Jack Crusher sat staring at the wall in his quarters that evening, a strange look upon his face.

"Something wrong, Jack," Walker asked, looking quizzically at his friend.

"She kissed me," he whispered softly, as though he were in a dream he feared waking himself from. He reached up and touched his cheek again, as though the tactile contact could bring back the moment from this afternoon.

"Who? Beverly?" Jack was annoyed. Walker sounded as though he didn't even care. He acted like beautiful, perfect girls kissed him every day.

"Yes, Beverly."

"Oh. Well, good for you. I have a date tonight, so I won't be back until later," Walker stood up and walked toward the cabin door, a pink rose in his right hand. "Don't forget to finish filing your assignment requests. You can take a look at mine if you want." That said, he was gone.

Jack wasn't thinking about assignments right now, all he could think about was the fiery red head who had stolen his heart. Right now, he didn't care about his duty or his responsibilities. The last thing he cared about was what ship he would be posted to following his commencement. His mind was focused on one person, and he had no choice but to go and visit her.

He would soon be sorry that he did.

* * *

Beverly glanced up from the reports she was studying to glare menacingly at Mina. Her roommate was putting the last few touches to her face with a tube of lipstick. She was dressed in a short blue number that perfectly matched her eyes and accented every curve. As usual, she looked perfect. Beverly wondered why she had expected any less. Mina looked perfect when she rolled out of bed in the morning. "Going somewhere," she asked, unable to resist the chance to annoy the other girl. Beverly remembered Mina had a big date, but she knew that Mina would be irritated if she feigned ignorance. So she did.

Mina turned away from the mirror and tossed Beverly a superior smirk. "I have a date tonight."

"Give him my apologies," Beverly said, picking up her PADD once again.

Mina didn't say anything for a moment; she just stood there grinning like a cat that had just eaten her owner's beloved canary. The door chimed, and she walked toward it, her hips swaying and high heels clacking along the floor. Beverly could still make out a man's voice through the hiss of the door. There was something oddly familiar about the intonations. She stood up to look her heart pounding. She was trying desperately not to be obvious, hoping that Mina would not turn around as she rounded the corner to peek around the doorway. Just as she had them in sight, the door hissed shut, but Beverly had seen enough.

Mina had a pink rose in her right hand. In her left hand, she held the hand of Walker Keel.

* * *

Beverly was in a state of rage as she paced the room, fists clenched so tightly no blood could reach the tips of her fingers. How dare he she thought. She had believed Walker to be her friend, someone who would be an invaluable ally at the upcoming trial. He would stand by her side and fight. Not only that, but he was honorable, respectful and in possession of an outstanding record. He had been her greatest asset.

She wondered when this had started. How long had he and Mina been together? From the very beginning? Was the rest of this just part of Mina's scheme, some sort of sick cosmic joke the two of them had concocted together. Perhaps Walker had befriended her for the sole purpose of finding out how she was going to counteract Mina's claims. Together, they were going to try and stop her.

The voice of reason was poking through Beverly's irate haze.

Um, excuse me said The Voice

Yes? What do you want now? You want to make me think with logic and clarity, is that it. Well, I won't let you. Can't you see, it all makes perfect sense. They were in it together. Beverly did a lot of talking to herself when she was angry. This practice had probably saved the lives of many innocent people.

Well, I can see how you would believe that, the voice retaliated. It was passive-aggressive, her subconscious voice. This only served to further enrage her. The only problem is, that you met Walker before you ever met Mina. There's the flaw in your story right there.

"WELL WHO CARES." Beverly screamed the last part a loud. She certainty didn't. She was beyond reason, beyond rationale. All she wanted to do was find that evil, deceiving scumbag Walker Keel, and wrap her fingers around his throat. She would tear him limb from limb until he begged for mercy. Her teeth clenched in rage.

Suddenly, the door chimed again, cutting through the haze of her fury.

Cold and calculating, Beverly picked up her bedside lamp. "Let's see how well she likes you when your face is one giant swollen bruise," she growled.

"Come in," she invited, the fury leaving her voice just long enough to lure her prey into her den.

The doors parted and Jack Crusher walked through, ducking just in time to avoid being decapitated by one of the standard issue lamps all cadets had in their quarters. His eyes widened and he blinked. He looked at Beverly, and he blinked again. Then he said, what was really the stupidest thing he could think of to say. "Is something wrong, Beverly? You look angry."

Lucky for Jack, the red head had surprised herself when she tried to level him, and was too stunned to swing at him again. Instead, she sucked air through her teeth, growled low in her throat, and sneered, "Walker."

Jack, trying to be helpful, replied. "I'm Jack, not Walker. Walker went out on a date."

So, Beverly thought to herself, he knew, too. They all knew. They were all in on it.

She raised the lamp to strike again.

Quick as a cat, Jack seized Beverly's weapon and pushed her backward, pinning her against the bed with his right knee. He shoved the lamp under the bed where it was out of her immediate reach, grabbed her by the shoulders, and shook her as firmly as he could, trying to batter some sense back into her brain. "What in heaven's name is wrong with you! Why did you just try to kill me?" Jack's voice raised at the end of each sentence, but he thought that should be expected. He had come over here hoping to share a relaxing evening with his new friend, and had ended up being greeted by a homicidal maniac wielding a light fixture.

Suddenly, it was as though Beverly came to. "I, uh, Jack?" She didn't know whether to laugh or cry, so she began an inquiry. "You knew and you didn't tell me?"

"Knew what," asked a bewildered and trembling Jack. He released his grip on her a little, but he was still not convinced that he should set her free.

'About Walker's little date." She practically spat the last word.

"So what? Walker can go on a date if he wants to. I didn't know he needed your permission. Unless…" Jack was wounded beyond any damage Beverly's assault could have imposed on him. How could he have been so foolish? He thought she had feelings for him, but she was just obliging Walker because she cared for him.

"He can't go on dates with that, that thing if he wants to call himself my friend," Beverly said. "And I can't believe that you think that's okay. I thought you cared for me more than that." Now Beverly's lip quivered.

Jack put two and two together. 'So she's the mysterious M," he said. "I thought it was em as in E-M, short for Emily."

Beverly sighed, the rage still evident in her flickering blue eyes. "Mystery solved."

"Not quite," said Jack. "The real mystery is why."