Dvorovoi Part Seven
By Karen Page
The small ship was silent while they each contemplated their new situation. They all knew now that nothing about this mission would be logged in the computer and that they didn't have Starfleet's help to back them up should the need arise.
Jean-Luc's gaze had never wavered from Bailey's. He had just found out that Bailey obviously knew something about his relationship with Beverly. He wanted desperately to know how much she knew and what Beverly had told her, but couldn't bring himself to ask.
As he watched her, staring into those amazing violet eyes, he saw her internal struggle with her feelings. He could see she was about to lose it, and watched as a single tear glided down her cheek. Her bottom lip trembled and she bowed her head as she began to sob.
Thinking nothing of it, Jean-Luc pulled the young woman into his arms and held her as she cried. He remembered someone saying to him once 'Better out than in.' He glanced at Deanna who had sat back down at the table and was watching them. She smiled back at him encouragingly.
"I'm sorry," Bailey mumbled against his chest.
"You have nothing to feel sorry for," Jean-Luc replied in a soft voice. "Deanna and I are sorry for ignoring you earlier."
"You're forgiven," she said pulling away from his embrace and wiping away her tears with the back of her hand. "I know you can't trust me completely. You don't really know me. But even so, I can help. I know Devon. I know what he'll be thinking. True, he kept dark secrets from me, but I still know him."
"We would appreciate all the help you can give us," Jean-Luc said squeezing her arm affectionately.
Bailey smiled. "Well then," she said with determination. "We had better get busy. We've only got three hours now until we arrive."
Jean-Luc quirked an eyebrow at Deanna in amusement and sat down at the table with them to discuss the upcoming mission.
Beverly awoke to the sound of banging. Frowning, she rolled over in bed and slid out and onto the wooden floorboards. Realising she was naked, she quickly pulled on the thin dressing gown that she found on the end of the bed and cautiously ran down the spiral staircase to investigate where the banging was coming from.
She stopped in her tracks in the middle of the living room as she realised exactly where the banging was coming from. The front door. Someone was at the front door, and by the sounds of it, was impatient to get in.
Tightening her dressing gown she wandered up the steps to the front door and opened in a crack. The sight that greeted her, made her gasp.
"Ah! You are in after all," Jean-Luc said with a huge smile. "I thought maybe you had gone out for an early dinner or something."
"Jean-Luc!" Beverly exclaimed, still peering at him through the crack in the doorway.
"Can I come in?" he asked.
"Oh, sure…" she opened the door and allowed him to step inside, staring at him in bemusement.
Jean-Luc took in her appearance. She looked very well, a little dishevelled but other than that, perfectly normal. His first thought, was perhaps this had been a huge misunderstanding. "I hope you don't mind me dropping by," he said sweetly, looking her up and down while her eyes fixed on the Captain's Yacht moored on the plateau above the back garden, in the vast mountains. It was then he noticed how bright her eyes were. They were totally clear and a stunning shade of blue. Just like Bailey's he thought.
"I was a little worried at your sudden departure," he added when her gaze returned to him. "I suppose after what happened on the ship, you decided to get away before I cancelled all leave!" he laughed at his own joke.
"I'm… sorry about that," Beverly replied, taking his excuse as her own. "I was really looking forward to this break."
"I could tell," he laughed.
"So um…" Beverly mumbled finally shutting the door. "What are you doing here?" she asked looking at him, handsome in his civilian clothing.
"Well, just as you were leaving," he explained, trying to remember what exactly his, Deanna's and Bailey's explanation was. "We experienced a warp core breach. Which was why I was so annoyed at you for suddenly leaving. It set off a chain of smaller explosions all over the ship. Data and Geordi are still working on repairing the damage, so Counsellor Troi decided that it was high time I had some shore leave and packed me on my way. She seemed to think I was getting in the way with my impatience."
Beverly's face broke into a smile. "She sent you here?" she asked.
"Well not exactly," he replied. "She packed me off in the Yacht and told me not to come back for at least a fortnight. So there I was, heading nowhere in particular and decided to come and visit you for a bit. As I said, I hope you don't mind."
Beverly was a little suspicious, but didn't question him and simply nodded, pulling the dressing gown around her slender frame tighter self-consciously. Well aware of what Jean-Luc was probably able to see through the thin flowery gauzy material. "Well… I don't mind," she said silently cursing him. If Devon got the slightest inkling that Jean-Luc knew about him, Jean-Luc would probably turned up strangled to death just like Jamie Peitx.
Beverly was absolutely sure that Jean-Luc did indeed know all about Devon. It didn't take a genius to realise that her entire confrontation with Bailey shortly before the explosions had occurred had been recorded and most definitely reviewed by the senior staff. There was no doubt in her mind that Jean-Luc knew about Devon and had somehow arrived to rescue her.
Beverly tried to remain calm and offered Jean-Luc something to eat and drink. Jean-Luc accepted her offer and she showed him where the replicator was before taking a seat at the breakfast bar opposite him. Usually she would have gone upstairs to change immediately, but the thought of a confrontation with Devon kept her from doing so. So she remained seated in front of his and watched as he ate some French bread and brown onion soup.
"Aren't you going to have some?" he asked, trying not to let his concern show on his face.
"I'm not hungry," she replied, then realising that this must sound very suspicious especially coming from her, she added, "I just ate something a little while ago."
"Ahh," he replied. "I would have let you know I was coming, but I didn't know for sure where you were staying. I had to pull a few strings to find out."
Beverly nodded slowly, her gaze focused on the lounge that was out of Jean-Luc's site. Devon was standing in the middle of the lounge looking very angry in deed. "Are you staying in the yacht?" Beverly asked, turning her attention back to Jean-Luc.
Jean-Luc took the hint immediately. He knew it was her way of telling him he wasn't welcome to stay in the house. "I am," he replied. "I won't be here for long. Just a couple of days, then I am heading off to a nearby planet. There is a great archaeologically museum there that I wouldn't mind visiting."
"I am sorry to do this to you Jean-Luc," she said biting her bottom lip gently. "But I have plans tonight and must go and get ready. You want to meet me for breakfast out on the patio tomorrow morning and we can plan the days ahead."
"Okay," he said, smiling uncertainly. He didn't want to leave her this soon, but knowing Beverly wouldn't be getting rid of him unless she had a good reason, he agreed without making a scene. "About what time?" he asked as he polished off his soup.
Beverly arranged the time with him as she practically pushed him out the door. She didn't close the door on him though; she followed him outside and threw her arms around his shoulders. "I'll see you tomorrow then," she said softly, her startling blue eyes boring into his soul.
"Yes," he replied softly. "I'll be here."
Beverly pursed her lips, obviously in deep thought, before she leant forward and left a lingering kiss on his lips. "Bye," she whispered at his shocked face before disappearing inside and closing the door behind her.
He stood still for a moment contemplating what had just happened before signalling the yacht for beam up. He materialised in the main area of the yacht and found Bailey and Deanna impatiently waiting for him. They both had expectant looks on their faces.
Taking a seat at the table, he explained exactly what had happened, and afterwards sat back to hear what they had to say.
"She knows," Deanna said slowly.
"Knows what?" Jean-Luc replied.
"She knows that you know about Devon," Deanna explained.
"She most certainly does," Bailey added, and immediately Deanna's full intense gaze was upon her.
"The inhibiter has worn off!" Deanna snapped.
"So?" Bailey replied with a shrug. "I'm fine aren't I?"
"At the moment you are," Deanna replied angrily.
"Ladies please," Jean-Luc interrupted. "We can deal with that later. We have more pressing matters at hand to deal with," he fixed each of them with an intense look. Although they were no longer acting under Starfleet, it was clear that Jean-Luc was still the unspoken leader of the group.
"What we need to do is get Beverly on her own," Jean-Luc said after he was sure he had their undivided attention.
"That's going to be hard," Deanna replied. "We won't know if Devon is there or not. We can't see him."
"But I can," Bailey reminded them.
"We were advised to keep you out of sight," Jean-Luc replied.
"I know," Bailey snapped. "I was just thinking, that no matter what happens, Beverly and I still need to die anyway. What's the point in me keeping out of the way?"
"There must be a valid reason, or Pedro would never have said it," Deanna replied.
"Exactly," Jean-Luc replied, he took a deep sobering breath before continuing. "What we need is some kind of distraction."
"I could…" Bailey began.
"No Bailey," Jean-Luc replied. "We must keep you safe until we absolutely need to use you. I won't put your life on the line."
"So that means either you or I distract Devon," Deanna said with a frown. "How do we do that?"
"You can't," Bailey said bitterly.
"Bailey," Jean-Luc warned. "Give us a minute to think."
"I'm sorry Captain," Bailey replied. "But even if you made Deanna strip off and run buck naked round the swimming pool, Devon wouldn't bat a eyelid."
"Well I wouldn't do that!" Deanna replied with wide eyes.
"And I wouldn't ask you to," Jean-Luc replied narrowing his eyes at Bailey.
Bailey narrowed her eyes back at him. "Well I would be a distraction. I can go on Emergency beam out or something."
"Then Devon would follow you here," Jean-Luc said flatly.
"Well do you have a better idea?" Bailey asked, one perfect eyebrow rose at him sceptically.
Jean-Luc was stumped. He really didn't have any idea of how to distract a Dvorovoi. "What would you do?" he asked eventually, deciding to give in.
"I don't know," she replied frowning.
"Bailey, I don't like this," Deanna broke in. "Devon is currently in the process of taking on a new host. He won't need you any longer. I think that perhaps after he has fully merged with Beverly, he might feel the need to… get you out of the way. Permanently."
"I know," Bailey replied, surprising them both. "Another reason why I should distract him before he completes his merging with Beverly. Otherwise he might simply kill me and be done with it, then go right after you and Beverly. Then he'll kill you too and Beverly and Devon will be left all alone in their own private world."
"It seems you have the monopoly," Jean-Luc said slowly. "What do you suggest we do?"
Bailey repressed a triumphant smile. "I think, that you should spend the day with Beverly like you planned too. Deanna and I can monitor you from here in the yacht. Devon might just be able to complete his merging tonight. You said Beverly looked tired, so lets pray she isn't feeling up to it. Tomorrow, you have to determine whether she is completely merged with Devon. It will after all make all the difference."
Deanna's face was a picture. She couldn't believe her Captain was putting the fate of her best friend in this young woman's hands. She just hoped that Jean-Luc's faith in Bailey was justified. She put it down the fact that Jean-Luc had known Bailey for a week longer than her.
"And if she is?" Deanna asked, turning her onyx eyes on the redhead beside her.
"Well I suppose we will have to go to plan B," Bailey replied with a shrug.
"Which is?" Jean-Luc asked sceptically.
"Forget about plan A," Bailey replied. "Plan A was to try and get a little bit of medical knowledge and let Beverly know what we are planning to do. Plan B would be to just go ahead and do it. Beverly's reactions in front of Devon would be more realistic that way."
"We aren't going to go in there with our phasers and shoot Beverly dead on the spot!" Deanna exclaimed. "There is a specific way we have to kill her in order for her to be brought back after Devon has gone."
"I know all this," Bailey argued. "We need to inject her with something to stop her heart. Then after Devon has gone, we need to restart her heart pronto!"
Jean-Luc had sat quietly during all of this, listening to his two companions argue. He knew Deanna was a little concerned because he had seemed to let Bailey become their leader, but that wasn't the case. He had decided to let Bailey think she was in control. Bailey was merely stating the obvious to him.
"Tonight and tomorrow," Jean-Luc said turning to Deanna. "I want you, with Bailey's help to find out everything you can about the medical procedures and all the emergency procedures we will need. Get all the equipment ready and the medications. I will see if I can replicate and install some small holographic generators in sickbay, so we can practice the procedure until we get it perfect," he turned to Bailey. "And you Bailey, will go to bed and sleep right now."
Bailey was about to protest, but before the words could come, a yawn left her mouth instead. "Night night," she said meekly and headed off to bed.
"I know your worried about her apparently taking over," Jean-Luc said to Deanna after Bailey was out of earshot. "But she was only saying what I would have said myself, so I let her get on with it."
Deanna nodded slowly. "Right," she said.
"Besides, I think she feels like she needs some control of her situation," Jean-Luc continued. "She is after all the linchpin in this operation. If she suddenly turns her back on us and decides to go on her own, it could have disastrous consequences. We need to let her feel as much as a part of a team as we can. She is a headstrong young lady, not unlike Beverly, but she hasn't got Beverly's discipline and sometimes is a bit rash in her decisions."
"I understand," Deanna nodded and reached for the computer terminal to begin her work.
"I'll be in sickbay if you need me," Jean-Luc said with a reassuring smile before heading away.
Beverly awoke the next morning when the bright sunlight hit her face. Devon was lying against her back, holding her close to him. They hadn't spoken at all and Devon had just left her alone to sit in her bedroom staring at the Captain's Yacht through the window in silence.
When exhaustion finally took her to her bed, Devon had arrived and pulled her to him underneath the covers, gently stroking her soft hair until she fell into a deep slumber.
Devon had to be more careful now that Beverly had company. He couldn't push her into doing something she didn't want. "Morning," he said kissing her temple.
Beverly stretched out on the bed and turned to face him. She felt strangely at home in his arms. She knew it was wrong, but Devon seemed to be growing on her and the thought of spending her life with him by her side didn't repulse her anymore. In fact she quite liked the idea of never having to be alone again.
"Morning," she replied in a syrupy voice.
"What is your Captain doing here?" he asked, coming straight to the point.
"He's on shore leave like me," Beverly replied as she yawned. At his sceptical look, Beverly filled him in on the fictional story that Jean-Luc had fed her the night before. "He'll be staying in the yacht. So there is no need to worry."
"Good," Devon replied, trailing a hand down her spine.
"We haven't got time for that," Beverly replied sliding out of bed. "Jean-Luc is coming to breakfast."
"Damn it Beverly!" Devon snapped. "Exactly how long is he going to be here?"
"Not long," she replied. "Just a few days by the sounds of it," Beverly replied, trying not to make it such a big deal as she fumbled around on the floor looking for her decent dressing gown and not the one that barely covered her femaleness.
Finding it as last, she pulled it around her waist and disappeared down the stairs into the kitchen to prepare breakfast for her guest.
With just twenty minutes to spare, she replicated a simple white cotton summer dress and rushed upstairs to wash and change.
Devon was lying on the bed still, watching her as she dashed about getting dolled up for Jean-Luc's visit.
"When we go back to the ship," Devon began. "We still need to get rid of the empath. Any suggestions?" he asked. "I have one, but I don't think you'll like it."
Beverly turned to face him. "I told you, harm one hair on her head and I will tell everyone about you! I don't care if I die as a result!"
"Calm down," Devon said placatory. "You're the CMO, can't you admit her to an insane asylum or something?"
Beverly's eyes widened and she laughed at his absurd comment. "There really is no limit to the depths you will sink is there?"
"Not if it means I get the one thing I desire the most," he replied in sultry voice. "You all to myself."
Beverly was about to come out with an acerbic remark, but the doorbell interrupted her. She shook her head disapprovingly at him before going to answer the door.
"Morning," she greeted Jean-Luc with a huge smile.
"Morning," Jean-Luc replied, pleased at the surprising change of her attitude to him at the door. It was a totally different Beverly to the one that had greeted him the day before.
She even looked fantastically healthy. Her skin was clear and her eyes were wide and as beautiful as ever. She ushered him into the kitchen, closing the door behind her. "I am starving," she happily told him as she loaded trays with food. "I thought we'd eat on the patio."
"Sounds lovely," Jean-Luc replied. He was a little worried now, wondering whether Devon had managed to complete the merging last night. Beverly didn't seem anxious today, she seemed perfectly normal. Bailey had seemed perfectly normal when she was merged with Devon. 'Just give me a sign Beverly,' he prayed silently inside as he followed her out onto the patio, taking one of the trays with him.
They sat down, ate and talked small talk for a while and Jean-Luc was beginning to give up hope.
Back in the shuttle, Bailey was standing on one of the benches and watching Beverly and Jean-Luc eating breakfast closely out of a viewport.
"Come down from there," Deanna said shortly as she heaved more equipment out of the way as she tried to find the portable computer terminal. Jean-Luc had been up half the night going full steam ahead into the task of building the holographic generators for sickbay. It seemed he had taken the entire yacht apart looking for suitable cables and circuits. The whole yacht had been turned upside down whilst Deanna had slept totally unaware.
Jean-Luc had assured her that everything important on the yacht was still up and running before he had beamed over to meet with Beverly for breakfast.
But, to Bailey's disgust, shortly after she had joined Deanna in the living area on the ship, she had found out that the replicators were not working.
"I want one of those," Bailey said distantly.
"One of what?" Deanna mumbled as she shoved another access panel off of the table.
"One of those huge peaches that Beverly is stuffing into her gob," Bailey replied, her stomach growling for effect. "I hope he brings back a doggy bag or his life won't be worth living!"
"Well why don't you try and fix the replicator?" Deanna suggested.
"Me?" Bailey asked, jumping down off the bench and joining Deanna at the table.
"Yes you," Deanna replied impatiently. "You're the only other person here at the moment aren't you?"
Bailey rolled her eyes and went over and examined the open access panel on the side of the replicator. "I am no engineer. I don't even know where to begin. I just know how to fly a ship."
"You must know something about it," Deanna replied, smiling triumphantly as she finally found the computer terminal. "Quantum Mechanics is a require class at the academy."
"Well I only listened enough to pass the class," Bailey replied. "But I'll give it a go. And if I cock it up and make it worse, I'm telling the Captain, you told me to do it."
"Fine," Deanna replied distantly as she settled down to do her part of the mission.
Bailey smiled and began to try and figure out what vital circuit pathway Jean-Luc had broken the night before.
It had been hours now since Jean-Luc had arrived at the villa to meet Beverly for breakfast. Beverly hadn't dropped a single hint to him about Devon. Jean-Luc was beginning to become anxious and worried.
Beverly stopped speaking in the middle of a sentence when she realised he wasn't paying attention to her.
Their eyes met for a moment, and Jean-Luc was rewarded with his first hint that Beverly was still indeed there as herself. He caught the glimmer of fear in her eyes, and tried to portray with his own eyes that help was on its way.
"Would you like to go for a walk?" she asked softly, gesturing to the path that led up the mountain towards another plateau that looked out over the bay.
"That would be lovely," he replied climbing to his feet and holding out his arm to her.
Beverly tucked her arm in his and they slowly walked round the swimming pool and up the winding path.
"It's getting dark already," Jean-Luc pointed out as they walked.
Beverly nodded and glanced up at the yacht. "We've been talking for hours," she replied softly.
Jean-Luc decided that it had to be now or never to bring Bailey down as his distraction. He covertly signalled the ship using his insignia that he had kept in his pocket, and shortly afterwards, Bailey shimmered and appeared in front of them.
Beverly gasped at the sight of her cousin, but didn't have time to question her because Bailey promptly took off at a run and headed back to the house.
Beverly turned and watched as Devon appeared in front of Bailey as she reached the patio. Realising for the first time, she knew Devon wasn't right by her and listening to what she was saying, she panicked and run blindly up the path into the woody tracks leaving the dusty road and Jean-Luc far behind her.
Jean-Luc stayed for a moment to see if Bailey had been successful at distracting Devon. When he turned back, Beverly was nowhere in sight. Looking down the dirt track, he realised that Beverly must have headed off the usual path and into the woods. He took off after her, listening closely for sounds of her departure.
It took Jean-Luc a good ten minutes to catch up with Beverly, who seemed to be running on adrenalin alone. He watched Beverly trip and fall flat on her face.
He knelt at her side, and gently laid a hand on her shoulder. The last thing he expected was Beverly's scream of anger and the fist in his face that followed shortly afterwards, knocking him to the ground.
He lay flat on his back on the earthy muddy floor for a moment, trying to get rid of the stars that were floating around inside his head.
"That's some punch you have Beverly," he said in a groggy voice a few moments later.
Beverly lifted her head from the ground. "Jean-Luc?" she whispered, trying not to hope for it to be him in case it was her mind playing tricks on her.
"Yes?" he replied. "Who did you think it was?" he asked giving her one last chance to deny Devon's existence.
Beverly crawled up to him and began examining his bloody nose. "I'm sorry about that," she replied with a sly grin. "I know you know," she added, gazing intently into his hazel eyes.
"I do," he replied, heaving a sigh of utter relief. "Thank god!" he exclaimed pulling him to her in a spontaneous hug.
"Thank god?" she asked, her voice muffled against his chest.
"Listen," he said sitting up and pulling her up with him. "We haven't got much time."
"Why not?" she replied with a frown.
"Because I don't know how long Bailey can distract Devon for," he replied quickly. "I won't go into exact details, but we are going to get you away from him."
Beverly smiled at him as tears began to fall from her eyes. "How?" she asked in wonder. "I've tried everything."
Taking her by the shoulders, he stared into her eyes. "What I need from you is total and utter trust okay?" he asked seriously.
"You always have that," she replied softly.
"Here," he said pulling a computer pad from his pocket. "Will you write down exactly how one would go about killing someone and how to bring them back to life safely. We need every single bit of knowledge you can give us. It is very important."
Beverly obediently started typing as fast as she could onto the pad. It took her a few moments before what Jean-Luc had said finally registered. "What!" she exclaimed, her eyes wide with fear.
"Just type Beverly!" he snapped.
Beverly glared at him and began to type again, knowing now that her life depended on the accuracy of the information she was giving him. She knew that there wasn't much information on this procedure on the computer. One didn't usually go about killing people and bringing them back to life that often.
"I hope you know what you are doing," she hissed at him as she typed.
"We have done extensive research into Devon," he replied. "I will explain everything later. Right now, any moment, Bailey might contact me to say that she has lost Devon's interest. We have to get this information."
"You talk and I'll type," she replied through gritted teeth. "Is it me you plan on doing this too?"
"Yes," he replied, he watched as Beverly's hand paused and she took a deep shuddering breath. "You have to be brave Beverly," he whispered softly. "Deanna and I are going to practice the procedure over and over again until we know for sure it will work. Keep typing."
"What I want to know is," she said as she began to furiously type on the pad again. "Whom are you practicing on?"
"I have managed to rig up a holographic generator in the little sickbay on the yacht. Bailey should have been working on the programming all day," he replied.
"Who else is with you?" Beverly asked, looking him in the eye. "Hopefully you have a Doctor with you."
"Just Deanna, Bailey and myself," Jean-Luc replied quietly.
"Great!" Beverly exclaimed. "Why didn't you bring Dr Selar?"
"Because Beverly," he replied. "As soon as we realised what had happened, we jumped on the ship and took off after you. We had no idea we needed a Doctor otherwise I would have brought one with me."
Beverly finished typing and handed the pad back to him. "Follow everything I have written there precisely. If you do, nothing should go wrong."
"We will," Jean-Luc replied checking over everything she had written down.
"When will you be… carrying out this procedure for real?" Beverly asked, worry clouding her eyes.
"As soon as possible," he replied, squeezing her shoulders to reassure her.
"Where did you find out all this information on Devon?" Beverly asked, narrowing her eyes at him.
"On the computer," Jean-Luc replied.
"But I looked and didn't find anything," Beverly said, suddenly pushing herself against him and holding him to her.
Jean-Luc held her close. "You didn't have time to question Bailey," he replied softly.
He felt so good against her, he felt like expensive soap against her skin. His embrace was like a balm to sooth away her worries. "Bitch," she mumbled against his neck.
Jean-Luc didn't have time to tell Beverly that Bailey was as much a victim of Devon's assault as she had been, because Deanna's signal came seconds later.
They both jumped to their feet and began walking back towards the dusty path.
"What a weird little animal that was!" Beverly exclaimed in laughter as they reached the pathway fifteen minutes later.
Jean-Luc realised Devon must be close by. "I'm sorry I dragged you in there to see it," he replied laughing. "I shall have to do some research to find out exactly what it was."
"Next time you go running through the woods, go by yourself!" Beverly exclaimed. "Look at my dress!"
"I think you look very lovely all covered in mud!" Jean-Luc laughed.
"Gee, thanks," Beverly laughed.
"I think its time I went to bed," Jean-Luc said signalling that the evening was over. "Bailey and I are planning to leave tomorrow afternoon for the museum on the next planet. I really don't know why she was so insistent that she came here to meet up with you for a few days. I told her that you wanted some peace and quiet, but she wouldn't take no for an answer."
"I'm irresistible," she laughed.
"But it's strange that she didn't want to join us for the day," Jean-Luc continued the ruse. He had to have some explanation for Bailey's sudden appearance that night.
"It's strange alright," Beverly said in monotone.
"Right," Jean-Luc said turning her to face him. "Goodnight," he said softly, leaning forward to kiss her cheek and Beverly once again surprised him by planting another lingering kiss on his lips.
"Will I see you for breakfast?" she asked as she pulled back.
"How about dinner instead tomorrow evening?" he replied. "I promised her highness that I would take her down to the beach sometime tomorrow."
"Sounds wonderful," she replied wistfully.
"Would you like to join us?" he asked, praying she said no.
As if reading his thoughts, she said "No, that's alright Jean-Luc. I think I'll spend the day in the pool. I hate sand. It gets everywhere."
Beverly hugged her best friend, and watched as he shimmered away back to the yacht, before turning and with a smile on her face she headed back down towards the villa.
"Having fun were we?" Devon asked, appearing at her side.
"Yes," she replied wistfully. "I've had a wonderful day."
Devon grunted, and linked arms with her. "I haven't," he replied. "Bailey is here and she wants me back!"
Beverly pretended to be disgusted and downright angry. "You promised me you would never leave me!"
"I'm not leaving you!" he exclaimed. "I think she thought that if she persuaded the Captain to come and visit you, she would somehow win my affections back. Don't you worry my love; I put her in the picture. She won't be hassling us again."
"What did you do?" Beverly asked in alarm.
"Nothing too drastic," he replied as they reached the house. "Lets just say she won't be bothering us again."
Jean-Luc arrived back on the ship to find mayhem and chaos everywhere. As well as the apparent chaos, there was quite a lot of blood on the transporter platform at the back of the ship. Gasping in alarm, he rushed into the main area of the ship and through into the small sickbay.
"What happened?" he exclaimed.
"Devon slashed Bailey's wrists," Deanna replied, her eyes wide. "She's going to be fine, I've managed to stop the bleeding and repair the wounds as best I can."
Bailey was sitting behind them with a bucket on her lap, her face was deathly white, but other than that she looked fine. "I don't think I mentioned that Devon can make things appear, just like he can make himself appear corporeal," she said softly. "He produced a knife and threatened me to keep away from him and Beverly. So I stayed as long as I could, begging him to come back to me and he must have been really pissed at me to do something like this!"
"You are not going down there again!" Jean-Luc exclaimed and turned away and Bailey proceeded to throw up in the bucket on her lap.
"I don't think she will be going back," Deanna whispered at his side. "There is no need to worry about that. She is very very scared now. There won't be anymore bravado on her part."
"So is Beverly," Jean-Luc replied, producing the pad from his pocket and handing it to the Counsellor.
"I can guess that she showed it through her anger," Deanna replied as she activated the pad.
"Yes," he replied. "She demanded to know why I hadn't thought to bring a Doctor with us. She isn't at all pleased with what we are planning. I didn't get a chance to fill her in on all the details. I suppose that will have to come afterwards."
"I just hope she trusts us enough not to interfere," Deanna replied.
"I am meeting her for dinner tomorrow night," Jean-Luc said. "I think that would be the best time to put the plan in action."
"Captain?" Bailey called from the bio bed.
"Yes?" Jean-Luc replied.
"Will you please fix the replicator," Bailey said sliding off the bed, appearing absolutely normal considering what she had been through. "You might have enjoyed eating breakfast lunch and dinner with Beverly down there at the villa, but Deanna and I have been starving up here."
Jean-Luc frowned at Deanna and followed Bailey into the main area of the ship. "What the hell have you done to it?" he asked as he scanned the open access panel beside the replicator.
"That was what I was going to ask you," Bailey replied cheekily.
Deanna sat herself down at the table and watched the playful banter. They needed this break from the stress of the mission and Deanna rather enjoyed listening to them. She smiled as she sensed that Jean-Luc had become fond of Bailey in a paternal way. Jean-Luc was older and not as set in his ways as he had been when Wesley Crusher had lived on the Enterprise with them. He had loosened up a hell of a lot in the past few years and wasn't as secluded. Deanna could see him taking this young lady under his wing as a surrogate daughter and she wondered if Bailey knew.
Bailey suddenly turned to her, their minds locking instantly. Bailey knew what Deanna was thinking and smiled at her. Deanna smiled back and motioned to Bailey to sit with her at the table so they could both watch the Captain work on fixing them dinner.
"Bailey," Deanna whispered softly.
Bailey leant closer to hear her. "Yes?"
"You know yesterday you made us go off duty because this is a personal mission?" Deanna began.
"I think I know what you are going to say," Bailey whispered back softly.
"Yeah?" Deanna asked. "What was I going to say?"
"You were going to say something along the lines of telling me not to step on the eggshells surrounding Beverly and the Captain's relationship," Bailey whispered back.
"Yes," Deanna grinned. "That's about right."
"I was merely stating the truth," Bailey replied. "Besides I had a very interesting conversation with Beverly about it a couple of nights ago."
"You did?" Deanna's expression was pure envy.
"I did," Bailey grinned. "I will not step on the eggshells."
"Well ladies," Jean-Luc said, stopping Deanna from begging Bailey for the juicy gossip. "What would you like to eat?"
Bailey looked him in the eye, and said, "What have you got?" she asked winking at him.
Deanna suppressed a giggle; Bailey knew how to wind him up just like Beverly. "I'll have the same."
Jean-Luc shook his head and turned to study the menu above the control panel. "Well ladies," he said with his back to them. "You will get what you're given and you have to clear your plates before pudding!"
Deanna and Bailey laughed and both hoped he didn't choose anything as exotic as Klingon food.
Chapter Four
Beverly ran up the stairs as soon as she arrived back at the villa with Devon right behind her. She was extremely worried about Jean-Luc's plan, but he had insisted that she trust him, and if there was one thing that Beverly Crusher knew about her Captain, was that she could trust him with her life.
In her mind, she was going over everything she had written on the data pad, trying to make damn sure that she had listed every possibility. She was almost certain she had, but was still very worried and anxious.
She arrived in her bedroom and sank down heavily on the bed, kicking off her sandals. Devon stood in the doorway watching her, not entirely convinced all of a sudden about Jean-Luc's visit being of pure coincidence. Things just didn't sit right, but he couldn't put his finger on it at the moment. All he knew was that he had better merge with Beverly as soon as possible, before Bailey did something totally out of the question and blabbed about his existence to the Captain or said something derogative about him to Beverly.
"It's still early," Devon said softly, as he moved to sit on the bed beside her. "Are you going to bed already? It's only nineteen hundred hours."
"I'm just thinking," she replied distantly.
"Thinking about what?" Devon asked curiously.
"About how we can get Deanna off the ship," she replied looking at him. "I'll be due back on the ship in a couple of weeks time. I have to think of something before then and put it in to action. Deanna can't be there when we get back, she'll know something is up as soon as she sees me."
"Have you thought of anything?" he asked, taking her by the shoulders from behind and gently kneading her muscles.
Beverly moaned softly and shook her head. "That feels nice," she said slowly.
"You're so tense," he replied, raining kisses on her shoulders and the back of her neck.
"It's hard keeping this secret from Jean-Luc," she replied, leaning her head to one side. "I know it will get easier as time goes by, but I really don't like lying to him."
"You're doing fine," he assured her. Gently he turned her to face him, leaning forward he kissed her tenderly. "How about going to bed early after all," he suggested with a mischievous wink.
"I don't see why not," she replied, already melting inside from his kiss.
Jean-Luc and the rest of his motley gang were up early the next morning, busy preparing for the night ahead. They spent hours in sickbay; using the new holographic generators to practice the exact procedure that Beverly had given them the night before. Every so often, Jean-Luc would walk to a view port, where he would try and spot Beverly at the villa below. It was almost seventeen hundred hours and he still hadn't seen her. She was still inside and he hoped to God that she was fine.
Bailey watched most of the time as Deanna and Jean-Luc took turns to run the procedure with much trepidation. She was comforted a little by the fact that every time Deanna and Jean-Luc ran the program, their holographic patient survived. They were getting better and better and there was now no doubt that they could carry out the delicate procedure without loss of life. Yet still they carried on, both trying to get a little more confident that they wouldn't lose either Bailey or Beverly's lives.
Deanna was going to stay on the ship and perform the little operation on Bailey in the sickbay onboard the yacht and Jean-Luc was going down to the villa that night to do the same to Beverly.
Tension was running high by the time Jean-Luc called them into the main living area for dinner and last minute thoughts and briefs on the upcoming mission. He knew he was supposed to be having dinner with Beverly, but also knew he needed to eat something to try and rid himself of the butterflies in his stomach. If all went to plan anyway, he probably wouldn't get around to having dinner with Beverly that night anyway.
Last minute orders given, his com link open to the ship, Jean-Luc beamed down to the villa and materialised on the front door step. Hoping to God that everything would go to plan, patting the hypospray hidden in his pocket he knocked a couple of times on the front door.
To his surprise, the door swung open with the force of his second knock. Cautiously he stepped inside and called Beverly's name. He didn't get a reply, but heard a moan coming from the living room.
Trying not to panic, he walked hastily inside closing the door behind him. The sight that greeted him would have been a welcome one under different circumstances, but now a feeling of dread filled him.
He watched Beverly slid off the sofa and stand up to meet him. She looked absolutely beautiful, wearing the same see-through flowery dressing gown she had been wearing the night he had arrived at the villa. Her hair flowed down around her shoulders in masses of shiny waves and her eyes positively glowed with enkindled passion. He could clearly see her creamy white long slender legs. He swallowed hard and watched as she smiled seductively at him.
Jean-Luc realised immediately that Beverly had fully merged with Devon and that he was probably in serious trouble. Bailey had mentioned something about Beverly's libido increasing at first when the merging had just taken place. Jean-Luc wasn't prepared for this.
"Am I early?" he asked, knowing it sounded lame even to his own ears.
"You're right on time," she replied, narrowing the gap between them. "As always, my dear Captain."
Jean-Luc swallowed hard again, as she practically brushed her lips against his and felt her breath against his face. "Good," he replied, trying hard as he could, not to fall into the trap she was laying out for him. "What are we having for dinner?"
Beverly smiled, one perfect eyebrow raised in amusement. "Oh I don't know," she said in a sultry voice full of innuendos. "I'm not really that hungry."
"Oh," he mumbled, realising her eyes were focused on his lips. It wasn't long before she closed the gap between them and kissed him, forcing her tongue into his mouth, pushing him to surrender to her. She trailed her hands across his body, down over his bottom, moulding him against her.
"What are you doing?" he asked as she released his lips and began trailing open mouth kisses across his jaw.
"You want this as much as I do Jean-Luc," she replied in a syrupy whispered as she gazed intently into his hazel eyes.
"Beverly," he said, trying to take hold of her wrists. She somehow managed to wriggle free of his grasp and knock him to the floor with one of the moves she had learnt from Mr Worf over the years.
Jean-Luc hit the floor with a thud and groaned as a sharp pain shot up his spine. It dissipated in a few moments, but gave Beverly time to sit astride him. She pushed her hands inside the loose fitting shirt he was wearing, stopping only when she had found the hypospray.
"I can't let you kill Devon," she said, yanking the hypospray out of his reach. "He means everything to me and I won't let you do it."
"Beverly!" Jean-Luc yelled, taking her by surprise, he flipped them over and now lay on top of her. He fought with her for the hypospray and was surprised by her sheer strength as she tried to force him to get off of her. It took all his training to keep her down and wrestle the hypospray from her grasp.
Just as he was about to administer the hypo, he felt himself lift off the ground and fly through the air, landing a few feet away on the floor in front of the patio doors. His back surged with pain from his previous injury and the new one; his face had been inches from smashing into the glass doors. Quickly, trying his best to ignore the pain, he climbed to his feet, thankful that the hypo was still in his clutches and had the safety catch still in place.
No matter what the cost, he had to get to Beverly and inject her somehow. It wasn't going to be easy, when his blurry eyes focused on Beverly once again; she was standing up and rearranging her dressing gown.
"Beverly!" he cried, wincing in pain. "What are you doing!"
Beverly stared back at him, her Doctoring side assessing his pain and determining the injuries he had suffered. "Just go back to the Enterprise and leave me alone."
"No!" Jean-Luc snapped. "I will not leave you here with him! He is a demon spirit, not some fantasy love affair!"
"Leave me alone!" Beverly yelled back.
"He's using you!" Jean-Luc continued, edging closer to her, still in agony. "Like Ronin did. You remember Ronin don't you?"
"Of course I remember Ronin!" Beverly snapped back.
"It's the same kind of thing," Jean-Luc replied as he neared her. Five more feet and he would be able to make a grab for her. "Except this entity is not alive, he is a spirit, a Dvorovoi. He's just using you."
"I make her happy," a male voice sounded suddenly in the room, before Jean-Luc felt a huge shove and he fell forward onto the ground at Beverly's feet. Devon had made a serious mistake; Jean-Luc quickly used it to his advantage. He grabbed Beverly's ankles and yanked them towards him. Beverly immediately fell backwards and landed ungracefully on the floor.
Before Jean-Luc had a chance to get the hypospray into her, he felt hands grab him from behind and found himself smashing through the patio windows and onto the balcony. He blacked out for a while, but soon cooling summer rain droplets fell onto his closed eyelashes, bringing him slowly back.
"Beverly!" he yelled, brushing the large shards of glass off. He winced in pain as he climbed to his feet. Smaller shards of glass trickled off him as he made his way back inside. Blinking in the light, it took him a while to realise that Beverly was no longer there.
Suddenly Deanna came running in followed shortly by Bailey. "They've gone!" Deanna cried. "We saw Beverly running down the pathway."
"Lets go!" Bailey yelled urgently, grabbing Deanna's arm.
"Are you alright?" Deanna asked Jean-Luc as they all ran out the front door and headed after Beverly.
"I'll worry about my injuries later," Jean-Luc replied, charging on ahead on his longer legs.
Bailey was second and Deanna held up the rear, she was carrying a medikit with all the equipment needed for their plan.
Suddenly Deanna noticed Jean-Luc come to a stop; she and Bailey reached his side seconds later and realised why he stopped.
Beverly stood on the edge of a cliff, the stars and the black night sky as her backdrop, her scanty dressing gown blowing out around her. She looked like a goddess of fire, so beautiful with the moonlight shining on her face. She made no secret of the fact that she could clearly see the trio standing on the end of the path watching her.
"Devon is standing right next to her," Bailey whispered, her chest heaving after their brisk run.
"It would be a lot easier if we could see him too," Deanna whispered back.
"Beverly is deathly afraid of heights," Jean-Luc added, "Is she scared?"
"Not really," Deanna replied softly. "She's fully merged with him isn't she?"
"I believe so," Jean-Luc replied, thinking back to the villa.
"Why are they just standing there!" Bailey exclaimed. "Why don't they do something?"
"I think they are waiting for us to make the first move," Deanna replied.
"What is our first move?" Bailey inquired glancing at the captain.
They hadn't planned for anything like this. Their plan had seemed so simple up until now. They had just had to inject Beverly with the drug, and then do the same to Bailey seconds later and it would have all been over after they had brought them back to the land of the living.
"I'm beginning to wish we hadn't told Beverly what we were planning," Jean-Luc mumbled. "Now that she is fully merged with the Dvorovoi, he must know what we had planned to do."
"It also means I'm disposable," Bailey mumbled back with a sigh.
Deanna squeezed Bailey's hand. "We'll do everything we can to make sure you aren't disposed of."
"Maybe you should go back to the Yacht," Jean-Luc said, never taking his eyes away from Beverly.
"No!" Bailey snapped. "I'm seeing this through. Besides, he'd just find me there anyway and I'm the only one that can see him apart from Beverly."
"What are we going to do?" Deanna asked at Jean-Luc's side.
"I don't think we have time to talk about it," Bailey said before the Captain could answer. "He's on his way over."
Subconsciously Bailey moved behind Jean-Luc. She realised only then that she couldn't see Devon anymore and just as she was about to move, Devon's hands rammed through Jean-Luc's body and grabbed her.
Jean-Luc didn't notice anything until he heard Bailey and Deanna scream and whirled around in time to see Bailey lift off the ground as if by magic. Devon hurled her through the air and she crashed down a few meters away from Beverly.
Deanna stared at her still form, willing her to move. Deanna knew Bailey was still alive, but probably unconscious.
Beverly stared at Bailey, frowning, but other than that no emotion played on her face.
Before Deanna knew what was happening, Jean-Luc charged forward and headed straight for Beverly. Deanna stopped breathing and squeezed the hypospray she held in her hand for reassurance. If Jean-Luc managed to get to past Devon and to Beverly, she needed to get to Bailey and inject her too.
Jean-Luc got as far as Beverly's side, before he saw Beverly suddenly stumbled backwards, closer to the cliffs edge. Beverly's scream pierced the stillness and Jean-Luc stared in amazement as her bare feet lifted from the ground and she hovered as if by magic over the cliffs edge.
End of part seven