Author's Note: Thank you for all of your likes, kudos, reviews/comments, and dms on this story! I sincerely appreciate all the support and love. Thank you!

This chapter is a behemoth. I really didn't want to cut it up for several reasons.

First, I want to get to The Big Goodbye. It's going to be a riot – a fun romp with plenty of fluff.

In addition, I'm dead set on Hollow Pursuits as chapter number 55. Yes, there will be a handful of episodes that occur out of sequence for reasons that will later become apparent.

Hollow Pursuits is our tie-in with And Then There Was Fun, and I desperately want to be able to publish the rest of that story!

Chapter specific CW/TW: discussion of trauma, PTSD, and violence. I borrowed and reworked a line from one of my other fics (Right Behind You) because it was dark and lovely, and it just seemed right.

And now we conclude The Battle…

As always, feel free to join me on Twitter TheTartanTart.

Tasha shivered.

Data firmly believed that she slept better when the temperature was lower – and had plenty of observational data to back that assertion up.

Tasha had agreed to him lowering the ambient temperature in her bedroom on the condition that he stay in bed and actually make full use of his rest programme.

He needed to metaphorically 'turn off' for a while too. Tasha insisted on it.

Tasha rolled over, grinning to herself at the thought of snuggling up against someone warm.

She stretched out her hand and felt nothing.

Without opening her eyes, Tasha ran her hand along the opposite side of the bed until she felt the pillow at the top.

It was lying abandoned, its occupant having risen several hours earlier.

"Computer, what is the current time?" Tasha asked.

"The current time is 04:17," the computer answered.

Tasha rolled onto her back and grumbled.

Reluctantly, Tasha got out of bed and grabbed her dressing gown off the hook on the wall.

Data heard the door to the bedroom.

He paused and looked up sheepishly from his PADD to see Tasha leaning against the doorframe.

Data knew he had been caught.

"I was called away earlier and did not wish to disturb you by returning to bed," Data said.

"Try again," Tasha replied, crossing her arms.

Had Data been paged away for an emergency, she would have heard the initial call. And it was unlikely any emergency scenario requiring the immediate attention of the Second Officer wouldn't also require the attention of the Security Chief.

"I rose just moments ago. I wanted to get an early start," Data lied.

Tasha padded across the carpet. She took the PADD from Data's hands and set it on the windowsill behind him.

Tasha crawled onto his lap and rested her forehead against his.

"What's really going on?" Tasha asked.

She could tell he was bothered by something. There had to be something eating away at him. That's the only reason Tasha could fathom that he would be up at this hour.

"Did something else happen to Geordi?" Tasha inquired.

It was possible Geordi might have sent Data a private message on his PADD overnight.

Whenever Geordi was hurting, Data would hurt too. Sometimes Tasha swore they operated on the same set of neural pathways.

"No," Data answered.

He did not elaborate.

"Then come back to bed," Tasha urged. "Whatever it is, it'll hold til morning."

"Tasha, it is morning," Data commented.

"You know what I mean," Tasha said with a big yawn.

Data closed his eyes as she scratched the back of his neck. She worked up to his hairline and then gently raked her nails across his scalp.

After spending the last few hours combing through a series of logs, reports, and official Starfleet transcripts, it was a welcome sensation.

Tasha smiled to herself as she felt him relax.

"C'mon," she said. "You'll feel better after you rest for a while."

"No," Data responded, catching her wrist.

Tasha sat back and looked at him with concern.

Data blinked and took a shaky breath.

"After you fell asleep, I found myself unable to put my mind to rest," Data explained. "I attempted to manually override my processing to slow my positronic matrix with no impact. After thirty-nine attempts to initiate my rest programme, I determined it would be futile to continue."

Data had felt it was useless to continue trying to rest.

"I believe I now have a better understanding of the concept of one finding sleep elusive," Data confessed.

Tasha laughed softly.

"Tasha, I need to show you something," Data said in a serious voice.

The mood shifted immediately.

Data's face was etched with worry. He could not predict how she would react to the information, but he understood it would cause her considerable irritation.

"What?" Tasha asked slowly.

"Please listen in full. It is important," Data informed her.

Tasha's stomach turned to knots. Whatever it was had been enough to keep Data up for hours and that wasn't a good sign.

"Computer, replay log entry A1755R4," Data instructed.

Tasha took a deep breath and waited.

There was nothing.

Data was staring at her expectantly as he awaited a response.

"I don't hear anything," Tasha said after a few seconds.

Data's face registered surprise as if he had forgotten something.

"I was listening at a volume too low for human ears to pick up as I did not wish to wake you," Data explained.

He instructed the computer to raise the volume to an acceptable level and then started the log again from the beginning.

As she listened, Tasha's heart sank.

Disbelief became anger until that anger was displaced by fear.

Once the log was finished, Tasha said nothing.

"Would you like me to replay it?" Data inquired.

"No!" Tasha said sharply.

She never wanted to hear it again.

Tasha shook her head and got up. She began to pace around the main room of her quarters as she tried to process what she had just heard.

It's impossible. Tasha thought.

Data watched with concern as she walked in a circle, running her hand back to tousle her hair as she tried to come to terms with it.

"You understand what we must do with this information," Data said.

It wasn't a question.

Tasha stopped.

"You know that can't be real!" she instead as she gestured to the PADD. "It's fake. It's fiction! There's no way Captain Picard did that!"

"I agree with you the circumstances are highly unlikely-" Data began.

"Highly unlikely?" Tasha asked in disbelief.

Data understood that his analytical approach was likely only adding to her frustration. She was upset by the content of the audio file.

And rightfully so.

But the emotional part of Tasha was bothered by Data's collected response to the situation.

While she knew it wasn't that he didn't care, it was hard to separate the two when her brain was in a state of Red Alert.

Data had gone through a similar process. Albeit it took him all of eight seconds to run through the stages of denial, anger, anxiety, and then acceptance.

While Data had accepted the log as existing, he too believed that there had to be another explanation for it. Data had spent hours pouring through all of the logs and information obtained by the Stargazer's computers.

He had also combed through Starfleet records of the court martial trial from the Stargazer incident.

"I will need to review this information at my workstation in order to determine if there is sufficient evidence to support the theory that it is a forgery," Data said.

He would also require some additional equipment and Geordi's assistance.

"Regardless, we still have an obligation to report this in accordance with Starfleet regulations," Data explained. "I can arrange-"

"How can you sit there and be so relaxed about this?" Tasha asked in a heated voice. "We're talking about Captain Picard, not some isolinear chip!"

Tasha closed her eyes as she felt them start to water.

Inside, she felt horrible for popping off at Data. This wasn't his fault, and he was right about their responsibility to report his findings.

"I'm sorry," she said, her voice starting to crack.

Data got up from the sofa and went to her.

"You have to help him, Data. Please," Tasha pleaded. "You have to help Captain Picard."

"If the court would please direct its attention to the viewscreen," the lead prosecutor said.

Phillipa Louvois.

A bear in the courtroom.

And Jean-Luc's worst nightmare.

"Captain Picard, can you identify what's on the screen?" Captain Louvois asked.

"Who," Picard responded, correcting her.

"What?" Louvois asked.

"Who," Picard repeated, correcting her. "Who is on the screen."

Captain Louvois grinned.

"So, you do remember these individuals were people?" Louvois countered. "People who entrusted you with their safety and safety of their families."

Captain Picard did his best not to appear ruffled. On the inside, he kicked himself for walking right into her trap.

"Starfleet Captains are to consider the lives of their crew members as sacred. In any potentially hostile situation, the Captain will place the lives of their crew above the fate of their ship," Picard responded.

Louvois waved her hand to dismiss his comment.

"We're all familiar with Starfleet General Order 17," she said. "And if you understand and can cite General Order 17, then why are these thirty-two officers now dead?"

It was hard to breathe.

"Well, Captain? We're waiting," Louvois said.

Jean-Luc's throat was tight. He tried to speak, but no words came out.

"Jean-Luc?" Louvois pressed.

"Jean-Luc?" Beverly asked.

Captain Picard startled awake- clutching his chest and gasping for breath.

He looked around as his eyes adjusted to the low lighting of his bedroom.

"Beverly?" he asked.

Beverly was scanning his head with her tricorder.

Jean-Luc grabbed his blanket and pulled it up to cover his bare chest.

"What are you doing in here?" he demanded.

Beverly stopped scanning and set her tricorder down.

"It's nearly 07:45," Beverly explained. "We were supposed to have breakfast. You didn't answer the door. I tried four times."

Jean-Luc fell back against his pillow.

"I'm sorry, Doctor," he apologised. "I was having a rather intense dream. It was so real. It was like I was back there."

"Back where?" Beverly inquired.

"Nowhere," Picard said.

He took a deep breath and stared off at the wall. He felt like a fool embarrassing himself in front of Beverly like that.

"Jean-Luc, when have you ever slept through an alarm?" Beverly asked rhetorically. "This isn't like you."

She passed him a warm cup of Earl Grey.

"I'm worried about you," she went on.

"Doctor, do you believe emotional pain can be strong enough to cause physical symptoms?" he asked strangely.

Beverly's heart went out to him. She felt the same loss whenever she couldn't save a patient.

"What happened to the Stargazer wasn't your fault," she assured him.

Beverly herself had served on the Stargazer for nearly five years before taking a posting at Starbase 92. When Wes had turned five, both Jack and Beverly agreed it would be better for him to start primary school on a Starbase.

It offered more stability than a starship could.

Wes had excelled in preschool on the Stargazer.

But even at that age, his parents recognised that he was brilliant and that he would need more mental stimulation and opportunities.

Jack was supposed to join them as soon as the year was up.

He never made it.

"Sometimes I wonder how different that day might have been had Jack still been my First Officer," Picard shared.

"I know you did everything you could to save your crew," Beverly said. "You were under fire. You were trying to save as many lives as you could."

Beverly stepped out to the main room of the Captain's personal quarters to give him some privacy. She grabbed a simple breakfast for the two of them and began to set the table.

They'd been friends long enough that she knew where he kept the teapot.

After ordering hot water from the replicator, she scooped out some loose-leaf tea and put it into the tea infuser and then dropped it into the pot.

Ten minutes later, Captain Picard emerged from his bedroom in his standard uniform.

"Ah! Tea and croissant," he said brightly as he rubbed his hands together.

Beverly poured the tea and then sat down opposite of him.

"Maybe you should talk with Counsellor Troi," Beverly suggested.

Captain Picard took a sip of his tea.

He was thirsty. But it was also an opportunity for him to avoid the question.

Beverly was about to press the issue when the Captain's combadge went off.

"Commander Data to Captain Picard," Data said.

The Captain tapped his communicator.

"Go ahead," Picard acknowledged.

"We have a problem, sir," Data informed him.

Captain Picard hopped onto the nearest lift. Data had requested that Captain Picard join him in his quarters. He had something to show him and apparently it required Data's workstation. Wesley Crusher was inside. He was on his way down to Transporter Room 4 for some routine maintenance with Chief O'Brien.

"Hi Captain," Wes said brightly.

Picard responded with a curt nod.

"Pretty crazy, the Stargazer turning up like that, huh?" Wesley remarked. "You know I was so young I don't remember much of it. But I think it's great that the Ferengi are giving it to us. Do you think Starfleet will put it in a museum?"

Wesley's eyes went wide.

"To think I lived on something that might be sent to a museum. It's all so-" Wes began to say in astonishment.

"Mr Crusher. When I want your opinion, I'll ask for it, acting Ensign," Picard barked.

"Yes, sir," Wesley replied, taken aback by the Captain's sudden sour attitude.

Jean-Luc hadn't meant to come across so gruff, but his headache had intensified.

They rode the rest of the way in silence.

When Captain Picard got off at Data's deck, he did not say goodbye.

The Captain tapped the chime on Data's door to signal his arrival.

There was no response.

He waited a few seconds and then tapped the chime again.

"Dammit, Data!" Picard snapped as he slammed his hand against the wall.

"Sir?" Data said, coming around the bend of the corridor.

Tasha was a step behind him. She looked concerned at the Captain's obvious agitation.

"I expect when you page me to your quarters you have a damn good reason for doing so," Picard snapped. "And not to keep me waiting!"

While Captain Picard was typically quite professional and serious – if not a wee bit crusty around the edges – this behaviour was so unlike his usually composed nature.

There was anger radiating off of him.

"I expect you to be here! Not coming back from some late-night romp!" Picard howled. "I don't have time to wait around because the two of you can't separate your personal lives from your professional responsibilities!"

Commander Riker, also summoned by Data, came around the bend of the corridor next.

"I'm running a Federation starship! Not a love boat!" Picard shouted.

"Sir, I apologise for the delay. We had to stop by the lab in order to retrieve an audio amplifier," Data explained.

It was partially true. He had needed to retrieve the amplifier – but only after a rather heated argument with Tasha. She had insisted that they notify Captain Picard of what they were about to show to Commander Riker.

In Tasha's mind, it was only fair.

"The oldest excuse in Starfleet history," Picard snarled.

Data was about to open his mouth to protest when Tasha put out her hand to stop him.

"Let it go, Data," she cautioned.

Captain Picard looked outraged.

"I don't recall asking for your input, Lieutenant," Picard said in a sharp tone.

"Yes, sir. Sorry, sir," Tasha responded.

Commander Riker looked around carefully. He'd arrived halfway through the conversation. He didn't have the full context, but from what he'd gathered it seemed the Captain was in a particularly foul mood.

Once inside, Captain Picard demanded Data get on with whatever purpose it was he had assembled all of them for.

Data sat down behind his workstation and keyed in several commands.

"Commander Riker, I regret to inform you that under Starfleet Regulation 1482a I must present the following evidence to you as First Officer," Data said.

"Data Regulation 1482a is for reporting a senior officer for violating Starfleet regulations for the use of unnecessary force against a sentient lifeform, violating a truce or cease-fire, or firing upon non-hostile civilians."

Data and Tasha shared a pained look.

"Overnight, I analysed the ship's logs from the last day. it would seem that the Captain's personal log from that day contradicts Starfleet's official historical record on the matter," Data explained.

"Data, what are you saying?" Riker demanded.

"According to the log recovered from the Stargazer, the Ferengi ship had been under a flag of truce," Data informed them. "Captain Picard admits to attacking the vessel by mistake without provocation or notice."

It was a serious charge.

Firing on a ship with no warning was considered acceptable only when required as a tactical advantage to protect lives. Starfleet considered it a last-resort option when all diplomatic efforts had failed.

"They fired on us with no warning," Picard insisted. "Their first attack damaged our shields. In the confusion, they hit us a second time. That's when the fire broke out on the Bridge."

"How does this log explain the fire on the Bridge?" Riker asked, turning to Data.

"The log, recorded in the Captain's voice, claims it was a fire in Engineering that caused a systems-wide circuit overload," Data said.

Tasha crossed her arms and rolled her eyes.

"Data, I don't know a thing about Engineering, but I know enough to understand that's not possible," Tasha said.

Data shot her a look that said, 'we have covered this.'

They'd been up since nearly 04:00 hours arguing about it and had gone round and round with each other on how to proceed.

They had both agreed on two things. Firstly, they needed to report Data's findings in accordance with regulations. Secondly, there had to be something missing or altered to explain the discrepancy.

Captain Picard would never have fired upon a peaceful ship.

But they had disagreed just how that report should happen. Regulations required notifying the next highest—Commanding officer. In this case, that was First Officer Riker.

Regulations did not specify that the accused be notified, but Tasha had insisted they speak with Captain Picard as well.

In the end, they had agreed to notify both of them together so as to remove any implication of withholding information.

"Data, what proof do you have of any of this?" Riker questioned.

"The logs are recorded in Captain Picard's voice," Data explained.

"The Ferengi had to have tampered with them," Tasha cut in.

Data turned to Tasha. He looked annoyed.

"And I have made clear that I agree with you, Lieutenant," Data said.

"I told you to lead with that," Tasha replied hotly.

"I was working up to it," Data explained.

All of a sudden, Captain Picard waved his hands.

"I have no desire to listen to your domestic arguments," Picard griped. "Least of all ones in which I am the subject of discussion."

"Play the log, Data," Riker ordered.

Data tapped the screen of his workstation computer.

The four officers listened intently as Captain Picard's voice filled the room.

This is a confession given by me, Captain Jean-Luc Picard, Commanding Officer of the USS Stargazer. Recently, we destroyed an unknown vessel. I freely admit that I mistook their subspace antennae for a weapons cluster.

I fired our main phasers. A direct hit destroyed the vessel in its entirety.

In my own reckless disregard, I overestimated the capabilities of our coolant system. There is a severe fire in Engineering that has caused a circuit overload to impact our Bridge terminals and structural damage to the hull on deck 18.

We are forced to abandon our starship. May she find her way without us.

"I didn't record that log!" Picard barked.

"I intend to prove that you did not," Data assured him. "This audio amplifier will enable me to detect even the slightest record of any alterations."

Tasha and Commander Riker looked at one another.

"I've got an obligation to report this to Starfleet Command," Riker said. "It will take at least twenty-four hours for them to get our message via subspace and another twenty-four hours before we hear a response."

"Sir, I think we need to start looking into any Ferengi dealings in relation to the Jarada," Tasha advised. "They could be trying to disrupt our diplomatic mission. Maybe there's a Ferengi ally that wouldn't benefit from a Jaradan-Federation alliance."

"Procedure dictates that anyone accused under Regulation 1482a be placed under guard," Riker lamented.

Caught up in their discussion, none of them had noticed Captain Picard back toward the wall. He clutched at the edge that separated Data's main quarters from his workstation.

"It must have been lying in some deep moon crater," Picard said, entirely lost in a memory.

Data stopped tinkering with the amplifier and looked up at the Captain.

"No names. No reason," Picard went on.

His face bore an expression of pain, like he was fighting to find a reason for such violence.

The conversation between Commander Riker and Tasha ceased as they picked up on the Captain's behaviour.

He was speaking only to himself, paying no thought to others in the room.

"Our shields are down. Somebody get that fire out!" Picard shouted.

He grabbed Tasha's arm.

"Vigo, can you identify them?" Picard demanded.

"Sir?" Tasha asked.

Captain Picard stumbled back toward the wall and clutched the side of his head. He blinked a few times as he got his bearings.

Tasha took the Captain by the arm and guided him over to the sofa.

"Our shields were failing, and the enemy vessel was coming in for the kill. So I improvised," Picard recounted. "I ordered a sensor bearing. When it went into the return arc-"

"You performed what Starfleet textbooks now refer to as the Picard Manoeuvre," Data finished for him.

Commander Riker handed Captain Picard a glass of cool water.

The Captain took a sip and then set it down on the table.

"I did what any good helmsman would have done," Picard said, downplaying his own heroism. "I dropped into high warp, stopped right of the enemy vessel's bow and fired with everything we had left."

Blowing into maximum warp speed like that, it had created an illusion. For an instant, the Stargazer had appeared to be in two places at once.

"And the Ferengi fired on the wrong ship," Picard concluded.

Commander Riker grinned.

"I did what any good helmsman would have done," he shook his head, smiling. "You invented it, sir."

Tasha could sense from the Captain's response that he was uncomfortable discussing the matter within the framework of it being an act of heroism.

"It was a save our skins manoeuvre. We were finished. Thirty-two of my crew died. And all those Ferengi," Picard said with a hint of sadness. "So many lives lost. And to what end?"

Jean-Luc looked up at the three of them. His eyes were full of unresolved pain.

Tasha hadn't seen him this bitter since the original Stargazer court martial.

"Sir, why don't we go see Doctor Crusher about your headache?" Tasha suggested.

"We will get this sorted out, sir," Data assured him.

Captain Picard shook his head, laughing.

"I never thought I'd be tried twice for the same matter," Picard commented with a cynical laugh. "But I suppose double jeopardy doesn't apply given this new evidence."

"I can't believe they would ask for your command," Riker said.

It was an attempt to reassure the Captain. It would do no good to catastrophise the situation until they knew more about the altered logs and the Ferengi motivation for such an act.

"Why wouldn't they?" Picard argued. "With the Ferengi making these diplomatic overtures. I'll be a severe embarrassment to Starfleet. Thank gods Phillipa Louvois is no longer running the JAG office on court martials or might very well have wound up executed."

"Sir-" Tasha began.

"They'll string me up from the highest post to make an example of me," Picard thought aloud.

He was babbling, nearly incoherent as he went on about what fate might befall him because of the Stargazer's sudden appearance.

Seeing no alternative, Tasha fetched a low-level hypospray from her emergency Tactical away pack. With cat-like reflexes she administered a sedative to the Captain.

He turned and looked at her in confusion before falling forward into Commander Riker's arms.

"Let's get him to Sickbay," Riker ordered.

"Well, if he's not court martialled, I soon will be," Tasha remarked as she slipped under the Captain's arm to support one side of him.

"I didn't see anything," Riker replied, supporting the other side.

"I was-" Data paused.

He was searching for an excuse.

"Focused on the altered log," Data settled on.

"I'm counting on you, Data," Riker said.

"What happened?" Beverly asked as she rushed out of her office and into the main room of Sickbay.

Commander Riker and Tasha came through the doorway supporting an unconscious Captain Picard.

"I gave him a shot of Ambizine," Tasha grunted as she and Will deposited the Captain down on one of the exam beds.

"He was talking about the Stargazer. Lost between memories and reality," Riker added.

Doctor Crusher immediately began scanning his vitals. Even with the sedative, his adrenaline and cortisone levels were elevated.

"Is he going to be alright?" Tasha asked.

"Let's just say with these adrenaline levels, I'm glad he's got an artificial heart," Beverly responded.

Tasha bit her lip and chose her next words very carefully.

"As you are Chief Medical Officer, are you recommending that the Captain remain sedated for the time being?" Tasha said slowly.

It was a risky question to ask. She was treading into water that could cost Tasha her own commission if she wasn't careful.

Far be it for a Security Officer to tell the CMO what to do when it came to the Captain's health.

Beverly looked from Tasha to Commander Riker for an explanation.

"It seems the Ferengi intentions with this gift aren't as harmless as they initially seemed," Riker said. "We have reason to believe they are attempting to frame Captain Picard for the loss of the Ferengi vessel that encountered the Stargazer a decade ago."

"But why?" Beverly asked.

Not that she didn't believe Captain Picard would willingly destroy another vessel without good cause, but it was hard to fathom what possible motivation the Ferengi could have for targeting Captain Picard.

Tasha shrugged.

"Disrupt the diplomatic mission to the Jarada, weaken or embarrass the Federation," Tasha threw out as possible motives. "For all we know we know they're hanging around out there just waiting to extort the Captain with this information. It could blackmail. We know the only thing they seem to care about is profit."

"The point is, we need to find out why and we don't want to have to put him in the brig," Riker said.

Beverly nodded slowly.

There was a medical argument that could be made for such sedation. He'd been experiencing serious head pain for over a week with no explanation.

"Alright. I can keep him sedated for another hour. Maybe two," Beverly said. "But after that, I'll need to log specifics as to why and I'll have to log an official report relieving him of duty for medical reasons."

Riker breathed a sigh of relief.

"And I really don't want to have to explain that," Beverly warned.

Relieving a Captain of duty for an unexplained reason involving brain activity could lead to Jean-Luc being permanently removed from command.

"If Starfleet Command got wind of the Captain acting strangely, it could trigger an investigation or removal," Beverly went on.

Tasha's throat grew tight as she remembered her conversation with Captain Rixx.

Strange behaviour. Inexplicable orders. Seemingly healthy officers suddenly acting odd.

Tasha wondered to herself if the Ferengi could be behind the sudden changes that Rixx had observed. She also contemplated whether it was possible that the Ferengi could be working on behalf of a third party, someone more powerful pulling strings behind the scenes.

Like the Romulans. She thought darkly.

After all, that was just their style. They liked to operate in the dark, manipulate others into taking direct action while they waited for their moment to strike.

"Thank you, Doctor," Riker said. "That buys us some time."

While Beverly monitored the Captain's status, the rest of the team set to work to solve the situation with the Ferengi and manipulated logs.

Deanna had joined Beverly in Sickbay to keep watch over the Captain and try to identify if the cause was trauma.

Data had paged Geordi for help at his workstation.

Tasha was going to meet Worf in the Security Office to look through any possible connections between enemies of the Jarada and the Ferengi.

Commander Riker caught Tasha on their way out of Sickbay.

"Can you get me a secure channel to the Ferengi First Officer Kazago?" Riker asked. "In the Ready Room?"

"You don't want to speak to DaiMon Bok?" Tasha asked.

Riker shook his head in the negative.

"I want to have a wee chat with Kazago. First Officer to First Officer," Riker explained.

Tasha's brow wrinkled.

As they stepped onto the lift, she gave him a look.

"What?" Riker asked.

"What makes you think Kazago is going to give you any information?" Tasha inquired.

"You weren't in the Observation Lounge. Deanna said whatever's going on, Kazago doesn't seem to like it," Riker shared. "He was pretty displeased with Bok's actions."

"Well, let's hope he's disgruntled enough to want to air his grievances," Tasha replied.

"You're all set. Hailing frequencies open," Tasha advised.

Riker gave her thumbs up and then Tasha headed off for the Security Office.

"Ferengi vessel, this is Commander Riker. I'd like to speak to First Officer Kazago," Riker announced.

Riker was using Captain Picard's Ready Room. He was transmitting both audio and visual. There was no immediate response. After a brief pause, Kazago responded, transmitting video as well.

He seemed perturbed by Riker's request to communicate.

"A problem, Riker?" Kazago asked tersely.

"Is our channel secure on your end?" Riker asked.

He needed to know before proceeding.

Kazago looked away and began to fiddle with the settings on the other end.

"It is now," he responded after a few seconds.

"Are you aware of the details of the Battle of Maxia?" Riker inquired.

Kazago appeared flustered.

"DaiMon Bok has just made me aware of the details, Riker. The infamy of your Picard is now fully known among the Ferengi!" Kazago exclaimed.

Riker's face made obvious his feelings on such a characterisation.

"Infamy?" Riker asked in disbelief.

"I would call the wanton destruction of an unarmed vessel infamy!" Kazago asserted.

Based on Kazago's reaction, it appeared they had misjudged his earlier behaviour. Riker was getting nowhere with the Ferengi First Officer.

"What if I can prove that Captain Picard's log entry was falsified. What if Bok's account is inaccurate?" Riker questioned.

Kazago waved his hand to dismiss Riker's claim.

"I hardly imagine you contacted me to discuss an ancient battle. What do you want?" Kazago demanded.

"Level with me, Kazago. First Officer to First Officer. You care about your crew and your ship the same as I do. And I know you weren't comfortable with that stunt Bok pulled," Riker said, hoping it would convince Kazago to cooperate.

"As you humans say, I'm all ears," Kazago responded sarcastically.

"Why would Bok want to frame the Captain?" Riker asked directly.

Kazago looked offended. His eyes went wide, and his mouth was thin.

"We freely give you back your warship and now you accuse us of a crime, Riker? I can bear no more insults!" Kazago stated.

"Dammit Kazago, why is Bok lying?" Riker snapped. "This has jeopardised a very important diplomatic mission and it puts all the lives on my ship at risk!"

For a brief moment, a look of concern passed Kazago's face.

"You don't understand, Riker," Bok said. "A First Officer cannot question his superior officer."

Riker looked at the viewscreen with a pleading look.

"In any case, why would Bok lie? The ship your Captain destroyed was the Kreela. DaiMon Bok's son was in command of that vessel when it was attacked and destroyed," Kazago shared. "He knows better than all of us what damage your Picard inflicted on our people."

Riker's mind reeled.

"Bok's son was commanding the ship Picard destroyed?" Riker asked to clarify.

"Perhaps now you understand why we consider him a treacherous and deceitful human," Kazago said.

There was a brief pause.

"Do not contact me again unless it is to compensate us for the vessel," Kazago ordered.

"Kazago wait!" Riker begged.

But it was too late.

Kazago disconnected the channel, and the screen went black.

Commander Riker took a slow breath and rubbed the bridge of his nose.

He tapped his combadge.

"Tasha, cancel the search," Riker ordered.

"Sir?" she responded a moment later.

"This isn't a political or tactical strategy," Riker explained. "We've waded into the middle of a blood feud."

Will Riker only hoped Data would have good news.

Data was sitting at his workstation, typing furiously at his computer. There was a momentary pause where Data cocked his head to the side before nodding to himself and then resuming.

"How was your evening?" Data inquired.

Geordi was two metres away at an open access console on Data's wall working to adjust the audio and visual interface on his viewscreen.

He paused and shrugged.

"Worse than I could have imagined," Geordi said with a short laugh. "But in some ways, better than I ever thought possible."

Data thought this was an odd answer.

"So?" Data asked, hoping that Geordi would elaborate.

"So what?" Geordi replied.

"So what happened?" Data pressed.

"What happened where?" Geordi asked, feigning ignorance.

He turned around and saw Data make a face.

"Alright, alright," Geordi laughed.

"Geordi, I ask you these questions as I care about your welfare. However, if you would rather not discuss them you need only say so," Data said politely. "I understand."

Geordi grinned.

Of course Data would understand.

But Geordi hadn't been trying to deflect from the conversation, rather he was simply teasing.

"There's not much to say about it. We ate some food. We played some Age of Sail. She might have thought I was a Romulan spy," Geordi said nonchalantly. "You know. Normal date stuff."

Geordi turned back to the console and counted the seconds in his head as Data pondered his statement.

"Geordi-" Data began to ask.

"Commander Riker's got a big heart. But he's one lousy chef," Geordi said.

Data tapped into his informational databank as he tried to establish a connection between bad food and Romulan espionage.

"So because the meal was," Data trailed off in search of the right word.

Although Commander Riker wasn't present, Data was hesitant to knock his cooking.

"Not to your taste," Data settled on. "She assumed you were a Romulan spy? Are Romulans known for poor culinary skills? Or did she deduce that based on assuming someone raised outside of the Federation would have no knowledge of human food customs?"

"No, Data!" Geordi said.

Geordi set down his sonic driver on the desk and sat down on the edge of it.

He informed Data that when he realised the game was up and he wasn't going to be able to fake it anymore, he tried to confess to Sonya.

"But I bumbled it," Geordi explained.

Data listened with fascination as Geordi talked about finding his own confidence and feeling much more at ease knowing Sonya had been just as nervous as he had been.

"Then your date was a success," Data remarked.

"I think we're going to take things easy, be ourselves, and see where things go," Geordi answered.

"That seems wise," Data replied.

He turned his attention back to the computer and continued his recalibrations.

Geordi did not get up from the desk. Rather, he stayed seated, tracing shapes absentmindedly on the surface with his finger.

"Data, when did you know?" Geordi asked suddenly.

"While I strongly suspect the log has been altered, I have no evidence yet to prove that assertion. Once we complete these alterations to the audio interface we can-" Data began to say.

"Tasha," Geordi clarified. "Tasha, Data."

Data blinked. He didn't quite follow Geordi's line of thought.

"When do you, well, you know – know – Tasha was the one?" Geordi asked.

Despite the rocky start to their evening, Geordi had experienced a better time than he had in ages. He couldn't put his finger on it but being around Sonya seemed to bring out the best in him. Once he let his guard down, Geordi could be himself.

Whenever they worked together in Engineering, she made him a better Chief – raising important questions, bouncing theory off one another, debating propulsion system pros and cons.

Her mind worked so fast that Geordi knew she was going to be a brilliant Chief Engineer someday.

At the same time, Sonya had this easy-going nature and determined work ethic that had endeared her to her peers.

Hell, if she could get Reg Barclay to show up on time and focus, she had to have a knack for leadership.

"Data?" Geordi said, pressing the issue.

Data's thoughts drifted back as he considered what the answer to Geordi's question was.

It was difficult for Data to pinpoint a precise moment in time. They had developed a fast friendship during their first year of service on the Enterprise – poker, holodeck activities with the rest of the crew, occasionally grabbing a drink at Ten Forward with Geordi and Miles.

Even from their first encounter, Tasha had always treated him as a person rather than a machine.

When Data had first come aboard the Enterprise, she had been the one to greet him – extending her hand and asking about his previous posting. She'd shown him to his quarters and the Bridge.

During the turbolift ride to the Bridge, she had shared that the holodecks on these new Galaxy-class ships were unlike anything they'd seen before.

She had shared that she liked to run and asked if he had any hobbies – as if asking a sentient synthetic lifeform if he had hobbies was just any normal, casual conversation.

Data had been so struck by this that it had taken him a total of 3.47 seconds to formulate a response.

A week later when she had stared down the Q during their first encounter at Farpoint, Data had found himself fascinated.

The physical and emotional connection that they shared had come later.

In spite of the period of awkwardness that had followed their first intimate encounter, the event itself had left Data feeling things he had never thought possible.

For you, Data.

"Data?" Geordi asked, pulling him back to reality.

Data had been staring off into the distance at nothing for the last nine seconds.

He turned and looked at Geordi.

"We have become close," Data said strangely. "I do not believe any one particular moment in time as-"

Geordi shot him a look.

There was a brief pause.

"There was a moment when the life support system on her deck failed," Data began.

"The strange energy pattern from that planet," Geordi recalled.

Data nodded.

"And the thought of losing her, of never experiencing her presence again or seeing her smile was such an indescribable emptiness that I would have done anything to stop it," Data confessed.

Geordi was listening carefully, hanging on Data's every word.

"And?' Geordi asked, eager to hear more.

Data cocked his head to the side and raised his eyebrows.

"And sometimes words are inadequate," Data said.

Geordi's face broke out into a broad smile.

"Data, you scamp," Geordi said as he slapped Data's shoulder.

The corner of Data's lip curved upward slightly. He felt slightly embarrassed as it was evident Geordi had picked up on the implication of his statement. While their relationship was certainly not a secret any longer, Tasha had still been keen to keep a professional distance surrounding the details of said relationship.

"Geordi, it is critical that we continue our work," Data said, hoping to change the subject.

"Right," Geordi responded.

He stepped back over to the panel and finished his recalibration.

"We should be good to go here," Geordi reported.

"Computer, isolate the first fifteen seconds of the audio file. Increase volume sixty decibels and slow to one-quarter speed," Data instructed.

"And computer, display visual overlay," Geordi commanded.

As Data listened carefully to the recording at a slower speed, he could detect a subtle audio pattern in the syllables that indicated the file had been produced using a synthesized voice.

"Alright, now computer I want you to display a visual overlay comparison. On screen one, display each use of the word 'I.' On the second screen, each instance of the word 'we.' And on the third screen, display every use of the word 'ship'," Geordi instructed.

They were words that had been used several times during the Captain's alleged confession.

"And that's the ballgame," Geordi commented as he observed the visual display.

Each of the syllables in those words was perfectly identical in every instance.

While humans had relatively predictable speech patterns, no one said every syllable the exact same way each time it was spoken. There were subtle differences in inflection, speed, and volume.

But here it was evident that these were all produced using an audio imitation of the Captain's voice – likely ripped using the other logs available on the Stargazer.

With the ship at their disposal, the Ferengi would have had everything needed to produce a false confession.

"We should compare these to several of the other logs to establish a control," Data suggested.

"Good thinking," Geordi replied.

"Computer, please repeat this procedure with six more audio files selected at random from Captain Picard's personal logs," Data instructed.

Each of the other logs showed precisely what they had suspected – the original was a fake.

The logs that had been selected at random for analysis demonstrated the small differences in inflection and tonality that were customary for human speech patterns.

After the final log, Data and Geordi glanced at one another.

They were certainly proud of their work.

"Let's just hope it's enough," Geordi said.

"It is a forgery," Data concluded.

"And a sloppy one at that," Geordi added.

He clicked his PADD and the viewscreen image changed to display the differences between the falsified audio log and one of the genuine ones.

"So we know they're a fake. And we know why they're fake," Riker concluded. "Data, I want a copy of this information sent immediately by subspace to Starfleet Command. Advise them that the Ferengi are still hanging around."

Data nodded and tapped away at his PADD to make the appropriate preparations.

"But we still need to make a decision about the Jarada situation," Riker announced.

The senior officers were all gathered around the conference table in the Observation Lounge. Captain Picard was still sedated in Sickbay. There was a collective feeling of unease in the room.

No one quite felt right holding a meeting about the Captain – particularly one in which he was not present.

"We still have nine days," Worf said. "The Captain is strong, and I have complete faith in his ability to execute this mission according to plan."

Worf was familiar with the Klingon procedure of removing a Captain from command when it was clear his time had come. But in Worf's mind, Captain Picard had not reached that point.

"I'm worried about these unexplained headaches," Beverly shared. "What happens if one occurs during the Jaradan mission?"

At times, it had been difficult for the Captain to focus – even to formulate words. If that were to occur during the Jaradan mission it could result in a breech of protocol.

And they all understood what a danger that could present.

"If this is emotional trauma, it's going to take longer than nine days to process it," Deanna said, weighing in on the matter.

"The Jarada won't meet with anyone other than the Captain of the flagship," Riker said.

"Can we delay the conference?" Geordi asked.

Commander Riker shook his head.

"The Jarada are sticklers for protocol. They will view any attempt to delay as a great insult," Deanna advised.

Miles sat up in his chair and leaned forward over the table.

"We haven't seen these Jarada in twenty years, right?" the Chief asked.

"That is correct," Data answered.

"So they don't know who we are," Miles explained. "For all they know, Commander Riker is Captain Picard."

Commander Riker and Deanna shared a glance.

Geordi tipped his head side to side as he pondered the idea.

"I'm not sure a lie is the best foundation upon which to build diplomatic relations," Beverly chimed in. "Even if it is well-intended."

"Excellent point," Riker concurred.

They would have no way of knowing just what research the Jarada had conducted. They were a highly advanced, if not reclusive, people. It was within the realm of possibility that the Jarada already had detailed files on all of them.

And given the Jaradan attention to detail – that was likely a safe bet.

"We don't have to decide this today," Riker announced to the room. "But we do need to decide soon."

"Doctor, you have known the Captain longer than any of us," Data said as he turned to Doctor Crusher.

Beverly nodded slowly.

"The Captain has never been comfortable in the spotlight," Beverly said. "And I think we all know how much he prefers Starfleet's scientific and diplomatic missions over the likes of heroism or violence. Even with this evidence, I would wager he's still not going to feel right about destroying another vessel."

"It was in self-defence," Worf said. "To save the lives of those under his command."

"But that doesn't make it any easier," Beverly countered.

She had been stationed on Starbase 92 when the Stargazer court martial proceedings had occurred. Jean-Luc and Beverly had remained in touch with occasional letters. But during the investigation and trial, he had largely withdrawn from the world.

Beverly recalled during that period of time, while Jean-Luc had technically answered her letters, his responses had largely been vague. He spoke little of the investigation and trial – and never of his feelings.

Instead, his letters had focused on the mundane – the fog in the bay, his favourite tea shoppe in Chinatown, and the Palace of Fine Arts.

Looking back, Beverly felt like she should have tried harder to coax more out of him, to get him to speak freely about his emotions.

If I only had done so then, maybe we wouldn't be in this position now. Beverly lamented to herself.

"You've been awfully quiet," Riker said as he looked to Tasha.

She was sitting at the far end of the table and had hardly said a word throughout the entire meeting.

"My security team will be ready for whatever you decide, sir," Tasha responded.

"Of that I have no doubt," Riker replied. "But right now, I want to know your thoughts on the Captain and your tactical analysis of the situation with the Jarada."

From his position next to Commander Riker, Data could see Tasha was uncomfortable with the question.

"The Jarada have advanced weaponry and shields. They're a match for our systems. We know so little about their battle strategy that I would caution against attempting any sustained conflict," Tasha said. "We are capable of outrunning their ships at maximum warp. If it comes to it, we should run."

She paused, feeling a bit more at ease. Work always had that effect on her.

"Whatever we decide, I think it might be wise to notify the Lexington and the Trafalgar. Both ships will be within three hours range of our rendezvous point with the Jarada at maximum warp. We don't want to alarm the Jarada, but we should give those ships a head's up in case anything goes wrong," Tasha advised.

"Mr Data, coordinate with Security and send the appropriate messages to both vessels," Riker ordered.

"Aye, sir," Data responded.

"Which still leaves the matter of the Captain," Geordi said, voicing what they were all thinking.

"As for medical causes, I'm baffled," Beverly explained. "I think this is psychological."

All of Doctor Crusher's scans had shown the Captain to be in perfect health.

"Is there anything you can do Deanna?" Riker inquired.

"Why don't I join Doctor Crusher in Sickbay? We can keep an eye on the Captain and continue working to address whatever is causing these headaches," Deanna suggested.

"Alright, you have your orders. I want to brief again in two hours. Let's hope we have some answers by then. Dismissed," Riker announced.

"Oh, Commander?" Geordi said. "We should probably release the tractor beam on the Stargazer. It's causing a power drain."

Riker's brow wrinkled.

"The inertia will carry her alongside us," Miles explained.

Riker nodded as he now understood.

"Make it so," Riker ordered.

The team dispersed to carry out their orders. However, Commander Riker did not move from his chair.

"Tasha, please stay. I need your help setting up another secure channel to the Ferengi," Riker said.

"In here, sir?" Tasha asked.

"That will be fine," Riker responded.

Tasha stepped over to the console on the wall next to the viewscreen and set to work creating a secure channel.

"I thought you said Kazago wasn't much help before?" Tasha inquired.

As soon as the room was clear, Riker stopped her.

"You can forget the channel," Riker said.

Tasha stopped and replaced the console panel.

"Take a seat," Riker ordered as he indicated to the chair on his left.

Tasha sat down and braced herself for a dressing down.

She had avoided his question during the briefing and they both knew it.

"What aren't you telling me?" Riker asked directly.

Tasha had been afraid he might ask that.

"It's really not my story to tell, sir," Tasha replied.

Riker wasn't sure what he could say to convince her to tell him the full story. But he knew that the information – any information – could be vital to helping the Captain.

"Tasha, please," Riker pleaded.

Tasha was picking at her fingernails. It was a nervous habit she had developed as a child. While she was normally the type of person to confront things head-on, she firmly believed this wasn't her business to share.

"Sir, it's really not my place," Tasha insisted.

"What do you think you're protecting the Captain from?" Riker asked sharply.

Tasha took a breath to calm her nerves.

Riker relaxed his tone, hoping that a more even approach might get results.

"It's just you and me right now," Riker said to reassure her that their conversation was safe. "This is all off the record."

"What do you remember about the Stargazer court martial?" Tasha asked as she looked up from the table.

Riker sat back in his chair and exhaled slowly as he scratched the back of his neck.

"I was twenty years old. Just starting the Academy," Will said. "Not much to be honest. I knew the vessel was lost. I knew people had died, but that was about it."

Tasha had never forgotten the ordeal.

In fact, it was the very reason she had dropped out of Starfleet's JAG programme.

Six months into her training, Tasha quit. Publicly, the reason she gave was that she had been recruited by covert operations. While that was true, it wasn't the reason behind her choice.

After watching Phillipa Louvois, Tasha had no desire to turn out like that.

"Starfleet spent three months investigating Captain Picard before the trial. He was interviewed eighteen times by different officers and departments before the proceedings had even begun," Tasha shared. "All checking and cross-checking to make the details of his story didn't change."

In Jean-Luc's opinion, it was as if the Starfleet investigators working under Captain Louvois had been intent on tripping him up.

Louvois claimed it was all part of a thorough investigation to find the truth.

"They grilled him during those proceedings. Three days of testimony. He answered questions for nine hours each day," Tasha explained. "And when he appeared calm and collected, Louvois painted him as aloof and uncaring."

Tasha shook her head.

What the investigators couldn't see was the side of Captain Picard that bore his grief and trauma from the incident. At the time of the Stargazer incident, Captain Picard hadn't been home since the death of his beloved mother shortly after his graduation from the Academy.

He had a strained relationship with his father. His relationship with his only brother, Robert, hadn't fared much better. While there had been some thaw after the birth of his nephew, Robert and Jean-Luc were still not on speaking terms.

All communication with his family was through his letters sent between the Captain and his sister-in-law and nephew.

When the Stargazer went down, Jean-Luc Picard had been placed on leave. His commission was temporarily revoked during the investigation and hearing.

With no home and no family to turn to, Jean-Luc found himself in San Francisco alone.

Alone, save for a recent Academy graduate that had been selected to Starfleet's JAG programme.

When she had first gotten word that the Stargazer crew had been recovered and were headed for San Francisco, Tasha had been overwhelmed with relief.

At that time, Captain Picard had been the closest thing she had to a friend in the world.

When the crew had stepped off the transport terminal, there had been hundreds of family and friends waiting to greet the survivors. Jean-Luc had quickly found a corner to retreat to.

There would be no one waiting for him.

That was the risk of choosing one's career over everything else.

As he had watched the various crew members reunited with their loved ones, Jean-Luc felt totally alone - more isolated than he had ever felt in his life.

Tasha had been watching the families too as she had pushed her way through the crowd on the platform. All around her had been parents seeing their children for the first time in ages, lovers reunited, and friends that were long considered lost in action sharing warm embraces.

Tasha recalled feeling utterly out of place.

She had been about to turn around and leave when Jean-Luc spotted her.

And for once, he hadn't felt so alone in the universe.

At the time, Tasha had just gotten her own place off-campus so she would be close to Starfleet Headquarters for her post-Academy JAG training.

Tasha had been shocked when Captain Picard had accepted the offer to use her spare bedroom until he could find a place of his own.

He had insisted it would only be for one night.

In the end, he had stayed nearly a month. And when the Captain finally did find a place of his own, Tasha had continued to be present in his life – they shared meals, chats with Boothby, and an occasional trip to the old hanger.

And that was how she knew the true depth of the emotional toll that the Stargazer situation had inflicted on the stoic Captain Picard.

The investigators couldn't hear the night terrors. They didn't know that he locked his door and cried under the shower, consumed by shame and guilt at the loss of his crew.

Thirty-two people had died aboard the Stargazer – seventeen of them during the evacuation. Jean-Luc had known there would be casualties when he gave the order.

They gave their lives to ensure the rest of the crew could escape.

Jean-Luc Picard spent all his time agonising over why he hadn't been one of those lives.

And instead of confronting his trauma in a healthy manner, Jean-Luc Picard felt that he had an obligation to bear the burden of command with a stiff upper lip.

After all, he had survived. He felt he owed it to those crew that didn' make it to continue demonstrating the kind of silent determination and grace under pressure that they expected in a starship Captain.

Tasha had recognised the signs of post-traumatic stress disorder and had encouraged Captain Picard to seek professional help from Starfleet's vast number of qualified counsellors.

"The thing is, sir, Starfleet doesn't always look fondly on Captain's seeking counselling services," Tasha told Commander Riker. "Especially when it's related to something as traumatic as the Stargazer situation had been."

Riker hated to admit she had a point.

"When a Captain starts questioning his ability to make those kinds of command decisions, command begins to question the Captain's judgement," Tasha went on.

At the time, there had already been more than enough questioning of Captain Picard's ability.

"When the trial ended, some of the pressure eased up. But he still carried those feelings with him," Tasha said. "He found ways to cope. And he took a one-year leave. Headed out to Bredzia VII to join an archaeological dig."

Tasha and Captain Picard had continued to exchange letters.

The next time she'd seen him had been a chance encounter during the border wars – the very assignment that had led to her posting to his ship the Atraides.

"But those feelings don't go away," Tasha said. "You can find ways to mask them, to work around them so they don't consume you, but they never leave."

Will Riker could empathise.

It was never easy for a commander to order anyone to their death. But when the fate of the ship was hanging in the balance, Captains needed to make such decisions.

"Are you saying the Captain's been emotionally compromised?" Riker asked.

Tasha shook her head.

"No," she replied simply.

Riker frowned.

"I'm saying this Ferengi matter has upended what was already the most traumatic experience of the Captain's life. They've taken the point at which he believes was his lowest moment and slapped him in the face with it," Tasha said angrily. "You know he doesn't like to be made a spectacle. He loathes hero worship and attention. All this hero of Maxia nonsense? It's a perfect storm designed to hurt him."

It was as if the Ferengi had meticulously studied Captain Picard's psychological profile – almost like the could read his innermost thoughts.

"Then how do we fix this? Because what I'm hearing from you is that we can't trust the Captain to carry out the Jarada mission," Riker said.

"We need to do our jobs. We need to have confidence in him, but we can't coddle him. He hates that," Tasha explained.

She had a point.

Riker understood the Captain appreciated hard work, integrity, and ingenuity amongst his crew. He had no time for false platitudes, misdirection, or interdepartmental politics.

"Keep him focused on the Jarada situation. He likes work," Tasha suggested.

Work would help him focus. Work would keep him occupied. If they could keep his mind on the upcoming Jarada mission, there wouldn't be time to contemplate the Stargazer situation.

Tasha knew he would have to confront the matter at some point – but she also knew that for the time being, Captain Picard needed to concentrate on the Jarada mission.

Over in Sickbay, Captain Picard was still under sedation while Beverly and Deanna poured over the Captain's neural scans.

While they could see his hormone levels, emotional readings, and brain wave patterns, they couldn't see what was going on in his mind.

Even with the medication keeping him under, the Captain flinched on the exam table.

"He's in pain," Deanna commented as she observed him.

Inside his mind, Jean-Luc was on the Bridge of the Stargazer. It was a real as it had ever been. He could hear his Tactical officer, Vigo, tapping away at his post as he relayed the damage report.

The acrid smell of smoke from the fire filled his airway causing his eyes to water.

Jean-Luc could hear his Bridge crew shouting as they reported from their stations.

Fusion generator under surge control, sir! Power systems failing.

Sensor beam bearing on the hostile ship! Seven mark nineteen, sir!

We've taken another hit. Deck 18. Critical hull damage. Casualties reported on decks 17 and 18.

Captain Picard could hear himself ordering Vigo to set phasers and lock and stand by on warp nine. It was not quite a dream, but it was also more than a memory. He could hear himself saying the words, but he felt unable to control them.

They were closing fast.

The Stargazer suddenly reversed and stopped, seeming to appear in two places at once.

The Stargazer fired and the Ferengi vessel was blown out of existence in a flash of bright light.

Jean-Luc opened his eyes and glanced around Sickbay. He surmised he must have lost consciousness during the aftermath of the battle.

But this wasn't his Sickbay.

Another ship!

They must have picked up the distress signal from the Stargazer and responded.

Jean-Luc knew that meant his ship must have been close by and he needed to get over to it to ensure she and her crew were alright.

He glanced down and saw he was in uniform. Captain Picard sat up and held out his arms. He turned them over to examine them. There appeared to be no recently healed wounds on his body.

His head hurt but as he felt around his skull there were also no signs of any recent wounds. Jean-Luc surmised he must have suffered from smoke inhalation or a concussion.

Slipping off the exam table, Jean-Luc found no medical staff attempting to stop him. He'd never been keen on doctors to begin with, so it was all the better in his mind.

With Beverly and Deanna occupied at the computer in her office, they didn't see him walk out of Sickbay.

"Look at this brain scan graph," Beverly commented as she pulled up the next image.

There was an unexplained pattern of energy displayed in the scans – and they had increased since the first set Beverly had taken in the morning.

"I can't find any physical reason for this," Beverly said with an exasperated sigh.

"I'm puzzled too," Deanna confessed. "I keep sensing random thought patterns but there are two sets of them. A strange duality, but it's different from what I typically sense from most humans. It is as if the thoughts were his but intermixed with other thoughts which are also his. Like he's dualling with himself internally."

Deanna had never felt such strange energy emanate from a human before.

"Counsellor, Doctor," Wes said as he stepped into Beverly's office.

"I'm busy at the moment, Wesley," Beverly replied.

"I know, mom," Wes said. "This is important."

Beverly paused her analysis and looked up from the computer.

"When I went back to the main sensors in Engineering to try some more sensitivity experiments-" Wes began to say.

"Does this have something to do with Captain Picard?" Deanna asked.

She didn't want to discourage young Mr Crusher, but time was the one resource they didn't have. They were inching ever closer to the meeting with the Jarada, and every second counted.

"Yes, ma'am," Wesley answered.

His discovery had been a complete fluke. And while Wesley didn't fully understand how or what was causing it, he knew it may be an important clue to solving the problem of the Captain's headaches and strange behaviour.

"I don't how this relates to the Captain's pain, but I identified a low-intensity transmission coming from the Ferengi ship. Engineering had nothing like it on record, so I expanded the search to all available records. They're a perfect match for the Captain's brain scan activity," Wesley explained.

"What kind of transmissions?" Deanna inquired.

Wesley shrugged.

"I'm not sure what they are," Wesley admitted. "Only that the Ferengi are maintaining a continued transmission and it's a match for the pattern in the Captain's scans."

"Let's set up a quarantine field around the Captain and then we'll begin-" Beverly began to say.

"That won't work," Wesley chimed in.

The transmission was operating on a frequency that could not be blocked by the Enterprise's forcefield technology. The transmission was such a low intensity it would pass right through any sort of energy field designed to block outside transmissions.

"Let's bring the Captain out of sedation and run a series of tests to see if we can't find some way to block this," Beverly suggested.

The three of them stepped out into the main room of Sickbay and spied the empty bed.

"He's gone!" Deanna gasped.

"Whatever this is, it's affecting the Captain. We need to get to Riker," Beverly advised.

They two women rushed out of Sickbay and off to the Bridge.

"You're welcome, ladies," Wesley chuckled to himself as they left.

As they raced off for the nearest lift, Beverly paged Commander Riker.

"Crusher to Riker," she said, tapping her combadge.

Riker responded a moment later. He was on the Bridge.

"Is Captain Picard with you?" Beverly inquired.

"No," Riker replied. "Have you released him from Sickbay?"

"No. I did not," Beverly said. "We need to find him immediately."

Up on the Bridge, a collective sense of worry rippled through the officers.

"Computer, locate Captain Picard," Riker ordered.

"Captain Picard is on turbolift eight between decks fifteen and sixteen," the computer responded.

Wordlessly, Riker communicated his intentions to Tasha.

She tapped her console to disable power to that lift, halting it on deck sixteen. There was a security team not far from that location and she dispatched them to intercept.

What is up to? Riker thought to himself with alarm.

This behaviour signalled there was no way Captain Picard was going to be ready for the Jarada encounter.

"Bridge, we have a problem," Ensign Jeffords reported.

Everyone braced themselves, not knowing what the bad news would be.

"The Captain isn't on the turbolift," Jeffords' voice notified them. "It's empty save for his communicator."

Tasha knew what needed to be done and did not hesitate.

"With your permission, sir, I'd like to send Security teams to all the shuttle bays and transporter rooms," Tasha advised.

"Do it," Riker ordered.

They would also need to conduct a sweep. The Captain knew the ship in and out like the back of his hand. It was difficult to pinpoint where he was headed or what his endgame was.

"And I'd like to lead the team, sir," Tasha requested.

Riker agreed.

Without knowing what the Captain was up to, it only made sense that Tasha lead the team. Worf was more than capable of serving in the Tactical post.

Tasha was also concerned about what might happen if the Captain were to get violent. Whoever was in command of the intercept team would need to be someone not intimidated to do what needed to be done – but also reasonable enough not to use deadly force.

She was three steps from the turbolift when the Tactical console lit up.

"I'm reading an unauthorised transporter use coming from deck 6," Worf reported.

Captain Picard rematerialised on the Bridge of the Stargazer. He took in the damage from the battle and was surprised to see that there were no crews working on repairs.

"Welcome back, Captain," DaiMon Bok said, emerging from the shadows.

He was holding a metallic sphere in his hand which he set down on the chair at the Operations station.

Bok ordered the computer to raise shields on the Stargazer.

"What are you doing on my ship?" Picard demanded. "Why have you attacked us?"

"We did not attack you," Bok asserted. "You attacked us."

Jean-Luc clutched his forehead in pain. He knew something was wrong. He was having a hard time separating memory and reality, fact and fiction.

"Why are you doing this?" Picard asked.

The lights on the Bridge were bright enough that they strained his eyes.

"Collecting on an old debt," Bok answered. "I have waited over a decade for this, Picard. You will pay for your crime."

"They attack us," Picard argued.

Jean-Luc gripped the back of the nearest chair for support. His head was on fire, but his legs felt weak as if they may give out at any moment.

"You ended my bloodline," Bok went on.

Bok paused and looked off for a moment as he collected himself.

"You took away my only son," Bok shared. "And you cannot fathom the pain of that loss, human."

Captain Picard shook his head. He didn't understand.

"It was his first mission as DaiMon of his own vessel. He was so young. Eager to advance," Bok continued.

"We hailed. We tried to communicate, to end this peaceably," Picard insisted.

"Lies!" Bok raged.

"We had no choice," Picard replied. "I had no choice!"

"Well now you may choose to repeat your actions or make a different choice," Bok snarled.

"Someone has raised the shields on the Stargazer," Tasha reported, resuming her position at Tactical.

They would not be able to send a team.

The Captain was on his own.

"Shields up! Yellow alert," Riker ordered.

"Sir, I am detecting a small shuttle craft exiting the Stargazer. Its course appears to align with a heading for the Ferengi vessel," Data reported.

All of sudden, Geordi paged the Bridge from Engineering.

"Bridge, I'm reading something very strange down here. Those low intensity beams we picked up on the Ferengi vessel are now also emanating from within this ship," Geordi informed the Bridge.

Data's fingers danced across the Operations console as he identified and isolated the source of the emission.

"I have a fix on it, sir. It's coming from within Captain Picard's Read Room," Data reported.

He turned in his chair to face the rest of the crew.

"It is possible that whatever is causing this transmission was included in the Captain's belongings that were transferred over from the Stargazer," Data theorised.

"Transfer Tactical controls to Operations," Riker ordered. "They're in his Ready Room. Tasha, Worf-"

"On it," Tasha called back as they raced over to the Ready Room.

"Hail the Stargazer," Riker commanded.

Data tapped his screen to accept the Tactical controls and attempted to hail the other vessel.

There was no response.

"Captain? Stargazer? Respond!" Riker said.

"Over here," Worf said, pointing to the side of the Captain's desk.

Inside the Ready Room, Tasha and Worf located a large, heavy chest that had been hauled over. It contained a number of personal items of the Captain's.

On the bottom was a metallic sphere. When scanned by Worf's security tricorder, it showed a number of strange readings.

"It could be booby trapped," Worf advised.

"Maybe," Tasha replied as she analysed her own tricorder readings.

It appeared to be made of standard metallic components and there was nothing that indicated anything caustic or hidden. There was a power cell in the middle and basic circuitry.

"A bomb?" Worf postulated.

"I'm not reading anything that could be a detonator," Tasha replied. "I think it's just a transmitter of some sort."

Tasha and Worf looked at one another.

"I'm not sure that's wise," Worf advised, sensing her next move.

"I'm not sure we have time for a full level one sweep," Tasha replied before picking up the device.

She breathed a sigh of relief when nothing happened.

Over on the Stargazer, Captain Picard squeezed his eyes shut tight as he tried to push away the pain that had overtaken his body.

Jean-Luc could hear the rhythmic beep of the Tactical console signalling there was another ship within the vicinity.

The Ferengi. He thought. They must have returned to finish us off.

"Not today I think," Picard said aloud.

He pulled himself up to his feet and activated the override for manual ship controls from the Command Chair.

Jean-Luc knew he would need room to manoeuvre and arms. He keyed in his command sequence to begin bringing the weapons systems online.

It was his hope that just the act of doing so would be enough to ward off the Ferengi attack.

Tasha and Worf emerged from the Ready Room the same time that Beverly and Deanna stepped off the turbolift.

"We found this device," Worf reported.

"There's a strange low intensity energy transmission coming from the Ferengi ship," Deanna explained.

"It appears to be some kind of transmitter," Tasha said.

"And we think it's influencing the Captain," Beverly added.

They were all speaking at once.

"Alright! One at a time!" Riker said loudly.

"Sir," Data said.

"In a moment, Data," Riker ordered. "Let's start with you, Doctor."

"Sir-" Data repeated.

"Data, I-" Riker began.

"Sir, the Stargazer is powering up her systems and breaking it's inertial slipstream with the Enterprise," Data reported.

Riker tapped his controls at the Command Chair to open a direct channel to the other ship.

"Enterprise to Stargazer, please respond," Riker requested.

There was desperation in his voice. He did not want to have to take defensive action against the Captain.

"Please respond. This is Riker. Captain Picard?" Riker tried again.

There was only silence.

"Data, I need you to figure out that device. Worf, take over at ops, Tasha I need you to run-" Riker commanded.

"Six photo torpedoes short, sir," Tasha responded, anticipating his question. "Probably from her last battle. Otherwise she's fully armed but currently offline."

Data turned the device over and opened a panel on the side of it. It was the first piece of Ferengi technology he had ever examined and so he knew little about the overall function. However, many of the components were similar to Federation materials.

"There is a network of miniature circuitry, sir. It is incredibly complex," Data admitted. "But it appears to be an amplifier of some sort."

Data could see no possible way to power it down.

"Perhaps it was planted to amplify whatever transmission is coming from the Ferengi vessel?" Data suggested.

"Thought-altering transmissions? Energy waves designed to influence behaviour," Beverly thought aloud. "It's possible."

The Captain's pain had significantly worsened after his belongings had been transferred to the Enterprise. It was likely there was some kind of proximity factor that played into it.

Riker commanded Worf to open a channel to the Ferengi First Officer Kazago.

"Riker to Kazago," Riker said.

There was a brief delay and then Kazago appeared onscreen looking irritated.

"No more games, Kazago," Riker said. "What's really going on here?"

Kazago looked genuinely confused.

"Don't play ignorant. Your ship is at just as much risk," Riker added for good measure.

In fact, Riker suspected Kazago's ship was at an even bigger risk. If Captain Picard believed he was defending against a Ferengi attack, it was only logical to assume that he would fire on a Ferengi vessel rather than the Enterprise.

"What risk?" Kazago questioned.

"The Stargazer is powering weapons," Tasha notified the Bridge.

"If the Stargazer opens fire, who do you think he's going to target first?" Riker asked in response.

Kazago checked his console and could see the Stargazer was powering up her weapons systems.

"So you have hailed us to threaten us?" Kazago inquired.

"Captain Picard just beamed himself over to the Stargazer and I want to know what this has to do with it?" Riker asked as he displayed the sphere they had found.

Shock registered in Kazago's face for a brief moment before it was displaced. He recovered quickly, but Deanna could sense he was bothered by this evidence.

Kazago glanced around to ensure he was out of earshot of any other crew members – a tough thing on a Ferengi vessel.

"How do you have possession of that device?" Kazago asked in a hushed voice.

Riker explained that it was found hidden in with the Captain's belongings from the Stargazer and that they believed it was influencing the bizarre shift in his behaviour.

"That is a forbidden device. A thought maker. If your Captain is criminal enough to own one-"

"Kazago, I think you and I both know who's really controlling this device," Riker said, cutting him off.

Kazago shook his head.

"It requires two devices to work properly," Kazago explained. "I do not show one on our ship."

Riker was about to come down on Kazago when Data chimed in.

"Sir, the low intensity transmission we were picking up from the Ferengi ship is now coming from the Stargazer," Data advised.

"We do not wish to become involved in what is clearly a Federation matter," Kazago responded.

He blinked a few times as if he were weighing a heavy decision.

"DaiMon Bok will be removed from command of this vessel for engaging in an unprofitable venture," Kazago announced. "First Officer to First Officer. We ask that this incident not be taken as a reflection of the Ferengi people."

"Wait, Kazago! How do we stop it? Shut it down?" Riker asked.

"I do not know. Such devices have been illegal for over a century," Kazago explained.

That was a load of help. Data thought.

He kicked himself internally for making such a sarcastic comment during a high-stakes situation. With a mix of alarm and fondness, he realised that he had spent far too much time in Tasha's company and perhaps her sarcasm was beginning to rub on him.

Good luck, First Officer Riker," Kazago said before disconnecting the channel on his end.

"Sir! I have the Stargazer. Transmitting visually," Tasha reported.

Riker ordered her to put it on screen immediately.

Captain Picard appeared on the viewscreen. He seemed to be coughing on imaginary smoke from the fire that his memory was stuck in.

"Do not attack again! We are a Starfleet vessel on a peaceful mission. We have no wish to harm you. Our Phasers are full up and our torpedoes are armed. We will defend ourselves if you pursue this attack!" Picard warned.

From his position on the Bridge of the Stargazer, Jean-Luc could hear the voices of his crew warning of the fire and the hull damage caused by the attack.

Their shields were weakening.

They're coming in for a third pass at us, sir! We can't take another hit!

For a moment the crew of the Enterprise watched helplessly as the Captain barked orders at an invisible crew before closing hailing frequencies on his end.

"Sir, whatever the Captain is reliving over there, it is causing him to feel fury. Blind fury," Deanna shared.

"The Battle of Maxia," Beverly said breathlessly. "That's what it has to be."

"Which means his next move is going to be the Picard Manoeuvre," Riker said in a dark voice.

"Sir?" Tasha asked.

Her hand was hovering above the control to bring the Enterprise's weapons system online. Tasha had no desire to fire upon Captain Picard – and she knew that doing so would cause a lifetime of regret – but she also understood that if it came to it, she would have no choice.

The lives of everyone on the Enterprise depended upon it.

"Data, what is the defence against the Picard Manoeuvre?" Riker asked.

"There is no known defence, sir," Data replied honestly.

"Then devise one. Fast!" Riker commanded.

He resumed his seat at the Command Chair and ordered Tasha to bring the phasers and photon torpedoes online.

Data's eyes flitted back and forth rapidly as he analysed all available information on the Stargazer's schematics, the systems required to execute the Picard Manoeuvre, and nearly a century worth of Starfleet helm defensive tactics all within a matter of seconds.

The linchpin of the Picard Manoeuvre relied on shifting to high warp rapidly in order to trick the sensors into thinking the ship was in two places at once.

Data had a theory about how to counter it. But his theory relied upon identifying some way to determine the location of the real ship and not the warp 'echo.' He scanned through the ship's schematic as he tried to find some kind of trace or clue that the Enterprise would be able to pick up on.

"I believe I have a possibility, Commander," Data said suddenly. "Since even deep space contains trace gases, a vessel in the Picard Manoeuvre might seem to disappear. But our sensors could locate any sudden compression of those gases."

Data was incredibly proud of himself for working out such a solution in 7.3 seconds.

"And use it as an aiming point to blow our Captain to bits?" Tasha asked bitterly from the back of the Bridge.

Tasha was feeling wretched and had fallen back on her sarcasm to hide just how uncomfortable and afraid she truly was.

"The Enterprise has enough power to use our tractor beam on it. We can seize the other vessel and limit its field of fire," Data said, clarifying the second part of his plan.

Oh Data, I could kiss your big, juicy brain! Tasha grinned to herself.

"Nice work, Commander. Concentrate our tractor beam at that point and let's hope you're right, Data," Riker ordered.

"No question of it," Data replied simply before turning around to carry out his orders.

It was not Data's intention to sound conceited. He merely knew that the odds of success for his plan were in his favour.

"Stand by," Riker advised.

They would only have one chance to try and capture the Stargazer in this method and it relied on a number of factors coming together. Tasha would need to monitor the sensors for the compression of the gases and Data would have to engage the tractor beam at just the right moment. Additionally, the helm officer needed to be ready to potentially navigate around the Stargazer if the plan failed.

It was fortunate that the Bridge crew of the Enterprise worked together like a well-oiled machine.

All of a sudden, the Stargazer experienced an energy surge and jumped to maximum warp.

For a split second, the ship appeared to be in two places at once.

"Data!" Riker said.

Data keyed in his instructions and locked the tractor beam onto the Stargazer.

It was one victory down.

They had stopped the Stargazer from firing on the Enterprise, but they still had to get the Captain back.

"Sir, I saw no way to disable the device on this end," Data advised.

"With your permission, sir?" Worf asked as he aimed his phaser at the device.

There was no way to know exactly what would happen but based on their scans of the device, it didn't appear it had the capability to create a large explosion. His phaser was set at a low stun setting and would more than likely simply fry the electrical circuits.

"Do it," Riker ordered.

Worf hit the device and there was a crackle of energy as the phaser blast fried the circuitry.

The team immediately set to work trying to establish contact with Captain Picard. Beverly was concerned that was in need of medical attention. For her part, Deanna was worried that Captain Picard may harm himself unintentionally in his current mental state.

"He's confused, frightened, and all alone," Deanna warned. "That is a dangerous combination."

Captain Picard was indeed feeling confused.

The unidentified vessel that had attacked them was somehow powerful enough to lock the Stargazer in a tractor beam. Their initial sensor readings and analysis of the other ship had not indicated such capabilities.

Even more baffling was the fact the other ship had not used the opportunity to fire again. In fact, sensors aboard the Stargazer indicated the other ship had taken her weapons offline.

It was both an intriguing and disturbing thought.

Were they intending to take prisoners? Picard wondered with alarm.

In the distance, the Captain could hear a familiar voice calling for him.

"Captain Picard, listen to me!" Riker shouted.

"Vigo, is that you?" Picard asked.

"It's Commander Riker, sir," Riker clarified.

Riker. Commander Riker. Why do I know that name? Picard thought.

"Sir, the Ferengi are using a device to manipulate your thoughts," Riker went on.

Despite the confusion and pain, there was a sliver of hope. A part of Captain Picard's brain wondered if there truly was something controlling his thoughts – and if so, could this voice be trusted?

If he couldn't control his thoughts, it was possible that this voice was simply a figment of his imagination.

"Captain Picard, look around you. Look for a silver sphere. You must destroy it!" Riker said.

"Number One?" Picard asked.

"Yes! Yes, sir," Riker answered in an excited voice.

If Picard recognised Riker, that was a good sign.

"Sir, find a silver sphere," Riker instructed. "You need to destroy it with your phaser."

Captain Picard glanced around the Bridge. With each blink of the eye, it was as if he were shifting in time – simultaneously seeing and hearing the Bridge crew of the Stargazer and yet also viewing the aftermath of the battle including the burned and abandoned Bridge.

Setting on top of a seat in the back was a silver sphere.

It was the same sphere DaiMon Bok had carried onto his ship.

Bok!

"Destroy it with your phaser!" Riker hollered across the viewscreen.

Captain Picard drew his phaser and aimed it at the sphere. He activated the weapon and there was a short electrical sizzle before the sphere sparked. There was a minor explosion, sending the Captain hurling into one of the nearby consoles.

There was a collective sigh of relief when the crew of the Enterprise saw the Captain was breathing.

Captain Picard glanced around the damaged Bridge of the Stargazer as he tried to get his bearings.

"Are you alright, Captain?" Beverly asked.

It was a voice the Captain was familiar with and one that he welcomed.

"Beverly Howard," Picard said, pleasantly surprised.

"I'm here, sir," Beverly replied.

Deanna could pick up on the Captain's feelings. His anxiety was beginning to dissipate.

"Sir, we need you to drop the shields so we can send a team over," Riker explained.

Captain Picard pulled himself up to the nearest console and input his command code to drop the Stargazer's shields.

"Shields have been dropped, we can now beam aboard a team," Data advised as he scanned the other ship.

"Data, you'll lead the away team," Riker ordered. "Doctor, I want you on it to take care of the Captain. Tasha, take the Stargazer weapons offline and power down her systems for an impulse tow."

The team rushed out to the Transporter Room and beamed over to the Bridge of the other ship.

Commander Riker stayed on the viewscreen with Captain Picard until the team was in place. He knew it was important that the Captain not be left alone.

Beverly knelt down and ran a quick scan with her medical tricorder.

"Where is Bok?" Picard asked.

"DaiMon Bok has been removed from command, sir," Data answered. "And placed under guard for his act of personal vengeance."

"Seems there was no profit in it," Tasha added as she took the Stargazer's weapons offline.

"In revenge, there never is," Picard said as Beverly helped him to his feet.

"Doctor, return with the Captain to the ship. We will see to the Stargazer," Data ordered.

Beverly and Captain Picard were beamed back aboard the Enterprise where he was taken to Sickbay for evaluation. It was a good sign that Picard was already complaining about being relegated to Sickbay on the walk from the Transporter Room to deck 12.

"I have taken the ship's non-essential systems offline," Data said. "I am now rerouting power from the remaining systems to shields for an impulse tow."

Tasha stepped over to the remains of the device.

"I'm assuming you want this sent to Engineering for analysis, sir?" Tasha asked.

The circuitry was melted, but it would be their first chance to study Ferengi technology up close.

"Yes. Thank you, Lieutenant," Data replied.

They completed the preparations to resume an impulse tow on the vessel and prepared to beam back aboard. Miles advised them to stand by.

"And Commander, thank you," Tasha said before giving him a quick peck on the cheek.

Data glanced to his left and Tasha flashed him a smile.

The shimmering sound of dematerialisation filled the Bridge as they vanished and then reappeared on the transporter pad a moment later.

"I have to complete my security log," Tasha said. "I'll see you later."

Although Tasha did have a security log to finish on the incident, she also had an ulterior motive.

The cause of Captain Picard's mysterious behaviour may have been due to actions of Ferengi hellbent on revenge, but Bok's use of the device had left Tasha wondering about all the strange incidents that Captain Rixx had warned her about.

Tasha felt that it was imperative to warn Rixx of the device. Their information on how it worked was limited, but she could transmit the details of how to identify and destroy it.

When she reached the Security Office, Tasha sat down at her desk and keyed in a private communication about the device. Timing was critical.

Every two hours, the Enterprise transmitted a series of standard readings that indicated her flight plan, speed, and any non-essential communications. They would be picked up by long-range Federation communication satellites to be relayed on to their destinations.

Using an encrypted channel on an extra, unassigned PADD, Tasha piggybacked the transmission off the Enterprise's subspace transmission dump to hide the signal. Once that was complete, Tasha wiped the PADD. She opened the access panel on the back and reset the PADD to factory specs, erasing any record of the device's use.

Up on the Bridge, Data noticed that the routine transmission dump included an encrypted log. He was going to investigate when Commander Riker ordered the senior staff to a meeting in the Observation Lounge.

Their briefing included Captain Picard. His headache was gone – although the experience had left him feeling drained.

"I want to assure you that I do feel capable of completing our mission with the Jarada," Picard reassured his team.

They still had just over a week left until their meeting with the reclusive Jaradan people.

"And we still have a fair amount of work to complete before then," Picard added.

"It's good to see you back, Captain," Geordi said.

"Thank you, Mr La Forge," Captain Picard said.

"We were all terribly worried about you, sir," Miles added.

"Thank you, Mr O'Brien," Picard responded, his voice growing slightly more irritated.

He wanted nothing more than to drop the subject of his own health.

"Captain, I wanted to say-" Worf began.

"Respectfully, I would prefer not to discuss the matter. I thank you all for your efforts, but I'd prefer to deal with this on my own," Picard announced.

The team was dismissed with instructions to meet back at 09:00 hours the next day for their morning briefing where they would resume preparations for their meeting with the Jarada.

As they left the room, everyone collectively felt a sense of concern for Captain Picard.

He was a notoriously private man and no one was quite sure how to broach the subject of the Stargazer incident.

Deanna had assured the team that Captain Picard would see her for counselling, but Beverly was left wondering if it would be adequate.

Three days later, things were progressing well in preparation for their upcoming mission. Captain Picard was still struggling with some of the pronunciation, but on the whole things seemed to be looking up.

At least, publicly things were back to normal.

Captain Picard had met with Deanna twice. Both of the sessions had allowed him to work through some of the emotional trauma from the original Stargazer incident and the Ferengi matter.

However, after each session he left feeling like there were things left unsaid – things he couldn't discuss with Deanna.

Deana could sense it too.

It wasn't that Captain Picard distrusted her. Rather, he felt that there were things she couldn't understand. Deanna could empathise with his feelings, she could offer advice and coping mechanisms, but she could never speak from experience about what the Captain had gone through.

At the end of their last session, Deanna had suggested that he confide in a friend in a non-counselling capacity.

It was relatively late in the evening and Captain Picard did not want to return to his quarters yet for another evening of solitude.

His feet carried him to Ten Forward.

He stepped inside and glanced around the room. Jean-Luc immediately felt out of place in the Enterprise's number one hotspot.

"Captain Picard," Guinan said, feeling slightly surprised by his presence.

"I was just er-" he paused, searching for an excuse.

"Why don't you grab a chair at the bar? I've got a new Nausicaan wine I want to get your opinion on," Guinan offered.

Captain Picard sat down at one of the stools along the far side and Guinan emerged from her storeroom a moment later with a tall, skinny bottle.

She grabbed two wine glasses and removed the cork.

It was a rich, dark green colour and seemed to cling to the edge of the glass – the signature of a good Nausicaan wine.

"You know the Jarada make a type of distilled spirit using the unique rainfall on their home planet," Guinan said as she raised her glass.

"Then to new beginnings with the Jarada and new spirits," Picard said as he raised his own glass to join her toast.

They both took a sip and Captain Picard made a noise to signal his approval.

"Speaking of spirits, you've had a number of them rattling around in your mind lately," Guinan said.

Captain Picard waved his hand to dismiss the notion.

"I'm fine," Picard said.

Guinan shot him a look that made clear she knew his statement was said to reassure himself.

"Is it that obvious?" Picard asked.

"It hangs about you like a little dark storm cloud," Guinan said. "You carry it with you, room to room."

Captain Picard sighed heavily and took another sip of his wine.

"I think it's going to take time," Picard shared.

"Yes. It will," Guinan concurred.

Silence fell on the pair. Guinan was more than happy to give him time to go at his own pace.

"Truthfully, that's part of why I'm here," Picard confessed. "Counsellor Troi has suggested that I speak with someone outside of a counselling capacity."

If there was anyone on the ship that would listen without judgement, it was Guinan.

"Please don't misinterpret my intentions. Deanna is an excellent counsellor and I have complete faith in her abilities," Picard added quickly.

"But you want to talk to someone that understands what you've been through," Guinan said. "Someone that's shared the experience."

"Precisely," Picard admitted. "I find the sessions with Counsellor Troi aren't quite what I've been looking for. In some ways, they have left me feeling isolated."

Guinan folded her arms on top of the bar and gave the Captain a knowing look.

"Well you know I'm always here to listen," she smiled.

Jean-Luc was about to say something in response when Guinan put up her hand.

"But I'm not the one you should be talking to," Guinan added.

The Captain's brow furrowed.

"That's not to say I won't be here to listen. I will. For as long as you need," Guinan assured him. "But you also need to talk to someone else."

"Guinan, I don't-" Picard trailed off.

He frowned.

"Who?" Picard asked bluntly, unsure of how else to ask the question.

"The one person on this ship that knows exactly how you feel," Guinan said.

She averted her eyes to a corner table where Tasha was sitting by herself. She had just wrapped up dinner with Worf. He had taken off to get in a holodeck workout and she had stayed behind to check her PADD again for any message back from Captain Rixx.

"Thank you," Picard nodded to Guinan.

Tasha was checking her incoming communications for the third time in a matter of seconds. She continued to hit refresh.

Rixx should have sent something back by now! She thought with alarm.

"Good evening, Lieutenant," Picard said.

Tasha startled. She closed out of her messages quickly and straightened her posture.

"Captain," she said.

She did her best to sound natural and not like the Captain had just caught her checking her incoming messages for an encrypted communication.

"Am I disturbing you?" Picard inquired.

"No, no. Not at all," Tasha said quickly.

"Tasha, would you take a walk with me?" Picard asked.

They walked out of Ten Forward and circled the corridor on that deck. Captain Picard said little and as they came around the curve back to the lounge, Tasha had a suspicion that he wanted to say more but was concerned about the traffic.

In the fifteen minutes it took them to circle the saucer, they had run into a fair number of crew. Captain Picard had kept the conversation mundane.

Housing crew quarters, the Canteen, Holodeck Four, and the most popular lounge on the ship, deck 10 was one of the primary decks.

Tasha had suggested they take a lift down to deck thirty-nine. There wasn't much down there but it did feature a nice, large view window. Above, the nacelles were bright, and it overlooked the stars at the back of the ship.

In a way, it reminded Tasha of watching waves at the back of a boat.

It was a spot that Tasha liked to sit in whenever she wanted to be alone.

Her suspicions had been confirmed when the Captain felt comfortable enough to spill his feelings in the abandoned cargo bay of the lower decks.

"I've been at the helm during plenty of high-stakes situations. I've ordered officers into battle. I've taken lives in combat," Picard explained. "All Starfleet Captains have."

He took a shaky breath.

"But this was the first time I have ever met the family of one of those lives I've taken," Picard confessed.

He shared that in the days since they had thwarted DaiMon Bok's plan, Picard had done considerable research into the incident from the Ferengi perspective. While they knew little about the Ferengi, knowing the identification of the vessel had been critical on his fact-finding mission.

There had been three hundred Ferengi aboard that ship.

Jean-Luc wasn't sure if he was digging through the information because he needed to explain how it could have happened or if it was some morbid self-torture.

A part of Jean-Luc wanted to put himself through the penance of knowing the sheer devastation his actions had caused because he felt it owed it to those Ferengi.

Tasha said little. She understood it was critical that he speak his peace without interruption. There would be time for questions later.

"Sure, Bok's son was in command and made the decision to fire upon us," Picard went on. "But how many of those three hundred Ferengi were involved in that decision? They had no malice toward us. They were merely existing on a ship with the great misfortune of it being one I destroyed!"

He had seen first-hand how the loss of his thirty-crew members impacted the lives of their family and friends. It devastated their loved ones.

While they knew little of Ferengi customs, Jean-Luc knew that the Ferengi aboard that vessel had families. They were someone's children. There were also likely Ferengi aboard that had children of their own.

"Does it ever get easier?" Picard asked, turning away from the window to look at her for the first time since their conversation began.

"No," Tasha answered honestly. "And it shouldn't."

That was something she firmly believed.

"That's the point, right? It should never get easier," Tasha commented. "At least that's what a wise old woman told me once a long time ago."

They were words spoken by an old woman on Turkana nearly fifteen years earlier and something Tasha had carried with her ever since.

Tasha could still recall how it had felt the first time she'd taken a life. She had been so young. It had been in self-defence, but that thought did little to comfort a scared nine-year-old girl.

Tasha bit her tongue to keep from grinning.

Old woman, indeed. She mused to herself.

Gudrun was a local healer. A wise woman. They had always considered her to be old. And for Turkana, she truly had lived an age.

But in reality, Gudrun had only been about fifty. For most Federation humans, that was considered the prime of one's life. By Turkanan standards, it was ancient.

Regardless of her age, Gudrun's words held truth in them.

And Tasha thought about them each time she took aim with a phaser, or her hand hovered over the console to release photon torpedoes.

"But how do you live with it?" Picard asked.

He needed to know. He couldn't go on like this.

Jean-Luc had done his best to return to normal, but the thoughts and guilt of his actions weighed heavily on his soul.

Tasha shrugged.

"You either do or you don't," she said simply. "You get up in the morning and put on your clothes and try to do your job with integrity. You laugh at poker night and remember what joy feels like."

She smiled to herself.

"You find someone that cares about you and reminds you that it's OK to let yourself enjoy love, and gentleness, and joy," she went on. "You embrace your friends and counselling. A recognise that doing so doesn't make you any less independent."

Learning to trust others was something that both Captain Picard and Tasha had struggled with in their lives.

"You never forget. But you don't let it consume you," Tasha concluded.

Jean-Luc folded his arms across his chest and turned his attention back to the stars.

"I can't stop thinking about it. The needless, senseless violence of it all," Picard grumbled. "What happens the next time we face a hostile vessel? How can I defend this ship when I'm afraid to give the order to take a life?"

Tasha nodded.

She could empathise with his bitterness on the subject.

"Sir, there are days where it seems like every decision is a shade of grey. Those days almost end in body counts," Tasha remarked. "When those days come, don't be afraid of feeling that pain. It only means you're still human."

She put her hand on his shoulder and gave it a gentle squeeze.

"You're a man of peace. That's just who you are," Tasha assured him. "So when you feel that pain, embrace it. Because it means you haven't lost that part of yourself."

It was going to be an uphill battle for Jean-Luc.

"The hardest battles are the ones we fight within," Tasha said.

Tasha released his shoulder and started to pick at her fingernails.

There had been a time when Tasha had been terrified that she had lost that part of herself. And while it had hurt to confront the feelings she had suppressed in order to survive, she was so grateful that she had.

It had taken time, but she had learned to trust and love.

"You're going to have nights where you wake up from nightmares about it. Days where it seems like it's easier not to feel. Moments where the pain grips you and you feel overcome with remorse. That's normal, sir," Tasha shared. "And no, Deanna will never understand it the way you and I do. But she can help you learn to cope."

Captain Picard closed his eyes and took a slow, steady breath.

It was comforting to talk with someone that understood.

But there was still a part of him seeking assurance that he wasn't a monster.

He couldn't stop thinking about the three hundred Ferengi lives he had ended – many of whom had likely been nothing more than regular crew members going about their business, not knowing what fate awaited them as they carried out their tasks.

"Tasha, how many?" Picard asked.

He didn't need to elaborate. She understood what he was asking.

"I can't answer that, sir," Tasha responded simply.

Captain Picard kicked himself internally.

He'd been seeking validation that he wasn't a monster and all he'd done was become even more of one by asking her such a question.

"I'm sorry. I didn't mean to," he sighed. "Well, I can't begin to imagine what you must have….we'll, I shouldn't have brought it up. I am sure you'd rather soon forget. I don't – erm – if you can't or don't want to remember I have no place-"

"I remember every one of them," Tasha said, cutting him off.

He was rambling, struggling to formulate an adequate apology and Tasha had known she needed to stop him before he spiralled.

"Sometimes I can't get them out of my mind," Tasha confessed. "But I can't answer your question, sir."

Captain Picard's face was flushed with embarrassment and Tasha realised she would need to clarify.

"You don't have clearance," she said simply.

Her time in covert operations was something she could not discuss with anyone.

Not Data.

Not even Deanna in private counselling.

No, Starfleet had given her a psychological rundown and one month of adjustment after leaving that assignment. But she could never reveal the details to anyone.

"I did not mean to put you on the spot," Picard said.

"There's no need to apologise," Tasha replied. "You were just hoping to feel like you weren't alone."

"Three hundred lives," Picard said absentmindedly. "I still can't wrap my head around it."

"Two hundred and eighteen," Tasha said suddenly as she looked down at the floor. "Two hundred and eighteen that I can talk about."

She informed Captain Picard that such a number was not counting tapping a screen to send photon torpedoes at another starship.

"Thirteen growing up, forty-nine as a cage fighter, seventy-six when I worked as a courier for an arms dealer," Tasha explained. "And before I left Turkana, one purely as an act of revenge against the man that put me in that cage."

Tasha had never shared that information with anyone – not even in counselling.

"Two on Agnellus VII. One at Pardock. Thirteen on a mission that I drink to forget," she recalled before quickly adding that he should not mention such a fact to Deanna.

It was a morbid attempt to lighten the mood as she bared parts of her soul that had long ago been tucked away from the polite company of the Enterprise crew.

"Fifty-seven confirmed kills during the Border Wars," Tasha said.

At least those were the ones she could talk about.

"Seven when we liberated G'kantal," Tasha said. "Two of those were an act of mercy."

Captain Picard recalled G'kantal. It had been the assignment that had brought them back together. G'kantal had been a Cardassian forced labour camp. Bajoran slaves and captured Federation POWs had been forced to mine ore and manufacture raw materials to fuel that Cardassian war machine.

The horror stories that floated about starships were nothing compared to the cruelty to which the Cardassians had subjected the Bajorans to. It was far worse than anything Federation news reported.

"And then Yareena," Tasha concluded.

"The Ligonian," Picard commented.

Tasha nodded.

"Tasha, I-" Picard began to say.

"Don't. I'm only telling you this because I know your asking yourself if you're a monster. You're wondering how you can ever look at yourself again," Tasha said.

Jean-Luc grew quiet as his throat became tight.

He stiffened as Tasha took hold of his hand.

"You aren't a bad person," Tasha assured him. "You were forced to do something horrible, and you did what you had to do to save the lives of your crew. You aren't a monster. You're a person and the best Commanding Officer I've ever had the honour to serve under."

She gave his hand a gentle squeeze.

"You're a person that is worthy of being happy, of experiencing joy, of being loved," she told him. "None of that changes."

When he went to bed that night, Jean-Luc Picard climbed in feeling exhausted. He wasn't feeling better, but he did have a sense that things would improve. Alone in his quarters, he decided to follow Tasha's advice.

So when you feel that pain, embrace it. Because it means you haven't lost that part of yourself.

Choosing to embrace the pain, he pulled the covers up close to his neck and wept.

Several decks down, Data was hard at work on his workstation. Tasha didn't know what he was fixated on, but whatever it was he was concentrating intently.

His work to identify the forged log had sparked an idea in Data.

The cornerstone to discovering the forgery had been in pinpointing instances in which the Captain's speech pattern had repeated the same syllables without any change to volume, inflection, or tonality.

Data knew such characteristics were key components to human speech.

The subtle changes in their phrasing and the nuance in the timbre of their voices carried deep meaning.

Most importantly, Data knew that such a skill was important for furthering his quest to become human.

Listening at a volume too low for human ears to pick up on, Data was replaying all of his verbal interactions from the last forty-eight hours to listen for such vocal subtleties.

"What's got you so tense?" Tasha asked.

She was sitting with her legs folded like a pretzel on the sofa in Data's quarters.

"Tense?" Data inquired.

She could see the stiffness in his shoulders and the way he was utterly fixated on the screen.

Tasha shot him a look and Data relaxed his posture a little.

"I am replaying the audio engrams of the last forty-eight hours to study my speech pattern," Data explained.

Tasha's brow furrowed.

"Is something wrong?" she wondered, her voice full of concern.

Data raised his eyebrows and shook his head innocently.

"I am attempting to correct an error in my speech pattern. The precision with which my programming executes my vocal output causes me to sound unnatural," Data said.

Over the years, Data had grown accustomed to humans criticising his speech as mechanical.

Tasha set her PADD down. A pained look crossed her face.

"Data, the way you speak is a part of who you are," she said.

"But it could be improved," Data countered.

Tasha got up and walked over to his workstation.

She sat down on the edge, just in front of his computer screen. It forced him to pull his attention from the project.

"Are you doing this because you want to or because of what other people think?" Tasha asked.

Data looked down at his lap.

"I simply wish to sound more human," Data confessed as he raised his eyes slowly.

"You don't need a computer to tell you that, Data," Tasha said as she tucked his hair behind his ear. "I can already hear it in your voice. See it in your expressions."

"But my-" Data protested.

"Shhh," Tasha said as she put a finger to his lips. "I can already hear it in the way you get excited about finding new life, the concern you show whenever I'm careless, how happy you are whenever you and Geordi come back from the holodeck."

She took hold of his hand and pulled it to her lips.

"How alluring you can be whenever you drop your voice and whisper in my ear," she grinned.

Confirming her theory, she heard a soft intake of breath from Data as the corner of his lip curled upward.

Data felt foolish.

He should have known that it was foolish to try and change who he was.

"Why don't we go to bed and whisper things to each other?" Tasha suggested with a wicked gleam in her eye.

Data powered down his computer and Tasha hopped off the surface of his desk.

They were nearly to the doorframe to the bedroom when Tasha's PADD pinged with an incoming message.

"I'll be right in," Tasha assured him.

She snatched her PADD and breathed a sigh of relief when she saw the incoming message was from Captain Rixx.

Tasha tapped the screen and quickly scanned the contents of the encrypted message.

Rixx was thankful for the information about the Ferengi device. He would pass it along to a handful of trusted colleagues. More importantly, Rixx had new information about the situation involving the Neutral Zone.

Two more Starfleet officers had died under mysterious circumstances – one was the First Officer of the USS Patagonia. It was a Nebula-class ship that had been patrolling the Neutral Zone for the last two years.

The second death had been an operations clerk with Starfleet Command. While Commander Darla Royce had no name-recognition outside of her department, she had been responsible for overseeing supply requisitions to Starbases in the sectors along the Neutral Zone.

That is, until her untimely demise at the hands of a venomous Struplus plant that was delivered to her office by 'mistake.'

Rixx said he would be in touch with more information soon and warned Tasha to watch her back.

Tasha deleted the message from her system. She then accessed the device's memory and created a backup.

Next, she turned the PADD over. Opening the panel on the back of the device, she pulled out the circuit chip and then replaced it, wiping any record of the incoming message from Rixx.

She replaced the panel and reactivated the device using the backup she had created.

Tasha looked up and found Data observing her from the doorway.

"Why are you wiping the memory files on your PADD?" Data asked.

Tasha froze.

"Oh? Is that what I just did?" Tasha questioned, feigning ignorance.

Data cocked his head to the side.

"It was wonky. I was trying to restart it," Tasha lied.

"You removed the communications circuit chip, not the power reset," Data advised.

Engineering wasn't exactly Tasha's speciality, but it was fairly basic Starfleet technology. Data was surprised that she would make such an error.

"If you are experiencing a problem with your PADD I could check into it for you," Data offered.

"No!" Tasha said quickly.

Too quickly.

"I-I don't want to bother you," Tasha covered. "I'll take it to one of the diagnostic engineers in the morning."

She was clutching it tightly – a fact that did not go unnoticed by Data.

"It is no trouble," Data assured her.

He stepped toward her. Tasha instinctively pulled her PADD toward her chest and smiled in an attempt to act like she was not hiding anything.

"No, it's fine. Really," Tasha said.

Data looked as if he didn't quite buy her assurance.

"Is it your intention to hide something from me?" Data asked her directly.

Tasha shook her head.

She didn't feel right about lying to Data. But this matter with Commander Rixx was far too serious. She couldn't risk revealing anything yet. And if there was some kind of conspiracy, Tasha did not want to drag Data into the middle of anything dangerous.

"Then why are you concealing your PADD?" Data asked.

As a student of nonverbal communication, Data could read all of the signs that she was attempting to hide something. Her pulse was rapid, her posture was stiff.

"Forget I even mentioned it," Tasha said. "Let's go to bed."

Suddenly, Data was struck with an idea.

"Are you attempting to hide this from me because it is something intended as a surprise?" Data inquired.

"Yes!" Tasha said with relief. "Yes, that's…yes."

She nodded quickly.

Tasha smiled nervously.

"It's a surprise for you," Tasha said.

Data felt horrible for pressing the issue.

"I apologise," Data said in a disheartened tone.

"Oh, it's alright," Tasha responded.

Gods I'm terrible. She thought to herself.

Tasha could see the regret in Data's expression.

"I will not press the matter," Data promised.

Tasha set her PADD down on the coffee table. Data took hold of her hand.

"You do realise that such surprises are not necessary?" Data commented. "You do not need to do things for me to prove your affections."

"But it's so much fun to see your reaction," Tasha teased.

Inside, she felt like she owed him something given that she'd just lied directly to him about the nature of her secret message.

An hour later, Tasha was lying awake staring at the ceiling.

What the hell am I going to get for Data now? She thought.

She needed to get him something nice. He deserved that.

The Sherlock Holmes programme was still months away from completion.

She had blown through her saved credits to arrange their recent holiday.

Tasha closed her eyes and exhaled slowly as she rubbed her temples.

Data rolled over onto his side and snuggled up against her. A part of him was intrigued by the idea of Tasha's surprise. Another part of him was concerned about all the attention and affection she had shown him lately.

He wanted her to understand such overtures were not necessary.

"You realise the greatest gift you've ever given me is you," Data whispered. "Time in your presence is all I want."

He was far too sweet. And he was always doing such wonderful romantic gestures for her.

Tasha's eyes flew open.

She grinned manically to herself.

She knew exactly how to surprise Data.