Sabotage has become a trilogy. Hope you meant it when you said you wanted
another story....
If you haven't yet, you might want to read the first installment to pick up
on nuance, especially w/ PC.
And of course, Paramount = Q = omnipotent = only fun, no profit.
*********
Sabotage II Chapter Three
*********
The Enterprise and Cuyahoga spent days repairing their battered ships before setting course for Starbase 202. Starfleet Command had been duly outraged at the ambush, and promptly sent two battleships to the M'dar homeworld to deal with the government, who had taken full responsibility this time, claiming it for the glory of the M'dar people. The result of the mission was yet undetermined, but seemed to be going Starfleet's way.
The extent of the internal damage was as yet un-assessed. None of the crew believed to have been responsible for the sabotage on the five ships had any previous infractions on their records, no similarities, or any indication that they had been anything but solid officers before the affair. After a day in the brig, Wood had confessed. Starfleet was at this moment initiating a comprehensive investigation of all junior level personnel, and coordinating an investigation of senior officers. The task was Herculean, and suspicion within the ranks was rampant.
Once again, the damaged Enterprise limped into spacedock at Starbase 202 for repairs and leave. They had spent yet another week planetside, but the crew had begun to show signs of wear. Jean-Luc Picard was no exception.
*********
"Come."
"Captain, I have discovered certain facts that I believe you might be interested in."
"Certainly Mr. Data, what is it?" Picard's eyebrows rose. He had been assigned a temporary office on the Starbase while the Enterprise underwent repairs. A steady stream of visitors had left him drained. While Data was often rather wordy with explanations, he rarely brought irrelevant matters directly to the Captain.
"Sir, I have checked these findings several times, and presented them to Commander Riker." The android's tone was reluctant.
"Please continue, Data."
"I have been further investigating the shield malfunction and suspicious events on the Enterprise. While I was able to corroborate the evidence against Ensign Wood, I also postulated an alternate theory indicating that Wood might have acted with an accomplice."
Now he had Picard's full attention. "An accomplice, Mr. Data?"
"Yes sir. Three separate facts lead me to speculate that Lieutenant Walker may have been involved."
Picard sat back in his chair and exhaled loudly. This was something he did not want to hear, at all. "Data, this is a serious accusation."
"I know sir. I would not have brought this to you if I were not fairly certain. The evidence is circumstantial, but there is a significant amount, and it is verifiable."
"Very well then. What have you found?"
"The most significant discovery would be the data transmissions from the Enterprise. If you'll recall, Ensign Wood's quarters contained a subspace transmitter, and records of outgoing messages were found. After uncovering the subsequent evidence, I rechecked the transmissions. Inspection reveals that those transmissions were all created and stored in one download. In essence, they are forgeries. Given this fact, I set out to determine whether there were any unaccounted for transmissions from the Enterprise. There were. And all originated from stations adjacent to Lieutenant Walker's quarters, using a forged access code. Only senior staff have that level of clearance. All transmissions were made at times when computer logs indicate Lieutenant Walker was alone."
"Mysterious, but not conclusive Data."
"If I may sir, there is more."
"Please."
"The energy pulse that activated the shield malfunction, upon first inspection could have been originated from Wood's station in engineering. It also could have been originated from the tactical station on the main bridge. Signals were sent from both stations simultaneously immediately prior to the attack. It is impossible to determine which caused the failure."
Picard's face appeared to be carved from stone. He listened silently.
"Finally, sir, there is a matter of unexplained credits in Lieutenant Walker's Starfleet account. One month before boarding the Enterprise, a large amount of credit was transferred through his account and quickly passed to accounts held by members of his family. I investigated the origin, and found that the money was deposited by a Ferengi trader who works primarily in the sector controlled by the M'dar."
"You looked into his accounts?"
"I did so after uncovering the other evidence. I was attempting to assuage my suspicions. None of the information is conclusive. However, viewed as a whole, the facts are troubling."
"Indeed Mr. Data." Picard's hands were steepled under his chin. He pondered Data skeptically. Finally, he spoke. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Data. Download a copy of this information to my files. Please continue with your investigation, and mention this to no one. I will follow- up with Commander Riker."
"Yes sir."
Data's evidence was not conclusive. But it did raise significant questions. Starfleet Command would need to be notified, of that there was no question. The question that did remain - who else should Picard speak to?
*********
"Walker, that was excellent!"
"I'm glad you approve, Beverly. I like to keep you well-fed."
"And why is that?"
"Well, first of all, you're skinny enough. I don't want to see you wasting away, and I know you don't eat when you're busy." He smiled at Crusher as he cleared plates from the table. "And secondly, I want to make sure you keep your energy up." That remark he accompanied with a licentious wink.
"That's very considerate." Crusher rose and made her way to the kitchen where Walker was cleaning up. Putting her arms as far around him as she could reach, she led him away from the sink. "Let's leave these for the morning."
Both Crusher and Walker had been extremely busy when the Enterprise initially docked. Within the week however, their duties had tapered off. They agreed to take a few days leave and rent a cabin on the planet. Beverly had not been so completely relaxed or enjoyed herself more in years. Jean-Luc had not disappeared, but was far from her thoughts. She found her anger had almost subsided.
*********
"Admiral, I'm sorry to bother you at this hour."
"What can I do for you, Captain?"
"I'm contacting you to confirm that you have received the information I transmitted early. It was first brought to my attention by my second officer, Lieutenant Commander Data. It implicates my Chief of Security, Jack Walker, in the M'dar affair."
"I have received it, and it has been reviewed." Necheyev sat quietly and did not respond immediately.
"Do you have a recommendation for action?" Picard leaned forward expectantly.
"At this time, we advise you to take no action, but to observe Mr. Walker closely." She seemed disinclined to expound.
"Take no action, Admiral? I am concerned for the safety of my crew." 'One member in particular,' he thought.
"Take no action Picard, and keep this information strictly confidential. We have reason to believe that there were accomplices on the other ships, and still on ships that are currently active in the sector. We want to see where this goes. We're going to keep you in spacedock as long as possible. Stay on your toes, and wait for further orders. Necheyev out."
Picard angrily closed his connection and rose. Striding to the replicator, he ordered tea, and paced back to the table. He set it down, but did not sit. He turned to stare out at the stars. As captain, he continually made difficult and critical decisions. He found this one particularly troubling. He rubbed at the back of his neck, and finally tapped his chest.
"Picard to Riker."
"Riker here Captain."
"Will, can you stop by for a minute?"
"Absolutely sir. I'll be right over." Riker immediately read the tension in his Captain's voice.
*********
"I can't believe that Starfleet would simply let a suspected saboteur run loose on the Enterprise." Riker had stood from his original spot on the couch in the Captain's temporary office.
"There is no hard evidence, Will. And Starfleet is hoping that someone will slip up and overplay their hand." Picard spoke quietly, calmly. One of the finest points of his relationship with Will Riker stemmed from the balance their personalities struck. Picard found that Will's raw emotions helped him remain calm and focused on a problem.
"I wish Worf were still here." Riker sat again, petulant.
"As do I, Commander." There was a faraway look in the Captain's eye.
Suddenly, a sly grin appeared on Riker's face. "That's not all you called me in here to talk about, is it sir? You're worried about Beverly." The origin of the Captain's concern was clearly the Doctor's relationship with Walker - but to confront Picard with that outright would have been suicide.
For a moment Picard considered playing innocent, then reconsidered. It would only delay the inevitable. "Admiral Necheyev was clear with her orders. I am to tell no one. You were already aware of the situation. But if I take this to Dr. Crusher, it might very well expose our knowledge to Walker."
"Beverly's first duty is to this ship and her crew sir. She can be trusted - and you know that. But you're worried about how she might take it."
"To say the least. As you may have noticed, we've had a falling out as of late."
"Permission to speak freely, sir?"
"Always, Will."
"It would be hard not to notice. The entire crew has noticed."
Picard winced. "That bad, Number One?"
Riker did not speak to confirm the statement - he didn't need to. But Picard seemed deeply troubled. "We're a family on the Enterprise sir. We've all grown very close. The crew thinks no less of you. They're concerned in a way that's typical whenever you see two people you care about unhappy with each other." Now he was beginning to sound like Troi. He backed off and let Picard ruminate.
The Captain sat motionless, silent for a few minutes. "Technically, there is nothing I can do. I have no choice but to obey the Admiral's orders. Personally however, I have been irresponsible. And it's time to fix that. Thank you, Number One."
"Anytime sir." Riker stood with a slight smile, one that was reflected hesitantly on the older man's face. "Please let me know if there's anything I can do." With that he exited, and Picard turned to again face the stars. Suddenly, his eyes changed, and became dark. He had once told Beverly that there was a way out of every box, and a solution to every puzzle. He believed he had cracked the code to this entire conundrum. The only key was trust - how much did Beverly trust him?
*********
The crew had returned to the Enterprise, and were scheduled to depart the next day for a system mapping mission in the Beta Gamma sector. Picard had been frustrated when Crusher and Walker had returned from shore leave appearing very content, and, he hated to admit, happy. Picard walked through the entire ship, speaking with each department head as he did so. He would not leave Starbase until he was absolutely sure the Enterprise was back in prime condition. And, he was delaying his stop to sickbay for as long as he could.
Finally, he stepped through the doors. Dramatically, a hush fell over the room. 'Merde,' he thought. "As you were, crewmen." The officers looked properly chastised and resumed their work. He walked toward Crusher's office, becoming more and less sure with himself at every step.
Behind her desk, Beverly recognized Picard's voice immediately. Her heart sped imperceptibly, and she mentally steeled herself for the encounter. They had literally spoken two sentences to each other in the previous week, both over comm. badge. They had perhaps spoken personally only once or twice in the entire month prior to that. It was an interminable situation.
"Doctor Crusher."
"Captain Picard." She stood as he entered.
"Please Doctor, sit."
She did so and motioned for him to do the same. Grudgingly, she admitted to herself that she had missed him.
"I won't take up much of your time, Doctor - "
Before he could finish, she interjected. "Good. As you can see, we're quite busy in here." Beverly kicked herself internally - what the hell was the matter with her? There was no need to be rude.
"Yes." Picard kicked himself internally. This was not going well. For a second, he reconsidered. No - this was too important to let her chase him off. She was just being stubborn. He loved her for it - and, right now, hated her for it as well.
"I came here simply to extend an invitation to breakfast, Beverly. I've missed your company." His eyes were warm. Sitting before her, he possessed all the hope and embarrassment of a small boy asking his favorite grammar school teacher to dinner.
Crusher's heart melted, and her expression softened. "That's a kind invitation, Captain. I accept." Was he finally extending the olive branch?
Picard seemed assured. "Very well then - tomorrow morning, my quarters?"
"Yes, that would be fine." Beverly even gave him a smile, though she was still demure and uncertain.
"I'll see you then." Picard stood for a moment, as though to say something more, then turned and exited. Now a bit preoccupied, Beverly returned to her work.
*********
"Actually, we used to have breakfast every morning. It became quite a ritual."
Walker opened a bottle of wine and poured two glasses, handing one to Beverly and sitting next to her on the couch.
"Well, I'll be sorry to give you up early tomorrow morning, but I guess there's no fighting the Captain."
"Only if you're as crazy as I am." Beverly gave a rueful smile.
"You're about as crazy as a fox, Beverly Crusher." Walker was done with conversation, and setting down his glass, took hers as well. Minutes later, they retreated to the bedroom.
*********
Hours later, Walker rose from the bed. Silently, he put on his uniform. He knew it was early yet for her insomnia to kick in - he had time. Using Crusher to throw off Picard had been brilliant - not to mention fun. The man would think twice before confronting him, and had been distracted for an entire month.
Walker made his way out of the cabin, and to a science station nearby. He'd been lucky when they began spending more time in Beverly's quarters. It allowed him to vary the location of his transmissions without roaming the ship at all hours.
"T'par to M'dar. All seems well. I await the signal." He was curious about Crusher's breakfast with the Captain. What had prompted the sudden attempt at reconciliation? It was time to dig the trench a little deeper.
*********
Beverly woke the next morning with an odd tingle in her stomach. She was nervous. Sensing her movement, Walker rolled over.
"Good morning."
"Good morning to you." Glancing at the chronometer, Beverly prepared to make a hasty retreat to the shower.
"Not so fast there, young lady." Walker beamed at her.
"I've got to get going, Walker!" She giggled and pushed him away.
"Not before I say my peace." Now he seemed serious, earnest.
"Now, don't feel like you need to say anything. I know I'm jumping the gun, and I know I'm probably just being a romantic. But I wanted to tell you something."
"What is it, Walker?" Beverly had an idea of what was coming, and she wasn't sure she wanted to hear it. Still, she'd enjoyed these last weeks. She felt calm.
He grinned sheepishly. "I've been wanting to say it a couple days now, but it seemed like overkill while we were on the planet. But, now, well, Beverly, I love you."
She froze. Trying not to look like a deer in the headlights, and recovering quickly, she stammered. "Walker, I, that's so sweet." Did she love him? Honestly, she hadn't even thought about it. He was a warm man, and charming. Handsome, fun, youthful. He was a catch. Why was she holding back?
"Well, like I said. I just wanted to let you know." He'd caught her off guard, and he knew it. Excellent.
Beverly kissed him passionately. She'd told herself a month ago to move on, and it was time.
"Ma'am, if you don't quit that, I'm never going to let you out of bed."
"Sorry. Walker - I,"
"It's OK Beverly. Now scoot on out of here - you're going to be late."
She gave an embarrassed smile and squeezed his hand as she got out of bed.
*********
By the time she reached Picard's quarters, she had almost completely gathered her wits about her. The butterflies in her stomach over Walker's profession had been replaced by a nervous tidal wave of anticipation. Was she ready to mend her fences with Picard? What would he say? Would he apologize, or was he expecting a mea culpa from her?
In his quarters, Picard paced nervously. Coffee and croissants sat at the ready. He had been up for over an hour, rehearsing what he would say in a million different ways. Unfortunately, he knew everything he'd practiced would fly from his mind the moment he saw her. He started when the chime rang. Was it time already? He plastered on a serene expression. It was a complete falsehood.
"Come."
Beverly entered. Well, the Captain seemed calm enough. She supposed she could make it through one breakfast. Times like these made her wish she still had those implants from KesPryt. Or at least was ΒΌ Betazed.
"Good morning." Her expression was inquisitive, and her voice lilted musically. 'Nervously' is how Beverly would have described it.
"I'm glad you could make it Beverly, please sit down." It seemed like forever since she'd heard him say her name. It gave her courage.
"So Jean-Luc, are we going to pretend all morning that nothing has happened, or have I been invited here to talk?" Bold! Where had that come from? Crusher congratulated herself. Picard was completely discombobulated.
Picard tried to continue. "I would have to say the latter. But I suppose I had expected some informal pleasantries." Hearing her speak his name again had been divine. Mentally shaking his head, he reminded himself to stay on task. This was not about them - this was about her. And Jack Walker. He would need to re-establish some common ground before anything regarding that subject could be broached.
"I've never been one to mince words, Captain. You know that." She took a sip of her coffee and buttered her croissant. She'd gained the upper hand and was now coasting until he recovered. Her recent relationship with Walker had granted her a new ease when dealing with Picard. Consciously, it seemed that less was at stake when they spoke. In the back of her mind however, she had never spoken to him about anything personal without red- alert klaxons blaring through the conversation.
"Very well. First, I would like to apologize for my actions on Cambria V. I was, inflexible."
"Un-necessarily strict? Unreasonable?" Her eyes glinted, but not without merriment.
"Yes Doctor, I see your point. In any case, I would like to apologize."
"Accepted. Anything else, while you're at it?"
Now Picard was ruffled. Just what the hell had she been expecting? "Have you nothing to say yourself, Doctor?"
She was still smarting from his abandonment at the inn at Starbase 202, and refused to bring it up if he could not see the error of his own ways. But she had done her share of yelling over the Cambria incident. "One might say that I was a bit inflexible myself at Cambria V."
"Unreasonable? Insubordinate? Stubborn?"
"Yes, I think that describes it." She nodded her head in deference. "I apologize." She meant it. She could not stay mad. But she refused to yield fully - there was still too much hurt.
A heavy silence lingered between them.
Picard cleared his throat. "Now then, where were we?" His tone indicated a clear double entendre. Now he was back on the offensive.
Her eyebrow arched. Were they forever doomed to this intolerable flirtatious dialog? She also thought of Walker. He had been so sweet this morning. He reminded her of a basset hound. Well, a very attractive basset hound.
"We, Captain, are having breakfast, which I'm glad to see you have time for now." Fine then. She would bring it up.
"I was not aware I had been so busy." He puzzled - where was she going with this?
"Well, you certainly seemed busy the morning our shore leave ended."
Certainly she could not mean this past leave. He thought back. That night, when they had parted after dinner, he had asked her about the morning. When he'd woken, there had been an urgent message from the Enterprise. He'd left a message for her at her room - had she not gotten it?
"Beverly, has this entire row been over the morning after.... the morning after we had dinner at the village?!" He was shocked. This whole miserable fight - everything over a missed note!
Crusher was completely put out. "I must say Jean-Luc, it's revealing to know you take my disappointment so lightly!" A flush had appeared on her face. Picard was on the verge of losing control of the situation.
"Beverly, there was an emergency on the ship that morning. I left a message at your room to meet me for breakfast on board. I couldn't wait to see you. When you didn't arrive at the time I'd specified, I assumed you were too busy. I admit I was a little disappointed myself. It may have," he paused, "influenced my actions at Cambria V. I'm guessing yours as well?"
Beverly didn't know whether to laugh or cry. They both sat silently, regarding each other. Something had again shifted between them. An old comfort settled in. Beverly had to keep reminding herself of Walker, looking so warmly at her this morning. Now she was in a jam.
Her tone was quiet. "Jean-Luc,"
"Beverly, when we parted, I left with a hope," Picard's voice was thick. If only he were staring down a Romulan, and not the love of his life before him. "I had hoped that we might, perhaps, move forward in exploring feelings I believe to be mutual."
Now Beverly knew she wanted to cry. It was not fair. Would they never be blessed with good timing? "Jean-Luc, since that time, there have been complications."
"Beverly, that brings me to my second reason for inviting you here today." Picard was now way out on a limb.
What could Jean-Luc have to say about Walker? Surely he didn't expect her to cast him aside like yesterday's news? She had more respect for all of them than to behave that way, and thought he did too.
There was no levity in him now. "Beverly," he paused. This was what was referred to as the point of no return. He stood, walked to his desk, and handed her a padd. It would be useless to try and tell her the suspicions about Walker. She'd need to see it for herself, in black and white. As she read, he spoke. "I have known you for the better part of 25 years, Beverly. You are an inexorable part of my life. I bring this to you against orders, and this must be kept confidential. I trust you implicitly, and I hope I have that same faith from you. I need your helping in verifying or disproving this information."
She finished, and looked up. Her eyes were cold, her cheeks flushed, and the air about her seemed to crackle. Jean-Luc Picard could have sworn, that in his cabin, he heard a branch snap.
*********
Deanna Troi was breakfasting with Will Riker that morning, whose cabin was on the same deck and just down from Picard's. They had been chatting amiably. Troi always sensed a certain general impression of the ship's crewmembers. It was an emotional 'white noise' that always stayed in the back of her mind. Occasionally there were peaks and valleys. At the moment, she was experiencing a definite peak. There were two very strong emotions coming through. Anger and panic. Shrugging it off, she continued with breakfast.
*********
"Beverly." Picard assumed an authoritative tone. Now it would do no good to show any weakness.
Crusher rose from her chair and slammed the padd on the table. Her words flew from her. "Don't you Beverly me, Jean-Luc Picard. You call me here, ostensibly to apologize. You bait me, and then try and hook me with this? Accusations about Walker? What did you hope for?" She laughed in disgust. "That I would see the error of my ways and come running back to you? Do you think so little of me? This evidence is all circumstantial. And you're an ass for treating me, for trying to use me, this way."
"Beverly, be reasonable. You know that I would never seek to manipulate you. Look at the facts in aggregate. I took a risk bringing this to you." He hoped anything would sink in. He took a step toward her.
"Just stop right there, Captain." She shook her head and held up her hand. "Walker is a dear man, and I love him. I will not have you manufacturing evidence to slander him, and I will not participate in this." The words felt all wrong as they came out. That was a lie. But damned if Jean-Luc Picard would ever know that.
It had been a monumental mistake to bring this to her. He believed that she would trust him unquestioningly, and hoped that they might be able to work together to find out for whom Walker was working, and what his plan was. Again, he could not believe he had so misjudged her.
When she again spoke, her voice was barely above a whisper. She stood inches from him, and her eyes never left his. "When I leave this cabin, I will never speak of this again. And, if I'm lucky, I will never speak to you again." Now there was a bold statement. Just hearing the words caused Beverly's heart to freeze.
Jean-Luc was stunned, and he stood motionless as she stalked out of his cabin.
*********
Reaching her cabin, Beverly found Walker still finishing his morning coffee. She ran to him.
Internally, Walker chuckled. The morning could not have gone better if he'd scripted it himself.
*********
Leaving Will's cabin, Troi again felt an emotional spike. This time however, it was heading right toward her. Before she could speak, Beverly had practically run past her, tears streaming down her face. She looked down the hall to see Picard standing just outside his quarters. Slowly, she approached.
"Captain?" Her face was a study in worry. His was beyond interpretation.
"I believe, counselor, that I have just made a grave mistake."
*********
And of course, Paramount = Q = omnipotent = only fun, no profit.
*********
Sabotage II Chapter Three
*********
The Enterprise and Cuyahoga spent days repairing their battered ships before setting course for Starbase 202. Starfleet Command had been duly outraged at the ambush, and promptly sent two battleships to the M'dar homeworld to deal with the government, who had taken full responsibility this time, claiming it for the glory of the M'dar people. The result of the mission was yet undetermined, but seemed to be going Starfleet's way.
The extent of the internal damage was as yet un-assessed. None of the crew believed to have been responsible for the sabotage on the five ships had any previous infractions on their records, no similarities, or any indication that they had been anything but solid officers before the affair. After a day in the brig, Wood had confessed. Starfleet was at this moment initiating a comprehensive investigation of all junior level personnel, and coordinating an investigation of senior officers. The task was Herculean, and suspicion within the ranks was rampant.
Once again, the damaged Enterprise limped into spacedock at Starbase 202 for repairs and leave. They had spent yet another week planetside, but the crew had begun to show signs of wear. Jean-Luc Picard was no exception.
*********
"Come."
"Captain, I have discovered certain facts that I believe you might be interested in."
"Certainly Mr. Data, what is it?" Picard's eyebrows rose. He had been assigned a temporary office on the Starbase while the Enterprise underwent repairs. A steady stream of visitors had left him drained. While Data was often rather wordy with explanations, he rarely brought irrelevant matters directly to the Captain.
"Sir, I have checked these findings several times, and presented them to Commander Riker." The android's tone was reluctant.
"Please continue, Data."
"I have been further investigating the shield malfunction and suspicious events on the Enterprise. While I was able to corroborate the evidence against Ensign Wood, I also postulated an alternate theory indicating that Wood might have acted with an accomplice."
Now he had Picard's full attention. "An accomplice, Mr. Data?"
"Yes sir. Three separate facts lead me to speculate that Lieutenant Walker may have been involved."
Picard sat back in his chair and exhaled loudly. This was something he did not want to hear, at all. "Data, this is a serious accusation."
"I know sir. I would not have brought this to you if I were not fairly certain. The evidence is circumstantial, but there is a significant amount, and it is verifiable."
"Very well then. What have you found?"
"The most significant discovery would be the data transmissions from the Enterprise. If you'll recall, Ensign Wood's quarters contained a subspace transmitter, and records of outgoing messages were found. After uncovering the subsequent evidence, I rechecked the transmissions. Inspection reveals that those transmissions were all created and stored in one download. In essence, they are forgeries. Given this fact, I set out to determine whether there were any unaccounted for transmissions from the Enterprise. There were. And all originated from stations adjacent to Lieutenant Walker's quarters, using a forged access code. Only senior staff have that level of clearance. All transmissions were made at times when computer logs indicate Lieutenant Walker was alone."
"Mysterious, but not conclusive Data."
"If I may sir, there is more."
"Please."
"The energy pulse that activated the shield malfunction, upon first inspection could have been originated from Wood's station in engineering. It also could have been originated from the tactical station on the main bridge. Signals were sent from both stations simultaneously immediately prior to the attack. It is impossible to determine which caused the failure."
Picard's face appeared to be carved from stone. He listened silently.
"Finally, sir, there is a matter of unexplained credits in Lieutenant Walker's Starfleet account. One month before boarding the Enterprise, a large amount of credit was transferred through his account and quickly passed to accounts held by members of his family. I investigated the origin, and found that the money was deposited by a Ferengi trader who works primarily in the sector controlled by the M'dar."
"You looked into his accounts?"
"I did so after uncovering the other evidence. I was attempting to assuage my suspicions. None of the information is conclusive. However, viewed as a whole, the facts are troubling."
"Indeed Mr. Data." Picard's hands were steepled under his chin. He pondered Data skeptically. Finally, he spoke. "Thank you for bringing this to my attention, Data. Download a copy of this information to my files. Please continue with your investigation, and mention this to no one. I will follow- up with Commander Riker."
"Yes sir."
Data's evidence was not conclusive. But it did raise significant questions. Starfleet Command would need to be notified, of that there was no question. The question that did remain - who else should Picard speak to?
*********
"Walker, that was excellent!"
"I'm glad you approve, Beverly. I like to keep you well-fed."
"And why is that?"
"Well, first of all, you're skinny enough. I don't want to see you wasting away, and I know you don't eat when you're busy." He smiled at Crusher as he cleared plates from the table. "And secondly, I want to make sure you keep your energy up." That remark he accompanied with a licentious wink.
"That's very considerate." Crusher rose and made her way to the kitchen where Walker was cleaning up. Putting her arms as far around him as she could reach, she led him away from the sink. "Let's leave these for the morning."
Both Crusher and Walker had been extremely busy when the Enterprise initially docked. Within the week however, their duties had tapered off. They agreed to take a few days leave and rent a cabin on the planet. Beverly had not been so completely relaxed or enjoyed herself more in years. Jean-Luc had not disappeared, but was far from her thoughts. She found her anger had almost subsided.
*********
"Admiral, I'm sorry to bother you at this hour."
"What can I do for you, Captain?"
"I'm contacting you to confirm that you have received the information I transmitted early. It was first brought to my attention by my second officer, Lieutenant Commander Data. It implicates my Chief of Security, Jack Walker, in the M'dar affair."
"I have received it, and it has been reviewed." Necheyev sat quietly and did not respond immediately.
"Do you have a recommendation for action?" Picard leaned forward expectantly.
"At this time, we advise you to take no action, but to observe Mr. Walker closely." She seemed disinclined to expound.
"Take no action, Admiral? I am concerned for the safety of my crew." 'One member in particular,' he thought.
"Take no action Picard, and keep this information strictly confidential. We have reason to believe that there were accomplices on the other ships, and still on ships that are currently active in the sector. We want to see where this goes. We're going to keep you in spacedock as long as possible. Stay on your toes, and wait for further orders. Necheyev out."
Picard angrily closed his connection and rose. Striding to the replicator, he ordered tea, and paced back to the table. He set it down, but did not sit. He turned to stare out at the stars. As captain, he continually made difficult and critical decisions. He found this one particularly troubling. He rubbed at the back of his neck, and finally tapped his chest.
"Picard to Riker."
"Riker here Captain."
"Will, can you stop by for a minute?"
"Absolutely sir. I'll be right over." Riker immediately read the tension in his Captain's voice.
*********
"I can't believe that Starfleet would simply let a suspected saboteur run loose on the Enterprise." Riker had stood from his original spot on the couch in the Captain's temporary office.
"There is no hard evidence, Will. And Starfleet is hoping that someone will slip up and overplay their hand." Picard spoke quietly, calmly. One of the finest points of his relationship with Will Riker stemmed from the balance their personalities struck. Picard found that Will's raw emotions helped him remain calm and focused on a problem.
"I wish Worf were still here." Riker sat again, petulant.
"As do I, Commander." There was a faraway look in the Captain's eye.
Suddenly, a sly grin appeared on Riker's face. "That's not all you called me in here to talk about, is it sir? You're worried about Beverly." The origin of the Captain's concern was clearly the Doctor's relationship with Walker - but to confront Picard with that outright would have been suicide.
For a moment Picard considered playing innocent, then reconsidered. It would only delay the inevitable. "Admiral Necheyev was clear with her orders. I am to tell no one. You were already aware of the situation. But if I take this to Dr. Crusher, it might very well expose our knowledge to Walker."
"Beverly's first duty is to this ship and her crew sir. She can be trusted - and you know that. But you're worried about how she might take it."
"To say the least. As you may have noticed, we've had a falling out as of late."
"Permission to speak freely, sir?"
"Always, Will."
"It would be hard not to notice. The entire crew has noticed."
Picard winced. "That bad, Number One?"
Riker did not speak to confirm the statement - he didn't need to. But Picard seemed deeply troubled. "We're a family on the Enterprise sir. We've all grown very close. The crew thinks no less of you. They're concerned in a way that's typical whenever you see two people you care about unhappy with each other." Now he was beginning to sound like Troi. He backed off and let Picard ruminate.
The Captain sat motionless, silent for a few minutes. "Technically, there is nothing I can do. I have no choice but to obey the Admiral's orders. Personally however, I have been irresponsible. And it's time to fix that. Thank you, Number One."
"Anytime sir." Riker stood with a slight smile, one that was reflected hesitantly on the older man's face. "Please let me know if there's anything I can do." With that he exited, and Picard turned to again face the stars. Suddenly, his eyes changed, and became dark. He had once told Beverly that there was a way out of every box, and a solution to every puzzle. He believed he had cracked the code to this entire conundrum. The only key was trust - how much did Beverly trust him?
*********
The crew had returned to the Enterprise, and were scheduled to depart the next day for a system mapping mission in the Beta Gamma sector. Picard had been frustrated when Crusher and Walker had returned from shore leave appearing very content, and, he hated to admit, happy. Picard walked through the entire ship, speaking with each department head as he did so. He would not leave Starbase until he was absolutely sure the Enterprise was back in prime condition. And, he was delaying his stop to sickbay for as long as he could.
Finally, he stepped through the doors. Dramatically, a hush fell over the room. 'Merde,' he thought. "As you were, crewmen." The officers looked properly chastised and resumed their work. He walked toward Crusher's office, becoming more and less sure with himself at every step.
Behind her desk, Beverly recognized Picard's voice immediately. Her heart sped imperceptibly, and she mentally steeled herself for the encounter. They had literally spoken two sentences to each other in the previous week, both over comm. badge. They had perhaps spoken personally only once or twice in the entire month prior to that. It was an interminable situation.
"Doctor Crusher."
"Captain Picard." She stood as he entered.
"Please Doctor, sit."
She did so and motioned for him to do the same. Grudgingly, she admitted to herself that she had missed him.
"I won't take up much of your time, Doctor - "
Before he could finish, she interjected. "Good. As you can see, we're quite busy in here." Beverly kicked herself internally - what the hell was the matter with her? There was no need to be rude.
"Yes." Picard kicked himself internally. This was not going well. For a second, he reconsidered. No - this was too important to let her chase him off. She was just being stubborn. He loved her for it - and, right now, hated her for it as well.
"I came here simply to extend an invitation to breakfast, Beverly. I've missed your company." His eyes were warm. Sitting before her, he possessed all the hope and embarrassment of a small boy asking his favorite grammar school teacher to dinner.
Crusher's heart melted, and her expression softened. "That's a kind invitation, Captain. I accept." Was he finally extending the olive branch?
Picard seemed assured. "Very well then - tomorrow morning, my quarters?"
"Yes, that would be fine." Beverly even gave him a smile, though she was still demure and uncertain.
"I'll see you then." Picard stood for a moment, as though to say something more, then turned and exited. Now a bit preoccupied, Beverly returned to her work.
*********
"Actually, we used to have breakfast every morning. It became quite a ritual."
Walker opened a bottle of wine and poured two glasses, handing one to Beverly and sitting next to her on the couch.
"Well, I'll be sorry to give you up early tomorrow morning, but I guess there's no fighting the Captain."
"Only if you're as crazy as I am." Beverly gave a rueful smile.
"You're about as crazy as a fox, Beverly Crusher." Walker was done with conversation, and setting down his glass, took hers as well. Minutes later, they retreated to the bedroom.
*********
Hours later, Walker rose from the bed. Silently, he put on his uniform. He knew it was early yet for her insomnia to kick in - he had time. Using Crusher to throw off Picard had been brilliant - not to mention fun. The man would think twice before confronting him, and had been distracted for an entire month.
Walker made his way out of the cabin, and to a science station nearby. He'd been lucky when they began spending more time in Beverly's quarters. It allowed him to vary the location of his transmissions without roaming the ship at all hours.
"T'par to M'dar. All seems well. I await the signal." He was curious about Crusher's breakfast with the Captain. What had prompted the sudden attempt at reconciliation? It was time to dig the trench a little deeper.
*********
Beverly woke the next morning with an odd tingle in her stomach. She was nervous. Sensing her movement, Walker rolled over.
"Good morning."
"Good morning to you." Glancing at the chronometer, Beverly prepared to make a hasty retreat to the shower.
"Not so fast there, young lady." Walker beamed at her.
"I've got to get going, Walker!" She giggled and pushed him away.
"Not before I say my peace." Now he seemed serious, earnest.
"Now, don't feel like you need to say anything. I know I'm jumping the gun, and I know I'm probably just being a romantic. But I wanted to tell you something."
"What is it, Walker?" Beverly had an idea of what was coming, and she wasn't sure she wanted to hear it. Still, she'd enjoyed these last weeks. She felt calm.
He grinned sheepishly. "I've been wanting to say it a couple days now, but it seemed like overkill while we were on the planet. But, now, well, Beverly, I love you."
She froze. Trying not to look like a deer in the headlights, and recovering quickly, she stammered. "Walker, I, that's so sweet." Did she love him? Honestly, she hadn't even thought about it. He was a warm man, and charming. Handsome, fun, youthful. He was a catch. Why was she holding back?
"Well, like I said. I just wanted to let you know." He'd caught her off guard, and he knew it. Excellent.
Beverly kissed him passionately. She'd told herself a month ago to move on, and it was time.
"Ma'am, if you don't quit that, I'm never going to let you out of bed."
"Sorry. Walker - I,"
"It's OK Beverly. Now scoot on out of here - you're going to be late."
She gave an embarrassed smile and squeezed his hand as she got out of bed.
*********
By the time she reached Picard's quarters, she had almost completely gathered her wits about her. The butterflies in her stomach over Walker's profession had been replaced by a nervous tidal wave of anticipation. Was she ready to mend her fences with Picard? What would he say? Would he apologize, or was he expecting a mea culpa from her?
In his quarters, Picard paced nervously. Coffee and croissants sat at the ready. He had been up for over an hour, rehearsing what he would say in a million different ways. Unfortunately, he knew everything he'd practiced would fly from his mind the moment he saw her. He started when the chime rang. Was it time already? He plastered on a serene expression. It was a complete falsehood.
"Come."
Beverly entered. Well, the Captain seemed calm enough. She supposed she could make it through one breakfast. Times like these made her wish she still had those implants from KesPryt. Or at least was ΒΌ Betazed.
"Good morning." Her expression was inquisitive, and her voice lilted musically. 'Nervously' is how Beverly would have described it.
"I'm glad you could make it Beverly, please sit down." It seemed like forever since she'd heard him say her name. It gave her courage.
"So Jean-Luc, are we going to pretend all morning that nothing has happened, or have I been invited here to talk?" Bold! Where had that come from? Crusher congratulated herself. Picard was completely discombobulated.
Picard tried to continue. "I would have to say the latter. But I suppose I had expected some informal pleasantries." Hearing her speak his name again had been divine. Mentally shaking his head, he reminded himself to stay on task. This was not about them - this was about her. And Jack Walker. He would need to re-establish some common ground before anything regarding that subject could be broached.
"I've never been one to mince words, Captain. You know that." She took a sip of her coffee and buttered her croissant. She'd gained the upper hand and was now coasting until he recovered. Her recent relationship with Walker had granted her a new ease when dealing with Picard. Consciously, it seemed that less was at stake when they spoke. In the back of her mind however, she had never spoken to him about anything personal without red- alert klaxons blaring through the conversation.
"Very well. First, I would like to apologize for my actions on Cambria V. I was, inflexible."
"Un-necessarily strict? Unreasonable?" Her eyes glinted, but not without merriment.
"Yes Doctor, I see your point. In any case, I would like to apologize."
"Accepted. Anything else, while you're at it?"
Now Picard was ruffled. Just what the hell had she been expecting? "Have you nothing to say yourself, Doctor?"
She was still smarting from his abandonment at the inn at Starbase 202, and refused to bring it up if he could not see the error of his own ways. But she had done her share of yelling over the Cambria incident. "One might say that I was a bit inflexible myself at Cambria V."
"Unreasonable? Insubordinate? Stubborn?"
"Yes, I think that describes it." She nodded her head in deference. "I apologize." She meant it. She could not stay mad. But she refused to yield fully - there was still too much hurt.
A heavy silence lingered between them.
Picard cleared his throat. "Now then, where were we?" His tone indicated a clear double entendre. Now he was back on the offensive.
Her eyebrow arched. Were they forever doomed to this intolerable flirtatious dialog? She also thought of Walker. He had been so sweet this morning. He reminded her of a basset hound. Well, a very attractive basset hound.
"We, Captain, are having breakfast, which I'm glad to see you have time for now." Fine then. She would bring it up.
"I was not aware I had been so busy." He puzzled - where was she going with this?
"Well, you certainly seemed busy the morning our shore leave ended."
Certainly she could not mean this past leave. He thought back. That night, when they had parted after dinner, he had asked her about the morning. When he'd woken, there had been an urgent message from the Enterprise. He'd left a message for her at her room - had she not gotten it?
"Beverly, has this entire row been over the morning after.... the morning after we had dinner at the village?!" He was shocked. This whole miserable fight - everything over a missed note!
Crusher was completely put out. "I must say Jean-Luc, it's revealing to know you take my disappointment so lightly!" A flush had appeared on her face. Picard was on the verge of losing control of the situation.
"Beverly, there was an emergency on the ship that morning. I left a message at your room to meet me for breakfast on board. I couldn't wait to see you. When you didn't arrive at the time I'd specified, I assumed you were too busy. I admit I was a little disappointed myself. It may have," he paused, "influenced my actions at Cambria V. I'm guessing yours as well?"
Beverly didn't know whether to laugh or cry. They both sat silently, regarding each other. Something had again shifted between them. An old comfort settled in. Beverly had to keep reminding herself of Walker, looking so warmly at her this morning. Now she was in a jam.
Her tone was quiet. "Jean-Luc,"
"Beverly, when we parted, I left with a hope," Picard's voice was thick. If only he were staring down a Romulan, and not the love of his life before him. "I had hoped that we might, perhaps, move forward in exploring feelings I believe to be mutual."
Now Beverly knew she wanted to cry. It was not fair. Would they never be blessed with good timing? "Jean-Luc, since that time, there have been complications."
"Beverly, that brings me to my second reason for inviting you here today." Picard was now way out on a limb.
What could Jean-Luc have to say about Walker? Surely he didn't expect her to cast him aside like yesterday's news? She had more respect for all of them than to behave that way, and thought he did too.
There was no levity in him now. "Beverly," he paused. This was what was referred to as the point of no return. He stood, walked to his desk, and handed her a padd. It would be useless to try and tell her the suspicions about Walker. She'd need to see it for herself, in black and white. As she read, he spoke. "I have known you for the better part of 25 years, Beverly. You are an inexorable part of my life. I bring this to you against orders, and this must be kept confidential. I trust you implicitly, and I hope I have that same faith from you. I need your helping in verifying or disproving this information."
She finished, and looked up. Her eyes were cold, her cheeks flushed, and the air about her seemed to crackle. Jean-Luc Picard could have sworn, that in his cabin, he heard a branch snap.
*********
Deanna Troi was breakfasting with Will Riker that morning, whose cabin was on the same deck and just down from Picard's. They had been chatting amiably. Troi always sensed a certain general impression of the ship's crewmembers. It was an emotional 'white noise' that always stayed in the back of her mind. Occasionally there were peaks and valleys. At the moment, she was experiencing a definite peak. There were two very strong emotions coming through. Anger and panic. Shrugging it off, she continued with breakfast.
*********
"Beverly." Picard assumed an authoritative tone. Now it would do no good to show any weakness.
Crusher rose from her chair and slammed the padd on the table. Her words flew from her. "Don't you Beverly me, Jean-Luc Picard. You call me here, ostensibly to apologize. You bait me, and then try and hook me with this? Accusations about Walker? What did you hope for?" She laughed in disgust. "That I would see the error of my ways and come running back to you? Do you think so little of me? This evidence is all circumstantial. And you're an ass for treating me, for trying to use me, this way."
"Beverly, be reasonable. You know that I would never seek to manipulate you. Look at the facts in aggregate. I took a risk bringing this to you." He hoped anything would sink in. He took a step toward her.
"Just stop right there, Captain." She shook her head and held up her hand. "Walker is a dear man, and I love him. I will not have you manufacturing evidence to slander him, and I will not participate in this." The words felt all wrong as they came out. That was a lie. But damned if Jean-Luc Picard would ever know that.
It had been a monumental mistake to bring this to her. He believed that she would trust him unquestioningly, and hoped that they might be able to work together to find out for whom Walker was working, and what his plan was. Again, he could not believe he had so misjudged her.
When she again spoke, her voice was barely above a whisper. She stood inches from him, and her eyes never left his. "When I leave this cabin, I will never speak of this again. And, if I'm lucky, I will never speak to you again." Now there was a bold statement. Just hearing the words caused Beverly's heart to freeze.
Jean-Luc was stunned, and he stood motionless as she stalked out of his cabin.
*********
Reaching her cabin, Beverly found Walker still finishing his morning coffee. She ran to him.
Internally, Walker chuckled. The morning could not have gone better if he'd scripted it himself.
*********
Leaving Will's cabin, Troi again felt an emotional spike. This time however, it was heading right toward her. Before she could speak, Beverly had practically run past her, tears streaming down her face. She looked down the hall to see Picard standing just outside his quarters. Slowly, she approached.
"Captain?" Her face was a study in worry. His was beyond interpretation.
"I believe, counselor, that I have just made a grave mistake."
*********