could express.
"Had to what?" She repeated.
"I couldn't stand the anger, Dee, I couldn't let go of what he did to you. I wanted…"
"You wanted him to feel my pain?"
"Yes, Imzadi, I wanted to hurt him the way he hurt you."
She shook her head, a single tear escaped from her eye.
"But you've hurt me, Will… and you've hurt yourself."
"Dee, I don't understand…"
She turned away from him and, with Beverley's assistance; she went back into her private room. Stricken, he looked to his Captain, but there was no sympathy or understanding in his Superior's eyes.
"Get yourself fixed up, Commander and then I expect a full explanation in my Ready Room, do I make myself clear?"
"Yes, sir." He replied, sheepishly, heading towards one of the biobeds where one of the nurses were waiting for him.
Picard turned to the security guards.
"I want Karn kept under constant supervision during his treatment and then he is to be returned to the Brig. I want one of you with me now to explain exactly what has happened."