"[You're very lucky.]" The girl said, a touch of awe in her voice.
"[What do you mean?]" Picard asked.
"[Father's been so busy getting aquatinted with the new settlers,
that he hasn't had time to mete out punishments, and that includes what to
do with you.]" She explained. Picard swallowed hard. "[It's too late for
him to do anything with you now. I truly hope he's in a good mood tomorrow
morning.]"
"What did she say?" Beverly asked, not sure whether or not to be
worried.
"There are some new colonists, and her father has been getting
acquainted with them."
"Oh," she replied, still not sure if this was good or bad news, "What
do they look like?" He translated it for her.
"[Well, there is a married couple, and then another man. Both men are
humans. One has a dark brown beard and pale skin. The other is clean-shaven
and has dark skin. The woman is a Betazed, and that's the language that
they speak.]"
Picard swallowed again. If he wasn't mistaken, she had just described Will,
Deanna and Geordi, except for the language that they were speaking. Beverly
opened her mouth to ask him what was wrong, and he translated what Miia had
said. She paled.
"Jean-Luc, that sounds like..."
"I know." he interrupted her. The girl looked at them curiously.
"[Beverly isn't feeling well.]" he lied.
"[Does she need anything?]" the girl asked, anxiously. Jean-Luc shook
his head. Once again, the girl's mother called down the stairs, and Miia
hastily left.
"Jean-Luc." Beverly said, "What does Riker think he's doing?"
"I'm not sure." he replied, after a moment. "But I trust him. All we
can do right now is sit here and wait." Beverly frowned and pulled the
blanket up over her bare arms, only slightly wincing when she moved her
injured shoulder.
"I hope he does what he's going to do soon, and gets us out of here."
she said.
"So do I," he murmured, running a hand across the side of her face
and down her un-injured arm, before taking her hand. "You're freezing." he
said, simply.
"It's probably evening by now, out there." she replied.
"So it is, you should get some rest."
"I'm fine." she argued. The Captain gave her a look, but didn't
reply. They were silent for a few moments.
"The first thing I'm going to do when we get back to the ship, is see
you to Sickbay." he mused, half to himself.
"I don't see why you're so worried." she smiled, "It's only a few
torn ligaments in my shoulder, and possibly a slight concussion. You've
done worse to yourself on the Holodeck."
"If that's so, then why did you lecture me so every time?"
"It's my job."
"To personally heal the Captain's bruises?"
"What's your point, Jean-Luc?"
Their eyes locked, and for a few moments neither said anything.
"Why is it easier to fight the Borg than tell someone you care about
them?" Jean-Luc asked, almost rhetorically.
"And why does it take just as much effort not to?" Beverly replied in
the same tone.
"Strange isn't it?" he asked. She smiled in reply, and laid her head
on his shoulder. He breathed deeply and put his arm around her waist.
"I'll get some rest," she replied.
***
"It was very courteous of you to allow us to stay with you until we get settled." Geordi smiled. "If there's anything I can do to help, don't ever hesitate to ask." Their host smiled at him in return, but it turned into an angry grimace when he saw the girl hesitantly slip out of a door and try to run down the hall. "What do you think you're doing?!?" the man shouted. "I only gave the prisoners a little food, father. They've been in there all day, and..." "Silence!" her father bellowed. "You will learn to do as I say. I'll deal with you later. I have guests at the moment. Now Off with you before I change my mind." "Yes, sir," the girl replied, humbly, and ran off as fast as she could. Deanna realized that their conversation had taken place in a different language, even though the UTs had translated it. "What was that?" she asked, schooling her features into something she hoped passed for mild curiosity. "My daughter, she is very curious. I am also the Warden of our village, and we have two dangerous prisoners down there." "Prisoners?" Deanna asked, feigning alarm. Will put his hand on her arm. "Now, ma'am, there is nothing to worry you about. They have been disarmed, and the door is soundly locked. There is no way out for them, until their trial tomorrow morning." he hastily explained. "Of course, you gentlemen are welcome to attend." Riker gave him a look, before he could stop himself. "Of course, my friend, a trial is no place for a lady such as your wife. These criminals are dangerous. They have violated our boundaries, with their technology." the man finished, distastefully. "Of course," Riker replied, seeming to agree with him. It was obvious to Deanna, though, how much restraint her Imzadi was showing, to not rip the man to shreds right then and there.
**(*)**
"It was very courteous of you to allow us to stay with you until we get settled." Geordi smiled. "If there's anything I can do to help, don't ever hesitate to ask." Their host smiled at him in return, but it turned into an angry grimace when he saw the girl hesitantly slip out of a door and try to run down the hall. "What do you think you're doing?!?" the man shouted. "I only gave the prisoners a little food, father. They've been in there all day, and..." "Silence!" her father bellowed. "You will learn to do as I say. I'll deal with you later. I have guests at the moment. Now Off with you before I change my mind." "Yes, sir," the girl replied, humbly, and ran off as fast as she could. Deanna realized that their conversation had taken place in a different language, even though the UTs had translated it. "What was that?" she asked, schooling her features into something she hoped passed for mild curiosity. "My daughter, she is very curious. I am also the Warden of our village, and we have two dangerous prisoners down there." "Prisoners?" Deanna asked, feigning alarm. Will put his hand on her arm. "Now, ma'am, there is nothing to worry you about. They have been disarmed, and the door is soundly locked. There is no way out for them, until their trial tomorrow morning." he hastily explained. "Of course, you gentlemen are welcome to attend." Riker gave him a look, before he could stop himself. "Of course, my friend, a trial is no place for a lady such as your wife. These criminals are dangerous. They have violated our boundaries, with their technology." the man finished, distastefully. "Of course," Riker replied, seeming to agree with him. It was obvious to Deanna, though, how much restraint her Imzadi was showing, to not rip the man to shreds right then and there.
**(*)**
