Walker, Jack, Data, Lennie, Scott, Korbin, Tafton, and Beverly were sitting around one of the cafeteria tables making last minute additions to their final plans for Beverly's upcoming trial. Beverly leaned back and sighed, listening to her friends reiterate over and over what Korbin was supposed to do. Despite the moment of depth and emotion Beverly had shared with her, the blond girl Korbin seemed fairly well unchanged.

"Tell them you met Beverly right after the incident supposedly took place, and that she agreed to help you out with the class that night. Remind them of how much your grade has improved since she has been helping you, and make sure that you are very clear that her story has never changed." Walker leaned even more forcefully on his elbows. "Now, what are you going to do?"

Everyone was exasperated by now. Each Cadet had gone over these instructions in turn, but Korbin still couldn't quite seem to remember them all. They all doubted how sincere the girl would sound when she stepped up as a witness, and hoped she wouldn't crack, but they felt she was instrumental in proving Beverly's depth of knowledge concerning the class in question was such that she would not need to cheat.

"Um, okay." The girl took a deep breath, closed her eyes, and fluttered her fingers before her as though performing some magical spell that would enable her to remember. "Beverly first spoke to me after she cheated on the test in Jarcock's class…"

"STOP! DO NOT SAY SHE 'CHEATED ON THE TEST.'" Walker was red in the face.

"Okay, geeze, sorry." Beverly thought about what the girl had shared with her, and she considered telling Walker to lay off, but she had to admit this was getting ridiculous. They had gone over Korbin's testimony in excess of fifteen times. Korbin took a deep breath and continued. "All right, Beverly and I first met after I read my score on the test; I forget, what should I say if I can't say 'she cheated on'?"

"The test in question."

"Okay, here goes. I first met Beverly after I read my score on the test in question." She smiled with glee. Several people moaned, but she appeared not to notice and continued. "She took pity on me because I'm so hopeless and forgetful…"

"DO NOT TALK ABOUT YOURSELF LIKE THAT," Walker roared.

"Oh, it's okay, you don't have to be nice. I know I'm hopeless and forgetful. You don't have to try and make me feel good about myself." Korbin smiled helpful. "Anyway…"

"NO, NOT ANYWAY! RIGHT NOW, I REALLY DON'T CARE HOW YOU FEEL ABOUT YOURSELF KORBIN. WHEN YOU ESTABLISH THAT CHARACTER FOR YOURSELF, YOUN LOSE CREDIBILITY. SAY THAT YOU WERE HAVING DIFFICULTY WITH THE MATERIAL." Walker glared, "Well, go on."

Korbin was almost in tears, but she took a deep breath. "Okay, I first met Beverly while looking at my scores after the test in question. We became friends after she offered to help me with the material, as I was having trouble with it." She looked at Walker as though waiting for him to strike. He tried to smile, but his frustration made it more of a grimace. Korbin was unsure, but continued when he nodded. "That night, she and I met to study, but we ended up discussing what happened between her and Mina. She insisted to me that she studied for that test and did not cheat. Even then, I believed her. She was so open and honest. Besides, what reason would she have to lie. I mean, her punishment had already been initiated. Whatever she said wasn't going to change that." She paused for a moment, looking around nervously. She had added the last part inadvertently, and she cowered slightly, waiting for Walker to attack.

"That was a nice touch Korbin. I wish I'd have thought of it." Walker smiled, the irritation melting from his face. Korbin, having found new confidence, continued.

"Ever since then, Beverly has been helping me with the work in Professor Jarcock's class. My grades have improved tremendously with her help. She really knows what she's talking about. I can't imagine any reason why she would have to cheat. Besides, she has always been very adamant that she was nothing but truthful. Her story has never changed. I'm lucky to have a friend like her, and I think Starfleet will be lucky to have a doctor like her one day." The girl blushed with embarrassment, she felt she had said too much. She raised her eyes slowly to look at Walker for approval, but was enveloped in a hug by Beverly.

"Oh, Korbin, that was beautiful, thank you. Everyone would be lucky to have a friend like you."

"Nice job, Korbin. It's great that we have future officers like yourself around." Coming from Walker, that was high praise. Korbin nearly cried. "Okay, everyone, we've all got it. Dismissed."

From the shadowy corners of the cafeteria, Captain Picard smiled. The future of Starfleet was in good hands indeed.

* * *

Beverly was surprised to run straight into Captain Picard as she neared her quarters. "Captain, what are you doing here?"

"I came looking for you. I wanted to tell you that I would be happy to sign my name as a non-testifying character witness in your upcoming trial." He smiled congenially at her.

"Oh, Captain Picard, I don't know what to say." Beverly was overwhelmed. The friendship between her and the older man had been steadily developing, but she would have never asked him to do such a thing. Some people may have considered it a small, meaningless gesture, But Beverly knew better. She knew the Captain well enough to realize that such an act meant he had unwavering faith in her veracity. Jean Luc Picard was not a man prone to rashness. She realized that, were she found guilty, he would think of his backing of her as a tarnishing stain upon his record. Beverly knew the weight of his statement.

"Say, 'thank you, Jean Luc."

"Thank you, Jean Luc," She parroted, acknowledging only after she had spoken his name that the formality between them had dissipated for the briefest of moments. They were no longer Captain and Cadet, but friends. She smiled up at him shyly, and leaned forward, almost impulsively. Her lips met his with astounding electricity and she drew back in shock.

Picard sensed her unease. "It's all right, Beverly." He pushed a loose tendril of her hair back away from her delicate face with such tenderness that he surprised even himself. "Would you like to get some dinner?" As much as he wished to hold her to him and press his lips upon hers again, he recognized that this was neither the time nor the place. He had a reputation to maintain, after all.

"Okay," she said, falling into step beside him as they headed for the periphery of the campus.

"I know an excellent place just off the San Francisco Bay. The serve excellent pasta dishes and have live music to dance to." Picard melted her with his smile once again.

"It sounds wonderful," she said.

Picard just took her arm in his and continued walking, an amiable silence enveloping them.

* * *

Walker came careening up the hallway after Beverly, wanting to ask her about her schedule on the day of the trial when he slid to a halt in the corridor near her room. There she was, smiling radiantly at Captain Picard.

"What the blazes is he doing here," he muttered to himself. He watched the pair carefully, suspicion narrowing his eyes. He saw the way they were looking at each other, and though he could not hear their words he could understand their unspoken language. He did a double take when she kissed him. Though he had been suspicious all along, he had hoped, until now, that his fears were unfounded.

They started to walk away, and for a moment he was filled with indecision. Then he did the only thing he felt he could do; he followed them.

* * *

"Jean Luc, that was excellent." Beverly smiled at her companion from across the table, and he held her gaze, fearful that if he looked away she might disappear.

They had shared a lovely evening, and with each passing moment he found himself more and more attracted to the radiant woman. There was something about her that he found captivating. So enamored was he by her fiery spirit that he could almost forget she belonged to another. Almost. He tried to take his mind off his more lustful thoughts and asked her "She we dance?"

"I would be honored to dance with you."

Picard felt that the honor was his as he twirled her across the floor. She moved like liquid silk in his arms, and he had no doubt that she was an expert dancer. My God, she's lovely, he thought, as he watched her undulate and spin just inches from him. He was having trouble remembering his place in society and who she was. To him, she was the embodiment of all that was woman.

As the music softened and faded away, Picard pulled her close to him. The band was silent now, having stopped for a brief intermission, and he was unaware that they were alone on the dance floor. He could feel a heart pounding in his chest, and he was unsure if the pulsating rhythm belonged to him alone or if it was magnified in intensity by the addition of hers. Love washed over him in agonizing, painful waves.

Dear God, why? He thought to himself as she looked up at him with such need and longing it was almost unbearable. He had never felt a yearning so deep before and was unable to see why it had to come when the woman he desired was promised to another. He couldn't look away from those beautiful eyes, and everything inside of him ached to take her and make her his alone. he would find a way. They could be together.

Slowly, he lowered his head until his lips covered hers. He had barely thought of the action when it commenced and was shocked to find himself in such a position. Moreover, she was kissing him back. What was he thinking? She was Jack's girlfriend?

He gasped and pulled back, and she looked at him with sly incredulity. He felt panic rising in his throat and was unsure of when to turn. he wanted to run away and save face, but he wanted to stay and save his soul. He couldn't let her go, yet he held her at arm's length.

"What have I done. Oh, Beverly, what have I done?" He had to get a hold of himself, he was a Starfleet captain, for God's sake. "Come on," he hissed and pulled her outside, away from the dance floor, away from the magic of romance the moment had wrought.

"Beverly, I'm so sorry." He sat on the ground, cradling his head in his hands. he felt soft brush of skin as she lowered herself beside him. .

"No, Jean Luc, I'm sorry."

"I let myself get carried away," they both stated together. He smiled at her. Slowly, he wrapped his arms around he, and their lips met again.

"We can't," he said

"I know," she nodded.

Despite their misgivings, despite their loyalties, even despite themselves, they did anyway.

Walker didn't want to believe it. He wasn't sure he could.