"So it didn't work out with Ral, huh?" Dr. Crusher asked Troi in Ten Forward. Troi had finally gotten the chocolate sundae she'd been craving, which had improved her mood greatly.
"No," Troi said. "My mother would have warned me about him, honestly."
"Oh, why's that?"
"First and foremost, he's a gambler at heart, so I'm sure she would tell me that the biggest betters also usually turn out to be the biggest losers."
Dr. Crusher nodded. "Well, that's certainly true, but the fact that he was emotionally manipulative wouldn't have been a turn-off for her?"
Laughing, Troi said, "Oh, definitely not. She has a... thing for mysterious men with secrets."
The two women watched as Picard walked into the bar and sit at the counter. "Maybe," the doctor mused, "that's why she was so interested in the captain."
"Partly," Troi admitted, "but also the captain is much like herself – strong-willed, dominate in most situations."
Dr. Crusher sighed, lost in thought. "I can understand the appeal of that," she said at last.