When Riker saw what he did, he sat himself down at the bar immediately.
Was he seeing this? Lwaxana Troi and Captain Picard were mutually enjoying
a conversation with each other. At a table. In public. Without Deanna
there, while Beverly was hanging over her son's life and death matter.
"The troubled mind of William Riker," Mrs. Troi announced to the half- filled room, "yes, he worries."
Will stared forward, wondering where Guinan was and if even the wise bartender was capable of saving him now. He could hear Lwaxana Troi's chuckle as she approached the bar. Will turned. Surprisingly, the captain followed with an expression on his face that might commonly be worn by a dependent child.
"Captain," Will nodded, "Mrs. Troi. I unfortunately bring bad news, but Deanna and Dr. Crusher felt that you should be apprised." Riker looked directly into his captain's eyes as he said this.
"My Deanna? Whatever have you done to her now, you brute!" Troi confronted, knocking him on his chest with an uncharacteristically painful gesture.
Picard drew his arm about Lwaxana's shoulders. "Now now, Lwaxana, I'm sure nothing too painful. What seems to be the matter, Will?"
Riker held his chin up a bit, and adapted a younger, more resentful tone with his superior.
"Ensign Wesley Crusher is incapacitated. His mother suspects it has something to do with a sudden mental affliction, but is not sure. Deanna felt that you should be there."
Riker avoided looking at Lwaxana. He was familiar with her maternally probing eyes. The eyes that cried over births or deaths, or when they found out her daughter wouldn't marry for yet another year. And after all the time and jest, it really hurt him. Somehow he knew that the overprotective woman was right. Traditionally, she would be a typical mother-in-law; always critical and fussing. But she had always been a wonderful and supportive mother to Deanna. Always strong-surely that's where her daughter learned how to hold an incredible amount of strength. Mrs. Troi would be an exceptional grandmother. Good with children and better at spoiling them, he could imagine several romantic getaways with Deanna alone despite having a wonderful family to travel with as well.
But as he thought about Lwaxana, he stared into the eyes of Jean-Luc Picard. The eyes that teared. Will hoped he'd act accordingly-as a warm friend at the very least-with Beverly.
"The troubled mind of William Riker," Mrs. Troi announced to the half- filled room, "yes, he worries."
Will stared forward, wondering where Guinan was and if even the wise bartender was capable of saving him now. He could hear Lwaxana Troi's chuckle as she approached the bar. Will turned. Surprisingly, the captain followed with an expression on his face that might commonly be worn by a dependent child.
"Captain," Will nodded, "Mrs. Troi. I unfortunately bring bad news, but Deanna and Dr. Crusher felt that you should be apprised." Riker looked directly into his captain's eyes as he said this.
"My Deanna? Whatever have you done to her now, you brute!" Troi confronted, knocking him on his chest with an uncharacteristically painful gesture.
Picard drew his arm about Lwaxana's shoulders. "Now now, Lwaxana, I'm sure nothing too painful. What seems to be the matter, Will?"
Riker held his chin up a bit, and adapted a younger, more resentful tone with his superior.
"Ensign Wesley Crusher is incapacitated. His mother suspects it has something to do with a sudden mental affliction, but is not sure. Deanna felt that you should be there."
Riker avoided looking at Lwaxana. He was familiar with her maternally probing eyes. The eyes that cried over births or deaths, or when they found out her daughter wouldn't marry for yet another year. And after all the time and jest, it really hurt him. Somehow he knew that the overprotective woman was right. Traditionally, she would be a typical mother-in-law; always critical and fussing. But she had always been a wonderful and supportive mother to Deanna. Always strong-surely that's where her daughter learned how to hold an incredible amount of strength. Mrs. Troi would be an exceptional grandmother. Good with children and better at spoiling them, he could imagine several romantic getaways with Deanna alone despite having a wonderful family to travel with as well.
But as he thought about Lwaxana, he stared into the eyes of Jean-Luc Picard. The eyes that teared. Will hoped he'd act accordingly-as a warm friend at the very least-with Beverly.