"NASEEMA!" he roared with such ferocity, it made everyone in the room jump.
Naseema began backing up. "Jagger, remember where you are," she said.
Blind with rage, he abruptly kicked Data in the ribs, and barreled towards her.
Picard instinctively thrust himself between them, and warned the enraged Feeonix, "I must remind you, Ambassador, this is my ship, and I will not tolerate outbursts of violence."
Barely slowing his gait, Jagger deked, easily sidestepped Picard, and grabbed Naseema's arm with such force, she yelped. He dragged her along with him as he exited Ten Forward.
Data recovered from Jagger's assault quickly, and moved to follow them, but Picard stopped him.
"I will handle this, Data. Your presence is only going to anger him further," he said.
"Captain, I am concerned for Naseema's safety. I believe we can both appreciate the level of violence the ambassador is capable of," Data replied.
Picard looked into the android's deadly solemn expression, and saw the same depth to his eyes that Counselor Troi had noticed. He looked at Guinan again, and motioned for her to come over to him. She silently joined the two officers, the same solemn look on her face that Data was wearing.
"Guinan," Picard asked. "Do you think you can convince Ambassador Jagger to calm down?"
Guinan shook her head. "Jagger's not very happy with me right now either. I'm not sure what good my presence is going to accomplish," she replied, and added, "Jagger and Commander Riker have a rapport."
Picard nodded thoughtfully before tapping his communicator. "Picard to Commander Riker."
"Here, Captain," Riker's voice promptly replied.
"There's been an incident in Ten Forward involving Ambassador Jagger. I need you to find him, and meet me there. It's likely he's gone to his quarters." Picard paused and took a worried breath. "He has Ambassador Naseema with him, and there are concerns for her safety."
Riker was silent for several seconds before responding, "Yes Sir. On my way."
The trio from Ten Forward located the pair of Feeonix in Ambassador Jagger's quarters. When they arrived, Riker was already waiting for them in the corridor.
"Security reports no indication of violence, and she hasn't called for help. They didn't answer when Lieutenant Markham rang, but I told her to wait for me, and not to over ride the lock," he told the captain.
Picard nodded and gave a silent indication for Riker to attempt to enter.
"Ambassador Jagger?" Riker called out as he rang the indicator. The response was prompt.
"Come in, Commander," Jagger answered.
Riker looked over at Picard, with his eyebrows raised, and shrugged. The door whooshed open, and Riker took a step forward.
"Mind if the captain joins us?" he asked.
"Certainly. He should probably be made aware of the situation," Jagger's voice replied.
Picard entered behind Riker, and the door closed leaving Guinan and Data alone in the corridor.
The El Aurian watched in amazement as the android leaned against the bulkhead with a thump, and brought his hands up to bury his face in them. He let out a shaky sigh, and roughly ran his fingers through his hair before letting his arms drop to his sides. He leaned his head back, and stared at the wall across from him, blinking a few times. It was the most human mannerism she'd ever seen him exhibit.
"Guinan," he finally asked, looking at her. "Is this what being in love feels like?"
There was an expression she'd never seen in his eyes before, but it was an expression she recognized. He was heart broken. She looked back at him with a sad honesty, not feeling very wise at all, and replied, "Sometimes."
He nodded and lowered his gaze. At that moment, the door opened again, and Picard asked Guinan to join them. He then told Data to return to the bridge, and take command of the ship. Data opened his mouth to protest, but stopped, and instead answered with a subdued,
"Yes Sir."
Inside his quarters, Jagger stood in front of a seated Naseema, his chest puffed out triumphantly, and his arms folded across it.
She refused to look at him, and stared at her hands, clasped together anxiously in her lap.
"So it's done," Picard said.
Jagger looked at him and replied, "That's correct, captain. I'm sorry to complicate your life, but Naseema has committed a very serious offense, and left me with no choice, but to inform our elders of her transgression. I have already made contact, and the decision has been made. She will face judgment."
Picard nodded grimly. "I see," he said. The captain maintained his outward calm, but inside he was furious at how this arrogant, pretentious, and apparently aggressive visitor had come in, and disrupted the peace on his ship.
"Is Data alright?" Naseema suddenly asked Picard with a look of deep regret in her eyes.
Jagger stared at her in disbelief. "Still can't let him go eh? Even after all the harm you've already caused him?" he asked her nastily.
She shot him a look of contempt and turned back to Picard.
"He's shaken but I think he'll be alright. You can see him later," Picard replied.
"Oh no she can't!" Jagger snapped, keeping his eyes on Naseema. "She's never going to see that android again."
Picard had enough of Jagger to last him the rest of his life. "You do not dictate the movements of the people on this ship, Ambassador!" he shouted. "Another display like the one in Ten Forward, and you will find yourself confined to the brig!"
Jagger narrowed his eyes at the captain but didn't argue.
Riker, who had been silently sitting on the sofa observing, exchanged a look with Guinan.
Jagger caught it, and turned his attention to the El Aurian. "I hope you're satisfied with your part in this," he glowered at her. "You're supposed to listen, not advise inexperienced androids to jump into bed with aliens way out their leagues!" He then muttered under his breath, "Women."
That was it. Guinan was done with Jagger.
Riker opened his mouth to counter the Feeonix's sexist comment, but Guinan held her hand up to silence him.
She was done sympathizing with, and trying to understand Jagger, and was about to unleash everything she had at him. "Have you ever wondered why Naseema doesn't love you the way you want her to?" she asked, and both Feeonix looked at her with shock. "Maybe it's because you're a selfish, inconsiderate, spiteful bully!"
Jagger's eyes widened.
"I've watched you treat her like you own her for centuries," she went on. "You've sabotaged her, belittled her, controlled her, and stalked her! You're an abuser, Jagger, that's what you are, and now you've assaulted a senior officer aboard this ship! It's a wonder anybody has put up with your bullshit for this long!"
The Feeonix tried to respond, but Guinan raised her voice even louder.
"You will shut up, and listen to me for once! You've made your feelings known, and nobody cares what you think so now you'll do what you promised the captain you would, and then you will leave. You will leave promptly and quietly. You will not say anything further to either Naseema or Data. You will mind your own business for once in your life, and get the fuck off this ship!" she seethed. "Despite what you'd like to think, your insane jealousy has caused this damage, and NOTHING ELSE!"
Jagger continued to stare at her in disbelief. He was clearly not used to being yelled at, and Guinan's tirade left him as speechless as it did the rest of the room.
The Feeonix blinked a few times. "It's too late," he said. "Grandfather is already on his way here."
"What?!" Riker finally spoke.
"Who is Grandfather?" Picard added.
Naseema looked at him, ashamed. "It is what we call the elder, Jagger has contacted. He has decided that he has been in the nebula for too long and is coming here to pass judgment on me."
Picard was taken aback. That's just great, he thought, a third one. Despite his apprehension at the prospect of another Feeonix on board, he gave Naseema his sympathy.
"What's done is done. We will deal with this as it comes," he replied and gave his emissary a nod, silently reminding her of their plan to declare her asylum aboard the Enterprise should the Feeonix elder choose to side with Jagger. He hoped it wouldn't come to that, but he was prepared to defend his Feeonix to the best of his ability.
"How is this going to affect Data?" Riker asked.
"It will not." Naseema assured him. "It is my transgression alone."
"Humph!" Jagger snorted, his superior attitude returning. "Perhaps you should deal with the fact that he's an idiot, Captain," he said to Picard.
"Be quiet!" Picard snapped back. "You are confined to your quarters until this matter has been resolved. I will not have any further incidents aboard my ship."
"Fine," Jagger sniffed. "Just keep that android away from her, before she completely ruins her life."
"I will do no such thing," Picard replied, cooling himself down. "Commander Riker, will you be so kind as to escort Ambassador Naseema back to her quarters?"
"Absolutely. It would be my pleasure," Riker replied, glaring at Jagger.
Naseema rose to her feet, and accepted the first officer's arm, Jagger eyeing her.
Guinan refused to look at him altogether, and gave Picard an acknowledging nod instead, before following Riker and Naseema out the door.
Once they were alone, Picard looked at Jagger with an expression so threatening, it made the Feeonix, who had just bested the strongest man Picard knew, take a step back.
"Now you listen to me," Picard began with a low, angry growl. "I don't care how long you have known Naseema, and I don't care what you think she owes you. I am not going to stand by while you destroy everything we have worked so hard to build here because of some petty jealousy. I may not be able to stop the events you have already put in motion, but if you disrupt the peace aboard my ship again, I will come at you with everything I've got. Is that clear, Ambassador?"
Jagger was astounded. In all the time he had known her, this was the first time he had ever encountered humans who cared enough about Naseema to meet him head on for her.
Picard was not a big man, but he had a presence that told Jagger he shouldn't push him any further than he already had, so he said nothing.
The two men stared at each other in silence for a few seconds before Picard turned, and left.
Jagger watched him go, and then ordered himself a drink from the replicator. Naseema has been around these humans for too long, he decided. She thinks she can act like one of them. She and Guinan were fools to think they could hide the bonding from him. It was an abhoration, and the sooner he got Naseema away from the humans...and the android, the better.