12

There were three Troi now in Sickbay. Two stood as far apart from each other as they could. Nothing was being said aloud. Crusher only had eyes for them. Beverly used the opportunity to move unobtrusively to her desk and quickly tapped in her instructions. She hit the initialize key and smiled.
Lwaxana's head snapped around. "What has happened? I can't read —" Her eyes locked onto Beverly.
"Coded Level 14 forcefields projected all over Sickbay. Your telepathic abilities are useless now." She looked at her counterpart. "I've had some time to study Deanna's new abilities. Something to die for."
"Happy to oblige you." Crusher was aiming her phaser when Lwaxana viciously backhanded her. She reeled with blood spurting from her nose.
"Fool!" Lwaxana snarled. She kicked the phaser away from Beverly. "We need to make her lower the fields before we kill her." She pushed Crusher in Beverly's direction. "Soften her up." She turned away. "Powers, I can't tell now which of you is which."
"Does it matter, mother?" Deanna asked. "It's quite clear we both love you and loyally serve the Empire. There must be a way we can work together —"
"A way, sure," the other Deanna said. She looked over. "One of us stays behind in this universe, little sister. And it's not going to be me." The blows Crusher was dealing to her helpless counterpart and the subsequent whimpers punctuated her words.
"Really…." Deanna's face wore a cold smile.
Lwaxana looked them over carefully but it was useless. She felt pride for them both. 'Pride….. Hmmm.' She looked at one. "I see you are still wearing my favourite ring." She said lightly. "Problem solved, my strange new daughter." She looked at the other Deanna. "Take off your top, Little One, now, and turn around. I want to be sure."
'Trust your instincts…..'Deanna thought. 'Ignore them for an instant and you die. Why did their mother care so much about this? 'She was afraid she knew the answer and glanced at her counterpart as she pulled her top up over her head. The other caught Deanna's eye back and her eyes narrowed a bit. Yes, she had come to the same conclusion. Their mother was going to eventually kill one of them.

Guinan entered the ready room and found the captain in a now familiar pose, studying the fish in his aquarium. "I'm afraid we're running out of time," Picard said without preamble. "It's down to seventy-eight minutes, now, and we don't dare cut it too close." He swung around. "There has to be some other alternative here."
"There is none." Guinan came to stand by him. "At least, none that I can see." She looked at him curiously. "Captain, every time I've been in this room lately, you are always staring into your aquarium. What is it that catches your attention so?"
"What?" Picard looked quickly back into the tank. "Oh. It's just my lionfish."
"Mmm-hm." She dropped into a chair with that special Guinan look. "Your lionfish," She stretched it out. "Gorgeous, aren't they." She waited.
"Yessss, and deadly too."
"Deadly too," Guinan agreed. "As deadly as this situation is to Enterprise and the Federation." She'd never seen Picard as haggard as this since their many midnight talks in Ten-Forward after his recovery from being Borg. "You're afraid, Jean-Luc. Afraid of becoming like Lwaxana and Deanna." Her voice was gentle. "And you're afraid of acting just like your counterpart. It's not the same, Captain. These are not Empire tactics."
"They're living statues, Guinan. It's, its nothing more than a wholesale slaughter!"
"No, no it isn't. I went over there. I recognized many of them; I know what they are capable of and what they will do every step of the way. And those marines in cold-sleep; they're almost thawed and nothing can prevent that." Her eyes were bright under her hat, and somehow different. "If you let whatever Q did wear off before acting, you'll have your wholesale slaughter. It will be us who are butchered, us who are tortured to death, and they will laugh, and smirk while they carry it out just like I did while interrogating our Deanna!"
She stood up abruptly. "Captain, you and Beverly convinced me to resume using my talents. I have hated myself for it ever since." Her eyes were getting baggy. "But I swear, if it comes down to it, I will make you destroy them. I will violate all the promises I ever made to you, and all the Oaths I've ever sworn!" Her voice dropped. "I'll do it. I will control you just like the Borg controlled you at one time. Even if I lose you as my friend forever." Then hot tears started trickling out and her eyes were no longer so strange. "Jean-Luc, please! Trust in me one more time!"
They came back out onto the Bridge and Guinan dropped into Deanna's chair next to Picard as if she belonged there.
"What about transporting them to secured facilities on Betazed?" Wesley asked. "That way we wouldn't, um, wouldn't —" He was sweating again.
"No good, Mr. Crusher." Riker said. "They knew we'd reach out to Lwaxana. They must have some contingency plans set up on Betazed, and we're still going to have to smoke it out later." He looked at the captain and recognized the look. "We still have an hour, sir. But I don't know what else we can do in that time."
The captain stood, unconsciously performing the Picard maneuver to his uniform shirt. "Bridge to Engineering. Have you found a way to defeat their cloaking device?"
"Affirmative, Captain. Worf, you'll find the protocols on your console, screen 3A."
"Mr. Worf, initiate scans. Concentrate on the trajectories to us that may have launched from Betazed first. We must know if they have more ships."
"God." Riker said. "I never thought it through. Geordi, what about our shields?"
"I've rerouted power, so we have them again. But if another ship shows up with the same firepower as that one they won't last."

"Venerable diplomat —" Crusher was being careful. She was walking on thin ice with her superior and knew it. "I think she's softened up for you….."
Lwaxana swung around and came to stand beside Crusher. She assessed Beverly's battered bloody face and body professionally. "Well done, Doctor. You are forgiven." She rubbed her hands, started forward, and paused. "Doctor, what is that flashing red light on the console?"
"It's a silent Red Alert." Deanna said. "Something else has happened."
"You are sure? How do you know?"
Deanna gave her a look. "Of course I'm sure, Mother. Why wouldn't I be?"
"Sorry, 'course you are." She smiled charmingly. "It's just so difficult telling the two of you apart." 'Yes, there's no doubt anymore. One of them must die, but the choice won't be easy. I think it will haunt me for the rest of my life. Funny. After all I've done, something is finally going to haunt me.' She shook her head slightly. 'Soft.' "Call the Bridge for me. Make sure they have a nice visual of their doctor."
The other Deanna complied. "Open, Mother."
"Picard-petaQ, your Crusher seems to have somehow hurt herself and is not doing very well. Now tell me why you're at that red-thingy, and send someone to thaw my capsules, or she'll be even worse off."
"Speaking of capsules, Lwaxana, switch over to the main screen. There's something I want to show you."
"She's begun to hemorrhage internally, venerable Lwaxana. Deanna, help me get her back on that bed."
"Kill her," Lwaxana's voice was cold. "She's of no use. Deanna, get me that visual he's talking about."
Deanna complied. Her eyes slid to the other. Her counterpart was quietly helping Dr. Crusher slide Beverly onto a diagnostic bed.
Crusher prayed she wouldn't be noticed as she palmed a hypospray and got to work one- handed on saving a life. She'd heard enough of Lwaxana's habits to know that she'd failed her superior one too many times. Her life depended on the Federation now.
The screen lit. Her ship hung there, uncloaked. "Sewd em va Kelohian! —"
"On the contrary. We've simply been busy while you've been busy. Mr. Worf. Target the decks holding those four hundred cold-sleep capsules. Open it, and all the capsules to vacuum. Fire."
The ship rocked slightly as phasers lanced out. The magnification increased to show the outer hull splitting open in various areas. Air, crew, and hundreds of capsules blew into space. Most capsules were ruptured with bodies and limbs starting to bulge obscenely through the cracks. The lines of fire moved to another part of the ship, and more puffy bodies were sucked into space. Then the screen went blank.
"How long now?" Picard mouthed to Riker. Riker indicated a panel. Forty-nine minutes remaining.
Lwaxana hissed in anger and turned to the others. "I ordered you to kill her —-" The hypospray hissed back at her and she fell unconscious.
Deanna quickly hoisted Lwaxana to a bed and secured her with restraints. Another shot ensured she'd remain unconscious until all was over. "Well done, Bev-Bev."
Crusher gaped. "I was positive you were the other Deanna. I'm never going to get it right." She turned back as Beverly moaned and tried to sit up. "Here, don't move. You will be all right. You will heal but there may be a few scars. Beverly, listen to me, it's all right; it's allover and you're safe." She lost her patience. "Beverly. Just do as you're told, for God's sake. You hear me? You need to lie down, now."
Deanna moved to the desk and touched various controls. "Sickbay is unlocked."
The other nodded and tapped other controls. "Computer. Open a two-way overhead visual channel to Bridge." The screen remained blank. "Captain, are you there?"
"Go ahead, Counsellor. We see you."
Deanna quickly shrugged off her shirt and turned to display a smooth back unblemished by scars.
Wesley's eyes widened and he stared raptly. Ensign Ro gave him a cockeyed look, waited, and then ran her fingers lightly over his hand. She smiled to herself as he nearly went airborne.
"You know which one I am now." Deanna showed no embarrassment. "Sickbay is now secure, unlocked and we are under your orders." She proved it by moving to the door. It slid open obligingly. She tossed the phaser out; it hit the forcefield and rebounded. Deanna shrugged and replaced her top. "So much for that."
The other Deanna was watching with arms folded while she monitored Beverly and Lwaxana simultaneously. "Picard, you don't trust us - I understand — you'll send Security of course, but just forget us for the moment. Destroy that ship now. I know my mother, none better; she will have installed an automatic backup means of sending a signal to the Empire. If it gets through, it's all over for your Federation." She paused. "You don't have much time."
"You'll pardon my asking, but isn't that just what you want?"
Deanna spat full on her mother. "Let's just say I'm looking for a career change and leave it at that."
"That ship's crew don't deserve —"
"Forget them, Picard! They have their orders; it may happen at any second and this is knowledge that mustn't be spread. They will have brought counterparts who will replace yours and then hold vital positions in your Starfleet Command. Jail 'em and if just one escapes …"
"My counterpart is correct, Captain. You must not only kill them; you must act to destroy any knowledge Geordi may have gleamed about inter-dimensional transfer. I can understand the pain this is causing. It's unnecessary; I will do it for you." Deanna was smiling easily at him. "Permission to report to the Bridge."
"Permission denied! You out of everyone should know that would be a hundred times worse on me." There was a pause. "Do we have to worry about a strongpoint on Betazed?"
"And therein lies the danger the Federation is facing." Crusher murmured. "You still don't understand us. Captain, she couldn't do that and still keep control of her secret. I'm surprised as many are involved here as there are, but she probably had little or no choice." She let it sink it.
"You still have prisoners aboard. Eleven of them if I'm correct." Deana's eyes were gleaming. "I'd be delighted so for the chance to interrogate them." She looked sideways. "You're welcome to help if you want, Little Sister."
"Thank you, Dee, but no." Then she thought of the pain her mother had put her through. The fact that Lwaxana had been more than ready to kill one of them. She showed her teeth. "Hell, yes."
Picard said quietly to Guinan: "I hate it when you bring my sanity into things." He stood. "Engineering. Mr. LaForge destroy anything and everything you have down-loaded regarding how that ship got here. That is an order. Bridge out." Riker and Guinan stood up with the captain. "Mr. Worf. Lock onto that ship. Prepare a full spread of photon torpedoes and phasers. Keep firing until I say to stop. I don't want a single molecule left intact. Fire."
They watched it all from Sickbay. Crusher looked at Beverly and smiled. She said quietly: "And then there were none."

"I'm not surprised, Captain." The recordings of Lwaxana's death hung on the screen in the briefing room. Deanna's voice was completely detached and emotionless. She actually shrugged. She looked to her counterpart who nodded. Forcefields were down; they had their private communication again.
"It was inevitable once my mother showed up in this universe. Your Lwaxana was granted a clean death. We can live with this and be happy." It was her turn to look at the other who nodded. "Is there anything else right now, Captain?"

'Is it time to visit the prisoners again?' Deanna still refused to use any names.
'Not just yet, Little Sister.' She gave her a sideways look. 'You know, I think I'm a bit disappointed in you. It's more than a week now, and I could swear I'm more "civilized" than you are. What's going on inside you now? What happened over there anyway?'
Deanna stopped and passing crew almost bumped into them. They moved out of the way. 'I can't feel a thing, Dee.' She thought it over. 'Our mother turned me into a cold-blooded killer, and I didn't stop her. Then she schooled me in the arts of torture, and I didn't stop her. You've some more commendations on your record, by the way. And then —'
Not your fault. It was do or die, Deanna! As if - as if either of us have ever stopped Mother from doing anything she wanted.'
'- And then I tortured and executed Wily-Will Riker.' The other dug her fingers into Deanna's arm. 'Not like you think. He tried to assassinate me.'
Dee let go. 'Oh. That's all right, then.'
They gazed at each other unconsciously giving identical little head shakes. Suddenly both of them were laughing.
'Who-who-' Deanna was laughing so hard she couldn't continue. She gasped for air and held on to her aching ribs. 'Dee, who would possibly counsel a pair of mal-adjusted counsellors like us!''
'I suppose that would be Guinan, Deanna.' She wiped the tears from her eyes. 'But it will have to be after we pay Mother a little visit.'

"What will you do now, Bev?" The two had window seats in a corner of Ten-Forward. Guinan was at the far end, giving them as much privacy as possible.
Crusher sipped her tea. "Don't have a clue." She smiled wryly. "But I can tell you this: I may have extended my lifespan but unemployment sucks." She looked at the other woman. Beverly's spectacular bruises were starting to fade but she had several new scars along her face and neck. Some could be treated with a protoplaser soon, but others would be permanent. There were many more injuries out of sight under her uniform. "You're still a sorry sight, my dear."

"Is that how one says, 'I'm sorry' in the Empire?" They clinked cups together.