A House Divided
Chapter Seven
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Beverly's intense blue eyes widened in surprise. She opened her mouth to speak but could not find any words. At that moment the Vulcan ambassador concluded and Admiral Sheffield took the stage to grateful applause. Picard looked at Crusher desperately, knowing what was about to come. He gazed intently into her eyes, his own twinkling.
"Trust me, Beverly."
"Always." They smiled at each other, she with unabashed curiosity.
Picard turned her toward the stage and she picked up the speech midstream.
"As you know, he is one of our most valued officers. I like to think that we're not losing a Captain, but gaining an Admiral. A round of applause please, for our newest Admiral, Jean-Luc Picard."
Crusher let out a squeal of delight and threw her arms around Jean-Luc. She pulled back quickly to look at him in shock, tears shining in her eyes. Though she was not sure what how this would affect their relationship, she was ecstatic for him.
The crowd erupted and the Admiral looked around for Picard. Finding him in the corner he motioned for him to come up and speak. Picard bowed humbly and took the stage.
He gestured to the audience for quiet and cleared his throat. He tugged his uniform nervously. He was an adept public speaker but never enjoyed it.
"My friends." He gestured out again. "Thank you. This is, to say the least, an honor." He looked back to the admiralty lined up behind him. "There are no words to describe the thrill it has been to Captain the Enterprise all these years - and it will be hard to leave her behind." He sought out Riker in the crowd and inclined his head. He'd worked very hard to make sure that Will would be offered the command. "But there are new challenges facing the Federation today, and I can think of nothing more exhilarating than being there to meet them." He paused as applause scattered through the room. "As you are all aware we are here tonite to celebrate the launch of the new medical fleet." He looked over to see Crusher beaming and his breath caught as he prepared to deliver the next line. He prayed she would be happy with the arrangement. "It will be my honor to lead the team of ambassadors that will be posted on those ships, and to serve as Chief Federation Liaison aboard the Nightingale."
Crusher took in a sharp breath as Jean-Luc's eyes met her own. She'd been alarmed to hear that he was leaving the Enterprise but she had no idea that he had been arranging to head the diplomatic efforts for the fleet. While he was an unconventional choice for the post she could think of no one more qualified or more perfect for the job. And she would certainly not mind having his command experience at her disposal. Her heart practically leapt out of her chest it was beating so hard. Her life was coming together in ways she had never dreamed and she could not imagine anything else in the galaxy she could want.
Picard was now waving demurely and trying to get out of the spotlight, as each of the Admirals came forward to congratulate him. Beverly came forward to meet him at the edge of the stage. His eyes were merry but anxious as he greeted her.
"Well, what do you think?"
She feigned an angry expression and her tone was haughty. "Trying to muscle in on my action, Picard?"
He was instantly alarmed. "Doctor, not at all. If you are uncomfortable....."
She laughed and her expression was joyous. "Oh Jean-Luc."
He quickly caught on to and smiled sheepishly. "Beverly."
She took his arm and lead him away, intent on taking him to the dance floor where they might be able to enjoy a decent conversation. She had about a million things she wanted to say to him. Before she could get him in her arms however, they were severely waylaid by well-wishers for both of them.
While Picard was speaking to another captain, Admiral Wolf pulled Crusher aside.
"Doctor. I wanted to take the opportunity to say congratulations." Wolf shook her hand and smiled warmly, an expression Crusher returned.
"Thank you Admiral. It's a great challenge." Crusher had received her compliments graciously, but was perfectly honest about the task before her.
"It is. But you and Jean-Luc are two of our best officers. We have every confidence in you." Wolf stole a look over at Picard. "He pulled quite a few strings to obtain this posting." The Admiral gave Crusher a pointed look.
Beverly gazed back innocently. "Well, Starfleet owes him a great deal. If this is what he wants to do, I can't imagine anyone opposing it."
Wolf remained silent, hoping that Crusher would elaborate, which she did not. 'These two are cagey.' "By all means, Doctor. I can't imagine a better crew for the Nightingale. Again, congratulations." Wolf smiled again, as did Beverly.
Wolf moved off, and Crusher turned back to Picard. She found him wrapping up another conversation. She placed a subtly possessive hand on his shoulder. He finally turned toward her.
"Captain."
"Admiral." She smiled seductively. "Would you like to dance?"
"It would be my pleasure." He offered his hand and she took it. He lead them to the dance floor, and they promptly took up their standard posture, neither intimate nor estranged.
"So how long have you had this planned?" She looked him directly in the eye.
"I've been working on securing the post for months now. I was terrified that it would leak and you would find out." His tone betrayed his genuine concern over the situation.
She nodded but continued her questions. "But why not just tell me?"
"Beverly." He seemed to be choosing his words carefully, and she arched her brow. "I wanted you to absolutely feel that this is your moment. I never for a minute want to overshadow you on this project, or for you to think that I don't believe you will make an incredible captain." His eyes were absolutely sincere, and she knew he spoke from the heart.
She moved closer to him and gazed into his hazel eyes. "I love you so much, Jean-Luc Picard." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "I cannot wait to begin this new adventure with you." "Nor can I, Beverly." He drew her close to him and rested his head next to hers. He reveled in the feel of her silken hair and the touch of her firm dancer's physique. He had one more surprise up his sleeve, the coupe de grace. It would not be long, he hoped, before there would again be another Captain Picard in Starfleet.
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End.........?
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Chapter Seven
*********
Beverly's intense blue eyes widened in surprise. She opened her mouth to speak but could not find any words. At that moment the Vulcan ambassador concluded and Admiral Sheffield took the stage to grateful applause. Picard looked at Crusher desperately, knowing what was about to come. He gazed intently into her eyes, his own twinkling.
"Trust me, Beverly."
"Always." They smiled at each other, she with unabashed curiosity.
Picard turned her toward the stage and she picked up the speech midstream.
"As you know, he is one of our most valued officers. I like to think that we're not losing a Captain, but gaining an Admiral. A round of applause please, for our newest Admiral, Jean-Luc Picard."
Crusher let out a squeal of delight and threw her arms around Jean-Luc. She pulled back quickly to look at him in shock, tears shining in her eyes. Though she was not sure what how this would affect their relationship, she was ecstatic for him.
The crowd erupted and the Admiral looked around for Picard. Finding him in the corner he motioned for him to come up and speak. Picard bowed humbly and took the stage.
He gestured to the audience for quiet and cleared his throat. He tugged his uniform nervously. He was an adept public speaker but never enjoyed it.
"My friends." He gestured out again. "Thank you. This is, to say the least, an honor." He looked back to the admiralty lined up behind him. "There are no words to describe the thrill it has been to Captain the Enterprise all these years - and it will be hard to leave her behind." He sought out Riker in the crowd and inclined his head. He'd worked very hard to make sure that Will would be offered the command. "But there are new challenges facing the Federation today, and I can think of nothing more exhilarating than being there to meet them." He paused as applause scattered through the room. "As you are all aware we are here tonite to celebrate the launch of the new medical fleet." He looked over to see Crusher beaming and his breath caught as he prepared to deliver the next line. He prayed she would be happy with the arrangement. "It will be my honor to lead the team of ambassadors that will be posted on those ships, and to serve as Chief Federation Liaison aboard the Nightingale."
Crusher took in a sharp breath as Jean-Luc's eyes met her own. She'd been alarmed to hear that he was leaving the Enterprise but she had no idea that he had been arranging to head the diplomatic efforts for the fleet. While he was an unconventional choice for the post she could think of no one more qualified or more perfect for the job. And she would certainly not mind having his command experience at her disposal. Her heart practically leapt out of her chest it was beating so hard. Her life was coming together in ways she had never dreamed and she could not imagine anything else in the galaxy she could want.
Picard was now waving demurely and trying to get out of the spotlight, as each of the Admirals came forward to congratulate him. Beverly came forward to meet him at the edge of the stage. His eyes were merry but anxious as he greeted her.
"Well, what do you think?"
She feigned an angry expression and her tone was haughty. "Trying to muscle in on my action, Picard?"
He was instantly alarmed. "Doctor, not at all. If you are uncomfortable....."
She laughed and her expression was joyous. "Oh Jean-Luc."
He quickly caught on to and smiled sheepishly. "Beverly."
She took his arm and lead him away, intent on taking him to the dance floor where they might be able to enjoy a decent conversation. She had about a million things she wanted to say to him. Before she could get him in her arms however, they were severely waylaid by well-wishers for both of them.
While Picard was speaking to another captain, Admiral Wolf pulled Crusher aside.
"Doctor. I wanted to take the opportunity to say congratulations." Wolf shook her hand and smiled warmly, an expression Crusher returned.
"Thank you Admiral. It's a great challenge." Crusher had received her compliments graciously, but was perfectly honest about the task before her.
"It is. But you and Jean-Luc are two of our best officers. We have every confidence in you." Wolf stole a look over at Picard. "He pulled quite a few strings to obtain this posting." The Admiral gave Crusher a pointed look.
Beverly gazed back innocently. "Well, Starfleet owes him a great deal. If this is what he wants to do, I can't imagine anyone opposing it."
Wolf remained silent, hoping that Crusher would elaborate, which she did not. 'These two are cagey.' "By all means, Doctor. I can't imagine a better crew for the Nightingale. Again, congratulations." Wolf smiled again, as did Beverly.
Wolf moved off, and Crusher turned back to Picard. She found him wrapping up another conversation. She placed a subtly possessive hand on his shoulder. He finally turned toward her.
"Captain."
"Admiral." She smiled seductively. "Would you like to dance?"
"It would be my pleasure." He offered his hand and she took it. He lead them to the dance floor, and they promptly took up their standard posture, neither intimate nor estranged.
"So how long have you had this planned?" She looked him directly in the eye.
"I've been working on securing the post for months now. I was terrified that it would leak and you would find out." His tone betrayed his genuine concern over the situation.
She nodded but continued her questions. "But why not just tell me?"
"Beverly." He seemed to be choosing his words carefully, and she arched her brow. "I wanted you to absolutely feel that this is your moment. I never for a minute want to overshadow you on this project, or for you to think that I don't believe you will make an incredible captain." His eyes were absolutely sincere, and she knew he spoke from the heart.
She moved closer to him and gazed into his hazel eyes. "I love you so much, Jean-Luc Picard." Her voice was barely above a whisper. "I cannot wait to begin this new adventure with you." "Nor can I, Beverly." He drew her close to him and rested his head next to hers. He reveled in the feel of her silken hair and the touch of her firm dancer's physique. He had one more surprise up his sleeve, the coupe de grace. It would not be long, he hoped, before there would again be another Captain Picard in Starfleet.
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End.........?
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