Beverly Howard and Jack Crusher met for breakfast the next morning in the dining hall, chatting about Walker's announcement. Beverly was still feeling groggy. Jack started out a little earlier in the morning than she did. "So I almost killed you for nothing?" She gave him a smile, and winked, her left hand resting atop the table.

He reached across and covered her long fingers with his own. He didn't answer. He had too much on his mind.

Beverly felt an electric jolt surge through her when his hand pressed down upon hers. "So, today's the big day?"

"I'm afraid so," Jack said, his eyes upon his companion, but his mind far in the distance.

"Jack, it's just an application."

"I know. It's just that I don't want to be wrong about this. I've spent all my life dreaming of the stars, and I don't want to screw it up now. What if my choices are the wrong ones?"

Beverly smiled and squeezed his hand. "they won't be, Jack. Trust that everything will work out just the way it is supposed to."

"I guess," he said uncomfortably. "But, haven't you ever wondered, what if I had done something differently? Here I am standing at a major crossroads. What if I'm supposed to go left and I choose right?"

Beverly sighed. "Jack, you can't sit around second guessing yourself all of the time. We all have our what ifs and we deal with them in our own way. Like I said before, you're making too much out of this. This is only an application. You are merely showing interest in what is out there."

"you're right," he agreed.

"Of course." She smiled, and it was filled with warmth and sincerity. "Now go apply yourself, Mr. Crusher."

He rose to leave, and then thought better of it. Standing over her, he pulled her to her feet. "But what if-"

Beverly held up a finger and interrupted him. they were standing so close she could feel his breath upon her face. "I told you, we'll deal with the what ifs later."

"I'm sorry, Bev," said Jack, "really, I am, but I think I have to take care of this one now." That said, he turned his face down and kissed her, holding her close to him. He released her after a moment, kissed her forehead, and walked away. "have a nice day," he said over his shoulder.

Beverly just stared.

From a table nearby, Mina's eyes glinted from beneath the shadows her long blonde hair had cast upon her face. Now she had a plan.

* * *

New of Jack's "what if" spread through the campus like wildfire. By lunch, all of the couple's friends were gathered next to an old oak tree outside, discussing a future for their two friends.

"I heard that they were going to spend spring leave together." Tafton's eyes glinted mischievously.

"That's not what I heard," said Lennie. "I heard that Jack fell mysteriously ill during Beverly's free hour today."

"Not true," said Walker. "Jack and I have classes together all day. He was there for all of them."

"You mean they already broke up?" Korbin looked on the verge of tears.

"I think they're headed this way. They look pretty happy to me," said Scott.

"Hey guys." Beverly seated herself on the grass next to Walker. Her five friends simply stared at her, as though they were bursting to let her in on the secret of the universe.

"What's up?" Jack had placed himself next to Beverly, and rested his hand upon her knee before asking the question.

"Oh, that's so cute," Tafton whispered to Korbin. Jack pulled his hand away and glared.

"Walker's been telling us about what he found out on his little date with Mina," Scott said, noticing it might be time to change the subject. "It sounds like we have enough to overturn Parsons's ruling."

"Yeah, that's great, isn't it?" Beverly asked the question with a dreamy look in her blue eyes.

"Uh, Beverly? Just the same, you need to be careful to stick to the rules and not break your curfew. It's still five days before the trial, and if you screw up you'll never get a chance to defend yourself." Lennie was right, of course. He was worried about his friend. It was nice to see her get into a relationship with a good guy like Jack Crusher, but he couldn't help but wonder if the timing was off. He knew how distracting love could be.

"Yeah, yeah, I know."

"Well, I had better be going. I've got a quantum mechanics test to study for." Lennie rose to his feet.

"Same here," said Scott.

"I'm meeting my roommate for a round of fencing," Korbin said shyly.

"Fencing? No one fences anymore." Jack muttered under his breath as the Chous walked off.

"So, Walker," Tafton said, leaning in towards him. "Do you have an plans for tonight?"

'Actually, I'm afraid I have a prior engagement." The three remaining friends turned and stared. "Not with Mina," he added quickly.

Tafton pouted, her lower lip protruding just a little. "Well, what is it then?"

"Jack's going too."

"I am?" said jack

"Yes. Or at least, you should be. Don't you ever read your messages?" Walker knew the answer was no, so he continued. "The Stargazer has come into orbit around Mars for a refitting. All cadets that registered for application to her crew are invited to a reception in Pike Auditorium tonight. Tomorrow, we get to go over and take a tour."

"Oh," said Jack, looking crestfallen. This was not the reaction Walker had expected. "Can I bring Beverly?" Jack asked, his façade brightening at the thought. Walker made an effort not to gag.

"I guess. It's a public forum." He thought for a moment, cringing at what he knew should come next, but forcing himself to ask anyway. "Would you like to come along too, Tafton?"

The girls' eyes lit up with glee and she nodded enthusiastically. Walker fought to suppress a moan. It wasn't that there was anything wrong with Tafton, she just thought she was his type when she definitely was not.

"We'll meet you in the dining room at 1700 hours. That will give Beverly about two and a half hours to enjoy herself, and a half an hour to get back to her quarters." Beverly scowled at Walker, who just shrugged. "Rules are rules, Red," he said.

Beverly's glare iced over considerably at his new nickname, but she said no more. "I'll see you in an hour," she whispered, kissing Jack softly.

"In an hour," he echoed dreamily, Walker pulling him quickly away.

To Jack, an hour seemed like sixty minutes too long.

* * *

"Where are you going?" Mina asked coldly as Beverly pinned back the flowing tendrils of her hair. Beverly had been surprised to see Mina in their room before 02:00 hours.

"I'm going to a reception." For some reason, Beverly couldn't find it in herself to hate Mina today. The entire world seemed perfect to her. Except for that 20:00 hours curfew thing. "With Jack," she whispered airily.

"Oh," said Mina.

Beverly stepped forward from the shadows, looking like a porcelain doll in her teal dress that fell to about three inches above the knee. Mina glared at the happy expression on the red head's face. Things weren't working out the way they should have. It was time to take action.

"What's wrong with your hair?" Mina was cold; she had to admit that to herself. The fastest way to break down a woman was to make them unsure of their image.

"I, what? My hair?" Beverly reached up and touched the up-do she had just completed. It had looked fine in the mirror, but perhaps…

"Oh well, there's no time to fix that now. Do you really think you should wear those shoes with that dress though? They don't quite match."

Beverly looked down at the floor, contemplating her shoes. "They were a set. The replicator produces them together." She didn't want to doubt herself, but she could think of other times when that machine had been wrong. Perhaps the shoes were a shade off from the dress…

"Oh, well, okay then. If I were you, I would fix my makeup though. Unless this reception is for clowns."

"I didn't even put that much on." She hadn't just a dab here, a touch there. Just enough to enhance the natural beauty that was already there. However, what if she'd been so caught up in the task she didn't even realize…

"It must just be your skin tones then. They're awfully uneven."

Beverly looked in the mirror then, and yes, she was a mess. Her hair looked like snakes, not gorgeous curls, her shoes were just a shade off of her dress, if you squinted really hard and were looking for that sort of thing, and her skin was hideous. She'd never realized it before, but now she could see. She looked like an ogre. Like a monster. But she had no time to fix it now. She took a deep breath and walked to the door, her shoulders slumped. She knew Jack would be kind, but she didn't know about the others that would be there. What would they say?

"Oh, um, Beverly? One more thing…" Mina smiled at Beverly's back, which was turned to her now, and told another lie. "That dress makes your backside look kind of, well…Do you have a sticker that says 'Wide Load'?"

Beverly was fighting back tears as the door shut.