Another Favor

Star Trek: The Next Generation, all characters and ideas there associated are the sole ownership of someone that's not me.
All original ideas and characters contained in the following story are the sole property of J.L. Scott.

"Geordi and Data would like another day to finish up what they're doing" Will told Captain Picard. Jean-Luc, on the Bridge of his own ship, nodded.
"Geordi mentioned he might like Wesley and perhaps the twins to take a look at the modifications to see anything pops out at them" The turbolift doors slid open just then and Raylyn walked onto her Bridge. Will nodded at her.
"Commander"
"Captain" Ray nodded back and then turned to the view screen.
"Good morning, Raylyn" Jean-Luc nodded as well.
"Good morning, Papa" Ray responded cheerfully.
"The Captain and I were just discussing how much longer they might be with us" Will informed her.
"I believe we have imparted all the information we can" Jean-Luc admitted, "Commander LaForge and Commander Data requested another day to examine their modifications"
"I'm sure that can be arranged" Raylyn replied formally, "Q has been hanging around ever since he brought you here. I expect he'd enjoy another day's amusement"
"I wasn't aware that Q was still here" Jean-Luc admitted. He was more than a bit surprised. In his own universe, had Q been there the entire week there would have been no doubt. He would have been popping in and out all over both ships.
"Oh he wasn't going to abandon this spectacle" Will retorted.
"He had a fondness for watching us struggle" Raylyn added.
"Now that I'm aware of" Jean-Luc replied.
Before Will or Raylyn could answer, a small beep from their tactical station had them turning.
"Sir!" Worf called from his own tactical station, "Three Klingon Birds of Prey are approaching"
"Lieutenant?" Will turned to their own security officer. The woman nodded.
"Why are the Klingons out here?" Raylyn muttered.
"Could the Fleet have heard about the attack?" Will suggested, "Sent them out to lend a hand?"
"No" his wife answered, "They're agitated."
"The Klingons are your allies, are they not?" Jean-Luc asked.
"Yes, but...they're a suspicious race." Will answered, and then, seemingly realizing what he'd said, he nodded at Worf on the other ship and added, "No offense" Worf didn't reply, but sort of nodded in acknowledgement.
"Captain?" Will looked down at his wife. A slow, mischievous smile that he recognized but hadn't seen in years, was spreading across her face. He knew he was in for it now.
"I have an idea"
"So I guessed" Will replied.
"What are you thinking, Commander?" Jean-Luc asked. Raylyn's eyes were glittering with anticipation. Will hadn't seen her so excited in a very long time, not since before J.W. was born. Motherhood had mellowed her, but everyday he saw the wild, adventurous girl he had first fallen in love with struggling to get out. He wasn't about to deny that woman life. In less than a split second he decided to go along with whatever it was she wanted to do. So it was he didn't even raise and eyebrow when Raylyn turned to her father and said:
"Papa, can we borrow Worf for a bit?"

The Bridge crew were all trying to look as if they had no idea the Klingons were even out there. Data was doing his calculations at Opps, Will was looking over the last of the repair reports and Raylyn and Deanna were carrying on a silent conversation.
"You know if this is Duras or any of his supporters this isn't going to work" Will said without looking up from his reports.
"Well, then, we'll just have to hope it's not Duras" Raylyn replied, more than a hint of amusement in her voice.
/You're having fun!/ Deanna accused.
/Of course I am!/ Ray replied with another smile, /I haven't done anything this fun in years!/ Her Imzadi had noticed more than Will the dimming of that fire that used to swell out of control in her breast. Not that it had burnt out, more that it had steadied. And while there was no doubt that Raylyn was very happy with her life, her husband and her Imzadi occasionally felt her longing for wilder days. So Deanna just smiled and prayed that this insane idea, like so many of Ray's others, would turn out just as she planned.
The Klingons drew closer. The Bridge crew continued on with their work, innocent as you like. Lt. Mar-Rio, security, announced as soon as the ships had reached hailing distance and 3 seconds later the head ship was hailing them.
"On screen" Will ordered and he stood. Raylyn remained seated, but the Captain knew she wished she could be the one to do this.
"Gowron" Will nodded at the Klingon who's face appeared on the view screen. He hoped he was doing an adequate job of hiding his relief. He hadn't played a good game of poker in a while.
"Captain Riker" Gowron inclined his own head, "It seems something peculiar is going on here"
"Peculiar? In what way?" Will asked. He, of course, knew exactly what the Klingon was talking about, but Gowron would expect him to hedge, so that was exactly what he was going to do.
"Our sensors have detected some strange things from the other Federation Flagship" His use of the word "Flagship" immediately alerted everyone to the fact that Gowron had least figured out part of the puzzle.
"Ah, that" Will nodded, playing Ray's game, "Yes. Might I suggest a meeting to discuss those readings?"
"Aboard your ship, I suppose" Gowron for a second, looked as if he would say no. His lips curled slightly, "Yes. I'll transport over immediately"
"Splendid" Will replied and the image blinked out. The Captain sighed and turned to his First Officer.
"Well, Commander, you've run into some luck" he paused and raised a brow, "Again" Ray was holding back a grin.
"Luck. Protects small children, ships named Enterprise, and little girls named Raylyn Picard!" she chuckled.
"Come on. We'd better get down to the transporter room" Will said, "Mr. Data, please alert Mr. Worf."

"Aye, sir" the android replied and rose from his seat.
"Deanna, you have the Bridge"
"Aye, sir" his cousin replied and then Will followed Ray off the Bridge. They were just in time for Gowron to miss their entrance.
"Councilor Gowron, welcome on board" Will greeted their guest, "I believe you know my first officer, Commander Picard" Gowron had once hidden Raylyn in his own home, as a favor to Worf. A group of Klingons had been trying to ignite a war between the Federation and the Klingon Empire. Their plan had been to assassinate the daughter of the Federation's most prominent captain: Raylyn. She had been barely 19 at the time. Still, in the week she spent under Gowron's care she had greatly impressed the Klingon. He had even shown up at her wedding, alongside Worf. She was the only human he truly admired, or even trusted.
"A pleasure, Commander, as always" Somehow the man made the greeting sound sinister, despite its usual friendly Raylyn personally, he had no love for Starfleet. One of his biggest gripes with Worf was the Chancellor's connections with Starfleet through his adoptive parents and his close friendship with Jean-Luc Picard. Still, he had supported Worf over Duras, who very few Klingons trusted to follow their strict Code of Honor anymore. "Well, shall we?" Will suggested, gesturing for the Councilor to precede him. Their journey to the Bridge was quiet and uneventful. Ray's eyes were dancing. Will was worried about what would happen if Gowron discovered their plot.
/He would think it was a stroke of tactical genius/ his wife assured him. All he could do was square his shoulders in reply. They led Gowron across the Bridge to the observation lounge. Ray could feel his patience waning as they all took seats.
"Now. That ship. It's an exact replica of the Enterprise, right down to the designation painted across its hull!" Gowron growled, "What is going on here?"
"I believe there is someone better to explain that" Raylyn answered. Right on cue, the doors separated and in walked Worf, decked out in full Klingon regalia. He was an impressive sight, holding himself rigidly beneath the layers of warrior's uniform and honor medals. Gowron stood immediately. Raylyn could feel his shock and spurt of suspicion.
"Chancellor!" he growled. Worf walked around him and took the seat Will had just vacated.
"Gowron" he replied calmly. Gowron did not return to his seat. He was growing more confused, and thus angrier, by the second. If he'd been human, he'd have been sputtering.
"I believed you were on the home world" he finally managed.
"That was my intention" Worf replied. There was a lengthy pause, in which no on said anything. Gowron would not ask questions of the Chancellor, the Chancellor would not offer explanations to an underling, and the two Federation representatives had no right to interfere. Not that they weren't going to anyway.
"Chancellor Worf has been providing his support in our effort to fight the Borg" Will finally declared. Gowron glowered and lowered into his seat again.
"The Borg?"
"We've been collecting information, developing better weapons and strategy to fight them with" Ray expounded.
"Here?" Gowron sneered, "In the middle of nowhere?"
"The remote location was necessary to keep the operation a secret" Will said.
"Secret?" Gowron growled. Ray could feel his hackles raise. What explanation could they provide? The, apparently, didn't have to.
"Gowron" Worf snapped, "I want you to return to your duties" Gowron erased the snarl from his lips. He rose swiftly from his seat. He glowered at them all for a moment.
"Chancellor, Captain" he nodded at each of the men and then stormed out. As soon as the doors had closed behind him, there was a bright flash of light and Q was sitting in his place.
"Well, that was fun!" he exclaimed.
"Hmm. That's exactly what I was going to say" Raylyn replied, a grin spreading across her face.
"Well, you know what they say about great minds" Q observed.
"I had better go contact the Chancellor" Will said without looking at Q. He kissed the top of his wife's head as he passed, and left for his ready room.
"If you no longer require me, I'll return to my ship" Worf said.
"Of course. Thank you for your help" Raylyn replied with a happy smile.
"It was...my pleasure, Commander" the Klingon admitted, and then he too was gone.
"Even pea brain enjoyed that one" Q commented.
"Don't call him 'pea-brain' Q" Ray scolded.
"But really, having him impersonate himself? Not much risk in that, now was there? I can remember a time where you would have come up with something much more daring" He cocked his head at her, "I think you're getting rusty" Ray smiled indulgently.
"I assume by your appearance our time with Enterprise has come to an end"
"All good things, my dear" Q said, rising from his chair to stare out the window. You could see the other Enterprise very clearly from this position.
"Well, it was nice to see Papa again" Q twisted just a bit to study her for a second. He knew how hard her father's death had hit her.
"Actually, I was just on my way to see dear Jean-Luc" he informed her.
"Just don't blink them away before we all get the chance to say goodbye" Ray instructed him, heading out to the Bridge where she had work to do, "Humans require closer"
The doors closed behind her and the room was empty.