Author's Note: Spoilers for the Episode Force of Nature. I actually watched and studied this episode intently to create this chapter. Nicole is not suicidal, but she does things that are harmful to her. I will expand on this when I dive deeper into Nicole Riker. Also Nicole does call Geordi by his name since she is dating his best friend. Well engaged now.
Chapter Six
Nicole was happy to be back on the Enterprise, she hated being on Earth. However, now she was possibly engaged to the android. All they were waiting on was Commander Riker's blessing.
Nicole and Data stopped by Geordi's quarters to pick up Spot. When they walked in, they saw a broken vase. Data tilted his head in confusion. Nicole was equally confused.
They then heard a hissing sound. Which could mean only one thing. Spot was unhappy.
"Geordi." Data said, puzzled.
"In here, Data." Geordi called from the bedroom.
Nicole leaned against the entryway with her arms crossed. She made sure the ring on her finger was visible.
"Why is Spot under the bed?" Data asked, looking under the bed.
Geordi was on one side of bed, Data on the other.
"Because she knows once I get her, I am going to kill her." Geordi said, lifting his head and resting his hands on the bed.
"Has Spot been misbehaving?" Data asked.
Geordi rambled on about all the things Spot did.
"These incidents are common to cat owners. Lorelai does the same thing." Nicole said, from the entryway to the bedroom.
"Hey Nikki. Welcome back!" Geordi said, smiling.
Nicole smiled and waved to the Chief Engineer.
"When you borrowed Spot, you wanted to experience the full range of feline behavior before getting a cat yourself." Data said.
"Yeah well. As you can see I am not ready. So you can take her back with my blessing." Geordi paused. "Go on, call her."
"Spot does not answer to verbal commands." Data said.
"Wait hold on." Both Geordi and Data looked at Nicole. "She doesn't come when you call her, babe." Nicole said, confused.
Data just shook his head. Geordi looked at Data.
"Data, have you considered training this cat?" Geordi asked.
"I never found it to be necessary." Data said.
Geordi explained how Spot needed to be trained. Data was confused, but also agreed. Even Nicole agreed.
Commander Riker then came over the comm channel saying there was a mission briefing in ten minutes for the senior officers. Ignoring Data's warning, Geordi startled Spot. The next thing they all three knew, an orange cat sped past Geordi and ran out the room. They heard crashing sounds.
Nicole just smiled and rolled her eyes while Geordi glared at Data.
An hour or so later, Nicole was in Main Engineering giving Geordi a hand with performing maintenance on the dilithium chamber hoping that it improves the efficiency of the warp core. Data walked in and reported to Geordi that there has been a drop in the efficiency of the sensors. Commander Riker wanted them to check the phase buffers.
"No problem Data, I'll be right with you." Geordi closed the dilithium chamber. "Okay, Nicole, transfer the EPS Conduit 13 through the stabilizer matrix."
"Aye, sir." She said.
"Is there a problem with the engines?" Data asked.
"No."
"Then why are you trying to stabilize the EPS conduit?"
"Just trying to get a higher power conversion level." Geordi said, walking over to the console Nicole was at.
"But that won't affect the engines in any way." Data asked, confused.
"That isn't the point, Data." Nicole said, looking up from the console.
"Then what is the point?" Data asked. Still confused.
"I am just trying to get a higher conversion level. That's all." Geordi said, a little annoyed.
"He got a letter from another chief engineer. The one on the USS Intrepid." Nicole said.
"Commander Donald Kaplan. We went through the Academy together." Geordi said.
"He wants our power conversion levels to be higher than theirs." Nicole said, smirking at Geordi.
Geordi sighed and shook his head. He tapped a few buttons on the console.
"I understand. You are in friendly competition with Commander Kaplan." Data said.
"You can say that." Geordi said.
Nicole tried (unsuccessfully) to stifle a laugh. Geordi gave her a look as if he was glaring at her. Nicole just smiled bigger and giggled. Data just looked even more confused.
"Now are we going to talk about you two?" Geordi smirked, motioning between Data and Nicole.
"What do you mean, Commander?" Nicole smiled. Although, she kind of knew what Geordi meant.
"Don't play coy with me, Lieutenant. I saw the ring on your finger." Geordi looked from Nicole to Data. "When were you going to tell me that you were engaged?" He asked, leaning against the console.
"We were on Earth when I made the decision. Is that wrong?" Data said, puzzled.
"I think you're just a little offended that YOUR best friend didn't tell you what his plan was." Nicole said, pointing to the Chief Engineer.
"I am not!"
"Mmhmm." Nicole said smiling, walking to another console.
"Watch it Lieutenant." Geordi warned. He then brought his attention to Data. "Come on let's go look at those sensors." He said.
Geordi and Data then headed into the Jefferies Tube.
Sometime later, Nicole was part of the team that went over to the Ferengi ship to help with their repairs. Picard promised that they would help so he could get the information pertaining to The Fleming. Nicole was thankful to be the one in command of the team. It was something she could focus on that wasn't the many Frengi making googly eyes at her and suggesting that she should take her clothes off.
Back on the Enterprise, Nicole went to her quarters to take a quick sonic shower. She scrubbed herself violently with a wash cloth to get the stench of the Frengi officers off of her. Once she felt satisfied, she scrubbed her skin raw. Thankfully she could hide it under her uniform. She pulled her dark hair in a ponytail and then headed to Engineering.
Two humanoids beamed aboard the Enterprise. A male and a female were standing in front of the warp core. Geordi stood up and walked over to them. He kept his distance though.
"La Forge to Security. We have intruders in Main Engineering." Geordi said, tapping his communicator.
"They are on their way." Worf said.
As if on cue, two security guards showed up with phasers drawn.
Nicole stood right behind Geordi. Her telepathic abilities weren't as strong as her mother's but her extensive training helped her to be more than below average. She was able to read some species. So she tried her best to see if she could read these two.
"What do you want?" Geordi asked.
"We just want you to listen." The male said.
"You're killing us." The female said.
Rabal, the more reasonable of the two, has claimed that his sister, Serova's research shows that warp fields are slowly damaging their region of space and that their homeworld will be rendered uninhabitable if nothing is done about the damage that they claim has been caused.
Both Nicole and Geordi felt threatened about this. Although they both researched this theory (sometimes even trading notes), they felt that it was just that. A theory. It lacked the evidence it needed. And it didn't help that Serova was being pushy about the whole thing. Rabal tried to reason with Geordi, but he refused to listen.
Nicole found the chief engineer leaning over the railing on the upper level of Engineering, staring at the warp core.
"What do you think about this, Nikki?" Geordi asked, not looking at Nicole.
"The same way you do, sir. We both heard the theories and read the same information." Nicole said.
"How can something so beautiful be so harmful?" Geordi asked.
"I don't know." Nicole said.
However, the "theory" turned into truth when Serova sacrificed herself to create a rift that was at one lightyear in diameter with high levels of tetryon radiation emanating from it. Nicole was in the science lab with Data, Geordi, and Rabal. They were analyzing the rift and seeing if there was a possibility in recovering the Fleming.
"Everything here supports Serova's theories. I can't find anything that would close the rift or reduce its size." Geordi said, looking at the screen while Data tapped away at the console.
The ship shook from the high distortion waves coming from the rift.
Data turned in his chair to look over at Rabal. "Doctor, is it possible that there is a stable region within the rift where we could safely use our warp engines?" Data suggested.
Rabal walked over to Data and Geordi. He stood next to Data, leaning over a bit. Nicole stood behind the chair Data was sitting in, placing her hands on it for support, she leaned over as well so she could look at the screen.
"Perhaps." Rabal said. He then asked the computer to scan for lower stability, but there appeared to be not any.
"There's no place stable enough to withstand a warp pulse." Nicole said.
While the computer continued to scan, Geordi saw something. "Wait a minute this is strange. Computer, display Delta 17."
The computer chirped and displayed the area. All four of them just looked in awe for a bit.
"What do you make of that?" Nicole asked Rabal.
"It is a subspace of instability outside of the rift." Rabal said, surprised.
"That should not be possible." Data said.
"Commander, I am going to begin a field enhance scan of this sector. I'd like to get a closer look at this." Rabal said as he tapped away at the console.
"In the meantime, we should let the captain know that there isn't a way to rescue the Fleming." Nicole said.
"I am not quite so sure that is true, Nicole." Data said.
"Data?" Geordi asked, confused.
"Excuse me a moment." Data got up from the console and walked out of the science lab.
Nicole looked at Geordi confused. Geordi just shrugged his shoulders.
While Data and Geordi were making the corrections they needed, Geordi gave Nicole a short break. There wasn't much she needed to do. She went to her quarters and plopped down on the couch. She looked out the window as Lorelai jumped into her lap.
"Lorelai, how did I miss this?" Nicole petted the cat's fur. Getting low purrs in response.
"I have been in Starfleet most of my life. And before that, I have had a love for warp drive and the warp core." Nicole said.
Lorelai meowed which caused a smile from Nicole, but then Lorelai looked over at the bedroom and growled. That was when Nicole sensed him.
"I knew your love for the warp core was dangerous." Regen said.
Nicole's hand reached for her combadge, but Regen used his speed to stop her. He was holding tightly on her wrist.
"Don't even think about it." Regen said.
Nicole nodded her head. She couldn't risk it. Regen relaxed, but still held onto her wrist.
"Why are you here?" Nicole finally asked.
"I've been watching you, babygirl. I see you're still with the android. Although, since getting back from Earth, you haven't been spending time together."
"We both have our jobs."
"Yes, but you shouldn't be left alone all to yourself, babygirl."
Nicole saw that look in Regen's eyes. She could sense how aroused he was. She gulped.
"La Forage to Lieutenant Riker."
Nicole tried to fight against Regen's strength. "Ignore it, babygirl." Regen said, leaning in.
"Lieutenant respond." Geordi said over the comm a couple minutes later.
Just then there was a jolt. The ship shook. Lorelai went running, Regen let go of Nicole's wrist, and she fell off the couch. When Nicole sat back up, Regen was gone. She looked out the window. They must've done the warp pulse.
Nicole needed to get to Engineering as fast as possible. She stood up, but went back down when there was another jolt. The whole ship went dark. The Fleming must have initiated their warp drive. Now she really needed to get to Engineering.
"La Forge to Lieutenant Riker." Geordi came back over the comm channel. He sounded annoyed this time.
Nicole tapped her comm badge. "I am on my way, Commander." Nicole said before bolting out of her quarters to Engineering.
Once in Engineering, Nicole worked with Geordi on how they could get out of the rift. She was thankful that they were too busy for her commanding officer to reprimand her right now. She knew eventually he would though and she prepared herself for that.
"Captain, we may be able to get out of here without using the warp engines." Geordi said over the comm channel.
"How Geordi?" Came Commander Riker's voice.
"When was the last time you went surfing, Commander?" Nicole asked, smiling like an idiot.
"A distortion wave?" Picard asked.
"Exactly Captain. If we phase match the deflector shields to the EM variance of the distortion waves. We could be pulled along with it." Geordi said.
Once everyone was off the Fleming, they went ahead and tried it. The first time, they were unable to match it, but by the second time, they used the impulse engines to lessen the blows from the waves. It helped and soon they were free. Of course now there was a lot to still do.
Geordi turned to Nicole. Nicole didn't notice that he could see the marks on her wrist.
"Why didn't you answer me earlier?" Geordi asked.
"I am sorry, sir. I was in the bathroom." Nicole lied.
Geordi gave her a look, but decided to drop it.
"I could've used you earlier." Geordi said.
Nicole looked down at her boots. "I am sorry, sir." Nicole said.