Beverly opened the door and almost tripped on the filthy kitbag someone had abandoned at the front door.
"Louis!" she shouted, exasperated.
"What?" he replied instantly, with attitude.
She pointed at the bag, "Have we not discussed this before?"
"Maman! You just assume it's me? There's no way that gross bag is mine. What about Ted? Why can't it be his?"
Ted knew his infrequent visit home was being used to Louis's advantage. He had gone on ahead, rolling his eyes, the squabbling continuing behind him. He wondered absentmindedly into the living room, eyes fixed on his padd. He called for the lights, and stopped dead at the first and very obvious sound of the emergency comm chime.
"Maman? You better come here."
Beverly stormed into the living room, heading for the small study on hearing the distinctive, yet nerve-chilling emergency sound. The sound she'd only ever heard a few times before, when Jack had been killed, when Jean-Luc had been declared lost on Xhandria, and once when she'd been called to a huge medical disaster on a planet she now could not remember the name of.
"Stay here." She said in a tone that brooked no argument.
With trepidation, she tabbed at the terminal's controls, unsure as to what was going to happen next. The emergency chime was never good news. She made a brief inventory of her nearest and dearest; both Ted and Louis were right here, Wes was on Pacifica, she'd spoken to him only yesterday. Will and Deanna… they were… "Oh god…" she whispered.
A starchy Lieutenant appeared, face fixed in a serious and sombre expression. "This is Starfleet Command, I have Admiral Riker here for you. Please confirm name and rank."
"Doctor Beverly Howard here, Head of Starfleet Medical. Rank, Captain."
"Confirmed, please hold."
She waited interminable seconds for the connection to reach Riker. It had to be Deanna… something had happened. She wondered briefly why the call would come through Command… surely they were too close for such a procedural call?
In a second, Riker's face appeared. He looked ashen, older than he had appeared last week when they'd caught up over a nice bottle of rioja and a plate of risotto. Deanna had been fine… she'd looked really great actually. They both had, full of energy, joy. She couldn't remember seeing them so relaxed in years. Not Deanna, please not Deanna…
"Will, what's going on?"
"Beverly… I uh…" he paused, looked down. She could see him gathering some kind of resolve. This was going to be bad. He looked her right in the eye, nodded once, and tried again, "I don't know how to say this. I'm just going to say the words. Okay?"
She nodded her reply. Her mouth suddenly dry. Not Deanna, not Deanna.
"Beverly, we've found him. He's in bad shape but we've found him."
She couldn't think who he meant, Wes? No, she'd spoken to him just last night, Louis, Ted… all of her 'hes' were right here or safe and accounted for. "Will?"
"Jean-Luc is alive."
Her mouth dropped open in surprise. She couldn't speak, couldn't take her eyes off Will. Somewhere behind her, she was aware that her sons were crashing about in the kitchen. She turned in that direction, shrugging off the momentary diversion. "Will… is this some kind of… you wouldn't… what?" she said finally.
"Worf got him off Qo-noS in a black ops shuttle a couple of days ago. They bounced around on the edge of Federation space – he had to take them out past the border so they could come in without being detected – somewhat of an off-grid trade route it seems. The Phoenix picked them up yesterday.
"What?" she shook her head, surely she hadn't heard right.
"He's alive. In bad shape. He's in sickbay on the Phoenix. They're on their way back to Earth as we speak."
"When? When will they…?" stuttered Beverly.
"Estimated point of arrival is eight days. I'm sorry Beverly, I know this must be a huge shock. Deanna is on her way over to you right now."
"Deanna's okay?"
"Yes?" He said, a quizzical expression on his face. "Beverly, there's more."
"My god… he's alive?" she said.
He nodded, his face still a picture of gravity. "Beverly, I have to tell you something more. This needs to be absolutely classified. We cannot reveal any of this. To anyone else. Beverly?"
"Why?"
"The situation with the Xhand is critical. We cannot let it get out that we have Jean-Luc back, that he's alive. We have to keep it from the press, from anyone at all outside of the need to know crew on the Phoenix, four admirals, Deanna, you, Ted and Louis. Do you understand? We cannot tell anybody at all."
She nodded, not really understanding what this meant. It was a lot to take in.
Will continued, "Deanna is going to act as your liaison for the next few weeks. She is going to take charge."
"What about the PoI?"
"Proof of Identity? It's him. RNA, TNA, DNA – everything is conclusive. It's him Beverly, please, trust me. Of course, as soon as the Phoenix is in range, we'll be able to set up a call, you can see him at least, maybe talk to him.
"Maybe? Will…"
"Look, to be candid, he's in pretty bad shape. Early reports are that he is pretty banged up. We won't know more until the medical telemetry comes through and they are a long way out. Believe me, we're doing everything we can."
"I take it the telemetry will be coming to me?"
"Not in this case… there's too much riding on this. I'm sorry Beverly."
"Will!"
"I'm sorry. I have my orders. This just cannot get out. Not even to medical. You can speak to the CMO on the Phoenix – we don't want to keep any secrets from you. It just can't get into the system at Medical."
"Oh boy…"
"That would just about cover it."
They stared at each other for a moment. Each thinking about the enormity of what was happening. Jean-Luc was alive. He'd been missing, presumably having to endure who knew what kind of conditions for just about two years. She suspected Will's mind had turned to a similar place as hers; he must have been held prisoner, maltreated perhaps, maybe even tortured… To think that he had been suffering all this time, as she had been consumed by her grief.
"He's been on Xhandria?"
Will nodded, "It looks like it. There was a liberation a few weeks ago. Apparently someone working from the inside managed to get him out… then he was bounced about from ship to ship. Like the others…"
"The others?"
"Deanna will tell you more. There's a lot for you to take in."
"Can I go out in a shuttle to meet the ship?"
Will shook his head sympathetically, "I'm sorry Beverly. Another negative. If you could, I would be taking you myself and we would have set off hours ago."
At that moment, Beverly heard the door chime across the other side of her house. She gestured in the direction of the sound then turned back to Will, "Deanna?"
He nodded, "I would think so."
She tuned her ear toward the front door, heard Ted answer it and greet his aunt. She nodded to Will, "It is. Look, Will… I…"
And she suddenly didn't know what to say, couldn't form the words around the lump in her throat. Xhandria? All this time…
"I'll let you go Beverly. I know this is a lot to take in. Deanna is going to stay with you, she's been briefed. But if there is anything else you need, just say the word. I can't promise that I can help but I'll do my damnedest."
She nodded again, tears starting to prickle her eyes. "Thanks."
As she finished speaking, Deanna appeared behind her. She tabbed her terminal off and stood, turning to her oldest friend. Deanna looked at her, smiled sympathetically, then wrapped her in a fierce hug as she took a moment to read her friend's emotions. "Beverly…"
Beverly collapsed against her, sobbing helplessly. "He's alive… he's been out there all this time…" she said through her tears.
Deanna hugged her even more closely. "I know… I know… but he is coming home."
Beverly sniffed, then pulled away, realising that Ted was standing in the doorway.
"Maman?" he asked, his face ashen and tight with concern.
"Oh Ted…"
"Please, whatever it is, just tell me."
"Get your brother, meet me in the living room. I'll tell you everything I can."
He walked away, shouting for Louis and she followed behind. She wasn't sure what she was going to say. It was incredible news… it just somehow didn't feel as good as she thought it was supposed to. All that time...
