Part 25
Jean-Luc enters the cabin, already tired after a long shift and dreading the informal reception that evening in Ten Forward. Looking over in the direction of the living area, he is greeted with a delightful squeal from his three year-old.
Smiling wearily, Jean-Luc pads over to the living area where Yvette is waddling toward him with a massive grin. At three, Yvette has not grown at the same rate of development as a normal toddler her age. Cognitively delayed with slow motor skills, Yvette cannot communicate with speech yet. They have a support network in place to assess and develop her skills and abilities, but it has become obvious that she has some permanent mental impairments from the accident that preempted her birth.
"Hi, Papa," greets Felisa, standing up from the floor where she had been reading a large old picture book to Yvette.
Scooping the toddler into his arms, Jean-Luc ruffles her fine red hair and kisses her crown. "Hello, ladies. What are you up to?"
"Just reading," shrugs Felisa, taking a seat on the sofa. Now nearly fifteen years-old, Felisa looks more like her mother with each passing day.
Jean-Luc joins his daughter on the sofa, resting Yvette in his lap. "Where's your mother?"
"Just getting ready," relays Felisa. "She said Wes would be visiting next week."
Half-smiling, Jean-Luc nods as Yvette fiddles with the collar of his uniform. "Yes. He has a short leave from the Academy."
"It's been forever!" Felisa remarks dramatically.
"It's been a very long time," agrees Jean-Luc with a short laugh.
"I can't wait to go to the Academy," proclaims Felisa, jumping off the sofa.
"Just slow down," Jean-Luc urges her, shaking his head. His teenage daughter is ions ahead of her time, precocious, determined and head-strong. Sometimes he wishes he could slow down her growth, keep her as a child and prolong her adolescence. In a matter of years, she will be grown and leaving for the Academy, and he cannot imagine what their life will be like without her.
Felisa skips off toward her room, day-dreaming about the day she will finally be an adult and can join Starfleet and study to be a doctor.
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The Enterprise's current mission entails delivering diplomats to a conference, and an informal reception is being held in Ten Forward at the request of the visiting party to provide an opportunity for them to interact with the crew. While Picard would have preferred to pass on such an event, he felt obliged to attend the social event, and asked Beverly to accompany him for the evening's casual buffet-style supper. Now, the guests and crew are mingling throughout Ten Forward.
A middle-aged native man approaches Picard as he walks up to the buffet table, offering the captain his hand.
"Hello, Captain." The short man in a science uniform extends his hand, smiling broadly.
Picard accepts his hand and smiles politely.
"Tol. I'm a friend of Doctor Martin's visiting from Medical," explains the doctor.
Nodding curtly, Picard reaches for a plate.
"It's a pleasure to be back in deep space after being grounded for so long," remarks Tol, taking a plate.
"Certainly," comments Picard absently, commencing filling his plate with food.
"I had lunch Beverly today. We were comparing stories about the old days at Medical," remarks Tol cheerfully, piling food onto his plate.
Turning around, Picard's interest is mildly peaked.
"Yes, Doctor Martin invited her to have lunch with us. I was so glad he did. It gave me an opportunity to tell her about my research," Doctor Tol adds expressively as they make their way along the buffet table.
Placing a roll onto his plate, Picard is intrigued. "What's the nature of your research?"
"I've been working on neural re-networking," explains Doctor Tol, following Picard down the line.
"What does that entail?" inquires Picard, making his way toward a nearby table.
"In a crude sense, it's re-wiring the brain to form new neural pathways," lectures Doctor Tol, tracing Picard's steps.
"Re-wiring the brain?" Picard sets his plate on the abandoned table, directing his attention to the eager doctor.
"Yes, Captain," confirms Tol emphatically. "We can reprogram the brain to perform functions using different parts of the brain."
"How do you accomplish that?" Picard wonders, looking at the doctor skeptically.
"It's like installing new software onto a computer," explains Doctor Tol. "We can retain critical functions and train the brain to perform new functions. We keep what works and download missing components. We re-write components that are malfunctioning. It's like reinstalling a computer's operating system to get rid of the glitches."
With furrowed brows, Picard peers at the doctor with thinly veiled doubt. "It sounds like a labotomy."
Chuckling lightly, Doctor Tol shakes his head. "Not at all, Captain. We can retain the critical function of the brain and memory."
"What purpose does this…neural re-networking serve?" Picard wants to know.
"I'm glad you asked!" Doctor Tol grins, lifting his forefinger enthusiastically. " The human brain is subject to flaws. We can overcome our weaknesses and improve our physical and mental being through neural re-networking."
Pursing his lips, Picard does not like the sound of the doctor's proposal. "Why would we want to?"
"What if we suffered from significant mental incapacity?" The doctor posits. "We could compensate for that deficiency by reprogramming the brain to perform various functions. For example, if someone suffered brain damage in a portion of their brain and speech language was impaired as a result, we could reprogram the brain to perform that function in an area of the brain that was not damaged. We could compensate for any mental handicap, really, by re-routing the neural network."
Face falling, Picard infers the implications of the research Doctor Tol is describing to him. "You could entirely eliminate any impairment from a brain injury?"
"Yes, sir," Doctor Tol confirms with a proud nod. "We could make someone faster, sharper…smarter."
"What are the results with this application?" Picard demands, his mind reeling.
"We've haven't had human application yet," admits the doctor honestly. "However, our tests have been conclusive."
Exhaling deeply, Picard is seriously contemplating this doctor's work.
"Captain, I could complete neural re-networking on your daughter, and it would be like she had never suffered the brain injury," Doctor Tol promises earnestly.
Looking at the doctor pensively, Picard grimaces. "All you have is tests, simulations."
"I'm confident it can be done," asserts Doctor Tol adamantly.
"I'm not," Picard says truthfully. "I can't take that risk."
"Don't you owe it to your little girl?" Doctor Tol presses. "This is your chance. You're her father. You can give her health and happiness for the rest of her life."
A chill reverberates down his spine as Picard contemplates the procedure and its ramifications. All he wants is to make his daughter happy. Could this be the answer?
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Picard pokes his head into Yvette's room to discover Beverly bending low to kiss the slumbering girl's crown as she tucks the blankets over the girl's chest. Pausing in the doorway, Jean-Luc waits for Beverly to turn around.
Beverly pads toward the door, smiling warmly. "You're home early."
"My escort ditched me," Jean-Luc deadpans, reaching for her hands.
"Your daughter had a sore ear," Beverly explains, falling into his arms. "Felisa called to ask me to come home because Yvette had a fever and she wanted to make sure she was giving her the right dosage of medicine."
"So much for a casual night out," shrugs Jean-Luc, leading her out of the room.
"Always on call," remarks Beverly, as he guides her out into the living area.
"I met Martin's friend Doctor Tol," Picard begins, guiding her onto the sofa.
Raising a brow, Beverly is surprised but recognizes she ought not to be surprised the doctor had caught up with Picard.
"He's an…unconventional doctor," comments Picard as he settles in beside Beverly on the sofa.
Rolling her eyes, Beverly tries to brush him off. "Don't listen to him."
"His neural re-networking procedure," Jean-Luc begins, meeting her eyes.
Shaking her head, Beverly puts up a hand. "Don't even go there."
"He seems quite confident," Jean-Luc points out.
"He has no scientific evidence. It's all based on models and simulations," argues Beverly.
"What about the concept itself?" Jean-Luc asks seriously.
"It's a labotomy!" declares Beverly. "He's trying to take the brain and wipe it and restore it like a computer. This is a human brain we're talking about, which is incredibly complicated and nuanced."
"You don't think it could work?" confirms Jean-Luc, half-question, half- statement.
"I don't want it to work," exhales Beverly in exasperation.
Running his fingers over his mouth, Jean-Luc is pensive. "What if it could do what he says it can? What if it could…make Yvette…"
"Normal?" Beverly raises a brow. "Jean-Luc, I can't believe you're buying into this. You've always loved her for who she is."
Grimacing, Jean-Luc struggles to articulate his feelings. The doctor's words had truly resonated with him. "I do love her for who she is. I just wonder if I don't owe it to her to…give her the best shot at being fully healthy and happy. I'm her father. I want to give her the universe."
Tears pooling in her eyes, Beverly grasps her husband's hands. "She is healthy and happy. You don't have to do anything but love her. Please don't let this nonsense get to you. I love our daughter the way she is. I couldn't subject her to this risky procedure. This could potentially erase her and who she's developed into over three years. This is who she is. I don't want her any other way."
Sighing, Jean-Luc squeezes her hand. "You're right. Her…imperfections are what make her who she is. I would never want to alter that."
Pecking his lips, Beverly runs her hand along his arm. "Jean-Luc, we agreed she's just our child like Wes and Felisa. We can't go back in time and changed what happened. I wouldn't now even if I could. She's not going to be as fast and as intelligent as her siblings. I don't care. She has blessed us with so much happiness, and I'm so grateful every day to have her."
Returning her kiss, Jean-Luc cups her cheek. "Me, too, love. Thank you. Thank you for setting me straight."
Lacing their fingers, Beverly grins into his lips. "Hey, since we're home so early…"
Fiddling with the belt of the robe she has over her pajamas, Jean-Luc kisses her slowly, glad he had come home early to his girls.