True to her training, Beverly Crusher had perfect timing. Walking into the private quarters assigned to their "guest," she noticed both Troi and Riker with very particular looks on their faces. Troi looked as if someone had just punched her in the stomach, her face as white as chalk. Will, on the other hand, looked confused to a point that Beverly was extremely worried. Turning to the bed, she saw the young girl. Her aquamarine eyes took up most of her face, and were filled with confusion. Moving next to her, the CMO started to talk.
"Hello. My name is Doctor Bever-"
"I know who you are. I know who everyone is. What I don't know is how I'm on the Enterprise and how you are here. The Borg . . . the Borg, they took this from me. I don't understand how this is happening. This can't be right! It's a trick! That's what it is. A trick! It has to be! You're not real! You can't be!" The child turned over and sobbed heavily into her pillows.
"Will? Deanna? Can I talk to you in my office?" Both of them nodded in response, and followed her into the office. Deanna sat across from Beverly, Will chose to stand behind her.
"What exactly happened in there?" Beverly asked them as soon as they settled.
"She woke up and started staring around the room. Then she started staring at us and said 'Mom? Dad?' That's when you walked in." Will explained, his hand on Deanna's shoulder.
"She was very confused, terrified, and shocked all at once. Especially when she saw us."
Deanna added.
"Well, I have the results of those test I ran." Beverly noticed the color drain out of Deanna's face but decided not to comment. "She's fourteen, 3/4 Human and 1/4 Betazoid. She has limited telepathic and empathic abilities. Also, I have the result of the parental tests. I wasn't expecting to get them but . . . " The auburn haired doctor let the sentence hang in midair.
"But you have them." Deanna finished for her. "She's Will's and my daughter, isn't she?" Deanna's skin was now the color of paste, her almond eyes taking up most of her face.
The CMO inhaled deeply. "Yes. The scan confirmed that you are her parents."
Will took a few steps back, away from Deanna. "What?" he asked in total confusion. "We never had a child! At least, not that I know of." He stared at Deanna, his eyes practically boring into her head. How could she do this to me? Anger swelled up in him at the very thought.
"Calm down, Will." Beverly said trying to ease the tension that had filled the room. "I ran a scan on the girl's quantum resonance signature, before I ran the parental scan, and then compared it to mine. It's different."
Now Deanna looked up, tears were threatening to fall from her inky eyes. Her face ached due to the anger she felt from Will and the accusing look he had given her. He had looked like he was going to hit her physically, as well as emotionally. "What does that mean? Quantum resonance signature?" Her voice was barely above a hush.
"It means," Beverly said, trying not to let her worry for Troi to marry her voice. "It means that she isn't from this time tine. She doesn't belong here. But she is your daughter. The scans confirmed that." Suddenly, Beverly's communicator chirped.
Picard to Crusher. I just thought I'd let you know, Mr. Data did a bit more snooping around and recovered the girl's name and her personal logs, as well as personal file. We are transferring them to Sickbay now. I assume that Commander Riker and the Counselor are still with you.
"Yes, sir. They are. Is there any particular reason?" The doctor asked.
I just want to make sure that they see the girl's file. It's rather . . . interesting.
"Aye sir. Crusher out." She tapped her communicator again. Turning back to Will and Deanna, she noticed that both of their expressions had returned somewhat to normal. Although, she could still see the faint look of worry and disbelieve in Deanna's eyes. "I wonder what the captain thinks is so interesting?" She barely had to wait five seconds before the computer informed them of the file transfer. Punching it up on her screen, Beverly reviewed the file quickly before tuning it around for Deanna and Will to read. "Katarina Troi Riker," the CMO said aloud.
"Katarina was my grandmother's name." Deanna could barely breathe. This whole thing was to close for comfort. The way Will had looked at her had almost sent her running from the room in tears. If he was that angry just a few seconds ago, I don't know if I can ever tell him the truth! "It means, 'strong-spirited' in the language of Betazed. I can only guess she has that same qualities in her if she faced the Borg and is still alive."
"Maybe you should read the rest of the file," suggested Beverly, hoping it would ease the emotions that her two friends were feeling.
Leaning closer, Deanna started to read it out loud. "Katarina Troi Riker. Born to the parents of William Thomas Riker and Deanna Troi Riker. Siblings are brothers Thomas Andrew Riker and Christopher Ian Riker. Born on the Hood on Earthdate September 18, 2363 along with twin brother Thomas Andrew. Katarina was born at 16:01, five minutes before her brother. Later residence includes, the Enterprise-D. Now currently lives with parents and brothers on the Enterprise-E. On her 13th birthday she received the personal cruiser, the SS Imzadi."
Deanna stopped as she sensed another presence enter the room. Turning around, she spied Katarina standing at the door. She appeared startled as if she wasn't expecting anyone to notice her. Her pale face was drawn, her sapphire eyes darted around the office, taking in every detail. She then looked at Deanna and swallowed visibly. The three adults noticed Katarina start to tremble when Troi started talking to her.
"Katarina, would you like to come sit down?"
Slowly, she started toward the desk where they were and sat down cautiously. Again her eyes fell on the counselor. "Am I really in another time line?"
"Yes," Will answered from behind her. His voice sent chills up her spine. He isn't supposed to be here. No, I'm not supposed to be here.
"I don't understand. So you're not my parents, but you're kinda are." She had spiraled too far down into the abyss of confusion to realize the truth behind the matter.
"Something like that," he said, placing his hand on her shoulder. His touch felt so wrong to her.
"If you're here, then the Borg didn't attack?" Katarina's face regained some color. "So everyone is alive and Betazed wasn't destroyed!" She paused for a second, as if considering something. "And Tommy and Chris are all right, too!" The relief that filled her crystal eyes was soon to be erased.
Deanna looked at Will and then back at Katarina. How am I supposed to tell her the truth? This isn't something you can just blurt out. "Katarina, um, Tommy and Chris, they aren't here. They don't exist in this time line. Neither do you. Will and I aren't married." Well half the truth is better then none of it, she thought to herself. She reached for Katarina's hand, but the puzzled girl pulled back.
"I don't understand. But . . . you two are here on the Enterprise together. What about the Janaran Falls and Risa?" The child fell deeper into the abyss of confusion, wanting to run and awake from this terrible dream.
"I think we better talk about that later. Why don't we get you settled in your quarters?" Deanna said, Beverly noticed that both she and Riker were blushing slightly.
"Can't I stay with you?" she asked turning to Troi. "I mean . . . if that's not any problem. I'd just feel safer in a way. You're an empath. You know how I feel. Please."
Deanna stared into the eyes of the girl. She looks so much like her father. "You're right. I do know how you feel. Come on. We'll go to my quarters and get you settled. I'm sure it will work out fine." Offering her hand again to Katarina, both stood and exited the room. As the doors closed around Troi, she sent a message to Will.
~Are we still on for dinner tonight? ~ Will was surprised that he could receive. Trying with all his might, he sent back.
~Sure. Why don't you stop by at 19:00? ~
~Great. I'll see you then.~
"Hello. My name is Doctor Bever-"
"I know who you are. I know who everyone is. What I don't know is how I'm on the Enterprise and how you are here. The Borg . . . the Borg, they took this from me. I don't understand how this is happening. This can't be right! It's a trick! That's what it is. A trick! It has to be! You're not real! You can't be!" The child turned over and sobbed heavily into her pillows.
"Will? Deanna? Can I talk to you in my office?" Both of them nodded in response, and followed her into the office. Deanna sat across from Beverly, Will chose to stand behind her.
"What exactly happened in there?" Beverly asked them as soon as they settled.
"She woke up and started staring around the room. Then she started staring at us and said 'Mom? Dad?' That's when you walked in." Will explained, his hand on Deanna's shoulder.
"She was very confused, terrified, and shocked all at once. Especially when she saw us."
Deanna added.
"Well, I have the results of those test I ran." Beverly noticed the color drain out of Deanna's face but decided not to comment. "She's fourteen, 3/4 Human and 1/4 Betazoid. She has limited telepathic and empathic abilities. Also, I have the result of the parental tests. I wasn't expecting to get them but . . . " The auburn haired doctor let the sentence hang in midair.
"But you have them." Deanna finished for her. "She's Will's and my daughter, isn't she?" Deanna's skin was now the color of paste, her almond eyes taking up most of her face.
The CMO inhaled deeply. "Yes. The scan confirmed that you are her parents."
Will took a few steps back, away from Deanna. "What?" he asked in total confusion. "We never had a child! At least, not that I know of." He stared at Deanna, his eyes practically boring into her head. How could she do this to me? Anger swelled up in him at the very thought.
"Calm down, Will." Beverly said trying to ease the tension that had filled the room. "I ran a scan on the girl's quantum resonance signature, before I ran the parental scan, and then compared it to mine. It's different."
Now Deanna looked up, tears were threatening to fall from her inky eyes. Her face ached due to the anger she felt from Will and the accusing look he had given her. He had looked like he was going to hit her physically, as well as emotionally. "What does that mean? Quantum resonance signature?" Her voice was barely above a hush.
"It means," Beverly said, trying not to let her worry for Troi to marry her voice. "It means that she isn't from this time tine. She doesn't belong here. But she is your daughter. The scans confirmed that." Suddenly, Beverly's communicator chirped.
Picard to Crusher. I just thought I'd let you know, Mr. Data did a bit more snooping around and recovered the girl's name and her personal logs, as well as personal file. We are transferring them to Sickbay now. I assume that Commander Riker and the Counselor are still with you.
"Yes, sir. They are. Is there any particular reason?" The doctor asked.
I just want to make sure that they see the girl's file. It's rather . . . interesting.
"Aye sir. Crusher out." She tapped her communicator again. Turning back to Will and Deanna, she noticed that both of their expressions had returned somewhat to normal. Although, she could still see the faint look of worry and disbelieve in Deanna's eyes. "I wonder what the captain thinks is so interesting?" She barely had to wait five seconds before the computer informed them of the file transfer. Punching it up on her screen, Beverly reviewed the file quickly before tuning it around for Deanna and Will to read. "Katarina Troi Riker," the CMO said aloud.
"Katarina was my grandmother's name." Deanna could barely breathe. This whole thing was to close for comfort. The way Will had looked at her had almost sent her running from the room in tears. If he was that angry just a few seconds ago, I don't know if I can ever tell him the truth! "It means, 'strong-spirited' in the language of Betazed. I can only guess she has that same qualities in her if she faced the Borg and is still alive."
"Maybe you should read the rest of the file," suggested Beverly, hoping it would ease the emotions that her two friends were feeling.
Leaning closer, Deanna started to read it out loud. "Katarina Troi Riker. Born to the parents of William Thomas Riker and Deanna Troi Riker. Siblings are brothers Thomas Andrew Riker and Christopher Ian Riker. Born on the Hood on Earthdate September 18, 2363 along with twin brother Thomas Andrew. Katarina was born at 16:01, five minutes before her brother. Later residence includes, the Enterprise-D. Now currently lives with parents and brothers on the Enterprise-E. On her 13th birthday she received the personal cruiser, the SS Imzadi."
Deanna stopped as she sensed another presence enter the room. Turning around, she spied Katarina standing at the door. She appeared startled as if she wasn't expecting anyone to notice her. Her pale face was drawn, her sapphire eyes darted around the office, taking in every detail. She then looked at Deanna and swallowed visibly. The three adults noticed Katarina start to tremble when Troi started talking to her.
"Katarina, would you like to come sit down?"
Slowly, she started toward the desk where they were and sat down cautiously. Again her eyes fell on the counselor. "Am I really in another time line?"
"Yes," Will answered from behind her. His voice sent chills up her spine. He isn't supposed to be here. No, I'm not supposed to be here.
"I don't understand. So you're not my parents, but you're kinda are." She had spiraled too far down into the abyss of confusion to realize the truth behind the matter.
"Something like that," he said, placing his hand on her shoulder. His touch felt so wrong to her.
"If you're here, then the Borg didn't attack?" Katarina's face regained some color. "So everyone is alive and Betazed wasn't destroyed!" She paused for a second, as if considering something. "And Tommy and Chris are all right, too!" The relief that filled her crystal eyes was soon to be erased.
Deanna looked at Will and then back at Katarina. How am I supposed to tell her the truth? This isn't something you can just blurt out. "Katarina, um, Tommy and Chris, they aren't here. They don't exist in this time line. Neither do you. Will and I aren't married." Well half the truth is better then none of it, she thought to herself. She reached for Katarina's hand, but the puzzled girl pulled back.
"I don't understand. But . . . you two are here on the Enterprise together. What about the Janaran Falls and Risa?" The child fell deeper into the abyss of confusion, wanting to run and awake from this terrible dream.
"I think we better talk about that later. Why don't we get you settled in your quarters?" Deanna said, Beverly noticed that both she and Riker were blushing slightly.
"Can't I stay with you?" she asked turning to Troi. "I mean . . . if that's not any problem. I'd just feel safer in a way. You're an empath. You know how I feel. Please."
Deanna stared into the eyes of the girl. She looks so much like her father. "You're right. I do know how you feel. Come on. We'll go to my quarters and get you settled. I'm sure it will work out fine." Offering her hand again to Katarina, both stood and exited the room. As the doors closed around Troi, she sent a message to Will.
~Are we still on for dinner tonight? ~ Will was surprised that he could receive. Trying with all his might, he sent back.
~Sure. Why don't you stop by at 19:00? ~
~Great. I'll see you then.~