Falling Toward Destiny
By Felicia Ferguson
Author's note: Usual disclaimers apply. I'm so glad ya'll (yes, I'm Southern) are enjoying this. Chapter 2 has returned to a PG-13 rating.
Then
2/?
Deanna sighed as she surveyed the room. Boxes still lay at odd intervals around the room, their contents no further unpacked and in their places than they were last night. And it was all Will Riker's fault. Well, his and that damned Horga'hn. Now there were crewmembers to meet and profiles to build. She did not have time to unpack. Not that Will would appreciate her predicament.
"Oh, don't be so hard on yourself, Deanna. Admit it, my idea for last night's unpacking was much more interesting and rewarding than yours," Riker called from their bathroom.
Deanna sent him a dark look, then picked up a box and set it on the table beside her morning cocoa. Taking a sip of the luscious dark liquid, she pulled an item out of the container and glanced thoughtfully between it and the rest of the room. The Sacred Chalice of Rixx. Her mother's most prized possessions -- or at least most often quoted. Lwaxana had given it to them as a wedding gift; the chalice had been cast to honor the marriage of Emperor Rixx to the mythical goddess Niiope. The gesture, if not the symbolism, was touching. But now Deanna was forced to find a place of prominent display for "a moldy old pot."
"Why don't you put it in your office? That way you have a daily reminder of your mother."
Deanna shook her head and sighed. "I don't need a daily reminder of my mother, thank you very much. She is, as you will admit, quite hard to forget on her own merits. But that would be a good place to put it. I'll think about it."
Will tossed the towel he had been using to dry his hair over his uniformed shoulder and padded to the replicator. His feet were bare, a fact that never failed to amuse Deanna. For a man who hated to wear shoes, he spent most of his day in the black Starfleet issued boots. "Two Rigelian eggs, scrambled, one piece of cinnamon toast." He glanced around the room, absorbing the normalcy of the scene. They were like an old married couple.
"And just how does an 'old married couple' act?" Deanna asked as she crossed her arms and raised an inquisitive eyebrow.
Will gestured expansively. "Like this. Finishing each other's sentences, knowing each other's likes and dislikes." He pulled her into his arms and kissed the tip of her nose. "Of course, we do have the advantage of telepathy and fifteen years of friendship."
Hmmpf, she thought, slightly mollified by his explanation. I still take exception to the 'old' part.
Riker chuckled, lowering his lips to hers for a soft, loving kiss.
"Commander Lemoor to Captain Riker."
Will stifled a curse as he tapped his comm badge. "Go ahead, Number One."
"Captain, communiqué from Admiral Janeway." Deanna pulled out of Will's arms to return to her cocoa and unpacking.
"Why does it seem like we're always getting interrupted by admirals?" he muttered, regretting the loss of her warmth. "Patch her through to my ready room. I'm on my way." With a rueful shake of his head, he swallowed a forkful of eggs and took a bite of the toast. Still chewing, he bussed his wife on the cheek and turned to go.
Deanna smiled as the doors opened. "Have a nice day, dear!" she called after him, but he had already disappeared down the hall.
And hopefully and even nicer evening, slipped through her mind.
He had forgotten. She was sure of it. Don't forget we're supposed to meet the doctor and chief engineer in Ten Forward for dinner.
Ah, damn. I forgot.
Deanna couldn't help but chuckle at his put-upon tone. She picked up another of his items from the container on the table and sent, Welcome to the life of a captain.
He mentally shook his head. That's not fair. This never happened to Kirk. When given the choice between his crewmates and a sexy female for company, he always took the sexy female.
Pleased with his analogy, she promised, And so will you…after our dinner.
Deanna felt his satisfaction with her schedule for the evening then the link weakened to its normal state. She could easily feel him, but the connection was not as focused. She was, in fact, amazed at the strength of their telepathic bond. She had always been told that the link between couples grew after the joining ceremony, but knowing intellectually and knowing intrinsically were two different things.
Before their marriage, even after they had rekindled their relationship, Will's ability to send was still limited and only occurred within a close proximity to her, though he could sense much of what she might broadcast. Now telepathic communication between them was a regular occurrence.
She would have to teach a proper amount of shielding, especially given the sometimes lascivious nature of his thoughts about her. It would not be professional for the Counselor to blush during a therapy session. And the same was true for him, as well. There were times on the Enterprise when she would watch him issue orders on the bridge that would send her own mind out of the professional realm and very definitely into bedroom.
Deanna shook her head, trying to pull her thoughts away from that delicious path. She still had time to unpack a few more containers before her meetings began. Taking a sip of her cocoa, she squared her shoulders and set herself to the task.
***
"Seems like Romulus has become a popular place these days," Riker remarked as he tapped the console. The miniature viewscreen rose with a shush, on it the blue and white Federation logo glowed. "On screen."
The screen blinked and the logo was replaced by Admiral Kathryn Janeway, sitting much like Riker behind her own desk. "Good morning, Will. I trust that you and Deanna have settled in on the Titan."
"We're getting there," he replied with a smile. "Unpacking is always quite a chore."
Janeway's gravelly chuckle echoed over the comm line. "You've been cleared by Command to leave as soon as you've been briefed. The Romulan Commander Donatra has confirmed that Shinzon's remaining sympathizers have been brought under control and from all that I have come to know about her, I would believe that statement. So there should be no problems from that quarter.
"An expert on the Romulan culture will be joining you en route…someone I think Commander Troi might have dealt with on occasion."
Riker looked curious at this, knowing that the only two Romulans she had had direct contact with were dead, one via suicide and the other murdered.
"A man named M'Ret. She once helped him and two of his aides defect. M'Ret has agreed to act as an advisor to the negotiations." She raised a precautionary hand as she continued, "None of the Romulans know that he will be aboard and, if I were you, I would keep it that way. There's no need to apprise them of our ace in the hole."
Riker nodded and steepled his fingers before him, considering the potential ramifications. "And M'Ret is fully briefed on the situation?"
Janeway nodded. "He is prepared to guide you not only in matters of politics, but also Romulan etiquette."
The captain raised his eyebrows at her words causing Janeway sit up straighter in her chair. "This is an important moment in the history of our relationship with the Romulans, Will. The Federation needs this to work. If it requires a little Romulan polish, so be it. The Hood will rendezvous with you after they pick up M'Ret from Vulcan. It seems he's been spending a good deal of time with his cousins, working in his own way for reunification."
"Reunification? Is that to be a parameter of the negotiations?"
The admiral shook her head. "No, Ambassador Spock himself stated that should the Romulans wish to discuss reunification, it should be separate from the Federation talks. It seems as though he thinks our cause is much more likely than his own." Janeway paused, then gave her best approving mother smile. "Good luck, Will, and congratulations on your first command. From all I've heard, it's about time you took Starfleet up on its offer."
Will grinned good-naturedly. "Who knows, Admiral, maybe someday one of your colleagues will call Romulus home."
"I look forward to it. Janeway out."
Riker sat for a moment more contemplating the now dark screen. He had said it in jest, but the reality of Romulan involvement in Starfleet was now more possible than fantastic. How times changed. Will was certain Kirk would have felt the same about Klingons serving as Starfleet officers.
With an awed shake of his head, Riker rose. Starfleet had given the go ahead for them to leave space dock. They were ready. A familiar quickening of his blood gripped him. He couldn't help but hear, "Space the final frontier," echo through his mind. No, it wasn't the Enterprise, but it was time to boldly go. Riker squared his shoulders and walked out of the ready room. Taking his seat in the captain's chair, he directed, "Helm, set a course for the Romulan Neutral Zone. Engage."
***
…to be continued…